⤷ ❛ ❅ rooftop b

@☾ taemin l｡ Jennie’s parted lips, now mostly full of rosie pink, closed as she checked her mentors expression. She knew from the way his black orbs slightly moved that he was thinking of something… and his sigh caused her to sit up. Again, she didn’t enjoy when she was burdensome…but talking to the dean, would be excruciating… and Taemin had to have known that.

A horrible thought came to Jennie’s mind sudden which made her hands twitch. She hadn’t spotted the dean yet. What if the dean was…the one they called Mother. No, that mother was dead and gone…

…The corners of Jennie’s brain hide horrible secrets…

She blinked back into the present as the other touched her shoulder and spoke a plan over her expressed worries of feeding with a stranger…ugh so many horrible layers of that rats nest to unravel. She took Taemin’s other hand, lacing her fingers through his with both of her much smaller palms. She exhaled heavily once more. She raised his hands to her lips, pressing them softly for comfort and also to express physical gratitude that was sometimes hard to put into words for Taemin staying by her side and taking care of her all these years.

Her eyes moved back up to her mentors as he asked about classes. She knew he was trying to distract her, and she would love a distraction…but it was honestly a strange experience, to which she shrugged her shoulders. “I never went to college…I’m trying to treat it like I am, but so much time has past…” going to school at 78 was just an odd concept…though in all truth she felt 32 , so maybe not too odd.

She moved their collective hands down to their laps as Jennie rested her temple against the others shoulder. “How is Ten?” Now a real smile appeared on her more vibrant lips, as she awaited to hear of the news. Taemin had explained his true love story to her before, and was aware of the general status of “starting over” again…but it was just so precious. Like a romance novel playing out before her very eyes that she used to secretly read when she was 17.

@☾ jennie k｡ Understandably, she’s shaken—he would’ve thought it rather strange had her reactions been anything less—but as Jennie slowly returns to her senses and relinquishes herself from his hold, subtle wet trails adorning her cheeks, Taemin truly has to wonder just /how much/ of Mother’s torment she endured that he had not been privy to.

Evidently, far more than he had initially thought.

He supposes there's no way to know for sure. Mother had been a master of deception, her every word and action meticulously crafted to fit her grand design. Her cunning extended beyond mere manipulation; it delved into the realms of secrecy and carefully concealed cruelty, a shadowy tapestry woven with threads of hidden agendas and undisclosed malevolence. Her torment, a subtle poison, still lingers in the shadows, leaving scars unseen yet deeply felt in both of them.

Her question draws a discontented sigh from him.

“No, little one, I haven’t had the opportunity yet,” he mutters, bitter frustration tinging his words as he thinks about the elusive dean and her perpetually occupied schedule. “Trying to track that woman down has become…quite the endeavor. I fear it’s going to take a little while longer.”

He leans against the railing, his back against the iron, and crosses his arms. The cityscape may not capture his gaze, but the fear permanently etched into Jennie’s visage holds his attention.

When she expresses uncertainty about her future feeder, Taemin lays a hand on her shoulder. “We can work on some desensitization techniques, gradually introducing the idea and finding ways to make the transition and the act of feeding itself less overwhelming. I will continue to feed you directly for now, though, to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need. Don’t worry. We have ample time to figure out a solution.”

His gaze softens, a gentle reassurance aimed at lessening her anxiety. The shift in conversation is intentional, a deliberate move to steer her thoughts away from the distressing subject. “Enough about that for now. How have your classes been? Any interesting developments?"

@☾ taemin l｡ The others words felt like distant, repeated memories, but they still held on to the edges of her consciousness as she tried to come back down to earth in her mentors arms. She raised her hands to her ears, pressing inward to shut out the faint sounds of crackling fire, the screams of the animals being burned behind the red door, the vision of her parents heads on sticks of sharpened wood, the smell of-

Her breathes shook as she tried to catch what she could, the blood gain making her head buzz harder from the rush of being filled with nutrients again. She painfully pulled her hands from her ears, trying to follow Taemin’s lead in her breathes. They were safe. It was okay. She wrapped her arms around his waist, moving her breathes next to his as his chest and stomach moved in and out (probably with effort as it was an unnecessary necessity for her learning).

She followed along to his pattern, her breathes becoming less shaky as tasted less like iron and flowers, as she counted 2 things she could hear (taemin’s voice, the wind) and 3 things she could feel (the shingle under her legs, the slight roughness of Taemin’s coat exterior, and the silk on her cheek from Taemin’s shirt). She was okay. It was okay.

“…I don’t know how I’m going to do this with a donor.” She finally made some commentary after some moments, her grip loosening on the taller’s frame as she took one more breath and opened her glowing orbs. She pulled herself slowly to sit up again, checking her cheeks for tears (there was a little, quickly wiping them away). She tilted her head up toward the other with a tired, slightly forced sad smile. She felt pitiful, and yet, she had no other ways to cope besides facing her trauma head on every once in a while…

“Did you talk with the headmaster of the institute recently? The dean?” It was another burden she knew she was to him. But trying to talk to another supernatural creature…no matter how mundane they appeared, was like trying to talk to a spinning blade aimed at . It came as part of her muteness which only occurred as her second way to cope with everything and everyone… but she was fully aware she was at an age (internally) where she needed to fend for herself. But she had only so little to expend of herself…she was just trying to collect the pieces here.

At the same time, she knew the other understood. He’d lived much longer and seen more than she probably could handle to know…but he was steady now, with time and patience. And she hoped that soon, she could be the same…

@☾ jennie k｡ Taemin offers his wrist, the fabric of his sleeve pulled away to expose the tender skin beneath. Jennie's fangs have already punctured his flesh. Despite the initial sting, he remains still—a perfect portrait of patience and understanding. His hand covers her eyes gently, shielding her from the sight of blood, a gesture exclusively meant to help alleviate the burden of her fears.

The cool breeze carries a mix of scents—the earthiness of the rooftop, the faint aroma of nearby flowers, and the subtle hint of Jennie's stress. Taemin feels her tension like a palpable weight in the air. It's a weight he's grown accustomed to bearing alongside her.

As she drinks, Taemin hushes her gently, his voice a soothing melody amidst the quiet rooftop ambiance and Jennie’s increasingly labored breaths. "Easy, little one,” he murmurs, his words a gentle reassurance. "You're doing very well. That's it, take what you need."

When she finally releases his wrist, Taemin removes his hand from her eyes and wraps his arms around her, pulling her into a comforting embrace. He feels the weight of her struggles, the internal conflict she endures as a vampire who finds the essence of life repulsive.

"It's okay, Jennie,” he whispers, his voice a tender comfort. "You did exceptionally well. I'm very proud of you." His words are meant to offer a moment of reprieve from the turmoil within her. "Take some deep breaths with me, okay? You're alright. You’re safe.”

@☾ taemin l｡ The youngling listened as her guide spoke, never in judgement but only in care for her well being. Jennie rubbed her tight lips together, still and staring down at her legs, until the other touched her cheek, to which she turned her face inward to the hand, looking toward Taemin as he promised they would do things together, as always.

Watching as the older rolled up his sleeve and exposed his wrist, Jennie gripped the roof underneath her harder. She didn’t want to hurt the other, though with his strength and will that seemed nearly impossible. Most of all she didn’t want to drink. But again, there was no point in running. “Taemin…” she said his name softly, her only attempt to protest. She felt grow tight in thirst and anxiety.

She took the others free hand, repeating the comforting action he’d done many a times, by pressing the cool palm over her eyelids. With the other hand , Jennie cupped the others open wrist, bringing it closer to her lips. She released a small whimper as her fangs grew larger , poking out from as they screamed in hunger. Shakily, she open her jaw, slowly meeting her canines to her mentors skin, sinking down in carefully. But as soon as the blood rushed to her teeth and into , her bite grip tightened.

She moaned softly as her shivled body got instant relief, the nutrients circulating into her weary veins, the sensation of life coming back into her being. She drank and drank until she became conscious again that she was drinking blood, not water (her mind gets fuzzy from the hunger) and her once locked jaw loosens, dropping down and back as she pulls up from her feast. She feels the blood on her lips and the leftovers in as she gasps. Even though she can’t see it, she can feel it. And she knows damn well from the consistency it’s…

Jennie keeps her eyes tightly shut, quickly pressing her face into the others chest as her breathes get heavy and quick, her brain buzzing from the adrenaline and the threatening memories she fought away. Her entire body began to shake in guilt from what she did. She tried to secure herself in the others figure as she felt too amped to cry, but oh how she wanted to not live this way.

@☾ jennie k｡ The rooftop, quiet and isolated against the canvas of overcast clouds, sets the stage as Taemin and Jennie sit beneath the muted sunlight filtering through the thick cloud cover. Taemin, ever mindful of Jennie's struggles, turns to her.

"Jennie," he begins, his voice soft against the tranquil stillness yet tinged with disappointment. "Two weeks is an awfully long time. Taking care of yourself is crucial, especially given our situation. Ignoring your needs only puts you at risk."

The weight of her admission lingers, a shared understanding between them. Taemin, empathetic to her traumas, continues with a touch of understanding.

"I get it, little one," he says. "The sight of blood terrifies you, and I know it's tough. But we can tackle this together. There are ways to make it less daunting, and I'm here to guide you." His hand moves from her shoulder to gently cup her cheek. "Your well-being matters, and I won't let you go through unnecessary hardships by yourself. We'll work through this together, okay?”

In a move that's both mentorship and care, Taemin rolls back his sleeve with purpose, revealing the pale expanse of his wrist. "If you can't do it alone right now, let me help you," he insists gently, the offer firm. “Close your eyes and take as much as you need.”

@☾ taemin l｡ Lost in space, suspended indefinitely, Jennie didn't notice her mentor coming to the rooftop alongside her. She heard her name from the gentle rhythm of his vocal chords, turning her head gently yet attentively his direction, deer-like orbs resting on his lanky figure. Her pale lips raised themselves upon seeing him. He was about the only person that cared for her, and she for him equally.

Upon his question though it was meant to be warm, caused a tinge in the young vampire's chest, and a twist in her empty stomach. The topic was sensitive, but necessary...possibly something she would never get used to. But Taemin always was hopeful in her progress. When she first came out of her catatonic state under Taemin's guidance, she was the most stubborn and traumatized she'd ever been with blood. She had to learn to feed, and she resisted nearly every second of it...but it was no longer an option for her to receive blood drips. It was a gruesome process, but the wiser vampire was always patient with her...

"2 weeks...not that long..." if she had a heart beat, it would be racing with dreaded anticipation of the others response. She was fully aware that feeding was a daily process, just like bread and water was to humans. But it was not easy. Blood was...despicable to her mind. There had been too much of it in her past...the color itself was enough to make her nauseous. Despite it being the only sustenance that mattered to her existence. She exhaled heavily, looking down at her knees as she knew what was coming, and that there was no point in jumping off the roof and making a break. He'd catch her in a millisecond, especially with the differences in strength.

@☾ jennie k｡ The rooftop stands desolate beneath the overcast sky, the muted sunlight filtering through the thick cloud cover. Taemin's steps are deliberate as he ascends, his eyes scanning the empty space for the familiar figure of his young companion. The wind whispers through the air, carrying with it a cool, somber touch.

In the quiet of the cloudy afternoon, Taemin spots Jennie near the edge, her silhouette blending with the subdued surroundings. "Jennie," he greets, his voice a comforting melody amidst the stillness of the rooftop. His ancient senses, finely attuned to the nuances of their immortal existence, pick up on the telltale signs that she's in need of sustenance, drawing a thoughtful furrow to his brow.

"How long has it been this time, little one?" he inquires gently, his gaze reflecting both familiarity and a depth of understanding. It's more than a question about time; it's a recognition of her struggles and an empathetic acknowledgment of the challenges inherent in their existence.

The air was crisp and slightly nippy in it's temperature. Not that a vampiric body could make out much difference between that and a sunny spring afternoon. But the grey of the sky and the intervals of wind that tossed around the youngling's chocolate locks had her able to assume how the atmosphere was supposed to properly feel.

She sat at the edge of the rooftop, palms loosely wrapped on the stone shingle underneath her small frame. She wore a simple black sweater with an egg white skirt that reached her ankles, which visible over the end of the roof were barren, along with the rest of her feet. The girl took a deep inhale through her nose, holding the oxygen in her chest cavity for a couple seconds, then parting her tulip white lips with only the slightest hint of pink in the center, she released the oxygen again with more carbon dioxide. Or was that no longer true in a frozen-in-time, dead body? So many things she still didn't understand. This school was her only escape seemingly...if she could learn from it.