#hanbin fic

Compared to the hundreds of years you had been united with him, a couple years gone on a mission was almost nothing. But with time had grown fondness, and Hanbin couldn’t help the way his heart yearned for you.

As the burning grew more intense and his tattoos glowed brightly, he knew it was only a matter of minutes before you were back in his arms. He waited with baited breath on the top of his tower, eyes sharply focused for any bat that emerged from the forest. Exactly 8 minutes later, he saw the silhouette of one.

He rubbed his palm against his sternum, subsiding the pain that had grown to its worst. The cost of uniting two vampire’s souls in hopes of greater power was an equal amount of pain. Hanbin held out his hands, and the bat landed carefully on them. It slumped forward a second after, completely exhausting its energy. Hanbin cupped it gently, and carried it inside. 

“I told you not to fly with the pain. Now you’re stuck.” He scolded the bat as he placed it on the soft bed. He closed his eyes in concentration, and with his right hand flattened over his moon tattoo, slowly summoned his power. The ink glowed, and so did the palm of his hand.

He moved his hand to the bat's head, ignoring the screech it let out as he let the magic flow through its body. A few seconds of writhing around later, the bat shapeshifted back into its vampire form.

“You couldn’t have been a little gentler with that? You nearly suffocated me.” You coughed, shooting a glare at the man dressed in black. He handed you a robe with a shake of his head, and you wrapped it around your bare body.

“Would you rather live as a bat for the next thousand years? You should be thankful.” He tsked, averting his gaze from your figure so as to try to not seem so obvious. You had called him out many times for his bad habit of staring.

“All you do is nag me. Someone needs to shut you up.” You stood up, grabbing Hanbin’s wrist before he could continue making moves to leave the room.

“As if you’d survive a day without a word from me.” He countered, red eyes shining a bit brighter at your touch. He hadn’t felt his magic surge so powerfully since the last time you had been back.

“I survived a few years. A few more days would be a piece of cake.” You replied, pulling his face down before he could think of another witty response. 

Maybe it was the familiarity of it all that made you feel as if nothing had changed. Hanbin’s lips tasted just like you remembered. Exactly the same as the many nights you had imagined it in hopes of soothing the ache in your heart. Coming back to Hanbin meant coming back to a missing part of your soul. The longer you were separated from each other, the weaker you both became. And, as the reverse, the closer you were, the stronger. That is why the elders were so pleased with your clearly undying infatuation with each other. 

Hanbin’s former reprove towards you completely melted away the moment his lips made contact with yours. The clash of soft lips and sharp fangs stole all his breath, clouding his brain with only one thought: relief. Restlessness always followed him when you were away. Your weak state when you landed in his hand filled him with worry, but feeling your kiss now gave him consolation. 

He pulled away breathlessly, and a satisfied smirk lifted on his lips, just wide enough to uncover one of his fangs. You looked at his face, admiring his gleaming eyes, bruised lips, pearly teeth, and smooth skin. Your gaze dropped slightly lower, eyeing the marking on his collarbone, of which you also displayed below the dip of your neck.

You pressed a small kiss to the sun, which granted Hanbin his strength and surged his magic. Next, your lips found the star, which allowed him to cast complex spells, both to aid in combat or alter the very fabric of time. Lastly, you grazed the moon emblem which stored his healing abilities. With it, he was easily able to nurse you back to health within seconds. Pulling him closer again, you travelled up to his neck and teasingly nipped at his skin.

“Did you not get your fill of biting people while on your mission? You’re insatiable.” He commented in amusement. The sensation pricked his skin with a whisper of pain that was soon soothed completely by your lips. Although he would gladly let you have free rein over him for as long as you wanted, one glance at the time urged him to pull you off of him gently.

“We should announce your return to Seungwoo and the others. They’ve been expecting you.” He urged you, and a flash of pride showed in his eyes. You were sure to be rewarded generously for your excellence during the past few years you were gone. Now more than ever, Hanbin felt fortunate that he was intertwined with you in every function of life. For, even your very souls laced together perfectly.

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“Huh?”

“Let me reword it. I mean, why the big smile today? Got a crush or something?"

Hanbin's face reddens a little at the tease. "No, nothing like that. I'm just feeling good today. Is it wrong to be happy?"

Jibeom laughs, "Of course not! I was just curious." He goes to grab some trays to help Hanbin with the display.

Hanbin watches Jibeom's retreating back, a soft smile playing on his lips. There was one reason behind his good mood: that extra sprinkle of happiness that you always brought into this month.

When Jibeom comes back to also start putting things onto the shelves with Hanbin, he can’t stop the curiosity getting to him. “Okay but seriously, why are you smiling?”

“It’s nothing!”

“That’s the biggest lie I’ve ever heard in my life,” Jibeom teased, gazing into Hanbin's eyes again. "Go on, spill it."

"Um, well, the thing is, I'm thrilled because it's December."

"Just because of that?"

"Yeah, it's when the girl comes to our café," Hanbin elaborated, his grin growing wider. “Hot choco girl.” Jibeom appeared confused, more concerned – what had his friend gotten himself into?

"Hot chocolate girl? Who on earth is that?" Jibeom inquired, driven by curiosity.

"A girl who comes in for hot chocolate…?" Hanbin remarked, glancing at Jibeom, who sported a bored expression.

"Even a toddler would be aware of that," Jibeom shook his head, lightly tapping Hanbin with the tray. "Who is this customer? I can't recall our regulars, to be completely honest."

“You’ll see who she is later,” Hanbin said, moving away quickly from Jibeom. He rolled his eyes, quickly following him behind, “Hey! You can’t just say that!”

The minutes turned into hours, and Hanbin remained fixated on the entrance, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the person he longed to see. Each time someone entered who wasn't the one, a hint of disappointment flickered across his face, though he clung to a glimmer of hope.

Jibeom, as always, notices his friend constantly drifting his attention to the doors, once again sneaking up on his friend. “She’s not here yet?” He scared Hanbin a bit, making him calm his racing heart. “You really need to stop sneaking up on me like this.”

“Sorry!” Jibeom chuckled, and looked at the entrance. “Hey, is it her?” Hanbin immediately whipped his head around, not being able to contain his smile. “Yeah. That’s hot choco girl.”

Jibeom could tell Hanbin had hearts coming out of his eyes, not being able to keep his eyes off of you. “You’re down bad.” Hanbin rolled his eyes, playfully pushing Jibeom away, “Yeah, yeah–whatever! Just go!”

With a swift adjustment, Hanbin flashed his widest smile as he headed towards the register. His gaze met yours, and you returned the same smile.

"Back again?" he asked.

"Yeah—oh, you remember me?" You responded, a touch flustered, rubbing your hands together to warm them up.

"I tend to remember a few faces around here and there," Hanbin replied, not entirely dishonest; he couldn't recall everyone, but he certainly remembered you.

"I see," you chuckled, ready to place your order when Hanbin interjected once more.

"Hot chocolate with extra whipped cream?" Hanbin was already punching in the order, exchanging a soft smile with you. Your eyes widened, curiosity sparking within you.

"Oh – I just remember because you only order this during this month," Hanbin explained, his response seeming quite reasonable. After all, what barista wouldn’t recognize their regular customers?

"You're quite attentive," you remarked, reaching into your bag for your wallet. "Do you need my name too, or do you already have that in your head?"

Hanbin's face slightly flushed, he accepted your card without saying a word. Dodging your question, he remarked, "Your order will be ready in a bit," as he busied himself. You chuckled, retrieving your card. "Thank you."

Exactly five minutes later, Hanbin finished preparing the drink, securing the lid tightly. He took a black sharpie, jotting something down that brought a smile to his face. "Order for YN," he called out, noticing you hastening over to collect the drink. You expressed your gratitude, taking the hot cup. Before taking a sip, you glanced at the cup once more, noticing "For: Hot Choco Girl — XXX-XXX-XXXX" written on it.

He really just gave you his phone number.

When you looked up, you found Hanbin, completely flustered and unable to maintain eye contact. The thought of him finally making a move made him feel excitement, but also anxiousness.

Feeling a mix of surprise and amusement, you took a sip of your hot chocolate, the warmth spreading through you. Before leaving the shop, you caught Hanbin's eyes once more, noticing his still evident embarrassment.

"Thank you," you said with a playful smile, lifting the cup slightly.

Walking away, you turned back and grinned. "I'll have to call you about this later, Hanbin," you teased, noting his bashful expression. With that, you headed out, leaving Hanbin behind, visibly flustered and fidgety behind the counter.

As you left the shop, Hanbin found himself placing a hand over his chest, sensing his rapid heartbeat. It wasn't the familiar cold sensation during this time, but rather a rush of warmth, a nice and comforting feeling spreading within him.

Well, he guesses that's what "hot choco girl" does to him.

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that leads you to tonight. a couple of buddies and a couple of drinks later and your friends think it’s the idea of the century to play truth or dare. you pick truth a couple of times, spill some inner secrets you don’t actually care about, but then your friends say you can only pick truth so many times before you have to pick dare. so you pick dare. and your friends give you something dumb and easy. text an ex that you miss them. 

but you’re a bit more daring than that, asking for something bigger and harder. maybe even a challenge. it’s probably the alcohol, but maybe it's also the competitive streak you can’t let go of. a friend suggests that you text hanbin, the sung hanbin, that you miss him, as if you guys knew each other (you’ve never talked to this man in your life).

another says that might not be enough to satisfy your requirements for ‘harder’, so they bump it up to ‘ask hanbin out on a date’. and the first one says, ‘well why stop there, might as well challenge them to make hanbin fall in love for real’. and they both look at you, you shrug (again the confidence probably being from the alcohol), and you tell them. 

“fine. lay out the conditions.”

“you have two months. no- one month. so until june 1st to get hanbin to confess his feelings for you,” one says, “and no trying to get him to go along with your challenge. he has to genuinely be confessing his feelings.”

“what’s my prize if i can do it?” you ask. might as well get something out of a task so difficult if you can pull it off.

“...bragging rights?” they say, and you suppose there’s no greater prize. 

your mission: make sung hanbin fall in love with you.

rules:

1. don’t fall in love with him.

2. once he admits to having feelings, immediately leave. don’t continue the mission any longer.

3. you have one month to do the impossible.

—

“i didn’t even know i had hanbin’s number in my phone if i’m real with you,” you tell your friend, “oh my god i have texted him before. and it was for calculus notes. what do i even say to him?”

your friend thinks for a second, “well, try to like subtly reintroduce yourself and ask him if he can help you study.”

“study what? calculus?” you raise an eyebrow. you had a nearly perfect grade in calc, and playing dumb did not seem like the move you wanted to make. 

“sure! say you haven’t gotten the last couple sets of notes and are really lost. he’ll take pity on you and help you! then you can be like ‘well i have to repay you for helping me so let me take you out for coffee’! it’s foolproof!” you friend comes up with excitedly. as dumb as the plan sounds, it might just work. it’s, at the very least, a way to get your foot in the door. 

you text him and ask him for help. he doesn’t respond right away, maybe 20 minutes later. he says sure, anything for a friend, with a smiley face. at least it won’t be insufferable to play dumb. besides, he already considers you a friend, so that’s a good start.

—

“can you tell me which sets of notes you missed?” he asks as you sit down in the library at one open table. 

“yeah, it must have been 4.4 and 4.5. i was in class today when we were doing 4.6 and i just feel so lost,” you say. you had to rip your previous notes out of your notebook and not take very good notes today, pretending to be lost even though it was very clear what was going on.

“that's okay! here, look at my notes, and i’ll walk you through some problems!” he says with a smile. despite his reputation, he’s really pleasant to talk to and interact with.

he helps you through the practice problems and basically reteaches you everything you already know. he’s very thorough in how he explains every little thing, and his manniserisms when teaching stick out cutely. he gets really excited when you (pretend to) finally get a concept and he makes cute and dramatic little faces at random points. even though all the content already made sense before, the way he explained it could have made sense to a toddler. that’s how knowledgable he presents himself. 

as you get through all the work, and it’s been about an hour and a half, it feels wrong to hold him here any longer, so you proceed with the line you had practiced in the bathroom mirror.

“hey, thank you so much again for helping me,” you tell him as he looks up at you. he makes the perfect amount of eye contact, too, not too much but enough to make you feel like you have all his attention. no wonder so many people fall for him.

he grins sweetly, “you don’t have to thank me!”

“but i really do want to pay you back for being so kind to me and helping me out. are you free to get coffee tomorrow? it’s on me,” you say, smiling back at him. he looks a little surprised, almost shocked for a second, before regaining his composure. 

“you don’t have to do that-”

“but i want to!”

“okay, okay! if you’re so insistent…” he chuckles, “i guess i can’t say no. but i will be ordering the most obnoxiously expensive drink on the menu.”

you laugh back at him, if not because he’s so clearly going to order the cheapest thing he can find. you bet he won’t have it in him to even ask for a medium, “my wallet can handle it,” you say.

he shakes his head fondly, “okay, moneybags. i’ll see you tomorrow then.”

—

“i think i just want a small iced americano,” he asks you as you’re the next ones up in line. you internally giggle because of course you were right. 

“really? thats the ‘obnoxiously expensive’ drink you were talking about?” you joke with him. all he does is laugh light-heartedly, like his soul is full of good intentions. there’s a little thought forming in the back of your head wondering if that’s really true, or if his reputation is only thus so because he was so good at fooling people. 

“i don’t really want anything else,” he says as he looks at the menu board. you decide not to fight him on it.

as you two go up to order, his iced americano and your drink as well, you get into a conversation with the barista about something small. something about the weather changing so fast and how hot it already is. before you even know it, the barista is telling you to have a good day and stay safe in the heat. you look down at the card reader to see it just says ‘welcome’ and you haven’t even paid yet. you look over at hanbin as he’s putting his wallet away, and it dawns on you.

“why did you do that? i was supposed to pay! for yesterday, remember?” you tell him, and he laughs in the most endearing way.

“i wanted to, is that so wrong?” he asks, and you scramble to tell him no, of course it’s not wrong, persay, but you wanted to as well, “well, if you want to pay next time, you have to beat me.”

next time, huh?

as you two wait for your coffees, and even after you get them, you just sit there, chatting with him about anything and everything. you tell him about your hobbies and passions, and he tells you about his love for dancing, showing you videos in his studio. he is an incredible dancer. he tells you his major and his carrer goals, and you tell him about your current job and where you’re trying to go in life. he tells you he wears glasses sometimes and you tell him your favorite flowers are yellow tulips.

and suddenly it felt like you knew sung hanbin. it was weird to see him in such a different light.

—

next time ended up turning into almost daily dates. coffee, tea, walks in the park, getting lunch, seeing movies, studying for calculus (you did better than him on the test, but you lied anyway), and going shopping. anything you wanted or needed to do, he was there to accompany you for. it was like having a buddy for anything life threw at you. weeks went by. you saw him, at the very least, every other day.

and somewhere along the line, at some unspecified point, or maybe just gradually, you forgot the mission was to make him fall in love with you. it was so much easier to just let him make you fall in love. 

which was the unintended, but foreseeable consequence of this kind of bet. looking back on it now, how you ever thought you could get him to have feelings for you without developing feelings for him was beyond dumb. he was nothing like his reputation, and you should have taken that as the red flag it was and escaped. 

he’s pretty and charming and polite and kind and nothing like the narcissist you thought he was. 

somewhere along the line, you fell for sung hanbin.

—

“hey, could we talk after class today?” he says, over the phone. he didn’t mean to call you so suddenly, but he knew there would be no way he didn’t chicken out if he didn’t call. 

“yeah, for sure. do you wanna meet up?” you ask him.

“yeah, in-person is better. thank you,” he says, “can you do 4? i’ll meet you outside the cafe if that’s good with you.”

“got it. i’ll see you then, bin,” you say, slipping in a nickname, knowing that makes his knees weak. it was so easy to make him flustered. you'd bet his ears were turning red at that moment.

—

when you meet up, he has flowers. the same flowers you told him you liked when you got coffee that first time. he remembered. maybe that day was the real first date, and he just didn’t really think about it like that until now. 

he looks at you like you’re the prettiest person in the world, beyond the beauty of anyone else. his eyes are sparkling and he’s smiling that same endearing smile and it’s like he’s a teenager in love again. he still feels so giddy. 

he starts, holding the flowers close to him, like he’s giving you a piece of his soul, “i just wanted to say that it’s been really nice getting to know you these past few weeks. i know that feels like such little time, but we’ve already spent so much time together that i feel like i already know you so well. i’m so endeared by all your little habits and your personality and everything about you.

“i… have feelings for you. and it’s okay if you’re not ready because it’s only been a short amount of time, or if you’re not into me at all, that’s also totally okay! i just wanted to tell you and, if you want, i’d like something serious with you.

“and these are for you,” he says as he holds the flowers, “they’re yellow tulips, just like what you told me you liked. they’re so pretty, just like you. and so delicate and beautiful and- sorry, i’m just rambling at this point,” he laughs at himself, “i know a lot of people think a certain way about me, and that’s okay. i’m not going around breaking hearts, i just… no one makes me feel like you do.”

it’s hard to respond in the moment, but it’s safe to say you forget the bet, the intentions, everything, and only think about your feelings.

so he responds for you, “oh my god, i just can’t stop talking about it, i just like you so much. it’s so nice to have off my chest,” he smiles, before looking at you with precious eyes, handing off the flowers to be in your care, “do you... feel something similar for me?” he asks, a little more confident before as you fondly gaze at him, it’s like reassurance.

and you just laugh, holding the yellow tulips, “yeah, i have something i want to say to you,” you smile as he smiles at what you say, and for just a second you’re two young lovers smiling happily with flowers and the sunset in the background. it’s so scenic.

“i like you too, hanbin.”

and, for one, brief moment, everything is perfect. 

—

and then it all comes crashing down. it’s the next day. you had hours of perfect happiness before someone had to open their mouth. 

“your friend told me,” he calls out to you in the hall, and you turn around to look at him, confused. your smile upon hearing his lovely voice fades. his face doesn’t have that usual brightness to it, like something was weighing on him. 

“hanbin? what’s wrong?”

“your friend, taerae, told me about me and you, that night that you played truth or dare,” he says. he doesn’t sound like rage, he sounds like suspicion. like he’s still debating in his head whether or not he wants to believe taerae. of course it had to be taerae to let it slip. the guilt would eat him alive. 

you didn’t even tell the rest of the friend group that he had confessed. you had only told taerae, and it was because you were excited about mutual feelings between you and hanbin, forgetting the bet for a second. taerae probably didn’t even do it intentionally, it must have just slipped. 

“what did he tell you?”

“no, don’t try to- just tell me… what happened that night. why did you text me? why did you ask me to get coffee? what was the reason for all of it?”

so you told him. he had the right to know. even if it ruined everything so fast. it had been merely hours, not even a full 24, before it came crashing down. it only hits you when you say it out loud how cruel of a bet it really was. 

“so you just-” he trails off, this incredulous look on his face. there’s so much tension in the air as it all hits him what’s been happening this whole time, “you manipulated me and tried to get close to me just so i’d get feelings for you? you’re telling me this was intentional?” his voice is getting shaky, and his hands are starting to tremble.

“yes, hanbin…i wanted to make you fall in love with me,” you say back, trying hard to remain calm. he’s searching your eyes for something you don’t know for sure is in there, “at the time, i didn’t have feelings for you. and, yes, i did it intentionally.”

“i don’t understand, even if i wronged you in some way, what would be the point?” he asks. it’s sad because hanbin had never wronged you. and he assumed he had.

“i-” you start, but he cuts you off. if this was a normal conversation, you’d be surprised that hanbin was doing something ‘rude’ like cutting someone off when speaking.

“was it a prank or something?” he asks, now you can really hear it in his voice. you can see it in his eyes now. he’s containing his feelings well giving the situation, but little flames of anger are poking through, “was that all i was?”

and then it hits you just how wrong it all was. hanbin was never out to get you, he was never rude, never condescending or narcissistic like you thought. his reputation as a player and a heartbreaker was a lie, a facade he never chose to maintain. all those people he rejected came onto him and he never once led them on. 

“that’s not how it is anymore, but if that's what you want me to admit to, then yes. it was a bet. i told my friends i could make you fall in love with me.”

he scoffs because it’s so unbelievable, but is silent a moment before speaking, “what does ‘anymore’ mean?” he asks.

and there it is. you might as well come clean, “i didn’t like you… back then,” you admit. it takes him a second to realize, “yeah. and so i stopped actively trying to make you fall in love. i just wanted to spend time with you.” there’s so many thoughts left out. i wanted to fall in love with you because you felt so safe. i wanted to fall in love with you because you never wanted anything from me, never asked me for anything but my time. i wanted to fall in love with you because i knew you were falling for the real, genuine me. not some act. something like that.

“ah, i see,” he says awkwardly. even in all the confusion and intense emotions, he’s still himself, “i think… i’ll need some time to think this all over. i hope you can understand.”

you nod, “yeah, of course. just… let me know when you’re ready. and i’m sorry, if it means anything. i didn’t mean for this to happen.”

and you have to let him walk away.

–

hanbin steps into the cafe with his friends right in front of him, them conversing about a new drama on netflix or the new music they’re liking lately. he’s answering when spoken to, but not adding much input of his own, kind of lost in his own world. 

he orders a small iced americano. part of him gears up to say the name of another drink, but he doesn’t even like that drink. he doesn’t know why it’s still on the tip of his tongue, like it’s muscle memory to say it.

he sits at the table with his friends, letting them drive the conversation while he stares out the window of the passenger seat. he has this revelation for the first time that, even as an extrovert, sometimes you can be the lonliest you’ve ever been while surrounded by people you love and care about. he normally feels good in the company of his friends, but there’s still that one person on his mind. he doesn’t give mind to the conversation his friends are having, excitedly chatting.

instead, he finds comfort in replaying the conversations he had with that person in his head. he thinks about all the pretty moments, like when he confessed. at least he can be grateful that moment wasn't ruined until later. he’d never been that happy in his entire life like when he heard them say they liked him too. 

and even though his brain still wants to harbor all this anger and sadness, his heart keeps going back to the yellow tulips, to the beautiful person that made his heart jump out of his chest.

and when there’s no one else to call, of course he came running back to you.

—

 it’s 2am, and he knew if anyone would come running, it would be you.

“i’m still really upset at you,” he murmurs, shivering as he takes a bite out of the gas station snack he picked out. maybe he was just lonely and it was 2am and he wouldn’t feel bad about using you to make himself feel better when you used him as a trophy. still, it doesn’t feel like he’s doing it just to solve his existential loneliness. you were his first thought, and the only person he asked. he thinks it always had to be you.

he’s apologetic for having woken you up, especially when he sees how tired you look. if it would have consoled you at all, he would tell you how cute you looked right now, tiredly holding the drink (that he paid for. you haven’t even gotten one chance to pay this whole time you had gotten close to him, just too slow, he says). he doesn’t feel like it’s a good time, but you’ve never been this cute to him, and he’s starting to think he can get over what happened if you stay this cute a little while longer.

“i know. it’s okay, you should be,” you say back to him, sipping your slushee with a frown, “i missed you, bin.”

and that’s when he cracks. he missed you too.

“can you come here?” he asks, and you perk your head up, coming closer to him, assuming maybe he wants to tell you something in private (but away from the poor 7/11 worker? who else is around?).

he has nothing to say, though. instead, he pulls you closer and holds you against him, hugging you tightly. your head rests on his shoulder as he adjusts his grip, “i’m still mad.” he says again. you tug on his jacket as your arms wrap around his waist.

because it’s not like you were still faking it. you know it, and he can tell. your smiles are honest and your laughs are genuine. he’s sure that you have genuine feelings for him. so maybe he can look past being played if you’re always this cute. 

“i’m sorry,” you say. he thinks you’re doing it on purpose, acting cute so he’ll forgive you quickly. it might be working.

he chuckles, and you feel the vibrations from his chest, “i know. just give me some time to get over it. i still like you, whether or not you’re a meanie.”

—

and somewhere out there, taerae is blowing up your phone, frantically apologizing for letting the truth slip to hanbin. scratch whatever happened before, that guilt would have eaten taerae alive. you’ll tell him it’s okay in the morning.

it was supposed to happen anyway, it’s not like you were gonna hold in the truth forever. maybe you should have just offered to text your ex that you miss them that one night with your friends, but then you never would have met hanbin. 

not literally, you met him months ago. you would see him in class and pass by him on campus, you’d give him a polite smile and he’d do the same, and you’d remember his existence even after you graduated as the ‘heartbreaker’, but you never would have gotten the chance to really see him. to watch the way his cheek dimples came out when he laughed, or to understand just how giving and selfless he was.

The skill was challenging to use on other vampires. You were neither human nor a recently turned vampire, so your thoughts were safely hidden from most. The connection of your souls made it easier for Hanbin to get in, though. And when he did, gathering a few more pieces of information about what was bothering you, he knew you were probably right. 

“You mean about humans?” His hand slowly rubbed over your arm, a simple tranquillity spell dispersing from his fingertips. This, unlike the mind reading, was something he could do without any effort. He often used it on you when he could, to help calm you in any way. You always noticed when he did, and he knew you appreciated the gesture by the look in your eyes. The same happened now, as he felt your body slowly relax in his hold. 

“They are coming into the age of technology— progressing at a rate faster than we’ve ever seen before. The elders have grown foolish. They have not seen the outside world for themselves in hundreds of years. They still think humans are weak and easy.” You explained the things that Hanbin knew very well. As merely a short thousand years old or a little more, both of you were at the front of missions and leading forces. Being young and able-bodied yet skilled enough to face almost anything, there was little left to improve on.

“Their guns have grown more powerful. So have their bombs. They are no longer scared, weak, foolishly mortal beings who run around with pitchforks and torches. They have weapons causing damage that not even the best of spells could hope to remedy. I’ve explained this all to the elders, but they won’t listen to my suggestions. They don’t believe me.” You said in defeat, faced with an impossible task.

Never before had you seen your fellow vampires die so quickly. Bullets seared through their bodies faster than the wind, and it only took a couple to knock a vampire unconscious. It was only a matter of time before the wounds killed them. The simple truth you were faced with was almost impossible to accept.

Humans were growing stronger than vampires. Despite their weak bodies, their propensity for fear, their stupidity, or their short life-spans. The advantage they had over vampires was constant adaptation and invention. You could barely name a change in the castle in 800 years, but the changes to the human world were endless. And each one was more impressive than the last.

Diseases that had once killed millions were being researched and prevented, a problem of the past for humans. Modern technology in the form of telephones, space travel, and computers aided in all facets of human life. It was simply astonishing how fast the world could change. Vampires simply had no way to keep up, you realized.

“It will take time for them to come around, but they will. When they see for themselves how many we’ve lost— how we are no longer overpowering humans tenfold. They will surely change their course of action then.” Hanbin words soothed your worried heart. You felt foolish for wanting to believe every word that came out of his mouth, but it felt like second nature. You just hoped he was right.

“This is it?” You asked, glancing at Hanbin from across the table to catch his nod. On the marble surface lay a large rifle, one that had single-handedly taken out 3 of your vampires that evening with just 5 bullets. 

It had been several months since your worry had started, and you realized now that you had vastly underestimated how quickly humans improved. What once took 10 or more bullets to fatally injure a vampire now decreased to just 1 or 2. If this is what humans could do in just a few months, what more developments could they introduce in 10 years?

“They’ve developed this model for the past couple of months to specifically target our weaknesses. They must have studied one of our men to know that silver bullets would be more deadly than anything else. When aimed at our hearts, it’s very easy to kill a vampire with just 1 shot.” Hanbin said wearily, his expression growing dim like yours.

“For the first time ever, they’re killing us faster than we’re turning them.” You muttered, trying to not let the thought terrify you. It could easily mean the extinction of vampires within a short hundred years.

You turned to the elders who you were consulting about the issue, studying their pale faces. Seungwoo looked stone faced, which you expected. He was one of the few elders who knew about the situation, as he often went out into the human world, disguising himself as one of them. As the most advanced healer among the clan, he had tended to many of the injured fighters in the past months. He was familiar with the damage the weapon could do, and the number of vampires that had been lost to its deadly silver bullets. 

Zhang Hao looked surprised, and maybe even a little bit scared at the news. His eyes were wide, but he kept his face as stoic as possible. He was one of the most powerful vampires concerning spells. His magic was strong and his knowledge was vast. He knew ancient rituals and was able to create entirely new incantations by studying old texts. You respected his opinion on the issue, and was sure he would be able to advise how to train the younger vampires with protective charms.

You skipped past the dozen or so council member elders, and turned finally to Sejeong, watching her face twist in anger. She never failed to lead the vampires expertly, but her temper was a cause of concern for you. She held grudges against the humans more personally than Hao or Seungwoo. She had often been at the front of the battlefield hundreds of years ago, and she had seen no shortage of vampire bloodshed. Under her reign there had been centuries of peace, as she wisely chose to not engage with the humans unless necessary. Now that they were actively seeking out her citizens, though, she wasn’t willing to let it slide. 

You could predict many possible outcomes from this. Sejeong’s ruling might result in peace once again, or in a war that no one would be able to survive. It was your duty to trust and follow her every command, operating on her word to the best of your abilities, but you had never experienced such high risks. You were worried you might not make it out of this battle, or worse, that Hanbin would face death with you.

The 3 elders you had watched expectantly, having been the very 3 to conjoin yours and Hanbin’s souls, were well aware of the risks. Vampire souls were not naturally supposed to meld together, and although you and Hanbin were perfectly matched, your joining still faced consequences. If one of you died, it was likely that the other would not be able to survive alone. Whenever you called to one another through your tattoos, you had to bear the burning sensation that came from using such power. If one of you was in pain, the other experienced it too. There was never a burden that could be held by just one person. You and Hanbin were a pair, and you simply could not be separated. 

It was back in Hanbin’s tower after the meeting that you voiced your concern. After Sejeong decided on facing the problem head on, just as you expected, and it was only a matter of days before you would be sent out to attack.

“I think it would be best if we stuck together at all times. If you get out of my sight, I won’t know if you’re safe.” You said quietly, biting the inside of your cheek in worry. Hanbin walked across the room, joining you on the couch, lacing his hand with yours. 

“I won’t go anywhere without you, even if it means disobeying the elders' orders. We don’t know what could happen to our souls if one of us gets hurt. We’re meant to be together, not apart.” You continued, meeting Hanbin’s crimson eyes with yours. 

He nodded, “Whatever you wish.” He squeezed your hand reassuringly.

“I should close the curtain. The sun is coming up.” You kissed his cheek and stood up to do so. Hanbin’s eyes watched you as you walked across the room and drew the blinds. He leaned back against the sofa, gaze still fixed on you as you shuffled through the bookcase on the wall, picking up a history book about ancient vampire civilizations. He could see the anxiety in your eyes, and he felt a twist in his stomach, mirroring yours.

“Calm down, Y/n. We’ll be alright, no matter what happens.” Hanbin said. He motioned for you to put down the book and come back to his arms. “Stop worrying about me. I’ll be fine. I won’t get hurt. I promise I won’t.” He whispered to you, a comforting smile on his face.

You wondered how he could always be so sure and confident. You were constantly riddled with worries, but, like always, Hanbin assured you, easing your anxiety with his words or his spells. You could feel his magic work on you as he wrapped his arms around you, and you instantly felt at peace.

You stayed in his arms until the sun had fully risen, savouring the quiet moments while you still could. There would be no spare moment to relax once the full moon came. You couldn’t ask for him to keep the calming spell going all day, but for as long as you were in his arms, you allowed yourself to let him take your mind off of everything.

You even managed to fall asleep from how comfortable you were cuddled in his hold. When you woke up and looked up at him, his eyes had fallen shut as well, but you could tell he was only dozing. Beads of sweat had gathered on his forehead from how long he had been casting the spell. Even though it was a fairly easy one that he had mastered centuries ago, keeping it going for hours at a time still took an extreme amount of energy.

You kissed his cheek, watching as his eyes opened slowly. He smiled and wiped his dewy skin, sitting up slowly. You felt the spell wear off as Hanbin relaxed his shoulders, and the thoughts flooding your head came back immediately. A sigh left your lips. You couldn’t ask him to keep it going for any longer. You felt guilty for how long he had been doing it already, knowing just how exhausting it must have been.

“You didn’t have to do that for so long.” You whispered, standing up from his lap and circling around to the back of the couch. You unclasped the outer cloth of his long robe, leaving just the tunic and pants he was wearing. Your hands fell to his neck and shoulders, slowly starting to massage the muscles, working out the knots he had developed. 

His eyes fell shut, a pained whine escaping his lips from the sensation. He was always so focused on taking care of you, he rarely noticed when his own body was suffering. He felt relieved as the pain slowly subsided with the help of one of your healing spells, the touch of your fingers over his bare skin becoming softer.

Your fingers lingered on the side of his neck when you were done, circling the pads of your pointer and middle finger over his pulsepoint, feeling the faint beating of his heart. It was slower in pace than humans, but it was still felt from the touch of your finger. 

The life of vampires relied on magical powers (and a constant supply of blood) over bodily function. In his life as a human, Hanbin’s heart had been the most vital organ to his survival. But now, keeping his body healthy so his powers flowed freely was of equal importance. The two were still intertwined, a constant balance was the key to being a powerful vampire. Poor bodily function translated to weakened power. The fact that you could still hear Hanbin’s heart clearly was a testament to his abilities. It would take an extraordinary force to weaken him to the point of death, and that thought comforted you.

You had seen many conflicts in your lifetime, mostly human wars of which vampires were no part of. But it was an entirely different feeling standing at the front of the battleline in the dead of night, preparing your strongest spells, knowing you were vastly outnumbered by the enemy’s army. 

Hanbin was by your side, his finger still barely grazing your hand, trying to get as much strength from you before the fight started. Fear filled both of your body’s, but a strong determination overpowered it. The risk was immense, but you needed to win. You would come out of it alive, no matter what.

The explosions were deafening, ringing in your ears at ten times the intensity that they sounded to humans. It was dizzying, and you could barely keep track of the spells you were casting. They seemed to be working well enough to defend yourself, as any man who charged at you soon found himself in a pool of his own blood on the grass. 

You weren’t sure how long you had been fighting, or how many more men you could hold off. It felt like they just kept coming. You had never used this much power all at once, but you couldn’t stop even for a second. It couldn’t go on forever, right?

There was no big explosion, nor were any human soldiers in range to hurt you. You weren’t in the line of gunshots. There was no possible way a grenade could have reached you without you noticing it. So why did you suddenly feel such excruciating pain?

Hanbin. Where was Hanbin?

The smoke on the battlefield hindered the humans from seeing, but you were effortlessly able to clear a path. It was easy to find Hanbin— you always came back to him without even thinking. You knew where he was immediately, and your legs carried you to him in an instant. 

His eyes looked scared as they met yours. He was on his knees, surrounded by the men he had taken out, their blood soaked on his skin and clothes. The crimson of his eyes had faded, suggesting his weakening state. You couldn’t tell what blood was his, but you could tell that he was losing it fast. 

“Hanbin— get up. Get up, please.” You grabbed his arm in a panic, pulling him up to his feet and supporting his body on yours as you quickly found a sheltered spot to let him sit.

“What happened? Why are you hurt— you said you wouldn’t get hurt.” You cried, holding a bloody palm to your tattoos, trying to summon a healing spell. Hanbin was barely breathing; struggling to stay conscious for you.

After hours of fighting, your power had grown weak. The pain you experienced, mirroring the injuries on Hanbin’s body, also prevented you from conjuring the spell. You gave up trying to get it from the source, realising that it wouldn’t work in your current state. Instead, you placed your hands on Hanbin’s chest, your fingers touching the ink on his collarbone. You closed your eyes tightly, mustering as much strength as you could to reach his body. His tattoos flickered, wanting to shine brightly from your touch, but unable to summon enough power for it.

He gasped, air flooding his lungs again. His eyes watered from the pain, and he instinctively tried to push your hands away, although he knew that they were what was still keeping him alive. The blood loss was driving his body and mind crazy; the need, the thirst for it, overwhelming. You realized what was going on from just his face, the unmistakable sign of a bloodthirsty vampire flashing in his faint eyes. 

“Take mine.” You said quickly, pushing your garment to the side, exposing your neck to him. 

“N-no, I can’t.” He whispered, terrified at the thought of hurting you.

“Please. You’ll die.” You begged, your voice laced with desperation. Strangely, you had no fear. You didn’t care about how much it would hurt, or if it would drive you bloodthirsty as well. You just needed him to survive.

Due to his weak state, you were able to overpower him. You forced his mouth open in desperation, revealing the sharp fangs on his top row of teeth. He cried, having no strength to stop you. He would rather die than risk causing you harm. 

Hanbin submitted to your wishes, knowing that if he didn’t comply with biting you, you would find a different, more dangerous way to give him your blood. He sunk his fangs weakly into your neck and forced himself to suck. The taste of your blood trickling down his throat instantly curbed the insatiable need for it. You cried out in pain, feeling your strength wither as your blood left you. The sound broke Hanbin’s heart, icy tears falling from his eyes.

The taste of your blood was sweet and warm, but Hanbin refused to enjoy a single drop of it. As soon as he felt a fraction of his strength coming back, he used it to push you off of him. 

You looked back at him and the entire world seemed to disappear. The fight was still ongoing behind you, but no shouts or explosions reached your ears. His eyes slowly gained back their colour, flickering to yours and softening. With tear stains on his cheeks and blood splattered across his face and neck, he reached for you gently, hesitantly. Almost too hesitant to be quite like him. 

“I hurt you.” He said in anguish, his eyes unable to leave the wound on your neck. “Why did you let me hurt you?” He searched your face for an answer, and it stared right back at him. Losing him would be more painful to you than any wound, even if he was the one who gave it to you. He could hurt you, wound you, or even kill you, and you would still give yourself up to him without needing to think.

Vampires always felt cold, but Hanbin’s touch felt exceptionally gelid when it reached your cheek. He looked gaunt, his exhaustion evident even after he had gotten some strength back. You needed to get him to safety, somewhere where skilled healers could tend to him. His eyes looked scared. Not scared of the battle, but scared of himself and what he had done to you.

“You could never hurt me. Just please stay alive.” You whispered, holding his bloodied hand. His eyes still naturally drew back to your neck, shaky breaths leaving him as he processed your words and nodded weakly. 

He bent to kiss you with the energy he had, the action portraying a million thoughts and feelings. You felt him crumble in your arms, his body giving out on him as his lips touched yours. You held him steady, supporting his neck so his head didn’t fall. His eyelids drooped, and with a trembling breath you realized the carmine colour of his eyes was fading again.

“No, no— Hanbin, please.” Your hands fumbled, trying to think of what to do. You simply had no power left to give to him. Your hand slipped to his waist, trying to readjust him into a better position. That’s when you felt the warm liquid on your hand. 

The wound must have been from a bullet, you deduced quickly. No other weapon that humans possessed could have caused him to bleed so much. The bullet had pierced him in merely half a second, lodging itself in his side. It was a wonder how such a small piece of silver could do so much damage to a vampire as powerful as Hanbin. He was dazed, the feeling of you pressing on the wound to try to stop the bleeding the only sensation he could discern.

Shouts grew louder in your ear. Although you had found a hidden space away from the battle, you were still exposed to danger. You stood carefully, pulling Hanbin up with you. Your only hope now was to get him back to safety as quickly as possible. His soul was still clinging to the bit of energy you had given him, but you wouldn’t have much time before it ran out completely. 

He stumbled as he rose to his feet, doing his best to support his own weight. He would have fallen back into your arms if something hadn’t hit him quicker. A small piece of silver, not more than 2 centimetres, seared straight through his chest, and a gasp fell from his lips.

You heard the shot. You felt it too, in the middle of your chest, a scathing pain spreading up your neck. You failed to catch Hanbin in time before he fell. 

It was over. You knew you had failed. Your options were expended and your time running out. Dropping to the ground as well, you clung to his body. With no energy left to fight, much less save him, you accepted the loss. Closing your eyes, you gathered him in your arms and pressed a kiss to his forehead as if you were comforting a small child.

It was a send off, of sorts. A last goodbye, and a testament to your love. He took his final breath, cradled safe in your arms, protected from the world. After all he had given for you, he deserved to rest comfortably. 

As his soul perished, you felt yours fading as well. He was taking you with him, knowing you could never live apart from him. Intertwined in every way, even until death. That was the fate you and him shared.

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“Y/n? Y/n! Where are you?” Hanbin’s shouts landed on deaf ears, echoing around the dark void without anyone to receive them. He didn’t know where he was, or how he ended up there in the first place. The last thing he remembered was you holding him close, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead with tears in your eyes. Why were you crying? Why did you look so scared?

His gaze dropped to his hands, inspecting them as if they would give him some answers. They looked normal, but something felt different. He couldn’t feel his magic surging in his veins. Before, he could sense his heart beating slowly if he focused, but now, it felt like it was pounding in his chest, so loud he couldn’t stop hearing it. He ran his tongue along the front of his teeth: no fangs. 

Was he… no longer a vampire? 

He touched his collarbone, feeling for the tattoos. They were still there, yet they didn’t react to his touch. No glowing, no surge of his powers, just stillness. He gulped. For the first time, unquenchable fear filled his body.

For hundreds of years he had learned to live a certain way. Always close to you, so that his powers could be strongest. Always in harmony between his natural body and supernatural vampiric features. He never needed to worry about sickness or the cold. He could transform into a bat at will or heal wounds, both physical and mental. 

He felt useless now, unable to do any of the things he used to. Lost, without a single direction to go towards. He couldn’t remember what he did as a human; what he used to fill his time with. It was too long ago to recall. He felt like he had just been born again, with no sense of how to go about the world. He’d have to learn all over again. But first, he was determined to find you. 

He wasn’t himself without you. You had held a part of him for too long, caring for his soul as if it was your own. If he wasn’t with you, he had no purpose. So, he took a few steps forward, slowly getting used to the feeling of the ground beneath his feet. Every step took energy he wasn’t used to expending. He felt weak, as if he could pass out at any moment. A pounding headache across his forehead and a weak unstable feeling in his knees. He had never felt this weak as a vampire. 

With each step he took, more ground appeared beneath his feet. Slowly, a sort of town came into view. It was quaint. Little wooden cottages topped with red roofs. Signs pointed out the street names and directions. He stopped to read a few, figuring out which way to head next. He hesitantly chose the town centre, deciding it was a reasonable spot to start. 

People stared at him as he walked by. He didn’t care to find out why. Years of only caring about your opinions trained him to not give them a second glance. He knew his purpose, sure of himself and confident. Although he was scared to admit that his confidence was wavering without you by his side. 

He reached the town square where an official looking building stood next to a fountain. He assumed it must be the governor’s office or some mayor’s building. Maybe he could get a list of residents? He stepped up the stairs, pulling the door open to be met with a fairly empty entranceway. There was a line of counters, behind which secretaries typed away at their typewriters and scribbled on paper with pens. He walked up to one of the open spots on the counter, face-to-face with an elderly man who’s fingers flew across the typewriter with practised ease.

“How may I help you?” His accent was thick and his tone weighted down by dull tiredness. He didn’t seem fazed by whatever had caused the other residents to stare unabashedly at Hanbin. The old man barely blinked twice at him.

“I’m looking for a list of residents in the town. I need to contact someone.” Hanbin said quietly. The man nodded, muttering that he would find a list in the back somewhere. As Hanbin was left alone for the time being, he surveyed the other people in the building, each talking at the counter as well. They were too quiet for him to make out the conversations; his hearing significantly weakened since he lost his powers. One voice stood out, though.

“No, not Hanjin— I’m looking for Hanbin! Sung Hanbin.”

Hanbin’s eyes widened, his head whipping around to try to find the owner of the loud voice. 

“How many times do I have to repeat myself? He’s about 180cm tall, has dark black hair, pale skin, and a slim face. He has to be in your records somewhere.”

“Ma’am, I’m sure we can find him, rest assured. What did you say his birthday was again?”

“June thirteenth.”

“What year?”

“25.”

“1925?”

“No. 25. The year 25. Zero, zero, two, five.”

“Ma’am, I’m not sure I follow. Do you mean to say he is over nineteen hundred years old? No human has ever—”  

Hanbin had never felt his heart race so fast. Adrenaline pulled at every muscle in his body so suddenly he could hardly comprehend what was happening before his legs were rushing him over to where you stood, arguing with the lady at the counter.

“Y/n,” He called to you, and time seemed to slow as you turned your head. “Excuse us,” He mumbled quickly to the lady at the counter, grabbing your wrist and pulling you out the door of the building. He kept walking, his hold on your arm tight, afraid you would disappear. You couldn’t take your eyes off of him, entranced by his appearance. Once he had found a secluded area, he stopped walking, trailing his hand up your arm to your shoulder instead.

“What happened? Where are we?” The questions flew out of his mouth. You didn’t have an answer for him. 

“I’ve been looking for you for days.” Tears brimmed in your eyes as you looked at him. You touched his cheek with your hand. It felt warm. 

“What happened on the day of the battle?” He asked again, prying for an answer. You shook your head, tears falling. You just stepped closer, wrapping your arms around him, head against his chest. Shaky breaths in as you felt his heartbeat; steady, fast, warm. 

“I don’t want to think about it.” You told him quietly. Hanbin could only hold you, mind confused and worried. There were so many questions he had. He was sure you had the answers, if only you’d tell him. But he wouldn’t push you, not when you clearly were in a delicate mental state. 

He wished he could feel you like he used to. You had only been in his arms a few minutes, but it felt different. He couldn’t relax your body with a spell, or get a peek into your thoughts. He tried to figure you out from the outside, and that was a difficult task. 

“We should get you new clothes. These ones are soaked with blood.” You mumbled after a while, face still buried against his chest. Hanbin looked down to his sleeve, noticing for the first time that he did have very obvious stains. No wonder he got so many curious stares. He wondered what they were from. Surely, it couldn’t have been his own blood. He wasn’t injured or bleeding. 

“Y/n, what is this town?” Hanbin asked anxiously, as he spotted someone looking at you both from across the road. 

“It’s for the undead. Everyone here has already passed away, including you and me.”

“What?”

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