Bound by Blood

Chapter 140- art and soul

(Y/N) POV:

I run my hands under the water, cleaning the bristles of the large paintbrushes, setting them aside to dry before scrubbing at the dried stains on my fingers, pumping out soap to work it into a lather- humming as I pat my hands dry.

"Done for the day?" Ryan oppa asks at my ear, head bent forward towards me.

I turn, nodding.

"I managed to finish two pieces today. Besides...the next exhibition is soon. It all needs to be done anyways." I say, walking with him out of the large painting space.

His arm comes to wrap around my shoulders, drawing me into his side as he walks with me to his and Deok-Mi unnie's shared office.

"Have the boys not wheedled or tried to get hints? I'd have thought as Amparo's biggest fans they would've tried something by now." Ryan oppa muses aloud as we walk in, Deok-Mi unnie patting the space eagerly beside her, eyes flashing red with interest and curiosity as she draws me close.

I laugh as I take the proffered mug from her, fingers curling around it as I nod, taking a sip to prolong answering, just to see the look of impatience flash across their features as well as understanding of my tactics.

And it's after the third or fourth prolonged sip that Deok-mi unnie lets out a wounded noise as she lightly digs me in the ribs; still not fully accustomed and adjusted to the fact that she physically could use more force and it wouldn't hurt, it wouldn't bruise me as if it would've when I was human.

"Tell me~ Lion tell her!" she whines, pushing away the plate of snacks towards his end, eyes flashing with challenge as she moves the cake out of reach. And bats her lashes, leaning close.

"Please sweetheart? I wanna know! I haven't heard much romancing recently. Haven't had it either." She pouts, shooting a betrayed, wounded look towards Ryan oppa.

And then leans in conspiratorially.

"Romance is dead. No wooing, no running after me to fulfil each demand like the old days." She sighs, lamenting before she speaks.

"Keep what you have. Don't let any of them turn out like Lion. All work and no play." She murmurs.

But of course her words are caught. Of course they couldn't ever truly escape the enhanced hearing of a vampire.

And then she's squealing as she's suddenly tugged away, Ryan oppa having got up at some point to pluck her off the couch, sitting down resolutely with her on his lap as he grumbles.

But then she shoots me a wink.

He played right into it.

I hide my smile behind my mug, leaning in slowly, lips twitching when Ryan oppa distracts Deok-Mi unnie, allowing me to reach forward to swipe at the plate, laughing victoriously when it's safely in my clutch.

"They've been trying. Several times and in all sorts of ways." I confide with a smile.

Because they had tried. So hard. And so earnestly.

Trying to get me to spill hints by trying to catch me unawares, as I was drifting off to sleep or when I was so immersed in something; springing the questions on me in such soft, subtle ways that had I not know better I would've slipped up.

At other times outrageously and openly trying to bribe me, trying to lure me in with promises of dates and wide batted eyes at me as they clung on. Even if I never relented they still took me on the dates, though the dejected pouts were almost enough to make me melt.

And some times it was by playing dirty, by putting pressure on my mating marks through lips, teeth and tongue and at others, hands delving under fabric to try to get me to slip when my mind was all dazed with pheromones.