lotus_beauty (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
lotus_beauty) wrote2009-03-31 12:39 am
lotus_beauty) wrote2009-03-31 12:39 am
[Fic] Feel: Part 15/17
Title: Feel (aka that vampire fic)
Author: LotusBeauty
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Type: Multi-chapter, 17+epilogue
Pairings: JaeChun, Minsu
Genre: AU, fantasy, fusion, comedy/drama/emo, loltribute
Summary: See part 1. This is the first arc. Doesn't that fill you with dread? >3 LONG FIC IS LONG.
Notes: Don’t start with me. Deep down, you know you wanted it. Reference post here. Many thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
shinigamitabris and kenaressa for betaing~
Disclaimer: Not mine, never were.
Part 1: Face the Gun / Good Luck
Part 2: Voice on the Radio
Part 3: LONG SHOT PENNY
Part 4: No Way to Say
Part 5: Unafraid
Interlude: Rowdy Rumble
Part 6: Girlfriend
Part 7: Echo
Part 8: I CAN FEEL / This is Halloween
Part 9: The Perfect Drug
Part 10: It’s All About You
Part 11: Wicked Game
Part 12: Disappear
Part 13: Get Mine, Get Yours
Interlude: Call Me Irresponsible
Part 14: Ordinary
15: Pressure
Jae nervously looked away from Micky’s back as his arm brushed over the holster on the side of his torso while they walked.
“I have something for you.”
Kumi had said it when she approached the couch. She asked to borrow him for a little while and Micky had bristled for a moment before letting go of the young man. Jae could tell Micky didn’t want to leave his side. But the way Changmin acted around her gave Jae the courage to stand up and follow her. He was glad for the reprieve—he could hear Kendra on the phone with her mother in the kitchen. Actually, he could hear Mrs. Bennington yelling at her through the phone for the situation that had arisen. He didn’t want to get in the middle of that particular argument and quickly followed Kumi out to the backyard.
“I know I can’t train you the way you ought to be, but this might be able to buy you some time since you’re his main target.”
She then held out a holster containing a gun to him. He stared at it. He stared at her, and then the gun again. How could this possibly give him an edge over beings that were much stronger and so much faster than he could ever be? Jae glanced up to see his lover watching idly from the deck, Changmin nodding from beside him.
“Is it worth it, to give me this?” Jae asked as he took the weapon carefully. He’d never held a gun, let alone shot one before.
Kumi reached over and undid the holster to pull the gun out. She ejected the magazine to pull out one of the bullets. Jae frowned and leaned closer to see that the bullets were hollow with a silver liquid inside of them.
“Just in case.”
Jae glanced up at her as his memory of Micky explaining silver surfaced and he understood. He might actually have to protect himself from the other vampires with this. All of these people around him and they trusted him to protect himself. It actually made him feel just a little bit better, even if the thought that he might have to do it was upsetting.
Kumi then took the time to gloss over how the gun worked and get him used to wearing the holster and holding the gun. Micky came down then to help him slip the straps over his arms as he realized it was a shoulder holster and Kumi helped tighten a few straps.
“I feel so…” Jae reached for a word.
“Manly?” Micky offered with a smirk.
Jae tossed him an amused glare and chose to keep his mouth shut on the subject. Kumi then slowly drilled him with drawing the gun and ways to hold it. She made a comment about hoping he would have a balanced stance if he had to draw the gun and Jae wondered if this would all matter if he wasn’t even stable. At one point Jae pointed the gun at a noise off in the forest in surprise and Kumi commended him for his quick reaction and decided to quit since he’d gotten used to the two handed hold.
“Maybe I’ll take you to a firing range someday.”
Jae sighed at the thought as he and Kendra followed Micky down the road. He had called his father to say he was staying with Yunho for the weekend, and Kendra had to get yelled at by her mother over the phone about being chased by a vampire. When Kendra clarified it was Jae being chased, it seemed like her mother only yelled louder.
Currently, the three of them were walking down the road that was the long driveway to Yunho’s house. Jae hadn’t actually been there before, so he worried if they’d gotten the right place and Micky had parked on the side of the paved road. As they made their way down the dirt road, Jae kept glancing into the trees lining the road at small sounds, hoping he wasn’t losing his mind. The forest felt a lot closer than it really was at night.
“Is something out there?” Kendra asked quietly.
“Wolves,” Micky answered simply.
“What?” she hissed as she grabbed Jae’s hand and he pulled her closer to put an arm around her shoulders.
“Don’t worry, you two are safe. I’m the one who should worry.”
Jae exchanged a glance with Kendra. He didn’t know what that meant, but it only worried him more. How could they be safer than the stronger and more powerful vampire? He felt much better once they were at the steps of the house and he let go of Kendra to move up and knock on the door.
When the door opened, Yunho blinked in surprise at them standing on the porch. “Hi?” he said in confusion.
Jae didn’t know what to say. “Hey,” he managed as he wrung his hands.
“Um, this is… unexpected.” Yunho shifted uncomfortably as his eyes rested on Micky.
“We need your help,” Micky stepped up beside Jae.
“Help? This better be good because—”
“What’s all this ruckus out here…” Yunho’s grandfather pushed his way into the conversation and looked at the newcomers, his eyes locking on Micky as his lips twisted into a sneer. “You.”
Before anyone could even move, Yunho’s grandfather shoved Micky backwards and the vampire tumbled down the stairs. Jae never saw the old man move, but suddenly he was at the foot of the stairs, holding Micky in the air by his neck as the vampire struggled against him. He couldn’t understand why Micky wouldn’t fight back. Did he not want to hurt Yunho’s grandfather? Yunho grumbled something about thinking before acting as Jae tripped his way down the stairs.
“You dare show your face on my property you little blood sucker?” the old man hissed as Micky gasped for air. “I smell someone’s blood in you. You know that’s not part of the agreement.”
“Let him go,” Yunho said exasperated and grabbed the old man’s arm. His grandfather hissed in pain and let go to let Micky crumple to the ground as Jae moved to ask if he was alright. The vampire nodded as he allowed Jae to help him stand. This was all going way too fast for Jae to understand.
“Maybe this is something that should be discussed indoors?”
Everyone looked toward the disapproving expression Yunho’s father gave them from the door of the house. Yunho agreed and urged everyone to make their way up the steps. When his grandfather began to protest against a vampire being in his house, Yunho fixed him with a glare that quieted him better than Jae would have expected.
Despite the warmth of the house, Jae felt extremely uncomfortable knowing that his lover wasn’t welcome. He fidgeted between Kendra and Micky on the couch as the two family members bickered and Yunho tried to calm the older man with an explanation.
“You knew?” his grandfather snarled angrily when Yunho tried to explain the blood exchange.
“It was my idea,” Jae said as he jumped up. “I won’t let you punish him for something that’s my fault.”
“He still followed through!” The old man pointed accusingly at Micky.
“He said it smelled better than anything else than any other scent!” Jae snapped trying to explain the situation.
“Why do you think he seduced you into it then?” his grandfather countered and Jae saw red as the insult snapped his filter.
“HE DIDN’T WANT TO DO IT!” Jae’s voice thundered through the home as everyone went silent. He took an angry breath and put a hand to his face, the volume of his voice embarrassing him. He breathed slower to calm his mind and spoke again, quietly this time. “He didn’t want to drink my blood because the scent was… was intoxicating to him, but I convinced him to do it. We’re trying to give him tolerance for my blood.”
Yunho’s grandfather huffed and moved away as he pulled a glare off of the vampire. “It’s still wrong,” he grumbled as he shuffled down the hall and Jae sighed in relief that the subject was now dropped. Yunho moved closer and muttered an apology as Jae just nodded silently to accept.
“Back to the reason why they’re here?” Yunho’s father prompted and his son nodded.
Silence engulfed the three newcomers as Jae wondered just how they were supposed to explain the situation to Yunho. Would he care if the vampires were after Jae? This wasn’t really his fight. What if he didn’t want to help them? What if he agreed to help them and got hurt because of it? The worry swirled around him as Micky stood to pull him into a hug. He could hear the vampire’s soothing voice trying to calm him as he tried to relax into his lover’s arms. Jae realized he was going a short way to a painful headache very soon.
“This looks serious,” Yunho’s soft voice made Jae turn in Micky’s arms to see a worried frown putting little creases between Yunho’s brow.
“It is,” Micky replied as he let Jae slip from his arms. “A group of vampires sensed us and when they arrived to investigate, one of them set his sights on Jaejoong and Kendra.”
“How many?”
“Two.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Yunho’s posture relaxed. “I thought you’d say five or something more.”
“One of them is the leader of one of the most powerful covens in Japan,” Micky said quietly as the frown appeared on Yunho’s face again.
“But there’s only two… Is he really that bad?” Yunho asked as the three of them nodded. He bit his lip as his mind ticked through the information. “And you need someplace safe for them to be while you’re going up against him.”
Micky nodded as Jae let go of him to sit down next to Kendra again. “This seemed like the best place. We can hold the border while they stay safe on your lands.”
“I’ll send mine to back your line in case one of them gets through,” Yunho told him with a nod.
Relief flooded into Micky’s face as Jae wondered just what that meant. “Thank you.”
“They’ve been itching for a little action besides hunting.” Yunho shrugged with a smile.
“I don’t get it,” Kendra whispered as Jae sat next to her and shrugged in complete bewilderment. “Is Yunho a vampire too?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Jae whispered back. At that point he stopped listening as the two men discussed the strategy in more detail. Jae wondered if his gun was really necessary if they had reinforcements—whatever they may be. Once the two finished talking Yunho went into the other room to speak to his grandfather as Micky moved to crouch before Jae.
“I don’t suppose you’d stay,” Jae said as the vampire shook his head and took his hands to squeeze them. “Didn’t think so.”
“It’s better if I’m out there, but you’re in the best hands.” He smiled a little and it made Jae’s heart skip despite their situation. “I trust Yunho with your life.”
Jae was taken aback by this and blinked a few times as his lover chuckled. “You do?”
“Anyone can tell he loves you just as much as I do, or else he wouldn’t agree to working with us,” Micky assured him as Jae felt his heard skip again at the suggestion of Yunho’s feelings. “He’ll keep you as safe as possible. Provided you let him,” he teased. Jae smiled at this and poked his lover in the shoulder.
“I will,” he replied and let Micky pull him into a tight hug. “Be careful,” he said, wishing the fear hadn’t crept into his voice.
Instead of replying, Micky pulled the young man into a hug, squeezing him tightly as Jae did the same. Jae nuzzled his nose against the spot where Micky’s shoulder met his neck and wished he wouldn’t have to let go. He couldn’t find the words to say and had a feeling Micky had a similar dilemma. They didn’t need words, he decided and pulled back to rest their foreheads together. He then lowered his shields to let his thoughts flow over Micky—all of his worries and fears, but most of all his love to encourage the vampire to stay safe. Jae heard a relieved sigh and could almost feel a return of his feelings as their lips met. This wasn’t the time or the place, but if this might be his last, he was damn sure he was going to feel it before they parted. A lingering kiss was followed by a gentle nuzzle and a tight hug. Jae knew he had to let go.
He walked with Micky to the door before the vampire touched his cheek and stole one last kiss.
“Be good,” Micky warned as Jae made a face and tried not to smile, knowing the meaning behind the words.
“You too,” he replied feeling the same as he leaned closer to touch cheeks. Their fingers then slipped apart and Micky walked out the door. And for some reason, Jae didn’t feel torn—he felt proud.
“You’re letting the warm air out,” Kendra said as she tugged on his sleeve and Jae closed the door to follow her back to the couch. He didn’t mind at all when their fingers threaded together and Kendra squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.
Yunho’s father then offered the two drinks and food. Jae felt too keyed up to eat, but Kendra convinced him that they should at least eat something or they might feel sick later. Sitting idly wasn’t something he wanted to do, so Jae helped Yunho’s father make stew to busy himself. When it was finished, Jae automatically made himself eat as he stared past the TV. It wasn’t long after Jae set the bowl down on the coffee table that someone was lifting him up and he realized he had fallen asleep.
“Uhn, sorry,” he said to familiar arms as he rubbed his eyes.
“You’ve gotten heavier,” Yunho grumbled as he set the young man on his bed.
“Where’s Kendra?” Jae asked as he looked around, taking in the layout of Yunho’s bedroom.
“Still watching TV,” Yunho replied as he sat next to Jae, making the bed shift.
Jae nodded, now feeling wide awake. As he let his eyes wander around the room, he recognized a few things he’d seen before. It all felt like a past life as he looked back on it.
“It’s been a while since I was in your room,” he said softly as his eyes fell to his hands and he looked for hangnails.
“It was a different room,” Yunho reminded him.
“It was still yours.” He almost regretted saying that until Yunho smiled and agreed with him. With a glance at the clock, Jae was surprised to see that it wasn’t even midnight. He wondered what was going on outside. And then he remembered something Micky had said.
“I’m glad you get to see it,” Yunho replied finally as Jae worded out his question in his head.
“So, why does Micky keep talking about you and wolves?” He knew he’d hit a soft spot when Yunho froze before he sighed.
“Right. I haven’t told you yet,” he started hesitantly.
“Don’t tell me you’re a werewolf,” Jae snorted before he noticed the awkward look on Yunho’s face. “Oh god, you are?” he asked, not meaning for his tone to pitch so high nor so loud.
“Sort of?” he replied sheepishly as Jae’s jaw dropped.
“WHAT.” He couldn’t believe it. A werewolf was sitting next to him, and it was his ex-boyfriend. Here he thought he’d been living a blissfully ignorant life without any supernatural…ness going on in it and his ex was a werewolf. No wonder he ended up with Micky.
“Well, I’m not a werewolf in the way you think,” Yunho began as Jae just stared at him and wondered if there was another way. “Oh come on, don’t look at me like that. You know vampires exist; you didn’t think other mythical things didn’t exist did you?”
He had a point. “No,” Jae croaked finally. “Go on,” he encouraged, wanting to hear the whole story.
“What is going on in here?” Kendra peeked her head in as she rubbed her face sleepily.
“Sorry,” Jae apologized. “I didn’t mean disturb you.”
“S’ok,” she replied and flopped down on the bed on Jae’s free side. “So what’s going on?” The two men looked at one another as she frowned. “Is this private?”
“Not…really…” Yunho replied hesitantly. “It’s just… complicated.”
“I really think that’s the wrong word,” Jae replied and sighed as he shot Yunho a befuddled look. “It just gets weirder and weirder.”
“Please don’t look at me like that,” Yunho whined when Kendra turned to him to add a skeptical look. He seemed to shift uncomfortably as he broke down under her gaze and rubbed his face before admitting, “I’m a werewolf.”
Kendra stared at Yunho for a good ten seconds before she blinked a few times and frowned. “Are we talking like growing massive amounts of hair when the full moon shines on you and howling at it in return?”
“No, no! Nothing like that!” Yunho waved his hands exasperated. “Why are you guys looking at me like that?”
“This is just kinda hard to believe,” Jae replied honestly. How else was Yunho supposed to turn into a werewolf? Wasn’t that the myth, with the moon and all?
“Look, remember the story about the wolves being our ancestors and the cold ones I told you about?” Yunho asked as Jae nodded as he remembered it was the story that told him Micky’s true nature. “Well, the wolf bit is truer than I realized. We were granted the wolf form to protect us from certain things. When there are vampires around, whoever still has the gene in our tribe goes through changes.”
“Changes?” Jae asked dubiously, as he wondered with Yunho’s mixed blood how he managed to still carry the gene. “This sounds like an understatement.”
“It… is,” Yunho admitted. “The change comes from emotions at first, but as we get better at it, we can start to change at will. We don’t need the moonlight to change at all.”
“So this is where werewolf myths come from?” Kendra asked pointing down where she stood, as if she meant this tribe in particular.
“No, there are real werewolves out there, but I’m not a true werewolf. I’m a…” he trailed off, thinking.
“Shapeshifter!” Jae uttered suddenly as the word materialized in his brain and wondered how he knew such a random English word.
“Yes! I’m a shapeshifter and wolf is my shape.” He smiled triumphantly, as if he’d won the battle for not being odd. He wilted a little when they fixed him with withered looks. Just because they knew what it was didn’t make it any less weird, Jae thought.
“I feel like I’m in a fantasy novel,” Kendra muttered as she flopped back onto Yunho’s bed.
“It must be a manga,” Jae countered.
“Why?”
“All of the male/male couples,” he supplied with a smirk.
Kendra pointed upward. “Point taken.” She sighed and looked up at Yunho. “So how does it work?”
“How does what work?” Yunho asked as Jae scooted back to lean against the wall.
“Well,” Kendra gesticulated with her hands in an odd way. “The shift?” she asked as Jae decided to rest his eyes.
“Phasing,” Yunho corrected her.
He didn’t really listen as they spoke and found the atmosphere very relaxing. Somehow, with them in the background he was able to drift off—even if they were kinda loud. Soon he didn’t even register they were talking anymore and continued to drift. It wasn’t long before he was dreaming.
He was in a forest. This wasn’t a surprise, but he wasn’t alone. He could see Micky off in the distance, his figure often blending in with the shadows. Jae reached out toward the vampire and tried to speak, but he couldn’t hear a sound—not even his own voice. Micky’s back was to Jae as the young man took a step forward to reach the vampire, but he stepped on a branch that snapped in the heavy silence. He was about to speak the vampire’s name when a snarl cut through the quiet and a form slammed into Micky. There was a tangle with Micky and the foreign form covered in fur—a werewolf, Jae realized.
Jae woke with a start just as Micky slammed into a tree trunk form the force of the werewolf he fought in Jae’s dream. The young man blinked for a moment as it started to come back to him where he really was and why. When he stretched, he realized he’d slouched down to lay on the bed against the wall and noticed someone had been thoughtful enough to place a blanket over him. He smiled a little when he recognized it as the same one Yunho would use when he would do the same thing in California.
When a pang of guilt surfaced, Jae pushed it and the blanket away. He’d never felt any pressure from Yunho or Micky about the way he should act around either of them, whether or not they were both present. Why were they so damn understanding? It only made him put pressures on himself. He didn’t know why he even worried, but they’d only met twice now and they seemed to get along. Seemed, he reminded himself as he remembered the accusations at his home compared to today. But Jae couldn’t tell if was because of the situation or because they actually liked one another. Maybe that was the reason for the dream, he thought to himself. He sighed as he stood and lost all train of thought when he saw his reflection in the mirror and how his hair stuck up at odd angles.
Jae made a face at the mirror and started to fix his hair, tugging it downward to lay flat like he always styled it. He slowed to a stop when a familiar reflection appeared in the mirror.
“As you were.” Yunho smirked.
Jae rolled his eyes in amusement. “Only you.”
Yunho moved closer and made as if to rest his hands on Jae’s shoulders, but hesitated at the last moment and let his hands drop. Another pang of guilt echoed in Jae’s chest as he bit his lip.
“You can touch me, you know. It’s not like he’s going to kill you,” he reminded Yunho.
“Didn’t want to tempt myself.” He threw the young man a grin and moved away so Jae had to turn away from the mirror to see him.
“I am pretty irresistible,” Jae teased as he moved to sit on the bed again, hoping to ease Yunho’s thoughts.
“Actually, I meant tempt myself to mess up your hair again,” he confessed and laughed when Jae glared. “You look hot with your hair all messy!”
At least he was honest, even if Jae didn’t exactly agree with him. He watched as Yunho leaned back against his desk and remembered his dream. How exactly did this werewolf thing work? He wanted to know. Jae patted the spot on the bed next to him and waited as Yunho moved to sit down before he opened his mouth.
“Question,” he blurted out as Yunho tilted his head curiously. “What happens when you change?”
“It…” he trailed off as he thought and Jae waited silently, patiently. “It’s different. It hurt a little the first time. I got really angry at my grandfather for insulting the Parks unfairly. He was surprised because he didn’t think I’d have the gene, but I could tell he was also really proud. He told me that for a while I’d have to get really angry to do it, but it’ll get easier the more it happens and easier to hold back when I’m angry.” There seemed to be something more to it, but Yunho looked like he’d decided that was all he was going to say.
“Do you get bigger?” Jae spoke finally.
“A bit. My teeth get bigger and there’s hair all over, like a wolf. I don’t like trying to do it much though.”
“Why not?”
“It rips my clothes,” Yunho replied as he made a face.
He couldn’t help himself. “Sexy.”
“Not really,” Yunho grumbled.
Jae grinned and nudged Yunho’s shoulder with his own to earn a smile back. He watched as Yunho flopped back on the bed and they just sat there, comforted by one another’s presence. Jae began to wonder—would it be wrong to talk to Micky about Yunho? After having spent that four day weekend at the Park residence, Jae began to wonder if Yunho would like to get to know them better. He and Micky seemed to get along well enough. The whole vampire and werewolf rivalry that Jae expected aside, he had a feeling they might like sparring against one another at least. He inspected his fingernails as he tried to find a way he might bring it up to Yunho.
“So.”
“So?”
“You should meet the rest of the Parks,” Jae started out innocently as he let his hand drop to his lap, hoping Yunho wouldn’t realize he was fishing for input.
“Oh?” The young man sounded confused and Jae bit his lip as he tried to find reasons.
“Yeah, they’re really cool. Once you get past that whole vampire part anyway,” Jae replied and smiled when Yunho chuckled and sat up to mess up his hair anyway.
“Are you trying to tell me something?” Yunho asked as Jae sensed some sincerity in his voice.
“Maybe,” he replied as he wondered himself. Just what would he tell the young man? “Maybe they’re not as bad as your grandfather makes them out to be.”
“I know,” Yunho answered with a sigh.
“No pressure,” Jae teased.
Yunho grinned. “None at all!” He patted Jae’s knee. “I’ll think about it. For now, let’s go watch some TV to take our minds off things.”
Jae nodded and followed the young man out to the living room wondering if he could really get his mind off things. No pressure, he reminded himself.
No pressure at all.
~***~
I'm not sure how fast the rest of this fic will get posted. I'm participating in a big Balloons cosplay at SakuraCon easter weekend and the costume making is taking up a lot of my time, so sorry about that, but the cute pics will make up for it ;D As always, comments are very encouraging! Thank you for reading!
Part 16
Author: LotusBeauty
Rating: PG-13 to NC-17
Type: Multi-chapter, 17+epilogue
Pairings: JaeChun, Minsu
Genre: AU, fantasy, fusion, comedy/drama/emo, loltribute
Summary: See part 1. This is the first arc. Doesn't that fill you with dread? >3 LONG FIC IS LONG.
Notes: Don’t start with me. Deep down, you know you wanted it. Reference post here. Many thanks to
shinigamitabris and kenaressa for betaing~Disclaimer: Not mine, never were.
Part 1: Face the Gun / Good Luck
Part 2: Voice on the Radio
Part 3: LONG SHOT PENNY
Part 4: No Way to Say
Part 5: Unafraid
Interlude: Rowdy Rumble
Part 6: Girlfriend
Part 7: Echo
Part 8: I CAN FEEL / This is Halloween
Part 9: The Perfect Drug
Part 10: It’s All About You
Part 11: Wicked Game
Part 12: Disappear
Part 13: Get Mine, Get Yours
Interlude: Call Me Irresponsible
Part 14: Ordinary
15: Pressure
Jae nervously looked away from Micky’s back as his arm brushed over the holster on the side of his torso while they walked.
“I have something for you.”
Kumi had said it when she approached the couch. She asked to borrow him for a little while and Micky had bristled for a moment before letting go of the young man. Jae could tell Micky didn’t want to leave his side. But the way Changmin acted around her gave Jae the courage to stand up and follow her. He was glad for the reprieve—he could hear Kendra on the phone with her mother in the kitchen. Actually, he could hear Mrs. Bennington yelling at her through the phone for the situation that had arisen. He didn’t want to get in the middle of that particular argument and quickly followed Kumi out to the backyard.
“I know I can’t train you the way you ought to be, but this might be able to buy you some time since you’re his main target.”
She then held out a holster containing a gun to him. He stared at it. He stared at her, and then the gun again. How could this possibly give him an edge over beings that were much stronger and so much faster than he could ever be? Jae glanced up to see his lover watching idly from the deck, Changmin nodding from beside him.
“Is it worth it, to give me this?” Jae asked as he took the weapon carefully. He’d never held a gun, let alone shot one before.
Kumi reached over and undid the holster to pull the gun out. She ejected the magazine to pull out one of the bullets. Jae frowned and leaned closer to see that the bullets were hollow with a silver liquid inside of them.
“Just in case.”
Jae glanced up at her as his memory of Micky explaining silver surfaced and he understood. He might actually have to protect himself from the other vampires with this. All of these people around him and they trusted him to protect himself. It actually made him feel just a little bit better, even if the thought that he might have to do it was upsetting.
Kumi then took the time to gloss over how the gun worked and get him used to wearing the holster and holding the gun. Micky came down then to help him slip the straps over his arms as he realized it was a shoulder holster and Kumi helped tighten a few straps.
“I feel so…” Jae reached for a word.
“Manly?” Micky offered with a smirk.
Jae tossed him an amused glare and chose to keep his mouth shut on the subject. Kumi then slowly drilled him with drawing the gun and ways to hold it. She made a comment about hoping he would have a balanced stance if he had to draw the gun and Jae wondered if this would all matter if he wasn’t even stable. At one point Jae pointed the gun at a noise off in the forest in surprise and Kumi commended him for his quick reaction and decided to quit since he’d gotten used to the two handed hold.
“Maybe I’ll take you to a firing range someday.”
Jae sighed at the thought as he and Kendra followed Micky down the road. He had called his father to say he was staying with Yunho for the weekend, and Kendra had to get yelled at by her mother over the phone about being chased by a vampire. When Kendra clarified it was Jae being chased, it seemed like her mother only yelled louder.
Currently, the three of them were walking down the road that was the long driveway to Yunho’s house. Jae hadn’t actually been there before, so he worried if they’d gotten the right place and Micky had parked on the side of the paved road. As they made their way down the dirt road, Jae kept glancing into the trees lining the road at small sounds, hoping he wasn’t losing his mind. The forest felt a lot closer than it really was at night.
“Is something out there?” Kendra asked quietly.
“Wolves,” Micky answered simply.
“What?” she hissed as she grabbed Jae’s hand and he pulled her closer to put an arm around her shoulders.
“Don’t worry, you two are safe. I’m the one who should worry.”
Jae exchanged a glance with Kendra. He didn’t know what that meant, but it only worried him more. How could they be safer than the stronger and more powerful vampire? He felt much better once they were at the steps of the house and he let go of Kendra to move up and knock on the door.
When the door opened, Yunho blinked in surprise at them standing on the porch. “Hi?” he said in confusion.
Jae didn’t know what to say. “Hey,” he managed as he wrung his hands.
“Um, this is… unexpected.” Yunho shifted uncomfortably as his eyes rested on Micky.
“We need your help,” Micky stepped up beside Jae.
“Help? This better be good because—”
“What’s all this ruckus out here…” Yunho’s grandfather pushed his way into the conversation and looked at the newcomers, his eyes locking on Micky as his lips twisted into a sneer. “You.”
Before anyone could even move, Yunho’s grandfather shoved Micky backwards and the vampire tumbled down the stairs. Jae never saw the old man move, but suddenly he was at the foot of the stairs, holding Micky in the air by his neck as the vampire struggled against him. He couldn’t understand why Micky wouldn’t fight back. Did he not want to hurt Yunho’s grandfather? Yunho grumbled something about thinking before acting as Jae tripped his way down the stairs.
“You dare show your face on my property you little blood sucker?” the old man hissed as Micky gasped for air. “I smell someone’s blood in you. You know that’s not part of the agreement.”
“Let him go,” Yunho said exasperated and grabbed the old man’s arm. His grandfather hissed in pain and let go to let Micky crumple to the ground as Jae moved to ask if he was alright. The vampire nodded as he allowed Jae to help him stand. This was all going way too fast for Jae to understand.
“Maybe this is something that should be discussed indoors?”
Everyone looked toward the disapproving expression Yunho’s father gave them from the door of the house. Yunho agreed and urged everyone to make their way up the steps. When his grandfather began to protest against a vampire being in his house, Yunho fixed him with a glare that quieted him better than Jae would have expected.
Despite the warmth of the house, Jae felt extremely uncomfortable knowing that his lover wasn’t welcome. He fidgeted between Kendra and Micky on the couch as the two family members bickered and Yunho tried to calm the older man with an explanation.
“You knew?” his grandfather snarled angrily when Yunho tried to explain the blood exchange.
“It was my idea,” Jae said as he jumped up. “I won’t let you punish him for something that’s my fault.”
“He still followed through!” The old man pointed accusingly at Micky.
“He said it smelled better than anything else than any other scent!” Jae snapped trying to explain the situation.
“Why do you think he seduced you into it then?” his grandfather countered and Jae saw red as the insult snapped his filter.
“HE DIDN’T WANT TO DO IT!” Jae’s voice thundered through the home as everyone went silent. He took an angry breath and put a hand to his face, the volume of his voice embarrassing him. He breathed slower to calm his mind and spoke again, quietly this time. “He didn’t want to drink my blood because the scent was… was intoxicating to him, but I convinced him to do it. We’re trying to give him tolerance for my blood.”
Yunho’s grandfather huffed and moved away as he pulled a glare off of the vampire. “It’s still wrong,” he grumbled as he shuffled down the hall and Jae sighed in relief that the subject was now dropped. Yunho moved closer and muttered an apology as Jae just nodded silently to accept.
“Back to the reason why they’re here?” Yunho’s father prompted and his son nodded.
Silence engulfed the three newcomers as Jae wondered just how they were supposed to explain the situation to Yunho. Would he care if the vampires were after Jae? This wasn’t really his fight. What if he didn’t want to help them? What if he agreed to help them and got hurt because of it? The worry swirled around him as Micky stood to pull him into a hug. He could hear the vampire’s soothing voice trying to calm him as he tried to relax into his lover’s arms. Jae realized he was going a short way to a painful headache very soon.
“This looks serious,” Yunho’s soft voice made Jae turn in Micky’s arms to see a worried frown putting little creases between Yunho’s brow.
“It is,” Micky replied as he let Jae slip from his arms. “A group of vampires sensed us and when they arrived to investigate, one of them set his sights on Jaejoong and Kendra.”
“How many?”
“Two.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad.” Yunho’s posture relaxed. “I thought you’d say five or something more.”
“One of them is the leader of one of the most powerful covens in Japan,” Micky said quietly as the frown appeared on Yunho’s face again.
“But there’s only two… Is he really that bad?” Yunho asked as the three of them nodded. He bit his lip as his mind ticked through the information. “And you need someplace safe for them to be while you’re going up against him.”
Micky nodded as Jae let go of him to sit down next to Kendra again. “This seemed like the best place. We can hold the border while they stay safe on your lands.”
“I’ll send mine to back your line in case one of them gets through,” Yunho told him with a nod.
Relief flooded into Micky’s face as Jae wondered just what that meant. “Thank you.”
“They’ve been itching for a little action besides hunting.” Yunho shrugged with a smile.
“I don’t get it,” Kendra whispered as Jae sat next to her and shrugged in complete bewilderment. “Is Yunho a vampire too?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” Jae whispered back. At that point he stopped listening as the two men discussed the strategy in more detail. Jae wondered if his gun was really necessary if they had reinforcements—whatever they may be. Once the two finished talking Yunho went into the other room to speak to his grandfather as Micky moved to crouch before Jae.
“I don’t suppose you’d stay,” Jae said as the vampire shook his head and took his hands to squeeze them. “Didn’t think so.”
“It’s better if I’m out there, but you’re in the best hands.” He smiled a little and it made Jae’s heart skip despite their situation. “I trust Yunho with your life.”
Jae was taken aback by this and blinked a few times as his lover chuckled. “You do?”
“Anyone can tell he loves you just as much as I do, or else he wouldn’t agree to working with us,” Micky assured him as Jae felt his heard skip again at the suggestion of Yunho’s feelings. “He’ll keep you as safe as possible. Provided you let him,” he teased. Jae smiled at this and poked his lover in the shoulder.
“I will,” he replied and let Micky pull him into a tight hug. “Be careful,” he said, wishing the fear hadn’t crept into his voice.
Instead of replying, Micky pulled the young man into a hug, squeezing him tightly as Jae did the same. Jae nuzzled his nose against the spot where Micky’s shoulder met his neck and wished he wouldn’t have to let go. He couldn’t find the words to say and had a feeling Micky had a similar dilemma. They didn’t need words, he decided and pulled back to rest their foreheads together. He then lowered his shields to let his thoughts flow over Micky—all of his worries and fears, but most of all his love to encourage the vampire to stay safe. Jae heard a relieved sigh and could almost feel a return of his feelings as their lips met. This wasn’t the time or the place, but if this might be his last, he was damn sure he was going to feel it before they parted. A lingering kiss was followed by a gentle nuzzle and a tight hug. Jae knew he had to let go.
He walked with Micky to the door before the vampire touched his cheek and stole one last kiss.
“Be good,” Micky warned as Jae made a face and tried not to smile, knowing the meaning behind the words.
“You too,” he replied feeling the same as he leaned closer to touch cheeks. Their fingers then slipped apart and Micky walked out the door. And for some reason, Jae didn’t feel torn—he felt proud.
“You’re letting the warm air out,” Kendra said as she tugged on his sleeve and Jae closed the door to follow her back to the couch. He didn’t mind at all when their fingers threaded together and Kendra squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.
Yunho’s father then offered the two drinks and food. Jae felt too keyed up to eat, but Kendra convinced him that they should at least eat something or they might feel sick later. Sitting idly wasn’t something he wanted to do, so Jae helped Yunho’s father make stew to busy himself. When it was finished, Jae automatically made himself eat as he stared past the TV. It wasn’t long after Jae set the bowl down on the coffee table that someone was lifting him up and he realized he had fallen asleep.
“Uhn, sorry,” he said to familiar arms as he rubbed his eyes.
“You’ve gotten heavier,” Yunho grumbled as he set the young man on his bed.
“Where’s Kendra?” Jae asked as he looked around, taking in the layout of Yunho’s bedroom.
“Still watching TV,” Yunho replied as he sat next to Jae, making the bed shift.
Jae nodded, now feeling wide awake. As he let his eyes wander around the room, he recognized a few things he’d seen before. It all felt like a past life as he looked back on it.
“It’s been a while since I was in your room,” he said softly as his eyes fell to his hands and he looked for hangnails.
“It was a different room,” Yunho reminded him.
“It was still yours.” He almost regretted saying that until Yunho smiled and agreed with him. With a glance at the clock, Jae was surprised to see that it wasn’t even midnight. He wondered what was going on outside. And then he remembered something Micky had said.
“I’m glad you get to see it,” Yunho replied finally as Jae worded out his question in his head.
“So, why does Micky keep talking about you and wolves?” He knew he’d hit a soft spot when Yunho froze before he sighed.
“Right. I haven’t told you yet,” he started hesitantly.
“Don’t tell me you’re a werewolf,” Jae snorted before he noticed the awkward look on Yunho’s face. “Oh god, you are?” he asked, not meaning for his tone to pitch so high nor so loud.
“Sort of?” he replied sheepishly as Jae’s jaw dropped.
“WHAT.” He couldn’t believe it. A werewolf was sitting next to him, and it was his ex-boyfriend. Here he thought he’d been living a blissfully ignorant life without any supernatural…ness going on in it and his ex was a werewolf. No wonder he ended up with Micky.
“Well, I’m not a werewolf in the way you think,” Yunho began as Jae just stared at him and wondered if there was another way. “Oh come on, don’t look at me like that. You know vampires exist; you didn’t think other mythical things didn’t exist did you?”
He had a point. “No,” Jae croaked finally. “Go on,” he encouraged, wanting to hear the whole story.
“What is going on in here?” Kendra peeked her head in as she rubbed her face sleepily.
“Sorry,” Jae apologized. “I didn’t mean disturb you.”
“S’ok,” she replied and flopped down on the bed on Jae’s free side. “So what’s going on?” The two men looked at one another as she frowned. “Is this private?”
“Not…really…” Yunho replied hesitantly. “It’s just… complicated.”
“I really think that’s the wrong word,” Jae replied and sighed as he shot Yunho a befuddled look. “It just gets weirder and weirder.”
“Please don’t look at me like that,” Yunho whined when Kendra turned to him to add a skeptical look. He seemed to shift uncomfortably as he broke down under her gaze and rubbed his face before admitting, “I’m a werewolf.”
Kendra stared at Yunho for a good ten seconds before she blinked a few times and frowned. “Are we talking like growing massive amounts of hair when the full moon shines on you and howling at it in return?”
“No, no! Nothing like that!” Yunho waved his hands exasperated. “Why are you guys looking at me like that?”
“This is just kinda hard to believe,” Jae replied honestly. How else was Yunho supposed to turn into a werewolf? Wasn’t that the myth, with the moon and all?
“Look, remember the story about the wolves being our ancestors and the cold ones I told you about?” Yunho asked as Jae nodded as he remembered it was the story that told him Micky’s true nature. “Well, the wolf bit is truer than I realized. We were granted the wolf form to protect us from certain things. When there are vampires around, whoever still has the gene in our tribe goes through changes.”
“Changes?” Jae asked dubiously, as he wondered with Yunho’s mixed blood how he managed to still carry the gene. “This sounds like an understatement.”
“It… is,” Yunho admitted. “The change comes from emotions at first, but as we get better at it, we can start to change at will. We don’t need the moonlight to change at all.”
“So this is where werewolf myths come from?” Kendra asked pointing down where she stood, as if she meant this tribe in particular.
“No, there are real werewolves out there, but I’m not a true werewolf. I’m a…” he trailed off, thinking.
“Shapeshifter!” Jae uttered suddenly as the word materialized in his brain and wondered how he knew such a random English word.
“Yes! I’m a shapeshifter and wolf is my shape.” He smiled triumphantly, as if he’d won the battle for not being odd. He wilted a little when they fixed him with withered looks. Just because they knew what it was didn’t make it any less weird, Jae thought.
“I feel like I’m in a fantasy novel,” Kendra muttered as she flopped back onto Yunho’s bed.
“It must be a manga,” Jae countered.
“Why?”
“All of the male/male couples,” he supplied with a smirk.
Kendra pointed upward. “Point taken.” She sighed and looked up at Yunho. “So how does it work?”
“How does what work?” Yunho asked as Jae scooted back to lean against the wall.
“Well,” Kendra gesticulated with her hands in an odd way. “The shift?” she asked as Jae decided to rest his eyes.
“Phasing,” Yunho corrected her.
He didn’t really listen as they spoke and found the atmosphere very relaxing. Somehow, with them in the background he was able to drift off—even if they were kinda loud. Soon he didn’t even register they were talking anymore and continued to drift. It wasn’t long before he was dreaming.
He was in a forest. This wasn’t a surprise, but he wasn’t alone. He could see Micky off in the distance, his figure often blending in with the shadows. Jae reached out toward the vampire and tried to speak, but he couldn’t hear a sound—not even his own voice. Micky’s back was to Jae as the young man took a step forward to reach the vampire, but he stepped on a branch that snapped in the heavy silence. He was about to speak the vampire’s name when a snarl cut through the quiet and a form slammed into Micky. There was a tangle with Micky and the foreign form covered in fur—a werewolf, Jae realized.
Jae woke with a start just as Micky slammed into a tree trunk form the force of the werewolf he fought in Jae’s dream. The young man blinked for a moment as it started to come back to him where he really was and why. When he stretched, he realized he’d slouched down to lay on the bed against the wall and noticed someone had been thoughtful enough to place a blanket over him. He smiled a little when he recognized it as the same one Yunho would use when he would do the same thing in California.
When a pang of guilt surfaced, Jae pushed it and the blanket away. He’d never felt any pressure from Yunho or Micky about the way he should act around either of them, whether or not they were both present. Why were they so damn understanding? It only made him put pressures on himself. He didn’t know why he even worried, but they’d only met twice now and they seemed to get along. Seemed, he reminded himself as he remembered the accusations at his home compared to today. But Jae couldn’t tell if was because of the situation or because they actually liked one another. Maybe that was the reason for the dream, he thought to himself. He sighed as he stood and lost all train of thought when he saw his reflection in the mirror and how his hair stuck up at odd angles.
Jae made a face at the mirror and started to fix his hair, tugging it downward to lay flat like he always styled it. He slowed to a stop when a familiar reflection appeared in the mirror.
“As you were.” Yunho smirked.
Jae rolled his eyes in amusement. “Only you.”
Yunho moved closer and made as if to rest his hands on Jae’s shoulders, but hesitated at the last moment and let his hands drop. Another pang of guilt echoed in Jae’s chest as he bit his lip.
“You can touch me, you know. It’s not like he’s going to kill you,” he reminded Yunho.
“Didn’t want to tempt myself.” He threw the young man a grin and moved away so Jae had to turn away from the mirror to see him.
“I am pretty irresistible,” Jae teased as he moved to sit on the bed again, hoping to ease Yunho’s thoughts.
“Actually, I meant tempt myself to mess up your hair again,” he confessed and laughed when Jae glared. “You look hot with your hair all messy!”
At least he was honest, even if Jae didn’t exactly agree with him. He watched as Yunho leaned back against his desk and remembered his dream. How exactly did this werewolf thing work? He wanted to know. Jae patted the spot on the bed next to him and waited as Yunho moved to sit down before he opened his mouth.
“Question,” he blurted out as Yunho tilted his head curiously. “What happens when you change?”
“It…” he trailed off as he thought and Jae waited silently, patiently. “It’s different. It hurt a little the first time. I got really angry at my grandfather for insulting the Parks unfairly. He was surprised because he didn’t think I’d have the gene, but I could tell he was also really proud. He told me that for a while I’d have to get really angry to do it, but it’ll get easier the more it happens and easier to hold back when I’m angry.” There seemed to be something more to it, but Yunho looked like he’d decided that was all he was going to say.
“Do you get bigger?” Jae spoke finally.
“A bit. My teeth get bigger and there’s hair all over, like a wolf. I don’t like trying to do it much though.”
“Why not?”
“It rips my clothes,” Yunho replied as he made a face.
He couldn’t help himself. “Sexy.”
“Not really,” Yunho grumbled.
Jae grinned and nudged Yunho’s shoulder with his own to earn a smile back. He watched as Yunho flopped back on the bed and they just sat there, comforted by one another’s presence. Jae began to wonder—would it be wrong to talk to Micky about Yunho? After having spent that four day weekend at the Park residence, Jae began to wonder if Yunho would like to get to know them better. He and Micky seemed to get along well enough. The whole vampire and werewolf rivalry that Jae expected aside, he had a feeling they might like sparring against one another at least. He inspected his fingernails as he tried to find a way he might bring it up to Yunho.
“So.”
“So?”
“You should meet the rest of the Parks,” Jae started out innocently as he let his hand drop to his lap, hoping Yunho wouldn’t realize he was fishing for input.
“Oh?” The young man sounded confused and Jae bit his lip as he tried to find reasons.
“Yeah, they’re really cool. Once you get past that whole vampire part anyway,” Jae replied and smiled when Yunho chuckled and sat up to mess up his hair anyway.
“Are you trying to tell me something?” Yunho asked as Jae sensed some sincerity in his voice.
“Maybe,” he replied as he wondered himself. Just what would he tell the young man? “Maybe they’re not as bad as your grandfather makes them out to be.”
“I know,” Yunho answered with a sigh.
“No pressure,” Jae teased.
Yunho grinned. “None at all!” He patted Jae’s knee. “I’ll think about it. For now, let’s go watch some TV to take our minds off things.”
Jae nodded and followed the young man out to the living room wondering if he could really get his mind off things. No pressure, he reminded himself.
No pressure at all.
~***~
I'm not sure how fast the rest of this fic will get posted. I'm participating in a big Balloons cosplay at SakuraCon easter weekend and the costume making is taking up a lot of my time, so sorry about that, but the cute pics will make up for it ;D As always, comments are very encouraging! Thank you for reading!
Part 16