curiosity draws blood.

Levi stood outside the sleek building, his hand still on the gate. He knew he wasn't supposed to be here—Jaceon had told him more than once, "Don't come to my apartment when I'm not around. Ever." And he'd respected that rule until now.

But after hearing whispers—cryptic comments Jaceon had made, and especially the name "Zyren"—he couldn't take it anymore. Curiosity burned inside him like wildfire. Who was this new demon? Why was Jaceon being so secretive?

He told himself he'd just look. No talking. No snooping. Just a peek.

Slipping past the entrance, he made his way quietly around the building toward the back park, where Jaceon used to take late walks. That's when he heard voices—Jarvis's sharp tongue echoing in the still air, and someone else's voice... trembling, hesitant.

Levi crept behind a thick tree and peeked out.

In the middle of the open park, Jarvis stood like a drill sergeant. Her arms were raised, her claws glowing faintly red. In front of her was a demon unlike any Levi had ever imagined—slouched shoulders, scared eyes, and a strange innocence for something with horns and ash trailing behind him.

"Again!" Jarvis shouted. "Faster. Take the damn soul and stop shaking!"

Zyren launched himself at a practice dummy—an enchanted, soul-bound husk of a mortal. But he missed again, tripping over his own shadow. Jarvis groaned.

"You're a disgrace to hell, you know that?"

"I-I'm trying…" Zyren mumbled.

That's when it happened.

Zyren's head snapped to the side.

His nostrils flared.

His eyes widened.

"I smell... human," he whispered, his voice suddenly sharper, his claws twitching. "I smell something warm. Something alive."

Levi's heart dropped.

The demon turned toward the trees.

Toward him.

And then—he charged.

Levi stumbled back, his breath caught in his throat, feet too frozen to run. Zyren let out a feral scream, nothing like the trembling creature he'd been moments ago. It was instinct now—hunger, survival, wrath.

Before Zyren could reach him, a sharp crack of power split the air.

Jarvis teleported between them in a flash of dark light, grabbing Zyren by the neck and slamming him into the ground. Her eyes blazed crimson.

"You idiot! That's Jaceon's boyfriend!"

Zyren froze beneath her grip, panting, as if coming out of a trance.

Levi stood there, speechless, his chest heaving.

Jarvis turned her head slowly toward him, fury bubbling just beneath her skin. "What the hell are you doing here, mortal?"

Levi tried to answer, but his voice caught.

"I— I just wanted to see who Zyren was…"

Jarvis snarled, shoving Zyren aside as she walked up to Levi. "You're lucky I stopped him. He was one second away from ripping you to shreds, and trust me, even I wouldn't be able to put you back together after that."

Levi swallowed hard, backing away.

"Jaceon told you not to come here, didn't he?" she hissed.

Levi nodded.

"Then listen next time. You're human. Weak. And you're walking into a lion's den with steak strapped to your neck." She glanced back at Zyren. "And he's still unstable."

Zyren sat on the ground, shaking his head, ashamed. "I didn't mean to… I didn't know…"

Jarvis sighed, turning away. "Go home, Levi. Before I stop feeling merciful."

Levi left immediately...

The moment he got home , his heart was beating fast to his near death experience.

He slammed the apartment door behind him, gasping for breath. His hands trembled as he locked the door and pressed his back against it. His heart was racing like a drum—pounding from fear, adrenaline, and the horrifying realization of what had almost happened.

He almost died.

Zyren could've killed him, no Would've killed him.

If Jarvis hadn't stepped in…

He collapsed onto the couch, running his hands over his face. What the hell was I thinking?

Just then, the door burst open with a blast of cold air.

Jaceon.

He stormed inside, his presence so dark and furious it made the air feel heavy.

"You went there," he said. Voice low. Controlled. Dangerous.

Levi looked up slowly. "Jaceon, I—"

"You. Went there." Jaceon repeated, walking toward him. "After I told you not to. After I begged you to stay away from that apartment."

Levi stood up, guilt clawing at his throat. "I just wanted to see who Zyren was. You wouldn't tell me anything. You were hiding it from me—"

"Hiding it from you to protect you!" Jaceon snapped, voice cracking like thunder. "You think I didn't have a reason? You almost died, Levi. Zyren isn't like me. He's raw, unstable, freshly punished and barely clinging to reason."

"I know, okay?! I know that now!" Levi shouted back, tears stinging his eyes. "But I needed answers. You left me in the dark!"

"I was trying to keep you alive!" Jaceon slammed his fist into the wall so hard it cracked. "You don't understand the kind of world I'm protecting you from. That place… Jarvis… Zyren… they don't play by your rules. They don't care about your feelings or your heartbeat. To them, you're prey."

Levi swallowed, heart breaking under the weight of his mistake. "I was just... curious…"

Jaceon took a step closer, his face full of pain now instead of rage.

"Do you know what it would do to me if something happened to you?" he whispered. "You're the only good thing in this hell-bent life I have. If Zyren had killed you, I'd never forgive myself. Ever."

The words hit Levi like a truck. All his defiance melted.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered. "I didn't mean to scare you. I really didn't."

Jaceon exhaled hard and finally pulled him into a tight, desperate hug, burying his face in Levi's neck.

"Don't ever scare me like that again," he murmured.

"I won't. I promise." Levi responded.

But somewhere in Jaceon's mind… a new fear had taken root. One he didn't want to admit aloud:

Levi was getting too close to their world. And one day… he might not come back from it.