chapter 3

There's pressure against his abdomen and his muscles contract as his body activates its fight or flight response. To what, he's not sure, because it all happens so fast. It feels like someone's punching him and he grunts at the contact, vision blurry and the world spinning around him. He stumbles backwards, and despite the screams and shouts that fill the air around him, he's unable to really hear anything except the pounding of his heart and the sound of blood rushing to his ears. 

It doesn't hurt, not yet, but he's just so confused. 

When he looks down, though, he sees blood. There's a hand pressed up against his stomach and, oh God, he thinks. Held tightly in the hand is a knife, most of the blade disappearing into Sunggyu's flesh. It starts to hurt then, a blinding pain that spreads from his abdomen to the rest of his body. He's not sure if it's the pain or if it's the hot, red blood that's making him dizzy but whatever it is, he finds it hard to stand. 

His knees buckle and he falls to the wet concrete in a shaking heap. The air is too cold and he can't breathe, he can't breathe, and God it hurts. 

Sunggyu doesn't get the white light at the end of the tunnel, or the flashing memories of a life too short. Instead, he feels dread. He feels fear. And, before he blacks out, he realizes that he's crying. 

____

A warmth envelopes him and he sighs into it. He's comfortable, a lot more comfortable than he's been in a while. Sunggyu’s eyes flutter open then, and he curls his fingers into the fleece blanket covering him. He blinks a few times and as he comes back to his senses, he realizes it doesn't smell at all like his ty apartment. There's no underlying smell of mold and weed from the next-door-neighbour. In fact, it smells quite nice -- like flowers and vanilla. 

In fact, it doesn't look like his apartment either. He sits up quickly and his heart fills with dread. He's not wearing his own clothes; the black button-up and black slacks are definitely not his. His heart really can't take any more of this, and it sputters as he starts to panic. 

He scrambles backwards, unaware of where the bed stopped, and consequently fell off the edge. He expects to fall on his like an idiot but instead he lands in two arms, sturdy and warm. He makes an odd gurgling sound in surprise and when he looks up, he sees the last person he'd ever think to see. 

The model from his art class -- Woohyun -- is there, holding Sunggyu securely in his arms, knees on the floor. He's looking down at Sunggyu like, like he's relieved. Sunggyu doesn't know if it's the shock, but he's unable to move or even breathe. Woohyun's looking at him and, from this close, Sunggyu feels something much stronger than the first time he'd seen Woohyun. He'd first seen Woohyun from across the room and now up close he can see every detail of Woohyun's face. And it's doing odd things to him.

"You're awake," Woohyun whispers and it's so soft and affectionate that Sunggyu feels himself melt a little. 

Still unable to string together a coherent thought, Sunggyu sputters nonsense instead. 

"I know you're confused and scared. But you need to listen to me, Sunggyu."

At the sound of his name, Sunggyu finally starts and he finds his words, nonsensical as they may be, "W-where am I? Why are you here-- I don't understand--"

Woohyun places his index finger over Sunggyu's mouth, quieting him. But Sunggyu scrambles out of Woohyun's arms and presses his back against the bed, eyes wide in fear and confusion. 

"Let me explain," Woohyun says softly. "Do you remember anything? It happened two nights ago-- after you left the restaurant your work at."

Sunggyu thinks about it and it's there, but it's vague. He can see short flashes of images, hears screams. But he can't quite put the pieces together.

"No," he says carefully, "I don't really remember. What... what happened to me?"

"You... were attacked. By some maniac with a knife. But--" Woohyun grabs Sunggyu's wrists as Sunggyu goes about searching himself for a gaping stab wound, "You're fine. I healed you."

Sunggyu shakes his head, not believing what he's hearing. "I-- I don't understand. If I was stabbed, how could I be fine? In... you said two days. Two days?" 

"It's possible, Sunggyu. Let me show you," Woohyun says, shifting closer. Sunggyu tenses up as he watches Woohyun raise his own wrist to his mouth, biting down roughly. With a sharp intake of breath, Sunggyu slaps his hand over his mouth as he watches in horror. When Woohyun pulls away from his forearm, he shows Sunggyu the bite marks, skin red and dripping with hot blood. He's about to say something, maybe scream, but then the blood is stopping and Woohyun wipes it away so Sunggyu can see the wound closing in a matter of seconds. 

"How did you--" Sunggyus says.

"I'm a vampire," Woohyun answers. "I gave you my blood to heal you."

Sunggyu reaches out tentatively to touch the spot where Woohyun's wound once was. Everything feels so real -- the rapid beating of his heart, the smell of a meadow. Woohyun's skin is cool and pale, and Sunggyu stares in awe at the unblemished skin. 

When Sunggyu retracts his hand, still unsure if he's dreaming, he pinches himself. The pain is real, that's for sure, and so he can't be dreaming. 

Sunggyu pauses, uncertain of where to go from here. Woohyun had given him enough proof that he definitely wasn't human and he isn't quite sure what it is but the panic is going away and his muscles are relaxing. "But how do you know who I am? And how am I here? If... if you gave me your... b-blood, then am I a vampire, too?"

Woohyun smiles slightly, a comforting smile that puts Sunggyu at ease. "No, no, don't worry. You're still very much human. As for how you're here and how I know you... will you even believe me?" 

"Try me," Sunggyu says, and he tries to make it sound confident but his voice shakes slightly. 

"In truth, I've known you for a long time. And, well... to put it simply, there's a bond between us. It was always there, ever since I first saw you. I had a bad feeling something would happen to you so I was in the area just in case. I was too late, but I gave you enough of my blood to heal you." 

Sunggyu feels a little dizzy and he sways as he blinks rapidly, trying to process the information. Woohyun notices this and, faster than Sunggyu can see, lifts him up bridal style and lies him down on the bed. Sunggyu lets him do it and instead he takes the opportunity to look around the room. 

The room is quite large, perhaps even the size of Sunggyu's entire apartment. It's furnished lavishly, all glossy mahogany and gold ts. 

His panic is completely gone now, replaced by a lethargy that makes his eyelids heavy and limbs weak. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Woohyun sit on the bed and he watches as Woohyun makes his way over, sitting beside Sunggyu. He reaches out to brush Sunggyu's bangs out of his eyes. It's so affectionate, it makes Sunggyu's heart flutter. 

"I know it's a lot to take in. But now that we're bonded, you'll be in danger if you're on your own. I-- I'm worried. I want you to stay with me," he says softly. 

"I-- Woohyun, I don't even know who you are--"

Woohyun cups his face, leaning close. "I'm sorry, I really am. But you do know me, you just don't remember. And I'll wait. I can wait forever for you."

Sunggyu looks into his eyes and he finds it hard to look away. When Woohyun touches him, he can't find it in himself to fight back or even want to fight back. It's like he knows him, like they've known each other since they were children. But maybe they have. 

He can't explain the feeling he gets from Woohyun, but he... trusts him. "I- I just don't know," he whispers. 

Woohyun nods, Sunggyu's cheek with his thumb. A vampire, Sunggyu thinks. And he really can't find it in himself to be afraid. 

And then Woohyun kisses him and time stops. Birds sing and the sun shines and it all starts to feel right. His world rights itself and Sunggyu whimpers into the kiss, a feeling he can't describe overwhelming his heart. The universe stretches and bends around them, stopping just for them. It's all too much at once and he can't, he can't--

Woohyun pulls away, and Sunggyu swallows hard.

What is happening to him?

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