(Y/N) POV:

"Come on...wake up!" a sleep-laced, slightly hoarse voice says into my ear, making me scrunch my face against the pillow, trying to nestle in further to prolong my sleep. I hear a fake drawn out sigh.

"I didn't want to do this but you leave me no choice." The voice continues, taking on a threatening tone, before cool hands come to tickle me, long fingers which sneak under my shirt and relentlessly torture me.

My eyes fly wide open, body squirming and wriggling desperately to avoid the cool touch, body now completely awake, but I writhe in the sheets hopelessly, giggles pulled out of my throat and mingling with the amused chuckles of my perpetrator.

My eyes meet dark brown ones, sparkling with amusement, head tilted down to look at me, smile curving their lips.

"Stooopp Gyeomie! No fair!" I protest but my whine just induces another round of laughter from him, it's infectious and I find myself laughing along.

He just leans back leisurely, long limbs sprawled across the bed.

"Come on. You haven't finished your work...started it even. You only have today." He points out sensibly, gesturing with a tilt of his chin towards the blank canvas.

The horror that sinks into me is a numbing chill, put it propels me into action, making me shoot out of my bed, furiously trying to disentangle myself from the sheets but find myself trapped within Gyeomie's arms which reach out and snag me into their firm hold.

"I didn't mean to scare you, just wanted to make sure you ate before I left." He says, arms loose around me before he slides out of bed, setting me down onto the floor.

He gives me a gentle nudge towards the door.

"Go shower- I'll leave some clothes for you before making breakfast." He says, already throwing the wardrobe doors open, head ducking in so he can rifle through my outfits.

I resign myself to his choice, making my way over to the bathroom.

I turn the water on hot, it's a cold morning, quickly stripping and hopping into the steaming spray, allowing myself to melt as I start to shower.

When I step out, I note the clothes hanging on the door, ready for me to slip into.

I gratefully change into the jeans and warm thick sweater he has left out, thankful for his hindsight for how cold the day is likely to become.

When I enter the kitchen I am pleasantly surprised to find that it's not Gyeomie but rather Jinyoung oppa who's setting down plates, eyes warm as he looks at him and those same warm eyes that turn to look at me as I enter- the sound of my feet softly passing across the carpet reaching his ears.

"Morning (Y/N)" he says, waving brightly at me.

"Morning oppa." I say, gratefully sliding into a seat next to Gyeomie, eyeing the rather full table with wonder.

"Eat up! You know what they say...you should eat breakfast fit for a king!" he chirps, piling food onto three plates and gently nudging them towards us with a slight dramatic wave of his hand.

"Hyung" Gyeomie huffs, looking fondly at his nestmate.

"You don't actually need to move your hand." He exasperatedly says.

Jinyoung oppa just smiles, shooting me a wink.

"Gotta impress (Y/N)- after all we need her stamp of approval for our youngest, newest addition to our coven. Isn't that right?" he asks me, but I know under the humour, there's a deeper fondness, a closeness he wants to build for the sake of Yugyeom's happiness. And it warms me way warmer than the clothes or the mug I clasp my hands around could.

"Consider me impressed. And charmed." I beam back, watching as Gyeomie shoots lovestruck eyes to Jinyoung oppa, and even though vampires don't have hearts that beat out blood through their body, I have no doubt that it would be pattering violently. The rosy hue that begins to fill his cheeks, blood from his latest feed, become a living testament and reminder that vampires love just as boldly and just as fully.

I leave them to their private moment, the bubble of love that cocoons the two of them, pushing back my chair as I grab my mug, heading off to my room.

The food lies there forgotten for the moment. I can hear the slight scraping of chairs and the low murmurs of their voices.

I close the door behind me and let myself get lost into the endless multitudes of colours, allow myself to be pulled away into a world that my hands create.

----

Hours later I step back and run an eye over my painting- which now sits complete, dried after I've finished peeling off the stained apron.

I look at the intertwining hues of paint, the way they blend into one another, the way the two figures are tightly intertwined in the centre- standing against the vibrant union of colours. It's a man and woman, the posture obviously marking one as a vampire as he clutches a wrist feeding from the female but the softness around the two is meant to suggest an intimacy, an implicit trust in each other, a mutual balance and harmony. The softness and smiles in the female's face is trusting as she views the bent head, one hand loosely entangled with his hair.

It's our story. A snapshot of it. Of the way I see Gyeomie and how he sees me. A small, minute moment of something special and whole in the two of us. A human and vampire. Equals. Living under the same roof. Breathing the same air. Loving each other.

Of a bond scorned by both sides save for the ones who see and understand. It's the first painting of this collection, the first in the project I need to submit.

In the corner of the room sits some paintings covered with a sheet of cloth waiting to be checked and displayed in the upcoming exhibition.

But for now, I need to go submit this. And a quick glance at the clock tells me I'm running very close to the deadline, so I throw on a coat and grab my bag, carefully and reverently holding up my painting after I've slipped my shoes on.

As I slip out the door, I wish I had the speed vampires possessed, because if I'm going to make it in time, I may have to make a run for it.

I reach the classroom huffing, cheeks hot from the sprint I'd broken into after a quick glance at my watch on the way here. I'm now feeling sweltering under the layers of clothes. As I'm entering, the door opens and one of the students walk out, eyes carefully guarded as they take in my dishevelled state, nose wrinkling at the smell of my blood which is no doubt strong because of how rapidly my heart is beating.

I bow my head in greeting and wait for them to pass me by, entering the classroom to head over to the professor.

I hold out my covered painting towards them, smiling ruefully at the shaking of their head and the huff of laughter at my panting figure.

"Oh dear. What was it this time (Y/N)?" the kind professor asks, sliding his glasses off as he turns away from the submission sheets to give me his undivided attention, eyes wrinkled with laughter lines.

I grin sheepishly at him.

"Inspiration hit late." I say as a way of explanation.

He smiles, nodding understandingly before passing over a sheet for me to fill for the submission.

"I wonder what I'll get to experience through your work this time." he says, eyes twinkling as they catch onto the covered painting that I placed in the corner on entry.

"Something I think we all should deserve to see in this world." I say, voice turning soft and slightly melancholic.

But I still muster up a smile, even as the professor's eyes sorrow with understanding and empathy.

And I leave bowing my head in respect, leaving the room which has suddenly become cloyingly thick with the feeling of failed hope.

Just as I exit the building my phone chimes with a message notification, I pull it out to see a message from Yugyeom telling me he's waiting for me so that we can grab dinner together, followed by a hugging gif. I guess he's felt the flare of emotions through our bond. Nothing ever escapes him but it brings a smile to my face and my feet eagerly carry me over to the campus gate's where I note a familiar tall figure that turns to face me as I approach.

His long arms reach out to draw me into a hug, tall figure somehow wrapping itself tightly around me- hugging me like a koala, I hug back grateful for the comfort his presence never fails to bring.

His head nestles close to my neck, simply content to breathe in my scent, feel my pulse, be equally as reassured and settled by our closeness in the same way he does to me.

We stand together for a long few moments, content to savour each other's embrace before he gently pulls away, holding out his hand for me.

I slide my fingers happily with his, intertwine them with a gladdened heart.

Allow him to lead me down streets to one of our favourite haunts.

YUGYEOM POV:

I'm heading to Stigma, one of the few restaurants near campus that have menus designed for both humans and vampires, when the bond between me and (Y/N) flares with a wave of negative emotions, souring the bubbly feeling I had and urging me to change directions and walk towards campus instead rather than just meeting her there.

I send out a text, waiting impatiently, feet tapping across the ground as I wait for her to emerge from campus. There's profound relief when I see she's physically unharmed- but that doesn't mean that emotional hurt can't be any less unpleasant to experience.

I sweep her into my arms, folding her in close to me so I can allow the breath I've been holding, though my heart doesn't beat, to whoosh out. I nestle my face in the crook of her neck, breathing in the scent that is intrinsically her. I can feel the steady reassuring thump of her heart, the sound that lulls me to sleep most nights and allow my panic to dissipate.

She's not hurt. Her arms are as tightly around me as mine are around her significantly smaller frame.

The bond is lightening as we hug, filling with the usual warmth that comes from it and I separate from her, albeit unwillingly, to hold out my hand, internally grinning when she takes it.

If there's anything wrong, I know she'll tell me. And anyways...dinner with the hyungs might help them pick up on anything I might've missed.

And I know that even if I'm not around, the hyungs will always look out for her.

JAEBUM POV:

We're all seated around a large table, the others animatedly chatting and teasing as we wait for Yugyeom and (Y/N) to arrive. Two empty seats waiting for them to slide into. There's a gentle touch as Bambam's hand taps mine. I face him, smiling at the wide grin he's displaying.

"They're here." He says, bounding to his feet and alerting us all to the fact that they've arrived- eyes turn to see them make their way over.

I smile at the two of them as they approach, hold out my arms to scoop the two into a hug. They enter quickly, my hands come around to scoop them close as I press a kiss to both of their foreheads. Even if (Y/N) isn't one of my nestlings, she's still part of my coven, she's under my protection in the same way the others are. So my instincts are keyed into her as naturally as they are to all of my mates.

When I let them go, the others crowd around, filling the brief gap quickly to press a flurry of hugs and kisses as they dote on the two youngest, cooing over them, eyes lingering on them with a soft tenderness.

The bond is filled with excitement and giddiness, as it always is when we're all together.

Not long after the two are seated, do we pick up the menus, choosing what it is everyone wants to eat. The majority of us decide on rare cuts of meat and blood-infused wine which is quickly brought to our table as a bottle. I see (Y/N)'s eyes lit with their usual curious excitement and I smile at the sight. It's not often you find humans with hearts so open and welcoming for vampires.

One of the many reasons we are drawn to her, one of the many reasons we have so readily and happily accepted her as one of our own.

The food arrives quickly and even though Youngjae and Jackson offer cuts of their own meat, it's a bit too much on the bloody side to suit her human palate- and the last thing I want is for her stomach to be disturbed by it. But she shakes off their teasing, stating she's more likely to down a glass of their wine, a challenge Mark quickly puts an end to as he too notes the excited glimmer that enters our younger nestmates eyes.

The conversation is light, about what we've done that day, the lessons the youngers especially lament over, the woes of Jinyoung as he complains about the food wasted on Yugyeom and (Y/N)- which then shifts into a tirade of scolding her for not eating breakfast properly, and how he's losing trust day by day in the decision of (Y/N) and Gyeomie living alone- insisting on them moving in soon. Mark joins in too, concern alight on his features but he tries a gentler approach, turning to me for some extra support.

But when I face the two looking at me with puppy eyes, lips drooping into sad pouts and heads tilted, shoulders drooping- how can I muster anything except love and fondness for the two of them? How can I tell them off?

"Aigoo...you two are dangerous for my heart." I huff, leaning back into my chair with a resigned look.

But the dazzling smile they send back makes up for the miffed and betrayed glances Jinyoung and Mark shoot me before they too melt under the look.

The dinner feels like a normal, domestic scene. It feels like family. And they all belong.

(HMMM...I ALWAYS FEEL THE BEGINNING OF THE BOOK IS THE HARDEST TO WRITE- WHY? BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW IF THE FLOW OF THINGS ARE EASY TO GRASP ONTO, IF THERE'S WIDE GAPS IN YOUR KNOWLEDGE, COS I KNOW THE BACKSTORY AND YOU DON'T AND GENERALLY HOW IT IS TO READ. BUT LET ME KNOW- THIS MARKS THE BEGINNING OF THE NEXT...HOPEFULLY YOU GUESSED IT- SOULMATE AU! THERE'LL BE A FEW SIMILARITIES TO CURSED FATE- SUCH AS....*DRUMROLL* I WONT TELL YOU! LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS! STAY SAFE!)

We live in a world divided and fragmented because of so many things, where there are not only wars occurring between and within countries but at times a war within ourselves too. But let's become the strongest versions of ourselves so we can be at peace with each other and ourselves. Live happily!

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3