Chapter Text
Rang sat on the couch as Kwon Hae-ryong hovers next to him. “Goodness. Your complexion looks bad.”
“Will you back up when speaking to me? You smell like a rotting corpse.” Rang glared at the man.
“It’s the smell of death. The two of us have lived beyond our years.” The traitor circles behind the couch. Rang coughs, clutching his side. Hae-ryong offers, “Would you like one?” Pointing at the Chinese Lantern flower with a smile.
Rang looks over, his gaze going between the tree and the man, then shakes his head. “I decline.”
“Are you planning on trading your life for that pride? Is that worth it?”
“Do you think I’m the kind of guy that cares about his life like you?”
“Of course not. You’re not, but why do you have such a regretful look on your face? It’s not like you.”
“Just tell me what you want.”
At that, Hae-ryong settles into the couch across from Rang and asks, “Are you planning on going against our master?”
“Not ours. Your Master.”
“I know you were really hurt because of the Eoduk Sini incident, but that was one hundred percent a misunderstanding.”
Rang balked, “You pushed me into Ah Gwi forest and now you’re saying it’s a misunderstanding?”
“In an effort to catch Lee Yeon, we took it slightly too far.” The man shrugged. “Do you think we would have kept you there?”
“Oh well, you see, I can no longer listen to your lies.” Rang stands up. “You know very well. Even if my body is like this, it’s nothing for me to chew you up.” He flings back his coat and pulls an axe from his waistline.
Hae-ryong immediately rises and backs away begging, “Hold on. Please hold on.”
Rang hurls the axe past his head. “But it’s strange. Around this time, your master usually steps in. Let me try to guess.” He pulls the axe from the wall behind the traitor’s head. “Imugi is not in the house right now.”
The frightened look on the man’s face slowly morphs into a smile, a chuckle escaping him.
“You’re laughing? Why are you so bold?”
“Because he isn’t, in fact, alone.” A voice announces from behind Rang. The half breed didn’t need to turn around to know who was speaking.
“So your master is here to save you after all.” Rang clicked his tongue in irritation.
With a wicked smirk on his face, Hae-ryong commanded, “Lee Rang, as partial payment of your debt to me, you should serve Imugi for a while.” His mocking laughter returned.
“Leave us.” Imugi dismissed his servant. And the man quickly complied.
Rang didn’t bother turning, just glanced briefly over his shoulder. “And what do you want?”
Slowly, the serpent stepped closer to his prey. “I wanted to see you again. I was curious to see if your fragrance has changed.” He stopped a mere inch from the half breed. Leaning in close, he inhaled deeply.
Startled by the proximity and the gentle breath at his neck, Rang reacted instinctively. He shifted his weight to the side and swung his axe arm at the invader. Imugi caught it easily. Rang tried to break the hold to no avail.
The serpent smiled. Leaning back in, he whispered in the other man’s ear, “Release.”
The man was too close in Rang’s mind. His heart was pounding in his chest. And no matter what he tried, he could not twist free of the serpent’s hold. Fear gripped his heart. Worse yet, he could feel his body wanting to listen to the order. If he didn’t have control of his own body, he was useless. So he fought with all his might to keep hold of the axe. He trembled from the effort. His grip started to open. He shouted his frustration. In the end the fingers slacked just enough for the weapon to fall.
Before it could even hit the ground, Rang was flung into the same post he backed Hae-ryong into. His arm twisted painfully behind him. He found himself pressed between the wall and Imugi’s young, strong frame. It was too close! And it began to stir memories he had long buried. A mix of anger and fear filled his cry as he struggled.
From behind, Imugi pressed the elbow of his other arm between Rang’s shoulder blades and gently ran his fingers through those ebony locks, calmly shushing him. Oh, how he relished the emotions pouring off his prey. Once again, he leaned in close and breathed these scents in. It was an intoxicating combination. The evil creature sighed in delight. “Your splintered soul was delightful before. I had wondered how your scent would change after the Ah Gwi forest.” He inhaled again. “Now? It’s beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Another cry tore from Rang’s lips as he bucked against his captor. “Let go of me!” With a chuckle the man released him. Rang spun around. The strain of the situation did not help him. A sharp pain pierced his side making him cough.
Gently, Imugi reached out to cup the half blood’s cheeks. But Rang flinched back. Unable to figure out what this creature was after, every impulse told him to flee. Despite the pain, he pushed off the wall and started for the door. He only made it a few steps when that smooth, soft voice ordered, “Be calm.”
Suddenly, Rang found himself frozen to the spot. “Now, now, little fox,” Imugi tsked. “Where are you off to in such a hurry? We haven’t finished our conversation.”
“I have nothing to say to you,” Rang bit back.
“That’s ok, I don’t need your words,” with measured steps, the serpent closed the distance between them. Once more, he leaned over the man’s shoulder and whispered, teasing, “I want your ears.”
Rang recoiled, spun and took up a defensive posture. “Stop that!”
Soft laughter was the response. “Ah little fox, I think it is you that needs to relax and be still.”
His body followed the command despite how much his mind screamed in protest. He watched as his captor, stepped up and one by one began to unbutton his shirt. All the while the creature spoke, “It seems you are unhealthy, and yet you refuse any more of the Chinese lantern flowers. Further, it is my understanding that the Ah Gwi poison has worked its way through. So what ails you?”
Rang’s shirt was now fully undone. Tenderly, Imugi pushed the fabric aside to expose the scar on his belly. “Could it be this?” Light fingers carefully traced the raised skin.
Rang gasped. Shivers spread across his skin. “Don’t touch me,” his breathing hitched.
Imugi smiled. Something sparkled in the serpent’s eyes that caused Rang to shudder more. “It’s just as I suspected. For all your centuries on this world, no one has touched you without causing you pain. You have many scars, not just physical but soul deep as well. Has no one really ever touched you simply for your pleasure?”
With that, the hand returned, cupping Rang’s face first. Slowly, tenderly, those soft fingers traced a path along his neck, down along his collar bone and back, then ghosted over the skin of his chest. “You are so beautiful little fox.”
Turmoil engulfed the half breed. His emotions twisting and bouncing back and forth from anger, confusion, hate, fear, and more terrifyingly – hope. It’s true everything in him wants to run, escape, fight his way free. For so many years, everyone has seen him as a tool, a means to an end, something to be used and abused then tossed aside once his usefulness was done.
And no matter how much he had tried to cry out to his brother for help over the years, the older gumiho, seemed not to register his plight. He loved his brother. All he wanted was for Yeon to see him, really see. See that he was bound by the traitor’s contract, forced into the role of the bad guy after years of torture and captivity from humans. See that he had never wanted to be on opposing sides.
But it was true, what Imugi said, that any touch he has known had only brought pain. It’s why he avoided contact with others at all costs, except when he was the one dishing it out. He had never known that someone’s touch could bring anything else. But now, in this space, it was far from what he wanted. Not that he could name what he wanted. He just knew, it wasn’t this.
“Ah my fragrant splintered flower, so unsure of himself. It may not be me that you want, but simply a desire to be loved. Perhaps you could find comfort in the wounded fox you rescued from the zoo?” Rang frowned and looked to the side. “No, I didn’t think so. But you don’t have many options, do you? I see that you still hope to regain that brotherly bond you had so many years ago, in that brief time you knew happiness, did you not?”
This time, Rang snarled and glared angrily at the serpent. “I see I struck a nerve. How long has it been since he killed me and abandoned you? Over 500 years? And still you hope for something he will never give you.” Imugi moved closer, invading Rang’s space. “You know, I can give you even more than that. I can show you what pleasure is. You will even crave my attention.”
“Never,” there was a pleading tone in the protest.
Imugi cupped the man’s face, this time allowing his thumb to dance over trembling lips. “God you are intoxicating.” Leaning in, he closed his eyes and deeply breathed the fragrance in. Savoring the scent as if a fine wine. Opening his eyes, they locked with the frightened depths of his prey. “It would be so easy to make you submit to me right now. I would simply have to speak the command. But there would be no fun in taking it. I want you to give in to me freely.”
A tear escaped, marking a trail along Rang’s cheek. He barely managed to get out, “Why are you doing this to me?”
With a sigh, Imugi responded, “Because effectively, in the past, Lee Yeon has killed us both. He did not understand your value, whereas I can see it clearly.”
“You plan to use me against him.”
“Even if that were true, does it matter, if I can give you what you truly want?”
“I won’t let you use me.”
“It’s not your choice little fox. You belong to me and I will protect what’s mine.” Imugi noticed how pale the half breed was now. And that his command was probably the only reason Rang was still on his feet. Making a quick decision, “I think I have pushed you far enough for now. Make no contact with anyone but Hae-ryong and me. Go up to my room and rest a while. I have some things I need to take care of and then I will return to resume our discussion.” Taking one last breath in, he released Rang and left.
Immediately, Rang collapsed in a heap. One arm wrapped protectively around his waist, the other clutching the fabric closed at his chest, coughing. It would take some time for him to trap down his emotions and feel stable enough to get up again. When he did, he practically stumbled his way upstairs into Imugi’s room and fell onto the bed. Emotionally and physically drained, he was asleep in seconds.