Damn, Silas thinks to himself, someone's tittie-obsessed.
But as he turns the living room in and the boy sitting on their couch looks up at him, he gets Jiwon's obsession totally.
"How did that go?" the older asks him.
"Not amazing, but good enough. I think he just cares about my happiness."
"You've got a great best friend."
"Thanks, I know I do. I love him with the whole of my heart. What happened here, though?"
Raphael laughs, "Why did you ask that so hesitantly?"
"Well. It's Minseok hyung. He just has this scary oppressive thing about him."
"I know right? Minseok's a tough nut to crack. But yeah, as I said, you've got a great friend. Mine just almost killed me."
"What? Are you alright?"
"Obviously. He's just mad about what I did. Didn't even let me explain. But he's always been like that, putting his mind a hundred per cent on something and not stopping before he reaches it."
"Now you're cool, though, right?" Silas asks, hope clear in his voice.
Afraid he'd be the reason their friendship would break. He didn't want that in the least.
"Don't worry about Minseok. He'll come to his senses, he's just mad for now. I think his mate'll take care of that."
"Ay?" Silas calls out, "Don't let it sound as if my bestie's an object to suppress your friend's rage."
"I'm sorry, you're right. That's not how I meant it."
"Mhm. I am. Anyways, sorry for the interruption. You were saying...?"
"Ah, yes," Raphael uses his hands to pull himself up a bit and sit straighter, "so, you know..."
Silas looks Raphael straight in the eyes and tilts his head to the side, to which Raphael continues, "You know...since we're...like...mates...shouldn't we-"
"Woah," Silas half-yells, "shouldn't we what? Be careful with your words if you don't want Jiwon to kill you."
"I'm sure he's too busy right now to even care."
"Stop assuming those kinds of things about my friend."
"Sorry. But I wasn't about to ask you to have...you know."
"Listen. I let you inside since you said you wanted to talk and I know we can't keep avoiding each other, but I swear to god if you won't fucking talk, leave," Silas soughs annoyed.
"Ok. So. As my...mate...shouldn't we talk about...you know...you joining?"
"Excuse me?" Silas questions, with a massive fake smile plastered on his face.
"You know...as in...joining my clan?"
"Your clan?"
"Yes," Raphael leans his chin on his intertwined hands, "My clan. Which includes Minseok. And Dorian and Chris at that. I think you know Lorenzo too?"
"I do. So...they're all...and all in your...ok. So? What can I do about that?"
"Nothing. I didn't ask you to do anything about it, either. I think you get what I meant, Silas."
"You can't possibly think I'd leave my place as alpha to join your…your clan?" Silas complains.
"You'll get honoured," Raphael argues, leaning forward, trying to touch Silas's hand, but he pulls his hand back.
"Yes. By a bunch of vampires.
Who, by the way, already honour and like me enough. Besides, my pack needs me," Silas bites back.
"I do too!"
"Oh, shut up," Silas demands.
"But I'm serious..."
"Then come be my luna and stand by my side," Silas suggests. Why would I need to join Raphael's clan? Isn't Raphael my mate? I've got priority in this matter.
"You don't get it, Silas," Raphael reasons, "The vampire world is nothing like your fluffy huggy werewolf one."
Yeah, sure, Silas thinks to himself, As if ours is all sunshine and rainbows.
"Only the more reason to take your place beside me."
"Jiwon could take your place!" Raphael offers in hope.
"He could not," Silas sighs, getting tired of this conversation, "He's not my son nor did he defy me. What happened to me was a one-time thing."
"Is there really nothing I could say or do?"
"You can say and do a lot." And it's getting annoying at that, "But nothing will make me leave my place, Raphael."
"Can't we find a compromise?"
"Maybe. Nothing I can or want to think of right now, though," Silas growls, done with this conversation.
Maybe it wasn't a good move to let him in. I should've let him suffer more, as Minseok initiated, Silas whines to himself as he sinks a little more into the couch he's sitting on.
"Then accompany me," Raphael asks after a second of silence.
"Accompany you to what, Raphael?" Silas sighs.
"The ball," the dark boy explains, "At least stand by my side for the ball."
Silas frowns at this, "What ball? What are you talking about."
Raphael sits up straight again, his face turning stone hard, "The blood ball."
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
"You want me to what?" Jiwon shrieks excitedly as he watches his loved one get dressed.
"Let me escort you to the Blood Ball," Minseok repeats as he pulls up the zipper of his pants, "It's one of the biggest and most important events for us vampires."
Minseok crouches down in front of Jiwon who's lying flat on his own bed, "Please, lend me the delight of escorting you," he begs as he brings his lips to Jiwon's hands which were now in his, "It'd mean a lot to me."
Jiwon blushes at this action, "I'd love to go, Minseok."
Minseok smiles wide at this, grabs Jiwon's cheeks and coats his face with kisses.
"Okay, okay," Jiwon giggles, "Now put on a shirt."
Minseok looks down and smirks, "Should I really?"
"Yes."
"But you know how much I like seeing the art pieces you make all over my body," he responds with a pout.
Jiwon gets up and walks up to Minseok. Placing one of his hands on his chest while intertwining his other with Minseok's right one.
"I love it," he groans, "but sadly you gotta cover it. And soon. Before I end up doing stuff I shouldn't be doing."
Kissing Minseok on his cheek, he slowly turns around, leaving their room.
As he gets back into the living room, Raphael is already gone.
Jiwon jumps onto the couch next to his best friend. After a minute of somewhat comfortable silence, both of them speak up.
"Minseok asked me to accompany him to a ball!"
"Raphael wants to escort me to a ball..."
They look at each other.
"Raphael did what?" Jiwon squeals, thrilled.
"Minseok did what!" Silas yells in shock.