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By the time Jungkook returned from several consecutive showers, which still weren’t quite enough to erase all the evidence, everyone was gathered in the living room, flopped onto couches and chairs in various states of disgruntlement and disbelief. The silence stretched over them until Taehyung spoke first, his voice a careful mix of calculated cheerfulness with tinges of regret.
“Well. I think it went decently, for our first family outing.”
Jin’s jaw dropped, and next to him, Namjoon rubbed at his eyes, looking tired beyond his six hundred years. He let out a weary sigh. “All I wanted to do tonight was spread some holiday cheer, but New Guy went and ate all the people. HE ATE ALL THE PEOPLE, TAEHYUNG.”
Jungkook shot Namjoon a glare from his spot at Taehyung’s side. “It’s been like two months. Can we stop with the ‘New Guy’ thing?”
“Give it a few decades, New Guy.” Yoongi snarked from the corner, where he was Googling how to cover up like twenty supernatural murders at once.
Namjoon shook his head. “Y’know, Tae…I don’t want to focus on the negatives, but…we finally get Grandpa to hang out with us, and your son engages in a casual holiday massacre, and I think maybe we should really just…discuss that.“ Taehyung pouted. "I didn’t think there would be so many children there…”
Jin rolled his eyes. “Right. You didn’t think there would be so many children…at a event to sit on Santa’s lap.”
Jimin materialized from the kitchen, holding a bottle of chilled AB negative. “I mean, it’s really nice that you wanted New Guy to socialize with his peers, but perhaps this particular playdate could have gone better.” he pointed out, taking a swig off the bottle. Hoseok watched him through narrowed eyes. “Don’t drink all of that, moron. It’s hard to get at the hospital.” Jimin just smiled angelically and took another sip.
Giving up on his search, Yoongi shut the laptop and got up from his chair at the desk, stretching. “I only agreed to go because Hobi promised I could rap during Deck the Halls. Did we even get to Deck the Halls, Taehyung?”
“…No, we did not.”
“No, we did not. We got to two turtledoves and the damn partridge in a pear tree before New Guy snapped and drained a small group of toddlers.”
Jungkook groaned. “Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. But, Namjoon glamoured the rest of the witnesses, right? No one will remember.”
Namjoon’s voice sounded from under the arm he’d thrown over his face. “No, New Guy. No one will remember. But we will. We will.”
Jungkook’s lower lip had started to quiver by then, and Taehyung put an arm around his shoulder. “Hey, come on. I don’t want to see Kookie cry, he’s still not used to having blood for tears.” he said, pulling the younger boy closer. Jungkook sniffled. “Mmmnot crying.” he muttered, red starting to streak down his cheeks.
Taehyung petted the top of his head, much like one would a scared rabbit. “I know, Kookie.” Jungkook didn’t even bother to remind him for the hundredth time that he hated that nickname.
It had been two months since Jungkook joined their little undead family. Taehyung had taken him under his wing right away, of course, but the others had been slower to warm to him. Jungkook was terrified that he’d just ruined the cautious friendship he’d built up with everyone else, simply because he couldn’t keep his fangs where they belonged.
The first lesson he’d gotten was that killing humans for food was highly frowned upon. Hoseok, who worked the night shift as a triage nurse, was their breadwinner, so to speak, lifting bags of blood from the hospital’s supply as needed and making sure anyone who caught him didn’t remember what had happened afterward. It was a good arrangement, as long as Jimin’s refined tastes for the rarest blood types didn’t get too out of hand.
When Namjoon had sat him down the first day and given him a long-winded, philosophical, mostly bullshit-sounding speech about the sanctity of life and how we’re all connected and microscopic on a universal scale, like dust in the wind, or something, Jungkook hadn’t really been listening. He heard enough to get the message and then tuned out, a tactic Yoongi also seemed to employ frequently where Namjoon was concerned. In retrospect, he probably should have paid more attention.
The others were so old that they hardly needed the blood anymore, but Jungkook was a baby, and he needed to eat 6-8 times a day, just like a baby. He was sure he’d heard that somewhere.
Taehyung let Jungkook cry into his shoulder for a while, silently thankful that he’d been dressed in a festively red shirt for the occasion. When the younger boy finally moved away from him, Taehyung passed him a baby wipe. Tissues were pretty much useless on a good cry’s worth of vampire tears.
Jungkook sighed. “I just…I don’t want you guys to be mad at me. I really like you all, and I want to…I want you to like me, too. I’m sorry I ate all the people, I really am. I won’t do it again.” The last words came hiccuping out as more tears threatened to spill from his wide eyes.
Everyone softened at that, even Yoongi. Well, Yoongi was softer than most people knew, anyway. He just hid it better.
Now, he was the first one to scoot closer to Jungkook, patting his knee in what he hoped was a comforting way. “S’allright, kid. Shit happens. I was pretty wild back in my day, y’know.”
Hoseok snorted. “Yeah, Yoongi, we know. We all remember your ill-fated foray into DJ’ing.”
Jungkook looked up at Yoongi with desperate awe. “Did you eat all the people too, hyung?”
Yoongi’s grin was almost fond. “Sure did, kid. Those were the days. When men were men and everyone wore glitter and orgies happened on the dance floor and–”
Jin’s fingers made a teepee as he held them to his mouth. “Yoongi. Could you. Perhaps. Not.” Each word was measured carefully, and contained a healthy dose of suppressed rage. Jungkook was almost positive that when no one else was around, Jin engaged in massive amounts of primal scream therapy just to be able to handle all their fuckery. Yoongi quieted down immediately, because Mom was more or less the only one he ever really took orders from.
Namjoon checked his watch. “Well, it’s Christmas for another…three and a half hours. Anyone up for some rousing holiday karaoke?”
Jimin’s eyes lit up. “I’ll go get the karaoke machine!” he trilled happily, darting out of the room. Hoseok laughed and followed him out. “I’ll find the Christmas CD.” he said with a grin. “Make sure it has Santa Baby on it!” Taehyung yelled as he left.
Jin rose from his seat and headed towards the kitchen. “I’ll fix us something to eat.” he murmured, his fists clenched at his sides. Yup. Definitely getting that aggression out somehow, Jungkook mused to himself.
Yoongi gave Jungkook a gentle punch on the arm. “See, kid? It’ll be all right. Let’s just try to have a Merry fuckin’ Christmas.”
Jungkook nodded. “I can do that.”
Yoongi got up from the couch, kneeling by the Christmas tree to turn the lights on. The tree was Yoongi’s job every year, and he had outdone himself this time, the array of lights and ornaments almost dizzying in their artificial brightness. He stood in front of it with his hands on his hips, admiring his work. “Yo, Junior. Grab me a cup of A negative-nog, will ya?” he called over his shoulder to Jungkook.
Jungkook gasped in mock-offense as he made his way towards the kitchen, Namjoon and Taehyung giggling behind him from their spots lounging in twin recliners. “Who ya callin’ Junior, short stack??” Jungkook tossed back, smirking.
Yoongi chuckled good-naturedly. “I like you, Junior. But when I finally snap, I’m staking you first.”