Kissing the Demon (Seoksoo)

Joshua

After Seokmin ended things, I only made it as far as his roof before the tears hit. I put my fist into my mouth, trying to choke the sound away, but it was no good. Every word that had passed between us was on replay in my mind, and I couldn't forget how Seokmin's face looked as I confessed my love for him. Even though I'd known what was coming, I hadn't expected it to hurt this much.

I couldn't stay here. For the first time since I'd met him, I couldn't be near Seokmin. I'd promised him space, and if I stayed here, no way would happen. Instead, I phoned Soonyoung and asked him to keep an eye on the house for me. He'd recently returned empty-handed from his quest, so he had plenty of time to kill. With the number of wards I'd put around the house, the risk of anyone being able to get to Seokmin was minimal. But with Blaise sniffing around and random new supernatural beings to worry about, it was a risk I wasn't willing to take.

When Soonyoung arrived, he took one look at my face before pointing to the sky. There were no quips, mocking, or teasing over how I'd fucked it up this time. Instead, he looked at me with understanding. With empathy. Like he, too, knew how it felt to be gutted by the one you loved.

I wanted to talk to him about it, to ask him if he was okay. But it would have to be another time, when I had enough emotional battery to communicate without sobbing.

"Go," Soonyoung said softly. "I've got your Seokmin. Seungcheol is waiting with a few bottles of Adamanthea."

Adamanthea was rare and the only substance that could truly intoxicate a demon. Seungcheol stocked a limited stash for celebrations or tragedies. Fun times to know that the breaking of my heart was classed as severe enough to qualify as the latter. "He's not my anything."

"He will be," Soonyoung said with a confidence I wished I shared. "Give him time."

I gave a shaky nod, not trusting myself to speak again without breaking down. Satan, I hoped Soonyoung was right. Launching myself into the sky, a ripple of pain went through me as though my demon was physically punishing me for leaving Seokmin.

The feeling didn't lessen as I landed on the pavement in front of Seungcheol's club. It was different to ordinary pain. I'd always thought they were the same, but no. Normal pain was something you wanted to shake off—force it away and sink back in relief once it was gone.

Heartbreak though? That pain was different. I hoarded it, not letting an ounce escape. I cherished it, allowing it to seep into my veins and flood my entire body. The alternative was getting over Seokmin...and that was something I never intended to do.

Ignoring the queue of clubgoers, I marched straight in. I don't know what my expression was, but however I looked, it was enough to stop Toby, Seungcheol's bar manager, from greeting me. I didn't care. It was hardly like I was known for being polite and patient at the best of times.

I headed straight for the VIP section, knowing Seungcheol would've blocked it off so I could have my pity party uninterrupted. Sure enough, my brother was slouched on one of the sofas, two untouched glasses of Adamanthea on the low table before him. He hadn't bothered to put a silencing ward up, choosing instead to let the sounds of the club filter through the air. Given that the song currently playing was Maneskin's version of 'Beggin', I decided silence would be better and cast the ward myself with a tug on my power and a flick of my wrist.

Without bothering to greet Seungcheol, I grabbed one of the glasses in front of him and downed it. The tang of the magic burned my throat on the way down. I wasn't drinking it for the flavour. I could already feel my limbs loosening, the fear and anguish in my brain beginning to quiet. Craving more of that numbness, I picked up Seungcheol's glass and drained it too.

"You'll regret that tomorrow," he grunted, but he filled both glasses again before offering one with a sigh.

"Don't care," I said, taking the proffered glass. I didn't neck this one, more because my throat was healing from the first two rather than anything else. "As my bestie would say—that's future Joshua's problem. Speaking of which, are he and Vernon coming?"