#🍾 jisung.txt | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

welcome-to-maniac · 2 months

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MANIAC – Fools

Something feels different when Jisung wakes up that morning; everything’s bigger, he feels smaller, and his heartbeat is going a mile a minute. Well, in a more literal sense this time. But he’s got things to do today, so pondering on whatever’s going on with him can come later. He yawns, scampering around the new expanse of his bed and that’s when he sees it in the mirror for the first time. There’s a squirrel in his bed.

A squirrel. He tilts his head, the shock rendering him silently confused, and the squirrel’s head moves as well.

That’s… him. He is the squirrel.

Stuck between screaming in shock and wanting to know how the hell this happened, Jisung wrings his hands— paws together, anxiety seeping into his veins by the second. How is he supposed to get back to normal? He has work later, he promised to help Hyunjin buy more things for Doodle – the newest furry addition to their duplex apartment – and he can’t do any of that when he lacks apposable thumbs and a human body.

Hyunjin should still be home though, right? Right.

Making the perilous journey of jumping down his bed – god, was it always this high up? – Jisung scampers through the gap in his bedroom door and tries his best to navigate the now imposing walls of his home. Conveniently enough, his new squirrel body comes with a stronger sense of smell, and the smell of paint attacks his senses the moment he walks past the right door. But trying to push the door open is achieving nothing, and Jisung isn’t exactly eager to hear his flatmate gripe on about any damage he could do with his teeth.

The door does open a moment later though, Doodle scurrying past him and Jisung looks up to meet Hyunjin’s eyes.

Except Hyunjin has ears. Ears just like Doodle’s.

What the hell is going on…?

“Jisung? Is, is that you?” And for a moment Hyunjin thinks he feels something of a connection. A mental link, where he hears Jisung’s relieved sigh and confirmation that yes, the squirrel at his feet is the pickpocket he lives with.

‘Do you smell fox? Because I smell fox, and I don’t think a squirrel and a fox are exactly supposed to be in the same environment…’ Jisung asks, Hyunjin relenting and picking the Squirrel up and onto his shoulder, the fur of the younger man’s- hybrid’s? – tail ticking the expanse of his neck. And it makes sense, when the bartender thinks about it, but the idea of some random fox existing in his house is concerning enough as is. But if he’s been turned into some ferret-hybrid thing, and Jisung’s a squirrel-hybrid (hypothetically), a fox in his apartment can really only mean one thing.

If his perception is correct, that is.

Taking tentative steps towards the door of their resident youngest, Hyunjin knocks on the door. Once. Twice. The door opens, and a satisfied smile finds its way onto his face when he’s greeted with Jeongin, stroking a familiar – yet not that familiar – tail and sporting two large beige fox ears. Before the squirrel on his shoulder can run off, Hyunjin pulls Jisung off of him, letting the somewhat younger man tentatively make his way over.

“Hyung, is that you?”

‘Yes, yes it’s me! Please tell me you know what the hell is going on— and where is Chan hyung?’ Jisung replies, taking advantage of his new proportions to explore the younger man’s room while the other two talk amongst themselves and Jeongin lets his new tail be preened by their resident ferret hybrid. ‘Did he say he was going anywhere?’

“Think he’s with the other hyungs, he had a VIP night with Seungmin hyung… hopefully they’re faring better than us.”

And that could not be any further from the truth.

Being able to somewhat understand Minho’s cats is a strange experience, Felix realises, as his mind fine-tunes to Sooni in his lap calming him down from the panic coursing through his system from earlier that morning. He has fur on his head. White fur, cat ears, and a tail. Worst is, it doesn’t even feel unnatural, as though he’s always had cat features, seemingly gaslighting himself because there is no way in hell that having a tail that’s been curling and un-curling in tune with his mental state is something he’s ever been used to—

Oh. Right. Last October, where he turned into a god forsaken Naga.

“This has to be a fucking joke…”

Only it’s definitely not a joke, because seconds later, a golden retriever pushes its way inside, only for Seungmin to unceremoniously face plant on to the Australian’s bed. Seungmin, of course, sporting the same set of ears and tail as the golden retriever. It makes Felix laugh, the amusement of the visual overweighing the sheer scale of the situation. He still needs to understand how on earth all of this has happened.

Letting Sooni go once he’s feeling reasonably better, Felix reaches over to Seungmin in his curiosity and pets the other man’s ears. The effect is immediate, the retriever hybrid sinking further into the plush duvet in relaxation, tail gently wagging in response to Felix’s ministrations. It’s fascinating and Felix doesn’t let up, hauling the brunet up onto his bed properly so he can card his fingers through the fur of Seungmin’s tail.

Until he realises what the hell he’s doing and freezes.

“…why’d you stop?” Seungmin mumbles, lifting his head and meeting his flatmate’s eyes. “That was nice…”

“Mate, you were a golden retriever like, five minutes ago— that’s not concerning? At all?” And Seungmin just shrugs, too tired to give the gravity of the situation the attention it likely deserves. He had a long night, becoming part-dog or whatever isn’t his highest priority when all he really wants to do, is sleep for the next twelve hours.

But Felix is insistent on solving this mystery, and the server groans as he’s dragged by hand out of Felix’s bedroom and into the living room, a wolf, bunny and…large cat all sleeping in a pile together. Okay, maybe now he’s going to take this seriously, because what? His ears drop – drop? – and Seungmin taps the cat, less than eager to interact with the grey wolf in his home.

‘…fuck you want— Seungmin? Good morning…’

And he can hear the cat, no, Minho’s voice in his head. He turns to Felix, and the look on the cat-hybrid’s face means that he’s not the only one hearing this. God, what did he drink last night? Someone’s phone buzzes, and Seungmin goes over to take a look. Oh goody, it’s from his employer in the bar’s group chat, an annoyingly ominous text on the lockscreen.

Happy April Fool’s day, everyone.

“This is going to be a long, fucking day…”

#🥂hyunjin.txt #🥃 minho.txt #🍹 jeongin.txt #🍷 felix.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #🍸 seungmin.txt #🍻 changbin.txt #🍺 chan.txt #📖 story.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 2 months

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...update no.067

🍺. Good weather, food and the sea? Best two day trip we've had in a while if you ask me *he laughs* though my shirt and tail smell now like Sprite...

🍷. It took me an hour to wash it out of my fur! Kim Seungmin! *his tail bristles*

🍸. Worth it~ *he cackles, high-fiving Jeongin* you all watched me shake the damn thing too, what happened to all those fine-tuned~ instincts?

🍻. Seungmin's been pretty cheerful lately~ *he chuckles*

🥃. What? You want him to start brooding all over again? I'll take him being a brat over that dramatic act any day *he stretches* that time in the sun was good, think I might go and take a nap later

🍾. I~ think it's because Minnie's finally accepted how he feels about a certain someone~ *he raises his brows knowingly* it only took months of denial~ *he snickers, shifting and avoiding Seungmin's jab by hiding in Minho's jacket*

🍹. Hehehe hiding from the big bad golden retriever? *he yips, poking Jisung* I'd kill to get back in the water, it was so good~

🥂. Count me in~ I've got sand in my ears, it's all itchy *he runs a hand through his hair* which is a downright shame because it takes far too long to make my ferret coat look good

#🍺 chan.txt #🍷 felix.txt #🍸 seungmin.txt #🍻 changbin.txt #🥃 minho.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #🍹 jeongin.txt #🥂hyunjin.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 4 months

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... update no.065

🍹. Hyung's a very good actor~ very convincing *snickers*

🥃. ...*squints* you know I don't sound like this when I'm drunk

🍾. I don't know hyung, sounded pretty realistic when we were on air~ you sure that isn't what you're actually like~?

🥃. *sighs, then scoffs* you wanna know who I was impersonating?

🍹/🍾. *very™️ interested* go on~?

🥃. That idiot *points over in Changbin's direction*

🍻. Why me?!

#🍹 jeongin.txt #🥃 minho.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #🍻 changbin.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 3 months

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Tease Tuesday — Chan

🍺. Last night's event~ it was pretty warm under the lights, i didn't think they'd like seeing me in a vest

🥂. Chan hyung~ if I could...? *he chuckles* you are a sexy man, Christopher Banhg~

🍾. *double take* yeah uh huh I second the motion of doing whatever Hyunjin was 'boutta say, damn hyung~

🍺. *laughs, shaking his head* thanks you too~... I think?

#🍺 chan.txt #🥂hyunjin.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #— tease tuesday.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 5 months

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... update no.064

🍷. I don't know nor care what you lot think, but I'm paying that videographer double, look at us! *he laughs*

🍾. We look fucking awesome, that's what~ *latches onto Jeongin* firey little fox with his pyronetic special effects, huh? Making everything look all cool and shit~

🍹. *smug* never underestimate the power of good fire effects~ *rolls his shoulder* but my arm's a little stiff now, I need a massage~

🥂. Don't look at me, I'm just about ready to sleep~ I don't think we stopped moving for at least a good hour-!

🍻. Seconded *he groans, laughing* Seungmin better not have booked in any more performances or I'm gonna toss him

🍸. Hey! We all enjoyed it and you know it! *he shoves Changbin lightly* but yeah... I'm beat. That's enough exercise for the rest of the month

🥃. Worth it though... I'm going to sleep this off *already dozing off, a heat patch on his neck*

🍺. And I thought I was the old man *he snickers* but a nap does sound good, there's too much adrenaline in my system

#🍷 felix.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #🍹 jeongin.txt #🥂hyunjin.txt #🍸 seungmin.txt #🍻 changbin.txt #🥃 minho.txt #🍺 chan.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 4 months

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Freaky Friday — Seungmin

🍸. Okay, maybe listening to Jisung's ideas is a good idea *chuckles*

🍾. And what was~ my brilliant idea, Kim Seungmin? *he smiles, very smug*

🍸. *he rolls his eyes* to get on stage during my shift. It was fun, though, so fair play

#🍸 seungmin.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #— freaky friday.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 8 months

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Changes pt1 – MANIAC

A/n: Spooky month is here so maniac is looking a little different! I'll explain the changes a little more in a different post, but here's pt1! Also; Chan = Lycan, Minho/Seungmin = Vampires, Changbin = Dragon, Hyunjin = Siren, Jisung = Wyvern, Felix = Naga, Jeongin = Yako Kitsune

Hosting the other half of Maniac for Saturday night ‘wind-downs’ is something Minho and Changbin are in charge of, the Lee duplex apartment big enough for all eight of them to hang out in. It’s fun, and the perfect distraction from whatever hire gig they’ll have on Sunday. Jisung brings the drinks, Minho and Felix are cooking, and Hyunjin and the others choose the aesthetic and movies for the night.

It's domestic, in a way.

Though, whatever happened last night now leaves the eight men strewn across the apartment, looking very different. Jeongin is the first to wake up, too hungover to notice anything as he stumbles his way to the bathroom, narrowly avoiding the tail on the floor as he walks over everyone else. A tail? The young bartender pauses in between washing the sleep from his face, eyes squinting as he looks back towards the living room from behind the door. And then he takes an actual look in the mirror, and he screams.

“Whatthefuckwhatthe— HYUNG!” Jeongin calls out in a panic, too freaked out by the reflection in the mirror to actually call out anyone’s name. There are fox ears on his head, and his regular, very human, ears are nowhere to be seen. They’re moving too, completely in tune with his freak-out, and they pin down to his head when Changbin bursts in, concern across the older man’s face.

Except, apparently Jeongin isn’t the only one who’s changed overnight.

“Hey, you alright? What’s going—,” Changbin’s words die in his throat as he sees the cause of Jeongin’s screams, zeroing on the bushy set of tails. “okay…this is fucking weird.”

“Right?!” And then Jeongin sees the tails as they wrap around his legs, and he barely remembers how Changbin clearly isn’t human either. “This must be a fucking dream…”

“That we’re all having? At once?”

“Hyung, you should really look at yourself first…”

It’s a sight as the eight of them gather around the open-plan living room, panic and curiosity blending as everyone inspects each other. Jisung and Changbin compare their features, Hyunjin mourns the loss of his trousers as he flexes his tail, Felix curls in on himself in a failing attempt at ignoring the situation, Chan and Minho are trying to cope while the two youngest sit on the sofa in relatively quiet shock.

It's Jisung who speaks up above the chaos.

“Before anyone tries to kill me…” all seven pairs of eyes watch him, “Boss may have given those drinks to me personally.”

“They did this?!” The collective wince, their usual volume now too loud for their enhanced hearing. Jisung exhales, looks over everyone, and then tilts his head when he sees Chan.

“As far as I know…we’re all some kind of mythical creature— but Chan hyung looks fine?” The man in question shrugs, but then he feels something change, and suddenly everyone’s eyes are on him. It’s disconcerting, and he walks ever so carefully to the closest wall mirror.

There’s a wolf staring back at him. A large, five-foot something wolf staring back at him in the mirror. He whines.

“Oh for heaven’s sake,” Minho groans, nearly tripping over himself when he makes it over to Chan so fast there’s a genuine gust of wind around him. Curious, he takes a look in the mirror as well while he’s trying to comfort Chan, squinting at the greyish tint under his skin and the red in his eyes. He blinks, and Seungmin’s there too; whatever he is, Seungmin is too.

“Let’s just call them, panicking in my living room isn’t helping any of us.”

#🍺 chan.txt #🥃 minho.txt #🍻 changbin.txt #🥂hyunjin.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #🍷 felix.txt #🍸 seungmin.txt #🍹 jeongin.txt #📖 story.txt #maniac; halloween special

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welcome-to-maniac · 5 months

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Freaky Friday — HyunSung

🍾. *sighs, laughing* Sam Hwang you are a bad~ influence

🥂. Me?! *scoffs* you're the one who invited me out~ Mr 'Just One Last Heist Before The End Of The Year'

🍾. But are you or are you not having fun, you bastard?

🥂. Of course I am, you piece of shit *he laughs* the jewellery auction, yeah?

🍾. Bingo~ there's a British Victorian broach going for sale, I want it~

🥂. Fucking hell, hyung was right, you really are a magpie

#🍾 jisung.txt #🥂hyunjin.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 6 months

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Sexy Saturday — Changbin

🍻. For the last time Sung-ah, no! *he laughs, swatting Jisung away*

🍾. Oh, c'mon! All I ask is one headlock~ just a quick one~ you've been bulking, it'd be a shame not to see those guns in action

🍻. *sighs* why are you like this? Fine! I'll do it, you brat *he grumbles* but after work

#🍻 changbin.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #— sexy saturday.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 6 months

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... breakroom bullshit

🍾. Oho~ Mr Yang~ aren't you the charmer?

🍹. Oh hush *he laughs* you know how I feel about it

🍾. Yeah yeah~ *he hums, patting his shoulder* quite the romantic~

🍹. Hyung! *flustered*

#🍾 jisung.txt #🍹 jeongin.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 7 months

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Tease Tuesday — MANIAC

🍾. Last heist with these powers! *he laughs, rifling through his loot bag* ooo~ a pocket watch!

🥃. Still a fucking magpie *he rolls his eyes* I'm just glad I don't have to drink more rabbit's blood...

🍸. Seconded *he groans, massaging his shoulder*

🍹. Speak for yourselves— I have fire powers! And nine tails! I'm gonna be so bored tomorrow *he whines, ears drooping*

🥂. *ruffles Jeongin's hair* I'm with Innie, I like being a siren~ I've never heard people scream for me before~

🍻. Maybe we'll get these next year? I know I wanna be a dragon again

🍺. Being a lycan isn't so bad *he shrugs*

🍷. My only complaint iss the consstant hissing otherwise I kinda like this~

#🍾 jisung.txt #🥃 minho.txt #🍸 seungmin.txt #🍹 jeongin.txt #🥂hyunjin.txt #🍻 changbin.txt #🍺 chan.txt #🍷 felix.txt

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welcome-to-maniac · 1 year

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MANIAC – Recon

tw for; murder, strangling, arson, cage-fighting ig, severe injury, Minho is unconscious

“Don’t return until the hybrid has been retrieved and that venue is burned to the ground.” Their Boss’ words are clear as they hand out weaponry and earpieces to the five men standing outside the now shut doors of MANIAC. The plan was simple in theory; grab AJ, destroy the underground fighting ring. But nothing surrounding the bar, the owner and its staff was ever simple.

“Stay alive, you lot.” A promising smile, and an outstretched hand. For all their mystery, the owner has their own reasons for staging a recon for Jeongin’s boyfriend, rather than ignoring it in favour of running the – very successful – bar. And Jeongin is well aware.

“You got it Boss; thank you.”

The minivan is largely quiet, par the radio, the five all occupied with one thing or the other; Jisung resting his feet on the dashboard of the vehicle while he stares outside the window, Felix keeping an eye on the supplies they were going to be using to get in (namely, passes for the ‘event’ and vials of poisons) and watching the road from behind Minho’s spot in the driver’s seat. The other two are in their own world much the same, Hyunjin listening to Jeongin’s plans to douse the venue in question in gasoline. He’s done it before, with promising results, and his usual dealer promised to drop off several barrels of the stuff.

It’s approaching sunset, and Jeongin wants to paint the sky in oranges and reds.

The vehicle comes to a sudden stop and laughs echo when Jisung all but screams in shock, a pout of feigned hurt on his face as he gets himself upright. Seconds later, Jisung now sitting upright like a regular human being, in Hyunjin’s humble opinion, Felix hands out the passes and four other vials he had been protecting.

“What are we playing with this time Lix~?” Hyunjin hums, turning the vial in his hand and pocketing it. Felix has changed so much from the beacon of innocence he first saw him as, and something in Hyunjin’s heart warms as he listens to Felix talk about what they all do with a fire in his eyes.

He was Dr Frankenstein, and Felix was his perfect little monster.

“Tetrodotoxin~ I put them in syringe vials, and this is some expensive shit, so only use it when you really have to, aight?” Felix instructs, the Australian accent peeking through the end of his sentence. He’s shelled out a few grand for each vial, and if it gets wasted Felix can’t say who he’s going to hurt (Jisung) in compensation. It was his money on the line, after all.

Jeongin and Hyunjin are the first to split up and set themselves up; Hyunjin finding a vantage point on an abandoned building opposite the venue, a perfect line of sight for his first few targets. With some well-placed shots, the ‘bartender’ could be in and out with plenty of time to scout the building before the youngest ultimately sends it all up in smoke. Watching Jeongin slip inside from his spot, Hyunjin sets his sights on the first of the many organisers and official looking people on his hitlist tonight.

That’s it, turn around so I can see that pretty face.

A push on the trigger. The effect is immediate, and the smirk grows on Hyunjin’s face like it was always meant to be there. Too easy. Clean up will come later, preferably from the fire that already has Hyunjin warming up at the thought. They could even make some twisted version of campfire roasted marshmallows if they find a convenience store open at this time. The hum of thanks from Jisung rings in his ear and Hyunjin watches as the vandal starts making his way into the back rooms. A helpful little source gave them a floorplan, and the five have committed it to memory lest they get lost.

“Your turn darling~” A sigh. A loving sigh.

“I’m boutta start calling you Sam again if you call me darling one more time Jin-ah…” Felix chuckles, putting his phone to his ear to mask the earpiece sitting just behind it.

“You should. I like hearing you call me Sam.” Another sigh. Hyunjin knows he’s pushing it, but his English name just sounded that much better coming from Felix. Everything sounds so much better coming from Felix.

“Fine; but just this once,” the Aussie knows it won’t be the last time. It never is. “You see the guy taking our passes, Sam? Take him out the second I get inside. We need some chaos to distract the audiences.”

Fire once Lix is inside; easy enough.

“Oh Bbokkie, I could listen to you talk like that for ever – fuck, you’re my perfect little monster.”

The conversation dies after that, and Hyunjin gets into position, his mind running with more than just the sightline his rifle is giving him of the bouncer checking the passes. Felix isn’t too far behind, a handful of people ahead of the raven. The line keeps moving, and the movie reel in Hyunjin’s head gets louder, more vivid, and Hyunjin can remember that night perfectly.

Four people left.

Sam waits at the top of the building. Yongbok’s been the best thing this messed up world has blessed him with. A ray of sunshine in a world of sin. Ready to be corrupted. Ready to be moulded.

Three people left.

“It’s gorgeous, isn’t it Yongbokkie? The world at your feet.” Sam hums, leaning against the wall as Yongbok stares at Gangnam’s night view. He could show Yongbok the world; give him the world. All he needs is for Yongbok to do this one thing for him.

“Beautiful, Sam…You just want to fall right in.”

Two people left.

“Would you fall? Fall for me?” Sam’s voice was sin; dripping with honey and hidden promises of something more if Yongbok just gives in. Gives in to the warm touch on his cheek that the Australian is subconsciously leaning into. His back is to the edge of the roof. He’d fall if he took a step backwards. Fall twenty-five feet to the concrete below.

Maybe it won’t be so bad. “I’d fall for you, Sam. I’d fall of this building for you.”

One more.

A hand on his chest. Sam stares at him with an intensity he’s never seen before and maybe Yongbok doesn’t hate it. Doesn’t hate that his life is now in the Devil’s hands.

The Devil always was God’s favourite.

“I’ll tell you a secret, Yongbokkie, do you want to hear it?” Fuck, the way Sam says his name…there isn’t a breath in his throat anymore. So he nods; eager and desperate.

“Yes— please…” Sam leans in and Yongbok listens intently. His chest is tight with anticipation.

“My name is Hyunjin.”

And Yongbok falls. He falls all twenty-five feet to the ground below, and Hyunjin is there, falling after him.

The shot is clean; right between the eyes just like Boss taught him. He hears Felix’s laugh at the commotion happening below and that’s the sniper’s cue to get off the roof and pick his second position. The roof was grimy anyway – what a waste of architecture that never gets to see the light of completion.

Minho’s the last one to go in, pocketing the pass in his hand and sliding in through the panic. If someone asks to the see the pass, he’ll have it on hand; for now, it’s useless. The venue is somewhere he’s never been before, but everything is all too familiar. Too real now that he’s inside and can hear the sounds of fighters getting ready. Even without the map committed to memory, Minho will probably be able to find the arena with little difficulty.

This was his life too, at one point. Fighting to earn a coin before retreating to your room – or worse, some place on the streets – to lick your wounds if you made it out alive.

His chest seizes as he hears the sound of the MC, the stars in his pocket glowing warmth in the coldness of his environment. The former fighter palms over the pendent; reminders. Reminders that his family – his new one – are waiting for him to come home safe. His surroundings start to slip away, however, as he looks down at his hands and sees eighteen-year-old Minho’s hands staring right back at him.

He's back there.

His hands are bloody now, shaking as he looks up and sees a dead man laying across from him. Minho doesn’t mean to kill him, but he’s young and they promised to give him an extra portion of food and few extra bills of cash if he wins tonight. It’s someone’s brother, his mind remembers; Kim Jun-something. A twenty-two year old with enough luxury to live in the venue with his younger brother.

He killed him. He’s a murderer, at eighteen. He’s not even an adult yet.

The ringing in his head gets louder. And louder. And louder—

“What’s this, everyone? The ace himself, Lee Know has returned!” Blinking, Minho’s confused; how do they know the alias he used? And then he sees it; he’s in the cage, and the doors are shut. Felix is in the corner of his eye, and Minho can hear him saying that Sung is gonna cut the lights, distract them for a bit. Sorry hyung, but we gotta improvise.

“I don’t fight any—” He doesn’t get to finish his sentence when pain blooms against his ribs, his opponent intent on causing as much damage as possible right off the bat. It stings, and Minho feels several shards. He checks his jacket, ducking from his opponent and his face falls.

They’re broken.

There’s nothing left to lose, and Minho throws his jacket to the side and lunges. If playing along and cage-fighting will give the kids enough time to get stuff done, then so be it. Cage-fighting is dirty, so he plays dirty; the butterfly-knife he keeps in his boot is brought out and Minho wastes no time in dealing with opponent after opponent, the rhythm returning to him much like bike riding.

He’s winded by the time the lights finally go out, only just managing to find his jacket and run out as the cage door is no longer electronically sealed.

Never again.

“Hello again, Lee Know hyung.”

Jeongin has been running ever since he set foot inside the arena, searching and searching for any sign of AJ in the halls of dorm rooms. He sticks out like a sore thumb; skin unmarred and well-fitting clothes. He’s heard stories from Minho about what his hyung used to do to earn money, and as much as he’s glad Minho isn’t in that position, that position is exactly where AJ has been forced into.

Using the wall to stop his momentum, Jeongin freezes. He hears whimpers, and he swears he saw something familiar in the corner of his eye. His heart drops. Kicking the door out of the way and ignoring the looks from the other people in the room.

AJ wasn’t…were they? No, no, they couldn’t have been.

The lights go out as he’s searching AJ for any injuries and he curses, bringing out a lighter to continue when he’s pulled onto his feet and spun around so fast he nearly gets whiplash. It’s a tough-looking thug, someone who would have easily scared Jeongin if he wasn’t hellbent on saving his boyfriend.

“The hybrid’s mine kid, fuck off before I beat you with your own ribs.” Jeongin laughs. He laughs, switching on his earpiece and letting his hyungs in on the conversation he’s having. It’s Jisung who picks up, and Jeongin knows he can stall for at least a good five minutes.

He’ll have to sacrifice one of his good lighters, Jeongin realises, as he watches the beefy thug walk up to him; the height difference isn’t too substantial, and the arsonist bites back a crafty grin as he spots a cotton thread. A necklace.

“Take one more step big boy and I’ll make a barbeque out of your neck.” Jeongin hums, yanking the bigger man to eye level and flicking the lighter dangerously close to his ear, the roar of the flame that much louder grazing the thug’s ear. There’s a look in Jeongin’s eyes as the words leave his mouth – he knows this – and it screams of a crazed sincerity.

It’s unnerving.

“Fuck man, I’ll leave you and the— sorry, your boyfriend alone. Just get out before the guards see you.” Just to reiterate his point, Jeongin sears the cotton thread off, singing the thug’s neck and leaving a grown man yowling in pain as he works on picking his boyfriend up, sneaking him out of the building.

He throws the minivan door open and bundles his boyfriend in thick coats and a blanket, kissing their forehead and sighing in relief. AJ was safe now.

“Hyungs, I’ve got him. Ransack it before I send it up in smoke.”

Jisung chuckles as he approaches the room Jeongin was in not that long ago, the same look in his eye. What he lacks in physical height he makes up for in strength and force of presence, however, as he ransacks the room and aims his bat at anything worth smashing. Pocketing anything of value to pawn off later, he does the same to any other open rooms he comes across, leaving a trail of Jisung-shaped destruction in his wake.

He meets Felix and Hyunjin at the offices, both men beat up with guards lying dead at their feet. There’s a few bruises on the pair of them, but it looks like Hyunjin got the worse deal – a gash on the taller man’s arm.

“Did I seriously miss the fun, again?!” He whines, much to the amusement of the other two as he kicks in the door and nearly screams because, yes the door is open, but fuck did he just snap his ankle doing it? Either way, the door is open, and the trio spend little time going through every safe and computer they can see, stealing an unused duffle bag to stash any wrapped up bills of cash.

“Has anyone heard from Minho hyung?” Jeongin asks.

The room freezes. Three pairs of eyes ask silent questions as Jisung dashes out of the room, swearing under his breath as he tries to remember the last time they collectively heard Minho say anything since he mentioned heading into the arena.

The arena. Minho is at the arena.

Minho can faintly smell gasoline as the hand on his throat squeezes tighter, his head spinning. Jeongin must have start spraying the gasoline, his mind tries to tell him, but all he can focus on is that he’s currently being strangled against the wall of the arena, and his assailant knows him enough to call him hyung.

“Look I— fuck, I don’t know how you know me, but you’ve got to let go.” Bad idea. The hand gets tighter, and through the white noise in his ears, Minho hears it.

“You remember Kim Junseok, don’t you hyung? My brother?”

His ribs are already battered and bruised, and Minho’s sure he’s sprained something, but the name brings back years of suppressed memories and suddenly the bartender can recognise who’s hellbent on killing him. It’s Junhyeong. His first victim’s younger brother. The look of recognition on his face must shine like a neon sign, because Junhyeong laughs. He laughs and tightens the grip on Minho’s neck even more. It’s going to leave bruises – if he makes it out alive, that is.

Minho’s phone isn’t in his pocket, likely dropped somewhere he can’t remember as he flails to try and pry the fingers away from his neck, black spots dancing in the corners of his vision. He needs to get Junhyeong’s hands off of him soon, or he’s going to be out cold. Permanently, if the expression on Junhyeong’s face is anything to go by.

Then he hears plastic. Plastic zip-ties.

“Let’s get this fucking thing off first hyung…” Junhyeong reaches for the necklace, and Minho panics. His pleads fall on deaf ears as the pendant is crushed under Junhyeong’s boot, the bartender’s heart breaking along with it. It spurs on the last of his adrenaline, however, as Minho reaches for the tetrodotoxin syringe in his back pocket, silently grateful that it’s remained intact.

He plunges the needle into Junhyeong’s neck, ripping it out and wincing at the spray of blood as he tries to pry the zip-ties off. Sorry kid…at least you’ll see your brother again.

He can’t get it off in time, and he slumps against the wall as his mind registers the smallest hints of footsteps.

Jisung nearly cries in relief when he finds Minho, texting on the older man’s phone to Jooheon, rambling as he relays what he’s seeing for himself. And then he sees the zip-ties and Jisung has to scramble to remove them because how long has Minho been without oxygen? He pockets the broken pendant too, hauling Minho into his arms bridal style and booking it as fast as he can out of the venue because they all need to leave now.

“Jisung hyung—! Is— is Minho hyung..?”

“Just about alive!” Jeongin relaxes almost immediately. AJ is safe, and no one is dead. Throwing the rest of the nearly-empty gasoline barrels towards the building, the arsonist stares at his good lighter. A lighter shaped like a deck of cards. There will be others, he reminds himself, as he throws it as hard as he can and watches the flames start to engulf the venue, the inmates and struggling fighters left inside no longer his concern.

It's as beautiful as he imagined it.

Felix nearly passes out as he drives them all back home, dizzy from the after effects of the adrenaline rush and a job well done.

“I can’t wait to get some good fucking sleep.” Hyunjin groans. They laugh, tired, beaten, some unconscious, but alive. They all need sleep after this.

Perhaps a hospital.

#🍹 jeongin.txt #🥂hyunjin.txt #🥃 minho.txt #🍷 felix.txt #🍾 jisung.txt #💼bar owner.txt #📖 story.txt

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