twenty five;

       Wooyoung was tasked with keeping Eunha away from the baby's room. And he's driven her nuts the past nine days. He was sworn to secrecy by the others while they rushed to finish it, minus a few necessities. But they wanted it to be a surprise, so they told him to keep her busy. Keeping her away was harder than he realized. And it only made the situation worse because he couldn't tell her why she wasn't allowed near that room, let alone on the same floor. Today of all days she took interest for Yunho's progress on the walls, not knowing he was currently finishing them. The vampire couldn't take her outside, it was already mid-December and definitely too cold for her to be out for a prolonged period. He thought about asking San for help but the couple still weren't on speaking terms.     But since he wasn't helping the others, he needed to be useful somehow. Wooyoung left Eunha in the bathroom for a moment and rushed to his room, jerking the vampires door open and shutting it. "Yah, get out-"       Wooyoung stepped in front of the seated vampire who stood up to meet him. San grabbed his arm to force him out but Wooyoung in turn grabbed his. "I'm not in the mood, Wooyoung. Get out." "I don't want to hear it. This is a gift from all of us—whether you like it or not—and you will be doing something to help out." San's eyes narrowed at the younger while he contemplated his answer. "Suck it up and be useful. I need help." "You're lucky you caught me in a good mood." Wooyoung smiled wide. "This is you in a good mood?" The older vampire cocked his head to the side and gave a sarcastic smile back. "For the time being, yes. Now tell me what you want before I change my mind." "Just guard the third floor." San gave him a puzzled expression. Wooyoung sighed and lowered his voice. "Since you pissed off Eunha with your selfish lies she's not going to go near you, therefore she won't know what we're up to." San gritted his teeth and yanked his arm free from his counterpart. "Wooyoung, you're trying my patience-" Wooyoung stepped closer to him and gave him the 'look', batting his eyelashes and pulling out his cheeky smile. "Please, San-ah." His eyes narrowed while he studied the younger before he let out a defeated sigh. "Fine." "Thank you, San-ah. You don't have to do anything but repel her from going near the room." He rolled his eyes and the vampire left him with his new role, returning to Eunha. Only she made him jump when he found her coming down the hallway as he closed San's door. "Everything okay?" Their hands instinctively found each other. "You disappeared on me." "Yeah, just getting everything together for dinner tonight." The mention of food grew the humans excitement. "Ooh, what are we having?" Her curiosity stopped his lie dead in its tracks, stumping him. "It's a surprise." Eunha stared at him for a moment before she accepted his words.        "Okay, then let's go to the baby's room. I want to see Yunho's progress-"       "No!" His sudden outburst slightly startled her. "-I mean... not yet! I wanted to... ask you about-" The clueless human stared at him with wide eyes and a confused expression, waiting for him to continue his sentence. "A poem!"       Wooyoung didn't actually have anything to ask her, he was just hurriedly trying to think of something to stall her. San was listening to their conversation in front of his door, growing irritated from them not going away but also slightly amused that—out of all of them—Wooyoung was the chosen one to keep her in the dark, since he can't lie to save his life. He sighed and opened the door, revealing himself to the pair. Eunha was surprised by his appearance, especially when they haven't been in the same room—or even looked at each other—since that night. They locked eyes for a brief moment before she looked away from him. "I don't know exactly what you all are planning, but you aren't very good at hiding that you are indeed up to something." "There's nothing going on." San tried to brush away from the topic but Eunha wasn't having it. "Just because you have a talent for lying to one's face, doesn't mean Wooyoung does." The older vampire didn't have a quick enough comeback so he took another path. "Let's just pretend—for one day—that nothing was wrong, neither of us were mad, what would you say to me?" Eunha finally met his eyes again, but they lingered this time. She was still upset and for good reason. "I would tell you that I miss you..." Wooyoung was finally able to breathe fresh air. Eunha had seemingly forgotten about their shenanigans, and the two were one step closer to mending their relationship. "That you're missing out. On me and the baby."        Wooyoung took that as his cue to slowly drift away and out of sight, leaving the pair in the thick longing that choked the air.         Eunha's eyes softened the longer she stared into his captivating ones. "And I would hug you.."        "What are you waiting for then?" His words were accompanied by his arms stretched open, which she took with no hesitation. She felt a weight roll off her shoulders when those arms wrapped around her back. "I love you, don't ever forget that. And don't ever think that will change."       "I love you too. More than I should." They let the silence settle around them, not yet letting go. Eunha snuggled her face into his shoulder while his head pressed further against hers.

Now Playing;Titanic by Chris Grey

       Seconds turned to minutes and still neither had released their grasp on the other. Words were too heavy to be spoken, fearful it would ruin this peace. A peace in the middle of destruction—something they could only find with each other.        One of San's hands lifted to caress down her hair, missing its silkiness that fell delicately between his fingers.        Missing Eunha while they shared the same space was something he knew all too well. A selfish waltz, dancing around each other with land mines littering the floor under their careless feet. So close fingertips are glued together yet kept so far apart by an infuriating rift.        She was the fire that lit the fuse of dynamite that was his anger. And he was the thorn on the rose that repeatedly pricked her finger.        The passion they shared smelt of scorched copper, and it was suffocating. Toxic, rich, and rehabilitating.        One breath left them high, intoxicated far beyond any substance could try. "Stay with me tonight.." Eunha's words were barely audible pressed against his chest, but he heard them loud and clear. "Anything for you, my darling.." The vampire maneuvered them to his bed and laid them down on it, his chest pressed to her back and arms mingled together.        San wanted to apologize. He wanted to make everything okay again. He wanted to tell her about everything. About his childhood, his emotions. But that was such a touchy subject, opening up. It never been in his nature. His thoughts were haunted by a dark cloud, one he never wanted Eunha to see.        Just like she wore her heart on her sleeve, he wore that darkness tatted on his skin. A permanent mark he cannot escape. Forgotten if not seen but always there, waiting to be the thrown stone that crumbles the tension filled foundation.        The mind works in mysterious ways, letting memories drown while keeping hold on the trauma, the damage—whether it be scarred or healed.        San couldn't bring it all to words; the emotions, the pain, the suffering. He has never been the one who showed emotion, to tell others how he felt. He didn't talk about his past, and he has his reasons.        So it was no surprise that Eunha had to chain him to his bed and provoke him to even admit he felt something. And he only broke because it had begun to eat him alive.        Keeping his distance from her, not speaking to her, not looking at her. Not breathing in his favorite scent—a perfume he's favored since he met her. It drove him insane.        He tried not to think about her. But even then his thoughts were filled with how he could make it stop. She occupied his mind no matter what he did. Not kissing her lips, not holding her tight, not staring into her divine eyes. Hearing her laugh but not adding his, walking away and not by her side, fucking her but not loving her.        That was the moment when he realized. Every single second he spent alone with her was all he wanted to do with his time.        He tried to stop it. He tried to push her and those tainted feelings away. He had only ever loved one woman and she destroyed him, ripping his heart and pride away before stomping it on the ground. It was a pain no war wound could match.        That pain sat with him for a long time.        It grew heavier the day Eunha fell sick with pneumonia, but at the time he thought it was the guilt from not bringing her in from the rain sooner. And when he woke from the fight with their ex rivals, it engulfed the heart that was almost ripped from his chest. But the moment he laid eyes on her, knowing she was completely fine, was also the exact moment that pain completely disappeared. Just her living and breathing mended an ancient wound. Deep down he truly wanted to love her, but couldn't let go of that taunting feeling. The repetitive voice in the back of his mind screaming words spoken by the tramp on the night his life truly ended. The same words permanently branded in his journal. And he couldn't stop himself from falling in love with her, it was inevitable from the moment that pain vanished. He couldn't stay away from her, he couldn't stop himself from kissing her, he couldn't keep his hands off her, he couldn't stop hearing the way his name rolled off her tongue, he couldn't fight the obvious but quite tempting game of cat and mouse.        San was so helplessly in love with Eunha. Embracing that love dug a deep hole he'll never be able to escape from, but it's an oasis he'll never want to leave. And the moment he accepted it, he swore he wouldn't let himself ruin their connection. Wreck what they are building, and repairing. Only he's broken that promise time and time again, yanking at the woven threads of their bond. Unraveling the progress they both bled, sweat, and cried to establish. "Is it too late for us?"