Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Unbeknownst to humans, each person on earth has two beings assigned to shadow them at all times.  One is an angel; one is a demon. 

Stories from all human cultures address the personalities of such beings.  These stories usually say that “angels”—or heavenly, good spirits—are law-abiding and virtuous, and the “demons”—or evil, chicanerous spirits—are mischievous and slippery.  And even though humans don’t really understand (or believe) that such beings exist, these stereotypes are generally true.

Generally.

As Song Tae Ri stands in front of a mirror in the ladies’ room of a coffee shop, confusedly picking downy, white feathers from her hair, her angel and demon stand outside of the restroom, bickering.

“You really need to stop your tricks, Jae Young.  We need to stay invisible!  We’re supposed to be background influences!  We can’t leave any physical evidence of our presences!”

“Are you serious right now, Sang Woo?  Are you saying that I tripped on purpose while making Tae Ri reconsider her life choices?  Life choices that, by the way, you’ve led her into.”

The demon smirks, then seems to change his mind.  He schools his features into a look that can only be described as a scolding-nun face. “You left feathers everywhere!  It looks as if a pillow exploded around her!  She’s super confused as to why she’s picking them out of her hair! Nobody else walked through a cloud of feathers!”

The angel throws his hands in the air dramatically and lets them fall to his sides.  “The pavement was uneven, and I can’t help it that I shed in the summer!”  

“Don’t you guys have things like those brushes that humans use on their pets when they shed?  Can’t you use one of those?”

“No, we don’t have those.  And, OUCH, that would hurt.  Sorry we can’t all be leathery-winged and neat like you.”  Jae Young sighs.  “Anyway, just how did you get Tae Ri to agree to do LSD tonight at the club with her friends?”

“I can’t divulge my demon playbook to you, Daylight,” Sang Woo says simply while looking at his fingernails. He looks up and gives Jae Young a hard look.  “I am very convincing.  FROM THE BACKGROUND.”

“Well, if the woman’s gonna be on drugs anyway, I’m going to show her my true form.  That ought to scare her straight.”

“YOU CAN’T DO THAT! It’s against the rules!” 

“Who’s gonna stop me?  You certainly don’t have that power.”

“But you’re not supposed to be seen!  Must I repeat myself for the 75^th time?”

“What was that?  I can’t hear you.” Jae Young pokes Sang Woo’s side teasingly.

“You’ll be seen by more than just Tae Ri!  Don’t you stand like 15 feet tall and have 32,000 glowing eyes?!”

Jae Young giggles.  “Yep.”

*****

The next morning, as Tae Ri’s head hangs over the toilet, Sang Woo grinds his teeth. Damnit. “Seriously.  Fuck you, angel.”

“I just did my job.  I couldn’t prevent her from doing LSD for the first time, but I can keep her from doing it again.” Jae Young fixes his eyes on Sang Woo’s.  “I hate to do this, but I’ll admit it.  Your temptation game was strong Sang Woo, but I think I won this war. Yet another point for the kids upstairs!”

Jae Young reaches out to rub circles on Tae Ri’s back, but Sang Woo smacks his wrist.  Hard.

“OW!  Asshole!” Jae Young pulls his hand back and rubs his smarting wrist. He swears that that he sees…something…dancing in Sang Woo’s eyes.  He doesn’t look as comfortable swatting Jae Young as he usually does.

“NO TACTILE INFLUENCES!” 

“Look here, Satan’s Bestest Boy," Jae Young sarcastically pats Sang Woo's head twice.  "I needed to go big if I was going to make a difference in our girl’s life here.  If my true form didn’t make her swear off the hallucinogens, the vomiting afterward probably has.  She ain’t gonna do it again,” Jae Young says, chuckling victoriously as Tae Ri continues to vomit violently into the toilet.  “I’d hold her hair back for her, but someone keeps telling me that I can’t be seen or felt.” He scrunches up his face and speaks in a high-pitched, mocking whine in an effort to mimic Sang Woo.  “No tactile influences, they’re against the rules.”

“Oh, shut the hell up.” Sang Woo makes a disgusted face and turns on his heel, walks into Tae Ri’s living room, and sits primly on the couch.  He crosses his legs and conjures a book from a flame in the palm of his hand and begins to read.

He needs to read the rules again, not just because he needs to keep track of Jae Young’s transgressions, but also to distract himself from the fact that he once again felt a strange pleasure when he smacked Jae Young’s hand. 

Well, he usually feels pleasure when smacking the angel, but lately the pleasure has been different. 

This pleasure isn’t the pleasure of putting his adversary in his place.  This pleasure sends a zip of something down his spine, ending in warmth pooling low in his belly.  This is a pleasure he wants to repeat as many times as he can, especially if he can make the contact last longer. 

He tries not to think about how fucked he is.

*****

How does a demon woo an angel? 

Jae Young is a being made of sunshine, literally. 

Sang Woo is made of dark, heavy smoke that looks like the worst possible storm clouds.  His body swallows light, literally.

Did demons actually have it in them to like or even love another being?  He supposes they do, since there are stories of demons bewitching and/or falling in love with humans throughout history.  The peak of his side’s success was during the 14^th and 15^th centuries, particularly in Europe and the United States. 

But, no matter what his kind did to those humans (which was mostly give them unbelievable orgasms in the middle of forests at night), it was nowhere near as cruel as the punishments the other humans exacted on them.  It didn't matter that the demons didn’t give those humans superpowers, the abilities to disease livestock, kill neighbors from afar, blight crops, or control weather.  Those accusations were 100% human imagination.  The humans passing judgment were...evil. That sick fuck Heinrich Kramer, the author of the Malleus Maleficarum, deserves all the punishment Sang Woo’s high lord metes to him.  And, in Sang Woo’s opinion, probably deserves more.

Look, Sang Woo’s job is to corrupt his human charge.  But humans don’t get that his kind’s corruption can only go so far.  Demons are not responsible for humans committing murder, torture, sexual assault, warmongering, genocide, terrorism, or inflicting other types of violence (both bodily and mental).   

That’s all on humans themselves.

And, for better or worse, it’s on the angels to walk humans away from those horrific crimes.  Once it gets that bad, the demons are instructed to step aside, to not interfere with the angels’ work.

(Sang Woo has a buddy who was the demon for a particularly twisted serial killer. 

“That poor angel.  I didn’t like the guy, of course.  We’re not supposed to like our angelic counterparts, after all.  But I did feel a sense of sadness for him.  It was the only time where I wished I could help an angel in his work.  He was fighting a losing battle, and all I could do was watch from the sidelines.  I broke the rules a few times and ended up giving him moral support and even comfort.  Those angels are so alone when it gets that bad.  The higher-ups on that side are awful.  They let their angels flounder in those situations.  But there’s only so much those sunny bastards can do against darkness that dark.  You think we’re blackened?  That man’s soul made us look like we were gray.”

Sang Woo saw his buddy shed silent tears. 

“At that point, I wish I could have saved that angel. I’d never seen fear like that before, and I don’t know that I want to see it ever again.” Sang Woo’s friend swiped the tears roughly from his face, looked down at his clasped hands, and clasped them even tighter, making his knuckles go white. “The big guy upstairs punishes severely. We don’t have the cruel master. They do.”)

No, demons’ corruptions are supposed to be minor and build up over time. Make a human tell a white to their boss about being sick. Get a graduate student to plagiarize parts of their master’s thesis.  Get a little kid to steal candy.  Get a 20-something woman to try LSD. 

The biggest stuff his kind is usually responsible for is money laundering, embezzlement, and other white-collar crimes.  Bribery. Back door political deals. Major dishonesty.

What’s Sang Woo’s favorite? Encouraging irredeemable greed.

Man, if he could be as good as the guys who are in charge of Bezos and Musk…a demon can dream, right? Reach for the stars and all that. He needs to try to hone his craft with each new charge.  It took centuries for those guys to get to that level of success in demonic corruption.  This is only Sang Woo’s third human.

Needless to say, he can’t wait until Tae Ri starts rising through the ranks at her company and gets high enough on the food chain to demand more, more, more. From what Sang Woo’s seen, the girl’s got it in her to walk over people to get what she wants.

After a few minutes of daydreaming about Tae Ri’s ultimate corruption, he snaps himself back to the original question.

Can a demon like another being?  Or, more specifically, can a demon like an angel?

Can he like another being? Can he even…love?  Sang Woo doubts that he can feel much at all.

The angel pads into the room.  “She’s done vomiting and has crawled into bed.  Want to hang out while she’s asleep for a spell?”

Scoffing, Sang Woo replies, “no.”

Inside, Sang Woo is screaming “YES.”

Jae Young flops down on the couch next to him.  “C’mon Smokey.  Play a game with meeeee,” he whines, shoves Sang Woo's shoulder a few times, then makes his best puppy dog eyes.

“You think that puppy dog eyes will work on a demon?  You’ve got to be kidding.” Sang Woo rolls his eyes once again.

Inside, the puppy dog eyes are working on Sang Woo.

“I know you won’t play blackjack with me, angel. So, no, I’m not interested in ‘playing’ with you.”

Inside, he wants to play with Jae Young. He wants to play anything that Jae Young wants to play.

“That’s because you cheat.  You’re a demon.  It was ridiculous for me to think that you’d suddenly turn honest.”

“It really was.”

Tapping his chin with one finger, Jae Young looks to be considering his options.  “Can’t play Two Truths and a Lie with you, since you can lie through your teeth, and I physically can’t lie.  You’re too stiff to play Truth or Dare, and again, you don’t have to tell the truth…”

A little too quickly, Sang Woo turns to Jae Young and shouts, “Let’s play Truth or Dare!” He knows Jae Young is a “hold my beer” kind of angel who would come up with outrageous dares (and he frankly kind of fears that), but he also knows, as Jae Young said, that the angel can’t lie.  Like, false words can’t pass through his throat.  An idea forms in his mind.

Jae Young rears back his head as his eyes go big.  “Oh.  Okay.  Then why don’t you start?”

Sang Woo presses his lips together. He needs to stall.  “Light comes before smoke, angel.”

“All right, demon.  Truth or dare?”

“Truth.”

“HA! Right.”

Sang Woo looks Jae Young dead in his bright eyes. “I know my kind is good at lying and cheating, but I promise to abide by the rules of this game.  I choose truth.”

Jae Young still looks skeptical.

“Look, I’ll let you dress me up as an angel for Halloween this year if I lie to you.”  Sang Woo knows that Jae Young is dying to have a joint costume with him, where they dress as each other.  Like gender swapping for spiritual beings.

Jae Young knows that Sang Woo’s going to tell the truth if he made that offer.  The demon would rather be dead than wear a white hoodie. “I’ve been curious about this one for a while now.  What has been your favorite corruption of Tae Ri so far?”

Sang Woo tilts his head back and looks at the ceiling.  He squints his eyes a bit, flipping through his rolodex of memories.

He brings his chin back down to level.  “You remember that really cold winter, when Tae Ri was five?”

Jae Young nods.  “Yeah, it was negative temperatures every day for three weeks straight.”

“My favorite corruption was that winter.  She and her eomma were standing outside the grocery store one day for a half hour in the cold while her eomma was chit-chatting and gossiping about the neighborhood with some of the other ahjummahs.   You, Mr. Ray-of-Light, were hanging on to every gossipy word those hens were saying, and not paying any attention to me or our girl.  So, I needled Tae Ri, making her focus more and more on how cold she was feeling, riling her up more and more, making her angrier and angrier until she decided to use her bad words and yelled out…”

“‘It’s fuckin’ freezin’ out here, eomma.  I can’t feel my ass!’”  Jae Young laughs, deep and throaty.  “I have to admit, that was funny. It was so masterful that I almost asked to shake your hand!”

Sang Woo does his best to stop the warmth spreading through his chest at Jae Young’s praise and the sound of his laughter.  “It wasn’t a big corruption, but it was the most fun I’ve had with her.” 

“Are you smiling, demon?!”

“What?” Sang Woo furrows his brow and clenches his jaw. “Pfft. No.”

“YOU ARE!  YOU ARE SMILING!  AND IT ISN’T WICKED!  You’re experiencing delight!”

“I am experiencing no such thing.”

Inside, Sang Woo is experiencing delight.

Sang Woo averts his eyes and clears his throat. “All right, Jae Young.  Truth or dare?”

Sang Woo hopes he chooses dare.  He’s not quite sure that he’s ready to hear Jae Young’s answer to his question yet.

“Truth.”

Of course.

Surreptitiously worrying the inside of his cheek, Sang Woo asks, in a voice much bolder than he feels, “have you ever been romantically attracted to another being?”

Jae Young pauses, swallows hard, and looks away.  “It’s against the rules for angels to have romantic feelings, but yes. I have been attracted to another being.”

Sang Woo hears the shame dripping in Jae Young’s voice. As gently and quietly as possible, he asks, “who?”

Jae Young looks down at his lap. His tone turns serious and hushed. “You already asked your question.”  Jae Young looks up and focuses on Sang Woo, then forces his face into a smile.  It’s not as bright as usual. “My turn.  Truth or dare?”

Sang Woo thinks carefully.  Will the angel ask him the same question?  Would he lie about his answer?  Should he engage in one of Jae Young’s ridiculous dares?

He makes up his mind and narrows his eyes, peering at the being who, he has finally, reluctantly admitted to himself, he wants more than anything. “Truth.”

“Ah, the demon’s afraid of what the angel will dare him to do!”  Jae Young laughs again.  This time, it makes Sang Woo’s dick twitch a bit.

“I AM NOT.”

“You probably think I’ll dare you to try wearing one of my halos!”

Sang Woo blanches and makes a face. “I’m not scared, I just don’t want heavenly glitter all over me.  It makes me sneeze and itch and is impossible to get out of my flannel shirts.” 

“Riiiiiight,” Jae Young winks. “The demon is afraid.  OK.  So, truth then.  Same question to you.  Have you ever been romantically attracted to another being?”

He’s tempted to lie.  But he can’t, not when he sees something open and vulnerable in the angel’s eyes.

He tries to be as obscure as possible.  He won’t lie, but he won’t expose himself too completely.  “Yes.”  He waves his hand a bit. He can't let Jae Young suspect that the person in his demonic heart is him. “But you know, angel.  We demons are notorious for being attracted to and bewitching other beings.”

He’s admitted it without admitting anything. He watches as some of the sparkle extinguishes in Jae Young’s eyes.  Is he…disappointed?

This is a dangerous game.  Sang Woo can’t choose truth again.  Luckily, he doesn’t have to make that call.  Tae Ri has woken up.

“Time we get back to work, demon. I can't believe she only slept for 25 minutes and is vomiting again.”  Jae Young looks contrite as he stands and holds his hand out to Sang Woo.

Making sure to clasp Jae Young’s hand gently, he allows the angel to pull him up.

He’s a demon in love with an angel, and he doesn’t know what to do about it.  All he knows is that he hasn’t ever wanted (and won’t ever want) anybody else in his life the way he wants Jae Young.  

Chapter Text

Prime influencing time is the twilight just as a human falls asleep. They’re not aware that their self-talk isn’t really self-talk, it’s talk from their angels and demons, sometimes with a little bit of memory from something that stuck with them that day or week mixed in.

Tae Ri is finally asleep, and their sleep-twilight round of influencing is done for the day.

“Whatcha doin’, Shadowy McSmokerton?”  Jae Young flops down on the chair in Tae Ri’s living room next to the spot where Sang Woo is lying on the floor, flipping a flame between his fingers as a human would flip a coin. 

“Nothing you need to worry about, Glare-y McSunbeam,” Sang Woo responds flatly.  He was thinking about Jae Young, how he smiles and how he glows, but the angel doesn’t need to know that.

“Figuring out your next corruption move, eh?  Which article in your rulebook are you going to follow this time?”

Sang Woo can hear the smirk in the angel’s reply.  He abruptly sits up and squints at Jae Young.  “Some of us might play fast and loose, but the rules are there for a reason.  And as long as I follow the rules, I’ll be able to climb the ranks faster.”

“Your ambition is admirable.”

Sang Woo clucks his tongue before lying back down and playing with the flame again.  The angel is driving him mad in seven different ways.

Satan forgive him, but he wants to kiss those full lips and run his hands over Jae Young’s feathery wings when he unfurls them.  He also wants to wring his neck for stepping outside the bounds of their sides’ mutually agreed-upon rules.   These two feelings are constantly warring and swirling inside of him, but he can’t let the angel find out that the former emotion is even happening and that it is, in fact, the stronger of the two.  Sang Woo closes his eyes and thinks of the smell of brimstone.  He hates it so much that just the mere thought of it distracts him from his own heart. His nose scrunches at the memory.

“Jae Young,” a deep voice says, startling Sang Woo out of his reverie.  Almost instantly, Jae Young is out of his chair and standing ramrod straight, wings unhidden and held stiffly closed on his back.

“Yes, Sir.”  Jae Young’s voice is that of a heavenly soldier’s.  The precision and timbre make Sang Woo’s greatly repressed libido peek its ugly head into his consciousness.   

Sang Woo sits up and glowers at the intrusive being.  He’s blonde with sharp, ice-blue eyes and alabaster skin that is almost transparent. He looks bored as he stares down and brushes heavenly glitter from his pristine navy blue suit.  He must be an angel influencing a European human.  Both sides give human skin to their beings on Earth to "blend into their environment" in case a human has spiritual sight and can see them clearly when they are invisible to others.  

“What the fuck!?  Why am I staring at two angels?  The treaty clearly states that influencing can’t be two-against-one!”

The other angel gives Sang Woo a disgusted look.  “I’m not here to influence, I’m here to take this troublemaker with me to see the authorities on our side,” he spits.  “Since you seem to be a stickler for the rules, demon, then I suggest you refrain from trying to influence your human while Jae Young’s away on business.  That’s section…”

“Section 246, paragraph Q, sub-section 5f,” Sang Woo snarls back.

“Sang Woo,” Jae Young says with an edge of warning in his voice, “This is Dominion Ephraim.”  His eyes clearly communicate his message to Sang Woo: I suggest you chill.

Sang Woo is fantastic at hiding emotion, including surprise.  His face turns impassive and he lies back down.

However, he senses that Jae Young is in deep shit upstairs if they’ve sent the highest rank of the middle orders of angels to collect him.

He wishes he could ask Jae Young if he’ll be okay. Sang Woo has spent a long enough time with him, studying him (before he had feelings and after they developed), to recognize his trepidation, even if it is only a miniscule difference in the pull around his eyes and the slight flaring of his nostrils while he tries not to breathe too heavily.

“Well, so long as the heavenly host isn’t ganging up on me to sway our girl, I’m fine.  And, in accordance with the treaty—section 246, paragraph Q, sub-section 5f—I will refrain from trying to influence her in her sleep while Jae Young is away.”  Sang Woo feigns indifference and makes a shooing motion with his hand.  “You can leave now.”

I really hope they don’t punish him harshly and remove him from our assignment.  Please come back, Jae Young.

 *****

As the angel and the Dominion walk down a snowy-white marble hall with only fluffy clouds and blue sky for a ceiling, Jae Young stays one step behind his superior. “May I ask what this is about, Sir?” 

Jae Young is terrified, but he is trying not to show it.  He’s hoping he’s hiding it with curiosity.  He forces his wings and shoulders to relax and his posture to ease. 

Could they possibly have figured out that I’ve fallen for Sang Woo?

No.  Despite what the humans think, the Big Guy doesn’t know all the secrets within every being, because he just doesn’t care. He’s got bigger fish to fry than to know what the housewife is harboring in her heart.  He only cares about a few humans, the ones who may be so far gone, so rotted that his attention needs to be pulled toward them, or the ones that are so good and just that he needs to prepare special rewards for them (and their angels) in the afterlife. 

But still. He’s worried.

Dominion Ephraim sighs in annoyance. “You’re being disciplined, Jae Young, but it isn’t that always the case when you’re brought back here from dirt-side?”

To hide his fear, Jae Young rolls his eyes and whines, “but what am I being disciplined for this time?”

They stop in front of an ornately-carved heavy oaken door, “I don’t know.  But I’m sure Throne Bakari will fill you in on all the details.”  Dominion Ephraim knocks three times in quick succession. 

“You may enter,” a voice rumbles.  Jae Young and Ephraim walk through the door to see a very elegant, poised Throne behind a large glass desk.

Gifted with incredible talent, Throne Bakari ascended through the ranks of angels to the Order of Ophanim in just two and a half human centuries. He is beautiful, with smooth skin the color of the finest mahogany and piercing, dark eyes.  As an angel in Africa, he was known for saving humanity from 8 particularly bad humans, including a markedly brutal slave trader who betrayed his people by capturing and selling free Africans to Europeans.

Jae Young feels that Throne Bakari sees straight through to his soul.  He gives Jae Young a look—one that Jae Young is nonplussed over—and hums a little.

“Dominion Ephraim, you may leave my office.  Please wait for Angel Jae Young in the hallway.”

“Yes Sir.”  Ephraim bows to Bakari and strides briskly out of the office.

Jae Young stands up straight once again, eyes deferentially cast to the floor.  It is not only a sign of respect to his superior, but also because he can’t hold up under the gaze of someone so beautiful and terrible and prescient.

“Do you know why you’re here, Angel Jae Young?” 

How does he answer without giving up the game?

“I’m not sure, Sir.”  God, he hopes it isn’t because of Sang Woo.

“Tell me, Jae Young.  How is your relationship with the demon Sang Woo?”

Shit.

“It’s like any relationship between an angel and a demon assigned to the same human.  We push and pull our charge, hoping that one of us wins.  We know we are adversaries, and we know what our jobs are.  We’re forced to accept that the other is there.”

“I’ve read some intelligence reports about him.  He seems to be winning your human over.”

“I will admit that he’s good at what he does, Sir.”

“And do you know why he’s winning?”

Because I’m so distracted by my feelings for him?

“No, Sir.  I really don’t.”

“It’s because he follows the rules, and you don’t.”

“Sir, I want to make sure that Tae Ri—my human—does things that benefit her and our side…”

“But you’re doing it in ways that put all of us in danger, not just our side.  If we are exposed, then they’re exposed, too. Did you know that our Ambassador to the Shadow Lands has received numerous calls about you?  You’re infamous down there.”

Swallowing hard, Jae Young looks to the ground. “I’m sorry, Sir.”

“You have violated the rules at least four times in just the past month.  You allowed your feathers to fall around your charge because you ‘tripped.’  Then you bet the demon that you could get five human women to give you their phone numbers at the library where your charge was working by exposing yourself in your human form and sitting alone at a table with a newspaper…”

“I won that bet. You see how handsome my human form is, and I’m charming,” grumbles Jae Young under his breath.

“Don’t you dare interrupt your betters with your insouciance, angel.  Later, you got drunk on ambrosia and walked down the street patting people on the head and performing UNSANCTIONED healings of humans who are not your charge. The demon chased after you to stop you!  A sober demon!  Chasing and stopping a drunk angel from breaking the rules!  He didn’t tempt you to inebriate yourself; he tried to talk you out of it!  A DEMON!  TRYING TO TALK AN ANGEL OUT OF SOMETHING! YOU WERE A COMPLETE EMBARRASSMENT!” Bakari stands up in one smooth motion, his wings flaring, and slams his hand on his desk, shaking the entire room. Jae Young jumps at the noise.

“And finally, in a move even more reckless than anything any other angel has done in the last three centuries, you showed your true form to your charge, her friends, and demon Sang Woo.  Just because they were on hallucinogens doesn’t mean the rest of the club was.  Do you know how many angels it took to erase your image from all the human minds in there?  Further, demons aren’t supposed to know what we truly look like, as they can figure out our physical vulnerabilities and exploit us with them.”

Jae Young has the decency to hang his head in shame.  “I know there is no excuse, Sir.  I suppose…I suppose I’m too hedonistic and impetuous to be in charge of a human.”

Bakari’s voice softens. “That’s not it, Jae Young. You’re amazingly good at your job, but that doesn’t disqualify you from being a menace and a periodic embarrassment.  You’re a maverick and a headache, but we can’t argue with your results.  You’ve been five for five.  Don’t make it five for six.  That demon may only be on his third human, but he’s talented and sticks to the rules, which is a dangerous combination.”

The Throne walks around his desk, stands in front of Jae Young, and takes him by the shoulders. “The other side asked us to punish you, you know.”

Did Sang Woo report me?   Jae Young feels as if he had been stabbed in the heart.

Bakari’s eyes hone in on Jae Young’s face, leaving Jae Young feeling exposed and vulnerable.  “It wasn’t your demon who reported you, if that’s what you’re concerned about.”

Jae Young hopes that the relief that floods through his body isn’t physically detectable.  “I accept any punishment you decide to dole out, Sir.”

Barking out a laugh, Bakari releases Jae Young’s shoulders.  “You think we’re going to let the other side tell us what to do with one of our own?  Not a chance!”  His smile is blindingly gorgeous. His face falls into seriousness as quickly as it had turned to mirth.  “That doesn’t mean that we’re not concerned, though.  Think of this as your first warning.”

Jae Young smirks at Bakari.  “How many more do I get?”

“Angel Jae Young, watch yourself,” Bakari states in a deadly tone.

“Yes, Sir.”

“You may leave now. Ephraim will escort you back to Earth.”

“Thank you, Sir.”

I hope he hasn't figured out that I’m in love with a demon.

 *****

The door opens and closes with a soft snick.  Sang Woo smells roses and virtue and knows that Jae Young has been in contact with a high-ranking official upstairs. He takes two paces toward the front door, then thinks better of himself.  However, before he can stop himself,  he says, a little too loudly and breathlessly, “you’re finally back!”

Sang Woo turns his back and winces.  He sounded way too eager. He gains control of himself and dryly states, “now I can get back to influencing.  It’s almost morning, and you know how effective I am just before Tae Ri wakes up fully.”  He then walks into the kitchen.

Jae Young takes notice but says nothing. “Yeah.” Did the demon miss me?

That can’t be it.  Sang Woo had revealed during their game of Truth or Dare that he had had feelings for another being before.  Surely it had to have been a human or another demon in his past. It certainly can’t be him, can it?

Demons and angels aren’t supposed to like each other. By definition, they are adversaries and even enemies. They’re forbidden from loving each other.  Further, angels are bound by rules about other beings as well. They aren’t supposed to romantically love other beings.  It puts them in compromised positions.  Care about your charge, but don’t fall in love.  Other angels are off-limits, too. 

He follows the demon into the kitchen and folds himself into one of the chairs at the table. He scrubs a hand down his face and lets out a huge breath through his mouth as his hand falls limply at his side. 

Against his better judgment, Sang Woo asks, “do you want to talk about it?”

Jae Young looks at him skeptically.  “Are you actually offering me an ear, Smokey, or are you trying to find an angle against me?”

“What if I told you it is the former?  Would you even believe me?”

“You’re a liar. So, no.”

“What would it take to make you believe me?”

“Kiss me.” 

HOLY SHIT, DID I JUST SAY THAT OUT LOUD?

It slipped out of his mouth before he could even think. 

An entire range of emotions from surprise to shock to concern to happiness to lust to…nothing flits across Sang Woo’s face. 

Does Jae Young know how I feel about him?

 “You really think I’d be serious about a request like that?”  Jae Young desperately hopes he's covering his tracks.

 “Fine, you feathery bastard. I won’t listen to your sob story. I have influencing to catch up on anyway.” 

The hurt in the demon’s voice is palpable.  He strides out of the kitchen and into Tae Ri’s bedroom.

“Damn it,” the angel whispers to himself. 

Chapter Text

It’s a good thing that his human body heals almost instantaneously, because with the way Sang Woo is picking and biting at his nails, he’s making his human fingers bleed. 

He’s not used to this.  Not used to worrying.  Not used to being anxious. 

How am I supposed to move on from that interaction last night?!  Jae Young asked me to kiss him, then rescinded it almost immediately.  He must know.  He must know that I have fallen for him and is using it against me.  He’s taunting me.

 But angels don’t taunt.  It isn’t in their nature.  They engage in good-humored teasing—and tease Jae Young does—but they don’t taunt.  It’s too mean-spirited for their kind.

No, taunting is a something his side invented and deploys with regularity.  They actively use it with their human charges, and they strategically work against their angel adversaries with taunting.  It’s his kind that are mean-spirited.

So, why does he not want to taunt Jae Young?  And why does he think Jae Young is taunting him?

Is this what human psychologists call “projecting?”

So incredibly worrying.

Jae Young has spent most the morning following Tae Ri around her place, but Sang Woo hasn’t made much of an effort.  He’s currently sitting on the pink ottoman that Tae Ri has at her desk in the living room, hunched over himself.  His back is curled, and he feels the weight of his own wings even though he has them hidden.  He’s glad he decided to wear the black cap today, simply because he can shield his eyes.

Get your shit together, Sang Woo. You’re losing precious influencing time right now.

 Jae Young comes into the living room and stretches out on the couch.  He sighs, folds his hands behind his head, crosses his ankles, and closes his eyes.  He’s been quieter than usual since last night.  He’s barely spoken to Sang Woo, and he’s looked at him even less.

“What’re you doing this morning, Smokey?  You’ve done no influencing at all.  You’re leaving Tae Ri wide open for my suggestions.”  He doesn’t open his eyes as he talks. “I mean, I’ve already convinced her to buy coffee for her whole department and to take the new intern under her wing.  Why aren’t you fighting my suggestions of generosity with your suggestions of stinginess and frugality?”

Sang Woo’s distracted by Jae Young’s bare feet. The angel’s never not worn Converse.  He doesn’t know what to make of that.  “I’m plotting, like any good demon should.  Sometimes you have to let a few slide in order to gain the big ones.”  Sang Woo sniffs imperiously and tries to force a bit of annoyance into his voice so that Jae Young doesn’t suspect that he’s an emotional mess. “So, the bigger question for you, the weaker of the two of us, is why are you talking to me instead of following her around right now?”

He winces.  He hated taunting the angel just now.

Jae Young lets it slide and instead sits up and concernedly looks at Sang Woo, who promptly removes his nails from his mouth, hoping the angel didn’t see him bleeding.  Jae Young whistles low.  “Woooooow.  You’re really off your game this morning.  You don’t even know where our girl is.”

Sang Woo looks at Jae Young in confusion.

“Remember the rule you and I agreed upon? She’s in the bathroom.”

When a human is born, their assigned angel and demon negotiate rules for themselves that they will abide by for that particular human.  The one rule that both agreed to without any pushback from the other was that Tae Ri could have privacy in bathrooms while using the toilet or bathing. They also wouldn’t go into public restrooms with her as a courtesy to the other humans who may be using the toilets. (However, being around her when she was vomiting was the exception.  Both have an interest in her health.  They need to make sure that she isn’t at risk of her life before the designated time is up.) It was not only a favor to her, but also to themselves.  Neither of them had (and still don’t have) any desire to be around someone doing their business or washing their naughty bits.

Sang Woo’s face flushes in embarrassment.  “Oh.”

Jae Young needs to make a snap decision.  Does he tease, or does he show his concern?

“Are you OK, demon?”

A little too quickly and nonchalantly, Sang Woo responds.  “Yeah. Yeah.  I’m fine.  Why wouldn’t I be?”

He’s nervous about something.  Jae Young thinks he may know what it is, but he can’t be 100% sure.  If Sang Woo isn't bringing it up, he won't either.  

“Well, we have at least 54 minutes before our girl comes out of the bathroom.  Do you want to play a game?  I’ll even play blackja…”

“Truth or Dare.”

It’s Jae Young’s turn to look at Sang Woo in confusion.  “What?”

“I said Truth or Dare.”

“Really?  You want to play Truth or Dare?”

“Yes,” the demon responds with a firmness in his voice.  “And I will even abide by the rules that we set the last time we played.  If I lie, I dress as an angel for Halloween.”  He rolls his eyes for good measure so that he doesn’t seem too eager.

“You must really want to try on my halo, huh?”  Jae Young chuckles and winks.  He loves seeing Sang Woo’s nose scrunch in disgust.  It is just so…cute.

Shit.  I think a demon is cute.  I’m gonna get killed for this one if Bakari finds out.

 “And since it’s the same rules, angel, you need to start.  Again, light comes before smoke.”

Jae Young can’t appear too interested in Sang Woo’s truth, so he needs to come up with a dare REAL QUICK in case the demon chooses it first.

“I choose dare this time, angel.”  Maybe Jae Young will ask me to kiss him again.

“Ah, so the demon doesn’t want to answer honestly!  I see what you’re up to.  I’ll get you in a white outfit come Hell or high water.”

“You better hope for high water, then, Solar Flare, since our shadows would eat you alive and absolutely relish it. C’mon, time’s a-tickin’.  Bring it.”

Shit.  Jae Young doesn’t know what to do, so he softballs it, giving Sang Woo a dare that he knows is ridiculous and that the demon will reject.

“Show me your true form.”

Jae Young thinks he sees a flash of panic in Sang Woo’s eyes, even if his voice remains steady.

“Not a chance, angel.  First, I don’t want to get nailed by the folks downstairs for showing myself to an adversary.  Second, we don’t have enough time before Tae Ri walks out of that bathroom.  Seeing me in my true form would kill her. So just hand me the clothing you want me to wear for Halloween now.”

Jae Young figured out how to handle this one during Sang Woo’s rant. “Nope.  The Halloween thing was only agreed upon for you lying.  We never came up with a punishment for not taking the dare.  So, my punishment for you is truth.  You now have to answer my question.”

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck, thinks Sang Woo.

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck, thinks Jae Young. What did I just do?

The angel stalls.  He tries to look cute by faking hard thought, screwing up his mouth into a sideways pucker.  “Hmmm.” 

Do I do it?  Do I ask Sang Woo about his attraction to another being?  Do I want to hear the answer if it…if it isn’t me?

 “Jesus, angel!  You’re so slow today.  Come on!”  Sang Woo tuts and shakes his head.

“Which one of my heavenly influences of Tae Ri do you think was funniest?”

“You’re just fishing for compliments, aren’t you?”  Sang Woo raises his right eyebrow and pointedly looks at Jae Young.

“No, I’m looking for proof that you think I’m funny, despite the fact that you try to hide it.”

That one stabs Sang Woo right in the heart.  He thought he was doing a good job keeping his amusement under wraps.

Sang Woo pauses and sighs.  “I’m reluctant to answer this one because I know you’ll try to re-create the scenario.”

“I promise I won’t!”  Jae Young’s laughing again, and Sang Woo again tries to quell the warmth he feels. 

“Fine.  Give me a second to think.”

“Time’s a-tickin’.” Jae Young does his best Sang Woo impression.

“Well, this one maybe isn’t the absolute funniest, but it was the first one that truly made me laugh—albeit out of shock—and the first that came to mind just now.  So, don’t nail me for dishonesty. Remember when Tae Ri was in her second year of high school, and she was going to cheat on a midterm test?”

“Which one, Sang Woo? You tempted her on EVERY midterm she was going to take.”

“The math midterm.”

“Vaguely,” the smirk is audible in Jae Young’s answer.  He knows exactly the moment Sang Woo means.  He just wants to hear the demon’s perspective of it…and his praise.

Jae Young can already hear the disappointment in Bakari’s voice at his next disciplinary meeting.  An angel seeking praise from a demon?! This is a new low even for you, Angel Jae Young. 

The next part is grumbled under Sang Woo’s breath, but Jae Young hears it and chuckles. “All that light must have given you radiation-induced dementia.” 

“Spit it out, Exhaust Fumes.”

“So, before the exam, she went to the restroom.  You kept to the rules of entering with her, but while we were waiting, you disappeared in a poof.  I didn’t have time to figure out where the hell you went, but you shot back on your wings as fast as a cannon and hovered above the door a split second before Tae Ri walked out.  My head was still spinning at your sheer speed, so I didn’t see that you were holding the janitor’s mop bucket.  As soon as she pushed through the door, you poured it over her head and zoomed off.  She was so confused and apoplectically pissed.”

Jae Young bites back his smile.

“I laughed in shock, because I felt like that was something my kind would do.  Plus, the look on our girl’s face was priceless.  Every movie with mean girls getting their comeuppance paled in comparison to her shriek and disgust!”  Sang Woo shakes his head with a fond look, but quickly changes his expression to one of impassivity. “Although, I don’t know that I’d count that as an actual win for your side.”

Jae Young furrows his brow.  “Why not?”

“Well, she couldn’t take the test in that moment because she needed to go to the office to get permission to go to the girls’ locker room to change into her gym clothes.  She had to sit the principal’s office until the exam was done, then had to take the test over her lunch break.”

“Well, she didn’t cheat, did she?”

“No, but she couldn’t be tempted to, either. So I view that as you cheating.”

Jae Young waves his hand in dismissal.  “Well, in the end she didn’t copy anybody else's work. Who cares if she didn’t have the possibility.  My method got the job done.”

Sang Woo scoffs.  “Fine.  I didn’t know that angels could be so Machiavellian…by the way, you do know that he’s one of ours now, right?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures, demon.  The ends there definitely justified the means. Plus, that experience kept her from bullying others.  Points granted to Team Sunshine. And you can keep that dear old asshole Niccolo.  But enough of this.  Your turn.”

“All right, angel.  Truth or dare?”

C’mon Sang Woo.  Ask me about the attraction thing.  Let me make last night up to you.  Force the truth out of me.

 Sang Woo considers his options.  He can ask Jae Young about last night, or he could avoid the answer.  He certainly can’t be attracted to me.  I’m too stuffy.  I’m no fun.  And I’m a frickin’ demon, for fuck’s sake.

So, he doesn’t ask. 

“If you could eat one human food, what would it be?”

“Chocolate, for sure.”

“Devil’s food? For real? You would eat my lord’s invention?”

“Oh my God, YES. Why wouldn’t I when it gets such a reaction out of humans?  It’s got to be amazing.”

Sang Woo shrugs his left shoulder and tilts his head into it.  “I mean, it really is.”

“Truth or dare, demon?”

“Truth.” Sang Woo thinks he may be in the clear, since Jae Young didn’t ask him about his feelings last time.  Why would he now?

He’s sorely mistaken.

“You said that you had been attracted to other beings.  Are you attracted to anyone now?”

Sang Woo’s caught off guard.  He wants so badly to lie.  But he can’t.  Not now.  Not when it has gone this far.

“Yes,” he answers swiftly. He can’t give Jae Young room to ask more. “Truth or dare?”

Jae Young’s insides are bouncing around like a basketball.  His tongue has dried out, so he swallows hard.  “Truth.”

“Same question.  Are you attracted to any other being now?”

“Yes, and if my side finds out, I’m toast.”  He hopes that last bit conveys to Sang Woo that if the demon reports him, he will be…eliminated… by his own kind.  

“Ah.  That’s right.  It’s against your side’s rules to feel attraction or love.”

An awkward pause.

Jae Young nods slowly. “Truth or dare?”

Sang Woo can feel the curiosity pulsating off Jae Young.  He supposes he’s ready to come clean, even if Jae Young’s feelings are for someone else. 

“Truth.”  Sang Woo shoves his fear deep down into his soul. 

“Do I know this being you’re attracted to?”  Jae Young figures it’s better to ask it this way than to come straight out with it.  He doesn’t know if he could take any other answer but “you.”

“Very well.”  Sang Woo’s lips quirk up in the tiniest bit of a smile.  Anybody else wouldn’t have caught it, but Jae Young’s been with Sang Woo 24 years.  He can see every small tick.

Before Sang Woo can even open his mouth to ask, Jae Young shouts, “Truth!”

The dance is over.   

“Who is the unfortunate being you’re attracted to?” 

Sang Woo will accept whatever answer is granted.  He’ll just have to live with the jealousy.  He can cover it with annoyance and anger. 

Jae Young just stares at Sang Woo.  It’s now or never. 

He rises from the couch in one fluid motion and surges forward, taking Sang Woo’s face into hands. He kisses him.

Sang Woo’s eyes widen as Jae Young’s lips touch his and his light shines brighter.  Jae Young pulls away slightly and opens his eyes when he notices Sang Woo doesn’t kiss him back and that the demon’s smoke is curling away from him, as if being repelled.  

Did I make a mistake by kissing him?

Sang Woo sees the uncertainty in Jae Young’s tense posture.  He knows that he needs to act before the angel’s insecurity kills whatever…this…is. 

He grabs a handful of Jae Young’s shirt and pulls him back in for another, deeper kiss.  He wraps his smoke around them, cradling them as they melt into each other.

Finally, they both think in relief. 

Chapter Text

As if sharing the same thought at the same time, Sang Woo and Jae Young push away from their kiss. They’re breathing hard and their eyes are as large as saucers.  They just…stare.

“Fuck,” Jae Young whispers as Sang Woo grumbles, “Shit.”

They both swiftly look away.  They search for anything else to set their eyes upon.

Shadows hang around Sang Woo—still on the pink ottoman but now sitting up uncomfortably straight—like an aura.  Jae Young stands before him, barefoot and glowing.  

Jae Young’s voice is timid as he asks, “what do we do now?”

They turn their heads toward the bathroom door as it opens, a puff of steam flowing out.  Tae Ri, hair wrapped in a towel, is humming the latest Stray Kids song as she steps into the living room.  “Where did I leave my new mascara?”

She walks past Sang Woo and Jae Young and grabs her purse from the coffee table.  Their attention trains on her due to habit, yet they don’t move nor try to influence. 

“Ah!  Here it is!”  Tae Ri grabs the mascara from her purse, tosses the packaging into her recycling bin, and heads back into the bathroom.  Even though she is “alone” in the house, she closes the door behind her.

“We can’t tell anybody about this,” Sang Woo points at himself and then at Jae Young. “Not my side, and certainly not your side.”

Jae Young heads back to the couch and sits heavily. He props his elbows on his knees and covers his face with his hands, his left leg bouncing in nervousness and terror.  “What have I just done?”

Sang Woo is quiet.  Although he knows logically that the “what have I just done” isn’t about him, his heart is scared that it is about him.

As if sensing Sang Woo’s insecurity, Jae Young whispers, “this isn’t about you, Smokey.”

It’s the first time Sang Woo has heard Jae Young call him “Smokey” with affection, as if it is a term of endearment and not a rival’s nickname. It makes his heart race.  But now isn’t the time for love-giddy excitement.

Now is the time to soothe a distraught angel.  His distraught angel.

Jae Young has never been the type to follow the rules.  Except this one.  This is one rule Sang Woo never expected him to break.  He suspects that Jae Young never expected that he himself would break it, either.

Sang Woo goes over to the couch and sits down gingerly next to Jae Young.  He reaches his hand out but hesitates.  Is he allowed to touch this beautiful being?  Is he allowed to physically love this angel?

Fuck it.  Sang Woo starts to stroke Jae Young’s back, hoping that it will calm him. 

Panic has fully set in.  “I just signed my own death warrant, didn’t I?”  Jae Young presses his palms harder into his eyes, his knee bouncing faster.    

Sang Woo knows what he needs to say, but it breaks his ashy heart to say it. 

“We stop it here.  Pretend it never happened.  Pretend that it was just a game of Truth or Dare.”

“I don’t want to pretend it never happened.  I don’t want to pretend anymore at all.  Not with you, and not with myself.”

Sang Woo melts at those words and selfishly wants to kiss Jae Young again, maybe even for eterninty. But no matter how selfish he wants to be, he knows what they need to do.

They need to follow the rules.   

And who knows how to follow the rules better than he does? It’s what he has always done to keep himself safe.  His strict adherence to the Book of Regulations has often kept Jae Young safe from the angel’s own idiocy, too.

“Jae Young, we need to follow the rules,” he whispers.  “I can’t put you at risk.  Not when it means you’ll be killed.”

Jae Young turns his torso toward Sang Woo and grasps his arms tightly.   His eyes shine with fright as he lets go and instead snakes his arms around Sang Woo’s back, swiftly pulling him toward his chest. He cries into Sang Woo’s neck and shoulder, soaking Sang Woo’s shirt and burning his demon skin with his angelic tears.  Sang Woo hopes those tears leave a scar.  He needs to have a physical reminder that this happened.  That this was all real.

Sang Woo lets Jae Young cry.  But he also realizes that he must give Jae Young a dose of reality. His voice turns soft.  “Even if this weren’t forbidden for you, even if you didn’t have feelings for me, we’d both still compromised because of me.  Because of my feelings for you.”

How could they work against each other’s influences now?  How could they compete for Tae Ri’s soul? 

Jae Young, looking up at Sang Woo with desperate, glassy eyes, whispers, “no, Sang Woo.  Don’t. Don’t leave.”

“Jae Young, we can’t be together but knowing that you have feelings for me is enough.”  Sang Woo is certain that Jae Young’s emotions for him are real.  Jae Young wouldn’t have risked his life to kiss him if they weren’t.  Angels don’t lie.  Not with their words, not in their actions, and not with their hearts.

“I need to talk to my people downstairs.  I’ll tell them I am compromised.  I won’t tell them anything about you.  I’ll put all the blame on myself.  I’m the one who tried to seduce you.  You didn’t do anything wrong, and you resisted.  All you need to do is tell them that I confessed my feelings to you.  You don’t need to tell anyone that you return those feelings.  My side won’t ask about your feelings, anyway.  They wouldn’t expect—or suspect—that an Angel would have any sort of desire for a demon.  In fact, they think that you’ve all been created asexual by your big boss.”

“Sang Woo…”

“Hey, Sunshine,” Sang Woo hardens his voice.  “This won’t work. You know it won’t. At best, we’ll cancel each other’s influences out, and Tae Ri’s soul will be neutral when she dies, leaving her to wander limbo while she waits millennia for a decision to be made about her case,” Sang woo pauses.  Through gritted teeth, he continues. “And at worst you will be killed.”

Jae Young doesn’t want to believe Sang Woo’s words despite fully knowing they are true.  He hangs his head again.  His sobs turn silent. 

Saying nothing, Jae Young just nods. 

The weight of what Sang Woo is doing for him feels almost oppressive.  This demon—this unexpectedly sweet demon—is saving him from death by Heaven’s hand.

“You love me, too, don’t you?” He whispers in awe, thinking that Sang Woo can’t hear him. 

Sang Woo stiffens at the word.  Love.  This is more than just “feelings” for both of them, but Sang Woo hadn’t dared utter the word.  He knows he’s in love with Jae Young.  However, he didn’t want to put those words into Jae Young’s mouth.  "Yes, Jae Young.  I love you.  I have for a long while now."

He rests a finger beneath Jae Young’s chin and gently guides his head up so that the angel is looking at him.  He gives Jae Young a small, fond smile.  “Did you ever think you’d deal with a demon who was actually honest with its feelings? And open with them, too?”

Jae Young pushes the sadness away for a moment and summons his best smirk. “Your side is the one who came up with both denial and campaign promises. You’re good at both lying to yourselves and lying to others.  So, nope.  Not even sure I can trust you right now.”  He gives a watery chuckle. 

Sang Woo rolls his eyes, but grabs Jae Young’s hand and squeezes, hoping that the message comes through.  He would kiss him again if it weren’t so damned dangerous. 

Sang Woo stands up and starts walking toward the balcony door.  Jae Young shoots out of his seat, hot on the demon’s heels.  “Where are you going?”

Sang Woo pauses in his tracks as Jae Young grasps his arm.  He can’t turn around to look at the angel. It’s taking everything he has in this moment to stick to his decision.  If he gazes at the beautiful angel behind him, his resolve will most definitely crumble.  He pitches his voice low, trying to put softness into it.  “I’ll be back in 5 minutes.  I need to go send a fire message. Don't do any influencing while I'm away.”

Before Jae Young can protest, Sang Woo steps through the door, unfurls his brown wings, and shoots into the morning sky.

Chapter Text

The citizens of Seoul believed that the avalanche on Bukhan Mountain’s tallest peak, Baegundae, began with nothing more than a loud thud.  News anchors reported the disaster as a consequence of a rare minor earthquake.  All were amazed that there were no hikers hurt in the landslide.

A demon’s landings can’t be soft when they need to alert their side that they will be sending a fire message.  Unlike the angels who just show up whenever they want to, Hell is hands-off unless it is a serious indiscretion.  Instead, the folks downstairs established an alarm system of sorts…If the earth shakes when it isn’t scheduled to shake, it usually means that a demon needs to talk to someone within Hell’s bureaucracy.  They send a fire message immediately after the quake to establish the level of exigency of their request.  Orange flames are serious, but non-urgent matters.  White flames are absolute emergencies.

Sang Woo is relieved that he had placed his landing well.  It was loud and hard enough to shake large boulders free from where they had stood for thousands of years, but did not cause any early human deaths.  He minimized the risk of Hell losing souls due to carelessness.  He had already done enough damage with Tae Ri. 

Sang Woo changes into his true form so that he can produce the white flame needed to alert his people that this was a dire matter.  Producing that white flame will take every ounce of his energy; he has to shed his human glamour in order to send it.

(Thus, the landing on the highest peak of Bukhansan.  He doesn’t want to be seen.)

A black hole opens in the sky above Sang Woo, and an ancient voice speaking an even more ancient language pours forth from its depths.  

“Greetings, Fury Sang Woo of the Order of Lucifer.  I am Vergendal, Liaison Messenger of the Order of Lucifer. What is it that you need?” 

“Greetings, Vergrendal, Liaison Messenger of the Order of Lucifer.  I hereby formally request a meeting with His Excellency Alastor, High Inquisitor of the Order of Lucifer.”  Sang Woo’s voice begins to shake with fear, sadness, and shame. “I must discuss a circumstance that has the direst of consequences.” 

“That being?”

“I am irredeemably compromised.”

“I will send your request immediately, Fury Sang Woo.  An escort will be sent to retrieve you post-haste.”

Sang Woo’s skin is slick with moisture pulled from the mountain air.  He is a bit disturbed by the feeling after being in his human form for so long.  He closes his eyes, feeling grateful that Jae Young never saw him in this state.  He never would have come to love you if he knew what you really are.  

 As if it were a living being, the air on Baegundae shivers. An Escort of Hell appears out of a whirlwind of dust before Sang Woo.  It is in the shape of a man, but it is made entirely of constantly moving particles of dark matter.  It does not speak aloud, but Sang Woo hears a crackling, electric voice in his mind. “You must walk into me and allow me to surround you in order to gain entrance into the Shadow Lands of Lucifer.”

*****

“Greetings, Your Excellency Alastor, High Inquisitor.”

“Fury Sang Woo.  I have been informed that you are compromised.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“How?”

“I have found myself having inappropriate feelings for a being within my proximity.”

I can’t let him know that it is Jae Young.  Maybe he will assume it is Tae Ri.

“Ah.  This happens more than you know, Fury Sang Woo.  And it is so irritating.  So much paperwork to transfer just one demon.”  High Inquisitor Alastor clicks his tongue but does not say any more.

Isn’t he going to ask me who it is?

“Since you have feelings for your charge, I will transfer you to a different charge.”

Good.  He thinks it’s Tae Ri. He can't imagine that it would be the angel.  At least Jae Young is safe.

“As luck would have it, another Fury has developed inappropriate feelings for her charge.  I will simply trade your places.  The process should be done within the next 24 earthly hours.  Of course, you will also have to submit a short statement.  I want that done by the time you start your new assignment.”

“Yes, Your Honor High Inquisitor.”

“All of you demons are such a headache.  But I suppose you wouldn’t be demons if you weren’t.  The bigger headaches you are, the better you are at your jobs.”  Alastor shakes his head and chuckles.  “I remember those days.  Fun, they were.  Better than this nonsense.  You know, I gave up being a tempter just for the extra perks that this job brings. Not worth it.”

Sang Woo doesn’t have an answer for that, so he just nods and says, “yes, tempting is quite fun.”  He smiles, thinking of his conversation with Jae Young about his favorite temptation.  “Especially when they’re children.”

“The humans’ formative years are indeed important.  Age-appropriate tempting has some comedic value, does it not?  Anyway, fill out the form at the clerk’s office, get back to Earth to tie up your loose ends and inform your angelic counterpart, and wait for the transfer papers and briefing about your new charge.  Expect another escort in 24 hours.”

Sang Woo bows low.  “Thank you, Your Excellency.”   He smiles to hide his sadness. “This transfer is generous.”

“This is more routine than generosity, Fury Sang Woo.  Also, don’t forget that you will have a brief meeting with the demon you’ll be replacing.  Have verbal notes for her about your charge, too.  The information you exchange with each other is far more useful than the briefing you will get from the Central Office.”  The High Inquisitor pauses, then smirks.  “Don’t tell Prince Lucifer I said that.”

“Of course not, Your Excellency High Inquisitor.”  By this point, Sang Woo’s smile is plastered to his face. 

It will not fall until he returns to Baegundae.

Chapter Text

He’s fidgeting.

Jae Young wiggles his toes and feels the soft beige carpet in Tae Ri’s living room under his feet. Jae Young tries to not keep track of the time that Sang Woo is away, so instead he focuses on counting the individual fibers he can feel through his angelic senses.

He promised he’d be gone for only five minutes.  Just five minutes.

It’s been five fucking minutes.  True to his demonic nature, Sang Woo has lied.  Again.

No, Jae Young.  That’s not fair.  He’ll come back, the angel admonishes himself. He gave you an estimate. He didn’t lie.   

The heavens really do brainwash them against their rivals.  Sang Woo’s challenged that brainwashing at every turn. 

Sang Woo returns in five minutes and 12 seconds. 

The shadows in Tae Ri’s living room all seem to gather into each other, collecting themselves into a dark column in the middle of the room.  The column takes shape, and Sang Woo materializes from the darkness.  Once he is fully corporeal, the shadows return to their prior places in the room.  If he weren’t so beside himself, Jae Young would have marveled at that little trick.

Jae Young swiftly stands and takes one tentative (yet eager) step toward Sang Woo.  He says nothing, but his question is clearly etched into his features. 

Sang Woo keeps his eyes downcast.  Jae Young is still barefoot.  Sang Woo hones his vision on Jae Young’s feet, eyes sketching over the delicate bones and tendons flexing under the skin.  He tries to commit the image to memory.  He never thought he’d need to pay such attention, but he also never thought he’d fall in love with Jae Young.

He will never see his angel again, so he needs to have accurate memories to cling to. 

“I need to get ready, Jae Young,” Sang Woo softly breathes.

Jae Young’s face crumples.  “You’re leaving,” he whispers.  It isn’t a question. 

Sang Woo turns his face to the side.  He can’t look at Jae Young.  “Yes, Hell’s arranged a trade.”

“A trade? What do you mean, a trade?”

“Just that.  Another demon needs to be transferred to a different human.”

“Really?”

“Apparently transfers aren’t unusual.  I just learned that Demons commonly find themselves compromised because of their charges. My side thinks I’ve developed a fondness for Tae Ri.  You were never mentioned.  I swear that I kept you safe, Jae Young.”

Sang Woo hopes that the tone of his voice conveys the real message.  I don’t want you to die.  I know I am breaking your heart, but I don’t want you to die.

 Jae Young’s voice takes on a hardness that is entirely feigned.  “Who’s my new counterpart?” 

“A female demon by the name Jin.”

Jae Young scoffs a bit and shakes his head, a small grin on his lips. “Leave it to your side to play with languages and irony.”

Sang Woo’s head snaps up.  His eyes widen as his gaze falls on Jae Young.

He got her joke.  None of them ever get our jokes.  He’s so brilliant and wonderful and mine.

Wait.  Not mine.

Sang Woo’s breath breaks on a sob. 

Jae Young stills.  He reaches a hand forward and lies it on Sang Woo’s shoulder. 

“Please,” the demon whispers softly.  “Please don’t touch me.  This is already hard enough.” 

Jae Young removes his hand.  He tries not to be hurt by Sang Woo’s rejection. 

“I need to go do some paperwork.  I give you free reign for influencing.”  Sang Woo keeps his eyes forward as he passes Jae Young and strides into the kitchen. 

Jae Young watches how gracefully Sang Woo sits in the simple wooden chair at Tae Ri’s dining table.  He memorizes the way Sang Woo rolls his shoulders back when he sits, how Sang Woo’s jeans crinkle at the knees when he crosses his legs, and how his gaze narrows when he conjures up a scroll and quill made of fire.  Sang Woo’s hands are large, his fingers are long and almost dainty, yet they cradle the quill gently and elegantly. 

Jae Young can hardly breathe.  Sang Woo’s beauty sucks all the air out of the room.

He wants to ask Sang Woo what type of paperwork he’s doing.  What will he say about Tae Ri?  What strategies will Sang Woo give Jin about Tae Ri’s particularities? 

What will Sang Woo say about him?

But he doesn’t ask.  It’s not because he doesn’t want to break the rules.  It’s that he doesn’t want to know.  He doesn’t want to know because he knows that Sang Woo will lie about him, write things to make him look foolish and incompetent.  Things that are necessary to ensure Jae Young's safety, to protect his own reputation, and to play the game. 

He knows that what Sang Woo will write isn’t what Sang Woo actually feels, but even if he knows it is all a ruse, it would still hurt to read harsh things about himself written in Sang Woo’s script. 

Tae Ri continues to hum as she gathers her things for work.  She closes her laptop with a cheerful little tap, zips it into her messenger bag, and heads into the entryway to don her scarf, coat, and dress boots.  Jae Young follows behind her. 

“Are you going to work with our girl?”  Sang Woo asks in a voice that is smaller than Jae Young could have ever imagined him sounding. He hasn’t turned away from his scroll, and he hasn’t looked at Jae Young.

He called her “our girl.”  That means something, right?

“Yes. I can do that, right? Even if your side isn't there?.” 

Sang Woo continues to write. “Yes. In fact, according to Section 1248, paragraph B, sub-section 7g, you have the responsibility to carry on.  This is one of the rare exceptions when we can influence without the other side present.  Think of it as sports substitution.  We can’t hold up play indefinitely when we need to put another player in.” 

Jae Young has never heard Sang Woo sound so robotic.  “Will you be here when I return, Sang Woo?”

The apartment is silent for a few seconds. Then, a quick sizzle and a hiss as Sang Woo’s quill disappears.  Sang Woo swipes at his eyes.  Jae Young realizes that Sang Woo’s tears extinguished his pen. 

He now knows that he won’t see Sang Woo again.  His heart, already irreparably broken, shatters even more. 

“Goodbye, Sunbeam.”  Sang Woo swiftly rises, keeping his eyes averted from Jae Young.  He strides across the apartment and out onto the balcony, closing the door behind him as she shoots into the sky once more. 

“Goodbye, Smokey” Jae Young whispers to the shadows in the room, hoping that they can somehow convey his message to his beloved.  “I wish we’d had more time.”

Jae Young shoves his feet into his Converse and follows Tae Ri out the door.  He has a responsibility to heaven, after all, even if they don’t give a shit about his heart.

Chapter Text

Sang Woo peers down at the file on his his new charge, Michael Lee. Michael is Korean American; his mother is Caucasian—of Swedish and German lineage and as blonde as can be—and his father is from Busan.  Michael grew up in the United States and is fluent in both Korean and English.  Sang Woo is intrigued by the challenge that Michael poses.  He speaks in and thinks in Korean most of the time now that he lives in Seoul, but his innermost, emotional thoughts are in English. 

Sang Woo’s English is impeccable; his first charge was really fucking boring, very easy to manipulate.  His adversary angel with that one was pretty shitty at his job, meaning that he had to work longer and harder to counteract Sang Woo’s influence.  So, Sang Woo had a lot of down time to study English. 

And, for better or worse (and Sang Woo likes the worse), Michael’s childhood was spent in a wealthy town full of millionaires in one of the greediest countries in the world.  The kid is hungry for money.  He’s also resentful of his mixed heritage.  There is a rage inside of him from all the microaggressions he receives both in the US and in Korea because of it. 

Sang Woo can exploit that greed and anger.  He hopes that Michael turns out to be like several of Earth's current billionaires: greedy and obsessed with racial issues.  

Sang Woo knows that this will be an easy win for Hell, and not just because of his charge’s proclivities.  His new adversary, an angel named Min Joon, is rather dim-witted.  Michael is his first human, and Min Joon is out of his depth.  Heaven made a mistake by assigning a stupid angel with poor English to this guy.

Sang Woo’s not sorry about this being an uneven match.  He has a reputation and record to uphold. 

Min Joon will be much easier to deal with than Jae Young. 

Jae Young.

No.  Sang Woo has to push his thoughts of Jae Young out of his mind.  Subconsciously, he touches his shoulder, feeling the starburst-shaped scar that Jae Young’s tears left behind.  He needs to leave Jae Young behind, too. 

It’s 3:47 AM.  Michael is asleep.  Min Joon is reading comics.  Sang Woo decides to go through Michael’s file again.

How was it that Jin’s score for Hell was even with Min Joon’s score for heaven?  She started having feelings for Michael, sure, but that should have meant that she worked even harder to bring him over to the dark side.

Min Joon’s high-pitched giggling—a rather annoying sound to Sang Woo’s ears—pulls him from his thoughts for a moment. It is grating and nothing at all like Jae Young’s throaty laughter. 

No.  Jae Young isn’t in your life anymore.  Stop thinking about him.

He gets back to reviewing Michael’s file, but something is niggling at Sang Woo’s mind.  He had heard through the grapevine that Jin had been transferred from several of her charges before, for having “feelings for her human.”

 Oh fuck.

The realization hit him in a wave of nausea. She had been distracted from her real job. Jin didn’t actually have feelings for Michael.  Jin had been trying to seduce Min Joon. And she was probably caught by an angel in passing.

She’s a sunshine chaser. 

Jae Young was now working with an angel fetishist.  She doesn’t care about winning souls for Hell.  No, she takes pleasure in manipulating angels into danger. If she can force an angel to fall, then the human soul is forfeit to Hell.  She likes the challenge.

How many angels have died because of her? Sang Woo worries his bottom lip between his teeth. 

He’ll be all right.  He’ll see through her.  I know Jae Young, and he will resist her temptations. He’ll be OK.

Please let him be OK. 

 *****

“Jaeeee Young,” Jin singsongs while hooking her foot behind Jae Young’s calf under the kitchen table.  “Play with me, handsome.”

Playing with Jin is the absolute last thing Jae Young wants to do. He finds her abhorrent; she’s a fetishist.    

I can’t believe I have to spend years with this harpy. Damn it, Sang Woo.  Why did you have to kiss me back?

No, that's not fair.

Jae Young has taken to reading the rule book, not because he needs to know the rules—no, he absolutely knows them, that’s how he was able to bend them so successfully—but because he feels Sang Woo’s presence in his heart when he does. 

I miss him.  I miss his grumpy huffs.  I miss his hidden smiles.  I miss his beautiful face. I miss when he is wrapped up in his shadows and smoke when he’s fully relaxed.  I miss irritating him.  

“Oh, come on now, angel baby.” Jin plucks the rule book from Jae Young’s hands.  “I’m so much more interesting than the law.”  She narrows her eyes in what she believes is a sexy smolder, red fingernails tapping against the book's cover.  

It makes Jae Young want to vomit.

Jae Young roughly grabs the manual back from her.  “I’m strategizing, Jin.  I’d suggest you do the same.”  He keeps his voice flat, his face impassive.  He knows it makes her insanely angry.  He doesn’t care.  The angrier she is at him, the more likely he is to win Tae Ri’s soul for Heaven.

He’s up by a mind-boggling number of points in just a week.  He’s confident he will succeed, since Jin clearly thinks she can slack by tempting Jae Young.

He knows he should be careful around her.  He can’t pull any of his pranks or leave any feathers about.  She’ll take it all as an invitation, a weakening. 

Honestly, he doesn’t want to be mischievous.  He doesn’t want to play jokes, make silly bets, get into good trouble.  His heart is in too much agony.  He doesn’t want to forget Sang Woo.

He needs to forget Sang Woo.   

*****

It’s 3:47 AM in Seoul, and Jae Young is still focused on the rule book.  His mind drifts as he turns the pages.  He successfully ignored Jin until she fell asleep, but not before he had to endure her reading erotic literature out loud to him.  He tuned her out well enough, but the current quiet is a relief.

“Angel Jae Young.  You have been summoned.”

Jae Young immediately stands.  “Hello, Dominion Ephraim.”  Jae Young tries to wipe the confusion from his face.  He hasn’t done anything wrong since he kissed Sang Woo.

He still feels Sang Woo’s lips on his, their softness, the weight of Sang Woo’s tongue in his mouth, Sang Woo’s smoke cradling them. 

“Where is your adversary?”

“She is asleep next to our human on the bed.  She’s trying to influence Tae Ri in her dreams, but I’m pretty sure she’s failing.”

A small triumphant smirk crosses Ephraim’s face.  “We know.  Just this once, we’ll let her try to influence while we’re gone.  We’re not worried, since you are so far ahead in your influencing.  Even if she did break into your human’s dreams, she still would not be able to touch your influence.”

In the blink of an eye, Jae Young and Ephraim land in the hallway to Throne Bakari’s office.  It is taking all of Jae Young’s mental energy to stand up straight and hold his wings tight as they walk.

Upon reaching the oaken door, Ephraim raps three times quickly. 

“Enter!”

Bakari’s voice soothes Jae Young for some reason.  It never has before.  Jae Young’s blood pumps faster through his veins.  He knows something is wrong with me.

Ephraim opens the door for Jae Young and ushers him inside.  He takes three steps into the room before Bakari dismisses him. “Ephraim, please leave Angel Jae Young and wait in the hallway.”

Jae Young thinks that he sees disappointment flash in Ephraim’s eyes.  He figured out long ago that Ephraim severely dislikes him, and that he relishes hearing about judgment passed down on Jae Young. 

Jae Young once again can’t look at Bakari’s beautiful face.  He can’t risk Bakari’s knowing gaze into his soul.  He places his right hand over his heart and bows.  “Greetings, Throne Bakari.”

Despite not looking at Bakari, he senses the Throne’s appraising eyes.  He watches Bakari’s shoes as the Throne turns about and walks back behind his desk.  “Angel Jae Young.  Please sit.”

Jae Young takes a seat in front of Bakari’s desk, still keeping his gaze averted.  His wings feel so, so heavy.  So incredibly heavy.

“Would you like some tea?”  Bakari’s voice takes on an almost paternal quality as he pours a cup for Jae Young.  “Something seems to be bothering you.”

Jae Young finally looks at the Throne’s face.  “I’m not sure what you mean by that, sir.”

“I mean that you have not been your normal self, Jae Young.”

Jae Young remains quiet.  He can't talk about him.  He can't even think his name in Bakari’s presence.  It is dangerous. 

Bakari sighs deeply.  “You haven’t had any sort of incident where you’ve bent the rules lately.”

How is Jae Young going to explain this?  He can’t admit that he is bereft over Sang Woo’s transfer. He can, however, blame his behavior on Jin.  It wouldn't be a lie.  It just wouldn't be the entire truth. 

“I took our last conversation to heart, sir.  I have been playing by the rules.  I’ve been reading the rule book again.  Plus, I’ve needed to stay on my toes because of the new demon assigned to my current charge.”

“Ah, yes. The demon Jin.”  Jae Young watches Bakari’s jaw tighten.  “You must be careful around her.”

“I have been, sir.  And I can see right through her.”

“Many an angel has said that about the demon Jin, Jae Young.  Many an angel more experienced than you could see what she is, but they still ended up dead.  She’s that persuasive.”

If he only knew that the reason I won’t fall for Jin’s trickery is that I am already in love. 

“I will keep that in mind, sir.  That is why I have started taking the rules more seriously.  She disgusts me, but I am still being extremely cautious.”

“Good,” Bakari pauses for a long moment.  “I was afraid that perhaps you were depressed about the switch.  Demon Sang Woo was the first challenge you had had in a very long time, and it was good to see you enjoying it, even if you created headaches and cross-realm diplomatic issues.”  A smirk spreads across the Throne’s face, making him even more stunning and difficult to look at. 

“I am a bit low about the switch, sir,” Jae Young admits.  “I miss the old challenge.”

I miss my old counterpart.

“I miss being able to rely on the fact that the demon across from me was focused on his job and not on destroying me.”

I miss my sweet demon.

“And, admittedly, I miss being able to be silly.  I know you don’t like to hear that, but it gave me a lightness of being that I don’t have now.”

God forgive me, I miss Sang Woo.

 “I’m very sorry that you have to deal with this.  Normally, I wouldn’t offer my involvement, but I see a clear and present danger to one of my angels.”

“Sir, please don’t worry about me.”

“No, Jae Young.  I must worry about you.   You are, frankly, on a fast track.  We can’t afford to lose you.  No matter how much I trust you, I must intervene if I think things are going south for you.”  Bakari pours himself some more tea.  Jae Young should be grateful that such a high-ranking being has gifted him a cup, but he can't bring himself to drink it.

“I have decided that we need to have a monthly check-in.   I want to monitor you.”

Jae Young’s face crumples.  “You think I need supervision?”

“No, no!  This isn’t about your performance.  This is to make sure that you have all the resources you need, and to let me know directly if you fear you are in trouble.  I want you to be able to tell me if you need help so that I can transfer you before it goes too far.”

I am in no danger from Jin, Bakari.  I will never be in danger from a demon again.  I will never love another being again, and I don’t want to.

 “I understand.” Jae Young forces himself to smile.  “I am grateful for and honored by your care.”

“You are most welcome, Jae Young.  I see a lot of myself in you, and I do not want to lose one of our brightest stars.” 

“Thank you, sir.”

“EPHRAIM,” Bakari calls.  The oaken door opens.  “Please take Angel Jae Young back to Earth.”

Chapter Text

“Sexy, are you ready?” 

Jin wraps her arms around Jae Young’s waist from behind.  “It’s Tae Ri’s big blind date.” 

Peeling her arms away, Jae Young chokes back the noise of disdain that threatens to come from his throat.  He’s learned that his expressions of disgust only seem to spur Jin’s attempts at seduction. 

“Tae Ri’s ready, which means that I am, too.”  He observes the nervous set to Tae Ri’s shoulders as she takes one last look at herself in the entryway mirror.  She smooths her dress while giving herself a pep talk. “You are a snack, Tae Ri,” she encourages.  The self-empowerment book she’s reading has done wonders for her mindset, and she’s becoming kinder to not only herself but to others because of it.  Jae Young feels smug that he got her to buy that book instead of the Kama Sutra that Jin tried to get her to buy. 

Jin chatters at him the entire way to the restaurant, trying—and failing—to make him jealous by her constant appraisal of the men that she sees on the street. Her commentary becomes increasingly more explicit as she attempts to distract Jae Young from influencing Tae Ri.  He ignores her, almost feeling sorry for her with how badly she’s embarrassing herself.  He continues to repeat the mantra Tae Ri has developed for herself by whispering it in her ear. “You’re smart!  You’re strong!  You’re fun!  You’re beautiful!  You’re interesting!  You conquer the day!”

Jin tsks.  “This girl is so fucking basic.  She’s so boring that Hell probably doesn’t even want her.”

Jae Young doesn’t fight back, even though he’d like to tear into the demon. 

They finally arrive at the café where the date is taking place.  “He’s going to love you, Tae Ri.  Remember that you’re not there to impress him.  He needs to impress you.”  Tae Ri mumbles to herself before opening the door. 

A nervous looking man sits on a couch in front of a low table, his angel sitting to his right speaking mantras similar to Tae Ri’s in his ear.  Jae Young doesn’t see the man’s demon, but he or she must be here.

The man waves at Tae Ri.  She takes a deep breath and confidently strides over to him.  “Are you Lee Michael?”

“Ne,” the man replies.  He’s handsome... and rich-looking.  Tae Ri tries not to look too excited.  She smiles and sits on the sofa across from him at the table. 

“Well, well, well.  If it isn’t Min Joon,” Jin purrs, blowing a kiss to Michael’s angel.  Jae Young doesn’t recognize him.  He must be new.  And, surprisingly, he’s white, with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue-eyes.  He’s not Korean appearing.  Jae Young wonders if Michael isn’t from Korea originally.  The name he goes by is western.

Min Joon preens.  “Hi Jin.” He stares at her with shining eyes as she sits down next to him, his light flaring a bit. Jin leaves Jae Young sitting alone next to Tae Ri, and places a hand on Min Joon’s thigh.  “How have you been?”  

Jae Young quickly extends his hand to his fellow angel.  “I’m Jae Young.” Min Joon doesn’t stop looking at Jin while replying, “pleased to meet you.” 

Fuck, that one’s in trouble.  He knows her.  I should try to contact Ephraim or Bakari.

 “I didn’t think I’d be seeing you again so soon, Min Joon.”  Jin tucks a piece of stray hair behind the angel’s ear. She turns to Jae Young, a triumphant smile on her red-lipsticked lips. “You see, Jae Young, Min Joon and I worked together before I was transferred to you.”

“You were recent counterparts?” Jae Young questions. 

“We were.  Poor Jin here told me that she had feelings for Michael, which meant she had to transfer. I miss you, you pretty thing.” Min Joon giggles, a grating sound even to Jae Young’s ears—usually angels liked the sound of other angels’ laughter.  Perhaps it is Jin’s influence. 

As Jae Young is about to admonish Jin for fucking with the other angel, he hears familiar footsteps. 

His eyes go wide.  It can’t be. 

 He slowly looks over his shoulder, and his mouth drops open. 

The demon stops dead in his tracks and goes preternaturally still.  Sang Woo.

Jae Young attempts to still his heartbeat and school his features into impassivity.  Sang Woo walks around the couch Jae Young is sitting on and folds himself into the seat on the other side of Michael.  “Hello, Jin,” he deadpans. 

Jin rolls her eyes.  “Well, if it isn’t the demon voted most boring for 300 years running, Hell's own Sang Woo." She sighs.  "Fancy meeting you here.  I suppose you already know Jae Young, if Michael is your new charge.”  She crosses her arms and pouts at Min Joon.  “I can’t believe you have to work with him.  You probably miss me, don’t you, blondie.”

Sang Woo cuts off Min Joon’s response and shares a quick look with Jae Young.  “Hello, Jae Young.”  His voice remains flat. 

“Sang Woo,” Jae Young nods.  He realizes that the two of them need to keep up appearances.   He wants to send a beam of light across the table to Sang Woo, and he almost does.  However, it would be dangerous for him to show any affection for the demon in front of Min Joon and Jin.

He feels a flick, as quick as a kitten lick, on his ankle under the table.  He looks down just in time to see a shadow quickly retreat back into Sang Woo.  It was too fast and too surreptitious for Jin or Min Joon to have noticed. 

But Jae Young did.  He looks at Sang Woo.

His demon gives him a slight nod, imperceptible to anyone not paying very close attention.  Jae Young closes his eyes slowly as an acknowledgement. Why does this hurt so much?

As the date carries on, Jae Young feels Tae Ri’s lust spike.  He smothers it with chaste common-sense.  Sang Woo continues whispering in Michael’s ear.  He is having a difficult time tearing his eyes away from Jae Young. 

“Sizing up your former competition, eh Sang Woo?”  Jin drawls.  Her hand is now on Min Joon’s crotch. 

“Just keeping an eye out for you, Jin.  I know how powerful that one is.”  He tsks, looks away from Jae Young, and continues whispering in Michael’s ear. 

Jae Young looks at his hands.  Sang Woo didn’t insult him, thank God.  He’s keeping me safe, but he’s not stepping on my heart, either. 

“You’d do well to watch out for Sang Woo, too, Min Joon.  He gets results.” 

Min Joon turns his attention away from Jin for a moment, looking at Jae Young.  “I’ve got it under control.  Don’t worry.  He’s easy.”

This fool has nothing on my Sang Woo.

Is he rooting for the demon across from him?

Heaven forgive me for hoping a soul is damned to Hell.

An hour later, Sang Woo clears his throat.  He leans around Michael and fixes his gaze on Jin.  “I assume you have Min Joon under control for now.”

“You can thank me for the favor later, Sang Woo.”  Her grin is wicked. 

“Since I don’t have anything to worry about, I’m going to go outside for some air.”  Sang Woo’s eyes flick to Jae Young.  Follow me.

Jae Young continues influencing Tae Ri as he waits a few minutes before saying, “I suppose you two are too busy with each other.  I’m going to get some air, too.  It’s not as if you’ll try to work on Tae Ri, Jin.”

Jin just waves Jae Young away.  “Go ahead, sexy.  You deserve a break.”

Min Joon pouts.  “I thought I was sexy.”

“You are, angel baby.”  Jin leans down to nibble on Min Joon’s earlobe. Jae Young’s definitely going to have to alert Bakari about this. 

It takes everything Jae Young has to keep his steps measured and even instead of sprinting outside to see Sang Woo.  He decides at that point to release his wings, but he glamours them so not even another angel could detect them.

I have to touch him.  I can’t do it with my hands, but maybe I can brush my wing up against him.

 Jae Young frees his wings and holds them stiff behind him.  He will wait to open them when he is within reach of Sang Woo’s shoulders.  All he needs is a few feet between them.  Just a slight brush.  That’s all he needs.  He needs to show his sweet demon that he misses him. 

He silently pushes through the door.  Sang Woo turns to look at him.  The demon loosens a ragged breath.  “Satan forgive me, but I’ve missed you so much, Jae Young,” he whispers. 

Jae Young unfurls his wings.  He moves closer to Sang Woo.  Just a slight brush on the shoulder. 

His wings aren't yet open fully when he feels it.   Leather.  

Sang Woo’s eyes widen. 

Both of them have glamoured their wings.  Both of them have unfurled them. 

Both of them wanted to touch, if only for a moment. 

“Your wings,” Jae Young whispers. 

Sang Woo nods.  Jae Young slides his feathers along the leathery skin.  Sang Woo shivers.  Jae Young pulls his wing back. 

“Did I hurt you?” 

“No.”  Sang Woo shakes his head and stretches his glamoured wing back out, searching  and reaching for Jae Young’s.  It connects, gently brushing Jae Young’s feathers.    

They stand there for a moment, wings sliding over wings.  It’s intimate, and Jae Young needs to turn his head in the other direction.  Sang Woo doesn’t need to see his tears.  “I never thought I’d see you again,” he chokes out in a voice thick with emotion. 

“I’m sorry I acted coldly toward you in there, but Jin can’t know what’s going on.  She’ll report it to our side immediately.  She’s a fucking hypocrite.  She’ll tell on others for the same sins that she engages in.”

“What you’re doing is nothing like what Jin’s doing, Sang Woo.  Do not compare this to the ugliness that Jin projects. She doesn’t love Min Joon.”

The implication is clear.   I know you love me.  And I love you.

Sang Woo looks away and nods, his wing still sliding over Jae Young’s. 

“She’s dangerous,” he warns gently.

“She won’t sway me.  She can’t.”  Jae Young’s voice is firm.

“But…”

“She can’t sway me, Sang Woo.  She can’t, because I have nothing left for her to sway.”

Sang Woo’s wing stops moving.  “One of us needs to go back in.”  He softly ruffles Jae Young’s feathers with his wing one last time before withdrawing them back into himself. 

“It should be me. Our girl’s alone in there.”  Jae Young closes his wings and straightens up. 

“Did you ever think a demon would hope for an angel to win a soul?”  Sang Woo lets out a chuckle and shakes his head.  “Take care of our girl, Jae Young.”

“I will.”  Jae Young turns away to go back into the café.  With his hand on the door handle, he pauses. “I’m stunned that I was able to see you again.”

He can't say he's glad, but I know he is. “Me too,” Sang Woo whispers.  “It’s unlikely we’ll have another chance.  You know how blind dates go.”

“I do.  So, I just want to say it once.  I lo—”

“Don’t say it, Jae Young.  I won’t let you take that risk.  But I know.  And I feel the same way.” 

“Goodbye, Smokey.”  Jae Young pulls the door open and goes back into the café. 

*****

“Well, that was successful, don’t you think?”  Jin flops down on Tae Ri’s couch, kicking off her stilettos. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.  I won a ton of points for Tae Ri’s soul tonight.”  Jae Young clenches his jaw. 

“That’s not what I mean, handsome.  I mean that I teased your brethren enough that his light flickered out a bit.  I may not have gotten any points for Hell, but I led an angel into temptation and got one step closer for Michael's soul to fall to Hell in forfeit.  Feels good to know I’ve still got it.”

“You’re sick, Jin.”

“No, I just like a challenge, Sunshine.”

Jae Young’s stomach lurches at that word on her lips.  Only Sang Woo can call me that.

Jin sighs.  “I need to tempt some angel, since you’re no fun.  But I promise you, Jae Young.  Your light will dim.  You won’t be able to resist me for long.  I’m too pretty.” She chuckles.

Jae Young ignores her comment and walks toward Tae Ri’s bedroom.  Before he can enter, he hears her squeal.

As he walks in, he sees Tae Ri spinning in a circle, skirt flaring out, and laughing.  She has her phone clutched to her chest.  “How long should I wait to write back?  I can’t believe he texted me already!” She beams.  Jae Young feels the hope in her heart.

She places her phone gently on the nightstand and starts changing into her pajamas.  Jae Young pads over to the nightstand to take a peek.

I had a great time this evening.  You’re wonderful, and I’d like to take you to dinner.  Are you free Saturday?  7 PM?  I know a great Italian restaurant in Gangnam. ;)

Jae Young’s heart leaps in his chest.  He glows like soft candle light.  

Chapter Text

Jae Young tries not to bounce on the balls of his feet while waiting for Tae Ri to get ready on Saturday evening.  He can’t let his impatience show.  It probably doesn’t matter anyway, since Jin is pawing through Tae Ri’s lingerie, trying to find the skimpiest set of bra and panties she can find to tempt Tae Ri into thinking about having sex with Michael on their second date. 

Jae Young doesn’t care.  He figures Tae Ri will follow her self-imposed rule of no sex until the third date.  No matter how much Sang Woo tried tempting her on dates before, she always held firm. 

Jin wouldn’t know about Tae Ri’s rule, though.  She hasn’t paid attention to Tae Ri since the last date.  She has, however, tried to get answers out of Jae Young about angels and their true natures.  She won't get any clues from Jae Young.

Her plan for tonight is to give all her attention to Min Joon.  If she can’t catch up with Jae Young’s influence on Tae Ri, she explained, she’ll just have to try to get Min Joon to forfeit.  “I guess I do still care about what happens to that American.  I still want him as ours, but I want to be the one who does it.  Sang Woo’s record will be tarnished, and I’ll have the badge of honor as the one to have postponed his climb up the ladder for at least 100 years.”

“Why do you hate him so much?”  Jae Young can’t stop the question from falling from his lips. 

Jin turns to him, lifting one eyebrow in question.  “Why do you care?”

“I am just curious.  It seems like a rivalry.”

“I just don’t like how he sticks so damned fast to the rules.  He’s set an example that none of us can follow.  He’s held up as the golden boy downstairs.  It will feel good to knock him down a few pegs.  He’s supremely arrogant, even for one of us,” she spits with vitriol.

“I must admit that he was better at his job than my adversary before him,” Jae Young assents.  He tries to infuse some reluctance into his voice so it doesn’t sound like he’s defending Sang Woo.  So his love doesn’t show.

“Ugh! Hush, angel.  I can’t stand hearing it from your side, too.”  Jin roughly tosses all of Tae Ri’s bras and panties back into their drawer and slams it shut.  “I’m going to go touch up my makeup in the bathroom, maybe adjust my stockings, too.”  She pauses in the bedroom doorway and attempts a smolder in Jae Young’s direction.  “You can follow me if you want to, handsome.”  She chuckles, winks at him, and saunters off. 

Jae Young takes in a deep breath.  He doesn’t think she suspects anything about his feelings. He needs to keep it that way.  If Jin finds out, she won’t just set out to destroy Min Joon.  She’ll try to destroy Sang Woo, too.

*****

Tae Ri’s laugh sparkles as she corrects Michael’s Korean gently.  “You cutie!  You just told me that the dandruff is pretty in the autumn!”

Michael reddens.  He doesn’t think that Tae Ri is laughing at him, but Sang Woo sensed his resentment flaring and is working on stoking it.  He picked up on a thought that ran through Michael’s mind, quick as lightning: She probably thinks I’m a stupid halfie. Probably too white to take home to her eomma and appa. Sang Woo capitalizes on that. 

Tae Ri picks up on Michael's insecurity.  “My dad makes similar mistakes in Korean, too, Michael.  He grew up in London,” she reassures him.  “My paternal grandparents are Korean but were professors at The London School of Economics.  They came back here when he was 16.  My dad’s Korean is better now that he’s been here for 34 years, but sometimes he still gets words mixed up. I think he still often thinks in English. Your mistake was endearing.  It reminded me of my dad, and I adore my dad.”

Michael’s rage quieted.  If she thinks I’m like her dad, that’s a good thing.

Sang Woo can't bring himself to be mad that his needling didn't work for long. 

“I really like you, Michael.  So much so that I’ve been asking my dad to help me brush up my English so that I can speak to you in the language of your mother.”

Jae Young, sitting slighly slouched in his chair, stares at Sang Woo across the table.  “Do you know where our counterparts went?”

“No, but we still have to be careful.” Sang Woo, whose posture is a little more slumped than usual, squeezes his eyes shut and pinches the bridge of his nose.  “I don’t know how you’re supposed to get over me when I keep seeing you like this.”

“You want me to get over you?”  Jae Young’s voice is laced with hurt.

“You have to get over me, angel,” Sang Woo grit his teeth.  “You’ll die if you don’t.”

Jae Young opens his mouth to respond, but he knows Sang Woo is right.  He thinks before he says anything, and simply settles on, “well, I don’t want to.”  He playfully sticks out his tongue at Sang Woo.

Aaaah.  There’s that smirk he tries to hide.

“Stop making me miss you, Solar Flare.”  Sang Woo rolls his eyes, crosses his arms across his chest, and huffs out an annoyed breath that Jae Young knows is feigned. 

“Not a chance, Smokey.”  Jae Young grins back playfully.  God, he’s missed this. 

As the waiter is clearing Tae Ri and Michael’s plates, he asks “would the two of you like dessert?” 

Michael answers before Tae Ri can get a word in.  “May we see the dessert menu?”

“She was going to answer ‘no,’ wasn’t she?”  Sang Woo asks Jae Young.

“She’s still on that crazy diet you talked her into, but she’s getting better with body acceptance.  But I think you’re right.  I think she’s worried about eating in front of him.”

“I can tell you this right now, he wants to see her eat and to see her not eat in equal measures.  He likes her and doesn’t want to take away her pleasure, but he also wants her to stay slim.  He already thinks of her as a trophy.”  Sang Woo shakes his head.  “My side really did a number on humanity with creating patriarchal systems.  I hate to say it, but I feel bad for our girl. She can’t win simply for being a woman.”

“But you were the one to encourage her to lose weight all those times.” Jae Young throws his hands in the air.  “You didn’t feel badly about that!”

“I had a job to do. I had to exploit her insecurities.  I couldn’t just hand her over to you on a silver platter!”

“I know,” Jae Young states in resignation.  “And I know that if you were still working on her, you’d have to continue telling her that she should feel worthless if she isn’t as thin as possible.” 

Sang Woo’s face burns in embarrassment.  He’s never felt shame for being a demon before. He wishes he had a kinder nature. He wants to be a better being for this angel he adores.

But if he hadn’t been the way he is, he would have never met Jae Young in the first place.

Tae Ri and Michael decide to split an order of tiramisu.  Jae Young whispers in her ear that it is all right to enjoy the dessert.  Sang Woo says nothing to Michael. 

Sang Woo is silent for the pair’s first few bites.  He watches them as they navigate where they place their forks, trying to gauge how much they both should eat in front of the other. 

“Do you think this,” Sang Woo waves his hand between Tae Ri and Michael, “is going somewhere?”  His tone is light, but Jae Young knows Sang Woo.  The demon is worried.

Sang Woo’s worried, but Jae Young doesn’t know why. Jae Young’s brow furrows in confusion.    

“Are you confused, Sunbeam?”

“Yeah, I am.  I’m not sure why you’re concerned about our charges carrying on together.”

Sang Woo sighs, “because I’m selfishly worried that I won’t be able to stand not seeing you again. At the same time, I’m worried for you, that being around me will lead to nothing but a terrible ending for you.” 

Jae Young’s face relaxes.  “Don’t worry about me, Smokey.  At least not about this.  I trust you won’t put me in danger.  Now you need to trust me that I won’t do anything to put myself in danger.”

Sang Woo shakes his head at Jae Young’s words.  He laughs a bit, a small smile on his lips.  “How can I trust you to not put yourself in danger?  If you remember correctly, I was always the one keeping you out of trouble.  I can’t count how many times I’ve had to save you from yourself.” 

Jae Young grins in knowing amusement.  “You’re not wrong about that." He pauses.  "Wanna play a game while our counterparts are doing who-knows-what?”

“How are you going to keep me honest in Truth or Dare?  Wearing your halo for Halloween is no longer an option.” 

Jae Young chuckles.  “I guess I’ll just have to trust you to be honest with me.”

Sang Woo smirks.  “Your trust is severely misplaced, Daylight.”

“Eh, let’s go with it.  Truth or dare, demon?”

“I’m afraid of what you’ll dare me to do in a restaurant, so I’ll go with truth.”

Do I risk Jin hearing an answer to my question?  Sang Woo is in just as much danger as I am. 

Jae Young throws caution to the wind.  He's too curious about the innermost thoughts of his sweet demon.  If this doesn't go anywhere, he wants something, anything, to hold onto.  “Besides the obvious...thing...that led you to transfer, what is your favorite moment of our time together?”

Sang Woo closes his eyes.  Jae Young sees torment writ plain across his face. 

“It is both my happiest and most frightening moment.”

“Was it when I was drunk on ambrosia and doing unsanctioned healings and you had to wrestle me to the ground to get me to stop?”  Jae Young wiggles his eyebrows at the demon he loves.

“No,” Sang Woo chuckles.  “But that was rather funny in hindsight.”  His tone turns serious.  “My favorite moment with you is one that you weren’t aware of.”

Jae Young looks at Sang Woo in surprise.  “Care to expand?”

“You were on Tae Ri’s couch napping while our girl was helping her grandmother set up some chemotherapy appointments over the phone.  Her attention was singularly focused, so neither of us saw a point in trying to influence her.”

“So, your favorite moment was when I was quiet, eh?”  Jae Young lifts his right eyebrow.  Sang Woo insides go squidgy at how hot that eyebrow raise is.

Satan forgive me, but I want him so bad.

“Maybe a bit,” Sang Woo holds his hand up in front of his face, finger and thumb about an inch apart.  “Anyway, I looked over at you, and you were glowing softly.  You were obviously dreaming a bit, because you were mumbling in your sleep.  You were so beautiful.  I realized at that moment that I was glad you were my adversary. It shocked me to feel that way. I think that was the moment I started falling for you.”

Jae Young’s heart swells.  “We must have felt this way for a long time before admitting it to ourselves and each other.” 

“All right, your turn, angel.” 

“Truth.”

“When did you reali—” Sang woo stopped his question abruptly, pressing his lips together and giving a slight shake of his head to Jae Young.

“What are you boys up to?” Jin purrs as she drifts up behind Jae Young. She places her hand on Jae Young’s shoulder and squeezes.  “Sniping at each other, no doubt.”  She leans down and stage whispers in Jae Young’s ear, “He’s so much less interesting than I am.”

Sang Woo’s jaw tightens.  “I was taunting him about how you and I will destroy two beings.”

Jae Young catches Sang Woo’s implication, even though Jin doesn’t.  He’s talking about Min Joon and Michael, not Michael and Tae Ri. 

As the waiter clears the tiramisu plate from the table, Michael asks, “can I see you again, Tae Ri?”

“I’d really like that.”

“How about this Friday?  I have an invitation for a gallery opening.  My friend’s work will be on display, and he said that I am welcome to bring a plus one.”

Tae Ri swoons so hard internally that all four supernatural beings hear her and stare slackjawed.  “I really enjoy art, and I’m always interested in learning about new artists.  That sounds like fun.”

“Great!  I’ll text you the details when I get home this evening.  Unless you’d like to join me for a nightcap,” Michael’s playful voice trails off. 

“Good boy, Michael.”  Jin whistles low.  “He is obviously still influenced by the constant lust I teased out of him during puberty.  I can tell just by looking at him that he wants her, and I know that’s not Sang Woo’s doing.” 

Tae Ri gives Michael a regretful look.  “I would, but I need to be on a train to the countryside to visit my grandfather at 7:00 AM.  I should get home.”

“Atta girl, Tae Ri.”  Jae Young smirks.  “Keeping it in your pants until at least the third date.”

Jin scoffs.  “Like I said before, Jae Young.  This girl is a basic boring bitch.”

It surprises Sang Woo that he feels a little offended on Tae Ri's behalf.  

Min Joon giggles.  Jin boops him on the nose.  “You should feel sorry for me, Min Joonie.  I’m so bored all the time.”

“Better to be bored and win than be entertained and losing a soul to Heaven, though, isn’t it?”  Sang Woo stares hard at Jin. 

Jin sucks a breath in through her teeth.  “How ever did you put up with this stickler for 24 years, Jae Young?  Oh, wait.  You’re a stickler, too.  It must have been a constant party.”

She has no fucking clue about Jae Young.  He must really be steeling himself against her. 

The two humans rise from their table after Michael pays the bill.  “Let me get a taxi for you.  Will you text me when you get home? I want to make sure you’re safe and sound.”

Tae Ri grins.  “Will do.”

Michael places his hand on the small of Tae Ri’s back, just enough above the swell of her ass to get away with it, as they walk out of the restaurant.  

"It will be a pleasure to see you again soon, Min Joon-ah," Jin leans into the blonde angel, ensuring that her breasts brush against his chest.  She looks over at Sang Woo.  "But you?  Not so much."

Chapter Text

“Well, she’s definitely planning on sex tonight.  It’s the third date.”  Jae Young and Sang Woo stand shoulder-to-shoulder, arms crossed in front of their chests, behind Tae Ri and Michael as they gaze at a rather large piece of art in the starkly lit gallery. “She wore ‘the lingerie.’”

Sang Woo tuts.  “Shit.  The baby blue lace set?”

“Garter belt, stockings, and all.” Jae Young sighs.  “She’s going to get her heart broken, isn’t she?”

Sang Woo scrunches his face up as he considers the situation.  “Not necessarily.  Not yet, anyway. Playboy here actually likes her.  Plus, his mom is dropping hints that she wants grandchildren.”

“Huh.  They haven’t discussed kids yet, have they?”  Jae Young’s head lolls to the side, his knowing gaze landing on Sang Woo’s cheek.

“Nope.  Think she’ll relent on her whole ‘not having kids before I’m 40’ thing?”

“Well, if the underwear is any indication of how much she’s weak in the knees for this one, and he figures out how to exploit that,” Jae Young pauses, giving Sang Woo the I-can’t-believe-I’m-giving-you-that-hint look, “she’ll have at least two by the time she’s 30.”

Sang Woo continues staring straight ahead and tries not to tuck that little piece of information away.  He is so, so compromised. He changes the topic.  “You’re an art lover.  What do you think of the show? Give it to me straight, Radiant Beauty.”

Jae Young can’t help but shiver at Sang Woo’s new nickname for him.  He even said it in a soft way, without the bite he used to use when they were adversaries who weren’t in love.

Jae Young turns his head toward the painting again.  He cocks his head to the left a bit, considering.  “It’s not to my taste, but I think it is partly the gallery and gallerist.  The lighting isn’t good, and the paintings were obviously not hung in any particular order.”

“I suppose even the best content won’t be effective if the presentation is off.” Sang Woo huffs out a sigh.

“Wow!  You actually listened to me while we were together!”

Jae Young sees the demon flush. 

“Are you being shy, Smokey?  Now?”  Jae Young laughs, and it breaks Sang Woo’s heart.  He loves that laugh, and he curses himself every day for ruining his life with Jae Young.  If only he had avoided that game of Truth or Dare.

Sang Woo clears his throat and once again changes the topic, still looking straight ahead. “Where are Jin and Min Joon?”

“Not sure.  We lost them somewhere in the first room.  Jin was fascinated by the sculpture of Zeus and Leta.  I believe her words were, ‘humans can’t resist supernatural charms.’” Jae Young mimes making himself vomit by sticking his finger in his mouth while making a retching sound.  “She’s absolutely repulsive.”

“You’re not alone in that feeling.  Some other demons and I were chatting while Michael and his colleagues were in a team meeting.  Her name came up, and NO, it wasn’t me…I know what you’re thinking, Morning Light.  You know I’m not a gossip.  Anyway, her name came up, and none of my brethren had anything positive to say.  One of them actually called her ‘pitch,’ as in pitch black.”

“Not sure what that means in demon parlance, but I take it that it’s not exactly positive.”

“It’s the worst thing a demon can say about another demon.  It means that her soul is so dark that she should be encased in ice in the 9^th circle of Hell.  It’s like what the humans call an irredeemable psychopath or sociopath.  The demon equivalent of a human serial killer.”

“Holy shit, that bad?”

“None of us know why she hasn’t been pulled out of her position yet.  Either she’s collecting so many souls for Hell that they’re loathe to get rid of her—leave it to the superiors’ Machiavellian beliefs—or nobody has snitched on her yet.”

“Well, Sang Woo, snitches do get stitches.”  Jae Young smirks.  “At least that’s what I’ve heard.”  He goes quiet.

Jae Young flexes his fingers.  He’s not sure he wants to do this, but he decides to do it anyway.  He takes a deep breath.  “Sang Woo?”

The demon hears trepidation in the angel’s voice. 

“Wanna play truth or dare for a minute?”  There’s a flicker of hesitation in the angel’s words.  “You were going to ask me for truth when we were on Tae Ri’s last date.  Do you remember what you were going to ask?”

“I do.” Sang Woo’s response is cautious.

“Will you ask me again?”  Jae Young’s voice is small.

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea to get into it.  If anyone from your side overhears…” Sang Woo still hasn’t looked at him. 

“Please, Sang Woo.  Truth.”

The demon hesitates.  But he doesn’t want to deny Jae Young this request.  “When did you realize…”

He shakes his head.  He can’t finish the question.  He can’t say it.  He doesn’t want the other side hearing.

“Almost immediately, Sang Woo.  During our first meeting, when we were negotiating our rules for Tae Ri.” 

The air is knocked from Sang Woo’s lungs as if he had been punched in the stomach.  “What?” His voice is breathless.  He finally turns his face toward Jae Young.    

Jae Young takes him by the shoulders and turns Sang Woo’s body toward his, so that they are standing face to face. Jae Young gently cradles Sang Woo’s face with his left hand and runs his thumb softly along Sang Woo’s cheekbone.  Sang Woo steps back, putting two feet of distance between them.

Jae Young drops his hand.  He knows he shouldn’t have done that out in the open, but he was compelled to touch his sweet demon. He takes a deep breath. 

“You had on your black ballcap, and all I could see was the curve of your cheek and the cut of your jaw. Then you looked up at me, and I didn’t see disgust like I had from my other adversaries.  I saw no-nonsense determination to get the job done, and something like respect for me.  Maybe you thought differently, but it was the first time a demon came into the game with a business-like seriousness.  You were gorgeous in your severity. And it just…” Jae Young puffs his cheeks and pushes out a breath of air, “you captivated me.”

Sang Woo stares at him, slack jawed.  Jae Young thinks he sees tears forming in the demon’s eyes.  Sang Woo blinks five or six times in rapid succession, and they’re gone.

“I wanted to tell you at least that much, since I shouldn’t say the words I really want to say to you.”  Jae Young gazes at Sang Woo, hoping that his love comes through.

The two of them stand there, face-to-face, immobile.  They don’t notice that Tae Ri and Michael have moved on to the next piece. 

“Now just why are you two squaring off? You never square off with me, Jae Young.  Do you hate Sang Woo that much?”

They turn to look at Jin.  She has her arm around Min Joon’s waist as he nuzzles her just below her ear. 

“Jin!”  Sang Woo snaps.  “Don’t make me report you.”

The tone of Sang Woo’s voice seems to wake Min Joon up.  He stops his nuzzling and moves away from Jin and toward Jae Young.  Jae Young steps between the other angel and Jin.

“You’re such a dick, Sang Woo.”  She tosses her sleek bob over her shoulder.  “I just want to let you know that our charges are getting ready to leave.” 

“We’re supposedly all headed to Tae Ri’s apartment,” Min Joon states with zero inflection.

Sang Woo gives Jae Young a look.  It’s happening.

They both harbor one single flame of hope in their hearts: that Tae Ri and Michael fall in love. Their thoughts echo each other. 

I can’t go on without him. Please let these two humans save us.

Chapter Text

“As much as I’d love to watch those two go at it,” Jin sighs, “Stick-up-his-ass over there,” she points at Jae Young, “and I agreed to stay out of the bedroom during sexy times unless it seems as if Tae Ri is in trouble.”

“You’re a pervert, even for a demon, Jin.”  Sang Woo shakes his head.

“And you’re a prick.  I’m going to get drunk in the kitchen.  Anyone,” she pointedly looks at Min Joon, “care to join me?”

“Nope.” Min Joon pages through a manhwa he found on Tae Ri’s bookshelf.  Jae Young is shocked by his answer.  Something changed when Sang Woo snapped at Jin in the gallery.

“Suit yourself.”  She turns into the kitchen.  “They’re all so boring,” she grumbles under her breath.  Sang Woo snorts haughtily upon hearing it.

“I’m going to go for a flight. Maybe to Namsan Tower.” Sang Woo doesn’t ask if anyone wants to join him, but Sang Woo gives Jae Young a look.

He steps out onto the balcony, reminding Jae Young of the time he broke his heart, and leaps into the sky. 

The angel has to hold back his tears.  He knows that Sang Woo isn’t abandoning him.  He didn’t ask for company, but that wasn’t a slight.  He told Jae Young where he was going. He looked at Jae Young. 

He wants me to go to Namsan Tower, right? 

He has to try. 

“I’m going for a walk.  You going to be OK, Min Joon?”

“Uh huh.  This manhwa is good.”

Jae Young looks at him sidelong.  “You suuuure?”

“What, Angel?  You think I’m going to try to seduce him?” Jin checks her manicure. 

“That’s exactly what I think.” 

Min Joon sits up, squares his shoulders, “You don’t trust that I can take care of myself?”

“I don’t trust her.”

Jin smirks.  “You’re right not to, angel.  But I won't lie to you tonight.  I’ll leave Min Joon alone.  I want to drink and listen to those two love birds moan and call out each other's names.  I’m trying to count their orgasms, figure out if I need to tell Tae Ri to fake it next time.  Stoke her resentment, make her angry that he's a selfish lover.” 

“You’re vile, Jin.  But at least you’ve told me your game.”  Jae Young sighs.  “Anyway, I’m going out.  I suggest you sleep, Min Joon.”

As he’s walking out the door, Jin snickers.  “You have no idea about my game yet, Jae Young.  No fucking idea.”

*****

Sang Woo hears him land before he sees him. 

“You came,” he states flatly.

“You told me to.”  Jae Young sees Sang Woo stand up from where he sits on the edge of the tower’s platform and turn to him. 

One slow stride.  Then another.  Then he quickens and takes three more steps toward Sang Woo. 

Sang Woo closes the distance in the blink of an eye.  He takes Jae Young’s face in his hands and kisses him desperately.  Jae Young kisses him back and begins to emit light bright enough to panic the people of Seoul.  Sang Woo wraps his shadows around them, blocking out their love from the world.   

“Thank you for inviting me,” Jae Young whispers.

“I’m glad that you figured it out, what with your radiation-induced dementia.”  Sang Woo smirks at him.  “Come on, let’s go sit on the ledge.  The view is incredible.”

As they sit side-by-side, Jae Young swings his legs back and forth.  He’s restless.  Sang Woo takes his hand.

“Are you all right?”  Sang Woo peers at Jae Young’s profile. 

“I’m anxious.  That’s all.”   

“We’re alone up here, Sunbeam.  Tell me what’s wrong.”  Sang Woo kisses Jae Young’s knuckles.

“Well, I just keep waiting for either Tae Ri or Michael to tire of the other.  I’m scared that I’ll lose you again.”

Sang Woo wraps his left arm around Jae Young, pulling him into his side.  “I’m anxious about that, too,” he says softly.

“Are you sure we’re alone up here, Sang Woo?” 

“Yes.  I made sure that everyone was gone.  And the security guards don’t come up to this level.”

Jae Young looks over his shoulders.  "I love you.  I love you so damned much, Sang Woo.”   Jae Young sniffles. 

“Hey, hey.” Sang Woo cradles Jae Young’s cheek and tenderly turns his face toward his own.  “Please don’t cry.  We have this time together. Here. Now.”

Jae Young nods.  “I’m just glad I got to tell you out loud.”

“Do you want to play Truth or Dare?” Sang Woo asks gently, trying to cheer the angel up. 

His effort is successful.  Jae Young perks right up.  “Why?  You want me to dare you to do something crazy?”

“Well, telling me to jump would be no good.  I’m a demon; I’ve already fallen from a higher place.”  Sang Woo's voice is even, but he can't help his smile.

“Ha. Haaa.  You demons and your dad jokes.”  Jae Young rolls his eyes.  “Truth or dare?”

“Even if I don’t pick dare, I know that you’ll come up with some crazy question.  So, truth.”

“Why did you shiver when my wings touched yours for the first time?  I was afraid I’d hurt you.”

“Ah…well…” Sang Woo hesitates.  He rubs his right hand along his jaw, hesitating.  His human skin flushes.  He can’t look at Jae Young.  

“Did you do the demon thing and lie to me?  Did it actually hurt you?”  

“No.  Not at all.  Nothing like that.”  Sang Woo still won’t look at Jae Young.

“Then what?!”  Jae Young asks sharply.  It doesn't have a bite, though. 

“It…it…”

“It what, Sang Woo?”

“IT GAVE ME AN ERECTION, OK?!”  Sang Woo’s face is redder than a beet.

Jae Young laughs so hard he falls off the ledge. He spreads his wings before he gets too low and swoops back up to the ledge. 

“And here I thought we were having a tender moment!”  Jae Young can’t stop chortling as he hovers before Sang Woo.

“I didn’t know that would happen!” Sang Woo sputters.  “Nobody had ever touched my wings before!”

Jae Young sits back down on the ledge.  “Ohhhh, so you continued sliding your wing over my feathers because you wanted to get off?  I see.  I’m only a sex object to you, eh demon?” 

“IT WAS A PHYSIOLOGICAL REACTION!”  Sang Woo throws his hands up and lets them flop to his sides.

Jae Young tickles under Sang Woo’s chin.  “So, did you come?”

Sang Woo pouts. It makes Jae Young coo with delight. "YOU DID, DIDN'T YOU?!"

Sang Woo looks away again. “I honest-to-Satan didn’t.”

“Oh ho!  Now I’m offended.  You’re telling me I’m a bad lover!”  Jae Young places his hand on his chest in mock outrage. He’s still shaking with laughter.

“THAT’S NOT IT AT ALL!” Sang Woo exasperatedly shouts.  He quietens, “It wasn’t sexual for me.  Not after that first touch.”

Jae Young calms down and looks at Sang Woo carefully. 

“Sure, it felt good, but I didn’t do it to get off.  I did it as an expression of my love for you.  It was me, a demon, trying to show affection. We don’t do that very often, if at all.  I certainly never had.  I didn’t know what else to do.”  Jae Young can feel Sang Woo’s shyness.

“I didn’t mean to shame you, Smokey.  Please don’t get upset.”  Jae Young kisses Sang Woo’s cheek.  “I’m touched that you wanted to let me know that you cared.  And thank you for your vulnerability just now.  I know that was difficult for you.  I’m honored that you trusted me.”

“I know that you’d never be unkind to me, no matter what I say.  That’s why I capitulated and told you the truth.”  Sang Woo takes a deep breath.  He needs to change the topic before he collapses under the weight of his confessions. He doesn’t continue the game. “We need to figure out what we’re going to do about Jin and Min Joon.”

“I've decided I’m going to go to my superior about it.  I’m going to send Ephraim a message tomorrow and request a meeting with the Ophanim in charge of my section.”

“I was thinking I should talk to Hell about this, too.  There are enough of us Furies who are concerned about her.”  Sang Woo sighs.

*****

They sit on the ledge for two more hours, chatting and laughing like they never could when they were adversaries. 

“If they stay together, should we do this again, Smokey?”

Sang Woo’s voice drops into a gentle timbre.  “I’d like that.”  He leans into Jae Young.  Jae Young drops a kiss to Sang Woo’s hair. 

“Next time, I’ll make sure my wings make you come.” 

"Shut up, Angel."  Sang Woo chuckles.

Chapter Text

A week later, the four supernatural beings space themselves out in Tae Ri’s living room.  Michael and Tae Ri are sharing heated kisses on her couch when he moves his hand to her breast.  “Is this OK?” he whispers against her mouth.

“God, yes,” she breathes out.  She pushes Michael back gently and starts undoing her blouse. As she takes it off, one of the straps of her bra slides down her shoulder. “I want you, Michael.”

“Ohhhh, it’s getting good,” Jin growls and rubs her hands together.

“Bedroom?” Michael asks.

“Bedroom,” Tae Ri agrees. 

Michael scoops her up and carries her princess-style into the bedroom. She giggles.

Jin sprints into the bedroom, Min Joon hot on her heels, while Jae Young chases after them. God damn it.  I thought I'd have the evening on Namsan Tower with Sang Woo.  I have so much I want to tell him about this week!

“JIN!  We agreed on leaving Tae Ri alone while she has sex!  You signed the agreement.  You know that this is a punishable offense!”

“I don’t caaaaare!” She singsongs.  “Human fucking is such a turn on.”

Sang Woo enters the bedroomroom and observes Jin and Jae Young’s interaction.  He wants to help, but he can’t intervene.  He’s Michael’s demon.  He should no longer have any concern for Tae Ri, nor should he be seen as an ally to an angel.  He stands off to the side, muscles coiled.

He won’t stand by if Jin attacks Jae Young. 

“YES!!  HE’S HIKED HER SKIRT UP!  SHE WANTS YOU TO TOUCH HER, MICHAEL!  FINGER HER PUSSY!”  Jin shrieks and dances around the bed.  She grabs Min Joon, pushes him into a chair in the corner that allows for a full view of Tae Ri’s bedroom.  Jin straddles him, unbuttons her shirt, and slides it down her shoulders.  Min Joon groans as her nipples come into view. 

“MIN JOON, DON’T TOUCH HER!”  Jae Young roars.  Min Joon seems to break from a lustful stupor for a few seconds before leaning forward to try to catch one of Jin’s breasts in his mouth.  Min Joon doesn’t have the chance to latch on before Jae Young screams.

“SHE WILL KILL YOU!” 

Min Joon comes out of his haze again, but only for a few more seconds.

It’s enough time.  Jae Young yanks Jin off Min Joon’s lap and pins her up against the wall, his forearm at her throat.  “You fucking touch him again, and I will make sure that your essence is torn apart, each molecule burned under Heavenly fire.” Flames flicker around him. 

Jin struggles, releasing smoke that tries to fight his flames, but Jae Young and his light are far too strong for her.  “Min Joon, open the wardrobe,” Jae Young directs harshly.

“Why?”

“JUST DO IT.”

Min Joon follows Jae Young’s direction.  Jae Young manhandles Jin, shoves her in the wardrobe, closes the doors, and sets a locking charm in place. 

“LET ME OUT, YOU FEATHERY FUCKER!” Jin shrieks, banging on the inside of the closet doors.

“Jae Young, you can’t do that! It’s against the rules! She needs to be able to influence Tae Ri once they're done,” Min Joon protests.  “Help me out here, Sang Woo!  You know the rules!”

Sang Woo silently walks out of the bedroom, face pinched.

“I want to keep you alive, Min Joon, so she stays in the wardrobe until Michael leaves.”  Jae Young seethes.  “Go into the living room, NOW.”

“What gives you the right to order me around?!”

“I have seniority.  I rank higher than you do, so you will take my orders in this situation.  Unless you want me to go straight to Bakari.”

“Ba..Bakari!?” Min Joon splutters before narrowing his eyes at Jae Young.  “I never pegged you as a tattletale, Jae Young.” Still, he follows Jae Young’s orders.

Jae Young puts a silencing charm on the wardrobe.  The doors rattle, but they don’t make a sound.  He’s certain the harpy is still screeching, but he can’t hear it, so it doesn’t matter. 

What does matter is that Min Joon is safe. 

Jae Young walks into the living room, closing the bedroom door behind him.  “Min Joon, get in the bathroom.” 

Min Joon grumbles something Jae Young can’t make out, but he follows directions anyway.  Once he is inside, Jae Young closes the door and puts a locking charm on it.  Min Joon pounds on the door.  “WHAT DID YOU JUST DO!?  LET ME OUT.”

Jae Young silences Min Joon, too. 

Sang Woo looks at Jae Young, face still pinched.  “One of us has to do this right now, Jae Young.” 

“Rock-Paper-Scissors?”  Jae Young asks with a similarly pinched expression. 

They play.  Jae Young throws paper, while Sang Woo throws rock. 

“I’ll be back soon.  Can you hold them?” Sang Woo asks as strides to the balcony door.

Jae Young nods.  “I’ll do my best.  This can’t continue.”

"Maybe we'll still have time to go to Namsan tower when I get back."  Sang Woo steps through the door and shoots into the sky.

*****

Sang Woo drifts to Baegundae, his thoughts a blur.  He can’t be silent to Hell any longer. 

He isn’t worried about Jae Young, especially after seeing him pin Jin to the wall and lock her in the wardrobe, but he is seriously worried about Min Joon. 

She will eat him alive, and in the process, Michael will be unfairly damned to Hell.  He won’t have any chances to control his own fate. 

Sang Woo, of course, is happy when souls are won for Hell.  But that’s the thing.  He wants the souls to be won, fair and square.  Destroying an angel is completely unnecessary.  Hard work is what should get results.  Sunshine chasers are, frankly, sick beings that shouldn’t be given human charges. 

He lands hard, shaking the bolders loose once again.  He’s grateful that it is nighttime and he doesn’t run the risk of killing anybody.  He immediately lets go of his human glamour and transforms into his true form. He produces a white flame. 

A black hole once again opens in the sky above Sang Woo, and, once again, an ancient voice speaking an even more ancient language pours forth from its depths.  

“Greetings, Fury Sang Woo of the Order of Lucifer.  I am Hisstledor, Liaison Messenger of the Order of Lucifer. What is it that you need?” 

“Greetings, Hisstledor, Liaison Messenger of the Order of Lucifer.  I hereby formally request a meeting with His Excellency Alastor, High Inquisitor of the Order of Lucifer.”  Sang Woo’s voice begins to shake with anger. “I must discuss a circumstance that has the direst of consequences.” 

“That being?”

“The demon Jin.”

Sang Woo hears a deep breath, almost like a sigh, being drawn through the black hole. 

“I understand, Fury Sang Woo. I understand very well. I will send your request immediately. An escort will be sent to retrieve you post-haste.”

The air on Baegundae ripples as an Escort of Hell appears out of a whirlwind of dust before Sang Woo.  It is the same as before: the shape of a man made entirely of constantly moving particles of dark matter. 

And, as before, the escort does not speak out loud.  Sang Woo hears the crackling, electric voice in his mind, speaking the ancient language of demons. “You must walk into me and allow me to surround you in order to gain entrance into the Shadow Lands of Lucifer.”

Sang Woo sighs.  Here goes nothing.

*****

“Greetings, Your Excellency Alastor, High Inquisitor.”

“Fury Sang Woo.  I have been informed that you have a dire circumstance you wish to discuss.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“And what’s that?”

“The demon Jin.  She is trying to bring an angel to his death.  She’s trying to seduce my current adversary.  She had already started working on him before she and I traded charges.”

“I thought as much.”  Alastor peers at Sang Woo over his bench.  “What about your former adversary?  Is she trying to seduce him, too?”

“No, Your Excellency.  His constitution is too strong.”  Sang Woo pauses.  “I hope you don’t take that as me complimenting an angel.”

“Not at all.  It is an honest assessment.  We know of Angel Jae Young.  He’s good at his job.  Very good.  That’s why we partnered you with him at first.”

Sang Woo tries not to show his emotion.  “I’m flattered that Hell thinks highly of my skills.”

“As for your complaint against Jin,” Alastor heaves a huge sigh, rolls his eyes, and shakes his head, “I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

Sang Woo looks at him, bemused.  “I beg your pardon, Your Excellency, but why?”

 “Her case is stuck in committee.  It has been for at least 200 years.”

“You mean Hell knows about her and what she’s doing?!  And nothing has been done for over 200 years?!”  Sang Woo fights to keep the incredulity out of his voice.  He fails.

Alastor purses his lips, raises his eyebrows, and gives one sharp nod.  “Yep.”  He then furrows his brow.  “Did you just take a tone with me, Fury Sang Woo?”

Sang Woo hangs his head.  “I’m sorry, Your Excellency.”

“Eh, I'll let it slide.  Your tone was warranted.  I’ve been wanting to get rid of her with every new charge she’s assigned.”  The High Inquisitor grits his teeth.  “I’m no fan of the angels, but even I see that she’s a serial murderer.  Hell tries to engage in fair reaping.  We should have ended her career after the first angel she killed.”

“Forgive me again, Your Excellency, but just how many angels has she killed in 200 years?”

“260.”

Sang Woo does the math.  “1.3 angels per year?!” 

“Like I said, I don’t know how we haven’t gotten rid of her yet.  She belongs in the 9^th circle, if you ask me.”

“So, why is she stuck in committee?” Sang Woo’s eyes go wide.  “I’m so sorry, Your Excellency.  I did not mean to ask a question out-of-turn about the wisdom and dealings of my superiors.”  He clamps his mouth shut.

“No worries, Fury Sang Woo.  Every once in a while this old demon likes a bit of less formal back-and-forth.  My job gets rather stuffy.  ‘High Inquistor this, Your Excellency that.’  Nobody, even my friends, deals with me as just plain old Alastor anymore.”

Sang Woo is confused as to why the High Inquisitor would tell him that.  The only thing he can think of is that the old demon is lonely.  “Would it make you feel better if I did?” 

“Under no circumstances!  You’re not my buddy!  I just needed to vent!”

Sang Woo nods his head.  He remembers what it was like to have nobody to vent to. 

Now I have Jae Young.  Gentle heat spreads through his heart at the thought. 

"The Committee is debating whether to let her go, as she's gained so many souls for our side.  The soul count is great, but those who are in favor of removing her understand that her murders are a problem.  And a PR nightmare."

“Is there anything I can do to help with the process, Your Excellency?”

“While there’s much evidence against Jin, most of it comes from Heaven’s reports.  We could use another, more recent, eye-witness account, especially one from someone on our team.  You’re observing her actions in real time, given your charge’s proximity to hers.  If you could send a fire scroll after each instance you observe, it could speed things along.”

“I will do that, Your Excellency.” 

“And Fury Sang Woo?  How is your relationship with your former adversary?”  Alastor asks a bit too carefully.

HE KNOWS.  Or he at least suspects.

“We are civil, Your Excellency.”

Alastor nods and hums a bit to himself.  "I see.  Is your relationship close enough that you could get testimony from him?”

“I can ask, Your Excellency.”  Jae Young will definitely give testimony.

“Since he is an angel that is not affected by her," Alastor pins Sang Woo with a stare that makes his insides squirm with worry, "and since he is also seeing her transgressions in real-time, his testimony could be valuable to us as well.  The evidence from Heaven is all after-the-fact.  They send us reports only after she devours one of theirs.”

“How should I have him submit his testimony, Your Excellency?”

“Have him dictate it to a fire scroll.  Angels can’t touch them, and reports on their paper, if not sent through official inter-realm post, disintegrates upon arrival.”

“I will let him know of your request.  I’m sure he will have to ask his superiors if it is all right to provide testimony to Hell like this.”

“Do you have anything more to say, Fury Sang Woo?”  Alastor looks as if he’s tired of their discussion. 

“No, Your Excellency.”

“Wonderful.  I need to go catch up on my soap operas.  Have you seen any of this crap the humans produce?  It’s deeply terrible yet absolutely riveting.”

“I have not, Your Excellency.”

“I didn’t think you would have.  You’re pretty uptight.”

Sang Woo is a little offended but says nothing.

Alastor stands from his seat.  He is already striding away from his bench as he tosses his dismissal over his shoulder. “You may leave now, Fury Sang Woo."

At least he didn't question me about my feelings for Jae Young.  Maybe he  doesn't suspect anything. 

His escort returns.  Sang Woo walks through him and finds himself once again on Baegundae.  He re-glamours himself into his human form so that nobody--especially Jae Young--sees his true form.  He takes off for Tae Ri’s apartment.

*****

“So?  What did Hell have to say?”

Sang Woo reports everything he learned from the High Inquisitor, as well as Hell’s request. 

“I’ll send for Ephraim right now.  The sooner we get this show on the road, the sooner we can get rid of her and save Min Joon.”

Sang Woo throws his arms around Jae Young, embracing him tightly.  “We’ll get through this, right?  Before anything really awful happens?”  

“Together,” Jae Young whispers and kisses Sang Woo gently.  “We’ll get through this together.”

Chapter Text

Jae Young paces the length of Tae Ri’s balcony and nibbles at his cuticles, waiting for Dominion Ephraim.  Sang Woo has taken over watch of Jin and Min Joon.  He stands guard before the wardrobe, face neutral but serious, eyes watchful, back straight.  Jae Young can imagine him in Hell’s armor, holding a weapon at the ready, protecting the gates to the Shadow Lands.  The thought makes him smile, but he doesn’t have room to think about how sexy that is at the moment. 

He’ll save that for the time between Tae Ri and Michael’s dates when he is alone.  The situation now is too insane and intensely disturbing for him to focus on that.

Ephraim appears behind him. 

“Angel Jae Young.  You requested an appointment with Throne Bakari?”

Jae Young whirls around to face the Dominion.  Ephraim adjusts his halo.  He’s in his official uniform—white robes and all the trimmings.  He must no longer be working on Earth.  “What is the reason for your request?”

“Yes, Dominion Ephraim, I would like to see Throne Bakari as soon as possible. An angel is in danger.”

“What did you do now?”  Ephraim rolls his eyes. 

“I didn’t do anything.”  This Dominion never fails to annoy Jae Young. 

“Then explain yourself.”

Jae Young dares to be defiant to his superior.  “I’d rather discuss this matter with Throne Bakari.  I apologize, but I believe that this is above your pay grade, Sir.”

Ephraim clenches his jaw.  Jae Young can hear his teeth grinding.  He knows that Ephraim has taken this as an insult, but Jae Young isn’t wrong about the situation, either. 

“Very Well.  I will escort you to him now.”

*****

“Angel Jae Young!”  Bakari stands up from his desk chair and smiles at Jae Young.  “Please have a seat,” he gestures to the chair in front of his desk and sits back down.   

“Yes, Sir.  I hope you are well.”

“Indeed, Indeed!” Jae Young thinks Bakari is a little too enthusiastic.  “How is influencing going?”

“Well, we have a bit of a problem, Sir.” 

“You seem to be doing all right with Tae Ri.  Her counter shows that she’s got more points for us than she has for Hell.”

“I’m glad to hear that, but the problem is with my adversary, the demon Jin.”

Bakari hesitates, leans back in his chair, and blanches for a moment.  “Is she seducing you?”

“She isn’t seducing me.  I find her vile, Sir.  She’s seducing her former adversary, Angel Min Joon.”

“Ah, that’s right.  You’re in close proximity with the demon Jin’s former charge.”

Jae Young nods.  “Yes.”

“That means you’re in touch with your former adversary, the demon Sang Woo, correct?”  Bakari stares at Jae Young.

“Correct, sir.”  Jae Young doesn’t volunteer any more information.   

“You seem to still have a decent working relationship with him.  He’s not trying to seduce you, is he?”  Bakari cocks his head to the side, his knowing gaze not leaving Jae Young's face.  Jae Young feels almost as if Bakari’s peering straight into his soul.

Shit.  Shit shit shit.  They suspect something.  SHIT.

Jae Young thinks fast about how to answer the question without sentencing himself to death.  “Sang Woo is not trying to seduce me.  He’s simply providing a united front with me, as he is alarmed by Jin’s behavior as well. You need not worry about his actions.”  He didn’t mention himself. 

“Do I need to worry about your actions, Angel Jae Young?”  Bakari lifts an eyebrow, leans forward, and folds his hands on his desk. 

Answer him cautiously, Jae Young.  Be precise, but don't talk about Sang Woo.

“I cannot say I won’t get violent with Jin, because I already have.” 

Bakari narrows his eyes and lifts his chin as he looks down his nose at Jae Young.  “So, you’re here to report on Jin’s dealings with Min Joon.”

Jae Young wonders how many times he’ll have to repeat himself.  This interaction feels like an interrogation. 

“Yes.  I have seen how she has lured him into physical lust and how she distracts him from his influencing.  He seems quite susceptible to her ministrations.  His internal light has flickered many times and has dimmed a concerning amount.” 

“And you would like Heaven to do what, exactly, Angel Jae Young?” Bakari threads his fingers together behind his head and leans back in his chair.  “It is Min Joon’s responsibility to protect himself.”

Jae Young’s brow furrows.  “He is new to this and still very young.  He doesn’t have the experience to understand what she’s doing to him.”

“Well, what, in your infinite wisdom, do you think we should do?” 

Jae Young feels the condescension rippling off Bakari and realizes he is mocking him.  “Help him!  Perhaps you should pull him from his charge, let him recover here in Heaven for a bit.  He is working with Sang Woo, so he's safe most of the time. He's in danger when our charges are together, however.  I can handle Jin, even if it is stressful.  But Min Joon?  He can't, even though we only see her three or four times per week.”

“And who’s to say that the demon Sang Woo hasn’t learned from her and will try to seduce the next angel who works with him?”

Jae Young needs to tread carefully despite the bile rising in his throat at the thought of Sang Woo seducing another angel.  “The demon Sang Woo is too concerned with the rules.  If I learned anything about him during our time as adversaries, it is that he is obsessed with fairness.  He wants to win souls, not destroy angels in order to have souls forfeit to Hell.”

“Hmmm.  I see.  Jin has been a thorn in our side for about two centuries now.  We’ve lost 260 souls because of her.”

“Excuse my impertinence, sir, but we also lost 260 angels because of her.” Jae Young can’t keep the sharpness from his voice.

“That’s why we put weaker angels on cases with her when we find out that she’s been assigned a charge.”  Bakari smiles patronizingly at Jae Young.  “We can’t lose our strong ones.  In fact, I was a little scared when I found out that Hell was switching her with Sang Woo.  You’re a damned fine influencer, Jae Young, and we don’t want to lose you.  You’re moving up the ranks quickly.  I’m relieved to see you’re resisting her, given your penchant for mischief and bending the rules.”

Jae Young is incredulous.  “You’re saying that you won’t help him?  Or take him off the case? You'd rather throw him to the wolves?”

“We will leave him right where he is.  I do not need to explain Heaven's reasoning to you.”

Jae Young opens his mouth to protest, but Bakari cuts him off. 

“Sometimes sacrifices need to be made.  If Hell won’t take care of her and we need to assign an angel opposite her, we won’t pit one of our best against her.”  Bakari’s tone is no-nonsense. 

The implication slams into Jae Young like a bolt of lightning.  “You’re saying that Min Joon is expendable, aren’t you?”

Were the other 260 lost to Jin expendable, too?

"I am saying we need to be strategic."  His gaze and voice turn ice cold.

“I see.”  Jae Young keeps his tone flat despite the rage that is clawing at his insides. He knows that if he opens his mouth now, he won't leave Bakari's office ever again. 

“If that’s all you wanted to report, Angel Jae Young, I will have Ephraim collect you.  I have a lot of work to do.”  He addresses Jae Young as if he were a nuisance. 

“I have two more things I need to ask, Sir.”

Bakari remains silent, waiting for Jae Young to continue. 

Jae Young, feeling disgusted and having lost respect for his superior, jumps right in.  “My first question is whether I can try to mentor Min Joon.  I would rather not watch him die a slow death at the hands of a fetishistic demon.”  Jae Young pauses.  “It breaks my heart to see him suffer and to watch a light dim.”

Bakari barks out a laugh.  “You can try, but he’s probably too far gone.  And your second question?”

“As I said before, the demon Sang Woo and I are putting up a united front.”

“I’m sure you are.”  Bakari purses his lips. 

This fucker knows. He knows I have feelings for Sang Woo.  I’m certain of it. 

“He reported to Hell about the demon Jin, and they told him that her case is being adjudicated.  They have a lot of evidence against her already—” 260 angels' deaths’ worth—“but they don’t have any eyewitness accounts.  He is reporting what he sees to them, but his superior also asked if I would be willing to give testimony to Hell about her actions while our two charges are together.” 

Bakari laughs again.  “You mean to tell me you wish to help Hell with their internal investigation?  Come now, Jae Young.  You must be joking.”

Jae Young rises to his feet, places both hands on Bakari’s desk, and leans in.  His voice pitches low, deadly. “I want to keep an angel from dying.  This isn’t about a heavenly being assisting Hell.  This is about a heavenly being trying to protect his own!  Surely you want these angels' deaths to end, too.  If I can do anything to save another angel, I will try.”  

“Are you done with your little tirade?”  Bakari asks through gritted teeth.

“Yes, Sir.”  Jae Young leans back and stands straight at his full height. 

“It seems that this demon Sang Woo has had some sway over you.” 

“I’m not sure I understand what you mean, Sir.”  Jae Young's instinct is to panic.

“You are too willing to help his cause.”

“Willing to help ‘his cause?’”  Jae Young scoffs in disbelief and anger.  “This isn’t the demon Sang Woo’s ‘cause.’  We are talking about an angel’s life!  He reported to Hell because he--A DEMON--doesn't want an angel to die!  If giving my testimony alongside Sang Woo's means Angel Min Joon will live, then I will cooperate with Hell.”

“And what about your charge?”

Jae Young turns his head and side-eyes Bakari.  “What about Tae Ri?”

“Won’t your little reports to Hell distract you from influencing?”

“What distracts me from influencing is having to physically tear Jin off of Min Joon’s lap before she tempts him into intercourse and locking her in a wardrobe!”  Jae Young no longer cares about the volume of his voice.

“Watch. Your. Tone. With. Me. Boy." Bakari warns. "You may send reports to Hell.  But I want to see these reports, too.”

“Of course, Sir.”

“And if there is any evidence that you are losing focus on your actual job of influencing your human for any reason,” Bakari emphasizes, “then Heaven will have to take disciplinary measures.”

“I am willing to take that risk, Sir.”

I'll take that risk for Min Joon.  And I'm going to continue taking the risk of loving Sang Woo.  

“Very well.  You may try to mentor Min Joon, although he is clearly a lost cause. And do not forget to send copies of your reports to me.  You’re dismissed.”  Bakari waves him away annoyedly. “Ephraim has been eavesdropping, so you can see yourself out."

*****

Sang Woo takes one look at Jae Young when he returns and realizes that something is very, very wrong. 

“How are they?” Jae Young avoids Sang Woo’s gaze by squeezing his eyes shut. 

Sang Woo furrows his brow.  “They’re fine.  Jin tired herself out and fell asleep in the closet.  I let Min Joon out of the bathroom about 10 minutes ago.  He grabbed a bottle of Coke from the fridge and he’s now perched on top of the swing set in the park across the street.  I can see him from here.”

“He’s still so young,” Jae Young whispers. “So, so young.  Childlike.” Sang Woo sees tears falling from the corners of Jae Young’s still closed eyes. 

Sang Woo gently takes Jae Young’s face in his hands.  He rubs soft circles on Jae Young’s temples, trying to calm him.  “You're shaking." His eyes search Jae Young's features.  "Can you tell me what’s wrong?”

Jae Young bends his head into the crook of Sang Woo’s neck and begins sobbing in earnest.  “Bakari…Heaven…they…they don’t care...they think Min Joon is expendable.  They’re going to let him die, Sang Woo.  They won’t help me keep him alive.  They. Refuse. To. Help.”

Sang Woo’s buddy’s words come back to him, slamming into his soul: “We don’t have the cruel master.  They do.”

Sang Woo pulls Jae Young closer, wrapping one arm around his waist and cradling the back of Jae Young’s head with his other hand.  “Shhh.  It’s all right, Sunshine.  It’s all right.” 

The demon lets his angel cry. Sang Woo presses kisses into Jae Young’s hair as he runs his hand over the fine strands.  He remembers Jae Young’s promise from earlier in the evening.  He echoes those words. 

“Together, Jae Young.  We’ll figure this out together.”

Chapter Text

Once Jae Young stops crying, Sang Woo helps him wipe his tears away, sits him on Tae Ri’s couch, and makes him a cup of tea.  While supernatural beings can’t eat human food, they can drink human drinks.  It’s a curiosity of their constitutions.  They don’t really understand why it is, but they accept it all the same.  And take advantage of it.  A lot.

In situations such as this, a hot beverage is comforting, and Sang Woo wants nothing more than to comfort his angel, his Jae Young, in this moment.

“Thank you.”  Jae Young gratefully accepts the cup of tea from Sang Woo and takes a sip. “Holy shit.  You make a damned fine cup of tea, Smokey!  What’s in this?”

Sang Woo smirks.  “There’s nothing but tea in it.  It’s the method I used make it.”  Sang Woo sits cross-legged on the floor across from Jae Young.  He reaches for Jae Young’s hand.  He’s figured out that touch it is the best way to comfort the angel.  Plus, he’s selfish.  He doesn’t get many chances to cradle Jae Young in his love, so he takes every opportunity he can. 

“Are you going to do the demon thing and be sneaky about it, or will you reveal your neat tea-making trick?”

“Which would you prefer?  That your demon keeps some mystery about him, thus ‘keeping the love alive,’ as humans would say, or would you rather know and be ultimately disappointed that you can’t replicate it?” Sang Woo lifts a brow at him in question. 

“First of all, please keep calling yourself my demon.  I love the sound of it.” Jae Young grins...and maybe growls a little possessively.

“Well, I call you my angel, so why wouldn’t I call myself your demon?  It’s only logical.”  Sang Woo shrugs his shoulders as if it is no big thing.

But it is a big thing. 

Jae Young allows Sang Woo’s words to wash over him before starting again.  “Second of all, I don’t ever think my love could die.  I’ve been feeling it for 24 years, and it’s only gotten stronger.  And of course you’re a mystery.  I’m an angel, and we don’t always understand demons’ reasoning.”

“Perhaps it would please you to know that that’s mutual.  We don’t always get angels, either.”  Sang Woo smiles.  “But I’d like to understand you more.  And because that’s the case, I want to make two promises to you.”

Jae Young no longer disbelieves Sang Woo’s honesty with him.  “And what are they?”

“I promise to ask you what you mean when I don’t understand.  And I promise to explain my reasoning to you when you don’t understand.” 

Jae Young is floored by Sang Woo’s words.  Demons don’t make promises like that.  His kind thrives on misunderstandings. 

 Sang Woo looks down at his lap.  “Why are you staring at me like that, with your mouth agape and your eyes open wide?”

“I just...” Jae Young can’t say how all of this makes him feel.  “Wow.” He runs a hand through his hair and puffs out a breath.

Sang Woo looks up.  His face is so open and vulnerable that it breaks Jae Young’s heart.  He’s so unsure of himself.  So, so unsure. 

“I just want to be a better being for you.  I don’t want to be so…evil,” Sang Woo says softly, a note of shame lacing his voice.

Jae Young reaches for Sang Woo’s cheek.  “You have never been evil, Smokey.”

“But I’m a demon.  I’m corrupt and…”

Jae Young cuts him off gently. “You were once an angel, were you not?”

“Yes.  But I chose to turn against Heaven.  I chose to fall.  I chose to be this way.  I hardly remember being one of you.”

“After what I just saw and heard from both of our superiors, I would say that perhaps your side and your people are the far better ones.”

Sang Woo presses his eyes shut.  Tears roll down his cheeks.  The fact that Jae Young thinks that he is more than just his demonic nature bowls him over emotionally. “Thank you, Jae Young. Thank you.” 

He wipes the tears from his face with the tips of his fingers, takes a deep breath, and opens his eyes again. 

Jae Young gives him a brilliant smile and steers them back toward lighter conversation.  “Now, are you going to tell me your secret to a great cup of tea?  And is your coffee just as good?”

“My coffee’s even better,” Sang Woo boasts.  “I’ll tell you the secret to my beverage-making genius, but don’t be too upset when you can’t replicate it.”

“Why can’t I replicate it, eh?  Are you saying I’m a weaker being than you?”  He pokes Sang Woo’s cheek.

“You might produce fire, Solar Flare, but you don’t produce smoke or shadows. Smoke is the key.”

Jae Young pouts.  “You said you didn’t add anything to the tea.”

“I didn’t.  I made it with my smoke. I can heat both my smoke and my shadows to a temperature that can boil water.  We can actually make our smoke so hot that we can bring diamonds to a boil. Our shadows get hot, but only to the boiling point of silver.”  Sang Woo looks a little regretful about that fact.

“Are you serious?!  Your smoke and shadows can boil down metals and diamonds?!” 

“3000%.  It’s one of the benefits of bathing in mercury.”

“Your side bathes in mercury?” 

“Yep.  And we’re equally as shocked that your side bathes in sugared flower nectar.”  Sang Woo shudders.  “It must be so…sticky.”

“It acts as a conditioner for our wings.  We can’t leave it on for too long, though. If we do, it can make our feathers limp. We can’t fly properly if they’re over conditioned. We have to rinse it off with water infused with the four civic virtues.”

“So that’s why you smell of roses and virtue when you return from Heaven sometimes.”

“They spray us down with it before we leave if they think we’ve been too mischievous on Earth.  It’s to make sure we are free from sin when we go back.”  Jae Young rolls his eyes.

“Does it work?”

“Absolutely not.”

 Sang Woo laughs.  Jae Young wants to bottle the sound. 

He leans forward and kisses Sang Woo’s forehead.  “But I like the smell of it on you.” 

Sang Woo gazes at him, bemused. 

“When you held me in your arms just now, some of my scent wore off on you.  Heaven forgive me,” he stops, realizing that the phrase is now habit—he’ll have to change that, since he no longer gives a shit about Heaven--“but it is so damned sexy.  Almost as if I’ve marked you as mine.”

“You’ve been reading omegaverse fan fic again, haven’t you?”  Sang Woo tickles Jae Young’s ribs playfully.

“I have to do something to distract myself from Jin’s constant chatter.  It helps me to tune her out.”

Sang Woo grins again.  “I love you, you know that, right?”

“Say it again, demon.”

“I love you.”  His voice and face are earnest this time. 

“Please never stop telling me that, Sang Woo.”  He pauses, but then adds, “And even if I can’t say it back because we’re in earshot of beings who would have me dead, I will say it to you every chance we get to be alone.”  He pauses.  “Are you sure Jin’s asleep?”

“Yes.”  Sang Woo looks sheepish.  “I may have put a sleeping charm on her. We probably only have about 30 minutes left before it wears off.  And we don’t know when Min Joon will return.”

“I love you, Smokey.  I love you so fucking much that it shatters me in the best possible way.”

Jae Young slides down from the couch, wraps his arms around Sang Woo’s waist, and pushes him gently to the floor.  He covers Sang Woo’s body with his own, and kisses him slowly, deeply. 

Sang Woo kisses him back. 

“Am I smothering you?” Jae Young whispers.

“No.”

The angel and demon stare at each other, memorizing every freckle, every feature of each other’s faces while sharing breath. The intimacy of it is intoxicating. 

Jae Young finally breaks the tension.  “As much fun as this is,” he presses his hips against Sang Woo’s thigh just enough to let the demon know what he does to him, “we have to strategize.”

Sang Woo groans as he rolls off him, flops to his back, and snuggles into Sang Woo’s shoulder. 

“You vile, vile tempter!” Sang Woo tuts. 

“Takes one to know one,” Jae Young shoots back, racked with laughter.

“You’re not wrong there.  And unfortunately you’re right about strategizing.  We need to use the time we have left before either Min Joon comes back or Jin wakes up.”

Jae Young hums in agreement. 

“While you were gone, I started coming up with some ideas about how to handle this.  But they’re not exactly legal or ethical.

“I’m intrigued.  Go on.”

“I thought I might do some influencing…on Min Joon.”  Sang Woo bites his bottom lip, waiting for Jae Young to react badly.

“Like, normal Hellfluence? Hey! I just made that word up!”  Jae Young states with proud delight.

Sang Woo chuckles.  “Not exactly like normal Hellfluence.  More like subtle mentoring. Maybe cleverly suggesting anti-demon strategies.”

“See, you’re not evil.  You’re helping an angel against your side’s interests.  You may lose a soul because of it, but you're doing it anyway.”

“I’m more concerned about fairness than Hell losing a soul, and I don’t like lives being prematurely snuffed out.”  Sang Woo states boldly.

“I think you actually care about Min Joon.”

“Not like I care about you, but yes.  I care.  He’s a young angel.  He should have a chance to live.  He may be dimwitted and never succeed against a demon, but he should at the very least have the opportunity to try.”  Sang Woo threads his fingers through Jae Young’s as he stares at the ceiling.  “So, I don’t mind giving him a few hints about our ‘soft underbellies.’  It’s up to him, though, if he decides to take my words to heart.  That’s the only way I know how to intervene.  If the two lovebirds keep up this relationship, I’ll have at least three good days per week to work him over.”

“And what should I do?” 

“Your part is a little riskier.” Sang Woo goes quiet.  “I hate suggesting what I’m about to suggest.”

“What is it you suggest?”

“Two things: first, try to pretend that you’re falling for Jin’s seduction during the week.  Then act skittish around her when the four of us are together.  She’ll think she’s destroying two angels at once.  It will divide her attention.”

“Sang Woo…I don’t know if I can do that, and I don’t know if I can make you watch what I’m doing.”

“I know your heart, Sunbeam."  Sang Woo pulls their interlinked hands over his heart.  "I know that it isn’t real.  And if I see you having a hard time keeping up the charade, I’ll just send one of my shadows to comfort you, even if just for a second.”

“I’ll think about it. What’s your second suggestion?”

“We make sure that one of us is positioned between Jin and Min Joon at all times.  I will try to make sure it’s me.  I don’t want you getting hurt. And if we can’t get between them, then one of us needs to restrain her again.”

“I don’t want you getting hurt, either.”

“I don’t matter here.”

“The fuck you don’t!”  Sang Woo hears an edge of anger in Jae Young’s voice.

Jae Young sighs.  “In any case, that suggestion seems more doable.  But, Sang Woo, I need to be honest here.  This whole thing is killing me.  I want to be selfish.   I want time with you.  I want to go back to Namsan Tower so that we can be ourselves and love each other freely.”

“I want that, too,” Sang Woo whispers.  “But I feel as if the responsibility to bring Jin to justice and to keep Min Joon alive has been thrust upon us. It's more than fucking unfair.  But we can’t let this shit happen any longer, especially if no one above or below does anything about it.”

“See, baby, you’re not evil.  You’re incredibly selfless.” Jae Young rolls to his side, thinking of a lyric to a song he once heard.  It takes strength to be gentle and kind. He props his head on his hand and marvels at this amazing demon.  His precious, beautiful demon who never fails to humble him. 

“If we can get Jin to drink again while Tae Ri and Michael are having sex or are sleeping, she’ll be more susceptible to passing out, especially if we can tempt her with wine.  I’ll cast a light sleeping charm on her.  The mix of the tannins and the charm that I’m thinking of is pretty potent, if gradual.  Once it hits her, though, she’ll sleep hard for at least 4 hours.  We can steal that time away.”

“How will we handle Min Joon?” 

“I’m not sure.  I was hoping that maybe you had some ideas. You know your kind best.” Sang Woo rolls to his side to face Jae Young and runs his fingers through Jae Young’s hair. 

“Have you noticed anything catching his attention while you’re together?”

Sang Woo hums, pursing his lips as he thinks.  It’s one of the cutest things Jae Young has ever seen.

“He seems to really like street entertainers.  Oh! Wait! There’s a pickup game of basketball that he enjoys watching at night when Michael’s asleep.  If it happens on one of the nights where Michael isn’t with Tae Ri, he drags me with him.  The games usually run long, sometimes until 3 in the morning.  I don’t think he likes being alone very much, but he does have the ability to be independent.”

“OK.  At least once per week, you’ll be all like, ‘peace out, I’m going for a flight.’  When he and I are the only two awake when Tae Ri and Michael start going at it or fall asleep, I’ll take him for a walk.  I’ll start asking him if he likes basketball and tell him stories about my time in Heaven’s intramural league.  Hopefully he’ll take me to watch a game.  I’ll encourage him to ‘help’ the underdog players out.”  Jae Young winks.

“That is COMPLETELY against the rules!  We’re not supposed to influence physically, especially those who aren’t our charges!”  Sang Woo hardens his features.  “How many times do I have to tell you this?!”

Jae Young lets out a surprised laugh, his face a picture of complete amusement.  “You’re still on me about rules, Smokey?  After telling me that you’ll ‘mentor’ an angel?”

“Touche,” Sang Woo grumbles.

“Besides, there are some heavenly rules I don’t give a fuck about anymore.  I’ll fly in the face of them if it means we can save him.  And if he gets in trouble, I’ll take the fall for him.”

“You’re pretty selfless yourself.”  Sang Woo pours all his adoration into his smile. 

“Anyway, after we watch the game for a while, I’ll make some excuse to leave him alone with the game.  He is rather dumb, the poor dude, so I doubt he’ll catch on that I leave him every time we go to watch the game.”  Jae Young runs his fingers over Sang Woo’s cheekbone.  “I just hope you’ll wait for me.”

“I’ll always wait for you, Sunshine.”

Jae Young’s chest warms at his demon’s words. “I’m sure we won’t be able to have time to ourselves every time the two of them," he tilts his head toward the bedroom door, "are hittin' it, but we can get at least one good evening per week together.”  His voice is full of regret.

“It’s not ideal, but I’ll take it.”  Sang Woo leans forward and kisses the tip of Jae Young's nose.  “Anyway, It can’t hurt for us to try that plan.  If it doesn’t work, then we regroup.  We also have to figure out how I can get fire scrolls to you so you can dictate your reports.  Give me time to think about this.  I’ll take care of getting it to Hell once you’re done.” 

Jae Young nods.  Sang Woo notices the angel becoming sullen again, so he pulls back with a sly grin on his face. 

“Uh oh, what’s that look for?”  Jae Young narrows his eyes. 

Sang Woo pushes Jae Young to his back again.  He rolls on top of him and kisses him in a very delicious, veeeeery filthy way.  Jae Young can feel Sang Woo’s cock pressing against his hip. 

“Why don’t you unfurl your wings, Smokey?” He wiggles his eyebrows at Sang Woo. “If you unfurl yours, I’ll unfurl mine.”

“You’re incorrigible.”  He rolls off Jae Young, chuckling, and smacks him lightly on the chest.  “But I won’t say I’m not tempted.  You sure you’re not the demon here?  You’re awfully good at trying to seduce me.”

“If I can’t seduce the one I love, then who can I seduce?”  Jae Young laughs. 

Sang Woo wants to bottle the sound.

Chapter Text

If a human with spiritual sight had been at Seoul’s Namsan Tower at 2:43 AM, they would have seen an angel and a demon wrestling in the sky, laughing together, wings flapping to hold them aloft. 

But it was not a human with spiritual sight who saw them at Seoul’s Namsan Tower at 2:43 AM.

Ten days after being locked in a wardrobe, the demon Jin had her suspicions confirmed.  Or so she thought at first.   

She had pretended to be drunk and passed out, despite wanting to watch her human charge fuck his girlfriend to oblivion.  She waited for the other demon to leave the apartment.  The angels remained on the couch, chit-chatting about basketball of all things.  The one angel, the smarter, better looking one, lured the other outside for a walk.

She followed them, unseen, to an outdoor basketball game some humans were playing in a deserted park.  It was a good thing she glamoured herself, she thought smugly, because she would have had six shirtless human men eating out of her hand and bringing her to orgasm with their tongues and hands and cocks.  She had done it before, seduced humans for a few hours of pleasure, and she would certainly do it again. But not tonight. 

Tonight, she had a mission. 

The smarter, better-looking angel encouraged the other to “help” the weakest player on the court by guiding his throws and ensuring the ball swished through the basket.  After a while, the smarter angel had bid the other adieu and walked off, hands in his pockets and whistling a jaunty tune.  He walked for a good ten minutes, but he stopped abruptly and looked back over his shoulder. 

Was he checking whether the other angel had followed him? 

Seemingly reassured that he was alone, he lifted himself gracefully into the sky (as angels are likely to do; they prefer a gentle liftoff, while her kind preferred to feel as if they had been a bullet shot from a gun aimed at a human chest) and flew off. 

She glamoured herself and silenced her wings.  She gave him a five-second head start before following him. 

He landed at Namsan Tower just two short minutes after leaving the ground.  She landed as well, and though she had glamoured herself to be invisible and silent, she hid behind a pillar. 

Another figure sat at the edge of the platform, legs dangling off the side.  She knew that figure.  It was the other demon, the one who was supposed to be on Hell’s side.  He came here to conspire with the angel, out of her earshot or the earshot of the dumber, less-good-looking angel.  These two had worked together, after all, and seemed to still have a cordial relationship.  And she knew that both wanted her gone. 

The other demon was cooperating with Heaven.  Did Lucifer know? 

She couldn’t believe that another demon would ever disapprove of her pursuit of an angel’s light.  She didn’t understand that her obsession with devouring their essence wasn’t shared by all her kind.  The other demons didn’t know what they were missing.  Angels’ light tasted sweet, gave her a heady high akin to what a human feels when shooting heroin.  Swallowing it also made her come… deliciously and almost violently.  No partner in Hell or on Earth could do that for her.  She couldn’t get enough.

Unfortunately, though, she had to bide her time between those life-altering orgasms.  She was able to feel that exhilaration only about once a year.  The fantasies of the last angel had to sustain her until the next angel gave in.  She wasn’t committing murder; they were committing suicide.  They just didn’t know it. 

Heaven did, though.  Heaven knew what she was doing pushed angels over the edge.  They knew that she didn’t kill, she led.  If she had killed them, she would not have been granted the pleasure of eating their light. She would have been dragged to a heavenly prison to await an interworld trial. No, Heaven knew that it was up to the angel to stay away from her.  If they didn’t, then they signed their own death warrants. 

It didn’t happen often, but there were angels who committed suicide.  They all had a reason, and usually it was due to some heavenly regulation or some perceived crime or failure.  Sometimes it was because of her.  Heaven punished angelic suicide by destroying the angel’s essence. 

They didn’t like doing that, so they let her do that for them when the suicide was something she was involved in.  They got rid of their dirty work.  Little did they know that they were rewarding her for doing it.

This other demon was rigid. He was too upright for their kind, too concerned with rules.  He was far too ethical.  He wanted to win souls. He thought she was cheating.  He thought it was to increase her soul count.  He didn’t know that the human souls were just an added bonus.  She could get both her fix and Lucifer’s kudos for a job well done.  The light was the goal.

The intelligent angel had a hero complex and wanted to save the dimwitted one.  The demon was compulsively law-abiding and principled about influencing.  Of course they’d want her gone.

But oh, how mistaken she’d been about the reason they were here, together, at the top of Namsan Tower in Seoul in the middle of the night. 

The demon requested a transfer because he’d been compromised.  Hell assumed it was because of his charge.  But they’d been misled. 

He was compromised because of the angel.  She wanted to laugh.  He was more like her than he knew.  He craved light.  He just caught himself and changed course.

The angel landed and paused a beat before approaching the demon.  She knew that look.  It was the look of an angel who was being tempted.  She could see the gears working: he took in the beauty of the wind ruffling the demon’s human hair, the shape of his posture, the motion of his legs swinging back in forth in anticipation.

The angel took seven slow, appreciative steps toward the ledge.  “Hello, my love.”  He crouched behind the demon and wrapped his arms around him. The demon turned his face, smiling wide, and kissed the angel. 

Ohhhhh, this demon was wicked.  So much for the self-righteousness. She stepped closer to observe.  The other demon’s leadership of an angel into depravity made her unusually wet.  Maybe it was because this particular angel was the sexiest, the boldest, and the brightest she had ever laid eyes upon.  She couldn’t wait to see the light dim. Maybe if she stuck her human tongue out far enough, she could lick the edges of his light as it was dying, just to get a tiny taste.  She was insanely jealous of the other demon, who would get to experience the orgasm that this one would give him.  She was sure that it would shake the demon’s world.  It would be so delightfully obscene that it would either lead him to chasing another high with another angel, or it would emotionally crush him.  She believed—and hoped—that it would be the latter.  She hated the other demon and wanted him to suffer.  She also didn’t want competition.

But something strange happened.  The angel’s light didn’t dim under the demon’s kiss, it glowed brighter.  She had to stay, to figure out what was happening.

Their interactions made her guts twist.  They were disgustingly tender with each other. And so careful, as if they were cradling a baby star. 

They discussed her and the simple-minded one.  The easy one, who she could control with just a sexy smirk.  How they wanted to save him.  How they wanted to get rid of her.  How they were trying to do it. 

She wanted to laugh. And laugh.  And laugh.

They were out of their depth.  Tonight was proof that she wasn’t easy to trick, to take down.

But wait.  Their voices lowered.  Did they know she was hiding behind a pillar?

“I want to make love to you, Smokey,” the angel whispered, with love lacing his voice and hope in his eyes.  He caressed the demon’s cheek with the lightest brush of his fingers.  He leaned forward and pressed gentle kisses to the demon’s eyelids.

The demon looked at him with sorrow.  “You know we can’t do that.  It would kill you.”

So, the demon was playing the long game.  She had to give the tricky bastard credit.

“Please know that I would give myself to you in a heartbeat if it weren’t so dangerous. You and your life are so precious to me.  I want to give you everything.  I want to love you, not just with my heart, but with my entire being.” The demon’s eyes were still closed.

What? 

WHAT?!

Her kind didn’t—couldn’t—love.  The word could barely pass through their lips without physical consequences.  It hurt them even when they were speaking about their charges’ feelings.  “He loves his wife/child/girlfriend/boyfriend/mother/grandfather:” those statements left physical burns in their mouths and throats for days.  Yet this uppity demon said the word so lightly. As if it weren’t painful.  As if it were easy and felt good.

She didn’t know what was happening.  She was too stunned. It barely registered that tears were falling from the demon’s closed eyes.  That the angel was wiping those tears away with his thumbs. 

The angel took the demon’s hands in his.  “Just because I can’t make love to you doesn’t mean I can’t try to make you come.”  The angel released his pristine white wings, flapped them a little, and laughed at the look the demon gave him.

Was the angel trying to seduce the demon? 

"You’re fuckin’ terrible, you know that, don’t you?”  The demon teasingly admonished. 

“Yep.  And you’ll think I’m even more terrible when I do this.”  The angel’s eyes shimmered with mirth as he grabbed the demon tightly around the waist and pitched them sideways off the tower.

The demon yelped in surprise as his eyes widened and arms windmilled.  He unfurled his demonic wings mid-fall.  They started a spirited push-and-pull, tumbling together but not falling.  Disgusting happiness radiated from them.  The angel shone brighter, and the demon’s shadows darkened and wrapped themselves around the two like a cocoon.  They didn’t absorb the angel’s light; they seemed to protect it. 

She couldn’t watch anymore.  She flew to Baegundae in a rush.

She landed hard, shaking all of Seoul and causing a city-wide blackout.  She’d have enjoyed the humans’ screams if the situation hadn’t been so grave.  She immediately let go of her glamour and transformed into her true form. She produced a white flame from her fingertips. 

A black hole opened in the sky above Jin, and an ancient voice speaking an even more ancient language poured forth from its depths.  

“Greetings, Fury Jin of the Order of Lucifer.  I am Grawborg, Liaison Messenger of the Order of Lucifer. What is it that you need?” 

“Greetings, Grawborg, Liaison Messenger of the Order of Lucifer.  I hereby formally request a meeting with His Excellency Alastor, High Inquisitor of the Order of Lucifer.”  A laugh of hysteria almost left her throat.  “I must discuss a circumstance that has the direst of consequences.” Her voice quivered.

“That being?”

“A severely compromised demon.”

“I will send your request immediately. An escort will be sent to retrieve you post-haste.”

The air on Baegundae undulated as an Escort of Hell appeared out of a whirlwind of dust before her.  It was man-shaped and made entirely of constantly moving particles of dark matter. 

The escort did not speak out loud. Instead, Jin heard the crackling, electric voice in her mind, speaking the ancient language of demons. “You must walk into me and allow me to surround you in order to gain entrance into the Shadow Lands of Lucifer.”

She did as she was told. 

She appeared before a judge sitting an a high dias. 

She thought the first time she’d go before a judge of Hell would be to account for her “murders.”  She never thought she’d be here to inform Hell about another demon’s activities. 

“Greetings, Your Excellency Alastor, High Inquisitor.”

“Fury Jin,”—was that surprise on the old demon’s face?  “I have been informed that you have a dire circumstance you wish to discuss.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“And what’s that?”

“The demon Sang Woo.” 

Chapter Text

“I can’t believe you threw us off the fucking Namsan Tower,” Sang Woo laughs as he’s splayed out on his back and breathing hard on top of a stilled cable car on the Namsan Tower line. 

“I needed a way to surprise—and, if I was lucky—delight you.  You’re not the type of demon I can just buy flowers for, you know.  I need to make sure what I do for you is special and unique.”  Jae Young, lying on his side with head propped on his hand, tries to keep a straight face while he’s explaining his logic to Sang Woo.  But no matter how much he presses his lips together, he can’t help a giggle from slipping out.  “Did you have fun?”

Sang Woo turns his head to the side and smiles.  “I always have fun with you, Sunbeam.” 

That smile melts Jae Young into a little puddle of angelic goo. 

“I’m glad we have this time together,” Jae Young’s voice is soft and full of gratitude. 

Sang Woo’s breath catches in his throat.  He still can’t believe that this angel is his. He only keeps getting more beautiful, and Sang Woo can only hope to be half as wonderful to Jae Young as Jae Young is to him.  “I am, too.”

“How much time do we have left?” 

Sang Woo conjures an hourglass from fire.  It hangs in the sky, and all the stars are drawn into its globes.  They fall one-by-one from the chamber above to the chamber below.  “I reckon about 10 minutes.”  Sang Woo waves his hand, and the stars return to their places in the sky and the hourglass vanishes. 

“Then we should fly away home.”  Jae Young sighs and stands up, brushes his hands off on his jeans, and offers Sang Woo a hand to pull him up. Sang Woo takes it and allows the angel to help him to his feet. 

“Um. Jae Young?”  Sang Woo looks at Jae Young with a shy blush on his cheeks. 

“What is it, my love?” 

“Can we…” the demon stutters a bit. “Can we hold hands as we fly?  I don’t want to let you go.”

Jae Young smiles softly at him. He knows that his demon still has a hard time being vulnerable with his feelings.  “I’d be honored.” 

Sang Woo shocks him: he doesn’t clasp his hand but rather threads his fingers through Jae Young’s.  It’s warm, and Jae Young can feel that his angel holds him dear.

I am so, so lucky. 

It takes them all of three minutes to return to Tae Ri’s balcony.  As soon as their feet touch the ground, Sang Woo grabs Jae Young around the waist, dips him, and gives him a long, lingering kiss. 

Jae Young’s eyes go comically wide.  Sang Woo pulls him up and out of the dip and presses his forehead against the angel’s.  He echoes Jae Young’s words.  “I needed a way to surprise and delight you.”  He chuckles, and Jae Young can’t help but chuckle back. They lose themselves in each other’s eyes for a moment.

But that moment snaps harshly.

“As much as I’d love to watch the two of you try to make a baby together, I regret to inform you that you’ve been caught.” 

The pair still.  Sang Woo’s breath comes shallowly and quickly. 

She knows, and she’s going to have him killed.  She fucking knows.  I knew I shouldn’t have gotten selfish.  I should have protected him. 

Sang Woo slides his gaze away from Jae Young’s face and over to Jin’s. 

“You thought you were so much better than me, didn’t you Sang Woo?  You like chasing sunshine, too, don’t you?”

Sang Woo clenches his fists at his sides.  He will not deign to answer her.  Jae Young reaches for his arm, but Sang Woo slaps it away. Sang Woo refuses to look at Jae Young. 

Sang Woo sends his smallest shadow to Jae Young.  It narrows to a point no larger than an atom and lands in the hair behind Jae Young’s ear.  The angel flinches as if bitten by a mosquito but doesn’t otherwise move.

"I'm not sure if you can hear me, but I hope you can.  If you do, please forgive me for what I’m about to say, Jae Young.  I don’t mean it."   

 Sang Woo forces himself to relax.  He releases his fists and flexes his fingers.  He crosses his arms over his chest and cocks his head to the side.  “How could I not want to chase this one?  He’s such a shiny, fun toy.” 

Jae Young’s jaw drops slightly.  His eyes focus on Sang Woo’s profile. 

Sang Woo hears a voice.  It’s small and tinny and sounds as if it’s coming from a million miles away, but he hears it nonetheless.

“Why the fuck didn’t you tell me you could do this?!”

 Sang Woo tames the laughter threatening to overtake him.  The first message he receives is so Jae Young: being amazed at him and focusing on the wrong issue. “I’ve only ever done this with a human before. I’m actually quite shocked you can hear me.  I honestly didn’t think it would work with an angel, and I certainly didn’t think it would work two ways.”

 Jae Young just stands there, dumbfounded.

“Pick up your jaw from the ground and look hurt. You need to play along if we’re going to sell this.”

Jae Young does as he’s told.  He furrows his brow and wills a look of confusion onto his features.  Sang Woo is impressed with the acting job. 

“What are you saying, Sang Woo?”  Jae Young’s voice is just above a whisper.  Misery laces his tone.

"Damn, Jae Young.  If I didn’t know better, my heart would have broken at that line.”

Sang Woo sees the slight lines appear on Jae Young’s face at the slow start of a smile. He knows all of Jae Young’s expressions by heart, and he knows if he doesn’t stop him now, Jae Young will give up the game.  “NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!  DO NOT SMILE!” 

 Jae Young schools his features back into misery. 

“You think that was good?” Sang Woo hears Jae Young’s voice again and can tell that he’s inwardly preening. “Hold my beer.” 

 Sang Woo keeps his eyes focused on Jin and forces a sneer to twist his face.  He hears soft whimpers.  Jae Young swallows hard.

The fucker has forced himself to cry. “Pretty good, eh Smokey?”

“What?  Are you jealous that I’m succeeding where you failed, Jin?  That I got to him before you did?”

“Now, now, that’s not exactly fair, Sang Woo.  You had 24 years with him.  I’ve only had 7 weeks.”

“You’re obviously not that good at seducing angels, Jin.”

Jae Young hears her teeth grind as her jaw tightens.

“OOOOH, good one Smoke-show!  Hit her right in the ego.”

“Ha!  Do you know how many angel lights I’ve eaten?”

“Your turn to hold my beer.”

 Sang Woo rolls his eyes and lifts his eyebrows.  “Well, you had Min Joon for 26 years and you didn’t get to swallow him whole, did you?  You must be losing your touch.  Not as sexy as we once were now that we’re over 150, are we Jin? I did think that maybe you aren’t keeping it as tight as you used to.”

Jin’s face turns an incandescent shade of magenta as arms of smoke ripple off her.  She looks as if she is about to attack Sang Woo, but she stops herself. 

“Fuuuck, Sang Woo.  Your competence makes me so damned hot.”

“Put away your wings and keep your dick in your pants, angel.  But keep crying.”

Jin’s face spreads into a sly grin.  She removes the glamour from her teeth.  Jae Young sees that they end in small points that make her look even more sinister.  “You know, Sang Woo, I’ve told Alastor about your little meeting with Jae Young on Namsan Tower.”

Jae Young sees Sang Woo’s face buckle and pale.  He’s not acting anymore. 

“Smokey?”

“I am so sorry, Jae Young.  I was selfish.  I wanted to love you so badly, and now...”

 “An escort from hell will be here in 30 seconds to take you to see him.  Leave the angel with me.  I’ll take good care of him.”  Jin walks up to Jae Young.  She places one manicured finger under his chin and forces his head up to look at her. “You’ve been paying attention to the wrong demon, Handsome.” Before she drops her hand from his face, she kisses him. She pulls away, grips him by the hips, and thrusts her pelvis into him. 

Sang Woo almost vomits at her violation of Jae Young.  The angel remains stoic but sees panic roll over his sweet demon despite his relaxed posture. 

“I failed to protect you, Jae Young.  I failed.  I am so, so sorry.”  Sang Woo is hysterical.

 Jae Young’s voice is calm in Sang Woo’s mind.  “It’s OK, Smokey.  It’s OK.  Shhh.  I’ll be OK.  Don’t panic.  Just return safely.  Come back to me.”

 The air on Tae Ri’s balcony swirls around the three of them as an Escort of Hell appeares out of a whirlwind of dust.  It does not speak out loud, but both demons and the angel hear the crackling, electric voice in their minds.  It almost deafens Jae Young, who places his hands over his ears as he collapses to the floor.  Sang Woo lunges to catch him, but is stopped by ropes of red sparks binding his hands and feet.  Jin just laughs at Jae Young’s pain.

Only the two demons understand the ancient language the the escort is using.  “Fury Sang Woo, I have come to collect you at the will and summons of Alastor, High Inquisitor of the Order of Lucifer.”

Chapter Text

The sound.

The sound is so overwhelming.  The language grates.  The voice pierces.  The cadence cripples.

It all serves to bring him to his knees. 

He clamps his hands over his ears and squeezes his eyes shut.  He pitches forward. 

The last thing he sees before he passes out is Jin racked with malicious laughter. 

*****

“Fury Sang Woo, you have been brought to the chambers of the High Inquisitor, His Excellency Alastor, for interrogation.”  A disembodied voice echoes around the otherwise empty room.  “Please take a seat in the leather chair in front of His Excellency’s desk.  His Excellency will be with you shortly.”

Sang Woo sits.  A red rope of sparks circles his waist.  He has full movement of his arms and legs, but he can’t command his shadows or smoke.

He’s only heard of this method of restraint.  It is talked about in the rule books; it forces truth from demons’ mouths and neutralizes anything that they could use to attack other demons.

Hell must feel that he is a threat.

Sang Woo doesn’t know how long he will have to wait for Alastor.  He makes himself comfortable in the chair. He looks about the room.  This is Alastor’s private office.  It is rather…cozy. Warm wood.  Leather in dark brown and plush carpets in deep maroon.  A small loveseat shows the indent of Alastor’s body in front of a pleasantly crackling fire.  The old demon must sleep here from time to time.

And are those hand-embroidered pillows?  One says in pink stitching surrounded by ice cream comes, “Come, buttercup!  There’s fuckery to spread!”  Another, in swirly light-yellow font with red and blue hearts framing the words, “This is not a house of ill repute, it’s a home of ill repute.”

Finally, a third, which has the most wear-and-tear, piques Sang Woo’s curiosity. It is lumpy, as if the stuffing has been squeezed over and over.  Plain black Sanskrit words on a cream-colored background. There are black stains on the corners and edges.  That must be ink.  It can’t be tears. 

His Sanskrit is terribly rusty, but he tries to read the words.  He carefully picks out the sounds.

"Mettā.  Karuṇā.  Muditā.  Upekkhā.”

“Benevolence.  Compassion.  Empathetic Joy.  Equanimity.”  Alastor’s voice interrupts his thoughts.  His robes swish as he briskly walks past Sang Woo.  He rounds the corner of his desk and drops himself heavily in the chair behind it.  “I saw your eyes lingering on it.  It says what you think it says.”

Sang Woo’s eyebrows raise. 

“Oh, go ahead and ask, Fury Sang Woo.”  Alastor sighs.

“Buddhism?”

“Yes.  Any more questions?” Alastor mocks sarcastically. 

Sang Woo is insanely curious as to why the High Inquisitor of the Order of Lucifer in actual Hell would have a hand-made pillow with the Four Brahmaviharas embroidered on it in his office, but he knows it’s best not to pry.  “Yes, Your Excellency.”

Alastor takes a deep breath and folds his hands on his belly, gaze never leaving Sang Woo’s face.  “Do you know why you’re here, Fury Sang Woo?”

“From what I understand, the demon Jin reported me to you.  I don’t know what she told you.  Just that she told you something.” 

“The Angel Jae Young.  She seems to think that the two of you are conspiring against her,” Alastor pauses for dramatic effect and winks exaggeratedly before adding “pssst…because you are” in a stage whisper, and continues “and that she believes you are seducing him.” 

Alastor waits for a response.  Sang Woo just looks at him and remails silent. 

“I know about the conspiracy part, since I directed you to do it, but the seduction part?” 

Sang Woo continues to sit in silence.  Alastor hasn’t yet asked him a direct question, so he won’t volunteer any information. 

“So?”

Sang Woo blinks but still doesn’t respond.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake, stop being so cagey!”  Alastor throws his hands in the air in pure, unadulterated exasperation.  “Are you seducing the Angel Jae Young, Sang Woo?” 

“No, Your Excellency.” Sang Woo’s tone is even. 

Alastor knows that Sang Woo can’t lie at the moment, not with the rope of sparks binding him to his chair.  “Jin says that she saw the two of you kissing.”

“I don’t know what she saw, Your Excellency, but I am not seducing the Angel Jae Young.” 

“I know of her talent for deception…we all do…so when she gave me her report, I bound her with the red sparks.  She wasn’t lying.” 

“And I’m not lying when I say that I don’t know what she saw.  Nor am I lying when I tell you I’m not seducing Jae Young.  But you know that because of these.”  Sang Woo gestures to the sparks about his waist. 

“Sang Woo, did you kiss Angel Jae Young on top of Seoul’s Namsan Tower?” 

“Yes.”  Sang Woo’s heart breaks at the memory.  He may never have the opportunity to kiss Jae Young’s wind-chilled lips again. 

“Did you do it to taste his light?  Are you trying to get him killed?”

“No and no.”  Sang Woo answers flatly. 

Alastor’s eyes narrow in thought.  He slowly tilts his head to the right.  “Tell me, Sang Woo, did the Angel Jae Young’s light dim when you kissed him?”

“No, Your Excellency.”

“Did your smoke and shadows try to overtake his light?”

“No, Your Excellency.”

“Did your smoke and shadows almost seem to protect his light?”

Alastor sees the first sign of surprise in Sang Woo’s gaze.  “Y..yes, Your Excellency.”

“And did the Angel Jae Young’s light seem to shine brighter or flare suddenly when you kissed?”

Confusion and a little bit of panic creeps across Sang Woo’s face.  It is the first time Alastor has ever seen him less than perfectly poised.

“Yes,” he whispers. 

A sad smile passes across Alastor’s lips.  “He loved you first, didn’t he?”

Sang Woo’s mouth opens slightly from shock.  He can’t form words. 

“And you love him back, don’t you?”

Tears fall from Sang Woo’s eyes as he looks at the High Inquisitor.  “More than myself.  More than anything,” he whispers. 

Alastor nods slowly.  “I had my suspicions, since you were always so cautious when speaking about him.  You also went unnaturally still when he came up, as if you didn’t want to give anything away.” 

“You knew?”  Alastor thinks that Sang Woo’s voice sounds like that of a lost child. 

“I did.”

“And you didn’t…do…anything about it?” 

Alastor doesn’t directly answer him.  “You were wondering about the pillow.  The Sanskrit one, were you not?”

“I am curious,” Sang Woo admits.  He doesn’t, however, admit that he really could not give less of a fuck about the pillow when Jae Young’s life is in the balance. 

“I’m old enough to have been taught Sanskrit in school, but you aren’t. It hasn’t been taught in at least two millennia.”  Then, under his breath he adds, “‘Lack of funding for ancient human languages other than Latin’ or some bullshit.  They’re always cutting the education budget first.”  He shakes his head and tuts.  “How do you know Sanskrit?”

“My second charge was a Buddhist monk.  He was the hardest one to influence.”

“Ahhh, but you got him in the end!”  Alastor grins and air-high-fives him.  “Anyway, you’re still wondering about the pillow.”

“Yes.”  Sang Woo states, struggling to keep the edge of impatience from his voice. 

“An adversary and I used to study Buddhism when our charge was asleep at night.  We agreed that if we had been humans, it would have been the religion we would have practiced.”  Alastor pauses again.  “Together.” 

Sang Woo’s brain ticks: Mettā: Loving-kindness.  Karuṇā: Compassion.  Muditā: Sympathetic Joy.  Upekkhā: Equanimity.  These are supposedly heavenly values.  Demons aren’t supposed to have these.

 “We both saw that our sides lacked these virtues.  Heaven is a harsh place, and my angel said that the hierarchy was cold and calculating. We demons are assumed to be incapable of them, so we are never taught those things could ever be within our grasp.  We aren’t given the opportunity to be better.” 

He said, “my angel.”  Did Alastor?  Whas he…?

 “I also loved an angel.  I still do, and I always will.” Alastor closes his eyes.  “We also learned to cross-stitch together.  He made that pillow for me.”  Sang Woo sees a single black tear roll down the old demon’s cheek.  “It’s the only thing I have left of my Haniel.”

“What happened?”  Sang Woo whispers.   He bites his bottom lip.  He shouldn’t have asked. The tears of mourning and despair already told him the ending of the story.

“The Ophanim sentenced him to death.”  Alastor takes a deep breath and releases it through his mouth. “Just for loving me.” 

“I’m so, so sorry.”  Sang Woo tries to soothe the High Inquisitor.  He can’t imagine the misery Alastor has endured.  He doesn’t think he could go on if Jae Young no longer existed in this world. 

“I like to imagine that at least some little molecule of his essence, some little quark somewhere, exists amongst all the stars in the universe and shines down on all of us.  He was too good for Heaven.  They didn’t deserve him. Nor did I.”  Alastor sits forward in his chair.  “I imagine you feel the same way about your Jae Young.” 

Sang Woo nods as tears stain his t-shirt with streaks of gray.  Even in their human forms, demons’ tears still turn what they touch into the color of the emotion they’re feeling.  Sorrow is gray.  He wishes that he could only cry tears of green.  Happiness. 

“Do you want to know why his light shines brighter around you and why your shadows don’t hurt him?” 

“I have wondered about that…why Jin dims Min Joon’s light but why I don’t have the same effect on Jae Young.”

“Because he loved you first.”

“But why aren’t my shadows and smoke taking advantage of that?” 

“Because you love him back.  They don’t want to.”

Sang Woo is overwhelmed by these revelations, but he has one harrowing overarching worry. 

“What happens now?  Will he be executed?”  Sang Woo’s voice pitches toward desperation as he begins bargaining and pleading with Alastor.   “Not Jae Young.  Take me instead.  Please, leave Jae Young alone.  Please, Your Excellency.  Kill me instead.  Let Jae Young live. Please.”  He sobs.

“I have no intention of doing to you and Jae Young what Heaven did to Haniel and me.”  Alastor’s voice goes soft and heavy.  “Hell didn’t care, but Heaven did.  I’m not telling anyone about this, not even the Prince.  I will keep your secret, Fury Sang Woo.  You have my promise.” 

Alastor gets up and walks around his desk.  He stands before Sang Woo and takes his right hand.  He draws a long line down the center of Sang Woo’s palm.  It fizzles, splitting his skin for a short moment, but heals over immediately in a fine black line.  “That is my word and bond.  Should I break my promise, the line will turn blue, and you will have the right to dictate the manner of my death.” 

“I don’t want you to die, Your Excellency.  I would never do that to you.” 

“I see you’ve already embodied Mettā and Karuṇā.” Alastor chuckles.  “You’ve wanted to be a better being for him, haven’t you?  You have learned those things even without studying the teachings.”

Sang Woo gives him a watery smile. Alastor cups Sang Woo’s cheek as a grandfather would a grandchild’s. 

“I will tell Lucifer that you are conspiring with the angel to get rid of Jin…and between you, me, and these four walls, he wants the bitch eliminated, too, but he’s got a few generals that love her ‘self-starter attitude.’” Alastor rolls his eyes and drops his hand to Sang Woo’s shoulder. “I’ll also tell him that you’re trying to seduce Jae Young just a little for funsies.  That you’re doing just enough to get him to cooperate with you, but not enough to kill him.  It’ll make you look good.  He likes that kind of spirit.  Push the envelope, but don’t push it too far.  He’s kind of like your Jae Young like that.” 

“Jae Young might be proud to hear that after what he just experienced in Heaven.”  Sang Woo chuckles.  “We will keep our reports coming, Your Excellency.”

“Good.  Now get out.  I’ve got some soaps to catch up with.”  Alastor twirls his finger, and the rope of sparks disappears from Sang Woo’s waist. 

An Escort of Hell appears in Alastor’s chambers.  Before Sang Woo steps through it, he looks over his shoulder at Alastor.  “I’ll light incense for Haniel.”

The old demon’s chin quivers.  “Leave it at Jogyesa Temple.  He always loved it there.”  He takes a deep breath, sits up straighter, and nods at Sang Woo. 

*****

Jae Young manages to roll himself onto all fours and breathe again.  “What the fuck was that?” he pants. He crawls to the edge of Tae Ri’s balcony and pukes over the side.  He says a silent apology to anyone it may land on.  Hopefully it will infuse the “wearer” with good fortune. 

Jin crouches next to Jae Young and rubs circles between his shoulders. She smells of human perfume covering rot.  “That was the ancient demon language summoning our little demon buddy to Hell!  Oh!  I do hope that Alastor is raking Sang Woo across the coals.  They’re literal hot coals made of brimstone, you know that, right Angel?  His wings will sizzle like a fantastic steak on a grill.”  She inhales deeply, as if sniffing the air.  “I love the smell of demonic misery after they learn that they’ll no longer be able to fly.”

God, no.  Don’t hurt Sang Woo.  Don’t burn his wings.  Please!

Jae Young’s light dims almost imperceptibly at the vision of a screaming, bloody Sang Woo. He vomits again, but this time from emotional distress.  My sweet, sweet demon.    

“Just report me to Heaven. Tell them to leave Sang Woo alone.”

“I’ll do no such thing, handsome.  I want him to suffer for being uppity. More importantly, though, I want to savor you too much to let your light go to waste at the hands of those frigid fuckers upstairs.”  Jin licks the back of Jae Young’s neck. “And I promise.  I will taste you.”  She places four kisses along his shoulder.  “I can already tell you’ll be the orgasm to end all orgasms.  And if for some reason they let Sang Woo go, then I’ll make sure he gets to watch while you make me come.” 

He retches over the balcony a third time.  Please come back to me safely, my love. Please don’t let them hurt you.  Let them take me instead. 

Tae Ri turns on the radio in the apartment.  Wonho serenades his lover. 

Chapter Text

“TAKE YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF HIM, YOU BITCH!”  Sang Woo grabs the back of Jin’s neck and yanks her from Jae Young.  “THIS ANGEL IS MINE,” he growls.

Jae Young feels instant relief upon hearing Sang Woo’s voice and feeling his shadows’ cool caress on his cheek. Even though he’s puking off the side of a balcony, he swoons a little at the demon’s rough possessiveness. 

He’s not hurt.  Thank the stars, he’s not hurt. 

Jin’s eyes go wide as her human glamour drops a little, and Sang Woo sees her forked tongue flicker as she struggles against his vise-like hold.  “How are you here?”

Sang Woo doesn’t deign to answer her.  He keeps his eyes narrowed, and Jae Young notices Sang Woo’s eyes blacken for a moment, causing Jin to blanche.  “You will not touch him.”

Jin stops struggling, collects herself, and smirks.  “Not sure why you haven’t been punished downstairs but make no mistake.  I’ll make sure there are consequences for your actions.”  As fast as lightning, Jin’s shadows darken, and each human finger becomes a tentacle that looks like a headless snake.  She wraps them around Sang Woo’s neck and squeezes.  She lifts him from the ground and slams him against the glass door.  “Give him up, and I won’t kill you.”

Sang Woo claws at her tentacles, feet kicking against the glass.  He’s dying. 

He must not be able to turn into his true form to fight back.  He’s not getting enough air through his fragile human throat. 

“STOP!” Jae Young roars.  His light shines brighter than Sang Woo has ever seen, and the heat pouring off him threatens to burn and char Sang Woo’s human skin, but Jin is blocking enough of the heat to protect him a little.  Her back is taking most of the heat.  She screams, drops a gasping Sang Woo who slides down the glass and lands on his ass, and collapses to the ground herself.  Her fingers turn back into human form as she pants through pain.  Jae Young dims his light so that it won’t burn Sang Woo. 

“I knew the two of you were in on a conspiracy, but I didn’t think it went this far.” Jin states, voice ruined.  Her back crackles through the charring but quickly starts to heal.  She finally stands with a groan, straightens, runs her hands down her blouse and pencil skirt as if smoothing the wrinkles, and stares down at Sang Woo, a new understanding in her eyes.  “You’re not seducing him at all, are you?”

Sang Woo’s eyes widen fractionally, which is all the female demon needs as confirmation.  “I can’t believe that Alastor didn’t see it.  You’re in love with the angel,” she scoffs with a hint of amusement.  She whirls toward Jae Young, her focus sharpening.  She tilts her head.  Her mouth broadens into an evil grin.  “And you’re in love with Sang Woo, too.”

Jin doesn’t miss how Jae Young’s fists clench at his sides and his spine stiffens.  Her smile gets wider.  “I see that I’m going to have to take this situation into my own hands.  I never thought Alastor to be this stupid.”  She shakes her head in mock disbelief and feigns a reluctant sigh.  “I’m going to have to report the angel.”  She purses her lips and lifts her delicately arched eyebrows.   “If I remember Heaven’s rules about falling in love, it means that you will face death.”  She tsks, and it almost sounds rueful.  “I will miss tasting you, Jae Young, but I think the distress I inflict on Sang Woo, knowing that your death is his fault, will taste sweeter.  His abject misery and devastating guilt may just make me come harder than any angel light ever could.”

Jae Young, although standing stiff as marble, begins trembling.

Sang Woo cuts a glance his way and scrambles to his feet. “Leave him alone, Jin.”  His voice is deadly. 

“You can’t save your poor little angel now, Sang Woo.  My mind is made up.  I’m very excited.  I’ve never destroyed two supernatural beings at once, and BONUS! I get a human in the process.”  She pauses.  “Of course, Min Joon will get one, too, since you’ll more than likely forfeit due to Hell stripping you of your duties.”  She shrugs her left shoulder.  “Two out of three ain’t bad. Unless….”

“I’LL MAKE A DEAL WITH YOU!”  Sang Woo’s shout is desperate.

Jin levels an evil smile at him.  “What was that now?”

In a voice barely above a shaky whisper, Sang Woo repeats himself.  “I’ll make a deal with you.”

“You truly want to make a deal with me, Sang Woo?  Over an angel?”

Sang Woo levels a flinty stare at her as he gathers his resolve.  “What do you want in exchange for not reporting Jae Young to the authorities?”

“Hmmm…” Jin’s hum is thoughtful.  “You’re not bargaining for yourself?  I never thought you’d be so chivalrous.  The angel must really be rubbing off on you.”

“What are you willing to bargain, Jin?”

Jin produces a white bottle.  “This is true Joseon porcelain.  A prince once gifted it to me.  He was an absolute delight to work on.  His predilections already leaned toward the twisted, so I didn’t have to work too hard.  He also had spiritual sight and recognized a thing of beauty—me—when he saw it.  He was such a good fuck. His cock was a work of art.  I had never wanted to suck a human off before until him.  Do you remember Sado, Sang Woo?  Pity about the rice chest.”

“What. Do. You. Want. To. Bargain. Jin?” Sang Woo seethes the question through his teeth.

“If you had just given me a minute, I would have already told you.”  She then produces a second white porcelain bottle.  “These two bottles hold Ambrosia.  You know, the drink of the angels.”

“I’m well aware of what Ambrosia is,” Sang Woo snaps. 

“I got it from a Dominion during a poker game once.  Dumb bastard was so drunk that he could neither tell that I was a demon in human form, nor that I was cheating.  Anyway, I won some Ambrosia out of him.  Figured I’d save it for a special occasion.  This is just such.”

“What are your terms, Jin?”

“I’ll actually make two deals with you, Sang Woo.  Are you game?”

“Depends on what those two deals are.”  Jae Young notices that Sang Woo remains stoic, probably unreadable to everybody but him.  Sang Woo’s afraid, Jae Young can see it in the small lines that have formed around his mouth.  However, Sang Woo’s look of determination, as evidenced by the slight narrowing of his eyes, is stronger.   

“If you drink this first bottle of Ambrosia and survive, I will keep my mouth shut about your little love story.”  Jin gracefully waves her hand between Sang Woo and Jae Young.

“And if I don’t survive? Will you report Jae Young?”

“Yes, but really, your death will be all the reward I need.  Watching you burn from the inside out will be such fun!”  Without looking at Jae Young, she snaps her fingers in his direction.  “Go make me some popcorn, handsome.  I’ll need it to fully enjoy my experience.”

“Don’t do it, Sang Woo,” Jae Young pleads with his demon. 

“And if I survive,”  Sang Woo's tone remains flat, “how can I trust that you will keep your word?”

Jin grabs Sang Woo’s left hand roughly, turns it so that his palm is facing up.  “I care too much about self-preservation.  I wouldn’t put it past you to come after me if I didn’t hold up my end of the bargain.”  She drags her fingernail across Sang Woo’s palm, drawing blood.  “A fortune teller I once influenced used to tell her marks that this is the heart line.”  The wound, which follows the groove from just below his index finger to the outside of his palm, glows green, then fades after knitting itself back together.  “If I report him, the line will glow red, and I will die.  Not that it’s going to matter, since you seem to want to play kamikaze.”

“Sang Woo…” Jae Young’s voice is little more than a whimper.  “Please.  Don’t.” 

“What’s the second bargain?”

“If you drink the second one and survive, I’ll leave the little angel alone.  I won’t try to seduce him any longer.”

“No, Sang Woo.  Let her report me.  I can’t live without you.”  Jae Young swipes his hands roughly under his eyes, trying desperately to dry the tears that keep falling. 

Sang Woo turns his head toward Jae Young, a look of sad love on his face. “I can’t live without you, either,” he whispers. 

“Well, aren’t we just a cute little version of Romeo and Juliet?”  Jin places a hand over her heart. “So touching.”  She rolls her eyes.

After a long look at his angel’s beautiful face, he shifts his gaze back to Jin.  “I’ll take both deals.”  He tries to seem more confident than he feels.  He doesn’t think that he’s going to survive, but he has to try.  He needs Jae Young to know that his survival is paramount to Sang Woo, that he would rather risk his own death than to let Jae Young’s kind execute Jae Young. 

“Ah, ah, ah,” Jin wags her finger.  “You can only decide on the second deal after you survive the first.”

“Just give me the bottle, Jin.”  Sang Woo holds his hand out, ready to grab the bottle. 

Jin raises the bottle in cheers.  “To your romantic suicide.”  She hands it to Sang Woo.  “Just a tip.  It might hurt less if you can get it down in one long draught.”

Sang Woo raises the bottle to his lips.

“WAIT,” Jae Young shouts.  He takes three steps forward, pushing Jin out of the way.  He takes Sang Woo’s face in his hands, searches the demon's eyes, and kisses him long and deep.  “I love you,” he breathes against Sang Woo’s mouth. 

Sang Woo gently pushes Jae Young away with his free hand.  “I love you, too.”  He closes his eyes and once again raises the bottle to his lips, swallowing the drink down as quickly as possible. His vision goes hazy, but he continues to swallow. The Ambrosia tastes like poison on his tongue, but, surprisingly, it doesn’t burn his chest as badly as he thought it would.  

Maybe the burning won’t start in earnest until I’ve taken my last mouthful. 

Once he finishes the Ambrosia, he drops the hand holding the bottle away from his lips.  Sang Woo’s vision clears as the burning in his throat and chest fades. The bottle hangs limply from his fingers.    

Sang Woo feels one short moment of confused shock, but schools his features into impassivity.  He doesn’t know why he isn’t dead, but he won’t question it.  Not when the second deal is on the line. 

The gleeful look on Jin’s face starts to wane.  “Why isn’t anything happening?”  She can’t stop herself from shrieking in a tantrum.  “Why aren’t you dead yet?” 

“Give me the second bottle, Jin,” Sang Woo states calmly as he reaches toward the other demon.

Jin wails for a moment longer before calming herself and handing the bottle over.  “I concede to you for the first deal.  I will not report the angel to any of the authorities.”

Jae Young stares at him the entire time.  Relief floods him, and despite his stony expression, his light emits a soft, comforting glow just for Sang Woo.  It worked!  My kiss worked!

But he knows better than to believe that his demon is wholly unaffected.  He’s not sure that Sang Woo can take another bottle. 

Sang Woo hands the empty back to Jin.  “This is the last time I’ll say it.  Give me the second bottle.” 

“Are you sure you want to make this deal with me, Sang Woo?”  She raises her eyebrow in question. 

“I’m certain.  Now.  Give. Me. The. Bottle.” 

“I don’t know that you’ve put much thought into this decision, but if you’re ‘certain,’ you’re certain.”  She hands the bottle to him.  Jae Young sees a spark of…something…in her eyes that gives him pause.    

HOLY FUCK. NO!

“DON’T DO IT, SMOKEY!”  Jae Young leaps forward to try to stop Sang Woo, but the Ambrosia is already going down.

Sang Woo finishes the bottle and drops it.  He staggers a bit but catches himself on the back of one of Tae Ri’s patio chairs.  “I win.”  He coughs.

“You figured out the little demon’s mistake, didn’t you, sexy,” Jin purrs the question. She walks up to Jae Young and runs her index finger from his collarbone, between his pecks, and down to the area where his navel would be if angels were born like humans. 

“Stop touching him.  I survived.  You need to hold up your end of the deal.”

“You fucked up, Sang Woo.  I thought you were smarter than that!”  Jin wraps her arms around Jae Young’s neck and kisses him.  “Mmmmm…still sweet despite the vomit taste.” 

Jae Young pushes Jin away with enough force to knock her to the balcony’s railing. 

Sang Woo’s rage takes over, granting him one short burst of strength.  His smoke wraps itself around Jin’s waist, raises her off her feet, and dangles her over the balcony.   “I finished the second bottle of Ambrosia!  Now you need to hold up your end of the deal!  KEEP YOUR HANDS OFF OF HIM.” 

“Sang Woo,” Jae Young says to him, trying to keep his voice calm. 

“You said you’d leave him alone,” Sang Woo forces the words between his teeth. 

Jae Young comes up behind Sang Woo and wraps his arms around his demon’s waist.  He pulls him away from the edge of the balcony.  “Let her go,” he smooths his hand over Sang Woo’s heart.   “It’s done, Sang Woo.  Let her go.”

Sang Woo’s face crumples in realization.  “No,” he whispers.

“Come on, Smokey.  Let’s pull her back in.”

Sang Woo shakes his head vehemently.  “She isn’t going to leave you alone, is she?”  His voice is on the edge of a sob, but he doesn’t shed a tear. 

“Shhh.  It’s OK.  Bring her back, Sang Woo.  You’ll never forgive yourself if you drop her.”   

Jae Young keeps his grip on the demon’s waist as Sang Woo retracts his smoke and pulls Jin back over the railing.   He stands stilly and silently, eyes cast to the ground.  “I failed you, my love.  And I am so, so sorry.” 

“You did no such thing, Sang Woo.  You saved me.”  Jae Young kisses the top of his head. He turns Sang Woo around in his arms and cups his cheek.  He turns his head and looks out over Seoul’s skyline.  “Look, we both made it to another sunrise alive.  You know what that means?”

Sang Woo shakes his head.  “No.”  He gulps down air, still holding back his tears.

“It means we’ll get through the rest together.”  Jae Young’s smile is nothing short of beatific. 

“Together,” Sang Woo croaks, voice thick with self-recrimination as he stares at the sky bathed in stripes of salmon, lemon yellow, and pink.

“You were so fucking sure of yourself, Sang Woo!”  Jin laughs hysterically.  “So damned confident that you didn’t think!  You’re a demon!  You should know your own kind better than that.  You should never leave out specifics!  I never said I’d leave Jae Young alone.  I just said, ‘the little angel.’ This one isn’t little, but Min Joon is.”  She giggles, spins around, and prowls toward Jae Young.  “Why don’t you let me show you my gratitude for saving me from that fool’s smoke, sexy angel boy?” 

“Save it, Jin. Go inside.  Michael and Tae Ri are waking up.  It’s influencing time.” 

“You’re no fun,” she pouts.  “Fine, I’ll go make Tae Ri horny so that she makes the two of them late for work.”  She slides the glass door open. “Will the Capulet-Montague party be joining m…”

Before she can finish, Jae Young slams the door in her face, gathers Sang Woo in his arms, and launches into the sky. 

“We need to go influence Michael and Tae Ri,” Sang Woo says in a small voice against Jae Young’s chest.  He’s finally gone limp, suffering the effects of the Ambrosia and the stress of the last 12 hours. 

“No, we need to go get you healed and rested.”  Jae Young gathers Sang Woo tighter against his chest.  “Fuck influencing.  I’m taking you to the closest energy vortex.”

“Hallasan Mountain?”  Sang Woo’s quiet.  “I know that deities used to dwell there, but my kind isn’t welcome.”

“No.  There’s one of yours closer.”  Jae Young clenches his jaw.  “One of my former adversaries told me about it.  He said that it wasn’t well known.  There’s a hot sulfur spring there that he used to bathe in.”

“I hate the smell of brimstone,” Sang Woo whimpers.

“I know, baby, but you need magic that I can’t give you.”

Sang Woo lifts his head weakly and looks into Jae Young’s velvety brown eyes.  “Where will you go?”

“I’ll sit at the edge of the vortex and wait for you.” 

“You need to go influence, Jae Young.”

“There’s one thing we need to get straight, here, Smokey.  I’ll never leave you to suffer alone.  That may be Jin’s nature, but it isn’t your nature, and it isn’t mine, either.”

Jae Young approaches a heavily wooded area.  As he carries his love closer, the smell of sulfur tickles his nose. He lands as gently as possible. “I have to set you down here, my love.  Can you walk by yourself?”

Sang Woo nods.  “I feel the energy.” Jae Young places him on his feet and holds his shoulders steady as Sang Woo gains his feet.  He takes a few tentative steps. His wobbly legs seem to get more stable the closer he gets to the spring.  He turns around to look at Jae Young.  “I will need to turn into my true form, so please don’t watch.”

“Feeling a little shy about your birthday suit, Smoke-show?”  Jae Young wiggles his eyebrows, trying to lighten the mood with a little flirting.

“Yes, actually.”  If he sees me, he’ll change his mind about me.

Jae Young’s eyes widen in surprise.  “Oh.  You’re serious.”  He says it as a statement, not a question. 

“Yes.”  Sang Woo plumbs his mind for a plausible excuse to make sure Jae Young doesn’t lay his eyes on him.  “We’ve been through enough bullshit in the last 13 hours.  I don’t want to get reported to the people downstairs for exposing my true form to an angel.”

“Good thinking.  I’ll go sit under that big pine over there and wait for you.  It feels like it has some heavenly energy.”

“Try to sleep, my love,” Sang Woo says in a low voice. “You deserve to rest, too.  I’ll come find you when I’m done, and then we’ll talk.  I have so much to tell you.”

Chapter Text

After Sang Woo’s bath in the sulfur spring, Jae Young has been keeping an eye on him every time Michael and Tae Ri are together.  He has almost fully regained his strength but still suffers the effects of the Ambrosia.  His shadows have been lighter, his smoke wispier.    

Luckily, their humans are now spending five nights per week together.  Because of that, his worry hasn’t eaten away at him too too much.

He loves that he and Sang Woo get to spend those evenings together, even if Jin is a problem.  They have been able to sneak away quite a bit, but she's followed them a few times.  

She has not kept her hands to herself.  Most of the time, Sang Woo is there to stop her, but the moments when Tae Ri is alone—when Michael is running late after work, or he’s picking up a pizza for the two of them, or he’s run back out to the convenience store to get more condoms because the two of them are out (and they run out a lot)—Jae Young is alone with Jin. 

She’s become bolder and more aggressive during the two days per week that Michael and Tae Ri spend apart.  Those days are nothing short of torture for Jae Young. Usually, he’s able to put physical distance between them (he’s taken to sitting at the kitchen table, at Tae Ri’s vanity, or at her desk), but there are times that necessitate being in close proximity.  She’s stunningly good at finding openings, and her violations have gotten more…violent…ranging from nibbling on Jae Young’s earlobes to sliding her hands under his t-shirt and pressing her breasts against his back while embracing him from behind, to flat-out groping his ass and human cock.  If his light dims during that time, it isn’t from Jae Young falling for her, as she thinks, but rather from Jae Young’s exhaustion and disgust.

For a demon so cunning, she hasn’t yet realized that Jae Young can’t be swayed.  She only understands lust.  She simply does not have the capacity to understand love, especially not one that runs as deeply as his and Sang Woo’s.   

Sang Woo worries about Jae Young, too.  In the few times they are able to sneak off together without her on their tails, he tries his best to re-charge Jae Young’s battery.  He whispers sweet words to him as they lie on their backs, fingers laced together, looking at the stars.  He does his best to make the angel laugh.  When they sit side-by-side on the ledge of Namsan Tower, he places his hand on the small of Jae Young’s back and writes love letters to him through his t-shirt.  He kisses him gently, only deepening the kisses when Jae Young wants to.  He lets his angel lead and wraps him in shadows when he needs to sleep in Sang Woo’s arms. 

The rage he feels toward Jin consumes him.  His rage at Hell consumes him even more.  There has been no movement on her case.  Since the Ambrosia incident, Alastor has sent Sang Woo an update each day. 

He and Jae Young are lucky to have an ally in Hell.  Alastor has redoubled his efforts on their behalf, petitioning Lucifer himself to do something.  ANYTHING.

Alastor does it for Haniel, because he knows that Haniel is out there, looking down on Sang Woo and Jae Young and rooting for them, too. 

So, it breaks his heart when he has to send the missive to Sang Woo. 

Chapter Text

To: Fury Sang Woo of the Order of Lucifer

From: Alastor, High Inquisitor of the Order of Lucifer

Re: Termination of Assignment

Dear Fury Sang Woo,

This missive is sent to inform you of the termination of your assignment with Lee Michael.  Mr. Lee’s human body will be perishing in a plane crash in 4 days’ time.  Please prepare your end report and notes to be submitted to the Joint Committee on Soul Procurement and Placement.  It is due in 5 days.  Your attendance will be required at the Soul Weighing 6 days from now.  The Weighing will take place in neutral territory, and an escort will be provided to you. 

After the verdict is given at the Weighing, you will have two days in Hell during which to prepare before your next assignment begins.  You will receive your new assignment upon receiving the verdict for Mr. Lee at the end of the Weighing.

In Lucifer’s Name,

His Excellency Alastor, High Inquisitor of the Order of Lucifer

A note in Alastor’s hand arrives on a plain fire scroll just after the missive arrives.

SW: Hell does not know about this note.  Do not share this information with anybody except J.

  Please see me in my office in three days. I’ll send an escort. All hope is not lost re:  J.  I have an idea, but there’s much risk involved. We shall discuss.

  However, I suggest you say your goodbyes before then, as there is no guarantee that my idea will be successful.

  I will call on her in two days, which is the last night your charges will spend together; you should plan what may be your final time alone with J while she is with me.

You will see J just before M gets on the airplane, as TR will go with him to see him off. If you can steal a moment together at Incheon, you can tell him about the plan. You will only have 30 minutes there. 

The note self-destructs after Sang Woo has read it.

******

He receives the missive while he and Jae Young lounge on the top of Namsan Tower. Jae Young snuggles shirtless into his side, glowing like soft candlelight.

He smiles down at Jae Young’s contented face.  They just spent the last two hours exploring each other’s human chests and backs, skimming soft fingertips over delicate human skin eliciting shivers, while whispering tender words and sharing laughter.    

Sang Woo sits up to catch it.  He cracks the seal and reads it.

He can’t breathe.  He can’t think. He trembles. He looks at Jae Young with wide eyes.  He needs to tell him.  He can’t form the words. 

He holds a dazed thousand-yard stare into the distance and simply hands the missive to the angel, hoping the scroll does not burn his long, elegant fingers.  He can’t look at that beautiful face.    

“No.”  Jae Young sits up abruptly, smile falling and light dimming out.  “No no no no no.” Jae Young drops the missive.  It flutters away, and Sang Woo can’t find it in himself to care.  He’ll take the punishment if a human finds it. 

Jae Young grabs his own hair and lets out a wail of heartbreak.  He wraps his arms around Sang Woo’s shoulders and cries into his neck. Sang Woo closes his eyes and lets his own tears fall as he places soft kisses on the top of Jae Young’s head. 

“It’ll be OK, Sunlight,” he soothes.  “Alastor has ideas for us.”  Sang Woo begins telling Jae Young about the separate, secret message. 

He sees hope in the angel’s eyes, but that hope is dashed on the rocky shores of Alastor’s instruction to say goodbye in two days.    

*****

Once Sang Woo can think again, he asks Jae Young whether he thinks Min Joon received the same message.  Jae Young sniffles, “We’re told only one day before.  Your side has the better strategy.  I always wondered why my adversaries went hard for a few days before death.  Now I know that your side knows before we do.”

“We mustn’t tell them.  Jin will definitely protest to Hell about my keeping this information to myself, but she. Can’t. Know.”

Jae Young doesn’t need to confirm his agreement. 

By the time they collect themselves enough to act innocent, dawn has broken.  They return to Tae Ri’s apartment in silence, flying together with hands gripped tightly.  As if they will never hold hands again.  And they might not.   

Neither one of them gets much influencing done.

*****

“Ah fuck, what does the old coot want now?”

Sang Woo and Jae Young pretend to not know what’s happening, despite having already known for two days.

“What’s happening?”  Min Joon, who is sitting on the floor cross-legged, drops his manhwa and looks at Jin. 

“My superior wants me in a meeting in Hell right now.  Jae Young baby, don’t you DARE engage in any influencing while I’m gone.”

Jae Young keeps flipping through the magazine he’s not really looking at.  “Wouldn’t dream of it, Jin.”  He keeps his voice uninterested and neutral. Inside he’s a wreck.  This will be the last time he and Sang Woo will be alone together. 

“While she’s gone, do you wanna go to the pickup game together, guys?”  Min Joon looks excited. 

“No thanks,” Sang Woo says tersely.  His shadows play peek-a-boo with the soft lamp light.  He throws in an eyeroll for good measure. 

“Go ahead and go, Min Joon.  I’m going to take a nap.”  Jae Young flops on the couch, crosses his arms over his chest, and closes his eyes. 

“All right.  Well, then.  I’ll be back in a bit.” 

It’s only 11 PM.  Sang Woo knows that the pick-up game will last until at least 3 AM.  He and Jae Young will have four hours. 

Only four hours. 

After Min Joon leaves, Sang Woo goes out to the balcony to watch him round the corner toward the basketball courts.  He waits another two minutes before coming back into the apartment.

“Coast is clear.  We can go now.”

“I don’t want to go to Namsan, baby.”

“You want to stay here?”  Sang Woo asks, a note of incredulity in his voice. 

Jae Young sits up.  “No.  I want to go to Bukhansan.”

*****

Once upon the top of the mountain, Jae Young takes Sang Woo’s face into his hands and kisses him.  He pours all of the passion and love he feels into the kiss, hoping that Sang Woo understands.

He knows that he does, because Sang Woo kisses him back fervently.  A frisson runs down both of their spines. 

“Smokey,” Jae Young says, voice rough with longing.  “I know we can’t make love, but I want to do the next best thing.  To give you all of myself, I’m going to show you my true form.”

“I’ve already seen your true form, and I know that you’ve given all of yourself—all of your heart—to me, as I’ve given all of myself to you.  Sang Woo threads the fingers of both of his hands through Jae Young’s.  They stand there, hands held, looking into each other’s souls.

“You haven’t seen my full true form, Sang Woo.”

“But, at the club, you…”

“That wasn’t my full true form.  My full true form wouldn’t have fit inside the club.  That’s why I wanted to come here.”

“I don’t understand,” Sang Woo furrows his brow. 

“My true form is huge. And really, really fucking bright.  I’ll need you to have all of your shadows at the ready.  We don’t need the people of Seoul freaking out, thinking that a bomb has been dropped.”

Sang Woo chuckles.  “You really think you would cause an international incident?”

Jae Young’s face is deadly serious.  “Yes.  It’s happened before. The sinking of the USS Maine during the Spanish-American War wasn’t actually from an explosion.” 

“Huh.  Really? How’d that happen?”

“Sang Woo, I love your curiosity, but we don’t have time for that story.  I need you to throw your shadows around the entire mountain.  Can you do that?”

Sang Woo nods.  “Yes, but probably not for long.  Probably about 5 minutes total.”

“Then start now.”

As Sang Woo erects his shadow barrier, a riot of light flares.  Jae Young emerges from a column of heavenly fire.

Chapter Text

Sang Woo almost drops his shadows as he stares, lips parted and jaw slack, at his angel. He’s devastatingly beautiful, yet Sang Woo’s demon brain can’t help but find him perilously threatening.  He pushes that reaction out of the way.  This is his Jae Young, who would never hurt him.  He doesn’t shrink away, yet his demonic nervous system involuntarily takes over. He’s stunned into paralysis because of it. 

“This is our truest of forms.  It is the form we show those who are dying and are being welcomed into Heaven.  Apparently, we look like the Big Guy’s concept of love and ‘unconditional acceptance,’” Jae Young rolls all 56,000 of his eyes, “which is rich coming from a being that places conditions on acceptance into Heaven.  I guess after you get there, you’re absolved from his rejection.”

Sang Woo is still in awe, still frozen in place.  He’s not saying anything.

Jae Young’s wings—his true wings, tall enough to rival the oldest trees on the mountain and filled with eyes—rustle with nervousness.  He’s uncertain about what Sang Woo is thinking, and he wonders if it he is inadvertently hurting him with the intensity of the light.  His voice turns quiet with insecurity.  “I wanted to show you how seriously and deeply I love you, and this is the best way I know how.”

Sang Woo finally—finally—says something.  “You’re…magnificent.”  No adjective seems quite right.  Jae Young is so much more than any words in any language—human or otherwise—could express. 

Jae Young’s light shines even brighter.  It’s the angelic equivalent of a grin.  “Magnificent, huh?” His light changes color a bit, turning iridescent and glimmering instead of just warmth and illumination.

Sang Woo chuckles.  “Are you blushing?”

“If my light now has glimmers of purple, green, pink, blue, and yellow, then yes, I’m blushing.” 

“It makes you even more ineffably…amazing.”  Sang Woo pauses, human face aflame with shame.  “I don’t have a gift I can give back to you that would match that, Jae Young.  I’m sorry.  I can only express my love for you with words, and they just aren’t enough.”

If 56,000 glowing eyes could avert themselves with shyness, Jae Young’s do.  In a small voice, he asks, “Can I maybe see your true form?” 

Jae Young sees terror grow in Sang Woo’s human eyes. The demon starts vehemently shaking his head and starts walking backward.  Jae Young promptly turns back into his human form so that he can touch Sang Woo without burning him.  “Did I say something wrong?”  He steps forward, matching Sang Woo’s retreat step-for-step. 

“You don’t know what you’re asking of me, Jae Young.”  Sang Woo feels tears form in the corners of his eyes.  He wills his eyes to dry.  “Please, don’t make me reveal myself to you.  I’d rather you continue to think of my human skin as my true form.”

“Sang Woo…”

“No, Jae Young.  I will do nothing but frighten you.”

“You’ve seen my true form, and I’m pretty scary.”  Jae Young smiles lovingly.  “Wings taller than these old pines, 56,000 glowing eyes, remember?”

“The difference is that you’re gorgeous in your true form, even if you’re frightening.  You’re literally made of God’s love.”  Sang Woo stares at some point on the ground in front of him.  “Please, Jae Young. I don’t want to horrify you.  Or worse—disgust you.”

“You won’t scare me, and you won’t disgust me.”  Jae Young replies earnestly with conviction.  His eyes search Sang Woo’s face.  “You won’t.” 

“DAMN IT, JAE YOUNG!  I AM LITERALLY MADE OF NIGHTMARES AND TRAUMA,” Sang Woo shouts. His eyes prickle again, but he must not cry. “Demons aren’t made of just any old smoke or shadows in our true form! Our smoke and shadows are abject fear, agonizing heartbreak, and ravaging mental demoralization made physical.”

“I promise you; I will not be afraid.” Jae Young’s confidence borders on heavenly cockiness. 

“YOU DON’T KNOW THAT!” Sang Woo roars, arms held stiffly at his sides, fists clenched. He squeezes his eyes shut as the tears he fought so hard against stream down his cheeks, leaving a sheen as bright as diamonds on his skin in the moonlight overhead. He trembles.  His shaky voice softens.  “You don’t know that.”

Jae Young approaches him and cradles Sang Woo’s face in his hands.  He strokes his thumbs across Sang Woo’s cheekbones, wiping the tears away.  “I do know that, Sang Woo.  I know because it’s you.  Please open your eyes and look at me.  Please.”

“I can’t look at you.”  Sang Woo quakes harder.

“Are you that angry at me for asking to see your true form?  You don’t even want to look at me?”

“No.  It’s just… my eyes, Jae Young.  Not right now.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t let you see my eyes.”

“I’ve seen you cry several times, Sang Woo.  It’s all right to cry in front of me.”

“You may have seen me cry, but you’ve never seen my eyes when I cry.”

“I know it’s still tough for you to be vulnerable with me…”

Sang Woo cuts him off sharply.  He grits his teeth.  “You’ve. Never. Seen. My. Eyes.”

Jae Young stops to think.  Any time he’s seen Sang Woo weep, his eyes always remain closed when the tears fall. 

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say here, Sang Woo.”

Sang Woo made a promise, that he’d try to explain himself.  He’s having trouble controlling his emotions, and his voice is laced with hysteria.  “Our eyes change when demons cry in our human forms!”  Sang Woo tries his best to take the bite out of his words.  His voice drops to a whisper. “They’ll hurt you, Jae Young.”

Even though Sang Woo can’t see Jae Young while his eyes are pinched shut, he can feel the angel’s confusion rolling off him in waves.

“I don’t understand.”  Jae Young’s tries to steady his voice so as not to cause Sang Woo any more distress. “You promised me. I’m asking you now.  Please help me understand, Sang Woo.”

Sang Woo’s face twists in distress as he gently grasps Jae Young’s wrists and removes the angel’s hands from his face.  He gently pushes Jae Young away. “Our eyes…they…they swallow light when we cry,” he stammers.  “You’re made of light.  My eyes …my eyes will… ”

Sang Woo shakes his head again and lets out a choked whimper.  The tears keep falling, fast and violent.  He can’t seem to make his voice work anymore.

Jae Young loosens a breath.  “I trust you.”

“W…what?” 

“I trust you, Sang Woo.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“I trust that you won’t let your eyes hurt me.”

“You’re talking nonsense, Jae Young.”

“You have so much self-control, Sang Woo.  Never once have your shadows or smoke caused me injury, even though they are supposed to be deadly for angels.  You’ll be able to control this, too.  You won’t hurt me.”

“I won’t be able to live with myself if I…if I extinguish any of your light.”

“Damn it, Sang Woo,” Jae Young snaps through tears of frustration.  “Then I’ll just shine brighter when you open your eyes!” 

Jae Young pulls more sunlight forth from inside of him.  It shines so brightly that Sang Woo feels it vibrating against his fragile human eyelids.

“Just open your eyes!”  Jae Young pleads through a sob.  His voice softens and quietens.  “Please, just let me see your eyes.”

Sang Woo doesn’t know how Jae Young can trust him. He doesn’t deserve it.  He’s a demon.  By definition, he’s inherently untrustworthy. 

And yet.

And yet this angel—his angel—is placing all his faith in him. 

He’s never been able to deny his angel anything.

“Forgive me, Jae Young.”

Sang Woo opens his eyes.  Where human whites and pupils once were, the deepest black holes remain.  They have their own gravity.  And while Sang Woo’s smoke curls away from Jae Young’s illumination, his eyes chase after it. 

They chase, but they don’t devour. They don’t destroy.  For some reason, Sang Woo’s eyes aren’t dousing Jae Young’s light.

“See, Sang Woo,” Jae Young whispers. “You’re not hurting me.  And you’re not scaring me.”

Those words coil themselves around Sang Woo’s heart.  If Jae Young isn’t afraid, he shouldn’t be, either. He decides.

Loud crackling noises fill the air as a cyclone surrounds Sang Woo’s human form.  It pulls away the glamours and the smoothness of his human voice, leaving his true form behind.

Jae Young stares at him, eyes wide, brow furrowed, mouth agape, and rooted to the spot. 

Sang Woo takes in his beloved’s expression, and his heart shatters.

Jae Young is struggling to hide his repulsion, and he’s afraid of me. I knew this would happen. 

He gathers himself and pulls himself upright on his hind legs so he is at least standing like a human rather than crouching on all seven of his appendages as he normally would. He raises his chin in an attempt to hold his head proud. He needs to try to give himself some semblance of dignity even though he is anything but dignified in his demonic form.  He stills his armored tail so that it won’t ripple forth to strike Jae Young. In his true voice—somewhere at the intersection of a hiss and static—Sang Woo says, “I understand.”

His black snake’s head turns to the side as he casts his six molten red eyes to the ground.  His chest, heavy with bronze-colored spikes, heaves as he struggles to breathe. He folds his wings—even taller than Jae Young’s—in tightly so they don’t protrude as much from his misshapen, pustule-filled back.  He nods.  “It’s OK, Sunshine.  I understand.”

He turns to walk away, but Jae Young surges forward and catches one of his webbed, clawed hands.  “No, you don’t, Sang Woo.  You don’t.”

Sang Woo keeps his back turned to Jae Young and continues to look toward the ground. “I know that I am revolting.  I even disgust myself!  And I knew that it would end up this way. That it could only end this way. That once you saw my true form, you would change your mind about me.  If I had just stayed hidden, you would have kept me in your heart.  Now this,” he spits the word with vitriol, “is how you’ll remember me.”

“NO, Sang Woo.  You’re wrong.”  Jae Young’s light wraps around Sang Woo’s body, almost cradling him.  “You’re wrong.  Don’t run away from me.”

Sang Woo finally looks over his shoulder at Jae Young. 

“Please turn around, Sang Woo.”

Again, he can’t deny his angel.  He once again angles his body toward Jae Young.  He reluctantly raises his eyes. 

Jae Young is looking back at him as if…in awe.  He leans in.  Sang Woo tries to pull back, but Jae Young tugs his hand, dragging him closer, and tenderly kisses Sang Woo’s scaly, lipless mouth.

“You’re the most beautiful being I have ever seen.  You’re…wonderous.”

Sang Woo is rendered speechless. 

Angels are incapable of lying.

Jae Young notices Sang Woo struggling to stand on his hind legs.  “Are you uncomfortable, Sang Woo?” 

“Yes.” 

“Then please, don’t hold yourself in an unnatural way.”

Sang Woo doesn’t want to embarrass himself by crouching on his limbs and can’t stand the humidity gathering on his scales, so he returns to his human form.

“Thank you for sharing yourself with me,” Jae Young whispers.  He knows it is the most intimate thing that Sang Woo has ever done. 

“I feel better making our farewells in my human form.”  He smiles ruefully.  “Plus, kissing feels better in my human form.  I have actual lips this way.”

Jae Young lets out a laugh.  “Then, by all means, let’s spend our last night together as humans.”

“Shall we unfurl our wings, too?”  Sang Woo jokes. 

“Abso-fucking-lutely!  I promised you a wing orgasm.  This is my last opportunity!”  Jae Young unfurls his wings and playfully tickles Sang Woo’s arms with his feathers. 

Sang Woo’s eyes drift to the side and he bites his bottom lip.  He unfurls his wings, too.