"Ryeowook! Ryeowook, open the door!" Donghae screamed. Ryeowook always answered his texts, and if he didn't, he would answer within minutes, so when he didn't...

It was worrying that the receptionist hadn't seen Ryeowook leaving since coming in the night before, especially since Hyungsik had left that morning for work without him. And after Ryeowook hadn't shown up for work without notice was the last straw for him.

As soon as his shift was over, Donghae demanded that Hyukjae take him to Ryeowook's apartment. But when the doors of the elevator opened, Donghae let out a gut-wrenching howl and shot towards Ryeowook's room, desperately trying to get in.

Donghae smelled blood.

The merman scrabbled for his phone and hit the first number he could think of.

"Donghae? Donghae, what is it? Is Ryeowook-?"

"Hyukjae get up and help me, something's happened, Hyungsik's not here, Ryeowook's not answering, Hyukjae, I smell blood, come up here now!"

"Wha-? Donghae, I don't-"

"HYUKJAE PLEASE, THERE'S SO MUCH BLOOD!"

"I'm on the way, hang on Donghae, keep trying to get in."

Donghae ended the call and shoved the phone back in his pocket before ramming his shoulder into the door. "Ryeowook!"

Heechul poked his head out of the door and immediately doubled over. "Holy ! Did those vampires have a party or something?" He narrowed his eyes when he saw a strange merman repeatedly slamming himself against a door, screaming incomprehensibly. “That’s...Ryeowook’s door?” Heechul took a deeper breath and his eyes went wide.

Ryeowook.

He let out a scream and began beating his fist against Ryeowook's door, crying out for the human he had come to love like a younger brother, and then for the man he loved unconditionally. "Gunhee!” A man with tousled hair poked his head out of the door, eyes widening when he saw the two otherworlders trying to break the door down. “Gunhee, get Ryeowook’s key from the lobby, it’s an emergency!”

Gunhee nodded, he had learned not to question Heechul when he was like that, but was stopped when a frantic Hyukjae came flying out the stairwell door, key already in hand. Donghae let out a sob and moved aside so Hyukjae could unlock the door.

As soon as they heard the click, Heechul kicked the door down, only for him and Donghae to nearly collapse, the overwhelming scent of blood, fear, and pain proving to be too much for them to handle so suddenly. For Hyukjae and Gunhee, they nearly threw up on the spot, but not because of smell.

No, for them it was sight.

Blood was everywhere, from the hardwood floors, to the walls, and even splatters of it on the ceiling. Ryeowook’s beloved glass table was cracked and painted crimson, drops of it creating a pool on the floor. A fearsome knife was stuck in the middle of their floor, surrounded by shreds of clothing and blood.

"Ryeowook!" Donghae screamed, a horrible, guttural cry. "Kim Ryeowook!" Heechul repeated the cry, his agitated voice ringing throughout the silent room. Gunhee, being the oldest with Heechul, slowly moved towards the inside of the room, deliberately avoiding the pools of blood.

"He's not in here!" Gunhee shouted after he poked his head in the master bedroom. Hyukjae pressed his lips together in a thin line and he began his slow walk towards the hallway, helping a still shaken Donghae stumble along. "Hyukjae, check the bathroom!"

Hyukjae was crying now, barely able to make his way to the bathroom without tripping, but he grasped the doorknob firmly and pushed the door open, only for his mouth to open in a silent scream. Donghae was the one who actually made a sound and let out a heart-wrenching cry, surging forward to pull Ryeowook’s limp body into his arms, completely disregarding the blood that was staining his clothes.

“Ryeowook!” Heechul screeched. And the haze that clouded Hyukjae’s mind disappeared when the elder’s cry pierced the air.

“Heechul-hyung, don’t come in here!” Hyukjae managed to croak. “Gunhee-hyung, stop him!”

But Hyukjae’s warning came too late. Heechul rounded the corner, Gunhee right behind him, just in time to catch the incubus as his knees gave out, dragging them both to the floor. Heechul stared with glassy eyes at the scene in front of him: white tiled floors stained with red, a large pool gathered under Donghae’s knees as he held Ryeowook close, sobbing loudly into the younger’s shoulder.

Gunhee gently dragged Heechul away, pulling out his phone as he led the being out of the apartment. “Gunhee, let me go back!” Heechul shouted, straining against the human’s grip. “Ryeowook! Ryeowook, wake up, please!”

“You need to calm down, Heechul.” Gunhee quickly dialed the emergency number and raised the phone to his ear. “Donghae and Hyukjae have him, don’t worry.”

“911, what’s your emergency?”

“This is human Gunhee, I live with incubus Kim Heechul no. 071083 in the Dreamy Winds apartment complex, room 910. I’m calling to report a demon-inflicted injury to a neighbor of ours, Kim Ryeowook, in room 913.”

“All right, I’ve notified the paramedics, and they will be there shortly. May I ask where his demon protector was at the time?”

“The receptionist in the lobby told us that that he had left early that morning and hasn’t been back since."

“Thank you. You may be called back if the police are needed to step in.”

“Thank you so much.” Gunhee ended the call and shoved the phone back in his pocket, sighing heavily. Heechul took the opportunity to break free out of Gunhee’s grip and bolted back into the apartment. Gunhee let out a yell and ran after him.

Hyukjae was trying to pry Ryeowook out of Donghae’s arms, but Donghae wouldn’t let go, screaming obscenities at the human. “Back the away, Lee Hyukjae!” Donghae’s brown eyes turned a sea blue, and the air suddenly turned thick with moisture. "Don't touch my guppy, I will tear your fingers off."

Donghae glared at him with terrified eyes, yet they had a determined gleam. No one would touch Ryeowook, the human was his guppy, Donghae had practically raised him. And after Hyukjae, Donghae would do anything to keep Ryeowook safe.

A light sprinkle formed in the bathroom and Hyukjae's blue hair began to drip water into his eyes as he stared at Donghae pleadingly. "Donghae, you have to let him go so I can try and stop the bleeding!" Donghae's eyes were now a stormy gray, reflecting the small cloud of rain that was formed over their heads.

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