NaNoWriMo 2016: Day 1
supernatural trash AU: what about Justin, and specifically what he's trying to figure out while Jin's recovering/stabilizing?
-
"Why isn't everything simple?" Justin asks, sitting down heavily in one of the kitchen chairs. Young-chul is humming to himself as he heats soup on the stove top, but doesn't ignore Justin outright.
"You'll have to be more specific."
"Why isn't everything simple, like with you and me?"
Young-chul can hear the change in voice before he turns around; he isn't at all surprised to see Justine sitting there instead, frowning at her perfectly manicured nails. She can have them however she likes after all, why not perfect?
"I suspect because I got used to you changing forms for shock effect decades ago," Young-chul says, cupping a warm mug of tea as he sits down to wait for the soup to heat thoroughly. "Keeping another human around as a permanent fixture hasn't worked out as well as you'd assumed it would, has it?"
"I was trying to take the heat off of you sometimes," Justine huffs. She refuses to look in his direction. Young-chul bites back a smile.
"If I believed that of you I'd be flattered," he says. "Unfortunately I'm not convinced that even hundreds of decades can melt a demon's heart."
"Most demons don't even have anything resembling a heart."
"Precisely."
Justine sits frowning at Young-chul as he sips at his tea.
"Why do you think I did it, then?" She asks. "What's your theory on why I decided to take on another human toy?"
"Ah," Young-chul smiles, rising to attend to his soup again. "Toy. You're so flattering."
"Pet, then," Justine shrugs. "Whatever."
"Feeder?" Young-chul asks mildly. He can sense the snarl that has taken over Justine's face. She doesn't like being compared to vampires. "I'm sorry, but for humans blood is akin to life-force. You do much the same thing as they do; you simply seduce to get yours."
"I'm nothing like those parasites, Young-chul." She's at his back in that instant, breath hot on his neck. Young-chul feels the hairs at his nape stand on end but refuses to show any other visible response to her intimidations. She won't kill him. There's been ample time to do so before now. She could get another human to replace him, if only she could find one who can regenerate his or her own life force. "I don't spread violence and fear. My prey dies in ecstasy. They know nothing but pleasure from me."
"You're so kind," Young-chul says, mouth tightening. There's no point getting angry anymore. Nothing will change his fate, except Justine's death. And Young-chul has two things against him when it comes to Justine's death: one, he's human and he formed an attachment a long time ago, ill-advised as it is. And two, his magic thrives on life, not death. If he were to kill it might destroy him too. Some days that seems like a wise end to their co-existence. "You're still a killer. The means don't justify the end, in this case."
"Can we get back to my question?" Justine asks impatiently. "I kill, you don't like it. It won't change. I'm a demon! So tell me, why do I give a shit about you humans?"
"You mean Jin. If you give a damn about me you've never let it affect you. This is first time I've seen you like this."
"They took what was mine! They turned him into what I hate. My routine is ruined. I like routine, Young-chul. I like knowing where my meals are coming from. I don't live my life on the edge. I'm smart, I want to go on forever."
Young-chul finally breathes again as Justine starts to pace across the kitchen instead of looming over him. He serves up his soup and pretends none of it has shaken him. These are all things they know but haven't spoken about. It's been decades in the making.
"Why you chose me..." Young-chul says slowly. "You knew of my talent. You knew I could extend my life indefinitely. You... Wanted someone who would be with you forever?"
Justine doesn't look at him, doesn't answer.
"You don't love me, I don't love you. You made a calculated decision when you chose me. We've cobbled together an existence. But that's not enough, is it? It's not real companionship. We're both desperately lonely souls, we just hide it in our own ways. You could have picked anyone to be your second permanent companion. In fact," Young-chul blinks as the realisation hits him, "hasn't every victim of yours been an attempt to see if you'd like to have it last longer? You never finish them the first time, though you could."
"Taking one huge hit of life force wouldn't do me any good, it would still drain from me just as fast. Just make me more powerful temporarily."
When she sits back down she shifts back to the masculine form. Justin again. A reflection of the boredom he's had with most of his victims in the end? Or discomfort?
"You never asked me to aid in restoring life force to anyone until Jin came along. And now he's been turned into the kind of creature you detest. I'm sure that's confusing for you."
"Don't condescend to me," Justin says, but his voice is sulky rather than venomous.
-
Wordcount: 877
-
"Why isn't everything simple?" Justin asks, sitting down heavily in one of the kitchen chairs. Young-chul is humming to himself as he heats soup on the stove top, but doesn't ignore Justin outright.
"You'll have to be more specific."
"Why isn't everything simple, like with you and me?"
Young-chul can hear the change in voice before he turns around; he isn't at all surprised to see Justine sitting there instead, frowning at her perfectly manicured nails. She can have them however she likes after all, why not perfect?
"I suspect because I got used to you changing forms for shock effect decades ago," Young-chul says, cupping a warm mug of tea as he sits down to wait for the soup to heat thoroughly. "Keeping another human around as a permanent fixture hasn't worked out as well as you'd assumed it would, has it?"
"I was trying to take the heat off of you sometimes," Justine huffs. She refuses to look in his direction. Young-chul bites back a smile.
"If I believed that of you I'd be flattered," he says. "Unfortunately I'm not convinced that even hundreds of decades can melt a demon's heart."
"Most demons don't even have anything resembling a heart."
"Precisely."
Justine sits frowning at Young-chul as he sips at his tea.
"Why do you think I did it, then?" She asks. "What's your theory on why I decided to take on another human toy?"
"Ah," Young-chul smiles, rising to attend to his soup again. "Toy. You're so flattering."
"Pet, then," Justine shrugs. "Whatever."
"Feeder?" Young-chul asks mildly. He can sense the snarl that has taken over Justine's face. She doesn't like being compared to vampires. "I'm sorry, but for humans blood is akin to life-force. You do much the same thing as they do; you simply seduce to get yours."
"I'm nothing like those parasites, Young-chul." She's at his back in that instant, breath hot on his neck. Young-chul feels the hairs at his nape stand on end but refuses to show any other visible response to her intimidations. She won't kill him. There's been ample time to do so before now. She could get another human to replace him, if only she could find one who can regenerate his or her own life force. "I don't spread violence and fear. My prey dies in ecstasy. They know nothing but pleasure from me."
"You're so kind," Young-chul says, mouth tightening. There's no point getting angry anymore. Nothing will change his fate, except Justine's death. And Young-chul has two things against him when it comes to Justine's death: one, he's human and he formed an attachment a long time ago, ill-advised as it is. And two, his magic thrives on life, not death. If he were to kill it might destroy him too. Some days that seems like a wise end to their co-existence. "You're still a killer. The means don't justify the end, in this case."
"Can we get back to my question?" Justine asks impatiently. "I kill, you don't like it. It won't change. I'm a demon! So tell me, why do I give a shit about you humans?"
"You mean Jin. If you give a damn about me you've never let it affect you. This is first time I've seen you like this."
"They took what was mine! They turned him into what I hate. My routine is ruined. I like routine, Young-chul. I like knowing where my meals are coming from. I don't live my life on the edge. I'm smart, I want to go on forever."
Young-chul finally breathes again as Justine starts to pace across the kitchen instead of looming over him. He serves up his soup and pretends none of it has shaken him. These are all things they know but haven't spoken about. It's been decades in the making.
"Why you chose me..." Young-chul says slowly. "You knew of my talent. You knew I could extend my life indefinitely. You... Wanted someone who would be with you forever?"
Justine doesn't look at him, doesn't answer.
"You don't love me, I don't love you. You made a calculated decision when you chose me. We've cobbled together an existence. But that's not enough, is it? It's not real companionship. We're both desperately lonely souls, we just hide it in our own ways. You could have picked anyone to be your second permanent companion. In fact," Young-chul blinks as the realisation hits him, "hasn't every victim of yours been an attempt to see if you'd like to have it last longer? You never finish them the first time, though you could."
"Taking one huge hit of life force wouldn't do me any good, it would still drain from me just as fast. Just make me more powerful temporarily."
When she sits back down she shifts back to the masculine form. Justin again. A reflection of the boredom he's had with most of his victims in the end? Or discomfort?
"You never asked me to aid in restoring life force to anyone until Jin came along. And now he's been turned into the kind of creature you detest. I'm sure that's confusing for you."
"Don't condescend to me," Justin says, but his voice is sulky rather than venomous.
-
Wordcount: 877