Time passed differently in hell. Sometimes he swore that he’d been under for days, his body tired and aching and he could barely lift his arms to touch Yongguk’s skin. And at other times he wondered if the only time he slept was when he blinked and time passed so quickly that it was daytime when just moments ago it was black as night.
“How is there sun?” He mumbled against Yongguk’s chest once as he was allowed a few sleep-filled seconds of quiet time. “Aren’t we underground?”
Yongguk’s laughter rumbled against his lips as he smoothed Jongup’s sweaty hair back. “You’re not actually under the earth when you’re in hell. It’s a realm. The sun is just a projection I made for you to feel more normal.”
He didn’t think lying on a downy bed in the arms of an incubus was normal no matter what realm or planet you were on, but he was too exhausted to argue.
“Hungry.” Any other time he would be embarrassed about his stomach rumbling so loudly but it had been days since he’d eaten.
Or was it hours?
Maybe it had been weeks and hunger wasn’t a concern here even if you were human.
Was he still human?
“I’ll bring you something.” Yongguk chuckled at the whine Jongup made when he removed himself from the bed. “You need to rest. Sometimes I forget humans break easily.”
He yawned against the pillow, curling against it and mentally thanking Yongguk for turning his pull off when he left because when it was on he had to be touching him, kissing him, breathing him and nothing else mattered.
Wasn’t there something he was supposed to remember?
---
“What’s your name?”
He blinked blearily up at Yongguk and shook his head. What did his name matter when there was food in front of him?
“Your name.” Yongguk trailed his finger down Jongup’s chest, coming back up at the last second before he got to right where Jongup needed him. “Tell me your name and I’ll give you whatever you want.”
“Jong?” He knew it started with that sound but the rest was a blank.
Yongguk shook his head and held the chunk of bread just out of his reach. “Keep going.”
He searched his mind for the word that was just out of reach. “Up. Jongup?” The bread was handed to him and he devoured it hungrily with his name leaving his memory once again. Nothing mattered but keeping his body fed and ready for Yongguk, making Yongguk happy, doing anything Yongguk asked of him.
“You’re doing so good, Jongup.” Yongguk’s voice was rough and low in his ear and the meal was forgotten, why did he even need food? All he needed was Yongguk. “Almost through it.”
The question of what he was through was on the tip of his tongue but words were so hard and unnecessary. Actions were more important. Actions put Yongguk’s hands on him, actions had him gasping and made words he didn’t know the meaning to flow from his lips with every touch.
And the days passed until he stopped asking to be fed.
“What is your name?”
“Yongguk’s.” He answered, smiling because he knew it was the right answer. They played this game all the time and this time he wanted to win.
He looked down at his empty hands and pouted. Why did Yongguk take his food? He had been so good and hadn’t even begged for it this time.
“What’s your name?”
“Yong-“ The pull on his hair was so strong he cried out because he liked the pain Yongguk sometimes gave him, but only when they were close and when Yongguk’s eyes were black and deep and looking straight through him. He bit down on his lips and tried to stifle the whimpers because Yongguk was being mean to him and it wasn’t fair.
“Don’t die on me now, Jongup. Not when I’ve brought you this far.” Yongguk frowned and he looked like he cared, but that wasn’t right. He belonged to Yongguk but Yongguk had never belonged to him.
His tongue tasted blood from his chapped lips and he didn’t like it, but it made his upset stomach calm down so he did it again.
“Good boy.” Now Yongguk sounded relieved as he gently untangled his fingers from Jongup’s matted hair and pressed his lips to his. He let the frightened boy bite at him until Yongguk’s mouth was as torn and bleeding as his own. “Now tell me your name.”
“Jongup.” He swiped his tongue across the warm blood and sighed in contentment. “Yongguk’s.”
Yongguk laughed against him and nodded this time. “Close enough.”
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