From Ashes We Grow [[For Exellda and Mischief]] (18+) (Continued)

[Exellda]

 

I'm sorry our role play got locked! Here's the original link. I am continuing where we left off!

Please Register/ Sign In, in order to see the links.

 

 

 

---

 

 

The vampire was slightly amused by what the werewolf said. "You know... If I'm going to learn how to control myself... I'm going to have to practice, right?" He casually pointed out, smiling mischievously. Of course he knew what Taeyang was trying to say, the vampire just liked seeing what the other male would come up with in reply. He agreed with everything Taeyang had to say regarding the fact that they would be in the dark for everything- including bonding together. Zachiarius was relieved, as well as happy that Taeyang seemed to support him. He hoped that this would be a sure sign of them working together from now on. Zachiarius had much to learn about everything in the supernatural community and he hoped Taeyang would be willing to help him all the way through. One step at a time.

 

Taeyang was very intriguing to say the least. The grey eyed male felt like he was going to be continuously entertained by the other male- a male with manners. Zachiarius couldn't hide his amusement after his deed was done. Taeyang's expression was priceless and definitely worth the risk of pulling him closer. He even flinched slightly, ready for his punishment for messing around with Taeyang- but it never came. Zachiarius looked over at his would-be husband and noticed how he visibly looked tense. Before he could even ask, Taeyang was on the move, telling him to stay put. "But-" Zachiarius was going to argue, however Taeyang was already gone. For a minute Zachiarius frowned, staring at his phone and looking at the pictures he just took. He felt a little unsettled by Taeyang's reaction. He knew that something was wrong... But why couldn't he go? Why did he have to stay? Taeyang didn't make that clear to him...

 

So curiosity brought Zachiarius to his feet. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew he should be ready- just in case things got tense... Although, admittedly he had no fighting background. He literally was prohibited from doing any violent act while living at the orphanage. The punishment, for him, was too great for him to slip up. To say the least, Zachiarius was new to the 'fighting' scene and he had a hunch that he might see one break out... Still, he knew he should be careful. Taeyang did tell him to stay... However, Zachiarius already found himself quickly descending the stairs. The vampire at least wanted to see what was going on... And if necessary, he wanted to be there for Taeyang- Like a backup supporter. He wanted to see with his own eyes how the wolves would handle themselves.

 

Finally, once Zachiarius reached the last step, he looked around and spotted Taeyang looking angry. He also was making sure that he would be fine waiting there. From where he was standing, he was hidden, as was planned, he merely wanted to watch... And should the need arise, he would be willing to help Taeyang. While he wasn't sure what he could do to help the wolf out, Zachiarius liked to think that he was providing someone who'd watch his back. So the vampire watched from afar, his sight and hearing were excellent at this distance. He was sure he wouldn't miss anything. The vampire actually felt nervous for Taeyang... He also felt sorry for him, as it now occurred to him that this was probably something Taeyang was use to... Let the show begin...

 

 

---

 

Please Register/ Sign In, in order to see the links.

[GodofMischief]

As his cheeks heated up slowly in reaction to Zachiarius's words, Taeyang all but glared at the man despite the contrast it had to the death promised in those violet eyes. "Practice on wildlife, you bafoon, not me. I don't want to have to suffer whatever consequences might come up from your little practices should you ever fail....If you like, I could catch you some wildlife for you to experiment on. Wouldn't want your poor vampire self to get too excited with the hunt. You might hurt yourself" Taeyang remarked and though his tone held a note of dryness in it, there was also the touch of a teasing tint to it. He might have been embarrassed and a bit flustered at the thought of Zachiarius practicing on him but that didn't mean he wouldn't be able to come up with some good responses to that.

 

Dealing with the vampire was becoming surprisingly more easier. It couldn't be said that Taeyang could turn a blind eye on the fact that Zachiarius was still very much his enemy due to the blood that ran through his veins, but that didn't mean that he still hated the man. Yes, Taeyang was still a bit weary and hesitant in some aspects, but the younger male was turning out to be surprisingly pleasant in a way. It was a result Taeyang had not be quite expecting, however, he accepted it with open arms. It would be a difficult and strange path they would both be embarking on, but if they worked together, Taeyang had hope that everything would work out in their favor in the end.

 

Having left his office without a backwards glance as soon as he caught the scent of the enemy pack, Taeyang momentarily felt troubled about leaving Zachiarius alone. It wasn't polite and the elders would have appalled. They probably would have lectured him of the fact that he should have let the rest of the pack deal with the annoyance and stayed with his future mate. However, Taeyang simply wasn't like that. An omega he might be, but he had the spirit of a fierce fighter and protector, something cultivated and grown from the lessons of his parents. He would not stand ideally by as enemy wolves stepped into his club and caused trouble for his family. Hopefully, Zachiarius could understand and accept that in him.

 

Making it to the landing of the first floor of the club, the tension hit him instantly in the face. For the most part, it was the supernatural creatures that stayed on the first level of the club. They preferred to leave the more crowded and loud level to the humans, most doing so for safety reasons. So it didn't really surprise him to find the eyes of every supernatural entity locked on the scene in front of the bar where Taeyang's pack stood.

 

At their head was Minjun, his eldest brother standing fierce and strong as those normally gentle and kind lilac eyes, burned holes into the head of the leader of the intruding pack. At his right flank was Chansung, his temperamental brother was already emitting deadly snarls while Mara stood close to his side, her own friendly green eyes were filled with an unusual flame of dislike and distaste. Jae, their fourth born brother, stood at Minjun's other side. Like mentioned before, Jae looked very similar to their eldest, if only by the identical color of his shoulder length hair and the lilac glow of his own acid filled eyes, eyes that normally were touched with mischief and warmth. The twins, the two youngest of the siblings, Seung and Jun, were positioned directly behind their older siblings. Both looked identical to one another and if possible, basically looked like slightly younger versions of Taeyang. The only difference was the color of their hair, a fiery amber that seemed to match the heat of their glares.

 

Hurrying to stand beside Jae just as Mizuki swept into the club, Taeyang watched in surprise and relief at the sight of his second sister-in-law. He had thought she was home helping a pack friend take care of their pups, however it seemed that the sense of danger she probably detected from her bond with Jae had brought her running to her pack's aide. In fact, Mizuki didn't even pause to address anyone, the small golden blonde werecat simply moved with infinite grace across the first floor of the club to position herself flanking the twins, her intentions clear. Whoever tried to get to their youngest members would have to go through her and her fiercely protective nature.

 

"My my, I guess you're all finally here....Honestly I think this is a bit much for just us. Tae, doll face, can't you just give us some drinks and let us enjoy a few hours here. I promise we'll behave" the leader of the opposing pack, a number of 6 wolves, asked with a smug little smirk in his face even as his eyes warily skimmed from face to face before stopping at Taeyang.

 

Parting his lips to reply, Minjun quickly stepped forward with an air of aggression that was not usually part of his easygoing temper. "Do not address my brother so familiarly. His name is Taeyang and you will call him as such should there be need. However, at the moment, you have no need to so much as look at him. You will speak to me, pest" Minjun spat, lips peeling back to reveal sharp canines that seemed to be lengthening by the second.

 

Hearing the growls from the enemy pack, Taeyang tensed along with his siblings while eyeing the outsiders. He didn't want a fight, that was for sure. Cleaning up the damage that would surely come from it would be a pain and he didn't want the humans to have to be involved, yet the way things were going, he didn't know if a fight could be avoided.

 

"Take it easy, Minjun, there's no harm done. I was simply asking the club owner a question, you don't have to get so protective. I'm sure your little brother can speak up for himself" the other leader chuckled coldly, something that didn't touch his eyes as he stared definitely into Minjun's own icy lilac glare.

 

Snarling silently from his place beside Jae, Taeyang snapped out a sharp "He can do as he wishes. Regardless, you know my answer. I've kicked you out once before, I won't hesitate to do so again, worm. These are not your lands, you and your pack are not welcome here".

 

"Wells that's too bad, cause we don't plan on leaving so easily. I like these lands and your brother's pack has some wolves I might be interested in. I'm not just going to let that slip past my grip" the other man laughed, something that was cut short by the moment Minjun's clawed hand wrapped around his throat and with the strength that only an Alpha could have, pulled his arm back and with a sharp movement, jerked it forward and launched the other Alpha clear across the room and out the club door of which he had been thrown through.

 

It took moments for the situation to implode as his pack quickly made work of tossing intruder after intruder out of their club. That, however, would not be enough and they all knew it. Hurrying after them as a unit, the moment their feet touched the outside cold ground, the sounds of cloths been torn as shifts coming into play, echoed through the night.

 

Barely paying attention to anything else but their enemy, Taeyang let his shift take over him, barely noticing the snap of his bones as they lengthened or the feel of fur growing over his body. It took seconds for a large velvet black wolf to stand in his place, violet eyes shining with their own glow as he crouched low to avoid the snap of teeth from an enemy wolf. Whipping around, Taeyang met his attacker with sharp canines, biting into a gray furred shoulder and feeling satisfied at the sound of a pained yelp. Around him, the sounds of snarls, growls and bodies meeting bodies filled the air. This was going to be a nightmare to clean up after, but he had hope that the other supernatural would keep the humans on the second floor above all this chaos.

[Exellda]

Funny thing about the whole 'practice on animals'... was that Zachiarius' diet consisted of only animals... So in essence, when he said he should practice, he really meant on a person... With a sigh, Zachiarius made the mental note to tell and remind Taeyang about that later. As of now he couldn't let some random thought bother him. For now all the vampire did was watch from his distance. Even he could sense the tension in the air. The feeling not only made him uncomfortable but very uneasy... Just seeing everyone lined up... Looking like they were about to fight right then and there both excited him and worried him. Zachiarius couldn't even compete with the level of violence that was going to ensue. The most he had ever done was restrained a couple of kids from fighting at the orphanage... Even then... These guys looked like they were ready for the kill... And this fight would certainly be an eye opener from him in more ways than one.

 

From the sidelines the vampire watched, tension building up within him slowly as he anticipated the battle between the two packs. Talk about feisty people. The vampire noted how both groups looked at each other with disgust and dare he say hate. What he had a hard time understanding was that they were all wolves, excluding the werecat, so why didn't they get along? Taeyang mentioned something about their 'lands'... Who decided that? How did they split lands? How were packs established? By family? There were so many questions popping into the vampire's mind! His curiosity ran wild... Zachiarius would make sure to ask about that later... Either way, from the looks of it, these lands that belonged to Taeyang's pack were not opened for other unwelcomed wolves to waltz right into to. If he was guessing correctly, it was like this new pack were like unwelcomed guest at a house... In a literal sense they were also not welcomed in Tae's club... Or their 'lands'...

 

Before he knew it, the wolves brought the fight outside and Zachiarius was quick and careful to follow in pursuit. He only opened the door slightly before what he saw had him halting in his steps. Zachiarius gapsed in bewilderment and in awe. This was the first time he had seen werewolves transform into actual wolves! He had to admit they looked kind of scary- But they were so cool! The vampire was so lucky to have seen Taeyang shift right in front of him! The vampire flinched at the sound of the other males bones cracking! It didn't even look like Taeyang flinched! Wasn't it painful? Well, he must be use to it by now. The vampire was just in so much awe that he brought a hand to his mouth to cover it. His eyes lit up with a curious flare...

 

Taeyang- his fiance was so... Beautiful..! His wolf form was unlike the others or so Zach thought. He literally couldn't take his eyes off of him. More than anything... Right at that moment, if they were not fighting and this was a different situation... Zachiarius would have walked right up to Taeyang and asked to pet him... Zachiarius loved dogs. It was to the point he wouldn't eat from them if he had the choice. While he knew that wolves and dogs were technically different animals... That didn't stop his inner child from wanting to run at the wolf shouting 'doggie'. The impulse to hug the wolf was a strong one but Zachiarius knew better than to do that... He would definitely ask Taeyang later as that would possibly embarrass the wolf, there was also the fact that he was fighting right now.

 

Needless to say, Zachiarius was thoroughly impressed with possibly everything about the fighting scene. While he wasn't a fan of violence- probably because the headmistress would not permit it. Again, he thought that everything could be talked through and fighting was unnecessary. However, watching the wolves fight, it seemed that this was a topic that couldn't be discussed and talked through... Apparently some people just don't learn their lesson. While standing by, Zachiarius mostly had his eyes glued on Taeyang. The vampire silently cheered him on, wanting his fiancee to win respectively. He was so strong! Stronger than Zachiarius could have imagined. Then again, he'd never seen something like this before. Zachiarius waited there, watching the fight unfold. Taeyang's pack was winning and the vampire found himself excited and happy about it. He'd make sure to watch until the end because he wanted to make sure his fiance wouldn't get hurt.

 

It had occurred Zachiarius that he should let the wolves fight among themselves. Taeyang might be upset if a vampire, aka him, joined the fray. This fight was for pride, and Taeyang had a lot of it. Plus, he was handling the fight so well. Should he need help, Zachiarius would have been willing but by the looks of it, his fiance was handling on his own. To think, Taeyang was an omega- the submissive wolf! Zach wouldn't have ever guessed if he hadn't been told. He fought like any of the other wolves. Heck, just looking at the others, Zach couldn't tell which wolf held what position. Size was the only clue that the vampire had to tell the difference. He had noticed that Tae's wolf seemed just a hair smaller than some of the others, especially when compared to Minjun.

[GodofMischief]

Giving the gray wolf caught in his jaws a rough shake for good measure, Taeyang let him go after a moment, bearing no will to want to kill his enemy despite the enemy wolf having been trespassing on their lands. Watching the wolf scamper off with more high pitches yelps, Taeyang tensed when he felt a solid weight collide onto his side, with quick and trained movements, he rolled onto his side even as the brief Pain of teeth digging into his scruff distracted him momentarily. Twisting as much as he could, Taeyang found purchase for his own deadly canines in the enemy's throat as he bite down hard. It took a moment and the coppery taste of blood to fill his mouth before he felt the other wolf release him and felt the opposing weight get literally ripped off him. Getting back ionto his paws, Taeyang felt relief flood through him as the sight of Chansung hampered down in front of him, teeth bared protectively even as Minjun dealt a punishing snap of his teeth into the smaller wolf that had surely been the one who had knocked him down.

 

Despite being a fighter and a damn good one at that, even Taeyang could get knocked over on occasion. He didn't like asking for help or being a burden but his brothers had a habit of interrupting to aide him or any of the younger members of their pack, even without being called. It was both frustrating and endearing and Taeyang didn't have it in him fight their well intended assistance off. Growling softly as the last offending wolf, the cowardly Alpha of the other pack, got chased off by Minjun, Taeyang exhaled an annoyed huff of breath and plopped down on his hindquarters. Though he kept his ears erect and alert and his eyes never stopped scanning the dense forest around the club, his mind wondered on how things had ended. Overall it could have been worse, he supposed.

 

Even sitting in the dark, he could see that both Jae and Chansung sported a few bleeding wounds, nothing too serious but still, they were there. The girls, Mara and Mizuki, didn't look too banged up...a few scrapes perhaps but nothing much, the same could be said for the twins. Minjun probably had the most wounds on him but they weren't deep or deadly....more than likely more annoying than anything else. They had fought well and won, something that showed.

 

Inhaling a breath of the crisp night air, Taeyang tensed as he caught scent of his fiancée's fragrance in the breeze. With ears flickering in surprise, Taeyang turned his attention onto the door of the club where he spotted it only open a small hint. He didn't have to see to guess who was on the other side of the door. Growling in mild irritation, the large wolf stood up slowly and padded over to the club entrance. In his current state, he'd probably be to big to fit through the door comfortably, but that didn't mean he couldn't give the vampire a silent piece of his mind. Silent as for the fact that Zachiarius wouldn't understand him in this form. Not without a bond established.

 

Sinking down to lay on his stomach when he was in front of the door, Taeyang glared at what he could see of the vampire and rumbled out a soft growl. It was quite obvious that he wasn't pleased even as he rested his head on his paws to try and view the man a bit more clearer.

 

"He's not pleased that you didn't do as he asked you to do" Minjun's amused voice filtered into the air after the man appeared to have shifted back to human form, a very nude human form, and stood in the shadows of the night, ever grateful to have Chansung's tail block his more private areas from view. "What are you doing out here anyways, Zachiarius? Even I have to admit that it's probably not the safetest place during a fight. Besides, shouldn't you be with James. I thought he went upstairs to find you when things began to get heated". For being nude and bleeding, Minjun appeared to be at all ease with the situation at hand. Something all to familiar in the man's easy going nature.

[Exellda]

Blood... Zachiarius smelled blood coming from the wolves, especially from the losing side. Every one of those wolves seemed to have a particular scent to them. What a gruesome fight this was... Zachiarius had never seen werewolves fight but it looked rather nasty. Canines biting into the fur and flesh of another wolf, blood spewing from the wounds. Zachiarius shouldn't have expect anything different. It was kind of exciting to watch.. More like, it made him nervous to watch them fight There was nothing he could about it. There was even a point when another wolf practically tackled Taeyang and bit right into him! The vampire couldn't help but to gasp. That was his fiancée!

 

Thankfully Taeyang was saved and helped by a comrade. Admittedly the poor vampire had lost track of which wolf was which. Either way he was happy that Taeyang got the help he needed. It would have been really bad if his future husband got seriously injured, or worse, killed. Ah, that's right Taeyang was a mortal, and so was everyone else... Zachiarius often forgot about that small fact of life. He wondered if that would affect their relationship down the line... Zachiarius shook his head, clearing his mind of such thoughts. That was way too far in the future to tell. No sense on worry about it now.

 

As quickly as that fight broke out, it had quickly ended, leaving the vampire thoroughly impressed with Taeyang's pack. They were all big doggies, puppies even! Or so the vampire thought. The vampire would never be able to get that thought out of his mind. He would forever think of wolves as gentle giants of the dogs, despite what he just saw. And speaking of seeing, it looks like he was just spotted! Taeyang's wolf looked right at him. The vampire chuckled under his breath, "Whoops, I got caught." And then he remained hidden out of curiosity as he watched the wolf get closer and lay down several feet away, in front of him. He could only guess that Taeyang was probably upset that he was here... He even heard a low grumble escape the wolf. So cute...

 

The vampire tilted his head when he suddenly heard someone's voice... Minjun? Woah... He was naked. Even with the shadows he could tell... That was certainly interesting. Oh wait, he recalled hearing a tearing sound at the beginning of the fight... Okay, so their clothes tear when they transform..? Zachiarius would have thought that they would... morph with them? Apparently not. So... they would all be naked once they turned back! The grey eyed male couldn't help but to be entertained by the idea. Another chuckle escaped him, he wouldn't press his luck, but he might get to see Tae naked... So soon! Well since he was being addressed, he might as well come out. "That so?" The vampire teased, knowing why the wolf was upset.

 

Finally, without hesitation, the vampire opened the door and took a step outside. The smile on his face was that of excitement and his eyes filled with curiosity. His curiousness was so painstakingly obvious that it almost seemed like he was up to no good. "Guess my curiosity got the best of me, I'm sorry." He said with a smile, evident that he was not truly sorry. "As for James-"

 

"ZACHIARIUS." A familiar voice called out to him in a scolding tone. And before Zach knew what was happening, he found himself being pulled backwards by the collar of his plaid button up. James hit Zachiarius upside the head. "I was looking for you, Zachiarius. You know better than to run off-" The grey eyed vampire let out a groan and James scoffed in reply, "Don't you groan at me, mister."

 

The younger vampire could only roll his eyes in reply before saying, "Yes, mom."

 

"You're a little shit and I don't know why I put up with you." James huffed out the complaint.

 

"Because we're best buds and you love me." Zachiarius smiled as he replied, poking James' cheek. As a response the other male pushed him away. Now that Zachiarius had his space again, he returned to the topic at hand. "Before James so rudely-" Zach glanced back at his ginger pal, who, rolled his eyes, "interrupted me... I was going to say that I've never seen wolves fight before. Thought it would be interesting to watch, which I wasn't wrong. But I suppose I should point out that I've never actually seen werewolves either... And I was wondering..."

 

Suddenly, James was quick to put his hand on Zachiarius' shoulder, "Zach..." He said in a warning tone. Somehow he had already figured out what the other male was about to ask. "No..."

 

"But you know I gotta..." Zachiarius whined, tugging on James' hand.

 

"But they are bleeding." James said sternly in reply.

 

And to this the grey eyed vampire tilted his head, as if literally missing what the ginger was trying to say. Honestly, the vampire's confusion was evident on his face. "Uh... Okay..? What about it? I wasn't going to bite if that's what you think! Stupid ass- No. I thought you knew me by now, James. Tsk, tsk." The younger vampire was now scolding the older vampire. It was actually comical to watch. Zachiarius folded his arms across his chest and pouted before saying, "I just wanna pet him... You know I have a soft spot for doggies."

 

"That's fine and dandy, Zach, but they are wolves." James pointed out.

 

"Wolves are still wonderful doggies in my eyes! Just look at Taeyang! He's so beautiful! Like- How could I not want to pet him?"

 

James smacked his palm against his own forehead. "You're hopeless. I hope they all eat you. I won't stop them."

[GodofMischief]

Flickering his ears at the sound of James' voice when the other vampire appeared at the door that Zachiarius had opened more fully now, Taeyang's tail thumped on the ground in a briefly display of amusement as the smack the younger vampire got from the older male. Feeling a member of his pack approaching, Taeyang briefly glanced over to see Mizuki's large feline shape stalking up to him from where she had detached herself from Jae's side. Moving gracefully forward, the golden and rosette spotted clouded leapord Were made her way quickly over to Taeyang and with little else to do, she gently laid a paw on his side before dipping her head and starting to rasp her sharp tongue over the bleeding wound on his scruff. However, never once did her green, weary gaze shift from to two vampires that she was still rather unfamiliar with....despite the way they seemed friendly with her family members.

 

Watching the two vampire interact from his half closed eyes as he allowed himself to relax under Mizuki's gentle cleaning of his wound, Taeyang flickered his eyes to Zachiarius when James implied something to do with a bite happening in less words. Honestly, he wasn't really nervous about that though he could hear soft growls coming from Chansung and Seung at the sheer thought. Frankly, Taeyang trusted that Zachiarius could contain himself even with blood in the air and even if he couldn't....Taeyang had his pack here and he knew that they wouldn't let anything happen.

 

Lifting his head abruptly when he heard Zachiarius call him "doggie", Taeyang stared at the vampire in disbelief for a good heartbeat before peeling his lips back to snarl in annoyance even as Minjun's boisterous laughter echoed behind him. And he wasn't the only one annoyed by the word Zachiarius chose to describe them in, Chansung and Seung once again voiced their displeasure in louder growls. Chansung going as far as getting to his feet to lower his head dangerously at Zachiarius even though he still kept his tail shielding Minjun's nudity.

 

"Did you just call us doggies? Dear gods, that's certainly a first. I don't think anyone's insulted the pack this badly in years. You should hear all the words Taeyang is choosing to describe you in right now. By the gods, Zachiarius, I'm starting to like you a lot, kid. You're truly entertaining" Minjun managed to say through his peels of laughter. Mara for her part, calmly leaned her russet furred wolf form against Chansung's side in an effort to calm her mate while her eyes sparkled in hidden laughter. Jae, the other white furred wolf in their pack although smaller than Minjun, huffed and laid down neatly on his stomach while he performed the equivilant of a wolffish roll of the eyes. And as for the twins, The smaller of the pair of deep red wolves, Jun, leaned over and gave his brother a lick on the fur on his neck before nuzzling into Seung to try and ease his twin's clear irritation.

 

"The council definitely made an interesting choice, that's for sure" a deep, new voice soon joined them as a tall brunette gently swept his way past Zachiarius and James and into the open air of the forest on either side of the club, a pair of duffle bags in his hands. Bags he soon tossed to Monjun in favor of digging threw a smaller backpack like bag when he took in the state of the pack and their minor wounds.

 

"Thanks Khunnie, I knew you'd be out quick enough" Minjun's laughter finally shimmered down as he caught the bags tossed at him and began to pull items of cloths from them.

 

"How could I not when I could smell and hear the sounds of a fight from the top level" the man, Khun though most called him Khunnie, responded with playful drynes in his tone as his golden eyes swept over the wolves to land on the twins for a good sveral seconds before finally shifting to Taeyang and heading over to the black wolf.

 

"Zachiarius, James...this is Khun. He's one of our newer members do the pack. Though it's not complete yet, he'll soon be mated to the twins" Minjun called out to the vampires as he tugged a shirt over his head.

 

"It's a pleasure to meet you two, I suppose....though I wish it would have been in better terms" Khjn greeted the pair with a small smile even as he calmly ushered Mizuki out of the way to inspect the bite on Taeyang. "He got you good, did he, Tae?" Khun commented, softly stroking a hand between Taeyang's ears in a comforting gesture, earning himself a soft sigh and brief wag of the tail.

 

For his part, Taeyang didnt even winched when Kuhn pulled out a thread and needle from his bag and began to stitch the wound closed. He knew it was easier to close it while they were in wolf form than when they were in their human appearance. As such, Taeyang rested his head on his paws again and kept his eyes on Zachiarius and James curiously while Minjun finished dressing and said "Zachiarius? Do you have any fighting experience? If you don't we might have to train you a bit in that field. Being mated with a werewolf means that you'll be part of our pack and as such, you'll probably have to help us protect our lands"

[Exellda]

"Insulted?" Zachiarius exclaimed in surprise. "What? No, no- I didn't mean it that way-"

 

Once again James hit Zachiarius upside the head, "Way to go dumb ass, way to make a first impression."

 

"But James, I promise I meant that in a nice way! Promise!" Zachiarius whined after being hit, again... "At least they fin me entertaining..." The younger vampire bit his lip from the look James was giving him. It was a face that said: 'That's not the point, idiot!' James didn't even need to say it for Zach to understand. It was the usual scolding... Then suddenly both boys turned to the newcomer, Khunnie. The man had a point. He was surprised to be selected for this marriage... And he often asked James why, and he would hesitate- every time he asked- and then shrug, saying that he did not now the true desires of the council. Of course, Zachiarius had the suspicion that James had been lying all of this time... He just didn't know how to go about getting the truth out of him... Perhaps after he got married the other male would confess?

 

"I sometimes wonder if the council made a mistake..." James openly admits out loud. Zachiarius held his tongue and crossed his arms across his chest. He looked offended and maybe a little upset by what his friend just said in front of everyone. The vampire's eyes down casted and his lips pulled down ever so slightly. This effectively got Zachiarius to shut up for a while. Zachiarius was internally blaming himself, feeling that he was burdening this whole situation. He already felt immense pressure, given his situation. Way to go James for making him feel worse about it. Zach could literally not ask for a better friend right now...

 

Both vampires greeted Khunnie and acknowledged him as the twins future mate. Mostly, Zachiarius was curious about their relationship but he was still holding his tongue. So did that mean that he would be married to both of them..? That meant they would do everything together, right? Huh... Werewolves were an interesting bunch... His curious eyes also followed Khun when he approached Taeyang. He wondered if it hurt to be stitched up like that... At the same time, although it didn't sit well with him, Taeyang was probably use to it... Poor thing. Poor doggy... The younger vampire only spoke out when Minjun addressed him. "The head mistress prohibited violence... But I was allowed to learn some self defense as well as a couple of restraining holds... I'll learn to fight, if anyone is willing to properly teach me... So I can help protect your lands." Technically they would be his lands too, eventually.

 

"I think I can manage to help Zachiarius... I have a few tricks I've been meaning to teach him. Now that he's old enough and moved out of the orphanage, it shouldn't be an issue." Commented James. "Oh... And before I forget... Speaking of being 'mates'... It is my job to inform everyone, since all of you are here, that the council wishes for Zachiarius and Taeyang to married as soon as possible. They are given until the end of this year to be wed, preferably if they could, within this upcoming month." James stated, openly and loud enough for everyone to hear so he wouldn't have to repeat himself... Much to Zachiarius' horror.

 

Just then the younger vampire stiffened and froze. "I... We have to... What?" The vampire was trying to process this. "So soon..? Why didn't you say anything to me until now?" Zachiarius said in surprise, "The council isn't going to... You know, give us time to get to know each other first? We've only just met the other day! How can you say-"

 

"Don't shoot the messenger, Zachiarius, I'm only telling you what I've been told. I can't change what the council wants. I know it seems kind of rushed... There's nothing I can do." James says plainly and rather bluntly.

 

"First you call me a mistake and then you put me on the spot like that... What kind of friend are you?" Zachiarius suddenly felt like double the weight was just tossed onto his shoulders. He felt like he could collapse from the immense pressure.

 

James let out a sigh, "No... You're not a mistake, Zachiarius... I just think you're a little too... carefree... You have to grow up someday and take things more seriously... A lot is at stake here..."

 

"You don't think I don't know that already..?" Zachiarius interrupted, feeling James was purposely making him feel worse. This was almost too much for him to take in. On top of that he was standing in front of Taeyang and his family... Some of them probably already hate him... Zach really didn't want to mess everything up... Maybe James was right, he was too carefree... What could he do about that? Not only was he stressed by what his friend said, but the stress about a wedding that would be happening sooner than he anticipated was nearly crippling.

 

This wasn't Taeyang's fault at all... With the wedding coming so soon... With the war resting on his shoulders... Worry about Taeyang... Worry about whether he was good enough... Worry over whether his family would accept him... Worry that he would mess up... Everything... All of it at once just hit him like a heavy weight, slowly crushing him...

[GodofMischief]

Observing the two vampires in front of him even as Khun worked on his wounds, Taeyang couldn't help but peel up his lips and growl at James when the man made a comment against the younger vampire. As much as he wasn't fully sure that he could come to love the younger male, that didn't mean he wanted to hear him get insulted. Because of his genetics, Taeyang couldn't bring himself to enjoy being around vampires but Zachiarius was different. He was kind and gentle where others weren't and though he was still quite young, it was a refreshing breath of air to be around someone as carefree as that. As such, Taeyang wouldn't ignore insults towards his future husband. Forced marriage or not.

 

"Very well, with all of us teaching him a few extra things here and there, I'm sure he'll turn into an excellent fighter soon enough. One that even Chansung will be willing to accept and approve of" Minjun chuckled as his brother growled a soft noise of irritation and gave his head a sharp shake almost as if he was shaking off an annoying bug. Or an annoying thought that would never come to pass in his mind. However, whatever amusement might have been brought upon by Chansung's quick denial to Minjun's words faded when James spoke again about the marriage.

 

Numerous pairs of wolf eyes along with Minjun and Khun's sharp gaze fell in surprised disbelief on the older of the two vampires as the man spoke out a message that was not at all that welcomed by any of them. A month...That was how quickly the council of vampires wanted the marriage to happen? In all logical train of thoughts, that was simply ridiculous to consider. It was almost like they were ignoring the clear distrust between their two species and were simply pushing for a marriage solely of selfish intent without a care for the two who would have to make it work. If the pack hadn't been so against the marriage before, by the growing tension in the air, they were bound to be down right adamant that it not happen. And this time, even Minjun looked livid at the thought of pushing his little brother to marry so soon.

 

Flickering his eyes around the pack and their reactions, Taeyang stood when he felt Khun finish on his wounds, albeit with a bit more tension in his movements than he had previously been. A clear sign of his anger at the situation. Keeping his eyes locked on Zachiarius, Taeyang quickly padded over to the vampire and used his flank to gently push James out of the way in order to be able to circle the man better. He wasn't at all amused or pleased with James at the moment, but he was Zachiarius's friend and Taeyang would behave himself around those important to his future mate.

 

Sinking down into the ground again, Taeyang made sure that he had curled his body around Zachiarius's standing form before gently nudging against the man's chest with his nose. Providing comfort and reassurance wasn't something he was familiar doing outside the pack, however the situation seemed to call for it. Though he was just as deeply troubled about the new rush to their marriage as everyone else, he didn't blame Zachiarius. Nothing was the younger man's fault and though Taeyang had a tendency of being snappish and testy, he would not let Zachiarius blame himself for this. So with a soft whine, he kept his violet eyes on the vampire as he briefly nuzzled his muzzle against the man's chest in a sign that the vampire wasn't alone in this.

 

Hearing the sound of approaching paw steps, Taeyang looked up to spot Jun separating from his twin despite the other red wolf's annoyed growl and reprimanding bark. With steady, confident steps Jun kept his eyes on Zachiarius as he approached steadily, pausing only for a moment to brush his head lovingly against Khun. Continuing towards Zachiarius, Jun slowly laid down just in front of the vampire before stretching up his neck to calmly lick at the man's cheek. Jun was young and still learning many things, as was his brother, but his undeniable devotion to Taeyang was as strong as ever as he accepted his older brother's actions and moved forward to provide Zachiarius some comfort of his own. Despite what his twin might have thought and despite having been raised to believe vampires were mortal enemies.

 

Huffing out a soft sigh, Minjun slowly shifted his weight from one foot to the other as he watched his brothers with a gentle smile on his face. "Zachiarius...chin up, pup. None of this is your fault. The circumstances have changed and things have become a tad bit more annoying but we don't blame you. If you're going to be future pack...then we will do our best to make you feel welcome with us and back your decisions with your kind. But don't look like that. It unnerves me to see you without that goofy smile on your face" he spoke gently after exchanging brief glances with Khun who had walked over to where Seung was sitting.

 

"Agreed. Like I said, the council made an interesting choice in you. Not bad, just interesting. If Minjun, Taeyang, Jun, and even Mara approve of you then so do I, kid. Look at the bright side, you already have half the family won over even before the marriage. The rest will be a piece of cake....especially Jae. He probably is willing to tolerate you a great deal already" Khun added, flashing the vampire a friendly little smile as the white wolf in question wagged his tail briefly and provided a laughable dog like grin towards Zachiarius.

[Exellda]

Zachiarius never felt more tense in his life, that he could remember. He literally felt like he could feel the tension around him. It felt like all eyes were on him and it wasn't a pleasant feeling. It was clear that the vampire was taking this harshly and seriously... Everything just felt hopeless, in the sense that there was nothing he could do about the marriage happening so soon... They did have until the end of the year, but according to James, next month would be the ideal time, according to the council. Maybe it was dumb of him to think that he would have more time. Things like peace and love were not meant to be rushed. It was hard to find compromise when people felt cornered. Zachiarius was at a lost as to how he could somehow make this situation better.

 

Suddenly, Zachiarius felt a little warmer, then he felt something press into him. Blinking a few times, after realizing that he was deep in his thoughts, he was able to recognize Taeyang's wolf form. For a moment, Zachiarius felt frozen as he tried to understand what had just happened. He felt like his heart clenched when a whine escaped the wolf before he found himself being nuzzled by Taeyang again. The vampire didn't have to know what Taeyang was trying to say to completely understand, through movements and gestures... That meant a whole lot to Zachiarius. He got the message. Taeyang was trying to tell him that he was not alone. Zachiarius was at a lost for words... Then he heard someone else moving about. Glancing over he saw another wolf coming his way. He sat not too far from Zach, leaned up and- A smile twitched onto his face as he received a lick to his cheek.

 

Then Zachiarius listened to what Minjun and Khun had to say and well... Gosh, he felt... so overwhelmingly thankful and happy and sad at the same time, even excited... These feelings were starting to swell up inside him, building fast. Tears stung the corners of his eyes as he reached out slowly for Taeyang. His hand was actually shaking slightly, not because he was afraid but because he was so overwhelmed. This was also exactly what he wanted to do at the beginning, to pet Taeyang. Before he could stop himself, Zachiarius found himself tearing up, tears actually falling down his face. And yet Zachiarius was smiling softly. He was quick to wipe his tears. "You have no idea how much your words mean to me. Yes, things have become a little more annoying but... I can't help but to look forward to being a part of the pack, being from an orphanage an all, I've always wanted a family to belong to. I'm really glad and thankful that despite the odds, you guys are willing to accept me, or at least will try to accept me... That alone is sufficient enough."

 

Then Zachiarius softly pet Taeyang behind the ears. Damn, he loved dogs... Taeyang was such a beautiful, big doggy... Zachiarius found himself leaning, crouching down slightly and getting closer to Taeyang. The vampire, slowly but casually wrapped his arms around the wolf, embracing him much like a child would hug a dog. Yes, yes... this was exactly what he wanted. He felt so happy. "I know this marriage isn't exactly ideal but I don't think it will be bad. I have gotten good impressions of most of you... I know I have just met Taeyang, but I have the feeling he'll make a great husband. Even though he's feisty sometimes, I can tell he cares a whole lot. He didn't have to comfort me, and yet he did. I can't possibly stay upset with him trying to comfort me like this. It not only means a lot but it makes me happy that he would go out of his way to make me feel better. I don't feel alone or like I'm doing this all by myself, Taeyang reminded me of that just now... I'm not even a part of the pack yet and he's already supporting me." As Zachiarius was talking, he was petting Taeyang, a smile growing bigger and bigger on his face. His eyes even lit up, he was so very happy...

 

Things like family meant so much to Zachiarius. It meant that he wouldn't be alone anymore. He would have someone to look after him and he could look after someone else! It would be nice to call Taeyang 'his'... and vise versa. It was an arranged marriage, one that Zach was still unsure if he'd be ready for... At least he was with nice people who were going to give him a chance. Yes, he might not be the ideal man, he was still young and didn't have much to give. All he could do was support his future husband and be there for him. "Thank you Taeyang." Zachiarius said, smiling softly, "I promise to give you a hug when you change back." He said with a small chuckle. "And before I forget, I still need your phone number, you left without giving it to me... And I have to look through those cute pictures I took... If you want one, let me know." He said with a wink.

 

There was a sigh, followed by a shrug from James, "I seriously cannot believe this right now... Sometimes I think the council made a mistake, then somehow you manage to pull off miraculous, seemingly impossible things like this... I'll never understand how you do it..."

[GodofMischief]

Catching the smell of incoming tears in the air, Taeyang whined softly again not entirely sure how else he could get the vampire to stop the threat of waterworks. He might have not exactly liked this young vampire when he had first been introduced to him and even now, there was a part in him that growled softly at the scent of vampire so heavy in the air. But somewhere in the last few hours, Taeyang found his grudge against the other man's species lowering a bit. Or at least lowering in regards to Zachiarius and James. Maybe he was getting softer the older he got or maybe he just couldn't will himself to continue to give the innocent vampire the cold shoulder and colder glares....who knew. All Taeyang really knew was that he didn't want the other man to cry and he would do everything in his power to prevent that from happening. Even killing whoever hurt the young foolish vampire's emotions so badly. Council or no council.

 

When the younger man actually began to cry, Taeyang huffed out something that could have been called a concerned hum of air but did not even twitch a muscle at the moment he felt Zachiarius' hands burying into his fur. As much as he hated having people touch him if they were not pack, he truly didn't mind if it was this young man. Despite being called a "doggie" just a few moments before.

 

"You don't have to thank us, pup. You haven't done anything wrong to us. I think we should apologize for the behavior some of the pack have towards you and James. It's hard to ignore the instinctual hate that runs through our blood at the sight of vampires. But for you and James, we'll try. You're my brother's future mate, objections aside, that means that you're under my protection as well and eventually the full pack will see this. For now, worry about nothing but forming a bond between you and Tae, leave everything else to the rest of the pack and myself" Minjun addressed Zachiarius gently, keeping his tone light and friendly. After having heard the words coming out of the vampire, he meant every word he responded with towards the other man.the beginning of this journey might be a bit rocky, but if everything inside the pack went well, he hoped that the future would be brighter than what it looked like now.

 

Feeling Zachiarius hug and then begin to let his fur, Taeyang grumbled out a soft growl under his breath...something that absolutely lacked any heat or anger. More than anything, it sounded like it had a bit of exasperation and playful nature embedded deep inside it as he gently rubbed his muzzle against Zachiarius one more time. Seeing Jun wagging his tail just a foot away from the pair, Taeyang knew that his little brother would probably tease him about this later, but at the moment, he didn't care. If this was what Zachiarius needed to feel better, then Taeyang would accept it for as long as it took.

 

"Tae's a big softie under the grumbling, glaring surface. Trust me, the more you get to know him, the more you'll see that he doesn't really have a mean bone in his body. He might have a temper, but that's strictly genetic. We blame it on our mother, he's just like her when it comes to personality. But I can promise you that he cares about you already. If he didn't, he wouldn't be cuddling you like that" Minjun chuckled, a sound that was soon accompanied by Khun while Taeyang shot them a vicious glare from where he was but did not move away from Zachiarius. That was until the man mentioned the phone and pictures. It was only then that Taeyang yanked himself out of Zachiarius' grip with a threatening rumble escaping his lips.

 

Getting back to his feet, the wolf gently shoved his younger sibling to his paws as well before trotting over to sit behind Chansung who calmly laid down and allowed his massive frame to cover both his brothers while the popping and cracking of bones were heard and the two other wolves vanished behind their brother's bulk. "I suppose he's special on certain topics....on everything else, I still see him as ridiculous" Taeyang's voice rang out from where his arm snapped out from behind Chansung to grab the bag of cloths Minjun was holding out for him and Jun.

 

It was several seconds before the pair walked bare footed away from Chansung, dressed in leather once more and looking much more relaxed than they had been previously that night. Shifts usually did the trick in calming werewolves. It was in a sense relaxing to once again begin their true forms after being stuck in human form for long hours.

 

"And call those pictures cute again, please, so I can rip you're throat out with my teeth, Zachiarius" Taeyang added after a moment, without missing a beat as he glared at the vampire while approaching, gesturing for the remaining pack to get to work in shifting back so they could go back inside.

[Exellda]

The warmth that greeted him was well received. Relief spread through him and Zachiarius found himself cheering up as quickly as he let himself cry. It was all thanks to Taeyang. The wolf was more than enough to cheer him up. Zachiarius felt better the moment the other male started to comfort him. The vampire couldn't get over how warm the other male was, even in his wolf form. The younger male felt no fear as the older male embraced him while in his wolf form. And even when Taeyang eventually pulled away- because of his teasing- he already felt some odd connection with him.

 

They could do this, he was sure of it. Taeyangs reaction just proved it. A soft chuckle escaped him. He knew that Taeyang would be teased. And he knew that this was hard for everyone. Honestly the vampire was just trying to be himself, make light of the situation and yet... also be incredibly sincere and serious about the situation. He was happy that they could be even this friendly with each other. It was a wonder how Taeyang could trust him- well, not necessarily trust him, but at least tolerate him enough to stand by him. Zachiarius also loved how close everyone was in his future mates' family. That was something he never had the chance to enjoy nor cherish. Now, he had that chance. Thanks to this marriage he could start anew, with a family.

 

Everyone seemed more relaxed now, thankfully. Luckily no one was at each others throats. To be honest Zachiarius felt quite at ease. Even more so when he could tease his future husband. Yes, he didn't know him all that well, but he could tell, just by how everyone teased Taeyang, that he would learn quickly about the other male. Taeyang, however, would have to talk to... well James was a sourpuss... so all questions would have to go to Zachiarius directly. After all, who knew more about Zachiarius than himself? Right? Ha...

 

Zachiarius believed that any issue could be solved by talking it over. Just like they were now. A fight could have broken out, but no, it didn't happen. There was no need to fight. And sure, it was going to be a rocky ride. He could understand that they, the wolves, had been raised to hate vampires and that they would take time to get use to him and James. It seemed that James was also tense of the situation. Zach figured that his pal must have been thinking 'How can he be so relaxed?' or something alone those lines. Maybe in the past James had a quarrel or two with wolves? Zachiarius was a little unsure, James wasn't the kind of guy who liked to talk about his past much. In the end, it didn't really matter. As the younger vampire felt at ease, even within the 'attacking' distance of wolves. For whatever reason, he saw no threat- and he too, wanted to be seen as not a threat. "Minjun, I hope I can help you guys change your minds, over time, about vampires. Not all of them are bad." And he did understand that there were bad guys out there... Nothing was perfect.

 

Of course he snickered when the other wolves teased his future husband, Taeyang didn't seem to mind it all that much. It was fun and light. He took the mental note that Taeyang was a softy- to an extent. Which, he hoped that he could become close enough to Taeyang that he too could tease him effortlessly... Well, not that he wasn't already trying to. Zachiarius was all smiles when Taeyang shifted back, now dressed and walking towards him. While the threat of having his throat torn off was all too 'real', Zachiarius couldn't help himself. But when Taeyang was close enough, he pulled the other male effortlessly into a hug. "Not sure which I like better, hugging your wolf form, or this form." He was giving him the hug he had promised.

 

"Awe, okay then, I won't call them cute." He said, referring to the pictures he took from earlier. "If I can't call the pictures cute, can I call you cute?" He bluntly asked Taeyang, clearly uncaring of his threat. In fact, Zachiarius was sure Taeyang wouldn't dare try to bite his neck- after he said, "Dunno about that biting my throat off thing, though..." He hummed, "Kinda scary sounding and will probably hurt. But... Sounds kinky, so I'll try it." He said with a cheeky grin, and a gave Taeyang a wink. Of course he knew he might be pressing his buttons by now, but hey... He was having a fun time messing around. This was what he liked to do. Being tense wasn't for Zachiarius, no, he loved to have fun- when it was due or needed.

 

Meanwhile James had crossed his arms and shook his head. "If you're done fooling around, I think it's time we head home." He sounded like a nagging parent more than a friend right at that moment.

 

From where he was standing, Zachiarius turned his head and tilted his head. "Whaaat? Awe man, you're joking right. I'm pretty sure it's not even midnight..."

 

"I think you've had enough excitement for one night." James said stubbornly.

 

"How so?" Inquired Zachiarius, "All I know is that you've been a grumpy butt since we've gotten here. Why so tense?"

 

"Well, being stuck babysitting you makes me tense and worried, okay?" James said and Zachiarius scoffed. "And you know I don't want to talk about it." Definitely not when everyone was on Zachiarius' side and he was at a clear disadvantage. "We can stay a little longer... But not for too much longer. Like an hour or two." He huffed. James felt the need to put his foot down. "I won't argue this in front of them, so you know what, be read in an hour. If you're not by the car, I'll make you walk home." Really it was an empty threat because both men knew that James wouldn't leave him behind. With that being said, James turned on his heal, and walked away. Clearly done with their argument.

 

Once he was out of earshot, Zachiarius said, "Man, he makes it sound like I am a handful." He was already thinking ahead to whether walking home would be worth it or not. If only to spend a little more time. "Don't worry about him. James isn't really a social event kind of person." He said with a shrug. Maybe that's why he was so tense. Gee, it almost sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "So where was I? Hmmn... I've got about an hour to kill- unless I decide to be a rebel. So what now?"

[GodofMischief]

Letting out an undignified squeak when Zachiarius pulled him into his arms for a hug the moment Taeyang was close enough to receive it, the raven haired wolf firmly shoved his hands against the younger male's chest and pushed against it as he squirmed in his arms. Never in his life had he had to go through such treatments from anyone aside of his family. He wasn't used to it and he didn't know whether he was struggling cause it displeased him or if it just exasperated him in a like it or not amusing manner. What he did know was that his brothers and sisters were probably never going to let him live down the blush covering his cheeks and the way his embarrassment towards the physical sign of affection was painted so clearly onto his face. Squirming a bit more viciously in Zachiarius's arms after the man spoke, Taeyang made sure he didn't physically hurt the man with his nails even while he glared at him through his rapidly brightening blush.

 

"Call me cute and I swear I'll gut you and hang your intestines out to dry!" He snapped but despite the acid of his words, there really was no fire behind them. It was as obvious as day that he was reacting much more out of embarrassment than actual aggression. Had he been truly upset, he'd have no issues drawing blood in order to get out of the hug forced upon him from the Vampire that was to be his mate. Hearing youthful laughter somewhere behind him, Taeyang turned annoyed eyes over to Jun who stood with a wide grin beside his twin and Khun, watching his older brother with boundless amusement.

 

"Sorry Tae Tae, but honestly you look so cute right now. It's hard to believe that Zachiarius is younger than you. He just matches you so perfectly, I couldn't imagine anyone else for you!" Jun exclaimed through the chuckles leaving his lips while Kuhn merely smirked at the statement and wrapped a arm around the younger wolf's thin waist.

 

"I second that statement....I mean, usually it's only us that can bring emotions like that out of you. Zachiarius is a natural at it, I can tell this union is going to be quite entertaining to watch" Minjun agreed with the youngest twin in the pack, his own grin nearly splitting his face in half while he watched Taeyang and Zachiarius with a cocked hip and crossed arms.

 

"Traitors" Taeyang snapped at them, but yet again it was obvious that his words lacked any real fire behind them. When James spoke, everyone turned their eyes towards the conversation between the two vampires. Still ridiculously encased in the hug from the other male, Taeyang growled softly under his breath at the less than favorable words leaving the older Vampire's mouth. Though he accepted the man as someone important to his future mate, it didn't mean he truly liked him. Not after what he had said a few moments earlier that had made Zachiarius cry. Stilling briefly in the other man's arms, Taeyang's hands slowly grasped the material of Zachiarius's shirt the more he listened to James speak until the man walked away. Violet eyes watched the vampire leave with an irritated snarl briefly slipping out of his chest.

 

"Well he's kinda a party pooper....what a drag" Jun hummed out, not bothering to hide the action of rolling his eyes in clear irritation towards James words while Khun and Minjun nodded in agreement.

 

"You shouldn't have to convince yourself or have to convince us about the actions of others. If he didn't want to be here, he shouldn't have come. He has no right to make you feel dissatisfied with yourself...it's distasteful" Taeyang growled softly, slowly turning his eyes off the direction James had gone into to look up at Zachiarius when the man's question filled the air.

 

"Well we could all go back inside and you could have some quality time with Tae....honestly now that the threat is gone, there's not much we have to do. Just continue to run the bar until it's closing time" Minjun replied, grinning slowly again before adding "Besides, you guys should get to know eachother a bit better now that your all hands on with one another. It'll work wonders for your marriage" he teased.

 

A resounding smack on the back of Minjun's head announced Jae's human appearance after having shifted while everyone else was busy talking. "Would you leave Tae alone already, Minjun....sheesh, I'm surprised Channie hasn't gutted you yet for messing with his baby" Jae drawled, his tone soft and carrying almost a lazy tint to it while his eyes were open and surpringly rather friendly as he winked at Taeyang and Zachiarius. By the low growl coming from Chansung who had yet to change back, it was clear that the second eldest wasn't amused by Minjun's antics.

 

Resuming his squirming after his elder brother's words, Taeyang huffed and leveled Zachiarius with a rather dry glare while parting his lips to say "Unhand me, you over grown pup. I would like to return to my office".

[Exellda]

From the moment Taeyang was in his arms, Zachiarius could tell his fiance would make a great husband. He already liked the way the other male felt in his arms. Plus, Taeyang made the most... well there was no other word to describe it, other than to say the noise he made was incredibly adorable... Taeyang would not be so pleased to hear that. He was sure he messed with the wolf enough by now and was willing to give him a break. Again, he personally thought it was rather cute to watch Tae struggle to break his hug. Good luck. He thought as a small chuckle escaped him. His strength was stronger than normal people, obviously because he was a vampire. Not to brag, but Zachiarius thought he was a great hugger, with lots of practice on the other orphans...

 

The snappy conversation between Taeyang and his family was an amusing one. Zachiarius could see the charm and the strength of the bond between them. The familiarity and the closeness was evident. And Jun did have a point... James was being rather stingy tonight and he had no idea why. What was making his friend so tense? He would try asking later when they were back at home. For now, he'd enjoy his 'last' hour at Taeyang's club. There was something on James' mind... and sometimes Zachiarius wished he could read minds just to find out why. Other than that, Zachiarius laughed at Minjun's comment. The idea wasn't a bad one, however he didn't want to push his luck more than he already was. Ah, yes, there was still one wolf he had to deal with... Channie... Who was still unhappy with this whole ordeal. Now that nearly everyone was on his side though, Zachiarius felt rather confident that he could somehow win him over... He would give it time.

 

Another small smile pulled at Zachiarius' lips when Taeyang requested that he let him go. "Yes, sir." He said as he happily let the other male go. By no means was he insulted at being called an 'over grown pup'. No, he was rather entertained by it. And with that he jokingly said, "Already giving me a pet name, are we? What should I call you, then?" Of course he was teasing and not really being serious about it. Still, he liked keeping this playful atmosphere more than the tense one... There would be plenty of time to develop their relationship, or so he hoped.

 

In all seriousness though, marrying Taeyang was stressful business. Whenever they got to the point of exchanging vows, he wanted Taeyang to know that he was serious. He wanted everyone in his family to know that he wasn't doing this just because the council told him to- well kind of... Zachiarius genuinely wanted to make this work and to make the other male happy. Being forced into this situation wasn't pleasant, but it was the least he could do to make it better... He would try to make the other male happy and hopefully, Tae would never come to hate him... "In all seriousness though..." Zachiarius said with a hand over his heart, "I'll try my best to prove myself worthy, for Channie's approval, the families support and Taeyang's future- hand in marriage." "He hummed before continuing, "It's the least I can do... I'd even would be willing to let Channie beat me up if that would make him feel better." Without James up his ass, he could say things like that. "Under the one condition that he isn't allowed to kill me, of course."

 

While he knew he shouldn't say things like that... He was very unsure what he should do to prove himself to Channie... who seemed to be very against the idea of him marrying Taeyang. Zach was willing to let Channie get his anger out on him if that made him feel better... Zachiarius had also been willing to learn how to fight, so he could defend their lands and Taeyang. Zachiarius was willing to work at the club. Well, the list could go on with all of the things Zachiarius would gladly do to help out... Violence, he knew, wouldn't solve anything... However, he understood the hate or tension between wolves and vampires... He simply figured that if he'd let Channie have a bite out of him, maybe he would realize that he wasn't his enemy... Maybe he'd realize that there was no reason to hate all vampires. There was also this small interest to know what it felt like to be in between the jaws of a wolf... Some might have thought Zachiarius to be crazy... But he was indeed, strangely curious. He probably should have been scared of Channie... but he wasn't...

 

All of that aside, he was starting to instinctively follow Taeyang. "So do you think you'll hire me, boss?" That was the topic they were discussing earlier. "I could be the busboy- or bartender- or janitor? Do you have a chef position- or what if I was the bouncer? Should I learn how to dance and become a pole dancer? I'm sure I'd be strong enough- What about mixing some cool jams, I'd be the DJ?" Zachiarius gasped, "Do you need an assistant? I could do that too?" He was practically bouncing with enthusiasm just thinking about it. "Uh- should I fill out a resume? It might be a waste though... I haven't had a job other than helping out at the orphanage... So... Oh, and my grades were good, not excellent but not bad, you know?"