Chapter Text
Minho was anxious
His eyes ached with lack of sleep, and he’s sure that if he looked in a mirror, he would find the heavy lines he felt carved under his eyes. He and Changbin had stayed out on the porch for a long while before coming back inside. Minho had calmed enough to sleep for a couple of hours before the anxious beating of his own heart woke him up. Now, his wolfy form lay against the bundle of blankets in the corner of the living room. It was late morning, and everyone had gotten up and sleepily roamed around the house. The only ones left in the living room were the two Maknaes, sleepily resting on the floor. Chan had done his usual headcount before disappearing into the upper level. Minho had a suspicion that Chan was talking with the vampires to consider their next steps.
How were they supposed to navigate an imprint bond like this?
Minho shifted restlessly from his corner of the room. The moon's pull was fading as the peak had begun to wane. The wolf inside settled, and with it the overwhelming exhaustion everyone felt suddenly piled on his shoulders. He reached out through his bond to check on everyone. It was an old habit that Channie did more often than Minho, but for now, his anxiety needed some level of reassurance.
Every wolf described the experience differently, and for Minho, it felt like dipping his hands down into a stream and feeling for where the running water splits in different directions. Each stream had a different feel to it. Felix was warm, the current gentle and curling. Jisung was quick and bubbly. Seungmin inched along, almost slowing to a stop when Minho checked on him. Jeongin’s was cool and refreshing like a summer spring. Hyunjin’s was almost hot and steamy like a hot spring. Changbin’s was warm, but the current pushed against him firmly, and Chan’s was ice cold, and tacky like ocean water on the verge of freezing. They all pooled into the great river that was their pack, rushing forward and strong.
As Minho felt them through the bond, he paid special attention to Jeongin’s stream. The cool summer water pulsed slowly with sleep and exhaustion. Minho’s chest fluttered with sympathy. He hoped his pup rested well. As he felt the thrum of Jeongin’s bond, he felt something new. Something heated and swirling like a current pulling you underwater. It trickled quickly along and fed into Jeongin’s bond. Minho could feel the anxiety and fear making the water rush by, but also the myriad of other feelings Jongho held in his chest. Curiosity and a flushed warmth of fondness that was definitely linked to how Jeongin was using his furry body as a security blanket. Familiar feelings, Minho mused.
The sound of steps roused Minho from his internal searching, and he saw a mop of black and white hair peeking inside. Hongjoong’s eyes linked with Jongho, a silent conversation within the few seconds the elder vampire occupied the space. Minho felt the baby vampire's anxiety spike, but also with it an ache that made Minho's teeth itch. The unique sensation left as Hongjoong left, and Minho could only hazard a guess at what that feeling meant. The bond was progressing quickly and already weaving itself into the rest of the pack’s psyche.
Minho contemplated asking after the head vampire, but he was still so tired. His chat with Changbin had settled some of the restlessness, but the unknowns of the bond still dragged at his small margin of energy. With a sigh, Minho rose from his spot on the floor and quickly shifted from his massive wolf form to his less massive but still intimidating human form.
“I’m going to check up on breakfast,” he said. The ‘call me if you need anything’ went unsaid, but the pointed look he threw at the puppy pile was enough to communicate it. Jeongin yipped at him, but didn't try to move at all from his vampire perch, content to recover from the hectic night as everyone else tried to salvage the day.
The vampires' house was a mirror of the pack's home, Minho found as he made his way from the living room to the large kitchen just past the hallway. An explosion of smells met the wolf as he took stock of the kitchen’s occupants. Seonghwa was humming away as he stirred a large pot of what smelled like congee. The bubbling, cream-colored rice porridge would be the perfect comfort food, as well as help the wolves recover their strength. He looked up and smiled at Minho, though his frame held more stress than his face let on. The curve of his lips twitching, Seonghwa seemed trapped by the stove as Felix and Jisung helped fry some eggs and other side dishes for their meal. The piles of food in various bowls and plates cluttered any free space. Minho made a mental note to slip some cash in the vampire’s pocket to help cover some of the meal's ingredients. He knew vampires didn’t need food, and Minho’s sure Seonghwa would protest, but common courtesy dictated he help.
“Oh! Minho-hyung!” came Jisung’s bright voice over the crackle of frying oil snapping. “We’re almost done.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” Minhos said with a tired smile.
“Have they actually been helpful?” Minho asked with a nod to Seonghwa. Before Seonghwa could answer, another presence nudged past Minho, and he was quickly met with the snappy spice of ginger and rosemary. Wooyoung practically scent-marked Minho with how close he brushed up against him. He had a wolfish smile as he sped over to Felix and Jisung.
“Ooh, bokkie! This looks good. You're not just a pretty baker,” he said warmly, playfully squeezing Felix’s shoulders like he was hyping him up for a big competition.
“Yah, I’m trying to concentrate,” Felix said. Deep laughter made Minho relax as Felix jabbed an elbow back. Jisung went to try and defend Felix whilst the freckled wolf made a valiant attempt to not burn the eggs. They squealed and squabbled as the vampire quickly glued himself to the wolves.
Minho leaned back against the counter next to Seongwha and watched the pups giggle along with Wooyoung. “They’re kind of cute when they’re not causing trouble,” came another deep voice, though Minho was now more familiar with its soft melodic quality. Seonghwa still had his warm eyes on the pot of congee, but the little smile seemed less forced.
Minho slumped even further against the counter, letting the exhaustion of the night show through his sagged posture. “If only they stayed cute and out of trouble.”
“True. Though I think it’s impossible for either of our groups to function for long without something popping up to cause chaos.” Seonghwa said in mutual consolation. The crease in the vampire's brow smoothed out a bit more as he turned off the heat for the congee and placed a lid to keep it warm. “It seems we all share that in common. A penchant for charm and trouble,” the vampire said, motioning to the roughhousing boys in the kitchen.
Minho considered the boys. Yeah, they were trouble and charm in almost equal measure. Sometimes the trouble outweighed the charm, but in the end, Minho loved his boys. Seeing Wooyoung with them should have felt out of place. Awkward and stilted, but he slotted into the wolves’ dynamics so easily. If Minho quieted the anxious thoughts, it almost felt like any other weekend after the full moon, where the boys gorged on hot food and napped all day. The smell of earthy herbs and old blood wasn’t so unsettling now that Minho had spent so much time in the coven’s space.
They might be ok. The pack and the coven together, though there was still much to discuss. Minho reached out to Seonghwa and lightly set his hand on his shoulder. “Thank you for taking care of my pack. Given everything, you all have been patient with us.” Minho heard the roughhousing still. The boys were not so subtle in their observing, but Minho didn’t mind. If things were going down the path he saw with the coven and the pack, then it would be important for his pups to see their pack omega extending the olive branch to the vampires.
Seonghwa’s brown eyes settled onto Minho, and for a beat, he stayed still, surprised by the contact from the normally aloof wolf. He reached his own hand out to the wolf and set his cool hand against Minho’s own.
“Given everything, you should have more reason to yell at me, to pursue more serious consequences against our coven’s recklessness, but you all have been nothing but kind.” with a shuddering breath, Seongwha went on, “It was your Jeongin who helped our fledgling, it was Chan and the others who helped Mingi, and it was you who had patience for Hongjoong when he wasn’t at his best. If anything, I want to ensure that all of that care is returned and continues to ensure we all can live happily together, whatever that may look like.”
Minho sucked in a deep breath at the intensity behind those warm eyes, the kind smile, and felt a softness hit his chest. How he felt for his pups, he could easily see extended to this soft soul. His wolf growled loudly in agreement, and that, more than anything, surprised Minho. He almost jumped at the surge of warmth coming from his pack bond as other wolves voiced their warmth for the coven.
No words came to Minho, and in that moment, a brief memory of his first meeting with the vampire flashed into the forefront of his mind. With a delicate half smile, Minho looked deep into Seonghwa’s eyes before gently tilting his head to the side, exposing his neck. A show of trust, of solidarity, and a gesture he’d never given to anyone outside of his pack. Seongwha’s delicate exhale dusted against his throat, and he felt the grip on his hand grow firm.
“Thank you, Minho,” he said in that vibrant timbre of his. Minho lolled his head back, spotting his pups watching them. Jisung’s eyes were practically falling out of his head with how wide his eyes were. Felix has his scrunchy smile on full display, eyes almost closed with how much joy was on his face. Minho felt a bit shy at such a public display of feelings, but the look on Seonghwa’s face was worth it. The way his fangs dug into his lip as he beamed at Minho would be stuck in his head for a while after this. With a disgruntled cough, he shot his boys a pointed look, “All right, you busy bodies, it looks like the food is done. Go let everyone know that breakfast is ready.” He tried to muster up the firmness he usually had when directing his pack, but by the looks on everyone in the kitchen, he wasn’t fooling anyone.
“Alright, hyung,” Felix and Jisung chirped with cheesy grins. Wooyoung followed them, not so quietly whispering questions as they left the kitchen.
“This is going to spread like wildfire,” Minho sighed, though he was still holding Seonghwa’s hand, and the vampire laughed softly.
“Your image as the big, scary wolf will be ruined. Or at least it would be if you could hide how soft you are for your pack at all.”
Minho felt his cheeks burn, “Is it a crime to care? Everyone else is the one convinced I’m scary! I just don’t always correct that assumption.”
Seonghwa inhaled deeply before commenting, “Well, if they knew to look beyond your scent, they would find the softest marshmallow of a wolf. It’s a wonder you don’t smell as sweet as Jisung.”
Minho just huffed and elbowed past Seonghwa to start making plates, “Not everyone has the scent of a sugar factory. Be lucky that I balance his sweetness.”
The bustle of the house began to grow as wolf and vampire made their way to the kitchen. Minho handed out plates and found himself swarmed by vampires. They were all so tall, and it should have made Minho growl and demand space, but the more he watched them fumble around their own kitchen, the more they reminded Minho of his pack.
____
Jongho let out a deep, anxious breath from his place on the floor. Though it was just him and Jeongin left in the living room at that moment, he had felt the gaze of everyone in the house land on him at breakfast. The Coven’s usual lazy weekend had quite a few extra heads, and while some of the wolves had left their house to grab clothes or snacks, their quick return seemed to cement their residence in the Coven's home. He couldn't help but feel the sting of guilt heavy in his stomach. It was his fault that their lives became entwined. Interrupted.
Jeongin nuzzled his cheek, black wet nose leaving a cold trail on Jongho’s skin. It made Jongho want to smile despite the ache inside.
“Thanks, Jeongin, but you don’t need to try to make me feel better all the time,” he said as he ran a hand through Jeongin’s fur. For the first time in a while, Jeongin lifts himself up from resting against Jongho and stretches up; his body shifted in the blink of an eye as dark fur changes to rumpled sweats and a sweater. His knees popped as he kneeled next to Jongho’s prone form.
“I know,” he said, voice tired, “but I don’t know what else to do right now.”
Jongho sighed, “Yeah, I don't either. Still, I don't want you to feel like you need to be glued to me. Wolfy instincts or not.” Jeongin could be spending time with his pack. Full moons were a pack thing, and Jongho felt bad that he was hogging the wolf maknae. Jeongin shook his head, strawberry scent splashing Jongho across his nose.
“I don't feel like I have to do anything. My wolf isn't some force separate from what I want. It’s more like it's me turned to an 11; it just has fewer issues with seeking out what it wants.”
He lay back down next to Jongho, his hand gently resting against his. “I want you to feel better. I don’t want you to feel bad for something we both had a part in.”
“Well, maybe I want to feel bad about it?” Jongho said with an exasperated laugh. It sounded stupid, but it was also how he felt. Jeongin just laughed alongside him, “If you feel like you need to feel bad, then I’ll feel bad with you.”
Jongho let out a breath and felt where his chest shifted against Jeongin’s. His weight was warm and solid despite his slim frame. A sudden knock spooked both of them, and they looked up to see where Hongjoong knocked on the doorway. His sharp red eyes caught the late morning light. “Want to add another to your should-feel-bad club?” he spoke gently. Another figure peeks in from the hallway to reveal Chan’s crunchy blond hair and tired smile.
“How about two?” Chan said as he also came into the living room with Hongjoong. His ocean breeze scent salted the air and evened out the spice of Hongjoong’s turmeric. Their scents reminded Jongho of a ship at sea, carting spices to far-off lands.
“Looks like it’s time for the Talk,” Jeongin mumbled against Jongho’s shoulder before sitting up, and Jongho noticed the way Jeongin’s body tensed. Chan and Hongjoong had sat on the couch next to their blanket pile on the floor. Jongho sat up with Jeongin but stayed close. The wolf’s strawberry scent was an easy anchor to hold onto, and while neither Chan nor Hongjoong tasted like anger or other darker feelings, it still helped Jongho to have a way to focus.
“This is not us getting you in trouble if that worries you,” Chan said warmly, posture poised forward as he rested his arms on his knees. He was fidgeting a bit, but he still held his easy smile and kind eyes open.
“No, this is just us wanting to be on the same page. All of us.” Hongjoong said.
Jongho nodded. It was a precarious place to be. Jongho didn’t envy either of them. A new bond that connected two groups of creatures was a difficult thing to navigate, let alone the fact that it wasn’t planned or even something any of them were aware of until yesterday. The two families had barely known each other for a few weeks before the full moon.
Where would this new bond go? It was the question Jongho was sure all of them were asking.
“The same page,” Jeongin echoed for a moment, and a flood of feelings erupted over Jongho. The scent in the air didn’t change as drastically, though Jeongin’s scent grew a little sharper. However, the subtle change in scent did not match the avalanche of anxiety and fear that Jongho knew was not his own.
“And what do you expect us to tell you? That we’re sorry for doing something we had no idea we were doing?” Jeongin asked, and it made Jongho’s heart ache with the brittleness of it. Had Jeongin been feeling like this the whole time?
Now that Jongho could feel it, it was like he couldn’t feel anything else. The blankness tried to mask the fear that Jeongin was feeling, but it pooled into Jongho like a broken pipe. He could feel it, and that was disorienting all on its own. Vampires could taste fears, feelings, and wants, but a bond like this was only between a fresh fledgling and their sire. Those bonds faded with time, and vampires only felt more through feeding.
The fact that Jongho could feel Jeongin when they were only sitting next to each other was surreal. The bond had been faint before, but after the full moon, the bond was stronger.
“Shh, Jeongin. It’s ok. We’re here to listen,” came Chan’s voice. He crept down next to Jeongin, rubbing his shoulder as the wolf trembled.
“Unexpected bonds can be painful, scary things,” Hongjoong said after a moment to give Jeongin time to breathe. “We want to know how you two feel. How the bond feels, before we talk about anything else.”
Chan nodded and gave both of them small smiles and asked, “How does it feel?”
Jeongin looked to Jongho, and a questioning feeling rose up above the slew of feelings. Jongho reached over and held his hand before nudging him forward, “You go first. Last night was a lot. You seemed scared.”
Jeongin’s back folded a bit under Jongho’s words. His voice shook, “I was scared. Lost. I felt like someone was taking away one of my pack members, and that always feels horrifying. ”
Jongho’s guilt rose as he listened, but he only nodded along. Pack dynamics were still new to him, and while the inner link wasn’t present in the coven, the thought of losing a member during such a sensitive time made his stomach queasy. Jeongin clutched his hand harder, causing Jongho to look up and see the soft smile etched onto Jeongin's face.
“But I also felt warm and safe once I was with Jongho. From the moment he fed from me, the very first bite, I saw his kindness,” Jeongin said while stroking his thumb over the back of Jongho’s hand. “The bond feels like my other pack bonds, but it also feels separate. Like a branch shooting off. It’s new and tender.”
The storm of Jeongin’s feelings calmed as he spoke, and while the anxiety was still there, the bond pulsed with reassurance. Jongho took a deep breath. Chan and Hongjoong looked to him, calmly taking in their words without interrupting. It amazed Jongho that Hongjoong felt safe enough to have Chan there. His emotions were level and barely registered in the room.
Seeing that they were waiting on him, he took a moment to gather his thoughts before he said, “The bond feels intense. It feels like I’m a bottle and someone filled it with carbonation. If shaken, it felt like it would burst forward, strong and explosive, almost overwhelming. But when it’s calm, I can see all the little bubbles and how the light plays with the glass.”
Jongho looked back at Jeongin as he said, “I would be sad to see it go. To let go of the bond, but I also don’t want to put strain on anyone.” He looked down, feeling vulnerable, “I already cause enough trouble.”
“You're not trouble!” came three voices. A tear he hadn’t felt building dripped down his cheek as he looked up to see Hongjoong, Chan, and Jeongin firmly looking back. A burst of exasperation and fondness trickled through the bond, and Jongho felt like it was coming from two different sources.
“Alright! Anyway, I think the bond is growing. Or, maybe I can better understand the different wolves that also connect to the bond. What I smell from Chan hyung, I also feel coming through the bond.” Jongho said. Chan perked up and tapped his hands against his legs. His copper eyes flickered as he trained his eyes on the younger vampire. Suddenly, Jongho felt the bond ripple, and the feeling of Chan’s presence in the bond came to the forefront. As quickly as it surfaced, it faded back into the background.
“I can feel you too!” Chan said in awe. “Your bond is progressing quickly. Minho mentioned something about feeling you begin to attach to the pack bond. You're not just bonded to Jeongin anymore. Wolves always connect to the back, no matter who they bond to individually, so it would make sense that you, too, would become bonded.”
Hongjoong breathed deeply, his body somewhat tense. His eyes kept flashing brighter and brighter red, but he remained still. Jongho could smell his cocktail of hurt, jealousy, and sadness in the bitterness cloying the air.
“Hyung?” Jongho spoke almost silently.
Hongjoong clenched his hands in his lap but met Jongho’s eyes. His mouth was crumpled into a thin line as he held himself tightly. Jongho stood and sat gently next to Hongjoong on the couch. He leaned his head down to lie on his hyung’s shoulder.
“What are you thinking about, hyung?” Jongho asked. Hongjoong didn’t immediately answer. Instead, he unclenched his hand and reached for Jongho. He ran his hand along Jongho’s arm before taking hold of his hand. The sharp scent of turmeric was strong, but it slowly ebbed to something less caustic.
Hongjoong’s soft voice almost broke as he said, “I’m thinking that my fledgling grew a lot quicker than I thought, and that he might leave me before I can even show him how much he’s made my life brighter.” His lips crumpled into a sad smile that broke Jongho’s heart.
“I’m not leaving hyung,” Jongho mumbled. His eyes stung as tears began to build. “I never want to leave you, or the coven. Ever.” He leaned in closer, wrapping his arms around Hongjoong.
“But, you also don’t want to leave this new bond either, and… I won’t stop you. If it’s what you want,” Hongjoong said, pulling Jongho as close as he could. Jongho felt warm tears hit his shoulder and soak into his shirt. It made the tears fall from his own eyes, and his breath hitched. Jongho clutched at Hongjoong’s oversized shirt and felt all of the stress and anxiety that had built over the past 24 hours spill over into a hushed sob.
“Oh, my poor apple bear. So strong and kind. You always try to please everyone, even when you pretend to be sick of us,” Hongjoong whispered to him, rubbing his back in soft circles.
“Maybe we can please everyone,” came Jeongin’s hesitant voice. Jongho sniffled before blinking his red eyes over to the wolves on the floor. Chan’s brow was furrowed in concern as he observed the vampires in distress, and Jongho could feel the tickle of it in his chest. It was hard to parse between Jeongin’s feelings and the rest of the pack. Jeongin shifted close, scooting on his knees, “Or at least, we can try.”
Hongjoong tilted his head, partly in curiosity and partly to see around Jongho’s head on his shoulder. Jongho looked down at Jeongin and felt the burgeoning hope from the wolf.