{=|Bouquets|-|JinHope|=}
{=|Vampire|=}

°•●•°

The moonlight shimmered over the lonely village in the forest, thousands of trees hiding it from society. Every little crystal flame of the lit candle had fascinated the young human, driving him to do the kindest things.

It was dead quiet in the village. No voice, no rustling of leaves, no cough of someone who was up.

But Hoseok took deep calm breaths as the moonlight crawled past his window, lighting his face with the book in his hands ever so lightly.

Turning his attention to the bright glowing orb, Hoseok lays his book down.

He smiles to himself, watching as the moon slowly sinks down, his eyes never taking his attention away from the silver surface as it disappears, having hours spend on simply watching the moon set, dawn resting on the horizon.

And slowly, things come to life.

Birds chirping as they flutter their wings to reach the ends of the sky, little rustles as bunnies hop along their self-crafted stone path, and doors opening as the people of the village start to live.

Hoseok feels his smile fading, sad that the night has passed. He has always wondered why they sleep when the dark sky is so much more beautiful than the bright sun.

Yes, sunlight exists and it's bright and gives warmth. But the moon creates such a peaceful atmosphere and the sky is full of jeweled stars.

With a sigh, Hoseok closes his book at the thought, slowly getting up.

He takes a shower and freshes himself up, going out with his bag over his shoulder.

"Good morning Hoseokie!"

Hoseok turns around, smiling as the younger male hurries to his side.

"Jimin, I told you not to run!" Hoseok whines, teasing the shorter with a boop on his nose.

Jimin's pillow lips curl into a pout, his eyes growing big. "But why?"

"The tiles are loose." Hoseok says, kicking one of the tiles in the dirt as it shudders a few centimeters out of place, as to prove a point. "I don't want you to bleed."

Jimin sighs and gives him a smile, cocking his hips. "I can take care of myself!"

"Sure you can." Hoseok chuckles, ruffling Jimin's hair by pressing his hands on the younger's scalp and rushing his fingers through.

The two scurry down to the market a few blocks up, stalls spreading left and right with freshly baked break, sweets and fruits, some stuff for in the house, plants, flowers, bouquets and even antidotes for venomous poison.

No one has ever really found out what it was.

It just happened one time.

Years ago, when Hoseok was just a little boy, there was a spread of a virus. But it only hit two people before it went away.

Sadly, it killed the victims.

Hoseok never forgets how lucky he is to still be alive and standing to this day. Thus, he has a ritual.

At night, usually at dusk, he hurries to the graveyard and places a small bouquet of flowers on the graves on the victims, silently thanking them for their sacrifice.

Jimin knows about it. He thinks it's a little extra, but doesn't dare to interfere. It's a routine, and Hoseok loves his routines.

"So, what are you planning on getting today?" Jimin asks.

"Some bread and fruits, the usual." Hoseok shrugs, looking over the different kinds of bread.

He ends up picking the regular sold and thanks the saleswoman, paying the right amount and a small tip for her kindness.

As he always does.

Hoseok is an amazing man. He's kind, clean, respectful and really helpful.

He's had multiple proposals, but turned them down, telling them he simply wasn't ready for anything as big as marriage or even labels as a boyfriend or a girlfriend.

"What flowers are you picking today?"

Hoseok's brows furrow in thought at the younger's question, looking a few stalls down at the bouquets. There are different kinds each day, and every flower is unique.

He shrugs. "I'll see when I buy them. I still have three more stalls to go before I decide."

Jimin nods, trotting down the stalls with him, getting his own supplies as well.

Soon, Hoseok has everything he needs and makes his way towards the flower shop he has gone to for over seven months now.

The owner knows him well.

The bell dings gently when the door hits it, shaking from side to side as Hoseok breathes in the scent of each and every vine, plant, and crown in the room.

It smells like nature...

"Good morning Hoseok." The owner greets him kindly, yawning tiredly. "How are you this fine morning?"

"I think that's a question returned to yourself, Yoongi hyung." Hoseok smiles. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

Yoongi shrugs. "Don't you see one every day in this cursed forest? I'll be damned if there isn't a single man running or walking through it every once in a while." He says with a deep sigh, leaning back.

Hoseok chuckles at Yoongi's words, and throws him a small sack with silver coins. "You know what I want."

The older male nods. "Two bouquets, of course. What may they be today?"

"What's new?"

Yoongi smiles, asking him to wait for a moment as he trots to the back, soon returning with a vase of water, only four flowers inside.

"These are called Anemone. They're extremely rare, and this kind grows in the moonlight. It is said they open one petal at a time at a night, releasing a new scent with every petal. These just bloomed this night and they'll die in a few days."

Hoseok's breath has been taken from him as he lands sight on the purple lilac flowers, their scent rich with knowledge and their little black sprouts in the middle creating an adorable half orb, sight of color.

Without a word, he nods. "Yes, I want those."

"Is this the bouquet you want made?"

"Yes."

And with a smile, Yoongi gets to work. He adds pink, white, and magenta flowers with some tall plants here and there. White roses and orbs, with little pink knobs and groups, whist multiple darker purple flowers are added, still giving the Anemone the pop he wants.

With that, the bouquet is done.

The second is made out of orange flowers, mainly made around the Chrysanthemum.

With a smile, Hoseok takes the two rich smelling bouquets, thanking the florist and taking his leave.

The bouquets are set in water in his home, and that day has gone through the busiest time, now a time to rest.

And as soon as the day has risen, the sun is beginning to set. Hoseok's heart pounds in his chest as he waits for himself.

The virus...

How did it even come? They were so scared, but it only infected two people... No one after the infected, not for the days it took for them to die...

Slowly, as Hoseok gets up, the moon starts to rise, sending silver rays over the graveyard.

The tombstones have crumbled bit by bit over the seventeen years, little rocks of stone have fallen besides the carved names.

The flowers he brought yesterday have been taken... by what, he never found out.

It was always like this.

The night before this night he'd have brought a bouquet, but the night after that, the bouquet would have disappeared.

The silence takes over once again, and Hoseok kneels down at the two tombstones before him.

He lays down the purple bouquet on the small stone plates in front of the grave, the name engraved sending soft shivers down his spine.

Kim Seokjin

And the other, the reciever of the orange bouquet, who was messier and left petals on the stone.

Kim Taehyung

Brothers like no other

What a thought. Both brothers, died and infected. It's such a sad thought to have...

In the silence, Hoseok suddenly hears the rustling of leaves.

He turns his head quickly, his eyes roaming over every detail. Nothing...

He turns back to the graves, but when he does, he catches the sight of deep red eyes staring down at him from above the tombs.

Two men.

Two pairs of eyes.

Hoseok glares back at them, not backing away when they both kneel down, observing him as well as Hoseok does to them.

"Why do you do this?" The first whispers silently.

"Gift these to the dead?" The second asks.

Hoseok looks each of them in the eyes before smiling. "They deserve it. Their sacrifice has saved lives around my home. Everyone forgets the deeds, but I don't."

The two men share a look at each other before the first nods.

Hoseok's eyes widen in a snap when the second suddenly grasps the back of his neck, clamping his hand over his mouth as the first leans down to his neck, whispering for him to be quiet.

"Hush, Hoseok... You'll live."

And with that, Hoseok screams into the man's hand, feeling two sharp holes being cut into his skin, sinking deeper and deeper, breaking his flesh, blood trickling out of the wound.

Lips touch his neck, a warm tongue dragging over his skin to lick up the falling blood, the wound becoming bigger as the cut grows.

"Will you shut up." The second man hisses at him in a deep growl, a soft snake-like hiss breaking from his throat. "Hurry up, he's starting to pass out."

As the words are said, the sharp pain fades, the tongue and lips also pulling away.

In the moonlight, Hoseok sees the men clearly now. The crystal waves have hit him and them, and in the back of his mind, he gasps as he recognizes them both from his past.

The men who he visits every night are standing in front of him, alive.

°•●•°

Legends speak of the vampire as a creature of the devil, made to serve him at all costs, serving as a cook to give him meals.

Truth is, that vampires are just humans. Humans with different cravings, abilities and lifestyle.

They still spill the same red blood when they bleed, they still have the same organs.

"Why did you do that, hyung?" The younger brother asks. "He could have died..."

"You know I still have to feed. I... I just wanted to thank him." The older sighs, stroking a strand of hair from Hoseok's face as he pulls the covers over his freezing body.

Hoseok won't feel a thing. The amount of blood he lost will make his transformation smooth and painless, unlike theirs... At least as long as he stays asleep.

No one deserves that pain.

Definitely not someone as kind and lovable as Jung Hoseok.

"Why did you want him to be like us...?"

"You know Taehyung. No one deserves death... People as kind and humble as Hoseok are so rare. I... I guess it was selfishness for not wanting him to leave this world..."

"Hyung." Taehyung grumbles. "How do you expect him to stay kind like this? Bloodthirsty, a monster like us. He is nowhere near the level of experience we are at. In fact, I don't even think he knows what we are at first glance! We are monsters, Seokjin!" He yells, watching his older brother walk towards the open book on the table.

Seokjin chuckles, and closes it, showing the book to his younger brother. "Don't judge a book by it's cover, Taehyung."

Taehyung frowns, looking down at the cover.

The Ancient Legends

Caressing the golden letters, he looks back at the sleeping human. "But... He doesn't look like someone who is into this at all."

"Don't judge a book by it's cover." Seokjin says again.

Taehyung sighs, laying the book at Hoseok's side.

The two look out of the window, watching the sun slowly rise.

"Come on, let's go." Seokjin sighs. "He'll be fine by the start of moonrise."

Taehyung nods. "I know... I'm more concerned about that boy that he's always with. He could make his first meal if we aren't careful."

°•●•°

He's on fire. His skin burns. His throat is dryer than sandpaper and his eyes keep tearing up.

No matter what Hoseok tries, no water can still his quenching thirst, no amount of blinking can fix his watering eyes, and no amount of sunscreen and skin protection can take care of the fire within him.

His heart is pounding, yet he's cold as his skin is warm. He's made himself soup, tea, warm milk, ice packs, ice cream.

Anything.

He's in pain.

And eventually, he bursts down into tears. His brain pounds, his hands grasping his dark strands and tugging at them, screaming as tears fall down his full precious cheeks.

The people outside know better than to come inside with the virus story, everyone now afraid of any flue infection, but Jimin watches from the window as his best friend falls there, crying in pain.

He wants to help, but the townsfolk hold him back.

It's just a flue, he thinks, he'll be okay...

If only it was a flue.

Hoseok screams and cries, sobbing in pain and begging the Gods for their blessing to end him, to make this suffering and pain their last.

Trying to find a distraction, he grabs his book, falling to the page where he had left off.

His teary eyes grow wide, falling over the symptoms of the chapter.

Red eyes - caused by teary eyes due to melanin pulling away, leaving no muscles to pull the pupil until the blood has seeped into the iris.

Fangs - caused by the pulling and tugging at the nerves in the teeth.

Dead skin - caused by the nerves burning away within the skin, giving it no scent and making it impossible for animals to detect anything by smell.

Hissing and growling - caused by the voice box damaging itself, drying out the throat and allowing it to find its own sounds to adapt to its new nature.

Hoseok's fingers start to tremble as he looks down at his skin, gulping down his saliva to satisfy his throat.

It couldn't be...

It can't be!

There was no one near him! There was no way he could have been bitten-...

His hand clamps to the side of his neck, his fingertips caressing the two holes in his neck.

Last night...

Those men. His old friends. A tear leaks down his cheek with the others, biting his quivering bottom lip.

Seokjin and Taehyung... Vampires?

He didn't want to believe it. But the virus then made sense. The pain he feels right now is similar to theirs back then, but they took months to transform - if they even did!

How is this possible?!

Hoseok stumbles to the bathroom, staring to himself into the mirror.

His eyes are white. No melanin...

He shakily opens his mouth, wanting to close it after seeing fangs gently starting to push bit by bit.

Hoseok's heart starts to beat faster, his breathing hitching as he feels his throat starting to hurt, when suddenly a hand lays itself on his shoulder.

He snaps his head towards the familiar face with wide eyes, more tears falling.

He doesn't think about how or why, but lands himself in Seokjin's arms, hugging the older male tightly.

The vampire hugs him back sweetly, releasing a sigh as he is finally able to touch his beloved Hoseok once again.

He has grown to be a beautifully handsome young man with a heart made of the purest of gold, setting his own heart at beating rage.

"J-Jin..."

"Hoseok..."

Hoseok looks up at him with wide eyes, red from tearing up, but also red from his own blood.

Seokjin slowly wipes his thumb over Hoseok's soft cheeks, wiping away his sad tears. "Why are you so sad, my angel?"

Hoseok sobs quietly into his hyung's shirt, feeling the material getting wet from his tears.

"Y-you... I... T-Tae-"

"Yes, angel... I know." Seokjin sighs. "I'm sorry. This was my idea. I never should have been so selfish for wanting you to myself... You're just so kind and sweet, just like when you were little..."

"H-hyung..." Hoseok cries softly. "What will h-happen to me?"

"You will be like me and Taehyung. You'll be a vampire, like us."

Hoseok buries his face deeply within Seokjin's shirt, the older allowing Hoseok to cry his heart out, knowing that for him, life will never be the same.

He feels bad.

Seokjin never wanted this to actually happen, it's just selfishness at the time of the bite. He never meant to release his venom, he never meant to actually turn him.

But mistakes were made, and this is one that cannot be reversed.

Seokjin takes Hoseok into his arms, hushing him quietly. "Calm down, Hoseok. You're not alone. Both Taehyung and I are here for you. We aren't dead, we took the flowers you gave us, we kept them all and they are beautiful."

Now the story of the disappearing flowers made sense...

Hoseok looks up at him with teary eyes, the burn in his tears fading slowly, knowing something had already changed.

And right was his assumption. Seokjin wipes Hoseok's tears once more, looking right into the beautiful rose red iris of Hoseok's eyes, made of his own blood.

Staying calm, Seokjin gently brushes the younger's lips, opening the his mouth.

Fangs are already fighting their way, sharpening into the weapons of his own.

Thankfully the transformation is fast.

"W-why did it take so long... for you to turn?"

"The vampire who had bitten us was still young. She had no experience within the world of the immortal and was out for blood. She saw us, preyed on us, drank from us, but didn't kill us. She was caught by one of the citizens and fled, her fangs were too small to sink fully through us, making her venom weak, yet not dead."

Seokjin's answer makes sense to Hoseok. Because of the venom not fully transmitting into the veins but into his skin, it had to dig itself down the skin to find a vein, taking much longer to reach the brain.

It's exactly like the book.

Hoseok had turned faster because Seokjin had pushed through to his flesh before releasing his venom, whilst the girl who drank from them had venom still being produced, releasing immediately.

"Taehyung and I caught the symptoms of ourselves and we couldn't handle the pain. We... We ended our suffering. Yet we never died-."

"Our pulse only weakened." The deep voice of Taehyung says, the vampire climbing through the window. "It made us look dead, yet when the moon had risen, our bodies woke. And so did we."

Hoseok's cries have gone down into hiccups and sobs whilst listening to their story, his heart aching at their pained transformation.

"I'm sorry..."

"For what, my angel?" Seokjin asks softly. "You couldn't do anything. You were so small, you would have never understood."

Taehyung nods, agreeing with his brother. "We age. Just years later. When we're one-hundred, maybe we'll get our first wrinkle?" He turns to his brother.

"Maybe two hundred."

"Yeah that sounds more logical..."

Hoseok gulps. "Will I... live as long as you?"

"Longer." Taehyung chuckles. "You were turned later than us, but that we die first does not mean you need to be sad now. Science has proven that vampires can survive a million years when being healthy. We aren't planning on letting you die."

Seokjin nods. "My angel, we will always be here for you. Alright? Don't be sad."

Hoseok turns his frown into a smile at his words. They're right. This only means that he gets to spend more time with them.

In the break of happiness, he jumps up and wraps his arms around Taehyung, who stiffens at the skinship, but accepts the younger warmly.

Then he jumps towards Seokjin, jumping right into his arms. The older vampire laughs at his sudden glee and hugs the younger back, forgetting for just a moment that this is a moment of Hoseok's, and smashes their lips together.

Taehyung sucks in a breath, his heart pounding when he sees his brother kiss the turning human, who's eyes snap open wide.

"Hyung..." Taehyung coughs.

Immediately Seokjin pulls away, panic flashing in his eyes when he sees Hoseok's bottom lip trembling.

"O-oh! Hoseok! I'm sorry!" Seokjin yells, carefully setting Hoseok down. He hurries to escape, but Hoseok grabs his arm and shakes his head.

He opens his mouth, showing both vampires that it was not Seokjin that made him cry.

It's the final push for his fangs.

Still quite short and a bit stubby, yet sharper than the average human, long enough to penetrate skin, but not break to the flesh. The phase Seokjin described they were bitten by.

"I-it just hurts..." Hoseok whimpers. "What you did... was fine."

Seokjin takes a moment to process what happened. He kissed Hoseok, and Hoseok said it was fine...?

"Does that mean...--"

"You can kiss me again... I liked it." Hoseok says softly, his cheeks dusting with a bright hint of red.

Seokjin smiles and gently tilts the younger's head up, leaning in to gently connect their lips again.

Hoseok doesn't care. It doesn't hurt anymore. Not a lot, at least.

Taehyung proudly crosses his arms, feeling a little cocky that he just helped his brother get a boyfriend.

Not confirmed, but they kissed so it's good enough.

He's feeling like a good brother today. Unlike other days where he would scold his hyung for flirting with preys, he's genuinely happy for him, knowing the older has had a crush on the human for some time.

Hoseok is clearly open for more, and that does not involve just kissing.

°•●•°

"See it?"

"Uhu!"

"Remember what to do?"

"Yep!"

"Are you ready?"

"Hyuuuung!"

Seokjin chuckles as Hoseok bounces on his feet, his energy bouncing off the trees as his rose red eyes have perfect vision on the deer in front of him.

It's his first real hunt.

His fangs have finally broken through all the way, also giving him a boost of bloodthirst.

"You know I'm just worried about you..." Seokjin pouts his bee-stung lips, batting his eyelashes sweetly at him. "Won't you stay with me?"

"Let him be." Taehyung grumbles. "I didn't stop you from sucking that elephant dry."

"It wasn't my fault!"

"Oh, it was. Fully your fault."

Seokjin whines cutely, hugging Hoseok tightly. "Come back safely?"

Hoseok nods. "Yes, hyung, I will!"

Placing a short sweet kiss on Seokjin's lips, Hoseok takes off, licking his lips and his sharp fangs as he finally goes on his first hunt.

Seokjin watches him run, Taehyung by his side.

"It's a keeper." The younger chuckles.

"Huh?"

"Hoseok. He's a keeper."

Seokjin frowns at him. "What...- Of course he is! He's my baby!"

"And he does the household." Taehyung laughs.

"Taehyung." Seokjin scowls.

"And the laundry, and the cooking-"

Seokjin slaps him upside the head. "You're doing dishes tonight."

"What?! No!"

"Don't be a whiny baby." Seokjin chuckles. "Be a good little brother and go clean Hoseok's room."

"But... But-"

"Now."

Taehyung sighs in defeat. "Yes, hyung..."

It was a point proven that Seokjin really loved Hoseok, and the other way around as well.

Taehyung was happy to see his brother so happy.

And he was. Inside and out, fully in love with Hoseok, and Hoseok was his.

And the flowers are still an every day gift, the house now surrounded in every possible kind, given by an understanding florist who may or may not have caught the three when escaping town.

And Hoseok is still happy. And that will never change.

{=|THE END|=}

Questions of the Chapter:

What happened to Jimin?

Why is Yoongi so understanding about vampires?

Who is the girl who bit them?