Are You There - Chapter 31: Chapter 31

Hoseok's father is not a man of patience, and often finds his son's antics troubling to say the least. But bringing a half-dead telepath into his store during business hours is sure to top the list of things his son has done in the last decade.
"He's half fae," Hoseok blurts in front of a customer browsing a selection of tea leaves with small rose blossoms. Her face lifts from her perusing, and she jumps in shock upon seeing the broad man with the limp one draped across his back. She does not understand the words she has just heard, but she darts from the store in a hurry, scared to find out.
Hoseok pays her no mind as he stares across the shop's wooden counter at his father, a short man with silvering hair and an awful frown line. "Does that matter? You cannot bring half-bloods around just because you think I'll heal anyone-"
"But you will," Hoseok complains. He lowers Minhyuk to the floor, gripping him beneath the arms to keep him from slouching completely against the wooden surface. "And he needs it, so just uh... Just this once."
Lee Baram, with his arms folded over his chest, gestures with his chin for his son to bring the young man around to the back of the shop. While Angel's Infusion poses as a simple tea shop to the front, the back serves as a healing room for fae and other angelic creatures. The aging man crosses to the storefront to lock up for the day, only serving open for two unfortunate hours. He meets his son again in the shop's main customer draw, where Hoseok's mother practically lives beside her oils and scents.
Hoseok's mother is already fussing over the weak man that her son drags in and lies out on her acupuncture table. "What happened to him?"
"A vampire faded with him," Hoseok explains hurriedly, glaring over his shoulder at his father who only sighs from the doorway. "Dad doesn't wanna help," Hoseok blurts accusingly.
"Baram..." The aging woman shakes a fist at her husband, who stands firm in place despite the two glares he earns himself.
"He's a half-blood. I'm not wasting anything on him-"
"You've been selling fae ailments to humans for the last thirty years. Tea may be on those shelves, but I already know you've got underground sales of your own nectar going out." Hoseok shoves a finger through the air at his father, the older man blanching at the insinuation.
The elder wanders from the room with a frown, giving up on stopping his family from serving the telepath lain out across his wife's work table. Hoseok sighs, making the mental note to apologize later as he turns to his mother. She is already prodding at Minhyuk's pale face, stretching his cheeks and gracing her fingers over his temples.
"His mind is horrid," she murmurs to her son as she steps back, scanning her wall of oils and nectar. "Get his shirt off for me," she orders her son as she rounds the table, missing how Hoseok swallows nervously. The fae does not want to strip the younger man. Moreover, he does not want to under the current circumstances.
Shin Hyein, never a woman to be ignored, scoffs when she turns to find that her son has not yet moved. "Hoseok!" The young man jolts in place, finding his mother's eyes in fear. "He's running a fever, and I have to burn it off him. Take care of his shirt." She clenches her jaw, waiting impatiently for her son to move.
"Sorry," he mutters, hurrying to obey. Minhyuk mumbles in his sleep, incoherent words that do not mean much. The fae hears his own name and flushes, hoping that his mother has not caught anything.
When she pulls in a sharp breath through her teeth, he freezes. His eyes lift to find hers across the table, Minhyuk's shirt half off his body, half still on. Hyein stares at the exposed Mark inked above Minhyuk's heart, a sight she has not caught since her youth. "He's Claimed?" She asks her son quietly, staring hard at that single cord over the telepath's chest.
Hoseok shrugs, fighting the urge to touch the Mark over his own heart. He had done his best to hide the brand on his wrist, wearing as many variations of the same bracelets as he could, but his Mark is easy. Now, catching that startled glint in his mother's eyes, Hoseok realizes he was right to hide both away from his parents.
"Is that bad?" Hoseok, never one to study the cultures of other bloodlines, does not know the full extent of a Mark's power. Though he has one of his own, he does not worry much over it. His is not permanent, thanks to the Counsel, and he does not find it necessary to investigate any further into it. He knows it is a connection to Hyungwon, a signal that he has been Claimed. Beyond that, Hoseok does not much care.
Hyein sighs, running a hand through her graying hair. "I can't help him," she says simply, clearly upset over it. She gestures down to the Mark, one hand still in her hair as her face tinges pink. "We can't do anything unless someone of his sect does it. Either his vampire, or someone else under the Claim. I can't help him."
Hoseok's eyebrows furrow, unsure of his mother's words. "You can't help him... Just because of a little Mark?" Hoseok releases his hold on Minhyuk, at a loss for words as he stares his mother down.
"I want to," she clarifies quickly. "But a Claim is like ownership. If I don't have his Master's permission, the Counsel could have my hands for it. I'd basically be tainting someone else's property."
The thought puts a bad taste in Hoseok's mouth, and he wants to spit at his mother's feet. He can hear his father pacing outside the room, surely relishing in the news despite his natural need to heal. "But someone else under the Claim can heal him?" Hoseok asks slowly, his voice low and his eyes lower.
Hyein nods, humming through her teeth. "But a fae being Claimed by a vampire was banned centuries ago. We'd need the vampire himself-" She stops, startled when Hoseok suddenly rounds the table and takes the two vials from their waiting standee. "What're you doing-"
Hoseok lifts a hand to silence her, motioning soon after to have the room's door shut. He does not want his father wandering in with disappointment on his features. When the door is closed and locked, Hoseok sighs. "Mother," he whispers, blinking hard at the smaller woman. "Walk me through what to do."
Hyein's eyebrows furrow as she steps forward, her lips parted in confusion. "We need his Master," she repeats in desperation. "I can feel his energy draining. Don't you know where he comes from?"
Hoseok nods firmly. He can feel Minhyuk's life swaying. It has not been even twenty minutes since  the fae dragged the younger man from his apartment. He had been breathing enough then, in the sunlight even, but he is caged here. Hoseok can practically see the telepath's light dying. "I know his Master," Hoseok says slowly.
He is quick this time, sure of himself and his movements. He yanks his shirt collar down, bearing his left collarbone to his mother so she can see his own strong Mark. She yelps, her hands flying to her throat in shock. "Hoseok-" She stops, swallowing hard as her eyes find her son's. "They'll kill you."
He shakes his head, standing beside Minhyuk again and hurrying to remove the telepath's shirt the rest of the way. "It's been settled with the Counsel. Now just tell me how to help him." When Hyein does not move, Hoseok fixes her with his best glare. "Mother. He's important to me. Please."
He does not beg. He has never begged, not sober anyhow, but his tone is just desperate enough to awaken his mother from her shocked stupor. She blinks a few times before stepping towards Minhyuk, her son stood across from her. "You need to purify your hands first, because he's Claimed by a vampire. There's holy water beneath the work table."
[ x ]
Hyunwoo cannot fight the childish giggle that bursts past his lips as Kihyun presses feather-light kisses against his neck. "Ki- stop!" Hyunwoo pushes the younger man away gently, ducking his head low to hide his furious blush. "We're at work!"
Kihyun does not move away, kissing at Hyunwoo's skin and going as far as to nip just beneath the larger man's ear. He is greeted by a squeal of delight, the incubus' eyes scrunching at the sound. He loves making the older man squirm like this, as if just a touch could melt him down. It is precious even when Hyunwoo tries to push him away. "Stop that!"
Kihyun grins to himself, finding the lively man before him beyond enticing. Though Hyunwoo is the bold and strong man between them, Kihyun has many methods to soften the large man between his fingers. "C'mon... Let's put up the closed sign and sneak into the break room for a quickie."
Hyunwoo groans, pushing a hand through his hair as Kihyun's idea weakens him. The incubus does not have to probe much these days, often getting what he wants from the older man easily. Hyunwoo is embarrassingly smitten with him, and Kihyun cannot help but lavish in the attention. He adores it. He adores Hyunwoo.
"Ki, we're going to get ourselves fired if the boss catches us-"
"He'll never fire us," Kihyun states boldly as he takes a small step back. He knows even if the store owner decides the pair needs to be let go, Kihyun can nearly delete the thought from the older man's mind. "I'll never let us get thrown out of this place. Not until we're ready." Kihyun takes Hyunwoo's large hands in his two small ones, careful to keep his grip light. Hyunwoo is strong, but Kihyun's abilities are stronger.
Hyunwoo considers the offer for a long moment, staring up at Kihyun from his place on the counter's stool. Kihyun slides himself between Hyunwoo and the counter, knocking the older man's legs apart so he can stand between them. Releasing his hands, Kihyun traces the patterns of Hyunwoo's shirt with gentle fingers. Hyunwoo shivers through the fabric, Kihyun's hands cold despite the warmth that seeps in from the late spring day outside.
"Isn't it too early to seduce me?" Hyunwoo wraps his strong hands around Kihyun's small wrists, startling the younger. The contact sends shivers down his spine now, warm and inviting as ever. He hates how desperate his body becomes after just the smallest of glances Hyunwoo's skin gives his. But he loves how honest and cared for Hyunwoo makes him feel even more.
"It's already eleven," Kihyun murmurs, his eyes dropping to Hyunwoo's lips. "Practically lunch time. We could just take our lunch hour earlier today."
Hyunwoo groans again, tugging Kihyun's hands up to lock them around the back of his neck. The darker man's own hands settle against Kihyun's small hips, holding him in place as he stares up at the pale man's face. "Do you think I could say something crazy right now without sounding like a total nut-case?"
Kihyun shrugs, his fingers pressed to the nape of Hyunwoo's neck. He does not even notice, and neither does the older man. He does not feel drained, he feels replenished in fact. Looking at this man before him, open and daring; Hyunwoo feels a rush of everything he has ever longed for flooding him all at once.
"You can say whatever you need to," Kihyun urges the older man with a small smile. "I'll start." Clearing his throat, Kihyun adopts a false grin and straightens in his place. "My name is Yoo Kihyun and I'm prepared to suck you off in the back room upon your request."
Hyunwoo ducks amid his laughter, pressing his head to Kihyun's chest for stability. He cannot help but chuckle beneath his breath, finding solace in Kihyun's dark humor. "Is it my turn then?" The dark man lifts his head, peeking up at Kihyun through his lashes.
Kihyun nods, trying hard not to read too far into Hyunwoo's emotions. He can sense that something is different in the older man. Within just one instant, everything within the older man's mind has flipped, and Kihyun is not sure what it is, or what it means, but he does not want to investigate. He hates how far he dove into Hyunwoo's mind when they first met. He does not want to use the older man's own mind against him now. Not after how far they have come together.
"Go ahead," Kihyun whispers. His fingers tense against Hyunwoo's skin, but he does not move away. He wants the older man to be comfortable. He wants to hear Hyunwoo.
"I think I'm in love with you."
[ x ]
"Just help me glamour him or something. I could barely do it yesterday, and I only think it worked 'cause-"
Hyungwon silences his youngest, not truly caring to hear everything about his evening with the blonde. He peers over Changkyun's shoulder at Jooheon, who remains stood in the corner with a pillow to his chest. Changkyun glances back as well, grimacing when he spots the shake in Jooheon's fingers. "What exactly did you do to the mortal?" Hyungwon wonders, staring with wide eyes as Jooheon's eye twitches.
Swallowing hard, Changkyun grips the wall for the stability he still lacks. "I faded in front of him. But I figure it wouldn't be bad if I just told him right?"
Hyungwon stares down his sloped nose at the young man before him, shocked at the idea. "After you had my fae erase everything, you want to just give it back?"
Changkyun shrugs, lifting a hand to scratch at the back of his nape. "Yes?"
The older vampire scoffs at his youngest, not surprised by his naivety, but disappointed nonetheless. "Young one, the only way to give him any of those memories back-"
"I don't need him to have anything back," Changkyun quickly interrupts, trying his best to keep clarity over the situation. "I could just fill in the blanks about what he never knew to begin with."
Hyungwon sighs, lifting a hand in flippant disregard. "He's your human, I don't care what you do with him or his memories. I'm more confused over why he has remained alive. I figured you would have killed him when I first turned you."
"Yeah well I haven't killed anybody yet," Changkyun mutters in shame. He is proud not to have killed anybody he has drawn from, but still hates that he has drawn from more people now than he can recall. "But I can just tell him, can't I?"
Hyungwon stares at the blonde across the room, hearing every passing word and inching himself further against the wall. The elder vampire wonders if Jooheon understands what they are speaking of. If the human grasps the weight of the situation he has found himself in. Surely not, Hyungwon thinks to himself, sighing. "How do you plan to explain something like that?" The elder wonders aloud, still staring at the shaking blonde.
Changkyun turns now, watching the warm-blooded man in his bedroom's corner. The pillow that Jooheon clutches to his chest does not hide his rampant heartbeat, and Changkyun thinks for a moment that his best friend's vital organ may explode at the rate it is working at. "You were saying something about him getting his memories back?"
Changkyun is sure to keep his voice low this time, not keen on having Jooheon panic any further. He does not know why the blonde is still here, hunkering down, or even breathing at this point. But he is holding onto the hope that Jooheon will wait patiently.
Hyungwon nods his head from side to side, suddenly excited. "I've always wanted to try this," he blurts out. His mental decision to back off from his disciple's lives and act as just Master has long since been forgotten. He wants so badly to intervene, and have a little of his own fun.
"That's given me exactly zero answers," Changkyun grumbles. His hand lifts to wave in Hyungwon's face, annoyed over being left out of the loop.
"If you want him to gain his memories back, you have to do it yourself." Hyungwon grasps Changkyun by the shoulders and shoves him towards Jooheon. The blonde yelps and hunkers down tighter into himself, startled to see Changkyun stumble towards him. "His memories, and every interaction he's had with the children of the night- He'll get it back!"
Changkyun shoves back against his Master's hands, stalling his feet against his bedroom's carpet so he will not move any closer to the terrified blonde. "Hyungwon, what the hell are you trying to make me do?"
Hyungwon pauses, his mind moving too fast for his body in the moment. He laughs at his hurried actions, not bothering to lower his voice as he replies. "If you turn him, his life reopens to the past he's lost."
Changkyun scratches at his throat, unsure of what his Master means. "Turn him? Turn him where?"
Rolling his eyes, Hyungwon trails a finger down Changkyun's throat with a grin. "Into one of us, of course."