The rest of the day is spent getting back on top of work. Even if not much happens in Ulsan, it seems that the paperwork creates piles on your desk out of nowhere.
Unit Enhypen had headed out to help the other agents pack up everything from Dr. Kim's lab, and it's not until you were just thinking about leaving that they return.
"Ready to head home?", Heeseung asks as he strides through the doorway, ducking a little to avoid hitting his head on the top of the door frame.
"Yeah, just about", you reply, slamming shut the drawer to your desk where you'd hidden some of your memos.
They're mostly from the mayor wanting an update on the case - something that can wait until you're more settled tomorrow and have actually thought of what to say.
Jake bustles past Heeseung and smiles, "Hope you've got enough room for all of us"
You try to stifle a groan, remembering you'd agreed to the vampires playing guard over you at home as well. To be fair, you'd been pretty out of it on pain medication for your head wound at the time, and your mom was obviously keen to take advantage of that.
"Room is kind of at a premium in my place", you admit, standing from your place to begin packing up your things, "So you're just going to have to cope with what there is"
"I'm sure we'll manage", Heeseung replies with a warm smile, "Most of us have coped with much worse"
Sunghoon scoffs at that.
The computer hushes its loud droning as you turn it off, and you make to grab your jacket, "Glad to hear it. Ready to go?"
They all nod, and all of you make to leave. Passing the front desk, you nod a goodbye to the night shift volunteer, who returns the gesture. Then the group head outside, where the sun guides your way in a cocktail palette of pinks and yellows.
✒
You walk up the stairs, followed by the imposing team of Unit Enhypen. It's nice to be coming home.
The apartment block is comfortably quiet, compared to the stark quiet of the facility. Birds chirp outside, their songs whistling in through the windows which line the stairwell, and the evening sun glitters through the recently washed glass.
The gentle thumps of people moving in their apartments is an odd comfort too. The lazy sound of music pervades into the hallway from one of my neighbour's rooms.
You draw to a stop outside your door, your key already in hand. Pushing it into the lock and turning it, you can't help a strange sensation washing over you. This apartment is part of your world.
Inviting these four vampires in will be like the supernatural finally invading the last space of normality that you have left.
You shake the feeling away, realising that now you know the truth, it's unlikely you'll ever be able to keep the supernatural fully out of your life.
"Here we are", you say as you unlock the door, letting it swing open to reveal your small apartment inside.
Jake steps up beside you, his gaze casting over the space like a health inspector over a restaurant. "Jeez, I'd think you were the vampire, with how dark it is in here!"
You roll your eyes, "It suits my tastes"
"Do those tastes ever include light? Or maybe a bit of colour?", Jake scoffs.
"Jake, enough…", Heeseung says behind him in warning.
"Just saying what I see", Jake replies before moving into the open - if somewhat dark - apartment, still glancing about the room with a shake of his head.
Sunghoon pushes forward, brow arched as he stares over the room, "Maybe I'll like you more than I thought, Detective"
The rest of you step through the doorway moments later, and you shut the door when they're all inside.
As you all huddle inside the cramped space, you suddenly wonder where you're going to put them all.
"Someone can probably sleep on the sofa. The rest might be able -"
Heeseung interrupts you before you have to think of more makeshift beds, "It's all right, Detective. We can go for days without sleep. We'll likely be up all night keeping watch"
"Wow", you breath out the word. "That must be nice. Imagine how much you could get done if you didn't have to sleep!"
"We don't have to imagine", Sunghoon says in reply, voice tense, "We live it"
"Right…", you reply, giving a nod.
The group quickly begin to take up places throughout the apartment's living room. Jake flops into an armchair, legs and arms splayed over it; Sunghoon leans against a side dresser looking surprisingly at ease. His thumb flicks open a lighter and then closes it again before repeating the action over and over.
Heeseung stands near the centre, running a hand through his hair, a tightness straining his jaw. Jay moves towards the wide window on one side before sliding his gaze over the rest of the room and to the front door. You can almost see the cogs whirring in his mind about how to defend the area.
It's a sudden reminder of your first meeting with the team - when they'd all just about managed to fit into your office during introductions.
"This is just like the first time I met you all"
They glance at you in confusion.
"When you all came to my office"
"Oh right", Jake says with a nod, barely paying attention, "You meant that first meeting"
You arch a brow, "What other first meeting could I have meant?"
Jake's attention turns fully to you, a slow grin forming wide on his face. You notice Jay and Heeseung share a quick tense look before stepping forward.
Jake speaks before they intervene. "How about the time you shot our almighty leader?"
Instantly, your hands tense at your sides.
Doing your best to brush away the shock of the accusation, you flex your fingers and shake your head.
"I've never shot Jay", you purse your lips, "As much as I may want to at times"
A bark of laughter erupts from Jake, who almost topples from the chair in his amusement. Jay only thins his lips, seemingly biting down a comment.
"This is getting better and better", Jake calms enough to look at you again. "But you honestly don't remember? Did we make that little of an impression, Detective, when we bumped into you outside of that warehouse?"
Jay groans. Loudly. Then he proceeds to rub his hands over his face.
"What warehouse?", you ask, trying to make sense of this whole situation.
Jake leans forward, grinning even further, if that's actually possible. "Come on, Detective. It was dark, there was a bad guy, a fight…"
"A fight? What are you...", the words snap to a stop as you realise just exactly what he's talking about, "So that was you at the warehouse! Jeez, I knew it!"
"Yes it was", Jay replies firmly. "It was before we knew it was you who would be our next assignment. A regrettable time for us all, I'm sure", There's bite to his tone which gnaws against you.
You bite your bottom lip as a laugh threatens to bubble in your throat. But looking over at Jay's tense uncertain expression only forces it to expel from you so loudly that you put a hand on your chest, trying to contain it.
"I'm so pleased your gun-toting is amusing to you, Detective", Jay remarks, no longer holding back the venom in each word.
"Oh come on", you reply with a wave of your hand while trying to stifle your laughter, "No harm done, right? And it is kind of funny"
Jake joins in the laughter, "I'm so glad someone else sees the hilarity in it too!"
Jay's lips thin so tightly they almost become the same colour as his skin.
"It was certainly an interesting first impression", Heeseunh adds, stepping up beside Jay, who seems to cool at the man's presence beside him.
Jake wipes away a tear from his eye and smiles, "You must have grown to like us by now, eh, Detective?"
The question makes you pause, and you find yourself shaking your head but look towards Jake with a bright smile, "How could I not help but like you all?"
"Ha! I knew it", Jake eeplies. He glances about at the rest of the team, who barely seem to be listening, "We're all goddamn adorable"
Sunghoon almost chokes, and Jake smirks.
"So what are we doing now?", Sunghoon asks, seeming to want to quickly change the subject.
"You carry on as you normally would", Heeseung says to you, "We'll spread out about the apartment and keep watch"
"That's it?", you ask, unable to keep the uncertainty from your voice.
He nods, "That's it"
"If Dr. Kim tries to make a move, we'll be ready", Jay adds.
You suppress a shudder at the idea of your home being invaded by Dr. Kim or those zombie things, "Then I'll go get ready for bed. See you guys in the morning"
They all nod, but almost against your will, your gaze slides over towards Jay
Thoughts of your time together invade your mind for a moment, like hail against a window. You push them away - uncertain why they should spring up right now - though they're almost forced back into my forethoughts once again when Jay shifts around and meets your eyes.
The icy eyes that exude such calmness also hold a terrifying amount of depth to them. Your breath turns shallow, and you feel like you're drowning in his gaze. A tidal wave of uncertain emotions crash inside of your chest.
He snaps his focus away to the window and before you do the same, and notice him swallow hard. A frown tightens on his brow.
Turning, you quickly move into your bedroom, trying to ignore the strange stir of feelings.
✒
It's easy to forget the luxury of a simple shower. Sure, they had showers at the facility, but it's this one you needed. Your own shower.
You smile. It's good to be home.
You let the hot water pummel over your skin, drowning away your thoughts in the steam and scent of shower gel. The fog of heat almost blinds you, but you continue to stand and enjoy soaking in the water.
The jets pound against your tense muscles like a well-needed massage. You sigh into it, reluctant to get out. But eventually, you clamber out and head back into your bedroom to dress.
A few minutes after you've dressed, there's a knock on the door.
"Come in"
Jake opens the door with a friendly smile, "Detective."
"Something wrong?", you ask, the welcome ease to your muscles now twinging with sudden tension.
Jake holds up his hands and shakes his head, "No, just came to see you"
"Okay", you reply. When he continues to linger by the doorway, You nod your head towards the bed, indicating he should sit, "What's up?"
Jake shuffles forward and drops down onto the bed, the mattress sinking as he does.,"It's not exactly been an easy ride the past few days. I just wanted to see…how you are doing?" It's the first time I think you've ever heard him so genuinely concerned.
"Me?", you ask, placing a hand on your chest in mock surprise and rolling your eyes, "Oh please. I am the master of ignoring problems until I don't actually have to think about how I feel about them"
Jake snorts a laugh,"Well, at least you're still mostly all right then"
The smile tightens, a frown forming between his brows, "I've seen some humans go doolally after having the supernatural world shoved in their face"
He tugs his hat off his head and chucks it into the air and then catches it, swiftly repeating the action, "Most don't even wanna work with us after finding out"
There's a sting to his voice that's hard to miss, even as he tries to hide it by concentrating on his hat.
"You've had other people find out about you before?"
"Not normal people like you", he replies, "Agents - human ones - who'd rather be partnered with demons than vampires", The hat flops in his stilled grasp, "Thanks for, you know, sticking around"
The gratitude forces a smile from you, "You're welcome. Thanks for checking in on me"
"Any time, Detective", he says, flashing a charming grin - any remaining seriousness quickly vanishing. He yanks his floppy hat back on before standing up and heading back into the living room.
✒
Moonlight refracts through your room, the light so soft that you're reluctant to shut it out as you snap the curtains closed. The silver light is replaced with a harsher yellow one emanating from the bedside lamp.
You clamber into bed, flopping down with your back to the mattress and tugging the duvet up tight around you. The deep shadows cast on your ceiling seem darker than they used to.
Still, at least you have the thought that if the closet monster decides on now of all times to make an appearance, then you have four vampires in the next room ready to help you take it down. The thought pulls a strained laugh from you which permeates the quiet, although you're unsure quite how to feel about it.
They're actual vampires - real vampires. You've known that for a while now, but still it's just almost too much to believe.
And not only vampires exist, but demons too, and you've seen a couple of imp agents at the facility.
Your mind whirls with the possibility of what else might be out there.
The thought invades your mind and swirls in it like a sock in a washing machine until you can't stand it any longer.
You tug down the duvet and stare at the door, "So if vampires exist, then what else?", you call loudly. "Werewolves?"
"Yes, werewolves exist," you hear Heeseung call back from the other room, his voice clear even through the wooden barrier.
You purse your lips in thought, "What about witches?"
"Yep", Jake says.
"Ghosts?"
"Yes"
"Fairies?"
"Yes"
"Unicorns?"
"Unicorns? Seriously!", Sunghoon barks from the other room.
The stiff reply makes you chuckle.
"I wish unicorns were real….", Jake's voice draws out in disappointment.
"Maybe they are, and they just haven't been found yet. You never know", Heeseung adds.
"For crying out loud….", Jay lets out a groan loud enough to hear through the door, "Just go to sleep!"
You can't even get angry at his command as you continue to laugh quietly. Eventually you do settle down, a smile fixed in place on your face as you finally drift off into sleep.