Hidden Patterns | Kpop Demon Hunters x Reader

[ 08 ] outsider

After letting Abby into your apartment, you keep your promise and start preparing him a smoothie. It still kind of amazes you how excited he gets over something so simple. As you're chopping the fruits and measuring the other ingredients, you glance back to see him sitting rather awkwardly on the couch, surrounded by Derpy and Sussie. Derpy has already flopped over onto the ground like a lazy cat, tongue hanging out, while Sussie perches on the armrest, eyeing Abby with a considerable amount of judgment.

"This is a lot different from the demon realm," Abby says after a moment, looking around like he half-expects your furniture to start rotting, cracking, or peeling where it stands. "I mean... in a good way, though."

"Yeah, well, I don't remember all that much about the demon realm, to be honest," you respond without looking back. "But I'm sure it must be. That place was so dark and depressing. My apartment's nothing special, but it's a lot nicer here than it is there."

Abby tilts his head. "How long's it been since you were even there?"

You shrug, tossing banana slices into the blender. "Longer than you've been alive."

His eyes widen. "Wait, for real? Like, longer than 400 years?"

"Yep."

He whistles, impressed. "Do you ever miss it?"

You pause briefly before answering, only turning your head enough to catch the stiff expression on his face. "Not really," you scoff.

"Right. Yeah. Dumb question," he mutters, scratching the back of his neck.

Another two minutes or so pass, and you waste no time before tossing all the ingredients into the blender and giving it enough time to process into a smooth, velvety liquid. You then pour the smoothie out into a tall glass and rejoin your guests in the living room. Abby accepts it with reverence, like you've just handed him a sacred chalice. He starts chugging it immediately.

"This is great!" he beams. "I can feel my muscles bulking up already!"

You raise a brow, amused. You're still not sure if he realizes that human food won't really help his muscles grow since he's a demon... but you decide you're probably better off not breaking the news to him. As long as he's happy, that's all that matters. His excitement is actually kind of cute.

Anyway, he's seriously chugging that thing down. Almost too fast, you'd say. While he drains the smoothie at an alarming rate, Sussie hops a little closer to him and makes a soft, chirping sound. Except it somehow sounds like it's steeped in attitude. All six of his eyes are even slightly narrowed. Abby makes sure to narrow his eyes back at him.

"Why's this bird so damn rude?" he mutters.

"He doesn't like freeloaders," you joke.

"I'm not freeloading! I just followed these animals through a bunch of portals and broke onto your balcony, accidentally grabbed your underwear, and then got invited in for a smoothie. I didn't plan for things to end up this way. It was just... fate. Or something."

"Sure," you snort, settling into the armchair across from him. "Just fate."

Abby sets the empty glass down and leans forward slightly, tone darkening. "Seriously, though, don't kill Baby."

You tilt your head, a little surprised by the shift.

"He's annoying, I get it," Abby continues. "But try seeing things from his point of view. He really does think you're dangerous. He thinks you're, like... brainwashing Jinu."

"I can't brainwash anyone," you sigh heavily. "That's Gwi-Ma's power, not mine."

"Well, yeah. I kind of figured. But you still protect humans, right?"