#human!jinki

“Iwas in love with you for years, you know,” Minho says, running hisfingertip around the edge of his full coffee mug, something he has far more for show than function. He doesn’t exactly drink coffee nowadays. His tastes have changed, to say the least. “Before all ofthis, I mean.”

Jinkilooks up at him curiously. He seems surprised, but in a more mildway; more surprised that Minho is saying it than anything. The factthat Jinki seems like he already knew makes Minho’s chest feel tight.

“Imissed you,” Jinki says. His voice is honey-sweet, and Minhowonders if that’s what his blood tastes like too.

“I…yeah,” Minho says, feeling guilty for his own thoughts.

Jinkireaches out, squeezing Minho’s hand. His skin feels warm, almostfeverish, under Minho’s icy touch. Minho always thought Jinki shouldfeel this warm, as warm as his smile. Jinki’s smile is as beautifulas sunshine but without the sting against Minho’s skin. “I neverknew what happened, you know. You just disappeared one day.”

“Ihad to. I had to fall out of love with you. To keep you safe,”Minho says quietly.

Jinkilooks at him for a long time. “I would have been safe with you,”he says. “Come on, Minho. You never would have hurt me.”

“Jinki.I might have. You don’t know that. I had to back off or I mighthave…” Minho shakes his head. “You smell so good, even now.Back then… I don’t know if I would have resisted as well.”

“Andnow?” Jinki asks, reaching across the table and stealing hiscoffee, sipping from the mug. “What about now?”

“Now…”Minho repeats. “Now I think I’ve been holding myself from fallingin love with you all over again.”

“Why?”Jinki asks. “Why not just love me?”

AndMinho thinks of all the answers in the world and finds them all tooweak to stand up against the way Jinki looks at him. “Because I’llwant to be with you forever,” Minho says eventually.

Jinkismiles, laugh lines crinkling around his eyes, head tipping justenough that Minho can hear the rush of his pulse in his throat, tooloud to ignore. Minho feels his fangs slip out, feels hunger twist inhis gut.