[J14] LIGHT A FIRE (WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE) (3/3)

[kaisooaufest]

Prompt Code: J14
Title: light a fire (where the wild things are)



Kyungsoo shifted his weight, trying to get as comfortable as he possibly could while studying. His notes were scattered all across the wooden floor he had gotten so used to seeing. Lately, he had been spending more time in Jongin’s apartment than his own. Studying seemed more like a manageable task with someone else around to motivate him.

Occasionally he would glance over at Jongin who was sprawled on the couch, tapping away on his iPad. Looking at him like that, it was all too easy to forget who he really was, and what Kyungsoo himself really was. He just looked like a normal teenager, as attached to his electronic gadgets as most teenagers were nowadays.

Kyungsoo couldn’t help the sharp flare of curiosity. “What are you doing?”

He was used to seeing Jongin read a book, so seeing him so intensely concentrated on his iPad was worth neglecting his notes for a little while.

Jongin hardly looked his way. “Nothing much.”

The scowl on Kyungsoo’s face should have been enough warning for Jongin to come up with a decent reply to his question, but he wasn’t looking, and all it took to dim the screen completely was a flick of his wrist.

Jongin’s eyes were wide, mouth shaped into a perfect ‘O’, astonishment spilled all over his handsome face when he finally gave Kyungsoo due attention. It seemed like a lifetime ago when coldness was the only expression Jongin wore. He was starting to see different sides of Jongin, even though they were mostly brief and never stayed long. Jongin looked good no matter what expression he chose to wear.

“That’s rude,” he said, but there was no real anger in his tone.

“What were you doing?” Kyungsoo asked again, a cheeky grin spreading slow on his face.

“I was just playing a game, okay? It’s not like I was on an online vampire dating site… What else can you do besides that? I feel as though I should be a hell lot more careful around you.”

Kyungsoo flicked his wrist again and the display screen came back to life. It proved to be less interesting than the male sitting five feet away.

“Not much,” Kyungsoo declared with mock superiority. “Just you know, the usual. Setting people on fire, destroying their iPads, breaking into their house, sucking their blood, and flying.”

The astonishment remained on Jongin’s face.

“The last one isn’t true. I’m just kidding.”

“You’re pretty incredible,” said Jongin. “Not bad for someone as small as you.”

Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes.

“What did you say?”

The lights went out - no, darkness curled around the lightbulbs - before Kyungsoo could register what was happening, and Jongin had disappeared into the sudden surge of darkness.

“Use your fire to seek me out if you’re that good!”

His head snapped towards the sound of Jongin’s voice. His night-vision had definitely improved after he was Marked, but this was an extreme amount of darkness. Jongin was really going all-out. He was either really into this, or wanted to fathom just how strong Kyungsoo truly was.

“Come on,” Kyungsoo said in a groan. “I don’t wanna set your apartment on fire. And my notes! They’re still everywhere. At least let me gather them before we do this? Jongin?”

Silence was his response, and a very mocking one too. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes. He rose to his feet, running one hand through his hair in vexation. He really didn’t want to risk setting his apartment on fire, but he didn’t want Jongin to think he was weak either.

“How much of a child are you to still enjoy hide-and-seek this much,” he murmured into the darkness. He could see nothing beyond the furniture in the apartment. It wasn’t going to be easy finding Jongin.

A flame came to life at his command. Kyungsoo kept it before him, trying to light up the darkness. It worked considerably well even with the excess amount of darkness. He stepped away from his notes, away to a safer place.

“Are you expecting me to start shooting fireballs around? I’m not that powerful, you know.”

Still no response.

His smile was helpless now. Jongin was so much like a child sometimes. They had gotten a lot closer with the amount of time they were spending together, but still not in the way Kyungsoo hoped. He was working towards that, and he knew he was getting there. It was just a little out of reach.

“Fine, I’m not gonna be responsible if you lose your apartment!”

His eyes turned gray. A cold darkness engulfed the room the moment his flame went out, and it recoiled just as instantaneously when Kyungsoo’s hands burst into flames. Much of the darkness weakened, but no Jongin appeared. That kid was taking this way too seriously.

Kyungsoo frowned. Then it came to him. He lifted his hands, the flames wild and proud, and flicked his wrists upward in a fluid movement. Air rushed through his rounded lips, and the obedient fire left his hands, slave to its owner. Fire flecks rained down all around him, spreading far, burning slow. Just like that, the air around them thronged with giddy petals of flame, flared to incandescence.

Kyungsoo admired the ethereal scene before him, watching darkness chase relentlessly after the fulgent flecks. And he waited.

The fire flecks painted the outline of Jongin, a silhouette of his own will. He was standing right before Kyungsoo, and when the darkness slithered away from him, bringing along the dimming ashes, they were face to face.

The close proximity had been completely unexpected, leaving Kyungsoo stunned and at a total loss of what to do. He endeavoured to speak, but his mind was clouded, and Jongin looked so very handsome. The look of pure wonder suited him well. Then a miracle in the form of a small smile extended across his face.

Kyungsoo thought the flames were gone, but he was wrong. There was still one more, the brightest one, right in his heart. Jongin’s warm breath splayed across his face when he took a bold step closer, one hand reaching up for his equally warm cheek. Jongin was smiling. He couldn’t help it. Jongin looked dazzling.

“Found you,” Kyungsoo whispered, with only a moment to wonder if he was really talking about himself instead when his lips found their way to Jongin’s. His lips were softer than Kyungsoo had imagined them to be, and not cold, not at all. They were so incredibly warm, Kyungsoo felt rejuvenated from just one taste. He kept his lips pressed against Jongin’s, not daring to progress beyond basic contact, and hoped Jongin would respond. It felt like he was kissing fire. The air around them stirred and Kyungsoo’s hand fell to his side, forcing himself to back off. He felt like a moth drawn to a flame.

He had expected Jongin to wrap him up in darkness, but all that happened was darkness swirling around them in tangled vines. Jongin had seemingly no interest in doing that.

“When…?”

The ellipsis was easy to fill in. Kyungsoo sucked in his bottom lip.

“I don’t know. It just felt natural to do that.” His gaze turned apologetic. “I’m sorry. Did you dislike that?”

It came as a surprise when Jongin’s eyes fell shut.

“I didn’t dislike it,” he said.

That was not the same as liking it. Kyungsoo allowed his self-control to spiral free long enough for him to lean forward and kiss Jongin’s lips again, just lightly, before drawing back and taking a few steps away. Staying too close would mean losing himself. He had to make a hasty retreat.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he confirmed, and took Jongin’s silence as consent.

His notes were long forgotten as he turned on his heels and fled, the realization of what he had just done sinking in, painting his face scarlet. How did they go from simply chilling around each other to kissing?

Kyungsoo’s fingers were pressed against his lips when the escalator door shielded him from the sight of Jongin’s door. He hadn’t expected he would do that, but he didn’t regret it. No, not at all. A small smile graced his face, very similar to the one that had been on Jongin’s face.

It was strange that kissing Jongin was such an instinctive move, and one that felt so natural and good, and Kyungsoo couldn’t be bothered to solve the mechanics behind that. He remained in a daze the rest of his way home, Jongin’s smiling face carved into the back of his eyelids.

-

There were only two things on Kyungsoo’s mind when he left the campus with his backpack slung over one shoulder and the sleeves of his sweater rolled up. The diffused light from the setting sun revealed the vexation on his face, a man who was only half-aware of whatever was happening around him. Autopilot guided him to a place he had found more than just a home in and Jongin’s familiar door was a treat to his weary mind as the elevator door pulled open with a ding.

He paused, footsteps faltering before they picked up pace again and he knocked on the door without really knowing what he was doing. He had promised they would see each other again today, and since Jongin had not made the first move, the responsibility fell on him.

He was still lost in thought when the door swung open with a creak that had started to sound like welcome since a while back. The first thing that really registered was Jongin’s turquoise T-shirt. The black sweatpants remained, but he had replaced his usual all-black outfit with a dash of blue, and he looked so very handsome. Kyungsoo admired him as subtly as he could, taking in the stark contrast of his tan skin against the vitality of the blue. His eyes were dark as usual, but they had since lost their iciness - or Kyungsoo had gotten used to them and they no longer kept him away.

“Hi,” he greeted Jongin breathlessly, unsure of what he was expecting in return. Maybe a greeting as well, but never in his wildest dreams would he expect the small smile Jongin offered. His corners of his lips quirked upwards into a modest smile that sent Kyungsoo’s heart into fits of palpitation.

“Come in,” invited Jongin with the same smile and Kyungsoo complied. He stepped past Jongin into the apartment and last night came rushing back into his mind. Governed by boldness, he had made his feelings plain and clear to the very man standing just one step away from him. But that very surge of boldness was nowhere in sight today and a very meek Kyungsoo stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room, unsure of his next step. Jongin didn’t seem mad, so he wasn’t sent into a state of anxiety. Yet, he desperately wanted to know what Jongin thought of all that, and if they could progress any further.

Confessions of love threatened to spill from his lips, only he had not the same courage today and it didn’t seem like a very appropriate move right now, especially when the atmosphere was slightly awkward. He clutched at the sling of his backpack and bit down on his lip, waiting and hoping Jongin would say something first.

He did.

“Was school… fine today?”

Kyungsoo felt him shuffle closer, but he was momentarily paralyzed and unable to meet his gaze.

“It was okay. Just normal.”

“I see.”

Jongin was standing before him now. Kyungsoo kept his head bowed slightly. There was something he wanted to say, but doubted the appropriateness of those words.

“Kyungsoo-“

His head snapped up a little too quickly in response, coming face to face with those dark eyes. He couldn’t keep it anymore.

“You look good in that shirt” and “I want to drink from you” were blurted out from two different people at the same time, and they left each other slightly stunned.

Jongin smiled again. Kyungsoo was really getting used to the small doses of beauty Jongin offered him every now and then. Like heroin. He was getting hooked.

“Thanks,” said Jongin. “I just grabbed a random shirt today and it turned out to be this. Thought it’d be nice for a change anyway.”

Kyungsoo didn’t want to question the validity of that statement although he felt it must have been a deliberate move (and deep down, he hoped he was the reason why Jongin’s world was starting to explode in colours). His palm was hot against his nape, awkward.

“Uh, you can drink if you want to.” Then he glanced around him. “Here?”

They had done this a couple more times after the first, and they used to do it in complete silence. But something had changed since last night and they couldn’t remain on the same path they were on anymore, and Kyungsoo was finding it a tad too difficult to figure out how he was supposed to behave around Jongin now.

Jongin seemed the less awkward one. He shrugged. “It’s up to you.”

Kyungsoo ended up on the couch, certain his legs would crumble in response to any physical contact with Jongin. He tilted his head, tugging at the collar of his sweater to expose enough skin for Jongin to sink his fangs into. This was something he was used to doing and there was no novelty in it until Jongin settled down beside him, their legs pressed together.

“Ready,” declared Kyungsoo in a shaky voice. He was thinking about the blood bags Jongin would offer him every now and then, the human blood that had been sustaining their thirst, and felt a sharp flare of pride in knowing there was nothing that tasted better to Jongin than his blood. It was what only Kyungsoo alone could offer.

Jongin twisted his neck and leaned in, and now Kyungsoo was thinking about the kiss from yesterday night and how his lips had felt like fire, like what he had embraced his entire life. Jongin was so close, he could see the tangle of his midnight lashes, and there was no way to breathe. Then he leaned into his neck and there was a dull and barely noticeable pain before his blood was flowing into Jongin’s mouth.

There was no other contact besides Jongin’s mouth on his neck, but Kyungsoo could feel everything else too deeply. His own eyes glowed, lightening into a mystical gray he couldn’t help, hyper aware of Jongin’s presence all around him. He listened dimly to the sound of his own blood flowing into Jongin’s mouth and the thudding of his heart in sync with Jongin’s. His hands fluttered, wanting to reach out and touch Jongin’s warm skin. The world shrunk, encapsulating only the two of them.

This reaction was nothing Kyungsoo had ever experienced before, even though he had to admit it always felt good when Jongin drank from him because of his feelings for him, but this much of a reaction was a first. He forced his fingers into fists, keeping them anchored to the couch. As much as he wanted to, there was no knowing what Jongin felt for him at the moment and it was better to appreciate whatever they had now instead of constantly trying to push further. This greed was dangerous. Kyungsoo couldn’t quite recall when he went from wanting Jongin to not hate him to wanting him to love him and need him as much as he did.

He was almost drowning in these thoughts until Jongin lifted his leg and straddled Kyungsoo in one move. The angle was much better, and his fingers curled around Kyungsoo’s arms. Kyungsoo’s heart went into hysteria and he gasped. His own thirst was on fire, driven by his urges. It made him a little ashamed, having finished one blood bag just this morning. But something in Jongin kept calling and he couldn’t fight well.

He was desperate.

“Jongin…” was moaned hoarsely.

He felt too much of Jongin with their bodies pressed together and his own feelings uncontained. He was getting so turned on; it was like a snowball that was growing bigger and bigger as it continued to roll down a snow capped mountain. Too quickly. Moving all too quickly. A distant voice from a lifetime ago floated back to him. You should try it for yourself one day, Kyungsoo. He had waited this long to finally understand what Baekhyun had meant about the wonders a mate could make you feel, the crazy addictiveness a pureblood possessed.

His eyes were the lightest they had ever been and he was staring at the ceiling, his vision blurring. Then it happened. The light-bulb shattered and burst into flames, and there were only two things Kyungsoo could understand. The first one was that Jongin had stopped drinking from him, pulling back to regard Kyungsoo, and the second was he had to put out the flames.

The sun had set completely and night had kicked in when they came back to their senses and Jongin made his move before Kyungsoo did. Without even turning away from Kyungsoo, he used the darkness to smother the flames. It worked. Kyungsoo’s labored breathing showed some signs of returning to normal then, but he was still out of control.

“Shit,” muttered Jongin under his breath as he cupped Kyungsoo’s face and took in his glowing eyes. He should have been more careful. He grabbed the hem of Kyungsoo’s sweater and forced him out of it, tossing it aside carelessly as he studied his Mark. The half-crescent, half-flame Mark was also glowing, albeit only slightly in comparison to his eyes. This much of a reaction from Kyungsoo was definitely because of his Mark. It was something beyond Jongin’s explanation, but the intimateness of their relationship was not one either of them could escape from. Jongin was tied to Kyungsoo, just as Kyungsoo could not gravitate towards anyone else but him.

He could not provide an explanation for whatever was going on because he had never known it possible for such a Mark to be born and complete Kyungsoo’s Change. There wasn’t anyone’s advice he could seek either, so Jongin could only stare deeply into Kyungsoo’s eyes and leave everything else to his instincts.

“You need to calm down,” he said, and it seemed to have a small effect as Kyungsoo’s breath grew a tiny bit steadier. His neck was still bleeding. Jongin had forgotten to seal his bite wounds when the sudden bursting of his light-bulb stole his attention, and he cursed himself internally, pressing two fingers against the wounds. He kept his other hand on Kyungsoo’s face.

Not knowing what else to do would be his excuse to Kyungsoo if he decided to pursue the matter, but in fact Jongin was really drawn into the light in Kyungsoo’s eyes when he leaned in, his lips colliding with Kyungsoo’s. He heard a small gasp and was not interested in figuring out who it came from. Their lips were like fire when they came together, and for a moment Jongin worried that Kyungsoo would lose control and set everything around him on fire, but his breathing steadied even more and he kissed him with growing ease.

Kyungsoo’s lips parted ever so slightly and there was a brief hesitation before Jongin slipped his tongue through the gap, meeting Kyungsoo’s own tongue. Comets met in a dance, and not once did Jongin think about the lover he had left behind, only of whatever was happening now and Kyungsoo.

They kissed languidly, until he could no longer hear Kyungsoo’s ragged breathing and it ended with a suddenness that mirrored its beginning. Kyungsoo’s eyes were amber again, no longer gray. Jongin exhaled a sigh of relief and knocked his forehead into Kyungsoo’s.

“God, you had me so worried.”

Kyungsoo didn’t respond. He was still in shock. All he knew was losing himself when Jongin started drinking from him, and feeling like he would explode into flames before he found himself locked in a kiss with Jongin and it brought him back down to earth, to where he belonged.

They remained like that for a while, their foreheads joined, and the night grew increasingly colder. Kyungsoo’s eyes were brimming with bewilderment, and there were at least a million questions he wanted to ask, but didn’t know how to. Jongin, meanwhile, took his time wondering why he had reacted by kissing Kyungsoo. Sure, at that moment it felt like it would help, but he had felt something in him come alive when their lips met. He had gotten a taste of that last night, but tonight, it was everything.

He tried to conjure the memory of his deceased lover but it wouldn’t come. Kyungsoo’s breathing proved to be too much of a distraction and Jongin gave up. He drew away, his elbows resting against Kyungsoo’s bare shoulders, feeling his skin burn right through him. It didn’t burn the way it did the night his Change was fulfilled, but a nice temperate kind of warmth that rushed right into his heart.

“I’m sorry,” Kyungsoo whispered in a small voice.

Jongin shook his head. His gaze landed on the dried blood stains on Kyungsoo’s neck and then back on his face. His eyes were wide open, and Jongin’s heart ached.

“I’m not,” he replied.

The relief that consumed Kyungsoo there and then was palpable, made obvious through the smile that bloomed on his face. His arms remained limp by his sides, but he could feel Jongin’s on him and that was all that he needed. He made his confession.

“I like you.”

Jongin waited for the guilt to come, but it never did.

“I don’t mind that,” he said, and their smiles were so identical there was no knowing where they started, much less where they ended.

-

“Do you want something from that?”

“Huh?”

Chanyeol’s brown eyes were filled with concern when Kyungsoo gave him the attention he deserved. A sharp pang of guilt threatened to flood his entire being. Thoughts of Jongin had him submerged in a place unreachable to anyone else.

“Are you okay? Seems like you’ve got a lot on your mind right now.”

Kyungsoo smiled bashfully, looking past Chanyeol and at the illuminated claw crane machine. “That machine?”

Chanyeol’s intense gaze never left him. It could get really overwhelming at times, but Kyungsoo pretty much assumed that was just how Chanyeol was.

“Yeah,” said Chanyeol with a grin. “I’m really good with those machines. I can get you anything you want.”

Kyungsoo sighed inwardly as he walked towards the claw machine, eyes quickly raking through the stuffed animals that sat waiting behind the glass surface. Apparently a meal with Chanyeol also included doing things after the meal itself. They shopped, talked, and spent a large portion of the night together. It wasn’t that Kyungsoo harboured any ill feelings towards Chanyeol. In fact, he rather liked him as a friend. But he had too much of Jongin on his mind right now to enjoy spending time with anyone else.

He decided on a stuffed puppy with brown fur and black marble eyes. “That one,” he told Chanyeol.

Thankful for the opportunity to exhibit his skills, Chanyeol wasted no time in producing a coin and slotting it into the machine. A cheery blast of music signaled its activation and Chanyeol’s lower lip was trapped beneath his teeth in concentration as he maneuvered the claw towards the puppy. Kyungsoo’s eyes followed the movement of the crane, his arms crossed. The longer he stared, the more the stuffed puppy resembled Jongin.

It was definitely the eyes.

Kyungsoo’s interest was suddenly sparked. He watched excitedly as Chanyeol hit the push button and the claw plunged down. It caught the stuffed puppy loosely and Kyungsoo’s eyes were wide as it embarked on a journey towards the drop hole.

They were united in anticipation until the stuffed puppy successfully fell into the opening and Chanyeol bent down to retrieve it. He presented it to Kyungsoo with a disarming smile that might have charmed Kyungsoo sufficiently had he not a certain someone in his mind at this moment.

“I hope you like it,” Chanyeol added when Kyungsoo received the stuffed puppy with both hands, already thinking of how he would give it to Jongin.

“I do,” confirmed Kyungsoo.

It was nearing 11pm and the streets were mostly empty with most shops closed for the night. The streetlamps showered soft light upon them and it was guilt Kyungsoo felt when he looked into Chanyeol’s earnest and sincere eyes.

“I think it’s time we head home.”

It seemed Chanyeol had wanted to hang out longer as the sincerity in his eyes melted into disappointment. He bit down on his lip and Kyungsoo’s guilt ten-folded.

“Let’s do this again when Joonmyun’s free,” added Kyungsoo in hope of some redemption.

Chanyeol examined his face for a little too long and the air around them grew awkward when he muttered his agreement. “Okay, let’s go home.”

They lived in the same vicinity and Chanyeol’s offer to walk him home was one Kyungsoo couldn’t bring himself to reject, so they turned their backs to the claw machine and started towards home with a new stuffed puppy clutched in Kyungsoo’s hand.

Conversation was rather sparse as they made the 15 minute trip home. They chatted a little about school and how much of a pity it was that Joonmyun wasn’t free to join them today. The last part involved Chanyeol insisting on sending Kyungsoo all the way to his doorstep and Kyungsoo relented at last, worn out. So that was exactly what they did, and Kyungsoo thought that would be the end of it until the elevator doors pulled open and a familiar face greeted him.

“Jongin?”

Jongin’s gaze swung from him to Chanyeol, then back to him again. There was just enough time for the surprise on his face to materialize before the mask of coldness returned.

“You left your notes at my apartment. I just thought I’d swing by and drop them off.”

He stepped aside to allow the two of them to step out from the elevator and the ding of the elevator door shutting resounded in an air of awkward tension.

Kyungsoo looked past Jongin’s shoulder and sure enough, there was a stack of notes beside his door.

“I was out for dinner with Chanyeol. Did you just arrive?”

Jongin’s gaze flickered towards Chanyeol again.

“I waited for a while,” he muttered, deliberately vague.

The stuffed puppy was the only source of comfort to Kyungsoo as he eyed Chanyeol. The auburn-haired male looked plain confused. Of course he would. The implication of some kind of ambiguity in their relationship was pristine clear in Jongin’s words and it wasn’t a wonder that Chanyeol was muddled when he had never seen the two of them together.

“I should go,” Chanyeol said in a husky voice, taking a final look at Kyungsoo before he made his escape into the elevator.

The silence the remaining two lapsed into was by no means comfortable. It was awkward and tense and Kyungsoo felt like shit. When Jongin spoke, it was to indicate his wish to leave too.

Usually Kyungsoo would go along with whatever Jongin wanted to do, except this time. He reached out and grabbed Jongin’s wrist as the taller male turned away, the other hand still holding tightly to the stuffed puppy. His explanation was scorching hot on his tongue; he had to let Jongin know.

“Jongin, listen. We really just went out for a meal and walked around for a bit and he insisted on sending me home, that’s all. Chanyeol is nothing more than a friend. There was someone else who was supposed to turn up, but he wasn’t free.”

He kept his grip around Jongin’s wrist tight, hoping Jongin could feel how much Kyungsoo wanted him to stay.

“We’re not...dating, you know?” Jongin said tentatively when he angled his neck to regard Kyungsoo with those dark eyes. “You’re free to do whatever you want. You don’t owe me an explanation.”

Kyungsoo almost pulled his hair out in frustration. How come Jongin didn’t understand him at all when his all of his cards were laid before him- he would never know.

“I know we’re not dating, and that’s not why I wanted to tell you. I’m telling you this because I like you, Jongin. I’m already yours regardless of how you feel towards me. I don’t want you to misunderstand anything simply because I like you, and that’s all there is to it.”

Jongin showed no reaction to his suave confession for the first couple of seconds. His reaction was physical when he did, pushing Kyungsoo against the wall. Kyungsoo nearly dropped his stuffed puppy in shock.

“I’m not easy to deal with,” said Jongin. They were so incredibly close. His arms remained by his sides, not relying on physical contact to pin Kyungsoo in place.

It took Kyungsoo a while to realize that was a warning, a sort of preamble to what it would be like staying true to his confession.

“I’ll work very hard,” Kyungsoo promised.

Jongin’s appearance shattered any chances of living like a human, yet now that they weren’t using any of their abilities, Kyungsoo thought this was the most human he could ever experience. His eyes trailed down to Jongin’s lips. Did he have enough courage to taste them again? To feel them pressed against his own and hold Jongin in his arms would be a fatal overdose but he couldn’t care less. He never wanted to kick this addiction.

The stuffed puppy drew his attention away from thoughts of kissing Jongin and he lifted it, shaking it before Jongin’s face.

“This sort of reminds me of you so I thought I’d give it to you.”

Jongin stepped backwards so he could look at the puppy from a comfortable distance.

“What on earth is that?”

Kyungsoo laughed. “It’s a stuffed puppy from the claw machine.”

Jongin continued observing the object dangling from Kyungsoo’s hand. His eyes narrowed at the recollection of something or someone.

“Was he the one who won it?”

Oops. Kyungsoo swallowed dryly.

“Yeah. It’s fine then, I’ll just throw it away or something.”

“Keep it,” said Jongin as his expression eased. He shook his head and took another step away from Kyungsoo, much to his dismay. “It’s rude to throw away something someone gave to you.”

The stuffed puppy seemed to be echoing Jongin’s sentiments reproachfully when Kyungsoo glanced at it. He nodded obediently.

Jongin turned his back to Kyungsoo again but the same feeling of dread didn’t hit him this time.

“Give it to me when you win one yourself.”

A grin bloomed across Kyungsoo’s face as he stared after Jongin’s receding back. This was quite possibly the best night of his life (or the first of many to come).

-

The pale tint of orange spread evenly across the sky, signaling sunset. It was the most beautiful one Kyungsoo had ever laid his eyes on. He was at a standstill on a bridge he had never quite seen before, not that it really mattered right now. His hand was so small against the vast sky as he tried to reach out for it, to grab some of the ethereal beauty for himself. If he could, he would cut a small slit in the sky and let all the colours bleed into his skin until there was nothing that could ever take them away from him. The river surface beneath him was a tranquil reflection of the town he was in. A sense of familiarity was starting to creep in. It seemed like he had been here before a lifetime ago.

His hand fell away from the sky, onto his chest instead, the sudden thought catching him off-guard. He grabbed his collar and lifted it, until his bare chest was visible to him. The skin appeared almost porcelain, smooth and unmarked.

A gasp stole his breath and he took a step back in shock. The sky had bled right through itself when Kyungsoo looked away from his chest. It was crimson, and the town was crimson, all its little buildings and streetlamps and cobblestones. Yet, the world in the river remained unchanged, a plateau of the gorgeous sunset he had caught earlier.

The siren sounded and pierced right through Kyungsoo’s ear. He winced, a sharp pain driving him to his knees as something warm and wet trickled from his ears. He didn’t need to check to know it was blood. There was no knowing whether he was human or vampire right now. His palms were pressed against his ears, but the shrill sound was persistent and Kyungsoo didn’t know if he was thinking when he straightened to full form and leapt over the railings of the bridge, diving right into the river.

Then darkness.

His eyes were open, but he saw nothing. The water was so cold around him, almost freezing. He started to kick upwards, trying to get to the surface, releasing some air bubbles at the same time. His legs thrashed wildly and his arms flailed, but no matter how hard he tried he seemed to remain exactly where he was.

Water filled his mouth and he gurgled, trying to look for a light he could follow.

A voice drifted to his ears. “Kyungsoo,” it said.

He turned wildly from side to side. The darkness was starting to fade into something… red? He couldn’t see anybody, only crimson all over, like the colours of the sky had leaked into the water as well. He wasn’t safe. There wasn’t anywhere safe.

“Kyungsoo,” the voice said again, but he couldn’t figure out where it came from. It seemed to echo all around him.

His supply of oxygen was running out. His patience was wearing thin. Desperation clutched him by the throat, only that it was something he seemed to have grown very used to.

He felt so incredibly small.

The water was alive around him and he stopped kicking, stopped trying to get himself to the surface. There was no surface. It was the end for him. It closed in around him, engulfing him whole, and all the fight in him had bled into the water in the same shade of red.

His eyes fell shut.

“Kyungsoo!”

The water recoiled with a hiss and Kyungsoo’s eyes snapped open. There was no water, no crimson sky, no ghost town. He was standing in an open field, sunset again.

Something warm touched his face and then everything disappeared as the real world seeped into his vision, too vivid for his liking. Jongin’s face hovered above him, his eyebrows knitted, eyes full of concern. And the feelings of disdain vanished. Primary colours were nice. They were bright and strong, like Jongin. He liked this reality.

“Are you okay?”

Kyungsoo remained silent for a few seconds, trying to recollect whatever had happened. He had decided to take a nap on Jongin’s bed when the latter left for classes and his sleep was plagued by nightmares, which wasn’t something that unusual. And now he was here. Jongin had found him. It was his voice calling out to Kyungsoo all along, and it was his touch that brought him out of terror.

He rubbed his eyes, smiling weakly. “Just a nightmare.”

Jongin examined him carefully before nodding briefly. He was still wearing his jacket, which meant he had probably just returned home. Kyungsoo’s heart skipped a little. Was coming to see Kyungsoo the first thing he did upon returning? He had barely any time to indulge in that fantasy before Jongin was wiggling out of his jacket, flinging it aside uncaringly. He flopped onto Kyungsoo, his entire body weight pinning him down to the bed.

“You were… battling something?” Jongin tried to ask casually, but the seriousness in his tone didn’t go unheard.

Kyungsoo hummed. “Something like that. I was trapped. Drowning in the river. The sky was crimson and the water became crimson too.”

Jongin buried his face into the crook of his neck, his arms wrapped loosely around Kyungsoo’s body.

“I used to have nightmares a lot too. About the fire. People dying all around me. I don’t know how many times I’ve watched him die again and again and again.”

Kyungsoo swept his fingers through Jongin’s hair, listening gravely.

“And now?”

Jongin raised his head so they could look at each other. He smiled.

“Better. I don’t get nightmares as much anymore.”

Kyungsoo smiled back, holding the side of Jongin’s face. He brushed his finger against his cheek.

“I don’t sleep as well when you’re not around,” he admitted.

Jongin looked almost pleased to hear that. His face plunged back into the curve of Kyungsoo’s neck. It was a warm and safe place.

“I’m glad we found each other,” he mumbled against his bare skin, and Kyungsoo’s heart stilled momentarily. They had progressed so much more since that night, and even though their relationship was still ambiguous now since neither of them had officially said anything about it, Kyungsoo was happy with where it was now and was certain it would only continue to grow in a direction he liked. And this now. This meant so much more than an “I love you” from Jongin.

He embraced Jongin tightly, feeling all his fears melt away. Jongin’s once fortified mind now had a place for him.

“Me too.”

Time halted while they laid there in perfect silence, enjoying each other’s company. The sun was setting outside the window. Kyungsoo had grown too incredibly fond of the sunset. It was what he was, halfway between the light and the darkness. Their relationship thrived on sunsets. He was soaking in bliss when Jongin chuckled.

“What are you laughing at?”

Jongin rested his weight on his elbows and slid further down Kyungsoo’s body until he could rest the side of his head on Kyungsoo’s chest.

“I’m just thinking how amusing it is that humans write about us as the undead when we’re here like this and your heart is beating so quickly.”

A tinge of pink dusted Kyungsoo’s cheeks.

“My heart’s not beating quickly.” As he said that, his heart throbbed and thumped a little faster.

Jongin laughed again, and upon hearing that, Kyungsoo’s indignance eased into happiness.

“There are too many things they’ll never know about us.”

Jongin yawned before acknowledging him.

“I’d prefer they never know about us.”

Me too, because I want you all to myself. Kyungsoo let his thoughts remain thoughts for now and continued to hold onto Jongin. There was no need to be afraid of the dark or the horror of his past as long as he was in his arms. Jongin was his lighthouse, keeping him sheltered from them all.

He held his arm against Jongin’s, reveling in the stark contrast. The paleness of his skin pressed so intimately against Jongin’s bronze skin; no poem could ever do it justice, no words could ever capture ambrosial beauty like that; it was art in its greatest form.

Two opposites, now one.

-

Taking one last look around the little apartment threatened to burst with precious memories, Kyungsoo exhaled audibly. It had only been two years since, but they were still crystal clear in his mind. It felt like just yesterday when Jongin would tangle him in darkness. He loosened his grip around his suitcase, suddenly wishing they could stay a little longer. This was a home that was warm with memories, a nest he was safe in, how could he bear to say goodbye yet?

Jongin’s arms encircled him from behind, his warm breath splaying across the top of his head.

“Can’t bear to leave?”

Kyungsoo placed his own hands on Jongin’s.

“Yeah,” he admitted.

“We can stay a little longer if you want to.”

Kyungsoo mulled over his words, rolling them over and back again. He unhooked Jongin’s interlocked fingers and broke free of his grip so he could turn around and look at him. He didn’t need a painting of the sunset when he had it right in his arms. This safe nest was embodied in Jongin. He would have it everywhere he went as long as they were together. And they would always be.

“It’s fine. You’re all I need.”

Jongin winked at him while he adjusted the scarf snug around Kyungsoo’s neck. He had gotten so good at taking care of someone else.

“Are you sure you won’t regret it? We really can afford to stay for a few more months.”

Kyungsoo jabbed him lightly in the ribs. He knew very well they could, but it wasn’t a worthy risk. In the early days, when they were still without each other, they moved from town to town frequently, hiding from the hunters. Kyungsoo didn’t know when he had managed to shake them off his trail, but he wasn’t going to risk having any of them catch up with him, especially not now that he had found someone he would rather die than lose.

“Let’s go, gramps.”

He grabbed his suitcase with one hand and a trunk with the other, heading for the door. Jongin followed after him with light footsteps. Little snowflakes met them when they stepped out into the cold, a charming welcome into the outside world that still held many undiscovered wonders. Kyungsoo tilted his head back and was met with the sight of millions of them falling freely from a velvety dark sky, each one iridescent. His breath was misty, but his heart was warm. He could watch them fall forever, if only there wasn’t someone who was patiently waiting for him.

Jongin glanced at his watch, most of his attention fixed on Kyungsoo. He used to think he would never meet anyone else who looked so good against the night sky again, but here Kyungsoo was. The things Jongin used to think as absolute all sounded inane to him now. He waited for Kyungsoo to fix those dazzling amber eyes on him again, but right now, he was at a losing end.

“Where are we going?” Kyungsoo asked, his eyes still directed towards heaven.

There was a thump as Jongin’s trunk met the snow-covered ground. He reached out and took Kyungsoo’s wrist gingerly, until Kyungsoo got the hint and his trunk followed suit with a similar thump. He didn’t mind not being the prime object of his attention right now as long as Kyungsoo was still willing to look away from heaven and at him. Their hands found each other smoothly, fingers interlaced. This was how Jongin intended to travel for the rest of forever. He had once been reluctant to fall, but once he started, there was no way out. The only way was in. No easy love could ever make him feel the same. They didn’t need gloves, not when Kyungsoo’s palm was sufficiently warm against Jongin’s. He didn’t need to use his gift for their love was the greatest one of all, and it would kept them warm for an unimaginably long time. Alone, Kyungsoo was an incandescent flame, almost as bright as the sun. Together, they could set the world on fire.

And nothing was holding them back right now.

Jongin’s voice was gentle.

“We have forever to find out,” he said.

FIN.