Chapter Text
He was a creature of both beauty and shadow, mistaken for a fallen angel, though that wasn’t quite right.
A Demi-God. That’s what he was.
He descended the grand staircase of the gothic mansion, its vastness swallowed by darkness, save for the flickering candles lining the walls, and some natural light slipping through the dark drapes that covered his windows.
His footsteps resonated through the vast, hollow, foyer, each step a reminder of the Void surrounding him.
His dark hair was soft and ruffled, his slender neck was adorned with a black choker and several chain necklaces that fell against his bare chest. The neckline of his black shirt hung low down to his abdomen, his deep red blazer doing nothing to cover his front. The chains draped around his neck and dangling from the belt loops of his pants clinked with each step, their sound sharp and loud in the surrounding silence. His tall, looming figure moved with an effortless grace.
His sights were set upon the slender figure waiting by the table placed in the middle of the foyer.
The figure was equally well-dressed, wearing a delicate flower-print silk blouse neatly tucked into white pants adorned with scattered petals. A tulle cape cascaded over his shoulders, the ends pooling gracefully around his floral-patterned shoes. His neck-length dark hair was partially pinned back with flower petals, while loose strands framed his face.
A pastel flower crown sat atop his head, a soft contrast to the other man's crown of silver, adorned with sharp obsidian crystal points.
“You wished to speak with me?” The beauty of darkness questioned, his loud, icy voice echoing throughout the foyer. He stood upon the last step, expression unchanged even as the kind sweetheart infront of him smiled.
“So, you are the Son of Erebus?” The other inquired, his voice soft and filled with curiosity.
“Yes,” Was the reply he got, “I am Yunho, Son of Erebus. Who might you be?”
“Oh. You mustn't have heard of me,” For a split second, there was disappointment in the male’s eyes. “I am Seonghwa, Son of Antheia.”
Yunho could not recognize either name. The Goddess sounded familiar, but it could have been a name he had only heard in passing, and her son did not strike any familiarity at all.
“My apologies for not knowing. Is there a reason for your visit? Many avoid me at all costs.”
At that, the male named Seonghwa puffed up his cheeks, his hands fidgeting with the tulle cloth of his cape.
From the looks of it, he seemed to be raised differently from the other Children , the other Demi-Gods; Seonghwa’s posture was relaxed, unburdened by heavy expectations, radiating a sense of innocence that set him apart from the others.
Most importantly, Seonghwa seemed to be no threat.
So, Yunho closed the distance between them, stopping a foot or two away. The chains he wore clinked in the silence just as Seonghwa, “Um, well, I’m here to bring you an invitation, for the uh, Ostara Ball.”
Yunho took a deep breath to keep himself calm, he had no interest in socialization with either of the Other Children, hence he lived in a large mansion alone save for his guards and personal attendants, hidden away past the large woodlands of the Other Realm, where most of the Demi-Gods lived.
The Other Children were never allowed in Yunho’s home for long, but Seonghwa had managed to stay because he caught Yunho’s attention. He was so different from the rest, almost like a breath of fresh air—almost. Yunho was intrigued by this Demi-God he had never heard of from any of the Other Children, especially not from the Son of Aphrodite or the Daughter of Hermes, both of whom loved to gossip.
“I have no interest in such…events.” Yunho stated, “And why is it you who came to invite me?”
Seonghwa fidgeted nervously under the other’s gaze, “Uh, because, the others were, um, they were-”
“Scared?” Yunho asked, smirking.
Seonghwa chuckled, “Yes…”
“And you aren’t?”
“I don’t know…I’m naturally scared of everyone…I mean, people can be intimidating, and uh, I was a bit curious?”
“Curious?” Yunho asked, intrigued.
“Well, I’ve met all the other Children at least once...but never you. A-And the way everyone acts, it makes it seem like you’re…different. Like, they react badly to just your name…And I wanted to know why? I guess. Or see for myself?”
Yunho stared the other down, though Seonghwa just avoided his gaze. “And? What do you think?” He wanted to hear the other’s answer, since the flower-covered male spoke with such honesty. He was shy, but honest, and Yunho appreciated that.
Seonghwa subconsciously jutted out his bottom lip as he thought of what to say. “I don’t….know you. I mean, you don’t seem like…how they described you, but I don’t know you. The others sounded like they did?”
“No one knows me. They just know of me and my reputation, and I prefer to keep it that way.”
“Why?” Seonghwa asked, genuinely, which threw Yunho off.
He shrugged, “I guess I just don’t like anyone enough to let them know me.”
Seonghwa was subconsciously pouting again, and for some damn reason it was distracting Yunho, yet he couldn’t figure out why. “Oh.” Was the only thing he said, and he sounded disappointed almost, which wasn’t sitting well with Yunho.
“Are you going?” He asked before he had even realized his mouth was moving.
Seonghwa looked at him confused. “Oh. I’m leaving now, yes.” He responded.
Yunho chuckled, which had the other looking even more confused. “I meant to the Ostara Ball. Are you going?”
Seonghwa's eyes widened, a flustered blush blooming on his cheeks as he smiled sheepishly—Yunho had to catch himself from staring. “Yes. For a little while. I don’t…like large crowds. And, I don’t really get along much with the Other Children.”
“I understand.”
Seonghwa seemed to sigh in relief at his response. And then he scrambled to take something out of his pocket, holding it out. “H-Here’s the invitation, before I forget.”
Yunho reached out, making sure to have their hands touch when he grabbed the envelope, and watched in amusement at the flinch and look of surprise he got from the other male.
As the son of someone who embodied Chaos itself, Yunho was colder than most, even more so than the Children of Hades. His body radiated an unnatural chill that he never felt himself; others did, though, and they avoided touching him while growing up. He didn’t care much about it.
He did, however, not mind the warmth he felt from Seonghwa, and he even felt a little relieved that instead of recoiling, Seonghwa just looked surprised at his touch of cold.
And then he was stepping away and giving Yunho a smile that Yunho never thought he would receive from another Child of the Gods. “I should get going now.”
Yunho hummed, “Is your curiosity satisfied?”
Seonghwa’s smile didn’t waver, if anything it turned a little cheeky, “ Maybe .”
Cute. Yunho thought, and he didn’t push that thought away.
“I’ll see you at the Ball?” Seonghwa asked.
Yunho smirked, “Maybe.”
Seonghwa giggled at his response, and Yunho had to catch himself from smiling with the male. “I’ll get going now then...Goodbye.”
Yunho nodded in greeting and then followed from a distance as Seonghwa headed out of the large front doors, down the steps and towards a beautiful white horse who was decorated with just as many flowers as the male was.
Once he was seated upon the saddled horse, Seonghwa looked back at Yunho and waved enthusiastically, smiling.
Yunho’s lip twitched in a small smile as he nodded his head once, then watched as the male left through the gates, and into the distance.
Yunho wasn’t sure how long he had been watching, only returning inside when he could no longer see the shadow of the male figure atop the horse in the distance
“So, Son of Antheia? Not who I expected you would fall for, but I can see it.”
Yunho glanced up from his meal at the head of the table as his brother, Wooyoung, sauntered in like he owned the place. His brother was the only one who could enter his home without permission, a rule Yunho quickly regretted after Wooyoung began dropping by just to pester him.
“Thank you for your input, brother .” Yunho said sarcastically, tracing the rim of his wine glass.
Wooyoung grinned, “You’re welcome.”
Yunho sighed. Then it hit him what his brother had just implied, “Wait. You know the Son of Antheia?”
At the look of curiosity upon Yunho’s face, Wooyoung’s smile curled into one of interest and teasing, as he dramatically sat upon the chair to Yunho’s right. “Of course I do. Both sons, actually, though I have only ever met Seonghwa. I met him when I was looking for a flower crown earlier this week. Ostara is the festival of spring and I needed a flower crown to go with my outfit -of course dark flowers, I am still Erebus’ son.
Anyway, he helped me out, and actually made it for me himself. I was going to ask Persephone’s daughter, but I ran into Seonghwa instead and he was the sweetest. I don’t know much about him past that, and neither do the Other Children. Apparently he’s just as much a recluse as you. Which is unfortunate, he’s beautiful and kind, and is very skilled with flower crowns.” Wooyoung sighed at the end and looked at his brother.
His eyes widened at the way Yunho’s gaze had softened and he seemed to be hanging onto every word Wooyoung was saying -something Yunho never did. He avoided listening to Wooyoung, and other people, whenever possible.
Yunho noticed the way his brother was staring at him and he straightened up, his expression going back to one of no emotion.
Wooyoung shook his head at that, but smiled warmly at his brother, “You know, if he makes you happy. Go for it. You deserve to be happy, Yunho. And I think you should go for it before someone else does.”
Yunho deflated, “But…I don’t know how….”
“Oh Gods Above, you’re pathetic - ouch! ”
Yunho was at the Great Hall just a day before the Ostara Ball.
He had been entrusted with delivering the creation known as the Veil of Night, encapsulated in a crystal ball. It contained the dark mist that Erebus, the God of Darkness, had used to shape the Underworld. Though a mere recreation, harmless in this form, the crystal ball was meant to be displayed alongside other significant replicas—artifacts from the myths of the Gods—in the Great Hall for the Ostara event.
The invitation Yunho received requested him to bring a harmless replica of the Veil of Night to the event—only if he planned to attend. And since he was actually considering showing up, he decided to comply.
It definitely wasn’t because he found out Seonghwa would be helping decorate the Hall that day—no, not for that reason at all.
Everyone watched in awe as he strode down the Hall, since none of the Children of the Early Gods, the Primordial Deities, ever took part in the events organized by the Other Children. Except for Wooyoung, of course—he was the only social butterfly among the descendants of the Primordial Deities.
They watched on, in intrigue and fear, as Yunho headed over to Seonghwa with determined steps, towards the soft Son of Antheia, the sweet male who kept to himself but found a way to charm whomever he met.
They all gossiped among themselves over why Yunho would be seeking Seonghwa out; a Child of a Primordial Deity, seeking out a Child of a Charis.
Yunho approached the male who was trying to fix the position of a bouquet of flowers upon the table that would no doubt hold refreshments at the event.
Thankfully, no one was standing close to Seonghwa—just a few people watching from a distance, which still grated on Yunho’s nerves. But with a single glance at Seonghwa, the irritation melted away, leaving Yunho feeling oddly at ease.
This time, Seonghwa was wearing a hooded cape made of pink tulle, the hood replacing his flower crown upon his head but still, the see-through material allowed anyone to see the flower petals stuck to his hair. Under the cape, he wore a pale lilac blouse, tucked into white pants that adorned the designs of purple and pink butterfly patches.
In contrast, Yunho was wearing a silk black button up, dark but seemed to shimmer under the light, not unlike The Void itself that he had command over, tucked into dark ripped jeans and black boots from which swung silver chains. His hair wasn’t styled, just loosely falling over his eyes.
“Seonghwa?” He called out, quietly, voice blending in with the chatter of some of the Other Children.
Seonghwa heard it and turned, his eyes widening at the sight of the other male. For a split second, Yunho wondered if Seonghwa didn’t want to see him—until the softer male broke into a wide smile, surprising him.
“Yunho! What are you doing here? Are you here to help with decorating?” He asked, excitedly leaning back and forth on the balls of his feet.
Yunho smirked at the sheepish look across the other’s face as he realized his excitement. “I came to drop something off.”
“Oh?”
“It’s the Veil of Night. Obviously fake, and in a smaller form.” Yunho tried to maintain his composure. He wasn’t accustomed to feeling nervous, especially around someone else.
“Whoa... I wanna see!” Seonghwa exclaimed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He had heard of the Veil of Night and had always wanted to see it for himself.
“You can go see it once they’ve put it together…Unless you want to see the real version?”
“Huh?” Seonghwa was clearly not expecting that.
Yunho internally questioned why he said that. No one was allowed to see the darker parts of his powers, of what he could summon and create. He wasn't even allowed to use it often since it was a huge responsibility.
“I mean if it isn’t a hassle, I’d like to see…what you can do…with the Void…someday.” Seonghwa fidgeted with the hem of his cape shyly.
Yunho hummed, smirking. “Someday.”
Seonghwa blushed and looked away, igniting a thrill of excitement in Yunho. “So, um, did you need something from me?”
“No. I thought I’d pass by and see how you are before I leave.”
“Oh. You’re leaving already?”
“Yeah.” Yunho wanted to wipe the look of disappointment off the male’s face, but he really did not want to be here, especially with how much the Other Children were staring and whispering. It was annoying. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to keep his cool if he stayed.
With a sigh, and an impulsive thought, just to see a smile on Seonghwa’s face again, Yunho opened the palm of his hand. His magic appeared above his palm; black shadows shimmering and forming into the solid shape of a necklace, a black lace choker with a dark pendant.
Yunho couldn’t help but watch how mesmerized Seonghwa seemed with the slight pull of his power. It made pride swell in his chest.
“I don’t know what you’re wearing to the event, but you can add this as an accessory if you wish.” He said softly.
Seonghwa beamed, carefully taking the choker necklace. “Of course, I will! Thank you so much, it’s so pretty. But, I-I don’t have anything to give you in return.”
“You don’t need to.”
Seonghwa pouted but accepted the fact. “The stone is pretty,” He breathed as he ran his thumb over the dark stone.
“It’s black obsidian. It’s my stone.”
“Yours?”
“Each of us, the Children of Erebus, has a stone that represents us individually. It’s a well-known fact, but I’m not surprised some don’t know. For me, it’s Black Obsidian; it represents who I am.”
“Oh…it’s really pretty…like you!”
Yunho almost choked on air, but didn’t because he was a distinguished gentleman, thank you very much.
“Um…thank you, y-you’re pretty…also.”
Seonghwa smiled at his attempt, giggling. And if anyone saw him, they could very well see Yunho’s gaze turn soft, the edges around his eyes softened and his lips parted in disbelief over such a creature existing in front of him.
“I should, um, go.”
“Okay. I’ll see you?”
“Yeah, I’ll see you.”
“Wooyoung. I gave him a necklace. With an obsidian stone .”
“Oh my Gods, you have fallen deep.”
Yunho groaned, “I know….”
“Pathetic - ouch! Stop hitting me!”