Work Text:
Jinyoung groaned and struggled to open his eyes. His consciousness was slipping away. Through his blurry vision, he managed to see a face close to his. Closer than what he would usually be comfortable with. He would've protested if he wasn't in so much pain and unable to think clearly, let alone trying to speak.
"...thing...wrong?"
Jinyoung blinked, willing his vision to clear up. He could see the stranger moving away as he spoke to someone behind Jinyoung. He tried to focus on the conversation but he was only able to hear snippets that made absolutely no sense.
The stranger turned back to him. Although Jinyoung could tell the other's lips were moving, the ringing in his ears got too loud, not allowing him to hear anything. His eyelids got heavier with each breath until the darkness took over.
✪✪
The first thing greeting Jinyoung back to consciousness was the intense pain in his back. He was glad that he was laying on his stomach instead of crushing his already injured wings. He experimentally moved one and regretted it instantly as it sent an immense jolt of pain through his whole body. He groaned and opened his eyes to take in his surroundings.
Jinyoung blinked a few times to bring his vision back to focus. He was facing a brick wall. That didn't tell him much about his whereabouts. The last thing he remembered was sparring with Yugyeom and falling.
Right, he fell down and his landing was a nasty one; no wonder his wings were in this condition.
"Oh, you're finally awake!"
Jinyoung heard a familiar voice from somewhere behind him and cursed his body for refusing to cooperate when he tried to turn around. Unable to do much from his position, Jinyoung decided to not respond and focus all of his senses on the stranger.
A few almost silent footsteps and Jinyoung was staring at a smirking blonde who was leaning on the wall, his eyes locking with Jinyoung's. Jinyoung's muscles tensed. Trust Jinyoung to lose consciousness and wake up to Mark, Lucifer’s only son, the bane of his existence.
He wondered warily if he was still in the human realm or if the demon took him back to the demon realm. Knowing his luck, Jinyoung bet on the latter.
"Did it hurt when you fell from Heaven?" Mark said, amusement coloring his tone, and Jinyoung clenched his jaw to stop the snappy reply from escaping.
Yes.
Yes, it did hurt.
A lot.
But he didn't reply. He didn't want to give the demon the satisfaction of seeing him riled up.
"That was one nasty fall." The blonde’s smirk widened, making Jinyoung more irritated, "No need to glare at me, angel. In fact, you should be thanking me for taking you with me instead of letting you bleed to death."
Jinyoung didn't stop glaring. They both knew that angels didn't bleed to death. He wasn't going to thank a demon for taking him in as a prisoner. Jinyoung would rather die than show him gratitude.
The silence stretched between them and once the demon realized he wouldn't be getting any reply he pursed his lips.
"I have urgent matters to take care of, so, unfortunately, I can't stick around longer." He pushed himself off the wall and approached the bed and leaned down, stopping a few inches away from Jinyoung's face. "I'll be back later! Don't miss me too much, angel."
With no way of turning his face away, Jinyoung was forced to look at the infuriating smile the demon gave him before leaving his field of vision. He only allowed himself to relax once the demon's presence left the room.
Jinyoung closed his eyes and breathed deeply. He couldn't afford to panic right now. He needed to calm down and think rationally. He was almost sure that he was stuck in the demon realm with injured wings. Not that his wings would be of any help leaving this place. Except for a few talented witches, no one could access the demon realm portals other than demons and the souls of the dead. Just like the celestial realm wasn't easily accessible to anyone, entering or leaving Hell was no easy feat.
He flexed his fingers and sighed in relief when they cooperated and moved. He continued assessing his body's condition. The demon prince wasn't lying when he said that the fall was nasty. Jinyoung didn't remember most of it;he blacked out soon after he hit the ground.
If he ever made it out alive, he was going to kill Yugyeom. Maybe Bambam too since the traitor didn't do anything to help. He should’ve trusted his instincts and turned down the duel request. Yugyeom’s aim wasn’t the best and the arrows that pierced his poor wings were enough proof. He doubted Yugyeom would be able to pick up a bow any time soon. The experience probably traumatized the poor boy.
Jinyoung scowled at how drained his body was. It was making his regeneration much slower than usual. It had been a long time since Jinyoung was injured and his wounds didn't instantly heal.
Jinyoung tried to reach through his mind for their connection a few times and was met with silence and emptiness. He was either too weak to access their telepathic link or the link didn't work in the demon realm. He hoped that it was the former. He'd have to try again once he healed properly.
After long contemplation, Jinyoung decided that he lacked information about his surroundings and had no way of forming a plan. So his only choice was to focus on healing his injuries, restoring his powers and gathering as much information as he could.
With that thought in mind, he allowed himself to drift back to sleep.
✪✪
The second time Jinyoung regained consciousness, he could tell he wasn't alone. He still wasn't able to move most of his body and was powerless. He scowled at himself for being so weak.
“I'm glad you're awake!" An unfamiliar voice said and a young black haired demon rushed to Jinyoung's bedside.
Jinyoung stared but didn't reply. Even though the demon looked harmless, Jinyoung knew better than to lower his guard. He couldn’t do anything to defend himself but he'd at least keep his dignity.
“I'm Youngjae! I'm the royal court's healer. I haven't treated angels before but theoretically, it shouldn't be that different from handling injured demons." Youngjae smiled awkwardly when Jinyoung didn't acknowledge his existence. “I need to change your bandages. I would give you some healing potions but I'll wait until you're well enough to sit up."
Youngjae produced a box of medical tools from behind him and set to work. Jinyoung wanted to scream. He could do nothing but glare and scowl at the demon who was touching him. The guy was being careful as he handled his injuries and sounded like a genuinely nice person but he was still a demon and Jinyoung would never trust them.
“I'm sorry. It must feel awful to be unable to move and have a stranger touch you all over." Youngjae smiled tentatively once he finished his task. “You should be able to move in a few days! You just need plenty of rest."
Jinyoung closed his eyes and missed the dejected look the demon gave him.
“I see you're still as lovely as ever, Jinyoung."
Jinyoung's eyes snapped open. He knew that voice. He knew that person would be nearby after seeing Mark earlier but he hoped they wouldn’t cross paths until Jinyoung was able to escape.
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s not like I wanted to see you either." Jaebum rolled his eyes as he stood beside a relieved Youngjae. “I begged Mark to let you rot in the human realm but he refused."
“Jaebum! Don't talk to a patient like that."
Jinyoung's eyes shifted onto the newcomer. He shouldn't have been surprised that Jackson was in the demon realm but he was. Whenever he met Jaebum in the human realm, Jackson was glued to his side. He would never understand how a wizard as nice as Jackson could stand hanging around demons and taking someone like Jaebum as his lover.
"And it's not like your input would've changed Mark's mind anyway. The moment he saw Jinyoung he hurried to his side to help him," Jackson huffed.
"Whatever. That doesn't change the fact that we wasted our time on an ungrateful angel."
"You literally did nothing but watch and complain the whole way here!"
"It ruined our plans! We were supposed to spend the day at your place before he decided to fall," Jaebum tsked and glared at Jinyoung as if it was his decision to fall all the way from Heaven.
Youngjae looked between the pair helplessly before quietly taking his leave and Jinyoung wished he could do the same. Their bickering continued for a long time, both forgetting Jinyoung was in the room with them.
"Anyway," Jackson coughed awkwardly once he noticed Jinyoung staring, "that's not why we came here!"
"I didn't choose to come at all-"
"Your body is exhausted from healing the injuries you sustained during the fall." Jackson grinned brightly and rummaged through his pouch, procuring a vial. "I have a few potions that will make your body rest better and regenerate faster."
Jinyoung eyed the vial cautiously. On one hand, Jackson was a renowned wizard who worked with angels frequently. On the other hand, he was spending a lot of time with demons and Jinyoung didn't know if he could trust him.
"See? Ungrateful and paranoid. These angels don't deserve any kindness." Jaebum snorted at Jinyoung's hesitation.
Out of pure spite, Jinyoung scowled and stretched his hand out. Jackson brightened at the action and shot Jaebum a smug look. He deposited the vial in Jinyoung's hand.
"I'll leave the rest of the vials with Youngjae since he'll be coming frequently to change your bandages." Jackson put his pouch on the bedside table. It was probably filled with the rest of the potions. "I'll come to visit soon, I have work in the human realm for the next few days."
Jinyoung clenched his jaw to suppress the pain that shot through him when he pushed himself up slightly to swallow the potion. He ignored the amusement clearly displayed on Jaebum's face. The bastard didn't even bother hiding it after Jackson scolded him.
"Thanks." He grimaced at the bitter taste and handed Jackson the empty vial.
"You're welcome. Get well soon. It feels weird to see you this weak." Jackson frowned and Jinyoung sighed as he let himself fall back into the soft mattress.
"Will try."
"As cold as ever," Jaebum grumbled and got elbowed by Jackson who smiled softly at Jinyoung.
"We'll get going then. Try to sleep as much as you can!"
Jinyoung nodded. He really couldn't understand how someone as nice and bright as Jackson could like someone like Jaebum. Being a demon aside, Jaebum was the worst. He topped the list of demons Jinyoung couldn't stand, surpassing Mark.
After the celestial war, Hell and Heaven decided on a truce. Both sides lost greatly and wanted to prevent another war. Thus demons and angels started pairing up for missions to rid the mortal realm of rogue demons and fallen angels that mortals couldn’t take care of on their own.
Unfortunately for Jinyoung, he crossed paths with Mark and Jaebum more than he would like to. For decades, he'd meet them at least once whenever he was in the mortal realm and he was convinced they had a personal vendetta against him. They'd team up to get in the way of the missions and make Jinyoung's life a living hell.
He tried reaching for his friends once again and was met with emptiness. He was still too weak. Jinyoung's lips tugged downwards. He knew he wouldn't heal overnight but it still made him frustrated to be powerless at the mercy of demons. No matter how nice they seemed, he couldn't bring himself to trust them.
Jinyoung could tell the potion was finally working its magic. He stopped fighting the sleep and closed his eyes, letting the darkness take over.
✪✪
For the next few days, Jinyoung was in and out of sleep most of the time. Jackson's potion was working marvelously and Jinyoung felt a pang of guilt for doubting the wizard. He reminded himself to thank him properly the next time he saw him.
Even though he was barely conscious, Jinyoung still remembered Mark's visits. Jinyoung wondered how the Prince of Hell managed to find time to annoy him every single day. Shouldn't he be busy doing anything other than taunting an injured angel?
Jinyoung was feeling slightly better. He could sit up briefly and Youngjae cheerfully announced that he would be able to walk around soon. He was still unable to move his wings but they were slowly healing.
Jinyoung was sitting up in bed, careful not to let his wings touch the headboard. He had his eyes closed, focusing all of his energy to contact his friends. He sighed dejectedly when another attempt failed.
"It won't work."
He opened his eyes, glaring at the newcomer. Mark was leaning on the wall, smirking smugly at him. Jinyoung allowed himself one second to look at the demon before averting his eyes. He loathed how good looking high ranking demons were. He had yet to meet one that didn't look as gorgeous as angels were. Not that it mattered when they were all scummy.
"Won't work?" He ignored the bewildered look Mark gave him. This was the first time Jinyoung replied to the demon since he arrived in the demon realm.
"Y-Yeah, your telepathic connection won't work inside the demon realm." Mark straightened up when Jinyoung's face unconsciously fell at the revelation. "You don't have to worry about your friends. I sent a messenger to Heaven the day you arrived. We agreed it was best to let you heal here until you can go back to Heaven."
"How nice of you to decide for me," Jinyoung scoffed.
"You were bleeding and severely injured! What was I supposed to do?"
"The wounds wouldn't have killed me," Jinyoung glared. "My friends were probably looking for me; they would've eventually found me."
"You wouldn't die but it would still hurt," Mark scowled back.
"You don't have to pretend to care. I know you wanted to have a favor to hold over my head."
"Is that really what you think?" Something unreadable flickered in Mark's eyes but it was gone before Jinyoung could decipher it.
Jinyoung stayed silent and it was enough to answer the question. Mark's expression hardened the longer the silence stretched.
"I'll send Youngjae to change your bandages." He pushed away from the wall and sent Jinyoung one last look before turning around and leaving.
Jinyoung's shoulders relaxed once he was alone in the room. A weight was lifted from his shoulders. He'd been worried that Yugyeom and Bambam were searching for him and feeling guilty for his disappearance. Even though he wasn't pleased with the way things were handled without any input from him, he was glad that his friends were aware he was safe. As safe as a wounded angel trapped in Hell could be.
✪✪
After a week of being confined to bed and sleeping most of the time, Youngjae declared Jinyoung healthy enough to walk and roam around. He showed Jinyoung to the library that's conveniently close to the room he's staying in.
Surprisingly, it was an extensive and diverse library that could rival the biggest library in Heaven. No matter how much he hated demons, Jinyoung could never pass up an opportunity to read new unfamiliar books.
One of his favorite pastimes in the mortal realm was reading. He was fascinated by books written by humans and could never get enough of learning about them.
He wasn't sure when he'd ever get another opportunity to read demonic manuscripts and books so he started reading in a secluded part of the library. Safely tucked away from outside interferences. He was able to enjoy three uninterrupted days of reading before Mark found his hiding place.
"What are you reading?"
Jinyoung sighed but didn't lift his eyes from the book even though he wasn't reading anymore.
"Why do you keep appearing everywhere?”
“I live here.” Mark scoffed and stood in front of him. “Missed me?”
Jinyoung ignored him and pretended to be engrossed in reading.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” The demon smirked mischievously and leaned over his shoulder, reading the words on the yellowed pages out loud.
Jinyoung’s eyebrow twitched. He slammed the book closed with a loud thud and looked to his right sharply. A snappy retort on the tip of his tongue as he came face to face with the demon. Jinyoung was startled, frozen by the proximity.
He watched warily as Mark smiled teasingly and leaned in, leaving barely a few inches between them.
“I missed you too, angel.” Mark leaned in and pecked his cheek. The demon had the audacity to chuckle at Jinyoung’s indignant scream.
Jinyoung ignored the implications of his speeding heart and heating face. He was beyond angry; they were normal reactions to getting worked up.
“You!!!!” He scowled, chucking the book at the demon who ducked easily. He stood up and pinned Mark with the hardest glare he could muster.
“Me?” Mark grinned and walked around the armchair to face him. His carefree demeanor made Jinouyng seeth.
“How dare you! I’m kept here against my will but it doesn’t give you the right to invade my personal space!” He glared and took a step back when Mark took one towards him.
“I told you you’re not kept here against your will.” Mark frowned.
“Because you care about my safety and want to help me? Yeah right.” Jinyoung scoffed and backed down further until his back hit a nearby shelf.
“Is that too hard to believe?” Mark stopped right in front of him, face unreadable.
“Demons aren’t capable of compassion and empathy.” Jinyoung looked up defiantly.
“You’re not being fair, angel.” Mark’s lip curved down in displeasure.
“I’m only stating facts.”
Mark frowned, his hand reaching out towards Jinyoung's face and the angel panicked and slapped it away.
“Don’t touch me.” His eyes hardened, glaring daggers at the demon. “At least let me have a peaceful stay until I heal by leaving me the fuck alone.”
Mark looked stunned for a few seconds. He looked at his hand like it personally offended him then blinked and was back to his usual teasing smile.
“As you wish, angel.” He gave Jinyoung the fakest smile he’d ever seen on the demon’s face and turned around.
Jinyoung breathed in relief once he was alone. He looked at the discarded book and sighed.
His mood was ruined. He didn’t feel like reading anymore.
Ignoring the weird feeling stifling his chest, he picked up the book and headed back towards his room.
✪✪
At first, Jinyoung didn’t think anything different about it. No matter how carefree he acted, Mark was still the Prince of Hell and was probably busy. That was why Jinyoung didn’t question the demon’s disappearance for the next few days after his outburst.
When it neared a week and he didn’t see Mark even once, he started wondering if the demon was avoiding him. In the decades they’ve known each other, Mark always approached Jinyoung. Always. No matter how many times Jinyoung pushed him away with harsh glares and even harsher words, the demon always acted like they didn’t mean anything and reached out to him the next time they saw each other.
Not that Jinyoung wanted the demon to bother him. He was enjoying his peaceful days as much as he could. He was just curious as to what prompted this change of behavior if he really was being avoided.
Jinyoung was totally not expecting Mark to pop up at any given moment. He was so not disappointed when the person who entered his room was Jackson. Jinyoung gave the wizard one look before going back to reading his book.
“No need to look that disappointed to see me,” Jackson pouted. “Were you expecting someone?”
“I’m not disappointed.” Jinyoung scowled.
“I see you’re back to normal. That’s great!” Jackson sat down at the edge of the bed, looking at Jinyoung intensely, probably trying to assess his condition.
“Stop pretending Youngjae didn’t give you the full diagnosis.” Jinyoung closed the book, giving up on any further productivity.
“He said you can walk around freely and that you’ve been going to the library.”
“Good to know everyone gets updates on my actions.”
“I’m not everyone! We count as friends….right?” Jackson raised his eyebrows hopefully at Jinyoung.
“Acquaintances? Maybe?”
“Man you’re so cruel,” Jackson grumbled.
“So why are you here?” The angel curled up even further in bed, bringing his knees up and resting his head on top.
“I told you I’d come to visit you soon! I brought more potions If you need them.”
“Yeah about that,” Jinyoung glanced at Jackson and cleared his throat awkwardly. “I wanted to thank you for your help.”
“No problem,” Jackson beamed. “You already did but you’re welcome. Glad I could help my acquaintance.”
Jinyoung rolled his eyes at the way Jackson distastefully said the word. As if it personally offended him.
“I guess saving me from a severe injury makes you count as a friend now.” Jinyoung resisted the urge to laugh at how brightly Jackson lit up.
“Well as your friend, I should be allowed to ask this then…” Jackson suddenly looked hesitant.
“What is it?”
“What happened between you and Mark?” Jackson blurted out.
“Why? Did he tell you something?” Jinyoung’s eyes narrowed and Jackson frantically shook his head.
“He didn’t. But Jaebum said he looked down recently and you’re hiding in your room instead of going to the library so I was wondering.”
“We had an argument, nothing out of the usual.” Jinyoung bit the inside of his cheek nervously.
“Really? Nothing at all?”
“Maybe I got carried away and told him to leave me alone but I usually say things along these lines so I don’t know how it would be different this time around.” Jinyoung pointedly looked away, avoiding Jackson’s disapproving gaze.
“Okay, listen.” Jackson sighed and took a deep breath. “I know it’s probably not my place to say this but you have to hear it.”
Jinyoung clenched his fists but remained silent. Jackson eyed him carefully before continuing.
“Why exactly do you hate Mark?”
Jinyoung pressed his lips into a thin line thinking about the questions seriously.
“Because he’s a demon?” Jackson prompted softly.
“Mainly, yeah.”
“What about Youngjae?” Jinyoung frowned at the mention of the healer. “Why do you hate him?”
“I don’t think I do?”
“Youngjae is still terrified of coming into your room to check on you because you glare at him the whole time.” Jackson gave him a pointed look.
Jinyoung’s frown deepened. He didn’t particularly dislike the demon. He was nice and helped Jinyoung with his injuries but he was still a demon and Jinyoung’s default reaction to them is hatred.
“I understand that you hate demons for whatever reason you have. But Jinyoung, the two realms have been in a truce for the past decades and have been working towards getting rid of the remaining hostility between the two species. I know for a fact that Mark has been trying hard to be friendly to angels. He strongly believes in peace between the two realms. So what exactly did he do to you beyond being born a high ranking demon?”
Nothing, Jinyoung realized with horror. Mark has done nothing to warrant the distrust and hatred Jinyoung has always associated with him. Yes, he was insufferable but he’s never truly done anything horrible to Jinyoung. In fact during their missions, no matter how unhelpful he was, he’d still save Jinyoung if things went south.
Jinyoung was the asshole in this situation and he suddenly wanted to dig a hole, hide in it and never come out.
“Stop looking like the world ended.” Jackson stood up, dusting his pants as if he wasn’t sitting on the silky covers of a luxurious bed. “It’s not too late to apologize and correct your mistake.”
Jinyoung nodded dumbly, mind still racing with his new realizations. He wasn’t as optimistic as Jackson but he would still try. Even though he didn’t deserve forgiveness he would still be shameless enough to ask for it.
“Thank you.” He glanced up at Jackson who smiled softly in return.
“That’s what friends are for, right?”
✪✪
Jinyound stared at the demon towering over him, taking in the way the soft reddish glow coming through the window illuminated his blonde strands. Unlike the multiple times they met in the human realm, the prince wasn't hiding his horns. Jinyoung realized that during his stay, he's never seen Mark in his true form. He idly wondered if it meant something that Mark was comfortable enough around him to let his horns out.
"Youngjae says your wings almost fully healed." Mark wasn't looking at him, and Jinyoung shrunk back into the armchair. He only had himself to blame for this treatment.
"Yeah, they'll be as good as new in a few days," he mumbled.
"Great. You'll be able to leave soon."
Jinyoung ignored the awful feeling the notion of leaving brought with it. He needed to clear up the misunderstanding, but he didn't know how. Mark turned to leave and Jinyoung panicked. He hadn't seen the demon in a few days and this might be his last chance.
He reached out, the book he forgot was on his lap fell to the ground with a loud thump, and grabbed Mark's wrist. Mark stopped, his wide eyes meeting Jinyoung's.
"Wait," Jinyoung breathed, "don't leave yet."
He hated how small his voice sounded.
A few weeks ago he would've laughed at the idea of letting a demon see him this vulnerable. But now? Now Jinyoung didn't mind as long as the demon was Mark.
He took a deep breath. This was his last chance to make things right. His pride did not matter. Not anymore.
"I'm sorry."
Mark's eyes widened slightly as if he knew just how hard it was for Jinyoung to utter the apology. The silence stretched uncomfortably between them, Jinyoung's breaths echoing too loudly in the library. Mark didn't shake him off or leave yet and Jinyoung took that as his cue to do something before the demon decided he wasn't worth his time.
"My parents were killed by demons," he ended up saying. "I know it was a war and both sides had casualties, but I was young and stubborn and I already decided that all demons were bad."
Jinyoung knew he sounded pathetic. It sounded like excuses that would never justify how awful he'd been to Mark for years.
"Ever since our first meeting, you've been nothing but kind to me yet I ignored it and decided to hang onto my prejudices. I know this won't take back every horrible thing I said for the past decades and I understand if you want nothing to do with me anymore. I just wanted to tell you," Jinyoung couldn't meet Mark's eyes. He shifted his focus on the discarded book, and his hold on the demon's wrist went slack, dropping back to his side. "That I'm sorry and thank you for taking care of me."
Jinyoung resisted the urge to look up when he heard shuffling. Mark had no reason to stay, no reason to forgive him. Jinyoung's heart had no right to squeeze this painfully at the thought of never seeing the demon again.
"Hey, look at me."
A cold palm guided his face to look forward, meeting Mark's dark eyes. The demon was kneeling in front of him, their faces on the same level. He avoided Mark's eyes, afraid of seeing the expression he was making.
"You're an idiot." Mark pinched Jinyoung's cheek lightly, making the angel yelp and finally look at him. "I didn't spend decades chasing after you to give up now."
Heat crept up Jinyoung's neck. He expected Mark to be angry or at the very least have his annoying teasing smirk that seemed his default expression whenever Jinyoung was in the vicinity but the demon's expression was soft and fond.
"But you...were avoiding me," Jinyoung was absolutely not pouting.
"I was giving you space." Mark scratched his cheek self consciously. "You're wounded and in an unfamiliar place and I realized I might've done too much and if I pushed my luck by ignoring your wish, you'd hate me even more."
"I don't."
"You don't what?" Mark cocked his head to the side making him absolutely adorable.
Jinyoung wanted to cry. Demons had no business looking adorable .
"I don't hate you. Hate is a strong word. I mildly disliked you, found your teasing annoying, and unfairly released my frustration on you. But I don't think I ever hated you." Jinyoung bit the inside of his cheeks nervously.
"That's reassuring," Mark smiled brightly and Jinyoung's heart skipped a beat. "I'm glad my favorite angel only mildly disliked me."
“Your favorite? Do you make it a habit to follow angels around whenever they're in the human realm?" Jinyoung said before he could stop the words from leaving his mouth.
“Why? Are you jealous?"
"Of course not!" Jinyoung answered too fast, making the teasing grin on Mark's face grow even wider. He obviously didn't buy it.
"Don't worry. You're the only angel worth my time, Jinyoung."
After years of pestering Mark to stop calling him angel and actually use his name, Jinyoung suddenly wanted to take it back. He didn't think he'd be able to handle Mark saying his name one more time.
"Stop teasing," he scowledl despite his burning cheeks.
“I'm dead serious. I've always been serious." Mark's smile was quickly replaced by a frown. "Why do you look so surprised?"
"What do you mean you've always been serious? You've been teasing me since our first meeting! "
"Jinyoung, are you confusing flirting with teasing?"
"You call that flirting?" Jinyoung gaped in shock. "You literally made fun of me the moment we met!"
"I never said I was good at it," Mark averted his eyes as his cheeks flushed. "You kept ignoring me and would only look my way when you're annoyed..."
“I never expected demons to be bad at flirting." Jinyoung shook his head helplessly.
“It seems like you had a lot of expectations when it comes to demons, Jinyoung." Mark leant in, bracing his hands on Jinyoung's knees.
“That's the second time." Jinyoung swallowed thickly, his eyes unconsciously looking down at the demon's lips.
"Second time?"
"You used my name. No matter how many times I told you otherwise, you always called me angel." He was staring and at this point could do nothing about it.
"I'm shameless," Mark's tongue darted out to swipe at his bottom lip, "but not shameless enough to call you my angel. I had to settle for something."
“I take it this is you flirting with me?" Jinyoung's cheeks colored a deep red.
“Maybe?" The demon's lips curved into a familiar teasing smile. “What do you think?"
Jinyoung huffed and resolutely looked away. This was exactly why he could never take the demon's words at face value. He always had the impression that he was being mocked and he absolutely hated the feeling.
"You've got to be kidding me," Mark grumbled and leaned up, bringing their faces closer. "Yes, I was flirting with you! I can't believe I fell for someone as oblivious as you."
"I'm NOT oblivious! It's just hard to tell whether you're serious or not," Jinyoung scowled at the smirking demon, refusing to acknowledge the way his heart raced at the admission.
“Then I'll have to make sure it's clear how serious I am." Mark's voice got lower, prompting Jinyoung to look at him.
Jinouyng startled at the proximity. Their faces were mere inches apart, the demon's warm breath fanning his cheeks. Mark's eyes flickered briefly to his lips in a silent question and Jinyoung didn't bother answering. He closed the distance, sealing their lips together.
Mark's hand snaked behind his neck, tilting his head to the right angle to deepen the kiss. The demon's tongue swiped at his lower lip,and Jinyoung opened his mouth to let him in.
Kissing Mark was intoxicating. Jinyoung shuddered in pleasure as his tongue explored the demon’s mouth.
Without breaking the kiss, Mark hauled himself up, straddling Jinyoung, whose hands settled on the demon's waist. A whimper involuntarily left the angel when Mark pulled away, making him flush in embarrassment.
“Mm, so needy,” Mark whispered against his ear, sending a shiver down Jinyoung’s spine.
“Shut up,” Jinyoung weakly protested, panting into Mark’s neck.
His breath stuttered when Mark did as told and busied his mouth with trailing wet open-mouthed kisses along his jaw. His hands tightened around the demon’s waist before he closed his eyes.
Mark's fingers hesitantly ran over the white wings peeking from Jinyoung's shoulder, barely touching the white feathers. He wasn't expecting Jinyoung to mewl and buckle his hips up, rubbing his erection against Mark’s thigh desperately.
Encouraged by Jinyoung's reaction, Mark adjusted himself, aligning their erections together and ground down, meeting Jinyoung halfway. He caressed the feathers, his mouth swallowing the angel's increasingly loud moans.
Panting heavily, Mark leaned back eyeing the nearby couch with consideration. At the lack of movement, Jinyoung opened his eyes and glanced up confusedly.
“What’s wrong?”
Mark kissed the corner of Jinyoung’s mouth, coming to a decision. He hauled the angel into his arms and stood up abruptly. Startled, Jinyoung instantly wrapped his legs tightly around him.
“What are you doing?" He scowled, his hands moving to grip Mark's shoulders
“We're moving to my room." Mark looked up at him and smiled.
“We are NOT walking around like this." Jinyoung's eyes narrowed.
“Don't worry we aren't walking anywhere." The demon leaned up, capturing Jinyoung's lips as dark shadows enveloped both of them.
Jinyoung closed his eyes, deciding to trust Mark with whatever demonic trick he was doing and focused on kissing back.
He opened his eyes once his back hit something soft. They were in an unfamiliar room, not too different from the one Jinyoung was currently staying in. Mark crawled on top of him, his hands on either side of Jinouyng's head. In the dimly lit room, Mark looked beautiful. Jinyoung’s hand reached up on its own accord, one finger tracing the tip of Mark's right horn.
“It's my first time seeing you like this," Jinyoung breathed, eyes still looking at the demon in awe.
“Really?" Mark sounded genuinely surprised.
“It's a shame you have to hide them." Jinyoung traced the outline of the horn. “Beautiful."
Mark's breath stuttered at the compliment, his cheeks coloring a pretty shade of pink. He grabbed Jinyoung's hand and pinned it above his head.
"Says the literal angel," Mark muttered, pressing his forehead against Jinyoung's, making the angel chuckle.
"We can both be beautiful." Jinyoung rolled his eyes and closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against Mark's in a bruising kiss.
The demon's mouth parted hungrily, his tongue licking every inch of Jinyoung's mouth. Jinyoung hooked his legs around Mark's hips, his free hand reaching up to fist the demon's shirt and yank him down, pressing them flush against each other.
Their hips easily rolled together, the friction making Jinyoung moan into the kiss. It felt like too much and not enough at the same time. He was glad they were lying down, he wasn’t sure his legs would be able to support him.
“Help me out of my clothes,” Jinyoung managed to rasp out in between long rough kisses, and Mark happily obliged, releasing Jinyoung’s wrist.
He pulled back to unbutton Jinyoung’s shirt and the angel took the opportunity to unashamedly stare. He swallowed hard as he took in Mark’s swollen lips and crumpled shirt. Jinyoung felt light-headed from the sight alone.
“Hurry up,” Jinyoung flushed at how needy he sounded.
“Your wish is my command.”
Mark gently pushed Jinyoung’s legs down and leaned in, trailing wet kisses down the exposed toned chest. He skillfully undid the buttons and pulled down Jinyoung’s pants and underwear in one swift movement. Jinyoung shivered when Mark’s fingers brushed his flushed and leaking length.
Mark fumbled with his own clothes, feeling strangely self-conscious under Jinyoung’s intense gaze. As soon as he tossed his pants away, Jinyoung’s hands pulled him down, switching their positions.
Blood roaring in his ears, Jinyoung ignored his embarrassment and reached down, wrapping his hands around both of their dicks and gave it an experimental stroke. Mark’s sharp inhale was all the prompting he needed to do it again.
Jinyoung ran his thumb over their tips, smearing the leaking pre-cum along the length making his stroking easier, and picked up his speed. He wanted to close his eyes so badly but couldn’t take his eyes off Mark’s face.
Their moans and grunts echoed in the room and Jinyoung spared a second to wonder if anyone in the castle would be able to hear them before it got pushed to the back of his mind as pleasure coursed his entire body.
His movements grew frantic as fire pooled low in his abdomen. Mark came moaning his name, sending Jinyoung over the edge, his vision fading to black.
Jinyoung sank back onto Mark’s thighs, his body going limp. Mark was looking at him through half-lidded eyes, smiling broadly and breathing as hard as Jinyoung was. He spread his arms expectantly and Jinyoung huffed but still leaned down, letting himself be engulfed by Mark’s lean arms.
“That was incredible.” Mark nuzzled his neck affectionately and Jinyoung’s heart melted.
He hummed in agreement, too tired to speak. Mark ran his fingers through his hair soothingly, the action making Jinyoung even more sleepy.
He drifted off to sleep in Mark’s arms, uncaring of the mess they made and how sticky his stomach was.
✪✪
Jinyoung woke up early for once. He glanced up and smiled at how peaceful Mark looked in his sleep. He snuggled into his lover’s arms even further and closed his eyes contentedly.
It had been about a week since he got together with Mark. They had a long discussion the day after to figure out how their relationship would work. Demon and angel pairings weren’t as rare as Jinyoung thought they were. With the truce, both species were even encouraged to mingle together.
These couples usually settled in the mortal realm, a neutral ground situated between both realms. Jinyoung, however, had to go and fall for the Prince of Hell who wouldn’t be able to leave the demon realm for an extended period of time.
After a long back and forth, they decided that Jinyoung would visit Mark’s castle any time he wanted with the special portal Mark gave him access to.
He almost had a heart attack knowing he had access to a high ranking magical portal that gave him free access to the demon realm and that Mark gave it out like it was nothing.
He glanced at the demon who was standing in front of Jackson’s cottage reluctantly.
“I can’t believe you still want to leave,” Mark pouted and Jinyoung resisted the urge to roll his eyes at theatrics.
“I will be back in a few days. I have things to take care of.” He ignored the puppy eyes Mark was giving him.
He couldn’t just disappear for weeks and never come back. He was pretty sure Yugyeom and Bambam still felt guilty about his injury and needed to see him alive to feel better about it. He needed to scold them then explain the new development in his relationship with the Prince of Hell. No matter how much Mark pleaded, he couldn’t not leave right now.
“Alright! Fine!” The demon finally gave up and sulked. “Don’t take too long.”
“I’ll try,” Jinyoung shook his head fondly.
Mark grumbled under his breath about it being too long but still nodded. Jinyoung leaned in, giving him one last kiss before spreading his fully healed wings and flying back to Heaven.