You nodded. You signed up for it, you were going to do it, though when you took a deep breath you were surprised to find it shudder a bit. You lifted your chin, making yourself confident.

“Then give me your hand.” He looked at you expectantly, and palm up you offered it to him. He didn't take his eyes from the veins in your wrist as he reached out and pulled it over the pedestal. He mumbled under his breath, once again the language you couldn't identify, and a small black blade appeared in his free hand as though created out of mist within the dimly lit room. His eyes flickered to yours, suddenly the coal-black that you had come to expect from your coworkers. They you in, refusing to let go.

“Here we go,” he said, once again speaking English. He didn't pause or check to make sure you wanted to go through with it; you were beyond that. Instead he began to speak frantically in his language, works quick and continuous, much louder than the quiet murmurs before. The long vowels were suddenly stopped by hard consonants, but the sound was overall one of subdued power. As he spoke his voice deepened to a rich baritone, expression reflecting his concentration and focus as he slowly brought the blade over to your wrist. You brought your hand into a fist, unable to look away as the lights coming from beneath you grew stronger and the knife neared your flesh. The air rose in a powerful wind, blowing back your hair and raising Hongbin's on end, though you swore his horns grew a few inches, curling just slightly at the end... and for a moment, quick enough that you would have missed it if you blinked, his body was covered in spiraling black tattoos, the patterns reaching from his hands to up around his neck.

Your thoughts were cut off a the blade made its final descent, slicing across your wrist with a sudden pain you weren't expecting that caused you to gasp. Hongbins grip on you, one that had become so strong it nearly bruised, loosened as the line of blood slithered across you hand before dripping down onto the pedestal. The small puddle of red stayed on the stone for just a moment before appearing to melt into it, nothing remaining. The wind died.

You looked down at the line of blood dripping from your wrist as Hongbin gently moved it back to you. “That's it?”

Hongbin smiled at you, appearing amused though concerned. “That's it.”

“I thought you said this was extremely dangerous and ill-advised?”

His eyes darkened. “It is. This is just the beginning.”

You rolled your eyes. “It's just a bit of blood, Hongbin. I thought you were a Demon Lord. Aren't you used to this sort of thing?”

“I'm telling you, it's just the beginning. If there is any energy drain, I'll-”

You waved him away with the hand that wasn't bleeding. “That's all find and good, but do you have band aid I can have? I'm kind of dripping on the floor.”

Hongbin's serious attitude shattered like a piece of glass when he realized what he had left you with, the rivets of red falling from your arm. He jumped in surprise, grabbing you arms and pulling you up the stairs in a panic.

“Waaah, I'm sorry I'm sorry lets clean it up there's bandages in the bathroom and I can ask Taekwoon to--”

You cut off his breathless monologue with a laugh as you stumbled up the last few steps, free hand underneath your bleeding arm to try to catch the drippings. Hongbin looked back at you with wide eyes before breaking into a grin, through he hurried you forward.

“You might be insane,” he said, on the verge of laughing himself. For some reason, you found the entire situation utterly hysterical.

“Only as much as you are,” you retorted. You looked at the red liquid on your arm but couldn't help but find it amusing. What was hell doing to you? Before you could think about it any longer, Hongbin burst through the door into the living room, not pausing to explain to Taekwoon and the girl as he ran straight into another hallway and pulled you into a bathroom, bandaging your arm before you could even process what was happening.

“Isn't this a little clean and bright for hell?” You questioned, partially blinded by the shockingly bright fluorescents. You winced as he tightened the wrappings on your arm.

“I like it this way. I only need dark and dreary when I'm performing magic.” He grinned, as though laughing at an inside joke you weren't part of. You shook your head, trying to clear out the confused cobwebs before you continued. “But does it have to be this bright?” you questioned, and Hongbin looked up, contemplating.

“I suppose not.”

After he lowered your cleaned and cared for arm back to your side, he snapped his fingers and the lights dimmed to a more comfortable level. You gave him a little appreciative nod, and he grinned in response, happy to have helped.

“Well, then, I should really get going now if you can take care of Megan; you might some extra paperwork since I abandoned my shift, but since I was with you I'm sure It'll be alright on my end. Do you think someone is around who could take me through the portal, because...” Something about Hongbin's expression made you stop. It was as if he was just waiting for the opportunity to share some really, really bad news you you already knew you didn't want to hear. Fantastic. “Hongbin, what it it?” He chewed on his lip a minute, an adorable habit you were trying to ignore.

“Um, I don't actually have the magic to send her back... I kinda need you for that. And,um, the first time at least, you should be here. Actually I need you here for magic like this anyway...” His look went from proceed with caution to please don't hit me; for the billionth time you wondered how the hell he was a Demon King. You waved him away, annoyed but not angry.

“Fine fine, but let's send her back quick okay? And you can promise that she'll be healed too, right?”

Hongbin looked you up and down, as though measuring something. “Yeah, that shouldn't be a problem. Alright, lets start now, you'll still have most of the night then.”

“Most of the night for what?” But Hongbin was already out of them room, going to talk to Taekwoon by the looks of it, and you stood in the white room alone. You took a second to fix yourself in the mirror-- luckily, there was no blood on your clothes-- before heading out to follow him.

“...finish it now. Tell her whats going to happen, alright?” He was in the living room speaking to Taekwoon while Megan stood at his feet and looked up at him. Hongbin patted her on the head fondly, and you leaned in the door frame and contemplated how he could be so good with children. Taekwoon nodded dutifully, then put an arm around Megan and pulled her over to him, talking quietly. Hongbin came back to you, grabbing your hand in his and pulling you even further down the hallway. An empty room loomed in front of you, but you pulled your hand away as you realized where he was going.

“Is there something about this that you haven't told me?” The bedroom loomed before you and Hongbin didn't even pause before going in.

“Oh, yeah, I figured you would be more comfortable on a bed--”

“Hongbin!”