Minwoo was no stranger to dalliances. He was nearly a millennia old, old enough to have done more than his fair share of them, and had already earned quite a reputation for himself in the Underground. His lovers he could name in lists that would stretch throughout the entire kingdom, but he prided himself for his discretion and so could always succeed in keeping two, three, or even four courtiers simultaneously occupied and waiting, anticipating the moments when they alone would be the center of his golden attention as they took turns pleasuring him, before he returned the act with equal fervor.

It was a glorious pastime, and one which Minwoo enjoyed tremendously.

None of his lovers, however, had ever been mortal. It was not only forbidden due to the prophecy, but it was also an unspoken fall from grace to consort with a being of lower rank. He had never considered even being linked to one until this trouble with his brothers started. Despite the temptations, he had a duty to uphold, and had made the decision to pursue none of them, especially after encountering Eric Mun. The man was uncouth, brash, and insufferable, and had left Minwoo largely unimpressed and generally infuriated at the mortal race altogether. Such a weak pathetic lot, he had scoffed and sneered, and perhaps...perhaps...that had been the start of his own undoing. It was just like the Fates to suddenly seem so intent on proving him wrong.

“May I?”

When Dongwan Kim – hot-blooded, bronze-eyed, tasting of bitter iron, salt, and the memory of stars – asked for his consent to kiss him, Minwoo was too stunned to even form words. Then when he surged forward, actually being audacious enough to place his mortal lips against his, Minwoo did not – could not – deny him entry. The very act of it unlocked something in him that no other lover of his had ever come close to even approaching before. Pure white affection bloomed within his chest, and he realized belatedly – and with much shame – that he had underestimated humans, especially this particular mortal, greatly.

Dongwan drove deeper, and Minwoo kissed back – passionately, insatiably, and not even the worsening storm outside, brought in by the thrice-damned open window, could separate them. He felt hot and cold at the same time, barely restraining himself to control his more primal urges in order to preserve his dignity. He was a prince, for Danu’s sake, but here he was, veritable clay in the hands of a single mortal man….

It was one indignity he was willing to suffer.

He didn’t know how long they kissed, only that they kept going: tongue to tongue, lips to lips, their breaths mingling with raindrops every time they separated to breathe. He wanted to ravish the mortal underneath his palms, to taste his every hidden corner if only to satiate the hunger he’d now developed for his flesh, his essence. Minwoo pushed harder and Dongwan, he was pleased to discover, fought gladly for dominance. He would have kept going for longer, would have stopped time and ceased movement to make this moment last, but there were suddenly footsteps in the outdoor hallway which stopped right outside the door, and before Minwoo could react, the front door of the apartment had swung wide open, exposing them to whoever it was standing at the entryway.

“WHAT THE !” Eric Mun bellowed, and it was that that prompted Dongwan to quickly heave him off as though he was a sack of turnips, pushing him off so roughly that he bodily slammed against the hard tile counter that divided the kitchen from the rest of the lounge area. Admittedly, it was a hit to his pride, and Minwoo had half a mind to pay the other mortal no heed and instead continue with the task at hand, but Dongwan’s attention had completely shifted to his cousin now, and so Minwoo knew he had to concede, albeit quite reluctantly.

“Eric!” Dongwan said, and there was a miniscule tremor in his voice. Instantly, Minwoo felt a surge of protectiveness for his mortal at the sound.

(His mortal?)

“I can explain…” Dongwan began again. He held up his palms, possibly to signify surrender or peace, although Minwoo doubted Eric Mun at the moment could be cajoled into accepting either sentiment. The other mortal looked an absolute fright: wet and bedraggled, as though the storm outside had swallowed him up and spat him back out, and his expression was akin to an irate minotaur. Minwoo had seen cave goblins have better days.

“Eric…" Dongwan spoke to him the same way he would a rabid animal. "Calm down, okay?”

“You!” Eric ignored Dongwan’s pleas and surprised all of them by pointing at Minwoo directly. “What are you doing here? In my house? Without my invitation? And…seducing my cousin???”

Minwoo felt himself bristle, his usual reaction to Eric Mun’s arrogance. Dongwan’s unfortunate cousin always managed to rile him up in the most terrible of ways.

“Oh, but I believe I was invited,” he said in response, keeping his tone even as he brought his hand up to his mouth. His lips were still throbbing and tender from where Dongwan’s had pressed against them, and he rested with the satisfaction that the inside of Dongwan’s lower lip bore the marks of his teeth. Mine. “Have a care as to whom you accuse, Eric Mun, lest the truth be one you cannot possibly begin to accept.”

“What the are you talking about?” Eric was growing an alarming shade of red; he was not as unintelligent as Minwoo had initially made him out to be, but was a creature who relished in hiding from truths, no matter how much it was already staring at him in the face. “Why are you here?”

“Eric, please, let me explain…” Dongwan started imploring again, triggering an increase in Minwoo’s irritation. How dare he beg? The very action was beneath him.

Minwoo was about to advise Dongwan to shut his mouth lest he shut it for him when something slammed open, and the boy, Andy, was suddenly there, joining the conflict they were embroiled in without any invitation.

“Hyung! Hyung! It’s my fault! Don’t be mad, please!” the boy said, running directly towards Eric and clutching at his waist. The child was such a small creature compared to his hulking mess of a brother, but Minwoo could tell that his appearance had immediately captured Eric Mun’s full attention. At this, Minwoo could relate. Older brothers were the same on every realm, it seemed.

“What?” Eric hissed, obviously seething but attempting with all his might for it not to show on his face. “What are you talking about?”

“I told Dongwan hyung they could come in. I was the one who said they should. I know you said we shouldn’t speak with them or play with them but I forgot. Honest!” The child was practically in tears, and Minwoo found himself feeling puzzled at his state of distraught. “I’m sorry!”

The entire sentence, babbled so quickly and in between hiccups that Minwoo had barely been able to understand it, seemed to make sense to Eric despite its incoherence. His eyes widened in recognition. “‘They?’” he asked. “Andy, what do you mean ‘they’—”

“Peace, Eric Mun. It is only my oldest brother and I,” Junjin’s voice suddenly joined the fray, and Minwoo inwardly groaned. Having his own brother add to the current predicament meant a smaller probability that he and Dongwan could finish what they had started. And he so badly wanted to, especially since Dongwan was still within kissing proximity.

“I am aware you may have reservations about our visit. Perhaps we should not have come…” he heard Junjin continue as he also appeared in the narrow hallway, and Minwoo turned his head towards him to remark that no, actually, he had been quite enjoying himself with no small thanks to everyone else in the room apart from Dongwan. His words died on his tongue, however, the second he saw Junjin’s face, white and pale in a way that Minwoo had never seen, and gave him the appearance of a specter rather than an actual living being. Even in the poor light, Minwoo could also see there was a strange aura surrounding him, making it look as though he was draped in shadow rather than the usual glow that surrounded any healthy powerful fae.

Without wasting a moment, Minwoo straightened and stalked to where his brother was standing. He didn’t miss when Junjin flinched at his approach, or the gasp he emitted when Minwoo grasped his arm; it was nearly inaudible, yet to him the sound was as loud and as sharp as an ice sheet cracking in two. The air around his brother tasted bitter and dark, with none of his usual, familiar vibrance. When Minwoo assessed him, he was alarmed to see that Junjin’s magical energies were close to full depletion.

What had happened?! Dread crept into his bloodstream, although he dared not state his thoughts out loud. After all, they were in forbidden territory without the King and Queen’s knowledge, and it would not be wise to expose any vulnerabilities they may have lest there were any enemies about who sought to harm them at any given opportunity. They had been trained for moments like these, and so Minwoo’s instincts flew into action. There was only one command ringing in his head: Return to the Underground. Quickly.

“Are you capable of returning to the Underground?” he asked Junjin in their ancient, native tongue, more out of habit than it was to shut their mortal audience out. His brother, who had insisted he was well not even an hour’s past, now appeared barely able to conjure a simple spell, let alone Shimmer or shapeshift. His skin that rested underneath Minwoo’s hand, usually thrumming with warmth due to Junjin’s primary power, was cold.

“I cannot,” Junjin murmured. The answer didn’t surprise him, but it was the ready admission of weakness which frightened Minwoo the most; Junjin himself likely realized the risks they were up against and was not going to take any chances. He nodded, restraining himself from not interrogating his brother right there and then. That would have to wait once they were in safer territory.

“What’s wrong?” Eric demanded, and Minwoo nearly growled at him in response. There could not have been a worse time for the mortal’s belligerence. He was already testy at having been interrupted and accused, and his worry for his brother only aggravated his mood. As he turned away from Eric to keep himself from magicking him away to most isolated corner of this realm, he noticed the boy, Andy, who still clutched onto his older brother’s arm. Minwoo saw how the boy watched Junjin’s every move with dark anxious eyes, but also kept his silence, a drastic change from the reaction he had had when they had first appeared at their doorstep.

Did the child cause this? Or was he aware of it happening? Minwoo was infuriated at not having the answers. He was infuriated Eric Mun had interrupted them. He was infuriated that he had not stopped time with Dongwan while he had still had the chance. From within him, his power thrummed underneath barely-restrained self-control.

“We have overstayed our invitation.” He said with forced politeness as he turned back to Eric. He had already assessed the room discreetly but had found nothing of note; they were not under any immediate threat, but he could not let his guard down. “We should be departing. I thank you for your hospitality.”

He didn’t wait for Eric to reply as he dragged his unusually docile brother towards the entryway. He magicked their shoes on, unable to bother with the pretense, but was surprised when he felt a twinge in his chest as he saw from the corner of his eye Dongwan’s approach, kicked into motion from where he had previously been frozen in his spot in the kitchen. Confusion and concern were evident on his face.

“Wait!” Dongwan said, holding out his hand as though an invitation for Minwoo to grasp. He dropped it immediately once their gazes met. “I mean—can I contact you…somehow? Will you be all right? It’s pouring out there!”

The storm indeed had not abated. In fact, it seemed to have built up in ferocity, and a puddle of water had already formed in the kitchen from the open window. Dongwan turned to his cousin, as though vying for his support.

“Eric, you can’t let them go out there! Not in this weather! At least call an Uber or something.” Dongwan had already gotten a contraption from his pocket and was tapping at it with his fingers in frightening speed. “I’ll get you guys an Uber, hang on…”

“Dongwan!” Minwoo heard Eric hiss. He still sounded like an indignant goblin. “If they want to go, let them go!”

“Are you insane?” Dongwan shouted back. “Have you seen yourself? You’re soaking wet and practically creating a pool in the hallway for God’s sakes—”

Inasmuch as Minwoo appreciated this show of concern by the mortal that had so readily captured his attention (and he felt it too, like a slow burn in the pits of his stomach), there was very little time they could spare at the moment. He rapped soundly at the floor with the heel of his shoe, and caused the argument between Eric and Dongwan to instantly ground to a halt.

“All shall be well.” Minwoo said with his most assuring tone. It was mostly for Dongwan’s benefit, for he did not much care about Eric’s sentiment. “Do not fret. We will not be needing any assistance.”

Do not be difficult, he nearly also said out loud, because he could already feel himself being torn at the thought of Dongwan begging him to stay, and that would never do; he needed his whole wits about him if he was to Shimmer back to the Underground with Junjin in tow.

“I will return,” he added instead, surprising even himself. He forced Dongwan to meet his gaze. “I swear. I will return. But we must make haste…”

“But don’t you have a number I can text or contact you on? An email? Anything?” Dongwan pleaded, and this time he reached out and grasped Minwoo’s hand. Such obstinacy! But Minwoo didn’t shy from his touch, despite not understanding most of what the mortal was saying. “Listen I know I may come off as a bit forward but I…I don’t even know when I can see you again. And I want to. See you again, that is.”

He sounded embarrassed, but it was as good a declaration as any, especially in front of Eric Mun and his child-brother. Minwoo felt as his heart seemed to expand several sizes, conveniently ignoring Eric Mun’s overbearing presence as he smoldered where he stood.

“I will find you,” he said, and he meant it. He would cross worlds and destroy time. He would do it again and again if only to relive the feeling of Dongwan's warmth pressed against his. “There will be no corner on this realm that can hide you from me. Fear not…”

Junjin clutched at his shoulder tightly with his free hand, reminding him of the urgency of the situation, and his planned declarations vanished into the aether, being replaced once more by raw fear. Between affection and duty, he knew where his loyalties lay. There will be another time. I will make sure of it. 

“For now, however, we must take our leave. Right at this moment. I apologize.”

Dongwan opened his mouth to speak. "But--!"

"Goodbye, Dongwan."

Minwoo’s grasp tightened around Dongwan’s hand before letting go, a quiet assurance of his promise. Then, without waiting for a response, he gave a final nod and stepped through the open doorway. He shut the door between them, his arm already wrapped around his brother’s trembling shoulders. The light and air around them wavered, and on the rain-sodden sidewalk downstairs, a lamp sputtered and died. Seconds later, when Dongwan would open the door once more to call out Minwoo’s name, he would only see the 4^th floor hallway now standing empty, as though no one had even been there.

tbc


Author's Notes
1. This...is a filler chapter. >.< I can't get the timing of the events right and this was enough as a standalone. I'm still working on the rest of it!
2. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting! I hope this Woodong makes up for it. This will start Minwoo's own arc in the story. Hehe. (But honestly I'm flying by the seat of my pants in this story. I'm sure you can tell LOL)
3. The fae are often depicted as...rather indulgent and impulsive creatures. I hope Minwoo is doing that justice. Hyesung is probably the only one with any semblance of self-control. 
4. Stay safe! Wear a mask! Support your frontliners and your local small businesses! Take care, everyone, and help take care of each other, too.