Ravi stood behind Ken, leaving a gap of a few feet between them as Ken opened the front door. Tall, dark hair and dark glasses. Ravi could feel a deep violet energy around him. Like royalty, intense and commanding. The man removed his glasses and beamed a less than impressed look right at Ken. Ravi’s face pinched a little with irritation.

“What are you doing here?” Ken asked, honest disbelief in his voice.

“I called like 7 times.” Ravi had expected a voice that matched the intense demeanour, instead it was a soft whisper-like tone. “You never check your phone.”

“I-” Ken cut off and shifted a little on his feet. Ravi bit down a smile and continued his examination of the newcomer.

“Have you been eating? You’re thin.” The man pushed into the house gently, Ken peeling aside easily. “Oh, hello.” He seemed to have finally noticed Ravi.

“Hi.” Short and curt.

“Leo, this is Ravi. Ravi, this is an old friend from university; Leo.” Ken spoke, his voice slightly timid.

“Nice to meet you,” Leo nodded, eyes sweeping over Ravi closely before apparently losing interest and turning back to Ken. “Why haven’t you been answering my calls? I’ve been worried.”

He didn’t sound worried, he sounded… bored.

“I know. I just…” Ken sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “You want a cup of coffee?”

Leo nodded mutely. Ken moved past both of them, eyes down.

Ravi sized Leo up one more time before giving a sardonic gesture for him to lead the way. He was offered a blank look in reply before Leo walked away. Somehow it irritated Ravi even more than an actual retort.

Ken’s hands shook as he brewed coffee. He kept his eyes locked to it, waiting for Leo to start pestering him to leave, to come home and give up.

“This is amazing,” Leo’s whispery voice called, “I can see why you chose here.”

“Uh,” Ken turned, finding Leo at the windows of course. “Yeah. It’s… pretty magical.”

Ravi was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed and his glare burning into Leo’s back. Typically, Leo wasn’t paying the slightest attention. Ken tried to wave Ravi down with his gaze, not wanting sparks to fly between the two.

“Is everything OK?” Leo asked abruptly, turning to face Ken.

“Yes.” The word jumped out in such an unconvincing way that Ken sighed and his mouth wrinkled in dismay. Ravi gave a short sigh of laughter and shook his head. Leo simply moved over to the bench and fixed Ken with his profound eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

Ken hated that gaze, the earnestness of his eyes and words. It made everything so much harder.

“I… just wasn’t expecting you.”

Leo smiled slowly, knowing Ken so well that he could see through the words.

“Ken,” Leo’s voice was amused, “I came to see if you were OK. Everyone is worried about you.”

“Stop it.”

Ravi’s expression turned to surprise as Ken snapped at Leo.

“Ken,” Leo’s voice was firmer now, losing its breathy quality and becoming steely.

“No. I don’t want to hear it. I made my choice.”

“You need to hear it,” Leo retorted, fixing a glare at Ken.

“No! Why can’t all of you just understand that I’m living out here. This is what I’m doing! Why is that so difficult for you all?”

Leo’s mouth was open, a reply about to slip off his tongue and slap Ken in the face when there was a loud knocking on the front door again. Ken, wanting to escape Leo’s wrath as quickly as possible, scampered out of the room to open the door. Slipping by Ravi easily as the other man wandered into the kitchen properly.

Ravi was left alone with Leo. The man ran his hands through his heavy black hair and sat at the table, staring at the floor deep in thought. Ravi thought he looked slightly defeated, he could understand though. Arguing with Ken was like arguing with the sky. It would listen patiently, hear out all of your grievances, and then do whatever it wanted anyway. It was one of the beguiling things about him.

“You must be the artist pet?” A new voice cut through the peaceful air of the house. Ravi’s head snapped around, eyes wide with what might have been fear. He knew that voice. It sounded surprisingly sober for once.

“Maybe,” Ken replied, his voice coming nearer.

“Where is he?”

“In here.” Ken reappeared, face unreadable. Behind him, flouncing in a dramatic manner, was N.

“You’re here! Again!” N almost yelled at Ravi. “You know you have friends and family in the city that would like to see you again someday?”

“I know. I like being here,” Ravi smiled in reply.

“And you,” N rounded on Ken, “What exactly are your intentions here?”

Ken simply stared back. Ravi winced.

Leo’s head rose slowly and his own expression was incredulous as N’s judgemental eyes shifted from Ken to Leo and back again.

“Well,” Ken folded his arms and smirked. “My intention was to get in his pants, steal all of his money and talent. Oh, not to mention his soul because I’m a vampire.”

Ravi ducked his head and bit his lip at Ken’s reply.

“Excuse me?” N’s voice was dripping with acid.

“You heard me. Vam-pire. I need his soul. For my collection.” Ken needled him further. “I mean, really! What were you expecting me to say? You came into my house uninvited and insulted me off the bat. I’m not some young bimbo you can intimidate.”

N’s mouth opened and closed several times.

“You can treat me like an actual human being or you can leave.” Ken finished. He then turned to Leo. “And you can be a friend, accept that I’m staying and doing this or you can leave too.” His eyes fell on Ravi, holding back laughter as he watched N’s face. “And you can run away again for all I care at the moment too. I’m sick of all of you. This house is too crowded.”

With that Ken his heel and strode from the room. A moment later the front door snapped shut and silence descended over the house again.

“Well,” N’s hands settled on his hips, “That was dramatic.”

Ravi felt a wave of amusement rush through him, dampened by his concern for Ken.

“Excuse me,” Leo spoke from the table, “But who are you?”

“Cha Hakyeon,” N flourished a hand. “And you?”

“Jung Taekwoon, I go by Leo. But I was actually