Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Jungkook was pissed.

He’d woken up chained to a wall- seriously, how stereotypical is that? The first thing he noticed upon regaining consciousness (after the chains- they were too obnoxious to ignore) was that the clothes on his body were not his. Too soft, too baggy. Who had dressed him? Fuck if Jungkook knew; he’d been out cold for god knows how long. Last thing he remembered was…was…nothing. Everything felt fuzzy, too out of reach.

It was almost too dark to see anything, but Jungkook had better vision in the dark than most people. He was in a small cell, maybe eight by eight feet. Cold concrete lay underneath him, bars for walls all around him. How the fuck did he get to a place like this? The room seemed to be set up with four cells on each wall- eight in total, and his was on the far end. Jungkook could see huddled bodies in several of them. “Hey…hello?” he called out.

The bodies didn’t move, and a frustrated sound fell from his mouth. He pulled violently against the chains locked around his wrists. No give- they were sturdy. Jungkook stood up and pulled harder, and harder- fucking nothing. Nothing except swollen wrists. He grunted angrily and kicked with his bare feet at the place where the chains hooked into the wall instead.

“You’re not going to achieve anything kicking the wall. You’ll just tire yourself out.” A voice came softly from the cell to the right of his.

Jungkook’s head whipped around. “Hello? Who are you? Where- where are we and how the fuck did I get here?” Questions spilled from his mouth like a fountain and he knelt down, scooting as close to the cell next door as the chains allowed.

“My name is Jimin. You?” The huddled figure struggled to sit up, propping himself against the wall.

“I’m Jungkook. Where are we? What’s going on?” Jungkook tried to move closer, but only found himself jerked back by his shackles.

“Shhh, you need to be quieter,” the boy called Jimin urged nervously. “They’ll hear you. Stop moving your chains and speak quietly.”

Jungkook hadn’t realized his voice was raised. He cleared his throat carefully, and the next time he spoke it was low. “Who’ll hear? Who brought me here?”

Jimin sounded bone tired as he answered, “You’re in a vampire nest. You were taken to be a nestling.”

Vampires? Jungkook knew that they existed, he’d learned about them in passing in his classes at school. But they were rare, a small portion of the population. Generally kept to themselves, living in rural areas so they could feed on animal blood. And nestlings…he’d heard the term, but his head was pounding and he couldn’t quite remember what it meant. He couldn’t think clearly about anything, really.

“I can’t remember…what are nestlings?”

“Food. You’re here to feed the nest. Blood is a precious commodity around here,” Jimin muttered.

“But vampires feed on animals, don’t they? Why would they want to feed from me? Why…why- I don’t understand,” Jungkook said.

“Not all of them. These ones certainly don’t. Too close to the city to have access, I think. They keep us here, in the blood bank- that’s what they call this building. They come to drain us every couple days, depending on how many of us in here are at a time. They won’t kill you- they take just enough so you’ll survive but they get their fill. There’s not many of them, or else they couldn’t survive on so little blood. Anyway, that’s what they call us, nestlings. Seems too nice of a word if you ask me.” Jimin’s voice was bitter. “They probably took you from the city, right? No friends or family nearby? That’s how we all were. And now we stay here, as food, until we fuck up or they get tired of us. Then we’re replaced.”

Jimin’s words were eerily correct. Jungkook had just moved to Busan a month ago for school, leaving his family behind. He’d been so busy with his new job and his schooling he hadn’t made any close friends yet. No one would know where he was- his boss would just assume he bailed on her like so many students did; she wouldn’t care enough to look into it any further than that. His family…fuck, he wished he could speak with them.

A sliver of hope flashed through Jungkook’s mind as he rapidly patted down his pockets, hoping for his phone…nothing. Of course, it made sense they would have taken his phone away as well. He’d been stripped of his belongings, his clothes, and his dignity in one fell swoop. Even worse, Jungkook had no fucking idea how these bloodsuckers even got him here. His spotty memories meant he didn’t even know if there were any witnesses to the kidnapping- no idea if he had any hope of being rescued.

“How long have you been here? How do we get out? I need to get out of here,” Jungkook asked as he stood up, examining the wall behind him for any weak spots.

“You don’t. You don’t escape, ever. If you try to escape, they kill you and they replace you. I’ve been here for six months and I’m pretty sure I’ll die here eventually too.” Jimin’s voice was disconcertingly calm and it made Jungkook feel sick. He pushed down the feeling, and found anger taking its place.

“This is..this is fucking sick. This is bullshit. I don’t want to be here; they can’t keep me here against my will. I’ll fight them if I have to, I’m going to get out of here,” he spit. He couldn’t keep still, his body pulling and pulling on the chains, loud as they clanked on the concrete. Jungkook could vaguely tell that he was panicking, but his mind felt a million miles away and his body acted on its own. His hands were shaking, he could tell that much, but he clenched them into fists instead.

“Stop it! Stop, you’re being too loud, they’ll hear you!” Jimin’s otherwise tired voice seemed upset, urgent. “I know you’re scared, but you need to take a deep breath and calm down. Nothing good ever comes from them paying attention to us.”

“Who fucking cares! The fuckers can come whenever they’d like, I’ll take them down as soon as they do!” Jungkook’s breathing was coming faster and faster. His body was a tight coil, ready to release at any moment. He wanted to fight something, anything, but the only thing there was those stupid fucking chains, so he pulled and pulled and pulled until blood dripped from his swollen wrists.

“Fuck fuck fuck, this is…no, you need to stop. You’re bleeding, they’ll smell it. Stop!” But Jungkook couldn’t. He needed to get the fuck out, away from this claustrophobic hellhole.

A door slowly creaked open at the end of the room, and Jungkook saw Jimin immediately drop like a sack of potatoes, unmoving on the floor. Jimin’s chest was moving rapidly, but the boy was obviously pretending to be asleep. A dark figure gracefully stepped through the doorway, locking it behind him. Jungkook stood, panting heavily, and waited for the man to approach.

Jungkook squinted into the dark. The figure was a man, looked to be maybe in his late twenties or early thirties- though if he was a vampire who knew how old he actually was. He had a fairly attractive face, maybe a little bit plain. Strong jaw, and a smirk that seemed to be cemented in place as a facial feature. Jungkook didn’t recognize him. “Hey, let me out of here! You can’t keep me in this place, asshole!” Jungkook called. He tried to keep the uncertainty and fear out of his voice, letting anger take their place instead.

The man didn’t answer right away, but kept moving closer. As he approached, the air seemed to grow thick and overwhelming with something Jungkook couldn’t quite describe- electricity buzzing in the cell around him, a powerful aura that screamed “danger”. In a choice between fight or flight, Jungkook had always been one to fight. However, now, his body seemed to be taking the previously unknown third option- freeze.

His body was stock still as the newcomer finally stopped in front of his cell. After watching Jungkook for a moment, he pulled out the same ring of keys he’d used for the front door and unlocked the cell. Jungkook’s heart leapt, though he still had no plan to get out of the chains and through that open door. He willed himself to move, to do something- but he felt frozen in place.

The man, sickening smirk glued to his face, strode up to Jungkook and placed a hand gently on his cheek. Too intimate, too close, too much, Jungkook’s mind screamed, as the air around him was getting more and more suffocating. A shaky breath escaped his lips and the man smiled. It could have been a charming smile, if they’d met in a bar somewhere, or in class, or in any other situation. This meet cute wasn’t exactly ideal though, and the amusement quirking his lips just made Jungkook feel…small.

“Jeon Jungkook, yes? Beautiful name for a beautiful boy. I’m glad to see you’re awake. I’ll have to thank Minsoo for finding you. We were running out of nestlings, and I would have taken most anyone- but I’m glad it’s you we get to welcome as our guest. It’s very nice to meet you. My name is Lee Jaesung- for now, at least.” His voice was deep and his words flowed together more elegantly than Jungkook had expected. Jaesung’s thumb stroked down Jungkook’s face and he couldn’t help but shiver as cold fear dripped down his spine.

Jungkook tried to speak, to yell, anything, but all that came out was a whimper. Jaesung chuckled softly. “It’s alright Darling, I’ve been told that I’m quite intimidating. On purpose of course- can’t have the food getting up and walking away.” Jaesung removed his hand from Jungkook’s face and instead took a gentle hold of his manacled wrists. “I do apologize for this. While I wish we could let you roam free, unfortunately past experiences have taught us that isn’t the wisest course of action. We’ve found that nestlings should be carefully monitored, controlled. Otherwise we risk losing our only source of life. Hear that, Jungkook? You’ll be keeping me and my nest alive. What an honor that is. We greatly thank you for your assistance.”

Jaesung was too close, too much, and Jungkook couldn’t breathe. He wanted to pull his hands out of Jaesung’s grasp, to hit him, try to grab the keys, anything- but his body wouldn’t let him. Or maybe not his body, but the aura the vampire seemed to be purposefully shrouding him in. All he could do was keep eye contact, his glare never letting up. Jungkook would not be giving his captor the satisfaction of seeing him look down, seeing him look frightened. He was, of course- but hell if he’d give the bloodsucker the satisfaction of knowing that.

Jaesung sighed wistfully. “You do smell wonderful, and I wish I could feed from you right now. Regrettably, I already had my drink this morning- we’ll have to wait until tomorrow for our first meal together. But…” Eyes growing a little darker, he lowered his mouth to Jungkook’s wrists, still bleeding. Jungkook could only watch in disgust as he licked a long stripe across his skin, lapping up the blood that had gathered there. “I’ll never turn down a midnight snack.”

With that, Jaesung stepped back, exiting the cell. After it had once again been locked up, Jungkook made eye contact once more. “Wonderful to make your acquaintance, Darling. I’m looking forward to our next meeting,” Jaesung said, flashing that smile again, and finally walked away.

It wasn’t until the vampire had locked the front door behind him that Jungkook’s muscles unfroze. He collapsed to the ground, breath coming much too fast to be normal. He was going to die here. He was going to live a miserable existence, being drained of blood to keep others alive, and the last thing he’d see before death would be that asshole’s smug face. He couldn’t fucking breathe, he couldn’t- he-

Jimin pushed himself back up to a sitting position, scooting close to Jungkook’s cell. Jungkook vaguely noted that Jimin wasn’t chained up like he was as he pulled himself up to the bars separating their cells. “Hey- deep breaths. I know, it’s scary the first time they use their thrall. It’s supposed to be scary, they like to make us feel inferior. You get a little more used to it over time, I promise. Please, take a deep breath. In and out.”

Jungkook did his best to listen. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. His breathing slowed, and Jimin kept talking. “You’ll be okay, I promise. I’ve been here for like forever, I’m still okay. I’ll be here to talk to, and besides, the feedings aren’t so bad once you get used to them. You’re just…tired. Just tired, a lot. I sleep most of the time, but you can always try to wake me up if you’re freaked out. Okay?”

There was silence for a moment before Jungkook, curled up against the wall, said softly, “I want to go home.”

Jimin paused. “I know. I do too.”

Tears started to roll down Jungkook’s face, but luckily Jimin pretended not to notice them. He kept talking in his warm honey voice about anything and everything. His voice was…nice. Calming. He let Jimin ramble as he worked to get himself back under control.

Jungkook wasn’t really listening to most of what Jimin was saying, but after about fifteen minutes he heard him say softly, “Hey, Kookie? I’m gonna call you that, if it’s okay. Kookie, I know this is god awful and you’d rather be anywhere but here, but we’ll get through it together, alright? You’re going to be okay.”

Jungkook wasn’t sure he believed him, but he also supposed there was no other choice.

Chapter Text

When Jungkook woke the next morning, he stretched his limbs as best he could, loosening stiff joints. A night on concrete wasn’t exactly his ideal sleeping situation, but he’d survived somehow.

Now that there was light filtering through the small windows of the building, Jungkook could see his surroundings more clearly. His cell was the furthest from the door, and Jimin’s was to his right. The boy was breathing deeply as he slept, leaning against the bars between them. He must have fallen asleep there after calming Jungkook down the night before. Jimin’s cell looked starkly different from Jungkook’s; there was a soft rug on the floor, and a thin mattress pad with a small pile of blankets and a pillow in the corner. Next to the makeshift bed there was a small pile of books, a drawing pad, and some pencils. What had Jimin done to get all of that?

The cell across from him had fewer amenities than Jimin’s, but was definitely cozier than the bare floor of Jungkook’s. A girl- maybe thirteen?- sat on a rug in the center of her cell, reading a book. She seemed to sense eyes on her, and looked up at Jungkook. “Hi! I’m Seoyeon. What’s your name?” she asked with a smile. She looked too young to be in a place like this, and it hurt Jungkook’s heart to think about it, so he tried not to.

“Jungkook. I…I woke up here last night.”

“Yeah,” she said, “I remember them bringing you in here yesterday afternoon. You were out cold.” She closed her book and laid it in her lap.

“How long have you been here?”

“About a month, maybe? Not sure. The days kind of blur together.”

Jungkook nodded. It looked like there were two more people in cells across the room- they were asleep, and he couldn’t see their faces. “Those two are quiet,” Seoyeon noted, watching Jungkook’s gaze. “That one is Eunji-ssi, two cells down. I try to talk to her pretty often but she never really wants to. The man next to her has never told me his name, but I’m still trying to get it out of him!”

“I don’t blame them.” Jungkook once again looked over the room. “Three empty cells…will they be bringing more people here?”

“Not sure. Probably? Minsoo takes his time trying to find people who won’t be missed right away, so if they do it won’t be rushed. There’s only maybe…fifteen of them in this nest? They used to have closer to thirty, but another nest attacked a few weeks ago, killing lots of of them. It happened like a week after I arrived. They’ll probably be busier trying to find new fledglings than they will be looking for nestlings.”

“Minsoo…that asshole I met last night mentioned him too. His name is so familiar. Who is he?”

Seoyeon sighed, setting aside her book and flopping down onto her back on the rug. “Yet another asshole. Surprise! Almost all of them are assholes, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Almost all?” Jungkook asked. He couldn't help but wonder where the young girl had learned all this bad language. She spoke as if she were older than she was, precocious to a fault.

“Yoongi is the least asshole-ish, I think. He’s been here a long time, like as long as Jimin. He drinks, but he doesn’t drain us. He’s quick, he does what he needs to do and then leaves. And he’s not mean, like the rest of them are. They like being mean to us,” she said with a frown. “He's never seemed like that. He was really against all of this when they first turned him. I guess hunger, and Jaesung, brought him into line. It’s kind of freaky the amount of power Jaesung has around here.”

Jungkook nodded. “Minsoo?”

“Oh, yeah!” Jungkook got the sense that Seoyeon was easily distracted. “He’s like…Jaesung’s right hand man, I guess. He scouts for fledglings, and nestlings too. That’s us, we’re nestlings,” she added, unsure how much Jungkook knew already. “He finds people without friends and family nearby, so that when they’re taken it takes forever to get reported, if it’s reported at all. I know Minsoo has some sort of…ability, I guess you’d call it? He chooses humans with fae blood in them to be nestlings. He can sense it, somehow. I’ve heard Jaesung say that it lets them take more blood each time without killing us than they could do with humans. Lets us recover faster. They also like how it tastes, which….gross.” Seoyeon’s nose wrinkled in disgust.

“So…I have fae ancestors, then? If that’s how he chooses nestlings.” Jungkook didn’t know of any fae in his bloodline, but he supposed it was possible. He racked his brain trying to think of where he’d heard Minsoo’s name before. His mind was weirdly blank when it came to him ending up here.

“Yup,” Seoyeon popped the ‘P’ obnoxiously. “Somewhere down the line, we all do. I dunno how they choose people to be fledglings, though. Maybe it has something else to do with Minsoo’s powers. I don’t really get how they work.”

Jungkook chewed his lip between his teeth, thinking. “So…they all have special abilities then? Like how Jaesung was able to make me feel so scared? It was crazy; I couldn’t move, or think, or do anything.”

“He does have that effect on people, yeah. But it’s not just him. They all can do it, but they usually don’t. Jaesung likes to make an impression, and his thrall is stronger than the others. It gets easier to ignore the more they do it. Besides, once you start getting some points for good behavior, he probably won’t try to use it on you anymore.”

“Good behavior? Is that how you and Jimin got stuff for inside your cell?”

“Mhm! He’s been here much longer than me, plus he’s sort of Jaesung’s favorite. He’s got tons more stuff than me, ‘cuz they all think he tastes extra good and they spoil him a little. Well,” she added, “if you count no chains, a pillow, and some books as spoiling. Which I don’t! But hey, we take what we can get.” Seoyeon rolled onto her stomach, picking at the rug and kicking her legs lazily behind her. “I’m hoping to get a mattress soon. It would help, since we sleep so much.”

“Don’t you want to get out of here? You’re not chained up anymore, why don’t you try to run when they open the doors?” Jungkook was already itching to get out of this place, he couldn’t understand how Seoyeon seemed so calm and normal.

Seoyeon stilled, propping herself up on her forearms. “Well…I don’t have anywhere to go. I was a foster child. Ran away after they started hitting me. Minsoo found me, said he’d help me. Instead, he took me here. Of course I hate it here; it’s the worst. But going back to where I was wouldn’t be any better. Trying to run away is dumb, and they’ll kill me as soon as I’m more trouble than I’m worth. So,” she shrugged. “I guess that’s where I’m at. I’m here, so I’ll deal with the bullshit as it comes.”

“You’re too young for language like that,” Jungkook scolded absently. “I…I’m so sorry to hear that.”

Seoyeon rolled her eyes petulantly. “I’m twelve, Jungkook-ssi. I can swear if I want to.” Aish, only twelve? Even younger than he’d thought. “Anyway, I…I don’t want to talk about that anymore please.”

Jungkook adjusted his position, trying to get more comfortable. His wrists were so swollen the skin was puffing out past the edges of the metal. He must have inadvertently jostled the chains, because Jimin stirred next to him, yawning and slowly stretching.

Jimin blinked slowly and made eye contact with Jungkook, giving a sleepy smile. “Morning, Jungkookie. How are you feeling?”

“I’ve been better,” Jungkook said with a shaky laugh. “I met Seoyeon-ssi. She’s been telling me more about how things work here.”

“Morning Oppa!” Seoyeon was standing up now, doing stretches.

Jimin rolled his eyes. “You’ve always got too much energy Seoyeon-ah; it’s exhausting to watch.”

“Not my fault you’re an old man who’s tired all the time,” she quipped. Jimin scoffed, but let it go. “You called him Kookie, right? That’s cute, can I call you that too, Jungkook-ssi?”

Jungkook nodded absently, while picking at his wrists. He couldn’t seem to leave them alone- the swollen skin was bothering him more and more. “Sure, I don’t mind. You can call me Oppa, too, if you’d like.” She agreed, and asked him to speak informally as well ("We're friends now, anyway, and there's nothing you can do about it!" and Jungkook could only laugh and agree).

“Hey, stop touching. You’ll make it worse.” Jimin was watching him mess with the manacles with a disapproving glance.

“They’re driving me crazy,” Jungkook huffed. “How long before you got yours off?”

Jimin shrugged. “Not long…a couple days maybe? If you stop touching, the swelling should go down and it won’t be so painful. So stop it.”

Jungkook groaned and dropped his wrists into his lap. After a few moments of silence (other than Seoyeon shuffling around her cell), he turned to Jimin and asked, “Seoyeon-ah mentioned a rival nest that attacked recently. What happened there?”

Jimin dragged his mattress over to the wall of bars separating his and Jungkook’s cells, then sat down on top of it. “I didn’t see much, since you know…I was here. But Jaesung likes me a lot, and he rambles around me. I stopped answering him a long time ago so I think he just forgets I’m listening. He’s said that they lost around 14 vampires, mostly old and strong ones, to a rival nest closer to the city outskirts. He said there’s only three of them, but they’re crazy powerful. Minsoo once said that they’re…ahem…’obnoxiously moral pricks with a boner for nestling rights’. Or something along those lines. Makes me think they know that we’re trapped here.”

“You’re telling me that there’s a nest of powerful vampires, ones who know we’re here and think it’s cruel, ones who took out half this damn nest, and that doesn’t give you hope for us to be rescued?” Jungkook’s mind was racing. This was the first positive thing he had heard, and yet Jimin sounded so resigned.

“Kook-ah, hope is poison here. You let it into your system, it eats you alive. They’re not coming to save us. It’s so much easier to accept that now instead of letting yourself be shattered every time things get more fucked up,” Jimin said flatly. “Believe me. I tried the whole hope thing, and it just hurts even more when you finally realize you’re never getting out.”

This annoyed Jungkook in a way he couldn’t put into words. “Alright, well, while you’re sulking, I’ll be here trying to figure out a way to get out of this hellhole. And when I do, I hope you’ll come with me instead of feeling sorry for yourself.”

Jimin’s eyes grew dark. “Fuck you, Jungkook. You don’t know what I’ve been through.”

“You’re right. I don’t, and I won’t ever have to because I’m getting out.” Even as he said the words, Jungkook could tell that he was being a dick. He couldn’t bring himself to care.

Jimin didn’t respond, just turned around to hide the hurt expression on his face and let the silence between them thicken.

Whatever, Jungkook didn’t need his pessimism dragging them all down. He’d figure it out himself.

He didn’t have time to do any theorizing, though, because the front door opened. Jimin stiffened, but didn’t pretend to be asleep like he did the night before. This time, four people stepped through the door and entered the building.

One was Jaesung, smug as ever. Two he didn’t recognize, but one…he somehow knew. Thinking back to the last thing he remembered before ending up here, he saw flashes of that face. That face in a bar, that face flirting with him, taking him home, smiling at him, kissing him, touching him…and then drugging him. Minsoo- it must have been. Jungkook shuddered, and tried not to think about it anymore.  

As the other two men walked into Jimin and Eunji’s cells, Minsoo flashed a sickening smile at him before breaking off to enter Seoyeon’s cell. She looked so small, and young, and uncomfortable, and Jungkook found himself trying to walk forward, to- hell, he didn’t know- to intervene, to do something. His chains stopped him yet again. It wasn’t until then that Jaesung’s thrall hit.

It wasn’t quite as bad as the night before, but it was still suffocating. Jungkook’s arms dropped to his sides and he stayed motionless as Jaesung entered his cell. “How noble of you, Jungkook,” he smirked. "I assure you, he's extra careful with the young one. Only drains her every few days, and he’s very gentle. I think he’s fond of her.” Anger boiled inside of his gut, but Jungkook couldn’t move, couldn’t speak.

He shifted his gaze as the vampire who entered the cell next to his beelined straight for Jimin, wrenching his neck to the side and sinking his teeth down deep into the skin. Jimin let out a pained cry and Jungkook’s stomach turned upside down. He lurched forward once again, but- “Now now, Darling, you don’t need to worry about him. He’s a pro. Jimin is enjoying it, he always does.” That was a fucking lie- Jimin sounded miserable. But he didn’t have time to worry, because Jaesung was taking his chin in his hand and directing his gaze back into the vampire’s eyes. “It’s time for you and I to get acquainted now. Come here, Beautiful.”

Jaesung pulled Jungkook to the floor with him- not violently or urgently. It was uncomfortably slow and gentle. He directed Jungkook’s aimless body into his lap on the floor, and his mind was screaming, he wanted to run, he wanted to be anywhere but there.

He did nothing.

Jaesung tipped his head to the side with a firm hand, and brushed away his hair tenderly. He was holding onto Jungkook’s body, huddled in his lap, with an uncomfortable intimacy. “I’ve been looking forward to this,” Jaesung said, and sunk his teeth into Jungkook’s neck.

A scream filled the air, and Jungkook, disconnected, took a few moments to realize it was his own. He made weak movements as the thrall around him dimmed, tried to get away, but the searing pain filling his mind was too much, too much, too much.

Jaesung pulled away, but didn’t release his body. Jungkook’s vision was fuzzy, but he could see that the vampire’s eyes were wild, frenzied. Both of the men panted, one in pain, one in satisfaction. “Darling,” Jaesung said, “I think you might have the most delicious blood I’ve ever tasted in my life.” With that he buried his face in Jungkook’s neck once more, and time seemed to disconnect.

He lay there, in Jaesung’s arms for what seemed like hours. The pain was…well, it was painful. But he somehow became more and more accustomed to it. He felt sleepy, sedated. He vaguely remembered learning in class that vampires had potent venom to subdue their prey, but he wished it would actually knock him out. Fucking useless venom. Useless….tired. Jungkook was tired. He waved an arm around weakly hoping to swat away the mouth on him, but Jaesung only held onto his hand instead, stroking a thumb across his skin like empty comfort.  

When Jaesung had drunk his fill, he cradled Jungkook in his arms for a moment longer. “Thank you for that. You are…exquisite. Such a good nestling, keeping me fed. So, so good.” The praise felt wrong coming from the vampire, but he was tired, and he didn’t want to think too much about it. A pathetic sound escaped his mouth, and Jaesung laughed softly. “Okay, My Love, you’re all done. No more. You were wonderful.”

With that, Jungkook felt himself being laid carefully on the floor, and he welcomed the cool concrete. Anything to get away from…from…what was his name again? Jungkook decided it didn’t really matter, because he just wanted a nap. He was so tired.

Eyes closing, Jungkook let himself escape into sleep.

Chapter Text

“…too much…bleeding…get it to…”

“can’t reach...Jaesung was….”

Jungkook heard words. Most of them didn’t make any sense. He knew he should be able to understand them, but his brain just wasn’t working right.

“He’s not…took more…”

“Jungkook…hey!”

He knew that word…his name. He should probably open his eyes, but his eyelids were just so heavy.

Something heavy hit him in the stomach and Jungkook wheezed, his eyes flying open. There was Jimin, looking relieved, and a thick book lay on the floor next to him.

“Did’ou…throw book at me?” Jungkook slurred, confused.

“Yes, and I’m really really sorry man, but I need you to stay awake for just a minute, okay?” Jimin didn’t look very sorry. Jungkook wrinkled his nose.

“Tired, Jimmmn…sleep.”

“No Kookie, you need to stay awake, okay? You need to come closer to the bars so I can keep pressure on your neck. Jaesung must have nicked an artery, you’re bleeding a lot.”

Jungkook grumbled and closed his eyes again. “Noo…take a nap. Naptime.”

There was shuffling from Jimin’s cell, and then an even heavier object hit Jungkook in the shoulder. “Owwwwww, stop it. Hurts,” Jungkook moaned petulantly.

“I know it does. But if you don’t get your ass over here closer to my cell I’ll throw every single damn book I have at your head. And I have great aim. So move,” Jimin called.

Jungkook sighed. He didn’t want to be hit by any more books. No more…no more hitting. He slowly dragged himself towards Jimin’s voice. Why was he so, so bone tired? This was exhausting. It would be so much easier to just lay still, go to sleep…

Jimin seemed to sense his thoughts and raised a book in his hand as if to throw it. “Don’t test me, Kook-ah. Keep going.”

Jungkook huffed and kept moving. His pace was agonizingly slow. Finally, after what seemed like hours, he felt hands grasping at his shirt. He was dragged the rest of the way to the bars, and let out a sigh of relief. That was exhausting.

Jimin’s hands reached through the bars and pressed a blanket to Jungkook’s neck, putting pressure on the several bite marks there. Jungkook didn’t like that. “Hurts, stop,” he mumbled, trying to bat away Jimin’s hands. But his hands weren’t doing what he wanted- they brushed against the blood-soaked blanket and then fell to the floor again.

“Shhh. I know. You’re doing great, Jungkook-ah. You did a good job, getting all the way over here to let me help you. You can sleep now, if you need to.”

Jungkook liked the sound of that, a lot. Before he could reply, his mind sank into blackness.

***

Jungkook felt the headache before anything else. Felt like his brain was pounding inside of his skull.

He blinked awake, finding Jimin, looking half asleep but still worried. “Where…what…”

Jimin yawned. “It’s alright, Kookie. Jaesung drank from you, and you passed out. You’re okay.”

“How long have I been out?” Jungkook asked.

“Four hours, give or take,” Seoyeon chimed in. She sounded very different from when Jungkook had spoken to her before. Her voice was weak, soft.

“Are you both okay?” Jungkook asked carefully. Jimin looked tired, but no worse for wear other than a set of puncture marks of his neck. He had blood all over his hands and lap too, but Jungkook couldn’t see what wound it had come from. “Where did all that blood come from?”

“From you,” Jimin sighed. “Jaesung…I don’t know what happened. I’ve never seen him like that. Even after Chanwoo finished drinking from me- Chanwoo takes fucking forever- Jaesung hadn’t finished yet. I’ve never seen him take so much blood from one of us in one sitting. He was messy, too. Kept making new bite marks. It’s not like him. I think he must have nicked an artery or something, because even when he finished you wouldn’t stop bleeding.”

“He said…he said I had the most delicious blood he’d ever tasted,” Jungkook repeated hollowly. “Yay me, I guess. How am I still alive if he cut my artery?”

“I think you have a lot of fae ancestry. There’s no way you would have survived, otherwise. You heal so quickly- you’re not even bleeding anymore. I managed to get you to move over closer to my cell, kept pressure on your neck, and you stopped bleeding within an hour or so. We’re just damn lucky that Jaesung unchained you before he left- otherwise I think you would have bled out over there,” Jimin shivered. Jungkook hadn’t even noticed he’d been unchained.

“Thank you for helping me, Hyung,” Jungkook said softly. “And- and I’m sorry for what I said before. I was being a dick.”

Jimin shrugged. “It’s okay. I know you’re just adjusting. I was like you when I first arrived…I get it. It just sucks seeing you have so much hope that you’ll escape when…well. You know my feelings on that.”

Jungkook nodded, trying not to wince as it jostled his head. He shifted his gaze to Seoyeon. “You doing alright, Seoyeon?”

She made a noise that could be interpreted either way.

“Just give her a little bit of time. Minsoo likes to use his aura with her and I think it brings back some bad memories. She’ll rest, and then she’ll be back to normal. We all will.” Jimin continued, softer: “I do worry about her. She’s so young…it’s the worst feeling in the world being so close but not being able to help.”

Jungkook knew exactly what Jimin meant.

***

The next morning, Jungkook received a special delivery. A blanket, pillow, and mattress pad, delivered by the vampire named Chanwoo (the one who’d drank from Jimin the day before). He didn’t bother unlocking Jungkook’s cell, only shoved them through the bars with a sneer at Jimin and said “Looks like the boss has a new favorite.”

Jimin didn’t seem to mind this, but was pretty floored at the short amount of time it had taken Jungkook to get on Jaesung’s good side. “Damn, kid! You must taste fucking amazing. It took me two months to get this much stuff.” Chanwoo had also brought them each some clean clothes (not covered in Jungkook’s blood) and Jimin changed as Jungkook set up his new sleeping area.

Jungkook scratched at the scabs on his neck, already forming over, and frowned. “Yeah, well. It’s an open bar. Come get a taste whenever you’d like.”

Scrunching his nose, Jimin mimed vomiting. “Ugh. I’m not that desperate for some good food.”

Jungkook laughed, “Give it time. I’ve heard I’m a delicacy.”

***

Time, Jungkook discovered, was the real enemy in this place. He quickly read through the books Jimin had thrown at him, and then devoured all of Jimin’s other books too. He did stretching, and exercises, and paced around his cell. Jimin let him borrow the sketchpad and he doodled there for a while before giving up (Jungkook was really bad at drawing). Seoyeon played games like rock, paper, scissors with him, and if they caught Jimin in a good mood sometimes he’d help them come up with word games and play along.

The vampires fed them several times a day, which made Jungkook happy. Not exactly high cuisine- it was closer to cafeteria food than anything else. But Jungkook wasn’t going to complain. Eating was one of the only things in his day he could look forward to.

It was usually Yoongi who served it to them. Seoyeon was right, Yoongi didn’t seem quite as bad as the others. He was quiet, polite, and got in and out of their space as fast as possible.  His frame was small and lean, with pale blond hair and a perpetually serious expression. Didn’t look like what Jungkook had always imagined vampires would look like.

One day, Jungkook had significantly extra food on his plate. More than any of the others. He laughed nervously at Yoongi, asking, “What, is Jaesung trying to fatten me up? Get me to produce more blood? Heal faster? I don’t think it works that way.”

Yoongi didn’t answer.

***

A few other vampires came to feed on Jungkook, but the experience was never quite as dramatic as his first feeding with Jaesung. He hadn’t seen the leader of the nest since that day, and hoped he wouldn’t have to. The others were smug, sure, but they were never as intimate and touchy as Jaesung was. They also didn’t drink nearly as much. Jungkook rarely passed out after feedings anymore, and he felt weirdly proud of that.

“Is it a bad thing that I’m getting used to all of this?” Jungkook asked, one cold morning.

Jimin just shrugged.

***

It was the afternoon of the sixth day when Yoongi first came for his own food, instead of bringing them some.

Jungkook told him good morning, and Yoongi nodded back to him. He had no trays or plates in his arms, and stood outside of Jimin’s cell awkwardly.

Jimin sighed. “You were told to feed from me?”

Yoongi hesitated, then said, “Yes. I try to hold out when I can but…I haven’t fed for a while.”

Jimin sat up, and beckoned him into the cell. “It’s alright. Do what you need to do.”

Jungkook had never seen Yoongi so uncomfortable as he looked in that moment, entering Jimin’s cell. He knelt down next to Jimin, keeping his hands in his lap. “Would you…would you prefer neck, or wrist?” he asked.

“Neck, please,” Jimin answered. “It’s faster.” With that he tilted his head to the side and waited.

“I’m sorry for this.” With that, Yoongi carefully lowered his teeth into Jimin’s neck, and Jungkook swore he saw the vampire wince when Jimin made a pained noise. He drank as quickly as he could, and once he was finished, he stood up and backed away. “Do you need anything?” Yoongi asked, quickly wiping blood from his mouth.

Jimin rolled his eyes with a small smile and said, “No, Yoongi-ssi. I’m alright.”

Yoongi left, giving a bow to Jimin, and all was quiet for a few minutes until Seoyeon called from across the room.

“Jimin-oppa?”

“Yeah?”

“Yoongi's cute, right?” Innocent enough words, but Jimin immediately looked suspicious at Seoyeon’s grin.

“Yeah, I guess he is. Why?”

“I think you’d make a really pretty couple. You should date him.”

Jimin sputtered, at a loss for words, as Jungkook snorted and Seoyeon broke into giggles.

Chapter Text

Days passed slowly for Jungkook, and he was pretty sure he was going insane.

Small windows in their cells showed day and night come and go, but he was so often interrupted by his captors that his sleep schedule was completely unhinged. His body was constantly sore, joints rubbing against the hard floor even through his thin mattress. Always hungry, he devoured every piece of food they offered. The vampires only drank from him once every day or two, but his body was fighting to keep up. Jimin had said that they’d all be dead if they weren’t part fae, and Jungkook wasn’t surprised.

This whole fae thing was pretty confusing to Jungkook. He had thought his parents were both completely human…there had to have been a mistake. He said as much to Jimin one day.

“Not possible. Minsoo smelled fae on you, so you’ve gotta have some in there. I’ve never known him to make a mistake before. They’ve tried keeping regular humans here, they die too fast to be…useful.” Jimin’s expression was grim. “It’s a delicate balance. Get people with some fae, but not too much, or else they’ll be able to fight back.”

Jungkook had heard stories about fae, but never met one. Ancient beings, wise and clever, bursting with magic and protective of their own. A full or half fae was pretty rare to see these days, like vampires were. “Fight back? Like with magic?”

“I guess. They’ve never gotten anyone here who had enough ancestry to actually wield magic. Not since I’ve been here, at least. They’re crazy rare, so it’s not surprising.”

“What kind of powers do they have? I remember learning about them a long time ago, but can’t remember.”

“I dunno. I’ve heard elemental powers, mind control, disguise...” Jimin fidgeted uncomfortably before continuing, “even empathy. Hard to know what’s real and what’s a rumor.”

Jungkook nodded, about to respond when the door opened. He directed his attention towards it, always watching for danger. He didn’t feel the intense aura of terror this time.

Jaesung entered, towing a young man with him- looking exhausted and uncomfortable, but very attractive. He had a beautiful face, and Jungkook thought absentmindedly that he might have asked this boy out if they’d met when his life was still normal. His skin was marred with purple and black bruising all over. Jaesung seemed to be dragging the boy more or less, and looked a little annoyed, but still in control.

Always in control.

“Hello everyone,” Jaesung announced. “I’d like you to meet our newest fledgling, Taehyung. He just completed the change and is now part of our nest. Taehyung, meet our precious nestlings. They give us life.”

Taehyung scowled and said, “If you cared about them that much you wouldn’t lock them up.”

Jaesung’s grip on Taehyung’s arm seemed to tighten momentarily, then loosened, and the boy flinched at the subtle action. “You feel that way now, but you don’t understand how valuable they are to us. You wouldn’t leave your most prized possession laying around, you keep it safe. Regardless, we’ve talked about this and you know you’ll need to get used to it, or deal with the consequences. You’re already starving…you’re only going to get hungrier.” Jungkook wondered if Jaesung actually believed his own justification.

Taehyung’s frown mixed with anxiety and he slowly nodded in submission. His body language was screaming that he wanted to be as far away from Jaesung as possible.

Jaesung gave him a little push forward and Taehyung started walking. “Now that Taehyung is our fledgling, he’ll be drinking from you all regularly. I’d let him drink from Jungkook for his first taste, but I’m afraid it might spoil him- and besides, I’m a selfish man. I’ll be drinking from you tomorrow,” he directed at Jungkook. “Let’s have you start with Eunji.”

Taehyung made his way to Eunji’s cell, and she bared her neck, eyes empty. He winced and looked back at Jaesung, who only nodded. Jungkook could hear Taehyung apologizing softly before latching onto her neck tentatively. His eyes rolled back and he started drinking blissfully, oblivious to his surroundings. He stayed there for maybe two minutes, before suddenly popping his teeth out and scrambling away from the girl. He knelt, panting, and glared at Jaesung.

Blood dripped down his chin, and Jaesung stepped forward and wiped it away with a cloth he pulled from his pocket. “There, that wasn’t so hard, was it,” Jaesung crooned, and as Jungkook watched Taehyung, breathing heavily, fearanxietyguiltpanic written on his face, he couldn’t help but see the boy as a victim too.

***

Jungkook awoke to screaming.

He struggled to sit up, wiping sleep from his eyes. What was going on?

When his eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, Jungkook checked Jimin’s and Seoyeon’s cells- they were both there, safe. Relieved, he turned his attention to a figure being dragged inside. A cell door was hanging open- that was the cell of the man who’d been there since Jungkook arrived. Seoyeon had never gotten him to tell her his name. He was screaming at the top of his lungs, trying to pull himself out of the grasp of the vampires taking him back to his cell.

Jimin had sat up next to him. Their beds were close to each other, only separated by bars, and Jimin reached out and grabbed onto Jungkook, seeking reassurance. He looked terrified. Jungkook took a deep breath, placing a hand on top of Jimin’s.

Minsoo strode through the door after them, and watched, stoic as the man was carelessly tossed back into his cell. He stood just outside the man’s cell door, sneering. “We were just starting to think of you as a model prisoner…then you had to go and fuck it up.” The man was shaking on the floor, eyes down. “You should know better than anyone that this was a fucking stupid idea. You saw what happened to the others, but you're stupid enough to try it yourself? It's just simple cause and effect, now.”

Minsoo looked over his shoulder to the other cells, making eye contact with Jungkook and Jimin. “Oh good, we’ve got an audience! Perfect. I’d hate for everyone to learn this lesson the hard way- you better learn from this one’s mistakes. Now, stay still please,” he said, turning his attention back to the prisoner. "I'd prefer to get a clean break."

Jungkook watched in horror as Minsoo reached down to the man and snapped his leg in half.

Jimin startled against him and turned away, unable to watch. Jungkook somehow couldn’t tear his gaze away from the figure on the floor, writhing in pain. Minsoo spoke loudly to be heard over the screams. “You don’t need legs for us to drink from you. Keep that in mind next time you decide you want to get out.” He broke the other leg, almost for emphasis, and Jungkook felt sick. Minsoo grinned at them as he and the other two vampires took their leave.

No one slept that night. The crying was too loud.

***

The nest watched them more closely after “the incident”.

There was always someone lurking near the entrance, sometimes guarding the outside, sometimes sitting inside the doorway. Jungkook wasn’t even sure how the man- god, he didn’t even know his name still- had gotten out, but it seemed to have scared Jaesung into having them supervised almost all the time.

The night before, it wasn’t long after they’d broken his legs that the nestling had grown quiet and still. Jungkook asked Jimin what they could do to help him, anything, and Jimin just held his hand and told him over and over there was nothing they could do. Jungkook felt helpless. When the morning came and the man wasn’t responsive, he was carried out of the building. Jungkook hadn’t seen him since.

He hoped that was a good thing, but had a sickening feeling it wasn’t.

“This is bullshit,” Jungkook muttered, pacing his cell. “How could…how could they just do that? He was an innocent person, and they…they…”

“We’re just food to them,” Jimin said softly.

“Well he was a person, and he didn’t fucking deserve this!” Jungkook snapped, and Jimin looked at him carefully.

“I know that, Kookie. I’m not the enemy here.”

Jungkook sighed, guilt washing over him. “I know…I’m sorry. I’m on edge.”

“Because he’s coming to feed?”

Jungkook nodded. “I feel like he only told me in advance to scare me, feel power over me, and I hate that it’s working. It shouldn’t be working.”

“Jaesung is a bastard,” Jimin spat.

“If we had a swear jar here, I’d be rich,” Seoyeon chimed in.

“Yeah well, of all places to swear, this is a pretty justified one,” Jimin said dryly.

They sat in silence for a minute, and Jungkook couldn’t help but notice Yoongi sitting on a chair inside the doorway. He’d been guarding them for a while, never speaking or reprimanding them, only listening and watching. Jungkook liked him better than the guard they’d had earlier that morning, who’d told them to shut up and stop talking. Yoongi was quiet and attentive, but kind.

After a while, Jungkook asked, “If you had that swear jar…if you were actually rich, like so much money you don’t know what to do with it rich…what would you do?”

“I’d do all of the things I never got to do growing up,” Seoyeon said. “Rich people have money for activities…poor people only use money to stay alive. I’d like to experience something, for once. And I’d buy a ridiculous amount of clothes, too. Also, a waterslide.”

“I’ll take you wherever you want to go when we get out of here someday, Seoyeon-ah,” Jungkook promised. “Have you ever been to the beach?”

“Never. I’ve heard it’s beautiful, though,” she sighed.

“I’ll take you. We’ll drag Jiminie along too.”

She hummed happily. “Jimin-oppa, what would you do if you were rich?”

“I’d never work a day of my life again,” he said. “I’d just spend all my time drawing. That’s what makes me happy. I wish I’d taken that seriously...before…” He swallowed. “Well. At least now I know what really love. I’d be sketching right now if I hadn’t used up all of my paper. It’s a bitch to get nice things around here.”

“I’d come to all your art galleries,” Seoyeon giggled. “And I’d dress up all fancy and say made up things about what your paintings mean to all the other rich people.”

Jimin laughed, “You’d be way too good at that. Jungkookie, you?”

“I want to be outside,” he said instantly. “I’d spend all my money on trips to go to the prettiest places and I’d just…enjoy them. Feel the sun. Not worrying about work, or money. I just want to see the world.”

“That sounds nice,” Jimin said.

“I’ll take you with me. You can draw all of the places we go and people we see…I’d buy you first class plane tickets and we’d go wherever the hell we want.”

“That sounds nicer,” Jimin said softly.

***

The next time Yoongi brought their food, he put a stack of drawing paper under his coat and passed it to Jimin when the guard wasn’t looking.  

***

When Jaesung came to feed, Jungkook was almost relieved. Finally, he could get the feeding over with. No more fear and power play.

That feeling faded when the man came close to him. Jimin was right, the thrall Jaesung pushed was easier to deal with every time, but he still couldn’t fight against it. Still powerless.

Jungkook hated him. It would be easier if the man would be cruel, angry. Instead, he approached like he was trying to get close to a wounded animal, confident but gentle. His touches were soft. Caresses on his cheek, guiding him to the mattress, positioning him like a doll. Jungkook flinched at the compliments spilling from Jaesung’s lips, unable to look him in the eye. Jungkook wasn’t going to cry.

Teeth slicing his neck, over and over, blood staining the collar of his shirt, dizzy floating tired, Jungkook didn’t cry.

Wandering hands, touching, hands…he didn’t cry.

Even when Jaesung’s hips began to rock up against his, filthy promises whispered in his ear, Jungkook didn’t cry. His skin was crawling, sick drop to his stomach, empty eyes. His mind screamed, snapped, and for a moment the aura around him seemed to drop. He started to move, limbs heavy, escape, but Jaesung’s surprised face quickly smoothed and the thrall was back.

Always in control.

Moans filling the air, suffocating him. Jungkook wished he’d lose enough blood to fall asleep.

A final thrust and Jungkook lay still. He felt dirty. More touches, his face, his arms, his hair. Jungkook felt distant, separate from his body. The man left but the tightness in his chest didn’t.

When Jimin reached out and held his hand, no words, Jungkook finally cried.

Chapter Text

Jimin was very young when he found out he wasn’t normal.

Chubby fists clutching his favorite toy at the park, Jimin skipped over to a young boy playing in the sandbox with his mother. “’n I play with you? My eomma won’t play an’ I’m bored.”

Jimin felt annoyance shoot from the boy’s mother, but she quickly smoothed her face over. She waited for the little boy to answer, who said “kay. What’s your name? We’re playing action figures in the sand castle I made but you have to be this one ‘cuz I don’t like that one as much.”

Nodding, Jimin gave his name and plopped down in the sand. His eomma hated when he got sand all over his clothes and his shoes, but she had to do work. That meant Jimin could get sand wherever he wanted! He glanced over at the park bench where she’d opened up a binder filled with work papers. Her face was furrowed in concentration; when he focused, he could feel stress coming off of her in waves. Oh well. That’s a grownup feeling, and Jimin only had time for sand castles and action figures.

Jimin set down his stuffed dog in the grass behind him and began to play with his new friend. It was fun, but the boy’s mom wouldn’t stop feeling yucky things and it was distracting him. Jimin huffed and looked at her. “Will you stop feeling so loud, please?”

She looked startled, and put on a sickly sweet voice. “What are you talking about, Dear?”

Jimin wrinkled his nose and just kept playing. He didn’t like this lady very much.

About a half hour later, the two boys had demolished and rebuilt the castle twice and Jimin’s action figure was about to lay siege to the place yet again when he let the words spill out of his mouth that he’d been wondering since he’d gotten there. “Why doesn’t your eomma like you?”

Everything stopped. The boy looked confused. “What do you mean? My eomma loves me lots, she tells me so.”

“Nuh uh, she doesn’t. She feels yucky at you. She wishes you weren’t here because she wants to go far away.”

The boy’s eyes filled with tears as he turned to his mother. “Eomma?”

The mother spun on Jimin, furious. “What the hell is wrong with you? How do you…why would you say that?”

He started to fidget, nervous. He’d only been saying what everyone could feel, right? “You were feeling it so loudly…my eomma never feels like that at me so I dunno why you wish he was gone. That’s not very nice...”

The woman stared at him, then stood up suddenly with some kind of disgusted recognition in her eyes. “Fae bastard! Get away! Stay away from my son! You…you have no right…” Her sharp words trailed off as she dragged her son away. Jimin was alone in the sandbox.

He started to cry softly and hid his face in his knees. He didn’t know why they were so mad, Jimin just pointed out what she was feeling and the boy had to have known it already. There was no way to miss that feeling of sad, away, run, hate. He felt guilty but he didn’t know what he did wrong.

Jimin felt hands lifting him, and he buried his face into his mother’s shoulder. They sat together for a while, comforts whispered in his ear, and when he stopped crying she sat him up and wiped away a stray tear. “Now baby, you wanna explain what happened?”

He told her all about the mean lady and her son and that she wanted to go away, and that he asked why but she got mad and the boy got sad and everyone was sad and Jimin didn’t understand. “She was feeling it so so loud, Eomma, she wouldn’t stop! And she called me fae…something. Fae something, but it sounded mean!” Jimin said, starting to cry again.

Jimin would never forget the strange look his eomma gave him then. “Jiminie,” she said, “Most people can’t feel what other people are feeling, okay? That’s something special only you can do. But it’s something that you need to keep a secret. You’re special, like me, and like other people in our family have been in the past. But…but not all people think that special things are good. They don’t like people who are different, because it scares them. And I want my baby to stay safe, so I need you to keep what you can do a secret. Special means secret. Okay? Repeat that, Jiminie.”

Jimin slowly nodded, sniffling. “Special means…it means secret.”

“That’s my good boy,” she smiled, and pulled him close again. Jimin focused, and he could tell she felt scared, but happy. “Special means secret.”

***

Jimin didn’t know what to do.

After crying for hours, Jungkook had fallen asleep. Jimin hadn’t. Fear, anger, resentment, disgust, panic, filled the air, it all took away his ability to relax. The feelings were stifling. Jimin knew them all too well, but it was somehow worse coming from someone he cared about.

He wanted to rip Jaesung’s throat out. He wanted to break every bone in his body, hear him scream until his vocal cords snapped, drain his body of every drop of stolen blood and watch it pool onto the floor.

Instead, he paced.

He paced for hours, letting himself stew in the miasma of emotion. His thoughts raced, thought about every single way that he’d murder that bastard if given the chance. Without his permission, a traitor voice in the back of his head whispered, “at least now it’s happening to him instead of you.”

Jimin vomited all over the floor.

Hours passed, and Jungkook wasn’t waking up. Jimin couldn’t stop moving, pacing, bone tired even after the feelings in the air faded and he was left only with the ones bouncing in his own head. He checked Jungkook’s pulse habitually. He’d live. Choking through his own memories, Jimin couldn’t help but think that maybe he wouldn’t want to, though.

At some point, Seoyeon tried to ask him about Jungkook. The only sound that came out of Jimin’s throat was a strangled growl, and she didn’t ask again.

***

When Yoongi entered, bearing food, he brought with him a healthy dose of confusion and trepidation. Jimin stopped pacing abruptly and found himself blankly making eye contact with the vampire. A thousand yard stare interrupted. Jimin didn’t move his eyes as he saw Yoongi take in the scene: the vomit on the floor, Jungkook’s half dressed form covered with a blanket, and blood everywhere- including all over Jimin’s body.

Jimin felt Yoongi shift from confusion to grim understanding and a driving fury that almost gave him comfort. At least he wouldn’t hurt them.

“You…” Yoongi seemed to steel himself. “You should eat something.”

“No,” Jimin said flatly.

“You need strength.”

“I need Jungkook to wake up. I need him safe from Jaesung. I don’t need any fucking food.” Jimin glanced at the mess on the floor. “Besides, it won’t stay down.”

Yoongi worried his jaw back and forth for a moment before setting down the food and leaving. When he returned, he had cleaning supplies, towels, and fresh clothes. He tossed the clothes to Jimin, and turned around. How polite, Jimin thought, rolling his eyes. He changed, and it felt comforting to be clean.

“I’m done,” Jimin said softly, dropping the dirty clothes outside of his cell in the corridor. Not his problem anymore. With smooth movement, Yoongi turned around, opened the cell door, and locked it behind him again. Despite his status as an all-powerful vampire being noticeable in his grace and power, Jimin noticed the boy seemed to exude a constant wave of anxiety and uncertainty. Again, comforting. Jimin mused on this as Yoongi began to clean the night’s remnants off the floor.

He worked quietly for a while. Jimin wasn’t sure how to break the silence, but luckily he didn’t have to as Yoongi asked, “You like to draw, right?”

Jimin blinked. “Yes.”

“I’ve seen your drawings before. They’re really good. Did you, uh…did you take classes before this? How did you learn?”

Jimin expected to be angered by the pointlessness of this conversation in the wake of what happened, but he only felt resigned. Resigned, tired, lonely. Guilty, if he’d let himself. But he wouldn’t. Not now.

“I took some classes in school. Not many, though. I taught myself, mostly.” Jimin’s energy seemed to run out and he dropped himself down onto the mattress, watching Yoongi work.

“I’ve tried drawing before, never really been good at it.” Yoongi shook his head wistfully. “I’m more of a writer myself. Or…was. Before this.”

“What did you write, Yoongi-ssi?”

“Call me Hyung if you want. I wrote Raps. Poems. Stories. Anything.”

“And you don’t do that now?”

Yoongi paused, seeming to choose his words carefully. “I don’t often get the chance. I’m not exactly on Jaesung's, or anyone's, good side. More on their shit list.”

Jimin tilted his head. “Why?”

“I don’t eat. I go as long as I can before it’s absolutely necessary for me to feed. That’s why Jaesung has me in here multiple times a day; he likes to put me in front of temptation as some sort of sick punishment. It pisses him off that I keep myself so weak. I’m not useful to him like this.”

“You’re…you don’t want to be here either,” Jimin stated.

Yoongi nodded. “I didn’t choose this. I don’t want to hurt people.”

“I’m sorry, Hyung,” Jimin said softly.

“I’m sorry, too,” Yoongi answered.

Silence grew again as the vampire continued to scrub at the floor. It was an amiable silence. Jimin found himself leaning against the wall, exhausted.

The floor was almost entirely clean when Yoongi slowed- Jimin felt the wave of anxiety before he even spoke. “You know…you know that it’s not your fault, right?”

Jimin was quiet, then found himself laughing bitterly, tinged with anger. He couldn’t stop, even at Yoongi’s quiet, “Jimin-ah?”

“You know what’s the worst fucking part about this?” Jimin spat. “That should have been me. It should have been me. Jaesung should be hurting me, raping me, like he used to, and then Jungkook wouldn’t be feeling like misery incarnate in my stead. It’s so fucking strong, the feelings, the fear and hurt and anger and it’s everywhere and I can’t fucking stop it and I should be able to, it was my fault, I should- I should be able to do something, but I- I-“ Jimin’s maniacal laughs turned into sobs as he buried his head in his knees. Gasping for air, he finally let himself be engulfed by the guilt he’d been pushing away for hours.

As he cried, he felt a tentative hand- Yoongi’s- lay on his shoulder in an attempt at support. Jimin didn’t push it away. It had been so long since anyone cared enough to comfort him, and he ate it up like a man starved.

Yoongi let him cry for what felt like forever. The hand never moved from his shoulder, and when Jimin finally lifted up his head the grip only tightened. Jimin found himself staring straight into the vampire’s eyes. “There was nothing you could have done, and you can’t blame yourself for any of this.” Yoongi’s matter of fact tone dug straight into Jimin’s heart. He sensed no dishonesty, no insincerity.

“And,” Yoongi added, face growing dark, “I’m going to do everything in my fucking power to kill every last one of these bastards. I’m going to get you out of here. Do you understand me?” Yoongi let go of his shoulder and took Jimin’s hand in both of his. “I’m going to get you out.”

For the first time in months, Jimin felt a spark of hope.

Chapter Text

“Hyung...hey, Yoongi-hyung…I’m bored. Wanna do something?”

When Taehyung got no response, he plopped down on the couch next to Yoongi, his nestmate. “Hellooooo?”

Yoongi was pointedly ignoring him in favor of reading his book- something or other about music production- sounded pretty boring. Taehyung stared pointedly, moving his face close to Yoongi’s. When that didn’t work, Taehyung poked his hyung in the face.

“Aish, brat, get away. You’re annoying me,” Yoongi huffed, the prodding wearing thin at his patience.

Taehyung laughed and dramatically plopped his upper body into Yoongi’s lap. The older boy sighed and grumbled, but rearranged his arms to keep reading with his dongsaeng in his lap. Yoongi was like that- he liked to save face and keep up his grumpy exterior, but he didn’t actually mean any of it. Kind people were easy for Taehyung to spot, and Yoongi was one of them. They’d grown close in the last week or so, since Tae had completed the transformation.

He admired Yoongi, really, first and foremost. The way the boy consistently and subtly gave Jaesung and the other assholes the metaphorical finger was inspiring. Tae wished beyond belief he could hold out on drinking from the nestlings like Yoongi did. He was trying. But god, the burning inside him was almost unbearable all the time. Yoongi said it was because he’d only finished the transformation a week ago- that it would get easier. He hoped so. Hunger strikes might be the only thing he had, since his attempts to directly cause trouble hadn’t been very successful so far.

Taehyung’s first act of rebellion after being turned was to attack Jaesung. It was shut down in two seconds flat. Jaesung was older, stronger, faster. Tae was a starving fledgling. The matchup wasn’t fair.

His second act of rebellion had been to try again, and again. Then one more time. The more Jaesung talked, the more Taehyung wanted to punch him in the face, and he’d never been one to control his temper when it came to assholes.

Through the long two days of “nest orientation” (brainwashing), Taehyung had grown hungrier and hungrier. Hard to focus…mind fuzzy and tongue dry. Every time that the leader asked if he was ready to obey the nest rules, he swore and spat and hit and denied him. But…the more he fought against Jaesung, the longer it was dragged out. He needed…all he could think about...blood. Even through all of the beatings (god, there were so many beatings), his hunger overtook every other thought.

He felt like he was dying. (He probably was.)

With guilt threatening to tear a hole in the bottom of his heart, Taehyung agreed to follow Jaesung’s rules. He felt like he’d been broken. That day, he was taken to feed for the first time.

After the deed had been done, Yoongi had found him dissociating on the floor of the common room, and joined him with a quiet introduction. Taehyung gave only a blank stare in response. The older vampire had held his hand and told him he wasn’t a monster, that it would be okay. That he understood.

It felt really, really good to be understood.

Since that encounter, Taehyung had followed him like a lost puppy and Yoongi only pretended to mind. No one else here talked to him, so Taehyung suspected Yoongi might be just as lonely as he was.

“So, will you?” Taehyung asked, lazily.

“Will I what?” Yoongi didn’t even look up from his book- just turned the page. His voice was even more flat and emotionless than normal.

“I don’t know. Do something with me? I’m bored, Hyung.”

“Go read a damn book. I’m not in the mood.”

“Hyuuuuung.”

Yoongi flicked him on the forehead. “Go away.”

Taehyung huffed. “Why are you ‘not in the mood’ to hang out with me? You’re always in a shitty mood, what makes this different?”

“Language, Tae.”

“You just came back from bringing the nestlings breakfast, right? Is something wrong? Are you hungry?”

“I’m always hungry.” He turned the page again.

“Yeah, but why are you so tense?” Taehyung whined, batting at Yoongi’s book.

Yoongi slammed the book shut. “Stop, I don’t want to fucking talk about it.”

Taehyung sat up, annoyed. “You just came back from the cells, so that has to be it. If it’s something to do with the nestlings, I want to know. You can’t keep stuff from me just because I’m a fledgling; you’re a fledgling too and you’re not more important than me just because you were turned a few months earlier. You know I’d be there with them more often if Jaesung would let me, I want to know what’s going on- “

Yoongi shot to his feet and suddenly he was yelling. “Yeah? You want to fucking know what’s going on? Jaesung raped Jungkook, he’s been doing the same to Jimin since he got here, and I couldn’t fucking stop it!” He threw the book across the room as hard as he could. It hit the floor, then silence. Yoongi’s expression was a mix of anger and pain.

“He…” Taehyung felt frozen. “Jaesung…”

Yoongi suddenly looked bone tired. “Tae…it’s- “

“Jaesung raped Jungkook? Jimin?” The ice in his veins turned to red hot rage and he was headed for the door before he knew what he was doing.

A firm hand on his wrist stopped him. “Taehyung-ah, where are you going? Stop.”

He pulled against Yoongi’s grasp. “I’m going to fucking kill Jaesung. I’m going to rip out his throat, gonna cut off his dick, beat him to death, I’m gonna-“

“No, you’re not. Stop, Tae. You can’t win against him in a fight.” Yoongi’s arm wrapped around his waist to hold him and he fought even harder to get away. “You need to- stop it- you need to calm down. I’m angry too, I know, I feel it, but getting yourself killed isn’t the way to help them.”

Taehyung fought until his body was exhausted. He knew Yoongi was stronger than him, but he was just so angry, he couldn’t stop. It wasn’t until the older picked him up, flailing and fighting, to sit on the couch with Tae in his lap that he stilled. There was a moment of quiet before Taehyung burst into tears.

Yoongi hushed him, pulled him to his chest, and Taehyung cried. A soothing hand rubbed up and down his spine.

Finally, when all he heard were sniffles, Yoongi spoke softly. “I know, Taehyung-ah. I feel the same way. I love the nestlings, and you with your big heart? You love them too, after only meeting them a few times. They’re good people. God knows they don’t deserve this. So I’m going to do something about it.” Taehyung began to say something, but Yoongi cut him off. “No, Tae, I’m going to do something. Not you. I need you to stay safe. You stay here, you act like nothing is wrong, and you don’t let Jaesung get under your skin. Don’t give him any more excuses to hurt you. I’ve seen the bruises. A vampire has to get hit really fucking hard for it to leave any marks.”

Taehyung shivered, and Yoongi continued. “You stay calm, you stay safe. You make things as comfortable as possible for the nestlings. I’ll fix this. Hear me? I will.” Yoongi gently pushed Taehyung up so they could lock eyes. “Do you trust me?”

‘More than anything,’ Taehyung thought. But how? He’d only met the boy a week ago. Somehow, Yoongi made him feel safe. He nodded solemnly, never breaking eye contact.

“Good. That’s good. You’re…you’re a good person, Tae. You don’t belong here. None of us do.” A gentle kiss to Taehyung’s forehead, and then he was being gently nudged back into Yoongi’s chest. He let it happen.

Neither of them moved for a very long time.

***

The night air was brisk, and Taehyung knew it should be cold. Instead, he felt nothing. This new body felt so alien to him; he didn’t know if he’d ever get used to it. His arms hugged tightly around himself by habit.

The nest grounds were mostly empty at this time of night. Most of the senior vampires were off working in the city or online in their rooms, and Minsoo would be out looking for recruits. Only him, Yoongi, and a couple of other newer vampires would be at the nest. Maybe one or two seniors, just to keep them in line. Taehyung wasn’t sure where Jaesung was at, but he thanked the night sky that he didn’t see him anywhere. If he did, he still wasn’t sure things wouldn’t get ugly.

Yoongi was right, of course. Tae wouldn’t stand a chance against their sire. But god, did he still want to try; skin itching for a fight. He shuddered and tried to suppress it. Yoongi had said his emotions would be heightened so soon after turning, but it was even more intense than Taehyung had expected.

As he approached the cells, the vampire standing guard- Chanwoo was his name, maybe? - straightened, trying to act like he’d been paying attention. When he saw it was only Taehyung, he slouched again. “Well, look who it is! Is the baby finally hungry enough to get over himself and feed?”

Taehyung stiffened. Calm, he told himself. Just get past him and don’t draw attention. The backpack he wore was weighing heavy, and he didn’t want the guard to notice. “Yes. I need the keys.”

Chanwoo was dripping with condescension as he tossed over a key ring and said, “I knew you’d cave eventually, fledgling. Just don’t get too overexcited and drain them, the sire wouldn’t be happy. And stay away from that one, uh...what’s his name? Jungkook? Yeah, that one’s his.”

Fury ripped through Taehyung once again but he tamped it down, pointedly avoiding eye contact, and nodded stiffly. He passed the guard and unlocked the blood bank doors. As he did, Chanwoo pulled out a cigarette (just habit, he wondered, or can cigarettes actually affect a vampire?) and walked away, leaving Taehyung alone at the cells.

‘Unlock all the doors and let the nestlings go’, a voice in his head whispered, but even he, reckless idiot extraordinaire, knew that was stupid. The senior vampires would track everyone down within minutes, punish them, and then kill Taehyung. He repeated Yoongi’s words in his head- stay safe and take care of the nestlings.

Upon entry, the cells were pretty motionless. It was only the four nestlings now- Jungkook, Jimin, Seoyeon, and Eunji. It wasn’t long ago there had been a fifth- Jihoon- but after the escape attempt several nights ago, the man was gone. Yoongi hadn’t let him watch as the man was dragged out of the cells and dealt with in the center square, but Taehyung wasn’t stupid. He knew the man was dead.

Taehyung turned as he felt Jimin’s sharp gaze on him. He locked the door behind him, then nervously smiled and waved. “I come bearing gifts.”

Seoyeon and Eunji were asleep, so he gently pushed some books and a blanket, respectively, through their cell bars. He then turned to the side of the room where Jungkook and Jimin sat, watching him carefully. They looked…awful. Jimin must not have slept at all, because he looked exhausted. Dark circles flooded his face, but his eyes were ever watchful and careful. Jungkook’s stare, however, was empty.

Taking a deep breath, he sat down, emptying his bag onto the floor. Playing cards, paper, colored pencils, books. “This is…this is for you guys.” He picked up the cards (Uno, one of his favorite games as a kid) and tilted his head. “Want to play?”

Jimin laughed incredulously. “Where’d you get this?”

“Stole it from the common room. I don’t think you’re supposed to have access, but I hate thinking about you guys locked up here with nothing to do.”

Jungkook smiled faintly and said, “I’ll play.”

Jimin readily agreed. They squabbled about house rules as Taehyung dealt the cards. It almost was easy to ignore the hard cement floor and metal bars in between the three of them. Jungkook smiled brightly at something Jimin said, and Taehyung was sure his heart- had it still been fully functional- would have skipped a beat.

***

The three boys played and talked for over an hour before the mood started to drop again. Jungkook seemed to be getting more and more anxious as they started hearing voices outside, vampires (Taehyung refused to even think of them as nestmates no matter how much Jaesung tried to hammer it into his brain) back from work in the city. All of them felt a little on edge at the reminder that they weren’t really alone.

Taehyung brightened as he remembered something that might make the boys smile. “I almost forgot, I actually brought you some sodas too, and snacks, they’re just here in-” he started to stand up but didn’t make it very far before stumbling back down to the floor. Dizzy.

“Whoa whoa whoa, you okay?” Jimin asked, concerned.

Taehyung took a moment, waited until the spots cleared in his vision, and nodded carefully. “Haven’t fed for a while.”

Understanding dawned on their faces.

“You and Yoongi-hyung are both like that.”

Taehyung nodded. “I’m not very good at it yet; sometimes feeding is all I can think about. He says it’s because I was just turned. But I swear, I’m trying as hard as I can.”

“I believe you,” Jungkook hummed softly. “You’ve only been in here twice to feed, and you weren’t happy about it.”

Instead of answering, Taehyung crawled and reached for the sodas- no standing up this time- and passed them out to the two boys. They nodded in thanks, and played in silence for a few minutes. He set aside some snacks for Eunji and Seoyeon too, but they looked deep in slumber for the moment.

Even as they played, Jungkook wouldn’t stop fidgeting. Taehyung tried to pretend not to notice, but it only got worse as time went on. It looked like the boy was working up the nerve to say something. After a while, Tae’s suspicion was confirmed when “Is he coming back soon?” slipped anxiously out of Jungkook’s mouth.

Taehyung looked up carefully. “You mean…do you mean Jaesung?”

“You’re one of them, you might know…if he’s…”

“I’m sorry, Jungkookie, I don’t know. I’m not allowed near here very often and I’m not kept in the loop about him.”

“I…” Jungkook suddenly looked a little panicked. “I don’t…”

Jimin was there immediately, hands reaching through the cell bars between them to hold the boy. “Hey, Kook-ah. It’s okay, he’s not here. I’m here, I’m with you.”

Taehyung wanted to help, but- Oh…that smell. Blood. He shivered and looked over to see Jungkook’s fingernails digging into his arms, small crescent moon shapes leaking crimson. He took in a shuddering breath and froze for too long as he tried to fight off the urge to feed. “He’s…look, he’s…” He roughly pointed at the blood dripping down Jungkook’s arm.

Jimin looked a little upset at this realization but his voice stayed completely level and calm. “Grab the bandana tied to your backpack and stop the bleeding.” Taehyung nodded and scrambled to untie the fabric. He and Jungkook were both shaking.

Heavy lump in his throat, Taehyung carefully mopped at the small injuries covering Jungkook’s arm. Calm. Deep breaths. Don’t be a fucking monster, take care of him. Ignore the blood. You’re not hungry. Push it away.

They sat in silence for a minute or two as Jungkook’s breathing slowed. Jimin seemed to be an expert at helping him calm down, and Taehyung didn’t want to think about why he had to be. The three boys were left in near silence once again,  but it was comfortable.

Suddenly Jungkook spoke. “I want to go to bed, please.” He shakily crawled to his mattress and rolled over without another word. Jimin tried to ask him again if he was alright, but there was no answer. With a sigh, Jimin turned away.

Jungkook taken care of, reality came crashing down. Tae was left with a bloody rag in his hands and the deep red stains were screaming at him. He could feel his eyes changing color and he stumbled backwards. “I need,” he swallowed, “to leave. I can’t- I have to- “

“Taehyung, hey. Hey!” Jimin called to him, and the steady timbre of his voice was somehow calming.

Taehyung scrunched his eyes closed, nodding quickly. His face was pained and he felt dizzy. “I- I have to go. I can’t be around you right now. I’m too…”

“Hungry,” Jimin finished softly. “I know. You’re doing your best to avoid feeding, but you can’t starve forever. You were just turned. You need to feed; that’s what we’re here for.”

“What are you…what are you saying?” Taehyung asked breathlessly.

“I’m asking you to please stop being a martyr and feed from me,” Jimin said flatly.

A whimper escaped from Taehyung before he could catch it. “I…you…I can’t. I can’t do that to you.” He slapped a hand over his mouth to cover the fangs that were dropping into place.

“You can and you will. Get your keys.” Taehyung picked up the keys with trembling fingers.

“Good boy. Now unlock the door.” Taehyung unlocked the door. It swung open. “Come here.” Taehyung didn’t move.

“Tae…Taehyungie, I told you to come here.” He let out a sob, instead. (That was the second time that day- damn these fledgling emotions.)

“Come here Honey, you can do it. I know you’re trying so hard to not give in, but I’m not going to let you starve. You’ll be okay. Come here.”

With that, Taehyung cried out and rushed into the cell, somehow ending up square in Jimin’s lap. The older boy held a hand softly on the back of Taehyung’s head, bared his neck, and something in Taehyung snapped. He sunk his teeth in deep.

Blissful flavor danced across his tongue, liquid euphoria, and for a moment Taehyung was convinced he’d died and gone to heaven.

He eagerly sucked down small gulps of blood, newly turned fangs unable to suck much at once. He felt so much, so alive, pure high pumping through his veins and he never wanted it to stop. Jimin’s body had relaxed underneath him, and he was running a hand through Taehyung’s hair gently. Tae couldn’t help but let out happy sighs and soft sounds as he drank, hunger finally sated.

Eventually, Taehyung forced himself to pull his fangs out. He could feel a smile lazily crawling across his lips and he giggled softly. “That felt…I feel good Jiminie-hyung.” After checking over Jimin’s face (not too pale or pained), he collapsed against the older boy again, this time just to be held.

He could feel Jimin softly smiling against the top of his head, held close. “You don’ hate me? Not a mons’er?” Taehyung mumbled against Jimin’s chest.

“No,” Jimin said gently. “Not a monster.”

Chapter Text

As he stood staring out into the night, Jungkook found himself once again grateful to have a window in his cell (barred or not). 

First off, Jungkook had managed to remember a few constellations from a childhood book he’d once devoured- Seoyeon eagerly listened as he explained (sounding more confident than he felt) what star formations would be where, and she had dragged a stack of pillows to stand on so she could see out her own window. The girl was sweet, and excited to learn about anything and everything he and Jimin told her. Some nights the pollution from the city was too heavy to see anything clearly, but other nights- oh, other nights they’d stare out into the black for hours watching the stars. He’d come to treasure the quiet moments with the younger girl. Having windows to the outside world made things just a little bit more bearable. 

Sometimes Seoyeon would try to talk to Jungkook. He preferred to mostly stay quiet during their stargazing sessions, but she didn’t seem to mind, content to carry out one sided conversations. Jungkook wasn’t even talking to Jimin much these days. It had been over a month since he’d arrived. Every time he thought he was starting to feel a little better, starting to heal his mind, he...Jaesung (god, Jungkook couldn’t even think of his name without flinching)...would come back and ruin everything, ruin him , all over again. 

Don’t think about it. Push it away.

Jungkook could tell that every time he broke down, crying, scared, Jimin seemed to get worse himself. His hyung was incredibly caring, so sensitive, and just looked so distressed every time Jungkook submerged in panic, hitting, scratching, digging. The pain made things real, pulled him out of the fog, out of the memories. But Jimin wasn’t sleeping well, or eating, and Jungkook could just tell that he was making everything worse. So he didn’t talk about it, about how his brain felt like muddied waters, about how his skin burned and it was all he could do not to scratch it away. He couldn’t control the panic, but he could control how much he burdened Jimin with his thoughts. In his silence there was relief. For both of them. 

Jimin still seemed to sense when things were bad, though, and he’d gladly hold Jungkook’s shaking hand through the bars. He was holding onto his hyung more often than not, these days. 

His favorite times were when Yoongi and Tae would come visit, and would unlock their cells- let them all sit together. At first they’d been scared of getting in trouble, but Yoongi assured them that there was nowhere for them to run anyway, and he'd lock them all together in one cell to be safe (plus Jaesung enjoyed sending Yoongi into the lion’s den to face temptation). Jungkook had finally been able to curl up against Jimin’s side, touch, but good touch , and feel safe. He hadn’t felt safe for a very long time, but he felt safe in Jimin’s arms. Seoyeon had joined them too, and Jungkook gave her such a big hug she whined about him embarrassing her. He’d only laughed (the first in a while) and squeezed tighter. This is nice touching, he’d reminded himself, like teaching a small child. 

He’d taken longer to warm up to Yoongi and Taehyung, but they were all pretty close by now. Taehyung, he’d learned, was very tactile. The first time he’d tried to hug Jungkook, the human had gasped for air (cold hands, like his , too cold), pushing away, but then Taehyung’s face was near his and reassurance was flowing (“It’s me, Jungkookie, I’m here, it’s Taetae. Just me,”) and suddenly his mind was calm again. They’d figured out how to make it all work after that- as long as he could see the vampires’ faces before they touched him, it was okay. Seeing their face reminded him that he wasn’t back in the bad moments. Taehyung touched him all the time, now, and Jungkook liked it a lot.

Yoongi was slower, gentler. A hand on his knee, thumb rubbing back and forth, his side pressed gently against Jungkook’s, hair ruffled before saying goodbyes. He was more reserved with his affection, but gave it nonetheless. Jimin seemed especially eager to draw it out of him, laying in Yoongi’s lap or draping over him lazily on a regular basis. The older vampire would grumble and huff, but a hand always found its way to Jimin’s hair to stroke gently. 

It felt nice when his hyungs were close. When they weren’t, his brain acted up. They don’t want you. Who would want you after what you’ve let him do to you? You’re dirty. You’re dirty and sick and-

And then Jimin would hold his hand again, and everything would feel okay for a moment.

Jungkook’s second favorite part about having a window was the watching.  

It gave him a strange sense of comfort, watching the comings and goings of the nest. He felt safe in his fortress of bars, even if it was false security. He could sometimes see Yoongi doing chores around the compound, or Tae passing by, chasing a bird or some other small animal. Jungkook learned the faces of everyone in the nest, keeping track of who was who and their schedules. There was a sense of control in knowing who was where, what they were doing. Jungkook liked to cling to any and all control in his grasp, these days.

Not everything he saw was pleasant, not at all. Sometimes, he saw dead bodies, drained humans, being dragged across the square, and wondered what god they’d pissed off to have the unfortunate luck of wandering into an aggressive nest. He wondered if they had families. He didn’t cry for them, but he felt like he should. At least they were dead. Lucky them.

Sometimes, he saw Yoongi collapse from hunger and exhaustion. When this happened, he’d later try to encourage his hyung to feed from him, but was rarely taken up on the offer. Jungkook rarely had blood to spare, anyway. 

Sometimes, he saw Taehyung beat to a pulp by everyone around him. The older vampires seemed to enjoy hurting Tae far too much, leaving him a sobbing mess on the ground as a pastime. The beatings were far worse than any human could take, broken and bruising. They’d tried to hurt Yoongi too once, Jungkook had seen, but his lack of reaction must have been disinteresting to them. They’d never done it again.

It killed him to see Taehyung hurting, but Jungkook could never seem to look away from the gruesome scenes. It was like when that man- Jihoon, Yoongi had told them- tried to escape and had his legs snapped. Jungkook just couldn’t look away. Stuck, staring. 

He found himself frozen a lot, these days.

***

It was in one of these moments of watching that Jungkook first noticed the newcomer. 

A backdrop of softly glowing twilight sky hung prettily as Jungkook watched Yoongi leave the nest. This in and of itself wasn’t anything unusual, but the boy looked nervous as he hurried through the empty square. Jungkook’s eyes followed him to his destination. A man, draped in early morning muted color, stood, blended into the treeline- Jungkook gave a double take. He almost hadn’t seen him.

The man was unbearably handsome- tall, warm skin, dimples that Jungkook could somehow see from a distance, smartly dressed in earthy colors that seemed to blend with the greenery and dirt. He greeted Yoongi and pulled them deeper into the woods. 

Strange. Jungkook had spent an ungodly amount of time watching the nest, and this was not one of the exactly 16 vampires that were a part of its daily routine. Who could be speaking to Yoongi? So secretly, too. He’d looked nervous. 

Jungkook waited for them to return, fifteen minutes passing, but only Yoongi came. The other man was gone. 

As Yoongi drew closer, Jungkook cleared his throat carefully and hissed out the window. “Hyung!”

The boy’s head flew up, advanced senses catching the direction immediately. His face was tense until he recognized that it was only Jungkook through the cell window. He walked to the window and reached out a hand to Jungkook instinctually, brushing his fingers against the younger boy’s cheek through the bars.

“You’re okay, Jungkook-ah?” Yoongi asked softly.

Jungkook nodded, leaning into the touch. “Who was that, Hyung? I didn’t recognize him.”

Yoongi looked around, then spoke. “He’s a good person. Someone who can help. But we can’t talk about it anymore, okay?”

“But-” Jungkook started, and Yoongi shushed him immediately.

“Jungkookie, do you trust me, Baby?”

Jungkook’s insides fluttered at the petname, and he nodded emphatically. “I do, you know I do.”

Yoongi gave a tight, but fond, smile. “Good. Then trust that this has to stay quiet. We can’t speak of it. Don’t tell anyone what you saw, not even Jiminie. Can you do that?”

Jungkook’s eyebrows furrowed, but he nodded.

“Good boy,” Yoongi said, giving his cheek a soft squeeze, and then he was gone.

***

“You need to hold still, TaeTae,” Jimin complained. Taehyung was laying with his head in Jungkook’s lap as Jimin worked on a portrait of him- sketching lazily in pencil.

“I’m trying, but Kookie is warm and he smells so good,” Taehyung whined. He nosed against Jungkook’s thigh and sighed. 

“Can’t you just go back to sleep? You’re a much better subject when you’re not awake,” Jimin grumbled, and Yoongi laughed beside him. 

“Ahh, be patient, Jiminie. Where else are you gonna find such pretty models? Just look at Jungkook-ah’s face- one in a million right there.” Yoongi had such a way of sounding sincere and teasing at the same time.

And of course, Jungkook couldn’t help but full-on blush. At this, Taehyung groaned, nosing at his thigh again, then opened his mouth, and- “Alright, Taehyung-ah,” Yoongi said gently, coming to pull him away from Jungkook. “You’re hungry and sleepy, no more sitting with Jungkook-ah for now.”

Taehyung whined pathetically, but let himself be sat up. “Wait!” Jungkook said, softly but firmly. “I...he’s hungry?”

Yoongi gave him an appraising gaze. “Yeah, he is. Why?”

“I…” Jungkook swallowed. “He can drink from me.”

Jimin’s eyebrows shot up, and he made a concerned noise. “You sure? You’ve been sucked dry lately, Jungkookie.”

“No, I’m okay. It’s been a few days since anyone’s drunk from me. He can't take a lot, I think...but I want to help. Can I help? Please Hyung?” Jungkook directed this at Yoongi, rather than Taehyung (as the latter was still dazed from smelling Jungkook’s blood so strongly, and was still hazy from sleep).

“You’re sure it’s what you want?” Jungkook nodded. “Then alright. I’ll be here; I’ll make sure he doesn’t take too much,” and Yoongi passed Taehyung back to him once more.

Jungkook decided then and there he loved the feeling of having Taehyung in his lap. The younger vampire nosed around his neck and whimpered. His teeth dropped into place, and he was suddenly licking at Jungkook’s hot skin. “You’re sure, Kookie?” he mumbled between licks, and Jungkook tried to say yes but all that came out was a soft moan. The feeling of his hyung’s tongue on his neck…he blushed harder, cleared his throat and gave a soft, “yes.”

And Taehyung bit.

Jungkook thought he would be scared, but somehow he wasn’t. He could feel Taehyung’s weight on his legs, grounding him, and the pain wasn’t so bad when he was prepared. He let out a shuddering sigh and held Taehyung closer.

“Hyung,” Taehyung pulled out his fangs and said urgently, dazed, “ Hyung , he tastes so good.”

“I know, Tae. It’s alright, I’ve got you,” Yoongi reassured. One hand rested on Jungkook’s shoulder, the other on Taehyung’s back. 

They all sat in companionable silence, no noise but the sketching of Jimin’s pencil on a new page, and the soft sucking of Taehyung’s fangs. 

A few minutes passed, comfortably, before Yoongi gently pulled Tae’s head back and disconnected the two boys. “Time’s up, Baby,” he said gently.

“But...Hyung, it’s...he’s…” Taehyung wailed, trying to hold onto Jungkook, and Yoongi firmly pulled him away. 

“I know he tastes good, but that’s all you can take right now. You wouldn’t want to hurt him, would you?”

Taehyung immediately shook his head emphatically, and seemed to sober up a little. Jungkook smiled fondly. The boy was so sweet to him. So cute too, like this, all pliant and cuddly.

“How do you feel, Jungkookie?” Jimin asked. He set down his finished sketch and Jungkook caught a look- a beautifully simple figure drawing of Taehyung sprawled on his lap, and Jungkook’s soft smile as he fed. Breathtaking, he thought, and then remembered to answer.

“Feel good, Jimin-hyung,” Jungkook beamed.

Jimin returned his smile easily, then turned at a noise across the hallway. Seoyeon was rubbing her eyes, obviously waking up from her sleep. Jimin grabbed the keys from Yoongi (who didn’t seem to give a fuck), and unlocked doors to let her in. They’d tried to invite the other girl, Eunji, to be with them too a few times, but she’d just ignored their offer. 

Seoyeon tugged Jimin back in with all the others, then pushed him down and plopped into his lap. “‘M tired,” she grumbled. 

They all laughed at this and she only rubbed her eyes again, leaning back onto the boy’s shoulder. 

They all held easy conversation, and at some point Seoyeon crawled over to Jungkook instead, to give him a big koala hug. She was warm, and small, and Jungkook couldn’t get over how protective of her he felt.

“How are you doing, Seoyeon-ah?” he asked her.

She shrugged, and when he didn’t accept that answer, she yawned and sat up, avoiding his eyes. “Has a dream. I miss...home.”

Jungkook frowned. “I thought you said you had a bad home? That you didn’t like it there?”

“I didn’t,” she assured quickly. “Don’t miss home, I guess, but I miss normal. Mostly miss my sister lots.”

“You had a sister? I didn't know,” Jimin said.

Seoyeon’s eyes lit up. “Uh huh, kind of! Her name was Jihyun! Met her in a foster home and she was super super nice to me, the best ever. Sometimes she snuck me candy. And she tried to help me when they started hitting me. The case workers didn’t listen, but she tried real hard to make it stop.”

Jungkook felt sick thinking about what Seoyeon had been through, but it did no one any good to be angry now so he pushed it away. He had gotten good at that lately.

“She said she loved me very much,” Seoyeon continued, “but then she had to leave to go to school in another city. She promised she’d come back as soon as she graduated an’ take me away.” She yawned again, obviously still exhausted. “But...but I got taken for real. By these guys. So I don’t think I get to see her again. I miss her. I just had a dream about her.” Her eyes looked like they were filling with tears, and Jungkook didn’t skip a beat in pulling her in tight for another hug. 

“I’m sure she misses you a lot,” Yoongi said quietly. Taehyung wasn’t quite back to normal, but he nodded anyway in agreement.

Seoyeon nodded, and just buried her face in Jungkook’s shoulder. 

After another while (Jungkook suspected Jimin had started sketching him again), Yoongi sighed. “We need to go, or they’ll get angry with us for missing our duties.”

All three of the other boys frowned and made noises of protest, and Yoongi snorted. “Yah, how come I have to be the responsible one?” He pulled Taehyung up to his feet, and led him out to the hall. He led them to their own cells, ruffling their hair, before crouching down and speaking quietly. 

“Remember that you trust me, okay? Everything will work out.”

And before they could respond, Yoongi was locking the cells and leading Taehyung outside.

***

When Jaesung came back, late that night, he was like Jungkook had never seen him before. 

He slammed open the building’s door, fumbled with his keys. He looked disheveled. Angry . Jungkook had never seen him anything less than completely put together, and it was disconcerting. 

Jaesung made a beeline for him and it was only when Jungkook had instinctually punched him in the face that he realized there was no thrall surrounding him. No thrall. He could fight back. He didn’t have to sit there and take it. 

Stunned for a moment, Jaesung touched his nose gingerly. Then an unhinged smile grew on his face, and it made Jungkook’s stomach curl. “Good, I need a little bit of fight in you this time.”

Jungkook tried. God, he tried. He fought with all his might, but he was human and Jaesung was not. He could be broken , and Jaesung could not.

It wasn’t a long fight.

As cold fingers and dizziness found him once again, Jungkook wondered how to cope with the fact that even free from the magic that had bound him, he would always be overpowered.

***

“‘M sorry,” Jungkook said simply as Jimin held his hand again. They were back in their own cells now, or else he’d have been glued to Jimin’s side. Jimin was warm, and kind, and everything Jaesung wasn’t. 

“Why are you sorry?” Jimin asked, and Jungkook thought he could literally hear the boy’s heart crack.

“That you have to see that. And help me after.”

Jimin sucked in a breath. “I’ll always help you. You know that. I...I love you. I love you and I hate him.”

Jungkook nodded hollowly. Then suddenly, “I don’t know what’s worse. Fighting and being overpowered in two seconds flat, or being caught in a thrall so there’s not even an option.”

“I…” Jimin’s gaze was distant, like Jungkook’s. “When he did it to me, I always thought the thrall was worse. At least if we’re fighting he can’t delude himself into thinking we enjoy it.”

And that feeling of solidarity washed over him like a blanket; it made so much sense, that they’d gone through the same thing. Jungkook somehow felt better knowing it wasn’t just him.

But the cruel universe couldn’t let him have anything , apparently, not a single moment of peace, because suddenly the building door was slammed open again.

This time it was Taehyung.

This time it was Taehyung, frantic, crying:

“Yoongi-hyung is missing! He’s gone! ”

Chapter Text

“What do you mean he’s missing?”

Taehyung was pacing, all restless energy. “I mean he’s gone! He disappeared and no one knows where he went! Jaesung is so fucking angry, I’ve never seen him like this. He tried to beat the shit out of me just for looking at him. And I- fuck, I can’t survive this place without Hyung, I don’t know what to do!” He was wailing by the end, obviously distressed. 

Jimin tried to tune out the intense fear and anxiety flowing into his senses, and instead focus on the situation. That must have been why Jaesung was acting so strangely with Jungkook before- the vampire didn’t like to be disobeyed or wronged, Jimin knew that much. 

“Deep breaths, Tae,” Jimin said. “Let’s think. There’s a few possibilities here. One- worst case scenario.”

Jungkook paled. “Is he...is he dead? Can vampires even die? Oh god.”

Jimin nodded. “They can. A bunch of this nest got wiped out from a rival clan a while back. But Jaesung said he’s just missing, right? He’s Yoongi’s sire, he’d feel it if he were dead.”

“So if he’s not dead, then where the hell is he?” Jimin could feel that Taehyung’s emotions were slightly calmed at the reassurance that Yoongi might be safe. 

“Well he can’t get out of here very easily, right? He’s said before that if he tried to run he’d be caught in less than a few minutes. So…” Jimin trailed off. 

“So what if he had help?” Jungkook filled in. His expression changed, thoughtful. 

“Yoongi…” Jimin’s thoughts turned rapidly. “He said, earlier...he told us to trust him. He was weird about it. Remember, Kook?”

Jungkook nodded. “Really weird. And I saw…”

“Saw him what? Where?” Taehyung’s eyes are wide, hopeful. 

“Yoongi said not to mention it. But I saw him talk to someone outside of the compound. Didn’t recognize the man but he moved like a vampire.”

“Why didn’t you say anything sooner!?” Taehyung yelled, and Jungkook flinched. 

“None of that,” Jimin warned. “It’s not his fault.”

“Didn’t hear anything they said,” Jungkook continued. “But Hyung looked nervous. That’s all I know, I swear. I’m sorry, Tae.”

Taehyung looked suitably chagrined and mumbled, “Sorry, Kookie. I know. I’m just...I’m fucking scared. Everyone here hates me. I don’t know how I’ll survive this place without Yoongi. They hurt me all the time, especially when he’s not around, and the more hurt I am the more blood my body needs to heal itself. I can’t- I’m not gonna drink, but- fuck-“

Jimin reached his hand through the bars to grasp Taehyung’s shaking hand. “It’ll be okay, I promise. He’ll come back. He wouldn’t leave us here.”

Jimin wasn’t sure if he was trying to convince them, or himself.

***

Yoongi didn’t come back. 

Not for the two weeks that had passed, at least. The atmosphere among all the boys was pretty miserable. Jungkook noticed that Jimin especially seemed depressed- he and Yoongi had gotten very close recently. Jimin just moped around his cell most days, ignoring Seoyeon’s attempts to cheer him up. 

Jungkook hadn’t seen Taehyung in maybe...ten days? He worried for the other boy. He and Yoongi were constantly together- so the chilling thought that they might be hurting Tae for information couldn’t leave his mind. 

Beyond that, Tae had never gone more than about five days without feeding before. He must be starving by this point. Jungkook had never seen Taehyung in a blood lust (a term Jimin had explained to him), but unless they were supplying him with bagged blood somehow, it was probably inevitable.

***

It happened exactly fifteen days after Yoongi left them. That was how Jungkook measured time now, in “Days since Yoongi.”

So there they were, fifteen days since Yoongi, when the blood bank door flew open and Jaesung strode in, followed by two senior vampires holding...holding...oh god. 

It was Taehyung, but it wasn’t. The boy was bruised black and blue, jaw swollen on one side. His arm was cracked at an unnatural angle but seemed to have healed that way. He wasn’t even walking, instead being dragged- both ankles also seemed to be hanging wrong. 

But even beyond the evidence of abuse, Taehyung looked absolutely unhinged.

His fangs were fully extended, eyes a deep crimson. His teeth were snapping frantically, biting through his lower lip without regard for pain. Desperately struggling to escape his captors, Taehyung didn’t even seem to register Jimin’s frantic voice. 

“Tae! Tae, what’s...Hey! Look at me!”

“He can’t hear you now, Jimin. He’s so far in bloodlust all he can hear is your heart pumping blood through your body. In fact, I could…” Jaesung suddenly spun and punched Taehyung in the face. Jimin cried out in anger, but the fledgling didn’t even react- only snarled again, eyes unfocused and trying to wrench himself out of the vampires’ grasp. “See? Dead to the world. All he wants is blood.”

“You fucking monster,” Jimin spit. 

Jaesung drawled his answer in mock surprise. “Me? I’m only doing what needs to be done for the safety of our nest. Your little escapee, Yoongi, is a threat to us all. Taehyung spent every living moment with him, so he’s our best shot at finding where he’s gone. Besides, it’s not my fault the boy refused to feed. I did offer...at the beginning.”

Jaesung started leisurely pacing down the aisle, hand dragging across the bars with a menacing thump, thump, thump.

“It was rather amusing, actually. Watching him go from refusing to feed to begging us to let him do so. I don’t mind much either way, honestly. He’s quite charming when he begs, all weak and broken. But it’s also helpful to me for him to be in top shape to continue our activities. The more blood in a vampire's system, the more bruises they can form.” Jaesung stroked Taehyung’s cheek tenderly and the boy jerked, snarling and trying to lunge towards the nearest warm body. He didn’t even seem to register Jaesung’s voice, crooning: “And he bruises so prettily.”

“He doesn’t know anything about Yoongi, none of us do. He disappeared on us. Stop fucking hurting him, he didn’t do anything,” Jungkook said, voice scratchy from disuse. 

“He’s not telling us what we need to hear. That’s crime enough.”

Jungkook gulped. “Let him drink from me. Please. You’re killing him.”

Jaesung actually laughed at that. “Why would I sacrifice my favorite toy? No, I think we’ll use her instead.” He walked to Seoyeon’s cell and Jungkook’s stomach dropped. The girl was frozen, but not from a thrall. Her gaze flew between Jaesung and Taehyung, feral, being dragged towards her. The man had said sacrifice...did that mean…

“No, no, no, no,” Jungkook cried. “Me! Let him feed from me! Please, I’ll do anything you want, don’t hurt her!”

He registered Jimin breathing heavily, staggering headfirst into a panic attack. Jungkook slammed against the bars, trying to brute force his way free. As if that had done anything the first hundred times he’d tried. 

As Seoyeon’s cell was unlocked, Jaesung smirked at him. “She’s only fulfilling her duty as a nestling. And perhaps after this Taehyung won’t be so...withholding with his information.”

Then- a signal from Jaesung- in slow motion, Taehyung was freed.

Suddenly, screaming . Taehyung’s fangs ripped into her pulse point and blood spurted everywhere. Then her neck pushed to a dangerous angle, and crack- it was over, the girl went limp. Taehyung didn’t stop. Jungkook could only watch, sobbing. His fists turned white with how tightly he clutched the bars.

At least she’d died quickly. 

Though she was gone, Taehyung’s newly turned fangs could only suck the blood out so quickly- they were all forced to wait it out as he emptied the body of blood. 

Two minutes passed. Five. Ten. Fifteen.

Jimin was a fucking wreck. Hyperventilating in a corner, panicked muttering. Jungkook wished he could comfort the boy. 

Instead, he yet again found himself stuck. He couldn’t look away from the bloody scene, even as tears blurred his vision. He didn’t want to look. God, he didn’t want to look. He couldn’t move. 

When it was finally over, empty sucking noises filling the room, Jaesung pulled Taehyung away from the corpse.

The younger boy finally seemed to focus his eyes, swaying on his feet. He blinked, confused. Turned to Seoyeon. 

And let out the most agonized scream Jungkook had ever heard. Then, “NO! No, I- I didn’t mean to! Seoyeon-ah! Get up! Please, please, please, oh god, please get up!”

He was shaking the body, but the only response he received was her head swaying on her broken neck. 

Jimin vomited in the corner. 

Taehyung was dragged, kicking and screaming, out of the building, and the bloody object lesson seemed to be over. Seoyeon had been caught in the crossfire of something that didn’t concern her. She deserved to live a long healthy life, to grow up and fall in love, to see the world. Instead, her broken body lay gray and lifeless on the concrete. 

“I’m...” Jungkook said, so softly that he wasn’t sure if anyone else could hear it, “I’m going to kill Jaesung. It’s going to be me .”

And before anyone could say anything else, something outside- massive booming, ground shaking, intense heat- exploded .

Chapter Text

There was shouting outside, frantic. Jungkook was surprised he could hear it past the ringing in his ears- so piercing and sharp. He found himself on the floor, caught off balance by the shaking ground. What the hell was going on?

He stumbled to his feet, looked out the window. The scene that met him was chaos. 

The building where all the vampires stayed- it was burning up in flames. Jungkook’s heart soared- burning can kill vampires . Were some of them inside? Shrapnel had flown into the center square and littered the ground. Jungkook could see the nest’s vampires running around frantically. 

What was happening? Could Yoongi have come back for them? Jungkook tried not to let himself get too hopeful, but...what if? What if this could actually be it? If they could be freed...he shook his head to try and clear the ringing from his ears but it didn’t help anything. At least his vision was fine.

From the window he couldn’t see Jaesung, but he did see Taehyung. Collapsed on the ground in the square, shaking like he was sobbing. Someone hovered over him- someone new- someone he didn’t recognize. Sharp, strong features, but a gentle expression. The man held his position, a hand rubbing over Taehyung’s back- comforting? Taehyung seemed to give a response, stumbling to his feet and moving out of the square. His feet were unsteady but he moved regardless. 

The handsome man turned his attention to the few vampires that were slowly closing in, caging him like an animal. He seemed to center himself, took a deep breath, then lunged. Faster than Jungkook could ever imagine, all three had their throats ripped out, heads thrown aside off their necks. This man was a vampire too, a dangerous one. At least he seemed to be on their side, not Jaesung’s.

Jungkook was distracted by the building’s door opening. Two people, the first a man with delicate features and an easy expression. Behind him…

“Yoongi!” Jungkook wailed and a heavy sense of relief settled in his stomach. He could see Jimin’s face shoot up- a distressed cry left the boy’s open mouth.

Yoongi looked...healthier. Stronger. He rushed in, relief palpable on his face as he saw his friends. But then...Seoyeon’s body. He stopped short; tears filled his eyes but didn’t fall. Yoongi had been fond of the girl, like they all had.

The other man saw this, and gently nudged him forward. “We need to  move quickly.” His voice was gentle but firm. Yoongi seemed to shake out of his stupor at this, and promptly ripped the door off of Jimin’s cell. Jungkook startled at the display of strength- he’d never seen the other use his vampiric abilities before. Yoongi rushed to Jimin's side and pulled him into his lap. 

“You’re not really here, it’s not true. ‘M making it up,” Jimin sobbed into his shoulder.

“I’m here, baby. Promise. It’s me. We’re getting out of here.” Yoongi’s words were tender as he held Jimin’s face against his chest protectively and stood. “Seokjin-hyung, are you coming? Bring Jungkook, keep him safe.”

The man- Seokjin- nodded. He pulled open Eunji’s cell door, then pointed her towards the door kindly. “Go with Yoongi, alright? You’re going to be okay.” She scurried out the door and the three left. 

This left Jungkook alone with the new vampire. Seokjin gave him a smile as he forcibly pulled open the locked door. It seemed to take no effort at all. “I’ve heard all about you, Jungkook-ssi. It’s nice to finally meet you; my name is Jin. Come with me, we’re going to get you to a safe place outside of the nest.”

Jungkook swallowed as he left the cell. “Thank you. I’m going to find Taehyung.”

“We’ll get him, I promise, but for now you need to come with me. It’s not safe here.”

“I don’t fucking care,” Jungkook was surprised to find himself raising his voice. “He’s not safe! Why would I trust you to find him, I don’t even know you. I’ll find him and meet up with you once I do.” He moved towards the door.

Seokjin sighed, a pained expression on his face, then something changed in Jungkook’s head. Everything felt...well, fuzzy. He was suddenly less anxious, less scared, less panicked. “It’s a better idea if you just come with me, isn’t it? You can trust me. I’m your friend , I’d never hurt you,” the vampire said.

He looked up at the vampire, who was now smiling. Why shouldn’t he trust him? Someone with such a pretty smile wouldn’t be lying to him. “Okay,” Jungkook found himself saying.

Jin grabbed hold of his hand and led him outside. Jungkook revelled in the cool air, the pretty sky above. Freedom, finally . They ducked behind buildings, moving quickly at a stealthy jog. It was chaos outside, nest vampires scrambling all over trying to find the intruders and being taken down when they did. Jungkook could only see a few of the nest’s vampires. Had the rest been killed by this new group? It was Seokjin, Yoongi, the man in the square earlier, and possibly the tall man Jungkook had seen with Yoongi in the woods. He hadn’t seen the last vampire here yet, but it seemed likely he was involved. How had such a small group caused so much destruction?

Jungkook didn’t know why he hadn’t trusted Jin at first. He was obviously on their side, and just trying to help. He felt warm when he focused on the man’s presence ahead of him, like they’d known each other for years. Like how he felt with...with Taehyung. Where was Tae? 

Stopping, Jungkook looked around himself. He felt dazed. Where was his friend? He wanted to find him...he should go look. “I’m…where...I want Tae,” Jungkook said uncertainly, and Seokjin turned to him. “I should find him. Gonna find him. Help me find him?”

“No, darling. Hobi- my friend, Hoseok- he’s going to find Taehyung. You don’t need to worry about that. What you need to focus on is getting yourself to safety, with me. It wouldn’t be smart to go off looking for him in the middle of a coven fight, now would it?”

Seokjin’s words were honey, and Jungkook couldn’t help but nod. That made sense. He still wanted to search...but one last look into the vampire’s eyes and Jungkook immediately decided that if Seokjin trusted this ‘Hoseok’ person to find Tae, then he trusted him too. With a squeeze to Jungkook’s shoulder, they moved forward. 

***

Eventually, they ran into Yoongi once more as they reached the treeline. Eunji was there too, but a few feet away from the others. She’d never enjoyed being close to them, exactly. Sometimes it was easy to forget she’d spent the same time in the blood bank as them.

Jungkook barreled into Yoongi’s side for a hug- it was difficult with Jimin still clinging to the older boy, but they managed. “Missed you, Hyung,” Jungkook cried.

“Missed you too, baby,” Yoongi murmured. He stroked Jungkook’s hair softly. “I’m sorry I had to leave for a little bit. I needed help getting you out.”

Jungkook sniffled, a little embarrassed to be crying so much. “‘S okay.”

“You met Jin, right? He’s been helping me plan this, along with some others from his nest.”

“Mhm. I trust him, he’d never hurt me. Was gonna…” His head still felt fuzzy. “Was gonna look for Tae. He said to come with him instead...I’m here. Where’s Tae? Want Tae.”

Yoongi growled low in his chest. “You charmed him?” The question wasn’t aimed at Jungkook and he didn’t really understand it, so he just hugged his hyung tighter. 

“Yoongi-yah, calm down. I didn’t have a choice. He was about to run into the bloodbath looking for Taehyung.” Jin’s voice was firm, confident.

Another growl, but otherwise Yoongi didn’t respond. Only ran a hand across Jungkook’s hair. The way he did it was possessive and it made him shiver.

Finally seeming to notice him, Jimin turned and grabbed onto Jungkook’s arm with a death grip. Jungkook placed an arm around him as well, and the three clung to each other in a desperate group hug. It felt good. Jungkook didn’t realize how much he’d been craving physical touch, and having Yoongi back made it a million times better- now they just needed Taehyung. 

“Damn,” Jin suddenly swore. He winced as if he had a headache. “Joon needs me. Keep them safe, I’ll be back as soon as I can.” With that Seokjin was out of sight. He moved so fast, it made Jungkook dizzy. 

“Joon?” he asked.

“His mate, Namjoon. He, Namjoon, and another vampire, Hoseok, are all mated. They’re part of a nest.”

Jungkook tensed. “A nest like...here?” Like hell if he was going from one prison to another. 

“It’s not like here. They don’t keep any nestlings for food; they wouldn’t do that against anyone’s will. They’re kind.” Yoongi tightened his hand in Jungkook’s hair slightly. “I wouldn’t let them hurt you, anyway.”

“Thank you...thank you for coming back.”

“I’ll always come back, Jungkook-ah. Promise.”

Jungkook turned his attention to Jimin, who seemed drained. “Jiminie, we did it. We’re gonna get out of here.”

Jimin only gave a watery smile. The three boys held to each other, when-

Suddenly, a new voice. Panicked. It was Eunji, it must have been. She’d been sitting quietly behind them, and now they all spun around, to hear, “HELP-” 

The first time they’d ever heard her speak- just in time to see Minsoo snap Eunji’s neck clean off of her body. He stood menacingly over her corpse and smiled at them.

“Oh, fuck-” Jungkook cried out, but it was already too late. He was barreling into the three boys, and they all hit the ground hard. 

Minsoo, strength and speed superior to all three of them, threw Yoongi ten feet away, then followed and straddled him on the ground. Yoongi was too young of a vampire to have any chance against him in a fight. They all knew it. 

“You think you can join up with them, kill all of my fucking nestmates, and get away with it? Bastard-” and Minsoo pulled out a lighter. Fire. The easiest way to kill a vampire. 

Jungkook couldnt fucking breathe, Minsoo was going to kill Yoongi and there was nothing he could do about it. It was Seoyeon all over again. He couldn’t get to them fast enough.

Instead, Jungkook screamed. 

It was the loudest thing he’d ever heard, even from his own mouth, and the noise somehow seemed to change the air- tugged and pulled at it. Somehow he instinctively knew that whatever was happening wouldn’t hurt him. Louder and louder and louder , he pushed out all his anger towards Minsoo, channeling every helpless feeling he’d had since arriving. Reality warped, vision blurry, and some sort of barely visible wave slammed into the vampire. 

Minsoo fell forward onto Yoongi, unmoving. Dead ?

The scream broke as Yoongi pushed Minsoo off- he was okay. Yoongi was safe. Whatever Jungkook had done had kept him safe.

That thought seemed to break a tightly wound thread inside of Jungkook, and suddenly he was so, so tired. Before realizing it, his torso was tipping back over to the ground. All he could see was the sky above- pretty. God, he loved stars. But then, faces blocked his view. He huffed. He wanted to keep looking at the sky. 

“Baby, what- what’s wrong? Don’t go to sleep, okay? Need you to stay awake for Hyung. C’mon, just-”

Jungkook whined. He was so tired...and Yoongi was safe from Minsoo. That was all that mattered. He’d ask forgiveness later, not permission.

Jungkook let his eyes close.

Chapter Text

The first thing that came back to Jungkook was his sense of smell, strangely enough. His brain registered savory spiced meats wafting through the air and his eyes opened to try and find the source. Fuck, he was hungry.

His brain took a few seconds to catch up as he glanced around the room. Jungkook was dressed in soft, baggy clothing, tucked into a four poster bed. The room around him was homey but looked expensive nonetheless, the kind of room that would belong in a catalogue. The blankets around him were maybe the softest he’d ever felt. He ran his fingers across one of them and noted how heavy his arms felt. 

Where the hell was he?

He slipped out of bed, feet startling against the cold hardwood beneath. He felt dizzy and tired, but first priority was to find out what this place was. Obviously he wasn’t in Jaesung’s nest anymore. He remembered...he remembered Seoyeon, the explosion, Yoongi, breaking out, Eunji, then...Minsoo. He’d done something to Minsoo. He didn’t know what, exactly, but it had felt powerful. 

Where was Yoongi? And Tae, and Jimin? He needed to find them before anything else. 

As he stepped carefully out into the hallway, the smell of food hit him even harder and his stomach growled in protest. He must have been asleep for a while to be this hungry. 

Then- “Jungkook-ah!” And he was facefirst in Jimin’s chest. 

“Jiminie? Where- what?” Jungkook pulled back to look him over. The boy looked safe, unharmed. In fact, he seemed better than he’d seen him in weeks. A little pink graced the apples of his cheeks and Jungkook couldn’t help but notice once again how pretty Jimin was. Especially with the brilliant smile on his face. 

“Kook! I’m so happy you’re awake! It’s been forever! Come eat, I bet you’re hungry and Jin-hyung is cooking.” A weird expression crossed Jimin’s face at his own words, but Jungkook couldn’t place it. 

“Jin-Hyung?” Jungkook’s brain was fuzzy but he recognized the name. Jimin was just moving too fast, he felt left behind in the conversation.

“He saved us, with the others, remember? When we escaped?” Jungkook took a moment to try to remember, but apparently he took too long because Jimin was already dragging him down the corridor. “Cmon, we can explain. But you need food first.”

Jungkook stumbled, dizzy. “Need help,” he mumbled. 

Jimin turned back, took in the boy’s state and looked a little chagrined as he supported with an arm around Jungkook’s waist. “Sorry, I’m here.”

They followed the enticing scent of grilled meat and soon reached a large kitchen. It was exorbitant really- two ovens, the largest fridge he’d ever seen, a kitchen island the size of a twin bed. It was also cozy, though, and lived in. Pots and pans littered the sink, mismatching dishcloths were flung over a towel rack, and a candle burned gently in the corner. In the center of it all stood a very tall and handsome man. 

Seokjin, Jungkook remembered. Who Jimin was talking about. His memories were still fuzzy, but he remembered the man somehow.

Jin turned, surprise written on his face. “Jungkook-ah! It’s so nice to finally see you up and about! Have a seat.”

Jungkook did as he said, settling into a chair at the counter across from where Jin was grilling. “Finally?” His voice was rough with sleep.

“You’ve been asleep for a week, Kook,” Jimin clarified. 

“You sit too, Jimin-ah. Food’s almost ready.”

Jimin bit his lip anxiously. “Not hungry yet, Hyung, can I just wait ‘til dinner?”

“It’s been 6 hours since breakfast,” Jin said, collecting the meat onto a serving plate. It looked like really high quality beef, juicy and well cooked. Jungkook couldn’t help but salivate. 

“You only made enough for one, though, right? So it can go to Jungkook, and I’ll wait.”

“Don’t you worry, I made some extra today for leftovers. There’s enough for both of you,” Jin explained.

Jimin persisted. “But-”

“Sit, Jiminie. Hyung has food for you.” Firm, no room for discussion.

Jungkook looked between the two, who were locked in a staring contest of sorts. Jimin looked away first with a huff and petulantly slung himself onto a chair too. Jungkook wasn’t sure what sort of unspoken conversation he was missing, but it didn’t matter because the attention was turned back to him. 

“How are you feeling, Jungkook-ah?” Jin asked. He split the meat onto two plates with noodles.

Jungkook cleared his throat. “Hungry. Tired...achy. Where are we?”

“This is our nest,” Jin said. As Jungkook instinctively tensed up, he continued: “but it’s not like what you’ve experienced. We aren’t going to hurt you, you’re free to leave whenever. I swear.”

“It’s true. We’re not prisoners,” Jimin reassured, and Jungkook felt his shoulders relax. He trusted Jimin’s word, at the very least.

“Where’s Tae? Yoongi?” Jungkook couldn't help but look around, as though they may be nearby. 

“They’re somewhere around here. Both safe. Yoongi-yah is probably causing trouble,” Jin smiled.

“Yoongi-hyung, causing trouble?” Jungkook asked in incredulity.

Jimin giggled. “He’s a lot less stressed now, Kook. He’s slowly letting loose. Kinda funny to see.” Jin placed a plate in front of each of them. 

“I…” Jungkook couldn’t keep up. It was all so sudden. It felt like it was only moments ago he’d been in mortal danger.

Jin seemed to sense this. “Take your time adjusting. It’s a lot to take in. For now all you need to focus on is eating. Your body needs food.”

Jungkook appreciated the simple directions. He popped a bite into his mouth and groaned in pleasure. It was so good . Jin laughed from across the counter, seeming to appreciate the dramatic response. 

Beside him Jimin was playing with his food, twirling the noodles endlessly around his chopsticks. He was shooting glances up at Jin, who had started to clean up. 

“Wait, Hyung,” Jungkook asked. “Aren’t you going to have some?” 

A dismissive wave. “I’m alright, treasure. I drank recently and vampires don’t need human food like you do.”

Treasure? Jungkook’s stomach fluttered at the pet name. 

“Like you both do,” Jin added, with a pointed look at Jimin who huffed and finally took a bite. 

Jungkook himself scarfed down his entire plate in record time. It was absolutely delicious, and he felt like his head was clearer after getting some calories into his body. 

“So how did you know where to find us? To get us out?” He asked. 

Instead of Jin, a voice behind them answered. “I told you I’d get help, didn’t I?”

Yoongi! Jungkook spun in his chair, stumbling to his feet and into Yoongi’s embrace. His hyung held on tightly and only let go when Jungkook pulled away. “You got some food in you?”

Jungkook nodded. He felt full and content. 

Yoongi reached out a hand to Jimin and ruffled his hair. “You’re eating well too?”

Jimin glared into his food. “You’re one to fucking talk.”

“Yah, don’t speak to him like that,” Jin scolded. “You’re both doing your best.”

Jungkook felt out of the loop, but there were more pressing questions he had first. “I was so fucking scared, Hyung, Minsoo, he was gonna kill you! And- and then- how did I…”

“Deep breath, Kook. I’m not sure how you killed Minsoo. Namjoon-hyung thinks it was fae magic, but we don’t know exactly what happened.”

“So he’s dead? Minsoo? And who’s Namjoon?”

“Minsoo is dead, yes,” Jin answered. “We came back to a disaster scene. Namjoon, our mate- you haven’t met him yet- he was with me. We came back to find you passed out, pale as a sheet. Minsoo was dead when we got there, the girl too. Just Yoongi and Jimin guarding your body. We thought you might…” a deep breath sucked in. “We assumed the worst. I’m happy you’re safe.”

It was a pretty close call, then. No wonder Jungkook’s body was so sore. “I’ve never used magic before...how could I use it against Minsoo?”

“Magic is tricky. I’m guessing it just manifested at a time of high emotional turmoil, when you really needed it. I’ll be curious to see if it shows up again or if that was a one off,” Jin explained.

“How did he find you in the first place?” Jungkook asked. 

“We’d been scouting the area,” Jin replied. “We attacked them a while back, and took out large numbers from their nest. But we couldn’t get to the nestlings. We’ve been planning a second attack ever since. One night we ran into Yoongi and we managed to come to an understanding. He gave us information on the current workings of the nest, the best ways and places to strike.”

“Mostly I just begged them to get us all out. They were already planning to save you, the nestlings, but I convinced them to take in me and Tae as well. That we weren’t bad like the rest.”

“Not bad,” Jin repeated fondly, walking around the counter to stroke a hand down the back of Yoongi’s neck. “Our good fledglings.”

Yoongi shivered, and Jungkook watched on in awe. The older boy had never acted the least bit vulnerable with them. It was a beautiful sight. 

That reminded him, though- “Where’s Tae? I want to see him.” And that reminded him- “Wait! What the hell did you do to me?” Spinning towards Jin, suddenly remembering how the vampire had somehow convinced him to give up the search for Taehyung during their escape.

Jin looked startled. “What did I do?”

“You…well, I don’t know. I wanted to go out and look for Taehyung, and then you just told me to calm down and trust you and I went all floaty and wanted to listen. It wasn’t me. What did you do to me?” Jungkook was trying to be angry but it was hard without knowing what he was angry about. 

Jin flinched. “Ah, that.”

“I told you he would be mad,” Yoongi muttered, but Jin ignored his comment. 

“You’re not wrong, Jungkook-ah. I charmed you. It’s a power of mine, I’ve developed it in the many years since I turned. It’s a persuasion of some sort- the power of suggestion.” He looked Jungkook in the eyes. “I used it because it was an emergency. You were about to go out into the middle of a bloodbath, and you were weak and confused. I wasn’t about to drag you to safety kicking and screaming, but we needed to get out immediately. However, I’m very sorry for charming you without your permission. I won’t do it again without your consent.”

Jungkook wanted to feel more upset, but somehow couldn’t. Jin was making a lot of sense. “Just...don’t. I don’t like not being in control of myself.”

“Of course, darling. I respect that.”

“But backing up...Tae? Where’s he at? You said he’s okay.”

“Okay is relative,” Jimin winced. “Hoseok-hyung had to rebreak a lot of his bones so they could heal properly, so he’s been resting and getting better. Plus…” 

“He’s struggling emotionally, too,” Yoongi filled in. “He had no control over what he did to Seoyeon, but he feels responsible. He’s pretty upset. Won’t leave his room. He’s terrified you’re going to blame him.”

“What?” Jungkook cried, alarmed. “I would never blame him for that. It was Jaesung’s fault!”

“I know, baby,” Yoongi soothes him. “But he’s been through trauma, like all of us. Trauma isn’t always logical.”

Jungkook stood up. His legs were still somewhat shaky, but he was determined. “Take me to him?”

Jimin began to stand, but Jin gently pushed his shoulders back into the chair, with a soft, “You’re not quite finished with your food yet, precious.”

Instead, Yoongi offered an arm and they made their way through the long winding halls of the mansion. Jungkook had a sense of urgency that the old house didn’t seem to. 

When they finally reached the room, Jungkook entered with no ceremony. Only pushed open the door and stepped through. Laser focus on the huddled lump in bed. 

Before Taehyung could react, Jungkook was there, hugging him. “I love you, TaeTae,” he said, and he felt the boy shaking in his arms. 

Then Taehyung burst into tears. “I’m sorry,” he sobbed, over and over. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault, it's not. Not, Taehyungie-hyung. Love you, not your fault. She wouldn’t want you to feel so upset.”

Taehyung didn’t have a response, only clung tighter like a dying man clutching onto life. 

Jungkook didn’t have any words to fix it, so he tried to convey his feelings through desperate touch. Held the back of Taehyung’s head to his shoulder, climbed halfway into the boy’s lap, let his own tears be absorbed into Tae’s shirt. Mourning Seoyeon, and the life she could have had. 

Sometimes in the midst of grief, the only language you have at your disposal is to cry together.

Chapter Text

Jimin was tired of everyone watching him.

He knew it was out of concern, out of care, but god it was exhausting. It felt like everyone in this goddamn house was waiting for him to break.

He wasn’t so sure it wouldn’t happen either, but it was the principle of the thing.

Trauma, obviously, messes with people in different ways. Sure, they were all safe now, in the Kim nest. No bad guys, nothing to go bump in the night. But you can’t come out of months of captivity unscathed mentally, no matter your determination. Jimin just wished that the poison his brain had picked wasn’t so obvious to everyone around him.

In the past week since gaining freedom, Jimin spent most of his time bouncing between his dongsaengs’ rooms and trying to avoid his problems. It was easier to forget the heaviness in his stomach when he let himself be enveloped in other people’s feelings- easier to drown into Taehyung’s grief than it was to face his own. And they needed him, after all; Tae was so devastated over Seoyeon that he wouldn’t leave his room for anything. 

It had been Jimin’s role all his life to comfort his loved ones (it’s easy to comfort someone if you know exactly how they feel), and he fell into it naturally with Taehyung. Stayed by his side, cuddled him until he fell into a fitful sleep at night, whispered reassurances. When the hyungs came to drag Jimin to the dinner table, it was just an added bonus that he could throw out excuses like candy at a parade to stay by Taehyung’s side.

Once Tae was settled, he’d sneak into Jungkook’s room and lay with him instead. The boy was passed out in some sort of coma, body exhausted by whatever the hell he’d done to Minsoo. It felt nice to actually be able to touch him- too many nights had been wasted with iron bars in between the two. Jungkook had always seemed to crave contact with him, and now Jimin was determined to deliver, even if the maknae couldn’t feel it. Hopefully it would soothe him even in sleep.

Jimin would lay with him for hours, stroke the hair from his eyes and watch his chest rise and fall steadily. Jungkook was especially pretty when he slept, and Jimin had always thought so. Dark eyelashes fanned across his cheeks, muscles relaxed. The only time Jungkook ever looked relaxed was in sleep. He scrunched up his nose sometimes, too- reactions to a dream, maybe? - and it melted Jimin’s heart into puddles. He wasn’t sure when he’d become so attached, but it had happened regardless.

Yoongi sometimes sat with him too, keeping him company. The older boy wasn’t often talkative, but he was tactile. He often carried a sour cloud around him, anxiety, Jimin noted, but it tended to wane when hugging Jimin or the other boys. Jimin indulged him in this whenever possible, and it helped him feel better too, anyway.

The hyungs, for the most part, were content to leave Jimin to his devices in tending to the boys. They didn’t force him to socialize, letting him emerge whenever he felt ready. They were all getting along well so far, and had made it to a comfortable level of informality. One thing gave Jimin pause though: it was impossible for him to tell how the vampires were feeling. It was like they had a shield up, completely blocking their emotions from view. It must be how normal people feel, Jimin mused. It was a new experience for him. 

Seokjin and Namjoon were closed books, only giving away what they wanted to on their faces; Hoseok was a little more like the vampires at the previous nest had been- generally muddled emotional footprint, with an occasional strong burst of emotion showing itself to Jimin. He wondered if it was a vampiric ability, or perhaps something that came with age. Namjoon and Seokjin in particular did seem to be very, very old. He wouldn’t ask, though- Jimin had never exposed his secret before. He didn’t plan to now.

His hyungs seemed to have devised a very strict food schedule, after having found themselves in the company of humans. Jin cooked for Jimin on a regular basis, and the others would eat bits and pieces of whatever was made (apparently vampires could eat human food, but didn’t need to). It would have been a great setup, except Jimin just…wasn’t hungry.

Or rather, his body was, but every time he even thought about food it made him sick. In Jaesung’s nest, food had been the only thing he’d had control over. No matter how many times he was touched without consent, beaten, neglected…he could still decide not to eat, and no one could take that from him. Jaesung tried, wanting him to be healthy to produce more blood- but there was no one to blackmail him with at that point, and Jimin cared little for his own safety. At some point along the line, the very idea of food became sickening, like it would mean giving in. Like it would mean failure.

Old habits die hard.

It hadn’t taken these new vampires long to realize that Jimin was avoiding mealtimes, especially since he was the main person they were cooking for with Jungkook asleep. No one was explicitly saying it, but everyone knew. He had a problem. Sure, he had a problem, but that didn’t mean it needed to be fixed, right? He wasn’t completely starving. He ate, sometimes, when Jin-hyung coaxed him away from Jungkook’s darkened room. It may have been a problem, but it wasn’t a problem .

He’d learned to use the boys’ situation to his advantage, as dirty as it felt. Jimin knew it wasn’t sustainable, but something deep and frantic inside of him said to use everything at his disposal to avoid that heavy, sickening feeling of fullness. He’d cling to his dongsaengs, fuss over them more than usual, show the hyungs that he had to stay. Puppy dog eyes, eyelashes fluttered- “He needs me, Hyung. I can’t leave him,” and they’d fold. He felt a little guilty manipulating so blatantly, but honestly Jimin was pretty sure they knew what he was doing but allowed it anyway. For the time being.

It couldn’t last forever, he knew.

And now, Jungkook was awake as of yesterday, and Jimin was sulking. Ever since Taehyung had received absolution from Jungkook, he was up and around too. Taehyung’s radiating depression had softened, and Jungkook was settling in, learning about their new nest. Jimin’s haven was deteriorating. Of course, he was happy that the two were feeling better, he loved them dearly and Jimin of all people would want his friends to be happy. But some deep, selfish part of his head reminded him that he no longer had his go-to excuse for skipping meals.

Jin, since Tae and Jungkook were no longer bedridden, was less lenient with Jimin’s attitude around food. He was always the most vocal about the problem, not letting him leave the table until he finished. He had a sort of firm stability that left no room for discussion. That didn’t mean Jimin didn’t try, of course, but more often than not he ended up feeling like a petulant child.

Even now, as he pushed around the noodles on his plate, he tried very hard not to look across the table at Seokjin or Yoongi. Yoongi had grabbed a small plate and was steadily eating his way through it. Jimin could feel himself sulking, but couldn’t stop it.

As much as he tried to stamp it down, he could feel a little bit of resentment building towards Yoongi, as well. The older boy had spent so much time starving himself of blood to spite Jaesung that now he could hardly stomach it. Except Yoongi only needed to feed once every day or two, and Jimin had to eat three goddamn meals a day. Like clockwork. He barely had time to register the heaviness in his body before it was time to eat again. It was unfair that Yoongi could go so long in between his feedings. Jimin knew, he knew it was stupid being jealous over a matter of biology, but he couldn’t help it.

What was worse was that Jimin could easily feel how stressed Yoongi got when Namjoon took him away to feed, how panic-ridden. He needed support, not anger. Jimin knew this but still couldn’t help but be upset by their differing situations. How terrible of a person was he for that? God. Maybe if he stopped eating, dried into an empty husk (wonderfully light, controlled, content) it would be better for everyone.

Those were dangerous thoughts, but only if he acknowledged them.

As he watched Yoongi shovel yet another spoonful of noodles into his mouth, Jimin pulled his chair back. He’d finished almost half his food, surely-

No. “Treasure, you’re not quite finished yet.” There it fucking is, his least favorite words.

“I’m not eating any more.” Jimin knew he was being ridiculous, but the words came out regardless. He couldn’t look either of them in the eye.

“Yes, you are. Sit,” Seokjin said. He spoke kindly, but it wasn’t what Jimin wanted to hear.

Jimin worked his jaw, annoyed. “I’m gonna go find Tae and Kook. They need-”

“Oh, I think you’ve them as an excuse to their full extent, don’t you?” Jin asked, and his tone was mild but pointed. “They’re with Namjoon, they’re perfectly fine.”

Jimin snapped. “How about you get off my fucking back, okay? I don’t want to eat so let me go!”

“Jimin, what-” Yoongi started, and Jimin whirled on him.

“Not you too. You don’t get to fucking talk to me about this, you’re just as bad as me. Can’t handle your blood without panicking. Only difference is you get away with eating once every decade, pretty much, but I’m dragged to the table every two minutes to stuff my face, and I’m fucking tired of it! I wish you’d all just let me starve!”

Jimin tried to ignore the wave of hurt and concern from Yoongi, but flinched anyway. He hadn’t meant to say all of that, but...too late. No one spoke, and Jimin, chest heaving in the silence, spun from the table and stalked outside.

As soon as he walked away, he already regretted his words. Calling out Yoongi like that? What the hell was he thinking? He was struggling, and Jimin threw it in his face. And Seokjin-hyung had been going to so much trouble to cook for him every day, and he’d honestly been nothing but kind. They were already close friends, the vampires had saved them from being drained and raped and beaten, and had asked for absolutely nothing in return. How could Jimin be so ungrateful?

Something about staring down a full plate just made Jimin lose all sense, like the anxiety bubbling up inside had to shoot out in vitriolic words. It wasn’t like him. He hated it. And how Yoongi had felt afterwards...god. He’d be thinking about that constantly. 

He had some apologizing to do.

Not yet, though. For now, hot shame burned at his throat, and he mindlessly walked around the property. Maybe if he avoided his problems long enough they’d go away.

That strategy had worked great for him, so far. 

His feet dragged on the ground, and he kicked at pebbles in his path as he walked and walked. He was sulking, he knew. It was childish. He should just go back and apologize. Would they be angry with him? He probably didn’t deserve their forgiveness even if they offered it.

Jimin wandered, drowning in guilt, until he heard a funny noise nearby: something clacking together. He followed it, eventually coming across Hoseok sitting on the ground surrounded by a rock circle. 

The vampire looked up, surprised but smiling. “Jiminie! What’s up? Why are you wandering this far on the property?”

Jimin thought there might be a hint in there that he should stay closer to the house. Too late now. “I...well. I said some shitty things to Jin-hyung and Yoongi-hyung. I’m wallowing.”

“Ah.” Hoseok winced. “Avoiding problems, then. Want to help me with this? You can wallow and help at the same time, practice your multitasking.”

Jimin nodded, sat down next to Hoseok in the circle of rocks. “What are we doing?”

“Check the symbol on the underside of each rock. If it’s still glowing, put it back. If it’s faded, replace it with one of these,” he pulled open the mouth of a bag at his side, filled with gray stones. Each had a small glowing sigil on it. Fascinating...Jimin had never seen anything like it. “Make sure all the sigils are facedown.”

He started checking the rocks in the circle. “What is this? The rocks, and the circle, I mean.”

“Protection circle of sorts,” Hoseok answered amiably. “We have one at each corner of the property. If maintained, they act as wards- blocking our location from scrying eyes, or scenting noses.”

Jimin didn’t know anything like this existed. “Did you make these rocks?”

Hoseok laughed, a bright sound that made Jimin want to smile. “No, my older sister is a witch. She enchants the stones and sends them to us, and in return I send her cookies. It’s a symbiotic relationship.”

“I didn’t think of you having siblings,” Jimin said. “Is that insensitive? I guess I kinda figured, since you guys are vampires and you’re really old…”

“Yah,” Hoseok laughed again. “Old? Don’t let Jin-hyung hear you call us that. You’ll never hear the end of it. But you’re right, most of us don’t have family anymore. It’s different since my sister is a witch. I’m only a little over 100 years old, same with Jiwoo, and lots of witches live to several hundred or even longer if they have the right spells and potions.”

Jimin nodded in understanding. They worked in silence together, tossing faded stones into a pile and replacing them again. The overhead sun beat down on them and Jimin made a mental note to ask how the vampire could withstand it- was sun exposure a myth? He seemed to be just fine, even enjoying the warmth. 

Finally, Hoseok spoke again, casual: “You want to talk about what you said that requires such intense wallowing?”

“It’s…” Jimin sighed. He did feel like getting things off his chest. “I yelled at Jin-hyung for asking me to finish my food. After he went to all the work of making it. And when Yoongi-hyung tried to jump in, I was a dick to him too, about how he’s struggling with feeding.”

Hoseok whistled. “Sounds like something rough is going on in your head.”

“Things are just different now. Now that Kook-ah and TaeTae are getting better. There’s more attention on me. And...on me not eating enough.” Jimin paused to see if Hoseok would interject. “It’s not that I want to lose weight or something. For so long, not eating was the only control I had. Jaesung could do whatever he wanted to me, but he couldn’t make me eat. And now, I’m suddenly out, and people are telling me to just eat, and I can’t. I feel sick. Mentally. Emotionally. Physically. It feels like giving up.”

“I’m sorry that you’re feeling so out of sorts, Jiminie. That’s a hard thing to go through alone,” Hoseok said. Jimin tried to focus on the vampire’s feelings but nothing came through other than muted calm. While easier than Seokjin or Namjoon, Hoseok was still pretty difficult to get a read on.

“I don’t know how to fix it,” Jimin said. Honesty. “I don’t know if I want to fix it.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I just feel so anxious when I try to eat. I was anxious so long. I don’t want to feel like that anymore, not now that I’m free.”

Hoseok placed a hand on Jimin’s back, rubbed gently. Jimin shuddered at the physical contact, but in a good way. “It’s gotta be extreme whiplash trying to adjust to life after such a traumatic experience. I think you’re doing the best you can. I think Yoongi and Jin are trying their best, too. We’re all navigating this together.” Hoseok hummed thoughtfully. “This is just one more thing that Jaesung took away from you; your ability to enjoy food. You may have developed it as a coping mechanism, but it was still as a result of his actions. Maybe we could try thinking of it as fighting to get something back that he took away from you. Eating does not make you a failure, Jiminie. It makes you brave.”

“I don’t feel very brave...I just feel scared.”

“You can be both,” Hoseok said simply. “Bravery is facing your fears. If you’re scared, that just means you’re giving yourself more opportunities to be brave.”

Jimin liked that a lot; he let it simmer in his mind. “I think I’ve got an opportunity to be brave right now,” he mused. “Do you think...Do you think you could walk me back to the house? I have some apologizing to do.”

“‘Course, love. Let’s go.” Hoseok gave him a beaming smile, and for once Jimin could feel a strong emotion from the vampire: fondness.

Chapter Text

Yoongi, as a rule, didn’t like to be vulnerable. He’d rather cut off his own arm than tell someone about his deepest darkest feelings, and he didn’t expect this to change anytime soon. He’d always been stubborn as all hell, his mother said, and this was the hill he chose to die on.

He was an excellent listener, sure. Friends always flocked to him to vent their troubles, and he’d give them advice, or validation, or even a hug (as much as he pretended he hated touch, he enjoyed it more than he’d admit). But to return the favor, to bare his soul and leave it on the table, was the most uncomfortable thing he could possibly imagine.

Now, living in the Kim coven’s nest, Yoongi found himself facing the first time in his life that he’d ever even considered talking to someone about what was happening in his brain, and it wasn’t for the reason he’d expected.

Ever since the first day he’d found Namjoon (or Namjoon found him, rather) in the forest outside Jaesung’s nest, since he’d been roughly pinned to the ground, questioned, charmed by the most attractive man he'd ever seen, things had just...felt different.

***

The cool night air swirled past Yoongi, ruffling his hair, as he wandered aimlessly and thought. 

Jungkook, Jimin, Taehyung. They all relied on him. He was the oldest. He was their hyung, their comfort in this living hell. And they’d kept him sane, too, with their bright eyes and soft voices. Their pretty faces that filled his dreams and errant thoughts. Yoongi would do anything to see them smile, to hear their voices and feel the dizzy flutter of his almost-dead heart that they caused just by existing.

He wasn’t yet ready to consider exactly what that might mean.

What Yoongi did know, what he was ready to face, was that he had to get them to safety or he’d never forgive himself.

Jaesung kept careful watch of his fledglings, and even more careful watch of his nestlings. Illegally stolen, but closely guarded. There were always old, old vampires close by, ready to catch any strays that may try to make a break for it. And Yoongi wasn’t scared for himself, he never had been; he’d tried to kill himself on multiple occasions since being turned. He’d never had the tools or the willpower to succeed- instead chose to wait for his inevitable death at the hands of Jaesung once he messed up badly enough. But now he had three boys who needed him, who were pointlessly suffering and didn’t deserve any of it. If Yoongi tried to break them out of the nest, and they were caught in the process? He didn’t know what Jaesung would do as punishment. His dongsaengs could only handle so much before breaking, and Yoongi was not willing to find out where the line was. But doing nothing was equally damaging. How could he get them out while minimizing consequences?

He was lost in his anxious thoughts so deeply that he didn’t notice the vampire sneaking up behind him- or maybe they were so different in ability that he never had a chance.

Yoongi’s face slammed into the ground and something heavy landed on his back. He struggled instinctively. NO, no, no, no- was this one of Jaesung’s lackeys? He’d never been reprimanded for walking in these woods before, was it suddenly a rule they’d made up? He had a reason to live now, for his boys, and if he died they had no chance of escaping. Panic rose up his throat, choking him until his throat bubbled over with a noise that was familiar, but inhuman. Distressed and frightened- a mix between a chirp and a wail. 

The pressure forcing his head into the dirt lessened, and everything paused for a moment. Then, his assailant flipped him over with ease.

If this was one of Jaesung’s lackeys, he didn’t recognize him. It was someone new, one of the most handsome men he’d ever seen. Skin glowing, deep dimples and a sharp jawline- the type of person you’d think only exists on magazine covers. Yoongi expected to see aggression on his face, but was met with confusion instead.

If the man was confused, it meant he wasn’t attacking. This was Yoongi’s opportunity. He forced his teeth to descend (still painful, it had always been since he was turned a few months ago), and they pierced through his gums like knives, filling his mouth with precious blood. He lunged forward with his mouth open, and-

And promptly went boneless.

The man had pinched the back of his neck with long slender fingers, gripping firmly, and Yoongi’s body relaxed instantly, against his will. His eyes were hazy, and he tried very hard to stop his vision from swimming. When the man above him finally came into focus, he looked concerned.

Concerned?

“There we go,” he murmured. “That’s better.”

“Wha-” Yoongi choked out, disoriented.

“Relax, fledgling.”

Yoongi took a moment to heave in a few deep breaths, and as he did he felt his teeth retract. His limbs felt too heavy to move.

“Are you one of Jaesung’s?”

“He...he turned me.” Yoongi wasn’t sure why he was telling this man anything, but he felt so tired it was hard to even consider the mental energy it would take to come up with a good lie.

“Against your will? Or with your consent?” the man asked sharply.

“I didnt’...I didn’t want…” Suddenly Yoongi was anxious again. He couldn’t help but remember the panic from that night, bringing Minsoo home from a club, Jaesung following them, the bite, the blood everywhere, the dread he felt as his body drained, as he died , as-

He didn’t realize he was making the distressed chirping sound again until the man squeezed his neck once more, gentle and stroking at the hairs at the base of his head. His head fogged again, but the anxiety dripped away.

“It’s okay,” the man said. “I’m sorry. I wouldn’t have been so rough if I knew how young you were, and the situation.” He climbed off of Yoongi, knelt next to him, but didn't take his hand away from Yoongi’s neck. He didn’t want him to, for some reason. It felt secure.

“‘M not young,” Yoongi said finally, and perhaps it sounded a bit petulant.

An amused smile. “You are compared to me. When were you turned?”

“I...five months ago?”

A wince. “A newborn, then. What’s your name?”

“Yoongi,” he breathes.

“I’m Namjoon, but I'm far older than you, so call me Hyung,” the man said. Man? Vampire? He must be a vampire, if he knew about Jaesung. Plus he looked like he was in his early twenties, but had said he was much older than Yoongi.

“Namjoon. Namjoon-hyung,” Yoongi repeated. He felt dazed.

“I’m going to take my hand away, alright? Please don’t attack me. I think we could be on the same side here.”

Yoongi nodded, and the hand came away. His head cleared, slowly, and he was left to wonder what the hell Namjoon had done to him. He voiced the question out loud.

“It’s something sires use to calm distressed fledglings,” Namjoon explained. “It’s usually not quite so strong of an effect, but…” He looked Yoongi up and down. Terribly thin, bruises poking out of sleeves, dark circles under his eyes. “If your sire doesn’t use it, or bond with you in general, your body may react strongly to other eligible vampires of age. I’m guessing Jaesung isn’t the nurturing type, so here we are.”

“But how did you know I was a fledgling?” Yoongi tried not to think about the implication that his body was reacting to Namjoon’s, no matter how innocent the context. 

“You called,” Namjoon said simply. “Only fledglings call like that. It’s a distress call for your sire to answer.”

“The noise,” Yoongi realized. “I’ve made it before, when...when the beatings…”

Namjoon’s eyes grew dark. “Your sire beats you?”

“I don’t eat. It makes him angry.”

Namjoon’s expression shifted to a little bit frantic. “You’re five months old and you aren’t feeding consistently?”

Yoongi’s teeth ached in his mouth at the very mention of blood. “If I’m too physically weak, he can’t use me in his plans. He can’t make me hurt people.”

“No, no, no,” Namjoon muttered. “You’re basically a baby, you can’t go without food for more than a day!”

Yoongi looked at him skeptically. “That’s bullshit.”

“When was the last time you fed?”

“Three...and a half? Three and a half days ago.”

Namjoon paled. “How-”

“Look, the nestlings are my...my friends. I love them, they need me. They didn’t ask to be there. And if I feed, I’m taking away something they shouldn’t have to give to me. So if I have to suffer to keep them safe, I will. I’ll do anything.” Yoongi’s expression was earnest.

“Well, I may have a proposition for you, then. We’re trying to save and protect the same people. Jaesung’s nestlings.”

Yoongi’s eyes widened. “Can you help me get them out? God, please, they don’t deserve what they’re going through; Jaesung is...he touches them, Namjoon, and they don’t consent, and they’re dying from blood loss, and- and there’s another fledgling, younger than me, they won’t stop beating him, and-”

Namjoon’s face is grim, but he nods. “I know, Jaesung is incredibly cruel. We’ve been trying to get the nestlings out. We were the ones who attempted the last breakout.”

“You were?!” Yoongi had already been turned when that happened, but had been locked up at the time- a persuasion tactic of Jaesung’s.

“It was us. Me, and my mates Seokjin and Hoseok. We have a small nest together. We found out what was happening and we knew we had to help.  Our plan wasn’t good enough- we managed to kill half his nest, but we couldn’t get to the nestlings before Jaesung did. We’re planning to try again, but we need inside information.”

“I can give it to you,” Yoongi said immediately. “How can I help?”

“We’ll talk about it at a later time, okay? We’ve been out here too long, I was only supposed to be gone for a quick recon mission. But before I go, could you please, please feed from me?”

Yoongi shifted uncomfortably, ‘no’ already on his lips.

“Before you say no: I know you have your reasons for not taking the nestlings’ blood, and that’s valid, but we need you stronger than this if you’re going to help with rescuing your friends. I have plenty to spare.” Namjoon watched him carefully. “Come on darling, drink. You’re hungry.”

Yoongi fidgeted, wanting so desperately to accept. Namjoon had been right next to him the entire time, but now that he’d mentioned blood, he could hear it pumping through the older vampires veins. A slow, pulsing flow, nowhere near the rush of a human- but equally tantalizing. It smelled...good. Really good. He leaned forward on instinct towards Namjoon, then caught himself and turned away. 

“So close, Yoongi-yah, you can do it. Feed from me,” the vampire said, reassuring, and lifted his wrist up towards Yoongi’s mouth. Closer, closer, and then suddenly the smell was too good, too sweet, too enticing...Yoongi lurched towards Namjoon, crawling into his lap before he even knew what he was doing. The hunger was worse than he’d thought. His teeth descended in an instant and he didn’t even feel the pain- only began to gnaw at Namjoon’s wrist frantically. He whined, upset as he couldn’t seem to bite down hard enough to get to the blood.

“Shh, darling, you’re too young to bite through another vampire’s skin. Let me do it for you.” He pushed Yoongi aside long enough to slice a clean cut into his wrist with a sharpened tooth. The moment blood pooled on the skin, Yoongi pulled him back and sank his mouth down.

“That’s it,” Namjoon murmured, stroking a hand against the back of his head. “I’m not going to let you starve.”

***

And that was that. Yoongi had snuck out several times to meet with Namjoon, even met Jin and Hoseok once too, just before D-Day. It was always nerve-wracking, sneaking around to meet up. Yoongi found himself constantly checking over his shoulder, drenched in paranoia. The hyungs were reassuring, though- powerful vampires- and he trusted that they’d hear an approaching stranger long before he would. The older the vampire, the stronger the senses.

They were all kind to him- respectful when taking in his information about the nest, about Jaesung’s habits, about guards for the “blood bank”, or nestling cells. They accepted his demands to save Taehyung alongside the others with no question. They’d even been so familiar as to have Yoongi call them all Hyung, which felt strange because Yoongi felt like he looked older than most of them. They wouldn’t say their real age when he asked, needing to spend their limited time talking business.

Stolen visits passed, and he’d grown closer to Namjoon, especially. More often than not, Yoongi turned down Namjoon’s offers to feed, but he gave in a few times- especially after long stretches of hunger. The man was always tender, sweet. Perhaps too much so. Yoongi had grown attached, and vice versa.

It was difficult for Yoongi, after the rescue had happened. He tried his best to get settled into his new life in the Kim nest- hovering around his dongsaengs (two of which were either unconscious or unresponsive) or pacing the grounds to make sure there was no one coming after them, most of the time. It felt impossible to sit still, so he wandered, and worried. They’d offered to let him call friends or family, but his family disowned him long ago for being gay, and he’d just moved to a new city so he didn’t have any friends looking for him. Instead, he just stewed in his anxiety.

His emotions, specifically that anxiety, were stronger than he’d ever felt before- a symptom of being a newly turned vampire, he was told. Yesterday when he asked how to ease the volatility, Seokjin had come forward with his thoughts.

***

“I just...I feel, so much, so strongly, all the time. I don’t like it. I feel like I want to crawl out of my skin, like something is just...wrong,” Yoongi said, fiddling with a loose string on his sweater. He’d been cold more often than not since being turned, but Hoseok had given him a small collection of warm clothes after he arrived. They smelled like him, and it helped everything in Yoongi’s brain calm down, a little bit. Hoseok smelled nice.

“Well,” Seokjin said, “that’s perfectly normal for newborns. You’re young. Emotions are volatile, and probably will be for a long time.”

Yoongi cringed at the thought. A long time? He already felt like he was falling apart. “Please, Hyung, how do I make it go away? There’s nothing I can do, at all?”

“Normally, symptoms of the change are eased by contact and closeness with your sire,” Jin said, with a look he couldn’t quite decipher.

Yoongi’s stomach flopped. “So...it’s hopeless, then. My sire is Jaesung, and even if he was here there’s no way in hell I’d go to him.”

Seokjin shook his head thoughtfully. “I don’t think it’s hopeless, actually…”

“What?” Yoongi focused his attention onto Jin fully. He was struck once again by how beautiful the vampire was, all timeless and classic beauty- the kind of person who looked like he stepped out of an ancient painting. He belonged in a museum, and yet here he was, folding laundry in the living room.

“Don’t take this as fact, alright, treasure? I’m not entirely sure. But I think you may have formed a sire transference bond with Namjoon-ah.”

“A…” Yoongi blinked. “A what?”

“A transference bond. It happens when a fledgling is neglected by their sire, and then forms an intense bond with a vampire of eligible age and stability who is not their sire.”

“An intense bond? Like…”

“Like a starving fledgling being fed by an ancient vampire that treats him as the treasure he is,” Jin said gently. “If I’m correct, and I think I am, your body believes Namjoon is your sire, because he was the first to show you kindness after you went through a great trauma. You visibly calm when you’re near him, you cling to him without noticing, you’re more willing to take blood from him despite your anxiety. This points to a transference, as this role would traditionally fall to a sire.”

Yoongi stared, stunned. “All of that just from a few feedings?”

“Feeding is an intimate activity; combined with Namjoon-ah’s gentle nature, it’s no great surprise that this could happen.” Jin regards him knowingly. “Besides, can you deny that you’ve become close to him? We're all growing closer, yes, and you know I adore you. But you have a bond with him especially.”

“I...I do feel close to him,” Yoongi admitted. “So I need to go to him? And I might feel better?”

“Physical contact, emotional closeness- both are valuable. Namjoon-ah will know what to do, if you explain it to him.”

Yoongi stiffened. He had to talk to Namjoon? In going to him for this, Yoongi would have to tear out his soul and place it on a plate to offer for rejection. A terrifying thought.

“He should hear it from you,” Seokjin explains, firm. “This isn’t my place to get involved.”

“I...okay. I’ll try.”

***

That’s how Yoongi found himself hovering outside of the library door, but unsure if he could take the plunge and enter.

Jimin had just yelled at him- aired his grievances, his anger- and then ran. Yoongi tried not to let himself feel the shame, the anxiety, the panic. They welled up anyway. He knew the boy hadn’t meant any of it, that he was battling mental demons, but his own emotions were still running on high alert and he felt like he was on the verge of tearing into his chest with his bare fingers just to make the feelings go away. A completely irrational reaction. A completely irrational, but very real reaction.

Upon seeing his shallow breaths, Seokjin (who’d also been yelled at, but seemed to be faring significantly better than Yoongi), quickly came over. “Deep breaths, treasure. I need you to listen to me, okay?”

Yoongi took a deep breath as instructed, and nodded. He was listening.

“I want you to go to Namjoon, and ask him for help. Tell him what I told you yesterday. Tell him you need him. I’d help you myself, but you need your sire. I can’t do what he can.”

Yoongi, panicked at the thought of the conversation he’d been dreading, let out the fledgling chirp he’d come to know intimately. He tried to swallow it down immediately, but Seokjin heard. 

“Shh, angel. I know, you’re feeling a lot right now. But the sooner you go to him, the sooner you’ll feel better. Do you want me to go with you, to stay with you? I can walk you to the library, that’s where he is right now.”

Yoongi finally swallowed the sound successfully. He spoke. “No. No, I can do it.”

Seokjin nodded, encouragingly. “Go, then. You’ll be alright.”

So he went. But now, standing in front of the ornate library doors, Yoongi didn’t know if he could go through with this. He stood, chewing on his lip until it bled and trying to will his body to move. Luckily, the door swung open before he had to make that decision.

“Hyung,” Jungkook said, a fond look on his face. “Namjoon-hyung said he heard you waiting out here. Want to come in?”

Yoongi nodded shakily, followed Jungkook inside.

Jungkook led him quietly to a reading nook where Namjoon and Taehyung were waiting, looking through a pile of old dusty books. Most looked like they hadn’t been opened in centuries; perhaps they hadn’t. 

“Namjoon-hyung,” Yoongi breathed, as soon as he was close to the pair, and they looked up. 

“Darling, what’s wrong?” Namjoon was immediately frowning, sensing the shallow breaths and shaking body that their human company hadn’t, yet.

“I...talk? Can I talk? To you?” 

Taehyung noticed, then, and pulled Jungkook away. “Jungkookie, I wanna show you something outside. Let’s go.” Jungkook let himself be led away, and then Yoongi was soon alone with the person he’d been looking for.

“Tell me what’s wrong, darling,” Namjoon urged. He was still a few feet away, which  was helpful because otherwise Yoongi didn’t think he could stay away.

“I-I don’t know. Everything feels...I-”

“Take a deep breath,” Namjoon instructed. 

Yoongi did, and it helped a little. A loaded pause, then- “Seokjin-hyung thinks that you’re my sire, through a- a sire transference bond, or something, and that you can help me, and Jiminie yelled at me, and he might hate me now, and I can’t breathe, and I feel like my skin is itching and I want to tear it all off, and I can’t stop feeling everything so strongly, and I want it to go away, Hyung, please make it go away!”

Yoongi finished his panicked monologue and before he knew it Namjoon was there, in front of him, blissfully close. He picked Yoongi up and carried him to the reading nook with the ease only magically enhanced strength can provide. They settled together in the pillow nest on the floor, and Yoongi couldn’t help but cling to the vampire’s chest.

“I’m sorry, darling, I didn’t know. I didn’t think of this happening; I should have seen the signs.”

He knew he sounded pathetic to ask, but Yoongi couldn’t help himself. “You don’t want it?”

Namjoon smoothed a hand over the back of his head. “No, that’s not what I mean. I’m thrilled, angel. It’s an honor to take that role for you. But I wish I’d realized so I could give you the contact you need. I’ve neglected you.”

Yoongi shook his head, but Namjoon continued. “Fledglings are known to have emotions too big for them to handle, and that’s what sires are for- to calm them, to form a bond, to protect them. You’ve been going without, which is needlessly cruel. We thought it was a necessary evil, since Jaesung wasn’t available or agreeable, but I was here the whole time. I could have helped.”

“Not your fault,” Yoongi sighed. His chest was still, breathing finally settled. “I feel...I feel...I don’t know. I feel okay. Now that I’m near you. Things aren’t so intense.”

“Good,” Namjoon praises. “Good boy. You did well in coming to me. I’m here, now.”

They stayed for a few minutes, Yoongi’s face buried in Namjoon’s neck, until Yoongi realized with a start that he was gnawing at the vampire's neck, teeth fully out. He hadn’t even realized. “God, I’m so sorry, I-”

“You’re teething,” Namjoon explained gently. “It’s normal to do that with your sire, especially when you’re upset. It strengthens your teeth, and it’s comforting.”

Yoongi was still embarrassed that he hadn’t even realized he was doing it. “Still sorry,” he mumbled. 

“Ah, what am I going to do with you?” Namjoon asked lightly. Instead of explaining further, he simply guided Yoongi’s head back to his neck, and smiled as the fledgling began to bite again, instinctively. 

The silence grew comfortable, but it couldn’t last forever. “Do you think you could feed, darling?” Namjoon eventually asked, and Yoongi felt a surge of panic shoot through him again. He sat back up, eyes wild, teeth out.

“I- I don’t want- please, I-” Yoongi stumbled over his words. It had only been a little less than a day since his last feeding. Too soon. Far too soon. He still felt the blood flowing through his veins, and if he could feel that, it was too soon. It was so much easier to wait three or four days between feeding, where he’d get to the point that feeding was mindless, anxiety free- purely instinct, purely blood lust. If he tried to feed with blood still in his system, like the hyungs insisted, all he could feel was panic. Panic at the thought of what he’d become, of who he could hurt, of what he was drinking.

“Hush,” Namjoon soothed. He placed a hand on Yoongi’s neck and he felt a familiar calm as the vampire squeezed firmly. “You’ll need to feed before the end of the day, but it doesn’t have to happen right now. You’re safe, I promise.”

Yoongi let himself relax at the reassurance of a delayed feeding, and time drifted. That was later-Yoongi’s problem.

It was tender and intimate, the way that Namjoon held Yoongi close. Was this how all sires acted towards their fledglings? All Yoongi could feel was warm, and all he could smell was Namjoon. It was comforting in a way he’d never experienced. 

When they’d been slotted together for close to a half hour in silence, someone eventually knocked on the door- Jimin. Upon his entering, Yoongi tried to squirm away from Namjoon’s lap- he managed to turn around, but was held in place otherwise. The vampire didn’t want to let him go too far.

“Jimin-ah,” Yoongi said gently, trying to push away his embarrassment at being seen in someone’s lap. “How are you feeling?”

Jimin’s head shot up in disbelief. “How am I feeling? I was a total dick to you, and you’re worried about me?”

“Well...it clearly wasn’t about me. I know you’re having a hard time. I just want you to be okay.” Namjoon squeezed Yoongi fondly as he said this. It was interesting how clear headed he felt about the situation, now that he was in Namjoon’s arms. Night and day difference.

“Yeah, Hyung, I’m okay. I talked to Hoseok-hyung, and I think...I don’t know. I think things will be okay, eventually. But I’m trying my best now, too.” Jimin paused, gearing himself up. “I’m really sorry I yelled at you. I was really cruel, and I didn’t mean any of it Hyung, I swear.”

“I know, Jiminie,” Yoongi soothed. He tried to get up once more, but Namjoon only clung tighter. Yoongi made a mental note to ask Seokjin if this transference bond made things different for the sire, too- namely, possessiveness. Instead, he opened his arms for Jimin to come to him.

He did, crossing over and throwing himself into Yoongi’s arms for absolution. Yoongi rubbed Jimin’s back gently, as he cuddled the younger boy. He made a mental note to discuss with him later the best ways to help him at mealtimes. 

“You know Hyung loves you, right Jimin-ah?” Yoongi asked with a soft voice.

Jimin nodded, yawned. Maybe they could all take a nap together, right here. That would be nice. “Love you too, Hyung.”

And suddenly, everything felt a whole lot better.

Chapter Text

The nightmares were the worst part, honestly.

Taehyung wished he could just skip this part of the whole vampire thing. Namjoon didn’t have to sleep, at least not very often. Maybe once a month. Seokjin even less often. But Taehyung, vampire newborn extraordinaire, had to sleep a solid four to six hours a night, despite his best efforts to stay awake. Tired eyes and headaches were better than the alternative.

He’d taken to sleeping next to Jungkook, the boy’s warmth and steady breathing comforting in the dead of night. And when Taehyung screamed himself awake, Seoyeon’s lifeless eyes burned into his skull, Jungkook was there to hold him. “It wasn’t your fault,” he’d murmur, and his words were so sweet it was almost enough to make Taehyung believe him.

He’d lay there for hours, tracing patterns into Jungkook’s skin in the dark. Sometimes Jungkook would stay awake with him, sometimes he wouldn’t. Regardless they both appreciated the contact, tangled legs together, shared breaths, hands slung over waists in a not-so-casual hold. Taehyung could wax poetic for entire lifetimes about the slope of Jungkook’s waist. It was a good thing, he supposed, that he had unlimited lifetimes now to do so. 

Sometimes Jimin would join them too. Instead of being crowded, it only felt comfortable. Jimin’s sweet voice would talk the two to sleep when they struggled, and he held tight to them while they slept soundly. His frail body didn’t take up much room, but he filled the room with a different sort of warmth that Taehyung couldn’t explain. 

It was on one of the worst nights (when he hadn’t screamed but instead couldn’t breathe, when he’d felt her limp body hit the floor instead of just seeing it,) that Jungkook and Taehyung finally orbited close enough to collide. Taehyung was curled up in a window seat staring into the night sky, lithe frame shaking slightly. He’d stumbled from bed, leaving Jungkook and Jimin behind (tangled together under the bedsheets, Jimin’s hollowed cheek resting on Jungkook’s chest), and collapsed into the first seat he’d seen- desperate for fresh air from a cracked window. The stars were beautiful outside, but his eyes, blurry with tears, made them difficult to appreciate. 

It only took a half hour for his absence to be noticed. He heard Jungkook coming from a mile away, unable to shut off his ridiculous vampire senses. At least Jungkook’s sleepy, raspy middle-of-the-night voice was prettier than the noises normally slamming around in his brain. He didn’t flinch when the boy sat beside him, blanket draped around his shoulders to protect from the cool night air.

“Again?” Jungkook asked, hand heavy on Taehyung’s thigh. His thumb rubbed back and forth, distracting, hypnotizing. He could get lost in the feeling, if he let himself.

“Yeah,” Taehyung choked out.

“The bad one?”

“Yeah.”

Jungkook took his other hand and brushed a tear from Taehyung’s cheek. 

“Someday, it’s not gonna hurt so bad,” Jungkook said, softly. “That’s what Jin-hyung keeps telling me, at least.”

A shuddering breath. “Do you believe him?”

Jungkook didn’t answer for a moment. “I’d like to.”

Taehyung nodded, accepting this answer. They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching the stars through the huge bay window. When Taehyung’s tears finally stopped, he spoke once more. “I can’t stop seeing her, Kook-ah. It’s like I relive it every time I close my eyes. I’m not in control, I can’t stop it, and- and-” his voice choked.

Jungkook didn’t wait for him to find the words, but instead pulled him into a hug. Taehyung clung to his shirt, no tears left to cry. Jungkook’s shoulder was comfortable, and he let himself rest there until the shaking stopped once more.

“You know you make everything better...right?” He asked Jungkook, voice a little bit broken. Pulled back to look at him properly.

Jungkook studied him for too long to be normal. His eyes were the prettiest shade of brown Taehyung had ever seen, deep warmth that he could drown in. Finally, Jungkook spoke. “Tae...I’m going to try something. I want you to stop me if you don’t want it.”

Taehyung’s heart soared with hope. Could he… “Please, Jungkookie…”

Jungkook leaned in and pressed his lips to Taehyung’s.

Taehyung’s heart, now known to beat very rarely, suddenly resembled something of a normal human’s. The kiss was clumsy at first, rushed, but quickly melded into a smooth exchange. It tasted of salt, errant tears. Taehyung buried his hand in Jungkook’s hair, the other on his beautiful waist, squeezing tightly as if he was afraid the boy might slip through his fingers. Jungkook simultaneously managed to steal every ounce of breath from his lungs and give it back in one fell swoop. 

When the two pulled apart, chests heaving for air, Taehyung finally smiled. He rested his forehead against Jungkook’s, feeling connected in a way he couldn’t put into words if he tried. “Thank you...thank you.”

“I guess you can’t get rid of me now, huh?” Jungkook laughed softly.

“Why would I want to?” Taehyung asked simply.

***

It wasn’t like Jungkook was okay, really, either. He didn’t dream about things, per se, not like Taehyung did. His fear happened in the light of day, which meant he never knew when it was coming. 

Taehyung knew better than to sneak up on Jungkook and touch him in any way- the cold touch of his skin was often more than enough to trigger panic. He knew this, because he knew Jungkook. How could he not, after what they’d been through?

But not everyone in the house had been with them as they walked through hell. Not everyone knew, because they didn’t think to tell them. 

It didn’t matter who told whom or who didn’t, not when Jungkook was already curled in a ball in the corner of the kitchen, choked sobs spilling out of his mouth in waves. “Don’t...don’t...no-”

Hoseok crouched nearby, hands hovering and posture unsure. “Jungkook-ah? Can you hear me?”

Taehyung almost tripped, he moved so quickly towards them. “Kookie,” he said clearly. “Kook-ah. I’m here.”

This made Jungkook look up. His eyes were filled with terror, like he couldn’t figure out what was happening, like his mind was elsewhere. “Tae?” His voice cracked.

“Can I touch you? My hands will be cold, but it’s me.”

A shaky nod, and in seconds flat Jungkook was in Taehyung’s arms. “Breathe, beautiful. Feel my chest? Follow my breathing.” He exaggerated the motions as he inhaled and exhaled. 

Hoseok was waiting with a glass of water and a quiet apology, when Jungkook finally came back to himself. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you without permission.”

“It’s okay,” Jungkook said, and he sounded bone-tired. “You didn’t know.”

“He’s okay as long as he can see who it is that’s touching him,” Taehyung explained, because he knew Jungkook was too exhausted to explain. “And it’s only us, because our skin is so cold. Jimin doesn’t scare him.”

Jungkook nodded his approval for the explanation. Hoseok apologized once more. They explained details to the other hyungs, to avoid it happening again.

They stayed there, Jungkook cradled in his arms, for a very long time.

***

“Shh,” Jungkook giggled, “You’re being so loud, Tae,”

“It doesn’t matter,” Taehyung muttered between kisses. “Everyone can hear everything in this damn house, whether we try to be quiet or not.”

“They better enjoy it then,” Jungkook muttered, leaning in to catch Taehyung’s lips in a longer kiss than before, one where their bodies pressed together and everything felt warm. “You’re so fucking pretty.”

Taehyung scoffed. “You’re the prettiest here.”

“Eh, I think Jin-hyung lies beyond us all in this department, so we don’t need to stress about the ranking when it’s so obvious.” Jungkook laughed. 

“You’re not wrong there. Why is everyone in this house so damn attractive? Yoongi-hyung only smiled at me this morning and I almost collapsed.” Taehyung gasped as Jungkook kissed down his neck, sucking at the skin enthusiastically.

“Namjoon-hyung was working out in the backyard the other day and I just about had an aneurysm,” Jungkook muttered. “It’s not fair. He’s just so big.”

Someone walked around the corner suddenly, and the two boys sprung away from each other. Taehyung had been so caught up in the beauty that was Jungkook that he didn’t even notice the footsteps approaching like he should have. It was Hoseok, a shit eating grin on his face. “You’re both aware we can hear... literally everything you’re saying?”

Neither responded immediately, then Jungkook gulped. “We...forgot?”

“You forgot since Tae mentioned it two minutes ago?” His smirk was predatory, but not in a frightening way. More in a…‘I would destroy you in bed’ way.

“Yes?”

“Good to know,” Hoseok grinned, and left as quickly as he’d come. 

“Holy shit,” Jungkook breathed. “Why is he so hot?”

Taehyung whined. “I don’t know .” He buried his face into Jungkook’s neck, eternally warm and comforting. 

“I mean, it’s not like we’re exactly subtle, they would have- hey. Hey . What are you doing, stop!” Jungkook’s voice suddenly turned panicked, and Taehyung flung himself back. What was wrong?

It took a second for him to realize that his fangs had descended, barely pricking Jungkook’s neck. He hadn’t even realized. He wasn’t hungry, he’d fed only a few hours ago. What the hell?

His confusion must have shown on his face, because Jungkook softened. “You can’t do that Tae; you can’t feed without permission, I need- I-”

“Fuck, I’m sorry Jungkook-ah. I swear I wasn’t trying to feed. I fed from Hoseok-hyung like two hours ago.”

Jungkook’s expression turned uncertain. “Then...why…”

“I don’t know,” Taehyung said, obviously distressed. His teeth ached- they’d been doing that lately, but it hadn’t ever been as strong as this. He just wanted to bite down on something so badly. Fuck.

“I’ll get Jin-hyung,” Jungkook said, but before he’d even gotten ten feet back towards the house, the vampire in question was there. 

“What’s wrong, treasures?” Seokjin asked, first rubbing a thumb over the pinprick blood spots on Jungkook’s neck and shifting attention when he realized it wasn’t serious. Taehyung was pushing up on his teeth, panicked, trying to make them retract. The skin on his fingers was beginning to tear as he shoved them against the tips of his canines.

“Aish,” Jin scolded, grabbing hold of Taehyung’s hands. “Stop that.”

“Hyung,” Taehyung said, gradually getting more and more distressed. “They won’t go away! I almost bit Jungkookie! They hurt , why do they hurt, it-”

Seokjin didn’t look the least bit worried, only shushing him fondly. “Come here,” he said, and pulled Taehyung to a nearby bench. The fledgling was lifted gently into Jin’s lap, and his mouth directed to the older’s neck.

Before he understood what was happening, Taehyung bit instinctually, gnawing on the diamond-hard skin of the ancient vampire beneath him. His entire body relaxed in an instant.

“There we go,” Seokjin soothed. “I heard from Namjoon that Yoongi had started teething but I didn’t think you’d start so soon as well. Maybe it’s a social phenomenon? That he began, and now your body is syncing to his?”

Taehyung wanted to answer, but it felt nice to bite and he’d have to let go to talk, so he didn’t. His mind floated blissfully as he clung to Jin.

“Teething?” Jungkook asked, curious. He cautiously approached and sat next to them. “What he did was normal?”

“Completely. Teething can kick in anywhere from four to eight months after turning...I think Tae is a bit early for that, but otherwise this is textbook behavior. Teething will strengthen his teeth, and comfort him. It’s a strong instinct, I’m surprised he didn’t bite you deeper.”

Jungkook shivered, covered the side of his neck. 

“This does mean you might want to hold off on kissing for a while. At least until he gets the initial instinct under control,” Jin remarked casually, and Jungkook blushed.

“You, uh...you heard that?”

Seokjin winked at him, playful and beautiful. “Like Hoseok-ah said...we hear everything.”

“Oh my god,” Jungkook shoved his head into his hands. “Oh my god.”

“Hush, precious. It’s no embarrassing thing. I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you we find the four of you attractive as well.”

“You think,” Jungkook squeaked, “I’m attractive?”

A laugh. “You’re as beautiful as they come.”

Taehyung finally pulled off of Jin’s neck, only to demand validation. “Me too?”

“You too,” Seokjin cooed, and directed Tae back to his neck again. “It’s a discussion that we’ll likely all have soon, but that’s an opinion my nestmates definitely share.”

“Dear god,” Jungkook muttered, not coming out from behind his hands yet.

“In fact,” Seokjin considered, “Are you both free right now?”

“Us?” Jungkook asked in confusion. 

Seokjin shook his head, but tilted it to listen instead. “Then gather Yoongi-yah and Jimin-ah, I think we should have a nest meeting.”

He must have been talking to Hoseok and Namjoon from a distance, Taehyung realized. He wasn’t strong enough to hear things so far away yet, but the others were so old that they must be able to do it with ease. Even Yoongi was starting to pick up bits and pieces of conversations here and there.

Taehyung groaned as Seokjin picked him up, but otherwise continued to chew. It satisfied something deep inside of him, something instinctual that he didn’t understand. He just knew it felt good, so he didn’t want to stop.

“Let’s go, treasures,” Seokjin said, and they began to walk.

***

“So what exactly is this meeting for?” Jimin asked, as he plopped down directly in Jungkook’s personal space. He’d never been one to avoid physical contact, and Taehyung was still with Seokjin, so Jungkook’s lap was fair game. Jungkook didn’t mind, of course, because...well. Jimin was Jimin, and who wouldn’t want someone like Jimin to hold?

“Well...several things,” Namjoon said. Yoongi shifted in his lap, nervous to have the attention directed in their direction. He’d basically been glued to the vampires side for the last week or so, but didn’t like people to acknowledge it for some reason. “First of all, we wanted to check in and see if there’s anything we can do to make you all more comfortable. Our home is your home obviously, and we want you to be happy while you stay here.”

“I’m happy here,” Jimin answered, melodic voice lilting into Jungkook’s head like a cool breeze. “I have no complaints, though I would like to go out more. Do you think we could maybe go on an outing sometime? I know it’s dangerous with Jaesung still out there, but maybe you could chaperone, or-”

Jungkook’s breath seized in his chest. Jaesung. Jaesung. Jaesung. Alive. Alive.

Jimin was turned around in an instant. “Jungkookie?”

“He’s...he’s alive?” Jungkook’s voice cracked in distress, and suddenly he couldn’t get enough air into his chest.

“I’m sorry, Kook-ah,” Jimin murmured, wiggling from his hold to take Jungkook in instead. “I thought you knew.”

“I didn’t...I...I thought...I didn’t...I was…” words wouldn’t come out of his mouth successfully, and his shoulders shook. Jimin held him tighter and it seemed to help. He was warm, so warm.

“Can I touch you, Jungkookie?” That was Tae. Jungkook loved Tae with all his heart but as the world around him spiraled he couldn’t fathom the idea of cold hands all over his skin.

“No,” he whispered. “No.”

He couldn’t stand the flash of hurt that crossed Taehyung’s face (only there a split second, but so very visible), so Jungkook buried his head in his arms to block everything from view. 

“Tae,” Yoongi said, suddenly close. Jungkook hadn’t seen him move. “It’s okay. It’s just too much for him right now. Come sit with me.”

Jungkook nodded as best he could to confirm the statement, it’s just too much, words too heavy to come off his panic-stricken tongue. Jimin stroked his hair gently: warm, warm, warm fingers on his neck holding him secure. 

It took several minutes of deep breathing, of allowing his thoughts to cling to Jimin’s soft humming until they could organize on their own, of tense muscles gradually relaxing for him to finally come back to the world. He sniffled, lifted his head. A room full of worried faces stared back at him.

Seokjin was the first to speak. “I’m sorry, Jungkook-ah. We didn’t keep this from you intentionally, it just...fell through the cracks. We just all assumed you’d been told already.”

“I wasn’t.” Jungkook meant to sound biting, but he just sounded tired.

“We haven’t given up,” Namjoon jumped in. “Hoseok is working with his sister to find some charmed objects that could help us locate him, and I’ve been going out with Jin-hyung to search regularly. We always have at least one of us at the house, though, and the property is shielded- impossible to track magically, impossible to cross physically. No one can enter unless they have verbal permission from someone who lives on the property- so, any of us.”

“We will find him,” Hoseok promised fiercely. “We won’t let him hurt you.”

Jungkook took in all of this information. They seemed genuine in saying it wasn’t a secret they’d been hiding from him. They’d done everything they could to keep them safe, as well. They were still looking for Jaesung. There was still a chance that he could be killed.

“Okay,” Jungkook said finally. “I trust you.” Jimin’s arms tightened around his waist. 

“Thank you,” Seokjin answered fondly. “We won’t let you down.”

Jungkook turned his gaze to the one place he’d been avoiding- Taehyung. The boy wouldn’t look at him, tears welled up in his eyes. “Taehyungie,” Jungkook mumbled. “‘M sorry. C’mere?”

Taehyung didn’t have to be told twice, springing into action at the request. He burrowed his face against Jungkook’s sweater, holding tightly. “Love you, Jungkookie.”

Jungkook blushed slightly. He didn’t know how serious Taehyung was about all of this, but...they hadn’t said that since they’d begun this whole kissing thing. He gathered his courage and responded: “Love you too.”

The room grew comfortably quiet, then Namjoon spoke. “Would you like to go rest, Jungkook-ah? Or should we continue?”

Jungkook waved a shaky hand, but Taehyung quickly grabbed hold of it to lace with his own instead. “Go ahead. I feel okay now.”

“Then yes, Jimin, we can set aside some time to go out soon. I do want one of us to be with you, as it wouldn’t be safe otherwise,” Namjoon said. “Please let me know if you have any ideas. It’s a bit of a drive into the city, but there’s plenty to do there.”

“I’ll think of something,” Jimin said, smiling. “Thank you.”

Taehyung spoke from where he was (tangled in the Jimin-Jungkook cuddle pile), chiming in: “Personally, I’m happy here too. I...you said at one point I could call my parents, right? I know Jiminie did it, and Yoongi-hyung and Kook-ah said no, and I did too...but I think I’ve changed my mind. I miss them, a lot. I don’t think they’d think of me any differently knowing I’m a vampire, so I’d like to tell them.”

“Of course you can call them,” Seokjin answered. “We can do it tonight, okay?”

Taehyung nodded gratefully.

Yoongi shook his head when the question was directed his way, saying he was fine with how things were. By this point he’d gone back to Namjoon’s lap. The vampire wrapped arms around him, squeezing gently as he spoke, and accepted the answer with a nod. “Jungkook-ah? How can we make things better for you here?”

Jungkook didn’t hesitate before answering- it had only been an errant thought before, but now knowing Jaesung was still alive? Imperative. “I want someone how to teach me to use my powers.”

“Your powers?” Hoseok asked, confused.

“When Minsoo was attacking Yoongi-hyung,” Jungkook tried his best to make his voice sound confident, “I did something to him. I killed him. They all saw it. I screamed, and something changed, and suddenly he was dead.”

“It’s true,” Jimin said softly. “It was the strangest thing. It was like the air warped somehow, and this wave of force went straight at Minsoo. It was definitely from Jungkookie.”

“See? I want to learn how to use that, again. Do you know if you can help me?” Jungkook’s voice turned pleading at the end.

Seokjin cocked his head. “I was aware something supernatural from Jungkook was the cause of Minsoo’s death, but I didn’t know it was such focused power. Do you have fae ancestry? Witch ancestry?”

“Fae,” Jimin answered for him. “That’s how they chose nestlings: Minsoo could sense fae ancestry in us, and they’d take us because we could go shorter times between feedings due to our magic. Kook-ah, you said you weren’t aware of any fae in your family?”

Jungkook shook his head. “None that I know of. But if Minsoo picked me, I must have some.”

Seokjin nodded. “Hoseok, what do you think? Could you work with him?”

“I can try,” Hoseok said. His face was stoic as he considered the possibility. “But Jungkook-ah, you should know that I’m not a witch or anything. I grew up around witches, so I have a solid understanding of how magic works and how they teach it, but I can’t use it myself. I also have no experience with fae magic. I may not be strong enough of a teacher to help you use that power again.”

“That’s okay,” Jungkook insisted. “Just try. I want to try.”

Hoseok nodded. “Then I’m in. We can start tomorrow, if you’d like.”

“Tomorrow,” Jungkook repeated. He felt significantly better...if he could learn to master whatever he’d done to Minsoo, he’d never be so powerless again.

“That’s settled then,” Namjoon agreed. “Anyone else have something to bring up?”

No one responded, so he moved on. “Then that brings us to our second- main- order of business. Your future, staying here in the nest.”

Jimin cocked his head. “What do you mean? Do you...want us to leave?”

“ No,” Namjoon said emphatically at the same time that Seokjin made a chiding noise.

“You’re welcome here as long as you like,” Seokjin explained, “but we should clarify some things. Normally the only people allowed to stay in a vampire’s nest long-term would be, well, potential mates. That is to say, we’ve talked about it, and we’re interested in that possibility involving any of you that are interested. Interested romantically, as a coven. ”

Jungkook’s jaw dropped. Three ancient vampires were interested in him? Him ? Sure, he was incredibly attracted to them, but he’d never actually considered it being reciprocated. And this sounded like a group relationship- if Taehyung, or Yoongi, or Jimin joined, how would he feel about that? He collected his thoughts: it would be a very, very, good thing.

“When I say as a coven, I mean all are involved with all. I know for example Namjoon and Yoongi have formed a bond together, as have Taehyung and Jungkook. Perhaps others too. Those would be allowed to flourish. But we don’t encourage solely individual couples...this is typically how nests work, and we’ve found it works well for us as well.”

“I’m not saying I’m not interested, because, uh, I am,” Jimin said softly, blush gracing his cheeks. “But what if we were to say no? You said only potential mates stay long term, right? Would we have to leave?”

“Long term is very different to vampires than it is to humans,” Namjoon remarked. “We’d be happy to have you here for years and years if you’d like to stay, whether we court you or not.”

Seokjin nodded in agreement. “Particularly, it would be unwise for Yoongi-yah or Taehyung-ah to leave the nest permanently for at least another fifteen to twenty years, since they’re only fledglings. Some nests keep fledglings even longer, but it primarily depends on when a fledgling matures. At that time, if they weren’t interested in becoming nestmates, we’d ask to part ways- but solely because it’s difficult to sustain unmated vampires in a mated nest past their age of maturity. Territory issues often arise, and fights break out.”

“Jimin-ah, Jungkook-ah, you are not bound to us in any way like the others are. You’re free to leave at any time. You can stay as long as you need as well. But we would encourage you to move on and build lives for yourselves eventually, if you are not interested in courting us,” Namjoon added.

“This is...a lot,” Taehyung mumbled. “I feel like I should be angry that I can’t leave this place for fifteen years even if I want to, but I’m not. I don’t want to leave, at all.”

“That’s common for fledglings,” Hoseok explained. “It’s a built in instinct to stay close to your sire, and since yours and Yoongi’s sire abandoned you, your body believes we are the next best thing. Your physical, emotional, and mental health will be healthiest by our side.”

Taehyung nodded. “Well...I’m interested. In staying, and in the...weird vampire courting, or whatever. Since, you know...you’re all really fucking pretty, and sweet, and...okay. Yeah.” He turned to Jungkook suddenly. “I’d like it if you stayed too,” he said, almost reverently.

“I want to stay,” Jungkook answered almost immediately. “And I want to court you all, whoever will have me. Or try, at least. If it doesn’t work out...please don’t stop me from leaving.”

“We would never,” Hoseok promised. “You still have free will.”

“Jimin?” Seokjin asked, and it was the first time Jungkook had ever seen him look nervous. “You said...you might be interested?”

“I’m interested.” He was full on blushing. “I’ve...had a crush on literally everyone in this room for weeks now.”

Seokjin cooed, reached out to smooth the boy’s hair. “We cannot deny the same, precious.”

“I want it,” Yoongi suddenly said from across the room. “I want...I want it too. All of you. I want to try.”

Simple words, but Namjoon gently kissed him in return. Yoongi melted into his lap and the rest of the room smiled, some more nonchalant than others. 

“We’re like, full on kissing now?” Jimin asked, a little breathless. “Cause that was...ah…”

“It’s not their first kiss, to be fair,” Hoseok remarked. “But if anyone is willing…”

“I am,” Jimin blurted, then covered his red cheeks with his hands. “Not right now...later? Fuck.”

Hoseok laughed airily. “It’ll happen soon enough, pretty thing.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Namjoon murmured after pulling away from Yoongi’s lips. “I told Seokjin-hyung there was no way you’d all agree, but I’d hoped…”

Jungkook smiled, but then faltered. “Wait. I can...I can kiss, I like kissing, but I don’t know how much further I can go without panicking. I might not be able to give you all what you want.”

Jimin and Taehyung both immediately hugged him tighter. “We don’t need anything you’re not comfortable with and happy to give,” Jimin said gently.

“And from what I’ve heard around the house, you’re an excellent kisser,” Yoongi said dryly, “So even if that’s as far as we ever get, I’ll be satisfied.”

Jungkook, embarrassed once again, groaned and hid his face. He could imagine it now, the noises Yoongi would make as they pressed their lips together. Would he gasp if Jungkook kissed his neck, like Taehyung had? Would he moan? What would he taste like? Everyone laughed softly at his dramatics except Jimin. 

“What did I miss? Who are you kissing?” he asked, puzzled. 

“Me,” Taehyung said, and nudged Jungkook’s face up to softly kiss him once in front of everyone.

Jungkook breathless, clarified. “Yep. But soon, hopefully, every single one of the ridiculously gorgeous people in this room.”

“Want a head start?” Jimin winked at him.

Jungkook grinned.

Chapter Text

“Focus on the feeling in your chest, on the warmth there. Try to move that warmth slightly, shift it side to side. Very subtle.” Hoseok’s soft voice came floating into Jungkook’s mind.

He tried his best to follow the instructions. Warmth? His whole body was warm as a rule (he’s human, thank you very much), so how could he isolate warmth in one spot? Or, at least, his whole chest was warm. His hands were a little cold. He should have asked Jin-hyung for gloves. Focus , Jungkook. The warmth. He couldn’t really feel whatever mystical feeling Hoseok was referring to, but he imagined pushing it around anyway. And...nothing. He wasn’t really sure what this exercise was supposed to be accomplishing. Hoseok said this was how beginner witches- toddlers, children usually- learned to harness their magic. Jungkook should be far better than a child at, well, almost everything, and yet this seemed like an impossible task. 

“You’re fidgeting again.”

Jungkook frowned. “No, I’m not.”

Hoseok was smiling, he could hear it in the vampire’s voice. “I can hear every movement you make. You’re fidgeting.”

“I don’t like sitting still.”

“I can tell.” Jungkook squeezed open one eye to see Hoseok watching him, deep in thought. “Okay, break for a second. I don’t think this is working.”

“No,” Jungkook insisted quickly. “I can do it. I’ll do better.”

Hoseok leaned over, rubbed a hand down the boy’s shoulder. Jungkook shivered despite himself. “You’re doing really well, Jungkook-ah, this isn’t a measure of success. I just need to find a better way to work with you.”

Jungkook opened his eyes with a sigh, relaxing his posture back into a slump. He pulled his jacket tighter around his shoulders, hoping to stave off the early morning chill. Hoseok had insisted on beginning their lessons outdoors, hoping that being closer to nature would increase the flow of Jungkook’s magic. Nothing had happened yet, so Jungkook couldn’t attest to the success of that method. The upside so far was that he could smell the flower garden from nearby, and it did smell pretty nice. What was that? Lavender?

“Let’s brainstorm. Can you tell me a little bit about that first time you used your magic?” Hoseok scooted close to Jungkook, leaning against the same tree trunk he’d been using as a backrest. “Do you remember any specific feelings in your body? Any little detail could help.”

Jungkook swallowed, suddenly unable to focus on anything but Hoseok’s body pressed against his side. A deep breath to refocus, then he thought hard. “Well...I don’t remember a lot. It was kind of a blur. But I remember seeing Yoongi-hyung on the ground, and Minsoo on top of him. He was about to set Hyung on fire . And I just couldn’t let him die, so I screamed.” Jungkook’s breaths became stuttered at the memory, and Hoseok took his hand, rubbing his fingertips gently over the skin. It comforted him, and he continued. 

“Something happened. It felt like pressure, all over my body, like someone was pushing down on me from all directions. Then suddenly the feeling was gone, but it was like it physically manifested and shot at Minsoo. Sort of a transparent force, I guess? But I could see something there. And...and his neck crumpled up. Like a crushed soda can...and then he was dead. I passed out maybe, I don’t know, ten, fifteen seconds afterwards? But I was exhausted the second it happened. Hyungs tried to keep me awake but they couldn’t.”

“Wow,” Hoseok murmured. “That sounds really different from how witch magic works. Witch magic is all very mental, calculated. Learned. It sounds like your magic is very physical and instinctual.”

Jungkook nodded. “I guess so. I hadn’t thought about it that way.” Before he could second guess himself, he leaned his head against Hoseok’s shoulder- the vampire rested his head against Jungkook’s in response, n0t thinking twice. 

Hoseok hummed thoughtfully. “Here’s an idea. We know your magic is very physical, right? So try meditating like this, how we are now with physical contact. You can even try a repetitive motion, like this.” He tapped rhythmically on the back of Jungkook’s hand, still holding tight to him. “Do that over and over, and focus on how your body feels. See if you notice anything similar to what you felt that night.”

“I’ll try,” Jungkook said softly. He tapped a steady pattern on Hoseok’s hand, and closed his eyes. The longer he did it, head still tucked under the vampire’s, the more his mind floated. He remembered his hyung’s meditation advice from earlier- feel physical sensations, acknowledge them, then let them fade into the background. The tapping. Hoseok’s slower than normal breathing as their torsos sat side to side. The cool, hard ground beneath him. The biting cool air on the tip of his nose. The soft fabric of his sweater. The sensations all faded, and he finally focused on his skin.

His skin felt...weird.

It was buzzing almost imperceptibly, like energy was thrumming right below the surface. It wasn’t new, Jungkook realized, but he’d never been focused enough to feel it before. It didn’t feel electric, or static, but instead like dynamic vibrations, shaking around haphazardly between muscle and bone and cartilage. It felt like...if he really wanted to, he could…

He somehow tensed, but not physically. It was a push of all of those vibrations from inside of him to outside of him, the crescendo of a cresting wave. Eyes closed, he could feel the tapping, himself tapping, and instinctually he pushed it all through his fingertips one by one as they touched down on Hoseok’s hand. It felt like power, it felt like release, it felt-

“Stop, Jungkook-ah,” Hoseok said, voice strained. 

Jungkook’s eyes flew open.

As his vision focused, his face twisted in horror. Hoseok’s hand was bruised black and blue, and a few fingers were bent at unnatural angles. 

Had he done that? Had he hurt his hyung? Jungkook attempted to scramble back, just in case he was still volatile somehow, but his body felt weak and his head was dizzy. He tipped over onto the grass and couldn’t find the energy to push himself back up.

“Hey, pretty, you with me?” Hoseok’s face appeared above his own, worried. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” Jungkook mumbled over and over again. He tried to lift his arm to reach out, but then retracted it like he’d touched a hot stove. What if he hurt him again?

“I know, love, I know.” Hoseok reached out to prop Jungkook up, but the younger boy let out a panicked noise.

“Gonna hurt you, don’t wanna hurt you, Hyung,” Jungkook breathed. 

Hoseok didn’t seem to believe him. “No you’re not, everything’s fine.” He propped the boy up against his chest, and Jungkook’s head flopped to the side. “Anyone nearby? I need help with Jungkookie.”

It was only maybe ten seconds before Namjoon’s joined them. “What happened?”

“We were practicing his magic. I didn’t expect anything to manifest from him today, but he managed to use full on power, and he accidentally hurt my hand. I think whatever he did, he exhausted himself. I can’t get him inside by myself after this.”

Namjoon sucked in a breath at the sight of Hoseok’s battered hand. “Okay. Okay, yes. Hey, Jungkookie, let’s go inside, alright?”

“Don’t wanna hurt you,” Jungkook repeated. His mind was fuzzy, words coming slow. He felt himself being lifted by who he assumed was Namjoon- the conversation was hard to follow.

“You’re not, baby, you’re not. Whatever happened is done. You’re not hurting me.”

The swaying motion as they walked made Jungkook so sleepy. He remembered the other time he used magic, though, everyone told him to stay awake. He wanted to be good, he could be good and listen, so he focused hard on pushing away the heaviness of his eyelids. Before long, he was placed on a couch and covered with a blanket. Was he shivering? He couldn’t tell. 

“What did you do to my baby?” That was Jin-hyung’s voice. Uncharacteristically sharp.

“Wasn’t him,” Jungkook mumbled. He reached out for Seokjin and his clumsy limb was caught by the vampire in question, caressed. “Hurt him. Got sleepy. Didn’ mean to.”

“It was the magic,” Hoseok clarified. “He managed to use it after almost no practice, and he’s really strong. Our Jungkookie is such a strong baby, so good at magic.” He sounded almost...proud? That didn’t make sense. He’d hurt Hoseok, why didn’t the vampire hate him?

Jin fussed over Jungkook, tucking in the blanket. “Our good boy. You’re going to be just fine, precious. Last time you used magic you slept for a week, huh? Hopefully it won’t be so long this time. Go ahead and close your eyes, your body needs rest.”

Jungkook was asleep before he could respond.

***

When he woke, the world was warm and soft. It smelled like pine, and night air, and all things pleasant, and...that’s Yoongi. 

Jungkook turned his head drowsily, not surprised to see Yoongi’s fond face above him. His head must have been resting in the vampire’s lap while he slept. “Hyung?”

“Hey, baby. How do you feel?” Yoongi stroked a piece of hair off his forehead and continued petting him after.

Jungkook considered. “Sore. Like I had a really good workout.”

Yoongi laughed softly. “Okay, I guess that makes sense.”

Makes sense? Jungkook thought back, remembering what had happened before he fell asleep. He’d been with Hoseok, and…

He shot up to a sitting position, wobbling with dizziness. “Where’s Hobi-hyung? Is he okay?”

Yoongi grasped his unsteady shoulders immediately. “Whoa, hang on. He’s fine. His hand is almost completely healed by now- it’s been a few hours since you fell asleep. He drank a lot of blood to speed the process and he’s almost good as new.”

“I want to see him,” Jungkook breathed. “I want- please- is he angry?”

“Of course I’m not angry,” and that was Hoseok’s honey sweet voice from behind the couch. Jungkook’s entire body relaxed, and he reached out for a hug. He was granted it immediately. The vampire’s body was cool to the touch, as always, but he didn’t mind. He all but crawled into Hoseok’s lap as he settled down, gentle chuckling surrounding him.

“I’m so sorry, Hyung,” Jungkook said. His face was buried in the boy’s shoulder, but he knew everyone could hear him regardless. Weird vampire super hearing, or whatever. 

“It’s okay, Jungkook-ah,” Hoseok said. “I’m almost back to normal, look.” 

He held out his hand, and he wasn’t lying. The fingers were straight and elegant as before, and the only trace of injury was some very faint bruising on the center of the hand. Jungkook kissed the faint purple colors tenderly and then tipped back in to cuddle again.

“You did such a good job with your magic,” Hoseok continued. “I wasn’t expecting it. Normally it takes people weeks or months to get such a tangible effect. You’re just such an overachiever you had to do it on the first day, huh?” He booped Jungkook’s nose and Jungkook giggled softly.

“But...you’re really not mad? You promise?”

“Pinky promise.” At Jungkook’s subdued look, he tilted his head. “Now, what could I do to convince you I’m not upset?”

Jungkook’s mind ran wild immediately at the man’s expression, and he blushed. “Umm...well. Dunno.”

Hoseok grinned. “You sure?” Jungkook shrugged, embarrassed but hoping. “Don’t worry. I think I have an idea, Kook-ah.”

And suddenly they were kissing. Jungkook melted immediately, body relaxing into Hoseok’s lap, eyes closing in bliss. Hoseok’s style of kissing was purposeful, firm and sure. He was confident, and it was earned- he knew what he was doing. It was very different from his and Taehyung’s playful makeout sessions, filled with giggles and jokes.

It wasn’t a long kiss, but it was a good one. Jungkook actually whined when the vampire pulled away, much to his own embarrassment. 

Hoseok laughed. “We can kiss again later. Right now I can hear Jin-hyung is about to have a mutiny on his hands.”

Jungkook tilted his head in confusion. Yoongi snorted, still next to them on the couch. Jungkook had almost forgotten he was there, he was so wrapped up in the kiss. He somehow didn’t feel embarrassed having someone see him like that, anyway. 

Yoongi explained, “Hyung said Jiminie and Tae should let you rest, but Tae just heard you wake up. And I quote, ‘If he’s well enough to kiss Hoseok-hyung, he’s well enough to see me.’”

Jungkook flushed even harder. How could he keep forgetting everyone in the house could hear when he kissed someone? Had they heard him whine? Fuck.

“Hyung?” He called. “It’s okay if they come in. I want cuddles.”

A loud banging occurred outside the door, and then suddenly he was surrounded by a mess of limbs and kisses. “My baby!” Taehyung said, excited. “You did magic! How fucking cool is that!” Seokjin and Namjoon both stood in the doorway, amused. Their job of keeping Jungkook undisturbed was over for the time being.

Jungkook blinked, a grin on his face from the sudden onslaught of affection. “I guess so. That is kinda cool, now that I think about it.”

Jimin, slower than Taehyung and his supernatural speed, finally joined the cuddle pile. As he plopped down, Hoseok gave a playful growl, as if he wasn’t actually enjoying all three maknaes piled haphazardly on top of him (he was). Yoongi entangled a hand with Taehyung and scooted closer as well, but didn’t dare venture into the center of the human knot.

Jimin kissed Jungkook on the lips as soon as he was settled, slow and gentle, soft. It wasn’t their first kiss, but it still took Jungkook’s breath away. “You worried me, Kookie,” Jimin murmured. “We gotta get you practicing this magic stuff more, so you don’t pass out every time you exert yourself, like some sickly Victorian child.”

Seokjin snorted from the doorway. “He’s much healthier than that, trust me.” 

The five continued to chatter and play and kiss for a few minutes, and Jin watched happily. Namjoon eventually wrapped an arm around Jin’s waist, squeezing gently. “We’ve got a pretty perfect nest here, hm?”

“Yes,” Seokjin smiled. “We do. So let’s join them.”

Chapter Text

“Fuck, you’re really worked up right now,” Taehyung gasped as Jimin nipped at his neck once more. If Jimin could mark him up, he would; unfortunately the vampire’s skin was too tough for a human to blemish. He tried his best, regardless.

“Jimin-hyung,” Taehyung whimpered. 

Jimin smirked. “Yeah?” It made him feel powerful to bring a creature like Taehyung- beautiful, ethereal, vampire Taehyung- to his metaphorical knees (maybe literal, too, later on in the night). He bit deeper at the boy’s neck and he gasped once more. 

“Not that I’m not enjoying this,” Taehyung said, voice breathy, “but I’m about five seconds away from biting back, for real. This is your- ah- your warning.”

Jimin laughed softly, breath tickling warm against Taehyung’s skin. “Haven’t you teethed enough today? Baby needs a soft warm neck to bite into?”

“Why, are you offering?” Taehyung’s eagerness would have been thinly veiled regardless, but Jimin was Jimin, meaning he could sense it straight from the source.

He smiled fondly. “Not right now. I’ve got... things to do today.”

Taehyung pouted, just a little bit. “Not even one bite? Just a taste?”

“You ate just this morning, I saw Hoseok-hyung feed you himself,” Jimin accused, rolling his eyes. “It’s the teething, it’s worse when you’re horny.”

“So?”

“So, as cute as you are, I’m not ready to start bleeding this early in the day. Shall I grab you one of your chew toys?”

“I don’t have chew toys! Shut up!”

“Ah, sweet little vampire puppy, needs something to keep his mouth occupied,” Jimin teased. 

Taehyung pushed at Jimin’s shoulder petulantly, face flushed. “It’s not like that! I’d bite the hyungs all the time if they’d let me, but they have things to do...the rest of the stuff is just for in between. If you have any better ideas I’ll happily take them."

Jimin didn’t have any better ideas. In fact, it was kind of cute to walk around the house and catch glimpses of Taehyung shredding a pencil to bits, or pulling on the edge of a blanket until it tore. Just the other day he chewed so hard on the tv remote that the plastic cracked. “I don’t, Tae, I’m just teasing. It’s cute. You’re cute,” Jimin reassured.

This mollified Taehyung, and in turn his face perked up a little bit. “Namjoon-hyung says that I’m teething much more than most fledglings, and that it means I’ll have extra sharp teeth when I’m a grown vampire!”

Jimin laughed softly. “I’m happy for you, Tae. I bet they’ll be the sharpest out of everyone here!”

“Now you’re just mocking me,” Taehyung whined, not actually upset. Jimin could feel the fondness coming from the vampire’s direction, loud and clear. The twinge of embarrassment didn’t go away, but it did fade slightly.

“Nope. You’ll be the scariest vampire ever.” Jimin kissed him once more for good measure. “Alright, I’ve gotta go get something to eat. I’m on a mission.”

Taehyung tilted his head, a mix of curious energy and excitement seeping from his chest. “What kind of mission? Can I come?”

“A seduction mission,” Jimin laughed.

“That’s the best kind of mission,” Taehyung whined. “Who’s the target?”

“Everyone in this house hears everything if they’re paying attention, you think I’d compromise top secret information like that?”

Taehyung rolled his eyes, pointed an accusing finger in Jimin’s face. “Fine, but you’d better come back to me for a full debrief afterwards.”

Jimin nodded dutifully, and gave Taehyung one more kiss. “Talk later. You sure you don’t want to come shopping with us?”

“Nah. I don’t need new clothes.”

Jimin looked down dubiously at the sweater hanging loosely off Taehyung’s shoulders- it belonged to Namjoon, and the younger boy was absolutely swimming in it. “Uh huh.”

Tae grinned sheepishly. “Well...more like I don’t want new clothes. Hyungs say it’s another fledgling thing. It just feels better to wear their clothes. Smells nice, and it’s like...dunno. It just makes me feel nice wearing something that belongs to them. And it’s not just me,” he defended, “Yoongi-hyung’s the same way.”

Jimin conceded with a shrug. “Suit yourself. Personally, I’m tired of wearing clothes three sizes too big.”

“I’ll come next time,” Taehyung promised.

The two parted ways and Jimin wandered through the winding hallways, cold hardwood underfoot. He stopped to listen for a moment, trying to determine which branching corridor would take him closer to his boyfriends (or mates? He still wasn’t sure which term to use). It was easy to get turned around in a house so big.

Normally Jimin was very good at sensing people’s locations if they were nearby- it was something he’d developed early in life, without meaning to. All it took was a slight adjustment of his innate empathic abilities, of his approach towards them. The process wasn’t even difficult. It felt more like second nature than anything, since he learned when he was young. All it took was an outreach with his own emotional threads, to use them as a sort of radar for feeling out someone’s emotional presence, first, and second, who the emotions he sensed belonged to.

Everyone Jimin had ever met had a slightly different...flavor to their emotions, for lack of a better word. Like a hand-scrawled signature woven between the threads of each feeling. It was hard to explain, and luckily Jimin had never had to try to. His mother was the only one who ever knew about his abilities, as she shared them herself. And once she got sick, he had no one to discuss these things with, even if he wanted to.

(Sick wasn’t the right word for what happened to her, not really, but Jimin had no other vocabulary to describe the reason he had to watch the one he loved most in the world shatter into fragile, sharp-edged pieces.)

He reached out now, searching. He brushed softly against Tae’s presence, a few rooms behind him- not who he was looking for, but the closest. No one else seemed to be within a comfortable distance. It took Jimin a moment to remember that three out of his six boyfriends were essentially undetectable with this method. Seokjin and Namjoon had some sort of impenetrable wall around their bodies’ energies entirely. Hoseok had something similar, Jimin could tell, but it wasn’t quite as strong as the older vampires’ blocks.

Jimin wished, not for the first time, that he could ask about it. 

He supposed he could. It would require explaining that he’d been lying by omission, but the hyungs had been nothing but kind to him so far, loving and affectionate and understanding. They’d even been helping Jungkook train to develop his own fae powers (he was making great progress so far), and Jimin had yet to hear them make a single derogatory remark about the boy’s ancestry. He had no reason to believe they’d treat him poorly if they found out he wasn’t powerless like he’d led them to believe by not saying otherwise.

And yet...every time he considered coming clean, Jimin’s mind flashed to his mother. The way she made Jimin promise, over and over, to never reveal his abilities like she had. The way she’d come home every day, weary from the biting remarks and blossoming bruises awarded by people who didn’t understand, or didn’t want to understand, that she meant them no harm. 

He’d tell them, Jimin promised himself. Just not yet. He needed time.

Regardless, it didn’t matter that he couldn’t sense Seokjin’s location, because it was an easy guess: the kitchen, cooking. It was almost lunchtime. The vampire knew Jimin struggled with meals, and cooking them for him, sitting with him while he ate- that was his way of being supportive. As much as Jimin hated it at first, now he was starting to feel more appreciative of the constant presence and comfort. 

Today was going to be a good day, he decided as he wandered towards his goal. He could just feel it. It wasn’t often that Jimin himself would seek out mealtimes, instead of being collected and coerced. But today, the pit in his stomach had shrunk to a manageable size; today he found himself actually feeling hunger and not immediately wanting to vomit at the thought of what came next.

Today felt like a big fuck you to Jaesung and every terrible habit Jimin had adopted to stay safe from him.

So: confidence was the name of the game, this morning. He’d woken up feeling happy, feeling worked up, but mostly feeling determined. Determined to finally approach Yoongi for what he wanted so badly. 

Yoongi...well, Jimin wasn’t sure what to think anymore. It was nearing two and a half months since they’d been rescued, and while Jimin had grown close to everyone in the house (in more than one way, for some of them), Yoongi was the one he couldn’t quite grasp. Always flitting away, casting his eyes down to the ground at any insinuation that Jimin might want more. (Jimin did want more.) 

The hardest thing was that Yoongi was almost always nestled in Namjoon’s lap, and Jimin found Yoongi incredibly hard to read whenever he was with his sire. Maybe whatever block Namjoon had could extend to Yoongi as well? Whatever the reason, it made it impossible for Jimin to truly know what was going on inside his mind.

Jimin had seen the way Yoongi looked at him, when he thought he wasn’t looking. Yoongi thought he was attractive. Jimin was certain, because he’d sensed the heavy tug of arousal from the boy on multiple occasions. And they were mates now, right? Or at least in the process of trying to be, as a nest? Yoongi had kissed the others, even got a little handsy on occasion, but not with Jimin- not yet, at least. Maybe he was shy, or thought Jimin wasn’t interested in return. Regardless, Jimin was tired of waiting for something to change, so it was up to him to make a move.

Jimin would gladly initiate, if it meant he could finally get to kiss Yoongi. Those lips had been tempting him for too long.

He managed to follow soft melodic voices to his destination. Namjoon sat casually at the dining table, sipping coffee (he’d told them it was the one human habit he’d never managed, or wanted, to kick) and checking the news on his phone. Seokjin was just taking a pot of simmering stew off the stove, as he noticed Jimin.

His eyes lit up. He obviously had expected that he’d have to seek out Jimin himself, and convince him to eat. “Angel,” he said, setting down the pot and stepping up to brush some errant hairs off Jimin’s forehead with the gentlest of fingers. “I made kimchi jjigae today.” Testing the waters to see his reaction. 

“Yes please,” Jimin said. “I’m hungry.”

Seokjin didn’t comment on it, but he did smile, and kiss his forehead.

Jimin moved to get a bowl and serve himself, but Seokjin waved him off dismissively. “Hyung will get you some, go sit with Joonie.”

Jimin didn’t seem to think he meant it literally, but as he went to pull out a chair, Namjoon swept him into his lap instead. “Can I hold you? Yoongi-yah wanted some time apart from me, but I’m feeling cuddly.”

“Time apart? Is everything okay?” Jimin wondered aloud. He didn’t verbally answer the request for cuddling, but he did settle himself sideways against the vampire’s chest. His skin was cool to the touch; it felt nice against Jimin’s cheek as he nuzzled up close. 

Namjoon nodded, and began to stroke fingers up and down Jimin’s spine. “Even though I’m his sire and that makes him want to be around me more than he normally would, we still need time to ourselves. If he needs me, he’ll come get me. Or call.”

Jimin nodded, and didn’t ask about it further. Time passed, but it was hard to focus on words while Namjoon’s hand was creeping further and further around his waist, to his front, to…

Jimin gasped as Namjoon gently pressed against his clothed cock- still soft, but rapidly gaining interest in the situation. He whined, threw his head back against Namjoon’s shoulder, was about to beg for more, but-

“Not at the table,” Seokjin scolded, and smacked Namjoon’s hand away. “I swear, I can’t leave you alone for two minutes.”

(It was just last night that Seokjin last walked in on the two, Namjoon thrusting messily into Jimin’s throat, the younger whining and drooling. Seokjin hadn’t stopped them then. He’d joined in. It wasn’t the first time Seokjin had fingered Jimin, all whispered praises and confident smirks, but it was the first time Jimin had cried from the pleasure.)

But that was last night, and Seokjin took mealtimes (too?) seriously. Namjoon just huffed at the reprimand, hands safely above the belt, and took a sip of coffee. Jimin, though, turned to Jin with a pout already forming. “Hyung, nooo-”

“You can get each other off after you eat, and anywhere but my dining table!” Seokjin reaffirmed, with an exasperated tone.

“Anywhere?” Jimin asked, suddenly nonchalant.

“Ah. No, actually. If I offer blanket permission, you’re absolutely going to abuse it.” He physically places the spoon in Jimin’s hand with a pointed look. “Eat, treasure. You’re hungry, hm?”

“Maybe I’m hungry for him,” Jimin grumbled. He began to eat anyway.

Namjoon wouldn’t let him move from his lap, so Jimin spent the duration of his meal there. The food was delicious, and to his own surprise and delight, Jimin finished all of it. 

“Do you know where Yoongi-hyung’s at?” he asked, as he washed his bowl in the sink. 

Namjoon tilted his head to listen for a moment. “He’s in the library. In his nest, probably. Hobi and Jungkookie are outside practicing his magic, and I think you just saw Tae. Oh,” he said, suddenly remembering, “and Kookie wanted to show you something. I told him I’d send you out after lunch.”

“I’ll check it out,” Jimin said, approaching Namjoon. “Kiss?”

Namjoon obliged. His lips were lightly chapped, rough against Jimin’s own. “Love you, angel.”

“Love you too. Hey, are you still okay to take Jungkookie and me out today?”

“Absolutely,” Namjoon confirmed. “Got all my work done last night.”

“Good,” Jimin beamed. He was excited beyond belief to finally get out of this house. “Jin-hyung? Are you coming too?”

Seokjin rounded the counter and took Jimin’s face between his hands, like he was cradling the most precious thing in the world. “I wouldn’t miss it, darling.”

Jimin grinned, and darted forward for a peck on the lips. Seokjin, thumbs still brushing over Jimin’s cheekbones with long slender fingers, caught him- the vampire wanted a real kiss.

Jimin didn’t think he’d ever get over how soft Jin’s lips were. How he moved them with such quiet confidence to steal Jimin’s breath right from his lungs.

With a happy gasp, Jimin pulled away. Seokjin smiled fondly. “Come get me when you’re ready to go, hm?”

***

Jimin...didn’t know what he was expecting.

He’d walked right up to Hoseok and Jungkook’s practice area (a small circular clearing in the back gardens- a nice, calm spot with only the birds and running water as ambient noise) ready to see whatever Jungkook had wanted to show him. Instead, he got an entirely different show.

Jungkook was straddling Hoseok’s legs to sit in his lap on the damp grass, kissing him fiercely. Hoseok’s hands wandered over top of the boy’s clothes, but with purpose- he seemed to know just how to work Jungkook up in the right ways without bringing it too far.

There’s no way Hoseok- a literal, actual vampire with super hearing- hadn’t heard Jimin coming. Which meant-

“Jungkook-ah, look who showed up,” Hoseok murmured, smirk plastered firmly on his face. “We have a guest.”

Jungkook, panting and slightly dazed, spun his head around and finally noticed Jimin. His face turned pink in seconds. “Jimin-hyung! Oh, I-”

“Practicing hard, I see?” Jimin teased. He double checked, but Jungkook wasn’t upset with his presence- all Jimin could sense was a heavy, heavy thread of arousal and a small hint of embarrassment. 

“The hardest,” Hoseok grinned. “I’ll never get tired of...practice.”

Jungkook blushed harder, smacked his shoulder softly in reproach.

“And this must be part of the process, right?” Jimin moved closer, crouching next to them and gesturing to Jungkook, who was still straddling Hoseok’s thighs. “Why else would I find you two like this?”

“I-” Jungkook looked to Hoseok for help.

“Yeah, baby,” the vampire said, head tilting in fake innocence. “Why don’t you explain how this is part of our magic practice?”

“You’re the worst,” Jungkook hissed.

“He’s the one who didn’t warn you I was coming, baby,” Jimin smirked. “I don’t know if he’s on your side here.”

Jungkook’s face dawned with the realization that Hoseok wanted Jimin to see him all whiny and soft like this, falling apart after only being kissed, and a heady burst of his arousal snaked its tentacles around Jimin. Fuck, this was a lot. He’d really have to work it out of his system later.

“I- well, we just-” Jungkook stuttered, took a deep breath and continued. He couldn’t seem to look Jimin in the eye. “My magic is- it’s based in grounding. The- the physical kind, I mean.”

“The best kind,” Hoseok remarked. Jungkook shot him a look and Jimin snorted.

“So, I have to have someone physically touching me, grounding me while I practice. And- well, Hyung was-” Jungkook mumbled something, trailing off. 

Hoseok let out a hearty laugh and nuzzled against Jungkook’s neck in response, but it had been too quiet for Jimin to hear. “Say that again, baby.”

It came out in one long breath. “Hobi-hyung was touching me so much and I just kept thinking that he looked extra pretty today and I really wanted to kiss him and I kept looking at him and he asked what I wanted and I said I wanted to kiss him so bad because he’s the prettiest person in the world and he has such nice lips and he said we could kiss if I was a good boy and finished my exercises so I finished my exercises really quick and then we kissed and then you came outside.”

Fuck, Jungkook was cute.

Jimin couldn’t hide his fond smile. “Well,” he said, “sounds above board to me. I don’t blame you. Hobi-hyung is very pretty.”

“Very,” Jungkook nodded, tone still bordering on a whine.

Hoseok kissed his temple. “Hyung is done teasing, at least for now. Why don’t you show Jiminie what we’ve been working on?”

Jungkook lit up, suddenly enthusiastic. “Yes! Yes, please. Hyung, I’ve been working so hard, and- and- here, I’ll show you!”

“Where should I stand?”

They directed him a few feet away, and both stood up in preparation. Jimin could see what Jungkook was talking about, now- the position they took before starting found Hoseok’s hand firmly on the small of Jungkook’s back, fingers pressed into the thin fabric in a possessive grip. Jungkook really couldn’t be blamed for being worked up by that. Jimin certainly would be.

Jungkook closed his eyes for a moment, took a deep breath. Then, he raised his arm parallel to the ground, but towards some aluminum cans that Jimin hadn’t noticed until now, lined up neatly on a garden bench. It took a few seconds before anything happened, but soon enough, one by one the cans in the lineup began to crush down into tiny crumpled balls of metal.

Jimin breathed in sharply. “Whoa!”

Jungkook dropped his arm and bounded over to Jimin to hug him eagerly. “See! I can already control it! It didn’t even take me long to learn it! But…it’s just small stuff,” he said, seeming to suddenly get a little shy. “So, like...I can’t do anything super crazy yet. Just the cans.”

“Jungkookie, that was amazing!” Jimin praised. “I’ve never seen anything like that!”

“Don’t sell yourself short, baby,” Hoseok chided, jumping in. “I don’t know much about fae magic, but by witch standards you’d be considered a prodigy. Such a quick learner.”

Jungkook let Jimin escape from the hug in favor of turning to Hoseok, suddenly serious. “Hey, did I hurt you, that time?”

Hoseok held his hand out in front of him, the one that had been touching Jungkook’s back: unscathed. “I felt a push, but nothing broke. You’re getting much better.”

“Good,” Jungkook breathed, relief seeping through his tone. Back to Jimin: “Hyung, what time are we gonna go shopping today?”

“I need some time to talk to Yoongi-hyung before we go. Maybe an hour and a half?”

“That’s a lot of time for talking,” Hoseok said with a smirk. 

“Mind your business,” Jimin said, but he gave the vampire an enthusiastic kiss on the cheek. 

Hoseok was about to answer, but instead tilted his head, like he’d been distracted. “Jin-hyung is calling. Jungkook-ah, you need lunch.”

“Oh! What did he make?”

“Kimchi jjigae, today.”

“It was delicious,” Jimin confirmed. “Go get yourself fed. I’ll come find you when I’m done with Hyung.”

“‘Kay,” Jungkook accepted. “Love you, Hyung.”

“Love you too, baby,” Jimin smiled.

“Have fun with your…‘talking’,” Hoseok grinned. 

Jimin tried not to let him have the satisfaction of seeing him blush, turning away slightly. “It’s not-”

He startled and cut off as something caught his attention, an emotion accidentally connecting to his own. It belonged to no one he recognized- a stranger? An intruder?

He couldn’t quite place the direction- past the treeline nearby, surely, but where? It must have been off the property, since they were already so close to the places Hoseok had placed those protection wards. His eyes scanned the greenery, half expecting someone to jump out and attack.

“Jimin-ah?” Hoseok asked, suddenly serious. “What’s wrong?”

As soon as Jimin reached out to feel for the foreign emotional thread once more, it was gone. He didn’t even feel it disconnect...it was just missing, in an instant.

“I…” He trailed off, uncertain. Had he imagined it? He pushed and pushed to feel out for presences nearby and came up with nothing at all, except Hoseok and Jungkook next to him, and Taehyung and Yoongi in the house.

Maybe he was going crazy. Maybe this was a sign that he was falling apart even faster than his mother had.

“Baby?” When he failed to tear his gaze away from the trees, Hoseok physically (but gently) turned Jimin’s head to look him in the eyes. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

Jimin shook his head slightly, as if breaking out of a trance. “It was- it was nothing.”

The vampire frowned, slightly. “That didn’t seem like nothing.”

Jimin was about to deny it, but Jungkook jumped in, voice uncertain. “Hyung...you looked really scared.”

He had been scared. He still was. But...even if it was a real person, he didn’t even know if it had been a threat at all. Would it be worth it to try to come clean only to have the hyungs find some human innocently wandering past the property, completely unaware of what was next to them due to the shielding wards? Not to mention he couldn’t be sure it wasn’t all in his head; the product of a traumatized mind, wrapped up in paranoia and tied neatly with a bow. 

No. He’d keep an eye out, but this wasn’t enough to warrant a panic. The more he thought about it, really, the more he was convinced he’d made it up. No real person had ever disconnected their emotions from Jimin so quickly, so...it must have been a hallucination.

He made a mental note to try to speak to his mother- maybe her caregiver, as well- and see if anything like this used to happen to her, too. 

But for now, Hoseok and Jungkook were still staring at him, growing more concerned with every second that he failed to answer. Jimin had always been a good actor, and he put those skills to use now.

A sheepish smile. “Sorry, I thought I saw something, and it startled me. It was just a squirrel though, I saw it run up a tree, over there. Kind of embarrassing, that I’m so jumpy still.”

Jungkook seemed to accept this explanation easily enough. “That’s okay, Hyung. I’m jumpy too, sometimes.”

Hoseok fixed him with a calculating stare, at the same time he rubbed a thumb tenderly across Jimin’s cheekbone. It felt like he was staring into Jimin’s soul, trying to turn him inside out and catalogue each cell lining his body as if it might give him more insight into what was really going on.

Jimin rushed to add more, regarding Hoseok’s unconvinced eyes. “I mean, last night I didn’t sleep well at all- I’m always a little, uh...I’m-” Hoseok’s eyes were penetrating, and Jimin broke eye contact without meaning to. Too intense. “It’s just. I didn’t sleep well, that’s all. Too easily startled.”

“Hm,” Hoseok answered. He didn’t seem upset, but also absolutely didn’t believe the explanation. Jimin could tell.

Jungkook looked between the two, confused at the strange tension. “Um...maybe we can go to bed early, Jiminie-hyung? After we get home from shopping? I bet we can convince some of the others to do a cuddle pile.”

“Sounds good, Jungkookie,” Jimin smiled. He broke out of Hoseok’s hold on his face, nonchalant as ever, trying to pretend it was because he wanted to hug Jungkook and not because he couldn’t stand to be scrutinized any longer. “I’m gonna go see Yoongi. I’ll get you when I’m ready to go, hm?” 

Jimin pulled from the hug, and turned back to Hoseok to do the same, but not before accidentally letting his gaze flit to the treeline once more. It didn’t go unnoticed.

As he walked away, Jimin tried very hard to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of dread unfurling across his spine.

***

Yoongi, when Jimin found him, was napping.

He’d located the vampire in the library, just like Namjoon had said, curled up in his ‘nest’. It consisted of a corner lined with what must be at least half the pillows and blankets from the entire house, and the sleepy fledgling himself. He looked cozy, and Jimin simply watched him sleep, for a moment. 

The hyungs called it nesting, what Yoongi had been doing lately. It started last week, when in the middle of the night, the vampire had tried to sneak into Jimin’s room to steal- “borrow”- blankets. The following morning, they all found him barricaded in the library, sleep deprived and muttering about how none of the pillows were perfectly placed. He’d gone down for a nap after Namjoon came in and forcibly cuddled him, but still spent the next few days rearranging the area to his seemingly arbitrary specifications. 

According to Seokjin, who hadn’t ever been a sire himself but had been around fledglings quite often, nesting was perfectly normal behavior for a newborn. Taehyung hadn’t started doing it quite yet, but he’d been pretty consistently hitting each fledgling milestone a couple weeks after Yoongi hit them, so they expected him to follow suit with nesting soon as well.

Yoongi spent a lot of his free time in his nest, really. He’d built himself kind of a nice little setup inside, today- a stack of books to the left for him to read up on vampire history  (a homework assignment given by Namjoon), a small basket for snacks, and a half melted cup of ice chips. 

The ice chips...Yoongi had been chewing ice nonstop for weeks, now. At first they thought it was because of his teething- which was in full swing, no doubt. And the cold did soothe his aching gums. But then Yoongi’s body started bruising, at very little provocation. That wasn’t normal at all. They knew all too well that under normal circumstances it took a lot of force to bruise a vampire. And he started napping all the time too, perpetually exhausted.

They’d been trying to keep a closer eye on him but found no answers, and by this point Namjoon was considering calling up some old friends to see what they knew. None of them were particularly well versed in vampire physiology, really. Jimin just hoped they figured it out sooner rather than later. It was too disconcerting to see the light blues and purples mottled across Yoongi’s pale skin, evidence of impact with a rogue table corner, or a poorly thrown tv remote, or a misplaced elbow thrown by one of the maknaes in their many play-wrestle sessions.

Before Jimin could think about it much longer, Yoongi stirred. He was a very light sleeper lately- his new senses made it hard to stay deep under. “Minnie?”

“‘M here, Hyung,” Jimin said softly. “Can I come into your nest?”

The vampire blinked sleepily, then nodded and shoved a stack of books aside to make room for him. A blanket was rearranged to make a comfy spot on the floor next to Yoongi’s favorite corner.

Jimin carefully crossed the threshold, and plopped down next to him. “Sorry for waking you, Hyung. Are you still tired?”

Yoongi stretched, and seemed to wake up a bit in the process. “Eh. ‘M always a little sleepy lately, but it’s fine. I had to wake up eventually.”

“Do you? I heard Hoseok-hyung mention vampires hibernating. Maybe you could just do that, and finally wake up rested,” Jimin said. “Though...now that I think about it, he might have been joking.”

Yoongi snorted. “I think he was joking...probably? There’s so much to learn about this vampire shit, and I haven’t even scratched the surface, yet.”

“You’ve been working really hard,” Jimin affirmed. “ So much reading.”

“I keep trying to convince Tae he should look at these books too. There’s so much interesting stuff in here; it’s crazy to think that if I’d never been turned there’s an entire world of information I’d never have access to.”

Jimin nodded. “I wish I was better at focusing on this sort of thing. It sounds really cool.”

“I could...I could read it for you, out loud if you wanted? Or maybe just tell you about it after I read new things?” Yoongi asked, not making eye contact. A string of his fondness tethered itself to Jimin’s being.

Jimin himself had never been one for school or reading, finding it too hard to focus. He hadn’t yet learned to sift through emotional pulls, back when he was young enough to go to school: he failed so spectacularly (daily meltdowns, a “horrible distraction to the classroom”, so his teacher said) that his mother had no choice but to pull him out for homeschooling. Or rather, she called it homeschooling, but she could only give him worksheets to practice while she went out to work. Rent had to be paid somehow.

The whole experience only left Jimin with frustration and anxiety around academic studies.

But...maybe he could learn to enjoy books if it was Yoongi’s deep, sonorous voice reading them.

“I’d like that,” he smiled shyly. “I- um, yeah. I really have wanted to spend more time with you lately.”

“I’m...sorry. Things have been weird, lately, haven’t they? Haven’t gotten to be with you as much as I’d like.”

Jimin thought that might be a half lie, considering Yoongi had been pretty obviously avoiding him. But right now, all he could sense from the boy was deep affection. Good, but not what Jimin had been looking for, when he set out on his seduction mission this morning. He wanted something...more.

“Would you like to?” Jimin said, words smooth. “Be with me, Hyung?”

“What do you mean?” he asked, suddenly unable to tear his gaze away from the younger boy’s lips. If Jimin was pouting them slightly on purpose, he’d never tell.

“I mean,” he said, “I’ve missed you. You’re always cuddled up with Namjoon-hyung. I hardly ever get you to myself.”

Yoongi swallowed, hard. “I…”

“Don’t you want me to yourself, sometimes?” Jimin said, a little breathier than he intended. “Don’t you want to be selfish?”

Yoongi’s eyes widened. He licked his lips.

Jimin tilted forward to kiss him. 

They fell into a sensual rhythm in milliseconds, Jimin climbing clumsily into Yoongi’s lap without ever disconnecting their lips. The older’s cool hands traveled firmly across the smooth expanse of Jimin’s back, slipping under his shirt like it was the most natural thing in the world. (It must have been, considering how perfectly held Jimin felt with Yoongi’s large hands all over him.)

The firm grip on his waist made Jimin shudder, and he licked urgently into Yoongi’s mouth. The vampire kissed like he had nowhere to be anytime soon, and it was both infuriating and incredibly attractive. Jimin could feel the thick cords of arousal connecting to his own, so he knew Yoongi wasn’t unaffected, but god did he act like it. It drove Jimin crazy.

“Wanna,” Jimin gasped, pulling away for a moment. “Wanna feel you, oh fuck-”

He rolled his hips, firm against Yoongi’s and- he was so hard underneath him, it was hard to think at all. Jimin knew how to move his hips just right, and Yoongi groaned quietly. 

How had they managed to go so long without this happening? Not even a single kiss?

“Jimin,” Yoongi gasped, “I-”

He bucked up against Jimin, involuntarily, and Jimin choked on his own air. 

The room’s atmosphere felt so heavy, Jimin’s thoughts so dazed, there was no way he could have noticed the tiny but sure thread of new emotion creeping into existence. Yoongi’s arousal overpowered it by far, and Jimin wasn’t clearheaded enough to pay attention to something so small. No one would be.

In retrospect, it was the first sign that something wasn't quite right.

Jimin was panting for breath, diving in to mouth at Yoongi’s neck, when the hands on the small of his back stilled. “Hyung?” Jimin asked.

The arousal hadn’t dimmed, but now, the other thread, rapidly growing and twisting around itself until it had grown five times thicker, embedded itself against Jimin’s consciousness. 

He noticed this time. 

“Hyung? What’s wrong?” Jimin pulled back, stilled his hips completely. He still sat in Yoongi’s lap, but now only used his position to cradle one of Yoongi’s cheeks in his small palm. Holding his attention. The vampire looked so upset, but Jimin’s mind was hazy, and couldn’t quite focus on interpreting the complicated feeling he’d sensed.

“I can’t do this, Jimin-ah, not-”

It took Jimin a second to process. “I’m so sorry, Hyung, I won’t do anything more. I thought- can we talk about it, though? I-”

“Just-” Yoongi suddenly sounded desperate. “Just get off of me, please, I-”

Yoongi shoved at his shoulders before Jimin even had a chance to move. He probably only meant to create a buffer, give himself some space, but his newfound vampire strength sent Jimin tumbling backwards onto the soft, pillowy floor. 

All of Yoongi’s emotions were suddenly bitter, winding themselves around Jimin like chains and burning like acid. Jimin couldn’t think clearly enough to tell what they were, and right now, he really didn’t need to. 

Yoongi had been more than clear. He didn’t want Jimin.

Chapter Text

Jimin tried not to let the rejection sting. It did anyway.

“Um. Okay, I’m really sorry, Hyung. I- I’m gonna go-”

Yoongi looked completely panicked. “No! No, I didn’t-”

Jimin was trying really hard to ignore the emotions fluttering around him; maybe if he denied that his body was shrouded in dejection, the tears wouldn’t come. He went to get off the floor, stumbling over a bunched up blanket. “Listen, it’s not- you don’t have to feel bad, okay? You don’t have to want me. I’m sorry that I crossed a line. It won’t happen again.”

“I do, I do want you,” Yoongi begged. “I swear to god, Jimin-ah. Please, believe me.”

“You don’t have to pretend, Hyung, I’m not gonna hold it against you-” Jimin’s eyes burned as he went to cross the threshold of Yoongi’s nest.

“He told me it was my fault!” Yoongi blurted.

Jimin froze.

As he processed what this could mean, the stillness finally gave him time to identify the emotion unfurling from Yoongi’s center.

Guilt. The kind that eats you from the inside out.

“Jaesung,” Yoongi said, breathless. “Once he found out that I cared about you, he never stopped telling me, about...about what he’d do to you. The ways he touched you. He told me every detail and then said it was my fault that I wasn’t strong enough to stop him from hurting you. I-”

This was not what Jimin had been expecting, at all. He sat back down, or maybe his knees just gave out. He wasn’t sure which. 

Yoongi seemed relieved that Jimin was no longer trying to leave. “I was so depressed after he turned me that until Tae came and snapped me out of it I didn’t even know you existed, Jimin-ah. And then once I did come to know you, and care about you, it still took me months to get us out of there. That was time that he used over and over again to hurt you, and it was all my fault, because I- I couldn’t-”

Jimin’s head spun. Had he been harboring this guilt the entire time since they’d been rescued? “Hyung, you can’t possibly blame yourself for what happened to me, it wasn’t your fault-”

“It was,” Yoongi said, voice cracking desperately. “He said it, so many times, that he was hurting you and Jungkookie because of me, and I couldn’t do anything to stop it, and-”

“Jaesung was a liar,” Jimin said fiercely. “He knew he couldn’t get you to do what he wanted physically, so he hurt your brain instead. What he did to me and Kookie was his fault, and his only.” Yoongi tried to interrupt, but Jimin shook his head, almost angry. Not at Yoongi, but at Jaesung for making him shoulder such suffocating guilt for so long. “What he did to us was sick, but you were a victim too, okay? You couldn’t stop it from happening, but you still managed to get us out and I will forever be grateful for that.”

“It wasn’t soon enough,” Yoongi said, miserable. “If I had been faster-”

“I thought I would die in that cell.” Jimin reached out and took Yoongi’s hand- gentle, slow enough for him to pull away if he wanted to. “You are the reason I’m safe now. You, Hyung.”

Yoongi squeezed his hand, and sounded just a little broken when he said, “I thought...you would blame me, too.”

Jimin’s heart cracked. “Never. Is this why you didn’t want to kiss me, or go further? Can you explain that for me?”

“I’ve wanted this for so long,” Yoongi said, tucking his knees up against his chest in a bid to make himself feel less vulnerable. “You, I’ve wanted you. God, Jimin, you’re so attractive. But- I don’t want- I don’t want to become him. I was one of the nest that was keeping you captive, for fuck’s sake. He used to say I’d become- he-”

His words choked off, but Jimin could infer the rest. “It doesn’t matter what he said, okay? You’re nothing like him, and I know for a fact you’d never hurt me. He was trying to mess with your head. Don’t let it work.”

“I just feel so guilty every time I let myself get close to you. Like I don’t deserve it, after letting you be hurt so many times.”

“Love,” Jimin said, wiping a tear away that Yoongi didn’t seem to have noticed yet. “It was never your fault. You don’t have to be guilty. Kissing me, touching me, it’s what I want . I adore you, and I want to be close to you, okay?”

“Okay,” Yoongi said, sniffling. Then, for good measure: “You really don’t blame me?”

“Not even a tiny bit. It never even crossed my mind,” Jimin promised. 

“I’m sorry for pushing you away. I just...I panicked.”

“I know.” It made a lot more sense in retrospect, and even though it might not have been the best way to handle the situation, Jimin understood. “It...it’s good to know why you were avoiding me. I was starting to wonder if you didn’t like me at all, and I guess this was my last ditch effort.”

Yoongi’s eyes widened. “No! I love you, so much. I just...I never wanted to push you into anything, and even if you wanted me, I didn’t feel deserving. I...still don’t, but I’ll try to think of it differently.”

“Jungkookie and I are handling things differently, I think. He’s scared of sex, of being touched. It...reminds him,” Jimin said, tone bitter. “But I...I never stop remembering, like it’s burned into my skin. Sex makes me forget about him, and what he did. It gives me back control of my own body. Only I get to decide who touches me, and when I do decide, it’s a good thing. It feels good.”

“I should have asked. I should have talked to you, about all of this,” Yoongi said.

“Yeah, probably. But this is how things happened, so we’ll move forward from here.”

“How do we move forward?” Yoongi asked.

“First, I’d just...really like it if we could keep kissing sometimes?” Jimin felt suddenly shy, saying it. “I just. I liked it, a lot. Even if you’re not ready to go further, it’s…”

“I am,” Yoongi interrupted, gaze charged. “I’m ready, or at least...I’d like to try? I already feel a million times better knowing that you don’t blame me for everything that happened, even if I deserve it.” He could see Jimin was about to comment on that and preemptively corrected himself: “Or...thought I deserved it. I know you don’t like me talking like that, but it’s going to take me a while to reframe it in my head. I don’t want to tell you details and make you relive anything, but Jaesung...it was like a game to him. Using you against me.”

“It will take time,” Jimin conceded, “and that’s okay as long as you know what he told you was lies.”

Yoongi nodded, and stroked a thumb over the back of Jimin’s hand, staring at it like he might burn a hole through the skin. “Do you...well, I think I’d still like to be with you. Like that. If you still want it.”

For the first time in this conversation, Jimin smiled. “You mean sex?”

“Yeah, sex,” Yoongi muttered, also beginning to smile. “Of some kind. We can...work up to it.”

“Working up to it sounds great.” He regarded Yoongi carefully. “Can I kiss you now, maybe? Pick up where we left off? We don’t have to go any further if you don’t want to, but I’d really like to kiss you again.”

Yoongi didn’t answer, but instead initiated the kiss himself. 

It was softer, sweeter this time. Jimin especially felt much more relaxed. The goal here wasn’t getting railed- it was letting Yoongi know he loved him, it was the two feeling close to each other.

That’s not to say things didn’t heat up- Jimin had been on edge (thanks to first Tae, then Namjoon) for so long today that it didn’t take long before he was panting slightly, heat spreading through his abdomen. Yoongi was the one to take note of it and push further, leaning back to lay against his pillows and tugging Jimin to lay on top of him. 

“You’re so fucking pretty,” Yoongi murmured, grasping his face with both hands. His fangs were even starting to descend without him noticing, nudging at the fragile skin of Jimin’s lower lip when they came together once more.

Jimin giggled at the sensation. “Sharp, Hyung.”

Yoongi pulled back with a sheepish smile, now framed by two pointy upper teeth. “I must be hungry, sorry.”

“Then...want to feed?” Jimin knew it was a question wrought with complicated undertones, but thought he should ask anyway. Yoongi was almost perpetually starving, and maybe he could convince him and kill two birds with one stone… “You know, Taehyungie bit me just last week while we played. Do you wanna know what happened?”

Yoongi’s curiosity seemed to outweigh his immediate desire to stay hungry. “...What happened?”

Jimin’s hands wandered over Yoongi’s chest, and he purposely made his voice smoother, sultry. “I came.”

“You what?” Yoongi choked, perhaps because of his words or perhaps because Jimin’s fingers had brushed against his nipples.

“You know what happens when you bite a human and both of you are already turned on? Your venom changes, somehow. It’s almost like...an aphrodisiac of sorts.” Yoongi had begun to kiss Jimin’s neck, but he kept his teeth far away as Jimin kept speaking. “So, Taehyungie bit me...I sucked him off as the venom spread through my system, and without him even touching me,” Jimin crooned, “I came. I came so hard, Hyung.”

Yoongi groaned, and perhaps he got a little sloppier with his teeth placement as he passed over the soft expanse of skin. “Can- I want to-”

Jimin grinned. Hook line and sinker. “Yeah, Hyung, bite me, make me- Oh, fuck-”

Yoongi bit, deep. It took a few seconds for it to feel good- Jimin wasn’t lying about the venom, but there was a brief delay in which all he felt was pain.

Then came the warmth.

He let out a pathetic whine as his entire body began to heat by the venom speeding through his veins. He suddenly felt so restless. He couldn’t help but buck his hips against Yoongi’s, and-

Oh, he liked that, a lot. 

Both of them groaned, and Yoongi took a particularly strong pull of blood from the human’s neck. Jimin, chasing the euphoric sensations of Yoongi’s hard cock rubbing against his through the thick fabric of their jeans, gasped: “Hyung, hyung, oh fuck- making- making me feel so good-”

Yoongi, teeth still solidly lodged in Jimin, couldn’t respond, but he let out a sort of growling, possessive noise that left Jimin shaking. 

“Feels- it’s so much, Hyung, please, I’m gonna come, oh my god,” Jimin babbled. “Please, let me- I’m gonna-”

With a strangled cry, Jimin came, and Yoongi wasn’t far behind, thrusting his hips wildly one last time before following suit.

“...Fuck, Yoongi-hyung,” Jimin panted. “That was...fuck, thank you. I love you.”

Yoongi only hummed in response, and the corners of Jimin’s mouth kicked up in an amused smile. Even as they lay panting and hazy, Yoongi refused to take his teeth out of the human’s neck. He could feel that the vampire wasn’t even sucking anymore, which meant it was either a teething thing or a comfort thing, or maybe both. 

“You taking your teeth out of me anytime soon?” Jimin asked.

Yoongi grunted. Nope.

Jimin giggled, perhaps a little dizzy from the rapid blood loss he’d sustained. “You can’t stay there forever, Hyung. I’ll need to pee soon, and you know Jin-hyung is gonna coddle me and make me get hydrated and have a snack, he always does after someone drinks from me. And I have plans to go with Jungkookie and Hyungs to shop-”

At the idea of Jimin leaving his nest at all, Yoongi made that funny growling noise again. It wasn’t quite a growl though, not really- maybe more of a trill? He hadn’t heard the Hyungs make it before, so maybe it was a fledgling thing. Regardless, it was cute. The meaning was pretty obvious, considering Yoongi tightened his arms around the human possessively at the same time. 

“Okay, okay, I’m not leaving your nest. For now,” Jimin muttered, and then laughed airily when the vampire tightened his grip even harder, so much it was hard to breathe. “I’ll stop teasing,” he promised. “But uh...you did make me come in my pants, so that will have to be addressed. At some point. Later.”

They lay together like that for a while, Yoongi’s teeth impaled in Jimin’s neck but his tongue swirling over the skin below. A comforting, rhythmic gesture, and Jimin found himself lulled into almost sleep.

He only woke when Yoongi eventually tugged his fangs out. Jimin made a soft sound- it did hurt, but Yoongi immediately licked at the wound to soothe the sharp ache. “You good?” Jimin slurred. He wasn’t fully awake yet.

“Good,” Yoongi murmured. “You were so good, baby. Thank you.”

“Mmm,” Jimin hummed. “Nap, now? ‘M sleepy.”

“Yeah,” Yoongi whispered. “I’ll be here. Sleep.”

***

The car ride took about an hour, and Jungkook bounced with excitement the entire time. 

Jimin himself was still a little groggy from blood loss- it wasn’t a dangerous amount, but it was definitely more than he’d planned. They really should have had someone supervise, since Yoongi had been so hungry before biting, but it wasn’t exactly the most important thing on Jimin’s mind at that moment.

Seokjin had come in to wake him and Yoongi up a short while after they’d fallen asleep. He didn’t want to interrupt (and he was well aware of what had gone down, since his hearing was so excellent) but when Jimin- usually unable to take naps during the day- didn’t wake up naturally after a full hour passed, he got concerned.

Seokjin had almost made him stay home when he saw that the human was pale and dizzy, but a promise that Jimin would drink water all day, snack on whatever Jin gave him, and stay by their side the whole time was just enough to convince him to allow the outing. 

(Really, Jimin had Jungkook to thank the most- the boy’s puppy eyes pleaded on Jimin’s behalf when Seokjin said he might need to stay home and rest.)

So they’d packed themselves into one of the cars- a sleek black thing, large enough to hold all seven of them if needed- and gone on their merry way with a backpack full of snacks and a very excited maknae.

Currently, Namjoon drove, and Seokjin lounged with his legs propped on the dashboard, windows cracked. His sunglasses tipped down his nose bridge as he pulled up and squinted at the maps app on his phone. “You’re sure it’s this way, Joonie? I don’t recognize this area.”

“It’s the right way,” Namjoon confirmed. “We’re on the edge of the Im coven’s territory. You know how they love their shifting charms. None of this land is going to look familiar, and your app will look different too.”

Seokjin rolled his eyes. Jimin could only tell because of the passenger side mirror that the vampire had tipped down to help him rub in all of the sunscreen on his pale cheeks. “Ugh. I told them to just get their witch to add a redirection charm like we have. That’s enough to ward off the humans.  I don’t know why they insist on the shifting; it confuses me every time.”

“Why didn’t you know it was their territory, Hyung?” Jimin asked, curiously. “Don’t you drive to Busan a lot? I thought you were familiar with the area.”

“I drive to Daegu a lot, and sometimes Gyeongju,” Seokjin corrected. “They’re much closer to the house than Busan is, so we don’t often make it over this direction very often.”

“What’s in Daegu?”

“My clinic,” Seokjin said. “It’s a blood donation hub and vampire medical center.”

“You’re a doctor?” Jungkook asked, startled. “Why didn’t you tell us?” 

Namjoon snorted. “He’s not a doctor. Or…more accurately, he was one 800 years ago, but refuses to update his license. Just kept forging new copies until the mid-1700's.”

Seokjin huffed dramatically. “Do you know what the hours are like for medical students? Do you really think I’d abandon my coven like that when you- ” he pointed a finger inches away from Namjoon’s cheek- “are so clumsy you’d have a fatal accident within the first week without me there? Medical school used to be so much easier; these days it’s impossible to do if you want to raise a coven at the same time.”

“Raise us?” Namjoon laughed. “We’re not fledglings anymore.”

Jin tipped his sunglasses further down his nose and fixed Namjoon with a look. “You might as well be. You’re just as needy.”

If Namjoon could blush, he would be. 

“And anyway,” Seokjin continued, “now we really do have fledglings. There’s no way I’d leave the nest for such long hours.”

“So you work at this clinic but you’re not a doctor?” Jungkook asked, skeptical and maybe a little worried. “Is that…legal?”

Jin laughed lightly, reaching back to squeeze the maknae’s knee. “I’m not practicing medicine there, darling, don’t fret. And anyway, I was a doctor for humans. The clinic itself has experts in vampiric medicine who call the shots; I simply own the building and oversee the foundation that distributes the donated blood. I also own several distribution centers in other cities. Most of the time I work from home, but I go in person whenever the staff needs me.”

“Who’s donating blood to places like that?” Jimin wondered out loud.

Seokjin shrugged. “Humans, mostly. We get an occasional supernatural but it’s uncommon. All sorts of people are sympathetic to the plights of city vampires, though, and that’s who donates. It really is a hard life- especially for those in poverty, it’s impossible to leave their job for days at a time to go hunt animals outside of the city. Donation centers let them survive and live honest lives. Therefore, by donating, people are reducing crime rates and doing a good deed.”

“Oh,” Jimin said. He’d never experienced any sort of people sympathetic to supernaturals in the city where he grew up. It must be nice to live in a place so welcoming.

“So,” Jungkook interrupted, “when you said you were a doctor 800 years ago, that was a joke, right? You’re not...that old?”

Jin sputtered comically, spinning around in his seat to stare over the rim of his sunglasses. “Old? Take it back!”

Jungkook’s eyes widened. “I didn’t mean- I guess, I just-”

“He’s not serious, darling,” Namjoon said drily. “He’s just bitter about the reminder that when compared to me and Hobi, he’s practically ancient.”

“Ancient, ha,” Seokjin muttered grumpily, but he winked at Jungkook to let him know Namjoon was right- he wasn’t upset. 

“So you’re 800 years old, for real?” Jungkook asked, bolder now that he knew he wasn’t committing some vampire social faux pas by asking. “That’s so cool!”

“Older than that, actually,” Jin corrected ruefully. “I was born in 1094, turned in 1122. I don’t care to figure out the exact math, but it should be somewhere around 930.”

Jimin and Jungkook both made an awed noise. “That’s so cool ,” Jimin murmured.

Seokjin laughed lightly. “I’m glad you think so.”

“Namjoon-hyung, how old are you then?” Jungkook asked.

“About 400, I think? Jin-hyung would remember the exact date, I’ve never had a memory for that sort of thing.”

“You were born in 1624, darling,” Seokjin answered. “September 12th. That reminds me, we should celebrate your 400th, it’s coming up soon.”

Namjoon nodded. “And Hoseok was born in 1900. I remember that one; it’s easy.”

“How did you all find each other, and get turned? Will you tell us your story? I mean...if it’s okay to ask? If it’s uncomfortable, obviously you don’t have to say, but-” Jimin began nervously.

“It’s fine, precious. So sweet, worrying about us. I probably have rights to the most tragic backstory here,” he said, and while his tone was light it also held gravity Jimin hadn’t heard from him before. “I don’t remember much before turning, but I know I was...very alone, in life. I was turned in the middle of the night against my consent by a fledgling who wasn’t prepared to sire. No fledgling is prepared for that, really, they don’t have the maturity. But he was hungry, and smelled me, and I woke up being sucked dry.”

Jungkook shivered, and Jimin reached out instinctively to hold his hand. The boy took it gratefully.

“He was in bloodlust, and didn’t know what he was doing. When he regained awareness, I was already almost dead. He didn’t want that weight on his shoulders so he panicked and turned me. Or,” Jin shrugged lightly, “that’s what I assume. I was in and out of consciousness at the time. I only have context clues.”

“That sounds terrible,” Jungkook whispered.

“It wasn’t pleasant. But I survived the transformation, and my earliest memories as a newborn were of my sire dropping me off at another vampire’s doorstep. I never saw him again.”

Seokjin stared at the passing trees thoughtfully as he continued. “That vampire- the one whom I was thrust upon- took care of me. He raised me from newborn to fledgling, fledgling to adult. I cared for him deeply, as he did for me. We formed a strong sire transference bond, not unlike Yoongi and Namjoon are cultivating. But times were dangerous, and he lost his life to hunters shortly after my 100th year of turning.”

Jimin sucked in a sharp breath. First abandoned by his sire, then left alone without his only caretaker?

Seokjin smiled, a little bitter. “It’s alright now, darling, I’m okay. At the time, I was devastated. I had no time to grieve, and there were constantly hunters on my tail, as they knew he had a childe who hadn’t been found. Things were different then, too. Vampires were in hiding, no one knew who to trust. I threw myself into the pursuit of human medicine, integrated into their world. I remained hidden, moving from place to place to avoid suspicion for many, many years.”

“Until you met me,” Namjoon interjected, smiling.

“Until I  met Joonie,” Seokjin confirmed wryly. “A lanky 26 year old scholar dying of a mysterious illness, some sort of respiratory infection that was damaging his lungs.”

“I wasn’t lanky,” Namjoon snorted.

“You most certainly were,” Seokjin shot back. “Thin as a rail and you hadn’t even begun to grow into that height you had. You’re lucky you were charming.”

“It’s something I pride myself on, my charm. It bagged me the most handsome vampire in Korea.”

“Flattery, hm? Well, he’s not wrong. I was working in a hospital ward, and...well, at the time I wasn’t the most sociable creature. I’d never let myself get close to the humans around me, dare I have to leave eventually, and I’d met no other supernatural creatures such as myself to call friend.”

“He was depressing as hell,” Namjoon clarified with amusement. “Always telling me I had only days to live, and to get my belongings in order ‘lest they be redistributed upon my inevitable passing to those more suited to survival’, or something like that.”

Jimin blinked. Seokjin? That negative? It was hard to imagine.

Seokjin smacked his mate’s arm lightly. “I wasn’t that bad.”

Namjoon shrugged his shoulders and made an ‘ehhh’ sound.

“Anyway, he lived far longer than I expected him to. Two months, though he never recovered enough to leave the ward. And every day I came in to caretake, he told me these terrible jokes.”

“That I will admit. I wasn’t the pinnacle of humor in my time,” Namjoon laughed.

“You can say that again. It was quite grating at first, I’ll admit. I just wanted to get through the days. When you live so long, time runs together. It’s hard to appreciate small moments.”

“Grating,” Namjoon shook his head. “It wasn’t long before I managed to make you crack a smile, was it? You were a somber creature back then. I think I did rather well, considering the circumstances.”

“I suppose so,” Seokjin allowed. “Regardless, I became rather...attached to him.”

“He’d spend hours upon hours sitting and talking with me, he means. Always patient, even on the days I could hardly speak but for coughing. So kind, so beautiful.”

Seokjin smiled fondly, and Namjoon returned it, and for a second Jimin felt like he was interrupting a very precious moment just by existing in their space.

But the moment dissolved, and Seokjin continued. “Of course, time passed, nearly two months, and he worsened, and worsened. And one day he told me that he knew he was going to die. He could...feel it, I suppose. It’s something one notices when caring for the sick- the human body has a remarkable ability to warn when the end is near. If a patient told us that they were going to die, it was prudent to believe them and make their end comfortable.”

“It was the strangest feeling,” Namjoon confirmed. “I woke up one morning and I just... knew . I knew for a fact I’d never wake again and that I had to say my goodbye.”

“He could barely draw enough breath to say the words, but he managed. And...well, it hadn’t been long, and I was a terribly jaded and lonely creature, but the second he said the words I realized I was already in love with him.”

“Took you long enough.”

“Two months is hardly a lifetime,” Seokjin said softly, “but it was more than enough time for me to fall in love with you.”

“He told me the truth, that he was a vampire. Showed me proof by his fangs. And maybe it was because I was already dying and had nothing to lose, but when he asked to turn me, I accepted.  If I’m living by honesty, I sort of thought it was all a hallucination, one final symptom of whatever had ailed me for so long. But...it was such a nice hallucination, a pretty vampire confessing his affection for me and so desperately desiring to keep me by his side for eternity. I would never have declined. I could never have declined. Not him.”

“I smuggled him out of the hospital that night, and sired him myself. He seemed seconds from death, but he managed to pull through, and then...well, I wasn’t alone anymore.”

“We left together soon after that,” Namjoon said softly, hand reaching out to grab Seokjin’s. Tactile comfort. “I’ve stayed by his side since that day.”

“And you will forever,” Seokjin responded. “If by my power.”

Startling the soft calm of the car, Jungkook let out a sniffle. When everyone turned to him, alarmed, he waved them off, embarrassed. “That’s just. That’s really sweet, Hyungs.”

Seokjin smiled fondly. “Oh, precious. Thank you. I’m rather fond of the story, myself.”

“How long before you found Hobi-hyung?” Jimin asked, curious. His chest was warm both from the story and Jungkook’s feelings about it, which had wrapped themselves around Jimin like a warm hug.

“We met him by no accident, in 1925. By that time we’d already built our nest home- the one we’re still living in to this day- and Hoseok came knocking on our front door, a stranger at the time.”

Namjoon laughed fondly at the memory: “He didn’t even let us get a single word in before he started what must have been a ten minute presentation on why we should turn him and let him join our coven. Us, total strangers to him. He was human back then, I should clarify, but he didn’t want to be.”

“I interrupted him a few minutes in and asked him his name- he gave the prettiest little blush I’d ever seen, and said: ‘Jung Hoseok, sir, of the Jung witches up north, sir, please take care of me?’ And I was a goner,” Seokjin sighed. “So cute. So tiny. So fiery.”

Jimin giggled at the way Seokjin slid dramatically down in his seat and spoke. “That does sound like him.”

“We were startled but endeared,” Namjoon said. “We’d only had each other for so long that the idea of introducing another member to our coven had never even come up as a possibility, really. But one look and I knew Seokjin had already decided he wanted him.”

“He was so sweet,” Seokjin whined. “How could I not?”

“We invited him inside for tea, and he explained all about the reasons he desired to be turned. His family were witches, he told us, but he’d been born without the power himself. Witches can live several hundred years with the right spells and potions, and he wanted to live as long as the rest of his family did- they’ve got such a good relationship, you see. So he asked around for other ways to gain long life and eventually came upon our names and a general answer as to our location.”

“Poor thing wandered these woods for days alone before happening upon the property. Hungry, thirsty, exhausted,” Seokjin frowned at the very thought, as if he were seeing it happen all over again. “I sent him right upstairs for a warm bath and cooked him dinner.”

“The rest is history,” Namjoon said. “He stayed in our nest for months under the agreement that we get to know him before any talk of him officially joining us, but really it was decided from the beginning. We turned him on his 26th birthday and he’s been with us ever since.”

“So he’s still a fledgling, then? Since he’s so much younger than you both? Or is he a grown vampire, now?” Jimin asked.

“The life cycle is considered newborn up to five years from change, fledgling from then until about twenty years. Some mature faster than twenty, some much slower. Hoseokie was on the quick end- by fifteen years he was fully grown. But I’ve even heard stories of some maturing at thirty-five to forty years. It all depends. I’d say twenty is the average,” Seokjin explained.  

“Regardless, though, our siring instincts dictate that we coddle and caretake the youngest members of our coven, and he was such for a long time. It’s hard to break those habits. I’d say only now that we have actual fledglings in our midst again is it starting to really feel like he’s grown. Though Hobi will always be our baby, as I am Jin-hyung’s.”

“That makes sense,” Jimin said. “So now Yoongi-hyung and Taetae are the youngest ones, you all have extra instinct to care for them?”

“And for you and Jungkookie, little one,” Seokjin corrected. “You’re just as much one of our coven as the fledglings are. But yes. Which is why you’ll have to forgive me when I insist you finish that water.” He looks pointedly at the bottle gathering condensation in Jimin’s lap.

Just when Jimin was about to whine that he  wasn’t even thirsty, Seokjin narrowed his eyes. “Didn’t you say you’d be good and listen to Hyung if you wanted to go out today? I can make Namjoon turn the car around right this instant, darling, don’t test me. You’re dehydrated.”

Jimin begrudgingly took a sip.

“Thank you for telling us all about your past, Hyung,” Jungkook filled the moment of quiet. “It was sad, but I like knowing more about how you all got together and your experiences.”

“Ah, so sweet Jungkookie,” Seokjin cooed. “One of these days I’ll have to learn more about your own pasts, what makes you darlings tick and how the universe brought you to me. Deal?”

“Deal,” Jungkook smiled.

But suddenly Jimin felt sick at the thought of the same offer extending to himself. No matter how many times he tried to convince himself his hyungs would never react to his secrets the same way he’d been led to believe everyone would, his track record with telling the truth wasn’t exactly stellar. His mother, locked away in a small apartment with only an in-home nurse to keep her company, was proof of Jimin’s mistakes.

Jungkook seemed to notice the way Jimin withdrew, but instead of commenting he changed the subject. Jimin’s heart ached with gratitude.

“Hyung, I’m gonna start decorating our list, okay? And have you decided which places you want to cross off today?”

Jimin glanced down at the paper they’d been working on together, color coordinated in pretty pastel markers. It had already amassed a hefty list of bullet points in the time they’d been in the car, thanks to Jungkook’s enthusiasm and Jimin’s memory.

Jungkook’s enthusiasm was the catalyst for the project to begin with. After being tasked with coming up with an outing for today’s day trip, Jimin had told Jungkook about the extensive bucket list he’d made before first coming to Busan months and months ago- it contained all the things he was most excited to see after moving there. He didn’t tell Jungkook this part, but it had been pretty meaningful for him- stepping stones to building a new life, away from his past.

He hadn’t been able to cross a single thing off before he was taken by Minsoo, though, and obviously now the original list would be lost with whatever happened to the rest of his belongings when he disappeared. But Jungkook was so excited when he heard about the idea that he insisted they make a new one together. 

Thus, ‘Jimin and Jungkook’s Busan Adventures 2.0: Making up for Lost Time’, as it had been so aptly titled in purple marker. The bucket list to end all bucket lists. Jimin had to admit that even though he was nervous to see places he’d been before his months of captivity and be around a lot of people (lots of people meant lots of emotions to dodge), he was more excited than anything.

“Go ahead and decorate, baby,” Jimin said. “I can’t think of anything else to add. Unless you wanna write- Hyung, what’s the name of the mall we decided on?”

“Shinsegae Centum City,” Jin answered. “Plenty to choose from there, clothing-wise, so it will suit our purposes. Though, I far prefer the smaller markets in the area. Maybe we can stop by some of them as well if we have time.”

“I’d like that,” Jimin agreed. Then to Jungkook: “So, write that one down, and then I think that’s it? Leave some blank space at the bottom of the page in case we come up with more, but I’m pretty sure everything I had on the original list is already added to this new one.”

“Okay! Help me decorate it, Hyung! Can you do little drawings in the corners? You’re so good at art.”

“Sure,” Jimin smiled. “What should I draw?”

Jungkook shrugged. “Dunno. Something that represents Busan, so it matches the list. What’s Busan known for?”

“I don’t know. Seafood?” Jimin asked uncertainly. “It’s on the coast, so…”

Glancing up in the rearview mirror, Namjoon grimaced. “Definitely seafood. Which, by the way, isn’t my favorite, so I’d suggest not-”

Seokjin rolled his eyes and cut Namjoon off. “Oh, let them have seafood if they want it, Joon. You don’t even need to eat to survive, you just do it for fun.”

“Which is exactly why I’d prefer we go somewhere with food that tastes good,” Namjoon whined. 

“Don’t spoil their fun,” the older vampire warned. “Today is about them. I’ll make you all the food you want at home, darling.”

Namjoon grumbled petulantly, “Fine,” and suddenly, for the first time, Jimin understood what Jin had meant when he said Namjoon was still his baby.

“I don’t care about eating it,” Jimin volunteered. “I’m just gonna...draw it? I guess?”

He started doodling some simple fish into the borders of the page, and Jungkook began underlining each section with alternating colors. 

When he finished the first few, he pointed them out to Jungkook. “What do you think?”

“Perfect,” the boy grinned. “Oh! And that reminds me!” He tacked another bullet point to the end reading ‘beach day!!!!’ in his signature scrawling handwriting.

“Good idea,” nodded Jimin. “The beach would be nice. But I don’t wanna do it today, I wanna wait for everyone to come along.”

“Agreed,” Jungkook said. “I still don’t know why the others wanted to stay home so badly today.”

“Fledglings are often homebodies,” Seokjin offered. “Unless they’re very excited about something, they’ll want to stay in the nest most of the time.”

Jungkook wrinkled his nose. “Boring.”

“What things are we doing today, then?” Namjoon asked. “Have you decided?”

“The mall,” Jimin said. “Because we need our own clothes. Umm. There’s a few museums on our list that are nearby, too. Maybe we could check one of those out? The Busan Museum of Art, maybe?”

“I’d love to see that,” Namjoon chimed in.

“Okay, then the mall and a museum. And somewhere to get food- I guess we can just keep an eye out for any restaurants that look good. Jungkook-ah, anything else?”

Jungkook thought for a moment, chewing on the cap of his marker. “Oh! Yes. If we have time, can we stop by my old university? I want to check if they happened to hold onto any of my belongings; there’s some things in there I’d love to get back. And...well, it’s probably a lost cause, but I wonder if- if I’m still enrolled or if they’ve kicked me out, by now...”

His voice dropped softly by the end of it and the anxiety curling around his aura in thick tendrils made Jimin’s heart sink. Jungkook deserved to live a normal life, and get a proper education. University was never a viable option for Jimin- not when he could hardly focus in class with so many people close to him, tugging on his emotions- but for such a bright boy like Jungkook? He’d go far. Further than Jimin ever could.

“Let’s definitely go,” Jimin said firmly. “You should at least check on your status, and explain what happened.”

Jungkook quickly backtracked, nervous now. “But...would they even believe me? I got kidnapped by a vampire nest, that sounds ridiculous, right? They’d laugh me off the campus.”

“We can vouch for you, darling. These are extenuating circumstances, and if we go to the supernatural accommodations office they’ll be far more likely to take us seriously.” Seokjin paused. “Well, I say us, but if you’d like to handle it alone, that’s fine. But we’re happy to help explain things-”

“Yes!” Jungkook interrupted. “Sorry, yes. I want your help. I don’t...I don’t think I’d be brave enough to talk to them by myself.”

“We’re more than happy to come with you,” Namjoon reaffirmed.  “You were unable to complete the semester through no fault of your own. They shouldn’t penalize you  for that.”

“Thank you,” Jungkook said earnestly. “Really, thanks. I hope I can get back in; I miss my classes a lot.”

“What were you studying?” Jimin asked curiously. Jungkook seemed to be good at everything he did, so it was hard to pin down.

“Filmmaking,” he answered. “I love making and editing videos in my free time. And I didn’t even get to finish my first set of classes, but I was getting so much better at it up until...well. You know.”

Jimin did know. He was trying not to think too hard about it, and the fact that this city might bring up memories he’d tried hard to push away.

“Will you show me some of your work sometime?” He asked instead.

Jungkook nodded, and gave a blinding smile. “Of course! Well...if I can get my flash drives back. That’s where I saved them to. They were in my dorm room, so they might have been thrown away.”

“What about you Jimin-ah? Anywhere we need to stop to get your things in order?” Seokjin asked. 

Jimin thought about it. It’s not like he had had much in his tiny apartment to begin with, and he’d been missing for a much longer time than Jungkook had. His valuables had almost certainly been sold off by his shitty landlord by now, precious drawing tablet included. “No,” he decided. “There wouldn’t be anything left for me there.”

“Nothing at all?” Jungkook asked. “Were you going to school too? Or did you have a job you need to explain things to?”

“No,” Jimin said, perhaps too harshly. He carefully softened his tone: “No, I wasn’t going to school. I moved to become a digital freelance artist there- so no specific job. I was only in the city for a week before I was taken, I didn’t even have time to get any clients or make friends or visit places or-” He cut off suddenly as his chest tightened in unexpected anxiety. 

Jungkook turned to him fully. “Okay. We’ll just find new things in the city that we love, alright? You and me, together.”

Jimin could only nod. 

From the front seat, Seokjin gasped in triumph. “Ha! We’re finally out of that godforsaken shifting trap. My maps are up again.”

“It’s not that confusing,” Namjoon said, rolling his eyes. “Even when the scenery shifts, the road stays the same.”

“It’s obnoxious. I’m texting the Ims right now to tell them their wards are obnoxious.”

“I’m sure that’ll go over great.”

“They love me, it’ll be fine. Oh, and Jimin-ah, precious, I see you back there, not drinking your water. Do I have to come back there and help you do it myself?”

“No, Seokjin-hyung,” Jimin answered quickly, downing a gulp of it.  “I’m good.”

***

The day passed smoothly, all things considered. They’d made their first stop at Pukyong National University- the school where Jungkook had previously attended. Jimin hadn’t even realized it, but his own apartment was barely a five minute drive from where Jungkook had lived. Not like they would have run into each other, regardless- Jimin was declared a ghost before Jungkook ever set foot in the city.

But the area did look familiar to him, and it was nice to see the sights once more. The campus was beautiful, and while Jimin wouldn’t have wanted to attend there necessarily, he could see why Jungkook liked it so much.

Once they arrived at the main offices, it took quite a bit of convincing for the administration to allow Jungkook to search through the lost and found, but they did eventually gain permission and find his old backpack- a treasure trove of outdated schoolwork and his precious flash drives. They even found a couple of his old comfy sweatshirts over in the clothing bins. Jungkook was perhaps even more excited about those than the backpack: he chattered about where he’d gotten each one as they made their way across campus, and Jimin could only hold his hand and nod along dutifully. 

The Supernatural Accommodations Office, when they found themselves inside, was far more inviting than Jimin would have expected. A short, friendly woman with tiny horns peeking out from her hair welcomed them and made quick work of their requests- no, she told them, Jungkook was not yet dropped from their enrollment lists, but it would be fairly difficult to get his grades removed without a police report.

They’d all turned to Jungkook at that, but upon seeing his face grow pale at the thought of reliving his trauma for total strangers to write in a report, Seokjin insisted that they’d manage without it. The secretary seemed unsure, but Jin was insistent- and very charming, as a matter of fact. They walked out the door with the necessary paperwork in hand and instructions for submitting it, once they’d written up their take on the situation.

After the university came the museum. By that time, Jimin was getting shaky again- Seokjin insisted on renting him a wheelchair, and while Jimin didn’t think he truly needed it, the elder wasn’t going to be deterred. Pick your battles, as they say. It did make him feel less dizzy, anyway, which was nice. And it made it easier to focus on avoiding all the emotions from the crowds inside- a truly exhausting battle in and of itself, though mental rather than physical.

Namjoon seemed by far the most excited to see the art, but Jimin enjoyed it well enough. More than anything, he watched Namjoon as he went through the galleries with wide eyes. Jimin found himself terribly endeared by the random art history facts the vampire spouted every few seconds, even though he’d never held an interest in art history prior. He just held an interest in Namjoon.

Then lunch at a small little cafe (“You need to keep your strength up, Jimin-ah, I swear, I’m never going to let anyone drink from you unattended again-”), and finally the mall. 

They’d retired the wheelchair back at the museum, so Jimin wandered freely now- though he didn’t delude himself into thinking he was ever completely alone. Seokjin and Namjoon always seemed to be moments away the second he needed something.

“How about this one?” He asked Jungkook, who was rifling through a rack of sweaters a few feet away. “It’s pretty soft.”

Jungkook reached out to feel. “Ooh. It is soft. Does it come in black?”

“What, you don’t like the pastel?”

“It’s pretty,” Jungkook admits. “I’d just like black better. Let’s see...ah! Here. How about you get the purple, and I’ll get the black? We can match!”

Jimin smiled. “That sounds…” he trailed off as he glanced at the price tag. “Oof. Never mind. That’s expensive.”

Seokjin popped up out of seemingly nowhere to take the garments into his hands. “Don’t worry about the price, darlings. Just pick what you like and hyungs will pay for it.”

“But...it’s expensive,” Jimin blinked. “You can’t-”

“I think you’ll find I can,” Jin said, tapping Jimin on the nose. “Live for 900 years and you’ll build up a sizeable fortune too, and you’ll only hope you can find pretty boys to spend it on.”

Jimin fidgeted. “Are you sure?”

Namjoon rounded the corner, jumping into the conversation like he’d been listening the whole time- which he probably had, with his advanced hearing. “If there’s one thing Jin-hyung loves, it’s spoiling his nestmates. Please get whatever you like? We’ve got too much money and nothing to do with it, honestly.”

Over the next hour, Jungkook and Jimin amassed a pile of clothes far too big, in Jimin’s opinion- but the vampires didn’t even bat an eye. “Shall I pay now? Or would you like to find more?”

Jimin, as much as he’d never admit it out loud, really was starting to feel dead on his feet. “No more,” he insisted. “We’re basically buying the whole store, at this point. Can we go home, Hyung?”

“Agreed,” Jungkook said. “I’m tired out. And I wanna show Taetae my new outfits!”

Seokjin kissed each of their foreheads in turn. “Of course, darlings. Whatever you’d like.”

As Seokjin brought their clothes to the register to pay (when Jimin tried to follow, Namjoon gently steered him away, which meant the total would likely make Jimin try to immediately return everything they’d bought), the three went outside to wait on a bench.

“What do you think the others have been doing all day?” Jungkook asked with a sigh, relaxing against Namjoon’s shoulder. Jimin did the same, figuring if it wasn’t just him doing it, they wouldn’t suspect how tired he was.

Namjoon immediately began rubbing gentle circles into Jimin’s thigh, and he relaxed even more. “Mm. Dunno. Tae’s been wanting to teach Yoongi-hyung that video game. Maybe he finally convinced him?”

“Oh, I hope so,” Jungkook hummed. “Even better if he taught Hobi-hyung too. We need more players, it’s boring with just two. Will you learn, too, if I teach you?”

Jimin opened his mouth to answer, but he cut off when suddenly an emotion breezed across his chest...one that he recognized. Who was it from? The signature, the aura was so familiar, and yet...he couldn’t quite place it. All he knew was that it left a bad taste in his mouth. Like...like something was wrong, but he didn’t know what.

“Jimin-ah,” Namjoon said directly in his ear, and Jimin startled.

When he turned back, both of his boyfriends were looking at him. He hadn’t realized it at first, but when he noticed the anomaly he’d sat up completely straight, scanning the crowd- the most obvious reaction he could have taken. 

“Hyung, what are you looking for?” Jungkook asked, voice quiet. Uncertain.

“I-” He searched for it once more, but by the time he refocused his attention the thread of recognition was already lost in a sea of strangers. “I guess nothing. I thought…”

“Jimin-hyung,” Jungkook said, sounding maybe a little scared. “This is the second time you’ve done that, acting all weird, spacing out and looking for something. First with Hobi-hyung, now this. What’s going on?”

Namjoon looked between them sharply, waiting for a response. “Is that true?”

Jimin finally tore his gaze away from the crowd. He didn’t have an answer, not really, so he pulled one out of thin air, not really caring if it was believable. “I thought I recognized someone over there from, uh, my hometown? But it wasn’t them. So it’s fine.” He couldn’t shake the pit in his stomach as he wracked his brain. Who did that thread belong to? Who would be in Busan who he would recognize?

Seokjin walked up then, several large shopping bags in hand and his cell phone propped against his ear: “I know, baby, we’ll be home soon. We’re just headed out to the car, now. Yes. Mhm. If you make dinner I know it’ll be delicious no matter what darling, just make sure there’s more than enough for Jiminie and Jungkookie and the rest of us can have a taste as well. Alright, love you. See you soon.”

“Who’s cooking?” Jimin asked as soon as he hung up, eager to escape the uncomfortable conversation awaiting him if he didn’t change the subject.

“Hoseok,” Seokjin answered, sliding away his phone and helping Jimin up off the bench. “He said Yoongi and Tae are in their...what was it, tenth rematch of the night? In that video game they’ve been playing, I can’t recall the name. Hobi tapped out an hour ago and they’re still going at it.”

“Jungkookie said he’s going to teach me how to play, too,” Jimin said. “I’m not very good at video games though.”

“It’s okay, Hyung,” Jungkook said, softly. He still had a concerned look on his face, but it didn’t look like he was going to force their previous conversation. “It takes a while to really get good at games like that, it’s a learning curve for sure.”

The group walked slowly- slower than comfortable pace, surely, but Jimin had a feeling the vampires knew exactly how dizzy he was at this point. Seokjin kept a solid hold around his waist, and didn’t comment when Jimin leaned on him a little harder than he normally would. Jimin appreciated it.

Namjoon kept sending him looks the entire time they walked down through the parking garage towards the car, and Jimin pretended not to notice. He didn’t even think Namjoon was trying to get his attention- just observing him, watching. After a good night’s sleep, Jimin was really going to have to come up with a good excuse for his weird behavior lately, or else he might find himself dead center of an intervention. And...that wouldn’t be good, at all. Sure, he wanted to tell his hyungs the truth about his powers and his past eventually, but shouldn’t it be when he feels ready? Yeah, it should be. So Jimin would wait until the right time, and it just wasn’t the right time, yet.

As they stepped out of the elevator and into the echoing underground of the garage- they’d had to park quite a ways away from the mall to find a spot at this time of day- Jungkook spoke quietly to Seokjin about the films he’d been working on prior to his kidnapping: “-and there was this really pretty scenic view off the mountain, and I managed to get the perfect light at sunset. Hyung, it was so pretty, I swear you’re gonna love it- I edited it just right into the other footage and it fit the theme so well-”

There .

There it was again! The same person, and the same feeling- anger, he realized now- twisted gently around Jimin’s ribcage and he stopped short without meaning to. The scuff of his shoes echoed in the concrete garage and the others stopped to look at him, confused.

Dread dripped languidly down his spine and he spun through a million possibilities. The only people whose emotions he’d been around recently enough to recognize now would be people from his hometown, members of his coven, or someone from Jaesung’s nest-

Oh .

With a panicked jolt, Jimin finally recognized the emotion- or rather, who it belonged to.

“Hyung,” Jimin choked. “Hyung. We- we need to go. Now.”

“Jimin-ah?” Seokjin was there, in front of him, face smoothing into concern.

“We need to go,” Jimin cried, tugging at the vampire’s sleeve and stumbling backwards. “Chanwoo- the- one of the vampires, from the nest, he’s here-”

Namjoon tensed up immediately and scanned the area. “Can you point him out to me? Where?”

“I don’t see him, I don’t know, I just- please, you have to trust me, Hyung, he’s close-” Jimin was almost in tears by now, chest tight with panic.

“Okay, baby, we believe you,” Seokjin reassured, taking hold of Jimin’s hand and squeezing for reassurance. On his other side, he gathered Jungkook the same way, and began tugging them quickly towards the car. “Both of you stay close to me, we need to move fast. Joon?”

“I’ll find him.” Namjoon was gone in an instant. 

They set off at a run, Seokjin slowing his speed slightly to keep pace with his human mates. The only sounds were the echoing of their own footsteps and Jimin’s heavy breathing, and the beep of the car unlocking was loud enough to startle them all. “C’mon, into the car, we’re almost-”

A loud crash slammed through the air, metal crunching- something impacting with a car? Jimin sprinted ahead, too terrified to check what it was, but he lost Seokjin’s hand in the process- “Jimin-ah, wait for- I- Jungkook-ah, baby, we need to go, come on-” Apparently Jungkook had stopped moving entirely, frozen with terror, and the vampire couldn’t leave him shaking in the center of the parking lot. 

Without the support of his hyung, Jimin stumbled- he was too dizzy, too tired from the earlier blood loss. His knees and palms scraped painfully against the pavement, but the sting was dampened by adrenaline. He’d be feeling it later, surely.

But he was close- close enough to crawl the rest of the way there. His head spun, hands and knees stinging wildly as dirt worked itself into the abrasions on his skin, but he made it inside (chest heaving, vision swimming) and finally allowed himself to look out the window to see what his warning had yielded.

Namjoon was there, and so was Chanwoo. They’d fallen into conflict barely 200 feet away. Too close. Much too close. The knot in Jimin’s chest grew tighter and tighter, the vindication that he was correct not nearly enough to soothe him.

Their fight was so high speed it was hard to follow who was where. Namjoon wasn’t nearly as fast as the younger vampire, but he was far, far stronger- a benefit of his age. As Jimin watched, Namjoon caught Chanwoo mid-jump and threw him full speed against the concrete wall, so hard it cracked and dust filled the air. Namjoon’s snarl was vicious.

It was the last thing Chanwoo ever saw. 

Namjoon ripped the vampire’s head from his shoulders in one terrible pull; the blood he’d recently drunk exploded in a spray across Namjoon’s face. He gripped Chanwoo’s head in his white-knuckled fingers, and every time Namjoon turned his body to survey, to check for more enemies, it swung sickeningly from side to side by its hair.

Outside the car, Jungkook vomited onto the pavement. 

“Oh, darling,” Jin murmured. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, precious, but we need to get to the car, okay? Let’s go, up you get; good boy.”

Jungkook stumbled towards the open doorway of the car, only successfully moving by virtue of Seokjin’s firm arm around his shoulder. Once they finally made it, Jungkook essentially fell into Jimin’s arms, clinging for comfort. Seokjin looked torn between his desire to climb in and hold the boys himself and his desire to patrol around the car, but: “Hold onto each other and stay right where you are, okay? Hyung is staying outside the car.”

“Isn’t he gone?” Jungkook panted. “There’s not more, are there? Hyung?”

Seokjin’s face was carefully stoic. “I...I don’t know. It could have been a diversion. You stay here , angel, we’ll keep you safe.”

The second he shut the door and the two humans were alone, Jungkook burst into tears and hyperventilation. “They’re- he’s gonna- they’re gonna take me away, Hyung, I don’t- I don’t wanna go back-”

Jimin could feel Jungkook’s panic surrounding him, knew it should be affecting him, but he mostly felt...calm. Stunned, maybe? In shock? “Shh,” he murmured, squeezing the younger boy tighter. “No. No…Hyungs will keep us safe. It’s okay, they’re not taking you. They’re not taking either of us.” The words came out too stilted, too calm. Too detached. 

Jungkook could only gasp for breath, and Jimin could only hold him and whisper vacant promises he wasn’t sure were true.

The vampires did move quickly, Jimin could credit them with that. It was hardly a minute of passed time before Jin was sliding into the backseat and maneuvering both his human mates against him. Huddled, close, Jimin finally realized he was shaking.

How long had he been shaking?

The trunk behind them opened, and Namjoon heaved something very heavy into the car. When Jimin tried to look, Seokjin gently stopped him. “We couldn’t leave him here, but I don’t want you to look, precious. It’s rather gruesome. Just keep your eyes on Hyung, hm?”

Jimin’s stomach lurched. He didn’t look.

Now in front of them, Namjoon slid clumsily into the driver’s seat. “It was only the one, just Chanwoo. If there was anyone with him, they’re long gone, as far as I can tell. Unless- Jimin-ah, do you know if there’s more?”

Jimin inhaled raggedly, closed his eyes for a second to really pay attention. All he could feel was the numbed cavity of his chest, the rapid beating of his heart. That, and Jungkook’s panic clinging to him distantly. “No one else,” he whispered. “Was just him.”

Namjoon leveled him with a thoughtful gaze, but not a suspicious one. “How...how can you tell? How did you know, baby?”

Jimin swallowed. He felt like he was shrinking into the seat of the car, against Jin’s firm chest. “I don’t…”

“Jimin-ah can explain later,” Seokjin said firmly, tucking the boy’s head tighter against his chest. “This isn’t the time. We need to get home, where it’s safe.”

Namjoon nodded, already fumbling the keys into the ignition and backing out of their parking spot far too quickly. His eyes caught Jimin’s in the rearview mirror: “We’ll be there before you know it. Get some rest, if you can.”

Jimin wouldn’t say it out loud, but he didn’t think it would be very easy to fall asleep over the thud, thud, thud of the body rolling in the trunk of the car.

Chapter Text

“Damn it,” Taehyung whined, not quite throwing the controller (too expensive for that), but maybe setting it down a little harder than he should have. “How are you so good at this? I literally just showed you how to play today!”

Yoongi shrugged. “I bet it’s the vampire reflexes.”

Taehyung nodded as if that made sense, but then suddenly whipped his head around: “I’m a vampire too!”

“Hm. Well, I guess I’m just better at video games than you are, then.”

“You- agh!” Taehyung pounced on him and the two began to play-wrestle not for the first time that day, tumbling around and bumping against the edges of the new nest they’d made together. The one Yoongi had originally made in the library was nice, but altogether too small for both of them plus the occasional coven member dropping by. 

Predictably, Yoongi pinned Taehyung without too much effort—even the several month headstart he’d gotten by being turned first granted Yoongi more strength than he’d expected. Newborn development is rapid, Namjoon had explained to them, so until they entered the true “fledgling” stage at about five years after turning, Yoongi would likely always have slightly more developed senses and abilities than Taehyung. 

Yoongi wasn’t the biggest fan of that word, newborn, being used in reference to him, but the hyungs just seemed utterly delighted to remind him again and again how young he was in the grand scheme of vampirism. Regardless, he wouldn’t admit it, but he might be growing attached to the coddling and caretaking that seemed to come along with being a “newborn”, so…maybe it was okay.

They should still come up with a different name, though.

Having successfully caged Taehyung between him and the floor, Yoongi grinned. “Sweet, sweet victory.”

“Shut up. You know it’s ‘cuz you got turned first.”

Yoongi sat fully on top of Taehyung’s stomach, and ignored the dramatic “oof” the younger let out.

Taehyung whined, pushed at Yoongi’s arms halfheartedly. He was grinning too, which sort of lessened the attitude he was trying to give Yoongi. “Get off, you jerk! First you cheat at video games, then you crush me! Have you no morals?”

“Cheat? I never cheated!”

“Of course you cheated! I’ve been playing this game for six years, and you beat me after one day of playing?”

“Yes,” Yoongi said. “I thought we went over this.”

Taehyung let out an affronted wail, and attempted to flip the two of them over by catching Yoongi off guard, but he wasn’t quick enough—or maybe he just didn’t actually want to win. These “fights” always seemed to go the same way, with Taehyung absolutely delighted to be pinned but trying not to show it, Yoongi mesmerized by the sight of his pretty dongsaeng squirming below him, and, well…they always seemed to devolve into kissing, too, somehow.

Who was Yoongi to eschew tradition?

The two quickly fell into a mess of wet, needy kisses and desperate whines, and Yoongi couldn’t help but shiver when the younger suddenly pulled away to bare his neck for Yoongi. He didn’t know what it meant to his instincts, exactly, but they seemed to really like seeing the vast expanse of skin devoid of marks.

Yoongi could leave marks. Good ones, pretty ones. And he could even feed too, sucking down the warm, invigorating liquid until it filled every cell in his body, leaving him strong, and so alive, and-

Warm, hot, burning, with blood that doesn’t belong to him coursing through his veins, the power of ripping through tender flesh, a limp body hitting the floor-

No. These days, the only way Yoongi could stomach the blood and the memories was alongside the soft, comforting lull of Nj’s sire bond. Now without him close, even the thought of feeding was overwhelming.

And anyway, Yoongi didn’t know if he could puncture Taehyung’s skin even if he wanted to. According to a book he’d found in the library, vampires lose and regrow up to 25-30 sets of fangs before they reach full maturity, each set stronger than the previous. At least the first 10 sets are too weak to puncture another vampire’s skin, and Yoongi was still on his first ones, so even though Taehyung was a newborn too, Yoongi was doubtful. 

But marks…marks he could do. 

Taehyung must have fed recently, with the way the reds and pinks blossomed so easily across the surface of his skin. The sight only spurred Yoongi on, somehow desperate to lay claim on the boy. 

Below him, Taehyung moaned lowly, hips bucking up towards Yoongi’s. “My turn,” he said, voice so low and breathless it felt like a whisper. As he pulled them closer together to leave his own marks around Yoongi’s collarbone, it was inevitable really that it became a desperate game of back and forth, give and take, as they worked each other into ruin and pushed their bodies together, so together .

A testament to how consumed he’d been by their activities, Yoongi didn’t even notice Hoseok approaching until he was already watching them from the doorway, gaze hungry but expression amused. 

“Don’t stop on my account,” Hoseok said, when Yoongi pulled away, dazed, to look at him. “I’m quite enjoying the view.”

Taehyung whined and reached out his hands towards Hoseok while simultaneously grinding his clothed cock against Yoongi’s, like his body couldn’t decide who to focus on. (It decided on both, apparently. You need to be good at multitasking when you have six boyfriends.)

Hoseok grinned as Yoongi gasped at the sudden contact. “Seems like you’re doing just fine without me.”

“No,” Yoongi said, at the same time that Taehyung made a noise very clearly expressing his disagreement.

“No?”

“No, please come?” Yoongi asked, voice rising in pitch as Taehyung cut him off with a sloppy kiss, then breaking away and looking to Hobi as if to show him ‘this is what you’re missing’. 

“I imagine I’d be doing that whether I was standing over here or next to you,” Hoseok said mildly. Yoongi blinked in confusion, like he’d already forgotten what he’d said, but it wasn’t long before he stopped trying to remember- too distracted by a certain squirming fledgling who was getting more and more desperate for release.

Hobi walked over anyway, carefully crossing the threshold of the nest to kneel down next to them. He was surprised at the way they both immediately stopped, seeming to wait for his guidance. He hadn’t intended to give off an air of authority, really—in their coven, Jin and Namjoon were the ones most interested in holding power in the bedroom, not him. Well, them, and Jimin seemed to have a blossoming proclivity for taking charge as well, though he wasn’t anywhere as confident or experienced. 

Hoseok tended towards the opposite end of the dynamic spectrum after spending so many years with the oldest vampires, whose favorite hobby was seeing him cry with pleasure. But he couldn’t deny that something about seeing the two fledglings hanging on his every word, wanting and waiting to please him, did satisfy something primal inside him.

And what a treat to see, honestly. Taehyung was so wet that Hoseok could see it soaking through the front of his sweatpants, and Yoongi kept hovering a hand over himself and then stopping at the last second, like he desperately wanted to palm himself through the fabric but couldn’t bring himself to do it without permission.

Hobi was more than willing to give permission.

“All those pretty noises you were making in here were so distracting, I could hardly focus on my work. How about you give Hyung a kiss to make up for it, hm?”

Taehyung was the first to move, lurching forward to press their lips together. The kiss was altogether too eager, and very wet (perhaps Jimin’s recent descriptions of Tae as a vampire puppy did hold some merit) but so, so sweet. But Hoseok could feel Yoongi’s longing gaze on them, so he gently pulled away. He kept a firm hand on Taehyung’s thigh, though, both to reassure him and for his own satisfaction.

Yoongi was staring at Hoseok’s lips with naked hunger, eyes glazed and almost panting with desire. But he wasn’t moving yet, so Hobi took a little more care to coax him. “Baby, give me a kiss?”

And that was all it took. Yoongi was in his lap before he could say another word, hands cupping his face and lips pressed against his softly. He was calmer than Taehyung and obviously more experienced, but still held onto Hoseok like he wasn’t sure he’d survive without his touch. 

This wasn’t the first time Hoseok had had sex with the two, or even the first time it had happened with all three of them present, but he still found himself giddy with excitement as they shed their clothes and dutifully arranged themselves to his instruction—Yoongi on his stomach, Taehyung kneeling beside them. 

“Relax,” Hobi murmured, gently pushing Yoongi’s upper body down where he’d propped himself up uncomfortably to watch what was happening. As he pliantly followed the pressure, settling into the soft blankets of the nest, Hoseok couldn’t help but praise him. “That’s it, very nice. You just lay there and take what you’re given.”

“Take what he’s given?” Taehyung asked breathlessly. “What...what are you giving him?”

Hoseok tilted his head. “I’m not giving him anything. But you, baby...how would you like to open your hyung up on that sweet little tongue of yours? Leave him all messy and wet for your cock?”

Both fledglings moaned simultaneously, and Hoseok couldn’t help his fond smile. “Yes, yes, yes,” Taehyung nodded excitedly, immediately pouncing on Yoongi’s ass to knead it with his hands. “Gonna make Hyung feel so good!”

“Fuck,” Yoongi swore, voice muffled from the pillow he was currently hiding his face in.

“Pretty,” Taehyung murmured—almost reverent in his admiration—before spreading Yoongi apart and licking long and wet over his hole.

If there was one thing Hoseok was certain of, it was that Yoongi’s moan would be ringing through his head all week. Mesmerizing. Just like the vision of his hips pushing back for moremoremore, and Taehyung gripping, holding him in place to rim him with enthusiasm Hoseok had never seen from another person before.

It wasn’t long—five minutes, three fingers deep, and a collection of moans that Hoseok half-thought the others might hear all the way from the city—before he could tell the fledglings were ready for more. He ran fingers through Taehyung’s hair, then gently tugged to guide him up. The boy whined like a puppy having his treat taken away, and Hoseok couldn’t help but smile. 

“Shh,” he soothed, “can’t you see how badly he needs your cock? He’s practically crying, sweetheart. You won’t leave him waiting, will you?”

And Hoseok wasn’t even exaggerating; Yoongi truly was a moaning, shaking mess by now, hands gripping the closest soft blankets for comfort or restraint, he wasn’t sure which. At their words his hips bucked weakly, hole visibly fluttering at its emptiness now that Taehyung’s fingers were gone…

It didn’t take much convincing, not when Yoongi’s whimpers were so plaintive. A lube slicked palm over Tae’s already rock-hard cock, and the fledgling was more than ready to go.

Hoseok kept a hand on each of them, soothing, comforting, as Taehyung pushed in, so slow, so deep, so…

He’d never found a vice in alcohol, in drugs, in gambling, but Hoseok thought that it wouldn’t be hard at all to get addicted to seeing this.

“Oh, shit,” Yoongi wailed as Taehyung bottomed out. “Fuck, that feels- oh, it’s so good, I- you’re-”

“Hyung,” Taehyung gasped in response, words spilling out into the spaces between Yoongi’s, unable to hold them in. “Hyung, how are you so tight and wet, you feel so fucking good, I can’t-”

“Move, fuck, please,” the older cried, and Taehyung whined desperately, then looked at Hoseok with teary eyes.

Having done the same himself in the past, he knew what the boy was waiting for. “Go ahead, baby. Fuck him well. Make him cry.”

The two clung to each other, to Hoseok, to the nest with scrabbling hands and shaking bodies as Taehyung slid in and out of the tight heat, slamming with all the force of a newly turned vampire unsure of how to regulate his strength yet. Sloppy, uncoordinated, but so, so enthusiastic. 

“Such good boys,” Hoseok praised continually, reveling in the way their hazy eyes tried so hard to lock onto his gaze. He’d been so entranced by them that he hadn’t even paid attention to his own aching cock, and he reached down now to free himself from his jeans and finally touch. His other hand was free to roam across the fledglings’ bodies as they rocked together. “Doing so well, taking it all so well for me.”

Taehyung, seemingly searching for a different angle as he chased his orgasm, hauled Yoongi up to his knees. Not that Yoongi’s arms could hold him up anymore if he tried—his shoulders and face stayed pressed down, back sloping down into a perfect arch from where Taehyung’s fingers pressed into the dimples at the bottom of his spine.

Hoseok seized the opportunity immediately, taking a gentle hold of Yoongi’s cock where it now hung freely below him, dripping and leaking. The vampire gasped at the sudden touch and kicked his hips forward when he realized what was happening. 

“Shh,” Hoseok soothed, voice rougher with arousal now as he matched rhythm stroking his own cock and Yoongi’s, one with each hand. “I’ve got you.”

“‘M close,” Yoongi warned, “Just a little bit- fuck- little longer-”

“Gonna come,” Taehyung gasped. “Hyung, gonna come, can I? Please, can I?”

“Not yet, sweetheart, Hyung wants you to both come together,” Hoseok soothed. “Hold on just a little longer, okay?”

“Mhm,” Taehyung agreed, but his head was already lolling forward and bouncing with every thrust, too dizzy with arousal to hold it up. 

Hoseok abandoned his hold on his own cock to put both hands onto Yoongi’s, slick with lube and tugging up and down, twisting and tugging at the places he knew the fledgling liked, until-

“I’m- I’m-” Yoongi choked out, and he didn’t have to get the words out for Hoseok to know what he meant.

“Go ahead, honey, come for me. You too, Tae-ah, make a mess for Hyung, you’ve done so well for me- there you go, so good-”

The two came in almost perfect unison, gasping and moaning through their shared climax, and Hoseok gently lowered them down onto the soft pillows of the nest floor. Luckily several towels had been tucked into a corner of the nest, and he used them now to wipe everyone clean.

“Hyung,” Yoongi murmured.

“Yeah, baby?”

“Love you.”

Hoseok smiled. “I love you too.”

“And me?”

That was Taehyung. Hoseok laughed lightly. “Yes, I love you too.”

He sat up, swaying a bit as he went. Hoseok steadied him. “That was incredible. I...fuck. Fuck, I love sex.”

This time they all laughed. “Pretty sure you say that every time we fuck,” Yoongi teased, words still slurring slightly from the post-orgasm haze.

“Because it’s true every time,” Tae whined. “All the time.”

“You definitely show your enthusiasm, sweetheart,” Hobi said fondly, kissing Taehyung’s temple. “I think you almost licked Yoongi-yah’s soul out of his body.”

“He did. It’s gone. I’m soulless. And going to hell now, probably, ‘cause isn’t- is that what happens when you don’t have a soul? And also, if...do vampires just- just automatically go to hell? I think they said that in Twilight.” Yoongi slurred quietly, eyes still closed.

“I thought you fell asleep when we watched that!” Taehyung said incredulously.

“I was resting my eyes,” Yoongi said. “When you think I’m asleep you don’t get mad at me for not laughing at your vampire jokes.”

Taehyung made an offended noise. “See if I ever invite you to our movie night again!”

Yoongi cracked an eye open to look at him, considering, then closed it again. “Sorry.”

Taehyung’s mouth twitched like he was trying to stop a smile from coming. “Thank you. Your apology will be accepted as soon as you rewatch the entire series with us in one sitting, eyes open.”

“Excellent conflict resolution,” Hobi nodded resolutely. “Now, what can I get you both? Want to feed? A drink of water? I could start a bath, too, if that sounds good. You’ll have to clean up soon anyway. I did my best but you’re still a little sticky.”

Yoongi sat up abruptly, eyes flying open like he just remembered something. “You didn’t come!”

Taehyung gaped, eyes flitting down to where Hoseok had tucked his erection back into his jeans when it became obvious the two boys were ready to come long before he was. He was still visibly hard, even now. “Hyung!”

“I don’t need to,” Hoseok waved them off. “I’m fine. I get the most enjoyment from seeing you both satisfied.”

“That’s bullshit,” Yoongi said, hand reaching out to brush against the bulge in his pants. When Hobi didn’t protest, he gently tucked his hand down into the waistband to touch, and-

Hoseok sucked in a breath. Fuck, that felt good. It wasn’t like he needed to come, he had far more self-control than that, but he had gotten himself pretty worked up watching them fuck.

Taehyung tugged at his jeans, and Hoseok obligingly lifted his hips for the boy to tug them down for access. Once it was free, Yoongi gripped his cock more firmly, eyes trained on the tip that was still wet with precum. 

And he leaned down in one smooth motion and sucked Hoseok into his mouth.

The vampire moaned in surprise. He hadn’t been expecting it, and somehow that made the sensations even more intense—so fucking warm…

Taehyung whined dramatically. “I wanna suck his cock too!”

“Finders keepers,” Yoongi said, popping off of Hoseok’s dick for a moment, then immediately swallowing him down again, further this time. His tongue swirled in patterns that left Hobi breathless with arousal.

“I pulled his pants down, so technically I found it,” Taehyung logicked, and when Yoongi pulled off to refute the argument, Tae just ducked down and took Hobi’s dick into his mouth before Yoongi could stop him.

Yoongi huffed. “Hobi-hyung, tell him to let me suck you off!”

Hoseok blinked. “I-”

“No, let me do it, Hyung,” Taehyung pleaded, pulling back with a line of spit connecting his lips to the tip of Hoseok’s cock.

“You could...take turns?” Hoseok swallowed, hard. He did not expect having two pretty boys fighting over who got to suck him off would be this fucking hot, but he probably should have.

“Don’t wanna,” Taehyung sniffed. “Need you in my mouth, you taste so good.”

“How about we share, then?” Yoongi asked. While they argued, his hand had crept back and was now steadily jerking Hobi off. With those hands...he couldn’t stop staring at him. Since when were Yoongi’s hands that attractive? “We can both do it at the same time.”

Tae considered this, then nodded with finality. “That’s fair.”

And then suddenly both of his boyfriends were licking sloppily over his cock, one on each side, and occasionally licking into each others’ mouths by accident.

Hobi threw his head back and let out a broken whine. Taehyung giggled. “I heard Namjoon-hyung say how fun it is to see Hobi-hyung fall apart, but I didn’t think it would happen so quick. Doesn’t he sound pretty, Hyung?”

“The prettiest. And he tastes so fucking good, too,” Yoongi slurred, not even willing to take his mouth fully off. “Could do this all day.”

He didn’t even notice it happening, but Hoseok’s hands still found their way to the backs of their heads, cradling, fingers intertwined with their hair. 

“How does it feel? Are we doing well?” Taehyung’s big eyes peered up at Hoseok as he sucked the tip into his mouth.

Hoseok swallowed. “Y-yes, so good, fuck. Doing so- oh -”

“Don’t make him talk, that’s mean,” Yoongi chastised lightly. 

Taehyung shrugged. “I just like his voice, even when he’s fucked so stupid he can’t think straight. So sue me.”

Hoseok really wanted to respond to that, make some witty comment that made them laugh and prove he was fine, but Taehyung was right. He really couldn’t do anything but moan, and buck his hips, and-

Fuck, that felt even better. Taehyung had abandoned his cock in favor of giving his balls some attention, and Yoongi had sucked him fully into his throat—so deep, how could he be that deep-

“Get ready, hyung,” Taehyung grinned smugly. “I think he’s close.”

Yoongi pulled back with a gasp, only to look up wildly and beg: “Please Hyung, please fuck my throat, please give me your cum, I need it.”

And anyone who tried to claim that hearing that wouldn’t make them weak is a liar, in Hoseok’s book.

He gripped tighter to Yoongi’s hair, moved him up and down on his cock and met him with thrusts of his own, until finally, finally-

“Fuck, that’s hot,” Taehyung whispered, awed as Hoseok’s hips finally stilled.

Yoongi’s eyes watered but he swallowed every drop dutifully, pulling off with a dazed smile. “Thank you.”

“I...what just happened?” Hoseok asked, letting himself collapse backwards. 

“Revenge,” Taehyung said, at the same time that Yoongi answered “Reciprocity.”

“I shouldn’t have asked,” Hoseok accepted, and gestured lazily for them to come closer. “I’m sleepy. Let’s take a nap.”

“Aren’t we supposed to be making dinner soon for the others?” Yoongi asked mildly.

“Shhh. Nap.” Taehyung curled in close, and began to teethe on Hoseok’s neck. The vampire smiled, petting his hair. 

“There’s room, baby,” Hoseok tempted, gesturing to the side of his neck Taehyung wasn’t currently nipping at.

Yoongi chewed his lip, gaze longing without even realizing. “Not gonna teethe. That’s for babies. Like...the newborn thing. M’not a baby.”

Hoseok wanted to coo, but he knew it wouldn’t be helpful. “You don’t have to. Just lay down then, sweetheart, right here next to me. And I’ll be here if you change your mind.”

He laid down, face nuzzled into the junction between Hobi’s shoulder and neck, where it was likely the warmest. “Still not gonna, though.”

“Okay,” Hobi said simply, and Yoongi relaxed.

Ten minutes later found both fledglings teething on him while fast asleep, and Hoseok couldn’t help but smile.

***

“Shit,” Hoseok mumbled sleepily, extricating himself from the tangle of limbs and blankets he’d woken in. His ringtone was loud, and he’d prefer not to wake the boys if he didn’t have to. In his absence, they sleepily rolled closer to hold onto each other instead. Cute.

Once he’d left the room, he fished his phone out of his pocket to see who was calling—Seokjin. Hoseok rubbed his eyes blearily and hit ‘accept call’.

“Hyung?”

“Hope-ah,” Jin’s voice came through, and his tone had Hoseok instantly awake. He knew his oldest mate better than anyone—except Namjoon—and the darkness in his voice meant nothing good.

“What’s wrong?”

“We ran into one of the vampires from Jaesung’s nest. They followed us somehow, and...don’t ask me how, because I’ve got no idea, but Jimin could sense him there when we couldn’t. He warned us, and Joon got to him before he could act. His body is in the trunk.”

“Oh shit,” Hoseok breathed. “Oh my god, is Joon-hyung okay? And you, and the boys? Fuck, I- you-”

“Deep breaths. Namjoon and I are fine. He’s covered in blood, but it’s not his. The boys…” He trailed off for a moment, and while advanced hearing can only do so much over the phone, Hoseok easily picked up hiccuping breaths and quiet whimpers from what sounded like Jungkook. “They’re rattled. I would have called sooner, but I needed time to help them calm down. Jungkook is frightened, and Jimin...I don’t know why, but he’s almost catatonic.”

“Catatonic?” Hoseok asked. God, this was bad, this was so, so bad. “What do you mean?”

“At first he was comforting Jungkookie, but then he started saying less and less, and he hasn’t spoken in about forty minutes, now. He’s staring at his hands and not responding, and he’s shaking.”

There was a loud bump on the other side of the phone, and suddenly Jungkook went from whimpers to muffled sobs. Seokjin rushed to reassure: “It’s okay, darling. I know, I know that startled you. But you’re safe, sweetheart.”

The sobs quieted a little, and Seokjin came back on. “Everyone’s on edge, and the body isn’t helping. I don’t know what to do about Jimin, but we’ll figure it out when we’re home.”

“Okay. Okay, I’ll warn the boys, and make tea, and...and find some blankets? That’s what you do for shock, right?”

“That’s perfect, darling, so helpful,” Seokjin praised, and even far away just a few words somehow had the capacity to make Hoseok feel a thousand times better. “Please get the first aid kit out too, Jimin’s a little scraped up.”

“How long until you’re here?”

A muffled conversation, and then: “Joon-ah says it’ll be maybe twenty more minutes.”

Hoseok nodded. “I’ll see you then.”

“Bye, love.”

With an anxious exhale, Hoseok hit ‘end call’ and ran a hand through his hair absently. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, none of this was good. If they’d been followed all the way to Busan, it was possible there were people watching the house. They really wouldn’t be safe until they were within the protection wards. Hoseok could only hope the twenty minutes would pass quickly.

When he entered the room once more, the fledglings were already awake, and staring at him anxiously. Then, they’d heard him.

So much for breaking the news gently.

***

The moment they walked through the front door, Taehyung’s stomach dropped.

Hoseok had told him that the boys weren’t doing well, that they’d been scared out of their minds. That Jimin wasn’t even responding to anyone, and Jungkook was still terrified even now.

Somehow, hearing it was different from seeing it.

Jungkook was tucked under Namjoon’s arm as they passed the threshold of the house, face pressed against his chest and fingers white-knuckle gripping his shirt, like he was afraid someone would try to take him away. And Jimin? Jimin couldn’t even walk in on his own, instead cradled in Seokjin’s arms.

“Hoba,” Namjoon murmured, once the door was closed behind them. “Will you sit with Jungkookie?”

“Of course,” Hoseok said, eager to have a way to help. But when he approached, Jungkook wouldn’t look up, wouldn’t let go of Namjoon.

“Baby,” Namjoon said. “Baby. You’re safe. But I need you to sit with Hoseokie, hm? Hyung has to go do something.”

“You mean...you mean the body,” Jungkook whispered, voice hoarse. “You’re gonna burn it.”

“Yes,” Namjoon answered softly. “Is that okay?”

Jungkook nodded. But he still didn’t move. 

Hoseok moved forward on his own, to brush a stray tear from Jungkook’s cheek. “Sweetheart, come here. I want to hold you, I’ve missed you.” His gentle hands wormed their way under Jungkook’s to loosen his grip, and just like that the human was burying his face in Hoseok’s chest with a whimper. The vampire lifted him and Jungkook obediently linked his legs together around his middle and his arms around his neck. “That’s it love, let’s go cuddle in the nest, hm? I know Yoongi’s in there making it extra comfy for us. Should we go see…”

His voice trailed off as they left the room, and Taehyung found himself torn. He wanted so badly to be in the nest too, where it was safe, and warm, and small, and comfortable, but even stronger than that was his crushing need to hold Jimin in his arms and make sure he was okay.

So he tamped down the longing and approached Jimin, where Seokjin had settled him against his side on the couch and was gently petting his hair. 

“Minnie?” Taehyung asked softly as he kneeled in front of him. Jimin only stared down at his fingers, face blank. “‘Min, please, you’re safe now…”

When he got no answer, not even a sign of recognition, Taehyung felt tears building in his eyes and a strangled, desperate trill escaped his mouth. It was a sound he’d heard from Yoongi before, but never from himself. He didn’t know how to stop it.

But Seokjin did. He reflexively reached out to comfort Taehyung—unable to hear a distressed fledgling’s call and not answer, though he would anyway—and as his smooth fingers cradled Taehyung’s cheek, the ache in his chest lessened. “Tae, sweetheart, it’s okay.”

“‘S not,” Taehyung said, maybe still a little too fiercely. “Hyung, it’s not.”

Seokjin’s grip tightened almost imperceptibly, fingertips dimpling the apple of Taehyung’s cheek where he still kept his grounding touch. But then he nodded. “I know. I’m sorry. Sometimes saying it enough times feels like it’ll fix things. But all we can really do right now is take care of him. Can you help me do that?”

Taehyung nodded. “How?”

Seokjin nodded his head slightly, gesturing down at Jimin’s knees where Taehyung only now noticed blood seeping into the frayed rips of denim. The realization induced a tingling in his gums, fangs threatening to descend, but he took a deep breath and ignored it. He could feed later. “He fell?”

“I couldn’t catch him,” Seokjin said, words laced with poorly-disguised guilt, and Taehyung could sense that scraped knees were not the only thing the vampire felt responsible for here.

“You did what you could,” he finally settled on.

Seokjin nodded, face suddenly smoothing back into the mask it always was: calm, collected, sure. “I’ll get the first aid kit, then, shall I? I know Hoseokie set it out on one of the counters, so it shouldn’t take long to find. You stay here and keep Jiminie company—if that’s okay.”

“I don’t think I could leave his side, anyway,” Taehyung admitted. “Not until...”

“Yeah. I know,” Seokjin said softly. He kissed them both on the forehead, always so gentle. “I’ll be back soon, darlings.” And he was gone.

“Just you and me now, ‘Min,” Taehyung murmured, arms tightening their hold around Jimin’s shaking body in his lap. “I don’t know if you can hear me, but…if you can, I’d like you to come back to me, soon, please. I…I miss you.”

There was no response.

Outside, smoke curled up, up, up into the sky.

***

It was happening again.

Jimin was floating. Or…sinking, maybe. It didn’t matter, really, because either analogy still meant he was adrift. Inhale negative space, exhale numb.

He wished he wasn’t familiar with suffocating. 

At least this time he wasn’t alone. Voices came: sometimes muffled by the blanket of silence, sometimes echoing in the vast expanse of empty. But there, certainly, and laced with a note of longing Jimin had long since accepted he’d never deserve.

Who were they?

He knew they were important. He knew he wanted to answer them. 

Why couldn’t he answer them? 

Why couldn’t he remember their faces?

(Like mother, like son.)

***

“You’re too much like me,” his mother used to say.

And it was an endearment, then. Jimin would smile so wide that his crooked tooth showed in all its glory, or dance to no music in the kitchen, or stick his tongue out at the tv when there was nothing good on, and she’d say it, and get this look on her face, like every ounce of love she’d never truly been able to earmark for herself was his by birthright. 

And she always loved him, of course. He’d never questioned that. Not even once. 

But things were easier, then, when he was young. When her episodes—the “going-aways”, he called them—were only hours long.

When hours became days, Jimin learned the meaning of a progressive condition against his will.

And when it happened for the first time to him, too, a minute of blank emptiness when a child at the park broke his arm and Jimin couldn’t dodge the sharp invasion of feeling, she cried the whole day.

“My baby,” she whispered as he curled his tiny body against hers to fall asleep that night. “You’re too much like me.” 

Mourning.

***

Jimin’s eyes opened.

A familiar headache pounded in his temples, as was to be expected. But he somehow felt warm and comfortable, a stark contrast to the last few times he’d woken from an episode like this. Someone must have taken care of him while he was gone. 

He hadn’t had that in a long time.

As he tried to sit up, his muscles ached in protest. He’d hardly moved a few inches before someone next to him gasped. “Jimin-ah? Are you back?”

Jimin winced.

“Sorry. Sorry, too loud, I’ll be quiet.” It took Jimin longer than it should have to recognize the voice—his memory always took a few minutes to feel solid again—but as the face came into view, he knew exactly who it was.

“Tae,” he murmured. “You good?”

“Am I good?” Taehyung said, markedly softer now, but still cracking with emotion. “Yeah, baby, I’m good. You’re the one we’ve been worried about.”

As if on cue, another person burst into the room. “Jimin-ah!”

Jimin studied his face. “Jin-hyung,” he guessed, and as soon as he said it out loud he knew he was correct. 

“Yes, precious, I’m here,” he said, expression one of pure relief. “How are you feeling?”

Jimin considered. “Head hurts,” he finally answered. “How long was I gone?”

“A little over thirteen hours,” Taehyung said, curling up next to him on the bed. He couldn’t remember whose bed this was, but he knew it was familiar. It felt like comfort.

“Thirteen,” Jimin repeated quietly. “That’s the longest yet.”

“So this has happened before, then,” Seokjin said, not a question but a statement. He didn’t need Jimin’s nod to confirm it. “I think we have a lot to talk about.”

“Right now?” Jimin asked. He suddenly couldn’t look anywhere near their faces, more interested in the ceiling. “I’m tired, Hyung.”

“I bet,” he said, and it wasn’t empty sympathy. “But it seems we’ve found ourselves in a rather dangerous situation, and you hold some of the puzzle pieces we’ve been looking for.”

When Jimin only bit his lip and didn’t agree, Seokjin sighed. “We’ll get you some food, let you sleep for a few hours. But darling, we need to address this sooner rather than later.”

Good enough. He knew it was inevitable at this point, now that they’d seen him go away, but somehow his basest instincts still told him to postpone, postpone, postpone. Let later-Jimin deal with it.

“Yeah,” he said, swallowing hard. “Soon.”

***

Jimin had never been the star of an intervention before, but now, with everyone’s eyes on him, it wasn’t hard to decide he never wanted to repeat the experience again. 

“So…” he said uncomfortably, “where…where should I start, then?”

They’d done their best to make it feel like a group discussion, setting everyone up in a circle on the living room floor—aside from Jungkook, who still refused to be anywhere but in someone’s lap—but it still felt like Jimin was burning under a spotlight.

Namjoon was the one to speak up. “How about you start by explaining how you knew Chanwoo was following us? I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, but you somehow sensed him.”

“Right.” Jimin swallowed. “I…it’s really just…it’s like…”

He tried to spit the words out, but it felt like they just kept piling in his throat, each attempt making the next harder. “Fuck, I-I don’t think I can do this, I’m sorry-”

“Jimin-ah,” Yoongi said softly, scooting closer to hold out a hand to him. Jimin took it immediately. “It’s okay . We’re here.” Stronger than his words, even, were his emotions, gently curling around Jimin and settling in a haze of calm encouragement.

“Can you tell us why you’re having such a hard time saying it out loud? Maybe we can work through that first,” Seokjin suggested gently.

“It’s stupid,” Jimin shook his head with a humorless laugh. “It’s…it’s not like I think you’ll hate me. I mean, maybe you will. I haven’t exactly been lying, but I’ve been omitting the truth, I guess. And I know honesty is important. But if that was it, I would have told you and gotten it over with months ago.”

He found himself squeezing Yoongi’s hand a little harder. “And I know for a fact you won’t take the secret itself poorly, because I have proof of it. But when I was young, I accidentally told someone this secret, and…and it ruined my life. My mother’s life. And every time I think about saying it out loud, my chest gets all tight, and I feel like I’m back then. Even though it’s not that big of a deal.”

Taehyung’s eyes were sad as he spoke. “‘Min, I…I don’t know how to fix those feelings. But…I know that whatever happened back then won’t happen now. Because we love you. We love you so much, and…and you need to trust us to take care of you. Because we will. Every time.”

And wasn’t that completely true? Being surrounded by his mates, he’d felt the most seen he had in years. The most loved. The most himself.

“I think I know what you’re talking about,” Jungkook suddenly said. “I’ve noticed things, and I thought about it, and I’m pretty sure I figured it out. And I want you to know that it’s gonna be just fine.”

And somehow…the dam broke. The words came.

“You know that I’m part fae,” Jimin said quietly. “But it’s not a dormant ancestry, like I led you to believe. I have powers, like Jungkookie does.”

The second he said it, all he could feel was relief. Pure, concentrated relief.

“That’s it?” Taehyung asked, confused. “Jiminie, that’s not a bad thing, it’s perfectly normal, even Jungkookie’s got fae powers. You could have told us…”

But Seokjin was already shaking his head. “Darling, not everyone is fond of the fae. If Jiminie had a bad experience in telling someone, then we don’t minimize that. It was very brave of him to be honest with us.”

“Oh!” Taehyung sat up straighter. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“No, it’s okay,” Jimin said. “I know I should have told you a long time ago, especially after we found out about Jungkookie’s powers. It’s just…for years and years my eomma hammered into my head to never tell anyone, and then when I finally did…I lost her forever. It’s hard to shake that off.”

“She…is she…” Yoongi asked, trailing off.

“She’s not dead,” Jimin said bitterly. “She’s like me. She’s catatonic, except I still come out of it and she never will.”

Sharp breaths all around. “Jimin-ah,” Namjoon said. “I’m so sorry.”

“How could that be because of you telling, though?” Taehyung asked. “If I’m overstepping, I’m really sorry, but I don’t understand. I want to understand.”

Jimin thought for a moment how best to explain everything, before deciding to start at the beginning. “My eomma and I were always alone. I don’t know why, but I never had a father in the picture, and Eomma never talked about her family. But I was like her.”

“Like her?” Yoongi asked. His thumb gently brushed over Jimin’s hand, constant comfort.

“You feel things, right?” Jungkook guessed. “What other people are feeling.”

Jimin nodded. “How did you know?”

“I spent a lot of time alone with you, Hyung,” Jungkook said. “You always seemed to know exactly how I was doing, even when I tried to hide it from you. And…and it was like sometimes my emotions were contagious, like you caught them without meaning to.”

“I’m not used to being around people,” Jimin admitted. “I thought I was better at hiding it than that.”

“You weren’t obvious. I just spent a lot of time with you. I didn’t even put it together until yesterday happened.”

“Well, it’s true. I can sense people’s feelings. I don’t mean to, though, and I can’t control it. My eomma tried to teach me, but she didn’t really know how, either. And I think that’s what made her sick, that she didn’t know how to stop feeling things.

“She tried. She tried to block it all out. But it never worked, and as I got older it got worse. The episodes got longer.”

“The episodes? Like what happened to you yesterday?” Hoseok asked.

Jimin nodded. “When she was around big crowds, or smaller crowds for a long time, or even just one group of people with very strong emotions, she’d get…stuck, somehow. Like their emotions overloaded her system and she’d just…go away for a while.”

Jimin looked down. “That’s what I used to call it. The ‘going-aways’.”

“How old were you?” Seokjin asked softly.

“The episodes happened as long as I could remember. But they got longer every time, and afterwards she’d be even more sensitive than she had been before. When I was five or six, she’d disappear for half a day at a time, maybe. By the time I was thirteen, she’d be gone for days at a time.”

“Thirteen,” Seokjin said, almost mourning. “A child. What did you do while she was…gone?”

“I took care of her.” Jimin fidgeted with Yoongi’s hand, grateful for the distraction. “I’d give her sips of water, and of soup, so she didn’t die. I’d keep her company.”

“All alone? She didn’t have anyone else stay with you?” Hoseok asked, incredulous.

“She did her best,” Jimin snapped, suddenly defensive. “It was different, where we lived. There were news stories every week of supernaturals being murdered in the streets. The local church was behind a lot of it, and they had a tipline and one word could send a witch hunt our direction. She couldn’t exactly hire an on-call nanny, not without risking them finding out what she was. What I was.”

“I’m sorry,” Hoseok amended. “I’m sure she did what she could. I just…it hurts my heart to think of you all alone like that.”

Jimin relaxed slightly. “I…I got by okay. We had a system. Like she’d leave food in the fridge, and always have school worksheets printed for a few days so I was still learning.”

“You weren’t in school?” Namjoon asked.

“She had to pull me out when I started having episodes, too. Just a few minutes at a time, but enough to get us noticed. When I got older, I could hold them off until I was alone, but when they first started it was immediate, so…too risky. She homeschooled me for years, and- and it was just safer that way. So we could always take care of each other if something happened.

“She hardly ever left the apartment. Just twice a week for meetings at work, and sometimes for groceries. And…she wanted me to stay home all the time, too. She thought that if she cut me off from the world early, I’d be exposed to less emotions. The more episodes you have, the worse they get, you know? Her going-aways were getting worse and worse every time she got caught in a crowd and barely made it home, but she just said she’d rather it be her than me.”

Jimin shook his head bitterly. “I threw it all away. I started hanging out with some neighbor kids in the alley behind the apartment complex every time that she went out. And we got close. It went on for years. I thought they were my friends.”

“What happened?” Yoongi gently prompted, when Jimin paused for too long.

“They weren’t. They weren’t my friends. One day they started saying some vile things about a part-fae couple that had been killed a few days ago. And I was fucking naive. I thought maybe I could change their minds, let them know that not all fae were bad. I didn’t want my only friends in the world to hate who I was. So I tried to tell them that fae are just normal people, whether they have powers or not.”

Jimin took a shuddering breath. “They started interrogating me. Asking why I cared so much. I guess they could tell I was speaking from experience, because they demanded I tell them who I knew. That I should turn them in before things get ugly.”

Tears started streaming down his face, and he didn’t even try to intercept them. “I didn’t tell them about her. I swear. I panicked and- and said it was someone from a long time ago at school, but they figured it out anyway; I didn’t do it, didn’t tell, they just figured it out, and- I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry-”

Yoongi tugged Jimin into his lap to rock him as he cried. “Baby. Baby, we believe you.”

“The kids told their parents, who told the church,” Jimin said through sobs. “They sent a mob to find her, to kill her, but they sent so many people. So many, and they were angry . Angry that she dared to exist, disgusted that she’d been living among them. So many emotions directed at her, and it broke her. I watched it happen. I watched my eomma go away and she- she never came back.”

Jimin couldn’t breathe. His chest heaved, crying, panicking. He wasn’t sure when Seokjin had come over, but now he was stroking Jimin’s hair, wiping away tears.

“Treasure,” Seokjin said, just loud enough to be heard. “My treasure. Deep breath in, now. There, that’s good. Now out. Perfect, darling, let’s do it again.”

It took several minutes of guided breathing for Jimin to calm down, and even then, he felt like he’d been wrung out. His body was exhausted. But he felt compelled to finish somehow. And he said as much when his boyfriends tried to reassure him they could take a break and keep going later.

“She never woke up,” he whispered, voice cracking. “They came back to check every day for two weeks. They kept saying that the second she woke up, they’d kill her. They didn’t want to give her the satisfaction of dying while she wasn’t aware of it.

“But she never did. They broke her.” His words were bitter as rot. “I was fifteen.”

Jimin wasn’t the only one crying. Taehyung was a veritable mess, eyes wide and lip trembling. “Jimin-ah.”

If he acknowledged it, he’d break down, so he just kept going. “I took care of her for years, and worked multiple jobs to make enough money. The landlord pitied me, so he let us keep renting for almost nothing.

“But they were watching me. The church,” Jimin clarified. “To see if I was dormant or not. They hated all fae, but they only killed the ones who showed ‘demonic powers’. So I played normal. I went back to school, I took care of her, and I pushed away the episodes until I got home every day. And eventually I saved enough money to move us to a different town and hire a nurse to take care of her.

“I know I should have stayed with her. But I couldn’t keep watching her wither away, year after year. She used to be so full of life, and now I haven’t heard her voice in a decade.” He smiled brokenly. “She used to love to dance, too, did I tell you that? She…hasn’t danced in a long time. She hasn’t done anything in a long time.

“And I couldn’t deal with it. I felt like I was suffocating, watching her sit there day after day. So I left. I got her a nurse, and I moved to Busan, and I tried to run from my problems, and then I got kidnapped, so that worked out so fucking well for me. Even now that we made it out, I’ve been leaving voice messages for the nurse to play for her but I’m too fucking scared to visit her.”

Jimin looked up, devastated. “And the worst part is it’s not even the deranged vampires stopping me, it’s that I know she’ll never recognize me again, and I don’t know how to handle it.”

As he finished, there was a brief quiet, filled with sniffles and movement, and then he was being hugged by all of them at once.

“I’m so sorry, Jimin-ah. No one should have to go through that,” Namjoon said in that deep, comforting voice of his, and suddenly Jimin was losing it all over again. 

They let him cry for what must have been close to an hour. Maybe even longer. Time always got a little fuzzy after episodes, but he didn’t care to keep track, anyway. Not with Hoseok’s gentle hands rubbing at his tired muscles, and Yoongi’s lips on his forehead every few minutes, and Jungkook’s warm chest expanding against his in a lulling push and pull rhythm.

“Get some rest, hm?” Namjoon murmured eventually. “You were up all night, in a sense. Your body needs to recover.”

“Didn’t explain everything though.” Jimin tried to hold back a yawn and failed. “‘Bout Chanwoo, an’ the other, and…and…how…”

“That can wait, right hyungs?” Jungkook asked. “He’s so tired…”

“Sleep, darling,” Seokjin confirmed, “we’ll talk more once you’ve awoken. We shouldn’t have asked so much of you after your ordeal.”

Jimin nodded, and it hardly took any time before his eyelids started to flutter closed, sleep calling to him.

“We’re here. We’re not leaving you.”

He drifted away to whispered endearments, the ticking of the clock on the wall, and memories of his mother’s smile.

Chapter Text

Jimin woke feeling more rested than he had expected to.

It was the kind of waking where his mind had to catch up to his body, disoriented—like he’d gone so far under that his brain couldn’t tell if he’d slept for a few minutes or an entire year. But the sun had risen, high enough in the sky to be late morning, and that meant he’d probably been asleep for almost 24 hours.

He groaned and stretched his arms above his head, squinting as the sunlight fell across his still-puffy eyes. Too bright. The lazy pull of more sleep called to him, and he tugged a blanket over his face to block the light and give in.

But Hoseok knocked on the door, effectively sabotaging his half-hearted attempt. “Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

“Morning, Hyung. Why’d you let me sleep so long?” Jimin asked, voice raspy from disuse. 

“We figured you needed it,” Hoseok said, settling on the bed and swiping the blanket away despite Jimin’s insincere whining. “You were exhausted.”

“Sorry.”

Hoseok shook his head. “No, we’re sorry. We shouldn’t have sprung such a difficult conversation on you so soon after your episode. It was...unfair.”

“I should have told you a long time ago,” Jimin said. This suddenly felt serious, so he sat up. “It was the push I needed, and I’m glad everything’s in the open. It’s just…weird, I guess. Having everyone know.”

“Bad weird?”

“Just weird. I don’t know. I’ve gone a long time keeping my secrets to myself, and now it just kind of feels like the pieces of me I’ve always protected are spread out between all of you who know, and I can’t get to all of them. I can’t reach them. Not that I think anything will happen to them, but…” Jimin swallowed, staring determinedly at the wall. “But it was a different kind of comfort to have them all to myself where I knew they were safe.”

When Hoseok didn’t speak for a moment, Jimin shifted uncomfortably with a small, humorless laugh. “I guess that didn’t make very much sense, huh? I’ve never been good with words, I didn’t get good schooling like the rest of you. Shouldn’t try to use metaphors and—and all that.”

Hoseok squeezed his hand. “None of that, now. You were perfectly clear, and I think I understand. I’m just trying to puzzle how to express to you that the piece of your secret that I’ve been gifted is as precious to me as your life itself. I’ll guard it with my entire being until the sun burns out, and even then it will be buried beside me.”

Jimin’s mouth twitched, and Hoseok looked at him curiously. “Did I say something funny, precious?”

“It’s not that. I believe you; I know I can trust you with any part of myself. It’s just—” Jimin fought back a smile. “You’ve been spending time with Jin-hyung this morning, haven’t you?”

Hoseok blinked. “How did you know?”

“You talk more…old-timey for a while after you have a talk with Hyung. Like you’re back in the 1900’s, or whatever.”

This startled a bright laugh out of Hoseok, and Jimin joined him, giggling. “I didn’t even realize,” Hoseok said breathlessly, grinning. “Old habits die hard, I guess. I’ve tried to modernize my speech over the years, but the hyungs never really cared to, so I slip into familiar patterns when I spend a lot of time around them. We had a long talk earlier, so it must be rubbing off on me.”

“I hope it’s not contagious,” Jimin said, making a face. Hoping to get a reaction.

He got one, Hoseok gasping with fake indignation and tackling him back onto the bed. “Don’t you say that, little brat! Speaking like your beloved hyungs is not a bad thing, take it back!”

Jimin rolled back and forth, trying to dodge his wild hands. “Never!”

“I guess I’ll just tell Jin-hyung then, and he’ll sit you down for a 2 hour lecture on the value of preserving the verbiage and speech patterns of bygone eras.”

“Anything but that! I’d rather die,” Jimin said gravely.

Hoseok paused, giving up his attack to lay still and listen, grinning. “You know he can hear you, right? He just said he’s happy to learn that he can provide his mate with valuable knowledge and he’ll be expecting you soon for a full lesson.”

Jimin groaned, settling close against Hoseok’s side. “Yes, Hyung. Sorry, Hyung. I’m looking forward to it, Hyung.”

The two lay in content silence for a minute or so, Hoseok tracing a hand up and down Jimin’s arm, before the vampire spoke again.

“At the risk of reopening clotted wounds…would you tell me more about the episodes? I think it would be helpful for us all to know what causes them, so we can hopefully prevent them in the future. It was an enjoyable experience for no one involved.”

He nodded. “I don’t mind. What do you want to know?”

“You said yesterday that they get worse each time you have one?”

“I mean, I think so. Sometimes I’d have one that was shorter than expected, but overall they’ve gotten longer and easier to trigger. It could be that the more episodes I have the worse they get, or it could be that they just worsen naturally with age and there’s nothing to be done.”

“Okay,” Hoseok said. He looked like he was filing information in his mind. “And do you know what triggers them?”

Jimin thought. He’d never had to explain this to someone in words before. “I guess…it’s kind of like there’s different factors that can trigger a going-away. The more factors there are at once, the more likely it is to happen. An important one is…maybe you could call it chronic exposure? Being around emotions all day kind of wears down my defenses.”

“Then isn’t living with six of us hard?”

“Yes and no? I can’t sense Jin-hyung or Namjoon-hyung’s emotions. It’s like they’re…blocked off behind a wall, or something. So they don’t make it worse. You’re usually blocked too, but sometimes I’ll get a random sense of what you’re feeling here and there, like your wall isn’t as strong as theirs.”

“That’s vampiric shielding,” Hoseok interjected. “A natural ability that comes to vampires with age. Most can turn it off, but rarely have reason to. It protects us from low-strength perception abilities, minor charms, things like that. I’m not as old as Jin-hyung and Namjoon-hyung, so their shields are stronger than mine. Not to mention Namjoon-hyung’s got an affinity for shielding magic on top of his natural abilities. Sort of like how Jin-hyung can charm people.”

“Is that why I feel it with Yoongi-hyung, sometimes, too? It’s not as strong as it is with you, but sometimes it’s hard to feel him when he’s near Namjoon-hyung. Like he’s muted.”

“That’s why. Hyung’s abilities are probably projecting along the sire bond, but diluted.”

“Well, that helps too. I only really feel Taehyungie and Jungkookie all the time, and even then it’s not as hard on me because I know the shape and texture and habits of their emotions now. It’s still an issue, but I’m not so far gone that it’s enough to trigger an episode. But when I was going to school, with so many kids in a class whose threads were all coming for me, I’d have episodes a lot.”

“Threads?”

“Ah…” Jimin bit his lip, unsure of how to explain it. “It’s like…when people have emotions, they manifest as these tiny, fragile threads around their body. If there’s a lot of threads, either of the same emotion or different ones, sometimes they’ll twist together—kind of like how a lot of smaller threads make up a rope? And the thicker the emotional rope, the stronger it is.”

“Do you see them physically? Or just sense them?” Hoseok had propped himself up as Jimin spoke, eyes bright with interest.

“I can see them, but they’re faint. It’s easy to ignore most of the time. They’re kind of transparent, and wispy. And they arrange in a sort of…double helix shape, and just swirl around people all the time, with threads joining when emotions form and breaking when they fade. But with me, it’s different somehow.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m like a magnet. That’s the best way I can describe it. When I’m around, emotions just…reach out for me. They want to be near me.”

Hoseok breathed, in a sort of awe. “That’s incredible.”

“I don’t think so.” Jimin frowned. “The thin ones, the mild feelings—those ones reach out, they leave their helix, but they’re too weak and they snap off or retreat before they get here. But…”

“The stronger ones don’t?” Hoseok guessed.

“The stronger ones don’t. They’re pulled to me, and they get sucked into my helix, and the longer they stay there the tighter they wrap. And if there’s too many, or one gets too tight…that’s when the episodes happen.”

“So then,” Hoseok pieced together, “the triggers would be emotion affecting you for too long, or being in crowds?”

“Mhm. Or a strong one coming out of nowhere.”

Hoseok paused, for a beat. Then: “How are you not constantly having episodes? I know some of us are shielded but you’re still around Jungkook and Tae all the time. How has it not affected you until now?”

“Sometimes if I’m lucky and I’m paying attention, I can dodge threads before they attach. And even if they do attach, if the person stops feeling the emotion, it unravels from me and fades. Both Jungkookie and Taehyungie are very emotional, but their moods change quickly, so their threads aren’t usually stuck to me for long. And if I physically distance myself, strings will snap then too.”

“But in crowds, you can’t escape them,” Hoseok filled in. “Was that what caused your episode, this time?”

Jimin nodded. “Crowds are hard, ‘cause there’s tons of emotions sticking to me and even if I’m moving fast enough that they snap quickly, it still takes a toll by the end of the day. Jungkookie’s panic was just the tipping point.”

“I’m sorry that they brought you somewhere crowded,” Hoseok finally said. “That must have been uncomfortable for you.”

“I could have said something,” Jimin said. A little bitter. A little resigned. “I even helped Jungkookie plan it. I just…I hadn’t had an episode in months—since my time with Jaesung. I guess I just hoped that it wasn’t a problem anymore.”

“You’ve been through so much,” Hoseok said softly. “I wish I could take it away.”

“No one can take it away. I’ve accepted that I'm going to end up like my eomma. I don’t want to, but…but I don’t see any other way this plays out. I’m sorry.”

Hoseok kissed his temple tenderly, something unreadable in his voice. “If you think we’re going to give up so easily, you don’t know us very well, my love.”

Jimin didn’t know what to say to that, so he said nothing. He wasn’t about to crush their dreams. He’d been through this before, convincing himself there was a cure, something that could let him live a normal life. It amounted to nothing but pain when he truly realized it was pointless.

“Thank you for telling me all of that,” Hoseok finally said. “It makes me feel better knowing the cause, so I hopefully don’t have to see you go through it again. You’re too full of life to be so still.”

“My eomma used to say the same thing,” Jimin mused quietly. “That forces of nature aren’t meant to stand in place. They’re meant to travel the earth, destroying, rebuilding, intimidating, inspiring.”

“Your eomma is a wise woman. I’d like to meet her some day.”

Jimin had so often thought of his eomma as was , rather than is , and for some reason the distinction drew tears to his eyes. “I bet she’ll love you.”

“For her to love me, I’ll need to return her son in perfect condition—healthy and well-fed. So I think it’s time we go get some breakfast, don’t you?”

“Mm,” Jimin vocalized. “But only if you carry me there.”

Hoseok snorted. “Lazy little thing.”

(He still carried Jimin to breakfast.)

***

Everyone was being far too nice to Jimin.

He couldn’t blame them. His episodes…he knew they were frightening. He’d experienced them too many times from their point of view, back in that tiny apartment in the city of his nightmares. And without fail, he cried himself to sleep and wondered if his eomma would ever wake up.

Jimin hated knowing that they probably wondered the same thing about him. 

Maybe it wouldn’t have been so hard on them if you’d told them in the beginning —it was the whisper he couldn’t shake. He could have saved them the pain, or at least the uncertainty. And knowing that made Jimin’s guilt multiply and colonize the space between every thought in his head, in the empty pauses and stolen looks every one of his mates kept giving him. 

They looked at him like he might disappear.

And he didn’t know how to fix it. He’d already told them the truth, but it was long overdue. Explanations couldn’t turn back time. Belated justification couldn’t give them comfort when they’d really needed it before things fell apart.

Jimin knew the feeling of being helpless in the face of an invisible enemy, an unflinching illness, and that’s how he knew the boys were hovering not because they didn’t trust him to be independent, but because they needed to feel like they were doing something to help. He may not need it, but they did.

So he thanked Hobi profusely for carrying him to breakfast, and let Jungkook squish onto the same chair as him for cuddles, and accepted the fourth cup Namjoon placed in front of him with grace and only the slightest twitch of an eyebrow.

Hoseok, though, let out a laugh. “Hyung, I think Jiminie will be plenty hydrated with what he’s got. He’s running out of room on the table.”

The vampire wasn’t wrong. Jimin had been given so many drinks he couldn’t remember which cup had what; he had to lean forward and check every time. 

“He needed them,” Namjoon complained. “It’s not like I’m giving him duplicates. One’s coffee, and here—this one is tea. Then water, and this one has that new juice Hyung bought for the babies to try.”

“You’re gonna be pissing for days,” Jungkook remarked solemnly, and Hoseok snorted.

“No, no,” Jimin interjected, trying to fight off the smile pulling at his lip corners. “Joonie-hyung, thank you. It’s really nice of you to think of everything I might want.” He took a sip of the coffee, and then made a point to switch another cup. It turned out to be the juice, and he held his composure rather well at the aftertaste of the coffee mixing with it. “It’s all so good.”

Namjoon smiled. “See, he appreciates it.”

“Because he’s a good boy,” Seokjin said approvingly, “who lets his hyungs dote on him after the scare of their life. Right, darling?”

“Right, Hyung,” Jimin parroted obediently. He leaned into the touch as Seokjin ruffled his hair on the way to bring the final dishes for breakfast.

Said vampire had been stress-cooking, apparently, because laid out on the table was enough food to feed a village: a beautiful array of rice, soups, and meat cooked to perfection with skill that only centuries of experience can grant. Even as he set the last dish in place, he paused and gave Jimin a sheepish smile. “Apologies, dearheart, I may have slightly overestimated the amount of food I should prepare. I was…perhaps overzealous.”

Jungkook giggled, nose scrunching with delight. “Slightly?”

“Hush, my love, you really shouldn’t provoke the one who makes your meals,” The older scolded with a fond smile. “I might leave you to fend for yourself one of these days.”

Jungkook shoved a large piece of beef into his mouth in one go as if it might be taken away from him at any moment. “No! I’m so, so very grateful! It’s delicious, please don’t stop cooking for me, I’ll die , Hyung, I will—”

“Dramatic,” he tsked, but piled some extra rice onto the boy’s plate anyway.

Jimin reached out with his bowl to serve himself, but Seokjin was faster, tugging lightly against his grip. “No, darling, Hyung will do it. You sit back and cuddle with Jungkookie. Look at him, he’s distressed—you better give him a hug.”

Jungkook, mouth full and obviously happy as can be, nodded and deployed the puppy eyes. 

Jimin gave up his bowl willingly. It wasn’t a hard sell.

Breakfast went on as usual. Seokjin fussed over their eating, Namjoon told them interesting facts from articles he’d been reading that morning, Jungkook got seconds and thirds, Hoseok tap-tap-tapped at a game on his phone in between bites, and Seokjin complained about Hoseok playing games at the table.

The only ones missing were the fledglings, but that was to be expected. The two were now officially entering their nesting stage, the hyungs had said—meaning that under very few circumstances would they willingly leave their nest. They’d been nesting bit by bit for weeks, but only a few days ago did their instincts really start to emerge.

The nest had tripled in size since then, with every pillow and blanket in the house under threat until Hoseok found his old nesting supplies to share with them. It was a full 10 boxes stuffed full of the softest items imaginable, packed away in the basement from when Hoseok himself had left the nesting stage. He still had a small nesting blanket spread in the corner of his bedroom; Jimin saw it whenever he went inside. But obviously at almost a century old, it was more of a nostalgic simple pleasure for him than a biological imperative. 

Jimin himself enjoyed spending time inside the fledglings’ nest, too, especially since more often than not it came with built-in cuddling. Taehyung in particular always seemed desperate for someone to koala-hug, and Yoongi, while he’d probably never admit it out loud, enjoyed the contact just as much.

So the fledglings had a pretty good setup in the library, and Jimin didn’t fault them for their instincts to stay hidden away. 

That made it even more touching when Taehyung approached on tiptoes, tucked halfway behind the kitchen doorway for perceived security.

“Angel, what are you doing out of the nest? Is everything okay?” Seokjin’s voice was gentle, as if soothing a cornered animal. He’d warned them all that being out in the open would be distressing for the fledglings, at least for the next month while the worst of the nesting phase held on. And Jimin could tell he was right—Tae, normally the brightest part of any room, was shifting on his feet nervously, eyes darting around the room.

“‘M fine. Wanted to see Jiminie’s okay.” He looked over to Jimin. “Okay?”

“I’m fine, Taetae,” Jimin reassured. A twinge of guilt bloomed inside him as he realized the fledgling had probably been hoping Jimin would come find him after he woke up. “Can I give you a hug?”

Taehyung twitched nervously. “Nuh uh. Not here. It’s…too big.”

“I bet your nest would be comfier, hm?” Namjoon nudged. “Nice and warm, and safe. Jiminie’s just fine out here, Hyungs are taking good care of him.”

Jimin nodded in agreement, and Taehyung sighed. “Wanna be in the nest.”

“Then go, sweetheart,” Hoseok said fondly. 

“Want someone to cuddle,” the fledgling pouted. “Please?”

Jimin looked down at his half-eaten plate. He was still hungry, but maybe he could come back and heat it up later?

Luckily, Jungkook stepped up instead. “Hyung, I’ll come! I just finished eating.”

Taehyung grinned, and darted off to the library without another word.

“That was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen,” Hoseok groaned, lightly banging his head onto the table. 

“He must be a little behind Yoongi in progression, still,” Seokjin mused fondly. “He’s flighty, but still reasonable. I don’t think we could get Yoongi out of the nest right now without dragging him kicking and screaming.”

It was a good thing they had nowhere to be, then, because Jimin was sure Seokjin was right and he didn’t want to see it play out.

Jungkook stole one of Jimin’s many cups—the water? The juice? Jimin lost track—and drank it dry, then gave him a kiss on the cheek and stood up. 

“Take that tray with you?” Seokjin asked, pointing to food he’d prepared for the fledglings. 

“Unpaid labor,” Jungkook accused, taking it anyway and scampering off before Seokjin could threaten to deny his cooking services again.

Jimin finished his food slowly, savoring each bite. He’d never had food like this back at home. They were always saving and scrimping for money, and ingredients for a home-cooked meal were too expensive. He was spoiled now, getting it every day without a second thought.

He couldn’t finish all of it, of course; it was enough to feed an entire army, but he did his best. Eventually he leaned back in his chair—full, sated—and yawned.

“Did you sleep enough, sweetheart?” Namjoon asked.

“Mm. Food makes me extra sleepy, that’s all. And I’m always tired for a few days after an episode no matter how much rest I get.”

“I bet it takes a lot out of you.”

Jimin agreed, “It does. But…it’s nice to have you all taking care of me. Thank you.”

“It’s no hardship at all,” Hoseok reassured.

Seokjin reached over and flicked him. “Yah, Hoseok-ah, speak for yourself. You’re not the one who’s been slaving away over the stove for hours.”

“Yes, because I understand the concept of portion sizes. It’s difficult, but I’m sure you’ll get it someday—”

He cut off, dodging as Seokjin swatted at him again.

“Didn’t anyone ever teach you proper manners?”

“You housed me from fledgling to vampire yet you ask who’s responsible for the way I was raised?”

Jimin grinned, tuning out the bickering. Seokjin really had outdone himself, and he made a mental note to genuinely thank him, later—once the chaos had died down. 

He found himself having a lot to be grateful for, these days. That’s not something he had ever expected to say in the wake of an episode, but it was true, somehow. He’d never, ever felt this much security in his living situation, in his health, in his relationships. He’d been loved before, obviously—even to the end his eomma was nothing but fiercely loving and protective—but never like this. Never so all-encompassing from every single person around him. Jimin almost expected someone to pop out from behind a corner with a camera and a “gotcha”, leaving him with only a nostalgic memory to look back on when he had to return to his old life. But it wasn’t a trick. It was real.

Logically, he knew he wasn’t completely safe. Their outing had proved that. But he still felt content tucked away in this big beautiful house with the people he loved most. He still felt secure even while knowing that Jaesung was still at large, and that whoever had been lurking outside—

Oh no.

“Oh, I can’t believe I forgot,” Jimin breathed suddenly, spoon clattering onto the table. “Shit, shit, shit —”

Hoseok and Seokjin immediately dropped their play-acting and turned to face him, startled; Namjoon set his coffee down, not paying mind when some of it splashed out onto the table. “Take a deep breath, Jimin-ah, it’s okay. Whatever it is—”

“Hyung, you don’t understand. I—I can sense people with my powers. It’s how I knew Chanwoo was nearby; everyone’s emotions have a certain—god, I don’t know—like, like a fingerprint to them, I guess? A signature? It doesn’t really matter, just know that I could recognize him. And I feel strangers too, when they’re close, and—and—”

Hoseok said, “That day in the yard with Jungkookie, there was someone there, wasn’t there?”

Jimin nodded miserably. “I sensed someone. I—I wasn’t sure. I only felt it for a second, then it’s like they disappeared, somehow. I convinced myself there must have been nothing there because I didn’t know how to tell you about my powers, but I was in denial. I’ve never been wrong about these things before.”

“Were they on the property or off?” Namjoon said.

Jimin hesitated, looking at Hoseok. “In the treeline?”

“Off-property, but only barely. They likely knew where the boundary was but couldn’t cross it.”

“Could it have been Chanwoo?” Jimin asked. “We know he’s been following us. But he’s not a problem anymore, so it’s okay, right?”

Namjoon shook his head. “It’s not likely. Only the oldest of vampires can withstand our defenses.” 

“No one should be able to find this property, even if they follow us home,” Seokjin clarified. His demeanor, normally carefree, had shifted to a gravity Jimin rarely saw from him. “Our wards confuse and loosen the minds of passersby and even those who come with intent to approach. Chanwoo would be subject to this as any other.”

Jimin’s heart sunk. He hadn’t let himself consider if what he’d felt was real, and even now that he accepted it he was still hoping it would be easily dismissed. But this sounded serious.

“The wards frequently turn away strangers, you hear their footsteps yourself when they lose their sense of purpose and retreat.” Hoseok insisted. “They can’t be defective.”

“But they must be,” Namjoon said. “What other reason is there?”

“A creature powerful enough to bypass them entirely.”

At Seokjin’s words, the other two looked up sharply. Silence, for a beat. Then Namjoon said, “It makes sense.”

“No. No, it can’t be,” Hoseok said, pitch rising. “Someone that powerful? To override the warding power of a complete coven under the full moon? It—it can’t be so.”

“They evaded everyone’s senses; Jimin may have caught their only lapse in concealment. What creature do you know that can tread in silence, without even rustling a branch to alert a nest full of vampires? There are few who could do so.”

“But—but it’s—”

“Calm, dearheart,” Seokjin soothed, skirting the table to kneel in front of the younger’s chair. “Trust Hyungs to make a plan, hm? This is not your problem to face alone.”

This was the first moment Jimin truly realized how young Hoseok was compared to the two other vampires. All three were so much older than Jimin that it was easy to think of them as a timeless monolith, but the way Seokjin spoke to Hoseok now was the way he spoke to the youngest of the nest—babying, comforting with a steadfast confidence that could only come from his centuries of experience.

Hoseok’s shoulders relaxed immediately under the touch of his mate. “Tell me what I can do.”

“Check on the wards and sigils. The far ones aren’t within my hearing, so Joonie will accompany you. Be quick about it, and stay together.”

“We’ll return to you safely,” Namjoon promised, taking hold of Hoseok’s waist to guide him out the door. Touch—another subtle effort to ground him, Jimin noted. Spend a hundred years with someone and you’re bound to find out how they tick.

Jimin watched until their figures blurred from distance, and then they were alone.

Silence spurred confession. “Hyung,” Jimin said before Seokjin could even address him. “Hyung, I’m so sorry. I should have said something when it happened. I, I didn’t think—I couldn’t—”

“Hush, angel,” Seokjin said. He stood, and his eyes softened as they fell upon Jimin’s tense form. “I won’t say I’m thrilled to have been in the dark, but I would not hold it against you. Your reasoning was not malicious, it was born of fear.”

“I’ve put us in danger.” He picked at a loose thread in the hem of his shirt and tried to will tears away with sheer determination. “You should be angry.”

Seokjin considered this. “What would that accomplish?”

“Huh?”

“What good would it be to react in anger? What comes of it?”

“I deserve it,” Jimin said.

“That is not what I asked.”

“Then you’re asking the wrong questions.”

Seokjin smiled fondly. Something in his gaze spoke of nostalgia, or—not nostalgia, but bittersweet memory. “I’m old, Jimin-ah. I often like to pretend I’m not, but time abandons no one, not even the immortal. And one of the many gifts that time has bestowed upon me is insight.”

He finally sat down in the chair next to Jimin’s, the movement almost inhuman in its fluidity. Seokjin would be a beautiful dancer, Jimin thought, with the way he spilled grace at every turn.

“I was angry for a very, very long time. I didn’t choose this life for myself. The ones I cared for were ripped from me without warning. And…my love, you’re not the only one whose existence was branded a mistake of nature.”

Jimin’s eyes widened. How had he not recognized it before? Of course. Of course Seokjin would know how he felt. How could he not, when the vampire had been under constant threat of discovery, fearing for his life, just like him? The difference was that Jimin’s hell lasted hardly two decades, not centuries, and he escaped that town eventually. 

There was no place for Seokjin to escape to. Not when every person on earth was more likely to stab him through the heart with silver than to let him exist in peace.

Jimin’s troubles felt small in comparison. And yet…it was comforting.

He closed the distance between them, climbing into Seokjin’s lap. Arms wrapped around him in return. “I’m so—I didn’t even realize . You know how it felt.”

“Yes,” Seokjin said. His voice was so quiet that if Jimin hadn’t been clinging to the vampire, he might not have heard. “I know how it felt.”

“I’m so sorry. I wouldn’t…I wouldn’t wish that fear on anyone.”

“Just as I wish I could steal your pain away, darling. We’ve been through difficult things, and we may not be better for it, but we survived regardless.”

Jimin settled his face into the cool valley of Seokjin’s neck, kissing the smooth skin there and watching tendons infinitesimally shift under the surface.

“My point, darling,” Seokjin said, “is that anger is valid. It’s okay. But letting it simmer rarely accomplishes what you hope it will. None of my mates deserves unkind words or harsh touch, not by my doing or another’s.”

Jimin’s lips instantly quirked into a smile. “Unkind words or harsh touch…and that applies to all of us?”

“...Yes.”

“Even Hobi-hyung?”

“Yes. Hoseokie too.” Seokjin regarded Jimin’s grin wearily. “Why do I feel like I’ve stepped into a bear trap?”

“Hyung is so disappointed, Hoseok-ah,” Jimin poorly imitated Seokjin’s voice as he’d heard it last week. “Over my knee, now; I’m sure you’re ready to apologize, aren’t—”

“Yah!” Seokjin slapped a hand over Jimin’s mouth to cut him off. What little blood was circulating through the vampire’s body settled into his cheeks and the tips of his ears, flushing incriminating red. “How did you—”

Jimin mumbled through the hand over his mouth until it was removed, speaking with exaggerated innocence. “You’re not the only one with super hearing in this house, Hyung. It’s not my fault.”

Seokjin gave him a flat look.

Jimin giggled, “Taehyungie heard you and immediately came running to give me a play by play in real time. You must have been pretty distracted not to hear us playing. Too busy punishing Hobi-hyung. Ah, Hyung, I thought you said your mates don’t deserve harsh touch and unkind words? Those hits sounded pretty harsh, and those names you called him…”

“He and I have an agreement,” Seokjin said, something in his gaze that felt like warning. “He knows what he wants and he asks for it, like a good boy. Not like a certain brat who enjoys pushing buttons expecting to get his punishment without working for it.”

“I hope you’re not talking about me ?” Jimin said, tilting his head. “I’m not a brat, Hyung, no way! In fact, I’d say that’s an unkind word, and I distinctly remember you saying you’d never use such words against your beloved mates—”

Seokjin tangled his fingers through the hair at the base of Jimin’s neck, pulling firmly to force his head back, startling the human into cutting off his words with a moan. Jimin tugged against the hold slightly, sighing with arousal when he felt no give. With his neck bared for easy access his instinct should have been fear, but all he could gather was arousal.

“I’ve lived for nearly a thousand years, angel,” Seokjin cooed, leaning closer. “You think I don’t know how to handle brats like you? It’s just darling that you think you have any power over me.”

“I—I—”

“Shh. You can misbehave to your heart’s content, but I still won’t give you what you want until you ask…me…nicely.” With every emphasized word, the vampire tightened his grip.

Jimin’s mind blanked. This wasn’t the first time he’d seen a glimpse of Seokjin’s dominance, but it was the first time it had felt so concentrated. So all-encompassing. “Why would—if…when you’ll—you’ll—” He couldn’t think. Hyung’s fingers in his hair, and breath on his neck, arm circling his waist, hips firm under his own—

“You’re cheating,” he declared breathlessly. “Can’t think when you do…all that.”

Seokjin laughed fondly, and the tension between them settled into something calmer; his hands released only to cradle Jimin’s face instead. “I’m sorry. Hyung wasn’t playing fair.”

Jimin pouted. “Mean.”

“Forgive me?”

“Only if you follow through next time.”

“Deal.”

As if on cue—or by design, since Seokjin could probably hear him coming—Jungkook walked back into the kitchen. In his arms was the half-emptied food tray. His hair stuck up in several places, likely from rolling around on the blankets. 

“How are the fledglings doing? I’m surprised they let you go, I thought you’d be trapped in the cuddle pile for hours,” Seokjin said.

Jungkook stopped in place and looked the two of them up and down wearily. Jimin was still draped over his lap in a rather…compromising position. “So you’re the reason they were so squirmy.”

“Hm?”

“I was trying to take a nap but they kept moving around and whispering,” Jungkook complained, setting the tray on the counter and pouring himself a glass of milk from the fridge. His unsteady hands sent cool liquid rolling down the wrong side of the rim and he lifted his cup to catch the drip on his tongue before it could fall. “They were trying to pretend they weren’t hearing anything ‘cause they didn’t want me to be uncomfortable, but they’re not very subtle.”

Jimin could attest to that, more than familiar with how each of his boyfriends’ reacted to teasing. Taehyung with his restless movements—dirty thoughts spilling past his lips in an endless stream of need, want, please—unable to sit still until he got what he was craving. He could picture Yoongi’s gently parted lips and dilated eyes, too, ever patient in his arousal, until whatever catalyst had set Tae off got to him, too.

It sounded like they’d been the catalyst, this morning.

“Sorry, Kookie,” Jimin smiled. He untangled himself from Jin’s lap to go to Jungkook, giving him a kiss on the cheek and stealing an uninvited sip of the boy’s milk in return. The younger swatted at Jimin half-heartedly, nose scrunching into a smile against his will.

“I should have known they’d be listening,” Seokjin mused. “I’ll try not to let this happen again while you’re in the nest with them, hm?”

A strange expression flashed across Jungkook’s face for a moment, but it disappeared just as quickly. “You don’t need to stop having sex or like, teasing each other in front of me. I didn’t...that’s not what I want.”

Seokjin waved a hand, a little distracted. He kept glancing out the window, probably watching for the others to come back. “No, no, we can’t make you uncomfortable—”

“I’m telling you it’s fine .”

Annoyance twisted around Jimin’s chest unbidden and it took him a moment to realize it was coming from Jungkook. Thin, breakable tendrils, cracking and tearing as they intertwined to form solid emotion.

“Jin-hyung—” Jimin started, unsure of how to warn him away from this topic without making Jungkook feel like Jimin was intentionally spying on him.

Maybe Jimin had underestimated how nervous their oldest mate actually was about their situation, because he didn’t seem to notice Jungkook’s rapidly shifting attitude. “Jungkook-ah, it’s no problem to keep these things away from you until you’re ready for them—”

“I don’t want you all walking on eggshells just because I’m too damaged to have sex!”

The room went silent. Seokjin’s head snapped in Jungkook’s direction.

Jimin opened his mouth to say…what, exactly? That was a heavy bomb to drop with no warning. Jimin felt like he was probably the most qualified to answer because of their shared experiences, but he didn’t even know where to start.

Before he even had a chance to unpack the outburst though, Namjoon and Hoseok slammed through the back door. 

They looked…scared.

“Hyung, it’s bad,” Hoseok said, gravitating to Seokjin immediately. He was panting, maybe a lingering survival instinct or manifestation of anxiety? Jimin habitually focused in on the vampire’s emotions, but found nothing there. He didn’t think he’d ever get used to reaching out and finding nothing.

“Sweetheart,” Seokjin soothed, taking Hoseok’s face into his hands. “You’re okay. Tell Hyung.”

“The sigils,” Hoseok said miserably, eyes wide. “Over half of them are powerless. Our wards are barely hanging on, I don’t know how they’re still functioning.”

“Powerless?”

“They’re—it’s—Hyung,” Hoseok gasped.

“I’m here,” Seokjin said. His voice was solid surety, a foundation for Hoseok to build himself upon. “You said they’re powerless. How can you tell? Were they dim?”

Namjoon crossed to Jimin and pulled him against his chest. Jimin wondered if it was for his own comfort, or if Namjoon’s instinct to keep his nestmates protected was one so ingrained that he’d followed it without second thought. Either way, it felt good to be protected in the vampire’s arms, and even better when Namjoon tugged Jungkook close as well.

Hoseok gathered himself, and he spoke, though shakily. “Even powerless sigils have dim light, it takes them centuries to fully burn out. These were different. They weren’t dim, they were dead. Like every trace of magic had been sucked out. It wasn’t natural. Somebody or something caused this.”

“Hyung,” Namjoon said quietly. “It’s not just the redirection charms. The protection barrier is on the verge of collapse.”

Seokjin sucked in a breath. “How much time do we have?”

“Not long. The barrier is barely intact, it could fall at any moment.”

“We can’t stay here,” Jungkook blurted out. “This has to be because of Jaesung, it has to, and if he gets in, he’ll—he’ll—”

“We won’t let that happen.” Seokjin crossed to Jungkook, pulling him away from Jimin and Namjoon to hug him tightly. “We’ll leave. We’ll get you somewhere safe.”

“Where?” Jimin found himself snapping. “Everywhere we go, there’s risk of them finding us.” Jungkook’s panic wound around Jimin’s waist, snaked across his chest—intertwining with his own threads until they were one and the same, until Jimin felt it too. Not even Namjoon’s steady arms around him quelled the distress.

“My coven,” Hoseok said suddenly. “My coven. They can fix the sigils. We’d be safe behind their wards.”

“Very good idea,” Seokjin praised him. “They might have some insight on what could be causing this, too.”

Jungkook shifted. “Now, Hyung? Can we go?”

“Take ten minutes; pack the essentials you need into a bag. We’re leaving as soon as possible.”

As soon as the words came out, all three vampires snapped their heads in the direction of the library. 

“Shit.”

Namjoon was gone before Jimin could ask what was wrong.

***

“Yoongi-yah, come on—”

“Stay back!” Yoongi threw another book at Namjoon, narrowly missing his head. 

The vampire inched forward. “Precious, if you just let me—”

“Stop! You can’t!” Yoongi felt like he was going to explode, too much feeling bursting from his chest and flooding everything around him. He shook his head frantically, tug tug tugging at his hair until his scalp burned. It was all too much.

Namjoon held up his hands in surrender, finally kneeling at a distance from the corner Yoongi had backed himself into. “Okay! Okay, I’m not moving anymore.”

Yoongi glanced up to see he wasn’t lying. “Good. Don’t come closer.” His voice cracked as he said it, lessening the firmness he’d been attempting.

Nearby, Taehyung sobbed into Seokjin’s shoulder where he’d taken residence as soon as the vampire entered the room. The younger fledgling was inconsolable at the thought of leaving, but not resistant. He didn’t understand, not yet. He didn’t truly know how unsafe it was outside of the nest.

Yoongi, though…he knew better. And he was not about to take one single step outside.

“I know,” Namjoon started, “that you feel like leaving the nest will tear you apart. I know, because I was a fledgling once, and I felt the nesting instinct just as strong as you are right now. And I'm sorry you found out like that. But I need you to understand that it’s not safe here. Not until we can fix the wards. At any minute, the barriers could drop, and we don’t know what we’re facing here, but it’s definitely something that can open that door and walk inside your nest.”

A stranger in his nest. An attacker in his nest. Yoongi tugged his knees to his chest, rocking. Forward, back, forward, back. No one else should be here, only his mates. They’d—they’d ruin the nest, it wouldn’t be good anymore. He’d never feel safe again.

“I’m not trying to scare you. But we need to get out of here, baby. As soon as possible.”

“Can’t,” Yoongi choked out. “I—I can’t. Hyung, it’s too much.”

Namjoon softened. “We’ll be with you every step of the way, I promise. We’ll find you a nice spot when we get there, and we can build you a new nest, and—”

“Don’t—don’t want a new nest, I w-want this one,” Yoongi gasped, anguished. His fingernails dug into his thighs. “But ‘s gonna be ruined if they come in but I can’t leave ‘cause I just know it’s gonna kill me Hyung, it’s too much I can’t—I can’t do it, I want to stay here, I don’t want them to come, I don’t want—I—”

He cut off as chirps spilled out of his throat, distress vocalized into a desperate cry for his sire to come, please come—

Yoongi didn't even attempt to stifle the sound. He needed his sire. He needed comfort. He needed to know it was going to be okay.

Namjoon was more than willing to give him that.

He was next to Yoongi in an instant, pulling him close and clasping a hand over the back of his neck, and…

Oh.

A rush of calm diffused through Yoongi’s body, and it was like he could breathe again, like the panic had diluted into something milder. His head spun at the sudden lightness. “Hyung…”

“That’s it,” the vampire soothed. “Relax for me. Good boy, you’re doing so well.”

Yoongi’s muscles unwound one by one, loosening until he was sure he’d be unraveled. But Namjoon held him together, hands traveling across Yoongi’s skin in patterns his wrung-out brain was too dizzy to decipher. 

“So good,” Namjoon repeated, and Yoongi’s shuddering breath was answer enough.

Everything got a little fuzzy after that, a little distant. He must have lost some time: when he drifted to awareness again, quiet voices murmured around him.

“How is he?”

“Settled, finally. I don’t know if it will last.”

“His skin is so pallid. I thought he was feeling better after he fed from Jiminie, but now…”

“Stress?”

“I wish I had learned the study of medicine for our own kind.” A hand ran through Yoongi’s hair. “I am unaware of what’s causing his ill health. If he hadn’t denied me, I would have taken him to the clinic weeks ago.”

“We’ll convince him soon.”

“We must.”

“How are the others?”

“Not well. We need to proceed quickly. Jiminie and Jungkookie are working each other into circles; I don’t think they’ll calm until we’ve departed. I gave Hoseokie tasks to complete, as you know how that helps him, and Tae is jumpy, but alright. I’ve bundled him up in blankets so he can’t indulge his instinct to return here. The boys are cuddling him.”

There was a beat of silence. “I hate this.”

“I know.”

“I’ve never seen Yoongi look so devastated.”

“Dearheart—”

“It’s cruel to pull a fledgling from their nest like this, Hyung, you know that it is.”

“I know, Namjoon-ah. But we have no other choice.”

Silence. Namjoon inhaled shakily. “He’s gonna be okay after this? Both of them?”

“They’ll be just fine, my love.”

There was quiet for a few moments, then: “Fledglings are hard work. I hope I didn’t cause you this much stress when you sired me.”

Seokjin laughed. “You did, dearheart. But the journey is worth the destination. Look at him so sweet for you, teething so well. I bet his second set will come in soon.”

“You think so?” Namjoon asked, a little brighter.

Gentle fingers nudged back Yoongi’s upper lip and he startled, whining. “I’d say so. He’s got some redness up above, that usually means the new ones are forming.”

Feeling a little petulant about having fingers prodding around in his mouth, Yoongi bit down on Namjoon’s neck as hard as he could, even shaking his head back and forth to really test the hold. It felt good—better than he’d expected—and he sighed, previous ire forgotten. The vampires laughed softly, but he didn’t care.

Yoongi distantly heard someone crying. Tae? Where did Tae go? Why wasn’t he in the nest?

“It’s time, Namjoon-ah.”

Namjoon sighed. He tugged at Yoongi until his teeth slid free, and brought him face to face. “Baby. It’s time to go.”

Yoongi immediately tried to get away, but Namjoon scruffed him again—that newborn vampire hold he’d used a few times, fingers clamped around the back of his neck in just the right spot to keep the emotions from spiraling, to keep him still. Yoongi found he didn’t mind it, really. It was nice, the way he always felt so warm and soft afterwards.

“Namjoon-hyung, I—I can’t do it,” Yoongi whispered. “I’m scared.”

The vampire squeezed him gently. “It’s okay to be scared. I know you’re fighting those instincts so hard. But I need you to be brave, and trust me when I say that you’re going to be okay.”

“Hyung,” Yoongi chanted, a whispered prayer. “Hyung.”

“Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Yoongi whispered, trying not to think about what that word meant he was agreeing to. “But…”

“But what, sweetheart?”

“I can’t do it by myself.”

Namjoon nodded slowly. “You don’t have to. We’ll be with you every step—”

“No,” Yoongi interrupted. “I mean I-I feel like I’m seconds away from a panic attack; I’m barely in control right now and that’s only ‘cause you’re holding me with the neck thing and you haven’t tried to take me away. Just the thought makes me sick, and—and I just keep thinking, what if…”

“What if what?” Namjoon asked.

Yoongi frowned. “None of it’s logical anyway. It doesn’t matter. But I just…need you to help me if we really do have to leave.”

“We have to,” Namjoon confirmed. “But we’ll do anything we can to make this easier for you.”

“Anything?”

Seokjin nodded. “Anything, precious. If it is within my power, I will give it to you.” 

Yoongi nodded resolutely, and his words surprised both of them. “Then charm me into doing this, Jin-hyung.”

“Charm you?” Seokjin blinked. “You were so angry with me before for charming Jungkookie that I thought you would never be okay with me doing it to you.”

“I was angry because you didn’t ask Jungkookie,” Yoongi amended. “He was—he was scared, and stressed, and I know it was an emergency, but if I’d been locked up for months and then had control taken away again in my first moments of freedom, I don’t…it would have been terrible.”

“You were locked up for months,” Namjoon muttered, but they all knew it wasn’t the time to pick apart Yoongi’s perception of his own victimhood.

“My point is I’m asking you to do it, Hyung. I think it would make it easier for you to get me out.”

“Making it easier on us isn’t a good enough reason to take away your control after what you’ve just expressed,” Seokjin said. “Do you want it?”

“I want it,” Yoongi admitted. “I don’t want to be afraid anymore.”

Seokjin exchanged glances with Namjoon and nodded. “Then you won’t be. Are you ready?”

A nod. A tight squeeze from Namjoon.

“ Yoongi-yah ,” Seokjin said then, and it was sweeter, laced with something that made him want to listen. “ You’re feeling better now, aren’t you? You feel so calm. So settled. ”

He…was? He was. The sharp edges in his head rounded to tumbled glass, filling him topheavy.

“ You’re not afraid anymore. As long as you’re with us, you’re okay, darling, aren’t you?”

Okay…he was…what had he been afraid of? It was…there was something he was forgetting, something that was about to happen. Something he didn’t want to happen, something bad—

“ You’re tired of thinking so much,” Seokjin interjected smoothly, reaching out to smooth the furrow from his brow with his thumb. “Joonie’s shielding must be projecting down the sire bond, hm? Is that why you’re fighting it so well? Sweetheart , relax .”

Yoongi slumped and the two vampires only just caught him before he tipped over. “ That’s it, baby. So good for us.”

Yoongi was good. The thought made him smile.

“You’re not scared of leaving the nest .”

Had he been scared of leaving the nest? He wasn’t scared of leaving the nest.

“You want to come with us, now, don’t you?”

Yes…

“You’ll be good. You won’t fight us when we leave. You’ll only feel calm and happy.”

Yes.

“Aren’t you feeling a little bit sleepy? Maybe you should take a nap right here. You’re so comfortable.”

He was…tired.

“Close your eyes, sweetheart.”

Yoongi’s eyes closed.

Chapter Text

Jungkook stared at the intricate network of braided strings spread onto the entryway floor. It didn’t look like anything special. Complicated, sure, but magical?

“Is it ready?” Namjoon asked. “We do not have much time, beloved.”

“I—I think so, almost. Once I connect these final cords, the pit should activate. I only need another minute or two...”

Jimin shuddered. “Pit? You want us to travel through this thing and you’re calling it a pit?”

Hoseok nodded, distracted. “It’s not as frightening as it sounds. It’s only named as such because the portal is set into the ground, and not upright. When I was young, humans used to call them pits to hell because it looked as if witches could take one step and disappear below the earth as if falling. But it was only their ignorance. There is no fire and brimstone awaiting us, only the sister portal on my coven’s land.”

“Hyungs, nest,” Taehyung whimpered, not for the first time since leaving it. “Why…why did you take me away?”

“Shh,” Namjoon hushed, but it was too late. Yoongi was already stirring once more.

“Nest?”

“Aigoo. You’re just fine, Yoongi baby, you’re safe here with Hyung,” Seokjin murmured, pinching the fledgling’s neck firmly until he relaxed once more, this time into sleep.

Namjoon’s frustration with himself was palpable. “I’m sorry. I’m trying to tone down the shielding; I don’t know how.”

“There is no blame to be placed, treasure.”

“Hyungs? It’s ready.” Hoseok knelt on the floor holding two frayed ends of string apart from each other. “Once I connect these, the pit will be active for one minute.”

“Hoseok-ah, I want you to take Jungkook and Jimin with you first. I’ll follow with Yoongi and Namjoon will send Tae through to us, then he’ll stay until the pit is about to close so there’s no chance of being followed.”

“What—what’s it like?”

“Quick,” Hoseok said. “And painless, as long as you avoid the edges.”

“What happens if we hit the edge?” Jungkook asked, eyes wide. “Is that…would we…”

“You won’t die, angel,” Seokjin soothed. “It’s nothing serious, you’d just get a little bruised up. But I’d still prefer you unscathed, so stick close to Hoseokie, please.”

Jimin and Jungkook filed obediently into place. Jungkook knew he should be more excited about experiencing a piece of real-life magic for himself, but more than anything he’d just be relieved to not be in this house anymore, and he was sure he wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

“Ready?” Hoseok asked, and when everyone nodded and the final strings intertwined, the room lit up in blinding light.

Jungkook blinked hard, eyes adjusting, but after only a few seconds the light faded to a dim, pulsing glow. The pit circle wasn’t just hardwood and string and carefully sectioned symbols anymore, but a flowing pool of color and light and movement. It reminded Jungkook of the ocean, in a way. The way the colors mixed was hypnotizing—muted green, dull blue-gray, shifting to a vibrant silver around the edges where the streams crashed together. Was he really supposed to fall through that? It didn’t look solid, exactly, but it didn’t look like something he could pass through, either.

He didn’t have much time to admire it, because Hoseok urged them forward, pulling Jimin and Jungkook under each arm. “Bend your knees when you land, okay? Jump on three. One, two—”

Three , and before Jungkook had time to think too hard about it, they were jumping forward through the air, and then falling through the floor as if it had never been there to begin with.

The rapidly blurring scenery didn’t even process in his mind before his legs hit solid ground. He bent at the last second, remembering Hoseok’s advice, but probably too much—he would have fallen to the floor if the vampire didn’t tighten his grip and keep Jungkook upright, plastered to his side. Fast reflexes, or maybe he’d been expecting it.

When Jungkook looked up, they weren’t in the nesthouse anymore. 

They’d landed in a small room, with walls made of clay-colored brick. Moss expanded in the cracks in corners and errant vines hung from the ceiling—Jungkook didn’t notice until he stood up straight and had to duck around one hanging directly above his head. In the corner, a scraggly selection of sunflowers drooped, leaning against the wall for support. To Jungkook’s surprise, they weren’t potted; they were simply growing straight up from the ground, which he now realized was nothing but a thick covering of soil. He shifted his weight slightly, enjoying the way his shoes sunk neat indents into the soft dirt.

“Hey!” A fierce voice called, and Jungkook spun around, eyes shooting to a small figure on the opposite side of the room behind where they’d landed. “State your name and business, intruders!”

It was a girl, and she looked to be pretty young. Maybe ten years old? Eleven, twelve? Dirt was smeared across her forehead, and she had tiny flags tucked into the base of her ponytail with words like “Perilla” and “Cucumbers” written on them in a messy scrawl. Several more were sticking out of the ground near her feet, atop small mounds of soil.

Hoseok shuffled them backwards just in time, pulling himself and his two humans out of the way only for Jin to fall through where they’d been standing. He didn’t seem to have the imbalance Jungkook did, landing perfectly on flat feet. Yoongi was barely even jostled where he’d been cradled against the vampire’s chest. “Hoseok-ah, he’s about to send Tae through, would you—”

“What? No!” The girl says nervously, losing some of her bravado as she realized she was becoming more and more outnumbered. She held out a garden shovel in front of her like a weapon. “Stop sending people through, you can’t just—”

Hoseok positioned himself underneath what Jungkook now realized was a circle on the ceiling—it looked almost identical to the one they’d made at home out of string, except the patterns were a little bit off on the edges, and it was engraved into the ceiling. “Jin-hyung, will you…”

“Yes, I’m so sorry for our impropriety,” Seokjin said, sweeping forward in her direction.

“I don’t know what that word means, but I’ll throw this shovel at your head if you get any closer to me!” she scowled. “I have real good aim!”

Seokjin raised one eyebrow. “I don’t doubt it. I’m sorry, I won’t come any closer. What I meant was I’m sorry that we didn’t notify you that we were coming. It must have been startling for us to show up out of nowhere.”

“It was,” she agreed. “So you better tell me who you are right now, and how you learned our pit pattern to show up here.”

“I’ve always known it by heart. I was—” Hoseok cut off his words with a grunt as he maneuvered to catch Taehyung, who suddenly dropped like a stone from the ceiling. “I grew up here.”

The girl narrowed her eyes, though she did lower her shovel a few degrees. “If you did, then how come I dunno you?”

“You do, Jieun, I used to change your diapers when you were a baby. Do I really look that different? I swear, if you went away for a few years and already forgot what I looked like…”

She studied Hoseok’s face for a few moments, then lit up, dropping everything in her hands and rushing forward to bulldoze him into a hug. “Hobi-oppa?”

“In the flesh,” he grinned, bracing for the impact so Taehyung wouldn’t fall from his arms. “You’ve gotten taller since the last time I saw you, Jieun-ah. What were they feeding you at that exchange program? Growth potions?”

“I missed you, Oppa! I haven’t seen you in ages and ages and ages!”

“I’m happy to see you alive and well,” he tells her. “It’s been a long two years. But I can’t believe you forgot me!”

She hedged. “I didn’t forget you. It’s just…you have different hair now. That’s all. You can’t blame me, okay?”

Hoseok snorted. “The hair, got it.”

“I’m sorry that we scared you,” Seokjin added. “It wasn’t our intention. We just had…a precarious situation at home, and in the chaos of it all we neglected to recollect our manners.”

She stared at him with her big brown eyes. “You use a lot of big words, Vampire-ssi.”

Seokjin blinked. “I am…not trying to. Apologies. I mean—sorry.”

“I know what ‘apologies’ means. I’m not five.” She rolled her eyes.

“Then…apologies?”

“That makes you sound pretentious. You should just say sorry.”

Seokjin opened his mouth, then closed it. “I can’t say apologies, but you can say pretentious?”

“I’m a kid. You’re pretentious but big words just make me seem pecocious.”

“Precocious,” he corrected automatically.

“You’re not my teacher,” she told him.

Seokjin’s eye twitched.

“Want Hyung,” Taehyung whimpered, squirming in Hoseok’s arms. “Please?”

“He should be here any second, now,” Seokjin told him, hand splayed protectively across the back of Yoongi’s head to keep him settled even as his attention shifted from person to person. “You’ve been so brave, darling.”

“Jieun-ah, could you go tell the elders that I’ve arrived with my nest? We’re still waiting on one more, so there should be seven of us in total.”

Jieun’s face suddenly grew apprehensive. “Uh oh.”

Hoseok winced. “What did you do?”

The door flew open, and a pair of witches spilled into the room, hands raised to attack.

Jungkook skittered behind Seokjin, bracing for the worst, and Jimin did the same. The two pressed close together against the vampire, perceiving safety in numbers. Not that it would help at all. Seokjin was still holding Yoongi, he wouldn’t be able to fight like this.

Jungkook looked down at his hands with dread. He didn’t know if he could use his powers in a fight, not yet—he hadn’t practiced enough. Sure he could crush a few soda cans at a dazzling rate of three per minute, but fighting off fully-powered witches? What if he couldn’t protect his mates?

But as soon as they saw Hobi’s exasperated face, their hands lowered.

“Hoseok-ah? Oh, Bitling, it’s been so long since we’ve seen you!” one of them exclaimed, stepping forward to brush hairs off of his forehead. Gesturing to Tae, who was hiding his face against Hoseok’s shoulder: “Who do you have here? And…here too, all of them? I recognize our darling Seokjin-ssi, but the rest of these little ones are fresh faces, hm? And where’s my Joonie at?”

Seokjin shot her a charming wink, and as if on cue, Namjoon tumbled from the ceiling, landing on one foot so awkwardly that he had to touch the ground with his palm to avoid falling over completely. 

“Hyung,” Taehyung whined, essentially launching himself from Hoseok’s arms into Namjoon’s, who nearly fell over again at the sudden imbalance.

“It’s okay, baby,” Namjoon said as he held the boy up with one hand and wiped the dirt from his other hand onto his pants. “I’ve got you.”

Arms now free, Hoseok pulled each of the witches into a hug. First, the older one, whose graying hair glinted in the sunlight peeking through the windows. The second was far younger, with long, messy black hair brushing her waist. Though she’d been fierce when they entered, she now seemed to hold a quiet demeanor, one that only softened when in Hoseok’s embrace.

“I’m sorry for barging in,” Hoseok said sincerely.

“We came running expecting intruders and instead found dear friends,” the older woman told him. “This is an inconvenience I think we can stomach. And you’re always welcome here, Bitling.”

“It wasn’t my fault!” Jieun finally said, as if preemptively avoiding any prospective blame or punishment. “Soonja-unnie, you told me I had to use my panic button no matter what if I was scared! And I was, so you can’t get mad at me or I’ll put bugs under your blankets tonight!”

The older woman—Soonja, probably—spun on her, affronted. “You will do no such thing, child! You’re young so I’ll forgive your ignorance, but our coven has a long history of prank wars, and I am the master.”

The other one, with the long hair—she nodded gravely. “I wouldn’t test her if I were you, Jieun-ah.”

Jieun narrowed her eyes. “But I’m really good at catching bugs.”

“And I,” Soonja leaned in close so their faces were inches apart, “am good at catching snakes and putting them in little witches’ dress pockets!” 

She darted her hands out to poke Jieun in the sides, prompting gleeful shrieks as the two began a tickling fight, weaving in and around Jungkook and his mates. He tried not to flinch at the sudden movements, but the adrenaline of the day’s events hadn’t quite left his system yet, and he found himself pressing anxiously against Seokjin’s back. He wished one of the hyungs could hold him.

The younger witch seemed to notice the unusually somber air to the rest of the group, and grabbed Jieun around the waist the next time she passed. The girl kicked her legs into the air helplessly, growling at the interruption. “Hwaja-unnie! Lemme go!”

“Nope,” she said. In their struggles, Jieun found herself upside down, held by the ankles and swinging helplessly. Only then did she stop wiggling. “Our guests seem to have troubles, I can’t in good conscience subject them to you this early in the day.”

Soonja laughed, standing upright. Jungkook was surprised that someone who looked so old had so much energy. His halmeoni never played with him like this when she was still alive. Too many aching bones, she’d say.

“But I’m not in trouble, right? No kitchen duty?”

“No kitchen duty,” Hwaja assured. 

Soonja chimed in: “Though, I’m surprised you didn’t recognize Hobi-yah. Wasn’t he your self-proclaimed best friend in the world?”

“That was when I was nine,” Jieun told them seriously—as seriously as one can be when hanging upside down in the air. “Juwon is my best friend now.”

Hoseok mimed an arrow to the heart.

“But I still like you, Oppa, it’s okay. I just wish you wouldn’t change your hair, cause it’s confusing. And stop getting new boyfriends.”

“No more haircuts, no more boyfriends. Got it,” Hoseok agreed. Then he turned to Hwaja and Soonja. “I hate to cut the welcome party short, but some of my mates are…well. I’d like to get them somewhere comfortable. It’s been a rough morning. Could we…”

Soonja cut him off. “Say no more. Hwaja will take Jieun, right?”

Hwaja nodded, walking out the door with Jieun still dangling from her hands. “Straight to the library, where she’s supposed to be studying.”

“Studying is boring. My plants needed me,” Jieun said. Her complaints slowly faded, but only because the two must have gone out of earshot.

“I’m sorry for her,” Soonja snorted. “Her exchange years with the north coven seem to have only bolstered her confidence. A good thing in some respects, an exhausting thing in others. And speaking of exhaustion…” She looked the group over. Hoseok, the only one unburdened; Namjoon, cradling Tae who couldn’t seem to stop whimpering with sadness; Seokjin, who held a nearly comatose nestling with two more humans hiding behind his back. “You look like you all need some rest.”

“We do,” Hoseok told her. “And some answers, if you have any.”

“If we have them, they’re yours,” she promised. “Let’s head to the Heart, then?”

“A room, first, if you can provide it,” Hoseok corrected. “We have newborns. They were taken from their nests due to…circumstance. I can explain when they’re settled.”

Her face paled. “Circumstance, indeed. Let’s go, then. Quickly.”

The group followed her outside into the sunlight, Hoseok holding Jungkook’s hand on one side and Jimin’s on the other. A parallel of their jump. Jungkook found himself glad for the contact, not only for himself, but for Jimin. He seemed…overwhelmed. Taehyung’s distress must be weighing on him. They needed to get everyone calm, fast, so Jimin didn’t have another episode. Jungkook really didn’t think they could handle it, not right now. Not with everything going on.

This place—Jungkook wasn’t sure what the witch equivalent of a nest was—was pretty big. And there was a strange sort of comfort in the way the community held order and chaos in the same palm. Neat, straight buildings in a perfect semicircle juxtaposed overgrown greenery. Scattered, half-eaten fruit lay atop a spotless table shining in the sun. A young boy in ripped, grass-stained pants drew runes on a wall, one after the other in a row, all identical. 

It wasn’t exactly crowded, but people were around, living their lives. Several called to Hoseok and even attempted to come over for a chat, but Soonja waved them all away. They all accepted this easily—was she some sort of leader, here? Was she the oldest? She looked like the oldest. Everyone else he’d seen looked to be in their twenties or thirties; she and her wrinkles were an anomaly.

“In here,” Soonja eventually said, guiding them into a small wooden cottage. “We store some of our extra blankets in here for the winter. I’m sure we’ll have enough to satisfy your vamplings. Right…….ah, here.”

She opened a closet to reveal stacks and stacks of bedding. “Yours to use, little ones.”

Namjoon gingerly placed Taehyung down, and the boy was so restless he didn’t even whine about it. “Nest?”

“Yeah, baby. Go ahead.”

Taehyung didn’t need any further prompting. He stumbled to the closet, taking an entire armful and dragging his chosen bounty out into the center of the floor to start arranging it all.

Yoongi didn’t join him, though. For all that Taehyung was ecstatic to be nesting again, Yoongi was quiet and still.

“Look, darling, you can make a nest now,” Seokjin said. He’d finally set Yoongi down after holding him for over an hour, and Jungkook was bracing for him to throw a fit. But…nothing. His face was blank.

“Not…my nest. ‘S not right…I don’t…” Yoongi swayed, hands firm on Seokjin’s biceps and refusing to let go. Something about him seemed…wrong. Eyes unfocused and dull, head tipping over with its own weight, face dangerously pale.

“Hyung, you can let go of your charm, now,” Namjoon prompted him.

Seokjin frowned, tilting Yoongi’s head to look him over. “I did. I have. This is all him. He’s—”

Yoongi’s knees gave out, and he crumpled. 

Jungkook took an instinctive step forward, but Seokjin was closer and faster, catching Yoongi by the waist and lowering them both to the floor. Jungkook couldn’t tell what was wrong—only a few hours earlier, Yoongi had been yelling and throwing books and crying. Distressed, yes, but at least full of life. What the hell had gone wrong since then? The only thing Jungkook could think of was Seokjin’s honeyed words pulling Yoongi under the surface. But when Jungkook experienced the same thing, he hadn’t reacted like this .

“Did you charm him wrong?” Jungkook asked.

Seokjin shook his head. “I don’t mean to sound defensive, but my power has never caused such an effect before, and I don’t see how it could start now.”

Jimin knelt, reaching out to cover Yoongi’s icy hand with both of his. “Hyung? Can you hear me?”

His answer took longer than it should, but eventually he nodded. “Mhm.”

“Are you okay? How are you feeling?”

Yoongi’s eyebrows pinched together in a faint frown. “Don’t feel good. I…” He trailed off.

“Soonja-noona?” Hoseok asked, pleading. “He wasn’t like this earlier. Do you have any idea what could be wrong?”

“I’m no expert in vampires, Bitling, I deal in humans, and witches…”

“Please, try? You’re a healer, Noona, you must know something .”

A second of hesitation, then she gave a resolute nod and rolled up her sleeves as she approached. “Give me some space. Are you his sire, Jin-ssi?”

“Namjoon is.”

“Then I want him here too. Everyone else back up.”

Jungkook obeyed, feeling seconds away from a breakdown. How had things gone so badly, so quickly? Just this morning they’d been sharing breakfast, cuddling, laughing. And now, Yoongi was so sick he could barely keep his eyes open. How could it happen so suddenly?

“What’s…is Hyung okay?” Taehyung asked timidly. He’d been so relieved to be nesting again that it took until now to realize something was wrong.

“He’s…” Jimin swallowed. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly. “Hobi-hyung?”

“Jimin-ah?”

“I need to leave. It’s too loud. Please.”

Too loud? The only sounds were distant laughter from outside and Soonja’s quiet, murmured questions. What else could—

Oh. Not sound. Feelings. 

Hoseok understood immediately. “Let’s go, baby. We’ll come back when things are calm, okay? Hyungs have it under control.”

Letting them leave wasn’t easy, not when Jungkook was still on high alert. Not when it felt like Jaesung was around every corner and behind every door.

But instead of chasing after them like he wanted to (Jungkook was almost sure his distress was a, if not the reason Jimin left), he sat down next to Taehyung and let the fledgling pull him in to cuddle. 

“Yoongi-hyung will be fine,” Jungkook said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. “He’s just a little sick right now. So you need to make an extra comfortable nest to join you in once he feels better, okay?”

“Extra comfortable…” Taehyung muttered. “Can make it good. Gonna move this…” He let Jungkook give him one last hug before squirming away to rearrange yet again. Jungkook didn’t quite understand what made a nest ‘good’, but the fledglings seemed to have very certain guidelines, and he wasn’t about to get in the way of that.

He was glad Taehyung didn’t seem to need or want his help, because Jungkook wasn’t about to pay attention to anything but the four huddled figures nearby.

“How deep into the nesting stage was he?” Soonja asked, studying Yoongi. 

“He showed the initial signs 3 weeks ago, and he hadn’t left their nest in days when we were forced to leave this morning. Taehyung—our mate over there—has always been a bit behind him in milestones, since he was turned later.”

Yoongi leaned into Seokjin’s chest. “Hyung?”

“What is it, angel?”

“...Don’t feel good.”

“I know, precious, Hyungs are trying to figure out why. Can you tell us exactly what you’re feeling?”

Yoongi couldn’t seem to find the strength to answer. He only shook his head.

“The poor thing looks like he hasn’t eaten in weeks,” Soonja scolded, eyebrows furrowed together. She pressed on Yoongi’s skin and watched as his already poor vampiric circulation, apparently made worse by the sickness, left the skin white and blanching. “Aren’t you feeding him?”

“I feed him every day,” Namjoon defended. “He’s formed a sire-transference bond with me, he comes to me for his feedings and I know he drinks enough. I make sure of it.”

Soonja took one of Yoongi’s hands into hers, realization dawning. “Don’t you see how pallid he is? The way the color doesn’t return when you press his skin? Namjoon-ssi, don’t tell me you took on a traumatized nestling and don’t even know enough fledgling care to recognize hominal rejection? And Seokjin-ssi, you may not practice medicine but you own a clinic, haven’t you seen it before?”

Seokjin’s mouth dropped open, a cocktail of guilt and shock displaying on his face. “But the hallmark symptoms of hominal rejection are extreme hunger and sire-avoidance. He hates feeding because of his trauma, and Namjoon is the only one who makes him feel safe enough to go through with it. That’s not sire-avoidant.”

“Sire-transference bonds are unstable by nature; sire- avoidance would fracture one. His body likely senses this, and thus never manifested the symptom. And the extreme hunger…if feeding is already a trigger for him, would he not ignore any symptomatic hunger cues? The low blood volume, the fatigue, this acute episode…everything else matches.”

“I didn’t know,” Seokjin said, hugging the fledgling tight. “Treasure, I’m so sorry Hyung didn’t realize.”

Yoongi only whimpered. He hardly seemed aware of anything happening.

“What did I do wrong?” Namjoon asked, devastation already written all over his face. “Is he sick? Is it my fault?”

“Hominal rejection can develop as a fledgling’s response to trauma or starvation. His body believes that only the heightened nutrition that comes with feeding from humans is going to be enough to keep him sustained through whatever is causing him stress. To account for that, his body has adjusted some physiological processes in order to optimize his system to fully squeeze every last nutrient out of the human blood he takes in. But as a result of the optimized hominal pathway, his body can no longer effectively process the blood of other species,” Seokjin explained softly. “We’ve been letting him feed solely from you, because that’s how he was most comfortable, but…”

“But I don’t normally drink human blood,” Namjoon filled in, realization dawning on his face. “I only drink animal blood.”

“And he’s rejecting it,” Soonja told him. “He must be getting hardly half the nutrition he needs.”

Seokjin realized: “That’s why he seemed so healthy that day he fed from Jimin. His cheeks got pink, he had so much energy…”

“But he’s fading again. Shit,” said Namjoon, looking close to tears. “But he’ll be okay now that we’ve caught it, right?”

Soonja’s tone was laced with frustration—not at them now, but at her own lack of knowledge. “I don’t work with vampires, Namjoon-ssi. I can’t tell for sure. My instinct tells me he’s not at death’s door at the moment, but…” She gestured to Yoongi’s still body, at his slow-moving breaths. “This looks like some sort of mock-hibernation he’s slipping into. The body shutting down is rarely a good sign in any species. The sooner he eats, the better chance he has of coming out of this alive.”

“Let him drink from me,” Jungkook said breathlessly, moving forward and tugging his sleeve up. “We’ll fix it right now. I’m human, he can drink from me. Right?”

But as he held his wrist only inches from Yoongi’s teeth, the vampire sniffed, then turned away decisively with a whine.

“Hyung, why won’t you take it?” Jungkook asked, voice shaking. “Come on. You’re sick, you’re starving. Please, Hyung.” He scratched at his wrist a little frantically, hard , long nails drawing a few thin lines of blood. Yoongi didn’t move. “Here, you want to smell it? It’s blood, you have to be hungry, come on—” 

He dug deeper with his nails, trying to get more blood out, anything to tempt Yoongi to eat, but Seokjin caught his hands. “Jungkook-ah, angel, stop.”

“No, Hyung, let me go, I just need to—” he tried to jerk out of the hold. His mind was fuzzy with building panic. Yoongi had to eat. ‘Come out of this alive’, those were the words Soonja said. He couldn’t hibernate, because then he might not wake up. They’d been through too fucking much just for him to fade away right in front of Jungkook’s eyes. “Just need more blood, he’ll take it, please .”

“He’s refusing,” Seokjin told him gently, grip not loosening. “Making yourself bleed will not fix that.”

He was right. Yoongi wasn’t even stirring. The scent of blood in the air was nothing but a distant ripple in the fledgling’s far-away mind.

Jungkook’s fear shifted halfway to anger, spinning to glare at Soonja. “This makes no fucking sense! Why would he have no appetite if he’s really starving? I’m offering him my blood on a platter and he’s fucking falling asleep. You must be wrong…you, you don’t even treat vampires! If there’s something stopping him from eating that this whatever-rejection doesn’t account for, you need to figure it out, now.”

“Jungkook,” Seokjin scolded sharply. “She’s helping us out of the goodness of her heart, and you will not speak to her that way.”

He didn’t know if he’d ever been scolded by Seokjin before, and it startled and stung . The anger dissipated, crumbling into a pile of dust on the floor. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I just, I can’t lose him…please.”

Soonja softened from the defensive posture she’d been cultivating. “My best guess is that his lack of appetite is unrelated to the hominal rejection, but simply a matter of him being nestsick. The poor thing settled down to weather his instincts and was promptly stolen from his perceived safety. Such a situation is so stressful for a fledgling that it can manifest in physical symptoms, refusal to feed being one of them.”

“But he’s not nesting with Tae-hyung,” Jungkook said. “If we can convince him to nest, will he feel better and eat?”

Soonja shook her head. “If his body had accepted that it’s safe here, then he’d be down there with your other fledgling right now.”

Taehyung seemed to be content as ever with the mission Jungkook had given him. He’d already spread fabric onto the floor, and was meticulously smoothing out wrinkles now. A perfect mirror to what Yoongi should be doing too, if all were right.

“But he’s not,” Soonja said. “Which leads me to believe that he was too far into the nesting stage when you left, and therefore won’t accept any nest except the one you left behind. And this is where I’d like a very, very good explanation as to why this has happened. You knew leaving could never end well.”

“Our little ones are being hunted,” Seokjin told her. He sounded tired, more so than Jungkook had ever heard him before. “We stole them from horrible fates, but the very orchestrator of their trauma is closing in with aims to take them back once more. He—or something he has allied himself with—drained our protective wards to the last etching. Home was no longer safe, so we fled here.”

“They drained your wards? What do you mean?”

“I mean when we left, they were moments from failing. Not dulled, not in need of charge, but near-extinguished. And it was no accident.”

“That’s not possible. It takes centuries to—”

“It shouldn’t be possible, but it’s true. Hoseok checked them himself, and you know as well as I do that he’s competent.”

She nodded, still looking shocked. “Of course I do, I trained the boy myself, but…”

“You understand why we had to come, then? I risked nestsick fledglings in favor of keeping them alive.”

“This couldn’t be worse timing,” Namjoon murmured. He cradled Yoongi, finding comfort in his closeness, or maybe the way his chest was still rising and falling. “We could deal with either sickness alone, but together…”

“What is your plan, Seokjin-ssi?” Soonja asked. “I don’t mean to be harsh, but the newborn is in terrible danger. It’s like the old folk stories: when you stop shivering the cold has already won. That boy’s body is giving up, and we need to address it before it’s too late.”

“He was fine yesterday,” Jungkook whispered. “He was fine.”

Soonja answered him gently. “He wasn’t, child. He looked fine, but he wasn’t.”

“I don’t want Hyung to die,” Jungkook said. As if speaking it into existence made any difference. As if the universe had ever cared what Jungkook wanted.

“What do you need from us?” Soonja asked. “We will provide.”

“Jungkook, are you willing to donate blood for him? A transfusion wouldn’t cure, but it might buy him time.”

“Of course,” Jungkook told him, straightening up with eagerness at the thought that there might be something he can do after all. “I’ll do whatever you need. I’m ready.”

“Then we need medical supplies,” Seokjin told Soonja. “Vampire grade needles to penetrate his skin, but the rest can be human grade.”

“I would not be able to perform a transfusion for him,” Soonja warned. “As I said, I’m a witch doctor. I do not know your kind practically, only from case studies.”

“I will perform it. I have adequate knowledge and often see the procedure performed.”

“And once you buy him time? What will you do then?”

“Hoseok will settle new wards into place at home. Stronger ones. He has the knowledge, we will buy the enchanted materials from your coven, and I will accompany him to assist and protect. I trust that you will keep my mates safe here in the meantime?”

Soonja nodded. “You have my word, as I trust you to keep our Bitling safe to the best of your ability.”

“Then it is set.”

A young girl pushed open the door, shuffling over to Soonja with a bag swinging from her small hands. “Unnie told me to bring you this. She said it was a…a prema…prem…”

“A premonition,” Soonja finished, breathing a sigh of relief. She took the bag, and kissed the girl on the forehead before waving a hand to shoo her away. “Thank you for carrying it, and tell Jungsoonie that I appreciate her foresight.”

“‘Kay,” the girl said, darting out of the room with a shy smile.

“Jungsoon is a seer,” Soonja said distractedly, glancing into the bag and handing it over to Seokjin when she was satisfied that all was present. “She must have known we’d need this.”

Seokjin nodded. “We’ll send our gratitude later. For now—Jungkook-ah, are you ready?”

“I’m ready, Hyung.”

The stinging bite of the needle sliding into his skin wasn‘t unbearable, especially not with Seokjin gently murmuring praise throughout the process. “Perfect, sweetheart. You’re doing so well for me. Now I need you to sit still until the bag fills to this line, okay?”

“You can take more than that,” Jungkook pushed. The bag was so small…will it really do anything for Yoongi at all? “Do two bags, or three.”

“No.”

“But Hyung—”

“This is not something I will entertain negotiation on. We don’t know how you’ll react to the feeling of blood loss, it may trigger you. We’ll start here and maybe you can give more tomorrow if it’s not too much.”

Jungkook scowled. “Yoongi-hyung surviving this is more important than my feelings.”

Seokjin shook his head. “Yoongi will pull through. We have more than enough blood between you and Jimin if he’s willing, and if all else fails there are places we can go to get more.”

Jungkook didn’t say anything, but his face must have given away his displeasure because Seokjin continued, softer. “I know you want him to live. But this is not a sacrifice we need you to make for us, little one. I want all of you to be well. That means your mind, too.”

Maybe he was right. In Jungkook’s experience, nothing good came along with the dizzy, helpless feeling of blood loss. There was a reason he didn’t let his mates feed on him. But in this moment, it was hard to give any fucks about his own mental state when Yoongi looked so pale.

“You’re doing enough,” Namjoon told him softly. “This is enough.”

Jungkook wasn’t so sure.

***

After some lunch and a debrief, everyone split. Seokjin went searching for the supplies they’d need for rejuvenating the protection wards. Namjoon stayed behind with Taehyung and Yoongi in the nest. Jimin was still fragile, so he spent his time with Hoseok, whose emotions wouldn’t overwhelm him. And that left Jungkook.

He started in the nest with Namjoon and the fledglings, but the longer he spent sitting still and staring at Yoongi’s body, only sleeping but looking too damn close to a corpse, the more anxious he got. Namjoon only gave him a sad smile when he fled the scene in search of less foreboding pastures.

Checking out the coven lands was a nice distraction, but Jungkook made sure to never stray too far from the Heart: the center of their community, a round building etched all over with runes and writing Jungkook couldn’t read. Hoseok had explained to him that it was used for council and meetings, magical rituals, births, community gatherings and parties—basically, anything important for the magical or social growth of the coven. An ancient building imbued with the writing of every witch who’d ever lived here, it made for a magnificent centerpiece shining bright white against the copious greenery covering everything else nearby.

Most importantly, sticking close to the Heart meant that Jungkook would never be far from help if he needed it. Logically, he knew it was safe here. But he couldn’t shake the fear that whatever had drained their protection at home might be able to do the same anywhere. Anytime. Surely a place like this would be well-protected, but…Jungkook just couldn’t relax with that possibility in the air. Better to stay where his Hyungs could hear him if he called for them; Jungkook’s meager magical abilities alone wouldn’t do shit against anyone who knew what they were doing.

But he was still restless. His hyungs had it all under control, fine. He trusted them. But Jungkook was always an action-taker, not someone who could sit and wait around for things to happen. In their situation now, the only thing he could contribute was blood, and he had a feeling that he’d get into more than a little hot water with Seokjin if he took initiative on that front.

So, he paced. It reminded him a little of his time in that tiny cell, wearing circles into the floor to fill the empty hours of the day with something other than dread. At least this time he had more ground to cover. In his cell he’d been able to stand in the center and touch both walls.

Jungkook circled the Heart ten times and was about to go for number eleven when he was interrupted by a friendly but insistent stranger who ushered him inside the nearby kitchens.

“You look like someone who needs something to do,” she told him, “and I’m someone who loves to delegate.”

Her name was Seolhee—a bright-faced young woman with short stature and gentle curves—and she seemed convinced that all Jungkook needed to cure his woes was some good old-fashioned hard work.

“I kind of thought that you’d do this sort of stuff with magic,” Jungkook mumbled after the third time she refilled the sink with plates before he could finish. It did feel nice to have something to occupy his time, but he hadn’t exactly pictured spending his day this way. His fingers were beginning to prune in the soapy water.

Seolhee laughed aloud, and as she did, a little bit of flour puffed where she’d accidentally gotten it on her lips while kneading the dough on the table in front of her. “I wish! We work hard around here. Witch magic doesn’t last forever, honey, and I’m not wasting it on some dishes when I’ve got a handsome young man to do them for me.” 

She winked. Jungkook tried not to blush, but it happened anyway. She was a beautiful woman, and he’d never been immune to charm.

“Oh, that’s darling,” she cooed. “Never had a woman set her sights on you before?”

Jungkook most certainly had. He may be young, but he was a college student before his life had fallen apart. He’d dabbled in parties and drinking. And girls. Plenty of girls, and their bodies and sweet voices and soft skin.

But that was before Jaesung took everything he was, tore it into pieces, and reassembled him like a doll to play with. Before he’d been broken. He didn’t know when he’d ever want to be touched like that again, if at all.

His hyungs all seemed to like sex. Love it, more like. Even Jimin, who’d been hurt the same way he had. Jungkook didn’t need vampire hearing to catch their moaning through the walls.

It didn’t bother him, exactly. Or—it did, but not because they were having sex, but because it meant that no matter how many times they told him he’d never have to join in, he couldn’t help but feel like it was a ticking time bomb of a promise. Like somewhere down the line, if he still wasn’t okay with being touched, they’d get bored, or frustrated, or angry, or just…tired of waiting. His hyungs were good people, but a lifetime of never sharing that intimacy with a partner could wear on anyone. And on top of that, they had to work so hard to hide their own sex lives from him. How long could that be sustainable? How long before they got tired of keeping things quiet for Jungkook’s comfort and just decided it would be better without him around?

His darker turn of thought must have shown on his face, because Seolhee lost a little exuberance and replaced it with care. “Hey, I’m just kidding you, honey. I won’t joke about it if you’re not comfortable with that.”

“Oh, I, I don’t mind flirting. It just made me think of…other things.”

“Other things,” she repeated. “Well, we’ve all got our ‘other things’ to worry about, so I won’t pry. But I do appreciate the permission to keep telling you how cute you are.”

“You’re lucky Namjoon isn’t here. He gets possessive.”

“Oh I know, I’m sure I know all about that brand of ‘possessive’ he gets. I see in the flesh after I flirt with Hoseokie one too many times and he can’t walk straight the next day,” she grinned.

Jungkook caught the innuendo and flinched. He knew very well what kind of possessive Namjoon always got when he was jealous, and it was never something Jungkook had experienced. “We don’t…I don’t do that. I can’t. I’m a little bit broken that way, I guess.”

Seolhee frowned. “Broken? Honey, nobody’s broken for not wanting sex, or any kind of intimacy.”

“But I want it. I do. It’s just…” Jungkook wasn’t sure why he suddenly felt okay speaking about this to someone he’d only met a few minutes ago. Maybe that was why it felt okay.

“Difficult?” 

Jungkook nodded. “Bad memories.”

“Have you talked to anyone about it?”

“What?”

“I’m sorry if you have, I don’t mean to presume.” She gave her dough a particularly hard punch. “But I find that people often avoid talking to those they know might be able to help them, because it requires facing the problem to begin with.”

Jungkook considered this. Could she be right? He had been meaning to talk to Jimin about his fears and trauma surrounding sex, since he was possibly the only one who would truly understand what Jungkook had experienced. 

So why hadn’t Jungkook said anything yet? Timing? They’d lived together for months and he’d never tried. The others would gladly give them privacy if he asked for it, so their super-hearing wasn’t an excuse either. Maybe…to protect Jimin? Except Jimin had more than once said he was happy to talk if Jungkook ever needed it. So how could he justify avoiding this for so long?

“I think you might be right,” Jungkook said. He had paused mid-rinse to handle this epiphany, and now the water rushed over his hands, spraying the sides of the sink in a soft hiss. “I think I was scared. Am scared.”

“Nothing wrong with that either,” Seolhee said kindly. “All that matters is that when you feel ready, you go to someone and you talk about it. Nothing good comes from letting these kinds of things fester and grow. They get uglier and harder to hide from the longer they stay inside you.”

“Like…magically?”

Seolhee laughed. “Like metaphorically. But I like the way you think.”

Jungkook smiled bashfully, and finally rinsed the dish he’d been staring at for so long. “I’ll talk to someone about it, then. When I feel ready.”

“Good boy,” she praised. “Now rewash that bowl, you missed a spot.”

The afternoon passed quickly once Jungkook had someone to talk to and something to do. Seolhee proved to be an excellent conversationalist, though she deftly changed the subject with a wink whenever Jungkook prodded her about her actual age. “Young enough to make pretty boys like you happy,” was all she said.

More witches filtered in as it got closer to dinner time, all spreading out in the kitchen and working on various parts of the meal. Seolhee let Jungkook do the busywork for her assignments—chopping, stirring, grinding—but she did most of the actual cooking. When it was finally done, he helped ferry pots to the table (“Excuse me, is there a big, strong human around who could carry this for me?”) and set the place settings too.

A comically large dinner bell was rung, and everyone came to answer the call, including Hoseok and Seokjin. Jimin trailed after Hoseok, but only to take plates for himself and the others—he wasn’t quite ready to handle so many people at once, and of course the fledglings wouldn’t leave the nest (or let Namjoon go, either). So Jungkook gave him a hug and overflowing servings of dinner, and watched him go. 

He hoped they’d get to see each other later. It was weird spending every moment together for so long, then suddenly being separated. Maybe if Jungkook was calm enough, Jimin might join him in the nest to sleep tonight? 

The coven ate outdoors. They almost always did, according to Hwaja, who chose a seat near Jungkook, Hoseok, and Seokjin. It was some sort of ‘connecting to nature’ thing—touching earth as they consumed its fruits. Jungkook wondered if that was why so many of the witches were barefoot, too, or if that was personal preference. It seemed like it would play into the whole earthy vibes.

Jungkook found himself watching the other witches carefully, especially the ones who seemed to know Hoseok best. It was interesting to see their personalities and habits and speech reflected in him. They were fiery and bright, especially Soonja—which made sense, as Hoseok explained she’d basically raised him and his sister as a second mother. They definitely acted like family…arguing and protective instincts alike. Jungkook couldn’t help but notice it as they explained the escape from Jaesung’s nest and Soonja gripped her fork so hard it threatened to bend.

“I leave you alone for a few goddamn months,” Soonja glared at Hoseok. “And you attack a full fucking nest? Three vampires against fifty?”

He winced. “It was a human rights issue, Noona. And anyway, it wasn’t quite that many.”

“Jung Hoseok—”

“We succeeded!”

“And very well could have died!” Soonja snapped. At Hoseok’s sulking, she softened. “You did a good thing, Bitling. I just wish you would have gotten some more backup, or at least told us it was happening. I swear, you’re going to be the death of me.”

Jungkook interrupted, spurred on by curiosity. “Why do you call him that?”

“Bitling? Ah, it’s an old endearment. Because he ran off to get bit by vampires as soon as we let him out of our sight.”

“I got permission,” Hoseok winced. “It turned out fine.”

“Permission is putting it loosely,” Hwaja said. “You told us you were thinking of asking some vampires that had taken residence nearby for the change, and we laughed because we thought you were joking.”

“You never said no,” Hoseok pouted.

“I didn’t think we needed to!”

Soonja got them back on track: “The point is, we’re lucky that the vampires you offered your neck to were responsible, and that the ones you risked your neck to defeat were weak.”

“You’ll tell us next time,” Seolhee insisted, waving a spoon at him. “Promise!”

“Yes, Noona,” Hoseok said weakly. “Promise.”

“I’m still telling Jiwoo.” 

“You wouldn’t!”

The chaos of conversation jumping from witch to witch felt familiar in the same way that Hoseok did—Jungkook could tell without a doubt that he’d grown up here.

“Who’s Jiwoo?” Jungkook asked.

Seokjin smiled. “His older sister.”

“You wouldn’t tattle on me for something so small, right?” Hoseok almost begged. “Right? She wouldn’t care anyway.”

“Saying it doesn’t make it true, Bitling. You know that she’d leave her diplomatic post in a heartbeat to come yell at you for taking on an entire nest.”

“She’s stationed in a cultural center up north, closer to Seoul,” Seokjin whispered to Jungkook, so as to not interrupt their very dramatic argument. “She does community outreach, interspecies communications, supernatural education—things like that. Real pride and joy of the coven, and very scary when she’s upset. I’ve only seen it once, and believe me I lost a hundred years off my eternal life from the stress.”

Jungkook giggled. He couldn’t imagine someone truly intimidating Jin just by yelling, but he’d have to hold out judgment until he could meet her. He hoped he’d be able to, someday. “She sounds awesome.”

Hoseok shot him a wounded look. “She is not .”

“She is,” Hwaja disagreed with a sigh. “She’s so cool.”

“You only think that because you have a crush on her,” Hoseok grumbled.

Hwaja made an affronted noise, plucked a piece of seaweed from her soup and threw it directly at Hoseok, repressing a bright smile when it landed true and stuck to his forehead. “ That’s what you get for assuming my love life.”

Jungkook watched the witches with interest throughout the meal, smiling and laughing at their jokes, listening with interest for bits of information to file away. For one, apparently Soonja—with her sprouting gray hairs and sun-worn skin—was younger than most of the other witches at the table.

“I’m afraid we don’t have eternal youth like your mates here do,” she explained to him. “We use our magic to keep our bodies young and healthy, and only once the magic runs dry do we age. I did things a little out of order, though. I…”

She trailed off, not unhappy, but distracted—perhaps by memories. “I found a human, a woman I loved. Dearly. She asked that we grow old together, so I let my magic rest and allowed my body to age. We were happy, and we lived a beautiful life.”

Jungkook noted the past tense with a soft kind of sorrow. They lived. They loved. They don’t anymore.

“She died in a car accident,” Soonja said. “Preventable and tragic. And I mourned her, and missed her terribly, and found myself in need of a community once more. So I returned here, to our lands, and again have let my magic sustain my body as it is. I will not age again until I run out of power, just like the rest of my covenmates—it’s only that I look a little older than the others for now.”

“I’ve been sustaining longer than Soonja has been alive,” Seolhee said lightly, an attempt at bringing the mood up. “She’s a young spirit in an old crotchety woman’s body.”

“My body isn’t that old, it’s only sixty-three. You yourself are—”

“Let’s not spill secrets at the dinner table, hm?” Seolhee grins. “I’m still trying to endear myself to the young one; I think he’s just darling.”

Many sets of eyes turned to Jungkook in amusement, and he immediately hid his face in Seokjin’s shoulder. He had a feeling if they all saw him blush, it would be ammunition and encouragement alike. 

“Leave my mate alone,” Seokjin scolded playfully. “He’s shy. And mine.”

“Yeah, I’m Hyung’s,” Jungkook echoed. Several of the witches cooed. He had a feeling that he’d be the object of more attention than he’d like during their time here.

The conversation shifted, and Jungkook focused his full attention on the food. It was delicious; hearty stew in large portions that tasted so damn good he wondered if it was magically-infused in some way. He’d asked Seolhee while she made it, but she’d dodged his question with a ‘everything I touch is a little bit magic, honey’.

Flirty, and vague. Seemed to be a theme when it came to her.

Luckily, it didn’t really matter—magical or not, the meal surpassed Yoongi’s cooking and rivaled Seokjin’s (though he’d never say so) and that meant he’d better enjoy it while he was here. The recipe was a little bit different from any doenjang jjigae he’d tried before, and he couldn’t place it. Something about the spices, maybe? Maybe if he acted cute, Seolhee might give up her recipe and—

Jungkook’s vision went dark faster than he could warn anyone, flimsy around the edges like it might if he were about to pass out. 

But he didn’t. He was conscious. Confused, filled with dread. The chatter of the table shrunk. Growing distant. Wrong. Something was wrong.

Jungkook was terrified before he even heard the voice.

“Did you really think you could run from me?”

“No!” Jungkook gasped. “No, no, no, no, no…”

The distant voices peaked for a moment, rolling thunder barely catching his attention before quieting once more. A hand clasped his arm. Jungkook jerked away.

“I’ve missed you. It’s sweet that you think you’re safe in your little hideaway. You can’t stay there forever, Darling, don’t you know that? I’ve found you.”

He found them? Where was he? Jungkook whipped his head around, stumbling to his feet. He must have knocked something over, because burning hot liquid spilled across his arm and landed in his lap. He didn’t even register the pain.

“No matter where you go, I’ll find you, my love. My angel.”

The ghost of lips brushed against Jungkook’s neck, but no matter how hard he scratched at them, the feeling wouldn’t go away. Nothing could get rid of the hot breath suffocating him. The nausea growing in his stomach as he remembered, remembered, remembered.

“Jungkook-ah…”

There was a smile audible in his words. Like he knew how this would ruin Jungkook. Like he was enjoying this.

“I’ll see you soon.”

The black faded from his periphery, the sounds of the world returned, and Jungkook vomited onto the table below him.

Hands grabbed at him and he stumbled away, pushing, hitting. “D-don’t!”

“—is he—?”

“—the hell happened to—”

“—everyone needs to just back up, we’ve got—”

Voices registered, disjointed and overwhelming, barely audible over the pounding of his heart. Jungkook had to get away. Jaesung was here , and he had to get away now .

He fell backwards, hitting the hard dirt with a thud; he didn’t stop moving until his back hit solid mass. A building of some sort. It didn’t matter. Back against a wall meant one less side to protect himself from.

(One less route to escape from?)

Nowhere was safe.

His breaths came too quickly, shallow and ragged. Where was Jaesung? He’d heard him. He was just here. He said he’d found them.

A face in his visual field. 

Seokjin. Seokjin was safe.

He closed his eyes. 

“Hyung,” Jungkook gasped. “He’s here. He’s…we have to go, please, I heard him, he said—he said that he found me, he m-misses, wants me, he’s gonna—he—”

Seokjin shook his head urgently. “He’s not here, precious. I promise you. I promise.”

“He is .”

“I want you to look around,” Seokjin said. “I want you to look, and you’ll see he’s not here.”

“I don’t want to see him.” Jungkook’s face was wet. “Don’t make me.”

“He’s not here , angel,” Seokjin repeated. Jungkook wanted to believe him, but how could he? He heard Jaesung’s voice loud and clear, felt his touch, his stifling hot breath on his skin…

But the touch wasn’t there anymore. No lips, no breath. Was he gone?

Jungkook opened his eyes. With them came a flood of tears, wetting his cheeks. Another person—Hoseok, he loved Hoseok, it was okay—wiped at them. “Where…w-where did he go?”

Jimin. Taehyung. Yoongi . They were unprotected. If Jaesung was nearby— “The others, you have to get to them,” Jungkook cried. “He’s somewhere, you have to find him, you have to get them safe.”

“They’re safe, my love, they’re safe,” Seokjin said. Jungkook could see his face now, and he looked heartbroken. He couldn’t quite grasp why. “Jaesung isn’t here.”

They weren’t understanding. Maybe he wasn’t now, but he was before. He felt it. “Yes, he is!” He tried to stumble to his feet, but didn’t even manage to get his feet underneath him before crumbling back down. His head was fuzzy, almost static. 

Seokjin caught him as he fell, settling him into his lap this time. Hoseok moved with them, never letting a tear slide further than his cheeks. The cold touch made him flinch a little, but he forced the panic down. He knew it was just Hoseok. He knew it was just Seokjin.

“Would I lie to you?” Seokjin asked him quietly.

“I-It’s not about—”

“Would,” Seokjin repeated, “I lie to you? My angel, my love. Would I tell you a lie? Would I try to trick you?”

He wouldn’t. Jungkook knows that for a fact, even like this, disoriented and scared out of his mind. “No. N-no, Hyung wouldn’t lie.”

“Then I want you to listen. Whatever you saw, whatever you heard, it wasn’t real. I don’t know why or how he’s inside your head, but I promise you that he isn’t really here. You’re safe.”

Jungkook blinked. He was trying to understand, but his brain felt like cotton.

“It wasn’t real,” Seokjin repeated. “If Jaesung was here, Hyungs would have seen him, right?”

“D-distracted?” Jungkook asked. He was so sure. The lips on his neck, the echoing words…he didn’t know what was real anymore.

“We weren’t distracted. You were right next to us the whole time,” Hoseok reassured. “No one could have reached you.”

Jungkook…he remembered that now. He was next to them the whole time. So they would have heard it if Jaesung was really speaking to him. And that meant—was Jungkook going crazy? Was it all in his head? It felt so real. It was real. He was here, but apparently…he wasn’t? Not really?

“I don’t know what’s happening,” Jungkook sobbed, collapsing into Seokjin’s chest and grasping on for desperate comfort. “I don’t know. I don’t know.”

“We’ve got you. We have you, you’re safe.”

They rocked together until Jungkook cried himself out completely, draped over Seokjin in exhaustion. His eyes were puffy, but he tried his best to open them—when had it gotten so dark?

“There you are,” Hoseok murmured. “Jin-hyung, his eyes are open.”

A hand runs through Jungkook’s hair. “Jungkook-ah, honey? You with us again?”

He nodded. “What happened?”

"We were hoping you could tell us that. From our point of view, everything was fine one moment, and the next you were crying and screaming and sure Jaesung had shown up.”

“He spoke,” Jungkook said. “In my head. Everything got dark and quiet, and he told me…that he missed me, and he found where we are, and that he’ll see me soon. And I felt him touching me. My neck, my body…”

Seokjin’s fingers brushed gentle across Jungkook’s throat; raw skin stung even at the slight contact. He must have been scratching at it without realizing.

“Do you think I’m losing it?” Jungkook asked quietly. “I’ve never had something like this happen before, but—but maybe I’m getting worse. My trauma, I mean.”

“I think,” Seokjin said very carefully, “that you’ve been healing from your experiences with incredible fortitude. I think that setbacks are always a possibility, despite that healing. But I also think that Jaesung is working with powerful beings, ones that may be able to push him into unwelcome spaces such as your mind.”

Jungkook looked up. “You think he did this?”

“I think it’s a possibility,” Seokjin corrected. “I can’t know anything for sure.”

Hoseok frowned. “It sounds like him. He thrives on control and fear, and what better way to achieve that than to get inside your head?”

Jungkook couldn’t decide if Jaesung being responsible would be better or worse. In a way, it would be comforting to know that Jungkook had a theoretical way out from the torture. Cut off the head, the body will die, its reach will be halted. But until they found how to stop him…Jaesung would have a direct ticket into the one place Jungkook had been so tirelessly working to banish him from.

He already had a hard enough time figuring out how to live post-Jaesung with his echoes in every empty space of Jungkook’s life. He didn’t want those echoes to become ghosts. Hauntings. Possessions.

“We’ll consult the coven, and see what they think. Later, though. How are you feeling?”

Jungkook considered this. “Tired. And tingly. I…think I threw up.”

“You did. Do you feel you might again?”

“‘M sorry. No, I don’t think so.”

“No apologies. It’s been taken care of, so don’t worry your pretty little head about it. Hyung is just glad you’re feeling a little better.”

Jungkook didn’t know if he’d say he’s better , but he supposed not actively vomiting and hyperventilating was some sort of improvement.

“The tingles are probably because you were breathing so fast,” Hoseok said. “That will go away soon.”

“The tired, too?”

“The tired, too. After some sleep.”

Jungkook lifted his tired head to look around, only to see an empty table. When did everyone leave?

“They wanted to give you space,” Seokjin said, noticing his gaze.

“They’re not mad?”

Hoseok frowned. “Of course they aren’t mad. You couldn’t control this.”

Yeah. Jungkook had no control over anything, lately. 

“Hyungs?”

“Mhm?”

“I’m just tired. Not tired , but…tired. I want it to be over.”

“I do too, treasure,” Seokjin said. “It hurts me to see you ill at ease, and the others.”

“It’ll all be better once we get home safely,” Hoseok encouraged.

Jungkook shook his head slowly. “I don’t think so.”

“Why?”

Jungkook let out the words that had been growing heavier with truth each day. Weighing him down.

“I don’t think I’ll be okay until Jaesung is dead. I want to see him burn. I want him to hurt . And…I want to be the one to do it.”

His hyungs squeezed him tighter, and said nothing.

Chapter Text

Jungkook had a rough night.

They all did, really—but as Seokjin dutifully kept watch over his mates, he could hardly go 30 minutes without hearing the boy’s panicked gasps and blunt fingernails scrabbling at sheets. Namjoon, the lightest sleeper among them, soothed him every time he shot awake from a nightmare, but their youngest never stayed down long after being lulled back into a fitful sleep.

Seokjin couldn’t shake the thought that even these nightmares were Jaesung’s doing. Or not him, exactly, but whatever artifact or ally he’d gained that gave him these powers. He certainly hadn’t been this powerful back when Seokjin was tipped off to his presence. 

It was a nomadic werewolf pack that first reported something amiss, having been attacked by unattended and aggressive young vampires in the mountains nearby. When they came for treatment at his clinic in the city and explained everything, Seokjin assumed the attackers were victims of abandonment. While reactions vary to losing a sire, some fledglings do turn aggressive. But when he and Namjoon went to scout the area, he came across something far more sinister.

Jaesung’s nest was the largest farming operation that Seokjin had ever seen. A constant influx of fledglings, multiple enslaved nestlings, an iron fist to keep everything in its place.

Seokjin tried to report it to the city council, but they bounced his report back and forth for weeks before finally informing him that this issue was out of their territory and, therefore, not their responsibility. In the meantime, Jaesung’s nest had nearly doubled in size and he’d collected more innocents to feed from.

Seokjin acted rashly, in retrospect. Their breakout attempt to get the nestlings to safety was ill-advised and poorly-planned. None of the vampires there had yet reached a century old, but they were fast, and far more loyal to Jaesung than Seokjin had expected them to be. He and his mates hardly took out half before they had to retreat or risk being overwhelmed by sheer numbers. And worst of all, Jaesung took the nestlings and fled at the first sign of danger. Their one goal was met with failure.

They didn’t fail the second time.

Jaesung tried to replace his population in the aftermath of the first attack—because while Seokjin’s nest didn’t save the humans they’d set out for, they still entirely devastated Jaesung’s strength in numbers—but the vampire was rushed and sloppy. And when he ran out of impressionable young vampires to draw in, he instead began turning his own. He didn’t consider that his little pet projects might not be as easily convinced to loyalty with only a shattered sire bond and abusive care to sway their decision.

Most importantly, he didn’t account for Yoongi.

Yoongi, the tiny, malnourished, affection-starved newborn who’d stolen Namjoon’s heart upon first meeting. That night, Namjoon came home and wept for hours. “He’s innocent,” Namjoon kept repeating. “He’s innocent, Hyung, they turned him by force. And he’s starving. He’s so small, and he’s scared, and I am too. I don’t want them to hurt him anymore. He called for me…he called.”

He’d been inconsolable until Seokjin pieced together the story and assured him that of course they’d save Yoongi, and the other newborn too. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t human. Seokjin intended to do right by anyone held against their will.

They would have helped no matter what, and Namjoon made that very clear to Yoongi, but the little fledgling insisted on being their inside source as repayment—and Seokjin had to admit, the intel he gave them ended up integral to the success of their plans. Daily schedules of Jaesung and his most trusted men, a carefully drawn map of the nest, updated head counts as more were turned…Yoongi gave them everything they could ask of him and more.

Once Seokjin and Hoseok met him, they instantly understood how the boy was taking over Namjoon’s every waking thought. He was sweet. Fiery and sharp-tongued, but at his core, soft. He often tried to pretend he didn’t crave attention and coddling, probably too burned from being denied it before, but the way he leaned into every touch and bore his neck almost like he was hoping to be settled told Seokjin everything he needed to know. Yoongi needed care. He needed love. Seokjin was inclined to give it to him, and that urge only deepened with time.

He should have known that the people Yoongi pledged his life to would be just as inherently good as he was.

Seokjin had always thrived as a caretaker, and his nest of three expanding to seven sent those instincts into overdrive. He had to protect, had to care for them. But there was only so much he could do physically to save them from the memories burned into their minds. 

And now, the same cycle repeated. Seokjin itched to face the threat directly, but he couldn’t just run off on his own; that would be suicidal. But in the meantime, Jungkook was being haunted by Jaesung’s face, his voice, his touch every time he closed his eyes. It wasn’t fair. Seokjin couldn’t fix it. Neither could Namjoon, no matter how many times he reassured Jungkook that they were safe here.

Jungkook knew just as well as Seokjin did that if Jaesung could break barriers, nowhere was truly safe.

Seokjin saw this knowledge reflected clearly in the nestling’s expression as he approached. Resignment, anger, fear, hopelessness. Each emotion rippled into the next, blending until they could hardly be separated. Even awake, Jungkook looked…weary, too still where he sat curled up in the dewy morning grass. Not even Seokjin’s murmured greeting and endearments prompted a smile.

“You’re really here?” Jungkook asked, instead of returning the ‘hello’.

“I am,” Seokjin said, settling next to him. How deep had Jaesung wound his way into Jungkook’s mind for that to be a question? And would that reckless tunneling leave damage forever?

Jungkook simply sighed, and leaned against Seokjin’s shoulder for support.

“The others are at breakfast,” Seokjin said. “You should eat something, if you can.”

“I might throw up again. I don’t feel very good.”

Seokjin hummed with sympathy. “Can you try? I bet Seolhee would make you something light on the stomach.”

“I guess.” But he didn’t move. 

Seokjin had learned throughout the years that silence wasn’t a bad thing. Silence could hold comfort, or learning, or companionship, or determination. He let it settle now, a thick blanket to warm the crisp morning air between them as Jungkook worked up the courage to speak.

“Do you think,” he said eventually. “D’you think I’m ever gonna be okay again?”

The words threatened to jump off Seokjin’s tongue before they were formed, empty reassurance that wouldn’t do any good, but he caught them. He tumbled them around his throat until they were coated with the confidence Jungkook needed him to convey. “What would ‘okay’ look like to you?”

“Okay looks like…no more nightmares. And it’s no more voices in my head, and it’s knowing what’s real and what’s not. And not seeing it replay all over again every time I get too close to one of you. And…and it means I’m not scared of just existing.”

Seokjin shifted until his arm was wrapped around Jungkook’s shoulders—slow, to avoid triggering the very fear spoken of now. “Then yes. I know that you’re going to be okay.”

“You’re so sure.”

“Time…has a way of healing wounds. I didn’t think I’d ever be okay, and now I am. It doesn’t stop the hurt as it happens, though.”

“I’m tired of things hurting,” Jungkook said. “I’m…just tired.”

Seokjin’s heart cracked alongside Jungkook’s voice. All he could say was: “I know.” 

And: “I’m sorry.”

And they both knew that sorry didn’t mean enough to fix it.

***

“Here you go, honey,” Seolhee said, only a fraction gentler than her normal exuberant nature. She set a steaming bowl of juk in front of Jungkook’s hunched figure. “Eat up.”

“Don’t eat it!” Jieun warned. She shook her spoon in their direction, not noticing when it flicked droplets of broth onto the wood, and some onto Jimin’s cheek. “It’ll make you throw up!”

Seolhee spun on her heels. “Eel-tongued child! Don’t you dare say that about my cooking!”

“Unnie, it’s true,” she whined. “I did.”

“Yes, because you had the flu.”

Jieun pulled a face. “I also had your juk.”

“Correlation, not causation!” Seolhee huffed, and straightened her apron haughtily. “Jungkook-ah, you eat. It’s good for you.”

“It really is good,” another woman chimed in. “Don’t listen to Jieunie, Seolhee’s a great cook.”

Jungkook didn’t acknowledge either of them. His shoulders were slumped, and he was staring at the same knot in the wood grain of the table he’d been staring at for three minutes now, ever since he’d arrived at breakfast.

“Baby,” Hoseok nudged from his other side. “You in there?”

The answer came too slowly. “I…yes.”

“Is something wrong?”

“He…he won’t stop talking,” Jungkook said.

The table stilled. 

“Talking?”

“Are you okay?”

“About what?”

“He…” Jungkook’s speech was disjointed and his eyes were distant. “He keeps saying he’ll come to take me. But I can feel him poking and prodding in my head too, like he’s searching for something. He’s upset.”

“Upset about what?”

Jungkook didn’t answer.

“Baby?”

A slow blink. “I don’t think he knows where we are.”

Seokjin’s heart jumped. Could they be so lucky? “How do you know?”

“If he did, he’d tell me details. Because that would scare me. He likes to scare me.” Jungkook said it in such a blank, matter-of-fact way, Seokjin’s stomach turned. “And I just…know.”

“What does his presence feel like?” Hwaja, the witch from the night before, asked. She’d abandoned her breakfast and as soon as Jungkook spoke, and now very intently awaited an answer. “Can you describe it?”

Jungkook blinked. “He’s gone, now.”

“Still, child, can you?”

“He’s unstable. Frantic. He keeps prodding at my thoughts and memories, especially ones about this place. But he’s not strong enough to break any of them open, and it’s making him angry.”

“So he’s not influencing you in any way, and he’s not extracting information?”

“No.” He looked down, shoulders rounding.

“He’s only…speaking to you?”

At this, Jungkook seemed to shrink further, taking her words as condemnation. It wasn’t ‘only speaking’ to him. Every time, it untethered Jungkook from reality. Even now he was far, far away, and crumbling fast.

Seokjin couldn’t help the tense glance he sent Hwaja for her careless wording. “You’re still right to be frightened, Jungkook-ah. Anyone would be.”

Hwaja’s eyes widened. “Oh! I fear I was tactless. I only meant to discern what could be granting him these powers. I’m sorry. This…isn’t the time.”

Jungkook nodded wearily, never looking up. He seemed to be out of words.

“Eat,” Seokjin urged. When he held up a spoonful of juk to Jungkook’s lips, they opened. While Seokjin normally adored the boy’s sweet obedience, this wasn’t how he wanted to come by it. He barely seemed present behind vacant eyes, autopilot guiding his motions.

“I put something in it to help with this,” Seolhee interjected softly as Jungkook accepted another bite. “A mind defense potion. It’s not full strength, there wasn’t time—but I stayed up and brewed under the moonlight, so it should have some power to weaken the monster’s connection. It won’t last forever, but maybe enough to get a few hours of sleep. Good sleep,” she amended. “Because I’m sure he didn’t get any.”

“No, he didn’t,” Seokjin sighed. “Thank you, Seolhee-ssi. It’s appreciated.”

“Hyung, ‘m tired,” Jungkook whimpered.

“Finish your food, then Hyung will take you to the nest.”

Seolhee was already headed for the kitchens again as she called: “I’ll make him some sleep tea, too. Just in case.” Seokjin waved a hand in acknowledgement.

Jimin set down his utensils and stood up. “I’m done, so I can help with dishes—” 

“You’ll do no such thing!” Seolhee called cheerily. “Sit down, or I’ll charm your ass to the seat.”

Jimin sat down.

It was an amusing exchange, but Seokjin couldn’t take his eye’s off of Jimin’s empty plate to enjoy it. Did he finish all the food himself? Had he even taken enough to begin with? Seokjin was so preoccupied he didn’t see, and that thought left him on edge. He made a mental note to check on the human later. To watch him more closely, next time.

Seokjin took a deep breath. It had been a long time since he’d felt this scattered and out of control—stretched thin. His instincts were screaming at him to drag his mates home, keep them within sight, and get everyone fed and happy and sleepy and content. He was the nest’s leader, it was his job. But right now, that wasn’t going to happen, and he had to work through the acute tightness in his chest as he pushed past urges for the thousandth time just this morning.

Jungkook was amenable to being hand-fed, at least, and that soothed his mind. It wasn’t enough, but…it was enough.

“Oh,” Hwaja said, looking up in alarm sometime after he’d managed to get half the bowl into Jungkook’s stomach and he started refusing any more. She’d been jotting down notes on paper in a loosely connected web of thoughts, breakfast forgotten, and it seemed to have triggered some sort of revelation now. “Oh, no.”

“Oh no? Noona, you can’t just say oh no and not elaborate,” Hoseok said.

“I…” She looked at Jungkook and Jimin who both seemed calm enough, then spoke: “I think I have an idea of what’s happening.”

The mood grew both hopeful and anxious at the same time. “And?”

“I truly, truly hope I’m wrong, but…”

Seokjin’s eyes met Hoseok’s, who looked just as grim as he felt. “What is it?”

“Fae.”

Fae. Fucking fae, the most mystical, powerful, infuriatingly neutral beings in the supernatural world. Always staying out of the fights that mattered, and joining in the ones that they could gain from. In his centuries of life Seokjin had only run into the fae a handful of times, and they’d never been enjoyable company in his opinion. They seemed almost unfeeling when it came to anything except themselves, their kin, and their deals. Propose a deal to a fae and it may be the only time you’ll ever see them smile—it’s in their blood, and they find the most delight in twisting words to wrap around you and squeeze the life out of you.

The last time he’d had a run in, a slippery young fae had almost tricked him into giving away his name. He stayed far, far away from their lands after that. But—

“Full fae only care about themselves,” Hoseok said, voicing Seokjin’s own thoughts. “Why would they help someone like—like him?”

“It’s most likely a deal. Don’t you think?”

“Or a favor,” Seokjin added, his face rapidly falling. Fuck, this really was plausible. And if it was…

Jimin spoke up, tapping his fingers nervously on the table: “Is this…bad?”

Seokjin hesitated, but Hwaja forged ahead. “I’m afraid so. If Jaesung has a full-blooded fae on his side, it means he’s got access to some very powerful magic. The fae are a dangerous enemy to make, and it seems we’ve found ourselves in such a position.”

“Fuck, fuck, fuck ,” Hoseok breathed, standing up from the table to pace a few feet away.

Jimin grew even paler at the vampire’s reaction. “ How do you know it’s the fae, though? What if it’s something else? It could be something else, right?”

“I know of no other creatures who can not only get in someone’s head, but bestow that ability upon another,” Hwaja explained. “If it’s something else…it’s something I’ve never heard of.”

“I don’t know how I didn’t think of this before,” Seokjin said, dread spreading across his shoulders and dripping down his back. “I should have—I should have done, I should have known—”

“Hyung,” Jungkook whispered. “Is it that bad? Do we have no chance?”

Seokjin hugged the boy close to his chest, and Hwaja answered. “There is always a chance. The fae don’t do anything for free. They make deals, which means there are terms and conditions.”

“And that means there are loopholes,” Hoseok finished. “So we need to find them. If we can force Jaesung into breaking the terms they agreed on, the contract would be broken and he wouldn’t have the fae’s protection anymore.”

“How are we supposed to find loopholes when we don’t even know what the deal was?” Jimin interrupted. As he spoke his voice grew louder and louder until he was nearly yelling, panic written clearly on his face. “I don’t even know how to kill a fucking vampire, god!”

“Fire, fatal wounds with a silver weapon, or beheading,” Hwaja supplied. 

“Fucking great, thank you,” Jimin laughed almost maniacally. “I know how to kill Jaesung now, which would be great, except it doesn’t matter because we’ll never get fucking close to him because we don’t have their goddamn contract for reading material at the breakfast table.”

Seokjin glanced down at Jungkook, who was obviously terrified at the thought of his abuser having an all-powerful being on his side. Then he glanced up at Jimin again, who was reflecting that same panic, plus his own.

Hoseok had the same thought as he did. “Jimin-ah, is this too much? Do you need some space to calm down?”

“I—I—I don’t know! I don’t know! I’m scared, and I d-don’t know!”

“Okay, come on,” Hoseok urged him quietly. “Come with Hyung for a minute.” Jimin went willingly.

“I’m sorry for frightening him,” Hwaja said after the two disappeared around a corner. “I thought it better to include them, but I may have been misguided.”

Seokjin shook his head. “No. No, you were right to, it’s just…complicated. Magic complicated. He’s feeling not only his emotions, but Jungkook’s as well, and possibly more. It’s a difficult power to manage.”

“All at once?” Hwaja’s eyes widened. “Dear me. How does he have powers? He’s no witch.”

“Jaesung chose his nestlings to have distant fae ancestry for faster regeneration,” Seokjin said. His hand rubbed rhythmic circles on Jungkook’s back, trying to calm him but unsure if it was working—despite the fear on his face, the boy was still and quiet. “Both of our human mates have manifested powers. Jungkook’s made progress with his, but Jimin is…his condition is worsening, and we don’t know how to help.”

Hwaja nodded, thoughtful. “You should send them to Hyesun.”

Seokjin wracked his brain trying to remember where he’d heard that name. “Hyesun…”

“Practical applications teacher,” Hwaja clarified. “Field magic, our little witches’ first exposure to it.”

“Ah. She’s the one always out in the south field?”

“That’s the one. Fae magic is different from witch magic, but…” she shrugged helplessly. “Maybe she’d be of some help?”

“I’ll ask her. Thank you.” Seokjin pulled Jungkook fully into his lap, tired of having the boy separate from him. “Jungkook-ah, tell Hyung what you’re feeling.”

“Scared,” he whispered. The closeness seemed welcome, as he curled up against his hyung’s chest. “Angry. Exhausted.”

Seokjin kissed him on the head once, then twice, like the first didn’t stick. “I can only fix one of those things. Will you let me help?”

Jungkook fidgeted with his sleeve. “You have to leave soon.”

That was true. This morning he’d explained the plan to everyone: they’d recruited a witch to track down ingredients for the ritual to make an even stronger set of protection wards. She was expected to be back within the hour, last Seokjin heard. Once she arrived, he and Hoseok would travel by portal to their home, and work until the wards were standing once more.

It wouldn’t be quick, from what he understood. Hoseok normally renewed their wards bit by bit, over weeks and months of work. The components required careful handling, and even for a full-powered witch the process was repetitive and laggard. In fact, it would likely be faster for Hoseok than an actual witch—the wards required magic to make but not to settle, and intimate knowledge of the grounds they were trying to protect would speed the process more than any innate ability.

Of course, there was still intense knowledge required. Settling wards required a wealth of witching-based knowledge, and Seokjin didn’t have that, only Hoseok did from his years of study here. 

Seokjin would be along as protection, mostly. They still had no idea where Jaesung and this unnamed fae were skulking about. They could be waiting for them at the house ready to attack, or they could be ages away searching the forests for Jungkook. Either way, they didn’t know: which meant that as much as Seokjin’s instincts begged him to stay and watch over the little ones, Hoseok needed him more.

He reminded himself of this as he looked Jungkook up and down. Hoseok needed him. Jungkook would be okay here.

He’d have to be, or else they might lose Yoongi to the cruelty of an unseen ticking clock.

“I do have to leave soon,” he finally said. “But not yet, darling. So let Hyung take care of you now.”

There was no room for argument, or at least Jungkook didn’t care to make room. After Seolhee’s gifted sleep tea settled warm in the boy’s stomach, they took their leave, slowly trekking back to the nest where Namjoon would watch over them, maybe extend his shielding too if he could. Seokjin held their youngest close until magical sleep started licking at the corners of Jungkook’s vision, muscles relaxing against their will—and even when the human began snoring softly, Seokjin held on a while longer.

“I’m going to keep them safe,” Namjoon promised, filling the quiet. “When you come back for us…they’ll be okay.”

Seokjin only said, “Keep yourself safe, too.”

Because for centuries of his life, Seokjin chose to be entirely, completely alone. It was miserable, and maddening, and it made him so rock-hardened he left crystal-edge cuts in his wake every time he brushed shoulders with humanity and the supernatural alike. But in moments like this, he remembered the value of that loneliness: if you don’t have anyone to love, you can’t be hurt when people inevitably give into the consuming twin vortexes of time and fragile mortality.

Seokjin, against his better judgment, now loved many people—some more fragile than others, all dear to him. It was all he could do to hope that love wasn’t his destruction. 

***

“Stop, stop. Hold on, I need a minute.” Jimin glanced at Hyesun, his brand-new magic teacher, holding up a placating hand as he struggled to push through the wave of isolated sadness she’d just sent his way. 

Nearby, Jungkook was dutifully completing his assigned practice with ease. Jimin wasn’t sure what to expect from a teacher who normally worked with children, but beyond her simple explanations and no-nonsense attitude Hyesun really seemed to know what she was doing. Twenty minutes under her instruction had left Jungkook with far more insight than Hoseok had ever been able to provide. 

Jungkook was already making noticeable progress with his ability. Where before he’d only been able to crush things, to exert pushing force, she’d also suggested he try pulling force, and to use the two in tandem to manipulate matter how he wished. Jungkook took to the concept like a duck to water and was currently on his third attempt to reshape the same flat sheet of metal into a cylinder with his magic.

His attempts were clumsy, the movements slow. Metal creaked as he tried over and over to make simple folds. But at least it was progress. Jimin, unfortunately, was having no such luck in his own turn.

Jimin held a lot of information and not much context to sort through what was useful, so he gave Hyesun all of it; she listened quietly and didn’t say much even when he left her pauses to interject. She seemed to be a rather quiet, stern kind of person. He found himself wishing he could see her emotions—all the witches here were blank slates to him, likely by means of magic.

He was proved correct when his monologue ended and Hyesun wordlessly removed a pendant from her neck, laying it on the grass between them. Magical protection. Like a flower blooming at high speed, her emotional threads unraveled, expanded, and began to circle her as Jimin would expect them to. He focused. She was…curious. A little bit melancholy. Mostly calm. She must have had high emotional control, because none of those threads were attempting to attach to Jimin (though he wouldn’t mind a little bit of added calm, if he was being honest).

When she informed Jimin she’d be attempting to influence him with her emotions, he only stared at her. Attempt? It wouldn’t take much of an attempt, since this was his whole problem to begin with—but she insisted, in that steady, certain way of hers, and Jimin didn’t know what to say, so he agreed, and tried to place a little bit of trust in her. They’d been working at it for several minutes so far.

Rather than working, though, this felt more like an all-out assault on Jimin’s fragile psyche. He didn’t have the bandwidth to handle standing here and taking blow after blow of Hyesun’s emotional darts, aimed point blank to damage him. This wasn’t the calm, or the melancholy she’d been feeling before. Hyesun must have been conjuring up intense emotional memories to have ammunition this painful, this penetrating. His spirits fell with every attack he bore. He’d only come here because Seokjin thought it might be helpful for them to speak with an experienced magic teacher—and maybe it was helpful for Jungkook, but the longer this went on the more Jimin was convinced he was just…beyond help.

The most recent emotion’s residual effects cleared away and he finally faced her again, weary. “If this is some sort of test, I’m failing. We both know that.”

“This was not a test for you to pass or fail,” Hyesun said simply. Everything that came out of her mouth had rough edges, blunt centers. “It was a test for me to observe you with.”

“Observe what?” Jimin found himself a little annoyed that he’d had to go through something so draining just for ‘observation’. This sort of activity was exactly the danger they were trying to avoid. They couldn’t afford another problem right now, and Jimin going unresponsive for days would definitely constitute a problem.

“Your defense mechanisms,” she told him.

“I don’t have any.”

Hyesun gave him a look for cutting in before she was done explaining. “I don’t mean successful defense mechanisms. I mean the habits you’ve formed, your natural instincts. The way you react when those emotional threads you described are coming for you.”

“And? How do I react?”

“You’re afraid,” she said simply. “You shrink away. You try to dodge and escape, but rarely manage to, because you’re a magnet.”

He wasn’t surprised by the answer, but it also trampled any hope he’d dared to let sprout. “So there really is no hope.”

“I said you’re a magnet, not a lost cause.” Hyesun said gruffly.

“I…don’t understand.”

“Magnets are polarized, child. They attract, and they repel. It’s the way of magic. Look here, at your friend.” 

She gestured to Jungkook, who was still working on the same exercise. His metal was wrinkled and marked from the number of times he’d had to re-work it; his brow was furrowed. If Jimin didn’t know him well, he’d think the boy was angry, but he was only focused. As they watched, he frowned slightly, and completely flattened it once more, undoing his progress. A perfectionist through and through.

“Magic is not a river, but the tides. It ebbs and flows. It returns order where order was disrupted. And when people such as you are born with magic, you must learn to harness it in its entirety before it drags you out to sea. Thus, he pushes and he pulls. You attract, and you repel.”

It sounded like a whole lot of words without much solid advice. “But I can’t repel anything.”

“You haven’t before, no. But you can. All of this,” she gestured between Jimin, her, and her disabled protection charm lying on the grassy field below them, “showed me that your natural response is to lock your magic away. Like I said—you’re scared. When these unwelcome emotions are advancing on you, all your traumatized mind can think to do is brace for impact or flinch away, no matter how futile. But that’s not your only option.”

It sounded nice. It also sounded like a pipe dream. “What else is there?”

“Let your magic do what it so desperately wants to do: expand. Let it reach out and meet these threads halfway. Let it defend you from the things you don’t want to welcome into yourself. A magnet can’t stop attracting,” she said, “but it can repel. And so can you.”

Jimin considered this. Finding a way to stop emotional threads before they reached him would change everything. His feelings would be his own. He’d be free to go out in public. He wouldn’t have to take breaks from spending time with his own boyfriends. He could finally focus—maybe he could go back to school to finish his education. He didn’t want to crash and burn if she was wrong, but… “How? How do I repel them? 

“Loosen your grip, child. Let your magic breathe, and flow, and then point it in the right direction. The rest will come by instinct.” Hyesun seemed so confident that Jimin could do this that it was hard to believe otherwise. 

He nodded slowly. Her emotions swirled around her, barely visible as Jimin squinted in the bright sunlight. “I just…focus.”

Closing his eyes seemed like the right thing to do, so Jimin let the world go dark. Noises were louder like this. The metal scratching from Jungkook’s practice, the soft shuffle of wind through leaves, the distant laughter of children playing a game. The longer he listened, the more they blended together into one melted, blurry landscape of sound, easy to push to the background of his mind. He did so, and turned his focus to the undeniable simmering of magic that always surrounded him.

It wasn’t so different with his eyes closed, he realized. He could still feel his helix spinning, dipping and weaving among itself to braid ropes of frustration and determination. He could still sense Hyesun’s helix too, which was still and steady. She must have realized that Jimin needed this moment to center himself. 

Past the helix, where Jimin never really thought to pay attention to, was something…different. Something that as he zeroed in on it, shrank away. It was fire and ice at the same time, pure energy, pressed so close against the wall of his chest Jimin never thought of it as something separate from himself. 

But it wasn’t part of him, that much was clear. Like a camouflaged animal, once he spotted it he wondered how he’d missed it before. 

Well—it was because he was scared, he repeated Hyesun’s words to himself. He spent his whole life terrified that someone would sense this very entity, so of course it stayed hidden. Or…of course he hid it. Caged it. It was hard to know where to draw the lines on his magic’s identity, whether it was simply a tool for him to use, or something alive and willful. But regardless, his experiences made it impossible for the two to reconcile. 

Jimin wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be doing here. Focus was such a vague term…now that he recognized his magic’s presence, was that enough?

It wasn’t, he found out, because his first attempt to harness it brought tears to his eyes as Hyesun landed a particularly potent thread of sadness on him. “It’s not working,” Jimin sniffled. “I can’t do it.”

“You would give up so easily? Try again.”

He did. Nothing changed. And again. And once more, Jimin found himself burning with anger at Hyesun. “Why are you making me do this? Are you just trying to embarrass me? Give me false hope?”

“Do not direct your anger at me, child,” Hyesun said coolly. “I am not the source of it. Examine yourself…if you are seeking to loosen up, this is the opposite.”

Jimin nearly snapped back at her, but the fact that she could very easily bring him to his knees with this exercise if she chose to, let alone with her own magic, stopped him. Anger wasn’t productive, and it had nowhere to go.

But he felt it regardless. This was stupid. She’d sounded so sure, and this exercise did help Jimin separate himself from his magic…but that was it. No progress. No safety net. And with every repetition he grew closer and closer to disconnecting. His magic wasn’t doing shit for him now when he needed it; it only knew how to attract misery, and fuck if it wasn’t excellent at its job.

He was angry with this force inside him, he realized, as he sensed impassioned threads spinning into twine. It had ruined his life. It had ruined everything.

But…that was the problem, wasn’t it? According to Hyesun, the only way Jimin was going to continue existing as himself was to first coexist with the magic inside him. Whatever anger he had needed to be extinguished or it would burn him alive.

He took a deep breath—in, out—and tried to weigh this new viewpoint against his deep-seated desire to blame something for the way he’d suffered.

It wasn’t like it was trying to hurt him. It was trying to protect him; now that he’s aware of its presence he knows that intrinsically. While intention doesn’t equal impact, it does soften the blow, and this newly-personified force occupying his body obviously wasn’t acting maliciously. It was trying to survive, just like him. It was like him in a lot of ways, the more he thought about it.

Jimin couldn’t help the flash of guilt that passed over him when he thought of how he’d repressed his magic for so long. It was so alien he hadn’t even recognized it, let alone liberated it. Maybe…maybe he’d been hurting his magic right back, and maybe it was angry with him too. Maybe it was partially Jimin’s fault. 

Or maybe it was no one’s fault, and they both deserved to heal.

He spoke as clearly as he could in his mind, feeling a little bit stupid but grateful at least it wasn’t out loud. ‘I’m sorry for hurting you. I’m sorry I didn’t trust you. I was scared. I’m still scared. But I’d be less scared if we could learn to work with each other. So…please, will you help me?’

There was a thrum of warmth inside him, then nothing. He didn’t feel any different after all. Jimin sighed.

But—Hyesun sent another bolt of fear his way and Jimin sensed it just in time, but instead of bracing for impact, he exhaled, relaxed his shoulders.

And the attack never reached him. Instead, he almost felt like a part of him—something that had long sat dusty and stiff and longing—rushed from his chest like water forcing open a dam, and the thread of fear changed course, dissipating into nothing.

His eyes flew open. “The, the—I just! It—did you—”

“I know,” Hyesun said, and it was the first time since Jimin met her that he saw her smile.

“That was—I didn’t even do anything, it just—”

“It protected you. Because that is what it is meant to do.”

Jimin steeled himself, renewed by adrenaline and hope. “Can I try it again? Please?”

This time was harder. His magic still defended him, but it was slow to the draw even as Jimin tried to push it out, and the fear nicked him slightly before deflecting, leaving him jittery and lightheaded for a few moments. “It was too slow.”

“Now that you know what your magic can do, you want control. You cannot have what you seek.” Hyesun nodded to Jungkook again, who was nearly finished with his project by now, hair endearingly messy where his hands had run through it every time he got frustrated. “He has never been truly afraid of his magic. Never tried to extinguish it. So it trusts him, and gives him power to say where and when and how to move. Your magic,” she said, perhaps a little gentler, “does not trust you yet. You lived in a state of mutual destruction your whole life, so as much as you are wary of your magic, it is wary of you in turn. With time, you may reach a point where it can accept your commands, but before trust is rebuilt, you must let it do as it wishes or else it will not do anything at all.”

It made sense. It also made Jimin a little bit sad. Mournful. He didn’t mean to hurt anyone. Anything. He was just trying to survive.

But now, he had the opportunity to make it right. He could learn to do this the right way, from now on, and he’d never stifle his magic again. Not willingly. At the mental declaration, a strange sort of tingle ricocheted around his ribcage. Jimin recognized the acknowledgement as what it was. Reciprocity.

With every new practice drill, Jimin improved, and before long, Hyesun was sending multiple emotions his way at once, and they deflected without any effort on his part at all. It was as if someone else was doing the work for him—and he supposed his magic was, since he didn’t have any part in it.

That didn’t stop Jimin from bearing the exhaustion of his practice, though, and before long he was panting and sweating, and he collapsed on his back in the grass.

“You are well?”

Jimin nodded at Hyesun’s question. “Tired. I feel like I’ve run a marathon.”

“You have, in a way. Rest now. You may seek me out later if you wish to practice further, but,” her lips curled into a smile for the second time that day, “I believe you’re on the right track, Jimin-ssi.”

“Thank you,” Jimin told her, rolling up to his knees to give her a deep bow. “Thank you. You…thank you. I don’t know how to tell you that you’ve changed my life.”

“Nothing new. I change lives everyday, I’m a teacher,” she tried to deflect, but he could hear the warmth in her voice. “Rest. You did well.” She collected her protection ward, blinding Jimin to her emotions once more, then left him to bask in his success.

As soon as she was out of sight, Jungkook bounded over. “Jimin-hyung! How was it? Did you make progress? I wasn’t paying much attention, I’m sorry, I got too focused. But you seem happy?”

To both of their surprise, Jimin began to cry.

Jungkook let out a soft, “Oh!” and dropped to Jimin’s level, arms pulling him into a hug. “I’m sorry, I thought…”

“No, I don’t know why I’m crying. It’s okay. I’m okay. It went really, really well.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” Jimin said wetly. “She showed me how to deflect emotions, and it makes me tired, but—but I don’t even have to think about it, it just happens now. I can still sense you’re worried about me if I pay attention, but I’m not feeling it myself. You know? And I’m not even trying to do it, it’s just happening, my magic is finally—” he laughed, face thrown up to the sky. “It’s finally working for me, not against me. And someday I think it’ll even work with me.”

“Hyung, that’s incredible.”

“It is. But it also hurts, Jungkook-ah, it hurts a lot. Because it was this easy all along, and if I’d just figured it out on my own…if I’d been able to teach my, my mom, maybe we—maybe she could have been okay.” His voice cracked miserably.

“Jiminie-hyung,” Jungkook murmured sadly, nearly crawling into Jimin’s lap with the urge to get close enough to comfort him. Jimin thrived on tactile comfort, everyone knew that. “You know you couldn’t have done anything. You never would have learned this on your own. It’s not your fault.”

“I know. But it still hurts. I just wish I could fix her. Because now I get to live my life freely and it’s something she never had. That’s not fair.”

“It’s not fair at all. You’re right.”

“I miss her,” Jimin admitted. He knew his jumping from topic to topic was frenzied and emotional but he couldn’t stop the train of thought now that it was in motion. “I miss her so much, all the time.”

“Can you go visit her?”

Jimin wiped his eyes unceremoniously on the fabric of his pants where his knees were pulled against his chest. “I can. I should. I…will, soon.”

“But?” 

“But it’s not the same. I love my mom, I do. I love her no matter what. But the mom that I’m missing isn’t there anymore.”

Jungkook seemed uncertain of how to respond, and finally he decided not to say anything at all, just holding Jimin close and wiping away his tears, both happy and sad ones. At least, Jimin noticed, his magic was still working on his behalf; Jungkook’s empathetic reactions were being gently redirected every time they tried to approach. It made him certain: these emotions, these tears…they belonged to Jimin, and only to Jimin. So new. So precious.

When the tears dried up and Jimin felt a little more like himself, Jungkook ventured to give him a small smile. “I know it’s sad, but…it’s also good news, right? Aren’t you excited to tell the hyungs?”

Jimin hadn’t even considered that. The thought sent warmth diffusing through his body. They’d be so happy for him. None of them have shared a lot of happiness lately, it’s all seemed too bleak. “I didn’t even think about it. Fuck, can we go?”

Jungkook stood, dusting dirt off his knees and helping Jimin to his feet as well. Then he teased: “You know Hoseok-hyung’s gonna say ‘I told you so,’ right? He kept saying he was sure we’d find a way to solve this.”

Jimin couldn’t help but smile. “God, I’m so ready to hear it. I hope they answer if I call with Joonie-hyung’s phone…maybe they’re busy.”

“They’re never too busy for you.”

“They are if they’re fighting a deranged vampire.”

Jimin sort of regretted saying it, because the mood dropped by several increments. But they were both still content enough, especially after clasping hands to take the long trek back from the practice grounds—which were essentially a set of large fields set for children to practice their magic in, and thus, were created very far away from the flammable buildings of the village center.

The sway of long grass against Jimin’s shins was almost mesmerizing. He’d never been to a place like this, except once—when his mother took him camping. She saved up enough money to afford the time off work, and the two of them slept under the stars on a beautifully clear night. It was still what he thought of every time he looked at the night sky.

He couldn’t help but entertain the thought of trying to teach his mom what he’d learned today. It seemed unlikely to work. Jimin knew better than anyone how distant his consciousness was during episodes, and his mother’s mind had been far away ever since…well. Ever since. But if he did figure it out somehow…if he got through to her. Would it change things? Was the damage irreparable, or would letting her magic shield her give her enough time to recover, this time for good?

It was in Jimin’s best interest to beat this sort of thinking out of himself long ago. Hope never amounted to much but pain. Except…this time, it didn’t. This time, it gave him a miracle cure and a new lease on life. So maybe. Maybe.

Probably not.

All this theorizing wasn’t doing him any good right now, so Jimin pushed it to the back of his mind. It was almost laughable that he’d be thinking about anything else except the imminent danger they’d all been placed in, him and Jungkook specifically. 

He glanced over to the boy holding his hand, subtly checking his countenance now that the quiet had settled. He seemed fine enough on the outside. But Jimin had an unfair advantage, and the stranglehold anxiety wrapped around Jungkook like a snake was rather concerning. It was just a matter of if he wanted to speak about it or not.

“How are you feeling?”

Jungkook looked up, surprised. He was stuck in his thoughts, too. “I guess…good and bad.”

Jimin nodded. “The good?”

“Jaesung’s been out of my head all afternoon and evening. Ever since I woke up.” Jungkook’s voice was tentative, as if he was scared speaking it into existence would reverse his good fortune. “I don’t know why it’s different now, but I forgot how good it feels to have my mind be just…mine.”

A feeling Jimin could relate to. “That’s incredible. I hope the bastard stays out.”

“Me too.”

There was a pause. “So, that was the good. Can I ask about the bad, too?”

Jungkook fidgeted with his fingers against the back of Jimin’s hand. “Uh.”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“No, no, I do. I was talking to Seolhee about how I need to talk to someone, and I know I want to and I know I want it to be you, but it—I guess it’s hard, and I…”

Jimin had an idea of what this topic could be based on a certain outburst the boy had right before things went to hell, but he didn’t want to assume incorrectly, so he just waited with an open, encouraging expression.

Jungkook followed through. “I guess it’s just that…you have sex.”

An endearing way to start this conversation, but Jimin didn’t tease him for it. “Yeah, I do.”

“And you like it. I think.” Jungkook glanced at him uncertainly. “You do like it, right?”

“I do, baby. I like it a lot.”

“How? How can you like it?”

The words didn’t come as an accusation, but a supplication. Jimin took a moment to think before answering. “I like it because it makes me feel in control of my body. I like it because I get to feel good and he’s not involved.” Even at the indirect mention of their abuser, Jungkook flinched. Jimin gave him space to do so in the quiet pause between thoughts. “I like sex because it’s intimacy, and that’s something I crave with my partners.”

“I want that too.”

Jimin hummed. “Sex isn’t the only way to share intimacy.”

“I know that,” Jungkook said. “But I still want it. I have urges. I’m…you know.”

“Surrounded by horny vampires who fuck at all hours of the night?”

“Yes, that.” A light blush dusted Jungkook’s cheeks. “I’m not even a virgin. I’ve had sex before. I like it a lot. I… liked it a lot. But he took that from me. He took so much.”

Jimin’s heart ached for the boy, in a way only he could, as someone who knew exactly how it felt. It wasn’t fair that he’d been through so much. It wasn’t fair that anyone dared to dull the flicker in Jungkook’s eyes. 

“There’s a way I think of my trauma that helps me a little, if you want to hear,” he offered. Jungkook nodded, so he continued, hoping that his mental picture didn’t sound cheesy when translated to words. He’d never shared it before. “Instead of Jaesung taking something…I prefer to think of it as him leaving something. This—I don’t know, like a giant-ass boulder or something. Don’t laugh,” he scolded playfully, “it’s a good analogy, just hold on.”

“Holding on,” Jungkook repeated with a mock salute, and Jimin was just glad the boy was smiling.

“So there’s this boulder. You’re in your living room and some intruder drops it on your leg and it hurts like hell because it broke a bone, obviously, and then he leaves and you’re stuck with the mess he left behind. Even once you free yourself by rolling the boulder off of you, you’re still hurt really badly, and that takes time to heal.”

“And you do,” Jimin said, “but even once you can walk again there’s still a boulder in your living room. It’s way too heavy to move. And every time you look at it, it reminds you of how badly that asshole hurt you. And that fucking sucks, you know? It’s bad enough that it happened, but worse that you can’t get rid of the evidence or the way it made you feel.”

Jungkook looked thoughtful now, maybe a little sad. He walked slowly, feet moving erratically to avoid stepping on wildflowers in the field they were traversing. “But how do you live like that? When you can’t walk into your living room without feeling the pain all over again?”

“You get creative,” Jimin said. “You paint it your favorite color so it’s not so hard to look at. You rearrange the living room furniture so there’s still room to move, or you ask your friends to help you push it into the corner instead. When you have the energy, you chip at the boulder bit by bit to make it smaller. You learn your own limits too—on days when that old injury is aching, you know maybe it’s better just to avoid the living room altogether. Maybe you'll never go into the living room again, and that’s okay too.”

“But either way, eventually you find it’s been there so long that it fades into the background. It’s still there, obviously. But you’re used to how it affects your routines and the way you enjoy your home, so it doesn’t matter quite as much anymore. And sure, sometimes you walk in and look at that giant rock and get angry and hurt all over again, but most of the time…you don’t. You’re okay. You’re still living.”

“Are you there yet?” Jungkook asked him softly. “Are you okay?”

Jimin sighed. “No. I’m not. But I am living, and that’s enough for now.”

“I hate that fucking boulder,” Jungkook said, and the blunt statement sounded so funny out of context that Jimin threw his head back and laughed.

“Yeah, baby, me too.”

“So…you’ve found ways around it then, right? Sex, I mean, not the boulder. It’s just, it seems like sex makes you feel better about what happened, but whenever I try to go past kissing I panic.”

“There are names I don’t let them call me,” Jimin volunteered. “Positions I can’t do. I’ve had panic attacks triggered by things I never would have expected. I think it comes down to—a lot of the time sex makes me forget him. But a lot of the time it doesn’t. And the key for me in enjoying reclamation of my body like that is communication and partners who honor my needs.”

“I didn’t know you struggled with all that,” Jungkook admitted. “I thought it was only me.”

“No, baby, it’s not.”

There’s silence for a moment, then: “If I never get there…if I never have sex.”

“Then we’ll love you just the same and follow your limits on what you want to be involved in.”

“I didn’t like when Seokjin-hyung acted like he couldn’t talk about sex when I was there,” Jungkook admitted. “It made me feel like a child.”

“I can understand why. And I think Jin-hyung would too, if you talk to him about it,” Jimin nudged.

“Yeah. I…I’ll do that. Maybe—maybe I can talk to everyone? About my goals and limits too? So we’re all on the same page.”

Jimin couldn’t help the burst of pride that bloomed in his chest. “I think that’s a great idea, baby. I’ll help you however you need me to, okay?”

“You mean that?” Jungkook looked contemplative for a second, then glanced up at Jimin with a hopeful glint to his expression. “I know this is crazy, but…if you have enough power to deflect emotions now, do you think you could influence mine?”

Jimin blinked. “Uh.” He’d never thought about it. Would that even be possible?

“It’s just, I want to prove to myself that going further than kissing would be something I enjoy, but I can’t get over that hurdle. So I’m just thinking—what if you made me just a little bit calmer? Just a little dampening on my anxiety, so I can make the leap. I’ve been thinking about asking Jin-hyung, actually,” Jungkook rambled, “but it might remind me too much of, um…Jaesung’s thrall. And there’s some weird questions there about consent because his charming abilities leave people all muddled and confused. I don’t think he’d say yes.”

“I don’t think he would,” Jimin agreed. “I…don’t know if I would either, Jungkook-ah.”

Jungkook’s face fell slightly, and Jimin rushed to explain. “I just—I don’t want to artificially force you into something you wouldn’t normally do, especially not after the trauma you’ve experienced. I think that might be a limit for me. I don’t know. But—we’re talking about this like it’s something I can even do, and I have no idea if I can. I’ve never tried.”

“So try,” Jungkook begged. “Just try, just to see if you can.”

It couldn’t be that dangerous just to test it, right? It would make Jungkook happy. Jimin conceded, “Okay. But this isn’t a guarantee, even if I’m successful.”

Crossing his heart in an X with his finger, Jungkook nodded earnestly. “I promise I wouldn’t pressure you, Hyung. If it works, you can take some time to think about if it would be a limit for you and let me know. But I also just wanna know if you can do it, ‘cause that would be cool.”

“It would be,” Jimin admitted with a smile. He stopped walking and Jungkook did too. “Okay, stand still.”

Jungkook obediently froze, and Jimin focused in on the threads circling his person. Jungkook had all sorts of emotions in various stages of weaving: contentment, sadness, excitement, anxiety, hope, fear, nostalgia…those were the noticeable ones, but far more tiny threads darted around him as if just waiting for a reason to grow. Jimin picked the one he hoped would be least intrusive—contentment—and went for it.

He wasn’t sure what he was doing, exactly, other than begging his magic to move. This all felt sort of silly, the way he focused on that rope with his whole concentration and somehow expected his magic to understand. 

And yet—it did. Jimin watched as the rope attracted more and more threads, bulking up, zipping around Jungkook’s body faster and faster with a sort of anticipatory vibration to its movements. In contrast to the frenetic energy, Jungkook’s face relaxed.

Then it un-relaxed, scrunching with happiness as the boy realized: “Hyung! You did it!”

“I did it,” Jimin repeated, still a little startled that it had worked at all. “Shit, I can’t believe it.”

He could feel, somehow, that this was a courtesy. Jimin’s magic wouldn’t be making a habit of following his instructions, just like Hyesun had told him—it was as stubborn as he was. They’d need to build more trust before he could expect any sort of consistency. But Jimin appreciated the grace in letting him at least discover this as a possibility to work towards, someday.

“I only want you to think about it, okay? Using that to help me, I mean,” Jungkook returned to the previous topic. His hands reached out to take Jimin’s, and their fingers clasped with the automatic ease of familiarity.

“I will,” Jimin promised. He’d have to do a lot of thinking before coming forward with an answer. This was all too complicated to mess with on impulse.

“And even if you say no,” Jungkook insisted sweetly, “It’s okay. You don’t have to do it. I just…wanted to ask, you know? Because sometimes I’m scared to go into the living room, but I want to, so badly.”

Jimin squeezed his hands. “I know. And you’ll get there, with me or without me.” A pause, and the corner of his mouth turned up, crooked. “I appreciate the callback to my analogy.”

Jungkook giggled, the sweet sound rolling over Jimin in waves. “You put so much work into it I felt like I had to. Though, I do have some questions, Hyung, like why can’t I just pay someone to come remove the boulder from my house—”

“Yah,” Jimin complained playfully, “so it’s not a perfect analogy, sue me. You got the meaning.”

“I did,” Jungkook admitted. “And—it was a little dumb. But it helped, still. So…thank you.”

The two of them set off again, hand in hand. It was late evening, now—they’d come to practice after a quick dinner, and now the sky was tinged orange with sunset. Jimin hadn’t ever been fond of orange growing up, but seeing it paint the horizon now made him appreciate its beauty. Its contradictory bright and soft hues. It made him want to stay outside forever. And the company was nice too, he thought, as Jungkook tip-tapped fingers on the back of his hands, always fidgety.

The two walked in companionable silence the rest of the way back, and Jimin expected it to continue—but to his surprise, as they approached the Heart, a whisper interrupted them.

“Pssst!”

Jungkook stopped in his tracks, confused. Tense too, Jimin realized when he glanced at his countenance. It was strange to have to check, now that the emotions weren’t latched onto Jimin directly—but he’d get used to it soon enough. 

Luckily, Jimin knew exactly where the whisper was coming from…he could sense Jieun, that little girl with the big attitude, hiding in bushes across the path. Sure enough, when he looked closer, there were 10 tiny barefoot toes sticking out from the bottom. He nudged Jungkook to look in that direction; the boy relaxed when he noticed it too.

“Psssssssst!” Jieun said again. 

“Yeah?” Jimin asked.

He was immediately and aggressively shushed. “Quiet!”

“Sorry,” he whispered. “What is it?”

“Come over here.”

Jungkook and Jimin glanced at each other with amusement, then did as she asked, crouching next to the bush. Now that they were close, Jieun’s eyes were visible, wide and mischievous. 

“I have something for you.”

“For both of us?”

She considered this, glancing between Jimin and Jungkook. “You first,” she said, small fist stretching out of the leaves towards Jungkook. “Hold out your hand.” He did. For his troubles, Jieun dropped something small and slimy onto his palm. 

Jungkook stared at the wriggling, slimy creature. “It’s…a worm?”

“Yes. Do you like it?”

The worm in question was rolling and squirming, almost as if in anticipation of the answer. “It’s a very nice worm.”

Jieun narrowed her eyes and stuck her head fully out of the bush. “You’re doing that dumb grown-up thing where you say what you think I wanna hear. Don’t do that. Tell me the truth! Do you like worms! Do you like this worm!”

“Yes,” Jungkook rushed to reassure her, “Yeah, it’s cool. Really cool. I’m not scared of bugs.” Jimin knew Jungkook’s expressions well, and the boy was trying so hard not to laugh at the girl’s willful demeanor. Jimin was too. This was serious business and he knew Jieun would not appreciate their levity.

“Worms aren’t bugs,” she told Jungkook. “Bugs are arthropods. Worms are annelids.” He nodded repentantly, and after a moment of intense scrutinization, she seemed to find whatever she was looking for in his eyes. “Fine. You can help.”

“Help with what?”

Jieun didn’t answer, instead turning her determined gaze to Jimin. “You. Tell me the best prank you’ve ever pulled.”

Oh. He tried not to let his face fall. “I don’t…I guess I’ve never done a prank.” He didn’t want to go into the why, not with her, but Jimin hadn’t exactly had a typical childhood. 

Whatever judgment she’d been preparing to pass fell away in favor of pure shock. She stumbled over words for a second, mouth opening and closing, then: “Never ever?”

“Never ever.”

“That’s impossible! You have to do pranks when you’re a kid! It’s the law!”

Jimin felt a twinge of sadness forming inside him. “I didn’t have a lot of friends, growing up. No one to play pranks with.”

Jieun looked absolutely horrified by this news, and then the rest of her body suddenly burst from the bush she’d been hiding inside; a dolphin breaching the ocean. “I’m your friend now! I’ll teach you! Follow me!”

She set off at a half-skip, half-run, expecting Jimin and Jungkook to keep up. Unfortunately, Jimin had fallen onto his ass in the dirt when Jieun performed her startling exit, and it took Jungkook several seconds to quell his laughter enough to help Jimin up. The delay was long enough that they received a scolding for their leisurely pace, but they caught up before long, and Jungkook even took the liberty of brushing the dirt off Jimin’s pants with a snicker.

As they walked, Jieun got them up to speed on the plan: revenge. She apparently had an ongoing prank war with Seolhee, and most recently the witch had put bitterroot in the girls hair soap, so she smelled like rot all day long, “and none of the girls would even come near me,” she fumed. “So I’m gonna gather worms and charm them to stick to Seolhee-unnie’s bathroom ceiling and fall once she gets in the bath. She hates worms.”

Both boys laughed, and Jieun joined in with them, though her laughter was significantly more impish. “How many worms do you need?” Jungkook asked. 

“A million.” She paused. “Or like, a hundred. Dunno. As many as we can find before it’s my bedtime.”

“When’s your bedtime?”

“I’m expected to leave for home once the sun drops behind the horizon,” Jieun informed them, glaring at the sunset as if it had personally wronged her by daring to continue its cycle when she had important things to do. 

“Then we’d better hurry,” Jimin said. He felt strangely…exhilarated. “Not much sunlight left.”

“We’re not going too far, are we? We’re not supposed to go past the second coven boundary. And we really should be staying close to our mates…”

Jieun rolled her eyes at Jungkook’s lack of faith. “The north pond has the best worms, so we gotta go there. It’s within the first boundary. If you yelled, your bitey boyfriends would hear you just fine, so don’t be such a worrywart.”

Sure enough, the pond was closeby and the three of them reached it in no time. It was a murky, muddy place with all sorts of spots for worms to hide, and with the water shimmering under the cool evening breeze and its neat outline of trees, Jimin thought the place was rather pretty.  

Jieun had this basket, a miniature one that expanded to life-size when she tapped it, and the three of them got to work quickly piling worms inside. There were tons of them. Jimin hadn’t ever seen so many in his life, honestly. He wondered if the magical essence of this place was more conducive to wildlife than the average forest, because he’d seen all sorts of creatures roaming about in his two days here.

As they worked, Jieun babbled on and on about everything she could think of. She was a talkative child. She reminded him, startlingly, of Seoyeon…the sweet little girl that Jimin hadn’t been able to save from Jaesung’s evil. 

He’d been heartbroken when she arrived, a tiny little shaking form in a baby blue sundress, too scared to speak. It was one thing to keep adults locked up. But a child…he felt sick just thinking about it. She’d been so young, only 12, and forced to grow up so fast, even before she’d been kidnapped. Jimin felt responsible for her, and while he hoped he made her days a little bit brighter, it wasn’t enough in the end.

It was bittersweet now to see a similar young girl, social and bright, raised by loving family and so free she’d wander through the forests with mud between her toes and only come home once the sun had set. Seoyeon would have loved a place like this.

His melancholy trip through memory was interrupted by a light blinking into existence before his eyes.

“What is that?” Jungkook asked, startled as well. He dropped his handful of worms into the basket and took a step closer, cautious. 

The light wasn’t moving. Or—it was, but so slow it was almost hard to tell, drifting through the air like dust particles in a sunbeam. But then another one appeared, and another.

“Ugh,” Jieun grumbled. “That means the sun is down, if the star sprites are already coming out.”

The name made sense, because even as Jimin watched, the air around them became a sea of twinkling lights in the darkness, a night sky brought to earth. The effect was strengthened by the way their blinding light seemed to exist in a vacuum, restricted to only themselves and somehow not affecting the dim woods around them. Stars, plucked from their constellations.

Jungkook reached out a hand to touch one and it gently ricocheted off of his outstretched fingers, causing a chain reaction of erratic movement as it bounced off its neighbors in turn. “Star sprites?” He sounded just as impressed as Jimin felt.

Jieun seemed to think it was nothing new, though she did perk up at the thought of knowing something that grown-ups didn’t. “Mhm. The ponds an’ stuff here collect extra magic from the air, and the sprites feed off of it. In the daytime they sleep underwater, then they come out at night.”

“They’re gorgeous,” Jimin breathed. He was still sad in the wake of his memories of Seoyeon, but this…it made him feel a little bit better. Like maybe she was watching over him, or at least that there were still beautiful things in the world even with her missing from it. 

“I wish we could show the hyungs,” Jungkook said softly. It went unsaid that it wouldn’t be possible, not while the fledglings were so unwell.

But Jieun shrugged. “You can bring one back to show them if you want! They’re really gentle and friendly, so as long as you don’t bump them around and be mean you can catch them in your hands and they don’t even mind. They’ll just float back this way when you set them free.”

“Really?”

“Uh huh. Do you need me to show you how to catch them? I’m an expert catcher.” Her chest puffed out with pride.

Jimin thought it probably wouldn’t be a hard task, considering their lethargic movements, but the two of them graciously watched Jieun’s demonstration anyway, oohing and aahing at the appropriate moments—and then set off to walk her home for bedtime, precious treasures cradled between their cupped palms. Namjoon-hyung would be fascinated by them, and if Tae was awake maybe they could show him too. They’d have to come back and show the others on another night, maybe once Hoseok and Seokjin had finished fixing the protection wards at the nesthome and Yoongi was back to normal. Jimin liked it here. He definitely wanted to visit again.

The walk back was pleasant, and Jimin found himself smiling as Jieun repeatedly swung her basket hard enough to spill worms over the side, then had to stop and pick them up. “This better be worth the look on her face,” she grumbled during the most recent escape attempt.

“When are you gonna do it?”

Her annoyance turned to devious excitement in a flash as she turned to Jungkook. “Tomorrow morning. She always takes a bath at 8 am, so I’m gonna stick ‘em up there tonight and wake up early to hear her reaction. She’s gonna be so mad.”

Jimin huffed, amused. “Would you mind not telling her we were involved in this? I don’t want to wake up and find a snake under my pillow, next, if she decides you’re not her only target.”

Jieun pouted. “The credit is half the fun, Jimin-oppa, you gotta let me tell her! Please! Or else…or else you won’t be initiated into my prank club!”

He had a feeling that the real reason for the insistence was her subsequent dreamy half-whispered admission of “Unnie’s gonna be so impressed I got grown-ups to help me,” but Jimin figured he could handle the heat if it meant keeping the kid happy. 

The three of them made their way towards the home Jieun shared with her mom and she led the way, since they weren’t familiar with the area yet. Jieun was. Jimin got the sense that she’d been exploring this place ever since she learned to walk, and the shortcuts she led them down proved him right.

Jimin hadn’t met the girl’s mother before—he hoped she wasn’t too angry with them for keeping her a few minutes late. Perhaps they should have been a little more responsible. But the star sprites were just so beautiful, and when presented with the option of bringing one back to their mates, neither Jimin nor Jungkook could resist. He smiled as he felt the little thing brush against his skin. He didn’t understand how, but it seemed to know where the walls of his hands were, and it never collided, only brushed against them. Mostly, it seemed to be floating right in the center of the space he’d created for it. “I’ll let you go soon, little guy,” Jimin murmured as he cracked open his fingers to peek at it again. “Just gotta show Joonie-hyung how pretty you are.”

But that chance never came. Because before they even made it to Jieun’s house, a sudden cacophony of yelling, and wails, and heart-wrenching, panicked sobs sounded into the still evening air. “Somebody help! I need a healer! Soonja-noona, please, I need—”

That was Namjoon. Namjoon was yelling for help, and the ear-splitting cries…those were Taehyung. 

Notably silent, was Yoongi.

Jimin’s hands fell loosely to his sides, and the star sprite drifted slowly, lazily back to where it came from.

***

“Please, he won’t stop, I don’t know how to stop it,” Namjoon was begging as Jungkook barrelled through the door to the nest, Jimin close behind. “Please. What do I do?”

Jungkook took in the scene with blurred vision. Taehyung was in a corner, hands fisted in his hair and face down. He was hardly breathing between wet gasps and strangled noises. Then there was Namjoon, stressed, Soonja, focused, both huddled over a familiar frail form. 

It was Yoongi, and he was shaking violently on the ground.

Some sort of seizure, Jungkook realized with ice cold fear. The fledgling’s entire body was tense, muscles stiff and unnaturally posed; he didn’t seem conscious either. He was jerking uncontrollably, and the inhuman strength his body possessed seemed to be working against him as his elbow jerked against the floor so hard there was a sickening crack, injury even through the thick pillows of the nest. Jungkook felt sick.

“Get him on his side, hurry,” Soonja ordered. It looked as though she’d only arrived moments before Jungkook and Jimin had—no shoes, breathing heavily, medical bag disheveled on the floor behind her. “Namjoon-ah, protect his arms. We need minimal broken bones, his body doesn’t have the energy to heal them.” Namjoon obediently slipped his own arms between Yoongi’s and the ground, absorbing the fledgling’s full-power blows with barely a wince. He would heal. Yoongi might not.

Soonja glanced around, and only when she pointed at Jungkook did he break out of his panicked trance. “You. Cushion your hands and protect his head.”

Jungkook did as she said, creating a sort of boxing glove for each palm out of a blanket, and placing one hand under, one hand above. “Is he gonna be okay?”

“I don’t know. Stop talking,” Soonja told him, not angry but entirely focused. “And you, calm the other fledgling, I can’t think like this.” Within moments of Jimin pulling him into a hug, Taehyung’s wails quieted to whimpers. He must have been terrified, fledgling emotions dialed up to 100. Jungkook was terrified, and he was human.

“How long has he been like this?”

“Two minutes,” Namjoon answered.

“Describe how it happened.”

“He was sleeping. He’s been sleeping all day. Then out of nowhere he vomited a clear, sweet smelling fluid and started seizing. I think his shoulder got injured before you got here.”

Soonja swore under her breath as she pulled out various herbs from her bag, tossing them all behind her until she found the ones she needed. “If he’s vomiting, his body is getting rid of a buildup of the fluid that breaks down blood for use as energy. He’s—come on, open—” she struggled with the seal on a poultice, then dumped it into a bowl with the other things she’d been mixing—“He’s not eating, so his body has no use for it. He’s starving to death.”

As if on cue, the same clear fluid began to trickle out of Yoongi’s mouth, then it burst past his limp lips with concerning force. Jungkook’s pants soaked with the sticky substance, and Namjoon was right, it was so sweet it smelled like syrup.

“He can’t die. He can’t. I promised him.” Namjoon was babbling, looking crazed, tears running down his face. “I promised.”

“Then let me work!”

Jungkook didn’t hear what came next, because Yoongi’s skull slammed into his hand, and blinding white pain became everything he knew. He wasn’t breathing. He didn’t make a single sound, even as his vision dimmed and returned, then dimmed again when his hand was jostled by a second agonizing hit. 

He began to tilt sideways, and someone slapped his cheek sharply, snapping him back to alertness. Soonja. “I know it’s upsetting to see him like this but don’t pass out on me now. Keep. His. Head. Steady.”

They didn’t realize what had happened. Jungkook didn’t tell them. It wasn’t the time. He just had to hold on until Yoongi was okay.

And he did, desperately clinging to his task until whatever concoction Soonja had been mixing was deemed complete enough to spoon beneath Yoongi’s tongue. “Please,” she whispered. It was the only sign of uncertainty Jungkook had seen from her this whole time. “Please, child.”

Some of the medicine drooled out, mixed with that terrifying clear fluid, but it was such a thick paste that most stayed in the fledgling’s mouth. They all watched, waiting, hoping. And after the longest 15 seconds of Jungkook’s life, Yoongi’s body gave one final jerk and fell still.

Everyone heaved for breath in the silence. Jimin spoke from the corner, voice trembling. “Is he…did he…”

“He’s not dead,” Soonja said. “But if you don’t get him into his true nest within the hour I guarantee you he will be.”

***

“Everyone in,” Namjoon said, gesturing with his head to herd his mates into the little building where the witches’ pit circle resided. Jungkook was sure he would have physically moved them if he weren’t already cradling Yoongi in his arms; the vampire’s protective instincts seemed to be in overdrive. “Hurry.”

“Namjoon-ssi,” Hwaja told him gently, as the 5 of them crammed into the small space with 6 other witches hustling to prepare the circle for travel as quickly as possible. “We’re not ready for you yet.”

“I understand that, but respectfully, I can’t handle any of them being out of my sight or in the open, so we’ll stay out of your way but we’re not leaving. As soon as that circle’s ready we’re going through it. We don’t have time for a delay.”

Hwasa nodded, a little tersely. “Of course. Just please, stay back.”

Jungkook felt unsteady on his feet. It was better, now that he wasn’t moving, but the pain of his hand was still so intense he could hardly think. 

No one had noticed yet. They’d been rushed out of the makeshift nest so quickly that no one bothered to ask him why he looked like he was in shock, or why he’d carried the blanket with him, bunched up against his chest for stability and secrecy. And that’s what it needed to be, right now—a secret. If Jungkook kept them from leaving on time because he was being treated, then Yoongi would die, and it would be his fault.

Not even Jimin had noticed. He was still getting used to his magic’s new role in how he experienced other people’s emotions, and without Jungkook’s pain and distress slamming into him like a train, like it would have before, he probably just thought the experience was traumatizing. And to be fair, it was. But also, Jungkook felt like he might throw up from the pain at any second, and that might be a problem.

It could at least wait until Yoongi was home. Until he’d fed. That was what this was all for, so his Hyung could be okay.

“Which runes are to be completed?” someone asked distantly. “To the half-line?”

“The third,” another responded. “And the accessory symbols.”

Accessory symbols. That sounded funny. He imagined them carving a little purse and hat into the stone. Then he began to tilt.

A stone wall caught him, heavy against his shoulders and jolting him so hard he whimpered. Fuck. Fuck, it hurt. Everything hurt, but really only his hand, but also everything. He felt sick.

“Jungkook-ah?” That was Jimin. He sounded weird. Concerned. “Are you okay?”

He nodded. He was. Until they stepped through that portal, he had to be.

Except he wasn’t. And Jimin could tell, because now that he was looking Jungkook up and down, he must have been able to see his distress. The vacant look in his eyes, the sweat dripping down his brow. 

“Holy shit,” Jimin choked suddenly, and—that didn’t make sense, because he’d already figured out that Jungkook was in pain, so why was he so upset? 

“Hyung. Hyung, he’s bleeding. The blanket.”

Jungkook looked down, and saw that the fabric he’d first used to protect, then to hide, was so saturated with blood that it had seeped to the outside layer and begun dripping on the floor.

That was why, then.

Someone tried to pull the blanket away from him, but it jostled his hand so hard that Jungkook’s knees buckled from the pain. Luckily Jimin caught him, lowered him down slowly. His own blood that had pooled on the floor soaked into his jeans. Warm, and wet, and sticky. Jungkook didn’t like it. 

“What the hell happened,” Namjoon breathed, hands hovering over Jungkook’s body like he wasn’t sure how to touch him without hurting him. “Baby, talk to me.”

“It’s fine,” Jungkook giggled breathlessly, a little deliriously. “It’s fine. It’s just my hand. It got bumped. I’m fine. Yoongi-hyung needs to go home. Can we take him home first?”

This only made Namjoon more worried. “Someone get Soonja.” A pair of footsteps scurried out the door and there was yelling outside. 

“You’re not holding him,” Jungkook breathed.

“What? Baby—”

“You’re not holding him. He’s gonna die, you gotta take him home.”

“He’s right here,” Namjoon had to catch his attention and slowly point to where Yoongi was curled up against the wall, Taehyung by his side. “He’s still with us. I’m worried about you, baby. Let me see your hand.”

Jungkook shook his head, again and again. “No. No,” he begged, “It hurts. I don’t want to.”

Namjoon only shushed him gently. “I know sweetheart. Hold on. Hyung’s gonna fix it.” And he carefully began to unwrap the blanket.

Everything stopped moving, time stopped ticking, all Jungkook felt was pain. He thought maybe he screamed, but it sounded so distant he couldn’t be sure. He knew he was crying, that was certain. But he tried not to, because the hands touching him were so gentle and so apologetic as they untangled his fingers.

But then the crimson-soaked blanket was cast aside, and his hand was free and laying limp in his lap. Jungkook looked down, and stared blankly. Everyone else gasped.

His hand was battered . Black and blue, bent at strange angles. One of his fingers looked as though it was hanging limp, no bones at all. Which meant—they were there, but so shattered they couldn’t support it. And most concerning of all, Jungkook realized, was the stream of blood that pulsed in time with his heartbeat, coming directly from his wrist where a shard of his own bone cut him deep.

“Oh,” he said. Then: “Hyung. I think I’m bleeding.”

Namjoon’s only response was to yell for Soonja once more.

She finally came sprinting through the door, heavy breathing. “I’m sorry, I was gathering supplies to send with you. Who was scr—” She cut off when she saw Jungkook, who was sitting very, very still.  Then she dropped to her knees and began to pull out tools and bandages. “What happened?”

“I don’t know,” Namjoon said. He sounded panicked. There were too many people to take care of on his own, and all of them were falling apart or on death’s door.

But Jimin had an idea, and he spoke up. “He said he got bumped. I think it was crushed by Yoongi’s head, during the seizure.”

Soonja sucked in a breath. “How many times was it hit?”

“Can’t remember,” Jungkook said. “I was all blurry. Like now. Why can’t I think?”

“Because you’re in a lot of pain, and your body is trying to protect you. You’ve lost blood too, more than I’d like to see. I’m going to cauterize this artery here, it got nicked—hey, Jungkook-ssi, stay with me please. Are you listening?” His head had started to tilt to the side to watch the witches drawing. He liked to draw. But he didn’t know how to draw witch stuff. Maybe someone would teach him if he asked nicely. 

“He’s in shock,” Soonja muttered. “I’m going to cauterize this, Namjoon-ah; we have to stop the bleeding—I’ll use magic too, so it won’t be permanently damaged. Keep him still.”

“I did,” Jungkook cut in. “I did keep him still. Like you told me to.”

She paused, mournful hesitation. 

It was Jimin who spoke up. “You did exactly right, baby. You’re so good.”

Jungkook’s shoulders relaxed at the praise, and Soonja used magic to heat the tip of an instrument that looked like a medieval torture device disguised as a surgical tool. He, predictably, whined and tried to flinch as she approached, but of course—Namjoon was there. “Baby boy, be brave for me. It’ll be over in a second, okay?”

Then there was heat and pain and nothing as he blinked out of consciousness.

Out, in, out, in. Jungkook flickered, and when he found himself alert again, he was tucked in Jimin’s lap, bandages covering his left hand and wrist. “Sorry,” he said automatically.

“Why are you sorry?” Jimin asked, sounding exhausted. 

Jungkook couldn’t remember. “I want to go home.”

“Suck on this,” Soonja told him, popping a bundle of tightly wrapped leaves between his lips. “Don’t chew. It’ll dull the pain.”

“They’re almost done, sweetheart,” Namjoon soothed, hand reaching out to brush Jungkook’s hair out of his face. “Just a few minutes and we’ll be home.”

“Did I do good?”

“Yeah, honey, you did.”

“How long will he be disoriented?” Jimin asked quietly.

Soonja grimaced. “The bundle I gave him should help with that—there’s some magically infused plants that should encourage rapid blood regeneration as well as mental clarity, but the main element is pain relief. Give it 5 minutes to kick in and he should be coherent.”

“I wish we could call Hyungs,” Jimin said. “I miss them. They’d want to know what’s happening.”

“I’m afraid technology is spotty around magic…it’s unfortunate, but you’ll likely have to wait until you arrive at the house.”

“They’ll be so happy to see us,” Namjoon reassured. Jungkook thought they’d probably just be scared, once they saw his mangled hand, and the way Tae couldn’t do anything now but cry and sleep, and how Yoongi was seconds from death. He thought maybe later, after everyone was okay, then it would be the happy reunion Namjoon was hoping for.

It turned out in the end, neither of them was right. Because once the portal was completed and the injured and sick among them had been helped through, there were no hyungs that came rushing into the living room to welcome them home. There was no tearful reunion, no kissing or scolding. The hyungs weren’t there at all, actually.

They were greeted only by a silent house. A wrecked house, with furniture upturned and pictures torn down and everything swept onto the floor in shards and piles. A door, hanging off its hinges. And a message on the wall that read:

“Give my Darling back to me by nightfall or all of you will die.”

Jungkook, the Darling in question, screamed, and the house screamed with him.

Chapter Text

The crash was deafening.

The ground shook, walls cracked, windows shattered. Power swelled from Jungkook like a tsunami of anguish, wrecking everything in its path; his scream was foaming around the edges and filled with stinging salt, riptide dragging the living under the surface. He wanted to go under, too. He wanted to fill his lungs with preemptive seawater in hopes it would sink him to the depths where he’d never, ever be found. 

His voice cracked, faltered—and as it gave out, the tide of his magic retreated, low, low, quiet. Still. Everything was still.

“Jungkook-ah?”

Jungkook heard the call. But his gaze was stuck, locked onto the words on the wall. Give my Darling back. Give my Darling back. Give my Darling back. Give my Darling back. Give my Darling back. Give my Darling back. Give my Darling back. Give my Darling back. Give my Darling back. Give me—give. Darling. Jungkook. Give me Jungkook. He’s mine.

All of you will die.

“Is everyone okay?”

All of you will die.

“I’m fine. We both are,” Jimin said shakily. Taehyung was tucked under Jimin’s arm.

Jungkook was the eye of a hurricane, a small island among the wreckage; the further from his huddled frame, the worse the destruction lay. His perfect stillness felt a little like overcompensation. A little like apology. But mostly like penetrating, terrible fear.

It ate at him from the inside out, wet hardwood of his skeleton drooping and sagging with rot. That’s what this was. Rot. Jungkook felt sick, diseased, and he ached to dig marrow from every part of him that had been touched: as if he could pretend any part of him was untouched, as if he could pretend bloody fingernails and scattered sun-bleached bones cresting on the waves could ever rid him of a sickness synonymous with breathing. 

No. The fear, the sickness…he was built from it. It rattled in his hollows now, just as strongly as it had that very first time, and the second, and every time after that. And Jungkook thought, with the ghost of a hysterical smile possessing his lips—he was never, ever going to be able to outrun this. He never had a chance.

Give me back. My Darling.

He couldn’t go back. He couldn’t.

“Jungkook-ah.” The fortress of debris wasn’t enough to keep Namjoon away. Glass crunched under rubber as he approached, but Jungkook still flinched at the soft touch to his cheek, even before it was deserved: “Darling—” 

He cut himself off, but the pet name still crashed over Jungkook like a sickening premonition. Some sick, literary parallel of a narrative he never wanted to be a part of. An ending everyone saw coming except him. 

“Talk to me,” Namjoon said. “How do you feel?”

Like this was the end of his story.

***

Seokjin and Hoseok were alive.

They were currently on the phone with Jimin, who’d nearly started to cry when he heard their voices. The house was fine when they’d left only two hours prior to obtain final components for the wards, they explained. No activity on the property, not even surrounding it. Whatever had been done—whatever Jaesung had done here—was recent. He knew when the vampires would be leaving, he knew how to get in, and he knew the others would be home soon after. 

He knew exactly how to rip apart the fragile tapestry of safety that Jungkook had sewed together with unsteady stitching.

A phone was pressed to his ear. He didn’t reach up to hold it himself, but it didn’t matter, because Jimin was there to do it for him.

“My sweet boy.” Seokjin’s voice came through the speaker, and something in Jungkook cracked.

“Hyung,” he said, voice cracking. “I think I broke your house.”

Seokjin laughed, soft and sad. “It needed redecorating, anyway.”

“I’m scared,” Jungkook said.

“Of course you are. But you’re not alone.”

“I think this is the part in the story where I’m supposed to be heroic and sacrifice myself,” Jungkook said. “But I don’t want to. And I don’t want you to die. I don’t want anyone to die. Except me. I’d rather die than go back to him.”

“No one is dying, my love,” Seokjin soothed. “Namjoon is checking the house and perimeter, but he’ll stay close enough to hear you. Hoseok and I are safe, and we’ll be by your side within the hour, we just need to make it back to the nearest portal. Taehyung is safe in the nest now; Yoongi is too. And Jimin is going to feed him.” Jungkook didn’t know when all of this had been decided. Maybe he’d been a little more disconnected than he’d realized. “And you, my dearheart, my angel, are surrounded by people who would never, ever let you do something as stupid and pointless as sacrifice yourself. Do you understand? Every one of us is going to make it out of this, hand in hand, and Jaesung is going to burn.”

“Okay,” Jungkook said. He felt small.

“You stay with Jimin. Promise me. You stay put.”

“I promise.”

“Good.” Hoseok said something from the background on the other end of the line, and Seokjin sighed. “We have to go, baby, we’re losing signal but we need to keep moving so we can get home. Hyungs love you. Be safe, and be smart.”

“Bye, Hyung,” Jungkook whispered. And the line went dead.

***

Yoongi was shaking. 

Shaking was better than the way he’d been limp and pale, before. Now back in the nest, Yoongi was showing signs of life, and even though Jimin had hardly been able to coax him into five mouthfuls of blood before he slumped back down into unconsciousness, five mouthfuls was better than nothing. Taehyung, too, seemed better now that he was home.

Jungkook paced, and paced, and paced. 

“We’re safe,” Jimin reminded him, unwilling to approach after the last time Jungkook shrugged him away. “Please, baby, just come sit with me.”

How could he relax? If Jaesung was here…if he was waiting outside. If Namjoon chose the wrong part of the property to search first. If their enemies were undetectable. If Yoongi started to seize again. If the meager blood Yoongi drank wasn’t enough to stop his death. If Taehyung died too. If Jimin died. If Namjoon died. If Seokjin and Hoseok were killed before making it to the portal. If Jungkook was as good as dead. If he was about to be worse than dead. If. If. If. If. 

“I can feel you spiraling,” Jimin pleaded.

“Then stop feeling,” Jungkook snapped.

“Please, just…” 

Jimin didn’t even believe the reassurances he was giving. Jungkook didn’t need empathy magic to know that. And despite the way his words were coming out, Jungkook didn’t blame him for that optimism. He didn’t blame Seokjin for it, either. He just couldn’t bring himself to believe that every single one of them would be making it out of this unscathed, and hearing it over and over again…

Once more, Jimin stepped forward, reaching out as if to give Jungkook a hug, but Jungkook flinched, backing away.

“I need to piss,” he muttered, and escaped to the bathroom down the hallway, trying very hard to ignore the guilt saturating his being at the sight of Jimin’s panicked face. They weren’t supposed to separate. But he needed a second alone. Just one fucking second to breathe. Energy was building underneath his skin, tingling and restless, and it felt like he was going to suffocate if he stayed in that room any longer.

He splashed his face with freezing cold water from the bathroom tap, then gripped the sink with his right hand, cradling his left hand close to his body. It was already pulsing with pain again, but at least it was dull. Not like before. He wondered how much longer he’d have before the medicine would wear off entirely.

Jungkook looked in the mirror, tracking the heaving movement of his chest until his breaths gradually slowed, and his head cleared. He looked terrible. His clothes were wet, covered in a gruesome mixture of his own blood and whatever Yoongi had vomited onto him. His hair was stringy; he hadn’t stopped dripping sweat since the moment they’d walked into the house. Clothing that had once fit him like a glove now hung loosely from his frame. 

He looked haunted. Or rather, he was haunted. By memories…possibilities…it didn’t matter which. Jungkook’s body was no longer his own. It hadn’t been for a very long time.

Cool water dripped down his neck as he wiped away blood from the sunken hollows of his face. Red turned to pink turned to clear, and the rivulets looked like tears, and then he was crying, actually crying. Sobbing, until his chest hurt and his lungs couldn’t gasp in enough air, and he sunk down the wall into the smallest shape of a person he could become.

He cried until his eyes were dry, and then he sat in the stillness even longer.

When he emerged from the bathroom, the house was eerily quiet. No sign of Namjoon or Seokjin or Hoseok. His feet left impressions in the plush carpet behind him, slowly marking his pathway back to apology. 

Jimin didn’t deserve to be snapped at. He must have been just as terrified as Jungkook was; he could see that logically now, after his moment of catharsis. It was cruel to push him away, and he needed to know Jungkook saw him. Understood him.

Jungkook didn’t get to give that apology, because the space where Jimin had occupied—the chair next to the nest where Yoongi and Taehyung slept peacefully—was empty. Jimin wasn’t there.

Terror shot straight down his spine, hands trembling. “Jimin-hyung,” he called. “Hyung! Hyung, where are you!”

Jungkook ran, his breath coming in gasps. He screamed for Jimin, and for Namjoon, and for Seokjin and Hoseok, and even for the fledglings, who he knew would not wake up. He screamed for anyone to come, because Jimin was gone, and it was his fault for leaving him alone. And yet no one and no answer came. 

The house lay still and silent.

“He never did taste as sweet as you did, Darling,” a voice sighed in Jungkook’s head. “But he’ll do as an appetizer.”

***

What used to be fear somehow gave way to the hottest fury Jungkook had ever experienced. “Where the fuck is he?”

“With me,” Jaesung said. “It was a little too easy, honestly. Stole a few components so that your pair of bloodsucking headaches would leave the grounds. Indulged in a little graffiti. Occupied your caretaker with a false trail, and blocked the natural soundscape to create my own: his precious nestmates safe and sound at home. Then, when you left our lovely Jimin behind, it was all too easy to make him think you were in trouble. Out the door, into my arms.” Jaesung’s voice dripped with saccharine arrogance. “I’ve heard your screams so many times that recreating them was second nature.”

Jungkook’s entire body was shaking. He was numb. “How do I even know he’s with you? What if you’re tricking me too?”

“So untrusting,” he sighed. “Look outside, Darling, and you’ll see.”

Jungkook took an unsteady step towards the front door, then another, and then he was running. He flung the door wide open, scanning the horizon.

Jaesung was there, at the treeline. In his arms was Jimin. Limp.

“Fuck you.”

“Your move, Darling,” Jaesung told him. 

“You won’t hurt him. You won’t hurt any of them. Promise me.”

“It’s you I want.”

Jungkook had already cried his tears. He’d already mourned this moment a thousand times in his head. There was nothing left to do. He gave a silent apology to the rest of his coven. It was almost a happy ending. They were so close.

He walked out of the front door, crossed the clearing, and followed Jaesung as he slipped into the web of trees ahead.

***

Jaesung looked…different.

Jungkook had imagined this moment every time he closed his eyes. He always pictured the vampire he’d known in his captivity. Composed and calculated. Well-groomed. Imposing. Arrogant to a fault, and unwilling to drop decorum even in the midst of heinous acts.

Jaesung, as he stood in front of Jungkook now, was crazed.

His hair was matted and brittle, sticking up as if he hadn’t bathed in days. He was covered in dirt and blood stains. His skin was so pale it almost appeared translucent. The way his eyes bulged from his head made it look as though he were being squeezed around the middle and there was nowhere else for them to escape from. He looked dangerously thin, and Jungkook wondered if he’d been starving since the day the Hyungs tore apart his compound.

Jaesung held a claw at the pulsing artery in Jimin’s neck, and he grinned, displaying the loss of several of his once-pristine teeth.

“I knew you’d come,” he crooned, expression softening into something disturbingly fond as soon as Jungkook was close enough for him to scent. He stuck his nose up into the air, inhaling a long draft. His eyes rolled back, blissful. “It’s always been you. Fuck the others, they taste like dirt, Jungkook, my Darling, but you—you’re the elixir I’ve been craving.”

“You said you’d let him go,” Jungkook said, voice trembling. “What did you do to him? Is he—?”

“He is only sleeping,” a new voice came from behind Jungkook, and he spun around to face them. “I made sure of it.”

The figure in front of Jungkook was tall and willowy, moving with inhuman grace as it paced leisurely from one tree to the next. It phased through the tree, and came out the other side, as if it had been a mere inconvenience in its path instead of a solid object bound by the laws of the world. It looked…bored.

“The fae,” Jungkook swallowed. “The reason you’ve made it this far.”

“We are called many things,” they allowed. “That is one of them. And what are you called?”

“You’ve already heard my name. You just want it freely given,” Jungkook said.

The fae smiled faintly. “What use is a stolen name?”

“What use is stolen intimacy?” Jungkook spit.

“Some would say…power.”

“And you?” 

“I have all the power I need.”

Jungkook glanced at Jimin. He was trying to get something, anything useful out of the fae, but the longer Jimin was here, the more danger he was in. He needed something concrete, and fast. “So you decided to lend your services to a rapist and murderer?”

“He is no friend of mine,” the fae sighed. “He simply holds the power of a name.”

That was his in. Jaesung had gained an unwilling ally. “Then let us go,” Jungkook pleaded. “Please, you don’t have to do this.”

Jaesung giggled, a maniacal, unnerving sound that grew and grew until it spilled across his lips like vomit. “He has to. You don’t understand, Darling, he has to. The name in power is mine, that of my father, and my father’s father, who granted this wretched creature a favor. The debt was never paid, and now I am collecting. I am collecting my treasure, the one piece of my collection I missed most of all.” He licked his lips.

Jungkook felt sick. “You’re—you’re fucking delusional. You can’t get anyone to love you so you warp the world around you until it accommodates a fantasy. No one will ever feel anything for you but hatred. You can collect me and put me on display and I will wish you were dead every day for the rest of my miserable life. Fuck you. Fuck you, fuck you! ”

It was a mistake. The words fell out of his mouth before he could consider the repercussions, but he was faced with them immediately. 

“I own you,” Jaesung roared, anger and desperation pouring out of him in almost tangible waves. “I will make you want me. I will warp not only the world but your mind, until you need me. Like I need you. Need, need, I need it, Darling, you don’t understand—you’re like nothing I’ve ever tasted. You were made for me. I don’t care about the rest of them. My coven abandoned me, my fledglings beheaded, only me and my little human blood bags. But they tasted like shit,” he screamed, stepping forward, closer to Jungkook and dragging Jimin’s form along with him, uncaring of how close his razor sharp nails were to ending a life. “They tasted—Darling, please understand. You’re it for me. You’re what I need. I can’t drink from them anymore. It’s only you. You’re mine. You’ve always been mine. And I’ll—I’ll warp whatever the fuck I need to to make that happen.”

“Stop, you’re going to hurt him,” Jungkook begged, eyes glued to Jimin’s throat. “Please. I understand. I—I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

“You will be,” Jaesung said, and moved as if to slice—

“ Please!” Jungkook said, throwing himself on the ground, crawling towards the creature of his night terrors. “Please, just take me with you. You can drink now, won’t that be good? You missed it, right?” Jungkook pulled back the edge of his bandage, still soaked in blood. “Don’t you smell how good it will be? I’ll go with you, and I won’t fight it, you can have me. You must be so hungry.” Jungkook was shaking. He couldn’t look up, couldn’t see if he was too late. “Please, leave him here, and we’ll go somewhere private. Me and you. Your—y-your darling is here. Please. Let’s go, now.”

Jimin’s body dropped to the forest floor.

Jungkook gasped, no air in his lungs, and he lunged at his hyung—

Breathing. Still breathing. He was alive. Jimin was okay.

“I always knew you’d come around, Darling,” Jaesung whispered into Jungkook’s ear, suddenly close, tongue flicking out to taste the blood pumping under his skin.

“Take me away from here,” Jungkook said, voice hoarse. Chest hollow.

Every step away from home was a step safer for Jimin. For all of them. That’s all he needed to know. 

Jungkook walked away, and he didn’t look back.

***

“Almost, almost,” Jaesung muttered, tugging unceremoniously on Jungkook’s arm again. “Almost there, almost there.”

“You said that 20 minutes ago,” Jungkook muttered. “We’re going in circles. That’s the same tree we passed before.” He was starting to get dizzy. The pain medicine was nearly gone, and he felt…disoriented. Tired. He just wanted to sit down.

“Darling, my Darling, you are unhelpful,” Jaesung spit. “Fae bastard, you are unhelpful. All of you are fucking useless, complaining, complaining. Fae, make a portal, I am thirsty. I wish to partake. Now, now, now. ”

“I cannot make a portal on a coven’s lands,” the fae informed him, still drifting lazily along behind the two of them. “It is not possible.”

Jungkook tripped, and barely managed to catch himself without wrecking his broken hand. He rolled over and stared at the tiny windows of sky between foliage. So fucking tired. He just wanted to rest.

“Up, up, up!” Jaesung said. “Get up!”

“The human is weak.” The fae said it as if it were an insult, but all Jungkook could feel was gratitude. “Perhaps you should determine the correct direction before forging forward.”

Jaesung was leaning over Jungkook suspiciously, swaying. Jungkook looked him directly in the eyes, begged, “Please. Just let me rest. I said I’ll go with you to—to keep them safe. I will. But I need to rest, just for a minute.”

A scuff of leaves told Jungkook that Jaesung had kicked at the ground in frustration. “I am weak, I am weak. Darling is weak.” Jungkook hadn’t even considered why he wasn’t being physically carried—any of his Hyungs could have done so with vampire strength, no problem. But Jaesung, if he was to be believed, hadn’t drank any blood since Jungkook was rescued. 

If Jaesung really was that weak, maybe Jungkook had a chance to fight back. He just…he just needed a minute. He needed to get his head clear, and push past the pain shooting up his arm.

He wished he could access his powers. It would be so simple; such a quick ending to this nightmare. But he couldn’t. The fae was blocking him somehow. No matter how hard he tried, the spark just…wasn’t there.

“Get up,” Jaesung decided, “you cannot rest here. You can rest when we are safe. When we are far away from here.”

Jungkook groaned as he was hauled back to his feet, stumbling forward. They set off, slow pace but steady, never free of the ice cold grip on his good wrist.

“You take too many liberties with those who have fae blood coursing through their veins,” the fae said, and they sounded almost…disapproving? Jungkook blinked in confusion before realizing they meant Jungkook.

Jungkook spoke: “He always has. He only took people like me to be his nestlings. People with fae ancestry. He could hurt us worse, drain us empty. We’d heal like other humans wouldn’t.”

The fae frowned, and stopped moving, seemingly disturbed.

Jaesung glared at them both. “Shut up. Shut up, shut up!” He was becoming more deranged the longer Jungkook spent by his side; it was obvious in the way he could barely string sentences together anymore. Was Jungkook’s blood really that distracting? “You can’t care about what I did before the contract! ‘I will cause you no lasting physical harm,’ Fae Bastard, those are the terms! And the only one I’ve touched since then is the little bitch we traded. No lasting damage, get over it.” His voice lilted into an uncomfortable song that echoed in the wide open space around them.

Jungkook didn’t understand. If the terms of their contract were that Jaesung couldn’t cause lasting harm to the fae he’d dealt with, why would it matter what he’d done to Jimin?

“The fae are one. You hurt one, and you hurt all,” they said. A loophole of sorts, built into the contract.

“Well then it’s a good fucking thing I didn’t kill the spare then, huh?”

Jungkook’s stomach dropped. 

Jaesung was never going to kill Jimin. He was never even going to hurt him, not seriously. He couldn’t have done so without breaking the fae contract and losing access to all the power he needed to get Jungkook.

And Jungkook walked directly into his hands, anyway.

***

The cave hosting Jaesung’s portal was situated in an overhang of soil, sand, and rock. It was small enough to miss, unless you were looking for it. Jungkook wondered if the Hyungs knew it existed, or if they would track Jungkook’s scent here long after he’d disappeared and discover it then. Maybe they could hold a sort of funeral service for him, here in the forest. That would be nice. Candles and flowers, and maybe something good to eat, like samgyeopsal.

He didn’t let himself feel hopeful that they might find him someday. The fae would shield his location, no matter how hard they tried. And more truthfully, he didn’t expect to be alive long enough to be there even if they did. He’d had the thought countless times before, and it only rang more true now—he would die before he’d live a life with Jaesung, and he’d do it by his own hand if he had to. A funeral would be better for everyone. They’d get closure.

Jungkook was still pondering these macabre thoughts when the first blurry form tackled Jaesung.

“Get down!” someone yelled, and Jungkook dropped before he even registered the voice—Namjoon, it was Namjoon, they were here— It was Namjoon, and Hoseok, and Seokjin had been the one to take down Jaesung, and Jimin was there a ways off, looking exhausted but okay, and—

Fuck. They shouldn’t be here. They shouldn’t— “Run!” Jungkook screamed, lifting his face from the dirt to make himself heard. “Go back, please! ”

But it was too late.

Simultaneously, four figures dropped to the ground, paralyzed as if they’d been frozen in time. The fae waved a hand, and all four of them floated until they were arranged in a neat line, one after the other in front of the cave’s entrance.

Jungkook scrambled to his feet, running to them. No one stopped him. Jaesung was too weak to use his aura, and it didn’t matter anyway, because they knew he couldn’t stop it. He had no powers. His hyungs had no powers. 

And now, they were here. In a makeshift execution line, with Jungkook front and center to watch it all.

He knelt in front of their bodies, arms outstretched, and he begged. He begged, and tears streamed down his face, because he already knew what was coming. “Please. Please, no, you can’t. Just let them go, please, I-I-I said I’d go with you—”

“I’m losing my fucking patience !” Jaesung shouted, and he was approaching fast, looking ruined, dirt smeared across his face. “I won you fair and square, and they dare fucking interrupt? I want—I wanted to make our reunion special, Jungkook!” Somehow, hearing his name, in this moment, was even worse than a nickname could have been. “And they’re ruining it! They’ve ruined everything! They took you from me!”

Jungkook couldn’t get words out through the sobs wracking his figure. He reached for his magic, instinctive. Still, nothing but a wall.

“My beautiful nestling, my darling, Jungkook,” Jaesung crooned, eyes wide. His cheek was torn open where it had skid across the ground. “Don’t cry, Darling, not for them. They only hurt you. Taking you from me. Do you understand? Do you understand now? It was always their fault.”

“Please,” Jungkook choked. “We can go, we can run away together, they won’t ever—ever follow, I promise! It’ll be the t-two of us, I’ll be yours!”

“Just let me take care of the pests, and then I’m all yours,” Jaesung said, pulling a silver knife from his pocket. “The spare can’t be harmed, so we’ll bring him along. The others…you’ll be better without them looming in your memory.”

“No, please!”

“Shhh,” Jaesung said. “It’ll be over soon. Just close your eyes and stay put. I don’t want you getting hurt.”

Jungkook’s devastation swelled, and swelled, and then froze. 

Getting…hurt. 

Jimin wasn’t the only one whose blood would void the contract. 

The silver knife plunged towards Seokjin’s body, and Jungkook threw himself in its path.

For a moment, the world was still. Then, in a brilliant shattering wave of power, the fae screamed. It was anguish, and destruction, and Jungkook knew without being told—the deal that Jaesung sold his soul for was no more.

Jungkook coughed, and blood spattered across Jaesung’s face, into his gaping mouth. “No, no, NO!” He screamed. His hands released the knife, and he stumbled backwards.

Jungkook felt power flood into his body, returned where it had been held hostage, and he sent it all, every last drop, into Jaesung. Every ounce of hatred, of misery, of terror, it flooded the air around his tormentor, surrounding him. When the vampire was suffocated, drowning in Jungkook’s magic, it squeezed, clamped down the air until it was denser than the sun, and pulled inward. 

“Try to touch my Hyungs now, asshole.”

Jungkook watched in resigned satisfaction as Jaesung’s screaming head collapsed upon itself, crushing down into a compact mass of blood and shattered bone, and then fell motionless onto the ground.

It was over. Jungkook’s head lolled backwards, and once again, he stared up at the sky. Beautiful. When Seokjin’s horrified face blocked the view, his thoughts didn’t change. Always so, so beautiful.

“You’re okay,” Jungkook said. “Thought you…thought you were gonna die, Hyung.”

“No sweetheart, I’m not gonna die. No one’s gonna die,” Seokjin said breathlessly. His hands shook as he held pressure around the knife without dislodging it. “Fuck, you’re gonna be okay, just stay with me.”

“We need to get him to a hospital,” Namjoon said. “He’s—fuck.”

Jungkook’s eyes fluttered. “Hey,” he said, “aren’ you proud of me? Didn’ even pass out this time. After….powering. Using ‘em. I’m getting stronger now, right?”

Jimin answered this time, tears streaming out of his eyes. “Yeah, you’re strong. You saved us, you’re so strong.”

“I can hear the fledglings. They’re coming. They’re going to see him—”

“They’re not going to see anything, because he’s going to be fine. ”

“He needs a hospital, fuck. A healer, healing magic. Can we get—”

“She wouldn’t make it in time.”

It all felt distant. The voices surrounding him were so far away, so desperate. He didn’t like hearing his hyungs upset. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up, but—

Jungkook gasped, panicked. “Knife. There’s—Hyung, d’you see it? There’s—I’m—”

“Shh. I know, shhh,” Seokjin said, “Sweetheart, you need to lay back down.”

But there was a knife sticking straight out of his chest, and it hurt, fuck it hurt so badly. He reached for it, to get it out, now, he needed it out.

Jimin took his hands captive, lacing their fingers together. Jungkook thrashed against the hold. Why wouldn’t they let him take it out? “Please, it hurts! No more! I was good, please!”

Hands brushed hair off his forehead, and Jungkook pressed into their tender touch. “I know, Hyung knows it hurts. I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”

The forest spun. Jungkook inhaled the scent of fresh pine needles, and dirt, and blood, and he tried not to cry. He cried anyway. “I’m scared. I’m s-scared.”

“You don’t need to be. Hyungs are here to take care of you, right? Don’t worry, baby, Hyungs—fuck, Hyungs are here.”

“He’s fucking dying, and you won’t help him? He’s one of you! He’s fae, he’s dying, and it’s your fault! Fix him! Fucking fix him!” Hoseok shouted.

Jungkook’s face scrunched. “Loud,” he mumbled. Hands pet sweetly down his face, and he relaxed, though he realized—he couldn’t remember where he was. He couldn’t remember why everyone was scared, or why salty tears kept drip-dropping into the hollow of his neck. He just felt tired.

“Eyes open, baby, come on. Hold on for us, okay?”

“I cannot heal the human fae. His wound is fatal, and beyond my scope. Deal, or not. I am sorry.” A scream of frustration.

“The fledglings—”

“Jungkook!” A voice cut through the cacophony, and Jungkook gasped for air as two bodies nearly collided with him, jostling the knife. “What happened, why is he—”

“You shouldn’t be out of the nest,” Seokjin breathed, dismayed. “You shouldn’t have had to see this.”

“Yoongi-hyung,” Jungkook murmured. “Taehyungie-hyung.”

“What happened? Is he…oh my god. Jungkook-ah, no, you can’t—”

“Someone explain, please, tell me what the fuck just happened!”

“Jungkook!”

Someone shook his jaw firmly, and Jungkook’s eyes shot open. 

“Listen to me sweetheart,” Seokjin said, and Jungkook’s eyes floated across all the faces above him.

“My hyungs are here,” Jungkook choked out, accidentally coughing blood in a macabre fan spray across the people he loved the most. “Hi.”

“Focus, please, I need you to make a decision. Jungkook,” Seokjin snapped, “Eyes open!”

Jungkook whimpered. “I’m so tired.”

It was getting harder to see. His vision was fading black around the edges, periphery shrinking until there was only a single face.

“Jungkook,” Seokjin said, looking more heartbroken than he’d ever seen before. “I’m going to turn you. I’m going to save your life. Do I have your permission?”

Jungkook blinked, once again remembering the knife in his chest. “I don’t want to die, please,” he said. 

And then he inhaled, and blood filled his lungs, and they finally, finally let him sleep.