“This is a stupid idea,” Heejun says, stuffed in between a wall and a dumpster. “We’re going to get killed.”

Jihun shoves him closer to the trashcan. “Not if you keep talking. Just act like you’re not even here.”

Heejun grumbles some more complaints before Jihun scans the area, making sure it’s as secluded as possible. He can’t risk the chance of being seen or dragging in someone not involved. They aren’t going to have many chances to try this plan over and over again, especially since Jihun can only reproduce so much blood.

Despite Heejun’s protests, he makes for an alley two streets down, far enough that Heejun’s presence should be masked, but close enough that he can still jump in to help Jihun should anything go awry. It isn’t ideal, but it’s the most that Jihun can come up with so last minute, he doesn’t know why but he feels like he has to end this as soon as possible.

The plan isn’t grand – he realizes, standing alone in the alley, a single lamppost shining yellow down on him. He pulls a silver dagger out, one that he’s had since he and Heejun began their search, and slashes it ungracefully across his chest, warm blood splattering across brick. It hurts like hell even though Jihun made sure not to cut himself very deep, but that doesn’t stop the pain from causing him to almost blackout on the spot. He staggers, clutching the wall behind him as he tries to keep his vision in focus, blood soaking through his clothes and pooling at his feet. He begins to panic in that moment, the reality that he could seriously bleed to death becoming more and more real as his legs give out and he’s left sitting in a puddle of his own blood.

There is the chance that another vampire shows up, one that could be passing through and happens to catch a whiff of his less than stellar plan – he prays that won’t be the case. However, the chances of the two he’s seeking will find him is much higher anyways – if this truly is their territory.

He feels stupid, bleeding to death in an alley with Heejun just feet away, waiting to see if Jihun will die or not. He had tested it before – exactly how long it would take for a cut wound to heal – and the results were good enough that the possibility of the plan working seemed high, but Jihun sort of regrets it now.

Just as soon as that thought begins to settle, a set of feet touch the ground beside him. He hadn’t even noticed them, felt no presence until they were standing right there, fangs protruding and stare hungry.

It isn’t the vampire he’s looking for.

“What have we here?” She says, voice sweet in that unnatural way– the way he suspects all vampire’s voices must be to lure in their prey. “A hurt little bird?”

He hates the condescending way she talks to him, an ugly trait he thinks they all have – they think they’re the better species. Her movements are strange and oily and if Jihun doesn’t keep his focus it feels like there are afterimages of her staring at him. Her hair is pulled back into a tight ponytail and Jihun stares hard at her exposed face despite the fear curling inside his stomach. She’s small, but the aura she emits is big enough to fill the whole alley and Jihun just knows.

He’s going to die here. God, he’s going to die here.

, he curses to himself, hoping– praying Heejun won’t come here. Whatever happens, Heejun can’t come.

Her hand is icy is when she grabs Jihun’s neck, grip stronger than anything he can ever produce and he knows she isn’t even trying. He wants to spit in disgust at her, the horrible feel of her touching him driving him insane. His wards scream out, too little too late, but he knows that’s his own fault for not being able to make them stronger. Chills spread throughout his body, but he can already feel the wound starting to heal, the numbness in his fingers melt away. Maybe he can overpower her somehow, maybe he can talk to her – stall her or something – just enough time for his strength to come back and he can retreat.

“It’s a shame, really,” she says, pretty little lips curling into a smirk. “You’re exactly Solji’s type.”

“Who’s that?” Jihun manages to spit out. “Your maker?”

She looks– surprised, but Jihun doesn’t have time to make anything of it before she says, “You can talk.”

“Yes, that is something we humans do– talk.”

“You shouldn’t be,” she says with a shake of her head. “In my presence you shouldn’t be.”

God, how arrogant can they get? He knows now that she must not feel a single warning buzz from his wards or else she would have reacted stronger to touching him, her grip hasn’t really lessened, but Jihun feels like he has more breathing room. “I’m perfectly fine, can’t you see?”

She isn’t humored by him one bit, instead frowning. “What are–”

Before she can finish her sentence, her arm is ripped off right before Jihun’s eyes, falling limp onto the gravel. He can’t even blink by the time she’s been thrown across the alley, back hitting the brick wall behind her and cracking the stone. He’s too stunned to make sense of what’s just happened before he’s looking up at a familiar face. It’s one of the vampires from the other night. He blinks down at Jihun before picking up the discarded arm as if it isn’t even a big deal and tosses it at the girl who begins coughing up blood as Jihun suspects some of her ribs must be broken from the impact.

“You should go back to wherever it is you’ve come from,” he says to her, voice cold. “I don’t know what else this guy is going to do to you and I can’t stop him.”

That’s when Jihun notices him. He’s just as freakishly tall as Jihun remembers, long and slender with his hair pulled back to reveal sharp cheekbones and an expression Jihun is thankful is not directed towards him. He looks absolutely feral, fangs bared and eyes a bright shade of red that they practically glow in the night. It’s horrifying. It’s surreal. It sparks something in Jihun.

“Leave!” The other one commands, a strange authority in his voice that makes Jihun want to scurry away even more. The presence of three vampires truly is something. He only catches a glimpse of her once more before she vanishes at a speed too fast for Jihun’s eyes.

His mind can’t wrap around what is happening anymore, blood drying around his hands as he feels the wound completely heal across his chest. The color hasn’t returned to his face, but he knows that he’s at least survived that – now he’s got this to try to live through.

The two vampires are silent, staring at the empty space in which the female vampire was once at before one of them turns to Jihun. It’s the least likely to kill him (though still quite likely) that speaks to him again, voice suddenly much more warm. “Well. That went really well, I think.”

Jihun can’t even find the words to respond.

“We should go too,” he says to the tall one that seems to have calmed down some. “You’re in no state to–”

“Shut up,” he spits out, sounding– frustrated? Annoyed? Jihun can’t make sense of the situation. Are they letting him go or?

He turns to look at Jihun and without any warning, it hits him. Why? Why now? It’s been weeks and Jihun hasn’t felt any hunger or lack of strength despite not eating. Why is he suddenly weak with starvation? His gaze is piercing and in no way kind as he takes a step forward and Jihun can feel his body tense up and freeze. The silver earrings in his lobes are screaming desperately for him to run, but he can’t muster any strength. His hand clutches against his stomach that cries out desperately and his heart feels like it might burst from his chest.

The vampire is horrifying like this, looming over a weakened Jihun who can’t even defend himself. He grabs Jihun’s dagger that’s been laying several inches away, the silver hilt making his skin smoke but he seems to not feel any pain from it as he slashes it across his left wrist, blood gushing out and falling onto the concrete.

Like a beggar on the street, Jihun keens over, his body moving on it’s own as he tries to grab at the blood pouring out.

“Don’t ever do something like this again,” the vampire says in a voice that isn’t commanding at all, instead it seems– soft, almost. He leans down to Jihun, cupping his cheek and the contact makes Jihun’s skin burn. He can’t help the cry that escapes his lips. He feels pathetic.

Distraught, Jihun latches his mouth over the wound on the vampire’s wrist, disgust thrown into the back of his mind as satiating his hunger comes first. He has no fangs, no thirst or craving for anything but this. He laps desperately at the blood, the soft feel of a thumb brushing his cheekbone gently.

-

It’s been over forty minutes, Jihun should be back by now and Heejun can’t see jack-squat with this dumpster in that way. He hasn’t heard a thing since the other vanished around the corner and his wards seem to be useless now-a-days. The suspense is killing him.

They didn’t say when exactly Heejun should run in to save the day, but he thinks forty minutes is quite enough. If a vampire didn’t come by and eat Jihun then he’s probably bleeding to death in the dark and Heejun is not going to clean that mess up. He quickly abandons his hiding spot, making his way to the alley where Jihun is supposed to be at when he’s suddenly whisked away, his stomach lurching as he knows his feet are nowhere near ground.

Things are moving too fast for him to realize what’s going on before he’s dropped on his , a loud oomph leaving his body. He blinks, groaning and scampering to his feet, realizing he’s now on the roof of one of the nearby buildings, an annoying vampire staring right back at him.

“It’s yo–”

“Me. Yeah, it’s me again.” The vampire takes one look at Heejun then turns to stare off into the distance. It’s the one from before, the one who kept laughing and spouting nonsense about vampires and humans being bound by fate and just utter bull. Of all the people–

“What do you want, why did you bring me up here–” Heejun stops, swallowing thickly. He should really talk with more caution.

“Look,” says the vampire, nodding his head off at something in the distance.

“Why should I?” Heejun snaps. Why should he do what a vampire says? His wards scream in agreement.

“It’s your friend.”

Jihun? Heejun doesn’t hesitate in that moment, quickly inching closer to the edge of the building, squinting in the dark to see Jihun under harsh yellow lighting. He’s– There’s– What is this?

“What is that er doing to him?” He screeches, feet shuffling against the ledge, but he’s stopped by a rather chilling hand that grabs his shoulder. “Let go of me!”

“What do you plan on doing? Jumping off a ten story building to save your friend? I know you’re an idiot, but this is beyond expectations.”

Heejun glares at him, but brushes the vampire’s hand away with ease (too easy, he knows the vampire wasn’t even putting any strength into that and it infuriates Heejun) and turns to look for a staircase down.

“I brought you up here to talk to you,” says the vampire, not following after him. “You shouldn’t worry though, your friend is as safe with Seungjun as you are with me.”

“And why should I trust you?” Heejun yells over his shoulder. God, why is it so dark at night?

“For starters,” says the vampire before appearing right in front of Heejun. “I didn’t kill you.”

“Yet,” says Heejun. “Get out of my way.”

The vampire rolls his eyes. Oh, yes, like he’s the inconvenienced one stranded on a roof with a killer.

“Will you just listen?”

“You haven’t given me any real reasons,” snaps Heejun. “There is no reason why I should listen to anything you have to say and even if I did, there aren’t any reasons for me to believe you either.”

“Just hear me out,” the vampire says stubbornly, his calm facade quickly fading. “Why are humans always in such a rush?”

“Maybe because we can’t run from place to place in mere seconds,” Heejun mocks. The vampire squints very dangerously at him. Great, Heejun thinks. He’s going to try his patience as much as he can while he can.

“Don’t you want to help your friend?”

Heejun scoffs. “And you do?”

“I want to help Seungjun,” he says sternly. Heejun stops in his tracks.

He looks up at the vampire (begrudgingly, because even though Heejun himself isn’t short, this guy still manages to tower over him) and clicks his tongue. He has no intention of believing this vampire, but clearly the vampire is going to be very adamant.

“Three minutes,” he says.

The vampire makes a constipated looking face, but relaxes in almost a second, nodding. “Seungjun and I– we’ve known each other for a very long time. He’s never acted this way before. He’s always had an interest in humans, but lately he’s been very absorbed in them and he’s being far too rash. We’re vampires, we’re underground and we do well to hide.”

Not well enough, Heejun thinks to himself.

“What he’s doing to your friend isn’t necessarily forbidden to our kind, but it’s taboo. It’s looked down upon by others and is banned to most. He’s–”

“Out with it,” demands Heejun impatiently and the vampire glares at him.

“Seungjun has turned that boy into what is better known as a daywalker. Your friend is no longer human.”  

Heejun blinks at him. Then blinks some more. A– what? A daywalker? Like in South Park?

“I can see by your expression you don’t know what that is.” The vampire looks smug and Heejun wishes he could sock him between the eyes. “Essentially, he is a vampire. However, he can go out in sunlight. He isn’t as fast or as strong as us, but his power exceeds any regular humans. Also,” he says while nodding his head into the direction of where Jihun and the other vampire are down on the ground, “He needs to feed on Seungjun’s blood to live.”

There’s a long pause after that, Heejun’s head spinning and trying to connect everything the vampire has just told him. He’s lying, right? He has to be. A daywalker? Heejun’s never heard of them, so they aren’t real. Vampire are monsters, liars, and manipulators. They can’t be trusted and should all be staked. This one is lying, he’s spinning things around to make Jihun out to be like– to be like them. To be a monster.

As if reading his mind, the vampire says, “Take it as you will, but it’s the truth–”

“Your three minutes are up,” interrupts Heejun. His hands are balled into fists by his side.

The vampire nods, taking a step back to give Heejun some space. “I don’t know the full extent of what Seungjun wishes to do with the daywalker, but take caution around him.”

Caution? Around Jihun? He’s protected Heejun for longer than Heejun can even remember now and he should be cautious of him? Kim Jihun – the boy who’s scared of slugs and loud noises? – Heejun can’t help the hollow laugh that pours out of him.

-

Jihun is laying on the floor, delirious and oddly satisfied. His head is cushioned on the lap of the vampire that he’s just drank blood from and yet– he can’t bring himself to move away. The color has returned fully to his cheeks, but he’s sure despite that he looks like an absolute mess. The vampire is carding gentle fingers through his hair and Jihun doesn’t even notice how strange the whole situation has become.

“You drank a lot,” says the vampire.

“Who are you?” Jihun manages to ask, voice groggy. “What did you do to me?”

“And here I was thinking you’d never ask,” he says, a lilt to his voice. “I’m Seungjun. And you’re mine now.”

Jihun’s brow furrows. “I’m Jihun.”

“Mine,” Seungjun quickly deadpans.

“No, not your’s. I’m Jihun.”

It’s like they’re both confused for a second about who Jihun exactly is, but Jihun is pretty sure that after over two decades, he knows who he is. The vampire– Seungjun, however is very adamant.

“You’re mine.”

Jihun immediately sits up and Seungjun pushes him back down on his lap. He tries again, only to fall back down again. “Okay. How exactly am I your’s?”

“Because I said so.”

What– What the hell? Jihun scrunches up his face. Is this vampire five years old or something?

“That is the most ridiculous reason I have ever heard.”

“Well–” Seungjun starts and then shakes his head. “I have to go. The sun will be rising soon.”

In the blink of an eye, Jihun is upright again, Seungjun no longer holding him down and there’s a strange coldness that encompasses them.

“Wait, don’t go. I’m not done–”

“Missing me already?” Seungjun interrupts, voice sickenly sweet. “Sorry my pet, but I’ll be back another night.”

Pet? What the actual –

Before Jihun can get another word out, the vampire is gone.

-

“You’re covered in blood,” says Haeryung when Seungjun makes it back to the house and oh– yes, he is indeed covered in blood. “It’s your blood.”

“There was an incident,” he says, quickly leaving the room. He doesn’t have to explain himself to her and she knows this too, so she doesn’t follow after him with inquires. He’s thankful that through it all he made sure not to get any of his human’s blood on him.

His human– Jihun.

A giddy smile breaks out on his face and he thanks God he’s alone in his room now. It took all he had to keep his composure in front of Jihun. He knows his name now, knows more than he could ask for in what little time he’s been given the last few weeks. He’ll have to go back soon, Jihun has to start feeding regularly now that his hunger has begun to start. It sends a thrilling spark throughout Seungjun’s body, everything is moving on so well.

Well, not everything exactly. There was that female vampire earlier – he was not expecting something like her around. A minor obstacle that should no longer prove to be one in the future.

He cleans up quickly, washing the blood off his skin and discarding his ruined clothes. He was rather fond of the maroon shirt, but it’s a small price to pay. He can feel the end of night coming, a drowsiness pulling him to bed as he curls up against his sheets. He’s almost completely gone when the soft ping of his cellphone stirs him. He checks it quickly, squinting at the light despite it being set on the lowest setting.

It’s the witch – she’s ready for him.