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Chittaphon and Youngho have been friends since they were children. Youngho had lived in America up until he was five before he moved back to his parent’s home in Seoul. Chittaphon’s family arrived in Seoul as their new neighbors a week after their own arrival back. Youngho’s parent’s who were natives of the country took Chittaphon’s family under their arm to help settle them into the unfamiliar surroundings, customs and languages. That’s how Youngho and Chittaphon met. Though after the first introduction and discourse of each other’s names being too hard to pronounce they became known to each other as Johnny and Ten.
For the most part they hit it off. They start off communicating through the small English vocabularies they have. Eventually Ten picks up a better understanding of Korean and now they just use whatever language they start with. They find one thing to be easier said one way than another. It just works for them. Did they also mention that they became inseparable by the time they were in middle school? Well they are. Some say it's because they're neighbors and childhood friends others say it's because their "foreignness" bonded them. They're both not wrong but if you want the real truth you have to look back a bit.
Ten is eight when he royally fucks up. He's just a kid and being a vampire isn't a walk in the park. Yeah there's that whole thirsting for blood thing and sometimes it's a real pain in the ass to control. If there was anything Ten didn't really have it was control, neither in the self form or blood lust form. So maybe just maybe he's had a long day and just maybe for a split second he forgets he's in Johnny's room with the latter. In that split second something inside him decided to lunge forward and so he complied.
Johnny is a nonchalant kind of person so when Ten lurched forward he naturally moved to catch. What he didn't expect was to have two sharp teeth baring down into the location between his shoulder and neck. Before he could fully react to the situation Ten retracted from him . He was still sitting in the taller's lap, arms draped over the other's shoulders. Ten searched Johnny's face for a reaction, what he got was a dazed and confused look. It was enough to gravitate him back to reality. Realizing what he had done made tears form. He let one slip and then he just ended up full out balling in Johnny's arms.
Johnny took him into a gentle embrace. He let Ten sob and apologize over and over. His tears stained the already bloody collar of Johnny's shirt. Dry cleaning wasn't Johnny's most important thought at that time though. He wasn't angry at Ten, maybe upset that he had hid the whole vampire thing from him but he wasn't angry. He rubbed Ten's back calmly until the smaller settled. He let Ten confess and apologize once more before stopping him and telling him that it was alright. He told him nothing would hurt their friendship. Nothing could break it.
Johnny made it his duty after from that day on to protect Ten's identity. It wasn't like he wasn't already protecting him, Ten was a softy and he cried easily so naturally Johnny was readily defending him. The whole vampire thing just became a special addition to his task.
Now they're seventeen and nothing much has changed. Ten is still a cute, hyper vampire with zero control. Johnny is still his calm collected nonchalant kinda self. Except Johnny's gotten a lot weirder when it comes to Ten. It hasn't happened often but occasionally Ten bites him. Mostly when he's in desperate need and Johnny really can't say no. The weird part? Johnny has written down every time Ten's bitten him. To be exact he's bitten him nine times. He's kept it a secret this whole time.
Somewhere along the line the word friendship has a blurred meaning. They're not sure if friends sit that close or hold hands. No one is either. They do all these things that bends the once clear line into a zigzag.
When there are thunderstorms Ten comes into Johnny's apartment with the spare key and knocks on his bedroom door. It's probably the only time he's quiet. He's too afraid to speak or smile. Johnny takes him under the covers with him and pulls him close, he hums away the noises from outside. Ten just buries his nose deeper into Johnny's chest.
Occasionally Johnny takes Ten to the park to try and burn off some of Ten's abundant energy. He hold's the smaller boys hand tightly afraid he'll run off. Ten smiles the whole time. His smile is so bright and it warms Johnny's heart. Every time he smiles he feels inclined to pull the latter closer and hold him tight. Although if he did that Ten would complain that he can't point at all the things he wants to show Johnny. Like the different leaves he finds on the ground or how pretty the butterfly resting on the railing looks. He loves to show Johnny everything. Johnny loves everything Ten shows him.
Then there is that rare occasion where Johnny is unwell and Ten is an equal mess because he has no clue if he's doing anything right. He puts a cold cloth on Johnny's forehead after tucking him tightly under the covers. He'd ask Johnny's mom for help but she works all day and so does his dad. His parents are of no help because vampires don't really get sick. Johnny knows he tries his best and he doesn't ever do a bad job. Johnny loves when lays beside him and reaches a hand under the cover to hold his own. He loves when Ten thinks he's asleep because he gets to hear Ten softly call his name and tell him he'll keep doing his best to make him feel better. This is also one of the few times Ten is calm. He likes it but it makes him miss his rambunctious attitude.
Once again, vampires can't get sick but they can suffer in other ways. It's those moments that Johnny adds a tally to the bite list. Ten's parents leave for work over seas and Ten forgets to eat and it fucks him up pretty bad. Johnny can always tell right away.
Today it happens, Ten is an idiot and can't figure out he's starving himself till the last second when he almost passes out in Johnny's hallway.
"Ten! What th- OH. MY. GOD." Johnny catches him before he reaches the ground. "Tennnn I told you that you can't keep doing this to yourself it's not good for you."
"I'm sorry Johnny." Ten looks up with these puppy dog eyes and he's immediately forgiven. That's just how weak Johnny is for him.
"Mmm come on then." Johnny swoops Ten up into his arms and brings him to his room where he plops him onto his bed. He sits down on the bed too and pulls Ten into his lap, closeness has never been a problem for them not even in these moments.
"Your hoodie is in the way." Ten gently tugs at the neck of the sweater. He bites his own bottom lip soft enough not to draw but it's a sign that he's desperate.
Johnny sighs and pulls the hoodie over his head and oh wow did he no put a shirt on today? He in fact did not. Fortunately it's not awkward enough to make Ten turn him down. He can feel the ghost of Ten's breath on his neck and it sends shivers down his exposed spine. Being shirtless has made the moment more intimate for Johnny and he kind of likes it. He likes the way Ten places his petite hands on his shoulder and forearm. The way his slim frame fits neatly in his lap and against his body. He likes the way Ten takes his time, giving a small kiss to his neck and rubbing over his targeted area with his nose before biting down.
Ten sinks his fangs in deep, it hurts and Johnny knows that he's been needing this weeks ago. He sticks through the pain though because his body reacts pleasantly to it. He's so caught up in the moment he doesn't catch himself when he whispers out "Ten..."
It makes Ten pull from his neck and look at him in worry. "Did I hurt you?"
"Ahh no no!" Johnny's embarrassed now. "I-I was...counting, it's the tenth time you've bitten me." Johnny covered his flushed face with a hand.
"You've counted this whole time?" Ten slides Johnny's hand away from his face and looks him in the eye. "Why?"
"I don't know, to me-to me they were ugh... special moments. I just didn't want to forget them. If I kept track maybe I'd remember them all."
Ten cupped Johnny's face and whispered in his ear. "Ten...I'd bite you ten more times if it meant I was doing something special for you and not just for myself."
Johnny exhaled shakily as Ten drew back looking into his eyes. There was a dribble of blood on Ten's nose, probably from being startled mid bite and pulling back quickly. Johnny leaned forward and kissed the tip of his nose before dragging his lips over his cheekbone to his ear where he kissed every individual piercing Ten had. When he was done he gave Ten a true kiss. Full on the lips and chaste. Johnny could taste his own blood when he removed himself from Ten's lips and licked his own.
"That was for making it hurt."
Ten sat there shocked. He'd never felt something more satisfying than drinking blood. The way Johnny's lips felt on his own was startling but delightful. He reached up and ran a finger over his mouth. Out of curiosity he wrapped his arms around Johnny's neck, he waited for the later to recoil but he didn't. So he took the chance in initiating a kiss of his own. He tilted his head ever so slightly and connected with the taller.
Johnny pulled a hand around Ten's waist bringing him impossibly close and he brought his other up to card through Ten's hair. He parted his mouth and Ten followed in action. They didn't go further than using their lips but just Johnny tugging lightly at Ten's lower lip had them both breathless. Johnny sighed as Ten moved his lips back down to Johnny's neck where he licked at the blood staining the bite from a few minutes ago. He ran a hand over Johnny's bare and broad chest. He rushed it down his toned stomach feeling the way Johnny shivered underneath him.
"Johnny?"
"Mmm?"
"Do you love me?"
"I do."
Ten came up from having his face against Johnny's neck. Like usual his emotions got the best of him and there were tears straining to fall from his eyes. "That's good because I love you too."
Johnny gave a soft chuckle. "Such a softy. My little Tenny~"
"Jerk!" Ten called as warm tears dropped onto his cheeks
Johnny reached around Ten to pull the notebook and pen from his bed side table. "Will you do the honours?" Johnny asked as he flipped to a specific page.
"I would love to." Ten giggled as he grabbed the pen from Johnny's hand. He clicked it and drew a tally line. This one marked the tenth time.
~FIN~