Just as promised Jongho returned with a large sack full of blood bags. Wooyoung had downed several in a matter of minutes, desperate to stop the biting hunger that ate him up from the inside. At one point during his wait for Jongho's return he almost felt himself snap again due to the sound of Junkyu's heart beating loud in his ears. Almost.

"Ah-" Wooyoung says with a long sigh as he finishes up his 13th bag. Fresh blood on his lips and vampire features on his face. "You're the best, Jjong" He says to Jongho who was just seated on the bed across from him, watching him drink. Jongho couldn't help but chuckle at him.

"Ran into Hongjoong on my way out" Jongho begins playing with the rings on his fingers.

Wooyoung looks up at him just as he tears open another bag. "Did you tell him I'm here?"

Jongho shakes his head. "No. I don't know there's just something... off about him lately. Jaejoong has him brainwashed. He's just not the loving big brother I remember" Jongho says with a sad shrug. "And I honestly don't trust him. With how tightly wrapped around Jaejoong's finger he is I don't doubt he would go right to him if I mentioned you're alive"

Wooyoung frowns when he sees how distraught his little brother was. He places the now half empty blood bag in the small table next to the head of the bed then he inches closer to Jongho and since they were seated across from each other on the bed. He sits cross legged and takes Jongho's hands in his, giving him a comforting squeeze. "It'll be ok. You know how he is, he probably blames himself for everything and feels like he needs to take responsibility for all of it. Jaejoong is the problem, and I'll make sure he doesn't hurt any of us again" He promises.

Jongho nods, forcing a small smile when Wooyoung smiles at him. "What's the plan now?" Jongho had to ask.

"I dont know" Wooyoung says with a shrug. He knew he wanted to put that dagger in Jaejoong's heart but he wasn't sure how he'd be able to get close to him.

Jongho looks down at his rings again in deep thought then sighs after a moment of silence. "I'll go check on Junkyu" He says as he notices that the sun was beginning to rise, dull light streaming in from the window. "He's been gone for a while now and he said he was just going to rehydrate in the lake nearby"

Wooyoung nods, shifting back to pick up his blood bag and resume his binge drinking session. "I guess I'll just wait here then"

"I'll be quick" Jongho slips on his shoes and shoots him a kissy face just before he leaves with which Wooyoung fake gags at him. Jongho laughs. He was so happy to have Wooyoung back. He felt like he hadn't had a genuine laugh since he lost him.

Jongho walks a short 10 minutes and arrives at the lake. It was quiet, except for the chirping of birds in the trees that were beginning to wake up in preparation for the new day. The water was still. "Junkyu-ah" He calls out and was met with quiet.

He steps closer to the lake. "Junkyu!". Nothing and that's when he begins to worry. He cups his mouth. "Junkyu!!"

Suddenly the boy pops up from the water, startling Jongho. "Aish-" He holds his chest in surprise. "You scared me. I thought something happened to you" He whines.

Junkyu could help but giggle at his pout. His brown hair appears darker due to the fact that it was wet. It clung to his forehead in wet clumps. His eyes now a bright coral blue and skin a glossy milky color. "Sorry! Kinda hard to hear from underwater"

Jongho just shakes his head and goes to sit on a large rock next to the water, a good spot to watch him swim. "Yeah yeah"

Junkyu dips his head underneath the water and begins swimming towards him. Jongho watches as his tail moves gracefully under the water, different shades of green dotting his scales and it glistened in the sunlight that peeks from over the trees. He pulls his head back up once he was close enough to Jongho where he didn't have to yell.

"Are we leaving?" He questions and Jongho shakes his head, noticing the gills on either sides of his neck.

"Just wanted to make sure you're ok. You can swim some more if you want"

Junkyu smiles a sweet grateful smile at him, one that made Jongho's heart warm up, then he falls backwards into the water, twisting and swimming deeper into the lake. Jongho couldn't help but admire him. His movements were so elegant and fluid underwater it was quite hypnotizing to say the least.

And when Junkyu would pop up every once in a while he couldn't help but admire how his skin glistened like he had glitter all over his body and how extra pale he looked. But it wasn't a sickly pale, more like a smooth porcelain doll pale.

Eventually Junkyu grows bored and swims up to Jongho. "Come swim with me" He offers, lifting both arms on the high rocky ledge on the edge of lake while looking up into the ice grey eyes of the vampire. Jongho immediately shakes his head.

"Yeah no" He says with a laugh, while scratching the back of his neck.

"Come on. It'll be fun?" Junkyu flashes a boyish smile. Jongho sighs. How could he say no to that.

"Just a few minutes?"

Junkyu nods. Then Jongho pushes off the rock and begins taking off his clothes and shoes. Junkyu feels his cheeks turn a shade of red and he turns away, pretending to be interested in the dead leaf that floated on the surface of the water while Jongho stripped.

Once he was down to his briefs he slowly sinks in the water, gasping at the cold that shot up his spine. "It's freezing" He whines.

Junkyu swim closer to him, a smile still on his lips. "Is it? Water feels great to me. Come on, we shouldn't hover too close to the edge" He gestures for Jongho to swim in deeper to the lake but Jongho chuckles awkwardly.

"Uh I'd rather not" He says, holding on to the sides.

"What? Why not?" Junkyu's blue eyes flash to a soft aquamarine color.

"Well I just prefer if my feet could touch the bottom"

"Wait you can't swim, Prince Jongho?" He didn't mean for his voice to come out so teasing but it did and Jongho glares at him with an embarrassed pout.

"Yeah go ahead and laugh" He rolls his eyes.

"N-no I'm not making fun of you!" Junkyu shakes his hands and head immediately, an earnest look on his face. "I think it's kinda.. cute. Here-" he swims closer to Jongho and takes his hands, placing them on his shoulders. "Just hold onto me, I can show you how to swim if you want?"

Jongho breathes a shaky sigh, pulling himself closer to the merman. Then he nods. "Ok, lead the way" He gives Junkyu a shaky smile with which he returns it with his own reassuring one.

Junkyu begins swimming backwards and Jongho couldn't help but flinch everytime his feet grazes the boy's tail underwater. "You should relax" Junkyu giggles at how tense he was, his grip on his shoulders tight. "I won't let you drown, don't worry"

"I wouldn't die anyways" Jongho felt the need to remind him.

"Exactly, so there's no reason to be so freaked out right?" His piercing eyes watched Jongho and the prince nods. I guess he's right. He loosens his hold on Junkyu's shoulders and tries to relax.

"Good" Junkyu commends. "Now try kicking your legs behind you. Swimming is really all about breath control and treading the water with your arms and feet"

Jongho holds onto him, then tries kicking his feet under the water. Needless to say he felt stupid with all the water resistance making it hard to paddle. "It's not working" He sighs.

Junkyu smiles encouragingly at him. "It's ok, just lift your body. Let yourself float on the water and start kicking"

Jongho does as he instructs and this time he was able to do it. His feet paddles and splashes at the surface of the water while he still held onto the merman. Junkyu held his onto arms as well. Jongho couldn't help the proud smile that graces his lips and Junkyu beams at him.

"You're doing it. Good job"

The next several minutes was spent practicing arms movements, more paddling and kicking his feet underwater in under to stay floating. That last one was the hardest. At least to Jongho it was, but he was also having so much fun.

His and Junkyu's laughter ring through the trees as they goofed and swam around. Well, Junkyu swam while Jongho held on like a baby koala.

"We should head back. Wooyoung's probably already worrying" Jongho says with a long sigh and Junkyu nods in agreement then begins bringing them towards the edge of the lake.

"This was fun. Thanks for trying to teach me" Jongho laughs and pulls back from him once his feet could finally touch the bottom of the lake again.

Junkyu simply smiles bashfully. His eyes drop to Jongho's lips for a quick second. Not quick enough because Jongho saw it and he too looks at the merman's lips. They were a soft pink, wet with water and slightly pursed. He'd always known the male is handsome but that was the first time he was.. attracted to him? Maybe not attracted to him but the thought of capturing his lips in his right then and there didn't sound like the worst thing in the world.

He looks away dismisissing the inappropriate thought, his heart thumping slightly in his chest. What the hell am I thinking? "I'm gonna get out now" Jongho chuckles awkwardly and reaches for the ledge, attempting to pull himself out.

Junkyu chuckles as well, swallowing the dry air in his throat as he scratches his neck. He was sure he was blushing pink. Was he going to kiss me? Was I going to kiss him? Crap it's awkward now, I should say something.. Junkyu thinks to himself.

"You coming out?" Jongho beats him to it.

"Uh y-yeah I just- I'll be completely naked once I shift back so if you don't mind-" He trails off and Jongho's eyes widen when it registers what he's asking.

"Yeah I'll just look away. Won't peek, I swear" He immediately turns around completely, shaking up his wet hair and raking his fingers through it in an attempt to distract himself.

Junkyu pulls himself out of the water. Now sitting on the ledge with the end of his tail still in the water he concentrates, focusing on morphing them back into legs. The tail slowly splits into 2 limbs, beautiful green scales that glistened in the early morning sun almost dissolving back into his usual soft dewy skin. The fins on both ends of his legs morph back into feet and toes and within seconds the transformation was complete.

He quickly pulls himself to his feet and reaches for his clothes while Jongho was still turned around. "Can I turn around yet?" The prince asks and Junkyu nearly jumped back in the water, the thought of Jongho seeing him naked too embarrassing to bear.

"No!" His voice comes out much more alarmed than he intended and his eyes widen at the informal tone he'd used. "I-I'm sorry, just.. not yet" He quickly apologizes in a quiet voice while shimmying into his pants Jongho only chuckles, not bothered by his informality at all, and decides to tease him a little.

"I'm turning around now" He calls out in a playful voice.

"Yah-" Junkyu whines as he fastens all the ties around his hips holding his pants up. He giggles at Jongho's obvious teasing. The sound causes Jongho to laugh himself. He pretends like he's about to turn, one shoulder pulled forward in an exaggerated way.

"Turning in 3.."

Junkyu already had his top over his head. "..2" Jongho continues. "..1". That's when the merman hops in front of Jongho before he had a chance to turn, a beaming smile on his face.

"You really made me rush" Junkyu mutters then playfully pushed Jongho's shoulder.

This amused Jongho because obviously he would never peek at him if he didn't want him to. Though it was fun seeing him get all flustered. He noticed his blinding blue eyes were now back to a dull blue but still sparkled the way they always did. The gills that were on both sides of his neck were now gone too.

Jongho simply laughs at him and turns around to slip on his own clothes. With his back to him Junkyu let his eyes drift down to his ass and felt a pool of heat at his core. He quickly looks away, raking his hand through his wet dark brown hair, an embarrassed blush on his face.

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Oh my god ?*>[(&&<^% 😭😹☻️ them cuddling and shit... on camera. Like what goes on when the cameras stop rolling then??? I can't breathe