The room was empty; sparse and meaningless. Shadows crept into the corners and through the rafters of the ceiling, just barely put at bay by the flickering torch. The pitiful light illuminated red stained cobblestoned floor and fieldstone walls slick with grime. A set of manacles gleamed in the sputtering torchlight, the only sign that perhaps the empty room had a use.

With a faint jingle that broke the silence, the flickering torchlight found the lithe, half figure huddled in the corner, wrists bound in front of him, the skin chafed from the many useless escape attempts. His slumped shoulders, streaked with bloody red, told stories of surrender; of quitting before anything more could go wrong. His head was buried in his knees, auburn hair dully reflected the orange of the torchlight; a futile attempt to make such a miserable figure less tragic.

Approaching footsteps broke the silence of the room. The figure shuddered violently, pressing himself tightly into the corner, pulling his knees even closer to his chest. The chains tinkled like mocking sleigh bells as the door to the stone room swung open. For a moment, the new figure stood, silhouetted by the far steadier torchlight that burned warmly behind the now open door. It was blocked out with the squeak of hinges and the clatter of a lock.

A pair of crimson eyes peered through the near darkness, finding the figure huddled in the corner. Pale lips curled upwards in an emotionless smile before slender legs carried the crimson eyed man towards the corner. The figure only curled tighter around himself, the tiniest of whimpers slipping past his parted lips, breathing trembling as he tried desperately not to scream. An icy hand closed around the figure’s arm, yanking him to his feet. He let out a startled whine, his knees shaking as he tried to keep his face angled sharply towards the ground, his last chance to hide before his head was yanked upward by a firm grip on his chin.

Though the pitiful torchlight did little to illuminate the full beauty of the chained man, his moonlight skin gleamed, even in the feeble light. Sky blue eyes glittered despite the consuming shadows, filled with unspoken terror.

The hand that held the beautiful man’s chin loosened, sliding tenderly over a soft cheekbone, the pad of his thumb caressing slowly, as though he were a lover. The trembling man squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to not flinch away from the contact.

“Jaejoong...” The crimson eyed man whispered. “You still hate me?”

Long eyelashes fluttered as the beautiful man, Jaejoong, opened his eyes once more, his lower lip trembling as he tried to find words that simply wouldn’t come. Though he had a lot to say, the feeling of his throat closing up prevented him from speaking. He shuddered as the man’s other hand released his arm to softly cup the other side of his face as though he were a valuable, delicate object. Instead of making him feel loved, the gesture only terrified Jaejoong more—he knew what the crimson eyed man’s hands were capable of; gentleness wasn’t the half of it.

Manacles jingled as Jaejoong decided he’d had enough. He made an attempt to get those twisted hands off of his body, only to be painfully stopped by the chafing bindings. For a moment, his beautiful face was marred by a pained grimace before he forced it into an expressionless mask; one the crimson eyed man could see through in a heartbeat.

His lips curled into a smile, thumbs caressing Jaejoong’s cheeks slowly, as though in a gesture of comfort. Trembling weakly, Jaejoong’s eyes fluttered closed once more as he tried desperately not to let his tears flow again. He couldn’t show weakness...he just couldn’t...

“You know I don’t like needing to chain you up like a dog,” the man crooned, his voice deceptively honey-like and soft. It was the voice Jaejoong had fallen for countless times. “I don’t like seeing these bruises on your wrists or these cuts on your body...”

“But you caused them,” Jaejoong rasped, his voice void of all emotion besides hurt, his eyes opening once more.

The crimson eyed man’s expression softened just a little, making Jaejoong wonder if he really did feel guilt for causing him so much pain. He forced the thoughts away, too terrified to even think about trusting the man again.

“Jaejoong...” he murmured, leaning in to press a tender kiss to his forehead. “You tried my patience...I tried to be reasonable with you. You know me well enough to know I don’t tolerate such actions,”

Curling his toes into the dirt beneath his feet, Jaejoong tried to keep himself rooted so he didn’t lose control of every emotion he’d so carefully locked behind his mask. Only one distinct one slipped between his fingers, his blue eyes darkening with a flicker of anger.

“So it’s okay for you to drag me away from my home, my family, my friends...and turn me into this and demand I do everything you say?!” Jaejoong snarled, pale teeth glinting between his plush lips. “You’re stupider than I thought, Yunho,”

Instead of feeling frightened by the beautiful man’s sudden emotional shift, Yunho’s lips only curled into a soft, strangely delighted smile. Jaejoong’s furious expression became one of disgust as the other man’s lips pressed against his forehead.

“I love it when my kitten’s claws come out...” he murmured softly.

“Get away from me,” Jaejoong gave another futile tug on the manacles, the metal clattering together and grinding agonizingly against his wrists.

Lowering one of his hands, Yunho took Jaejoong’s wounded one in his own, his fingers lacing between the digits smoothly. Swallowing thickly, Jaejoong eyed their entwined fingers, remembering the time such a gesture had brought him only comfort instead of that sick, twisting feeling in his gut.

“I know what I am, Jaejoong,” Yunho whispered softly. “And I try, I really do...you know me, Jaejoong,”

“I thought I did...” Jaejoong breathed, feeling a slight whisper of hope bubbling up inside him; hope that perhaps Yunho would be sweet with him again.

“I’m still that Yunho...the one who held you in my arms as we kissed beneath the stars...the one who held your hand as we swam in the river...” The man’s red eyes were tender, warm and gentle. That, combined with the gentle touches to Jaejoong’s delicate face drew a shimmering tear to the surface; one that slipped down an elegant cheek and disappeared as it fell towards the stone floor. “I need you, Jaejoong...You’re the only one who makes me feel human again,”

More sparkling tears trickled down Jaejoong’s face, falling like broken glass towards the shadow covered floors. Those words were the same ones Yunho had used to confess to him; to tell Jaejoong how much he meant to the other man. Yunho had sworn by those words, using them gently through the weeks that followed as he ran his cool hands over Jaejoong’s warm body. Feeling human...Jaejoong was all too happy to make the creature who stole his heart feel human again.

It all came crashing down when Yunho bit him during one of their most intimate moments, starting the process that turned him into what he was now. The fact of the matter was, Yunho had sworn never to bite Jaejoong—more than that, after breaking such a promise he kidnapped him away and held him prisoner. Jaejoong wasn’t happy, but Yunho was, and that more than anything prevented the beautiful man from saying a word; from protesting the new body he inhabited and rejecting Yunho’s eager kisses. Selflessness had always been Jaejoong’s strongest point—and his weakest. He held his emotions in, the pain he was feeling whenever he tasted blood on his tongue and the hurt he felt when Yunho’s lips kissed up the side of his neck. When the rebelliousness began, Jaejoong didn’t know. It started out subtle, a mere lack of enthusiasm while kissing before blossoming into deliberately avoiding Yunho. It ended when Jaejoong tried to run away and was inevitably caught.

And that was why Jaejoong now stood, his back to a stone wall, his wrists chafed by chains put in place by Yunho himself. Jaejoong felt betrayed for the second time in his life...only he said nothing. Yunho, however, never failed to voice his distaste for Jaejoong’s actions, deeming them ‘unforgiveable’.

If only he knew... Jaejoong thought bitterly. He’d been betrayed first.

“Apparently not,” Jaejoong frowned, ignoring the throbbing pain in his wrists. “If I made you human again, you never would’ve chained me up and—” his voice cracked, cutting off at the memories.

“Jaejoong, I—” Yunho swallowed, his fingers trembling against his skin. He fished for new words to say, struggling to find the right ones. Somehow, Jaejoong couldn’t wait to hear his excuse this time.

The first time Yunho hurt Jaejoong was in the beginning phases of his rebellion. In an attempt to coax reactions out of his lover, Yunho resorted to treatment so rough, Jaejoong had felt it for days. The violence scared him—though it wasn’t the first time Yunho had been a little rough during their intimate moments. In some ways, Jaejoong loved being rough handled. He loved being held down by powerful hands and kissed until faint bruises left a trail down his body.

But the manner, the anger, in which Yunho had handled him that day had brought him no pleasure. It had him screaming for mercy, a teary plea for it to come to an end. Yunho had the tears off his cheeks like they were meaningless raindrops, not knowing the fear that tore Jaejoong’s chest apart. Yunho had gotten the responses that he wanted, but the experience had only deepened the distrust Jaejoong felt towards the other man.

“Do you even realize?” Jaejoong’s voice trembled, teardrops flowing from his eyes once more. “Do you even understand?”

“Jaejoong...” Yunho bowed his head. “I understand I am imperfect...I made a lot of horrible mistakes...I just want your forgiveness,”

“Let me guess, you won’t let me go until you get it?” Jaejoong snapped.

Yunho’s expression darkened, telling Jaejoong that’s exactly what would happen.

“I knew it,” Jaejoong growled. “You’re sick; twisted and just as evil as I thought you could be the moment I found out what you were...I never should’ve trusted you; never,”

Yunho’s frown only deepened, the once gentle hands beginning to dig into Jaejoong’s skin.

“You don’t even know what it’s like!” Jaejoong shouted, the pain from Yunho’s grip only spurring him to let as much out as he could. “You didn’t even ask me! You promised you would never bite me unless I said you could!”

“Be quiet,” Yunho snarled, his crimson eyes flashing.

“NO!” Jaejoong shouted, frustrated tears streaking down his cheeks. “Because all you’ve said since you chained me up here is how I betrayed you and let you down! You betrayed me, Yunho! I never wanted this!”

Yunho’s hands slammed him back against the wall, making him yelp with pain. Jaejoong went limp, his body shaking just before he was thrown roughly onto the ground. He knew he’d pushed Yunho’s buttons—that was something he was all too aware of. Yunho’s anger was as spontaneous and as violent as a thunderstorm. It came quickly and vanished without a trace, leaving only the marks left in its wake.

Forced onto his back, Yunho pinned Jaejoong’s arms roughly above his head, straddling his waist to restrict his movements. His chest twisting with fear, Jaejoong struggled futilely for several, brief seconds. He shivered at the sight of Yunho’s face barely inches from his own.

“You wanted it, Jaejoong, I just made it go a little faster,” his lips curled into a cruel smirk, the one Jaejoong was beginning to get to know all too well. “The sound of your voice my name was everything I needed...you wanted it...and your scent was too tempting to pass up,” soft lips nuzzled against Jaejoong’s neck, making him whimper softly. He tried to brush Yunho off, turning his head at an angle that would keep the man away from his neck.

Releasing one of his wrists, Yunho gripped Jaejoong by the hair, pulling his head backwards and exposing his throat. A breathless plea escaped his throat as Yunho’s tongue slid over his skin.

“Y-Yunho—please—” He gasped, his free hand trapped by the manacle that bound his wrists together. He tried to shake off Yunho’s grip, only to have the other’s hand clench tight enough to bruise. He whimpered, giving one last, futile struggle before falling limp with breathless pants.

“You act like you don’t like this...” Yunho murmured softly, teeth grazing his neck. “Where’s the Jaejoong who would beg for every touch?”

His face flushed, Jaejoong growled in his throat, gritting his teeth. The memory of the times Yunho would and touch him until he was a whimpering mess was , and more than a little arousing. He missed those days, and though his senses were heightened after being transformed, he couldn’t bring himself to want to feel such things again. “He died when you bit him. That Jaejoong is gone,”

Yunho’s crimson eyes flashed once more. Jaejoong flinched, closing his eyes and waiting for the inevitable strike that would leave his ears ringing. Instead, he heard the clink of chains and suddenly, his wrists were free. He yelped in pain as Yunho’s hauled him back to his feet by his hair, squeezing his eyes shut as he was dragged from the stone room that had been his prison for an unknown length of time. He staggered forward, his hands clutching on Yunho’s in a useless attempt to loosen his grip. His mind raced in circles, finding every possible thing Yunho was planning on doing to him. The most dominant one was the fear that Yunho was going to hurt him—and badly this time. He whimpered, trying to brace himself for the pain that would come.

He’d never be ready for it. Even if he could handle being thrown against the wall, it was the knowledge that Yunho had done it to him that hurt the most.

“Yunho—” Jaejoong gasped, tripping and scraping his knees. “Yunho please—”

Yunho gave no response, not even giving him a chance to get back to his feet. A choked sob slid from his throat as he stumbled back into a weak, standing position, his scalp and neck aching from Yunho’s persistent hand.

“Yunho—” Jaejoong whimpered, finding a grip on Yunho’s hand at last, his fingernails digging into the man’s hand as he loosened the tug on his hair. “Yunho you were never like this—Yunho please wake up—this isn’t like you—Yunho!”

But maybe he was wrong...maybe this was a side of Yunho that had always existed. Jaejoong felt tears streaming down his face as he was pulled up a set of stairs. Maybe this was the Yunho Jaejoong always feared existed—the pureblooded vampire that cared little for others and craved torment. Supernatural hunters and priests talked nothing of such creatures—and Jaejoong had feared Yunho was one of them, only to discover it wasn’t so.

But now, Jaejoong could see nothing but a monster; a Yunho he feared just as much as he loved.

A door slammed open, and a moment later Jaejoong had crashed back into hard ground—only this one was different. There was grass, and the smell of fresh air and trees washed over him, making him shiver in a way that nearly brought a smile to his face. His head snapped up to look at Yunho, seeing the man standing in the dark entranceway to the shack that led to his home in the caves beneath the ground. His expression was cold and impassive, even as Jaejoong staggered back to his feet.

“Y-Yunho,” Jaejoong rasped, leaning heavily against a tree.

“Get lost, Jaejoong,” Yunho growled. “I have no use for you any longer,”

Jaejoong shouldn’t have been as hurt as he was. He wanted to spit in Yunho’s face and tell him he was glad for it and would be better off without him anyway. Instead, tears rushed down his cheeks as he shook his head, trying to take a step back towards him.

Shoving him away, Yunho watched as Jaejoong fell back into the dirt, his beautiful face stained by dark earth and tears.

“If I see you again, I will kill you,” Yunho snarled before turning on his heel and slamming the door behind him. The click of the lock told Jaejoong he was no longer welcome. Yunho had thrown him out—he was on his own.

The pale glow of a sunrise was welcoming in some ways. It signalled the end of even the darkest nights and brought promise of a new day that would lead to new things, be they good or bad. The rays shone onto the green leaves of trees and woke birds from their slumber, their music replacing the ambience of the night. They warmed the fur of animals creeping from their burrows and pushed the night creatures into their hiding places.

Beneath the ground in an old mineshaft marked by a dilapidated shack was a man, his pale face feeling no sunlight, his jet black hair dull and wispy. Slender fingers were painted with streaks of blood, his fingernails cracked from lack of care. Dried blood speckled his clothes and painted rough lines across his cheeks, a particularly long one dripping from between his parted lips. In front of him, lay a woman, her face pale, eyes wide and hanging open from when she took her last breath. If the man were to touch her now, he’d find her as cold as the air around him. She was long dead. There seemed to be little care that the woman’s body was slowly rotting away in front of him. His eyes stared blankly at nothing, the only sign of life being the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed slowly, in and out, more out of habit than need.

The thrill that had come with feeding had faded to dull numbness now; the taste of blood a faint memory on his tongue that made him want to find another victim and drink them dry like he had this one—no hesitation. He might’ve done it, if it wasn’t for the thoughts painting slow circles through his mind.

He was alone. He’d thrown the only person who had ever mattered to him out the door and told him to leave—threatened him even. The man knew of the monsters inside of him. Two thousand years as an immortal, dark creature had brought out the worst of him. Someday, every vampire went mad, and now it was Yunho’s turn. He’d only begun his decent into madness when he met the beautiful man...Kim Jaejoong...the only son of the innkeeper...youngest sibling out of eight...

Jaejoong...

Yunho had fallen for him on sight, the sweet scent of his blood drawing him, and his beautiful brown eyes restraining him. He adored the wide smile that graced his features when Yunho made a joke, or pointed out a cat sleeping on a porch. He worshipped the way he brushed his auburn bangs from his eyes when the wind blew too hard. He nearly cried the day Jaejoong caught him feeding—and actually cried when he opened a vein for him and made him swear to never kill someone again. Jaejoong became the lighthouse in the storm; the foundation on loose soil; the cure for his madness. He was everything, and yet, nothing at the same time. Someday, Yunho would have to watch Jaejoong die—something he voiced to the mortal when the thoughts became too much. Jaejoong held his hand, his thumb rubbing circles on his palm as he smiled softly.

“Someday,” he’d said, “when everything’s a little different, when my sisters get married...if I decide I want it...I’ll ask you to change me,” his face flushed cutely as he bowed his head. “Until then, will you wait for me?”

Yunho had promised. He wouldn’t deny that much. He’d sworn to Jaejoong, even going as far as to offer to take a blood oath. Jaejoong had insisted against it, taking his word with a smile and a warm kiss on the cheek.

But Yunho had broken that promise. The heat of Jaejoong’s body had been overwhelming, the sound of his voice into his ear only triggering the craving for his sweet blood even more. Jaejoong’s racing heart had pumped the blood into his mouth so fast, it made Yunho breathless. He hadn’t realized what he’d done until it was too late. Jaejoong was awake long enough for a tear to trickle down his cheek before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he was gone, consumed by the venom now rushing through his body.

Yunho had cried that night, clutching Jaejoong’s limp body tightly, apologizing over and over, even if the other couldn’t hear him. He carried him to his old hideaway, the tunnels beneath an old, dilapidated shack in the middle of the woods, gently laying him on the bed Yunho kept for little purpose other than decoration. He apologized once more when Jaejoong opened his dazzling, sky blue eyes, receiving a mumbled acceptance in return. 

Jaejoong had changed after that day. He became quiet and reserved, barely approaching Yunho about any matter, regardless of the topic. Whenever Yunho went looking for him, Jaejoong was nowhere to be found. Bit by bit, Yunho had felt it once more; the bitter anger, the darkness Jaejoong had managed to lock away...it all flooded back. And this time, it was the one he loved the most that was caught in the crossfire. He awoke to Jaejoong’s sobs and the smell of blood. The beautiful man lay curled into a ball on the ground, his clothes stained with his own blood—and Yunho’s fingers were sticky with it. More than that, he could taste it on his lips.

Yunho didn’t know how to tell him about the monster inside him; the side of him that cared little and thirsted for blood. Every attempt to explain was met with rejection which only brought his anger out once more.

Jaejoong’s bid for freedom was the last straw.

Chaining him up had been a split decision. Yunho couldn’t have Jaejoong run away from him again—and the monster inside of him craved to control him. He couldn’t have gotten it because when Yunho woke once more, it was to an empty room, a faint memory, and Jaejoong missing.

As the days went by the memory slowly drifted back. He was to blame, even if it was the creature inside of him that had caused it. In Jaejoong’s eyes, it would always be him. There was no fixing that. For all he knew, vampire hunters had found him and killed him already. That was the worst part...

A disturbance in the tunnels pulled Yunho from his dark void. His red eyes narrowed in irritation, anger swelling up inside of him as the distant sound of movement met his ears. He shook his head violently, squeezing his eyes shut and pressing his palms to his forehead. No...he could not, would not give into that monster. As much as he would rather being left alone, and as upset as it made him to have some stranger see him in such a state, he couldn’t give into it. His head pounded and spun, just as it always did when that anger came so close to the surface.

It all came to a close when that scent reached him. It slammed the door shut on the monster in his soul, tranquility flooding through him so fast, Yunho lost his breath. His eyes slid open; the figure in the doorway flinched back slightly, taking a hesitant step away.

“Jaejoong...” Yunho breathed, relief, sadness and joy flooding through him all at once. He rose to his feet, quickly discovering his knees had gone weak, forcing him back down into his chair. “You...You’re back,”

“Y-You’re not going to kill me...are you?” Jaejoong’s voice was timid, but it held the sweetness Yunho had always known. It brought tears to his eyes, and despite everything, he let them fall as he shook his head, holding his arms out towards the beautiful man.

For the briefest of moments, Jaejoong hesitated. His feet carried him slowly at first before he cleared the remaining distance quickly, wrapping his arms around his neck. Yunho pulled him close, cradling him in his arms as he would a precious child, breathing the scent he’d missed so much and feeling Jaejoong doing the same, his nose nuzzling into the underside of his jaw.

“You haven’t been taking care of yourself...” Jaejoong mumbled, sadness creeping into his tone.

Yunho felt embarrassed at the realization, bowing his head in shame. Jaejoong smiled gently and pushed the dirty hair from his forehead. “Wait for me. I’ll be right back,”

Don’t leave, Yunho wanted to beg, reaching for the other man with his blood covered one. His body trembled as Jaejoong disappeared up the corridor, vanishing from his sight. Please come back...

Please...

Yunho was terrified that Jaejoong wouldn’t return. What if he’d only come to check on his state of mind and didn’t find what he wanted? What if Jaejoong still hated him and met someone else? What if he was meeting up with that someone right now, laughing about him? Rage began to boil once more, his teeth grinding together. He should just chain Jaejoong up again and keep him there for good. He didn’t care how long it took—Jaejoong would—

He jumped when soft fingers touched his hair. His wide eyes met Jaejoong’s, feeling more tears slip down his cheeks at the smile that graced the beautiful man’s features.

“Did you think I wasn’t going to come back?” Jaejoong asked, wringing out a wet cloth in a bowl of water.

Yunho nodded numbly, closing his eyes as Jaejoong began to rub the cloth against his blood covered cheek. His hands were gentle, but firm enough to scrub, the touch comforting enough to bring that peace back to his heart. He hadn’t been lying when he’d said Jaejoong made him feel human again.

Jaejoong’s touch was soothing. It drew him to a peace he’d never felt since he’d lost his humanity and became a creature of the night. He unconsciously leaned into the damp cloth held in Jaejoong’s hand, drowning in the feeling of being treated as something precious. He felt another tear slip from his eyes as the thought of not deserving such tender treatment overtook him. Jaejoong wiped it away with his thumb; an action that only resulted in more tears on Yunho’s part.

“Don’t cry, Yunho,” Jaejoong said softly, removing the cloth to touch his now clean face.

Yunho shook his head, the ache in his chest only growing. “I don’t deserve you, Jaejoong...Why did you even come back?”

“Because I love you,” Jaejoong replied, making his heart skip a beat. He opened his eyes, meeting sky blue ones that were filled with enough sincerity that Yunho thought he might burst with the tears he ached to cry. “I was angry at you for so long I...honestly maybe all of this is my fault...”

“No, Jaejoong, don’t say that,” Yunho reached for Jaejoong, wanting to grip him tight and hold him close, but he froze at the sight of the blood covering his hands. How could he taint the beautiful man with his ugly hands?

But Jaejoong took his hands in his own, picking up the cloth once more and starting to clean them, the pale skin of his hands slowly revealing itself to them as he worked. “I should’ve talked to you more,” he said softly. “Instead of holding it all in and being angry,”

“Jaejoong you haven’t done anything wrong...it’s all me,” Yunho closed his eyes again, swallowing through the lump in his throat. “It was all me...I’m the one that bit you before you were ready, I’m the one who hurt you, I’m the one who tied you up and threw you out...It’s all my fault, Jaejoong,”

The distraught tone to Yunho’s voice made Jaejoong smile gently. Wiping the last of the blood from the fingers, he set the cloth aside and looked up at the man. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “I forgive you,”

Yunho shook his head, the tears burning at the backs of his eyes only growing more intense with Jaejoong’s gentle words. “I don’t deserve your forgiveness...”

“Well...I’m giving it to you anyway,” he replied, clasping Yunho’s hands in his. “After you threw me out, I didn’t know where to go. I ran into another vampire – his name was Changmin. He...told me more about vampires than I actually knew. Most of what he said...I felt it applied to you more than anyone,”

“I should’ve been the one to teach you,” Yunho mumbled, bowing his head.

“I know,” Jaejoong said, massaging Yunho’s palm with his thumb. “But you were in no state to teach me anything. Changmin told me that...some older vampires forget what it was like to be human and lose themselves. He told me he was an older vampire too, but he still remembers because of a necklace he wears. It helps him remember his mortal family so he doesn’t forget. You...you lost yourself so...you couldn’t help anything you did,” Jaejoong lifted Yunho’s hand and held it to his cheek, nuzzling gently into it and closing his eyes in contentment. “This...This is Yunho...the Yunho who chained me up and lost control of himself...that was just a vampire,”

“But I am a vampire,” Yunho’s fingertips dug slightly into Jaejoong’s cheek in frustration. “I’m a monster and I always will be,”

“You’d still be hurting me if you truly were a monster,” Jaejoong said softly. “You would’ve killed me the moment I walked in here. You’re not a monster, Yunho. Just because you have one doesn’t make you one,”

Yunho bowed his head, fighting back another wave of tears that threatened to pour.

“You told me many times that I make you feel human again,” Jaejoong said softly, reaching out to gently card his fingers through Yunho’s hair. “If that’s the case then I will be here, helping you keep that monster at bay. I’ll help you be Yunho and Yunho alone,”

“I might hurt you again...” Yunho rasped.

“Then I’ll forgive you for that too,”

“Jaejoong...”

“You turned me into this. Now let me stay beside you, because I know that’s why you wanted to bite me. It would’ve been the same way when I told you I was ready – I would’ve let you bite me so I could stay beside you forever. It might’ve happened a little early but...it doesn’t matter anymore,”

Reaching out, Yunho pulled Jaejoong into his lap, clutching him close to his chest as though he would never let go again. His tears dampened Jaejoong’s shirt, rolling over his collarbones as those always gentle hands rubbed comforting circles into his back.

“Thank you...” Yunho rasped, breathing the familiar scent he never wanted to let go of again.

The storm ended.

.

.

.