(Y/N) POV:

I don't know why but something shifts- the coven suddenly become silent and nestle close- forming a protective huddle around Yugyeom and by extension me, because Gyeomie had suddenly stiffened and pulled me in.

I can feel another group approach us, see them talk to us- but I can't clearly make out their faces because the others stand tall and somehow block them from view. The tension is palpable and thick and heavy- coating the inside of my mouth with a slightly nauseating feeling. There's also this deeply rooted unsettling feeling- that makes me want to tear myself out of my frozen state and move.

But to what? I have no idea. It makes me feel useless standing still, hearing the low voices as Jaebum oppa, Jackson oppa and Jinyoung oppa talk to the other coven. And then there's a sudden shift. Like the air has been simultaneously been sucked out of my lungs and flooded with it, it makes me feel disoriented for a moment but I can't figure out why it is, no matter how hard I wrack my brains.

I see Mark oppa's face appear to the side, see his smile albeit tight, reassure me, his gentle eyes urging me to keep walking. And I find my feet stiltedly cooperating- as though my body is operating before my brain is, as if the two have become disconnected for an unknown reason. When we pass the other coven, who shift slightly to the side, there's a sudden crackly presence that fills the air- almost stifling and suffocating, energy sparking. The feeling that something isn't right occurs to me again but then Bambam appears to my left- blocking my sight of the other coven from view.

But with the way I can see everyone's faces tight and withdrawn, feel the stiffness and tightness in Gyeomie's hold, I decide not to question it at the moment. By the time we reach the outside of the building, the redness from their eyes have vanished as has the prickly feeling through the bond. I twist out of Gyeomie's hold, turning to face them all.

"What was that?" surprised to find my voice slightly shaky and wobbly.

Somehow the brief confrontation with the other coven had unsettled me unconsciously even if I hadn't realised at the time. Maybe it was to do with the way the silence had been deafening, the worry thick and heavy and threatened to rouse up painful memories that tore into me like razor blades. But now wasn't the time to fall apart.

I hoped that time never came again.

"The Bangtan coven." Youngjae said tersely.

The name rings a bell. It floats around campus in the form of gossip. Gossip that talks of the power of the coven, the sheer command in their presences, but also something else. About the untouchable air, about the way human students can only look on in fear and admiration but never approach.

They avoid humans, skirt around them like they're filth.

People who can possess such power should use it for good, but it doesn't come as a surprise to hear that there are still existing divides between humans and vampires- even though ultimately, we are all people.

And suddenly their actions make sense. The shielding, the protective hovering, the red eyes fuelled by a need to help. And the way they had blocked me from view. At the end of it all, it had been to help me. They had automatically acted, instinctively helped me as if I was their own. And I knew that Yugyeom had found soulmates who would complete him and do anything for his happiness.

"Yeah and they're not fond of humans...so we couldn't risk exposing you and getting you hurt." Jackson oppa says, throwing me a warm smile.

I look at the seven of them, who have so easily taken me under their wing, who have forgotten about our differences and considered me family.

And I know I belong. Even if our souls aren't bound.

"Looks like we've got another nestling to call our own." Jinyoung oppa says, smiling widely at me.

"And we protect our own." Mark oppa says, words settling over me with the weight of a heartful promise.

JIMIN POV:

I sit there half-alert, half-dazed as the professor prattles on about the history of the human and vampire- stained with countless bloodshed. I've heard it all before, humans and vampires have failed to ever co-exist, always seeing the other as a threat to their existence, seeing the other as monsters who make living difficult.

History is marred with slaughter, endless prejudice and discrimination, countless depictions of vampires as uncontrollable animals driven into a frenzy by bloodlust, making them ultimately the tyrants. But why does no-one ever focus on humans? Why don't they see that their acts of murder, slaughter, forceful segregation, and unfair laws are perhaps even worse. That the falsely ordained control over vampires- mandatory testing, tracking forceful drugging and removal of fangs- why does no one see the barbarianism that has occurred? Why is it that human actions are readily dismissed or labelled as defensive, tactics to protect their own...but if it is one of our own who does that- we need to be killed.

Hearing the professor talk about a particularly violent movement that the vampires did, about how millions of humans lost their lives- bodies husks, drained of blood and corpses turned blue, it makes me wonder- do they know what triggered it? Do they know what warranted such a harsh and extreme response? Why is it that lessons are often incomplete? Leave out explanations that could provide a whole picture, instead we fumble around trying to make sense of fragments and scraps.

"Are there any questions?" the professor asks, having finished speaking.

There's murmurs amongst the students, but none of them voice dissent- just discussion about how the laws today are so correctly enforced to protect both kinds, admittedly- it is better than what history has caused vampires to experience, but why does the negative image not fade?

Just as I'm sure the professor will give up on us, move on and start assigning our work, a slender hand rises into the air, comes from the middle row.

I can't see the face of the person behind the hand, but I see their jumper fall, revealing unmarred skin.

"Yes." The professor directs towards her, eyes sparkling with joy that a student has willingly raised their hand.

"Why is it that we don't get taught much about the periods where co-existence has happened? Surely we should look at the positives- little as they may be." She says, soft voice filling the silent classroom.

The professor leans forward, a look of inquisitiveness making its way across her face.

"You make a very important point. But you've said it at quite an apt moment- from next week, we will be doing some group work for projects looking into the positives regarding human and vampire alliances during history." The professor replies.

But the girl's comment leaves me intrigued- she makes a valid point and one that doesn't favour either side.

My eyes also snag onto her seating.

Not surprisingly there is often a clear divide in classes where vampires and human students sit- it's not enforced by campus, but one that naturally seems to occur.

But this girl...this girl sits right in the middle. In the row that is bar save for her. in the row that divides the back rows filled with vampires and the front rows with humans.

There's something that urges me to find out more about this seemingly unbothered girl. But I can't distinguish from the number of hearts that beat in this room, if one of them belong to her.

Human or vampire. I don't know.

But I can't deny that the urge to satiate my curiosity sits heavily- niggling away at me.

-----

I find my feet carrying me quicker than usual out of the classroom, trying to find the face or name that belongs to the unknown girl- it's mere curiosity...nothing more and nothing less.

But somehow, she's already slipped into the bustling crowds of students- figure becoming easily lost in them and my sharp sight can't pick her out either.

Slightly disgruntled, I shrug it off making my way to meet my soulmates instead- ignoring the giggles and loud whispers that follow, and the students that part and make way.

(Y/N) POV:

The moment class ends, I need to rush out. One of my friends and colleague will be meeting me to view my latest artwork before deciding if it's going to be exhibited.

So no time to waste.

But to my surprise he's already waiting for me outside campus- leaning against his car as he chats with his soulmate on his phone.

"Oppa!" I greet, waving both my hands at him but giggling when I see that the excessive fabric of my jumper swamps them instead, accidentally forming sweater paws.

He turns to the sound of my voice, matching expressions of joy lighting up his faces as he comes close and swarms me with a massive hug, arms wrapping around me as he pulls me close. The phone is pressed to my ear and the exuberant and reassuring voice of his soulmate fills my ear.

"Congratulations (Y/N)-ah! I know I'm super excited to see what we exhibit of yours next!" she says.

"Aww thank you unnie! But that's only if oppa likes them. And you know how harsh of a critic he is." I say into the phone, giggling when I see the mock-stern look grace his face, arms crossing to stare down at me unimpressed.

She reassures me that he will have, and if all else fails, which it shouldn't, to use her as backup.

I smile as I end the call, passing it back so oppa can fix it into place in the phone-holder.

The drive back to Gyeomie and my apartment is silent save for the music that filters through the radio and the light chatter as he asks me how my day has been.

But when he enter my room and his eyes catch onto the artwork stored in the corner, his eyes become serious and professional- it's also as if his gait has suddenly changed too, into the saunter of a powerful curator- someone with the ability to elevate someone's art to soaring heights or reject them and send dreams crashing down.

Even though he's done this before, I find my breath caught in my throat as his eyes critically scan my work, lingering and examining each complete picture, scrutinising the technique, the colours, the strokes of the brush.

But when he raises his razor-sharp stare and it morphs into something happy, laughter lines crinkling at the corner of his eyes- I find myself releasing that breath, air rushing gratefully into my lungs, and my own self beaming back at him.

He sticks his hand out, still professional and collected but the wink he shoots me shatters the business mask.

"Pleasure to be doing business with you...Amparo." He says, eyes twinkling even as they flash a deep rouge with pride.

And when he sweeps me into a spinning embrace, warm laughter filling my ears, it just furthers my belief that vampires hold some of the warmest souls I've ever known.

KOOKIE POV:

I'm browsing through my phone when a notification pops up, the name of the art gallery immediately catching my eyes- my fingers clicking onto it before it fully sinks into my brain.

My eyes widen as I read, excitement bubbling inside me as I begin to wriggle around in Hobi hyung's lap, drawing his attention from the TV screen to me.

"What is it JK?" he asks, head coming to rest on my shoulder so he can peer at my screen before a giddy exuberance fills the bond.

"Ooh that's so cool! We have to go! Look it even says artwork will be auctioned at the end of the night." Hobi hyung points out, finger tapping at the details listed at the end of the notice.

The excitement continues to bubble and fizz through the bond, drawing in the rest of our bonded nestmates into the living room- luring them in to come close to the two of us.

Jin hyung appears with an apron tied about him, Yoongi hyung following not too far behind as he wipes his hands on a small towel. I can hear the large thundering of footsteps as Jimin hyung and Tae hyung make their way down, excited giggles and loud laughter filling the room. And walking slowly behind them, glasses perched on his nose is Joonie hyung.

But the excitement is shared once the news is out, even if we all have different ways of expressing it.

Tae hyung and Jiminie hyung descend onto me and Hobi hyung, forming an impromptu cuddle pile, excited chatter about what it is we'll get to see this time. Joonie hyung becomes fascinated- loudly pondering what theme or motif the exhibition will be centred around. Jin hyung nudges Yoongi hyung with shining eyes, even as Yoongi hyung stands rather stoically, I see the flash of his gums as he smiles, eyes narrowing slightly.

There's many art admirers in this household...but one common artist. Amparo.

And we have to get our hands on their artwork. We can't let them slip out of our hands and into someone else's. I simply can't.

(TA DA! HOW WAS IT? LET ME KNOW...AND THE PLOT BEGINS TO BUBBLE AND THICKEN—JUST SOME TEASING HINTS ABOUT WHAT'S TO COME! SO THERE YOU HAVE IT...SOME INSIGHT INTO THE THOUGHTS OF OUR VAMPIRE BOYS! THERE'S SO MUCH I CAN'T WAIT TO ADD BUT I MUST HAVE PATEINCE AND MUSTER UP SOME SELF-CONTROL! LOTS OF LOVE TO MY WONDERFUL DARLING Midiiplier FOR GIVING ME INSPIRATION! STAY SAFE!)

Art doesn't have a medium. It can be presented in so many ways, so many colours and is a never-ending abstract concept. Art is in everything we do and everything we see. Art is surrounding us all the time. And you my lovelies...are also art.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3