Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When word reaches Minghao that there might be trouble on the horizon, he doesn't know what to do. It's not like his demon legion has always had the most easy go of things, but this is bad. Angels have invaded the underworld and are causing all kinds of chaos, from challenging leaders to confiscating (they call it confiscating but they're really just stealing) goods to wiping out entire legions and ghost towns, so of course it's causing an uproar of both widespread anger and confusion. Confusion because even though the angels are ruthless, they still tend to have rules. Far more than the underworld at least. The tight jurisdiction and protocol of the heavens is what prevents these very things from happening.

The underworld has many names. The spiritual realm. The shadow world. The abyss. The Land of the Dead. Long story short, it’s the home of almost everything that isn’t mortal. Most people come here after they die and spend their afterlives in the underworld as ghosts, reuniting with family and friends that have also passed. As long as they are remembered by someone in the mortal world, they remain in tact. When all memory of them fades, however, they start to as well.

But then there are vengeful spirits and immortal supernaturals. Supernaturals have just always been around throughout history: werewolves, goblins, witches, fey, the list goes on. These beings can thrive in the mortal realm, but if they are immortal or have strong enough power to withstand the aura of death in the underworld that only affects the living, then they are able to travel there if they know how and take refuge or even make a home for themselves. Minghao never met a vampire before coming to the underworld, but now he’s even friends with some.

Vengeful spirits are those who are stuck on something that happened in their mortal lives that brought them so much negative energy that they manifest into powerful malicious spirits. Those with low levels of negative energy manifest into poltergeists, with the power to haunt and cause minor disruption in the mortal realm mainly through sound but they still cannot be seen. Higher levels can lead to goblins, devious tricksters whose negative energy is usually related to malice and greed, or ghouls, a more sinister serious type of vengeful spirit who can cast curses and, in extreme circumstances, sap at the essence of mortal souls.

Then there are those who turn into demons. Those with so much pure negativity in their souls that it’s almost all they are, and yet, they are shackled by bounds and rules because they are far too powerful. If they were allowed to be let loose in the mortal realm then humanity would be over as we know it. This means they remain in the underworld, their living memories chipped at and blurred much faster than other beings for some reason, and they only appear on earth if a mortal is foolish enough to summon them.

Minghao is the leader of only one demon legion out of many, it's not very big nor important, but Minghao vowed once to care for and protect it with his afterlife. He only became its leader because he proved to be able to take charge when times were tough once - he has no vast wealth, the acropolis they inhabit no longer sits on any either, and their methods to fight are limited. He has never in his life encountered an angel, and he just knows that they'll come this way...but their legion is small, they've never had experience in war, and he doesn't know how to protect his people against it.

"Minghao, if I may," Jeon Wonwoo says, Minghao's second-in-command but he’s probably more of a friend than a subordinate, "I have an idea but I fear you won't approve."

Minghao waves a stressed hand. "It's alright, I'll listen to anything right now."

"Yoon-"

"No."

Wonwoo quirks an eyebrow. "You said you would listen."

"I know I did but why would I listen to a death wish?" Minghao asks, disgruntled. "Yoon Jeonghan is not an option."

"I know you dislike him but-"

Minghao splutters on purpose but almost actually chokes, and Wonwoo comes over to pat him on the back. "This- this isn't a petty matter of dislike! I fundamentally disagree with how he does things. I know everything he's done has ultimately been for the best for us, but...I've heard the details. He gets people involved but doesn't tell them the whole story. He swindles and makes people think he's on their side but he's only ever on his own side. And I know this is controversial but I think he causes angels more harm than he needs to."

Wonwoo has a small smile on his face. "You really are far too good to be a demon."

That's not the first time that Minghao's heard that. But he has his own reasons for why he manifested into a vengeful spirit (who doesn't really have much vengeance in him at all, honestly), and he doesn't want to tell anyone about them anytime soon. The past is the past. He may be a demon, but he can still try his best to live a relatively peaceful afterlife.

Not with an imminent threat like this on the horizon, though.

Minghao can't believe he's here. Outside of Yoon Jeonghan's manor. What is wrong with him?

Well, Minghao knows why he's here. Time was going too fast without any solutions cropping up, and Wonwoo kept side-eyeing him to the point that Minghao kept sending him on silly errands to get him to go away. One of them was just to keep watch over his garden. Where on earth would his garden run off to?

After racking his brain with advisors or friends for hours on end, he felt like he was going crazy. And suddenly the idea of going to a certain someone started to seem not all that bad.

Yoon Jeonghan is notorious throughout the underworld and beyond. He was once a high-ranking angel who fell for reasons unknown, and his manifestation into a vengeful spirit was a given. But he turned out to be one of the most powerful demons to ever exist, for both his intellect and his enchantments. It's not simple enough to say that Yoon Jeonghan 'rose to power' since he has never seemed greedy for leadership, never tried to set laws or rules. But he's the demon who gives the heavens the most grief, and the demon who always finds solutions when no-one else can.

He's the one who basically created Soul City, now commonly referred to as the underworld capital, which has become a prosperous place of light, fun, and trade. Before this, the more central into the underworld you went, the more overrun it was with wandering beings and malevolent chaos since it's easy to go off the rails when you no longer have a life to find a purpose in. But Yoon Jeonghan weaved some kind of magic with his infamous silver tongue and built up the place from scratch. Apparently he got backlash at first - beings saying 'this ain't the heavens, we don't need fancy shit like this that'll really just constrain us!' - but now the city is renowned for its festivities and wealth of entertainment. It's constantly bustling with dark entities enjoying games and trading precious occult items, and it seems that people from other places have asked Jeonghan to help them build up their own areas, too.

Ever since then, Yoon Jeonghan has gained the respect of everyone in the underworld. Beings traverse from far and wide to ask for his services or pay their respects, and rumour has it that there hasn't been a single time where he hasn't been able to resolve someone's troubles. Minghao calls bullshit on that, there's no way Jeonghan has time to listen to everyone who comes his way. But when he enters the manor, he's ushered to a quite pleasant waiting room where he learns that Yoon Jeonghan actually has set visiting hours...and Minghao has luckily come at the right time.

He tells the secretary, a curly-smiling gentle vampire, his name and then takes a seat between a waning ghost and a hobgoblin. The ghost has a melancholy look on their face as they melt into their chair, barely keeping any semblance of a corporeal form, and Minghao hesitantly says, "You're dripping a little bit."

"Sorry," the ghost sniffles, looking like they're ready to burst into tears as they gather up their essence that's leaking onto Minghao's side. "I'm just...I'm just sooo..."

The ghost wails, a haunting noise that makes a lot of people nearby flinch, but Minghao doesn't as he pats the ghost's shoulder. Or he tries to - underworldly beings can usually touch ghosts, but this ghost has lost so much of their form that even Minghao's hand goes through them.

"Is that your name? 'Sooo'?" Minghao jokes, a terrible joke really, and the ghost looks at him with big melting eyes. It's almost cute. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

The ghost sniffs loudly, eyes shining. "Really?"

"It would be better if you weren't so sad."

The ghost somehow looks even more ready to cry, but Minghao can see some of their form slowly spring back into shape. He can make out a sharp nose, as well as a trench coat, a form of clothing from a much more current generation than Minghao’s. This ghost must have passed recently.

"I am...I'm very sad...I'm so sorryyy..."

"Don't be," Minghao says gently, smoothing out the sleeve of the ghost's trench coat. "You are okay."

There are twinkles in the ghost's eyes that counteract their dull grey colour as they look at Minghao, and before either of them can say anything more, the secretary calls out, "Xu Minghao."

Minghao frowns. "What? But I just got here. Ghost, how long have you been waiting?"

"Mm..." It's rare for underworldly beings to keep their sense of time since it's not like there's any sun down here - though Minghao had to relearn it once he became a semi-important figure just to keep on schedule - so the ghost points at the useless clock hanging on the other side of the room. "I think the smaller hand clicked twice."

Two hours? "Okay, you're going in instead of me."

The ghost's eyes grow impossibly wider and they shake their head about, that Minghao notes is now full of curls. "No, I couldn't-!"

"Just go," Minghao laughs, shoving the ghost gently, and the ghost gives him one last teary but grateful glance before slowly oozing his way over to the doors at the side of the room. Then Minghao leans back and closes his eyes, preparing himself for the next couple hours of waiting. His name being called out just then must have been a fluke, maybe the secretary put it on top by accident after he was signed in.

But just a few minutes later, after Minghao sees the ghost glide back inside the waiting room looking much more corporeal and much more happy, his name is called out again which has the other beings looking around in confusion. Well, Minghao doesn't know what's going on, but he kind of is on a time crunch so he might as well just go. He stops the ghost before he goes in, though, saying, "You look better."

"I am! I'm so much better!" the ghost cheers, and they still have murky tears in their eyes but they're so bright all the same. They take Minghao's hands excitedly, telling him, "I might just have some afterlife left in me yet!"

Minghao has no clue what they're talking about, but he's happy for them all the same. "That sounds great."

"By the way, I'm Lee Seokmin," the ghost says cheerfully. "Not 'Sooo'!"

Minghao chuckles, squeezing Seokmin's hands. "I'll remember that."

Seokmin leaves with a big wave, and Minghao can't stop smiling. That is until he has to go through the doors, wary and steps slow. It leads to a hall, smaller than Minghao would've expected, but beautiful all the same. The colour scheme is pastel blues and pinks which is really not a sight you see much down here, shining glossy marble making up the floor and the ceiling carved with patterns of jumping jovial animals and curved inward like the inside of a clam shell. But what stands out to Minghao the most are the flowers lining the sides of the hall. Full and vibrant, pink roses and white jasmines and blue orchids and then some - all of Minghao's favourites, amazingly. He has to try very hard not to get too distracted by them as he clears his throat and turns back to the gilded chair set on a little platform at the front of the room, not grand enough to be called a throne but it probably is meant to be one. Except, no-one is sitting there.

The only individual in here other than Minghao is someone watering a pot of roses, their back to him as they hum a sweet tune. They have angel-blond hair that curls at the ends where they bob on their shoulders, and they're clad in pink and blue robes that match the hall. At the sound of Minghao clearing his throat, though, they pause, and gently lift their watering can back up. When they turn around to face him, Minghao momentarily feels starstruck.

He’s heard the rumours, of course, that Yoon Jeonghan's beauty is unparalleled. That he dazzles underworldly beings who might have not seen something even half as pleasing to the eye in centuries, and that he must have been lauded for his looks as a mortal. Then there are also his striking eyes. Big, currently surprised at the sight of Minghao, and much warmer than he would have expected. One golden and one pitch black. The mark of a fallen angel.

For a moment, it seems like Jeonghan goes stock still, those alluring eyes of his widening a fraction. But maybe Minghao imagined that because soon Jeonghan's lips easily quirk up into a pretty yet teasing smile, sweet-toned words flowing from them, "Well, well. Am I finally receiving the person who actually matches the name that was called?"

Minghao stands his ground as Jeonghan gets closer. "Yes. I…apologise. You called out my name so early that I thought it might have been a mistake."

Jeonghan's smile grows, and it’s really quite lovely. Something about it charms Minghao, draws him in, and it might be because it seems so…real. Natural. He genuinely seems happy but Minghao doesn't know what would be making him happy in this situation.

Jeonghan stops quite near him, but instead of asking what Minghao’s request is, he just starts watering the pot of jasmines beside him. Minghao watches in confusion, slowly getting a little irritated that Jeonghan doesn't even seem to be focusing on him, but he tries to calm himself down. Minghao is in no position to get mad at someone that he's seeking aid from.

"Can you," Minghao begins warily, and tries not to react when Jeonghan suddenly looks at him again, eyes big as they bore into Minghao but it's not unsettling. The gaze actually seems quite encouraging. "...help..."

"How do you want me to help?" Jeonghan replies, easily, with no clear judgement. Minghao bristles, so not having expected this kind of response that he can't help but think there must be a catch. Beggars can't be choosers, though.

He explains the situation to the best of his ability. He's sure that Jeonghan has heard variations of this already, that he has to be very well aware of the angels rampaging the underworld. To be honest, Minghao's surprised that Jeonghan hasn't already done something about it.

Or maybe he has. Maybe the problem is too big even for him.

Jeonghan nods when he's done talking, resting a light hand on Minghao's sleeve. "Do you want me to protect you?"

Minghao's breath hitches a little at how earnestly and simply Jeonghan just said that. Could it really be this easy?

"W-What should I do in this situation?" Minghao says, kind of ignoring what Jeonghan said in case he's messing with him. "Our legion is small. We don't have many weapons, nor reasonable items to trade for them, and the angels are approaching fast. I can't bear to see us wiped out, I know that angels have the power to vaporise us so that we can’t respawn and that would be-"

"You need to find people to protect you, Minghao," Jeonghan insists. "You're a fairly new leader, no? I know there's merit in keeping to yourself, but you need to make alliances, connections with legions more powerful than your own."

Minghao deflates. "That…that makes sense, but there's no time-"

"It's okay," Jeonghan says, as he sets his watering can down and both of his hands come up now to clasp one of Minghao's. "You don't need anyone else. To tell you the truth, Minghao, I'm playing a bit of a long game when it comes to the recent angel attacks. But for you - and your legion, of course! - I'll act fast."

Minghao has suddenly found it a little difficult to talk. He can only say dumbly, "You...you'll protect me?"

Jeonghan smiles, so very beautifully. Then he lets go of Minghao to pick a lithe jasmine and tuck it behind Minghao's ear. His fleeting touch is warm, a foreign sensation that's somehow not unfamiliar at all, and the ghost of the feeling of Minghao’s ears burning pink like they easily used to back when he was a mortal prickles at his face.

"I'll protect you. Leave it to me."

So Minghao leaves in a little bit of a daze, and travels back home that way. He silently moves inside his villa when he gets there, he goes to his study, and takes a seat without much thought. But the more that time passes, the more increasingly aware he becomes of every little piece of his and Jeonghan’s conversation, utter confusion and anger builds up inside him until he's jumping to his feet and banging his fists against his desk. "ARGH!"

Wonwoo pokes his head into the study a moment later. "Minghao? I wasn't aware you'd returned-"

"Why didn't I ask more questions?" Minghao asks existentially, dragging a hand through his hair. "Why did I let him be so vague? What the fuck does him 'protecting me' even mean?!"

Wonwoo raises his eyebrows in pleased surprise. "He offered to protect you?"

"And why was he just using my name so casually, and touching me, and-" Minghao pauses, eyes growing wide. "Holy shit. How did he know so much about me? He knows I'm new at leading and that I don't have alliances and that I like flowers?!"

That last point might've been a bit of a stretch, but it makes Wonwoo raise his hand over his mouth like a gossip. "So is that the reason for the little white one behind your ear?"

Minghao ignores him. "This has to be how he does it. He bewitches people and makes flimsy promises without setting out concrete rules and methods of payment and then I'm just going to end up indebted to him for life. Who knows what he'll have me do?"

"Did he...bewitch you?"

Minghao grimaces, sitting back down and dropping his head into his hands. "Wonwoo, he's gorgeous. Like transcendental pretty. And I don't know why but he seemed nice. Maybe a bit teasing sometimes but genuine, and I can't believe I fell for it when I already know what he's like."

"What you think he's like."

"A lot of people think the same way as me!" Then Minghao frowns, considering. "But maybe I misjudged him? I don't think so, though...he really was so vague and I can't excuse him for that."

"I'm sure there'll be plans for you to meet again for something of this scale."

"What, and that'll only happen on his terms? Fuck, I loathe this."

Wonwoo looks apologetic, and Minghao wants to throw his desk across the room. That’s it. He doesn’t care about Yoon Jeonghan’s stupid ‘visiting hours’, he’s going back there as soon as possible so he can make this right.

“Would you like me to come with you?” Wonwoo asks once he's made aware of Minghao’s plans, the two of them walking towards the front doors as Wonwoo lags slightly behind Minghao’s fast determined pace. Minghao shakes his head, replying, “Not this time. He probably won't be too happy with me showing up unannounced.”

“Don't do anything you'll regret, Minghao…”

Minghao sends Wonwoo a smile. “I won't. You know me.”

And no, Minghao won't regret any part of this. Not even when he arrives at the manor only to see two guards stationed at the doors, and realises with a curse that this won't be so easy after all. Not that he didn't already think that would be the case. Keeping out of the guards’ line of sight, he slowly circles the perimeter of the manor (and tries not to be awestruck because this is really such a lovely place, with more flowers like honeysuckle and climbing roses trailing up the walls), and stops at the side where he can see an open window on one of the higher floors. After a bit of surveying, Minghao feels sure that he can climb up there.

It's not easy. He has to try to make the least amount of noise possible, and fails to find his footing a couple times. It makes him wonder: why do only some demons get wings when all angels do? Ugh, but Minghao learnt long ago to stop questioning what goes on down here.

Bruises from silly things like falls don't matter much nor last long for demons, at least, and that spurs Minghao on until he's finally on the same ledge as the open window, a couple torn roses in his hands (totally not on purpose or anything). He moves to make his way into the window - only to immediately turn away so fast that he almost falls right off. Yoon Jeonghan is inside whatever room the window leads to. Yet, it’s also not just him.

Two beings, with their backs to Minghao so he was able to see their vast white regal wings with unsettling clarity, are there with Jeonghan. Their skin had a glow about it and they were wearing simple white robes that very much offset Jeonghan’s loose-fitting pink ones.

Minghao has to stay to listen, there’s no other choice. Fierce anger is already stirring up inside him, his teeth gritting as he thinks that of course Jeonghan is still in cahoots with the angels. He’s never heard of such a thing before but it makes sense - the stories of Jeonghan going up to challenge the heavens multiple times must be fake, lies fabricated in partnership with the angels so that Jeonghan can maintain the respect and admiration of the underworld. And the other instances in the past where angels infiltrated the underworld and Jeonghan was actually witnessed dispelling them must have all been carefully orchestrated. Minghao’s hands shake at his sides where he clenches them into fists; how can someone so corrupt have this much power?

“They can’t be convinced,” an unfamiliar voice says, so it must be one of the angels. “There are many angels who don’t want to be in the heavens right now, so some are seeking refuge here-”

“You’re calling this seeking refuge?” he hears Yoon Jeonghan say, his voice low and steely, nothing like the sweet lilted tone he had with Minghao earlier. It’s kind of chilling. “They’re attacking, Mingyu. They’re wiping out whole areas, areas with people, and they sure aren’t sparing them either!”

Oh. Well, if Jeonghan’s actually sounding this angry about what the angels are doing then maybe Minghao was jumping the gun a bit…but what other explanation is there for this?

“That’s the thing,” another voice sighs. “Everything that happened has been such a shock and it’s fostered so much widespread rage so that would be why they’re being…volatile…”

“So you’re telling me,” Jeonghan says so quietly that Minghao has to focus to hear him, “that they’re taking out their frustrations on innocent souls. As if disintegrating them is some kind of cathartic hobby. Fuck, I always knew that angels basically view everything but themselves as dirt under their shoe but this is taking the cake.”

“It’s horrible, I know,” the angel called Mingyu sighs. “But…what are you planning to do?”

“Well, I’m in the midst of forming a plan. But right now I have the urge to vaporise every single angel wreaking havoc down here.”

Mingyu gasps while the other chuckles, saying, “Isn’t that too harsh? Only a small number of angels are doing that, don’t go about taking it out on all of us.”

“I didn’t say I’d do that. But you’ve heard of eye for an eye,” Jeonghan says sternly. “Celestial beings were the ones who decided to create their own heavenly realm because they thought they were too high and mighty to share the same space as ‘lowlife spirits’ so they should get the fuck out of here and stay where they’re wanted.”

“...you don’t mean us, right, hyung?” Mingyu asks, sounding a little sad, and Minghao hears a soft amused laugh.

“Of course not, silly. I’m the one who asked you to come here.”

There’s too much information that Minghao is missing right now to piece everything together and his head is spinning. He shifts a foot with a small effort to make sure he’s completely out of sight from the angels and Jeonghan, but almost yelps when that wobbles his balance and he has to scrabble to clutch the stone walls. The others are still talking so they probably didn’t notice, and Minghao slumps in pure relief. No more moving for now.

“We’ll keep trying to reduce the damage and talk the angels down,” the other angel says. “But first…”

Minghao’s eyes widen when he hears the crystal-clear unsheathing of a celestial sword. “It seems like we have an eavesdropper.”

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. That’s it, Minghao has no choice but to make a run for it-

“You mean Minghao? Yeah, he’s been here for a while,” Jeonghan says casually, making Minghao freeze. “Put that thing away, he’s no danger to us.”

“Minghao?” Mingyu asks in surprise. “Isn’t that-”

Mingyu’s speech quickly turns into some kind of muffled garble, and then there’s a clap of hands. “Alright! You two should go now. Be careful on your way, I’ll contact you if I want to chat more.”

“You call this just a ‘chat’?” the unnamed angel snorts and Jeonghan replies jovially, “That’s right, Jihoon, a lovely little chitter-chatter with friends! Now get out, please~”

Minghao holds his breath the whole time that the three share their goodbyes, and then footsteps lead out the room, getting quieter and quieter. There’s a long silence where Minghao has no idea if he should just make himself known or not - since Jeonghan already does know that he’s there - but he can’t help but yelp out loud when Jeonghan suddenly pokes his head out the window and says a bright, “Hello!”

It catches Minghao so off guard that he topples, his foot slipping off the ledge - but Jeonghan quickly grabs hold of Minghao’s other leg and pulls him down so that Minghao is crouching down in a much more stable position, yet their faces are centimetres apart. Minghao blinks, a little startled, but Jeonghan’s the one who actually seems the most surprised by the way his already big eyes blow wide and his mouth parts around a silent gasp. Minghao suddenly feels the need to reassure him, say something like ‘it’s alright, it’s not like I’m going to kiss you’, but being this close is a little mesmerising. Jeonghan’s unique eyes are boring into his soul, but there’s something quite sweet about them that holds Minghao still. A gentle warmth that seems to always be present in his gaze. Minghao had never actually seen a fallen angel’s eyes before Jeonghan’s, and yet, he feels like he’s seen these very ones before.

Maybe he knew something - someone - similar once upon a time.

“How did you know I was here?” Minghao asks, his voice coming out as a whisper because of their close proximity, and Jeonghan seems to relax at the sound of it. He smiles again and pokes Minghao’s nose, making Minghao scrunch his face up.

“I saw you, silly goose. Only for a second but I would recognise you anywhere,” Jeonghan says with a wink, and Minghao stares back flatly. If he has to deal with Yoon Jeonghan being an obnoxious flirt on top of everything else then this is more trouble than it’s worth. “I’m certain that you have a lot of questions, Minghao.”

“Of course I do,” Minghao says, and Jeonghan nods, looking less jolly now. “But would you even answer them?”

Jeonghan hesitates, averting his gaze for a second. The show of doubt makes Minghao forget that Jeonghan is powerful enough to vaporise him on the spot and he takes hold of Jeonghan’s chin, forcing the demon to look at him again. “Listen. I can’t deal with the vagueness you’ve been giving me until now. I perfectly understand if you can’t tell me everything about…you know, what happened just now, but we need to at least talk.”

Jeonghan has stars in his eyes when he blinks up at Minghao, silence stretching out for a moment which starts to make Minghao feel a little silly.

“So bold,” Jeonghan eventually simpers, fanning his face. Minghao quickly lets go of him and groans, “Just tell me.”

“Of course we can talk, Minghao. You didn’t have to come all this way, I was going to send you a bunny later with a message asking what time and place would be suitable for you and I to meet next.”

Oh. So, perhaps everything wouldn’t all be on Jeonghan’s terms. “A bunny?”

Jeonghan waves a hand, and golden streams of magic start to swirl around it. It slowly starts to take the form of, indeed, a wispy bunny that hops through the air leaving a trail of golden mist before it decides to settle on Minghao’s shoulder. He can’t feel the weight of it at all, but the warm pulse of its magic beats against his neck.

“My little messengers,” Jeonghan says with a grin. “This one likes you!”

Minghao can’t believe it. This is the kind of thing that Jeonghan uses his magnanimous abilities for?

“You’re strange,” Minghao says with narrowed eyes, and Jeonghan’s smile widens as he tips his head to the side innocently. His loose robes are falling open over his chest the more he leans out of the window and Minghao feels like some kind of blushing maiden as he hastily reaches out to tug the robes closed. Jeonghan’s eyes twinkle at him, and Minghao curses silently as he realises he can’t even make the excuse that he doesn’t want Jeonghan to catch a cold because demons can’t catch fucking colds.

“Thank you,” Jeonghan tells him before Minghao has to explain himself, resting his hand over his. It’s strange how Minghao never flinches when Jeonghan touches him, never thinks about pushing him away in the moment - it's like he's feeling that sense of deja vu again. “Let’s go inside. I’ve held you hostage out here for far too long!”

It turns out that the room the window leads to is Jeonghan’s bed chambers. It makes sense, for the clothes that Jeonghan is wearing and the fact that it’s on one of the higher floors. Jeonghan takes a seat on his large bed (his bedsheets are patterned with a very cute pink and white bunny print that Minghao doesn’t know how to feel about) and gestures for Minghao to join him, which Minghao awkwardly does. That has Jeonghan coquettishly covering his face with his hands and going, “Kyaa, I can’t believe I’ve got a handsome gentleman in my chambers~”

“I’m sure I’m not the first,” Minghao says offhand, just wanting to get to more important matters, but Jeonghan opens some of his fingers to peek through and gasps in faux offence, “Minghao, are you…calling me a whore?”

Minghao bristles. “What? No! I just- I mean, with your looks and your, uh, temperament, I am sure that you…agh, this is not what we need to talk about!”

“You’re right, I apologise,” Jeonghan surprisingly agrees (even though he looks a bit too gleeful), lowering his hands. “I’m sure you’ve deduced your own thoughts about everything you just overheard.”

“Kind of,” Minghao replies, frowning. “But I’m still a little fuzzy. So, something bad happened in the heavens and angels are taking it out on us?”

Jeonghan suddenly looks a bit miserable. “That’s the gist of it, yes. There are some angels that I’m still in contact with, like those two you just saw, and they keep me up to date about what goes on in the heavens. I hope you won’t hold me in contempt about that.”

“...as long as it’s not to the detriment of the underworld, it’s fine,” Minghao says, and Jeonghan lights up a little. “I’m not going to say I understand. I’ve never heard of angels and underworldly beings being friends or ‘in contact’ or what have you. But I guess it’s not the worst thing to be informed of what goes on up there since it’s so closed off from the rest of the world.”

“Of course you get it,” Jeonghan says happily, the vibrant look in his eyes making Minghao feel funny inside. “Anyway, I’m afraid I can’t tell you about the issues in the heavens just yet. It’s…a burdensome knowledge. I can share if you really wish but give me some time.”

“That’s fine,” Minghao reassures him. “To be honest, I don’t really care. My foremost priority is keeping my legion safe, and you said you’d protect us but I need to know how.”

“Ah. Right, you would want to know that,” Jeonghan mutters almost under his breath. “Hmm. It’s not enough to ask you to just trust me, is it?”

“No,” Minghao says bluntly, and Jeonghan laughs. “I need to know what payment you expect, too.”

Jeonghan abruptly stops laughing, staring at Minghao with the most shocked expression. “Payment? Minghao, I’m not taking anything from you.”

Minghao crosses his arms. “Don’t give me that bullshit. If you dare to say that I owe you after this then suddenly my soul is barred or you bring me in for some outrageous favours-”

“Minghao, think about it. I don’t have the power to take possession of your soul. And what else could I possibly want?” Jeonghan interrupts gently. “We no longer live in a world as materialistic as our last. It’s not perfect, that’s for sure, and I know it’s easy for a lot of beings here to try to mimic that lifestyle when it was all they knew as mortals - but riches don’t matter to me. I only have this big place because I was told I should keep up appearances. It’s honestly quite lonely.”

Lonely. Minghao remembers a time when he felt lonely here, too.

He realises, then and there, that he has no idea who Yoon Jeonghan is. All of his assumptions keep being wrong. Many of the rumours seem seconds away from being debunked. The few things that Minghao truly knows about Jeonghan is that he used to be an angel, he wants to help Minghao, and he might be lonely.

So yes, Minghao does need to keep on his toes around him. But only because he’s a powerful stranger and not because of a toxic rumour mill that Minghao feels embarrassed to have engaged in. He can be kinder.

“But indeed, I’ll tell you everything I plan to do as ahead of time as possible. Only for you, Minghao,” Jeonghan sighs the last part heavily as if this is something he would never do otherwise. Minghao actually feels quite pleased by that. “First, I need to survey your area. I’ll pop by whenever you want me to.”

“Anytime soon is fine. Just let me know first so I can show you around.”

“Mm, a guided tour, how lovely,” Jeonghan sings. “I’ll be there after my next round of visiting hours. For now, I fear I need to get a bit of rest…I’ve used my brain too much today.”

“Oh. Yes, of course,” Minghao says quickly as he gets up. “I can see myself out. Uh, are your guards aware that I’m here?”

“I sent a bunny to tell them, no worries.” Jeonghan smiles up at him sleepily, before suddenly toppling back to lie against his bed. “Minghao, tuck me in!”

“What?”

“Hehe. I jest,” Jeonghan giggles, rolling into his bedsheets himself. “I shall see you soon.”

Minghao nods, feeling quite varied emotions from seeing such a powerful demon wrapped up in bunny covers. “Sure.”

Minghao and Wonwoo are taking a stroll through their town, talking about anything that comes to mind. Well, it’s a stroll that thinly veils the fact that they’re on the lookout for any imminent danger, even if angels haven’t been sighted for the past while. That just proves even more that this is just a game to them. They come whenever they want to blow off some steam and then disappear again while everyone else is left to wait in fear for their souls.

“To tell you the truth, Minghao, I'm playing a bit of a long game when it comes to the recent angel attacks,” Jeonghan told him during their first meeting. Minghao might not know if he can trust him, but with nothing else to find salvation in, he sincerely hopes Jeonghan wins his long game.

Even though he was momentarily distracted by that thought, he still manages to sense a presence quickly honing in on them. He’s on guard well before Wonwoo suddenly yells, “Minghao, careful!” and moves in front of him with his sword sheathed. Minghao stares on with narrowed eyes only to see that a ghost is barrelling towards them, unrecognisable because of the sheer speed they’re going at but they stop right in front of Wonwoo and his sword out of confusion.

“Oh, hello! Who are you? Where did Minghao go?” the familiar ghost asks, poking at the sword even though his finger just goes through it. “And why are you pointing that at me? I’m not a bad ghost!”

“It’s fine, Wonwoo, I know him,” Minghao says, patting Wonwoo’s shoulder, and Wonwoo reluctantly lowers his sword and steps to the side. “Seokmin, isn’t it?”

The ghost perks up at the sight of Minghao and throws himself at him with an excited yelp of his name, making Minghao almost fall back from the force of it.

“You remember my name!” the ghost chirps, squishing his cold wispy cheek against Minghao’s. “I’m so happy!”

“You wouldn’t be easy to forget,” Minghao chuckles, and somehow that makes Seokmin look miles happier. “What brings you here?”

“I was looking for you! That’s okay, right? You’re just the first friend I’ve made here in like, ever.” Seokmin keeps babbling about how he overheard someone talking about Minghao as the leader of this place so he took it upon himself to traverse here because it’s not like he had anything better to do and he really wanted to see Minghao again, and it’s a lot of information, but very touching information nonetheless.

Minghao feels amused when he looks to the side and notices that Wonwoo looks a little starstruck by Seokmin’s plethora of words and expressions, but it’s not surprising. Wonwoo keeps to himself much more than Minghao does, and has resigned himself to a quiet afterlife of few people and many scrolls and scriptures. Someone like Seokmin must be new to him.

Minghao is just about to ask if Seokmin would like to join them on their stroll, but suddenly he spots something small but vibrant bounding over to them leaving a gold trail behind it. As the bunny approaches and hops circles around them, Seokmin coos in delight while Wonwoo goes on guard again, stepping in front of Seokmin and resting his hand on his scabbard.

“Aren’t you my right hand man?” Minghao asks in amusement, and Wonwoo seems flustered when he answers, “Well - ghosts can’t protect themselves as well as us. Anyway, what is that? Why don’t you look more surprised?”

“It’s a sign that he’s here,” Minghao simply says, letting the bunny hop up his leg and into his arms, and Seokmin looks confused but Wonwoo straightens up in instant understanding. “Seokmin, I’ll return soon. There’s just something I need to take care of.”

“Oh, sure!” Seokmin says agreeably even if he seems to droop a little, so Minghao adds, “Wonwoo, if you could go back to the villa to keep Seokmin company, that would be great.”

Wonwoo’s eyes widen a fraction, disbelieving. But when Seokmin turns to face him in innocent anticipation, he composes himself and bows his head, offering his arm. “This way, sir.”

Seokmin looks positively charmed as he giggles, “I can’t remember the last time I was called sir,” and shyly takes Wonwoo’s arm. Seokmin blows the bunny a little kiss and waves before Wonwoo leads him away, and Minghao waves back with a smile before he starts heading over to the entrance of his acropolis, the bunny settled comfortably around his neck the whole time. There is indeed a figure waiting there, swathed in a big baby blue cloak with their back to Minghao. A hood is over their head, but Minghao can see a strand of blond peeking out.

“Ahem,” Minghao pretends to clear his throat, and the figure’s shoulders perk up before they spin around, sending Minghao a familiar sweet smile. “Hello. You look…bright.”

“It suits me, no?” Jeonghan asks, twirling around to show off the cloak. Minghao does agree that the cloak flatters him, but Jeonghan must have terrible balance because he's not even halfway through his twirl when he wobbles with a high-pitched yelp. Something inexplicably instinctive makes Minghao sweep forward to catch him in record time, locking an arm around his waist.

“Careful.”

“Oh my, the chivalry,” Jeonghan says dreamily, clasping his hands together and gazing up at Minghao with gleaming eyes. Minghao wishes he could drop him on the spot.

“Did you do that on purpose?”

Jeonghan pulls the most dramatic face. “Whatever are you talking about!”

Minghao sighs inwardly. “Stand up straight. I need to show you around.”

Minghao wasn’t aware that he ever offered his arm ( because he didn’t), but Jeonghan still takes hold of it with both of his hands once he’s safely back on both feet. “Please do!”

There’s not much to show Jeonghan, really. This isn’t a place of extended civilisation like earth, no-one needs to go to school or work and there aren’t any historical landmarks. There are only winding streets of small abodes where residents of this acropolis spend their time, trees and shrubs since the underworld is surprisingly not as barren as one would think and Minghao likes to cultivate where he can, and Minghao’s villa that doubles as a town hall when anyone wants to talk to him or if he needs to hold legion meetings.

Minghao is very attached to this place but he can admit that it’s not anything special, nothing like Jeonghan’s Soul City; yet somehow, Jeonghan looks so utterly taken by it. He ‘ooh’s and ‘ahh’s at all the plants, he greets every demon they pass who usually give Minghao a look that says ‘who’s this random hooded guy?’, he even materialises a big photo camera at some point, something that didn’t exist in Minghao’s time so he has to try not to act too fascinated by it, to snap what seems like a million pictures.

Minghao can’t help but smile eventually, shaking his head, and suddenly Jeonghan is gasping and pointing the large camera at him. “A smile! Lovely!”

“Well, you are amusing,” Minghao has to admit while he’s still smiling; he doesn’t think it’ll be easy to stop, actually. Jeonghan beams in return.

“I live to be your jester! May I take another photo?”

“It’s not like you asked the first time.”

And Jeonghan’s smile is much lovelier, he thinks. Minghao should be the one taking a photo of that instead.

“You like flowers, don’t you?” Minghao asks when he thinks Jeonghan’s seen everything that needs to be seen. “Would you like to see my garden?”

It’s both funny and concerning how quickly Jeonghan cycles through emotions in the next few moments. At first he lights up, like eagerly accepting the invite is on the tip of his tongue, but then he pulls back, looking a mix of constipated and conflicted with the way his face scrunches up, and finally he slumps in defeat and shakes his head.

“I sure hope that offer extends to another time, because…we probably shouldn’t right now. We need to act as soon as possible.”

“What? You already have a plan?” Minghao asks with wide eyes. Either Jeonghan had put thought into this before coming here or he thought something up while they were touring Minghao’s acropolis, and both options are impressive. Jeonghan sends him a slightly weak smile, replying, “Sorry to be anticlimactic but all that really needs to be done to keep this place relatively safe is put up protective barriers that repel anything celestial. That’s all it does, and it shouldn’t affect any of you. I asked to have a look around so I could get a sense of how big the place is, and how much power I would have to use.”

Minghao blinks, having to take a short moment to process. Jeonghan said that so casually, but: “Wait, that’s possible? And you actually know how to do that?”

“Well, I’ve encountered angels before. I was an angel before. Learning how to repel and fight them is a power I was slowly able to cultivate because of that reason, probably,” Jeonghan chuckles, though it sounds humourless. “Maybe I just hate them so much that it manifested into anti-angel magic...ah, no, I apologise, Minghao. You don’t want to hear any of this.”

Minghao doesn’t quite know how to reply. He wants to ask a lot of things, like why Jeonghan hates angels, what made him choose to fall, what really could be so bad about the heavens from the way that Jeonghan talks about it, but he’s not so tactless to ask any of those things when he can see Jeonghan’s hands clenched into fists so tight that they’re trembling. He reaches out his own hand towards them, just to provide some sort of comfort, but he stops. That would be too familiar of him.

So he just asks, “Can I help at all?”

Jeonghan blinks, his gaze becoming less distant, and his smile is smaller but genuine again. “That would be lovely. Can you lead me to a part of this place that is near its edge, and relatively quiet?”

“I believe so. Let’s go.”

Minghao takes Jeonghan to the other side of the acropolis to the entrance, where the dwellings taper off and ground that can’t decide whether it’s barren or not from the many shrubs scraggling and struggling to grow from it seems to stretch on for miles. Jeonghan closes his eyes briefly, breathing in, before he turns his head to look at Minghao with a renewed alight gaze that almost startles him. “Minghao. Are you well-rested?”

Minghao nods, and Jeonghan reaches out a hand to him. “I might need to borrow some of your energy, if you’ll allow me-”

Minghao immediately grabs Jeonghan’s hand, making Jeonghan shut up in an instant. “You don’t need to ask. I’d do anything to help.”

Jeonghan laughs, a bright sound. “Always so chivalrous.”

Then he shuts his eyes again, and his grip on Minghao grows tight. Minghao watches in amazement as Jeonghan’s skin starts to glow, just like the angels that were in his room, and his lips part around breaths every now and then. As time passes, Minghao’s not quite sure that anything is happening - but then he feels it. His energy being sapped. It’s slight, very slight, and barely causes him any discomfort as it gently gets pulled from his fingertips, and he almost closes his eyes too in case that would help him focus his energy more. However, when Jeonghan’s grip on him starts becoming borderline painful, he notices that Jeonghan seems to be going through far more than he is. His eyes are screwed shut now, brow so furrowed that it could cave in, his breathing growing more and more laboured and sharp. Minghao’s eyes grow wide and he yanks on Jeonghan’s hand, but even that doesn’t seem to snap him out of it.

“Jeonghan. Jeonghan, it’s okay, you’ve done enough-”

“Not- not yet,” Jeonghan grits out, barely audible. “Just a moment more, Minghao, I-I promise-”

“You don’t need to promise me anything!” Minghao yells. “Stop, or at least take more of my energy, I still have-”

“There,” Jeonghan gasps out, and suddenly everything is still. Minghao no longer feels anything pulling out of him, or the sheer pulsating force of Jeonghan using his power next to him. Everything is so calm, quiet, and Minghao feels a clarity that he hasn’t experienced in a long time. He doesn’t know how he can sense the change in the air when he can’t actually see anything, but he can. He’s safe. They all are.

But he can’t dwell on that for long before Jeonghan’s grip on him loosens and he suddenly drops to the side. Minghao lurches forward before he can think so Jeonghan manages to fall right into his arms, and he opens his mouth to ask if he’s okay, but the fallen angel is out cold. Minghao grimaces, clutching Jeonghan tighter. Never has he seen anyone use so much power to the point that they pass out. He didn’t even think it was a possibility.

Minghao holds Jeonghan close to his chest and runs as fast as he can back to his villa. He must make a lot of noise when he goes inside because Wonwoo comes out to greet him with Seokmin trailing behind, but their faces quickly grow alarmed at the sight of Jeonghan unconscious. “Minghao, what-”

“Is that Jeonghan-hyung?!” Seokmin yelps, so distressed that some of his form already starts melting and Wonwoo awkwardly pats his back.

“I’ll explain later, I need to take him to my chambers,” Minghao says quickly, racing up the stairs before Wonwoo can offer to help. He kicks the door to his bed chambers open once he gets there and instantly lays Jeonghan down on his bed. He seems feverish, eyebrows pinched and his breathing uneven, but Minghao has his own ways of helping with that. He rests two fingers against Jeonghan’s temple and focuses on extracting lingering feelings, unneeded solicitude, murmuring, “Sleep.”

And slowly, Jeonghan’s brow unfurrows. His breaths slow down, and he relaxes into the bedsheets. Minghao watches him with a heavy heart, fingers absent-mindedly going from Jeonghan’s temple to gently carding through Jeonghan’s hair; but then someone suddenly pipes up, “You can put someone to sleep?”

“I didn’t even know you two were here,” Minghao chuckles as he pulls his hand back, and Wonwoo looks shocked from where he and Seokmin stand by the door.

“Really? But your situational perception is usually unparalleled...”

“Clearly I was a bit distracted,” Minghao deadpans as he waves them inside. “And no, Seokmin, I can’t exactly put someone to sleep. But I can ease their mind if they’re having trouble while unconscious.”

Seokmin gapes, gliding over to the opposite side of the bed with Wonwoo following. “Wow. Can all demons do that?”

Minghao shakes his head. “As far as I can tell, most of demons’ powers come from what they were like as humans. I was a knight so I have a lot of powers revolving around protection and taking care of people, like sensing danger and easing their minds. Wonwoo was a writer so he can recall anything he’s ever read in his afterlife and make some things he writes come into existence.”

“Too strong of a power for someone like me,” Wonwoo says with a shiver.

Seokmin makes a noise of delight, grabbing Wonwoo’s hand which makes Minghao wonder how close they must have gotten in the past hour or so. “Can you write me up a puppy?”

Wonwoo blinks rapidly. “Y-Yes, probably…”

“Minghao, excuse us!” Seokmin chirps happily as he drags Wonwoo out of the room, and Wonwoo sends Minghao a look of distress but they disappear in seconds. Minghao is sure Wonwoo will be just fine if all Seokmin wants is a puppy. He needs to stay here to keep watch over Jeonghan for now.

He takes a book from his nightstand and passes the time with some reading. He has a bit of a hard time focusing, though, and he’s thankful for the disruption when Seokmin returns a while later with a cute little sprocker spaniel gathered up in his arms. They watch over Jeonghan together for a while, but Seokmin looks so sad seeing him like that that Minghao takes it upon himself to distract him.

“Seokmin, you don’t have to answer this, but…how did Yoon Jeonghan help you that one time?”

“Oh, during the visiting hours?” Seokmin asks as normally as he can while the puppy squirms and yaps in his arms. “Well, um. It’s a little embarrassing.”

“I’m sure it’s not.”

Seokmin’s replying smile is shaky. “You see, I…died before any of my family did. My mother never knew her parents and my father didn’t get along with his so I have no grandparents here that I’d know or want to look for. And I just miss everyone on earth so much. I miss my friends and my family and my life and ever since I came here I’ve just been feeling so-”

Seokmin’s corporeal form is melting away again and Minghao has to quickly take the puppy from him before it falls through him. “-so hopeless and lonely…so when I found out in passing that there’s someone here who offers help to people, I had to go! I didn’t really have any expectations, I just wanted to know if there was any way he could help. Anything he could say or do to make me feel a little less helpless.”

Ghost apathy is a very common problem. It is a given that there are many people on earth that don’t have anyone waiting for them in the underworld, and are therefore resigned to a lonely unfulfilling afterlife. Unfortunately a lot of ghosts succumb to the melancholia and wander around aimlessly and mindlessly until it’s their time to fade, and Minghao hates the thought of it. It's upsetting that they still go through hardship even after death.

That’s why he likes seeing community down here. He likes seeing different species befriend each other and ghosts who never even knew each other in their mortal lives becoming acquainted without being afraid of when they’ll fade. And - he used to be begrudging about admitting this - he’s glad that Jeonghan built and popularised places like Soul City where underworldly beings can mingle and have fun and, ironically, feel alive.

“Did he help?” Minghao asks, and Seokmin’s smile widens, so big and bright no matter his greyscale.

“He did. He said that on the anniversary of my death and birth, I could go down to earth to see my family as a ghost. I never knew that!”

Sometimes Minghao wishes that there was a system to brief ghosts on these kinds of things. Maybe it would be possible to set something like that up one day… “Yes. A portal will open for you on those two days and you will be able to choose whether you wish to go or not.”

Demons don’t have the same luxury, but Minghao decides to stay quiet about that. It would probably just make Seokmin sad.

“I’ll always go!” Seokmin insists, fists clenched. “It doesn’t matter if they can’t see me, all I want is to see their faces again and check up on how they’re doing!”

“I’m happy for you,” Minghao tells him sincerely, holding out the puppy to him again now that his form seems to have gotten more intact, and Seokmin happily hugs the little thing to his chest. “And I’ll always be here on the other days of the year if you want to feel a little less lonely.”

Seokmin’s eyes shine at him. “You’re so lovely, Minghao. Both of you are, because I told Jeonghan-hyung that I met a nice person in the waiting room which made me the happiest I’d been ever since I got here, and he said that it’s important to make friends as a ghost. He said that he would be my friend, too, and I could visit him anytime.”

Huh. Minghao looks at Jeonghan, appearing so peaceful and still without his usual barrage of teasing and sweet smiles, and he feels a surge of warmth. He knows Jeonghan is smart, overwhelmingly so. He thought that the guy could have only gained as much respect and power as he has if he was also corrupt alongside his intelligence. Minghao didn’t think about the possibility that it could have happened because he is kind, and listens when no-one else does.

“I didn’t know you guys were friends,” Seokmin says, making Minghao blink. “But it makes sense, because you’re both amazing, and it’s great for me! We can all hang out together!”

Minghao pauses for a long moment. But then he looks back at the sleeping beauty in his bed, and replies, “...if Jeonghan doesn’t mind that, then sure.”

They chat for a little while more and play with the puppy, but Minghao’s eyes grow heavy soon enough. There may be no night and day here, but demons still need to sleep since they’re living breathing creatures. It’s a curious existence, really. Seokmin slinks away to enter his own state of rest, something that’s not quite the same as sleep but keeps a ghost’s soul and form replenished, and Minghao feels so bone-tired all of a sudden that he doesn’t think much about the fact that there’s someone in his bed and just lies down next to Jeonghan. There’s enough space, after all.

Whoever knows how long later, Minghao startles awake. Nothing touched him and he didn’t hear any loud noises, but a spark went off in his brain alerting him of something. That someone nearby is experiencing extreme distress.

Minghao might be groggy, but it doesn’t take him long to tell who that someone is. Yoon Jeonghan has his back to him but Minghao can feel him shaking, his hands gripping the bed sheets so tight that his talons are about to pierce through them and he’s softly, helplessly crying out through strangled breaths. Minghao feels like his heart is breaking and he doesn’t think twice before sliding across the gap between them so he can press his fingers to Jeonghan’s temple and calm him down. Yet something Jeonghan says makes him stop. Something that sounds suspiciously like his name.

“W-Where did you go,” Jeonghan pleads, clawing at the covers. “Minghao, why c-can’t I see you anymore?”

Me? Minghao thinks in alarm. Is he dreaming about me?

It must be some crazy fanciful nightmare. Could even be side effects from Jeonghan’s barrier set-up from earlier for all Minghao knows. That’s what he tries to convince himself of, that there could surely be no other reason that Jeonghan is calling out his name in his troubled sleep, but it worries him so much that instead of just touching Jeonghan’s temple, he reaches out for Jeonghan’s arm. He tugs him across the bed, gently but quickly, so that Jeonghan rolls into his chest and Minghao can fit his arms around him safely.

“I’m here,” Minghao reassures him as Jeonghan’s shaky hands move to grip Minghao’s shirt now. “I’m here, Jeonghan, I didn’t go anywhere. I’ve been by your side this whole time.”

“Minghao,” Jeonghan breathes, face instinctively tipping up towards the sound of Minghao’s voice even though he doesn’t open his eyes. Minghao doubts that he’s actually awake, so he just takes a trembling hand in his, holds him tight and nuzzles along his hairline as Jeonghan keeps trying to get closer. Minghao doesn't know what's coming over him but holding Jeonghan this way, it feels like a pure bodily instinct. Like some kind of muscle memory even though that can't be true.

It just feels like his arms were made for him.

It’s more of an accident that Minghao’s lips touch Jeonghan’s temple, but it’s still a point of contact, and that’s all Jeonghan needs to relax and let out a gentle steady exhale like all of his worries are leaving him through it. Minghao feels awash with relief.

Jeonghan doesn’t let go of him, though. His grip loosens but he snakes an arm around Minghao’s back and knocks his head onto his chest, murmuring something that Minghao can’t hear. Minghao stays right where he is, in case him leaving or moving might set Jeonghan off again, and waits for him to fall back into peaceful slumber.

A certain inkling is starting to form in Minghao’s mind. But he doesn’t want to think about it. Even if there was any possibility that he and Jeonghan knew each other once upon a time, it doesn’t matter anymore. Minghao doesn’t remember him at all.

Minghao couldn’t fall back asleep after that, so after asking Wonwoo if he could take over keeping watch of Jeonghan, he retreated to his garden. He adores his garden. It’s a place filled with vibrant colour that he tends to every day, and it’s not so easy when fertiliser isn't distributed down here and the only place you can find flower seeds is in Soul City, but Minghao likes to put in the work.

He can tell that there are memories behind the flowers he likes, the flowers he chose to grow here, and yet he can’t recall most of them anymore. He was sad about that once. His memories quickly deteriorating tortured him just like it tortures every demon. But enough time has passed now for him to find that he might now know the why behind these plants, but the familiar comfort still radiates and wraps him up warm.

Jeonghan finds him when he’s meditating in front of his roses, eyes closed and face tilted to the sky. Minghao can sense the fallen angel approaching, but decides to just let him without any acknowledgement for the moment as he keeps levelling his breathing. It does start to get a little awkward when he spends the next few minutes just feeling Jeonghan's gaze burning holes into him, though. Why isn't he saying anything?

“Minghao,” Jeonghan eventually pipes up, relieving Minghao a little. “What were you like as a mortal?”

Minghao quirks an eyebrow. “Guess.”

“Ooh, what fun! Were you…an architect?”

That surprises Minghao so much that his eyes snap open. Okay, maybe they really didn't ever know each other. “What on earth makes you think that?”

“Just seems like you have a good eye,” Jeonghan shrugs. “What about a gardener? This garden of yours really is quite splendid.”

“That might've been nice, but no. Gardening has always just been a hobby.”

“What about a guard, or a knight?” Jeonghan suggests innocently enough but Minghao can't help but seize up. “You are very chivalrous, I'm still feeling butterflies from you catching me earlier.”

Minghao turns to face Jeonghan with furrowed eyebrows, confused. “You weren't conscious when I caught you.”

Jeonghan blinks, his expression practically mirroring Minghao’s. “Pardon? I'm talking about when you greeted me at the entrance of your town.”

Oh. Right, when Jeonghan showed off his hooded cloak and lost his balance. Minghao looks away in embarrassment at having misunderstood but suddenly Jeonghan is swarming him, trying to get a look at Minghao's face as he barrels questions of: “Did you catch me another time? When? What happened? Minghao, tell meee-”

“Think about how you possibly woke up in a bed without having gone there yourself, would you?” Minghao mutters, wishing he had a hood to cover his face with. Jeonghan remains silent for a moment which kind of worries Minghao, but then he asks in an awed voice, “Did you carry me there?”

Minghao just nods, wondering why he's feeling so shy when there's no shame in telling a simple truth like that. Who else would have taken Jeonghan there?

He has to try not to flinch when Jeonghan suddenly leans against his side, knocking his head against Minghao's shoulder as he laughs in a way that seems disbelieving and reverent all at once, “See? So chivalrous you are-”

“You passed out performing the barrier protection,” Minghao mutters, anger quickly building up inside him at the memory. “Why the fuck would you put yourself in that kind of position? And why would you say you'd borrow my energy when you barely took any of it and just depleted all of your own?”

“A-Ah, wait,” Jeonghan says quickly, sitting up straight. “Minghao, please don't be mad at me. It was just a heavy-power procedure and I was scared of hurting you-!”

“I offered to help for a reason,” Minghao practically growls. “How do you think an ex-knight is going to react to you saying you don't want me to get hurt? I'm the one who should sacrifice for my people, not you.”

Jeonghan's eyes clear. “...so you really were a knight.”

Minghao shifts uncomfortably. “Seems so.”

“That's incredible.”

“Not really.”

“You didn't like it?”

Minghao hesitates. To be honest, that's a loaded question. Who would enjoy gruelling training regimes, having to be on constant watch, and bloodshed? Even if Minghao's memory of those times is very fuzzy, he knows it was hard. But he also knows he loved his kingdom and would have done anything for its people. He knows he loved his…

“I was lucky,” is what Minghao says. “I served under good people.”

“Oh, your kingdom's royals were good?”

Minghao hesitates again. Actually, he doesn't really remember anything at all about his kingdom's king and queen. He should be more ashamed of that but there's a niggling feeling in the back of his brain that tells him he might have never cared for them much. Maybe they passed some bad laws. Maybe they didn't care enough about the public. Maybe…they weren't good to their son.

“I can't remember his face, or even his name,” Minghao murmurs, “but our prince was beloved across the continent. Lauded for his beauty and benevolence and wit. He was everything good.”

Amusingly, Jeonghan looks a little put-out. “You're not saying he's more beautiful than me, are you?”

Minghao levels him with a dry look and says solemnly, “You have literally nothing on him.”

Jeonghan makes a dramatic sharp gasp, clutching his chest like he's been shot before he falls to the side with his head landing in Minghao's lap. “Minghao is so cruel…”

“I'm sorry, I'm just saying it how it is,” Minghao chuckles as Jeonghan pouts up at him. “I truly believe he was the best person I ever knew.”

Minghao's prince was something else, and his admiration for him must be entrenched deep in his soul because he can barely recall why he feels this way. He can just remember snippets of a humble and sweet young man, quick on his feet in both intelligence and battle, always making people smile and laugh with his bright character and clever tongue. But Minghao tries not to think about him much, because there's also pain there that runs just as deep as his veneration.

Jeonghan sighs. “I get that you liked this prince of yours, but I can't believe you're speaking so highly of another man in front of me.”

“I know I said he has nothing on you,” Minghao says with mirth, “but you’re probably both equally as kind.”

“Kind?” Jeonghan squawks in surprise, and Minghao simply nods.

“You strangely help without reward and you’re foolishly self-sacrificing and your disposition is unsettlingly warm. I can tell you are kind.”

Jeonghan is quiet for a while, pensive. Minghao wonders what he's thinking about. Then Jeonghan turns his head so he can hide his face in Minghao's shirt, laughing a soft and muffled, “Did you have to add all those adverbs?”

“I can't have you thinking I like you too much,” Minghao teases, and Jeonghan's laughter rumbles against him. One of his hands also reaches out to grip Minghao's shirt loosely, like he needs something to ground him, before he asks quietly, “Have you ever looked for your prince here?”

“I thought about it a few times. It's nice to think that he might be around even now. Yet, ultimately, I don't think I'm worthy enough to be by his side again.”

Jeonghan snaps his head up all of a sudden, sending Minghao a look of sheer anguish. “Don't say that.”

“It's alright,” Minghao says, surprised and quite moved by Jeonghan's display of emotion on his behalf. “If you knew how things ended, you would agree with me. It's not like I think poorly of myself or anything like that, I simply…”

Minghao pauses, closing his eyes as he has to try not to lose himself to the heavy grief that used to control him. “...made a mistake that haunted me for the rest of my life.”

Silence again. Jeonghan is so still that Minghao can hardly sense him, but he can't bring himself to open his eyes yet. He doesn't talk about this often, so every time is difficult, but he'll be fine again soon. This much time hasn't gone by just for him to still be shackled by his past.

But his eyes snap open at the force of Jeonghan suddenly throwing himself forward to embrace him. It's a fierce hug, full of so much unsaid as Jeonghan ducks his face into the crook of Minghao's neck and bunches the back of Minghao's shirt in clenched fists.

“You have never once been unworthy,” Jeonghan says through what sounds like gritted teeth, clutching Minghao tighter, and that actually makes Minghao smile. Yes, Yoon Jeonghan is kind. He knows and says exactly what people want to hear. It might not be the truth, and Minghao for one values honesty above almost anything, but if it can bring comfort when someone needs it the most (without repercussions)…then it's a kindness. Minghao doesn’t need to be reassured like this anymore, but maybe he would have benefited from having someone like Jeonghan in his afterlife earlier.

He rests a gentle hand on the back of Jeonghan's head and another on his waist, murmuring, “I apologise. I wasn't aware that you would feel so strongly about this.”

“Yes, you should be apologising to your local empath,” Jeonghan huffs, and that makes Minghao smile bigger. “I don't want to hear you say something like that ever again.”

“What? That I'm unworth-”

“Don't!”

“Okay, okay,” Minghao snickers, and Jeonghan sniffles. “We can change the subject if you wish.”

Jeonghan seems appeased by that as he slowly pulls back and Minghao has to let go of him. Jeonghan catches one of Minghao's hands with his own before it falls back to his side, though, and Minghao gives him a curious look. The touch is barely there and almost shy as it’s just Jeonghan’s fingertips that caught Minghao’s, and Jeonghan looks at their hands instead of Minghao's face when he clears his throat and starts talking rapidly, “Well, I need to reinforce the barrier every once in a while, so I think I'll have to stay here for the time being. I'll have to send out some bunnies to make everyone aware that visiting hours won't be open for a while but I'm sure that'll be fine…and I promise that reinforcement does not take even a quarter of the energy that was required in putting the barriers up so don't worry!”

Minghao nods. “Of course. You can stay at mine.”

“You have room?”

“I can make room.”

“How gallant,” Jeonghan giggles. “I would love to take you up on your offer. Especially if it means I can see your lovely flowers all the time.”

“I come here often,” Minghao says, getting up onto his feet and squeezing Jeonghan’s hand to show that he can help him up, too. “You're free to join me.”

Jeonghan beams, and lets Minghao pull him up. They walk back inside the villa while Jeonghan asks Minghao how many plant species he has in his garden and Minghao admits that he's lost count.