Hidden Patterns | Kpop Demon Hunters x Reader

[ 12 ] powerful emotions

"...ugh."

The wind flutters quietly through the broken window of your apartment, letting in the scent of asphalt, dirt, and the faintest trace of blood. It's a mixture of your blood, and that of the four demons who rudely attacked you in the comfort of your own apartment. Your injuries have long since healed, and so have theirs, but the scent still lingers, well after the fact.

You stand in your bedroom, arms crossed and gaze fixed on the jagged crater where a pane of glass used to be. Maybe you went overboard by throwing Baby so hard. Not because he got hurt, but because you made a mess. It's a bit too late to start regretting that now, though. You sigh.

Fixing this is going to be a pain in the ass.

You glance over the damage again, trying to tally it in your head. The pavement down below is cracked—from when you threw Baby, probably. The dent in the building across the street is from when Abby collided against it. You could go on and on, really. Even though you made quick work of defeating them, proof of the fight is still very much there.

The average civilian isn't going to trace this back to demons, obviously, but it's still a mess. You feel bad just imagining how people will react when they wake up and gaze upon the sorry state of their neighborhood.

Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about that. You're a demon with destructive powers—minus your regenerative body—not a repairwoman. And right now you're mainly focused on your poor, shattered window.

You sigh, shutting your curtains at the very least. They're not going to be able to keep the draft out, though. Regardless, you have no need for the protection a locked window provides. If tonight proved anything, it's that you'd know well in advance if someone was stupid enough to sneak up on you in your sleep.

More importantly, though, there's Rumi.

Her call came just minutes after the dust settled. Your phone lit up like a beacon, buzzing insistently, her name flashing on screen. Apparently, demon hunters are far more perceptive than you even realized. She sensed the sudden surge in demonic energy. You shouldn't have used your demon form. That was careless of you.

Fortunately, you managed to keep your cool and play it off like nothing happened. She sounded convinced, if not a bit embarrassed for 'waking' you. But you definitely need to get the window fixed ASAP, in case Rumi and the others drop by for a visit soon. You'd rather not raise any suspicions.

A yawn sneaks past your lips as you stretch your arms overhead. Your limbs are heavy now, your mind sluggish. Your body craves rest. You're not tired from the fight itself, not really—you barely broke a sweat beating those four—but the emotional toll, the sharp drop from high alert to calm, leaves your bones aching with exhaustion.

I'll just worry about the window tomorrow. It's not like it's going anywhere.

Despite everything, sleep comes quickly.

*****

At the same time, in the demon realm, four dazed and deeply humbled demons stumble their way back home. Their injuries are no more, thanks to your healing abilities, but their clothes are dirty and torn up, and their egos are sufficiently bruised.

Abby is the first to break the silence.

"Are you finally going to give up now, man?" he groans, eyes flitting tiredly in Baby's direction. "Because that was scary as shit. I seriously thought she was going to kill us."