October 12th, 1701

Taehyung was her marionette, so vulnerable, so weak, easily manipulated.

She pulls at the strings of his heart, tugging him along in the game she plays awaiting the right moment to sever said strings.

Meanwhile, blinded by his love, he never questions the consequences of their actions, believing that she truly loved him.

Jimin on the other hand remained oblivious to their affair, constantly keeping them a close-knit group.

It's after a particularly gruesome party where Jimin is off somewhere passed out from his blood high that she manages to sneak off with Taehyung into one of the back rooms.

They're both lying on a plush, white carpet in front of a marble fireplace, limbs tangled together as he runs his fingers through her hair softly.

The orange flames cast a soft glow against his face as his eyes rake over her in adoration. 

"We can't keep hiding like this forever," she says as she shifts her gaze to the fireplace. His fingers freeze from where they rest in her hair.

He doesn't reply right away, the flames crackle before them spitting tiny sparks everywhere.

"You do realize the consequences if we were to ever reveal our relationship to him don't you?".

She levels him with a glare, "do you propose we continue this game of hide and seek like children?!" she hisses as she sits up pulling herself away from him to cross her arms in annoyance.

He sighs irritably, "he is my cousin, there's no one he trusts more than me. Do you know what this would do to him?!" he spits back.

"Well you should have thought of that before falling in love with me!!" her voice raises slightly and it echoes in the room.

He levels her with a look of disbelief, "well then what do you suggest we do?".

She leans forward mockingly, "tell. him."

When he doesn't respond, just sits there with a conflicted expression on his face, she rolls her eyes and makes to stand up when his hand shoots out and grabs her by the wrist stopping her.

"Where are you going?"

"Away from you since you refuse to listen to me"

He sighs exasperated "We can't tell him!!" 

"Then I don't want to be with you anymore!" she yells effectively stunning him as he freezes in shock.

Recovering just as quickly his eyes narrow and the grip on her wrist tightens as it pulls her down to face him.

His eyes are gleaming red at his barely contained anger, "am I a joke to you Ye Rin? You think you can play with my feelings and leave me whenever?" his tone is stone cold.

"Do YOU take me for a joke?! I can't be with someone who's afraid to prove their love to me, I refuse". 

She can see the anger rolling off of him in waves as his breath becomes heavier and his nails sink into her wrist.

"What do I have to do?" he says trying to calm himself.

"Kill him"

His face morphs into confusion before outright shock hits him and he's releasing her wrist and backing away from her as though burned. "What?"

She steps closer to him, lowering her voice "Kill Jimin and we can be together".

This was it, if he refused and tells Jimin then she's screwed but it wasn't like she had anything to lose anyway.

"Why would I kill him!? I don't-"

"Taehyung you're not listening to me. Think about it!!" she says as she takes his face in her hands and presses their foreheads together, "do you think Jimin would let either of us live if he found out?".

There's a brief silence where his expression shifts from disgust to shocked to contemplative in a matter of seconds. Her stomach churns in anticipation, if he agreed to this, she would be free.

"He- he wouldn't hurt me, I've always been ther-"

"Tae, we're not talking about some petty theft or an argument you guys can easily talk out. This is you and I going behind his back as lovers! I am giving the love he so craved, to you, whom I love with all my heart" she adds that last part as bait.

His eyes shift uncertainly before he sighs, taking her wrists in his hands he shakily pulls them apart and slips his fingers into her own.

She knows she's got him from his prolonged silence and lost gaze as he stares into the fireplace longer than usual.

"He's my family" he mumbles sadly.

Rolling her eyes she squeezes his hands softly, "I love you and I don't want to lose you. This is the only way".

After a long while, Taehyung agrees but only if he did it his way.

His way turns out to be less murder and more putting his best friend into an eternal sleep.

The only way to do that she learns is that he needed to consume a drop of his own blood, for a vampire's own blood was lethal to themselves.

"How much blood would he have to drink to die?" she wonders aloud as Taehyung prepares drinks for them for their fated last evening with that monster.

Distractedly he answers her "consuming it wouldn't kill him, but stabbing him the heart with a dagger doused in his own blood definitely would".

She hums in response, mind working as she planned alternatives in her head.

They host a dinner between the three of them, a pre-birthday gift to Jimin. 

He's pleasantly surprised and delighted as they eat and talk animately. Jimin gives her strange looks throughout the evening seeing as she's oddly cheery in his presence but she's too anxious to care. This needed to work. 

Taehyung, on the other hand, is doing perfectly fine, she's taken aback by his relaxed demeanor contrary to his anxiety as they prepped for dinner.

Rushing into the kitchen he brings out three glass goblets balanced on a wooden tray, filled to the top with blood. Her stomach churns in anxiety and excitement as it was finally time to finish this.

Taehyung is perfectly stone-faced as he hands Jimin his drink and she waits in anticipation as he brings it to his lips. Beside her, Taehyung grabs her hand tightly from under the table.

"Let's make a toast" Jimin begins holding the glass up as they mimic him, "to us and our wonderful years together" he smiles brightly and she can feel Taehyung's anxiety rolling off of him but ignores it as she drinks.

Nothing happens at first, he drinks the entire glass and they're both silent in heavy anticipation as they stare at him expectantly.

He tilts his head in confusion at them, opening his mouth to speak when his face contorts in pain. His words never leave his mouth as he coughs violently, his hand coming up to grapple at his chest desperately.

Beside her Taehyung's hand trembles in hers and she rubs soothing circles into it as they watch the scene before them unfold.