Chapter Ten: Push and Pull

"Here." Jimin said as he handed Jungkook a Wii remote, his other hand rubbing a towel against his wet hair. "Mario Kart?"

Jungkook grinned at Jimin's pajama shorts and black t-shirt. The outfit put Jungkook's bite marks on full display. The fang marks themselves weren't too visible, Jungkook's blunt teeth had done most of the work, but it made Jungkook strangely coy knowing it would take at a couple days for them to disappear.

His fingers brushed Jimin's as he took the remote causing every muscle in his body to tense at the instant need to sink his fangs into Jimin's neck. He was thankful for the sound of his own blood flow, knowing if his supernatural hearing only caught Jimin's, it would take a Hell of a lot more self-control to stay seated where he was.

"Careful Jungkookie. Your eyes are still golden." Jimin teased and Jungkook blushed.

"So, you've seriously only had one other person drink your blood before?" Jungkook asked as Jimin started up the game.

"Why? Surprised?" Jimin said as he took a seat next to him on the couch, legs crossed with his knee resting on Jungkook's thigh. Jungkook smirked to himself but didn't make any comment in case Jimin scooted away as a result.

"Well, kinda. With you being a venom addict and everything." Jungkook said, putting his elbow on Jimin's knee. He leaned forward, holding the Wii remote sideways in his hands as the coconut mall map loaded and the colorful numbers countdown to start the race. When the first mystery box was hit, Jimin immediately threw a red turtle at Jungkook's kart, causing his character, Metal Mario, to fall behind.

"I could use a hit." Jimin said, nudging Jungkook with his elbow and stretching his neck expectedly. Jungkook reached over, put his entire tattooed hand right on Jimin's face, and pushed him away which caused Jimin to giggle, swatting at it.

"I was kidding." Jimin laughed, pushing Jungkook back with his hands before settling back on the couch. When Jimin sat further away on the cushions, Jungkook grabbed him under the knee and pulled him closer causing Jimin to giggle again.

"Truce?" Jimin said, smiling up, eyes forming little crescent eyes. Jungkook smiled, pecking a kiss on Jimin's shoulder in agreement without taking his eyes off the Mario Kart map. He had a feeling Jimin would use any second of Jungkook's distraction to ruthlessly gain leverage in the game.

"So how do you know so much about vampires?" Jungkook asked as he sent a blue turtle at Jimin, pushing his Princess Daisy from first to third place. He grinned, smiling even wider when Jimin scrunched his nose cutely in response.

"I dated one four years ago." Jimin answered, starting his second lap of the race.

"Oh." Jungkook said, trying not to curse when his kart hit a banana. He rested his arm on Jimin's thigh possessively and Jimin bit back a smile at the cute touch.

"Do vampires get possessive or is that a werewolf thing?" Jimin asked, looking down at Jungkook's grip. "Wait. Are werewolves real too?"

Jungkook raised his brows. Jimin poked him in the waist, a small pout on his full lips.

"That's a normal question." Jimin said defensively.

"I've never met a werewolf." Jungkook answered, squeezing Jimin's thigh. "But I also didn't know vampires existed until a year ago."

"Right. Wait, you're only a year old? For a vampire, I mean." Jimin asked when Jungkook put his hand back on the remote, resting his elbow on Jimin's knee again.

"Single-digit milestone." Jungkook said and whooped when his Metal Mario finally moved in front of Princess Daisy.

"How'd you turn?" Jimin asked, swatting Jungkook in the shoulder for passing him.

"Well, I died. Same as anyone else. Mine honestly wasn't the worst way. I got into a car crash and Taehyung found me. I didn't know what he was at the time, just that suddenly my best friend was crying over me. One second I'm lying on the street, bones broken in twenty different ways, and next I'm waking up in Taehyung's house with Seokjin and Namjoon standing over me, a bag of blood ready in their hands."

"Did it hurt?"

"The dying or the turning part?"

"Both, I guess."

"The crash hurt less than the turning bit. It's like, it's like your DNA itself alters." Jungkook said, looping his arm around and in front of Jimin waist so that Jungkook could both hold Jimin and the remote with two hands. Jimin blushed, shifting into Jungkook's lap. Jungkook savored the light blush on Jimin's cheeks and his heartbeat against his chest. "You can feel every cell change and snap in you and it lasts for days." Jungkook continued, resting his head on Jimin's shoulder. Jimin melted into Jungkook's chest like a cat would when picked up. He looked up at Jungkook for a moment to show him he was listening, before lifting his Wii remote again.

Jungkook smiled, it felt strangely good, he realized, to talk about one of the biggest changes that had happened to him with someone outside of the supernatural community. "Some people don't make it through the process." He explained. "The first couple months you're so thirsty you think you'll drink every human dry and if you can't get a grip on the hunger, it's your prince's reasonability to put you down. I'm lucky I was turned into Seokjin's coven. He's intimidating and insanely overbearing, but he's a really good guy. Namjoon and Jin helped me a lot the first couple months before Taehyung took over, I'm honestly only now getting the hang of it."

"And your family?" Jimin asked, looking warmly at Jungkook before focusing back on the map. Jungkook's Metal Mario finally caught up with Princess Daisy, the two racers now exactly in line with one another.

"My parents were really distant growing up so Tae's all I got." Jungkook answered, giving Jimin a squeeze to throw him off his game but Jimin maneuvered his kart expertly despite the distraction. "I think even if I hadn't turned, I wouldn't have kept contact once I started college."

"Still, that had to be hard to give up." Jimin said gently, his voice juxtaposing the red shell he threw at Metal Mario.

Jungkook placed a small kiss on the back of Jimin's neck which caused a small smile on Jimin's lips.

"Yea." Jungkook said. "But I got a better family out of it. Taehyung's like a brother to me, along with Jin and Joon. But if you tell any of them that, I'll genuinely destroy you. I have an image to maintain, you know."

Jimin laughed, putting his pinky out and Jungkook grinned as he reached his own over and locked it. The two boys stayed there for a moment before blushing, resuming the third lap of their game.

"How did you meet Taehyung?" Jimin asked, trying to fill the sudden silence and Jungkook prayed to whatever was out there not to lose focus when Jimin shifted in Jungkook's lap. His neck was so close to his fangs, the pulse like a siren's song.

"He worked at a bar I used to sneak off to as a high schooler and we kind of just hit it off. How about you? How'd you meet Hoseok and Yoongi? You guys seem really close."

Jimin raised his brows at the lack of jealousy in Jungkook's voice. Jungkook just shrugged, seemingly saying it's good to have friends. He didn't need to cut Jimin off from his communities. Besides, he felt like he was winning one over them anyway playing something as normal as Mario Kart with Jimin physically on his lap.

"Hoseok was my dance captain." Jimin answered, playing a squid which covered Jungkook's screen in a black ink. "We were both on the same dance team in undergrad. He was so cool and I asked him to teach me to dance outside of practice. We just became friends from there. Yoongi wasn't on the team, but he produced the music for it."

"You really love music, huh? I see it when you dance. It's like music becomes you."

Jimin smiled, "Yea, it feels like that. I love everything to do with it. I think even if I had eternity to spend on music, it still wouldn't be enough."

"Would you want that?" Jungkook asked, putting his remote down as they passed the finish line with Jungkook in fifth place and Jimin in fourth. "Eternity?"

Jimin shifted uncomfortably, knowing what Jungkook was asking him. "I don't know. It seems lonely." He said as he slowly made his way out of Jungkook's lap to go shut the Wii off.

Jungkook shrugged. "I guess I'm too young to know, but I think it all depends on who you meet. Some people are worth it, I think." He said, locking his gaze with the older boy.

"Like Taehyung?" Jimin added and Jungkook nodded a breath too late.

"Yea. Like Taehyung."

Jimin bit his cheek before he looked down at the time. "Fuck, it's almost two. Do you want me to walk you back?"

Jungkook laughed. He probably should head out before Jimin's roommates came home and asked questions. "Jimin, I'm a vampire. I think I'm the most qualified to walk to the dorms alone in the dark."

Jimin ignored this statement, going into his room and walking out with sweatpants and a coat. "You never know. That San guy might still be out there somewhere."

"I could just text you." Jungkook said while standing up, secretly hoping Jimin would keep pushing.

"You should start texting me in general." Jimin said. He then gave Jungkook a stop arguing with me on this pout as he grabbed his apartment keys off a hook near the wall.

Jungkook grinned and grabbed his own coat before giving Jimin a quick kiss on his forehead.

"W-what was that for?"

"Worrying about me." Jungkook answered as he opened the door for them to head out.

The walk back was quiet, but it was comfortable. The two boys just enjoyed each other's presence, bumping shoulder occasionally to knock the other off the sidewalk and into the last bits of winter snow left before spring would hit in the next couple of weeks.

"I'll uh see you in class I guess." Jimin said as they reached his dorm building. "Don't sleep on studying tempo changes for Friday. Prof sent the TA's the quiz already and Jungkook, it's no joke."

"Venom for an A?" Jungkook said, raising his brows.

"Stay after the quiz on Friday and that can be arranged." Jimin grinned back.

"Do you want some venom now too? Before you go?" Jungkook asked. The street was quiet, the last of the snow for the season having melted into ice revealing patches of grass fighting underneath it. He braced himself for Jimin's answer, hands pushing into his pockets as his body prepared itself the way it would a boxing hit. Jungkook understood their arrangement, often initiated jokes about it, but after tonight he knew if Jimin took him up on the offer, it would confirm that's all there ever was between them.

Jimin shook his head. "It's okay. I'll survive." He said casually, light surprise in his voice as if he hadn't considered asking for the drug in the first place.

Jungkook beamed.

"What are you grinning at?" Jimin asked.

Jungkook grinned wider.

"Alright creep, I'm heading back." Jimin said, poking at Jungkook's cheek where his grin stretched out to. Jungkook put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him in his tracks.

"No way. I'm calling you an Uber."

"What? No, I walked you here so that you specifically didn't need to spend money on an Uber."

"Jimin, how can you actively understand that vampires exist on this campus and then still feel okay walking back alone?"

"I'll be fine."

Jungkook finished tapping away on his phone. "Nope, already ordered it. Jin says there's another Prince here which means there might be a whole coven we don't know about. I'm not having you walk back alone. Unless you want to stay and sleep with Taehyung and me?"

"Oh absolutely." Jimin said too quickly and Jungkook choked.

"You know what I meant!"

"Yes, and you're very kinky for it." Jimin laughed, but there was a sort of half gleam in his eyes.

"Jungkook I -" Jimin started as they waited for the Uber. "What happened tonight, the blood thing, it can't happen again."

Jungkook's heart dropped. "What? Was it bad? Did I hurt you?" He asked, taking a frantic step towards Jimin. Jimin's smile was soft, eyes melting at Jungkook's words.

"No, omg Jungkook please don't think that. It was - it was amazing actually. I've never felt anything like that before. It's just a really complicated situation. I don't have a great history with vampires feeding off of me."

Jungkook blinked, reaching for Jungkook and resting his hand on his hip. He frowned, trying to read the way Jimin furrowed his brows in worry, his lip between his teeth. "What happened?" Jungkook asked, trying to keep his expression neutral. The supernatural side of him grieved Jimin's blood while the human side raged at the idea of anyone hurting him.

Jimin reached for Jungkook's wrist, gently brushing his fingers along it. "Like I said, it's complicated." Jimin said, "But thank you for coming over tonight, I honestly had a lot of fun." Jimin changed the subject. "Text me if you're in pain for any reason. I can't give you blood but I'll google how to fix muscle pain if it didn't heal all the way."

The Uber pulled up then and Jimin hesitated before wrapping his arms around Jungkook's waist. It took Jungkook completely off guard. It was so sweet - the hug. Slowly, he placed his arms around Jimin's frame and squeezed back, mind racing, before the Uber honked and Jimin untangled himself.

The second the car was out of view, Jungkook fucking sprinted up the steps to his dorm, praying his roommate was home to debrief.

* * *

"You're curious about feeders, Taehyung?" Seokjin asked, raising a brow. Taehyung's stance on human-vampire relationships was well known - and it wasn't a positive one.

Taehyung shifted in his car seat. He'd asked to join Seokjin on his dinner because he wanted to pick Seokjin's brain instead of an interest in royal politics.

"I'm asking for a friend." Taehyung shrugged as they neared the restaurant. It was a bit out of Seoul in the mountains surrounding the city which meant the dinner was a great opportunity for Taehyung to clear his head. He felt bad for missing Jungkook's boxing thing but there was too high a chance that Yoongi might join Jimin to watch it. The feeling in Taehyung's chest whenever he saw the human confused him, like he was drawn to Yoongi's energy alone.

It didn't help that Yoongi seemed immune to Taehyung's irresistible charms, either.

"Jungkook has someone he's interested in?" Seokjin asked.

Taehyung flushed. "Why does everyone think I only have one friend?"

Seokjin smiled at that, ruffling Taehyung's hair. "Jungkook's family. It's not hard to tell when you're talking about him."

Taehyung frowned. He could still smell the smoke of Yoongi's cigarettes as the two men stood outside the main lecture hall the other night. It was uncomfortable how much Taehyung enjoyed just standing in Yoongi's space, watching him watch the moon, smoke passing through his lips.

"Yea, it's Jungkook I'm asking for." He lied, rolling his shoulders back.

The car lulled to a stop in front of the modern looking restaurant. It was small, with two stories made of glass. The second acted as a canopy, while the whole building was quite literally carved into the base of a mountain. Seokjin asked for the table reserved under his name as they walked inside, tilting his head so Taehyung followed the waiter up to the second floor where the entire open space was reserved.

"I'm surprised your meetings are so normal. Bougie for sure, but still." Taehyung said as he sat down at a round, black table. Countless candles were lit on the four or five empty tables that surrounded the space, the wax a mix of gold and silver and flickered under the recently set sun. "You're just casually meeting over dinner. I expected more let's sacrifice a lamb and plan vampire world domination vibes."

"That's reserved for family gatherings." Seokjin joked as a waiter filled two wine glasses with a thin, crimson liquid that smelled like smoke and roses. Seokjin covered his glass with his hand and the waiter skipped his cup.

When Taehyung raised a brow Seokjin just winked. "I'm bound to Joonie, I don't drink anyone else's blood."

Taehyung's mouth popped, nodding with a tata-mic understanding as he realized the staff here completely understood who and what they were serving. He wouldn't be surprised if they some were vampires themselves.

"So you were asking about feeders?" Seokjin said. His pink dusted suit matched the deep color of his lips as he smiled. An eternal patience was etched into his frame as he rested a hand on his chair, the second prince still on his way. Vampire custom wasn't keen on time; there was no cultural penalty for arriving late when an hour or two was nothing in the grand scheme of a vampire's lifetime.

"Well, yea. I um, okay, so how does it work?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, do you just shake on it or -"

Seokjin laughed, barking the sound out like an embarrassing uncle. "Kind-of. We don't have a lot of blood in us, but they have to drink the little that you and I have left in our veins and then right after that we drink their mixed blood. It seals the bond. But I'll let you know from the start that there's a reason they're so rare. It's, Taehyung, having a feeder is a huge responsibility and it's incredibly dangerous."

"Dangerous?"

"For the vampire. The bond is a literal thing." Seokjin said as the waiter came back with a regular red wine for Seokjin, pouring his cup. The prince swirled the liquid around, a fond look coming over his fine features as he thought of his partner. "When a vampire claims a feeder, no other blood will ever come close. Even the benefits, like getting stronger or faster, are weaker if it's not their blood you drink."

"I still don't get how that's dangerous." Taehyung said, wondering traitorously how Yoongi's blood would taste. Like whiskey, probably.

Taehyung reached for his glass, the blood inside passed his lips and his hand shook as he placed it back down.

"It's good right?" Seokjin said, amused. "Perk of being a prince: access to Blood Bottles. They infuse it with different things and make it fresh. The princes all have different tastes but rose is usually a safe choice."

"Jin. I want to be you when I grow up."

Jin smiled, taking another sip of his wine.

"As I was saying, the danger comes if a feeder leaves. It's different if it's something natural, like they age or pass away, or even if you turn them. What I'm talking about is if a feeder decides to leave you. The bond is a physical thing they can break."

Taehyung frowned.

"Tell Jungkook that he has to be absolutely, completely, sure if he wants to take one on. If they break the bond, it's such an intense feeling of loss that the human parts of a vampire risk erasure. Some starve themselves out of the loss, others turn on the feeders they once loved or go completely rogue."

"How did you know Namjoon was worth the risk?" Taehyung asked, his eyes starting to ring gold from the blood. He had to hold his hands in his lap to keep it from shoving the entire glass of rose infused blood down his throat.

Seokjin's eyes softened. "I'm just incredibly lucky. Feeders don't have to be romantic, they can be any kind of dynamic, as long as the vampire is willing to take on the risk of them leaving. Namjoon, God Taehyung, I fell in love with him the moment he broke his own sunglasses trying to put them on in a store I was in. I kept going to that same store for a year hoping he'd show up and when he finally did, I begged him to go on a date with me. I've had feeders centuries ago, but nothing like this. I think we might even be blood bound."

"Blood bound?"

"It's sort of like a soulmate thing. If Namjoon turns by my bite, there's a chance he'll still have a blood flow and my own will start up again. We'd never need anyone else to feed on for the rest of our lives. But there's no way to be sure till he turns."

"Gross." Taehyung said, scrunching his nose like his parents just described how babies are made and he came to the realization that was how he was made.

"So you're going to turn him?"

"Oh, of course. I've always known he's my forever. Blood bound or not. But I want him to enjoy human life for as long as he can first. You know him, he's the sentimental type. I'm trying to buy all the paintings he's been admiring at the art museums we've been visiting so that the day I turn him, he can have an archive of human life."

"Again. Gross." Taehyung said. Seokjin smiled again before the canopy door opened and a wave of energy pulsed across the deck. It made Taehyung's head instantly spin, like a force of nature was carving its way through the air. It felt old. Powerful.

Seokjin seemed unfazed, more so curious as he tilted his head towards the door, slowly standing up from his seat to see which of the forty princes he was about to face.

Taehyung was shaking, standing in response to the powerful pull rather than any manners. His head spun, trying to focus on the rose scent from the blood in their wine cups instead of the wave of cigarette smoke starting to pool its way into the space. 

"Welcome." Seokjin grinned. "It's been decades."

"Yes." Said a lazy, low voice that Taehyung instantly recognized. "It has."

With a cat-like grin, Min Yoongi walked over to Seokjin, shaking his hand in his pale own, before taking a seat at their table.

_________

A/N:
Twists twists twists.

Question: if you could be any supernatural being for a day, what would you be and why?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 🥳🎉🍻 I wish you all the luck, the best food, the most amazing trips and memories, and all the joy the new year can bring!! BTS might be enlisting, but there will still be lost of good music and content to support until they safely come back <3

- Vio

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