Hongjoong hadn't heard back from Seonghwa till the next morning. Not that he cared. The last thing he wanted was to be responsible for dogsitting anyone.

At the first rays of sunshine that beamed through his window he was out of the hut in order to find his brothers and leave here. The day before they had held a meeting of some sort but the drows requested that he not be part of it.

He was annoyed that they still didn't trust him even after reassurance from San but he couldn't necessarily blame them. So he was practically in the dark. Wooyoung assured him though that he'd find him and explain everything. And Hongjoong needed an explanation right about now.

As he walks out of his shared hut a soldier picks up behind him, lagging by a feet feet but still very clearly following him. He quietly rolled his eyes and made a beeline for Wooyoung's hut.

White haired dark elves look or gawk at him as he walked past and he ignores them all. Finally he arrives at the small shelter home, walking up the small set of stairs to the front door and knocking a few times. Loud. "It's me, open up" He calls out after twisting the door handle and it realizing it was locked.

He hears some clothing rustling on the other side as well as giggling. Followed by someone walking closer to the door before the sound of locks being undone is heard then the door swings open revealing a smiling Wooyoung.

Hongjoong felt his heart jump at the sight of Wooyoung because perhaps part of him was still in denial. And that his little brother wasn't actually here. But seeing him again right in front of him, in flesh and blood, alive... He bit the inside of his cheeks and fought back the tears that stung his eyes.

Wooyoung, whose smile slowly falls after seeing Hongjoong on the brink of tears, pulls the older male inside and shuts the door. "Hey, what happened? What's wrong?" He places both hands on either side of Hongjoong's face, stroking his cold cheeks for comfort.

Hongjoong breathes shakily as he closes his eyes and revels in the boy's touch. He's really here... I'm not just imagining things. He thinks to himself and places a hand over one of Wooyoung's which was still on the side of his face. Then he takes Wooyoung's hand and gives him a comforting squeeze in return. "I'm ok. I just, missed you" Hongjoong says with a wide smile after opening his eyes back up and meeting Wooyoung's familiar cloudy grey eyes.

Wooyoung smiles back. "I missed you too, hyung" He pinches the shorter's cheek and pulls him in for a hug. Hongjoong welcomed it wholly, taking a deep breath and burying his face in Wooyoung's shoulder.

He looks up and saw that San was watching them from the bed with a smile on his face. Upon being caught watching them he fake coughs and turns pretending to be interested in the patterns of the bed sheets.

Hongjoong just chuckles and pulls back from the hug. "I believe you owe me an explanation" The entirety of last night he'd been thinking over and over about how Wooyoung could have survived. Jongho had said he was never really dead. What did that mean?

"I was there in that hallway that night of Jongho's beautillion. I saw your body with my own eyes. You were dead. You should be dead..." He searches Wooyoung's eyes for answers. "And you too" He turns his attention to San who was now sitted up in the bed with creased brows clearly displaying worry.

"Like, I don't..." Hongjoong starts, rubbing his forehead in confusion as he trudged deeper into the room and collapses on the other untouched bed. "I don't understand" He looks between the two males, eyes wide and lost.

Wooyoung looks at him with dread and even a little bit of  sadness as he thought about what he was about to share with the older vampire. "I don't know how you're gonna take this-" Wooyoung mutters and goes to sit beside him. "Jaejoong isn't the man you think he is"

Hongjoong looks at him, confused, and patiently waiting got him to elaborate. Wooyoung shakes his head, eyes fixed on his hands resting on his thighs. "There are these daggers, it's capable of putting any vampire into a death like state but they're not actually dead. It traps their soul somewhere between the mortal world and after world. Like purgatory if you will. And they remain in that state until the dagger is taken out"

Hongjoong nods warily and slowly. "Yeah.. I think I read about something like that a while ago. It was used to imprison vampires in the old days but because black magic became illegal to practice they were all destroyed" He glances at San who just sat and watched the two brothers in silence from the other bed across the small room. "But what does this have to do with anything?" He looks back to Wooyoung.

"They weren't all destroyed" Wooyoung has a watchful look in his eyes and as Hongjoong stared back at him that's when the realization slowly hit him. His eyes widen and he shoots up to his feet, his head shaking no repeatedly.

"You're saying father used the dagger on you?" He was in shock and even a little appalled at the accusation. "Why the hell would he do that?"

Wooyoung also flies up to his feet and takes Hongjoong's hand to calm him down. "Because he's a controlling, manipulative psychopath. The second he realizes he can no longer control someone the way he used to, he does everything in his power to kill them.. or worse"

"You're not making any sense-" Hongjoong breaks from his hold and goes to pace the room. "He's our father. He would never hurt us"

"Well he has!" Wooyoung says firmly, his voice cracking ever so slightly as though he was holding back tears. The shorter male stops his pacing and looks Wooyoung in the eyes, his brows knitted together with disbelief. "He's hurt me especially, hyung" Wooyoung felt his eyes water up.

"He put me in there for four fucking years. Four" He breathes out shakily. "And put mom for even longer. Sent Chiyo to try and kill me who by the way used Jongho as bait to get to me by hurting him, multiple times. And to hear that you're still so convinced he's this saint that loves us. Well he's not. Ok? He's- he-" A tear slides down his cheek as he struggles to continue talking. San stands to embrace him but Hongjoong was faster.

The older prince envelopes his younger brother in a tight hug. Wooyoung accepts it, his hand shaky and more tears slid down his cheeks as he buried his face in Hongjoong's shoulder. "I'm so hurt... And angry and bitter" His voice comes out muffled and Hongjoong only holds him tighter.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Wooyoung. I'm sorry" Hs repeats over and over. "It's my fault. It's all my fault. If I wasn't so blinded I could've seen past his lies. I could've got to you quicker. I'm such an idiot" He too felt tears sting at his eyes and his bottom lip quiver. He looks at San who stood by the bed, a sad look on his face.

All this time he was resentful towards the drow for taking his brother away from him. He'd gone all these years being unsatisfied and angry that even after supposedly killing San it still wasn't enough. There was still a void in his heart.

When in reality, both San and Wooyoung were victims of the Jaejoong's deception. And he used me as a pawn.

He felt so stupid.

"I'm so sorry Woo-" He breaks down in tears, biting down on his lip hard as tear after tear slid down on his cheek.

Wooyoung pulls back slightly and places his hands on both sides of Hongjoong's wet cheeks. "It's not your fault" Wooyoung says in a raspy voice. "You couldn't have known"

Hongjoong shakes his head, closes his eyes and more tears streams down his reddened cheeks. "I'm supposed to protect you guys, you and Jongho. But I failed"

"Yah- Hongjoong" Wooyoung voice comes out stern forcing Hongjoong to open his eyes again and look at him. "You. Couldn't. Have. Known" He repeats. "You're here now. And we're all ok. What we need to do now, is make sure he pays. For everything he's done to everyone ever"

Hongjoong nods. Then Wooyoung embraces him again and Hongjoong breathes a sigh of content. "I missed you so much, Wooyo" He whispers, his eyes closed and cheek pressed against Wooyoung's dark hair

Wooyoung smiles sadly. "I missed you too, hyung"

After an hour or two of the three males catching up, Hongjoong apologizing over and over again and Wooyoung pinching him for apologizing for no reason for the nth time, Hongjoong excused himself and left the couple alone once again.

He made his way back to his hut and saw that Seonghwa wasn't in there. But he did hear someone breathing harshly from the bathroom. After shutting the hut door behind him and quietly taking off his shoes he made his way towards the closed door to the bathroom.

"Werewolf?" He asks after knocking softly on the door. All he could hear was Seonghwa's pained grunt from the other side. "Hey, are you ok?" His voice came out a little more concerned.

If he had it his way he'd just ignore him and go on with his day but he remembered that the werewolf is San's friend and the last thing he needed was to be held responsible for whatever happens to him.

So he tries twisting the doorknob but it was stiff clearly indicating that it's locked. "Open the door" He demands with a sigh.

"Go away" Seonghwa's voice comes out raspy and scratchy from the other side.

"Are you hurt? I said open the door. Don't be a dumbass" Hongjoong grits out. This is so annoying. He thinks to himself.

"You shouldn't be here right now. Your pheromones- I can smell it. It's too dangerous" He trails off and Hongjoong just squints his eyes in complete and utter confusion at the mention of his 'pheromones'. Ok so he's drunk and delirious. Great.

Still, he mutters 'fuck it' under his breath and rips the door open using his vampire strength. On the other side was Seonghwa completely naked and sitting in a wooden tub filled with water. His hair was wet and skin covered in water droplets mixed with sweat. His clothes littered all over the floor and pools of water around the tub.

His head was leaning back against the wall, his lips red and a little swollen probably from a lot of biting. His eyes appeared darker, murkier, as he watched Hongjoong once he forced his way in.

"What the hell is going on with you?" Hongjoong asks, brows furrowed. As he steps closer he realized that literal steam was coming off Seonghwa's body in waves. And when he leans over to press a hand on his forehead Seonghwa flinches at his touch and Hongjoong retracts his hand abruptly.

"What the fuck, you're burning up" Hongjoong watches him. He must be sick then? Then why's he sitting in the bath? He dips his finger in the bath and noticed that it was ice cold. "Why's the water so cold? Have you lost your mind? You need to get outta there" He sighs loudly at the inconvenience.

"You need to leave" Seonghwa rasps out as he watches Hongjoong through half lidded eyes. The vampire ignores him, stepping over his clothes on the floor and rushing to the little cupboard to retrieve one of the clean neatly folded towels in there.

Then he returns to Seonghwa who's now sitting up straighter. "Here, dry yourself and come out. I'll go see if I can find some clean clothes for you" He really couldn't believe he was helping a damn werewolf but it'll just be one time. Plus it doesn't mean anything other than wanting to make it up to San for literally killing him.

Seonghwa stands up abruptly and Hongjoong quickly averts his eyes from his nakedness, he bit the inside of his cheek and waited for Seonghwa to take the towel from his hand.

Seonghwa steps out of the tub and then rather takes his wrist and brings the shorter male closer to his chest. The heat emitting off his body made Hongjoong break into a sudden sweat. His toned chest and stomach hard against his clothed body. A few droplets of water from his hair dripped onto Hongjoong's hand and cheek. They were stood so close and Hongjoong felt his breath hitch as he stared up at Seonghwa's half lidded chestnut eyes. They were brighter than he remembered, almost luminescent.

"Let go of me" Hongjoong grits out while trying to step out of his hold. His brows furrow and he held himself back from knocking him out with one punch.

But Seonghwa leans in closer, bringing his lips underneath Hongjoong's jaw. "Mm you smell so good. I wanna fuck the shit outta you so bad right now" He whispers and Hongjoong's eyes blow out in horror. He'd had enough.

He rips his arm away and punches Seonghwa hard against his jaw, sending him tripping back and falling into the tub. The water splashes everywhere, even on Hongjoong's pants. But he didn't even notice because nothing could describe how absolutely furious he felt at that second.

"You nasty piece of shit. Fuck you" He spits out and stomps out of there before he threw another punch even though that's probably exactly what he deserves.

All I wanted to do was help him out and what do I get? Sexually harassed. Fuck that.. fucking... fuck! He slams the door to their hut in annoyance.

He was angry at Seonghwa for doing that but annoyed because even after punching the shit out of him and leaving, his heart was still racing and he knew he was blushing madly. He slaps his hands over his face as he leans on the front door.

Right after being punched and Seonghwa falls back into tub it was then he'd woken up from whatever trance he was in. He looks up to see Hongjoong rushing away and his first thought was. Fuck, what did I do?

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