Chapter Text
Taehyung woke up with a groan as he realised there was dried come coating his stomach. Seriously, he needed some self control. And some tissues. Taehyung wondered whether they had tissues. Jungkook’s poor abused shirt was still clutched in one hand and he quickly tossed it away, cheeks warming at the thought of him. How did laundry work, anyway? Was there electricity? There had to be showers, right? There was an en suite bathroom in his own room (again, fancy stuff) but it only had a sink and toilet. Oh yeah, he should return the toothbrush he'd borrowed from Jimin. He should've paid attention yesterday to the going ons and inner workings of this vampire household, instead of stumbling around in an almost delirious haze, drunk from Jungkook’s scent. And, nope, he was not letting his mind go there this early. He pushed himself off the bed leisurely.
It was pitch black, the candles having gone out at some point. According to Taehyung’s generally accurate inner alarm clock it was… maybe one, two in the afternoon. Holy shit. He'd slept eight hours? That was the most sleep he'd had in longer than he could remember. Well, it wasn't a miracle, really, considering he wasn't sleeping on a wooden board like bunk anymore. The persistent, yearning lull of sleep slowed his mind and tugged at his limbs. He wanted to just drag himself back into that warm, soft, bouncy queen bed, more luxurious than anything he'd ever owned, and bury himself within the maroon and white covers once more. How was everything in this house so picture perfect and fancy? How was income managed, anyway? Who brought home the money? But did the vampires go… out to stores? To buy things?
Taehyung felt the sleepiness gradually dissipate, leaving his body alert, restless and buzzing with curiosity. So many questions. When he'd been introduced to all this, and the very concept of vampires, it'd all been shoved in his face without giving him much time to think as he moved in for- for what again? Oh, right, safety. But anyway, now that he had some space to breathe, his innate insatiable curiosity was poking and prodding at him, urging him to go find answers and go discover everything he possibly could about this fantastical world and way of living. Who should he ask? Maybe one of the vampires?
Like… Jungkook?
Oh God, Taehyung thought, shaking his head violently and feeling his way around to the candles set in the wall near the bed. After some trial and error he managed to tap the base of the candle (and accidentally chipped out a bit of wax that lodged itself under his nail but, oh well, he'd get better after time) and watched the soft, warm glow of candlelight spread unhurriedly through the room. His cheeks burned, heart tumbling and rolling about as he thought of speaking to Jungkook again. Would he even be able to look him in the eyes normally?
He really needed some self control. He was going to live here, for God’s sake. There was no way he'd survive tip toeing around this guy for- for however long he was staying here. Maybe he'd ask him all those questions, just to break the ice that usually, Taehyung would have long since trampled underfoot.
But for now… Taehyung grimaced as the come cracked and peeled as he moved, like cheap paint. He ran a hand through his hair and located his belongings at the base of the bed, rummaging through them, tugging on a random pair of shorts and a tee. Time to brave the outside world with sin on his body and determination in his heart.
He grabbed a set of clean clothes and after glancing longingly back at the heap of pristine white pillows and the welcoming dip of the mattress, he pushed open the door and left the room.
Taehyung wandered down the winding corridors for a bit in silence, not sure where he should be heading, before bumping into Seokjin.
“Oh, good morning! Afternoon, rather. I didn't really see you the whole of yesterday, so I didn't get to ask. Is everything cool? Sleep well? Got everything you need? Not too lost? Know where everything is?” Seokjin greeted him warmly, brightly, and Taehyung immediately referred to him internally as his second mother from that instant onwards.
“Oh yes, everything's fine and thank you so much for- everything, I guess, I didn't get to thank you properly for making breakfast for me yesterday and I'm kicking myself over it. It tasted amazing. Really, thank you.” Taehyung grinned, trying his best to convey his genuine appreciation of Seokjin’s efforts to be nice to him. Seokjin waved a hand dismissively.
“Oh no, don't even worry about it. If you really don't mind my cooking I'll happily make you three meals a day. You were probably a bit out of it yesterday, I know, moving in all of a sudden with us creepy human strangers and even creepier vampire strangers would probably take a little getting used to. If you're not happy about something, just let me know, or just ask me about anything you want.” Seokjin smiled, friendly and welcoming, and Taehyung felt his grin widening at the easy, natural comfort exuding from the older man. He felt maybe this was what a family was like. He hadn't seen his own since he was thirteen.
“I have so much to ask, and I haven't told you guys much about myself yet which is pretty rude, but firstly, could I please take a shower? Are there showers here?” Taehyung asked as politely as he was able and Seokjin smiled a little apologetically.
“There are bathrooms with bathtubs connected to every bedroom that's being used except yours, and although we don't have a shortage on bathtubs, the only shower in this house is in Jungkook’s room. You don't mind using baths, do you?” Seokjin replied with genuine concern in his voice and Taehyung wondered how much of a sissy prat he looked like, to have Seokjin worry that he'd be picky over showers and baths. Or maybe Seokjin was just really, really nice. He hoped it was the latter. But… the only shower in the house was in Jungkook’s room…?
“Oh no, I don't mind at all. In fact, baths sound amazing, I don't think I've taken an actual bath in about ten years. But um, why is the only shower in uh, Jungkook’s room? I'm- I’m just curious.” Taehyung mumbled the last part, hitting himself internally. Wow. Yes, going great. He couldn't even mention Jungkook without blushing.
“Oh… um, I'm not quite sure. He just said he wanted one, one day, and we just got it installed, I guess. The vampires are all sleeping right now, so I mean, you could just sneak in and use any one of their bathrooms, they won't wake up. Sorry about this.” Seokjin suggested with another apologetic smile and Taehyung waved his hands quickly, trying to assure him it was totally fine.
“No, really, I don't mind at all, I just hope they don't.” Taehyung laughed and Seokjin beckoned him to follow. Seokjin led him down the corridors, back down the way Taehyung came from, passing Taehyung’s room and walking closer into the silence that grew gradually thicker, weighing down heavier the further they moved. The presence of vampires, he supposed. Seokjin finally stopped outside a dark, imposing door that seemed to caution trespassers with half formed warnings of danger. It appeared to be locked, but Seokjin just placed a palm against the dark wood and there was a clicking sound, before the door swung open lightly, soundlessly. Taehyung swallowed, staring into the darkness, feeling rather ridiculously like he was about to step into a lion’s den. Seokjin saw his expression and smiled, stepping in first and lighting the candles.
As the soft light filled the room Taehyung peeked in to see a figure curled on his side, swallowed up by the ridiculously large bed, back facing the doorway, still as stone. Jungkook, was it?
“Jungkook won't mind you using his stuff.” Seokjin spoke as he strode across the dim room with familiar ease, opening one of many cupboards and picking out a towel, evidently knowing his way around quite well. He handed it to Taehyung, who smiled a little awkwardly, not really feeling right to be using Jungkook’s belongings and blundering around his room without asking first, but he really did need to shower. Seokjin smiled as he turned to leave. “You won't get lost on the way back, right?”
“No, no, I'm fine, thank you.” Taehyung replied quickly, giving a thumbs up as Seokjin nodded, walking out of the room and shutting the door. Taehyung took in a breath as silence descended once more, and immediately regretted that decision, suddenly coming to the belated realisation that yes, since this was Jungkook’s room, of course the entire place would emanate that awfully distracting, delicious scent. He did not need any issues right now. He was here to barge in on Jungkook’s private space and use his shower, and he was going to do so as quickly as possible, with as little disturbance as possible. He was certainly… not going to loiter around… and sneak a peek at the gorgeous sleeping vampire…
At first, after a sweeping glance, the room seemed roughly the same as Taehyung’s, spacious, elaborately, almost gaudily decorated with intricately designed furnishings, the same regal drapery and motif, but it was bigger, and actually held signs of modern day human occupation. The desk was littered with several books, thick and thin, open on pages marked with little strips of paper, beside a sheaf of notepad paper arranged a little haphazardly. A pencil and eraser rested in the groove of one particularly thick book, the pages curling slightly, the evidence of someone having pored over the content over and over. As Taehyung squinted a little, he identified the dark rectangle as a laptop, closed and pushed to the side of the dark wooden table, plugged in and charging, a tiny, soft light blinking unhurriedly from its port. Wow, civilisation. So there was electricity here. Though he was wary of the vampire in the room, nervousness curling up his limbs in little thrills, his curiosity overrode his conscience at snooping around, and he made his way over quietly, glancing over his shoulder at the sleeping statue. Jungkook was definitely asleep, utterly soundless and motionless. It was almost as if there was nobody else in the room - if Taehyung could ignore the conspicuous, threatening and looming presence, a sensation he guessed was exclusively produced by vampires.
Taehyung hesitated as he reached out for the switch of the very modern, this century style desk lamp, shooting a quick glance back at Jungkook’s sleeping form before turning the lamp on, flinching back at the bright, harsh light illuminating the desk’s surface.
“‘A lifetime beneath the surface'.” Taehyung read the book title aloud to himself, his low murmur ringing out abnormally loud in the blanket of silence. He bit his lip, glancing back at Jungkook’s dark figure resting quietly in the shadows, before setting his things down on the chair. He picked up the closed book, turning it over and examining the soft, worn and aged cover, fascination and wonder taking over as a light hum in his veins as he flipped through a few random pages. From what he gathered from a brief glimpse of it, it seemed to be a book supposedly written by a vampire, the scratchy, fading script discussing the opaque fantasy and unexplainable seduction of nighttime, in what looked like a diary entry. He set the book down, running an uncertain, careful fingertip over the open page of the book that housed the pencil and eraser, feeling history and mystery intertwining within the weightless, fragile pages, whispering the attractive invitation of countless, whimsical stories and knowledge hidden away, beckoning at him.
Taehyung moved the pencil and eraser, wincing as the click of the contact against the wooden desk top seemed to echo around the room. He turned once more to make sure Jungkook was still happily sleeping away, even though the rational side of his brain reminded him that even if that tiny sound really was enough to rouse someone - a human even, from sleep, vampires couldn't physically wake up before sunset. Namjoon said so. He turned back and let out a breath he hadn't known he'd been holding, the exhale releasing some of the tension built up in his shoulders, and he relaxed, some. Jungkook wouldn't wake up, and it wasn't like Taehyung was doing anything wrong, just… taking a look at the books on his desk. Surely he wouldn't mind?
Nevertheless, his movements were careful, quiet and attentive, as he lifted the book slightly, closing it halfway to see the cover. ‘Dawn’, it was called.
Some of the other books were much newer, the covers printed rather than engraved, plastic rather than felt or leather, and they all seemed to be covering the topics of and relating to vampire theories and the variations of vampire lore that had been passed down as myth and legend through different media. There was even a university lecture textbook on ‘Popular pop culture myths and fantasies - our interpretations today’ open on the chapter about vampires. Now this was interesting. Why did Jungkook, a vampire, have such an assortment of books about vampires? Taehyung slid a piece of notepad paper out from beneath a book titled “Desire for sunlight”, holding it up to the lamplight to read the light, uneven scrawl, evidently by Jungkook’s hand. The paper was scattered with notes like little labels, most of it brief and half finished. They were keywords, ideas and bullet points rather than explanations or full sentences, trains of thought starting and stopping without any visible form of organisation.
Claws dating earliest as 1840, undefined- genetic mutation
Sunlight… inconsistent stories. Rituals involved in early attempts at exorcisms. “Witchcraft”... Result of magic?
Longest recorded lifespan- 800 years.
Children: none. Makers. Female vampires unable to bear children
Stakes: ????? Don't work
The section of notes on that page about silver was contrastingly in depth and descriptive in comparison to the rest of the notes scattered about.
Silver: said to have been first used in the 13th century, Edinburgh, England. Effective in small amounts and dosages as pain stimulant, but if enough substance, will erode any part of a vampire’s body it comes in contact with. If diluted under special circumstances, will not cause pain, but paralyse entire body as all electric nerves and links are melted (will die still, obviously). Pure silver even just as a six inch long dagger is able to bring about instantaneous death if pierces the heart (as far as I know vampires don't die even if our hearts get stabbed with anything other than silver… must be completely ripped out of body and disconnected…). Plated silver still effective. Only recorded method of killing vampires other than fire.
Ah… fuck
Taehyung blinked at the sudden profanity, suddenly remembering that this had been written by the very real person currently sleeping in the room while Taehyung was going through his stuff without permission. He hastily put the paper back down, switching off the lamp and hurrying into the open doorway of the bathroom. Shit, he was not meant to have spent that long snooping around.
The bathroom was ridiculously spacious, high ceilinged and spotless, almost intimidatingly white and pristine. Both the shower and bathtub were overly large, easily able to accommodate two people. The luxurious centrepiece of a bathtub set smack in the middle of the huge bathroom seemed to beckon Taehyung over, and he could all too easily imagine someone else sitting in there, water lapping up to pale, strong looking shoulders and inviting him over. Taehyung found himself blushing, slightly, shaking his head quickly and stripping to step into the shower.
As the excitement of the past two days, tiredness had set into every joint, junction and crevice of his body, and the hot, steady stream of water was relaxing as hell, therapeutic and rejuvenating. Taehyung spent quite a bit of time in the shower, before finally reluctantly parting with the water and drying off. Shit, the towel was drenched in Jungkook’s scent as well. He tried his very best not to think about any of that, instead focusing on wondering what time it was, and whether Seokjin was suspecting Taehyung really did get lost. Oh well. He slipped on his clean clothes and towelled off his hair, closing his eyes and basking in the luxury of it all. He usually took two minute showers with water that felt like it’d been directly sucked out of the Arctic Ocean, and had to run back to his dorm room still dripping wet and half dressed because… college budget. Not many facilities, and even fewer good ones in his dorm. Oh, it was going to be nice living here.
Taehyung pushed open the door, stepping out and closing the door before noticing that the lights had all gone out, plunging the room in pitch black. Oh shit, that's right, Seokjin had mentioned on the first night that if there wasn't much movement in a room after a while, the candles would automatically extinguish. Almost like motion detectors. It was like he'd stepped into a vacuum of black space and a physical blockage of sound. He took an uncertain step forward, trying to remember which direction the candles were in. Jesus, what an unnecessary predicament. He felt around behind him, his fingers finding the wall, and he inched his way across, sweeping his arm up and down to try and locate a set of candles.
Jungkook made no sound whatsoever, emitted no heat whatsoever, but Taehyung still felt his presence as if he was cast in a spotlight, a couple metres away. It was strange, that in the complete darkness, where everything seemed void and null, empty and nonexistent, Jungkook’s presence was like a physically tangible force. Taehyung took another bold step to the side and swore in pain as his toe caught on the sharp corner of something- a bookcase maybe.
“Fuck,” Taehyung hissed, dropping everything to grip his toe and soothe the burst of pain, jumping around on one foot. He bit down hard on his lip to keep quiet and cried out in pain again, releasing his lip immediately as his teeth dug into the still healing cut, ripping the slit of skin open. He groaned in annoyance as heat flowed from his cut as blood, and he reached out around the wall again, finally finding the candles and tapping the base of one, cursing under his breath.
The moment the flame flickered alight from the candle, allowing Taehyung vision, he screamed and jumped back, blinding shock and terror slamming through his body as he blinked to see Jungkook standing right in front of him, pale face inches away from his. Taehyung just stared for a silent, paralysed second, his heart doing its best to beat so fast and with so much force it was going to burrow a hole out of his chest, taking a moment to make sure his body wasn't about to just give way and die from pure shock.
“Holy shit, Jesus, chill with the jumpscares, I- I-” Taehyung cried out, incredulity and exasperation at his own fright lending a sharp edge to his tone and he clutched at his chest, oxygen circulating once more. Jungkook didn't say anything immediately, eyes half closed but a blazing, painfully bright, concentrated red that screamed danger. He was swaying, slightly, and he looked like he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open, his expression slack, lips parted. Taehyung frowned, reaching out, wondering if something was wrong, when Jungkook’s eyes snapped fully open, round and nightmarishly red, nostrils flaring. He grabbed ahold of Taehyung’s wrists in each hand and slammed them against the wall on either side of Taehyung’s head, hard. Taehyung jumped again in shock, and hadn't even really had the time to form a proper thought before Jungkook closed in, swooping in faster than he could blink, pressing an almost painfully rough, punishingly hard kiss to his lips.
Taehyung’s inhale of shock was swallowed by Jungkook’s soft, hungry lips, his mind short circuiting as Jungkook pressed their lips together harder still, sucking wetly, sloppily with an almost crazed desperation at his lower lip. Jungkook’s eyes burned ever brighter as he did, and he let out a choked exhale against Taehyung’s lips. Animalistic, terrifying, predatory hunger exploded in those fiery red orbs as his fingers tightened painfully on Taehyung’s wrists, pressing them so hard into the wall Taehyung felt the plaster give a little. Taehyung felt heat wash over him as the initial shock gave way to pure arousal pulsing through his body. Jungkook connected their lips again like he couldn't afford to waste a second, sucking Taehyung’s lip in between his with fierce, almost violent force, coaxing a deep moan out from the back of Taehyung’s throat that surprised both of them. Jungkook jerked back slightly and Taehyung blinked at the blood staining Jungkook’s already impossibly red lips, like a terrifying, gaping red wound. It took him a moment to realise that Jungkook had been sucking the blood from Taehyung’s cut. Well shit, they really did drink blood.
Jungkook recovered after the half second it took Taehyung to think this, and closed the distance between their lips again before Taehyung even took in a breath, sucking insistently at his lower lip. Taehyung drew in a breath shakily, a shiver racing down his spine and heat flooding through him when he felt a wet, smooth tongue press against his lip briefly, before it was replaced by blunt teeth nibbling at the cut skin, drawing out fresh beads of blood. The sting of pain made Taehyung wince but he whimpered into Jungkook’s mouth involuntarily as heat spiked in his lower stomach at the sensation of Jungkook’s tugging at his lip with his teeth. Jungkook emitted a low, raspy groan at that, the sinful sound wiping Taehyung’s mind clean of any coherent thought whatsoever. Jungkook dropped his wrists to grasp his face instead, cold fingers gripping his jaw and pushing his head harder into the wall as he moved closer. His undiluted, delicious scent was inescapable, binding Taehyung’s conscious in a tight locked hold, and he was fairly certain he was drooling into Jungkook’s mouth. His hands dropped away from the wall and he grabbed onto Jungkook’s forearms weakly. He groaned softly, meekly as Jungkook audibly swallowed, low, appreciative, predatory growls reverberating deep in his throat - and fuck, he sounded good.
Jungkook licked the dark stains of blood clean off his lips, half closed glowing eyes pausing, fixing on Taehyung’s for a fraction of a second, before his fingers tightened against his jaw and tilted his head up further, sealing their lips together in an almost frantic kiss, eyes sliding shut again. Taehyung gasped involuntarily as Jungkook’s fingers dug slightly into his neck, right beneath his jaw, the pressure taunting, sending a fresh wave of heat sweeping through his body. Jungkook shoved his tongue past Taehyung’s lips, licking and sucking his way into Taehyung’s mouth hungrily, greedily, wet and in complete contrast to the ice of his skin, unbearably, deliciously hot. Taehyung moaned embarrassingly loudly, letting his lips fall open wider, welcoming Jungkook in, tasting the tang of his own blood but not giving a fuck because it couldn’t conceal the sweet, rich, addicting taste of Jungkook’s soft lips and probing tongue. Taehyung felt strength sap out of his trembling knees as Jungkook ran his smooth, velvety tongue over his teeth, sliding it over Taehyung’s tongue in a slick, feverish dance that gave Taehyung no time to breathe or do anything other than let Jungkook have his way with his mouth. His mind was carpeted with a heated red haze, dizzy from Jungkook’s taste, arousal and want surging through his body, lending strength to his knees that threatened to buckle as Jungkook sucked his tongue into his own mouth, into that delicious, soft, wet heat.
Taehyung’s tongue snagged on the sharp point of something and he recoiled, the sting of heat and pain bursting from the tip of his tongue as blood. Jungkook’s entire body stiffened as he drew an impossibly sharp, audible breath through his nose, glowing red eyes snapping open as he broke off the kiss. He didn’t move, holding himself utterly, completely still save for his heavy breathing, wide, burning red eyes staring directly into Taehyung’s, seeming to be holding himself back. Taehyung finally allowed himself to take in a gulp of much needed air, chest heaving, head spinning, dizzy and utterly, thoroughly disorientated as he tried to catch his breath, lips tingling and burning from the intensity of Jungkook’s kiss, gazing uncomprehendingly at Jungkook’s wide eyes.
“I thought… I thought you were supposed to be asleep.” Taehyung spoke as soon as he had enough air to form the sentence, voice low, thick and rough even to his own ears. He swallowed and tried again, breathless and out of it, heart thudding painfully. “I thought vampires couldn’t wake up before sunset.”
“So did I.” Jungkook replied breathily, the air rushing out from between his lips turning the response into a sort of reverent sigh that did absolutely nothing to help extinguish the fire racing through Taehyung’s veins. “But- when I smelled your blood-”
Jungkook ripped himself away, gliding back a few metres in the blink of an eye, breathing harshly, fists clenched by his side. Taehyung felt his knees give way just slightly, and he slid down the wall before catching himself and pressing his hands against the wall to support himself. A breathless moan escaped his lips as he took in the sight of Jungkook, eyes blazing with a dangerous, sharply thrilling hunger, chest heaving, veins ticking in his thick neck, lips swollen and glistening with saliva and the remnant smears of blood. Taehyung touched the nick in his tongue to the roof of his mouth lightly as he swallowed with difficulty, unable to look away from the silvery flash of fangs hidden behind those deep red lips.
Jungkook closed his eyes and held his breath for a second and it was like someone had hit a switch, all the tension, energy and strength visibly rushed out of his body, his posture sagging like he couldn’t support his body properly anymore. Taehyung pushed himself up and off the wall unsteadily, eyebrows creasing in confusion as Jungkook swayed where he stood, eyes rolling back a little. Jungkook shook his head violently, still swaying on his feet, and he turned, staggering slightly over to his bed, collapsing at the foot of it, like he had no strength to stand on his own feet. Taehyung reached out instinctively, not sure what he meant to do, but held himself still as Jungkook raised slow, slightly trembling arms up to grip the mattress, veins streaking up his pale arms at the obvious effort. Jungkook clawed at the bed in a sluggish, weak way and hauled himself up after a moment of struggling, crawling further up the bed slowly, such that it was painful just to watch, and he fell forward into the mattress, limp as a rag doll.
“Jungkook…? Are you- are you okay?” Taehyung asked tentatively, eyes wide as he thought back to the blood the night before last. Jungkook shifted just a bit, like he was meant to turn around, but gave up on it halfway.
“I… The sun… Can’t… stay awake… not without the… adrenaline… at least…” Jungkook spoke ever so slowly, slurring like his brain wasn’t completely cooperating with his lips, voice barely above a whisper. Jungkook’s finger twitched as he drew in a deep breath to speak again. He mumbled something too quiet for Taehyung to hear, who frowned and took a small step forward.
“What?”
“I said… get out.” Jungkook murmured tiredly, a slight edge to his tone that had Taehyung flinching back, immediately picking up everything and promptly turning to leave. His heart still hammered as he walked over to the door, legs trembling and uncooperative. He glanced back at Jungkook before closing the door behind him, seeing that he'd already fallen back asleep, the shadowed heap on the bed still and lifeless.
~