Archive of Our Own

Peripeteia
noun [per-uh-pi-tahy-uh, -tee-uh]
a sudden and unexpected change of fortune or reverse of circumstances

🏛️🏛️🏛️

It's unheard of really. A deity using a scrying mirror.

But then again, Jongdae has always been a little different. But living as a celestial being meant that he has too much time on his hands.

Far too much to know what to do with it.

With the blood of both Zeus and Ares flowing within his veins, he has lived centuries of his life as a customary tool of war, always starting and ending trouble in the battlefield. On the days he can’t be bothered, he transforms into a crow, hovering and finding entertainment in humans' bloodlust. And then there are times where he does more, influencing the outcome of the battle, lying, and manipulating humans, all to make sure that everything is in accordance with the Pantheon’s plan. 

But over time, humanity has evolved and progressed, and the necessity of warfare has started dwindling in some parts of human civilization. The allure of slaughter and savagery had eventually faded. War and conflict had been Jongdae's expertise, he had reveled in bloodshed and violence, but his weary soul has come to embrace peace and the hope it gave to humanity. 

Starting chaos had begun to lose its appeal.

But turning his back from his original nature is not without its side effects. His life has shifted so much, he has almost lost his footing. The abrupt change in his lifestyle has left Jongdae hollow and lonely, and even indulging in carnal pleasures can only distract him for so long. 

It's how he finds himself back in Mount Olympus, inside the Room of Forbidden Artifacts— where his newest form of entertainment, Scrying Mirror of the Black Witch, is hidden. 

The scrying mirror is an amusing little thing, for it indulges Jongdae with innumerable visions from different planes of existence. It’s so different from what he knows about the art of divination. He’d had lovers in the past who came from powerful covens and specialized in the art of seeing, but as far as Jongdae can remember, he had only witnessed vague symbols reflected in whatever medium his lover had used. He doesn’t know that any vivid visions can appear, nor does he know that he can navigate through them freely, especially since he hardly knows anything about divination. 

Nevertheless, the mirror is the tool that piqued Jongdae’s interest in the human race. Far from the barbaric, delicate, and miserable creatures he's seen during wars, the mirror shows different facets of humans. It kept Jongdae intrigued, he'd always wonder what he would see next.

And so every day Jongdae spends hours of his time watching people. He has watched so many humans come and go, he’s watched how people dealt with rejection, with agony, with violence. 

As cliche as it is, the stories that became his favorites are about heartbreak, hope, and love. 

The thought of love often makes Jongdae’s head spin. He has never experienced love before, and he’s not sure if he even wants to. It’s such a complex emotion, and based on the many stories of people’s heartbreak, he doesn’t know if he’s capable of feeling something so perplexing.

Even so, it’s one of the many things that enthralls him, how humans have this innate resilience in them to move on with their lives despite how dark their history has been. 

Despite this, Jongdae has always kept everything at arms’ length. He makes efforts to be detached, no matter how heart-wrenching or funny people have been. Kyungsoo, the keeper of the artifacts, has always reminded him that a human’s existence is fleeting, and a God, such as himself, will experience nothing but misfortune and catastrophe the moment he emotionally tethers himself to their existence.

On most days, he skips around different timelines and universes to stave off the tediousness, much like how he has seen humans flipping television channels in their magical boxes.

Except, one day, Kyungsoo points something out. 

"What is so interesting about this human? His life isn’t anything special."

On days when the caretaker isn’t busy, he joins Jongdae, if only to pass the time and engage in small talk once in a while. So it isn’t strange that Kyungsoo would offer his thoughts on whatever it is that captures Jongdae’s interest that day. 

Maybe it's because this specific human has been a regular occurrence, and the simple comment finally makes Jongdae realize that he’s been watching a young man living in Seoul, South Korea for months now. 

It's odd, it wasn’t really intentional that he's started dwelling in the 21st-century timeline a lot more often now. But bit by bit, he's centered his attention on one particular human in this specific time frame.

In the grand scheme of things, there is nothing really remarkable about this young man, his oldest known ancestors were nothing but simple merchants back in the day. 

Jongdae had even consulted the stars, but he isn’t even someone that's destined for greatness. He has seen so many others whose fate is much more significant, ones who will invent the cure for cancer, ones who will dismantle the system fostering inequality and corruption. But there’s just something about this human that always keeps Jongdae’s attention fixed on the mirror. 

It’s in the way the human carries himself, or maybe it’s in his lopsided smile and eyebrows. He's always so diligent and hardworking, pouring 200% of himself into everything that he does. He’s brilliant, clever, and so very loyal to the people he cares about. There's something so serene and beautiful about how he grew up in such a loving household, where he was cherished, loved, and adored. Jongdae is utterly engrossed in watching as the human learns everything about the world, and then there are times where he’d hold his breath when life proved itself to be a lot more cruel and disconcerting outside the human’s comfort zone. On the days when the human keeps experiencing one heartbreak and disappointment after another, Jongdae longs to be the one wiping the tears streaming down the human’s face.

Slowly, Jongdae starts coveting anything that’s about this human. He rewinds the time inside the mirror, trying to look for the very beginning of his existence. He goes through different timelines just to watch his ancestors, just to witness how the human came to be. 

The human has started to become the first thought in Jongdae’s mind the moment he opens his eyes, and he is also his last before his slumber. He often thinks about the innocence and delight in his eyes, the strength in his character, the friendships he bound himself in, and his devotion to his parents. Jongdae treasures the gentleness in his voice, and he often daydreams about the softness of his lips. 

If Jongdae had the chance to learn about this human’s deepest desires, he would move heaven and earth to make it happen.

Jongdae isn’t really sure if those feelings are something that humans describe as affection and love. All he knows is that he is nothing but a devotee of those eyes. 

🏛️🏛️🏛️

Cracks have started appearing around the mirror. 

It had been a subtle change, something that even a trained eye wouldn't have noticed at first glance unless they were looking for it. And Jongdae, for all his superior observational skills, had never paid any attention to the intricate details of the artifact when he started using it.

He was far too engaged in the visions it showed. 

So it catches him off guard when one day, the visions he's watching suddenly fade to black and the mirror becomes unresponsive. He tries to leave it alone after that, maybe he had used up all its stored magic and it will only work again after letting it rest for a few days. 

Surely he’ll be able to see his favorite human again after that.

When he finally hits two weeks of waiting, Jongdae starts consulting magical emissaries far and wide, but to no avail. In his desperation, Jongdae ends up begging Jongin, the liminal deity, to ask about the whereabouts of the Black Witch. If magical emissaries cannot help him, then perhaps the original owner would be able to help him.

“Does Kyungsoo know about this?” Jongin asks hesitantly after Jongdae finally explains his situation.

“You mean the fact that I use the mirror? Of course he does, he even watches with me sometimes!” 

“No—I mean, does he know about your dilemma? And that you want to contact the Black Witch?” 

Jongdae shakes his head, “I haven’t really told him, but I doubt he’d be mad. I’m actually trying to solve the problem that’s supposed to be his job as the keeper of the artifacts, so I’m sure he would even appreciate the efforts I’ve done."

“Well, if you say so…” Jongin finally relents. “But you have to be careful, Jongdae, I’ve heard rumors that the Black Witch has the blood of the trickster in her veins, and she particularly thrives on people’s misery.”

“I’ll be fine, Jongin,” Jongdae says confidently. “It's unlikely that I'll fall for simple tricks that easily.” 

And so are his famous last words. 

🏛️🏛️🏛️

Thanks to Jongin’s guidance, Jongdae finds out that the Black Witch is taking residence in the human world, specifically on an inhabited island in the middle of nowhere. 

Locating the island isn’t the hard part, since he experiences more difficulty in locating the exact cottage of the witch. A big part of the whole island is dominated by broad-leaved trees that form a dense upper canopy, blocking most of the natural sunlight, and the thick vegetation inside the forest makes it hard for him to navigate around the area. 

He finds the inconspicuous-looking cottage nestled back in the woods after walking in circles for hours. It has been so long since Jongdae stepped inside the mortal world, and the ‘trail’ that’s supposed to lead towards the cottage hasn’t been used for many years. 

But Jongdae notices that smoke is coming out from the cottage’s chimney and he knows that he’s on the right track. 

And so he confidently heads straight towards the front door and knocks.

Jongdae has no preconceived notions about the appearance of the witch when he knocks on the door, knowing far too well that witches, in general, are whimsical creatures that change their shell to whoever and whatever they fancy. But he isn’t really expecting to see a small child opening the door of the cottage after gently knocking. 

He supposes it’s part of the trickster blood flowing in her veins. People normally let their guards down more often when they interact with people that have no traces of malice in them and that’s probably how they get tricked in the first place.

The child smiles brightly upon seeing Jongdae, almost as if she were expecting his visit. It's Jongdae who's in for a surprise when the witch goes straight for it. 

“So, I believe my scrying mirror has finally met its demise,” she says matter-of-factly. “I can’t say I’m surprised, though. It’s been years since I cast a curse on it and it looks like it finally activated. Though I must say,” she trails off as she looks over Jongdae’s form and ceremonial robes, “I never would’ve expected that it would be a deity from Mount Olympus who’d arrive at my doorstep.”

The child smiles at him mischievously when Jongdae doesn’t speak. Then, before his very eyes, a cloud of mist appears, engulfing her whole body. When the mist vanishes, a tall young man with golden hair stands before him and any traces of the child have completely disappeared. 

Jongdae had never imagined that the Black Witch also took a male form, but it’s not like he can say anything about the matter. In the past, he liked to transform into a crow or a hawk when he was in the human world. Jongdae wonders if this is the witch’s true appearance, but he doesn’t dwell on it for too long, he doubts he’ll ever know.

The man is only slightly taller than him. He has a very youthful and innocent face, but Jongdae doesn’t miss the sharp, knowing look on his face, the same expression that Jongdae also saw in the child earlier. 

Somehow, it looks menacing in both forms.

“There, this form should be more comfortable for you. It must be unnerving to see a small child who knows your deepest, darkest desires. You must know that I like to be called Taemin and I’d appreciate it if you do. It is a pleasure to finally meet the most courageous war general of Mount Olympus in my humble abode.” 

After his short introduction, Taemin does an exaggerated curtsy that seems more patronizing than respectful, but Jongdae lets it slide. He understands that hierarchical standings among the Gods are trivial matters for other magical beings and it really wouldn’t do well to be hostile to the person he will ask a favor from.

“Now, won’t you care for some tea inside?” Taemin asks. “You’re making me look like a bad host.”

Jongdae follows Taemin inside, figuring it wouldn’t be so bad to stay for a while. The whole place looks exactly like any other witch's cottage that Jongdae had encountered before in the past. Hanging plants and vines are seen in every corner of the room, with wooden walls covered in numerous shelves, each containing either books or glass jars in different sizes and filled with both recognizable and unrecognizable items; like preserved animal bodies and even human body parts. 

Jongdae tries not to dwell on the latter detail.

Taemin pulls up a chair a few feet away from the metal cauldron in the middle of the room, beckoning Jongdae to sit comfortably. Jongdae sits on the offered stool and watches as Taemin gracefully flits around the room, gathering several ingredients from the shelves, pouring each in a timely manner inside the mysterious boiling mixture inside the cauldron.

“So, why don't you tell me your story?” Taemin begins as he drops three eyeballs in the cauldron. “I’d love a good story while I’m concocting an elixir for an old friend.” 

Jongdae looks at Taemin with a confused expression. “I thought you knew? You already knew why I was here in the first place.”

Taemin only shrugs. 

“Maybe I do, maybe I don't. But what I do know is that both of us have plenty of time to spare. I haven't had visitors in so long. I could use some entertainment.” 

And so Jongdae tells his story. He tells everything about himself, his life as a warrior, the war, and his life after that. He tells about his loneliness, his emptiness, and how he came across the mirror. It feels cathartic, to unload everything in his mind without the worry of being questioned. Gods sometimes make awful companions, the majority are often too egotistical or too condemning of anything that is below their level.

But Taemin is a stranger, and Jongdae doesn’t really care about any judgment that may come from him. He’s only glad that he is far from the judging deities that Jongdae associates himself with. 

So he tells every story he had observed in the mirror, the ones that he was fond of, and even the ones that broke his heart. 

And most especially, Jongdae tells Taemin about him. 

Jongdae’s human whose beauty could rival even the most alluring celestial beings, the human with sparkles in his eyes that look like they were directly plucked from the night sky itself, with his rich, melodious laugh that reminds Jongdae of the sirens’ voices echoing through the halls in Mount Olympus.

And finally, he talks about his yearning when the mirror had cracked, causing the visions to fade out, leaving him in the dark.

After Jongdae finishes his story, Taemin finally stops stirring the mixture inside the cauldron and looks at him. 

"Do you know why the mirror ended up in the Room of Forbidden Artifacts in the first place?" 

Jongdae considers the question. He knows that the majority of the artifacts are confiscated from the human world and are forcibly kept under Kyungsoo's care to avoid catastrophic events, and he suspects that the mirror might be a similar case. He doesn’t see how it can bring that much misfortune, though.

Taemin begins to explain as if he perfectly heard the words swirling in Jongdae’s head. “It’s normal that you wouldn’t understand. Tell me, oh mighty general, have you ever thought of what your future might be?"

Jongdae shakes his head. He'd rather not think about things that remain indefinite for someone like him.

Taemin lets out a short laugh, “The look on your face is already proof of my point.”

"How so?” Jongdae asks. 

"The concept of the future is frivolous for immortal beings like you and me. We have infinite time in our hands, we do not care if things don’t go the way we planned on the first try, we can just try over and over again. We could go on like nothing happened. Any event of failure is nothing but a blip in our existence. But mortals do not have the same luxury. Unlike us who view time as an illusion, for humans, time is a fundamental element of their reality. It flows, runs like a river. It gives them direction and order, to always move forward, one thing after another. Time, like their mortality, has duration, it consists of a quantifiable period of events. Their fates are bound through these fixed points in time that are destined to happen. 

"Now, imagine how dangerous it would be if a mortal had unlimited access to visions that can transcend through time. What if they had witnessed a vision that they do not agree with? They only have one lifetime ahead for them, and most would rather have a life the way they want to.”

Jongdae understands, he had plenty of experience with humans on the battlefield. 

It’s astonishing… how war makes monsters out of men, morality means nothing in the face of utter desperation. 

Taemin sighs. “Such scheming, conniving little creatures. They can be truly bothersome when they set their mind to it. It would drive me crazy to intervene every single time. That’s why I let my scrying be sealed away in Mount Olympus, a place no human could ever set foot in. But just to be sure, I also put a curse in the mirror, so that it can self-destruct when it senses that the current owner will finally see their own fate in the visions.”

Somehow, the explanation still doesn’t make sense to Jongdae.

“But I’m not a human and it’s not like I was appearing in the visions I’m watching,” Jongdae observes, trying to make sense of what Taemin had shared with him. “What does the curse have to do with me?”

A wry smile flashes on Taemin’s face as he puts more ingredients inside the cauldron. “That thing is made out of ancient magic and is centuries old. It wouldn’t surprise me if it began to possess a life of its own, one that is smart enough to make decisions for itself and one that especially feels vindictive towards Gods for that matter.”

Jongdae shouldn’t be too surprised that Taemin’s answer didn’t help him at all. At best, all he got were more questions and a hurl of insults. But Jongdae lets the snide remarks pass, it’s not the first time creatures have displayed resentment towards his kind. It’s not like they’re known for their kindness anyway.

“Does that mean you can't fix it anymore?”

Taemin tuts. “I'm afraid not.” 

Jongdae sighs in defeat, he had travelled so far only for everything to end up in naught. He feels distraught, there’s nothing to do in Mount Olympus once again.

Except, just as he was about to take his leave, Taemin speaks. 

“You know, instead of latching yourself over an old mirror, why don't you just try seeing him? You’re already in the human world anyway.” Taemin puts a lid on the cauldron and sets the fire on low. He heads over to the desk in front of his window, taking a tiny crystal ball from the desk. “Besides, I have a hunch that the reason why the mirror stopped responding is because it was about to reflect your involvement with this human of yours. Now, do you want to know where he is?”

Jongdae’s heart stops. “You mean—?”

“The fact that you’re here means that the fates have started to run their course. So, will you consider it?” 

Jongdae falters. It’s one thing to meddle in the human world as a war tool prophesied by the Pantheon, but it’s another to involve himself just because of his selfish desires. But he couldn’t deny the rush of excitement in his veins. He’s destined to see his human?

Noticing the hesitancy in Jongdae’s face, Taemin asks, “What? Are you not allowed to?” 

“No, we don't have any rules like that.”

Taemin quirks an eyebrow, “What’s stopping you, then?” 

Jongdae furrows his brows. “Why are you insisting on this?” 

“I just think it's intriguing,” Taemin truthfully answers, “that a simple human being can inspire such heretical devotion from the Pantheon's most faithful war general.”

Taemin brandished the shining crystal ball in his hands, "Now, won't you consider it again? Your very own angel is just only a few miles away and I bet he will be thrilled to meet you."

Overwhelmed by the excitement he feels in his skin, Jongdae misses the wicked glint in Taemin’s eyes, the very eyes belonging to the God of Mischief himself. 

🏛️🏛️🏛️

Given Taemin’s record, Jongdae shouldn’t have expected anything normal or comfortable for his exploration experience. This proves to be the truth the next day, when he wakes up in the middle of a busy road in Seoul with a human perched on some sort of black-colored land vehicle with a seat, two wheels, and two pedals barreling towards him at full speed. 

He really should be moving any second now, but Jongdae is too busy trying to understand why he saw tiny black paws where his limbs should be. It’s the first time he had ever been in a four-legged form, and proper leg coordination within the next three seconds is sort of like asking for a miracle at this point. 

Miraculously, the human riding the mysterious land vehicle saw him (despite the dark eyewear on his face), because he suddenly swerved lanes and crashed directly into the flowerbeds. 

Concerned for the human’s welfare (since it is sort of his fault), Jongdae rushes to where the human is. Still not used to moving in four limbs, Jongdae’s paws graze on several sharp rocks near the flowerbeds, but he pays it no mind, his focus is to check on the human. 

The human is lying on his back, with noticeable bruises and bloody scrapes on his elbows and knees. Jongdae scampers beside the human right after, trying to check if there are any more serious injuries that he should be worried about. 

Fucking Taemin, Jongdae hasn’t even been here for an hour yet. He could’ve at least made sure that Jongdae’s arrival would’ve gone smoothly. 

The helmet came off loose, but thankfully, it looks like the small hedge beside the flowers cushioned the impact. However, Jongdae finds himself unable to closely inspect any other injuries since the human’s face is still obscured by many different eccentric accessories. Aside from the dark eyewear that he noticed earlier, half of the human’s face is covered by some sort of black synthetic fabric. 

The beautifully sculpted nose bridge seems to stand out though, Jongdae thinks admiringly.

Despite the overwhelming urge to transform back into a creature with opposable thumbs, it really wouldn't do well for him to transform into a public park where anyone can witness his sudden transformation.

Jongdae just wants to observe his human inconspicuously so that his brothers from Mount Olympus wouldn’t interfere, not attract more attention than he wanted. 

There’s not much Jongdae can do in his form, so he decides to lick the exposed cheekbones of the human to get his attention, meowing softly as he does so. It might be more dangerous for him to lie still like this for long, and Jongdae isn’t taking any chances.

After a few minutes, the human finally begins moving. Slowly, the human raises his right arm and takes his eyewear off, turning sideways and trying to make sense of his surroundings. His pupils continue to dart around, until finally, a look of understanding passes through his eyes, as if remembering where he is. 

Jongdae breathes a sigh of relief, the human doesn’t seem into that much pain. 

The human lets out a long sigh before slowly sitting upright, careful not to touch the scrapes visible on his arms. Jongdae stares in awe as the human’s soft, brown, fringe falls just above his eyes, obscuring the sides of his forehead. It frames his whole face nicely, emphasizing how mesmerizing the eyes are. 

The human looks a bit worse for wear and his hair is in total disarray, but it does nothing to distract Jongdae from admiring how it looks flattering on the human. Even with the mask, Jongdae can tell that this is a beautiful man.

And then—the human finally takes his mask off and he sees him. 

It takes Jongdae by surprise, how easily he found his human. But he supposes it really shouldn’t, Taemin had a hand in this after all, and he has a funny way of showing his support. 

Jongdae shakes the thoughts of Taemin away, not when the apple of his eye is now in front of him. 

For all the visions that the mirror had shown, Jongdae thinks that it did no justice to his human’s beauty up close. He looks so soft and delicate, but with just one look at his well-proportioned shoulders and arms, his body also embodies formidable strength and power. He has eyes that sparkle brighter than any star he has seen, with plump, full lips that he is sure human poets would write numerous odes about. 

Up close, Jongdae could see the unique shape of his eyes, similar to the feline creatures that he knows many humans fawn over and that he's copied the form of. Somehow, there's a part of him that now understands their devotion. 

His human’s beauty deserves to be worshipped, and Jongdae knows he belongs in Mount Olympus. Along with the Gods that humans have endlessly built temples of and formed religions on. 

With him.

It seems like Jongdae unconsciously let out a soft meow when those alluring eyes settled on him, and a soft smile graces the human’s lips. 

“Hey there, little guy,” the human speaks as he angles his body to face Jongdae better, “you surprised me back there. Are you alright?”

The human holds out his hand as if to touch him, but hesitates just before he makes contact with Jongdae, hovering it nearby as if afraid that he would get bitten. 

That won’t do, Jongdae protests in his mind. He is seconds away from being caressed by the only being he is fond of at the moment, and he is not going to miss his chance. So he lifts his head, willing to make his eyes look bigger than it seems, staring piteously as he can at his human, and lets out a soft mewl. 

Looks like Jongdae had mastered the art of being a cat in those few seconds, because the human looked absolutely stricken after his little show, and he scrambles a little before reaching a hand out again towards where Jongdae’s head is. 

“I’m sorry if I spooked you earlier,” the human soothes as he strokes his head softly. “I didn’t notice you immediately. It’s like you appeared right in front of my eyes!” 

Jongdae is a little startled when he feels a hand slip under his body that lifts him up from the ground. He thrashes a little before he realizes that he’s held against the human’s firm chest. 

“Hey, it’s okay, I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to make sure you didn't get injured after that little accident.”

This human is a literal angel, Jongdae thinks as he looks up at the angelic face up close, whose eyes are too busy inspecting every part of his furry body for any sign of wounds. 

Jongdae is interrupted from his mooning when he hears a soft squeak, and he feels the human’s soft hands holding up his paw. 

“Oh, look at you! Your paws are hurt!”

It must’ve been the sharp rocks that Jongdae ran through earlier in his haste. It looks worse than it feels, but Jongdae knows he can’t really communicate that. Besides, he is enjoying the attention that the human is giving him, so he might as well do his part and be the pitiful cat that the human can dote on. Maybe he’ll even get more of those delightful head scratches he had earlier. So Jongdae lets out another pitiful whine, hoping that his acting skills will be convincing enough to get him some more scratches. He might be a God, but he is not above playing dirty just to get what he wants. Even if that means he has to play like a good kitty. 

Miraculously, acting like a good kitty works out well for him. 

“Don’t worry little guy,” his human assures him, “I’ll get you treated, alright?”

🏛️🏛️🏛️

And that's how Jongdae gets adopted by his human. 

A man named Kim Minseok. 

Right after their fateful meeting, Minseok gathers him in his arms and brings him to his so-called ‘friend’ who knows how to treat animals, someone called a veterinarian in the human world. As soon as they go inside a building, Jongdae gets a sudden deja vu of all the visions he saw from the mirror as a familiar face greets them at the entrance. After a few seconds of staring, Jongdae finally recognizes him, a tall human with big eyes, an even bigger smile, and goofy-looking ears. 

Now that he’s finally in the human world, Jongdae finally had the chance to learn that the man’s name is Park Chanyeol, the kid that he witnessed growing up with Minseok. 

Chanyeol was the kid who loved animals dearly while he was growing up and judging by his profession, it looks like this affection never faded over time. Jongdae feels a little bit reassured that this is where Minseok decided to bring him in. Even if he isn’t an actual animal, he knows that he’d be in good hands.

When Chanyeol starts bandaging his paws, Jongdae takes the opportunity to do what he initially came here for. 

Watch over Minseok.

It’s probably a lot creepier than it sounded when he planned this with Taemin, but the thing is, he never really thought he’d be able to see his human on his first day in the human world, much less interact with him like this. 

He would’ve been content to see him in the flesh while he was hovering a bit farther away from the man (it would’ve been much easier if Jongdae took up his crow form but Taemin vetoed the idea since some cultures believe that crows mean bad luck) and leave it at that. He really just wanted to see his human for one last time, and make sure that he was fine. 

But feeling Minseok’s gentle caress and seeing his smile, made Jongdae curious for more. 

Chanyeol finishes wrapping the bandages on his paw and smiles at him, “There you go, little guy, take it easy, okay? I understand you were worried about Minseokkie-hyung over here, but this man is made of bricks, a simple fall like that won’t kill him.”

“Thanks, Chanyeol. I feel the love, really.” Minseok quips sarcastically. 

“Aww, hyung! You know I love you!” Chanyeol protests before embracing Minseok in a bear hug. “Do you want me to put on some bandages for you too? I know most of my patients are the four-legged kind, but I can always make an exception for you.” 

Minseok nods. “Thanks, Yeollie, I’d appreciate that.”

The two of them talk some more as Chanyeol tends to Minseok’s wounds. It seems like the two of them haven’t seen each other for a while, given that it took them hours to talk about everything, like some stupid memory about what they did back in college, or even as the groceries that Minseok picked up the other day. They go as far as comparing prices of the strawberries that are in season, and even some good old gossip about their neighbors (Chanyeol is apparently crushing on his new neighbor, a cute boy with a beautiful boxy-smile and mesmerizing voice that he heard one time. No—he was not eavesdropping, thank you very much).

After Chanyeol finishes putting on the bandages for Minseok, he suddenly asks, “So, are you planning on adopting the little guy?” Jongdae perks up as the two men look at him, and he figures he should play the part of being a pitiable creature so he can take advantage of his human’s soft and caring nature. 

He meows softly when Minseok approaches him and strokes his ears. The touches alone are enough for Jongdae to throw his dignity aside a little bit and purr endlessly. 

“I think I wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight if I just abandoned him on the streets again after what happened. What if another stranger runs over him?”

Chanyeol nods. “Since it seemed like you already made up your mind, I’m going to give him a check-up so he’s all set before you take him home. I’ll also give you a list of the basic stuff you’ll need for pet care to easily get you guys settled.”

Minseok flashes the tall man a smile, “You’re the best, Yeollie.”

Jongdae freezes as Chanyeol moves towards him, his mind reeling at the words that came from Chanyeol. What exactly does ‘check-up’ entail…? Jongdae wonders as he sees Chanyeol pull out different vials and syringes. He knows that being an immortal means that he isn’t susceptible to human drugs, but Jongdae isn’t really excited to know any aftereffects if he got jabbed with something that doesn’t agree with his body.

But before Chanyeol can make a move on him with his large, glove-covered hand, the door suddenly opens, and in comes Taemin, who is wearing the same outfit as Chanyeol's. 

Taemin throws Jongdae a brief wink before turning to the human veterinarian, “I’ll handle all the screening tests, boss, you can rest some more and talk with your friend for a while.”

Chanyeol lights up at the mention of rest and he readily agrees, “You’re an angel, Taemin. I’ll let you handle everything here as I go over the list of essentials with Minseok-hyung.”

Said man peeks from Chanyeol’s shoulder, looking at Taemin curiously. Jongdae feels his hackles rise, there's a mischievous link in Taemin’s eye that he does not like, and seeing it being directed to Minseok feels unnerving and wrong, “Oh? I didn’t know you got an assistant, Yeollie?”

Taemin smiles and bows at Minseok, “Nice to meet you, sir, I just started here last week. I’m thankful that Chanyeol-ssi accepted my application a week ago. I’ve been learning a lot from him every day.”

Chayeol scratches the back of his neck and lets out a bashful laugh, “I told you not to call me that! You can just call me Chanyeol-hyung, you know? I’m not too big on workplace formalities.”

“Very well, Chanyeol-hyung.” Taemin speaks, as if testing it out on his tongue. 

Jongdae hears cooing sounds after Taemin’s bashful display, and he figures that Taemin would really look cute to a stranger if one didn’t know just how conniving and cunning he really is in reality. But since Jongdae acknowledges that he is the current target of Taemin’s antics, any attempt to look innocent doesn’t really work on him.

After the door closes, Taemin smiles widely and a shiver runs up Jongdae’s spine, “Now, my little kitty, you don’t have to be scared. It’s not like I can actually do anything to you. I’m just faking all the documents so you can go home to your lovely human without too much trouble.”

For the second time, Jongdae wonders what Taemin is after. He doesn’t understand why he’d even invest this much time on this. But then again, Jongdae remembers that just like him, Taemin is immortal, and sometimes it's hard to distance yourself when you find something intriguing enough to dedicate your time to. After all, he should know, he’s the only reason why both of them are here in this situation in the first place. 

Jongdae just hopes he won’t regret it.

🏛️🏛️🏛️

It’s been three weeks since Minseok took him home. 

It’s the most fun that Jongdae has had for a very long time. There's an odd sense of peace and contentment, watching over his human every day without any barrier between them. 

It's a joy for Jongdae to see how Minseok lives his life. 

Minseok truly is astonishing. He is a mixture of innocence, child-like wonder, but it is balanced out with his calm demeanor, level-headedness, and well-thought-out words. He lives for the mornings when he sees Minseok’s matching sleeping wear and animated-character headbands. It's amusing to see how the human likes to keep his fringe long but insists on wearing the most absurd-looking head accessories to keep the hair out of his eyes. Jongdae would protest more, but he loves seeing so many of them on Minseok’s head, and he looks forward to seeing new ones every few days. 

On the days that Minseok leaves for work, Jongdae sneaks out to watch him from afar. The human works as a library assistant not far from where he lives. He’d transform into a crow and perch on a tree branch that gives him a great view of Minseok’s desk from the open window. He’s glad that he has the ability to shift into a crow, the streets aren't really the most cat-friendly environment. But Jongdae would hate himself if he didn't go and watch Minseok at his workplace. 

On those days, it felt like he was watching from the mirror all over again, only this time he had the privilege to come home to him and receive his human’s affection. 

But over the course of time, something ugly reared its head in Jongdae’s mind. Somehow, it felt like what he had with Minseok wasn’t enough. It would be easy to brush off if it weren’t for the fact that sometimes, Jongdae would witness how people would often look so coy whenever they talk to Minseok in the library, how he’d seen other people’s eyes flash with not-so-innocent interest as they hover over his human’s desk. His human. His. 

But Minseok is not really his, is he? 

Jongdae recalls the time where he first met Minseok and Chanyeol. He remembers the mixed feelings twisting in his gut as he listened to the two close friends laughing together. He felt squeamish as he watched the familiarity and intimacy that the two men have. 

It’s strange… he never felt this way before when he was still on Mount Olympus watching them. Back then, he was even happy that his favorite human had a supportive group of people around him who showered him with all the love and appreciation that he deserves.

He thought that the feeling will pass over time. But even after days, weeks, months have passed, he still feels a little incomplete. There should be no more distance between them, but it feels like there’s still a bridge that he can never cross. 

It’s truly ironic that Jongdae is now three feet away from his love, but he’s never felt more like an outsider.

But somehow, Jongdae can’t bring himself to leave, even if he knows that he had overstayed his welcome already. 

He thrives on witnessing his human’s adorable, scrunched-up face that he wears after getting up from the bed, trying to shake the drowsiness away that lingers on his skin. Jongdae couldn’t help but adore the way Minseok tries (but fails anyway) to stifle his yawns as he makes himself a cup of coffee. But his most favorite by far is the precious little smiles that Minseok bestows on him every morning as they eat breakfast together at the same time. 

Minseok also has this cute habit where his mouth also synchronizes with the person talking to him, and it’s the most adorable thing. When it happens, Jongdae often daydreams how it feels to have those soft lips against his instead. 

After finally acknowledging the want flaring up within him, Jongdae started to desire more. 

More of Minseok, more of them, together.

🏛️🏛️🏛️

It had been a while since Jongdae had roamed the halls of Mount Olympus, and if it weren’t for Junmyeon, a sea spirit and also one of his brothers, who called him back to gather his insights about the brewing trouble from the other side of the Earth, he wouldn’t be having an awkward conversation with Kyungsoo in the first place.

“I know what you’re doing,” Kyungsoo says accusingly.

“You know, you’re the last person I’d ever expect to hear this from,” Jongdae responds back, knowing exactly what his brother meant. He feels a little hurt that Kyungsoo would say this now that Jongdae is finally close to the human he has coveted for so long. “It’s really rich to hear this now since you were the one who watched the mirror with me for so long.”

“There’s a big difference between watching from the mirror and directly involving yourself in the human realm. You know that.” Kyungsoo argues back. “Are you even hearing the words that you’re saying right now?”

“You aren’t in any position to tell me what to do. If anyone is going over the line, it is you for assuming that you have any influence over what I do.” Jongdae isn’t the least bit apologetic, he knows that he’s walking on thin ice by constantly attaching himself to a single mortal, but what the Pantheon doesn’t know won’t hurt them.

“Let me guess, you haven’t even started to second-guess yourself.” Kyungsoo meets his eyes, with a stern look on his face, “Jongdae, you know this isn’t right.”

Jongdae turns slightly away, avoiding Kyungsoo’s accusing stare. A lump forms in his throat as the implication of Kyungsoo’s words settle on his stomach like lead. 

“You know that you can never have him. He will never love you. Stop prolonging your agony.”

“I can have him and I will. Just watch me,” Jongdae answers back, trying to sound firm and defiant.

🏛️🏛️🏛️

Their discussion ended up in a brawl. 

Jongdae couldn’t help but let out a wince as he felt the ache on his shoulders, stretching while in his cat form. It had been way too long since he engaged in any physical combat, and Kyungsoo took advantage of that. Jongdae forgot that the keeper could pack a punch if he really wanted to.

He perks up when the front door opens, indicating that Minseok had already arrived home. Even though Jongdae likes to watch Minseok in his workplace, he made it a habit to go home an hour earlier in order not to draw any suspicion. It wouldn’t bode well for him to suddenly go missing when Minseok expects him to be at home by the time he arrives. 

“Hey, Peanut,” Minseok greets him as he sits on the couch where Jongdae is resting. There’s a frown on his face as he immediately notices Jongdae’s stilted movements. 

“Why are you limping? What did you get yourself into while I was away?” The human asks worriedly as he cautiously inspects Jongdae’s body.

Jongdae leans into Minseok’s hand as the human softly strokes his head, Minseok’s touch is enough to soothe his pain away. 

“I don’t see any noticeable bumps though,” Minseok observes as he continuously strokes his cat’s head. 

That was until Minseok’s fingers grazed over a lump on Jongdae’s back and Jongdae couldn’t suppress the painful yowl from his mouth. Minseok begins fretting in an instant, and if Jongdae isn't in any immense pain, he would’ve loved the amount of attention he’s getting. 

“Oh, Peanut,” Minseok sounds distressed as he carries Jongdae in his arms, heading over to the cat carrier that Jongdae loathes with every fiber of his being. “Let me call Chanyeol real quick. Hopefully, his clinic is still open at this time.”

They arrive at the clinic in record time. According to the phone call that Minseok had with Chanyeol on the way, he is already out of the clinic due to an emergency. Thankfully, Taemin is still there so he can be the one to look over ‘Peanut’ in his stead.

Jongdae breathes a sigh of relief at that, if there’s anyone who can properly look at his injuries, Taemin would be his best option. Just thinking about the animal-grade medications that Chanyeol will administer on him isn’t really appealing. 

Taemin greets them in the lobby the moment they enter the clinic. He doesn’t seem too surprised at Minseok’s presence, leading the human directly to the examination room.

“Looks like Peanut is suffering from a muscle tear,” Taemin explains after Jongdae’s examination.

“What? Is it that bad?” Minseok asks.

“No, don’t worry about it,” Taemin assures the human. “He probably strained a muscle or two while playing inside your apartment. Being an overly rambunctious cat can often lead to that. I’ll call Chanyeol to explain the situation and consult him about the anti-inflammatory medication that we can prescribe for Peanut.”

It seems the worry is still evident in Minseok’s face, so Taemin adds, “I’ll let him call you later so he can explain the situation better. I’ll just have one more look at Peanut right before I send you guys home.” 

Minseok steps out of the examination room to have a private discussion with Chanyeol. As soon as the human is out of the room, Taemin raises one of his eyebrows at him, wearing an amused, yet inquiring look on his face, “Let me guess, someone from Mount Olympus isn’t too fond of your current past time here on Earth.”

Jongdae isn’t the least bit surprised that Taemin already caught wind of what happened. Taemin has been around as long as the Pantheon, and given his spiteful and cunning nature, Jongdae wouldn’t be surprised to learn in the future that the witch has a whole network of whisperers inside Mount Olympus. 

After all, knowledge is power. 

Jongdae decides to completely ignore Taemin’s comment, and instead asks, “Are you really planning on giving me medication made for animals?”

Taemin laughs, “You don’t need to ask. I know you’d smite me on the spot for even considering it. Don’t worry, I made sure it’s not made by humans.”

The last statement doesn’t assure Jongdae in the least.

“What is it then?”

“Just a specially-made concoction made for emergencies.”

Jongdae narrows his eyes, feeling a little suspicious at Taemin’s words, “You sound a little too ready for an occasion like this.”

Taemin shrugs nonchalantly, “What can I say? You're not the first God I tended after a fight. Your circumstances might be a little bit different. But ultimately, the problem is the same.”

“I haven’t heard any situation like that from my brothers,” Jongdae points out. 

Taemin lets out a snort, “You underestimate your brothers’ pride. Do you really think any of them would mention that they lost a fight? Much less admit that they needed help from beings lower than them? It’s completely absurd.”

Taemin has a point. But somehow, the nonchalant answer doesn’t stop the alarms ringing in Jongdae’s head, “For someone who always thinks that gods look down on him, you sure do like to help me.”

“Think whatever you want to think. I really don’t care. All I need to know is whether you want the concoction I made or not. It’s still your choice. I doubt anyone from Mount Olympus would be willing to help you considering the recent stunt you did.”

Unable to think of a smart rebuttal, Jongdae only nods at Taemin’s answer. Who knows what Kyungsoo has told the others after their fight. The keeper isn’t one to spread personal issues, but the fight that Jongdae instigated destroyed half of the artifacts that Kyungsoo carefully kept for centuries, he wouldn’t be surprised if rumors have started spreading after he fled.

“Great! I’ll get the concoction real quick,” Taemin answers, pulling out a small vial from his pocket. “Oh, and by the way, this one is a bit strong and might have some power nullification as a side effect. My little birds told me that Kyungsoo used more than his physical strength during your fight, that’s why your usually untouchable fit physique was compromised.”

Jongdae goes to bed that night feeling out of sorts, dreaming horrific visions of his spine rebuilding, his fingers lengthening, his skull rearranging itself. 

The images are as gory as the brutal fights he used to partake in and relish in the past.

🏛️🏛️🏛️

The moment Jongdae opens his eyes, he immediately realizes that something is wrong. It seems that his horrific nightmare about an unnatural transformation isn’t just a stupid dream, his head feels like it weighs a thousand pounds heavier, and a sharp shooting pain spreads across his neck when he tries to turn his head. 

Jongdae gets his answer the moment he tries to stretch his body, instead of the soft rumpled fabric that he is used to rolling around in when waking up, his head bumps on the lamp beside his own cat bed. The unexpected pain that spreads from the back of his head blindsides him for five seconds, until Jongdae realizes that he isn’t in his cat form. No, he’s wearing his ceremonial robes, laying on the cat bed that is far too small for his body. 

What’s even worse is that any attempt to transform back into a cat doesn’t work, and he feels very, very weak. But before he can even process what went wrong overnight, the lamp that he bumped into earlier crashes loudly on the floor, dashing any hopes that Jongdae can escape the situation unnoticed.

Not even five seconds later, Minseok’s bedroom door slams open. 

It wasn’t how Jongdae imagined their actual meeting would go, with him trying to stand up and tripping over his ancient robes, and Minseok across from him, looking like a startled cat in his old pajamas holding a baseball bat in his hand.

Jongdae knows he’s staring, but he can’t help himself. They’re finally seeing each other on a more equal footing, and Jongdae wants to know how Minseok will reach now that he’s in his true form. Will the human find him as beautiful as the cat that he adopted and eventually loved? 

How is it that Jongdae can’t still take his eyes off this man despite living with him for weeks now? His brothers at Mount Olympus would probably laugh at him if they knew how besotted he became. 

Despite how harried his human looks when he just woke up. Minseok, as always, is very beautiful. Truly incomparable to every being he met. 

Now that Minseok can finally see him in his true form, Jongdae can’t seem to stop his feet from moving on autopilot, decreasing the gap between them before finally leaning down to kiss his human without even uttering a single word.

But instead of feeling the soft lips he dreamt about, all Jongdae received was a blunt force to his head. 

Jongdae nearly blacks out from the pain. It’s not a force that could knock out a God like him, but he still hasn’t recovered from his fight with Kyungsoo a few days ago. He has never been more thankful that he isn’t a human, the amount of force Minseok exerted in hitting him would knock out anyone else in seconds. 

“If you know what’s good for you, you won’t come near me. I will call the cops,” Minseok claims, his voice shrill, firmly holding the wooden bat in his hand. The hesitancy is evident in his voice, but Jongdae notices how Minseok is blushing underneath all his bravado, he’s sure the human isn’t entirely unaffected.

Perhaps he has a chance.

So he goes down on one knee and tells him his intentions, addressing Minseok by his full name and asks for permission to court him. Jongdae would’ve preferred to be closer so that he can hold Minseok’s hand and kiss his knuckles, but the weapon in the human’s hand prevents him from doing so. 

It’s better not to further provoke the hissing tiger in front of him. 

“ What?! What do you mean you want to court me? Are you fucking crazy? Didn’t you just hear what I told you?” 

“If you give me a chance, I can prove that I can be good for you.” 

Minseok stares at him, aghast, “Trespassing my house isn’t the best way to prove that! How the fuck do you even know me? Are you a stalker?”

“I do not know what the word ‘stalker’ means, but I can confidently say I am an admirer. Perhaps even more than that, I love you.”

“Stop saying shit like that!”

The argument continues for an hour until Minseok eventually calls reinforcements, another human named Baekhyun, another friend of Minseok’s. 

Five minutes after meeting him, Jongdae decides he still doesn’t like this Baekhyun fellow. He was never Jongdae’s favorite when he saw him in the mirror, and his opinion didn’t get any better now that Jongdae saw him in the flesh. Unlike Chanyeol who is soft and respectful, Jongdae thinks that Baekhyun is brash and ill-mannered. He doesn’t even bother using honorific words for Minseok the way Chanyeol does. 

Minseokie? Who does he think he is?

Jongdae knows that the only reason why Minseok even put up with him is because he has a heart of gold. Otherwise, where would Minseok get the patience to constantly deal with him?

He also doesn’t like that Baekhyun is a few inches taller than him. How degrading.

“So hypothetically,” Baekhyun says after listening to Jongdae’s story. “If what you’re saying is actually the truth, then that means you’re a God and you’re in love with him? All because you watched him through a mirror?”

Jongdae nods earnestly, smiling towards Minseok who sadly, refuses to meet his eyes, “I have no reason to lie to the love of my life.”

There’s a perturbed look on Baekhyun’s face, “I have so many things to say, but I’ll get to the most important thing first. How can you prove that you’re a God exactly?”

“I can show you.”

🏛️🏛️🏛️

Jongdae had come to learn that rejection is an awful experience. Transforming in front of the two humans didn’t end up as fruitful as he’d hoped it would be. Baekhyun was fascinated, he looked positively intrigued and interested after Jongdae displayed his magical prowess. 

Minseok was not. 

“You're a monster!”

Disgust wasn’t the reaction Jongdae expected. He had been confident that becoming Peanut again would bring the gentle human back, the one with the bashful smile and carries the whole universe in his eyes. 

Instead, all he got was a stranger full of disdain and hatred in his aura. 

So Jongdae decides to give Minseok time; time to adjust, and to understand the idea that someone like Jongdae can exist in his life.

“I'm sorry, I'll try to come back another time, when you're finally a lot calmer.”

Going back to Mount Olympus oddly feels like defeat, something that Jongdae isn’t used to. Jongdae had never experienced rejection before, as he is usually the one that was coveted. So he had hoped that there would even be just a tinge of interest or curiosity in Minseok’s eyes, but even that turned out to be too unattainable for him. 

But Jongdae will persevere, he made a vow to himself that he will try to dig through the depth of Minseok’s heart. The two of them may come from different worlds, but surely, understanding humans’ feelings won’t be that difficult. 

Jongdae is one of the greatest war generals of his time, he had conquered numerous battles in the past, and this fight won’t be any different. 

🏛️🏛️🏛️

Their last conversation didn't stop Jongdae from regularly visiting Minseok. He’s determined to prove himself and his affections for the human, and he’ll do whatever he can to gain his trust. 

Surprisingly enough, Baekhyun became an excellent buffer for the two of them. He’d been the one to convince Minseok to act civil towards him, even suggesting that Jongdae visit Minseok in his favorite place, a coffee shop.   

It was a delight to learn that Minseok is more receptive to him whenever he's filled with coffee and pastries. Being in the coffee shop also meant that Baekhyun is there (since he claims it is his place of employment), and his presence makes it easier for Jongdae to interact with his human, as stilted as it may be. 

Whenever Jongdae visits, he would often bring Minseok gifts—priceless baubles and ornaments crafted by the greatest artisans of his time. He gives him ancient books that tell the history of his people. Jongdae had even considered bringing Minseok in Mount Olympus eventually, if the Pantheon permits. 

He wants to give Minseok a glimpse of the world where he came from so they can get to know each other better. 

Every time Jongdae returns to Mount Olympus, Kyungsoo would often ask him about his progress. It had been a relief that they were able to bury the hatchet after their last brawl, and it was also a comfort that Kyungsoo deferred from making any snide remarks about his human anymore. Jongdae knows that Kyungsoo still doesn’t understand his affections for Minseok, but he is grateful that the keeper tries anyway. 

It was an exciting pursuit at first, Jongdae takes great delight in describing how Minseok's eyes light up with interest every time he inspects his new gifts. But after months of his relentless courting, Jongdae's discontentment only increases as time passes.  

Their relationship is still going nowhere. It's so unlike every 'tryst' he'd ever had. 

Without the gifts and Baekhyun as his buffer, Minseok's gaze still turns to stone whenever their eyes meet. Even the slightest body contact between them still makes Minseok flinch and the suspicion in his eyes always lingers. 

Every pointed look is a dagger to Jongdae's heart, it hurts even more than the bruises and injuries he endured on the battlefield before. 

It's the first time Jongdae came across a wound that he doesn't know how to heal. 

🏛️🏛️🏛️

Things took a turn for the worst on his next trip down to Earth.

It started out as a normal afternoon of Jongdae visiting Minseok’s coffee shop. Except, Baekhyun pales after seeing Jongdae enter the premises. 

It was an odd sight. Even odder, said human abandons his place and sprints towards him.

“Jongdae,” Baekhyun greets, blocking his path. “You're a little early today.”

Jongdae tilts his head in confusion. There is no reason for Baekhyun to look surprised like this, he always comes at the same time. Something must be going on for Baekhyun to act weird like this. 

Then, he sees it. 

There’s a stranger sitting at their usual table, and they’re kissing Minseok. 

Jongdae feels sick to his stomach.

Minseok is romantically pursuing someone else. 

The knowledge shouldn’t feel like a stab to his gut. But it does and it’s the worst kind of pain he ever felt. There’s a part of him that wants to release his wrath. Anger is churning inside him and he has a very strong urge to destroy everything in his path. Jongdae wants to scream and punch the man that stole Minseok from him. 

What does that pathetic human have that he does not? 

But then he remembers that he doesn’t really have any definite bond with Minseok, and the pure anger he feels is put on pause. He recalls all the moments where Minseok showed his obvious discomfort and uneasiness towards him, all the pregnant pauses during their conversations that Baekhyun had to awkwardly fill in. 

Maybe Jongdae had been delusional all this time, and the bitter reality is that no matter how much he squeezed his way through, he will never have a place in Minseok’s heart. 

It’s time to take off his rose-colored glasses.

Jongdae turns to Baekhyun, “It looks like he's with someone else.” He doesn’t acknowledge the guilt-stricken look on the human’s face. 

“Jongdae—”

“You knew, didn’t you? You knew all along.”

Baekhyun’s face crumples, and that’s all the answer that Jongdae needed. 

“I didn’t want to pry any further.”

Jongdae scoffed.

“And fooling me into thinking that I have a chance isn’t?”

“There’s only so much I can control, and the matters of the heart are not included in that.”

Baekhyun has a point, but Jongdae would rather perish than accept his demise in front of him. So he only nods at him before saying goodbye. 

🏛️🏛️🏛️

When Jongdae came back to the cafe next time, Minseok is already waiting for him outside. 

Jongdae was ecstatic, this time, for his gift, he brought an immortalized snowflake that he is sure Minseok would love.

Maybe their courtship will finally be at its turning point.

But Jongdae is a fool.

Before Jongdae can even present his gift, Minseok starts to speak. “Listen, I don’t know how else to tell you this. But I think you shouldn’t come back here anymore.”

The words freeze Jongdae's heart, trying to make sense of what he just heard. 

“But, how can I prove my affections for you?” Jongdae whispers, confused and hurt.

Minseok doesn’t even mask the grimace on his face.

“Can you please stop saying that? You do not have affections for me. You do not love me. You only love the image of me you've created in your head. You don’t even know me! It's not normal for you to claim your love based on something so one-sided. You can’t presume to know everything about me or anyone else for that matter, just from that alone. You are nothing but a narcistic, egoistic stranger who claims that he loves me. You can't expect that I'll love you back just from that.”

“But you are my soulmate,” Jongdae argues helplessly, not knowing what to say next.

Minseok shakes his head. “No, Jongdae. I'm not.”

“ What more could you want?” Jongdae protests. “I am a God. I could give you the world.”

“I don’t want the world!” Minseok argues. “If you really are a God that you say you are, can’t you see how wide the gap between us is? I'm a mortal, you are not. We don't even have the same lifespan. How can you truly understand and relate to the essence of my existence?

Minseok has a pinched look on his face, looking as if a water reservoir that's about to burst. Jongdae watches as Minseok takes a deep breath to calm himself down, before walking toward the bench outside the cafe. He takes a seat, and gestures Jongdae to do the same beside him. 

"Out of all the times you’ve visited me, I don’t think you’ve ever noticed how out of place I felt whenever you told me something that I can never relate to. I don't understand anything about Gods. I'm not one of them. And that's the biggest issue out of all this. Maybe under better circumstances, I can learn to love you. But not like this, you don't really see me as the human that I am Jongdae, and I'm afraid you never will. We are too different."

Minseok gives him a pitying look, “What we have between us, it won’t ever be love, at least not for me."

Jongdae feels ashamed, disappointed with himself even— Kyungsoo was right. Minseok will never love someone like him.

“Very well,” Jongdae murmurs, accepting defeat. “I guess this is the last time we’ll be seeing each other then.” He looks up and meets Minseok’s eyes, “Thank you for giving me the privilege to be with you even for such a short span of time.” 

Jongdae stands up and takes one last look at Minseok's face, he ignores the burning pain in his chest. 

“I only wish for your happiness.”

🏛️🏛️🏛️

Life goes on. 

Every day, Jongdae’s heart hurts, and it keeps on hurting for a long period of time.

Jongdae keeps to himself on most days, very aware of the whispers behind his back— whispers of how foolish he’d been. The worst were the numerous rumors of the Pantheon denouncing Jongdae’s powers for foolishly revealing their secrets to mortals. 

Kyungsoo would often sit with him when these whispers get louder, providing comfort and wisdom when Jongdae is awash with misery. His brother keeps assuring him that time, eventually, will heal all wounds. And just like any other injury, Jongdae will always recover. 

Not from this one, Jongdae thinks. Not this one.

🏛️🏛️🏛️

The small cottage still looked the same as the first time Jongdae visited Taemin. There’s still that same smoke coming out from the cottage’s chimney, and the ‘trail’ is still as undisturbed as ever. 

The only difference is that Jongdae’s heart is now in tatters. 

There’s really no rational reason for him to go back to this wretched place anymore. Visiting this place only reminds him of his foolishness, and how his selfish desires only led him to heartbreak. But a tiny part of himself wants to give this pain a proper closure. And Jongdae fervently hopes that going back to the reason where it all started would give him that. 

Like before, the door swings open before Jongdae can even knock. 

“It’s about time you got here.”

Jongdae shouldn’t even be surprised at this point.

“You knew about this outcome too?” Jongdae asks, his voice going cold.

Taemin shrugs. “Well—”

Something clicks in Jongdae's mind. "So when you gave me that concoction, you knew what would happen.”

Taemin snorts.

"I told you there would be a side effect, right?"

Time and time again, Jongdae is reminded that he should have heeded his brothers’ warnings.

“Was it fun for you then? To trick a God into playing house, knowing fully well of his tragic demise?”

“I’ll admit, it's the most entertaining thing that I’ve had in months.”

Maybe that was Jongdae’s mistake. He had forgotten that mischief runs in Taemin’s veins, of course, he’d take delight at something like this. Hell, he probably orchestrates daily chaos on a whim. Taking delight in mayhem and suffering, especially if it’s at the expense of someone’s feelings. 

“So, you tricked me.”

“I did not.”

“You did. You convinced me to see him because your mirror predicted I’ll get involved with Minseok.”

“I did say that, yes. And it came true, didn’t it? You saw him, got involved with him.” Taemin inspects his fingers as he responds to Jongdae, not even bothering to give him eye contact. He looked very bored with the whole conversation. ”I didn’t say anything about happy endings though.”

Before Jongdae can even process his words, Taemin speaks again.

“You still have another chance though.”

Jongdae narrows his eyes, unbelieving the words he’s hearing, “And what, so you can have the chance to fool me again? No.”

“No, hear me out for a second. What if this time, you could be with Minseok on a much more equal footing? He did say that in a much better circumstance, maybe the ending of your story would be much more favorable for your aching heart's desires."

Jongdae doesn’t know what the expression on his face looks like, but Taemin smiles at the sight. For all the misfortune that he encountered, the sinister smile before him doesn’t make Jongdae falter in the slightest.

“It sounds nice, doesn’t it? To have the chance to hold those dainty hands? To be the one who can kiss those beautiful lips?”

Jongdae doesn’t speak, he does not need to. Taemin already knows the answer. 

“There’s a price though. Are you willing to pay?” Taemin asks.

“Name it,” Jongdae answers in a heartbeat. “It shall be yours.”

🏛️🏛️🏛️

“You’re a monster.”

“I will never, ever love you.”

From a distance, the sound of mirrors shattering broke the silence. 

Jongdae’s eyes snap open, panting in the dimly lit room. His heart is pounding a mile a minute, and his whole body is drenched with sweat. The whole place is silent, except for the soft snoring to his left. 

Jongdae gets up slowly, trying to move as silently as possible so he won’t disturb the sleeping figure next to him. He slightly rubs his eyes, trying to chase away the sleep clinging to his body. 

It’s just another nightmare.

The distraught feeling weighing on his mind gets interrupted by the feeling of someone’s hands on him; gentle, careful, sweet.

“Hey.”

A pair of arms envelope him, and Jongdae instinctively leans into the touch. Slowly, the jittery feeling in his bones fades away. There’s a soft humming against his ear, and it soothes Jongdae's soul. 

“It's just a dream, Dae. You don't have to worry about it,” the soft voice speaks.

“But Min, it felt so real.” 

“Is it the same one you’ve had before? The one where I hated your very existence?”

Jongdae nods meekly, trying not to remember the only nightmare that leaves him unsettled for the whole night. He sees the silver rings on their fingers glint against the faint light coming from their lamp, and its sight reassures Jongdae's heart. 

That’s right. There’s nothing to be worried about. He’s in his comfortable bed with the love of his life, Minseok, whom he’s been married to for four years now. They’re happy and have been living comfortably together with their cat named Tan. 

They’re happy, and Jongdae should not be worried about stupid dreams that continually haunt his sleep.

"I just don't understand why those dreams would haunt me every time. Even my subconscious would never consider something like that to be a possible reality for me."

“Jongdae, have you ever heard about parallel universes?”

Jongdae turns toward Minseok, urging him to go on. 

"I came across this book at the library once. That dreams are the natural portals toward the parallel universe, and that somewhere out there, there are other versions of ourselves living different lives. It’s totally just a hunch, but what if…what you’re seeing are flashes of our lives in a different dimension?”

“A universe where we don’t end up together?” Jongdae asks faintly, trying to reconcile the idea in his head. “One where you hate my very existence? How awful for both of us.”

“I guess we’re lucky then,” Minseok concludes, placing a kiss on Jongdae’s cheek before pulling him down again on their bed. “In this universe, we finally did something right. I’m with you and you’re with me. And we’re... happy.”

Jongdae rolls onto his side, and he buries his nose under Minseok’s jaw. He takes a deep breath, and the lavender scent coming from his husband’s pajamas soon pulls him into sleep. 

“Yeah, we really are.”