The door chimed and Jungkook blinked in mild surprise. A customer was leaving and he hadn’t even realized they’d come in. “Sorry,” he cringed, turning to look at a very bemused Sandara.

                “No worries. Nothing I couldn’t handle,” she winked, finishing checking the drawer and then closing it resolutely as she wandered closer to him with a concerned look. “You alright? I mean, I know you’ve been out of it a bit lately, but today is worse than usual,” she laughed, placing her hands on her hips in a very maternal gesture.

                Jungkook waved the question off and smiled back. “I’m good. Just been thinking. They haven’t really wanted me in the coven this month and today I finally get to go back,” he admitted with a nervous shrug. It was an understatement to say that he didn’t even begin to know what to expect.

                “Haven’t wanted you in the coven?” she questioned, confused for a moment.

                “Eh… for the trainee period. Something to do with this next demonstration,” he explained. “Not that they don’t want me.”

                “Ah,” she nodded in understanding. She paused to peer around him before motioning at the display. “Can you check the muffins? I think we might be running low.”

                “Sure,” he chirped in response. While he was busy with that, she asked him another question.

                “So have they warmed up to you at all in the coven?”

                “Some,” he confirmed. “Sanghyuk is probably the easiest to talk to but he’s also the newest. I get the feeling that Wonho is playing the tough love card but is probably just a big softie underneath,” he laughed, recalling a couple moments where he enjoyed teasing Yoongi playfully. “Jungsu still intimidates the hell out of me though,” he added with a laugh, standing upright when he was finished.

                “What about the Coven Leader?” she wondered, poking her head into the back to check on Liza. “All good?”

                “Just waiting on the next batch to finish,” the younger woman called out, her voice a little muffled from the distance between them.

                “He’s surprisingly easy to talk to actually,” Jungkook murmured with a lopsided shrug.

                “Not scary?” Sandara wondered, her eyes narrowed in mild disbelief.

                “Oh, I didn’t say that,” he chuckled, waving his hand to brush away the misconception. “He can be downright terrifying if he wants to, but so far… he’s been pretty personable. They’re a lot more friendly than I expected them to be.”

                “Most magical creatures are,” she reminded him with a bright smile. “My dad always hates how some of the humans get nervous and fidgety around him, even when he stays in human form. Just because he’s a satyr, it doesn’t mean he’s gonna try to get it on with anything that moves,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes so hard it almost looked painful.

                “Sorry,” Jungkook apologized with a sympathetic cringe.

                “Yeah. And one of my friends is a fairy and she’s forever fending off the advances of humans,” Liza added, sticking her head around from the back. “Men and women. Those stupid movies always ualize them too much,” she groaned, glancing at Sandara when the other woman’s expression turned thoughtful.

                “I don’t know,” she added. “It always felt like they made the humans in those movies lustier than they should be. I mean, fairies are always beautiful. And they’re usually agreeable. Just… not that agreeable,” she laughed, waving and shaking her head at the latest movie thought.

                “That would be succubi and incubi,” Jungkook grinned cheekily, the expression fading into another hesitant cringe when both women gave him a questionable look.

                “Actually, that’s mostly just their job,” Sandara explained. “They still have personal preferences outside of their work.”

                “Sorry,” he sighed, shoulders slumping with the faux pas again. “Yoongi said there were a fair few misconceptions between humans and magical creatures. I’m only just starting to learn how many…” he explained in a dejected tone.

                “That’s right! You’re from a tiny town, aren’t you?” Liza asked, sliding around the doorway to lean on the frame. “I know you told us before but what was it called again?”

                “Paroche. It’s on the larger island of Euria. Gotta be less than fifty thousand people,” he snorted.

                “Yeesh! That is tiny,” Sandara blinked, sharing a look with Liza. “Any nonhumans in your area?”

                “Not really. Pretty secluded town and yes, as you know, I was the weirdo in my area. Well, me and my mother anyway,” he explained. “Apparently our town used to be close friends with a fair few nature-based nonhumans, but that relationship has been really quiet for as long as I can remember.” He glanced around and pulled out his phone so he could search a picture of his hometown. “See?” he pointed out, grinning when they both leaned close to check.

                “Damn. Looks like something in the Green District,” Liza whistled.

                “How did you get to be so special?” Sandara teased, nudging his shoulder with her hand.

                “No idea,” he admitted with an honest shrug. “My dad never really talks about it and my mom thinks it probably skipped a couple generations. Honestly, I don’t really feel like I should be a human,” he added softly, testing the statement carefully in front of them.

                “Weirdo,” Liza laughed with a side eyed glance and a wrinkled nose, though her word lacked any real intent. Her response was nothing out of the ordinary and she took the admittance in casual stride. “Oh! Back to the grind,” she added, expression going neutral as she noticed a customer about to walk in. She ducked into the back to check on the baked goods before they entered, leaving Jungkook and Sandara to handle it themselves.

                She patted him on the shoulder with an understanding hand and a reassuring smile. “We are what we are, but Magic has its way,” she murmured softly before casting her eyes towards the front door. “After you,” she added, giving him a gentle shove as she let him take the lead this time, since she’d been doing most of the work so far today.

                “Fair enough,” he grinned, feeling the tension in his belly unwinding quickly after their responses. He felt a bit lighter as he stepped up to greet the guest, who then helped him push the thoughts of their conversation firmly out of his mind for the time being.

                They didn’t resurface until after his shift was over and he was finally able to head to the Coven again. Part of why he’d been so out of sorts was because he just didn’t know what to expect. Yoongi hadn’t given him much to go on and the others were fairly quiet about it all. Even Wonho, who rather enjoyed being able to explain things to him from time to time, had been unusually reticent to talk about anything.

                At least the Coven itself seemed unchanged when he finally did arrive just after dark. Sanghyuk was on monitor duty, not surprisingly, and the younger vampire grinned at him as he entered. “Jungkook!” he called, loping close to wave at him with youthful exuberance, his dark brown hair bouncing atop his head with each step.

                “Hey, Sanghyuk. How goes?” he asked, feeling his belly twist with a nervous excitement.

                “Not bad. Was just waiting for you to show up,” he smiled, a similar bit of nervousness evident in his posture.

                “Oh?”

                “Yeah. Now that you’re here, we can start,” he grinned, canines more pointed than usual. He was nervous but obviously excited too, and that made Jungkook curious.

                “What’s got you all worked up?” he couldn’t help but ask, pointing at his own mouth to indicate Sanghyuk’s fangs.

                The younger vampire cringed and clapped a hand over his mouth. “Curses. If Jungsu saw me now, he’d give me some sort of punishment,” he mumbled in admittance. “But that might be why I’m sort of excited,” he added with an embarrassed shrug. “He’s down for hibernation right now as part of the demonstration.”

                “Hibernation?”

                “Yeah! It’s when-“

                “There you are,” Namjoon’s smooth voice interrupted before the younger could explain. Sanghyuk literally froze in place for a second and then forced a very fake smile before he turned to face the elder vampire.

                “I was just getting ready to go,” he promised stiffly, standing as straight as possible without looking at Jungkook at all.

                “Obviously,” the coven leader snorted once, glancing between the two. For just a second, the corners of his mouth twitched like he wanted to smile when he caught sight of Sanghyuk’s fangs, but he didn’t comment this time. “Come on then,” he added with a gentle wave instead as he turned and headed into the heart of the coven once more.

                “Well then,” Jungkook laughed, though his stomach did flip flops at odds with his expression.

                “Yeah… he’ll explain it in the basement,” the younger mumbled, fidgeting with his hands as they walked together.

                “The basement again?”

                “Most secure place to do any real demonstrations. Safer for us and safer for the outside world too. Best if fewer prying eyes see into the workings of a vampire coven,” he winked in explanation.

                “Makes sense,” Jungkook nodded in agreement as he followed the young vampire. It was almost strange to him just how unaffected he was by everything. Of course he’d felt nervous at first but after that initial week, it almost felt like he belonged. Like this could be, and should be, his home. It was odd… This was no different. The basement was creepy to say the least, and particularly dark when it remained unlit, but it didn’t feel claustrophobic or frightening. There was a lot to be said for that…

                As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Sanghyuk leading and Jungkook holding onto his shoulder for guidance and support, Namjoon’s voice floated out once more. “Lights.”

                Wonho flipped the switch near them and Jungkook winced away from the brightness. It still stung his eyes every time. He wondered how the vampires tolerated it with their far more sensitive eyes. “Welcome back,” the second youngest vampire smiled, gesturing grandly towards the middle of the room.

                “Thanks,” the human chuckled once, his mirth fading considerably when he noticed two bodies on two stone slabs. “Yoongi?” he questioned, blinking in confusion when he recognized the bleach blonde hair on one of them. He barely registered the other body was probably Jungsu before he jogged over and stood before his vampire’s resting form. He looked… bad. “Is he dead?” he asked before he could stop it, knowing the question had to be ridiculous but unable to not ask.

                “As good as,” Namjoon answered unreassuringly. Jungkook looked up to meet the vampire lord’s dark eyes and he nodded in acknowledgement. “In his current state, even a human as weak and powerless as you would be able to finish him off.”

                “What happened?” he whispered, knowing that Yoongi had sent him away for a reason but it couldn’t have been this… could it?

                “He starved,” the elder vampire explained matter-of-factly.

                “But…”

                “Oh, he’s very much alive,” Namjoon promised, leaning over the emaciated form with a tense look. “But this is what happens when a vampire is not allowed to eat for a prolonged period of time. We do not die but our bodies shut down. It’s akin to being in a coma in human terms.”

                Jungkook’s mouth dropped open as he thought about asking a question but words failed him as he touched the cold skin of the vampire he’d been working with of late. It felt like cold, dry paper and he had to fight a reactionary shudder. “And Jungsu?” he asked, staying close to Yoongi even as he looked over at the other vampire on the second stone slab. He looked just as unconscious but in considerably better health. He appeared to be sleeping instead of resembling a dried corpse.

                “He is an example of what happens when we choose to hibernate,” Namjoon explained, wandering over to the other vampire with a simple nod. “While Yoongi is currently literally helpless,” he explained, holding Jungkook’s gaze for a breath, “Jungsu will wake at the slightest hint of danger.” The elder vampire eyed Jungkook and nodded at Jungsu’s form. “Feel free to touch him.”

                Taking a breath, Jungkook inched over to the second slab and carefully laid his fingertips on Jungsu’s hand. There was no reaction. “I thought you said he would wake?” he wondered, tapping one more time, just to be sure.

                Namjoon smiled, mostly hiding his laugh, though Sanghyuk and Wonho were not nearly as successful. Jungkook flushed as the vampire answered, “You are not a threat. With nervous fear and no actual intent, you are simply an interloper to be aware of but not concerned with.” The description made Jungkook’s mouth turn down into the slightest of pouts. It changed entirely when Namjoon continued. “No. To wake a vampire in this condition, other than giving him a good smack, one need only project a desire to hurt or kill.”

                Jungkook’s eyes went wide and his heart lurched into his throat as the normally genial vampire shifted into a darker version of himself. Fangs and claws grew and shadows writhed around him. A terrifying aura slammed into the human and his throat closed in abject fear as his heart dropped down to hammer against his ribcage. He lurched back, the edges of his vision blurring slightly. And Jungsu… opened his eyes and moved, practically disappearing from sight. Jungkook’s back hit the first stone slab and Jungsu reappeared immediately in front of Namjoon, hissing in response to the vampire lord’s overt aggression.

                “Well done,” Namjoon praised, falling back into his human guise in the blink of an eye. It left Jungsu floundering for a second as he reigned in his survival response. He glanced over at Jungkook and gave him a disarming smile that was completely at odds with what he’d been a moment ago.

                “Came on kind of strong there, didn’t you?” Jungsu laughed once, shaking his hands out as he loosed the tension lingering in his body.

                “Just trying to prove a point,” the coven leader explained with a nod behind Jungkook. “A starved vampire does not wake for virtually anything. Except…” he started to say, striding close to grab Jungkook’s hand and raise him up so he could stand steadily beside him. “Blood,” he finished, dragging his nail across the tip of Jungkook’s index finger and slicing it open to allow a dark bead of red to well up.

                “Ow!” he yelped, jerking to pull his hand away and unable to do so.

                “You have a choice to make, Jungkook.” The human’s eyes went wide as the vampire lord focused on him intently. He could see the other three vampires coming close, flanking their leader supportively, curiously. “If this is too much and you do not wish to become a vampire with all the possible downsides it entails, you are free to walk away. Should you choose to do so, we will have a Mage wipe your memories of this time and you’ll be free to continue your life as if nothing has changed.”

                Jungkook swallowed hard as he glanced between the vampire holding his wrist and the one on the stone slab. With his body and mind still trying to calm down from the literal scare he’d experienced, it was a lot. There was no doubt about it. And being a vampire had some definite drawbacks that weren’t talked about in the books or movies or anything like that. But… there were more positives too. A family by choice and a place to belong, no matter what happened. He looked up at Sanghyuk, the newest vampire that always seemed excited to have the equivalent of a baby brother in the wings; at Wonho who obviously enjoyed having someone to teach; Jungsu who just wanted the best for the Coven and tended to be a hardass about it; and Namjoon… the lord himself who had started Jungkook on this path personally, without judgment and with the very real possibility of change happening. “And if I wish to stay?” he asked, returning his gaze to the eerily death-like Yoongi.

                “Then you should wake your mentor and bring him back to us,” Namjoon explained, gently pushing Jungkook’s hand towards Yoongi while he brushed his own bottom lip with his fingers.

                “Okay,” he whispered, staring at the single drop of blood on his fingertip. He reached out with a slightly trembling hand and slowly, carefully traced a red line along the broken and parched skin of Yoongi’s bottom lip. It looked like a erse lipstick when he pulled his hand away, sticky and smeared, but Jungkook was more focused on the bigger picture. When the vampire didn’t wake immediately, he glanced at Namjoon with just a trace of concern and fear.

                “Wait for it,” the other vampire soothed, gesturing backs towards Yoongi’s body.

                Even as he said it, Jungkook heard a quiet sound: the sharp inhale of a short breath. “Yoongi?” he asked, turning again to focus on the desiccated vampire.

                “Decided to stay did you?” he rasped, voice like paper as he ran his tongue over his bottom lip, swiping it clean. His sunken eyes were tired and almost hollow but they stayed on Jungkook’s face as he waited for an answer.

                “Yeah,” the human offered in quiet confirmation as he gently placed his hand atop Yoongi’s. “I did.”

                “Foolish human,” Yoongi snorted once, attempting an eye roll that fell flat when his eyes literally stuck and then jumped with an eyelid twitch from a complete lack of moisture. “Ugh…” he groaned closing them harder once before trying to sit up like a decrepit old man.

                “Here,” Namjoon offered, giving the other vampire a helping hand as he moved his wrist before him. Yoongi accepted the assistance but turned his head away reactively. “Yoongi,” the vampire lord warned softly. “At least take a sip so you can get back on your feet.”

                “Fine,” he grumbled, doing as he was told while glancing once at Jungkook and then looking away, almost as if he was embarrassed.

                It was practically magical to watch a near instantaneous transformation. While Jungsu had remained otherwise unchanged after his hibernation, with just a taste of Namjoon’s blood, Yoongi began to come back to life from starvation. His pallor, what he did have, started to return quickly; his eyes eased back into place in his skull and the dull lifeless sheen of his skin and hair faded to be replaced with a dim vitality that had been missing a moment ago. “That’s better,” Namjoon crooned, patting Yoongi’s head once in a move that made the younger vampire glare and the elder grin.

                “Gotta admit, I’m not looking forward to this part when I become a Rank 3,” Wonho admitted into the relative quiet.

                “Me either,” Sanghyuk echoed, to which the other vampires simply laughed.

                “You’ve both got a ways to go yet, young ones,” Jungsu chided in amusement. “And you’ve left the front hall unmanned,” he added, pointing his finger intently at Sanghyuk.

                “But-“

                “No buts. Come on,” he urged, physically turning the younger vampire and beginning to guide him out. “You too Wonho,” he added as they took their first steps.

                “But I’m not on watch duty,” he complained before falling silent at a stern look from the second in the coven. “Yes sir.”

                Uncertainly, Jungkook watched them go and then let his eyes jump between Yoongi and Namjoon. He didn’t know where he fit in now, but he also had no idea what to say.

                “Would you like me or…” Namjoon wondered, gesturing at Jungkook meaningfully.

                “I’ll take the newbie, thank you,” Yoongi quipped, grabbing Jungkook’s shoulder in a grip that was stronger than he thought it should have been, before he awkwardly hopped off the table. It was clear his knees nearly buckled before he caught himself with Jungkook’s help.

                “Are you alright?” Jungkook asked, completely at a loss. He’d never seen a vampire this weak. Hadn’t even known it was possible and he imagined that was part of the point.

                “I’ll be fine,” Yoongi answered in that same tired and rasping voice.

                “Well, I’ll leave you to it then. Go ahead and take the week off. We’ll get back to the rest once you’re recovered from this,” Namjoon promised, winking at both of them before he turned and departed without another word.

                “Smug bastard. He enjoys this far too much,” Yoongi grumbled with the barest shakes of his head.

                Jungkook laughed once, glad to see a spark of Yoongi’s usual self shining through. “You sure you’re okay?”

                “I will be. I just need to eat,” he promised with all the evidence of exhaustion present in his tone. It sounded like he was almost too tired to even manage that. “Come on. Help me get a blood pack before he we head back,” he grumbled, leaning heavily on Jungkook still.

                For his part, he merely shifted the vampire’s arm over his shoulder and almost literally helped carry him up the stairs. Yoongi didn’t complain, which was certainly a measure of just how spent he was, but it would also be an insult if he tried to offer more help so they hobbled along and into the kitchen. They grabbed a single blood pack and then started their way upstairs to Yoongi’s bedroom, taking the stairs at the same awkward pace as when they went up from the basement.

                Jungkook helped the vampire fall into bed, move slowly into a more comfortable reclining position, and then watched him curiously as he ate the blood pack with long slow sips. Despite his hunger, he seemed to be in no rush to eat. It was very much at odds with the frenzies they often depicted in movies. That was probably intentional though. “Did you really not eat for a month?” he asked after he felt enough time had passed before he could safely offer a question.

                “Nope,” Yoongi answered, glancing over before taking another sip on his drink.

                “Why were you and Jungsu so different?” he continued, frowning at the sheer chasm of differences in their appearance and abilities.

                “Starvation is usually an involuntary process,” Yoongi exhaled, looking quite exhausted still. “Hibernation is a voluntary choice made after the equivalent of eating a feast and taking a very long nap. Which sounds quite nice right now,” he added with a slow nod and a slight frown.

                Jungkook watched for a few heartbeats more and then offered, “The blood pack doesn’t look like it’s doing much.” When he’d drunk from Namjoon, there was an immediate change. Now…

                “It’s always better from a donor source,” Yoongi answered in a tired offhand manner, eyes drooping as if he was starting to get sleepy.

                Suddenly nervous, Jungkook rubbed the side of his neck and fidgeted in place as he inched that much closer to Yoongi. The vampire noticed with a raised brow but didn’t say anything as he watched the other man mutely. He couldn’t deny that he was still curious and that, paired with Yoongi’s almost pathetic current state, made it hard to resist what he hesitantly, albeit willingly, wanted to offer. “If you want…”

                “Jungkook,” the vampire sighed as if reading his thoughts.

                “…I can be a donor,” he finished quietly with a shrug, keeping his eyes on the space of bedding between them. When Yoongi didn’t answer immediately, he looked up to see that the vampire appeared to be mentally debating with himself, if his glare at the blood pack was any indication. When the silence went on longer than he was comfortable with, he was suddenly filled with awkward insecurity and babbled, “If I’m not good enough…”

                He shifted to move away and then paused with a start when Yoongi’s hand caught his closest wrist in a bony but deceptively strong hold. “It’s not that,” the vampire promised without looking at him yet.

                Jungkook chewed on the inside of his bottom lip and stared at Yoongi’s profile. The vampire wouldn’t look at him. “I just… want to help. I mean… you are my mentor,” he added quietly, wondering if that was a perk or a flaw in this moment. “And there’s not really anything I can do for you otherwise…” he trailed off, feeling his own helplessness keenly.

                “I know,” Yoongi whispered in response, setting the virtually empty blood pack aside on the bed before he looked at the other man. “Are you sure?” he asked holding Jungkook’s gaze when the human finally raised his eyes.

                “Yes?” he responded uncertainly, almost like he didn’t know what the answer should be. When Yoongi gave him a sad smile and started to pull away, he clapped his hand over the vampire’s, keeping it in place around his wrist. “Yes,” he answered again, firmer this time.

                Yoongi held his gaze again and finally sighed, the sound like he was accepting the inevitable. “Where?” he questioned softly, eyes never leaving Jungkook’s face.

                For his part, it took him a moment to realize what Yoongi was asking. Then it clicked. Where did he want the vampire to bite him? On the wrist? His fingertips trailed over Yoongi’s hand before pausing. Or on the neck? He loosely curled the fingers of his other hand into a fist and then placed his free fingers against his neck and shoulder. “Here,” he whispered with an audible swallow.

                “Ah,” Yoongi murmured, nodding once with a glance at the captive wrist under his curled fingers. It seemed as if he debated for a few seconds before shrugging, apparently too tired to object or try to convince him otherwise.

                Jungkook was pretty sure he heard the ghost of a whisper that sounded like, “Damn you, Namjoon,” but he couldn’t be certain. He tensed up slightly when Yoongi shifted closer, his body still chilly despite being awake for some time now.

                “It will sting at first,” the vampire explained, his hands moving to rest on Jungkook’s shoulder and the other side of his neck gently.

                “I figured,” he mumbled back, hands fidgeting in the space between them as he didn’t know where to put them.

                Yoongi obviously realized and grabbed the one, lowering it rest atop Jungkook’s thighs. His other hand followed suit. “Relax,” he whispered, fingers tracing up his arm to return to their perch on his shoulder.

                Jungkook tried. He really did. But the hint of Yoongi’s breath when he spoke tickled his neck and his heart sped up at just how close the vampire was. The weight of Yoongi’s hand on his shoulder was heavy, like he was literally using him as a support, but the touch on his neck was feather soft. Lips brushed against his bare skin and he curled his fingers into the tops of his pants before he inhaled sharply at the pinprick of pain that followed. The feeling disappeared quickly, but hot on its heels was a strange sort of desperation. It made him tense up further until, a second later, it faded just as quickly. In its wake was peace and satisfaction. And happiness…?

                 “Oh…” he exhaled, eyes fluttering at the realization. His hands rose up to tangle in Yoongi’s shirt instead and he smiled and relaxed further, lulled into a sense of almost magical security. “This is… nice,” he laughed once, gasping again when his vision turned sideways as he felt himself lowered to the surface of the bed. “Yeah. Nice,” he smiled, feeling contentedly sleepy then. It was the last sensation he was aware of before sleep claimed him.

                “Miss Hyuna?” the small and tired voice called as she tucked Chan into bed with tender hands before smoothing his messy light brown hair against his head.

                “You can call me mother,” she offered with a light smile as she traced the backs of her fingers against his smooth cheek.

                “I know,” he answered quietly. He was nearly grown but to her, he felt like little more than a child. And in this moment, it seemed all too true with the newness of his surroundings settling in and the nature of his heritage swirling around his mind.

                “Too soon?” she offered with an understanding smile. He shrugged in response, almost apologetic. “It’s alright,” she soothed, smoothing his hair with her hand again. “What was your question, love?” she prompted, wrapping her fingers around his hands on top of the covers.

                “Why did Minzy tell that story tonight?” he wondered, eyes troubled by the nature of what he’d seen. In their depths, she saw a glimmer of blue dancing and her heart ached in fond remembrance for the briefest of moments.

                She paused to think about how to answer first. When she was ready, she asked, “How did you feel with your brothers and sisters when we were telling the story?”

                He frowned in thought, brow furrowing, and shook his head once. “Surprised,” he admitted. Not surprising considering it was a history that was glossed over in most lessons. “A little scared.” Also understandable. The darker parts of history were frightening. Especially those in it that were able to cause such events.

                “Scared is okay,” she promised, patting his hand in a reassuring gesture. “But did you feel in danger at all?”

                Chan shook his head and his eyes twitched in thought. “A lot of it felt very real…” he started to say, looking away as he played the story in his mind once more. “But… it’s not like I was alone. Everyone else was there with me,” he finished, eyes coming back around to look at Hyuna once more.

                “Exactly,” she smiled, pleased by the understanding. “We told that story so you can know where we came from and why we fight so hard for things to change now,” she explained with a bright smile. “So that with your brothers and sisters, in these dark moments, we can come together. It is when we are at our weakest that we find the greatest strengths in others,” she assured him honestly. “Their strength becomes our strength and together, we can stand fast against anything. Even death.”

                “But in the war…” he trailed off, brow furrowing at her comment again.

                “Yes. In the war, before Magic intervened, so many people died for what they thought was right. That is why we need the bonds of family to stay the course,” she explained in a quiet voice.

                “But how do we know what’s right?” he wondered, hands clenching tight to the blanket.

                “What is right is what is best for everyone,” she explained solemnly. “Humans, magical creatures, and all those in between as well.”

                “Yeah, but how do we know what’s right for everyone?” he asked, still confused. The Dark Ages had been fought because both sides thought they knew what was best for everyone through their own views. If both sides thought they knew what was best…

                “That is a difficult question, love,” Hyuna laughed, grabbing his hand and raising it to kiss his knuckles tenderly. “I can only tell you what I know to be right,” she explained, holding his hand to her warmly. “And after being alive for hundreds of years,” she admitted with a throaty chuckle, “I know that it is right to help those who need it. Those who don’t have a voice. Those who have lost their voices. And those we just wish to protect,” she murmured, staring at him intently. “For me, you are one of those people, dear Chan,” she whispered, leaning down to kiss his forehead tenderly.

                “Hyuna,” he grumbled, clearly objecting to the childlike sentiment, though he didn’t resist in earnest. He wasn’t that beyond being a child.

                “Get some sleep, love. We’ll talk more tomorrow,” she promised, kissing the backs of his knuckles again before she sat up and smoothed out the top of his blanket one more time.

                “Okay,” he nodded in quiet understanding, snuggling under the covers further. “Night, Miss Hyuna.”

                “Good night, Chan,” she whispered back, standing up and drifting to the door. Hyuna made sure the nightlight was on and nodded once before stepping out. She wasn’t surprised to see Byunghyun waiting outside, arms crossed, head down and leaning against the wall. His sandy blonde hair was getting long and it covered his eyes. “Yes?” she prompted with a smile, wandering close to lean against the wall beside him.

                “Just coming to make sure he doesn’t have any nightmares,” he answered without looking up.

                “Oh? What about Jisoo?” she prompted, scratching at the side of her face and hiding her smile when he fidgeted in place. His attraction to her was purely familial and yet, it always made him awkward to have it brought to light.

                “Hyunseung offered to bed down with her tonight,” he grumbled, glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes.

                “Ah. Her other big kitty,” she grinned and giggled. Byunghyun rolled his eyes at the comment but it was obvious he remembered the first time Jisoo had seen their true forms. Byunghyun had been first and her babbled word was, ‘Kitty!’ Then she saw Hyunseong. ‘Other kitty!’

                “Yeah well. He’ll keep her calm through the night,” he shrugged. “Seungkwan has Minzy well in hand, as per usual. Though I’ll never understand how those two were drawn together,” he added with a soft laugh and a shake of his head.

                “He helps Minzy see the light in herself,” Hyuna countered without hesitation. 

                He nodded in quiet agreement and then sighed again. “Pity he can’t do that with Hyosung.”

                Hyuna’s brows pulled down and she frowned slightly. “Hyosung’s path is not easy,” she explained with a hand on his shoulder. “Her shadows are far darker than Minzy’s.” Oh, how true that was. Centuries of seeing and dealing with it never made that aspect any easier. “I will stay with her tonight,” she promised before he could say anything else about it. “And the others? I take it Jennie and Mingyu are cuddled together,” she started, listing off the rest of her children.

                “With Wonshik and Joshua tonight. They’re all crashing in Mingyu’s bed, much to his annoyance,” he snorted in amused delight.

                “I imagine that was Wonshik’s idea,” she chuckled fondly.

                “Of course.”

                “Though I would bet he got Joshua to ask.”

                “Likely.”

                “I need not worry about them then,” Hyuna murmured in quiet relief. “And you’ll keep watch over Chan tonight so I know he is in good hands,” she added, petting the top of his head in a motherly gesture. “What would I do without you?”

                “Have a great many more nightmares running around,” he answered in truth, though he laughed as he said it.

                “Indeed. Well, happy watch tonight,” she murmured, letting her hand fall to rest on his shoulder again. “And don’t worry about Hyosung. Okay?”

                “Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled, waving her off with a lackluster gesture. She started to walk away and then paused, glancing over her shoulder when he called after her, “Have a good night, mother.”

                “You as well, love,” Hyuna called back, gracing him with a beatific smile before she continued on her way.