“I still do not understand,” Hakyeon frowned as he watched his master moving around the tree, hanging things on it, “why do you need a tree inside the apartment?”

“It’s a tradition,” Sanghyuk sighed at the fire demon he’d foolishly contracted only a few short months before, “we’ve been over this. Hongbin even got you a book about it.”

“I burned it,” Hakyeon huffed, “I do not like him nor do I like the books he insists on giving me.”

“He insists on giving you them so you can blend in with us humans,” Sanghyuk sighed once more, trying not to think about how many times they’d already have this talk.

“I do not need to blend in with humans,” Hakyeon says the word ‘humans’ like it’s something disgusting and if Sanghyuk wasn’t so used to it he’d have flinched, “I am a powerful demon. They should know that and bow down to my power.”

“Or,” Sanghyuk muttered under his breath, “they’ll kill you with water and I’ll be rid of you.” And maybe he’d throw Jaehwan’s name out there to the mob so he’d be rid of the idiot who’d tricked him into summoning Hakyeon in the first place.

But then again, he’d probably miss Hakyeon. Even if he could be a massive pain in the …….Sanghyuk had come to like him a great deal in the time they’d spent together.

“What was that, master?” Hakyeon questioned, “I failed to catch your words? Did you request something of me?”

“Nope,” Sanghyuk sighed, returning his attention to decorating the Christmas tree, “nothing at all.” He’d learned very quickly that requesting anything of Hakyeon was a futile chore. The fire demon had a habit of burning things when Sanghyuk asked him to do something.

From his place on the couch, Hakyeon watched his master work. He felt more than a little useless just sitting around doing nothing, something Sanghyuk’s blasted roommate liked to point out whenever he returned to the apartment and found Sanghyuk was the only one working. That was one of the reasons Hakyeon disliked Hongbin. There were several others, but none were relevant to Hakyeon’s current train of thought.

“Master,” Hakyeon found himself saying, getting up and wrapping his arms around the human’s waist, “can you…..tell me? About the significance of the tree?”

Sanghyuk explained, but Hakyeon wasn’t really listening. He was enjoying the warmth of Sanghyuk’s body so close far too much to focus on the words coming from his master’s mouth. It amazed Hakyeon that he so easily bent to Sanghyuk’s will. He, a powerful demon feared by most within his own realm, was turned a harmless, subservient kitten just by being in his master’s presence.

It was true what he’d said earlier about being better than humans, about how they should bow down before him and cater to his every whim. But Sanghyuk was different. He wasn’t a lowly human, not like Hongbin. Sanghyuk was Hakyeon’s master, his most beloved and cherished master. Hakyeon would bow before Sanghyuk, would serve Sanghyuk as his loyal manservant. Anything Sanghyuk wished for, Hakyeon would grant it.

He just needed to tell Sanghyuk this. And Hakyeon decided that this holiday, this Christmas celebration, was the perfect time to say what he felt. After all, people exchanged gifts with those they loved at this time of year and Hakyeon so dearly loved Sanghyuk. So he would gift these words of affection to Sanghyuk and pray that his master accepted them.

A/N: I’ve got this image in my head now of N on a throne, big crown on his head, forcing the other members to bow. And laughing evilly the whole time. at least until Hyukkie gets sick of his and spins him into submission. Then it’s “bow down to Hyukkie” time and…….and I have thought way too much about this. Or not enough.