It was about half an hour later before Minghao finally had the guts to leave the bathroom and face Junhui again. He had spent only ten minutes doing the actual showering and the remaining twenty minutes were of him debating between emerging from the bathroom and spending the rest of his life inside it.

Now dressed and with his towel draped carelessly over his shoulders, Minghao stood in front of the bathroom door. He had one hand on the doorknob but he wasn’t quite ready to step out of the bathroom. The blond boy was so confused and his thoughts went wild as he tried to figured out what had exactly went wrong earlier. What did I do to make Junhui ge so distant? Was it something I said? Or did I really stink that badly?

Just to be sure, Minghao sniffed at his new shirt but he smelt nothing out of the norm. Then again, didn’t Junhui ge said that only vampires could smell this kind of things?

Drawing in a deep breath to steady himself and calm his nerves, Minghao finally opened the bathroom door and took a step out. Almost immediately, his eyes locked onto Junhui who was seated on the kitchen floor with the refrigerator door open.

“Junhui ge?” Minghao blurted out in surprise and the vampire’s head snapped up in a flash at his voice. His pupils were blown wide with lust and he was breathing haggardly.

Not meaning to, Minghao let out a quiet gasp of surprise when he spied Junhui’s extended fangs, which were made more obvious by the artificial refrigerator light hitting it and giving it an extremely eerie look. Paired with Junhui’s unusually pale face and tight features, Minghao couldn’t help but think that this was the closest he had ever seen the elder resemble a typical vampire.

With his hands clenched into two tight fists, Junhui looked pained when he whispered the younger boy’s name softly, “Minghao.”

At that moment, everything fell into place — Junhui’s sudden aloofness towards Minghao, him not breathing around him, his extreme care in not touching the younger boy — and Minghao felt himself stiffen in apprehension. He stood rooted by the bathroom entrance, not daring to move an inch, be it closer or further from the tensed Junhui.

A pregnant silence befell the kitchen with the only sounds being Junhui’s heavy, erratic breathing. He was hunched over, his legs pulled close to his chest and his body was as taut as a stretched rubber band. But it was his pained facial features that forced words out of Minghao’s mouth, breaking the quietness.

“Are — Are you alright, Junhui ge?” Minghao cautiously asked, his voice steadier than he expected from himself. Once the words left his lips, Minghao immediately mentally smacking himself. Of course, he's not alright! Does he even look alright?

As if he could read Minghao’s thoughts, Junhui gave him a weak smile of amusement as he answered comfortingly. “I’ll be alright.”

Which means that you’re not alright now. With wide eyes, Minghao stared at Junhui, feeling quite incredulous at his blatant lying. He still couldn't believe that the vampire was trying to shoulder everything by himself at a junction like this when he was most definitely in help of help.

“I don't think so.” The blond boy retorted in response, quite hotly, before concern filled his eyes. His hand instinctively rose as he stepped towards the brown haired boy. “Junhui ge, what can I do to help —”

“Stop!” Junhui ordered, his voice weak but still pulsed with natural authority. Almost instantaneously, Minghao froze on the spot with his hands awkwardly raised as he paused mid reach for the other boy. He wasn’t sure of where he had done wrong but Junhui’s command was too assertive to ignore.

“Just don't come any closer to me,” Junhui continued, his voice trembling ever so slightly as he did everything in his power to restrain himself from pouncing on Minghao. Despite himself, Minghao felt a stab of pain at the order and his hand fell helplessly to his side.

Words tumbled messily out of his lips as Junhui quickly explained the situation, his eyes glassy with bloodlust. His voice increase in pitch with every word, as did his breathing until he was nearly gasping for air. “I just haven't drank in a while — and — and there's no more blood bags in the apartment. But I’m thirs — thirsty — for blood — and I’m not used to going without blood for so long and — and — and it’s making me weak and feeble and vulnerable and it’s difficult — really difficult — to control myself.”

The vampire stumbled over his words, making them an agitated mess of syllables but somehow, Minghao still managed to discern his words from each other and his heart ached at how wretched the elder sounded. It was utterly appalling and distressing to see the usually confident and composed, eloquent and expressive Junhui reduced to a bloodthirsty shell of a person, too consumed by bloodlust to even articulate his words comprehensibly.

“But,” the single word made Minghao focus on the elder again.

“You don't worry have to worry, bǎobèi,” Junhui anxiously reassured, his foggy eyes meeting the blond boy’s worry stricken eyes. A reassuring albeit shaky smile appeared on his still handsome face. “I can still control myself. I won't drink your blood.” There was a note of solemnity in his tone that made the sentence seem like a vow.

“Junhui ge...” Minghao whispered softly, a strange mixture of love and fear bubbling in him. He was scared out of his wits for the elder but he was also filled with love for him. How is it that you're thinking of me when you’re supposed to worry for yourself?

“As long as you don't come any closer,” Junhui reminded quickly, still smiling at the younger. Minghao halted and blinked once; his fangs were still elongated and it gave his smile a predatory feel.

Even though he clearly knew that Junhui meant it to be reassuring, Minghao still felt the sting of rejection. Tentatively, Minghao suggested with a hint of fear, “do you need me to call Soonyoung hyung? Or Chan? Maybe they can get you some blood bags or something.”

“It's alright. I’ll call them myself.” Junhui smiled faintly at the younger. It was getting more and more difficult to think the longer Minghao was here. Lying beneath the impure’s foul stink, Minghao’s own scent was overwhelming and tempting. He was so close yet so far at the same time and Junhui’s throat was aching so much for blood to make everything better again.

Junhui swallowed once to ease the pain in his throat. “If you don't mind, could you lock yourself in the bedroom first? I need a bit of air.” Junhui requested, sounding polite and stiff. “I’ll come get you when I’m alright so stay in there for the time being.”

His words were curt and short; he didn't want to breathe in anymore than he needed to. Despite the impure’s stench on him, Minghao still smelt delicious and simply mouthwatering.

Nodding his head in understanding, Minghao hastily made his way out of the kitchen. But at the doorway, he looked back and apologized meekly with sincerity, “I’m so sorry for putting you through this. This is all my fault.”

Junhui didn't really comprehend Minghao’s confusing words but he didn’t dwell on them for long. Instead, he held his breath and waved him away frantically. Minghao scurried away quickly with his cheeks flushing in shame for a wrong Junhui wasn't aware of. Once he heard the bedroom door lock click into place, Junhui released his breath and almost regretted it immediately.

The kitchen and bathroom were filled with Minghao’s scent, tempting the vampire mercilessly, and Junhui groaned at the unfairness of the world. For a vampire feeling bloodlust, it was pure torture to have a living, young human with a beating heart and pulsing blood be in the same apartment as him but was untouchable and undrinkable for he was protected by Junhui’s own morals and honour. In all his years of living, Junhui was never as tempted as he was right then but he can’t give into his baser instincts.

“I’m not going to drink from Minghao,” the vampire adamantly instructed himself even as his throat burned for relief. He forced himself to recall Minghao’s elated face when he made the promise and for one short respite, Junhui’s head was filled with Minghao’s face and smiles and laughter.

Minghao, I won't break my promise, Junhui promised in his mind feverishly as he forced himself to stand up. He made his way to the dark living room where he had left his handphone on the sofa and sat on it with an exhausted sigh.

Blindly groping for his handphone, Junhui dialled a familiar number, his fingers moving of their own accord. However, the call went straight to voicemail and Junhui swore furiously at his terrible luck under his breath before leaving a message.

“Soonyoung, I need a favour.”

This is all my fault. Minghao moaned mentally as he paced around in the guest bedroom. His towel laid abandoned on the bed even though his hair was still wet and beads of water flew into the air each time he turned around sharply at the end of his walk. He wasn’t sure how long he had been pacing needlessly in the bedroom; it felt like it had already been hours but Minghao knew better.

Minghao ran his fingers through his moist curls, berating himself ruthlessly, “I knew that there was only one blood bag left in the refrigerator but I didn’t tell Junhui ge. Now, he’s suffering and in pain and it’s all my fault.”

Without meaning to, Minghao turned his head to glance at the closed bedroom door. His legs automatically brought him towards it and he pressed his ear eagerly against the cool wood, hoping to hear at least something.

However, the apartment was entirely silent and told Minghao nothing of Junhui’s situation. Thought after thought raced in his head. Has he called Soonyoung hyung? Is he coming over right away? Is he even coming? How far is his house from here? Is he taking public transport? What happens when a vampire doesn’t drink for a long time? His slender fingers reached up to touched at the unblemished spot where the impure’s bite marks previously were and a shiver went down his spine.

“This is all my fault. I can’t let Junhui ge suffer because of me,” Minghao whispered forlornly, his mind made up, as he turned to lean against the door. Guilt chewed at his heart relentlessly and he sank to the floor, pulling his legs up to his chest.

Obedience to Junhui was the only thing keeping him from dashing out to offer the brown haired boy his blood. The sight of a suffering Junhui kept plaguing Minghao, as if taunting him for his negligence and forgetfulness, and making him feel more guilty as time went by. The blond hugged his knees as his guilt ridden heart ached with worry for the vampire behind the door.

The sky was navy blue when Minghao was unceremoniously awakened by a loud thud. Without a second thought, Minghao jumped to his feet and was wrenching the door open before he even remembered Junhui’s words. The moment he was out, Minghao could already spy Junhui lying on the floor near the sofa.

“Junhui ge!” Minghao cried out in distress as he hurried to the vampire’s side. As gently as possible, Minghao managed to get Junhui into a sitting position as the elder slowly opened his eyes.

“What are you doing here?” Junhui demanded weakly, shoving at Minghao. His eyes flashed with righteous fury and bloodlust but Minghao wasn’t daunted by the ferocity of his gaze. “I told you to stay inside until I tell you otherwise. What didn’t you —”

His sentence broke off abruptly as Minghao placed a firm finger on his lips. Eyes widening, Junhui audibly swallowed as the fire in his throat burned more fiercely. He tried to move Minghao’s hand away but Minghao grabbed it in mid air with his other hand, kneeling in front of Junhui.

“I’m not going to leave you in the lurch,” Minghao insisted, his voice louder than Junhui’s feeble one. He stared at Junhui with overwhelming love in his eyes and then pointedly brought Junhui’s hand to his chest, resting directly over his beating heart.

“I thought about it and I’ve made up my mind.” Minghao shared with unbreakable resolve. “I love you, Junhui ge, and I don’t want to see you in pain. This is the only way I know I can help you so please, let me help you.”

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