Switchblade - 31
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With every second that passes without finding Taeil, Taemin becomes more panicked. A horrible feeling is eating away at him, to the point that he isn't much paying attention to where he's walking. He's stepped in more than a few puddles from the rain now, and his shoes are completely soaked if the rest of him isn't.
He feels weak, light headed, like he might be close to passing out and he knows that it's coming from Taeil more than anything. When the road starts looking unclear beyond the darkness and the rain, he figures it best that he finds someone else. He's not helping Taeil any if he passes out on his own. However, he soon realizes that not being able to see clearly makes it hard to find his way around.
He's wandering aimlessly for a while until he hears a scream. Oddly, a weight seems to lift off of his shoulders. He follows the sound, his vision clearing as he moves. Maybe Taeil is going to be okay. He thinks so, and then he turns a corner.
Taeil is covered in red, blood somehow splashed all over him. It's in a puddle on the sidewalk where he stands as well. He is standing though, and wrapped in his arms is a victim much taller than himself, a young man with a blaze of red hair. It's Yukwon, and Taeil is...
Taemin runs to them, grabbing tight hold of Taeil's shoulders and trying hard to pull him away. In this moment, though, the vampire is stronger. "Get off of him!" Taemin screams, feeling around Taeil's fingers and trying to peel them away from Yukwon's shoulders, "Get off!"
Taeil finally does, slipping away from Yukwon. Taemin can see the tear in Yukwon's shoulder though. It's a bite. Taeil bit him. Time moves slowly, Taemin sees Yukwon's knees bending and rushes to catch him before his head can bash into the sidewalk. "Yukwon..."
"If he lives, you'll die," Taeil says, sounding healthy and fine.
"Don't want to," Yukwon's voice sounds forced and his face already looks nearly lifeless, "Be bonded to you anyway, Cho."
"Kill him," Taemin pushes Yukwon towards Taeil, horrified. "Just hurry and kill him."
Taeil wastes no time, holding Yukwon tight against himself as he bites a new wound into Yukwon's neck. Taemin watches the murder with wild, uncomprehending eyes. It's just not happening. This can't be happening. It was, though, and as Yukwon's life drained away, Taemin could feel it filling both himself and Taeil. It was the same as drinking vampire blood, energizing and healing.
After a moment, Taeil gently sets Yukwon's body on the ground. He stays knelt beside it for a moment, not looking at Yukwon or Taemin when he speaks, "I was attacked. I bled so badly I thought that I might die. Then he showed up. I needed blood, Taemin."
"So Yukwon had to die to keep us alive," Taemin cringes at the end of the sentence, "How could this be real? How is this fair?"
"It's not fair, it's life." Taeil finally stands up. He looks at Taemin for a short moment, then hesitantly puts his hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
"I know," Taemin looks down at Yukwon, "Doesn't change anything."
Once again, Taeil just says, "I'm sorry," and drops his hand.
"It's raining," Taemin says in a statement of the obvious, shaking his head at himself for leaving it at that for a moment, "We can't leave his body here, I mean." It's weird to say it like that. 'His body'. Yukwon isn't a part of it any more.
"Shit," Jonghyun's voice is no boost to Taemin's mood. The vampire walks next to them, commenting, "He was just alive, right?"
Fortunately, as Taemin might have screamed, Taeil speaks first, "I killed him."
"Uh," Jonghyun gestures broadly at Taeil, presumably referring to the blood that covers the vampire when he asks, "He did this?"
"No," Taeil answers, "He didn't."
"Alright," Jonghyun sighs, "So that was informative." He looks at Taemin, "I guess you found your vampire."
Taemin half-glares at Jonghyun. He doesn't have much energy to be mad though, at least not at him. "I guess I did."
"Great," Jonghyun sighs, "Looks like drama here, so.." He turns away, "We'll keep looking for that switchblade."
"Forget it," Taemin mutters, "You won't find it."
"What, why?" Jonghyun turns, rolling his eyes. "You're not special any more? We already know who has it. They didn't destroy it or anything like that."
"Seriously?" It feels bad to feel good in this moment, and to be cheered up by, of all people, Jonghyun anyway.. He does, though, feel the slightest bit cheered up to know that it's still in one piece.
It's not Taemin, but Taeil who asks, "Who has it?"
Taemin looks hard at Taeil. Through drips of blood smeared on his face, Taemin can see obvious regret. He wonders if any of that regret is for killing Yukwon, or if it's all about the bond that they share.
"They're letting some kid keep it. One of The Council's bitches or whatever. His name is Tao. Yeah, you're welcome."
"Jonghyun," Taemin says, turning towards him, "I know where No.. Onew is."
"Oh," Jonghyun narrows his eyes at Taemin, but sighs, "So are you going to tell me?"
"Yes," Taemin isn't even entirely sure why. Maybe it's because he's wanting to give his forgiveness now and just can't give it to Taeil. "Don't.. drag Minho around trying to get my switchblade back, Jonghyun. If you want to pay me back for saving you, take him to see Onew."
Jonghyun shoves his hands into tight wet pockets, trying to look more calm than Taemin can tell he is. "Fine," he says after a moment.
"One more thing though," Taemin wipes wet bangs off his forehead, "Will you tell Onew that I forgive him?"
"Now you're pushing it," Jonghyun says in a mutter, but his voice lacks the attitude that Taemin is used to hearing in it. He turns away and doesn't look back, adding more clearly, "I'll tell him."
"You really don't want your switchblade back?" Taeil asks, staring after Jonghyun.
"No, I do. But maybe I'll get it myself," Taemin looks back at Yukwon, holding back a sob. Tears seem unstoppable the moment that his eyes set on him. "The others might need our help. It's just.."
"I don't know what to do with the body," Taeil says.
He might as well have punched Taemin in the heart. His voice a whine, he says, "Then I'll just call an ambulance and stay here with it. Go check on the others. They're in an apartment building, it should be.."
Taemin's head aches. He can't remember where he even came from.
"I'll find it," Taeil says quietly, and then walks off to do just that.
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