[Fic] Until You - 4&5/15
Feb. 15th, 2011 02:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
coley_merrinTitle: Until You
Author: Coley Merrin
Pairing: Zhou Mi/Kyuhyun
Rating: R
Genre: AU, Vampires, Angst, Fluff
Warnings: Brief violence, angst, sexual situations.
Summary: Research points to a vampire bite being unbreakable, but Kyuhyun can't give up. And with Zhou Mi, he works to undo the blood bond that forced them together.
***
Chapter One * Chapter Two & Three * Chapter Four & Five * Chapter Six & Seven
***
Kyuhyun rubbed the spot on his wrist that Zhou Mi had bitten as he walked into the front door of his office’s building. The evidence of it was long gone, but he still knew exactly where the teeth had pierced him. He had a suspicion that Zhou Mi wasn’t “feeding” quite as much as he could have been. And probably he shouldn’t have cared, but he supposed it was normal. Zhou Mi had said he’d be producing more blood, so who knew if it got dangerous?
By some miracle, he was only about five minutes later than he usually was, calling a greeting to his nearest coworker, and plotting to get his soup in the fridge and survive on a banana until lunch.
“Hey, Kyuhyun, can I see you a minute?” his boss called.
“Trouble so early?” he heard as a tease from Ryeowook, and rolled his eyes in response.
But just hearing his boss call his name had started anxiety pinging in the bottom of his stomach. His landlord had heard after less than a couple of hours, so had they let his work know so quickly also? Zhou Mi had assured him that he couldn’t be fired, but he wasn’t sure. He could be let go for any various reasons. And he respected his boss, over the past year and a half that he’d been working there. So he really didn’t want to assume that there would be antagonism, but who knew? He clearly had been prejudiced himself without much foreknowledge at all. He closed the door of the office quietly, sitting when he was bid to. And tried to keep his fingers from knotting together in his lap.
“I got a call this morning, and I’m pretty sure you know what that’s about?” his boss asked.
“Yes, sir,” Kyuhyun agreed.
“I wanted to bring it up and not make you have to come to me about it, since I imagine this could be pretty awkward. I didn’t know you were dating anyone even?”
How much of the truth to tell? His boss, at least, deserved most of it. He didn’t know if it was going to inspire pity, or a dislike of Zhou Mi himself, but he could only do what he could. Describing the kidnapping, on both their parts. Hey, I got hitched to a vampire because of a few idiots, only in slightly less weird phrasing.
“And we registered, as we had to. My landlord kicked me out yesterday because of it, so I’m living with Zhou Mi now. But we’re going to be looking into a way to reverse the bond.”
“What if you can’t find a way?” his boss asked.
Kyuhyun stared, unsure. He hadn’t even let his brain consider that. It had only been two days. They had so much time to research and figure something out. And if he still had a job, it was like free rent. Free for the price of blood. And maybe Zhou Mi had mellowed in his old age. He held back a chuckle.
“Well, we’ll be looking, anyway.”
His boss hummed, thoughtful. “We had a vampire neighbor when I was small, who was bonded. Though it was a man and woman. My parents taught me that there was nothing to fear from them, though they moved before I was very old. I’m sorry for what you went through, Kyuhyun. That would be hard on anyone. But you’re aware that all your coworkers have to be informed?”
“Yes.” And he sighed at the thought. “I’ve been wondering how to tell them.”
Tell them in a herd so they could be shamed into keeping their reactions calm, or individually?
“Honesty may be best in this instance. I can step in and mediate if there are any particular reactions. The part in the employee handbook is a little slim on how to deal with blood bonded employees.”
Kyuhyun could only be silent and agree. Not that he’d seen it. But it didn’t leave much to the imagination. There was probably even a codicil, like, I know it says to be civil but just hope you never get into a blood bond yourself.
But it was, as ever, a place to begin.
“Also, a courier came just before you did. I signed for it, so no one else saw.”
The envelope was marked Office of Vampire Affairs. He closed his eyes. His blood test, maybe. Fantastic. If anyone else had seen, then it would’ve been so much for letting everyone know in a different way.
Their office wasn’t all that big. Four men, three women. His boss, and Kyuhyun. Everyone was there that morning, and curious as to why his boss called their attention.
“Kyuhyun has something he needs to tell you.”
He’d made the call, to say it himself. He had friends there, and he focused on Ryeowook, the one friend he spent the most time with.
“I don’t know how else to put this, but. This weekend I was blood bonded to a vampire.”
No one fainted. Or tried to drive a stake into him. At least there was that.
***
Kyuhyun assured them that there wasn’t any danger to them, that he was still the same. Telling them that he was basically married to a male vampire. He was a little vague on the details. Maybe he could tell his boss the finer points, but telling a room at large that he’d been forcibly bitten was a little less than optimal. And he couldn’t imagine that it would really favorably impact their opinions on vampires, even if it hadn’t been Zhou Mi’s fault. Phrases like temporary situation and making the best of it left his mouth like he was some hopeful bot. It was just that he was required to tell them, or rather their workplace was required to let them know. He didn’t ask for questions like it was some kind ridiculous school assembly. But his boss had offered that his door was open, which took some of the onus off of Kyuhyun’s shoulders. He figured if there really were questions, they were adult enough to actually come to him.
Also, there was the internet, though from what he’d seen the sites ranged from looking like vampires belonged in UFOs to wonderings about why the government didn’t just do away with them entirely. Still, there was some neutral stuff out there, and he did send a link out to one site on the approval of his boss. Just for so. He kind of had that awkward hope that if he didn’t make too big of a deal, then it wouldn’t seem like too big of a deal to them. Or he figured he could try at the very least.
He ate his leftover ramen at his desk, which wasn’t quite enough but he figured he’d deal. The banana by then had been long gone from his stomach. And it wasn’t like he was avoiding them, he just really didn’t want to play show and tell at the lunch table. At least not on the first day. He hadn’t become some museum quality relic, or some kind of ticking time bomb, just because of who he lived with.
But when he turned to joke with Ryeowook about an email from a supplier that just came in. But the person he knew best in the office, his friend, didn’t even look up, or even really reply to him. As though Kyuhyun hadn’t spoken at all. All there was was an uncomfortable shift, and Ryeowook typing away.
And that was when Kyuhyun’s stomach began to knot.
He didn’t want to call Ryeowook on it in the middle of the day, hoping to talk to him as they were leaving. But that didn’t really work either, because Ryeowook left while Kyuhyun was doing an end-of-the-day check-in with his boss. There had been a few people who’d dropped in to chat with his boss, just as a curious sort of thing. His boss hadn’t named names, but Kyuhyun knew for a fact that Ryeowook hadn’t been one of them. It didn’t make his uncomfortable feeling lessen any.
***
Kyuhyun had to stop himself from buying liquor on the way back to the apartment, nearly going the wrong way on the subway - toward his old apartment instead of toward Zhou Mi’s. But he did buy food, to supplement what he knew he’d packed. He didn’t have to worry about suiting Zhou Mi’s tastes, since even if there were two people, he was still cooking for one. And he was the meal for the other.
Zhou Mi popped into sight with a minute of Kyuhyun letting himself into the apartment. He’d considered knocking, but figured that was just kind of stupid. Even if he hadn’t been gone that long, he could see Zhou Mi had clearly made a dent in the cleaning. Kyuhyun’s book boxes settled near the shelves, other boxes missing to where he assumed was probably kitchen or bathroom. He didn’t really care if Zhou Mi was looking through his things. It wasn’t like he had stacks of porn or something that he was incredibly embarrassed about. That was all safely locked on his computer, thank you.
“Looks better in here,” he said, and tried to imagine just how he was going to thank Zhou Mi for working on it. Give a vampire a massage? Extra bite for a snack? If it had been him, and some guy who wasn’t too excited to be there had just invaded his apartment? He would not be a Zhou Mi-type busy bee, but would’ve expected whoever to clean up their own crap. And there were probably some papers and junk he could get rid of, he thought. Merging two apartments wasn’t exactly easy.
Even Zhou Mi seemed at a loss for some of it, considering Kyuhyun’s easy chair was still in the middle of the floor like some kind of overstuffed museum piece.
“They didn’t fire you?” Zhou Mi asked, anxious, with some kind of rag in his hands.
“No. No. My boss was pretty understanding actually. But I guess he’s obligated by law to tell everyone in the office about me? So I did, this morning. So far so good, I guess.”
He didn’t bother bringing up Ryeowook. He didn’t want to turn it into some kind of guilt trip on Zhou Mi’s end, and it wasn’t as though Ryeowook was going anywhere. He’d get to talk to him soon, anyway.
“I’m so glad. I hope it goes really smoothly tomorrow, too.”
“Yeah, me too.” And then he remembered the couriered letter. “Oh. The Vampire Affairs office sent me a letter.”
He fished it out, opening it as Zhou Mi stepped closer.
Kyuhyun skimmed, murmuring out loud.
“Vampire antibodies present, blood bonding confirmed under one week. No fine incurred. Stipend raised 25%? I’m only worth a 25% raise? That’s crap.”
“Probably because you would be able to work,” Zhou Mi said. “That 25% is probably for food. I guess we should be lucky that they don’t cut the stipend off entirely.”
“Get bitten, and get to support someone. That’d be a great exchange.”
But his stomach vocally protesting cut short any other philosophic conversation on the state of affairs.
He had his dinner, and some leftovers from the day before. He probably would’ve gotten a bowl of cereal too, if he’d had anything to put on it. He was making extra blood, not magically romping on a treadmill all hours of the day. And he didn’t want to have to go buy new clothes because his ass suddenly wouldn’t fit. They said relationships were bad on people’s physiques, well. He wasn’t going to be one of those people. He wondered if Zhou Mi feeding counted as a calorie burn. His luck, probably not.
Though as he ate, the blood test and the repercussions of it sank in. He wasn’t just taking Zhou Mi’s word for it any more. If the blood test had been negative, the government would’ve nullified the bond. Why pay out a 25% raise if it was all a joke? It meant that beyond a shadow of a doubt, he was blood bonded to Zhou Mi. And that there wasn’t any getting around it from a logical sense. Sure, the registering, and the bargain he and Zhou Mi had struck had been fine and all. But it was temporary. Even when his boss had asked him, he’d been saying it was temporary.
In the eyes of the government, it was official. Real. And very permanent.
But if the government knew of everyone who was unbonded, of everyone who was? Kyuhyun’s brain paused.
“If they can tell, if they’re paying for your keep— Wouldn’t the government have a stake in seeing there aren’t many vampires? I mean, you were essentially sterilized.”
The frown that crossed Zhou Mi’s face was vivid. “Perhaps, but to think of the government doing this, or hiring someone to?”
“Well, think about it. They know who all the vampires are, because they have to register. They’d know who was blood bound or not. So if it’s not the government, then maybe someone with access to those records.”
“Maybe. Maybe. I don’t know. That’s too hard to think about. But if that’s the reason, why did they wait so long?”
That he couldn’t answer. Zhou Mi had been alive 46 years, and with his blood teeth at least 26. 26 years was a long time to let a vampire languish around, if people were out actively trying to keep vampires from reproducing. So maybe they didn’t have access to all the records, or maybe they went off word of mouth. Zhou Mi hadn’t really been trying to hide. He hadn’t been dancing in the street shouting about it, either. But just trying to live his life. Too much stupid hate to even think about. But another question stumped him.
“If vampires were in short supply, what was stopping you from going out and impregnating a hundred women?”
“Besides a hundred women who wouldn’t want to raise a vampire child?” Zhou Mi asked. “Sperm doesn’t become motile until after a blood bonding. But I wasn’t really thinking that much about the continuance of the species.”
“Well at least you can’t knock me up,” Kyuhyun joked weakly. There was that. Small comfort.
But in a way, he was thankful for all the questions he had. It gave them, or even himself, a place to start looking. The more he knew about what Zhou Mi was, what the bond was? The more they might be able to figure out what to do about it. And it meant that the boxes he got up and faced had to be dealt with. Maybe it’d take a week, or a month. Or a year. But when they’d fixed it, he could deal with his stuff then. He couldn’t live like a transient in Zhou Mi’s apartment. It didn’t seem like Zhou Mi was an ultra neat freak, but it would probably bug even him to have stacks of things around.
“I guess I can make a dent in this before I sleep.”
“I’ll help,” Zhou Mi said, popping to his feet. “Oh, I’ll put on music! What do you like?”
It turned out that Zhou Mi’s peppy choice of CD didn’t make him want to claw his ears out. It was actually pretty pleasant, if sorting through junk and making piles of things to get rid of while trying to find locations for everything else could ever be pleasant. Stopping only long enough to shove more food in his mouth as Zhou Mi stacked books onto shelves, and then helping Zhou Mi move his bed frame and mattress into the spare room where there was thankfully room against a wall upright without overtaking all the space. He stared at Zhou Mi’s sewing machine, the stacks of bins with fabric and whatever. Interesting. He didn’t think he’d ever known someone who sewed before, so it was a totally new concept for him. But bad, not really. He’d ended the day with a job, and that seemed like a success to him.
***
Kyuhyun thought of work rather prosaically. He went, he did what he had to do - thankfully something he also knew how to do - and went home. That gave him money to fund his hobbies. Also, to feed himself, which was a hobby he did try not to indulge in too freely, given all things. He got to exist in general comfort, his work got to make money, everyone was happy. He’d at least been able to eat an actual breakfast since his alarm had gone off. And take a lunch as well. And all of that without Zhou Mi hovering over him. All in all, a good morning. And he’d even made the right train, which was miracle enough itself.
And no one had moved away when he got there. There weren’t strings of garlic adorning his desk, or anything weird like that. He thought the garlic thing was actually pretty fake, but he didn’t know. He’d have to ask Zhou Mi. Would it poison Zhou Mi through his blood if Kyuhyun ate it? Zhou Mi probably would have told him if it did. Kyuhyun just said a good morning, installed himself at his desk, and anticipated life going on. He hadn’t changed, was the point. He was the same person who rolled his eyes while on the telephone, and shook the fax machine. Seriously. The fax machine. What year were they living in, anyway?
But the usual greeting from Ryeowook wasn’t there. Again, ignored even though his greeting had been directed almost directly at the seated man. Lunchtime, he decided. He couldn’t wait longer than that. He’d never known Ryeowook to be prejudiced or cruel, and they were good enough friends that he thought he deserved an answer. When Ryeowook got up to get his tea, Kyuhyun followed. And got the relative privacy of their tiny office kitchen.
“Hey, what’s up?” he asked.
“Don’t touch me,” Ryeowook pleaded, shrinking back from Kyuhyun’s offered hand as though it was made of poison.
“Okay. You realize I’m not a vampire, right? I can’t bite you, or infect you. What’s going on?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Ryeowook said. “Let me out.”
“I thought we were friends. You don’t even know what happened. If you’re so disgusted by—”
“You didn’t even tell me!” Ryeowook argued. “Just showed up to work and told everyone like it was no big deal.”
“It was a huge deal! It was such a big deal, I didn’t even know how to tell myself. My parents don’t even know, damn it.”
Ryeowook’s face shuttered. “Why would you not tell your parents? Are you ashamed? How long have you been keeping your relationship a secret?”
Kyuhyun huffed out a laugh. “Look. There are some things you don’t know. Have dinner with me after work, and I can tell you. It’s not what you think. I haven’t been keeping things from you.”
Ryeowook’s frown had him on edge, but there was acceptance there, too. “Just you and me?”
“Yeah. You and me.”
***
Kyuhyun was slightly comforted by the fact that Ryeowook didn’t book it out of work like some kind of hellmonster was going to grab him if he stayed. Kyuhyun did what he had never done before, and texted Zhou Mi to let him know he was going to eat dinner out and be late. That was the problem with living someone. The expectations. He sighed, and virtually crossed his fingers for luck. After he and Ryeowook had chosen a restaurant, gotten seated and ordered, Ryeowook sort of looked around.
“You don’t have to tell them?”
Kyuhyun’s eyebrows rose. That he was blood bonded? Perhaps he should tattoo it on his forehead or something.
“Tell them what? That I’m going to eat their food? I’m not going to spit in someone else’s. I’m not contagious.”
“I don’t understand. We just had lunch on Thursday? You weren’t even dating someone. And a vamp—“
“Shh,” he quieted Ryeowook’s outburst. Thankfully they were far enough away, and the music was loud enough that no one could overhear. “No, I didn’t plan this. I wasn’t dating Zhou Mi. I was kidnapped.”
“By the vampire?” Ryeowook whispered, goggling.
“No. Not by the vampire.” He tried to imagine Zhou Mi kidnapping anyone and almost slapped his forehead. “By a bunch of jerkoffs who like to think they’re making the world a better place. Because hey, cutting my wrist and forcing a vampire to drink from it is great weekend entertainment.”
He extended his arm, showing Ryeowook the fading cut.
“It wasn’t the vam— It wasn’t Zhou Mi’s fault. He was fighting just as hard to get away. But him drinking any at all causes a blood bond, which means he can only ever— My blood, that’s it for him.”
“But he had to have drank blood before then?” Ryeowook wondered.
“Animal blood. No human blood. I mean, seriously, his life is now tied to mine. He can’t have kids. He dies not too long after I do. It wasn’t an attack on me as much as it was a death sentence on him. And I’m living with him now because my landlord kicked me to the curb as soon as he knew. Even if there’s no danger to anyone.”
“He must be lying to you. He can eat other…people. All of them can.”
They were silent a few moments as their food was set down, but Kyuhyun shook his head.
“No. He told me, and I looked it up, too. He ate food just like us, and then animal blood. If he bit a human, he’d be bonded to them. Like he is to me right now. There are books that were written way before you or I were born about the blood bonds.” The illustrations, the smell of must, were vivid to him. “And the effects on humans, I’ve experienced those. They’re medical, science books. Not some kind of vampire propaganda.”
Ryeowook’s eyes still weren’t quite meeting his. “Doesn’t it freak you out, living with him? Or… You said the blood bond was like a marriage? Like a real marriage?”
“I’m not sleeping with him, if that’s what you’re asking. We haven’t even known each other three days, and two of those I’ve been at work. But he’s honestly the least creepy guy I’ve ever met in my life. There are probably puppies that are more creepy than he is. He sews clothes, I mean. Really?”
“But your vampire is nice?”
Kyuhyun’s stomach shifted at the use of the word his. As though he somehow owned Zhou Mi, or was, well— bound to him. Apparently he still wasn’t quite used to that idea.
“Yeah, he’s a nice guy. Why don’t you meet him. Just a few minutes, even. I don’t know why you’re scared of vampires, or what you’ve been told, but maybe it’ll help. You’re my friend. I don’t want to lose that because of me suddenly being a food source. Why are you so weirded out?”
“I don’t want to talk abut it,” Ryeowook insisted. “I don’t. But maybe meeting the vamp— Zhou Mi? Would be okay. Thank you. For telling me. I thought you didn’t trust me any more.”
“No. Maybe we can meet you tomorrow for dinner.” After the sun set. No sense lifting Ryeowook’s alarm with Zhou Mi’s special gear. Some of the sick worry abated when Ryeowook almost reluctantly agreed. But it was still something. It wasn’t like he could talk down the prejudices of every single person in the city, but if he couldn’t with his own friend, then he really didn’t know what he was doing.
***
***
Zhou Mi was beginning to put his life back together. He couldn’t spend 8 or 9 hours every day just waiting for Kyuhyun to get back. Wondering if Kyuhyun was okay. Wondering if Kyuhyun even was coming back. He’d had a life before, and it didn’t revolve around organizing Kyuhyun’s things, cleaning them, or otherwise obsessing about Kyuhyun’s existence. He spent the morning tidying and reading, and the afternoon with his sewing machine. He figured actually making something he could sell would be better than sitting around angsting. Maybe he had looked up at the clock once or twice, just to check on the progress of the day. Cursing the stupid machine for its loose seam, and spending extra time ripping it right back out before adjusting the tension. He managed to cut and finish a woman’s shirt, before he heard his phone going off. Racing for it with something bordering on irrational panic. A text, from Kyuhyun, saying he would be late because he was eating out.
Zhou Mi allowed himself a moment to flop on the couch in a huff. Fully realizing that Kyuhyun’s life didn’t revolve around him either. And he was the tiniest bit hurt that Kyuhyun hadn’t invited him out. But who knew if Kyuhyun thought that was impolite? Since Zhou Mi couldn’t eat. And Zhou Mi tried to conjure an image of Kyuhyun’s friend and how close they were, going places he had no reason to go. He was curious. About Kyuhyun, who he was. He wanted to know more. Beyond just Kyuhyun’s favorite color or animal. About his family, his life, his philosophies. Even if it was stupid of him to want to know, when Kyuhyun undoubtedly thought that the less they knew about each other, the better. He dragged himself from his funk and focused on ripping a shirt apart that he was planning on reconstructing. He’d bought it because he liked the fabric. Maybe he could make something cute, he thought grimly. Like a toaster cover.
He’d moved on to the very enviable task of snipping off extra threads when he heard the door. Sidling out as though he was nonchalant even though that was clearly an utter fable.
“How was dinner?” he asked, as Kyuhyun hung up his jacket and stubbed his feet into his slippers.
“Not too bad,” Kyuhyun said simply.
“And work?”
“Just another day for the most part. No major drama from most of them. A few questions, not bad.”
“Did you want tea?”
“Please,” Kyuhyun said, sinking down into a chair at the table. “The reason I had this dinner tonight was that one of my coworkers is a pretty good friend of mine. And he was being kind of weird yesterday, not talking to me, kind of avoiding. And he didn’t even want me touching him today, so I wanted to talk to him and see what was up.”
“Oh no,” he murmured, not even knowing what else he could say. Losing a friend because of what Zhou Mi was, after everything else that had happened? That wasn’t even fair.
“So I got him to agree to meet you, maybe tomorrow if that’s okay with you. I’ll come home and change, and we can go.”
“Oh,” Zhou Mi said, liking the idea immensely. “So if he knows who I am, and not some faceless vampire waiting to poison him, or you, or something. That’s smart.”
“If you’re okay with going.”
“Yeah, of course. I hope it’ll help him accept it. At least. Until.”
Kyuhyun nodded. Until there was no blood bond to worry about. Not that Zhou Mi still had very much hope in that aspect. All he had to try for was patience until Kyuhyun might accept that, too.
***
Laundering some of Kyuhyun’s clothes, more reading, more sewing. It filled the next day waiting to go out to meet Kyuhyun’s friend. He couldn’t lie to himself and say he was okay with it. He’d also spent a decent amount of time touring his closet. He figured they weren’t going anywhere fancy, but he didn’t want to look lazy. Judged because he wasn’t good enough for Kyuhyun? Well, no. He would never, by nature of what he was, be “good enough” by the world’s standards. But he was not some kind of creep. He was just a man whose life now revolved around a single source of food. And a single possible source of emotional joy and pain.
He’d narrowed it to two shirts by the time that Kyuhyun had come home to change, and he honestly tried to be subtle about asking for Kyuhyun’s opinion. And he’d been glad for the answer, until Kyuhyun had dropped a bomb on him.
“It got around work today that Ryeowook was going to meet you. So a few more are meeting us for dinner. Hope you don’t mind?”
“No,” he said, faintly. And was suddenly relieved that he wouldn’t sweat all over the shirt. He went with Kyuhyun’s offhand decision, because at that point, honestly? He had bigger problems. Like a tiny hint of stage fright. He just hoped the sun set fully by the time they got there, because he had to leave the apartment covered head to toe as the sun sank past the horizon. Just enough light to still be dangerous.
Zhou Mi debated with himself the entire subway ride over. Even if he was standing beside Kyuhyun he was unsure. Did he speak when they got there? Stay silent? He wanted to know which was going to be best for Kyuhyun. If they were prejudiced against vampires, then there was nothing he could say or do to change that, and no way to help Kyuhyun. That was a battle Kyuhyun had to fight himself. And it wasn’t as though he felt guilty, exactly. Of course Kyuhyun wouldn’t be in the position he was in if it hadn’t been for Zhou Mi, but it wasn’t as though it had been a choice. So his options were slim. Either he hated what he was, and what that did to Kyuhyun’s life, or he did what he could for Kyuhyun. And he chose the latter.
Maybe he was doing too much and trying too hard. But what else was there? Kyuhyun had called him a monster once, out of emotion. But there wasn’t that same fear, or revulsion that he saw in others. The kind that had them edging away from him on the subway, looking him over as though he stank, badly. The kind of looks that he occasionally wanted to counter with by stepping closer, at least until reason got the best of him. It wasn’t exactly a punishable offense, “help, a vampire stood too close,” but he really did not need to have the police looking in on him. And it wasn’t like it was fun scaring people.
He wondered how much he would die inside each time, if Kyuhyun looked at him like that.
Four days, he thought, unable to believe it. Just four days since he’d first seen that face. And Kyuhyun looked at him, when they reached the stop they were getting off at, to make sure Zhou Mi was following him. And he was. Kyuhyun looked good, even if his jacket didn’t fit him quite right, and maybe the pants were just a touch wrong. Some of that Zhou Mi could fix. He could definitely make the pants more flattering. The jacket just needed to be smaller overall. And he really, truly did try and keep his eyes off of Kyuhyun’s butt as he followed Kyuhyun up to street level. It was just hard to do, that was all. And he didn’t think Kyuhyun would’ve called him a terrible person because of it. He was a man, in the end. Though even if Kyuhyun was reluctantly accepting that they had to live together, actually having sex might be something Kyuhyun never would want. And he could preemptively be all “Sex with a human, ew!” but it didn’t hold water. Though it might be easier that way. He was just conditioned to think of the bonding and sex going hand in hand, as any marriage partnership.
The sun was far enough behind buildings, that as they got closer to the front doors of the restaurant that Kyuhyun was leading him to, he felt comfortable enough to shed his gloves, and peel back the protective cloth that covered his face and neck. It took a little tucking but he got it down his shirt enough to not cause him worry.
“Ready?” Kyuhyun asked.
“As I ever will be,” he said, and tried for a smile.
The little gathering was obvious, every eye fixating on him a second after confirming Kyuhyun’s identity. He had to keep himself from reaching up to pat at his hair.
“This is Zhou Mi,” Kyuhyun said. “And these are my coworkers.”
Kyuhyun introduced each of them, starting with Ryeowook. He didn’t bother reaching out a hand, knowing it might be shunned.
Zhou Mi smiled down at the table for a moment. “We thought it would be best if you could meet me. And. Well. Know there isn’t some kind of monster living with Kyuhyun.”
He wasn’t looking at them when he said it, but he was at Kyuhyun. And it wasn’t that he said it to get back at Kyuhyun at all, but the slight softening of Kyuhyun’s eyes had him wanting to lean forward and hug him.
He sat as close to Kyuhyun as was possible, just listening as conversation flowed, and meals were delivered. His stomach grumbled, not because the food smelled good, but because people were eating, and he could smell Kyuhyun. He had his tea, that Kyuhyun had gotten for him like he was just a regular person, and there were questions. Where he lived, how moving had been for Kyuhyun.
“We read up a little on that link you sent out. He has to bite you?”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t hurt,” Kyuhyun answered.
That was one of the things that Zhou Mi was glad about. He couldn’t imagine causing Kyuhyun physical pain on top of everything else. Though it made him wish he’d been able to feed before coming to the restaurant. He didn’t think the people curiously talking to Kyuhyun were going to try and turn Kyuhyun against him, but he had no idea. And all the words he could say sort of bottled up inside him.
One of the men wondered, “If he’s the one who needs you, can’t you just stop letting him bite you?”
“Sure. I could just let him die.”
There were some visible flinches at Kyuhyun’s frank words, but not in a way that seemed like shame. More like human decency. Zhou Mi blew out a breath and tried not to shrink in his chair.
“So you guys are married now?”
Kyuhyun’s lips visibly thinned. “Something like that.”
And Kyuhyun looked to him, as though he would be uncomfortable with what was happening. He gave a small smile just for reassurance, and when he glanced up, he realized Kyuhyun’s action had switched the attention from Kyuhyun to him.
“What do you, ah… Do you do anything for a living?” the only woman among them asked.
Besides bite people, he thought, a little uncharitably. He knew the question wasn’t meant quite as it sounded, and was meant to dispel the tension that rose when everyone realized they’d been mostly talking around him, instead of to him.
“I sew clothes,” Zhou Mi said, smiling. “That’s a beautiful watch.”
He tried to be himself, be charming. No one asked them where Zhou Mi bit Kyuhyun, or how much he took, or if Kyuhyun was scared. Kyuhyun’s friend Ryeowook didn’t say much, though he did meet Zhou Mi’s eyes once with a curious, if slightly frightened look. He wanted to assure the man that there was nothing to be afraid of, but he wasn’t sure what he could say. But they didn’t stay long. Everyone had work the next day and things to do, and he could feel the tension creeping up the back of his neck anyway. Kyuhyun would be back to work in the morning, and that was another true test of how things would be. How he was treated, seeing if their little mission worked at all.
The ride back to the apartment was easier on the subway. He hadn’t had to cover his face or hands, so he blended in. Just another man, sitting beside an antsy Kyuhyun. He almost wanted to ask what was on Kyuhyun’s mind, actually opened his mouth to do so, before he caught himself. They weren’t close enough for that, yet. To where he could ask without thinking at all, as though he had a right to do it.
It was irony that it was nighttime that equalled him with humans. The time when humans might have been most afraid made him invisible among them.
They picked up dessert for Kyuhyun on the way to the apartment, the smell lingering in the hallway after them. And it was only then, after they made it in the door and Zhou Mi felt the urge to clean something thoroughly to get out his angst, that Kyuhyun spoke.
“I think it went pretty well,” Kyuhyun said, having stepped out of his shoes and made his way to get a plate for himself. “I mean, I know some of them fairly well? And not like they were going to puke on your shoes or something, but whatever.”
Zhou Mi sighed, sitting opposite Kyuhyun at the table. “I hope it did go okay. I think I was more nervous than they were.”
“People are all stupid in one way or another anyway, but yeah, I was a little nervous too. Not because of anything you could’ve said, though. I wish you wouldn’t have said monster.”
“Well, it’s true for some, isn’t it?” Zhou Mi offered. “And I figured, if I said it, and kind of dismissed it, then they could dismiss it, too.”
“Or introduce it. But yeah. It’s done. At least my boss is pretty supportive. I guess he knew a vampire who was bonded, way back when? So he’s okay. I can get my desk moved if I have to. I guarantee you they wouldn’t want to start doing my job on top of theirs.”
“And it isn’t as though I’ll go to work with you. You’re still the same Kyuhyun they knew. It’ll fade, hopefully. Do you think your friend took it well?”
“I hope so,” Kyuhyun said, frowning at his fork. “He was pretty quiet, but from the way he was acting, at least he didn’t go running away screaming. But yeah, hopefully the job stays good. No offense, but I can’t imagine being stuck in this apartment 24 hours a day.”
He laughed, unable to help himself. Kyuhyun didn’t say with you but it was sort of implied. No, he knew it was good that Kyuhyun had time away. For so many reasons. Kyuhyun peered at his watch and hummed.
“Oh, I have a show coming on soon. Do you mind if I use the TV?”
Ahh, the TV. Kyuhyun’s was sitting in a corner of the spare room. He supposed if they really ended up having disparate tastes they could set that up, too, but he wanted to get to know what Kyuhyun liked as well.
“No. I’ll get your dishes,” he said, making to stand and reach for the plate.
Kyuhyun slid it out of Zhou Mi’s reach, frowning. “You’re not my servant. I’ll get the dish. You can turn on the TV if you want.”
He felt like he’d been chastised by his father, but that didn’t keep him from pouting and walking toward the living room. He liked having someone to do things for. And it wasn’t as though he had been totally alone. There had been friends, and pets. But he had also moved throughout his life. It wasn’t like he’d grown up and planted himself like some kind of lumbering tree. He’d only lived in the place he had currently for seven or eight years. It became uncomfortable to stay much more than ten, because people aged, and he did not. But as a bonded vampire, the more he read in the books, he realized he would begin to age as well. Not fast, but it would be noticeable after a time. It relieved him to some extent that he wouldn’t look like Kyuhyun’s grandson one day.
“What channel did you want?” he asked, as Kyuhyun settled beside him with a glass of water.
It was a historical drama, he realized as it started playing. He curled in on himself, and prepared to watch. There was a little overview of previous happenings, but it helped him orient himself into the action. Kyuhyun didn’t seem too annoyed when he asked the occasional question, jerking on the couch when someone suddenly appeared with a knife. Kyuhyun just chuckled, and set aside his glass.
“Are you hungry? I haven’t read enough books to know how often you need to feed.”
“Once daily is… That’s fairly normal,” Zhou Mi said, not taking his eyes from the screen.
“Normal, okay. But that means there are differences? I don’t know. If you’re hurt? Or you did a lot that day? Or some just do it differently? Three short meals instead of one big one?”
“Preferences, yes,” Zhou Mi agreed, finally looking to him. “I don’t weaken if I feed only once a day. I begin to get hungry, as the day wears on. I don’t know what it feels like for you to be hungry, so I can’t compare it. It’s a want. And feeding fills the empty part of it.”
“So you’re saying you should feed as soon as I get home from work.”
“Not always. I’m not always hungry.”
Kyuhyun glanced at him. “And now?”
“Yes.”
Kyuhyun’s arm flopped toward him, a gesture of great impatience. But when he reached for Kyuhyun’s arm, it was jerked out of his reach.
“Look, we bargained with each other that we’d look into this bond thing. I want you to tell me that if you’re hungry, you’re going to let me know. I hate being hungry. Hate it. And I refuse to feel guilty because you think you’re bothering me. I can’t run after you with my arm in your face.”
The image tickled him. “Then I’ll promise you, Kyuhyun. I’ll do my best.”
And in doing his best, he wriggled onto his side. His head just barely against Kyuhyun’s thigh, bringing Kyuhyun’s arm close. It afforded him the perfect angle to nose against Kyuhyun’s skin, breathing in the scent of his blood and Kyuhyun. Drinking, deep, his eyes closed for a long moment as he felt Kyuhyun shudder against him. Normal, that reaction. But he kept watching Kyuhyun’s historical drama as he ate, the entertainment that much more satisfying from what he could have imagined. And when he was done, he nearly fell asleep. Kyuhyun’s hand and arm clutched against his mouth. Not biting any more, just holding. Breathing. The comfort of breathing against Kyuhyun’s skin almost too much for him.
“Are you done?” he heard loud in his ear, and let go of Kyuhyun’s arm out of shock. He realized that the drama was over, and had been for a little while.
“Oh, yes,” he said, sitting up and smoothing down his hair. He blinked blearily at Kyuhyun, who was smirking.
“I thought you were just going to sleep there all night.”
“I could’ve,” Zhou Mi admitted, unfolding himself into a standing position.
“I guess now I know what a sleeping dog with a bone he’s trying to protect looks like.”
Zhou Mi swatted behind him at Kyuhyun’s teasing, trying to think of some little thing he could do while waiting to sleep. He realized he’d been standing over one of the boxes that Kyuhyun had been going through for several minutes, before realizing he had no ability to go through it himself. And if he tried ironing any more of Kyuhyun’s clothes that night, he’d probably have left scorch marks on delicate fabric. He sighed, and made for the kitchen instead, drawing himself a cup of hot water and brewing tea. He was still dunking his tea bag when Kyuhyun ambled into the kitchen.
“I think I’m done for tonight, too. I just stared at a bunch of papers I was sorting like I was trying to decide between rare books.”
Zhou Mi smiled and offered him a tea bag, which Kyuhyun accepted. “It’s been a long day. A lot was accomplished, though.”
“Yeah.” And after Kyuhyun had his water, he looked up. “Thanks. For everything. Unpacking. Not burying me under the toilet because of all this. Putting up with meeting my coworkers.”
The warmth of the tea sent tingles through him. And Kyuhyun’s words had him sighing. “I’m glad to do what I can for you.”
“But it’s nothing you had to do. So, really, thanks.”
Maybe Kyuhyun didn’t think so, as he turned back to the living room. But he didn’t see Zhou Mi watching him go, or the wistfulness that caused. He wasn’t sure that Kyuhyun had as much reason to be thankful as he thought he did. They were both trying to minimize the troubles on each other. He drowsed in his chair with a book on vampire lore, looking from under his lashes at Kyuhyun, who was stretched out on the couch with his own book. His problem was that he could all too well imagine a hug. Kyuhyun coming to him with a smile, and opening his arms in thanks or affection. The warmth of another body against him after so long, breathing against Kyuhyun’s neck. Not the scent of a meal. The scent of a lover, his blood bonded mate.
***
Kyuhyun slept fairly well, with a slight hint of unease. Going over and over the meeting with Ryeowook and the others, trying to get a sense of how it had gone. He kept trying to meet Ryeowook’s eyes, but Ryeowook had seemed most content to listen. He kind of wished the others had butted themselves right back out, but he didn’t know if meeting with Ryeowook on his own would’ve been better or not. Having more people took the pressure off. Though seriously, he thought, staring at the man curled toward him on the bed. What was there to be scared of? Even if he was tall and semi-sturdy, there were a few stiff breezes that he could think of that’d make a good shot at knocking Zhou Mi over. Maybe he had it easy because he was the one getting bitten and not killed every day. Could Zhou Mi even kill him? Maybe if he drank too much, but Zhou Mi’s antibodies were supposed to allay that. Obviously if Kyuhyun bled out some other way, but Zhou Mi wasn’t hacking at him with a knife.
Still, he’d slept, thinking he could invite Ryeowook over, or meet him out again. Or maybe it had been enough for now, just to see who Zhou Mi was. He’d probably worried himself, before he had gotten caught up in helping Zhou Mi decide what shirt to wear. Like it mattered? But he guessed it did, to Zhou Mi who probably though if he didn’t make a good impression then he’d be letting Kyuhyun down. A martyr. Great.
But he appreciated the thought, anyway.
Of course that didn’t explain why, several times during the work day, he’d gotten distracted thinking of Zhou Mi almost zonking out with his head in Kyuhyun’s lap the night before. No, it wasn’t quite innocent, because there was a fully grown man doing it. And there were those occasional wet, sucking sounds that sent his brain in a totally different, decidedly dirty direction. It didn’t help that Zhou Mi seemed to really relish licking at him while feeding. He could feel that tongue working and brushing his skin. He hadn’t actually gone so far as to smell his wrist afterward, just washing his hands. But he admitted to a slight curiosity. At least in his head. There was no way he was saying that out loud. He wondered too just how good his blood actually tasted to Zhou Mi. Like milkshakes? Pizza?
But at least Ryeowook had said good morning that day, and the next. Actually engaging in conversation without leaning away from him. Still slightly strained, but at least it was something.
The only really awkward moment in his first weeks back was when one of his male coworkers, a guy he didn’t really have much to do with, came up beside him at the copy machine.
“It was interesting meeting Zhou Mi. Kind of wish I’d worked up the courage to ask you out before. So are like you two married-married? He has all the same parts as a human?”
Kyuhyun kept his eyes on the papers that were being spit out with the noxious fumes of ink. It was better than looking up at the man who was currently making rather awkward remarks and questions to him.
“Um. Vampires have kids just like we do, so?”
He realized that didn’t actually answer the guy’s question. But asking someone whether they have sex in the middle of work was a little forward to be answering anyway. Though he was grumpy that it made him wonder for half a second. Zhou Mi had said he was pretty much the same as Kyuhyun, but for those few, rather glaring differences. He figured that extended to whatever was between Zhou Mi’s legs as well. Any extra surprises probably would’ve been disclosed in what he’d read. It wasn’t like Zhou Mi was secretly female, or something.
But that research in Zhou Mi’s books was slow, as best as he could call it. Reading when he wasn’t eating, or gaming. Getting used to Zhou Mi’s quirks. Like the fact that he liked to help, and the fact that he really liked touching Kyuhyun while feeding. If it wasn’t an extra hand on his arm, then Zhou Mi was resting a head on his leg, or something. It wasn’t sexual, and he didn’t let it be, no matter what feelings it brought in him. Who knew, maybe it made Zhou Mi feel better. But things had gotten easier. He didn’t feel like he was going back to an apartment with a total stranger in it, even if the stranger did occasionally sprinkle stray sequins off of his clothing from sewing.
But he had made it to the last day of the workweek. He was both looking forward to, and dreading, the weekend. Two unstructured, unfilled days, with nothing to do but keep getting his crap out of Zhou Mi’s way, and research vampires, and feed the one he was living with. And eating, yeah, that too.
He’d just finished putting his contacts in, blinking at himself in the mirror. Sleep came pretty easy, given he wasn’t used to sharing a bed with someone. But Zhou Mi didn’t snore, and the bed wasn’t small, so he was fine with it. His mom had always told him he could sleep through a train running through the house, anyway. He knew the moment it happened, the mistake he had made. Taking off his shirt to reach for his undershirt. He’d had no reason to close the bathroom door, and he looked up in time to see Zhou Mi frozen in the doorway.
In the mirror, he could see Zhou Mi struggle. Turn away, come back, say something, don’t say something?
He knew what he preferred, and even if he had no desire to talk about his body, he knew they were going to. One day. And it might as well be sooner rather than later.
“The scars,” Zhou Mi said, having made his decision to walk closer. And he knew what Zhou Mi meant. The lines of white and brown, faded, part of him for over a decade. He remembered the crash, with his family. His mother at his head telling him it’d be okay. It had been. It just had taken a while.
“There was an accident,” Kyuhyun told him. “I got hurt. But I’m okay now.”
His skin seemed to twitch as Zhou Mi got closer. He’d always been so cautious, when he’d dated or had sex. Never to let them show. And he hadn’t lasted a week with Zhou Mi before everything was out in the open. But then he’d never lived with anyone before. But the only one he’d ever let touch, purposely, has been his mother. If anything, the memories were more painful for her than for him.
“A very bad accident?”
“Bad enough,” he answered. “Clearly I lived long enough to get tossed in your lap.”
“But—“ Zhou Mi hissed through his teeth. “It hurts me to think of it. I couldn’t ease your pain.”
Zhou Mi’s cheek met the top of his shoulder, grasping Kyuhyun’s waist, and he only half repressed the shiver. He told himself that he wanted to move away, that the touch made him uncomfortable. But Zhou Mi wasn’t making pitying sounds or faces, or trying to touch his back directly. He wondered if he would have protested if Zhou Mi had tried to touch, what it would’ve made it feel. But Zhou Mi just held onto him like doing so erased whatever happened in the past. But it wasn’t like there was anything that could be done.
“You didn’t cause the wounds, so there wasn’t much you could’ve done anyway, right? I don’t like to think about it. It’s over, and I’ll always have those ugly reminders.”
“A testament to your survival,” Zhou Mi declared. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset. You would’ve found out eventually anyway. But hey, I’m alive. You can still bite me.”
“Yes. Seeing that you live a very long and healthy life is in my best interests,” Zhou Mi murmured, his voice tinged with ironic humor.
Kyuhyun laughed, shrugging Zhou Mi off of his shoulders. “Get out of here so I can get ready.”
His last day of work before the weekend. More time in that pile of books to see if they could discover anything that would break what bound them. Zhou Mi sent him out the door with a smile. The stairs he went down were familiar, the door to the apartment coming back to it. His things were familiar. He didn’t feel like there was a stranger living in his body, like his skin didn’t belong. He’d have another scar on his wrist from the knife that had forced their bonding, but when he caught sight of that during the day when his sleeve pulled up, the first thing that came to his mind was a smile.
***
Author: Coley Merrin
Pairing: Zhou Mi/Kyuhyun
Rating: R
Genre: AU, Vampires, Angst, Fluff
Warnings: Brief violence, angst, sexual situations.
Summary: Research points to a vampire bite being unbreakable, but Kyuhyun can't give up. And with Zhou Mi, he works to undo the blood bond that forced them together.
***
Chapter One * Chapter Two & Three * Chapter Four & Five * Chapter Six & Seven
***
Kyuhyun rubbed the spot on his wrist that Zhou Mi had bitten as he walked into the front door of his office’s building. The evidence of it was long gone, but he still knew exactly where the teeth had pierced him. He had a suspicion that Zhou Mi wasn’t “feeding” quite as much as he could have been. And probably he shouldn’t have cared, but he supposed it was normal. Zhou Mi had said he’d be producing more blood, so who knew if it got dangerous?
By some miracle, he was only about five minutes later than he usually was, calling a greeting to his nearest coworker, and plotting to get his soup in the fridge and survive on a banana until lunch.
“Hey, Kyuhyun, can I see you a minute?” his boss called.
“Trouble so early?” he heard as a tease from Ryeowook, and rolled his eyes in response.
But just hearing his boss call his name had started anxiety pinging in the bottom of his stomach. His landlord had heard after less than a couple of hours, so had they let his work know so quickly also? Zhou Mi had assured him that he couldn’t be fired, but he wasn’t sure. He could be let go for any various reasons. And he respected his boss, over the past year and a half that he’d been working there. So he really didn’t want to assume that there would be antagonism, but who knew? He clearly had been prejudiced himself without much foreknowledge at all. He closed the door of the office quietly, sitting when he was bid to. And tried to keep his fingers from knotting together in his lap.
“I got a call this morning, and I’m pretty sure you know what that’s about?” his boss asked.
“Yes, sir,” Kyuhyun agreed.
“I wanted to bring it up and not make you have to come to me about it, since I imagine this could be pretty awkward. I didn’t know you were dating anyone even?”
How much of the truth to tell? His boss, at least, deserved most of it. He didn’t know if it was going to inspire pity, or a dislike of Zhou Mi himself, but he could only do what he could. Describing the kidnapping, on both their parts. Hey, I got hitched to a vampire because of a few idiots, only in slightly less weird phrasing.
“And we registered, as we had to. My landlord kicked me out yesterday because of it, so I’m living with Zhou Mi now. But we’re going to be looking into a way to reverse the bond.”
“What if you can’t find a way?” his boss asked.
Kyuhyun stared, unsure. He hadn’t even let his brain consider that. It had only been two days. They had so much time to research and figure something out. And if he still had a job, it was like free rent. Free for the price of blood. And maybe Zhou Mi had mellowed in his old age. He held back a chuckle.
“Well, we’ll be looking, anyway.”
His boss hummed, thoughtful. “We had a vampire neighbor when I was small, who was bonded. Though it was a man and woman. My parents taught me that there was nothing to fear from them, though they moved before I was very old. I’m sorry for what you went through, Kyuhyun. That would be hard on anyone. But you’re aware that all your coworkers have to be informed?”
“Yes.” And he sighed at the thought. “I’ve been wondering how to tell them.”
Tell them in a herd so they could be shamed into keeping their reactions calm, or individually?
“Honesty may be best in this instance. I can step in and mediate if there are any particular reactions. The part in the employee handbook is a little slim on how to deal with blood bonded employees.”
Kyuhyun could only be silent and agree. Not that he’d seen it. But it didn’t leave much to the imagination. There was probably even a codicil, like, I know it says to be civil but just hope you never get into a blood bond yourself.
But it was, as ever, a place to begin.
“Also, a courier came just before you did. I signed for it, so no one else saw.”
The envelope was marked Office of Vampire Affairs. He closed his eyes. His blood test, maybe. Fantastic. If anyone else had seen, then it would’ve been so much for letting everyone know in a different way.
Their office wasn’t all that big. Four men, three women. His boss, and Kyuhyun. Everyone was there that morning, and curious as to why his boss called their attention.
“Kyuhyun has something he needs to tell you.”
He’d made the call, to say it himself. He had friends there, and he focused on Ryeowook, the one friend he spent the most time with.
“I don’t know how else to put this, but. This weekend I was blood bonded to a vampire.”
No one fainted. Or tried to drive a stake into him. At least there was that.
***
Kyuhyun assured them that there wasn’t any danger to them, that he was still the same. Telling them that he was basically married to a male vampire. He was a little vague on the details. Maybe he could tell his boss the finer points, but telling a room at large that he’d been forcibly bitten was a little less than optimal. And he couldn’t imagine that it would really favorably impact their opinions on vampires, even if it hadn’t been Zhou Mi’s fault. Phrases like temporary situation and making the best of it left his mouth like he was some hopeful bot. It was just that he was required to tell them, or rather their workplace was required to let them know. He didn’t ask for questions like it was some kind ridiculous school assembly. But his boss had offered that his door was open, which took some of the onus off of Kyuhyun’s shoulders. He figured if there really were questions, they were adult enough to actually come to him.
Also, there was the internet, though from what he’d seen the sites ranged from looking like vampires belonged in UFOs to wonderings about why the government didn’t just do away with them entirely. Still, there was some neutral stuff out there, and he did send a link out to one site on the approval of his boss. Just for so. He kind of had that awkward hope that if he didn’t make too big of a deal, then it wouldn’t seem like too big of a deal to them. Or he figured he could try at the very least.
He ate his leftover ramen at his desk, which wasn’t quite enough but he figured he’d deal. The banana by then had been long gone from his stomach. And it wasn’t like he was avoiding them, he just really didn’t want to play show and tell at the lunch table. At least not on the first day. He hadn’t become some museum quality relic, or some kind of ticking time bomb, just because of who he lived with.
But when he turned to joke with Ryeowook about an email from a supplier that just came in. But the person he knew best in the office, his friend, didn’t even look up, or even really reply to him. As though Kyuhyun hadn’t spoken at all. All there was was an uncomfortable shift, and Ryeowook typing away.
And that was when Kyuhyun’s stomach began to knot.
He didn’t want to call Ryeowook on it in the middle of the day, hoping to talk to him as they were leaving. But that didn’t really work either, because Ryeowook left while Kyuhyun was doing an end-of-the-day check-in with his boss. There had been a few people who’d dropped in to chat with his boss, just as a curious sort of thing. His boss hadn’t named names, but Kyuhyun knew for a fact that Ryeowook hadn’t been one of them. It didn’t make his uncomfortable feeling lessen any.
***
Kyuhyun had to stop himself from buying liquor on the way back to the apartment, nearly going the wrong way on the subway - toward his old apartment instead of toward Zhou Mi’s. But he did buy food, to supplement what he knew he’d packed. He didn’t have to worry about suiting Zhou Mi’s tastes, since even if there were two people, he was still cooking for one. And he was the meal for the other.
Zhou Mi popped into sight with a minute of Kyuhyun letting himself into the apartment. He’d considered knocking, but figured that was just kind of stupid. Even if he hadn’t been gone that long, he could see Zhou Mi had clearly made a dent in the cleaning. Kyuhyun’s book boxes settled near the shelves, other boxes missing to where he assumed was probably kitchen or bathroom. He didn’t really care if Zhou Mi was looking through his things. It wasn’t like he had stacks of porn or something that he was incredibly embarrassed about. That was all safely locked on his computer, thank you.
“Looks better in here,” he said, and tried to imagine just how he was going to thank Zhou Mi for working on it. Give a vampire a massage? Extra bite for a snack? If it had been him, and some guy who wasn’t too excited to be there had just invaded his apartment? He would not be a Zhou Mi-type busy bee, but would’ve expected whoever to clean up their own crap. And there were probably some papers and junk he could get rid of, he thought. Merging two apartments wasn’t exactly easy.
Even Zhou Mi seemed at a loss for some of it, considering Kyuhyun’s easy chair was still in the middle of the floor like some kind of overstuffed museum piece.
“They didn’t fire you?” Zhou Mi asked, anxious, with some kind of rag in his hands.
“No. No. My boss was pretty understanding actually. But I guess he’s obligated by law to tell everyone in the office about me? So I did, this morning. So far so good, I guess.”
He didn’t bother bringing up Ryeowook. He didn’t want to turn it into some kind of guilt trip on Zhou Mi’s end, and it wasn’t as though Ryeowook was going anywhere. He’d get to talk to him soon, anyway.
“I’m so glad. I hope it goes really smoothly tomorrow, too.”
“Yeah, me too.” And then he remembered the couriered letter. “Oh. The Vampire Affairs office sent me a letter.”
He fished it out, opening it as Zhou Mi stepped closer.
Kyuhyun skimmed, murmuring out loud.
“Vampire antibodies present, blood bonding confirmed under one week. No fine incurred. Stipend raised 25%? I’m only worth a 25% raise? That’s crap.”
“Probably because you would be able to work,” Zhou Mi said. “That 25% is probably for food. I guess we should be lucky that they don’t cut the stipend off entirely.”
“Get bitten, and get to support someone. That’d be a great exchange.”
But his stomach vocally protesting cut short any other philosophic conversation on the state of affairs.
He had his dinner, and some leftovers from the day before. He probably would’ve gotten a bowl of cereal too, if he’d had anything to put on it. He was making extra blood, not magically romping on a treadmill all hours of the day. And he didn’t want to have to go buy new clothes because his ass suddenly wouldn’t fit. They said relationships were bad on people’s physiques, well. He wasn’t going to be one of those people. He wondered if Zhou Mi feeding counted as a calorie burn. His luck, probably not.
Though as he ate, the blood test and the repercussions of it sank in. He wasn’t just taking Zhou Mi’s word for it any more. If the blood test had been negative, the government would’ve nullified the bond. Why pay out a 25% raise if it was all a joke? It meant that beyond a shadow of a doubt, he was blood bonded to Zhou Mi. And that there wasn’t any getting around it from a logical sense. Sure, the registering, and the bargain he and Zhou Mi had struck had been fine and all. But it was temporary. Even when his boss had asked him, he’d been saying it was temporary.
In the eyes of the government, it was official. Real. And very permanent.
But if the government knew of everyone who was unbonded, of everyone who was? Kyuhyun’s brain paused.
“If they can tell, if they’re paying for your keep— Wouldn’t the government have a stake in seeing there aren’t many vampires? I mean, you were essentially sterilized.”
The frown that crossed Zhou Mi’s face was vivid. “Perhaps, but to think of the government doing this, or hiring someone to?”
“Well, think about it. They know who all the vampires are, because they have to register. They’d know who was blood bound or not. So if it’s not the government, then maybe someone with access to those records.”
“Maybe. Maybe. I don’t know. That’s too hard to think about. But if that’s the reason, why did they wait so long?”
That he couldn’t answer. Zhou Mi had been alive 46 years, and with his blood teeth at least 26. 26 years was a long time to let a vampire languish around, if people were out actively trying to keep vampires from reproducing. So maybe they didn’t have access to all the records, or maybe they went off word of mouth. Zhou Mi hadn’t really been trying to hide. He hadn’t been dancing in the street shouting about it, either. But just trying to live his life. Too much stupid hate to even think about. But another question stumped him.
“If vampires were in short supply, what was stopping you from going out and impregnating a hundred women?”
“Besides a hundred women who wouldn’t want to raise a vampire child?” Zhou Mi asked. “Sperm doesn’t become motile until after a blood bonding. But I wasn’t really thinking that much about the continuance of the species.”
“Well at least you can’t knock me up,” Kyuhyun joked weakly. There was that. Small comfort.
But in a way, he was thankful for all the questions he had. It gave them, or even himself, a place to start looking. The more he knew about what Zhou Mi was, what the bond was? The more they might be able to figure out what to do about it. And it meant that the boxes he got up and faced had to be dealt with. Maybe it’d take a week, or a month. Or a year. But when they’d fixed it, he could deal with his stuff then. He couldn’t live like a transient in Zhou Mi’s apartment. It didn’t seem like Zhou Mi was an ultra neat freak, but it would probably bug even him to have stacks of things around.
“I guess I can make a dent in this before I sleep.”
“I’ll help,” Zhou Mi said, popping to his feet. “Oh, I’ll put on music! What do you like?”
It turned out that Zhou Mi’s peppy choice of CD didn’t make him want to claw his ears out. It was actually pretty pleasant, if sorting through junk and making piles of things to get rid of while trying to find locations for everything else could ever be pleasant. Stopping only long enough to shove more food in his mouth as Zhou Mi stacked books onto shelves, and then helping Zhou Mi move his bed frame and mattress into the spare room where there was thankfully room against a wall upright without overtaking all the space. He stared at Zhou Mi’s sewing machine, the stacks of bins with fabric and whatever. Interesting. He didn’t think he’d ever known someone who sewed before, so it was a totally new concept for him. But bad, not really. He’d ended the day with a job, and that seemed like a success to him.
***
Kyuhyun thought of work rather prosaically. He went, he did what he had to do - thankfully something he also knew how to do - and went home. That gave him money to fund his hobbies. Also, to feed himself, which was a hobby he did try not to indulge in too freely, given all things. He got to exist in general comfort, his work got to make money, everyone was happy. He’d at least been able to eat an actual breakfast since his alarm had gone off. And take a lunch as well. And all of that without Zhou Mi hovering over him. All in all, a good morning. And he’d even made the right train, which was miracle enough itself.
And no one had moved away when he got there. There weren’t strings of garlic adorning his desk, or anything weird like that. He thought the garlic thing was actually pretty fake, but he didn’t know. He’d have to ask Zhou Mi. Would it poison Zhou Mi through his blood if Kyuhyun ate it? Zhou Mi probably would have told him if it did. Kyuhyun just said a good morning, installed himself at his desk, and anticipated life going on. He hadn’t changed, was the point. He was the same person who rolled his eyes while on the telephone, and shook the fax machine. Seriously. The fax machine. What year were they living in, anyway?
But the usual greeting from Ryeowook wasn’t there. Again, ignored even though his greeting had been directed almost directly at the seated man. Lunchtime, he decided. He couldn’t wait longer than that. He’d never known Ryeowook to be prejudiced or cruel, and they were good enough friends that he thought he deserved an answer. When Ryeowook got up to get his tea, Kyuhyun followed. And got the relative privacy of their tiny office kitchen.
“Hey, what’s up?” he asked.
“Don’t touch me,” Ryeowook pleaded, shrinking back from Kyuhyun’s offered hand as though it was made of poison.
“Okay. You realize I’m not a vampire, right? I can’t bite you, or infect you. What’s going on?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Ryeowook said. “Let me out.”
“I thought we were friends. You don’t even know what happened. If you’re so disgusted by—”
“You didn’t even tell me!” Ryeowook argued. “Just showed up to work and told everyone like it was no big deal.”
“It was a huge deal! It was such a big deal, I didn’t even know how to tell myself. My parents don’t even know, damn it.”
Ryeowook’s face shuttered. “Why would you not tell your parents? Are you ashamed? How long have you been keeping your relationship a secret?”
Kyuhyun huffed out a laugh. “Look. There are some things you don’t know. Have dinner with me after work, and I can tell you. It’s not what you think. I haven’t been keeping things from you.”
Ryeowook’s frown had him on edge, but there was acceptance there, too. “Just you and me?”
“Yeah. You and me.”
***
Kyuhyun was slightly comforted by the fact that Ryeowook didn’t book it out of work like some kind of hellmonster was going to grab him if he stayed. Kyuhyun did what he had never done before, and texted Zhou Mi to let him know he was going to eat dinner out and be late. That was the problem with living someone. The expectations. He sighed, and virtually crossed his fingers for luck. After he and Ryeowook had chosen a restaurant, gotten seated and ordered, Ryeowook sort of looked around.
“You don’t have to tell them?”
Kyuhyun’s eyebrows rose. That he was blood bonded? Perhaps he should tattoo it on his forehead or something.
“Tell them what? That I’m going to eat their food? I’m not going to spit in someone else’s. I’m not contagious.”
“I don’t understand. We just had lunch on Thursday? You weren’t even dating someone. And a vamp—“
“Shh,” he quieted Ryeowook’s outburst. Thankfully they were far enough away, and the music was loud enough that no one could overhear. “No, I didn’t plan this. I wasn’t dating Zhou Mi. I was kidnapped.”
“By the vampire?” Ryeowook whispered, goggling.
“No. Not by the vampire.” He tried to imagine Zhou Mi kidnapping anyone and almost slapped his forehead. “By a bunch of jerkoffs who like to think they’re making the world a better place. Because hey, cutting my wrist and forcing a vampire to drink from it is great weekend entertainment.”
He extended his arm, showing Ryeowook the fading cut.
“It wasn’t the vam— It wasn’t Zhou Mi’s fault. He was fighting just as hard to get away. But him drinking any at all causes a blood bond, which means he can only ever— My blood, that’s it for him.”
“But he had to have drank blood before then?” Ryeowook wondered.
“Animal blood. No human blood. I mean, seriously, his life is now tied to mine. He can’t have kids. He dies not too long after I do. It wasn’t an attack on me as much as it was a death sentence on him. And I’m living with him now because my landlord kicked me to the curb as soon as he knew. Even if there’s no danger to anyone.”
“He must be lying to you. He can eat other…people. All of them can.”
They were silent a few moments as their food was set down, but Kyuhyun shook his head.
“No. He told me, and I looked it up, too. He ate food just like us, and then animal blood. If he bit a human, he’d be bonded to them. Like he is to me right now. There are books that were written way before you or I were born about the blood bonds.” The illustrations, the smell of must, were vivid to him. “And the effects on humans, I’ve experienced those. They’re medical, science books. Not some kind of vampire propaganda.”
Ryeowook’s eyes still weren’t quite meeting his. “Doesn’t it freak you out, living with him? Or… You said the blood bond was like a marriage? Like a real marriage?”
“I’m not sleeping with him, if that’s what you’re asking. We haven’t even known each other three days, and two of those I’ve been at work. But he’s honestly the least creepy guy I’ve ever met in my life. There are probably puppies that are more creepy than he is. He sews clothes, I mean. Really?”
“But your vampire is nice?”
Kyuhyun’s stomach shifted at the use of the word his. As though he somehow owned Zhou Mi, or was, well— bound to him. Apparently he still wasn’t quite used to that idea.
“Yeah, he’s a nice guy. Why don’t you meet him. Just a few minutes, even. I don’t know why you’re scared of vampires, or what you’ve been told, but maybe it’ll help. You’re my friend. I don’t want to lose that because of me suddenly being a food source. Why are you so weirded out?”
“I don’t want to talk abut it,” Ryeowook insisted. “I don’t. But maybe meeting the vamp— Zhou Mi? Would be okay. Thank you. For telling me. I thought you didn’t trust me any more.”
“No. Maybe we can meet you tomorrow for dinner.” After the sun set. No sense lifting Ryeowook’s alarm with Zhou Mi’s special gear. Some of the sick worry abated when Ryeowook almost reluctantly agreed. But it was still something. It wasn’t like he could talk down the prejudices of every single person in the city, but if he couldn’t with his own friend, then he really didn’t know what he was doing.
***
***
Zhou Mi was beginning to put his life back together. He couldn’t spend 8 or 9 hours every day just waiting for Kyuhyun to get back. Wondering if Kyuhyun was okay. Wondering if Kyuhyun even was coming back. He’d had a life before, and it didn’t revolve around organizing Kyuhyun’s things, cleaning them, or otherwise obsessing about Kyuhyun’s existence. He spent the morning tidying and reading, and the afternoon with his sewing machine. He figured actually making something he could sell would be better than sitting around angsting. Maybe he had looked up at the clock once or twice, just to check on the progress of the day. Cursing the stupid machine for its loose seam, and spending extra time ripping it right back out before adjusting the tension. He managed to cut and finish a woman’s shirt, before he heard his phone going off. Racing for it with something bordering on irrational panic. A text, from Kyuhyun, saying he would be late because he was eating out.
Zhou Mi allowed himself a moment to flop on the couch in a huff. Fully realizing that Kyuhyun’s life didn’t revolve around him either. And he was the tiniest bit hurt that Kyuhyun hadn’t invited him out. But who knew if Kyuhyun thought that was impolite? Since Zhou Mi couldn’t eat. And Zhou Mi tried to conjure an image of Kyuhyun’s friend and how close they were, going places he had no reason to go. He was curious. About Kyuhyun, who he was. He wanted to know more. Beyond just Kyuhyun’s favorite color or animal. About his family, his life, his philosophies. Even if it was stupid of him to want to know, when Kyuhyun undoubtedly thought that the less they knew about each other, the better. He dragged himself from his funk and focused on ripping a shirt apart that he was planning on reconstructing. He’d bought it because he liked the fabric. Maybe he could make something cute, he thought grimly. Like a toaster cover.
He’d moved on to the very enviable task of snipping off extra threads when he heard the door. Sidling out as though he was nonchalant even though that was clearly an utter fable.
“How was dinner?” he asked, as Kyuhyun hung up his jacket and stubbed his feet into his slippers.
“Not too bad,” Kyuhyun said simply.
“And work?”
“Just another day for the most part. No major drama from most of them. A few questions, not bad.”
“Did you want tea?”
“Please,” Kyuhyun said, sinking down into a chair at the table. “The reason I had this dinner tonight was that one of my coworkers is a pretty good friend of mine. And he was being kind of weird yesterday, not talking to me, kind of avoiding. And he didn’t even want me touching him today, so I wanted to talk to him and see what was up.”
“Oh no,” he murmured, not even knowing what else he could say. Losing a friend because of what Zhou Mi was, after everything else that had happened? That wasn’t even fair.
“So I got him to agree to meet you, maybe tomorrow if that’s okay with you. I’ll come home and change, and we can go.”
“Oh,” Zhou Mi said, liking the idea immensely. “So if he knows who I am, and not some faceless vampire waiting to poison him, or you, or something. That’s smart.”
“If you’re okay with going.”
“Yeah, of course. I hope it’ll help him accept it. At least. Until.”
Kyuhyun nodded. Until there was no blood bond to worry about. Not that Zhou Mi still had very much hope in that aspect. All he had to try for was patience until Kyuhyun might accept that, too.
***
Laundering some of Kyuhyun’s clothes, more reading, more sewing. It filled the next day waiting to go out to meet Kyuhyun’s friend. He couldn’t lie to himself and say he was okay with it. He’d also spent a decent amount of time touring his closet. He figured they weren’t going anywhere fancy, but he didn’t want to look lazy. Judged because he wasn’t good enough for Kyuhyun? Well, no. He would never, by nature of what he was, be “good enough” by the world’s standards. But he was not some kind of creep. He was just a man whose life now revolved around a single source of food. And a single possible source of emotional joy and pain.
He’d narrowed it to two shirts by the time that Kyuhyun had come home to change, and he honestly tried to be subtle about asking for Kyuhyun’s opinion. And he’d been glad for the answer, until Kyuhyun had dropped a bomb on him.
“It got around work today that Ryeowook was going to meet you. So a few more are meeting us for dinner. Hope you don’t mind?”
“No,” he said, faintly. And was suddenly relieved that he wouldn’t sweat all over the shirt. He went with Kyuhyun’s offhand decision, because at that point, honestly? He had bigger problems. Like a tiny hint of stage fright. He just hoped the sun set fully by the time they got there, because he had to leave the apartment covered head to toe as the sun sank past the horizon. Just enough light to still be dangerous.
Zhou Mi debated with himself the entire subway ride over. Even if he was standing beside Kyuhyun he was unsure. Did he speak when they got there? Stay silent? He wanted to know which was going to be best for Kyuhyun. If they were prejudiced against vampires, then there was nothing he could say or do to change that, and no way to help Kyuhyun. That was a battle Kyuhyun had to fight himself. And it wasn’t as though he felt guilty, exactly. Of course Kyuhyun wouldn’t be in the position he was in if it hadn’t been for Zhou Mi, but it wasn’t as though it had been a choice. So his options were slim. Either he hated what he was, and what that did to Kyuhyun’s life, or he did what he could for Kyuhyun. And he chose the latter.
Maybe he was doing too much and trying too hard. But what else was there? Kyuhyun had called him a monster once, out of emotion. But there wasn’t that same fear, or revulsion that he saw in others. The kind that had them edging away from him on the subway, looking him over as though he stank, badly. The kind of looks that he occasionally wanted to counter with by stepping closer, at least until reason got the best of him. It wasn’t exactly a punishable offense, “help, a vampire stood too close,” but he really did not need to have the police looking in on him. And it wasn’t like it was fun scaring people.
He wondered how much he would die inside each time, if Kyuhyun looked at him like that.
Four days, he thought, unable to believe it. Just four days since he’d first seen that face. And Kyuhyun looked at him, when they reached the stop they were getting off at, to make sure Zhou Mi was following him. And he was. Kyuhyun looked good, even if his jacket didn’t fit him quite right, and maybe the pants were just a touch wrong. Some of that Zhou Mi could fix. He could definitely make the pants more flattering. The jacket just needed to be smaller overall. And he really, truly did try and keep his eyes off of Kyuhyun’s butt as he followed Kyuhyun up to street level. It was just hard to do, that was all. And he didn’t think Kyuhyun would’ve called him a terrible person because of it. He was a man, in the end. Though even if Kyuhyun was reluctantly accepting that they had to live together, actually having sex might be something Kyuhyun never would want. And he could preemptively be all “Sex with a human, ew!” but it didn’t hold water. Though it might be easier that way. He was just conditioned to think of the bonding and sex going hand in hand, as any marriage partnership.
The sun was far enough behind buildings, that as they got closer to the front doors of the restaurant that Kyuhyun was leading him to, he felt comfortable enough to shed his gloves, and peel back the protective cloth that covered his face and neck. It took a little tucking but he got it down his shirt enough to not cause him worry.
“Ready?” Kyuhyun asked.
“As I ever will be,” he said, and tried for a smile.
The little gathering was obvious, every eye fixating on him a second after confirming Kyuhyun’s identity. He had to keep himself from reaching up to pat at his hair.
“This is Zhou Mi,” Kyuhyun said. “And these are my coworkers.”
Kyuhyun introduced each of them, starting with Ryeowook. He didn’t bother reaching out a hand, knowing it might be shunned.
Zhou Mi smiled down at the table for a moment. “We thought it would be best if you could meet me. And. Well. Know there isn’t some kind of monster living with Kyuhyun.”
He wasn’t looking at them when he said it, but he was at Kyuhyun. And it wasn’t that he said it to get back at Kyuhyun at all, but the slight softening of Kyuhyun’s eyes had him wanting to lean forward and hug him.
He sat as close to Kyuhyun as was possible, just listening as conversation flowed, and meals were delivered. His stomach grumbled, not because the food smelled good, but because people were eating, and he could smell Kyuhyun. He had his tea, that Kyuhyun had gotten for him like he was just a regular person, and there were questions. Where he lived, how moving had been for Kyuhyun.
“We read up a little on that link you sent out. He has to bite you?”
“Yeah, but it doesn’t hurt,” Kyuhyun answered.
That was one of the things that Zhou Mi was glad about. He couldn’t imagine causing Kyuhyun physical pain on top of everything else. Though it made him wish he’d been able to feed before coming to the restaurant. He didn’t think the people curiously talking to Kyuhyun were going to try and turn Kyuhyun against him, but he had no idea. And all the words he could say sort of bottled up inside him.
One of the men wondered, “If he’s the one who needs you, can’t you just stop letting him bite you?”
“Sure. I could just let him die.”
There were some visible flinches at Kyuhyun’s frank words, but not in a way that seemed like shame. More like human decency. Zhou Mi blew out a breath and tried not to shrink in his chair.
“So you guys are married now?”
Kyuhyun’s lips visibly thinned. “Something like that.”
And Kyuhyun looked to him, as though he would be uncomfortable with what was happening. He gave a small smile just for reassurance, and when he glanced up, he realized Kyuhyun’s action had switched the attention from Kyuhyun to him.
“What do you, ah… Do you do anything for a living?” the only woman among them asked.
Besides bite people, he thought, a little uncharitably. He knew the question wasn’t meant quite as it sounded, and was meant to dispel the tension that rose when everyone realized they’d been mostly talking around him, instead of to him.
“I sew clothes,” Zhou Mi said, smiling. “That’s a beautiful watch.”
He tried to be himself, be charming. No one asked them where Zhou Mi bit Kyuhyun, or how much he took, or if Kyuhyun was scared. Kyuhyun’s friend Ryeowook didn’t say much, though he did meet Zhou Mi’s eyes once with a curious, if slightly frightened look. He wanted to assure the man that there was nothing to be afraid of, but he wasn’t sure what he could say. But they didn’t stay long. Everyone had work the next day and things to do, and he could feel the tension creeping up the back of his neck anyway. Kyuhyun would be back to work in the morning, and that was another true test of how things would be. How he was treated, seeing if their little mission worked at all.
The ride back to the apartment was easier on the subway. He hadn’t had to cover his face or hands, so he blended in. Just another man, sitting beside an antsy Kyuhyun. He almost wanted to ask what was on Kyuhyun’s mind, actually opened his mouth to do so, before he caught himself. They weren’t close enough for that, yet. To where he could ask without thinking at all, as though he had a right to do it.
It was irony that it was nighttime that equalled him with humans. The time when humans might have been most afraid made him invisible among them.
They picked up dessert for Kyuhyun on the way to the apartment, the smell lingering in the hallway after them. And it was only then, after they made it in the door and Zhou Mi felt the urge to clean something thoroughly to get out his angst, that Kyuhyun spoke.
“I think it went pretty well,” Kyuhyun said, having stepped out of his shoes and made his way to get a plate for himself. “I mean, I know some of them fairly well? And not like they were going to puke on your shoes or something, but whatever.”
Zhou Mi sighed, sitting opposite Kyuhyun at the table. “I hope it did go okay. I think I was more nervous than they were.”
“People are all stupid in one way or another anyway, but yeah, I was a little nervous too. Not because of anything you could’ve said, though. I wish you wouldn’t have said monster.”
“Well, it’s true for some, isn’t it?” Zhou Mi offered. “And I figured, if I said it, and kind of dismissed it, then they could dismiss it, too.”
“Or introduce it. But yeah. It’s done. At least my boss is pretty supportive. I guess he knew a vampire who was bonded, way back when? So he’s okay. I can get my desk moved if I have to. I guarantee you they wouldn’t want to start doing my job on top of theirs.”
“And it isn’t as though I’ll go to work with you. You’re still the same Kyuhyun they knew. It’ll fade, hopefully. Do you think your friend took it well?”
“I hope so,” Kyuhyun said, frowning at his fork. “He was pretty quiet, but from the way he was acting, at least he didn’t go running away screaming. But yeah, hopefully the job stays good. No offense, but I can’t imagine being stuck in this apartment 24 hours a day.”
He laughed, unable to help himself. Kyuhyun didn’t say with you but it was sort of implied. No, he knew it was good that Kyuhyun had time away. For so many reasons. Kyuhyun peered at his watch and hummed.
“Oh, I have a show coming on soon. Do you mind if I use the TV?”
Ahh, the TV. Kyuhyun’s was sitting in a corner of the spare room. He supposed if they really ended up having disparate tastes they could set that up, too, but he wanted to get to know what Kyuhyun liked as well.
“No. I’ll get your dishes,” he said, making to stand and reach for the plate.
Kyuhyun slid it out of Zhou Mi’s reach, frowning. “You’re not my servant. I’ll get the dish. You can turn on the TV if you want.”
He felt like he’d been chastised by his father, but that didn’t keep him from pouting and walking toward the living room. He liked having someone to do things for. And it wasn’t as though he had been totally alone. There had been friends, and pets. But he had also moved throughout his life. It wasn’t like he’d grown up and planted himself like some kind of lumbering tree. He’d only lived in the place he had currently for seven or eight years. It became uncomfortable to stay much more than ten, because people aged, and he did not. But as a bonded vampire, the more he read in the books, he realized he would begin to age as well. Not fast, but it would be noticeable after a time. It relieved him to some extent that he wouldn’t look like Kyuhyun’s grandson one day.
“What channel did you want?” he asked, as Kyuhyun settled beside him with a glass of water.
It was a historical drama, he realized as it started playing. He curled in on himself, and prepared to watch. There was a little overview of previous happenings, but it helped him orient himself into the action. Kyuhyun didn’t seem too annoyed when he asked the occasional question, jerking on the couch when someone suddenly appeared with a knife. Kyuhyun just chuckled, and set aside his glass.
“Are you hungry? I haven’t read enough books to know how often you need to feed.”
“Once daily is… That’s fairly normal,” Zhou Mi said, not taking his eyes from the screen.
“Normal, okay. But that means there are differences? I don’t know. If you’re hurt? Or you did a lot that day? Or some just do it differently? Three short meals instead of one big one?”
“Preferences, yes,” Zhou Mi agreed, finally looking to him. “I don’t weaken if I feed only once a day. I begin to get hungry, as the day wears on. I don’t know what it feels like for you to be hungry, so I can’t compare it. It’s a want. And feeding fills the empty part of it.”
“So you’re saying you should feed as soon as I get home from work.”
“Not always. I’m not always hungry.”
Kyuhyun glanced at him. “And now?”
“Yes.”
Kyuhyun’s arm flopped toward him, a gesture of great impatience. But when he reached for Kyuhyun’s arm, it was jerked out of his reach.
“Look, we bargained with each other that we’d look into this bond thing. I want you to tell me that if you’re hungry, you’re going to let me know. I hate being hungry. Hate it. And I refuse to feel guilty because you think you’re bothering me. I can’t run after you with my arm in your face.”
The image tickled him. “Then I’ll promise you, Kyuhyun. I’ll do my best.”
And in doing his best, he wriggled onto his side. His head just barely against Kyuhyun’s thigh, bringing Kyuhyun’s arm close. It afforded him the perfect angle to nose against Kyuhyun’s skin, breathing in the scent of his blood and Kyuhyun. Drinking, deep, his eyes closed for a long moment as he felt Kyuhyun shudder against him. Normal, that reaction. But he kept watching Kyuhyun’s historical drama as he ate, the entertainment that much more satisfying from what he could have imagined. And when he was done, he nearly fell asleep. Kyuhyun’s hand and arm clutched against his mouth. Not biting any more, just holding. Breathing. The comfort of breathing against Kyuhyun’s skin almost too much for him.
“Are you done?” he heard loud in his ear, and let go of Kyuhyun’s arm out of shock. He realized that the drama was over, and had been for a little while.
“Oh, yes,” he said, sitting up and smoothing down his hair. He blinked blearily at Kyuhyun, who was smirking.
“I thought you were just going to sleep there all night.”
“I could’ve,” Zhou Mi admitted, unfolding himself into a standing position.
“I guess now I know what a sleeping dog with a bone he’s trying to protect looks like.”
Zhou Mi swatted behind him at Kyuhyun’s teasing, trying to think of some little thing he could do while waiting to sleep. He realized he’d been standing over one of the boxes that Kyuhyun had been going through for several minutes, before realizing he had no ability to go through it himself. And if he tried ironing any more of Kyuhyun’s clothes that night, he’d probably have left scorch marks on delicate fabric. He sighed, and made for the kitchen instead, drawing himself a cup of hot water and brewing tea. He was still dunking his tea bag when Kyuhyun ambled into the kitchen.
“I think I’m done for tonight, too. I just stared at a bunch of papers I was sorting like I was trying to decide between rare books.”
Zhou Mi smiled and offered him a tea bag, which Kyuhyun accepted. “It’s been a long day. A lot was accomplished, though.”
“Yeah.” And after Kyuhyun had his water, he looked up. “Thanks. For everything. Unpacking. Not burying me under the toilet because of all this. Putting up with meeting my coworkers.”
The warmth of the tea sent tingles through him. And Kyuhyun’s words had him sighing. “I’m glad to do what I can for you.”
“But it’s nothing you had to do. So, really, thanks.”
Maybe Kyuhyun didn’t think so, as he turned back to the living room. But he didn’t see Zhou Mi watching him go, or the wistfulness that caused. He wasn’t sure that Kyuhyun had as much reason to be thankful as he thought he did. They were both trying to minimize the troubles on each other. He drowsed in his chair with a book on vampire lore, looking from under his lashes at Kyuhyun, who was stretched out on the couch with his own book. His problem was that he could all too well imagine a hug. Kyuhyun coming to him with a smile, and opening his arms in thanks or affection. The warmth of another body against him after so long, breathing against Kyuhyun’s neck. Not the scent of a meal. The scent of a lover, his blood bonded mate.
***
Kyuhyun slept fairly well, with a slight hint of unease. Going over and over the meeting with Ryeowook and the others, trying to get a sense of how it had gone. He kept trying to meet Ryeowook’s eyes, but Ryeowook had seemed most content to listen. He kind of wished the others had butted themselves right back out, but he didn’t know if meeting with Ryeowook on his own would’ve been better or not. Having more people took the pressure off. Though seriously, he thought, staring at the man curled toward him on the bed. What was there to be scared of? Even if he was tall and semi-sturdy, there were a few stiff breezes that he could think of that’d make a good shot at knocking Zhou Mi over. Maybe he had it easy because he was the one getting bitten and not killed every day. Could Zhou Mi even kill him? Maybe if he drank too much, but Zhou Mi’s antibodies were supposed to allay that. Obviously if Kyuhyun bled out some other way, but Zhou Mi wasn’t hacking at him with a knife.
Still, he’d slept, thinking he could invite Ryeowook over, or meet him out again. Or maybe it had been enough for now, just to see who Zhou Mi was. He’d probably worried himself, before he had gotten caught up in helping Zhou Mi decide what shirt to wear. Like it mattered? But he guessed it did, to Zhou Mi who probably though if he didn’t make a good impression then he’d be letting Kyuhyun down. A martyr. Great.
But he appreciated the thought, anyway.
Of course that didn’t explain why, several times during the work day, he’d gotten distracted thinking of Zhou Mi almost zonking out with his head in Kyuhyun’s lap the night before. No, it wasn’t quite innocent, because there was a fully grown man doing it. And there were those occasional wet, sucking sounds that sent his brain in a totally different, decidedly dirty direction. It didn’t help that Zhou Mi seemed to really relish licking at him while feeding. He could feel that tongue working and brushing his skin. He hadn’t actually gone so far as to smell his wrist afterward, just washing his hands. But he admitted to a slight curiosity. At least in his head. There was no way he was saying that out loud. He wondered too just how good his blood actually tasted to Zhou Mi. Like milkshakes? Pizza?
But at least Ryeowook had said good morning that day, and the next. Actually engaging in conversation without leaning away from him. Still slightly strained, but at least it was something.
The only really awkward moment in his first weeks back was when one of his male coworkers, a guy he didn’t really have much to do with, came up beside him at the copy machine.
“It was interesting meeting Zhou Mi. Kind of wish I’d worked up the courage to ask you out before. So are like you two married-married? He has all the same parts as a human?”
Kyuhyun kept his eyes on the papers that were being spit out with the noxious fumes of ink. It was better than looking up at the man who was currently making rather awkward remarks and questions to him.
“Um. Vampires have kids just like we do, so?”
He realized that didn’t actually answer the guy’s question. But asking someone whether they have sex in the middle of work was a little forward to be answering anyway. Though he was grumpy that it made him wonder for half a second. Zhou Mi had said he was pretty much the same as Kyuhyun, but for those few, rather glaring differences. He figured that extended to whatever was between Zhou Mi’s legs as well. Any extra surprises probably would’ve been disclosed in what he’d read. It wasn’t like Zhou Mi was secretly female, or something.
But that research in Zhou Mi’s books was slow, as best as he could call it. Reading when he wasn’t eating, or gaming. Getting used to Zhou Mi’s quirks. Like the fact that he liked to help, and the fact that he really liked touching Kyuhyun while feeding. If it wasn’t an extra hand on his arm, then Zhou Mi was resting a head on his leg, or something. It wasn’t sexual, and he didn’t let it be, no matter what feelings it brought in him. Who knew, maybe it made Zhou Mi feel better. But things had gotten easier. He didn’t feel like he was going back to an apartment with a total stranger in it, even if the stranger did occasionally sprinkle stray sequins off of his clothing from sewing.
But he had made it to the last day of the workweek. He was both looking forward to, and dreading, the weekend. Two unstructured, unfilled days, with nothing to do but keep getting his crap out of Zhou Mi’s way, and research vampires, and feed the one he was living with. And eating, yeah, that too.
He’d just finished putting his contacts in, blinking at himself in the mirror. Sleep came pretty easy, given he wasn’t used to sharing a bed with someone. But Zhou Mi didn’t snore, and the bed wasn’t small, so he was fine with it. His mom had always told him he could sleep through a train running through the house, anyway. He knew the moment it happened, the mistake he had made. Taking off his shirt to reach for his undershirt. He’d had no reason to close the bathroom door, and he looked up in time to see Zhou Mi frozen in the doorway.
In the mirror, he could see Zhou Mi struggle. Turn away, come back, say something, don’t say something?
He knew what he preferred, and even if he had no desire to talk about his body, he knew they were going to. One day. And it might as well be sooner rather than later.
“The scars,” Zhou Mi said, having made his decision to walk closer. And he knew what Zhou Mi meant. The lines of white and brown, faded, part of him for over a decade. He remembered the crash, with his family. His mother at his head telling him it’d be okay. It had been. It just had taken a while.
“There was an accident,” Kyuhyun told him. “I got hurt. But I’m okay now.”
His skin seemed to twitch as Zhou Mi got closer. He’d always been so cautious, when he’d dated or had sex. Never to let them show. And he hadn’t lasted a week with Zhou Mi before everything was out in the open. But then he’d never lived with anyone before. But the only one he’d ever let touch, purposely, has been his mother. If anything, the memories were more painful for her than for him.
“A very bad accident?”
“Bad enough,” he answered. “Clearly I lived long enough to get tossed in your lap.”
“But—“ Zhou Mi hissed through his teeth. “It hurts me to think of it. I couldn’t ease your pain.”
Zhou Mi’s cheek met the top of his shoulder, grasping Kyuhyun’s waist, and he only half repressed the shiver. He told himself that he wanted to move away, that the touch made him uncomfortable. But Zhou Mi wasn’t making pitying sounds or faces, or trying to touch his back directly. He wondered if he would have protested if Zhou Mi had tried to touch, what it would’ve made it feel. But Zhou Mi just held onto him like doing so erased whatever happened in the past. But it wasn’t like there was anything that could be done.
“You didn’t cause the wounds, so there wasn’t much you could’ve done anyway, right? I don’t like to think about it. It’s over, and I’ll always have those ugly reminders.”
“A testament to your survival,” Zhou Mi declared. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“I’m not upset. You would’ve found out eventually anyway. But hey, I’m alive. You can still bite me.”
“Yes. Seeing that you live a very long and healthy life is in my best interests,” Zhou Mi murmured, his voice tinged with ironic humor.
Kyuhyun laughed, shrugging Zhou Mi off of his shoulders. “Get out of here so I can get ready.”
His last day of work before the weekend. More time in that pile of books to see if they could discover anything that would break what bound them. Zhou Mi sent him out the door with a smile. The stairs he went down were familiar, the door to the apartment coming back to it. His things were familiar. He didn’t feel like there was a stranger living in his body, like his skin didn’t belong. He’d have another scar on his wrist from the knife that had forced their bonding, but when he caught sight of that during the day when his sleeve pulled up, the first thing that came to his mind was a smile.
***
