It began when Taemin lied and said he was a demi-god, and thus gets tasked with battling an evil monster plaguing the kingdom by the king (who doesn't really believe Taemin and just wants him to be killed off as he's poor and not "useful" enough to society). So Taemin goes off to prove himself.

Meanwhile, Jongin is in the crowd when it’s announced and says he'll go along as a witness. Taemin says he doesn’t need him, but Jongin goes anyway. They leave the city and walk along the long, quiet path to the monster, Jongin asking questions about whether Taemin really thinks he’s a demi-god. Taemin says he's sure there's something special about him; he's always been able to do unordinary things since he was a kid. Yet when Jongin asks for a demonstration, Taemin can't make anything happen. Jongin laughs and asks what he'll do when he sees the monster, but Taemin ignores him.

It's a long journey, and every time they take a break Jongin tries to ask more questions or at least give Taemin fighting tips. He fake-attacks Taemin to teach him the right way to respond or move, but Taemin is mostly just annoyed. At night, Taemin always falls asleep first yet every morning he finds Jongin already awake before him, never seeming tired. As time goes on, they enter the land of evil, coming across many much smaller monsters, and Jongin challenges Taemin to try to destroy those at least. Eventually Taemin caves and does as he's asked to make Jongin shut up. And then Jongin is there giving him pointers and ways he could do it better. After a few times Taemin gets annoyed and asks why he's such an expert, but Jongin doesn't give a proper answer.

Taemin finally stops "practicing" when one creature hits him pretty hard in the head and knocks him almost unconscious. He's not sure if it's real because everything is such a blur, but he's sure Jongin kills the beast in a flash and then comes to tend to Taemin. And it must be in his mind but he's sure the markings on Jongin’s body are glowing before he passes out. When he wakes, Jongin dismisses all of his thoughts simply – "You got hit pretty hard there."

They continue and don't talk about any of it anymore, finally reaching the monster Taemin is expected to slay – and it's massive, towering over them with its two heads and tail whipping around. Taemin clams up because gods, this is a BIG monster and he doesn't even have a weapon, let alone armour. But the moment he sees it, he knows. It’s the same monster his father had been sent to kill before him, the one who had taken his life, left his mother with an infant she’d been shamed into giving up. This was all information he had only learned recently, and was the whole reason he had come. So he steps forward anyway, planning to kill it or die trying.

When Jongin sees it, he's amazed at just how brave Taemin is, opening the sack he's been carrying the whole time and pulling out a few things which couldn't possibly have fit – a robe, a sword, and a shield. Taemin accepts the sword and shield, but wonders why on earth he would want Jongin’s clothes – what was he supposed to do with them? Jongin says to just trust him and put it on though, so Taemin does and immediately the robe conforms to his body, feeling light as cloth but melding into some kind of very strong metal-like armour. Taemin is shocked, but Jongin just winks and wishes him luck.

Taemin goes forward again, attacking the monster as it swoops down at him. Surprisingly, when he swings the sword, it glows – just the way Taemin thought Jongin’s marks had. He doesn't have time to think about it, but Jongin is shocked as he watches from afar – Taemin isn't just human after all. He manages to fight and damage the monster, killing one of its heads – but then it swings its tail and sends him crashing into the ground HARD, knocking him out.

Jongin flies to him with superhuman speed, ending up grabbing the sword and shield and holding it over them as the tail swings again, the shield glowing and its size expanding to cover them both before he jumps up and slashes the other head, quickly bringing an end to the beast. When it's dead, he's mostly unharmed, going back to Taemin and going over him with some healing magic again – to which Taemin wakes up and witnesses the glowing again. This time, he sees it in Jongin’s eyes too.

"You killed it," Jongin tells him. "And almost got yourself killed too." Taemin is confused, wondering if Jongin is a demi-god. Jongin just winks, but while it seems to confirm his suspicions, it makes Taemin doubt whether he really did anything in terms of fighting the beast. Jongin promises he did. "Only one of our kind can use these items like you did." Taemin looks at the sword and shield scattered beside them, then the armour covering his arm, glowing between the tiny seams. Jongin grins at him and holds out a hand to help him up.

"Welcome to the club."

Author's Note: Like I said, very short, but I think there could be a part two in the future! Jongin bringing Taemin back home, telling everyone Taemin destroyed the monster, and then training him to harness his demi-god (or... whatever you call a quarter god) skills It has potential for sure, but let me know what you think! Thank you so much for reading ♡