CLIFFHANGER HANGING FROM A CLIFF -  AND THATS WHY THEY CALL HIM CLIFFHANGER

Sorry lol I always wanted to do that. And now back to our regular scheduled program

Breath left his lungs as his whole body met open air. His body felt weightless for only a second.

A soft gasp escapes him.

“TAEMIN!!”

He helplessly plummets down.

It felt like time was slowed as the inevitable approaches. As he closes his eyes expecting the pain, he caught sight of a dark blur in front of him.

There's hands on his back and the back of his head, tucking him into a body. For a moment his eyes blink open surprise, his head angled in a way he couldn't see. He closes his eyes one last time as he's surrounded by swirling darkness.

--

Taemin came to with a gasp. His cheek pressed not on the cold, hard ground but on something surprisingly warm and firm. His head sags, his heart pounding loudly in his ear. His hands shakes with relief followed by confusion of being alive raging in his head.

He's reluctant to move, tries to move to test his range in movement, but the weight holding him down settles heavily on his back. He manage to turn his head and looks up.

Red eyes looks back impassively.

Taemin is laid pinned against Minho's chest. The weight on his back had been Minho's arms clutching him tight to his body. It's Minho. Minho saved him.

“M-minho...” Taemin stutters.

Minho's arms uncurls allowing Taemin to move away. He grimace, his body felt heavy as he tries to sit up. The palm of his hand scratches against the stone pavement, broken under him. His neck cranes as he looks up at the clocktower he fell from. The height he fell from is no joke. If it weren't for Minho he wouldn't have made it.

“Are you alright, Taemin?”

Taemin looks back. Minho gets up in a sitting position similar to Taemin. His body covered with dust and spare debris. The pavement had cracked under his body, stretching far like a spiderweb.

“I-I'm fine, Minho,” Taemin shakily answers. “How about you?”

The corner of Minho's mouth twitches. “This is nothing, little one.” His hand reaches out to cup Taemin's cheek. “I'm glad you're ok.”

Minho's gesture felt so soft and warm, making him feel at ease as he reach to hold Minho's hand -

“TAEMIN!!”

Taemin whips his head and sees Kai running to him with worry. He struggles to get up, body woozy and heavy. Before he takes a step, a flash of dark blur blocks his vision. Minho is standing in front of him, blocking him.

Kai stops to a halt, wary of Minho's sudden presence, doesn't take another step. “Taemin,” his voice laced with fear. “Get away from him.”

Taemin blinks surprised. “What?”

A hand grabs his arm causing Taemin to turn with surprise that Kai is right next to him. But wait that's impossible! Kai was just over there, how can he -

He was easily pulled but was abruptly stopped when Minho intercepted. It all happened so fast. Minho took hold of Taemin, clutching him against his body. He then grabs Kai's arm, throwing him away like a rag doll. Kai's bounced painfully on the stone pavement, his whole body rolls to a stop.

“Kai!” Taemin yells, intending to go over. Minho is holding him tightly.

“What are you doing, Minho?!” Desperate to reach for his friend, but Minho unyields. His efforts were stop with a reprimanding look. “Kai!”

A strong gust of wind blinded him. He raises his hand to block the worst of it as his eyes squint to open. His eyes would have widened in surprise when he sees Sehun had flown down. But how?! What is going on?!

Sehun approaches Kai lying on the ground. He doesn't look sympathetic, tilting his head like he's considering him. “You seem to know some interesting characters, Kai.”

Kai snarls at his response, wipes the dirt from his cheek as he struggles to get up.

Sehun turns his attention to the assailant. “You're not human.”

“Neither are you,” Minho replies evenly. “Or at least you used to be.”

“Oh?” Sehun, raises an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?”

Minho makes a thoughtful noise as he conjures a ball of black flames in his hand. He leisurely plays with the flame, tossing it up and down leisurely, catching it like a ball. “You burned the same way.”

Sehun's mouth pulls into a taut. “You're the one who killed Kris and Luhan.”

“Who?” Minho catches the flame in his hand, letting the implied threat hang heavily. “I wasn't aware pests have names.”

Before Minho takes a step forward, Taemin clutches the crook of Minho's arm. Minho looks down surprised. “What are you doing, Taemin?”

Taemin doesn't meet Minho's eyes, his grip on Minho's arm tightens. “Don't kill them.”

“Don't kill them?” Minho repeats as though it sounds absurd to his ears. Anger flash his eyes, his hand tightens into a fist letting the flames cover it. “Did you hit your head from falling from the clocktower?! They're friends with the people who kidnapped you, who tried to kill you!”

Taemin shivers but he stubbornly doesn't let go of Minho's arm. He doesn't want anyone to get hurt. Especially Kai.

Kai glares at Minho but his words are for someone else. “Taemin, what are you doing with this guy?! He's dangerous - he's a monster!”

Taemin's grip only tightens. He isn't naïve of what Minho is. Minho is a demon who craves for Taemin's soul. He's seen Minho killed someone in cold blood, burned right in front of him. He's seen Minho at his scariest, making him quake on the spot. Minho is a powerful supernatural entity who is capable of unspeakable violence and death.

And yet.

Minho eats food with him and go to school with him. Minho teases him about making a contract but never actually forces him into it. Minho hangs out with him and his friends. Minho talks to him, making sure he is fine when there is something troubling him. Minho had saved him when he gets into danger. Minho is careful with him, never hurting him. Minho gave him space, never forcing him. Minho fills the space in his empty apartment with his presence to look forward to. Minho is -

“A monster?”

Taemin looks up, it was Minho who said it. An unkind smile stretches across Minho's face, the flames dance wildly in his hand.

“The term monster is too simple to describe what I truly,” Minho softly said, looks down on the flames flickering in his hand. “I have killed more than you and your little friends have combine, way before you are born. The way blood runs free, splattered so many ways like a brush to a painting. Human screams so many ways from terror to pain.” He raises his flame covered hand at eye level, the dark light dances as across his face. “It's so easy for me to do.”

Everyone in the vicinity shivers at Minho's words. But none more than Taemin still in Minho's clutches, doesn't move away.

“Stop it, Minho hyung.”

It was wishful thinking, saying it so softly that Minho wouldn't hear him. He doesn't like what Minho is talking about. It's not nice and its hurtful.

What he doesn't notice is the unkind smile on Minho's face turned stiffed, miniscule close to a grimace.

Sehun who had been closely watching the duo, turns to Kai. “We're leaving.”

Kai looks shocked. “What?!”

“I'm smart enough to know not to take any chances like Xiumin did,” Sehun flippantly waves him off. “By all means go and fight him all by yourself. Save your little damsel from the dragon. You won't survive and even if you did I'll tell everyone about your little fling.”

“Sehun!”

“I'm serious Kai. Either you come back with me or don't come back at all.”

Kai glares at Sehun before he closes his eyes. He turns to Taemin with an open hand. “Taemin, come with me – please.”

The longing in his tone reminds Taemin of how Kai was back in the clocktower. Emotions conflicting and fierce but also lost with longing for something. And yet there was desperation and hunger that can only be sated with Taemin but even then he couldn't.

There's so many unanswered questions that Taemin knows that Kai wouldn't be able to answer. Why Kai looks at him like he wants to cry? Why does Taemin want to reach out to give him a hug? Something gnawing for him to reach out and the same time pull him back. It was only because of Minho that he doesn't reach to take that hand.

When Taemin didn't reach for his hand, Kai had a bitter smile. With one last look of contempt at Minho he puts a hand on Sehun's shoulder, disappearing with a blink.

Taemin blinks at the sudden disappearance, looking around wildly where Kai and Sehun left.

“Teleportation and wind power,” Minho mutters, finally letting go of Taemin. “Doesn't make a difference.”

“What are you talking about Minho?”

Minho frown as he meets Taemin's eyes. “I know you are naïve, little one. I just never imagine you to this extent.”

This causes Taemin to bristle. “I'm not!”

“Oh? Then what gave you a good idea to be so close to them in the first place? They're from the same kind and you recently met a few who would kill you without trying too hard. You are only food to them.”

Taemin blinks. “Aren't they demons just like you?”

Minho scoffs. “No. I'm not even sure what they are. But they are dangerous. Even your precious Kai.”

“Kai is not dangerous – he's my friend!”

At Taemin's words Minho snapped. Barely a gasp escapes Taemin when Minho presses a hand on Taemin's neck. He doesn't press firmly to stop Taemin breathing but not at all gentle as his head is tilted at an awkward angle, forcing him to meet Minho's eyes.

“Did you not realize the situation you were in earlier?” Minho leans down close to his ear. “I can sense his hunger stifling the air we breath. What part of Kai is not dangerous for you to be so ignorant of your surroundings. Do you want to play with danger? I can grant it if you wish.”

Taemin grits his teeth, his hands instinctively clutches Minho's grip on his neck to release him. It's hard to think when Minho's thumb rests on his adam's apple, making him hard to swallow in nervousness.

Kai is his friend. Even though they haven't known each other for long he felt comfortable around him. It came to him that he doesn't know much about Kai and whether Kai is his real name. He doesn't know the dangerous company he keeps nor he was able to disappear so quickly. His lack of knowledge and awareness almost cost him his life.

“If you stay the way you are naïve to the world, you will not live long,” Minho softly said, warranting an unwanted shiver. “You haven't been backed into a corner, isolated or alone, to see how dangerous the world can be. Eventually you will be betrayed, hurt, and even broken. It will hurt more if it's by those closest to you. By then will you still believe in the good of the world?”

Minho's grip loosens allowing Taemin to slip away, gasping for breath and space. Taemin shoots a weak glare in between his recovered breath. “If you say Kai is dangerous, then aren't you dangerous as well?”

“I never denied that I wasn't, little one,” Minho calmly said. “Better a danger you're aware of than the ones you don't. Only I can protect you, if only you give yourself up to me.”

Taemin sighs as he straightens up. “Ever since I met you I've been in constant danger.”

Taemin looks up at the direction of the clocktower, bringing his hand up to block the setting sun blinding his view. His palms feel sweaty when he realized how high up he had fell from. He doesn't think he will ever go back up there again.

The glint on his hand from the sun catches his eye. It was the ring that Kai had taken an interest in. It took a while to find since he doesn't wear accessories in general. For something so small...

“Kai is not like that,” Taemin drops his hand and turns to Minho. “I know he won't hurt me, just like I know you won't hurt me either. All this time you could have and it would have been easy. But you didn't and that's good enough for me. With all the time spent together I like to think of us as friends. So thank you for saving me.”

Minho doesn't respond, but Taemin doesn't mind. His reasoning is too simplistic because he takes it as face value and that's the truth.

Since meeting the demon, Minho has never hurt him. Same goes for Kai but not the same for the company Kai keeps. He knows how dangerous Minho can be but cohabiting with the demon doesn't feel like that to him. And maybe he just wants to Minho to stay a little longer.

He doesn't know what Minho is thinking with that ever present frown of his. It's too complicated and he doesn't have the emotional capacity to argue with him. With that he turns to leave.

“I think I have enough life-threatening situations for today so I'm going home,” Taemin loftily said, doesn't look back to see if Minho is following him. “I also expect you to come home as well. It's annoying making dinner for two when the other person never shows up.”

Does anyone know how to insert polls into a chapter? If I succeed it will be on the next chapter for the 100 subscribers this fic has received

Make sure you stream Taemin's MV Advice. My gosh that hip roll, Taemin just slays!

and don't forget to comment, upvote, and subscribe!