Joongie lay at the lounge chair in the living room flipping through a magazine which I actually bothered to buy pursing his lips at every mention of a fur coat. Apparently he didn’t really like the idea of a fox being skinned for their fur. It grossed him out.

Anyway, I leaned my back against the kitchen counter top as I flipped through my manual of creatures. Ok it’s not a manual but something that my grandmother passed down to me as an Exorcist/Shaman. My mom doesn’t know about it, so does my dad and I’d just keep it a secret because I was told to do so. So... that’s exactly what I did. I snapped my head up when I heard Joongie whine in succession the last unimaginable fur coat he laid his eyes on for that day.

“You shouldn’t have opened the book.” I chastised but without conviction pulling the magazine away from him before setting myself down beside him. I his golden hair and gave him a little kiss on his lips. He giggled after that and curled up in my lap like a puppy.

“Yunnie??” He asked as he turned around so that he had his back on the cushion.

“Mmm?” I mumbled still glancing through my grandmothers’ manual.

“What are you reading?” He asked curiously as he poked the spine of the book. I laughed softly and spun it around so he could see the contents.

He tilted his head and read the few ‘hiragana’ letters on that page. I was quite surprised actually he could read Japanese. I learnt when I was training with my grandma so yeah.

“It’s says, the bird only come out when someone has a dire wish.” I read out loud to him. “When someone wishes for something so badly the bird appears to grant only one wish.”

“That isn’t so bad right?” Joongie blinked as he sat up leaning his chin on my shoulder still snuggly beside me staring at the wordy book.

“It isn’t but there’s a down side to it.”

“Unnn?”

“Whilst the receiving party gets his wish granted, it is actually taken from another party. So therefore, this two way method doesn’t serve its purpose.” I explained.

“—He’s right you know.” I heard from behind as ChangMin entered the living room with a glass of ‘red something I don’t wanna know what it is’ in his hand.

“The party who loses his ‘thing’ loses practically everything, including his home.” I pointed out.

“He dies?” Joongie asked straight to the point.

“Yes and no.” I answered. “That has to depend.”

“Basically, the bird grants your wish, takes it from the unlucky party, burns their home, leaves them for dead. Nifty way to get rid of evidences eh?” ChangMin asked, swirling his glass and taking a sip. He smiled when the liquid touched his tongue and I cringed.

“Uh… Nifty isn’t the word if you consider MURDER.” I emphasized the word ‘murder’.

“Fine, whatever you wanna call it.” ChangMin waved dismissively and sauntered back into the back of the house.

Joongie was curiously flipping my book when I turned my attention back to it. He cocked his head when he saw a few pages talking about ‘Gumiho’. Good thing he couldn’t read much because he soon lost interest in the wordy thing and decided to sprawl all over my lap purring.

“Puppy wants something?” I asked.

Joongie nodded and pointed to his lips. I chuckled before leaning forward to capture his lips with mine. We held that position for quite a few seconds as Joongie reached out to cuddle my neck.  That intimate moment didn’t last really long when ChangMin walked into the lounge and cleared his throat. I hiss under my breath.

“Chang—“I mumbled into Joongies mouth.

The Vixen pouted and let go.

“While it’s really nice to see ya’ll all lovey dovey in the lounge, we have work. Someone just reported a burning home.” He said.

I got out from my seat and Joongie slipped off my lap.

“Thanks a lot.” I grumbled as I exited the door with ChangMin behind me snickering.

Well, ok, Joongie caught up to me and grabbed my arm, sticking close to me like a little puppy wanting attention. I bet Changmin would be rolling his eyes behind us anytime now. In 3...2...1…

Getting there by car was too mainstream so we got there, by foot. Not that I complained about it.

When we actually got there, what was left was a charred burnt down house with nothing but ashes rising from the bowels of the messy heap. I rose a brow and got closer to the devastation. Everything was burnt except a particularly colorful down feather I spotted.

“Got our perpetrator.” I announced.

“No Sherlock.” ChangMin sneered and I swore I wanted to throw a shikigami to smack his .

“Yunnie— over here.” I heard Jae call.

As both ChangMin and I got over, I spotted a man, probably in his 30s cowering under the covers of a partially burnt table, beside him his faithful Terrier probably also spooked by the raging flames which had died down. The dog started to bark when it smelt a fox probably. Joongie crept backwards behind me peeping above my shoulders at the barking hound and hissed.

“Sir?” I asked, managing to get his attention. He darted his blood shot eyes to me and stared long and hard.

“Y-yes?” He stuttered.

“What happened?”

I know it’s not a really go question to ask but I had to start from somewhere didn’t I?

“I don’t know.” He murmured. “I was sleeping and then the next moment I smelt smoke and then—“He trailed off.

“Then?” I prompted. Joongie was still hissing at the dog who had decided to run over to me. Joongie’s furry tail stood on end and poofed back into that little blonde fox before yapping at the hound.

“Aw great.” ChangMin groaned. “Now we have two barking dogs.”

“ChangMin—! “ I admonished, swatting him away. “Joongie, can it.” I commanded.

The fox snorted at the dog and sat between the gaps in my legs as I continued to ‘ask’ a series of questions so I could better grasp the situation. ChangMin merely scanned the surroundings for any immediate danger.

“There was something.” He finally said.

“And what would it be?”

“I saw a bird outside my window.” He slurred as though he didn’t want me to know what he was saying.

“A bird you say?”

“Y-yeah… But…”

“But?”

“I don’t know!” He snapped all of a sudden. “Maybe I was crazy or something but I swear I saw a skull as its head.”

I turned back to ChangMin in a victorious smirk. “We found out culprit—ChangMin, Chang—“

“Shhh!” He hissed as he put his fingers to his lips. “There.” He said pointing to a slightly ajar door which had already broken off half of its hinge due to the fire. “It’s still here.”

Joongie growled under my feet and stalked forwards but got held back by me.

“There’s something called ‘scouts’.” I said pulling out two paper dolls. Mumbling something into them, they turned into life side white headed dolls which ran boldly into the back. I heard a snip and a tug and something crackling before my paper doll came running out with their heads on fire, a furious snake like bird on their tails.

“Ok. Bad move.” I pointed out.

“Ya think?!” ChangMin exclaimed.

 I grabbed Joongie and the man and backed away quickly behind a big slab of marble gutting out of the floor. Flames came in abundance against the slab and I dodge a little before brushing off something of the fire on my sleeve.

“Next time before you do something stupid, tell me. I want to keep my alive.” ChangMin hissed at me.

I clicked my tongue before setting Joongie down.

“I don’t plan on doing it again.” I pointed out matter-of-factly.

“What do we do now?” ChangMin asked.

“What ask me? You’re a vampire, you can heal go!” I reasoned.

“Shut up, I don’t wanna risk getting burned for nothing.” He argued. “It’s breathes fire, I don’t.”

That’s when my idea cord struck a turn. Idea! I looked down at the little fox which was still vigilant as always and bent down.

“Joongie.” I asked.

He looked at me with a questioning stare as he tilted his furry head.

“It’s time to show off.” I grinned.

I saw his eyes light up with excitement as the little fox nodded vigorously. The man beside me watched as a little fox not even the size of his dog, phase back into human form nine long furry tails and all before gasping. I chuckled.

ChangMin gave me a dubious look. “What kind of stun are you gonna pull off now?”

“Nothing.” I replied know-it-all. “You’re forgetting we have our own fire breather. I watched the Vampire facepalm.

“What fight fire with fire?” He asked if that wasn’t the obvious to him.

“Duh.” I answered.

“Great we’re all gonna die.” ChangMin mumbled.

 “Says the scared- Vampire who wouldn’t even want to get sooth on his clothes.” I retorted. Changmin growled at me and I growled back. Yeah ok we have our moments. I turned back to see Joongie stepping out to face the fowl nemesis. Get it? Fowl, foul, fowl… K never mind I have these really ‘lame’ moments. If ChangMin could even hear my thoughts now, he’d be smacking me on my head for felony in puns. It’s not even funny. Anyway! Back to the matter at hand.

Apparently the Itsumade was quite worked up at the fact that it had come face to face with a Gumiho. Fire, meet fire. It shrieked and dove for Joongie who stood there like a statue staring at the incoming attacker. Nine blue fire balls ignited from Joongie’s furry tails waiting for the right moment to strike.

“Fire one!” I commanded as the bird closed in, Joongie flung a fire ball and the bird dodged unfortunately.

“What is this? The Navy? Are we in a submarine?” ChangMin asked.

“Sitteth thy down and shuteth thy mouth.” I commanded nudging the Vampire away.

“Fire two!” I commanded. The vixen snagged his tail sending another flaming fire ball at the fowl, this time managing to ignite one of its wings. ChangMin wanted to open his mouth again but afraid I might come up with more lame puns, shut his mouth and gagged at me.

Not giving up anytime soon, the Itsumade flapped roughly putting out the fire on its plume and squawked harshly at us before initiating its second dive attack darting straight for me this time. Joongie flopped in front of me as my line of defense and offense and flung a series of fire balls at it in succession. Seeing more fire balls wouldn’t work he shot all nine tails at the bird trapping it in a labyrinth. The bird screeched and breathed fire but no matter how much it tired, nothing worked. Joongie grinned wrapping his tail around the bird as he brought it to me like a present.

“Yunnie?”

I watched as the bird struggled and squirmed under the amount of fur, skull for a face muffled from spitting any more fire. ChangMin decided to emerge from behind the slab of marble.

“Next time remind me to bring a pair of sunglasses.” He pointed out.

“What kind of vampire needs a pair of shades?” I asked.

“Me.”

“No .” I shook my head before pulling out a bunch of talismans and lacing them on the snake like bird. I mumbled some incantations before it disappeared into thin air.

I looked up at the open space which used to be a big mansion standing now only a big mess and a memory. Guess he’d have to rebuild.

“All we have to do now is find the culprit who caused this to happen.” I said.

“Don’t have to.” ChangMin replied. “As long as the bird is gone, so will what he wished for. His memories will be that of the day before he even met the bird.”

Joongie snuggled up to me again and I ruffled his hair. “You did really well back there.” I praised him and heard him purr under my touch.

-------------------------------------------------------

Night fall and I watched a movie with Joongie resting his head on my lap once more. I wondered if I could at least spend more than 24hours with him without work interrupting out bonding time. Not that we don’t have enough bonding time.

He let me his hair and play with a lock of it, twirling it around my finger while I looked at the screen. Joongie randomly took my finger and it before he rolled over onto his knees. He stared at me for a while before pointing to the current scene which had the main actress straddle on the main actor’s lap his face in her palms before they kissed passionately.

“Try—“Was what I heard from him.

I chuckled seeing his enthusiasm and turned off the TV. Before patting my lap. He eagerly climbed onto them and when he was sited comfortably on my lap, he reached out to touch my cheeks pulling himself closer as his other hand came to rest on my other cheek. I chuckled a little seeing how fast he learnt, so I wound my arms around his petit waist and he drew me into a soft shy little kiss.

“That was nice.” I commented before reaching up to kiss him again. This time it was longer and the vixen settle for resting his hands on my shoulder. For the first time in so long, we finally had time to ourselves. Probably I wouldn’t forget this night.

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Yeah, I dunno if I'll do with this fic. Hummmm.. maybe just a little romance around the corner, hints of ROFL... We'll see ...

I wrote this in a rush cos I'm busy with grad stuff!!

GOING TO NEWZELAND IN 1 WEEKS TIME SO NO UPDATES THAT WEEK!

Comments Please!!

Love

DragonKnightYunJae