Love _{means exposing yourself to the pain of being hurt, deeply hurt, by someone you trust.}

        Worry. That was the first thing that entered Taehyung's mind as he watched Seokjin disappear into their shared bedroom. For almost two years now the two had been dating and Taehyung was absolutely serious about their relationship. He loved Seokjin with all of his cold, dead heart. 

        Letting out a sigh, he gathered up his courage and followed Seokjin into the room. He pushed open the door and spotted a form on the bed bundled in all of the blankets. Taehyung couldn't help but laugh at the cute sight.

       Slowly, and obviously trying to push back the revelation as much as he could, Taehyung moved towards the bed and sat at the edge. He poked the blanket bundle and the form moved in response.

        "Hey!" Seokjin laughed as he poked his head out from under the blankets. His brown hair was a mess and Taehyung leaned over, carding his fingers through his boyfriend's hair in attempt to fix it. Once he was satisfied, he sat back and looked Seokjin over. Taehyung loved everything about him. His charismatic smile to his warm gaze. Everything about him was inviting and the younger was afraid he'd lose that.

        "Seokjin..." Taehyung began. The tone alerted Seokjin and the younger could see that he was becoming worried. "There's something I need to tell you."

        Taehyung could definitely tell Seokjin was worried. He could hear Seokjin swallow a lump in his throat; his heartbeat began to beat nervously and Taehyung began to feel guilty about keeping this secret for so long.

       "You're not going to tell me you have a family on the sidelines, are you?" Seokjin joke but the attempt was feeble as he laughed nervously. 

        "Jinnie," Taehyung used his nickname for his boyfriend. Reaching out, he took the older male's hands and focused on them before his lips. With a mental push of encouragement, Taehyung tore his gaze away from their hands and focused them on Seokjin. "No, it's nothing like that. I don't have anyone else. I love only you and I hope you remember that."

        "Of course I do, Taehyung. I love you, too." Seokjin offered a smile and that helped encourage him more.

        "Jinnie, I promise you I'm not crazy. I just want you to trust me, okay?" He his lips once more. "There are...things...here that exist. Things that you would have only believed to exist only in movies or stories. Well, they exist in real life."

        A look of pure bewilderment crossed Seokjin's face and Taehyung figured he'd just have to spit it out quickly. It was now or never. He heaved sigh before continuing, "Seokjin...I'm a vampire."

        The reaction he received next was something he wasn't expecting in the slightest. As soon as he revealed what he was, Seokjin burst into a fit of laughter. He held his stomach and continued laughing until his eyes began to water.

       "And...you're laughing," Taehyung noted in confusion. He didn't know whether or not to take the humorous outburst as a good thing or not.

        "I'm sorry, but I thought you were going to tell me something serious. You had me worried!" Seokjin wiped a tear from his eye and patted his boyfriend's shoulder. "I honestly thought you were going to say you wanted to break up or you cheated or something like that!"

        Taehyung frowned as he realized Seokjin hadn't taken him seriously. Although he didn't blame him. To mortal ears he assumed that sounded absolutely absurd He had dealt with multiple situations. Taehyung had been born a very long time ago and he had multiple lovers. Most were casual flings, but he was dead serious about Seokjin. Taehyung felt that the older male was someone he would be able to spend the rest of Seokjin's life with. Because he was immortal, Taehyung assumed he'd outlive Seokjin, but that wasn't the problem. Right now, the problem was to try and convince Seokjin that he was telling the truth.

        "Jinnie, I'm being serious. I'm not joking." Taehyung's expression was definitely serious and that caused Seokjin to halt his laughter. 

        "Oh...you actually...Taehyung, are you alright?" Seokjin leaned forward and pressed the back of his hand against Taehyung's forehead. Stifling a sigh, Taehyung gently pushed his boyfriend's hand away.

        "I'm a vampire, Seokjin. I don't get sick." Despite telling the truth and worrying about the reaction, Taehyung didn't think he was a bad person. Of course there was that lust for blood, but he controlled it fairly well. He didn't feed on live humans anymore and instead stole blood bags from the hospital. He worked as a doctor so he had an easy access to a large supply. With an infinite amount of years to learn, a doctor was something Taehyung found comfortable. Sure, he looked fairly young. He was turned at a young age, but he could pass for his mid-to-early twenties. 

        "You're a doctor, Tae. I'm sure we can find you some help through colleagues." Seokjin also turned serious as he tried to convince Taehyung that he was insane. He moved closer to the younger, his hand resting on his thigh. 

        "Look, Jinnie, I'm perfectly fine. I'm healthy...sort of. As healthy as a century old man could be." This time it was Taehyung's turn to try and lighten up the mood. "But I'm serious, Seokjin. That supernatural world is very real and as long as you're with me, you're a part of it."

        Seokjin opened his mouth to protest, but didn't have time to respond as Taehyung took his hand and placed it over his chest. Where the pulse of a beating heartbeat should be, there was only silence. "Do you feel that, Jinnie?"

        Furrowing his brows, Seokjin seemed confused. "I don't feel anything."

        "Exactly." That was the answer Taehyung had been searching for. He didn't have a pulse because he had been dead for seventy years. 

        Growing worried that his boyfriend's heart didn't seem to be beating, Seokjin didn't come to the conclusion that Taehyung was a vampire. Instead, he reached out and pressed his two fingers against Taehyung's neck. "Tae, you should have a pulse. What's wrong? Did you take something? Are you okay?"

        "Like I said. I don't have a pulse because I'm not human. My heart stopped beating long ago. I am a vampire and I can't change that." Seokjin's expression dropped, but Taehyung could tell he still wasn't completely convinced. Figuring he only had one more option left to prove himself, Taehyung cupped Seokjin's face and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead before dropping his hands. "I want you to trust me. I need you to trust me." 

        Seokjin offered a small smile and Taehyung felt relieved. However, he still scooted back, creating a bit of space between them. Taking in a deep, but unnecessary, breath, Taehyung closed his eyes. He allowed his thirst to take control, only for this second. It wasn't enough to want to feed, but it was enough to change his appearance. His eyes darkened, his irises being completely consumed by his pupils. He opened his mouth to reveal a set of sharp fangs. 

       Taehyung barely had time to regain his composure as Seokjin let out a startled cry. He stumbled backwards, falling off the bed. He didn't stop there as he awkwardly crawled backwards until his back was pressed against the wall. "S-Stay away from me. Whatever you are." 

        At the reaction, Taehyung felt his undead heart drop into his stomach. This wasn't what he wanted to have happened. "Seokjin..." He reached out to the person he loved, but Seokjin flinched, his eyes closing tight as if he expected Taehyung to strike him. It stung. Instead, Taehyung had felt like he'd been struck. The one person he loved more than anything else was utterly terrified of him.

        "Seokjin, I won't hurt you-"

        Taehyung was cut off as Seokjin let out a growl, "Don't touch me. Don't come near me." Although his words were a command, they faltered and Taehyung could here his frightened heart beat.

        "What are you?" Seokjin pressed himself entirely against the wall, trying to create as much distance between him and Taehyung as possible.

       "I told you. I'm a vampire. I promise I won't hurt you." Taehyung remained sitting on the edge of the bed. Of course he had encountered terrified people before, but never had he loved any of them. Most had just been passed victims, but that was in the past.

        "You won't hurt me, but have you hurt other people?" 

        Taehyung swallowed a lump in his throat and turned his gaze away. He had. He had killed numerous people but over time he had gained control over his hunger and now he had forbidden himself to ever feed on a human. 

       Seeming to find his answer and calming down just a little, Seokjin nodded. "How old are you then? A thousand?"

        Taehyung found this answer amusing, but he refused to laugh. "No, actually, I'm about ninety. I was turned at the beginning of the Second World War. There was a general who was a vampire. He turned people who seemed like they would be willing to fight against Japan to free Korea from rule. I was one of them. We had inhanced hearing, speed, and strength. We couldn't die from a bullet wound. A wooden stake, like the myth, to the heart was the only way to kill us, but nobody knew that. We were unbeatable. Unfortunately, I didn't have the control to focus on defending my country. Instead, I ended up slaughtering countless people. I am a monster, Seokjin. I was created to destroy, but not anymore. I heal. I have been a doctor for numerous years. I wanted to focus on doing good."

        Despite trying to repent, Seokjin didn't seem to be focused on that. "Slaughtered...multiple people?" He pressed his lips together, and finally rose to his feet.

        Taehyung expected he'd be scolded and then forgiven, but that wasn't the case.

        "Out." Seokjin's tone was cold. He pointed to the bedroom door, never taking his gaze off of Taehyung. "I want you out of my apartment right now. Vampires shouldn't exist. You shouldn't exist. You should have died long ago. I don't ever want to see you again."

        His words stung. Taehyung could feel the strings of his humanity being roughly tugged as he was being sent away like some stray. Actually, it was worse than a stray. He was seen as a murderous monster by the single person he wanted to be with more than anything. However, he couldn't blame him. Over the last handful of decades, Taehyung had been constantly kicking himself for his actions in the past.

       "You're a murderer. I can't forgive that. I don't want to see you, Taehyung. Get the hell out!" Seokjin's voice raised and he reached for the nearest object. A picture of the two cuddled close together lay in reach, but Seokjin didn't care as he hurled it towards the abomination. 

        Taehyung's reactions were much faster than Seokjin's. With his supernatural speed, Taehyung sped out of the bedroom and out of the apartment. He disappeared into the shadows of a nearby alley. The vampire could hear the picture frame crash against the wall, the glass shattering upon impact.

        Taehyung held his chest. Despite it not beating, it ached with an incredible amount of pain. There wasn't anything he could do. He had been honest. Yet, he lost the love of his immortal life.