• SIX •

November 15th

The moment that door closed behind Chen he felt eyes on him, hard and heavy with disapproval. Ah, hello to you too, Kyungsoo. Chen refused to turn around and seek the other out, if Kyungsoo wanted to pester Tao into using his abilities for petty reasons to spy on him then so be it. That didn't mean that Chen had to acknowledge such a childish act, although it was potentially equally as childish for him to huff and storm down the stairs of the apartment complex while throwing the finger vaguely somewhere over his shoulder hoping it would hit its mark. He knew that they didn't really understand it, his fascination with humans and their culture, yet he hoped they'd at least be accepting of it. Chen never once missed a formal event back home, never once failed to make an appearance by his father's side and always abode by both vampiric law and human law while he was in this realm.

Overall there was very little wrong in being on Earth this much, yes he was a little behind on current affairs back home but that could easily be solved. And yes, Chen might be a little weak from not feeding as often as he should but there were very few 'legal' places open anymore to provide refuge for vampires while on Earth. Perhaps even a little weaker than he had realised as Chen felt the heat of the sun burn a little bit more than it did yesterday. Which only meant that he would have to be returning soon. He had been planning on coming back over the weekend just to check in but now it was just pissing Chen off that it would look like he was coming back because of Kyungsoo's little stunt.

Who was still spying on him he might add, the condescending prick. So naturally as Chen rounded onto a particularly quiet street in his quest to find his car he let his own secondary affinities slip out every so slightly. Static building in the air around him until it felt as if it was literally thrumming with electricity which he knew would seriously with Tao and he could see it if he concentrated enough, this little shimmering mirage of colours flickering in and out that his eyes could never quite get a fix on. The smaller ones like this only really functioned like one way glass, whomever was back home with Tao could peer into wherever in the world he was focusing his abilities on, but those on the other side would never know it was there. There were a bunch of rules with it Chen didn't understand, but that didn't stop him from abusing the fact that their affinities clashed heavily for situations like this one. Beyond the dull sciency mumbo-jumbo the electricity he produced was at such quantity in a condensed and focused area that the energy made the very molecules of the world vibrate meaning Tao struggled to get a fixed location.

So now it was one-nil between himself and Kyungsoo, providing the other didn't try and beat his the minute he stepped foot back home. Which was becoming more and more likely with every passing minute, so why bother delaying the inevitable. There wasn't even any point in going back to his apartment or finding his car, he'd get some looks but he'd be fine in Xiumin's clothes for a bit longer. And it wasn't like he even needed a cable to charge his phone with, it was honestly one of the most underused blessings of being a Descendant of Stroemig that he could just charge everything with the snap of his fingers. But he hardly needed a phone for this.

"Tao?" Chen called out, "I know you can hear me, Zitao," his voice had taken on that almost distorted tone that it often did whenever he called across the realms. It wasn't his craeft, well 'magic', that allowed them to do this, it was a combination of Zitao and Jongin's craefts that formed the spell so it never really worked that well for him. "Can you just bring me back to Mistide? Preferably not in father's office this time. And don't even think about bringing me to yours and Yifan's, or straight up dumping me at Kyungsoo's, because if you do, I swear if you do you can forget about going to fashion week with me- oh no, even better, I'll tell Yifan you were going to sneak out with me to Earth without even telling him." He could practically feel the childish whine that he knew would sound in response, the sound travelling from his home realm of Naihtweard all the way to the Earth realm, "I'll assume that's a yes then, so get on with it if you please."

No sooner than he had finished talking did the very fabric of reality peel open in front of him, sliced clean in half by Zitao's craeft and sharp blue light slipped through until the connection was made from this realm to the next. Thankfully he could just about make out the shape of his actual bedroom back in Mistide so at least the other wasn't pulling anything funny. With that reassurance Chen took a step forward, not thinking about the way his stomach still lurched for the mere milliseconds that he was in limbo between the two despite how often he did this. Just very much happy to be home again, to really be home. Though that happiness was very, very short lived.

"Jongdae. We have warned you time and time again that you are spending far too much time among the humans, its starting to get ridiculous-"

-"ing hell- for sake Tao! And off Kyungsoo, what is your problem?!" Jongdae screamed, eyes flashing a cold blue as he shook off all traces of the previous grima he had cast to act as a glamour and make him look more human. Instantly his skin paled slightly, the whites of his eyes turning black too as the irises shifted from that warm brown to a steely blue, his clan markings instantly blossoming too. Unfurling like flowers on the backs of his hands, and slithering up his skin like vines until they circled his arms and neck. Overall it did look quite odd while he was still in distinctively human clothing.

"Me?! I'm not the one with the problem! Clearly you must hate your life here or something, or have some issue with us all!"

"Everyone's here!? Oh come on guys really!" he growled as he spun full circle, meeting eyes with Zitao and Yifan on the bed, Jongin who was awkwardly stood behind Kyungsoo himself, and then Junmyeon who thankfully looked like he was just as happy as Jongdae to be suffering through this bull.

"Yes everyone's here, because you have a problem! It wasn't so bad before but now you're spending entire weeks there Dae! You're not eating well enough I can already tell just by looking at you, if this is some existential crisis and you want to be human like you're in for a harsh wake up call!" Kyungsoo bellowed, the walls damn near shaking from the force of it.

Jongdae hissed through gritted teeth in frustration, "I met someone! Okay! A human, a teeny tiny, helpless, pathetic little human and I don't get it either, but, but I like Xiumin, a lot!" The other seemed to deflate at that, just as Tao seemed to swell with happiness at the prospect of Jongdae finally finding someone. It was only him and Junmyeon that were the remaining unmatched descendants at this point and while the latter was one hundred percent a lost cause there was still hope for Jongdae yet. Hence the gleam in Tao's eye.

"That's- well, that's not even much better, that's a human Dae, a human, you're playing a risky game just to get laid what if you get carried away?"

"He wouldn't," Junmyeon butted in with, nods of agreement coming from the couple on the bed.

"Yeah, damn right I wouldn't, which is why this isn't about getting laid, Soo, I like Xiumin."

A look of pure disgust overtook Kyungsoo's features with that and it only pissed off Chen even more. "You can't like like a human Jongdae, that's ridiculous, and stupid, and a worthless- it's a waste of time. They'll be gone in what feels like a month to us." Does he honestly think I don't know that? Chen thought bitterly, it was often something he pushed to the back of his mind when he was with Xiumin to avoid spoiling what short time he did have with the human. "They're so fragile Dae, they could be gone in an instant."

"I know that, by god I know that, and they're so- so damn stupid, the biggest danger they face? Themselves! I even watched it today, like five feet away and he burned his hands really badly and I could feel how much pain he was in, so trust me I know, but I've got to make this work, I can't miss what little time I have with him, he-"

-"He?" Tao asked eagerly, a stupid smile on his face that was, you guessed it, really pissing Jongdae off as he paced back and forth in his own bedroom. He was a prisoner in his own home, and he needed out, now.

"Yes, he, Tao, it's a guy."

"Oh well at least you can't get the worthless thing pregnant then, that's one good thing."

Thankfully, while it was Tao's fault the entire thing was happening, he had been the one constantly facilitating Jongdae's trips so he did know that the vampire was genuinely beginning to care for the human. Which was why before another word could be said, and before literal sparks could fly a portal was opening up beneath Chen's feet and swallowing him whole.

*

Yifan really couldn't place what was making him so on edge, even Tao could feel his unease and was gently trailing fingers up and down his arm to calm him some. But nothing was working. It was just an argument, Jongdae and Kyungsoo argued all the time, maybe it was second hand panic at the prospect of falling for a human just to have them die? He couldn't imagine what it would be like to lose Tao, that was something he truly couldn't bear to think about. But he could not shake the feeling, it was like something he had buried deep in his memory that was slowly beginning to resurface like a half forgotten dream. A castle, a king, crisp white snow, and so much blood. Endless rivers of blood turning black with his toxic guilt, he could practically smell it from just thinking about it. But why that memory? Why now? It couldn't be- there was no way. No matter how much he wished it weren't true just as Yifan suspected the curse mark on his forearm he had layered infinite glamours over was glowing red faintly beneath it all. The draefend were awakening, ready to carry on the hunt. For who though? I took care of that, I finished the job, I saw the bodies, it has to be over, it has to, I have to keep Tao safe, I won't let them take him from me again Yifan thought. Tugging his soulmate ever closer.

*

November 16th

Even though Xiumin had truthfully planned on doing absolutely jack that weekend it still irritated him no end that he had someone been forced into agreeing to cover someone's double shift that Saturday. Plus it was the condescending tone that his boss had called him in saying something stupid like how he doubted Xiumin had anything better to do, which was really just the icing on top of this steaming and filled cake that had been the past week. First his dad, then the whole date night massacre, then the burns. Although the last issue had seemingly already resolved itself, confusing Xiumin to no end in the process. He had been expecting welts, gross blisters, and a disgustingly purple scar. But a mere day later than when the accident had first occurred they had mostly disappeared into faint red lines, though they were still a little tender to the touch resulting in a multitude of plasters covering his palm and fingers. The bastards were already starting to peel off and lift at the edges meaning they caught on absolutely everything and it was driving Xiumin nuts.

However, there was something that was far, far worse than the excuse of a plaster currently dangling from his middle finger. And that was the 'Saturday Night, Date Night!' promotion the boss had decided to implement. Xiumin had originally thought the idea was total garbage, it was something like get a half price small dessert when you buy a small drink from the 'Date Night' menu. The larger the drink you bought the larger the dessert you got a discount on would be. But he had to give credit where it was due and the place was actually packed, mostly with couples of all ages but with a few groups of teenage girls were clustered together chatting away too. And nearly all of them had gone for the Date Night specials so all in all they were making quite the grand profit. At the moment though he was currently reeling off the new added script of telling customers to hashtag their photos with '#DateNightatTheSweetSpot' to hopefully draw in an even bigger crowd next weekend because it was without question that this would now be a weekly thing, especially as it was warmer so they could put tables out the front to get more seating available.

Allegedly at some point throughout the night the staff should be taking a few as well and posting on the cafe's Facebook page to promote the event more and showcase how popular it was. Xiumin however was just using it as an excuse to keep getting his phone out to text Chen, even though their other did seem a little bit off to be honest and it had been hours since his last reply. And it only got stranger with the latest text that had just popped up on Xiumin's lock screen.

From Chen: received 5:53pm

Where are you right now? Are you at home?x

Sounding a little like an overly possessive boyfriend there Chen, Xiumin panicked, baffled at why the other was asking him this.

To Chen: sent 5:55pm

Uh, I'm actually at work, got called in to cover someone plus it's actually pretty busy right now. Why?x

From Chen: received 5:56pm

Gimmie two seconds x

"Xiumin." Instantly looking up his eyes met Chen's and his gaze immediately softened. The other was still wearing his clothes and quite frankly looked like he was in the foulest mood ever. "It's okay, I know I look a bit rough, it's just ended up being a really day and I felt like being near you- I know I don't really have the right to demand any more of your time so I'll just get it to go instead, this is more than enough-"

-"No no, that's okay, you can come to me if stuff is bothering you- like- I mean you let me spill everything about my Dad so I have no right to turn you away."

"That's very sweet of you Xiumin, but I've already got you in trouble once while at work, maybe I can see you tomorrow though..?" Chen let the question dangle in the air between them, the silence between them was fragile. So, so fragile, please just let it last for a little longer. He begged.

"Uh, yeah, um well, no wait, no, yeah sure! As long as you don't mind coming with me to run some errands all day? I can cook dinner too if you end up sticking around."

"I'm planning on that Xiumin." Oddly enough, Xiumin didn't think Chen was talking about staying for dinner and the implications were making his cheeks flush with heat. "Right, great, I- I want you to, to stick around I mean."

"Thank you. So for now, can I just get a double shot white coffee to go then please?"

"Yeah, of course you can..."

Chen did come over that cold late Sunday in late November and help Xiumin with everything that needed doing from cleaning the windows to doing a full restock shopping trip, and he did stay for dinner as well, thankfully keeping everything down this time. Funnily enough he then did the same the following Sunday as well, their second official date on that Thursday having been a total success and they did the same the next week, and the next, and then the one after that. Evenings were spent laughing, and drinking, and being disgustingly sappy. Wrapped up bodies and numb fingers battling the snow under the mistletoe at a Christmas Market, and those same blue tinged lips sealing around a shot glass at New Years too. Quiet minds awoke to the first light of spring, shaking off the remnants of a cold slumber, and the first I love you's followed after with an invigorating energy to match the vibrant colours beginning to surround them. Trembling hands from nerves as Chen met his parents were only soothed by Xiumin's gentle reassuring that they already loved him and would only come to love him more as Xiumin himself did. The passing time did nothing to lessen his love's balm like effects on his heart, only soothing his soul tenfold as the two of the grew more and more comfortable.

*

March 11th

By now, at almost four months later, making it the peak of spring, they'd been bowling, rollerskating, had countless picnics at the local park, visited water parks and theme parks alike, and about a dozen other things he couldn't remember. He was fairly sure that there was no longer a division between his clothes and Chen's clothes anymore from how many hoodies and shirts they swapped. But if he checked a certain album on his phone he kept for the two of them the memories of whatever originally belonged to him would probably come flooding back. They still did their Thursdays and Sundays, sometimes morphing into a whole weekend together though Chen was yet to spend the night again without insisting on sleeping on the sofa. But Xiumin was definitely thinking that that might change soon, it was getting harder and harder to stop themselves from going the whole way, though in reality there was no need to stop anymore, at least to him, but he was ready to go at whatever pace the other wanted.

They were disgustingly mundane, so damn normal, watching some dumb series on Netflix together with Chen's favourite dark chocolate stored in a drawer of the small table next to his worn sofa kind of normal- but, now it wasn't. It just wasn't, as he slung his bag off of his shoulder onto the floor the entire drawer had been pulled clean out of its slot and was strewn on the floor. Xiumin was used to things not being where he had left them anymore now that he had given Chen a spare key but something was just off about the place, and the mess of just everything that he didn't remember making. So despite the exhaustion Xiumin felt when he finally launched himself face first onto his bed after finishing a double shift, despite how his eyes were already closing and his breath coming out in even and slow exhales they flew open in shock at his surroundings. His room, for lack of better word, was strange. There was seriously just something that he couldn't put his finger on, nothing was different yet everything was somehow foreign to him. In a weird sort of panic he stood up on the bed, feet sinking into the mattress and making him wobble slightly yet his eyes never wavered from scanning over every inch of the room.

It was the little things. The fact that the photo of him and his mother was leaning a little bit too far to the left. The clothing he clearly remembered folding was on the floor and not on the cupboard anymore. And the smell. It wasn't pleasant, and it wasn't unpleasant, it didn't really smell like anything that he could put his finger on. It almost smelt like something burnt and heady- earthy even simultaneously, the feeling of a building pressure seemed to dance around his head, but it was the scent of wild flowers that reminded him of the first time he had ever met the Kim's. It smelled so incredibly familiar that his head started pounding at the feeling of deja vu, as if some distant memory was trying to claw its way to the surface again. It was as if it was expanding outwards, trying to burst free from the confines of his mind. Something was hidden behind his eyelids yet he just couldn't figure out what; it was exactly like when you know what the word is, that you know its on the tip of you tongue, that you know you know it, but you just can't get it out. The only words Xiumin seemed to be feeling in the forefront of his mind were panic, and run, which was more than just a little unsettling.

By now the smell was becoming unbearable- was something on fire? His eyes were watering as he somewhat blindly stumbled about the apartment desperately searching for the source. Bare feet padded into the living room and that's when he froze in place, utter disbelief at what he was seeing coursing through him. There was something that could only be described as a small puddle of liquid- no, a floating plume of ink, just absolute darkness slithering about his apartment with worrying sentience until it slunk around him a few times while he remained frozen where he stood. It wasn't a shadow for sure, and it probably wasn't a hallucination, and while logically Xiumin knew it was there but from how utterly black it was it just looked as if a gaping hole leading into some abyss was moving about over the floor like a portal waiting to swallow him whole. It had no dimension, no features, no shadows or light visible on it's surfaces, like a bone-less mass flitting about the place. It wasn't even touching him, it was just winding in and out of his legs but it was like staring into the void and waiting for it to swallow you whole. Occasionally distancing itself but as soon as Xiumin made a move or took so much as a step it would fly back and surround him once more.

"What- what are you?" Xiumin whispered at the black mass before clenching his fists and hissing out a strained breath through gritted teeth. He breathed in deeply then after relaxing his jaw, trying to calm his racing heart as he bent his knees and reached out a tentative hand towards the unknown being. He couldn't help but stare in awe come shock as the black mass stretched up, a long and thin, finger like branch drifted upwards. It continued lengthening itself until it was level with his hand and oddly enough then it almost circled around his middle finger. The one with the ring on it.

Whatever it was then divided itself, separated and split itself off, a tiny portion remained circled around his hand while the other section slunk off to somewhere underneath his sofa. Every time he attempted to touch it it would fly away and dance in the air around near his head. Jesus Christ, holy , okay, okay, maybe I can like, grab it? It looks solid enough, maybe, , I guess, , what's wrong with me? Am I awake? Did I crash on the road?

Xiumin shot his hand out and finally set the scream of terror that had been building run free. The thing was so incredibly cold that it literally burned him, stinging his flesh and turning it a bright red with blood before it began to blister and turn black at his fingertips. He flung the limb about wildly, desperately trying to get it off as he back pedaled down the corridor but it nothing worked. On instinct he immediately reached for it with his other hand, wrapping it around the throbbing arm and sliding it downwards hoping the wrench the being off of his arm and fling it to the other side of the room. But as soon as his other hand came into contact with the black cloud it burned just as it had before.

A high pitch wail echoed through out the room, but it was not from his lips. Nothing was coming out of his mouth, his own lips hung agape in shock. That thing- the monster- the creature, whatever the hell it was, was screaming. Whatever body it had was burning from the edges, an ash like substance clumping and falling to the ground as the pitch of the scream only warbled and increased until it fully disintegrated. And that was when Xiumin started screaming again for many, many reasons. The ring on his finger was glowing a brilliant blue, it was so pale that it was nearly white. It was emitting a pulsating sort of light that enveloped his entire hand before sending out thin tendrils that latched onto the other arm and then swallowed that limb too. He nearly crumbled to the floor as the light seeped into his skin, watching with unbelieving eyes how every inch of rotten flesh, every open wound, every fresh blister and welt instantly healed itself. His skin returning to it's original porcelain perfect state.

He turned his arms over rapidly, eyes scanning every inch as his mouth hung agape in pure shock. By now his hands were shaking, body wracking with panicked tremors as his screams died somewhere in his throat. When he finally looked up he saw the creature swirling around the dead piece of it's body, it shot towards him but it soon rebounded by some force and smacked into the wall. It bounced off of him yet again as if it were being repelled by an imaginary force, by an invisible wall that he could not see or touch. The band around his finger was still glowing brightly but the brightness of his skin had dulled till it was barely noticeable. The high pitched screech was back but it was lower this time, and angrier. The thing seemed to be going haywire, smashing into the walls, the doors, banging against the window pane and knocking things off of shelves and cupboards. It shrunk itself down as Xiumin neared it in small and quaking steps, the wailing only increasing in volume the closer he got. The expanding feeling in his mind was back with further aggression but he paid it no mind, all he could think about was how the black mass was desperately flitting about in the corner it was backed up into. That it would shoot left and right but never forwards, it didn't dare come near Xiumin anymore.

He his hand forward and watched as the black mass immediately started glowing amber and crumbled to the floor, screaming all the while, as the yet to disintegrate parts of its strange form writhed and rippled before it floated to the floor in large grey chunks.

Xiumin stared at the pile on the floor numbly before he too crumbled to the floor, scrabbling backwards on his hands and knees when the cloud of settling ash gave one last whine before it stilled completely. But just as quickly as he fell Xiumin was up again and running towards his bedroom, lunging over his messy bed to grab his phone. With shaking hands he typed in his passcode but he didn't get much further than that. Who the do I tell? No one will believe me, I can't call the police, I can't call anybody but I need to do something, I have to tell some, oh god someone help me please- save me please Xiumin's train of thought ended when the looked down and saw the little plus one symbol covering the top left corner of his inbox icon.

Chen.

*

It was not impossible to guess that Yifan was considerably on edge today, and it was because that feeling was back. Only stronger than before, the need to finish the job as the curse commanded him to was nearly overpowering, but he knew he had done so already which could only mean that awful, evil and manipulative bastard was going back on his word. So when Jongdae's stupid thing kept making that god awful noise he just needed it to stop, and soon, before he smashed the damn thing, again. "Oi, Jongdae, shut that thing up before I- I break it, it's driving me nuts."

"Everything is driving you nuts today, you and Tao okay?" Jongdae called in reply, a few rows down in his family library where the two of them had been brushing up on some old history.

"No I just want you to make it ing shut up."

"Jesus fine, it's only making that noise because someone is phoning me, chuck it my way- no no wait not literally!" Jongdae screamed as he had to dive for the infernal device, gracelessly righting himself until he stood once more and answered the call. "Don't say a single word! Nothing! Not even a peep okay?" Jongdae yelled as he waved his finger accusingly at Yifan who held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Xiumin! Hi babe, everything alri-"

A warbled version of his name resonated within the room, bouncing off the high ceilings in a borderline echo. -"Chen? Please- please, help me help me, something, do- do something, , , I can't breathe-"

-"Xiumin slow down, what is it? What's the matter? Is it about your Dad? Did his check up not go well- I mean I thought it was tomorrow but-"

"No! No, there's- there's something in the flat, Chen I don't know what it is- I don't know!" Xiumin screamed towards the phone that had been thrown onto the bed as he slid the chest of drawers over to barricade his bedroom door.

Chen froze, completely still, not even breathing. Only becoming hyper aware of the ringing in his ears and a desperate need to blink.

"Chen?" The other was calling his voice again.

"Yifan where's Tao?" He whispered towards his companion who just looked at him with a confused stare. "It's alright baby, do you think someone broke in? Do you think they're still there?" He was projecting his voice now, aiming it towards Yifan who slowly seemed to be realising what might be happening. An unprecedented look of horror was overtaking the other's features.

"It's not a person Dae, it- it was this thing, this black thing, like- like a cloud and it was so cold, it was so cold and it burned everything, it burned my fingers off, and my ring- my ring, and, and then everything was fine, not fine fine, but it like screamed and died- into ash- it turned into ash when my ring touched it and I'm so scared Chen, this is real right? I'm awake aren't I? I'm not going insane!" Xiumin fumbled over every other word but he desperately needed the other to understand him, to tell him that he wasn't going insane.

"You're awake Xiumin, and I dont think you're insane, I just really really need you to be sure- I need you to describe exactly what happened," Chen ordered, snapping his fingers at Yifan who seemed to be lost in some deep trance. If something had gone after Xiumin, if the court had sent something after him Chen would tear them limb from limb. No one can hurt him, I don't care what it costs me, if I have to give up my throne, my rank, my everything, I will protect him.

"I came home, and everything was wrong- like things had been moved, and there was this smell, it was um like just hot, like hot rotting flowers, so I came into the lounge trying to find whatever it was, and- and it was just there. It didn't do anything to start with, just kinda like- I don't know, floated? But it was like choosing where to go? And then it came to me, but it didn't touch me but then I touched it, and it burned, it was so cold Chen it was so cold it burned my skin off, so I just panicked and then- then I tried to get it off my hand, and when my ring touched it it started making this awful noise and then turned to ash, and then the ring made the burns on my hands disappear and they're fine now- I could- I saw bone Chen, I saw straight down to the bone and now they're fine!"

Please god no. "Where are you now Xiumin?" Covering the speaker he angrily whispered to Yifan once more "Where is Zitao? We both know what this is, we don't have much time!"

"There's no use Dae, we can't interfere!" The older vampire yelled back, tears streaming down his face. Please just let it be a coincidence, if it's me, and if he found out, he'll kill me, Yifan thought to himself as he returned his gaze to the floor, unable to watch this happen.

"In my bedroom Chen, I pushed stuff in front of the door-"

"Where is the thing now?" he barked, still pleading with Yifan to call Tao to his side.

"Chen please I'm scar-"

"Xiumin! Where is it now?!"

"It burned, I told you it burned Chen, it's a pile of ash on the floor!" Xiumin whimpered, "what's going on Chen! What is it- do you- do you know?"

"You need to get out of the apartment Xiumin, I'm coming to get you." He didn't care what laws he was breaking, Chen needed to get to Xiumin.

"What is it! What's going on, why won't you tell me! What's happening?" Xiumin screamed, voice trailing off towards the end as he heard faint but steady thudding in the living room.

", , Xiumin, I'm so sorry but, I can't, not just yet, I can't tell you, you wouldn't understand! ! I can't protect him here, you have to let me go to him, Yifan!"

"Who the hell is Yifan?! Chen?!" Xiumin screamed as he counted the dull thuds coming along his corridor, if he was guessing right it was about one third of the way down the hallway. "Something else is here Chen, I can hear it in the apartment-"

"-No no no please no, please please no Xiumin-"

"-Can bullets kill it Chen? What about a knife?" The other was still pleading under his breath over and over, he could hear the deeper voice of this Yifan person on the other end of the line too. "I need you to answer me. Bullets or knives, Chen!"

Awoken from his incoherent stupor Chen was completely thrown off by the question. "Where the hell are you going to get bullets from Xiumin -you can't just magic a knife out of no where!" Chen screamed down the phone, tears streaming down his face as he glared at the towering form of Yifan who was effectively blocking him for leaving the room by standing in front of the doors.

"It appears that we both have our ing secrets Chen, now answer my question." Xiumin stated evenly, adrenaline pumping through his veins and his heartbeat seemingly echoing about the now seemingly tiny room.

"Yes but Xiumin what the ? Secrets? What secret involve you handling a knife- a gun?" Chen ground out and the look of pure shock was also mirrored on Yifan's face. But it soon turned to a much harder expression, "He's a ing hunter Jongdae!"

Before Chen could even answer him the sound of splintering wood both made his blood turn to ice and made white hot fear rush through his body. Chen turned to look at his phone, he grasped it with one hand, the other clutched at his chest as he sank to the floor. Bone meeting marble with an audible thud.

Chen was trembling in a tiny ball on the floor, repeating the words, "No no no, no please Xiumin no, please no, don't take him please!" over and over like a prayer. Yifan could only watch in horror at the sight of his broken best friend lying on the floor crying over a human. Yifan would never forget the next moment, not for his entire life.

You see, when you were little, you were told by your elders that one day you'd find your mate and that they would complete you, love you, make you happy, that they'd be everything you'd ever wanted and all that typical bull. But as you got older much realer truths were set free, they would tell you that once you've found your destined you must protect them at all costs, because they would do the same for you. Simply because if they died, it could kill you too. Yifan had never really believed in it, but then Tao had waltzed into his life and everything had just clicked. But one thing he hoped to never understand, was what it really felt like to lose your destined. In that one moment, Yifan understood. Because he watched it happen to Jongdae.

It really didn't feel like it was possible that everything had happened in the span of about sixty seconds, but every time his mind flashed back to that day and he witnessed the horror over and over he knew, he knew what happened in every single second. Guilt made him learn it like a punishment.

The first twelve seconds were spent with him silence, then a burst of him talking, asking Jongdae a question.

"Jongdae what the ?! He's just a human, he's not special Jongdae just find anoth- no, Jongdae no, please tell me he that isn't. Jongdae I beg of you, what is Xiumin to you?! Answer me!" Yifan had bellowed. Realisation crowning in his forefront of his mind.

Eight seconds passed before Jongdae replied. "He's everything Yifan. Everything to me."

All the glass in the room shattered as wind howled through the windows. It was storming now, it had been sunny just a few minutes earlier, but now it felt like the wind could strip his very flesh away from his bones. Rain piercing him to the bone like little pinpricks over and over. Three seconds were wasted as Yifan became aware of the true meaning behind the words, and the room seemed to weigh down upon him, energy buzzing in the air and focusing around Jongdae.

For the twenty-fourth second all he could do was fall to the floor, knees thudding on the rug as he stared at Jongdae in disbelief. Wincing as his skin was shocked with tiny jolts of electricity.

On the twenty-eighth second the sound of wood crunching and snapping in half crackled through the phone. Heavy, but even breathing accompanying it. Jongdae's tears hit the floor continuously as he stared down at the phone in his hand, Yifan could see that in that exact second, for Jongdae breathing had become the hardest task of all.

On the thirty-first second the sound of a gun being loaded sounded loudly, followed by whimpering from Xiumin, or maybe Jongdae, Yifan could never tell even after all the nights he'd spent reliving it.

The thirty-seventh second was when Xiumin's voice would float through the speaker. He only spoke for nine seconds pushing on ten, but Yifan knew that those words would haunt Jongdae for ever.

"I think that the worst part of all of this Chen- the bit that hurts the most, is that I loved you so much, and I never said it, and there was so much left we had to do- that I had to do, I'm not ready, I- I don't wanna go- jesus christ what is that- what the is it Chen oh my god, I love you, and god I just wanted to be loved back by you- just once, even if it's not true, say it just once-"

Gun shots rang out on the forty-eighth second drowning out Chen's screams of untold and unsaid adoration that Xiumin would never get to hear. With screams on the forty-ninth, some human, some not. The last thing that the two of them heard was a wet sounding, choked out version of Chen's name before the line went completely dead.

*

The world fell away for Jongdae on the fifty-third second as he screamed his lungs out with tears clouding his vision and electricity bubbling beneath his skin, but his entire world had already fallen apart between the thirty-seventh and forty-sixth second.

*