Quite bored, Yoongi leaned hard against the front entrance desk and groaned. Due to being caught breaking Namjoon’s orders, he had Sanghyuk’s position tonight. It rubbed him the wrong way, since he was a Rank 3 and long past this duty, but it made sense. Punishment wasn’t supposed to be fun. His biggest gripe was that Jungsu had absconded with Jungkook most of the day as well so he didn’t even have anyone to commiserate with. It still surprised him that he’d wanted to take Jungkook to see his family home though…

                Grumbling under his breath, he scratched at his cheek with a pointed fingernail and frowned. He hadn’t wanted to go home in… years now. But when he remembered Jungkook’s bright smile as he asked for an in-person demonstration of a vampire’s speed, it had felt like the best destination: not too far away and safe enough even beyond the boundary of the city. With the memory, a slow, goofy grin made its way to his lips in response and he smacked himself in the face. “Quit that,” he mumbled, glancing around to make sure no one had seen him.

                The hall was empty, as usual, and he felt slightly foolish for admonishing himself but he was also aware that Namjoon was often watching. The Vampire Lord had an uncanny ability to find him when he wanted to. Well, anyone in his Coven for that matter, but still. It was mildly embarrassing - like being a teen that had been caught sneaking out of the house - that he’d been commanded to sleep, though it could have been worse. If it had just been him without Jungkook, it might well have been. Namjoon had been known to thrash his deviant members a time or two in the past.

                Stifling another groan, he looked at the door with an almost wistful longing, half hoping something would happen to break the monotony of his early evening. How did Sanghyuk do this every night? Had it always been this boring? And where was Wonho? He usually came down to pester whoever was here if he was in residence. “Right,” he answered his own question, placing his thumbnail between his teeth. “Patrolling.”

                That turned his mood sour again since he had no distraction to hold his attention. The mimic was still out there. And he was stuck here… The reminder grated worse than the punishment did and he had a sudden inexplicable urge to head out and track it down himself. It was tempered by the immediate thought of how Namjoon would react if he did, but what if it really was the mimic from that day? The mere thought made his gut twist. His chest itched and he pushed away from the desk to start pacing. One rotation did nothing to calm him. A second didn’t either. On his third, he turned to head for the front door and then abruptly did an about face when he felt familiar power surge.

                Just as he scrambled back to his post, Jungsu popped out of the shadows with Jungkook in tow. “Home at last!” the Rank 4 grinned, gesturing broadly with a glance that touched upon Yoongi and then slid over him with practiced ease. Their relationship still wasn’t any better…

                “Whoa,” Jungkook exhaled, shaking his head with wide, slightly glassy eyes.

                Yoongi tried very hard to feign indifference, but he recognized that sign and it sparked a flare of irritation in him. “How far did you travel through the shadows with him?” he demanded, leaning forward slightly with his fingers splayed on the countertop.

                Jungsu patted the younger vampire on the shoulder and nodded encouragingly before he turned a much more neutral expression on Yoongi. “I showed him Namjoon’s family castle on the mainland,” he answered matter-of-factly, almost daring the younger vampire to say something else.

                “You brought him straight back?!” he nearly choked in muted outrage.

                “He’s fine, Yoongi,” the vampire reminded him, practically rolling his eyes as he gestured at Jungkook.

                “That’s not the point!” Yoongi snapped back. “Of course he’ll be fine, but that’s a distance you have to work up to for a new vampire,” he added, stalking around the desk and approaching the pair so he could look Jungkook over for himself. “Besides. I’m the one that’s supposed to be training him in shadow walking,” he muttered, letting his hands ghost over the younger vampire’s form to make sure he was whole and otherwise unharmed. There were plenty of things in the shadows that wouldn’t mind tasting a delectable Rank 1 like his protégé…

                “I’m fine, Yoongi,” Jungkook laughed, grabbing both hands in his and nodding reassuringly, albeit slower than usual.

                “See?” Jungsu added with another pointed gesture at the younger vampire. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go find my mentee,” he threw in for good measure, the reminder a definite jab at Yoongi.

                He ignored it and focused on Jungkook instead. “You’re sure you’re fine?” he asked, staring into Jungkook’s eyes like he was looking for something amiss.

                “Really, Yoongi. I was just a little dizzy. It’s alright,” he promised, laughing and actively trying to soothe his mentor.

                Jungsu only listened with half an ear as he slipped between shadows on the first and second floor and exhaled for Namjoon’s benefit. “Happy?” he grumbled, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall as they looked down on the pair from the safety of their cloaked selves.

                “Quite,” Namjoon nodded, his tone as neutral and unreadable as his face.

                “I still don’t understand why you had me bring Jungkook back immediately. We weren’t done yet and your family will be rather annoyed with the sudden departure,” he cautioned, eyeing the vampire lord with a sidelong look.

                “They’ll forgive me,” Namjoon promised, a charismatic grin gracing his features. “How was Jungkook today?”

                Jungsu gave the other vampire a confused look for a second and then shrugged. “He was fine. Nothing out of the ordinary. Lots of questions about vampire homes though…”

                That made Namjoon chuckle and he nodded along. “Good.” When he looked at Yoongi and Jungkook again, he laughed with a shake of his head. “Dummy.” Then he turned his attention back to Jungsu with a sudden shift in seriousness. “I’m going to be meeting with the potential new recruit tomorrow and will be negotiating a trial period. You’ll be in charge in the interim, but,” he added, pointing a finger at him to stall any preemptive comment. “Yoongi will be on a temporary year long probationary period… for breaking the rules,” he trailed off and then finished with a wave of his hand and a coy smile.

                “What?” Jungsu frowned, glancing down at the pair and then motioning at Namjoon in an obvious, ‘Why?’ gesture. His expression matched it but the Coven Leader didn’t seem to notice.

                “Continue Sanghyuk’s instructions. We’ll probably try giving Wonho more seniority and agency in his runs and it might be time to start thinking about letting him try for a Rank 3 upgrade. He’s been itching for a recruit himself-”

                “Namjoon,” Jungsu tried to interrupt, but the other vampire continued.

                “-and it would be good for us to have another new vampire to add to the fold,” he finished, turning his focus on his second.

                Frustrated, the second exhaled and motioned impotently with his hands. “Why do you keep babying him?!”

                That made Namjoon chuckle but it only irritated Jungsu more. “I know you don’t always agree with my decisions and I respect that about you, Jungsu,” he promised, turning serious as he gave the other vampire the full weight of his attention. “You are welcome to question and to demand answers, but I need you to trust me if I don’t give them.”

                “Namjoon,” Jungsu exhaled, rolling his eyes. “I do trust you, but it’s frustrating when you let him get away with so much…” he ended, obviously wanting to add something else but professional enough not to.

                Namjoon nodded in understanding agreement. “You’re right. I do, but you’ll understand one day. I promise,” he spoke, clapping the other vampire on the shoulder with his hand and looking him in the eyes. “For now, I leave the Coven in your hands on the morrow. I’m not sure when I’ll be back but I’ll let you know,” he added, expression turning thoughtful as he considered the timeline. “As always-”

                “If anything happens, yes,” Jungsu scoffed with another eye roll. “I’m not Yoongi. I know the drill,” he added, the comparison eliciting a raised brow but nothing more from the Coven Leader.

                “Good.” Apparently satisfied, Namjoon smiled and nodded once before turning and heading back into the heart of the coven, leaving Jungsu alone with his thoughts and the inane chatter of Yoongi and Jungkook below.

                The pair were currently resting against the entrance desk, shoulder to shoulder as they talked about something. In a far cry from their energy from before, they seemed genuinely at ease and happy, for lack of a better term. It was just frustrating for him. Given Yoongi’s power, especially in light of his healing that Hunter not that long ago, he probably should be a Rank 4. Or damn close to one, but he was insufferably lazy and reluctant to move up. And he was afraid that trait would rub off on Jungkook, though if their interaction today was any indication, it was likely something he didn’t really need to worry about.

                But apparently, that wasn’t much of his concern either. “Some days, it feels like I’m the only one that much cares about this Coven,” he exhaled with a pained sound. But at least he had instructions for the next part. And he still had to get back up with Kyuhyun to see if there had been any new developments with the whole Hakyeon thing. It was troublesome enough having one werejaguar running around. Now the mimic was copying him and making two of the bloody creatures…

                Okay. So maybe a year long punishment probationary period seemed a little extreme, but considering Namjoon ordered him to essentially ‘chaperone’ Jungkook, there were worse things. Then again, Yoongi’s social game was a bit rusty, spending time at lounges and clubs notwithstanding,  and after their rest and literal housebound day yesterday, Jungkook apparently seemed bound and determined to personally introduce him to his friends. It was possible he already knew Yoongi knew next to everything important about them, but that didn’t stop him from wanting them all to meet in person.

                Apparently, in Jungkook’s absence, Yugyeom had opted to fill in at the bakery and since he was known by Sandara and Liza, it had been a relatively easy training period at Pan’s Pan. By Jungkook’s reckoning, they were lucky since all the people he wanted to see were working on the day he wanted to go see them. They didn’t want him to come during the day but convinced him to make plans to swing by near the end of the day when their shifts were ending so they could all gather after work.

                Needless to say, Yoongi was not thrilled about such an encounter. He was happy for Jungkook and couldn’t ignore the sheer amount of lively energy that infused the younger vampire at the thought, but it was not something he was touched by in turn. Normally, he’d just shield himself from their attention if he wanted to sit in on such a gathering, but he was forbidden to do so this time since he was supposed to be a part of it. And he had no problem with Sandara. A half-satyr was someone at least moderately relatable. Liza and Yugyeom though… especially the latter… he had his reservations about. Yugyeom had been cleared of any connection with the chimera from the previous year but it was still going to take him some time to accept that.

                All of that aside, they did get Jungsu’s reluctant permission to head over as it was getting dark – Yoongi let Jungkook do all the talking since he seemed to have better luck with the Rank 4 – and then he had to steel himself for a different kind of gathering. There were a couple lingering customers enjoying their coffees and goodies in the shop when they arrived. All three gave Jungkook an enthusiastic greeting that did not extend to Yoongi.

                “The runaway son has returned!” Sandara beamed, her announcement calling Liza out from the back and Yugyeom out from the restroom, a flustered expression on his face.

                “You have terrible timing,” he laughed, hastily finishing drying his hands on his pants while he moved to stand next to Sandara.

                Liza’s eyes were sharp as she looked him over and then added, “I thought you said you were bringing company?”

                “Huh?” Jungkook blinked in surprise, his smile slipping as he looked at Yoongi next to him. “I did,” he responded with a snort and a raised brow at the other vampire. “Yoongi,” he stated, nudging the other vampire with his elbow.

                Yoongi wrinkled his nose and shuffled in place. He glanced up at the three himself, contemplating if he really wanted to do this, but Jungkook was still watching him and it had seemed very important to him earlier today. “Fine,” he groaned, dropping the semi-automatic attention shield he’d put up as soon as they left the coven.

                “Oh!” The collective gasp of recognition was surprised and amused at the same time, making the Rank 3 feel even more out of place than usual. The amused sound came from Sandara, a bemused look on her face, but then she snorted as she got a look at her companions’ surprised faces. “First time seeing magic?” she asked in a teasing tone.

                “No!” they spluttered in unison, cheeks tinging pink at the comment. “He just looks different from the pictures,” Liza bluffed, earning a snort from Yoongi in the process. “What’s so funny?” she asked in a quieter voice, torn between being flustered and intimidated.

                Yoongi shook his head and glanced at Jungkook who was looking at him with a warning expression. It was obvious he wanted Yoongi to play nice. “Nothing,” he waved off, letting his smile widen when he saw Sandara pick up on the humor.

                Bless the half-satyr, but she could obviously see the effect Yoongi’s presence was having on her companions. “Why don’t you two have a seat?” she urged, gesturing towards the half of the shop that was still open and untouched. “Liza. Go check on our other customers,” she encouraged, her voice low so that they wouldn’t hear but still loud enough for Yoongi to pick up on. “Yugyeom, could you take care of the rest of cleaning in the back?” she urged, giving them tasks to focus on before she moved over to check the register and then swung around.

                “Busy as always,” Jungkook smiled, his face warm and welcoming as Sandara swung around and plopped down next to him, slinging an arm over his shoulders in a friendly gesture. Yoongi had to fight an unexpected but brief flash of jealousy at the display and he wrinkled his nose once before glancing at the other two and then at Jungkook.

                Jungkook followed his gaze and then looked to Sandara himself. “I thought they’d be more excited to meet Yoongi,” he admitted, just a bit put off by their reaction.

                “Oh, they are,” Sandara encouraged, giving him a tighter squeeze and touching him under the chin with the knuckle of her finger. “But your friend here is not doing a very good job of hiding his energy,” she explained, giving him a knowing sidelong look in the process.

                 “I was shielded when I came in,” he defended himself, shrugging as if that should explain it.

                Sandara rolled her eyes and gave him a raised brow look. “You know what I mean. My dad’s got a Rank 2 friend who visits somewhat often and he feels no different than a human when he’s around. You,” she pointed at Yoongi, “still feel like a vampire right now.”

                “Really?” Jungkook blinked, completely lost in regards to the difference.

                Yoongi sniffed once and shrugged again, leaving room for Sandara to speak up once more. “Trouble is,” she continued, removing her arm from Jungkook’s shoulders to lean on the table and get a closer look of the other vampire. “I can’t tell if you’re doing it intentionally,” she mused, her eyes darting to where Yugyeom was last seen, “or not.”

                It would have been amusing if she wasn’t so on the nose with her breakdown of the situation. He wasn’t entirely sure himself. “Fine,” he gave in, rolling his shoulders with a glance at the nearest customer – a bird person, if he wasn’t mistaken, that kept glancing over surreptitiously – and actively tamped down on his energy signature. He was a little out of practice indeed.

                “Oh,” Jungkook murmured in surprise, blinking a couple times when he noticed the difference. “I see. It’s still you, but not YOU,” he explained, gesturing with both hands and emphasizing the shift with his tone.

                “Exactly,” Sandara agreed, winking at Jungkook with one brown eye and then shaking her head in Yoongi’s direction. “Want anything while you wait? We don’t do a lot with OPs but my dad does insist we keep a couple just-in-case-supplies in the back.”

                “We’re good,” Yoongi answered before Jungkook could. At the younger vampire’s look, he motioned with one hand to show he’d explain in a bit, and then nodded at Sandara.

                “Alright. Just checking.” She straightened up and lowered her voice so that the vampires would hear, “We’re just waiting for the last of our customers to head out and then we can get ready to close up ourselves.”

                Both Yoongi and Jungkook nodded in understanding and watched the young woman move to help with the closing time ballet. One of the guests got up to get one more thing on the way out and then the bird person finished his drink before departing as well. Yoongi was quite comfortable just sitting and watching but it was obvious Jungkook was antsy and itching to do something. With a pretty good guess, Yoongi offered, “You can go help them if you really want to.”

                “Yeah?” he responded with just a touch too much enthusiasm. Smiling abashedly, he ducked his head and murmured, “You sure you don’t mind? I don’t want to make you feel abandoned.”

                “Go,” Yoongi nodded with a snort and a wave. It was amusing but he was touched all the same.

                “Okay! We’ll be done before you know it,” Jungkook promised, practically dashing from his seat to run around the back and offer his help. Unintentionally, he surprised Liza and Yugyeom with his vampire speed, and even Sandara was a bit taken aback to find him suddenly there. “Sorry!” he grinned, rubbing at the back of his neck in chagrin.

                They waved it off easily enough and accepted him back into the fold like it was nothing, all smiles and welcoming energy. Yoongi felt a pang of uncertainty at watching them. Jungkook fit in with them so well. Had he made a mistake in turning him and taking him away from being a human? Just as quickly, the feeling passed with the reminder that it had been Jungkook’s choice, but it didn’t change the fact he’d been much more isolated from the outside world of late. For Yoongi, that was fairly normal. For someone like Jungkook… not so much.

                Their conversation and banter reached him easily enough and though he wasn’t a part of it, Jungkook did look up often enough to make eye contact and keep him ‘included’ that way. He refused to let Yoongi feel completely isolated and it was cute. Except when their conversation turned to him like they forgot he could almost literally hear everything. Okay. So Jungkook remembered if that sly smile and mischievous glint in his eyes was any indication. But he doubted Liza knew he heard her ask about Yoongi being Jungkook’s mentor or something more by now.

                It almost made him smile though the corners of his mouth twitched beyond his control. “Guys,” Sandara chided them gently, a knowing look sliding in Yoongi’s direction.

                Liza giggled and immediately fled into the back while Yugyeom gave Jungkook a buddy nudge with his elbow. “We’re almost done,” Jungkook called out, laughing as he gently shoved Yugyeom with one hand.

                “Take your time,” Yoongi encouraged, finally letting a smile play on his lips. It was nice watching this side of Jungkook. He wouldn’t say it directly, but there was often this little crease of worry hiding between his brows when he looked at Yoongi, especially with everything that had been going on lately. Oh, not always. There were definitely moments it disappeared entirely, but he was carefree here and it was a nice change to not have the mores of the coven looming over them.

                The leftover goods were pulled out and put away. Tables were wiped down and floors mopped. The register was counted out and double checked before being closed. Jungkook came back to stand beside Yoongi, one hand brushing against his shoulder as a reminder of his presence. Liza and Yugyeom leaned against the edge of the counter, mirroring each other while they watched Sandara finish up, expectantly waiting for her to give the signal.

                “Finished!” she cheered at the front door after locking it up before dusting her hands off and reaching back to undo her apron strings with a bright grin.

                “Woohoo! Time to go!” Liza added, skirting into the back to drop off her work stuff and pick up her casual attire.

                “Come on,” Jungkook urged, tugging at Yoongi’s sleeve to get the other vampire moving. “We’ll head out the back.”

                “Oh,” he chirped in acknowledgement, staying close to Jungkook as they moved. Yugyeom gave him a nervous glance – mere human nerves – and hurried after Liza to get ahead of them.

                Sandara was waiting for them at the back, almost miraculously getting out before everyone else. “One, two, three,” she grinned, tapping each subsequent person on the head until Yoongi came out. “Four,” she added, tapping at the space above his head with a wink and a glance at Jungkook.

                It was so unexpected and beyond anything that usually happened, Yoongi genuinely didn’t know how to respond for a second. His brow furrowed slightly and he looked at Sandara, glanced at where her fingers had very nearly touched him, and then looked over at Jungkook himself. The younger vampire’s smile was not the answer he was looking for but it was apparently the only one he was going to get. At last, Yoongi snorted and rolled his eyes. “Okay,” he scoffed softly with a dismissive shrug. When Jungkook nudged him happily with his elbow, it was almost enough to make him smile. Almost.

                “Right! So where we going?” Liza asked, a furtive glance landing on Yoongi before she focused on the rest of the group. She had stationed herself right next to Yugyeom and he made her look quite small in comparison.

                “We could always go to the Siren’s Den,” Yugyeom suggested with a nod towards the heart of the city.

                “Eh. Too lively,” Sandara waved off with a glance at the vampires.

                “There’s that underground place-“

                “Lively,” the half-satyr interrupted, leveling an amused look at Liza this time.

                Oddly, Yoongi had a thought but in this company, it felt strange to offer his own suggestion. He didn’t know anybody enough, but he did know Jungkook and that the younger vampire was at least a little bit hungry. Trying to be discreet, he covered his mouth with one hand like he was thinking and murmured, just loud enough for Jungkook to hear, “Ask if anyone is hungry.”

                Jungkook stiffened slightly and looked at him, almost like he was trying to make sure he’d heard correctly. Yoongi gave him another look and a minute dip of his head towards the group. His protégé raised a brow but shrugged and raised his hand. “Anyone hungry?”

                There was a brief lull as the three mostly humans looked at each other and nodded in hesitant agreement. “I could go for a bite,” Liza agreed, flashing a bright smile as she looked up at Yugyeom. “He owes me dinner anyway,” she added, her head jerking back in mild surprise when she saw the looks turned upon her. “He was late the other day and I had to cover for him.”

                “I promised her food,” Yugyeom admitted with an easy shrug.

                “So what are we feeling?” Sandara hummed, tapping at her bottom lip thoughtfully as she otherwise moved them away from that topic.

                Still feeling awkward, Yoongi cleared his throat softly and offered, “I know a place.” Not unexpectedly, all non-vampire eyes turned to him. Clearly, they were hesitant to ask, so he nudged Jungkook, hoping the vampire would understand.

                “Bubble Juice?” he wondered, shutting it down immediately. “No. They’re closed.” The trio gave the vampires a curious look. “Selken Novelties?” Yoongi’s glare appeared and intensified slightly. “No. Also closed,” Jungkook laughed, almost theatrically smacking his head. Again, the trio’s looks grew even more curious. “Oh! Magic-“ he started to say, holding his finger up and pausing at just the right letter to give Yoongi hope. “Potions Station!”

                Gesturing between the two, though his finger stayed pointing at Jungkook, Yugyeom asked, “You guys actually go to those shops?”

                Yoongi felt betrayed until he saw the all too cheesy grin on Jungkook’s face and realized the little brat was messing with him. Fine. “Yes,” Yoongi admitted, rolling his eyes in a practiced gesture of sufferance. “But only when he asks nicely,” he added, gesturing at the vampire beside him.

                To his frustration, Jungkook leaned into it. “But the BOP is so good,” he sighed, childishly shuffling in place.

                “Ugh. Get away from me,” Yoongi scowled, stepping aside as he desperately tried not to laugh at his absurd antics.

                Sandara had no such reservations. She laughed freely and shook her finger at Jungkook. “Bubble O Positive, in case you were wondering,” she explained for Liza and Yugyeom’s benefit. They likely would have never had to wonder what the BOP was on the menu anyway.

                “Yoongi,” Jungkook whined, still playing the child as he followed the other vampire, much to the added amusement of the humans nearby.

                “This kid,” Liza laughed, smacking Yugyeom on the arm.

                Yoongi gave Jungkook a disdainful look and raised a hand like he was going to smack him before dropping it almost immediately. “Magical and Mundane Diner,” he grumbled with a glance at Sandara. “They’ve got stuff for everybody and they almost never close,” he continued with a shrug, feigning indifference. It was a familiar and comfortable place for him, which he figured he’d need with this crew. Plus… all sorts of rumors floated around inside.

                “Oh! I’ve heard it was pretty good,” Sandara grinned, actually excited about it.

                “Never heard of it,” Yugyeom admitted, his brow furrowed.

                “My dad swears by it. I’ve just never had much reason to head to that side of town for food,” she explained with an easy shrug. “It’s a fair walk but if we catch a bus, it shouldn’t be too bad.”

                “Do they have pancakes?” Liza asked, looking at Sandara expectantly and then giggling happily when she nodded.

                “Was that so hard?” Jungkook asked, leaning close enough to nearly rest his chin on Yoongi’s shoulder as they started following along after the trio.

                “Brat,” Yoongi grumbled, elbowing him gently in the ribs.

                “Old man.”

                “You-” Yoongi started to complain before Jungkook was already gone, fleeing to the humans’ sides.

                 They jerked in surprise and then laughed when Jungkook pretended to be afraid. “Help!” he cried, dramatically cowering behind them.

                It was almost annoying. Almost. But with all the ridiculousness, both Liza and Yugyeom had forgotten to be nervous about him. He half-suspected Sandara had been aware of what was happening – damn half-breeds and their weirdly good perceptiveness – but it was kind of nice to just be. It felt almost like back at the coven but with more… life. Huh. “Yeah. You better run,” he grumbled, crossing his arms and playing up the grumpy vampire bit as he continued to bring up the rear.

                Jungkook’s smile was worth more than a night of absurdity and he beamed as he turned his attention to Liza and Yugyeom again. They didn’t know it, but Yoongi could see he was buttering them up, working them like putty in his hands. It could have been a smidgeon of his vampiric charm and if it was, it was good practice.

                His grumpy frown smoothed slightly when he noticed that Sandara had drifted back to walk next to him. Not so close as to touch but enough to be within easy talking distance. “So even the surly Yoongi has a soft spot,” she teased with a wrinkled nose.

                He shrugged. “Just looking after my mentee.”

                “Sure,” she nodded in easy agreement. “Is the food really as good as they say?” she asked, turning the topic deftly.

                Yoongi considered giving her a flippant or even sarcastic response, but that wasn’t really fair to Fei and her crew. “Yes,” he confirmed with a solemn nod. “It is.”

                It was a strange night for Yoongi, what with the humans and the half-satyr, but it was weirdly pleasant. Especially with Jungkook’s facilitative company. The insufferable but endearing little .

(a/n: Gotta admit, it took a turn for the normal I was not expecting, but I do hope you're enjoying. I doubt it'll last long as I've got some stuff brewing in the back, but it was kind of fun to take this almost break. haha Thank you for reading and I hope you look forward to the next update!)