Bad Dog

"You want to ME," Sani pointed at himself," to take HIM," then pointing to Sleipnir, "on the next mission? Right now?"

"Yes," Fenrir replied, not looking away from the map of the southern lights.

"Why do you want me to take your brother? I always go alone."

"It thought you liked taking inexperienced people with you," referring to when Sani brought Hyeon that one time and it ended up being a disaster. On the opposite side of the room, Hyeon was listening to the conversation, pretending to read a book on the couch. Sleipnir leaned against the wall, watching him with interest. It was making Hyeon feel uncomfortable.

"Are you still going on about that? And you didn't answer my first question."

Fenrir pointed to the corner of the map. "I can sense a demon in this area again where you found the church grim, but more north. My map isn't big enough to show the area, but it's there. I know it'll be difficult, so I want him to go with you. It should be on par with Haruma, if not stronger."

Sani pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Great. Just great. You know I can't keep doing forever, right? I'm a busy man," he kept complaining on and on.

Hyeon glanced up from his book at Sleipnir. *I wonder if he can tell what I am? He hasn't said anything. Please let this end soon.*

Fenrir interrupted the Navajo god. "I suggest you leave within the hour. If you're lucky, you won't have to travel any more north than you have to."

"Ugh," Sani scoffed. "I'm just going to leave immediately. I can't handle your overbearingness today." He marched out of the room with no formal goodbyes.

Fenrir turned his attention to his younger brother. "Well? Get going."

Sleipnir finally looked at Fenrir. "What perfect timing this is."

"I suppose."

Before Sleipnir followed Sani, he approached Fenrir's intern and placed his hands on either side of Hyeon's head intimately. The air was tense.

The horse deity skimmed his finger over Hyeon's bottom lip. "There's something about you that's mesmerizing. Are you sure you don't want to tell me your animal?" His face was way too close to Hyeon's. Before the half-human could push this pervert away, Fenrir yanked him off and hauled him to the door.

"If you don't want to die, I suggest you go. Now," the wolf snarled.

Sleipnir raised his arms up in defeat. "Okay, okay, I'm going. When I return, I have some questions I want to ask regarding your little human."

Fenrir slammed the door in his face and marched over to Hyeon who was still surprised by that guy's forwardness. Hyeon gasped when he kissed him with so much force that his head almost disappeared between the couch cushions. Fenrir's tongue slipped in and explored the inside of his mouth.

This was quite sudden. "What are you doing?" Hyeon tried to ask in between breaths.

"He touched you." Fenrir brushed his fingers through Hyeon's ashy hair. It felt good, but…

GURGLE.

The sound of Hyeon's stomach rumbling interrupted them. He was hungry. Ever since the meals stopped being delivered, sometimes he'd forget to eat. Today, he accidentally skipped breakfast.

"I'll summon someone to bring you lunch." Fenrir stood back up and went over to his desk. Hyeon observed the map behind him. In the distance, he heard the revving of a car's engine. It must be the Jeep Sani drives to go capture any potential servants.

"What sort of demon is it? It must be strong since you made Sleipnir go, as well."

Fenrir rearranged his mountains of paperwork. "Oh, that. There isn't one."

What.

"There isn't…what exactly?"

"A demon. I made it up to make them leave. They'll realize I sent them on a fool's errand in about two weeks, maybe three at the most."

"You lied?"

"Mhm." He was being so nonchalant about this like it happened on a daily basis. Hyeon covered his mouth to hide his smile.

What a bad dog.

_______________

After Hyeon finished eating, Fenrir told him to wear something warm, so he put on the Viking jacket and insulated jeans.

They were walking through the garden, heading to the lake. The snow had finally stopped falling earlier that morning, but the chilly wind bit his ears and cheeks until they were numb.

*When will spring come?*

Fenrir stopped once they reached the large body of water. "Go ahead of me," he told Hyeon.

"Er, okay?" He did as he was told and walked ahead until the trail ended next to the shore. He turned around. "Why are we—"

Fenrir was gone. "H-hey, Master?" he called out. The winter air and snow absorbed any echoes, so it was eerily quiet. "Hello?" Where was he?

In the corner of his eye, he saw a fireball hurtling towards him. Hyeon dodged it at the last second. That was close. Too close!

Another one came at him. He dodged that one, too. Was this déjà vu or something? This was almost like what happened last time! But now, Hyeon knew what these were.

*And I can touch them. I don't want to be scared of fire anymore.*

One after another, Hyeon practiced hitting the fireballs with his hands before they could touch his body. Just in case he missed one, he took off the jacket and threw it aside to avoid damaging it.

His hands seemed to be the only part of his body that didn't burn from these orbs. It must have something to do with his phoenix ability. Sometimes, he'd successfully catch one and throw it back. Fenrir was hiding, moving around in the distance while pretending to attack him with his power.

The orbs came at him faster and quicker. Shifting his body with complicated kicks and turns to avoid them was getting difficult. He was drenched in sweat underneath his clothes.

The next ball was much larger than the others. As Hyeon lifted his arms to defend himself, he felt something grab his ankle. Unbeknownst to him, he went closer to the water as he fought over time. He was only a foot away from the lake's edge.

Hyeon quickly looked down at whatever had him. A disfigured, transparent horse made of water had his foot by its mouth. It was sticky as heck. His foot went further into the creature's body. Hyeon panicked. He remembered these all too well from when Fenrir lost control in the river. He recalled Sani warning him about these creatures.

Kelpies.

"HYEON!"

He looked back as the fireball was about to make contact with his face. He raised his arms to protect his head. It was painful. So painful. He felt like his skin was melting off as the fire burned his arms, shoulders, and neck. Once the orb broke apart in smoke, Hyeon tripped. Both of his legs were now in the water. He tried to grasp onto anything to prevent from being dragged under, but it was just white fluff and dead grass.

In no time, Fenrir had him by the hands and attempted to hoist him out. It felt like he was being split apart in two as if his body was the rope in a game of tug-of-war. Fenrir, with his skin still glowing from the Gleipnir ribbon, was losing. Once you're stuck to a kelpie, there was no chance of being released. Hyeon was now submerged up to his waist. He watched Fenrir struggle to pull him out. Inch by inch, the wolf was getting closer to the water, too. There were more kelpies down there, waiting to grab him. At this rate, Fenrir would be pulled down with him.

*He's much more important than I am.*

"Just let go!" Hyeon yelled. His throat hurt from breathing in the fireball's fumes moments earlier.

"Listen to me, this is going to hurt," Fenrir told him, breathing heavily. "Hold your breath!"

*Hold my breath?*

The wolf braced himself and stopped pulling, not letting go of Hyeon's hand.

He let the kelpie drag them both under the water.