Okay... So, Here's The Thing...

Chapter 25

"Hey, I'm sorry for earlier. When I saw you feeding and completely went out crazy on you, I mean. You're not a freak." Lukas said apologetically. "And I don't care that you're a vampire. You're my friend, and that's that now."

"Yeah, I get it. You were freaked out and not thinking straight, right?" Raven smiled.

"Exactly. So... Are we good now?" Lukas asked.

Raven nodded. "Yeah. We can still be how we before. You just know I'm a vampire, and you might occasionally see me and Eun-sun feeding, or being our vampire selves, now that we don't have to hide from you."

Lukas grinned. "Great."

Raven smiled. "Great." He repeated.

—

Eun-sun said he had persuasion powers but didn't want to use on Lukas' mom earlier. He also had read her emotions and thoughts, and decided it was getting dangerous. Lukas' mom had been close to calling police.

Lukas' mind clouded with fury. Just how backward was his mom? Calling the police? For, what, her son bringing over his friend and his friend's older brother?!

"I did want to use it to convince her to let you have a sleepover. I thought she would relent, but she was very bold. I'm sorry. But it felt wrong." Eun-sun said.

"And that's why I know you and Raven aren't bad people— or evil vampire monsters. You have morals and you respect peoples— erm, human's— feelings and minds." Lukas grinned.

Eun-sun simply patted his head and Raven bumped his side playfully.

—

Lukas had explained to Raven why he was here. Raven had cracked up when Lukas admitted he had sneaked off. His face was less amused when he heard that Lukas had fought with his mom. It grew even more serious when he told Raven word-for-word everything that happened.

"Your mom is crazy." He growled fiercely-protective.

Lukas laughed. "She kinda is..." He smiled sadly.

Raven wrapped his arms around him tightly. "Know you can always come to me and Eun-sun, and stay with us. We really don't mind." He said.

"I bet Eun-sun's just worried about you not having a good relationship and being apart from your mother. He doesn't actually mind having you stay." He grinned.

Lukas grinned back. "I'm sure."

—

After dinner, Lukas lay on an air-mattress Eun-sun had prepared for him, stationed right next to Raven's bed, so that "you guys can have a proper sleepover!" according to the older.

The two were just chatting about things as they both stared up at the ceiling, lit by the dim, yellow of the nightstand lamp.

"Can I say something?" Raven said suddenly.

"Sure, shoot." Lukas grinned in the darkness.

There was a long pause, and he wondered for a second if Raven had fallen asleep perhaps.

"...I like boys. Not girls." Raven whispered.

Lukas blinked dumbly. "Oh. That's... new. I mean, not exactly, but like— okay. Why are you telling me that though?" He kicked himself for feeling hopeful, but it couldn't hurt to feel a little bit excited.

Raven laughed. "Since I'm, like, sharing my secrets today, thought you should know. It's not recent, I've felt that way since I was little. Eun-sun hyung knows, and he supports me."

"I support you too. Like I said, friends no matter what. I mean, I now know you're a vampire and I'm okay with it." Lukas joked.

Raven laughed. "Yeah."

"I... I like.... I mean I think.... I like both girls and... boys." Lukas admitted quietly.

"And that's fine." Raven said gently. "Don't think it's wrong."

"Yeah, I know!" Lukas said quickly. "I just... I thought I was straight, but now I'm not so sure anymore... I really don't know what to think... But... honestly? I think I'll be okay with either way. I'm confused, but not against liking both." He said quietly.

"Take your time to figure things out." Raven said reassuringly. "It's okay to be confused at first."

That itself warmed Lukas' heart up and he grinned like an idiot at how sweet Raven was being— ack, not the time!

"Thanks." He said instead, meaning it every bit.

—

The two slept. And when Lukas woke up the next morning, he promptly went to tell Eun-sun that he would be staying for a few more days.

Eun-sun sighed, but nodded. "Fine. You can stay for a little more, kiddo. It's fun having two younger brothers around." He teased.

Lukas laughed.

"Oh, and don't tell my mom I'm here." He said.

"Couldn't tell even if I wanted to. I don't have her contacts and I doubt she'll want me visiting her house." Eun-sun laughed, wrinkling his nose at the thought.

Lukas cracked a smile. "It's... fine for me to stay, right?" He asked hesitantly.

"Of course." Eun-sun smiled warmly. "Me and Raven both love having you over. It'll be fun to live all together for a few days. Just promise me you'll talk to your mom soon."

Lukas nodded. "Yeah, I will."

Maybe.

Eun-sun shot him a frown. And that's when Lukas remembered the older could read his mind. Then he worried what other worrying things the elder might have read from his mind.

"I don't snoop around people's minds. I just catch thoughts here and there if they're really strong or I'm close to them physically." Eun-sun reassured him.

"Oh. Good. I mean, not that I'm hiding anything." Lukas coughed awkwardly.

"I'll let you stay, but seriously. Talk to your mom soon— I'm not saying forgive her or make up with her— and I don't know how serious your fight was with her, but if it's to the extent that you snuck out to here... Well, just talk with her. At least let her know you're safe." Eun-sun said.

"I doubt she'll even care." Lukas mumbled.

"She's your mom. She'll always care." Eun-sun said. "Trust me, I've had more parenting experience from raising Raven than I ever thought I would have." He laughed.

Lukas grinned. "Okay. I'll try talking with her soon." He promised.

"Good."