Demon and the Mage (Jeongcheol)

Seungcheol

When the adrenaline wore off, Jeonghan seemed to realise what little protection his torn garments gave him. His teeth were chattering, his skin tinged with blue. Before we ventured outside, I'd wrapped him in my coat, yanking him against my body to keep him warm. When we took to the skies, Jeonghan with his legs wrapped around my middle and arms around my neck, I decided to make a couple of stops before meeting up with the others. Vernon had nodded when he spotted the direction I was heading, knowing we'd find them back at the club when we were ready.

Because after what we'd just been through, Jeonghan and I needed a few extra minutes to just...be. To hold one another. To know we'd been tested and got through it.

Together.

Thanks to the state of his clothing, we stopped at his place first. Jeonghan took the fastest shower known to man before chucking on a warmer outfit.

In no time at all, we were airborne again. We hadn't discussed where we were going. Jeonghan seemed happy to go along with whatever I had in mind.

Jeonghan rested his head on my shoulder, lips pressed against my neck. He wasn't kissing me. It was like he just wanted to be touching whatever part of me he could. I certainly wasn't complaining.

We'd come so close to losing each other. To losing everything.

But we hadn't. We'd made it through.

Together.

The wind had died down by the time we touched down on the Southsea walls. Jeonghan slipped from my arms, a small smile dancing on his lips as he took in where we were. "Perfect."

"Just like you," I said, taking his hand in mine.

Jeonghan made a fake gagging noise. "No, I'm sorry. That's way too fucking cheesy."

"My bad," I said as we began to stroll along the front. "You suck cock like a machine. Is that better?"

Jeonghan threw his head back and laughed, the sound lighting up the dark night. "No, but it's certainly more on my level."

We fell into a contented silence as we walked hand in hand. There was something so calming about the sea at night. It was just us and the moonlight dancing over the white-tipped waves. Images from the last few hours flickered through my mind. All of them were of Jeonghan. His pain. His joy at realising I'd come for him. His relief when I'd reincarnated. His sadness at watching his friend die.

It was all him. That was how it would be from now on—only him.

And I was so good with that.

"You're calmer than I thought you'd be," Jeonghan mused.

I hummed, my thumb stroking over the back of his hand. "I think it's because the worst has happened, and we survived it."

"What do you mean, exactly?"

I stopped, turning to face Jeonghan, taking his other hand in mine. "All this time, I couldn't move past the fear of you dying. Of you being taken from me and not being able to save you."

Understanding dawned in Jeonghan's eyes. "Like with Doyoon? Oh, Seungcheol. You know that won't happen with us. Even if I am killed, I'll be dragging you along with me. We won't ever be separated, not even in death."

"I know," I replied quietly. "But there's a difference to logically knowing that and actually believing it. It wasn't until I was holding you in my arms, until I felt myself leaving with you, that I realised just how powerful the bond is. There really isn't anything that can part us."

"There isn't," Jeonghan said, stepping closer. "And even without the bond, it'd take your dad himself or her upstairs to keep me from you. I'm a stubborn bastard like that."