Seonghwa's smile never changed. It was serene and steady and oh-so sweet on his features. 

Yeosang stared at him, saw only his coworker and the person he liked, but something was so terrifyingly wrong now. A looming dread, a cold chill encasing his heart.

Something dark was hiding behind those beautiful eyes, but Yeosang didn't want to see it.

"No... It can't be," he whispered, staring harder and harder until his brain hurt because nothing about Seonghwa had ever been out of the ordinary. He was perfect. No haughty god, no wicked person. He was just Seonghwa. "It can't be you."

His heart refused. Its beat had slowed, careful and unsure now. Recalling so many instances when Jongho warned him, when he specifically warned him about Seonghwa, even.

But could Yeosang trust him? Anubis never cared for him, potentially still worked with these villains. Wouldn't it all have been a lie to get Yeosang right here?

He had always trusted Seonghwa. Was treated so kindly. He couldn't be a vile snake, he just couldn't.

"Need proof? Come on, whip out your tail for him," Hongjoong chuckled, mighty amused with Yeosang's pale features. All resistance had stopped at once as he just stared at Seonghwa now, seeking answers.

He would go to the end of the world for him, even now. As long as Seonghwa told him this was just a tasteless joke. Maybe Apep attacked him recently, ate the real Seonghwa and donned his skin... No, even if Seonghwa was still in there, waiting to be saved from the traitor, Yeosang would do anything to help him.

"You meant something to me. You said you also cared," Yeosang whispered with a trembling voice. His vision was blurry with hot tears as the pain in his heart stabbed at him worse and worse as the minutes passed. When Seonghwa still stood above him, triumphant. Not holding Yeosang as he should have.

Seonghwa crouched to wipe his tears for him. He licked them off his thumb, relishing the taste of Yeosang's fear and betrayal. 

His coo was almost sympathetic. He played his role too well. Hid as the most gracious of beings so nobody could find him.

The wicked snake.

"You were a meal at first. Then we realised what a treasure you were hiding," Seonghwa hummed at him, regarding Yeosang with those same tender eyes as he caressed his bruised cheek, making the swollen flesh tingle.

A sob broke out of Yeosang's throat. It hurt. The pain in his chest ate at him like a parasite dissolving his insides. It left him bared and vulnerable. Scared.

His dear Seonghwa. 

"W-What will you do to me? I have no powers. I'm just Yeosang," he cried, too weak to do anything anymore. He was helpless. If even Seonghwa betrayed him, what was the point? Yeosang was just human; his energy had limitations. And his broken heart stabbed at him like a real wound.

He had no energy to keep going.

Those awful, gentle fingers left goosebumps in their wake when they caressed down Yeosang's neck and over his collarbone. Disgust and yearning gathered inside him. He wanted to kiss Seonghwa, wanted to bring the real one back, and he wanted to cower away from the snake about to pounce on him.

"You know Ra sleeps inside you, yes? It is him we want. But he is tied to you," the soothing lull of Seonghwa's voice explained, almost empathetic with Yeosang's dilemma. He didn't choose any of this. If they had been human, he could have dated the real Seonghwa and been happy with him. But because of the gods meddling, he was left torn and lonely yet once more.

Ever since they showed up with their sickening games, everything went wrong.

Hongjoong watched their touching scene with crossed arms and a smug smirk on his lips.

"You and your games... You would have eaten him anyway," he snickered and Seonghwa threw him a glare, but the darkness in his eyes was too sinister now. Yeosang shivered because he realised this was part of the game. Even now, Apep only pretended to care for him, using Seonghwa's face.

The face Yeosang adored so much.

"I was only your prey to play with," Yeosang brought out, gulping against the knot in his throat when it just squeezed even more tears from his eyes. He mourned the real Seonghwa, mourned their relationship.

This was his end. He had nowhere to go, no one to help him. 

Apep finally had him in his snare.

"But such cute prey you were. I loved playing with you," Seonghwa chuckled meanly as he stood, leaving Yeosang's empty husk kneeling on the ground. They knew he wouldn't try to run. His spirit was broken, the joy in his eyes extinguished. Whatever sweet human feelings he clung to that made him want to save the world, none of it mattered now. There was no point. 

Yeosang stared at the ground before him. His cheekbone throbbed, likely turning blue and purple already. But he barely felt it. Nothing was worse than the ache in his chest. Even the fear had numbed.

"We will devour your flesh. There is little use in devouring the human Yeosang since Ra is who we seek, but that's the only access we have. However, this basement is no place for such a grand occasion. So we will do this the proper way and take you along into our world. Everything is prepared," Seonghwa explained to him, matter-of-fact. 

Yeosang couldn't bring himself to care. Maybe he deserved it. All he did, and he played right into their hands. Ra hid inside him, doomed him and Seonghwa to this dream without a future while the gods played their games. He had it long coming. 

Powerless, Yeosang stumbled to his feet when Hongjoong dragged him up by his elbow. Seonghwa's hand was painting a portal like those Yeosang had seen before, creating a path between their world and his. 

Yeosang was shoved through unceremoniously. They left the basement behind for the brief weightlessness of the portal. Then, they emerged on the other side.

Yeosang expected heat. Sand, the sun, Bennu's cries. But this was a different place. 

They were in a cave, cool and dark, hidden deep underground. The jagged cave walls were natural, dipping and curving as time had shaped them with water and sharp edges. 

Candles illuminated their scene, but their light wasn't a soothing orange glow. Blue and cold like ice, the light threw their shadows against the world. No sun and no warmth reached here. 

When Yeosang exhaled, he could see his breath in a white cloud.

An altar dominated the middle of the room. On it rested a dagger, ornate and pretty, not enough to butcher a god, but certainly enough for a human. 

The table near the only entrance to the cave featured more items. Some complicated boxes and gems, scrolls and sceptres, likely for binding magic if Ra were to escape Yeosang's body at the last minute. 

So bleak, this setting. So prepared to spill blood until the world suddenly became dark.

Yeosang didn't know how this would go. If he died, would the sun disappear as well? Even without Apep swallowing it? Or was he just the vessel and the night would come after?

Somehow, Yeosang was glad he didn't have to witness it. He was dulled to it now, even when he regretted it had to end like this. He never got to say goodbye. Not to Wooyoung, not to San, not to Jongho. He never got to finish that project for Yongguk and he never got to send his parents gifts for Christmas.

None of it mattered now. 

"A-Am I... At the oasis? Your world?" Yeosang stuttered out when Hongjoong navigated him over to the altar and took off his shackles to make him sprawl out on it. He had dropped his human skin the second he didn't need it anymore, back as the black hound with the flaming blue eyes. Apep still wore Seonghwa's appearance, having fun with his beauty and taunting Yeosang. 

"It would be much too easy to feel your presence up there. We don't want to get interrupted, do we? No, few dwell in the underworld. This is our playing ground," Seonghwa grinned back at him while Hongjoong fastened some magical bindings to Yeosang's wrists, making sure Ra's powers couldn't free him. Suspended like an X on the cold, hard stone, Yeosang could only stare emptily at the ceiling that seemed to stare back. As if the allies and minions of these two vile gods were attending this ritual from the shadows.

Seonghwa picked up the knife and stalked closer, the blade glinting in the cold light. Yeosang held his breath, terrified it might end so abruptly, but the cold steel didn't graze his skin yet. It cut through his clothes, making Yeosang yelp in embarrassment when his underwear was sliced off him. 

Hongjoong snickered at his fear. Of course, they didn't want to eat him with his clothes. 

Seonghwa peeled the clothes off him and flicked the rags on the ground, leaving Yeosang bare and squirming to hide his nakedness, but he couldn't move enough to succeed. Their lecherous eyes raked over him and took in his flesh, the divinity glowing through it. 

Seonghwa sighed. He had waited for this for a long time. So eager to dig his teeth into Yeosang's flesh. To conquer his rule. 

"Sweet Ra. Thinking we wouldn't find you. But you were always so naïve. A human skin suits you so well. Their needless optimism... Thinking it makes them better than anyone else when it truly just masks their weakness. Especially this one definitely became one with your will," Seonghwa purred as he flicked the blade in his hand so he could bring it down with more force.

Yeosang's heart sank even further. He wasn't ready. Another stab in his heart was nothing, but this was still his end. Horrendous and painful and cruel. 

Seth came over with a bowl. It smelled of herbs and honey, creating a gooey mix he dripped onto Yeosang's chest. A thick brush lathered Yeosang with it like a piece of dough about to go into the oven, sweetening his scent even further.

"Your guard dog has been protecting you well. We thought he would meddle, but instead, he confirmed your identity for us. We will reward him accordingly," Seth commented as the brush tickled in Yeosang's armpits, on his inner thighs. He squirmed, embarrassed by the situation and the face of his lover still staring at him.

"Anubis is better than you two! He isn't near as cruel!" He gagged out, because it was true. While Jongho may not have picked the side of order, he did his best trying to learn from Yeosang and helping him when he needed him. While Yeosang was bitter about how Anubis got to live a blissful life while he was eaten, at least he wasn't as bad as these two creatures. 

"I am still confused what he was doing. He is our ally, yet he interfered when we tried to get you, multiple times. Did he lose the memories of our pact?" Seonghwa grumbled to himself while he placed some warding talismans left and right on the entrance to the cave, casting a faint shimmer into the air, like a mist Ra might not be able to flee through.

"Not at all. He looks forward to your evil world full of evil people. He made that very clear to me," Yeosang snapped, smelling like the tastiest of treats and sprawled out before them for their wicked plans.

Seth barked a laugh. Proud of his wolfish brother.

"Perfect. Then everything is in order and we can praise him for keeping an eye on you and not handing you over to others. Ra is in high demand, as you know," he said as he placed down his bowl. Yeosang figured roasting him might come next if they didn't like human flesh raw, but another voice piped up first.

"That's what I'm here for."

This one was familiar. A dark growl, a sudden spike of something warm in Yeosang's belly. Everyone glanced over at the same time and found the shadow in the entrance had golden eyes. Anubis' tall ears mapped out against the light, his crossed arms. 

Yeosang bit his lip, unsure to be happy or terrified. Did Anubis come to eat him as well? Share their glorious meal as a trio?

With a grin, Seonghwa beckoned him closer.

"Come on in, join us. Dinner is set."

With steady steps, Anubis joined their sinister round.