Archive of Our Own ^beta

There is a sheer mist that surrounds Nocturne Academy ever since its foundation. It’s ever-present, wrapping around the ground stones, climbing up its gothic columns, all the way to the arches and vaults and spandrels and gargoyles.

For the students of Nocturne, its presence is as natural as breathing—almost as if it were part of the structure itself.

Yet, despite all that, not every witch at the Academy loves the mist.

“One day, I will find a spell to get rid of the mist once and for all.”

Taehyung is still laughing, a deep baritone that never fails to get ravens to caw in reply. “You need to stop threatening the poor thing and work on your balance instead.”

Jimin scowls at him, collecting the book that fell to the ground as he almost slipped. “I have a perfectly fine balance, thank you,” he mutters. “It’s not my fault the fog hides the holes in the ground. One day, someone is going to get hurt.”

“And that someone will be you,” Taehyung snickers, resuming their walk towards Divination. “Maybe you should get Seokjin hyung to give you something to sharpen your senses.” As soon as those words escape his mouth, he halts in his steps, a soft breath of surprise escaping his lips before he can help himself.

“Maybe you should worry about your senses,” Jimin singsongs as he passes him, frozen on the spot. “Hurry up, you’re going to be late!”

“Give me my sight back, you witch.” Taehyung hisses.

It’s Jimin’s time to snicker. “Come on! It’s not that difficult to keep walking, even though you can’t see where your foot is going, is it?”

“That’s not the same thing! This is dark magic—”

“Dark magic, wow,” Jimin huffs.

“—while your condition is just you being a klutz!” Taehyung laments.

“Hey!” Jimin gasps in mock offence. “Apologise to me! Or I’ll really leave you without sight.”

“Jimin, we’re going to be late.”

“You are,” Jimin says, starting to walk away. “I’ll be on time, just as always. It’s not like Mr. Jong is going to be surprised by you not showing up, anyway.”

“You are such a little shit, you know that, right?” Tae says, exasperated. “I’m sorry.”

Jimin smiles without looking back. “It’s why you love me.”

It takes him just a flick of his head to channel enough magic to release Taehyung from the darkness. His friend starts jogging towards Jimin, cursing him and laughing alongside him, and just like that they’re off, rushing to their next class of the day.

Messing around and not showing up on time would actually earn them a punishment, in Jong’s class.

*

“Did you mean it?” Jimin asks later that day.

“I mean everything I say,” Taehyung replies promptly. He turns towards Jimin and smiles. “What exactly?”

Jimin’s smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “Do you really think my senses are lacking?”

“Are you being serious right now?”

Jimin shrugs, melting into the large armchair as he keeps eye contact with his best friend. “It’s our graduation year. I need to be perfect.”

Tae’s sigh is long and drawn out. “Where is this even coming from? And don’t say my comment, because you know me. You’re the best mage Nocturne has ever had.”

Jimin scoffs at that. “Hardly.” He looks away; his eyes falling to the fire burning a few feet away from them. Its low crackle soothes out the chatter in their common room, leaving Jimin free to only focus on his conversation and on his loud thoughts.

“I mean that shit.” Taehyung’s voice is stern, any hints of hilarity gone. “Stumbling a couple of times doesn’t mean your senses need sharpening. You’re only human.”

“I’m a mage,” Jimin replies without missing a beat. He turns to look at Tae. “We’re not humans, Tae. We shouldn’t stumble. What if it’s a symptom of something deeper?”

“It’s not. Did you read that anywhere? I’m willing to bet you haven’t, because I’ve never heard of something so ludicrous.”

“And I’ve never heard of a mage that is also a klutz!” Jimin realises he’s raised his voice when the silence that follows is heavy. He glances around him, ready to find the eyes of the other occupants of the common room fixated on him—but everyone else is minding their own business; some chatting, others reading books or writing something.

Taehyung must’ve used a silent spell to give them privacy.

Jimin shrinks in on himself, embarrassed by his own outburst. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to raise my voice.”

Tae’s expression turns gentler. He pats the spot next to him on the couch, and Jimin stands up and goes to sit next to him. He snuggles in the other’s embrace, sighing as he watches the flames dance around and sparkle.

“If you want to be reassured, we can go ask Seokjin hyung tomorrow,” Taehyung starts. “But Min, I mean it when I say you’re the best mage the Academy has ever had. I really don’t think that there’s anything wrong with you. I would tell you if I did.”

“I know you would.” Truth be told, Jimin didn’t think that there was something wrong with him either—not before Tae’s comment that morning.

He knows his best friend was just joking, but in reality, Jimin has never quite felt a hundred percent himself. Not when it mattered: not when tapping into his senses, nor when casting spells or simple enchantments.

He’s tried his hardest his whole life, and that gave him the results he was aiming to achieve—but the feeling of utter power and freedom he is supposed to experience when using magic has always eluded him.

Maybe it does have something to do with his skewed balance. And maybe it’s even something fixable.

“Don’t think too much about it.” Taehyung squeezes his shoulder. “We’ll go to Seokjin hyung tomorrow. I’m sure he will confirm that there’s nothing wrong with you, and you can stop worrying about it.”

Jimin smiles, but he doesn’t reply.

“Come on, we have to perform the rituals before going to sleep. Enough thinking for the day.”

*

As consciousness slowly spreads through Jimin two mornings later, his senses immediately perceive that something is not quite right.

In the seconds that it takes him to properly wake up, a gust of wind brings with it a strange smell and unnatural cold.

A full-body shiver is what wakes Jimin properly, and the first thing he does is huddling up in his blanket, trying to warm himself up the old-fashioned way. He can tell that he woke up before he is supposed to because even with his eyes closed, daylight is still scarce. He turns around, determined to fall back asleep, when a shadow dims the light outside his closed eyelids.

Another gust of wind accompanies the motion—and Jimin is hit with the strange smell yet again.

He opens his eyes.

Almost hidden in the penumbra of the room, in front of the window near the door, there is a silhouette of a man—staring right at him.

Jimin gasps.

The man is tall and immobile, with shoulder-length wavy black hair and covered in all black—and he doesn’t even blink as he keeps his eyes locked on Jimin.

Jimin is fairly sure he’s someone he’s never seen before.

“Who are you? What are you doing here?”

The man does not reply, and Jimin’s heartbeat quickens in apprehension. He’s certain he’s never seen the man around at Nocturne. Something at the back of his mind tells him that he’s not a stranger, not really—but try as he might, he can’t seem to place him. He’s only partially relieved when he remembers that only mages can step into Nocturne’s walls, because the man does not seem like a mage at all.

There is something strange with the way he’s standing, eerily still, unblinking. Staring at him with the deepest black eyes Jimin has ever seen.

There is something about the man that makes his insides tighten. Something he can’t name.

Something that’s quickly being smothered by the fear that’s taking hold of his mind and making his magic react.

Jimin feels every tendril of magic inside him draw together, wrapping protectively around his mind to fend off potential attacks. He almost swears out loud—he doesn’t want to antagonise the man, especially if he’s managed to sneak into his very well-warded room. His magic pushes him to act, to protect himself, and Jimin almost regrets taking Seokjin’s elixir for his senses.

His magic wants out.

It’s the first time in his life that his magic feels like that—free to burst out of him: the elixir must’ve worked.

“How did you get in here?”

His questions still go unanswered. The man simply stands there, stance neutral, eyes still fixated on Jimin. Still unblinking.

Unnatural.

Jimin’s magic almost bursts out of him without his own control. Not used to it, Jimin barely gets a hold on it, heartbeat loud in his ears as he tries to calm down.

He’s not being attacked. It’s okay. He’s alright.

He takes a deep breath to calm down—and that is his only mistake.

He smells sulphur.

His magic bursts out of him without a warning, wrapping around the man in a tight hold. Jimin manages to take control of it just in time: he steers the spell towards something neutral rather than offensive, and the figure immediately transforms in front of his eyes.

Jimin’s breath is lodged in his throat as he observes the stranger, still dressed in all black, but now with dark red hues and marks all over his skin. He has long, dark claws, but more importantly, the white in his eyes has disappeared, only leaving black in its place.

Jimin just performed an unmasking spell—and he unmasked the figure in his room.

It’s a demon.

That’s the true form of a demon.

Jimin immediately retreats his magic back to him, and that makes the demon go back to looking like a normal person. The whole thing lasts not longer than a moment, but it feels burned in Jimin’s mind. He feels like an eternity passed, and he’s suddenly gotten a thousand years older.

“Who are you?”

Just like his previous questions, this one goes unanswered.

The demon just stares at him, his eyes back to normal—but this time, for the first time, he blinks.

He blinks, and the depth of his gaze almost overwhelms Jimin.

“Who are you?” And why does it feel like I know you?

*

The demon doesn’t disappear after the sun rises.

Jimin tries to get him to leave, tries to make him speak, yet nothing seems to get to him.

He just stands there, eyes fixed on Jimin, and he doesn’t move.

“Will you please turn around? I have to perform the morning ritual, and it doesn’t work if someone is in the room—let alone watching.”

Still nothing.

Jimin lets out a frustrated growl, hands in his hair, trying to come up with a solution. He has to do it in his room, in the designated spot assigned to him by his professor—it’s not only part of a class, but also something that strengthens the fabric of magic that protects Nocturne.

Not performing it is out of the question.

Jimin steals another look at the figure, standing still in his spot near the door, back against the window and eyes fixed on him. He doesn’t look ominous. Granted, he is a demon, and the subtle smell of sulphur has Jimin’s senses standing to attention, but his posture is relaxed—and more importantly, his gaze is just deep, focused. He looks nothing like some books depict them, and Jimin’s magic has calmed down enough for him to realise that he’s not a threat.

He is just… There.

How?

Jimin grumbles again and looks away. Time is passing, and if he doesn’t want to be late, he needs to perform the ritual now—even if it won’t work. He has to at least try. He can inform his professor that it didn’t work afterwards.

Without glancing at the demon again, he gathers the materials and stands where he is supposed to. He positions everything with practiced ease, then closes his eyes.

The soft sound of the candles lighting up is immediate, and Jimin gasps, surprised.

How is the ritual working with a demon in my room?

Jimin doesn’t open his eyes, focused on performing his enchantment and drawing energy from the elements around him. It’s a good thing that the morning ritual is so deeply rooted in his mind that he doesn’t even have to think much about it, because for its entire duration, half his attention is focused on the other presence in his room.

As soon as he seals the circle and snuffs the candles with his magic, his eyes fly open and he stands up.

“How is that possible?” He asks under his breath. He’s not expecting a reply from the demon; he just grabs what he needs for his classes and keeps muttering under his breath. “That’s not supposed to have worked, not at all. Am I just hallucinating?”

His gaze goes back to the demon, still standing quiet in his spot, and Jimin scoffs at himself. It would be quite hilarious if he were—and rather concerning. “Fucking Kim Seokjin and his elixir.”

Jimin only hesitates for a split second, before heading towards the door.

He doesn’t slow down when he passes the demon, doesn’t even look at him as he grabs the door handle. He intends not to spare him another glance, still unsure whether he’s real or not, but then he senses movement behind him—and it’s with his heart in his throat that he turns around.

For the first time since he appeared in his room, the demon has moved.

And it looks like he stepped towards him.

“So you can move, after all,” Jimin whispers. His voice comes out breathless, but he barely registers it.

His whole attention is taken by the figure in front of him.

They’re closer than Jimin realised, and the proximity brings with it details of the other’s face. Jimin’s eyes take in everything, from his strong brows and nose to the sharp cut of his jaw. He has a faint cut on his left cheekbone; a mole right under his lips.

He has big, round eyes, and it’s their depth that steals Jimin’s breath away.

Something inside him tugs and bends. His stomach swoops as if he’s falling, and for a moment, everything seems too much and not enough.

The demon’s gaze is anything but empty.

Rather, it burns in what feels like Jimin’s soul.

“Why won’t you speak to me?” It’s a mere whisper, but he knows the demon can hear him. “Can you not understand what I’m saying?” There’s no hint of recognition on his face, but his eyes track Jimin’s as if he’s hyperaware of everything Jimin.

He tries to ignore the feeling in his stomach as the silence stretches on. It won’t serve anything to feel disappointment, really. Not when the faculty members of Nocturne will banish him as soon as they see him—or Jimin tells them about it. Whichever comes first.

His insides twist with anguish at the thought.

That’s enough, Jimin. What is wrong with you.

Jimin blinks, breaking the gaze with the demon, and opens the door.

He doesn’t turn around as he starts walking towards his meeting spot with Taehyung, but he knows with every fibre of his being that he’s being followed. He should be worried, to have a demon showing up in his room out of the blue and then roaming free around Nocturne like that, he knows he should be—but he just… isn’t.

Jimin spots Taehyung before his friend notices him, and that means that he gets to watch his face as he takes in Jimin, and then the anachronistic figure behind him.

At least he hasn’t just been imagining him. Good to know.

“Good morning, Jimin.” Taehyung greets him with raised eyebrows and an inquisitive gaze, glancing between Jimin and the figure shadowing him in a not-so-veiled attempt at asking him about it.

“Good morning, Taetae.” And then, because he knows that if he doesn’t say something himself, Taehyung is going to start asking questions, he adds, “Don’t even say anything. I don’t know.”

Tae’s eyebrows are almost reaching his hairline now. “You… don’t know…?”

Jimin cringes at what must be going through his friend’s mind right now. He knows that Tae can’t imagine the… figure behind him is a demon, but he hopes that the long black robe he’s wearing is bizarre enough that Tae doesn’t think he’s one of Jimin’s one-night-stands. “Uh…”

Taehyung waits for Jimin to elaborate for a couple of seconds, and when it’s clear that nothing else is going to come out of his mouth, he turns the attention away from Jimin. “I don’t think we have met before, hi!” Taehyung, to Jimin’s horror, takes a step sideways, to get a better look at the figure behind Jimin. “I’m Taehyung, Jimin’s best friend.”

For a split second, Jimin almost expects the demon to reply to Taehyung.

Instead, the silence stretches for several seconds. Jimin glances at the demon, whose gaze is still rooted on Jimin—almost as if Tae hadn’t spoken at all.

“Jimin?” Tae’s voice is now confused. “What’s going on?”

He shrugs helplessly. “Do you think Professor Kang would mind if I skipped his lesson this morning? I think I need to consult with the Esoterics.”

*

In hindsight, Jimin should’ve known that leaving his room with a demon on his tail would be a bad idea. He should’ve found a way to deal with him on his own—or at the very least, he should’ve made him remain in his room; not follow him around the Academy.

But most importantly, he should not have gone and seen the Esoterics with a demon trailing behind him.

“Go through your reasoning one more time for me, please.” Kim Seokjin drawls.

Jimin’s face burns in embarrassment. “Hyung, I already explained it once,” he whines.

“Yes, but I’m failing to see the logic behind it. So while you’re laying here waiting for my cure to take effect, humour me.”

At the word ‘cure,’ the demon hisses and takes a step closer to Jimin.

Yeah, that’s a recent development.

“It’s alright,” Jimin says softly, his eyes finding the demon’s without thinking twice. “I’m alright.” Deep, dark eyes stare at him with a staggering intensity for a few seconds, before the demon blinks and loses the snarl. Jimin holds his gaze for a few seconds more, reassuring him, then turns towards Seokjin.

Seokjin, who’s staring at him with an expression almost as incredulous as the one Taehyung has been sporting for the better part of the morning.

Jimin sighs. “I—” he stops himself before saying I don’t know. Saying that to Taehyung didn’t bring him the best of luck, so he doesn’t even bother. He sighs again. “I already told you, I just thought they would help—”

“No, no, no,” Seokjin stops him. “From the beginning, Jimin.”

Jimin closes his eyes, resigned. “Right. Well. This morning, I woke up and he just—he was there. In my room.”

“In your well-warded room.”

“That’s right.”

“And you thought that was normal.”

“Of course not!” Jimin is looking at the healer now. “Do you think I’m stupid?”

“I don’t, which is why I’m really curious as to how this happened.”

“I don’t know how it happened!” Here, he’s said that again. Jimin almost fears that the Headmaster of Nocturne is going to barge through the door any moment, now. “It happened tonight, or, well—earlier this morning, while I was still asleep. I didn’t do anything different from yesterday, except take your elixir.”

Seokjin studies him in silence for a few seconds. “Go on. Please, try to add as many details as you can.”

Jimin shrugs. “So I woke up, and he was there. I tried to make him leave, I tried to ask questions, but he just stood there. Didn’t turn around, didn’t move from his spot. He’s never once talked, but as you can see, he’s kind of… receptive. To me. So at least we know he understands something.”

“Right.” Seokjin is still studying him with his unblinking gaze. It kind of unsettles Jimin.

“What do you think happened?”

“I’m still not sure. Go on.”

“Well, as I said, he was not moving, and I had to get ready for classes, not to mention that I had to perform the morning ritual before it became too late—”

“Wait.” Seokjin interrupts him. “That’s right. The ritual. Shit. I’m assuming it didn’t work.”

“It actually did.”

The silence that follows that sentence is loud. Jimin can’t really look Seokjin in the eyes, but at the same time he can’t look away. He knows that it shouldn’t have worked. He knows that it’s a ritual linked to one’s soul, and that for it to work, each soul should reflect and channel energies alone.

Jimin doesn’t know what it means that it ended up working with someone else inside his room, watching him.

“Tell me it’s because demons don’t actually have souls, and we’ve been taught wrong.” He knows better than that, but hope is really hard to kill. Maybe he missed a lesson about demons, at some point during the years—or maybe he’s misinterpreted.

Seokjin’s eyebrows shoot up. “Really?” Jimin cringes at his tone. “I know you know as much as I do on demons.”

“Which is not a lot. Hyung, we just know surface-based knowledge about them. It’s an elective study subject, and it’s not my area of expertise. That’s why I went to see the Esoterics.”

“With a demon, one of the very beings that they study and are equipped to fight off.” Seokjin shakes his head. “Can’t say I don’t get it, but you should have known better.”

“What else was I supposed to do?” Jimin is almost pleading now. “I am at a complete loss. I don’t know what happened, or why a demon decided to appear in my room one day and follow me around. I didn’t do anything. What if the Esoterics think I’m using dark magic? What if they accuse me of treason, or I have to leave Nocturne because somehow its defences got breached, because of me? I’m so close to graduating, hyung.” It takes a lot of effort to keep his voice from wavering.

Jimin has never been scared to lose his place in life before.

He’s always known what he was meant to be, ever since he was a kid. He knew he wanted to get into one of the prestigious academies, those that trained the very best mages in society, and he worked hard to get there. He knew he wanted to live as a respected member of society: he’s always imagined himself with an honourable knowledge-based job, maybe amongst the Academy scholars, and he’s doing his best to accomplish that goal. He’s been one of the best students Nocturne has ever had, and he’s genuinely loved every minute of it. Even though his magic never felt quite as free as it did this morning, after taking Seokjin’s elixir, Jimin has always tried his hardest, and has always excelled at everything.

And now… Now, it could all be taken from him.

And he doesn’t even know why.

“The Esoterics alone don’t have the power or the right to banish a student.” Kim Seokjin, the voice of reason. Were it any other day, Jimin would quip back at the very thought. Right now, though, he is hanging off every word coming from the other. “And I doubt the Council and Headmaster Kim will see it fit to banish you. They’ll be more interested in what happened, and how to fix it.”

“That’s if they believe me,” Jimin murmurs.

“There are ways to be certain if someone is telling the truth or is lying,” is the elusive reply he gets. “Don’t worry about it. You still haven’t finished your story, though. What happened when you went to see the Esoterics?”

Jimin’s cheeks start to colour. “We all went there, all three of us. Taehyung was still with me, so it wasn’t just me alone with the demon. They shouldn’t have acted as if I was in mortal peril or anything.” Seokjin raises an eyebrow, so he continues. “I knocked at their main door, and you know how that whole area of the building is heavily warded, right?” Seokjin nods. “Well, before I could take a step into the Main Hall, he grabbed my shoulder and waist and prevented me from going in.” It takes everything in him not to glance back at the demon. “And they saw it.”

“And they didn’t like it, I assume.”

“They did not. I was startled, because it was the first time a demon touched me—” Don’t glance at him. “But it wasn’t malevolent. I couldn’t feel any dark magic or negative energy, really. I was just surprised, and I guess so was Tae. But they must’ve seen it like a threat to my life or something, given how quickly they started chanting.”

Seokjin scoffs. “Of course. Was it aimed at him?”

“No, it was aimed at me. I don’t really know what they started chanting, but since it was aimed at me, I assume it was a defensive spell and not an offensive one; at least at first. But he didn’t know that.”

“And that’s when he attacked them.”

“Right.” Jimin is sure his cheeks are beet red now. “It felt like he acted out of protection. I know it sounds silly, but he never once targeted me—he just. Uh.” His eyes find the demon’s before he can stop himself. His gaze is still trained on Jimin, and he’s still standing there, silent and watchful. Jimin’s stomach does something, and he ignores it in favour of turning back to Seokjin. “He transfigured on his own, and started making hissing sounds, and I could feel something blocking the Esoterics’ spells. I could feel magic. It was magic, hyung. And it was coming from him.”

Seokjin remains silent for a long time.

Jimin is hyperaware of the fact that his hyung’s brain is going a mile per minute, thinking of an explanation that might make sense of the whole thing.

He’s also hyperaware of the figure standing next to him, guarding him, and about the fact that he’s sitting there, unproductive, all while lessons are still happening normally and he’s missing them, and even Taehyung’s notes won’t be enough to make up for his absence.

He feels useless, and he’s had to drink a stupid healing potion because the Esoterics started using offensive spells en masse against them and knocked him down at some point, and now he has to sit there until he gets cleared to leave by Seokjin, and he knows nothing of what’s happening or why, and he’s starting to think this is not going to end well—

Pressure on his right shoulder is what distracts Jimin from his spiralling thoughts.

It’s the exact same spot where the demon held him before, and he knows, before his eyes even focus back to the present, that it’s him again. Grounding him.

How did he know?

Jimin’s eyes find the demon’s deep, dark ones. He’s closer now, and Jimin’s stomach does the thing again that he’s starting to associate with close proximity to the demon. It's not fear, or anguish. It’s like jumping into the void and free-falling for one second, unsure of what the landing will bring.

Jimin is not sure he wants to find out.

Why won’t you speak to me?

For a second, that’s Jimin’s most intense wish: to simply talk with him. To figure out who he is, how he got inside Nocturne; why.

“You’re free to leave, by the way.” Seokjin’s words startle Jimin, who turns to look back at him, guilty. “The healing potion has done its course. You should be good as new.”

Jimin stares at him. “Thank you.” He waits to see if he’s going to add something else, and when Seokjin still says nothing, he presses on. “So what do you think? About the whole thing?”

Seokjin takes a big sigh, then exhales slowly. “I believe you. It’s definitely not your fault he’s here. I know you didn’t summon him; even if you wanted to, you couldn’t have. But that is all I know for sure. I’m going to have to talk with Min Yoongi, before confirming some of the things I’m thinking. I’m not an Esoteric—as you said, I don’t know all that much about demons.”

“But you must know something, you must have an idea of what’s happening! Please.” Jimin can almost feel panic rise in his chest again. “I need something, hyung.”

Seokjin’s mouth twists a little, then sighs again. “It’s mostly just theories, right now. I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about anything, if I’m wrong.”

“I won’t take what you say to heart, I promise.”

“Good.” Seokjin levels him with a stare, then speaks. “I’m thinking your souls might be interlinked somehow. That’s why he managed to use magic the way he did. And also why he’s very perceptive of you and you only.”

Jimin’s stomach does the thing again, and he takes in a sharp breath. Faint notes of sulphur remind him of the demon’s hand on top of his shoulder, and for the briefest of instants, everything makes perfect sense in his mind.

Their souls are interlinked. The demon belongs to him.

It feels right.

Then the reality of what those words really mean crashes into him. “What? What do you mean, our souls might be interlinked?” He knows demons are not soulless, not at all—in fact, their soul is undead and undying. But they live in two different realms, the living and the undead, and the two should not be able to cross.

Let alone have their souls interlinked.

Seokjin shrugs. “With the knowledge I have available, that is the only explanation that makes sense. I don’t quite know how that would be possible, though. That’s why I need Yoongi’s help.”

“But that does not make sense,” Jimin stresses. “It’s not supposed to be possible, right? To link someone’s soul is too much of an advanced spell in itself, not to mention really fickle. It’s soul manipulation. I wouldn’t be able to perform it, not with my current knowledge. And we’re talking about two very different types of souls, belonging to two different realms of reality. It shouldn’t be possible. That’s not what it is, hyung, I’m sure.”

“I’m not saying you performed an intertwining spell with your soul.” Seokjin’s words are very slow and deliberate. “But your souls are linked. Somehow.”

“How? Are there records of something like this ever happening to anyone? Maybe in one of your healer electives? Is it a…” The word curse feels viscerally wrong, and Jimin can’t bring himself to say it. “An ailment?”

Seokjin shakes his head. “No, no. It’s just not the first time I’ve heard of something like this. I’m going to have to talk to Yoongi; he’s the only Esoteric I’d trust about this. You should take it easy for the rest of the day, though. Go rest.”

“I’ve already missed all morning’s lessons for this, hyung. I can’t miss this afternoon’s as well.”

“Nobody is going to die if you do. When’s the last time you took a day off?”

“Have you ever taken a day off?” Jimin retorts.

“I actually have,” Seokjin announces, proud. “Several, in fact. And not all of them were justified, as this one day would be for you. You just have to make up for it in your spare time, but you already do that, so you’re good!” He claps as he stands up.

Jimin doesn’t reply like he wants to simply because the demon is still lingering next to him, hand still on his shoulder. A constant reminder of his presence.

It’s distracting.

Deep down, he knows his hyung is right in wanting him to take the rest of the day off. He doesn’t want to find out what would happen if he appeared at his next class with a demon lingering behind him; not really. Not after what happened with the Esoterics.

“Alright, then.”

“Good. I like it when you listen to me without much fuss. You should do that more often.” Seokjin’s tone loses levity after that. “By the way, this is your first day after you started taking the elixir. How does it feel? Have you noticed any difference?”

“I have, actually.” Jimin pauses a second. “It finally feels like my magic is free to roam and react on its own. It feels like it’s supposed to be feeling, I think. From what I’ve heard everyone else say, anyway.” He clears his voice. It’s a bit embarrassing to admit it. “It’s the first time I’ve felt something like this, so I can’t be sure, you know.”

Seokjin nods. There is no judgment in his gaze. “Of course. I’m glad it’s working well.” He seems like he wants to add something, but then he thinks better of it and stops. “Keep taking it daily like we agreed on.”

“Will do. Thank you, hyung.”

“No need to thank me. I’m just doing my job.” Seokjin winks at him, then waves his hand. “Go now. I have things to research.”

“Do you think everything will go back to normal by tomorrow?” Jimin asks quietly.

Seokjin’s gaze softens in sympathy. “Not really, no.”

Jimin nods. He wasn’t expecting anything else. “I figured. Had to ask, you know?” Seokjin smiles at that. “Anyway. Thank you for the potion, and for helping me figure this all out.” He stands up. The demon doesn’t move from his side, nor does he move his hand off his shoulder. “Do you think I’ll be able to go to classes tomorrow, at least?”

“I’m not sure. Your professors must’ve been informed by now, but I think you have at least a couple of days of rest ahead of you. Use them wisely—and by that, I mean try to actually rest. Catch up on your studies, I don’t know. Try to socialise.” An eyebrow wiggle accompanies the last word, and Jimin bristles.

“Please stop.” He gathers his bag to leave, but he hesitates with a sudden thought. “One last thing…”

“Yes?”

Jimin bites his lip for a second, before speaking. “Do you think he will be able to communicate with me, at some point?”

Seokjin’s silence is, once again, long and poignant. Jimin feels heat creeping up his face, but he forces himself not to look away.

Eventually, Seokjin replies. “I’ll come up with something to help with that.”

*

It turns out, taking it easy is easier said than done. At least if your name is Park Jimin.

Ever since he stepped through the door of his room, a weird sense of unrest took hold of him. He tries to keep busy however he can—he has some subjects he could study in depth, he could work more on his magic, or categorise ingredients for the basic potions he’s required to make, or even freaking nap.

Unfortunately, none of these things sound appealing in the slightest. He doesn’t have Tae’s notes for the day yet. He can’t quite go to the elemental rooms, or even out to take a walk, not really. He’s just filled with weird energy, and he can’t sit still.

He spends five minutes moving his body in the room—calling it ‘working out’ would be an exaggeration—but even that doesn’t last.

The demon is back in his spot near the window, silently observing him, and Jimin groans in frustration. “Why are you here, really?”

As usual, he gets no reply.

So he does the only logical thing, and walks up to him.

Jimin knows he should feel scared. He should fear such a creature, undead and capable of harm beyond measure. Yet, as he stands in front of him, he can’t help but be drawn to the otherworldly presence. It’s an instinctual feeling—something that can’t quite be explained in words. He just knows that it feels right, that it feels safe.

That it’s where he should be.

Maybe what Seokjin said is right, and his soul is truly linked with the demon’s.

It should be impossible. And yet…

“Why do I feel safe, right here?” It feels silly to whisper those words to someone who not only doesn’t understand him, but also probably isn’t even there for benevolent reasons. A big part of his rational brain is screaming at him to stop with this nonsense and get away from there. “I know I shouldn’t. I really shouldn’t feel safe. I studied you, you know? Your kind. On books. It’s not pretty.” Jimin sighs. He heads for the ottoman at the end of the bed and sits there.

From where he is, he has a full view of the dark figure of the demon; a stark contrast with the bright windows and the view of the gardens outside. It feels like he should run away from the dark figure of the demon—like he should take refuge in the light outside of his room, and leave the darkness locked inside.

But once again, he finds himself feeling… safe. Reassured.

“I genuinely don’t understand. It would really help if you talked to me, you know? I bet you even understand what I’m saying, but you’re just having fun watching me blabber to myself like an idiot. It’s probably your demon ways, isn’t it? A means to torment me.” He rolls his eyes. “Bored in hell, or wherever you come from, so you decide to take a stroll on Earth and torment the innocent mage. It totally sounds like a demon thing to do. Bet you must be laughing on the inside. Are you even capable of laughing?”

Silence. The demon just stares at him.

Jimin stares back.

It’s easy to lose himself in the details of the figure in front of him. His cloak is just plain and dark, but the deep black is kind of unsettling, if you stare at it for too long—so Jimin doesn’t dwell on that.

The most magnetic thing about him is his gaze.

The demon’s brows are well-defined, on top of a pair of round eyes that are too dark and too deep to be just empty vessels. They track Jimin’s every move, every breath; almost like they want to witness every shift of his soul. It’s thrilling and terrifying. It’s exhilarating. It makes Jimin want to vibrate out of his skin, and his stomach twists in that peculiar way he’s sort of getting used to.

Deep in his bones, Jimin knows the demon can understand what is going on. Maybe not what Jimin says, but as far as Jimin is concerned? He knows. He knows him.

Down the slope of the strong nose, Jimin’s eyes are drawn by his mole, nestled underneath the demon’s lower lip. It’s such a small detail, but it kind of gives him a touch of humanity.

Most demons were mortals, once.

Jimin shivers.

“I also know when to trust my instincts.” He stares in the demon’s eyes, contemplating for a second. It’s so easy to get lost in their depth. “My magic knows. My magic always knows, but especially today. Now, here. With you?” He shakes his head at his own question. “My magic knows you. I’d like to know you as well.”

I would like to remember you.

*

Jimin names the demon Cookie, after one human-made sweet he tasted once as a kid. He remembers being obsessed with the sweet, cookie, and he remembers that the vendor had explained that the dark spots were chocolate chips.

When Taehyung comes to give Jimin notes, he is thrilled to know that Jimin’s named the demon Cookie.

Jimin tries to defend himself without admitting that the mole underneath the demon’s lips reminds him of that sweet, but Tae just laughs at him and calls him crazy and then starts asking questions to the demon himself.

He gets no reply either, much to Jimin’s satisfaction.

From then onwards, it’s easier to focus on his studies. At first, Tae helps in explaining how the classes went and replies to Jimin’s questions that the notes didn’t seem to cover.

Then he’s left alone with Cookie once again, and he resolutely ignores how silly it feels to address the demon as Cookie in his head and focuses on catching up on the day’s classes.

Instead of going to eat dinner in the common area, he opts for the meal to be delivered to his room, and so his evening passes like that: quiet, thoughtful, but not alone.

Never alone.

Cookie watches him as he performs the evening rituals, and this time Jimin isn’t even surprised that they work perfectly fine, despite the company in his room. It’s strange and almost grounding, in a way—and it’s only when he has to go to sleep, that a thought makes him feel uneasy for the first time.

What’s going to happen, tomorrow?

He doesn’t want the demon to leave; not yet anyway.

He at least wants to know why he came there, why he protected Jimin, and how he got past Nocturne’s defences. It’s not much to ask, he reckons. He deserves to know.

But as he’s changing into his sleepwear and preparing to go to sleep for the night, his stomach swoops in anxiety at the thought of what tomorrow will bring.

He steals a glance at Cookie, still standing there and staring at him, and bites his lips.

“Don’t disappear, okay?”

He wants to add ‘promise me’, but he feels silly enough as it is, so he gets inside the bed with a sigh and turns off the candles with a flick of his magic.

*

The following day brings with it his professors’ go-ahead for Jimin to go back to attend classes.

He didn’t think the decision would come so quickly, but apparently Headmaster Kim himself gave the green light, so the Council and his professors had to agree with the choice. Jimin almost expects to be called in and get questioned any time now, but he decides he’s going to worry about it when it gets to that. He has nothing to hide.

The demon is still there.

Jimin takes the slightest breath of relief as he opens his eyes and finds his dark, immobile figure staring at him. A tension he didn’t even know he carried slides off of him and leaves him boneless. He gets ready for the morning with a soft hum accompanying his actions, and he doesn’t even worry about having to navigate the day with a demon next to him.

Not until it’s too late and he realises he should’ve prepared some.

“Get that beast under control, fuck!”

To his credit, Jimin hadn’t planned to run into Lee Chansung, one of the Esoterics that attacked him the previous day.

The news of a demon roaming almost free inside Nocturne must be fresh and privy only to their professors, Jimin reckons, because the way Chansung recoils at the sight of Cookie would’ve been funny if it wasn’t immediately followed by an attack.

“Stop trying to cast world-wounding spells at Jimin, you idiot! You’re making it worse for yourself!” Taehyung, bless his heart, tries to talk Chansung off from what he’s doing, but Jimin knows it’s useless. He’s too prideful to stop something he started.

“I won’t let a necromancer and his pet pollute these halls!”

Jimin’s blood boils at the senseless accusation, but he has no time to reply or call him out. His whole attention is focused on Cookie, transfigured into his full demon self in his arms, jostling and thrashing to get free and launch himself against Chansung. He’s hissing non-stop, snarling and chanting in a language Jimin doesn’t understand, but it’s enough to make him shiver.

Jimin tries his best to dampen the demon’s magic with his own, not wanting Chansung to get hurt no matter how much he thinks he deserves it. He doesn’t want to make it more difficult than it has to be, but keeping such magic at bay requires almost all of Jimin’s strength.

The demon’s magic is really fucking strong, alright.

“You’ll get hurt if you don’t stop now!” Taehyung snaps again, his own magic aiding Jimin’s in dampening the effect of whatever Cookie is casting towards the Esoteric.

Jimin’s heart is pounding in his chest, adrenaline and fear mixing with every hit he doesn’t take from Chansung’s offensive spells.

Taehyung is right. Jimin knows that if this doesn’t stop soon, his own magic will switch to protect itself, and it’ll become offensive. He doesn’t even want to imagine how devastating the effects would be on the Esoteric, especially since he knows it will mix with Cookie’s offensive magic.

“You have to stop this, please. I’ve got it under control,” Jimin pleads in a low voice, trying to grab the attention of the demon in his arms. Jimin is much smaller than his frame, and Cookie has several inches on him as well—and it takes everything in Jimin to physically hold him back. “You can’t hurt him, please.”

The demon snarls and hisses, but he stops struggling against Jimin’s hold, and he takes a breath of relief. The smell of sulphur is slightly intoxicating, up close like this, but it’s almost like it grounds Jimin—reminding him of what’s happening, and why it has to stop now.

Since he doesn’t have to focus on physically stopping the demon anymore, it gets slightly easier to control the flow of his own magic.

Tae is still yelling at Chansung to stop, while the Esoteric is still spewing shit and casting offensive spells at Jimin, when a level voice chills Jimin.

“Stop, right now.”

It’s Min Yoongi, Jimin recognises the tone of his voice without even having to look. It’s almost without inflection, and the monotonous tone makes the command even more compulsory.

Jimin can feel the attacks on his magic lessen to a stop, but he keeps up his own protective magic between Chansung and the demon’s attacks, which are not stopping yet.

“Park, can you control him?”

Jimin dares a glance at Min Yoongi. He’s always felt a deep sense of respect towards the Esoteric. Seokjin has always spoken highly of him, and even though Jimin doesn’t personally know him that well, he trusts Seokjin.

Right now, with his impenetrable stare and his calm pose, he gives off such an authoritative aura that Jimin can’t help but want to comply to whatever he asks.

“Yes, I can.”

Jimin sees Yoongi nod, and he turns his gaze and attention back to the demon in his arms.

“You have to stop.”

Jimin doesn’t know how he could possibly make the demon listen to him. Instead of looking like he understands what Jimin is saying, the demon keeps hissing, his gaze focused on someone behind Jimin—and Jimin realises his tries will likely not succeed, with the Esoteric still in their proximity.

“You should leave.” Jimin addresses Chansung behind him.

“I’m not letting a necromancer roam free!” Is the reply he gets.

“Lee, go wait for me in our Main Hall.” No sound or movement follow Min Yoongi’s words. “Now.”

Jimin barely registers Chansung leaving after that. His full attention is still on Cookie in his arms. He is transfigured as his demon form, swirls of red dotting his skin, but what is downright frightening is the complete black of his eyes, sclera and all. Jimin has almost gotten used to his deep stare, and seeing all black in its place is quite jarring.

The demon is still not looking at Jimin; he’s still hissing and trying to cast magic.

That won’t do.

“Hey,” Jimin tries to grab his attention. “You need to stop now, please. He’s gone now.”

Jimin’s words don’t seem to affect the demon, and he’s starting to get antsy. In the past twenty-four hours, Cookie has been more receptive to Jimin’s words and actions, than this. Hell, he’s even touched Jimin unprompted, when it came to protecting him or reassuring him in the infirmary.

Right now, he doesn’t seem like he’s understanding Jimin at all.

He knows Cookie hasn’t done anything to him, but the fact that he tried to attack someone else twice, and isn’t seeming to respond to Jimin, is… not good.

He needs to be able to make the demon listen to himself, again.

Jimin glances at Min Yoongi again. “Maybe you feel threatening to him. Maybe he can sense that you’re able to hurt him, so he’s still trying to protect himself.”

“It’s not himself he’s trying to protect,” Yoongi’s reply is calm. “But I can’t leave a student alone with a demon out of control, Park. Make him stop, or I will.”

No.

Jimin clenches his jaw, a wave of protection coursing through him.

He can’t let someone harm the demon. Not if he can help it.

Deep in his core, Jimin knows he can get through to him.

“Cookie.” The nickname sounds incredibly silly, especially as he’s trying to get the attention of a fully transfigured demon who’s still hissing dark magic. But it’s all Jimin has to address him. “Please, you have to stop now.” It’s almost whispered, trying to get him to focus on his words alone. “He’s gone, you’re alright, I’m alright.”

At those words, the hissing starts to slow down for the first time since it started.

Encouraged by that, Jimin’s heart starts picking up the pace. “You’re alright. It’s all fine. We’re alright.” The last two words seem to have a stronger effect on the demon, who almost completely stops hissing. “We’re alright, Cookie.”

Jimin doesn’t even realise he has his hands on his neck; not until Cookie finally turns his face towards him and the gesture makes the muscles in his neck flex underneath his fingers.

Jimin takes in a sharp breath—but if it’s at the realisation of where his hands have been, or at the fully-black gaze shifting on him, he can’t tell.

All he knows is that he’s almost done it.

And that he’s never been as physically close to the demon as he is now.

“It’s over. We’re going to be alright.”

It takes only one blink, before Cookie’s eyes go back to normal and his skin loses the red hues and marks.

He transfigures back to normal, stops hissing, and doesn’t move away in the slightest—just stares at him.

Like this, Jimin is hyperaware of their proximity. The demon’s eyes are incredibly round and deep, and it’s extremely peculiar, and they’re so close that Jimin can almost feel his breath on him.

He doesn’t know how to deal with any of that.

Clearing his voice, he takes a step back, hands falling from the demon’s neck as he moves away. He glances at Min Yoongi, who’s staring at him in silence, and he feels heat creeping up his cheeks.

“I think I did it.”

Yoongi remains quiet for a few more seconds, then nods. “Well done. You two should go now. Classes are about to start.”

Just like that, he leaves Jimin there, with his heart in his throat and two separate gazes staring at him, Jimin’s and Taehyung’s—one of deep intensity, the other of curious wonder.

The demon stares at Jimin, as always.

*

The rest of the day passes in the blink of an eye, and incredibly slowly at the same time.

Classes are not so bad: even after skipping one entire day, Jimin is able to follow everything easily. His classmates are mostly just intrigued by Jimin’s company, rather than being scared or hostile like the Esoterics were. It’s a relief, really.

His professors are not thrilled about the presence of a demon in their classes, but it could be much worse, Jimin muses. They only make him leave the class when a particularly sensitive spell has to be casted by one of the other students, and they are anxious to perform that in front of a demon, but it doesn’t happen more than a couple of times anyway.

Everything Jimin tries to cast works perfectly fine.

More than that, it’s like his magic has finally realised what it feels like to be free, and it takes him less than half the time to perform spells, now, than it used to before Seokjin’s elixir.

Jimin didn’t really believe that his skewed balance could have an impact on his magic abilities, but after only two days, he can tell that there’s a significant difference. He resolves to ask Seokjin more about how that elixir works, next time he meets him. Healing might not be his favourite subject to study, but he’s fascinated enough to want to know more.

However, what keeps tugging at Jimin’s attention throughout the day, is Cookie’s presence—lingering next to him the entire time, silently being there, shadowing him.

He is not used to it, and sometimes he doesn’t know how to handle.

Other times, though, it feels exactly right. Almost as if his presence is necessary.

It’s enough to have him half-distracted for the majority of the time.

“Thank the heavens tomorrow is study-only,” Jimin exhales as their last class of the day ends. “I was barely able to concentrate, today.”

“Does a certain demon have anything to do with it?” Taehyung singsongs next to him.

Jimin groans. “Of course it does. And don’t talk about him as if he’s not next to us. I know he understands what’s going on.”

Tae snickers next to him. “You have such a soft spot for him, have you noticed? It’s like you’ve known him for ages instead of just about a day.”

“Goodness, it really has been just a day, hasn’t it? Well, almost two days now.” Jimin’s cheeks colour. “It really does feel like I’ve known him for a long time. I know it sounds dumb.”

“Not necessarily,” comes Tae’s replies. “If what Seokjin hyung has said is true, then it’s very normal that you feel like that.”

“None of this is ‘normal,’ Tae.” Jimin sighs. He doesn’t want to think about it. “Come on. Let’s stop by the infirmary. I have a couple of questions to ask hyung.”

*

If there’s one thing Jimin is sure of, it's that he’s not going to become a healer.

Healing is a branch of magic that mostly deals with physical forces, rather than spiritual—at least that’s how it’s been for the past couple of decades. Healers used to be focused on spiritualism only, but after starting to incorporate their studies with human studies, they shifted more towards a physical-based type of discipline. It makes sense, really, but they study spiritualism only in a matter that concerns the body now, because their ultimate goal is to heal the body.

That’s why, at the infirmary, when he questions Seokjin about the elixir, it feels like his answer isn’t one that fully satisfies Jimin’s curiosity.

The elixir only sharpened your senses, Seokjin explains. It’s also worked on your magic because your magic is as intrinsic as your senses. But I also haven’t talked with Min Yoongi yet, and I know there are things I am missing still.

Jimin doesn’t want to bother him more than he already has on the previous day, so he doesn’t insist and leaves him to work and research.

He knows that as soon as has something more concrete, his hyung will call on him and will explain anyway.

Jimin is just a very impatient mage, is all.

*

The next few days pass more or less in the same way.

Jimin is always shadowed by the demon in everything he does and everywhere he goes. He doesn’t have needs like Jimin does: he doesn’t eat, doesn’t sleep, doesn’t need to use the bathroom.

He doesn’t follow Jimin to the bathroom, simply because Jimin bodily dragged him outside the door the first time he tried to follow him there.

The only mortal thing he does is bathe.

Cookie loves bathing, Jimin comes to learn.

The first time Jimin draws him a bath and gestures at him to get inside, he doesn’t even question it—he heads for the bathtub in such a sure way that Jimin immediately flees the room, before he has to deal with a fully naked demon in such close proximity.

However, when he gets out of the bathroom a good twenty minutes later, he is completely wet, dripping water on the ground, his drenched cloak and hair hanging heavily on him.

Jimin couldn’t have anticipated that he was not going to undress before getting into the bathtub, but he probably should have.

After that, Jimin lends him some clothes that he has to magically adjust for Cookie to fit in, and the sight of a demon with normal clothes on is almost as jarring as his presence at Nocturne.

Which is to say, almost not jarring at all.

Not for Jimin; not after the first five minutes, anyway.

Everything about him feels extremely familiar, to Jimin. It’s bizarre, and it makes him want to know everything even more.

Cookie still doesn’t speak.

It’s not something Jimin thought was going to happen, not unprompted anyway—but he still doesn’t like it. He’s impatient. Every day he waits for Seokjin to call him and tell him everything, to tell him they’ve figured it out or that he has what Jimin needs to communicate with the demon, yet days pass and there’s nothing.

All in all, Jimin is holding well, he thinks.

Things might be better, sure, but he doesn’t resent the presence of the demon there with him. He just wishes to talk to him.

As days pass, Jimin notices he gets used to the smell of sulphur enough not to smell it on the demon anymore. He also notices that Cookie still touches him, here and there—with lingering hands on his shoulders, on his waist at times, and it leaves Jimin flustered and red in the face. The demon also seems to understand his emotions, at least partially and especially when strong. It’s for the better, Jimin muses. It’s one form of communication, really, even though it’s one-way only. He can be patient and wait for Seokjin’s call, he can.

Surprisingly, when the council calls for Jimin and Cookie follows him inside, they don’t stop him from following the mage.

Jimin feels like the presence of Headmaster Kim – who he’s only seen up close like this a handful of times, really – works in his favour, somehow. He doesn’t really know Kim Namjoon, but he’s always thought good things of the mage. He exudes power, and authority, and he’s probably the youngest headmaster Nocturne has ever seen. That alone would be enough to earn Jimin’s respect, really.

But standing by what Seokjin has told him over the years, Kim Namjoon is also sensible and very just.

And so they ask Jimin the questions he’s already expecting, and they believe him when he tells them his version of what happened: that he did nothing different from one day to the next, that he just drank an elixir for his senses the day prior, and that he has no idea why a demon is there, and seems to know him.

They try to question the demon, but unsurprisingly, he doesn’t utter a word. His gaze remains fixed on Jimin, and they soon realise that it’s wasted time, so they move on.

Headmaster Kim nods in approval when Jimin tells them that Kim Seokjin and Min Yoongi are working together to understand what might’ve happened. Jimin feels useless, not being able to help them in any way, so he vows to go the extra mile in studying hard. Once he graduates, he’s going to become an expert himself, and he’s going to be able to help others just like Seokjin hyung and Min Yoongi are helping him now.

The whole thing doesn’t even last one hour, after which Jimin – and Cookie – are free to go.

Jimin has worried about how that discussion would go for so long that now that it’s over, and everything is fine, he almost feels dumb for his own anxiety.

*

It's about two weeks after Cookie's appearance, when things finally shift.

Jimin is in the middle of writing one of the essays they're required to submit, when his room chimes with a letter from Kim Seokjin.

Heart in his throat, Jimin leaves the papers on his desk and rushes to grab a coat. In his haste, he almost stumbles at the door in his attempt to wear shoes while still walking.

Before he knows, Cookie is there in his space, arms around his waist and steadying him, keeping him from losing balance. Jimin stands there for a few seconds, immobile, still not quite used to the demon touching him. It feels heady every time, and impossibly comforting, and it makes his skin break out in goosebumps.

“Thank you,” he whispers, unable to make his voice louder in the silence of the room. His eyes find the demon's, big and round and fixated on him as usual, and he's hit with the now-familiar flutter in his stomach. “You are always here whenever I need it, aren't you?” He smiles. “We're about to find out more about you, though. Finally.” He puts his hands on top of the demon's, still on his waist, and he strokes them for a second before letting go. “Come on. Seokjin hyung is waiting for us.”

They arrive at the infirmary only a few minutes later. 

Seokjin is waiting there—and as soon as he sees Jimin, he raises an eyebrow. “Did you just run here?”

Jimin's cheeks flush. “No.” It’s not a lie. Truthfully, he had to fight that instinct. But he didn't run: he opted for a quick walk—only because he didn't feel like falling and spraining an ankle on the way. 

Seokjin doesn't need to know, though. 

Jimin tries to ignore the fact that Seokjin's smirk says that he knows anyway. “Right. You must be so bored, if you rush here the second I call. Please do get a life.”

“Shut up, goodness,” Jimin mutters. “Did you call for me only to tease me?”

“Why, I would never.” Seokjin waves his hand, then he grabs a vial from the table in front of him. “I'm glad you found your demon some normal clothes, by the way. It'll make things easier.”

“For what?”

“We are going to see Min Yoongi.”

Jimin's heart starts pounding in apprehension. “Do you mean…”

“Yes, we're going to the Esoterics’ wing of Nocturne.”

Jimin's eyes go to Cookie without even thinking about it. He is standing there, still staring at Jimin, unperturbed. Jimin looks back to Seokjin. “But he won't be able to enter.” And he will prevent me from getting in as well. He doesn't add that last part, but he knows Seokjin understands. He knows what happened the previous time Jimin tried to go in there.

“Not right now, he won’t, you're right. That's why he is going to have to let me cast some runes spell on him. And you're going to help me.”

Jimin stares at Seokjin like he grew another head. “And how exactly do you plan on doing that?”

Seokjin puts the vial he grabbed in a pouch, then he grabs turquoise pigmentation and walks towards Jimin and Cookie. “Simple. You're going to draw the runes on him. I'm just going to cast the spell.” 

Jimin doesn’t even reply, too stunned to speak. It feels ludicrous, and—“I don't even know which ones to draw! And shouldn't the same person who draws the runes also be the one to cast the spell?”

“Not necessarily, no. Not for all spells. This is one of them.”

“So it's not a Divination spell.”

“No, it's not,” Seokjin confirms. “It's an Elemental one. Yoongi gave it to us.”

Jimin's insides twist. He trusts Yoongi, but at the same time, he doesn’t want to hurt the demon. “This is just to get him through the Esoterics’ protections?”

“Yes.”

Jimin wants to ask why they need to go over there. He has to bite his tongue, because he doesn’t want to sound ungrateful. They are trying to help, after all.

That doesn’t prevent him from eyeing the turquoise powder almost as if it personally wronged him, though. “Hyung, what if I mess this up?”

“Jimin.” Seokjin looks at him dead in the eyes. “You’re a brilliant mage. It's just some rune drawings. I know you can do that just fine. I would do it myself, but I think you might have more luck than me, with him.”

Right. The demon might get defensive with his hyung. With Jimin though, he doesn’t even think for a second that Cookie would try to stop him.

He nods. “Alright. Tell me which ones you need drawn and where.”

“Anywhere on him is fine.” 

Seokjin shows him a sheet with the runes he needs, and it's a longer sequence than Jimin was expecting. Nothing he doesn't know how to do, but it's going to require a bit of space, for sure.

He looks at Cookie, trying to gauge where to put the runes he needs to. He's wearing a black long-sleeve shirt and just some black pants, and Jimin knows what he has to do.

His cheeks flush red as he grabs the bowl of turquoise and heads towards him. Cookie doesn’t back away, he remains there and keeps his eyes trained on Jimin, and that doesn't help how flustered he feels.

“Uhm, hyung. How much time do you need to cast the spell?”

“It's just two full sentences. Once you're done with the runes, I'm only going to need a few seconds.”

Jimin nods. “Alright.”

Having decided that he's going to draw the runes on the demon's arm, Jimin starts chanting a modification of the spell he made on the clothes the demon is wearing. He needs Cookie's shirt to be looser than what it is right now.

It only takes him a few seconds before he succeeds.

It's what comes after that threatens to set his face on fire. “I'm going to need to roll up one of your sleeves now, alright?” He asks. He knows the demon won't reply or anything, but he feels better if he tells him beforehand. “Here, let me help you.”

His hands grab the hem of Cookie’s right sleeve to roll it up, but when he goes to do so, the demon does something that Jimin’s not expecting at all.

He just removes his shirt in one smooth gesture.

Jimin almost chokes on his own spit at that, and he needs to subtly cough a couple of times to get his breathing under control.

Goodness, but he is incredibly well-built.

He’s never seen any of the demon's bare skin. He’s also never imagined he would, nor that he could be so close to Jimin’s type as to have him reeling.

Jimin tries to focus, and definitely doesn’t silently scream inside his head. He doesn’t glance at Cookie’s bare chest, and absolutely doesn’t die inside at the thought that the nickname he chose is really inappropriate—or very appropriate, depending on the point of view.

He just thanks his lucky star that Seokjin doesn’t comment on any of it.

With a deep breath, Jimin dips two fingers in the colourful powder and looks up.

The demon is already staring at him, always staring at him. It almost makes Jimin smile. “I’m going to touch your arm now, alright?” His voice comes out very feeble. “It’s not going to hurt, I promise.”

After that, he starts drawing the runes on top of Cookie’s arm.

It’s a slow process, with Jimin not wanting to mess it up or get distracted. His fingers brush the demon’s arms with such ease that he’s almost breathless, marvelling at the fact that the gesture feels very ordinary, yet electrifying. Cookie is standing there still, but instead of looking at Jimin now, his eyes are trained on Jimin’s fingers drawing runes on his arm.

It's a significant display of trust.

Not that Jimin had doubts by now, but it’s a nice reminder.

After drawing the last rune on his forearm, now close to his wrist, Jimin nods at him. “It’s done. You did so well.”

Seokjin starts chanting the spell after that, and the demon’s head snaps in his direction as soon as he starts. “Hey,” Jimin says, needing his attention back. Cookie turns to him almost immediately. “It’s alright. He’s not going to hurt you.”

The spell ends really soon after that, and Seokjin sighs. “Done. We can go now.”

*

Standing in front of the massive door once again, Jimin is hit by a déjà-vu. The door is tall and majestic, etched in ancient runes, and he has to suppress the urge to double-check on the runes on the demon’s arm. He knows they’re still there, he knows he drew them not ten minutes ago, but the shirt he’s wearing is hiding them from view, and Jimin’s stomach clenches in apprehension.

Seokjin opens the door without a second of hesitation, then motions Jimin to follow him.

This time, nothing happens when Jimin steps through.

Jimin crosses the doorframe without Cookie trying to stop him, and after a moment, he follows Jimin inside without any problem.

Jimin sighs in relief.

There are only a handful of people, scattered in the Esoterics Main Hall. Most of them don’t pay attention to the group passing through; only a few look up, then go back to their study as if there’s nothing out of the ordinary.

Jimin wonders how many of those gazes are able to tell that one of them is a demon.

Probably only the ones that already know, he figures. It’s not like he’s crossed paths with that many Esoterics in the past couple of weeks.

Then again, maybe they can tell by the subtle smell of sulphur. Jimin is used to it by now, but he knows that every time Taehyung meets with them, he can still smell it.

They pass across the Mail Hall without stopping. Jimin’s only been there a couple of times, but the energy emanating from the place never fails to make him shiver. It’s like the walls are drenched with magic—runes upon runes adorn their golden surfaces and almost emanate a faint glow, barely there, only perceptible through magic.

For him, the Esoterics Main Hall is one of the most suggestive places in the whole academy.

They don’t linger. They head through a couple of doors, then cross a long corridor, before reaching a wooden door and stopping.

“This should be it.”

Just then, the door opens.

Min Yoongi stands on the other end of it. “Hello. Come on in.”

After making sure Cookie is still following him, Jimin gets inside.

He’s never been this deep in the Esoterics wing of the Academy before. It looks like a simple working space, with a couch, some chairs, and a few desks scattered with powders and sheets and scrolls. One wall next to the windows is completely filled with bookcases, while the other on the opposite side is adorned with runes and projections, at the centre of which there is a simple door.

“Sit down, please. Ignore the mess. I was in the middle of research and haven’t quite had the time to tidy up.”

Jimin sits on a chair, but can’t stop sneaking glances all around. “Wow. Everything seems very fascinating.”

“His workplace is much nicer than mine,” Seokjin grumbles, sitting down as well. “Unfair.”

“You chose healing instead of esotericism.” Yoongi shrugs.

“I could practice healing from here.”

As they bicker, Jimin notices that the demon is standing next to him. Once again, he wishes he could talk to him. Even for a demon, surely it must be uncomfortable to stand for so long, without ever sitting down.

Their eyes meet, and Jimin’s stomach swoops in the same way it’s been doing since landing eyes on the demon.

He is about to know more about him. He’s about to know what happened, and possibly why, and maybe—maybe even get to talk with him.

He’s nervous, and extremely impatient.

“So, Park Jimin.” Jimin turns towards Yoongi, who is now sitting down as well. “There’s a demon keeping you company that you said you didn’t summon. Is that correct?”

“That’s correct. I never summoned him. One morning I woke up, and he was there. And he’s been here with me ever since,” Jimin nods.

“And that happened after the first day you took one of Seokjin’s elixirs to sharpen your senses.”

Jimin blushes faintly. “Yes, that’s true.” Goodness, he wishes Taehyung were here for moral support. Somehow, talking with Min Yoongi about what is going on with him and with the demon is ten times scarier than the meeting with the Council and Headmaster Kim. He feels extremely unprepared for this. “I never thought much of it, but whenever I used my magic, I had to concentrate and give it my all, for the spells to be excellent. Using magic never felt like what most people say it feels like. It never felt completely freeing, or innate. At first, I thought that I just didn’t get what everyone meant, and like I said… I never thought much of it.” He clears his throat. “But then a friend made me realise that I tend to stumble more than other mages. It’s not a big deal, but it’s not really common to see a mage stumble, right? So I thought it was some sort of balance problem. It was worth speaking to Seokjin about, at least.”

“You did well in coming to me,” Seokjin reassures him. “That helped in more ways than you or I anticipated, as it turns out.”

Jimin tilts his head in question. “It did?”

“How do you feel about your magic, now?” Yoongi asks.

“Good. Great. My magic… It’s something I’ve never felt before. I can feel magic like I can feel an extension of myself. I could set it completely free, and it would do everything in its power to help me.” Jimin smiles. “I don’t even have to concentrate before performing a spell. It’s… it’s easy, now. It finally feels effortless.”

“Right. Exactly.” Yoongi nods. “Seokjin was right in giving you exactly what he gave you; an elixir for your perceptive senses. It was the perfect solution for your problems, yes, but it also ended up healing your magic.”

“What do you mean, ‘healing my magic’?”

“The elixir should have only sharpened your senses. Instead, on top of doing that, it also removed some sort of dampening barrier around your magic. What kind of barrier, and how you got stuck with it… It’s complicated. I’m going to have to research some more; maybe work on some more tests.”

Jimin feels like he almost can’t breathe. “Yes, please. You can do whatever you need to do. Let me know if I can help in any way. I’d like to know everything.”

Yoongi nods. “There’s one more thing. This is not Seokjin’s area of expertise, so he couldn’t have known—but it was his elixir that allowed the demon to make contact with you. That’s the reason he is here.”

“Oh.” Jimin can’t help but shift his gaze towards Cookie. He’s standing there staring at Jimin, just like always, and it brings him a weird sense of security.

At least that’s something that hasn’t changed, in the past couple of weeks.

“It’s fine.” Jimin looks back at Yoongi. “I’m not mad about it. He… The demon hasn’t really done anything bad, right? He seems good. Harmless. And he seems receptive to me, so it’s alright. I don’t mind.”

Yoongi hesitates for a moment. “That’s not what I meant.” He takes a deep breath and levels him with a stare. “Jimin. Your souls are interlinked.”

Jimin’s heart misses a beat.

So that’s what it is, after all.

Their souls really are connected.

It’s one thing to know that that was a theory Seokjin believed, given his limited knowledge on Esotericism and spiritualism. It’s another thing entirely to have Min Yoongi, an advanced Esoteric researcher, confirm it.

“What exactly does that mean?” Jimin asks. “And how is that possible?”

“It means exactly that. Your souls are intertwined. As for how it’s possible, there could be several explanations. I could tell you which one is more likely to be, if you wish. But I think you’d rather ask all of this to him.”

Jimin’s sharp intake of breath is the only thing that breaks the silence of the room. His heart is pounding in his chest, and his mind repeats Yoongi’s words again and again.

Ask him.

He looks at Seokjin, hopeful and wide-eyed. “Hyung?”

Seokjin smiles and grabs the vial from his pouch, the one he was fiddling with in the infirmary. He shakes it in front of Jimin. “It’s almost ready. There’s just one last ingredient missing—but this one is going to be a bit more difficult to retrieve.”

“Whatever it is, I’ll get it.” Jimin says, because even thinking I’d do anything scares him; let alone saying it.

“You’ll need a drop of his blood.”

Yoongi’s words have the ability to make Jimin freeze.

A drop of his blood.

For a mage, sharing blood is the deepest form of trust you could bestow on someone. To have your blood taken for a spell, or for a potion, means that you entrust the other mage with everything you are. There’s a reason why blood magic, in almost all its forms, is severely forbidden by law and social norms. It’s not as bad as dark magic, but it’s bad enough.

Jimin knows that Cookie is a demon, not a mage—yet somehow, the thought of asking him for his blood feels solemn. Sacred.

“Why do you need his blood?” Jimin’s heart is pounding, but his words are steady. “That sounds like blood magic.”

“I didn’t say we need it. I said you need it.”

[DECODE, Paramore]

Jimin stares at Yoongi, then at Seokjin. Those words are not making much sense.

“It’s a bit more complex than an interpretation potion,” Seokjin admits, sheepish.

“Technically, it’s a multi-realm, multi-species metaphrasing potion,” Yoongi explains matter-of-factly. “But in order to work, you need to recite a spell first. And then you’re going to have to drink it.”

So basically, if he wants to talk with him, Jimin has to drink demon blood. Specifically, Cookie’s blood.

It only takes a second to sink in, and when it does—

—Jimin finds that the thought isn’t as repulsive as it should be.

“Then… wouldn’t he need to drink the same thing, but with my blood?”

For the first time since they’ve been there, Yoongi’s mouth quirks up.

Seokjin, on the other hand, splutters. “No, no! One way is enough.”

Jimin can’t stop staring at Yoongi. The Esoteric has always been cryptic, ever since Jimin has known him. This time, though, it feels like there’s something else, something that he’s not telling Jimin.

“How can one way be enough?” He aims the question at Yoongi. “If it’s a one-on-one connection, then he needs to do the same to understand me.”

“You are quick on the uptake. I think you’d make a fine Esoteric, should you wish to become one.” Yoongi’s words strike a chord inside Jimin, and for a second, they resonate. “But no, it’s not going to be a one-on-one connection. You would be able to understand, and communicate with, all demons.”

Jimin’s whole body shudders. “Then why do I need his blood, specifically? He can’t consent to it.”

“Do you see another demon loitering around?”

Again, Yoongi’s tone is laced with something that makes Jimin’s arms break out in goosebumps. The subtle smirk is still there, and Jimin wants to know what he isn’t telling him.

But he wants to talk with the demon and understand what is going on more.

Jimin turns towards Seokjin, who just nods once—and just like that, his decision is taken.

He extends his hand, and Seokjin gives him the vial.

Then he turns towards Cookie.

Jimin feels excited and scared at the same time, but most importantly, he feels the magnitude of what he’s about to do; of what he’s about to ask him.

“Do you trust me?”

The demon doesn’t reply. He stares at him, with his deep, round eyes, and Jimin’s resolve strengthens. He wants to understand his gaze.

It’ll be alright. I promise.

Jimin steps closer to him, up in his personal space, then takes the demon’s left hand between his. He looks at him in the eyes and brings his hand to his lips—then kisses his palm.

“This is going to sting a little.”

The demon closes his eyes for the briefest of seconds, and Jimin scratches his hand with his nails.

Deep, round eyes immediately open at that, and Jimin places another kiss right next to the scratch.

Jimin opens the vial with a flick of his magic, and brings it next to his mouth—right underneath a drop of blood.

It takes one second, before the drop falls into the vial.

“Thank you,” Jimin whispers, mouth still speaking on the palm of Cookie’s hand. He gives it another feather-like kiss, then he strokes it gently. “Sine vulneribus.”

The scratch disappears without leaving any trace behind.

“That was much easier than I thought.”

Seokjin’s words startle Jimin back to reality. He comes back to his heart pounding in his chest, and the vial tight in his hand. “What is the spell I need to cast?”

“Jimin, I have to ask. Are you sure about this?” Seokjin’s serious face isn’t something Jimin is used to—or particularly fond of. “You could not like what you discover.”

“I want to know. I’m sure.” He looks at Yoongi, and finds him staring at him in silence. “You said that’s all I need to do, right? The potion is ready, now. All I need is the spell.”

Without saying a word, Yoongi materialises a scroll in front of him.

He hands it to Jimin. “It would be better if you did this in your room.”

“I want to do it here. In case something goes wrong.” Jimin’s heart is still beating furiously, but his voice doesn’t waver. “You’ll stop me if I get the spell wrong, right?”

“Yes. But you will get it right.”

Jimin opens the scroll, holds his breath for a second, then starts chanting.

*

As soon as Jimin finishes drinking the potion, a shiver courses through his body. The smell of sulphur invades Jimin’s senses, and for a second, his view goes dark.

It passes just as fast as it arrives, and the smell disappears.

There is no lingering effect after that, really. Yoongi and Seokjin stare at him, and Jimin shrugs. “It’s done, right?”

“Yes. Why don’t you try it?” Yoongi says, nodding behind Jimin.

Heart in his throat, Jimin turns—only to be met with the same, deep gaze in the demon’s eyes.

Moment of truth, he supposes.

“Hello, Cookie.”

The reaction is instantaneous. Cookie’s lips part in a gasp, but it’s his eyes that leave Jimin breathless. For the first time, Jimin sees a multitude of emotions in his deep eyes, something he never thought demons could be capable of. It’s too much for him to discern all at once, but he’s sure of one thing: there’s pain in his eyes.

Pain, and anguish, mixed with so much more.

“Jimin?”

Jimin’s heart almost beats out of his chest at hearing the demon’s voice for the first time.

It’s deep and melodic—but most importantly, it resonates within a buried part of him so strongly that he feels like crying.

It’s not the voice of a stranger.

“Hi,” he breathes out. It’s hard to force any type of sound out of himself. He tries his best to ignore the feeling inside of him, but it’s almost overwhelming, choking him from the inside to a point where he can’t even think of what to say.

He just wants the demon to keep talking.

“Jimin? Can you really understand me?” The demon asks, immediately fulfilling Jimin’s wish.

“This is freaky.”

Jimin doesn’t pay any attention to Seokjin’s whispered words. All he’s focused on is the demon’s voice, touching something inside of him he didn’t even know he possessed.

“I understand you.”

The demon takes a step closer to him, then another, until they are standing so close that Jimin can almost feel the other’s energy with his body, with his magic. He can’t stop staring at him; at his pained eyes. Up this close, their depth is like molten fire.

Jimin doesn’t know how to ease his mind; he doesn’t know how to ask everything he wants to ask.

All he knows is that he belongs right where he is supposed to.

“Who are you?”

Jimin watches the demon’s face twist for a second. He can see him struggle to remain composed, probably for his benefit, and he feels irrationally powerless.

He wishes he could spare him from whatever pain he’s feeling.

“I’m Jeongguk.”

The words shouldn’t make any sense, and they don’t make any sense, but Jimin’s body reacts on its own—and he’s tearing up, he’s crying without even understanding what that name is supposed to mean to him.

It feels like a part of himself is missing. Like his memories can’t make sense of everything he’s feeling. He knows his life from early childhood to the present, and there’s nothing in his memories that suggests this strong of a reaction to a name. Or to a demon.

“I’m sorry.” He can’t bring himself to add I don’t know you. It feels like a lie, anyway.

“It’s alright. I’m here.” The demon, Jeongguk, takes another step closer to Jimin, and they’re almost touching now. “I finally found you again. I’ll never let you go.”

The rushing feeling of belonging is something Jimin has never experienced; not even when he got accepted into Nocturne.

Here, next to Jeongguk… That’s exactly where his soul calms down and comes alive.

“I’m right here,” Jimin whispers. He can’t keep his eyes off of the demon’s. “How did you find me? What happened?”

“Jimin,” Yoongi’s voice interrupts their conversation, and Jimin almost startles at being addressed directly. He almost forgot about their presence. “You probably want to continue the conversation in private, don’t you think?”

He turns around and looks at Yoongi and Seokjin. He expects to see judgment in their eyes—but he’s only met with confusion in Seokjin’s gaze. Yoongi, as always, is completely unreadable.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to ignore you like this,” Jimin says sheepishly. “It’s just that… you know…”

“I get it.” Jimin doubts it, but Yoongi keeps going. “But you’re speaking in a different language, right now. And I would like to keep doing my research. I’m very close to a breakthrough.”

“Right. Wait. You can’t understand what I’ve been saying?”

“It’s truly freaky,” Seokjin says. “I only hear hissing, when you’re talking with him. It’s jarring, seeing you hiss like that. Freaks me out.”

“I’m sorry.” Jimin can feel his embarrassment rise. “I can’t tell that it’s a different language at all. Wow.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“You’ll learn to understand and discern the two languages better with time,” Yoongi says. “Go now. I suggest you directly ask him everything you want to know. He probably knows more than we do about what happened, and who he is.” He pauses for a second. “That is, if you trust him.”

“I trust him.”

Yoongi’s gaze finds Jimin again, intense and intimidating. He stares for a couple of seconds, then nods, satisfied.

Almost as if Jimin passed some sort of test.

“Good. You can go then. Feel free to come back here anytime. The runes on him should last until either of you decide to remove them. In the meantime, I’ll keep working on the theory in between my research breaks. It’s not really Seokjin’s area of expertise, anymore.”

“Thank you.” Jimin feels almost out of breath. “I really appreciate it. You too, hyung.” He turns towards Seokjin. “Thank you for the potion; for everything.”

“Don’t even mention it,” comes Seokjin’s reply. It’s accompanied with a smile.

“And Jimin?” Yoongi stops him, before he leaves the room. “Keep an open mind.”

Anything the demon tells him will be quite a surprise, Jimin reckons, so he just nods. “Always.”

*

The walk back to Jimin’s room is filled with silence.

It’s not uncomfortable; not at all. It’s just that there are thousands of possibilities in front of him now, and that makes him slightly overwhelmed. He doesn’t even know where to start.

Jimin knows he can ask him anything. And he knows Jeongguk will reply.

It just feels like a waste, to start talking about anything while they’re still walking back, and not in the comfort of soft surfaces, magical trinkets, scented candles and closed walls—so they don’t talk.

They remain quiet for a little while longer.

It takes very little time to go back to Jimin’s room, anyway.

Jimin gets in without turning around. He waits for the demon—for Jeongguk to step in after him, then closes the door.

“Make yourself comfortable,” he gestures towards the ottoman at the end of the bed. “You can sit anywhere. Over there, or on the chair, even the bed is fine.” He tries not to look at him while saying the last few words. “I just have a couple of things to do first. So that we can talk more freely, afterwards.”

“Alright.”

Jeongguk’s rich voice almost makes Jimin break out in a shiver, and he hopes against hope that it wasn’t noticeable. He can’t start blushing like an idiot, not here and now—there are things to do, and the quicker he does them, the sooner he can start asking questions.

As the demon goes to sit on the ottoman, Jimin goes towards his desk and writes a quick letter to Taehyung. It’s only a few lines, written with as much haste as he can manage, where he informs him of the recent developments. He tells Tae not to come to his room and to wait for Jimin to go meet him, but also that if he’s not back for classes on the day after tomorrow, then to definitely come to his room and check on him.

Thank goodness tomorrow it’s study day, Jimin thinks as he closes the scroll and enchants it to reach Taehyung’s room, before lighting it up.

He hears a soft intake of breath at the sudden bright fire, burning the scroll, and Jimin smiles towards Jeongguk. “Don’t worry. This is how letters travel towards their destination. It’s a simple dematerialising spell.”

“Oh.”

With a smile on his lips still, Jimin sets aside the paper he was writing and organises the ingredients he needs for the evening rituals he will have to perform later on. He just wants to have a completely free mind before they start talking, is all. And this way, he doesn’t have to pay attention to anything else until it’s time to perform the spells.

Once he finishes everything he needs to do, Jimin’s attention goes back to Jeongguk.

He almost smiles, seeing the demon’s eyes trained on him still. It’s heart-warming, to know that even after all these days, Jeongguk doesn’t want to leave Jimin out of sight.

He wants to know why.

“There, I’m all done.” Jimin heads towards the bed and sits down, cross-legged, facing Jeongguk—who turns around and makes himself comfortable on the ottoman.

“Hi.” Jimin can’t help but fully smile now. “Are you alright? Do you need anything?”

“I’m perfect.”

Jimin’s heart flutters softly, and he lowers his gaze. “Good. I’m glad.”

“You’re really good at performing spells,” Jeongguk says, before the silence stretches on for more than a couple of seconds. “You always have been.”

Jimin’s heart skips a beat, then starts picking up the pace. He feels the familiar swooping in his stomach – the one that he’s been associating with Jeongguk – intensify and leave him breathless at those words. “How do you know that?” He asks.

Jeongguk’s expression doesn’t change, but his eyes speak of a pain that Jimin doesn’t understand. He doesn’t reply to his question; rather, he keeps staring at him, almost unblinkingly.

Jimin waits for a few seconds, wishing for his heartbeat to slow down.

When it’s clear that Jeongguk is not going to reply, he speaks again. “I don’t want to be indelicate. I just… don’t know what I can ask, and what it’s best I don’t ask. I would like to know, though. Everything.” He pauses for a second. “You.”

Jeongguk closes his eyes. It’s something so unlike him, that without the option for him to peek into the demon’s feelings, Jimin feels adrift.

He finds he doesn’t like it; not at all.

“You can ask me anything.”

Jimin bites his lips. “But will you reply?”

“If that’s what you wish.”

With my entire soul.

Jeongguk opens his eyes, and for a second, Jimin almost believes he’s said that aloud. “I’d love that. Please.”  

Jeongguk just nods. “As you wish.” He takes a deep breath, not breaking eye contact. “I’ve known you for almost a century.”

[BEYOND THE HORIZON, Poets of the Fall]

It’s Jimin’s turn to gasp. He feels dizzy, because— “But I’m only twenty-five.”

“Since you woke up again. But you were twenty-seven, when you died. Eighty-three years ago.”

The only thing Jimin is aware of is his heart pounding in his chest. He almost can’t breathe, because Jeongguk’s words don’t make sense, they can’t make sense. “Reincarnation isn’t possible, Jeongguk.” His voice is feeble, nothing more than a whisper. “Once mages die, their souls become ghostlights. They become part of nature, and their magic illuminates the history of time to come.” Suddenly, Jimin is filled with the compelling need to make Jeongguk understand. “There is no reincarnation. We would study it, if there was, you know? Us mages, I mean. We drive and channel the magic forces of the universe, and if such a thing as reincarnation had been possible, there would’ve been scholars and experts, and it would be taught. But there isn’t anything like this. I’m sorry. You must be confusing me with someone else.” His heart feels heavy as he says those words—but it’s the only thing that makes sense.

Jeongguk’s eyes soften. “Oh, Jimin. You’ve always been the best of us.” He shakes his head. “I would never confuse you with anyone else. I would never forget you. I never forgot you. I was twenty-five, when you died.”

Jimin closes his eyes for a moment, trying to make the burn behind his eyelids pass. Suddenly, Yoongi’s words to keep an open mind make sense. “Oh, Jeongguk. What did you do?”

“I would’ve done anything, for you.”

Including damning his own soul for eternity. He doesn’t need to say it out loud. Jimin can fill in that particular gap, at least. “What happened?”

Jeongguk closes his eyes just as a tear escapes, and it almost takes Jimin’s breath away. It is the worst type of view, and Jimin wishes he could wipe it off and take his pain away for good.

Jeongguk tries to smile, Jimin can tell, but the result is just a painful grimace. “Do you want to hear a story, Jimin?” He takes a deep breath and opens his eyes. “Ninety-six years ago, I was just a kid. Just turned twelve, I was playing around the pond near my house. Suddenly, there was this boy passing through, he was chasing what he thought was a firefly. But it was a bright day, and fireflies hide during the daytime, so I told him that—but this boy wouldn’t listen to me. He was sure of what he’d seen, and so I followed him through the woods until the insect stopped on a leaf. It was a firefly.” His smile gets a little steadier. “That day, he taught me a very important lesson. No matter what others say, no matter if the books tell you something that you know is true to be wrong… You have to believe in yourself. If you’re sure about something, really sure, then you have to believe in yourself. And you will be right; you will succeed.”

Jeongguk pauses, his eyes going unfocused for a moment. Jimin just stares at him, waiting for the story to continue.

He has a feeling that he knows who the other boy is, but he wants Jeongguk to confirm it.

“The boy, I found out, was fourteen. He was very excited, because he had just been accepted into the Academy of his dreams. He didn’t know what he wanted to become yet, but he knew he was going to be destined to be a very powerful mage. I didn’t doubt that for even one second.” He smiles. “I never asked for the boy’s name, that one afternoon. I thought I’d never see him again, but that was alright with me. I’d already gotten a great memory of him, and the best advice from him: to believe in myself. And I lived by it, I really did. And then, two years later, I got accepted into a very good Academy myself. I was over the moon already—I believed in myself, I did everything right, and I succeeded. All thanks to him. And then, on my first day there, guess who I see.”

“Me.”

Jeongguk’s eyes almost shine. “You. A boy with blond hair and the prettiest eye-smile approaches me and says, ‘I knew you would’ve made it!’, and then he introduces himself. Park Jimin. He shakes my hand. And for the following eleven years, he never lets it go.”

Jimin doesn’t even realise he has tears on his cheeks, not until Jeongguk leans in towards the bed and reaches out. He brushes his cheeks, very softly at first—then he thumbs dry his tears with a soft look. “Never cry, my Jimin. You’re alive now. That’s all that matters.”

Jimin shakes his head. “That’s not true. You matter too. Oh, Jeongguk.” He grabs the hands on his cheeks with his own. “Ever since you appeared, I knew you weren’t a stranger. Something inside of me knew you the whole time. My magic recognised you. I—I wish I’d remember, more than anything.”

“I’m glad you don’t,” comes the reply. “I don’t want you to remember what death feels like.”

“I want to remember you. Us.” Jimin strokes his hands. “We were close, weren’t we?”

“We were everything.” Jeongguk smiles, a small and rueful thing. “We were inseparable. Best friends. Lovers, after a few years.” Jimin’s heart skips a beat at the word lovers. That feels profoundly right. “And we were some of the best mages in our Academy.”

The perfect life.

“Then what happened?”

Jeongguk’s jaw sets, and he drops his hands from Jimin’s cheeks. “Then the illness happened.” He spits the words out like they’re a curse. “A stupid illness. One of those that we couldn’t cure. Stupid. It shouldn’t have been like that. Because you know what I found out, years later?” He smiles again, but this time it’s crooked, his eyes wild. “That humans could cure that same illness decades before you contracted it. Decades, Jimin. You died because our kind wouldn’t contaminate our studies with human studies.” He takes a deep breath, holds it for a few seconds, then exhales. When he starts speaking again, he sounds a lot more composed. “You fought it hard. You were so strong. You shouldn’t have had to deal with it at all, but you did. We tried everything in our power, but it was a matter of the body only, and we didn’t know how to deal with that. Our healers only focused on spiritual wounds. Believed that anything serious affecting the body could be prevented by maintaining a good spiritual state. It took them another fifteen years before they started to integrate our healing studies with the humans’. Fifteen years too late.”

Jimin wants to say something, wants to reassure him, but he doesn’t know what to say. He should be thrilled to learn that something akin to reincarnation is real. He should even be horrified to learn about his own death, really, but all he can think about is how Jeongguk didn’t deserve to go through all that.

“You held on for two entire months, because you wanted to see me graduate. And you did.” Jeongguk smiles, then closes his eyes again. “I was so proud of you, hyung. And I was desperate. And then…” He clenches his jaw, then shakes his head. Tears still escape his closed eyelids, and Jimin feels his heart clench at the sight. “I swore to you that I would’ve done anything to save you. I tried so hard, I did. But there was nothing I could’ve done. You died in my arms. I broke the promise.”

“Jeongguk. Come here,” Jimin whispers. He shifts so that there’s more space at his side, and Jeongguk opens his eyes and looks at the empty spot on the bed. It takes him a second, before he’s climbing on the bed next to him.

Once there, Jimin wraps his arms around him. It’s not the first time he has him in his arms, but it’s the first time he does so with intent. Jimin holds him tight, tighter than he's ever hugged anyone, and after a second Jeongguk’s arms wrap around him and hold on for dear life.

Jimin knows it’s a very small gesture, but it’s all the comfort he can offer, so that’s what he does.

They stay like that for a couple of minutes—just holding onto each other, the silence of the room broken only by their own breath.

Jimin wishes they wouldn’t have to part, but he knows Jeongguk’s story is not over yet. “I’m here now, Jeongguk. I’m not going anywhere.”

Jeongguk inhales deeply, then he moves away from the hug. He manoeuvres himself so he faces Jimin, cross-legged on the bed, then keeps talking. “It took me hours, before my hyung came to see me. I was still holding you in my arms. I was going to let myself die alongside you.”

“Jeongguk.” His words ache in Jimin’s throat, but Jeongguk’s words burn in his heart. He doesn’t want to associate him with dying.

He doesn’t even want to imagine what it must’ve been like, for Jeongguk.

“Instead of letting that happen, my hyung talked to me,” Jeongguk continues. “I told him about my promise, about how I’d just broken it, and he made me realise that I did not do such a thing. I promised to do anything to save you, and I did do everything. It just wasn’t enough.” He shakes his head. “But that conversation reminded me of the first time we saw each other. Of the little boy in the forest, who told me to believe in myself. And I knew, I knew, hyung, deep in my soul, that we were destined to be together. We belonged to each other. Our souls belonged to each other. So how could I be alive, when you weren’t anymore? I should’ve died with you. But I didn’t.” His eyes are hard as steel, as he says the next words. “And that’s what gave me hope.”

A shiver passes through Jimin’s body at those words.

He never survived a loved one, so thankfully he doesn’t really know what it feels like—but he can almost taste Jeongguk’s desperation; almost as if it were his own.

“Maybe I couldn’t save you then, but I knew your time had been stolen from you. You shouldn’t have died. You should’ve been alive for much, much longer. And so I started to research; to look for ways to keep my promise, no matter how unconventional. I only had one week.”

“Because our souls become ghostlights one week after we die,” Jimin breathes out.

“Exactly.”

“And you found a way.” It’s not a question.

“I found a way,” Jeongguk confirms. “It was the only way. But I did it. Even though my hyung tried to dissuade me, at first. Even though I knew what was going to happen to myself. I still did it. And I would do it again.”

Jimin’s knee touches Jeongguk’s, and he keeps it there, trying to comfort him. “I’m sorry you had to go through all of that,” he whispers. “You didn’t deserve it.”

“You didn’t deserve to die,” Jeongguk replies. “You deserved a second chance at life.”

“How… How did you do it?” His words are tentative, but he ignores his own fear and asks, “What happened, Jeongguk?”

“I fractured my soul and entwined it with yours. You carry a piece of my soul inside of you.”

The silence that follows those words is heavy; charged.

“I…” Jimin doesn’t know what to say that wouldn’t pale in comparison to that revelation. “Jeongguk, you didn’t have to do that,” is what he opts to whisper.

“I know,” Jeongguk smiles. “I wanted to. I needed to. You had to live again.”

“But you damned your own soul for eternity. I mean, you became a demon. It had to be dark magic.” The knowledge that he compromised his own soul forever hurts more than what he’d thought possible. Was it worth it? He wants to ask, but he doesn’t dare.

The fact that he has a piece of Jeongguk’s soul inside of him, though, entwined with his own, is breath-taking. He didn’t think such magic existed.

A lot makes sense now, Jimin reckons. Why he was able to perform certain spells even though someone else was in the room with him; how Jeongguk could bypass Nocturne’s defence enchantments.

Jimin was carrying part of his soul inside this whole time.

“What do you know about demons, Jimin?” Jeongguk asks. “Is it still taboo, or have you learned about demons, here at Nocturne?”

“I only know a little,” Jimin admits. “And I think what I have is a very superficial knowledge, anyway. Normal students don’t need to study demons, after all. If you become an Esoteric, after graduation, you learn a lot more. But you’d have to ask an Esoteric, if you want to know what they’re taught. I have yet to graduate.”

Jeongguk nods. “Then let me tell you about it, and continue my story.”

“Please.” Jimin’s heart is in his throat, but he nods in encouragement. His knee is still touching Jeongguk’s, and he tries to reassure himself with that touch alongside Jeongguk.

“It was dark magic, you’re right about that,” Jeongguk starts. Jimin stifles a gasp of horror. “After realising there was no changing my mind, my hyung helped me. It took us five days to find a spell that would theoretically work, while also not permanently killing one of us. It was extremely complex. It dealt with soul manipulation, time manipulation, and a lot of ingredients that were almost impossible to find in such a short time. Once I saw what it entailed, it was crystal clear that it was a spell way beyond my abilities. And the thing with that spell was, that it couldn’t be rehearsed. Once you performed it, it was a done deal. Right there and then, my hope completely vanished.”

Jimin can’t even begin to imagine just how difficult such a spell would be. Soul manipulation is difficult enough on its own; let alone pairing it with anything else.

“My hyung immediately went to retrieve the needed ingredients. Finding a new and better spell would’ve been impossible, in such a short time. So he left me alone for the first time since you died.” He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. “Being there, completely alone and in silence, my first thought was that we would become ghostlights together; only one week apart—and that maybe we would’ve ended up guiding the future together, even in the afterlife.”

Jimin closes his eyes and shakes his head. “Please.”

Jeongguk brushes their knees together. “But after a while, your words came back to me once again. The first lesson: to believe in myself. To believe enough to succeed. And I had the biggest reason to want to succeed. Your life, your future life, was at stake.” He smiles. “So I started to practice the most difficult spells I knew. All of them, over and over again. It was a blessing I was alone in a room. My hyung came back the next day, and he found me just like that: still performing spells. In retrospect, I should’ve waited a bit, before performing the one I needed to. I should’ve slept a little, replenished my magic, and whatnot. Instead, as soon as I got my hands on everything necessary, I performed it.”

Jimin is speechless. “That is incredible. I mean, it clearly worked. I can’t even imagine how difficult of a spell it must’ve been. Wow,” he can’t help but sigh. “You were an incredible mage, weren’t you? I can feel that.”

“Not as good as you were.”

Jimin shakes his head. “You had just graduated, right? I highly doubt that I could perform something like it right now, or in the next few months.”

“You’ll never have to,” Jeongguk says with certainty. “No one’s soul will be worth harming yours over.”

Jimin thinks about Jeongguk’s soul, and his stomach twists in the same way it’s always done near Jeongguk.

He’s not so sure about that.

“So you aced that spell.” Jimin bumps their knees together again, changing the topic.

“Yes, but also not really. You took quite a long time to be born again.”

“Oh.” Jimin blushes. “How long…?”

“I’d known you for thirteen years, in our first life. I was twelve, and you died when I was twenty-five. Then you stayed dead for fifty-eight years after that. I endured fifty-eight years of your absence—” His voice wavers. “The day you were born again, I felt it in my soul. I’ll never forget that feeling.”

“You felt it? But how? You didn’t have pieces of my soul, in you,” Jimin whispers. It shouldn’t make sense, not for normal magic laws anyway. But maybe for dark magic…

“I didn’t have your soul in me, you’re right. But even though I fractured mine, and a fragment of it belongs to you forever, I will always feel that piece you own as if it is my own still. I felt that piece live again.” Jeongguk smiles. “That was all I could feel, up until about two weeks ago. Right now though? In a way, I can… sense your emotions. Whatever your soul is going through. Even now.”

“That’s why you were able to calm me down on so many occasions,” Jimin realises. “You could actually feel me. You didn’t just guess.”

“I could feel you, yes. I could feel your panic; your apprehension. I can feel you now.”

Jimin’s heart picks up pace again. “And what do you feel?”

“You. Your trust. Your empathy. You care.” His eyes shine, big and deep, and their intensity takes Jimin’s breath away. “It’s more than I could’ve hoped for.”

“Of course I care,” Jimin whispers. “And of course I trust you. You’ve always been familiar to me. Even though I can’t feel your emotions like you can, my magic recognised you instantly. My soul recognised yours instantly.”

“We belong together. We did then, and we do now. If you wish.” Jeongguk ends the sentence in a whisper.

We belong together.

It feels absolute. It feels right.

And it doesn’t scare Jimin. He just feels grateful. Not everyone gets a second chance at life, but most importantly, not everyone has someone who cares about him as much as Jeongguk does. It’s what has always been missing from his life, what he’s been searching for ever since his mother told him he has a big heart and that he should make the most of it.

Jimin feels like he’s finally found who his heart has been waiting for, this entire time.

“So why now? It’s been twenty-five years since I was born. You said you knew the entire time.” He hopes he doesn’t sound accusatory—he just wishes he’d have gotten to know him years ago, instead of only two weeks ago.

Jeongguk scrunches his nose. “See, that was a limitation of the spell. I wasn’t able to track your whereabouts, let alone reach you. There’s been records of this spell’s success. More than a handful of demons never found their mortal after performing it.”

“I’m sorry, did you just say ‘records’?” Jimin is baffled. “Is this type of magic written down anywhere? It should be highly forbidden.”

“Yes and yes,” Jeongguk says, a smirk on his face now. “You just have to know where to look for it.”

“Right. I hope you don’t get reported or something,” Jimin mutters. He doesn’t even know what that would look like, but he can’t help but fear the worse.

At those words, Jeongguk laughs.

Jimin stares at him wide-eyed, absorbing everything about Jeongguk’s laughter as if it’s air to breathe. It’s the prettiest sight, and he knows that a month ago, he would’ve checked himself in the infirmary if anyone told him he would use that adjective to describe a demon’s anything.

Right now though, his heart warms with the sound of his laughter.

He made him laugh.

“I don’t think that would work well, little mage,” Jeongguk jokes.

“Hey, I’m still your hyung.” Jimin hopes his cheeks are not as warm as they feel.

“That’s not true at all. At the very least, we are the same age. Only technically speaking, though.”

“Right. You’ve lived a few years more than me, right. Silly of me to forget.” Jimin is sure he’s blushing, now.

“Lived isn’t the word I’d use, but yes. That, I did.”

“What do you mean?”

“The word existed would be better suited, really.” Jeongguk grimaces. “There’s not only one way to become a demon. I’m sure you know that we’re supposed to live in two different realms, but the truth is… Not all demons do. I didn’t. I think everyone who becomes a demon through that spell doesn’t. Since part of my soul was linked with a mortal, I remained on Earth the entire time. But I didn’t live, not really. The pain of a fractured soul was too strong for me to do anything other than sit under a tree in a forest and mourn for the majority of the time.” He pauses for a second. “I’m fairly certain that pain is what gets most demons to lose their mind and heart, after enough time has passed. Mages think we’re evil, right? I remember I thought so too, once upon a time. But it’s more complex than that. All demons were mortals, once.”

Jimin’s heart aches. “You’ve been sitting in a forest for decades and decades, in pain?”

“Mostly, yes.” Jeongguk shrugs. “I didn’t go insane in those fifty-eight years because I had to feel your existence once again. Just the thought of you being alive again would’ve been enough. And then, once I felt you, that was what kept me sane through the following years. Until I found you.”

“Until you found me,” Jimin whispers. “How did you do that?”

“Having a piece of someone else’s soul in you, that you’re not supposed to have, has a couple of side effects in one’s body, that’s what that book said. For mages, the most common side effect is that their abilities get dampened on some level. According to the records, mages’ bodies aren’t quite able to handle more than one soul alongside magic.” Jeongguk looks away. “I’m sorry about that. You must’ve experienced that—that was my fault. It must’ve been hard. If there was any way I could’ve prevented it, I would’ve done it.”

“Please, don’t worry about it. I’m alright.” Jimin smiles, trying to catch Jeongguk’s eyes again. He bumps their knees together. “It wasn’t something very noticeable, anyway. I was just a bit clumsy,” he admits. “But I’ve trained hard, and I never felt like my magic was lacking.”

“Of course,” Jeongguk whispers. He looks at Jimin again, and smiles. “You are the best of us, after all.”

Jimin smiles, heart growing fonder and fonder. “That’s not true, but thank you.” Jeongguk shakes his head, and Jimin giggles. “Shut up. You still haven’t told me why you found me when you did. Seokjin hyung said it’s because of his elixir. It helped my senses, sort of set my magic free, and that’s how you found me.”

Jeongguk nods. “About two weeks ago, something changed. I couldn’t just feel you as an abstract entity anymore. I could feel you, actually feel you—it was much of a stronger feeling than before. All I had to do was follow that feeling. It led me straight here. To you.”

“But your pain… To arrive here in one day only, you must’ve travelled fast. You must’ve hurt a lot.” Jimin gasps as a thought crosses his mind. “Wait. Do you still feel that pain?” He asks, horrified. It’s not like his soul is magically whole again, right?

Jeongguk shrugs. “It’s not as bad as it used to be. The closer we are, the less pain I feel.”

Jimin shifts closer to him without even thinking. “Then, never leave my side.”

“I wasn’t planning on doing that.”

He smiles. “Thank you,” he says. “Jeongguk. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for your sacrifice. Thank you so much. Thank you for believing in me. For… for caring about me enough to do all that.”

Jeongguk smiles as well. He takes one of Jimin’s hands, then brings it to his mouth—mimicking Jimin’s gesture from earlier. “I’ve never stopped loving you,” he says. Jimin’s heart skips a beat, then starts pounding. “Not a single day. I promise I won’t ask anything of you. Just knowing you’re safe, and beautiful, and brilliant is enough. Just being here is enough. I just can’t quite believe you’re here, in front of me again.” He takes a shaky breath. “Thank you for trusting me. For accepting me here, and not banishing me. I’m sure it mustn’t have been fun, dealing with a demon following your every step without even saying anything.”

“I could feel your intentions,” Jimin reiterates. “I could always feel you. When you just stared at me; when you protected me against the Esoterics… Always. You were never a stranger.”

Jeongguk closes his eyes, then kisses his palm once more.

“Thank you for letting me take your blood for the spell,” Jimin says. “You trusted me even though you couldn’t understand me either. I’m glad we can communicate, now.”

“Me too,” Jeongguk says. “But as I said—I could always feel you. Deeply, truly feel you. My soul belongs to you, after all.” He smiles at those words, and Jimin tries to ignore the way his heart is pounding in his chest, or how warm his cheeks feel. “You will find that there’s very little I wouldn’t do, for you. Extremely little. You taking my blood is not amongst that list.”

“What is?” Jimin can’t help but ask.

“Harming you in any way.” Jeongguk shrugs. “Anything else is fair game.”

Jimin wants Jeongguk to promise not to harm himself either, especially for him, but he feels like he’s already taken enough from him, even though involuntarily. A promise sounds kind of a lot to add. “I won’t abuse this privilege,” he whispers instead.

Jeongguk just smiles. “You can, should you wish to. I’m here for you. I’ll never let you go—for as long as you want me.”

Jimin’s stomach twists unpleasantly at the thought of ever letting Jeongguk go. “I’m afraid you’re going to be stuck with me for a very long time.”

“Good.”

“Except for when I have to go to the bathroom. You will have to wait outside for that.” Jeongguk bursts out laughing, and Jimin laughs alongside him. Some of the seriousness of the conversation lifts, replaced with levity, and he strokes Jeongguk’s hand—still holding his. “I can’t believe you tried to follow me inside.”

“My mortal cues were a little rusty, I’m sorry,” Jeongguk admits. “What with not having any of those needs for over eighty years and all. Still are, honestly. And it’s not like it’s anything I haven’t seen before, anyway.”

Jimin’s entire face burns. “Jeongguk!”

“Sorry!” He laughs again. “It is true. You don’t want me to lie to you, do you?” He looks at Jimin with big, round eyes, and Jimin just shakes his head.

“There’s one thing called keeping things to yourself, dare I remind you,” Jimin says, mock-offended. “Please do use it at your discretion.”

“At my discretion. Got it.” Jeongguk nods, and Jimin bursts out laughing again.

“You’re never going to do that either, are you?”

“Nope.”

“Goodness. I almost preferred when you didn’t talk,” he mutters. He strokes Jeongguk’s hand again, just to let him know he’s still joking.

“No you don’t,” Jeongguk smiles. “I really have you here with me,” he says, contemplative. “I was right. It was worth it.” He takes a deep breath, then closes his eyes with a smile still on his face. Jimin tries to suppress a shiver at realising that Jeongguk replied to the question he hadn’t dared asking, earlier. “It was all worth it. I’ll tell hyung one of these days.”

Jimin is puzzled by that. “Are you in contact with other… demons?”

Jeongguk inclines his head. “Not really, no. Why?”

“So when you say you’re telling hyung…”

“Oh, that.” Jeongguk shrugs. “You know him. Min Yoongi.”

“What?!” Min Yoongi? Jimin thinks about the Esoteric, about how he’s seen him graduate alongside Seokjin, about how he’s known him for years, really—he can’t be a demon. He would’ve noticed. Someone would’ve noticed.

So how can Jeongguk know him?

“You didn’t know?” Jeongguk asks. “I’m sorry, I thought you did. You seemed close, before.”

“Know what? I know him, but we aren’t really close.”

“That’s different.” Jeongguk bumps his knee with Jimin’s in reassurance. “Back in our past, you were close—both of us were close with him.”

“How could we—is he… a demon too?” Jimin asks.

“No. He was saved by one, just like you.” Jeongguk smiles. “Hobi hyung was right through the other door, earlier. I haven’t talked with him yet, but I could feel his presence.”

Jimin’s heart is pounding. “Hobi hyung? Is that a demon?”

“That’s a demon,” Jeongguk replies with mirth. “Jung Hoseok. You knew him too. I did too, but we were never very close. He was Yoongi’s partner.”

“Are you being serious?” He can’t wrap his head around this notion. Min Yoongi has been through exactly what Jimin has? And they knew each other in the past? Then why has he never told him anything—

“It’s funny that you find this information more shocking than what I told you about yourself.” Jeongguk looks at him with amused eyes. “What is it that you find unbelievable?”

“Just—how common is that spell?” Jimin asks. “It’s dark magic, and you said you’ve gone through a lot of research before finding it. Now you’re telling me someone else inside Nocturne, someone I know, has gone through the exact same thing? And that another demon was there in the adjacent room? How long has he been here too? Does anyone know?” He closes his mouth, once he realises he’s asked several questions in a row.

“Alright, when you put it this way…” Jeongguk strokes Jimin’s hand, and Jimin kind of calms down. They’re still holding onto each other. Everything is still good. “I understand the bewilderment. I don’t know a lot, really, so I can’t give you all the answers. I haven’t talked with anyone else, ever since I performed that spell eighty-three years ago.” He shrugs. “But seeing Min Yoongi here, and feeling Hobi hyung’s presence nearby, makes me think that Hobi must’ve used the same spell Yoongi and I found. I wasn’t there when Yoongi hyung died. It must’ve happened after I left. Hoseok hyung must’ve gone through the spell himself, after that.”

“And they already found each other,” he whispers. “That’s why Yoongi was sure things would work.” Jimin also understands why Yoongi’s words sounded like a test, at times. His demon—partner? Hoseok must’ve told him everything, just like Jeongguk told Jimin now.

He wonders how much Yoongi remembers of the past. He wonders if there is a way for him to remember.

He wonders if he really wants to remember.

“I’m sure Hobi hyung learned from my mistake and performed the spell with more lucidity and strength than me,” Jeongguk says. “It’s probably the reason why Yoongi hyung stayed dead for less time.”

“I’m just sorry that you had to live through all those years alone, in such pain. I could’ve spared you some of that suffering, if I had given my clumsiness a serious thought earlier.”

“Hey, none of that. You couldn’t have possibly known that such a random thing would have that big of a meaning.” Jeongguk’s hand comes up to stroke Jimin’s cheek at those words, and Jimin’s breath hitches. “And the pain is quite dull, right now. Don’t worry about it, about me.”

“That’s not possible anymore.”

This close, Jimin can almost get lost inside Jeongguk’s eyes. They are the biggest, roundest eyes he’s ever seen in his life—probably in both of his lives. And the way the light of the windows catches on them makes them almost sparkle.

They remind Jimin of a night sky full of stars.

He wonders which is prettier.

And in the next second, he comes to the realisation that he would love to compare the two; he would love to spend an evening with Jeongguk, watching the stars, and watching them get reflected in his deep black eyes.

Whenever he thinks of the future, he imagines living it with Jeongguk next to him.

There are still a few things Jimin wants to ask him, but amongst all of them, there’s only one thing that can’t wait; only one thing he feels compelled to know right away.

“Jeongguk,” Jimin says. “There’s one thing I need to know.”

“Anything” is the immediate reply.

“It’s not something I can ask.”

“Anything,” Jeongguk repeats.

Sitting so close, it’s the easiest thing for Jimin to lean in even further, slowly. His heart is beating furiously in his chest, but he ignores it, focusing only on the other presence in front of him. He stops only when their noses brush, and his eyes fall on Jeongguk’s lips. “Can I?” He breathes out.

“Please.”

At his permission, Jimin closes his eyes, and brushes his lips on Jeongguk’s.

There’s silence in the room as Jimin’s heart blooms to life.

His magic reacts on its own, lighting up every single candle inside the room without any conscious decision on his part.

Jeongguk’s hand is still on his cheek, Jimin’s knee is still pressing against Jeongguk’s, and every point of contact between their bodies ignites a fire in Jimin’s soul.

That’s it.

That’s the sensation.

That’s what Jimin has been looking for, in all the people he’s kissed before in his life, yet never found. He now knows what it feels like to have his body break out in shivers at some simple touches. He now knows what it feels like for his magic to react to happiness. Their lips just meet and meet, seeking each other out, and Jimin knows it deeply in his soul that he’s done this before. That this is where he belongs.

This is who he’s always meant to be.

Jeongguk’s.

“Thank you,” he whispers on the demon’s lips. “That was very insightful.”

Jeongguk smiles but doesn’t move away. “I’m glad I could be of assistance. Hope that replied to your query.”

“It did.”

“If there’s anything else you need, feel free to take it.”

Jimin pecks him on the lips again, then moves back to look at him in the eyes. “It’s really dangerous to give me this kind of power.”

“I thought I was the demon.”

“So? You’re not the only scary creature in this room.”

“You? Scary?” Jeongguk smiles, eyes falling down onto his lips. “You’re as frightening as a baby chick.”

Affronted, Jimin grunts and grabs Jeongguk’s biceps, twisting on the bed and managing to pin him down as the other laughs and laughs.

“That still works like a charm, I see,” Jeongguk says with mirth, lying motionless underneath him.

Jimin has the sneaking suspicion that the other is perfectly content with staying there. “Don’t try me, I can unleash my magic on you and smite you right where you are.” He refuses to admit that he’s played directly into Jeongguk’s waiting hands.

“Want to see what else worked all the time?” Jeongguk asks, eyes hooded all of a sudden. It’s the tone of his voice, deeper and almost sultry, that startles Jimin. He’s never heard the other sound like that, he’s never imagined it would be something he’d hear at all—and that’s what makes him pause.

Jeongguk exploits Jimin’s hesitation, and with a quick movement of hips, he flips their positions and pins Jimin underneath him.

The gesture is so familiar that a dizzying feeling of déjà-vu courses through him, and Jimin gasps.

Caged in between Jeongguk’s arms and pinned down by his body, Jimin realises it’s easy to burn alive with desire.

“Kiss me.”

It’s a whisper, but Jeongguk hears it perfectly fine, judging by how quickly he lowers down and takes Jimin’s lips in between his.

It’s a much deeper kiss this time, desire and need making Jimin’s head spin—and it’s everything Jimin didn’t know he craved.

His hands come up onto Jeongguk’s biceps, and they linger, trailing up, feeling the strength of muscles as the other keeps most of his weight off of him.

“Jimin,” Jeongguk whispers in the fleeting gaps between kisses. His name feels like a prayer on his lips. “Jimin.”

Jimin opens his mouth wider as Jeongguk licks across both his lips, then slips his tongue inside. He moans softly at the feeling, going pliant underneath Jeongguk without thinking twice, letting his tongue meet Jeongguk’s and letting his brain melt with desire.

Everything with Jeongguk feels familiar, and therefore every sensation is brand new, electrifying. Everything echoes inside of him: every little touch and every monumental feeling resonate with a part of him so intrinsic that Jimin knows it’s his soul remembering.

His magic vibrates all around them as Jimin brings his hands in Jeongguk’s hair and pulls him closer, closer.

“Jeongguk,” he whispers between breaths. “Please.”

One of Jeongguk’s hands strokes his cheek, before parting their lips. Jimin opens his eyes, only to stare at Jeongguk’s deep gaze. “What do you need?” Jeongguk breathes out. “One word from you and I’ll stop.”

“Don’t stop. I want everything.”

Jeongguk stares at him for a heartbeat, wonder in his eyes—then gets down to kiss him again, slow and intense. Jimin savours every single instant, and Jeongguk kisses his lips, moves to his chin, down his jaw, and he’s still kissing him, and Jimin doesn’t know how to keep everything he’s feeling bottled up inside.

He breathes out a moan as Jeongguk reaches his neck with his mouth.

Jeongguk smiles on his skin, before he starts to kiss a particular spot that has desire rush through Jimin like a bolt of lightning.

Jimin has barely enough coherence left to cast a silencing spell all around the room. Everything in him is focused on Jeongguk, on his lips, on the tongue on his neck. Jimin’s hands tighten in his hair as the demon keeps licking the same spot on his neck, his moans raising in intensity as the sensations stack and build.

He starts to loosen his own shirt with his magic, but Jeongguk stops him right away. “Let me do that. Please.”

Jimin nods, and he watches Jeongguk rise on his knees, before his hands start to unfasten his shirt.  

There’s love in every gesture, Jimin can tell—and he can’t stand to be lying down on the bed while Jeongguk is kneeling. The distance feels too much. That’s why he rises up to a sitting position as Jeongguk finishes opening up his shirt.

It’s a careful brush of fingers that pushes the shirt off of Jimin’s body and makes him shiver.

“My memories couldn’t do you justice,” Jeongguk breathes. “You’re even more beautiful than I remembered.” He leans in, and Jimin meets him halfway in a heated kiss.

Jimin blindly opens Jeongguk’s shirt, not moving away for one second, and when fingers touch bare skin, he shudders at the feeling. Jeongguk is smooth, and solid, and real, and he’s part of Jimin’s past and part of Jimin’s soul, and there’s nothing that feels more right than this.

It’s easy for Jimin to fall back down on the bed, elbows propped to support his weight, eyes on Jeongguk.

The demon trails his mouth lower, hands following the same pattern and caressing Jimin’s torso and lower stomach. When he meets Jimin’s pants, he slips his fingers underneath the waistband, and Jimin gasps at the sensation.

Jeongguk pays the utmost care to every inch of skin he finds and uncovers. He kisses and nuzzles his way down, until Jimin is laying bare underneath him, and he stops with his mouth near his dick.

“Can I?” He whispers.

The vision of unruly hair and deep dark eyes waiting for his permission is something that he never thought would be so hot. His stomach keeps twisting in anticipation, and he almost shivers with need. “Please, Jeongguk.”

“I love my name on your lips,” Jeongguk whispers, then he lowers his mouth on his dick.

It’s an overwhelming sensation, the feeling of blinding desire melting with his magic reaching out of him and touching everything in the room. There’s a faint golden glow surrounding Jeongguk’s entire frame, and Jimin gasps in surprise.

It’s something that never happened to him before.

“Oh, Jeongguk,” Jimin breathes out, moans catching in his throat at the sight of him and at his ministrations. “Beautiful. So good.” Full sentences are incredibly hard to formulate, when his entire attention is taken by the mouth on him, by Jeongguk’s tongue making him shiver in need, by his hands gripping his thighs and caressing every inch of skin available.

Jeongguk doesn’t seem to mind—in fact, he doubles down the efforts at Jimin’s half-coherent moans.

He’s focused on his goal, and Jimin is weak in the face of burning pleasure, and he has to grab Jeongguk’s hair and pull him off of him, to avoid losing it here and there.

He wants this to last.

“Stop, stop,” he hushes. “Too much.”

Jeongguk goes easily, staring at him in the eyes as always. He licks his lips while keeping eye contact. “Overwhelmed already, little mage?”

It takes a couple of seconds for the meaning of those words to reach Jimin, half-distracted as he is by the soft shine of gold still surrounding the demon.

“Jus’ want you inside me.”

He barely has time to be proud of his full sentence, when Jeongguk replies. “Are you sure you’re going to be able to handle me?”

Jimin closes his eyes as heat rushes through his entire body. Gods, that mouth of his. “Yes.”

“Good,” Jeongguk replies. “Because I’m nowhere near done with you.”

Fire burns inside Jimin.

He sits up again and meets Jeongguk’s mouth, searing hot lips trying to swallow each other up, hands grabbing skin, and nails biting into flesh like they are each other’s only anchor to reality.

They don’t stop kissing as Jimin moves his hands down, grabbing Jeongguk’s pants and lowering them off of him. The heat inside him burns and urges him to keep going, to do everything, to take everything.

“Turn around, my love,” Jeongguk whispers on his lips, and Jimin shivers at the meaning of his words.

Before moving, Jimin opens his eyes and stares at Jeongguk, at his reddened mouth, his glistening eyes, and the hard muscles in front of him. He hasn’t taken a good look at the other yet, and so his eyes trail everywhere, taking in his cock and almost widening in surprise—because Jeongguk is big, bigger than Jimin’s taken before.

His mouth waters, and his magic vibrates out of him and wraps Jeongguk in another soft golden hue, making him almost luminescent in the now darker room.

So engrossed by Jeongguk, Jimin has barely noticed anything else happening around him this whole time—and a quick look at the room has him noticing that it must’ve become evening, at some point.

It’s black outside, and golden everywhere inside.

Jimin gasps in surprise.

His magic has been making each candle flame grow, tremble, and lower to the rhythm of his soul reacting to Jeongguk’s.

And all his candles, and Jeongguk’s own golden-wrapped skin… they all feel like lights illuminating Jimin’s soul; warming his body, his heart.

Everything is ethereal, and the ethereal creature in his arms is everything.

It’s where his soul begins and ends.

It’s where he belongs.

“My love,” Jimin whispers. He hears Jeongguk’s surprised gasp, and he smiles. “I’m so happy you found me.”

“I love you.” Jeongguk kisses him, softly, one hand cupping his cheek, and Jimin smiles in the kiss.

“I love you, too.” Jimin wonders if it should be harder than this, to say those words out loud for the first time.

He feels like he doesn’t care.

In the arms of his Jeongguk, no matter if a demon or a mage, they just feel like coming home.

Jimin feels something wet on his cheeks, and he brushes fingers on their cheeks, wiping moisture and pain and years of loneliness and grief off of each other.

They have a second chance with each other.

“Make love to me.”

“I’d love to.” Jeongguk brushes their lips together, then helps Jimin lie down, careful as if he’s handling porcelain. He cradles him in his arms for a bit, nuzzling his neck, before kissing his cheek. “It would be easier if you turned around,” he whispers.

“Just for the first part,” Jimin says. “I want to watch you.”

“Absolutely anything you desire.”

Jimin turns around, head on a pillow and another one placed underneath his hip, and he doesn’t even have time to gather the oils from a drawer before Jeongguk’s oiled fingers brush his ass.

He gasps. “When did you get the oils?”

Jeongguk huffs what feels like half a laugh. “It’s a spell I mastered two months into our relationship.”

Jimin is stunned. “There’s a spell for that?”

“We looked really hard for it, yeah.”

“Oh, heavens,” Jimin whines, burying his face in the pillow. His previous life truly sounds like the perfect life. “How can you even use magic, anyway?” He’s been meaning to ask him this whole time, but never found quite the right moment.

Not that this is the right moment, by any means.

“I’m still a mage, you know,” Jeongguk says.

“You’re a demon.”

“The two things aren’t mutually exclusive,” Jeongguk says. He splays his other hand on Jimin’s ass and squeezes. “But I thought you wanted me to fuck you.”

The words are low and precise, and they bring back the urgency that’s been consuming Jimin’s mind and body.

“Yes, please.”

“So polite,” Jeongguk murmurs.

Then he slips an oiled finger inside Jimin, and Jimin gasps.

More.

He doesn’t have to say anything for Jeongguk to move his finger, slowly at first, then with intent. Jimin loses himself in the sensation, feeling Jeongguk working him so intimately, and it doesn’t take much for the other to insert another finger and add to the stretch.

He feels fuller now, and it’s extremely pleasant, and he can’t help but cant his hips up and meeting his thrust in the middle.

Jimin moans when Jeongguk twists his fingers and they brush against his prostate.

“That’s it, there you go,” Jeongguk whispers. His other hand is still kneading at his ass, and Jimin whimpers and shakes underneath his fingers. “Took a bit longer than it should’ve.”

Jimin burns inside, burns outside, and can’t help but moan out loud at every insistent brushing of fingers.

“I’m good, I’m good,” Jimin moans. “More.”

Jeongguk kisses his lower back, trails kisses up along his spine and on his neck, then kisses his cheek. “Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Jeongguk pecks his cheek once again, then takes his fingers off of him.

Jimin tries to turn around on his own, but his arms feel like jelly. He turns his pleading gaze at Jeongguk, and the other just smiles with the fondest of looks, before his clean hand helps Jimin move.

“Thank you,” Jimin whispers, once he’s on his back. He looks at Jeongguk, who’s taking in the sight of him with an ever-darkening gaze, and spreads his legs in invitation.

Jeongguk groans. “You are going to be my undoing.”

Then he brings a palm to his cock, and begins stroking himself.

Jimin’s legs widen further as he stares at the other’s hand, now oiled up, moving up and down on his cock. His grip covers barely half of his length, and Jimin moans at the sheer sight.

Heavens, but he is huge.

“Inside,” he almost whines, and in any other situation he would be embarrassed by the sound, but he finds he doesn’t care now. He’s comfortable, with Jeongguk, and he feels like the other loves Jimin being himself, unrestrained.

“Demanding,” Jeongguk mutters, eyes dark. “I’m going to give you what you want, little mage.”

Then he lowers down, licks Jimin’s parted lips with his tongue, and presses his cock to his hole.

Once he starts pushing, Jimin gasps. Jeongguk is big, and he goes slowly enough for him to feel every millimetre of skin inside, and it’s not enough and too much at the same time.

It’s maddening. Overwhelming.

It’s so good.

“Relax and let me in,” Jeongguk whispers, eyes burning like fire in Jimin’s gaze, and Jimin whines at those words. Searing hot need courses through him, and Jeongguk slips even further inside, and it’s perfect.

When he bottoms out, Jeongguk’s groan is long and drawn out, and Jimin feels full enough to burst.

“You feel incredible,” Jeongguk says, pinning Jimin in place by his gaze alone.

“You feel like you belong in me.”

“That’s right,” Jeongguk nods once. “I belong in you, with you.” He turns to kiss his cheek. “Let me know when I can move. I don’t want to hurt you.”

Jimin loses himself in the depth of his eyes, expressive and sparkling just for him. “Kiss me first.”

Jeongguk moves carefully so as not to jostle him, and once he gets his mouth brushing Jimin’s, he smiles. “Such a hardship.”

He kisses him before Jimin can come up with a retort, and two seconds into the kiss Jimin forgets anything about talking back. Jeongguk’s tongue slips in and out of his mouth as if he’s fucking him, slow and deep, and Jimin’s entire body burns up at the sensation.

He needs everything.

“Move,” he manages to whisper, and Jeongguk thrusts his tongue inside once again, before easing out of Jimin with his hips.

His first proper thrust has Jimin moan out loud, and his legs wrapping around Jeongguk.

Jeongguk smirks on his lips, then he starts moving, slow and steady, each thrust deep and precise. It’s slow, tortuous, overwhelming in the best way.

Jimin is barely aware of the candles in the room flickering and growing with every breath he exhales, with every moan. All he’s focused on are the sensations of his body, Jeongguk’s lips on his, and tongue and dick inside him.

Then Jeongguk starts picking up the pace, fucking him with more vigour, and Jimin gets jostled hard enough that he has to bring his hands on Jeongguk’s shoulders to hold on to. The other mimics the movement, and he grabs Jimin with one hand and holds him still, balancing himself with his other hand.

That position has Jeongguk’s cock grazing his prostate with every thrust, and Jimin’s sounds grow in intensity as time passes and he falls further into the throes of pleasure.

They’re both grunting and moaning now, lips millimetres apart as they gasp inside each other’s mouths and share the same air.

It’s too much—everything builds up to a pleasure that threatens to burst out of them.

“Gguk, Gguk,” Jimin breaths out. “Jeongguk.”

“Let go,” Jeongguk says, then grunts. “Let go, Jimin. Be mine.”

“Yours.” It’s just a breath, and it spurs Jeongguk to groan and move his hand in between them, grabbing Jimin’s dick and stroking him in time with the movement of his hips.

It only takes a few powerful thrusts, before Jimin cries out and all candles shut off.

He comes in Jeongguk’s hand, hard, whole body shuddering, and Jeongguk follows right after, emptying himself inside Jimin while he grunts and moans.

It’s blissful, and incredible—and it’s everything, all at once.

Jeongguk collapses on top of Jimin, and Jimin’s heart tries to leap out of his chest to reach Jeongguk’s.

“I don’t feel any pain,” Jeongguk whispers. His breath is ragged still, yet wonder saturates his words. “None. For the first time in so long.”

Jimin’s arms wrap around Jeongguk’s frame and squeeze, just like his heart clenches.

“Oh, Jeongguk.” Jimin’s arms tighten even more. “I’ll do anything for your pain to stop once and for all. I promise.”

Jeongguk just holds him tighter in reply, and Jimin sighs, heart full with the promise he just made.

Underneath Jeongguk, pinned down and held by his arms, and with Jeongguk inside of him still, Jimin’s soul feels safe.

Home.

*

[HEROES AND VILLAINS, Poets of the Fall]

“How much could you understand, before I took that potion?” Jimin asks, softly.

They’re lying down in bed after the evening chores. After showering, Jimin requested dinner in his room and ate it while Jeongguk just sat there and talked with him. He reassured Jimin that he would’ve eaten with him with pleasure, back in their past. He loved food, and he was also great at cooking, he informed Jimin.

Jimin wishes he could experience all that again, but he doesn’t say it out loud.

After dinner, Jimin read Taehyung’s letter of reply, performed the evening spells while Jeongguk washed up—then they both got in bed.

“Only your emotions,” Jeongguk replies. “I’m not sure why I don’t understand your language, even though I used to speak it. I guess that must have been something that the spell changed.”

Jimin’s stomach clenches at the mention of the spell. That’s how Jeongguk addresses turning into a demon, and Jimin doesn’t blame him. But while he’s grateful that Jeongguk gifted him another life, the price he paid for it was way too high. He wishes there would’ve been any other way, that didn’t include Jeongguk damning his soul.

“I see,” he says.

“Is everything alright?” Jeongguk asks, softly.

Jimin just sighs and shifts closer to Jeongguk. “Yes. I just wish you didn’t have to go through that.”

Jeongguk brings a hand to Jimin’s cheeks, and caresses it. “Hey,” he whispers, eyes fixed on Jimin’s. “I didn’t have to, but I wanted to. It was my choice.” He smiles, thumb still caressing him. “And I don’t regret it. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

Jimin closes his eyes. “It still pains me,” he whispers, turning to kiss Jeongguk’s palm. “But I’m really grateful, too.”

Jeongguk smiles. “And I’m happy to be where I am.”

That makes Jimin smile as well. “Of course you are,” he says, lightly. “The bed is very warm, and the whole room smells of lavender and vanilla, after all.”

Jeongguk chuckles at those words. “You and your plants,” he says, shaking his head. “Guess which ones you were obsessed with, back in the past?”

“Hmm,” Jimin ponders. “Were they really not lavender and vanilla?”

“Nope. You liked those, but you were obsessed with something else.”

“Oh. Then…” Jimin takes a quick inventory of every plant and herb he likes the smell of. “Maybe… Jasmine?”

“Oh, you’re good,” Jeongguk gasps. “Wisteria and jasmine, to be precise. You were obsessed with them.”

“They’re really good smells,” Jimin nods. “I should use more of them.”

Jeongguk chuckles. “Of course.”

“What about candles? Did I like scented ones back then, as well?”

“Yes, you did,” Jeongguk nods. “Let me guess. That’s where the vanilla is coming from, right now.”

“Yep,” Jimin mimics, popping the ‘p’. “Sometimes it makes me want to eat them, they smell so good.”

Jeongguk laughs outright at that. “Then let me guess your second-favourite scent for candles.” Jimin raises a brow, and Jeongguk smirks. “Cinnamon?”

Jimin gasps. “How can I be so predictable?!” He gasps. “Have my tastes really not changed through different lives?”

“You’re still in bed with me, so I’d say no,” Jeongguk smiles. Jimin swats his chest, playfully. “Hey!”

“You don’t get to fluster me like this,” Jimin grumbles. “And you haven’t told me anything about your tastes. Do you like scents?” He hesitates for a second. “Can you still appreciate scents?”

Jeongguk contemplates the reply for a few seconds. “I had a very delicate nose, but I did like scents, I vaguely remember that. I preferred more earthy tones, like the smell of petrichor, or the smell of a summer’s night, you know? But amongst the ones you used, I loved sandalwood.” Jimin nods. He still likes sandalwood himself. “And I grew fond of your signature plants, jasmine, wisteria, even lavender. I didn’t even mind the scented candles, even though the cinnamon and vanilla always made me hungry.” He smiles. “But ever since the spell, all I can smell is sulphur.”

“Oh,” Jimin says, dejected. “That must be awful.”

Jeongguk grimaces. “It’s not the best, yeah.”

“I used to be able to smell sulphur too, right when you appeared,” Jimin says. “But now I can’t anymore—not even when we’re close, like right now. Do you think it was the potion that changed it?”

“Might be,” Jeongguk shrugs. “You probably should ask Yoongi hyung about it. Knowing him, it was part of the spell he gave you.”

Jimin is still shocked to hear Jeongguk referring to Min Yoongi as hyung. It’s almost like his brain can’t handle the information. Almost as if admitting that Yoongi was part of their past, too, makes everything too real.

Sometimes, this whole thing almost feels like a dream.

“What is it?” Jeongguk asks, softly.

Jimin startles. “Sometimes I forget that you’re able to sense my emotions,” he grumbles, embarrassed.

“Do you want me not to ask you about it?” He asks immediately. “I can do that. I’m sorry, it must be inappropriate of me to ask. My social skills are really rusty.”

Jimin stares at him, at his sheepish face, and smiles. “I just need to get used to it, is all. It doesn’t really happen to mages, you know?”

“Yeah.” Jeongguk looks away, and bites his lip. “I’m sorry again.”

“You’re really odd, for being a demon, you know that?” Jimin asks, smiling. Jeongguk looks back at him, a question in his eyes. “You’re very gentle, mindful. Not very scary, if I may say so.”

“I’m still me,” Jeongguk whispers. “My soul hasn’t really changed.”

“Which is just bizarre to me,” Jimin says. “Because being a demon should mean having a completely different soul. You know, with the whole undead and undying thing…”

Jeongguk smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “That’s a side effect of having your soul fractured. But there’s not much of a difference between who I was, and who I am. I just don’t understand our old language, and don’t need to eat or sleep anymore.”

“Or use the bathroom…”

“I still bathe!” Jeongguk says, affronted. “Even though I can’t smell anything else but sulphur.”

Jimin grimaces. “That’s still nasty. Do you think Yoongi might have a solution for that?”

“Maybe,” Jeongguk shrugs. “But I doubt it. Might as well ask, though, right?”

Jimin nods. “I’m thinking we should pay him a visit sometime soon; maybe say hello to this Hobi hyung you mentioned, too.”

Jeongguk nods. “It’s probably for the best. Although I’m going to give him so much grief for never replying to me when I addressed him. I know he could understand me.”

“He probably didn’t want to scare me, or Seokjin hyung.”

“Still.” His lips are pursed, brows furrowed, and Jimin is endeared by the sight.

“Are you… pouting?”

“I’m not.” He pouts even more.

Jimin laughs. “You totally are.”

“Anyway,” Jeongguk drawls.

“Anyway,” Jimin replies, smiling. “About before. I was just thinking that sometimes, it feels like this is not my reality, you know? Like I’m in a dream. It’s all so… crazy.”

Jeongguk scoots closer, then wraps his arms around Jimin. “I know,” he whispers in his hair. He places a kiss there. “But I’m here. I’m real.” He pauses for a second. “It’s very jarring for me, too, you know? At first, I couldn’t take my eyes off of you—I’d spent so long with you dead, that you almost looked like a mirage.”

Jimin thinks back to the first days, to how Jeongguk used to stare at him the entire time and follow him everywhere, and— “Well, that hasn’t really changed though, has it? You look at me the entire time, been doing so from the very beginning. Even in Min Yoongi’s room, your eyes never left me.” He bites his lips. “I found it comforting. Still do.”

Jeongguk hesitates for a second. “Well, at least the tears stopped after the first week or so.”

Jimin startles. “What do you mean? You never cried.”

Jeongguk moves slightly back, in order to look Jimin in the eyes. “I sure did.” He has a puzzled expression.

Jimin is sure he’s sporting a matching, confused expression. “Really? I only ever saw you stare at me. Your expression never changed.”

“That’s so weird,” Jeongguk muses. “But you wiped my tears, earlier.”

“I saw that. But that’s the first time I saw you cry.” And hopefully the last, he adds in his head. He really doesn’t like to see Jeongguk with tears.

“Oh. I wonder why’s that.”

“Are you telling me you’ve been emotional this entire time?” Jimin asks. Not that it would be strange, given what Jeongguk told him—it’s just not what he experienced.

“Yeah.”

“And here I was, asking you whether you were laughing at me whenever I asked a question and you didn’t reply,” Jimin muses. His heart aches. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jeongguk says. Jimin looks at him with pleading eyes, and the other scoots closer without even having to speak. “It’s something we can ask Yoongi hyung, I guess.” He wraps his arms around Jimin after that.

“Yeah,” Jimin whispers. He hopes the Esoteric will have all the answers they’re looking for. He sighs, making himself small in Jeongguk’s arms.

He feels safe like that.

“It’s late, you should rest,” Jeongguk says. “Sleep, my Jimin. I will be here when you wake up.”

Jimin nods. “Thank you,” he whispers. “Goodnight, Jungkookie.”

“Good night, my love.”

The last thing Jimin feels is a feather-light kiss on his hair, before he loses consciousness.

*

They don’t immediately go and see Min Yoongi.

Jimin catches up on his studies, tries to get Taehyung to stop wearing his shit-eating grin every time he sees him and Jeongguk together, and most importantly, he tries to make up for lost time with Jeongguk.

The latter turns out to be the most time-consuming task of all.

Jimin thought he was a pretty responsible mage, but it turns out that he just hadn’t met Jeongguk.

Every other thought he has revolves around Jeongguk.

Every time they’re alone in the room, Jimin has to scold himself into focusing on what needs to be done, instead of allowing himself to do what he really wants to do.

He wants Jeongguk.

He wants everything with him; he wants every part of him.

He wants to have long conversations with him, he wants to visit every single place in Nocturne he loves together; he wants to get on his knees for him, and he wants to spend the entirety of their time together in bed.

He never thought something, or someone could be so all-consuming.

Jeongguk, in turn, never loses the opportunity to have Jimin in his arms, or in bed with him. Truth to be told, he also tries to be the voice of reason, at times—reminding Jimin to study, or not to speak with him while near other mages. But most times, he is as bad as Jimin, if not worse.

Taehyung had shuddered when Jimin asked something to Jeongguk in his presence, and then strongly advised him not to speak to the demon in front of anyone else, if he cared about a quiet life at all.

And well, if his best friend says that it’s best not to trigger anyone’s fear by speaking a demonic language in front of them, then Jimin would be an idiot not to listen to him.

It’s not like he doesn’t sneak a few tiny conversations with Jeongguk here and there, anyway—but he’s really careful about it, and they get away with it every time.

All in all, things are great, and a week goes by fast.

It’s when Taehyung snickers at Jimin’s poor excuse of I’ve been busy, when asked if he went to see Min Yoongi or not, that Jimin resolves to finally pay the Esoteric a visit.

It’s high time, anyway.

*

Stepping through the Main Hall of the Esoterics room never fails to get goosebumps on Jimin’s arms.

He doesn’t speak to anyone, lest of all Jeongguk, but he feels his presence next to him, and he also feels the sheer amount of magic emanating from the walls of the place—and it all serves to calm his mind and soothe his senses.

You don’t have anything to fear, he repeats himself.

Min Yoongi will just reply to a few questions, is all. He’s not going to tell him that everything Jeongguk has said was just a ploy, or that he’s been hallucinating the entire time. It’s fine.

So, Jimin might’ve subconsciously tried to postpone this meeting, so what?

They have time.

Jeongguk places his hand on top of Jimin’s shoulder, and just like that, half his worries disappear.

Jeongguk is real, and he’s comforting him. He doesn’t have anything to fear.

They’re together.

Once inside Min Yoongi’s room, Yoongi just raises his eyebrow and looks at Jeongguk. “Took you long enough.”

“Hyung.” Jeongguk bites his lip, then he sprints towards Yoongi and wraps him in a hug. “Hyung, I did it.”

Stunned, Jimin watches as Yoongi’s entire face softens in a smile, wrapping his arms around the demon. “Jeongguk-ah,” he whispers. “You did it.”

“Hyung, it was worth it,” Jeongguk says. “It was worth it.”

Yoongi keeps smiling.

Jimin has never seen him with such an expression on his face.

What’s strange is not just that he’s never seen Min Yoongi be overly affectionate to anyone. It’s also the fact that his entire being softened at the sight of the demon—and how he doesn’t make a single move to step away from the hug. He stays there, waiting for Jeongguk to take his fill.

Looking at him, Jimin is suddenly hit by a stark realisation.

Min Yoongi remembers.

“Why did you act like you had no idea who I was?” Jeongguk asks, taking a step back. “I couldn’t understand you, but you did!”

“And risk traumatising your precious Jimin and his friends?” Yoongi smirks. “No, thanks.”

Jeongguk grumbles, then breaks into a huge grin once again. “I’m so happy, hyung.”

“I can see that,” Yoongi replies, tone still soft. He properly looks at Jimin for the first time since they stepped foot inside the room. “Jimin. You look good.”

“Thank you,” Jimin croaks. He clears his voice. “I, uhm. I understood right away what you meant, when you said to have an open mind.”

“Did you, now?” Yoongi smiles at him for the first time in Jimin’s life. “Please, sit down. You too, Jeongguk. It’s weird if you remain standing up.”

“Right. Sorry.” Jeongguk goes back next to Jimin, takes his hand in his, and brings them to the couch.

Jimin’s heart flutters in his chest, and he squeezes his hand.

Right now, he doesn’t even remember why he’s been scared of this confrontation the entire time.

“So,” Yoongi says after he sits down on a chair. “You seem happy.” He says that to Jimin, and Jimin smiles.

“I am,” he admits. “I’ve been enlightened on, uh… my past. Our past.” He shakes his head. “I genuinely could not believe that reincarnation is something that’s real. Why don’t mages study it?”

“Because you shouldn’t mess with life and death like that. It disrupts the ordinary flow of nature, and that’s never a good thing.” Yoongi raises an eyebrow, gaze moving towards Jeongguk. “But someone here was willing to do anything. I knew that if I didn’t help him, he would end up killing himself. Or worse.”

“You were very against it, at first,” Jeongguk says. “But thank you for helping me. I won’t forget that.”

Yoongi just waves his hand. “But to go back to your question, Jimin, that’s why reincarnation is not just not studied, but also unlawful.”

Jimin nods. “I haven’t told anyone, except Taehyung. We can trust him. Besides… I needed to make sure I wasn’t just, you know. Hallucinating, or something.” He laughs a little. “Sometimes, I still can’t believe any of this is real.”

“It takes some getting used to, but I must say,” Yoongi says. “I’m impressed. You seem to be handling it remarkably well.”

“Thank you?” Jimin almost asks. He feels his cheeks heat up. “Were you expecting something else?”

“No, not from you,” Yoongi says. His tone is almost proud. “You’ve proved me right time and time again.”

Jimin is almost speechless. He’s never been on the receiving end of praise from Min Yoongi. “Thank you.”

“Hyung, don’t embarrass him,” Jeongguk says. “He doesn’t remember you. But it seems to me that you do. Am I wrong?”

“You’re right. I remember.”

Jimin shivers at that. He’s still not come to a decision as to whether he’d like to remember the past, or not.

Truth to be told, he didn’t think it was possible, really.

“We can talk without filters, right?” Jimin asks Yoongi. The other nods, so Jimin takes a deep breath. “Does Seokjin hyung know? About any of this, about you?”

“Yes and no,” Yoongi replies. “He didn’t know about me, if that’s what you’re asking. He studied with me for a few months, so he picked up on some Esoteric-specific types of studies. He knew of soul-binding spells, for example—just theoretic stuff. And then he noticed patterns between what was happening to you, and what happened to me a few years ago. He witnessed all of that on me first, after all. And when the same things started happening to you, he came to speak to me.”

“And he added two plus two,” Jimin concludes.

“Yes… and no, again. I told him my story, but I left out the dark magic bit. That’s quite the bomb to drop on anyone.” Yoongi looks at him with intent. “Besides, I figured if you wanted him to know, you might be the best person to tell him. You’re closer to him than I am.”

Jimin bites his lips. That is true. But telling everything to Taehyung had been nerve-wracking enough. He doesn’t know if he can do it all again.

He chooses to focus on something else instead. “So… you remember your previous life…?”

“I do.”

Jimin bites his own lips. “How?”

Yoongi shrugs. “I found a spell.” He waits for a second. “Do you want to remember?”

Jimin hesitates, and allows himself to really think about it.

It’s tempting, to know everything.

At first, he wanted nothing more than to know everything. He wanted to know about Jeongguk, he wanted to know about his past, about their shared story, and about their love. He wanted to witness everything first-hand; to realise just how in love they used to be, and to realise the magnitude of Jeongguk’s action.

Right now, though, he isn’t sure anymore.

It’s been so easy to fall in love with the demon all over again. Jeongguk is everything he never thought he was missing from his life. He doesn’t need to know how they fell in love in the past, not further than what Jeongguk can tell him, anyway. He doesn’t need to experience falling in love with him, in order to accept him into his life and in his heart.

He’s already there. He’s already taken up all the space Jimin’s heart is capable of having, and then some.

“You’ve already decided,” Jeongguk whispers.

Jimin looks at him. There’s no judgment in his eyes, just realisation and so, so much love.

“I think I have,” he replies with a small smile. Jeongguk strokes a thumb over his palm, and it calms him down further. He turns towards Yoongi. “I think I’d rather not remember.”

“I understand.”

“It’s just because… I’d rather form new memories with Jeongguk, with you guys, and get to know you and care about you all over again, than rely on the past to rekindle relationships. It would feel like two people lived inside my head, rather than just… myself. I think.” Jimin turns towards Jeongguk. “I thought I wanted to know, but after spending a few days alone with you, I understand why I might’ve fallen for you in the first place. It’s already happening again, anyway.” Jeongguk smiles, eyes shining, and Jimin squeezes his hand. “I’ll probably want to know more anyway, but I’m alright with learning our story through your eyes.”

“That’s alright,” Yoongi says. “One less thing to think about.” 

Jimin exhales, releasing a bit of tension he didn’t even know he had. Jeongguk strokes his hand, soothing. “What is your story? If you want to tell,” he asks Yoongi.

“No secrets,” Yoongi promises. He looks at Jeongguk and smiles. “I can call Hobi for this part, if you want.”

Jimin watches Jeongguk’s face illuminate again, and he squeezes his hand in encouragement. “That would be amazing.”

Yoongi just nods. He turns towards the door at the other end of the room, and doesn’t say anything.

The room opens, and someone with dark hair and a heart-shaped smile comes through.

“Jeongguk-ah,” the demon – Hobi – says. “I’m so happy to see you here, finally.”

“Hobi hyung,” Jeongguk says, awed. Jimin untangles his fingers, letting Jeongguk free to stand up and hug the other. “You’ve changed a bit, since the last time I saw you.”

Hobi laughs at that. “You imp,” he says, ruffling his hair. “I’m glad you can joke about it. I feared the state I’d find you in.”

“I’m perfect,” Jeongguk replies, with a smile of his own. “I have everyone I cared about here with me, after all.”

Hobi squeezes his shoulder, then he straightens up, and his expression turns serious. “I have something important to say to you, Jeongguk-ah. Thank you.” He looks him straight in the eyes. “I’m sorry it had to be like this, but you changed my life. If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be here today.”

Jeongguk nods back. “I’m sorry you had to go through everything I did, hyung.”

Hobi’s smile is small, but real. “It was the only choice. Of course I took it.” Then he turns towards Jimin, and his smile grows. “Jimin! It’s nice to finally meet you again,” he says. He comes towards him, and Jimin stands up, offering his hand.

Hobi takes it in his. “Jung Hoseok. Please, call me Hobi. Or hyung.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Hobi hyung,” Jimin says. “Jeongguk told me about you.”

“I promise I’m so much better than anything he’s told you about me,” Hobi says. “You and I are going to become really good friends, trust me. I’m doing it right, this time.”

Jimin smiles, infected by the other’s energy and happiness.

Had he not known that Hobi is a demon, Jimin wouldn’t have guessed.

“Come on, let’s go back to sitting down,” Jeongguk says, taking Jimin’s hand in his and steering him towards the couch.

“Look at you, remembering to sit down,” Jimin jokes under his breath. “Big step from you trying to stand in the middle of my classes.”

“Don’t make fun of me,” Jeongguk mutters, and Jimin giggles.

“Wow, they haven’t changed a touch, have they?” Jimin is startled back to reality by Hobi’s words. He’s sitting on the armrest of Yoongi’s chair, and he has a smirk on his face that says he knows.

Jimin, of course, blushes instantaneously.

Yoongi’s eyebrows shot up to his hairline, and he moves his gaze towards Jeongguk.

Jeongguk raises his chin, defiant, but his hand squeezes Jimin’s. “What?”

Yoongi stares at him with the same expression for a few seconds, then breaks into a grin. “I’m just teasing you. I’m impressed, really,” he says. “You figured it out really fast. It took me and Hobi over a month.”

Jimin’s face is aflame at the implication of those words, but it’s Hoseok who replies, indignant. “Hey! We didn’t have any metaphrasing potion ready for us!”

“You’re right,” Yoongi says. “We weren’t half bad, either.”

Were he less embarrassed, Jimin would’ve asked to focus and go back to Yoongi’s story—but alas.

Thankfully, Jeongguk spares him the trouble. “Hyung. What happened? When did you die?”

“What a way to change the conversation, Jeongguk-ah,” Hobi mutters.

Yoongi takes his hand and squeezes it, then says, “Five years after Jimin.”

There’s silence for a couple of seconds. “I’m so sorry, hyung.”

“Wasn’t your fault,” Yoongi replies. Hoseok squeezes his hand.

“If it wasn’t for you, we wouldn’t be here, so really—thank you, Jeongguk,” Hoseok says, again. “We owe you a big favour.”

“Don’t even mention it, hyung.” Jeongguk is still squeezing Jimin’s hand, and Jimin caresses his thumb on his palm, trying to soothe him. “I wish you didn’t have to go through all that, I really do.”

“Now you get how I feel,” Jimin mutters, and Jeongguk huffs.

“Hey,” he laments. “I told you, I’d do it again.”

Jimin shakes his head, but doesn’t call him out further.

The reply he gets for his mercy is a small kiss on his cheek.

It does nothing to appease his blushing cheeks, or his pounding heart.

“Do you two need a room?”

Yoongi’s tone is so deadpan, that even Jeongguk looks embarrassed as he turns back towards them. “Sorry. Please, go on.”

Hoseok chuckles, then his expression sobers up. “Once he died, I knew I couldn’t live without him. And I didn’t want to die—I wanted to live. But most importantly, I wanted him to live.” Jeongguk nods. “So I dusted off that ancient text and got to work to find all those ingredients. Without Yoongi’s source, it was quite the effort, let me tell you. But I did it in the end.”

“And it worked,” Jeongguk says.

“It worked well,” Hoseok confirms. “I was much more rested than you were. And besides, I already had hope. I knew there was a failsafe for death, in the first place.”

Something that Jeongguk didn’t know.

Jimin squeezes his hand, trying to comfort him. Jeongguk turns towards him and smiles, squeezing back.

He tries not to dwell on the fact that Hoseok found it so easy to cheat death; just like Jeongguk, after all. He gets it, he really does—but even just the thought of doing so is a bit frightening.

The notion of reincarnation still doesn’t fail to render him speechless in wonder, though.

“Right after I graduated from Nocturne,” Yoongi keeps talking, “a demon appeared and started following me around.” Hoseok grins at that. “I hadn’t done anything besides finally starting to take the prescription my healer recommended. I feared it would mess with my graduation, so I waited until after.”

Jimin can relate; that was one of his fears too. He’s glad he started taking it when he did, though.

“But in reality, that potion just opened the door for Hoseok to find me. Seokjin noticed that, and I think that influenced him to become a healer, after all. He figured there was more than met the eye, to that discipline.” He smiles. “Anyway. I didn’t have lessons anymore, so no one really noticed if a demon followed me around. I did make sure he would not follow me, though—at least at first.”

“How?” Jimin asks.

“I already knew I wanted to become an Esoteric, so I had already started reading some books. I simply locked him inside with containing runes.”

“That was so mean of you,” Hoseok mutters.

Jeongguk’s eyes are wide. He turns towards Jimin. “If you’d done that, and left my sight for more than a couple of minutes, I would’ve torn down the walls with my bare hands to follow you.”

Jimin gasps, hit by the intensity of those words. He squeezes his hand as his heart clenches. “Thankfully, I didn’t know how to do that,” he says. He’s not sure he wouldn’t have tried, if he knew how.

“Thankfully, indeed,” Yoongi replies. “Because that would’ve earned you a banishment from Nocturne, Jeongguk.”

“It’s not like I could’ve known,” Jeongguk says. “But Jimin, never do that to me. Please.”

Jimin softens at that. “I wouldn’t, Jeongguk-ah.”

Jeongguk nods. His hand is still squeezing Jimin’s in apprehension, and Jimin squeezes back.

“By the way,” Jimin says. He addresses Yoongi. “How is it possible that they both managed to breach through Nocturne’s defences? That’s not easy to do.”

“They’re both mages still,” Yoongi says. “And both their souls were already inside Nocturne. Part of them, anyway. Technically speaking, they’ve always been here, ever since you and I got accepted as students here.”

That makes sense. “But how is it possible, that they’re both mages still? They’re… demons.” He looks at Hoseok. “Although if I didn’t know, I wouldn’t be able to tell about you.”

“Thanks!”

“Hey!” Comes Jeongguk’s voice, affronted. “What do you mean, do I look like a demon instead?”

“You are much scarier,” Jimin says without even thinking twice. “Long black hair, all black robes, all serious. Not to mention your true form as a demon. Remember I saw that?” He shivers at the memory.

Jeongguk’s eyebrows are still furrowed. “Hobi hyung has a true form, too.”

“Want to see?” Hoseok asks Jimin, eyes sparkling.

Jimin shudders. “No, thanks.”

Hoseok transforms for the briefest of instants—his eyes becoming pitch black, skin filling with red hues, and long claws coming out of his fingers. He smiles, and it’s a chilling sight: teeth are sharp and pointy, and his cheeks almost completely hollow out.

It disappears as fast as it comes, and if his heartbeat wasn’t racing, Jimin would almost think he’d imagined all that.

“Pity,” Hoseok says, still grinning.

“Hyung, you really scared him,” Jeongguk says, a hint of anger in his voice. He turns towards Jimin and strokes his cheek. “Are you alright?”

Jimin nods, trying to make his heart calm down. “I am, don’t worry. It just took me by surprise, is all.”

Jeongguk nods, but he doesn’t remove his hand.

Jimin doesn’t feel like telling him to stop caressing his cheek—so he doesn’t.

“What is that, anyway?” He asks, trying to distract them from his own reaction. “Your true form…? How does it work?”

“I’m not an expert,” Jeongguk says, glancing at Yoongi and Hobi for a second before moving his gaze back to Jimin. “But for me, it comes out naturally when I know I have to use a lot of magic, or a high-effort spell. It’s like it helps prepare my body, like I’m recharging.”

“What he said,” Hobi says. “It has something to do with adrenaline. If you want, I can give you the scientific rundown.”

“I think I got it,” Jimin nods. “So it doesn’t hurt to… uh, use it?”

Jeongguk smiles at the verb choice. “Not at all.”

“And you can look like that at any time, even without performing any spell?”

“Yep.”

“Uh. That’s interesting. Thanks.” Jimin hopes his cheeks remain their normal colour. He hopes he doesn’t give away that his heart has started picking up pace again, but for a completely different reason.

Jeongguk just looks at him with a silent question, but Jimin just shakes his head.

Please, don’t blush.

“So anyway,” Jimin says, looking back at Yoongi.

“You asked how it is possible for them to be both mages and demons,” Yoongi says, and Jimin nods. “Well, they both were mages once upon a time. Magic remains with you, no matter the form your soul takes.”

“That’s… incredible,” Jimin muses. “I can’t believe there’s so much we aren’t taught, in the eleven years it takes us to graduate.”

“It’s just because demons aren’t really of common interest.” Yoongi shrugs. “Which is a shame. They’re some of the most interesting otherworldly creatures.”

“I love it when you flatter me,” Hoseok murmurs, and Yoongi almost chuckles.

Jimin watches the small exchange with a warm heart. It’s clear to anyone’s eyes, that they really care about each other.

He never thought Min Yoongi could behave like that with anyone. He’s always so serious and stoic. It feels like a small privilege, to be able to witness that side of him.

Jimin almost asks him another question, but Yoongi precedes him. “Amongst the things that make them really interesting, is that there might be a way to reverse their condition as a demon.”

The silence of the room is so loud it crashes against Jimin’s ears—and they’re left ringing.

“What…” It’s Jeongguk’s voice, small and distant, that breaks it.

What?

“What do you mean, reverse? Hyung?”

Jimin’s body is ahead of his mind, and he’s breathing fast, heart going a mile per minute. He turns towards Jeongguk, eyes wide.

Jeongguk is transfigured next to him, and for a second it takes Jimin by surprise—and he gasps.

Jeongguk’s head snaps towards him, fully-black eyes wide and huge, staring at Jimin, and if he was bewildered before, he is speechless now.

His heart is threatening to burst out of him.

It’s not just fear, taking hold of his body.

“Breathe,” someone says. Jimin takes in a shaky breath. “Keep breathing.”

Jeongguk’s hand reaches out and Jimin remains still, eyeing the long claws until they disappear from his eyesight and his hand cups Jimin’s head.

It’s not just fear, alright.

It’s trepidation, and hope, and arousal all combined in one.

“You might want to transfigure back, Jeongguk-ah,” the same someone says. “He should probably calm down.”

Jeongguk’s head whips and turns towards the voice, a snarl almost coming out of his throat—before he takes a deep breath, closes his eyes, and forcibly calms himself.

It takes a few seconds, before he goes back to his normal form.

Jimin’s ears are still ringing and his heart is still racing, but the sight of Jeongguk back to his natural features starts to calm him down. Jeongguk’s hand is still in his hair, and he strokes it gently, before turning to look back at him.

His eyes are huge.

Jimin loses himself in them for the briefest of instants.

A way to reverse their condition, Jimin’s memory reminds him, and he blinks out of his stupor.

“Did you just say…” Jimin trails off, looking at Yoongi.

Yoongi’s eyes are fixed on them, and it looks like he’s calculating something, before he speaks. “I said that there might be a way to reverse their condition as demons,” he says slowly. “To become mortals once again.”

Jimin takes a sharp intake of breath at those words.

He turns towards Jeongguk, who’s still staring at Yoongi with the biggest eyes Jimin has seen on him.

“Really?” He asks.

“There might be. Yes.”

“Anything,” Jeongguk breathes out. “Hyung, I’ll do anything.”

Jimin’s heart clenches, and he slips a hand back in Jeongguk’s, squeezing it tight. If there really is the possibility of Jeongguk not feeling any pain anymore… Of having back his whole soul…

“I don’t know how yet,” Yoongi reiterates. “I’ve been working on it, and I feel like a breakthrough is close. But for now, all I know for sure is that there’s a possibility, and—”

“I’ll do anything,” Jeongguk interrupts him.

Yoongi levels him with a stare. “And,” he stresses, “it wouldn’t be up to you. The ones who carry two souls should perform the spell.”

So it has to be me. Jimin’s entire body is coursed with shivers.

He is about to reply that he will do it as soon as the spell is ready, but Jeongguk beats him to it. “No.”

“What?” Jimin asks, turning towards him. “Jeongguk—”

“No,” Jeongguk repeats. He sits up straight. “We’re not touching your soul, Jimin.”

“That has nothing to do with it—”

“It does. It’s a soul manipulation spell, isn’t it?” He asks Yoongi, and he nods. “Then no. They’re too fickle. It’s too risky.”

“You don’t even know what the spell entails.” Jimin’s stomach is starting to twist in an unpleasant way.

“No, hyung. It doesn’t matter. I can live like this; I’m used to it by now. It’s not worth risking your soul over.”

“Jeongguk,” Jimin snaps. Jeongguk looks at him with wide eyes. “Leave that decision to me. I think I earned that right, don’t you think?”

Jeongguk just stares at him, eyes big and shining, and he looks speechless for a moment.

Then he turns towards Yoongi. “Hyung. Tell him it’s too risky,” he pleads.

“I haven’t even finalised the spell, Jeongguk-ah,” Yoongi says. “This time, it’s not written anywhere. I’m crafting it with my own knowledge, based on everything I’ve learned over the past two lives.”

“That’s even less safe, then,” Jeongguk says, voice rising, agitated. “We’d have no proof that it’ll work. He can’t perform such a spell.”

Yoongi’s eyes are hard, when he replies. “I think Jimin is right. It’s his choice to make.”

“You’re such a hypocrite!” Jeongguk stands up, his entire body transfigured again. The black of his eyes is fixated on the Esoteric. “You tried to dissuade me from performing a spell that was written down and perfectioned with time, that would work, but you’re just saying Jimin should damn his own soul without a second thought!”

“How do you know that would happen—” Jimin tries to say, but Jeongguk keeps talking to Yoongi.

“So what, was I the only one worth saving? Does his soul mean nothing to you?”

“Jeongguk,” Hoseok warns him, voice gelid. “You would do well to remember who you’re talking to.”

“It’s fine,” Yoongi strokes Hoseok’s arm. “He’s not wrong.”

Jeongguk’s lips twist in a sneer. It’s terrifying. “See?”

“You’re right, Jeongguk.” Yoongi stands up. “I was harsh on you. I would do that again. I’ve never been a fan of messing with death, with souls, and you know that. We didn’t have enough time, and so we resorted to using dark magic. I never wanted that for you, for either of you.” He holds Jeongguk’s gaze, long enough for him to calm his breathing and lose the sneer. He doesn’t transfigure back, but Jimin can tell he’s a bit calmer than before. “But you did it anyway. And I’m trying to fix that. I’m trying to give back to you the life you deserved to live.”

Jeongguk stares at him for a couple of seconds, then he closes his eyes. His skin loses the red hues, and his claws retract.

“I don’t want that to come at Jimin’s expense,” Jeongguk says in a whisper. The difference in tone almost gives Jimin whiplash. “Or yours. I mean it when I say, I’d rather remain a demon for the rest of time, if that means his soul remains intact.”

Just like that, Jimin’s irritation melts away like snow under the sun. “Jeongguk…”

“What do you think I’m trying to do here, huh?” Yoongi says. He has a hint of a smile on his face. “It took us a week to find that spell, gather everything, and then perform it, way back then. I’ve been working on a reverse spell for more than four years now. I know what I’m doing. I know what’s at stake.”

Jeongguk’s eyes fall down, and he looks so dejected that Jimin stands up and goes to comfort him. “It’s alright, Jeonggukie,” Jimin whispers. “I promise I can do it. Whatever it is, we’ll be careful, and it will work. Trust Yoongi hyung,” he says. “Trust me. The first lesson, remember? I believe we can do it. And I won’t let you down.”

Jeongguk looks up at Yoongi. “I’m sorry, hyung. Of course I trust you.”

Yoongi nods. “Don’t worry about it.”

Then Jeongguk turns towards Jimin, meeting his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jiminie hyung. You’re right. I shouldn’t have acted like you didn’t have a choice in the matter. You do. And I trust you more than anyone or anything.”

Jimin sees only pain in his gaze—and he vows to fix that, no matter what. “It’s alright, Jeonggukie.” He strokes his cheeks with both hands, thumbs brushing his cheeks. “I understand, I really do. But I promised you, remember? I’ll do anything for your pain to stop.”

Jeongguk just steps closer to Jimin.

He fills the distance between their mouths with such ease that Jimin doesn’t even think twice, before getting on his tiptoes to kiss him back.

“I think the time for conversations is over, for today,” Hoseok murmurs.

Jimin’s cheeks flush with embarrassment at allowing himself such a public display of affection, but before he can step back and bash himself, Jeongguk engulfs him in his arms and nestles Jimin’s head in the hollow of his neck.

The hug shields him enough that Jimin takes a breath of relief.

“Is there something else that we need to know?” Jeongguk asks on top of Jimin’s head.

“No, not really,” Yoongi replies. “And if you need anything else, you know where to find me.”

Jeongguk nods, then kisses the top of Jimin’s head. “Can we go back to our room?”

Jimin’s heart warms at the word ‘our’. “Yes, we can go,” he murmurs on his neck. He leaves a peck there, before he steps away from the embrace. “Thank you, Yoongi, Hoseok. Truly.”

“You can call me hyung,” Yoongi says.

“Me too,” adds Hobi, a soft smile on his face. “I told you, we are going to be good friends, this time.”

Jimin smiles. “Okay. Hyung,” he addresses Yoongi. “How can I help you with your research? I can be here every study day, at least; maybe even after classes too.”

“Just think about your studies, Jimin. Your graduation is in two months.”

“But I can help!” Jimin protests.

“You could, but you’ve never dabbled with this type of magic before. Just to bring you up to speed, we would need a few weeks.” Jeongguk opens his mouth to reply, but Yoongi stops him. “That’s also valid for you, Jeongguk-ah. You know a little, but you are missing decades of progress. Don’t worry about it. I have Hobi here to help me. You focus on laying low and graduate, and I’ll think of the rest.”

Jimin knows the other is right, but he still doesn’t like to be useless.

Jeongguk, next to him, heaves a deep sigh. “As you wish. More time with my Jimin, anyway.”

Jimin blushes and swats his chest lightly. “Let’s just go back.”

Snickers follow them outside of the room, but Jimin’s entire focus is on Jeongguk’s presence next to him, and on the flicker of hope blossoming inside him.

He can help Jeongguk. He can make his soul whole again.

He vows to himself to do anything in his power, to prepare for casting such a delicate spell.

*

Jimin’s graduation comes and goes without any issue.

Jimin and Taehyung both receive an award for merit, and Jimin locks eyes with Jeongguk in the crowd, and he has to suppress the tears that threaten to fall.

He has already lived through this exact moment, he knows—but he also knows, and as soon as he gets back amongst the crowd, he says screw it to any social norm and launches himself into Jeongguk’s arms.

He kisses him amongst the cheers of his friends and a few giggles from his classmates, but he doesn’t care.

He’s happy.

And he has hope.

Every day that passes, it’s a day he gets closer to finally help Jeongguk, and that’s everything that matters.

After graduating, Jimin learns and rehearses spell after difficult spell, while also pretending to still think about what he wants to specialise in. Even though it’s clear to everyone who knows him that he’s going to choose to become an Esoteric.

Jeongguk giggles whenever Jimin denies that, but he doesn’t press the issue.

There’s still plenty of time to make an official decision, anyway.

It takes another three months before a flame burns in the letter spot of Jimin’s room, bringing with it a simple message, written on white paper.

It’s ready. Come to my room when you’re free. Bring a blanket.

Jimin stares at it for so long that Jeongguk has to get close to read it himself.

The note falls from his fingers as Jeongguk takes Jimin’s hand, and brings them to their bed. He then makes love with him until all their worries slip away and only love fills their hearts.

*

[HELLO CABARET, Poets of the Fall]

In the late afternoon light, Yoongi’s room feels both too large and entirely claustrophobic.

Jimin has his hand tightly entwined with Jeongguk’s, caressing his thumb on the other’s palm, and Jeongguk has a blanket thrown over his shoulder. They are greeted by Yoongi alone, who is wearing a thick blanket around himself—but before anyone can say anything, Jeongguk tenses next to him.

“Hyung. Where is Hobi hyung?”

“He’s in the other room, he’s going to join us any moment. Why? Am I not enough?” Yoongi deadpans, eyebrows raised.

Jimin has learned to understand his dry humour over the course of the months, and so he chuckles at the rhetorical question—but Jeongguk doesn’t even smile. “I can’t feel him.”

Yoongi just smiles. “I know.”

Hoseok chooses that moment to come into the room.

Even before he opens his mouth, Jimin realises there’s something different about him.

“Before you start to speak,” Hoseok says, looking at Jeongguk, and Jimin gasps. That language—“Just know that I won’t understand a word.”

He smiles a huge smile, and Jimin’s free hand goes to his mouth.

“Hyung? What did you say?” Jeongguk asks Hoseok, eyes worried. “Why did you sound like—”

He interrupts himself, coming to the same conclusion Jimin just came to.

Hoseok is not a demon anymore.

“Hyung?” Jeongguk asks Yoongi, voice thin and frail.

“Damn, I didn’t think this would be so weird,” Hoseok says, and it’s jarring to hear him speak Jimin’s language. “Not only do I not understand, but he also has the same exact expression on his face the entire time. I know he must be freaking out, but I don’t see that. It’s creepy.”

“Hobi,” Yoongi says, gently. Then he looks at Jeongguk. “I performed the spell yesterday. It worked.”

Jimin’s smile almost hurts his cheeks, for how wide it is. “Oh my goodness, hyung.”

“Why didn’t you call for us? We would’ve helped,” Jeongguk says, voice still frail, almost as if he can’t believe what he’s saying.

“There was no need to make you panic,” Yoongi says with mirth. He turns towards Hoseok and makes a gesture with his head.

Hoseok just smiles and crosses the room. He stands in front of Jeongguk, and without saying anything, he just wraps him in a hug.

Jeongguk hugs him one-armed, one hand still laced with Jimin’s, then smiles at him. “I know you can’t understand me, but I’m so glad you’re okay.”

“He not only can’t understand you, but he can’t even recognise your facial expressions,” Jimin says, light-hearted.

Seeing Hoseok like this truly makes his final worries disappear.

The spell is going to work. It’s really going to be alright.

“Do you need some of my blood so he can understand me?” Jeongguk asks Yoongi.

“That won’t be necessary,” Yoongi says. “You’re not going to remain a demon for much longer, Jeongguk-ah.”

Jeongguk’s breath hitches in his throat, and Jimin wraps his arms around Jeongguk, holding him tight. He knows Jeongguk still has some worries, but Jimin hopes he can feel just how sure he is. They’re going to be alright. It’s going to work well—just like it did for Hobi and Yoongi.

Jimin doesn’t have to say any of this out loud, for Jeongguk to calm down some.

Jeongguk has become really good at feeling Jimin’s emotions, over the past few months. It means that now, Jimin doesn’t even have to speak out loud for Jeongguk to just know.

It’s the only thing they’re going to miss.

“How are you feeling, hyung?” Jeongguk asks after a while. He still has an arm around Jimin’s waist, and Jimin still curls up at his side. “Did everything go well? How taxing was the spell? How are you now?”

Yoongi chuckles, and Hoseok pouts next to him. “What did he say?”

“Asked a lot of questions one after the other,” Yoongi tells him, then talks to Jeongguk. “I’m fine. Everything went well. The only downside is that I’m cold as hell.”

“Shouldn’t hell be hot?” Jimin giggles.

“We don’t know, because our resident demons have never been there.”

Both Jimin and Jeongguk laugh at that, and some of the tension melts off of Jeongguk as well.

“Are you feeling cold because of the spell?” Jeongguk asks. “Is that a side effect?”

Yoongi shrugs. “The only side effect, yes. I’m feeling a bit empty, and that translates into feeling cold. But it’s already much better than yesterday. I reckon it’ll fully go away within a week.”

“Jeonggukkie can keep me warm for a week,” Jimin nods. “Can’t you, baby?”

“Of course I can,” Jeongguk says, then holds Jimin even closer.

Jimin just smiles.

“Are you good now? Do you want to know anything else before we start?” Yoongi asks.

Jeongguk hesitates for a second. “He can’t rehearse the spell, can he?”

“No,” Yoongi says. “You know how soul-manipulating spells are.”

Jeongguk tenses up against him again, and Jimin turns and looks up at him. “Hey,” he calls him softly. “I’m ready. I can do it. Everything will be alright. Trust me.”

“I always do,” Jeongguk whispers, then closes his eyes and takes a heavy breath.

Yoongi turns around and starts gathering things on his desk, followed by Hoseok, so Jimin fully turns towards Jeongguk and hugs him in a tight embrace.

“I love you,” Jimin whispers in the hollow of his neck. “I’ll always love you.”

Jeongguk’s arms tighten around him. “You will never stop carrying my soul with you,” he whispers back. “It’s yours. It will forever be yours.”

A tear escapes Jimin’s eye at those words, and Jeongguk just shushes him. “Never cry, my Jimin.”

“I can’t wait for you to stop feeling the pain,” Jimin whispers. “I can’t wait for us to grow old together. We’ll get there, this time. I know that.”

“Me too,” Jeongguk whispers. “I love you so much.”

They remain in their embrace for a few seconds longer, then Jimin steps back, and turns to Yoongi.

“I’m ready.”

“Alright.”

Yoongi turns around, and starts giving instructions. “Jeongguk. You have to go lie down.” Jeongguk nods and heads towards the couch. “Jimin, bring an armchair close to the couch.” Jimin does that, and Yoongi follows them with several items in his hands.

“The spell is the last thing you’re going to recite, I’ll give you the scroll at the end. Before that, you’re going to need to enchant a candle following this other spell,” Yoongi says, making a piece of scroll float above Jeongguk. “For now, though, put the blanket on the chair. Oh, Jeongguk, remove your shirt. Jimin’s going to need some free skin.”

So it’s going to be blood magic, Jimin muses.

For a second, he’s surprised: he was prepared to perform dark magic, and he’d made his peace with it. But instead, it’s just blood magic.

Well—not that it’s much better, or any more allowed, but still.

He thinks about it for a split second, about how he is going to draw blood for Jeongguk—and he finds that he doesn’t even have to think twice about it. It’s not even a choice. He’d do much worse for him. A few drops of his blood are nothing, really.

Once Jeongguk is lying down shirtless, Yoongi places some dried up herbs on Jeongguk’s forehead in a concentric shape. Then he straightens up. “Everything else is up to you,” he tells Jimin. “Remember, never lose focus.”

Jimin nods, then starts following Yoongi’s instructions.

He gathers sage and places two leaves on Jeongguk’s closed eyes.

He grabs turquoise pigmentation and draws three exact runes on his stomach.

He grabs a candle and lights it up with a spell—then he enchants it following the spell on the floating note. He lets three drops of wax fall on Jeongguk’s chest, and ignores the sound they make on his skin.

He remains focused.

Then, he grabs an iron dagger with his left hand, raises his right hand on top of Jeongguk’s heart, and pierces the skin of his wrist.

Three drops of blood fall on Jeongguk’s heart.

Once Jimin has a piece of cloth wrapped around his wrist, a new scroll materialises in front of him.

This is it.

Jimin takes a deep breath, empties his mind, then starts chanting.

Word after word, he feels a tiny piece of himself disappear, leaving him a little bit emptier and colder each time.

It’s a difficult spell, full of words he never said out loud—but nevertheless, he doesn’t falter, and his voice doesn’t waver.

One full minute after, he says the last word, and the spell is done.

Every candle in the room shuts off at once, and Jimin falls hard on the chair. Hoseok is right there to steady him, and it takes several seconds before Jimin’s head stops spinning enough for him to properly sit up. He’s wracked with a shiver, and Hobi puts the blanket around him right away.

“You did it,” Yoongi says next to him. “It’s done, now.”

Jimin’s breath catches in his throat. He leans over Jeongguk’s form, and he tries to ignore the wave of nausea that follows the movement. “Jeongguk-ah?”

“It’s going to take him about five minutes, before he wakes up,” Hoseok says. “Try not to strain yourself right now. You don’t want him to wake up and find you lying on the floor, unconscious.”

His words are pointed, and Jimin vaguely wonders if that’s how he found Yoongi, the day before.

He doesn’t pry. He doesn’t need to know.

All he needs is Jeongguk to wake up.

And so he rests his head on the back of the chair and waits, holding his blanket tighter around himself. Wishing for Jeongguk to wake up faster.

It feels like hours pass, when it’s barely minutes.

When one of Jeongguk’s hands finally twitches, Jimin sits up straighter.

It takes Jeongguk a few seconds, before he removes the sage from his eyes and then opens them.

They meet Jimin’s right away, and he smiles. “Are you alright, my love?”

Jimin’s self-control breaks, and he bursts out laughing and crying. “I should be the one to ask you that question,” he says, voice rough.

Jeongguk sits up, then cups his cheek with his hand. “I can’t feel you anymore,” he says, dejected. “I’m going to miss it.”

“How are you feeling?” Jimin stresses, and Jeongguk just smiles, radiant.

“Like I just woke up from a suffocating dream,” he admits. “There’s no pain anymore. I finally don’t smell sulphur anymore. But I can’t feel you,” he repeats. “That’s going to take me a while to get used to. How are you feeling, really?”

Jimin smiles, heart in his throat. “I’m so happy,” he says. A tear escapes his eye. “A little cold and empty, but it’s already better now that you’re awake again. But other than that? I’m perfect.”

Jeongguk leans in, then captures Jimin’s lips in a soft kiss.

Jimin is barely aware of Yoongi and Hoseok leaving the room, giving them some privacy. All he feels is the other’s magic reacting to Jimin’s; their lips pressing together.

Their souls, meeting each other properly, for the first time.

It’s really over.

“Come here,” Jeongguk whispers. He helps Jimin lay down on top of him, then wraps his arms around him and strokes his back. “I think we can lay down here for a bit.”

“There’s plenty of time,” Jimin agrees. “We are going to grow old together, after all.”