"I don't know if I believe them," Sehun mutters, his forearms resting on the railings.

You sigh, "It sounds so stupid but we've seen the cuts, Sehun... There's no way one of us could have stabbed them."

"I know," he interlaces his fingers together. "It's just so...unreal... I thought it was only in anime these things happen."

You give a humorless laughter, "Remember the other time you prank called me about it?" Sehun groans in response. "It was the night I met Baekhyun oppa."

Sehun snaps his head to look at you, "What?"

"Yeah," you nod, looking out into the streets of Seoul. "And a few days later, Kai moved in." You glance at Sehun, "Are you sure you didn't have a clue about Grims prior to today?"

Sehun lifts his hands immediately, "I swear!"

The door of your balcony slides open and you turn to see Baekhyun walking towards you. He isn't cringing as he walks anymore, but the cuts are still there as reminders. He stands on your other side, staring at the view silently.

You touch his side lightly as you murmur, "You feeling better?"

Baekhyun nods, smiling reassuringly at you. He moves closer, wrapping his arm around your waist. "You're worth the pain," he whispers in your ear, kissing your temple softly. He doesn't lift his lips from your face when he turns away, dragging his lips along your skin.

"Hyung," Sehun calls out.

"Hmm?" The older male turns, pulling you closer to him so he can see Sehun better.

"You became friends with me only because you had to work on me, didn't you?"

Baekhyun stares at the younger male for a bit. Then he admits, "It started out that way. But then I figured I don't want to be the one doing this to you. You're not just a project, Sehun-ah. You used to be, but not anymore."

"This is why Hades," Kai murmurs, stepping into the balcony as well. You all watch as he walks towards you, taking up the spot in between you and Sehun. "Doesn't like inefficiency."

"What do you mean?" You ask, turning to him.

Kai tucks your hair behind your ear and shrugs, "We get too attached to our Lead. Just like how I probably wouldn't have fallen for you if I had just killed you when I first saw you."

"Why didn't you?"

"You were..."

"Different?" Sehun suggests before scoffing. "That's what they all say."

"I was gonna say 'too beautiful to die so soon'," Kai furrows his eyebrows. You blush, causing Baekhyun to chuckle quietly.

"There were many times we could've sent you to your deaths," Kai says. "But I couldn't. And I doubt Baekhyun hyung could either."

"Why?" Sehun teases Baekhyun, "Is it because I'm too beautiful to die so soon, too?"

"No, because you're the friend of the girl who's too beautiful to die so soon," Baekhyun answers with all honesty, his fingers smoothing your side.

"Ugh," Sehun groans. He reaches behind Kai to flick your ear. "You're always stealing the spotlight."

"At least I got us more time to live," you scoff, stretching in front of Kai to pinch him back.

"Actually," Baekhyun speaks up again. The both of you stop your bickering to stare at him. Kai threads his fingers through your outstretched hand before him. "Hades wanted me to bring you back alive."

"Me?" Sehun's eyes bulge.

Kai's thumb is rubbing the back of your skin in thought as he wonders in incredulity, "No way...?"

"I think so," Baekhyun nods.

"What?" Sehun urges. "I'm right here!"

"Hades probably wants to recruit you as a Grim," Kai tells him, fixing firm eyes on the boy.

There is a beat of silence before Sehun inquires softly, "And what about her?"

Everyone knows who he's talking about. There is only one 'her' here and it's you. The two Grims focus their eyes on you. Kai clenches your hand.

He shakes his head and murmurs softly, "He didn't say anything about you."

"What makes me worthy to be a Grim?" Sehun wonders, watching a red car zoom by.

"I think we should be sitting if we're gonna have this talk," Baekhyun chuckles, walking back into the apartment with his arm still around you.

He sits at the dining table, pulling you down to sit on his lap. But Kai sweeps you away, sitting you on his thighs instead. There are enough chairs for all of you, but Kai doesn't want you to be sitting away from him. Sehun rolls his eyes.

"If you're gonna bleed, it's best if she isn't sitting on any one of you," Sehun points out.

"Oh, right..." Kai mutters. He swiftly kisses your cheek before standing up.

He sits you on his chair before walking over to the vacant seat. Baekhyun starts, "To become a Grim..."

Kai takes over when he realises the older male doesn't know what to say. "You need to be intuitive." He waits and you're sure he's gotten another cut when he clears his throat. He continues, "I'm sure you know when something is about to happen. Or, you have no clue, but you find your subconscious doing or saying something about it."

"Like that prank call," Sehun murmurs to himself, staring at you.

"You also can't have too many people close to you," Baekhyun adds on. He rolls his eyes when he sees a small cut on the inside of his wrist. "I'll bet anything that you don't have a good relationship with your family. That, or they're just distant from you."

Sehun doesn't say anything, but you know Baekhyun is right. Kai pats Sehun's back lightly, "Hey, it's fine. Did you forget we're both Grims too? That meant we've been through what you're going through."

"Yeah," Baekhyun smiles softly. "Well, my parents died in a car crash and my hyung was all over the world. I practically didn't have any family."

"My parents were abusive," Kai mumbles. "My noonas loved me, but they loved the freedom of getting married even more."

Sehun is still quiet, but you know he feels better about his plight. He also feels bad that they had to recount their bad history though.

"But..." Sehun trails off, fixing his eyes on you. You are the only person he considers as family. "I don't want to leave her."

Baekhyun sighs softly, "I used to have a best friend too, when I was recruited. He knew about my job. And he kept it as a secret. All the way to his grave. He didn't want anyone else to send him off. I was his best friend and his Grim."

"So I'm supposed to just leave her?" Sehun asks incredulously. "I can't, hyung. I can't see her..." He trails off and you know Sehun can't say the word 'die.'

"Kai is supposed to send her to her death, you know," Baekhyun reminds the younger male. "But he didn't..."

Kai stands as Baekhyun keeps talking. He goes over to you, pulling you up and bringing you to your room. He lays you on the bed, hovering above you. He searches your face, your eyes. You brush his fringe away from his brown orbs and he smiles adorably, leaning down to capture your lips in his. It's a short kiss, a sweet one. He falls to your other side and you flip around to face him.

"Were those cuts because you took too long in sending me to my death?" You ask softly, your finger drawing circles on his chest.

Kai covers your restless hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss it. "You're worth the pain."

They both said the same thing. You give a dry laughter, pulling your hand back. Kai frowns. You turn around so that you're facing the other side. "And Baekhyun oppa isn't bringing Sehun back to Hades because of me too, right? That's why he's been getting cuts too."

"Hey," Kai scoots closer, hugging your waist from behind. "We do this because we love you. If Hades turns us into mortals again, I'll gladly take up the offer so I can be with you."

You're not even breathing anymore since Kai confessed that he and Baekhyun love you. "You..."

You feel him nod, "Yes, of course I love you. What kind of idiot wouldn't?"

"But—"

"I know it's hard since I'm like, a hundred years old. But I promise—"

"No, Kai. You loving me is going to kill you."

"We don't die," Kai chuckles, kissing your head.

"You will, if Hades finds that you're doing a bad job," you counter.

"Screw him," Kai regrets saying that when he in a deep breath. "What a petty old man..." he grumbles.

You cluck your tongue, grabbing his hand and checking it. There is a fresh cut on his index finger. It's minor, but the dot of blood is still there. You bring the finger up to your mouth and only when Kai yells for you not to, you realise that you probably shouldn't have his blood.

Kai's shouts are faded in the background and you feel terrible that you're the cause of him screaming. Whenever Sehun gets a cut on his finger, you'd the blood if there isn't a bathroom close by. Sehun would do the same for you too. It was normal.

You feel a burning in your chest, like someone has lit your lungs on fire after drenching them in petrol. You're sweating and suddenly your entire body is on fire. You feel restrained, probably by Kai. But you don't feel his arms around you. All you see is red and orange, flames your body. You shut your eyes tight, but you still see the fire behind your eyelids.

But that's when you realise that you're burning up from the inside as well. You whimper as you writhe around, trying to distinguish the burning sensation that feels so damn real. Your hair is sticking to your head, and you're so sure that you smell burning of flesh.

"Angel, angel, angel," Kai repeats desperately into your ear as he rocks you back and forth.

The pain subsides and the fire seems to be retreating. Your soft whimper makes Kai hug you tighter. You relax in his arms, feeling your soaked shirt clinging onto your body. You're still burning up, but the wetness of your clothes is cooling you down. It's quiet except for your ragged breathing. You don't have the energy to open your eyes but you know that Sehun and Baekhyun are here too.  

"Sweetheart..." Sehun whispers, cupping your cheek.

But Sehun is warm. And his warm hands only burns you even more. You hiss, flinching away from his touch.

"She's so cold," Sehun mumbles, the familiar lilt in his voice soothing to you.

"She must be burning up, then," Baekhyun assumes.

You want to shout, "Yes!!!!!" But all that comes out is another whimper.

"I've never had something like this happen to me before," Baekhyun confesses. You hide your face in Kai's neck. "I'll call Hades." You hear him walk away from you.

"Hades has a cell phone?" Sehun sounds so shocked that you want to laugh, only to end up coughing.

Kai scoops some cold water and pour it on your back as he rubs you comfortingly. He chuckles, "Hades is way, way ahead of the people on earth. He's cool." It's quiet for a bit before Kai tsked, "At least cool her down before you heal my scars!"

You realise that he is talking to Hades. All of a sudden, you feel your body cooling, no longer hot and scalding. Kai groans.

"You could have left my scars healed! Not open them again!" Kai grumbles loudly, causing Sehun to laugh. "Yah, stop laughing. You're gonna get this too when you become a Grim. Hades won't let you off the hook just because you're a newbie."

You hear footsteps approaching again and you flutter your eyes open. You find that you and Kai are seated in your bathtub, filled with cold water. Baekhyun smiles softly at you when he sees that you're conscious.

"You alright there, kitten?" he asks, squatting in front of you. You manage a tiny nod. He grins, leaning forward to kiss your cheek. "Anyway," he starts when he pulls back, staring at Kai and Sehun as if you aren't there at all. "Hades said thanks for the compliment," he tells Kai.

The younger male scoffs, "Get to the point."

"He said there were only several people who had tasted a Grim's blood and lived. Several, meaning three. Three, including our little hero," Baekhyun nods in your direction.

"Three?" Sehun's eyes widen.

"A lot have tried to drink our blood in the past few centuries," Baekhyun recited. "The wish to be immortal driving them to insanity. But to be able to live..." He trails off, as if Hades had trailed off here too, when they had spoken over a phone call. "Their blood has to be pure. Their intentions have to be selfless, for the good. And," Baekhyun pauses for dramatic effect. "The bond between the Grim and the human has to be strong, unbreakable."

There is silence, everyone wrapped up in their own thoughts. Kai hooks your legs with his lightly, leaning in to kiss your neck. You still feel faint, almost on the edge of being unconsciousness.

"And now you're bonded," Baekhyun murmurs. "For life."

Silence again. "For life...?" Kai repeats. "Does that mean..."

"She's immortal now."

"When will Sehun and Baekhyun oppa be back?" You whine.

It has been three days since the two has left you and Kai to visit Hades to get Sehun "stamped." And it has been almost a week since your freak accident. Kai has moved in with you, his previous unit bare of anything. It is up on sale now and you've seen many potential buyers going in and out with their agents to view the house.

The male mutters, "Soon, I think. Hades doesn't take too long to recruit a Potential. Maybe it's the training."

He doesn't look up from the profile he is reading. Hades has given him a new Lead, since he obviously couldn't make you die anymore. You pad over to Kai, sitting on his lap and making yourself comfortable. He sighs, looking up at you and dropping the Manila folder on the couch. Kai circles his arms around your waist, dropping a kiss on your shoulder before resting his chin there. 

The door of your apartment unlocks and opens. You turn to see Baekhyun walking in. He frowns at you and Kai cuddling before swallowing his jealousy. He plops down onto the couch next to you, groaning in exhaustion.

"Sehun'll be back tomorrow," he informs you. "He has to train."

"Did you ask Hades about it?" your voice is quiet as you reach out to hold his hand.

Baekhyun turns his head to face you. He clenches your fingers as he murmurs, "He said no one has tried it before. So he doesn't know." Then he narrows his eyes, "And I don't want you to try it."

"I agree with hyung," Kai says. "I'm not going to lose you because of an experiment," he shakes his head.

"But I'm immortal."

"Being immortal doesn't mean you can't die, kitten," Baekhyun chuckles humourlessly.

"But Jongin is supportive of us being together," you counter. "Unless you're not?"

"I didn't support the both of you per say," Kai mutters. He gets jealous easily and you think it's cute.

"I love you," Baekhyun sighs, clenching your hand as reassurance.

"Then I want to try," you plead, tugging on Baekhyun's hand. "Please."

"No," Baekhyun answers, pulling his hand away.

"Just let her try, hyung."

Baekhyun glares at the boy, "What if she burns to death from having the blood of two Grims inside of her? She will explode, Jongin! Aren't you scared for her?"

"She wants it," Kai argues, his voice suddenly firm. He doesn't sound as tired as before anymore. "And I promised myself I would give her anything she wants that I can afford."

"Can you afford her life, Jongin?" Baekhyun spits.

The room feels icy cold from their glares. You sigh irritably, getting up from Kai's lap and walking back to your bedroom. You're curled up in a ball, all alone in the dark. Ten minutes passed when someone enters your room quietly. You feel the bed behind you dip and then an arm around your waist. Your legs are tangled with his.

You know it isn't Kai from the way his body feels. Baekhyun's body is foreign to you. You've never spent nights with him like Sehun did. You've never hugged him as much as Kai did. It feels different with Baekhyun, but it feels right.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Baekhyun murmurs. You flip around to face him quickly.

"You'll let me?" you ask hopefully.

"Just a little bit, no ," he warns. 

You nod rapidly and Baekhyun lifts his finger. You feel the burning on your bottom lip when he swipes his cut finger across your lip. You the substance, immediately whimpering in pain. Your tongue is on fire, your lip is on fire. You hear Baekhyun apologising profusely in your ear, but even that is muffled. You feel the fiery sensation crawling beneath your skin. You wait for the fire to eat you up whole, but you end up gasping for air as though you had just resurfaced from underwater. And it definitely feels that way too.

Kai bursts into the room, turning on the lights. He tears Baekhyun apart from you and throws the older male his phone. Kai wraps his arms around you and hugs you close to him. Your breathing is still inconsistent but you're okay. You're okay.

"Thank you," Baekhyun's voice is flooded with relief and gratefulness. You're not sure how long passed since Baekhyun accepted the phone call.

Kai speaks up after a while, "What did Hades say?"

"He said he tried to help with the burning?" Baekhyun relays. He cups your cheek and asks you, "Was it bad?"

You shake your head and croak, "Not as bad as the first time."

"Yeah," Baekhyun tells Kai as he continues to smooth your skin with his thumb. "Hades said he could only help with the burning. But the rest was up to her—whether or not she can take another Grim's blood in her."

"Apparently she has nine lives," Kai mutters against your temple.

You chuckle breathlessly as Baekhyun hums, "Hmm, we might need a bigger home."

"I'm your best friend and I can't believe I'm not bonded to you first," Sehun complains when he comes back from the Underworld the next day and meets you in school.

You shake your head, chuckling, "I'm sure you don't want to be bonded to me, Sehun. You've always called me fat and ugly, remember?"

"They were endearments!" he defends.

"You're bad at endearments, then," you roll your eyes. "And I'm sure you'd want to have your fun. You're only 23!"

"And you're only 22," Sehun bumps you with his shoulder. "But you're all settled down and ready for marriage."

"Whatever," you scoff, running over to Baekhyun who catches you and lifts you slightly off the ground. He captures your lips with his, on your upper lip. "How was work?" you mumble against his mouth.

"Hades wiped off all my scars, so I'd say 'pretty good'," Baekhyun boasts, putting you back down on your feet.

As you entwine your fingers together, you tease, "Look at you being employee of the month with me out of the picture."

Sehun joins the both of you, pulling on your sleeve, "We're gonna be late for our lecture."

"Can I crash?" Baekhyun asks. "I could use a nap."

Sehun rolls his eyes, "Just come on."

Author's note:

just stopping by to tell everyone that the next chapter will be the last! i'll probably throw in a prologue too, but i'll see how. 

also, may i know if i should make a PDF version for this??? please comment and tell me!! 

till next time
xoxo