BAMBAM POV:

As lesson ends, the atmosphere in the class has shifted, it's making me uneasy. A quick glance at Jaehyun tells me that he's sensed it too. Eyes nervously flashing red as he scans the classroom and picks up on the hostility radiating from many of the human students- their eyes boring and glaring at (Y/N)'s back. The vampire students stare with newfound interest, eyes turning crimson and looks overly intrigued, noses trying to detect and assert some of her traits.

I remember a conversation we've had as a coven, when Yugyeom-ah had first stayed over, his fingers twisting the blanket as he told us about his human bondmate. About his instincts always flared stronger around her because of her stronger scent, his worry that it would attract the wrong attention always hanging heavily over his head.

When we'd met her I didn't know what he'd meant, not until she had stepped close to enwrap us all into hugs, the strong heady scent of her blood pulsing close to the surface of her skin, something so tantalising about her scent that called and brought my vampire instincts into alertness. But because of my upbringing, because of who she meant to our soulmate- none of us had ever seen that as something beyond an additional factor to look out for her on. For something that made her someone to protect.

Paired with her smaller stature, adorable nature, and baby face- it threw all my instincts into a loop of 'protect, protect'.

She turns to me, a smile that brings her lips to curve and her cheeks to bunch with the gesture, hair hanging loosely around her face, slipping free of the loose ponytail she keeps it tied up in, her cheeks are flushed from the heat of the room- another reminder of her mortality, and her sweater slips over her hands as she tries to put her things away. Sweater paws.

And I'd be lying if all that combined didn't threaten to make my unbeating heart spasm because of the cuteness.

But I know the curious, intrigued eyes could turn predatory. Because to some she's nothing but an innocent lamb.

(Y/N) POV:

When lessons finish, Bambam and Jaehyun tag onto my either side, pulling me along with them despite my attempts to wriggle free.

"Guys I've got work to get to." I say as I futilely struggle against their gentle but strong holds, my words getting lost in their chuckles, I peer up at them but they're both steadfastly avoiding my eyes.

But their coddling, insistent gestures to escort me out of lesson and to work, despite the fact that it's not that far makes me pause.

I don't know if this is my overthinking brain, or whether vampires are extremely tactile and I have failed to pick up on it yet but every time I am about to leave I find myself being dragged back or held from going for some long minutes, and no amount of nagging and wheedling gets them to stop.

When it happens with Gyeomie, I put it down to being a natural instinct because of the blood bond we share, when it happens with his coven- I read it as something they do because we're family, but what is it that makes Jaehyun, Eunwoo or MJ oppa act in a similar way.

What is it that makes them so insistent on hovering?

I hadn't realised that the question has slipped out of my mouth until the two come to an abrupt stop, eyes wide as they look at me, and a slight look of hurt that flashes across their faces.

I hasten to amend how my words must sound like.

"Not bad hovering. Just...it seems like you guys hover especially when I'm about to leave on my own?" I question lightly, seeing their expressions clear up and a look of surprise slips on- as if they've been caught out on it. And then I realise that my thoughts aren't the product of overthinking it, they genuinely seem to do it. For reasons that I don't yet know.

"Ummm...." Bambam starts but stops, head ducking away so he's not meeting my eyes anymore. For some reason, he seems almost abashed.

"Well how do I put it...your blood smells incredibly strong in comparison to others." Jaehyun says bluntly, making me twist and almost stumble in my haste to face him.

Bambam lets out a pained groan, as though Jaehyun's words have somehow inflicted injury to him, he drags his hand down his face, slowly peeking through his fingers to look at me, eyes hesitantly meeting mine.

I gape and an unintelligible sound slips out, mouth slack as I try to process it.

My blood is what?

"Strong?" I echo incredulously.

"Just really tempting I guess for vampires." Bambam adds, eyes meeting mine and I see the concern that floats in them.

But he doesn't add anything beyond that and I let it drop- it's warming to see the subtle gestures of care, even if they're not outright in it, they protect me in their own way.

Besides, it's not like I could do anything that could change it. What it does mean though is that I have to try and find a solution around it, as caring and protective as they are, the others have their own lives to tend to rather than being tied to mine. It's not fair on them.

And everyone should live their lives according to their choices- I don't want to be limited or restrained in doing things simply because of the fact that my blood had a stronger scent than the others.

"That's all well and good. But we've arrived now. And I'm pretty sure I can cross the road and enter the shop myself." I slide out of their protective flanking, darting across the pedestrian crossing before the two can process it- and I'm waving at their dumbstruck faces before opening the door, the musical jingle of the chimes greeting me as I enter.

The comforting ambience of the book café setting me at automatically at ease, the sight of the haraboji sitting in his usual armchair in the corner, the roof fitted windows casting soft sunrays onto the shelves and mismatched furniture. And the low murmurs of people conversing over steaming mugs, hands wrapped around them to steal the heat, eyes intent as they lose themselves in books, hands skimming over the pages and turning them with a softness.

The sound of paper turning, the whirring of the coffee machines...being surrounded by so many different sounds has a soothing quality to it. It reminds me of life- everyone going on about their day, each sound having a different meaning. It's better to be surrounded by sounds than to be ensnared in a deafening silence. Sounds mean life, sounds mean that you aren't left victim to your thoughts.

The café is a small haven, a little slice of somewhere where anyone can escape to, there's no judgement, no scrutinising eyes, no silent insults that remain hovering unspoken in the air.

It's a place where I see vampires and humans mingle, see friendships tentatively take root but then blossom beautifully.

I see the owners- a happily married couple, two aged humans who have adopted vampires, and see how their family flows smoothly- see the tenderness and care that the vampires take care of their aged parents with, eyes always shining with a ruby hue of love.

I step behind the counter, tying up my apron and pulling my hair into a high ponytail, washing my hands, and getting ready to start my shift.

Just then a young girl of five comes skipping around the corner, glossy black hair tied in cute pigtails, small fangs starting to poke through her gums. Her eyes shine their usual hazel, throwing her arms around my knees as she greets me with a hug, looking up at me with a look of adoration.

"Unnie!" she cheers, I bend down to hug her, arms holding her close, smiling as she nestles her face close to the crook of my neck. She snuffles, nose pressing closer- and the chat I've had comes floating back unbidden. It makes her eagerness to always rest her head there more understandable, adds more than the fact she likes resting against my shoulder, fingers playing with whatever jewellery I have on that day.

"Hye-jin, do you like the way I smell?" I tease when I try to pull back and her face lingers, slowly and unwillingly pulling away.

She nods at me eagerly, her small hands clutching mine with a strong grip- the signs of her vampire abilities starting to show and manifest.

"You smell yummy unnie!" she pipes up, eyes ducking down with some shyness, peeping at me through lowered lashes.

"Aigoo...you're such a cutie!" I say, picking her up so I can set her down on one of the comfy chairs in the corner, bringing her a small blanket even though she doesn't necessarily feel the cold.

I tap her nose gently.

"You keep on reading baby." I say, walking away to attend to the customers that have just stepped through, bringing with them the scent of a late winter afternoon- a cold, crisp wind.

The afternoon brings with it, a surge of students, loud eager voices that mingle in the air, footsteps tapping against the wooden floorboards as they bustle amongst the shelves, sinking into the soft seats with pleased smiles. I keep an eye out for Hye-Jin, the owners have just left- leaving their youngest daughter to happily snuggle in the soft blanket as she reads a book of fairytales, her little oohs and ahs of delight and wonder drifting to my ears.

----

It's an hour or so before the end of my shift, when the café is near empty save for the few people dotted around that I realise that Hye-Jin might be hungry, that the drink and snack she had a while ago is not enough to sustain a growing girl.

I fix up a warm mug of milk for her, sliding a cupcake on that has a blood-infused strawberry centre to take to her. But when I turn the corner, something akin to ice floods my veins- at the sight of an unknown tall male hovering over her sleeping figure, book lying forgotten on her lap, and hands curled into the edge of the blanket. She's so incredibly vulnerable right now and I don't know who it is that has approached her.

The tray in my hand slips, threatening to fall and some part of me remembers to set it down on the counter before rushing forward, almost tripping over my feet in my haste to get to her. I see the man's large hand come out, to brush across her face and a startled, panicked cry tears out of my throat , feet propelled further by a burst of desperation as I catch the hand before it can make contact, hand pushing his away.

The man steps back, maybe in alarm, but I sink to my knees, eyes frantically scanning the sleeping girl to see if she's hurt, to see if anything is odd. When I can deem that she's unharmed and still asleep, I whirl furiously to eye the stranger who had approached her in the first place. My eyes looking up at the man who hovers over me, taller frame dwarfing me even further because of the fact that I'm still hunched down and he's standing straight and firm.

I can't make out what his expression means, can't tell if he's human or vampire, that doesn't matter. What matters is that he had come so incredibly close to Hye-Jin and I had almost not made it.

"Who are you?" I ask, voice firm as I look up at him, eyes boring into his.

A tug at his lips.

"Don't you mean...what are you? Surely that question would come first for you." he asks, words rolling off his tongue with a deep timbre.

"No. Who are you? And what were you about to do to her?" I ask, voice hard. I try to read his body posture for any tension, any stiffness but there's only a casual grace- fluidity in his stillness.

"Nothing. The girl looked a bit uncomfortable. I was simply going to move the book and tuck her in properly. (Y/N)." he adds my name as an afterthought, eyes pausing on my nametag. He adds it as though it's an afterthought...my presence. And it irks me.

I bristle under the nonchalant, careless ease he's radiating, the sure confidence in his eyes. His eyes catch onto mine, silently daring, urging me to push further. As though he's amused by the interaction.

There's also this unusual feeling I get off him. Something I can't decipher- it makes me feel like my skin is prickling and being this close makes me feel perturbed, an unrest I can't rationalise. As if a warning bell for something is going off...but what it's for I can't tell.

And then there it is. Something that forces me to push my whirling thoughts away.

The deep tinge of red that overwhelms the usual brown. A silent show.

I read his posture; there's nothing defensive about it. His words seem sincere. But...at the end of the day I did what I have to do. And there's no apologising for that.

And he seems genuine.

"Your name...." I ask delicately, unaware as to how he'll respond to it.

He chuckles before a grin makes its way onto his face. A boxy smile.

"Kim Taehyung." He replies, the name rolling off his tongue with ease and confidence. Is the name meant to mean something?

"Okay...Kim Taehyung. Now if you don't mind, I'll be going." I saw, inclining my head slightly in a bow before I scoop up Hye-Jin, one arm wrapped around her torso as I cradle her body towards mine and the other gently guiding her head to my neck and holding it there protectively.

But before I can move, Taehyung stops me, hand darting out to stop me but he lets it fall away before making contact. Nose scrunching and eyes flashing.

I look at him blankly, what's the issue now?

"The child. Why are you taking her?" he says, voice firm, eyes flashing red with protectiveness as he sees me holding her close.

Eyeing me like I'm the hostile figure.

How the tables turn.

But the tension in the room thickens, the air crackling with rising energy. And it awakens Hye-Jin.

But luckily in her sleepy state she doesn't notice the unknown figure, she simply wriggles closer, mouth opening with a content sigh, even as I see her nose scrunch cutely before she brings her head close- getting soothed by my natural scent.

"Unnie..." she murmurs, breath fanning across my neck before she drops back off to sleep again- calm and relaxed knowing she's not somewhere foreign.

"Now if you don't mind. Please excuse me." I say firmly, stepping around him, holding Hye-Jin close as I walk away.

And I don't miss the way his eyes had gone warm and soft as he gazed at Hye-Jin, saw the unguarded sweet look. But the way it slid off immediately when his eyes met mine again.

But I shrug it off...everyone acts differently. I had just hoped that since he came into this café in particular, one of few which truly had a comfort and ease to them for both kinds, that his behaviour to both would've been the same. Clearly not.

But each to their own. Everyone has their reasons.

And who am I to judge him for that? Even if it had irked me.

(THERE YOU HAVE IT! WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THIS CHAPTER? LIKE IT? NO? LEAVE COMMENTS SO I KNOW HOW YOU GUYS ARE FEELING IN RESPONSE TO THIS! ANOTHER MEMBER! AND IT'S TAE FEATURING A CUTE BABY VAMPIRE! AND WE ALL KNOW TAE LOVES KIDS...BUT WHAT'S HAPPENING? THEORIES? THOUGHTS? IDEAS? AND (Y/N) HAS A STRONGER SCENT IN HER BLOOD- AND THAT MAKES HER MORE APPEALING TO VAMPIRES. AND HENCE THE CODDLING. BUT THEY'D CODDLE HER REGARDLESS COS SHE'S (Y/N)! STAY SAFE!)

People see you for who you are because of the way you are with others. The way you smile, interact, and go through the world. So live life as an adventure and live with your heart full of joy.

Borahae! 💜💜💜

PurpleQueenie <3