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The first encounter.
Yunho had been a vampire for a few decades now, crossing the line into what they called an adult vampire. He didn’t need his sire around nor was he expected to cause any trouble. Typical coming of age behavior, the same thing he’s heard over a hundred times over the years.
He didn’t feel any anxiety the day he left his sire’s mansion, only a quiet hum of excitement. Attending the same parties, seeing the same people each time got boring after the eightieth time. He didn’t have to look at any of their faces again, he didn’t need to worry about having a clean suit and proper etiquette for a tea party he wouldn’t show up to again.
Naturally in his journey for entertainment, he wandered around quite a bit. He traveled countries, met new people, killed new people, had lovers, left those lovers. You know, all the cool things young people like to do.
He eventually returned to his hometown, where he had grown up as a human before being turned into a vampire. The place was different, completely different. The once burnt houses were gone, replaced by newer ones. The dirt road was smooth stone, painted carefully. People spoke similarly to his dialect, though a few new words caught his ears.
He was ready to be disappointed and leave for a new place when this small shop caught his attention. It smelled different. It didn’t smell like humans, it didn’t carry that sweet metallic scent. It was sharper, more savory. His footsteps changed course without a thought, walking through the streets with no hurry.
He’s smelled it before, when he was a fledgling. When every new scent made his nose burn and his eyes water.
It belonged to someone he held dearly, someone he wasn’t allowed to be near. Those silly rules don’t apply now.
A bell chimed as he pushed open the door, the atmosphere inside warmer and cozier than the open street. They had four small aisles, shelves filled with sealed jars of ingredients he didn’t know. There wasn’t anyone at the front, the counter left empty and the door beside it slightly open. A soft hum vibrated in his throat as he walked in deeper.
He stopped in front of a glass display, filled with silver crosses and bullets. Along with a single wooden stake. It was nailed into another piece of wood, the crosses and bullets inside another display behind the glass. His eyes trailed down to the small words at the bottom.
’DISPLAY FOR RESEARCH.’
His head tilted to the side, curiosity curling in his gut. A smile started to spread across his lips as he read the message again. His handwriting didn’t change much, it only got neater. Yunho heard footsteps above, a grunt before the footsteps got faster.
He walked behind the counter as the noise got louder, sitting down right as the door was pushed fully open.
There he was, long hair tucked behind his glasses, ears pointed straight up and lips parted in shock. Mingi looked a lot better than before. A much smaller person came through the door next, smacking straight into Mingi’s broad back with a loud yelp.
Yunho laughed, leaning back on the chair.
“Yunho—“
“Vampire—“
They turned to look at each other, Mingi’s eyes narrowing while the shorter’s eyes widened. Before his dog bit someone’s face off, Yunho spoke first.
“Mingi, I didn’t know you found a pack!” He clasped his hands together, his ruby eyes glinting in the dim light. “I would’ve paid a visit but.. I was quite busy in Europe for the last few years.”
He sighed, letting the smallest hints of a frown cross his face before smoothing them out.
“I thought you weren’t allowed near mutts.” Mingi’s voice was rougher than before, enough that something in Yunho’s cold chest felt off.
“I don’t follow that old man’s rules anymore, haven’t for a while.” He stood up, slightly bending down as he stared at the quiet new face.
“Who’s this?”
“That’s Wooyoung, one of my pack.. members.” Mingi’s ear twitched, his tail slowly wagging behind him. Betraying his stern face.
The genuine joy that crossed Yunho’s face was unexpected as he cupped Wooyoung’s face without warning. “Really!? I can’t believe you really did it. Oh and he’s cute, not too small and soft. Hm? Oh, he smells quite nice too.”
Wooyoung squawked, his entire face flushing red. He froze in place, his brain taking a second to reboot from a pretty boy grabbing his face before it was back online and he was smacking away Yunho’s hands.
Yunho didn’t acknowledge it, only letting go when Mingi’s hand tapped on his wrist.
“I’m literally right here! Why are you talking like I’m not!?” Wooyoung shrieked, his ears and tails all puffed out and pointing straight up.
“Don’t let him get to you. He’s just like that.” Mingi cut in before Yunho could give his own response, his voice melting into something fond.
“Yunho, what’s the real reason that brought you here?” Mingi crossed his arms, stepping forward to block Yunho from any more weird behavior.
“I was bored.”
Wooyoung let out a choked laugh, slapping a hand over his mouth to muffle it. In return, Yunho’s lips curled into a satisfied smile. His eyes briefly drifted towards Wooyoung again.
“That’s all?”
“Yes!”
“…”
Yunho hummed, noticing how the sun would be coming up soon. “I’ll see you later and the rest of your pack!” He reached forward to pet Mingi’s head, fingers buried in the soft fur.
“Ah— what? No- no Yunho you aren’t meeting them so soon- hey!”
He was already halfway across the shop, heels clicking against the floor. “You’re cute, Wooyoung! I’d love to try your blood one day!” He called out one last time, black smoke enveloping his body.
He was gone.
And Mingi was left with embarrassment while Wooyoung was still terrified and maybe attracted to this weird vampire.
—
Wooyoung.
It had been three days since Yunho had passed by their shop, he had to sort out where he’d stay and get his belongings. He opted on a small room at the inn, cheap, shitty but enough for him. He had a hunch he wouldn’t be staying here for that long. The inn he means.
It didn’t take a genius to sniff out where the pack lived. They were the only werewolf pack here and resided in the woods. Deep enough that they felt settled but close enough to the town that they didn’t struggle to travel between the two.
The night was young and Yunho was bored once more. He wore a black silk shirt with a ribbon around his throat, his long hair loose around his face. He was giddy with anticipation as he walked through the forest, his fangs chewing on his bottom lip to keep himself entertained in the meantime.
Honestly, he wasn’t looking for anyone in particular. Anyone would do. Anyone besides Mingi. He doesn’t need to be dragged into a boring conversation about why, when and where. He was so sick of those. Such small details shouldn’t mean that much to immortals yet they do.
“Yes, Seonghwa. I know, it’s just a blanket, I'll be back before you know it!” Wooyoung’s shrill voice cut through the forest, dripping with exasperation.
Yunho slowed his steps, hiding behind a tree and using the dark to his advantage. He watched as Wooyoung walked out of the house with a basket filled with a blanket and soap. He was mumbling to himself, complaining about how paranoid everyone was about the vampire.
About him.
Yunho grinned, moving faster than before. He kept the distance between them short, only stopping whenever Wooyoung glanced back.
The river they stopped at was a small one, already lined with wooden posts and clothing lines. It was obvious it’s where they did their laundry, decorated and marked as their territory.
Cute.
“Fuck, it’s cold.” Wooyoung hissed, shaking off the water from his hand.
He was kneeling on the glass, testing the temperature of the river and how long he’d be willing to stay to clean the beloved blanket.
Yunho moved, taking away that decision as he stood right behind Wooyoung, leaning over him and whispering.
“A blanket, this late?”
Wooyoung let out a piercing scream, jumping hard enough that he smacked into Yunho’s legs and made the taller waver for a moment.
“WHAT THE HELL— WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM!?” He looked up at Yunho, ready to keep screaming but when his eyes met Yunho’s red eyes, the dark color seemed endless. His courage faded away right as fast as it came.
“Your heart is racing even more, are you scared of me too?” Yunho kept a blank expression on his face, his lungs full of glee with how Wooyoung’s expression crumpled further into unfiltered terror.
“Don’t— if you kill me, Mingi will be mad and- and everyone will surely come right away you know?” He rambled, trying to crawl away from Yunho.
Except it only resulted in Wooyoung’s grip slipping and being plunged into the icy water.
That got a hearty laugh from Yunho, his entire face scrunching up with it. He stepped back, unable to stop himself from laughing even more when he peeked and saw the look of disbelief in his face.
“Wha—“ Wooyoung’s face flushed red, embarrassment flooding in once it clicked that Yunho was messing with him.
“WOOYOUNG!” Another voice shouted, closer than expected.
Yunho let out a tiny noise, he had been too distracted by Wooyoung to hear anyone coming. He should’ve guessed they would with how loud the wolf screamed.
“Oops.” Yunho giggled one last time, grabbing one of Wooyoung’s ankles and dragging him out the river stream. “Shh, don’t tell them!”
And he was gone again. The only trace left was a small lingering cloud of black smoke.
“WO— …Wooyoung??” Seonghwa was out of breath, staring at a soaked Wooyoung who was redder than a tomato.
“..just help me get up.”
—-
Seonghwa.
He was back, again!
He couldn’t go inside the house, unfortunately. He doubts he could get anyone besides Mingi to invite him in so tonight he’s lingering outside of it. A handful of the wolves were awake, talking to themselves about the sales today. No one mentioned the other day, when Wooyoung had fallen in the river.
He’s glad the pup had the mind to keep it to himself.
This time he wore a black turtle neck with dress pants and a few necklaces to decorate it. He liked feeling pretty even if no one could see him.
He was peering in through the kitchen window, his face and fingers pressing against the cool glass. The one cooking was beautiful, sharp eyes that somewhat resembled Mingi’s in a way. He was taller than Wooyoung, his expression calm with a small smile.
Yunho blinked, pressing harder against the glass like that might let him inside the house.
He wanted to play with Mingi’s pack. It wasn’t fair he couldn’t go in because of a dumb rule.
Maybe he could get this one to let him in.
Yunho tapped on the glass, the soft clinking noise making the wolf’s ear twitch. He tapped again when he didn’t turn to look, and again for good measure. The wolf paused his cooking to look at the window, brows furrowing in confusion when he saw nothing.
But now Yunho had his attention.
He tapped the window closer to the back door, right outside of the kitchen. It was a much rougher tap, his nail dragging across the glass with an agonizing sound.
The wolf let out a shaky breath, fists curled in his apron.
“This isn’t funny, if one of you is doing this I swear to god.” He grumbled, staring at the window like it could answer him. It couldn’t but Yunho could.
He jingled the locked doorknob, knocking once after.
“I thought I said no one’s allowed outside after d—“ The door swung open, the words getting stuck in his throat. This was not one of his mates.
Yunho stood in front of him, an easy smile on his face as he rocked from his heels to his toes. “Which one are you?”
“Excuse me?” Seonghwa was caught off guard, his grip on the door handle tightening.
“You’re one of Mingi’s pack members right? Which one are you?” Yunho explained, trying to coax the other into familiarity.
“Are you Mingi’s friend?” Seonghwa’s tone changed, his gaze sharpening. Clearly, Mingi had warned them to some extent if this is how they were acting.
What a pity.
“I’m not here for any trouble, I was just.. I was hungry and everything’s already closing when I’m finally able to go outside.” He murmured, lowering his head and pouting.
The display made Seonghwa’s heart melt, his posture relaxing. He had only been so cautious since Mingi explained that Yunho was a bit unpredictable when it came to meeting new people.
“Well… I don’t suppose you eat human food but we might have leftover deer blood somewhere.” His voice got softer, unable to discard someone who needed help.
Yunho was holding back a smile, pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth so he didn’t let anything slip.
“Come in, but be quiet and stay in the kitchen. I don’t need the others knowing you’re here at this hour.” Seonghwa stepped back, letting Yunho inside.
It was so easy to pull at heart strings, gosh. Mingi’s pack is soft, just like him.
“Thank you.. ah, I never got your name.”
“Oh! My apologies, I’m Seonghwa.” He closed the door after Yunho walked in, briefly hesitating before locking it as well. Better safe than sorry.
“I’m Yunho.” He offered a smile and sat on a stool beside the countertop. His long legs completely touched the floor.
“You younger ones need to be careful with your food, it’s not good for your health to not eat.” Seonghwa lightly scolded as he began to look for the jars of blood. They were kept to make black pudding on occasion, now they had a better use.
“Yes, of course. I’m usually better than this, staying at the inn has made it difficult to get a steady supply and the butcher shop closes so early.” He heavily sighed, as if it were the cause of every single problem Yunho ever had.
“Hmm.. you get a pass this once.”
Seonghwa found the stored jars under the sink, labeled and stacked on top of each other. They only had one left from this hunting season, something he’d add to his mental list of things to stock up on next time.
“Here, it’s not fresh or warm but it should still be good.” He placed it on the counter, smiling at Yunho.
Yunho smiled back, fingers wrapping around the jar. He hadn’t expected to actually be given the entire thing. “Thank you, I don’t think I should be bothering you any long—“
“There’s no such thing! You sit down and drink it before leaving.”
Oh.
Yunho didn’t plan for this.
“Isn’t it about time for dinner for the pack? You know, they say it’s rude to intrude!” He tried to find another excuse, his brain malfunctioning at genuine kindness.
He could deal with suspicion, hate and anger but kindness and generosity was something that made his skin prickle and his ears burn with the little blood in his body.
“Don’t worry about them, I’ve still got twenty more till the soup is done.” Seonghwa turned to adjust the heat on the gas stove, stirring the pot.
When he turned back, Yunho was gone. A note on the counter in front of where he had been sitting.
’Thanks for the blood and letting me in. Sorry for leaving but I get nervous eating around people. Tell Mingi I said hi.’
JY
Seonghwa sighed and kept the note in his pocket.
—
Jongho.
This wolf knew he was here. He knew the second he walked into the room and that made him interesting in Yunho’s eyes.
Yunho waited to see what he would do, staying in the shadows away from the normal eyesight.
The wolf hummed, sitting down at the desk and pulling out a piece of wood, along with a bag full of carving tools. He didn’t acknowledge Yunho any further. He didn’t need to, he made it known that he was aware and that he didn’t care.
Yunho frowned, stepping out of the shadows and towards the desk. The wolf’s ear twitched in his direction, listening to Yunho’s featherlight footsteps.
“You’re ignoring me.” It was the first time someone had ignored Yunho. He’s been adored, hated and praised but never ignored. Yunho doesn’t get ignored, that's not supposed to happen.
The werewolf didn’t respond, his tail slowly moved as he began to carve off the first piece of food, his eyes focused on it. His ear was still angled at Yunho’s direction but his eyes never lifted toward him.
Pure disbelief slapped Yunho in the face as he stood there, ignored and feeling upset about it.
The impulsivity of his nature won, his instincts screaming at him that he needed to do something. His hands darted forward, attempting to snatch away the small knife but the wolf moved faster for once. Instead of being able to grab the small hilt, the cold steel sliced through his palm.
And that got the wolf to look at him.
Sure, the wound stung and burned but getting to see the others eyes lock onto his felt sweeter than anything he’s ever tasted.
“Got you to look.” He giggled, uncaring as he reached forward to try and pet the wolf.
He was swiftly stopped by a bruising grip on his wrist, forcing his hand to a stop. “Aren’t vampires supposed to heal themselves?” He spoke with an annoying amount of calm, pressing a thumb beside the wound.
Yunho hummed, flexing his fingers. He couldn’t move his hand away even if he tried.
“Not all of us get the same level of healing.” Yunho shrugged, knowing it was because he hadn’t been drinking the amount of blood he needed. He didn’t like how the butcher’s tasted and the humans here were used to werewolves which meant they knew how to evade a vampire.
Mingi would also kill him if Yunho drank from someone in their hometown, even if it wasn’t the exact same anymore.
“Odd.” The wolf stood and began to drag Yunho along with him.
“Where are we going? At least give me your name first, that’s always the polite thing to do.” Yunho giggled, enjoying the unusual attention.
“Jongho.” The answer arrived a second later, short and simple.
“Cute name, everyone I’ve met has had such nice names!” He looked around as they neared the end of the hallway, a new door being pushed open.
Jongho had dragged Yunho to the bathroom, it was bigger than the one downstairs and carried all their medical supplies. Most of it belonged to Yeosang but Yeosang wasn’t home right now, actually no one was home besides Jongho because it was the middle of the day.
Jongho had a guess on how Yunho had been here when he got home. He’ll have to figure out who let him in after.
“..What’re you doing?” Yunho sounded confused, his arm flexing in Jongho’s grip as he tried to move away again. It didn’t work the second time either.
“We’re going to treat your hand and then you’re going to explain what you’re doing here.”
That did not sound fun. It sounded boring and Yunho hates boring things. A pout tugged on his lips, his shoulders slumping.
“I came to scare someone, not to do boring stuff.” He huffed, trying yet again to step away with no victory.
“I know, it was obvious with how whiny you got the second I didn’t react.”
Yunho stumbled over his words, a rare show of being embarrassed. “I am not whiny— and I was just curious as to why. These things are perfectly normal— Ow!”
Yunho flinched, the herbal paste being spread over his hand hurt. Wait, it hurt? That wasn’t supposed to happen. He had a great tolerance for pain and wasn’t phased by most things.
Had he been ignoring his feeding for too long?
“All done.”
There was a white bandage on it, smoothed out at the edges so it wouldn’t peel. Yunho blinked down at his hand, his other hand tracing over the bandage. It’s the first time he’s had a bandage on his body since he was a human.
“All vampires heal the same, Mingi has a book on vampire biology and abilities in his study.” Jongho’s voice was scarily mechanical.
“You took the last jar, didn’t you?”
Yunho had been wrong, Mingi’s pack had people who were smart and tougher than he knew how to deal with.
“No.” Yunho’s voice came out sharper than he meant.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Mingi would never have such a thing, he doesn’t even like having me around so. If you’ll excuse me, I will be leaving.” He was cornered and needed to escape.
Jongho wasn’t naive or stubborn. He was calculating and knowledgeable, he was on the same level as Yunho.
Yunho left without giving Jongho time to respond, leaving him with black smoke and a slight mess in the bathroom.
—
San.
The poor pup was half asleep, trying to gather up enough firewood for the night and get back in his cozy bed. Too bad that Yunho was waiting for him outside of the small shed, his eyes tracking his every movement.
This pup was the same height as jongho but his shoulders were broader, the rest of his body was small. The cotton shirt was tight around his shoulders and loose around his waist. If Yunho didn’t already have a plan, maybe he would’ve tickled him to startle him.
He wanted to give him a good scare, one that would quickly travel word to the rest of the pack. He doesn’t know if Jongho shared his information, or if the rest of them were smarter than they acted. He wanted to make sure they knew he was still capable of being dangerous.
It’s been a week since meeting Jongho, Yunho didn’t want anything to do with the pack until his nerves calmed down from that blank look the younger had perfected.
San grumbled to himself, shuffling out of the shed with his arms full of firewood and his eyes half closed. He had been woken up from his nap since it was his turn and last time, he slept through it.
He was wracking his half asleep brain on how to close the shed door and lock it without using his hands when the air around him stilled and the temperature dropped. His ears flattened against his head, his instincts flaring up in alarm.
He turned around in time to see sharp teeth pulled back in a grin, red eyes crinkling into it. “Quiet.” Yunho slammed a hand over San’s mouth, successfully muffling the scream he let out.
The once sleepy wolf was wide awake now, his heart hammering hard enough that Yunho’s ears strained to block out the loud noise.
“I thought you would’ve all learned to never be alone at night.” He teased, watching how San’s hands trembled around the firewood.
“Mgfh— !” San tried to say something, his fingers twitching as his body came back online from the fright. He dropped the firewood, his hands coming up to claw at Yunho’s.
“Stay still.” It was the first time Yunho had used his charmspeak on one of the wolves. A small part of him felt bad when San’s body went completely limp in his grip.
Then again, it’s better than being a dog toy.
“I’m only pulling a little prank here, nothing else.” He softened his voice, pulling his hand away from San’s mouth to wrap them around his waist.
They were face to face, Yunho having to lean down to look at San’s eyes. A bit of a strain but it was something he was used to.
“You’re so small and cute, I bet you taste wonderful.” He cooed, finding it adorable how San’s body tried to fight back.
Yunho wouldn’t actually do it. He’d never bite someone this close to Mingi. He cherished Mingi more than he’d like to admit. He loved being around Mingi but Mingi was a wolf and Yunho was a vampire.
And.. Yunho was jealous of his pack members.
“I want to be angry, you know. Mingi got a whole pack and even a business and I was stuck in a mansion.” He rested his chin on top of San’s head.
It seems he threw away his idea of being dangerous.
“Stuck listening to old bastards, spoken to like a child. Being forced to stick my arms out in the sun when I misbehaved.” He sighed, beginning to fiddle with San’s ears.
San could only make a small noise, whether it was pity or comfort. Yunho couldn’t tell.
“You’re all so different, it’s like Mingi never even thought of me as anything else. My pride is hurt that he didn’t consider someone that acted like me.” He huffed, petting San’s head one last time before stepping back.
“You can move now.” He murmured, watching San stumble as feeling came back to all his limbs.
San didn’t scream or run away, he stayed silent and stared at Yunho. The fear from before was gone, replaced by something else. The wolf took a step towards him.
“You have to stop scaring people, it’s not the right way to try and get back into Mingi’s life.”
. . . What?
“Pardon? Me? Getting back? I never left— I don’t need to try, he’s Mingi. Of course I’m in his life already!” Yunho hissed, the words stinging more than expected.
“Jongho was right when he said you’re different from any other vampire.”
Yunho paused, raising an eyebrow. “He said what?”
“You aren’t violent, just.. bored and alone.” He gestured at Yunho, voice surprisingly calm. “And seriously stop scaring us, I really thought I was gonna die.”
The plan Yunho came with was completely thrown out and ran over twice by a horse carriage.
“I’m not alone, I have plenty of people I talk to and visit. Isn’t it obvious how popular I am? Dogs are so rude.” Yunho scoffed, grateful that the night hid how his ears turned red in shame.
Why were they able to see through him that easily? What is Mingi— No, what are they telling each other?
“Dog— did you just call me a dog—-“
Yunho was gone before San could finish the sentence.
—
Yeosang.
It was early, the kind of early where the sun still hadn’t fully risen and no one else was awake. Yunho had wandered inside the house out of curiosity first. He never had a chance to look around, then came the snooping. Opening cabinets and doors to see what was behind them, sticking his head in boxes and glancing at the books that sat on the shelves.
Someone had woken up by the time he was lounging on the couch, their footsteps heavy and slow.
This wolf was pretty. Really pretty. He was only wearing cotton pants, his tail curled around his waist as he made his way over to the kitchen. He hadn’t noticed Yunho at all.
He began to make coffee, his eyes remaining shut for most of it. He was relying on muscle memory and pure determination to avoid being more awake than he already was. The sight reminded him of the wolf from the other day.
He never did ask him for his name.
The gas stove kicked on and the kettle was placed on it. The werewolf left it there to brew, walking on over to the couch and sitting on the opposite corner where Yunho was.
And he still didn’t know he was there.
He was just.. completely unaware that a stranger was sitting four feet away from him, watching him.
The werewolf yawned, scratching his ear and leaning back on the pillows until he was halfway sprawled out on the couch.
A smile had crept on Yunho’s face without permission, finding it amusing how oblivious this one was. He decided to see how long it would go on for. If Yeosang would keep being oblivious until someone else noticed or Yunho made a noise.
It shouldn’t be this entertaining to Yunho but it was, surely it wouldn’t last too long.
. . .
It did last too long.
The sun had fully risen and Yunho could hear several heartbeats upstairs that were starting to awake and Yeosang still hadn’t noticed him. He was leaning over the counter now, a half empty cup of coffee in his hand and his hair messily pushed back.
He’s standing a foot behind Yeosang, head tilting to the side. It’s absurd how little awareness this one has. Certainly it should serve as a problem within the pack, who has a wolf that can’t even work properly? It’s idiotic.
Yunho conjures up a bug, to be more specific a small roach. He’s not capable of doing anything larger in his current state but this small thing should be enough.
He extends his arm out and lets it fall into the coffee cup, the soft splash startling Yeosang. It’s more of a jump than a flinch, his tail going still behind him. He’s staring at the cup now, gears turning in his brain as he tries to decipher where that came from. It was becoming winter, bugs really shouldn’t be a problem by now.
Yeosang tilts his head back to look at the ceiling, the corner of his eyes catching a black strand of hair. He keeps tilting his head back until he’s looking up at Yunho who’s grinning, teeth peeking out on top of his bottom lip.
Yeosang blanches, his ears slowly turning downwards as his brain connects the dots. Taking far too long to do it.
The coffee cup is set with a sharp clang and Yunho bursts out laughing at how fast Yeosang stands upright to turn around.
He’s flustered, eyes wide and his eyebrows raised as he keeps looking between the contaminated cup of coffee and the vampire. His tail and ears move with him, shifting side to side until he lets out a sigh and slumps his shoulders back down.
“I knew I smelled something.. I thought it was another one of Wooyoung’s overnight recipes.” He smacked himself in the face, finding it ridiculous how he didn’t notice.
Yunho was still giggling, muffling the sound behind his hands. Yeosang wasn’t embarrassed like the others, he was just bewildered at the fact which somehow made it ten times funnier to the vampire. He didn’t even try to deny that he knew he was there, he accepted his defeat without a word.
“You had me waiting for-ever!” Yunho made sure to emphasize the word, sticking his hand in the coffee and pulling out the now dead bug.
“Extra protein?” He dangles it near Yeosang, who steps back and firmly shakes his head.
“I don’t think I’m desperate enough for protein to eat that.” He pointed at it with another wide-eyed look.
Yunho debated throwing it at him when soft footsteps upstairs alerted him that one of those six heartbeats finally woke up. That meant his fun was over.
“Pass it to someone else.” He dropped it back in the coffee and left, leaving Yeosang to stare at an empty space and his appetite for the morning gone.
—
Hongjoong.
The pack was getting borderline terrorized by this vampire. (Seonghwa disagreed with this.) Everyone had their own story with him, ranging from a simple scare to a bug that made Yeosang consistently check the entire kitchen before making anything in the morning.
The last time he was seen was four days ago, in their own home. The pack was on edge, they were also making their own jokes about it. Using the vampire as a punchline to get each other to do something. ‘Don’t want Yunho coming to eat you, right?’
Somehow that worked on Wooyoung the most, the one member who didn’t share his full story. Yunho had told him not to and Wooyoung still remembers how he looked at him. The fact he blushes and has to cover his face is a whole different problem.
A pack of werewolves being haunted by a damn blood sucker? It was pure stupidity that they weren’t doing anything about it.
Hongjoong could care less if he was Mingi’s friend, this kid needed to learn a lesson and Hongjoong was going to make sure it stuck.
This time, instead of Yunho appearing, Hongjoong was going to track him down.
It wasn’t too hard, he reeked of aged vanilla and warm spices. Hongjoong had caught the smell a few times around the house, when he’d walk down because his instincts told him to. Only to find someone standing alone, baffled and unsure of what to do.
After the second time, he figured out who was behind it. Mingi’s hushed story and Jongho’s face said the entire story without meaning to.
It was his turn to be the predator and hunt his prey down.
The woods were loud in the way they always were, trees shifting beneath the wind, critters scrambling to get home. The grass crunching under his feet, branches thrown around.
Hongjoong was a decently sized wolf, his fur was a warm ashy blond, small blotches of white across his body. He was also one of the fastest in the pack and the pack leader. Did he mention that before? An alpha always has tricks up their sleeves.
Yunho was in a clearing by himself, a loose shirt hanging off his frame. He was paler than Hongjoong expected, his cheeks slightly rosy and his lips parted as he took in a breath.
He was meditating under the moonlight, something that the wolves always did during the full moon.
Too bad Hongjoong would be interrupting it.
He stalked closer, his ears and tail angled low. Yunho closed his eyes and that’s when Hongjoong pounced, within five seconds, Yunho was slammed into the ground, he let out a choked gasp. His eyes flying open in panic, his hands which had turned more into claws with his extended nails paused in mid air as his sight focused on the wolf.
He stayed still underneath Hongjoong, his eyes darting between his ears, tail and face.
Hongjoong seemed pleased with the lack of resistance, his paws slowly pressing down harder against Yunho’s collarbone. He leaned down, sniffing along the vampire’s face. Beneath the sweet scent was the unmistakable smell of rotting. The age old smell that every vampire carries.
“You could’ve asked me out to dinner first, maybe a coffee date too?” Yunho murmured, trying to ease the tension.
It didn’t work.
All it did was make Hongjoong growl at him.
“Right, I’ll stay quiet Mr.Wolf.” He made a zipper motion over his lips, throwing the imaginary key away.
Hongjoong let out a huff, finding it unbelievably ridiculous. He was going to give Yunho a warning bite then leave, a last chance for the vampire to stop his odd pranks and unwanted visits.
His nose moved down to push back at the sleeve when Yunho made a sharp noise, jerking his hand away. The long sleeve had bundled up at the crook of his elbow, revealing the scarred forearm.
His pale skin was covered with perfectly placed silver burns along his skin, going all the way down and presumably more under the sleeve.
Hongjoong froze, a low growl rumbling through his body. He shoved his face against Yunho’s, demanding to see the rest. Yunho didn’t take it too kindly, his legs kicking out as he squirmed and tried to push away the wolf on top of him.
“Hey— hey, it’s pretty late and you need to sleep, hm? You should— hey! Stop it!” Yunho jolted at the small bite on his shoulder, realizing that he had neglected his own body far too long if he couldn’t fight off a single wolf.
In the struggle, the fur had receded into skin and bones cracked as they settled into place.
Hongjoong was now sitting on his chest, eyes narrowed and his hands clamping down on Yunho’s. The sight caught the vampire off guard, his body stilling at the shift in weight.
He knew he was shorter as a human but no less stronger, not that he’d need the strength. Yunho was suspiciously weak, unable to do anything against him. It was different from any other vampire he’d ever met.
“What did you do to your body?” His voice was rough, low enough that Yunho felt the hairs on his arms and neck stand up straight.
Yunho was starting to understand why no one dared to bother wolf packs.
“I didn’t do anything— frankly I don’t even know why you tackled me. I was only performing my weekly meditation and I was rudely interrupted by—“
His cheeks were smushed between Hongjoong’s hand, his thumb pressing against his lips to keep Yunho quiet. He didn’t need any bullshit. He wanted answers and this vampire seemed determined to keep them to himself.
“Everyone said you were bored, not malnourished or hurt.” He leaned down, close enough that their noses touched.
“A vampire like you should be capable of killing me without uttering a word. You resemble a pup more than a bat if you can’t even take care of yourself.”
The look of disbelief on Yunho’s face was equal parts priceless as it was saddening. He looked like he wanted to argue but never found the words, glaring up at Hongjoong with pure venom in his eyes.
“Come by the house when you’re ready to behave like an adult, I think I know why Wooyoung likes you now.” Hongjoong stood up, patting Yunho’s cheek as a parting gesture.
This time, Yunho was left speechless and confused on the cold grass.
—
Mingi.
Yunho still hasn’t returned to the house. No note, no evidence of another prank. Even his scent had started to fade, barely noticeable underneath everyone else's. Something that began to bother a few members of the pack.
They had gotten used to the vampire without realizing, expecting someone to come home and rant about whatever had occurred with Yunho. The silence weighed heavier with the last encounter Hongjoong had with Yunho.
The pack leader had quietly explained the marks he saw, detailing how Yunho lacked the power a vampire should have. The pack had spent a few hours discussing their opinions and feelings on Yunho, sharing their concerns about his behavior. Typically vampires were elegant, able to carry themselves with no flaws.
Yunho was the opposite of it.
He carried himself with fear and made up for the flaws by being dangerous. Like a dog who had been hit before and refused to let himself be fooled once more.
Mingi decided enough was enough after catching a glimpse of Seonghwa’s new stash of blood. He didn’t have to say who they were meant for. Everyone knew and pretended not to notice.
Yunho was hard to corner, able to move freely through the shadows, especially now with how cautious he became. It took the wolf twenty minutes of asking around until he pinpointed the inn Yunho was staying at.
It was the smaller one by the edge of town, run by a single grandmother and her dogs. Of course that’s where Yunho chose to stay. It was built over the vampire's previous home.
The sun was beginning to set, which meant Yunho would be waking up soon. Mingi began to walk faster, each step carrying a purpose heavier than the last. He had lost his best friend before, watching him be torn away by the man he called sire. Being told they couldn’t talk anymore because it was the golden rule for vampires.
It was bullshit.
Mingi didn’t spare the old lady a glance, going straight up the stairs and following the smell of vanilla, warm spices and rot. It led down the corridor to the last door, the light shut off and the door shut. He stopped in front of it, reaching for the doorknob.
It clicked as it turned, Yunho’s old habit of leaving doors unlocked never went away.
The room was pitch black, the curtains tightly drawn to avoid any light spilling inside and in the middle of the room, on the twin bed was a lump underneath the blanket.
Mingi shut the door behind himself, quietly humming as he walked over to the bed.
A hand shot out, sharp nails nearly sinking into flesh. They were stopped by Mingi’s fast response, redirecting Yunho’s arm with his own. His ears twitched, watching as Yunho woke up and registered the smell of a wolf.
Of Mingi.
“Disappearing after my alpha gave you a warm invitation is rude, Jeong Yunho.” Mingi held Yunho’s arm, intertwining their fingers.
Yunho’s fingers twitched, the sudden feeling of hot skin against his making him gulp. It’s been a while since he’s been able to hold anyone close, he never noticed how dearly he missed the warmth that the living carried.
“An invitation doesn’t mean attendance, princess.” Yunho scoffed, dragging his free hand over his face. His body had reacted first to the presence of someone else.
Now that his mind caught up, he was feeling the shame of hiding in this old inn.
“I think it should.” Mingi let go of Yunho’s arm to pick the vampire up, one arm under his knees and the other around his waist.
Yunho let out a shriek, legs kicking once before he plastered himself against Mingi’s chest, hands curling tightly in his hair.
“What’re you doing!? Put me down you mutt!” He protested.
“What I’m I doing? I am taking you home and you, Yunho, are going to deal with it.” He walked over to the window, pulling back the curtains and kicking it open with his leg.
“Wh— hey, use the stairs! Min- Mingi— HEY—“
The leap down to the ground felt scarier in someone else’s hands, if Yunho had a heart it would’ve been beating out of his chest. He had gone completely quiet, his nails drawing blood from how harshly he held onto the werewolf.
“I swore at fourteen that you would forever be in my life, did I not?” He grinned down at Yunho.
“I never break my promises, dear.”