Pairing: Jeongin & Felix

Genre: Supernatural AU

!!TW!! : referenced kidnapping, kind-of captivity, adapting to a new biology, minor character deaths, attack, betrayal, blood, snake sex (?) what the fuck even is this tag, breeding "kink", non-human genitalia, implied male pregnancy, this is so fucking weird I'm so fucking sorry, I now have "how do snakes have sex" in my search history

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It wasn't so bad after all, being a Naga.

It took a while for Felix to come around but, with Jeongin's constant love and support, he eventually came to realize that maybe... maybe his life had taken a turn for the better, after all.

An unexpected turn, yes – but a good one, nonetheless.

Once Felix bypassed the first hurdle of physical adaptation, and thus became more at ease with his new biology, he started getting better on the psychological aspect, too.

As promised, Jeongin brought him flowers every day, and Felix took to collecting them. With a thorough process of drying the flowers, flattening them, and then artfully setting them up in an album (they got it from the Naga city, where a lot of Human supplies could actually be found), Felix found himself a very enjoyable hobby. Thanks to that hobby, he started focusing on the more positive aspects of his change.

He began seeking out the other members of the nest on his own, too, determined to learn more about them.

Hyunjin had become his best friend. While Felix's heart still ached for Jisung once in a while, time had done its work and had turned his grief into the occasional heartache, or a temporary slump. He had come to terms with the fact that he'd never see him again, and simply hoped his old friend had moved on too, by now. 

But yes, Hyunjin had become a very dear friend to him. He was the one who taught Felix the most about the culture of the Naga, introducing him to different aspects of it such as the Art, the music, and the myths.

Felix had been overjoyed to learn there were traditional dances for Naga in their natural form, and had practically begged Hyunjin to teach him. If there was one thing he had missed, it was dancing. And, even if it was weird to do it with a tail, Felix had quickly taken a liking to it, thus developing a second hobby.

Chan was also very nice. Felix quickly came to realize that he wasn't just the dad-figure of the group in appearances – he was actually the one in charge of the nest. As such, he often had to leave for the city to handle political matters.

(He was apparently a very well-respected member of the Naga Council, and also one of the oldest Naga to still be alive, though everyone refused to tell Felix his exact age).

Minho and Seungmin weren't as easy to get close to. Minho outright refused to acknowledge him as a member of their family until Felix proved himself (meaning until Felix survived the third stage of the change) and Seungmin still held a bit of a grudge against him for giving Jeongin such a hard time.

But eventually (Felix didn't know how much time had passed, he had long since stopped asking, and had lost all notion of time), Felix's venom glands came into being and, after a few painful weeks, his fangs fully grew out.

Which could only mean one thing, of course – the adaptation period was over, and Felix had survived it.

They held a grand celebration, that day – to officially welcome him into the nest, and into their family. He was no longer an ex-Human, but a full Naga and, while he still had a lot to learn, he was now completely out of danger. There would be no relapses, no takebacks, no change of heart – Felix was a Naga through and through.

He still couldn't shift his tail into legs (he later on learned that this skill required very intense training, and many, many years of practice, meaning it wouldn't happen for a very long time, still) but, at that point, he didn't really care anymore. He had long since forgotten about his foolish plan of seeking help from Humans (they'd shoot him on the spot, there was no way he'd risk it), and he had grown used to his tail, anyway, so it really wasn't that big a loss.

The only thing that could be even better was if he could go outside. Unfortunately, it would still take a while for him to be able to do that, considering his baby scales had only just started hardening – and thus procured a natural protection from the thermal shock his body would suffer through if he suddenly decided to go back to the surface.

(The caves and the Naga city were located directly under the volcano, and the tunnels were ancient magma rivers – the natural heat produced by the volcano provided the entire population with the necessary heat to survive without the sun to keep them warm, which meant that the surface was incredibly cold compared to their living space.)

But Felix could wait. He was content, now – not quite happy all of the time yet, with still a few regrets and some bittersweet memories lingering around, but content. He liked his new family, he liked his new home, and he liked... well, he liked Jeongin.

Despite his stubbornness and what he put Felix through, Felix knew for a fact that Jeongin didn't have a malicious bone in his body. In a sense, everything that had happened was as much Felix's fault as it was Jeongin's – he was the one who told him he loved him, and he was the one who told him they couldn't be together because he was Human. Jeongin had merely taken those words too literally, and had acted upon it.

But Jeongin was sweet. He was kind, and terribly patient, and the most gentle soul Felix had ever met. His smile could lit up any room, and though he was much stronger than Felix, he always handled him with startling care and gentleness. Even if he could be forceful in his methods, he always had Felix's best interests at heart.

Jeongin loved Felix, absolutely adored him, and anyone could see it.

And Felix... well, Felix finally realized that he loved him, too.

Which is how he found himself seeking out Hyunjin's help.

"Mating traditions?" repeated Hyunjin, taken aback by the unexpected request. "You want to know more about mating traditions?"

Felix flushed a bit, embarrassed. "I just- I just figured that I'd be nice to- to do something for Innie... He- he shows me how much he loves me every day, but I... I don't..."

Hyunjin offered him a small smile at that. "It's okay, I get it. We don't have mating traditions, per se. Usually, when a Naga finds their mate, it's already a done deal, so to speak – a bit of an instantaneous process, if you will. It's a special bond that develops very quickly, and both parties are usually aware of it without having to do or say anything to make it official."

Well, that certainly explains why Jeongin was so determined to keep me with him, realized Felix, a tad surprised the subject hadn't come up before. If he felt that bond the moment we met, and adding to that my misleading words... Yeah, no wonder.

"In any case, we do have a tradition to identify a taken individual. There are sometimes when the bond isn't as quick to form, so the Naga involved go through a whole courting process to help develop it," continued to explain Hyunjin. "When the Naga being courted finally accepts the bond, they will offer their new mate a necklace." Hyunjin paused, before chuckling. "Jeongin nursing you back to health and bringing you flowers and other gifts can be considered courting. It was probably his idea from the start, actually, but the silly boy forgot to tell you."

It made sense. Since their bond hadn't been as instantaneous for Felix, Jeongin had taken it upon himself to court him. By helping him through the adaptation phase, and offering him gifts to show his care and his love, he literally courted Felix – but Jeongin was a bit of an airhead, and not much of a stickler to tradition, so he forgot to inform his mate about the entire process.

So all this time, Jeongin was basically trying to woo me...? It's a bit old-school, but there's no denying it was effective...

Felix couldn't help the endeared smile that spread his lips at the thought, before snapping back to reality.

"A necklace, you said?" he recalled, curious. "What kind of necklace?"

Hyunjin smiled. "Ah, it might be easier if I show you. Give me a moment."

Felix nodded, and watched as Hyunjin slithered out of the common area. He returned a few moments later holding a wooden box. When he opened it, Felix's eyes widened.

"It's so beautiful..."

"It's the one I made for Seungmin. While our bond was instantaneous, mating necklaces have become less of a tradition and more of a trend, in a way, so most mated pairs have those now. He wears it when going to the city."

It really was a beautiful piece of jewelry, with an intricate design made out of smooth black pearls and small shards of red and hazel gems. Felix doubted he had the necessary skills to make jewelry, though, let alone something as beautiful—

"Ah, don't make that face, I'll help you," chuckled Hyunjin, flicking his nose.

"R- really?"

"Of course! Oh, Jeongin is going to love this, I can already tell! Come on!"

.

The most important part of the mating necklace was the stone used to make the pendant. There's a bit of old belief attached to it, where it says that the gem will crack if the mating isn't meant to be – as such, some Naga can spend many days in the deeper caves in order to find the perfect stone, and thus ensure the relationship's prosperity.

So, that's what Felix did.

The moment Jeongin left to go fetch him flowers from the surface, Felix followed Hyunjin into the deeper caves of the nest, where the sturdiest and most beautiful gems could be found. The freckled boy spent many days looking, digging out some gems and then rejecting them, and always coming back up empty-handed with soot and dirt all over his tail – until he found it.

It was a gem of the exact same shade of green as Jeongin's eyes. It wasn't particularly big, even less so when compared to the one Hyunjin had given Seungmin, but Felix instantly knew that this was the one. It took him many hours to carefully dig it out of the wall without damaging it but, as soon as he held it, he knew he had found it.

Actually making the necklace was another process entirely, and he could only do it while Jeongin was away, so it took him a few weeks to get it done. He worked tirelessly, following Hyunjin's patient guidance, and he even had to start over a few times... but he finally managed to finish it.

Felix was satisfied. It was really pretty. He simply hoped it'd be to Jeongin's liking.

"Lixie!" exclaimed excitedly Jeongin, like he always did whenever he returned. "I'm back!"

"Welcome back," he greeted, hoping his smile would his nervousness.

He knew he had no reason to feel that way, but he couldn't help it. Giving Jeongin the necklace wasn't just a gift – it was a sign that he fully accepted becoming Jeongin's mate, pretty much the equivalent of Humans getting married.

"Is everything alright, love?"

Ah, of course Jeongin would notice, there was no fooling him. Felix's smile became a little more genuine as Jeongin hurried to his side, gently cradling his face.

(He was still taller than him, since his tail was bigger and longer than Felix's. He was told his own tail would become a little bigger each time he'd shed.)

"Everything is perfectly fine, Innie," assured Felix, leaning into his touch for a bit. He then bit his lower lip, hissing when his fang nipped through. "Ugh, still have to get used to this..."

Jeongin chuckled softly, leaning in to kiss him. Felix was quick to answer in kind, giggling a bit when Jeongin's tongue swiped over his lip to lick the blood away. When he finally pulled back, Felix decided it was now or never.

"Can you close your eyes for me, please?"

Curious, Jeongin did as told with a nod. Exhaling deeply, Felix went to fetch the box he had hidden underneath a pile of pillows. Jeongin still had his eyes closed when he returned and, buzzing with anticipation, Felix told him to open them.

"Lixie...? What's this?" he asked, gazing at the box.

"A- a gift. For you. I- I hope you'll like it!"

Jeongin appeared almost entranced as he carefully took the small box from Felix's hands and, as if afraid it'd break, he slowly lifted the lid. A sharp gasp escaped him when he found the necklace inside, and Felix's nervousness instantly bubbled over.

"Hyunjin- Hyunjin helped me out! He told me about- about mating necklaces and I figured- I figured it was about time... I- I love you, Jeongin. I know it wasn't easy at first, I know- I know I made it difficult, but I can't- I can't even imagine a life without you in it now, so..." He trailed off, his hands shaking a bit. "Erm, please say something...?"

Jeongin was still staring intently at the necklace and, after a few seconds of tensed silence, tears started trailing down his cheeks. Felix's eyes widened in horror. Had he been wrong after all? Was this not Jeongin wanted? Had he—

"I love it," choked out Jeongin. "It's beautiful. I didn't- I didn't think you'd ever give me one...! When you- when you never answered to my courting, I just figured I wasn't- wasn't trying hard enough—"

Felix couldn't help but let out an incredulous laugh, wrapping his arms around him. "Silly boy. How could I answer to your courting when you never told me what it was in the first place? I had to find out from Hyunjin!"

Jeongin's eyes widened a bit. "I- I never told you!?"

"Never."

"I'm such an idiot!" he cried out, hiding his face behind his free hand, mortified.

"Aw, it's okay Innie," laughed Felix, finally relaxing. He started peppering kisses all over the hand covering his face. "I love all of you – even your little airheaded side."

"I love you too, Lixie," he finally replied, lowering his hand. He then offered him a blinding smile. "Thank you. Can you help me put it on?"

With an eager nod, Felix carefully picked up the necklace. He knew it wouldn't break easily, but it still appeared quite delicate, so he was careful when handling it. He carefully attached it around his neck, relieved to find it fit him perfectly.

"... you know what it means, right?" then asked Jeongin, sounding a little unsure.

Felix simply smiled, leaning up to briefly kiss him again. "I do. Thank you, for finding me. I'm glad we get to make a home together."

Jeongin completely relaxed at that, smiling. "To be fair, you're the one who found me."

Felix couldn't help but laugh at the somewhat distant memory. It was true that, technically, he was the one who had stumbled upon the entrance of the cave. It truly was an odd coincidence that Jeongin just so happened to come out at that very moment, but maybe it was Fate's hand at work.

.

Time was an odd concept when you didn't need it.

Beyond day and night, the Naga had no need to keep track of time. They had some of their people keeping tabs on the Human side but, since Naga had a seemingly immortal lifespan (or at least, a very, very long one), they weren't all that bothered with it.

As such, Felix genuinely didn't know how long it had been since the last time he saw the sun. It was a fair while after he gave Jeongin the necklace, at least. He still hadn't managed to shift back to normal legs, meaning he still hadn't see the city, but his scales had finally hardened enough and he had gone through his first shedding. 

In other words, his body was finally prepared to counter the thermal shock that would result from going to the surface. As such, Jeongin had instantly volunteered to accompany him up, and Felix had excitedly agreed.

It took them a while to reach the surface. Felix was quite cold by the time they made it, and he started shivering when the first breezes swept over him. When was the last time he felt the wind bite his skin? The sun kiss his cheeks?

He was delighted when, for the first time since he woke up in that cave, he found himself completely surrounded by greenery and bathed in sunlight. He was so ecstatic, he started rolling around in the thick grass and humid dirt, uncaring of how it might look. Jeongin simply watched him from afar, keeping an eye on him but letting him have his fun, visibly amused.

After a few minutes of intense excitement, Felix finally flopped down on a large, flat rock warmed by the sunlight. It was incredibly hot against his back, and he almost instantly melted into it, relishing in the warmth.

"This is nice..." he murmured, already dozing off.

"We'll come back up more often," promised Jeongin, leaning down to kiss his temple. "I'm off to find some food. Will you be okay on your own for a bit?"

"Hmm."

Jeongin chuckled at the blissed out expression of his mate, before taking off on his afternoon hunt. As he slithered away, Felix found himself completely zoning out, simply enjoying the warmth of the sunspot.

After a few minutes of peaceful silence, however, he heard a branch crack. He instantly tensed, not opening his eyes, but keenly aware of his surroundings. He could smell prey, nearby and big, and the thought made him salivate a bit.

I've never hunted before... but Innie will be proud if I bring back food, right?

A tad eager to prove himself to his lovely mate, Felix braced himself. He could feel the prey approaching, getting closer, just nearby, almost there—

"Felix...?"

The Naga's eyes flew wide open, and he instantly bolted in the opposite direction. There was a startled shout, followed by a colorful curse, but Felix paid it no mind and promptly went to hide amongst the nearby, thick foliage. His heart was beating fast as he peered through, instinctively camouflaging to be even harder to spot.

He felt all air leave his lungs when he saw a familiar, yet unknown man standing a few meters away.

"Felix!" he called out, eyes wide. "Felix, is that really you? Please!"

"Sungie...?"

It really was him. After all this time, Jisung was somehow still on the island. But he looked... different. Older. He had broader shoulders, his traits had sharpened, and he even had the beginnings of a full-grown stubble.

"It's really you," Jisung said, his voice cracking as their eyes met. "I didn't- I didn't think I would actually find you..."

Slowly, Felix crawled out of hiding. He still kept a fair distance between them, but his snake-like body fully came into view, and Jisung paled. Still, he didn't try to run away, so Felix figured he still considered them friends, despite what had happened. The thought warmed his heart, and he relaxed a bit.

"Hello, Sungie," he greeted, unsure of what to say.

"... what happened to you, Lix?" he asked, staring intently at his tail.

"It's... a long story," cringed Felix, before gesturing to the stone he had been laying on a not a minute ago. "Why don't we sit down for a bit?"

Jisung nodded stiffly, and the two of them awkwardly shuffled over to sit next to each other. Felix noticed the shotgun hanging to his back, but decided to ask his own questions later – he owed Jisung a bit of an explanation right now.

So he told him. He told him about how he ended up getting separated from the group, and then how he got himself lost in the jungle. He told him about how he found the entrance of a mysterious cave, where he met Jeongin. He told him about how they became friends and how, by the end of the day, Jeongin turned him.

"It's not his fault," insisted Felix when he saw Jisung's angry expression. "It was a bit of a misunderstanding, and I don't- I don't hold it against him. Not anymore."

"He kidnapped you, Felix," snapped Jisung, gritting his teeth. "He took you and turned you into- into some sort of monster, and now he's completely brainwashed you! Can't you see how fucked up this is!?"

"You can't understand—"

"You're right, I can't! I can't understand why my best friend disappeared for fifteen goddamn years, only to show up out of nowhere, no longer Human, and apparently in love with the freak who took him away in the first place!"

"Don't call him that!" snapped back Felix. "Jeongin is the sweetest, kindest soul you'll ever meet! He's not a monster and- and I'm not a monster, either!"

Jisung's anger deflated a bit at that. "I- I know that. I know you. I know you're nothing like them. But what he put you through... How can you be okay with any of this?" There were tears brimming his eyes, now. "Have you never missed home? Your family? Me?"

"I missed you so much," admitted Felix, his throat feeling a little tight. "Knowing I'd never see any of you again almost killed me."

"Then come back," pleaded Jisung, grabbing his hand.

"I can't."

"We'll find a way to turn you back," he insisted, almost desperately. "We can- we can seek help, we can find someone—"

"Jisung, I can't." Gently, he pulled his hand away. "Humans would rather have me killed than turn me back. Plus, revealing my existence would expose that of the entire Naga society, and then what? They'd exterminate an entire civilization?" He shook his head. "I can't. I like my new life, Jisung. I like my new family, my new home. And I love Jeongin, nothing you say will ever change that. So, I'm sorry, but I can't stay with you."

"I've started working here as a ranger ever since you disappeared, hoping I'd be able to find you one day," Jisung admitted, lowering his eyes. "It was a foolish hope, but I just- I just couldn't move on with my life, knowing you were gone and I couldn't- couldn't do anything about it... Do you ever realize how horrible it was, to have to call your mom and tell her you were gone?"

It had been a long time since Felix last thought of his previous family. He could hardly remember their faces anymore and, though his heart twinged in sympathy, he found himself unable to completely empathize with what Jisung went through. 

The emotional detachment scared him a bit, but he had long since lost touch with his Human side, including the memories and bonds that came with it.

"What am I supposed to do now?" asked Jisung, voice tight with emotion. "I spent the last fifteen years agonizing over your disappearance and now... now that I've actually found you, and alive at that, you're saying you can't stay...?"

"I'll come back to the surface," promised Felix, hoping it'd help alleviate Jisung's pain a bit. "We can still meet up, we can still see each other. We can—"

"Felix!!!"

Felix's eyes widened when Jeongin suddenly rushed out from between the trees, obviously frightened, and with his fangs out – and it took him a moment to realize he was aiming for Jisung. He instantly rose up to stand in between them, worried.

"Jeongin, no! It's okay, he's okay! He's an old friend!"

"He has a weapon—"

"He's not here to hurt me! I swear, he's not going to hurt either of us!" He quickly went to join him, hugging him tightly. "And he- he's not here to take me back, either. I'm not going anywhere, Innie. Everything is fine, I swear."

But Jeongin shook his head. "I can't let him leave, Lixie. Humans can't find out about us."

"He's not going to tell anyone," insisted Felix, before glancing back at Jisung, who was now standing. "Right, Sungie? We can count on you to keep it a secret, right?"

There was a moment of tensed silence. Jisung was obviously tempted to shoot Jeongin right in the head. Felix could understand why he disliked him, but he sincerely hoped that, if their old friendship still meant anything to him, then he would get over his grudges and respect Felix's wishes and feelings.

After a few moments of intense glare-down, he nodded stiffly. "I won't tell anyone."

"You're lying," hissed Jeongin, his pupils thinning a bit.

"I'm not!"

"Jeongin, please," pleaded Felix, not wanting a fight to break out. "Jisung is my friend, he's not going to hurt anyone. So please, please don't hurt him. Please."

For a moment, time went completely still. Then, Jeongin exhaled deeply, the tension in his shoulders lessening the slightest bit. Felix let out a sigh of relief upon realizing Jeongin had given up on attacking Jisung, and he turned back to look at his old friend, who now sported a grim, resigned expression.

"I'll come back," he repeated softly. "In three days, I'll come back, and we can spend some more time catching up, okay?"

"Okay. See you in three days, then."

With another stiff nod, Jisung then spun on his heels and left. The two Naga watched him leave, staying completely still until they could no longer feel his presence. Once certain he was gone, all of the remaining tension vanished, and Jeongin sighed.

"You can't trust him, Felix."

"He's my friend," insisted the freckled boy. "It'll be okay."

Jeongin offered him a sad look, but didn't say anything else. He simply grabbed his hand and started pulling him along so they could go back to the nest. They stayed silent for the whole way back but, when they finally returned to the nest, Felix tightly squeezed Jeongin's hand, worried the incident had put a dent in their relationship.

After a moment, Jeongin squeezed his hand back, and offered him a small smile. It looked a little sad around the corners, but Felix would take what he could get.

.

Felix was very careful in keeping track of time, not wanting to miss his planned reunion with Jisung. He was a bit fidgety for the three whole days. He figured it was just his nerves, but he couldn't shake off the bad feeling coiling in his guts.

Still, it was Jisung. Jisung would never hurt him.

It was determined to believe in his old friend that Felix returned to the surface three days after their first meeting, as promised. Jeongin didn't accompany him this time around, Felix insisting he could talk with Jisung on his own, and that he wouldn't be in any danger.

He was delighted to find Jisung already waiting for him when he finally got outside.

"Sungie!" he exclaimed, quickly slithering up to him.

The man spared him a smile. It looked a little tight, but also bittersweet. "You really haven't changed, uh? Even after fifteen years, you look and sound almost exactly as you used to..."

"Naga have a really long lifespan," shrugged Felix, settling down beside him. "But I want to hear about you. How have you been? How... how's life?"

So Jisung told him. He told him about how, a few months after Felix's disappearance, he dropped out of university to become a ranger on the island. He told him about the months of research, how hard it was to adapt to his new lifestyle, how much he actually started to love his job, after a while.

He told him about Changbin, his husband. He was a tourist when they met, and they had clicked right away. Changbin eventually moved to the island to live with him, and now worked at the at the city's port, while Jisung patrolled the jungle all day long.

"I'd love to meet him sometime," beamed Felix. "I'm so glad you finally found someone... You'll have to bring him around one day!"

Jisung smiled, but it felt... off. "Maybe one day."

Felix was about to add something when he heard it – the twig snapping.

He instantly straightened up, glancing behind him, and his eyes widened in horror when he spotted the gun trained on him. Without thinking, he threw himself over Jisung, and the gunshot that followed made his ears ring. He cried out in pain as the bullet hit his shoulder, and he promptly collapsed in the dirt, Jisung now stuck underneath him. 

Almost instantly, numerous footsteps echoed all around them, distant orders being shouted in the background. When Felix finally found the strength to look up, he realized that they were surrounded.

What—!

"Why did you shoot!?" snapped Jisung, abruptly shoving him off and rising back to his feet. "He's not the one we're aiming for!!!"

"A- apologies sir, but he spotted us—"

"Ugh, shut up! This wasn't the plan!"

Felix could only watch, and listen, horror dawning on him and freezing his limbs. So all this time, Jisung had been fooling him...? Had he been waiting for Jeongin to show up, so they'd be able to shoot him?

Jisung... lied to me...?

"What do we do with this one now, sir?" asked one of the masked gunmen, gesturing at Felix's prone form.

Jisung clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Use him as bait, I guess. Not like we have much of a choice now that our cover's blown. Just don't hurt him."

"Yes, sir!"

Felix's eyes widened when he realized they were about to make their move, and he instantly tried to slither away. If he could just get back to the cave, they wouldn't be able to follow him, and he'd be safe—!

"Argh!"

Four of the men threw themselves over his tail, immobilizing it with no little amount of effort. Felix struggled as much as he could, trying to shake them off, but two more joined the fray and completely pinned his tail to the ground, while two other men grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back. 

He cried out in pain as rough rope scraped against his scales as they tied him up, before nailing the ends of the ropes into the ground.

In a matter of minutes, Felix found himself completely trapped, his shoulder still throbbing in pain, and his body as unmovable as the first time he woke up, back when he was just starting the third stage of the change. 

Tears of frustration and anger rolled down his cheeks as the bitter taste of betrayal became more pronounced, and Felix managed to lift his head just enough to look at Jisung, who had retreated to the sidelines while his henchmen manhandled him.

"Why?" he choked out, barely able to breathe because of the pain Jisung's betrayal inflicted. "Jisung, why!?"

"It's going to be okay, Lix," assured his old friend, coming to crouch beside him. "I got in contact with some really important people, and they're going to help you. As soon as we've gotten rid of Jeongin, you won't be trapped under his spell anymore, and we'll be able to turn you back."

"That's absolute nonsense!" snapped Felix, now genuinely scared. "You can't turn me back, it's impossible! And I- I don't want to be turned back! Just let me go!"

"No. I lost you once, Lix – I'm not gonna lose you again."

"Don't hurt Jeongin," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "Please, please, don't hurt him...!"

Jisung simply shook his head and walked away to give some instructions to his henchmen, and Felix let out a soft sob upon realizing there was no reasoning his old friend. Jisung was determined to get rid of Jeongin, and he was going to use Felix to do it, and now Jeongin was going to get hurt and it'd be Felix's fault and—

Why didn't I listen to him? Why did I have to be so greedy still, to so desperately reach out for remnants of a life that's no longer mine when I was already happy...?

He let his forehead hit the ground, defeated. He should have just let go completely, refused to meet up with Jisung again, just move on with his life... but he didn't and now, because of his selfishness, his mate was going to get hurt.

Felix didn't know for how long he stayed there. The gunmen had disappeared at some point, going into hiding and waiting for Jeongin to come out. Felix absolutely refused to call out for him, but he knew deep down that his silence would only alarm him more.

But then, he heard them – the footsteps, echoing from down the tunnel.

Someone's running up...?

It took a moment for a voice to follow, distant and desperate.

"H- help...! Help me!"

Hyunjin!?

The alarmed cries instantly put the gunmen on edge, but they lowered their weapons as none other than Hyunjin stumbled outside, his tail nowhere to be seen as he sported a pair of very much Human legs. He was also wearing a thin veil, so his scales couldn't be seen at all.

He collapsed to his knees, panting harshly. "H- help me, there are- there monsters in- in the caves!"

"What's a civilian doing here?"

"Are they kidnapping locals?"

One of them approached Hyunjin, extending his hand to help him up. Felix's eyes widened slightly when he saw the vicious smirk spread on Hyunjin's lips as he grabbed the man's hand. The moment their eyes met, horror filled the gunman's face but, before he could shout for help, Hyunjin was on him.

Blood splattered all around as Hyunjin ripped his throat out, merciless. The body of the man soon collapsed in a bloody, lifeless heap beside Felix, and gunshots were instantly fired at the older Naga. With a hiss, Hyunjin rushed forward as his lower body shifted in a matter of seconds.

Barely a moment later, more hisses answered, and Felix belatedly realized that the entire nest had come to his aid. He let out a relieved sob as Seungmin, Minho, and Chan made their appearance and started tearing into the Humans surrounding them, seemingly unperturbed by their weapons – their bullets couldn't pierce the thick scales covering most of their bodies.

And then Jeongin appeared, expression worried, yet tender.

"Innie...!"

"Shh, I've got you, my love," he murmured, quickly getting started on riding him of his bindings.

Bodies fell left and right, screams ripped through the air as the Naga tirelessly killed them one after the other. The dirt soaked in the blood and red splattered on the greenery, and more than one limb was savagely ripped off to be sent flying. 

By the time Jeongin was done freeing Felix, the rest of their family was also done cleaning out the trash. They slowly gathered back together, eyeing their now still surroundings with wariness, and it's then that Felix saw that only Jisung was left.

He was covered in blood from head to toe, but still very much alive – though, that wouldn't be the case for much longer, considering how tight Minho's hold was around his throat. The older Naga was obviously ready to crush the life out of him, but one last spark of humanity made Felix interfere before that could happen.

"Let him go," he asked, his voice a little weak, but still firm.

"Felix—"

"They'll send more Humans if no one goes back," reasoned Felix, lowering his eyes. He couldn't even look at Jisung anymore. "Let him go. He won't bother us again."

"Do you really believe that?" scoffed Minho.

Felix shook his head. "I don't. I just know I'm never coming back to the surface, so it really doesn't matter anymore."

At that, Jisung found the courage to speak up. "Li- Lixie—"

"Don't," cut Felix, fighting back his tears. "I trusted you. I thought- I thought we could still be friends, despite belonging to two different worlds... but you proved me wrong." He let out a shuddering breath, and turned his back to him, eager to leave. "I hope you'll be happy with your husband, Jisung. Goodbye."

"W- wait, Lix! FELIX!"

But the freckled Naga ignored his calls, the first to head back inside the cave. A moment later, Jeongin joined him, holding his hand tightly as they slithered back down the tunnels, with the rest of their family right behind them.

Jisung's sobs and pleads for forgiveness would probably haunt him for a while, but it was okay – they had time. Felix would forget him eventually.

It's only once they got back to the nest that the last of Felix's strength abandoned him, and he collapsed in Jeongin's arms. He was exhausted, and his shoulder was still throbbing painfully – the bullet hadn't pierced through, from what he'd gathered, but it' definitely leave a nasty bruise.

"Felix!"

"I'm- I'm okay." Leaning against his mate, Felix let his gaze swept over the rest of their family, and he offered them a small smile. "Thank you, for saving me. And- and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- to cause trouble."

"It's not your fault, Lixie," cooed Hyunjin, gently patting his head. "It's only natural that you'd trust a friend – it's that jerk's fault for abusing your trust. You've done nothing wrong, okay?"

"Well, except letting him live," scoffed Minho. "Traitors don't deserve mercy."

Felix simply shrugged, too tired to debate. He didn't regret letting Jisung go, because he knew for a fact that he wouldn't bother them again. Felix had no intention of returning to the surface for a very, very long time and, as such, Jisung and whatever other scheme he might come up with didn't matter anymore.

Sensing his tiredness, Jeongin thanked their family before retiring to their room, carrying Felix with ease.

The moment they laid down on the fluffy pillows that made up their bed, Felix felt the urge to be closer to his mate.

He had been so scared to lose him because of his stupid mistake...

"Jeongin..."

"What is it, Lixie?"

"Make love to me?"

They'd never gone that far before. Jeongin respected his desire to take things slow, and Felix still felt a bit uneasy about this particular aspect of his new biology – but right now, Felix wanted nothing more than to be as close as he could be to his mate, and take everything he would give him.

Jeongin gently cradled his cheek, hopeful. "Are you certain?"

"Please."

Jeongin didn't need to be told twice. He instantly leaned in, capturing Felix's lips with his own, while his arms wrapped themselves around his waist and pulled their chests flushed together. Felix shivered as he felt his hands roam over the sensitive skin around where his waist merged into his tail – his new body didn't have many erogenous zones, but the softer scales were sensitive

Jeongin started kissing and mouthing at his neck, his teeth dragging against the skin and the fangs slightly dipping into the scar marring Felix's shoulder – a remnant of when Jeongin first bit him. Soft moans started escaping the freckled boy as his lover's tail started coiling around his own.

Jeongin's tongue flicked against his exposed skin, making him shiver again as his hold started becoming tighter – not suffocating by any means, but tight enough to make him feel safe and boneless in his hold. Their tails kept coiling around one another until they could no longer be untangled, and it's only then that Felix felt it – the pressure against his front, poking at where softer scales covered his entrance.

"I- Innie...!"

The scales parted by themselves, one of Jeongin's shafts almost instantly sliding in. Felix let out a louder moan as he felt himself being filled up. He clutched tighter onto Jeongin's broad shoulders as his mate kissed him again, their hips rolling together and making the older Naga go even deeper.

"I'm so happy, Lixie," murmured Jeongin, kissing up his jaw. "You're so beautiful for me, so perfect. My perfect mate."

"Jeongin...!"

The rhythm picked up and Felix's eyes rolled back as he felt Jeongin finally pump him full, violent but pleasurable shivers running up and down his spine as he felt himself being bred by his precious mate. With a cry of his lover's name, Felix threw his head back and his orgasm reached its peak just as Jeongin's fangs dug into his mark.

He was still shuddering as he slowly came down from the clouds, feeling warm and comfortable as Jeongin's tail stayed coiled tightly around his own. He had yet to pull out, but Felix didn't want him to. He felt so secure in his arms, so happy...

"Sleep, my love," murmured Jeongin, kissing his forehead. "You're safe, now."

With a content sigh, Felix let his eyes flutter shut, one of his hands unconsciously coming to rub his filled stomach. He was going to be carrying Jeongin's babies...

It was with that happy thought that he finally went to sleep.