Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Hi guys! I thought I'd start the chapter off with a lil note.

Chan: Pride

Minho: Wrath

Changbin: Gluttony

Hyunjin: Envy

Han: Sloth

Felix: Greed

Jeongin: Lust

First chapter should be out soon, I can't wait to start, mwehehehe. 

See you soon, peasants >:)

Chapter Text

Seungmin entered the house. 

He didn't have the apartment anymore. 

His brother kicked him out. 

He was getting married, and his fiancée hated Seungmin. Too quiet, she said. He was unsettling.  

He was eighteen. 

Barely old enough to keep up with the rush of Seoul. The daze of the city had twisted his head. 

So he moved to the country side. A cheap house that his brother bought for him last week. It was big. Seven bedrooms and three bathrooms. A kitchen and a living room. And forest that went on for miles.

It was quiet. 

Like Seungmin. 

He put his small suitcase on the bed, unpacking the few clothes he'd brought with him. A couple pairs of shirts, so baggy they seemed to swallow his body. Some pants. 

The giant armoire towered over him. His clothes barely filled up the first drawer. 

He made his way to the kitchen. It was clean. Pots and pans were stocked up, hanging from rods along the stove. 

A breeze from an open window danced in Seungmin's hair. 

Crash

Seungmin's head spun to the side. 

A pot had fallen. 

Seungmin sighed. 

That night, Seungmin had barely slept. He tried, he really did. But something about the house gave him a strange feeling. 

And he couldn't ignore it. 

The next morning, after maybe an hour of sleep, he woke up to the sound of another crash. It was louder this time. He ran out of the bedroom, and poked his head around the corner. The kitchen was untouched. The living room was another story. 

Pillows were strewn across the room, and a couple books seemed to be carelessly thrown. 

Seungmin groaned and began to put everything back. 

The rest of the day was boring. 

Cleaning. 

Cleaning was boring. 

No music playing from a brother's room. 

No rom-com playing the background that had him and his brother cackling. 

The house almost seemed to know. 

It listened. 

And Seungmin spoke. 

Just three words. 

"I miss you,"

He didn't miss his brother. 

He missed the company. 

The house seemed to lean with him. 

Chapter Text

Seungmin slept well that night. 

Two weeks in and the loneliness started to slip away. 

Almost. 

He felt a bit happy that day.

Almost. 

Until he found someone sleeping on his couch. 

Seungmin crossed through the kitchen, making himself a sandwich, in a bit of a good mood. He was about to sit on the couch to watch a new k-drama that he'd heard of, when he saw someone resting his head on the armchair. 

And he shrieked. Loudly. 

The person stirred, and groaned,

"Do you mind? 'm trying to sleep," 

"This is my house!" Seungmin shouted, dropping his sandwich. 

"And this is my couch," the man sassed, and leant his head back on his arms. 

"Who are you?" Seungmin asked more curiously. 

"I'm Jisung," the man mumbled, closing his eyes. Sloth hummed predominately in Seungmin's mind. 

"Sloth," Seungmin whispered, trying the thought on his tongue. 

The man-Jisung-groaned noisily and rolled over. Seungmin intrusively patted Jisung's hair and walked off. Jisung squawked in protest. 

He threw away the old sandwich that had attracted a spider and grieved the meal. 

He turned around and blinked in surprise.

A brand new sandwich laid on the counter. 

"Jisung?" Seungmin called. Jisung snored back in reply. Seungmin hesitantly reached out to touch the sandwich, which did look delicious, and bit into it slowly. Okay, not poisonous. And not that bad, either. 

"You like it?" a deep voice said from behind. Seungmin jumped and turned around. A blonde man was standing behind him. Seungmin's face twisted in shock. Such a deep voice from such an innocent looking man. 

"Yeah, I guess,"

"Good, I could use one," the man chuckled. 

"Who are you? Why do people keep showing up in my house?" Seungmin asked.

"I'm Felix," the man answered. Greed ran through his mind. 

"Do you know Jisung?"

"Unfortunately," Felix muttered. 

"I heard that!" Jisung yelled from his position on the couch. Seungmin giggled and Felix's smirk grew to a wide smile. 

"You're so cute," Felix murmured. 

Seungmin paused. 

"Me?" 

"Yeah, you," 

What had Seungmin gotten himself into? 

Chapter Text

Seungmin had gotten used to Jisung and Felix. A couple days had passed, and Seungmin fell into a rhythm. Felix would make them something to eat and Jisung would go back to bed, Seungmin would work online, (although Felix's protests of keeping him by his side instead of at the computer all day were tempting) and the cycle would repeat.

Seungmin never questioned where they came from. He'd given up asking the second day, as something in his conscious advised him against it. 

And then,

someone else showed up. 

At breakfast, Felix had made cinnamon rolls. Seungmin eyed them warily. His brother's fiancée was strictly vegan and hated processed sugar, and nailed it into both her lover and her future brother in law's minds that sugar was bad. Weight-shaming seemed to be her favorite hobby. 'Too skinny,' one day. 'Too big,' the next. Seungmin hated it. Hated her.  

"Eat it," Felix demanded. 

"I'm not hungry," Seungmin said. 

"Just eat it, Min," Jisung slurred from the couch, half-asleep. Seungmin pouted and took a small bite. It was good. He wanted more. Felix put a hand on Seungmin's back comfortingly and Seungmin needed more. He finished the cinnamon roll quickly, and Felix smiled triumphantly. Seungmin's guilt crept back in as Felix stepped away. 

"I'm gonna go lie down. I'm kind of tired," Seungmin excused himself and rushed off. Felix exhaled and watched the younger run off to his room. 

"Did you do that?" Felix asked Jisung, who shrugged and threw his head back onto the pillow. 

Seungmin laid his head down and tried to sleep. 

But he really couldn't.

Not even a little nap. 

"Need help?" a voice asked him. Seungmin sat up and stared at the figure beside his door. 

"Where do you all keep coming from?" Seungmin muttered. 

"What do you mean all?" the figure hissed. 

"Y'know, like Felix and Jisung," Seungmin mumbled. 

"They came already? I'm never first," the figure scoffed. 

"Who are you?"

"...I'm Hyunjin," the figure said hesitantly. Envy bled through Seungmin's mind. 

"Oh,"

"You look like you could use a nap," 

"No shit, Sherlock," Seungmin sneered. Hyunjin rolled his eyes and sat himself next to Seungmin. "What are you doing?" he asked, as Hyunjin got closer. 

"You want to take a nap? I said I could help," Hyunjin said simply. 

"Fine," Seungmin huffed. Hyunjin grinned and pinned Seungmin down, pulling him into his side. "You're really clingy, you know that?" Seungmin murmured. A muffled response came from Seungmin's side. 

The strange thing was, he felt so comfortable with all of this. Nothing felt strange. It was almost familiar. Or maybe, he was just so touch-starved, he'd accept any company. 

"Stop thinking so loud," Hyunjin groaned. Seungmin huffed and closed his eyes. 

And he drifted off. 

Seungmin woke up to someone pulling him to the left side of the bed. 

"Mmf?" he mumbled, face pressed into someone's chest. 

"You're so pretty. No wonder Hyunnie-hyung wanted to nap with you," a voice giggled. Seungmin was really, really confused. Fingers trailed down Seungmin's back, far too low for his liking. His kicked his feet in protest as the strange person chuckled. "Feisty one," the voice murmured. 

Seungmin lifted his face, and good lord, this man was gorgeous. 

"Huh?" Seungmin asked dumbly, in shock of the man's beauty. 

"I'm Jeongin, but you can call me Innie," the man said. Lust, the voice in Seungmin's head sang. 

"Min," Seungmin said. He sounded so, so stupid. 

"Seungmin? You're awake?" Hyunjin, slowly waking up, grumbled. 

"Ugh, he's here," Jeongin groaned. Hyunjin sat up to see Jeongin holding Seungmin, and his eyes flashed with something.

"Get out," Hyunjin barked. 

"I don't feel like it," Jeongin hummed. 

"You only feel like fu-"

"You only like it when Seungmin pays attention to you, which has happened, hm? Once?" Jeongin taunted. Seungmin looked warily at the two, confused and feeling like someone had wiped him with a cloth, his brain clean and barely thinking. 

"Don't you even dare," Hyunjin hissed, and pushed Jeongin away from Seungmin. Seungmin looked at Jeongin with a sad, confused stare. 

"Felix!" Jeongin called. In an instant, Felix showed up, and sighed. 

"Keep your hands to yourself," Felix groaned, and left. 

"Fine," Hyunjin mumbled. 

"Now get out," Jeongin demanded. 

"You really think I'm that dumb?" Hyunjin shot back. 

Something triggered Seungmin. Perhaps past memory, or just the harsh words, or that hazy feeling he'd gotten from Jeongin, but slow, hot tears fell his face. His legs curled together as the two other men realized their mistake and coddled him. Jeongin wrapped himself around Seungmin, rubbing circles into his shoulder. Hyunjin pressed kisses into Seungmin's hair. Why was this happening? Why was Seungmin so, so confused?

"What's wrong, Minnie?" Hyunjin asked. 

"I dunno," Seungmin mumbled, the haze still clouding his mind. 

In an attempt to recover his dignity, he wiped his eyes and ended up sneezing, flinching slightly and looking shocked at his own outcome. 

"He's too cute," Jeongin whispered. He kissed the side of Seungmin's face, coating his lips in the warm tears left on Seungmin's cheeks. The haze deepened and a faint glassiness covered his eyes. Seungmin's nose wrinkled in surprise. 

Hyunjin's eyebrows pressed together in frustration, and to one-up Jeongin, dipped in to kiss Seungmin on the lips. Seungmin's eyes fluttered in shock, too dumb to kiss back, instead just let him be kissed. And held. And cuddled. 

Maybe this wasn't so bad. 

Chapter Text

Seungmin followed Jeongin and Hyunjin back into the kitchen, where Felix spotted both and groaned. Loudly. Even Jisung, groggy and half-asleep, muttered something in annoyance under his breath. 

"What do you two need?" Felix sighed as he pulled a fresh batch of cookies out of the oven. 

"Those cookies," Jeongin grinned eagerly, but was given a slap on the wrist. 

"Not yet. They're cooling," Felix instructed. 

"You are no fun," Jeongin murmured.

"The only type of fun you like is-" Hyunjin started.

"SHUT UP!" Jeongin shouted, hitting Hyunjin's shoulder angrily. Seungmin stared in confusion. 

"Oh my lord, can you not," Jisung whined, which earned a kick in the shin from Jeongin. 

"I am done with all of you! Chan, go babysit your kids!" Felix called out, and all of a sudden, a man walked out of the laundry room.

What was going on in this house?

"I am not taking care of them. I have too much dignity for this," Chan said. Felix gave Chan a look that scared Seungmin. Pride, his subconscious chuckled.  

"Everyone, out," Felix demanded. 

"Even me?" Seungmin asked innocently. Felix's face softened, and then barked,

"You can stay. Now scram!" The four rushed out of the room, clearly knowing from experience that they shouldn't mess with Felix. 

Seungmin sat on the counter, silent, just watching Felix bake. 

Something about that was calming. 

Easy. 

Chan shuffled the rest of them into an empty room, and flopped onto the couch. 

"I hate all of you," Hyunjin mumbled. 

"It's mutual," Jisung replied. Hyunjin threw a pillow at the man sprawled across the bed. A yelp of surprise escaped Sloth and Jisung crawled over to tackle him. Jeongin was pulled into it and hit Hyunjin's arm in revenge. 

"Enough!" Chan ordered, and the mess stopped. 

"Fine, Dad," Jeongin grumbled. 

Chan exhaled and tried to calm himself. 

"Don't make me bring Minho out,"

"NO!" the three begged, Jeongin latching onto Chan's leg in desperation. 

Chan grinned. 

"Okay. Changbin, however, has been waiting very patiently, I think I'll let him have his time," he decided. 

"No!" Hyunjin hissed, jealousy oozing in his voice. 

"Come on, please?" a new voice pleaded, standing in the corner. Changbin. Gluttony.  

"He's waited so long, I think he should have his turn," Chan drawled. He loved it, he loved playing out the game and torturing the others with the taunt. It was satisfying, seeing them beg for him. 

"Chan, please, I need it-" Changbin begged, on the verge of kneeling in front of the older.

"No! Chan, one more day! One more day to have him to myself!" Jeongin pleaded. 

"He's so clingy! He's like a leech!" Jisung protested, voice high-pitched in disgust. 

"Then there'll be five of us! Five!" Hyunjin hissed.

"You can share," Chan said casually.

"Just listen to Chan, I need him now," Changbin urged. With a flick of his wrist, Chan let Changbin go from his corner. A wide, happy grin spread across his face as Changbin raced to the door.

"Stop!" Chan demanded. Changbin turned around, a pouty frown on his face. 

"Why?" he whined, eyebrows crinkling together.

"Felix is having his time. Wait an hour," Chan said simply. 

Changbin huffed as the three others grinned in satisfaction.  

Chapter Text

"You want a cookie?" Felix asked, handing Seungmin a cookie. Seungmin took the cookie and bit into it with such an eagerness, Felix couldn't help but chuckle. Seungmin downed the cookie in nearly ten seconds flat, grinning innocently afterwards. 

"Do you have any questions?"

"Hm?" Seungmin hummed, cocking his head in confusion. 

"About us. The people that come with the house," Felix stated. 

"Was it in the contract?" Seungmin asked sassily. 

"Unfortunately, not," Felix said, and took a bite of his own cookie. 

"Are you really people? Shoot, that sounds weird-"

"No, you're right," Felix replied, as if they were talking about the weather.

Seungmin coughed, choking on his cookie. 

"Min! Are you okay?" Felix asked worriedly, putting a hand on Seungmin's knee, looking up to the boy sitting on the counter. 

"Y-yeah, did I hear you correctly?" Seungmin said weakly. 

"Yup,"

He choked again. 

"So you're telling me you're not people? What are you, then?"

"Demons," 

"Huh?" Seungmin shrieked. 

"Yeah. It's... complicated, but we're, nice demons, I guess?" 

"FELIX!" a voice yelled from another room. Felix groaned loudly. Seungmin had a feeling it was another.

A short but muscular man stood in the doorframe, anger written all over his face. 

"Changbin, please, save me the dramatics," Felix sighed. 

"I will not! Chan told me I could see him-"

"No, I did not, you are just impatient!" Chan protested, pulling Changbin by the collar, yanking him backwards. 

"OW!" Changbin yelped, and glared at the older. 

"Is it that hard for all of you to cooperate?" Felix groaned. 

"I can, the underlings are incapable-"

"Underlings?!" Hyunjin shrieked, and pulled Chan back, arms caged around his shoulders. 

"I'm going outside," Seungmin mumbled, dodging the grasp of the others trying to hold him back. 

"But I've been waiting! So long!" Changbin whined, trying to grab at Seungmin's hood. 

"I deserve him more!" Chan yelled, knocking Changbin's hand away. Jeongin pulled at Seungmin's arm as the overstimulated one ran off, disappearing deep into the woods. The six watched as he fled, and groaned in disappointment. 

"Great, you scared him off. You always do," Felix sighed. 

"It's not my fault-" Chan tried, but Felix stopped him as he shouted,

"ENOUGH! All of you back to your rooms!" 

"Fine," they grumbled. 

Felix followed Seungmin outside, worried and pacing. He knew the woods like the back of hand, after being confined in the area for thousands of years. 

"Where are you?" he mumbled, swiveling his head in search.

And there he was. Sitting on a stump, looking off into nowhere. 

"Min? It's Felix," Felix said softly. Seungmin's head turned slowly, soaked in tears. 

"Are you okay?" he asked. 

Seungmin shrugged. Felix dove in, pulling Seungmin into a hug. 

"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Min. I know they're a lot, but they're so soft when you get to know them-"

"I don't doubt it. I'm just not... used to being noticed like this," Seungmin said, looking off to a lone bird, calling in the trees. Lonely. Like him. 

Not anymore. 

"They are pretty overwhelming," Felix admitted, sitting on the stump next to him. 

"Yeah. I just like being alone sometimes," Seungmin muttered. 

"And you can have that," 

"Thank you," Seungmin whispered. Felix smiled softly and pulled Seungmin in closer. 

Everything was going to be okay.

Chapter Text

After Seungmin fell asleep that night, Chan gathered everyone into the living room. Felix had to pull Jisung out of bed and Changbin and Jeongin from Seungmin. 

"What do you want?" Hyunjin hissed. Chan sighed and said, 

"I think we're going to have to let him out," 

Shouts of protest filled the room. Even Felix was shaking his head no. 

"It's not good for him to be this repressed. He's getting really moody," Chan testified. 

"But he's going to scare Seungmin away!" Changbin protested. 

"That's hypocritical of you," Hyunjin murmured. 

"You're mean!" 

"You smothered him today!" Jisung said. 

"Enough!" Chan barked. Changbin grumbled and Hyunjin grinned in satisfaction.

"We're going to have to monitor him, though, it's not safe for him to with Seungmin alone," Felix said worriedly. 

"Yeah, we'll have to do that. But whatever you do, don't rile him up. Remember last time?" Chan added. The others looked at the side of the wall, the off-color standing out, covering the hole in the wall that he made. 

"All in favor of letting him out?" Felix asked. 

"Are we seriously voting?" Jeongin scoffed. 

"Well, I could just decide for you-"

"Chan, I am this close to decapitating you," Hyunjin snarled. 

"Let him out, then," Chan said with a grin. 

Footsteps echoed through the hall. 

Everyone held their breath. 

"I'm last again?" he roared. Eyes narrow, jaw tight. 

Wrath was here. 

The next morning, Seungmin woke up, sleep disturbed by something he couldn't quite place. He dragged himself to the kitchen, feet nearly tripping him. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as leaned against the counter. 

"Good morning, sleeping beauty," Jeongin said flirtatiously, running his fingers along the side of Seungmin's waist. The hazy, addictive feeling returned to Seungmin's mind, easy and sweet. 

"Jeongin, it is seven in the fucking morning, can you please keep your hands to yourself?" Hyunjin snapped. 

"Someone's jealous," Jeongin hummed, pulling Seungmin in closer. Seungmin sighed and grabbed himself a cup of coffee. Hyunjin murmured something mocking under his breath and spun on his heel, grumbling. 

"You really like setting him off, don't you?" Seungmin said, sipping his coffee.

"He's just dramatic," Jeongin shrugged, and squeezed the side of Seungmin's waist, who yelped in surprise. Jeongin chuckled and nuzzled his nose in the soft flesh of Seungmin's neck. Seungmin rolled his eyes affectionately and patted the man's hair. 

"JEONGIN, I SWEAR TO-" someone yelled. Seungmin's eyes darted to meet a delicate-looking man, his eyes contrasting his light features, flashing furiously. 

"Now the party's started," Jeongin murmured in annoyance. 

"Jeongin, get your filthy hands off of him," the man hissed. 

"Calm down, Minho," Jisung murmured from the couch. 

"I'm going to wring your neck," Minho barked to Jeongin. 

Seungmin backed up, Jeongin's hand falling out of grasp. 

"You're scaring him," Felix said from the back, his tone scolding and low. 

"I don't care! Jeongin can't stop touching everything he sees-" 

"Glad we're on the same page," Hyunjin murmured. 

"Shut up!" Jeongin shouted. 

"I'm sorry, Seungmin, Minho just gets a little angry every now and then," Chan sighed, rubbing Seungmin's shoulder. 

"A little?" Jisung scoffed. A pillow was thrown into his face. 

"Honestly, I should have expected this," Seungmin groaned. 

"So you'll stay?" Changbin asked eagerly. 

"Do I have a choice?" 

Chapter Text

Minho was restrained away from Seungmin most of the day, mostly by Hyunjin and Chan in one of the bedrooms.  

"Let me out," he demanded, struggling against Hyunjin's grip. 

"You scared Seungmin earlier. You can't do that," Chan said, his voice growing stricter. 

"Jeongin was all over him!" Minho protested. 

"He's not wrong, hyung," Hyunjin added.

"It's in his nature, Minho," Chan said, an forced Minho to sit down. 

"It's in my nature to get angry," Minho argued. Chan sighed and Hyunjin shrugged his shoulders.

Jeongin felt lonely. 

His arms felt like he needed to hold something. 

Not just something. 

A very specific, huggable, Seungmin-shaped thing. 

He wandered off to the living room, where Seungmin was lounging, reading a book of some sorts. 

"Reading is boring," Jeongin murmured, lazily leaning on the couch's backside. He plucked the book out of Seungmin's hands, with a yelp of protest coming from Seungmin, and read aloud, "Anna Karenina? Sweetheart, come on, I've got a better idea," 

Seungmin cocked an eyebrow, tilting his head. And it was so cute. 

"What is your better idea?" Seungmin asked. 

"I'm glad you asked," Jeongin said with a smirk, taking a fistful of Seungmin's shirt and pinning him down to the couch. 

"Innie-hyung!" Seungmin squealed, writhing underneath Jeongin.

"Call me that again," Jeongin said, pinning him farther down. 

"Innie-hyung?" Seungmin repeated, the hazy feeling returning with a vengeance. He couldn't really think, just the fit of Jeongin into him. 

"Yes," Jeongin gasped, and pressed a quick kiss to Seungmin's lips. Seungmin let out a squeak of surprise and let Jeongin trail his mouth down his neck, leaving wet, warm spots all over Seungmin's neck. 

"Hyung," he whimpered, gasping as Jeongin left him susceptible to the delight left in sweet pecks along his shoulder, Jeongin nosing underneath Seungmin's shirt. Jeongin's free hands trailed to pin Seungmin's waist down, while the other kept a light pressure along his chest. 

"You are disgusting, Jeongin," Jisung said from his side of the couch. Seungmin's face turned red in embarrassment as Jeongin barked a laugh. Jisung scoffed and continued, "You're lucky Hyunjin's not here. He'd be almost as bad as Minho," Changbin turned the corner into the living room and said, 

"Are we all making out? Can I join?" 

"NO!" Seungmin groaned, hiding his blushing face. 

"Come on, just one little kiss," Changbin begged. Before Seungmin could protest, Changbin gave him a kiss on the cheek and ruffled his hair. 

"Mine," Jeongin said, like a little kid with his toy, pulling Seungmin away from Changbin. 

"Oh, you wish you were me," Changbin strutted, and posed dramatically. 

"You're acting like Chan," Jisung noted. 

"Oh, oh no, someone stop me!" Changbin panicked, and ran off comically. Seungmin giggled and Jeongin bopped him on the nose playfully. 

"Hey!" he shrieked, and tickled Jeongin's side in revenge. 

"You'll regret that," he hissed, and Seungmin's smile only grew wide. Jeongin pounced and tickled Seungmin, flipping him over to get the back of his neck, Seungmin's most sensitive spot. Seungmin could barely breathe in laughter.  

"How-how did you know that's my ticklish spot?" Seungmin asked in between fits of laughter. 

"I just know these things," Jeongin said, and placed a kiss on the back of his neck. 

Seungmin fell off the couch. 

"Ow," he muttered, rubbing his head. 

"Are you okay, Min?" Jeongin gasped, pulling Seungmin back into his lap. 

"Yeah, just hurts," Seungmin replied. Between the haze and shock of falling of the couch, Seungmin couldn't really understand anything. Jeongin seemed to understand that, and just held him. Jisung groaned in annoyance.

Changbin must have gotten Felix, the two nearly shrieked at the sight. 

"I'm joining!" Changbin declared, and took the two into his arms. 

"They're so cute," Felix muttered before attaching himself.

It was a good thing neither Minho nor Hyunjin saw them. 

Right? 

Chapter Text

Minho hated it. He hated the way Sunghoon was being shared like a dog. Passed around and kept, possessive and needy.

He hated being angry all the time.

It was exhausting.

Not in the way Jisung was, floppy and sleeping.

Emotionally, where he couldn't think right and everything hurt to focus.

Being angry was easy.

The after-effects weren't.

Hyunjin and Minho just happened to walk in when Seungmin was being coddled by the others. Hyunjin's eye twitched. Minho needed to punch something. Or throw something. Anything would work, really.

Hyunjin couldn't feel anything other than jealousy.

Jealousy bled through him like fire.

It was who he was.

"If you're that mad, just join us," Chan had told him once.

Chan didn't understand.

He wasn't going to share him.

That wasn't enough.

He needed just him.

And it was stronger with Seungmin. Stronger than anyone else. 

The more he loved,

the more it hurt.

He couldn't keep himself back. He never wanted.

He needed.

Chapter Text

Get out.

Get out, now.

A man stood there, calling out. Seungmin stepped back fearfully. The man was strikingly handsome, not unlike Seungmin. His hand was stretched out, reaching for Seungmin. Jeongin, Changbin, Felix, Hyunjin, and Chan stood behind him, giving him the same satisfied, confident look they'd always give him. Seungmin stepped towards them, eyes still on the man.

NOW!

The man yelled again, fear crossing his panic stricken face.

The air was cooler near the man. The warmth invited him to the others. He stepped forward. It scorched him. His arms tingled at the heat and invisible fire licked at his arms, consuming and taking and taking and taking. He tried to run, run away from whatever inevitable burns he would remain with, but the heat took him.

Embrace it.

Chan whispered.

And Seungmin froze. The heat left his body and was replaced with cold, ice creeping up his arms.

SEUNGMIN, GO!

Seungmin tried, he tried so hard. But the frigidness took him and the numbing of the cold immobilized him, slowly each arm suspended, unable to move. The ice covered him fully, keeping him like a statue.

You're ours forever.

Chan said. 

The man disappeared into the shadows, leaving him helpless. Chan traced Seungmin's still jaw, looking deeply into his eyes, the only part of his body able to move.

Mine.

He woke up with a started. He gasped, taking in as much air as he could, too much air, and choked.

"Minnie! Are you okay?" Felix asked, appearing at the doorframe. Seungmin looked up. Danger danger danger danger his mind screamed, but planted a soft look on his face. He didn't trust it.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine," Seungmin murmured.

"Who's not okay?" a deep voice asked. Chan entered the room, and his eyes scanned Seungmin intently. And noticed something. 

It was just a dream.

But it didn't seem like it.

"I just choked, it's fine," Seungmin said. Chan's eyebrows furred in confusion, but shrugged and replied,

"Alright. Breakfast in ten, rest a little longer, okay, sweetheart?" 

Seungmin nodded curtly, and Felix's smile broadened as he and Chan left.

Just a dream.

Chan's breath shallowed as he called everyone else into the kitchen.

"What's wrong this time?" Hyunjin snapped.

"It's Seungmin. I think he knows something," Chan said worriedly.

"About Sunghoon?" Jisung asked nervously. His fingers fiddled together, panic rising. The tension was already high enough, too much and the room would snap.

"I'm not sure yet, but he looked weird, like he had a nightmare," Chan said.

"So? He had a nightmare? He gets them all the time," Minho scoffed.

"He had that look in eyes like he didn't trust me, or Felix," 

"Is that what we're depending on? A weird look?" Jeongin said suspiciously, rolling his eyes in the process.

"I'd be a little cautious, okay? We don't want it to end like last time," Chan's tone dropped as he said the last few words. Minho's face tightened as he said that.

"I'll go test it out. Changbinnie, come with me," Jeongin said, and dragged his hyung with him to Seungmin's room.

"Seungmin?" Jeongin asked sweetly, opening his door slightly.

"Mhm?" a small reply from the back of the room voiced. That voice, Jeongin's inner sighed. Everything about Seungmin turned him on, riled him up and left him restless. Worse than last time. It was always worse.

"Channie-hyung told me you had a nightmare," Jeongin continued, placing his voice higher and more innocently. He closed the door with Changbin tailing him and found Seungmin in a small journal, writing quickly.

"Oh, sorry, I just write when I'm nervous," Seungmin admitted, tucking the journal away. Changbin chuckled and asked,

"Why are you nervous?"

"I don't know," Seungmin answered quietly. Jeongin's face crumpled with pity and threw his arms around Seungmin. Changbin huffed and slipped himself underneath Jeongin, right around Seungmin's waist. 

"I love you," Jeongin hummed, pressing a kiss underneath Seungmin's ear.

Just a dream.

Chapter Text

Seungmin felt trapped.

The haze didn't feel very comforting anymore.

It felt suffocating. 

And Changbin?

He felt an overwhelming urge to get out. 

He wanted out.

"Innie?" he whimpered. Jeongin, who had pulled Seungmin into his lap lazily and placed his head over his, murmured,

"Hm?"

"Can you let me go?"

"Why?"

Why? Because he wanted him to let go. Changbin grunted from the side.

"Because,"

"You need a reason, Min," Jeongin said, and pulled him in closer. Seungmin sighed and tried to wriggle his way out, but was inevitably caught by Changbin, who was frowning and pulled him back. Jeongin pulled his head onto his lap and began stroking his hair. The haze choked him, squeezing his head until it felt like it was going to burst.

"Lemme go," Seungmin slurred, the blur setting in his mouth, closing the walls of his throat. His vision clouded, just Jeongin and Changbin in view.

"Not yet, baby," Jeongin purred. Seungmin struggled against Jeongin and Changbin, both stronger than him, until the daze settled heavy and slow along his mind, seeping through and keeping him numb.

Susceptible.

"Stay here, Seungminnie," Changbin said, and pinned his shoulder down. Something told him to stay, to stay now and forever. 

"Mkay," was all Seungmin could respond with, his lips almost glued together and his tongue cemented to the floor of his mouth. A satisfied smile crept up Jeongin's face as his fingers scraped lightly against Seungmin's scalp, the haze drawing closer, his eyelids fluttering with drowsiness.

"Don't fall asleep on us now, Min," Changbin hummed.

Seungmin was entirely comfortable in a masochistic way, the pressure of the haziness collapsing within himself and the weight of Changbin pinning him down.

His eyes flitted, slowly closing, when a loud voice interrupted it. 

"Jeongin, you fucking asshole-"

Jeongin sighed and looked up.

Minho.

Seungmin snapped out of the blur and sat up, tearing Changbin's grip away. He reeled back away from Minho, blinking rapidly.

"Can you stop scaring him? Leave him alone!" Changbin barked. 

"Don't do this to him yet-"

"Shut up," Jeongin hissed. His eyes were half-lidded, narrow with spite.

"I have to shut up? Seungmin's going to spiral-"

"That's enough," another voice cut through the chaos. Calm, collected, and cold, Chan stood there, face disappointed.

"Chan, tell Jeongin that's he's too early," Minho demanded. 

"Not with him in the room!" Jeongin burst out. 

"Seungmin, sweetheart, please wake Jisung up, he's been asleep all day and we need him later," Chan said, and Seungmin, confused and hesitant, nodded and walked out. His head still followed the room behind him, watching carefully as long as he could. 

Jisung was not, in fact, asleep. 

He wasn't anywhere. 

Seungmin groaned, and began his search. Felix shrugged, and turned back to his batch of brownies. Hyunjin was suspicious and asked why he was looking for Jisung.

He found Jisung outside. 

He was staring up at the sky, watching the clouds pass. Thunderheads began gathering, and a light rain sprinkled his forehead. 

"Sungie?" 

Jisung's head whirled around.

"Oh, hi Seungmin," he mumbled. 

"What were you doing?" Seungmin asked. 

"Minho and I were talking. He went off to find you. Said something felt strange," Jisung murmured. 

"Like what?"

"I dunno," Jisung responded.

Chapter Text

The storm raged outside, the thunder shaking the house. 

Seungmin stared outside, watching the rain slide down the windows. He tried to make the situation out. Everyone was acting so strange. Especially Minho. 

"Min?" a soft voice asked. Seungmin glanced behind him. Hyunjin, beautiful and enthralling, sat down next to him.

"Hm?" Seungmin murmured. He looked down at Hyunjin's hand, twitching disturbingly, like he needed to grab onto something. 

"I was wondering, was Jeongin making you uncomfortable earlier?" The question was mirroring the walking oxymoron. Hyunjin was asking the hypocritical. Every look from Hyunjin gave him a strange feeling, chills running through his chest. 

"N-not really," 

"I want you to be honest with me, Seungmin," Hyunjin's voice went lower, and his gaze hardened. 

"I'm fine, Hyunjin," Seungmin said firmly, and looked away. Hyunjin's patience was sinking and his hand reached out to grab his chin. Seungmin's eyes dilated and tried pulling away. No matter how hard he tugged, Hyunjin's grip tightened. 

"Answer me, Kim Seungmin, did he make you uncomfortable?" he hissed, eyes narrowing. 

"You are," Seungmin whispered.

"Say that again," he barked, fingernails digging into the soft skin of Seungmin's neck. The younger couldn't respond, panic clouding his senses. 

"Chan!" Seungmin yelled, his eyes still locked onto Hyunjin's. His face was lurched forward, lips messily meeting Hyunjin's. It wasn't really a kiss, just a clash of lips and tongue and teeth, controlling and dominating. Seungmin tried pulling away, to be shoved back into Hyunjin's mouth. 

"Seungmin?" Chan's voice broke through the chaos of the moment. Hyunjin rolled his eyes and put Seungmin back, stunned and fearful. "Hyunjin, did you hurt him?" His words were more of a sigh than anger. 

"No, he wanted a kiss, so I gave him one," Hyunjin said with a sly smile. Seungmin hated how Chan chuckled. Seungmin was scared, and Chan just laughed. 

"I'm going to find Felix," Seungmin murmured. Hyunjin's eyes turned cold and replied,

"No, you're not," Hyunjin lurched forward, and caged Seungmin by grabbing his wrists and pinning them down with one hand, the other taking Seungmin's jaw and tipping it to the side, as if inspecting an animal. Fascinated by the sight, Chan stepped towards the two, and brushed his knuckles along Seungmin's cheek. 

"He's so perfect," Chan muttered, fitting his mouth on the underside of Seungmin's chin, trailing farther down. His eyes widened in surprise, and bit into the sweet flesh of Seungmin's neck. Seungmin whimpered and squirmed, trying to get away from the two. Their hold, however, was too strong and kept him trapped. 

"Stop it," Seungmin whined, his voice entirely too high-pitched for his liking. Hyunjin shivered and ran a hand along the bare skin of Seungmin's leg. "Felix?" Seungmin called out, his voice growing weaker and weaker.

"Just look at me, sweetheart," Chan cooed, pulling Seungmin's face to his. 

"D-don't wanna," Seungmin murmured. Hyunjin yanked the collar of Seungmin's shirt to pull him forward. 

"Too bad," he taunted, a smile teasing his lips as his fingers were nearing to close to where Seungmin didn't want him to go. 

"Let him go," Minho growled, pulling Hyunjin backwards. Minho seemed to be Seungmin's savior today. Seungmin blinked rapidly, as Chan growled,

"Stop getting in the way," Chan was pushed off, until Jisung appeared as well, with furious eyes, and said,

"Then leave him alone," Chan scoffed as Hyunjin hissed,

"You're interfering-"

"I don't care,"

Chapter Text

"Felix-hyung?" Seungmin's weak voice bled through the house. He felt weak. He felt broken. 

"Seungminnie?" the deep voice laced with worry called out, the man finding Seungmin backed up against a wall, slouched down, tears running down his face. "What's wrong, baby?" he asked, cupping Seungmin's face. 

"Hyun-hyunjinnie-"

"Did he hurt you?"

"Channie hyung too," Seungmin didn't know why he was using the endearing terms, it felt necessary. Like he'd rather be struck down than not use them. 

"Min-"

"I'm scared, Felix," Seungmin whispered. Felix laughed. 

Felix laughed. 

Just like Chan did. 

"Oh, Min, you're just not used to them, they play a little rough sometimes," Felix said. 

"But I told them no," Seungmin stammered, confused, searching Felix's face for any sign of sympathy, only to be left disappointed. 

"There's no such thing as no here, baby. We'll make you feel so, so good-" The growl in Felix' voice alerted the fight-or-flight in his mind. Seungmin's eyes flared with something fearful and slipped underneath Felix's weight, running away from whatever bad thing he assumed was going to happen. "Get back here, Kim Seungmin!" Felix barked. Seungmin crashed into something tall. 

Hyunjin. 

Shit.

"D-don't touch me," Seungmin stuttered, wary of the hand already reaching for Seungmin's shoulder. 

"Messing with Felix? Min, you've got to learn. Whatever Greed wants, Greed gets," Hyunjin chuckled darkly. Seungmin dodged around Hyunjin, leaving two on the chase. Chan, Jeongin, and Changbin were on the couch, watching something on the tv absent-mindedly. 

"I could use a little help," Felix said innocently to the couch, whose heads turned around at the sound of Seungmin's throes. Chan's eyes lit up with a predatory glint, and in two strides, Jeongin had moved from the couch to blocking Seungmin from moving any farther. He gripped Seungmin's chin greedily and the haze, dizzying and inducing, fell over him. His knees fell wobbily as the haze came on strongly and with much more force than the previous time, causing Seungmin to be dependent and needy. 

"Be saving that for a while," Jeongin murmured, grin spreading wider and sharper. Seungmin fought his consciousness, struggling to even stand up. 

"Oh, look at him," Chan said scornfully, placing a hand in Seungmin's hair and yanking it back, causing Seungmin to fall into his chest. 

"N-no," Seungmin murmured, his vision growing darker. 

"Jeongin! He's gonna black out, tone it down," Changbin hissed. 

"He's too precious for us," Felix cooed, pressing his lips to the side of Seungmin's head. Hyunjin snarled and placed a hand on the right side of Seungmin's neck, placing his lips on the opposite. 

"Please," Seungmin begged, his legs giving way as Changbin helped keep him stable. 

"Please what, sweeheart? Use your words," Chan purred, his grip tightening. 

"Let me go," his words were barely over a breath, his throat closing up and his lips taken over by Jeongin, demanding and needing. 

"No can do, Min," Changbin teased from the side. It was so hypocritical, the breezy tone in the heavy, dark mood.

"Minho?" Seungmin squeaked, the last sound of his small voice. 

"We put him back in his place, baby. He's not coming back for a while now," Hyunjin said. Seungmin's hope shattered as his knees buckled and fell, consciousness slipping and his vision fell black. 

Falling...

Chapter Text

"Let me out!" Minho shouted, banging against the door. 

"We gave you an opportunity, and you fucking lost it," Chan hissed, slamming it shut as he chuckled. Minho's hands slid down the door, trying desperately to get out. 

"You can't do this to him," Minho whispered, slouching and curling into himself. The window, always following Seungmin's view, always picturing him, stood guiltily to the left. He glanced over to see the others suffocating him, surrounding him and overstimulating him and hurting him. "Jisung-where are you?" he begged, searching the picture for any sign. "Help him, Jisungie, please," 

Seungmin was crying. 

And they loved it. 

Minho shuddered when Jeongin licked the side of his face, lapping up the tears falling from his face. Hyunjin wiped the wetness from his face and forced the damp finger in Seungmin's mouth, and the older sighed in delight. 

"WHERE ARE YOU, JISUNG? WHERE ARE YOU?!" Minho cried, punching the wall. The wall was unbreakable. He'd known from experience. 

"Minho?" a soft voice asked. Minho turned around, eyes searching. 

"Sunghoon? Sunghoon?" Minho called out. A soft-featured man walked in, a kind smile on his face, and cupped Minho's cheek. 

"I'm sorry. You can't save him, Min, it's too late," the voice spiraled, lower and lower until he disappeared, fading into the shadows. 

"No!" the yell tore through Minho, reaching out. Someone cackled at the top of the staircase. Minho's head whipped around to see Chan. He stood there, casually, smug and confident. 

"You really thought he was there?" 

"No," 

"You did. Do you really want that to happen to Seungmin?"  Chan said, his face full of false innocence. Minho only saw red. 

"No! You leave him alone. Find someone else. Anyone except him," Minho choked on the last sentence. 

"Anyone? Even Sunghoon?"

"He's dead," 

"Alive enough in your mind,"

"You sick bastards-"

"He likes it. He just needs to get used to it," Chan said, knowing exactly what Minho was thinking. 

"You're assaulting him," Minho spat. Chan shot a glare to him, a warning to shut up before something dangerous happened. 

"We're loving him," 

"You don't even know what love means," 

"You're the same as us, Wrath. You need to accept it. Jisung has," Chan said, twirling his words around sweetly. 

"Jisung," Minho's eyes widened. 

"Look at him now," Chan said, pointing to the window. 

Jisung was holding Seungmin against the wall, choking him, squeezing the younger's throat as his face was slick with tears. Jeongin and Hyunjin were kissing his tears away greedily, as Seungmin's breath was faltering. 

"No, Jisungie," Minho whispered. 

Who was going to save Seungmin now?

Chapter Text

He's not who you think he is. 

Who?

I can't tell you

Why?

He's trying to save you 

Who?

But they want you to themselves forever

Them?

He comes from hell himself

Who?

Your savior

"He's awake," Jisung hissed. 

"You had us worried for a minute," Chan chuckled, tilting Seungmin's chin up with a finger. 

"No, no," Seungmin whimpered, backing up, hitting the bed frame. 

"He's so pretty like this," Felix praised, perched next to Chan, hovering over the younger. The innocence etched on his face contrasted with the sin in his intents. 

"Why can't you leave me alone?" Seungmin whispered, locking eyes with Felix. For a second, a flash of something human crossed Felix's face- but merely a second. 

"Because you're mine," Hyunjin growled, pushing Felix off to the side, leaning in with a scowl on his face, fisting Seungmin's hair.

"We love you so much, baby," Jeongin cooed, pressing his lips to Seungmin's forehead. 

"No you don't," Seungmin spat. 

"Excuse me?" Changbin hissed. Everyone's heads leaned in to glare at Seungmin. 

"It's fucking lust, it's not hot, it's disgusting," Seungmin snapped, his eyes narrowing. 

"You forgot who's in charge, sweetheart," Chan rasped, clasping his hand around Seungmin's throat. Seungmin spluttered in shock, trying pull away, to be proven unsuccessful. 

Hands. 

Hands everywhere. 

Thoughts. 

Thoughts everywhere. 

Sunghoon. 

Reaching out. 

He reached out. 

And shook his head

and left. 

Chapter Text

He couldn't look at it anymore.

The window was driving him crazy. 

It never changed.

The scene was nearly the same, just in different settings. 

Seungmin crying, begging, trying to escape.

Just to be tugged back into the claiming, greedy arms of the others.

Minho could see it. The spark in his eyes was gone. The struggle was gone. The numbness, the acceptance, had taken its place. It crushed him.

"Minho?" a soft voice rung, tearing Minho's eyes away.

Sunghoon.

"Are you hear to leave me again?" Minho barked, turning away from him. Sunghoon approached him, slowly, and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"I won't leave this time. Not yet," Sunghoon's voice was gentle, calming the soaring rush in Minho's mind.

"What do you mean, not yet?" Minho hissed, suspicion and doubt creeping closer.

"I've come to tell you one thing. Seungmin is safe," Sunghoon said, sharply but still calm. Minho's head whipped to him.

"What do you mean? He was crying, just now-" 

"Look," Sunghoon commanded, pointing to the window.

Seungmin, sitting peacefully on the couch. Chan, Hyunjin, none of them in sight. Minho's eyes stayed locked on the view, not daring to blink. The window's plane of sight swiveled around, showing that none of them were there. 

Then, he noticed something. 

Seungmin was smiling.

His beautiful, beautiful smile. 

"You're tricking me," Minho snapped. 

"Why would I do that?" Sunghoon asked, his face full of concern.

"Seungmin was crying barely five minutes ago-"

"He's smiling because he's free, Minho. And he knows that," Sunghoon stated, and his grin was just a wide as Seungmin's. Minho felt himself relax. His guard was still up- but Seungmin was safe. 

"He'll stay safe?" Minho asked warily. 

"No one from this earth will hurt him," Sunghoon promised, pressing his forehead to Minho's in allegiance. Minho exhaled once and closed his eyes.

Seungmin was safe. 

Chapter Text

Three Years Ago

"Seungmin! There's someone I'd like you to meet," Seungmin's brother called out. Seungmin was sitting on the kitchen counter, figuring out his Calculus homework. His head tilted up to see his brother and a pretty woman standing there. The woman's posture was so perfect chiropractors would envy her; a clean, dark green business suit fitted her, with a tight knot at the back of her head. 

"You let your brother sit on the counter? Uncivilized," the woman huffed.

"He's seventeen, Nari. Give him a break. Anyway, Nari, this is Seungmin, Seungmin, this is Nari, my girlfriend," The way his brother said the last word with such enthusiasm left Seungmin with a pang of jealousy. 

"So, Seungmin, what classes do you take?" Nari asked, the bittersweetness underlying her tone.

"The required standard for a senior," Seungmin murmured. 

"Seungmin, could you please be a little welcoming?" his brother sighed. 

"I am," Seungmin responded, louder that time.

"He could use some manners," Nari mumbled underneath her breath. 

Seungmin hated her already

Two and a half years ago

Seungmin spent his graduation with his only friend, a sweet underclassman who liked to pay for everything. They filled the day with going to a couple parties, which they ditched quickly because of the overstimulation, and decided just to hang out in the park. 

"How come your brother didn't come?" the underclassman asked. 

"Nari took him to Jeju island on Monday," Seungmin replied, his voice monotone.

"Oh,"

Two years ago

"Seungmin, Nari and I are getting engaged, I asked her last night," Seungmin's brother said, cleaning the dishes.

"Okay," he responded, not looking up from his work. His brother's face blazed with something Seungmin couldn't quite place for a moment.

"The wedding's in six months, Nari's already planning everything," his brother chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Seungmin shrugged and closed his computer, jumping down from the kitchen counter and wandering back into his room.

One year ago

The reception was horrible. Nari's friends were obnoxious and pestered Seungmin, calling him cute and pinching his cheeks, and when they got their hands on the cocktails it became worse. Nari and her new husband didn't even bat an eye at Seungmin's pleading glances. 

"Just one night!" one of Nari's friends, probably at least four years older than Seungmin, begged. 

"I'm not interested," Seungmin stated, walking away. 

"Don't be rude," Nari hissed, taking him by the ear. Seungmin yelped at the pain, and tore himself away from the bride. 

"Loosen up a bit, Min!" his brother chuckled, slapping Seungmin on the back. 

One month ago

"I'm sorry, Seungmin, but Nari and I feel as if we'd like it if you weren't in our home," The way his brother said 'our' didn't feel welcoming. It meant him and Nari, not him and Seungmin. And he was well aware of it. 

"Where will I live?" Seungmin asked, confused. He wanted to get away from the horrible woman who used him as a fucking maid, away from his brother's negligence. But the harshness of it hit him harder than he wanted it to.

"We've found a place in the country. Listen, Seungmin, Nari's wanting a kid, and with a mopey teenager around-"

"I'm twenty," Seungmin murmured. 

"Really? Sorry, young adult, around the house, might disturb the atmosphere. It's a change of scenery, and it'll be good for you, okay?" 

"Fine,"

He was tired of the place, anyway.

Chapter Text

Everyone was still asleep. Seungmin had checked. He peered through the hallways, moving silently as he slunk down the stairway. He turned the corner, looking around. Clear. He went past the kitchen, eyes darting for any sign of anyone. Clear. 

The door. 

He snuck over, giving the handle a sharp tug. Locked. Shit, he cursed in his head. He searched the area for something to pick the lock, and with a small paperclip, he wiggled it around, struggling. The lock wouldn't work.

Thump. 

Someone was coming down the stairs. 

"Sweetheart?"

Seungmin pushed harder, desperate, given the opportunity he would kick the door down. Steps stomping forward sent him into panic.  The lock finally snapped open with a click, and he yanked the door open.

"What are you doing, Min?" Chan asked, right as he opened the door. A large hand snatched the back of his neck and pulled him back, leaving freedom, which he could reach but could not hold, in front of him. 

"No!" Seungmin cried, reaching out, sobs tearing through him. 

"You were trying to leave?" Chan roared, pulling Seungmin's face forward. Seungmin was trembling, fear flashing across his eyes, reeling back. 

"It's six in the morning, what the fuck-" Jisung drawled, pausing when he saw Chan, angry and clutching Seungmin like a dog, fingers digging into the back of his neck. "What did he do?" Jisung sighed. 

"This little brat thought he could run off," Chan hissed, lifting Seungmin like he weighed nothing. Seungmin's wide, begging eyes turned to Jisung. Jisung merely scoffed and rolled his eyes, setting himself on the couch. Jeongin entered, rubbing the sleep out of his hungry eyes, twitching like he'd been starved for weeks. 

"Seungmin? Run?" he pouted, frowning with down-turned eyes. 

"I-I didn't-" Seungmin stammered, shaking his head. 

"Someone needs to learn their lesson," Chan said, his face brightening in a lethal, taunting way.

"No, no, please, I-"

"I'm up for that," Jeongin grinned, looking Seungmin up and down, like his breakfast. His eyes flashed red, and Seungmin yelped in fear. 

"He's cute when he's scared," Hyunjin admired, appearing out nowhere from behind Jeongin. His skin was tinted lavender, and what seemed to look like cracks formed along his face. 

"Don't touch me," Seungmin whimpered. Chan barked a laugh and sunk his teeth, which had suddenly turned from dull human canines into sharp, demonic fangs. Seungmin cried out, blood running down his neck. 

"Starting without us?" Hyunjin asked, venom dripping in his voice. Jeongin slunk up slowly, lapping up the blood, and licked it on Seungmin's face, leaving the crimson stain along his cheek. The blood mixed with tears, running down his face. Chan's teeth sunk deeper, sending shocks of pain and delight throughout his body, which left Seungmin guilty. He hated it how his body loved it, but he hated it. 

"Holy fuck," Changbin whispered, stepping down the stairs, looking at the sight. Chan at Seungmin's neck, a mix of blood, saliva, and tears on his face, hair ruffled from Hyunjin's grip, and Jeongin licking at the sides of his face. 

"He's so pretty," Felix cooed, following Changbin. 

"Why do you do this to me?" Seungmin sobbed, choking as the Hyunjin bit into his shoulder. Blood soaked through his shirt, tinting his skin a sick pink. Jeongin worked hard, licking all the blood up and painting his face with it. Felix walked up, slowly, as if Seungmin were an animal that would run off if he approached too quickly. He caressed the side of his face, looking at him adoringly. 

"You're beautiful," Felix whispered, and kissed Seungmin's cheek. His tongue darted to taste the mixture Jeongin had made and sighed. He sucked at the side of Seungmin's face, needing and needing and simply needing more.

"I worked hard on that," Jeongin grumbled, spreading blood all over Seungmin's skin, the saltiness delicious on his tongue. 

"N-no," Seungmin stuttered, Chan's elbows underneath his arms, holding him up as they tore away at him, stripping every bit of hope and safety away, breaking him slowly. 

And Jeongin kissed him, kissed him hungrily, and bit at the bottom of Seungmin's lip, sharp teeth tearing at the soft skin, blood bursting and filling his mouth. Seungmin gasped into Jeongin's mouth, as he swallowed the gasp cravingly and licked the wound. 

The kiss sealed his fate. 

"

Chapter Text

Minho was calm. Seungmin was safe, he would be let out soon, and everything would be fine. 

"I have to leave, Min," 

Poised, gentle, and elbows on the table, Sunghoon's eyes bored into Minho's. 

"Why?" Minho's voice was no longer harsh and clipped as it usually was. It was soft, like a child's, needy and pouty. "I thought-"

"Seungmin needs me right now," Sunghoon interrupted, shaking his head lightly. Minho frowned, like someone had wronged him. 

"You said he was okay," He eyes crinkled in confusion; disarray bombarded his mind. 

"I can't tell you yet," Sunghoon said, his gaze avoiding Minho. 

Seungmin stepped outside, enjoying his few moments of allocated time to himself. The others were exhausted from their intrusion earlier, and backed off. He looked up at the bare trees. It was that one moment in November, the desolate gray of the trees and brown of the grass mixed to create a dull atmosphere. 

"Seungmin?" Seungmin's ears perked, his head twisting, darting around. The voice was familiar, calm and collected. Sunghoon, leaning against a tree, smiling. His eyes, however, carried something deeper. Something sadder. Wings, which weren't there before, were there, furled behind his back. "I have something to tell you. Chan?" Seungmin's eyes widened; what was Sunghoon doing? 

Chan appeared, appearing from behind a tree. His eyes burned with a predatory glint, though his face stony. 

"What's going on?" Seungmin asked, breath escaping his lungs at an alarming rate. 

"He has something to tell you. I'm sorry, Seungmin," Sunghoon's voice dropped low, shaking his head, his composition something Seungmin couldn't place. 

"You can't make me tell-" Chan barked, but a scolding look from Sunghoon silenced him. Chan cleared his throat, eyes forced to the floor. Were those- tears? "Seungmin- you're my brother," 

You're my brother. 

Seungmin felt his knees collapse. His hands clawed at the forest floor, trying to ground himself. "No, no, how? Is this some sick-"

Sunghoon knelt to cup the man's face, wings dropping to curl around Seungmin. "It's true, Seungmin. Though humanly biological your brother, he isn't from earth. He's a demon. But he's seen your future. He wants you for the evilest purposes your human mind couldn't even comprehend, and I couldn't stop that. I really would have, Min," Sunghoon whispered to him, pressing his forehead to Seungmin's. 

"How? How, Chan?" Teary eyes met Chan's, as the demon turned his face away in shame. 

"He wanted you so bad, he waited twenty years as your brother, married that horrible woman, killed her in a 'freak accident', and moved you here. Just to hurt you," Sunghoon continued, stroking Seungmin's tears away. 

"I-I don't understand, why me? Why did you do this to me?" Seungmin cried, batting Sunghoon's wings away to get a clear view of Chan. 

"You don't know, Seungmin. You don't," Chan snapped, looking away. 

"I'm sorry, Seungmin," Sunghoon sobbed, hugging him closer. Seungmin felt protected in the midst of chaos, his mind at war with himself. He just needed to be held. And Sunghoon was there. 

Chapter Text

"Seungmin! You have to get out of here!" Chan barked. Get out of here. The dream. Sunghoon had said those same words. "Stop it, Sunghoon," Chan hissed, fear lacing his words. 

Seungmin lifted his face to see that Sunghoon's face had changed. Previously, it had been pretty and delicate, now it was twisted and dangerously beautiful. "Why stop when we're just getting started?" Sunghoon chuckled, pressing his thumb into Seungmin's face. His wings, now black and ashy, unfurled to reveal Chan, his face non humane, eyes red and limbs unfairly muscular and dark. 

"What's going on?" Seungmin whimpered, blinking rapidly, pulling away from Sunghoon. 

"Get away from him, Sunghoon," Chan demanded, backing away, eyes boring into Seungmin's. 

Sunghoon barked a laugh, low and dark, and curled his hand around Seungmin's jaw possessively. "You've underestimated me, Kim Seungmin," he said. "I'm your savior, yes, but I'm not who you think I am," 

"Then who are you?" Seungmin asked meekly, his voice pathetically small.

"It's not too late, Seungmin, you're safer with us than him!" Chan cried. Seungmin shook his head. Flashbacks of the past week bombarded his mind. Safe with them? That was laughable if the situation wasn't this alarming. 

"He's probably not wrong, Min," Sunghoon said, grinning widely. "Have you ever heard the saying, 'Demons make themselves beautiful to deceive humanity?'" he asked. Seungmin nodded slowly. "I'm no angel, Seungmin. I'm the devil himself," Sunghoon's eyes, the last human-like part of him, turned black. No, they didn't turn black. The darkness oozed across them like sludge over a canvas.

"I told you!" Chan said, and pulled Seungmin back. Sunghoon, in a fit of rage, stood up, nearly three feet taller than he had been, and treaded slowly to him. 

"Let him go," Sunghoon hissed, his tone now deep and unearthly. Chan smirked, one quick and smug quirk of his lips, bared his teeth, and sunk them into Seungmin's chest. Seungmin yelped, gasping as ice flowed into his veins. "What have you done?" Sunghoon shouted, his voice flooding the forest. 

"Now you can't touch him, ever," Chan said smugly, as Seungmin's head lolled back, eyes rolled back. 

"You broke the oath. You can't claim what's mine," Sunghoon growled, claws reaching for the unconscious body in Chan's arms. 

Chan swatted his hand away and pulled down Seungmin's already torn collar to reveal his chest. "I don't see your mark,"  

"You don't break deals with the devil," Sunghoon hissed. 

"You don't make deals with a demon," Chan shrugged. He snapped his fingers and the five other demons stood there, smirking at the sight in front of them. 

Sunghoon had gone back to wherever Hell was. He went on a rampage. A mark was a deal with the soul, tied to the demon for eternity. It was possible to remove the mark. To get an angel to remove it. 

And what angel would approve of the devil's request?

"Seungminnie, wake up," Jeongin hummed, rubbing circles into the unconscious one's back. Seungmin's head snapped up, his pupils shrunk and breathing uneven. 

"Nightmares?" Jisung asked softly, settling himself next to him. 

"Get-get away from me," Seungmin whimpered, pushing Jisung away. Sloth grabbed Seungmin's hand and curled it slowly, kissing his knuckles. 

"It's okay, baby, we know you've been through a lot today," Jeongin said, resting his chin on top of Seungmin's. 

"Sunghoon..." Seungmin whispered. Jeongin and Jisung's heads whipped toward Seungmin's, faces full of anger. 

"Don't say that name," Jisung growled. 

Chapter Text

Escape. There. You can do it. You were so close last time-

Seungmin's head raced, fiddling with the handle of the door. Jisung was asleep per usual, Chan and Hyunjin fighting in another room, Felix lost in the pantry. He seemed to forget about Jeongin. 

"Baby, you know you're not supposed to go outside without one of us," Jeongin cooed, his cheek pressed into Seungmin's neck. How did he sneak up so fast? 

Alone

Cold

Why is it so cold?

"Escape," Seungmin murmured. 

Jeongin quirked his head, and responded, "Escape? Why would you do that?" Seungmin's interrupting whine caused Jeongin's brain to fizzle, but continued, "You belong with us, baby," He nuzzled his nose into Seungmin's soft hair, breathing in the scent of-smoke. Jeongin's eyes flared open, and pulled him by the hair. "Chan!" he shouted, backing away slowly. 

He doesn't want me. 

Nobody does, my parents didn't. My brother-brother? Chan? Brother?

Nari?

Nobody wants me. 

The door from the kitchen to the foyer was slammed open, the door knob snapped in half as it fell pathetically to the floor. Chan stormed in. "What?"

"Why does he smell like so much like Sunghoon? You said he didn't touch him!" Jeongin roared, shoving Seungmin over to Chan. Chan's nose twitched at the strong scent of smoke, and looked Seungmin dead in the eyes. 

"Seungmin, have you seen Sunghoon at all in the past day?" he asked, his jaw clenched. 

"N-no," 

"Any fire? Anything remotely connected to him?" Chan pressed, stepping closer. 

"I-I had a dream about fire, a bird, a bird on fire," Seungmin stammered, his breathing choppy. Jeongin and Chan gave each other the same knowing look, a mix of fury and disgust. 

Before Chan could say anything, a plume of smoke appeared in front of them, causing Seungmin to stumble. Black wings unfolded to reveal none other than the devil. And by his side, Minho. 

Minho left me. 

He didn't want me. 

"You left me," is all Seungmin says. Minho's face drops. 

"I-I didn't mean to-" Minho started, but was cut off. 

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry," Sunghoon said, his wings outstretching, almost as if to claim him. Jeongin took a fistful of feather and Sunghoon hissed in pain, pulling himself away. 

"He's not yours," he said, glaring harder at the devil. 

"That's funny. Now, don't you think Seungmin deserves an explanation? About why you want him so badly?" Sunghoon sneered. Seungmin backed up. Minho watched him with concerned eyes. He bit his tongue as Sunghoon pulled Seungmin by the chin, blood beading where the claws dug into his skin.

"You said he was safe," Minho said, shaking his head. 

"Safe from anyone from this earth," Sunghoon finished, throwing him a feral grin. "I'm not from this earth, Minho. You're easy to manipulate, your soul is so impossibly corruptible," he chuckled, licking the side of Seungmin's face as he shuddered. 

"What?" Seungmin whimpered, shaky breaths and teary eyes looked up to his captor. 

"Sweetheart, this thing never cared for you. It was me. I planted myself in him, and I monitored him. You were mine from the start," Sunghoon explained, his smile growing wider. In some unknown demonic language, Sunghoon cursed and a purple mass of smoke exited Minho's mouth in a disturbing manner. Sunghoon inhaled the smoke as Seungmin choked, coughing on the foul fumes. 

Minho wasn't Minho anymore. His eyes went empty, his jaw slack as he collapsed to the floor. Chan and Jeongin's eyes widened. Seungmin nearly fainted. Sunghoon caught him with one arm as he chuckled, "Poor thing's dead," Seungmin's eyes rolled back as Sunghoon barked a laugh, stroking the side of his cheek. "All these worthless shits wanted from you was your soul. To try and live again. They would torture you in every universe, Min. Even if they were human. Because of your beautiful, pure soul. I wanted you, though. I don't need souls," 

"He needs bodies," Chan hissed. Sunghoon's head snapped up, callous eyes rimmed with fire. "He feeds off of pleasure. He'd be worse than us, that's why we claimed you," Chan continued, stepping forward, braver.

"Jeongin's the same. But what would happen? Torture for eternity. Worse than hell for the rest of existence. Till rapture comes and he's thrown into the lake of fire to burn the rest of perpetuance. Seungmin, I'd let you enjoy those last moments. I'd put you by my side-" 

"He'd still burn," Jeongin said darkly. 

"You know you can't have him. Not unless he begs the archangel Gabriel himself to undo us and what we've done," Chan said. Sunghoon's palm spread over the mark on Seungmin's chest, splaying his claws over it like he could reverse it. 

"I put you here to transfer him to me, not so your selfish asses could keep him because you thought his soul was pretty," Sunghoon spat. Seungmin's eyes fluttered as the bare bleak of  consciousness threatened overtake him. 

"Why did you want me?" Seungmin asked, fighting off the urge to let torpor come over him. 

"Because I did," Chan snapped. 

"And he was so prideful, he'd do anything to get you and prove that even the devil himself couldn't get you. He's the embodiment of pride, after all," 

Chapter Text

It was a standoff. 

The six demons standing on the right, angry and holding themselves back to a degree that was impressive. For a demon. 

Sunghoon stood on the left, smoke curling around his wings in coils, sparks flitting around him like dancers, the fire rimming his soulless eyes. 

And Seungmin? Seungmin stood in the middle, staring at Minho's body, that seemed to flicker slowly, until he disappeared. Seungmin's mouth seemed to clamp shut as his voice rung in his head. 

Save me. 

I exist. 

Keep me alive. 

I exist. 

I EXIST

Seungmin cradled his throbbing head, breathing raggedly, desperately. Desperately for Minho to come back. Desperate for him now. 

I EXIST

"Kill me," Seungmin murmured. His voice wasn't his. He had no control of himself. His pleading eyes turned to Chan, who shook his head with a stony demeanor. 

Changbin stepped forward, and said, "There is no death with us, Seungmin. You've chosen to burn in Hell forever," 

"I didn't choose! I didn't-"

"Chan did," Jeongin said. "Chan did. Because he's a selfish, arrogant jackass who thinks he's smart and thought he could avoid the devil. He dragged us down here, he deserves to burn forever," Seungmin stumbled back, right in Sunghoon. Sunghoon hissed as Seungmin's chest pressed against his arm. 

"A demon's bite burns another," Jisung said, nodding to the reddened mark on Seungmin. He gasped as the inflamed bite pulsed angrily immediately after contact with Sunghoon's arm. 

"That means you can't have him," Chan snapped to Sunghoon, who glared at him. 

Sunghoon then laughed manically, and said, "Then I'll kill him." 

"NO!" Jeongin barked, reaching out to take Seungmin. But before he could pull him away, Sunghoon's claws curled around Seungmin's throat, and with one burning squeeze, Seungmin's eyes rolled back.

And collapsed. 

Dead. 

"SEUNGMIN!" Chan yelled, kneeling to the floor to hold the cold body, rocking it back and forth as salty tears-tears Chan hadn't cried since he was human- fell onto Seungmin's lifeless face. 

"You thought you could evade me? Thought you could take what was mine? If I can't have him, than nobody can," Sunghoon hissed, and disappeared in a whorl of smoke. 

Felix was the first to approach Chan. "He's dead," he whispered. 

"No shit, idiot," Hyunjin said, his fingers curling at the sides of his thighs, waiting to destroy. 

"He's dead. And we didn't do anything about it," Chan growled. 

"We can't revive him, it'd take too much-"

"Then we kill. We kill the most useless here," Chan said. Seungmin's head lolled to the side as Chan's arm left to point at Jisung. "He's done nothing. He can be replaced," he said. 

"NO!" Jisung yelled, eyes widening in fear as Chan stood up, setting Seungmin's body down. Chan reached for Jisung's neck, to pull out whatever soul he had left and put it in Seungmin when Jeongin tackled him. 

"You are the problem, Chan. You've endangered all of us," he said, throwing Chan to the side. 

"Accept it, Chan. He's dead," Changbin said. Chan's eyes darkened as his gaze returned to Seungmin's body.

Lifeless. 

Dead. 

Chapter Text

"Welcome, Kim Seungmin," a voice, light and gentle, greeted.

Seungmin's eyes fluttered open. It was peaceful here. 

Someone stood in front of him. A large, eye-shaped creature that radiated warmth hovered there. Seungmin found it almost comforting instead of alarming. 

Too many beautiful things had deceived him. 

"Where am I?" he asked, looking around. Columns of gold rose into the sky, never ending, studded with diamonds. He didn't really know what he was standing on, all he knew was it was soft and shiny. 

The creature shifted to the side and said, "Welcome to heaven." 

Seungmin blinked, and responded, "Heaven?" 

The creature said, "You believed, Seungmin. Now, come with me," The creature led him to what seemed to be a balcony, and said, "Sit." Seungmin sat down, and looked over the balcony. "You may watch your life. It will replay your most important moments,"

Seungmin leaned over to see a baby in a woman's arms. The woman was still, the heart monitor's line flat. A man next to the bed, staring in shock. 

Then he saw him. Eight-year-old him, looking into a casket, a picture of the same man in the previous scene. His brother-he shivered- at fifteen, biting his lip, looking at Seungmin. 

Seventeen-year-old Seungmin, meeting Nari. 

Twenty-year-old Seungmin at his brother's wedding. 

Seungmin in the house. 

Meeting Felix. Jisung. Hyunjin. Jeongin. Chan. Changbin. Minho. 

Minho. 

Minho never really existed. It was the insanity. A product of his physcosis. 

Sunghoon. 

The creature cleared his throat at the sight, clearly uncomfortable. 

And every moment after that. 

Seungmin was shivering after. The creature's endearing eyes-there must have been hundreds on him- filled with sympathy. 

"I'm sorry, Seungmin-" the creature started to say, but was interrupted by another strange-looking creature who'd flown in with alarming features. 

"A demon! At the gates! He refuses-absolutely refuses to leave- he calls himself Pride-" 

"Chan?" Seungmin's bare voice whispered, flashbacks bombarding his memory and shook his head. "No, he's gone-"

"Let me in," Chan demanded, throwing open the gates. 

"Absolutely not," an angel said, tone clipped. 

"I need to see him," Chan said, slipping past the angel. He was grabbed by the back of the neck and thrown back out. He got up to run back in when he saw him. Seungmin. Watching, fear painted across his face, two angels guarding him. "Seungmin!" he cried, rushing to get to him. 

"Demons aren't allowed here," a tall, tall angel barked, and with a flick of his wrist, Chan was sent back on the stairway to heaven. He looked up to see Seungmin, stumbling back, with some sort of regret in his eyes. 

"I miss you,"