"Hi Jisoo!"

Soonyoung's voice was as chipper as the monk remembered it to be and cold fear gripped his heart. His first impulse was to close the door - but, of course, the Being was both faster and stronger. They scuffled for a few seconds, Jisoo pulling at the doorknob while Soonyoung was preventing the door from closing by holding onto it, until the Being took two steps forward and simply stood in the doorframe - foiling the attempt to lock him out.

Tensing even more, the monk let go as if he had burned himself.

The hallway outside his flat was deserted, no sign of his neighbours. His flat was small, without much room to hide. They were on the fifth floor. He didn't have a weapon.

And if he was really unlucky, Kai was already waiting somewhere.

Jisoo took a step back and lifted his fists. He wouldn't fall into their trap again.

At his threatening stance, Soonyoung raised his hands. "Woah, calm down. I'm not gonna do anything," he said, eyes wide and innocent. "I'm just here to talk."

"Yeah? Like last time?" the monk snarled, not an ounce less distrustful.

"I know that was ty but I was really hungry back then and sometimes it's hard to control the urges."

A pout played on the Being's downturned lips but Jisoo only snorted. That seemed to be the standard excuse whenever Beings did something they were not supposed to do. How convenient.

"I made sure to eat something beforehand this time," Soonyoung hastily added. A sick feeling rose in Jisoo's stomach and apparently it reflected in his expression because the Being looked even more defensive. "I didn't harm anyone! I'm not a monster, you know?"

"Could've fooled me," Jisoo muttered before he raised his voice. "Where's Kai?"

The question seemed to catch Soonyoung off-guard. "How would I know?"

"What? You're not tag-teaming this time?"

Soonyoung's confused frown morphed into a scowl and Jisoo took another step back.

Maybe it hadn't been the best idea to provoke the Being who was blocking the only exit - but now it was too late. Why could he never keep his comments to himself?

"I have absolutely nothing to do with that scumbag," Soonyoung declared heatedly and his offended tone alone was enough to make Jisoo's temper flare once again.

"Oh yeah?! Why the were you two ganging up on me then?!"

They stared each other down for a long moment before Soonyoung's shoulders sank and his tense expression softened a little while he searched Jisoo's eyes. "Look, I'm sorry for what happened, okay? I didn't realize it was that traumatic for you."

The monk's frown deepened even further. "What, you thought it's fun getting preyed on? And in my own damn flat," he added bitterly.

Unbothered by his biting tone, Soonyoung rubbed his nape, a boyish grin stretching his lips. "Well, the people I feast on are usually pretty into it too. I don't hurt them after all- but of course, it's not okay without consent!"

Silence reigned while the Being grew more and more fidgety with each passing second, nailed to the floor by Jisoo's doubtful stare.

Where was that sudden apology coming from? Had he reflected on his mistake? And was he really not in cahoots with Kai? Well, they hadn't seemed to get along very well, now that he thought back to it. Kai had come to his flat to deliver his luggage that day, maybe it really had been a coincidence... or was he being too naive again? Were they playing with him?

Why was everything so god damn complicated? He just wanted to stay out of trouble and at least somewhat get along with his group mates - was that really too much to ask?

Breaking the silence with a heavy sigh, Jisoo finally lowered his fists. "Why are you apologizing now, all of a sudden? It's been almost two weeks."

Soonyoung had perked up as soon as he had spoken and the already familiar eye-smile was brightening his face when he sheepishly admitted, "Jihoon chewed me out."

Jisoo flinched. Chan, that sneaky bastard, had ratted him out to his partner; he'd never tell him anything in confidence ever again. But despite that, he had to admit that it was nice to have someone stand up for him. Jihoon was really kind below his prickly exterior.

Soonyoung didn't seem to notice his conflicted expression. "I didn't give it much thought back then but that really got me thinking and now I'm really sorry about it."

Puppy-eyes were directed at the monk and he was almost certain that he could see a metaphorical tail wagging when he softened slightly at the sight.

"I'll make it up to you, okay? I'll do whatever you want for uh... an hour? Okay, one day! I'll even buy you food! Yes? Please say yes!"

Jisoo stared at the Being for a moment, unable to comprehend that the man with the pleading pout in front of him was the same person who had assaulted him two weeks prior. He looked sincere. He sounded it too. Would a Being really degrade themself so much if they didn't mean it?

"Okay," he finally agreed, still somewhat reluctant. Soonyoung's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "But don't treat me like food. We're colleagues."

"Of course! Let's shake on it!" The Being giddily stretched out his hand but before he could reach Jisoo, a sizzling sound filled the air and he immediately jumped backwards, out of the door. The skin of his formerly unharmed right hand was reddening as if he had poured boiling water over it. "Ow! What the-"

The monk looked just as dumbfounded as the Being. He had not moved when Soonyoung had reached for him and he had absolutely no clue what had happened.

"Are you okay?" He stepped forward to take a closer look but the Being immediately retreated.

"Woah, woah! Don't come closer; that was freaking painful!"

"But I didn't even do anything?"

They stared at each other, both at a loss for what to do next. Soonyoung seemed torn between fleeing the scene or staying and mending their relationship further while Jisoo was still pondering over what had happened. Something was bothering the monk, a thought buried somewhere in his memory where it wiggled but refused to surface - until his eyes fell on the door of his neighbour's apartment.

"Ah!" Soonyoung jumped at his sudden exclamation. "Wait, I know what's going on!"

Turning on his heel, it only took a few steps until the monk had reached the pieces of paper stuck to the wall of his small hallway. The black ink still looked as pristine as they had when Mingyu had given them to him in Chen's name - but Jisoo would have never thought that the talismans were actually working. A lot more carefully than he had been when he had pinned them to the wall, he took them down and brought them to the door where Soonyoung was still waiting, nursing his sore hand.

As soon as the talismans came into view, the Being's eyes widened. "Wow. Those are expensive as hell; where did you get them?" His face suddenly changed and he eyed Jisoo with suspicion. "You're secretly rich, aren't you?"

The monk snorted. "I wish. Chen gave them to me after you and Kai- you know? I guess they're fulfilling their purpose now." He grinned and Soonyoung followed suit, although a bit reluctantly. "Do they only work against you and Kai?" Jisoo asked after a moment, his curiosity piqued. It was a bit awkward to talk while Soonyoung was standing in the hallway but the monk wasn't ready yet to leave the safety of his flat.

"Probably against all categories. The one on top is against spectre-type Beings."

"Wait, you can read them? And spectre-type? Like ghosts and stuff?"

"Yeah and yeah."

Interesting. Jisoo shuffled through the talismans as if it was a deck of cards before he held up another one. "What about this one?"

"Beast category."

"And this?"

"Are you going to do that with every single one of them now?" Soonyoung sounded exasperated but a grin had spread over his face.

Jisoo was grinning too when he asked, "How do you know so much about this kind of stuff? Is that, like, common knowledge amongst Beings?"

"Nah, but most Beings in my category are into things like that; talismans, protective amulets, trinkets, you name it. I don't really care much about it though."

Jisoo was itching to ask what category he belonged to but he held himself back - apparently, he wasn't very successful at hiding his inner struggle.

"I'll tell you more about my species if you want - take it as part of the apology - but I don't wanna do it out here where everyone can listen in," Soonyoung proposed, leaning against the hallway wall.

A tempting offer. Of course, Jisoo's curiosity was burning like a wildfire but he still remembered very vividly what had happened the last time they had been alone in private. But he really, really wanted to know more about his fellow unit members...

"Where do you want to go?" he asked cautiously. If it sounded too sketchy, he would decline. "I don't have much time." His brother was bound to arrive any minute after all.

"Well, we could talk in your flat?" Soonyoung offered but the monk shook his head at once.

"You're just gonna get hurt again." And there was no way he would give him the chance to repeat their last encounter.

"Not if you deactivate the talisman."

"How do I do that?"

"You pin it with the writing facing the wall."

Jisoo hesitated. He wanted to know more about the Being and his flat was the most convenient place – but he would be helpless if anything were to happen. Just like last time.

Groaning, Soonyoung rubbed his temples before he gesticulated towards the paper in the monk’s hand. "Look, I know you're suspicious after what happened but if you feel safer that way, you can bring the talisman and activate it as soon as you feel threatened. You just have to turn it around and I'll be in serious trouble."

The talisman that Soonyoung had pointed out to be the one against his category - to the monk it looked like illegible scribbles - was pinned face down next to Jisoo's chair against the kitchen wall while the Being happily stirred his tea, seated at the far end of the kitchen table.

It was surreal to once again have him in the flat. The monk had spent so many hours thinking about what had happened between them that it almost felt like a miracle – or a nightmare. But right now, the Being only exuded happiness, no trace left of the overwhelming sensuality he had oozed back then in the hallway. Jisoo watched as Soonyoung his lips after taking a sip of tea and tried not to think about how those lips had felt against his own. "So. Uhm. What's your category then?" he awkwardly broke the silence and Soonyoung paused to grin at him.

"I'm a fae-type."

"A fae? Don't they usually stay away from Humans?" As far as he knew, fae-type Beings were usually rather reclusive and traditional. They stayed in their own small communities close to nature and meeting them in cities was rare since they only ventured there for trading.

"Well, yeah. Usually. My species doesn't though," Soonyoung said, his eyes glimmering with mirth. "Oh and Seungkwan's in the same category but don't tell him I said that."

Another fae. Surprisingly, there seemed to be quite a lot in Aegis. "Is that why you're partners?"

The Being nodded. "Mhm, probably."

"So Dokyeom is a fae-type Being too?"

Something seemed to close behind Soonyoung's otherwise sincere eyes and Jisoo knew immediately that he had picked the wrong topic. "Never mind!" he hastily back-pedalled. "I gotta ask him directly, I know."

The Being nodded again, slowly this time, his hands playing with the teacup. "But I think it would be best to just leave him alone. He's scared of Humans and gets really distressed when he has to interact with them."

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