With You, Under the Stars

VII: Tears of Clarity

"I think I would know if Soobin still had feelings for me."

Hongjoong lets out a mocking laugh showing just how much he believes these words. "Oh really? How? You think he's just an open book for you to read? Don't forget who your friend is and the fact that he has more power in him than you could ever imagine, including hiding a few thoughts from you." Hongjoong's words sit in the silence of the room as he curiously studies the expression on Kai's face and the corners of his mouth turn up amusingly. Kai rolls his eyes, repelled by the look on the ignorant pureblood's face, like he knows all of his darkest secrets.

"Ugh, stop pretending like you know anything about us. This is none of your business."

Hongjoong cocks an eyebrow, "Oh? Um, A) I do. And B) It became my business when you held my familiar captive to get my help. His tail still hurts, you know."

"Well I don't like how the scratch he put on my hand hasn't healed yet either, so let's call it even."

"Fine."

Several seconds of awkward silence pass before the pureblood speaks.

"So, are you going to tell him?"

Kai cocks his head suspiciously at the smaller man, "Tell him...what? That we–"

"No, not this. I'm talking about that one way ticket to Hawaii."

This seemed to have hit a nerve in Kai and the boy sat up straighter and crossed his arms. "You mean what your cat found while snooping through my stuff?"

Hongjoong scoffed offendly, "Ugh! He was not snooping, he thought he saw–well, nevermind but based on your reaction to my familiar finding it, it's not something you want people to know about."

Kai went quiet which gave the pureblood the answer confirming his suspicion. "Well?" He asks, "I have a feeling this is about more than a simple trip back to home, right?"

"Yep. But that's not for you to know nor will you know because Soobin isn't the only one who can block off his thoughts." With that, Kai quickly turns around himself and rushes out of the room.

Hongjoong leans into his hip and tisks his tongue with annoyance. The little brat. "Oh," he speaks up, "you can come in now."

A tall, lean man with slicked back silver hair steps into the room. He wears his overwhelming beauty and commanding presence like it was the most natural thing in the world, it's one of the things Hongjoong loves most about the man.

"Can't believe you let that kid talk to you that way." Seonghwa says amusingly.

"Oh hush" Hongjoong says with a smirk, "If it was my territory we were in, this little scenario would have played out very differently. But they've ben taking care of us, so best not to bite the feeding hand."

"But one of them can bite yours?"

Hongjoong raises an eyebrow that makes Seonghwa look away with a bashful expression that contrasts to his suave exterior.

"Is that jealously, I'm hearing, Seonghwa?" 

Seonghwa crosses his arms, "No!" but his face and even the tone in his voice says otherwise. 

"Oh, come on." Hongjoong says with a charming purr in his voice. He swiftly moves froward, wrapping his arms around the hunter. "I really felt for the kid, he seemed so desperate and "worried" for his friends." The sarcasm in his own voice made Hongjoong laugh however Seonghwa doesn't seem to share his humor and tries to wiggle out of his arms. He fails.

"Hwwwaaaaaa" Hongjoong wines, "what gives?"

Seonghwa hesitantly looks down to find that the cunning, smug vampire who rules with an iron fist has vanished and is replaced with his cute, winy Joong whom only he and six others know. The small pureblood looks up at him with pouty eyes and the hunter's heart melts.