Without My Drug [Chapter One]
Title: Without My Drug
Rating: NC-17
Genre(s): Supernatural, Romance
Pairings: 2min, side!Jongkey
Summary: Taemin was losing himself - and it scared him. However, salvation comes in the form of his enemy, a Hunter -- Choi Minho. Memories of his life as a human resurface when he touches Minho and the emotions that he’s able to feel again is like a breath of fresh air. But Taemin was a vampire - and he wasn’t sure Minho was willing to take a risk in loving him. Was it worth the heartbreak? The tides were turning. Nothing will remain the same.
(NOT) Dedicated To: hazellicious because FALIEJFAOWIEF still can't believe what you did tbh /sniffs
Author's Note: Got five chapters finished and 1500 words for chapter six, so I guess I'm just going to start posting or something x_x Next update will be on June 23rd or 24th. \o/ Also, might make a masterlist for this fic all together since I plan on having a sequel and I want them to be together, not in different sections. :| idek. And, l o l yes, again, the prologue is 100% serious. Here's a small hint: Cinderella and Landlord are nicknames (obviously) from people who are in SMTOWN, and are from the kpop guy group that debuted before SHINee did.
Also, if anyone wants me to save spots, tell me :')
Earlier chapters are located in my masterlist/the tags.
Chapter One
Beyond Midnight
Minho walked casually through the streets, hands deep in his pockets as Jonghyun whistled beside him, a tune that scratched at Minho’s long-forgotten memories of childhood and happiness. Holding back a scowl, he tried to distance himself subtly from the overly happy Hunter, range between them soon becoming obvious as his long legs carried him a little faster.
The daggers which he kept under his clothes pressed comfortingly against his bare skin, the smooth glide of the metal a constant calming factor. They assured him of safety when times got rough, and told him of all the things he had lived through. It was ironic how different his thinking was now to that of someone who led a normal life.
Eyes scanning the blackened alleys, he paused for a second, barely perceptible in anyone else’s eyes. However, Minho could tell that Jonghyun had noticed due to the slight falter of Jonghyun’s whistling, the notes going too sharp before stopping altogether, the last sound echoing off into the dark night eerily. A tingle of anticipation shot up his spine.
Silently, Minho turned back to nod his head into the alley’s direction, glad that the street seemed to have emptied of people. Things were going to get ugly in a few minutes.
Together they slunk into the darkness of the alley, gone and leaving no trace of their appearance behind.
--
There wasn’t much on this world that could move Taemin these days. It was like he lived in a bubble overlooking the world, encased in this peaceful, calm, cold water. Sounds were distant and feelings even more so. He imagined closing his eyes for an eternal sleep that would never come - imagined it more than a few times because God, he couldn’t even fall asleep anymore these days.
In a made-vampire’s life, he was told, one got to the point where it was hard to feel. Things human-related faded with time and though he willed his memories to stay, the thoughts and feelings he had experienced all those years ago had begun to disappear, leaving him with nothing but a chill.
He lifted his eyes to the moon as the pale light streamed in, body as still as stone even with all the commotion in the background. He had gotten used to controlling his levels of hearing and now, even when he heard people shouting, didn’t feel a burst of pain in his head. He was thankful though that the vampire world was much quieter than the human realm. He was able to watch the forests peacefully enough without too much unwanted interruptions.
Footsteps sounded in his hallway and his ears perked, a brief smile crossing his face when he realized who was coming to see him. He made no move to get up though and heard the door to his room open and close before another vampire was sitting next to him soundlessly.
Together he and Key took in the beauty of nature without words and Taemin idly pondered if something was wrong. Or he could just be paranoid and Key could be there because he wanted company. They were best friends, so it was bound to happen.
Breaking the silence, he asked blandly, “So? Did something happen?” He actually really didn’t care unless it directly affected him, but it must be exciting enough because Key always withheld the good stuff. Taemin wasn’t much of a gossiper, but he couldn’t say such a thing for his best friend, that was for sure. Well, it made his life a little more exciting, at least.
Automatically, Key looked at him and snorted, lips opening to reveal flawless white teeth. “You always know, huh, Taeminnie?” The younger vampire didn’t bother to blink at the nickname; he just gave an amused smile at the reaction he received.
“I’ve been your best friend for more than a century, Key,” he said, an eyebrow quirking as his smile widened. “I would hope that I know you by now.”
“Details,” Key waved him away, looking about ready to pounce on him. “So, I bet you want to know what happened, right?”
Not really. Taemin wasn’t about to tell the abusive other that though. Too bad for him, Key was a mind reader.
“Right, that’s what I thought,” Key continued after a pause. Taemin guessed his friend was feeling generous today and held back a laugh. “Someone got killed tonight.”
Taemin’s eyebrows shot up. That was it? He was almost disappointed as he eyed his best friend peevishly. People from their world got killed on a regular basis. Key held up his hands after seeing Taemin’s expression.
“No, that’s not only it. It’s the person who got killed and how they got killed that makes it interesting. Earlier on, a high positioned official got killed by two Hunters, and they left his minion alive. I’m not totally sure for their reasons, but I’m guessing they wanted him to come back and blabber all about it - which he did, by the way.”
Taemin sighed. He really hated it that Hunters and vampires were enemies. They were like feuding little children, honestly.
There was this silent battle between them, even before Taemin had been turned years and years ago. It had been put on a slight hold when the Civil War within the vampire realm had broken out, only to resume when everything was under control once more.
But something had changed about the Hunters in the later years. It was weird because after a few generations, they had started to develop powers - powers that were practically the same as the vampires. Now, Taemin could have dealt with them before that point, but after they found out their DNA changed to generate powers, the Hunters thought it was their God-given right to take vampires out. When the first few powers had been discovered, there was a frenzy of vampire killings which popped up from all over the world.
Of course, a few of those killed happened to have been his friends - ones who had gone through the process of being turned like he had and the heart break and struggle that accompanied it. Some had even been like him, deciding not to drink human blood. The bitter, sarcastic part of him scoffed - it was ironic that the Hunters had killed the vampires which might have even helped them once upon a time. They had a no-spare policy that Taemin resented.
As it was, Taemin was having a hard time feeling anything but a sharp, severe disdain whenever he thought of Hunters. They always thought they were the only ones to lose the ones they love, and through their hatred a vicious cycle of animosity turned.
However, underneath all the disdain was a pool of compassion and love for humans that not all vampires understood. Even before he had been turned, Taemin had liked humans, and being turned into a vampire did nothing to that love. Then the vampire Civil War hit, and he found himself losing parts of himself that mattered, transforming him into this monster version of himself.
Taemin was a vampire who struggled to gain back his humanity in the darkest times in his life, and it reminded him of what humankind really had to offer.
He could see the best of both worlds, but why couldn’t anyone else?
--
“Why did you let one go?” Jonghyun asked, stretching by twisting his torso from side to side, a slight sheen of sweat over his unperturbed features.
“Why else would I let a blood sucker go?” Minho asked dryly, shoulder leaning against the dirty bricks of the alley. The smoke from the fire they had used to burn the other vampire invaded his nostrils and he held back a smile, in his element.
“Mind games?” his partner questioned.
“Of course.” And what better way to declare war than killing someone important from the other side?
Shady eyes glittering, Minho couldn’t hold back the dark smirk this time as he thought of the final ending. The day he was finally able to extract revenge from the bastard who fucked up his life was closer than ever.
--
Taemin almost wished he could feel irritation - anything in this predicament, actually - as he stared wordlessly at the invader in his room. Beside him, Key was stiff, glaring at the form in front of them so hard that even Taemin could feel the heat from his side angle.
“Why are you in here, Jessica?” he asked politely, forcing an icy smile onto his face. He didn’t bother to add the honorific to her name.
“Yes, give us an answer, Jung,” Key seethed out. Taemin nudged Key with his elbow wordlessly, a silent reprimand to remind Key to behave himself. He’d rather not have another argument on his hands - he was honestly tired of having to be the middle man between Key and Jessica. Jessica gave a cold, vicious smile at the two of them and Taemin breathed out slowly to remain calm.
“I’m just here to tell you two we have an emergency meeting in five minutes. Several things have… come up.” At this, Jessica’s smile turned mysterious. A shiver shot up his spine.
That said, the lady vampire left the two alone, silent and with a slight breeze.
Taemin glanced over at Key, noting the way the ugly scowl transformed his friend’s face from the previously smooth marble it normally was. Leaning over, he pressed silently on the wrinkles, rolling his eyes.
“You’re really ugly when you make that face,” Taemin commented lightly, flowing to his feet the next instant to avoid Key’s slap.
“I can show you ugly,” Key muttered, glaring daggers at the younger vampire. Taemin lost the light grin on his face when he saw the troubled light lurking inside Key’s eyes.
“You shouldn’t let Jessica get to you,” he told the older, now standing in front of his friend. “We both know she’s just toying with you.”
“I think that’s what makes it even harder for me to swallow,” Key said, finally sighing and releasing any tension from his body. Taemin stepped back to allow the other to get up, receiving a small pet of the head with a quirk of his lips. He knew Key was fine, now that he was being affectionate again.
“Well, should we start to leave now?” Taemin suggested, an indulgent smile on his face as Key continued to pet him. He was slightly taken off guard when Key enveloped him into a hug, but he hugged back quickly as his smile brightened. Though their skin wasn’t warm, the feeling of being in such an embrace made a stirring in his chest that brought back the memories of a time when he got happiness from the smallest things.
“Alright,” Key finally said, releasing him only to take his hand. “Let’s go see what those stuck-up bastards want with us, shall we?”
Their world was different from the human world. Small affections in public between friends and mates weren’t as frowned upon. The little things that would rile others up in the other dimension weren’t even spared a glance here. Taemin remembered a time when he had been confused over this. Key made sure to poke fun at him ever since.
As they walked through the mansion, Taemin made sure to hold his head high when he felt stares digging into his back. It reminded him that there were things that both worlds had in common. For one, one could never get rid of another’s vanity and pride. Many vampires he had met regarded him as dirt because he was someone made into a vampire, not born into it. He was much like an annoyance to most, despite the fact that he was almost four centuries old and one of the oldest, strongest vampires living in their space.
Quickly making their way through, they stopped outside a large set of doors. Key let go of his hand to push them open loudly. Taemin grimaced at his friend’s preference for all things loud and flamboyant - including entrances - and held back a sigh.
They walked their way into another hallway, where all the other Council members milled outside a different door. A few of them regarded the two newcomers with disapproving glares, but Key seemed immune to it as he gave them a cold smile. Taemin deemed to show nothing on his face, staring back until the old coots looked away scoffing under their breath. Taemin made sure to turn the volume of his hearing low, not wishing to hear any other conversations.
A hand landed lightly on his shoulder and the light touch drew his attention away. He found Yunho looking at him fondly, a smile gracing his elegant, noble features.
Taemin welcomed the other with a grin of his own. It wasn’t usual for him to get to see Yunho around and the fact that the older vampire was actually there this time made him actually happy. He wondered when he had last seen Yunho - maybe around fifty years ago?
“You’re looking good,” Taemin greeted, feeling a little mischievous. “You don’t have nearly as much wrinkles as I expected you would.”
“Ah, to think I missed you,” Yunho said dryly. Yunho greeted Key when the other came to wrap arms around Taemin.
“Taemin got a little rebellious when you were gone,” Key told Yunho. Taemin frowned playfully.
“You’re just angry you can’t control me anymore,” he murmured petulantly, twitching when he felt Key pinch at his side hard.
Their conversation halted when the next set of doors to the meeting room slowly opened. They all moved slowly in and Taemin looked at all of the people entering before realizing something.
“Where’s Heechul-hyung?”
Key released a bark of laughter at the question, attracting the attention of some others before they became disinterested again. They sat down in their respective chairs, the only two empty for the Chairman and for said vampire they were speaking of.
“You know how sly and naughty he can get,” Key remarked. “I doubt he’ll show up until a third of the meeting is done, making some kind of big commotion on the way - if he decides to show up at all, that is.”
Yunho looked like he was going to add something to that but the doors opened again, Choi Siwon gliding in to take a stand behind the large seat at the front. The members at the table stilled as the Chairman surveyed them. Finally, the elder vampire spoke, “Is Kim missing again?”
A few grunts rose, many of them confirming this belief. The Chairman said nothing in response, settling in his own chair before getting right to business.
“Well, gentlemen, I’m sure you have heard of this already, but our fears have recently become a reality. A rebellion might soon come to our doorsteps.”
--
Rating: NC-17
Genre(s): Supernatural, Romance
Pairings: 2min, side!Jongkey
Summary: Taemin was losing himself - and it scared him. However, salvation comes in the form of his enemy, a Hunter -- Choi Minho. Memories of his life as a human resurface when he touches Minho and the emotions that he’s able to feel again is like a breath of fresh air. But Taemin was a vampire - and he wasn’t sure Minho was willing to take a risk in loving him. Was it worth the heartbreak? The tides were turning. Nothing will remain the same.
(NOT) Dedicated To: hazellicious because FALIEJFAOWIEF still can't believe what you did tbh /sniffs
Author's Note: Got five chapters finished and 1500 words for chapter six, so I guess I'm just going to start posting or something x_x Next update will be on June 23rd or 24th. \o/ Also, might make a masterlist for this fic all together since I plan on having a sequel and I want them to be together, not in different sections. :| idek. And, l o l yes, again, the prologue is 100% serious. Here's a small hint: Cinderella and Landlord are nicknames (obviously) from people who are in SMTOWN, and are from the kpop guy group that debuted before SHINee did.
Also, if anyone wants me to save spots, tell me :')
Earlier chapters are located in my masterlist/the tags.
Chapter One
Beyond Midnight
Minho walked casually through the streets, hands deep in his pockets as Jonghyun whistled beside him, a tune that scratched at Minho’s long-forgotten memories of childhood and happiness. Holding back a scowl, he tried to distance himself subtly from the overly happy Hunter, range between them soon becoming obvious as his long legs carried him a little faster.
The daggers which he kept under his clothes pressed comfortingly against his bare skin, the smooth glide of the metal a constant calming factor. They assured him of safety when times got rough, and told him of all the things he had lived through. It was ironic how different his thinking was now to that of someone who led a normal life.
Eyes scanning the blackened alleys, he paused for a second, barely perceptible in anyone else’s eyes. However, Minho could tell that Jonghyun had noticed due to the slight falter of Jonghyun’s whistling, the notes going too sharp before stopping altogether, the last sound echoing off into the dark night eerily. A tingle of anticipation shot up his spine.
Silently, Minho turned back to nod his head into the alley’s direction, glad that the street seemed to have emptied of people. Things were going to get ugly in a few minutes.
Together they slunk into the darkness of the alley, gone and leaving no trace of their appearance behind.
--
There wasn’t much on this world that could move Taemin these days. It was like he lived in a bubble overlooking the world, encased in this peaceful, calm, cold water. Sounds were distant and feelings even more so. He imagined closing his eyes for an eternal sleep that would never come - imagined it more than a few times because God, he couldn’t even fall asleep anymore these days.
In a made-vampire’s life, he was told, one got to the point where it was hard to feel. Things human-related faded with time and though he willed his memories to stay, the thoughts and feelings he had experienced all those years ago had begun to disappear, leaving him with nothing but a chill.
He lifted his eyes to the moon as the pale light streamed in, body as still as stone even with all the commotion in the background. He had gotten used to controlling his levels of hearing and now, even when he heard people shouting, didn’t feel a burst of pain in his head. He was thankful though that the vampire world was much quieter than the human realm. He was able to watch the forests peacefully enough without too much unwanted interruptions.
Footsteps sounded in his hallway and his ears perked, a brief smile crossing his face when he realized who was coming to see him. He made no move to get up though and heard the door to his room open and close before another vampire was sitting next to him soundlessly.
Together he and Key took in the beauty of nature without words and Taemin idly pondered if something was wrong. Or he could just be paranoid and Key could be there because he wanted company. They were best friends, so it was bound to happen.
Breaking the silence, he asked blandly, “So? Did something happen?” He actually really didn’t care unless it directly affected him, but it must be exciting enough because Key always withheld the good stuff. Taemin wasn’t much of a gossiper, but he couldn’t say such a thing for his best friend, that was for sure. Well, it made his life a little more exciting, at least.
Automatically, Key looked at him and snorted, lips opening to reveal flawless white teeth. “You always know, huh, Taeminnie?” The younger vampire didn’t bother to blink at the nickname; he just gave an amused smile at the reaction he received.
“I’ve been your best friend for more than a century, Key,” he said, an eyebrow quirking as his smile widened. “I would hope that I know you by now.”
“Details,” Key waved him away, looking about ready to pounce on him. “So, I bet you want to know what happened, right?”
Not really. Taemin wasn’t about to tell the abusive other that though. Too bad for him, Key was a mind reader.
“Right, that’s what I thought,” Key continued after a pause. Taemin guessed his friend was feeling generous today and held back a laugh. “Someone got killed tonight.”
Taemin’s eyebrows shot up. That was it? He was almost disappointed as he eyed his best friend peevishly. People from their world got killed on a regular basis. Key held up his hands after seeing Taemin’s expression.
“No, that’s not only it. It’s the person who got killed and how they got killed that makes it interesting. Earlier on, a high positioned official got killed by two Hunters, and they left his minion alive. I’m not totally sure for their reasons, but I’m guessing they wanted him to come back and blabber all about it - which he did, by the way.”
Taemin sighed. He really hated it that Hunters and vampires were enemies. They were like feuding little children, honestly.
There was this silent battle between them, even before Taemin had been turned years and years ago. It had been put on a slight hold when the Civil War within the vampire realm had broken out, only to resume when everything was under control once more.
But something had changed about the Hunters in the later years. It was weird because after a few generations, they had started to develop powers - powers that were practically the same as the vampires. Now, Taemin could have dealt with them before that point, but after they found out their DNA changed to generate powers, the Hunters thought it was their God-given right to take vampires out. When the first few powers had been discovered, there was a frenzy of vampire killings which popped up from all over the world.
Of course, a few of those killed happened to have been his friends - ones who had gone through the process of being turned like he had and the heart break and struggle that accompanied it. Some had even been like him, deciding not to drink human blood. The bitter, sarcastic part of him scoffed - it was ironic that the Hunters had killed the vampires which might have even helped them once upon a time. They had a no-spare policy that Taemin resented.
As it was, Taemin was having a hard time feeling anything but a sharp, severe disdain whenever he thought of Hunters. They always thought they were the only ones to lose the ones they love, and through their hatred a vicious cycle of animosity turned.
However, underneath all the disdain was a pool of compassion and love for humans that not all vampires understood. Even before he had been turned, Taemin had liked humans, and being turned into a vampire did nothing to that love. Then the vampire Civil War hit, and he found himself losing parts of himself that mattered, transforming him into this monster version of himself.
Taemin was a vampire who struggled to gain back his humanity in the darkest times in his life, and it reminded him of what humankind really had to offer.
He could see the best of both worlds, but why couldn’t anyone else?
--
“Why did you let one go?” Jonghyun asked, stretching by twisting his torso from side to side, a slight sheen of sweat over his unperturbed features.
“Why else would I let a blood sucker go?” Minho asked dryly, shoulder leaning against the dirty bricks of the alley. The smoke from the fire they had used to burn the other vampire invaded his nostrils and he held back a smile, in his element.
“Mind games?” his partner questioned.
“Of course.” And what better way to declare war than killing someone important from the other side?
Shady eyes glittering, Minho couldn’t hold back the dark smirk this time as he thought of the final ending. The day he was finally able to extract revenge from the bastard who fucked up his life was closer than ever.
--
Taemin almost wished he could feel irritation - anything in this predicament, actually - as he stared wordlessly at the invader in his room. Beside him, Key was stiff, glaring at the form in front of them so hard that even Taemin could feel the heat from his side angle.
“Why are you in here, Jessica?” he asked politely, forcing an icy smile onto his face. He didn’t bother to add the honorific to her name.
“Yes, give us an answer, Jung,” Key seethed out. Taemin nudged Key with his elbow wordlessly, a silent reprimand to remind Key to behave himself. He’d rather not have another argument on his hands - he was honestly tired of having to be the middle man between Key and Jessica. Jessica gave a cold, vicious smile at the two of them and Taemin breathed out slowly to remain calm.
“I’m just here to tell you two we have an emergency meeting in five minutes. Several things have… come up.” At this, Jessica’s smile turned mysterious. A shiver shot up his spine.
That said, the lady vampire left the two alone, silent and with a slight breeze.
Taemin glanced over at Key, noting the way the ugly scowl transformed his friend’s face from the previously smooth marble it normally was. Leaning over, he pressed silently on the wrinkles, rolling his eyes.
“You’re really ugly when you make that face,” Taemin commented lightly, flowing to his feet the next instant to avoid Key’s slap.
“I can show you ugly,” Key muttered, glaring daggers at the younger vampire. Taemin lost the light grin on his face when he saw the troubled light lurking inside Key’s eyes.
“You shouldn’t let Jessica get to you,” he told the older, now standing in front of his friend. “We both know she’s just toying with you.”
“I think that’s what makes it even harder for me to swallow,” Key said, finally sighing and releasing any tension from his body. Taemin stepped back to allow the other to get up, receiving a small pet of the head with a quirk of his lips. He knew Key was fine, now that he was being affectionate again.
“Well, should we start to leave now?” Taemin suggested, an indulgent smile on his face as Key continued to pet him. He was slightly taken off guard when Key enveloped him into a hug, but he hugged back quickly as his smile brightened. Though their skin wasn’t warm, the feeling of being in such an embrace made a stirring in his chest that brought back the memories of a time when he got happiness from the smallest things.
“Alright,” Key finally said, releasing him only to take his hand. “Let’s go see what those stuck-up bastards want with us, shall we?”
Their world was different from the human world. Small affections in public between friends and mates weren’t as frowned upon. The little things that would rile others up in the other dimension weren’t even spared a glance here. Taemin remembered a time when he had been confused over this. Key made sure to poke fun at him ever since.
As they walked through the mansion, Taemin made sure to hold his head high when he felt stares digging into his back. It reminded him that there were things that both worlds had in common. For one, one could never get rid of another’s vanity and pride. Many vampires he had met regarded him as dirt because he was someone made into a vampire, not born into it. He was much like an annoyance to most, despite the fact that he was almost four centuries old and one of the oldest, strongest vampires living in their space.
Quickly making their way through, they stopped outside a large set of doors. Key let go of his hand to push them open loudly. Taemin grimaced at his friend’s preference for all things loud and flamboyant - including entrances - and held back a sigh.
They walked their way into another hallway, where all the other Council members milled outside a different door. A few of them regarded the two newcomers with disapproving glares, but Key seemed immune to it as he gave them a cold smile. Taemin deemed to show nothing on his face, staring back until the old coots looked away scoffing under their breath. Taemin made sure to turn the volume of his hearing low, not wishing to hear any other conversations.
A hand landed lightly on his shoulder and the light touch drew his attention away. He found Yunho looking at him fondly, a smile gracing his elegant, noble features.
Taemin welcomed the other with a grin of his own. It wasn’t usual for him to get to see Yunho around and the fact that the older vampire was actually there this time made him actually happy. He wondered when he had last seen Yunho - maybe around fifty years ago?
“You’re looking good,” Taemin greeted, feeling a little mischievous. “You don’t have nearly as much wrinkles as I expected you would.”
“Ah, to think I missed you,” Yunho said dryly. Yunho greeted Key when the other came to wrap arms around Taemin.
“Taemin got a little rebellious when you were gone,” Key told Yunho. Taemin frowned playfully.
“You’re just angry you can’t control me anymore,” he murmured petulantly, twitching when he felt Key pinch at his side hard.
Their conversation halted when the next set of doors to the meeting room slowly opened. They all moved slowly in and Taemin looked at all of the people entering before realizing something.
“Where’s Heechul-hyung?”
Key released a bark of laughter at the question, attracting the attention of some others before they became disinterested again. They sat down in their respective chairs, the only two empty for the Chairman and for said vampire they were speaking of.
“You know how sly and naughty he can get,” Key remarked. “I doubt he’ll show up until a third of the meeting is done, making some kind of big commotion on the way - if he decides to show up at all, that is.”
Yunho looked like he was going to add something to that but the doors opened again, Choi Siwon gliding in to take a stand behind the large seat at the front. The members at the table stilled as the Chairman surveyed them. Finally, the elder vampire spoke, “Is Kim missing again?”
A few grunts rose, many of them confirming this belief. The Chairman said nothing in response, settling in his own chair before getting right to business.
“Well, gentlemen, I’m sure you have heard of this already, but our fears have recently become a reality. A rebellion might soon come to our doorsteps.”
--