The boy was pouting, running nimble fingers across the filthy ground with his lip sticking out.
Haneul felt guilty, like it was her fault he was in a bad mood. She didn't want to hurt her friend's feelings, hurriedly going to sit down next to him.
"What's the matter?"
He didn't look at her, just methodically scraped the dirt from underneath his fingernails. "I can't come play with you anymore. I have to go forever this time."
No.
Moisture pricked in the corners of her eyes and she blinked rapidly. "No, you can't. You can't leave me here," she begged plaintively. "I'll be all alone, please don't."
He ignored her, unfurling large, ebony wings from his back before reluctantly meeting her gaze. Pain flashed in his eyes for a moment before he narrowed his brows, studying her face intently.
"I hope..."
But there was nothing to say. The words trailed off in his throat as he cast his eyes to the hard ground, hands fisting as he braced himself and shot up into the sky, leaving Haneul in her solitude.
All alone. In the darkness. She was alone.
-
Haneul jerked up suddenly with a cry, her panic inducing dream triggering her fight or flight. She swiftly fell back down as hot, searing pain shot through her abdomen, sending shockwaves through her body.
Her hands moved to rub her sore eyes and she blew a long breath out, the pain slowly rolling through her.
"Ohhh, fuck me."
"I'd rather not."
Freezing, Haneul peeked through her fingers, wincing as she focused on the man sitting next to her bed. The man whose face was tense with barely concealed fury.
Minho leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm saving yelling at you for when I'm sure you won't rip your stitches out from cowering away from me. So for now, tell me exactly why I found you in a pool of your own blood with a Mimic Demon about to rip your stomach out."
Her throat was so dry, Haneul opened her mouth to speak and could only cough, each movement causing a ribbon of fire to race down her belly. Minho impatiently handed her a glass of water, watching as she greedily gulped the liquid down.
"What's a Mimic Demon?" Haneul rasped out, trying to stop her anxious hands from touching her bandaged abdomen.
A muscle flexed in his jaw. "Questions after. Tell me."
Swallowing hard, Haneul stared at the blankets that had been tucked tightly around her. "I didn't have the bracelet on, I forgot to put it back after I showered. The... the Mimic, it looked like you. Except for its eyes, that's how I knew."
Haneul had to pause, moistening her lips as she walked them both through the attack. Nausea filled her stomach when she shifted and felt the tug of fresh stitches.
"It knocked on the door, which was odd because you never do. I should've realized, but I let it inside, and when I did notice I tried to get the dagger you gave me. It was next to the bracelet, so I grabbed both and then... and then it..."
Her breath grew uneven, and Haneul squeezed her eyes closed, recalling the hungry look on its face as it tore into her flesh. The sound echoed in her ears unbidden.
Minho sighed, leaning back and giving her a moment to calm down. But her eyes remained shut, as though she was trying not to acknowledge her surroundings, or even that she was there at all. His nostrils flared, knuckles going white as he fought against the nagging urge to put an arm around her.
"Haneul."
Her name. He'd never said her name before.
"What's wrong?" he asked, not gently, but quietly.
"It looked like you. It looked so much like you. What if that happened again? How can I trust if it's truly you?"
Watching her shudder at the memory, Minho ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. He wasn't good at this; the worst part was that he wanted to be.
"Haneul, look at me."
She did, lips pressing together as she forced herself to hold his familiar scarlet eyes.
"I need you to really understand this. Our relationship is purely circumstantial; I don't care about you, not even a little. But if anyone tries to touch you, I'll tear their heart out. You don't have to be afraid of me."
Haneul could only nod, his words stinging in spite of her wariness. Did she even care? Or was it just loneliness?
They sat in silence for a while, until Haneul belatedly realized that she was wearing a different shirt than the one she'd been attacked in. Minho stifled a curse as she whacked him over the head, Haneul hissing as her pain flared.
"The hell was that for?"
Haneul crossed her trembling arms, feeling semi violated as she glared at the demon. "You changed my clothes," she growled, gesturing to her fresh top.
Minho's eyes darkened with realization, then exasperation. "Oh, I'm so sorry for saving your life, stitching you up, using my divine power to repair your organs and replenish your lost blood, washing that Mimic's scent off you and making sure you had a clean shirt on," he hissed right back, red spots standing out on his cheeks at her gaping mouth.
"You—you cleaned me?"
Haneul flushed pink as she imagined his hands brushing against her bare skin. A tingle went down her spine, and she violently forced the thought away.
Minho waved said hands around, looking completely finished with the conversation. "I'm not talking about it."
The girl frowned, grunting as she restlessly squirmed again. "Why even stitch the wound? I thought you said you could heal me easily."
"I never said easily."
Haneul didn't have to look to know he was rolling his eyes rather dramatically.
"I did heal you, partially; healing drains my energy quite a bit, and if I can get away with saving as much divine power as possible—like stitching a wound shut instead—I will. I never know when I might need my power for a more serious situation."
The lengthy explanation had a hint of annoyance, and Haneul could tell that Minho was only talking this much to calm them both down. So she acknowledged his answer meekly and went silent. Minho wasn't finished, though.
His eyes went half-lidded, avoiding her own when he spoke. "There's something else important that we need to talk about."
At a loss, Haneul frowned. "What do you mean?"
Arms crossed, Minho raised his brows. "In spite of the safeguards I've given you, you were still attacked in your apartment, and I was barely able to get here in time. I'm only alerted moments before fatal harm befalls you, remember? I'll need to keep a closer eye on you until we can figure out a long term solution for your safety," he said evenly, but to keep himself steady, not Haneul.
The girl was nodding along, cocking her head at his evaluation. "Okay... so what do you suggest?"
Minho glanced out of her bedroom door, apparently resigned to whatever decision he had just made.
"How comfortable is your couch?"
a bit rushed, sorry for any mistakes🫶🏻