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How on earth did things end up like this?
It felt like he’d asked himself that question a dozen times, but each time he got no closer to the answer. He was still sitting in the cafeteria with you, bundled up in your scrubs and college hoodie, sipping on your soup and crackers and unable to keep the pink out of your cheeks. That particular shade of rose was very becoming on you, but Hoseok knew better than to think too much about that.
He was supposed to be a gentleman. What would his family say?
“It kills me that you never eat,” you mumbled from the other side of the table, smiling bashfully. Hoseok straightened immediately, descending into his typical nervous laughter around you.
Oh lord.
“I’m always one to have a big breakfast!” he assured you, smiling brightly and hoping it smothered up the way he wished he could push the loose strand of your hair back that you were too tired to notice. It killed him to see you work the double shifts like this – you looked like you were about to fall asleep in your supper. “And snacks. I’m quite the fan of snacks. I promise I have a healthy appetite.”
You looked up from under your eyelashes, returning his smile too sweetly. His heart, regardless of beating or not, ached at the very sight.
He definitely should not have agreed to joining you on your break.
“Remind me not to stick around when you’re hungry, then,” you teased, taking another spoonful of chicken noodle broth and licking your lips. “I don’t want to end up your next meal.”
The words sunk into Hoseok’s bones, slowly and painfully as they rang true. His tongue absently ran against the insides of his elongated canines, sharp and perfectly designed to harm you for his own gain. All at once, every passing daydream of being human, taking you out on dates, wooing you, being there for you when you got home tired from the long shifts, taking late night strolls and curling up on the couch to watch a movie – all of it bloomed and fizzled in his mind at once, replaced with the abhorrent image of his teeth sinking into your throat and lapping up the precious crimson that would taste like rubies to his tongue.
Hoseok tried to smile, and instead made himself focus on the warmth in your cheeks that he loved and cursed so much as he answered.
“I do not believe I want that either.”