Chapter Text
— B. C. —
It was supposed to be a quick, routine trip into town to pick up things like Jisung’s anxiety medication, and new pots and pans to replace the last set Felix had scorched.
But the idea of quickness was short-lived as rain began falling steadily from the sky, the heavy, dark clouds above indicating that there was no sign of it stopping anytime soon.
With stormy skies overhead, Chan decided that it would be best to leave the rest of his pack in their cozy home at the edge of the forest. Going alone would cause less problems, and he would be back home before anyone could miss him.
Chan had just arrived in town, his hood pulled up over his head to shield himself from the rain, but also to avoid any curious stares. He wasn’t a regular town visitor, and that sometimes raised suspicion, so he was trying to lay low, to not draw any extra and unnecessary attention onto himself. His first order of business was the pharmacy, to pick up the refill of Jisung’s medication.
Looking at the ground in front of him, Chan walked along the sidewalk, staying out of the way of the cars that drove on the road that ran alongside him, while also staying far enough from the edge to avoid getting splashed by any puddles of water that the vehicles disturbed. He noticed the person walking in front of him stayed directly in the middle of the sidewalk, even as other people walked in the opposite direction. They seemed unphased, continuing forward as if they were the only one on the sidewalk, undeterred as cars drove past and splashed water onto their shoes and pants.
He noticed because it was unusual behavior. It was a rainy day, it made sense for everyone walking to be in a rush to get to their next location, while also being mindful of those that walked beside them, and being cautious not to wet their clothing. But this individual didn’t seem to notice or care. Almost as if they were oblivious to the world around them.
So when the person walking ahead of him approached the crosswalk at the end of the sidewalk, Chan raised his brows in surprise as he realized they weren’t slowing down. Cars continued to speed past them on the road beside them, and while it was true that pedestrians had the right of way, accidents happened every day. And he feared what he was about to witness in front of him.
At the crosswalk, the person hesitated, as if finally realizing the sidewalk had come to an end. They clearly wanted to cross the street, and turned their head from side to side multiple times before stepping off the sidewalk. And it was the right time to cross, as there were no cars in the immediate vicinity.
But just as they stepped into the crosswalk, the car on the road made a sudden turn towards the crosswalk, clearly not noticing the person walking across it. And as someone who saw this entire scenario play out in front of him, Chan was left with two choices.
He had the strength and speed to rush forward. He had all the capabilities to save this mortal’s life, but he would also be risking his own in the process. He could be selfless and jump into action, to save a life because of the unique vantage point and strength he possessed.
Or he could do nothing.
It was never in Chan’s nature to do nothing when he knew he could do something to help someone else.
So he sprinted forward.
It wasn’t safe to transform around humans, especially in broad daylight, but a life was on the line here. He didn’t have the time to hesitate as he lunged onto all four limbs, his clothes shredding away as his human flesh transformed into thick, black fur, his claws scratching against the pavement as he scrambled forward.
The car’s brakes screeched loudly, which made the human stop in shock, but the car’s inertia was too great to stop suddenly. And knowing his body could take the force of the vehicle, Chan pounced forward onto the human’s back, pushing them out of the way of the car right before the vehicle crashed into his side, sending him tumbling against the asphalt.
His wolf could endure this. It had survived many territory battles, and fights for dominance. He still felt the wolf's pain, absolutely, but he could recover, and do so very quickly.
He could hear the commotion of humans speaking a few paces away, so he tried to get his feet underneath him, to stand up and scurry off back to the forest before their attention turned to him. But when he felt a sharp, stabbing pain in his paws and rib cage, he collapsed back onto the road beneath him, whining softly in pain. He definitely hurt something badly. If he could only get back home, he knew Seungmin would have be able to patch him up.
“Help me get it to the vet! It’s injured!”
Chan bared his teeth and growled, but the effort was only half committed. His eyes were squeezed shut with pain, but with the rest of his body language, he tried to make it very clear that he did not want human involvement. He saved a life, sure, but he didn’t need any help in return.
“I’m not picking that…thing up.”
“I’ll press charges.” The first voice said firmly, clearly not taking no as an answer. “You almost killed me. This dog saved my life, and I intend to save it’s life in return.”
His wolf was clearly much more menacing than a simple dog. His body was large, thick with muscle and covered in dense black fur. It was very clear why the other person didn’t want to touch him. But the human he had saved did not share the same fear.
He could hear footsteps approaching, and he growled again, trying to communicate that they could leave him alone. He would be fine, he just needed to rest and recover. But as a human’s arms wrapped around his body and hoisted him in the air, he knew there was no point in fighting it. He physically couldn’t, still injured from his literal run-in with the car.
Knowing there was no hope in getting away, he finally gave into the pain and tried to relax at the idea of receiving medical attention from a trained professional. With the amount of pain that he was in, that didn’t sound so bad.
— H. H. —
Waiting was the hardest part. Nearly an hour had passed since the staff had told him anything, and his patience was starting to wear thin. Anxiety blossomed within his chest; If this dog became paralyzed, or worse, passed away, he knew it would be all his fault.
If only he had been more tentative in crossing the street. If only the car driver had looked a second time before turning the corner.
This dog saved his life. And the least Hyunjin wanted to do was to return the favor and thank them, even if they didn’t communicate the same. It didn’t matter. Because despite not knowing him in the slightest, this dog chose to put its life at risk to save a human. And truly, he had never experienced such kindness, from humans or animals alike.
“Hwang Hyunjin? We’re ready for you.”
He raised his head and rose to his feet, trying to locate the voice that was speaking to him. It was a staff member, but they weren’t close, and having never owned a pet, he had never been inside a veterinary office. Tentatively, he lowered his cane to the floor, taking a few cautious steps forward in the direction where he believed he heard the voice.
“Oh, I’m sorry…” The staff member said again, and Hyunjin could hear them scurrying closer, so he stopped moving and waited. “May I help guide you?”
“Yes, please.” Hyunjin answered shyly, tucking his cane beside his body once again. “Please walk slowly on my left side, I will hold onto your right arm.” He explained briefly, using the same simple phrase he normally did when meeting someone new. He never got tired of repeating himself, knowing they offered to be helpful, and Hyunjin was always very appreciative of that.
Together, they walked through the lobby of the vet office, with Hyunjin a half-step behind the staff that guided him, still holding his cane out in front of his body to anticipate any obstacles or narrow passages. Thankfully, it was a quick trip into one of the assessment rooms and the staff guided Hyunjin directly to a chair, allowing him to sit down again.
“Hyunjin, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Doctor Choi, and I assessed the stray you brought in today.” Another voice spoke up, and Hyunjin turned his head slightly to look in their direction. He couldn’t see them, but he knew it typically made others more comfortable to be looked at while they were speaking. “This dog… He’s very special. The driver of the car that almost hit you, did he mention anything about the animal at all?” Dr. Choi continued.
“No, just that he didn’t want to touch it. I assumed it was because the dog was dirty, and he didn’t want a mess inside his car. But I told him I would press charges for almost hitting me if he didn’t help me.” Hyunjin explained, tilting his head to the side. “Can you tell me what the dog looks like?”
He had lost his sight nearly two years ago. Over time, he started to forget a lot of things, and he longed to remember them. And when encountering something new, he liked to have it described visually to him, to use the memories he still possessed to piece together some sort of mental image.
“Of course. This dog is a male, and he is very large. Very . He looks like a wolf.” Dr. Choi started to explain, and Hyunjin could hear the hesitation in their voice. “He has large, pointed ears and a long snout, and long, fluffy tail. The fur all over his body is completely black, and his coat is very thick and dense. His eyes are amber.” They cleared their throat before continuing. “How long ago would you say the accident was?”
“Maybe an hour and a half? Two hours?” Hyunjin estimated. He could still hear the car’s screeching brakes ringing in his ears. He could also hear the dog’s pained whimpers tugging at his heart strings.
“That’s the measurement we were using too. However, the injuries we assessed at the beginning… He’s healed almost completely since then. There was a broken paw that we had to set, and we were going to cast it, but with such fast healing, we think a soft cast will be enough.” The doctor continued, sounding genuinely confused. “I’ve never seen an animal like him before. He had no collar or tags, so we checked for a microchip, and found nothing there as well. So we'll assess him, and if he does well, he’ll be up for adoption soon.”
“Adoption?” Hyunjin asked curiously, feeling his chest tighten a bit. “He doesn’t have an owner?”
“Not that we know of. We can give it a week, to see if someone turns up for him, but if not…” The doctor trailed off, and Hyunjin knew what that meant. The dog would be up for adoption, but could also potentially never find a forever home.
This animal had saved his life. He deserved a better fate than spending the remainder of his days in a cage.
“I’ll adopt him. I’ll cover the cost of his treatment and take him home today.” Hyunjin spoke confidently, not a hint of hesitation in his voice. This dog rescued him for a reason. It was Hyunjin’s turn to return the favor.
“Mr. Hwang, have you ever cared for a pet?”
“No…”
“Caring for a dog is something that can be very difficult for someone with… a visual impairment…”
Ouch.
“Life is difficult without sight. That doesn’t mean we stop living.” Hyunjin stood suddenly, hating the anger that flared within him. “If you can find a viable reason to deny me from adopting this dog, then so be it. But I will not let you use my blindness against me.”
Hyunjin had grown up his entire life well-aware that he was a privileged, handsome, young man. Adversity wasn’t in his vocabulary. But ever since the accident that took his sense of sight, he had encountered more obstacles than he ever had before, and most of them stemmed from the way other people treated him. As if he could no longer protect and defend himself.
He was blind, not incapable.
When Dr. Choi didn’t speak again, Hyunjin reached out in front of him, feeling the coarse fur of the dog laying on the examination table in front of him. His chest was rising and falling steadily as he breathed, but it was clear he was under some sort of anesthesia, not reacting at all as Hyunjin pet him gently.
This dog would be his. Hyunjin wasn’t leaving without him.
— L. M. —
When Hyunjin returned home that afternoon, Minho was already waiting for him at the door. As soon as he walked inside their apartment, he wrapped his arms securely around his boyfriend’s body, pulling him in for a tight hug.
Minho always hated whenever Hyunjin insisted on going out without him, to enjoy the fresh air and feel the sun on his skin, as he would happily say. But Minho was always convinced that something bad would happen whenever they were seperated.
So upon hearing that Hyunjin had nearly been hit by a car, and by some stroke of luck, had been knocked out of the way by a stray dog, Minho began to panic. His boyfriend needed him. And yet, he couldn’t be there with him.
Thankfully, Hyunjin looked completely fine.
His hands were a little scuffed up with road rash from trying to catch himself when he fell, but his injuries weren’t severe in the slightest. It wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Not at all.
Minho was extremely relieved to see his boyfriend was still alive and well. Still the same beautiful man, with his long, black hair that fell down onto his shoulders, and the faint scarring around his cloudy white eyes.
“Hyunjin… Babe, are you okay?” Minho fussed quietly, running his hands all over his boyfriend and checking him, unable to believe his eyes completely. Life was such a fragile thing. And Hyunjin was the most precious thing Minho had ever held. “What happened?”
“I’m fine, I promise.” Hyunjin whispered now, moving his own hands up to cling to the front of Minho’s shirt. Surely, he must have been frightened as well. “I was just trying to cross the road. It was raining, but I did everything I normally do, I was careful. The car came out of nowhere. And Angel showed up right on time to push me out of the way.”
Minho furrowed his brows at that, running his hands onto Hyunjin’s back and pulling their bodies flush. “Angel?” He asked curiously.
“Yes, the dog. I already named him Angel.” Hyunjin nodded, biting his bottom lip.
He hadn’t asked for Minho's opinion before he adopted the dog that saved his life, but even if he did, Minho wouldn’t deny his boyfriend of this. Hyunjin was a very emotional being, and clearly was already attached to the animal, spending the entire morning and afternoon at the veterinary office. Minho was more than willing to share his apartment with the dog who had natural instincts to save his boyfriend’s life.
“He’s special, Min. He jumped against my back, and I fell forward, but I also didn’t get touched by the car. He saved me.” Hyunjin shook his head, still in shock, and Minho kissed his forehead to soothe him.
“And we’ll take care of him now.” Minho insisted, holding Hyunjin’s body against his own as he looked towards a window in the apartment where a curtain covered the glass. The sun had slipped from the sky, and night had fallen, but they had many more preparations to make before Angel came home. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay here while I run to the store and pick Angel up? You must be exhausted.” Minho asked quietly, but Hyunjin was already shaking his head.
“I want to be there when we get him. I don’t want him to think I left him behind.” Hyunjin said gently, pulling back to look at Minho again.
He always insisted that Hyunjin didn’t need to look in his direction when he was at home, knowing that it took a lot of effort for his boyfriend to maintain appearances constantly, and he wanted Hyunjin to be as comfortable as possible. But considering Hyunjin was still so attentive made it clear that he wasn’t ready to settle down just yet.
"I wanna change into something warm and get bandages on my hands. After that, can we go out together?” He asked and Minho gave a soft hum of confirmation, already offering Hyunjin his right arm to guide him through the apartment.
With Minho’s guidance, they both made their way into the bedroom, and Hyunjin sat on the bed as Minho took care of him. He listed out exactly which clothes he wanted and Minho retrieved them, helping him pull the oversized black sweatshirt and gray sweatpants onto his body. Minho made quick work of cleaning up Hyunjin’s hands, making sure the agitated skin wouldn’t get infected, before bandaging them securely.
Living without sight, Hyunjin’s hands were essential in him knowing how to navigate the world, so Minho made sure to leave his fingers free from bandages.
Taking Minho’s car, they drove to the local pet supermarket, getting the essentials that Angel would need. Bowls, food, toys, a bed, a collar and name tag. Each thing they picked out, Minho took the time to describe what it looked like to Hyunjin, as well as letting him hold it and hear it, letting his boyfriend decide what they would ultimately purchase.
Minho never really thought they would ever have a pet, but as they stood at the tag machine, and he watched their apartment address be carved into the small bone-shaped piece of metal, he realized this could be the start of something great. A pet could give Hyunjin a sense of purpose, something to care for that wasn’t himself. And maybe, they could train this dog enough for him to act as a service dog for Hyunjin. The idea made him smile and hold onto Hyunjin’s hand a little tighter, watching the smile spread across his boyfriend’s face as he kissed his knuckles.
When they got the call that Angel was ready to be picked up, Minho helped Hyunjin back to the car and they set off again, putting all of the items they just purchased in the trunk of their car. There was an air of excitement around Hyunjin, clearly happy with the idea of welcoming Angel into their home, but Minho was a little nervous.
Hyunjin hadn’t seen Angel. Clearly, the dog had to have been big enough to push Hyunjin out of the way with its own body weight. And surely, there must have been a good reason why the veterinarian tried to discourage Hyunjin from adopting Angel. And Minho could only wait, holding the dog’s new collar in one hand, and Hyunjin’s hand in his other, watching the door as they sat in the veterinarian office.
Minho caught the scent right away, his nose burning a bit and crinkling up as a natural reaction. Hyunjin couldn’t see it, but he did feel Minho tense beside him, and before he could ask what was wrong, the door opened in front of them.
The large, black wolf that entered the room was a sight that made every feral instinct rise within Minho, but he fought to stay calm, his fingers grabbing the dog collar tightly.
“Mr. Hwang, it’s good to see you again. Angel seems to be doing well, and he’s fully alert after waking up from his anesthesia. He’s able to stand on all four paws without issue, but if he starts to limp, keep a record of it and observe him. The bone has been set, he just needs to heal, and he’ll need a checkup soon to examine the progress.” The staff member that held Angel’s leash spoke calmly to Hyunjin, but they were clearly uncomfortable meeting his cloudy white eyes and faraway stare. Instead, they looked at Minho, so he nodded to them politely before taking the leash that held Angel.
Angel met his eyes and bared his teeth, his eyes flashing an even brighter shade of amber as he growled lowly. The staff member eyed Angel cautiously before stepping away and approaching Hyunjin with the adoption paperwork. Minho was sure the vet staff was intimidated by the sheer size and stature of Angel, which is why they kept him under anesthesia, and he couldn’t say that he blamed them. They weren’t equipped to handle a wolf, let alone a wolf like Angel.
“Hi, Angel!” Hyunjin cooed happily as he looked down, trying to locate the dog by the sound of his claws against the floor.
The wolf, who clearly wasn’t actually named Angel, didn’t respond to Hyunjin calling him, still staring Minho down. Minho stared back, and deep down he was afraid of the wolf, but feeling his anxiety rose due to how close Hyunjin was to it. He tried to remember that Angel saved Hyunjin earlier that day. Surely, this wolf wouldn’t attack the same man he jumped in front of a car for.
“He’s right here, baby.” Minho directed gently, guiding Hyunjin’s hand that he held down to Angel’s leash, letting him touch it but not take it completely.
Hyunjin hummed happily as he followed the fabric leash downward and eventually bumped against Angel’s snout, making him flinch back in surprise. This made Angel finally look away from Minho in favor of facing Hyunjin directly, his gaze no longer aggressive or intense. He was curious and… gentle. Angel leaned down and bumped his nose against Hyunjin’s hand again before ducking his head down, letting Hyunjin’s fingers slip through his fur and pet him.
“Hi, sweet boy.” Hyunjin cooed again as he pet Angel slowly, in the way he usually did when he was trying to see with his hands, trying to recognize details and imagine them in his mind. “It’s been a long day, and you must be in pain still. We’re gonna take you to your new home, okay?” He explained to the wolf, as if he believed the canine could understand. After a moment, Angel looked to Minho again, and Minho nodded at him, letting him know that they would actually be taking him home.
“Hyunnie, why don’t you walk ahead to get back to the car? Take your time. I’ll walk with Angel.” Minho insisted as he looped Angel’s leash around his hand once more, and the wolf’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Minho knew what Angel was.
And Angel knew what he was too.
But this was neither the time nor the place for any discussion, both of them looking over to Hyunjin as he unfolded his cane and started walking himself back to the passenger seat of Minho’s car. Angel watched Hyunjin for a few moments before ultimately turning back to Minho, and Minho nodded once more before following his boyfriend towards the car.
Due to the wolf’s injuries, Minho insisted that he lift him up into the backseat of the car. Angel growled lowly, but he didn’t fight Minho at all, simply sitting down and looking into the front seat where Hyunjin was already sitting.
Minho set down his leash and opened the collar in his hands, which Angel eyed cautiously, but he didn’t fuss at all as Minho secured the buckle around his throat. Right beside the tag, Minho had added a small bell onto the ring as well, and Hyunjin hummed happily as he heard the bell ringing out as Angel moved his head.
“Such a handsome boy! You look so pretty in your collar, Angel!” Hyunjin smiled brightly as he followed the sound of the bell and reached into the backseat, running his fingers through the wolf’s fur once again, scratching at the space between his ears.
Angel immediately closed his eyes and lowered his ears on either side of his head, relaxing into the sensation. And as long as the wolf continued to treat Hyunjin with kindness, Minho decided he could tolerate him. But he would definitely need to talk to Hyunjin alone when the timing was more appropriate.
The drive home to their apartment went smoothly, with Angel eventually laying across the backseat, and Hyunjin whispering to him softly about what their apartment was like. Minho kept a hand resting on Hyunjin’s thigh as he drove, glancing over to see Hyunjin turned towards the backseat and running his hands through Angel’s fur slowly.
Minho couldn’t tell Hyunjin the truth, not now. Not when his boyfriend was still recovering from yet another near-death experience and clinging to the only thing that had saved him; The wolf laying down in the backseat of his car.
Back at home, Minho helped Angel down from the car, and looped his leash around his wrist. He was well aware that the wolf didn’t need to be guided, and Angel looked a little annoyed that he was on a leash in the first place, but he didn’t cause a scene, waiting by Minho’s side as he pulled the shopping bags from the car and watching as Hyunjin used his cane to guide himself to their apartment.
As soon as they entered the apartment, Minho let Angel off his leash, but he lingered by their sides as Minho let Hyunjin take his arm, now shifting gears as he guided his boyfriend around their apartment. In each room, they set out the products they purchased for Angel, and though the wolf didn’t look amused in the slightest by the prospect of a dog bed or toys, the excitement in Hyunjin’s tone was unmistakable.
Hyunjin wanted to be involved in every part of making Angel comfortable in their home. In the time that they had been together, Minho could recall very few times when Hyunjin seemed this excited. Usually, his boyfriend would sit on the couch and let Minho care for each of his needs, only being independent when he ventured outside during the day, or his occasional painting session. But knowing that they had Angel with them, and Angel was dependent on the care they provided him, Hyunjin was much more invested.
It was sometimes a difficult process to watch Hyunjin do things for the first time without his eyesight. When pouring water into Angel’s bowl, he overfilled it, which made a small mess when he placed the bowl on the floor, but he was quick to clean up the puddle. When it came time to fill Angel’s bowl with kibble, he spilled it a little as well, but he was determined to get it right without Minho’s intervention.
However, with both food and water available to him, Angel hesitated for the first time. He clearly did not want to eat the food offered to him, and Hyunjin’s brows furrowed, running his hand over Angel’s back. “Uh oh… Not hungry, Angel? Do you not like your food?” He asked quietly.
Minho feared this might happen. Of course, Angel would not be accustomed to eating dog food. Raw meat, maybe, but definitely not kibble. “It’s probably just a side effect of the anesthesia. I’m sure he’ll eat in the morning, but we’ll leave the food out overnight, just in case he changes his mind.” He tried to reassure his boyfriend, but his gaze stayed locked on the black wolf.
Angel seemed to understand him, eyeing the kibble once again, before giving a very distinct shake of his head and taking a step back. Of course, he was picky. Just Minho’s luck.
Regardless, Hyunjin seemed reassured by Minho’s answer, enough to turn his attention back to himself and make his way to the bathroom. Minho let him go, knowing his boyfriend usually liked to end his days with a warm shower, and after the eventful day he had, he definitely deserved it. Angel watched Hyunjin walk away too, but eventually, he and Minho were left in the kitchen alone together.
“So…” Minho started as he eyed Angel cautiously, tilting his head to the side. “Do you have the strength to shift yet?”
The wolf hesitated for a moment as he sat back on his haunches, his eyes narrowing more as he shook his head once again. No. So that’s how they were going to communicate for now.
“Are you in pain?” Minho continued asking, humming when Angel hesitated before nodding. “I’ll get you pain meds. Is peanut butter okay?” He chuckled, smiling a little when the wolf nodded again, this time with a little more enthusiasm. “I’m making dinner for Hyunjin now, I’ll give you some as well. But if you could at least try to eat some kibble so my boyfriend doesn’t get worried, that would be great.” He insisted, and Angel huffed as he laid down, resting his head on his front paws and rolling his eyes.
Just as Minho said, he prepared dinner for Hyunjin to eat, and made a little extra, serving it on top of the kibble already inside Angel’s food bowl. He also added the pill to manage the wolf’s pain, smothered in peanut butter, inside the food bowl, which encouraged Angel enough for him to start eating ravenously.
Hearing Hyunjin leave the bathroom, Minho put together a plate for his boyfriend, leaving Angel alone in the kitchen as he made his way to the living room. Hyunjin was already curled up on the couch, dressed in his pajamas and sitting with his feet tucked underneath him. He held the fresh bandages in his hands and Minho already knew what he was waiting for, sitting down beside him and starting to dress the wounds on his hands just like he had done earlier in the evening. Hyunjin’s eyes closed as Minho worked, clearly tired from such an eventful day, and done with trying to maintain appearances.
“I’m so relieved that you are safe, my love.” Minho whispered now, trying to be a little more delicate with Hyunjin now that he was starting to settle down. It was late, much later than they usually relaxed for the evening, and he was sure that Hyunjin felt the exhaustion start to weigh on him. “Maybe tomorrow, you can stay home and rest? Both you and Angel need to heal. I can take care of both of you.” He offered gently, watching as Hyunjin nodded without opening his eyes.
“Yes, tomorrow I will stay here. I’m too tired to go out. And my body feels sore…” Hyunjin confessed quietly. When Minho finished bandaging his hands, he passed the dinner plate into his boyfriend’s waiting palms, watching as Hyunjin balanced the dish on top of his knees and began eating happily, still not opening his eyes. “Will you go out tonight?” He asked after a moment, and Minho shook his head, but he also let out a hum of denial.
“No, baby, I’ll be here with you, just in case. I don’t want to be away from you right now.” Minho answered right away. He still feared that something bad would happen if he and Hyunjin were separated, so it would be hard to convince him to leave his boyfriend’s side any time soon.
“Then you should eat too.” Hyunjin insisted simply, already tilting his head to the side. “You haven’t eaten since last night. You must be hungry.” He whispered, making Minho swallow hard.
He was hungry. Starving, actually. But Hyunjin needed him right now, and the last thing he wanted to do was make this situation about himself. He could endure the pain for a little while longer. He had done it before, he could do it again.
But having Hyunjin’s neck exposed beside him made his mouth water. He could hear Hyunjin’s pulse, smell the blood that coursed through his veins. He had feasted from his boyfriend several times in the past. This wouldn’t be the first time, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.
“I can feed later, when it’s time for bed. I don’t want to make you weak…” Minho reasoned, but Hyunjin hummed and shook his head.
“If I get weak, I know you’ll take care of me.” Hyunjin reasoned, taking another happy bite from his plate of food. “I just want you to hold me when we go to bed. That’s all I want.” He whispered, tilting his head to the side even further. “Please eat, Minho. I insist.”
Minho swallowed hard as he looked over Hyunjin’s throat again, seeing the faint blue lines that hid just beneath the human’s pale skin. He never fed from Hyunjin unless it was entirely consensual, and he believed the mortal was in proper condition to withstand the feeding. While today had been rough on Hyunjin, his heart still beat steadily within his chest, and his scent remained vibrant and full of life.
Reassured, Minho leaned in, cradling the opposite side of Hyunjin’s neck with his hand, allowing his boyfriend to still eat his dinner throughout the process. He pressed a few kisses to Hyunjin’s warm skin, and prodded his cold nose against his veins, feeling his boyfriend’s strong pulse greet him.
But a sinking feeling of being watched settled over him. Glancing to the side of the living room, he could see the wolf already staring back at him, his amber eyes glowing once again and his teeth bared in aggression. Angel definitely knew what he was. And naturally, they did not like each other, strictly based on each other’s biology.
Minho held Angel’s gaze firmly as he leaned in, sinking a firm bite into the side of Hyunjin’s exposed throat. And with a low hum of pleasure and relief, Hyunjin’s head fell backwards limply as he allowed his boyfriend to feed on his blood. This was always a bonding experience for both of them, and Minho made sure this time was no different, humming happily as he ran his thumb over Hyunjin’s Adam’s Apple and supported the back of his neck in his hand.
For a while, they stayed just like that, with Hyunjin still enjoying his dinner as Minho drank his blood steadily. Hyunjin was well aware that his boyfriend was a vampire, and once he knew the truth, it hadn't bothered him in the slightest. Minho was loyal and loving, and accommodated Hyunjin’s blindness without hesitation. And Hyunjin was selfless and kind, offering comfort to Minho in whatever way he could.
Hyunjin seemed completely unaware of Angel’s presence in the room, but as soon as Minho finished feeding, he saw the wolf hadn’t moved at all from the last place he saw him, still baring his teeth. He had the understanding to not growl at least, as Hyunjin clearly didn’t need to be bothered by his dislike of the vampire, and Minho was grateful for that at least.
“Time for bed, Min?” Hyunjin asked quietly as Minho licked away the faint droplets of blood that lingered on his throat. “Can Angel come to bed with us?”
Minho didn’t like that idea, a clear scowl on his face, but he wouldn’t deny Hyunjin’s wishes. He could tolerate the wolf’s presence, at the very least. “I’ll bring his bed to our room, okay? We just can’t allow him in our bed. We need to set some boundaries.” He settled as he wrapped his arms around Hyunjin, picking his boyfriend up and carrying him into their shared bedroom. He set Hyunjin down on the mattress, turning away when he started crawling under the covers, and returning with Angel’s dog bed to see Hyunjin was already laying down. Right beside him, the wolf sat on the floor, sniffing gently at Hyunjin’s hand, as if to check on him.
“Do you know why I called him Angel?” Hyunjin asked quietly, a faint smile on his face as he felt the wolf’s cold nose press into his palm. “I know he doesn’t look much like his name would suggest. Big, black and coarse fur... But he came out of nowhere and saved my life. And I don’t need to see him to know that he’s my angel.” He whispered as his fingers found the familiar spot between Angel's ears and scratched gently. Right away, the wolf’s eyes closed and his tail wagged gently in happiness.
Minho feared what Hyunjin would do when he found out what Angel truly was. Of course, he knew his boyfriend could tolerate supernatural creatures. But with Angel in particular, realizing how bonded Hyunjin was to him already, he knew the truth could break his heart.
“I think Angel is a very fitting name.” Minho whispered as he brought the dog bed to Hyunjin’s side of the mattress and set it down. The wolf peeked one of his eyes open to stare at him cautiously, but Minho simply bowed his head and backed away. They would have to wait until the wolf shifted to find out his true name, but for now, Angel was a decent substitute.
Moving towards his side of the mattress, Minho made quick work of changing his outfit into something comfortable for bed, and crawling under the covers with his boyfriend. There were still things that needed to be done, like cleaning up the dishes for dinner, and fixing up the apartment, but Minho typically waited until Hyunjin fell asleep before tending to those tasks. He couldn’t sleep, so nighttime always felt extremely long if he didn’t get up to complete various tasks.
As soon as he felt the bed sink beside him with Minho’s weight, Hyunjin rolled over to face him, his long fingers reaching out and grabbing onto the front of Minho’s shirt. Pulling their bodies close, he pressed his warm nose into the crook of Minho’s cold neck and kissed his skin gently. Wrapping his arms around his boyfriend, Minho knew there was something wrong, something Hyunjin had avoided saying all day, something that plagued his mind. But he remained patient, silently rubbing Hyunjin’s lower back and waiting for the moment he would feel comfortable talking about it.
“Today was really… scary for me. Blindness comes with different challenges every day, of course. But today I just felt so… powerless .” Hyunjin whispered against Minho’s skin. He didn’t interrupt, just nodding his head to let Hyunjin feel the sensation and know to continue. “It reminded me of how fragile life is. And I realized that maybe… Maybe I’m not ready to give up on it just yet.” He continued, and Minho stiffened up some, already knowing where this conversation was going. “I was just laying there on the asphalt, and all I could think of was all the things I haven’t done yet. All the life milestones I haven’t gotten to feel or experience. I realized all the things I’ll never get to see…” Hyunjin trailed off then. That wasn’t a mortal issue as much as it was a fact about his blindness that he still couldn’t accept. And Minho genuinely sympathized with him.
“My love, I’m not asking you to give up on life. I’m only offering you the opportunity to live forever with me, to not feel any more pain. And I don’t want to wait until you feel extreme pain again, or for it to be too late to transform you.” Minho explained himself gently.
They had this discussion several times beforehand, but the facts of the matter still remained true — Minho was immortal, and Hyunjin very much wasn’t. If Hyunjin never transformed into a vampire, he would eventually die, and both he and Minho would be seperated from one another. Minho tried to remain sympathetic, to remind himself that life meant a lot to Hyunjin, and he completely understood the hesitation. But each day Hyunjin left the safety of their home as a mortal, the risk of him never returning to Minho alive only became more real. Today had only proven that.
“You don’t have to make a decision now, I’ve never pressured you to do so. But please don’t deny the opportunity either, not yet.” He whispered before kissing Hyunjin’s forehead.
“I trust you to always save me, Minho.” Hyunjin whispered, as if his trust alone could save him from death.
“I was able to save you once before. I think the chances of me being able to do it again are slim to none. And considering I couldn’t save you today, I’d say those chances are pretty accurate.” Minho allowed himself to be pessimistic, because it was very true.
Hyunjin could have died today.
It was a stroke of luck that a kind werewolf jumped in the way to save him. He was starting to think that their luck would run out soon enough. Hyunjin tensed up, and Minho hugged him tighter, knowing that this was a difficult conversation for them to have.
“I’ll do everything in my power to save you, Hyunjin. But I need you to meet me halfway, okay? Please consider it…”
Hyunjin nodded and tilted his head up, kissing Minho’s lips tenderly. Minho kissed him back just as carefully, running his fingers through the mortal’s long, black hair and cradling the back of his head. He loved Hyunjin so much that he was convinced his heart was still beating. And he didn’t know how he could continue living forever if he lost the man he loved.
“I love you, Min.”
“I love you, Jin.”
— B. C. —
This was the very last place he imagined he would end up that day. And yet, here he was, laying on a dog bed, still in his wolf-form with broken bones, and listening to the love confessions of a vampire and his blind human mate.
What a fucking whirlwind of a day.
It was supposed to be a simple trip into town.
While he was stuck in his wolf form, his human life was put on pause. He had an entire pack waiting for him to return back home. And yet, now he was expecting to live like someone’s pet and respond to the name ‘Angel’.
A sweet name, for sure. But definitely not his real name.
Chan raised his head from his paws as he heard movement on the bed beside him, looking up in the dark room to see a pair of deep red eyes staring back at him. Every feral instinct within him itched to attack the vampire in front of him, to save any innocent humans in the near vicinity, but he knew he couldn’t do that, not here. Minho was welcomed in Hyunjin’s home. As his partner, nonetheless.
“Come on, Angel. I’ll take you outside to do your… business.” Minho whispered nonchalantly over his shoulder as he exited the room, leaving him on the dog bed still.
Humiliating.
Chan huffed softly as he rose to his paws, feeling just how sore he was all over his body. His wolf was working hard to heal at its accelerated pace, but he needed proper rest to accommodate that. The sooner he rested, the more he could heal, and the sooner he could shift back into his human form.
He took a few slow and unsteady steps forward, trying to walk comfortably, but his paws were all very tender from the broken bones he endured. Thankfully, Minho hadn’t seemed to go far, still lingering in the kitchen as he straightened things up.
He truly wasn’t a huge fan of Minho. Sure, Hyunjin seemed happy beside him, and he wasn’t causing any severe harm. But the vampire still fed from Hyunjin, an innocent mortal, which was a punishable act by werewolf standards. And Minho was well aware of that too.
When Minho tried to approach him with the leash again, Chan growled loudly and pulled his head away. He didn’t have the strength to run off, and he certainly didn’t need to be on a leash. Minho frowned and crouched down in front of him, but Chan just bared his teeth and growled again, taking a few more steps backward.
“With all due respect, you look like a wolf. I can’t have you off leash and risk any mortals getting scared.” Minho leveled with him quickly, and Chan hated that he was right. “Just wear the leash, okay? I won’t pull you, I promise. I won’t even watch you. And I’m definitely not picking up your shit.” He said flatly, making Chan snort in amusement.
Fine. He would wear the stupid leash.
Ducking his head down, he allowed Minho to attach the clip to the collar he wore, glancing down at the object again. He didn’t mind the collar, not really, since it was similar to wearing a necklace. But the constant ringing of the bell as it tapped against his metal name tag was irritating. He tried to remind himself that it was for Hyunjin’s sake, that he shouldn’t be so judgemental. But his wolf’s sensitive ears definitely weren’t a fan of the idea.
They came out of the apartment, and Chan made a beeline towards the grass. Thankfully, Minho stayed right behind him, turning away to offer some privacy and letting the leash go slack. It just made Chan want to be strong enough to shift back sooner; The less he had to do this, the better.
“Hey… I just wanted to say thank you for what you did today. I know our… species really aren’t supposed to get along with one another. But you saved the love of my life today. And for that, I owe you everything.” Minho started speaking as Chan finished up, which caught his attention. “I’m not sure there’s any way I could properly thank you. But please know that I’ll do everything in my power to make sure your recovery is seamless and swift. It’s the least I can do after what you’ve done for me.”
Chan approached Minho and bumped his nose against the vampire’s leg, looking up as Minho looked back at him. He didn’t know Hyunjin, and aside from him being blind, really had no reason to intervene and save him. However, Chan did have a pack, and regardless of which member, he hoped if any of them faced an issue that someone would be there to assist them, just as he had done for Hyunjin.
He and Minho made their way back up to the apartment, and Chan started trying to commit the route to memory. He had no idea how long he would be staying here, so he might as well orient himself. He just hoped his pack wasn’t worrying too much about his absence; Chan had always instructed them to wait a few days for him to return home before they began to search, just in case something came up. But he knew that if the roles were reversed, and any one of his pack members were missing, he would be terrified.
Minho made his way into the kitchen to begin washing dishes, and Chan headed back to the bedroom, his paws already aching from just that short time of standing up and moving around. He was ready to curl up on his surprisingly comfortable dog bed and get more sleep, but a soft noise from the mattress caught his attention.
“Angel?” Hyunjin mumbled sleepily. He must have heard the bell on his collar. “Angel, you can come sleep up here, it’s okay.” He pouted as he patted the bed beside him, which Chan was well aware was Minho’s side of the bed. The vampire explicitly stated that the wolf shouldn’t be allowed in the couple’s bed. But even knowing all that, Chan longed to comfort Hyunjin, who was still a little delirious with sleep.
Carefully, he jumped up onto the mattress, huffing at the soreness in his body, but he quickly realized the plush padded bed beneath his paws was so much more comfortable than the dog bed. It was more comfortable than his bed at home as well, if he was completely honest.
Dropping onto his stomach, he crawled closer to Hyunjin’s side, nudging the human’s hand with his snout to let him know where he was. Chan had never met anyone who was blind, and without getting close enough to see Hyunjin’s cloudy white eyes or the light scarring that surrounded them, he probably wouldn’t have known otherwise. It was an odd sensation, to know he was heard but not seen. And stuck in his wolf form, he couldn’t communicate with words, which left him entirely reliant on his body to communicate with Hyunjin.
Hyunjin didn’t seem bothered at all though, a bright smile spreading across his handsome features as his fingers ran through Chan’s fur. It felt good to receive such affection in his wolf form, as it wasn’t a super common occurrence in their pack, and he enjoyed feeling something as gentle as Hyunjin’s fingers against his coarse and thick coat.
He was a beautiful human. It was a shame his life partner was a literal leech. Chan imagined that Hyunjin could find someone much, much better than a vampire.
“Hi, handsome boy.” Hyunjin cooed at him again, making Chan’s tail wag happily against his own will. He flustered at the praise, knowing he would have never received it if Hyunjin knew what he truly was, but it still felt good. “You can sleep with me tonight, okay? You don’t deserve to sleep on the floor.” He pouted gently before clumsily finding Chan’s head and kissing between his ears.
He could tell Hyunjin was a very kind individual, but there was a softness there that Chan felt like he was privileged to witness. Hearing how Hyunjin spoke about him, experiencing his tender touches and receiving his loving care, Chan felt completely spoiled.
And yet, once Hyunjin learned that he was a werewolf, a man trapped inside a wolf’s body, he imagined that kindness would fade. If Hyunjin could see him, he might have known, just as Minho did; They were both aware of supernatural creatures, obviously, and not only was Chan much larger than a domesticated dog, he was nearly double the size of a feral wolf. Visually, the truth was very clear. But since Hyunjin didn’t have that, entirely reliant on what he was told, he had no idea of the truth. The idea broke Chan’s heart.
Whining softly, Chan licked Hyunjin’s cheek as a small apology, and Hyunjin wrapped an arm over his body, pulling him close and snuggling into his side. Sleeping next to Minho, he imagined Hyunjin often got cold, so sleeping beside his wolf would be more like laying beside a furnace. Amused by Hyunjin’s chilly nose burrowing against his fur, Chan made himself comfortable on the bed and rested his head on his paws again, easily falling back asleep.
The next day, he had absolutely no desire to get up. The bed absolutely stunk of the vampire’s scent, but even that wasn’t enough motivation to get him to move. His body was completely sore, even more so than the day prior, and all of his joints felt stiff. He groaned low as he stretched a little, feeling Hyunjin’s hands grab onto his fur a little tighter and holding him in place.
“Good morning, sleepyheads.” Chan was surprised when he realized Minho’s voice was coming from directly beside him on the bed. He had taken up most of the vampire’s spot on the bed due to his large size, but Minho still managed to squeeze beside him, sitting up against the headboard as he ran his fingers through Hyunjin’s long hair. “I was starting to think both of you would sleep all day.”
Hyunjin grumbled beside him quietly, hiding his face even further against his black coat, and Chan watched him fondly. Traitorously, his tail wagged again, and he willed it to stop, but not before Minho caught its movement and chuckled at him.
“Can we have breakfast in bed?” Hyunjin’s pout was clear in his tone, and Chan could only imagine the intensity at which his bottom lip jutted out.
“ You can have breakfast in bed. Angel needs to eat in the kitchen.” Minho decided simply as he slid off the mattress, but Hyunjin whined again, holding onto Chan’s coat a little tighter.
“And what about you?” He pouted again, now raising his head with his eyes still closed, following the sound of Minho’s footsteps leaving the bedroom.
“I’m not hungry, Jinnie, I promise.” Minho soothed him simply, but his red gaze locked with Chan, the wolf’s eyes narrowing a bit. He had no desire to witness another vampire feeding, so he wouldn’t deny feeling a bit happy about Minho not eating. But it also made him unsure of when the vampire’s thirst would strike again, and who he would take as his meal because of it.
When Minho left them alone in the bedroom, Chan turned his attention back to Hyunjin, who was starting to sit up and open his eyes. He didn’t know how much Hyunjin could see, if at all, but it was curious to see his cloudy white eyes open on their own, to blink and look around the room as if to orient himself. Carefully, the human shuffled backwards until his back rested against the headboard, tucking his knees up to his chest as he sat up. His body was long and lithe, and Chan tried to stop himself from staring, sitting up onto his haunches as well.
“Thank you for saving me yesterday, Angel.” Hyunjin whispered now, one of his hands clumsily reaching out before eventually settling on his back and combing through his thick fur. “I just hope you’re not in a lot of pain. Today, I’m very sore. But still grateful.” He grimaced a little, and Chan glanced at his bandaged hand, whining softly.
If the soreness in his own body was any indication, he was sure Hyunjin was experiencing soreness all over from the force of his fall, not just the wounds on his hands. But regardless. he didn’t want Hyunjin to hurt himself further by offering him comfort. Carefully, he jumped off the bed and grunted softly at his sore paws, and he hoped Minho would give him painkillers again.
For now, he glanced around the room, wagging happily when his gaze finally settled on a bottle of pain medicine that was on the dresser. Padding over, he jumped up onto his hind paws, resting his front paws on the edge of the dresser as he grabbed onto the pill bottle with his mouth. Getting down carefully, he made his way back to Hyunjin and set the bottle down at the human’s feet, grimacing when Hyunjin jumped a little in surprise.
— H. H. —
“Oh!” Hyunjin startled as he felt an object against his foot, curiously reaching down to take it. He could hear pills inside rattling, but he ran his finger over the braille label to check before his brows furrowed in shock. “You… brought me pain medication?” He sounded and felt genuinely confused, looking down in the direction where he heard Angel sitting on the floor beside the bed. “How…” He started to ask, but Minho’s voice calling Angel from the kitchen interrupted him.
Hearing claws against the hardwood flooring, as well as the soft clinking of Angel’s bell and tag from his collar, he knew he was left alone again, still holding the bottle of pills in his hand. How did Angel know he needed medication? How did he know which pill bottle was for pain?
The thoughts plagued him even as Minho returned to their bed, passing Hyunjin a plate of food, but he had lost his appetite. He knew Angel was special, of course he was, but his accelerated healing, his awareness of the world around him, the fact that he jumped to save Hyunjin in the first place… Angel wasn’t a normal stray dog, that much was certain.
“Min?” Hyunjin asked quietly as he ate, feeling his boyfriend’s fingers running gently over his lower back. “Do you think Angel belongs to someone else?” He started to wonder aloud, believing that Minho would tell him the truth.
“Another owner? You said he didn’t have a collar or a tracking chip, so I don’t think so. And Angel is very well-trained, I’m sure he wouldn’t run away.” Minho reasoned logically, but Hyunjin twisted his lips, not pleased with that answer.
“He is well-trained. Which is what concerns me.” Hyunjin explained, holding up the pill bottle Angel had given to him. “Babe, he knows how to read . Or at least, he knows enough to realize that pain can be helped with medicine, and this was the bottle he needed to fetch me. But even that seems too convenient of an answer. I don’t understand…” He frowned, and the silence that followed let him know that Minho was thinking.
“Maybe he’s just naturally well-behaved. Like a service dog — I remember you told me once that they have to be good-mannered from the moment they’re born.” Minho sounded casual, but Hyunjin hated the seed of hope that suddenly blossomed within him.
Ever since his accident two years ago, he had been requesting a guide dog, but had been put on a waitlist due to the high demand. He’d been navigating the world alone, surrounded by darkness. There was nothing he wanted more than a dog by his side, to work with and care for, and to understand his needs. Minho did very well, but it wasn’t the same, it never could be.
Prior to losing his sight, he had only ever seen a few genuine working service dogs out in public. It wasn’t very common. So once he became blind, his basic knowledge of service dogs turned into a fascination with guide dogs specifically. It was one of the few topics that still made him smile, and the hope still lived strong within him that he would one day have a guide dog of his own.
The soft tinkling of Angel’s bell clinking against his tags stirred Hyunjin from his thoughts, and leaving his breakfast forgotten, he stood from the bed. His whole body was sore, but that didn’t matter to him now, holding his hands out a little to steady himself before straightening up.
Their apartment never changed or moved much, for the sake of Hyunjin being able to memorize the layout and being able to move around unassisted. However, he always naturally used his hands to brace himself, just in case. But now, he made the conscious effort of lowering his hands and resting his palms against his legs, forcing himself to walk forward. He was nervous. But if he were to trip and fall, Minho would be there to help him up. However, in a better case scenario, Angel wouldn’t let him fall in the first place.
He took a few slow and careful steps forward, and he heard Minho call his name, but he ignored him, starting on a path out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen on the other side of the apartment. Angel’s collar had stopped tinkling, and the silence reminded Hyunjin just how unknown the path in front of him was, despite walking it every single day.
What if something changed?
What if he got hurt?
Swallowing his fear, he took a few more steps forward, and he heard Angel’s collar and his claws against the wood flooring before feeling the dog lick against the back of his hand. He flinched in reaction, not realizing Angel was coming towards him, but he was quick to relax, putting his hand down against his thigh again.
On his next step forward, he felt Angel’s weight press into his left leg, nudging him a little more to the right. Adjusting his body weight, Hyunjin took another step, feeling Angel right beside him, but no longer pushing him. Curious, his left hand reached out for Angel’s collar, tucking his fingers under the fabric and holding onto it loosely. On his next step forward, he felt much more confident as Angel moved forward with him, staying at his side.
“Let’s go to the kitchen, Angel.” Hyunjin whispered, and Angel hesitated for a moment, lingering where he stood. For several beats, Hyunjin wondered if Angel would move at all, if he understood that instruction, or if it was too advanced. Angel was a full-grown dog, but they had no idea of his life before them. Had he always been a stray? If he did, how did he know what pain medication was, or what the bottle looked like?
After a few more minutes of waiting, Angel finally moved forward, and Hyunjin gasped softly, straightening himself up before he fell forward. It was a very different sensation than taking a step forward on his own, or being guided by another human. He was putting all of his trust, his safety and well-being, in a stray dog he met just the day before. And yet, he knew Angel would never let anything bad happen to him.
When Angel moved forward again, Hyunjin stayed with him this time, taking step after step, keeping up a slow and steady pace. It was terrifying still, and he could feel his heart thudding inside his chest, but he was doing it. Angel was pulling him along, and Hyunjin was walking forward without his cane or his hands, putting all of his trust in the dog at his left side.
Finally, Angel’s steps came to a halt, and Hyunjin stopped with him, still holding onto his collar with his left hand while finally reaching out with his right hand. As he felt the cool granite countertops of the kitchen under his palm, he felt a massive smile spread across his face as tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. He did it. He did it, and Angel led him the entire way.
“Wow…” Minho whispered from behind him, and in that one word, Hyunjin could hear just how emotional he was as well.
He had never felt this confident in the last two years. Each step he took was a scary one, never knowing what was directly in front of him. It was something Hyunjin struggled with every day, every waking hour of his life in the last two years. And in the last two minutes, Angel had filled him with a sense of hope and accomplishment that nothing else could compare with.
“Minho–” Hyunjin whispered as he let go of Angel’s collar and turned to face his boyfriend, but the strong arms that enveloped him in a tight hug were unmistakable. Tears slipped from his eyes as he wrapped his arms around Minho’s neck, holding him tightly as he cried out, his entire body shaking.
For others, a morning walk to the kitchen was nothing.
For Hyunjin, it was everything.
To not feel fear or hesitation in every single step he made was such a relief that he felt it throughout his body, relaxing his weight into Minho, and just crying. For a while, they just stood there holding each other, crying from happiness.
Things were about to change, Hyunjin could feel it. Clearly, Minho could feel it too. And feeling Angel still sitting dutifully at his side, he knew he was up to the change as well.
Today wasn’t a day to train, not when both he and Angel were still sore from the accident a day prior. But Hyunjin still made it a habit to grab onto Angel’s collar when he finally got a hold of himself, letting the dog know that he wanted to sit in the living room now and allowing himself to be guided. Minho retrieved his breakfast from the bedroom so he could finish eating on the couch, which was completely fine with Hyunjin. He had no plans today, just to rest, recover, and relax. And that could absolutely mean cuddles on the couch with plenty of food in his belly.
Minho held him as he ate, kissing the side of his head tenderly. The vampire had been there for the entirety of the last two years, he had witnessed just how broken and beaten Hyunjin once was, and had been the support system he confided in. Today, there had finally been a shift, and though it was exciting, there was an air of sadness that surrounded Minho.
Maybe he felt as though he was being replaced by Angel, which wasn’t true at all. But Hyunjin knew Minho didn’t speak of his fears or concerns often, so as not to pass the burden onto him, despite Hyunjin’s insistence that he wanted to support his boyfriend.
Until Minho was ready to talk about it, Hyunjin would enjoy the caresses, but he knew there was something much deeper behind the actions.
Setting down his plate, Hyunjin stretched his legs out across the couch and patted the open space between them, a smile on his face as he turned his head towards where he had last heard Angel settle down. “Angel, come cuddle with us!” He encouraged as he patted the couch cushion again. He didn’t hear Angel’s collar move at first, but after a few moments, he slowly started padding closer, and Hyunjin felt the couch sink under his weight as he climbed up onto it. He must’ve been very big. Regardless, Hyunjin opened his arms and pulled Angel to lay against his chest, chuckling a little from just how heavy he was. Angel was massive , but it was still nice to feel compressed beneath him.
Closing his eyes again and humming happily, Hyunjin ran his bandaged hands over Angel’s back as his fingers threaded through his thick coat. Minho still sat on the other side of him, holding him close, so Hyunjin curled back into his side as well. Snuggled warmly between two of his favorite beings, he allowed himself to slip off to sleep again, still clinging onto Angel while snuggling against Minho.
— B. C. —
Chan never associated his wolf form with love and kindness. It was a form his pack would typically only take up for hunting or territory battles. Carnage and destruction. They never even touched each other’s wolves with such tender hands.
Those touches belonged to Hyunjin, and Hyunjin alone. Maybe it was because he couldn’t see what he was touching, no fear or bias influencing his actions. But Chan wanted to believe it was because of his loving heart, his endless kindness and care.
Hyunjin was special. And Chan felt grateful that out of all people, he was lucky that he had the chance to save him.
He curled up on top of Hyunjin’s front as comfortably as he could, resting his head against the human’s chest to hear his heartbeat as he closed his eyes. He wished he was able to shift back into his human form, to hold Hyunjin in his own arms, but this would have to do for now. It wasn’t ideal, but he was still happy and comfortable, so he wouldn’t complain.
As he started to settle down, letting his body relax and the tension in his muscles subside, he recalled their morning thus far. Minho had served him normal human food inside his dog bowl, and while he was grateful, he wasn’t sure how long he could keep up the facade for Hyunjin that he was just an average dog. He was pretty sure he blew his cover when he passed him the pill bottle, but he couldn’t just sit there and allow Hyunjin to feel discomfort when there was something he could do to prevent that.
It was the same scenario as he watched Hyunjin rise to his feet and start walking forward without his cane, his hands still laying limp on either side of his body instead of bracing outwards like he usually would. It was concerning; Not because he didn’t think Hyunjin was capable, but because there were already objects that blocked his path out of the room, ones that Hyunjin remained completely oblivious too. He saved Hyunjin from a moving car, he wasn’t about to sit idly by and watch him trip over a pair of shoes.
He made his way to Hyunjin’s side, pressing into his thigh and redirecting him. When the human grabbed his collar, he hesitated in fear that he had done something wrong. But when Hyunjin gave him the instruction of where he wanted to go, he knew exactly what was expected of him now, guiding him there carefully.
What he hadn’t anticipated was Hyunjin’s very visceral reaction towards being guided. He was crying so heavily that Chan wasn’t sure if it was positive or not, the only indication being the smile he wore. Minho’s clouded expression gave him no comfort though. He held Hyunjin and rubbed his back as he cried, but the vampire’s red eyes remained locked on him, staring him down. Chan thought he was helping. But Minho didn’t look convinced.
“It’s cruel to give him a false sense of hope, you know.” Minho whispered suddenly, and Chan raised his head to see the vampire looking down fondly at Hyunjin sleeping in his arms. “I appreciate you giving him independence and protecting him. But let’s not pretend that you won’t run out of here the moment you’re strong enough to shift back.”
Chan huffed softly at that, his gaze narrowing at Minho, but it wasn’t like it was a lie. He had his pack to get back to. He had his entire human life left on pause. He had to return to it at some point.
“The more you assist and guide him, the more he’ll depend on you. So when you’re not here anymore, I fear he’ll feel even more blind than he did before.” Minho frowned as he raised one of his hands to push Hyunjin’s long hair off his forehead gently. “I know you’re trying to help, Angel. But losing you is going to break his heart, I know it.” He whispered as he kissed the top of Hyunjin’s head.
Was that really true?
He knew Hyunjin loved Minho, trusted him immensely, enough to let the vampire feed from him without fear, and depending on him and his sight. But did Hyunjin really feel the same way about him? They hadn’t known each other for long, and Hyunjin didn’t even know who he really was, but they had shared a near-death experience. And Hyunjin had saved Chan just as much as he saved Hyunjin. Would he really be heartbroken when Chan had to leave?
He could easily sneak out with Minho’s help, to disappear in his wolf form during one of his nightly waks, never to appear again. But that would probably hurt Hyunjin and confuse him further. He could reveal his human form to Hyunjin, to explain the whole situation, but he risked Hyunjin getting angry for both Chan and Minho withholding his true nature, for taking advantage of his blindness.
Neither option sounded like a good one. And Chan hesitated to make a decision. Thankfully, there wasn’t much of an option until he was strong enough to shift. But the guilt of knowing he would inevitably hurt Hyunjin, regardless of the choice he made, weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Throughout the day, both he and Hyunjin rested on and off, trying to recover from the accident the day prior. Chan could feel his body healing each time he awoke, and he hoped to be back to normal by the next day, but he was still very stiff. Hyunjin still clung to his fur despite his injured hands, but he knew his muscles were sore from falling, so he hoped those invisible injuries were healing with time at least.
Minho stayed at their side the entire day, watching a series quietly on the living room TV, and offering food and water and medicine to Hyunjin each time he shifted and woke himself up. He was a very doting boyfriend, to the point where Chan could almost forget he was a blood-sucking leech. Almost.
He knew the vampire couldn’t go outside during the day regardless, but Minho would be going on two nights without a hunt, which was very selfless. He put Hyunjin’s comfort above his own, and Chan respected him for that. Despite being a filthy vampire, he still had a human heart.
When evening came, he prepared food for both of them, and Chan found himself actually looking forward to Minho’s cooking. He cooked as if he was eating as well, preparing enough food for all of them, but he always watched Hyunjin eat with a longing smile. Minho definitely smelled like a vampire, but he didn’t really act like the other vile, selfish creatures Chan had come across. There was still a very instinctual and feral desire to kill him, but Chan restrained those feelings within him, forcing his wolf to remain at bay.
Chan left Hyunjin’s side to eat in the kitchen, but he returned to find Hyunjin eating his dinner as Minho fed from the side of his neck. Both of them seemed completely relaxed about the situation, just as they had been the night before, as if this was nothing out of the ordinary for them. But Chan felt his stomach lurch, forcing himself to look away and putting his paws over his snout.
He understood that Minho needed to eat too, he was just a little disgusted by how casual it was. He hated how close Hyunjin was to death; If Minho fed a little too much, or if his sharp fangs punctured Hyunjin’s jugular vein, his life would be taken before Chan even had a chance to react. And Hyunjin might have trusted Minho, but Chan had yet to make a final decision.
After they both finished eating, Minho returned to the kitchen to wash dishes, and Hyunjin picked himself up from the couch as well. Right away, Chan made his way over, pushing his weight into Hyunjin’s left thigh and feeling the human’s fingers thread through the back of his collar, holding on gently.
“Let’s go to the bathroom, Angel.” Hyunjin instructed happily as he steadied himself on his feet, but Chan hesitated. He hadn’t had the need to find the bathroom inside the apartment just yet, so he didn’t know where he was going exactly, but he had an idea based on the rooms he had seen. Thankfully, he made a good guess, finding the bathroom on his first attempt and feeling Hyunjin walking along beside him easily.
Hyunjin said nothing as he let go of Chan’s collar, approaching the shower at the back of the bathroom and opening the sliding glass door. He watched as Hyunjin turned on the water and closed the door again, letting the stream heat up as he reached for the hem of his clothing.
Oh.
Truly, Hyunjin had no reason to feel cautious or shy. In his mind, he believed that Angel was just a dog, and he shouldn’t have to protect his modesty as he prepared for a shower. But Chan was very much not just a dog. And when Hyunjin shed his shirt and shorts and cast the pieces of clothing aside, he had a hard time looking away.
Chan was convinced he had never seen anyone as beautiful as Hyunjin in his entire life. Sure, he had witnessed beauty, but Hyunjin was special. His lithe and lean limbs, his long, dark hair falling down onto his bare shoulders. He was thin, but he was fit as well, faint muscles visible under his smooth alabaster skin. He was stunning. And Chan was staring, unabashed and unashamed, as Hyunjin stripped down completely and slid into the glass shower and under the stream of water.
He forced himself to give Hyunjin some privacy now at least, turning his back to the shower and laying down in the open doorway, looking out into the hallway. But even as he heard the water of the shower behind him, and the faint running water from the kitchen sink, his mind wandered in his thoughts, imagining what Hyunjin looked like with warm beads of water sliding over his smooth skin, his long hair all wet and slicked back.
Hyunjin was very much human. And already in a relationship. Chan had no right to be thinking of him this way. But he couldn’t help himself. He had been drawn to Hyunjin since the moment he laid eyes on him.
“Angel?” Minho called out gently, and Chan raised his head to see the vampire walking down the hall to approach him, a knowing smirk on his face. “I’ve got things from here, yeah?” He chuckled a little as he stepped past Chan to get inside the bathroom and began closing the door behind him. Chan growled softly, letting Minho know that he didn’t appreciate being cast aside like that, but it wasn’t worth a fight. Dropping his ears flat on his head and baring his teeth, Chan moved out into the hallway and watched as Minho closed the bathroom door between them, locking him out.
It shouldn’t have bothered him as much as it did. This shouldn’t have felt any worse than the usual discomfort of being a third wheel. He rationalized that it was just his protectiveness over Hyunjin kicking in, but he knew it was more than that. This was jealousy rearing its ugly head within him.
Laying down in the hallway outside the bathroom door, Chan listened as the sliding glass door opened again, focusing a little more to hear Minho and Hyunjin whispering to one another. It was a conversation he probably shouldn’t have tried to snoop on, as it was obviously a tender moment between the couple, but the jealousy that swirled in the pit of his stomach refused to settle down.
When he heard soft whimpers that definitely sounded like Hyunjin from behind the door, Chan started pacing the hallway, anxiously awaiting the next sounds to know he was still breathing. So when a moan followed soon after, he stopped frozen in place, the shame falling over him like a weighted blanket. Of course.
He had half a mind to walk away, to tune out the sounds from inside the bathroom, but he couldn’t let Minho have that level of peace. Not when the vampire so clearly knew what Chan was, and was aware of his presence outside the door. Growling low, Chan scratched his front paw against the wooden door and bumped his nose against the door handle, hearing the knob rattle with each of his movements. The sounds inside the room quieted down right away, and Chan filled with pride as he heard the water shut off, sitting down in the hallway as he heard both Hyunjin and Minho come out of the shower.
A few moments later, the bathroom door opened, and Chan’s ears dropped flat on his head as he realized Hyunjin did not need his assistance to walk. Instead, Minho stood in front of him with a towel wrapped around his hips. In his arms, he cradled Hyunjin against his chest, a couple towels wrapped around his body as well.
“Be good, Angel. I’ll take you outside in a little bit.” Minho said casually as he carried Hyunjin down the hall and into their bedroom. Hyunjin’s face was hidden against the vampire’s neck, so Chan couldn’t even see him, but based on the pheromones that surrounded them, he knew exactly what was about to happen in that bedroom. And as the door closed behind the couple, he didn’t even attempt to follow after them, just growling low and laying down in the hallway again.
Most times, he was grateful for his wolf’s strong sense of hearing, able to detect prey in the forest that surrounded their home, or being able to track down invaders on their territory. But now, he knew that even if his hearing wasn’t heightened in his wolf form, the sounds from the bedroom were too loud to ignore. He pushed his ears down with his paws, trying to keep the noise out, but it didn’t help much. Both Minho and Hyunjin were very loud. And sure, he was glad that they made each other so happy, but he wasn’t super happy about being close enough to listen to it.
Doing his best to tune out the noise, Chan closed his eyes, waiting for it all to be over soon. But a faint noise, far away, was too recognizable for it to be ignored.
A single howl. Faint and distant. But Chan had absolutely heard its timbre before.
Padding towards the front door of the apartment, Chan pressed his ear up against the wood and closed his eyes, focusing all his senses towards listening outside. And a few moments later, that same familiar howl rang out again, this time much closer.
Jeongin.
Chan whimpered loudly, scratching at the door as his inner wolf began to take over. Why was their youngest pack member in his wolf form, in the middle of town no less? And alone? The fear shot through him, his leader instincts begging to rush outside and find Jeongin to ensure his safety.
Jeongin’s howl filled his ears once again, even closer now, and Chan felt his own howl growing in the middle of his chest, begging to break free. He knew better than to howl in town, as it exposed their presence and opened them up to a world of threats. But Jeongin was calling out for someone. And Chan was his closest packmate.
Hearing Jeongin’s howl again, Chan was unable to hold himself back anymore, tossing his head back and howling loudly, letting Jeongin know where he was, and alerting everyone else in town of his presence in the process. It was very dangerous. But the chorus of howls that followed filled him with reassurance.
Changbin. Seungmin.
Their two youngest pack members were with their oldest, but Jeongin didn’t have the same knowledge as the others, not enough to know not to howl. At least he wasn’t alone. But hearing multiple pack members were outside and searching, he could only imagine that they were looking for him.
He howled again, but the sound was interrupted by the bedroom door opening again, and Minho stepping out into the hallway. Clothes were haphazardly thrown onto his body, and he reeked of pheromones, so Chan allowed himself a moment of pride at ending what he imagined was a very pleasurable moment for the vampire. But more important than that, he now had someone to help him get outside.
“I hear them too, I’m coming.” Minho whispered as he approached the front door, clearly understanding what had Chan howling out. As soon as the door was open, Chan bounded forward, not even waiting for Minho as he sprinted down the staircase, trying to get downstairs as quickly as possible.
Once outside in the grass, Chan howled again, trying to get a better idea of where the pack was in relation to him. He heard Jeongin howl again, and he was very close, but both Changbin and Seungmin remained silent. Thankfully, he could catch all three of their scents now, looking to the treeline as three large wolves emerged from the shadows.
Changbin was a large dark gray wolf, with white socks markings on each of his paws. Seungmin was a very dark brown wolf with no other markings on his coat. And Jeongin was all black, just like Chan, with the exception of white fur around his muzzle and down his chest and underbelly.
Chan felt so relieved to see all of them, and he rushed forward to greet them, but he realized the pack was no longer running towards him. Instead, they were making a beeline towards Minho, the vampire just a few feet behind Chan.
Right away, he turned on his heel and anchored himself between Minho and the members of his pack, baring his teeth and snarling loudly. Seungmin and Jeongin backed off right away, stopping a few paces away, but Changbin wasn’t convinced, still growling loudly at Minho.
‘He’s not a threat. Stand down.’ Chan growled as he spoke into the pack’s shared thoughts.
When close enough, they could communicate without the need for words, the words transferring from one wolf's mind to the others. It was great for giving out instructions or warnings. But the downside was they couldn’t control which thoughts the pack had access to. There was no such thing as a secret inside the pack. Everyone knew exactly what the pack members genuinely thought and felt while they were inside their wolf forms.
‘Where have you been?’ Changbin asked accusatoringly, but Chan knew it was just his concern. ‘Why are you with this leech?’ He growled in Minho’s direction again, and Chan stood directly in front of him, waiting for Changbin’s gaze to lower.
‘It’s a long story.’ Chan said curtly, but he was sure the other wolves could pick through his thoughts, could see the beautiful human he saved, and how he’d been mistaken for a stray dog. They felt his pain of being hit by the car, and his discomfort about being so close to a vampire, but they also understood why Chan kept Minho alive. He had no choice.
‘Are you okay?’ Jeongin was the first to approach him fully, nudging his nose against Chan’s flank before licking at the side of his maw to show respect. Jeongin was their youngest, but far from the smallest, nearing Chan’s own size. ‘You’re in pain…’ He whispered in concern and Chan nuzzled the side of his head to reassure him.
‘I’m alright, Innie. I just need to rest. I can’t shift back yet.’ Chan explained quietly, looking at Seungmin from where he lingered at Changbin’s side. His eyes were locked on Minho instead of Chan, but there wasn’t any aggression in his posture.
‘Jisung and Felix are worried about you. We all were. But they… They think it’s their fault that you disappeared.’ Seungmin reported as his gaze found Chan’s, his tone completely serious.
He had gone into town to pick up Jisung’s anxiety medication and to buy more pots and pans since Felix scorched their last set. Guilt filled Chan as well, and he shook his head.
‘No… No, it’s not their fault. Please let them know I am okay, and I’ll be home as soon as I can.’ Chan insisted sadly, but Seungmin’s gaze narrowed, unconvinced.
‘You could leave now.’ Seungmin said flatly.
Yes, technically he could. He wasn’t in so much pain that he couldn’t make the journey. And the pack’s home in the woods at the outskirts of town was much better equipped to deal with his wolf form than an apartment. But now they all knew why he wouldn’t leave, not yet.
As Chan thought of Hyunjin lying in his bed, the pack became silent and still, well aware of what was happening. Chan, their pack leader, was emotionally bonded with the blind human that slept soundly inside the apartment upstairs. That’s what kept him there. Chan could lie to himself as much as he wanted, but the truth was clear as day to his pack.
‘Okay. Okay…’ Changbin tried to diffuse the tension, stepping between Seungmin and Chan to redirect Seungmin’s attention. Changbin, out of the entire pack, was the most attuned to Seungmin’s emotions because they were mates. But Chan thought because they were in a relationship with one another, they would have been more understanding of his situation.
Chan knew not to interact with humans, for their own protection. He knew that he had to hunt vampires that threatened human lives. And yet, he had broken both of those rules at the same time, setting a terrible example for his pack as their leader.
Seungmin’s frustration was completely justified. And Chan had no excuse for himself. But he also had no regrets.
‘Go back home. Quietly, please.’ Chan whispered, nuzzling Jeongin’s head again before stepping back towards Minho. ‘I will be back home soon. Until I’m back, Changbin is in charge, just like always.’ He spoke evenly, watching from the corner of his eye as Changbin nodded in understanding.
‘Yes, Alpha.’ Changbin bowed his head to Chan, and Jeongin mirrored the action. Beside them, Seungmin refused to bow, his stare still locked on Chan, but it also wasn’t proper timing for the pack leader to demand respect.
He watched as Changbin took a moment to round up both Jeongin and Seungmin before they disappeared into the treeline, listening as their steps receded and eventually, their mental connection broke once they were out of range. He sat on the grass as he watched the forest long after his pack members had left, feeling the cool night breeze blowing through his fur.
— L. M. —
Minho stood aside as Angel interacted with his pack, trying not to feel scared being in the presence of so many werewolves at once. They could easily tear him to shreds. Based on their behavior at the very beginning of the interaction, he imagined they probably wanted to.
But he wouldn’t easily forget how Angel stood between him and his pack, just as he had jumped between Hyunjin and the car that nearly hit him. Angel had put their lives before his own two days in a row. And truly, Minho didn’t know how to feel about it.
He watched as some sort of communication transpired between the wolves, but it didn’t last long, with Angel returning to his side as the rest of the pack disappeared back into the forest. He thought for sure that Angel would have run off with them, but he didn’t, simply watching from where he sat in the grass.
Surprised, Minho sat down in the grass beside him, looking over at the treeline as well. Angel didn’t pay him any attention, but he noticed the wolf’s claws digging into the soft ground beneath his paws, tearing at the fragile grass. He wished he could communicate better with the wolf, but until he was able to transform back into his human form, yes or no questions were the only option. At least Angel understood him.
“Are you alright?” Minho asked quietly, waiting for Angel to look at him. It took a moment, but he eventually did, and he watched the wolf nod shallowly. It was an answer, but it wasn’t a confident one. Frowning, Minho continued his questions. “Is your pack upset?” He whispered now.
It was no secret that werewolves despised vampires. Minho had spent hundreds of years running away from them. And when he saw Angel jump in front of him to protect him, he assumed the pack wouldn’t be pleased.
When Angel nodded again, it wasn’t a surprise, but Minho did sympathize with him. That couldn’t have been an easy choice to make, to prioritize a vampire’s well-being over his pack. He wanted to ask why Angel had done such a thing, but that wasn’t a conversation they were capable of just yet.
“If you wanted to go with them, you could. I would come up with something to tell Hyunjin–” Minho tried to encourage, but Angel gave him a very firm shake of his head, and he dropped the idea immediately. Angel wasn’t going anywhere. And Minho wasn’t about to complain, knowing just how much Hyunjin was already attached to the wolf. But he hated to see it put a divide between Angel and his pack.
For vampires, covens gave them strength in numbers, but they could definitely be solitary creatures, like Minho was. But for werewolves, packs were a lifeline. Packs were family. Packs worked together to hunt food. Packs provided protection during monthly transformations. And maybe most importantly, packs ensured immortality.
Minho frowned again and carefully ran his hand through Angel’s fur on his back. The wolf tensed for a moment, but he relaxed soon afterwards, turning his head to look at Minho beside him. His amber eyes were dark with sadness and Minho genuinely wished there was more that he could do for the wolf that had already done so much for them.
“Let’s get back upstairs, yeah?” Minho suggested quietly as he rose to his feet again. “You can sleep in our bed tonight, if you want.” He offered, but the low growl from Angel’s chest made him laugh. “The sheets are clean, don’t worry.”
Minho was well-aware of how attractive his boyfriend was. Hyunjin could have anyone he wanted ever — And that included werewolves. He didn’t blame Angel at all. In fact, he completely sympathized with him.
Minho fell in love with Hyunjin from the moment he first saw the human nearly three years ago. He knew then and there that Hyunjin would be his. And though the reason behind their meeting was a tragic one, Minho wouldn’t have had it any other way. Hyunjin never needed to see Minho to know he loved him back, and that filled the vampire with immeasurable pride.
Angel was a wolf, but deep down, Minho was very aware of the man that existed beneath the surface. And as long as he didn’t interfere with Minho’s relationship with Hyunjin, then he was free to look as much as he wanted. But Minho would never play ignorant.
Back inside the apartment, Minho led the way into the bedroom, feeling Angel walk right behind him. Hyunjin was already fast asleep on his usual side of the bed, Angel’s dog bed still laying on the floor beside him. Smiling softly, Minho moved towards his side of the bed and climbed under the covers before pulling Hyunjin’s body closer to the middle of the bed, leaving the right side of the bed open for Angel.
Humming softly, Hyunjin turned to face Minho, curling up and borrowing against his throat. They didn’t end their moment earlier as Minho would have preferred, which was showering Hyunjin with endless aftercare, but he did have enough time to clean Hyunjin up and tuck him into bed. So feeling his boyfriend nuzzle against his chest once again felt like a great way to end the night.
From over Hyunjin’s shoulder, Minho watched as Angel carefully climbed onto the mattress as well, clearly trying not to disturb the sleeping human. He laid down on Hyunjin’s other side, curling up against his back and resting his head on Hyunjin’s pillow, which seemed to relax him some.
Sharing his bed with a werewolf wasn’t ideal, but because it was Angel, Minho was willing to make the change. He would even dare to say that he was starting to become fond of Angel’s presence, and not just because he was good for Hyunjin. He was good for Minho as well, to see the kindness of a creature he once believed was starving for the chance to kill him. Angel was special. And Minho was grateful that he entered their life the way he did.
Both Hyunjin and Angel fell asleep rather easily once they settled down, their deep breaths and steady heartbeats filling the otherwise quiet room. Minho usually got bored during the evenings, and would read books as Hyunjin rested beside him, but tonight, he busied himself with watching over the pair he shared the bed with.
Hyunjin clung to the front of his shirt the entire night. Sometimes, his grip would loosen, but he would immediately grab on tighter when he entered a lighter stage of sleep. Minho didn’t mind at all, always loving how Hyunjin longed to be beside him, regardless of what they were doing.
Angel looked to be having a rough night of sleep, but Minho chalked it up to the wolf doing a majority of his healing while asleep. It was amazing to remember that the creature had endured multiple broken bones at the scene of the accident, but was able to mend most of them within the first few hours. Angel continued to heal at an accelerated pace, and Minho could only imagine the effect that had on his body. It was no wonder he didn’t have the strength to shift back yet.
The wolf moved a lot in his sleep. At first, it was just his head, and Minho believed he was just trying to get comfortable, but it was a lot more than that. Angel rolled onto one of his sides, and where his legs were typically tucked under him, they now stretched out over the edge of the bed. Soft whimpers fell from the canine’s maw, and Minho’s brows furrowed as he watched his body tremble slightly, clearly uncomfortable.
He knew there was nothing he could have done. This was all internal pain that Angel had to deal with, and aside from giving pain medication, Minho couldn’t help him. But he still wished that he could do more. Frowning, he reached over Hyunjin and ran a hand over Angel’s flank, smoothing his fur down. Angel tensed at the initial touch, but he quickly relaxed into it, still sleeping as Minho petted him throughout the night.
The next morning, Hyunjin woke up in much brighter spirits, kissing Minho happily as soon as he was awake. When he realized Angel was sleeping beside him, he quickly rolled over to wrap his arms around the wolf and hug him tightly, kissing his ears sweetly. Minho couldn’t even find it within himself to be jealous, smiling fondly as he watched Hyunjin try to map out the way Angel looked with his hands as he stroked his fur. Hyunjin was trying to see him, in his own special way. And Minho would never take that opportunity away from him.
When Angel finally woke up as well, he laid still and let Hyunjin continue petting him, not wanting to rush him. Offering a soft smile as thanks, Minho left the room to prepare breakfast, serving a fresh helping of bacon and eggs into Angel’s dog bowl before slathering another pain killer in peanut butter and adding it to the top.
He returned to the bedroom carrying Hyunjin’s plate of food, so when he climbed back into bed beside his boyfriend, Angel snuck off to the kitchen to eat in peace. It was a nice arrangement they had started to work out, but Minho knew it wouldn’t stay this way forever. For now, it was comfortable, and Minho wouldn’t rush the time away.
Hyunjin listened to the soft tinkling of Angel’s collar as he left the room before turning his attention to the food, a bright smile on his face. “This is really delicious, Min, thank you so much.” He said happily after his first bite, turning his head to face Minho and opening up his scarred eyes to look at him. For most people, Hyunjin’s cloudy white stare was intimidating, but Minho had never felt anything but love for the human. Hyunjin’s blindness hadn’t bothered Minho in the slightest. “Also, I wanted to ask… Do you think you could set up my easel in the living room today? I was hoping to get some painting done.”
Minho wished he had been better prepared for the question Hyunjin asked him, because the sound that slipped past his lips was anything but intelligent. “Uhh – Of course! Of course, baby, I’d be happy to do that for you.” He responded eagerly now, but he was still trying to recover from his shock. “You want to paint again?” He hoped the question came across as curiosity, but internally, he was filled with disbelief.
Hyunjin hadn’t felt the desire to paint in a few weeks. His trip out of the apartment the other day was to pick up fresh paint from the store, hoping to get his inspiration back. Of course, that same trip, he nearly got hit by a car and his painting plans were put on pause. So this sudden desire to create again was extremely shocking, but it was also very positive. And Minho wasn’t about to unintentionally discourage him with his surprise.
“I do. I want to try painting Angel.” Hyunjin admitted quietly, a shy smile on his face. “I’m not sure if it will be very good, since I’ve been out of practice for a while. But I want to try.” He explained nervously, and Minho was quick to reassure him, kissing his forehead and rubbing his back.
“It’ll be beautiful, I already know it.” Minho encouraged quietly before sliding off the bed, feeling more excited than he’d been about anything in a while. He loved getting to watch Hyunjin paint, to express how he saw the world now. It used to be one of his biggest passions when he first lost his sight, but in recent months, that inspiration had slowly waned. So to see it returning, Minho was ready to jump at the opportunity to enable his boyfriend’s creativity.
Minho was in the living room, setting up the easel and a fresh canvas in front of the couch when he heard Angel approaching. The wolf eyed him curiously before continuing into the bedroom, and Minho listened as he heard Hyunjin explain to Angel that he was going to paint today before asking Angel to guide him to the living room. Of course, Angel complied right away, and soon enough, Hyunjin was sitting right beside him on the couch.
“I have your easel and canvas all set up right here in front of you.” Minho started to explain as he reached for one of Hyunjin’s hands, guiding it towards the canvas so he could locate it. “And your paints are right here. I kept them in the same order as last time.” He explained as he led Hyunjin’s other hand towards the paint palette on the coffee table in front of them. “The water bucket and rags are at your feet. Just let me know if you need anything else.” He explained gently, watching as Hyunjin tried to orient himself with his surroundings once again.
“Thank you, Minho.” Hyunjin smiled before pursing his lips, letting Minho know he wanted a kiss. The vampire was quick to fulfill his wishes, pressing a tender kiss to his lips before standing up and giving Hyunjin plenty of space to create. “You’ve done more than enough for me, and I really appreciate it. But I should be good for a bit. I’ll let you know if that changes.” He said happily as he ran his fingers over his paint palette, remembering the lineup of colors he had.
Minho took a seat on the armchair on the other side of the living room, close enough to watch Hyunjin work but far enough to not disturb him. He relaxed into the quiet, pulling the current book he was reading into his lap, but a movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention.
Hyunjin sat alone on the couch, starting to experiment with his paints once again. But a few paces away, Angel watched him curiously, the wolf’s head tilting to the side as he sat back on his haunches. Minho imagined the sight was a little perplexing at first; How could someone that was blind be able to paint? He had also been confused at first, but Hyunjin was determined.
As Hyunjin started to work, running his paint-covered fingers across the blank canvas, he watched as Angel’s tail started to wag. It was an endearing sight, and Minho took it in for a few moments before focusing on his book. He could spend every day like this, truly. Safe at home with his favorite person, who was happy and doing something that fulfilled him, and with Angel’s sweet and comforting presence alongside them.
— H. H. —
Hyunjin used to consider his eyes as his strongest asset.
He was luckily very attractive to most people, and it was a natural kind of beauty, nothing he ever really had to work for. But his stare was what really attracted people. He could lock his gaze with anyone and in seconds, they were putty in his hands. His deep brown eyes were his strongest weapon.
They were also his greatest tool.
Hyunjin loved looking at the world around him.
Ever since he was a child, he had a keen eye for stellar views and picturesque places. When he graduated from elementary school, his parents gifted him with his first camera, a polaroid, and he immediately began using all of the film he had access to.
He loved photography. He would save his paychecks from work and invest in new cameras, starting to develop a small collection of them. In high school, he got interested in recording videos, the process of filming movies and television, and the post-production process. He went to college to study cinematography and had dreams of directing his own film someday.
And then his accident happened.
Life came to a sudden stop. Everything Hyunjin loved, his entire career, he couldn’t participate in any of it anymore. He sold his camera collection to pay for his medical bills. His love for movies turned into a bitter hatred when he realized he could never watch them as he once did.
It was painful to lose everything all at once.
But he still had his sense of touch.
And his strong photographic memory.
While recovering from his accident, it was on a whim that he asked Minho for something to keep him entertained while he was stuck inside a hospital bed. There was a finger painting set in the hospital lobby’s gift shop, and even though it was for children, Minho didn’t really have many other options. Thankfully, it was exactly what Hyunjin needed at the time.
Each color of paint had a different consistency. It was subtle, but he noticed it, studied it, and began to test himself. The different pigments each had their own textures, and whether they dried matte or glossy, slow or fast, it all affected how the paint felt between his fingers. And once he was able to identify what each color felt like, he was able to create.
Like most new hobbies, his first paintings weren’t anything impressive. They were messy and unorganized, with colors overlapping each other, and no easily recognizable subject matter. Minho tried to be polite about it, but Hyunjin could feel how messy they were once they dried.
He had lost everything.
But he was determined to get this right.
He spent months practicing, blowing through paint and canvases like they were made of wind, but he was extremely passionate about his art, and it began to show. His pieces became more beautiful as he grew more proficient in his technique. He was commissioned for artwork that would be inside his doctor’s office, and at the hospital that treated him, which got his name out to other commissioners.
Hyunjin was very grateful that others found interest in his art, enough to financially support him by commissioning pieces. He would probably never be able to direct or edit visual media again, but he did have this. He gave himself completely to his art.
It felt like balance had returned to his life as he dipped his finger tips inside the small pans of paint, starting to glide his fingers across the smooth canvas. His inspiration had been pretty low for a bit now, but after having yet another near-death experience, and being saved by one of the kindest creatures he had the privilege of meeting, he had a desire to create once again. And it was thrilling.
He had no idea how much time passed as he sat there on the living room couch, washing his hands off in the water bucket on the floor in between colors before going right back to work. He could hear Angel’s collar when he shifted on the floor beside him, making Hyunjin smile as he envisioned the mental image he was trying to recreate on canvas.
Unfortunately, he never had the chance to know what Minho looked like. It was the same situation with Angel. For both of them, Hyunjin could use his hands to imagine what they looked like, and Minho did a good job describing things to him, but it wasn’t the same. If he could have his sight for just one more day, he would spend the whole time looking at Minho and Angel, trying to remember every detail of those who had saved his life. But since he couldn’t, he hoped his imagination and artwork did them justice.
On his occasional break away from his artwork, Hyunjin took Angel outside, well aware that Minho couldn’t join them. He reassured the vampire that they wouldn’t be going far, and if anything, Angel would guide him back. He had all the faith that Angel could and would save his life again if the situation arose. Hyunjin wasn’t sure why he felt so strongly about that, but he wouldn’t question it either; Angel was just special. That was all there was to it.
Despite his sight being taken away from him, Hyunjin was left with enough light perception to see objects like the sun or shadows that passed through a well-lit space. On one of his later trips outside with Angel, Hyunjin could tell the sun hung low in the sky, and he remembered his boyfriend upstairs.
Typically, Minho would leave to hunt each night after preparing dinner for Hyunjin and tucking him into bed. Hyunjin had absolutely no issues with letting Minho feed from him, and actually really enjoyed the sensation, but he also knew it wasn’t healthy or safe to do long-term. As an apex predator, Minho still needed to hunt. And for the first time in a few days, Hyunjin felt like he was in good enough shape to stay alone at the apartment.
“Min?” Hyunjin called out as he walked back inside of the apartment, still holding onto Angel’s collar. Hearing Minho in the kitchen, Hyunjin was a little surprised when Angel started guiding him there without instruction, but he didn’t say anything, just grabbing his collar a little tighter.
“Hi, baby. I figured I’d get dinner started while I was waiting for you to come back.” Minho’s smile crept into his words, and Hyunjin smiled back, letting go of Angel’s collar and taking a few careful steps towards where he heard Minho. “Are you done painting for today?” He asked gently as his hands found Hyunjin’s waist, guiding him in until the front of their bodies were flush together.
“Mmm not quite. I think I can go for a bit longer.” Hyunjin hummed as he wrapped his arms around the back of Minho’s neck and pursed his lips a little. He never had to ask anymore, Minho was already very accustomed to his antics and kissed his lips tenderly and without complaint. “I think you should go for a hunt tonight.” Hyunjin whispered against Minho’s lips, frowning when his boyfriend pulled away from him a little.
“If you’re not feeling up to me feeding from you tonight, it’s alright, love. I can wait a few more days.” Minho whispered now, but Hyunjin’s brows furrowed as he started to shake his head.
“No, I won’t let you starve, but we both know you can’t feed strictly from me either. It’s not healthy.” Hyunjin tried to reason, his hands sliding down to cradle both sides of Minho’s neck and run his thumb along his boyfriend’s jawline. “I’m really feeling better, Min. I’ll be just fine while you go out for a few hours.” He insisted, putting a small smile back on his face to encourage Minho further.
“It’s not you I’m worried about.” Minho whispered, and Hyunjin hated the sinking feeling that grew in his chest. “I don’t think I should leave you alone with Angel, not yet. He’s still a stray. We haven’t known him long enough to be aware of any feral traits he has. It’s just not safe…” He tried to reason, but Hyunjin was the one to let go of him, taking a frustrated step backwards. Thankfully, Angel was right at his heels, keeping Hyunjin from moving backwards too far.
“Angel would never hurt me.” Hyunjin insisted firmly. He didn’t have a lot of proof, but he had enough. And Angel didn’t deserve the title of ‘bad dog’ to be dangled over his head strictly because he was a stray. “I’ll be safe. Probably even safer than you because I’ll have Angel here to protect me.” He huffed, reaching for Angel’s collar again. “Let’s go back to the living room.” He instructed quietly, and Angel tugged him along right away.
Hyunjin and Minho didn’t disagree often. They were very in sync with one another, and in the last two years, their relationship had flourished. For a long time, Minho was the only person Hyunjin felt like he could rely on. Minho helped him learn to navigate the world all over again, helped him realize that he didn’t need sight to enjoy living. They were almost always on the same page, so even the smallest squabbles felt like large issues to overcome.
He continued painting, this time even more determined to execute all of the details of Angel’s appearance. As far as he could tell, the piece was coming along great, and too avoid using too much black, he used darker shades of blue and purple for Angel’s coat to make the painting even more dynamic. He was in love with the piece so far. But his disagreement with Minho still weighed heavily on his shoulders.
Deciding that he was done for the evening, he washed his hands in the water bucket and dried them off with the rag Minho had left at his feet. Minho did take care of him, so if he had concerns, especially because he could see things that Hyunjin couldn’t, he knew he should at least hear him out a little more. Ready to apologize for his behavior earlier, Hyunjin smiled as he heard Minho’s footsteps approaching, turning his head towards his boyfriend with a smile.
“Dinner time.” Minho’s voice was still gentle, never upset despite Hyunjin not acknowledging his concerns earlier in the evening. He was such a good person. Hyunjin knew he was very lucky.
“It smells delicious.” Hyunjin smiled brighter as he felt the couch cushion beside him sink, turning his body to face Minho more once he sat down. “Thank you for making me dinner, and setting up my painting supplies.” He felt Minho passing the dinner plate into his hands, and he took it gratefully, extending his hand for the utensils and feeling Minho place them in his palm as well. “You always take such good care of me. And I know you always want what’s best for me, you have such good intentions.” He whispered as he poked his food a little, not ready to eat just yet.
“Of course, baby. I love you. It’s my pleasure to take care of you.” Minho hummed happily and kissed him between his brows, but Hyunjin tilted his head up carefully, humming softly when his lips met Minho’s.
“I want to take care of you as well, in whatever way I can.” Hyunjin whispered into the kiss before bumping their noses as he pulled away. “Once I finish dinner, you can feed from me, and we can take another shower together, and curl up in bed–”
“I’m gonna go hunting, love.” Minho interrupted gently, one of his hands coming up to cradle the side Hyunjin’s face and run his thumb over his cheekbone. “You’re right. I can’t keep feeding from you, and Angel is trustworthy. I’m nervous, but I know everything will be just fine, at least for the couple hours that I’m gone.” He explained further, and Hyunjin felt a little bit of guilt in the pit of his stomach.
Minho didn’t feel comfortable leaving Hyunjin alone, but at his insistence, he was going. And though Minho going hunting was a good idea, for both of their sakes, Hyunjin hated that he pushed Minho to that point.
“Okay, baby.” Hyunjin nodded, deciding that he wouldn’t press the discussion further. Minho would never do anything against his will, and if he truthfully didn’t want to go, he would rather starve than go for a hunt. He was making this choice on his own, despite Hyunjin being the one to bring it up. “Can you still cuddle in bed with me once you get home?” He pouted a little now, hearing Minho chuckle before the vampire’s soft lips pressed against his own.
“I would love to. After I shower, of course.”
Laughing softly into the kiss, Hyunjin wiggled his body against Minho’s until the vampire wrapped his strong arms around his thin waist, holding him securely as he started to eat the dinner that was prepared for him. They stayed like that for a while, even after Hyunjin finished eating, just holding each other and sharing soft words and softer kisses.
With Minho, living together forever was a very real possibility. And Hyunjin wanted it with him. But he didn’t want his heart to stop in order to love Minho for the rest of eternity. He loved the way Minho made his heart race with excitement, or beat harder with the immense love it held. He loved feeling Minho’s tongue run over his pulse, and how Minho’s cold body felt against his own warm one. He didn’t want to lose those sensations. And allowing Minho to transform him into a vampire would be the end of all of it.
The future hung over his head like a guillotine. Either way, he would end up dead. He could rush into becoming a vampire for eternity, losing all of the things he loved about being human. Or he would hesitate for too long and risk another accident, but that time, he probably wouldn’t be lucky enough to be saved yet again. And neither option sounded good to him.
Forcing himself out of his own existential crisis, Hyunjin focused on Minho’s arms around him, enjoying the peace that came along with being around his boyfriend. He couldn’t imagine what it would have been like to adjust to his blindness without Minho by his side. Before Angel, Minho saved his life. Minho guided him. Minho showed him that a happy life was still possible. And he knew he would never be able to thank him enough for that.
When it was late enough at night for Minho to go out safely, with the moon hanging high in the sky, they finally got off their spots on the couch. Like always, as soon as Hyunjin rose to his feet, he could hear Angel’s collar tinkling as he approached, smiling as he felt the dog’s weight press against his leg. Minho followed him to the bathroom as well, leaving him with one last kiss before Hyunjin headed into the shower, explaining that he would wash the dishes and take Angel outside before hunting.
Hyunjin was very loved, he knew that well enough. And as he stood under the steady stream of water, letting the heat run over his muscles and relax them after a long day of painting, he looked forward to being with Minho again later that evening. Things were getting back to normal once again, and he was excited about falling back into their regular routine – Except this time, with Angel at their side.
— B. C. —
Something didn’t feel right.
It had been an unusual night, filled with discomfort, his entire body aching even in his sleep. He felt like he was burning hot, which was typical during his monthly transformation, but the timing didn’t line up with his cycle.
Something was wrong. But he couldn’t place what it was.
The entire day, Chan felt his whole body trembling, his muscles feeling strained and weak. As he watched Hyunjin paint in the living room, he resolved to just lay on the floor, seeing the painting of himself come to life in front of his very eyes.
It was surprising to see the way Hyunjin viewed him. Not only was Hyunjin extremely talented, his technique clearly practiced for years, but he saw Chan’s wolf in a light that even Chan himself couldn’t see. On the canvas was a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed mutt, a standard stray who’s actual breed wasn’t that clear.
Hyunjin depicted his size as like a Great Dane with the physique of a German Shepherd, which wasn’t all that wrong. He absolutely nailed his coarse coat with dense curls and wirey fur sticking out in all directions, like an Irish Wolfhound, but in his signature all-black color.
However, while Hyunjin had depicted his eyes as amber, they were the wrong shade. Chan’s wolf had much brighter amber eyes, but Hyunjin made them almost brown. And with a pang of sadness, he realized Hyunjin would probably never see his eyes, wolf or human.
He wondered if he should let Hyunjin know it was the wrong shade; He didn’t know if Hyunjin wanted his mental image to be the most accurate version possible, or if knowing he envisioned him incorrectly would just hurt him. It was one of those awkward things Chan wasn’t quite sure how to handle or discuss. But while he remained in his wolf form, it wasn’t a very pressing issue.
Watching Hyunjin paint, it was easier to distract himself from the pain he was experiencing. But as soon as Hyunjin stood, Chan joined him at his side and felt shocks of pain rush through his body. He grit his teeth, but kept the pain to himself.
Unfortunately, Minho had started to notice around midday, and each time he looked over, he found the vampire staring back at him. He silently willed Minho not to say anything, not wanting to concern Hyunjin, and surprisingly, the vampire seemed to have the same idea.
Both of them kept yet another secret that Hyunjin was blissfully unaware of because he was blind. And while that made Chan feel guilty, like they were taking advantage of Hyunjin’s disability, he knew that this wasn’t something to scare Hyunjin about, not yet. Chan himself didn’t know what was wrong, so there was no need to concern the human.
When Hyunjin encouraged Minho to leave the apartment and hunt, Chan was also a little apprehensive. Not because he didn’t want to be left alone with Hyunjin – He believed he had earned the right to be trusted by now, especially by Minho. But Minho was the only person Chan felt he could somewhat communicate with in his wolf form.
Without Minho, it would just be him and Hyunjin and a whole lot of struggling. The idea made him worried, just in case something did go wrong.
“Do you think you’ll be okay? I can cancel the hunt.” Minho asked gently once they were both outside, finally alone for the first time that day. Chan had just laid down in the grass again, trying to ignore the sharp pains in his muscles and the fever that blazed in his body, but when Minho spoke, he had enough sense to nod his head.
Sighing, Minho sat down beside him, the vampire his hand over his back, which was more soothing than Chan was willing to admit. “I won’t be out long, I promise.” He said gently, and Chan tried and failed to hold back a low growl. He didn’t like the idea of standing idly by while knowing Minho was out hunting, but he didn’t have much of a choice. “Don’t worry, I won't kill anyone. I always just take what I need and leave them somewhere safe to wake up.” Minho chuckled a little at him, scratching between his ears.
Huffing softly, Chan relaxed a little and rested his head down on top of Minho’s knee, closing his eyes. Something was definitely wrong inside of him, but he couldn’t vocalize what it was, not even if he was out of his wolf form. For now, he would have to endure it, and hope that his wolf had the strength to recover from whatever was causing the discomfort.
Minho didn’t rush him to get up, still running his hands through Chan’s coat as they sat outside in the cool, night breeze. It was late, late enough where Chan was sure Hyunjin had finished his shower and brought himself to bed, probably waiting for the wolf’s return. They couldn’t stay here all night, regardless of how good it felt, the cool night outside in stark contrast with the fire that burned inside him.
He didn’t realize he had fallen asleep until he was suddenly being lifted into the air and held against Minho’s chest. He was far too big to be carried, especially in his wolf form, but Minho didn’t seem to be struggling in the slightest, carrying Chan’s body upstairs with ease. Not feeling well enough to fight it, Chan closed his eyes once again, relaxing into the feeling of Minho’s arms wrapped around him securely.
Chan’s ears picked up when he heard Hyunjin’s soft snoring, but he didn’t have the energy to open his eyes anymore, simply flopping onto his side as he felt Minho carefully deposit him onto the dog bed on the floor. “I’ll be right back, okay? I promise, I’ll be fast.” The vampire whispered to him, and Chan nodded weakly, unable to do much else.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
He was a little delirious when he woke up again, but he was able to figure out that Hyunjin was still asleep on the bed and Minho was still out of the apartment. He rose to his feet and took a few staggered steps forward, but the pain ran rampant through his body now. The fire that blazed within him was uncontrollable, his thoughts clouded by the heat-fueled daze.
He needed water. Badly.
Walking was not easy, but he managed to stumble his way into the kitchen, laying down on the cold tiles to lick out of the dog bowl that was still down on the floor for him. Unfortunately, he emptied the bowl before his thirst was fully quenched, licking sadly at the metal dish in a silent prayer that it would soothe him some, but it didn’t.
He needed more water.
And without hands, he wasn’t left with many options.
Rushing into the bathroom, Chan was relieved to find that the humidity from Hyunjin’s shower earlier in the evening still lingered in the air. He desperately pawed at the glass door until he pried it open enough to stick his snout inside before pushing it open the rest of the way. As soon as he felt the condensation beneath his paws, he dropped his head to the tile, licking the moisture off frantically.
It was humiliating, but he licked every tile on the floor as well as the walls, with only one thought racing through his mind – Water.
He whimpered painfully when he realized there was none left, sinking onto the tile floor and curling up, feeling his body start to tremble once again. Chan’s wolf didn’t typically become frenzied like this, not unless it was a monthly transformation, which was a much worse and intense kind of pain. This was something different. And truly, Chan didn’t think he was capable of moving anymore until it passed.
Squeezing his eyes shut, he curled up his body as tightly as possible, pitiful whines slipping out of him as he waited for Minho to come home and hopefully offer some aid.
— L. M. —
Minho arrived home after his hunt feeling renewed. He had worked hard on controlling his thirst for over a century, not wanting to kill senselessly when it could be avoided. Regardless, a hunt always got his adrenaline pumping, and fresh blood running through his veins left him with increased strength.
He felt alive.
And now all he wanted was to get back home to his boyfriend.
Hyunjin never liked being around Minho right after a hunt. He had no issue with Minho feeding from him, but smelling another human’s blood lingering on Minho’s skin and lips unsettled him, and the vampire could understand that completely. If taking a shower and brushing his teeth meant Hyunjin’s comfort, then Minho was happy to comply.
Upon entering the apartment, he made his way directly to the bathroom, and nearly fell back on his ass from the shock at what he saw.
Inside his shower was a man. A whole stranger, completely naked, curled up and shaking violently.
Minho hadn’t smelled any foreign scents upon arriving at home, and there certainly weren’t any signs of forced entry. No one had come in or out of the apartment aside from himself. And this man clearly wasn’t Hyunjin. So that only left one other option.
“Angel?” Minho whispered as he grabbed a stack of towels from the linen closet and rushed to the man’s side, immediately starting to cover him with the fabric. A low groan from the man just made Minho more afraid, and he checked his pulse, feeling how slow it was. “Hey, it’s alright, you’re okay. Let’s warm you up.”
He knew his body was anything but warm, but thankfully, Angel’s body was already pretty hot to the touch. It felt more like a fever, seeing beads of sweat on his forehead, despite his whole body shaking with chills. Minho covered him with towels and carefully pulled him out of the shower, sitting on the bathroom floor with Angel between his thighs.
It was definitely odd to suddenly be faced with a very human version of Angel, but Minho tried not to think about it too much, rubbing his hands over his body and hoping the friction would be enough to warm him up more. Instead of dense black fur, there was smooth pale skin. He had shaggy black curls at the top of his head that were reminiscent of Angel’s coat, and Minho briefly wondered if all werewolves looked a little bit like their human counterparts.
“You smell like blood.”
Minho’s eyes widened at the quiet voice that slipped past Angel’s lips. It was the first time he heard Angel’s voice, but somehow, the timbre matched the wolf’s persona, warm and gentle but still deep.
“And you smell like a wet dog.” Minho chuckled a little, looking down at Angel in his arms and seeing deep, brown eyes meet his own.
The initial eye contact took him by surprise, as the only people who usually looked Minho in the eyes were the humans he hunted, their pupils so dilated from his venom, and Hyunjin, whose eyes were completely clouded. Angel’s gaze was a little unfocused, which Minho anticipated, but he knew he was seen. And that affected Minho more than he really thought it would.
“Hi…” Angel whispered now, still holding Minho’s stare as he swallowed thickly. “I, uh… I’m sorry…”
Minho’s brows furrowed a bit, suddenly very aware that he was talking to someone that could see his nonverbal communication. “Why are you apologizing?” He asked gently, running his hand over Angel’s throat to feel his pulse. It was much steadier now, but not as strong as it should have been. “You’re alright, Angel. As long as you and Hyunjin are okay, that’s all I care about. Just rest.” He soothed quietly, watching as a smile stretched across Angel’s face.
“My name is Chan.” He whispered before he closed his eyes, taking a shaky breath.
“Hi, Chan.” Minho smiled back, knowing blush was creeping up onto his cheeks and feeling very grateful that Chan’s eyes were still closed. He continued to feel for the werewolf’s pulse, humming softly as it became strong and steady, and Chan breathed deeper. “I’m gonna set up a spot for you to sleep on the couch tonight, okay? I’ll be right back with some clothes for you to change into.” He explained as he tried to sit Chan up a bit, and the man nodded to show he understood.
Leaving the bathroom, Minho tiptoed into the bedroom to find Hyunjin safe and sound in bed, still snoring softly and completely unaware of his surroundings. Grabbing a pair of his sweatpants and a sweatshirt to match, Minho quickly returned to the bathroom and found Chan sitting up with his back against the wall, holding Angel's collar in his hands. He blushed as Minho entered again, and the vampire decided he looked very handsome like that, with rosy dimpled cheeks.
“I think my wolf forced me out so it could finish healing. I tried shifting back but…” Chan tried to explain bashfully, but Minho nodded his understanding without waiting for him to finish. After getting hit by a car, and unable to shift back for multiple days, Chan’s wolf must have been exhausted. “I just don’t know how I’m going to tell Hyunjin.” He frowned a little, squeezing the collar in his hands a little tighter.
“He’ll be upset. Not because you’re not actually a dog, but because we didn’t tell him sooner that you’re a werewolf. And I know that falls back on me not being upfront for the sake of keeping him safe.” Minho leveled with him right away.
It wouldn’t have been the first time Minho withheld the truth from his boyfriend, but he never did it maliciously. The supernatural world was a lot for any mortal to understand, let alone a human who was blind. He feared Hyunjin’s imagination would get the best of him, and Minho wouldn’t be able to reassure him. He still didn’t know how Hyunjin envisioned him as a vampire, and part of him was afraid to ever find out.
“We’ll do it gently. I’ll be the one to take the blame, but just understand that he might be apprehensive of you at first.” He continued, meeting Chan’s eyes. “But I think he’ll be relieved that you’re still here, that you didn’t just leave. That’s what I was afraid of. So when you chose to stay, instead of leaving with your pack, I knew you were different.” He explained further, offering Chan a smile. “Get changed and meet me in the living room, okay?”
Chan nodded and took the clothes from Minho’s hands gratefully, at which point he left the bathroom again and closed the door behind him. Going to the linen closet again, he grabbed a few blankets and made his way to the living room, setting up one of the couches for Chan to sleep on. Hearing the soft tinkling of Angel’s collar, Minho looked up confused, finding that Chan was now fully dressed and walking towards him, but the collar was secured loosely around his throat.
“He’ll hear me before he sees me.” Chan reasoned quietly, and Minho nodded in understanding. Of course, Chan was simply being mindful of Hyunjin’s disability, but Minho actually enjoyed the visual of the collar around his human throat. He decided Chan looked very handsome like this too.
Letting Chan get comfortable, Minho grabbed a glass of water for him and gave him a fever reducer medication, hoping that would help Chan get more comfortable for the evening. Once he knew the werewolf was settled, he made his way into the bathroom to shower up and brush his teeth, just as he originally planned. By the time he passed through the living room again, Chan was passed out asleep on the couch, and Minho decided to let him rest, closing the bedroom door behind him.
He changed into comfy clothes for bed and crawled onto the mattress beside Hyunjin, smiling as his boyfriend immediately rolled over to face him and snuggled against his chest. “I missed you…” Hyunjin mumbled sleepily, and Minho kissed between his brows to relax him, rubbing his hands over his back gently.
“I’m here, love.” Minho whispered and tucked the blankets around their bodies a little tighter, suddenly fearing what would happen in the morning. He didn’t like upsetting Hyunjin, but in this scenario, it would be inevitable. For now, he enjoyed the last few hours of peace before it would be disturbed once again, holding Hyunjin securely against his own body.
— H. H. —
Hyunjin whined softly as he stretched awake, nosing against Minho’s cold throat and breathing deeply. He smelled like their body wash in the shower, which was very reassuring first thing in the morning after a hunt the night prior. He was well aware that Minho was a vampire, but he didn’t like to remember that he fed on strangers’ blood to sustain himself. It only reminded him that it would be his future once Minho transformed him as well, which was the most unappealing part.
“Good morning, love.” He mumbled as he ran his hands up both sides of Minho’s neck, pulling him in for a slow and tender kiss. There was no taste of blood on his lips either, and Hyunjin hummed his approval, kissing him a little deeper. “You were out late last night.” He commented quietly as he felt Minho’s hands brace both sides of his waist.
“Yeah, it took me a little while to get back to you. I’m sorry…” Minho whispered, pulling out of the kiss and pressing a few kisses to Hyunjin’s cheeks as well.
“It’s alright. I had Angel to keep me company.” Hyunjin hummed happily, smiling at Minho’s soft kisses against his skin. “C’mere, handsome boy.” He called out to Angel gently, imagining that he was still laying on the dog bed since he wasn’t invited onto the mattress yet. When he heard nothing, Hyunjin pulled away from Minho a bit, patting the empty space beside him on the bed. “Angel, come up!” He encouraged Angel a little brighter this time, but the room was still silent, not hearing the usual tinkling of the dog’s collar.
“Angel is in the living room, love. But before we go in there, I need you to get dressed so we can talk.” Minho’s voice was grave and apprehensive as he rubbed Hyunjin’s back, obviously trying to soothe him, but he sat up straight in bed, not reassured in the slightest.
“Is he okay?!” Hyunjin was already rushing to get out of the bed, his heart racing as he forced himself onto his feet and put his arms out in front of him. It had been multiple days since he tried moving around the apartment on his own, and he immediately stumbled over Angel’s dog bed since he forgot where it was. Thankfully, he recovered quickly, pushing past Minho’s attempts to calm him down and throwing open the bedroom door. “Angel?!”
“Hyunjin?”
He stumbled backwards upon hearing the foreign voice, falling into Minho’s body right behind him. It was a masculine voice, but it was someone he had definitely never met before. And they were in his apartment.
“Hyunjin, just relax. Let me explain–” Minho tried to reason again, grabbing both sides of Hyunjin’s waist to stop him from rushing off again.
“Who are you?” Hyunjin asked right away, not waiting for Minho’s explanation. He missed that window of opportunity. Right now, Hyunjin needed answers. He was livid and confused, his eyes open and searching for the voice of the man in front of him.
“I, uh–” The man flustered for a moment, which was just enough for Hyunjin to face him directly and knit his brows with anger. “My name is Chan... But you’ve been calling me Angel…” He whispered, making Hyunjin feel even more disoriented.
“Okay, you’re not fucking funny, Chan. ” Hyunjin seethed, pushing his body away from Minho and taking a step towards the stranger in front of him. “Where’s my dog?” He was aggressive now, his fists clenched on either side of his body. He had been separated from Angel for all of five minutes and that was entirely too long.
“Jin, please, let’s just sit and talk about this.” Minho tried to reason again, and Hyunjin almost listened to him, knowing that his boyfriend would have never allowed something bad to happen to Angel. For a moment, he was willing to relax enough to discuss this.
But then he was grabbed.
Being blind, Hyunjin couldn’t see nonverbal cues, like someone waving at him or leaning in for a hug or offering their hand to shake. As a result, he had become extremely agitated and afraid whenever someone grabbed or touched him without his permission, unable to anticipate it happening.
Upon feeling the stranger grab one of his forearms, Hyunjin immediately flinched backwards, pulling his arm away in reflex. “Don’t fucking t–” Hyunjin practically growled, but before the words could leave his lips, his other arm was grabbed and pulled foward, feeling something cold and metalic pushed into his palm.
It was a bone-shaped tag, engraved with the name – Angel.
Right beside it was a small bell, still jingling softly as Hyunjin moved it gently.
“I am your dog. Or, at least, I was. ” Chan said quietly, and Hyunjin could feel the vibration of him speaking through the collar that he held. Chan was wearing it.
“Someone better tell me what the fuck is going on. Right now.” Hyunjin whispered tensely, still grabbing tightly onto the tag in his palm. “And it better be good.”
“Okay.” Minho tried to diffuse the tension, gently tightening his grip on Hyunjin’s waist, but Hyunjin stepped away from him, making it very clear that he no longer wanted to be touched. “Let’s sit down and we can explain things.” His boyfriend reasoned, and Hyunjin frowned with reluctance, but he did want to know what happened to his precious Angel.
Letting go of Angel’s collar, Hyunjin put his arms out in front of him again, guiding himself to sit down in the far corner of the living room couch. He tucked his knees up to his chest and held his legs, trying not to be self-conscious about wearing his pajamas in front of a stranger.
Then again, Chan wasn’t a stranger. Apparently, Chan was Angel this whole time.
“So, uh…” Minho started quietly, clearly a little thrown off from having such an explosive confrontation instead of the peaceful conversation he planned to have in their bed. “Hyunjin, when I told you that I am a vampire, we discussed very briefly about how there are many other supernatural creatures that exist. Do you remember that?”
He did remember that. Nodding shallowly, he focused his gaze on his legs, not even having the desire to face Minho as he spoke. He hated not being able to see for himself, hated being reliant on others to tell him what was happening in the world around him.
“One of those creatures is a werewolf. That’s what Chan is. He’s a human, but he also has a wolf form that he can shift in and out of.”
Hyunjin cringed a little at that.
“You knew... You knew the whole time.” Hyunjin accused him in a whisper, but Minho didn’t deny it.
“Jin, I didn’t want to scare–”
“Scare me? Tell me that there's a stranger - a grown man - disguised as a dog, living in my house?” He challenged right away, but Minho was quiet now. Frustrated, he aimed his attack at Chan. “And you just went along with it? You didn’t tell me either, despite clearly being able to talk. This whole time, you just pretended to act like a dog because I’m blind and can’t tell the difference?” He turned his head towards where he heard Angel’s collar in front of him.
“I-I couldn’t speak. After getting hit by the car, I wasn’t able to shift back to my human form, up until last night. I’ve been in my wolf form this entire time, trying to heal and recover.” Chan tried to explain his behavior, and Hyunjin adjusted his head to face him directly now. “We didn’t want to lie to you. Minho and I were both just waiting for the right time to explain things.”
“I’m blind, not incompetent. There’s no reason why Minho couldn’t have had this conversation with me when we first brought you here, days ago. All I’ve ever asked for is the truth, but I’ve just been left in the dark again.” Hyunjin tried to explain from his perspective, and finally, both Minho and Chan went quiet to let him speak. “I already knew about vampires, obviously. The idea of werewolves is not farfetched to me. I should have been told from the beginning.” He huffed, rising to his feet and rubbing his forearms in an attempt to soothe himself. “Can I have Angel’s collar back?”
It was an odd thing to ask for, he knew that. He didn’t even realize the words were slipping past his lips until it was already too late. He knew Angel was not real, not in the way Hyunjin thought he was. But in his heart, Angel had saved his life and was the companion he had always hoped for. Finding out the truth almost felt like mourning the loss of his best friend. And right now, Hyunjin just wanted to cling to the one thing that was real about Angel – His collar.
“Of course…” Chan’s voice sounded low and unsure, but based on the signature jingling of the collar, he was doing as Hyunjin asked.
Extending his hand out, he felt the collar be placed inside his open palm and he wrapped his fingers around it right away, clutching it against his chest. “I want to be left alone for a little bit.” He explained quietly, extending his free hand out in front of him and feeling someone reach for his arm, clearly trying to guide him. “I can guide myself.” He insisted as he pulled his arm away, another stabbing pain lodging itself inside his heart.
Angel was gone. All of the hope Hyunjin had built up, the dreams of being able to train him as a guide dog, he was having to let go of. Angel was never real. Angel was a lie that his boyfriend let him believe. Losing Angel felt like he was stripped of his confidence or endured a heartbreak all at once. It was painful.
He was extremely frustrated that Minho hid the truth from him yet again. When they first met, Minho kept the secret about him being a vampire for a long time. He claimed he was only trying to keep Hyunjin safe by protecting him from the painful truth, but Hyunjin hated the way it felt to be so oblivious. He made Minho promise to not lie to him again, to deliver the truth, regardless of how painful it was.
And yet, it happened again. It had been a couple years, sure, but Minho had a stellar memory. Hyunjin was sure that he remembered. Minho had made the choice to keep Hyunjin in the dark. It was certainly a flaw in his relationship, and he would have to address that soon, but right now, the fact that Angel was gone was a much more pressing issue.
Angel wasn’t truly gone. The dog he envisioned in his head, the one who saved his life, comforted him, guided him – That Angel was gone. But Hyunjin forced himself to remember that those things still happened.
It was odd, but he tried to envision a human in Angel’s place, enduring the last several days. He had gotten hit by a car, pushing Hyunjin out of the way and into safety, and enduring that pain on his own body. His bones had fractured; He had to lay on a veterinarian table and let the doctor poke and prod at him.
While they healed, he let Hyunjin run his hands through his fur, clinging to him for comfort. He stayed at Hyunjin’s side when he took his first steps again. He let Hyunjin hold onto his collar, guiding him wherever he wished and making sure he stayed safe.
The sentiment was still the same, whether it came from the dog he envisioned, or the man that sat in his living room. Without knowing him, Chan still saved his life, and stuck around to tell him the truth.
Hyunjin sat in bed for a long time, running his fingers lightly over Angel’s collar, focusing on the soft tinkling sound of the tag tapping against the bell. It grounded him, helped him relax. Everything had been real, as tangible as the collar he held in his hands.
Now, all he wanted to know was why.
— B. C. —
The air in the living room became thick with tension. They both anticipated that Hyunjin would be upset, Minho had warned him, but neither one of them really understood the intensity of the moment until it knocked them on their ass.
Hyunjin was angry. Chan could have never imagined that the mortal was capable of such vexation, but it appeared before his very eyes, with furrowed brows and a snarl on the beautiful human’s lips. Someone so gorgeous, capable of such fury.
Neither one of them had realized how important Angel was to Hyunjin. And upon realizing he’d be without the canine’s presence, Hyunjin didn’t want to interact with them.
“Well… I didn’t anticipate that…” Chan tried to communicate with Minho, but the vampire had become pensive, pacing the living room. His red eyes had narrowed as he looked down at his feet, clearly agitated.
Chan was worried about upsetting Hyunjin, but he knew Minho was taking the brunt of the human’s anger. It was Minho’s choice to not communicate Chan’s real identity to Hyunjin. Of course, Chan would have done the same as Minho if it was his choice to make, but Minho was the one to suffer the consequences right now. He sympathized with the vampire; He definitely did not want to be in Minho’s position right now.
“Chan?”
Both of them stilled when they heard Hyunjin’s voice. It had been nearly an hour of tense silence in the apartment, and Chan was really starting to notice the absence of weight around his neck, rubbing his throat where the collar typically rested. He didn’t like being without it.
Looking to the bedroom, both of them saw Hyunjin standing in the doorway, clutching Angel’s collar to his chest. “Chan, can I speak with you in the bedroom? Alone?” He asked quietly, his gaze pointed towards the floor.
Glancing at Minho, Chan saw the vampire had frozen in place and was staring him down, so he immediately dropped his gaze out of respect. “Of course.” Chan answered easily as he approached the bedroom door and entered the room. Minho was still staring at him as he closed the door behind him, but Chan tried to pretend that he didn’t notice it.
“Help me get to the bed.” Hyunjin instructed quietly, still standing rigid beside him, but Chan couldn’t help but feel that this was some kind of test. Hyunjin didn’t like when Chan touched him the first time, but he did it out of urgency. Now, things were more relaxed, and he feared he was being tested.
“How should I, uh, guide you?” Chan asked tentatively, still trying to adjust to actually speaking to Hyunjin.
“Stand on my left, and I will hold your right arm. Don’t grab me, I will find you.” Hyunjin was whispering, but his words were firm and unwavering. Chan blushed brightly, knowing he had grabbed Hyunjin earlier and wondering if he had only made the situation worse. Silently, he moved to stand on Hyunjin’s left, feeling Hyunjin’s thin and long fingers run along his skin for the first time before grabbing loosely onto his right arm with both hands.
Waiting a moment longer, Chan approached the bed and stopped on Hyunjin’s side of the mattress, letting Hyunjin find the edge and sit down. He watched as Hyunjin patted the space beside him, and after hesitating for another moment, he sat down next to him.
“So…” Chan felt awkward, like he was meeting someone for the very first time, but he knew they were closer than that. “This is weird, huh?” He asked honestly.
“Very.” Hyunjin whispered, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He wasn’t looking at Chan, his head turned towards his lap, but it wasn’t as unsettling as Chan thought it would be. He knew Hyunjin was still intent on listening. “It’s like hitting me all at once. I’m embarrassed about talking to you like you were a dog, and making you eat kibble…” He shook his head, like the memory bothered him. “And it makes a lot more sense while they tried to discourage me from adopting you. You look like a wolf because you are a wolf. And here I am, imagining the sweetest little pup.” He chuckled sadly, running a hand over his face. “I feel so stupid.”
“You’re not stupid. You’re generous and caring. If I saved anyone else, I'm sure they would have called animal control to euthanize me. It’s not safe for us to be in our wolf forms around humans for that reason. But because you couldn’t see, you treated me without prejudice.” Chan explained honestly, frowning a little. “I’m glad that I was lucky enough to save someone that saved me in return. You treated my wolf with love and compassion that I’ve never experienced before, not even in my own pack.” He continued, watching as Hyunjin finally raised his head to look at him directly. The human’s clouded white eyes filled his chest with sadness; He wished Hyunjin could truly meet his eyes, even just once, so he could convey how serious he was. “Please don’t feel embarrassed. You and Minho both treated me very well.”
At the mention of Minho, Hyunjin visibly cringed before taking a deep breath, his hands grabbing Angel’s collar a little tighter. “I understand why he didn’t tell me. If the imagination of a werewolf wasn’t enough to bother me, the idea of a human stranger living inside my house definitely would.” He confessed, his fingers idly tapping against the bell attached to the collar. “I treated you like a dog, like you wouldn’t know any better, or have the capacity to share our secrets. You watched Minho feed from me. You saw me in the shower. You… heard Minho and I.” He accented the word, clearly not wanting to go into specifics, and neither did Chan. They both knew exactly what Hyunjin was referring to. “I’m sure you can imagine my shame upon finding out that you’ve been a human this whole time…”
“I do. And I’m genuinely sorry that our silence made you feel so uncomfortable. Our intention was never to hurt you, we didn’t want you to be afraid.” Chan tried to explain. “I would never even dream of sharing your secrets. I have my own secrets to hide, and you know them as well. Everything I witnessed was completely normal and natural, and I don’t judge you for any of it. But I can still understand your discomfort, of course.” He conceded with a small bow of his head.
“Speaking of discomfort…” Hyunjin transitioned as he carefully set Angel’s collar down on his lap. “How are you feeling? Are you still in any pain?”
Chan shook his head out of instinct, but when he remembered Hyunjin couldn’t see him, he answered aloud. “My human body didn’t feel any pain from the accident, actually. My wolf is like a seperate being entirely, which is nice most of the time. Except, my wolf needs to have enough strength for me to shift back to my human form. And after getting hit, I was stuck for a bit.” He started to explain, a small smile on his face. “My wolf forced me out last night, probably to finish healing, and it hasn’t let me shift back yet. So, I imagine he’s still sore, but it’ll be alright.”
Hyunjin nodded slowly, as if trying to process all of that information. Chan was no stranger to having to explain it, as he had done for every member of his pack with each new addition. “Your wolf and you, as a human, are separate?” He clarified.
“In a lot of ways, yes. My wolf always lives within me, he has for years. He has a mind of his own, and a lot of the time, I have to fight for control. He’s very feral, and I am… well, not.” Chan shrugged. “When we agree and work together, we can be unstoppable. But when we clash, my wolf is kind of an asshole.” He explained, feeling the heat in his chest rise, but he had no regrets. His wolf caused him immense pain the day prior and he wasn’t willing to forgive just yet. “Once a month, the wolf gets to take over, just to regulate the balance we have. And after he allowed himself to get hit by a car, I kind of owe him.” He finished with a small chuckle, watching a weak smile spread across Hyunjin’s face.
“So, you decided to save me, and sacrifice the safety of your wolf in the process?” He cocked an eyebrow, tilting his head to the side.
“Yes. What happened to you was a genuine accident. And regardless of if I was able to shift into a wolf or not, I’m not about to just stand by and watch as something awful happens to someone else.” Chan admitted, watching as Hyunjin smiled more. “My wolf became very fond of you though. As did I…” He confessed in a whisper, feeling his cheeks burn.
“I was very fond of Angel. Extremely so. So I suppose I was fond of you and your wolf as well.” Hyunjin was blushing a little too, raising one of his hands before hesitating a little. “May I touch you?” He asked cautiously, and Chan hoped he didn’t hear how hard his heart pounded.
“Of course.” Chan whispered gently, forcing himself not to sound too eager.
He watched as Hyunjin’s long fingers slowly unfurled and extended towards him, well-aware that Hyunjin didn’t know what he was reaching towards. He was trusting Chan, placing his hand flat against his chest and smiling fondly.
“It’s weird to feel skin and clothes instead of fur. A good weird, of course. But still weird.” He chuckled, making Chan laugh as well. “Angel was always very warm. So it’s nice that you’re warm too.” He continued, running his hand across Chan’s chest until he reached his arm. His touch was feather light, curious and cautious at the same time, pinching the hem of the shirt Chan wore between his fingers “Minho gave you his clothes?” He asked curiously, tilting his head to the side.
A little surprised that Hyunjin was able to guess that by touch alone, Chan’s eyes widened, and he was grateful that the human couldn’t see him. “He did, yeah. He took good care of me this whole time, feeding me regular human food and giving my wolf enough pain medication to keep us steady.” He explained, gratitude towards the vampire in the other room filling his chest. They had both put their differences aside, and up until today, really developed a strong and healthy way to interact. “He really cares about you, Hyunjin. I’ve known vampires to be so cruel and heartless and vicious. But he really does care. Your happiness and comfort means a lot to him.” Chan wasn’t sure why he had the desire to speak so highly of Minho, to reassure Hyunjin. Despite him being a vampire, he really did think Minho was an incredible, doting boyfriend.
Hyunjin sighed and ran his hand up Chan’s shoulder, moving slowly to pass over his collarbones and run a hand up the side of his neck. He wondered if Hyunjin felt his pulse quicken beneath his fingers, but if he noticed, he said nothing.
“He’s a good boyfriend, I know that. But I don’t like the truth being kept from me. Lying by omission hurts just as badly as any other lie.” Hyunjin whispered, moving his head to follow the direction of his hand. “I should talk to him.” He commented quietly, his other hand grabbing onto Angel’s collar again. “And you… You should go back to your pack.” He whispered, carefully latching the collar around Chan’s neck again.
The action made Chan swallow hard, his stomach twisting with anxiety. “Are you sure that’s what you want?” He barely breathed, watching as Hyunjin retracted his hands. This didn’t feel good.
“It is. You’ve been here for days, and I’m sure they’re worried about you. Besides, Minho and I need to have a serious conversation, and you’ve witnessed enough of our sensitive moments to last a lifetime.” He tried to laugh, but the sound lacked humor. Chan cringed again, once again grateful that Hyunjin couldn’t see it. “And if you do want to come back later, please remember that I did fill out adoption paperwork for Angel. This house is your home now. You will always be welcome here.” He smiled sadly, but Chan knew it was sincere.
“Can I hug you?” Chan whispered, unafraid to let his feelings finally bubble to surface. He didn’t know when he would see Hyunjin again, and he hoped it would be soon, but he knew any time apart would be painful.
“I would love that.” Hyunjin nodded as he smiled a little wider, already opening his arms out onto either side of his body.
Carefully, Chan took his time leaning in, letting Hyunjin feel exactly where he was placing his hands on his waist before constricting his arms around him. Hyunjin’s arms hugged him tightly around his neck, hiding his face against Chan’s throat and bumping his nose against Angel’s collar in the process.
“Thank you, Hyunjin.”
“Thank you, Chan.”
They stayed there for a long time, clinging to one another, a lot of emotions coursing through them. Gratitude. Happiness. Longing. Sadness. Hope. And when Chan finally pulled away, Hyunjin was the one to cling to him for a few seconds longer before following suit.
— L. M. —
Minho was still pacing in the living room as he heard the bedroom door open, watching as both Chan and Hyunjin emerged, his boyfriend holding onto the werewolf’s arm. A bit of jealousy flared within him, but he knew it was only because Chan was back in Hyunjin’s good graces while he knew he still had a lot of work to do.
But watching Chan turn towards the front door, Minho was surprised, furrowing his brows and watching from the dark safety of the living room as Hyunjin followed him. Chan was leaving? Minho thought it would have taken a lot to get Chan to leave Hyunjin’s side, so whatever the pair discussed must have been pretty significant.
Hyunjin stayed at the door as Chan left, lingering in the doorway long after he was gone. Minho knew Hyunjin was well aware that Chan was gone, but it wasn’t a matter of being unaware, he just wasn’t ready to face Minho just yet.
“Jinnie?” Minho finally whispered, toeing at the shadow caused by the open door, careful to stay in the darkness and not cross over into the sunlight. “Can we talk?”
“That depends.” Hyunjin started quietly, closing the front door slowly and lingering there, his head still pressed against the wood. “Are you ready to start telling the truth?”
“Yes, of course–”
“The whole truth?”
Minho swallowed hard at that. “Yes, Hyunjin. I promise it’ll be the whole truth.” He whispered, watching as Hyunjin finally turned to face him again.
There was a long hallway of distance between them, but Hyunjin was gradually starting to move closer, running his hand along the wall to guide him. It only took a few moments for him to come face-to-face with Minho, and the vampire looked deep into the human’s cloudy white eyes, searching for any hint or indication of what he might have discussed with Chan.
This was going to be a difficult conversation. He could feel it in the air.
“This is the second time you’ve lied by omission, Minho. And both times have been about the supernatural world.” Hyunjin accused him once again, but Minho really didn’t have room for a defense. It was the entire truth. “Last time, I made you promise that this would never happen again. And now that it has, I feel so unnerved at the idea that you won’t tell me about the world I’m going to join when you want to transform me into a vampire so badly. You want to keep me as blind as possible.”
“No, love, that’s not true.” Minho whispered right away at Hyunjin’s last words, reaching forward to gently hold Hyunjin’s hips, but the human didn’t react at all, still standing strong. “I don’t want to keep you blind. I want to keep you safe. I know that I should have told you sooner. I know it… But the truth can be so overwhelming, and I didn’t want to put that on you while you were recovering.” He tried to explain, but Hyunjin was firm, shaking his head.
“Do you not remember the first time this happened?” Hyunjin whispered now as well, his hand reaching up onto Minho’s forearm and squeezing. “Do you not realize that history has repeated itself?”
Minho did remember the last time.
Very clearly, in fact.
He had lived for hundreds of years, trying to find a peaceful existence as a vampire, and migrated from place to place as he learned to control his thirst. It was extremely isolating, but deep in his heart, he knew he was doing the right thing. He didn’t want a life of violence, and he would stop at nothing to find genuine peace and happiness.
Each town he went to, he would attempt to live a normal life, to get comfortable and establish a peaceful existence. Whenever he stayed in a place long enough, werewolves would begin to transform around him, which was a very natural process to keep the vampire population in check. Minho never tried to bother them, keeping a respectful distance and not breaking any rules, hoping for coexistence.
But inevitably, they would always run him out of town. And Minho would move somewhere new, somewhere that didn’t have an established werewolf pack, so he could exist as a solitary vampire in peace.
Upon entering this town, it took him a little bit of time to get settled, but he found the place quite charming. It was quiet, but still plenty of people to feed comfortably, and enough variety with people of all ages.
On one of his first nights out, he encountered the most gorgeous man he had ever met in his entire lifetime. He was beautiful, with long black hair and deep brown eyes, his facial structure so well defined and handsome. Minho’s heart was absolutely taken by him.
He didn’t have the nerve to say anything to him that night, watching from afar as the human went out for drinks with friends. He was popular and well-liked, and Minho could see why. He was charming, but still humble, giving genuine attention to the people he was with. Nothing about him was superficial.
Minho loved him immediately.
Each night, he went out with the intention of finding this handsome stranger, and while some nights were successful, others were not. He never attempted to feed from such a wonderful human, absolutely not, but he did just want to exist beside him.
There was no chance that such a wonderful human would settle for loving a vampire. But Minho loved him regardless.
Minho wanted to see him safe, happy, and healthy. He wanted to hear the human’s sweet laugh as he chatted with friends over drinks, wanted to watch as the human walked on the edge of the sidewalk as if it were a tightrope.
He had learned the human’s scent after a few weeks, able to track him down easily. And despite never introducing himself, he followed after the human like a shadow, desperate and longing.
Minho had just finished feeding when he caught the human’s scent on the breeze, eagerly getting up to follow after him. He was close, but Minho still gave plenty of space, never wanting to be noticed, or worse, rejected.
But while tracking the human’s scent, he noticed it began to turn sour and rotten, and despite his burning nose, he rushed forward. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong.
By the time he reached the scene, he knew he was already too late, the attacker long gone and his dear human lying limp on the floor. His body was covered in blood, but most of it was gathered on his precious face and nimble fingers, so much so that Minho couldn’t determine his exact injuries.
Desperate, he pressed his fingers against the human’s throat, searching for a pulse. And while it was present, it was extremely faint, and Minho knew he wouldn’t make it to a hospital. He needed to act now, to attempt to save the human life he valued so much. Minho had never known his abilities as a vampire to be powerful enough to save lives, but he needed to try. If he lost this human, he would lose a part of himself. Minho wouldn’t be able to live on without him.
Grabbing the human’s wrist, Minho quickly brought it up to his lips with shaky hands. He needed a straight shot into the human’s bloodstream, so he had to find direct access to veins, but there was too much trauma around the human’s head to think about using his neck. This was his best shot, and he was going to take it. He would do whatever it took to save him.
Baring his fangs, Minho sunk his bite into the soft flesh of the human’s wrist. Blood trickled down his inner arm, but Minho was quick to lick the area clean, not attempting to feed at all. All he did was pierce the human with his fangs, injecting him with a small shot of venom, which would boost his adrenaline again. Pressing against the human’s pulse again, Minho was relieved to feel his heart picking up speed, knowing that would give him just enough window of time to act. He had to move quickly.
Scooping the fragile human up in his arms, Minho ignored the scent of rotting blood to the best of his ability and rushed to the nearest hospital, knowing he needed medical attention that Minho could not provide him. As soon as they arrived in the emergency room, the human was lifted from his arms and whisked away for assessment, leaving Minho completely filled to the brim with worry and anxiety.
He had seen this type of injury before. And he knew it was entirely his fault that this human endured such trauma. This was because of him.
But instead of leaving town, fleeing like he always would, he stayed at his human’s side dutifully. He found out this precious human was named Hyunjin, and he found out his blood type was O Negative. He met Hyunjin’s family, accepting their profuse thanks for bringing him to safety, though he knew that he didn’t deserve it. It was his fault that Hyunjin was injured in the first place.
The results of Hyunjin’s injuries were severe. The doctors had determined that it was some sort of animal attack, and deep scratch marks against Hyunjin’s eyes had blinded him. His eyes were completely red from hemorrhaging, and while he still had light perception, his eyesight was never expected to make a full recovery.
Naturally, Hyunjin was devastated, and Minho’s heart broke for him. He spent countless days in the hospital in Hyunjin’s room, sitting at his bedside and offering him comfort. They hadn’t known each other before this, but Hyunjin had been informed that Minho saved his life, which was a pretty strong introduction for anyone.
During the day, they kept the curtains closed, as Hyunjin complained that the sunlight bothered his eyes, and Minho wasn’t about to argue. At night, while Hyunjin would sleep, Minho would sneak away to feed quickly before rushing back to his side, not wanting to be away from Hyunjin for even a moment.
It was in that hospital that Minho got Hyunjin his very first canvas to paint on. Hyunjin learned how to use a cane, and Minho learned how to guide him, always being the first to offer his arm. They cried together, found small moments of happiness among the sadness together, and learned how to move forward together.
But Minho never told Hyunjin about his true nature.
When Hyunjin returned home to his apartment, Minho was only ever able to visit at night, coming over and assisting him with anything he needed. After their time in the hospital, they had become so close, nearly inseparable, but both Hyunjin’s parents and Minho respected Hyunjin’s desire to be as independent as possible. He continued to live alone in his own apartment, but he never went out with his friends anymore, so Minho came over to fill the void.
He watched as Hyunjin’s paintings became more intricate and detailed, the shift happening in front of his very eyes. He noticed the redness clearing from Hyunjin’s eyes, but it was replaced by cloudy white scarring, hiding his beautiful brown pupils. The scratches around Hyunjin’s eyes had faded as well, but it was a constant reminder of what Minho had done by staying close to Hyunjin.
He was the reason why Hyunjin would never be able to see again. The human he fell in love with at first sight would never get to know what he looked like in return. And he didn’t know how he would ever get himself to tell Hyunjin the truth.
It came to a head when Hyunjin got curious enough to ask Minho to go out to lunch with him. Of course, Minho would have never denied a date with the man he loved, but there were a few issues that he couldn’t avoid. Mainly, he couldn’t go out during the day. Not only that, but he couldn’t actually eat anything at lunch.
Hyunjin became frustrated that Minho would only come see him at night, and not spend the day with him like he would at the hospital. He believed Minho was pulling away from him to eventually drift apart, but he wasn’t about to accept it quietly. And Minho, not willing to lose Hyunjin, knew he couldn’t hide the truth for much longer.
When he told Hyunjin that he was a vampire, naturally, Hyunjin didn’t believe him in the slightest. He actually became very angry with Minho, believing that his blindness was being mocked.
There was one way for Minho to prove he was a vampire, which was feeding directly from Hyunjin, but that was also something he wasn’t willing to do without the human’s explicit permission. And despite how frustrated he was, Hyunjin wanted to believe Minho. Their friendship was on the brink of falling apart, and both of them desperately wanted to save it.
With Hyunjin’s cautious permission granted, Minho made sure to be extra careful. He had fed from plenty of humans, and had worked it down to a science on how to do it safely. Hyunjin was no different; But at the same time he was completely different. Minho loved Hyunjin, more than he loved anyone or anything ever before, and despite how well-practiced he was, feeding could still be life-threatening.
Carefully, Minho fed from Hyunjin for the very first time as Hyunjin clung to his body, whimpering softly from the discomfort of the bite and panting as the venom entered his bloodstream. Minho made sure it was brief, just enough to prove his point, licking against Hyunjin’s neck to clean up after himself and feeling the human cling to him even tighter.
Hyunjin believed him. But he was still hurt that Minho withheld the truth from him initially, especially after they had gotten so close. That day, he made Minho promise to never lie by omission again, to which Minho immediately agreed. And he honored that promise for the last two years, being completely honest with Hyunjin at all times.
But he had never confessed that he was the reason why Hyunjin was attacked that night.
He had lied by omission yet again when Angel entered their lives, still unsure how to explain it to Hyunjin properly.
“I remember, love… I do, and I am genuinely so sorry that I hurt you like this, all over again.” Minho frowned, looking down at where Hyunjin’s hand continued to squeeze his arm. “It’s not my place to decide what information you should or shouldn’t know. I’ve only ever acted to protect you, but I know I have hurt you, and damaged the trust between us in the process.” He got softer now, pressing their foreheads together carefully and closing his eyes. “I’m sorry, Hyunjin.”
Hyunjin was quiet for a long time, taking slow and deep breaths and clearly trying to calm himself. His hand squeezed Minho’s arm tighter, but he didn’t move away, still standing there and pressing their foreheads together.
“Chan told me everything about werewolves. He explained it all to me.” Hyunjin said under his breath before pausing to take a shaky breath. “He said that you meant well, and while I agree that you were acting in my best interest, I couldn’t help but wish you could be as forthcoming with me as he is. I want that level of honesty, all the time.” He confessed, the hurt clear in his voice.
The jealousy rooted itself in Minho’s heart, but he knew it was justified. He marveled at Chan’s ability to be so honest with Hyunjin; The werewolf had only known Hyunjin for a few days, while Minho had dated him for two years. Chan was a good person, and Minho still felt lucky and grateful that he had been there to save Hyunjin, but he hated knowing that Chan did something better than he did.
“I can be better. I promise I can.” Minho pleaded softly, but Hyunjin shook his head with a soft whine.
“If you break another promise, Minho, I swear…” Hyunjin whispered, squeezing his arm once more before finally letting go. “No more secrets, no more lies, okay? Just talk to me. I love you, I want to be on the same page as you.” He took a shuddered breath, and Minho saw tears pricking at the corners of his white eyes.
“I love you too, Hyunjin.” Minho frowned, rubbing his thumb over Hyunjin’s cheek as a tear slid down. “I love you, and I will do better. This won’t happen again.” He spoke sincerely as he kissed Hyunjin’s forehead tenderly.
“Thank you.” Hyunjin breathed a huge sigh of relief as both of his arms wrapped around Minho’s waist, hugging him close. “Is there anything else that I should know about? Or can we move on?” His words were genuine and patient, but he sounded so tired.
Minho swallowed hard, remembering Hyunjin’s attack and how it had probably been caused by him. It was a secret he had held for years, and would probably carry with him for the rest of his life, his guilt too severe to admit out loud. And something told him it was a secret Hyunjin wouldn’t accept as easily as vampires and werewolves. Confessing it now would only cause him more pain, not resolution.
“We can move on, my love.” Minho swallowed thickly, wrapping his arms tightly around Hyunjin and holding him close.
With each day that passed, Minho longed to transform Hyunjin into a vampire even more, to make him immortal.
And after today, that desire was at an all time high.
— B. C. —
The walk home to the pack’s house felt so much longer today than usual. They lived on the outskirts of town, tucked safely inside the privacy of the forest, no outside eyes and ears to snoop on them. And usually, Chan preferred the seclusion, but today, each step felt further and further away from where he was supposed to be.
As expected, he was greeted as soon as he entered their territory, hearing soft footfalls running towards him before Jeongin’s wolf emerged from the treeline. Chan smiled fondly at him, petting Jeongin’s wolf between his ears and watching the surprise that crossed the younger’s features, not used to being touched like that in his wolf form.
“Hi, Innie.” Chan spoke gently as they continued to walk together up the path towards their home, enjoying the familiarity of being back for the first time in a few days, but unsure what would be waiting for him inside the house.
As they approached their door, Jeongin changed back into his human form as Chan walked inside, passing him one of the robes they kept in the entryway closet for this exact reason. Shifting came at the cost of being naked when they became human once again, so nudity was common around their home, but they still kept plenty of robes available for everyone’s comfort.
“Jeongin, you’re back already?” Chan looked up as he heard Felix’s voice, seeing the other man appear in the hallway, his long, dyed-blonde hair a ragged mess. As soon as he saw Chan, his eyes widened, his hands pulling at his clothes and shaking his head in an attempt to fix his hair. “Oh, hi, Chan!”
“Hi, Lix.” Chan smiled softly, watching as Jeongin left his side and approached Felix to wrap an arm around his waist, and he cocked an eyebrow – That was different. “Everything alright around here?” He asked curiously, noticing that Jeongin was not so subtly trying to pull Felix back inside the room he shared with Jisung.
“Chan!” Jisung suddenly emerged from the bedroom, pushing past both Felix and Jeongin as he approached Chan. He looked like he was in the same state of disarray as Felix, with his hair and clothes a mess, and visible markings on his skin. “There you are! We missed you!” He announced loudly, not leaving any opportunity for a subtle entrance. Everyone definitely knew he was back home now.
“I missed you too, Sung.” Chan admitted, ruffling the younger man’s hair and looking over to see Jeongin’s eyes locked on him. “What did I miss around here?” He asked curiously, noticing that Felix was holding onto Jeongin as well now.
“The Twins got Jeongin in on their action.” Seungmin reported as he suddenly appeared from the kitchen, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest. “They’ve been fucking nonstop for days.” He huffed, making Jisung growl softly.
“Oh, so like you and Changbin did when you first got together?” Jisung challenged, but Seungmin simply rolled his eyes.
“Touche.” Seungmin conceded, nodding at Chan casually, to which Chan returned a nod as well. “Welcome home, Chan. I was wondering when you would show up again.” His tone lacked humor, but he didn’t seem angry either, just disappointed.
“Congratulations to the three of you. Fuck all you want, just be curteous of the rest of us, yeah?” Chan leveled with Jisung, Felix, and Jeongin, making sure to look at each of them individually and waiting for them to nod their understanding. “You should really shower though. You smell like sex.” He teased, making Jisung poke at his side.
“You stink like vampire.” Jisung teased him back, but there was a curiosity to his words. “Are you gonna tell us what you’ve gotten up to these last few days?” He raised a brow, still not leaving Chan’s side.
“Maybe later, when you don’t smell so bad, and Jeongin doesn’t look like he wants to kill me.” Chan chuckled a little, spanking Jisung lightly to send him back towards Felix and Jeongin, who were both watching him intently.
Jisung and Felix were always regarded as The Twins in their pack. They were the same age, born on almost the same day, and were practically inseparable. They did everything together, and that apparently included tag-teaming Jeongin. Chan was happy for them, knowing that he and Jeongin had always been the lone wolves in their pack, and it was great to know their youngest member was finally getting the love and attention he deserved from two of the greatest people Chan knew.
Watching the trio disappear inside the bedroom once again, Chan made his way towards the kitchen where Seungmin was still leaning against the wall and staring him down. He remembered Seungmin’s disappointment in him the other night, and briefly wondered if the other man preferred having Changbin leading the pack instead of Chan. Then again, Changbin was nowhere to be found, which was a little surprising.
“Are you okay?” Seungmin asked quietly, clearly wanting to seem casual, but the concern slipped into his words. “You look tired.” He commented as he furrowed his brows.
“Yeah, I’m alright. My wolf forced me out last night, so I’m just a little disoriented.” Chan tried to reassure him, but he tightened his hand that was tucked inside his sweatshirt pocket, still clutching Angel’s collar in his palm. His heart was in pain, still thinking of Hyunjin, but he knew he needed to move forward. “How is Changbin?” He asked curiously, wanting to get the attention off of himself.
Seungmin frowned hard at the mention of Changbin, looking in the direction of the bedroom before looking back at Chan. “Exhausted. He took over your midnight patrol shift, so he hasn’t been sleeping well at all. And with the three of them fucking around all the time, it’s hard for either one of us to get any shut eye.” He narrowed his eyes at Jisung and Felix’s bedroom, but his gaze softened as he looked back at Chan. “I didn’t realize how much you do for the pack, keeping us in check and making sure we’re safe. We really missed you around here.” He confessed, and Chan smiled softly, carefully pulling Seungmin in for a hug.
“I’m back, there’s no need to miss me any longer. It’s okay.” Chan reassured him softly, feeling Seungmin relax in his arms before hugging him back. Seungmin was only a little bit older than Jeongin, but he shouldered a lot of anxiety regarding the pack, and Chan was sure that his disappearance only made things worse. Their pack functioned so much better when they were all together. “Why don’t you go lay down with Changbin and rest a bit? You look pretty tired too.” He smiled gently as he ruffled Seungmin’s hair, feeling the younger man nuzzle against his chest.
“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea, actually. Thank you, Chan.” Seungmin whispered, squeezing Chan’s waist once more before slipping out of his arms and turning down the hallway to go towards his room. Looking over his shoulder, his gaze softened as he smiled at Chan again. “It’s really nice to have you back home.” He whispered, at which Chan bowed his head gratefully, silently saying thanks.
It was nice to be back home, Chan could admit. This was his space, the home he developed when he realized he had a feral wolf living within him. It was secluded and cozy, so uniquely them , each of the pack members having their personal belongings inside the house.
But something was definitely missing.
Chan tried to distract himself from the loneliness he felt, sensing that his pack was finally at peace now that he had returned. He made his way into the kitchen, continuing to prepare food for the week, which was what Seungmin was doing before he arrived.
During the week, the pack members would all work together to gather and prepare goods to sell in the market at the end of the week.. They would sell fruits they picked in the forest and vegetables they grew in their garden, as well as meat that they hunted and prepared. It was a decent source of income, but since they were so busy, it didn’t leave a lot of time for basic house chores like cooking and preparing food. Those tasks were typically Chan’s responsibility, by his own choice, knowing that it needed to happen in order for his pack to be well taken care of.
It was much later in the evening when his packmates joined him, all of them looking well-rested and bathed, which made him feel a lot better. He served dinner to each of them, looking around the table fondly as they ate, knowing that this pack had given him purpose for the last couple years of his life. Without them, he would have been lost.
But now, he had someone else to live for. And being without them was more painful than Chan was really ready to admit.
“So, are you ready to tell us about your little adventure, Mr. Bang Chan?” Jeongin asked as they all retired to the living room with full bellies. He was laying on one of their bean bags, with Jisung and Felix curled up on either side of his body, tucked snuggly under each of his arms.
Changbin and Seungmin sat on the couch together, snuggled up under a blanket, while Chan curled up on his own bean bag. He still hadn’t returned to his own bedroom, staying in Minho’s clothes the entire day and curling up as close to the floor as he could, still not ready to accept that he had left the apartment or shifted out of his wolf form.
“I wouldn’t describe it as an adventure, really. Just a weird twist of events.” Chan tried to dismiss, but he felt all eyes on him, intent and curious. “I went out to get chores done, just like I told you I would. But along the way, I almost witnessed an accident, where someone blind was about to get hit by a car. So I shifted and pushed them out of the way, but I got hit by the car instead.” He explained, watching as Felix and Jisung sat up rigid. “Long story short, I was mistaken for a stray dog, and adopted by the blind person I saved. And they also just happened to be a vampire’s mate.”
“Holy shit.” Felix breathed, raising one of his hands to cover his mouth. “And I thought us fucking Jeongin was the most exciting thing to happen this week.”
“Hey…” Jeongin pouted a little, at which point Jisung leaned up to cradle both sides of his face and kiss his nose, comforting him.
“The person you saved, that was the human we saw in your memory, right?” Changbin asked quietly, his brows furrowed slightly.
Changbin was Chan’s very first packmate. They both transformed for the first time within a few weeks of one another, and as a result, had learned to navigate being werewolves together. Chan considered Changbin to be his greatest friend, and he knew Changbin only meant well.
“Yes, that’s him. Hyunjin. He’s… wonderful.” Chan spoke carefully, trying not to get worked up. “Minho, the vampire, is his boyfriend. Both of them know I’m a werewolf, but neither will say anything, of course. We all have our own secrets to keep.” He added to reassure the pack of their safety, but none of them seemed as concerned about their identities as they were about Chan’s well-being.
“Your wolf bonded to Hyunjin, didn’t it?” Seungmin whispered, but it wasn’t a question as much as it was a reminder. “Your heart must be hurting, to be separated from him.” He sympathized, and Chan frowned a little, once again grabbing onto the collar in his pocket.
“I do miss him. I miss Minho too, surprisingly enough. But they have their relationship, and I have my pack to focus on.” Chan confessed, forcing a smile onto his face for his pack’s sake. “I’ll be just fine.” He insisted, but he wasn’t extremely confident, still trying to convince himself.
“The pack is fine as well. We’re strong enough to sustain ourselves, and while we miss you, you shouldn’t put your own life on pause for the sake of us.” Jisung spoke up, running a hand over Jeongin’s chest, slow and gentle. “You’ve always told us to not fight our wolves, to find a healthy middle ground with them. You should take your own advice.” He suggested with a wink, and Chan believed that Jisung wasn’t all that wrong. Maybe he could find a happy compromise for all of them.
He did stay with his pack for the next week, falling back into their usual routine, while also giving his wolf form plenty of time to finish recovering. It was nice to be back, to be around his packmates, to share meals and relax together. But each night, as Jeongin joined Jisung and Felix in their room, and Changbin and Seungmin both dismissed themselves as well, Chan found himself alone once again, his heart aching. It ached constantly now, but he just tried to distract himself from it. He wanted to go back to the apartment so badly.
After a couple days of warning, he prepared his pack to be without him again, preparing them food for a few days in advance and writing down reminders. He had talked about Hyunjin and Minho so much that it was the pack’s insistence that he was going back to the apartment, just to check in, but he wasn’t sure how long he would stay this time. It was an impromptu trip, and Chan just wanted it to turn out well.
The walk into town felt so much easier now, his footsteps lighter as he tracked his way back to Hyunjin’s apartment, smelling the faint traces of vampire from Minho’s hunt the night prior. It led him straight to where he needed to be, squeezing onto Angel’s collar inside his pocket before finally knocking on the front door. There was silence on the other side, but after a few moments, he heard footsteps approaching, followed by the door finally opening.
Hyunjin looked as beautiful as ever, his long, black hair falling onto his shoulders and his full lips gently curving up into a small smile. Chan missed him dearly, and the wolf within him scratched at the confines of his chest, just wanting to get closer.
“Hello?” Hyunjin asked tentatively, still partially hidden by the door in front of his body, but Chan had learned that was to keep too much sun from entering the apartment and hurting Minho.
“Hi, Hyunjin.” Chan started quietly, watching the way Hyunjin smiled even more as soon as he recognized his voice, but he decided to introduce himself regardless. “It’s Chan. I hope you don’t mind me showing up unannounced and all.”
“Not at all! Please, come in!” Hyunjin opened the door a little more to allow Chan to enter, and he noticed the human was already fully dressed. Typically, Hyunjin lounged around the house barefoot with an oversized shirt draped over his lithe frame and underwear – The bare essentials. He was dressed today in jeans and a sweater, black boots already secured around his ankles. “Min! Chan is here!” He announced excitedly, closing the front door and immediately latching both of his hands around Chan’s arm.
Chan didn’t even think twice as he stepped further inside the apartment and guided Hyunjin beside him, already feeling so comfortable in the space despite being away for a bit.
“I knew it smelled like a dog out here.” Minho appeared from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his hips and his hair still dripping onto his bare torso, a large smile stretched across his lips. Chan tried not to stare at his body for too long, but the vampire was clearly very strong, an apex predator that was built to survive and thrive.
“And I was just starting to think the apartment smelled better than before. Must’ve been because you finally showered.” Chan teased back, offering Minho a wide smile and extending his free hand towards the vampire. “It’s good to see you again, Minho.” He confessed genuinely, watching as Minho’s gaze softened, before he moved in to hug Chan briefly, bypassing the handshake that the werewolf tried to initiate. Chan didn’t hesitate a second longer before hugging him back, no longer thinking of the fact that Minho was practically naked and dripping wet.
“It’s great to see you, what a nice surprise!” Minho smiled as he pulled back again, dragging his eyes once over Chan’s body once, as if to check on him. “How is everything?” He asked a little quieter, eyes flickering towards Hyunjin when the human grabbed Chan’s arm a little tighter and curled up around it as they stood there together.
“Things are good, very good.” Chan nodded to reassure Minho, moving his other hand to rest on top of Hyunjin’s, comforting him subtly. “My wolf is fully healed, which is great news, I can shift back and forth without issue. And the pack is good as well. Our involuntary transformations are coming up, so we’re tying up loose ends.” He confessed. It was nice to have someone else to confide in, people that weren’t wolves, that might not have understood completely, but still knew the complications of trying to balance the supernatural world with a personal life. “How are both of you?” He asked politely.
“We are wonderful.” Hyunjin answered on both of their behalfs, but the huge smile stretched across his face as he raised his head was enough indication that it was the truth. “Our relationship has never been stronger, my hands finished healing, and I’ve started painting full-time again! Life is really good. It’s like we needed you to come around for everything to reset.” He added, rubbing Chan’s arm and facing him directly.
Chan’s heart thudded at the mention of him entering their life, unsure how relieved he was at the mention of the vampire’s relationship with the human getting even stronger than it was before. His personal feelings aside, he knew Minho planned on Hyunjin eventually transforming into a vampire. For now, Minho alone didn’t warrant an intervention from the wolf pack, as he wasn’t killing any innocent mortals. But when Hyunjin joined him as a young, reckless vampire, Chan wasn’t sure how long they could keep the peace.
The last thing he wanted was to lose his bond with Minho and Hyunjin.
“That’s really great news, Hyunjin. I’m glad I could help.” He smiled softly, looking into the human’s eyes and seeing the cloudy white depths that stared back at him. His heart thudded painfully, and he forced himself to speak again, not wanting to linger on the feeling. “You look like you’re dressed to leave, did I interrupt you?” He asked finally, watching as the surprise spread across Hyunjin’s face, his cheeks turning a bright pink.
“Interrupt?! No, no, I was just preparing to leave for a shopping trip, it’s alright. I didn’t even get my cane out yet.” Hyunjin flustered as he slowly let go of Chan’s arm, as if he hadn’t realized he was holding on so tightly.
Chan noticed from the corner of his eye as Minho, still watching them while half-naked in the bathroom doorway, frowned deeply. He knew well enough that the vampire had anxiety about Hyunjin leaving the house alone during the day, as there was nothing he could do to support him due to the sun overhead.
“A shopping trip? Can I come?” Chan asked curiously, catching the attention of both Minho and Hyunjin. “It’s been a little bit since I’ve been able to come back here, so I prepared my pack for me to be gone for a bit. And if you’re going out, I’d love to join you.” He explained further, watching as Hyunjin blushed brightly.
“O-Of course you can come! I would really love that, actually.” Hyunjin’s smile was bigger than Chan had ever seen it before, dimples poking into his cheeks. Turning to Minho, Hyunjin carefully extended his hands to find Minho’s shoulders before sliding his hands up slowly, resting them at the base of the vampire’s neck before leaning in to kiss him gently. “Min, I’ll be back a little later with Channie, okay? I’ll be safe.” He said quietly, and Chan watched as a similar smile stretched its way across Minho’s features.
“Take your time, Jinnie. I know you’re in good hands.” Minho hummed happily, his arms wrapping around Hyunjin’s waist to hug him close, but the vampire’s eyes locked on Chan. The warning was clear — Don’t you dare let something bad happen. And though the words were silent, Chan understood him perfectly, nodding once. “Have fun out there.” He spoke to Hyunjin again directly, kissing the human’s lips once more and hugging his waist gently.
Chan observed them closely, swallowing hard, but saying nothing. They were truly in love. There was no denying that.
As Minho turned back into the bathroom to get dried off and dressed, Hyunjin turned towards Chan again, a massive smile still on his face. Together, they made their way towards the front door, and Chan opened up the closet they kept in the front entranceway, which also held Hyunjin’s cane most days. And while the cane was inside, there was another object, still wrapped in plastic and laying on the shelf beside the cane.
“Jin? Did you buy a guide dog harness?” Chan asked quietly as he took out the leather-clad harness, noticing just how big the contraption was.
“Oh, I-uh…” Hyunjin hesitated for a moment, as if he’d forgotten about the harness. Or maybe, he just hoped Chan wouldn’t find it. “I started getting it custom-made while Angel was staying with us, so I didn’t have to tug on your collar anymore. You left, but the harness was already being made, so I still took it.” He explained carefully, one of his hands reaching out to run his hands over the plastic-covered harness. “It’s a nice memory…”
Chan felt his heart pang with sadness. Hyunjin had a harness custom-made for his wolf’s large size, anticipating that they would be together for a long time. The truth had taken Hyunjin’s hopes away with it. And now, all that was left was memories, and dreams of what could have been.
“Was it easier for Angel to guide you instead of using your cane?” Chan asked curiously, watching as Hyunjin shyly nodded.
“Yes. I knew I could relax, that you would keep me safe, take me wherever I needed to go. I was using my cane the day you saved me, and as you saw, it’s not entirely foolproof.” Hyunjin confessed, reaching into the closet for his cane with a small frown on his face.
"Then let's use the harness today." Chan interrupted him quickly, watching as Hyunjin's hand stopped mid-air, still attempting to locate his cane. "I can control my transformations now. I can shift before we leave, and once we get back home, I can shift back." He explained, but Hyunjin just frowned more as he faced Chan again.
"Are you sure?" Hyunjin whispered, looking a little unsure. "You could just guide me as a human and I'll use my cane on the side." He tried to reason, but Chan had already made up his mind.
"I'm positive. You just told me it's easier for me to guide you as a wolf, and I have the ability to shift, so we should take advantage of that." Chan smiled, already starting to unwrap the harness from its plastic confines. When it was unwrapped, he handed it back to Hyunjin, so he could fasten it afterward.
"How... can you shift?" Hyunjin asked cautiously, taking a small step backward. Now Chan could see what Minho meant by Hyunjin's imagination getting the best of him, and he could only imagine the fear that bubbled up within the human.
"It's very simple, I promise. I'm gonna... strip naked so I don't shred my clothes, and then I just let the wolf take over. It's not violent at all. No snapping bones or screaming. Just a gradual shift." He reassured quietly, already stepping back a few paces to take off his sweatshirt.
There were definitely instances where a sudden shift could be quite painful, especially during an involuntary transformation, but Chan didn't need to tell that to Hyunjin now, not when he was already nervous. Instead, he watched Hyunjin relax a little as he pulled Angel's collar from his pocket and secured it around his neck. Hyunjin smiled a little more at the recognizable tinkling sound, and Chan watched him fondly, stripping out of his clothes the rest of the way. He reminded himself that he shouldn't be ashamed, not when Hyunjin was blind, and after he explicitly mentioned that he would be taking off his clothes. Hyunjin didn't seem bothered by the idea at all, so this must have been alright.
Slowly, he allowed the wolf to take over his body, feeling the heat rise within his chest as he slowly transformed, claws replacing his fingers and toes, and pale skin turning into black fur. It was quick and painless, and Chan shook out his body to loosen his wolf's joints, enjoying the sound that his collar made when he did so. Hyunjin seemed to like it too, the smile erupting even wider on his face as he heard Chan start to come closer.
"C’mere!" Hyunjin cooed, holding the harness out in front of him, and squeaking happily when Chan pushed his head through the right space. "What a handsome boy you are inside your harness!" He giggled as he finished strapping the harness around Chan's chest, and while he beamed with praise, he noticed Hyunjin's hesitation a moment later. "Sorry... I forgot you're not Angel..." He whispered, already blushing a bright shade of red.
Unable to say anything to reassure him vocally that it was alright, Chan licked the tip of Hyunjin's nose, watching as the human flustered brighter. That seemed to be enough to make Hyunjin forget about his own shyness, scratching Chan between his ears a few times before standing up properly and grabbing onto the bar that stretched out from the harness, connected on to either side of Chan's shoulders. And feeling a sense of pride blooming in his chest, Chan guided Hyunjin to the front door, excited to spend time together once again.
— H. H. —
He could have just as easily left the house holding his cane in one hand, and holding onto Chan's arm in the other. Hell, he could've navigated the route alone just using his cane -- He'd done it several times before, and knew that his accident was just that: An accident. It was never meant to happen. And it probably never would again. Hyunjin knew he had every ability within himself to get to the art supply store entirely on his own.
But nothing, genuinely nothing, gave him the same level of confidence as being guided by Chan in his wolf form.
When people looked at him, they didn't see his cloudy eyes or the gaudy cane he dragged across the ground in front of him. Nor did they see him grasping onto someone's arm, relying on them as if he wasn't able to do anything on his own
No, instead they saw a massive black wolf guiding him along with a simple hand wrapped around a harness, no canes or other people necessary. For the first time in two years, he radiated confidence and pride. And he absolutely loved it.
He wondered if Chan even knew just how much this meant to him. By guiding from his wolf form, he was opening Hyunjin up to a brand new level of independence and ability. To anyone else, it might have been silly to have the basic access of crossing a street or shopping around a store on his own. But to Hyunjin, it was something that had been taken from him, and he longed to have some semblance of normalcy in his life once again.
Chan was patient with him too, guiding Hyunjin wherever he asked to be taken, and sitting patiently at his side as he sorted through the various bottles of paint. It took time, as Hyunjin had to find the bottles that had raised braille lettering on them, which was already pretty rare since most blind people didn't go shopping for a visual tool like paint. But once he found the bottles, and read the labels of a few colors he was searching for, he tested the texture out on the tips of his fingers. In order to paint, he needed to be able to feel what he was working with, so supply shopping typically took a while. But Chan didn't seem bothered in the slightest, which Hyunjin was very grateful for.
It definitely felt different from when Angel was at his side. He wasn't sure if it was just because he knew better, or because he started to bond more with Chan, but it was different -- In a good way. Hyunjin felt even more confident in the wolf's ability to guide and protect him since there was an intelligent human underneath the surface. He thought that Chan worked really well with him too. They just really understood each other, on a deeper level than before.
When Hyunjin finally finished shopping and paying for his paint, Chan led the way back home. And as much as Hyunjin wanted to paint that day, as he originally planned, he was much more intrigued by the idea of spending more time with Chan. When they entered the apartment, he could hear and smell Minho cooking in the kitchen, which was always nice to return home to. He could hear Minho's footsteps approaching as he bent down, unstrapping the harness from the wolf's body so Chan could shift back.
"Welcome home -- Oh my god, you're naked!" Minho's voice started off bright and cheerful, but it turned shrill at the end, and Hyunjin could only imagine that he must have walked into the entryway just as Chan shifted back into his human form.
Chan squeaked in surprise as well, and Hyunjin could hear rushed footsteps, giggling to himself. "Yes, I am, oh my god. You know this. You saw the clothes that I left here..." He grumbled, only making Hyunjin laugh louder.
"You both act as if you've never seen a naked man before. It's natural, no need to get all embarrassed." Hyunjin smiled as he walked past both Chan and Minho, leaving the harness in the closet with his cane as he grabbed his bag from the store and made his way into the living room.
He would have loved to see a human body again, naked or clothed. He imagined Minho looked stunning, with bright red eyes and strong muscles. And Minho had told him that Chan was quite handsome as well. Deep brown eyes, pale skin, black curly hair, and a chiseled, warm body. Hyunjin wasn't upset at Minho looking so closely at another man either. He was confident in himself and how he looked and Minho's love for him. Besides, he had been curious to know if Chan's looks matched his beautiful personality.
As Chan got dressed again, and Minho tended to the kitchen, Hyunjin busied himself with organizing his paint inside the makeshift shelving unit Minho set aside for him in the living room. The apartment was small, as Hyunjin never really anticipated spending much time there when he first started renting it, only ever returning home in between filming projects. However, losing his eyesight left him homebound for a while, especially as the doctors ran tests and he received treatment in the hopes of restoring his vision.
Eventually, Minho moved in with him, helping him adapt the small apartment into a place that was safe for him to navigate blindly. And it had never really been an issue that they couldn't have open windows around their home, as Minho couldn’t be in the sunlight, and Hyunjin was no longer able to appreciate the view outside his apartment window. It wasn't much, but it was comfortable living, and Hyunjin liked his tiny living space. But when Angel entered their home, things started to feel a little crowded. And as much as Hyunjin liked Chan's presence in his home, three full-grown men, two of which were supernatural beings, sharing a small apartment was definitely a squeeze.
"Is this me?" Hyunjin heard Chan speak from behind him, a small smile on his face as he realized Chan must have found the last painting he finished.
"It is. It's the same painting of Angel I was working on before, just with a few more adjustments. He's a little bigger now. Definitely more wolf-like." Hyunjin explained happily, closing his drawers of paint and leaning back against it as he wrapped his arms around his own waist and faced Chan. "...Do you think it looks like you?" He asked quietly.
He didn't believe Chan would be cruel or unkind about his art. Instead, he feared something much worse -- That Chan would lie to him just for the sake of not giving any critique or comment. Hyunjin wanted to improve his art, to be the best he possibly could be. But the only way he could do that was through pure honesty from the people in his life that could see.
"It looks beautiful. The best I've ever looked, honestly, and possibly the kindest way someone has ever viewed my wolf." There was honesty in Chan's words, but Hyunjin had gotten really good at deciphering someone's tone and diction. He could read between the lines better than some sighted people ever could. Chan was holding something back from him.
"But?" Hyunjin urged him on, standing up a little straighter. "Please tell me what you're thinking." He requested a little bit softer, wanting Chan to know that he wasn't upset, he just wanted the whole truth.
"You got the sizing right this time, which is great. But..." Chan hesitated, clearly unsure of himself. He had a good heart, he just didn't want to hurt Hyunjin's feelings or make him self-conscious, which Hyunjin appreciated, but not when it came to his artwork. "But my eyes... You made them a brown shade of amber. My wolf's eyes are much brighter, like an orange." He finally admitted, making Hyunjin smile brighter.
"I can absolutely fix that." Hyunjin beamed as he approached Chan now, extending his hands out in front of him a little to know when he got closer. Chan carefully reached out to meet his hands before gently pulling Hyunjin into his space a little further, his arms wrapping around Hyunjin’s waist and holding him against his front. "Thank you for telling me." He said happily, relaxing in Chan's arms a bit. It felt good to be held, and Hyunjin wouldn’t shy away from it. Chan had always been honest with him, extremely so, and that was something Hyunjin really appreciated too. He liked this a lot. “I want to capture all the details of your wolf as accurately as possible. My next piece is going to be your whole wolf pack, which is why I needed to get more paint today.” He smiled up at Chan, sharing a bit more honesty with him in return.
“My wolf pack?” Chan asked curiously.
“Minho told me what they look like, but we don’t know their names.” Hyunjin explained briefly before tilting his head to the side curiously. “Can you tell me more about them?”
The wolf pack was a very curious entity to Hyunjin. It was a whole group that Chan was bonded to, people he loved and cared about that were just like him, and Hyunjin had never met any of them.
Chan was important to him. So important that it felt important to also know the other people Chan cared about, outside of himself and Minho.
“O-Of course, I can tell you. But let’s sit down, there’s a bunch of them.” Chan audibly flustered, and Hyunjin smiled at him, letting Chan guide him towards the couch in the living room and curling up against Chan’s side once he sat down. “Who do you know so far?” He asked curiously, his hand rubbing Hyunjin’s side slowly.
“There was a large wolf, almost as big as you. He was dark gray, but with white paws, like he was wearing socks. And yellow eyes.” Hyunjin started carefully as his hands grabbed the soft fabric of Chan’s sweatshirt and squeezed it between his fingers. Minho had told him about the pack in great detail, and Hyunjin had committed it to memory, latching onto it as if he couldn’t get enough.
“That’s Changbin. He’s my second in command. If I’m gone, he’s in charge of the pack.” Chan explained with a warm smile in his words, and Hyunjin committed that to memory too. All of this information was very important.
“And there was another wolf that looked just like you! All black, amber eyes, almost your size too. But he had white fur on his muzzle and chest.” Hyunjin continued with more excitement, eager to keep learning and giving a name to the mental image he had conjured up.
“That’s Jeongin, our most recent addition. He does look just like me; I was shocked the first time he transformed, but his human form is very different from mine.” Chan chuckled, and Hyunjin tried to imagine that. He had stopped trying to imagine faces a long time ago, because there were just so many people with so many variations, but he was very curious to know what Chan looked like.
“There was one more, a little brown wolf too!” Hyunjin added excitedly, and Chan was quiet for a moment before answering him.
“The dark brown wolf that came here, right? He was all brown with hazel eyes, no other markings?” Chan clarified, and Hyunjin was a little unsure of himself. Minho hadn’t mentioned any other markings on the brown wolf.
“No, he was just brown. He didn’t get close enough for me to see his eyes either.” Hyunjin was a little surprised to hear Minho’s voice approaching, jumping in Chan’s arms a bit. Chan was quick to react, holding him a little tighter and soothing him as Minho sat on Hyunjin’s other side on the couch. Hyunjin didn’t try to move at all from where he was sandwiched between his two favorite people, still curled up against Chan’s side and clutching his sweatshirt.
“I see. So, you both only know the pack members that came here. The dark brown wolf with hazel eyes is Seungmin, he’s Changbin’s mate.” Chan explained calmly, but the idea of mates existing in Chan’s pack made Hyunjin’s heart flutter a bit. He had heard Minho refer to Hyunjin as his mate before, and for some reason, thought it was exclusive to vampires. Clearly, the idea extended across supernatural lines. Did Chan’s pack have more mated pairs? Was Chan mated to anyone? Before he could think of it more, Chan was quick to move the conversation along. “I have two more pack members, but they didn’t come that night. Jisung’s wolf is brown as well, but he’s very light, nearly tan. He’s got white socks on his paws, like Changbin, and green eyes. And Felix’s wolf is light gray with green eyes.”
Hyunjin was quick to imagine the new wolves, trying to find a place for them alongside the pack that already existed in his mind. He couldn’t wait to bring them all to life on canvas, and he hoped Chan’s honesty would continue to help him create the most accurate portrayals of them as possible. Smiling to himself, he curled up a little more, running his hand up Chan’s chest until his fingers brushed against Angel’s collar, realizing that Chan still had it on even after he transformed back into his human form. He must have tucked it underneath his sweatshirt, so it didn’t make noise, but Hyunjin’s nimble fingers pulled it to the surface until it rested proudly against Chan’s collarbones.
Chan was a strong leader of a large and diverse wolf pack. And yet, he showed his vulnerable side, snuggled up at Hyunjin’s side in the presence of a vampire. Hyunjin loved his duality.
“It must be hard. To lead so many people, to be the one that everyone turns to in times of need and relies on.” Hyunjin commented quietly as he slowly realized that he had done the exact same thing. Chan had kept him safe during his accident, and proceeded to guide him without hesitation. It was like Hyunjin was already part of the pack, just without being a wolf.
“It was scary at first. When I first transformed, it was just me, and I had no idea what was happening, no one to help me. So when Changbin came along, I was actually relieved to not be alone anymore. We learned together, and gradually, our pack grew into what it is today.” Chan explained gently as he rubbed Hyunjin’s back, one of his hands coming up to brush a piece of Hyunjin’s hair behind his ear. “The past two years have been a whirlwind, I’ll say that much.”
“Two years, hm?” Hyunjin swallowed hard at that. The past two years had been a whirlwind. But while Chan was thriving, Hyunjin was suffering and learning to cope with the loss of his eyesight. “It’s been about two years since my accident, you know. That’s when Minho saved me.” He smiled faintly before it fell, realizing that he hadn’t told Chan about that night at all. It wasn’t something he shared with strangers, but Chan was far from a stranger, and Hyunjin wanted him to know. Carefully, he reached behind him for Minho, smiling when the vampire’s hand slid into his own and promptly ended his search. Hyunjin kissed Minho’s knuckles and held the vampire’s hand against his chest, his left hand still rubbing against Chan’s chest and occasionally bumping against Angel’s collar to hear the bell ring. “...Do you want to know about that night?” Hyunjin asked finally, feeling Minho’s hand squeeze his own.
“Only if you feel comfortable telling me. I’m okay not knowing.” Chan said gently, always trying to accomodate instead of being upfront and saying what he wanted. When Hyunjin twisted his smile and tilted his head in accusation, he didn’t even get a moment to insist before Chan giggled. “If you’re alright telling me, then yes, I want to know. I want to know anything that helps me understand you and what you’ve been through better.” He finally answered honestly, and Hyunjin’s normal smile returned to his face, nodding once.
“Well, some important context is that I used to be a cinematographer. I went to school to study film, and as soon as I graduated, I worked on many, many shoots. I loved my job. I really, really did.” Hyunjin remembered fondly, some of his favorite film frames still burned into his memory, but the details had slowly started to fade with time. “On this night in particular, we had just finished post-production, and I watched the first rough-cut of our film with the crew. We had a lot of fun, and went out to the bar in town to celebrate, but I didn’t really drink. That was a big debate after my accident, if I was drunk or not, but I know it for sure – I only had one beer that night. I was not drunk.” Hyunjin stated firmly, feeling slight agitation in his chest, even though Chan nor Minho had ever accused him of that fact.
After the accident, some professionals had questioned if it was Hyunjin’s own fault, if he had gouged out his own eyes, or asked for trouble by stumbling drunkenly into the path of an animal.
He knew this wasn’t his fault. He had done nothing wrong that night.
He had watched the scenario in his head over and over again, replaying that night, the remaining memory, trying to piece it all together. It was the last few moments of his life where he had full vision, and most of it had been lost in the carnage of that night. But he knew it wasn’t his fault.
Minho squeezed Hyunjin’s hand again and pressed a soft kiss to his shoulder blade, reminding him where he was. Taking a shaky breath, Hyunjin grounded himself and continued. “Anyway, they were at the bar until late, as people do. And I decided to leave before the rest of the crew, so I started walking home alone. I remember leaving, and the empty roads as I started the walk back to my apartment, but after a bit, everything goes black. I can’t remember the accident itself.” He finally confessed, the sound lingering in the air for a few moments. “My doctors diagnosed it as localized dissociative amnesia. Whatever trauma I endured, my body doesn’t want me to remember it. And if it’s bad enough that my brain is trying to protect me from the memory, then I guess it’s probably better that I don’t know.” He explained, letting out a shaky exhale and relaxing as Minho pressed more tender kisses to his shoulders, grounding him. “The next thing I remember, I was lying in a hospital bed and Minho was right beside me. He found me after the accident and… never really left.” He smiled fondly, turning his head over his shoulder with pursed lips and humming when Minho kissed him tenderly.
“I love you.” Minho reminded him softly, and Hyunjin nodded gently, pressing their foreheads together.
"And I love you." Hyunjin whispered back to him, feeling his chest warm at the gentle reminder, but when he remembered Chan sitting just beside them, his heart thudded. This was a very intimate moment, but it felt right that Chan was there to share it with them. Not in his wolf form in the corner of the room, but cuddled up beside them on the couch, in his human form, his arms wrapped snuggly around Hyunjin. He actually felt Chan's grip tighten on him slightly, but Hyunjin wasn't bothered in the slightest, turning his head back towards Chan. "Maybe the same will happen with you, hm? You showed up to save me from an accident... Maybe you won't leave my side either." He kept his voice low as he addressed Chan, a smile clear on his lips as he tilted his head forward a bit.
Hyunjin brought it up to Minho a few times while they were apart from Chan, trying to express just how much he missed the other man. Their time together was brief, but Hyunjin knew Chan was special, and Minho felt it too. Both of them longed for the day that Chan would return to their side, so they could pick up right where they left off. And now that Chan returned, Hyunjin truly didn't want to be apart from him again. He hoped Chan felt the same.
"I'll stay by your side for as long as I'm allowed." Chan whispered, and Hyunjin smiled deeper as he felt Chan's forehead press against his own, just as he had done with Minho. It was a soft and subtle connection, but it was more than enough for Hyunjin, his heart racing happily within his chest. "Thank you for telling me..." He added, and Hyunjin nodded his head gently, letting him know it was alright.
"Thank you for listening. I just want to share things with you. The good, the bad, the past, and the future." Hyunjin confessed, feeling Minho's hand squeeze his again. Taking another deep breath, he gathered up the courage to ask the question on his mind, knowing he had Minho's support. "Can you stay here with us again? I know you have your pack, and I won't ask you to stay too long, but I miss you. I want you here. At least for a little while."
It was moments like this where Hyunjin truly hated being blind. Chan could be grimacing, and that nonverbal cue would have stopped him from asking Chan to stay and saved himself from the embarrassment. Or Chan could be smiling brightly, and Hyunjin would be completely unaware, never able to see a twinkle in his eyes or the dimples emerge on his cheeks.
— L. M. —
Minho wished that Hyunjin could have seen the way Chan looked at him; Full of love and patience and admiration. He knew because he looked at Hyunjin the exact same way. Hyunjin was a very special human. And Minho was grateful that Chan could recognize that.
He watched Chan the entire time they sat on the couch together, staring at the werewolf from over Hyunjin's shoulder. The few times Chan would catch his gaze, he would blush and quickly turn his attention back to Hyunjin, but Minho kept watching him, even as he kissed Hyunjin's shoulders and held his hand. Minho was still very much making his presence known, and both Chan and Hyunjin were well aware of him. And together on the couch, they found a blissful calm that kept them huddled together.
Chan really liked Hyunjin, and it was painfully clear, all of the werewolf's heart worn directly on his sleeve. But the way he glanced at Minho made the vampire believe that Chan liked him as well. And Minho definitely liked Chan.
With Hyunjin finally asking Chan to stay with them again, Minho had known this question was coming from his discussions with his boyfriend while they were alone, but Chan looked completely stunned. Nervous, he met Minho's eyes again, so the vampire was quick to give him a reassuring smile, his right hand moving from Hyunjin's waist to Chan's thigh and rubbing gently while his left hand was still entwined with Hyunjin's.
Chan was silently asking for permission, to clarify if Minho was okay with this or not. But Minho was completely on board; Their home changed for the better when Chan walked through the front door and hadn't been the same since he left.
"Please?" Minho added for good measure, letting Chan know vocally that he wanted this too. That seemed to be just enough to sway Chan's worried thoughts, watching as a smile spread across his features and he nodded eagerly.
"I would love to stay here with both of you. My pack will be just fine without me for a little bit." Chan's words were soft as he held Hyunjin's waist a little tighter, but one of his hands came down to rest on top of Minho's, pressing it further into the flesh of his thigh. Minho squeezed his hand a little tighter as reassurance, and Chan hummed happily, glancing at Minho again and smiling brightly. "Right now, this is where I need to be."
Minho couldn't agree more.
They lingered on the couch for a while longer, all entangled in one way or another. There was a definite closeness between Hyunjin and Minho, which was natural and to be expected, but Chan was curious, and both Hyunjin and Minho were oh-so-eager. They were never good about hiding their true feelings, and both of them valued physical touch as a love language, so it was second nature for them to express that to Chan.
Chan seemed a little flustered by it, face nearly going beet red as Hyunjin crawled up to straddle his lap as Minho's arm snaked around his waist, but they made sure he was never uncomfortable either. Chan enjoyed their closeness, he was just shy and still trying to figure out what lines he could and couldn't cross. If only he knew that those lines no longer existed for him.
As night began to fall, and the sun started to disappear from behind the safety of the curtains, Minho left the couch to continue preparing dinner. He loved cooking for Hyunjin and watching his boyfriend eat the food he enjoyed making but could no longer consume. With Chan around, he could make even more food and watch both of them eat, which he learned had only made him even happier. He glanced over at them from where he worked in the kitchen, still wrapped around each other in the darkness of the living room, Hyunjin's fingers tracing the outline of Chan's face as Chan rubbed his back, still watching Hyunjin with that fond gaze.
He chose not to disturb them until dinner was ready, plating their food and bringing it to the small dining table. Hyujin and Chan parted long enough to join him in their own seats, but Chan's eyes still wandered towards Hyunjin, and Hyunjin's hand not-so-subtly rubbed Chan's thigh under the table, making the other man blush brightly again. Minho decided Chan looked extra cute with his face flushed, more determined than ever to always see that cute sheen of pink spread across his cheeks.
When they finished eating, Chan was quick to offer to wash the dishes, which Minho accepted, but on the condition that he could help clear the table and dry the dishes. Minho took care of a lot of the house chores of cooking and cleaning, mainly because it was easier for him to do those tasks with sight, but he also loved to care for Hyunjin. But Chan offering to help, standing shoulder to shoulder with him at the kitchen sink, was a nice change of pace as well.
"Once we finish here, I'll leave to go hunting. But I can trust you to keep Hyunjin warm until I get back home, hm?" Minho smirked a little as he nudged Chan's shoulder with his own, but the other man looked a little upset by the idea of Minho leaving the apartment.
"Do you really have to go?" Chan whispered, so low that Minho almost missed it. When Minho didn't answer right away, Chan looked at him directly, dishes forgotten. After living with Hyunjin for so long, feeling someone else meet his eyes, and practically staring straight through him, was a very intense feeling. "I've missed you too. I really don't want any of us to leave the apartment tonight." He confessed, his bravery dying out a moment later as his gaze dropped to his hands.
"I fed from Hyunjin last night. I really shouldn't do that for multiple days in a row..." Minho drifted off, knowing that he wouldn't ask Hyunjin to risk it, not unless he truly had to. "It'll only take a little while. I'll be back before you can miss me." He tried to reassure Chan with a smile, running his hand through Chan's dark curls, but he still wasn't convinced or soothed.
"What if you fed from me instead?" Minho was positive he heard Chan incorrectly, freezing up and watching the werewolf meet his eyes again. Chan's brown eyes were so different from Angel's bright amber ones; So warm and deep, inviting, like a night sky that held the stars. Minho was lost in them for a few moments before shaking his head and blinking.
"I couldn't." Minho whispered, shaking his head with a little more insistence now. "I wouldn't ask you to do that." He clarified further. Werewolves hated vampires. Vampires hated werewolves. The two supernatural species were at direct odds with one another. And although Minho and Chan might have been the exception, that didn't erase centuries of bad blood. Minho knew that drinking supernatural blood could be hit or miss, but he never heard of a vampire even getting close enough to a werewolf to attempt a feeding.
"You wouldn't be asking. I would be allowing you to do so, completely consensual." Chan insisted, and Minho smiled softly at his determination, which made Chan blush again. "Please, Minho? It would make me happy if you didn't have to leave here tonight. And it would make my wolf happy to know that you're not out hunting innocent mortals." He added with a shy chuckle, and Minho hummed quietly, enjoying the idea of making both Chan and his inner wolf feel at peace.
"Alright, we can try... But you need to tell me if something goes wrong." Minho agreed hesitantly, but Chan was quick to nod, seemingly just as aware that the situation could go sideways.
"Of course, just as I expect you to do the same." Chan smiled brighter now, bumping his hand against Minho's before carefully intertwining their fingers. His touch was warm, even warmer than Hyunjin's, and Minho wondered how cold his hand felt inside Chan's. If it was uncomfortable, the other man didn't say anything, but neither was Minho expecting him to. Chan cared so strongly about everyone else except himself. "We'll tell Hyunjin too, just in case you need mortal blood afterward. But I think it's worth a shot. If we don't try, we'll never know if it could work or not." He explained his reasoning, and Minho nodded tentatively. He trusted Chan enough to try, but he didn't want to cause the werewolf any discomfort.
Minho raised their hands and pressed a soft kiss to Chan's knuckles, watching as he blushed impossibly red again, the color overtaking his ears and throat. He didn't linger there long, not wanting to make Chan too nervous, pulling his fingers away to finish washing the rest of the dishes. But as soon as they were done in the kitchen, Minho slid his hand confidently inside Chan's, guiding him towards their bedroom.
After finishing dinner, Hyunjin had dismissed himself to the bedroom while Minho smiled to himself subtly. They had discussed what they would do if Chan came to stay with them again, and where he would sleep. Almost simultaneously, they agreed that Chan should not be exiled to the living room, and should instead be welcomed inside their bed. It was certainly big enough to accommodate all of them, after all. So when they entered the room to find Hyunjin on his knees in the center of the large mattress, fluffing up a nest of pillows all around him, Minho knew he was truly the luckiest man alive.
“Angel?” Hyunjin asked quietly as he looked over his shoulder in their direction. Minho flustered a little, wondering if Hyunjin got confused after hearing the collar around Chan’s neck, but the man beside him didn’t miss a beat.
“Yes, I’m here. Minho is here too, he’s not going hunting tonight.” Chan answered right away, pulling Minho with him as he approached the bed now. Minho was still a little surprised that Chan responded to the name ‘Angel’, but he reasoned that Chan probably didn’t want to embarrass Hyunjin by correcting him. Then again, ‘Angel’ could easily be shrugged off as a sweet pet name. Minho still thought the name suited him, even in his human form.
“Oh?” Hyunjin asked curiously, his hand coming up to caress the side of his neck where Minho had fed him from the night prior, the flesh probably still tender. “I thought you didn’t want to do feedings on consecutive days?” His words were phrased as an innocent question, but Minho didn’t miss the smirk that spread across his lips. Hyunjin loved when Minho fed from him, and while that made him happy, it also scared him. Too much of Minho’s venom at once would be lethal to Hyunjin.
“You’re right, I don’t. And the only way I’ll feed from you tonight is if it’s an emergency.” Minho explained as he and Chan stood at the edge of the bed, watching as Hyunjin pouted a little with disappointment and started crawling across the mattress towards them. “Chan offered to let me feed from him tonight. So we’re going to try that.” He was surprised to feel his face getting hot at the very mention of their sudden arrangement. He didn’t get flustered often, and most of the time, Hyunjin could never tell, since he masked it very well. But Chan could see him, a goofy smile spread across his face as he squeezed Minho’s hand.
“Werewolf blood? Oh my god, I bet he’ll taste delicious!” Hyunjin was happy again at the mention of Chan feeding Minho instead of him, and the vampire was relieved he wouldn’t have to deal with any jealousy. Tonight, his focus needed to be on Chan, monitoring his reactions to vampire venom, just in case. As Hyunjin reached the edge of the bed, he sat up on his knees in front of Chan and Minho, one of his hands running up each of their chests slowly as a wide smirk spread across his features. “Let’s get started, shall we?” He hummed as he tilted his head to the side, clearly excited.