The first thing Jungkook does when his eyes finally decide to open is to look down at his chest. To his surprise, there's nothing to indicate he ever sustained any fatal injury. Not even the hint of a scar. Yet his head still rings from the pistol blast and the vivid pain coursing through his veins as the poison had killed is not something his mind could have made up, given the fact that it had forgotten what hurt feels like. Until that roof incident, that is.

Do vampires actually die and go to heaven?

Jungkook doesn't have the time to contemplate the possibility above before recognizing the somewhat familiar setting: he's lying on a bed in the headquarters' infirmary.

Jin arrives as he's looking for clothes that aren't hospital gowns. "Hey, vampy. Easy there. I know you're a fast healer but I suggest you stay put for a while."

"What for? I feel fine," he grumbles, still searching for an attire that doesn't scream convalescent.

"We didn't hook you up to vitals because, well, you don't have any to monitor in the first place. But you underwent experimental surgery and we have no idea of the possible side effects, so stick around, will you?"

"Experimental surgery? Is that why I'm still alive?"

Jin coughs. "You're still here with us," he corrects, "because Taehyung took care of that wound. Now be still so I may get a reading," he adds, pulling out a digital thermometer which he points at Jungkook's forehead.

"What do you mean, he took care of it?"

Jin pouts as the device reads 22 °C. "You don't know much about your field partner, do you?" he asks, recording the data on his tablet computer.

"I know some things," Jungkook snickers.

Jin rolls his eyes. "I'm talking about meaningful facts like what he was before he became a witch, for instance." Jin would know a thing or two about past lives. Scars on his neck, back and sides remind him daily of the marine existence he left behind.

But this is obviously news to Jungkook who's never bothered to find out how these things worked. Truth be told, he feels no attachment to any of his colleagues, thus his obliviousness to their own stories. He wouldn't even be employed by the Secret Seven Brigade if he wasn't somewhat indebted to Min Yoongi, who rescued the covenless, sireless fledgling he was and turned him into an asset with a purpose that doesn't involve killing.

Jin is done here but before walking out, he gives Jungkook one final advice. "Next time you see him, maybe remember that he saved your life."

"Why all the secrecy? Just tell me what he was instead of beating around the bush."

"Not my story to tell," Jin argues before waltzing out the door, leaving the vampire with more questions than answers.

After borrowing a clean pair of grey joggers and their matching hoodie from the locker room down the hall, Jungkook heads towards Min's office. A sight catches his eyes as he reaches the reception area: Taehyung curled up in an armchair by the coffee machine, catnapping. Jungkook makes a note of his snores — something to tease him about when he wakes up — but as he's about to turn, his eyes are briefly blinded by an odd shine in the dark. The light is bouncing off some scales of sparkling blue covering the body of a snake. The fact that the unidentified living thing is presently moving around the witch's neck, as if trying to strangle the man in his sleep, doesn't elude the watchful vampire.

Jungkook is swift to grab what he thinks is foe when the creature shrieks before spitting a few sparks his way, effectively setting his hair on fire.

"Aquatus!"

The spell douses him with cold water and Jungkook now looks like he just stepped out of the shower. The vampire has a whole collection of the finest profanity he'd love to throw at the witch at once, but Jin's words echo in his fuming skull.

He saved your life.

So he settles for mild annoyance. "Is this a way to greet the guy who took a silver bullet for you?"

"I-I'm sorry," Taehyung stammers, looking positively apologetic. "You were, well, on fire. I can cast a dry spell if you want," he offers, hopeful.

But Jungkook's has had enough sorcery for the day. He huffs in response, glaring at the winged thing which flutters about before perching itself on Taehyung's shoulder. "What even is that?"

Taehyung hands him a hanky before replying,"I'm not quite sure but Joonie hyung has a theory."

Dabbing his face dry, Jungkook recalls the recent events and realizes he doesn't need to hear about any theory to make sense of it all. "Don't tell me it's the Imugi that schmuck was trying to summon."

Taehyung shrugs. "I don't know. It just appeared out of nowhere, right after I brought you here."

Despite his mood, still dampened by the cold shower, Jungkook cannot help dissolve into laughter at the thought of Jaewon going through such length only to end up with a puny little drake that can barely lit a candle.

Scratching behind the dragon's ears (or what he believes are its ears), Taehyung warns, "stop howling like that. You don't want to hurt Ash's feelings."

Jungkook looks at them with round eyes. "It has a name?"

"Humans give names to their pets all the time," the other replies as if it stands to reason.

"So you're saying that it is, in fact, bound to you."

Taehyung doesn't deny the statement. "If Joonie confirms it's a baby Imugi, then I guess it would make sense. It was my blood on the orb after all."

Maybe Jungkook finds the tiny purring drake nose bumping into Taehyung's hand just a little bit cute but he's not about to admit that. "Why Ash?" he asks instead.

"I think it's a he, but I can't be sure. And Ash sounds fairly gender-neutral."

Jungkook has no idea why the sight of Taehyung checking for genitalia on a flying feathered serpent is adorable, but the witch being smitten with his exotic pet does stir some kind of feeling within. Deciding against nursing that emotion, he clears his throat. "Jin tells me you performed experimental surgery on me."

"Experimental?" Taehyung repeats before bursting with laughter. "Is that what he called it?"

Jungkook doesn't find it funny. "Taehyung, what did you do exactly?" he asks a little forcefully.

"I did what I had to do to make sure you wouldn't die on me," the witch deadpans. "Be grateful or be gone."

Right. Jungkook should've started with that. "Thank you," he utters feebly. "It's just that, no vampire has ever recovered from Helsing bullet wounds. I don't believe in miracles which is why I must know how you did it," he insists.

"Both the poison and the projectile were removed from your system. There's nothing more to it."

"You're a mystery, Kim Taehyung. And you are annoying the hell out of me right now by dodging the question."

Jungkook is trying hard not to grind his precious fangs, but Taehyung is not having it. "Hush!" he commands, pointing at Ash who has curled up on his lap and is now sleeping peacefully.

The vampire makes a mental note to pet it later on for the witch seems willing to give him what he wants just to avoid a confrontation that is bound to be loud and stir it awake. "I used magic. And some other skills I'd almost forgotten I had."

Taehyung's gaze is drifting to a place Jungkook has tried exploring many times in the past: memory lane. "What other skills," he enquires, hushed voice treading lightly, aware that such unbosomings are not to be forced.

"Medical."

Wow. It comes as a shock to Jungkook, the realization that there is so much more to Taehyung than pulpy lips and playful eyes. "Is that what you were before embracing the life of a witch? A doctor?"

"I was studying to be one. And for the record, I never embraced the life of a witch. It was all — a mistake."

The hurt in Taehyung's gaze is real enough to trigger concern if not empathy. "I don't know witchcraft terminology but I must ask, were you turned against your will?"

A quiet sob is not the answer he expects. "It's a lot more complicated than that."

There's a story there, for sure. And a long one at that. But Taehyung looks exhausted. And miserable. Perhaps for another time. Looking around, Jungkook decides to switch gears. "Where is everyone by the way? I can't believe Yoongi hyung hasn't even bothered to check on me."

The change of subject is welcome, it seems. "They're all in an emergency meeting," Taehyung replies, pointing at the conference room down the hall.

"Huh?"

Scratching the back of his neck, Taehyung reminds him that he wasn't exactly stealthy with his spells. "There were several witnesses on that roof last night—"

Before he can elaborate, Namjoon opens the door. "Taehyung? The Council is requesting your presence."

—

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