Work Text:
Almost since Changbin first appeared at Hyunjin’s door, drenched by the unforgiving downpour of a summer storm and asking for a phone to call a tow truck for his old car, which had just decided that it was time for retirement, Hyunjin imagined an eternity with him.
It was strange to feel so strongly drawn to someone else, human or vampire, that quickly and, reluctant to act on his own feelings, Hyunjin settled for just helping Changbin for the night. He offered him a warm bath and a cozy bed to spend the night in. He rummaged in the small kitchen, where he knew some of his employees kept some basics, and offered his guest a can of tuna and a spoon.
Once Changbin was off the door the next morning, so early that the sun was barely hinting at coming up, they exchanged farewells and Hyunjin thought that was the end of it. Well, it was fun while it lasted, even if he’d miss the soft curls and the glasses.
It only took a couple of nights before he was proven wrong. Changbin called at his door with a bouquet in hand. It was a way to thank Hyunjin for his help, he’d said.
Without even realizing, they fell into a pleasant routine. Changbin would show up at his door, right after having dinner, and they would spend the late hours of the evening together. Sometimes, Changbin would go home a couple of hours later; others, he stayed the night and left early in the morning. As Changbin said, he liked spending the night, but he hated leaving without being able to kiss Hyunjin goodbye. When asked, Hyunjin would vaguely talk about some crazy work hours that made him leave the house at ungodly hours, but he suspected that Changbin wasn’t completely buying his excuses. Changbin, however, didn’t ask further.
Time went by and their relationship solidified as much as it can when one is an unsuspecting human and the other is a vampire trying not to scare said human away. It started to occur to Hyunjin that this wasn’t a mere dent in his dating history, that he wouldn’t be able to break things off and disappear for a while when Changbin would inevitably notice how he wasn’t aging. He didn’t want to. He wanted to have Changbin by his side for as long as possible and that, with humanity in the equation, wouldn’t be enough.
That’s why Hyunjin started toying with the idea of turning Changbin, but first he needed to come clean and tell him what he was. It took him several attempts, chickening out at the last second, until he managed to spit it out with an unsteady voice and casting his eyes to the floor, fearing how Changbin would react.
“I’m a vampire, Changbin.”
“I’m glad you finally felt comfortable enough to tell me.”
His nonchalance had shocked Hyunjin. It was clear this wasn’t news for him, so he asked since when he’d known.
“Well, the fact that you offered me a single can of tuna and a spoon as a late night snack when we met was a bit weird, but never seeing you in the day of light, or eating, or sleeping, plus that garlic allergy so severe that you can’t even kiss me when I’ve eaten it hours ago, was a little tellin. Oh, and there was that time that I saw you brushing your teeth, I don’t think you realized, but your fangs were out.” He shrugged.
“You knew.” It wasn’t a question. “And you stayed.”
“Of course I did, Hyune…”
They shared an intimate, reassuring kiss, which was followed by a long list of questions from Changbin’s part that Hyunjin tried to answer to the best of his knowledge.
What Changbin didn’t ask, however, was to be turned.
A few years would pass before they had that conversation, even though it plagued both their minds. It wasn’t Hyunjin’s place to ask, and Changbin wasn’t sure he was ready to give up such a big part of his humanity. They tiptoed around the topic. Hyunjin would occasionally mention people and things and places he missed from when he was human and Changbin would listen carefully to those little snippets, making him aware of his duty to cherish his life and his loved ones.
But human lives are fragile, and they easily bleed out. So, the choice was made for them.
It was really silly, actually. They’d been watching a movie while Changbin munched on some actual snacks. It was a peaceful night and, when Changbin went to wash the dishes, he dropped his glass and cut his wrist, a straight line between the two punctures that Hyunjin had left from feeding earlier that night.
Hyunjin’s fangs came out immediately at the sight of blood being spilled, his senses zeroing in the wound.
“Hyunjin…” It was barely a whisper, but it was enough to draw Hyunjin’s attention to Changbin’s face. His blood levels already depleated from Hyunjin’s feeding, he quickly started looking paler and paler, worry tinging his soft features and his eyebrows drawn together before all his face relaxed as he crumbled into Hyunjin’s arms.
Hyunjin licked and lapped at the wound, but blood just kept coming out with a slowing rhythm. He had to do something, and do it quickly.
He took a nearby washcloth to try to clog the wound, but the blood drenched it in minutes, seeping through the fabric. He discarded it carelessly and looked around. The phone, he could call an ambulance, but the nearest hospital was almost an hour away and, with Changbin already fainted, it seemed useless.
There was just one option and he cursed himself for not having discussed it with Changbin before.
“Please forgive me, my sweet love,” he said, before biting him in the jugular and letting his venom pour into his bloodstream and run through Changbin’s almost empty veins.
Changbin’s transformation was eerily quiet. They spent the rest of the night on the kitchen floor, Hyunjin holding him and whispering sweet nothings through the crimson tears that refused to stop pouring down his face and staining their clothes an even deeper red. Not long after the bite, Changbin’s heart stopped beating, and panic ran through Hyunjin’s body, shaking him to the core. It was part of the process, he knew it was meant to happen either way, but he felt guilt and sorrow take over him. What if Changbin didn’t want this? What if he’d been too late? He then swore to himself that he wouldn’t move until Changbin did. And, if that never happened, then he’d perish with the night under the morning rays of sunshine.
At first, Hyunjin thought he’d imagined it. Maybe a trick of his desperate mind, a wishful hallucination. But then it happened again. The tiniest twitch in Changbin’s eyelids. It was there, he saw it. And then once more.
“Changbin-ah…” he dared to speak, shattering the calm that had fallen upon them. His voice sounded foreign to himself, tainted by guilt and fear.
“Hyune… Is that you?” Changbin’s words spurred a refreshed flow of tears from Hyunjin, who started laughing a bit maniacally. “Why you laughing? What happened?”
Hyunjin gently shushed him, repeating soft words, promising he’d be alright, saying that he didn’t have anything to worry about for now, and kissed him all over his face until Changbin started gigging and asked for a truce.
“I’m thirsty,” Changbin said after a while. “Not for water, though.”
Hyunjin’s muscles tensed, not knowing what to say. He’d had the entire night to think of something, but he hadn’t dared to hope.
“You turned me, didn’t you?” Changbin said, opening his eyes and tilting his head just enough to look at Hyunjin.
“I’m so sorry, Changbin, you- you were bleeding out and-” Hyunjin couldn’t help the sobs that shake through his body. It’s pathetic, he’s not the one to mourn, it’s not about him.
Changbin gently shushes him.
“Hey, hey… I’m not mad.” When Hyunjin braves looking at him, he finds a soft smile. “Looking at the state of the kitchen, I’d say you didn’t have many options and… Well, I’d been thinking lately to ask you to do it anyway.” He raises a hand to caress Hyunjin’s cheek and tuck a strand of hair behind his ear. “I’m a bit sad, though, because I wanted it to be special, something to remember and celebrate. But I don’t think you’d want to remember all of this…” he says, pointedly looking at the gorey state of the kitchen.
Hyunjin snorts wetly and kisses his temple.
“I didn’t have a great time, no…” he chuckles, relief finally taking over his tired body.
Before the sun rises, Hyunjin feeds Changbin from one of his emergency bags. It settles him down enough to slumber with Hyunjin in his coffin. They’ve got a few difficult nights ahead while Changbin processes everything and learns how to be a vampire, how to feed and how to live with it, but Hyunjin feels lucky to be there for him. They have eternity to look forward to.