"I'm jealous." Sooyoung's confession comes out of nowhere as Jongdae shifts his head to look at her from the balcony, the moonlight hitting their queen just at the right angle that adds to her ethereal beauty since her turning (not that she isn't pretty before).

Jongdae has to say motherhood does agree with Sooyoung, the younger still spotting the additional glow that has nothing to do with the enhancement of their vampire genetics despite it being thirteen years since Luna's birth.

It still amazes him to think back when he first felt her presence; the rush of unexplainable emotions and the tears that had streaked his face unaware while he was on a hunt. It was as though a freight train hit him from the blind when he stumbled and dropped to a crouch, uncaring if a rogue could sneak an attack on him. Jongdae could only be thankful the group had decided to split up for their search that night because who knows how long Chanyeol or Baekhyun would hold his weakness over him (a century is nothing).

"Jongdae?" Small hands frame the side of his face, snapping him back to the moment as his gaze focus on the child in his arms; the very presence who'd brought meaning into his entire being. Jongdae leans in to nuzzle his nose along baby soft cheeks when an exaggerate groan pulls him away from the young child to laugh at Sooyoung.

"You know she's my Lifemate, right?"

"You know she's my daughter, right? My very underage daughter." Sooyoung retorts back, stretching her arms out for Luna whom Jongdae relinquishes with mock unwillingness, not before he feels the subtle brush of lips against his cheeks during the switch over.

"I am going to overlook that, Luna Wu. Don't think mommy didn't see what you did." Sooyoung lightly taps her finger against her daughter forehead before squeezing the younger closer to herself, breathing in the light lily scent Luna favors (which she later found out was because it's Jongdae's favorite flower).

"Daddy isn't going to be as easy on him." Kris voice appears before the man himself as their King vaporizes beside his wife on the swing, pulling her in for a kiss that has Luna squirming out of Sooyoung's arms, reaching for Jongdae once again.

"You heard your dad. I wouldn't want you to suffer the consequence of losing your Lifemate before you even hit puberty and I love you too much to die without watching you blossom into the beauty that you already are." Throwing Luna an apologetic grin and a sneaky air kiss, Jongdae disappears for his rounds outside the perimeter.

Pushing her parents' face apart, the thirteen years old glares at the King and Queen of the vampire race with all the displeasure she could muster and her frown deepens when they merely laughs at her effort.

"No baby we're not laughing at you... well, not exactly. But you're so cute, daddy just wants to keep you in my pocket and protect you from everything and everyone out there." Kris easily lifts his growing daughter up to sit upon his shoulders as he walks them leisurely along the length of the balcony.

"You're bias daddy, and because I'm petite. But the two of you know you have to let me stay by Jongdae more often. We're paired the moment I'm born and our connection is deep. Even now I ache without him; I can't imagine how much worse it is on Jongdae." The maturity of her pleading, so at odd with her age, brings a bittersweet smile to Sooyoung's lips as she wonders when had her daughter grown so much.

Setting Luna down on her feet, Kris rest a gentle hand on her head with a rueful smile while his gaze tracks Sooyoung's movement as she joins them by the railing, her arms molding his waist with ease and familiarity. His daughter' words ring true; he knows. He'd felt the pain and agony himself some stupid years back when he'd refuse to acknowledge his wife as his Lifemate. More than anyone else, Kris knows what Jongdae must be going through and perhaps it's a deliberate petty part of him but he wanted someone to share the pain he'd gone through.

He feels the squeeze of Sooyoung's arms around him and nods at his daughter. "Stay with him this day then. Jongdae should be done in another hour or so. Don't wander out of the house without one of the guards or your uncles if Jongdae isn't back to accompany you."

With a salute and a wide smile, Luna vaporize from sight, leaving the couple snuggling against each other. Sighing, Kris rubs his chin against the crown of Sooyoung' head and pulls her even closer against himself, despite the distance (or lack of it) between them. It is no secret about the King's weakness even though he knows Sooyoung can more than hold her own in a combat but now that Luna is in the picture, Kris can never let his guard down for a minute. Be it female or child, his enemies know no bound when it means destroying the race's King in the grand scheme.

"It's a good thing you're smothering me and I can't see that scary frown I'm sure you're sporting right now." It no longer surprise him how she seems to know his very nuance even without looking but fills him with affection with the thought of how closely she must have studied him to derive this knack.

"Sometimes I love you so much I just want to lock you up and keep you away from any of this bull you have to put up with being my Queen." Kris chokes a little at the not-so-weak punch his wife delivers to his side but it effectively lightens the mood.

"Do that and I'll never forgive you Wu Yifan." Sooyoung glares at him when he merely grins back at her. "I know you worry, and you're right to do so. But I'm no amateur when it comes to combat and if anything, you'll always come for me, just as I'm sure Jongdae would for Luna. Have a little more faith in your elite team member and more importantly, your friend."

Kris sometimes wonders if Sooyoung knows just how easily she guides his perception with her simple logic and tames the irrational part of himself that clouds so many of his judgment when it comes to the people he cares for and love. Scooping his wife easily up into his arms, he carries her back into their room and gently arranges her on the bed before wrapping himself around her and feeling himself finally regaining a semblance of peace for the day.

xoxo

Jongdae feels her presence even before he fully materialize in his room, the usually sarcastic tilt of his lips easing to that of a gentle curve when he spots the small lump curled on his bed, face buried against the pillow he always sleeps on.

He pauses by the bed, staring at the only purity that is his other half; a stark contrast against what his life had always been, before moving on almost silent feet to the bathroom. Only when the bloodstain that coats under his nails swirls down the drain in faded pink with the excessive shower foam and his stained clothes exchanged for soft fennel pajamas did Jongdae return to the bed, gently combing his cleaned fingers through Luna's baby soft tresses.

"You don't have to always do that before coming to me, you know. I chose to accept you, Jongdae. The darker side of you included. What you do each night protects our race and that is nothing you should be ashamed of. You kill to keep us safe; to keep me safe."Luna slowly opens her eyes to look at Jongdae, her gaze devoid of the usual bleariness she has when she wakes from her sleep.

He gathers her into his arms to breath in his favorite scent; a mix of lily and something uniquely Luna. Jongdae sometimes wonder if he deserves this - this happiness that so many others fail to find  but came to Jongdae almost on a silver platter when he isn't even looking for it.

"You're over thinking... again. Want me to shed my title as Princess and we'll flee to the most uninhabitable place on Earth?"

"Your parents will still be able to come for us and before sunrise I'll die headless."

"Cheers to that." Luna deadpans without missing a beat and Jongdae lightly taps her on the nose as a reprimand. "I had a talk with mom and dad... About spending more time with you. Dad may be intimidating on the surface but it's obvious he approves of you."

Still holding on to her, Jongdae carefully arranges them under the cover until Luna's head is comfortably nestling on his arm, their bodies press close against each other. He begins her hair like he does in the rare times Luna sneaks into his bed and stays for the day till her breathing deepens and evens out under his ministration.

She's asleep now, my King. I'll keep her safe, not just for tonight.

Jongdae waits, not knowing how long he's been holding his breath till a gruff deep bass carries through his mind and a smile quirks his lip.

You think I don't already know that? You're not just any bodyguard for Luna; you're also her Lifemate. I'd know how you feel better than most. I'm just... well, that's my daughter you're holding onto. It's my job to be a jackass to you, you know... as a father-in-oh lord I can't complete that. Anyway, go to sleep... and thanks.

Jongdae feels the solid block in his mind and knows Kris has completely shut off their connection but in a long while now, he can finally breathe easier. Kris can be a pain in the half the time; more so when he's now their King, but when it comes to Luna, Jongdae can understand where the older is coming from. So no matter how snide and harsh Kris is towards him regarding Luna, Jongdae never truly took it to heart (how can he when Sooyoung will always dispel any misunderstanding right on the spot?).

Leaning in to kiss her forehead, Jongdae consciously matches his breathing with Luna and falls asleep with his body curled protectively around her.

 He don't need any warning from Kris to remind him of how precious the little girl in his arms is because from the moment Luna reached out for him to be held moments after birth, Jongdae already knew she's be more important than even his own life.