too fragile for your love (too strong for your heart)

and i dedicate to you (my entire destiny) pt one

"sweater, sweater, hoodie, jeans, sweater..." jake mutters, growing increasingly exasperated, as every article of clothing he pulls out from the tiny cupboard built into the wall of his basement, turns out to be something threadbare and clearly unsuitable for being worn, when in the casual company of the man he desperately wants to impress.

though, he doubts anything about him will, when he's already been seen in various moments of indignity, by said man.

"what is wrong with me?" he demands to the empty room. a few spiders situated on the ceiling nooks, shiver in their webs, in reaction to the volume of his voice. "hoodie, hoodie, pajama, hoodie, jeans- why do i have so many hoodies?!"

he sighs, and drops on to the floor, when no disembodied voice miraculously offers an answer to his obvious question. "i need to go shopping."

there's a knock on the door. he scrambles to his feet, narrowing his eyes in confusion. he didn't hear anyone climbing down the stairs, so it's not any of his human acquaintances, but none of his undead friends said anything about dropping by today, either-

"jake?" heeseung's voice floats into the darkened room, through the gap underneath the door. a spark of electricity runs down the length of his spine, at the sound of the deep, musical voice, like a pavlovian response. "are you busy right now?"

he scrambles to his feet, almost tripping over himself in his haste, as he makes his way to the door, and sets about unlocking it at a speed of mach 2.0. pausing for a second, he gives himself a once-over, decides that he looks alright, and then, pulls the door open.

"heeseung hyung," he says, trying for a nonchalant tone, as he leans against the doorframe in an attempt to appear cool and unruffled. "what's up?"

heeseung slips his hand into the pocket of his suit jacket and pulls out his phone. "i texted you three hours ago, but you didn't reply. i thought you were caught up with something, so i decided to come by and talk to you, in person."

jake's footing slips, and he almost goes tumbling to the ground. heeseung watches, bemused, as he catches himself on the doorknob, and fully steps outside, his mouth running a mile a minute. "ahaha- my mistake, hyung. i had a ton of homework to finish, and i didn't see your message, at all-" yeah, i definitely wasn't tearing my wardrobe apart to find something to seduce you with "-so, what do you need? I'm guessing it's something related to what we talked about, yesterday-"

"it's about your grandmother," heeseung says, turning around to walk up the steps. "as far as the council was concerned, she had no known family, and no will, either. all of her possessions went to storage."

"i don't want anything," he says, quickly, following heeseung up the stairs. "there will be too many questions about what, and when, and where, and i really don't want to explain anything regarding that, to my parents."

"jake," heeseung says, gently. "you know that you will have to leave your parents behind, one day, don't you?"

he wraps his arms around himself, suddenly feeling the cold wind blowing down the street, a bit too keenly. "i know," he says, quietly.

the sky's been overcast, for around a week. the weather forecast has predicted rainfall within the next four days, and until now, the lack of sun has been very evident in the way his fellow vampires have been dressing up, ditching their conservative clothing for more skin-baring ones. it's caused a shift in the way they look, leaping from pale and red-eyed to bright and warm-hued.

when heeseung turns to face him, though, he looks even more handsome, as if that's possible. his silver hair is almost glowing against the backdrop of the gray rainclouds, and the sculpted planes of his face are visible in sharp relief, as he tilts his head down, to meet jake's eyes.

"do you need a moment to yourself?" heeseung asks, just as quietly.

he shakes his head, feeling a surge of gratitude for this incredibly caring and patient man. "no, i'm alright, thanks."

heeseung steps forward, and opens the door to the passenger side of his car, gesturing his arm towards the empty seat. "well then, after you. karina has a few things of your grandmother's that you might find helpful."

***

karina's residence consists of an entire three-floors of an old-style brick apartment, situated smack dab in the center of gangnam. as jake steps out of heeseung's car, the building seems to shimmer before his eyes, like the reflection on the surface of a pool might do, when slightly disturbed. he catches a glimpse of a fourth floor, superimposed over the seoul skyline, before his sight adjusts and it disappears.

"did you-" he turns to heeseung, in askance. "hyung, did i just see-"

"another floor?" heeseung completes his question. "i believe you did. that's an invisibility spell. your affinity for the art of magic must be high, if you're able to detect this one."

"it feels stronger than the one you put up around my basement, yesterday," jake says, without thinking. "i suppose it would have to be weaker, since it has to be kept visible to humans, and certain vampires, like me and you. wait a minute, what do you mean-"

he glances at heeseung, only to find the older vampire staring back. "w-what is it? why are you looking at me like that?"

"you know about the wards i arranged to be set up, around your home?"

he nods, hesitantly. "yeah, it felt like a huge blanket was being draped over the building. am- am i not supposed to know?"

heeseung shakes his head. "no, that isn't it. you sensed an unknown ward being placed where you live, and you didn't panic, at all?"

he shrugs, biting his lip nervously. "it- it felt like you."

heeseung blinks. "what?"

he swallows, and turns away, unable to look the other in the eye, as he explains, "it felt like you. like the air in a room when you're in it. i figured it was your doing."

out of the corner of his eye, he watches heeseung shift his stance, as if taken aback. "that- wasn't exactly me, jake. though- the spell did use my blood for its successful casting."

"oh." congratulations, jake. you've managed to embarrass yourself in front of the man of your dreams, for like, the hundredth time, ever.

"when you say it felt like me," heeseung says, a curious quality in his voice, "what exactly did it feel like to you?"

give it up, jake. there's no way around this.

"safe," he chokes out. "it felt safe."

a warm hand presses onto his back, and he startles out of his tense posture. he looks up, to see heeseung staring down at him, as if searching for something in his eyes. "i'm glad," the taller vampire says, and jake doesn't have to put much effort into hearing the smile in his voice.

there's a low grating sound as a second-floor window is thrown open, and karina sticks her head out of the gap. "hey, lovebirds! how long are you going to stand down there?!"