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Jimin squinted when he entered the flickering, fluorescent brightness of the aging convenience store located exactly eight and a half blocks from his apartment, just enough change in his pocket for a package of instant ramen, a chocolate flavoured energy bar, and three sticks of chewing gum.
The door closed swiftly behind him, successfully shutting out the night. With it went the cold, and Jimin let out a silent sigh as warmth settled over the chill that had snuck into his bones through his too-thin jacket.He glanced briefly at the cashier—a fleeting smile at the ready—only to find her busily swiping through her phone, a pronounced frown between her brows. Smile falling quickly from his face, Jimin stuck his frozen fingers into his pockets with a sigh and made the familiar, humbling journey towards and down the leftmost aisle.He’d been here three months.The thought echoed in his mind as he scuffed the rubber of his shoe with each shuffling, reluctant step. The rows and rows of ramen quickly came into view, and he began his regular process of scanning for any discounts or sales as the too-light coins in his pocket weighed heavily in his mind.Three months, four days, and about twelve hours.And in all that time, not one vampire had crossed his path.Let alone a single supernatural creature.
Not even a shitty one.
The only time he thought he might’ve found something remotely related to the supernatural was when he’d spotted a particularly furry looking individual from across the street. After chasing the man down, it turned out he was just really, really hairy and no, he was not in fact a werewolf. Or bigfoot. Or a distant relative of either. And no, not a sasquatch either and wasn’t that just a fancy name for bigfoot? Now go before I call the cops, this is harassment you creep.….Needless to say it wasn’t Jimin’s best moment.Absently Jimin heard the clang of the bell to his right which announced a new customer had arrived. Still, he kept his eyes glued on the packages of ramen in front of him, scratching an itch on the back of his leg with the toe of his sneaker, his mind swirling with varying degrees of anger, frustration, and self pity.And, much more importantly—Beef or pork?Pork was definitely the better option, but the beef brand he liked happened to be on sale and…Jimin’s thought process screeched to a halt as he noticed something red smeared onto the white of his shirt, peeking through his hastily buttoned jacket.“Shit,” he hissed, pulling up his shirt to examine the stain. He scratched it with a nail, but the red stubbornly remained. He brought the fabric to his nose, inhaling the familiar scent of tomato and vinegar.Ketchup.
Super.He knew that corn dog was a mistake. And that had been hours ago. He’d looked like a slob the entire day. Not to mention the fact this would never come out without some kind of stain remover, which he could not afford.Fucking typica—
Wiggle.
Jimin froze, eyes widening as he felt a distinct and familiar chill creep up his spine.
His hands slowly began to tremble and he clenched them into fists, slowly lowering his shirt and shakily stuffing it back in his jacket. Taking a shallow breath as he hesitated a moment more, Jimin turned his head slowly towards the entrance of the convenience store.His eyes were immediately drawn to the figure in a black hoodie standing in the leftmost corner, hunched over slightly as the stranger examined a small display of colourful plastic keychains.
Wiggle, wiggle.
Swallowing thickly, Jimin forced his frozen feet to move as he cautiously rounded the aisle. His legs wobbled under his weight, his heart pounding in his chest so violently it made it difficult to breathe. Even so, he continued to move closer, shaky step after shaky step, his eyes careful not to leave the hooded individual.It didn’t particularly look like a vampire, but the strange wiggling tingle he felt in his mind had never been wrong before when it came to identifying those of the supernatural leaning. Not that he’d ever seen a vampire, mind you. But for some reason he knew that this was one.
The wiggle told him so.Not pausing to think on how weird that sounded, Jimin continued forward. After all, this was why he was here in the first place. Even if this person didn’t look like what one might imagine a typical vampire would, he’d set out to experience the modern vampire, not the rehashed bullshit stereotype witches had been disseminating for centuries.
And now he would finally get his chance.Jimin stopped just short of the figure—likely male given the width of the shoulders—unsure how to proceed. His hands still shook, his legs still felt weak beneath him as fear and anticipation thrummed through him.Jimin raised a hand. “Um—”“Hey! Do you have a Togepi keychain?” the figure called out suddenly, cutting Jimin off as he turned his head to face the cashier. Jimin caught sight of the tip of a pale, slightly rounded nose and a lock of glossy, dark hair.“Whatever is there is what we have,” the cashier responded automatically, sounding both bored and distracted, still looking down at her phone. “And no, I will not be ‘checking the back’.”“That’s what you always say,” the hooded man muttered before turning back to the display, pale fingers sifting through the various plastic, colourful bodies.Jimin’s eyes moved from the cashier and back to the man in front of him, hand still raised, mouth still partially open.What.…This was a vampire, right?Pausing a moment, Jimin took the time to examine his target a bit more closely.His hoodie was old and worn, with a faded logo that Jimin vaguely recognized was from a comic book or some other nerd-adjacent content. From his hip there hung a blue and purple pokemon lanyard filled with shiny metal pins of things Jimin didn’t recognize but seemed pretty nerdy as well.It didn’t exactly fit the vampire persona he'd read about.And yet…
Wiggle. Wiggle. Wiggle.

Vampire. Vampire. Vampire.
Jimin felt his lips press together, his brow furrowing.Could his instincts be wrong—?His thoughts were cut off as the man—vampire?—abruptly turned and slammed right into him.“Shit. Sorry,” the man said, catching Jimin when he stumbled back, large pale hands wrapping around Jimin’s arms to keep him from falling on his ass.
WIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLEWIGGLEWIG—
Jimin barely registered the fact that he was being pulled upright, so caught up in the handsome face before him, which was surrounded by dark hair and made beautiful by the large, muddy brown eyes that currently stared down at Jimin.The same colour of mud brown that occurred when too-bright red eyes were poorly disguised by dark contact lenses.Bingo.Before the vampire could fully release him, Jimin grabbed him back, his fingers wrapping around his sweatshirt sleeves in a vice grip.The vampire blinked down at his hands, surprised by the action, before looking at Jimin, confusion in his eyes.“...Uh. Can I help you?”Jimin tightened his fingers.“Yes,” he said, perhaps with more intensity than was necessary if the raised brows he received in response were any indication.“Yikes. Okay.” The vampire carefully tried to pull his arms free, his eyes looking around as though for an escape route. “That was a rhetorical question.”Jimin shook his head. “You don’t understand. I’ve been looking for you.”“Well, that’s creepy.” Another fruitless tug. “Can you let go?”Jimin shifted his eyes to the cashier, who still only had eyes for her phone. Despite this, her fingers had stopped moving and her head was tilted slightly as though listening intently.Jimin turned back to the vampire. “Come with me.”“No?”Jimin ignored him, already marching out of the store, ignoring the half hearted tugs coming from the vampire behind him. He pushed open the door, the frosty air biting his skin as he pulled them both out into the cold night.“This is fine. Kidnapping is illegal, but go off, I guess.”Jimin made straight for the closest dark alley as he spoke impatiently over his shoulder. “I’m hardly kidnapping you. We need to talk.”“Ah. It’s not you, it’s me.”Jimin paused. “What?”“Well, you said—you know what, nevermind. I’m not explaining my joke to a kidnapper.”“Would you stop saying that?”“Okay, stranger danger.”“That’s hardly better.”“You don’t get to decide that when you’re literally dragging me into a dark alleyway at night. Now, are you going to let me go already? We’ve run out of alley and you’re stretching my favourite hoodie.”Jimin rolled his eyes but did release him as requested. Then, after several exaggerated shoulder checks, he turned back around to once more face the vampire.Who was on his phone.“What are you doing.”The vampire sniffed absently, not bothering to look up. “What does it look like?”Jimin pinched the bridge of his nose. Why had he been so nervous?“Look. Can you please pay attention? This is kind of a big deal for me.”The vampire still didn’t look up from his phone, his handsome face illuminated by blue light as he swiped his thumb across the screen. “Hm. First mugging? I hear that’s pretty special.”“What? No.”“Aw. I’m not your first? Darn.”Jimin choked. “For the love of—Would you please put your phone away?”“In a minute. I’ve almost caught this Absol.”“...What?”“Pokemon Go.”“Who?”Brown eyes finally looked up. “Pokemon Go? International hit of the summer a few years back? Admittedly less popular now, but come on. You should stop creeping people and get out more.”“Just get off your phone!”“Alright. Jeez.” The vampire obediently stuffed the phone into his back pocket. “I didn't catch it, by the way. Not that you care.”“I don't.”“Rude.”“You—! No. Nevermind. Stay on track, Jimin.”“I’m Jungkook.”“What?”“Didn’t you introduce yourself?”“What? No.”
Fuck. He shouldn’t have done that.The vampire nodded, as though he understood. “Ah. Is this a no-name exchange? Kinky.”“What? No!”“So we are doing names? You know what, I don’t know if I’m ready for that type of commitment. Can I get back to you—”“YOU ARE A VAMPIRE!” Jimin shouted, before the vampire could distract him further. He immediately felt his cheeks heat, because he had said it a bit loud, but, honestly, if he hadn’t they wouldn’t have gotten anywhere.The vampire, Jungkook, blinked. He looked surprised but didn’t speak further.“Don’t deny it,” Jimin rushed to add.“I wasn’t going to.”Already primed to come to his own defence if required, Jimin felt himself deflate somewhat. “Oh,” he said.Jungkook, meanwhile, was looking at him curiously, hands in his pockets, head tilted. “How did you know?”“Uh.” Jimin scratched his wrist, suddenly embarrassed, though he wasn’t sure why. “I can sense it. My mom is a witch. Er, half-witch. I’m a quarter.”Jungkook hummed. “Cool. Like spidey senses.”“What.”“Like Spiderman.”“Who?”“The comic?”Jimin wrinkled his nose in distaste.Jungkook held up a finger at Jimin, pointing to his scrunched nose. “Rude.”“...Are you seriously a vampire?”“You seem to think so.”Jimin shook his head. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. We’re getting off track.”“Ah.” Jungkook nodded. “Back to the mugging then.”“You—” Jimin hissed, before cutting himself off, grinding his teeth. “You are insufferable.”A shrug. “I get that a lot.”Jimin took a moment to breathe through his nose, forcing a sense of calm as he fought to relax his shoulders.“Can you just…listen? For a moment. Please.”Jungkook raised a brow and folded his arms over his chest, hip cocked. He looked skeptical, and not altogether trusting, but otherwise remained obediently silent. Jimin took this as a sign to continue. He swallowed thickly, stretching out his trembling fingers before clenching them into fists.
“I need your help.”“Okay?”“But I guess I should explain a bit first.”“...You really don’t have to.”Jimin ignored Jungkook’s mutterings, pacing back and forth as he determinedly relayed his problem. “So my mom runs this magical bookstore back home, right? It’s been in our family for generations and has always been successful despite our town being pretty small—”Jungkook looked longingly towards the alley entrance, shifting on his feet. “...So is this like an entire life story type thing, or…?”Jimin ignored him. “But she’s only a half witch and I—we—aren’t all that popular. So business hasn’t been the best.”
“So that’s a yes then…”Jimin pointedly cleared his throat. “And then, to make things worse, about four months ago another bookstore opened. It took what little business we had left.”Jungkook rubbed his arm. “Look. Jimin. This is sad and all, but if you’re looking for money—”Jimin hurriedly held up his hands. “No! No. I promise I’m not. See, all of the bookstores are pretty much equal when it comes to types of information. But the thing is, no one has any books on vampires. Well, okay, we do, but they're horribly outdated. That’s why I came to the city three months ago. If I can get updated information on your species, it might save our bookstore.”Jimin deliberately left out the part where he had left without actually telling his mother.“I guess that makes sense?”Jimin felt something heavy in his chest immediately lift, replaced by giddy anticipation. “So you’ll help?”Jungkook smiled. “No.”And then he turned and began walking back towards the street.Jimin stared after him dumbly, momentarily frozen in place, before his brain kicked into gear and he hurried after the vampire.“Wait!” he called, tripping over a stray newspaper in his hurry. Cursing under his breath, he kicked it aside and picked up into a run, grabbing Jungkook’s sleeve when he reached him. “What do you mean ‘no’?”Jungkook sighed, looking up at the night sky for a long moment before finally turning around to face Jimin. “You seem like a nice guy, Jimin. Well, aside from the kidnapping, mugging, stranger danger vibes—”“You—!”“But even if we ignore the whole issue of you asking me to purposely reveal the supremely private secrets of my species and almost certainly endangering all vampire-kind by selling our weaknesses to an easily accessible bookstore owned by witches of all things…” Jungkook paused. Then, added, “Not that I actually care, mind you, but it bears reminding.”“But—”“Shhh, I listened to your long spiel, you can listen to my rejection.”Jimin rolled his eyes. “You didn’t listen particularly well.”“And neither are you. What a match we make,” Jungkook drawled. “Now, even more important than all those very obvious, very dangerous, very valid issues—I really don’t think I’m what you’re looking for.”“What do you mean? You’re dark and tall and handsome.” And the biggest nerd Jimin had ever met. “You’re perfect!”Jungkook made a face. “...Right. Uh. Well, I’m not exactly a normal vampire.”“Is it the nerd thing?” Jimin asked, looking him up and down skeptically.
Jungkook folded his arms, eyebrow raising. “...Anyone tell you you’re a bit of a snob?”
Jimin rolled his eyes. “Then what is it?”“Not that it’s any of your business. But…”“But?”“But… I don’t really. Uh. Drink blood.”What.“What.”Jungkook shifted in place, a notably self conscious gesture. “It’s…messy.”“But—”“Jimin, just believe me. I’m not who you want.”Jimin immediately opened his mouth to protest, but found himself pausing as his eyes drifted down to the nerdy logo on Jungkook’s shirt, the nerdy lanyard, the nerdy pins, the worn jeans and old converse. Jimin’s mouth closed, lips pressing together.Was this a mistake?Sure, he didn’t seem particularly…vampire-like, but wasn’t that the point of his research? The information they had was outdated, after all. But then, if Jungkook was an abnormal vampire, then wouldn’t that just ruin everything he was working towards? The nerdy thing was…weird. But he could accept it. Even if it broke every cool vampire fantasy he had, he could accept it. Maybe.But the refusal to drink blood was admittedly a little too far left field, even for Jimin. Surely vampires still drank blood? Maybe Jungkook really wasn’t the best option.But then…He was also the only option.Jimin had been here for three months already. He lived off instant ramen in a shitty apartment with awful neighbours and a worse landlord.He wouldn’t last much longer. Definitely not long enough to find another vampire.He’d be forced to go home…And that was the last thing he wanted.Maybe if he stuck around Jungkook, perhaps another, more qualified vampire would eventually show up.Fuck it.“You know what you need?” Jimin asked then, grinning up at Jungkook, who now looked distinctly uncomfortable.“No,” he said, shuffling on his feet. “But I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”“Vampire lessons!”Silence.Jungkook looked at Jimin.Jimin looked at Jungkook.Jungkook blinked twice.And abruptly turned on his heel.“I’m going home.”“Wait!”“Are we adding stalker to your list of titles?” Jungkook asked as Jimin hurriedly caught up with him again, already distracted by the phone he’d once more pulled from his pocket, busy scrolling through some sort of forum. “Also, did you notice you have ketchup on your shirt? Go buy a Tide pen or something. That shit stains.”“No money—but nevermind that. Look, Jungkook, we can help each other!”“Hm. I’m sure.”“No really,” Jimin said, rushing to match Jungkook’s long strides. “You must want to be a normal vampire, right? I–I can help!”Jungkook gave him a skeptical glance. “Buddy, you just admitted to not knowing anything about modern vampires. How could you possibly help?”“Because I know loads about traditional vampires! All the basics! All my major school projects were done on vampires.”“Ew. You’re a fanboy,” Jungkook said, wrinkling his nose and putting an extra step of distance between them as he walked faster. “Figures.”Feeling perhaps a tad bit too desperate, Jimin closed the distance, keeping pace. “Please! I’m what you need.”“If you’re trying to shake the ‘creepy’ title, I would avoid saying shit like that—would you let go? I was joking about the stranger danger thing, but you’re seriously ticking too many boxes now.”“At least think about it! I could buy you a…uh.”Jungkook looked up from his phone, amusement flashing in his eyes. “Were you going to offer to buy me coffee?”“No.”“You were.”“No, I was going to say…flowers.”“I get allergies.”“...Of course you do.”“What’s that sup—”“Forget the flowers! Will you please just think about it?”Jungkook finally stopped walking with a sigh, he clicked off his phone and shoved it in his pocket before rubbing at his face with both hands. His next words came out muffled as he spoke against his palms. “If I say yes, will you leave me alone?”“Yes!”Jungkook’s hands slid halfway down his face, enough to glare at Jimin. He stayed like that a moment longer, whether thinking about something or just to simply glare because he felt like it, Jimin wasn’t sure. It may have been both.Finally, Jungkook’s hands fell away completely with an air of defeat.“Fine,” he said.Jimin’s eyes widened. “Really?”“Yes. Now leave me alone.”“Yes! Of course!” he said. “Where can I meet you tomorrow?”Jungkook, if possible, looked even more tired. Jimin thought for a moment he would be ignored, but, to his relief, Jungkook reluctantly pointed behind him to the old apartment building that stood tall and menacing at his back. “Here.”Jimin looked from the building to Jungkook and back again. “Here?”Jungkook nodded, scratching his cheek. He was slowly inching back towards the old, peeling blue front door. “I live here. Room 609. Come over when you want. I guess.”“Tomorrow?” Jimin asked, eager, following him.Jungkook made a pained expression, but nodded. “...Sure. Whatever.”They maintained eye contact for a long, awkward second before Jungkook gave a short sort of wave and slipped behind the door, closing it shut securely behind him.Jimin watched the door for several more minutes, a half smile on his face. He didn’t quite believe what had just happened, and he found himself reaching around to pinch the cold skin of his hand.The pain was sharp and brief.
Still awake.He’d found a vampire.Relief washed through him and he huffed a watery laugh.A weird, nerdy, reluctant one, sure.But he’d found one.Finally.
Finally.
Jimin squealed, punching the air.

————

“Mom, I told you, I’m working on it,” Jimin said into the speaker of his phone, one hand holding it to his ear, the other tucked under his armpit in an attempt to hide from the frigid cold. “I even found one. It’s a good plan. I promise.”“I don’t know Jimin,” his mother’s voice responded in his ear, icy with doubt, cold with disdain. “You’ve been gone an awfully long time. And you didn’t tell anyone you were leaving. You know how people talk.”“They were already talking.”“You didn’t tell me.”Jimin looked up at the slowly darkening sky, breathing in the frigid air before sighing. “I already apologized for that. Besides, you wouldn’t have let me leave.”A low, disapproving hum. “Perhaps it’s time to come back, Jimin. Find a nice girl and settle down. And look, I know you don’t get on with him because of your....inclinations, but your step-father is—”Something in Jimin’s chest suddenly seized. “Ah, sorry, mom, I’ve just run into someone. Gotta go.”“Wait, Jim—”Ending the call, Jimin stuffed his phone back into his pocket, breathing out a plume of mist as he sighed. Wrapping his arms around himself, he scuffed his heels against the pavement and slowed to a stop, willing the twisting feeling in his stomach to settle. He glared down at his feet for several long moments, lips thinned.Then he sighed.And inhaled—breathing through his feelings, sucking the cold into his lungs until his chest ached and felt overfull with something other than pain.And then he slapped his cheeks, forced a smile on his face, and moved.It was in this state that he arrived at Jungkook’s apartment.It was still fairly early in the evening, earlier than perhaps was strictly fair to a vampire, but Jimin didn’t care. He needed a distraction and Jungkook would have to deal.
Thankfully for him (but rather worryingly for anyone inside), the front door opened with a firm wiggle of the handle and Jimin eagerly entered the building.Unsurprisingly, it was as old and decrepit as it was outside, with a faint mildewy scent that permeated throughout. It wasn’t even an aesthetic decrepit, one you might find on instagram in black and white or something. It was just old and stinky and…beige.Lips pressing together, Jimin ventured further into the building towards the elevator. His mind continued to wander as he examined the faded yet painfully boring wallpaper.
Weren’t vampires old? Shouldn’t Jungkook have some money? Or something?Maybe he was just a bad investor or—Fuck.The elevator was out of order.Okay. No big surprise, but also a bit of a downer.But, of course, this wasn’t going to hinder Jimin.
No sir.
With a muttered curse on his lips, Jimin continued past the elevator and pulled harshly on the door labeled ‘STAIRS’. It opened with a shriek of protest, and Jimin poked his head inside to see a very narrow, very well-used staircase.
“This does not seem safe,” he muttered, taking the first step. The wood protested loudly under his weight. Jimin made a face but continued forward. “The things I do for knowledge.”And so Jimin made the precarious (and arguably mildly life threatening) journey up the narrow, creaking staircase.Up.And up.And up, and up, and up.Upon his arrival to the sixth floor, feet dragging, breathing heavy, Jimin hip-checked the door open and stumbled into the hallway—which was as smelly and as un-aesthetically decrepit as the downstairs entrance had been. With a sigh, Jimin carefully sidestepped the old cardboard boxes, the suspiciously shaped garbage bag, and the twitching, slumbering man in order to navigate down the hallway towards room 609.It was not difficult to find, and thankfully was one of the ones without any caution tape on the front.Making sure his clothes were appropriately perfect, Jimin cleared his throat, and reached over to knock on the faded green door where the paint was beginning to chip.
Three times his fist met the door, polite but firm, before he stepped back once more to wait. Now that he was here, he felt himself fighting a giddy smile, something curling and swirling in his stomach as he bounced lightly on his heels, quietly humming to himself the latest popular pop song that he’d listened to on the walk over.
After five minutes, he stopped humming, but the stomach swirls and bouncy heels remained. He did frown though, and proceeded to knock two more times.When after another five minutes nothing happened, Jimin leaned in closer to the door, struggling to hear if someone was coming or not.“Jungkook?” he called, rubbing the inside of his wrist. “Jungkook, it’s Jimin. Are you in there?”A faint, muffled noise had Jimin moving even closer, now pressing his ear to the door.“Jungkook?”The only warning Jimin had was the rattling of the lock before the handle turned and the door opened outwardly, shoving Jimin back in the process.A pale hand reached out and caught him by the shoulder, before politely—but firmly—setting him upright.Jimin blinked up at Jungkook.He was staring blearily down at Jimin, brilliant red eyes squinting at him from a face droopy from sleep as he scratched his stomach from underneath a faded black Space Invaders shirt. He was also wearing ironman boxers, pikachu patterned socks, and rainbow tie-dye crocs on his feet.Thankfully, the annoying wiggling in his mind had faded somewhat now that it was their second meeting. It was still there, but today it was just a faint, easily ignorable buzz in the back of his mind. The more time spent with the vampire, the less it would affect him.“...Who are you?”Jimin blinked twice, pulling his eyes away from the array of various nerd merch adorning the vampire in front of him. It took him a moment, but his brain finally registered what was said.“What do you mean? We met yesterday, remember? At the convenience store? You called me stranger danger a lot?”Jungkook blinked slowly, brows furrowing. After a moment, some sort of realization seemed to dawn on him and he gave a faint nod. “...Right. With the ketchup stain.”Jimin faltered a moment. “Uh. Yes. That was me.”Jungkook sniffed lightly, still looking half asleep. “I remember because the stain kinda looked like Ganon.”“What.”“Ganondorf?”“You say that like it’s less confusing.”Jungkook rolled his eyes like Jimin was an idiot. It was the most movement he’d made that morning. “From Legend of Zelda.”“...Right.”Jungkook disappeared into his apartment, muttering over his shoulder. “Also, you still smell like tomato and vinegar. Are you coming in?”After taking a quick, self conscious sniff of his shirt, Jimin hurried to follow Jungkook through the door. “What do you mean I still smell like tomato and vinegar? Is it bad? Do I need to—”Jimin stilled, words caught in his throat as he took in the apartment around him.It certainly didn’t look like what one might imagine a vampire’s living situation to be.Rather it was more akin to something you might find if you were to look into the room of a prepubescent teenage boy.A very messy, very nerdy teenage boy.There was nerd merch littering the walls and shelves and, for someone who didn’t eat food, the place was a mess. Comic books and old DVDs and video games covered every surface, spilling off tables and even shoved under furniture.“Shoes off,” Jungkook mumbled as he walked to the cluttered computer desk in the corner and slumped down.“Nice place you got here,” Jimin said slowly, obediently toeing off his shoes at the door before following Jungkook deeper into the apartment.“Thanks,” Jungkook replied, shaking his mouse on the pad until the monitor lit up. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he entered his password.It was clearly too early for the vampire to be able to sense sarcasm.Jimin cleared his throat, carefully sidestepping what looked like an old video game console. Or a vacuum. Jimin wasn’t sure.“What are you doing?” he asked, rounding the chair Jungkook sat in. He made a face at a particularly grotesque looking gaming poster to his left before allowing his eyes to trail to the screen.“Let me finish my dailies and we can go,” Jungkook said, though he sounded distracted. “You can have a seat. I’d offer you something to eat, but well…”
“Yeah, I got it. I ate dinner before I left,” Jimin said, wondering where exactly Jungkook thought he’d be able to sit. Every surface was covered with…nerd junk. Just as he was about to lift a lego model of some space ship, Jimin realized the rest of what Jungkook had said. “Wait. Go? Go where? It’s still light out.”“Ah,” said Jungkook, pausing. “Right. Forgot about that.”Jimin squinted at him. “What do you mean you forgot?”Jungkook continued tapping at his keyboard, moving the tiny figure on the screen. “Daylight doesn’t really affect me as much as other vampires.”“What?” said Jimin. “How is that possible?”“I told you. I’m not a normal vampire.”“Because you don’t drink blood?”“Mm. Something like that.”“Wait.” Jimin abandoned the lego ship to once more approach Jungkook, rounding his chair so he could look him in the eye. This, of course, turned out to be a fruitless endeavour because Jungkook’s red eyes simply continued to watch the screen, almost unblinking. “So if all vampires just didn’t drink blood, they’d be able to go out in the sun?”Jungkook’s fingers paused for half a second, and his lips twitched a fraction, before he continued tapping at his keys—as though nothing had happened.“More or less,” he said after a moment.“I need to write this down,” Jimin said, pulling out his phone and pressing the notepad app before hastily typing down the information. “See, look at you! You said you weren’t what I was looking for and yet you’re being helpful already.”“If you say so.”“.....vampire no suck blood…equals…okay in daylight,” Jimin muttered as he finished typing.“I sure hope you’re not the one that’s going to write this vampire book.”Jimin rolled his eyes as he saved his work and pocketed his phone once more. “Obviously I’m going to spiff it up a bit. It’ll be perfect.”Jungkook pulled his eyes from the screen and raised an eyebrow at Jimin. “Spiff it up?” he echoed, amusement colouring his tone. “Yes, I have every confidence in your writing ability.”So maybe it wasn’t too early for sarcasm, after all.“Would you just finish your dumb game so we can go?”“Mm.”Jimin watched as Jungkook turned back to his game and proceeded to once more ignore him completely.Asshole.“So…” he said, swinging his arms and tapping his foot. “What exciting vampire activities do we have planned today? Suck off some baddies? Stick it into a werewolf or two?”Jungkook froze. Then, slowly, his chair turned until he was facing Jimin. “No,” he said. “Please never use those phrases again. They’re just…no.”“Right. No sucking off or sticking. Got it.”“Are you doing this on purpose?”“No idea what you mean. Also, you died.”Jungkook cursed, spinning in his chair to face the red screen on his monitor. He clicked the ‘revive’ button, muttering under his breath. Jimin couldn’t hear what, but he had a feeling it was something rude.“Soooo…what are we doing?” Jimin asked.“I need a new mattress.”“What.”“A spring poked through the top of mine. So I need a new one.”“Well, that dashes the coffin fantasy.”Jungkook pulled his eyes from the screen to shoot Jimin a sardonic glance. “Do you actually mean the things you say or is this level of bullshit a regular thing for you?”Jimin rolled his eyes. “Are you done yet?”“Done?”He tapped the desk, nodding to the screen. “Your dailies or whatever.”“Hm? Oh, I finished a while ago. I was just waiting to see how long you’d stand there.”“What.”Jungkook logged out of his game with several clicks of his mouse before spinning around in his chair, red eyes sparkling with amusement, his grin wide. “Not nearly as long as I’d thought. Aren’t you full of surprises?”“You’re such a dick.”“Yeah well, I think it’s deserved after your stranger danger moments last night.” Jungkook stood from the chair and faced Jimin. He was slightly taller, to Jimin’s dismay, and broader. And now that he was more awake the mischief in his expression was apparent. As Jimin watched, he reached over with a finger and poked Jimin in the nose teasingly. “Don’t you?”Jimin blinked at him. “Can I see your teeth?”Jungkook raised an eyebrow, before sighing with a shake of his head. “And back to creeper mode,” he said, brushing by Jimin in order to head for the bathroom. “We were doing so well too.”“Is that a—”The bathroom door slammed shut.“—no?”“No peeking!” came the muffled shout from beyond the door.“I wasn’t going to!” Jimin shouted back. Then after a moment, added, “And hurry up!”Jimin narrowed his eyes at the responding laughter. He opened his mouth to respond, but couldn’t seem to think of anything sufficiently witty or intelligent to say in response.
So he glared harder.And when that got boring, he ultimately decided to continue his exploration of Jungkook’s apartment.
Not that there was much he hadn’t seen, mind you. It was still mostly nerd, nerd, nerd all over anything and everything. The only other items of note in Jungkook’s possession—that Jimin only noticed on his third scan of the apartment—were a few small, hardy plants. They were mostly ones that could live off little light and would require even less effort, but Jimin found himself nevertheless reluctantly impressed by the health of them.Beyond that, though, there wasn’t much else. At least not in the way of any significant or personal items such as photos of family or friends.Oh. Speaking of—Jimin took out his phone at the same time as he heard the bathroom unlock. He quickly turned towards it, opening the camera app and aiming the lens towards the opening door.Click.Jungkook blinked at him.“Did you just take my picture?”Jimin didn’t respond.Click. Click.“You know that’s just a myth, right?”“I just wanted to make sure,” Jimin said, switching apps to check the results. Sure enough, Jungkook appeared solid and perfect in all three images. Though his expression slowly morphed from surprised to annoyed between each shot, he still managed to look amazing—despite wearing yet another video game-themed hoodie.Dammit.He’d wanted at least a double chin, slobber, lazy eye—something.“You’re such a creep,” Jungkook muttered, moving past him.“Yeah well, you don’t deserve your stupid face,” Jimin mumbled under his breath petulantly, following after him, still glaring down at his phone.Jungkook glanced back in amusement as he grabbed his keys from the hook by the front door. “Thank you?”“That wasn’t a compliment,” Jimin said with a glare, finally pocketing his phone in order to stuff his feet back in his shoes. He reached behind him to slide the back of his shoe over his heel.“Sounded like one,” Jungkook said, ready to go, simply watching Jimin fight with his shoes.“Well it wasn’t.”
“Hm. Whatever you say.”“UGH. Let’s just go,” Jimin snapped, turning towards the exit and grabbing the door knob furiously. It wiggled under his hand but refused to give.“It turns the other way.”Jimin grumbled. “I tried that way.”“You obviously didn’t.”“I did.”“Would you just let me do it—”“Stop crowding me!”“I think I—”At the same time that Jimin had given a particularly rough hip check to the door, Jungkook had slipped his fingers past him in order to twist the handle the opposite way, causing the door to swing open violently, taking the awkwardly tangled pair with it.Jimin squawked loudly as they both fell through, grunting when Jungkook’s (not insignificant) weight crashed into him as they landed on the filth-covered floor of the hallway.“Oh ew, ew, ew. Get off me immediately.”“Your elbow,” Jungkook wheezed. “Move your elbow.”“You think I care about your dick? I’m filthy. This is really not as romantic as books make it seem,” Jimin snapped, fighting to push Jungkook off him.“Do you ever actually think about the things you say?—I said move the elbow! Not shove it in harder—JIMIN.”“Ew. Ew. Ew. This floor is probably covered in piss and who knows what else.”“I’ll shove your face in it if you don’t get off my dick!”“That’s rude.”“JIMIN.”“Okay, okay! I’ll just—”“FUCK!”“Oops.”
————

Jimin waved at the tiny snot-nosed child glaring at him from across the train car. In response, the child continued to glare, though he now sucked more aggressively on the tiny fist in his mouth.
Undeterred, Jimin smiled widely, wiggling his fingers.The child grabbed his mother’s jacket, eyes narrowing even further.Amused, Jimin lowered his hand back to his lap, turning now to watch the passing buildings move by for a time. Then, when he got bored of that, he leaned over to speak quietly to his companion.“How’s the dick?”“I’m not talking to you.”Jimin nodded. “...Still sensitive. Got it.”He leaned back until he was sitting upright once more and let his head fall back with a sigh, feeling a gentle thrumming against his scalp as he did so. They were on the train that would supposedly take them to the mattress store a little ways outside the city, and—in between glares that Jimin did not think were entirely deserved—Jungkook had promised it wouldn't take too long to get there. Thankfully they’d missed the rush of the after work commuting crowd, the train cars now relatively free of bodies.Jungkook sat beside him, hood up as usual, scrolling busily through his phone as he pointedly avoided talking to Jimin.…He was still a bit upset about the elbow situation.With nothing better to do, Jimin found his eyes returning to the angry child. His tiny face was still scrunched, still glaring at Jimin.Jimin crossed his eyes and stuck up his nose.The child promptly burst into tears.“Ah.”“Do you enjoy tormenting small children?” Jungkook asked, still hunched over his phone.“I’m hardly tormenting him, he’s just—”“Crying uncontrollably while his mother struggles in vain to calm him down,” Jungkook continued in a monotone, looking up to watch the small family across from them with a bland expression.“Okay, it’s not that bad—”“And now she’s looking over here. Glaring. She’s now dragging her hysterical child to a different seat. Nope, a different train car altogether,” Jungkook said. He looked at Jimin. “You seem to have an innate talent for pissing people off, stranger danger.”Jimin glared. “...You talk a lot for someone who’s not talking to me.”“Yeah well, I decided making fun of you was more important than my vow of silence,” Jungkook responded calmly, pocketing his phone and rising from his seat. “C’mon. This is our stop.”Grumbling, Jimin made sure he had his things before standing and following Jungkook to the train car exit, grabbing a pole as the train slowed to a creaking halt. “You sure know how to hold a grudge.”“I am immortal.”Jimin nearly tripped, eyes wide as he watched Jungkook pass over the threshold once the doors slid open. “Are you?”Jungkook shot him a grin over his shoulder, then turned completely to face him as he continued to walk backwards, hands in his pockets. He languidly sidestepped a teenager on her phone without looking. “Am I?”Shaking his head, Jimin finished hurrying through the doors before they closed. “You can’t just say that! Nobody’s ever been able to prove the lifespan of a vampire,” he hissed, having nearly run into several disgruntled people as he did so.
“Sounds like you need better sources,” said Jungkook, who just continued to walk backwards, avoiding people with ease, amusement growing the more frazzled Jimin became. For some reason, people seemed to give him a wide berth—some even tripping over themselves to get out of his way.Which was admittedly a bit odd...“What’s that supposed to—okay, how exactly are you doing that?” Jimin finally snapped, shoving past a man who was in a particular hurry. “People are rushing to get out of your way and I’m literally hitting everyone in my path.”“Hm. You are remarkably clumsy.”“Excuse you, I took dance classes for fifteen years. It’s everyone else here that’s the problem. You’re all so…shovey in the city.”Jungkook blinked in surprise, head tilting. He paused just long enough for Jimin to catch up to him, and he twisted around once Jimin was at his side—finally walking forwards once more. “You dance?” he prompted.“I do. Well—did. I had to stop when my…Well, I had to stop. But I did fairly well in competitions.”“Hm,” Jungkook hummed, watching Jimin oddly even as he took out his phone from his pocket.Jimin frowned, suspicious. “What?”A shrug. “Just thinking.”“What.”Jungkook’s expression was carefully blank for several moments, eyes running over Jimin’s face. Then he smiled. Then he leaned closer. Then he whispered, breath hot in Jimin’s ear. “Of what it’ll be like when you dance for me.”“Wha—”“Oh shit, a Togetic,” Jungkook said, immediately hunching over his phone and stopping in the middle of the station.It took an embarrassingly long time for Jimin to realize that Jungkook’s lips were no longer brushing his ear. No longer intimately close to his skin. Instead, the vampire was several feet behind him, hunched over his phone as he swiped clumsily across the screen trying to hit a cartoonish small white thing with a ball. Disgruntled commuters were dodging him as best they could, and he was on the receiving end of several scathing glances.“You’re so embarrassing,” Jimin hissed, red-faced, still struggling to fight off the whiplash of Jungkook’s moods. This didn’t stop him from stomping back to Jungkook, grabbing his arm and tugging him along.“Wait! I’ve almost got it!”Jimin looked down at the screen. Mostly to avoid looking at Jungkook. “No you don’t, you keep missing it.”“Excuse you, it’s a very difficult game that requires skill.”“Give it here.”“What? No.”Jimin tugged Jungkook the rest of the way to a corner out of the path of bustling bodies. He held out his hand. “Give. It.”Distrust in his eyes, Jungkook nevertheless reluctantly handed Jimin his phone. “Don’t drop it.”“I’m not going to drop it,” Jimin muttered, turning the phone until he was faced with the image of a fat flying white thing. “What is this thing?”“It’s a Pokemon,” said Jungkook. The ‘duh’ at the end of that sentence went thankfully unspoken.
“Right,” said Jimin, swirling his finger across the screen once.The red and white ball on the screen swirled and bounced off the white creature. The words ‘excellent!’ appeared on the screen before the thing disappeared inside the ball. It wiggled several times inside the ball before ultimately stilling.Gotcha! said the screen.Jimin handed the phone back to a wide-eyed Jungkook.“How did you do that?” Jungkook asked, shocked. He accepted the phone, but didn’t take his gaze off of Jimin. “You caught it your first try. With an excellent curveball throw.”“What, like it’s hard?” Jimin grinned.
Jungkook narrowed his eyes. “You did not just quote Legally Blonde to me.”“Sure did. Now come on, weren’t we gonna bounce on some mattresses?”
Hopefully Jungkook wouldn’t notice the faint flush still warming Jimin’s cheeks.
————
“I don’t see why you didn’t like the last one we tried,” Jungkook muttered as they stood outside the furniture store, staring up at the moon above them as the exhausted store clerk locked up the store behind them.“It was too firm, I told you,” Jimin said, rubbing his hands together and bouncing on his heels. “It would be bad for your back.”“You literally thought I lived in a coffin.”“No, I didn’t.”“Yes, you did,” said Jungkook. “You were too picky.”“Well someone had to be!” Jimin snapped, folding his arms. “You said every single one was fine. Even the lumpy one!”“Well now I have none,” Jungkook said, glaring. “And I’m stuck with the one with the spring sticking out of it back home.”“Next time we’ll come earlier,” Jimin assured, waving a hand absently. “The attendant wasn’t good. We can do better.”Jungkook rolled his eyes, pulling up his hood as he walked into the darkness. “Unbelievable.”“Hey, where are you going? Don’t leave me,” Jimin called, rushing to follow.
“I’m going home. You can do whatever you want,” Jungkook responded, sounding far more tired than he had earlier in the day. Socializing clearly drained him.Too bad.“But this is a perfect opportunity to hone your vampire skills!”“What.”“Yeah! C’mon, I caught like twenty pokemen for you tonight.”“Pokemon,” Jungkook corrected.“Don’t care,” said Jimin. “Look, we can just do some patrolling, and you can practice sticking it into a baddie or two.”“Patrolling?” Jungkook made a face. “Do you actually hear yourself? And I already told you not to say shit like ‘sticking it’. There are enough connotations behind blood drinking as it is.”“Done. Now can we go?”Jungkook sighed, looking longingly in the direction of the train station before reluctantly nodding. “Fine. But only because I need to hatch my eggs.”“I’m sorry what.”“On Pokemon Go.”“...Oh. Good.”Jungkook shot him an amused glance before walking ahead, not waiting for Jimin to follow. “So, what does ‘patrolling’ entail?”“Well,” Jimin began, then paused. “I don’t know,” he admitted.“Figures.”“Oh, shut up. And give me that, you throw like a child,” Jimin snapped, snatching the phone from Jungkook’s hands in order to catch a flopping orange fish with another flick of his finger. He handed it back.“I still don’t know how you’re so good at this,” Jungkook muttered. “Are you good at other games?”“Mostly, yeah. My friends would get tired of playing with me as a kid because I kept beating them at everything.”“Wait, really?” asked Jungkook.Jimin nodded, wrapping his thin jacket more firmly around himself as a brisk wind blew through his hair. “Yep. Not sure if that’s still true, mind you. I would’ve played by myself but that kind of got boring. Also…my uh, step-dad didn’t really like me playing video games.”Jungkook watched him, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Do you want to—”“HEYAAAHH!!!”Jimin didn’t get to hear the rest of Jungkook’s sentence as he was immediately grabbed by the front of his shirt and pulled off his feet into a firm chest.“Mmph—!”
Thwunk.
“What was that!?” Jimin shrieked, face now free of hoodie. He tried to turn and see what had caused the sound while simultaneously climbing up the length of Jungkook’s front.“Jimi—!”“What was—? Is that an arrow!?”Jungkook struggled with the sudden armful of Jimin, who had managed to hook his legs around Jungkook’s hips as his head swiveled, searching the area for danger.
“Ow! Jimin, calm down—”Jimin tightened his fingers where they tangled in Jungkook’s hair. “CALM DOWN? That could have killed me!”“Oh. It’s just you.”At the new voice, Jimin turned, wide-eyed, in time to see a tall, broad shouldered figure saunter out from the darkness across the street.
The man—who was alarmingly handsome—was dressed entirely in leather. Perhaps a touch too much leather if you were particular about those things. He had a crossbow in one hand, a sword in another, several daggers attached to each thigh, vials hanging from a leather studded belt, and a large cross hanging from his neck.Jungkook sighed—though the sound came out muffled as Jimin’s arm was wrapped around his head. With some difficulty, he pried Jimin’s fingers from his face so he could speak.“Hello, Taehyung.”“Sup, Kook?” said Taehyung, his wide, boxy grin flashing pearly white teeth. “Caught yourself a cling on?”“Something like that.”Jimin, who was only now recovering from the vision that was Taehyung, carefully unlatched himself from Jungkook—essentially sliding down the vampire's body with annoyingly little assistance from Jungkook.“You…” Jimin started, looking from Jungkook to Taehyung cautiously. “You’re a vampire hunter?”“The best in the country,” Taehyung said. “Nice to meet you.”“Um,” Jimin eyed Jungkook again. “Cool,” he squeaked.
Jungkook rolled his eyes. “If you’re trying to hide my identity, you’re doing a piss poor job of it.”“I already know Jungkook’s a vampire,” explained Taehyung when Jimin just looked between them in confusion. “If you can even call him that.”“Huh?”Taehyung scratched his nose with the tip of an arrow. “Well, he’s not a very good one, is he? He doesn’t even drink blood. Not really on my radar.”For some strange, bizarre, inexplicable reason, Jimin felt oddly defensive of Jungkook at that moment. Nevermind the fact that he’d thought pretty much the same thing on several occasions, annoyance now sparked in his chest on Jungkook’s behalf.
It was admittedly a super fucking weird reaction and later on Jimin would look back on all this and groan in mental anguish and swear never to stick up for anyone ever again.But then…he’d never liked bullies.Crossing his arms and snorting out a haughty huff, Jimin looked Taehyung up and down. “Yeah, well. What do you know?” he said, chin tilting. “You look like a Buffy knock-off. You use an entire cow for that outfit?”Taehyung’s eyes immediately went wide in response, his mouth falling open as Jungkook groaned lowly. “Jimin, it’s fine,” he said, placing a hand on Jimin’s arm and tugging him back. Jimin shrugged him off. “I’m not offended that he doesn’t want to kill me.”“Jungkook,” Taehyung said, who had both brows raised, looking between them. He seemed caught between outraged shock and amusement. “Who the fuck is this under-seasoned twink?”“Excuse me—!?”Jungkook squeezed Jimin’s arm. “Taehyung, this is Jimin. Jimin, be nice.”
“I’m under-seasoned? Please. Did your closet go out of business? I think a Spirit Halloween moved in!”Taehyung gasped in outraged horror. “This is handmade,” he spat. “And you hardly look like you’re in a position to critique someone's wardrobe. The worn out, hobo aesthetic was never in fashion.”“At least what I’m wearing is original. You—”The rest of Jimin’s commentary was cut off as Jungkook slapped a hand over his mouth.“Can we not?” Jungkook asked, sounding equal parts tired and irritated. “I’d rather not do this here. Particularly when only one of you is armed. You’re both plenty seasoned.”“Fine,” Jimin muttered when Jungkook lowered his hand. He glared at Taehyung.“Fine,” Taehyung echoed, sniffing haughtily. “So what are you doing with Jungkook anyway? You never said.”“He refuses to stop annoying me until I teach him about vampires.”Taehyung blinked, surprised. Then he snorted. “From you? That’s cute.”“Yeah. He’s totally hot for me.”“I AM NOT.”“He wants my vampire babies—ACK!!”Jimin released Jungkook’s nipple, stepping back from the hunched over vampire to once more face Taehyung. “So…are there many vampires around?”Taehyung looked him up and down, squinting at him, still looking pretty pissed. The Spirit Halloween comment had admittedly probably been a bit too far.

Finally, Taehyung replied with, “More than I’d like. It’s hard to keep track of the actual number.”Jimin nodded, because he wasn’t sure what else to do in response to that non-answer. He then gave a subtle glance around the area. “Are you tracking one right now?”“What’s it to you?”“I need info for my mother’s bookstore.”“How…cottagecore of you.”“I—what?”Taehyung rolled his eyes, propping a hand on one hip. “Look, not that it’s any of your business to begin with, but yes, I am chasing something. Not a vampire,” Taehyung added when Jimin perked up, “just a loose werewolf.”“A werewolf?” Jimin asked. He looked over at Jungkook, but the vampire had at some point gone back to staring at his phone and didn’t seem to be paying attention. When Jimin elbowed him in the arm, he just got jabbed back in the ribs twice as hard.
Jimin stepped on Jungkook's foot, then grunted when he got promptly shoved away.Meanwhile, Taehyung was waving an absent hand. “Don’t get excited, it’s more of a puppy than anything. I followed it down this road until I got distracted by Mr. Fake-o vampire here. The wolf probably caught sight of you too, considering how fast he ran away. Speaking of—you don’t usually travel this far south. What’s the occasion?”Jungkook didn’t look up. “Bed broke.”Taehyung’s eyebrows rose, eyes moving between Jimin and Jungkook. “Really.”“Stop with the eyebrows. It’s not like that!” Jimin snapped, crossing his arms. “I met the guy yesterday.” Then, after a moment, he sighed, uncrossed his arms, and plucked Jungkook’s phone from his hand. “Oh, give me that. You can’t catch anything, can you?”“I almost had it,” Jungkook muttered, though noticeably didn’t complain as he leaned close to watch Jimin skillfully swipe the ball towards the pokemon on the phone and land it first try.Jimin handed Jungkook’s phone back to him and looked up to find Taehyung staring at them with unconcealed disgust.“You just met yesterday?” he asked.“Yeah. He’s really annoying,” Jungkook said.Taehyung looked even more confused. He then opened his mouth as though about to say something else when a small sparkle erupted from a slim bracelet attached to his wrist. He cursed, looking down at it.“Look,” he said, pulling out a business card as he sauntered towards them. From where exactly he pulled the card from, Jimin could not exactly say. The outfit was very tight. “I have to go nab this stray puppy or else I won’t get paid.”“You don’t do it out of the good of your heart?” Jimin asked.Taehyung snorted. “Fuck no. Now take this. It’s my business card. You’re not half bad for an under-seasoned twink—especially if you can keep Kookie on his toes.”“Thank you…?” Jimin said, accepting the card. “Though I honestly don’t know what that means.”Taehyung ignored him, pointing to the card now in Jimin’s hand. “Give me a call sometime and I’ll answer your questions. Stay out of trouble in the meantime though, yeah? It wouldn’t do to have you smeared across the pavement too soon.”“...I can’t tell if you hate me or not.”Taehyung winked, giving them both a two-fingered salute, before turning and dashing away into the dark.
Jimin sighed.A car drove by.Laughter echoed from the open window of a nearby apartment building.A crow screamed at a skittering raccoon.Jimin sighed again, teeth chattering together as he shivered from a stray breeze.Then—“Hey can you—”“No.”“You didn’t even listen.”“Answer’s still—hey! What are you doing?” Jungkook said when Jimin started tugging at his sleeve.“I’m taking your sweater by force,” Jimin mumbled. “I’m cold and you’re rude and don’t deserve it.”“Well stop it.”“You hardly even feel the cold and I’m going to get hypothermia. GIVE IT.”“You can whine all night if you like,” Jungkooked said, sniffing lightly. “But I am under no circumstances giving up my favourite hoodie to some stranger danger, wannabe vampire author fanboy who I met yesterday.”
————
“You are insufferable,” Jungkook muttered under his breath to Jimin on the train ride home, his pale, bare arms folded over his chest.“So you keep saying,” said Jimin, handing Jungkook back his phone, the pokemon on the screen successfully captured. “Caught it.”“How are you so good at this?”
————
Several days following the incident with the mattresses and the meeting with Taehyung, Jimin arrived once more at Jungkook's apartment. It was admittedly earlier than he usually came around, but there wasn’t much to do in the city when you had no money and the boredom was beginning to settle in. Also he honestly didn’t give a shit what Jungkook thought.He’d already knocked several times on the faded door in the last five minutes or so without answer, but it typically took three good rounds of hard knocking before Jungkook’s patience ran out and he actually bothered to open the door, so Jimin wasn’t too worried.
He was still bored though.Humming under his breath, Jimin rocked back and forth on his heels, tapping a rhythm on his thighs with his hands as his eyes wandered around him. This was how he accidentally made eye contact with the vacant stare of the old man leaning against a door down the hall.
Faltering somewhat, Jimin gave an awkward smile and a small wave.The man didn’t even blink.“Right. Jungkook!” Jimin called, pounding his fist against the wood. “Jungkook, open up.”A loud groan could be heard beyond the door, followed shortly by angry footsteps. A moment later the door was wrenched open roughly an inch with an angry looking Jungkook squinting through the gap.“No.”And then he slammed the door shut.On Jimin’s foot.“Ow! Fuck, Jungkook. Are you trying to break my foot?” Jimin chastised, even as he took the chance to shove himself through the door while Jungkook was distracted.“Well it wasn’t supposed to be there was it?...Aaand now you’re inside. Wonderful.”“Isn’t it though.”Jungkook glared, crossing his arms. “Leave.”“Nope,” Jimin said, already kicking off his sneakers and walking deeper into the apartment. “How long till you’re ready?”Jungkook groaned. “I’m serious, Jimin. I have been following you around this stupid city for days. I don’t even know why because you’re terrible company—”“Wow. Rude.”“—and I refuse to do it anymore.”“What do you mean, you refuse?” Jimin asked. “We haven’t found anything yet. And you’re not any better at being a vampire. I even went back to that stupid furniture store and helped you pick out another mattress. You said you’d help me.” A pause. “I mean, I said I’d help you.” Another pause. “...Let’s just say we said we’d help each other.”Jungkook threw up his hands. “Actually, I didn’t! You’ve just been annoying me into following you around. Do you know how much of a pain you are? Jimin, I haven’t played a video game in days. I’m going through withdrawal. So no. I am not going patrolling with you.”Jimin frowned at Jungkook. Though the vampire had been reluctant to leave his apartment before, he’d never seemed quite this serious about his refusal. He also seemed legitimately pissed. And also tired—if the dark circles under his eyes were anything to go by.Jimin hummed, coming to a decision. “Fine,” he said.
Jungkook looked surprised, his stance faltering somewhat, as though he wasn’t sure if he’d heard right. “What. Really?”“Yeah. Let’s play.”“What. No. You leave.”Jimin scoffed. “Oh, come on. Let’s play something. I’m already here after all.”“Yes. Against my will.”“Don’t be a baby.”Jungkook frowned down at Jimin, head tilted, hands on his hips. “...You’d really play a video game with me?”“Yes. I already said so. Let’s do this.”Jungkook just stared at him for a moment longer, eyes slightly widened, lips parted, as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. Then, he blinked and immediately turned to hurry towards a shelf full of various video game consoles.
He grabbed an armful.“We’ll start with Smash,” Jungkook said, giddiness laced in his words. He practically skipped over to the large television next to his bed.“...Start?” Jimin echoed unsurely, watching as Jungkook hurried back towards him. He blinked at the sudden, wide smile on the vampire's face, pointed fangs flashing as he grabbed Jimin’s shoulders and walked him backwards towards the loveseat opposite the television. He only stopped when the backs of Jimin’s knees hit the cushion and he was forced to plop down onto the old couch.Jungkook then swiftly turned around to set up the console, plugging in various controllers and cables, flicking switches, and blowing dust off various surfaces. All the while he was humming a small, happy tune under his breath.Jimin absently wondered how long it had been since Jungkook had someone to play video games with.He then wondered if Jungkook had ever had someone to play video games with...“Okay, this one’s yours,” Jungkook said, reaching back to hand Jimin a small black video game controller.“Okay? What do I press?”“I’ll tell you once I load the game. We can do a practice round. Start slow and such,” Jungkook said as he moved to sit on the floor in front of the couch, legs crossed, resting against the cushions. His shoulder pressed against Jimin’s leg, solid and warm.“Okay,” Jungkook began when a screen popped up featuring various brightly coloured characters. He turned so he was halfway facing Jimin, one arm resting on the couch next to Jimin’s thigh. “So first you’re going to pick a character. You can sift through them by—no, press this—there you go.”“Who are you?” Jimin asked, frowning at the various characters to choose from. Jungkook had seemed to have already locked in a character long ago.“Peach. She’s who I main.”“Who you main?”“Who I usually play. Okay press…this button when you’ve picked.”“Okay. I’ll just take this guy.”“Bowser Jr…?”“Sure? Why are you looking at me like that?”“He kinda sucks.”Jimin rolled his eyes. “Just start the game, Jungkook.”“If you say so,” Jungkook muttered. “Okay, here’s how you play…”
————
“What the fuck.”“I don’t know what the big deal is—”“No. What the fuck, Jimin.”Jungkook rotated so he was looking up at Jimin, an incredulous expression on his face.“How the fuck are you this good? You said you’d never played before.”“I haven’t. But I did tell you I used to play games as a kid. I was good then too,” Jimin said, grinning.
It felt good to play, if he was being honest. It was nostalgic. And nice.At the same time, it also felt like he was doing something wrong, something forbidden—like his step-father would come around the corner at any moment, yelling and screaming and—Jungkook’s words pulled Jimin from his musings. “Yeah, but I didn’t believe you.”“Well, that’s not very nice, is it?”Jungkook glared at him. “We’re playing Mario Kart. Now.”“Fine.”“Fine!”
————

Jungkook stared at Bowser Jr., sitting tall and proud in first place.“That one was fun,” Jimin mused, resting his elbow on the couch arm rest, chin in his palm. “Can we do that again?”Jungkook hissed at him, showing off elongated fangs. His red eyes glowed brighter than Jimin had ever seen.“...Is that a no?”“NO. NEXT GAME.”
————
“Jung—”“NEXT. GAME.”
————
“Have you ever considered that you’re just really bad at video games?”“NEXT.”
————
“This isn’t even a two-player game.”“Shut up. I’ve been trying to beat this boss for years and I’ve never been able to.”“I can hardly see the screen.”“It’s Dark Souls, it’s supposed to be dark.”Several minutes passed in silence as Jimin lazily pressed buttons on the new controller given to him, all while Jungkook watched the screen with rapt fascination.
It took him not even fifteen minutes and the so-called “boss” fell in defeat.Jungkook turned to Jimin, mouth agape, eyes wide.Jimin smirked. “Next?”“...How?”“I told you I was good at game—”Jungkook lunged forward, grabbing Jimin’s hands in his own and causing the plastic controller to clatter to the ground. He ignored the disgruntled ‘hey!’ from Jimin, squeezing his fingers as he desperately pleaded. “Teach me.”“What?”“Teach me.”“But I’m already teaching—”Jungkook shook his head. “No. Not that vampire shit. I don’t need that.”Jimin pressed his lips together, eyeing Jungkook up and down with a low hum. “Hm. Debatable.”“Shut up, Jimin. I want you to teach me how to play video games.”“Video games?” Jimin wrinkled his nose. “Why?”“Because they’re fun? And I want to get better? Because whiny little bitch ass ten year olds are better than I am and I want to grind their snot-nosed shitty faces into the dirt.”“Woah now.”“Please, Jimin?”Jimin frowned, looking between both of Jungkook’s partially glowing, blood-red eyes, large and wide—desperate and pleading.
Had they always been so pretty?He sighed. “I guess I could…but—”“Good.”“Wha—Where are you going?” Jimin asked when Jungkook abruptly released his hands and got up from the floor in order to march towards his computer desk. “I thought you wanted to learn video games?”“I wanna stream.”“What?”“I’ve always wanted to, but I’m so bad at video games not many people stay to watch.”“Yes, I am aware.”Jungkook glared, then immediately grabbed the pillow sitting on his computer chair and chucked it at Jimin, who ducked just in time, laughing.“Rude.”“You’re rude!”“Anyway,” Jungkook continued, already pulling at wires and fiddling with a headset around his computer, “streaming is a thing where people play video games online and other people tune in to watch. You can even make money off it if you’re popular enough.”
“...Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of a game?”Jungkook shrugged. “People like what they like. Either way, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. But every time I try, no one ever really sticks around to watch. But if you’re there? The views will come piling in, I’m sure of it.”Jimin watched him, frowning. “...Yeah, I don’t know about that.”Jungkook paused, head turning towards Jimin. “What do you mean? You said you would.”“I said I’d teach you—as in, a few tricks or something. I never said I’d play games with you while people watch.”“Please, Jimin. Hey—you said you needed money, right? I’ll give you half of whatever we make.”“...Half?”“Yes.”Jimin thought for a moment, scratching a nail against the fabric of the couch. “Half of everything we make, AND I want to go patrolling. For real this time, Jungkook. I know you only take us through the safe neighbourhoods. I want to stick a baddie!”Jungkook made a face. “I told you to stop saying that.”Jimin ignored him, sticking out a hand. “Do we have a deal?”Jungkook’s lips pressed together tightly for half a second in indecision. And then he smiled. And then he grinned—pointed teeth on full display.“Yes. Yes, we do,” he said, walking towards Jimin, his smile brilliant and lethal.Jimin smirked back at him as their palms clasped together.
————
“Helloooo gamers—”“Why are you saying hello? No one is here.”“It’s for the VOD, J—I mean, Chimmy.”“And that—why can’t I just use my name?”“For the love of—we’ve been through this. It’s cooler.”“How is Cooky cooler thank J—OW!”“No doxxing!”“I don’t know what that means!”“Would you just let me do my intro?”“Your intro is stupid.”Jungkook took off his headphones and turned in his chair to glare at Jimin, who sat at the kitchen table across the apartment. He’d been given Jungkook’s spare laptop and a small headset in order to communicate with.“Your face is stupid,” Jungkook hissed, pointing a finger at Jimin.Jimin stuck out his tongue.“Don’t make me come over there.”“Bite me.”“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”“Actually, I WOULD.”Jungkook opened his mouth to respond but seemed to think better of it, the finger he had pointed at Jimin curling into a fist as he bared his fangs in a silent snarl. Then he shoved his headphones back on and turned back to his computer.“Oh shit, we have two viewers,” said Jimin.“Don’t swear.”“What, I can’t say shit?”“No.”“Fucking ridiculous.”
“You’re doing this on purpose.”“Mhm. Well user ‘fxckme$illy’ wants to know who the bird is,” Jimin drawled, resting his elbow on the kitchen table, his chin against his palm. “Why am I a chick, anyways?” Jimin asked, referring to the small icon of a yellow chick that Jungkook had placed at the top of his screen to indicate who was playing. Jungkook’s screen had a small rabbit in the leftmost corner.From his vantage point in the kitchen, Jimin noticed Jungkook’s shoulders stiffen.“What?” Jimin prompted when Jungkook didn’t respond.“....No reason.”“You’re acting weird—”“ANYWAYS, thank you all for coming to the stream. Now that Chimmy has ruined my intro, let’s just get into it, shall we?”“I didn’t ruin—”“We’re going to do a shorter stream today, only about four hours—”“I’m sorry what?”“—and we’re going to start off with—”“Excuse me, how is four freaking hours considered short in any capacity? I didn’t agree to this!”“—some Left 4 Dead 2.”“We are having words after this.”“They can hear you,” Jungkook hissed, turning to glare at Jimin.“GOOD.”Rolling his eyes, Jungkook once more showed the back of his head to Jimin. Jimin gave the vampire the middle finger in response.“I saw that.”“You did not.”“Just load the game, would you?”“Yeah, yeah.”As the game slowly loaded on the laptop in front of him, Jimin was watching the stream on his phone so he could see what people were saying. He snorted at one response in particular.“Hey, user moonrose654 wants you to show your face.”“Hm. Yeah, they show up every time I stream. Answer’s still no.”“They also say your voice is sexy.”“I can read, thank you.”Snickering, Jimin brought the mic closer to his face. “Hello stream, this is co-pilot Chimmy here to tell you that user Cooky is actually really fucking ugly.”“Excuse me?”“What? I’m covering for you. You’re welcome.”“...Can we please just shoot some zombies?”
————
“You’re shooting me on purpose!”“Yes! Because you keep shooting me on accident! See how it feels!”“I don’t care! Stop it! I’m almost out of health! Aaand now I’m dead. You shot your own teammate to death. Are you happy now?”“Yeah, now I can win easier.”“....You’re an asshole.”“No sweeeaarriiiing~”
————
“Get the med—the med kit! Cooky, you freaking left without your medkit! AGAIN!”“Oh.”“How are you so bad at this?”
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“Get him, get him, get him. Chimmychimmychimmyyyyyy!”“You’re such a baby.”“JUST SHOOT IT.”“I ALREADY DID.”
————
They ended up playing for nearly six hours, running through various maps, always on the same team, but switching up difficulties as they both progressively got better and better. And by the end they had completed the extreme difficulty AI mode, largely due to Jimin’s ability to shoot digital zombies in the head on the first try.Once they reached the end of hour six, Jungkook closed the stream with a sleepy goodbye to those still watching.Jimin threw off his headset with a low groan, arching his back as he simultaneously shut the laptop screen closed.“Ugh. If we do this again, you’re buying me a better chair. Or I’m taking yours. That was hell on my back…Jungkook?”When Jungkook simply remained staring at his blank screen, unmoving, Jimin rose from his seat and wobbled over to him, a hand against his lower back, a frown on his face.“Jungkook? What’s wrong?”Jungkook turned to him slowly, looking up from where he sat in his desk chair. His eyes were wide.“I gained over 50 followers,” he breathed.“Oh. I didn’t notice. Is that good?”Jimin let out an agonized cry as Jungkook lunged forward to hug him.“My back! Idiot! My back!”
————
Jimin glared down at his phone, typing furiously with his thumbs as he angrily chewed his last piece of gum.“A twenty-four hour stream?” he snarled, blowing and popping a pink bubble. “Is he crazy? I don’t even know if I want to do four hours. Doesn’t he care about my back? Which still hurts by the way. The friggin nerve.”It was about a week after their ‘debut’ stream, and Jimin was making his way down the now familiar road towards Jungkook’s apartment. Jungkook, meanwhile, was eagerly hashing out plans over text and had been long before Jimin left his own flat. It was the most Jimin had ever seen him talk. Nevermind the fact that he wasn’t actually talking.Just as he was about to press send on a particularly threatening text, Jimin felt a sudden shiver run down his spine.Jimin stopped walking, apprehension sudden and thick in his chest as he rubbed the back of his neck, turning around, head swiveling as he tried to spot the source of his unease.No matter how hard he looked, however, the streets remained empty save for a few innocent enough looking stragglers. He didn’t sense the supernatural ‘wiggle’ from any of them, nor did they look dangerous or hold any expression beyond that of tired boredom.“The hell…?” he muttered, brows furrowed.His phone buzzed in his hand. Thinking it was Jungkook again, he swiped open the message without a second thought. Almost immediately, a chill ran through him as his eyes found the text.

Step-dad: Come home now.

Step-dad: Your mother is worried. The neighbours are talking. Don’t shame this family any more than you already have.

Step-dad: You’re being selfish like always. Stop this foolish queer little fantasy of yours. Stop running away. Come home. Now.
Jimin closed the app without reading further, feeling his hands tremble. He felt his phone vibrate once more in his hands, but he didn’t dare look, simply pocketing his phone and stomping forward down the sidewalk.So caught up in his own, swirling thoughts, Jimin didn’t notice the gaze that continued to follow him.
————
When Jimin reached Jungkook’s apartment he barely had to knock once before the door was pulled open.Jungkook had his fangs bared.Because he was flossing.“Jungko—what are you doing?”“Flothin’?” Jungkook said, mouth still open.Jimin paused. Then he sighed, pushing through the door.
Jungkook pulled the floss out from his teeth. “What?” he called, walking after Jimin. “I can’t floss now?”“No. It’s just…”“What?”“It ruins the vampire image, okay?”“Really? Flossing was the final straw?”“I’m just as surprised as you. I honestly thought it would be the tie-dye crocs you unironically wear outside.”“Cavities aren’t sexy, Jimin.”“For the love of—would you just hurry up!?”Jungkook paused, frowning. “What’s got your panties in a twist?” A pause. “Wait, ‘hurry up’? Where are you planning on going exactly?”“We are going patrolling—”An eye roll. “You know, the word ‘patrolling’ isn’t nearly as cool as you think it is.”“Shut uuuup, Jungkook. I played your games and now you’re going to take me patrolling or hunting or whatever you want to call it. We’re either going to find a vampire, or I’m going to turn you into a halfway decent one!”Jungkook crossed his arms. “You know...I’m really not sure if I should be offended or not.”“Go put pants on!”“I’m already wearing—”“Go put pants on without cartoon characters.”“But—”“You can’t be a sexy vampire with a fucking Jigglypuff on your ass!”Jungkook looked suddenly smug. “You’re already learning pokemon names. I wonder who’s really teaching who?”“GO!”
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“Are we done yet?”“You know we aren’t, because I just answered that same question five minutes ago.”“C’mon, Jimin. It’s been nearly an hour. Let’s go back, already. You’re obviously in a mood.”“What do you mean I’m in a mood?”“Oh, come on, you think you’re subtle? You’ve been pissy as hell.”Jimin sighed, glaring at the pavement in the chilly darkness. It hadn’t been a full hour, like Jungkook was currently whining about, but it was close to forty-five minutes, and they had yet to come across any ‘baddies’. They also hadn’t come across anyone remotely supernatural, let alone another vampire—which had been another major reason he wanted to patrol with Jungkook.And, if he was being honest, he was feeling pissy. The texts from his step-father had thrown him. Usually he could pick his mood up pretty fast in difficult situations, could change a frown to a smile and move on with his life no problem. But…But it had always been different when it came to his step-father.Beside him, Jungkook sighed, coming to a sudden stop. “Okay, that’s it.”Jimin, confused, looked up and stopped beside him. “What’s wrong? Why’d you stop?”“Because we are going to have a conversation that we should have had on day one.”“What do you mean?”“I would’ve asked sooner, but I honestly didn’t give a shit,” he said. “But now that I’ve wasted more than enough of my life it needs to be brought up.”Jimin rolled his eyes. “Would you just say it already?”“Why is this so important to you?”Jimin felt himself go still. “What?”“Why is this so important to you?” Jungkook repeated. “What does it matter if I don’t drink blood? Why vampires in the first place? Why not do your shitty book report on literally any other supernatural creature?”A frown. “I told you, vampires are rare. We need—”Jungkook shook his head. “No. That’s not it. There are other ways to make money,” he said, crossing his arms. “Plenty of ways. Hell, you could even move if you wanted. Practice magic somewhere more accepting even. Why did you choose to come to the city for this wild-ass goose chase that has a slim to zero chance of you getting out with any information. I mean, use your head, Jimin. If you had run into any other vampire, you might not even be alive right now.”Jimin choked, swallowing thickly. He felt suddenly hollowed out, open and bare. “I—”“Why is this so important to you, Jimin? Why vampires?”“It’s not—” Jimin paused, pressing his lips together. His heart was beating rapidly for some reason.

Useless.

Selfish.

Stop running away.
The words his step-father had sent him echoed in his mind like a toxic mantra, ricocheting around his brain until it was difficult to think.It wasn’t like Jungkook was saying things he didn’t already know. He knew it was stupid, it was dumb. Everyone told him so. It wasn’t a secret. He knew he was taking advantage of the situation, he knew he was doing this because—He knew.The near ever-present guilt in his chest was a testament to this fact.But he had his reasons. As stupid and dumb as they were.He could feel himself clinging to them desperately.Because if he didn’t have those, he would have to admit that—Squeezing his trembling fingers into fists, Jimin looked up at Jungkook. Through his teeth, he muttered, “You’re gonna think it’s stupid.”“Jimin, I already think it’s stupid.”Jimin glared at Jungkook, who merely raised a brow in turn. Then, because the intensity of that red stare was too much for Jimin to handle, he looked away. Finally, with a sigh, he relented.
“Look, I don’t expect you to get it but…” Jimin began, words careful “...I’ve always kind of….idolized vampires.” His shoes scuffed against the pavement. “When I was a kid, I would stay up all night reading books about them—about you. In everything I read, everything I saw, you were always so cool and…powerful. Evil, maybe. But then people thought that about witches too. And when you’re powerful and strong and cool and evil…no one picks on you. No one calls you names. No one yells. No one hits you. No one casts you aside and threatens to banish you from your own home just because someone they just married doesn’t like the fact that you’re…”
Jimin breathed out carefully, shakily.
“....gay.”Jungkook was silent when Jimin finally had the courage to peek up at him, his expression carefully blank. Jimin’s eyes shuttered once more—still all too aware of the blood red eyes staring into the side of his head. He tucked his hair behind one ear.
“And there were other options, I know that. I’ve always known that. Part of me…just wanted to learn more about what kept me going, you know? And then I saw my chance to get away, and I took it. And sure, maybe the vampire thing is an excuse...maybe....but I'm not lying when I say I want to learn more about your kind. I just...” He squeezed his eyes shut. They felt overwarm, tingling with the threat of tears. Jimin sniffed then, rubbing his nose. “But yeah. You’re right. In the end I am running away. Being selfish. Useless.”Jungkook blinked, alarmed. “What? That’s not what I—”Jimin cleared his throat. “No, you’re right....it's dumb.”Jungkook looked at Jimin for several moments, face incredulous. Then he sighed. Then he rubbed his face with both hands. Then he opened his mouth and—“............UuuuUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH.”Jimin jerked in surprise at the loud sound currently coming from Jungkook’s mouth.“What’s wrong?” he asked when the vampire had finished the annoying wailing.
“Shut up and follow me,” Jungkook muttered, turning abruptly and stomping down a darkened alley. “We’re doing this once and you never get to bring it up again, alright?”“What do you—” Jimin blinked in awareness. “Wait! You’re taking me to a baddie! You have been holding out on me!”“Duh,” Jungkook muttered, making another sharp turn. He was walking so fast that Jimin had to jog to keep up. “Now listen up. There’s a guy up ahead who keeps muttering about breaking into his dealer's apartment to get his latest hit for free. I’m going to stop him. And you are going to stay back where it’s safe and out of my way, got it?”Jimin smiled, rubbing his eyes. “Got it.”Jungkook made a face. “I’m already regretting this.”And, just as Jungkook had said, they were all too soon met with a tall, beefy, shaky looking individual in the distance, hunched in the darkness of the alleyway, staring up at the fire escape of an old apartment, as though trying to psych himself into climbing it."Is that his dealer's apartment?" Jimin asked in a whisper, clutching the fabric of Jungkook's sweatshirt. An excited thrum coursed through him and he bounced lightly on his toes."Looks like.""We have to stop him!""We are not going to—"“Hey!” Jimin shouted suddenly, bursting with a sudden adrenaline and unable to stop himself. He ignored Jungkook’s sudden sputtering. “Stealing is bad, asshole—aaand he has a knife. Jungkook, Jungkook—he has a knife!”“Thank you, Jimin. I am aware,” Jungkook hissed, a harried expression on his face as the man before them brandished not one, but two kitchen knives.“Oh, he’s got two now.”“Super.” Jungkooked forcefully shoved Jimin behind him, a warm hand at his stomach.
“I’m thinking maybe we should go,” Jimin said, extremely aware that Jungkook was the pokemon playing, croc wearing variety of vampire. He grabbed his sleeve again, holding him back when he made to approach the armed man. “There’s no shame in running.”Jungkook actually looked offended at this. “Let go, Jimin.”“No! He has a knife.”“Two, actually.”Jimin tugged harder. “Let’s go play Underwatch like you wanted.”“Overwatch.”Jimin looked up at the swiftly approaching man then back to Jungkook. “That too! Now, let’s go!”“But you wanted—”“AAAHHHH!!!” shouted the man, holding out both knives and lunging forward. Jimin shrieked, trying in vain to tug Jungkook out of the way, but found his feet stuck firmly in place.Jungkook turned and swiftly punched the man in the face.Who, in turn, dropped to the ground.
Completely out cold.Jimin, hands still buried in Jungkook’s hoodie, stared at the man crumpled below them, slack-jawed.Jungkook, who was also staring at the man, grimaced. “On second thought, maybe I don’t want to do this.”Jimin blinked. “What do you mean? We’ve got our baddie!”“You just said you’d changed your mind.”“Yeah, when I thought he was going to kill you. But now we’ve got him where we want him. This is the easy part, Jungkook.”Jungkook wrinkled his nose, but nonetheless crouched down next to the collapsed man. Jimin knelt down on his knees beside him, eager to get the full visual.Jungkook poked the body.And sighed.“Well?” Jimin asked when Jungkook just continued to look disdainfully at his supposed dinner. “What’s wrong? Stop playing with your food. Bite him.”Jungkook looked at Jimin. “You know, I’d really rather not.”Jimin glared. “I beat your stupid Dark Souls level, I streamed six hours for you—my back is killing me—so help me god if you don’t bite this guy I will never help you catch another Pokémon.”Jungkook’s lips pressed together. He admittedly did look a bit queasy, and Jimin might’ve felt a little bad if his aching back wasn’t currently throbbing in pain.
Finally, and with much reluctance, Jungkook opened his mouth, bearing sharpened fangs, and with one final glare at Jimin, dug his teeth into the man’s vulnerable neck.A beat passed.And then Jungkook choked, gagged, and shrieked simultaneously.
And, suddenly, blood was gushing everywhere—spewing from the open wound as Jungkook released the man with a startled, spitting cry.“Oh my god,” he cried, even as the spray continued violently, coating them both in thick, red blood. “Oh my—It’s in my eyes.”Jungkook tried to get up, shoving away from the body, only to slip and fall, ultimately turning the spray of red towards Jimin.“Jungkook!” Jimin shrieked, rising in his hurry to escape the blood. “Oh my gods, don’t spray it over here—! Why does this asshole have so much blood!?”“What do I do?!” Jungkook shrieked, hands raised as he tried to blink through the blood covering his face. “It’s still gushing!”“Put your mouth over it, dumbass!”“He stinks!” Jungkook wailed.“JUST DO IT!”
“I don’t want to!”Cursing under his breath, Jimin squinted through the spray and fumbled his way towards Jungkook. He grabbed his arm and started tugging him towards the prone man on the ground. In his hurry, however, they both tripped over the sprawling legs, and Jungkook ended up catching them both with one hand against the brick wall.“Can we please just go?” Jungkook asked, helping Jimin to his feet before fruitlessly wiping his eyes with one hand.
“No, we cannot just go,” Jimin hissed, blocking the spray with his palm. “Someone is going to come and I am not going to jail! Now, vampire saliva will naturally heal a wound once enough blood has been drunk,” he snapped. “SO SUCK.”“I really wish you wouldn’t—”“JUNGKOOK!”“Fucking—FINE.”Jungkook, looking ill—or Jimin imagined he did, underneath all that blood—finally crouched down once more, squinting through the violent spray as he used two waving hands to find the man’s neck.Jimin sighed in relief once Jungkook’s mouth closed around the still spewing wound, ultimately stopping the spray of the blood.
As Jungkook was….busy, Jimin took the time to look down at himself in disgust.Making a face, he peeled his shirt away from his chest, groaning when it clung to his skin. He was absolutely drenched from head to toe in blood and no doubt Jungkook wasn’t much better. Though his pants were fairly dark and more or less disguised the blood, Jungkook would have to ditch his lighter clothes and somehow get new ones. No way could they get on the train looking like this.Jimin was pulled from his musings by the sound of loud gagging. He turned to find Jungkook pulling himself away from the man, whose wound was thankfully now closed.“This fucker doesn’t taste human,” Jungkook said in disgust. “At least not right now. Doesn’t taste like vampire either.”“How do you know what vampire tastes like?” Jimin asked but was ignored as Jungkook wiped his mouth with his sweatshirt, only to smear his face with the blood that was on his sleeve. The vampire let out a long-suffering sigh.“I think he was a blood bag,” he said next, peeling off his hoodie. He shook his head once he was free from the sweatshirt, rubbing his scalp with a hand as he wrinkled his nose at the garment now held between his fingers.Jimin made a face. “That’s rude.”Jungkook rolled his eyes, wrapping the bloodied hoodie around his waist. “Not like that. It’s what they’re literally called. Anyone else who lost that much blood would be dead now, but this guy is perfectly fine. Blood bag is just a term for a human that has been magically enhanced by vampires to rapidly produce more blood. It’s a tricky spell, but not one that lasts particularly long. The human either dies from too much blood production or is sucked dry. Now that I’m thinking of it, we probably saved the poor bastard's life.” Jungkook looked suddenly thoughtful. “But who did he run from?”“Wait, hold up. Does that mean someone’s looking for him?” Jimin asked, eyes moving from Jungkook to the man slumped against the brick wall. “That vampires are looking for him?”
A snort. “Not ones who are looking to be interviewed, in any case. C’mon, we should go.”Jimin looked back at the man, hesitant. “Will he be okay?”“Now you’re concerned?” Jungkook asked, amusement colouring his tone. “A little late, don’t you think?”Jimin frowned. “I don’t want him to die.”“He’ll be fine, Jimin.”“Should we—?”“He’ll be fine. Besides, we should be more concerned with finding someplace to get cleaned up.”Jungkook then turned and walked deeper down the alleyway once more. Jimin shot one more glance towards their prone victim, before hurrying to follow.
————
“So?”
“So what?”“Do you feel more like a vampire now?” Jimin asked, rubbing the blood off his face with a damp paper towel. He and Jungkook were currently cramped together in the ladies bathroom of a local gas station that they had been able to sneak into due to a faulty lock and some well-aimed kicks (the men’s bathroom had been occupied).“No?” Jungkook said, turning on the squeaky tap until water gushed out into the off-white, stained sink. “Why would I?”
Jimin watched as the vampire cupped his hands under the flow of water before leaning over to splash his face. He repeated the action several times, scrubbing his face and neck aggressively with his palms as he did so. After the fifth time he pushed away from the sink, he waved a pathetic hand around, eyes squeezed shut.“Paper towel, paper towel,” he said, making grabby hands in Jimin’s general direction.Rolling his eyes, Jimin reached over with his free hand and tugged several sheets from the dispenser before shoving them into Jungkook’s searching fingers.“Because,” Jimin said, continuing the conversation, “that was the whole point of you sucking off that guy.”“Please don’t say that.”“It was so you would get more in touch with your vampire side. Don’t you at least feel better after eating?”“I do eat, you know,” Jungkook said, blinking at Jimin through the mirror once his face was mostly dry. “Just not blood.”
“Doubtful,” Jimin said, lips thinning.A shrug. “Think what you want.”“Okay, fine. If you don’t drink blood, what do you eat?”“I—” Jungkook frowned suddenly, grabbing the sink as he swayed.“Jungkook?” Jimin asked, alarmed when the vampire hunched over.“I….feel weird.”“Weird how?” Jimin asked, moving even closer in the small space in order to press his palm to Jungkook’s forehead. He frowned down at the vampire’s dark head. “You’re not overlly warm. Is it your stomach?”“I think…”“...you think?” Jimin prompted when Jungkook’s slightly slurred words faded, removing his palm from his forehead to place it on his shoulder, in what he hoped was a calming gesture.“I think…that guy may have taken something…illegal...." A pause. "...Hey, do you ever think... that the porn sites in the Star Wars universe…must have a lot of categories...”“What.”
“Well because there are so many aliens. Like there’d be—”“No, gods, I get it. Just. No. That’s not what I mean, idiot. So you’re saying you’re drugged?”“I don’t…know,” Jungkook mumbled, resting his forehead against his arm, which was braced from where his hand gripped the sink. “...There’d be like…so many tentacles.”Jimin stared at him. “Gods, you are.”“Mmm…I want a snuggle,” Jungkook said, before his legs immediately gave way beneath him and he slumped to the ground.
Or he would have, had Jimin not lunged forward and grabbed him under his arms, anchoring him back against his chest.“Why are you so heavy?”“No,” Jungkook whined, arching in Jimin’s hold, the soft darkness of his hair tickling Jimin’s chin as he continued to wiggle. “I don’t wanna snuggle you. I do not consent. I want….Togepi.”“...Who?” Jimin asked, struggling to get a hold on the vampire. “Jungkook, stop fighting.”Jungkook arched his neck up to glare at Jimin. “Togepi. The pokemon. You uncultured SWINE.” Then he paused, and after a moment of great thought, reached up to poke Jimin’s nose. “Boop.”“What the fuck, Jungkook.”Jungkook sighed, deflating somewhat, the back of his head falling against Jimin’s shoulder, while Jimin continued to struggle under his weight.
So the blood was obviously having an…effect on Jungkook. For whatever reason.
Cool.He could deal with a drugged vampire.Nooo problem.Before Jimin could even begin to think of how to solve this situation, a heavy knock resounded against the door.
“Hey!” a muffled voice shouted beyond the door. The door rattled as someone tried to turn the knob. “Is someone in there? This bathroom is out of order.”“Um. Occupied!” Jimin shouted, eyeing the blood-stained paper towels strewn throughout the small bathroom. “D-don’t come in!”“Gummy worms have more bones in them than actual woooorms,” Jungkooked moaned.“...”“...”“...Is someone in there with you?”“Yes. We’re…fucking?” said Jimin, grimacing as soon as the words left his mouth.Jungkook snorted. “I knew you were hot for me.”“Shut up, Jungkook,” Jimin hissed in his ear, adjusting his grip around the vampire’s waist, pulling him up so he was braced more firmly against his chest.Jungkook responded by kicking his leg up, hitting the paper towel dispenser, and knocking it clear off the wall with a loud bang. It clattered noisily to the ground, a large crack splintering up the middle.“What was that!?” shouted the man beyond the door.“For fuck’s sake, Jungkook,” Jimin muttered. Then, louder, shouted, “Nothing! Just…just fucking really…hard.”Jungkook giggled.“There’s blood on the door handle…. Open up or I’m calling the police!”Jimin froze.“Um. That’s ketchup.”“FUCK THE POLICE,” Jungkook shouted, right by Jimin’s ear—which made him wince in response, glaring at the lolling head on his shoulder.“Both of you get out here. NOW!”Jimin’s fingers tightened around Jungkook. “Sir, please, it’s just—”“FUCK. THE. POLICE.”“That’s it! I’m calling the cops!” the gas station manager cried, his declaration followed by the sound of footsteps hurrying away—presumably towards the phone inside the building.“Wonderful,” Jimin said, shoving Jungkook none too gently to the floor, earning him a loud ‘Ow!’ of protest, which he easily ignored.As Jungkook made a show of baring his fangs and hissing at Jimin, pawing uselessly at his dark jeans from the floor, Jimin was busy picking up all of the bloodied paper towels from the floor and hurriedly stuffing them into the garbage.“Okay,” he said once finished, breathing hard from exertion, “as long as the cleaners don’t look too hard inside the trash we should be fi—what the fuck, Jungkook? Are you biting my leg?” Jimin hissed.Sure enough, Jungkook was gnawing on Jimin’s thigh over his jeans—not enough to puncture the fabric, let alone his skin—in a weird, almost playful display.“No,” said Jungkook, words muffled as he stabbed his fangs gently into Jimin’s leg.“...I don’t have time for this,” Jimin said, shoving Jungkook’s face away, ignoring his disgruntled, muffled complaint.Jimin then stepped over the sprawled vampire to open the door an inch, peeking through.
“Okay, no ones out there,” Jimin said, leaning down once more to pick up Jungkook, this time wrapping one of his arms around his shoulder before pulling him up. Jungkook helped somewhat, balancing precariously on his feet once upright. “Time to go.”As soon as the door opened, Jimin was met with violent flashes of red and blue swiftly approaching.“...Fuck.”“Over here!” Jimin’s eyes darted towards the now unmuffled voice of the store manager, currently standing in the parking lot a short distance away, waving down the approaching police car.Jimin’s dampening palms tightened around the fabric of Jungkook’s shirt, his eyes widening, his heart kicking up a rapid beat in his chest. He took an unconscious step back on shaky limbs.“...Jungkook,” he whispered. “We need to run.”
“Hm?” Jungkook slurred, head hanging low in front of him.“They’re in the bathroom! Hurry!”“Fuck.”Jimin pushed them both through the door, stumbling once slightly under the vampire’s weight. Jungkook grunted as his face was smacked into the door.“Oh shit, sorry,” Jimin said.“What the fuck,” Jungkook grunted, rubbing his forehead before blinking slightly as the foggy sheen somewhat left his red eyes. He then winced at the flashing lights. “What the fuck?”Jimin looked from the vampire to the approaching police car, realizing then that he wouldn’t be able to get them both away in time. With a heavy breath, Jimin turned to Jungkook, grabbing his face in both hands.Red eyes met his, still somewhat hazy, but nonetheless alert.“I will catch every fucking pokemon for you. I will stream anything you want. Just get me the fuck out of here,” Jimin said, not even attempting to hide the tremble in his voice. “I’m afraid. Get me home.”Jungkook blinked, surprised. His lips parted.“Okay,” he breathed, eyes darting between both of Jimin’s, a strange sort of awed tone about his words. “Hold tight.”And then, before Jimin could react, he was picked up and cradled by strong arms, gripped tightly around the small of his back and just under his knees.And then they were running—faster than Jimin thought possible—rounding the building in mere moments, skidding into a darkened alley, and racing along the damp pavement. Belatedly, Jimin clamped his arms around Jungkook’s shoulders, clawing at his shirt as his hair whipped around his face. He looked over Jungkook’s shoulder, expecting to find someone chasing them.Thankfully no one was after them, however—they must have slipped away before anyone caught sight of them.After five minutes of running, Jungkook slowed to a stop behind the darkness of an apartment building. He wasn’t even breathing heavily as he carefully lowered Jimin to the ground. In fact, he looked barely winded.
“Thank you,” Jimin said, patting Jungkook on his chest before stepping back. He felt shy for some reason. “That was very Twilight of you.”“What?” Jungkook asked, and Jimin noticed that he was squinting and rubbing his head, swaying slightly.“Uh. Nevermind. Hey, are you okay…? You don’t look so great.”“I think the blood did something,” Jungkook muttered, leaning against the brick wall and sliding down. His head dropped into his hands. “I’m gonna just…sit. For a bit. Sitting feels nice.”“Well, thank you for saving me. Well…us. Thank you for saving us.”Jungkook peeked up at him. “Why didn’t you run?”“We did.”“No, why didn’t you just leave me and run on your own?”Jimin blinked down at him. “Oh,” he said. “I hadn’t even thought of that.”Jungkook snorted, head dropping back down again. “Of course you didn’t.” He sighed. “No one has trusted me like that before. Not when they’ve been afraid. Not ever, really. It was…nice? Weird, though.”“Really?” Jimin asked, moving to sit beside Jungkook, dropping down against the pavement easily and resting against the bricks with a sigh. At this point his pants were already ruined so he didn’t care too much about making them worse. “Why not?”“People are usually scared of me.”“...They are?” Jimin asked, surprised. “Why?”“Mm,” Jungkook hummed, and Jimin could almost see the faint lift of his lips in a ghost of a smile. ”Who knows?”“Well they’re dumb,” Jimin said, knocking his knee gently against Jungkook’s.Jungkook huffed a laugh. “Maybe so.” Then he groaned, rubbing his face. “I think I’ll be here for a while. My head is killing me.”Jimin’s lips thinned, then he patted Jungkook’s shoulder lightly before using it to lift himself back up from the ground. Jungkook looked up at him in confusion.“Jimin?”“I’ll be right back.”“What? Where are you going?”“I’m just going to the corner store. I won’t be far! I have dark clothing on so they won’t notice the blood. You stay here.”And with that, Jimin hurried down the alley, humming lightly under his breath.Unblinking red eyes watched him go.
————
When Jimin eventually returned, a white plastic bag swinging from one arm, it was to find Jungkook sitting in the exact same spot Jimin had left him, head cradled in his hands, groaning loudly.Rolling his eyes, Jimin approached the vampire, simultaneously reaching into his bag for the ice pack he’d purchased.“Here,” he said, handing the cold blue pack to Jungkook. “I figured you weren’t allowed Advil, so this is the next best thing.”Jungkook frowned. “An ice pack?” he asked, though he readily accepted the offering at Jimin’s insistant nudging. “What am I supposed to do with this?”“You hold it to your neck. It’s a natural way to take away the pain,” Jimin said. When Jungkook continued to stare at him, confused, Jimin rolled his eyes and took the ice pack from his hands. “Here, like this.”Jungkook jumped as the cold surface of the ice pack touched his neck—only the thin fabric of his shirt, which Jimin had pulled up to cover his skin, acted as a barrier.“And this is supposed to help?” Jungkook asked in a mutter, hunching away from the cold. Jimin just pressed harder. “All I feel is cold.”“That’s the point. You feel cold instead of pain. Here, hold it there for a little longer,” Jimin said. Though he grumbled as he did so, Jungkook did reluctantly reach up to hold the cold pack to his neck.Jimin meanwhile sat back down next to Jungkook with a quiet sigh, reaching into his bag to pull out a small bag of candy hearts that were on sale. He stuck one in his mouth, chewing through the burst of hard-pressed sugar.After several moments, Jungkook’s shoulders relaxed with a breathy exhale. He lowered the ice pack, rubbing his neck as he did so, arching his back.“Better?”“A bit,” Jungkook admitted somewhat reluctantly. Then, like an afterthought, added, “Thanks.”Jimin smiled.Jungkook’s lips twitched in return. Then his eyes lowered to the small bag of candy in Jimin’s hand. He nodded towards it. “What’s in the bag?”Jimin showed off a candy heart he’d just plucked from the paper bag, holding it out between two fingers so Jungkook could see the pink ‘ur mine’ words embedded into the bright yellow heart. Then he stuck it in his mouth.“Candy heart,” he said around the mouthful. “They were on sale.”“I see.”Silence fell between them for several long moments as they both waited for Jungkook to completely sober up from whatever it was that had messed him up so badly. Every now and then he’d press the ice pack against his neck, keeping it there for several minutes before pulling it away and allowing his head to fall back against the brick wall.“So,” Jimin began after about ten minutes of silence. “You really don’t drink blood…”Jungkook’s head lolled against the wall behind him so he was facing Jimin. “I told you it was messy.”Jimin rubbed at his face with a hand. “No kidding,” he said, thinking back to the spewing blood. “So if not blood…then what do you eat?”“Well,” Jungkook began, looking from Jimin to the bag of candy hearts. “You could say those are more to my taste.”Jimin followed his gaze, then frowned. “Candy?”“Mm.”“...You’re acting weird.”Jungkook let out a breathy, quiet sort of laugh, but otherwise didn’t respond.Jimin watched him, eyes moving over the arch of his nose, to the mole under his lip. He looked away, down the darkness of the street. ”...It’s getting pretty late. The sun’ll be rising in a few hours.”“Give me a few more minutes,” Jungkook said. “Then we’ll get you home.”Then his head fell back again, still smiling faintly—like he hid a secret within the curve of his lips.When he closed his eyes a moment later, Jimin found himself missing the red.
————

Several long hours later, Jimin finally tripped haphazardly into the meager confines of his small apartment, clumsy with exhaustion as the adrenaline from earlier slowly faded from his system. Even so, his mind continued to whirl with various thoughts and ponderings as he nudged the door closed behind him, locked it with fumbling fingers, and tiredly kicked off his shoes before stumbling towards his bag of clothes.
He just…couldn’t stop thinking.Thinking about what Jungkook had said, about what his step-father had said. Thinking about the things that went unsaid. The things that didn’t.As his mind continued to thrum with thought after thought, Jimin peeled off his shirt with tired arms and fumbled out of his pants. Then, with a world-weary sigh, Jimin collapsed onto his makeshift bed—an old sleeping bag resting on top of a thin mat—and rubbed at his face, trying to ease the tired ache behind his eyes.The worst part about the incessant wanderings of his mind was the fact that the one thing Jimin hadn’t been thinking about was his mother. At least not since meeting Jungkook. It left a guilty twist in his stomach—and the conversation with his step-father definitely hadn’t helped this any.Because for the few weeks that Jungkook had been in his life, Jimin had been having fun. He enjoyed their conversations, their bickering. He even liked the silence—companionable and never awkward. It was weird, actually, now that he was thinking about it, how well they did mesh.…But while he was enjoying Jungkook’s company, his family was struggling back home. Because of him.And he had an obligation to help them, right?They were still his family.Even if—...Even if.Jimin’s lips thinned, his toes curling.After all, this wasn’t a vacation, he was here for a reason. He didn't live here permanently. He couldn’t, even though he desperately wanted to. As always, the threat of home loomed like an ever present curse—always on his mind, always an inevitability.
But he couldn’t remain in the city. Not forever, at least.His mother needed him.He was here for her, after all.…Wasn’t he?Even if.Jimin pulled his knees up to his chest, hugging them tightly.His chest felt tight, his stomach coiling and gnawing.
His eyes drifted to the small white card he’d tossed beside his bed, a foreign number embedded on the front with shiny gold foil. Jimin chewed on his lip, rubbing up and down the skin of his shins with shaky palms.
Maybe it was time to look elsewhere for help.
————
“Thanks for grabbing a table, traffic was hell,” Taehyung said as he slid into the booth opposite Jimin. He took a long sip of the extra large cappuccino in his hands, licked his lips, and added, “You look like shit, by the way.”“Thanks,” Jimin muttered, staring down at his water. “I didn’t sleep well.”After a sleepless, guilt-ridden night, Jimin found himself texting the number on the card Taehyung had offered him. The vampire hunter had responded surprisingly fast, saying something about how he was always open for a gossip session.Whatever that meant.Needless to say, that was how Jimin now found himself sitting across from Taehyung at a bustling diner one sun-filled—albeit still quite chilly—Tuesday morning.“Mm, that’s good,” Taehyung said after another long sip, sighing. “Shit news about the sleep. Is Jungkook really that wild in bed? Then again, it is always the quiet ones.” Taehyung picked up the plastic menu, sniffing lightly. “Have you ordered?”“I—what?” Jimin said, blinking widely at Taehyung, his own menu falling out of his fumbling hand. “I don’t—we’re not—what?”“No, you’re not fucking? Or no, you haven’t ordered?”Jimin sputtered, feeling his cheeks and ears tingle with sudden warmth. “No! I—neither!”“No?” said Taehyung, cup halfway to his lips, brows raised. “Could’ve fooled me. I’ve met you for what? All of ten minutes? And even I can tell you two act like you’re on the nauseating end of the honeymoon phase. That or married for eighty years.”“Well…we’re not,” Jimin answered, shifting in his seat.“I see,” Taehyung said slowly. “So is this,” he motioned between them both, “about getting into his pants, then?”
“Would you stop it? I said I wanted to talk about vampire stuff.”Taehyung’s face slackened. “Wait, do you mean—you don’t want to gossip about Jungkook?”“No!”Taehyung hummed, a displeased noise. “Well, I suppose it’s too late to ditch you now. Either way, hurry up and pick something so we can order already.”“You thought I wanted to talk about Jungkook?”“Duh,” said Taehyung, then reached over and tapped Jimin’s menu. “Pick something. And don’t say ‘nothing’. I’ll pay. You’re skinny enough as is.”“Oh,” said Jimin. “You don’t have to, I already—”“Just pick something, Jimin.”Jimin felt his cheeks heat, but hesitantly picked up the menu with careful fingers. “Right. Thank you.”“Don’t mention it. Just choose something fast,” Taehyung said, turning in his seat to wave down one of the waitresses. “Ma’am! We’re ready!”Once their order had been taken and they were left alone once more, Taehyung slid his cappuccino aside and placed his elbows on the table, chin resting against laced fingers.“So,” he began, “what do you want to know?”Jimin leaned over in his seat, his voice hushing slightly as he said, “I want…I need to know about vampires. Modern vampires. See, I thought when I found Jungkook it would be simple but it’s not—he’s not—”Taehyung raised a brow, smirking. “Normal?”“Exactly.”“Hm. Poor Kook. Tossed aside so quickly.”“Oh, don’t even,” Jimin muttered. “I’m literally seeing him after this.”“...You’re sure you’re not together?”“I told you to quit it,” Jimin snapped, face hot. “Now will you help me or not?”Taehyung watched him for several moments, eyes slightly narrowed, lips pursed. Jimin fought the urge to fidget under the intense scrutiny.“Alright,” Taehyung said finally, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms. “Not my usual gossip session, but I’ll bite. What do you want to know?”“How many are there?” Jimin asked in a rush, before Taehyung could change his mind. “Where are they hiding?”Taehyung looked confused. “What do you mean?”“I haven’t been able to find any,” Jimin said, running an agitated hand through his hair. “I’ve been in the city for over three months now. I didn’t think it’d be this hard, if I’m being honest. Jungkook is the first vampire I’ve met—and believe me, I’m using the term ‘vampire’ loosely when it comes to him.”Taehyung just continued to frown at him, like he was looking at an idiot. “Jimin,” he said, slowly. “There are vampires literally everywhere in the city.”Jimin went still.The laughter of the group behind him rang loud in his ears as he stared at Taehyung, who was giving him an expression that was both incredulous and pitying.Jimin swallowed thickly, clenching his suddenly shaking fingers.“What…what do you mean by that?” he asked carefully after several moments.Taehyung nodded towards the exit with his chin. “The person who just left? Half vampire, half banshee.”“What?!” Jimin whirled in his chair to spot the back of the individual leaving the restaurant. “But how—I didn’t feel them.”“Aah,” Taehyung said, as though that explained everything. “You have the witch wiggle.”Jimin turned back to face Taehyung. “The what?”“The witch wiggle. You didn’t tell me you were one.”Jimin slumped in his seat, rubbing his forehead. He was still processing the bombshell that had just been dropped on him. “Just one quarter. I can only sense supernatural beings. But I guess even that’s defective.”“Mm. Not defective. Just blocked.”“What?”“Well most folks don’t appreciate being ‘detected’ while going about their business, do they? For one, it’s annoying, but most importantly it’s dangerous,” Taehyung explained. “So they carry a blocking charm. It blocks witches’ senses and other magical means of detection.”Jimin stared at Taehyung for several moments, slack-jawed and disbelieving.“I’ve wasted three months,” he breathed out. “I’m such an idiot.”Taehyung shrugged, picking up his cup again and taking another sip. Then he licked his lips and said, “Yeah, just a bit.”Jimin’s head fell against the counter with a thud.“Oh, don’t be like that. It’s only three months, and besides—you met Jungkookie. Also, I think this is our food coming. Head up, you idiot. Don’t freak out the waitress with your theatrics, please.”Jimin obediently lifted his head from the table with a groan, only to moan loudly into his hands, “I’m such an idiooot.”Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Okay, enough of that.” He then turned and flashed a dazzling smile towards the waitress who, sure enough, had come by with their food.
The poor girl appeared momentarily blinded by Taehyung’s boxy grin, but Taehyung seemed used to this, and reached over to accept both plates from her frozen fingers.“Thank you,” he said. “Much appreciated, as always.”“Sure,” she wheezed. “Anytime.”Once the waitress tripped away from their table, Taehyung slid Jimin’s plate over to him before picking up a fork to dig into his own.“So,” he said around a bite of sausage. “What else do you want to know?”Jimin, who had picked up his own fork, shot a grumpy glare at Taehyung.
Taehyung pointed a finger at him. “Cut the sass, cottagecore, I was just starting to like you—don’t ruin it. Now ask your question.”“Cottagecore?”“Ask already!”“Why doesn’t Jungkook have a blocking charm?” Jimin asked before he could stop himself.“Why would he?” Taehyung asked, cutting into a pancake.“Well, for all the reasons you mentioned. The danger, the annoyance, the desire to be anonymous,” Jimin said. “Shouldn’t he have one too?”A snort. “He hardly needs one, don’t you think?”“What do you mean?”Taehyung’s brow furrowed as he watched Jimin thoughtfully. His mouth was full, so he was initially unable to respond. And then his chewing slowed, and then his jaw stilled completely, and then his brows rose up, up, up.“You don’t know?” he asked around his pancake.“Know what?”Taehyung watched him for another moment as he swallowed. Then, slowly, he said, “Jimin. Haven’t you noticed something different about Jungkook?”“You mean that he doesn’t drink blood?”“Something else.”Jimin frowned, brows lowering. “Look, if you’re going to insult him again—”Taehyung rolled his eyes. “Keep your Jungkook boner down for a moment, sweetheart.”“My what—!?”“Haven’t you noticed that he’s a loner? That he’s weird? Strange? Different? —No. Shut up. Listen to me,” he snapped when Jimin was about to interrupt again, “most vampires behave a bit like a hive, right? Swarming around the one that created them like little bees with their queen.”Jimin didn’t know that, but he nodded anyway, prompting Taehyung to continue.“Well, Jungkook’s been alone for as long as I’ve known him.”“...Really?”Taehyung nodded. “Until you, he seemed to prefer it that way.”“Well what does it matter?” Jimin asked. “Everyone’s different.”“Jimin, you don’t understand.”“Understand what?”“Jungkook is—”The small charm around Taehyung’s wrist suddenly started sparkling violently with white, twinkling lights, effectively cutting him off as his eyes immediately darted to the odd looking bracelet.
“Shit,” he hissed.“What? Where are you going?” Jimin asked, watching Taehyung hurriedly begin to slide out of the booth.“I have to go!” he said, grabbing his jacket from where it hung on a hook above the booth and swiftly pulling it on. “Sorry about the short notice. Duty calls and all that.”“Wait! Taehyung, what were you going to say about Jungkook?”“Where is my walleeet,” Taehyung muttered under his breath, digging through his pockets. “Ah. There it is.”“Taehyung—”Taehyung quickly slapped several bills onto the table, pocketing his wallet once more. “This should cover breakfast. Let me know if it doesn’t.”“But—”“We should do this again sometime!” Taehyung called over his shoulder, waving a single hand.“Tae—!”“Good luuuuck!” Taehyung called across the restaurant, already slipping out through the exit.Jimin watched helplessly as the door closed behind the vampire hunter.What.But…He hadn’t learned anything.His head fell against the table with a thud, narrowly avoiding his plate.
————
There was something…odd about Jungkook.And no, it wasn’t just the fact that he was a gigantic nerd who lived in a shitty apartment despite being a supposedly rich vampire who refused to drink blood.No, there was something else.Something…off.Something weird.Well…weirder.There wasn’t necessarily a concrete reason that made Jimin think this way, at least not something that came from Jungkook, but lately he just got the feeling he wasn't being told everything. His first major clue that anything was amiss at all with the vampire was, of course, his meeting with Taehyung. During their short breakfast, the vampire hunter had meant to tell him something significant about Jungkook before he’d been cut off. And now, two weeks later, no matter how many times Jimin tried to get in contact with him, he was always busy.His second clue?People tended to avoid Jungkook.Well, at least all the supernatural people.It admittedly took Jimin a while to realize that that was what they were. With his witch wiggle unfortunately blocked, he’d been forced to look for other tells—ones that, if you looked hard enough, soon became apparent. Pointed ears, elongated teeth, odd eyes, and too sharp features.And all of them gave Jungkook a wide berth.It was subtle at first, and Jimin hadn’t really noticed it considering the two of them usually kept to themselves, either alone in Jungkook’s apartment or wandering around at night. He only really realized what was happening when they went out to other, more public, places.Like Ikea.“Why are we at Ikea?” Jimin groaned, stomping behind Jungkook. “We could be going to all sorts of fun, exciting places and yet we’re here.”“Got something against Ikea?” Jungkook asked, glancing away from the table he’d been looking at to flash Jimin a look of amusement.
“Yes, actually. It’s so…cold in here.”“You’re wearing my sweater.”“Not like cold cold. It’s all…lifeless.”“Hm,” Jungkook hummed, looking Jimin up and down before continuing down the path. “Well, we’re almost done.”“Why even Ikea?” Jimin asked, petulantly smacking a plastic fern with his hand in passing. “Shouldn’t you be rich? We could be at some swanky furniture place.”“Merch is expensive,” Jungkook said solemnly.“Is that why you live in a shitty apartment?”
“I had an Ebay phase,” Jungkook responded. “It wasn’t pretty.”Well that solved one mystery.Just as Jimin opened his mouth—probably to make fun of Jungkook—a woman with vibrant green eyes that had been walking in their direction spotted Jungkook. She let out a sudden, horrified gasp, and her eyes widened as she jerked back, nearly taking a rainbow lamp with her in her haste to get away.Jimin frowned as he watched her duck her head and quickly hurry in the opposite direction. He then wordlessly looked at Jungkook, but the vampire didn’t seem bothered. In fact, he seemed to be preoccupied with a basket full of large shark shaped stuffed animals.This same exact scenario happened multiple times while they were in the large department store. Every turn they took it seemed some random person would balk at the sight of Jungkook and dramatically hurry away.“Do you have a reputation, or something?” Jimin asked under his breath once they’d reached the check out and Jungkook was accepting the receipt for the shelf he’d acquired. And the shark.“Hm?”“People keep running away from you,” Jimin said, eyeing the latest victim to scurry away at the sight of the vampire next to him. “It’s weird.”Jungkook glanced at Jimin, then calmly looked up at the blue haired man was was currently shuffling away from him. He blinked once and suddenly there was a shriek and a clatter as the blue haired individual run into a plastic fig tree with a frightened cry.Jungkook turned back to Jimin. “They've always done this. I'm surprised you've only just noticed. Not the most observent, are you?""Oh, shut up. You're avoiding the subject.""Hm. Let's just say people don’t particularly like vampires who don’t drink blood.”“But—““I think it's time we go back, yeah?”“What? Jungkook!”But Jungkook was already walking away, shelf and shark under each arm, and Jimin could only follow, confused.
————
“Hey, can I ask you something?”“What is it?” Jungkook asked, half under the shelf they were currently putting together. “Can you pass that screw?”“Which one?”“The one with the square—no, the smaller one. Yeah, there. Thanks.”Jimin watched as Jungkook’s head disappeared once more beneath the ‘wood’ of the cheap Ikea shelf and hugged his knees to his chest. Absently he played with a stray string on the worn knee of his pants, wandering how exactly to begin. He cleared his throat.“Why were those people really avoiding you today? You said it happens often.” He reached out his foot to prod Jungkook’s thigh. “I know you didn’t tell me the whole truth.”There was a brief pause as Jungkook went abruptly still beneath the half made shelf. Then, after a moment, Jungkook let out a sigh and, with a grunt, pushed himself out from under the shelf. Jimin watched as he shuffled over to sit beside Jimin against the wall, bringing up his own knees in a similar fashion.
He didn’t talk for a long moment, busy looking ahead with furrowed brows, as though in deep thought.Jimin nudged Jungkook’s knee with his own.“Is it bad?” he prompted.Jungkook sighed. “Look. I’m just...not the most popular person in our. Uh. Community.”“What do you mean?”“For…reasons. They don’t like me.”“Reasons?”“Mm.”“Private reasons?” Jimin guessed, head tilted to look at Jungkook.Jungkook rubbed the skin of his forearm and shrugged. “…Yeah. You're actually the first person who I've gotten close to in...awhile.”Jimin’s eyes roved over the hills and slopes of Jungkook’s face, memorizing the perfections and imperfections that made him beautiful.He looked away.“Hm. Well. I like you.” Jimin said, toes curling into the carpet. “Even if you’re a huge nerd.”Jungkook snorted. “Yeah?”Jimin ducked his head to hide his smile.“Yeah.”
————
“What is this.”Jimin looked up from his phone, blinking dumbly at the metal object shoved in front of his nose. “It’s a screw.”“Jimin we already put the shelf together.”“So?”“So we have an extra screw.”“So?”“SO we didn’t put it together correctly!”“It’s not a big deal, it’s just an extra screw.”“They don’t give extra screws, Jimin. I can’t put my DVDs on something that isn’t stable.”“Wait, you don’t mean—““WE’RE TAKING IT APART!”
————
“Look, just because we had the one incident, we shouldn’t give up,” Jimin said, sprawled upside down on the giant snorlax pillow Jungkook had recently acquired. He was staring at Jungkook from where he lay, feet up in the air as he stretched them out.Jungkook, who had his eyes glued to the TV screen, busy mashing buttons on his controller, responded blandly, “I really think it does.”Jimin rolled his eyes. “You can’t survive off candy hearts, Jungkook.”“I don’t.”Jimin ignored him. “Maybe we can go to the blood bank? Would that be easier? Then people won't run away screaming from you.”“Your foot is blocking my health bar.”Rolling his eyes, Jimin lowered his legs. “What are you even playing?”“Mass effect.” At Jimin’s blank stare, he added, “It’s about aliens.”Jimin hummed. “You know, before my mom remarried and got all weird about the…uh…gay thing, I had a boyfriend. Of course, he later admitted he only dated me because he wanted to prove I was an alien. In hindsight it was pretty obvious something was up.”Jungkook blinked, pausing the game to stare at Jimin. “What?”“Shut up! He asked for a strand of my hair and I thought it was romantic!”“You thought it was romantic,” Jungkook echoed slowly, a look of genuine concern on his face.Jimin felt his cheeks flush with warmth. “I told you to shut up!”“….Are you an alien?”Jimin stared at Jungkook.Jungkook stared back.Jimin unplugged the console.“HEY!”Jimin ignored him, slumping back into the snorlax pillow with a sigh. “Either way, it didn’t work out.”“Can’t imagine why,” Jungkook muttered mutinously, reluctantly getting up in order to plug the console back into the wall.“It was a very trying time for me.”“Hm.”“First and only boyfriend. We were twelve years old.”
Jungkook sighed, rolling his eyes. Having switched his game back on, he once more slumped down onto the couch. “I’m sensing you want me to ask more but I honestly don’t care.”“It didn’t work out BECAUSE he was having issues—”“Wait. Not because of the hair thing?”“—and he said I needed to learn to love myself before I could truly learn to love him.""...You said this kid was twelve?""He watched a lot of Dr. Phil. Shut up. Either way, he was right, I guess. Still hurt though.”When Jungkook didn't immediately respond, Jimin looked over to find the vampire staring intently at him, a frown on his face, his brows furrowed over eyes of red.“...Well that’s bullshit,” he said eventually, looking back at the screen as he once more fiddled with his controller.Jimin made a face at him. “Excuse you. I’m allowed to be hurt when I get dumped, you know. It’s normal.”“Not that,” Jungkook said, shaking his head. “The idea that you need to love yourself before you can love someone else. That’s bullshit.”“What do you mean? Everyone says that.”“Who is everyone?”Jimin scratched his cheek. “I don’t know. Everyone. It’s a saying. People say it.”“Well then, people are bullshit. Like sure, self-esteem is great and all. But you should be allowed love and connection regardless of where you are mentally. If you still need to learn to love yourself, why not have someone who already does show you how?”“Wow.” Jimin watched Jungkook with wide eyes. “That’s—wow. You mean it?”“I wouldn’t have said it if I didn’t.”“Hm. You seem to know a lot about relationships.”A shrug. “People are pretty interesting.”“...Can I ask you something else then?”Jungkook just raised an eyebrow, his red eyes watching Jimin expectantly.For some reason, Jimin’s heart was beating rapidly in his chest. Carefully, he twisted in place, pushing himself up so he was no longer upside down on the pillow, but instead sitting cross-legged on the edge of it. His fingers dug into the soft fabric beneath him, feeling it dampen under his clammy palms. Jimin cleared his throat.“What if—” he began, paused, running a hand through his messy hair, then began again, “—what if someone is afraid that their…er. Significant other? Or even someone else that…should care about them. What if this person does something they really…don’t like...”When Jimin looked up hesitantly, Jungkook was watching him with a sharp intensity, his game abandoned, his brows lowered.“Nothing bad!” Jimin hurried to add. “I’m just—what if someone is afraid that their future partner will do something by accident or…or on purpose that reminds them of something…bad. And because of this, they’re afraid of even starting anything with anyone because they're afraid their partner won't love something, uh, well. Broken." Jimin cleared his throat. "What then?”Jungkook continued to watch Jimin carefully, red eyes roving deliberately over the features of his face. Then, slowly, he said, “Obviously no one means to get triggered.”Jimin flinched. “I didn’t mean…that.”Jungkook ignored him. “But then I also think that relationships can be fairly triggering by nature.” He looked down. “They’re messy and scary. But they’re also beautiful and fulfilling and kind of awesome. People need people, at the end of the day.” Jungkook looked at Jimin. “It’s scary, sure. But don’t let that fear keep you from something worthwhile.”
Jimin rubbed his arm, looking down at his toes, curled inside his socks.
“So wise,” he said with a breathless laugh, trying for amusement, but the words shriveled in his throat and left his lips weak and faint. He cleared his throat.Jungkook watched him a while longer, unblinking. Then he said absently, “But if anyone hurts you, let me know, okay?”Jimin smiled weakly at him. “You’ll beat them up for me?”“I’ll kill them.”Jimin laughed, this time more honestly. “So dramatic.”Jungkook didn’t respond, though his eyes remained on Jimin, serious and intent. Meanwhile, Jimin was too busy hiding a smile to notice.After a moment, Jimin slapped his cheeks, laughing again.“Hey, how about a stream?”

————
Jimin was happy.…It was weird.Each day, without fail, he would spend hours in Jungkook’s company. And, slowly, Jimin found himself caring less and less about his book project as more and more of his life was consumed by the quirky vampire he had somehow befriended.And, without him meaning them to, the days began to slip by, one by one by one by one.And he was happy.Calls and texts from home went unanswered.Opportunities went ignored.He was happy.
Instead of scouring the city at night for clues for his book, he instead spent his nights curled up in Jungkook’s kitchen, wrapped in a blanket in the office chair specially purchased just for him, yelling at the vampire across the room for his silly gaming mistakes while people around the world watched them play and listened to them banter.Instead of using his spare, dwindling change to buy junk food for dinner, Jimin now ate the food Jungkook began storing in his previously empty fridge. It had happened without prompting, or any kind of persuasion or hinting on Jimin’s part. One day Jungkook just had food. When Jimin had asked him about it, he’d just shrugged it off and suggested a new game for them to try.Instead of pondering the life of vampires for the sake of his book, Jimin began to do so just because he genuinely wanted to know more about Jungkook. He was curious about Jungkook's secrets, his past, his diet—his favourite games, his favourite song, what places he wanted to visit, what places he had visited. He wanted to know more. He wanted to know everything.It was nice.It was perfect.
He was happy.
Jimin refused to think about the fact that it was only temporary.
————
“Chimmy, your phone keeps buzzing.”“One sec,” Jimin muttered, one hand tapping against his keyboard, the other clicking his mouse. His eyes were focused on the colourful man creeping around a corner on his left monitor, ignoring the steady stream of comments from the chat on the right one—a recent purchase by Jungkook. “I need to kill this guy.”“Do it after,” Jungkook snapped back. “Your phone is driving me insane.”“You’re such a nag,” Jimin said, rolling his eyes. “But fine. I already killed him anyway.”“Of course you did.”Jimin turned and blew a cheeky kiss at Jungkook, who simply glared at him before brandishing his middle finger.Laughing, Jimin picked up his phone, opening it with a swipe of his finger as he looked down to read whatever text had come through. “Chat, you should all know that Cooky is cruel and horrible and vulgar and ugly and…and…”Ice washed through his veins.He read the words on the screen over again.And again.And again.“Would you stop telling them I’m—hey…what’s wrong?” Jungkook asked.“I…um…” Jimin fumbled, feeling his eyes begin to water, his hands begin to shake. Helplessly, he looked up at Jungkook and found red eyes watching him with concern. A single tear broke free, falling fast down his cheek. “Um.”“We’re cutting the stream short today,” Jungkook said into the microphone attached to his headset, not taking his gaze from Jimin. He was already clicking out of the program as he muttered a distracted, “Sorry guys.”Once the stream had been turned off, Jungkook pulled off his headphones and walked over to where Jimin sat frozen at the kitchen table that had become his makeshift gaming desk.
Wordlessly, Jungkook reached over and shut off Jimin’s computer, gently pulled off the headphones from over his ears, and twisted the computer chair around until he was facing the vampire. Then, collecting Jimin’s free hand into both of his, Jungkook crouched down in front of him, looking up at him with patient, concerned eyes.“My…um…” Jimin tried, clearing his throat, sniffing loudly as tears began falling freely down his cheek. With the hand still clenched around his phone he moved to wipe them away with the back of his wrist, blinking furiously. “My step-dad, he…uh…”Jimin struggled to focus on Jungkook’s hands, the way pale fingers gently cradled Jimin’s hand in his own, the way he stroked the skin of Jimin’s knuckles with soothing, rhythmic motions.“He died,” Jimin said softly, his voice cracking on the last word. He cleared his throat again, licking his lips. “Heart attack. It was fast.”
Jimin dropped his gaze to his phone again, unable to stop the tremble in his fingers. And let out a humourless, huffing sort of laugh, followed by a sob.“My mom says ‘congratulations’,” he said, blinking through the tears that continued to pour. He gave Jungkook a weak, shaky smile. “Guess that’s that then, huh?”Jungkook watched him carefully all the while, still crouched at Jimin’s feet, still holding his hand.The gentleness of Jungkook’s gaze, the soft stroke of his thumb had Jimin choking on a sob. His phone dropped into his lap as he covered his mouth with his free hand, trying to smother the cries as he sobbed. He curled over their joined hands, pressing his forehead against Jungkook’s wrist.One of Jungkook’s hands released Jimin’s, only to reach up a moment later to stroke firmly down his back.Lips pressed against his hair then, holding the kiss for a moment before Jungkook pulled back in order to lay his forehead in the same place.“I…hated him,” Jimin whispered into the safety of their embrace. “He yelled at me, belittled me, stopped me from having friends, stopped me from dancing, he used my mom for her magic. He h-hurt me. Why am I crying?”Jungkook didn’t respond with words, just hummed quietly in Jimin’s ear and continued to rub his back soothingly.Jimin continued to sit there for several long moments, hunched over, struggling to quiet his hitching sobs. He wasn’t sure how long it was exactly, but it must have been a while as the ache in his throat grew painful and his body felt weak from the force of his cries.Eventually, once his sobbing had ebbed slightly, Jungkook murmured quietly into Jimin’s ear, “Can I move you?”Jimin, who found it difficult to really care about anything at that moment, only nodded. Almost immediately, Jungkook rose from his crouch and, before Jimin could panic at being left alone, he found himself lifted from his chair, one arm under his knees and the other cradling his back.Jungkook then carried him to his bedroom, kneeling down onto the mattress before placing Jimin onto the pokemon themed covers. Jimin blinked at the smiling pikachu next to his cheek before releasing a wet laugh. He continued to laugh even as Jungkook settled behind him, wrapping a single arm around his waist.“You’re such a child,” Jimin said, sniffing loudly, even as he shuffled backwards to press closer against Jungkook’s chest, hugging the arm around his waist. He felt the vampire at his back press warm, smiling lips to his neck.Jimin sighed then, sobering as his mind returned to the reason for his tears. He scrubbed his face furiously.“I don’t get it,” he said, blinking fast as tears once more threatened to spill. “I hated him. I hate both of them. They were both awful to me. Why am I crying? I shouldn’t care.”Jungkook hummed quietly, beginning to stroke Jimin’s hair back from his forehead with his fingers.
“Relationships are complicated,” said the vampire with a sigh. “And death is never simple. We all grieve it for different reasons. Sometimes people mourn the relationship they could have had, sometimes they mourn the lack of closure, sometimes death is death and that’s enough to make you cry.”
Jimin’s hands tightly gripped the softness of the covers beneath him, worrying the fabric between his fingers. “But he was awful, Jungkook. I shouldn’t…I shouldn’t…”Jungkook’s hold tightened. “Regardless, he was in your life for a long time. And, whether we like it or not, connections like those have a lasting impact.”Jimin didn’t respond, merely hugged Jungkook’s arm tighter, curling around it as he closed his eyes, pushing more tears down his cheeks.
“My eyes hurt,” he muttered after several more moments, sniffing quietly. “And I’m getting snot on your covers.”“You can wash them later.”Jimin laughed wetly, wiping his cheek. “You’re gonna make me wash them, huh?”Jungkook rubbed his nose against Jimin’s spine, inhaling deeply before sighing. “Of course I am.”Jimin smiled, rubbing the smooshed face of a pikachu between his fingers. Then the smile faded and he sighed.“Can I stay?” he asked quietly. “With you, I mean. Just for the night.”“You can stay,” Jungkook said.And then no more words were spoken.
But Jimin did not fall asleep easily that night.
He remained awake for a long time, staring into the darkness as his mind refused to quiet. Every now and then tears would fall, and he would blink through them, struggling to remain quiet. He knew Jungkook remained awake with him, making his presence known with a stroke of his thumb or a rub of his nose against Jimin’s neck.
When he finally did succumb to sleep, his dreams were blessedly silent.
————
Jimin stayed with Jungkook at his apartment for three days.He spoke very little in that time, and he spent most of his days curled up on the couch, staring vacantly at whatever nonsense Jungkook put on the TV—he didn’t feel like doing much else. Though, at least once a day, he would allow Jungkook to bully him into taking a shower before getting dressed and dragging him out of the apartment in order to walk to the city park. Then he’d drag him home and feed him.While he felt mostly numb about the whole thing now, Jimin still found himself crying at odd moments of the day, random tears that would suddenly fall from his eyes without warning. In those times Jungkook would remain oddly close. He didn’t speak, he didn’t offer any useless condolences, he just shuffled closer, like a silent pillar holding up Jimin’s sanity.
It was on the third day that he got another text from his mother.
It happened while Jimin was sitting on the couch, staring at nothing, his knees pulled up against his chest, leaning into Jungkook beneath the warmth of his arm.He felt the buzz from within the front pocket of the hoodie he’d borrowed from the vampire beside him, and almost immediately his stomach dropped in a wave of trepidation. With trembling fingers, he pulled his phone out and, his heart picking up in his chest, he unlocked the screen to read the text.He felt Jungkook’s gaze on him as his eyes ran over the words several times.“What is it?” Jungkook asked softly, though he was close enough that he could read the text if he wanted to.Jimin swallowed thickly. “She wants me to come home.”“...Hasn’t she wanted that for a while now?”Jimin sighed, locking the phone once more and putting it back into his pocket. Closing his eyes, he let his head fall back against Jungkook’s arm. “She says to come home now…or not at all.”“I see. What are you going to do?”When Jimin didn’t respond, Jungkook nudged him lightly in the shoulder. “Jimin?”Jimin rubbed his face. “I’ve been here a long time, Jungkook. And she’s still my mom. My only family left.”“...You can’t be serious.”“I can’t afford rent anymore. I can’t even afford food. This whole thing—this stupid plan with the vampire book or whatever the hell—it was just an excuse to get away from them. And I did, and it was amazing. It is amazing…but…”“But?”Jimin looked up at Jungkook, drinking in the red of his eyes. “But I can’t run forever. And now that my step-father is…dead. Maybe it’ll go back to normal. Maybe I’ll get my mom back.”Jungkook’s eyes flickered over his face. “Do you really believe that?”“I have to.”Jungkook’s eyes shuttered, and Jimin followed his gaze a second later as he felt Jungkook’s fingers begin to fiddle with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. The vampire’s nail picked at a loose thread, and his skin brushed the skin of Jimin’s knuckles.“What if it doesn’t change?” Jungkook asked quietly, a breathless whisper spoken in the scant space between them. “What will you do?”“...I don’t know.”“So loyal.”Jimin found himself smiling sadly. “You say that like an insult.”“It is.”“Ah. So harsh.”“Jimin—” Jungkook began, then paused, sighing. He tangled his fingers with Jimin’s.“It’ll be fine, Jungkook. I’ll finally be out of your hair.”Jungkook glared at him.“...Just telling the truth,” Jimin said weakly. Then, when Jungkook kept glaring, he sighed. “Sorry. Bad joke.”Silence took over the conversation then, and for a time they remained sitting together, fingers tangled, the weight of the conversation weighing heavily.Finally, Jungkook cleared his throat. “You know,” he began slowly, hesitantly, “we’ve picked up quite a following.”Jimin blinked at him. “What? You mean the streaming thing?”“Mm,” Jungkook hummed, shifting in his seat. He wasn’t looking at Jimin anymore, his red eyes instead focused on a spot on the floor. “It would be a shame if they were disappointed.”“I won’t be able to stream when I go home, Jungkook,” Jimin said, confusion lacing his tone. “My mom won’t like it. You know that.”“Then I guess you’ll just have to stay.”“I told you I can’t afford—”“With me.”Jimin blinked at him.“As my roommate.”Jimin reached up to grab Jungkook’s face, smooshing his cheeks together comically and twisting his head around until Jungkook faced him. Red eyes stubbornly remained on the rug below them.“Look at me, Jungkook.”“No.”“Look at me or I’m never catching another pokemon for you.”A second later red eyes glared into his own.Jimin glared back, fighting a smile, his heart full.“Do you mean it?”“No.”Jimin pinched Jungkook’s cheeks with his fingers. “Do you mean it?”Jungkook rolled his eyes. “Yes. I mean it. Will you let me go?”Jimin grinned, releasing Jungkook’s cheeks. He fought the urge to squeeze harder.He fought the urge to kiss him.“Okay then,” Jimin said, grinning. “You have a deal.”Jungkook’s lips twitched. “Yeah?”“Yeah. Roomie.”
————
It took about a week and a half for Jimin’s monthly lease to officially end, and for his meager possessions to be moved over to Jungkook’s apartment (it had taken one, very sad trip to bring over all his things).
They then found out fairly quickly that cohabitation was not nearly as easy as initially anticipated.They had different tastes, different patterns, different habits. Neither one of them was handling it with much grace, and arguments occurred frequently between them over things both insignificant and not.Mind you, while they both had difficulties, it was safe to say that Jungkook was having a bit more trouble with it than Jimin…“HAVE YOU NEVER DONE LAUNDRY IN YOUR LIFE?” Jungkook yelled, holding up a now pink hoodie that had apparently once been white.“Oh, shut up,” Jimin said, shoving another spoonful of cereal into his mouth as he lay sprawled across the couch he usually slept on. “Besides, you know pink looks good on you. I don’t see the issue.”“THAT’S LITERALLY NOT EVEN THE POINT.”Jimin waved an absent hand. “Sure, sure.”Jungkook hissed at him, red eyes flashing as he showed off his pointed fangs.Jimin rolled his eyes. “Put those away and get out of the way will you? There’s a Shrek marathon on.”Jungkook screamed and stomped away.
————
“Why is this such a good movie? Jungkook asked, snuggled next to Jimin on the couch under the worn Finally Fantasy IX themed blanket, now wearing the pink sweatshirt he’d been screaming about earlier.“Shrek 2 is peak cinema,” Jimin said before stuffing popcorn into his mouth.Jungkook nodded wordlessly, sniffing.
————
“Chat thinks you're a lil bitch,” Jimin called across the apartment.
“Literally no one is saying that.”Jimin hummed, shaking his head mournfully. They were currently playing a horror game and Jungkook had refused to go down the darkened path before their characters. Truthfully, no one was saying that, but Jimin couldn’t help but be a shit disturber.“Chat,” he drawled into his microphone, “don’t you think he’s being a lil bitch? …See, look at them all.”Jungkook glared at him as the chat began blowing up with Jimin copy-cats. “I’m not the one who gets nightmares.”“THAT WAS ONE TIME!”Jungkook rolled his eyes. “Fine. We’ll go down the scary tunnel. See what happens.”
————
Jimin nudged Jungkook’s sleeping figure with his toe.Red eyes opened.“Can I sleep in your coffin tonight?”“You’re an idiot,” Jungkook said, but lifted his covers anyway.
————
It was a month, two weeks, three days, and about eight hours after they started living together that Jungkook first kissed Jimin. Or maybe Jimin kissed Jungkook.…Okay, so it was definitely Jimin who kissed Jungkook.Whatever.Either way, Jimin probably shouldn’t have been as surprised by this new turn of events as he was.It happened the night of a violent spring storm—the power had gone out while they were streaming earlier that evening, just as Jimin was about to deliver the killing blow to the final boss of the game they had spent hours playing.Needless to say, the agonized cry that Jungkook had let out as a result of the apartment going suddenly dark had been pretty hilarious.“Oh, don’t be such a baby,” Jimin said, laughing as he pushed away from the table in order to stretch out his aching back.“Hours, Jimin. Hours. Wasted!”“Yeah, yeah,” Jimin said, sighing when he felt his spine let out a satisfying crack. “Do you have any candles? Not all of us can see in the dark.”“Ugh. Yeah, one sec,” Jungkook said, somewhat distracted as he scrolled through his phone, his face lit up by the screen. “I just gotta send a tweet about why the stream is cancelled.”Jimin hummed as he released his stretch before slumping back into his seat with a sigh, arms hanging on either side, his head falling back as he stared up at the dark ceiling.“What should we do now?” Jimin asked, flexing his aching fingers. He rolled his head to the left until he faced Jungkook. “Do we have any cards?”Jungkook made an absent mumble in response, still frowning down at his phone in concentration.“...You’re not getting the candles.”“...”“Are you even listening?”“Hm.”Jimin rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll get the candles,” he said, rising from his chair with some difficulty and no small amount of groaning. “Oof. I’m almost happy the power went out. We should really stream for shorter times.”“It wasn’t that long.”“It was nine hours,” Jimin shot back, his hands raised in front of him, eyes wide and searching in the pitch black apartment.He walked five steps and stubbed his toe.“Ow.”“What are you doing?” Jungkook admonished from somewhere to his left. Then, almost immediately, Jimin felt a hand brush his arm, another cupping the small of his back. “I said I’d get them.”“Yeah, well, you weren’t going very fast,” Jimin grumbled, even as he allowed Jungkook to lead him through the dark, twisting him around what Jimin assumed was a mess of consoles and nerd shit Jungkook refused to clean up.“Don’t let me run into anything.”“I won’t.”“I swear I’ll never let you live it down.”“I’m sure.”“...My toe hit something!”“Yeah. A sock. Your sock.”…So maybe they were both pretty messy.After some slightly awkward maneuvering, Jimin eventually felt the couch hit the side of his knee, and he scrambled for it and dove down into the cushions, abandoning Jungkook’s guiding hands.“Now stay there,” Jungkook said firmly. “I’ll go grab some candles.”Jimin shifted until he was sitting upright, knees folded beneath him, hugging one of the couch cushions. From the feel of the fabric, it was the Bulbasaur one. Then a thought occurred to him.“Do you even have any candles? You know…since you can see in the dark and all.”“I do,” Jungkook said, and his voice was closer than Jimin anticipated.The sound of a match lighting made him jump, and his eyes were suddenly drawn to the flame in front of him. He watched it lower until it ignited the large, ‘Cinnamon and Spruce’ candle that Jungkook had placed in the middle of the coffee table. It was large, red, and clearly some Christmas freebie.“Why do you have this?”“It came free with purchase from the craft store,” Jungkook explained, extinguishing the match with a wave of his hand. “I needed frames for my Zelda posters.”“Of course you did.”Jungkook raised a brow. “I give you light and this is how you thank me.”Jimin waved a hand. “Yes, yes, you’re a wonderful and brilliant provider and very capable of lighting a match. Now do you have cards? I’m bored.”“It’s been five minutes,” Jungkook snorted as he rounded the table to slump down onto the couch beside Jimin. After a moment he sat up and pulled out a pillow from behind him, tossing it aside and shifting once more until he was more comfortable.Jimin turned so he was facing the vampire. “Well what do you suggest?”“Mm,” Jungkook hummed. He rested his elbow on the back of the couch, his head balanced against his fist. He had the ghost of a smirk on his lips. “...We could make out.”“...”“...”Jimin, his face burning, abruptly choked, sputtering. “Wha—?!”Jungkook just watched him, eyebrows raised, amused.“I WOULD NE—HOW COULD YOU—?!”Jungkook’s grin widened.“I—NO! NO I DO NOT WANT TO M—!...I DO NOT WANT TO MAA—”Jimin, still sputtering, still flushed red, cut himself off and punched the vampire in the shoulder, who snorted in response.Jimin kept punching him.“Ow, ow, ow. Okay then,” said Jungkook, laughing still. “That was a pretty sound rejection.”“Don’t make fun of me!”“Cards then?”Jimin just glared, hand pressed against his own chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath his palm.Snickering, Jungkook rose from the couch once more and moved towards the small cabinet of games beside the TV.
He shuffled through it for several moments before producing a small package of cards. He set it on the coffee table before sitting down cross-legged and shuffling in close. He then looked up expectantly at Jimin, a beckoning smile on his face.Jimin, still red-faced, narrowed his eyes further.“Come on, Jimin,” said Jungkook as he pulled the cards skillfully from their package. “I’m sorry for ever suggesting I wanted to make out.”The sputtering returned. “YOU—!”Jungkook ignored him, separating the deck into two. He looked up through his lashes “...Don’t you want to play?”Jimin glared harder.A flash of fangs. “I promise not to kiss you.”“You’re a menace,” Jimin mumbled, struggling to regain his composure, looking everywhere but at Jungkook. Despite himself, he felt a traitorous giddy spark of excitement bloom in his chest at the word ‘kiss’. He furiously smothered it.Then, after several stubborn moments, he sighed, rubbed his warm cheeks, and reluctantly slid off the couch and joined Jungkook on the floor, the table between them. He too scooted closer, then folded his arms on the surface.As soon as he did so, his eyes grew mesmerised by the movement of the cards being shuffled between Jungkook’s long, pale fingers—interested despite himself. After all, no matter what they did, it was always fun to play with Jungkook.Jimin’s chest felt overfull at the thought—at the realization.He cleared his throat, willing away the warmth from his still heated cheeks. “You ready to lose?”
“So confident,” Jungkook said silkily, his smirk still pulling at his lips as he began to divide the cards.“What is with you tonight,” Jimin grumbled, accepting his hand when Jungkook slid it over. “You’re acting…weird.”“Am I?” Jungkook asked, still with a secret sort of smile on his face as he flipped over the top card on the deck. “Maybe it’s the mood lighting.”Jimin rolled his eyes. “What? The knock off brand freebie candle?”“You tell me. You’re the one that’s still blushing.”Jimin slammed down his first card. “Don’t mention it.”“Sorry then,” Jungkook said, all false sincerity as he placed down his own card. “I didn’t know you were such a prude. I’m actually surprised you’re being so shy about this.”Jimin placed down another card with a sigh. “It’s not that. I’ve kissed people before, you know.”Jungkook gave him a doubtful look.“I have! Like twice.”Jungkook, if possible, looked even more doubtful.“...Okay, it was once. But I’m not a prude! I just…”Jungkook placed down a card. “You just?” he prompted.“It was a surprise.”“Was it really that much of a surprise?” Jungkook asked. “That I would want to kiss you? That we were going in that direction?”“No!” Jimin said hurriedly, gripping his cards tightly. Then, after a moment, “Well. Yes? Maybe? …I don’t know.”Jungkook watched him silently, his expression now blank. Then, after several moments, he placed down another card and carefully asked, “May I ask why?”Jimin pressed his lips together, rubbing his finger against the edge of one of his cards. He glanced up at Jungkook, saw the patience in his red eyes, and looked back down. “I don’t know,” he said again. “I guess I still just mentally group you with the people who could never possibly be interested in me. I mean you’re just so…”“So…?”Jimin huffed. “Please. You know what you look like.”“I know what you look like,” Jungkook shot back. “Though I think we’re a bit beyond that, don’t you?”Jimin looked down, facing burning. He licked his lips.

He placed down his card.Jungkook placed down his.Jimin cleared his throat, looking up at Jungkook.Jungkook was watching him back, cheek in his palm, elbow balanced on the table.He smiled.Jimin’s eyes moved at the action, then caught on the curve of his lips.The smile widened, flashing razor sharp fangs.Sighing, Jimin set down his cards.“Fuck it.”And then, face burning, he dove across the coffee table and pressed his lips against Jungkook’s, consuming the vampire’s laughter in a fierce kiss.It wasn’t strictly…comfortable. The wood coffee table dug painfully into his stomach, and Jungkook’s laughter kept disrupting the motion of their lips, but Jimin felt euphoria in his chest in that moment regardless.Just when Jimin was about to pull back, he felt fingers reach up to cup his cheeks greedily as Jungkook rounded the table without breaking the kiss. Their mouths slid together more urgently, warm, so warm, and Jimin felt Jungkook stroke the curve of his jaw with his fingers, scratching the soft skin there, coaxing Jimin’s jaw open in order to deepen the kiss.When Jungkook’s tongue brushed against Jimin’s bottom lip, he felt a hot thrill rush through his body. He made an embarrassingly eager noise in response, copying the gesture, tasting Jungkook, taking him for his own. His toes curled, his fingers tightening around the fabric of Jungkook’s shirt as one of Jungkook’s fangs pricked his lip.“Is this okay?” Jungkook asked, breathless against Jimin’s lips when they parted.
“Yes,” Jimin gasped, tugging him back. “Yes.”Their lips found each other once more, hungrier than before as their bodies moved closer, closer, closer. Each movement felt special, felt precious as they slowly learned one another in this new, exciting way.It was so warm.When they finally broke apart, Jimin fell forward, his forehead pressed against Jungkook’s collar bone as he gasped for air and willed the pounding of his heart to calm. He felt Jungkook’s hand stroke up and down his back soothingly.Then, hesitantly, Jimin raised his head to meet the eyes of the vampire who held him so gently, the same one who was grinning down at him cheekily.Jimin smiled back at him, suddenly laughing as his forehead fell against Jungkook’s shoulder, endlessly giddy.Endlessly happy.
————
Needless to say, they made an interesting pair.Jimin, for the most part, was a giddy and cheesy and bashful mess about their new relationship. The one time Taehyung had seen them he had immediately made a disgusted face and left with a ‘call me when you’re not gross’.Jimin, of course, didn’t care—and Jungkook didn’t seem to mind either.“Oh hey there, boyfriend.”Jungkook, who was busy folding laundry, looked up at Jimin in amusement. “Are you going to keep calling me that?”“Hmm, I don’t know,” said Jimin, sauntering behind Jungkook in order to wrap his arms around his waist. He rubbed his nose against the bare skin of his neck, just above his t-shirt and smiled. “Boyfriend.”Jungkook just snorted, allowing Jimin to remain contentedly latched onto his back.Now, for his part, Jungkook acted mostly how he always did when it came to Jimin, if slightly more amused. The only thing that really changed was the amount that he touched Jimin.And, considering how much he already did that before, it was now like he was constantly reaching for Jimin—pulling at his hand until their fingers tangled, tugging him around the waist until he found himself locked in a hug, wrapping him up suddenly and wonderfully and kissing him breathless.Now, as he finished folding his Final Fantasy IX sweatshirt, Jungkook unlatched Jimin from his back in order to pull him around into his lap.And then proceeded to kiss him senseless.
————
“We’re going to be laaaaate,” Jimin sang as they both hurried down the sidewalk towards the train station, darting between tired commuters, both pairs of their hands full of swaying grocery bags.“Shut up and keep running!” Jungkook snapped, pausing to check both ways before leading Jimin across the street. “If we catch the next train, we’ll only be ten minutes late for the stream.”“I’m going to tell them it was your fault!” Jimin said between gasps.“You’re the one who insisted we go to the grocery store across the city.”“It’s cheaper!”“You’re also the one who fought an entire hoard of old ladies over cabbage.”“It was on sale!”“You hate cabbage!”“So? Maybe I can learn to love it!”“That’s not how that—” Jungkook stopped abruptly, turning and staring with a frown at something behind them.“What’s wrong?” Jimin asked, stopping as well, following his gaze in confusion. “Jungkook? We’re going to be late.”“Someone’s following us,” Jungkook said softly, his eyes narrowed. He moved to take a step forward, but Jimin grabbed his elbow, tugging him back.“Jungkook, ignore it. We’re going to be late,” Jimin said, eyes moving between Jungkook and the way they’d come. He couldn’t see anyone, but he didn’t doubt there was someone—or something—following them if Jungkook sensed that there was.Jungkook seemed to hesitate, not taking his eyes off whoever it was he saw. But then, with one final insistent tug from Jimin, he reluctantly turned back around, allowing Jimin to pull him into a run once more.“You good?” Jimin asked when they’d started moving again.“Yeah,” said Jungkook, offering Jimin a quick smile as they both hurried into the station. “Yeah, I’m good.”
Together they darted through various bodies, pausing to quickly scan their cards, before running up the stairs. They managed to arrive just as a new train was sliding up to the platform, and both rushed onto the train car closest to them.“Phew! Made it,” Jimin said as he slumped into the seat beside Jungkook.“Got all your cabbages still?”
Jimin patted one of his bags. “Sure do. Though I thought I’d have to abandon them just to pull your ass away from whoever was following us. I don’t know why you got so intense over it, by the way. I get followed almost every time I leave the apartment.”Jungkook, who was adjusting his own grocery bags, suddenly froze.“What.”“Yeah,” Jimin shrugged. “Oh, shit—did you get kimchi? I think I forgot.”“Jimin—what do you mean you’re followed every time you leave the apartment?” Jungkook asked, brows furrowed.“Oh. Uh. Well—”“Why didn’t you tell me?”“I didn’t think it was a big deal?” Jimin said, frowning at the intense glare Jungkook was shooting at him. “I mean it’s been happening almost as long as I’ve been here. I just thought it was something that always happened in the city? Sure it’s creepy. But it’s the city.”“Since you’ve been in the city?”“Well… maybe not that long.”“...Then since you’ve met me?”“I guess?”“Perfect. Perfect.” Jungkook pinched the bridge of his nose. “Jimin, just—just tell me the next time it happens, okay?”“But—”“Please, Jimin.”“...Okay,” Jimin said, suddenly uncertain. “I’m sorry if I upset you.”Jungkook sighed. “No, it’s fine,” he said. Then, glancing back the way they’d come, he muttered, “I knew I should’ve chased down that fucker.”“Hm. Well, it’s too late now,” said Jimin, suddenly very glad he’d pulled Jungkook away when he did. “Let’s just focus on what we’re going to play when we get back, okay?”“...Yeah, okay.”
————

After the ‘stalking’ situation, Jungkook, if possible, became even clingier than before.Which was fine because Jimin honestly enjoyed the closeness. It wasn’t something he’d ever been used to, and he found he liked the constant hand at his back, the gentle caress of pale fingers against his knuckles. He didn’t even mind when Jungkook insisted on following him on every little outing he went on outside the apartment.
Rather, Jimin was more concerned about something else.Namely the fact that Jimin never saw Jungkook eat.And, even more importantly, the fact that it was obviously starting to take its toll on the vampire.Now, as he lay next to Jungkook on the bed they now shared, Jimin watched him breathe evenly as he slept. He had one arm thrown over Jimin’s waist, his fingers tightly gripping the fabric of his shirt even in sleep. It was sometime in the afternoon, and daylight was just beginning to fade, creating a faint glow that filtered faintly through the thick curtains of their bedroom.
Jungkook had already woken up earlier in the day, having dragged himself out of bed in order to stubbornly check his accounts and also do his dailies. Then, once done with his ‘chores’, Jungkook had proceeded to make a marching bee-line back towards his bedroom, pausing only to grab a startled Jimin on his way, before promptly slumping down against his bed sheets. He was asleep mere moments later.And, two hours after that, he was still sleeping.He’d been sleeping a lot lately, but if the dark circles that remained stubbornly and constantly beneath his eyes were any indication, it wasn’t helping his situation any.Jimin, without really thinking about it, reached over and brushed a thumb carefully across Jungkook’s cheek, just beneath the dark bruises. The skin there was soft, warm to the touch.
Jungkook’s eyes opened.
“...Ah,” Jimin said, hand pulling back. “I didn’t mean to wake you.” His quiet words were loud as he broke the silence between them.Jungkook blinked at him for several moments, red eyes slightly unfocused, before releasing a soft sigh as he finally let go of Jimin's waist in order to reach up and rub his own face tiredly.“It’s okay,” he said, yawning. Then he stretched, arching his back a moment before slumping back into the covers with a sigh. “I was mostly just dozing.”Jimin watched him silently, licking his lips. “...Hey, Jungkook?”“Hm?”“When was the last time you ate?”Jungkook opened his eyes, staring up at the ceiling. “...It’s been awhile,” he answered eventually.“Shouldn’t you do something about it?”“I’ll figure something out soon.”Jimin cleared his throat, his finger tracing a wrinkle in the cotton sheets beneath them. He looked at Jungkook, looked back down.“...What about me?”Jungkook blinked.
Then blinked again.“What.”Jimin shifted, moving closer. Jungkook’s eyes flickered at the action before moving once more to Jimin’s face.“What if you feed from me?”Jungkook stared.“I—okay,” he breathed.“Okay,” said Jimin, his fingers suddenly clammy. He pushed himself up so he was sitting up on the bed, covers pooling at his waist.“Okay,” said Jungkook, also sitting up. He looked the most awake he’d been all week. “...Now? Here?”“Uh,” Jimin looked down at the white bedsheets. “Right. We…we should get towels.”“I’ll get them. You…you stay here.”“I…okay,” Jimin said, watching with some amusement as Jungkook scrambled off the bed and hurried out of the room.Now alone, Jimin felt a sudden wave of anxiety course through him. He’d be lying if the thought hadn’t been on his mind for some time, the idea burning a hole in his brain every time he caught a flash of fangs.
But…This wasn’t weird…right?He was dating a vampire, after all. Some…biting was normal. Expected even. Even when the last time that his vampire boyfriend bit someone they exploded in a gory mess of gushing blood…Hm.Though, if he were to be honest, what concerned him far more was—“I got towels.”Jimin’s head swiveled towards Jungkook, who walked back into the room. He looked almost hesitant as he rounded the bed to his side and climbed back onto the mattress, scooting closer after setting down the towels.“So…” Jungkook said.“So,” Jimin echoed.“So, you seem nervous,” Jungkook said, collecting Jimin’s hands into his own. He rubbed Jimin’s knuckles with his thumb, a rhythmic back and forth that drew Jimin’s eye.“I might be…a bit nervous,” Jimin admitted.
“We don’t have to do this, you know.”“No, I want to.” Jimin squeezed Jungkook’s hands then looked up. “I do. It’s just…”“Just?”“Just. What if I…” Jimin licked his lips, eyes darting between Jungkook’s as his voice quieted to a whisper. “What if I taste bad?”Jungkook blinked at Jimin.And then he promptly burst out laughing.And he laughed.And laughed.And laughed.“What?” Jimin asked, staring at Jungkook as he struggled to calm himself. His own lips were twitching despite himself and he fought to keep his responding amusement at bay. “Shut up! It’s a legitimate concern!”“Oh Jimin,” Jungkook said, his laughter finally abating, though his large red eyes still danced with mirth. His lips spread in a warm, warm smile. “Fuck, I love you.”Jimin sputtered. “Wha—mmph!”Whatever Jimin might have said was lost as Jungkook reached for the back of his neck and pulled him into a firm kiss. Jimin made a small noise of surprise at the sudden crash of lips, but he soon found himself getting lost in the now familiar motions as Jungkook scraped his lips gently with the edge of his fangs and licked into his mouth.The kiss was hungry, desperate, and Jungkook kept pressing closer, closer, closer until Jimin was forced back onto the mattress as the vampire climbed on top of him—never breaking the sweet seal of their mouths. Hands ran up the length of Jimin’s torso, pushing up the fabric of his shirt, stroking the warm skin beneath.Jimin shivered at the sensation, gasping as Jungkook’s lips left his own, instead kissing a trail across his cheek, down the line of his jaw until they found the sensitive curve of Jimin’s neck. He then pulled his lips away from Jimin’s skin to run his nose along the same space, nuzzling and pressing as close as he could. All the while, his warm fingers continued to run up and down Jimin’s side soothingly.“Do it,” Jimin gasped, his own hands lifting to bury into Jungkook's hair. “Please.”“So eager,” Jungkook whispered. He squeezed Jimin’s hip lightly as his lips once more returned to Jimin’s neck. “…Are you sure?” he asked against his skin.Jimin nodded. “Please.”A single kiss pressed against his skin.A breathless sigh.And then Jungkook bit down.Jimin gasped at the sensation, bucking his hips beneath Jungkook as he hugged the vampire’s head closer to him.Jungkook moved with him, careful to keep the bite wound from tearing further. The hand at Jimin’s hip then pushed him back down onto the mattress, stabilizing them both. In response, Jimin reached around to claw at Jungkook’s back, the fabric of his t-shirt bunching up beneath Jimin’s fingers.It wasn’t that it didn’t hurt—it did. Though perhaps not as painful as a similar wound might have been, given the numbing agent in a vampire’s fangs, but it definitely still hurt.And yet…And yet it also felt good.Jimin wasn’t sure why, because the sudden intimacy he felt, the sudden connection, wasn’t just sexual—at least not completely. He just…he just felt so incredibly close to Jungkook in that moment.And though he had fangs in his neck, sucking his lifeblood from the source…Jimin felt alive.It was such an odd feeling, difficult to put into words properly.He felt whole, he felt complete, he felt wanted, he felt needed, he felt euphoric and he longed for more, more, more, moremoremoremore—But then Jungkook pulled his teeth from Jimin’s neck, pausing a moment before licking along the length of his wounded skin in order to seal the bite.“No…” Jimin moaned as he tried to pull Jungkook back, to regain the lost sensations, the lost closeness. “Come back.”Jungkook laughed, retreating further as he wiped his mouth with his sleeve. “I haven’t gone anywhere.”Pale fingers then brushed softly against Jimin’s chin, guiding his face down until he met Jungkook’s gaze. Those now glowing red eyes roved over Jimin’s face, as though checking for something.Then he grinned, sharpened teeth flashing.“You’re sure sensitive, stranger danger.”Jimin, who was slowly regaining his wits, blushed. “Shut up!” he snapped, rubbing his cheeks. “It was my first time being bitten.”“Don’t be like that,” Jungkook whispered, leaning down to press a smiling kiss to Jimin’s chin. “I think it’s hot.”"Ah.”Jungkook laughed.And then he captured Jimin’s lips once more.And then there was no more talking.
————
“Oh fuck. Forgot to put the towels down.”“Oh my god, Jungkook. This is going to stain like hell. You had one job!”“Excuse me? One job? I was the one doing all the work—OW! OW! Why do you always go for the nippl—I SAID OW, DAMMIT!”

————

And just like that, the days went by. Slowly, surely, peacefully, chaotically.And Jimin was happy.It wasn’t perfect, of course it wasn’t, but he didn’t want it to be. He enjoyed the arguments, the bickering, the fumbling, the closeness, the laughter, the love.It was nice.It was amazing.
Jimin was happy.

————
Jimin was happy.And then, so fast he could hardly believe it, so fast he could scarcely comprehend or even brace himself……he suddenly wasn’t happy anymore.
————
It happened one cool evening in late August, the leaves were just beginning to give up their green for warmer colours, and the warmth that had been present for so long was beginning to shift to brisker temperatures. Jimin had slipped away from Jungkook’s protective gaze after dinner that night, intent on finally buying his boyfriend a birthday gift he’d been eying for some time, while the vampire was busy muttering angrily at his computer.He managed to go about two blocks before his phone started ringing.Smirking despite himself, Jimin answered without bothering to check who it was. “Park Jimin at your service—super sneaky, super stealthy, super—““Alright, alright, I get it,” mumbled Jungkook’s voice, made slightly tinny by the phone speaker. His annoyance, of course, was still more than audible. “Just come home, already.”“Mm. No,” said Jimin, grinning as he continued to saunter down the darkening streets. “I still have my super secret mission to complete.”A sigh came from the other end of the line. “Jimin, I’m serious.”“So am I,” Jimin shot back. “But don’t worry— I promise to be quick so that your overprotective ass doesn’t get too bent out of sha—“A hand clapped over his mouth.Another wrapped around his waist.A voice whispered, soft as a breath, a short incantation in his ear.And then Jimin knew no more as inky darkness consumed him and he fell back, back, back into nothing.
————
Jimin woke to shouting.“You’re such an idiot! What were you thinking!?”A loud crash.Hurried footsteps.
“No, listen! Now we finally have something over him! Don’t you see? Dmitri, we’ve been under his heel for centuries. And for what? I refuse to play the coward any longer. This is how we’ll finally beat him!”“You’ve killed us.”“You’re the only one who thinks that! Everyone here agrees with me, with my methods.”“First the blood bags and now this? Theo, you’re leading us to ruin.”“At least I’m leading us at all!”Jimin blinked open his eyes slowly, wincing at the ache in his head he felt as a result. Groaning, he reached up to rub his temple, only to have his hand stopped halfway by cold metal. Confused, he looked down to find his hands cuffed to the stiff, wooden chair he currently sat on.“What?” he mumbled, lifting his eyes to take in his surroundings.He was in a heavily ornate room, filled with velvet and leather furniture of various dark shades of reds and golds. The walls were covered with old looking paintings, all oil, mostly portraits of stuffy looking people with one or two depictions of the sunrise thrown in. The curtains, or what Jimin assumed were curtains, were tall and thick—allowing no outside light to enter.As it was, the light within was dim—candle lit—and Jimin might have called it romantic if he weren’t currently being held captive.
It all looked very…well, very rich.
The snooty kind of rich.
Oh, and if it weren’t already obvious, it was very much a stereotypical vampire hang out.Very stereotypical.“Don’t do this. You can’t imagine what he’s capable of.”“My decision is final.”Jimin’s eyes then went to the two figures arguing before him. They were dressed casually—one in blue, one in black—and their clothes were very obviously expensive. And, though it wasn’t apparent at first, as they blended into the background so well, the room was actually filled with people, all lounging in equally expensive attire.And no doubt they were—
WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE WIGGLE!!!
Yeah…Definitely vampires.…Shit.Jimin swallowed thickly as he felt his heartbeat quicken, his hands grow clammy.“Um,” Jimin said, before he could fully stop himself, because he was an idiot.A room full of red eyes turned to him.The vampire in blue snarled, red eyes flashing, before stomping closer.Jimin spoke fast. “Um, um! Listen, I don’t know what—”His face shot to the left as the backhand blow struck his right cheek. Jimin gasped at the pain that thrummed through him, the sting making his eyes water.“You do not speak, filth.”“Theo,” a voice admonished.But Jimin wasn’t paying attention, because he had spotted them.The bodies.Prone and vulnerable, stacked and slumped upon each other, writhing in pain. Their moans were almost too low to hear, a quiet, horrifying symphony of pain and agony as blood poured from their eyes, their noses, their ears, out their mouths.Jimin felt sick at the sight of them.“I see you’ve spotted the blood bags,” said the vampire who had struck him—Theo. He was still close, his hushed voice too close to Jimin’s ear for his liking. Jimin struggled to move away, but could only go as far as his bindings allowed.
“You will become one of them soon,” his captor continued, smiling as he seemed to savour Jimin’s obvious fear. “The spell has already been placed on you, and only the bite of a vampire will stop the overproduction of blood in your system. Then, soon enough, you’ll become our dinner. Perhaps then he will finally understand a fraction of the pain he’s caused us.”“Who is he?” Jimin asked, clenching and unclenching his trembling fingers. He looked from Theo to the vampire in black, then to the ones surrounding them. “Look, I don’t—I don’t understand. Please just let me g—”“What do you mean who?” Theo seethed, eyes flashing a vibrant red. “Jungkook.”“What?” Jimin frowned. “Jungkook wouldn’t hurt anyone! He hardly even drinks blood!”“So you don’t know,” the vampire said, his voice silkily amused. Around them low murmurs erupted, accompanied by several low chuckles. Jimin’s eyes darted momentarily—nervously—back to the audience of vampires, before looking back at Theo.
“Know what?” Jimin asked, breathless, shaky.“Mm. No. Of course you don’t,” Theo mused. “He wouldn’t want to scare you away, would he?”Jimin just stared, his heart painfully loud in his chest. He wondered if they could all hear it.Theo continued, “Why on earth would dear Jungkook bother with blood?”He smiled. His fangs flashed.“When he eats hearts instead?”Jimin went still.“...What?”“Mostly vampire hearts, of course. It’s why he’s so strong. Why he can walk in the light. Why he’s warm.” A shrug. “Though if vampires aren’t available, who’s to say what he eats? For that bastard anything is fair game.”“I—”“Do you know how many of my kin he has slaughtered for a meal? How many of my family, my friends?”“He—no, he wouldn’t—”“It doesn’t matter what you believe,” Theo spat, leaning close. His metallic breath blew cold air against Jimin’s cheek. “You are here to pay his debt. You are here to die. Slowly and painfully and—”But Theo was cut off.By the screams.The terrified, pained, wailing screams that erupted from beyond the closed doors.“He’s here,” murmured the vampire in black, horror colouring his tone.“So soon?” another vampire said, one from the crowd surrounding them. He looked frantically from Theo to the door and back again. “You said it would take hours!”
“We’re dead. We’re all dead!”“Oh, shut up!”“You shut up!”“ALL OF YOU QUIET!” Theo roared, baring his fangs at the panicking crowd.
Silence fell.“No one is dying,” he continued furiously. “There are more of us! We will triumph, we will kill him—”
Knock.

Knock.
Everyone, including Theo, froze.Jimin—afraid, confused, heart pounding, limbs shaking—looked towards the large door to his right, where the knocking originated.
…When had the screaming stopped?
Knock.

Knock.

Knock.
A beat past.Silence echoed.Then—The door was suddenly launched off of its hinges, flying into the room before skidding to a clattering halt beside them. Blinking wide eyes, Jimin’s gaze moved from the broken door up to the newly-created opening.A hooded figure stood at the threshold, hands in his sweatshirt pockets, pokemon lanyard hanging from his hip, rainbow crocs—now stained with splatters of red—covering his feet.Wordlessly, Jungkook stepped into the room.Theo took a step back, visibly trembling as Jungkook surveyed the situation, his eyes first going to the surrounding crowd, then to the vampire in black, then to the human blood bags in the corner, to Theo, and finally to Jimin.Jimin made a desperate noise at the sight of him, pushing against his bonds.Jungkook offered him a single, sad smile—one that didn’t quite reach his glowing red eyes.And then he once more turned to Theo.“I knocked,” Jungkook drawled then, pointing a thumb behind him, his quiet, mocking words loud in the sudden, shocked silence. He halted in the middle of the room. “No one answered. Bit rude, don’t you think?”No one responded.Even Theo looked suddenly unsure.“Hm.” Jungkook nodded with a sigh, as though his previous words hadn’t been met with silence. He then turned to address the surrounding vampires who watched him with wide, cautious eyes. “Well, before we begin…does anyone want to leave?”“You can’t fight us all,” Theo interjected, pulling Jungkook’s unimpressed gaze back to him.“Can’t I?”“Jungkook?” Jimin whispered then, confused—unable to remain quiet any longer. “Jungkook, what’s going on?”Though he seemed hesitant to do so, Jungkook eventually looked at Jimin. He might have been trying for a smile, but it was pained, sad. “Sorry about this, Jimin,” he said.And then he moved, so fast Jimin couldn’t keep track, speeding across the room towards Theo.And then his hand was in Theo’s chest.Blood sprayed, gushing from the wound.And then he was pulling out Theo’s heart.Theo choked, gasped, dropped.And then—red, dripping heart in hand—Jungkook was biting into it.Shocked, horrified silence echoed, lasting only a moment.Then screams erupted throughout the room as vampires either fled out the door or ran directly at Jungkook, claws out, fangs bared, snarling their fury.
Jungkook released a vicious hiss in response, moving to stand in front of Jimin, crouching in preparation.He didn’t have to wait long, for they attacked in unison. Jungkook, faster now somehow, more alert, immediately chucked the half eaten heart at the closest opponent, stunning them just long enough for him to reach up and snap their neck. Without pausing, he lunged forward to punch the next, crushing their nose in a spray of blood as he dug his elbow back into the face of another.Twisting to avoid the next attack, Jungkook grabbed the head of his next assailant and smashed it into the ground, using the force to propel himself up in order to plant his heel into the chest of another approaching vampire.His movements were quick, beautiful, dangerous.And…he looked at home among the red that rained down upon him.Jimin watched it all in wide-eyed horror, trembling in silence as fear ran like ice through his veins. He couldn’t speak, could scarcely breathe.
He could only watch Jungkook continue to dance amongst the blood.But, oddly, the longer he watched and the longer the fighting continued, the more his mind grew foggy, his brain clogged with a sudden pressure that felt overfull and suddenly painful.Something warm slid down his cheek, dripping down onto his chest. Feeling numb, Jimin slowly blinked down, spotting the red stain now seeping into the cloth of his shirt.
He coughed, choking as blood splattered from his lips. At the same time, something dripped, warm and thick from his ears. He blinked through the sudden pink haze of his vision, the fullness beneath his flesh, looking up at Jungkook.He stood still in the middle of the room, blood dripping from his hands—from his face—surrounded by fallen, limp bodies.“Jung—” Jimin tried to say, but choked on another flood of blood spewing from his lips.Jungkook turned to him slowly. He watched him for a moment, brilliant, glowing red eyes distant and hazy.But then he blinked, awareness returning, and he rushed towards Jimin, tripping over bodies in his hurry to reach him.“Jimin, Jimin,” he whispered. He wiped his hands clumsily on his pants before reaching up to cup Jimin’s cheeks, brushing his hair back, thumbing his cheekbone. “You’re bleeding. Oh, sweetheart, what have they done to you?”“Spell,” Jimin slurred, more blood dripping from his lips. He felt dizzy, drunk from the fullness in his brain. He blinked slowly at the blurry face before him.“I know,” Jungkook said, swallowing thickly. His fingers trembled against Jimin’s cheek. “I know. It's still in the earl stages. I'll—I’ll fix it. Just hold on, okay?”Hesitating for only a moment, Jungkook leaned in and bit into Jimin’s neck.The pressure within him released almost immediately, and Jimin gasped at the sensation, pulling at his cuffed hands. Jungkook held him tighter as he continued to drink from his neck, sucking out the excess blood from his system.As the seconds—as the minutes—passed, clarity began to return to Jimin, the fog clearing from his mind.With it came the fear.And by the time that Jungkook pulled away, licking up the length of the bite wound, Jimin was violently shaking.“Get me out,” he said.
“Jimin—”“Get me out!”
Jungkook pulled at the cuffs with both hands, tearing apart the first, before quickly doing the same to the second. He then reached back to help Jimin stand—But Jimin flinched away.“Stop. Don’t touch me. Just—please.”“Okay,” Jungkook said, though he looked stricken. He slowly held up his bloodstained hands, taking two steps back. “It’s okay now Jimin.”Jimin blinked, pushing tears from his eyes. He scrubbed them away furiously with his sleeve, sniffing loudly. He didn’t look at Jungkook, he couldn’t—so instead he focused on the familiar blood splattered crocs that Jungkook wore.“No,” he said, shaking his head. “No, it’s really not okay.”“Jimi—”“Look, Jungkook,” Jimin began, squeezing the end of his shirt between shaking fingers. He cleared his throat, blinking fast. “I just watched you…annihilate a room full of people.”“Jimin…”“And…and you eat hearts? Vampire hearts?” Jimin continued. He sucked in a shaky breath. “So everytime you eat, you kill someone?”“...I told you I don’t drink blood.”Jimin looked at Jungkook.Jungkook looked at Jimin.
The blood-drenched vampire appeared tired and…sad. So very sad.Jimin didn’t feel much better. He closed his eyes, rubbing at his face.“I think… I need some air,” he said, licking his dry, chapped lips. “And I think I need some time.”Jungkook sighed. “Look. Jimin…Jimin just, please don’t run from me. I know….I know. Just. Don’t run from me.”“And when I leave,” Jimin continued, as though Jungkook hadn’t spoken. “...I don’t want you to follow.”“Jimin—”“Please.”“...I—Of course.”Jimin stood shakily from his chair and slowly, without looking at Jungkook, followed the trail of blood out of the room, down the stairs, through the hall, and out the building.The cool outside air did little to ease the numbness he felt, but it spurred something in him regardless, and pushed the tears from his eyes and hiccuping sobs past his lips.
And then he was running.Faster.Faster.
Faster.
Jungkook didn’t follow.
————
“If you’re going to be here for much longer, the least you could do is a load of laundry.”Jimin, who lay beneath a mountain of blankets, cradling the black screen of his phone to his face, grunted.“Come on,” Taehyung said, lifting up the comforter that covered Jimin’s face. He immediately cringed at the sight he uncovered. “Oof. Puffy eyes much? Grab some cucumber slices from the fridge on your way to the laundromat.”Jimin glared.“I’m in mourning.”“I don’t give a shit. I need my clothes cleaned and my washer is broken. Everyone knows it’s the freeloader’s job to do laundry. Now get up.”Jimin whined, struggling to keep hold of the covers while Taehyung pulled at them.“Let go!”“No!”“Ugh,” Jimin groaned when Taehyung successfully divested him of his protective blankets. He huddled into a ball, curled around his phone as he glared up at the vampire hunter. “Why don’t you do it if it’s so important?”“Because I have a thing called a job.”“But—”“GO!”Jimin had been staying with Taehyung for the better part of two weeks now. The vampire hunter had reluctantly allowed Jimin to stay after he’d sobbed to him over the phone about broken hearts and lies and murder.In hindsight, it was a bit embarrassing.Regardless, he had been allowed into Taehyung’s lavish apartment and had spent the majority of his time staring at his phone, which he kept turned off in case Jungkook tried to contact him.Yes, he was aware it didn’t make sense.Shut up.“I don’t hear you getting up!” Taehyung called from the other room. “But I do hear the echoing cries of ‘pathetic crybaby’ coming from your direction!”“I’m up! I’m up!” Jimin grumbled, pushing up from the mattress. “Where even is the laundry?”“I’ve put it by the door. You’re welcome.”Grumbling, Jimin walked out of his room, rubbing his sore eyes, and stomped over to the front door, stuffing his feet into his shoes.
“Coins are in the bag on top of the hamper!”“Yeah, yeah.”He wasn’t sure how he felt about the whole Jungkook thing, even after a week away. He’d meant it when he said he’d needed time. He just didn’t know how much—or whether it should be a permanent thing.Taehyung kept saying he was being a baby, insisting there was nothing wrong with knocking off a few bad eggs here and there for food. (“He makes my job way easier, let me tell you. Probably why I haven’t killed him, myself.”)But Taehyung hadn’t been there, hadn’t seen the look in Jungkook’s eyes as he’d ripped his own species apart in a bloody massacre.Jimin sighed, pushing through the apartment door and out of the building. He squinted as the fading sun shone directly in his face, covering his eyes with a hand and pulling up the bag of clothes in his arms before making his way down the street towards the laundromat on the corner.If he were being completely honest with himself, though, the thing that bothered him the most—even after witnessing the carnage wrought by Jungkook, and the satisfied glint it brought to his eye—was actually the fact that Jungkook had hidden this from Jimin.Yes, people died, yes, he felt awful, yes, it was traumatizing and horrible and he was still blowing out red snot from his nose. But, at the same time…Jimin didn’t really care about all that.He tried to, sure. But when he thought of Jungkook he didn’t think of blood or gore.He thought of the way he scrunched his nose when he was concentrating on a video game.They way he laughed with Jimin over stupid jokes.The way he held him, so gently, like he could break at any moment.The way he loved him.Jimin sighed, pushing through the door to the laundromat, dragging Taehyung’s bag of overpriced clothing behind him.He made fast work of stuffing it all into the washer, dumping in the soap, popping in the coins, and turning it on. Then, shoving aside the empty bag, he slumped down in front of the machine, feeling the gentle rumbles at his back as it thrummed to life and began to rotate.Jimin bit his bottom lip.His toes wiggled in his shoes.He rubbed his nose, sneezing.…Fuck it.Jimin pulled out his phone and, after only a moment of indecision, pressed the on button.He continued to fidget as the device came to life, his heart picking up speed in his chest.The screen flashed, his messages loaded.And…Nothing.No texts.No emails.Not even a fucking voicemail.“What?” Jimin breathed, confused. He hit the side of his phone with his palm. “He didn’t text me? Not once?”A pause.“That asshole.”Jimin dropped the phone beside him with a groan, pulling his legs up to his chest and dropping his face into his palms.Really, what did he expect? For Jungkook to come crawling back? Jimin had asked for time, and time was what he got.…He was such an idiot.
————
"Back here, are you?"Jimin, from under the covers, grunted."You better wash those when you eventually get your head out your ass.""Fuck you."A sigh. "Alright, I think it's time we had a long overdue chat. C'mon, open up the gates, cottagecore—I have something to say and you're going to listen."Jimin grumbled, but didn't fight too hard when Taehyung pulled away the warmth of the comforter. He did glare though. "What."Taehyung rolled his eyes, but nonetheless sat down beside him on the mattress."Look. I'm not saying what you're feeling isn't valid and all that—probably the only reason I haven't kicked you out yet—but I do think you need to look at this from an angle other than your own."Jimin's lips pressed together, but otherwise didn't respond.Taehyung continued calmly. "Jungkook is very powerful, he's strong, he can do things other vampires can't, and he's done things other vampires won't. A lot of things—a lot of horrible things. He's lived a long fucking time. And he's been alone almost just as long. Is he fucking weird? Yes. Is he a bad person?" A shrug. "Debatable.""You're not exactly doing him any favours," Jimin muttered."Shut up, I'm not done."Jimin rubbed his face. "Taehyung, does this have a point?""Jimin, you need to understand that while he's far from perfect, he's not evil. He only kills the type of vampire that could honestly do with a bit of killing.""He lied to me.""That you'll have to get over on your own. Couples therapy works wonders, I hear.""Taehyung.""Did I mention that fact that he's a weird, lonely fuck-o who hasn't let anyone close to him aside from you in who knows how long? You're the first. And the only, as far as I know.""What?""You heard me."Jimin pondered this for a moment, a twisting feeling settling in his stomach he couldn't quite decipher. Then he sighed and rolled over so his back was to Taehyung. "It doesn't matter anyway. He hasn't called me.""Oh my god—is that what this is about?" Taehyung asked, his tone incredulous. "Are you just pissy he hasn't called first?"Jimin didn't respond, glaring at the wall."For the love of—UNBELIEVABLE. Get out of bed!""No."Taehyung grabbed his shoulder, shaking him. "Jimin!""Nnggg."————
Minutes went by.Hours went by.Days went by.And still no word from Jungkook.It was only when Jimin had begun to give up on ever hearing from the vampire again that he finally found him, completely by chance, in the middle of September.Taehyung had just kicked him out of the apartment complaining that he needed a break from ‘sad sack behaviour’ (whatever that meant), and Jimin had decided to wander around the local city park, hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched up by his shoulders to keep out the wind, nose buried in the collar of his jacket.
It was quiet for the most part—pleasant. The sun had just begun to set over the city skyline, painting the sky with a brilliant array of warm hues of orange and cool blues.With a full-chested sigh, Jimin eventually turned away from the sight, intent on returning to Taehyung’s apartment. Perhaps he had gotten over his—Oh.Jimin lost his breath.He finally spotted his vampire.Jungkook was facing away from him—though Jimin would know him anywhere—sitting hunched over on a nearby park bench, fiddling away on his phone.For several moments, Jimin just watched him, frozen.…It seemed odd, really, to find him in such a calm place when their parting had been anything but.He squeezed his hands into fists, clammy in his pockets. He looked to the left, towards Taehyung’s apartment, then back to Jungkook.Before he could fully decide in his mind what he wanted to do, Jimin’s feet decided for him—pushing forward without any input from his brain.Towards Jungkook.As he approached, knees jittery, heart pounding in his chest, he absently noticed the bag of heart candy lying next to Jungkook on the bench.He stopped several feet away."Hey, stranger danger." Jungkook didn’t look up from his phone. “I thought you were avoiding me.”Jimin swallowed thickly. “I went to our—your—I went to the apartment,” he said. “After it all happened, I mean. I made Taehyung take me.”“Why?”“I wanted to make sure you weren’t…dead.”“I’m a vampire, Jimin,” Jungkook drawled, eyes lifting. He had his contacts on, mud brown eyes on display. “You’re a little late.”“You know what I mean.”Jungkook sighed. “Why did you come over here, Jimin?”“I told you—”“No. You ran, Jimin. From me. I told you not to and you ran. Do you know how hard it’s been to stay away? How hard it’s been not to follow you to Taehyung’s and pull you home whether you like it or not? To give you your time?” Jungkook hissed. “It’s like fighting the Valkyrie boss in God of War on extreme difficulty!”“…What.”“NEVERMIND!”Jimin’s lips twitched, and he huffed a quiet laugh. “You’re such a nerd.”Jungkook rolled his eyes, his shoulders slumping. “You knew that.”Silence echoed for several moments, time in which they watched one another hesitantly.Then—“So…” Jungkook began, licking his lips.“So?”“Why aren’t you running now?”Jimin sniffed. “I don’t know. Why didn’t you call?”“I thought you didn’t want me to.”“I didn’t. I dont!…I don’t know.”Jungkook just watched him, silent.Jimin sighed. Then, cautiously, he began walking once more towards Jungkook, stepping closer, closer, closer—stopping when the tips of his shoes touched the tips of Jungkook’s, forcing the vampire to look up to maintain eye contact.“Look. Jungkook. I’m sorry I ran. I’m sorry I keep running. And avoiding you. And for complaining about you on anonymous break up forums.”“...What.”Jimin ignored him, moving to finally sit down beside Jungkook on the bench, leaving only an inch between them. Then he shuffled closer until the space disappeared.“And I’m just…sorry, okay? Even if you didn’t tell me you’re some cannibalistic super vampire…or something.”Jungkook’s lips twitched.Jimin kicked the side of his shoe against Jungkook’s.“So,” he said, with a false levity in his voice. “Why hearts?”Jungkook raised a skeptical brow, looking sideways at Jimin. “You really want to know?”“I asked, didn’t I?”Jungkook scratched his cheek. “It’s…a texture thing. Blood never did it for me.”“...Seriously? A texture thing? Not so you would get all powerful? Not so you would be able to go out in the sun?”A shrug. “You asked. My sire also ate hearts, I guess I just got it from them.”“But—you drank from me.”“Well I didn't really do that for me, did I?”“What?”“I dunno, I figured you had a kink.”“WHAT.”“Well you DO.”Jimin groaned, running hands through his hair. “I can’t believe you.”Jungkook laughed, a soft sound. Then he paused, seeming to have thought of something. “…Hey, are we still dating? Like can I still kiss you? Or…?”Jimin glared at Jungkook. “Really?” he deadpanned.“I mean, you never officially said anything. You just kinda left and didn’t come back.”“And you don’t think that’s kind of telling?”Another shrug. “I don’t know. I haven’t really done this before.”Jimin watched Jungkook silently and, as he did, he came to the—not entirely shocking—realisation that he was going to get over the heart-eating thing. He was going to accept the killing. He was going to be fine with the murder and the blood and the horror of Jungkook.He may already have.Fuck.He totally loved him.
Fuck.
Jungkook watched him, smiling softly—hopefully.Jimin watched him back, nose scrunching.Jungkook raised an eyebrow.Jimin rolled his eyes.Jungkook’s lips twitched.Jimin sighed.“Okay fine.”Jungkook grinned and reached over to hand Jimin a candy heart.
Jimin accepted it, turning it over to read the front.
ur my heart
Jimin stared at it.Yeah, he thought, suddenly giddy. Yeah okay.He was really doing this.Without another thought, Jimin stuck the candy between his lips, biting down. The sugar burst beneath the crunch of his molars, spreading across his tongue in a too-sweet, sickening explosion.And then he leaned over and kissed Jungkook, sharing the toxic sweetness between them as he licked Jungkook’s fangs and devoured the smile from his lips.