Mingi sputtered as he felt something cold splash across his face. He shook his head to get rid of some of the water, his hair sticking to his forehead. He blinked as some of it dripped into his eyes and made the room blurry.

"Wakey, wakey," A woman's voice said from somewhere in the room followed by the hollow sound of a bucket hitting the ground.

"W-what's going on?" He croaked, shivering as the cold water seeped into his clothing. The brunette squinted as he tried to focus on the figure in front of him. The room was dark, however, and he could only see the faint outline of a person.

"Oh Mingi," The figure nearly purred. How did they know his name? The person took two steps forward and the shadows covering her visage receded. "Didn't you know it is never nice to meddle into other people's business?"

"Sunny?" Mingi exhaled. "S-Sunny, we have to get out of here I saw-" Mingi lunged forward but found that he couldn't move. There was a metal clicking and the brunette looked down to see both of his hands had been cuffed to a chair, just like the man he had seen before. The thought conjured the image of what he had seen moments before everything went black.

"You did it," Mingi croaked. "You were the one that knocked me out."

"Ding, ding, ding!" Sunny cheered as she clapped her hands together happily before her smile melted into a pout. "A shame that someone as cute as you were the one to see us."

"Why?" He pulled on the handcuffs again. "Why did you knock me out? What's going on?"

"Well, we can't just let you go free after what you saw, could we?" The girl giggled. She was fiddling with something in her right hand, a small shimmer of silver flashed in the dim light. A knife.

Feeling his heart rate pick up, Mingi wet his lips. His mind was running in overdrive. "You're one of them, then? A Ghoul?"

Sunny seemed to find this amusing as she tossed her head back and laughed sharply, the sound setting the brunette on edge. "Oh Mingi, if I was, I wouldn't need you now would I?"

The girl brought up the weapon that was in her hands. The blade was about eight inches long with a slight curve and strange symbols engraved on it. It seemed old but well maintained. The handle was a little large with intricate carvings. She walked closer to the shackled brunette as sweat beaded on his forehead and trailed down his temple.

"What do you need me for, then? Are you going to kill me?" Mingi whispered as he watched the blade come closer. Sunny laid it gently on his arm, the touch so light it was as if it were barely touching him. She trailed the knife slowly up his arm as she walked around him.

"I am nothing but a woeful disciple among the chosen one's greatness," The girl said, her voice taking on a floaty reverence. "However, I have been humbly chosen by him as the next in line to achieve ascension." Mingi looked out of the corner of his eye as the blade had gotten rather close to his neck. He tried to move farther from the sharp object.

"To do that, I must bring him a worthy sacrifice. Once I bring him you," The brunette winced as he felt something swiftly cut across his cheek, blood dripping from the wound. Sunny walked back around and made eye contact with him as she licked his blood off of the blade slowly. The brunette felt his stomach clench. "Then I can achieve salvation and truly walk amongst him, be in his presence."

"You're crazy," Mingi choked, struggling against his bonds once more. "What kind of god makes you kill people to be saved?"

"You shut your mouth!" Sunny snapped, brandishing her weapon. The brunette stopped his struggle. "And he is no mere god, he has been chosen to spearhead the new world. He will rule with an iron fist and plebeians like you will be left in the dust of his grandeur."

Mingi stared in disbelief at the girl in front of him with the slightly crazed look in her eyes. The Sunny he had met was so friendly and nice, teasing him about his relationship and always smiling. Guess it was true what they said about people, the most normal ones harbor the darkest secrets.

"What happened to you, Sunny?" The brunette pleaded. "Why are you doing this? Whoever this god is, he is using you and making you a killer! To do his dirty work!"

"Don't act like you know me!" She hissed. "You've talked to me twice. This man is my savior. He will grant me the one thing that I've always wanted, the chance to be something!"

"And what's that?" Mingi didn't even care that he was handcuffed at this point. This was insane. "Who is this guy? What is your benevolent deity going to do, huh?"

"He is going to give me power," Sunny grinned. "The ultimate power to control my life. I will finally get what I've always dreamed about. I'll become a Ghoul."

Mingi felt his mouth go dry and his blood turn to ice in his veins. Was that even possible? To turn someone into a Ghoul? Why would anyone wish that upon themselves? From his talks with Yunho, if he could strip himself of his Ghoulish status, he probably would in a heartbeat. The blonde had even said himself that he wouldn't wish his fate on his worst enemy. It was baffling for the student to even hear that someone wanted to change themselves.

"That isn't even possible," Mingi exhaled. "He can't just change someone's DNA like that, into something they're not."

Sunny chuckled. "Oh I forgot what it was like to converse with a nonbeliever." She took a step closer and tilted the brunette's head up with the flat of her blade. "I've seen him do it. I know he can turn me into what I desire. You might actually know of him. I believe the CCG calls him The Butcher."

Mingi clenched his jaw and breathed through his teeth. Of course he knew that name. It was all over the news for killing women. But was he really killing them or were they also a part of his disciples? He didn't have a chance to ponder farther as a ringing sound filled his ears coming from a small table that he didn't realize was next to him.

Mingi knew that ringtone. It was the one he had set for Yunho, a bright and cheery melody that reminded him of the blonde whenever he heard of it. The brunette shifted his eyes to see out of his peripheral as best as he could. His phone was beside him, just out of reach, with the barista's bright smile flashing back at him. If he was calling, then he was probably looking for him.

"You have to let me get that," Mingi strained to speak as his neck was extended. "If I don't, then Yunho is going to know something is going on."

"Ah the ball and chain," Sunny purred. She pulled back and Mingi felt the cool metal leave his neck. He sighed in relief before a crushing sound caught his attention. He looked beside him to see the girl stab through his phone. The photo of Yunho flashed and short circuited for a moment before it died.

"Whoops, looks like a dropped call." The girl said innocently as she jerked to pull the knife out of the table. Mingi gritted his teeth in anger. Realizing that his ankles weren't tied down and Sunny was close enough, he took advantage of his long legs and reached up to kick as high as he could. His foot made contact with her hand and he managed to knock the knife away somewhere into the room. He must have hyper extended, however, as the force had caused him to tip backwards in his chair and crash down onto his back.

Sunny, nursing her injured hand, grinned as she stepped over the man gasping for air and coughing. "Nice try, Mingi, but you'll need a little more than that." The smile dropped from her face. "Pull a stunt like that again and I'll gut you like a fish, ceremony or no."

Mingi closed his eyes and tilted his head back, his chest still heaving. There was nothing more he could do. He only hoped that Yunho would make it out safely.

XxX

Yunho swayed gently to the music as he stood a little off to the side. He was taking a little break from dancing for a moment but didn't want to venture too far off and have Mingi be unable to find him in the fray. He did hope the other would come back soon, though. He was getting a little tired of people slinking up behind him for a dance. He wasn't sure how many hands he had pulled off of his waist at this point. It was like they didn't know personal boundaries.

The blonde sighed as he felt another hand reach out and touch him. At least this one was more respectful and was touching his shoulder and not his hips. He made to turn around and to politely decline any advances when he caught a familiar gaze.

"Wooyoung?" He questioned, his face breaking into a surprised smile. "I didn't expect to see you! What are you doing here?"

The other Ghoul released his friend's shoulder and shrugged. "Just heard about this place from Mingi and decided to check it out, I guess. I didn't know you were coming."

"Yeah! Mingi got us an invite!" The barista said happily. "Are you by yourself?" Yunho questioned. He leaned, seemingly looking to see if someone else would come up from behind. "Where's San? Aren't you two like a package deal?"

Wooyoung, at the question, started to fidget a little. "Oh, he couldn't make it. He went to check in on his boys."

"Oh no," Yunho pouted. "You can't come to a club alone! That's no fun. Hey, you wouldn't have happened to see Mingi did you? He went to find the restroom, like, twenty minutes ago and I can't imagine that there would be a long line in the men's room."

"He isn't with you?" Wooyoung said in surprise. A rather uneasy feeling settled into the pit of his stomach. He tried to shake it off as overthinking.

Yunho shook his head. "We were dancing together but then he went off and told me to stay here." The blond shrugged. "I should call him to make sure he is alright." The blonde reached into his pocket and pulled his phone out. He gestured to get off the dance floor to find a bit of a quieter area.

The two stopped by some of the velvet couches that were in place as a resting area. Most of them were occupied by couples making out or groups of sloshed friends laughing while they got off their feet for a little while. It was still a bit loud but it was quiet enough that a call could go through. Yunho unlocked his phone and pressed one. Immediately, the phone began ringing.

The blonde crossed one of his arms around his own waist as he listened to the ringing. As it continued, he bit his lip. Finally, there was a beep as if the call had been dropped but no voicemail. Yunho pulled the phone away from his ear frowning.

"He didn't answer," The blonde said. "That's weird. He always answers when I call."

"You said he went to the bathroom right?" Wooyoung suggested as he watched his friend continue to stare at his phone as if something was about to spring form it. "Let's just go check there. Maybe we will run into him."

Yunho just nodded as he pocketed his phone. They were on the other side of the club now so they made their way around the walls in search of what they were looking for. After a few moments, they spotted an open hallway that might house the bathrooms farther away from the other club goers. Wooyoung, spotting it first, tapped the other on the shoulder and pointed to it. Yunho nodded.

Together they made their way into the hallway and heard the music dampen as if it were coming from someplace far away. The two exchanged a look as they walked further down the hall. The space was mostly empty besides light coming from a doorway a little ways down.

"You smell that?" Wooyoung said, catching a whiff of the air.

"Blood." Yunho nodded. "It's coming from that doorway."

"Hey!" The two whipped around at the sound of a voice from the end of the hall. A rather burly looking man trudged his way towards them. He was dressed in the club uniform with neck tattoos and a full set of sleeves. Overall, he appeared very intimidating. "What are you two doing? This is a VIP area."

"That's strange, last I checked, we were VIPs." Wooyoung was quick to answer with a raised eyebrow. There was no trace of his nerves as he appeared cool and suave as if he really did belong here. "We were just heading towards the party."

The man didn't seem convinced as he narrowed his eyes at the blonde. "All the VIPs checked in a half hour ago. Nice try-" The man didn't finish his sentence as his eyes suddenly rolled back into his head and he slumped onto the floor. Yunho stood behind with his hand up in the air from where he had struck the man in the neck.

"Woah," Wooyoung whistled in appreciation. "How did you know how to do that? He was like, twice our size."

"I watch a lot of movies," Yunho shrugged. "Now come on, before someone notices."

Together the blonde pair turned and tapped the cracked door open further. What greeted them on the other end was not pretty. The smell of blood hit them like a wall as they stepped inside the sparsely decorated room. If they weren't Ghouls, it would have been enough to make normal people gag.

"What the hell..." The younger Ghoul exhaled. There was a chair in the center of the room that seemed to be the source of the smell. It was blood splattered and handcuffs dangled from the arms of the chair, still locked. On a table off to the side, a lone glass of wine sat.

Yunho stepped further into the room and closer to the chair. He took a deep breath, smelling the air. "The blood isn't Mingi's, thank god."

"Do you think he...found this place?" The blonde questioned as he stood about a step behind his companion. He looked further around the room. One of the walls was covered up by a heavy velvet drape but the edge of it was disturbed and a bit wrinkled, as if someone had closed it in a haste.

Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, the younger walked closer. Fingering the edge, he pulled it back swiftly. Behind the cloth was an ornate door that matched the front entrance. This one had an addition of a few flat ruby gems that made a spiral pattern outward. Around the edge of the door were carvings in a language that Wooyoung didn't have the faintest idea of.

"Yunho," The blonde called over his shoulder to his friend. The barista left his position inspecting the chair to walk over to where the other was. He frowned as he took in what Wooyoung had uncovered.

"What kind of club has a secret door like this?" The older Ghoul questioned.

"One that is hiding something." Wooyoung shook his head as he reached for the handle. He stopped when he felt a hand grasp his wrist. He looked up to meet the worried eyes of his friend.

"Should we really be poking around like this?" Yunho furrowed his brows. "We don't even know if Mingi is in there. For all we know he could be back on the dance floor looking for me."

Wooyoung seemed to ponder something for a moment before he sighed, his hand slipping from the handle. He couldn't press this any further without letting the other know. This was exactly the kind of thing he was looking for but it was unfair to drag the other along when he was currently having his own worries.

"I..wasn't totally honest before." Yunho tilted his head as he observed the other run a hand through his hair. "Sannie...actually doesn't know I'm here." The blonde frowned at his friend's admission. "I looked through his notes and saw he was looking into clubs that might be a front for a drug trade. I decided to investigate on my own behind his back to try and help out."

"Drug trade?" Yunho hissed. "What the hell are you talking about? And why in the world would you try and investigate something like this, especially alone? Are you suddenly a cop? Why are you even investigating it in the first place?"

Wooyoung lowered his head at being scolded. He winced remembering that Yunho basically didn't know anything that his group had been getting up to as of late and he was possibly about to get dragged into this in the worst way. The barista had been the one who had pulled them all together and they have been sitting on this huge secret web for the better part of a few months. He had never really seen the normally passive man so angry. Wooyoung suddenly felt the guilt eat at him.

"There is a drug going around lately. One that mirrors the effect of PCP in Ghouls. They become stronger, faster, and less inclined to pain so they are harder to stop. They found some of it in the Ghoul that attacked Hongjoong awhile back. San has been working with members of his old gang to get more information." 

"And you didn't think this kind of thing would be important to tell me?" Yunho had never been one for yelling but he had never wanted to do so more than right now. He had to keep his voice down, however, if they didn't want anyone to find them.

"I'm sorry alright?" The blonde apologized. "Look, I'll tell you everything once we get out of here but you want to find Mingi now, right?" Yunho frowned but reluctantly nodded. They had to figure out where he had gone and it was a very real possibility that, wherever he had ended up, was behind that door. "Then we need to be quiet and check this out."

"Fine," The barista spat. "But you better tell me everything. No more secrets or you are going to live to regret it."

"Trust me, I already am." Wooyoung whispered to himself as he placed his hand back on the handle. He turned it slowly. Once he heard a click, he gave it a yank.

Nothing could have prepared them for what was on the other side.

XxX

Seonghwa groaned as the knocking on his door continued. The agent had just laid down in bed after the meeting at Jongho's place and felt sleep's sweet call when the raps on the door started, rudely waking him up from his slumber. He tightened the tie on his robe with a yawn as he shuffled toward the entryway sleepily. Whoever was on the other side was going to hear about it for waking him up. These things always seemed to happen to him. It was nearly three in the morning.

He ran a hand over his face tiredly as he leaned up to peek out of the peephole. What he saw on the other end immediately snapped him out of his sleepy stupor. He threw the door open as quickly as he could, nearly denting in the wall in his haste.

"Hongjoong?" His eyes raked over the shivering young man as he took in the ripped clothing, dirt, and dried blood. "Oh my god, what happened?"

"S-Seonghwa," The red-head's teeth chattered. He looked a mess and one of his eyes was nearly swollen shut from a black eye forming on his face. The agent heard a small pattering and that was when the man realized the student was soaking wet and dripping water onto the floor.

"Forget it," Seonghwa said as he quickly pulled the other inside, unceremoniously. "You can tell me about it after we get you cleaned up. Come on, I'll turn on the hot water and you warm up under the shower and then we will see to those cuts."

The agent wasted no time as he switched into nurse mode and ushered the other into the restroom, hitting a button to turn on the hot water as he passed. Soon, Hongjoong found himself standing on clean tile, alone and with a towel shoved into his shaking hands. The red-head looked down at the soft fabric as if it were a foreign object. He wasn't even sure why he had come here. He had just been running. Running with no direction and the next thing he knew, he was knocking on a door.

Hongjoong looked up and caught a vision of himself in the mirror. He really did look a mess, wet and with dirt streaked on his face along with some half formed bruises blooming and caked blood. Had all of that happened while he was fighting that man? It all felt like a hazy blur. Like it had happened in a dream. He half expected to see his Ghoul self stare back at him again but when nothing changed, Hongjoong decided to forget it as he turned on the water and stripped.

Seonghwa sighed as he heard the sound of the water come to life and hit the tile. He rubbed his hand over his face as he stared into his drawers looking for something for Hongjoong to wear. He was a lot more petite than he was, everything he owned would probably swallow the other and while it would be endearing to see, his main priority was getting the red-head warm.

What had even happened for him to end up like that? Was he mugged? By the looks of it, if he was attacked, they sure got in a few good shots. Just the thought of it made heat flare in Seonghwa's chest and his fists curl. Whoever did this, they were lucky that the agent didn't know who they were, otherwise, the police finding them would be the least of their problems.

Seeing something that might work, Seonghwa reached in the drawer and grabbed a black jumper and soft grey joggers. The clothes were a bit old, from a few years ago, so they might just be small enough to fit a bit more snuggly on the smaller man. He walked back towards the bathroom and set the clothes on the floor by the door, not wanting to intrude on the other. If he really had been attacked, chances are he will be pretty skittish and coming into shock right about now.

Seonghwa lightly rapped on the door. "Hongjoong?" There was no answer from the other side, just the sound of what was presumably shampoo bottles hitting the floor. He was right that the red-head would be nervous. The agent sighed. "Hongjoong, I left clothes out here for you to change into, ok? When you feel ready to come out, I'll have some coffee made and we can get out the first aid kit."

The red-head had startled when he heard the sound on the door. So much so that he bumped his arm on the shelf housing all the bath products and knocking a few things to the ground. He couldn't even hear the other speaking over the noise and roar of the water. Reaching for a bottle, the student blinked and saw red on his hands. Horrified, Hongjoong put both of his hands out and saw the blood dripping from them, his surroundings turning into white noise as he focused in on them. He blinked again and it was gone.

Sighing, he rubbed at his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing anything as the hot water washed over him and the pressure massaged his back. At least he assumed the water was hot since there was steam in the air. He really couldn't register feeling at the moment. From the door, he could see Seonghwa's shadow shuffle away from the door. Figuring he should stop wasting water, he started to scrub the dirt away, not even caring for the dull ache from the cuts that were already a little more healed than was normal.

Seonghwa stood in his kitchen as he started to make a pot of coffee. He listened to the water start to heat in the kettle and watched as the filtered drops splashed into the glass container. The agent tried not to think of how Hongjoong looked standing in his doorway: small, shivering, dirty, and injured. He felt his grip tighten on his counter as he tried to shake off the image. It wouldn't do either of them any good if he got angry right now. He would have time for that later.

Whatever had happened before, Hongjoong was here now. He was safe and Seonghwa wanted nothing more than to just protect him and that is exactly what he would do. Nothing was ever going to get to him again if he could help it.

"This is the second time I've worn your clothes." Seonghwa turned at the sound of a voice from the doorway. Hongjoong was out of the shower now, his hair still wet and dripping down his neck. The clothes the agent had left out for him fit but were still a little big as the sleeves covered the younger's hands as he stood self-consciously in the kitchen with his arms wrapped around his middle, closing himself off.

Hongjoong must have found Seonghwa's first aid kit in the cabinet above the toilet because he had fashioned himself a makeshift eyepatch of gauze and medical tape that he had secured on his face. The agent didn't know what had happened to the red-head's eye as he had always seen him with an eyepatch and he wasn't going to pry, but he remembered that the one with the patch on it was swollen when he had arrived. Seonghwa hoped he had put some medicine on it too to help with the bruising.

"I guess it is," The older said. From behind him, the coffee maker bubbled as it deposited the finishing drops. "Coffee?"

Hongjoong just nodded as Seonghwa reached in a sleek cabinet for two mugs. One was in the shape of Toothless the dragon and the other was one of the angry birds, both gag Christmas gifts from Jongho and Yeosang. He had been both amused and annoyed when he had opened the present and seen their faces burst into laughter. He couldn't stay angry though. They were cute mugs and it was always nice to see his team in good spirits.

"Cream or sugar?" Seonghwa asked over his shoulder as he poured their drinks.

Hongjoong just shook his head. "Black is fine." His voice cracked, sounding small and coming out as nothing but a whisper.

The agent grabbed the mug's handle and passed his companion the angry bird one. The red-head raised his eyebrow at it but the corner of his lip twitched upward just slightly. Seonghwa took that as a small victory.

"Are you warm enough?" The agent asked as he watched the younger hold onto the mug with both hands. The red-head brought the cup up to his lips and blow on it, dispersing the steam rising.

"Yeah," Hongjoong nodded. "The shower helped. Sorry for waking you up so late."

"Nonsense," Seonghwa shook his head. He kept his eyes trained on the younger. Finally, he couldn't hold back the burning question. He took a step closer and set his own mug down on the closest counter. "Hongjoong...what happened to you?"

Seonghwa could see the other's knuckles turned white for a moment as his grip tightened before it went lax again. He hadn't meant to be so upfront about asking but he couldn't really think of a more eloquent way to say it. The kitchen was plunged in silence as the agent waited for an answer.

Hongjoong on the other hand was trying to think of a way to stall. He couldn't exactly say that he had been attacked by a Ghoul could he? Seonghwa worked with the CCG, there was no way he wouldn't look into it and what if that ended up him finding out about the hospital and his initial kidnapping? Everything could come crashing down around him. The red-head felt his breath quicken just slightly. The hospital, what if they were the ones who had issued the target. They were still looking for him and they might come back. Seonghwa could find out everything-

The agent, noticing the change in breathing pattern, went to the other immediately. He held his hands out in front of him but didn't dare touch the other in case it set him off further. He tried to get into the red-head's line of vision instead to know that he wasn't alone.

"Hongjoong? Hongjoong, what is it? Hey, you're safe now. Look at me." Seonghwa said softly. He tried to keep his voice as soothing as possible. As slowly as he could, the agent moved his hands up and cupped the other's face, his touch as light as a feather, and gently brushed his thumbs over the student's cheeks. "Shh, shh, it's ok, Joongie. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. It's ok baby, you're ok."

Slowly, Hongjoong moved his gaze and met the other man's eyes. Their gazes locked and they held that position for a moment while the red-head unknowingly started to mimic the agent's breathing. The whole time Seonghwa kept muttering reassurances with terms of endearment slipping in here and there. If any of them were a little more intimate than others, it went unnoticed by the two.

Finally, after minutes and when it seemed like the red-head had calmed down enough, Hongjoong removed one of his hands from the mug and brought it up to grip at the agent's wrist. He rubbed his thumb across the man's vein as a way of saying thanks. Seonghwa's sharp features were soft in the dim glow of the kitchen light.

"I'm sorry for panicking like that." Hongjoong muttered, his throat burning. "And thanks for letting me in so late. I'm sure I woke you up."

"No, no, you should never have to apologize for that." The agent protested. "Whatever you went through, I'm sure it was scary and traumatic. You need time to process it and I'll be here for you." Seongwa gave a wry smile. "I'm actually glad that you came here. I want to be the one to protect you, Hongjoong, if you'll let me? If you are ever in trouble, I want you to know that you can always run to me, that I want you to run to me."

Hongjoong's gaze flitted between both of the agent's eyes. They were shining with sincerity and so much emotion that the red-head was sure he could light the night sky with them. The student's heart squeezed in his chest. Here was a man who had dedicated his whole life to helping people and would never turn anyone in need away but the way he was gazing at Hongjoong right now, his words were for him and him alone. Like one blink from the red-head would send Seonghwa running in whatever direction he chose.

Before he realized he had moved, Hongjoong tilted his head and his lips brushed Seonghwa's vein in his wrist, feeling the quickening of his pulse under the thin skin. The agent didn't have any outward reaction and instead watched the other move curiously, giving him enough space to do what he wanted, less the red-head be spooked.

Never losing eye contact, Hongjoong pulled away from Seonghwa's wrist and let his eyes flutter closed as he crossed the minimal space between them. For once, the red-head didn't think and just let his heart guide him. It was all too much and too fast but he wanted this. If it all blew up in his face tomorrow, he wanted to at least have and cherish this one moment before it was all over. To know that Seonghwa cared about him and saw him as something to be treasured. He knew this would burn him in the end but temptation was a sweet bitch.

Softly, as light as a feather, their lips brushed together, once, twice, before Seonghwa seemed to want more. He tightened his grip on the other's face just enough to keep Hongjoong close as he deepened the chaste brushes into an actual kiss. The red-head slid his hands up the other's chest and around the agent's neck as he inhaled. Seonghwa smelled like fresh mint, probably from brushing his teeth, and cedar wood. He smelt like home.

Seonghwa, on the other hand, was over the moon. He hated to think it, as cliche as it was, but the other seemed to fit right into the crevice of his arms as they gravitated a little closer to one another. Hongjoong's lips tasted like cherry, pure sugar, and addiction. He could kiss them all day and would if the other allowed. They didn't take it too far, just a gentle reassuring message of the lips, but it was everything to the agent. He knew that Hongjoong wanted to take things slow, and he would respect that. They go at the other's pace, letting the red-head dictate the decisions regarding any relationship they had until he was ready, but the agent would be lying if he said he wasn't thrilled to share this moment with him. Seonghwa would have waited a lifetime if it meant something as sweet as this.

The agent tilted his head to change directions and have their lips meet again when his nose scraped against teeth. Confused, Seonghwa opened his eyes to see Hongjoong yawning cutely, his small hand coming up to rub at his visible eye. The student blinked sleepily before realizing what he had done. He gave a small shy smile as the agent gazed at him endearingly.

"Come on," Seonghwa said as he let his fingers play lightly with the hair at the base of the red-head's neck. "Let's get you to bed, you must be exhausted."

Hongjoong nodded. "Right, I should head back home. I'm sure you need sleep too so I won't keep you up any longer."

Seongwha frowned and looked at the other as if he had suddenly grown two heads. "Home? Why not just stay here? It's late and I'm not sure you should be alone right now."

The red-head pondered it for a moment and guaged the exhaustion in his bones. He didn't have enough energy to argue and, frankly, he could pass out right then. "Fine, I can make a place on the couch."

"Couch?" Seonghwa shook his head. "You're a guest. Take the bed."

Hongjoong felt his eyes widen. 'Bed?' Was he suggesting they share? The red-head felt his cheeks heat at the suggestion.

Seonghwa, seeing the other struggle thought back to his words before realizing what he had said. His own cheeks warmed. "No, not like that!" He was quick to wave his hands. "I figured you would be more comfortable on the bed. I would take the couch."

The red-head felt a sigh leave his chest as the other clarified but then a frown took its place. "But, it's your apartment. I don't want to kick you out of your own bed."

"It's fine," Seonghwa shook his head. "It's only for a night and you need the rest."

 "-hwa." Hongjoong opened his mouth to object once more but a yawn broke his words and swallowed the first part of the agent's name. Neither of them really had the energy to keep arguing this. "I..I'm sure we could share. If it's just for the night."

Seonghwa raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure you would be comfortable with that?"

"Well, it isn't like we are doing anything," Hongjoong really had to work on this blushing thing. "Besides, I used to share a bed with Mingi all the time growing up."

The agent looked a bit skeptical but just shrugged anyway. Instead, he trailed his hand down the other's arms and linked their pinkies together, just like the day of their date, and guided them both to Seonghwa's room. When they stepped inside, Hongjoong wasn't shocked by the state of cleanliness it was in. What did surprise him though, was the sheer size of the space.

The room was tastefully decorated in soft grays, black, and chromes fitting the rest of the apartment in it's modern theme. Unlike the red-head's room, there were no stray clothes on the floor or papers with half written song lyrics. The only thing out of place were the bed sheets from when Seonghwa had presumably gotten up to get the door. The mattress itself was big enough that Hongjoong felt he could swim in it. Mounds of pillows and the soft comforter called out to the student like a siren.

"It isn't much," Seonghwa gestured to the space. "But it's home. Let me know if you need more blankets."

"Are you kidding me?" Hongjoong felt his voice crack. "If I had a bed, no, apartment, like this, I would never leave. I knew it was nice from before but wow. I could never afford a place like this though. Better watch out, I might never leave."

Seonghwa just shuffled his feet at the compliments. He seemed a little uncomfortable with the student gushing over his space as he was never one to flaunt things. Instead of replying, he just gestured to the bed for Hongjoong to pick his side.

Seeing that the covers were disturbed on the right, the red-head padded over to the left and pulled the comforter back, claiming his space. He snuggled in immediately and pulled the covers up to his chin, just the tops of his hands peeking out. Wiggling, he found his spot and sighed at how well the bed hugged him.

Seonghwa, seeing the other, chuckled. "Comfy?" He asked as he himself got into bed.

"Very," Hongjoong said, his voice lilting. He could already feel the edges of sleep.

Noticing that the other would fall asleep any minute, the agent took one last look at the younger before he moved over and clicked the lamp off. "Goodnight, Joongie." He whispered, trying out the nickname he had let slip form before.

The corner of the other's mouth pulled upward just slightly. "Goodnight, Hwa." Hongjoong whispered, just as soft while trying out a nickname of his own.

That night, Hongjoong slept peacefully without any nightmares.

XxX

Yunho and Wooyoung crowded together as they peered through the now open door. From what they could make out, there was a staircase before them that was barely lit by dim scones hanging on the walls and widely spaced apart. Neither of them could tell anything about where the steps might lead as it seemed to go on for forever into the abyss.

Deciding that they couldn't just keep standing there, Yunho was the first one to take a step downward. Together they walked down, the door clanging shut behind them and plunging them into even more darkness. The whole air was ominous and the only sound was the clicking of their shoes on the stone floor as they descended.

After about five minutes of walking deeper underground, they finally reached the bottom which was just another door similar to the one they had walked through. If there really was anything shady going on about this club, it would be here, behind this last barrier separating them from the other side.

The two shared a look and prepared to face whatever they were about to meet. Seeing that his companion was ready, Wooyoung nodded. He reached for the handle and pulled it open just a crack to peek through.

It was a balcony, or at least that is what it seemed like. There was red carpet covering the ground and an ornate wooden railing to keep you from falling onto the other side. Chandeliers hung from above but the area was still dimly lit. Seeing no one was in their immediate sight, Wooyoung opened the door a little further and they slipped through but stayed low. Making it towards the railing, they stayed kneeling on the floor. From below, they could hear the whispering of voices.

Figures dressed in white stood in a horseshoe shape in front of an altar as nearly a hundred candles lit the area in candle holders of varying height and size. In their flickering gaze, the two blonds could just make out that each person had their own full face masks to protect their identity. At the front stood a lone person with their hands raised to the sky. Their robes were nicer and dressed in red trim with gold piping signaling a higher status. The rest of the congregation seemed to be changing something lowly in a ritualistic fashion. Slowly, the horseshoe parted as another figure walked up through the middle at a rather sedated pace. Once they were in the middle, the walking figure stopped and kneeled, their head facing downward in submission.

The chanting reached a swelling climax before it suddenly stopped, the unresolved chord sitting heavy in the air. The head figure lowered their arms and walked down a short step before stopping in front of the follower kneeling. Yunho and Wooyoung leaned forward to see if they could get a look at the head figure's face but it was also covered by a mask. Of all the things they thought they would have seen on the other end of the door, this was one of the last things they expected. Seoul was no stranger to cults but the two had never seen one in action, nor one that looked like it belonged in a horror movie.

"Dear sisters," The cult head's voice rang strongly throughout the room. The voice was female and had a lilting but commanding quality to it. "We have gathered together to welcome the ascension and rebirth of one of our own. She has worked tirelessly for the success of our new home and, as we all know, He rewards those who work hard for his cause."

"All hail the Butcher! Long may he reign!" The congregation chanted in unison together. Yunho, hearing the name, nearly fell over. He looked over to Wooyoung, who seemed to have the same thought. Their eyes were both as wide as saucers.

"Rise, young one, and let us begin," The head priestess said, gesturing for the one kneeling to stand. "Reveal yourself to us to receive your rightful rebirth."

The figure reached for their hood as they stood. From their vantage point, the two Ghouls in hiding couldn't see much, just a black cascade of hair that fell over the person's shoulders. Suddenly, the figure turned around and faced the rest of the congregation and the only one not wearing a mask.

Wooyoung startled as he suddenly felt a hand grab at his upper arm roughly. He looked over to see Yunho staring intently down into the pit, his face pale. "What?"

"That's Sunny," Yunho whispered harshly. "Mingi knows her. She was the one that gave him the flyer."

Making the connection, Wooyoung whipped his head back around. If Mingi knew this person, the chance that he might be down here just went way up. San and the boys were right, there was a club that was bad news and the blonde had walked right into it. The extent of that evil was still unknown but he had a sinking feeling that this was only the beginning of what they were about to see.

"Sister Sunny, are you ready to begin?" The priestess asked. Sunny didn't say anything but just nodded. From their sleeve, the priestess pulled out a syringe filled with a dark liquid resembling death. Pulling off the plastic cap, the leader pushed the girl's hair aside before swiftly jamming it into the side of Sunny's neck, right into the jugular.

The girl winced at the initial prick but soon, her eyes rolled back into her head and her eyelashes fluttered. Once the syringe was pulled out, Sunny collapsed, her hands coming out to catch her fall. Her fingers curled into fists as she gripped at the carpet, her shoulders vibrating. Whether in pain or pleasure was unknown.

The priestess seemed to ignore the struggling woman in front of her as she turned her head to another follower. She nodded. "Bring him out."

Yunho didn't dare take his eyes away and waited with bated breath as one of the disciples moved off to the side. They returned after a moment with someone taller trailing behind them. Their head was covered with a red sack and their hands were bound in front of them. Once the prisoner was in place, the hood was yanked away. Yunho's hand flew up to his face, just barely suppressing the noise that wanted to escape.

It was Mingi. There was blood dried from a cut on his face and his eyes were vacant as he stood there, seemingly unaware of his own surroundings. The blonde felt his heart nearly freeze in his chest.

"They've drugged him," The barista, nearly choked. "He's been sedated." Yunho moved forward as if he were ready to jump straight down into the fray. A hand reached out and stopped him.

"What are you doing?" Wooyoung hissed. "Do you want to get yourself killed? There are at least fifteen people down there."

"I'm not letting him stay there!" Yunho shot back but just as quietly. "God knows what they will do to him, what they have already done."

The blonde sucked on his teeth. He could see where the other was coming from but couldn't just let him rush in. His eyes flitted as he tried to think.

"I think I have a plan," Wooyoung whispered. He leaned over to speak quietly in the other's ear. Yunho nodded as he listened.

"Stand, Sister Sunny," The priestess commanded once more. The young girl at her feet struggled as she tried to pull herself up, swaying on her feet, her hair covering her face. "You have but taken the first step. There is much more before you reach your full ascension but you have done well and have earned the first taste of the flesh."

Sunny flipped her head back up, her hair falling away from her face as her chest heaved with heavy, labored breaths. She gritted her teeth and yelled out in pain as black veins seemed to start to grow from her left eye. She straightened up fully before turning to face the still stoic Mingi. She readied herself to attack when a sound was heard from above.

Looking up, Wooyoung soared overhead with Yunho holding onto his legs. Swooping down low, the barista dropped to the ground, landing near Mingi as he took down the follower closest to him with a swift slice of his Kagune. The blond in the sky took advantage of the confusion their announced arrival had caused and released a barrage of spiked feathers. The followers scattered to escape the blow but some were not so lucky and were struck in the back, their bodies falling to the ground like dominoes. Whether they were dead or not wasn't much of a concern at the moment. 

Scanning the area, Wooyoung saw that some of the cult members were running to a side door to escape. The followers startled as more spikes rained down from above and landed in a neat row, blocking their path.  The blonde grinned at his own handy work but movement from below caught his eye.

"Yunho, the leader!" Wooyoung called out as he watched the head dashing towards another side door. The barista, spotting the cult head, lashed out with his Kagune and managed to trip her. She fell to the floor with a thump and Yunho walked over, crouching down onto her level.

"Now, what exactly were you trying to do with my boyfriend, huh?" The blonde caught a sliver of fear in the eye that was just barely visible through the mask but the moment didn't last long as it then narrowed in anger. Before Yunho could even do anything, he felt something heavy slam into his side, knocking him over and causing him to crash into a wooden altar.

Watching from above, Wooyoung tried to call out to his friend but just narrowly managed to avoid an arrow as it sailed past. He turned his head to see that one of the disciples had managed to get up onto the balcony level while the winged Ghoul was distracted. The woman pulled out another bow from her quiver as she prepared another shot. It seemed that not everyone was ready to run away.

Yunho groaned as he tried to get up from the blow when his eyes widened. He quickly rolled over and out of the way as another attack came from above. It was a Kagune, much like his own, but it resembled more of a platypus' tail as it was used like a paddle to knock around opponents. What was happening? Did this cult also have Ghouls working for them?

Just as Yunho had managed to get onto his feet, a weight slammed into his back, knocking him over once more. He looked over his shoulder to see Sunny standing with a candelabra in her hands, baring it like a sword. Her eyes looked unhinged as he chest heaved with heavy breaths. She raised it higher in the air preparing to bring it down like an axe.

"Sunny!" The blonde held his hands out, hoping to reason with her. There was a possibility she was just lost. "You don't want to do this. Mingi is your friend, right? Why would you want to hurt him?"

"I need him!" She cried. "He is my only way to become whole and nothing is going to stand in my way!" She swung downward and Yunho brought up his Kagune to block the strike from his position on the floor. Ok, maybe there wasn't any getting through to her.

Wooyoung dodged another arrow in the air before he flew over the balcony. His feet touched down behind his assailant and before the other could turn around, he swept out his leg and knocked the disciple over. He reached out and grabbed the bow from the follower's hand and snapped it clean over his knee before tossing the pieces over the side of the terrace. He caught sight of something and moved to lean over the balcony.

"Yunho! Get Mingi!" The blonde whipped his head around and noticed someone approaching the brunette, still standing stock still during all the chaos. They had a knife in their hands.

Quickly pushing Sunny away, he dashed forward as fast as he could. He pushed Mingi over but cried out as he felt a searing white heat bloom in his shoulder. He collapsed on top of the brunette as blood began to blend into his shirt, the knife still stuck there.

"Yunho!" Wooyoung cried in horror as he watched his friend fall. He didn't register the hands that had placed themselves on his back until his world tilted and he felt himself flip over the banister. He flapped his wings to try to catch himself but he wasn't able to get enough air underneath fast enough to completely stop his fall. Instead, he crashed into the ground, his shoulder popping as he gritted his teeth in pain. 

The barista winced as he tried to get back up. He reached behind himself and had to bite his tongue to keep from screaming as he pulled the knife out. Suddenly, he surrounded by at least three other cult members, each sporting their own Kagune. He brandished the knife weakly and posed his Kagune as they approached him. He didn't know exactly how he was going to get out of this one but he would die before they got their hands on Mingi.

Suddenly, a breeze ran through the room, ruffling Yunho's hair as the candles flickered out all at once, plunging the room into total darkness. There was a beat of tenseness as the blonde prepared himself from an attack in the dark but just as the lights had gone out, the candles sprung back to life. The cultists were gone.

"Yunho?" Wooyoung croaked as he stood up, cradling his shoulder. He watched the blonde glance around in confusion for a moment before the knife dropped from his hand and clattered on the ground. Yunho looked to the side and felt his eyes sting, relief suddenly flooding his veins. He dropped himself over Mingi, still stoic, but safe. Wooyoung watched as the barista's shoulders shook with emotion, the sound of his sobs filling the empty room.

Notes:

Yo, lately I've been pretty unhappy with the chapters I have been putting out as I've been having trouble translating my thoughts properly into word in a way that truly captures my vision. I only hope that it does not come off that way as you all seem to be enjoying it but it just keeps feeling increasingly messy. Maybe its because a lot of plot elements are coming to light one by one and its difficult to juggle them all and what character knows what but I hope you are all following it. I feel like some of you are and connecting the dots how I want you too based on the comments but others still seem like they are lost... 

I hope this ch wasn't boring and it was 1,000 words longer than the last but still feels stagnant and very anticlimactic. I'm sure it is not as epic as y'all wanted....

ALSO IMPORTANT QUESTION! Sooo it has been brought to my attention by several people that the Watty 2020 applications are open. HYPOTHETICALLY, if I managed to finish this story and edit it by the deadline (Sept. 30th) do you think it even stood an iota of a chance to compete? Again, I'm not even sure if I will have this finished in time because I don't know how long this will actually end up, but if I did, should I submit it?

Song recs: (anyone actually look at these? lol)

killing boys- Halsey

11 Minutes (ft. Travis Barker)- Halsey

Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1) [Acoustic]- AURORA