Up To My Eyes

by themoonlightfae

Summary:

A chance meeting with a kind stranger leads to so much more. You only hope that you're up for the experience.

Chapter 1: Life is Strange

Summary:

You make a new friend at the library.

Or so you thought.

You grumbled as you prowled the shelves of your university library, searching for the modestly sized list of books you’d scribbled on the back of an old card catalog card. Would they even be helpful? You were unsure. But your ridiculously old-fashioned and extremely crotchety professor had decided he wanted to require at least five sources to be actual, dead-tree, written materials.

 

“And for why?” You muttered under your breath. “It doesn’t have to be this fucking difficult, Dr. Chambers. For fuck’s sake,” you said, a little too loudly. You cringed when you noticed someone look up at you from their perch in an armchair over by the window, peering at you over his book.

 

“Sorry,” you mouthed, turning back to the bookshelves, your ears burning with embarrassment. But you could feel his eyes on you now, and you tried to focus on the call numbers in front of you, slowly adding to the stack in your arms. 

 

“Those are some heavy subjects,” you heard a quiet voice say, and you looked up to see the man you’d disturbed was now standing next to you, so close that you shied back, regretting that your coat and gloves were back in your study room. You prayed he wouldn’t try to touch you. Any skin-to-skin contact with anyone was a no-no… unless you wanted to be able to read their minds. You silently cursed whatever gods-that-were for such a freakish ability. You spent so much time annoyed with it, feeling as though you’d stepped straight out of some movie or TV show, expected to function in real society like this. It was fucking preposterous. 

 

And yet here you were.

 

“Um, yeah, I guess,” you muttered, trying to compose yourself. “You know,” you said in a lighter tone. “Just some casual bedtime reading, no big deal.” You chanced a glance at his face. He was, in a single word, pretty. Short, black hair, absolutely perfect, smooth skin. Striking, ice-blue eyes that seemed to bore into your very soul. The nicest set of lips you thought you’d ever seen, curved into a small smile as he continued to look down at you. 

 

“What are you studying?” He asked, genuine interest in his voice. 

“Oh,” you said, suddenly aware that you were fucking staring at him, looking back to your books. “I’m working on my master’s. Social work,” you added. “What about you?”

“Just taking advantage of the fact that this library offers its services to the community,” he said. “I’ve seen you here pretty frequently… thought I would say hello.”

“Hello,” you said, turning your attention back to the books, pulling another down. 

“I’m Hyunjin,” he said smoothly. 

 

You told him your name, and he smiled wider. 

“It’s nice to meet you.” 

“You, too,” you murmured as you grabbed another book, looking back down at your list. Yep, that did it. You groaned internally at the thought of how many hours it would take you to pull information from these.

 

“Can…” he started, and stopped himself, regarding you quietly. He seemed to be arguing with himself. "Hmm."

“Use your words,” you said. Done with the conversation, you turned to walk back to the study room you’d staked out, but he followed you. 

 

“Wait-- Can I buy you a coffee?”

 

You stopped and turned to him, surprised. It wasn’t often that anyone paid you attention like this. Even Aiden, your boyfriend of about a year and a half, never asked to do small things for you like buy you a coffee. Or much of anything, for that matter. 

 

“I guess that sounds okay,” you told him. “Let me go set these books down and I’ll meet you downstairs.”

 

He nodded, and strode towards the stairs as you dumped the armful of books at your workstation. As an afterthought, you slipped your coat on, thankful for its long sleeves that you could hide your hands in. 

 

All these years into your adult life, and you were still figuring out the nuances of your strange power. It wasn’t something that was automatic. You couldn’t hear just anyone’s thoughts, thank the gods. Instead, you had to touch someone first. Just the smallest brush of skin, a hand on your shoulder, arm, anything, and that was it, you’d have free and permanent access to their mind. And they had no idea. You tried to stay out of people’s heads the best you could. Hell, you tried to avoid human contact the best you could, period. Thankfully, most people seemed to easily accept the fact that you just weren’t a touchy person. In the meantime, you tended to dress in a lot of layers. While most people accepted the story that you were just cold natured, some others were suspicious that you were hiding something. Although you knew what they were imagining, it couldn't be farther from the actual truth.

 

Can’t please everyone, I guess.

 

You descended the stairs to see Hyunjin waiting on you, arms crossed, the sleeves of his button-down rolled up to his elbows. 

“Don’t you have a coat?” You asked. “It’s freezing in here. And getting that way outside, too.”

“The cold doesn’t really bother me,” he said as he gestured in the direction of the coffee stand. “Shall we?”

“Okay Elsa,” you giggled at your own joke, relieved when he began to snicker as well. 

“Look,” he laughed. “Just let it go, okay?”

 

You snorted and covered your face as you giggled. 

“That was good,” you said, grinning at him. “Well executed. Strong work.” 

“Thank you, I do what I can,” he said. “What’ll you have?”

“Ummm. Caramel macchiato? Two extra shots.”

“Two? Were you planning on sleeping… never?”

“I’m a masters student,” you said indignantly, and he laughed. 

“You know what, that’s really valid.” 

 

He stepped up to the register to order, and you hung behind him, somewhat self-conscious. You were a little worried that someone who knew you might see you with Hyunjin and tell Aiden. You cared about Aiden a lot, but he was… more than a little jealous, on a good day. Even with your best friends, Dany and Nyla, he got a bit grumpy when you spent what he considered an unequal amount of time with them versus what you spent with him. 

 

You quickly grabbed your drink from the barista the second they set it down, before Hyunjin could get to it to hand it to you. He seemed confused for a moment, but shrugged it off. You led him back upstairs to the study room. As an afterthought, you closed the blinds, sighing at Hyunjin’s curious expression. 

 

“Let’s just say… my boyfriend is the jealous type,” you explained. 

“Don’t want to be seen with me, huh?”

“It’s nothing against you,” you tried to reassure him. “I just don’t have the bandwidth for any flack from anyone right now. It’s four weeks into the semester and I’m already stressed the fuck out.”

“That’s fair,” he said, taking a seat next to you. You were immediately nervous, but he made no move to get closer, and you tried to breathe. 

“You live around here?” You asked, hoping that he wouldn’t pick up on your unease.

“Just outside town,” he said. “You?”

“In my parents’ old house, not too far from here. I did undergrad here too,” you told him. “It’s an easy walk, when the weather is good, anyway.”

“You’re always cold, aren’t you?” He asked. 

“How did you guess?” He wasn’t actually wrong. He gestured to the scarf and gloves sitting on the table. 

“It’s only…” he checked his watch. “50 degrees outside. Low tonight of 47. Yet here you are, already ready for full on winter.”

“Wow. Less judgement, sir,” you giggled. 

 

“So why social work?” He said, rapidly changing the subject. “That’s a really difficult, really stressful field, from what I understand.” He took a few sips of his coffee and set the cup down. You nursed your own carefully. You didn’t really want to get into the nitty-gritty of your own past with a stranger. He didn’t need to know the gory details of your shitty childhood. 

 

“I’m adopted,” you finally said. It was true– you were. Your birth parents had been… less than ideal. Your adopted parents, Ellie and Terrence, were the best thing that had ever happened to you. “The social workers that helped me when I was a kid were amazing. So I guess I kinda wanted to give back,” you finished. 

 

God, I sound so lame. 

 

“That’s really admirable,” he told you. He looked over at the stack of books on the table, your open laptop with a blank Word document open. “Isn’t it a little early for term papers though?”

“I’m getting a head start,” you sighed. “This professor is… actually terrible, and such a stickler. I’m trying to stay ahead of the game.”

“What’s your topic?”

“The long term effects of adverse childhood events on young adult development and behavior,” you said. “Jeez. That’s actually. Ugh.” You set your coffee down and closed your laptop, toying with a pen. “It sounds like a lot, doesn’t it?”

“Definitely not bedtime reading,” he replied. He moved his chair closer, reaching for your hand, and you quickly withdrew, folding your arms across your chest, hands tucked tightly in the sleeves of your coat.

“Sorry,” you said hurriedly. “I’m… I don’t really like to be touched.”

“I understand,” he said reassuringly. “It’s okay.”

“So. Um.” You weren’t sure what to do now. You could have cut the awkwardness in the air with a knife.

“Seen any good movies lately?” He offered the new subject up with a small smile, taking another swig of his coffee. 

“Honestly? What is free time?” You laughed. “I’ve just been rewatching old favorites. Whenever I'm not reading for school, or in class, or doing homework... So. Yeah."

“What’s your favorite movie?” He asked. 

“It’s hard to nail down a favorite,” you admitted. “I just rewatched To Kill A Mockingbird for the first time in years the other day, though, so I'd say that's a contender. It holds up.” 

“The book was better,” he said. You nodded in agreement. 

“Oh, definitely, one of my all time favorite books. But the movie is really great too.”

“I haven’t watched it a while,” he tilted his head. 

“Maybe you can come over sometime and watch it with me.” The words were past your lips before you could stop yourself. 

 

Oh my god, what are you doing, you idiot?

 

He regarded you carefully. 

 

“That could be arranged, I’m sure.” He was even closer now, those cold blue eyes fixed on you, and you took a deep breath. 

 

“Can… can I help you?” You stammered.

 

He sighed heavily.

 

“I’m very sorry,” he said quietly. 

“Sorry for wh–” you began. 

 

You did not finish the thought, however, as in the next second he had left his chair and was kneeling beside yours. He wrapped his arms around you, one hand fisted in your hair as he pulled your head back, baring your neck to him. His other hand slipped over your mouth, stifling you as your tried to scream. The next thing you felt was pain. Sharp, searing, excruciating pain in the side of your neck, and his lips against your skin as he began to drink, and you realized exactly what he was. 

 

He’s. No. He can't be. No. No no no no no no. This isn’t fucking happening. No. Your mind was a storm. But his was open to you now, as he held one cool hand clamped over your mouth. 

 

Stop it! You shrieked inside his head. Stop it! Get away from me! Let me go!

 

You felt him loosen his grip on you for just a moment, heard the surprise somewhere behind the bloodlust clouding his mind, felt his fangs leave your skin. But as you fell silent, he bit again, harder, and you struggled against his hold. God, he was so strong. 

 

Is this really how I’m going to fucking die? You wondered as you grew dizzy. In the god damn fucking library. Fuck me. Your resolve was growing weaker as you beat against him, begging him still to stop, until the edges of your vision grew fuzzy, and then everything went black.

 

—

 

You woke up on the floor, morning light streaming down through the window behind you. Your scarf was rolled under your head. To the unassuming eye, you looked just like a tired grad student who needed a bit of a nap. 

 

Not like a person who’d nearly had the life sucked from them– literally– just hours before. 

 

You sat up slowly, head spinning worse than the last time you’d been drunk, shaking like a leaf. As you grabbed ahold of a chair to pull yourself up, something fell off one of the buttons of your coat. You looked down to see a silver chain bracelet bearing a crescent moon shaped charm.

 

What is this, fucking… vampire Cinderella? Shit.

 

You pocketed the bracelet without another thought and struggled to your feet, collapsing into a chair to catch your breath. You were grateful you’d driven to the library the night before, because you certainly couldn’t imagine walking home in this state. You pulled a compact mirror from your backpack to examine the damage, frowning as you saw two sets of bite marks under a blooming bruise, nestled under your jawline. It was so ugly. You wrapped your scarf strategically around your neck, puffing it up to make sure the wound was well hidden. 

 

As you packed up your things, you realized your planner was missing. Hadn’t you had it the night before? Your brain was so fuzzy, you couldn’t quite remember. Maybe you’d left it somewhere. At home. In class, maybe. At work? You shrugged and decided that was a problem for Future You.

 

You left the books after snapping photos of the covers, feeling somewhat bad for leaving extra work for Dimitri, your very favorite student librarian. You knew he wouldn’t care though. In the grand scheme of things, leaving a stack of books for someone else to reshelve wasn’t really the worst thing right now. 

 

You had never been so relieved to get home as you were that morning. You dropped your bag at the door, locking it tightly, and staggered to the bathroom. You decided on a lukewarm shower, remembering what had happened last time you’d taken a hot shower after a blood donation, how you’d woken up in the tub with cold water streaming down on you. 

 

Only this time, you hadn’t really chosen to give up your blood. 

 

The wounds looked even worse in the yellow light of your bathroom. The bruises were already deeper, the bite marks not as clean as you’d thought. You’d definitely shocked him when you’d set to screaming inside his head, if the jagged second set of puncture marks was any indicator.

 

Your phone buzzing in your pocket startled you, and you pulled it out to see it was Aiden calling. You shot him a quick text instead of answering. 

 

You [9:34am]: Not feeling well. Call you later!

 

With that, you shed your clothes and got in the shower. As you washed up, you noticed a small mark on the back of your hand. It could have almost been a birthmark... except you didn’t have a birthmark. The shape was not lost on you, either– a perfectly outlined crescent moon. No matter how hard you scrubbed, it would not come off. 

 

You finally gave up and emerged from the shower some time later, still feeling like absolute garbage, to find messages in your group text from Dany and Nyla. 

 

Nyla [10:03am]: Aiden said you’re sick are you okay

 

Dany [10:03am]: Yeah can we bring you anything??? You’ve been overdoing it lately. And by that I mean all the fucking time

 

You [10:07am]: I’m okay. And you’re not my real mom, Dany

 

Dany [10:08am]: It’s really not fair for you to make those jokes, lol

 

Nyla [10:09am]: Exactly -3 fair!

 

You [10:10am]: Sorryyyyy. I have angry guts right now. Don’t want you to catch anything. It’s fine

 

Nyla [10:11am]: So what flavor and how much Pedialyte should we drop off? What kind of soup do you want?? TELL US NOW BISH

 

Dany [10:12am]: TELL US TELL US TELL US TELL US

 

You [10:14am]: You guys are INSUFFERABLE and I LOVE YOU. Strawberry lemonade flavor I guess. And… chicken noodle. And Ritz crackers, not saltines.

 

Nyla [10:15am]: You got it! We’ll leave it on the doorstep. No germ sharing that way

 

True to their word, an hour later, there was a knock on the door, and you found four liters of Pedialyte and a paper bag containing chicken noodle soup from the deli down the street, and a box of Ritz crackers. 

When you got out your phone to text them thank you, you noticed that you had a message from an unknown number. After thanking Dany and Nyla, you stared at the offending message, unsure of what to do. 

 

UNK [11:35am]: Hi? Hello. Uh. I think I found your planner…

 

You frowned, thankful in some small part that the only contact info in said planner was your first name and phone number. 

 

You [11:38am]: Oh?

 

UNK [11:40am]: Yeah. 

 

The person sent a picture, and it was indeed your planner. You sighed. If you hadn't ordered it custom made, you'd have been inclined to say fuck it. 

 

You [11:42am]: Yeah, that is mine. I’m sick right now, though, sorry. 

 

UNK [11:43am]: No worries, let me know when you’re feeling better and I’ll get it back to you.

 

You spent most of the next several days on the couch, halfheartedly researching for your paper. You called out of work for the week, apologizing profusely to Annika, your manager. As shaky as you still felt, a busy emergency department was no place for you, even if you were just a unit clerk. Thankfully, you were per diem, and you’d already worked your expected quota for the month, having picked up extra shifts to make some money in anticipation of holiday spending. You were such a perfectionist that you’d never missed a shift before, in your five years at this job. Annika was sure to mention that when you talked to her, making sure to tell you to let her know if you needed anything, and not to worry. 

 

Meanwhile, you couldn’t get Hyunjin out of your head. 

 

It sounded ridiculous. A vampire. He was a fucking vampire. Since when had your life become an actual fucking episode of True Blood? You tried your best to distract yourself, but every time you went to sleep, he was waiting for you in your dreams. 

 

You were already tired of it. 

 

Just one break, universe , you begged. Just one. Fucking. Break.

 

You wondered if that would come any time soon. 

Chapter 2: A New Focus

Summary:

Hyunjin reflects on what he's done, and tries to make it better. It does not quite go the way he had anticipated.

Hyunjin still couldn’t believe he had been so fucking stupid. He’d arrived home at half past ten that night, your planner in hand, your blood still smeared in the corners of his mouth, only for Soren, the leader of his clan, to catch him sneaking to his room.

 

His knowing stare shook Hyunjin to his bones. 

 

“We’ll talk later,” Soren had said, turning on a dime, his long blonde ponytail swinging, the click of his heels as he walked away just another reminder to Hyunjin that he was in trouble. 

 

Of course he was in trouble. He’d known he was going to be in trouble the second he’d gotten up from the relative safety of his chair, to talk to you. 

 

It was so, so stupid of him. He hadn’t fed properly in almost a week. And now here he was like some gods-damned vampiric cliché, having nearly killed a human in plain sight, because he couldn’t get ahold of himself at the right time. He knew the rules. No feeding alone. That didn’t go for every member of his clan, but at 254 years old and the youngest in the group, Hyunjin still struggled sometimes with a startling amount of bloodlust. The others were supportive, but he was still self-conscious. Surely at this point he should have a handle on things.

 

Right?

 

He never should have talked to you. Not in the state he’d been in. He’d been absolutely parched, and you’d just been… so appealing . In more ways than one.

 

And gods, the taste of you. If his heart still beat, it would have skipped a few as he imagined how good you had tasted, your hot blood running across his tongue and down his throat like the best he’d ever had.

 

And now here he was, almost an entire day later, still waiting for Soren to come to his room and give him a thorough verbal lashing for his idiocy. 

 

Hyunjin had stayed put, not wanting to face the rest of the family, who'd likely found out what he'd done by now. He found some small solace in his art, but as he erased the same part of his drawing for the sixth time, he threw the eraser down on the desk, angry at himself once more. 

 

He hadn’t wanted to hurt you. Rather, he had been genuinely interested in you. He was a frequent library patron, and he’d noticed you on more than one occasion, poring over books, hurrying around the place like you had a deadline ten days past due. And maybe you did, he wasn’t sure. All he knew was that you seemed interesting. He’d watched you joking with the student librarian, Dimitri, seen you buy coffee for someone who had been a few dollars short. You seemed genuine. Caring and kind.

 

He knew humans enough nowadays to know these were all rare traits.

 

He’d always found humans fascinating, he had since he was turned. The rest of his clan paid them no mind, save on the rare occasion they decided to take a human pet, and then that’s all it was. Humans were beneath them. But not so for Hyunjin. He was actively involved in social media, books, movies, current events. He kept up with technology as it changed, unlike most of the rest of his clan, some of whom only owned a flip phone at most, or no phone at all, not to mention never watched television, or anything else.

 

Hyunjin had known he wanted you to be something more than just a stranger he saw at the library three times a week. That was, if you’d talk to him at all. You always appeared somewhat nervous around other people, and the last thing he’d wanted was to cause you any unease. 

 

Of course, he had also taken your blood against your will, and left you on the floor of the library like you meant nothing to him. 

And then, to top it off, he’d taken your planner with him as he left. 

 

He hadn’t originally planned on that. He hadn’t planned on any of what had happened, for that matter. 

 

But he also hadn’t anticipated hearing your screams inside his head as he drank from you. The shrill cries in his mind were the only thing that had been able to distract him enough, stop him from draining you dry. He’d taken the planner in the hopes of speaking to you again, eventually. He had to know more about you. There was no way around it. He was so intrigued he couldn’t help himself. 

 

A human with a gift. He’d never seen the likes of you, and he wasn’t sure he ever would again.

 

The image of you, limp in his arms after he’d bitten you, wouldn’t leave his head. He had painstakingly carefully cleaned you up the best he could using some tissues he’d found in your bag, concealing them inside his half-empty cup of coffee before he threw it out. He arranged you on the floor in such a way that he hoped any passersby would just think you were napping. 

 

He’d texted you the next morning before he went to sleep for the day, under the guise of needing to return your planner. Which he did, in all honesty. But he almost couldn't make himself stop. He wanted more. So much more. You were so interesting.

 

A sharp knock sounded at the door, snapping him out of his reverie. Soren opened the door and strode into the room, and Hyunjin sighed. 

 

Well. Fuck.

 

“Hyunjin,” Soren started, glaring down at the sky blue planner on the corner of Hyunjin’s desk, your name scrawled across the cover. “What is that?”

 

“I can explain,” Hyunjin said hurriedly. Soren took a seat in the chair in the corner, deep red eyes fixed on Hyunjin. Hyunjin had never wanted to wither up and disappear so badly. 

 

“I’m waiting.”

 

Hyunjin was now at a loss for words. He couldn’t tell Soren about you. Not fully. He had a feeling that your power was a secret, and gods damn it, he intended to keep it that way.

 

“I made a mistake,” Hyunjin said lamely.

“No shit,” Soren spat. “You know you aren’t supposed to feed alone. And to top it all off, you stole something from a human? This isn’t like you. What is going on in that head of yours?”

“I don’t know,” Hyunjin said truthfully, dragging a hand through his hair. “I snapped. I shouldn’t have talked to her when I was that thirsty. I just… I lost it. I’m sorry,” he finished, biting his lip. 

“Sorry doesn’t begin to cut it,” Soren said tersely. “You’ve put this whole clan in danger. You are to return this… book…” he pointed at your planner. “And then never speak to her again. Do you understand me? Your carelessness… I can’t even begin to tell you how angry I am with you.”

“I know,” Hyunjin said, hanging his head, wringing his hands. “I’m sorry, Soren.”

“Good. You can stay here and be sorry alone. Make plans to return the human’s belongings, while you’re at it. And be ready by 9pm tomorrow night, you’re going out to feed with me.”

 

“I will,” was all Hyunjin could think to say. Soren left the room, slamming the door, and Hyunjin stared at his feet, feeling a whole new wave of shame cascading over him. 

 

Soren was right. He’d put his whole family in danger. If you talked, they might have to move. Again. Hyunjin still remembered a few decades prior, when Taro had made a similar mistake, and they’d had to leave the small town they had been in for almost thirty years. That was how they had come to be here to begin with. Hyunjin loved this city, and he didn’t want to leave any time soon. 

 

He didn’t want to leave you, either. Which shouldn't have even been a talking point. You didn’t even know him. 

 

Not yet, anyway. 

 

—

 

He gave it a week and a half before he messaged you again. 

 

Hyunjin [7:31pm]: Hello. Feeling better?

 

You [8:43pm]: Can’t talk at work super busy sorry

 

You had never messaged back after that. He was not to be deterred, however. Two days later, he tried again. 

 

Hyunjin [5:46pm]: Is now a better time?

 

You [5:48pm]: Yeah, sorry! Just. Work, y’know?

 

Hyunjin [5:49pm]: Sorry to hear it was hectic. 

 

You [5:51pm]: It’s never not, haha. Idk how my coworkers do this shit full time. I could NEVER

 

Hyunjin [5:53pm]: So, I still need to give you back your planner. So you can know what you’re doing with your life, presumably

 

You [5:57pm]: Oh god, well if you ever find THAT out let me know because I’m not sure I have a firm grasp, and I have like three calendars including that one. LOL

 

Hyunjin [6:00pm]: Three?

 

You [6:02pm]: Yes three. Give an attention deficit bitch a break hahaha

 

Hyunjin [6:03pm]: Is this where I insert a SQUIRREL joke?

 

You [6:04pm]: Honestly, I’d have been disappointed if you hadn’t. Low hanging fruit, etc. 

 

Hyunjin: [6:05pm]: You’re welcome? 

 

He included a gif of Maui, grinning to himself. Maybe it would be okay. 

 

Maybe.

 

You [6:07pm]: Great now I want to watch Moana. And I have homework. So. LOL @ myself

 

Hyunjin [6:09pm]: Oops, sorry. 

 

You [6:10pm]: It’s okay! I’ll probably shove it in somewhere tomorrow. I don’t have to work, AND I don’t have class. It’s like Christmas in October. YAY ME

 

Hyunjin [6:12pm]: So, would tomorrow be a good day to meet up and give you your planner?

 

You [6:13pm]: Yeah, I guess that works. Are you local?

 

You [6:13pm]: Wait, stupid question, forget I asked that. 

 

Hyunjin [6:15pm]: No I am from… not here.

 

Hyunjin [6:15pm]: I had a witty response all ready to go and I lost it

 

You [6:16pm]: LOL you’re forgiven. I guess. Do you know that coffee place a couple blocks from the university? Bean something. 

 

Hyunjin [6:17pm]: Bean A While? Yes, I’m familiar. How does 5pm sound?

 

You [6:18pm]: Yeah, that’s it. I don’t know why I can never remember the name because I laugh every time I pass by it. Sure, 5 is fine, how will I know it’s you? Besides my planner, I guess, ha

 

Hyunjin [6:20pm]: I was going to say I’ll be the one holding your planner. But I guess… look for a dark red jacket. 

 

You [6:21pm]: Great, see you then!

 

Hyunjin couldn’t focus on much of anything that evening. He’d picked up To Kill A Mockingbird again after you’d mentioned it at the library, but after he’d read the same sentence twelve times, he gave up. 

 

He tried drawing, but he still couldn’t concentrate. You occupied his every thought. He wasn’t sure why he was so fixated on you, truth be told. After all, you were just a human. 

 

Or were you?

 

He woke early the next afternoon, showering and throwing on jeans and a t-shirt, the aforementioned red jacket over it. He grabbed your planner from his desk and slid out of the house, slipping on a pair of sunglasses against the blare of the late afternoon sun. The sunlight didn’t bother him, not all that much, but it still was awfully bright against his sensitive eyes. 

 

He ordered a coffee and sat at a table near the door, setting your planner down in front of him, and checked his watch. 

 

4:37. 

 

Damn it.

 

He’d never been one to fidget, even when he himself had been human, but he was doing so now, so anxious was he over seeing you again. He wasn’t sure how it would go. Would you scream? Make a scene? He should have just met you in a more private area. 

 

“Oh, you’ve got to be fucking shitting me,” he heard someone say, a somewhat familiar voice at that, and looked up to see you standing just inside the doorway, what little color there was in your face draining from it as you glanced down to see your planner on the table in front of him. He watched your warm eyes flicking back to meet his own cool blue ones in disbelief. You turned on your heel and were out the door a split second later, and he grabbed the planner and followed you. 

 

“Wait,” he called as you strode down the sidewalk, shoulders hunched against the cold. He called your name, and frowned as you waved a hand back in his direction.

“Keep it, I don’t care!” You called as you kept walking.

 

Hyunjin took a deep breath.

 

Not that he needed to breathe, of course. But it did help him clear his head, just a bit. Quietly, and he hoped, inconspicuously, he followed you home to a charming little house, where he watched you shut yourself tightly inside. He steeled himself, and went to knock on the door. 

 

He wasn’t expecting you to open it, though he was unsurprised that you only did so a bit, and that a bar prevented him from entering. You’d already invited him in. A chain would have made it so easy. 

 

No. I have to get her to trust me. That’s not the way, you idiot.

 

Not that anything he’d done up to this point was inspiring of trust. 

 

But whatever. 

 

“What the fuck do you want? Haven’t you done enough?” You asked coldly, peering out at him. “You can’t come in,” you added. 

 

“You invited me in last time we met. You can’t take it back,” he replied, immediately internally kicking himself for the response. Not the time or the place, he chided himself.

“You wanna run that by me again?” You said angrily. 

“You…” He sighed, running a hand through his hair, as he often did when he was frustrated. “You said I should come over and watch a movie with you. You invited me in. And invitations can’t be revoked.”

“So what then, are you going to force your way in, then?” You said scathingly. “Finish the job?”

“No. Of course not. I just want to talk,” Hyunjin sighed again, feeling defeated. He should have known you’d react like this. How could you not?

“Uh-huh, sure, I’m supposed to believe that? Okay.”

 

Hyunjin found himself wishing he could just keel over right there. Nevermind that he was already dead. He wanted so badly to get to know you. Explain himself. Become friends, maybe.

 

What had gotten into him? Soren’s words echoed in his head. He turned his attention back to you. 

 

“I’m not going to hurt you,” he said softly. “I swear.” 

“And I have… what reason to believe you, exactly?” You asked, pulling down the neck of your turtleneck and turning slightly to show him the marks he’d left on you. “Remember this? This hurt. A hell of a lot. Still does.”

“I do remember,” he replied. “I know that any apology I give would never be enough. But… that person you met at the library… that bloodthirsty monster, that’s not me. I was an idiot. I’ll own that.”

 

He watched as you took a deep breath and let it out slowly, staring daggers at him. Indeed, if he had been able to die again, he’d be laid out on your front stoop for sure, the way you were glaring. 

 

But finally, as your eyes searched his face, your expression softened, and you pursed your lips. You shut the door, and he frowned. 

 

Well, you really went and fucked things up, didn’t you, Hyunjin? Way to go.

 

He laid your planner on the welcome mat with a sigh. As he was turning to leave, he heard some shuffling inside the door, and then it swung open fully. You stood there, shivering against the cold evening air, and he felt another wave of guilt at the fact that it was partially his fault that you were so cold. 

 

“Well? Come on,” you sighed. “I want to hear everything, and you’d better have a damn fucking good explanation.”

Chapter 3: Something Worth Knowing

Summary:

You've decided to hear Hyunjin out.

Whether this is a good idea or not, you're still unsure.

Notes:

TW/CW: Verbal altercation with significant other

You weren’t really sure what to make of the vampire on your doorstep. You’d had a feeling he was following you from the moment you’d left the coffee shop. 

 

You still couldn’t believe you’d been so stupid as to fall for this... trick. If that's what it was, anyway. Of course he had taken your planner. He wanted to find you, finish what he had started… whatever that was. Didn’t he? Why else would he seek you out like this? 

 

But now, as you stared him down relentlessly, he looked so… small. Not threatening at all. Just... dejected.

 

It was so very strange. He could probably kill you with his pinky finger. But he was shrinking back from you like you held all the power.

 

So you did the only thing you could think of for this ridiculous scenario-– you looked into his head. And what you found shocked you.  

 

Genuine upset and remorse were at the forefront of his thoughts, next to a healthy handful of anger at himself. He was also anxious– afraid that you’d not hear what he had to say. Above all was a desperate need to prove himself to you. 

 

You sighed internally and shut the door, undoing the bar and bracing yourself. You opened the door again to find he was leaving, about to step off the stoop. He spun as you opened the door, a sad expression on his face. You stood there shivering as the cold wind blew past you. 

 

“Well? Come on,” you sighed again. “I want to hear everything, and you’d better have a damn fucking good explanation.”

 

“You’re… you’re sure it’s okay?” He bit his lip. 

“Yeah. I guess. Just make up your mind, it’s cold out here.” You turned and headed inside. 

 

Truthfully, you really wanted him to come in. You weren’t sure why. Maybe you were just a glutton for punishment. Either way, you decided you’d hear him out. Perhaps he was indeed telling the truth, if the mess in his head was any indicator. 

 

You heard the door click closed and the deadbolts turn, and you felt a momentary sense of dread. Why was he locking himself in with you?

 

“I figured someone with three deadbolts and a door bar probably wants them locked at all times,” he said quietly from behind you, and you yelped and spun, causing him to collide with you, nearly knocking you to the floor. He threw your planner aside, catching you quickly, helping to steady you. You froze as you straightened up, catching his gaze. 

 

Those eyes… you hadn’t been able to get them out of your head, and here they were in front of you. You shivered again, but this time it wasn’t from the cold. 

 

“Sorry,” he said hurriedly, a worried expression on his face. “I shouldn’t have been following so closely.”

“It’s okay,” you shrugged, watching his eyes widen as he realized he was still holding onto your arms. He let you go, and you turned back to head down the hallway into the living room. 

 

You took a seat in the armchair in front of the window, grabbing a blanket and pulling it around yourself. He perched cautiously on the edge of the sofa, hands gripping his knees, staring at the floor. You didn’t have to check again to know that he was extremely nervous, and you weren’t sure why. He definitely had the upper hand here, whether he realized it or not.

 

“So.” You said curtly. “Talk.”

 

“Um.” He said. “I…” He looked you blankly.

“You said that person at the library wasn’t you,” you prompted him. 

“Right,” he said, covering his face with his hands. “And that’s true. It absolutely wasn’t. It’s been… a very long time since I lost control like that.”

“And how often would you say that happens, then?” You raised an eyebrow.

“I…” He took his hands down and frowned, staring at his feet. “I don’t actually remember the last time it happened. I’m not supposed to feed alone, because sometimes I just… yeah.”

“You go off the deep end?” You tried to keep your voice soft. As much as you wanted to just absolutely chew him out for what he did to you, a large part of you did not want to do that. He felt bad enough as it was, and for reasons unbeknownst to you, you didn’t want to make it worse. 

“To put it lightly.” He grimaced. “I can’t apologize enough for what I’ve done to you. I never intended to hurt you.”

“How old are you?” You asked, rapidly changing tack before he could berate himself some more, all the questions you’d been wanting to ask bubbling to the surface of your mind. 

“Two hundred and fifty-four,” he said. “Not that old, I guess. Compared to some others in my clan. Our leader is almost nine hundred. But I’m the youngest.”

“I was the youngest in my family too,” you told him. “I imagine it can be kind of annoying, no matter what the… dynamic is.” 

“You were?” He tilted his head. “Not still?”

 

Well, you’ve said too much, you chided yourself. Congrats.

 

“Umm. I’m adopted, I thought I told you.”

“I take it we should leave it at that?”

“That might be best,” you said. “Plus, I’m the one asking the questions here.”

“You’re right,” he said good-naturedly, folding his hands in his lap. “Go ahead.”

“Okay, so this one has really been bugging me,” you said, leaning over a bit, trying to appear a little less formidable. “How the actual fuck were you drinking coffee the other day? Wouldn’t that make you sick?”

“I love coffee,” he said, obviously confused. “It doesn’t make me sick. We can eat and drink anything we want.”

“Right but. What about blood? That's... not the only thing you can have?"

“How much vampire media have you been consuming?” He laughed. 

“I’m not at liberty to disclose that information,” you snorted. 

“Obviously, we prefer blood,” he sighed. “Human food will do in a pinch, but it’s not a perfect substitute. It’s not quite nourishing enough.” He cringed. “That sounded really gross, I’m sorry.”

“I mean,” you said, shrugging. “It’s what you are.”

“Wait... are you saying that I’m gross?”

“Oh, no, no, I didn’t mean–” You hid your face. “That’s not what I meant at all. I meant, you’re a vampire, you’re supposed to drink blood.”

“I figured,” he said with a quiet laugh. “But I couldn’t let that one go, I’m sorry.”

 

“So,” you said again. “Why are you being so nice to me now, after what happened before? And for that matter, why were you being so nice to me to begin with? You said you didn’t intend to attack me. What exactly did you intend to happen?”

“I just wanted to talk to you.” He looked sad again, and you resisted looking into his head, although you very, very much wanted to. 

“Why?” You crossed your arms, leaning back in the chair, pulling the blanket around you a little tighter. 

“Because you seemed like an interesting person,” he said matter-of-factly. 

“So you’ve been watching me.”

“It’s not like that,” he replied quickly. “I mean, I guess, I was... kind of. But not in any part because I wanted to hurt you. I told you, I–”

“Didn’t want to do that. Yeah, I know. So you just wanted to be friends? Like for real, just friends.”

“Yes,” he sighed. "That's all." 

“How many humans are you friends with?”

“None, at the moment,” he told you. “It’s been a while. I–”

 

He froze, and a second later you heard a key turning in the lock of the front door.

 

“Well, fuck,” you grumbled. 

“Were you expecting company?” He asked. 

“It’s Aiden,” you sighed, as you heard rapid knocking at the door and a gruff voice calling your name. You got up quickly, throwing your blanket onto the chair and crossing the room. You reached down and grabbed Hyunjin’s arm, pulling him up off the sofa, ignoring the look of utter confusion on his fair features. 

“What are you–” He started.
“Look,” you said, dragging him back across the room and throwing open the door to the coat closet in the hallway. “You don’t have to leave. But you also can’t be seen. Get in, hurry.”

“You’re putting me… in a closet?”

“Yep,” you said, placing your other hand on his back and pushing him in. “Sorry!”

 

You closed the closet door quickly and ran to the front door, opening it to find Aiden standing there, fuming. 

 

“Why did you lock me out? Who were you talking to?”

“It was the TV, Aiden.”

 

You rolled your eyes, leaving him at the door in much the same way you had Hyunjin. Aiden had been in such a mood lately, and you were sick of it. He'd turned a complete 180 from when the two of you had started dating, and you weren't sure why. 

 

Then again, you sure could pick 'em. You grumbled internally.

 

“You know I always keep the door locked when I’m here alone, anyway,” you told him as he followed you to the kitchen, where you poured yourself a glass of juice and took a sip, setting the glass down perhaps a little too firmly in your frustration.

 

“I’ve been hearing an awful lot of excuses from you lately,” he said angrily. “You’ve been brushing me off nonstop. I mean, maybe you are sick, you look like you could use some color, but what the fuck, really?”

“That’s real rich considering you texted my best friends about my being sick instead of helping me out your own damn self,” you shot back. “What’s your excuse for that one?”

“Don’t make this about me,” he said, irriitably, raising his voice. “You haven’t been there at all for me lately. We haven’t talked, we haven’t gone out, we haven’t fucked–” 

“Stop it, Aiden,” you demanded, wanting to shrivel up inside at the realization that Hyunjin was standing in your coat closet, hearing every bit of this. 

“I want an explanation,” he said, even louder now. 

“You need to leave,” you told him. “Are you drunk?”

“No,” he said. “Just fucking pissed.”

“Well go be pissed somewhere else,” you said firmly. “Come back when you’re ready to have a mature, adult conversation about how much you’ve shown your ass lately.” 

 

He stared at you for a moment, hazel eyes sparking with anger. He did look a bit bedragged, now that you noticed. His blonde hair looked oily, unwashed, and he clearly hadn’t shaved in a few days. 

 

“Fine,” he said. “Fucking fine. Call me when you’re not gonna be such a bitch, then.” He stormed out, and you heard the front door slam. You hurried to lock it again as you were rapidly dying of embarrassment on the inside. You stopped by the closet on your way back to the living room, opening the door to find Hyunjin staring at you, clearly concerned. 

 

“You can come out now,” you said glumly, trudging to the sofa and taking a seat. 

“Can I sit with you?” He asked. 

 

You hesitated for just a second. 

 

He doesn’t mean you any harm. It’s fine, you tried to reassure yourself. 

 

“Yeah,” you said. He sat down opposite you, regarding you quietly. 

 

“Are you—“ He began. 

“I’m sorry you had to hear that,” you sighed. “I— I don’t really want to talk about it.”

 

He fixed you with an intense stare. 

 

Those damn eyes.

 

“Do you feel safe?”

“Hyunjin,” you frowned. “Yeah. He’s all bark and no bite. I know he’s… terrible. It’ll be ok. I’ll figure it out. I'll handle it."

“Okay. I’ll drop it. But promise me something?”

“What?” You raised an eyebrow. 

“Will you tell me, if you ever… don’t feel safe?”

“Okay,” you agreed. 

 

What is his deal? This is so weird.

 

“Well,” he said, his gaze softer now. “What else did you want to know?”

“Oh, there’s so much more,” you said, thankful for the subject change, showing him the back of your left hand, where the crescent mark rested at the base of your thumb. “What the shit is this? It showed up after…”

“It’s…” He hesitated. “It means you’ve been claimed.”

“Claimed?!” You exclaimed. “What the ever-loving fuck does that mean?”

 

Hyunjin grimaced. 

 

“Bad word choice. It means you’re not to be trifled with by any other vampires.”

“What?”

“I… It was the least I could do considering the shitty thing that I did to you. I’m so sorry. I just wanted you to be protected from now on.”

“Protected?” Your irritation was replaced by extreme confusion. 

 

“By me.”

“Why… would you do that?” You tilted your head. He looked nervous again. 

“Because you’re special.”

“For ragging on me about my enjoyment of vampire stories, you sure did take a left turn into a cliché just now,” you giggled. “What kind of Twilight shit are you on about?”

“Oh my god,” he wrinkled his nose. “You didn’t just…”

 

You snorted again. 

 

“Yeah, I did. You’ll get over it.” 

 

“Would you like to explain to me how I was able to hear your voice in my head?” He asked softly. 

“Ugh,” you sighed heavily. “I knew you’d bring that up.”

“I’m genuinely curious,” he told you. “And please don’t worry— I won’t say a word. To anyone.”

“I don’t really know how best to explain it,” you said, furrowing your brow. “I’ve had this… thing… since I can remember. It’s not automatic, I can’t read just anyone’s mind, or project to them.”

“Wait, wait— you can read minds? Have you… did you…”

“Yeah, I did,” you admitted to him. Why do you think I let you in tonight? I could see you were sincere. I promise though, I’ll try to resist the urge to peek from now on.”

“So you can just have a look whenever you want?”

“Not really. Someone has to be at least in the same room with me, closer is better, easier. But like I was saying, I can only do it once a connection has been established through touch. It’s why I wear so many layers,” you sighed. “I try to avoid skin contact with people at all costs.”

“So when I—“ he started. You cut him off. 

“Yep. Your hand over my mouth was all it took. I’m sorry.”

 

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he insisted. For a moment it looked like he was going to reach for your hand, but he stopped himself. “I’m the only one who should be sorry here.”

“Okay,” you made a face at him. “Enough apologies. You’ve made your point.”

 

“So. Now what?” He asked cautiously. 

“I have to work 7-3 tomorrow,” you groaned, glancing at your watch, unsure how so much time had passed since Hyunjin had arrived. “I just remembered. I should have dinner and go to bed soon. 5am comes early.”

“What about…” He glanced down at the floor. “Is this it then?”

“I mean,” you said with a yawn. “For tonight, yeah. But we can chat more later, I guess. You still have my number, right?”

“Oh,” he looked back up at you, surprised. “You mean that?” 

“Sure,” you replied. “It’s fine. Just don’t expect any quick answers if I’m at work.”

“Fair enough. I wouldn't expect any sort of speed, honestly. I just hope you keep talking to me.”

"I'd say there's a fair chance of that."

 

Hyunjin stood, and you walked him to the door. 

 

“Well, goodnight,” he said, his tone much cheerier than it had been all evening. “Be safe, okay?”

“Nope, I’m gonna go get in a knife fight right after you’re gone,” you joked. 

“Are you always like this?” He grinned. 

“Yep, if you want to be my friend you’d better get used to it,” you replied with a small smirk. 

 

He turned to wave as he reached the end of the sidewalk, and hurried off down the street. You shut the door again and locked it tight. After a quick bowl of cereal, you crawled into bed, still exhausted from your unexpected blood loss, praying work would go easy on you in the morning.

 

—

 

Thankfully, it seemed that you had not tempted the emergency department gods with your plea for an easy shift. The morning was relatively uneventful, just a couple traumas, and everyone seemed to be on point with throughput. You found yourself scrolling on your phone quite a bit, in some small hope that Hyunjin might message you, before you remembered he was probably asleep, if he did that sort of thing. You'd forgotten to ask. Either way, you’d saved his number, and still found yourself checking every so often for new messages.

 

Around noon, a gift shop attendant dropped off a large vase containing an absolutely gorgeous arrangement of yellow and white flowers. 

 

“Special delivery,” she said, calling your name. 

“Those are for me?!” You blinked in surprise. 

“Sure are!”

“Thanks Bea,” you told her with a grin. You plucked the card from the center of the arrangement, expecting it to be a lame apology from Aiden. 

 

But no. 

 

It was from Hyunjin. 

 

I hope you are continuing to feel better, and that these make you smile. I’m so sorry for what happened. I promise I’ll do better. — Hyunjin

 

You could feel your ears burning. He absolutely didn’t need to have done this. For one thing, you hadn’t gotten flowers in forever, and you had butterflies for some inexplicable reason. You quickly shut that thought process down. Hyunjin was just a friend. A new friend. Who had accidentally almost killed you, because he was a vampire. 

 

Yep, this isn’t weird at all. 

 

Regardless though, you’d told him to stop apologizing. You pulled your phone out and shot him a quick message, hoping that if he was asleep that you wouldn’t wake him. 

 

You [12:13pm]: Thank you for the beautiful and extremely unnecessary flowers!

 

Hyunjin [12:13pm]: You’re welcome for the very necessary flowers. :p

 

You [12:14pm]: Look here you

 

Hyunjin [12:15pm]: I hope you don’t find the gesture intrusive. I happened to notice your work fleece while you were holding me hostage in your coat closet and I just wanted to do something nice for you.

 

You [12:17pm]: I had wondered how you knew where I worked. 

 

Hyunjin [12:18pm]: Don’t worry, I have zero plans to visit. Hospitals aren’t my jam, for obvious reasons

 

You [12:19pm]: So what is your jam then?

 

Hyunjin [12:20pm]: I prefer strawberry, but grape will do in a pinch. ;)

 

You [12:21pm]: And you want to mess with me for *my* sense of humor? (I laughed though)

 

Hyunjin [12:23pm]: ...Yes.

 

Hyunjin [12:24pm]: Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?

 

You hesitated. 

 

What is he doing?

 

You [12:25pm]: Maybe... I am le tired. 

 

Hyunjin [12:26pm]: Well have a nap!

 

You [12:26pm]: ZEN FIRE ZE MISSILES!!

 

Hyunjin [12:27pm]: Hahaha, thank you for that. No one else I know knows that meme

 

You [12:30pm]: Lucky for you I deal in memes and sarcasm. Where did you want to go for dinner? Please tell me I’m not the main course. ;p

 

Hyunjin [12:31pm]: Of course you aren’t. I fed this morning. You can choose. I’m not super picky. Ish. 

 

You [12:32pm]: Oh hang on, we are getting a code. BRB

 

You were busy for a while, doing the running as needed for supplies and such for your coworkers. Meanwhile, you were wracking your brain about dinner. You were more nervous about being seen with another guy than you were that said guy was a vampire.

 

Especially if it got back to Aiden. 

 

You [2:17pm]: Sushi?

 

Hyunjin [2:18pm]: That sounds great. Should I meet you at that place on 6th? Around 5:30 maybe?

 

You [2:19pm]: Ok, see you then!

 

After work you hurried home to shower and change, and made your way to the restaurant. You still couldn’t quite wrap your brain around the fact that you were going to have dinner with a vampire. It seemed too ridiculous to be real. 

 

Hyunjin met you in front of the sushi place, looking much too attractive for the fact that he was wearing ripped jeans and a hoodie. 

 

Oh god, stop it. You’re with someone. 

 

Though maybe not for long. Not that that anything to do with Hyunjin. You knew you needed to break things off with Aiden. You had for a while now. 

 

“Hello,” Hyunjin greeted you happily. “Thank you for meeting me.”

“No problem,” you said. “Shall we? The raw fish is calling me.”

“That sounds like something you might need a psychiatric consult for.” He grinned widely as you get out a giggle and a snort. 

 

The hostess sat the two of you in a corner booth. The place was mostly empty, but your face fell as you saw someone you knew through Aiden staring you down, before pulling their phone out and beginning to type away. 

 

“Damn it,” you hissed. 

 

Sure enough, a few minutes later, Aiden was blowing up your phone. 

 

You sent one message to him. 

 

You [5:37pm]: Get over yourself. I’m out with a friend. That’s all it is. 

 

You muted his number, slipping your phone back into your pocket and glancing up at Hyunjin, who was watching you with a quizzical expression. 

 

“We’re just... Not gonna address that,” you said flatly. Hyunjin shot you a puzzled look but said nothing.

 

“Anyway… where did we leave off?”

Chapter 4: Gentleman of Promise

Summary:

You spend some (okay, a lot) of time getting to know Hyunjin.

You're not really remotely upset about it.

“I think we were talking about your… um…” Hyunjin said quietly, obviously trying to think of the right word considering you were in public. “Gift. Thing.”

“Ew, don’t call it that,” you wrinkled your nose, taking a sip of the water that had been placed in front of you. “It is absolutely… not a gift.”

“I can see how it might be useful though,” he mused. “Especially in your future line of work.”

“It’s funny you should say that,” you said as you scanned the menu, “because that’s kind of what I was thinking too. I’m not really sure how it’ll be useful, but it could help with some things. Maybe. I guess.” 

 

You trailed off awkwardly as you realized he was staring at you, those once cold blue eyes now warm, fond. You glanced back across the room to see that thankfully, Aiden’s friend was gone. 

 

“Are you okay?” Hyunjin tapped on your arm, just once, enough to get your attention. 

“Oh, uh. Yeah,” you sighed. “Someone saw us. It’s fine. I’ll handle it. Anyway…” you said quickly, eager to change the subject. “Are you really going to eat sushi with me? Like, for real?”

“Would you rather I go? I can,” he offered. “I didn’t mean to cause more trouble for you.”

“No, stay,” you said rapidly and maybe a little too enthusiastically. 

 

What had gotten into you? 

 

“I meant,” you tried to clarify. “You. Are actually going to eat food.”

“Well, yes,” he laughed. “That really weirds you out, doesn’t it?”

“It’s different,” you replied. “...Okay, yeah, it’s weird,” you giggled.

 

When the server came to take your orders, Hyunjin spoke up before you could, and ordered what sounded like a daunting amount of sushi for the two of you. 

“One check or two?”

“One,” Hyunjin said, his gaze flicking to you as you grumbled in protest. “Please.”

 

You crossed your arms and made a face. Once the server had walked away, Hyunjin scooted a little closer to you. 

“Please let me do this for you?”

“You’ve already bought me flowers today,” you huffed. 

“I asked you to dinner,” he said. “It wouldn’t be fair of me to also expect you to pay for your own meal.” 

“If I’d known you were going to pull this I wouldn’t have picked sushi,” you frowned. 

“I wouldn’t offer if it were a problem.”

“Okay,” you sighed again. “Okay. But you have to let me pick up the check next time.”

“Next time?” He asked, surprised. 

“If you want,” you added. “You know, whatever. It’s not a big deal. You don’t have to–” 

 

What on earth is the matter with me? Good gods.

 

“I like the idea of a next time,” he told you softly. “But won’t you get more flack for it?”

“I said I’d handle it,” you said nonchalantly. “Plus, people shouldn’t let gender stereotypes dictate who they’re friends with, or who other people can be friends with, for that matter.”

“We should probably expand that to what people are as well,” he frowned. “I was supposed to stop speaking to you. You know. Liability and all that."

“You don’t seem to be doing a very good job,” you remarked with a slight grin. “Why is that?”

“Because,” he sighed. “I don’t want to do a good job. I want to get to know you.”

“Is this some sort of part of being… marked?” You were confused. 

“Not really. I mean, I guess it could be,” he said. “I marked you because I wanted you to be protected. But I would have protected you regardless of whether you’d given me a second chance.”

“I don’t understand,” you tilted your head. “Why would you do that?”

“I told you. You’re special.”

“You’re ridiculous,” you laughed. 

“Maybe,” he said. “But you’re the one who’s entertaining the thought of being friends with a vampire, so I’m not entirely sure you have much room to talk about being ridiculous.”

“Look,” you laughed. “Normal is a setting on the dryer.”

“You’re right,” he agreed. “Really though, I just think that you’re an interesting person. You’re witty and warm and I enjoy being around you, my shocking lack of good judgement at the library aside.”

 

Thankfully, the food arrived then, sparing you from more awkwardness. It was indeed weird to see him eating normal food, and enjoying it , for that matter, but you shrugged it off and tried to enjoy the company.

 

“Okay,” you said, once the silence had grown uncomfortable, which didn’t take long. “How is it you’re able to be out in the sunlight?”

“We just are,” Hyunjin said. “I’m not sure why, either.” He made a face at you as you sat biting your lip, a wicked grin on your face. “And no, we don’t sparkle . Gods, I’ve never wanted to slap someone more for a thing about vampires than the woman who wrote those books.”

 

His response was ill-timed with your sip of water, and you snorted it as you laughed, causing you to begin coughing. He immediately slid closer to you, alarmed. 

 

“Are you okay?”

“Yes,” you managed to get out. “Gonna need you to not be so funny when I’m drinking, that’s all.”

 

“What else do you want to know?” He moved back to his seat. 

 

“I think I’ve interrogated you enough,” you told him. “Is there anything you want to know about me?”

“Quite a lot, honestly,” he said. “But we have time, I guess, if you’ll keep me, I don’t have to ask everything now.”

“Keep you?”

“As a friend.”

“I think I can do that,” you told him warmly.

“I promise I’ll be more careful,” he said quickly. “For instance, I made sure to feed this morning before I went to bed, just in case you said yes to dinner. I’m going to make sure that I’m never putting myself in the position of being too thirsty around you. If I ever hurt you again—”

“Don’t you dare apologize again, Hyunjin,” you warned. 

“You caught me.”

“Uh-huh. I know.”

 

The rest of the meal passed pleasantly as the two of you traded jokes and facts about each other. Afterwards, he walked you to your car. You insisted you were fine, but he had shaken his head. 

 

“Parking garages are dangerous.”

 

You’d thought about telling him so are you , but decided against it. He still felt badly about the whole thing, and you were momentarily glad that people’s thoughts were not automatically projected to you, because you didn’t think you could handle a guilty vampire in your head all the time. 

 

He promised to talk again soon, and you arrived home in higher spirits than you had been in a while. 

 

This was quickly extinguished by the amount of missed calls and texts from Aiden. You ignored them and got cleaned up and ready for bed, cursing yourself for picking the early section of Human Growth and Development. 

 

You were almost asleep when you heard your phone vibrate. 

 

Hyunjin [9:48pm]: I had fun this evening. Thank you. 

 

You [9:49pm]: Thanks for dinner. :) I have class tomorrow but I’ll be at the library all afternoon if you’re awake and want to hang out

 

You [9:49pm]: And by that I mean watch me drive myself insane with schoolwork

 

Hyunjin [9:49pm]: Are you sure?

 

You [9:50pm]: Yes, you dweeb. Honestly, the company would be appreciated. As long as you’re willing to put up with whatever music I’m in the mood for

 

Hyunjin [9:50pm]: I can’t believe you called me a dweeb :p

 

Hyunjin [9:51pm]: I think that all sounds fine though. 

 

You [9:52pm]: I sleep now... sorry. About to drop the phone on my face.

 

Hyunjin [9:52pm]: Please rest... and have sweet dreams

 

—

 

You trudged your way through your morning classes, aided by enough coffee to supply a small army. You’d spent far too much time awake after texting with Hyunjin, thinking about him, and still wondering what the hell had gotten into you. 

 

Any normal, sane person would have run for the hills. He was a vampire . He had attacked you . 

 

And yet you were too intrigued to let it go. To let him go. 

 

You were more than a little surprised when a gentle knock sounded on your study room door around 2:30pm as you sat poring over the stupid, dead-tree books you had picked for your term paper and silently wishing for Dr. Chambers to step on an ungodly amount of Legos.

 

“What’s the password?” You called out as you furiously scribbled down notes. 

“I brought candy,” Hyunjin’s voice sounded on the other side of the door.

“Okay, you can come in,” you replied. 

 

Why is he like this?

 

He slipped into the room, closing the door behind him. He looked like a celebrity trying to hide, with the hood of his sweatshirt pulled up over his head, and dark sunglasses on. He pulled the glasses off and the hood back, swiping his hand through his hair, and you tried not to stare.

 

Who had allowed anyone to be that handsome? 

 

Oh god. Stop it, self. 

 

Hyunjin smiled brightly at you as he slipped into a chair across the table from you, setting down a plastic bag in front of him. He pulled a few items from it— a sketchbook, erasers, a pencil set, placing them in front of himself. He handed the bag across to you, and you peeked inside curiously to find all of the candies you remembered telling him the day before were your favorites. You noticed some of his favorites as well, which made you feel about three percent better about the fact that he was still making these nice gestures. 

 

“I think you’re trying too hard,” you laughed. “You don’t need to try to win me over. You’re good. Really.”

“I’m not,” he said quickly. “I just figured…”

“Thank you,” you said, dumping the bag out onto the table. “I was actually wanting something sweet, and I know it sounds bad, but the coffee place is all the way downstairs…”

“Understandable,” he said, picking something out for himself, opening his sketchbook to a blank page. 

 

You turned back to your work, and turned on some Lindsey Stirling in the background. 

 

“Good choice,” Hyunjin said quietly, not looking up from his drawing. 

“She’s really great. I saw her live a couple years ago. Amazing.”

“Agreed.”

“Question, though. Shouldn’t you be asleep?” You wondered out loud. 

“I’m a bit of an insomniac,” he confessed. "I've been awake since noon, so I figured I'd come say hi... since you were kind enough to invite me."

“A vampire insomniac. Now I’ve heard everything,” you laughed. “Also, Vampire Insomniac is the name of my new indie band.”

 

Hyunjin stared at you, his expression unreadable for just a moment before he let out a snort and a quiet laugh. 

“I’m only disappointed that I didn’t think of that joke first.”

“You’re welcome.” 

 

A couple hours passed, and you found that you really liked having Hyunjin there. His presence was somewhat grounding, as you sat there feeling like you were going to fly off the handle at your stupid term paper and your stupid sources, and then remembering that you had a fucking quiz in the morning. And had you studied at all? Nope.

You looked up to find he was hunched over his work, some sort of landscape unfolding under his talented hands. You shifted in your chair and stretched, and he glanced up at you, smiling softly. 

 

Your phone buzzed, and you prayed it wasn’t Aiden. 

 

You heaved a small sigh of relief when you saw it was Nyla. 

 

Nyla [5:36pm]: Excuse me but where are you 

 

You [5:36pm]: Library

 

You [5:37pm]: Oh shit I’m sorry! I don’t even know what day it is.

 

Dany [5:38pm]: It’s Thursday. When is fall break again? You need a vacation. 

 

Nyla [5:38pm]: Don’t you have like 6 calendars??? 

 

You [5:38pm]: Ok first of all it’s 3 but YES I’m sorry :( I’ll be right there. 

 

You’d totally forgotten about dinner with them. Which was ridiculous, because the three of you had had a standing date for pizza once a month for over a year. You began gathering your things, silently berating yourself. 

 

“Everything okay?” Hyunjin asked. 

“I forgot about Dany and Nyla,” you sighed. Then an idea popped into your head.

 

“Actually…”

 

You pulled your phone back out and tapped another quick message. 

 

You [5:43pm]: Hey, can I uhhh. Bring someone?

 

Dany [5:44pm]: Who???? OOHHHH is it the guy Jordan saw you with yesterday at the sushi place??? You're hanging out with him AGAIN?!?!?!

 

You [5:45pm]: How did— 

 

Nyla [5:46pm]: Aiden asked us if we knew the new guy you were friends with. He seems pretty suspicious. 

 

Dany [5:46pm]: Yeah. We don’t actually care, that is to say, you do you… but girl… you GOTTA break up with Aiden because not only is he objectively fucking terrible but he's also getting on our last damn nerve

 

You [5:47pm]: UGH I KNOW. Hyunjin and I are just friends though. Promise. 

 

Nyla [5:48pm]: A LIKELY STORY. Get your “just friends” asses over here and ask Hyunjin what he wants on his pizza 

 

“Hyunjin,” you said carefully. “Do you want to go get pizza with me and Dany and Nyla?

“Sure,” he agreed. “If that’s okay with you.”

“I’m the one who asked if I could bring you,” you replied, grinning inwardly at his surprised expression. “They want to know what you want,” you added. 

“I’m flexible,” he smiled. 

 

You [5:50pm]: He said he’s flexible. Get our usual. 

 

You let Hyunjin stash his art supplies in your car and the two of you walked the short distance to the pizza place that you, Dany, and Nyla frequented. 

 

“It’s about time,” Dany exclaimed as you and Hyunjin dropped into the booth across from her and Nyla. “Hyunjin, was it? What are your intentions for our girl here?”

“Dany?!” You exclaimed. Hyunjin scooted away from you as you flushed bright red. You had a feeling that if he could have blushed, he’d have done so. 

 

“I told you dorks that he’s just a friend.”

“I know,” she said with a wicked grin, her bubblegum pink hair falling in her face as she leaned forward, laughing at you. “I couldn’t resist.”

“If you want to leave, it’s okay,” you told Hyunjin, glaring at Dany and Nyla, who were still giggling quietly. 

“No, it’s fine,” he told you. “I expected this. You did say they’re your best friends. It’s their job to ask those questions, isn’t it?”

“You know,” you said, eyeing him. “I didn’t expect you to side with them and I’m not sure how I feel about that.” You stuck your tongue out at him and he laughed. 

“Don’t want to get on their bad side.”

“I see how it is.”

 

You still felt a little guilty about how much you’d been interrogating Hyunjin over the last several days, but you felt worse about how many questions Nyla and Dany were asking. They seemed to be hellbent on the idea that he was… something more than a friend. Or going to be, at least. 

 

Come to think of it, you were already wondering if Hyunjin wanted to be more, but you also really didn’t want to think about that. You were already much more invested than you should be, for someone who was still technically dating someone else. 

 

Nevermind that you and Aiden hadn’t been on a date in over a month. Or done much of anything else in even longer, for that matter. 

 

And Hyunjin had nearly killed you.

 

Anyway.

 

Hyunjin good-naturedly endured all of the questioning during dinner, to the point where at the end of the meal, Nyla leaned back, her green eyes fixed on him as she toyed with her heavy braid. 

“You can come to monthly pizza anytime,” she said. “Dany, what do you think?”

“Oh, definitely. But if you mistreat our friend, you’re dead. Just so we’re clear.”

 

You choked on your bite of pizza at hearing “you’re dead” and Hyunjin began to laugh, covering his face with his hand. You knew exactly why he was laughing, and once you composed yourself you concentrated on collecting the check. Hyunjin tried to slip you some money, and you shook your head. 

 

“We had a deal.”

“Oh. Right.”

“Such a gentleman,” Dany smirked. “Good luck with this one, she’s a pistol.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Hyunjin said with a wide grin. 

 

You said your goodbyes for the night at your car, and you were almost sad to see him go, but you reminded yourself that you still had a quiz to study for, and an 8am class. You watched as he walked away, carrying his sketchbook. You saw him turn back to look at you, and you hurriedly busied yourself with finding a Spotify playlist to listen to on the way home.

 

You were home and halfway through the study guide, easily and thoroughly distracted by every new thought of him that popped into your head, when your phone buzzed once again. 

 

Hyunjin [9:01pm]: So… bad news.

 

You [9:03pm]: ??? 

 

Hyunjin [9:05pm]: Soren found out about you… and I’m grounded.

Chapter 5: This Is Me Trying

Summary:

Hyunjin finds that there are consequences to sneaking around.

Luckily for him, there's an out.

Unluckily for him, it may put you in a bad position.

“I cannot believe,” Soren seethed, “that you had the fucking nerve to directly disobey me like this. This is beyond unacceptable.”

 

Hyunjin sat on his bed, knees drawn up to his chin, silently berating himself, while Soren stood in the center of the room, reading him the riot act over his indiscretion. 

 

“What do you have to say for yourself?” Soren demanded. "What is wrong with you?!"

“I–” Hyunjin started, knowing that nothing he said was going to matter. He’d fucked up. 

“You what? Spit it out.”

“I just like being around her,” Hyunjin said. It wasn’t the entire truth, but it would have to do. Soren didn’t need to know that he’d marked you. 

 

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. I marked her. Soren is going to kill me if he finds out.

 

“Someday we are going to break you of this habit of making friends with humans,” Soren snapped. “And it starts now. You are not to leave this house unless it is to feed. You are not to go out and feed unless it’s with me or Taro. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Hyunjin said dejectedly. 

 

Soren left the room, finally , leaving Hyunjin to stare at his feet, waves of upset coursing through him. Moments later, however, Soren was back, carrying a cloth bag. 

 

“I need your electronics. In the bag. Now.”

“I’m not a teenager, Soren,” Hyunjin said, immediately regretting his words as the elder vampire fixed him with a deadly stare. 

“You might as well fucking be for the way you’ve been acting. Phone. Laptop. Watch. In the bag. Now. You are not to speak to her again, and I’ll make sure you don’t.”

 

Hyunjin obeyed the order silently. Soren left again, slamming the door behind him, and Hyunjin crawled to the center of his bed and curled into a ball. 

 

He had managed to let you know, at least, that Soren knew. That he was in trouble. As soon as Soren had found him sneaking back into the house, he had texted you. 

 

And now you’d never hear from him again. Soren was perhaps the most stubborn old vampire Hyunjin had ever met.

 

You were as good as gone. 

 

Around 3am, there was a knock at the door. Hyunjin still lay on the bed, now splayed out, staring at the ceiling. He had dug out an older iPod, so at least he had music, and was lost in his thoughts. 

 

Taro strode into the room without a second warning. 

 

“Come on, let’s go feed before the sun comes up,” he told Hyunjin. 

“No thank you,” Hyunjin muttered. 

“Don’t be like that,” Taro said firmly. 

 

Don’t be like that, he says, as if Soren hadn’t ruined perhaps the best thing to have happened to me in decades. 

 

Taro was the second eldest in the clan as well as Soren’s second in command. He and Hyunjin usually got along well, and Hyunjin felt some momentary guilt in his resentment of Taro now and the situation at hand. 

 

Who am I kidding? This is my fault. Stupid. So stupid. I should have told the truth to begin with.

 

“Look,” Hyunjin started, but Taro cut him off. 

“We all know you love humans, Hyunjin. It’s not a fucking secret. You really fucked this up by making that girl a secret. If you had just done the right thing…”

“I know,” Hyunjin said bitterly. “I know.”

“You had a thing for her.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Does it even matter?” Hyunjin frowned. Even if he had, it was a moot point now. 

“I guess not. Let’s go, we’re wasting time.”

 

Hyunjin showered after they returned, standing under the hot water for over an hour, ruminating on just how badly he had messed all this up. 

 

He should have talked to Soren before he’d ever approached you. This whole thing could have been avoided. He could still be with you. 

 

Whatever that means. Would have meant. Ugh. 

 

He got back into bed around 7am, heaving another heavy sigh. The past few days with you had been so enjoyable— and now he was stuck. 

 

What am I going to do?

 

—

 

The days following dragged out at a glacial pace, and Hyunjin thought surely he’d go insane. He had been out exactly two times to feed in five days. The rest of the time was spent asleep, in his room, or lying on the sofa in the den, staring out the window. He started half a dozen drawings, but never finished any of them, his trash can piled high with rejected, partially-done sketches. He tried to paint— no dice. All he could think about was you. Nothing seemed to bring peace. He regretted the loss of your friendship. You were so fun to be around, and he’d only just begun to get to know you. Some small part of him envied Dany and Nyla, the bond they had with you. 

 

He had wanted to be that close to you, too. 

 

Maybe more. Who am I kidding?

 

“Enough of this,” Soren’s sharp voice cut through Hyunjin’s thoughts as he lay in the den, lights out, staring up at the clear night sky through the large window on the far wall. 

 

Hyunjin sat up to see Soren at the doorway, glowering. 

 

“You’ve been moping about that damn human for almost a week straight. What’s so fucking special about her that’s got you like this?”

“I can’t explain it. She’s just a good person. I think she’d make a good friend.”

“I wish you could just take a pet like the rest of us,” Soren snapped. “Save yourself the heartache.”

“You know why I don’t like doing that,” Hyunjin replied cautiously. 

“Yes, I’m aware,” Soren said snidely. “It’s demeaning to the humans. Whatever. Well, fine. Go. But if you kill her, and endanger our clan, there will be hell to pay, and I mean that.”

“What do you mean, ‘go’?” 

“Go see her. I don’t care anymore. You’re bringing the entire house down with your attitude and the fucking pining and I’m sick of it. You win.”

Hyunjin jumped up, eager to leave already, then glanced at the wall clock and sighed. It was already 1am, and you were likely asleep. 

 

“I left your electronics in your room,” Soren muttered as he turned to go. “And Hyunjin?”

“Yes?”

“I want to meet her.”

 

Dread filled Hyunjin, and he tried his best to quash it as he stood unmoving next to the chaise. 

 

This is the only way. Fuck. 

 

If Soren found out about your talent…

 

“I’ll make it happen,” he told Soren, hoping that the elder wouldn’t pick up on the waver in his voice. “You have my word.”

 

—

 

Hyunjin scarcely slept that morning, and rose at noon, wide awake and eager to get out of the house. He had had so many missed texts and even a few calls and voicemails from you, and he felt even more guilty for having worried you. 

 

But at least he was going to see you again. 

 

He arrived at the library around 2, hoping you’d be there. He regretted not having texted, but if he was being honest with himself, he was nervous about how you’d react to his return. He knocked on the door of the study room you normally used, but the person who opened it was not you, and he sighed as they shut the door in his face.

 

“Can I help you?” 

 

He turned to see you standing at his elbow, looking up expectantly, coffee in hand and backpack on. You must have just arrived yourself. 

 

“Oh, um, I—“ he stuttered. 

“Dimitri forgot to put me on the schedule for that room today,” you frowned. “I’ve got the one next door. It's colder, and the table is smaller. But whatever, I guess.” You grabbed the sleeve of his sweatshirt, leading him into the alternate room and shutting the door behind the two of you, and he was baffled at your lighthearted attitude. He had expected you to be angry at his sudden disappearance, his lack of communication. 

 

“So you finally got off of house arrest, huh?” You asked as you settled into a seat by the window. “I’m not going to lie, I missed you.”

“You did?”

“Yeah,” was all you said, suddenly very intent on arranging your books, papers, and pens just so on the table, and he was immediately curious.

 

He took a spot across from you, setting his things down and folding his hands over his sketchbook. 

 

“It would seem that I am indeed free... I wasn’t expecting it to happen.”

“So soon?”

“Ever,” he said flatly. “Soren had every intention of keeping me in that house until whenever we moved again. And maybe even after that.”

“So what changed his mind?” You took a sip of your coffee and opened your laptop. 

“I was… more than a bit upset,” Hyunjin confessed. “I handled this all wrong.“

“Well, it’s okay now, right?” You said cheerily, reaching over to rest one of your hands over his own. “Don’t look so glum.”

 

He froze at the contact. You seemed to realize you’d startled him, and pulled your hand away quickly. 

 

“Sorry,” you sighed. 

“I thought you weren’t a touchy person,” he said, tilting his head. 

“With people I’m trying not to establish a connection with,” you explained. “Which is… most people. But those who it’s already happened with? It doesn’t matter so much. I’m actually a very touchy person. I guess I should have warned you. I’ll tone it down though, I promise.”

“No,” he said, opening his sketchbook, anything to distract him from the idea of how good, how comforting, your warm hand had felt against his own cool skin. “It’s okay, really.”

“Okay, good to know,” you said, turning to your work, flipping on some music. “You’re back just in time to watch me drive myself mad about midterms.”

 

“Do you need help studying?”

 

You grimaced at the papers on the table in front of you.

 

“Actually… that might be helpful. Do you want to quiz me?”

 

Hyunjin set his art aside and reached for the papers. 

 

“Sure.”

 

—

 

He helped you out that afternoon and much of the next, until you felt confident enough to do a final review on your own. While you were poring over your notes, however, he was drawing again. 

 

“What are you drawing today?” You peered over across the table, and he bit back a laugh as you immediately turned beet red when you saw the contents of the page. 

 

It was you. He was pleased with it thus far, having carefully captured the lines of your face as you concentrated on your work, the smooth curve of your neck, disappearing into your many layers as you fought against the chill in the library.

 

You were beautiful, there was no denying it. 

 

“Uh.” You said, clearly embarrassed. “Tired of landscapes?”

“Maybe,” he said with a small smile. 

“You’re really talented,” you squeaked out. 

“It’s just a hobby,” he shrugged. “It fills the time.”

“Give yourself more credit,” you tsked at him as you turned back to your work. The tips of your ears were still red. 

 

He looked down at his drawing, then back to you. 

 

I don’t think I could ever do you proper justice.

 

He hoped you weren’t reading his mind. He knew you promised you’d stay out, and he trusted you. But it made him nervous to know that you had that option, as out of control as his thoughts were right now. 

 

He desperately wished that he could read your mind. Your reaction had amused him greatly.

 

He startled again as you slammed your phone down on the table.

 

“Ugh,” you growled. 

“Let me guess,” Hyunjin said. 

“Yeah…” you said, scowling at your phone and silencing it as it began to vibrate again. “I really need to ditch him…”

 

You flushed again. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be–” 

“Don’t worry about it,” Hyunjin said, concentrating on his drawing to distract himself again, this time from how he absolutely wanted to find this Aiden, and give him a piece of his mind.

 

For starters.

 

“Nah, it’s not something I should be bugging you about.”

“If we’re going to be friends, you can talk to me about what’s bothering you,” Hyunjin insisted. “Even if it’s a somewhat sensitive subject. Not to push you, of course. But I’m here for you… is what I’m saying.”

“Back at you,” you said softly. You glanced at your watch and began grumbling again. 

“How did it get to be 9pm?”

“Would you like a smartass answer, or no?”

“Ha, ha,” you stuck your tongue out at him. “Been a while since I met someone who could give me a run for my money like this.” 

“I aim to misbehave,” he said. 

“Was that–”

“A Firefly reference? Yes.”

“You just got ten percent cooler, if that were even possible. Gosh, I haven’t watched that in a while.”

“We should fix that,” Hyunjin told you. 

“After midterms,” you frowned. “Well. At some point,” you said, flipping through your planner. “I kinda overbooked myself over fall break. Shit.”

“Oh,” Hyunjin said quietly. “Will you have time to hang out?”

“I’ll make time,” you assured him. 

“No pressure—“

“It’s not. Stop that.”

 

“You must be glad to have a break coming up,” he changed the subject. He wasn’t sure why he was still so… hesitant to believe you when you said you wanted to spend time with him. It didn’t make sense, all things considered. 

 

“I mean, from class, yes. From Dr. Chambers and homework and quizzes and this godforsaken term paper that I will still probably work on during break, also yes. But I have three work shifts, and Thanksgiving, and family time aside from that, and at some point I need to sleep and whatnot.”

“Fair. It doesn’t sound like much of a break.”

“Winter break will be an actual breather.”

“You’re almost there,” he reassured you. “You’ve got this. I know it.”

“Cool, that makes one of us,” you joked. 

 

—

 

After watching you have a near-meltdown on Monday of midterm week, Hyunjin decided that he was commandeering your schedule for the following four days. You were stressing yourself out far too much, he insisted, and your current trajectory was not sustainable. 

 

Surprisingly, you agreed with him. 

 

After your test on Monday, he let you study for four hours. He had given you three initially, but you’d bargained for four and he gave in, maybe a little too easily. Once he’d gotten you to wrap up for the day, it was snacks, takeout, Firefly, and generally unwinding on your sofa at home. It made him laugh to see just how much of the show you knew by heart, even for not having seen it in years. You had declined to tell him how many times you'd watched it through. 

 

In contrast to Monday, Tuesday went well and you’d gone to bed in much better spirits, after giving him a spare key and telling him to let himself out. He took the key, honored that you trusted him that much, but declined your proposition, making sure you locked the door tightly when he left. He knew that you’d been blowing Aiden off for quite some time now, and he was concerned for your safety, although you insisted it was fine. 

 

Wednesday and Thursday flew by, repeats of Tuesday, and he was surprised that he had actually pulled this off. You’d been so much more at ease since Monday, and he was happy to see you happy. 

 

He was waiting outside the classroom Friday morning when you got out of your last test. You blew by at first, not even noticing him. He couldn’t much blame you, as he was dressed against the morning light and was trying his best to look inconspicuous. He chased after you, calling your name. You turned at once, smiling when you recognized him and doubling back to meet him. 

 

He was not expecting you to step close, wrapping your arms around him in a gentle and somewhat tentative hug. He returned the gesture without a second thought, grateful that he’d fed just hours earlier. 

 

Gods, you were warm... moreso than he'd expected. He’d been wanting to hug you for days now, but hadn’t had the courage. He rested his chin on your head as you hugged him tighter, wishing the moment never to end.

 

“Thank you for this week,” you said, your voice somewhat muffled against his sweatshirt. “I probably would have spontaneously combusted if it weren’t for you.”

 

He pulled away, looking down at you with a small grin. 

“You know, I’ve heard that’s bad for your health.”

 

“Hyunjin,” you groaned. “Why are you like this?”

“You’re one to talk,” he said airily. 

“Okay, that’s valid,” you laughed. “And again I ask... Why…” You pointed at the sun. 

“I wanted to see you after you’d finished crushing all those exams.”

“Well, here I am,” you told him. “In all my exam crushing glory. But you promised me celebratory coffee later, so I’m going to need you to go take a nap and take care of yourself first. You’ve really been there for me this week, and I appreciate it, but you can’t neglect yourself, even if you are… different.”

“Fine, fine.” 

 

—

 

As promised, Hyunjin went home and napped for a few hours, showered again, and went back out as the sun was setting. He met you at the same coffee shop where he’d tried to give your planner back weeks ago, and was pleased to see you were already there, and had apparently ordered for the two of you. 

 

“I was going to buy the coffee,” he pouted as he sat down across from you.

“You can buy the next round,” you winked. “I had to do something to thank you for helping me this week. I meant what I said. I’d have been in a bad way without you.”

“Thank you for letting me help,” he replied. 

“Letting you?”

“You… don’t strike me as the sort who likes to accept help,” he said carefully, and you grimaced. 

“Wow, just hit that nail right on the head why don’t you,” you laughed. “You got me. Oh—.” You held up a finger as if you’d remembered something, fishing in your jacket pocket. 

 

“You dropped this when… y’know,” you told him. He held out his hand and you dropped something into it. 

 

His bracelet. He’d wondered where he had misplaced it. 

 

Before he could stop himself, he was reaching for your wrist, fastening the piece of jewelry around it, and he thought for a second that he felt you shiver as his fingertips brushed your skin. 

 

“You keep it,” he said firmly. 

“Hyunjin,” you started, but he held a hand up. 

“Please, I insist.”

“Okay,” you said, toying with the charm on it. “Thanks.”

 

“So,” he said, sipping his drink. “Do you have plans this weekend too? I know you said next week was heavily booked.”

“I was supposed to go on a hike with Dany and Nyla but they both had to pick up at work, so my Sunday is actually free,” you told him. “And I also got canceled for Wednesday at work. Annika found a full timer to pick up the shift and since I’m more costly… well. I’m out. So… we can hang out whenever on Sunday, or Wednesday evening.”

“Both?” He asked hopefully. 

“Both is good too,” you grinned. “I think you’re going to find that I’m actually a very boring person though. My idea of an exciting night is a Netflix marathon and processed snacks that I don’t need to be eating.”

 

Hyunjin tried his best to carry on a steady conversation with you, but Soren’s words were nagging at the back of his head. Eventually you seemed to pick up on Hyunjin’s unease.

 

“Are you okay?” 

“Oh. Yeah.”

“Try again,” you shot back. “I just asked you the same question twice and you’re staring into space.”

“Soren wants to meet you,” Hyunjin said with a sigh. 

“Wait, he’s…”

“The leader of my clan, yes.”

“Why would he want to meet me?”

“Because I’ve insisted on being friends with you, spending time with you. He fears you’ll be a liability for us, or that I’ll do something stupid again and endanger everyone.”

“I haven’t said a word to anyone,” you said hurriedly. “I would never. I told everyone that I had a stomach bug while I was recovering, and they bought it.”

“I know you wouldn’t. But he doesn’t know that.”

“Wait,” you said, suddenly apparently nervous. “You didn’t tell him about—“

“Absolutely not. It’s not my place. And for that matter, he doesn’t need to know.”

“Why is that?” You were fidgeting with your napkin now, and he wished he’d never said anything. 

“Because then you’d be seen as an asset… and he’d want to make you part of the clan.”

“Oh.”

“He probably wouldn’t give you a choice.”

“Well that’s shitty,” you made a face. “Do I have to meet him?”

“If you want to keep seeing me, then yes. I’m sorry. There’s no way around it.”

 

He watched you anxiously for a minute as you tried to process what he’d just told you. 

 

“It’s okay if you want to say no,” Hyunjin said, somewhat sadly. He didn’t want to lose you. But more importantly, he didn’t want you in a situation you didn’t feel comfortable with. 

“Well I can’t very well do that,” you bit your lip and sighed. “So when does this happen? Can we wait til winter break? For my sanity's sake?"

“I mean it,” Hyunjin tried to say, but you cut him off. 

“Stop trying to get rid of me, you goob. I know it’s a bit weird, this whole dynamic, how we got here, but you’re stuck with me now so you’ll just have to come to terms with that, okay?” 

“I can try to ask for more time,” he said, unsure of what to say to you otherwise. “I’ll let you know.” 

“Good luck,” you raised an eyebrow. “From everything you’ve said so far it doesn’t sound like he is gonna take direction from other people.”

“He’s not really a fan of not being in control.”

“Oh well. It’ll be fine.” You stretched and yawned. “I think I might treat myself to an early bedtime tonight.”

“I think that’s well deserved,” Hyunjin nodded. “I’ll walk you home?”

“Yeah, sure,” you agreed. “Thank you.”

 

He noticed you shivering during the walk, and was quick to shed his jacket, draping it around your shoulders over your own coat. 

 

“Thanks,” you mumbled. “I didn’t expect it to get this cold tonight.”

 

When the two of you reached your doorstep, he quickly pulled you into a hug, before he could talk himself out of it— he’d been trying to talk himself up to it since you’d left the coffee shop. He was glad when you hugged him back, tightly. 

 

“Have a good night,” he murmured. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow?”

“Okay.”

 

He made sure you were safe inside the house before leaving for his own. He had, thankfully, stopped himself before he’d kissed the top of your head before he let you go. 

 

What has gotten into me?!  

Chapter 6: I Know The Feeling

Summary:

Hyunjin continues to ruminate on the matters at hand.

Hyunjin arrived home that night in a daze, greeting Quinn and Alina as he passed them in the entryway. They each gave him a puzzled look, but didn’t stop him as he ascended the stairs and made a beeline for his room. 

 

He knew he must look completely frazzled- and he was.

 

There was absolutely no more denying it… and he hadn’t done much good in that as it was. 

 

He had feelings for you, in a big way. 

 

But now what? 

 

You were with someone. A technicality at best, especially since you’d said yourself you were looking for a way to break things off. He wondered how long it would take for you to do so— Aiden seemed potentially volatile, if the encounter he'd overheard at your house that one day was any indicator. Hyunjin was more than a little worried for your safety, although you insisted you were okay. He trusted you to keep to your word and tell him if you did feel unsafe, however, and he was poised to come to your aid if need be. 

 

In the meantime, he couldn’t help but wonder— how much time was enough, after you did break things off with Aiden?

 

He wanted to be respectful of you and your feelings… but since he’d known you, which he knew wasn’t long, he had noticed you did not seem invested in whatever semblance of a relationship was left between you and Aiden.

 

This idea was further driven home by the fact that you had been spending time with Hyunjin almost nonstop. 

 

Hyunjin wondered if you reciprocated the feelings he was having. You were somewhat difficult to read in some aspects, and he found himself again wishing that he was the one with the special power. 

 

Regardless, he knew– he needed you to know how he felt sooner, rather than later. Your time was finite, and selfishly, he wanted as much of it as he could have. 

 

This was the entire reason he’d always avoided getting this close to a human. But no one else he’d ever befriended had ever come close to meaning this much to him, and he wasn’t sure exactly how you had managed to sneak into his heart like this. Then again, maybe it was on him. He’d fallen hard, and faster than he ever could have imagined he might. He’d never felt like this about anyone, and he was not inexperienced– although his relationships since he'd been turned had always been with other vampires, and for good reason. 

 

It always came back to mortality. 

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a ping from his phone, and he pulled it out, grinning from ear to ear when he saw the message was from you. 

 

You [8:37pm]: You forgot your jacket

 

Hyunjin [8:38pm]: Shouldn’t you be sleeping

 

You [8:38pm]: Oh look!! It’s your nonexistent room to talk, Mr. Insomnniac

 

Hyunjin laughed to himself. Gods, you were spicy. He loved that about you. His jokes and sarcasm were often lost on his fellow clan members, but you– you were a breath of fresh air. 

 

Hyunjin [8:42pm]: Oof. You got me.

 

You [8:43pm]: Hahaha :p

 

Hyunjin [8:44pm]: Really though, I thought you were going to bed early?

 

You [8:45pm]: You’re not my real mom

 

Hyunjin [8:46pm]: This is very true

 

You [8:47pm]: That’s probably better all things considered. 

 

Hyunjin [8:48pm]: Oh? And why is that?

 

You [8:49]: Going to bed now :p Goodnight ;)

 

Hyunjin put his phone down, confused. What exactly were you on about? He shrugged and turned to his art, desperate to get you out of his head, at least for a little bit. 

 

He found himself drawing you again. 

 

Of course. Why not?

 

The door opened without warning, and Lila stepped in, uninvited. Hyunjin wrinkled his nose the second he saw her ginger hair in the doorway, smelled her perfume. 

 

“I heard you have a pet,” she laughed, crossing the room to the bed and taking a seat.

“It’s not like that,” Hyunjin said through gritted teeth. “Can you leave, please?”

“I could,” Lila said snidely. “Will I? That remains to be seen.”

“Are you jealous?” Hyunjin said lowly, taking his time, carefully putting his art supplies away. Lila knew exactly how to get under his skin– she always had, since before they had dated, even. It had been her jealousy that had ended their relationship. She was too controlling, too demanding– always wanting to be the center of his attention, every minute of every day.

 

He thought it amusing now, how much alike she and Aiden seemed to be in that regard. 

 

Although in his situation, Hyunjin knew there was no danger. Lila was a nuisance, that much was true, and he hated that he still had to put up with her, but she wasn’t a threat. Not like Aiden might be to you. 

 

“You and your damn humans,” she said, sidestepping his question. “You know she’s gonna fucking die, right? She’s gonna get old, and wither and die, and you’ll still be here. Why even bother?”

“Lila,” Hyunjin growled. “Get the fuck out of my room. Now.”

“Aww, did I hurt your feelings? Poor baby.”

 

Hyunjin jumped to his feet and opened the door, gesturing for Lila to leave. She finally hopped up and strode past him, trailing her hand over his forearm as she went. He jerked back, fixing her with a lethal stare. 

 

“I’ll just be waiting for you to come to your senses,” she said smoothly. 

 

He slammed the door in her face and locked it, gaining some small sense of satisfaction from her surprised expression as he swung the door shut. His phone pinged again, and he frowned. If it was Lila… there was about to be a phone-shaped hole in his wall. 

 

But no. 

 

You [10:23pm]: Guess who forgot she took a nap today and now can’t sleep

 

Hyunjin [10:24pm]: Surely not you

 

You [10:24pm]: It’s totally me :))) I love it here

 

Hyunjin [10:26pm]: Didn’t you say you have work tomorrow?

 

You [10:27pm]: 7am :’) AND it's a 12 hour shift. Ha ha ha ha

 

Hyunjin [10:28pm]: Have you ever listened to Marconi Union?

 

You [10:28pm]: Negative, ghost rider

 

Hyunjin [10:29pm]: Try Weightless (Ambient Transmission Vol. 2). It’s on Spotify. 

 

You [10:31pm]: Found it

 

Hyunjin [10:32]: It helps me sleep when I can’t

 

You [10:33pm]: Are you trying to get rid of me??? :p

 

Hyunjin [10:34pm]: Never! But I do remember how much coffee you consumed last weekend when you also didn’t sleep… you were not feeling all that great all around

 

You [10:35pm]: God I must have been insufferable I don’t even remember that

 

Hyunjin [10:35pm]: We’ll go with… adorably grumpy. ;)

 

You [10:36pm]: You think I’m adorable?

 

Hyunjin froze. Of course he did. You were the prettiest person he’d ever laid eyes on… and he’d met a lot of people in his 254 years. 

 

Hyunjin [10:37pm]: Haven’t you ever looked in a mirror? :p

 

You [10:38pm]: Smooth, real smooth, sir. Okay. This music actually does seem to be making me sleepy. Thank you :) Talk tomorrow?

 

Hyunjin [10:39pm]: I’ll text you when I wake up.

 

You [10:40pm]: Goodnight 2.0 :)

 

— 

 

Hyunjin went out around 2am with Quinn to feed, grateful that his friend and fellow clan member did not bring you up. When they returned a few hours later, Hyunjin hurried to his room. He thought about texting you as surely you’d be up, but decided against it. He already was worried he was coming on too strong. 

 

But then there you were, again, anyway. 

 

You [5:25am]: MORNINGS UGH

 

Hyunjin [5:27am]: Good morning to you too. 

 

You [5:28am]: Remind me why I have such a developed sense of personal responsibility? I’m at a loss

 

Hyunjin [5:29am]: Because you’re a really good person?

 

Hyunjin [5:29am]: Or were you looking for sarcasm

 

You [5:30am]: Shucks. Ok, brb shower

 

Hyunjin [5:31am] 10-4

 

Hyunjin [5:32am]: Get it that’s funny because you work in the ED... don't they say that on the radio? Like on TV

 

You [5:45am]: Reeeeal funny. Ha ha ha. Saturday of fall break, we’re about to have a lot of hungover university students and a bunch of people who went out in the ice and snow and fell down went boom. 

 

Hyunjin peeked out the window. It hadn’t been snowing when he had been out earlier, but he thought he had smelled it– and now sure enough, it was blanketing the fields around the house, falling from the sky in big, fat, fluffy flakes. 

 

Hyunjin [5:47am]: That came down fast… it wasn’t there when I was out earlier. It’s beautiful

 

You [5:48am]: Says the man who doesn’t have to drive in it…

 

Hyunjin [5:49am]: Do you need a ride to work?

 

You [5:50am]: Nah, I’m well-versed in snow driving. Thank you though. 

 

Hyunjin [5:52am]: Do you still want to go on that hike tomorrow?

 

You [5:53am]: Yeah sure, just promise not to laugh at me when I slip and fall on my ass :p

 

Hyunjin [5:54am]: I swear

 

You [5:55am]: Ok, guess I should go help save lives or whatever. Have a good sleep. :)

 

Hyunjin [5:56am]: Text me when you get there?

 

You [5:57am]: It’ll cost you a dollar

 

Hyunjin [5:57am]: Deal

 

He crawled into bed, but lay awake, anxiously counting the minutes until you messaged to let him know you were at work in one piece. Once you had arrived, he set his phone on the charger and quickly fell asleep. 

 

Once again, all his dreams were of you. 

 

—

 

When Hyunjin awoke, it was almost 7pm, and he was surprised he’d been able to sleep so long. He sent you a message, but after a couple hours having heard nothing, he was growing concerned. He waffled on whether to call you. Was it too intrusive? He knew you’d called him when he had been grounded, but that was different somehow. He was still wrestling with himself when his phone buzzed.

 

Thank the gods.

 

You [9:31pm]: Snow is stupid I’m boycotting snow until further notice

 

Hyunjin [9:31pm]: Are you okay??

 

You [9:32pm]: Yeah I just got home. Matilda spun out and got stuck on her way in (she’s fine) so I stayed late until she was able to get to work. And then some. 

 

You [9:33pm]: Dolla dolla bills, y’all

 

Hyunjin [9:34pm]: I’m glad you’re safe. 

 

You [9:35pm]: Yeah, I’m okay, sorry I was so quiet. We got a multi-patient trauma right as I was actually about to leave so… I stayed even longer. 

 

Hyunjin [9:36pm]: Do you want to get breakfast tomorrow before we hike?

 

You [9:37am]: Y’know, I’m not really one for actual breakfast but I guess I can channel my inner Ron Swanson. Where did you want to go? Also we should decide who’s driving, maybe

 

Hyunjin [9:38pm]: I’ll drive if you’d like. And maybe that little diner, across from the pizza place? The one we went to with Dany and Nyla

 

You [9:39pm]: Oh yeah I love that place! They have the best fuckin pancakes I’m pretty sure they’re laced with something illegal

 

Hyunjin [9:41pm]: I’ll pick you up around…?

 

You [9:42pm]: Uhhh. Let’s say 9?

 

Hyunjin [9:43pm]: Sounds like a plan. Are you going to bed soon?

 

You [9:44pm]: Yes. Next time I’m signing up for work shifts I need you to remind me how much I hate 12 hour shifts… I have another one on Monday, too. Ha ha ha ha ha

 

Hyunjin [9:45pm]: Get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow. It’s only supposed to get up to 34F so dress warm :p

 

You [9:47pm]: Bikini and flip flops it is, got it :p Goodnight Hyunjin :)

 

The thought of you in such a getup was enough to distract him for a while more, before he finally wrenched himself out of bed. He supposed he would go to bed early, perhaps around 2 or 3, to make up for his plan to stay awake the next day. His sleep schedule was erratic at best, anyway, so what did it matter? 

 

He changed his sweatpants for a t-shirt and jeans and opened his laptop, pulling up Spotify and turning on something he’d heard you listening to while you’d been studying for midterms. He enjoyed your diverse music interests, and had found several new artists through you since he’d started hanging out at the library all the time. 

 

Before he knew it, he was creating a new playlist, titling it with your name, and filling it with songs that made him think of you. Three hours later, he was looking at a five hour long playlist. He hesitated for just a moment, and texted you the link to it, hoping your phone was on silent. 

 

But alas, it did not seem to be. 

 

You [1:57am]: OMG. YOU DIDN’T. THANK YOU!!!

 

Hyunjin [1:58am]: Did I wake you? :/

 

You [1:59am]: 1) Yes. B. I don’t care. III: You made me a playlist?! That’s so sweet of you!! I’ll have to make you one too. :) But later. During normal people hours. :p Goodnight again <3

 

He stared at that little heart emoticon, unblinking, for five entire minutes before he could tear himself away. If his heart could have beat, it would have been racing. 

 

Surely, he was just overthinking. You were a very friendly, very caring person. It was just an emoticon. 

 

Snap out of it.

 

—

 

He picked you up the next morning at 9 on the dot. You were surprisingly awake for such an early hour, and he wondered how much coffee you might have already had. He was glad to see that you had actually bundled up, but he was quick to note how red your cheeks and nose were against the cold, and he grinned to himself as he walked you to his car.

 

It should be illegal for her to be that cute.

 

You stopped short and stared at it, looking sideways at him with an impish grin. 

 

“What, no Volvo?”

“If that was another Twilight reference…” He made a face at you as he opened the passenger door. “You’re buying breakfast.”

“Joke’s on you, I was buying anyway,” you said nonchalantly. You giggled. “Vampires driving Hyundais… times must be hard.”

“I’ll have you know,” he huffed as he climbed into the driver’s seat, “that this is a very reliable car.”

“Relax, don’t get your britches in a wad. I’m just messing,” you said, resting a hand on his arm. He could feel the warmth of your hand through his light jacket, and he closed his eyes for a moment. 

 

“Oh, sorry,” you said, taking your hand away. “Did you feed today? We can reschedule if you–”

“Yes, before bed,” he told you. “It’s okay. Just not used to being touched, I guess. Don’t worry about it, okay?” He smiled brightly at you as he turned the car on and put it in gear. "And don't feel like you need to change. I'll get used to it."

“Okay.” 

 

You entertained him through breakfast with some of your more colorful work stories, and he found himself staring at you more than once. He wanted to tell you so badly how he felt. 

 

It’s too soon. Wait. Don’t be that person.

 

You directed him to a nearby park that he hadn’t been to before, and he parked the car near the entrance to one of the shorter hiking trails. 

 

“Shall we?” You grinned, pulling on a pair of mittens. 

“Sure,” he replied. 

 

It was his turn to tell you stories now, and he thoroughly enjoyed seeing you laugh, hearing your giggles echoing off the trees and rocks as the two of you made your way along the trail and back. He didn’t want the time to end. 

 

He was toying with the idea of asking you if you wanted to spend the rest of the day together too, when he noticed a broad patch of ice in front of you. Everything that happened next seemed to be in slow motion as you stepped forward, as your heel slid out from under you. 

 

The next thing he knew, he was at your side, pulling you back away from the ice and up, cradling you protectively as you flailed, trying not to fall. You came to rest in his arms, your face just inches from his own, your chest heaving, skin flushed. Some combination of cold and surprise, he was sure. His own heart was in his throat, nevermind that it had been still for well over two centuries. 

 

He had never wanted to kiss someone more than in that moment.

Chapter 7: Suspension

Summary:

You try to process your feelings about Hyunjin.

And for him.

Notes:

TW/CW: Verbal altercation with significant other

Your heart was racing a mile a minute as you stared at Hyunjin. He was staring back at you like he’d seen a ghost, those striking eyes searching your own. But for what?

 

“Hi,” you said. “Fancy seeing you here.”

 

He helped you to a standing position, far away from the ice that had just tried to claim you as a victim. He looked a little upset as he did so, and although you were curious, you brushed it off. 

 

He’s probably just a little uptight. Guess I could have bled if I fell. Yikes. 

 

“Are you okay?” 

 

He seemed hesitant to let go of you. You looped an arm through his and tugged on it, indicating he should keep walking. The two of you were almost back to the car. 

 

“I’m good. Just cold. I think hot chocolate is in order… don’t you?”

“Oh, um.” He stuttered. “Yes. Sure.”

“Thanks for saving my ass, by the way,” you giggled. “Pesky ice, always out to get me.” You glanced up to see he was staring straight ahead. “Hey. Hyunjin.”

 

He looked down at you finally, his eyes catching yours once more, and your breath caught as you remembered just minutes before, how close his face had been to yours. 

 

It was like something out of a damn storybook. 

 

Was he going to fucking kiss me? Oh my god.

 

No. Stop. Don’t be ridiculous. He’s just a friend. Jeez, get ahold of yourself.

 

“Hmm?” 

“What’s on your mind?”

“Oh. I’m just glad you weren’t hurt.”

“Yeah, me too. I’ve been in my own ED before. I broke my arm falling off my stepstool in the kitchen. So embarrassing. Ugh.”

 

He drove back to your house in silence, and you tried very hard not to take a peek into his head. Something was wrong– and you had a feeling it went far beyond the potential you’d had to bleed your own blood at the park. He had been off from the moment he’d caught you in his arms. 

 

You busied yourself when you got home, pulling out the ingredients for hot chocolate. Hyunjin took a seat on a barstool, watching you as you puttered around the kitchen. 

 

“No mix?” He asked curiously, and seemingly back to his normal self. 

“I’ve been known to use that in a pinch, but no. Today you’re getting my mom’s homemade hot cocoa. And it’s a secret recipe, so don’t bother asking,” you said on second thought, making a face at him.

“To what do I owe the privilege?” He asked with a small grin. 

“You saved me from biting it on the ice,” you giggled. “I’d say that’s deserving of a little something special.”

“I was just trying to help,” he insisted. “But I won’t say no to homemade hot cocoa.”

“Do… you wanna watch a movie?” You asked tentatively. Part of you knew that he needed to get to sleep, but the rest of you wanted to spend more time with him. You liked his sass, the wit, his jokes. He was so fun to be around. You hadn't felt this way about anyone in a long time, if you were being honest with yourself.

“A movie would be nice. What did you have in mind?”

“I haven’t watched The Goonies in a while.”

“Oh, good choice.”

 

You made yourself a sandwich to go with your cocoa, and the two of you settled in to watch the movie. Halfway through, however, you looked over to see that Hyunjin had fallen asleep, slumped over on the opposite end of the sofa. 

 

He’s really not used to being awake during the day. Poor guy. 

 

Gently, you tugged his legs up onto the sofa after wrestling his boots off. He was a heavy sleeper, and for that you were grateful. 

 

For that matter, he was heavy. But you managed, arranging him in what looked like a comfortable position. He was almost too tall for the sofa, and you laughed quietly. 

 

You tucked a couple pillows under his head and covered him with a blanket, turning the lights out and drawing the blinds, and moved to your office for the rest of the afternoon and early evening. 

 

You were listening to the playlist he’d made you, and making one for him, when you heard a knock. Hyunjin opened the door, peering around it, rubbing sleep from his eyes. You glanced down to see he’d put his boots back on.

 

“Good morning, sunshine,” you said cheerily. “Rest well?”

“I’m sorry I fell asleep on you,” he said sheepishly. 

“It’s okay. I told you I was boring,” you laughed. “Guess you have to go home now, yeah?”

“I probably should,” he grimaced. “You’ll be needing to go to bed soon though, won’t you? You said you have another 12 tomorrow?”

“Yep, and an 8 on Tuesday. Earning my keep, or something like that.” 

“Come lock the door behind me?” He asked, clearly still sleepy. 

“I guess, if you say so.”

“I want you to be safe,” he replied. 

“I’m fine,” you insisted. 

“You like the playlist?” He asked as you followed him to the door. You plucked his forgotten jacket from the hook on the back of the door and handed it to him as he turned to face you.

“Love it,” you told him. “I think I still have an hour of it or so left before it repeats… you had a lot of time on your hands over the weekend, didn’t you?”

“Something like that,” he gave you a lopsided grin, and you hoped he could not hear your heart skipping a beat. “I enjoyed putting it together.”

“I’m making you one, but it’s not done yet,” you confessed. “Maybe I’ll be able to finish it in the next couple days.”

“No rush,” he grinned, pulling you into a tight hug. “I have all the time in the world.”

“Fair,” you laughed, hugging him back. He pulled away enough to look down at you for a moment, but then he was breaking away, opening the door and slipping through it. 

 

You locked up and wandered to the bathroom in a daze. As you washed your face and fumbled through your skin care routine, you kept flashing back to that moment in the park. How tightly, how carefully , he had held onto you after you’d nearly fallen. How close his face had been to yours. The look in his eyes. Confusion. Desire? You weren’t sure. Part of you regretted not taking a look into his head. The rest of you chided yourself for even entertaining that line of thought. 

 

Ugh. I did promise him I wouldn’t do it. Come on, self. Behave.

 

You were about to climb into bed when your phone went off. 

 

Hyunjin [8:37pm]: Made it home. Thank you for a nice day. Sorry again about falling asleep during the movie. :(

 

You grinned as you tapped out a response, remembering how cute he’d looked, fast asleep on your parents’ old mint green sofa, covered in an old quilt. 

 

You [8:39pm]: I won’t hold it against you for more than a week. Swear. 

 

Hyunjin [8:40pm]: Shouldn’t you be in bed already?

 

You [8:41pm]: Can’t a girl get through her beauty routine without being heckled?

 

Hyunjin [8:42pm]: I’ll consider it.

 

You [8:43pm]: Goodnight silly. :)

 

Hyunjin [8:44pm]: Goodnight. Sweet dreams.

 

—

 

You thoroughly regretted every single second of your 12 hour shift on Monday. Mondays were always insane, and you knew this. You seldom worked on Mondays because of class. But now here you were, scarcely a second to breathe as the patients kept coming in a never-ending onslaught. You barely had time to talk to Hyunjin, managing a single text during your 10 minute “lunch”-- if you could call cramming a protein bar down your throat while standing next to the ice machine a lunch. When you got home, you sent Hyunjin a quick goodnight, and collapsed into bed after a fast shower. 

 

You had never been so happy to see a cancellation text in your life, as when you woke the next morning at 5am to see Annika had messaged you the night before, sometime after you’d fallen asleep.

 

Annika [11:33pm]: Hey, sorry for the late message. I accidentally shorted Matilda this week so I had to give her your Tuesday 8. Hope you don’t mind– though after today I’m sure you won’t. Take a breather and thanks for being so awesome. 

 

You sent a quick thanks and fell back to sleep, forgetting to set an alarm. You woke again sometime around 10, stretching and yawning, frowning at the incessant buzzing noise coming from your bedside table. You fumbled for the phone, not checking to see who it was before you answered. 

 

“Hello?”

“Oh gods, there you are. I’ve been worried.” Hyunjin’s voice was soft, but you could hear the vast amounts of concern carried in it. 

“Oh sorry, I forgot to tell you, I got cancelled today.”

“I bet that’s a relief.”

“Yeah. I think I might go horseback riding. Haven’t been in a while and my friend Connie owes me.”

“Don’t break anything.” 

“I make no promises,” you laughed. “Have you even slept yet?”

“No. I was waiting to hear you’d made it to work. Still icy out there, you know.”

“Well have a nap,” you told him sternly. “I’ll be fine. We can talk later if you want.”

“I’d like that,” he replied warmly. “Have a good day. Stay warm.”

“I guess I can do that, since you asked so nicely. Sleep well, Hyunjin.”

 

You hung up the call and occupied yourself with getting ready, shooting a text off to Connie to let her know you were coming. As usual, she was delighted to hear from you– your adopted mother’s old friend had always had a soft spot for you, and assured you she would have Fancy ready to go by the time you arrived. 

 

You were happy to see Connie, and you agreed to let her accompany you on the ride, although you warned her ahead of time that you had a lot of thinking to do. She acknowledged you with a smile and a nod, and you could hear her murmuring about “these young folks, always in their heads” as she went to get the horses. 

 

True to what you had said, and her words, you were indeed very in your head. You couldn’t stop thinking about Hyunjin. 

 

This wasn’t new. You’d been thinking about him since you’d met, and even more so since you found out that he actually wasn’t out to harm you. 

 

To add insult to, well, injury, Dany and Nyla had been teasing you about him nonstop since they’d met him. They insisted that he looked at you as so much more than a friend. 

 

You just weren’t sure. And without looking in his head, you didn’t want to make any assumptions. You’d been down that road before, and gotten burned badly. More than once, at that. 

 

Speaking of relationships… you weren’t sure what the hell you were going to do about Aiden. He had texted you that morning and you’d ignored it. You knew you’d needed to break it off with him for a while. Deep down, you cared about him still, but he just wasn’t the person he used to be. You weren’t sure what had happened there– he was quick to let stress and real life get to him, but this was something else. 

 

Maybe he’d always been an asshole, and I’m just an idiot.

 

Fancy whinnied suddenly, breaking you out of your reverie. She side-stepped, and you tried to soothe her. You had no idea what she was afraid of. 

 

“Shh, easy girl, it’s okay,” you started. 

 

Seconds later, you found yourself flying through the air, colliding with the hard ground, knocking your head against a rock. Your vision blacked for just a moment, and you heard Connie calling your name, calling for an ambulance. 

 

“I’m fine,” you mumbled. 

“No ma’am,” she tutted, helping you to sit up. “You know the rules. You get hurt, you have to go to the hospital.”

“Ugh,” you grumbled, knowing the closest emergency department was your own. You felt the back of your head carefully. There was already a large lump, but as you probed gently, you couldn’t feel any broken skin. 

 

You realized that your left wrist hurt as well, and you could barely move it.

 

Well isn’t this perfect.

 

You grumbled the entire ride to the hospital, endured the jokes from Florian as he triaged you once the EMTs had put you in a bed. 

 

“You just missed us so much, huh? You got cancelled but you came to work anyway. Were you just upset about missing the potluck, or–?”

“Yeah, you know how much I love it here,” you made a face at him. Your expression turned sour when you heard Aiden’s voice outside the curtain.

 

But of course. You had forgotten to change your emergency contact.

 

Fuck. Fucking fuckity fuck.

 

Aiden took a seat at your bedside, and immediately began to talk over you. Florian rolled his eyes and dragged his computer from the room, mouthing “I’m sorry” to you as he departed. 

 

Three hours later, your wrist had been x-rayed, and placed in a splint after the doctor had declared it sprained. You were still waiting on the results of the scan of your head, but as you lay there with your head swimming, you were relatively sure you had a concussion. 

 

You glanced over at Aiden, who seemed to be asleep, and stealthily pulled out your phone, noting it was well past 5, imagining that Hyunjin was probably awake by now.

 

You [5:47pm]: So remember when you told me not to break anything? I misunderstood the assignment.

 

You sent him a photo of yourself lying on the stretcher, making a face at the camera. 

 

Hyunjin [5:47pm]: Are you okay?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

 

You [5:48pm]: Yes, I’m fine. I just wanted you to know what happened. I have a sprained wrist, and probably a concussion. 

 

Hyunjin [5:49pm]: I’d say I can’t take you anywhere, but… well.

 

You [5:50pm]: I know, I know.

 

He didn’t reply after that, and you thought maybe he had fallen asleep again. 

 

Forty minutes later, however, your heart nearly stopped as you saw a dark head of hair dipping through the curtain, and Hyunjin tiptoed into the partition in which your coworkers were still holding you captive while you waited on scan results. He appeared visibly uncomfortable, but determined. 

 

“You really know how to jump-start someone’s heart,” he joked quietly. You held a finger to your lips and pointed at Aiden, but it was too late. Aiden awoke with a start, immediately leaping to his feet, staring at Hyunjin, dumbfounded. 

 

“Who the fuck– is this him? Is this the guy?” Aiden said, his voice much too loud for the small space. 

“Can it, oh my god Aiden!” You hissed. 

“No. Fuck this shit. I’m not doing this. I’m out.” Find your own ride home, bitch,” he spat, pawing at the curtain to find the opening, nearly tearing it down from the ceiling in the process. 

 

Florian slipped in as Aiden was leaving, greeting Hyunjin with a smile, looking him up and down. 

 

“Who’s your friend?”

“This is Hyunjin,” you said, tight-lipped. “Hyunjin, this is Florian. He’s one of our charge nurses and our resident menace.”

“Look who’s talking,” Florian laughed. “Doc will be back to discharge you in a second, but your scan was clean. Just a concussion. Head injury precautions for a week, got it? Annika knows you’re here, she said she would text you later.”

“Okay,” you sighed. You hated to inconvenience anyone with having to keep an eye on you for a week while you slept, not to mention driving you around everywhere. You guessed you could beg Dany and Nyla, maybe they could take turns. Aiden was certainly out of the question, not that you wanted him around anyway. 

“Are you her ride home?” Florian asked Hyunjin. “Seeing as how… well…” He gestured to the curtain that Aiden had blown through minutes earlier. 

“I can be, if that’s okay,” Hyunjin told him. He looked to you, expectantly.

 

“Yes that'll be appreciated, thank you,” you nodded. 

“Sounds great,” Florian said brightly. I’ll go get her paperwork ready. And she only came in with one shoe, so I’ll grab a wheelchair too.”

“I can walk,” you called after Florian, but he was already gone. Hyunjin pulled a chair over to your bedside and took your good hand in both of his, and you tried very, very hard not to balk at his touch. His skin was cool, not cold, somewhat refreshing after you’d spent the last several hours under the multiple warm blankets that Maya and Astrid had insisted you needed, knowing you were always freezing. 

“I’m sorry for just coming in here like that,” he sighed. “I should have–”

“No, it’s okay,” you reassured him. “I’m glad you’re here. I really need to change my emergency contact, though.” You bit your lip. 

“That might be wise.”

 

—

 

Hyunjin drove you home, turning on some music on the way to help ease your obvious anxiety. You stared out the window, unsure of what to say. You hated that there had been a confrontation at the hospital. You were dreading the moment when you did finally tell Aiden that you were done. 

 

Unfortunately, it seemed that moment was going to occur much sooner than you were ready for it, as Aiden’s car was in the driveway when you and Hyunjin arrived at your house. You let Hyunjin carry you as far as the stoop before you made him put you down. 

 

“He’s inside, isn’t he?” Hyunjin asked. 

“Yeah, probably,” you winced. 

“I should come with you,” Hyunjin said firmly. It was not a question. 

“That might make it worse,” you pursed your lips as you unlocked the door. 

“I don’t have a good feeling about him,” he told you, resting a hand on your shoulder. “Please.”

“Okay,” you sighed. 

 

You were glad that you let Hyunjin in, because the moment you walked into the room, Aiden was out of the chair he’d been in, and in your face. 

 

“What the actual fuck do you think you’re pulling here, bitch?!”

“Aiden, you need to get out. Now.”

“No, I’m not leaving until you tell me what the hell is going on!”

“Nothing is going on,” you insisted, rolling your eyes once more. “Literally nothing. But you know what? Nothing is going on between you and I either, Aiden. We’re done. Hit the road, and don’t ever fucking come back.”

“I’m really fucking sick of your lies,” Aiden shouted. “You fucking bitch–” 

 

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. Hyunjin reached out, grabbing Aiden by the collar of his leather jacket, all but dragging him outside. You followed, hanging just inside the door, and watched as Hyunjin threw Aiden to the ground in front of your stoop. 

 

“If you ever,” Hyunjin hissed, “and I mean ever , come near her again,” he pressed Aiden into the ground with the heel of one boot. “I will make you wish you’d never been born.” 

 

You thought you saw Hyunjin bare his fangs, and suddenly Aiden was shrieking, wrenching himself from under Hyunjin’s hold to make a mad dash for his car, backing out of your driveway and speeding away. 

 

You wandered back inside, plopping onto the couch. A few minutes later, you heard deadbolts turning, and looked up to find Hyunjin sliding into the room quietly. He took a seat on the chair opposite you. 

 

“You can sit with me,” you said glumly. “I don’t bite,” you added with a mischievous grin. Hyunjin made a face at you, but moved to sit next to you on the sofa. 

“Someday you’ll get tired of all these vampire jokes,” he said softly. “Right?”

“Unlikely,” you replied, closing the gap between you to rest your head on his shoulder. “I’d tell you not to hold your breath, but… well…”

“You’re impossible,” he told you, taking your hand again. 

“Hyunjin?”

“Hmm?”

“What exactly is happening here?”

 

He let your hand go quickly, and stood, brushing nonexistent lint off his clothes. 

“Have you eaten today?” He changed the subject, much to your dismay. 

 

Which told you all you needed to know, anyway. 

 

“If a protein shake this morning counts, then yes,” you said, staring down at the splint on your wrist. 

“I’ll give you a third of a point.”

“Only a third? It was 30 grams of protein,” you stuck your tongue out at him. 

“Half a point. Final offer. I’m going to make you some dinner. Is eggs and toast okay? I’m not much of a cook,” he admitted. 

“That’s fine,” you replied, still feeling somewhat out of sorts. “I guess I should check with Dany and Nyla to see about someone watching me and waking me up every so often tonight."

“I can do that,” he said as you followed him to the kitchen. “If you’re okay with me staying over.” He still looked a little uncomfortable, and once again you resisted reading his mind. 

 

What is wrong with him? And for that matter, what’s wrong with me?! 

 

“Sure,” you said halfheartedly, hoping he wouldn’t pick up on the upset in your voice. It was clear the two of you needed to have a talk. One that was a while coming, at that. 

 

He tucked you into bed that night, ensuring that you had everything you might need in reach– water, ibuprofen, your phone, assuring you that he’d be back every two hours to check on you. 

 

As you drifted off to sleep, exhausted after your long day, just a few thoughts lingered on your mind. 

 

Why can’t I just tell him I like him? What is so difficult about it?

 

Why am I like this?

Chapter 8: Ready And Waiting To Fall

Summary:

Hyunjin continues to take care of you as you heal from your accident.

In the meantime, you endure no shortage of teasing from those you love about the potential of a relationship with Hyunjin.

When you woke up the next morning, you were only a little surprised to see Hyunjin napping in the chair across from your bed, having pulled one of your sweaters across himself as a cover. You sighed heavily. Your wrist was throbbing, apparently competing with your head to see which could hurt worse. You realized the wrist had slipped off the pillow pile Hyunjin had so carefully constructed the night before, and sighed. You could tell it was even more swollen this morning, and made a mental note to loosen the splint in a bit. You dragged yourself from bed and downed a dose of ibuprofen, tiptoeing to Hyunjin and shaking his shoulder gently. 

 

“Hmm?” He awoke quickly, looking up at you, immediately grinning. 

“What’s that look for?” You raised an eyebrow. He reached up to tousle your hair. 

“That’s quite some bedhead… very cute,” he said softly as you rolled your eyes. A moment later he was pulling his phone out, silencing an alarm. 

“Time to go home?” You asked. 

“No, it was just time to wake you up again,” he explained. “You were in interesting form last night,” he added. “You were vacillating between exceedingly grumpy and very amused at my questions. It was kind of funny.”

“God, I don’t remember any of that,” you frowned. 

 

He followed you to the kitchen, watching as you made coffee for yourself. 

 

“Didn’t your papers say to avoid caffeine?” He asked. 

“It said in moderation,” you returned quickly. “So I’ll have one cup instead of three. It's all about balance.” 

 

He snorted.

 

“Are you sure?”

“If I don’t have any, I’ll have an even bigger headache than I already do,” you told him firmly. “You need to go to sleep,” you threw in as an afterthought. 

“Do you want me to stay here today?” He offered. “Just in case you need anything.”

“That’s fine with me,” you shrugged. You took his hand and led him down the hall, past your room to the guest bedroom, which was conveniently outfitted with heavy blackout curtains. You’d made some extra money before you started grad school by renting the room out to travel nurses, but hadn’t done that in a while now. 

 

“I get my own room?” Hyunjin laughed. 

“Yeah, I guess so,” you released his hand and ushered him in. “Feel free to leave some of your stuff here too, the dresser is empty.”

“I wasn’t expecting that sort of invitation,” he turned to you, and you could see him smiling despite the very dim light. 

“Well, I doubt you’re going to leave until I’m recovered,” you said dryly, and he laughed, nodding his head. 

“Correct.”

“Well, welcome home then, weirdo. Go to bed.”

“Let me know if you need anything,” he called after you. You gave him a thumbs up as you shut the door. 

 

Your first order of business was calling a locksmith and making an appointment for that afternoon. You doubted that Aiden would show his face again after his run-in with Hyunjin, but you thought perhaps better safe than sorry. 

 

You’d scarcely hung up the call than you received several messages from Dany and Nyla. 

 

Dany [10:27am]: Heyyyy you finally did it congrats girl

 

Nyla [10:27am]: For fucking real though we need to pop some champagne. FUCK OFF AIDEN, WOOHOO!!

 

You [10:28am]: Wait how–

 

Dany [10:28am]: Aiden texted us both and cussed us the hell out, lol 

 

Nyla [10:29am]: He also said your new boyfriend threatened him

 

You [10:29am]: HYUNJIN. IS NOT. MY. BOYFRIEND. O M G

 

Nyla [10:30am]: Oh please we’ve seen the way he looks at you

 

Dany [10:30am]: It’s only a matter of time now

 

You [10:31am]: You guys suck

 

Nyla [10:32am]: How are you feeling?

 

You [10:32am]: Huh??

 

Dany [10:33am]: You texted us yesterday saying you were at the hospital. You don’t remember at all do you?? How hard did you hit your head?

 

Nyla [10:34am]: Wait who stayed with you last night? Isn’t it a rule or something that you have to be woken up every so often? I remember that from when I fell off my bike a few years ago

 

You [10:35am]: So anyway about that local sportsball team... >_>

 

Dany [10:36am]: HYUNJIN STAYED WITH YOU?!?!?!!? GIRL.

 

You [10:37am]: Oh my god calm your tits. Literally nothing happened. He did fall asleep in the armchair in my room though D:

 

Nyla [10:38am]: No but that’s so cute though??? He’s got it bad... ;)

 

You [10:39am]: Instead of continuing to be butts, could one of you come over? I need help bathing

 

Dany [10:40am]: What, you don’t wanna ask Hyunjin??? ;)))

 

Nyla [10:40am]: OOOH YEAH ;D

 

You [10:41am]: I hate both of you

 

Dany [10:42am]: I’ll be over in an hour. Nyla has work today

 

Nyla [10:43am]: Ew don’t remind me. Are we still doing Thanksgiving with Ellie and Terrence?

 

You [10:44am]: Yeah I guess. Might need a ride from one of you though, I can’t drive

 

Nyla [10:45am]: The clear solution to this is to ask your new boyfriend to come meet your family at Thxday and he can drive you ;)

 

You [10:45am]: GO TO WORK NYLA :p

 

Nyla [10:46am]: HAHA love youuuuu

 

You sighed internally. With all the commotion you’d completely forgotten about Thanksgiving. Your adopted mother seemed to be on a wavelength with you, however, as your phone buzzed again a few minutes later. 

 

Ellie [10:55am]: How are you feeling?

 

You [10:56am]: Wow I don’t remember texting you yesterday either. Whew. I’m okay.

 

Ellie [10:57am]: Is Aiden staying with you while you heal?

 

You grimaced, then decided to just get it over with. 

 

You [10:59am]: Actually, I broke up with him yesterday

 

Ellie [11:00am]: Well that’s good, he was an asshole anyway. Sorry honey. I know you liked him, but he’d been rubbing me the wrong way for a while. 

 

Sometimes you wondered how you were not related to Ellie by blood. The two of you were so similar. She had a penchant for telling things like they were, and you seemed to have followed in her footsteps in that regard. 

 

Nevermind that you couldn’t seem to tell Hyunjin how you felt about him to save your life, but whatever. 

 

You [11:02am]: Y’know, I was expecting you to be spicy about this but I wasn’t expecting the profanity, lol

 

Ellie [11:03am]: You know how I feel about cursing. Sometimes there’s just no better word than shit, etc. ;) So who is staying with you then, Dany and Nyla?

 

You [11:05am]: Actually… it’s someone else. A new friend.

 

Ellie [11:07am]: Well, invite him to Thanksgiving! We need to meet him. ;)

 

You [11:08am]: I– don’t even know what to say to that, LOL

 

Ellie [11:09am]: So I was right, it’s a boy, isn’t it? What’s his name? He must be a sweetheart if he’s already to the point where he’s taking care of you like this. 

 

You [11:10am]: ELLIE OH MY GOD

 

Ellie [11:11am]: Still waiting on that name… ;)

 

You [11:12am]: It’s Hyunjin. And yes, he’s very nice. We met earlier this semester, we’ve been hanging out a lot.

 

Ellie [11:13am]: Good so that’s settled then, we will see you both tomorrow, AND Dany and Nyla, 9am sharp, we’re having breakfast and watching the Macy’s parade. :) You know the drill.

 

You [11:14am]: Okay. I’ll ask him. No promises though. :p

 

Ellie [11:15am]: Terrence says hi and he’s looking forward to meeting your new boy. 

 

You [11:16am]: Ellie!!!

 

Ellie [11:17am]: I’ll do the green bean casserole for you, I don’t want you using the oven.

 

Ellie [11:17am]: See you tomorrow! <3

 

You groaned and put your phone down. 

 

You’d been expecting a certain amount of teasing, but not like this, and not on all fronts. You were almost dreading telling Hyunjin about the invitation. Your family were jokesters, and loved to mess with each other. 

 

Naturally, you’d be this year’s target when you showed up with a new friend, who happened to be a boy. 

 

With nothing else to do since Ellie had forbidden you from using any appliances, you sat on the couch, scrolling on your phone until Dany arrived. You were grateful for her, and that you had such close friends that could help you out with such a thing as taking a shower. You didn’t even want to think about the logistics of trying to tape your arm into a bag on your own, much less washing up one handed. There was zero way you were asking Hyunjin for help on this.

 

Thankfully, you and Dany and Nyla had been some mixture of roommates and suitemates throughout undergrad, and all of you had seen each other in various states of undress many times over. It wasn’t abnormal to share showers, so comfortable were you with one another.

 

Dany had brought over some face masks and snacks, and after she helped you shower and dry your hair, the two of you shared a girls’ day in front of the TV. 

 

Hyunjin emerged from the hallway several hours later, rubbing his eyes, clearly still sleepy. 

 

“Morning,” he mumbled, blinking twice when he saw Dany on the sofa next to you. “Hi, Dany.”

“Hello Hyunjin,” Dany said brightly, and you elbowed her as you saw the shit-eating-grin on her face. “I hear you’re taking care of my bestie here.”

“I’m doing my best...ie,” he said, raking a hand through his hair and giving the two of you a lopsided grin at his own dumb joke. “I’m going to go home and shower and change… and get a bite to eat.”

 

You nodded at him, stifling a laugh at his choice of words. 

 

“Oh hey, speaking of,” you started, suddenly shy. Dany leaned back on the couch next to you, watching you with an expectant look. 

 

“Huh?”

 

“My mom invited you to Thanksgiving tomorrow,” you told him quickly, the words coming out in a jumble.

“That sounds like fun. Count me in.”

“You really don’t have to–” You started. Dany elbowed you. 

“I know. But I want to,” he told you as he pulled his coat on. “I’ll see you later, okay? Don’t go to bed without me here, though, please. Don't want you falling asleep and not waking up.”

 

He slipped out the door after you handed him his new key, ignoring the sly grin from Dany at the fact that he already had access to a spare. Once he was gone, Dany let out a heavy breath she seemed to have been holding in. 

 

“God, he just looks so pretty like that right when he wakes up ? Who authorized that?”

“I don’t honestly understand it,” you told her. “It’s not right.”

“So you admit it, you think he’s pretty,” she winked at you. 

“I’m not talking to you anymore. Look, Netflix is judging us again– press play.”

“Uh-huh,” she said as she opened a food delivery app on her phone. “What do you want for dinner? My treat– and I’ll stay here ‘til boyfriend gets back.”

“Dany!!”

 

—

 

Hyunjin arrived back around 8:30, just as you and Dany were finishing dinner. She bid you goodnight and told you she and Nyla would see you tomorrow, flashing you a wink and a huge grin as she left. You ignored her waggling eyebrows and shut the door, turning to Hyunjin, who was standing at the end of the entryway, still holding onto a duffel bag. 

 

“What was that all about?” He asked. 

“Dany seems to think there’s something going on between you and I,” you said quietly, remembering how quickly he’d created space the night before when you’d addressed the elephant in the room. 

“I see,” was all he said in response. He disappeared down the hall, presumably to put his things away, and you occupied yourself with cleaning up after yours and Dany’s junk food and binge watching fest. 

 

Why. Why why why why. Why is this so gods damned difficult? Just tell him. Hey, I like you, no big deal, it's whatever. Goddddd.

 

Maybe you were overthinking. Maybe he was just overly friendly. You couldn’t say much, as touchy as you’d been with him recently. Maybe he was just returning the gesture. That was it.

 

We’ll go with that, I guess.

 

“What time do we need to be at your parents’ house?” Hyunjin startled you as you stood in the kitchen, sorting out real and disposable dishes and loading the dishwasher.  

“Ellie said 9am. I should have told you more details before, I’m sorry. She and Terrence always make it the whole day. We start with breakfast and the Macy’s parade and basically eat all day and hang around the house. There will likely be a mini Scrabble tournament, and Christmas movies. You really don’t have to go, I promise.”

“I want to,” he told you again. “I’ve never been to Thanksgiving with humans before. It’s… not really something vampires do,” he grinned at you, and you tried not to stare as you noticed just how adorable it was when his entire face was scrunched up into a smile. 

“Okay.” You turned the light out and headed for your bedroom, and he was on your heels, helping you once more to arrange yourself in bed, propping up your injured wrist. He turned the light out and said goodnight with a promise to wake you periodically once again that night. 

 

“What time do you want me to wake you in the morning?” His voice cut through the dark, but you couldn’t see where he was as your eyes were still adjusting. 

“Um… 7 I guess? They live on the other side of town."

“You got it.”

“Hyunjin?”

“Hmm?”

“Are you planning to stay in that chair again tonight?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t talk you out of it, can I?”

“Nope.” You heard music begin, and realized he’d turned on that Marconi Union album for you.

“Goodnight,” you said, already sleepy without the aid of the songs. 

“Sleep well.”

 

—

 

To your complete embarrassment, Hyunjin had brought over dressy clothes for Thanksgiving Day. You talked him down out of the slacks into a pair of nice jeans, allowing him to keep the button-down shirt, but insisted he switch the blazer for something more casual. 

 

“You are putting too much thought into this,” you said as you swiped the blazer from him. “Honestly. It’s just my family. Look, I’m not in anything special,” you said, pointing to the leggings and oversized sweater you’d wrestled yourself into, complete with a hat to cover the bedhead. 

“And yet you still look lovely,” he winked. “Give me my coat.”

“Not a chance,” you shook your head, ignoring the flush that you knew was rising on your cheeks at his compliment. You held the coat behind your back. “Just wear your leather jacket. It’ll be fine. There’s no one there to impress.”

“Says you,” he wrinkled his nose. “I want to make a good impression.”

“So be yourself,” you darted out of the room, still clutching his coat. “It’ll be fine!” You called down the hallway. 

 

You stashed the blazer in the coat closet and migrated to the kitchen to make coffee, filling a couple travel mugs for the car trip. It was only about a 20 minute drive, but you knew you’d be grouchy without coffee, especially considering Hyunjin had still woken you up every two hours the night before. You knew he’d had to, but that didn’t make it any less frustrating. 

 

You weren’t sure how caffeine affected him, but you had a feeling he’d be on the struggle bus by early afternoon. You handed him the larger mug when he walked into the kitchen, and you breathed a small sigh of relief when you saw he’d taken your advice and worn the leather jacket. You’d half expected him to go after the blazer again just to be ornery, but it seemed he was done giving you a hard time for now. 

 

Which was fine, because everyone else gave you a hard time about Hyunjin the entire day. 

 

Ellie was quick to comment on how much of a gentleman he was, how he’d dressed up for the day, and about how first impressions were so important. 

 

She also lost no time in making some snide remarks about Aiden, which you tried to ignore.

 

Terrence grilled Hyunjin over dinner, and you wanted to curl up into a ball under the table. 

 

Much like he had with Dany and Nyla, Hyunjin weathered all of the questioning and teasing with a grin on his face, answering every inquiry as honestly as possible. 

 

He was quick to fall asleep on the couch after the meal however, as Terrence was turning on another movie to round out the afternoon. You nabbed a throw from the basket next to the couch, tossing it over Hyunjin as he slept. 

 

“So cute,” you heard Dany and Nyla whispering to each other. 

“Look here,” you turned, painfully aware of how red your face was. “He was awake all night making sure I was waking up.”

“Still adorable,” Ellie chimed in. “The two of you have some real chemistry– you should probably discuss that.”

 

You wanted nothing more than to dissolve into vapor as you took a seat next to your now sleeping vampire friend. 

“Let’s watch the movie,” you tried to redirect them. “Haven’t all of you teased me enough?”

“No,” Nyla said matter-of-factly. 

“Rude,” you shot back. 

 

Halfway through the movie, Hyunjin shifted, resting his head on your shoulder as he continued to doze. He looked so peaceful, you were hesitant to disturb him, even though you noticed as another round of whispers went up between your parents and your best friends. 

 

At the end of the day, he thanked your parents profusely for inviting him, telling them that he’d had a wonderful time and appreciated their generosity.

 

Gods, he's so sweet, I'm gonna get fucking cavities at this rate. What is he doing?!

 

“You can come back anytime, sweetie,” Ellie had called after the two of you as you walked to his car. “You be safe now! Goodnight!”

“Goodnight!” You returned as he helped you into the car. 

 

Gods, that was embarrassing as hell. You glanced over at Hyunjin, who was focused on the road. We really need to have a talk. Ugh. Do not want.

 

‘Defining the relationship’ talks were your least favorite. You often thought you’d rather deliver any sort of upsetting news to anyone, talk about all manner of sensitive subjects, before you’d happily have a DTR talk with someone. 

 

But it seemed there was really no way around it now. 

 

You decided if nothing had happened by the time winter break rolled around, you'd break the silence.

 

You hoped that you could talk yourself into it when the time came, because it sure seemed like Hyunjin wasn't going to make a move anytime soon, if ever.

 

—

 

You were actually glad when school started again the following Monday. You were still on restrictions, and Hyunjin insisted on driving you to class, and then escorting you to the library every evening. But after another week and a half of him doting on you, you insisted you were okay to carry on without his help. He was hesitant at first, but told you that he would ease up, though he encouraged you to still seek help from him if need be. 

 

You told him it was fine. Your splint was off, you were doing better.

 

Or so you thought.

 

You actually wound up needing a lot more help than you had anticipated, which led to him continuing to stay over quite a bit, much to Dany and Nyla’s amusement. 

 

Meanwhile, you were starting to stress, big time. The post-concussion brain fog was unreal, and you were worried about finals coming up, not to mention the term paper you’d been slaving over since day one. You were glad Annika had talked you into taking intermittent leave, and had cancelled you through the end of December. You weren’t sure you could handle manning the desk, or even light duty doing chart audits. Your brain was constantly in a haze, and you hated it.

 

You were staring blankly at your laptop one evening, willing your paper to finish itself, when Hyunjin wandered in, setting down a paper bag from Panera Bread in front of you. 

 

“I believe this is your sandwich,” he said with a small grin. 

“Oh yeah, that’s mine,” you laughed, without missing a beat. “I can’t believe you’ve seen Baman Piderman.” You watched him carefully as he took a seat next to you. 

“Completely by accident,” he confessed as you unwrapped the meal he’d bought you– your favorite sandwich and soup. “I fell down a YouTube rabbit hole one night a few years ago, and wound up watching the entire thing in one go.”

“Just keep racking up those cool points,” you mumbled around a bite of sandwich. “Oh, fuck.”

“What’s wrong?” He pulled his chair closer to yours, concerned. You pointed at the messages app on your laptop. 

“According to a friend, there’s an Andrew McMahon show on the 12th,” you grumbled, setting your food down. “I didn’t even know he was touring. I guess that’s what I get for being so damn busy all the time.”

 

You navigated to a ticketing site, frustrated even further when you saw the show was sold out. 

 

“Well. Fucksticks. I haven’t ever missed one of his shows when he’s come through here. Guess there’s a first time for everything,” you sighed as you took another bite of your sandwich. “Whatever. Back to the term paper from hell.”

 

Hyunjin said nothing, and turned to his art while you finished up your work for the evening. 

 

But the next afternoon, he strode into the living room after returning from what he told you would be a quick errand, looking very satisfied with himself. You were somewhat distracted, furiously editing your paper, and he sat down next to you, snapping you out of your trance. 

 

“Hi,” you looked sideways at him to see he was grinning ear to ear. “Can I help you?”

 

Wordlessly, he handed you an envelope. You opened it to find two tickets to the Andrew show, and shrieked in surprise, turning to him and pulling him into a firm embrace.

 

“You’re gonna come with me, right?” You murmured into his shoulder. 

“I will if you want me to,” he told you quietly. “I could only get the two tickets, otherwise I’d have gotten three, for you and Dany and Nyla.”

“No, it’s okay,” you replied, pulling back so you could look at him, setting the tickets down on your laptop. “You gave them to me, I want you to be the one I go to the show with.”

 

He was staring at you, his expression unreadable. 

His face was very, very close to yours, and he whispered your name, so softly you thought you might have imagined it. You remembered that day at the park several weeks ago– he was looking at you in the same way now. 

 

“Hmm?” Your heart was threatening to beat out of your chest. 

“If I kissed you right now, would it ruin everything?” He asked, voice still barely above a whisper. 

“No,” you said breathlessly. 

 

His lips were on yours before you could take another breath, and you shut your eyes tight as he pulled you closer, kissing you softly, tenderly. His lips were cool against your own, tongue gentle as he swiped it over your lower lip, deepening the kiss as you struggled to maintain your composure.

 

You couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. 

All you knew was that Hyunjin had finally, finally kissed you, and you didn’t want it to end.

Chapter 9: Collide

Summary:

You and Hyunjin have a talk that's been a long time coming.

You meet Soren-- which goes about as well as could be expected.

But hey-- at least school is almost out for the winter break. That's something... right?

Time seemed to stand still while Hyunjin’s lips were on yours. When he eventually did break the kiss, reaching up to trail one fingertip down the side of your face, you stared at him, eyes wide, painfully aware that you were some horrifying shade of bright red. He pressed his forehead to yours and closed his eyes. 

 

You were convinced that your heart was going to beat out of your chest.

 

“We… should probably talk, I think,” you managed to get out as you caught your breath. 

“Likely so,” Hyunjin replied quietly, opening his eyes, pulling away and letting you out of his hold just a bit. 

“I–” You started. 

“I should have said something sooner,” he said quickly, beating you to the punch. “I was trying to be respectful. I know you just ended things with Aiden. Less than a month ago, at that. I didn't want to be that person who swoops in without even giving you a chance to take a breath.”

“It’s okay,” you told him, biting your lip. “I appreciate that. I really should have said something, myself. But I wasn’t sure how you felt, so I didn’t want to say anything at all and be wrong in my assumptions,” you babbled, somewhat conscious of the fact that you were prattling on nervously as you wrung your hands in your lap. 

 

Shut up, self. Oh my god just stop. Shut up and let him talk or something.

 

“I’ve been burned before by assuming someone was into me... So I kept telling myself we’re just friends, that's all,” you continued anyway. “And I didn’t want to mess everything up, but I really care about you a lot, and I hope you–”

 

He kissed you again, wrapping his arms around you tightly, and you snaked your arms lower, around his torso, your heart racing again as he nipped lightly at your lip, continuing to place long, languid kisses on you, bringing a hand up to thread his fingers through your hair. When he moved away again, you looked at him sheepishly.

 

“Was I rambling a bit too much for you?” You giggled. 

“You seemed like you needed some grounding,” he smiled again, letting you go fully to lean back, tracing your features as he continued to study you. “Red is a good color on you,” he added, and you covered your face with your hands, letting out a groan.

“Oh stop.”

“Don’t,” he said, reaching for your hands, pulling them away so he could look at you. “Why are you hiding?”

“I don’t really know,” you admitted, letting him take your hands in his. “Habit? I’m not really used to this sort of treatment.”

 

It was true. It had been a very long time since anyone had paid you this sort of attention. Aiden hadn’t really been the romantic type. You already guessed that Hyunjin was quite different.

 

“Well,” Hyunjin said, squeezing your hands. “If you’ll have me, I’d like to continue giving you this sort of treatment… if that’s okay with you.”

“What are you saying?” You raised an eyebrow. You felt you knew what he meant, but you needed to hear it, flat out. 

“I want to be with you,” he admitted. “I have for a while, in all honesty. But your situation was…”

“Complicated, I know,” you finished. “But I’d been so far checked out of it for a while. I guess it wasn’t fair of me on either account. I strung him along, and I kind of… delayed this talk,” you sighed. "I'm so sorry."

“You were in a difficult spot,” Hyunjin told you. “Trust me, I noticed. It's more than okay."

“God, how embarrassing,” you looked down, making a face. “I never did thank you, by the way, for what you did, dragging Aiden out of here like that. I think he’ll stay away.”

“I should hope so,” Hyunjin said sharply. “I meant what I said on all accounts."

“Huh?”

“I told you,” he caressed the back of your hand, tracing the mark he had left on you. “That I was going to protect you. And I meant that.”

“So what now?” You wondered aloud. 

“Well,” he said, clasping your left hand between his own gently. “I know that we’re together all the time, but I would like to take you on a proper date.”

“Hyunjin,” you said hesitantly. Had he even thought about the fact that you were mortal? “What about my–”

“Your mortality? I know. Trust me, I know.” He frowned. “Your time is finite. It’s something I’ve been dwelling on. But I still want you. I promise.”

“Okay,” you said gently. “If you’re sure.”

“Are you?” He asked.

“What?”

“Are you sure that this is what you want? That I’m what you want?”

 

You moved closer to him again, fitting yourself into his arms and resting your head on his shoulder. He was quick to wind his arms around you once more, holding you close. 

 

“Definitely.”

 

—

 

Between the excitement and energy you were feeling from your newly established relationship with Hyunjin, and the brain fog that continued to plague you, finals were on you before you knew it. Hyunjin had graciously agreed to review and edit your term paper for grammar and readability and you were so thankful for his help. You weren’t entirely sure some of the later paragraphs you’d written made sense. But he was patient, working long hours with you to make sure it was well-polished and ready to turn in on time. When you finally hit the submit button on the website you were supposed to turn it in to, you felt as though a weight had been lifted. You’d worked so hard. 

 

Naturally, this meant you’d be livid if you got anything less than an A.

 

Meanwhile, you were still in a tizzy over everything else. Part of you felt like all of the information you’d studied and absorbed over the semester had just vanished. Despite this, Hyunjin insisted that you keep to a schedule during finals week that was similar to what the two of you had done during your midterms. Since it had worked so well at keeping your stress levels low, you agreed again to humor him. 

 

“Cramming isn’t going to help you,” he reminded you the Friday before finals week as you sat, firmly glued to your study room chair, reviewing your notes for what seemed like the millionth time. 

“You and your logic,” you muttered. He laughed softly and moved his chair closer to yours, reaching out to rub your back comfortingly. You moved your chair right next to his, closing the gap so you could lean your head on his shoulder, and he wrapped an arm around you, kissing the top of your head. 

 

“I need to tell you something,” he said suddenly. 

“Huh?”

“I know this really isn’t the time considering you’re stressed about school,” he said cautiously, “but I wanted you to know that Soren gave me an ultimatum. He wants to meet you on the 11th– the Monday after next. If we don’t show, well, I can’t see you anymore.”

“The 11th it is,” you mumbled, trying to ignore the queasy feeling you felt. What if Soren found out somehow, about your power? What if things went south? Being in a houseful of vampires didn’t really strike you as a great idea, considering you were a walking meal-- even if Hyunjin had marked you as his.

 

At least I have the concert to look forward to on the other end, I guess.

 

“It’s just a quick meeting,” Hyunjin assured you. “He knows nothing about you. I think this is mostly for his benefit, anyway. He knows I’m a good judge of character, I always have been… well, for the most part. I do know that you are an amazing person. That’s not the problem, though.”

“Let me guess,” you said glumly. “The problem is that I’m a living breathing human, and he’s still scared I’ll blab to everyone about all of you.”

“Bingo. Not to mention he’s concerned that I’ll fuck up again. But I’ve been extremely cautious around you, since that first… incident.”

 

“Ugh,” You grumbled, resting your head on the table in front of you instead. Hyunjin resumed rubbing your back. 

 

“Let’s change the subject… we haven’t talked yet about that date I wanted to take you on.”

“Nothing fancy,” you said quickly. “Please. It’s not really my speed. Especially for a first date.”

“So no Ruth’s Chris?” He chuckled. “I’m joking,” he clarified as you grumbled under your breath.

“Absolutely not, don’t be ridiculous,” you finally spoke up. I mean, we can do steak if you want, but a fancy place like that is going overboard. Plus, it’s expensive as hell. I looked at the menu online once just for funsies, and whew. If you're going to pay fifty dollars for a steak that cow had better be doing the dishes afterwards, too."

“Maybe for our first anniversary,” he mused, grunting as you elbowed him. 

“I’ll consider it.”

“So what did you have in mind, then?”

 

You pondered for a few minutes.

“Oh! Let’s go bowling. And then pizza after.”

“I’m terrible at bowling,” he said with another laugh. “You really have no idea. It's shameful."

“Me too,” you sat up to grin at him. “It’d be so fun. Whoever has the worst score can buy the pizza.”

“I’m buying the pizza,” he told you firmly. “Regardless. I’m the one who asked you on this date.” 

“Okay, well we will just have to out-terrible each other at something else later on,” you giggled, “because I think that would be super fun to have a contest like that. Biggest loser buys dinner. Mini-golf?”

“Also bad at that,” Hyunjin wrinkled his nose.

“I’m pretty sure I might be worse,” you nudged him. “Won’t know til we try. So. Bowling and pizza, yes?"

"You got it," he said, kissing your cheek.

 

"Cool, we should research pizza places."

“Don’t you have studying to do?” He laughed and pointed to the pile of books and papers in front of you.

“Yeah…” You sighed, handing him your study guides and scooting away so you couldn’t see the answers. “Here, quiz me. Please.”

“I can do that. But I think we should start your finals week schedule this weekend, so you don’t work yourself into a panic before Monday even gets here.”

“But–”

“No buts. You can have allotted study time every day, but you’re also going to get lots of relaxation time in…” He paused. “Is that okay with you? You don’t have to, of course. I just know this was helpful before. I’m not trying to force you into anything, I promise.” His last words came out in a rush, as if he really thought he was being pushy.

“Oh I know,” you told him. “You’re absolutely right. For what it’s worth, I appreciate you looking out for me.”

“Why wouldn’t I? I do like you an awful lot,” he winked at you. “In case you were unaware.”

“I had heard rumors,” you giggled.

 

He leaned over and kissed you softly.

“They’re all true.” He shuffled the papers he was holding. “Okay, are you ready?”

“Yeah. Hit me.”

“Okay. According to behavioral psychologists, which of the following treatments is most likely to extinguish disruptive behavior in preschool children?”

 

—

 

True to his word, Hyunjin gave you four hours per day to study over the weekend, and throughout finals week. The rest was spent in the same fashion as during midterms, with one alteration– instead of sitting on opposite ends of the couch as before, Hyunjin held you close while the two of you watched TV, and you were more than happy about this development. You’d been feeling exceptionally touch-starved since things with you and Aiden had turned sour. In sharp contrast, you and Hyunjin couldn’t seem to keep your hands off one another– and you weren’t complaining. His presence had already been a comfort to you. But as you lay there one evening, watching Parks and Rec for the umpteenth time as Hyunjin cuddled you under a blanket, you felt truly happy. It was a nice change from recent months. 

 

As the week wore on, you were increasingly anxious to get to Friday– both because it was the day of your hardest exam-- Dr. Chambers’ class, and your date with Hyunjin. 

 

You finished the exam quickly that morning, double and triple-checking your work, and were the first to hand it in, ignoring Dr. Chambers’ eye roll. He knew you were an overachiever, you’d made that clear throughout the semester. 

 

But does he have to be such an ass? Can’t wait to have him again down the road. Yuck.

 

You rushed home after, desperate for a nap before you had to get ready for your date. You’d made Hyunjin stay over at his own house that day, worried that all the days he’d been spending with you were going to make Soren even more irritable.

 

A few hours later, after your nap and a quick shower, you stood in front of the full length mirror in your room, at a loss for what to wear. Light makeup and hair were done, but the outfit situation had you perplexed.

 

It was just Hyunjin. You were close friends.

 

Who also now happened to be dating. 

 

After pulling out and discarding half a dozen outfits, you texted Nyla and Dany as you paced across your room, still in your underwear. 

 

You [4:38pm]: Guys I don’t know what to wear on this date

 

Nyla [4:38pm]: Clothes

 

You [4:39pm]: Ha ha ha very funny smartass

 

Dany [4:39pm]: Where did you say y’all were going again? Bowling? Aren’t you terrible at bowling? We always get you the bumpers when we all go haha

 

You [4:40pm]: So is he, that’s the point. It’s going to be so fun. And funny, for that matter

 

Dany [4:41pm]: Jeans. Maybe a cute sweater? And chucks

 

Nyla [4:42pm]: Seconded. No need to dress up. Except maybe UNDER your clothes. ;) And in THAT case, you should definitely wear that cute lacy black set you got last time we were all out shopping.

 

You [4:42pm]: NYLA!!!

 

Nyla [4:43pm]: What? Just thinking ahead. 

 

You [4:44pm] We haven’t done… anything yet really. 

 

Dany [4:45pm]: What is he trying to pull an Edward Cullen on you or something? "Bella stop taking your clothes off!" LOLOLOL

 

You took a moment to cackle at the fact that Dany had just made a Twilight joke about Hyunjin-- and she had no idea what he was. 

 

You [4:45pm]: No, we just… haven’t made that step. We haven’t even been on an actual like. Labeled date yet. 

 

Nyla [4:46pm]: Your self control is legendary. If I were with a guy that hot… let’s just say there’s be no way I wouldn’t have jumped his bones yet

 

Dany [4:46pm]: Right??? 

 

Dany [4:46pm]: You know we’re not pressuring you right? Just messing. You do you.

 

You [4:47pm]: Yeah I know. :p

 

Nyla [4:48pm]: She’s probably been doing herself for a while Dany ;)))

 

Nyla [4:48pm]: Needs some vitamin D… the real kind

 

You [4:49pm]: Nyla!!! OH MY GOD.

 

Dany [4:50pm]: Is she wrong

 

You [4:50pm]: … No. But I have to go get dressed now he's gonna be here in like 10 minutes

 

Nyla [4:51pm]: Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do

 

You [4:51pm]: I’m not even touching that one. Bye nerds, talk to you later

 

You took your friends’ advice, throwing on one of your nicer pairs of jeans, pairing it with a deep green fuzzy sweater. You waffled on the chucks, and decided at the last minute to put on boots instead. After looking at yourself in the mirror, you sighed and changed the boots for the chucks, after all. 

 

Why is this such a big deal? He’s seen me when I've just woken up, and when I’ve been dirty and all banged up. It’ll probably be fine.

 

The doorbell sounded and you raced to the door, peeking through the peephole to see Hyunjin standing there. You unlocked the door to let him in, and he immediately pulled you in for a kiss. 

 

“You look pretty,” he whispered against your lips. “Then again, you always do.”

“Flatterer,” you laughed, pulling away from him to grab your coat. You were glad to see he hadn’t really dressed up either, just jeans and a button-down similar to the one he’d worn at Thanksgiving.

“It’s not flattery if it’s true,” he laughed. “Are you ready to go?”

“Yeah, sure.”

 

You and Hyunjin departed for the bowling alley. You were surprised that it was him who suggested getting the bumpers, but you wouldn’t allow it.

 

“No sir. That would decrease the comedic value of this whole affair.”

“You’re silly,” he shook his head, grinning. “But that’s valid.”

 

The following couple hours were filled with a lot of laughter as the two of you teased each other. You decided to go for worst out of five– and Hyunjin won.

 

Or lost, as it were. 

 

“Okay,” you giggled as the two of you put up the bowling balls and returned your shoes. “You really are the worst bowler I’ve ever seen. Congratulations, or something.”

 

He swept you up into a tight hug, planting a firm kiss on your lips, before releasing you and taking your hand as you made your way back to his car. 

 

“You’re lucky I like you,” he looked at you sideways with a small smile. “All this teasing…”

“I know,” you snorted. “Still not sure why, but I’m not knocking it. As for the teasing, that’s something you’ll have to get used to.”

“Don’t dish it out if you can’t take it,” he winked as he opened the passenger door for you. 

“Bring it on,” you replied, raising an eyebrow. 

 

You’d decided on a newer pizza joint, instead of your standard one, just in case Dany and Nyla had any ideas to peek in on you and Hyunjin. You didn’t think they’d do that, but all the same, you also liked to try new places, so this was a win-win. 

 

“I’m excited to see the concert with you on Tuesday,” he told you as you waited on your pizza. “I noticed you put a lot of Andrew on the playlist you made me, and he’s really good.”

“He’s even better live,” you told Hyunjin as you munched on a mozzarella stick. “You’re in for a treat.”

“I can imagine. I know you’re excited.”

“Are you kidding? I’m psyched. This is the perfect way to de-stress after all the craziness lately.”

“Do you have plans this weekend?” He tilted his head. You immediately got butterflies- it was so different for your significant other to want to spend so much time with you.

“Mani-pedi date with Dany and Nyla tomorrow morning, but otherwise nothing since Annika said I still can’t work yet. Why, did you have something in mind?”

“Movie marathon?”

“Deal. But-- in pajamas, and there has to be junk food.”

“You drive a hard bargain.”

“Take or leave it.” You giggle-snorted, and he laughed. “What movies?” You asked as an afterthought.

“How about… Marvel. Starting at the beginning of the MCU? We can go in chronological order.”

“Ah yes, the best order. Sounds like a plan.”

 

The rest of the date went by quickly, and before you knew it you were home again, and he was bidding you goodnight, encouraging you to sleep early as he knew you hadn’t slept well all week. 

 

Naturally, this meant that the two of you were texting until you did fall asleep. 

 

Hyunjin [9:00pm]: What kind of junk food this weekend? I’ll go shopping tonight

 

You [9:01pm]: I already ordered grocery delivery for tomorrow afternoon. Assortment of chips and candy, a couple different dips for the chips, soda, Oreos, Chips Ahoy

 

Hyunjin [9:02pm]: What kind of chips?

 

You [9:03pm]: Cheetos puffs, sour cream and onion, salt and vinegar, and some regular Fritos and non-flavored chips for dipping purposes

 

Hyunjin [9:04pm]: Cheetos puffs?? When crunchy is superior?? Are you mad?

 

You [9:05pm]: Excuse you, puffs are clearly the best! 

 

Hyunjin [9:06pm]: I suppose you are entitled to your wrong opinion...

 

You [9:06pm]: I added a bag of crunchy to the order, just for you. :p Goober

 

Hyunjin [9:07pm]: You’re so good to me

 

You [9:08pm]: Never would have guessed that the way to a vampire’s heart was through crunchy Cheetos

 

Hyunjin [9:09pm]: You learn something new every day. Hah

 

You [9:10pm]: Ok. I'm getting sleepy. Do you want to plan to be here tomorrow around 5? I know that’s kind of early still so if you want to start later we can. 

 

Hyunjin [9:10pm]: 7? I need my beauty sleep. And I need to feed before I come over

 

You [9:11pm]: Beauty sleep. Says the most handsome man I’ve ever met. Ok, silly

 

Hyunjin [9:12pm]: Am I really? :o

 

You [9:12pm]: Uhhhh. Yes. Duh. No contest. :)

 

Hyunjin [9:13pm]: If only I could blush. You’re too sweet. 

 

You [9:14pm]: Only as sweet as I mean to be. Either way I’m right so deal with it. <3

 

Hyunjin [9:15pm]: I’ll let you have your opinion about my being handsome but your Cheetos stance is still questionable at best 

 

You [9:16pm]: Psh. Ok. Goodnight. I’ll see you tomorrow

 

Hyunjin [9:17pm]: Sleep well and have sweet dreams. 

 

—

 

The weekend passed in an enjoyable fashion, between the time with Dany and Nyla and the movies with Hyunjin. 

 

But all too soon, it was Monday, and you were absolutely dreading the meeting with Soren. 

 

“He’s probably going to touch you… at least kiss your hand in greeting,” Hyunjin warned that evening as he drove the two of you out to the clan’s house, just outside the city. “There’s really no way around it, I don’t think. He’s not great with boundaries at times.”

 

“Super,” you mumbled as you stared out the window. “I guess there are worse things though.”

 

“You may be right.” 

 

He pulled up to an enormous house situated in the middle of a large piece of land, with nothing else around it, and you thought for a moment about making another Twilight joke, but kept it to yourself. 

 

You were trying your best to stay calm, but the fact that you were about to enter a house full of vampires had you on edge. Not to mention what Hyunjin had just told you about Soren. 

 

Hyunjin led you inside, and you clutched his hand tightly as he showed you to the den, where a blonde vampire sat, clearly awaiting your arrival. He rose from his seat as you drew near, and Hyunjin dropped your hand, standing just behind you as Soren murmured your name in greeting. 

 

“Well well, we meet at last,” Soren said smoothly, reaching for your left hand, bringing it to his lips to place a light kiss on your knuckles. He immediately noticed the mark, and turned your hand to get a better look.

“You didn’t tell me you’d marked her,” Soren told Hyunjin curtly. “She must be quite a good pet to have earned that.”

 

A pet? What was Soren talking about? You were Hyunjin’s girlfriend. Weren’t you? Wasn’t that what the two of you had decided? Hadn’t he told Soren? You immediately delved into Soren’s thoughts as he released you and took a step back to size you up. 

 

You were met with a fair amount of disdain and judgment. Soren wasn’t happy that Hyunjin was spending all his time with a human, that was evident. But he seemed to be telling himself that you were Hyunjin’s human pet, nothing more. 

 

And Hyunjin had yet to correct him, you noticed.  

 

Regardless of what was on his mind, however, Soren retained a polite exterior. 

 

“I felt it was prudent considering how I treated her to begin with,” Hyunjin finally piped up regarding the mark. “I owed her.”

“If you say so,” Soren said dryly, raising an eyebrow. He turned his gaze back down to you. “And is he taking good care of you? No more little… accidents, shall we say?”

“Yes, it’s been fine,” you stammered. “He’s been careful.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Very well,” he clasped his hands in front of him, deep red eyes boring into you. “You can keep her, Hyunjin. But don’t get careless. Remember what I told you.”

“I won’t,” Hyunjin replied quickly. "I remember."

 

“You may go,” Soren told the both of you. “Thank you for meeting me. I needed to lay eyes on you, at the least.”

“I haven’t told anyone about any of you,” you said hurriedly. “I would never. I swear.”

“Hyunjin told me you were a woman of your word. That pleases me. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” you replied, still nervous and somewhat confused by this whole encounter. Hyunjin still hadn’t spoken up about your true relationship status. 

 

You decided to brush it off. Maybe this was… whatever Soren was envisioning. Then again, Hyunjin was too kind, too caring. He never missed an opportunity to remind you how he felt about you, especially now that the two of you had talked things out. 

 

It’s probably fine.

 

Hyunjin took your hand again, nodding to Soren as the two of you walked away and out of the room. He stopped in the hallway, regarding you with a concerned expression. 

 

“Are you okay? I can hear your heart racing.”

“Yeah, just… that was uncomfortable.”

“Well,” Hyunjin said, squeezing your hand. “It’s over now. Do you want to see my room before we go?”

“Sure,” you agreed. 

 

You had been expecting something lavish, considering the look of the house. But Hyunjin’s room looked like a normal young adult’s would. It was a large room, however, with an enormous bed against the far wall, a pair of upholstered wingback chairs in the corner with a small table between them, and a large desk just inside the door. Art covered the walls, and you wondered how much of it was his own. You noticed that a fair amount of drawings were tacked up behind the desk, and flushed red as you looked closer. Several of them appeared to be of you. 

 

“You’ve been drawing me again,” you murmured, your face and ears burning. 

“It would be silly of me not to take advantage of being around such a pretty person all the time,” he told you, wrapping an arm around your waist, leaning to plant a kiss on your shoulder. 

“Hyunjin…” you groaned. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Maybe. But that doesn’t change the fact that you’re beautiful.”

“Oh my god,” you covered your face with your hands. 

“Own it,” he said, kissing a trail up your neck, spinning you to face him so he could pull your hands away from your face, nuzzing your nose with his own before he pressed his lips to yours in a light kiss. 

“You are really something, you know that?” You asked him as he broke the kiss. 

“So I’ve been told. Shall we get you home?”

“Yeah, let’s go.”

 

—

 

Hyunjin decided to stay over at your house the day of the concert, since you wanted to arrive early to make sure you got a good spot near the stage. 

 

You spent most of the day in bed yourself, having slept poorly after your meeting with Soren. You still weren’t sure what to make of the fact that Hyunjin hadn’t told Soren about you yet, hadn’t corrected him since he was so obviously wrong about your dynamic. 

 

Wasn’t he?

 

You dragged yourself out of bed around 3pm, wandering to the kitchen to make coffee. You found a note from Hyunjin on the counter. 

 

Went to feed. Back soon.

 

You shrugged and continued making your coffee, fixing yourself some scrambled eggs and toast to go with. A short while later, Hyunjin returned, striding into the kitchen, stepping up behind you to wrap his arms around you, resting his chin on your shoulder as you drank your coffee and sorted out the day’s mail. 

 

“Are you excited?” He asked. 

“Yes,” you answered simply. “I still need to figure out what to wear. Did you manage to find what you needed?”

“I did. I figured better safe than sorry, considering it’ll be a packed venue.”

“That makes sense.” You turned and stood on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek. “Is that what you’re wearing?” You tugged on the sleeve of his black hoodie he was wearing over dark jeans, grinning inwardly at the stereotypical dark clothing.  

“Is it appropriate? I haven’t been to a show for this artist… I hadn’t even heard of him before you came along.”

“Oh yeah, definitely. I think I’ll wear jeans too, and probably just a t-shirt and cardigan… I guess. I know it’s cold outside but it’ll be warm inside. I’ll just run fast between the car and the building,” you laughed as he raised an eyebrow. 

 

“You’ll catch—“

“I will not catch a cold,” you cut him off. “Promise.” You squirmed out of his grip and slipped out of the kitchen to go get ready. 

 

You were buzzing with anticipation as you waited for the show to start. You and Hyunjin had gotten there just before the doors opened and were some of the first people inside, so it was easy for you to secure a front and center spot. 

 

Once the show started, you let yourself get lost in the music, the energy of the crowd around you as you sang your heart out to all the songs you knew and loved. It was just what you had needed after the chaos of the last few months. 

 

During the encore, Hyunjin slipped an arm around you, tugging you to him, and you spent the remainder of the show pressed close, your arm around his waist, leaning against him. 

 

Afterwards, you had insisted on going out for pancakes, as was your tradition after a late movie or show. You arrived home well after 1am, and although you were tired, you were still riding the high from the show, so you sat on the sofa with Hyunjin for a while, chatting and reliving the experience you’d just shared. 

 

Eventually, Hyunjin wound up pulling you closer, leaning down to kiss you, strong arms wrapping around you as he did so, and you were lost again, but this time in the way he handled you so gently, each touch and kiss so soft, so caring. 

 

It didn’t take long, however, for the kisses you shared to turn hungry, needy. Hyunjin let his hands wander lower, down to your waist, hooking thumbs through the belt loops of your jeans and pulling you onto his lap to straddle him. 

 

You followed his lead, pressing hot kisses along that perfect jawline, down his neck, as his hands crept under your shirt and up your back. Even though his skin was cool, every touch felt like fire in your heightened state. 

 

He met your lips again with his own, nipping your lower lip, pushing his tongue into your mouth, and you returned every gesture, absentmindedly shedding your cardigan, tossing it on the floor as he moved to kiss your neck, trailing the tip of his tongue over the sensitive flesh, and you whimpered, rolling your hips against his, noting that he seemed to be just as affected as you were. 

 

The next thing you knew, his hands were pushing your shirt up, up, and it was over your head and on the floor. You quickly helped him out of his hoodie and own t-shirt, adding them to the pile, pressing yourself close to him as he continued to pepper your neck with kisses, moving lower now, hands ghosting up your sides as your own hands traveled down his to rest on his hips. 

 

But then, suddenly, he was stopping you, holding a hand up as you moved to kiss him again, and the moment was gone as quickly as it had come. 

 

“We should stop,” he managed to get out, his voice low and rough. “I didn’t… I shouldn’t have…”

 

You moved off his lap to sit beside him, embarrassed now, reaching down to grab your shirt, putting it back on, cursing yourself for getting so riled. You already knew what he was going to say, without reading his thoughts. 

“It wasn’t fair of me to say I’d take things slow with you and then do all this,” he murmured, tugging his own clothes back on as well. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have started that. I’ve been trying so hard to be respectful, but I wanted… I wanted…”

“It’s okay,” you said softly, taking his hand, lacing your fingers with his. “I let myself get carried away too. It’s been a while since… well. Yeah.”

 

Hyunjin was probably right– it was too soon for either of you to be thinking about taking things all the way physically. The conversation in which he’d suggested taking things slow had been short, but you had agreed. You had gone quite the opposite way in your last couple relationships, and sometimes you wondered if that was also why they’d gone south so quickly. 

 

Then again, Hyunjin was different from anyone else you’d ever dated, in a myriad of ways.

 

“I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about what I want out of this relationship,” he sighed. “I know I’ve been very physical… I’ve always got my hands on you…”

“I didn’t think that’s all you wanted.”

“Good. Because I care about you,” he looked down at you with a soft smile. “So much. And I respect you. I don’t want to push you into anything considering what you just got out of. The last thing I want is to move too fast and somehow ruin everything. We have time.”

“So let’s take things slow then, for real,” you told him. “It’ll be okay. I’m not concerned about it.”

“Okay,” he said. “I’m–”

“Don’t apologize, Hyunjin. It takes two to tango.” 

 

You leaned against him, slipping your arms around his torso to lay your head on his chest, and he kissed the top of your head. 

 

“Hyunjin?”

“Hmm?”

“No matter what,” you said quietly, “I’m glad I have you.”

“You definitely have me,” he replied. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Chapter 10: So Far So Fast

Summary:

You enjoy your time off, and spending time with Hyunjin during the holiday.

You were overjoyed that the fall semester was over. Finally, a chance to take a breather. You were almost grateful that Fancy had knocked you on your head, because just being able to exist without very many adult responsibilities was the best thing that had happened to you in a long while. 

 

Well. One of the best things.

 

Your other best thing was currently lying on the sofa with his head in your lap, scrolling on his phone while you paid bills online and put in a grocery order to get you through the next couple weeks. 

 

Your phone pinged, and you checked it to see that it was Ellie. 

 

Ellie [6:27pm]: Hi sweetie. How are you feeling?

 

You [6:27pm]: Hi! I’m good :) Just sitting here doing the bare minimum of adulting

 

Ellie [6:28pm]: Good to hear. How is Hyunjin? Treating you well I hope. :)

 

You [6:28pm]: He’s doing fine. I owe him for keeping me sane during finals, haha. Things are really good. He makes me happy

 

Ellie [6:29pm]: Good! So he’s coming for Christmas, right?

 

You groaned, and Hyunjin shifted to peer up at you. You should have guessed.

 

“Something wrong?”

“Ellie just invited you for Christmas,” you said slowly. “None of us are religious, but… you really don’t have to go. Please, please don’t feel obligated–”

“I’d love to,” Hyunjin said enthusiastically. “I had such a good time at Thanksgiving. Your parents are wonderful.”

“Hyunjin…”

 

He sat up, resting his head on your shoulder instead. 

 

“I don’t mind the teasing, if that’s what you’re worried about. Everyone knows about us now, right?”

“Yeah,” you said. “Ellie was the first person I told after Dany and Nyla. She and Terrence like you a lot, you know."

“That’s good to hear.”

 

You [6:38pm]: Okay, he said he’d be delighted. 

 

Ellie [6:39pm]: Wonderful! 

 

You [6:40pm]: But you all HAVE to tone down the teasing, lol

 

Ellie [6:41pm]: Oh honey. You know we love you...

 

You [6:42pm]: I know :p

 

Ellie [6:43pm]: ...Which means we are legally obligated to tease you about your new boyfriend, sorry. <3

 

You [6:44pm]: Fine, fine, haha. Let me know what we can bring. Love you

 

Ellie [6:45pm]: Just bring yourselves. We’ve got it covered. Love you too. Tell Dany and Nyla too– festivities will start at 10am on Christmas Day. 

 

You [6:48pm]: Got it. :)

 

“Okay,” you said with a sigh. “We have to be there at 10am on Christmas Day. Are you sure you want to go?”

“Definitely,” Hyunjin pulled you into his arms, giving you a quick peck on the cheek. 

“Okay. But don’t get me anything.”

“Oh. You should have told me that three weeks ago.”

“Hyunjin!”

“What? It’s nothing big.”

 

You could feel yourself turning red. You should have told him earlier, but you didn’t think he’d have gotten you anything. Nevermind that you were together now. 

 

He probably would have gotten me something even if we were still masquerading as ‘just friends’ anyway…

 

But what on earth were you going to get for a vampire who could buy himself anything he wanted? You knew by now that his clan had deep pockets– seeing as how Hyunjin had insisted on paying for the majority of meals you ate out together, as well as a decent portion of your utilities, since he spent most of his time at your house now. He insisted it was only fair, and you knew better than to argue. Plus, you were grateful for the help. 

 

Hyunjin tapped you on the side of your head, lightly. 

 

“What’s going on in there?”

“Just… trying to figure out what to get you,” you rolled your eyes. 

“You don’t have to–” 

“Yes I do,” you insisted. “You started this,” you said, extracting yourself from his arms to tap him on the nose. “I’ll go out shopping tomorrow while you’re asleep, I guess.” 

“That sounds fair. I’m going to need some help with input for your parents… and Dany and Nyla, assuming they’re coming too?”

“They are. You really…”

 

He put a finger on your lips. 

 

“Yes I do. I can’t very well show up empty handed, can I? That would be rude. Do you think they’ll shop for me?”

“Probably, knowing them.”

“See? So I’m right.”

“Well, okay. If you say so.”

“I say so,” he said, kissing you lightly.

"Okay. I'll text you a list of suggestions."

“What time do I need to let you get to bed tonight?”

 

You glanced at your phone to check the time. 

“It’s still early. We can watch a movie if you want?”

“Sounds good to me.”

 

—

 

The next morning, you saw Hyunjin off to sleep and then made your way to the mall. He had told you that morning that he’d do his shopping when he woke up, which seemed like a good plan to you. You had made sure to send him the list you'd promised before you went to sleep.

 

An hour later, you were standing in the art supply store, pondering what to get for Hyunjin. You weren’t sure what might be useful, what he already had, and so on. 

 

You finally decided on a nice set of drawing pencils, and a couple sketchbooks containing different kinds of paper. As an afterthought, you nabbed some watercolor pens as well. You had no idea what he might have done for you but were a little worried he might have gone overboard— and two could certainly play that game. 

 

The rest of the morning and early afternoon was spent buying for your parents, Dany, and Nyla, who were a bit easier to shop for. Yarn for Ellie, who loved to crochet and knit. A bottle of nice whiskey for Terrence. A couple bath products from Lush for Dany, and an eyeshadow palette for Nyla that you knew she’d been eyeing. Satisfied with your purchases, you stopped off to get gift wrap and headed home, locking yourself in your bedroom while you wrapped everything. 

 

Dany and Nyla texted as you were finishing up. 

 

Nyla [5:03pm]: Helloooooo what are you guys doing tomorrow? It’s supposed to hella snow tonight

 

You [5:04pm]: If it’s gonna snow then not much that I know of? Why? 

 

Dany [5:05pm]: We should go sledding. Or tubing. One of those. The tubing place is open at night though which would accommodate your little night owl boyfriend ;)

 

You [5:06pm]: That sounds fun. I’ll ask Hyunjin. I think he just left to go Christmas shopping

 

Dany [5:07pm]: First Christmas with the new boy. Wonder what he got you. Heehee

 

You [5:08pm]: I told him not to get me anything and he told me I was three weeks too late on that. *grumble*

 

Nyla [5:08pm]: That’s so sweet though especially since you JUST got together

 

Dany [5:09pm]: He’s like. Head over fuckin heels for you, you know that right???

 

You [5:10pm]: Stopppppp you guys :p

 

Nyla [5:11pm]: Is he doing Christmas with us at your parents 

 

You [5:11pm]: Yep he sure is. Couldn’t talk him out of it. He was almost too enthusiastic 

 

Dany [5:12pm]: He’s in looooove with youuuuuuu that’s whyyyyyyyy

 

You [5:12pm]: Dany I will reach through this phone and snatch the pink right out of your hair I swear to god

 

Dany [5:12pm]: HAHAHAHAHAH bring it 

 

Nyla [5:13]: Don’t be mad because she’s right lol

 

You [5:14pm]: Ok I need to go do laundry. And clean. Sigh. I’ll let you guys know about tomorrow but I imagine Hyunjin will be in 

 

Dany [5:15pm]: Great!! Byeeee

 

Nyla [5:15pm]: Sounds good ttyl

You were expecting Hyunjin to return that evening, but a few hours later he texted you as you were finishing your dinner. 

 

Hyunjin [8:26pm]: Guess who’s got two thumbs and forgot there was a clan meeting tonight 

 

Hyunjin [8:26pm]: Hint: it’s me 

 

Hyunjin [8:27pm]: So you’ll probably be in bed or headed that way by the time we are done :(

 

You [8:28pm]: I can stay up

 

Hyunjin [8:29pm]: What time did you fall asleep last night? I know you technically went to bed early but I heard your TV… :p

 

You [8:30pm]: Uhhhhhh. I’d like to invoke my 5th Amendment rights pls

 

Hyunjin [8:31pm]: That’s what I thought. Well, I’ll come back tonight then, but don’t wait up if you’re tired. Promise? 

 

You [8:32pm]: I do what I want, Thor

 

Hyunjin [8:33pm]: Channeling your inner Loki? I’ll see you later then. :)

 

You [8:34pm]: Okay! <3 :p

You busied yourself with hauling out your Christmas decorations— it was much later in the year than you normally put them up, but in your own defense, you’d been rather distracted by recent events, not to mention school. 

 

You had the tree up and half decorated by the time Hyunjin got back, and he chuckled as he walked in, carrying a bag of wrapped gifts. 

 

“Oh jeez,” you said, wrinkling your nose and pointing at the bag. “How overboard did you go?”

“I guess you’ll find out in a week, won’t you?” He winked. You rolled your eyes and turned back to the tree. He came to stand behind you, placing his hands on your shoulders, leaning around to kiss your cheek. 

 

“Beautiful,” he murmured.  

“It’s not done yet,” you told him. “Feel free to make yourself useful though, if you want.”

“Oh, I wasn’t talking about the tree,” he said softly, wrapping his arms around your waist and pulling you back against him. 

“Are all vampires this mushy and romantic, or is this just a you thing?” You giggled. 

“You know, I’m not sure how I feel about you continuing to put me in the vampire stereotype bucket,” he laughed.

“But if the bucket fits…” you leaned back against him, and he held you a little tighter. 

“Well, I suppose you’re right then. I make no apologies.”

“I wouldn’t expect you to, anyway.”

 

He let you go and picked up a couple ornaments from the box on the floor, helping you to finish decorating. An hour or so later, the two of you sat on the sofa, with just the lights from the tree giving the room a cozy glow as Hyunjin held you in his arms. 

 

“How was your meeting?” You asked. You were genuinely curious. This was the first time he’d mentioned it. You wondered what on earth vampires had to discuss at regularly scheduled meetings. The idea made you laugh. 

 

“Well, you are quite the source of contention, if you must know,” he snickered. “Most of the clan don’t really care one way or the other, but there are a couple who are not pleased about the fact that you know about us, that you know where we live… not to mention are still pissed about my stupidity at the beginning, which they think I’m doomed to repeat. I have to say, the vote of confidence is really nice.”

“When you’ve been nothing but cautious? Sure okay.” You made a face. 

“I think it’s safe to say that if I’ve avoided killing you by now, it’s probably fine,” he sighed. "I wish they'd see that. I really am being careful." 

 

You thought about making a joke, but decided against it. Although it had been a while now, you knew that the incident when you and Hyunjin had met was still a sore spot for him. 

 

“Dany and Nyla wanted to know if we want to go sledding or tubing tomorrow,” you told him instead as you stifled a yawn, settling further down into his hold, shifting so you could rest your head on his chest. 

 

It was still beyond strange to you to lay on someone’s chest and not hear a heart beating. You supposed you’d get used to it eventually. 

 

“Oh?”

“Yeah. I thought it might be fun. They said the tubing place is open at night too, so you wouldn’t have to sacrifice sleep.”

“I think we could do that,” he told you. “But no little stunts like when you went horseback riding last month.”

“I’m quite sure I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you said, poking him in the side, laughing softly as he let out a grunt. 

“Sure, sure.”

“So do you want to go?”

“Why not. It’ll be fun. And I do appreciate them acknowledging my abnormal sleep schedule.”

“They don’t know about you,” you said hurriedly. “I haven’t said a word.”

“I know you wouldn’t,” Hyunjin gave you a small squeeze, running fingers through your hair absentmindedly. “I’m not sure I could handle them knowing, to be honest.”

“Oh, why is that?”

“Three times the Twilight jokes? Are you kidding? I wouldn’t survive.”

“Look,” you giggled. “I’ll have you know I’ve kept some absolute bangers to myself recently… so you’re welcome.”

“I knew I liked you.” He glanced at his watch as he saw you unsuccessfully try to hide another yawn. “It’s getting late.”

“I know. I’ve been wishing lately that this school offered night classes. I’d just switch to night shift and call it a day. Or a night. Whichever.”

“Humans aren’t meant to be nocturnal,” Hyunjin said firmly. “I appreciate the thought, but I want you to be healthy, and that means sleeping at night… and getting an appropriate amount of sleep, at that.”

“Look, can you take a break from being right all the time?” You snorted. “It’s actually kinda rude.”

“I’ll consider it. But you really should go to bed. It’s pushing midnight… and while I do care about you dearly, you are very cranky when you’re sleep deprived– I hope you know.”

“I know there’s no contesting that so I’m not even going to try,” you told him as you extricated yourself from his grip, leaning back down to kiss him tenderly. “I’ll see you in the morning?”

“I’ll be here,” he promised. “Sleep sweet.”

 

—

 

You let Dany and Nyla know before you went to sleep that the tubing plans were a go, and changed into pajamas, crawling into bed shortly thereafter. 

 

Ok, lying down is the best. I should have done this hours ago.

 

You were still a little bit on the fence about asking Hyunjin to share a sleep space. On the one hand, it was almost a moot point considering your schedules were completely opposite. 

 

On the other, the idea of him crawling into your bed in the mornings and holding you as you slept in for a few hours sounded downright heavenly. 

 

But considering how adamant he had been about taking things slow, you decided against saying anything for the time being. You knew it would happen when the time was right. 

 

It did indeed ‘hella snow’ that night, as Nyla had put it, and Saturday morning you woke to a good 10 inches of snow on the ground. Hyunjin dug out your car and put the chains on your tires, something you insisted you could do yourself, but he wouldn’t hear it. He also insisted on driving that evening, and picking up Dany and Nyla as well. You decided to humor him, but did remind him that he should probably bundle up if he wanted to keep up appearances. 

 

The four of you spent a solid two hours on the slopes, laughing and carrying on the entire time. Surprisingly, the only one of your group to completely wipe out was Hyunjin– and he did so several times, at that. When he came back to you after the last run, you were surprised to see that even his cheeks were reddened from the cold– or perhaps it was that he had fallen off his tube, rolling over several times before he came to a stop. Either way, you found it somewhat cute, and you were sure to tease him about it as you brushed snow from his hair. 

 

“Oooh, they’re so cute,” you heard Nyla say behind you, not making any effort to keep her voice at a whisper. She knew exactly what she was doing. 

 

“They’re impossible,” Hyunjin told you with a crooked grin. 

“You’re telling me. I’ve known them for years now and they’ve always been like this.”

“Come on lovebirds, we’re freezing our asses off here,” Dany called. “Let’s get some hot chocolate,” she said, coming up to you to loop and arm through yours. “And by that I mean, you should take us back to your house and make us some of Ellie’s famous hot chocolate that you’ve been hoarding the recipe for.”

“I guess I can do that,” you stuck your tongue out at your friend. “But it’ll cost you.”

“Name your price.”

“You can’t tease me or Hyunjin for the rest of the night.”

“Nope, not doing it,” Dany shook her head. “Nice try, though.”

“Well, I guess you’ll just have to freeze to death then,” you shrugged. 

“Wow. Does Hyunjin get hot chocolate?”

“Hyunjin isn’t teasing me right now, so yes,” you winked at him, and he snorted. 

“I can start, if you want,” he laughed as you feigned shock. 

“Great, so it’s settled, I'm actually drinking all of the hot chocolate on my own,” you rolled your eyes as you started your trek back to the car. “Come on, goobers.”

 

—

 

The following week, you were determined to be as lazy as possible. You had signed up for one 8 hour shift on the 27th, just to see how you could handle it. In the meantime, it was movies, sleep, and just a bit of puzzles and word games to try and keep the lingering brain fog from getting worse. 

 

Christmas Day dawned bright, and you roused Hyunjin from sleep at the last possible minute. 

 

“Good morning,” he mumbled as he clambered out of bed, rubbing his eyes. “What time is it?”

“Just a little after nine,” you told him. 

“You let me sleep too late,” he pouted. “You’re already all made up.”

“Right, and you look like you just stepped out of a modeling shoot when you just woke up. You’ll get over it. When did you go to bed, anyway?”

“Just after midnight, and it was a struggle,” he sighed. “I might fall asleep at your parents’ again.”

“No worries. They know you’re a night owl… just not why,” you laughed. “I’ll make us some coffee and then we can get going.”

“Mmkay,” he said, giving you a quick kiss. “Gonna get ready.”

“Okay, sleepyhead.”

 

You loaded up your car while Hyunjin was getting ready to go, and handed him a travel mug on the way out the door. He accepted it with a smile, swiping your keys as he leaned in for yet another kiss. 

 

“Hey!”

“Oops,” he winked. 

“Oops my ass,” you tapped him on the nose. “You’re not going to be this feisty all day, are you?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” he said airily. “I guess you’ll find out.”

 

“Oh…” you said as you settled into the passenger seat and turned the seat warmer on. “I just realized that Ellie is going to want to take pictures.”

“Not a problem.”

“Really?” You looked at him, eyes wide.

“Yep. Surprised?”

“Well, obviously. You know… the vampires in…”

“Let’s listen to music,” Hyunjin cut you off, making a ridiculous face at you, and you burst into a fit of giggles. 

 

—

 

You were somewhat glad that you’d let Hyunjin go shopping for everyone, because they had, in fact, included him in theirs. Ellie gifted everyone beanies and mittens that she’d crocheted. Hyunjin’s hat was a deep red, and he put it on right away, to Ellie’s delight. Terrence was excited over the bottle of whiskey you’d gotten him, and poured some immediately, despite Ellie’s chiding him that it wasn't even noon yet.

 

Dany had gotten you a sweatshirt that said “I am freaking cold,” which Hyunjin was quick to comment on being exceptionally appropriate, laughing when you elbowed him. She and Nyla had also gone in together on a couple hoodies for Hyunjin, which they told you you had to let him wear at least once or twice before you stole them. 

 

“I’ll have you both know,” you huffed, “that I’ve yet to steal any of his things.”

“What about that bracelet?” Dany smirked. 

“He gave me the bracelet, you stinker.”

“Uh huh, sure.”

 

Hyunjin’s gift to you was a necklace– with a pendant containing both sun and stars. It was remarkably similar in fashion to the aforementioned bracelet. 

 

“Same collection,” he grinned as he helped you put it on. 

“Thank you,” you knew you were blushing, and you wanted so badly to hide your face. 

“Aww, because you’re his sun and stars,” Dany sighed. “God, y’all are so cute it’s actually gross.”

“What, no engagement ring?” Nyla snorted. 

“Nyla!!” You and Hyunjin both exclaimed.

Hyunjin suddenly seemed very interested in the carpet.

“What, you don’t love her?” She asked Hyunjin. You didn’t have to read his mind to know he wanted to evaporate on the spot. 

“I didn’t say that,” he mumbled. 

“Okay, so you do love her,” Ellie chimed in. 

“And what about you?” Dany pointed to you. You put on the beanie Ellie had given you and pulled it down over your face.

“I’m not here,” you muttered as your face burned red. “Leave a message at the beep.”

“Now now,” Terrence interrupted. “That’s enough. Who wants a drink?”

“We do!!” You and Hyunjin blurted out simultaneously. 

 

You finally took your hat off after a few minutes, handing Hyunjin his gift from you. Your heart swelled when you saw how excited he was at the new art supplies, and he hugged you tightly, murmuring a quiet thank you in your ear, promising to put them to good use.

 

The teasing finally let up towards the end of the day, much to your relief. As predicted, Hyunjin fell asleep on the sofa again. 

 

“He’s such a sweetheart,” Ellie remarked as you covered him with a blanket. “And his gifts were so thoughtful. I’m going to hang this painting he did for us in the entryway first thing tomorrow.”

“Hyunjin is a pretty good gift giver,” Dany agreed, re-examining the gift certificate for the small independent record store downtown that she and Nyla frequented. Nyla had received the same, and they’d already been plotting what new vinyls they were going to buy for their apartment. 

 

You entertained your parents’ request for just one more movie before waking Hyunjin so he could drive you home, saying your goodbyes and goodnights with an enormous smile on your face. Your heart was so full. 

 

What a complete 180 from four months ago.

 

When you arrived back at your own house, you helped Hyunjin carry the gifts in before retiring to the sofa, wrapping your arms around each other, happy to enjoy some quiet alone time after the long day you’d had. You talked him into a movie, but halfway through, you felt your eyelids getting heavy. 

 

Come on, stay awake. Don’t… fall…

 

—

 

You awoke in your own bed, morning light streaming down through the blinds. You sat up, momentarily confused, still dressed in what you had worn the day before, minus your shoes. 

 

You padded to the kitchen to see Hyunjin standing there, rooting around the cabinets in an apparent search for more coffee, as the stand that normally held your coffee pods was empty. 

 

“Did you put me in bed last night?” You asked, rubbing your eyes. 

 

He stopped what he was doing and stepped to you, pulling you close. You wound your arms around his midsection and hugged him tightly. 

 

“I did. You fell asleep on me. I was starting to fall asleep too, so I felt it was the right thing to do.”

“You didn’t have to do that,” you pulled back to look up at him.

“I didn’t have permission to sleep next to you,” he said simply. 

“Well, you can have it now,” you mumbled, burying your face in his sweatshirt. “It’s okay.”

 

He brought a hand up to your face, tilting your head up so you were looking at him. Carefully, slowly, he pressed his lips to yours in a gentle kiss, reaching with his other hand to lace his fingers through your hair. Several minutes passed, and you weren’t sure exactly how many, as he continued to kiss you, unhurried, passionate kisses that left you breathless. You leaned back against the cabinets to keep your balance, and he immediately moved with you, pressing you back against them. 

 

When you finally came up for air, you nuzzled into his shoulder, closing your eyes. 

 

“I’m still sleepy,” you admitted, holding onto him still, unwilling to let go. 

“I’m getting there,” he yawned. “It’s almost 8am.”

“Nap?” You asked quietly. 

“If you’re sure,” he replied cautiously. “But I should go out and feed first. Just to be safe. I’m a bit thirsty, in all honesty.”

 

You released him from your hold, and he kissed you once more, promising to be back soon. You left the top two deadbolts unlocked, so he could let himself back in, and went to change into a nightshirt. On second thought, for his comfort, you added a pair of leggings. You pulled your laptop out, taking your time checking your socials and email, and had just rearranged your pillows and crawled back into bed when you heard the front door open and close, and a light knock on your bedroom door, and he opened it just a crack.

 

“I’m going to shower, and then I’ll be there.”

“Okay,” you replied. You set your phone on the bedside table nearest you and snuggled down under the covers. Soon, Hyunjin was joining you, lifting up the covers to slide under them, strong arms reaching for you, pulling you back against him, where it seemed like you fit perfectly with his own taller frame. 

 

“Hmm,” you murmured to yourself.

“What is it? Is this okay?”

“Oh, yes. It’s just…”

“What?”

“You’re warmer than I thought you’d be,” you giggled. 

“Oh, you,” he returned, and you could hear the smile in his voice. “Go to sleep, silly.”

 

Soon, the two of you were fast asleep, comforted by each other’s presence and hold on one another. 

 

Everything felt right with the world, you thought as you drifted off. 

 

You only hoped it would stay that way for the foreseeable future.

Chapter 11: In My Arms

Summary:

You take an important, long-awaited step.

You opened your eyes to find that your bedroom was cast in darkness, thin slivers of moonlight sneaking between the slats in the blinds. 

 

Oh jeez, we slept all fucking day. There goes my sleep schedule. 

 

Hyunjin seemed to be fast asleep still, holding onto you tightly as he slumbered behind you.

 

Worth it.

 

You managed to snag your phone off the bedside table, and settled for scrolling social media for a bit while you waited for Hyunjin to wake up. After a while, you felt him shift, and he nuzzled into your shoulder, sighing happily. 

 

“Mmm. Good morning.”

 

You put your phone back down and wriggled out of his grip just enough to turn to face him. 

 

“Did you sleep well?” You moved closer to him again, pressing your forehead to his. In the dim moonlight, you could barely make out his form beside you.

“I did. I didn’t mean to keep you here all day though,” he said sheepishly. "That was selfish of me."

“It was not," you said bluntly. "I probably needed it. I’m sure it’ll be fine. I can take Benadryl later if I need to.”

“That sounds like a plan,” he told you as he began to plant tiny kisses all over your face. 

“Hyunjin,” you giggled. 

“Hmm?”

“You do this all the time,” you wrinkled your nose as his lips continued to brush over your skin, some kisses so light that they tickled. 

“In case you were unaware,” he murmured between kisses, “I am rather fond of you.”

 

Something about the proximity of your bodies, the way he was holding you, made your breath hitch in your throat. You had been waiting to be with him like this for a while– and now that he was this close, you were having a hard time keeping your head on straight. 

 

You knew that the agreement had been to take things slow. But at that moment, it was the last thing you wanted. 

 

He felt so good, pressed against you. You could only imagine how he might feel if you were to take it a few steps further, and shivered as you realized how your current train of thought was affecting you, wetness beginning to pool between your legs. 

 

Slowness be damned, you decided. 

 

You wanted him. 

 

You had a fair feeling that he wanted you just as much.

 

You caught his lips on the next pass, nipping at his lower lip as you kissed him with fervor, licking into his mouth. He was quick to follow your lead, tightening his hold on you as he returned each kiss. You moved to his jawline, leaving hot, open-mouthed kisses down the column of his neck, and grinned to yourself as you heard him moan low, murmuring your name.

 

In response, you slid one hand under his shirt, letting your fingers crawl up his back slowly, leaving light, teasing touches over his skin. 

 

“Are you trying to drive me insane?” He whispered in your ear as you ran just the tip of your tongue over his collarbone, simultaneously dragging your fingernails down his back. “God, you’re so fucking warm…”

 

“Maybe I am. Is it working?” 

 

You removed your hand from his back and pushed out of his grip, directing him to turn onto his back, and you rolled on top of him, straddling his lips low, grinding against him. His arousal was evident through the thin gray sweatpants he wore, and he gripped your hips tightly as you leaned back down to kiss him again. 

 

“What are you…” he managed to get out between kisses. “Doing…”

“Just having a little fun,” you smirked as you trailed your kisses lower again, nipping at his neck. 

“Fuck,” he hissed, pushing at your hips. You ground against him again, several more times, and he moved with you, throwing his head back as he mumbled your name. “I thought… slow. Want to… respect…”

 

You raised your head up just a bit, ghosting your hot breath against the shell of his ear, and he bucked his hips up into yours. 

 

“Well.. respectfully… I think that time has passed,” you whispered. “And I think it might be nice if we respectfully fucked each other senseless… don’t you?”

 

A split second later, he was flipping you onto your back, slotting himself between your legs, rolling his hips against yours as he left sloppy, hurried kisses down your neck, across your collarbones, pulling the neck of your nightshirt down for better access. 

 

“Hyunjin,” you whimpered. You knew you were absolutely soaking at this point– your panties were a lost cause, and your leggings not far behind, as he continued to press himself against you. 

 

“This is what you wanted, right?” He stopped suddenly, moving so that he could turn on the lamp on the bedside table, and both of you closed your eyes against the sudden glare.

 

When you opened your eyes again, his cool blue ones were staring down at you. 

 

“Mmhmm,” you murmured. "Want you..." 

 

You slipped your hands under his shirt, moving them up his sides slowly, watching his face as he shut his eyes tight, savoring your touch. You pushed the fabric higher, and he reached for it, pulling the shirt up and off, tossing it aside. 

 

You weren’t sure how you hadn’t noticed just how attractive he was without the shirt, the last time the two of you had been in a similar position, but now, as you lay beneath him, you were suddenly just the slightest bit self-conscious. 

 

He was pretty. You knew this already, but he still took you by surprise. He might as well have been sculpted by the gods, and here you were, feeling vastly inferior as you studied the lines of him, each curve of his well-defined muscles, his flawless, honeyed skin. 

 

You trailed your nails down his chest, lightly grazing over his nipples, and he growled low, his hands under your nightshirt now, tugging it upwards. 

 

“Wait,” you said breathlessly. 

 

He stopped what he was doing immediately, changing position to lie down next to you. 

 

“What’s wrong?”

“I– just got a bit...” you sighed. “I haven’t done this in a while, and… don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re definitely the prettiest person I’ve ever been with and it’s a little intimidating.”

“While I don’t mean to belittle your feelings,” he tilted his head as he rested next to you, propped up on his elbows. “Haven’t you ever seen yourself in a mirror?”

“Um… yes.”

 

He toyed with your shirt, leaning down to kiss your cheek. 

 

“We don’t have to keep going.”

“Oh I know. But I want to.”

“I do want to see you,” he said softly, drawing you in for just one tender kiss, pulling back to look you in the eyes. “And I want to touch you.” He kissed you again. "I want to make you feel good. Please."

“Okay,” you agreed.

“And just so you know," he added, "You can never convince me that you aren’t the most beautiful person I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

“Hyunjin!” You could feel your ears burning. 

“I told you before, it’s not flattery if it’s true,” he kissed you again, running a hand under the hem of your nightshirt, and you shivered as you felt his touch against your hip. 

 

“May I?” He asked. You nodded, realizing in that second that you had neglected to throw on a sports bra under the shirt. 

 

It's too late now.

 

He sat up, pulling your shirt up and off in one fluid motion, discarding it over the side of the bed, his hands immediately coming back to trail across your skin– fingertips tracing your curves, running lightly across and around your breasts, gooseflesh raising in the wake of his caresses. 

 

“Beautiful,” he whispered, leaning to kiss a line from your collarbones down your chest, stopping to flick one of your nipples with the tip of his tongue, drawing it into his mouth and sucking gently. He raised a hand to your other breast, thumb idly tracing circles around your other nipple, and you whined his name, bucking your hips up involuntarily. 

 

He changed sides, chuckling to himself as you squirmed under his touch. He resumed the kisses, trailing down your belly to the top of your leggings. He paused for a moment, taking his hands off you to push his own remaining clothes off and away, and your heart skipped a beat as he crawled back to you, lying down beside you, his hard cock brushing against your hip as he ran one finger under the the waistband of your leggings.

 

“Hyunjin,” you whined. You were aching for his touch now. You'd never needed anything quite so badly.

“Yes?” 

 

He placed a hand on each of your hips, carefully working his fingers under the fabric, peeling the leggings down and off, leaving just your simple cotton undies, and you regretted for a moment not having prepared better for this moment. 

 

He didn’t seem to care– he was hovering over you now, hand wandering lower, lips on your neck, leaving searing kisses as you felt his fingers pushing your panties aside, trailing through your folds. He pressed his face into the crook of your neck, hissing your name. 

 

“Fuck…”

“What’s wrong?” You mumbled, your brain hazy. You felt like a live wire, each touch from him igniting a fire that was threatening to consume you. You knew that once he finally did touch you where you wanted him the most, you would not last very long. It had been such a long while since you’d been with anyone, and you were so riled you were almost a little embarrassed. 

 

He had your underwear off seconds later, hands pushing your legs apart, one coming to your center once more, pressing one finger inside you slowly. He watched intently as you shut your eyes tight, already writhing under his ministrations. 

 

“You’re so fucking warm,” he repeated. He added a second finger, curling them, searching for that perfect spot that would be your undoing. “So wet. So fucking wet for me… God... you are perfect..."

“Hyunjin…” You whimpered as he began to thrust, thumb on your clit, his lips on yours, kissing you feverishly as he increased the speed. 

“Do you want me to stop?” He whispered against your lips. 

“Absolutely fucking not,” you squeaked, feeling the familiar burning in the pit of your belly, the one that you'd had to conjure yourself, all alone, for the last six months. “Please… don’t. I’m… so...”

 

He seemed to understand, and turned his attention to your breasts once more, sucking on one nipple, curling his fingers inside you again and again, and gods, you thought you might go mad before he was done with you. 

 

Then again, maybe that was his intent.

 

You were getting louder now, your moans filling the room, and you clapped your hand over your mouth, self-conscious once more.

 

He stopped his movements, shaking his head at you, using his free hand to pull yours away from your mouth. 

 

“Please, don’t. I need to hear you. Every little whine… every single fucking whimper... I want to hear it.”

 

You nodded. 

 

Fuck, why is that so hot?!

 

He resumed, plunging his fingers into you firmly and rhythmically, hooking them just so . Moments later, you were over the edge, crying out his name, and he came back up to kiss your lips as he slowed, as you muttered his name over and over, rolling your hips up into his hand. 

 

“So pretty,” he murmured as he withdrew his fingers, watching you come down from the high, your chest heaving, dragging one of your hands through your hair. 

“Speak… for… yourself…” You said, trying to control your breathing. “Oh my god… that was…”

“Should we stop?” He asked cautiously. 

“Do… Do you want to?” You returned. 

“No,” he said simply, moving to place himself back between your legs. “I want…” His words were cut off with a low moan as you raised your hips, rubbing against his still-hard cock. 

“You want me?” You asked, smirking. 

“Yes,” he growled again, reaching down with one hand to press the head of his cock between your folds. 

“What are you waiting for, then?” You raised an eyebrow. 

 

In one fluid, solid movement, he pushed inside you, all the way to the hilt, and you shouted his name, not caring that the neighbors might hear. His head was buried in your shoulder, and he was mumbling, words muffled against your skin. 

 

“Fuck… so… hot… wet… fucking… god… haven’t been… with a human… since… was human… FUCK! ” He exclaimed as he started to move, long, lazy strokes, pulling almost all the way out before slamming back inside you, hissing as you raked your nails down his back. He picked up the pace, just a bit, and you whined, matching his movements, desperate for more. 

 

“Faster?”

“Please,” you begged as he met your gaze. “Harder. Please. Just… fuck me… please…”

 

He needed no further direction, setting off at a breakneck pace at once, leaving you clutching at the sheets, his hips, the headboard, anything to ground yourself. 

 

He was kissing your neck again, and in your fucked-out, barely-there daze, you heard him inhale sharply as he ran his tongue over the sensitive flesh. 

 

The words were out of your mouth before you could catch them, but you didn’t regret them a bit.

 

“Hyunjin,” you whined. 

“Hmm?” He hummed against your neck. 

“Bite me,” you whimpered. "Please."

 

He stopped at once, pushing inside you and stilling, raising up on his hands to stare down at you, thoroughly bewildered. 

 

“No.”

“Please," you repeated breathlessly.

“I can’t. What if…” He bit his lip. “I don’t want to lose control. I don't want to hurt you."

“You just fed this morning.” You whined, bucking your hips again, desperate for any sort of friction as he lay there, filling you up, stretching you so deliciously, but too stunned to continue. 

 

“Please,” you begged again. “I trust you. I want… I want to feel… please... fuck me... bite me... Hyunjin, please..."

 

He finally started again, carrying on with that same quick pace, and you craned your neck, presenting it to him, desperate to know what it might feel like if he drank from you while he fucked you. 

 

Would it hurt? Maybe. 

 

Did you care?

 

No.

 

“You… temptress…” He whispered, leaning down once more, licking a stripe from your collarbone to your jawline, and you felt him cresting his fangs over your skin, sinking them into you like a hot knife into butter. 

 

Compared to the last time, you barely felt a thing, and as he began to drink from you, still fucking you mercilessly, you began to feel as though you were soaring– not quite dizzy, but not entirely grounded either-- complete and total euphoria.

 

A split second before he broke away, you were crashing again, soaking him further as you clenched around him, screaming his name, while yours fell from his lips like a prayer as his strokes became erratic, frenzied. 

 

“Hyunjin,” you moaned, sensing he was at his end. “Please…”

 

His gaze was wild as he stared down at you, thrusts even harder still. Your blood was smudged across his face, lingering between his teeth, and you felt his cock pulsing inside you, his body shuddering as he came hard, calling your name just as loudly as you had his. 

 

He stilled, staying inside you, lowering himself over you as he lazily licked at your neck, clearly wanting to catch every last drop of your blood that he could. 

 

“You…” he whispered. “I…” 

“That…” you mumbled. “Fuck…”

“Incredible,” he said softly, pulling out of you and moving to rest beside you, slipping an arm around your waist and tugging you close.

 

“I… can’t even think straight,” you laughed. “We should get cleaned up.”

 

He nodded. 

 

“Yes.”

 

You got up, walking to the bathroom to switch on the shower, vaguely aware that he was watching you walk, one arm behind his head as he reclined on your pillows. 

 

You had already gotten in by yourself, and were standing under the hot water, when you heard the sink running, and you peeked around the curtain to see that he had gone to get his toothbrush, and was brushing his teeth vigorously. 

 

“I thought you might appreciate me having a clean mouth before I kissed you again,” he laughed as he finished up.

“Yes, thank you,” you giggled. “Blood isn’t really my thing.”

“You work in an emergency department,” he said matter-of-factly as he joined you in the shower. 

“Not the same,” you rolled your eyes as you reached for your shampoo. “Not even remotely. And you know it.” You smacked his hip as he broke into a wide grin, leaning down to kiss you softly. 

 

Once the two of you were clean, you moved to the living room, plopping down on the sofa and turning on the TV, ordering dinner for yourself while Hyunjin curled around you, clearly on cloud nine. You couldn’t blame him. Maybe it was the blood loss, maybe not, but you were so blissed out that it seemed nothing could bring you down. 

 

You still couldn’t believe this was real. 

 

And then you remembered– that little nagging thought at the back of your head, the one that had been flitting about since you’d met Soren.

 

You muted the TV and turned to Hyunjin. You hated to bring this up now. But the longer you went without saying something, the worse you felt about it. 

 

“Hyunjin?”

“Hmm?”

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," he nodded. 

“When I met Soren…” you started. His face fell immediately. 

“I should have corrected him.” 

“He said I was your pet. What did he mean by that?”

 

Hyunjin sighed heavily. 

 

“Sometimes… vampires like to keep a human around… for strictly selfish purposes,” he said carefully, apparently unsure of which words to use.

“So, for blood and sex?” You said, raising an eyebrow. He hid his face with one hand. 

“Yes.”

“And Soren thinks that’s what you’re keeping me around for.”

“Apparently. He knows I don’t endorse taking humans as pets. It’s demeaning. I’ve never done it and I don’t intend to ever do it. I… I should have spoken up when we were there, and I didn’t,” Hyunjin mumbled. “I’m so sorry. I want you to know that this is absolutely not that sort of scenario. I care about you, so, so much.” He took both your hands in his own, squeezing gently, lacing your fingers together. “You mean more to me than you could ever know,” he finished, leaning over to kiss you gently. 

“So you’ll tell him?” You moved so you could hug him, rest your head on his chest. 

“I promise. I’ll tell him tonight if you want me to. I can go home and come back.”

“No,” you held him tighter. “Stay here. I want you to hold me while I fall asleep tonight.”

 

“Oh do you?” He kissed the top of your head. 

“Yes,” you replied. 

“I think I can manage that,” he said happily. “Tonight, and tomorrow, and for as many more nights as you’ll have me. I’m yours.”

Chapter 12: Not What It Seems

Summary:

School is back in session, and some unfamiliar faces are making you more than a little nervous.

You were absolutely not ready to start back to school again, but the beginning of the spring semester arrived anyway, and you spent the first day of classes in a tizzy. Between obtaining your textbooks, navigating to the new classrooms, and enduring long, droning discussions of each course syllabus, you were already fed up. 

 

Why am I doing this again?

 

A couple weeks in, you began to notice that certain people in your classes seemed to be paying more attention to you than the lectures– you also noticed that they always seemed to choose a seat close to, or even next to you. It was more than a little unnerving. The last thing you wanted was to establish connections with more people. You kept to yourself like it was your job, but these strangers were intrusive, and you weren't sure what to think. 

 

You arrived at the library one afternoon to find Hyunjin already there, absentmindedly doodling as he waited for you. You slipped into the study room and shut the door behind you, taking a seat next to Hyunjin and moving your chair closer to him to lean your head on his shoulder. 

 

“Long day?” 

“The longest,” you sighed. “The whole week has been long, actually. I can’t believe I’m considering doing summer school too.”

 

Hyunjin set his drawing aside and slipped an arm around you, hugging you tight. 

 

“Are you sure you want to do that?”

“I don’t know. I could finish sooner though, if I did. But… y'know…”

“You’re already so stressed again,” Hyunjin gave you a squeeze. “Plus, selfishly, I’ve been looking forward to summer.”

“Oh really?” You shifted so you could look at him. “And why is that?” You asked with a sly grin. 

“Because your winter break was too short, and I want to spend as much time with you as I can,” he replied, kissing you softly. “Maybe we could even take a trip somewhere, just the two of us.”

“Would Soren let you do that?” You raised an eyebrow as you started to get your schoolwork out. 

“I think he might. I’ve been on my best behavior."

“Where would you want to go?” 

“Honestly?” Hyunjin said quietly. “Anywhere. As long as I’m with you the destination doesn’t matter.”

“You're so mushy,” you giggled, kissing him on the cheek. “We can plan something. You’ve convinced me.” 

“I do what I can.” He grinned. “What are you doing this weekend?” He changed the subject. 

“I didn’t have plans yet. Honestly, as crazy as the semester has been already, I kind of want to just stay in bed and watch TV and sleep.”

“Stay in bed, hmm?” He winked at you. 

“I know you’d be really upset about that,” you laughed. “I should probably pick up at work though,” you sighed. "I know they've been short lately."

“Don’t,” he urged, reaching for your hand. “Take a break. Relax this weekend.”

“You’re right.”

 

You settled in to do your homework, and Hyunjin returned to his art. Some time later, you noticed that someone was watching you through the blinds– the girl from your research class who always insisted on sitting next to you. She seemed friendly enough, you guessed, but you thought the behavior was odd all the same. 

 

The way she was looking at you now, unblinking, studying you intently, sent a shiver down your spine. You got up and circled the table to close the blinds, closing off the girl’s view. 

 

“Something wrong?” Hyunjin inquired, not looking up from his drawing. 

“Someone was staring at me. Or us. I don’t know. Either way it was weirding me out.” You plopped back into your seat, but you couldn’t shake that weird feeling. 

“Someone you know?” Hyunjin asked. 

“This chick from my research class. I think she said her name is Elissa? She always insists on sitting next to me and it’s a little weird. There’s someone like that in each class, actually,” you frowned. “It’s disconcerting.”

“Well, you are a very interesting individual,” Hyunjin finally looked over at you, grinning. “Maybe they just want to be your friend and don’t know how to ask.”

“No,” you said, making a face. “This is different. Like you, you were a normal amount of persistent when you first talked to me. These people are… way more than that.”

“Can you change classes?”

“There’s only one section of advanced research this semester… so maybe, but also no.”

“It’s probably nothing,” Hyunjin reassured you, reaching out to place a hand on your arm. “Say... It’s getting late. Do you want to go get dinner before we go back to your house? My treat.”

“Breakfast for dinner?”

“Sure.”

 

—

 

True to your word, you spent most of the weekend in bed, watching movies and resting. Hyunjin was exceptionally pleased about this, not only because you were taking time for yourself, but also because he enjoyed having you in his arms while he slept during the day— and you weren’t complaining either. It had been a long time since you’d shared a bed with someone and you had missed it. 

 

Hyunjin insisted on taking you out on a date Sunday– dinner and a movie that the both of you had been wanting to see. A treat, he said, before you jumped back into the chaos of your daily life.

 

Sometimes it struck you how very odd your situation was. Not that you were complaining– Hyunjin was, without a doubt, the most caring, and for that matter, devoted , partner you’d ever had. It amused you that despite what he was, the two of you still had a relatively normal relationship, all things considered. 

 

He had told Soren about you, as promised, the day after you’d had the talk about correcting him. You didn’t know all the details, except that Soren hadn’t been particularly pleased about Hyunjin dating a human. You supposed you could understand where Soren and the rest of the clan were coming from in their opinions, but you wished they’d give you more of a chance. Then again, Hyunjin had told you that he was the only one in his family who really liked humans. The rest of them couldn’t be bothered, and kept to themselves, holed up in that big house outside the city like their lives depended on it.

 

You supposed it didn’t really matter, in the grand scheme of things. Although Soren didn’t approve, he still had told Hyunjin to do whatever he wanted. 

 

With this “blessing” in mind, Hyunjin was now spending almost all of his time with you, or at the very least, at your house, only going back home for clan meetings or when his presence was specifically requested. 

 

You weren’t unhappy with the company, though you’d never lived with a partner before either. Despite this, you settled into an easy rhythm despite being on opposite timetables. As always, Hyunjin tried to make sure that his schedule overlapped with yours as much as possible. 

 

Your lazy weekend with Hyunjin was gone far too quickly, and you returned to reality on Monday with a new sense of determination. 

 

Just gotta get to summer break. Eleven more weeks. I can do this. 

 

Dany and Nyla texted you Monday evening as you sat at the library, cramming for a quiz you’d forgotten about. 

 

Dany [6:13pm]: Hello there overworked bestie!!

 

Nyla [6:13pm]: This is your official notice that you’re being kidnapped Wednesday after school so please make necessary arrangements regarding homework

 

You [6:15pm]: Kidnapped?? Wtf

 

Nyla [6:16pm]: Relax it’s us doing the kidnapping. We are giving you advance notice so you don’t get stressed... more than normal anyway

 

Dany [6:16pm]: We are just stealing you from Hyunjin for one night don’t worry hahaha

 

Nyla [6:17pm]: He encouraged it anyway he said you need to take a break or twelve and he’s right 

 

You [6:18pm]: Did he actually say that?? I just took a whole weekend off. Mostly. 

 

Nyla [6:19pm]: Uh huh. How much did you work on homework??

 

You [6:20pm]: A normal amount?? 

 

Dany [6:20pm]: Ok well Wednesday is girls night, not optional... what time is your last class? 

 

You [6:21pm]: I just have one that day and it’s at 1pm but it’s a 3 hour class :’)

 

Dany [6:23pm]: Ok we will pick you up at home then... bring an overnight bag

 

You [6:25pm]: Are you guys sure this is necessary

 

Nyla [6:25pm]: Yes

 

Dany [6:25pm]: Absolutely 

 

You [6:26pm]: I guess I know better than to argue. Ok

 

Dany [6:27pm]: That’s the spirit haha we will see you then

 

—

 

True to their word, Nyla and Dany showed up at 6pm on Wednesday evening, whisking you out the door before Hyunjin was even awake for the night. You left him a note on the counter, and allowed your friends to drag you away. 

 

“First stop, dinner,” Nyla told you. “Anything in particular you want?”

“I’m not picky,” you shrugged. 

“Pizza?”

“I can always go for pizza,” you laughed. “Why don’t we try out the place I went with Hyunjin a few weeks ago? It was pretty good.”

“Sounds good to me,” Dany said brightly. “We need some updates on him.” 

“Oh god.” You covered your face, knowing exactly what they wanted to know. 

 

“So,” Dany started once the three of you were seated. “Spill. You’ve been dating him for what, a little over a month? Month and a half? How are things going?”

“Good,” you said cautiously. “Definitely an improvement from Aiden,” you laughed. 

“Just…” Nyla started. “You’re not gonna let him just be a rebound, right?”

“That's definitely not the plan,” you replied. “He’s so..."

"Wonderful?" Nyla finished for you. "God, you've got it bad. And I thought he was smitten." 

"This is definitely different from any other relationship I’ve been in," you told them. "But in a good way.”

“I'm glad to hear that,” Nyla said with a grin. “We really like him… so we were a little concerned that you did get together so fast… even though I know we ribbed you about it a lot,” she giggled. 

“He seems like a real catch,” Dany said, snagging a piece of pepperoni off the pizza that had just been brought to your table. “So I guess what we’re saying is… don’t fuck it up. He’s so good to you. I maintain my stance that he's in love with you."

"Yeah, me too," Nyla chimed in.

"Oh my god, stop it," you grumbled, covering your face.

"No way," Dany shook her head. "He's got to be. There's no way he isn't. It's so obvious. I know it hasn't been long, but..."

“Okay, okay, I get it," you laughed, doling out slices of pizza onto everyone's plates. "Regardless, I think he's good for me. He makes me happy. He's just..."

“A perfect specimen? Yeah, we know,” Nyla chuckled. “Speaking of… have you two…?” She winked. 

 

You flushed red immediately. 

 

“So that’s a yes then,” Dany raised an eyebrow. “Tell us! When did it finally happen?”

“Day after Christmas,” you admitted. “It was… unreal.”

 

You felt heat flood through you as you remembered that night, how Hyunjin had fucked you so soundly you’d felt it for days… not to mention how he’d bitten you, something which neither of you had expected to make you come- not that you were complaining. And you knew he wasn't either.

 

“Unreal how?” Dany asked. “He’s kinky, isn’t he? He looks like he might could be.”

“We haven’t really… explored that far yet,” you made a face. "But... he’s the only guy I’ve ever been with who actually was as rough with me as I wanted him to be.”

 

You were easily 13 shades of red by now. 

 

“Oh yeah, I forget you like it rough,” Nyla smirked. “We should go to the mall soon. Get you some pretty stuff to wear for him.”

“Nyla…” you groaned. 

“Oh, yeah!” Dany clapped her hands. “Bet he’d like that. You always said Aiden never appreciated that kinda thing. I imagine Hyunjin is the total opposite.”

“Probably,” you managed, your ears still burning. 

 

“Can I get you anything else?”

 

A new server was standing at the end of your table. You froze when you realized it was the same girl from your research class. Although she was short— shorter than you even, she had a somewhat threatening aura hidden behind that otherwise innocent facade— long dark hair and a pale, round face. Her eyes were a startling green you’d never noticed before— contacts, maybe? You didn’t remember her eyes being that color in class. 

 

Is she following me? This is creepy. 

 

“Nah, we’re good,” Dany waved a hand. “Maybe just the check.”

 

You were more than happy to get back to the safety of Dany’s car, clutching the box of leftover pizza. You wondered if you should text Hyunjin to tell him what had happened. Then again, maybe you were just being paranoid. 

 

The rest of the evening passed pleasantly, and you tried to relax, telling yourself that Hyunjin was probably right— it was nothing. Maybe she was new to the school, the city. You’d certainly never had her in classes with you before. A transfer, perhaps. 

 

But you couldn’t shake that nagging feeling that there was more to Elissa than met the eye. 

 

—

 

You were most thankful the next day to have no classes, allowing you to to sleep in, and Dany dropped you off at work that afternoon. 

 

As you were getting handoff from Matilda, Annika walked up to the desk, with someone unfamiliar at her side. 

 

“Hi,” she waved at you, and gestured to the young man standing with her, looking at you expectantly through a mop of ginger curls— you noticed suddenly that his eyes were that same strange green as Elissa’s had been the night before at the restaurant. 

 

“We’ve got a new per diem clerk… this is Ezra. He’ll be training tonight, if that’s okay with you,” she told you. “I forgot to text you earlier about it… I’m sorry for the short notice.”

“Oh, no worries,” you shrugged. “Nice to meet you, Ezra.”

“Likewise,” he returned, lips curling into a small grin. 

“Welcome, Ezra,” Matilda said warmly, before turning to you. “You good?”

“Yeah, we’ll be fine. That transfer will be here at 6?”

“Should be. That’s the only one for now, knock on wood,” Matilda said, knocking on the desk. “See you later!”

 

You hunted down another chair for Ezra, and spent the first couple hours showing him the basics– checking in patients who came in via ambulance, directing flow, moving patients on the trackboard. He told you it was his first healthcare job, and you couldn’t help but notice that he seemed vaguely uncomfortable. You knew you worked in a busy department, but it reminded you of how Hyunjin had acted when he had come to see you when you’d been a patient during fall break. 

 

Towards the middle of the shift, you thought you noticed Ezra staring at your left hand. You hurriedly pulled your sleeves down. 

 

“Cold?” Ezra smirked. 

“Perpetually,” you sighed. “Anyway. There’s another ambulance coming in ten… Do you want to do the intake this time?”

“Yeah,” he said, seemingly disinterested. 

 

Hyunjin picked you up from work at 11 on the dot, and you thought you’d never be so happy to see him. It had been a weird day. Ezra had lingered closer to you than you were comfortable with, despite asking him multiple times to back off. Not to mention the fact that he kept staring at your hand. 

 

Hyunjin had told you that the only people who could see such a mark were the person with said mark, and vampires. 

 

That was it. 

 

Is Ezra a vampire? 

 

No. Surely not. 

 

What if he is, though? And Elissa too?!

 

You made idle chit chat with Hyunjin on the way home, and he insisted on getting you into a hot shower with him the moment you stepped in the door before dragging you into bed shortly thereafter. 

 

“Are you okay?” He murmured into your hair as he held you close, one hand rubbing circles on your back comfortingly. “You’ve seemed a little distracted since I picked you up.”

“It’s been a weird couple days,” you mumbled. “My new coworker is… odd. And that girl from my research class? Apparently works at that pizza place we went to on our first date. These people just keep giving me strange vibes. And you know how I am around new people, anyway.”

“Try to relax,” he whispered. He took his hands off you for a minute, and you heard the sleep playlist he’d made for you start up. “I know you have an 8am class. Get some rest. It’s almost the weekend again.”

“I’ll do my best,” you told him as you settled back into his arms, drifting to sleep in his embrace. 

 

—

 

Hyunjin woke you the next morning, shooing you out the door with freshly made coffee and a protein shake in hand, promising he’d meet you at the library after your classes were done. 

Your schedule on Friday was relatively simple, just two, one hour classes, one at 8am and the other at noon. When you got out of the second class, you decided to drop by the student center for something to eat– the protein shake hadn’t held you as long as you had hoped it would, and you were starving. 

 

You grabbed a chicken sandwich and a side salad from one of the fast food places in the small food court, and settled at a table back in a corner, where you could watch people comfortably, and not be snuck up on. You’d already had to dodge Elissa that morning during research– you waited until the class started, and then switched seats, muttering something about how you didn’t want to sit right under the vent. 

 

Nevermind that the heat was on, and you were not cold. 

 

You just wanted to get away from the weird girl who wouldn’t leave you alone.

 

You were halfway through your meal when you noticed someone in your periphery. You glanced to your left to see a man standing there. He was tall, taller than Hyunjin. Slim, but even though the thin-appearing long sleeved shirt he wore, it was obvious that he was fit, muscular. You wondered for a moment why he didn’t have a coat– a little odd, considering there was a foot of snow on the ground outside. He was handsome, too. Shoulder-length, navy blue hair framed his pale face, and you noticed that like all the other people who had been making you uneasy lately, his skin was also flawless. Ageless.

 

It was his eyes, however, that sent a bolt of fear coursing through you.

 

They were a deep red– the same red that you remembered seeing in Soren’s, when you had met him. 

 

“What a pretty birthmark,” he said quietly, gesturing to your hand. 

“Thanks,” you muttered, starting to gather your things, now extremely nervous.

 

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. He’s a vampire. Fuck.

 

“Going so soon?” He was standing at your elbow now, and you tried to control your breathing. 

 

Surely, he wouldn’t hurt you– not here, where more and more students were trickling in after their early afternoon classes. 

 

“Yep, lots of studying to do.”

“I’m Tobias,” he offered. “I was hoping we could talk a bit. May I sit?”

“I’m not interested,” you snapped. “Leave me alone. I'm taken."

"I can see that," he replied with a sinister grin. 

"Good, then it shouldn't be a problem for you to fuck off, then."

“Ah, you are a feisty one, aren’t you?” He laughed as you glared at him.

 

You stood, slinging your backpack on. 

 

“Goodbye,” you said coldly. “Stay away from me.”

 

You hurried away, and you could feel Tobias’ eyes on you, all the way to the door. You made a mad dash for the library, somewhat upset when you saw that Hyunjin wasn’t there yet. Then again, it was still early in the day. You decided to go home instead, pulling your phone out as soon as you climbed into your car and locked it, trying to quell the panic that was rising in you.

 

You [1:57pm]: Hyunjin??? Are you awake??

 

You [2:01pm]: Hyunjin wake uppppp

 

You [2:04pm]: Hey. Wake up. We have a problem.

Chapter 13: Reservations

Summary:

Hyunjin tries to navigate his feelings regarding the new developments, and his past comes back to bite him.

Hyunjin was generally a heavy sleeper, but woke with a start when you came flying in the bedroom door, throwing yourself into bed with him. 

 

“Hyunjin!”

“Hmm… what…” He mumbled as you shook him awake. He rolled over to check the time on his phone, and saw all the missed messages from you, plus a couple calls as well. He sat bolt upright, immediately on edge, tossing the phone back onto the bedside table, scooping you into a firm embrace. 

 

“All those people…” you murmured. “The ones who have been creeping on me. They’re…” You were crying now. “I think they’re…”

 

Hyunjin began to rub your back. He was more than a little concerned at your behavior. He had been planning on meeting you at the library at 4, but here it was scarcely after 2pm… and here you were, a basket case in his arms, crying uncontrollably. 

 

“What is going on?” He asked quietly, calmly. 

“Someone…” You gasped. “Someone came up to me today at the student center. I was eating lunch… and…”

“Did they say something to you?”

 

What is happening?

 

He wished so desperately that he knew how to calm you. He’d never seen you like this, not even at your most stressed during midterms or finals. This was something new.

 

“He could see my mark,” you mumbled. “He wanted to sit and talk to me. I told him to fuck off… but something about him… he’s dangerous,” you finished, your words a jumble. “I don’t know what he wanted with me… He's got to be... a vampire..." 

 

If Hyunjin had merely been on edge before, now he was on the verge of panic. He had been hoping, praying even, that this moment would never come. 

 

Not again. Please, not again.

 

“Did he tell you his name?” Hyunjin asked, fearing what the answer might be.

“Tobias, I think?” You buried your face in Hyunjin’s chest, trying to slow your breathing. 

“You said… Tobias?” Hyunjin said, not even bothering to try and hide the waver in his voice. 

 

Of course. Of course it’s him.  

 

Fury rose in Hyunjin’s gut. Was one person not enough? What had he ever done to deserve this?

 

“Yeah,” you sniffed, looking up at him. “Do you know him?”

“Unfortunately,” Hyunjin said through gritted teeth. He lay back down, pulling you with him, holding you close as he continued to try and soothe you. 

“Who…”

“Tobias is a member of another clan that lives in this city,” Hyunjin said grimly. “They’re… our rivals, to put it simply.”

“What would they want with me, though?” You looked up at Hyunjin, and he thought his heart might splinter into pieces as your sad expression. 

 

He wasn’t sure what was worse— that you had been targeted, or that he had brushed it off and made little of your worries. 

 

“Vampires are very territorial,” Hyunjin said slowly. “It’s in our nature— and many of us are notorious for wanting what we can’t have. You… are marked,” he continued, reaching for your hand to rub his thumb over the crescent shaped spot he’d left on your skin. “I told you it meant you’d been claimed. Which means, naturally, some other vampires might want to… contest that.”

“So this is like… some vampire equivalent of wanting someone else’s girl?” You pressed closer to Hyunjin, and he wrapped his arms around you tightly. 

“To put it lightly. I was… afraid this might happen. "Tobias has always been…” Hyunjin trailed off, unsure of what else to say, or how to say it. 

 

Tobias was a madman.

 

He still remembered it like it was yesterday, how Tobias had taken one of his dearest friends away. 

 

He would never forgive. And he’d certainly never forget. 

 

“Always been like what?” You asked, your voice muffled against Hyunjin’s shirt.

“This isn’t the first time he’s gone after someone I care about.” 

“You mean…”

“Her name was Evie,” Hyunjin told you, voice barely above a whisper now. “She was human when I knew her. When I met her. One of the best friends I’d ever had. Tobias took notice of her. Wormed his way in… turned her against me. Convinced her that myself and my clan were not to be trusted.” Hyunjin sighed, wishing in that moment that he could cry— anything for an outlet against these painful feelings he’d kept under wraps for so long. 

 

“You said she was human…” You said softly. “What happened?”

“Tobias turned her. Made her part of Melina’s clan. I haven’t seen her in over a hundred years.”

“Was she marked, too?”

“No,” Hyunjin said simply. “You’re the only person I’ve ever marked.”

“Were you and Evie…” You began to wonder aloud. 

“No, we weren’t… I…” Hyunjin stuttered, feeling somewhat uneasy that you were now staring up at him. 

“You had feelings for her.”

“Evie and I…” Hyunjin started. He wasn’t sure what to say. “We were only friends. Sometimes… I wondered if we could ever be more, but I never pursued anything. I didn’t want to damage what we had. She was just a friend— but one I still miss dearly.”

“Oh.”

“You’re upset,” he frowned. 

“No, I just… I don’t know what to make of that,” you said glumly, looking down, doodling over the design on Hyunjin’s shirt with a fingertip. 

 

Hyunjin hooked a finger under your chin, pulling your gaze back to his. He wished again that he were the mind reader in this relationship. 

 

“Evie was a friend. That’s all. You… you mean the world to me. I have never, ever felt about anyone, how I feel about you,” he whispered. 

 

He wished he could say the words he’d been wanting to say to you for weeks now— but it was still too soon. 

 

I love you. I wish you knew. 

 

“You mean that?”

“Absolutely,” he replied, kissing you gently, running fingers through your hair. “You are the only person— human or otherwise— that I want to spend my days with. I swear.”

“Okay.”

 

He wished he could reassure you more— but you seemed to calm after that piece of information, and slipped an arm around his waist, nuzzling as close as you could. 

 

“I think those people in my classes… and my new coworker… they’re all vampires too,” you blurted out after a few minutes of silence. 

“You may be right,” Hyunjin sighed. “I’m sorry that I minimized your suspicions about them. That wasn’t right of me.”

“You were just trying to help me feel better. It’s okay.” You shrugged, but he couldn't turn off the guilt quite as easily.

“I’m not going to let them hurt you.”

“I know you won’t.” You yawned and pulled away from him to sit up. “I need to get out of this bed or I’m going to fall asleep. Are you going to sleep more?”

 

Hyunjin shook his head. He was still feeling moderately nervous after the news that other vampires were following you. Not to mention that Tobias was involved.

 

“I don’t think so. I should probably get up and shower, anyway. We have a clan meeting tonight.”

“What do you all even talk about at those?” You wrinkled your nose as you laughed, and Hyunjin’s spirits lifted immediately. Your laughter was like music to his ears. 

“Well, tonight I’ll have to bring up the fact that Melina’s clan is trying to start shit. They’ve been trying to encroach on our territory here and there as of late as is. This is just the icing on the cake.”

 

“Oh, cake sounds good,” you pursed your lips. “Can we go acquire cake before your meeting?”

“Tell you what,” Hyunjin said as he crawled out of bed. “Let’s go get coffee, and we can share a slice.”

“Share? Very funny, sir,” you giggled, making a face at him. “Maybe I’ll just get carrot cake so you have to get your own.”

“Carrots are disgusting and that’s a hill I will die on,” Hyunjin frowned at you. 

“I’m not even going to touch that one, Mr. Vampire,” you cackled as you made a mad dash from the bed and the room, with Hyunjin hot on your heels. 

 

—

 

Hyunjin was feeling all sorts of antsy as he arrived back to the clan’s house. He was the last one to arrive at the meeting, and all eyes were on him as he slunk into the room and took a seat next to Quinn. 

 

“You’re late,” Soren said flatly as Hyunjin folded his hands on the table in front of him. 

 

“Sorry,” Hyunjin muttered. 

 

“As I was saying,” Soren turned his gaze back to the group sitting at the long table in front of him. “I think it’s high time we build onto the house again.” He nodded to Quinn and his new partner, Liam, who had joined the clan a few weeks prior. 

 

“I know the two of you share a room, and that’s fine,” Soren continued. “But if our clan is indeed growing again, we need more space.”

 

“I agree,” Taro spoke up. “We’re glad to have you as part of the family, Liam,” he added. 

 

“Thank you,” Liam said quietly. Hyunjin had noticed that Liam was rather shy— much like Hyunjin had been when he was first turned. Regardless, Hyunjin found some small relief that he was no longer the youngest in the clan. 

 

“Right. All opposed, speak up. All in favor, remain silent,” Soren said curtly. 

 

No one spoke. 

 

“Okay… next order of business, and perhaps the most important...” Taro stood, and Soren took a seat at the head of the table. “Melina and her clan are trying to take over some of our feeding spots. We aren’t sure yet what their motive is— they may be trying to work towards starving us out. Soren and I are monitoring closely. In the meantime, if you encounter any issues when you’re out feeding, we need to know immediately.”

 

“Can we not reach a compromise with them?” Quinn piped up. 

“Melina won’t hear it. I tried to contact her, and she refused to speak to me,” Soren said angrily. “We may be forced to expand our hunting radius. Or worst case, move.”

 

No, no, no. We can’t move, Hyunjin pled silently. He knew if they did, he’d have to go along— or be excommunicated. And in this day and age, it wasn’t exactly safe for vampires to go it alone. Clans were too protective of their domains, and they didn’t particularly enjoy it when outsiders came knocking.

 

“Why not just fight them for it?” Alina joked. 

“The last thing we want is an all out war,” Soren snapped. “You are not to engage with any of them.”

 

“Soren is right. Don’t go after them,” Taro said with an air of finality. “Now. That being said… That’s all we have for tonight. Does anyone have any issues they need to bring up?”

 

“I do,” Hyunjin said, steeling himself for the reaction he knew was coming. “Our turf isn’t the only thing that Melina’s clan is after.”

“Aww, are they going after your widdle human pet?” Lila said shrilly, in a baby voice. “You poor thing.”

 

“Shut up, Lila,” Hyunjin hissed. 

 

“It’s just a pathetic human. Who gives a shit?” Lila laughed harshly. 

 

Hyunjin shot her a deadly glare. 

 

“Lila, if you can’t be civil, see yourself back to your room,” Taro said coldly. “Hyunjin, what’s going on with your human?”

 

“They’ve put people at her workplace, in her classes. And today, Tobias approached her while she was at school. They’re planning something. Or at least, Tobias is.”

“Tobias approached her?!” Soren exclaimed. “Hyunjin… are you okay? Is she okay?”

 

Hyunjin paused for a moment. Since when was Soren concerned for your safety? He still didn’t really even approve of you. 

 

He frowned before continuing.

 

“I know. I’m worried. She… she’s fine though. She got away. Said she had been in a crowded area, thankfully. He wanted to talk to her.”

“There’s just something about him…” Taro murmured. “Keep a close eye. That’s really all I can say.”

 

“You all may go,” Soren waved his hand dismissively. “Except Hyunjin. You stay.”

 

Hyunjin found himself fidgeting once more as the rest of the group filed out, and Soren and Taro took seats across the table from him. 

 

“Hyunjin,” Taro started cautiously, but Soren cut him off.

“You need to think about letting this one go,” Soren said flatly. “I know you care about her. But if Tobias has taken an interest… I know you remember how that went last time. Save yourself the heartache.”

“I can’t do that,” Hyunjin said, tight-lipped and frustrated. He had known this would be Soren’s recommendation. 

“You know Tobias is just trying to start a fight,” Taro interjected. “That man is deranged on a good day. It’s likely the whole reason Melina keeps him around.”

“I know.”

“If they take her,” Soren said in a clipped tone, “you are not to pursue. Keep watch over her, that’s fine. But I am not risking this clan and all of your lives for one human. They outnumber us. I won’t have it. I meant it when I said don’t engage.”

 

Hyunjin took a deep breath, just to clear his head. He knew he had no choice. 

 

“Very well.”

 

Soren and Taro stood and filed out, and Hyunjin caught Taro mouthing “I’m sorry” behind Soren’s back as they went. He flattened his hands on the table, placing his head between them, closing his eyes. His mind was racing. 

 

What am I going to do?

 

—

 

Hyunjin slipped back into your house a little past midnight, locking the door securely. As an extra precaution, he crept from room to room, making sure that no one was lurking. He knew it was absurd– you knew better than to let people in. Especially after you’d accidentally granted him access.

 

But still. 

 

He saved your room for last, and was surprised to find you still awake, lights out save for the glare of the TV, lying in the center of the bed as you looked for something to watch.

 

“You waited up?” He kicked off his shoes and crossed the room to you, crawling to where you lay and curling around you protectively. 

“Annika cancelled me for tomorrow,” you shrugged. “And I mostly finished my homework, so I have literally nothing to do until Saturday except one worksheet… and I started on that tonight, too.”

“Did you eat dinner?” He nuzzled your shoulder, inhaling deeply, the scent of you calming him. 

“I did. Did you?”

“I fed before the meeting.”

 

He felt a bit better now, being back with you, especially when you set the remote aside to take one of his hands in both of your own, sandwiching them together and interlacing your fingers. 

 

“Can I take you on a date tomorrow?” He asked softly, face buried in the crook of your neck. 

“Maybe,” you said, kissing the top of his head. “What if I want to take you on a date tomorrow?”

“Tell me more,” Hyunjin said, leaving soft kisses on your neck now, delighting in the way you whimpered at the contact. 

“The diner we always go to…” You were squirming now, struggling to get words out as he ran the tip of his tongue up your neck to run across the shell of your ear. “Has good burgers… Hyunjin!”

“Hmm?” He had one hand under your nightshirt now, fingertips toying with the hem of your panties. It was not lost on him, how you had started wearing more… provocative… underthings, since the first time he had slept with you. While he liked the look of you in, well, anything, all the lace didn’t hurt. 

 

Not that it mattered. He was already hard, uncomfortably so, as he continued to kiss your neck, your collarbone, jawline. Your warmth felt so good under his lips, his hands. He wondered if you knew just how intoxicating you were to him. It wasn't just your blood that had lured him in. You were just incredible, through and through.  

 

“Hyunjin…” You were moaning now, pretty, breathy little moans as you craned your neck back, allowing him better access. 

 

The smell of your blood, rushing hot and hurried under your soft skin as your racing heart carried it along… he almost lost his resolve then and there as he licked over the now barely-there bite marks from a few weeks prior. 

 

No. Wait.

 

He was off the bed now, shedding his clothing as quickly as he could, and he watched you slip your nightshirt up and off, tossing it aside. Your hands were on the waistband of your panties when he crawled back to you, and he stopped you before you could start to pull them down. 

 

“No. Leave them on.” 

“Oh god,” you mumbled, shutting your eyes tightly as he ghosted over your center. 

 

God. So wet. Always so wet. And hot. FUCK. If I weren’t already dead, she’d be the death of me.

 

“Hyunjin,” you whined again, bucking your hips up against his hand as he traced over the soaked lace covering your folds. 

“Hmm?”

“Please…”

 

He thought for a moment. As much as he enjoyed watching you come undone at his hand, he couldn’t wait. Not tonight. 

 

He slotted himself between your legs, pushing your panties aside and pressing the head of his cock into you, biting his lip when you moaned loudly, arching your back, pushing forward to try and take him that much faster. Slowly, he sank into you, relishing the feel of your heat. When he was fully seated inside you, he let out a long sigh. 

 

He never needed to breathe. But somehow when he was with you like this, he couldn’t catch a breath to save his life. 

 

Figuratively speaking, of course. 

 

He began to thrust, slowly, softly, hissing as you dragged your nails down his chest, obviously enticing him to pick up the pace, fuck you soundly the way he had so many times already since you’d first been together. The two of you had been unable to keep your hands off one another, and he had no regrets. 

 

You were wholly his now, and he couldn’t be happier. 

 

“More,” you begged, hands on his hips, trying to push him faster. 

“No,” he said, leaning down to kiss you tenderly. “Not tonight,” he whispered against your lips.

“But…”

“Let me savor you.”

 

For a short while, you acquiesced, your moans and whines filling the room as he fucked you slowly, taking care to keep the exact angle he knew would push you over the edge, have you insane, screaming his name as you clenched around him. 

 

But before long, he felt your hand creeping down to where your bodies met as he hovered over you, kissing every bit of skin he could reach. He felt you begin to rub circles on your clit, your hand sandwiched between the two of you now as he pressed you harder into the mattress, pushing as deep as he could with every stroke. 

 

“So eager to come, hmm?” He whispered in your ear. 

“Need… to…” You whined. He grazed his fangs over your neck, and grinned as your moans increased in pitch almost immediately. 

 

“Oh please. Oh god. Oh please. Oh god Hyunjin please…” You babbled. 

“Just a bit,” he said softly, lacing fingers in your hair to pull your head to the side, plunging his teeth into your neck. 

 

God. So good. Hot. Wet. So… oh god… so… fucking… good…

 

His thrusts were increasing in speed now, ever so slightly, and he was vaguely aware of your hand picking up its pace as well on your clit. Seconds later, he was pulling away, listening to your shouts of his name as he took his last swallow of your blood. He watched you writhing under him as you came, as he pushed closer and closer to his own end, reaching up with one hand to wipe away an errant drop of blood before it fell onto your chest. 

 

“Fuck,” he growled. “So… close…”

"Come!" You whined, hands scrabbling at his hips.

 

You clenched around him again, tightly , and that was all it took– his body quaking as he came inside you, continuing to move until both of you were overstimulated and clawing at the sheets. 

 

“Oh my…” You mumbled, pulling him down to you, hugging him tightly. “What… inspired…” You heaved between breaths. 

“I just wanted you,” he shrugged. He rolled off of you, wrapping his arms around you as you struggled to calm down. 

“You… I…” You breathed. 

“I care about you, so much,” he whispered, kissing your forehead. “I know today was scary. I want you to know that I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.”

“I…” You started, but stopped. He wondered for a moment, what words were on the tip of your tongue. 

 

He kissed your forehead again, and as he pulled away, his heart swelled as you whispered to him.

 

“I care about you too. And I’m not going anywhere, either.”

 

—

 

Hyunjin was glad for some rest by your side, and even happier that you stayed in bed with him part of the next day. But eventually, he heard your stomach rumbling, and he let you drag him out of bed around noon, desperate for a hot shower and some food. 

 

He good-naturedly allowed you to pay for lunch, and was both amused and endeared by your laughter and jokes as the two of you ate. 

 

Afterwards, he accompanied you to the library, where you insisted you worked better. Less distraction, you insisted as he leaned in to pepper your face with kisses while you sat hunched over your laptop, trying to concentrate.

 

“Stop that,” you giggled. “Here,” you said handing him a piece of paper with some call numbers scribbled on it. “Will you get these for me?”

“Of course,” he replied, taking the paper with a flourish, eeking out another laugh from you, and he grinned. 

 

He treasured all of these little moments with you, more than he could properly express. 

 

He was perusing the shelves when a flash of ginger hair appeared in his periphery. He looked over to see Lila standing there, biting her lip as she smirked at him. 

 

“Doing chores for your little pet?” She said snidely, stepping towards, him, running a hand down his chest. 

“Fuck off, Lila,” Hyunjin snarled. “Don’t fucking touch me.”

 

She took the book he was already holding and tossed it to the floor, pushing him back against the shelves, pressing herself to him, and he had to resist the urge to throw her across the room. 

 

Too many witnesses. Damn her.

 

“You’ve been away from me for too long, Hyunjin,” she whispered. "We both know you belong with me. Not that human trash."

 

Her lips were almost to his, and he was just about to say fuck it all and send her flying, when he heard you. His head spun, and he saw you standing there, the color draining from your face, as you watched the scene in front of you.

 

“What… what the fuck…”

 

Lila laughed and leaned in to press her lips to Hyunjin’s, and he immediately pushed her away, not caring that he had put much too much force into it, sending her staggering away to collide with an empty table behind her. 

 

He looked for you, but you were gone. He barely glimpsed the bright pink of your scarf as you hurried down the stairs. 

 

“Hah,” Lila laughed coarsely, “what a shame. You should just come back to me. We were so good for each other…” She approached him again, but he held up a hand.

 

“Touch me again, and I’ll put you into the wall. Don’t think I won’t.”

 

He left Lila standing there, arms crossed, fury in her deep red eyes. 

 

When he got to the parking lot, your car was already gone. He knew better than to follow you home. Not now. Not like this. He didn’t know how to explain. He’d never even told you about Lila, figuring that leaving the past in the past was best.

 

But now the past had reared its ugly head, and he was suffering for it. He pulled out his phone, sending you a quick message. 

 

Hyunjin [2:13pm]: Please, I can explain. It wasn’t what it looked like

 

You [2:13pm]: Sure, ok, well it looked an awful lot like you were about to go at it in the stacks so… not sure how else I’m supposed to interpret that

 

Hyunjin [2:14pm]: She means nothing to me. She’s… an old flame. Trying to start shit. Please, let me come over, I can explain.

 

Hyunjin [2:16pm]: Please. I am begging you.

 

You [2:17pm]: Go home, Hyunjin. I don’t want to hear it. Not right now. Leave me alone

Chapter 14: Not Done With You Yet

Summary:

Your situation escalates.

Truth be told, you were a little upset at yourself for just how angry you were at Hyunjin. But at the same time, you felt you were justified. 

 

How could he tell me all those things and then… just… do… that? And what's more, how big of an idiot am I?!

 

He continued to message you, and you deleted them as they came in, but woke to more the next morning when you got up to get ready for class. You’d almost forgotten to set an alarm— already used to Hyunjin being your wake up call each morning as he came to bed. 

 

You hadn’t slept well, having become accustomed to him holding you as you fell asleep.

 

You glared at the messages. 

 

Can he just… not?

 

Hyunjin [5:37am]: Can we please talk? 

 

Hyunjin [5:43am]: I know you’re probably still asleep but… please, respond when you wake up. 

 

Hyunjin [5:59am]: Lila means less than nothing to me, I swear. She was just looking to cause trouble. 

 

Hyunjin [6:03am]: I know I'm already coming off as desperate... but I *need* to talk to you. Please.

 

Hyunjin [6:06am]: Maybe I *am* desperate. I care about you so much. Please, I don't want to lose you.

 

You ignored him and went about your day, carefully watching your tracks to and from school, narrowly avoiding sitting next to Elissa once again in research. You noticed that every time you did this, she seemed to be a little more peeved, and for a split second you wished you had Hyunjin there. 

 

No. Don’t be stupid. He’s cheating on you. Cheated on you. Whatever.

 

You opted against staying at the library to do homework that afternoon, somewhat concerned that Hyunjin might try to accost you there, but more so that Tobias would show his face. 

 

Instead, you texted Dimitri the books you needed, and he had them waiting for you at the circulation desk when you got there.

 

“Someone dropped this off for you too,” he said as he slid an envelope across the desk, and you grinned at his thick Russian accent. You often thought you could listen to Dimitri talk all day. 

 

“Thanks,” you said brightly as you loaded the books into your backpack.

“Where’s your boyfriend?”

“Oh uh…” You frowned. “Um. We. Uhh..." You stuttered. You weren't sure how to explain. You'd already had a time explaining to Dany and Nyla, and they were livid. 

 

“I shouldn’t have asked,” Dimitri grimaced. “My apologies.”

“No worries.” You faked a smile.

“Two weeks,” he told you, handing you the receipt. “And don’t forget your letter.”

“Right,” you said, puzzled as you picked up the envelope and made your way towards the door. 

 

There was no writing on it, save for your name. 

 

You opened it as you walked to your car. 

A single scrap of paper was inside, with your address scrawled on it. 

 

You stopped walking, dread filling you, threatening to overwhelm you as you stood there shaking, holding the slip of paper.

 

They know where I live?!

 

You ran to your car as fast as you could, somewhat hindered by your now heavy backpack, throwing it into the passenger seat and driving home as fast as you could. 

 

You thought about calling off for work the next morning, but you didn’t want to make it a habit, especially after you’d already called out a few months prior. You hated to let your work family down. After checking the app your department used to schedule shifts, you were relieved to see that it was Callie on the 11pm-7am shift that night, not Ezra. 

 

It’s just 7-3. I can do this. Ezra won’t be there. The rest of them probably won’t want to come near the ED. Too much blood. 

 

You resigned yourself to bed at an early hour, making sure to set your previously customary multiple alarms, and fell into a fitful sleep after deleting a couple more texts from Hyunjin. 

 

Hyunjin [6:17pm]: I am *begging* you. Please let me explain.

 

Hyunjin [6:25pm]: Please.

 

You woke several hours later to a foreign sound, jolting into a sitting position in bed. The room was pitch dark– you’d hung blackout curtains since Hyunjin had begun sharing your bed, and scarcely anything– from the street lights to the moon, could penetrate the heavy fabric. 

 

You stayed put, listening again. Maybe you were just being paranoid. 

 

But there it was again. 

 

Tap.

 

Tap.

 

Tap.

 

Fuck. The window…

 

You were almost afraid to get up and look, but you mustered up as much courage as you could, peeking outside around the curtains. With the tall bushes outside blocking your view, you couldn’t see anyone there. The tapping had stopped. 

 

Great. Now I have to fucking move, you thought bitterly as you clambered back into bed. You loved this house. You’d lived here since you were six years old, and Ellie and Terrence had gifted it to you, having paid it off while you were a senior in high school. They also helped with upkeep from time to time. You didn’t even want to think of having to pay rent or a mortgage until you were done with grad school. 

 

Who am I kidding, these fuckers would find me anyway. Unless I left town. And maybe even then.

 

You dragged yourself from bed at quarter past six the next morning, having overslept your last alarm after being awake until 3am worrying about your vampire stalkers. Surprisingly, you found no new messages from Hyunjin, which was just as well as it gave you one less thing to think about as you scrambled to get ready and out the door, promising yourself an energy drink from the vending machine when you got settled at work. 

 

You arrived five minutes late, making a dash for the desk, apologizing all the way. 

 

But instead of Callie sitting there, it was Ezra who spun to face you, raising one eyebrow, curiosity on his fair features. 

 

“Oh. I thought it was Callie last night,” you stuttered. 

“Callie was in an accident coming in,” Annika said, walking up behind you. “Ezra seems to be a night owl and was kind enough to pick up at the last second.”

“An accident?!” You spun to face Annika. 

 

Why did you have the feeling that whatever had happened had been no accident at all?

 

“Yes. She’s okay, a few bumps and bruises. I took her off for the weekend, and Ezra is covering.”

“How nice of him,” you said in a clipped tone. 

 

Annika glanced down at her watch and sighed. 

 

“Gotta, go, my meeting beckons… Why I was dragged in for this on a weekend, I will never understand. Have a good day,” she said, patting you on the back. “Don’t tempt the gods today,” she laughed. 

“I make no promises,” you winked, turning back to Ezra, your grin gone in an instant.

“Any transfers coming in this morning?” You kept your distance as you waited for him to give up your chair. 

“Just one– coming from regional, going to the burn unit, direct admit. Should be here around 10,” he said as he packed up his things and stood. He turned to you, staring for a moment, and you looked back at him, puzzled. 

“What are you looking at?”

“You look just like your mother,” he said softly, with a sly smile. Without another word, he turned and walked away, leaving you standing there, shaking once more. 

 

Which… which one... who… what the fuck?!

 

As soon as you had a handle on the department, you texted Ellie. You couldn't say you gave much of a shit about your birth mother considering how she and her husband had thoroughly neglected you as a child.

 

But Ellie? She and Terrence were your world.

 

Please let her be okay.

 

You [8:11am]: Mommmmmmmmm. Mom. Mom. Mother. Mom. 

 

You [8:13am]: Mom. Mom. Ellieeeeeeee

 

Ellie [8:14am]: Why hi there. Up so early on a weekend?

 

You [8:16am]: Alas, I am adulting. Again! This shit is for the birds. I just wanted to say hi, how are you?

 

Ellie [8:17am]: Oh, you know, same old. Working on another blanket for you, I found some pretty yarn at the scrap exchange last weekend. :) We miss you and Hyunjin. It’s been what, a whole two weeks since we saw you two? How is he? You should bring him for dinner soon.

 

You hesitated. You didn’t want to say anything. You knew how much your parents loved Hyunjin already. 

 

You [8:19am]: He’s fine :)

 

You [8:20]: Ok... Clearly me getting on my phone was code for ‘all ambulances in the area please come here’ so I gotta go. Love you. 

 

Ellie [8:20am]: Of course. Love you too.

 

You [8:21am]: Behave ;) Don’t talk to strangers

 

After the flurry of activity, you realized you still hadn’t had any caffeine, and you were feeling it. 

 

As if on cue, you heard your name called, and Astrid was directing a delivery boy to you. 

 

“Coffee from Bean A While?” He asked, setting a cup and a bag in front of you. 

“I didn’t… uh…"

“Oh, it’s been paid for,” he said cheerily. “Have a good day!" He called as he turned and walked away. 

 

You took a deep breath. You weren’t sure about accepting anything you hadn’t bought yourself or been given by a close friend… but the coffee did smell so good. And both the cup and the bag were sealed. 

 

Fuck it, I’m so sleepy.

 

You took a sip of the coffee– a caramel macchiato with extra caramel. Just how you liked it. Inside the bag were two donuts and a folded napkin. When you unfolded it to lay it down on the desk, you glimpsed the writing on it. 

 

I’m sorry.

 

“Of course,” you sighed aloud. “Of fucking course.”

You checked your phone, but had no new messages. You weren’t sure what to make of the coffee. You thought that morning maybe he’d called it quits, but who else would have sent it?

 

You [10:07am]: Did you send me coffee and donuts

 

Hyunjin [10:07am]: Yes.

 

You [10:08am]: Ok

 

You hoped your last message conveyed a sense of finality about the exchange, but what followed was yet another request to talk. You deleted the thread and went back to your work. 

 

Surely, he had to give up sometime. 

 

Right?

 

You still weren’t sure how you would get his things back to him, but you supposed you’d figure it out eventually.

 

—

 

A week passed, and the weekend rolled back around. You had decided to take it off from work, not wanting to risk crossing paths with Ezra again. You spent Saturday with Ellie and Terrence, giving them some story about how Hyunjin had had other obligations with his family. 

 

Technically true, I guess. An obligation to stay there and leave me the fuck alone.

 

You returned home late that night to find Hyunjin sitting on your doorstep. His car was nowhere to be seen. 

 

You knew the cold was nothing to him, but it was snowing, again, and he didn’t even have a coat.

 

Not even trying to hide. And it’s really coming down… wow. He walked all the way here in this? 

 

You tiptoed up the walk, stopping in front of him. He had evidently been there for a while, and was covered in a dusting of snow as he stared down at the rapidly disappearing ground. He looked up at you, brushing the snow from himself as he stood. He made no move to touch you, and for that you were grateful. 

 

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I was worried about you. I needed to at least see with my own eyes that you were safe.”

 

Your heart skipped a beat. You thought back to the many, many messages you’d received from him since the incident. 

 

The way he was looking at you now, pure sorrow in his eyes, hurt too deeply to ignore. 

 

Maybe he is telling the truth.

 

Without another thought, you dipped into his mind. 

 

Regret. Upset. Anger, at his clanmate Lila, for putting him in this position. 

 

He had never wanted to hurt you. 

 

You immediately felt guilty for having checked his head. You supposed you’d be apologizing later. 

 

"I should go..." He said sadly. "I just needed to see you. I'm sorry," he apologized again.

“Wait, no- Do you want to come in?” You asked quietly. “It’s fucking freezing out here.”

“If you’re sure,” he whispered. 

“Come on.”

 

You unlocked the door and let him follow you in. You realized you’d forgotten to leave a light on, but Hyunjin’s hand was around your wrist before you could take another step forward, and he pushed ahead of you. 

 

“Let me go first. You never know.”

 

You guessed he was right. No one had been there in the last week except Dany and Nyla, but if the vampires had human accomplices…

 

You stayed put as he walked into the living room, flipping on a couple lamps, and you waited patiently for him to check every room. When he returned, he beckoned to you from the end of the entryway, before heading back towards the living room. When you got there, he was sitting on the chair in front of the window. You took a seat on the sofa, and held a hand out to him, indicating he should come closer. 

 

“You read my mind, didn’t you?” He asked. 

“I had to,” you mumbled. “I’m sorry.”

“No,” he sighed. “Maybe that’s better. Now you know. I didn’t… I wasn’t… I never meant to...”

“I know.” You stared at your shoes, not wanting to look him in the eye after you’d violated his privacy as you had. He quickly moved to the couch, sliding close to you, taking your hand. 

“I’m sorry,” he said again. “Lila… Lila and I used to be together. It’s been seventy years since we broke up. I’m stuck with her, at least, until one of us leaves the clan,” he muttered, a hint of anger in his voice now. “I should have told you about her.”

 

“I mean, we always want the past to stay there, right?” You glanced up at him, biting your lip.

“True. A bit harder to do when your life is indefinite,” he replied. “Lila is grounded right now. Soren was livid with her for what she did to me. She only wanted to cause trouble.” His brow was furrowed as he spoke. “She hates you,” he added. 

“Why?”

 

“Because you’re human. You’re human, and I’m happy with you, and I’m not with her. And she hates that. She’s always wanted me back– this behavior of hers started not long after I broke it off. She’s been so persistent. But now that I have you, I guess jealousy really got the best of her.”

“Why did Soren ground her?” You wondered aloud. “I thought he didn’t approve of me. Why does he care?”

 

“He cares about me,” Hyunjin explained. “I’ve always been dear to him, even if I do fuck up from time to time. He… was the one who turned me,” he admitted. “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Our clan… we don’t feed on just anyone. We seek out the lowest of society. Those who… deserve it, for lack of better term,” he sighed again. “It was the first time I’d ever dabbled in any sort of bad behavior, and I was just trying to make some money. I was young and stupid.”

“But he turned you. Do you not kill the people you feed from?” You asked. 

 

“No. We leave them alive, usually. We never pick the sort who would be believed if they were to tell their story. But I was different, and Soren could tell. He was going to leave me to die, and he told me that the way I cried was the reason he turned back.”

“I’m glad he did,” you said quietly, squeezing Hyunjin’s hand, attempting a weak smile. He studied you for a moment, and you could see his hesitation. 

 

You closed the small gap between the two of you, crawling into his arms, wrapping yours around him and pressing your head into the crook of his neck. 

 

“I’m sorry,” you mumbled against his skin. “I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions. I never should have stormed out. I just… I’ve…”

“You’ve been in this situation before?” He guessed. 

“More or less. So when I thought it was happening again… I snapped.”

“I can understand why you would.”

“I’m sorry I ignored your texts,” you were crying now. 

“Shh. Please don’t cry,” Hyunjin said, lifting your chin to kiss the tears away. “You were hurt. You had every right to protect yourself. I’d have done the same, honestly.”

“But…”

 

He held a finger to your lips, silencing you. 

 

“Please. I’ll never hold it against you for feeling your feelings.”

“Thank you,” you sniffled. “I know you wouldn’t.”

 

“I’m sorry I let Lila get to me like that,” he told you. “She knew exactly what she was doing… approaching me where there were too many witnesses. I’d have sent her flying otherwise. She has no right to do any of the things she did. Soren threatened to kick her out of the clan if she ever touches me without my consent again. And she’ll never have my consent. For anything.”

“I believe you,” you said, wiping your eyes. “It’s okay.”

 

“So. Where do we stand?” He asked cautiously. 

“What do you mean?” You hugged him tighter. 

“I mean, what now?”

 

You raised a hand to slip it behind his head, fisting in his hair as you dragged him in for a searing kiss. When you pulled away, he stared at you, eyes wide. 

 

“Um.” He said. “What…”

“You… don’t want to…” You started. “Oh.”

“Don’t want to?” He repeated your words. “What do you mean?”

 

You were backing away from him now, feeling somewhat stupid, but he hauled you back immediately, kissing you again, his arms wound firmly around you. 

 

“Please,” he said as he broke the kiss. “Please, don’t ever think, even for one second, that I don’t want you.”

“Okay.”

“Do you trust me?” His eyes were searching yours now, hopeful. 

“Yes.”

 

You rested your head on his shoulder, content for a while to stay in silence, just happy for his presence. 

 

“What have you been up to this week?” He asked, rubbing circles on your back. 

“Oh. I guess… you need to hear about that,” you frowned. You felt him stiffen, and you extracted yourself from his arms to reach over, picking up the envelope off the coffee table and handing it to him wordlessly.

 

“What’s this?” He opened it, pulling out the slip of paper containing your address. 

 

He dropped it a split second later, hissing and baring his fangs in anger, and you winced. He calmed quickly, however, and dragged you into his arms once more. 

 

“Have they come here?”

“I think so. The same day I got that, I heard tapping on my window in the middle of the night. I couldn’t see anyone there. But the bushes outside my window, you know. Kind of out of control. Easy to hide in.”

“We should take care of that,” he murmured. “I’ll call someone tomorrow.”

“It’s snowing buckets,” you laughed. “It can wait. If you’re here I think it’ll be okay, right?”

“I hope so.”

“What do you mean you hope so?” 

 

Hyunjin seemed to be hesitating, but you waited patiently for him to speak. 

 

“Tobias. He… He is, as I’m sure you’ve guessed, not a very good person. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself, and he doesn’t adhere to boundaries. It's rumored that even Melina has a hard time keeping tabs on him, and she's the leader of his clan.”

“I had gathered that he was no good,” you said, sitting up again to look at Hyunjin. “He seemed kind of… off.”

“He is. Very. I’m not sure of much about him, but he seems to be able to get people to like him despite that. He certainly did with Evie. Before I knew it, she had completely abandoned me. It didn’t take long…” he trailed off, clearly upset. 

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” you sighed. “But I’m not going anywhere.” 

 

You stifled a yawn as you took his hand. 

 

“Except maybe to bed,” he raised an eyebrow. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but you look very tired.”

“That’s absurd, I got a full two and a half hours of sleep every night this week,” you giggled. “Ish.”

“Uh-huh,” he laughed. “Okay. Come on. Let’s go to bed.”

“You’re not going to sleep, are you?” You made a face. 

“I just want to hold you,” he said simply. “Please?”

“I think that can be arranged.”

 

—

 

You woke the next morning to Hyunjin’s lips on your neck, leaving soft, tender kisses. The two of you were still in the exact position you’d gone to bed in, you on your side and him behind you.

 

You’d slept so well, feeling safe and cozy as he held you.

 

You moaned low as you felt him nibble lightly on your neck, thinking now about him biting you, drinking from you. 

 

Why is that so hot, anyway? God. Too bad he just did that a week ago. I should start taking iron, ha.

 

You squirmed against him as he began to suck a mark into your skin, reaching up behind you to grab his hair, pulling lightly, earning yourself a hiss from him. 

 

“Feeling feisty this morning?” You asked, whining as he licked the spot he’d just been working on, and you tugged on his hair harder. 

 

“Perhaps,” he said, and you could hear the lust in his voice, feel his hardness as he pressed himself against you more firmly. He had one hand trailing down your body now, reaching between your legs, pulling them apart and maneuvering the topmost one back over his own for easier access to your center. 

 

“Hyunjin,” you whimpered as he pushed your panties to one side, slipping a finger inside you. 

“Good morning,” he whispered in your ear as he added a second finger. 

“Morning,” you choked out as he started to thrust roughly. You brought your hands up to clutch at his other arm that was still wrapped around you. “What–”

“I dreamed about this,” he murmured against your neck. “I needed to make it a reality.”

“I–” You couldn’t think straight. 

“Rub your clit,” he said, his tone commanding as he nipped at your neck again. 

“Hyunjin…”

“Do it. Now.”

 

You obeyed, reaching down, crying out as your fingers brushed the sensitive nub. You were close enough to release without the additional contact. 

 

“Come for me,” he breathed, his lips on the shell of your ear, his pace quickening as you continued to make small circles on your clit. “Let go.”

 

You closed your eyes, breathing out slowly, and then you were crashing, your body a live wire as you writhed against Hyunjin. He did not slow, even after you took your own hand away, continuing to plunge his fingers into you. 

 

“Stop, stop,” you finally babbled, feeling like you were on the verge of going insane. “Stop. Too much. Oh god."

“So you need to rest before I fuck you?” He chuckled. “I suppose I can give you a few moments.”

 

You rolled to face him, making a face as you saw his mischievous grin. 

“Only a few moments?” 

“You heard me,” he replied, pressing his lips to yours, biting your lower lip, pushing his tongue into your mouth as he pulled you close to him again. 

You reached up to pull his hair again, dragging his head back so you could kiss down his neck. But then he was pushing you away, hand on your shoulder, forcing you onto your back, rolling on top of you. 

 

“Pull my hair one more time. I dare you,” he said, voice low and almost dangerous as he hovered over you, kissing your neck again, pulling your shirt down to lick at your collarbone. 

 

You hesitated for just a second before reaching up, fisting both hands in his hair, jerking hard, a sly grin on your lips as he let out a deep growl, fixing you with a piercing stare. 

 

You lost your grip quickly as he moved off you, ripping your panties down and flinging them at the wall as he flipped you onto your stomach. He pulled your hips up, guiding you until your ass was in the air, and he slipped your nightshirt up, exposing you to him as he ran his fingers between your folds. 

 

“Oh my god,” you whimpered, anticipating what you knew was coming next. You could scarcely catch your breath as you felt him pulling his sweatpants down, his hard cock nudging your entrance now, and he slammed inside you in one stroke. 

 

“Fuck,” he mumbled as he grasped your hips tightly, using them for leverage as he started to thrust, slow for only a few seconds before he set a punishing pace, the sound of him pushing into you absolutely obscene, interspersed with your moans and cries of his name. 

 

“Hyunjin, oh god, oh god, oh fuck…”

 

In response, he reached down with one hand, pulling your hair, and you wanted to scream from all the sensations you were feeling at once. His hard cock, driving into you relentlessly. The sting of his hand fisted in your hair, the pressure from his fingers on your hip, and you knew there would be bruises– sensory overload was putting it lightly. 

 

You were vaguely aware that he was calling out your name, over and over, as his strokes became more and more inconsistent. 

 

“Gonna…” He whined. “Oh fuck…”

 

He pushed inside you, stilling his thrusts, holding your hips tight as he shuddered with the force of his release, still calling your name under his breath. 

 

When he did pull out, you rolled to one side, grinning softly as you watched him crawl to you, visibly shaking as he tugged you into his arms, and you rested your head against his chest. 

 

“Hi,” you said quietly. “Are you okay?”

“Mmhmm,” he murmured in response. 

“Thank you for sharing your dream,” you giggled, biting your lip. “Please feel free to share again anytime in the future.”

“Oh?”

 

You shifted to look him in the eyes, more than a little pleased to see that he looked so completely fucked-out, clearly in a daze. 

 

“I’d be disappointed if you didn’t.”

“So you… you liked that.” He was studying your face, uncertainty written on his own. 

“Did you not pick up on that?” You raised an eyebrow. “I thought I made myself clear.”

“I guess you did,” he said as he kissed you softly. 

“If you’re ever not sure, just ask,” you told him firmly. “Honestly, there’s probably not much I wouldn’t let you do– but you should also know that being fucked from behind like that is a personal favorite.” You winked. 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he bit his lip as he stared you down, and for a second you wondered if he was contemplating round two– something you wouldn’t be opposed to at all.

“I am a little surprised that you’re not still asleep though,” you laughed. “Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

“Oh.” He looked sheepish now. “I… might have fallen asleep not long after you did.” He put a hand over his face as you began to laugh. 

“A vampire sleeping at night… Now I’ve really heard everything. If Soren thinks you’re soft for a human now, what would he say knowing you fell asleep next to one at midnight?” You were giggling wildly, and Hyunjin put his other hand over your face, sending you further into your fit of laughter.

“You’re never going to let me live this down, are you?” 

“It’s not my fault you’re so good at giving me ammunition,” you pouted. “It would be a crime if I let these things go unnoticed.”

“Sure, sure,” he scoffed. “What’s your schedule today?”

“I have to work at 3pm,” you sighed. “Ask me how excited I am.”

“How excited–”

“I’m not excited, that was rhetorical, you smartass,” you cut him off, tapping him on the nose.

“Can I take you for lunch before your shift?” 

“Hmm. I guess that’s okay,” you nodded. 

“Good,” he grinned, eyeing you, biting his lip. “But first…”

 

—

 

You dragged Hyunjin out of bed around noon, when he’d finally tired you out so much that you were wondering about your ability to form coherent thoughts at work later. You shared a shower, and he dug your car out of the snow, insisting on driving to lunch, and work, and that he’d pick you up after your shift. 

 

You got to work to see that the department was in an uproar, par for the course on a Sunday afternoon. You were glad Hyunjin had insisted on stopping to get you a coffee, because you barely had a minute to breathe, let alone think, as patients kept coming in the door. 

 

As if the day couldn’t get any better, at 10:45, you heard a code blue called over the radio, 10 minutes out. 

 

Super. Guess I’m getting out late.

 

You texted Hyunjin to let him know, and were ready and waiting at the entrance to the trauma bay when the paramedics arrived. One of them was sitting on the ambulance stretcher, giving chest compressions as they wheeled the patient in. 

 

You froze when you saw their face.

 

It was Aiden.

 

Florian was at your side quickly, shooing you away when he realized who it was. Kiran took your place as runner, and you returned to the desk, staring at the closed curtain in shock, listening to the chaos on the other side. 

 

“1 mg Epi given!”

 

“Here, switch out with me!”

 

“Let’s hold for a rhythm check.”

 

“Nothing… resume compressions!”

 

Time was passing in slow motion, the sounds of the department fuzzy in your ears. All you could hear was the code, the alarms, the shouts. 

 

Then, finally, the words you’d been dreading.

 

“Ok, everyone stop. Stop. I’m calling it,” you heard Dr. Petersen say. “Time of death, 11:32pm.”

 

You heard a scream, no doubt from Aiden’s mother, who had arrived in the middle of the code, and been allowed to stay. You watched as she came tearing out of the trauma bay, sobbing, Kiran on her heels. One by one, your coworkers filed out, some of them nodding to you. 

 

They all had known Aiden, you’d brought him to more than one department party during your time together. 

 

You slipped into the room once it was empty, save for Aiden, still lying there on the stretcher, a sheet pulled up to his chin. Trash was scattered across the floor, and the monitor still beeped in the background, demanding to be reattached. You turned it off, and moved closer to the body.

 

“Oh Aiden,” you sighed under your breath. “What happened to you?” You adjusted the sheet, holding back tears. As terribly as he had treated you, he still didn’t deserve… whatever this was.

 

You froze when you saw two tiny marks just under his jawline. Perhaps in the past, you wouldn’t have paid it any mind. To someone who didn't know, it might have been a nick from a razor.

 

But now you knew exactly what it was. 

 

You left the room at once, trying not to freak out any more than you already were, standing outside the curtain for a second to catch your breath. When you looked up, Ezra was standing at the desk, a smug smile on his face. 

 

Fuck.

 

The realization hit you like a ton of bricks. 

 

Ezra.

 

He... It was him.

 

“You’re still here?” Florian called as he passed you, stopping with a curious stare. "Sweetie, go home."

“Yeah. I’m going. I need to give handoff to Ezra.”

“I’ll do it,” he waved a hand. “I’m here til 3am. You have class tomorrow, don’t you?”

 

You nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Good, so get home then, rest. And… I’m sorry. I know he was an ass, but I’m sure that doesn’t make it any easier.” He walked away, over to Ezra, who you tried to ignore as you gathered your things and made a mad dash out of the department, barely holding in tears now. You could feel the vampire’s eyes on you as you left, and you shivered. 

 

Thankfully, Hyunjin was waiting, parked outside the lobby, and you threw yourself into the passenger seat, only somewhat aware of his confusion at your panicked state. 

 

“What–”

“They killed him,” you stammered. “They killed Aiden.”

Chapter 15: Point of Extinction

Summary:

Things get a little crazier, but you have an idea of how to put an end to the chaos.

You had to remind Hyunjin several times to slow down on the way back to your house. He still drove too fast despite the icy roads, teeth gritted, knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. He ushered you into the house quickly, looking to make sure you hadn’t been followed, and made you wait in the entryway once again while he checked the house, before he let you in. 

 

You wandered to your bedroom, still in shock. You couldn’t get the image of Aiden’s lifeless body out of your head. But even worse was the look on Ezra’s face as he stared at you from across the department. 

 

Maybe they didn’t know that Aiden wasn’t important to you anymore. But that wasn’t the point, was it? They clearly knew who you had been spending time around recently– how long had they been watching you, exactly?

 

You couldn’t even cry– you weren’t sure what to feel. Aiden had not treated you well, that was for sure. But this? He didn’t deserve to die. Not on your account.

 

You showered quickly, throwing on a nightshirt and crawling into bed, where Hyunjin was waiting. You curled into a ball next to him, and he slipped an arm around you. 

 

“I’m sorry,” you started. 

“No. Don’t be sorry. What happened to you tonight was traumatic. Is traumatic. I told you, it’s okay to feel your feelings.”

“Okay.”

 

“How about a distraction?” He offered. 

“Like what? I have an early class, so a movie is probably out of the question.”

“No, I know you need to get to sleep soon. But I wanted to talk about Valentine’s Day.”

“Valentine’s Day is a corporate holiday, and the only thing good about it is half price candy on the 15th.” You raised an eyebrow as he huffed, displeased with your statement. 

“I know. But it’s also an excuse for me to do something nice for you.”

“Oh yes, I was wondering when you’d start treating me nicely.” You rolled your eyes. "Honestly, Hyunjin."

“Please?” 

 

You sighed.

“If it’s that important to you, I guess we can do something. Since you are a hopeless romantic,” you said, turning so he could see you grinning at him. He kissed your forehead. 

“Okay. Nothing big, I promise. Dinner here?”

“You said you don’t cook.”

“I can try,” he wrinkled his nose. 

 

You eyed him dubiously. 

 

“We could order takeout from somewhere nice. But nowhere too expensive. Or I could cook. Either way.”

“Do you just not trust me in your kitchen?”

“Well, you almost did burn the eggs that one time you made dinner for me, so… other than the coffee maker, no. No I absolutely don’t,” you giggled, glancing at your phone to check the time, and groaning. It was already almost 1am. 

“Is everything okay?”

“I don’t want to go to class tomorrow,” you whined. “I know those vampires will be there. I’m fucking sick of this shit.” You nuzzled Hyunjin’s shoulder. “I just want to stay in bed.”

“Maybe you should switch to online classes.”

“Can’t,” you said flatly.

“Why not?”

“Well first off, that’s not how it works. You can’t just hop to a different learning modality on a whim. I would have had to have chosen online courses when I enrolled for spring. And last fall, I didn’t have the vampire stalker problem… That I knew of, anyway.”

“Can you drop the classes?” He ran a hair through his hair exasperatedly.

 

“Also no, unless you have an extra two thousand dollars lying around that you want to give me because I would not get my money back.” You raised a hand to press over his mouth as he opened it to speak. “And no, that’s not actually an option, don’t even offer.” You frowned as you heard him grumbling behind your hand. He moved it away. 

“But–”

“No, Hyunjin. It’s not an option. It’s past the cutoff and I’d earn failing grades for the courses. And then I’d get booted. Stupid rule, yeah, but this program is really competitive. It was hard to get in to begin with, and I had really good grades in undergrad.”

“So you’re saying you’re not budging.”

“Yep.”

“So… can I go to classes with you, then?”

“They don’t allow auditing of grad level courses.” You were a little annoyed now. You knew this was important. It might mean your life. 

 

But you didn’t want to throw away your entire future either. What was the point of a life without a future?

 

Hyunjin sighed heavily, and you could tell how frustrated he was at the entire situation– not even counting the fact that you were not willing to withdraw or change your school plans, which you imagined was extremely upsetting all on its own. 

 

“Why don’t you just let me support you?”

“Pretty sure you’d have to have Soren’s approval for that one, and he doesn’t approve of me to begin with so you’d already be fighting a losing battle.”

“Well, you got me there.”

“Yes, I know.”

 

You rolled over to set an alarm, and hesitated. 

 

Maybe missing one day is okay. I’m ahead on stuff in one class anyway. I can just send a couple emails. 

 

“Something wrong?” Hyunjin reached over to lay a hand on your back. 

“I think I’m going to skip tomorrow. I can email my professors. I’ll just tell them someone close to me died. They don’t have to know it was my shitty ex.”

“If that’s what you think is best.”

“Yeah,” you said softly, setting your phone on silent and placing it on the charger. “It’ll be fine. I have some non-vampiric classmates I can text and get notes from,” you laughed. 

 

You turned the light out and slipped under the covers with Hyunjin, turning on your side so he could spoon you. 

“Get some rest,” he whispered. “I’m staying right here.”

“Ah, sleeping at night again?” You snorted. "You really have gone soft."

“I am not,” came the retort from behind you, and you could hear the pout in his voice. 

“Uh-huh. Okay. Sweet dreams, Hyunjin.”

“I’m not sleeping,” he insisted.

“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

 

—

 

As Valentine’s Day loomed, you were absolutely, completely torn over what to get Hyunjin. Now it wasn’t just the ‘what to get for someone with money’ thing, but what to get for a partner who was a hopeless romantic– and one who didn’t just see Valentine’s as a way for corporations to make money. 

 

It was also your first Valentine’s with him, so you weren’t feeling particularly inspired. Maybe if you’d been dating a little longer, it would have felt different. But now it was just awkward, new relationship feelings all over again. 

 

You’d done the math after Hyunjin had suggested takeout from a higher end restaurant in town, and decided that you’d cook after all– it was cheaper, and required less running around town. Naturally, Hyunjin was somewhat against this, feeling then like he’d cornered you into the holiday and was now inconveniencing you.

 

However, he was easy enough to shut up with several kisses and the reassurance that you loved cooking for people you cared about, no matter what.

 

Which was very true. It wasn't going to be the first time you'd cooked for him.  

 

“You really don’t have to–” He’d tried to say, multiple times. 

“So. Prime rib, then?”

“But–”

“Shh,” you pulled him in for yet another kiss. “With rosemary potatoes. And… some kind of other vegetable that’s not carrots,” you winked, and he rolled his eyes. 

 

You had scoured the mall a few days before Valentine’s, winding up at a store that offered a variety of gifts, and free engraving to boot. You settled on a simple metal and leather bracelet, and had it engraved with his and your initials, a tiny heart between them. It was so cheesy, but at the same time, you knew he’d love it. 

 

The 14th arrived, and after barring Hyunjin from the kitchen that afternoon, you busied yourself with cooking an elaborate dinner. When you did allow him back in to help carry things to the table, you stopped short when you walked into the dining room. 

 

Every surface surrounding the dining table was covered with vases of your favorite flowers. The lights were turned low, with candles lit in the center of the table. 

 

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Hyunjin murmured, taking the plate from your hands, setting it down and sweeping you up into a kiss. 

 

You thought for just a second about reminding him about the talk regarding going overboard, but decided against it. To him, this was probably normal. 

 

Either way, your heart swelled with happiness at the gesture. It seemed he was always looking for ways to show you he cared, and this instance was no exception. 

 

You were a little nervous when it came time for gifts. However, you quickly found you had nothing to be nervous about— Hyunjin was over the moon about the bracelet, and insisted you help him put it on immediately. As he traced the engraving with his fingertip you thought you saw a sad expression flicker across his pretty features.

 

You weren’t sure why, entirely. But then it dawned on you.

 

The bracelet would likely still be around long after you were gone. 

 

He handed you a slim, rectangular item, wrapped in pretty red paper. You carefully unwrapped it to find a leather bound journal. 

 

When you flipped through it, however, instead of seeing blank pages, you noticed that a fair amount of them were filled with Hyunjin’s writing. You went back to the first page and started to read. 

 

We're on the road with the same motivation

Taking chances

Letting the time run out

Cause you know that I've been down

Feeling I have got no appreciation

And it's filling me up from under ground

And you know that I've been up to my eyes in doubt

 

The chorus to one of your favorite Sherwood songs— and under it, more writing. 

 

This no longer rings true— though maybe it did at the start of us. I began with it here because of that. At the beginning, I was scared. Scared you’d reject me. Doubting that you’d ever give me a chance. But now, all my doubt is gone. All that remains is the desire to be with you, to give you all the happiness that I know you deserve. I hope these pages help you smile when nothing else will. I care about you so deeply, and I’ll never stop reminding you how special you are to me. — Hyunjin

 

You glanced up at him, tears in your eyes. 

 

“Hyunjin, I— this is…” You stammered. He took your hand and squeezed it gently. 

“Do you like it?”

“Very much,” you nodded. “Thank you.”

 

Hyunjin insisted on cleaning up dinner by himself, which worked for you, as you’d gone ahead and done the cliché thing and bought some nice lingerie to surprise him with. You slipped out of the kitchen with the excuse that you were going to lie down, you were so full from the meal. 

 

You quickly changed what you were wearing for the lacy black babydoll and matching panties you’d bought, running to the bathroom for a moment to study yourself in the mirror, brushing your teeth and hair while you were there. Satisfied, you arranged the pillows on the bed and lay back against them, waiting for Hyunjin. 

 

“Are you feeling a little better?” He asked as he swung the door open, and you grinned mischievously as you watched him take in the sight in front of him. “Ah. So being full was a ruse, hmm?” He crossed the room, sitting down next to you on the bed, but he did not touch you. 

 

“It might have been a bit of a ruse,” you admitted. “Sorry for deceiving you.” 

“Don’t be,” he returned, trailing one hand down your side, continuing down your leg to your knee, then back up your inner thigh, stopping just before he reached your center. He raised an eyebrow as he saw you inhale sharply— you had not anticipated that he would stop, and you were already aching for him, wetness growing from the moment you’d put on the lingerie. 

 

He stood, shedding his clothing slowly, and you were pleased to see that he was already affected, cock hard and leaking pre-cum. He crawled onto the bed, straddling your hips, leaning down to kiss you deeply, hands exploring, caressing your breasts through the flimsy fabric that covered them. He grinned into the kiss as he pinched your nipples, and you whined his name. 

 

“So pretty,” he murmured as he pulled back, sitting up to look down at you. He ran fingertips down your neck, and you squirmed, bucking your hips into his. “So pretty, and all mine. But what shall I do with you first?”

 

Your heart skipped a beat, and he chuckled at your expression. 

 

“Hyunjin,” you whispered as he leaned down, running his tongue down your neck, stopping at your collarbone to suck a mark into your skin just below. 

 

“Hmm, I think I know what I want,” he said quietly. He climbed off you, slipping your panties down and off in one swift motion. You waited, impatiently, unsure of what he was going to do, only knowing that you needed him to touch you. He parted your legs and lay down between them, bringing fingers to your folds, and you heard him moan when he felt just how wet you were. 

 

Slowly, he slipped two fingers inside you, watching you throw your head back onto the pillows. 

 

“Hyunjin.”

 

You heard him murmur your name just before his tongue brushed against your clit, and you moaned loudly at the contact. Kissing him was one thing— always somewhat strange, your difference in temperature. But as he licked and sucked at your clit, fingers pumping inside you, curling them just so, you thought you might lose your mind. You reached down, one hand fisting in his hair, tugging lightly. 

 

This only seemed to spur him on more, and he increased the pace, the pressure of his strokes, the intensity at which he was running his tongue in circles over your swollen and sensitive clit.

 

“Oh. Oh god,” you whined. You were already close. 

 

“Mmm,” he murmured against you. “You taste… so good…”

 

You pulled his hair again, harder, pressing your wet cunt more firmly against his face, and he began to thrust harder still, working you thoroughly with his fingers and tongue. You could feel your release building, and as his name poured from your lips, you crashed, pleasure coursing through you like you’d never felt before. 

 

He did not push you to overstimulation this time, but did not move from between your legs either, and you felt him tracing the inside of your thigh with a fingertip. 

 

You’d seen enough movies and devoured enough books to know what was on his mind, without having to read it. 

 

“Go ahead,” you whimpered, head still spinning. 

“Only a few swallows. I wanted… to bite you a couple times tonight,” he said huskily. 

 

Oh god. How many times is this man planning on making me come?!

 

His fangs were in your thigh not a second later, and while he did only take a few mouthfuls, it was more than enough to push you into another intense orgasm, and you tried desperately to catch your breath as you yelled his name. 

 

He crept up the bed to you as you came down, lying next to you, idly running one hand over your exposed skin, up under the lingerie you still wore. You turned your head to look at him, sighing happily.

 

He made a face and jumped up, heading for the bathroom. You heard water running and the sounds of brushing teeth, and then he was back, slotting himself against you, kissing you once again. 

 

You reached down to find he was still hard, and grasped his cock at the base, giving him a few long, firm strokes. 

 

“Oh. Ohhhh.” He hissed. “Don’t stop. Please.”

“I have a better idea,” you whispered, raising up to push him onto his back, sitting down on him, rubbing your slick folds up and down his cock. 

“I… oh,” he screwed his eyes shut tight as you moved on him. “This is a better idea.”

 

You raised up a bit, guiding him with one hand to your entrance, sinking down slowly until you were fully seated, and he let out a low groan. 

 

You began to move at once: long, slow thrusts that had him clawing at your hips, trying to get you to move faster. 

“Faster,” he demanded, and you smirked.

“You want more?” You asked, reaching up to twist his nipples. 

“Fuck,” he spat. “I want to fuck you senseless. That’s what I want.” 

 

He reached for you, pulling you down to him, and then you found yourself on your back, and he was thrusting now, hard, so hard, so fast.

You reached up with the intent to pull his hair, and in the same second found your wrists pinned to the mattress on either side of your head as he continued to slam into you. 

 

He leaned down, brushing his fangs over your neck, laughing softly as your whines and moans increased. He knew exactly what you were wanting. 

 

“You like it when I bite you.”

“Feels… so… good…” You whimpered. “Please…”

“As you wish,” he whispered, releasing one of your wrists to wind his fingers in your hair, turning your head to give him better access. He bit gently, but firmly, drinking slowly, moaning against your skin, his thrusts quickly becoming messy. You reached the edge together, your moans filling the room as he withdrew his fangs. He pressed his face into your shoulder as he slowed and stilled, while you squirmed under him, every nerve in your body feeling as if it were aflame. 

 

It felt as though an eternity had passed when he moved to rest next to you once more. 

“I’m getting the feeling,” you heaved, still trying to slow your breathing, “that you like to be in control.”

“You might be right,” he grinned slyly. “Is that a problem?”

“Absolutely not.”

“It’s okay,” he bit his lip as he traced the patterns in the lace you wore. “I already know you’re a brat.”

“Hyunjin!” You smacked him in the chest and he laughed, pulling you into an embrace. 

“Am I wrong?”

“Don’t tempt me,” you grumbled against his smooth skin. 

“Ah, and what happens if I do?” He moved to look down at you.

“You’ll be in for a long night.”

“I’m nocturnal… Try me.”

 

—

 

Almost one week later, you sat at work, thoroughly regretting picking up the shift. It was a typically busy Saturday, and you’d scarcely had a breather. Midterms were coming too, and you wished you’d taken the time off to study, instead. 

 

Oh well.

 

You blinked in surprise as your trackboard refreshed, and Nyla’s name popped up. 

 

“Hey,” Kiran called to you around the corner. “Your friend is here. She needs a bed ASAP... where do you want her?"

“I saw,” you mumbled, concerned. “Bed 25 is open.”

 

You were grateful your shift was over in five, and you hurriedly gave handoff to Callie, distracted as hell and itching to go see your friend. 

 

You clocked out, grabbing a couple blankets from the warmer, and slipped into the curtained area where Nyla lay on a stretcher, Florian at her side, drawing labs and starting an IV. He hung a bag of fluid and left, patting you on the back as he went.  

 

“Hi,” she mumbled. “Fancy seeing you here.” She frowned as you stared at her, eyes wide. She was pale, so much more so than normal, and you took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

 

“Nyla, what happened?!” You spread the blankets over your friend, taking a chair and scooting it next to her. “Did a doc already see you?”

“Girl. Yes. And as for what happened, you’d never believe me if I told you.” She shook her head, and as she did, you noticed the marks on her neck. Two perfect, tiny puncture wounds. 

“Nyla?” You heard Dany’s voice from outside the curtain. 

“Bed 25,” you called. 

“Oh, thank god you’re here,” Dany exclaimed as she walked in, pulling up a seat next to you. “Nyla, what the fuck. I told you. That guy was weird. What did he do to you? You look like a fucking ghost.”

“Wait, what guy?” Your heartbeat quickened. 

“Some dude we met at a bar last weekend,” Dany made a face. “I thought he was an odd bird. But dumb dumb here went on a date with him anyway tonight, and now look where we are.” She reached out to hit Nyla gently in the leg. 

“Look. Tobias seemed cool,” Nyla said, clearly frustrated. “Until he got me alone. And then, well…”

 

“Hey,” Dany said, nudging you. “Are you okay? I feel like you’re trying to out-pale Nyla.”

 

You couldn’t think. You closed your eyes for a second, trying to keep the panic at bay. You were glad for Florian swooping back in, though he was brandishing paperwork at Nyla. 

 

“Your blood counts are in the toilet, missy. We need to transfuse you. Sign here please,” he pointed, and Nyla scrawled her signature. Florian thanked her and flitted back out of the room, promising to be back soon. 

 

“Hello,” Nyla waved a hand in front of your face. “What is your deal? Do you know Tobias?”

“I’ve… met him. Once,” you said through gritted teeth. 

“Total creeper, right?” Dany elbowed you. “Nyla, what the fuck did he do to you?”

“You guys won’t believe me.”

 

“Try me.” The words were out of your mouth before you could stop them, and you pulled down your scarf, revealing the half-healed bite marks on your own neck from the week before. 

 

“I’m sorry, but what the actual fuck?!” Dany blurted out, and you shushed her, carefully putting your scarf back into place. 

 

“So he bit you too,” Nyla said grimly. You bit your lip and flushed red.

“Well… no.”

“Wait. Wait wait wait wait. Hold up.” Dany put her hand on your arm. “Nyla, Tobias… bit you?”

“It would seem that vampires are real,” Nyla said under her breath. “I swear to all the gods I am telling the truth.”

“That’s fucking ridiculous.” Dany shook her head. “I think you’re hallucinating.”

“No, Nyla is telling the truth.” You shuddered as you spoke the words. 

 

You weren’t supposed to tell anyone. You’d sworn yourself to secrecy. Promised Hyunjin and Soren. 

 

And here you were. 

 

“What? But… if Tobias didn’t…” Dany stared at you. “Then… who…”

 

Nyla whispered your name, and you turned to her.

 

“Don’t. Don’t fucking say it. Do not tell me that Hyunjin is a vampire.”

“Okay,” you shrugged. “I won’t tell you then.”

“Surely you can’t be serious,” Dany mumbled, crossing her arms tightly. 

“I am, and don’t call me Shirley,” you said, trying very hard to keep a straight face.

“This isn’t funny,” Dany sighed. “You’re for real. Vampires. Are real.”

 

“I can attest to the fact that they are,” you nodded. “And I wasn’t supposed to say shit– so the two of you can’t either. If Hyunjin’s clan leader knew I’d told anyone… I’d be in big trouble.”

“So let me get this straight. You,” she pointed at you. “Are dating. A vampire. Hyunjin is a vampire.”

“That’s correct,” you grimaced. 

“And you,” she pointed at Nyla. “Went on a date with a creepy guy who just happens to be a vampire. That you know,” she pointed back at you.

“I don’t really know him. He’s a member of the other clan that lives in the city. He’s apparently kind of… unhinged, according to Hyunjin.”

“Nyla, you’re not allowed to date anymore,” Dany said dryly. “And if you do, I'm screening these guys for you.”

“Wait, wait though,” Nyla piped up. “I have a question.”

 

Florian came back into the room, Astrid at his side, and the three of you fell silent as the two nurses checked and hung a unit of blood for Nyla. Ten minutes later, they were gone again. 

 

“What’s your question, Nyla?” You asked.

“Those marks on your neck look… fresh.”

“They’re like… a week old.” You pursed your lips. “Why?”

“You let him bite you? For funsies?! Is this like… a sex thing?!”

“Um.” You weren’t sure what to tell them. “Uhh.”

 

“Woah woah woah. Please don’t tell me you get off on it.” Dany made a face.

“Again, okay, I won’t tell you.” You were flushing red now, hiding your own face as your best friends stared you down. 

“Wow.” Nyla laughed. “Just… wow.”

“I can feel your judgment,” you sighed. “I can’t really explain it.”

“It’s okay,” Nyla reached for your hand. “Hyunjin makes you happy, doesn’t he?”

“Very.”

“Guess we need to figure out some other form of torture for him if he hurts you,” Dany wondered aloud. “Since killing him is off the table.”

“You two are not freaking out about this as much as I thought you might.”

"I know. It's okay, we have plenty of time for freakouts later."

 

“Okay,” Dr. Raferty slid in, nodding at you as she stopped at the foot of Nyla’s stretcher. “Your blood counts were dangerously low. You need to see a gynecologist about those heavy periods, as soon as possible. We need to admit you overnight for more blood, and you can probably go home tomorrow. Sound good?”

“Yes, thank you,” Nyla nodded, and Dr. Raferty left.

“Heavy periods. Really, Nyla.” You rolled your eyes.

“It was the quickest thing I could think of,” Nyla grumbled. “You try… oh wait.” She waggled her eyebrows suggestively.

“Yeah don’t forget, Nyla, she likes this shit.” Dany said with an impish grin. “Ooh, Hyunjin, suck my blood!”

“I don’t…” You started, but both your friends were giggling wildly now. 

 

I'm never going to live this down. Fuck me.

 

Your phone buzzed, and you realized you'd forgotten to text Hyunjin when your shift ended. 

 

Hyunjin [11:49pm]: Where are you?!

 

You [11:49pm]: Sorry!! Still at work. Leaving in a second. 

 

You [11:50pm]: Actually… Can you come get me?

 

Hyunjin [11:50pm]: What’s wrong???

 

You [11:51pm]: Just come get me. I’ll explain when we get home.

 

You said goodnight to Dany and Nyla, after making them promise to change their locks and not invite anyone into their apartment. You thanked all the gods that they hadn’t invited Tobias in to begin with– Dany had forbade it. 

 

You refused to tell Hyunjin anything until you were safely locked in your house, and you sat him down on the sofa, trying to remain calm as you explained what had happened to Nyla, and what you’d had to tell her and Dany. 

 

“They won’t tell anyone,” you said quickly. “I trust them.”

“I do too. That’s not the issue here though. Tobias is trying to get closer to you. He’s attacked your– our– friend. Who’s going to be next? Or am I going to have to seek him out and kill him, so this stops?”

“You said Soren told you not to engage with the other clan,” you retorted. “Don’t start a war on my behalf.”

“I…” Hyunjin dropped his head into his hands. “I don’t know what else to do at this point.”

 

You took a deep breath. You knew of a perfect solution. 

 

“Why don’t you just turn me?”

Chapter 16: The Coldest Heart

Summary:

Things just keep getting worse.

Hyunjin stared at you, unblinking, as the words left you. 

 

“You want me to…”

“Turn me. I won’t be a target anymore. Well. Hopefully,” you sighed. “I feel like me no longer being human would be a drastic improvement to the situation though.”

 

Hyunjin stood up, arms crossed tightly, and began to pace the living room. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, he spoke.

 

“No. I won't do it."

“You’re being ridiculous. Why not?”

“Because I can’t.”

 

You were already frustrated with him. 

 

What is the big deal? 

 

“So you’re not even going to hear me out. Or tell me why you supposedly can't do it."

“That’s correct,” Hyunjin replied.

“That’s absurd.”

“It is not,” he said flatly. “It’s for your own good.”

 

You couldn’t help yourself— you looked into his mind, brow furrowed as you searched for the answers he refused to give you. You were straight up pissed now. How was he this unwilling to even entertain the thought?

 

She doesn’t know what she’s asking for. I’d never have chosen this life. How could she ask this of me?! Just like that. And she wants me to kill her.

 

He was extremely upset at your request, that was clear. But along with that came a strong desire to keep you human, just because he liked you that way.

 

“First off,” you said in a clipped tone as you watched him continue to walk in circles, “I absolutely know what I’m asking for. I’ve seen how you live. How you function. It would be fine.”

 

He stopped short and gaped at you. 

 

“Did you just— you said you’d stay out—“ He sputtered. “You said–”

“Well, you’re not being reasonable right now, so I thought I’d join you,” you scowled at him. “They want me because I’m human. Right?”

“That, and you’re mine.”

“So fix that first part. Turn me. They'll lose interest. I know they will."

“No. Absolutely not.”

 

Your next words were out of your mouth before you could stop them.

 

“So you want to keep me human. Why? Are you sure Soren was wrong about me? About us?” 

“Are you insinuating…”

"Tell me the truth. Am I actually just a glorified pet? Is that what this is?” You cut him off angrily. 

“No!” Hyunjin shouted. “How could you ever think that?! Why would you even… Why would you say that?!”

“Then what is it? What are we?!"

 

“I. How could you…” Hyunjin took a seat in the chair by the window, gaze fixed firmly on the floor. "How could you say that?"

“Hyunjin. Please. This is the best way.”

“What about your family? Your friends? How would you explain it to them? Have you even considered them? Their feelings?”

“Dany and Nyla support me no matter what. And they know about you now. Pretty sure they’d see it as a logical step. My parents… would obviously be harder. But they’re older too. It probably wouldn’t be a problem in the long run.”

 

Hyunjin put his head in his hands. 

 

“You haven’t thought this through."

 

On the contrary— you’d thought about it far more than you should have. It made perfect sense. 

 

To you, anyway.

 

“Don’t you want to be with me?” You wrinkled your nose. “I hate to make the cliché argument here but… you know that I'm aging, every second. You know I’ll die someday. And then what? You’ll just go it alone from then on? Or am I just a stopping point along the way?”

“Why… Why are you even entertaining these thoughts?” You could hear the sadness in his voice now, and you sighed heavily. He stood, coming to kneel in front of you. 

“Because you’re being irrational. And I want to know exactly what your plans are for the long term. You're just going to keep me until I'm shriveled up and then throw me away? What? Tell me."

“I… I…”

“Use your words,” you snapped. He sat crouched there, blinking at you, unsure of what to say.

 

And then you remembered what Hyunjin had told you months ago, about your power. How it made you an asset. 

 

“You know what, forget it,” you looked to the side, unwilling to meet his eyes. “I’ll just take it out of your hands. Easy peasy.”

“What do you mean?”

“Soren.” You were staring down the throw pillow next to you as if your life depended on it. “You said if he knew about me, about the mind reading, that he’d turn me. No choice. Isn’t that right?”

 

You looked back at him to see fury in his cool blue eyes, his jaw hanging open. 

 

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Watch me! You can't stop it. I'm going to make sure I'm turned, and if you won't do it, I know Soren will once I tell him what's up."

 

He stood again, walking away to stand with his back to you. 

 

“Don’t go to Soren.”

“Then turn me!” You jumped to your feet. “Just fucking do it.”

“No. I won’t. I refuse,” he snarled. 

“Coward.”

 

“This is your life!” He strode back to you, grasping your shoulders tightly. “You’re asking me to take your life. To kill you.”

“I’m asking you to save my ass from these vampires who won’t leave me the fuck alone! What is so hard to understand?!"

“I wouldn’t be saving anything.” He let you go. “You don’t understand.”

“Well I suppose not, since you still won’t explain yourself.” You were glaring daggers at him now. 

“I am not turning you,” he said through gritted teeth. “That’s final.”

“So I was right.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“I am just a glorified pet.”

“Maybe you should have been. Then again, maybe I never should have started this at all,” he shot back, and tears sprang to your eyes immediately.

 

He can’t mean that.  

 

He stared at you for a second more, and then he was turning on his heel, fleeing the room as fast as his feet could carry him. You heard the deadbolts turn, and the door open. He slammed it behind him, leaving you alone, absolutely fuming, the tears falling freely now.

 

You sank back onto the couch, heart in your throat, trying to slow your breathing. 

 

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. What have I done?!

 

—

 

You locked all the doors and windows tightly once you caught your breath, and headed to your room, still crying.

 

I never should have even asked. Fuck. How could I have said those things to him?! I… I love him! What is wrong with me?! And he… what the hell. “Never should have started this?!”

 

“And now he’s gone,” you said aloud to the empty room. 

 

You trudged to the shower, going through the motions as you cleaned up and got ready to go to sleep. You skipped your skincare routine and got straight into bed, putting your phone on its charger, heart falling further still when you saw Hyunjin had not messaged you. 

 

Why would he? He’s done. It’s over. 

 

You spent a while lying in bed, staring at the mark he’d left on you, wishing there were some way to erase it. 

 

What a nice trick for the universe to play on you. A mark to remind you of the love you might have had, that you'd never see again.

 

Your phone buzzed, and you grabbed it quickly, almost dropping it on the floor in your hurry to see who it was. 

 

To your complete dismay, it was not Hyunjin. 

 

Nyla [1:27am]: Hey you’re probably asleep but just FYI I got moved. Room 2318. 

 

You [1:27am]: Great. Is Dany with you? 

 

Dany [1:28am]: Yep I am

 

Nyla [1:28am]: Woah why are you awake??

 

Dany [1:29am]: Bet I know why. WINK WONK

 

You [1:29am]: HAHAHAHAHAHA NOPE. Trust me all I want to do right now is sleep. Preferably indefinitely. Just call me Rip Van Winkle. I’ll come see you in the morning ok Nyla? 

 

Nyla [1:29am]: I might be out by late morning. They said one more unit will do me. On number 3 right now

 

Dany [1:30am]: Why the all caps? Indefinite sleep??? Are you ok

 

You [1:32am]: Not exactly. :/

 

Nyla [1:32am]: What’s going on??

 

You [1:34am]: I don’t wanna talk about it right now

 

Dany [1:35am]: Ok well we’ll be over as soon as Nyla gets sprung then and you’re telling us what’s up

 

Nyla [1:36am]: Yeah that’s an order missy

 

You [1:37am]: Okay okay. See you guys later

 

You put the phone on silent and turned the light out, trying desperately for hours to get even a wink of sleep. 

 

—

 

Dany and Nyla woke you with loud knocking on the front door at half past 11 later that morning. 

 

“Hello!” Dany said cheerily when you opened the door. She held up some takeout bags. “We brought food. Let us in.”

“That depends, what did you bring?” You wrinkled your nose. You weren’t exactly hungry. You’d been up til almost 5am, ruminating and reliving the fight with Hyunjin.

 

Over and over and over. 

 

“Burgers. Open up,” Nyla said, pushing the door fully open. “We brought one for Hyunjin, is he still awake?”

“He isn’t here,” you said flatly as you locked the door behind your friends. They trailed you to the living room, and Dany set up tray tables for everyone. You frowned. The food smelled good, but you just didn't have it in you. 

“Oh, how come?” Dany sat down in the chair, unwrapping her burger and taking a bite, looking over at you expectantly. Nyla took a seat next to you on the sofa. You noticed that her color had much improved.

“How are you feeling, Nyla?”

“Don’t change the subject,” she replied. “What happened? You look like you were crying all night.”

“Well... That would be because I was.”

“Did you guys have a fight?” Nyla mumbled around a few fries. You nodded. 

“A bad one. So much worse than the thing with his ex.”

“What happened?” Dany asked softly. You took a deep breath.

 

“I asked him to turn me. He… was not a fan of that idea, to put it lightly."

“Let me guess, you wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Nyla wondered aloud. 

“It’s not that simple–”

“Come on. We know you.”

“It makes the most sense. That other clan I told you guys about… they’ve been after me.” You looked down at the crescent mark on your hand. “You can’t see it, but I have… this mark…” You pointed to it still. “It can apparently only be seen by the person who has it, and vampires. And Tobias… took notice of me, I guess is the best way to put it.”

 

“So they want what’s Hyunjin’s,” Dany remarked. “What the hell.”

“Hyunjin told me that Tobias has done this to him before, kind of. Stole a friend of his away. I don’t know what kind of personal grudge is there or if Tobias is just that fucked in the head. But I had been thinking about it a lot and figured that the best bet would be for him to turn me. And he flat out refused. He wants me to stay human."

 

“So he’s gone now? Dany sighed. You nodded, and she continued. "What exactly did you say to him?”

“I…” You sighed again, tears forming. “I asked him if I was just a glorified pet.”

“A ‘pet’ meaning…?” Nyla asked. 

“Apparently some vampires like to keep humans around and just… use them.”

“Blood and sex?” Dany tilted her head. 

“Yep.”

“And you accused Hyunjin of using you.”

“I didn’t…”

“No, you did though,” Nyla cut you off. “Have you not been paying attention at all? He loves you. I just know he does.”

“Oh absolutely. There is no way he doesn’t. He’s been head over heels for you since the start. We both saw it,” Dany agreed. “How the hell could you say that to him? That’s so shitty.”

 

You hung your head. Your heart was hammering in your chest, thinking about the look on Hyunjin’s face when you’d asked him that. Nyla reached over and put a hand on your shoulder. 

 

“He…” You started, closing your eyes, tears beginning to flow down your cheeks. “He said…”

 

Nyla scooted closer to you, and Dany got up, coming over to sit on your other side. 

 

“What did he say?” Dany asked, hugging you. 

“He said maybe that’s what I should have been. A pet. And that maybe he never should have started anything with me at all.”

“Honestly?” Nyla said quietly. “I don’t blame him for saying that. I’m sorry. It was harsh. But what you said was just as bad, if not worse.”

“You guys need to talk it out,” Dany murmured. “Real quick like. This isn’t you, and it isn’t him. You guys love each other.”

“I mean, I don’t know if he–”

“Hello, have you seen the way he looks at you?” Dany and Nyla said, almost simultaneously. 

“I… You guys are seeing things that aren’t there.”

“Negative. And you love him don’t you?” Nyla elbowed you. 

 

You nodded. 

 

"Of course I do."

“Yeah, you guys gotta talk,” Dany repeated. “Text him. Right now.”

“He’s probably sleeping.”

“Well, good news, the messages will be there when he wakes up. The miracle of modern technology.”

“I don’t know. He probably needs time.”

“Girl. Come on.” Dany shook you gently. “You need to apologize. And he does too.”

“And then you just need to confess your damn feelings,” Nyla chimed in. "I know you're not one to rush into things. But you just admitted to both of us that you love him. And we know he loves you, even if he hasn't said it."

 

“You guys aren’t mad that I want to be turned?” You sniffed, wiping tears away. 

“Why would we be mad? It sounds like the logical thing to do, all things considered, not to mention that the two of you are madly in love.” Dany shrugged. “It’ll be okay. What will be, will be, etcetera. As long as you still love me and Nyla when we’re old and crotchety.”

“You’re already crotchety,” you snorted, and Dany shoved you over into Nyla.

“Excuse you, I am healing here!” Nyla exclaimed. "Bitch."

 

“Oops.” Dany grimaced. “Okay but seriously,” she followed, nudging your elbow. “Just text him.”

“It’s too soon. Give me a few days.”

“You can have three days,” she made a face at you. “And then you better be on that phone.”

 

—

 

Three days turned into five. Five days turned into a week. And a week turned into two. 

 

Hyunjin never contacted you. But then again, you weren’t exactly trying, either. You were too afraid.

 

You were barely sleeping, eating sporadically if at all, and your anxiety about the fight with Hyunjin was through the roof. You hadn’t even talked to Dany and Nyla much except passing comments here and there, and hadn’t seen them in person, knowing they’d force you to talk to Hyunjin. Dany had thankfully let you alone, apparently trusting you enough to contact Hyunjin on day three.

 

Joke's on you, Dany.

 

Your current situation was made even worse by the fact that midterms were upon you. With everything that had happened recently, you were not remotely ready. You prayed for passing grades, because that was about all you thought you could muster.

 

B's get degrees. Come on self.

 

In the blink of an eye, you were smack in the middle of midterm week, and left your Wednesday afternoon test to find a message from Dany, outside your normal group chat.

 

Dany [5:27pm]: What the actual fuck are you waiting for? I know you’re hiding from us because you haven’t talked to him yet. Pony up and do it already

 

You [5:27pm]: I can’t.

 

Dany [5:28pm]: Girl if you don’t text him I will. And you won’t like it. Send that man a text. Make up. It’s been way too long. He probably thinks you'd done for good

 

You [5:28pm]: He hasn't contacted me either

 

Dany [5:29pm]: And who can blame him, really? TEXT HIM.

 

You [5:30pm]: OKAY OKAY. God. I’ll do it at 6, he’s usually up by then.

 

Dany [5:30pm]: Good. Thank me later.

 

You drove home slowly, blasting music, trying not to cry again, for the millionth time. 

 

As 6pm ticked closer, you tried to figure out what to say. 

 

The second the clock changed from 5:59 to 6:00, you sent the message.

 

You [6:00pm]: I don’t really know what to say at this point so I’ll just say this: can you please come over so we can have a talk?

 

You half held your breath while you waited for a response. After several minutes, you sighed. 

 

Who am I kidding? It’s been too long. Dany was right. Should have texted him that day. I've lost him.

 

You tossed your phone onto the sofa and went back to your notes, thankful that your research midterm was not until Friday. It was the class in which you’d paid the least attention, no thanks to Elissa, who had been even more up your nose than normal since Hyunjin had left.

 

It was almost as if they knew you were alone now.

 

You nearly jumped out of your skin when you heard your phone vibrate.

 

Hyunjin [6:09pm]: I don’t know

 

Hyunjin [6:10pm]: Actually... You know what? It’s ok. If you need to break up with me, just do it here. I can’t stomach the thought of coming all the way over there just for that. Put me out of my misery

 

You [6:10pm]: What??? No!! That is not what I want at all I swear

 

You [6:10pm]: Please. Just come over.

 

You [6:12pm]: I am begging you. I can’t say what I want to say behind a screen.

 

You [6:14pm]: Hyunjin?

 

You received no further reply. 

 

So that’s it, then.

 

Your stomach rumbled, loudly, and you sighed heavily. You guessed you should eat. You’d been managing a couple small meals a day, but they were not balanced, or even remotely healthy. 

 

You had finished rummaging in the pantry and had just set some water on for ramen when you heard a knock at the door.

 

You almost hoped it was Tobias. 

 

Just end this shit. 

 

You peered through the peephole to see a familiar face, however, and you couldn’t open the door fast enough. 

 

Hyunjin stood on your doorstep, looking small, smaller even than the day you’d stared him down as he begged and pleaded to come inside, to explain why he’d attacked you in the library.

 

“Can I come in?” He asked softly.

“Yeah.” You stood aside to let him in, and he strode past you, making his way to the living room. You made a quick detour at the kitchen to turn the stove back off before joining him, ignoring the hunger pangs. This was more important, by far.

 

He had taken a seat on the sofa, and was staring at the floor when you entered, toying with a corner of the blanket you'd discarded when you'd gone to make dinner. You stood in the doorway, unsure of where to sit. 

 

“You can sit next to me. I don’t bite,” he said sadly, echoing something you’d said months ago. “Well. Much.” He gave you a halfhearted smile. “Okay. Only if asked.”

 

Cautiously, you sat down on the opposite end of the sofa, turning to face him, crossing one leg under you. 

 

“Well. I’m here.” He said, voice still low, sad. “What did you want to say?”

“Just that I’m sorry,” you blurted out, biting back tears once more. “Honestly? I don’t regret asking you to turn me. I still think it’s the best option. But the rest? I was so mean. I never should have said any of those horrible things. I never should have invaded your privacy, again .” You gulped, fighting a losing battle with the crying fit trying to overwhelm you, wiping your eyes as you continued. “I certainly didn’t mean any of what I said. I acted so shitty when you’ve never been anything but kind and caring to me.”

“Almost never,” he corrected. 

“I don’t– that’s in the past,” you shook your head. “You didn’t mean to hurt me, and that was one time, anyway.”

“I’m sorry too,” he bit his lip. “I didn’t mean what I said, either. Please know that. There’s no way I could have when…”

 

You waited, mostly patiently, for him to collect his thoughts. His chest was heaving, you noticed, and you felt even worse. You knew by now he only breathed when he was trying to clear his head, or to keep up appearances in public, and the latter only barely. 

 

“I don’t know why my chest hurts,” he said at last, shaking his head. “My heart hasn’t beat in so long.”

 

Your own heart was racing, it had been since he walked in the door. You were slightly dizzy too, now that you thought about it, though that could have easily also been your low blood sugar talking. 

 

The two of you sat in silence for a minute, and you engaged in a heated staring contest with the floor. You could feel his eyes on you, much like the first day you’d met him, and you glanced up to catch his gaze.

 

He looked somewhat less sad now.

 

You resisted the urge to take a peek into his mind. 

 

Never again. Which will probably be made easier by the fact that he will most likely be gone soon, anyway.

 

“Thank you for coming over,” you tried to smile, but you couldn’t. “I appreciate you hearing me out. I… I was going to pack up your things, but I never got to it. I’m sorry. Midterms,” you sighed. “But I can help you if you want.”

 

He tilted his head. 

 

“Why would you do that?”

“Because… you’ll be leaving now.. Right?”

“What on earth would I want to do that for?” He moved closer, slowly, as though he thought he might scare you off.

“I mean…” You felt like you were going to panic. You hadn’t considered that he might want to stay. You had envisioned saying your piece and watching him go.

 

Please don't make this harder. If you want to go just go. You kept the thought to yourself, afraid to even project it, much less say the words out loud.

 

He whispered your name, scooting closer still. You fixed your gaze on your hands, wringing them in your lap, trying to breathe normally. 

 

He reached for your hands, taking them in his own, and you let him, even though his touch just made everything that much worse. Why was he dragging this out?

 

“Why do you think I’d want to leave?” He asked again, just slightly above a whisper now. 

“Because. That was a nasty fight. And I know where you stand. It’s okay... If you want to go.” 

 

You felt like you were gasping for breath now as you started to cry yet again . 

 

“You said you didn’t want to break up.”

“Right, but you–” You hiccuped. “Don’t you– You must want to go–”

“I could never. I love you. So, so much.”

 

You blinked, once, twice, staring at him in disbelief, and you could hear the blood rushing in your ears as your heart continued to beat a mile a minute. 

 

“You… You what?”

“I love you,” he repeated, louder now, pulling you into his arms, enveloping you in a tight embrace. “I think I always have. I should have told you sooner. But now seems like just as good a time.”

“I love you too,” you breathed, moving back to look at him. “I–”

 

Your words were cut off by his lips on yours– a gentle, soft kiss, and he pressed his forehead to yours, closing his eyes. 

 

“I guess it sounds stupid to say I’m relieved,” he laughed quietly. “I was so afraid to tell you.”

“Hyunjin, please… I’ve probably loved you just as long, I’m just… stubborn.” You weren’t sure what else to say.

“Don’t I know it,” he opened his eyes, and you could see the twinkle in them as he grinned. “But I love you anyway.” He tugged you back down into another hug, and you rested your head on his chest with a sigh. 

 

There was still an elephant in the room. You opened your mouth again to speak, but he beat you to it.

 

“As for turning you,” he said, running fingers through your hair. “I’m not ready. I know that sounds terrible. Why wait? I know. But I can’t. Not yet.”

“Not yet? You said you wouldn’t do it at all.”

“I know what I said. And that’s not fair to you. I’ve done a lot of thinking since that night. You have a good head on your shoulders, and I trust you to have thought this through. It wasn’t okay for me to suggest you hadn’t. I know how thorough you are in everything you do, how carefully you make decisions. I was foolish to think such a thing as being turned would be any different."

“So…”

“Just give me a little time. That’s all I’m asking. I promise. If you want to be with me, forever , then you will. I’ll make sure of it.”

“You mean that?”

“Yes,” he said firmly. “I love you. I want to share my life with you. I hope you’ll still have me, after everything that’s happened.”

“Of course I will.”

 

“Good,” he grinned, breaking away from you to pull out his phone. “Now. What am I ordering you for dinner? Your stomach has been grumbling since I got here, and I can see you shaking.”

“Ugh,” you groaned, hiding your face. “I don’t care. Anything.” You rested your head on his shoulder. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

“Of course I am," he said brightly, pausing to wrap a blanket around you. "Now let’s get you fed, so I can help you study.”

Chapter 17: All We Thought We Could

Summary:

You really should have kept your promise.

Hyunjin let you have exactly two hours of study time that evening, after he made sure you ate a proper meal. It seemed he could tell that you were still feeling exceptionally raw after the emotional evening that the two of you had had. He was very gentle with you, even more so than normal, keeping you pulled close as he quizzed you on your research terms. 

 

If he felt the same about things, he was doing a good job at hiding it. Regardless, you tried your best to turn all that doting right back around on him, and eventually abandoned the studying in favor of holding each other close, relishing the time with him. 

 

You were beyond relieved that you had reached an accord, and that things were better, the remaining situation with the other vampires notwithstanding. 

 

For now, it was just you and Hyunjin, and that was all you needed.

 

He talked you into sharing a hot shower with him before bed, though he didn’t have to try hard— you were more than happy to stand there under the hot water for a while, letting it wash away the stress of the last couple weeks.

 

You were happy to have Thursday off, and slept in until noon with Hyunjin at your side. You found when you woke up that he had fallen asleep during the night again, and were quick to tease him about it when you rolled over to face him. 

 

“You’re definitely the strangest vampire I’ve ever met,” you giggled as you tapped him on the nose. He blinked at you, eyes bleary from heavy sleep. 

“I’m the only one you’ve spent any substantial time with.” He appeared confused, and you laughed again. 

“Exactly. So you win by default. Congratulations!” You winked.

 

He kissed you softly. 

 

“You’ll never let me live this down, will you?”

“Probably not.” You snuggled closer to him. “Not too late to back out, you know.”

“Absolutely not. Never going to happen.” He began to leave tiny kisses all over your face, as he did so often first thing in the day. “You’re really stuck with me now.”

“Oh darn. How will I cope?” You feigned upset and he snickered, pressing another tender kiss to your lips. 

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

 

“I need to study,” you sighed. “But my get up and go got up and went.”

“Well,” he said as he began playing with your hair. “I had an idea a few weeks ago that might help inspire some motivation to get you to the weekend. I hadn’t canceled yet in the hopes that we could reconcile.”

“Canceled what?” You raised an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned?"

“No. It's just... I booked us a cabin up in the mountains for next week. You did say you’re not working during spring break, correct?”

“Yeah. I needed an actual vacation. I have one small paper that’s due the middle of my first week back and I had planned to just do it then. Yolo, or something.”

“Good. Check in is on Sunday afternoon. If you’d rather stay here, I understand. No pressure. I do have to cancel by 11pm tomorrow though, if we aren’t going.”

“Soren is okay with you taking me away for a week?”

“He… was okay with it.” 

 

You were instantly curious about Soren’s sudden attitude change, but chose not to comment. You supposed you’d take whatever you could get. 

 

“What about you being able to feed?”

“There’s a town close by. I picked this cabin specifically because of that.”

“Cool. Count me in then,” you grinned as you stretched languidly. “We should get breakfast food,” you murmured, changing the subject. 

“I think that sounds like a possibility.”

 

—

 

Your research midterm on Friday was tedious to say the least, but you still finished as quickly as possible and fled the classroom, desperate to escape Elissa’s careful watch. 

 

Hyunjin was waiting for you outside, and whisked you away for lunch and coffee before taking you home. You were more than happy to oblige on all fronts, especially when he asked you to take a nap with him. You hadn’t slept well the night before, anxiety related to the exam keeping you up well past midnight. 

 

The two of you dozed until almost 8pm, but you didn’t care. Lying there in the dark in Hyunjin’s arms was the only place you wanted to be, sleep schedule be damned. 

 

Once you did pry yourselves from bed, you busied with packing for spring break. Hyunjin talked you into a movie halfway through. 

 

As the credits were rolling, your phone vibrated. 

 

Ellie [11:04pm]: Sweetie, are you okay?

 

You [11:04pm]: Yeah why? Just having a late movie night

 

Ellie [11:05pm]: A young man accosted me at the grocery store today, asking about you. He was *very* persistent. 

 

You took a deep breath and sighed heavily, earning yourself a questioning glance from Hyunjin. 

 

Why won’t they leave my loved ones alone?! Fuckity fuck.

 

You [11:06pm]: Would his name happen to be Tobias?

 

Ellie [11:06pm]: Yes, actually. Do you know him?

 

You [11:07pm]: Not really. Hyunjin does, ish. Says he’s bad news. Stay far away if he approaches you again ok?

 

Ellie [11:08pm]: You be safe, honey. Something about him was… off. 

 

You [11:09pm]: I will. Hyunjin and I are actually going on a trip for spring break so it’ll be nice to get away.

 

You [11:10pm]: Promise me you won’t invite any people in that you don’t know

 

Ellie [11:11pm] Odd request, but okay. I’ll let you get back to your movie. Tell Hyunjin we said hi. :) Love you lots. Have fun on your trip. 

 

You [11:11pm]: Will do. Love you

 

You set your phone down on the coffee table and inched closed to Hyunjin. 

 

“What’s wrong?”

“Tobias has been following Ellie, apparently. She told me he cornered her at the store today and was asking about me. Said he was very persistent. I guess she got away, but still. How many more people of mine are they going to chase? Hurt, even?”

“At the risk of sounding like I’m being condescending, you do know this is all just to fuck with you, right? And then upset me, of course, because you’re upset. I have no doubt that he’s just trying to provoke me.”

“I figured as much. This is ass.”

“I know it is,” he sighed, wrapping his arms around you. “I’m here though. I’m not going to let them harm you, if it’s the last thing I do.””

"It’s not me I’m worried about.”

 

—

 

You and Hyunjin left bright and early Sunday morning to head up to the mountains, with Dany promising she’d look in on the house while you were gone. You took over driving the first leg so Hyunjin could nap, and he drove the second half. Thankfully, it wasn’t a long trip altogether, and after a quick pit stop at the grocery store in town, you were able to check in and get settled. 

 

The cabin was well out of town, and you were pleased to find that you were truly alone— the closest neighboring cabins were at least a mile away in all directions. 

 

You tried not to think about the fact that being this alone also meant that there would be no one to help if you’d been followed. It was just you and Hyunjin. 

 

You occupied yourself with putting groceries away and making yourself something to eat. Meanwhile, Hyunjin fell right into bed, thoroughly exhausted, and you promised to wake him later. You could tell that the worrying was getting to him. You wondered how much longer he intended to keep you human, before he gave in and did what needed to be done. What you wanted to be done. But seeing as he had promised to make it happen, you felt that badgering him about it would only make his anxiety worse. 

 

He’ll do it when he’s ready. I just need to have some fucking patience.

 

Granted, patience was not your strong suit. 

 

But you were going to try. 

 

—

 

Around 8:30 that evening, you were bored. You hadn't brought any books, and the ones at the cabin didn't pique your interest. TV was not doing it for you. You couldn’t find anything on streaming that looked remotely worth watching. Now you remembered why you never enjoyed trips like this as a kid. You knew that Hyunjin had planned some activities for the week ahead, but none of that was now . 

 

And you certainly had excess energy floating around, as much stress as you’d been under lately. 

 

You knew Hyunjin had requested a 9pm wakeup time, but you were going a little stir-crazy already. So you made an executive decision, and slipped into the bedroom, tiptoeing to the bed. Hyunjin was resting in the center, unmoving, on his side, covers pulled up to the top of his head. You tugged them down, but he didn’t budge. 

 

“Hey. Sleepyhead. Wake up,” you laughed, shaking his shoulder. “Entertain me.”

 

He remained in the same spot. You shook him a little harder. 

 

“Hey. Hyunjin. Hello in there, wake up! God, you’re a heavy sleeper. Hyunjin!”

“Hmm?” He finally stirred, rolling onto his back to peer at you from under the covers. “What is it?”

“Oh thank god,” you said, trying to keep a straight face. “I thought you were dead.”

 

He groaned loudly at your joke, and you collapsed into a fit of giggles next to him. He turned to pull you into his arms, tickling your sides. 

 

“You are impossible,” he laughed. “What am I going to do with you?”

“Stop that!” You wheezed. “Not fair. Not. Fair.” You wriggled out of his grip to turn on the bedside lamp.

 

“Are you still going to make vampire jokes after I turn you?” 

“I mean, that depends,” you giggled. “If they’re funny, then yes.”

 

He checked his phone and frowned. 

“It’s early yet.”

“I know, I’m depriving you of an entire half hour of sleep. You poor thing.” You plucked the device from his hands and set it down on the bedside table. “Are you going to… live?” You giggled again, and he covered his face with his hands. 

“What have I gotten myself into?”

You moved to straddle his hips, leaning down to pull his hands away so you could kiss him. 

 

“I gave you an out and you didn’t take it, so that one is on you.”

“I suppose it is,” he replied, winding fingers into your hair, tugging lightly as he trailed kisses down your neck. “So what now?”

“You’ll just have to learn to deal. I can help you if you want.”

“And how do you intend to do that?” He was running the tip of his tongue in a line over the spot where he usually bit you, and you could tell that’s what was on his mind.

“Well… for starters, we both have way more clothing on than is necessary for this coping exercise.” You moved to sit next to him, looking down at him expectantly.

“I see.” He eyed you curiously. “You first, then.”

“Oh, no, see, that won’t work for me,” you laughed, running a hand over the rapidly growing bulge in Hyunjin’s jeans. You smirked as he shuddered under your touch, and you grasped his hard cock the best you could through the stiff fabric, rubbing up and down its length. “This is about you.” 

“So you thought you’d just waltz in here and take control, hmm?”

“Yes, that is how this is going to work,” you winked as you started to undo his belt buckle. 

 

He had your wrists in a split second, locked in his firm grip. You raised an eyebrow. 

“You shouldn’t be like that,” you tutted. 

“And why not?”

“Because I’m relatively sure that you want to come tonight. And if you don’t behave, that’s not going to happen,” you said nonchalantly. 

“You’d really do that to me?”

“Let me go, Hyunjin,” you said firmly. He released you, and you went back to your task. It wasn’t long before you had him naked in front of you. You parted his legs so you could lie down between them, grasping his cock at the base, giving a few short strokes, pleased as he began to squirm under your touch.

 

“Are you going to–” He started, but the words died on his tongue as you put your mouth on his cock, sucking gently at the sensitive head, swirling your tongue around it, gradually dipping lower to take more of him. You continued to stroke him with your hand, as he hissed and screwed his eyes shut, throwing his head back into the pillow. 

 

He reached down, scrabbling for your hair, trying to get a grip, and you pulled away. 

 

“Nuh-uh.”

“Fuck. You really are a brat.”

“Maybe.” You blew softly on the slick left by your saliva, and he moaned at the sensation. It couldn’t have been much cooler than he was, but all the same he seemed to enjoy it. You quickly took him back into your mouth, as much as you could manage, settling into an easy rhythm between your mouth and your hand. He was writhing in no time, mumbling under his breath as you continued your ministrations. 

“Fuck. Holy. Fuck. Your mouth… so… warm… I'm... close…”

 

You stopped immediately, grinning impishly at the loud groan of protest as he raked his hands through his hair, eyes wild. 

 

“Good thing you told me.”

“So you could be mean?”

“Oh please,” you scoffed. “I am so nice. The nicest.” You got up and started to shed your clothes, slapping Hyunjin’s hands gently as he sat up and tried to reach for you. “No sir.”

“I can’t touch you at all?”

“You can when I say so.”

“That’s hardly fair,” he grumbled, lying back down to watch as you slipped your bra and panties off.

“Life isn’t fair sometimes.” You crawled back to him, settling down over his hips, lowering yourself down to center his still hard cock between your slick folds, rubbing up and down his length. You snorted as you heard him let out a low growl, and glimpsed his fangs peeking out. “Is there a problem?” You raised up slightly, pressing down onto him, sinking down quickly until he was deep inside you. 

“Fuck…” He let out a sigh. “You have no idea how much I want to just haul off and fuck you into this mattress until you’re screaming.”

“That’s not in your best interest,” you smirked, beginning to ride him, with long, slow movements that had him clutching the sheets, knuckles white. 

“You… I… Close…”

 

You stopped again, somewhat regrettably, as your own release had been building just as fast. It was worth it though, to watch him underneath you, grabbing at the headboard, staring up at you as you sat, unmoving, his cock twitching inside you. He murmured your name, over and over, bucking his hips into yours in an attempt to get you going again, but you crossed your arms and made a face. 

 

“You want to come that bad, huh?”

“Of course I do,” he mumbled. “You’re going to make me beg for it, aren’t you?”

“I had thought about it,” you shrugged, inspecting your nails as he continued to try seemingly everything he could think of to entice you into moving.

“You are a menace.”

“Aha, but you love me.”

“That is true.” 

 

You began again, just a little faster this time, hands planted on either side of his waist as you rode his cock. Not a minute later, he was moaning loudly, calling your name, and you stilled, earning a shout, and he slammed his fists down on the mattress, growling again as you bit your lip and grinned. 

 

“What do you want, Hyunjin?”

“I want to come,” he said. “Please.”

“Just one please? That’s it?” Surely you don’t think that’s going to earn you the privilege of coming. You remember how good it feels, don’t you? You always say so. How nice it is to be inside me, like I was made for you.”

“You are lethal.”

“Good thing you’re already dead then,” you snorted as you started to move once more, this time devastatingly slowly, so slow that you almost wanted to yell at yourself. 

 

You felt the burning in the pit of your belly, coming on much quicker now as you ground down on him, and you took several deep breaths, trying to hold off. 

 

“Please,” he whined. “Want… to come… inside… you… please... so… close… please… fuck…”

 

You leaned down to kiss him, and he met your lips hungrily, breaking the kiss for just a second to look into your eyes, silently pleading with you. 

 

“You can touch me now," You told him softly. "And you can come, if that’s what you want.”

 

His arms wound around you in an instant, holding you tight against his chest, and he began to fuck up into you from below, causing you to scream his name. He had already been hitting you perfectly– and now every new stroke felt like it was going to set you on fire, and you felt his lips move from yours, across your jaw, as he grazed his fangs over your neck. 

 

“Oh god…” You whimpered. You were teetering, and judging by the messy thrusts you were receiving, so was he. 

 

Nearly the second he sank his fangs into you, you were gone, orgasm crashing over you in waves, and you were vaguely aware that you were screaming his name again, your voice echoing off the walls of the bedroom. He released you, pulling away from your neck as he stilled completely, and you slumped onto him, too fuzzy-headed to do much else. You felt him licking the bite, and turned your head to grant him easier access. 

 

“Mmmm.” He hummed. “I might need to let you do that more often. I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard.”

 

You waited until he was done before moving to lie down next to him, and he turned, pulling you in protectively, nestling you against his chest.

 

“You’re welcome,” you said, voice shaky– much like the rest of you. 

“Don’t tell me you’re tired out now,” he murmured. “I’ve only just woken up. And you don’t have anywhere to be tomorrow.”

“Hyunjin…” You breathed. 

“Now now,” he chuckled. “You started this.” You felt his fingers prying your legs apart. “I hope you didn’t want to sleep tonight, love.”

 

—

 

The vacation passed much too quickly, and you were most displeased to arrive home on Friday evening. You wanted nothing more than to stay gone, away from responsibility and chores and menial tasks. However, you had remembered at the last minute that you’d picked up a shift on Saturday night. Hyunjin reassured you that it was more than okay– he had a clan meeting that night that he had forgotten about, so you were in the same boat.

 

Before you parted ways for the day, you promised him you’d have a security guard walk you out at the end of your shift. 

 

It was a relatively quiet one, and you were thankful, considering you absolutely did not want to be at work. Towards the end of the night, Dany and Nyla texted. 

 

Nyla [10:34pm]: Whatcha doin nerd

 

You [10:35pm]: Holding down the ED. Super thrilling let me tell you

 

Dany [10:36pm]: Sounds gross

 

Dany [10:37pm]: How was your trip

 

Nyla [10:37pm]: Yeahhh do you have any blood left??? ;)

 

You [10:38pm]: With all due respect

 

You [10:38pm]: Fuck you guys

 

Nyla [10:39pm]: Has Hyunjin not done that enough already

 

You [10:40pm]: NYLA!!! HOLY SHIT WOMAN

 

Dany [10:40pm]: I feel like I need popcorn for this tbh

 

Nyla [10:41pm]: Ok real talk– hi, hope you had a good trip, are you guys busy tomorrow?

 

You [10:42pm]: Not that I’m aware but I am planning on sleeping in. Why?

 

Dany [10:43pm]: Dinner and a movie, the four of us?

 

You [10:43pm]: I will ask Hyunjin

 

Nyla [10:44pm]: We already did he said you’re in charge

 

You [10:45pm]: Oh okay. That sounds cool then count us in. Where did you want to go for food?

 

Dany [10:46pm]: I’m up for whatever. Mexican?

 

Nyla [10:46]: MEXICAN YES

 

You [10:47pm]: LMAO tell me how you really feel, Nyla

 

You [10:48pm]: Ok we have a behavioral coming in. Gotta gooooo. Text you in the am

 

You gave handoff to Ezra amidst the shouting from the new patient in bed 27 and the security guards and nurses tending to them, and hurried away. You could feel Ezra watching you as you went. You paused at the door, remembering your promise to Hyunjin, but you felt bad– all of the guards were occupied with the very out of control patient that the county police had just brought in. 

 

It’ll be fine. The garage is well lit.

 

But Hyunjin’s words echoed in your head. 

 

Parking garages are dangerous.

 

“He doesn’t have to know,” you whispered to yourself. 

 

As you approached your car, you noticed a figure standing on the other side, and you inhaled sharply as it rounded the vehicle, stepping towards you. You heard your name, barely, above the rushing sound in your ears as your heart began hammering in your chest. 

 

It was Tobias.

 

Of fucking course.

 

“Alone at last,” he said, voice low and oily. “Time to come with me, little one.”

 

A strange feeling gripped you, and you fought against it as he moved closer to you. You wanted to go with him. 

 

No, no, that’s not right!

 

But the compulsion grew stronger still, the shorter the distance became, and he was standing in front of you now, a glimmer in his deep red eyes. 

 

“N–no,” You stammered. “I don’t want to.”

 

But I do.

 

NO!

 

But…

 

No. No no no no no. What is happening? 

 

I should go with him.

 

NO!!

 

Tobias grabbed your wrist, examining the mark on your hand, and as he touched you, the urges you were feeling shattered like glass, and you were in control of your own mind once again. 

 

Fuck. He can control people?! No fucking wonder he stole Evie away. She had no choice.

 

You dove into Tobias’s head as he stared you down, eyes flickering with rage now as you continued to defy him. 

 

On the surface, he was livid. Underneath lay pure confusion. Why wouldn’t you obey? Everyone else did. What made you so special? 

 

All he wanted to do was cause Hyunjin pain. Hyunjin, who had almost stolen away the woman he coveted.

 

The woman who would never have him, anyway.

 

Your eyes widened when you realized he was thinking about Evie.

 

That's what this is about?! Tobias didn't get the girl so he took her by force... and she still didn't want him. So now he's toturing Hyunjin for fun on top of it like it's his fault? What a cruel motherfucker.

 

“I said, come with me,” he snapped, wrenching you closer to him, causing a bolt of pain to fly up your arm into your shoulder as he twisted your limb. 

 

“Not. Fucking. Happening,” you replied through gritted teeth. You tried to pull away, but you were stuck, trapped in his vice-like grip. 

“Very well, then.” He released your wrist, staring down at you with a sinister grin. “If that’s how you want to play… let’s play. I'll have you begging for death before the end."

 

Something struck the back of your head, a searing pain that made you drop to your knees– and then everything went black.

Chapter 18: Loud Cold Dark

Summary:

Hyunjin runs a race he never wanted to, towards an unknown outcome.

Hyunjin sat slumped in his chair at the clan meeting, thoroughly disinterested as he listened to Soren drone on about house plans. Since Hyunjin had told Soren about his plans, Soren had decided to change things up, and add even more rooms. The project was to be started in June, and finish by August.

 

Who knows if I'll have the courage to turn her by then. But at least she'll have a home here, when it's time.

 

He perked up a bit when Taro stood to give an update about the other clan— who were still moving in on long-established territory. They'd lost three places to feed over the last several weeks, ones that had always yielded a large amount of prospects. Soren and Taro were considering moving at this point, but were worried if they did so, that they'd lose the entire city and wouldn't be able to return. 

 

The alternative was to grow their clan, or partner with one in a neighboring city to drive Melina and her ilk out by force.  

 

Hyunjin worried for a moment that his clan might have to leave before he was ready to turn you. 

 

Then what? I can’t just leave. Not without her. And I certainly can't leave her here alone. She'd have to leave too.

 

He hoped you would, if he asked. He knew there was a lot that you weren't willing to sacrifice. But he didn't want to be without you, and leaving you in danger was the last thing he wanted to do. He already felt guilty that he hadn't been there tonight to pick you up from work. 

 

“…So, that’s all we have tonight," Taro finished. "Does anyone have something they need to discuss? Open forum time.” 

 

Lila cleared her throat. 

 

Oh god, here we go. Can't she keep her mouth shut?

 

“As a matter of fact, yes, I do,” she said, clearly irritated. She turned her head to stare Soren down. “Are you really intending to accept Hyunjin’s little pet into the clan? You wouldn't take mine, ten years ago. Why is Hyunjin so special?”

“That’s none of your business, Lila,” Hyunjin shot. "And your pet was just that. A pet. My situation is different and you know it."

“First of all, it's all of our business,” she snapped. “We don’t need that trash here. And I'm sure the others agree with me. Second, we know. We get it. You're in love." She made air quotes around the word 'love' and rolled her eyes. "This is stupid. But I guess if that's what you need to tell yourself to feel good about using her... whatever."

"You're the only one who holds that opinion here," Taro told her coldly, crossing his arms. "This jealousy of yours isn't becoming."

“Lila,” Soren said acridly. “Need I remind you to be civil? You've been told many times before. This is the last time."

“This isn’t fair,” she crossed her arms tightly, a deep frown on her face. "She doesn't deserve to be one of us."

“You’ve been antagonizing Hyunjin since he broke up with you,” Soren continued as thought Lila hadn't spoken, glaring at her. “This is a family. We look after our own, and I’ll have none of you tearing down the others. That includes you, Lila. Your behavior is appalling, and I won't put up with it any longer."

“Well,” she said, standing up. “Then let me do you a favor... count me out. I’m leaving. I won’t stay to watch this disgusting display.” She made a face at Hyunjin. 

“Good,” Soren replied curtly. “Get out then.”

“I have to pack,” she gaped at him. “Surely you don’t mean— You can't just kick me out!"

“Oh, but this is my house," Soren replied. "And I have every right to dictate what you do and don't do under its roof. You have twenty minutes before Taro and I escort you out. Best use it wisely."

 

Hyunjin grimaced. He hadn’t expected that reaction from Soren. Then again, he hadn’t expected Soren to be agreeable to you being turned, either. But the elder vampire had been particularly impressed with Hyunjin’s self control and good behavior, even agreeing to be present when Hyunjin was ready to turn you, just in case something happened, or an intervention was needed. 

 

Hyunjin hadn't gotten as far as telling you this yet, somewhat hesitant to bring it up again since the two of you had made amends. He knew you were going out of your way to give him a wide berth, his comfort while he sorted out his thoughts and feelings being your number one priority. He appreciated this more than words could express.

 

I love her so much. 

 

He still couldn't believe some days that he was, in fact, going to be with you forever. He never could have envisioned such a thing when he first saw you, let alone after he'd attacked you in the library all those months ago.  

 

Lila left her spot at the table, fuming. She stopped next to Hyunjin, leaning over to whisper in his ear.

 

“I hope that little cunt dies when you try to turn her,” she hissed. 

“Lila!” Soren barked. “Get the fuck out. Now.”

 

Hyunjin stayed where he was. Twenty minutes later, to the second, he was grinning to himself as he heard a shrieking Lila being dragged from the house and thrown out. He checked his watch, noting it was well past midnight. 

 

Might as well get back. I hope she waited up... I just want a little more time.

 

He finally stood, slipping quietly from the house. Lila was nowhere to be seen. 

 

It was raining heavily, so rather than walk back, Hyunjin drove back to your house, looking forward to coaxing you into sharing a hot bath if you were still awake. He used your garden tub far more than you did, and he had long felt that needed to change. But you always cited being too busy. He'd even tried to entice you with a slew of products from LUSH- no dice. You used the shower products, but the bath bombs and bubble bars went untouched more often than not.

 

That needs to change. I'm going to get her to start taking time for herself, if it's the last thing I do. A bath to start, when I get there. And then we can see where the night goes, if she's amenable to that.

 

When he pulled into the driveway, however, he was immediately concerned to see that there were no lights on inside that he could see. By this time, even if you had gone to bed while he was away, you always left on a light in the front window for him.  

 

What was more upsetting still, your car was not in the driveway. 

 

He hoped you’d just gone out with coworkers after work. It wasn't uncommon for you to go out with the midshifters for breakfast food after you worked second shift. He pulled out his phone anyway, frowning when he saw that he had no messages from you.

 

Adding to his worry was the fact that it was nearly 1am. 

 

Hyunjin [12:53am]: Where are you??

 

He let himself inside and turned on a few lights, searching the house as was customary nowadays. You were nowhere to be found. He texted you again. 

 

Hyunjin [12:59am]: This isn’t funny, where are you?? Please answer, I’m worried

 

Hyunjin [1:05am]: Hey. Are you trying to tell me something?

 

He sank onto the sofa, debating what to do, and found himself dialing the emergency department and asking for the charge nurse– but Florian told him that you’d left right on time at 11pm, and alone. 

 

He texted Dany and Nyla next.

 

Dany [1:09am]: She's not with us... aren't we all getting together tomorrow?? Nyla and I are at the club

 

Nyla [1:10am]: Maybe she went out with Astrid and Kiran... they're always going out after their shifts... and you know she's a hoe for breakfast food.

 

Hyunjin [1:10am]: I haven't heard a peep from her. And she didn't let me know she was going. I called work, Florian told me she left at 11. Alone.

 

Dany [1:11am]: This is so far from okay. Are you okay?? Do you need us to come over? I'm not sure what good it would do considering we're wimpy little humans, but at least you wouldn't be alone.

 

Nyla [1:12am]: Just say the word and we'll be there. Really. She's our best friend, and you're our friend too. We're here for ya.

 

Hyunjin [1:13am]: Thank you, but I'll be okay. Please be safe getting home?

 

Dany [1:14am]: You never let us have any fun. :p

 

Nyla [1:15am]: Shush Dany. Yes Hyunjin we'll be okay. Dany is DD tonight so she drove us. Keep us updated, okay??

 

Hyunjin [1:15am]: Will do. 

 

Dread was threatening to overwhelm him now. If you weren't with Dany and Nyla, and you weren't with coworkers, where were you? A few minutes later, his phone vibrated, and he grabbed for it, hoping against all hope that it was you.

 

His heart sank when he saw that it was a message from an unknown number. Just a photo.

 

It was you. Bound, and blindfolded, on the ground. 

 

He zoomed in on the surroundings, and recognized the location immediately based on the graffiti covering the walls. An abandoned warehouse where he had his clan had been able to feed reliably for over a decade. 

 

Until a few weeks ago, when Melina’s clan had claimed it as their own. 

 

Hyunjin flew out the door, locking it behind him, and sped back to the clan’s house, blowing through every stop sign and red light on the way, uncaring.

 

He burst in the door, startling Quinn and Liam, who were standing just inside, talking quietly. 

 

“Hyunjin?” Quinn frowned. “What’s going on?”

“They took her. Tobias took her,” Hyunjin mumbled. He showed Quinn and Liam the photo, his hands shaking. He had never been this upset, in all his years. 

 

“Fuck," Quinn exclaimed. "Soren needs to see this,” he continued, pursing his lips. “This is bad. Hyunjin, I'm sorry."

“See what?” Soren called, descending the stairs. “What’s wrong?” He took the phone from Hyunjin, and scowled. 

"Those scum."

“I need to go find her,” Hyunjin blurted out. 

“I warned you,” Soren told the younger vampire. “I told you to let her go.”

“You know why I can’t… why I couldn’t.” Hyunjin thought he was about to lose his mind, he was coming apart at the seams, anxiety overwhelming him. 

“I know.”

 

“Party in the entryway?” Taro joked as he and Alina walked in the door. His expression immediately changed when he noticed the tense atmosphere, saw Hyunjin standing there in the middle, chest heaving as he struggled to think clearly. 

“Not exactly,” Hyunjin replied, tight-lipped, as he tried and failed to compose himself. Taro came to Hyunjin’s side, peering down at the photo still on the screen.

"This looks like the warehouse at the end of 5th."

"I think so too," Hyunjin agreed. "I used to feed there all the time."

“Soren,” Taro said cautiously. But Hyunjin cut him off.

“Soren made it clear long ago that he wouldn’t risk our safety,” Hyunjin shook his head. “I’ll go alone. He's right. None of you need to risk your own safety for her. I understand."

“No.” Soren said firmly. “Absolutely not. You cannot do this alone.”

“But–” Hyunjin stared at his elder. “She– I have to help her."

“You aren’t going alone,” he reiterated. "I forbid it."

 

Hyunjin sat on the bench in the entryway, head in his hands.

 

I'm going to lose her. Why is this happening to me?! What did I ever do to deserve this? I've barely ever said two words to Tobias. How did I become a target?

 

Soren sat down next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

 

“I didn’t say that you couldn’t go at all.”

 

“We can go with him, Soren,” Quinn piped up. 

“Yeah,” Liam nodded. "Count me in, for sure."

“Us too,” Alina said, looping an arm through Taro’s, who nodded.

"Definitely. You aren't going in alone, Hyunjin."

 

Hyunjin raised his head to look around the room, dumbfounded, coming to rest his gaze on Soren. 

 

“You’re sure?”

“She’s to be part of our clan. As far as I’m concerned, that makes her family. Whether she's been turned or not at this point is irrelevant. She needs our help.” He nodded to the others. “You should go. And hurry.” He turned back to Hyunjin. “I hope, for your sake, that she hasn’t been turned for Melina’s clan already. Or worse.”

 

“I’ll drive,” Taro offered. “Let’s go, come on.”

 

Hyunjin spent the drive staring out the window, Soren’s words on repeat in his head. 

 

Turned for Melina's clan already... Or worse? Please, don't let any of that be true.

 

What if Tobias had taken you, turned you already? 

 

Even worse– turned you against him? 

 

Or worst of all– what if he had killed you outright?

 

It was Evie all over again, with a painful twist. 

 

This time, it was the love of his life. 

 

And he would never forgive himself if you didn’t make it out of this alive.

 

Then again, if you didn't, Hyunjin knew he didn't want to either.

 

—

 

The instant Taro put the car into park outside the warehouse, Hyunjin was flinging himself out of the vehicle, making for the door at the back that they’d always used. 

 

“Wait!” Alina called quietly. “Hyunjin, wait for us.”

 

He stopped short, allowing the others to catch up, and they walked to the door together. Hyunjin reached out with a trembling hand to slide it open. 

 

There were nine figures in the room ahead, eight of them standing. Hyunjin found you quickly, lying on the ground at the center, a vampire on either side, and Tobias looming over you. The others were scattered throughout the space. 

 

Hyunjin steeled himself, and stepped forward. 

 

“Ah, Hyunjin, so nice to see you,” Tobias smirked. “I see you brought friends. Did you want your love to have an audience at her death?”

“Hand her over,” Hyunjin said firmly, a stark contrast to the turmoil in his head. 

“Why would I do that?” Tobias laughed coarsely. “She came here willingly. She wanted to come with me. Begged me to cut the mark out of her hand, even."

“That can’t be true,” Hyunjin shot back. "There's no way."

"Oh, you think she loves you, do you?"

 

What if it is true?

 

Tobias left your side to circle Hyunjin, earning hisses and bared fangs from Liam and Quinn. Alina and Taro stepped forward, but Hyunjin held up a hand. 

 

“It is true. She wanted to leave you. She’d been looking for an out for ages. She was so thankful to me, for giving it to her.”

“Then why did you bring her here like this?” Taro snapped. "Something doesn't add up."

“Because,” Tobias grinned. “I like to play with my food, and I didn’t want to make a mess of Melina’s new living room.” He turned his gaze back to Hyunjin, who was standing there, about to fall apart. 

 

She doesn’t want me. How… how could she not want me? We said… we agreed! She said... she said she loves me. She wanted to be with me. How could she do this?!

 

“Face it,” Tobias sneered. “You were meant to be alone, Hyunjin.” 

 

He strode to you, yanking you up roughly by your jacket, and your head lolled to one side. Without hesitation, Tobias bit into your neck roughly, laughing to himself as he began to drink.

 

Hyunjin screamed.

 

What happened next felt like a blur. Hyunjin rushed forward, but was accosted by one of Tobias’s kin. Taro and Alina fought back-to-back, as did Liam and Quinn. Hyunjin was alone, dodging blows from his attacker, who had, unlike Hyunjin and his family, thought to bring a weapon. 

 

Hyunjin quickly realized he was at a drastic disadvantage, as his opponent landed more and more blows, and Hyunjin staggered, trying to keep upright as he continued to fight back. 

 

The rest of Tobias’s group fled one by one as they were wounded, leaving Tobias at the center. He had stopped drinking, and dropped your limp body to the ground once more with a thud.

 

With a satisfied smirk, he departed quickly, leaving the last of his clan behind.

 

At long last, Taro came to Hyunjin’s aid– and not a moment too soon, as Hyunjin slumped to his knees under the weight of his wounds. He was vaguely aware of Taro’s screech as he ripped the other vampire’s head from his shoulders. 

 

At once, their final two opposers fled, and Taro hurled the head in his hands after the them as a warning to keep going, before kneeling at Hyunjin’s side. 

 

“Hey. You okay?”

“No,” Hyunjin managed to get out. “Just leave me. I don't care. Just go."

 

Just let me die. She doesn’t love me. Just let it end. I give up. I can't do this ever again.

 

Hyunjin watched as Alina picked you up gently, carrying you over to him, laying you carefully in front of him. He pushed the hair out of your face and shook you gently, somewhat hopeful when he heard you groan, wrinkling your nose as your eyes flicked open. You fought to get to a sitting position, with Alina’s aid. Taro reached out a hand to steady you.

 

“You’re hurt,” Hyunjin heard you say. His brain was hazy, akin to how it had been the first time he died. He recoiled as you raised your wrist to his mouth. “Come on. Drink. It’ll heal you, won’t it?”

“No,” he shook his head. “No. I can’t. You… I can’t believe you… How could you...”

“What are you talking about?” You took his hand, and he snatched it away. 

“Tobias told us you came here willingly,” Taro raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps you'd like to explain yourself?"

“That’s fucking insane!” You shouted. “Why the hell– Hyunjin, you know me better than that!” You were shaking like a leaf, and he couldn't tell how much of it was anger, and how much was blood loss.

 

You tried to stand, and fell, unsteady on your feet. Hyunjin could hear your heart racing. 

 

“I…” He started. "You..."

 

He couldn’t think. 

 

He felt your hand grab his again, but he couldn’t push you away this time. He closed his eyes for just a moment, hoping this was all a bad dream. But when he opened them, you were still there in front of him, bleeding, pale.

 

Dying. 

 

Why won't they all just leave me alone? Let all this end. Please. Everyone just go away.

 

“Hyunjin. You need to drink. Just a little,” Taro urged. "She offered."

“Come on,” you said, tugging at Hyunjin’s sleeve with your other hand.

“No.”

 

“How could you believe him?” You asked quietly, on the verge of tears. “You know I love you.” You clasped his hand in both of yours and closed your eyes.

 

The next thing Hyunjin knew, the room around him was falling away– replaced with the image of Tobias. 

 

In a parking garage. 

 

Your voice. Your thoughts. As if it were him looking up at Tobias himself. But he was you.

 

Her memory. Oh my god. He... she doesn't... She didn't...

 

He shook his head to clear the images, looking down at you as you lay there, trembling still, and he reached for you. 

 

“You see?” You asked him. He nodded.

"I see. I shouldn't... I never should have doubted you."

“I told you. I love you, Hyunjin. I always will, no matter what. Nothing can change that. Now come on. You need to heal. You’re hurt so badly…” You trailed off, shaking your head, and he could tell you were slipping as you tried to keep your gaze on him, your eyes distant and unfocused.

 

“I don’t want to take what little you have left,” he said sadly. “You’ll die.”

“Then don’t let me,” you said weakly. "It's okay. I trust you."

"This isn't how I wanted this to happen," he sighed. 

"I love you," you whispered. 

 

Slowly, he lowered his lips to your neck, sinking his fangs in as gently as possible, shutting his eyes tight, a chill down his spine as you whimpered at the pain. 

 

As that first rush of blood hit his tongue, he began to drink with fervor. But seconds later, Taro was pulling you away from him. 

 

“That’s enough. You have to stop. She's nearly dry."

 

Hyunjin bit his own wrist as Taro lowered you to the ground, and put it over your mouth. But your eyes were closed, your breathing shallow.

 

“Come on. Drink,” he begged. He could feel his wounds healing, skin knitting itself back together, as the seconds ticked by.

 

But you were not responding.

 

“Please, you have to drink…” Hyunjin begged. "Please don't leave me."

“Let me help,” Alina said, opening your mouth, as Hyunjin tried to force the blood down your throat, massaging your neck. Anything to stimulate you to swallow. 

 

He thought he felt you do so after what seemed like an eternity, but it was feeble. He tried again, and felt you swallow once more, a little stronger this time. 

 

Hyunjin wasn’t sure how much you had gotten. If it was enough. He’d never turned anyone before. He didn’t know what he was doing. 

 

I wish Soren had come with us.

 

All he could do was hope– as he listened to your heart slow, every beat echoing in his ears.

 

Suddenly, it stopped altogether. 

 

And you still lay there, unmoving. Hyunjin moved back, crossing his legs, putting his head in his hands, wishing again that he could cry. 

 

It’s over. I was too late.

Chapter 19: What You Look For

Summary:

You awaken with a new outlook on life... so to speak.

Cold. So cold.

 

You felt like you were drifting, voices around you as you floated in and out of consciousness. 

 

Am I dead?

 

“Did it work?”

“We should go before they come back.”

“No, I can’t leave her.”

“Hyunjin, I’m so sorry.”

 

Hyunjin. Oh god, Hyunjin.

 

How could he have thought you didn’t love him? You silently cursed Tobias for putting him through that. You wondered if he had influenced Hyunjin’s mind the way he had tried to do to you. It was all you could do to hope that what you had shown Hyunjin, the memory of what had really happened with Tobias, was enough to soothe his aching heart. 

 

He has to know I love him more than anything. Please, if it's the last thing I did... let him know that.

 

You felt a hand slip into your own as you strayed closer to full consciousness. 

“I’m sorry,” you heard Hyunjin say. “I failed you. I'm so, so sorry."

 

Your eyes flew open, quickly coming into focus as you studied your surroundings. It was dark, save for a few dim fluorescent bulbs struggling to hang on. But that didn’t matter. You could see everything with perfect clarity, down to the dust motes floating through the night air. 

 

“Her eyes are open!” An unfamiliar voice called out. You heard Hyunjin call your name, and looked to the right to see him sitting there, knees pulled up to his chin. He fixed you with a bewildered stare as he whispered your name. 

 

You sat up slowly, still looking around, acutely aware that there were four other people gathered around Hyunjin, and they were all watching you closely. 

 

Something is wrong.  

 

You couldn’t put your finger on it at first, but then you realized.

 

Your heart was not beating. 

 

What the fuck! How… what… What the FUCK!

 

You scrabbled at your chest, trying to feel something, anything . Hyunjin moved closer to you, shifting so he could pull you close, murmuring your name, whispering gentle reassurances.

 

He turned me. Oh my god. Oh my god. Holy fuck. Oh my god. Holy shit. Oh god.

 

“It’s okay. It’s going to be okay,” he murmured. “It’s an odd feeling. You’ll get used to it, I promise. It's okay. You're okay. I've got you."

 

You buried your head in his shoulder, winding your arms around him. 

 

“Not so tight,” he squeaked. You loosened your grip a bit with a sigh. 

“Hyunjin?” You mumbled. “What happened?”

“What do you remember?”

“Not much, honestly. Everything is a blur. I remember… showing you that Tobias was lying. That’s it.”

 

“I think that’s the important part here,” an unfamiliar voice sounded. “Hyunjin, Soren says to bring her back to the house.”

“Okay. We should definitely go anyway,” Hyunjin replied. He let you go, and helped you to your feet, not that you needed much of it. You stood still for a moment more, trying to get your bearings, and Hyunjin looked down at you curiously. 

 

“What, do I have something on my face?” You stuck your tongue out at him.

“Well, yes, actually,” he laughed, trailing a finger down the side of your face. “You’re covered in dirt. But that’s not what I was looking at.”

“Are you going to enlighten me, or…?”

“Your eyes didn’t change.”

 

“Really?” The female vampire skipped over to you, long, deep brown curly hair swinging. She stopped in front of you, studying your face. “Wow.” She reached out to take your hand, and you cringed.

“Don’t–”

“Alina already touched you,” Hyunjin said quietly. “So did Taro. I’m sorry. It didn’t occur to me in the moment.”

“Is that bad?” Alina asked you curiously. 

“Not necessarily,” Hyunjin replied. “We can explain at home. Come on, let’s go, before Tobias gathers a mind to come back.”

 

The six of you crammed yourselves into Taro’s car, with you wedged somewhat uncomfortably in Hyunjin’s lap. Thankfully, the drive was short. 

 

A persistent tickle in your throat was beginning to bother you, and you grimaced as Taro helped you out of the vehicle. 

 

“Something wrong?” He tilted his head. 

“My throat.”

“Ah. You’re thirsty.”

 

Thirsty. Oh god, that’s it. You clawed at your throat, trying to will the sensation to stop, but it only seemed to get worse now that you were more aware of it. 

 

“We’ll make sure you get something soon. Gotta talk to Soren first. Come on,” Taro beckoned. Hyunjin took your hand, and you followed him into the house. You were led to what looked like a conference room, complete with a long table in the center, and you held back a laugh. 

 

Is this where they have their clan meetings? This is too funny.

 

You heard your name, and looked over to see Soren, sitting at the head of the table. He indicated for everyone to sit, and you took a chair next to Hyunjin. 

 

“So,” Soren began quietly. “I understand that our family has grown tonight.” He nodded to you. 

“I… What?” You stared at him, confused. 

“Did Hyunjin not tell you that you were to be accepted by this clan once you were turned?”

 

You turned to look at Hyunjin, who seemed to be doing his very best to become invisible.

 

“I was waiting to tell her until I was ready to actually do it,” Hyunjin finally sighed. He reached for your hand, squeezing it lightly. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have kept that from you.”

“So I’m…”

“Part of the family,” Taro said firmly. “Welcome.”

“It’s only logical,” Soren told you. “You’re Hyunjin’s partner. He turned you. It would be absurd for us to turn you away. From this moment forward, you are a member of this family... if you want it."

"Of course I do," you blurted out. "Why wouldn't I?"

 

"So it's settled then," Soren laughed, and you stared at him, eyes wide. 

 

I'd never have thought he was capable. Wow.

 

"I have a question," you bit your lip. Soren bowed his head, indicating you should speak.

“Do… we have to live here?” You pursed your lips. “I mean, no offense. I just like my house.”

“We can come up with a suitable arrangement, I’m sure,” Soren murmured. “But if you do stay where you are now, I will require strict and frequent check-ins. You are a newborn, after all."

“That sounds fair,” you nodded in agreement, reaching up to grasp your own throat again. 

 

“She needs to feed,” Taro frowned. “I can take her and Hyunjin, Soren, if that’s okay?”

“By all means.”

“Wait, you were going to tell us about the touching you thing,” Alina spoke up.

 

Oh fuck.

 

“I…” You started, unsure of how to tell them. Everyone was staring at you, and it made the hairs on the back of your neck raise. “Um.”

“She has a gift,” Hyunjin said smoothly. You reached out to whack him on the shoulder, and he winced. “Ow. Be gentle.”

“Oops. Sorry,” you made a face. "But I told you not to call it that." He laughed at your indignant expression.

“A gift?” Soren asked curiously. 

“Whatever I say stays here, right?” You folded your hands in front of you on the table. 

“If you mean you’ve got a secret you need us to keep, then yes,” Taro grinned at you. “Come on now. Tell us.”

“I… I’m a telepath,” you said quietly. "I have been since I can remember."

“Is that what was going on back at the warehouse?” Alina wondered aloud. "You showed Hyunjin something."

 

“Yeah,” you sighed. “I’ve never done that before actually. Projected a memory, that is. I can project my own thoughts, no problem. And I can read people’s minds, once they’ve touched me and established a connection.” You bit back a laugh at Alina’s horrified expression. “Don’t worry. It’s not an automatic thing, and I don’t like to do it. I’ll stay out, I promise... unless you're not forthcoming when I ask you what you want for your birthday,” you laughed, trying to cut the tension. After a moment, she grinned at you.

"I'll keep that in mind."

 

“Interesting,” Soren raised an eyebrow. “Even more so, that I was never told about this to begin with.” He eyed Hyunjin, who shrank even smaller into his seat. 

“I’m sorry,” Hyunjin mumbled. “It wasn’t my secret to tell.”

“Nothing that can be done about it now,” Soren shrugged, and you were surprised. “I know exactly why you didn’t tell me.”

 

“Hyunjin is the first person I’ve ever told,” you frowned. “And only because I outed myself when we first met.”

“Thank you for sharing,” Soren gave you a small smile. “I appreciate your honesty.” He nodded to Taro. “You should take them now. It’s getting late.”

 

“Wait,” you said as Taro stood. “Speaking of powers… there’s something you should know. About Tobias.”

 

Taro sat back down quickly, eyes wide. 

 

“How do you know Tobias has some sort of power?” Soren asked slowly. 

“Because he tried to use it on me… and it almost worked.” You shuddered as you remembered how close you had been to giving in. “He can influence thoughts and behaviors. He tried to get me to go with him willingly. And I wanted to— even though I really didn’t. I had to fight with myself over it.”

“You said it didn’t work though,” Taro murmured. 

“He was almost there, honestly. But when he got mad and grabbed me, it stopped working at all,” you nodded. “Once a connection was created, it was almost like I canceled him out.”

 

“Soren,” Taro said cautiously. “This would explain a lot about how Melina has been acting lately.”

“It would. But none of that needs to be discussed tonight. Our newborn needs to feed.”

 

Taro motioned to you and Hyunjin, and the three of you made your way back to Taro’s car. You sat in the back with Hyunjin, somewhat nervous about what was to come. You just couldn’t picture yourself drinking anyone’s blood– though you knew from now on it would be a necessity. 

 

Hyunjin reached over and took your hand, and you glanced over to see he was smiling at you softly.

 

“It’s going to be okay.”

“I hope so.”

“It will be.” He winked at you. “By the way, I texted Dany and Nyla to let them know you’re okay. I had talked to them earlier… I’m sure they were worried.”

“Oh good. I have no clue where my phone is,” you sighed, fishing in your pockets. "I bet it's been run over by now. It probably fell out of my pocket in the parking garage."

“We can get you a new one tomorrow, when we go get your car.”

 

Taro parked the car next to an alley. You didn’t recognize the area, but as you scanned your surroundings, you noticed a few people standing halfway down the alley, speaking in hushed tones. 

 

“Three of them,” Taro grinned. “Perfect.” He nodded to you. “Take your pick.”

“How am I supposed to do this, exactly?” You were exceptionally anxious now. 

“Go talk to them. You’re pretty, I’m sure you’ll suck them right in.” Taro laughed. “Pun somewhat intended.” You groaned.

"Aha," Taro laughed. "Hyunjin told me all about your brand of humor. Let's just say you'll be in good company with me." He patted your back. 

“We’ll be right behind you,” Hyunjin assured you. “Just remember, you’re a lot stronger than they are. Don’t be intimidated. I know it’s hard. You've got the upper hand in more ways than one." 

 

You headed over to the trio, who had noticed you now, and watched you carefully as you approached.

 

“Well hey there little miss,” one of the men leered at you. “You look like you’ve been through it tonight.”

“I have, actually,” you replied. "It's been a very long night."

“Looking for a little comfort?” He waggled his eyebrows at you suggestively. "I can make it even longer."

“Oh, why, do you think you can give me what I need?” You raised an eyebrow. He elbowed the man to his left, letting out a harsh laugh. 

“I’m sure of it, sweetheart. Why don’t you come a little closer, and I’ll show you just what I can do?”

 

You took a step closer, and he moved over to you. 

 

The smell of his blood hit you like a freight train, and before you knew it, you were reaching up to pull him down to your level, baring your newly minted fangs and sinking them into his neck. The second his blood hit your tongue, you began to drink, frenzied, feeling as though you’d never been quite this thirsty in all your life. You heard screams from the other two, which were quickly silenced as Taro and Hyunjin rushed to them. 

 

You weren’t concerned with that, however. The only thing that mattered was the blood that was running into your mouth, down your throat. You were somewhat aware that he was beating against you, albeit feebly now.

 

Strong hands pulled you away, and you fought to get back. You heard Hyunjin call your name, felt him shaking you, and you snapped out of your daze. 

 

“That’s enough. Don’t drain him.”

“I’m still thirsty,” you whined. “That wasn’t near enough.”

“Not unusual,” Taro winked. “Come on, I know another spot.”

 

After the second feeding, you were feeling much better, and Taro dropped you and Hyunjin off at your house. 

"Come by tomorrow night," he called out the window. "We'll have some things for you."

"Okay," you responded with a wave. "Goodnight!"

 

—

 

“I guess we should cancel on Dany and Nyla for tomorrow,” you sighed as you and Hyunjin stripped down for a shower. “I worry about being around them… like this.”

“Being around humans isn’t bad, as long as you stay well-fed,” Hyunjin reassured you. “We can try it. Maybe just dinner here, instead of a restaurant. See how you do with just two.”

“I mean, that sounds like a great idea,” you grimaced as you got into the shower, Hyunjin right behind you. “But I have class on Monday. So… I have a feeling this is going to be somewhat of a trial-by-fire deal.”

“Oh. Right. Well, we can go out early Monday morning, before your classes. Maybe we can get special permission to have me stay with you for a week or so."

"How?"

"Tell the school you had... a sudden change in your health," Hyunjin giggled. You made a face at him. 

"You know, that might actually work."

 

You noticed as you were washing up that Hyunjin had fallen silent, and he wandered to the bedroom after toweling off, still quiet. You followed him, curious, watching as he threw on a pair of sweatpants.

 

“What’s wrong?” You tilted your head, watching him closely. You decided to forego clothes, and strode to him, slotting your body against his, brushing the hair out of his face with one hand, your other arm wrapped around his waist. 

 

“This wasn’t how I wanted any of this to happen,” he said sadly. “I had actual plans for when I was going to turn you.”

“Stuff happens,” you told him, running a hand down his arm. He closed his eyes at your touch. “Not so warm anymore, huh?” You laughed. 

“No,” he said quietly. “But it feels nice all the same.”

 

You traced down his chest with just your fingernails, pleased when he let out a soft moan. You concentrated on circling one nipple with just your fingertip, before taking it between your thumb and forefinger, pinching gently. 

 

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” Hyunjin asked, eyes still closed. 

“Distracting you, Mr. Mopey. Is it working?”

 

Hyunjin opened his eyes, giving you a look. 

“I am not moping.”

“Oh, but you are,” you giggled. “You know that whole thing could have gone a lot worse. But look. I’m fine. I’m right here.”

“I guess you are,” he replied, leaning in to kiss you.

 

You nipped at his lower lip, pushing your tongue into his mouth, deepening the kiss. He seemed almost hesitant at first, but he followed suit, and growled low as you raked your nails down his chest again, harder this time. You reached down next, doing the same thing up his thigh, and grabbed your wrist.

 

“I feel like this is where I should remind you that I don’t have to hold back anymore,” he whispered against your lips. “Tread carefully.”

 

In response, you slipped one hand into his sweatpants, grinning to yourself as you grasped his rapidly hardening cock in one hand, giving several firm strokes. 

 

“Fuck,” he hissed. “You’re so…”

“Wonderful?” You suggested. 

“Bratty,” he smirked, grabbing your arms. 

 

He marched you to the bed, turning you to face it, and pushed you down, bending you over the mattress. You had an odd sort of moment as you realized that this was where your heart would have been beating a mile a minute– but you couldn’t feel anything now except his hand, tracing down your spine, coming to cup your ass. He moved down, ghosting fingers over your center, and you whined. 

“Wet,” he said, and you could hear the grin in his voice. “So wet... Good.” You felt him pulling his pants down, and you tried to move, to get up, but he was slamming you back down before you could get far. 

 

“Hyunjin,” you whined. You felt the tip of his cock pressing into you, and he thrust hard, pushing all the way inside you in one stroke. “Oh my god!”

“Mmm,” he moaned. You tried to move again, and he leaned over, placing one hand on your back, holding you down as he began to thrust, astonishingly fast, and harder than you’d ever felt before. "So soft... soaking wet for me... just the way I like you."

“Hyunjin!” You clawed at the sheets, screwing your eyes shut tight as he railed into you. He grasped your hip with his free hand, and you could hear his grunts as he kept up the pace, laughing softly as you squirmed. 

“Stop that,” he said, slapping your ass, grabbing it firmly. “I will tie you down.”

 

He really thinks that’s going to make me behave? Hah.

 

“You wouldn’t.”

 

He pulled out of you, and you whined at the loss, standing up and crawling into the bed. He was over at the dresser in a flash, and you raised an eyebrow as you saw him return with a pair of leather cuffs. 

 

“Where did you get those?”

“I’ve had them for a while. I was just waiting for the right time to bring them out.” He hesitated. “Is this… okay with you?”

“Oh, absolutely,” you nodded. 

"Remember in five minutes that you told me that," he told you with a mischevious grin, and a chill shot down your spine. 

 

Oh god. I'm in for it, aren't I?

 

You let him fasten your wrists to the headboard, shivering in anticipation of what was to come. 

 

“Keep in mind,” he said as he finished, coming back to lay between your legs. “You’re a lot stronger now. Don’t break the bed.”

“Ugh,” you grumbled, giving an experimental tug. You heard the bed frame creak in response. “Time to buy an iron bed,” you joked. 

“Perhaps,” Hyunjin said, pushing your legs apart. He was back inside you in an instant, and he quickly maneuvered your legs up over his shoulders as he began to fuck you at that same, severe pace, holding onto your ankles tightly. 

 

“Oh god,” you whined. “I’m… oh god… Hyunjin… I’m… don't stop... I...”

 

He ceased his movements abruptly, just as you were about to tip over the edge, and you shouted in protest. 

 

“Something wrong, love?”

“You know what's wrong,” you whined. “I want to come.”

“Turnabout’s fair play,” he laughed. 

“Oh no,” you grimaced as he began again. 

“Oh yes,” he replied with a grin. “You had better tell me if you’re close,” he added. 

 

Not a minute later you were writhing under him again, inching closer and closer to release. He stopped again, and you tugged against your restraints, thinking you might go insane. 

 

“Naughty,” he tutted. "I told you to tell me when you got close."

“How did you–”

“I could feel you getting tighter. Shall we try again?” 

 

He resumed, setting that same breakneck pace, and you threw your head back into the pillows, bucking your hips up as best you could to meet his, desperate for more friction, anything to push you over the edge. 

 

“Hyunjin…” You whined. He stilled, pushing deep inside you, grinning down as you whined and clenched tight around him. 

“How badly do you want it?”

“Hyunjin, if you don’t let me come I think I’m going to lose my mind.”

“That would be a shame,” he said, starting to thrust slowly. “Perhaps you should tell me how much you want to come.”

“So badly,” you mumbled. “Please, for the love of everything… please…”

“You want to come on my cock? Soak me with your come?”

“Yes,” you whined. “Hyunjin, please let me come, please. I need…”

“What do you need?” He increased his speed a bit. “Tell me.”

“Need to come,” you whimpered. “Need you…”

“You want me to come with you?” He sped up more, making his thrusts firmer. 

“Yes, please ,” you cried out. “Want to feel you. Please. Hyunjin. Let me come. Please.”

 

He was back to his original pace again, and you were straining against your bonds, calling out his name. You felt like you were on fire. You wanted so badly to come, the burning in your belly reaching a fever pitch, and you shouted his name. 

 

“Please!” You screamed, not caring that it was the middle of the night. You were so close. 

 

Please. Oh god please.

 

“Come,” he commanded. “Come on my cock.”

 

You needed no further invitation, and as your orgasm ripped through you, bursting stars behind your eyes, you could feel his cock pulsing inside you as he filled you up. He fucked you through your release, messy, erratic strokes that drove you off the edge again, before you could even come down from the first high. 

 

When he finally stopped, lowering your quivering legs back to the bed, you stared up at him, blinking through your fucked-out haze. He pulled out and moved to undo your wrists, and gathered you into his arms. 

 

“Are you okay?” He asked, burying his face in your hair. 

“That was mean,” you grumbled.

“Did you already forget about last Sunday?” He chuckled. “I told you. Payback.”

“Rude,” you huffed. 

“Come on,” he kissed your forehead before tugging you out of bed. “Let’s get cleaned up.” He checked his phone. “It's nearly sunrise. We can take a nap, and then go get your car, and a new phone.”

“I can’t afford a new phone,” you sighed as he led you back to the bathroom. "The one I had was on a payment plan."

“If only you were part of a clan with a well-established fortune at their disposal,” he laughed. “It’ll be fine.” He kissed you softly. "We'll get you a new one and pay off the other."

“Are you sure?” You bit your lip and frowned. "That'll be a bit pricey."

“I’ve got you,” he whispered, kissing your cheek. “Don’t worry.”

 

—

 

You took a nap with Hyunjin, and rose around noon. Hyunjin texted Dany and Nyla to let them know that you had lost your phone, and asked them to be at the house at 5pm. 

 

“Who authorized the sun to be so bright?” You complained as the two of you walked to the hospital to get your car. “Even with sunglasses, it’s a lot.”

“That’ll get better,” Hyunjin said as he looped an arm through yours. “You’ve basically got a whole new body… it’ll take time to get used to.”

 

He had ordered you a new phone online, and once your car had been retrieved, drove by the Apple Store in town, running in to get it while you waited. 

 

You were apprehensive about seeing Dany and Nyla. You knew they still had no idea what had happened to you. 

 

Then again, you barely had an idea either. Your memories of the warehouse were still fuzzy at best. The only thing you could truly remember was convincing Hyunjin that you did, in fact, love him. 

 

“Hyunjin?” You sighed as you sat on the sofa, working on configuring your new phone, thankful that you had it set to back up every night. 

“What’s wrong?” He asked, setting down a fresh cup of coffee on the tray table in front of you. You mumbled your thanks as he took a seat next to you, resting his head on your shoulder. 

“Did you really think that I had gone with Tobias willingly?”

“I…” He sighed. “Part of me knew that it couldn’t be true. But the idea was so… pervasive. I couldn't stop it.”

“I think he was using his power on you,” you frowned. “While playing on your insecurities, to boot.”

“It was very hard to shake those thoughts,” he admitted. “It felt like losing Evie all over again. Only worse, because it was you."

“You know I’d never leave you.” You took a sip of the coffee, eyes widening at the taste. It was so much richer, fuller than before. 

 

Oh jeez. Food is about be fucking interesting.

 

“I…” Hyunjin started. You shifted in your spot, wrapping your arms around him. 

“Hyunjin. Honestly.”

“I know,” he mumbled eventually. “I know. Just, in the moment…”

“You have nothing to worry about,” you hugged him gently. “You’re stuck with me.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” he laughed quietly as a knock sounded at the door. “That’ll be Dany and Nyla.”

 

You let him go, and he went to get the door. You stayed where you were, trying to ignore the fact that you could smell their blood all the way from the doorway. Hyunjin led them into the living room, and they eyed you, confused. 

 

“What’s going on?” Dany asked as she took the seat next to the window. Nyla grabbed a cushion and sat on the floor. Both of them turned to face you. 

“We’ve had quite a weekend,” Hyunjin sighed. He glanced over at you, and laughed at your wide-eyed expression. “It’s going to be okay. Don’t breathe. It helps.”

“Don’t breathe?” Nyla laughed. “What?”

“Guys,” you started. “I…”

“What happened to you?” Dany frowned. 

“Tobias happened,” you sighed. “He kidnapped me from work last night. Lured Hyunjin and most of his clan out after me.”

“He nearly killed her,” Hyunjin cut in. “So I did what I had to do to save her.”

 

“So… you’re a vampire now,” Dany laughed. “Are you okay? You look like you’re freaking out a bit.”

“You… smell really good,” you admitted. "Like. Really good."

“Thanks, I bathed today,” Dany replied. You shook your head. 

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

“Oh. She thinks we smell tasty,” Nyla snapped her fingers. “Do you need us to leave?”

“No,” you made a face. “This is… actually easier than I thought it would be.”

“Good,” Nyla winked at you. “You know I love you, but I don’t fancy being anyone else’s meal anytime soon.”

“Do you still want to go out tonight?” Dany inquired. “We don’t have to.”

“Might as well experiment, I guess,” you pursed your lips. “I do have class tomorrow. That should be a special sort of fun.”

“You got this,” Nyla encouraged. “It’ll be okay.”

“That’s what I keep saying,” Hyunjin laughed. “It takes a lot of adjustment, that’s for sure.”

“Well,” Dany said, moving to sit next to you, laughing as you cringed. “You’ve got our support. And there’s no way you’re getting rid of us.”

“Come on,” Hyunjin said as he stood. “Dinner is on me.”

 

He slipped an arm around your waist as the four of you filtered out of the house, and hugged you to him.

Everything is going to be okay, you told yourself. It can only go up from here.

Chapter 20: Epilogue: Beautiful Times

Summary:

You ease into your new life, and look forward to your future.

Strangely, after the fateful night at the warehouse, your clan hadn't heard from Melina's again. You hoped that you having been turned had done the trick, but part of you was constantly on edge that there was more to come. 

 

Regardless, you tried to throw yourself back into your routine as best you could, determined to get back to some semblance of normal- even if normal was different now.

 

Enduring your classes over the first several weeks as a vampire was a special sort of hell for you, and you were overjoyed when the semester was finally at a close. You had decided immediately that you’d be doing the rest of grad school online, thinking an asynchronous schedule would better suit your new timetable... among other things. Hyunjin was pleased with this, as it meant he got to spend more time with you overall. 

 

“That doesn’t mean you get to distract me,” you shook your head at him as he clapped his hands with glee while he watched you sign up for online classes for the fall. “You have to behave.”

“I’ll start when you do,” he shot back.

“You keep saying I’m a brat,” you stuck your tongue out at him. “Have you ever considered that you’re just as bad?”

“Impossible,” he said with a grin. “I am the picture of innocence.”

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”

 

You’d decided to quit your job in favor of going full time at school, for a myriad of reasons… most notably that being around blood on a regular basis was no longer going to fly, at least not until you could control yourself a bit better. You’d called Annika to tell her you were quitting, effective immediately, citing a sudden health issue. You apologized profusely, until she finally told you to hush. She was, of course, highly concerned, eager to help in any way possible. She even assured you that she would pull some strings, allowing you to resign properly, in case you ever wanted to return. Seeing as how you had hoped to get on with the same hospital when you finally did become a licensed social worker, this was a relief.  

 

Hyunjin had tried to talk you out of continuing to pursue that line of work, albeit unsuccessfully. 

 

“Please. I can work nights. It’ll be fine,” you urged. “There’s zero way that I busted my ass to get this far only to quit now.”

“You’re impossible,” he rolled his eyes. 

“Takes one to know one,” you told him, kissing him deeply. 

“I’ll show you impossible,” he told you with an impish grin, scooping you up into his arms and heading down the hall for the bedroom. 

“Hyunjin!”

 

—

 

The following year sped by. Time no longer seemed to be something you had to adhere to, you thought, as you sat at your computer, ordering your regalia for graduation. 

 

How the fuck is it almost time for graduation?!

 

“Hello!” Dany and Nyla popped into the living room, out of nowhere. You’d stopped locking the door quite as tightly these days, considering you were much better equipped to fight back. 

“It’s us, your favorite people,” Dany laughed. 

“Oh please, we are absolutely second fiddle to Hyunjin,” Nyla giggled. "There's no contest."

“I mean,” you shrugged as Hyunjin strode into the room at the mention of his name. “You’re all okay… I guess.”

“Rude,” Dany smirked. She plopped down onto the couch with you, and Nyla did the same on your other side. You shuddered as their scent hit your nostrils. 

“You guys suck,” you grumbled. 

“Look who’s talking,” Nyla cackled. “The literal bloodsucker.”

“Wow,” you elbowed her gently. “And you guys say I’m rude.”

“Because you are,” Dany nodded. “We were supposed to meet for pizza an hour ago.”

“Oh fucksticks,” you groaned. “I’m sorry.”

“Come on, up you get,” Nyla said, pulling you to your feet. “Sorry Hyunjin, girls only tonight.”

“That’s okay,” he said with a grin. “I have an errand to run, anyway.”

 

You raised an eyebrow, immediately suspicious. 

 

“Have a good dinner,” he laughed as he ushered the three of you out the door. “Call me if you need me.”

 

—

 

You opted to walk to the restaurant that evening, enjoying the warm spring breeze on your skin. It was a little bit better than being cooped up in a car with two humans, which was still a bit taxing for you. You had spent the summer trying to get acclimated to being around them, but it was clear you still had a long way to go. 

 

“Are you excited about graduation?” Dany asked as you all slid into a booth at your regular pizza place. 

“I guess,” you shrugged. “I’m just glad school is almost over. If I ever decide to go for my doctorate, please hit me over the head with a social work textbook. I give you full permission.”

“Duly noted,” Nyla laughed. “So are you going to take some time off before you start working?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. “I need a break. Surprise surprise, full time school has been even less fun than part time.”

“Shocker,” Dany said as she flagged down a server to ask for a soda. “You’ve been really grouchy lately… it’s been obvious you’ve been stressed.”

“Sounds like Hyunjin isn’t doing a good enough job of keeping you… not stressed,” Nyla shot you a sly grin.

“Someday you’re going to tire of teasing me about my sex life,” you groaned, hiding your face.

“Not likely,” Nyla replied. “But it’s cute that you think that.”

 

—

 

Graduation day was on you before you knew it, and you were somewhat surprised that the entire clan showed up to cheer you on, befitted in colored contacts, huge grins plastered on their faces as they stood next to your parents, Hyunjin, Dany, and Nyla. It was so surreal that you couldn’t help but laugh. 

 

After the ceremony, you were greeted by the group of them. Shyly, you introduced Ellie and Terrence to Soren and the rest of the clan, telling them that these were new friends you’d met through Hyunjin. They seemed to take it in stride, and Ellie immediately invited the lot of them over for your graduation reception. 

 

“Ellie…” You groaned. 

“I’ll hear none of that,” she said brightly, pinching your cheek. “This is your day! And you’re going to have a good one, damn it.” She winked at you. 

 

Hyunjin sidled up to you, bearing a large bouquet of your favorite flowers, in your favorite colors, no less. You took it happily as he leaned in to kiss you. You were thankful you could no longer blush, as you felt everyone’s eyes on you. 

 

Almost as if they knew something you didn't.

 

“So… what now?” You asked him. “I mean… I know what now, I have to take the exam, get my license, find a job…” You trailed off as you looked back down at the flowers you held, something glinting among the gauzy ribbon that held them together. Your mouth fell open. 

 

It was a ring– a pear-shaped diamond, ringed by smalled ones, set in what you hoped was white gold, but something told you that was unlikely, knowing Hyunjin. You looked back at him to see him grinning at you, nothing but love in his eyes. 

 

“Well,” he said softly. “I have a few ideas.”

Notes:

Thank you so much to everyone who has kept up with this story-- I have greatly appreciated all the comments, the yelling, the keyboard smashes, and the support. I hope you enjoyed the ride! Please look forward to what comes next. ;)