Chapter Seventeen: Complications
Double update - Vio
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A shiver ran down Jungkook's spine. There was nothing human in the face they'd left and he'd never seen eyes like those before either. When vampires fed, their irises turned gold; if they were blood-bound the color turned silver; but a deep blood red? It was like his irises were made of blood itself.
Feeder. Jimin was Yoongi's feeder.
Seokjin sent Jungkook an address in a short text, telling him to keep Jimin there until they could reign Yoongi's humanity in. Jungkook didn't know what else to do but pick Jimin up and run.
The address was to a warehouse outside of the city, built into the nature surrounding it. Vampire speeding was deeply against the coven laws to protect them from human eyes, but it was by far the fastest way to travel. The warehouse would have been at least an hour by car but took less than thirty minutes for Jungkook to make, holding onto Jimin cradled in his chest and feeling him shake helplessly against him.
The warehouse was huge and eerie in the darkness surrounding it. The front door pushed open to a ceiling webbed in steel beams with tall concrete walls hugging it. A small balcony of sorts acted as a second floor, cutting half way up the wall where large paintings were stored in sheet coverings. Jungkook put Jimin down and as he turned on the overhead lights, he couldn't help but gasp. Every single inch of the warehouse was covered in paintings: modern, classical, foreign, landscapes, portraits, ext.
"What is this place?" Jimin said in awe.
"I think it's for Namjoon. For when Jin turns him."
"Oh." Jimin said. "Those two know how to do romance."
Jungkook frowned, flexing his fingers at his sides as he tried to comb through the storm of emotions raging in his head.
"Has that happened before?" Jungkook asked finally. "Yoongi lashing out like that? You and Hoseok seemed almost prepared for it."
Jimin bit his lip. "Once."
"That's why you never wanted me to drink from you." Jungkook added. "An ex I can understand, but a feeder?"
Jimin swallowed, rubbing his fingers in his palms. There were tears in his eyes. "I never wanted you to find out this way."
"Was I ever supposed to find out?" Jungkook said, failing to keep the hurt from his voice. He couldn't describe the feeling in his chest. It was painful and raw, like a corkscrew was getting twisted further and further into it before being ripped out and screwed in again.
"I wanted to tell you after your boxing match forever ago but Yoongi fought against it on the ride over. He shuts the topic down each time I've brought it up since. I finally planned to just tell you outright tonight, but it's a lot and I needed to make sure Yoongi didn't - you know - freak out, first."
Jungkook frowned. "Why, Jimin? Why include him in the decision at all?"
Jimin rubbed his arms as he sat down, leaning against a painting.
"Yoongi isn't himself when that humanity shuts off. It's not him, it's like the most vampire version of him." Jimin rubbed the back of his neck, thumb brushing the same spot it had at the restaurant. "It's not just scary for me to experience, but it's torture for him too when he has to deal with whatever happened when his humanity comes back. I was waiting to make sure it was safe to take another step away from being his feeder."
Jungkook winced and Jimin's eyes immediately softened with guilt.
"Our bond is old." Jimin explained. He leaned his head back on the warehouse wall, looking up at the ceiling. "He hasn't fed off of me since we met in October and any feelings that went into creating that bond have long dried up. I guess it's been strained for so long that it's just freaking out now. Hoseok said it has to do with Yoongi being a prince too, they're stronger so the bonds are even trickier to undo."
"A feeder is a hell of a lot different than an ex, Jimin." Jungkook said, nearly choking on the word. Even if it was baseless, it was a tough pill to swallow. He grew up seeing Seokjin and Namjoon together, knew how no vampire would ever hurt someone else's feeder, understood how culturally important they could be in his world. Jimin was an outsider - maybe to him it really meant nothing, but to Jungkook it felt like the earth tilted and he now stood at the wrong angle.
Jimin nodded. He rubbed his arm again. "I know. You're right, Jungkook. I just hoped - I hoped the bond would fade away if we didn't entertain it long enough." Jimin said, bringing his knees into his chest. "Hobi said I don't have many options. If I die, then the bond naturally undoes and Yoongi's humanity stays intact. I could also live out the rest of my life bonded to him and then when I die from old age Yoongi's still okay. Or I snap the bond and I'm okay but Yoongi isn't. There's also the turning option but if Yoongi turns me then the bond just evolves and if someone else does it then there no guarantee the bond won't snap anyway."
Jimin looked up at Jungkook. He looked so tired, Jungkook thought. His shoulders were sunk forward and there were slight bags under his eyes. He wondered how many times Jimin had come to Hoseok about his options. He spoke like he had memorized them all.
"I was going to just wait it out." Jimin said. "Grow old. Yoongi was happy with me having a whole life outside of him, wanting me to look for love and move on, and the feeding thing could just be transactional. But neither of us ever imagined I'd fall for another vampire."
Jimin's heart was racing now, a low drumming sound against Jungkook's ears.
"I never thought I'd fall so hard for you, Jungkook." Jimin said, blushing. "I've never felt like this before. It's like, I walk into a room and immediately search for you. I feel lighter when you're around and the second you leave all I can think about is when I'll get to see you again. I mean, what are the odds I'd ever even meet another vampire? Let alone one I actually like when he drinks from me? And now Yoongi has the whole thing with Taehyung and he's right, as long as I keep testing this bond, he can never be sure Taehyung's safe around him."
"You liked when I drank from you?" Jungkook said with surprise. Jimin chewed his lip, nodding.
"I like everything you do, Jungkook. I trust you."
"Tell me what happened in October, Jimin. No more secrets." Jungkook walked over to where Jimin was sitting and crouched down in front of him. Jimin sniffed and wiped his tears with his sleeves. After a second, he locked his eyes with Jungkook's, and nodded.
"When Yoongi and I dated years ago, I didn't lie when I said we didn't work out romantically. In a last-ditch effort to make it work, Yoongi brought up feeders. I didn't know it was such a big deal at the time, Jungkook. Yoongi didn't pitch it that way. He called it a 'spark' and that it was what humans and vampires did to get closer to each other. I think we were both desperate to give it another try, so I agreed. We lasted one month after and Jungkook - I hated it so much. Yoongi didn't mean to, but the way he feeds, something about his fangs, it hurt so much. So he started pumping a crazy amount of venom into me because he felt guilty. In the end we broke up anyway and decided to go about things as friends."
"You never tried to break the bond?"
"I did. But Jungkook something went really wrong. I can feel the bond in me sometimes. It's like a physical string between Yoongi and I. I thought if we stayed friends the bond would go away on its own without hurting him, but it never did. We even tried to space out the feedings to see if the bond would catch on that we both wanted it to break, but nothing. Then, I met you. You were the final push to tug on it and see what would happen. I was thinking about testing it for a while and then I met this incredibly cute guy at this bar with a smile I couldn't get out of my mind and I knew it wasn't fair to either me or Yoongi for this feeder bond to keep existing. So - I tugged."
Jungkook softened slightly. "Then what?"
Jimin's eyes fogged over and he pulled his knees tightly to his chest. The tears stained his cheeks and Jungkook reached out, wiping them.
"It was like the human parts of him just - snapped. Really similar to what just happened at the restaurant. His eyes went red and then the air grew so cold. I was alone in the apartment when I'd tried it and Yoongi found me in the hallway. I'm human, I can't outrun a vampire."
Jimin swallowed. "He jumped on me and his fangs pierced so deep into my neck I could physically feel the blood being pulled out of my veins. Blood loss isn't like the movies. I didn't fade in and out of it, more like I just really slowly lost my motor skills. I was conscious the whole time. My head felt so light and I couldn't form words because there wasn't enough blood going to my brain as he just drank and drank and drank. Sometimes I can still physically feel how weakly my heart was beating."
"Jimin." Jungkook said softly.
"Then he, um," Jimin sniffled, "Jesus it sounds so stupid saying it now with everything that's happened but he saw I was freaking out so he venomed me. That's when things got really scary because I couldn't tell what was venom making me feel funny and what was the blood loss. I couldn't speak, I couldn't move. Things got blurry then. If Hoseok didn't come home when he did I - I don't know what would have happened. He got Yoongi off of me and that was enough for Yoongi to realize the bond was still in place and his humanity came back to him."
"I'm going to kill him." Jungkook said, standing up and Jimin caught his arm.
"No, Jungkook. Jungkook, that's the whole point. You didn't see him after, he was devastated by what had happened. Didn't eat, didn't sleep. You guys are vampires, I get that, I understand you're not human and that you're all dangerous, but Yoongi was my friend and that night that wasn't him. If I break it, what if he stays like that forever? Actually becomes a monster? Can I chose my own happiness if it means it destroys everything that keeps Yoongi, Yoongi? Does that make me any better?"
Jimin was crying. He looked up at Jungkook with such warmth it nearly undid him. His expression was one of hope and joy and such sadness it was nearly overwhelming. "Jungkook, I want to be with you. I - I actually can't imagine a life without you. Not in some obsessive way or like you can't have a life outside of me, that's not what I mean. It's like, like you're music, right? A song I want to study and my heart can't help but dance to. I want to memorize you like you're a score because when there's silence all I think about is how you'd fill it."
Jimin paused, his face flushing. His hands were shaking, holding onto his knees so tight. Jungkook melted, taking a step towards Jimin and watched the boy's eyes widen in shock as Jungkook wrapped his arms around him and pulled him into his chest. He hugged him tight before Jungkook sat down, putting his hand on Jimin's knee until the older boy finally uncurled the tight grip he had on himself.
"Aren't you scared of him?" Jungkook asked, cupping a hand on Jimin's cheek. "You all still seem close."
"None of us knew how to deal, to be honest. I was hospitalized from it and Hoseok was fighting to keep both me and Yoongi alive after the guilt ate him up and I was, you know, party party yeah-ing it up in the hospital bed. We've never actually talked, Hoseok, Yoongi, or me. I think it was easier to pretend everything was fine. I think you saved me in that sense, Jungkook. You were the best thing that could have happened this semester."
"Wait, Jimin. You let me drink from you after surviving that?" Jungkook said, his face twisting in horror. He couldn't imagine how terrifying that had to have been for Jimin to go through - and Jungkook kept pushing and pushing for it again this whole month.
"You were hurt." Jimin explained like it was that simple.
Jungkook broke. "I'm sorry for the pain you've gone through, Jimin, and I'm sorry for pushing you to become a feeder for me."
Jimin laughed in disbelief. "Are you seriously apologizing to me? Jungkook, I'm the one who's sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you about the fucked up situation I'm in with Yoongi or about what happened. I just - I thought we'd have more time. I wanted us to enjoy dating before I threw all this - trauma - at you."
"You're not at fault for surviving, Jimin. I get it, why you waited. This happened what - six months ago? I'm proud of you for the amount you've been able to bounce back and heal, but it's time we face this, okay? Together."
Jimin sniffled, "Together? You still want me after this?" He said with genuine shock and Jungkook kissed his forehead. He held Jimin like the precious person he was, his body singing at the places they touched, like there was nothing more right than Jimin in his arms.
The rage for what Jimin had gone through screamed through his muscles and his mind. Jimin had called it complicated and after hearing the whole story Jungkook truly couldn't find a better word for it. He wanted to rip Yoongi apart for nearly drinking Jimin dry, for almost tearing away the chance that Jimin and Jungkook ever crossed paths again, but at the same time how much of that was Yoongi and how much was it something out of his control?
What exactly defined a monster?
"You're not undesirable because you've suffered, Jimin." Jungkook said, kissing his forehead again. "Trauma doesn't mean you're undeserving of love. Surviving a near death experience is hard enough, I'd rather you didn't carry that alone."
Jimin bit back a sob. Jungkook beamed down at him, moving his hair out of his eyes. There was more Jungkook wanted to say, but he kept those words to himself, kissing Jimin softly instead.
"We'll come up with a plan together, okay?" Jungkook said instead.
Jimin nodded and just then the door burst open with Kim Taehyung running inside. His hair was sweaty, sticking to his neck and his cheeks were flushed as he scanned the room in a panic. Instantly Jimin and Jungkook were up on their feet, Jungkook standing in front of Jimin with an arm shielding him.
"Jungkook, hide Jimin." Taehyung said. "Seokjin's bringing Yoongi here. His humanity came back to him but we don't know how long it'll last."
"He's bringing Yoongi here?" Jungkook roared, the panic finally starting to settle in. The world sounded muffled in his ears as he watched Jimin stand next to a sunflower pot painting. Six months he'd known Jimin, fought for him, and right when Jungkook finally felt seen by someone, they were about to slip through his fingers.
"Hide him till we tell you to come out. Seokjin thinks it'll be enough to keep Yoongi calm if he can feel the presence of his feeder but not see him directly. That way we can all just talk and figure this out without it turning violent." Taehyung explained and Jungkook nodded, pulling Jimin up with him to the little steel balconies on the second floor of the warehouse. He moved a massive painting so it would block the steel bars from view as Taehyung began to pace on the floor underneath them.
Jimin let out a slow laugh but the sound was heavy as they waited. There was a general sense of dread starting to fill the air, like a clock had begun ticking in the distance. "Yoongi and I always knew it would come to this, you know." Jimin said finally. "When it didn't work out between us, I think we both knew."
"Jimin, stop. Don't talk like that." Jungkook said, panic thrumming in his chest. He stared at Jimin, his sharp eyes, the lazy pout of his lips, the always thumping heart behind that dancer's body. His hands shook as Jimin started to blend with the hundreds of paintings covering the warehouse walls like he was part of the display himself - a beautiful relic of humanity in a vampire's life.
Jimin breathed and Jungkook nearly fell apart at the sound of it. What would he do if it were to stop like his own had months ago? Could things really turn that violent?
"Jungkook." Jimin said, reaching for Jungkook's cheek and brushing it with his thumb. His smile was one of grief. "I've lived on borrowed time in your world, having the closest people in my life all be vampires. It never ends well for humans, does it?"
"Let me turn you." Jungkook said, his voice begging. "If I turn you, maybe the bond will fall apart."
"If you turn me, I might not survive the process anyway."
"So what? We just give up?"
"I'm so grateful for you, Jungkook." Jimin said, a tear pooling from his eyes. "I know I haven't shown it the best and that it took time for us to get here, but I can't even describe the brightness you brought into my life. After last semester, I honestly felt so lost. You helped me look forward instead of staying stuck in the past. Thank you."
"Jimin I can't believe I'm asking this of you, please know I really understand what I'm asking, but let me drink from you." Jungkook said, "If Yoongi's coming then I want to at least have the strength to fight him. Without blood in my system, I'll have no chance. Help me protect you."
Jimin nodded, putting out his wrist and Jungkook lovingly brushed the skin with his thumb. Jimin gave him a nod and Jungkook sunk his teeth in with such incredible care, flowing a gentle amount of venom to numb any pain before starting to drink. The blood rushed to his system like a flame, burning through him with a sudden surge of strength Jungkook had never before experienced. It was like the blood was a part of him, a glowing, golden, core in his center that had always been there and just needed to be awakened.
Jungkook pulled his fangs out slowly, shaking. For a split second, his heart let out a single beat before stilling again. Jimin stretched out his neck and Jungkook cupped it, leaning in and sliding his fangs in where the blood was freshest. The feeling was indescribable as he drank, it was like he and Jimin were one. Not vampire and human, but one beating heart.
"You would have been worth it, Jungkook." Jimin said weakly and closed his eyes as Jungkook pulled his fangs back, the blood dripping from his chin. "Eternity."
Just then the door finally burst open and the complications of Jimin's past walked in.
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A/N:
Bet you didn't expect a second update so soon!! To be incredibly honest, neither did I. I have hw due in a couple hours I should be working on instead but the exact right playlist turned on and I was like - damn, okay, gotta do what you gotta do
Hope you're enjoying so far!
Question: if you were to throw a fancy ball, what theme would you chose or what would you wear?
- vio
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