Archive of Our Own ^beta
beta 尽在 AO3 (Archive of Our Own)！

Chapter Text  正文开始

Regulation #9: All populated areas must contain preserved sections of forested land for each documented vampire coven within the confines of the area. The radius of the forested land that surrounds all vampire coven houses must measure 1.5 kilometers at minimum from the coven house in all directions. These sections of forested land are hailed as “enter at your own risk” areas; humans should remain free of these areas at all times without cause. 
第九条规定：所有人口稠密区内，必须为记录在案的每一个吸血鬼族群保留一定面积的原始森林区域。以每个吸血鬼聚居地为中心，至少要有半径 1.5 公里的森林缓冲区。这些森林区域会被明确划定为“擅入风险自负”区域；在没有任何理由的情况下，人类必须时刻远离这些区域。

~

The next day dragged by, and the only thought on Seonghwa’s mind all the while was Kim Hongjoong and his house in the woods. He couldn’t stop touching his neck, remembering the feeling of Hongjoong’s mouth, the gentle touches of his hands. The memories alone were enough to make him blush, and he couldn’t imagine what it would be like to move into that house. Before meeting Hongjoong, he had been terrified, but the vampire had made him feel so comfortable that now he was desperate for night to fall. 
第二天简直度日如年，星化脑子里只有一个念头：金弘中，还有他在林子里的那栋房子。他忍不住一直摸自己的脖子，回忆着弘中的嘴唇带来的触感，他温柔的指尖。光是这些回忆就足以让他脸红心跳，他简直无法想象搬进那栋房子会是什么样的情景。在遇到弘中之前，他一直恐惧万分，但这个吸血鬼却让他感到如此放松，以至于现在他迫不及待地盼着夜幕降临。

During the daylight hours, he went to the nearest homeless shelter to shower again, for he figured he would be meeting the other vampires that lived in the house at some point, and he didn’t want to look homeless. He was homeless, but they didn’t need to know the truth about that. And, anyway, he would only be homeless for another handful of hours before he finally had somewhere new to live. 
白天的时候，他去了最近的流浪者收容所，又冲了个澡。他寻思着迟早要和住在这屋里的其他吸血鬼碰面，可不想一副无家可归的样子。他现在的确是无家可归，但这事儿没必要让他们知道。再说，反正再熬几个小时，他就有新家了，也就不算无家可归了。

As he walked through the city, stomach hollow and rumbling, he wondered what his room in the house would be like. He wondered what floor it would be on, and if he would have a dresser and a desk, too, just like Hongjoong did. Even if he didn’t have those things, he wouldn’t mind - having a bed would be more than enough. 
走在空荡荡的城市街道上，肚子咕咕叫个不停，他忍不住开始憧憬起未来在那个家里的房间会是什么样子。会是在哪一层楼呢？会不会像洪仲那样，也给他配一个梳妆台和一张书桌？就算没有这些，他也不会介意——能有张床就已经谢天谢地了。

When he had left the blood bank the night before, the receptionist had told him that he would receive the electronic bonus mentioned on the flyer within the next twenty-four hours, and then from there he would receive biweekly checks through the end of his contract. The amount of money was a comfortable sum considering that Seonghwa wouldn’t have any need to pay for lodging, and he looked forward to all of the food he would be able to buy for himself. 
昨天晚上离开血站的时候，接待员告诉他，传单上提到的电子奖励会在二十四小时内到账，之后直到合同结束，他会每两周收到一次支票。考虑到成华不需要支付住宿费用，这笔钱算得上是一笔相当可观的收入，他开始期待着能给自己买各种各样的好吃的了。

He went to the bank to check his account balance just after noon, and he was thrilled to find that the bonus had already been deposited into his checkings. The first thing he did was buy a hot meal from a cheap restaurant nearby, and after he devoured the entire thing without even tasting it, he finally felt somewhat satisfied for the first time in weeks. 
刚过中午，他便急匆匆地跑去银行查账，结果发现奖金已经到账，那叫一个心花怒放！他做的第一件事，就是从附近一家廉价餐馆买了一份热气腾腾的饭菜，狼吞虎咽地把它们全部塞进肚子，连啥味儿都没尝出来。但即便如此，他还是感觉几周以来，头一次有了那么一丝满足感。

Wandering the streets, he entered a secondhand clothing store after that, and he bought a few more clothing items that would make him look more presentable around the vampires that he was going to be surrounded by for the next year. Despite the limited selection, he still tried to find garments that appealed to his personal style, and he was mostly satisfied with his purchases by the time he left the store. 
之后，他漫无目的地在街上溜达，走进一家二手服装店。他买了几件能让自己看起来更体面的衣服——毕竟接下来一年，他都要和一群吸血鬼打交道。尽管店里款式不多，他还是尽量挑选一些符合自己风格的衣服，离开的时候，对这次购物还算比较满意。

With that task finished, he left the store and walked back towards his car, humming to himself. As he was about to cross the street, something blew in front of his feet, and he looked down to find a perfectly intact feather, pure white in color. He picked it up, carrying it close to his chest as he continued to walk. It wouldn’t serve him any particular use, but it was too pretty to be kicked around the city streets.
完成了那件事，他哼着小曲儿离开了商店，往自己的车走去。正要过马路时，一个东西飘到了他脚边。他低头一看，是一根完好无损的羽毛，纯白色，漂亮极了。他捡了起来，紧紧地贴在胸前，继续往前走。虽然没什么特别的用处，但这么好看的东西，被踢来踢去地扔在街上，也太可惜了。

When he returned to his car, he changed into a pair of casual but still nice clothes from the selection he had just bought, a pair of jeans with a black sweater that clung to his body nicely. Seonghwa wasn’t short, but his frame was quite slight due to the malnourishment that he had never been able to escape since his childhood, and he was grateful for the thick fabric of the sweater that hid the outlines of his bones. 
回到车里，他换上了刚刚买的休闲但又不失体面的衣服——一条牛仔裤，搭配一件黑色毛衣，紧贴着他的身体，勾勒出好看的线条。星化个子不算矮，但因为从小营养不良，身材一直很单薄。他很喜欢这件厚实的毛衣，能遮住他突出的骨骼轮廓。

He wondered if Hongjoong had felt the papery skin stretched over his wrists when he had touched the area, or if he had taken note of the deep hollows of Seonghwa’s cheeks, the sunken sockets of his eyes. Hongjoong had still called him beautiful despite all of that, but Seonghwa wasn’t naive; he knew that Hongjoong had noticed how poor his current situation was, even if he wasn’t aware of the details. 
他不知道洪中是不是已经觉察到了，他触碰自己手腕时，那层薄得像纸一样的皮肤，又或者，他有没有注意到自己脸颊深深的凹陷，还有眼窝也深陷下去。尽管如此，洪中还是说他漂亮。但星化没那么天真，他知道洪中肯定已经发现了自己糟糕的现状，即使洪中并不清楚具体细节。

That knowledge didn't bother Seonghwa very much, though, because even after noticing those things, Hongjoong had still treated him like a human. He hadn’t expected himself to lose his fear of the vampire so quickly, but his heart had latched onto Hongjoong before his mind had even been able to process his touches, his kind words. All Seonghwa had wanted for so long was just to be cared for, even by just one single person, and he felt closer to that now than he had in a long, long time. 
不过，意识到这一点，星化倒也没觉得太困扰。因为即便注意到了这些，洪中仍然把他当人看待。他也没想到自己会这么快就卸下对吸血鬼的恐惧，但他的心早就被洪中给俘获了，甚至在他脑子还没来得及消化那些温柔的触碰和话语之前。星化渴望被关怀，渴望了太久太久，哪怕只有一个人也好。而现在，他感觉自己离这个愿望，前所未有地近了。

As a child, Seonghwa had curled up in his bed at the orphanage and muffled his sobs with his pillow, the names and faces of the children occupying the beds around him always changing as they cycled through, no one else spending as long there as Seonghwa had. New faces had appeared and been adopted, and old faces had grown old enough to leave on their own while Seonghwa was still young. 
小时候，星化总是蜷缩在孤儿院的床上，用枕头闷住啜泣声。他周围床铺上的孩子换了一茬又一茬，来来去去，似乎只有他待的时间最久。一张张新面孔出现又被领养，一张张旧面孔长大到可以独自离开，而星化却还那么年轻。

No one had ever really cared about him. No one had ever wanted him, and when he was little, that pain had ruled his life. As he had grown he had learned how to force it down, but the hopes of that child inside of him had never truly disappeared. And now, for the first time, someone had shown the interest in him that he had always hoped for. Hongjoong had chosen him, and he hadn’t changed his mind even after he saw Seonghwa in person. 
从来没有人真正关心过他，没有人真正想要他。小时候，这种痛苦几乎占据了他的全部生活。长大后，他学会了如何强行压抑这种感觉，但他内心深处那个孩子的希望却从未真正消失。而现在，他有生以来第一次感受到有人对他产生了渴望已久的兴趣。洪中选择了他，甚至在亲眼见到他之后，也没有改变主意。

If Hongjoong was the only person on this earth who had ever done that for him, then why should he hold any kind of allegiance towards anyone else? 
如果洪中是这世上唯一一个这样对他好的人，那他为什么还要对其他人抱有任何忠诚呢？

After so many years of trying to convince himself that he was content with loneliness, Seonghwa actually had something to feel hopeful about at last, and the sun seemed brighter because of it. He packed all of belongings into the suitcase that he kept in the trunk of his car, and everything fit inside easily, for he didn’t own many things to begin with. 
这么多年来，盛和一直试图说服自己安于孤独，但现在，他终于感受到了一丝希望，阳光似乎也因此变得更加明媚。他将所有的东西都塞进了后备箱里的那个行李箱里，一切都很轻松地装下了，毕竟他本来也没什么家当。

He still had to wait a little while longer for the sun to set in full, but then he clambered into the driver’s seat and started his car, his headlights illuminating the way as he began to drive through the city, recalling the route the van had taken the night before. Anticipatory nerves twisted in his chest, and he felt like he couldn’t breathe enough air into his lungs, his hands shaking slightly against the steering wheel. 
太阳完全落山还需要再等等，但他已经迫不及待地爬上驾驶座，发动汽车。车头灯照亮前路，他开始在城市里穿梭，努力回忆着昨晚那辆面包车的行车路线。一种既期待又紧张的情绪在他胸腔里翻腾，让他感觉呼吸都有些困难，双手也微微颤抖着握着方向盘。

The drive took about a half an hour, and the final portion after he entered the forest was the most peaceful, free from the light and noise pollution of the city. His car was old, and he had to drive slowly along the dirt road for fear of getting stuck, but as a small clearing came into view Seonghwa could make out the subtle glow of a full moon just above the trees, hovering over the silhouette of the house he had visited the night before. 
开了大约半个小时，进入森林后的最后一段路程反而最为宁静，远离了城市的喧嚣和光污染。他的车有些老旧，只能小心翼翼地在泥泞的道路上缓慢行驶，生怕陷进去。当一片小空地映入眼帘时，星和能看到一轮满月在树梢上方散发着柔和的光芒，笼罩着他昨晚去过的那栋房子的轮廓。

Seonghwa parked in the same place where the van had parked last time, behind two sleek black cars that must have belonged to the vampires inside. He wondered how many other members of the coven there were besides Hongjoong, for in a house of this size, there could have easily been a dozen, maybe more. 
星 trails 星华把车停在了上次那辆厢型车停的地方，两辆亮黑色的轿车后面，肯定属于里面那些吸血鬼的。 他忍不住琢磨，除了洪中，这个吸血鬼组织里还有多少人？这么大的房子，住个十几二十个都不成问题。

That thought was a bit intimidating, and he tried not to jump to conclusions as he left the driver’s seat to open the trunk, pulling out his suitcase before closing it and pressing the lock button on his keys. He pulled up the handle of the suitcase and headed for the door, the wheels jostling over the uneven forest ground. Again, warm lighting was visible through the windows, and Seonghwa ascended the stairs with his heart in his throat.
想到这儿，他心里有点发毛，赶紧打住，别自己吓自己。下了驾驶座，打开后备箱，拖出自己的行李箱。 砰的一声关上后备箱，按下钥匙上的锁车键。 他拉起行李箱的拉杆，朝着大门走去，轮子在坑坑洼洼的林地地面上颠簸着。 窗户里又透出温暖的光线，星华心都快跳到嗓子眼了，一步步走上台阶。

He reached out to use the door knocker, and a heavy thud resounded through the thick wood, one that would be impossible to miss from inside. A gust of wind swept past, and Seonghwa wrapped one of his arms around his middle, the other one gripping the handle of his suitcase. 
他抬手，用门环重重地叩了几下门，那沉闷的声响穿透厚实的木门， নিশ্চিত了里面的人不可能听不见。一阵风吹过，星化紧了紧环抱住自己的手臂，另一只手牢牢地抓着行李箱的把手。

After a few seconds, the door opened, and Hongjoong was the one standing on the other side this time around. As soon as their eyes met, a wide smile stretched over his face, eyes twinkling with the same magic as the stars above. “Come in, you look cold,” he said immediately, and he reached out to take the suitcase from Seonghwa’s hand, ushering him inside with a gentle touch to his waist. “It’s getting chilly out at night, now.” 
几秒后，门开了，这次站在门后的是弘中。当他们的目光交汇的那一刻，一个灿烂的笑容绽放在他的脸上，眼睛里闪烁着和天上的星星一样迷人的光芒。“快进来，你看起来很冷，”他立刻说道，伸手从星化手里接过行李箱，轻轻地扶着他的腰，把他迎了进去。“晚上越来越冷了。”

“Can you even feel the cold?” Seonghwa asked, happy to step into the house, for it was much warmer inside courtesy of that fireplace he had seen last time. “Since you’re…”
“你…你甚至能感觉到冷吗？” 星化问道，他迫不及待地走进屋里，果然暖和多了，上次来的时候他就注意到那个壁炉了。“毕竟你…”

“Dead?” Hongjoong finished, and Seonghwa blushed. “No, I cannot feel it, at least not in the same way you can. I can tell that it’s cold, but I cannot feel cold myself - I have no need for coats or jackets, even if it is snowing outside. It’s a bit difficult to explain.” 
“已经死了？” 弘中替他说了出来，星化脸颊微红。“不，我感觉不到，至少不像你们那样。我知道现在很冷，但我自己感觉不到——我不需要外套或夹克，就算外面下着雪也一样。有点难解释。”

“No, I think I get it,” Seonghwa murmured, shuffling his feet as Hongjoong closed the door behind the two of them. He could hear distant voices coming from somewhere else in the house, and it made him feel a bit nervous. He didn’t know where they had all been last night, but the rest of the coven members were clearly home this time. 
“不，我想我明白了。” 星化轻声说道，一边有些局促地挪动着脚步，弘中则在他身后关上了门。他能听到从房子其他地方传来的隐约人声，这让他有点紧张。他不知道昨晚他们都去了哪里，但这次看来其他 coven 成员都在家。

Once the door was shut, Hongjoong turned to look at Seonghwa, his expression just as kind as the last time. His grin still possessed a bit of a flirtatious edge, but Seonghwa was beginning to suspect that he wouldn’t be losing that anytime soon. “Hello there, darling,” he said, his accent thicker on the word ‘darling’ in a way that made Seonghwa’s knees feel weak. 
门一关上，洪中就转过身来看着星和，表情还是和上次一样温柔。他的笑容依旧带着一丝调情的意味，但星和开始觉得他这辈子可能都摆脱不了这种感觉了。“你好啊，宝贝儿，”他说，在“宝贝儿 (darling)” 这个词上加重了口音，星和听得腿都软了。

“Hi,” Seonghwa said lamely, pulling the sleeves of his sweater down over his hands to warm his fingers. “I can, um, carry my own suitcase. It’s really not heavy.”
“嗨，”星和笨拙地回应道，把毛衣袖子拉下来盖住双手，想暖和一下手指。“那个，我自己能拿行李箱的，其实不重。”

“That will not be necessary,” Hongjoong replied, seemingly content to keep it. “What other bags do you have out there? I will send someone out to get them for you while I show you to your room, if you would like.”
“没那个必要，” 洪中回答，似乎很乐意继续帮他拿着。“外面还有别的行李吗？如果你愿意，我可以派人去帮你拿进来，我带你先去房间看看。”

Cheeks warming, Seonghwa dragged his bottom lip against his teeth before responding. “I don’t have anything else. Just that suitcase, everything is in there.” 
盛 flow 的双颊微微泛红，他咬着下唇，犹豫了一下才回答：“我…我没有别的了。就只有一个行李箱，所有的东西都在里面。”

Hongjoong blinked at him before looking down at the bag, the gears turning in his mind as he nodded. “Oh, alright,” he said, and the corners of his mouth lifted into another smile, although this one was a bit softer. “Not a problem, then. Would you like to see your room? We can leave your belongings there, and then you can meet the other members of my coven, if you would be okay with that.” 
洪中 眨了眨眼，然后低头看了看那个包，脑子里飞速地盘算着什么，点了点头。“哦，好吧，”他说，嘴角再次扬起一个微笑，不过这次的笑容更加柔和。“没问题，没问题。要不要先去看看你的房间？我们可以把你的东西放在那里，然后你就可以见见我法师团的其他成员了，如果你愿意的话。”

Swallowing down his nerves, Seonghwa nodded. “Well then, follow me,” Hongjoong said, striding forward to pass in front of Seonghwa, holding out a hand to him. “Upstairs we go.” 
盛 flow 咽了咽口水，努力压下心中的紧张，点了点头。“那…跟我来吧，” 洪中 说道，大步走到盛 flow 前面，向他伸出手。“我们上楼。”

Heart skipping a beat, Seonghwa allowed his hand to fall into Hongjoong’s grasp, and the vampire led him along the same path as the night before, past the fireplace room and up the first set of stairs. Seonghwa couldn’t help but look at their joined hands, and he took note of how pale Hongjoong’s skin looked compared to his own, veins purple underneath his skin, even though no pulse had passed through them in a long time. 
心跳漏了一拍，星化任由自己的手落入弘中的掌握之中。吸血鬼牵着他，沿着昨晚走过的路，穿过壁炉房间，走上第一段楼梯。星化忍不住看向两人相握的手，注意到弘中的皮肤相比之下显得多么苍白，紫色的血管在皮肤下隐约可见，尽管已经很久没有脉搏流过它们了。

Hongjoong’s hands were impossibly soft, the beds of his nails tinged purple. A tiny scar curved over the knuckle of his left thumb, in the shape of a crescent moon. Even that was enchanting in its own right, and Seonghwa hardly paid any attention to his actual surroundings as Hongjoong walked past the door to his bedroom, stopping in front of the next one. 
弘中的手柔软得不可思议，指甲盖泛着淡淡的紫色。左手拇指的指关节上，一道细小的疤痕弯曲着，如同新月一般。就连这疤痕本身也充满了魅力，星化几乎没怎么注意周围的环境，弘中径直走过他卧室的门，停在了下一扇门前。

“I figured this one could be your room, if that is okay with you. Mine is right next door,” Hongjoong explained, letting go of Seonghwa’s hand, which effectively snapped him out of his trance. 
“我寻思着这间可以做你的房间，你要是觉得行就行。我的房间就在隔壁，” 弘中解释道，松开了星化的手，星化这才回过神来。

The door looked exactly the same as all of the other ones, made from polished dark wood, with an intricate oval knob. Seonghwa reached out to brush his fingers against the wood, finding it to be as smooth as it looked. “That’s fine,” he decided, glancing at Hongjoong. “That way, whenever you need to feed, I’m right here.” 
门看起来和其他的门一模一样，都是抛光过的深色木头做的，配着一个精致的椭圆形门把手。星化伸出手，指尖轻轻滑过木门，触感正如它看起来那般光滑。“挺好的，” 他定了定神，看了弘中一眼。“这样，你要是哪天饿了，我不就在你手边么。”

“No, that is not why,” Hongjoong clarified without missing a beat, and Seonghwa frowned. 
“不，不是因为这个，” 弘中不假思索地澄清道，星化皱起了眉头。

“Why else?” he asked, confused. 
“那是为了什么？” 他不解地问道。

Hongjoong leaned against the door, not opening it just yet, his fingers trailing idly over the details that covered the knob. “I wanted you to be close to me. Not for feeding purposes, but simply because I thought you may feel more comfortable that way. You are more to me than just your blood, Seonghwa. You probably know how most vampires treat their feeders, but I am not like that.”
洪仲基靠在门上，没急着打开，手指漫不经心地在门把手上摩挲着，像是在感受它的纹路。“我想让你离我近一点，不是为了吸血，只是因为…我以为那样你会更自在些。对你来说，我不仅仅是你的血源，星和。你也知道大多数吸血鬼是怎么对待供血者的，但我不是那样的人。”

He had already proven that, and Seonghwa just nodded, surprised that he cared so much considering they had only just met. “Well, either way, I’m fine with it,” Seonghwa said. “Can we go inside?” 
这一点他早就证明过了。星和点了点头，有点惊讶于他竟然这么在意自己的感受，毕竟他们才刚认识。“嗯，不管怎么说，我都挺好的，”星和说道，“我们可以进去了吗？”

Wrapping his fingers around the doorknob, Hongjoong twisted it and pushed the door open, holding it for Seonghwa. Only once Seonghwa had entered did he follow, the door remaining ajar behind them. Hongjoong let go of the suitcase, and he clapped his hands together once, watching Seonghwa’s expression. “Is this okay? It is pretty much identical to mine - all of the rooms in the house are. I wanted to get the largest sized beds for the rooms - I forget what humans call that, these days - but Yunho said that this size was better, to make the room more spacious, so I am sorry if you would have liked the larger one better-”
洪仲基握住门把手，拧开后推开了门，扶着门让星和先进。等星和进去了，他才跟着进去，门在他们身后虚掩着。洪仲基松开行李箱，拍了下手，观察着星和的表情。“这样可以吗？这里和我那间几乎一模一样——这房子里的所有房间都这样。我本来想给房间都弄最大尺寸的床——我忘了现在人类怎么叫那种床了——但是允浩说这个尺寸更好，能让房间更宽敞，所以如果你更喜欢大一点的，我很抱歉——”

“It’s perfect,” Seonghwa interrupted, breathless as he trailed his fingers over the bed, the blankets carefully tucked into place. Both of the pillows looked soft as clouds, and he even had the same furniture that he had seen in Hongjoong’s room: a dresser, a desk, and a bedside table. On the opposite wall, there was a closet as well, and he walked around to the other side of the bed, awed by the amount of floor space still available even with all of the furniture. 
“简直太棒了，” 星化打断道，他有些喘不过气，手指轻轻滑过床面，毯子被细心地掖好。两个枕头看起来像云朵般柔软，甚至连家具都和他在弘中房间里看到的一模一样：一个梳妆台，一张书桌，还有一张床头柜。对面的墙边还有一个衣橱，他绕到床的另一边，即使摆满了家具，房间依然宽敞得惊人，让他惊叹不已。

In his old apartment, he had slept on a foldable cot, so small that his feet had hung over the end. He had never imagined that he would ever have a place to sleep like this, a room to call his own, and tears stung his eyes as he frantically blinked them away. “It’s perfect,” he said again, at a loss for any other words. 
在他以前的公寓里，他只能睡在一张折叠床上，那床小的可怜，他的脚总是悬在床沿外面。他从未想过自己有一天也能拥有这样的住所，一间属于自己的房间。泪水涌上眼眶，他拼命眨眼，想把它们赶走。“太棒了，” 他再次说道，一时之间找不到其他任何词语来表达自己的心情。

“Well, it belongs to you,” Hongjoong said, watching Seonghwa fondly. “This is your space. If you ever need to be alone, you can come in here and no one will bother you. It can get a little lively around here, but everyone will respect your privacy, I promise.” 
“嗨，这本来就是你的，” 洪仲基温柔地看着星和，说道。“这是你的地盘。你要是想一个人静静，就来这里，没人会打扰你。我们这儿平时是热闹了点，但我保证，大家都会尊重你的隐私。”

Seonghwa nodded, although it would take him a while to actually become accustomed to this. It felt surreal, to have his own space of this size, and he awaited his next check already so that he could buy some more clothes and other belongings. As it stood now, his clothes would fill about half of the space within one dresser drawer. 
星和点点头，虽然要真正习惯这一切，还得花上一些时间。拥有这么大的私人空间，感觉就像在做梦一样。他已经开始期待下次发工资了，这样就能多买些衣服和其他东西。现在嘛，他的衣服估计连一个抽屉都填不满。

Scanning his eyes over the walls one more time, he then sat on the bed gingerly, sinking slightly into the soft mattress. After sleeping in his car for weeks, aches had gathered all along his body, and he had a feeling that one night in this bed would heal him completely. “How many other vampires live here?” he asked, looking to Hongjoong once more, running his fingers over the soft comforter beneath him. 
他又把目光扫过房间的四壁，然后小心翼翼地坐在床上，身体微微陷进柔软的床垫里。在车里睡了好几周，浑身酸痛，他感觉只要在这张床上睡一晚，就能彻底痊愈。“这里还有多少其他吸血鬼？”他再次看向洪仲，手指轻轻抚摸着身下柔软的被子。

Hongjoong leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “There are six others besides myself. You already met Yunho briefly when he answered the door; he has been with me the longest. He is something of an important man, so he spends a lot of time elsewhere, but he is very kind. They all are, really.” 
洪仲背靠着墙，双臂抱在胸前。“除了我，还有六个。你刚才开门的时候已经匆匆见过允浩了，他是跟着我最久的。他是个挺重要的人物，所以经常不在家，但他非常友善。他们都是，真的。”

“Is that why he was wearing a lab coat?” Seonghwa asked, for he had never actually received an explanation for that. “Last night, when he left?” 
“这就是他穿着实验服的原因吗？”星和问道，因为他还没得到过解释。“昨天晚上，他离开的时候？”

“Yes. He is a doctor - he was one before he was turned, actually. He works at a clinic, and he treats both vampires and humans.”
“没错。他的确是医生——实际上，他变成吸血鬼之前就是个医生。现在他在一家诊所工作，给吸血鬼和人类都看病。”

Now that came as a surprise, because Seonghwa had never heard of anything like that, and his brows dipped low in confusion. Vampires did work amongst humans, but as a doctor? “How does that work?” he asked, his curiosity winning out. “Most humans I’ve encountered would never agree to see a vampire doctor. If I’m being honest, I probably wouldn’t either.” 
这可真是个意外的消息，成华还从没听说过这种事儿，他疑惑地皱起了眉头。吸血鬼在人类社会工作倒是常有的事，但当医生？“这怎么可能？”他好奇地问道，最终还是好奇心占了上风。“我遇到的大部分人类，压根儿不可能同意让吸血鬼医生看病吧。说实话，换成我，恐怕也悬。”

Humming in understanding, Hongjoong nodded. “Let me ask you something. DId you notice that when Yunho smiles, you cannot see his fangs like you can see mine?” For emphasis, he smiled with his teeth, allowing his fangs to show in full for a second before his lips met once more. 
洪仲基哼了一声，表示明白，然后点了点头。“我问你个事儿。你有没有注意到，尹浩笑的时候，不像我这样能看到獠牙？” 为了强调，他咧嘴一笑，露出两颗尖牙，只一秒钟，又抿起了嘴。

“I did, actually,” Seonghwa confirmed, his gaze lingering on Hongjoong’s mouth for a moment longer than it should have. “I thought that was strange.” 
“确实注意到了，” 星化证实道，目光在他嘴唇上多停留了一会儿，有点不该有的意味。“我还觉得挺奇怪的。”

“He willingly had himself defanged,” Hongjoong explained, and his voice possessed an edge of disapproval, an underlying strain. “Because it mattered to him that people understand how minimal the differences between humans and vampires truly are, fangs aside. You know, we were humans once, too. Humanity is not something that you can lose as easily as most people think.”
“他自愿拔掉了獠牙，” 洪仲基解释道，语气里带着一丝不赞同，隐隐有些绷着。“因为他觉得，让人们明白人类和吸血鬼之间的差别有多小，很重要——除了獠牙之外。要知道，我们也曾经是人类啊。人性这种东西，可不像大多数人想的那么容易丢掉。”

Stunned, Seonghwa’s jaw slackened. “I’ve never heard of that,” he murmured, touching his tongue to his own canines, feeling the blunt edges. “He… chose to do that? How does he feed?” 
星和震惊了，下巴都快掉下来。“我从没听说过这种事，” 他喃喃自语，舌尖轻轻舔过自己的犬齿，感受着那钝钝的边缘。“他…自己选择变成这样的？那他怎么活？”

“Blood bags,” Hongjoong answered, speaking through his teeth. Even though they had only just met, Seonghwa could still read Hongjoong’s displeasure well enough to know that he didn't approve of Yunho’s choice. “Drinks them through a straw.”
“血袋，” 弘中咬着牙回答道。 即使他们才刚认识，星和也能轻易察觉到弘中的不悦，显然他并不赞同允浩的选择。“用吸管喝。”

“And you don’t like that, do you?” Seonghwa asked, although he kept his words unassuming, for he didn’t want to press if this was a topic Hongjoong didn’t want to elaborate upon. He would understand if that were the case, for he had yet to earn any real trust, and he had no right to any of the answers to his questions if Hongjoong didn’t want to provide them. 
“你不喜欢这样，对吧？” 星和问道，语气尽量平和，不想逼问弘中不愿多谈的话题。 如果是这样，他也能理解，毕竟他们之间还没建立起真正的信任，如果弘中不想回答，他也没有权利追问。

With a sigh, Hongjoong shook his head. “It happened a long time ago, do not misunderstand me, but… that is one of the regulations that I have always had a problem with. I fought to have it overturned, but it was a losing battle from the start. I do not believe defanging should ever be an option, but Yunho knew what he wanted. He has always been a little more human than I, even from the beginning. I both respect and resent that part of him, sometimes.” 
洪仲基叹了口气，摇了摇头。“那是很久以前的事了，别误会我的意思，但是……那是我一直以来都很不爽的规定之一。我曾努力想推翻它，但从一开始就是一场必输的仗。我不认为‘去獠牙’（defanging）应该成为一种选项，但允浩（Yunho）知道自己想要什么。他一直比我更像人类，从一开始就是这样。我既尊重又有点怨恨他这一点，有时候。”

“I’ve never really talked with another vampire before, but I think you’re more human than a lot of others, based on what I’ve heard,” Seonghwa supplied, looking for a way to ease the tension that had visibly gathered along Hongjoong’s frame. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring that up, I was just curious. I don’t know a lot about vampires.” 
“我以前从来没真正跟其他吸血鬼聊过，但我觉得你比很多人都更像人类，就我听到的那些事来说，” 星和（Seonghwa）试图缓和一下洪仲基（Hongjoong）身上明显紧绷的气氛，补充道。“对不起，我不是故意要提起这个，我只是好奇。我对吸血鬼了解不多。”

“It is alright,” Hongjoong assured, pursing his lips as he shifted the subject. “But other than Yunho, there are five others that you have not met yet. They are all here, so I can introduce you to them, but I would like to just tell you a few things about them first, if that would be okay. I think it may make you feel more comfortable if you know what to expect.” 
“没事，” 弘中安抚道，抿了抿嘴，岔开了话题。“除了允浩，你还有五个没见过呢。他们都在这儿，我可以介绍你们认识，不过我想先跟你说说他们的一些情况，可以吗？我觉得如果你心里有个底，可能会更自在一点。”

Seonghwa nodded, grateful for Hongjoong’s foresight. “I think so too,” he agreed, and they shared a soft smile, his heart fluttering in response to that subtle curve of Hongjoong’s lips. He really was so handsome, in a way that no human could ever be. He possessed an eternal grace, a magic that seemed to be laced through his skin, and Seonghwa still couldn’t quite believe that this arrangement was real. That this was really his new home.
星化点点头，很感激弘中的先见之明。“我也觉得是，”他赞同道，两人交换了一个温柔的微笑，弘中嘴角那不易察觉的弧度，让他的心不受控制地小鹿乱撞。他真的是太帅了，那种帅气，是人类根本无法企及的。他浑身散发着一种永恒的优雅，一种仿佛融入他肌肤的魔法，星化到现在还是不敢相信，这一切都是真的。这真的是他的新家了。

“Yunho was the first one I met, although back then, covens were not nearly as commonplace as they are now. I was not tied to anyone, not after I left my sire, and neither was he, but he was the first vampire whom I really came to trust. It helped that we were part of the same overarching clan.”
“允浩是我遇到的第一个，虽然那时候术士集会远没有现在这么普遍。自从离开我的创造者之后，我就没再依附于任何人，他也是，但他确实是我真正开始信任的第一个吸血鬼。我们同属一个大的氏族，这也有帮助。”

“The immortalists,” Seonghwa filled in, and Hongjoong nodded. 
“永生者，”星化补充道，弘中点了点头。

“Yes. For a while, it was just the two of us, and then Mingi came along. He was a human, at first.” Seonghwa perked up at that, for it sounded somewhat similar to his own situation. “Yunho had not lost his fangs yet at that point, because the peace negotiations had not happened yet - sorry, I know I am not explaining this well, and it is probably confusing for you. But Mingi was attacked by a vampire and left for dead on the streets, and Yunho found him. He was going to die otherwise, so Yunho slit his own wrist and fed Mingi the blood to save his life.”
“是啊。有那么一阵子，就我们俩，后来 Mingi 也加入了。他一开始可是个货真价实的人类。” 听到这儿，星和来了点精神，因为这听起来跟他自己的情况有点类似。“那时候 Yunho 还没失去他的獠牙，因为和平谈判还没开始——抱歉，我知道我解释得不太清楚，可能把你搞糊涂了。不过 Mingi 是被一个吸血鬼袭击后，丢在街上等死的时候，Yunho 发现了他。眼看着他就要不行了，Yunho 就划破自己的手腕，把血喂给 Mingi，救了他的命。”

Pressing a hand to his mouth, Seonghwa processed the story, shocked by how brutal it was. When he thought about vampires, he rarely ever considered how they had actually been turned, or what their lives as humans had been like. He could only imagine that for Mingi, he had carried a wealth of trauma after experiencing something like that, and his heart swelled with sympathy. 
星化一手捂住嘴，消化着这个故事，震惊于它的残酷。当他想到吸血鬼时，很少会去想他们究竟是如何被转化的，或者他们作为人类的生活是什么样的。他只能想象，对于旼琦来说，在经历了那样的事情之后，他背负了多少创伤，这让他心疼不已。

Part of him wanted to interrupt, but he held his tongue, eager to hear about the rest as well. Hongjoong pressed on, and the slight lilt of his accent made his words pleasant to listen to, like a song of his own making. “San came after that, although he was another immortalist that was not turned by any of us. He came from the countryside, but he made his way towards Seoul after hearing word of the other immortalists there - that was the three of us. Seoul was not urbanized yet at that point. The peace negotiations took place after that, because the amount of vampire attacks were skyrocketing without regulations. I am sure you have learned about that before - the uprisings, the cullings, all of that.” 
他心里其实有点想打断，但还是忍住了，特想听听后面的故事。洪中接着说了下去，他那略带口音的腔调，听起来特别舒服，就像一首他自己写的歌一样。“San 是之后来的，不过他跟我们不一样，不是被我们变成永生者的。他从乡下来的，听说首尔有其他的永生者——就是我们仨——就一路奔过来了。那时候的首尔还没那么繁华呢。后来就有了和平谈判，因为那时候的吸血鬼袭击事件太多了，没规矩不行啊。后面的事儿你肯定也学过了——暴动啊，清洗啊，那些乱七八糟的。”

Seonghwa nodded, although he couldn’t imagine actually living through all of that. As he spoke about it, Hongjoong’s demeanor had darkened along with the memories, the muscles in his jaw tensing. “Well, we had to form a coven then, so the four of us became one unit. For a while, it was just us - the other three are a bit younger than we are. Yeosang and Jongho were turned at the same time, but they were both regulated, so it was a simple process. I sired Jongho, and Yunho sired Yeosang.” 
星化点点头，虽然他实在无法想象亲身经历这一切会是什么感觉。洪中在讲述这些过往时，神色也随着那些回忆变得阴沉，下颚的肌肉也紧绷起来。“嗯，所以当时我们必须得组成一个巫师团，我们四个就成了一个整体。有段时间，只有我们几个——另外三个比我们小一些。瑜晌和钟浩是同时被转化的，但他们都受到了规范，所以过程很简单。我转化了钟浩，允浩转化了瑜晌。”

He didn’t offer any more information about that, but Seonghwa figured he would learn more as he spent more time here. This was just a simple overview, and he was grateful for it. “What about the last one?’ he asked. “You said there were three younger ones, and that’s only two.” 
关于这些，他没有再提供更多的信息，但星化觉得，随着他在这里待的时间越来越长，他会了解更多的。这只是一个简单的概况，他已经很感激了。“那最后一个呢？”他问道，“你说有三个更年轻的，但你只说了两个。”

Grimacing slightly, Hongjoong nodded. “The last one to join our coven was Wooyoung. He is something of a special case, though, because he is still a fledgling. He was only turned two months ago, and I was actually hesitant to bring you here because of him. Everyone else will be fine around you, but you need to be careful with him. He is not fully in control of himself yet.” 
洪仲基微微皱了皱眉头，点了点头。“我们圣约盟最后一个加入的是佑荣。不过，他有点特殊，因为他还是个雏鸟。他才变成吸血鬼两个月，说实话，我本来还犹豫要不要带你来，就是因为他。其他人跟你相处都没问题，但你得小心他。他还没完全控制住自己。”

Biting at the inside of his cheek nervously, Seonghwa nodded. “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind,” he murmured, his mind already running wild with apprehension. He moved his hand to rest against his neck, covering the scars there. 
星和紧张地咬着腮帮子，点了点头。“好的，我会记住的，” 他喃喃说道，脑子里已经开始胡思乱想，充满了不安。他抬手摸了摸自己的脖子，遮住了那里的伤疤。

Hongjoong pushed away from the wall then, and he closed the distance between the two of them, settling down beside Seonghwa on the edge of the bed. “I would never let him hurt you,” he promised, sensing Seonghwa’s unease. “But I just want you to be aware, because this will be his first time being around a human since he was turned, and I do not know how he will handle it. Nothing will happen to you, as long as you are not alone with him, which I will not allow to happen. Okay?” 
洪仲基从墙边直起身子，拉近了和星和的距离，在他床边坐下。“我绝不会让他伤害你。”他感受到星和的不安，承诺道，“我只是想让你心里有个数，毕竟这是他变成吸血鬼后第一次接触人类，我也不知道他会怎么反应。只要你不单独和他待在一起，就绝对不会有事，我不会允许那种情况发生的，好吗？”

“Sorry, it’s not that I don’t believe you, because I do, I just - I guess that makes me a bit nervous, that’s all,” Seonghwa admitted, sucking in a deep breath. “Being around vampires in general is new to me. I’ve always done everything in my power to avoid it, because, you know…” He didn’t elaborate, but he didn’t need to, for Hongjoong had already seen the scars. “But now… I don’t really have the luxury of avoiding it anymore. If I’m being honest, I needed somewhere to live and a steady form of income.” 
“不是我不相信你，我是信你的，只是…只是这让我有点紧张，就只是这样，” 星化承认道，深吸了一口气。“和吸血鬼待在一起对我来说还是新鲜事。我一直竭尽所能地避免这种情况，因为，你知道的…” 他没有细说，但也没必要，弘中早就看到了他身上的伤疤。“但是现在…我真的没法再逃避了。说实话，我需要一个住的地方和稳定的收入来源。”

He was embarrassed to admit that, but Hongjoong took it in stride, probably because he had already figured as much. “I will not let anything happen to you, darling,” he said again, and his tone of voice made Seonghwa’s head spin. 
承认这一点让他有点难为情，但弘中很坦然地接受了，大概是因为他早就猜到了。 “我不会让你受到任何伤害，亲爱的，” 他再次说道，他的语气让星化有点神魂颠倒。

“Do you call everyone that?” Seonghwa asked, one side of his mouth twitching upwards. “Darling, I mean.” 
“你对谁都这么叫吗？” 星化问道，嘴角微微抽动。“我是说，‘亲爱的’。”

Hongjoong grinned, the wicked points of his fangs exposed. “No,” he replied easily. “That is a name I’ve reserved for you, if you are so keen to know.” 
洪仲基咧嘴一笑，两颗小虎牙调皮地露了出来。“不，”他轻描淡写地说，“那可是我特地为你准备的称呼，你要是真那么想知道的话。”

“Why?”   “干嘛呀？”

“You ask a lot of questions,” Hongjoong commented, which made Seonghwa’s face warm. “And you already know why.” 
“你问题可真多，” 洪仲基评价道，惹得星和脸颊微微发烫。“而且你自己心里也清楚为什么。”

Seonghwa arched a brow. “Do I?” 
星和挑了挑眉，“我有吗？”

“Another question. I will not preserve any of my mysterious appeal if you keep asking for all of the answers, you know.” 
“又一个问题。你要是总想刨根问底，我就没什么神秘感可言了，知道吗？”

With a shrug, Seonghwa replied, “You’ll just have to try harder, then.” 
星和耸耸肩，回道：“那你可得更努力才行啊。”

Eyes twinkling, Hongjoong’s gaze never faltered from Seonghwa’s face. “You intrigue me, and that is not so easy to do. I have come across many people in my lifetime, but I have never met anyone quite like you.”
洪仲基的眼神闪烁着光芒，目光一刻也没有从星和脸上移开。“你成功引起了我的兴趣，这可不容易。我这一生遇到过形形色色的人，但还真没见过像你这样的。”

Seonghwa looked away then, not wanting to let on just how much he enjoyed hearing those words. If Hongjoong found him interesting, maybe he was worth something after all, despite what humanity had made him think all his life. “I could say the same about you,” he said after a brief pause. “You’re nothing like I expected you to be.”
星化听了这话，眼神飘忽了一下，不想让他看出自己心里有多得意。如果洪中觉得他有趣，那是不是说明，不管世人怎么看他，他还是有点价值的？他顿了顿，才开口道：“这话我也想对你说。你跟我预想的，完全不一样。”

“I hope that is a good thing,” Hongjoong replied, and Seonghwa smiled. He had no idea just how good of a thing it was. 
“希望这是好事。”洪中回道。星化笑了，他哪里知道，这简直是天大的好事。

“It is,” Seonghwa appeased. “Although, if you continue behaving like this, you’ll get us both in trouble.”
“当然是好事。”星化安抚道，“不过，你要是再这么下去，咱们俩都得吃不了兜着走。”

The mattress shifted as Hongjoong stood, extending a hand for Seonghwa to take, which he did. “Did I mention that I am on the council? I play a role in upholding our laws - that makes it easier for me to break them.” He winked, pulling Seonghwa up from the bed. He didn’t step back, however, and for a moment their chests were nearly touching, their breath mingling. “Come on, let us go and meet the others.”
床垫随着弘中站起身而微微一动，他伸出手，星化也顺势握住。“我说过我可是议会的成员吗？我负责维护我们的法律——这样我才能更方便地打破它们。” 他眨了眨眼，把星化从床上拉了起来。但他并没有后退，一瞬间，他们的胸膛几乎贴在一起，呼吸也交织缠绕。“走吧，我们去见见其他人。”

He finally moved back a step, and Seonghwa could do nothing but stare after him until a tug at his hand drew him forward. The two of them exited out into the hallway, and Seonghwa trailed a half step behind Hongjoong, still processing his words. “Wait, you’re on the council?”
他终于后退了一步，星化只能愣愣地盯着他的背影，直到手上传来一股拉力才将他拽回现实。两人一前一后走出房间，来到走廊里。星化慢了半拍，亦步亦趋地跟在弘中身后，脑子里还在消化他刚才说的话。“等等，你……你是议会的？”

Hongjoong looked over his shoulder to respond, and from this angle, Seonghwa was momentarily distracted by the length of his lashes. “I am one of the founders of it, yes. Any obstructions of the law that involve vampires are handled by me and the other three council members. So there will be times that I will not be around, because I have duties that relate to my position, but most of the others will always be here. Only Yunho and I actively have to attend to duties outside of our lives here.” 
弘中回头看了他一眼，想回答他的问题，星化却突然被他那长长的睫毛吸引住了，心跳漏了一拍。“我是创始人之一，没错。所有涉及吸血鬼的法律问题都由我和另外三位议员处理。所以有时候我可能不在，因为我有和我的职位相关的职责。不过大部分时候，其他人都会在这里。只有我和润浩需要积极地处理我们在这里的生活之外的事务。”

They made their way down the stairs, Seonghwa still digesting that information as Hongjoong led him into the living room area with the fireplace and the plush velvet couches. Each of the three couches were arranged in an equidistant semicircle around the hearth, only this time, they were occupied, and Seonghwa stopped in his tracks at the entrance to the room. 
他们下了楼，成华还在消化刚刚的信息，弘中领着他走进起居室。那里有壁炉和豪华的天鹅绒沙发。三张沙发以等距半圆的形状围绕着壁炉摆放，只是这一次，沙发上都有了人。成华在房间入口停住了脚步。

“Come on, there is no need to be afraid,” Hongjoong said gently, letting go of his hand to instead touch his waist to guide him forward. “They are nice, I promise. A lot nicer than me, if I am being honest.” 
“来吧，没必要害怕，” 弘中温柔地说着，放开了他的手，转而轻触他的腰，引导他前进。“他们人很好，我保证。说实话，比我好多了。”

At the sound of his voice, all of the vampires sitting by the fire turned in their direction anyway, and Seonghwa forced himself to draw in a deep breath. This would be fine - he could do this. The contract was already signed, and he was bound to this place for the next year; it was in his best interest to make a good impression on all of the vampires who lived here.
听到洪中的声音，围坐在火堆旁的所有吸血鬼都齐刷刷地转头看向他们这边。星化深吸一口气，强迫自己冷静下来。没事的，他可以应付。合同都已经签了，接下来一年他都得待在这里，所以给这里的吸血鬼们留下个好印象才是对他最有利的。

So he stepped forward with Hongjoong, the two of them sitting on the loveseat, the only couch that wasn’t otherwise occupied. Six vampires stared right back at him, and he was at least grateful that they were all here, so he would only have to do this whole introduction thing once. 
于是，他跟着洪中走了过去，两人在唯一的空位——那张双人沙发上坐下。六个吸血鬼直勾勾地盯着他，还好他们都在这儿，这样他就只需要介绍一次就好，星化暗自庆幸。

“This is Seonghwa,” Hongjoong said, breaking the silence, the tips of his fangs brushing over his bottom lip as he grinned. “He is my new feeder. Do not scare him, please, or I will kill you.” 
“这位是星化，”洪中打破了沉默，他咧嘴一笑，尖牙轻轻擦过下唇，“我的新供血者。都给我放尊重点，别吓着他，不然我宰了你们。”

A few of the other vampires chuckled at that, and Seonghwa immediately sought out the one face he recognized. Yunho smiled softly at him in return, his expression just as kind as it had been the night before. “Hey, Seonghwa,” he said, his voice warm. “Nice to see you again.” 
听到这话，有几个吸血鬼忍不住轻声笑了出来。星化立刻在人群中搜寻着那张他唯一认识的脸庞。允浩正温柔地对他微笑，表情和昨晚一样亲切。“嘿，星化，”他嗓音带着暖意说道，“很高兴再次见到你。”

He wasn’t wearing a lab coat this time, and as he spoke, Seonghwa took note of his lack of fangs. His teeth looked just like those of a human, but now that Seonghwa knew the truth, he found it to be more upsetting than comforting. “Hi, Yunho,” he replied, and Yunho seemed pleased that Seonghwa had remembered his name. 
这次他没穿实验服。星化注意到，他说话时并没有露出獠牙。他的牙齿看起来和人类没什么两样，但现在星化已经知道了真相，这反而让他觉得更加不安，而不是感到安慰。“你好，允浩，”他回答道。允浩似乎很高兴星化还记得他的名字。

Forcing his gaze to wander over the rest of the faces in the room, Seonghwa smiled tightly, the pace of his heartbeat quickened by his nerves. “I’m Seonghwa,” he said, even though Hongjoong had already said it. “Thank you all for letting me stay here, I really appreciate it. I won’t get in your way, I promise - I know some of you probably aren’t thrilled about having a human live here amongst you, but I’ll mind my own business, so-”
星化的目光强迫性地扫过房间里的其他人，他扯出一个僵硬的微笑，紧张得心跳都快了几分。“我是星化，” 尽管洪中已经介绍过了，他还是重复了一遍。“谢谢你们能让我留在这里，我真的很感激。我不会碍事的，我保证——我知道你们可能有些人不太乐意和人类住在一起，但我会管好自己，所以——”

“Hey, wait, no,” said one of them, his voice deep but smooth. He sat on the couch beside Yunho, and he appeared equally as tall, although it was difficult to tell for sure when he was seated. “Hongjoong, he’s a nervous wreck, you idiot. Why didn’t you tell him that we were excited to meet him!” 
“嘿，等等，别这样，” 其中一个人开了口，声音低沉而磁性。他坐在允浩旁边的沙发上，看起来和允浩一样高大，虽然坐着不太好判断。“洪中，他都快吓死了，你这个白痴。你怎么没告诉他我们都很期待见到他！”

“I thought I did?” Hongjoong said sheepishly, although it sounded more like a question than a statement, and he rested his hand on Seonghwa’s knee to get his attention. “I am sorry, darling. That is my fault - you really do not have to be afraid. All seven of us wanted you to come here.” 
“我以为我说了呢？” 弘中有点不好意思地说道，但听起来更像是在问问题，他把手放在星和的膝盖上，想引起他的注意。“对不起，亲爱的。都是我的错——你真的没必要害怕。我们七个都想让你来这里。”

Confused, Seonghwa looked between Hongjoong and the deep-voiced vampire, brows furrowed. “All of you?” he asked, and they all nodded, which didn’t help to clarify a thing. “I - I’m sorry, I don’t get it. Why?” 
星和更加困惑了，皱着眉头，眼神在弘中和那个声音低沉的吸血鬼之间来回游移。“你们所有人都想？” 他问道，他们都点了点头，但这并没有让他明白任何事情。“我……对不起，我不明白。为什么？”

“There’s a couple reasons,” Yunho admitted, leaning against the arm of the couch, a pair of glasses perched over his nose. “Hongjoong had been scanning the feeder base for a while, but that’s not the only reason. I’ve been wanting to have a human around here for a while, because I was turned a long time ago, you see, and I need a bit of a refresher on what it’s like to have a beating heart. I’m a doctor, and I treat humans too, so I would love to talk with you about your experiences, and maybe ask you some things. If that’s okay.” 
“原因嘛，有几个，”允浩承认道，他倚在沙发扶手上，鼻梁上架着一副眼镜。“弘中早就开始扫描供养基地了，但这并不是唯一的原因。我其实一直想找个人类在身边待一段时间，你知道的，我变成吸血鬼已经很久了，需要重新感受一下心脏跳动的感觉。我是个医生，也会治疗人类，所以很想和你聊聊你的经历，或许还会问你一些问题。如果你不介意的话。”

That was an odd request, but Seonghwa had no problem with it, so he nodded. “Um, yeah, that’s fine,” he said, and Yunho’s smile broadened. 
这个要求有点奇怪，但星和并不反感，于是点了点头。“嗯，可以啊，”他说完，允浩的笑容更加灿烂了。

“Wonderful!”   “妙啊！”

The deep-voiced vampire sitting beside him rolled his eyes, speaking again to Seonghwa. “He’s really just a nerd, you’ll get tired of it eventually. God knows the rest of us have,” he said, ignoring the glare that Yunho sent his way. “My name is Mingi, and honestly I just thought it would be nice to have someone new around here. I like making friends.” 
坐在他身边的那个低音炮嗓的吸血鬼翻了个白眼，又对星化说道：“他就是个书呆子，你总有一天会腻的。天知道我们其他人早就烦了，” 他说着，完全无视了允浩投来的怒视。“我叫玟岐，说实话，我就是觉得这里能来个新人挺好的。我喜欢交朋友。”

That was a surprisingly simple reason, and Seonghwa hesitated for a moment before nodding, unsure of how else to respond to that. Another vampire chimed in next, with the kindest eyes Seonghwa had ever seen. “I’m Jongho,” he said first, raising his hand in a small wave. “I agree with Mingi, but also, I think there’s something else that you might be able to help us with.” 
这个理由出乎意料地简单，星化犹豫了一下，点了点头，不知道该如何回应。另一个吸血鬼也插了进来，长着星化见过的最和善的眼睛。“我叫钟浩，” 他率先说道，举起手轻轻挥了挥。“我同意玟岐说的，而且，我觉得你可能还能帮我们做点别的事情。”

He didn’t elaborate, and the vampire next to him spoke before Seonghwa could think of anything to say. “I’m Yeosang,” he said, and his voice was a bit softer, his presence more timid than the others. Seonghwa liked that about him straight away - he wasn’t as intimidated by Yeosang, compared to the rest. 
他没细说，圣华还没来得及接话，旁边的吸血鬼就开了口。“我是如常，” 他的声音轻柔一些，给人的感觉也比其他人更腼腆。这一点圣华立刻就喜欢上了——和这些人比起来，如常没那么让他感到害怕。

Yeosang didn’t say anything else, and Seonghwa’s gaze naturally fell to the last two, looking at them closely for the first time. Immediately, his heart stuttered when he noticed how terrible one of them looked. His eyes were bloodshot, and his skin was oddly sunken, not as supernaturally perfect as all of the others. He almost looked like he had been crying, and Seonghwa’s heart went out to him immediately, even without knowing anything about him. 
如常没再说话，圣华的目光自然而然地落在了剩下的两人身上，这是他第一次这么仔细地打量他们。瞬间，他的心跳都慢了半拍，因为他注意到其中一个人的状态糟透了。那人眼睛布满血丝，皮肤也异常凹陷，完全不像其他人那样拥有超自然的完美。他看起来像是哭过一样，圣华的心立刻就软了下来，即便他对这个人一无所知。

The other vampire was holding the sickly-looking one close, an arm around his shoulders, their sides pressed together. He looked at Seonghwa with a soft smile, but his eyes were sad. “Hi, Seonghwa. I’m San, and this is Wooyoung,” he said, pulling Wooyoung a bit closer as he said his name. “And to be honest, I’m really hoping that you can help us.” 
另一个吸血鬼正小心翼翼地搂着那个病恹恹的家伙，手臂搭在他的肩膀上，两人紧紧地靠在一起。他对着星化露出一个温柔的笑容，但眼神里却带着淡淡的忧伤。“你好，星化。我叫 San，这位是 Wooyoung，” 他说着，又把 Wooyoung 往自己身边拉近了些，“说实话，我真的特别希望你能帮帮我们。”

So this was Wooyoung, the vampire that Hongjoong had warned him about, the one who was still just a fledgling. He looked awful, and even without context, Seonghwa could see that vampirism wasn’t treating him well. Regardless of the warnings he had received, Seonghwa couldn’t shake his sympathy. “Help you with what?” he asked, although he suspected he already knew what the answer would be. 
原来这就是 Wooyoung，洪仲警告过的那个吸血鬼，那个还只是雏鸟的家伙。他看起来糟透了，就算不了解内情，星化也能看得出来吸血鬼的生活并不适合他。尽管之前收到了那些警告，星化还是忍不住心生同情。“帮你们什么？” 他问道，虽然他心里大概已经猜到了答案。

“Wooyoung was just turned recently, as I told you earlier,” Hongjoong supplied, and his voice sounded more serious now than Seonghwa had ever heard it. “But he is having a hard time adjusting, and even for the youngest amongst us, it has still been a while since we were human. So having you here… I guess we were all hoping that it may be helpful. That you may feel less alone, right, Wooyoungie?” 
“我之前不是跟你说了嘛，佑荣是最近才转化的，” 洪仲的声音听起来比星化记忆中任何时候都要严肃，“但他不太适应，而且就算是我们之中最小的，也早就不是人类了。所以你的到来… 我想我们都希望这能有点帮助。让你不那么孤单，对吧，佑荣？”

Heart in his throat, Seonghwa watched as Wooyoung nodded, and he felt a bit sick knowing that this boy had been a human two months ago. He was probably younger than Seonghwa, then, and a surge of protectiveness rose within him. “Hi, Wooyoung,” he said, his voice gentle, his fear entirely gone now. How could he be scared of someone who looked so afraid? “Actually, I want to give you something. Can you wait a second?” 
星化嗓子发紧，看着佑荣点了点头。一想到这个男孩两个月前还是个人类，他就觉得有点难受。他可能比星化还小，一股保护欲油然而生。“你好，佑荣，” 他的声音很温柔，恐惧感也消失得无影无踪。他怎么会害怕一个看起来这么害怕的人呢？“其实，我想给你点东西。你能等我一下吗？”

He waited until Wooyoung nodded, looking at him through the long strands of his bangs that partially covered his eyes, curled in on himself. Seonghwa stood up, and when Hongjoong moved to stand as well, he rested a hand on his shoulder to keep him seated. “I’ll be right back, I’m just getting something from my bag,” he murmured. Hongjoong stayed put, but Seonghwa still felt his gaze as he crossed the room and went up the stairs, watching him the whole way. 
星火燎原般的情愫在空气中 тихо 蔓延。 他一直等到 Wooyoung 点了头，这才有所动作。那孩子蜷缩着身体，额前的刘海长得都快遮住眼睛了，正透过发丝间的缝隙望着他。Seonghwa 站起身，Hongjoong 也跟着要站起来，他便把手放在 Hongjoong 的肩膀上，示意他坐下。“我马上回来，去包里拿点东西，” 他低声说道。Hongjoong 没再动，但 Seonghwa 依然能感受到他的目光，如影随形，一路追随着他穿过房间，走上楼梯。

Seonghwa quickly entered his room and reached into the front pocket of his suitcase, digging out the item he wanted. He ensured that it was still fully intact, and then he headed back down to the living room. Instead of sitting back down on the couch, he crossed the room to the couch where Wooyoung and San were seated, and he dropped to one knee before the fledgling. 
Seonghwa 迅速闪进房间，在行李箱的前袋里摸索着，掏出他想要的东西。他仔细检查了一遍，确认东西完好无损，这才转身下楼回到客厅。他没有回到之前的沙发上，而是径直走到 Wooyoung 和 San 坐着的沙发旁，单膝跪在了那个羽翼未丰的孩子面前。

“I found this earlier today,” he said, holding up the pure white feather that had blown in front of him in the road. “It’s just a feather, but  I thought it was pretty, so I kept it. But you can have it, if you want.” 
“今儿个早上捡的，” 他说着，举起那根在路边被风吹到他面前的纯白羽毛。“就是根羽毛，不过我觉得挺好看的，就留着了。你要是喜欢，就送你。”

He held out the feather, and he watched as Wooyoung stared at it. Now that he was closer to the boy, Seonghwa noticed the sunken skin around his eye sockets, the purplish tone to his complexion, the heavily chapped skin of his lips. He didn’t look healthy, not for a human or a vampire, and Seonghwa saw a piece of himself in those wounded eyes. 
他伸出手，把羽毛递过去，静静地看着佑荣盯着它。靠得近了，星化才注意到他眼眶周围凹陷的皮肤，脸色泛着不健康的紫色，嘴唇也干裂得厉害。看起来不太好，无论对人类还是吸血鬼来说都是。星化在那双受伤的眼睛里，看到了自己的一丝影子。

At first, Wooyoung didn’t do anything, but Seonghwa didn’t mind waiting. Maybe the feather was an odd thing to offer him, but there was something so human about picking up a pretty feather for no other reason than its beauty. Humans loved to collect pretty shells, or feathers, or rocks, or anything of the like, and he had retrieved the feather from his room in hopes that it would appeal to that humanity that still lingered inside of this young vampire. 
一开始，佑荣什么也没做，但星化并不介意等待。也许羽毛作为礼物有些奇怪，但仅仅因为它漂亮就捡起来，这种行为非常人性化。人类喜欢收集漂亮的贝壳、羽毛、石头，或者类似的东西。他从自己的房间里拿出这根羽毛，是希望它能唤醒这个年轻吸血鬼体内残留的人性。

After nearly a minute of staring, Wooyoung finally shifted, reaching out to take the feather from Seonghwa’s hand. Seonghwa let him take it, and their fingers brushed for just a second. Immediately, Wooyoung’s eyes snapped open more fully, a jolt going through his frame as he drew away from San’s side, sitting up on his own. “You’re warm,” he breathed, and his eyes filled with tears. “I forgot that you would be warm.” 
盯着看了将近一分钟，佑荣终于有了反应，伸出手从星化手中接过羽毛。星化松开了手，他们的手指仅仅是轻轻地碰了一下。瞬间，佑荣的眼睛睁得更大，一股电流传遍全身，他离开了伞的身边，独自坐了起来。“你是温暖的，”他轻声说道，眼中充满了泪水。“我忘记了，你应该是温暖的。”

He was clutching the feather in his hands now, feeling the residual warmth along the base where Seonghwa’s hand had just been. Just two months ago, he had been a living, breathing human, with a heartbeat and warmth in his bones, his blood. But now, he was a vampire - he was dead, technically. Even if he couldn’t feel the cold, he would still weep the loss of the warmth that went along with being a human, the warmth that Seonghwa still possessed. 
他现在紧紧地攥着那根羽毛，羽毛根部还残留着星和手心的余温。就在两个月前，他还是个活生生的人，有心跳，骨子里都带着暖意，血液也是热的。但现在，他是个吸血鬼——从某种意义上说，他已经死了。即使他感觉不到寒冷，他仍然会为失去人类的温暖而悲伤，而星和仍然拥有那种温暖。

All of this clicked within Seonghwa’s mind at once, and his own eyes stung as he held out a hand, his palm facing the ceiling. “Give me your hand,” he said gently. “You can touch me, if you want. If it might make you feel better.” He didn’t know if this was safe, or where he should draw the line at contact with a fledgling, but he figured that someone would stop him if he crossed a line. 
所有这些想法瞬间涌入星和的脑海，他眼眶也湿润了。他伸出一只手，掌心朝上，温柔地说：“把你的手给我。如果你想，你可以碰我。如果这样能让你感觉好一点的话。” 他不知道这样做是否安全，也不知道和刚变成吸血鬼的人接触的底线在哪里，但他觉得，如果他越界了，总会有人阻止他的。

Wooyoung moved his hand forward before halting midway, his bottom lip catching between his teeth. Only then did Seonghwa see the tips of his fangs, but he still couldn’t find it in himself to feel afraid. “Are you sure?” Wooyoung asked, although his desire to accept was evident. “I don’t want to, um, make you feel scared. I’m not fully in control yet-” 
禹英的手向前伸去，却在半空中猛地顿住，下唇被他咬在齿间。盛和这才瞥见他露出的尖牙，心里却还是生不出半点恐惧。“你确定吗？” 禹英问道，虽然他渴望接受的意愿已经写在了脸上。“我不想，嗯，吓到你。我还没完全控制住自己……”

“It’s okay,” Seonghwa soothed, and he really did mean it. Wooyoung reminded him of the terrified little kids at the orphanage, the wounded animals on the street. He had always had a weakness for wounded souls. “You won’t hurt me. Have some faith in yourself.” 
“没事的，” 盛和安抚道，而且他是真的这么想的。禹英让他想起了孤儿院里那些惊恐的小孩，街上那些受伤的小动物。他对受伤的灵魂总是没什么抵抗力。“你不会伤害我的。对自己有点信心。”

Stricken, Wooyoung stared at him for a long moment, tears lining his lashes. He seemed unsure of himself still, but he moved his hand forward the rest of the way anyway, his fingers trembling visibly. When his fingers first brushed Seonghwa’s palm again, he had a physical reaction to the contact, some of the pain clearing out of his expression. He seemed to gain a healthier color as he let his hand fully grasp onto Seonghwa’s warmer one, a tear rolling down his cheek. 
禹英愣住了，泪水挂在长长的睫毛上，就那么直勾勾地盯着他。他似乎还是有些犹豫，但还是继续伸出了手，手指止不住地颤抖。当他的指尖再次触碰到星化的手掌时，星化能感觉到他身体明显一震，痛苦的神色也消散了一些。当他完全握住星化温暖的手时，他的脸色似乎也变得红润了，一滴眼泪顺着脸颊滑落。

“Thank you,” he whispered, and through his touch Seonghwa could feel just how badly he was shaking. “I - you don’t even know how much I’ve missed being warm. I didn’t know if you being here would actually help me, but I forgot that - that you would be warm. Touching you makes me feel… I don’t know…”
“谢谢你，”他轻声说道，星化能从他的触摸中感受到他颤抖得有多厉害。“我……你都不知道我有多想念温暖。我不知道你在这里是否真的能帮到我，但我忘了……忘了你一直都是这么温暖。碰触你让我感觉……我不知道该怎么形容……”

“A little more human, maybe?” Seonghwa offered, and their eyes met then. Wooyoung nodded, his cheeks wet, and Seonghwa moved his other hand to settle on top of Wooyoung’s cold fingers, surrounding his hand with warmth on all sides. “I can see it in your face. You don’t look quite so sad.” 
“多来点人味儿，怎么样？” 星化轻声提议，他们的目光就此交汇。 佑荣点了点头，脸颊湿漉漉的。星化挪动另一只手，覆在佑荣冰凉的手指上，用温暖将他的手完全包裹。“我看你脸色好多了，没那么难过了。”

All of the others remained silent, simply watching Wooyoung and Seonghwa as they interacted, and Seonghwa now held no lingering doubt about the intentions of this coven. Part of why they had wanted him here was to potentially bring some comfort to this fledgling, and they had chosen the right person. Already, Seonghwa felt an attachment growing in his chest, for he had always yearned to be touched by kind hands. This benefited him as well, more than the vampires around him knew. 
其他人都保持沉默，只是静静地看着佑荣和星化的互动。此刻，星化对这个巫师团的意图再无一丝怀疑。他们想让他来，一部分原因就是为了给这个新生的吸血鬼带来慰藉，而他们选对了人。星化已经感到一种依恋在他心中滋生，因为他一直渴望被温柔的手触碰。这对他也有好处，而且比周围的吸血鬼们所知道的还要多。

For the first time, Wooyoung’s mouth curved the tiniest bit, the ghost of a smile completely transforming his face. He still looked weary and worn out, but maybe with time, that would change. Seonghwa hoped so. “Thank you,” he said again, and his voice held some more strength, this time. “Um, I’m sorry that we had to meet like that. Thank you for the feather, too. That made me happy.” 
禹英的嘴角第一次微微弯起，那抹浅淡的笑容像幽灵般，彻底改变了他的表情。他看上去依旧疲惫不堪，但或许时间能改变这一切。星和真心希望如此。“谢谢，”他再次说道，这次的声音里多了一丝力量。“嗯，很抱歉我们是以那种方式相遇的。也谢谢你的羽毛，我很高兴。”

“I’m glad,” Seonghwa replied, and if he had known this boy better, he would have reached forward to ruffle his hair then. But he withheld the urge, and instead he just squeezed Wooyoung’s hand, not letting go yet. “Anytime that you need to feel warm, you can come to me, okay? I don’t mind it.”
“我很高兴，”星和回应道。如果他对这个男孩更了解一些，他肯定会伸手去揉乱他的头发。但他克制住了这个冲动，只是握紧了禹英的手，没有立刻放开。“任何时候你需要温暖，都可以来找我，好吗？我不介意。”

“Are you sure?” Wooyoung asked, the question timid. 
“你确定吗？”禹英问道，语气带着怯意。

Seonghwa nodded. “Let me tell you something. It might make you feel better about it.” And Seonghwa hadn’t planned on saying any of this, but the words came easily now. “I grew up without a family, all on my own. So every time I’ve been touched in my life, it hasn’t been a nice touch. Not like this one. So in a way, I need this, too. Do you get what I mean?” 
星化点了点头。“我跟你说点事儿，” 他本没打算说这些的，但话到嘴边却变得格外顺畅，“也许能让你心里好受点。我从小就没家，一直都是一个人。所以，以前被人碰触的时候，都不是什么好的体验，不像这次。所以在某种程度上，我也需要这个。你明白我的意思吗？”

“Yeah,” Wooyoung said, a furrow forming between his brows. “I’m sorry that you grew up like that. That’s so awful.” 
“嗯，” 佑荣应道，眉间微微皱起。“对不起，你小时候过得那么糟糕，真是太可怕了。”

“Oh, it’s okay. I’ve never known anything else, so it’s not really a big deal,” Seonghwa said with a shrug, not really wanting to focus on that topic. “But I mean it when I say that whenever you feel too cold in your own skin, you can borrow some of my warmth. Okay?” Wooyoung nodded, and they shared a soft smile. 
“没事儿，我都习惯了，也没什么大不了的，” 星化耸了耸肩，不太想深入这个话题。“我是说真的，以后你要是觉得自己的皮肤太冷，随时可以借用我的温暖，行吗？” 佑荣点了点头，两人相视一笑，笑容温柔。

A different voice spoke then, and Seonghwa looked up from his position kneeling on the ground to find San watching the two of them, his eyes misty. “Thank you so much,” he breathed, and his gratitude was palpable. “Anything you need, you can ask me. Seriously. Thank you.” 
突然，另一个声音响了起来，星化抬起头，从他跪在地上的姿势望去，发现是伞正看着他们两个，眼神里泛着水雾。“真的非常感谢，” 他轻声说道，那种感激之情简直要溢出来了。“以后有什么需要，尽管开口。真的。谢谢你们。”

Now Seonghwa started to feel a bit self conscious, feeling several pairs of eyes on his skin as he nodded, a flush filling his cheeks. “Um, it’s okay,” he said, and he looked over his shoulder towards Hongjoong, seeking the eyes in the room that he was the most familiar with. 
这下星化倒有些不好意思了，感觉好几双眼睛都落在他身上，他点了点头，脸颊也泛起一阵红晕。“嗯，没事儿的，” 他说着，扭头看向弘中，想在房间里找到那双他最熟悉的眼睛。

The way Hongjoong was watching him was different from the rest, his expression unreadable for a second before Seonghwa caught his eye and he blinked himself back to normal, parting his lips to speak. “Speaking of that, actually - are you hungry? I forgot to ask you when you came in, but I bought you a variety of things to eat. There are some ready-made meals, if you are not interested in having to cook something.”
洪仲看他的眼神和其他人不一样，让人捉摸不透。盛华和他眼神交汇，他才像触电般回过神，张了张嘴，说道：“说起来，你饿了吗？你来的时候我忘了问你，我给你买了好多吃的，有现成的饭菜，你要是不想自己做的话……”

As soon as he mentioned food, Seonghwa’s stomach rumbled loudly, and he blushed. “I’m hungry,” he admitted, for his stomach had already made that quite clear. “A ready-made meal is fine. I’ll eat anything. Thank you for getting it for me.” 
话音刚落，盛华的肚子就咕噜噜地叫了起来，他不好意思地红了脸。“我饿了，”他承认道，毕竟他的肚子已经替他坦白了。“现成的就好，我什么都吃，谢谢你帮我准备。”

“Seonghwa, what did I tell you?” Hongjoong reminded, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “I was not lying.” He rose from the couch, heading for the kitchen. “I will make it for you, you can stay there.” 
“盛华，我跟你说过什么？” 洪仲提醒道，眼神里闪着狡黠的光芒。“我可没骗你。” 他从沙发上起身，朝厨房走去。“我来给你做，你就在那儿待着。”

Immediately, Jongho stood up as well, following after Hongjoong while throwing a comment over his shoulder. “I do not trust him to come back with something edible, it’s been too long since he actually ate human food!”
钟浩立刻也站起身，追着洪中走了出去，还不忘回头丢下一句：“我不信他能带回来什么能吃的东西，他都多久没吃过人吃的食物了！”

That made Seonghwa giggle, and he turned back around to find that Wooyoung’s smile had grown a bit as well. “You don’t have to stay there on the floor,” San said, shifting over on the couch that he shared with Wooyoung. “You can come sit up here with us.” 
这句话逗得星化咯咯地笑了起来，他转过身，发现宇荣的笑容也灿烂了几分。“你不用一直待在地板上，” 伞挪了挪身子，在和宇荣共享的沙发上腾出点空间，“可以上来和我们一起坐。”

Seonghwa opened his mouth to assure that he was fine on the floor, but Wooyoung shifted over as well, making room for Seonghwa right beside him. “Come on,” he urged, tugging gently on Seonghwa’s hands. “The couch is really comfy.” 
星化刚要开口说自己在地板上挺好的，宇荣也跟着挪动了一下，在自己身边给星化留出了位置。“来嘛，” 他催促着，轻轻地拉了拉星化的手。“沙发真的超舒服的。”

With both of them looking at him expectantly, he couldn’t find it in himself to decline, so instead he rose from the floor and plopped down on the couch beside them. Wooyoung was right - the couch was much more comfortable than the floor, and he sank into the cushions with a sigh. 
眼看着他们俩都眼巴巴地望着自己，他实在没法拒绝，只好从地上爬起来，一屁股坐在他们旁边的沙发上。果然像佑荣说的那样，沙发比地板舒服多了，他舒服地陷进软垫里，长长地叹了口气。

The middle couch was the longest, the one facing the fireplace directly, and Mingi, Yeosang, and Yunho were still sitting there with an empty space left for Jongho. “I helped Hongjoong pick the food,” Yunho supplied, breaking the silence. “He doesn't know anything. I picked the food that my patients have told me they like, but I also didn’t get anything too unhealthy. So hopefully you’ll like it.” 
正对着壁炉的那个沙发最长，旼琦、吕尚和润浩还坐在那儿，给钟浩留了个空位。 “我帮弘中挑的吃的，” 润浩打破沉默，主动说道。“他啥也不懂。我挑的都是我那些病号说他们爱吃的，但我也没挑太不健康的。所以希望你能喜欢。”

“Oh, I’m sure I will,” Seonghwa appeased, for anything was better than the scraps he had been living off of lately. “Thanks.” 
“哦，我肯定喜欢，” 星和安抚道，毕竟再差也比他最近啃的那些残羹剩饭强多了。“谢谢。”

“I like your sweater,” Yeosang said, and Seonghwa had to look down at said garment in order to hide the flaming blush that rose to his face. Never in his life had anyone complimented him on his clothes, and that comment alone was enough to make his entire night. 
“我喜欢你的毛衣，” говори Йєосанг, а Сонхва мусіла подивитися вниз на цей одяг, щоб приховати полум’яний рум’янець, що виступив на її обличчі. Ніколи в житті ніхто не робив їй компліментів з приводу одягу, і одного цього коментаря було достатньо, щоб зробити їй весь вечір.

He stammered out a thank you, and Yeosang smiled shyly, dipping his head in a small bow. All of these vampires were so different from each other, so different from the assumptions Seonghwa had made before meeting them, and he struggled to reconcile with the fact that this was actually real. Hongjoong had chosen him, and now he had a room in this massive house, and food was on the way, and he was surrounded by people who were actually being nice to him. 
Вона заїкаючись подякувала, а Йєосанг сором’язливо посміхнувся, злегка схиливши голову в маленькому поклоні. Усі ці вампіри були настільки несхожі один на одного, настільки несхожі на припущення, які Сонхва зробила, перш ніж зустрітися з ними, і їй було важко змиритися з тим, що це насправді реально. Хонджун обрав її, і тепер у неї була кімната в цьому величезному будинку, і їжа була на шляху, і її оточували люди, які насправді були до неї милі.

It was all surreal, and he focused on the feeling of Wooyoung’s hand still clasped within both of his own to ground himself, for otherwise he feared he might float away. 
Все це було нереально, і вона зосередилася на відчутті руки Ву Йона, все ще затиснутої в обох її руках, щоб заземлитися, інакше вона боялася, що може відплисти.

The aroma of his incoming meal reached his nose, and his stomach growled again right as Hongjoong and Jongho emerged back into the living room once more. Jongho was holding a plate in his hands, and Hongjoong had a scowl on his face. “He almost blew up the microwave,” Jongho informed, handing the plate to Seonghwa, who accepted it with gratitude. He had to let go of Wooyoung’s hand to do so, but their legs were still touching, so he hoped that would still bring him some comfort in the meantime. 
饭菜的香味飘进了他的鼻子，肚子又不争气地叫了起来。这时，弘中和钟浩也回到了客厅。钟浩手里端着盘子，弘中则一脸不爽。“他差点把微波炉给炸了，” 钟浩一边说，一边把盘子递给星化。星化感激地接了过来，不得不放开了佑荣的手，不过他们的腿还挨着，他希望这样多少能给他带来些安慰。

“That is not true!” Hongjoong protested, and instead of sitting on the loveseat by himself, he came over to Seonghwa and perched on the arm of the chair right beside him. “You are simply trying to make me look bad.” 
“才没有！” 弘中抗议道。他没有独自一人坐在双人沙发上，而是走过来，直接坐在星化身边的椅子扶手上。“你就是想让我出丑。”

“Hongjoong, you set the time to twenty minutes,” Jongho said, and a chorus of laughter followed the words. “You would have set the entire house on fire. It only needed two minutes.” 
“弘中，你把时间设成了二十分钟，” 钟浩话音刚落，就引来一阵哄笑。“你差点把整个房子都点着了。明明只需要两分钟。”

While Hongjoong and Jongho continued to bicker, Seonghwa began to eat, blowing on the steaming bite of food before bringing it to his mouth. The plate was full of rice, meat, and vegetables, and it tasted delicious, even though it had been made in the microwave. He continued to eat while listening to the others around him, and he remembered something that Hongjoong had told him earlier, about how he had sired Jongho. 
就在洪仲和钟浩还在斗嘴的时候，星化已经开始动筷子了，他对着热气腾腾的一口饭吹了吹，然后送入口中。盘子里堆满了米饭、肉和蔬菜，味道真是棒极了，虽然是用微波炉热的。他一边吃着，一边听着周围人的声音，突然想起了之前洪仲跟他说过的话，关于钟浩是怎么被“生”出来的。

Looking at the two of them, he could see a special kind of bond there, something between a parental relationship and a sibling one. It warmed his heart, and although Hongjoong hadn’t mentioned who had sired Wooyoung, Seonghwa had a feeling that the answer was San. Their relationship seemed to err more on the side of romantic as opposed to familial, but he could still sense something special there. 
看着眼前这两个人，他能感觉到他们之间有一种特别的联系，介于父子关系和兄弟情谊之间。这让他心里暖暖的，虽然洪仲没提过佑荣是谁“生”的，但星化隐隐觉得答案是伞。他们之间的关系似乎更偏向于浪漫，而不是家人，但他依然能感受到他们之间那种特别的东西。

He glanced towards the two of them to find Wooyoung huddled against San’s side once more, his head fitting perfectly into the crook of San’s neck. San was whispering to him softly, and Wooyoung was nodding periodically, one of his hands fisted in the fabric of San’s shirt. They both noticed his attention after a moment, and San opened his mouth to speak while Wooyoung looked longingly at the plate of food in Seonghwa’s lap. 
他瞥了他们俩一眼，看到佑荣又一次依偎在伞的身边，脑袋正好枕在伞的颈窝里。伞正温柔地对他低语，佑荣时不时地点头，一只手紧紧地攥着伞的衬衫。过了一会儿，他们俩都注意到了他的目光，伞张了张嘴，似乎要说些什么，而佑荣则眼巴巴地望着盛和腿上的那盘食物。

“I’m his sire, if you were wondering,” he supplied, almost as if he had overheard Seonghwa’s thoughts. “I met Wooyoung while he was still a human, and the two of us just… had a special bond, even from our first encounter. But you know how the regulations are, I’m sure; it took almost two years before I was actually able to turn him. I’ll never regret that, though. Being a fledgling sucks, to be frank, but I think having you here will help, too.” 
“如果你们好奇的话，我是他的血亲父亲，”他主动解释道，好像听到了盛和的心声。“我认识佑荣的时候，他还是个普通人，我们俩…从第一次见面就有一种特别的缘分。不过你们也知道规矩，对吧？我花了将近两年的时间才真正能转化他。但我永远不会后悔。坦白说，当雏鸟的日子不好过，不过我觉得有你在这里也会有帮助。”

He offered the information so easily, and Seonghwa was honored to be on the receiving end, although he didn’t actually know much about the regulations beyond the ones that were common knowledge amongst humans. He had only just met these vampires, but a base level of trust was already evident between them. He could see it in San’s eyes, could hear it in the tone of his voice. Especially after how willing Seonghwa had been to help Wooyoung, he had created a good first impression, much to his relief. 
他给得这么痛快，星化心里真是有点受宠若惊。虽然说实话，除了人类那儿口口相传的那些，他对血族的规矩知道得也不多。明明才刚认识这几个吸血鬼，但他们之间似乎已经有了那么点信任的基础。他能从 San 的眼神里看出来，能从他的语气里听出来。特别是他那么热心肠地帮了 Wooyoung 之后，算是给他们留下了个好印象，总算让他松了口气。

Raising another bite of food to his mouth, Seonghwa tuned back into the other conversations going on around him, simply basking in the comfort of being surrounded by people. Kind people, who weren’t going to hurt him, or taunt him, or whisper under their breath as he passed by. 
星化又夹起一块食物，送进嘴里，重新把注意力放到周围的谈话声中，只是单纯地享受着被人群包围的那份自在。这些都是好人，不会伤害他，也不会嘲笑他，更不会在他经过的时候在背后窃窃私语。

As he finished his plate, Hongjoong reached right over and took it from him the moment he was done. Although he had been immersed in other conversations, he had still been keeping tabs on Seonghwa, then. “How was it?” he asked, genuinely curious as he looked down at the empty plate. “Well, it appears to me that you liked it. There is nothing left.” 
洪仲基刚看着成晙和吃完盘子里的东西，立马眼疾手快地把空盘子抽走了。明明刚才一直跟别人聊得火热，可他还是时刻留意着成晙和这边的情况。“怎么样？”他低下头，看着空空如也的盘子，真心实意地问道，“看来你挺喜欢啊，吃得一干二净。”

Pressing a hand to his stomach, Seonghwa nodded. “It was really good,” he answered, feeling satisfied at last. “Thank you, really. For getting it for me.” 
成晙和按着肚子，点点头。“真的很好吃，”他答道，终于感到满足了。“谢谢你，真的。帮我弄来这些。”

“Oh, you can stop thanking me,” Hongjoong said easily, standing from his perch on the arm of the couch. “It is truly not a big deal. If you can generate some kind of weekly list, I will get anything you want. These were all Yunho’s choices, so if anything is terrible, rest assured it is his fault.” 
“哎，你就别谢我了，”洪仲基轻描淡写地说着，从沙发扶手上站起身。“真不是什么大事儿。你要是能每周给我列个单子，你想要什么我都给你弄来。这些东西都是允浩选的，所以要是有什么难吃的，那绝对是他的锅。”

Yunho spluttered in protest, and Seonghwa bit his lip to contain a laugh. “It’s okay, I’ll be receiving money soon for being a feeder, so I’ll be able to get it myself. You don’t have to worry about that.” 
允浩忍不住抗议，口齿不清地嘟囔着，星化则咬着嘴唇，努力憋住笑。“没事，我很快就能收到做‘金主’的钱了，到时候我自己就能买了。你不用担心。”

“Oh, you are adorable,” Hongjoong replied, holding the plate in one hand as he held out the other one for Seonghwa to take. “I am getting it for you, so simply tell me what you want. Do not bother trying to argue with me, either. I assure you, I am stubborn.” 
“哦，你真是太可爱了，” 弘中一只手端着盘子，另一只手伸向星化，示意他握住。“我说要给你买，就给你买，你就告诉我你想要什么就行了。别费劲跟我争，我跟你保证，我可是个犟种。”

“He is,” Mingi piped up, and Hongjoong kicked him in the shin, an innocent smile plastered on his lips all the while. 
“他说的没错，” 旼琦插嘴道，弘中立刻踢了他小腿一脚，脸上却挂着人畜无害的笑容。

“Um… are you sure?” Seonghwa asked, resting his hand in Hongjoong’s smaller one but not yet rising from the couch. “It really doesn’t make sense for you to buy it for me when I’ll have my own money.” 
“嗯…你确定吗？” 星化问道，虽然把手放在了弘中那只更小的手心里，但还没从沙发上起身。“我都有钱自己买了，让你给我买，实在说不过去啊。”

When Seonghwa didn’t stand from the couch, Hongjoong let go of his hand to bring a finger under his chin instead, forcing their eyes to meet. “Darling, let me make something clear. I fully intend to spoil you for as long as you choose to stay here, so your protests, while sweet, are useless. I am not hurting for money, and beyond that, I would like to flatter a beautiful man by showering him in gifts. Is that so wrong?” 
盛 Seahwa 没从沙发上起身，洪中放开了他的手，转而用一根手指抬起他的下巴，迫使他们目光交汇。"宝贝儿，我得把话说清楚。只要你愿意留在这里，我就会尽我所能地宠你，所以你的抗议，虽然很可爱，但都是徒劳的。我又不缺钱，更何况，我喜欢用礼物来取悦一位美男子。难道这有什么不对吗？"

Speechless, Seonghwa failed to give any answer at all, and Hongjoong grinned. “Fantastic. Now, come on. I will show you where the kitchen is, and you can look at the other things we bought for you.” 
盛 Seahwa 哑口无言，一句话也说不出来，洪中咧嘴一笑。"太棒了。好了，走吧。我带你去看看厨房，你也可以看看我们为你买的其他东西。"

Seonghwa stood from the couch to follow him, observing the details of the house around him as they left the living room and moved into the kitchen, although the two rooms were connected. A dining room branched away from the kitchen as well, which was a bit silly since vampires didn’t need to eat, but he supposed it was there for decorative purposes. 
星和从沙发上站起身，跟在他身后，一边走一边打量着屋里的陈设。他们离开了起居室，进了厨房，其实两个房间是连在一起的。餐厅从厨房分叉出去，有点多余，毕竟吸血鬼又不用吃饭，不过他猜大概是用来装饰的吧。

The kitchen itself was gorgeous, fitting perfectly with the theme of the rest of the house, or at least as much of it as Seonghwa had seen thus far. The base cabinets that ran beneath the counter space were made from that same polished dark wood, with intricate black detailing. Overhead, the lighting was muted and warm, contributing to the overall atmosphere. All of the appliances were black, and the cabinets above the counter space were laden with panes of stained glass. 
厨房本身非常漂亮，和房子的整体风格完美融合，至少从星和目前看到的这些部分来看是这样的。 料理台下方的底柜是用那种抛光的深色木材制成的，带有精致的黑色细节。头顶上的灯光柔和而温暖，烘托出整体氛围。所有的电器都是黑色的，料理台上方的橱柜上镶嵌着彩色玻璃。

“Your entire house is so beautiful,” he breathed, touching the black and grey marbled countertops, cool to his human touch. “You said you decorated all of this, didn’t you?” 
他轻声赞叹，语气中带着一丝难以置信：“你整个房子都太漂亮了。”他的手指抚摸着黑灰色的大理石台面，冰凉的触感真实地传递到他的指尖。“你说这都是你布置的，对吧？”

“Yes,” Hongjoong confirmed, stopping by the refrigerator, resting one hand on the handle. “This place has been ours for a long time, but it has been continually redone. I’ve always liked artistic things, but I did not have the time to explore that during my human life, so I do what I can with it now, when I have the time.” He shrugged, tugging at the handle to open the fridge. “Here, look at what else we have for you.” 
“没错。”洪仲确认道，走到冰箱旁，一只手搭在把手上。“这地方我们住了很久了，但一直在翻新。我一直喜欢艺术的东西，只是当人的时候没时间去探索，所以现在有时间了，就尽我所能地搞搞。” 他耸耸肩，拉开冰箱门。“来，看看我们还给你准备了什么。”

Tearing his eyes away from the interior design of the kitchen as a whole, Seonghwa shuffled over to Hongjoong and peered inside of the fridge, surprised to find it completely stocked. He had expected a handful of basic ingredients, but this was overboard: an assortment of different vegetables, a variety of meats, pre-made meals, and snacks, amongst other things. Seonghwa had never had this much food at his disposal in his entire life, and even though he had just eaten, saliva pooled under his tongue as he scanned the contents.
星化依依不舍地把目光从厨房的整体设计上挪开，磨蹭到洪中身边，好奇地探头往冰箱里瞧，结果被里面的景象吓了一跳，满满当当的，简直塞爆了！他本来以为能找到一些基本食材就不错了，但这简直是过度供应：各种各样的蔬菜，琳琅满目的肉类，还有现成的餐食和零食，简直是应有尽有。星化这辈子都没见过这么多食物，就算他刚吃饱，口水还是忍不住地往上涌，眼睛扫过冰箱里的“宝藏”。

“Does it look okay?” Hongjoong asked, but Seonghwa could hear the smile in his voice. 
“看起来还行吗？” 洪中问道，星化能听出他语气里带着笑意。

Swallowing, Seonghwa glanced towards him, the cold air from inside the fridge causing goosebumps to rise to the surface of his skin. “I can’t believe you bought all of this,” he replied, shaking his head. “Some of those cuts of meat are really expensive. I really don’t understand why you did all of this, when-”
咽了口唾沫，星化抬眼看向他，冰箱里冒出的冷气冻得他起了一身鸡皮疙瘩。“真不敢相信你买了这么多，”他摇摇头，说道，“有些肉贵的离谱。我真不明白你为什么要买这些，而且——”

“Seonghwa, Seonghwa,” Hongjoong interrupted, Seonghwa’s name rolling off his tongue in a sing-song manner. “We have been over this. It would really be easier for you to just accept it, because I do not plan to stop taking care of you.” 
“星化，星化，”洪仲打断了他，星化的名字在他舌尖上轻快地跳跃着。“我们早就说过了。你还是接受了吧，这样对大家都好，因为我可没打算停止照顾你。”

Seonghwa stepped away from the fridge, easing it closed, his fingers momentarily brushing against Hongjoong’s colder ones where they were still wrapped around the handle. “I’ll try,” he said, picking absently at the skin around his nails. “I’m just not used to anything like this.”
星化从冰箱边退开，轻轻地将冰箱门关上，手指不经意地碰到了洪仲冰凉的手指，他的手还握在门把手上。“我会试着习惯的，”他说着，无意识地抠着指甲周围的皮肤。“我只是…不太习惯这些。”

“And that is okay,” Hongjoong murmured, reaching out to grasp one of Seonghwa’s hands, preventing him from hurting himself. “Come on, would you like to go back upstairs with me? It would please me to talk to you about a few things, if that is okay. Nothing bad - I just do not want to let you carry any worry with you if I can help it.” 
“这样也没什么不好，” 弘中轻声低喃，伸出手握住星和的一只手，阻止他伤害自己。“来吧，想和我一起回楼上吗？如果你不介意的话，我很乐意和你聊聊一些事情。没什么坏事——我只是不想让你带着任何担忧，如果我能帮到你的话。”

Unsure what exactly he meant by that, Seonghwa nodded, following Hongjoong up the stairs and back down the hall where both of their bedrooms were. This time, Hongjoong stopped at the door to his own room, holding the door for Seonghwa before entering himself. “Do all vampires still believe in chivalry?” Seonghwa asked once they were inside. “The general consensus amongst humans is that it's dead.” 
星和不太确定他到底是什么意思，只是点了点头，跟着弘中走上楼梯，回到他们卧室所在的走廊。这一次，弘中停在他自己房间的门口，扶着门让星和先进去，然后自己才进去。“所有吸血鬼都还相信骑士精神吗？” 星和他们进去后问道。“人类普遍认为这玩意儿早就死了。”

Sitting down on the edge of his bed, Hongjoong beckoned Seonghwa to sit beside him. “I have been told by the others that I can be a bit too old fashioned, at times,” he admitted with a shrug. “But I believe there are parts of the past that never should have left us, and while it is important to keep up with the natural progression of society, I have also held onto the things that I believe to be important.” 
洪仲基在床边坐下，招手示意星和挨着他。“他们都说我有时候有点老古董，”他耸耸肩，坦白道，“但我觉得有些过去的东西根本不该丢，跟上时代发展固然重要，但我还是坚持保留那些我认为重要的东西。”

“Like what?” Seonghwa prompted as he sat down, genuinely curious. Like most humans, he knew the bare basics about vampires, but this kind of insight was completely unknown to him. 
“比如呢？” 星和坐下后问道，是真的好奇。像大多数人一样，他对吸血鬼的了解仅限于皮毛，这种深入的见解他还是头一次听到。

“Mm, well… manners, in a general sense. I know I can be a bit forward, but your comfort is the most important thing to me. I really do mean that.” 
“嗯… 礼仪吧，泛指的那种。我知道我有时候可能有点冒进，但你的感受对我来说才是最重要的。我是认真的。”

And Seonghwa believed him, because he had shown it through his actions, his words. The only reason he felt so comfortable already after such a short time was because of the efforts of the man beside him. “I know,” he assured, and they shared a smile. “What else?” 
星化信他，因为洪中用行动和言语都证明了这一点。短短时间就如此放松，全是因为身边这个男人付出的努力。“我知道，”他肯定地回答，两人相视一笑。“还有呢？”

“Music, too. I like the music from the past more than the present, for the most part. The musicality of those times was… quite different. I will play you a song one day, if you would like,” Hongjoong offered, and his passion was clear through his demeanor. 
“音乐，我也喜欢。大部分时候，我更喜欢过去的音乐，那种时代的乐感……非常不一样。如果你愿意，总有一天我会为你演奏一曲，”洪中提议道，他的热情溢于言表。

“Do you play an instrument?” Seonghwa asked, curious. 
“你会乐器吗？”星化好奇地问道。

“Several,” Hongjoong replied. “Piano, violin, cello, harp, organ… I will not bore you with the whole list, but yes. Music has always been a part of my life, and it is something I hold very close to my heart.” 
“会一些，”洪中答道。“钢琴、小提琴、大提琴、竖琴、管风琴……我就不一一列举了，总之是的。音乐一直是我生命的一部分，也是我珍视的东西。”

Something about that was so beautiful to Seonghwa, for although he had never had the privilege of learning to play an instrument, he loved music. “I would really like that,” he said, answering Hongjoong’s question belatedly. “If you played me a song, I mean. I would love to hear you play.” 
对星化来说，那感觉美妙极了。虽然他从未有机会学过乐器，但他热爱音乐。“我当然想，” 他慢了半拍才回答洪中的问题。“我是说，如果你能为我演奏一曲，我会非常乐意倾听。”

Hongjoong winked, and Seonghwa’s heart fluttered. “Consider it done.” 
洪中眨了眨眼，星化的心也跟着扑通了一下。“一言为定。”

It seemed as if Hongjoong grew more and more appealing with every exchange between the two of them, and Seonghwa feared for his own resolve as he looked at the sharp, classic features of the vampire beside him. He felt safe here, and that alone was dangerous. The way his heart reacted to Hongjoong’s presence, the constant blush that colored his cheeks… he didn’t understand why this one man had garnered such a strong reaction from his body, but he was powerless to resist. 
似乎每一次交流，洪中在他眼中就更添一分魅力，星化看着身边这位吸血鬼棱角分明、堪称完美的五官，不禁开始担忧自己的自制力。他在这里感到安全，而仅仅是这一点，就足够危险了。他的心对洪中的出现所做出的反应，脸上总是不自觉泛起的红晕……他不明白为什么这个人能让他的身体产生如此强烈的反应，但他却无力抗拒。

Desperate to change the subject for the sake of his own sanity, Seonghwa cleared his throat, briefly pressing his curled fist to his mouth. “Why did you want to talk to me?” he asked, recalling Hongjoong’s words in the kitchen. “Is everything okay?” 
为了拯救自己岌岌可危的理智，星化清了清嗓子，飞快地用蜷起的拳头抵了抵嘴。“你找我是有什么事？”他问道，回想起在厨房里洪中说的话。“一切都还好吧？”

“I am more than okay,” Hongjoong replied cheekily, and Seonghwa had to fight the urge not to blush again. Dammit. He was supposed to be immune to such charms, but something about the way Hongjoong spoke and the somewhat traditional nature of his values was the perfect combination to bypass his defenses. 
“我好得很，不能再好了，”洪中俏皮地回答，星化不得不努力压制住再次脸红的冲动。该死。他本该对这种魅力免疫的，但洪中说话的方式，以及他那种略带传统的价值观，简直是天作之合，完美绕过了他的防线。

He also never stopped holding eye contact, which made Seonghwa squirm constantly, although not necessarily in a bad way. He liked the attention, which was another odd change, considering how much of his life he had spent keeping his head down and trying to blend in with the rest of the world around him. To Hongjoong, he stood out despite making no effort to do so, and he was left wondering how he had even wound up here in the first place. 
他一直都没移开过视线，看得星化浑身不自在，倒也不是说不好。他挺享受这种被人关注的感觉，这又是一个奇怪的变化，要知道他大半辈子都在低着头，努力融入周围的环境。可在洪仲眼里，他就算什么都不做，也耀眼得让人无法忽视，他自己都纳闷，怎么就稀里糊涂地到了今天这一步。

“I would like to say a few things to you. A declaration of terms, in a sense. Terms that are not deemed important enough to go in the contract, but terms that I personally believe to be the most important of all. I would like to convey my intentions, and my perceptions of this arrangement, because I do not want your mind to wander to false conclusions. Will you listen?” 
“我有几句话想跟你说，算是提前声明一些事。有些事情，合同里没必要写得那么细，但我觉得是最最重要的。我想表明我的意图，以及我对我们之间这种关系的看法，我不希望你胡思乱想，得出什么不靠谱的结论。你愿意听吗？”

His sincerity warmed Seonghwa’s heart, and he nodded easily, giving Hongjoong the okay to continue on. The way he spoke was a bit too formal, but Seonghwa found it to be incredibly endearing the more time they spent together. “First, I would like for you to know that you are still your own person. I am providing for you because I want to do it, but you are by no means indebted to me. I will never ask anything of you that you are not willing to give.” 
他这份真心实意暖到了星化的心坎里，他毫不犹豫地点头，示意洪中可以继续说下去。虽然他的措辞略显正式，但星化却觉得，相处越久，就越觉得他可爱得紧。“首先，我想让你明白，你仍然是你自己。我供养你，是因为我心甘情愿，但你绝不因此欠我什么。我永远不会强求你做任何你不愿意做的事情。”

The sentiment itself was simple, but it meant the world to Seonghwa, and he pressed his lips together to keep himself from interrupting. “If you are not in the right state of mind for a feeding, I can wait. I have survived on blood bags for a very long time; it will not hurt me to resort back to that. Your well being and state of mind is far more important to me. At no point during this process will you ever be a slave to my whims. Many vampires treat their feeders in that way, but to me that is unforgivable. I will never do that to you.” 
这话说来简单，但对星和来说，却意义重大。他紧抿着嘴唇，生怕自己打断了。“如果你现在状态不好，不适合喂血，我可以等。我靠血袋也活了这么久，再用回老办法也无妨。你的健康和心情对我来说更重要。在这个过程中，你绝不会成为我任何欲望的奴隶。很多吸血鬼都那样对待他们的供血者，但在我看来，那是不可饶恕的。我永远不会那样对你。”

He had no obligation to be saying any of this, but that was just the kind of person he was, Seonghwa was learning. Perhaps he had been human once, but no human Seonghwa had ever encountered would take the time to be this kind, this thorough. “Thank you,” he murmured, and for once, he was the one to initiate a touch. He touched his hand to Hongjoong’s knee for just a second, long enough to convey his meaning. “Before meeting you, I was really worried about that.” 
他完全没必要跟我说这些的，但星化也渐渐摸清了他的为人，他就是这么好心。也许他曾经也是个人吧，但星化认识的人里，没谁会这么体贴周到。“谢谢你，”他低声说道，破天荒地主动触碰了他。他的手在弘中的膝盖上放了一秒，就一秒，足够表达他的意思。“遇到你之前，我真的特别担心。”

“I could see that in your face when we met,” Hongjoong admitted, eyes piercing. “But I do not see it there anymore. I take that as a good sign?” 
“初次见面时，我就在你脸上看到了那份防备，” 弘中坦白道，眼神锐利地直视着他。“不过现在已经看不到了。这算是个好兆头吧？”

Smiling softly, Seonghwa nodded. “You’re not like anyone else I’ve met. I can see that now.” 
星和温柔一笑，点了点头。“你和之前我遇到的人都不一样。我现在能看出来了。”

Hongjoong grinned, and if he weren’t already dead, Seonghwa suspected he would have blushed as well. “Good,” he replied, sounding rather pleased. “I think you will find that I am very different from both the humans you have known until now and the stories of vampires that you have heard.”
弘中咧嘴一笑，如果他还有心跳的话，星和觉得他肯定已经脸红了。“很好，”他听起来相当愉悦。“你会发现，我和你认识的那些人类，以及你听过的吸血鬼故事，都截然不同。”

“Is that so?”   “是吗？”

“Yes.” Hongjoong didn’t miss a beat, the air around them suddenly charged with energy. “Anyone who does not appreciate you is simply not worth your time. I think you are an angel.” 
“当然。” 弘中毫不迟疑，他们周围的空气仿佛瞬间充满了电流。“任何不珍惜你的人，根本不值得你浪费时间。我觉得你就是个天使。”

Taken aback, Seonghwa’s collected demeanor slipped, his eyes widening. “An angel?” he asked. “Why?” 
星和猝不及防，一向沉稳的神态出现了一丝裂缝，眼睛也睁大了。“天使？”他问道。“为什么？”

“You have been through a lot of hardship in your life, from what I see, although I will never pry. And when I have spoken to you thus far, you have been lovely, but when I watched you speak to Wooyoung I was overcome by how gentle you were. The world has not been kind to you, but still you are kind despite that. So, you are an angel.”
“看样子，你这些年没少吃苦，虽然我不会刨根问底。之前跟你说话，就觉得你人真好，但看到你跟 Wooyoung 说话，我才发现你有多温柔。这世界待你不仁，你却依然如此善良。所以说，你就是个天使。”

Blushing, Seonghwa couldn’t find the words to respond to that straight away. “I had the power to help him, so of course I did what I could,” he said, thinking back to the feeling of Wooyoung’s cold hand held between both of his own. “I would do it again. I will do it again, if he needs that. He seems like a sweet boy.” 
盛华听了这话，脸颊泛起一丝红晕，一时竟语塞，不知如何作答。“我当时有能力帮他，当然要尽力而为。” 他回忆起握在自己双手中的，宇荣那冰凉的手。“我会再帮他的。如果他需要，我还会这么做。他看起来是个很可爱的孩子。”

“He is,” Hongjoong replied, his features softening. “He is very sweet. But this fledgling period… it has been hard on him. I worry about him.” 
“他的确很可爱。” 弘中回答道，神情也变得柔和起来。“他非常乖巧。但这个羽翼未丰的阶段……对他来说太艰难了。我一直很担心他。”

“I understand that,” Seonghwa murmured. “But it seems like you do a great job as their leader. They all look up to you, I can see that already. He’ll be okay, but you have to believe it. Because when he struggles to believe it, he needs to be able to rely on you.”
“我明白。” 盛华轻声说道。“但你作为他们的队长，做得真的很好。他们都很敬仰你，我一眼就看出来了。他会没事的，但你必须坚信这一点。因为当他自己都无法相信的时候，他需要依靠你。”

Hongjoong stared at Seonghwa for a moment, thoughtful. “You are right,” he decided, his voice soft. “Thank you.” 
弘中凝视着盛华片刻，若有所思。“你说得对。” 他语气温柔地说道。“谢谢你。”

“It’s nothing,” Seonghwa replied, mostly because he was squirming under all of the praise Hongjoong kept sending his way. “What else did you want to talk to me about, though? The terms you mentioned, it sounded like you had more to say.” 
“没什么，”星化回答道，主要是因为洪中不停地夸他，让他浑身不自在。“你还想跟我聊什么？你刚才说的那些条款，听起来你还有话要说。”

With a nod, Hongjoong continued on. “Something that I think all vampires need to understand is that humans do not need us. Your kind would survive perfectly fine without us. But my kind, vampires, we need humans in order to survive. Our undead lifespan means little if we do not have the blood we need, and we can only get that blood from one source. Someone like you, who is willing to provide blood, should be treated with the utmost respect and gratitude.” 
洪中点点头，继续说道：“我想所有吸血鬼都应该明白一件事，那就是人类并不需要我们。没有我们，你们人类也能好好地活下去。但我们吸血鬼不行，我们需要人类才能生存。如果我们没有血液，我们那永无止境的寿命也毫无意义，而我们只能从一个来源获得血液。像你这样，愿意提供血液的人，应该得到我们最高的尊重和感激。”

“I’m afraid that no one else sees it that way,” Seonghwa said, although he figured Hongjoong already knew that truth. “Vampires or humans. Like you said, most vampires treat their feeders like slaves, and humans hate feeders. Most humans think feeders are worse than the vampires themselves.” 
“恐怕没别人是这么想的，” 星化叹了口气，其实他知道洪仲心里肯定也清楚。“无论是血族还是人类。就像你说的，大多数血族都把供血者当成奴隶，而人类又憎恨供血者。在他们眼里，供血者比血族还要罪恶。”

Visibly bothered by this, Hongjoong shook his head. “I do not understand it,” he admitted, pressing his hand briefly to his brow. “Our world has come very far in a lot of ways, but in some ways it has not changed at all. In some ways, it has worsened. Would you agree?” 
洪仲基显然对此有些困扰，摇了摇头。“我真的搞不懂，”他承认道，抬手按了按额头。“我们的世界在很多方面都进步了很多，但在某些方面却根本没变。甚至在某些方面，变得更糟了。你同意吗？”

“Yeah,” Seonghwa murmured. “I would.” 
“嗯，”星化低声应道，“我同意。”

Hongjoong nudged Seonghwa’s side with his elbow in a playful manner, in an attempt to lighten the mood now that it had taken a somber turn. “For as long as you are here, you will not need to worry about those things,” he said. “You are my feeder in the eyes of the law, but I would much rather you be my… friend, at minimum. Feeding is not all you are good for; never think that. Your blood is the least important part of you.”
洪仲基用手肘轻轻碰了碰星化的胳膊，想缓和一下这突然变得有些沉重的气氛，带着点玩笑的意味说道：“只要你在这里，你就不用担心那些乱七八糟的事，”他说，“在法律上，你算是我的供血者，但我更希望你能成为我的…朋友，至少是朋友。你可不只是血包而已，千万别这么想。你的血，对你来说是最不重要的东西。”

At minimum? Seonghwa chose not to comment on that, mostly because he didn’t know if he could handle the answer he would receive. “How often do vampires need to feed?’ he asked instead, shifting the subject. “I don’t know much about how that whole thing works.” 
“最少吗？” 星化选择了不作评论，主要是因为他不知道自己是否能承受即将得到的答案。“吸血鬼多久需要进食一次？”他换了个话题问道，“我对那玩意儿运作方式不太了解。”

“In the case of a full length feed, then usually only once per night. But that may be difficult for us to work out, at least at first, since you are used to sleeping during the night. That is okay, though; you need your sleep. You are probably tired right now.” He looked at Seonghwa inquiringly, searching for signs of fatigue in his face.
“如果是完整的一次，通常每晚一次就够了。但对我们来说，这可能有点难搞，至少一开始是这样，毕竟你习惯晚上睡觉。不过没关系，你需要睡眠。你现在可能已经累了吧。” 他探询地看着星化，想从他的脸上找到疲惫的迹象。

Truthfully, Seonghwa’s eyelids were beginning to grow heavy, but he could hold out for a bit longer. “It’s okay,” he assured, mustering a small smile for Hongjoong’s sake. “But… it’s safe for you to feed from the same human every day? Won’t I lose a lot of blood?” 
说实话，星化的眼皮确实开始打架了，但他还能撑一会儿。“没事，” 他安慰道，为了哄洪中开心，还挤出了一个微笑。“但是……你每天从同一个人身上吸血安全吗？我不会失血过多吧？”

“For donors, yes. Humans are required to give blood bimonthly in order for their bodies to replenish the blood they have lost in full before the next donation. But vampires are designed to feed from the source - my saliva does more than numb your pain and heal the puncture marks afterwards. It also stimulates blood production, which allows for continued feeding. I also do not require a large amount of blood per feeding; the pint of blood collected during donations can feed several vampires.” 
“对供血者来说，是这样的。人类需要每两个月献一次血，这样身体才能在下次献血前完全补充失去的血液。但吸血鬼的设计就是从源头获取——我的唾液不仅仅能麻痹你的疼痛，并在事后治愈穿刺的痕迹，它还能刺激血液生成，从而实现持续的供血。而且，我每次需要的血量并不大；人类献血时采集的一品脱血液，足够喂饱好几个吸血鬼了。”

When Seonghwa nodded in understanding, his worries assuaged, Hongjoong continued. “Whenever you need sleep, please sleep. It is okay if we cannot arrange a feeding every day; blood bags are always an option. But when I do feed from you, it will be just like the first time. A full length feed is longer, and you will feel the effects of the drug for a longer span of time afterwards, but I will stay with you until you feel normal again. I will take care of you.” 
星化理解地点点头，像是卸下了千斤重担，洪中继续说道：“想睡就睡，别硬撑着。就算不能每天都安排喂血也没关系，不是还有血袋嘛。但只要我吸你的血，就会像第一次那样，让你一次吸个够。这样药效会持续更久，你也会晕乎更长时间，但我会一直陪着你，直到你缓过来。我会照顾你的。”

He had already proven that, although Seonghwa’s memory of his time under the drug was fuzzy. “Well, you can feed from me now if you want,” he proposed, a ball of nerves immediately encasing his heart. “You’re probably hungry.” 
他已经用行动证明了这一点，虽然星化对于自己被药物控制时的记忆有些模糊。“如果你想的话，现在就可以吸我的血，” 他提议道，心里顿时像揣了一只小兔子，怦怦直跳。“你肯定饿了吧。”

For once, Hongjoong was the one taken aback, his lips parting in surprise. “Would you not prefer to go to sleep?” he asked, blinking. “We do not have to do a feeding today, it is not a big deal.” 
难得啊，洪中居然愣了一下，吃惊得嘴唇都微微张开了。“你不想睡觉吗？”他眨巴着眼睛问，“今天不喂也没事，又不是什么大事。”

“It’s okay,” Seonghwa appeased, resting his hand on Hongjoong’s knee again. “I don’t mind. If anything, that drug might help me to fall asleep, no?”
“没事，”星化安抚道，手又放回了弘中的膝盖上。“我不介意。说不定那药还能帮我入睡呢，嗯？”

“I suppose,” Hongjoong agreed, albeit reluctantly. “But… are you sure? I do not want to force you-”
“我…好吧，”弘中勉强同意道。“但是…你确定吗？我不想强迫你——”

“I’m offering,” Seonghwa interrupted, his lips twitching upwards. “If anything, now I feel like I’m the one forcing you.” 
“我自愿的，”星化打断他，嘴角微微上扬。“真要说起来，现在感觉好像是我在强迫你。”

A low laugh rumbled in Hongjoong’s chest at that, and he finally ceded with a nod. “Okay, then. But if you decide you have had enough, we can finish. I will not mind.” 
弘中听了这话，胸腔里发出一阵低沉的笑声，终于点头让步。“好吧。但是如果你觉得够了，我们可以结束。我不会介意的。”

Seonghwa nodded, resisting the urge to touch his neck, his skin flaming at the memory of Hongjoong’s mouth, his fangs. “Should we just, um, sit here again?” he asked. “This feeding will be longer, right?” 
星化点了点头，极力克制住想要触摸自己脖子的冲动，想起弘中的嘴唇和尖牙，皮肤瞬间烧了起来。“那我们…就再像刚才那样坐着吗？”他问，“这次喂食会更久，对吧？”

“Yes,” Hongjoong said, gesturing at the expanse of the rest of the bed. “When the drug takes effect, you will likely want to lie down. You may lie down now, if you would like. It may be easier, that way.” 
“嗯，” 弘中应道，同时用手势示意着床上剩余的宽敞空间。“药效上来之后，你大概会想躺下。如果你愿意，现在就可以躺下。那样可能会更舒服些。”

Positive that his entire face was red by now, Seonghwa stared towards the head of the bed, where twin pillows rested over the carefully arranged comforter. “Um, okay,” he said eventually, because if he were to protest, he would only prolong his own discomposure. At least once the drug was in his system, he wouldn’t have the mental capacity to feel flustered like this. 
盛华确信自己现在肯定满脸通红，他盯着床头那两个并排放在精心铺好的被子上的枕头。“嗯，好吧，” 他最终还是答应了，因为如果他反抗，只会让他自己的窘迫感无限延长。至少等药效开始发挥作用，他就没心思像现在这样慌乱了。

He shifted further up the bed, lying down on his back with the back of his head against one of the pillows, staring up at the ceiling with his pulse pounding in his ears. This really didn’t need to feel so intimate, but he felt naked lying there, the mattress shifting as Hongjoong moved to fill the other side of the bed beside Seonghwa. “Are you okay?” he asked, his voice quieter now. 
他往床头挪了挪，仰面躺下，后脑勺枕着枕头，心跳如擂鼓般响彻耳畔，眼睛直勾勾地盯着天花板。明明没必要搞得这么暧昧的，但他觉得自己像被剥光了衣服一样躺在那儿，身旁的床垫微微一陷，是弘中挪过来填补了星化的空缺。“你没事吧？”他的声音压低了下来。

Seonghwa nodded, swallowing. “Yeah,” he replied, although his heart was pounding fast enough to be concerning. “Um, you can do it now. Whenever you want.”
星化点了点头，咽了口唾沫。“没事，”他回答道，虽然他的心脏跳得快得有些吓人了。“嗯，你现在就可以开始了。随时都可以。”

He tilted his head to look at Hongjoong, only to find a playful grin on his face, fangs exposed. “There is no need to be so nervous,” he teased, and Seonghwa fought his desire to smack that look right off of those timeless features. “You will be okay. I promise.” 
他歪过头看着弘中，却发现他脸上挂着一个带着几分玩味的笑容，露出了尖牙。 “不用这么紧张，”他戏谑道，星化真想一巴掌把那张永葆青春的脸上那副表情拍掉。“你会没事的。我保证。”

“I know that,” Seonghwa said through gritted teeth, which only earned him a tinkling laugh. “You’ve made that very clear.” 
“我知道，” 星化咬牙切齿地说，换来的却是一阵银铃般的轻笑。“你已经说得很明白了。”

“Then why are you so nervous?” Hongjoong asked innocently. 
“那你干嘛这么紧张？” 洪中带着一丝明知故问的无辜问道。

Seonghwa had walked right into that one, and he groaned. “I’m not answering that. Get on with it.” 
星和简直是自己往枪口上撞，他痛苦地呻吟一声。“我才不回答这个问题。赶紧开始吧。”

Leaning in closer, Hongjoong moved some of Seonghwa’s hair in order to expose his neck, brushing it behind his ear with a careful hand. “You do not have to answer, it is okay,” he murmured, his breath brushing over Seonghwa’s neck, an immediate chill jolting his frame. “I will have fun thinking about the answer to that question on my own.” 
洪中凑得更近了，小心翼翼地拨开星和额前的碎发，露出他修长的脖颈，轻柔地将头发别到耳后。“你不必回答，没关系的，” 他低声说道，呼吸拂过星和的脖子，一阵酥麻的寒意瞬间窜遍他的全身。“我会自己好好琢磨这个问题的答案的。”

“Oh my god,” Seonghwa muttered, covering his face with his hands. “If you keep teasing me, I’m seriously gonna-”
“我的天哪，” 星和低声嘟囔，用手捂住了脸。“你再这么逗我，我真的要——”

“Okay, okay,” Hongjoong appeased, and now his mouth was actually touching Seonghwa’s neck, for he could feel how his lips moved around the words. “I will stop. Take a deep breath for me, darling.”
“好啦好啦，” 洪中安抚道，他的嘴唇现在真的贴在了星和的脖子上，因为他能感觉到自己的嘴唇随着话语的吐露而轻轻移动。“我停下，我停下。宝贝儿，深呼吸，为我深呼吸。”

Feeling about two seconds from a heart attack, Seonghwa did as he was told, sucking in a long inhale through his nose before releasing it from his mouth. Once he was finished, he felt the first prick of Hongjoong’s fangs against his skin, a sharp pain searing his flesh for just a second before the area numbed over. A soft sound escaped Seonghwa’s lips, and Hongjoong reached out to cover Seonghwa’s hand with his own, a silent gesture of support.
感觉自己离心脏病发作只有两秒了，星化还是听话地照做了，深深地用鼻子吸了一口气，然后从嘴里呼出来。刚一结束，他就感觉到弘中的獠牙刺破了他的皮肤，一阵尖锐的疼痛灼烧着他的血肉，但只持续了一秒，那块地方就麻木了。星化的嘴里逸出一声轻吟，弘中伸出手，用自己的手盖住了星化的手，这是一个无声的支持。

Within seconds, Seonghwa’s mind began to swim, the drug taking effect. He didn’t try to fight it, his body instantly relaxing into the mattress, and he was grateful that Hongjoong had told him to lie down this time. It was more comfortable, and with the drug coursing through him he could focus on nothing other than the soft mattress below him and the sensation of Hongjoong’s mouth against his neck, blood pulled from his body with the slight pressure of every suck. 
几秒之内，成 Revolution 的意识就开始模糊起来，那药效发作了。他也没抵抗，身体瞬间放松，陷进床垫里。这次洪 Revolution 让他先躺下，真是太好了。这样舒服多了，药力上来，他什么都顾不上了，只能感受身下柔软的床垫，还有洪 Revolution 的嘴唇在他脖子上厮磨的感觉。每一次轻微的吮吸，都像是从他身体里抽走血液。

The situation was intimate, but Seonghwa supposed that was unavoidable considering the nature of feeding. With Hongjoong’s fangs in his neck, they had to develop a certain level of closeness, and he could feel Hongjoong’s legs brushing against his own, that hand still resting against his arm. 
这种状况确实有点过于亲密了，不过考虑到“喂食”的本质，成 Revolution 觉得这也是没办法的事。洪 Revolution 的尖牙都抵在他脖子上了，他们之间势必会产生某种程度的亲近。他能感觉到洪 Revolution 的腿蹭着他的腿，那只手也还放在他的胳膊上。

Seonghwa wasn’t afraid, and he lost himself in the high that encased his mind. The feeling wasn’t scary, not like the effect of many human drugs that induced hallucinations and the like. All this drug did was make him relax, inducing pleasure that started within his mind, calming his muscles and calming his rapid heartbeat. 
星化一点都不害怕，他完全沉浸在这种让他飘飘欲仙的快感之中。这种感觉并不吓人，跟那些会让人产生幻觉的人类药物完全不同。这东西只会让他放松，从脑海深处涌出阵阵愉悦，舒缓他紧绷的肌肉，抚平他急促的心跳。

Unlike the last time, this feeding went on for far longer, and Seonghwa stared up at the ceiling, blinking sluggishly as more and more of his blood was drawn from his system. He trusted Hongjoong to only take what he needed, but his fangs could only extract a small amount of blood with each suck, and the time floated by as Seonghwa drifted within his own mind. 
和上次不同，这次的吸血持续了很长时间。星化仰望着天花板，迟缓地眨着眼睛，感觉自己的血液一点点被抽离身体。他相信洪中只会取他需要的那部分，但他的獠牙每次只能吸出一点点血，时间就这样流逝，星化在自己的意识里飘荡着。

At one point, Hongjoong pulled back from Seonghwa’s neck for long enough to look at him, using a gentle hand to tap Seonghwa’s cheek and get his attention. A small smudge of blood clung to the corner of Hongjoong’s mouth, and Seonghwa couldn’t look away from it, his throat constricting at the sight. “Is it okay so far?” Hongjoong asked. “Do you need me to stop?” 
突然，弘中从星化的颈间抬起头，用指尖轻轻点了点星化的脸颊，想引起他的注意。弘中嘴角沾着一小块血迹，星化挪不开眼，看到那抹血，喉咙一阵收紧。“到现在为止，还行吗？”弘中问道，“要我停下来吗？”

Blinking sluggishly, Seonghwa shook his head after a short delay. He tried to raise his hand to brush away the blood from Hongjoong’s mouth, but his movements were too uncoordinated, and he wound up nearly poking Hongjoong in the eye. “Sorry,” he mumbled, trying again. “You have some blood… right there. I, um, don’t like blood. I don’t like seeing it.” 
星化迟缓地眨了眨眼，过了好一会儿才摇了摇头。他想抬手擦去弘中嘴角的血迹，但动作实在是不协调，差点戳到弘中的眼睛。“对不起，”他含糊不清地说着，又试了一次。“你这儿…有点血。我，嗯，不喜欢血。我不喜欢看到血。”

He never would have tried to brush the blood away if he were in the right state of mind, but Hongjoong caught his hand within his own, using his tongue to quickly clear the blood away. Seonghwa blinked and the blood was gone, and he was able to breathe a bit easier, his momentary panic dissipating. Hongjoong watched him with a soft frown, his throat moving visibly as he swallowed before speaking. “Sorry about that,” he murmured. “Thank you.” 
要不是脑子有点不清醒，他肯定不会傻到想用手去擦血，但洪中在他反应过来之前就抓住了他的手，飞快地用舌头舔干净了血迹。星化眨了眨眼，血没了，他感觉呼吸顺畅了一些，刚才那阵恐慌也消散了。洪中带着一丝心疼看着他，喉结上下滚动，咽了口唾沫才开口：“对不起，”他低声说。“谢谢你。”

“You can keep going, ‘s okay,” Seonghwa reassured, his head flopping back against the pillow once more, the ceiling spinning slightly up above his head. 
“你可以继续，没事的，”星化安慰道，头再次无力地靠在枕头上，天花板在他上方微微旋转。

Hongjoong stared at him for another moment before nodding and returning his fangs to Seonghwa’s neck to resume the feeding. This time, one of his hands found Seonghwa’s waist, resting there lightly. Seonghwa’s breath hitched at the contact, and he bared his neck a bit more, giving Hongjoong better access to his blood. 
弘中又盯着他看了一会儿，才点点头，再次将尖牙刺入星和的脖颈，继续吸食。这一次，他的一只手落在了星和的腰间，轻轻地搭在那里。星和倒吸一口气，身体因为这触碰而变得更加敏感，他不自觉地将脖颈又送过去了一些，方便弘中更好地汲取他的血液。

Did a full feeding like this technically bond the two of them together in some way, beyond just the contract? Seonghwa’s blood would be within Hongjoong’s body; didn’t that have to mean something? Although, he didn’t know much about how a vampire’s body changed after their human death, and he wasn’t in the right state of mind to ponder the idea any further, so he let it go. 
这样彻底的吸食，从技术上来说，是否会在他们之间建立某种联系呢？不仅仅是契约上的。星和的血液会流淌在弘中的身体里，这难道不意味着什么吗？虽然，他对吸血鬼在死后身体会发生什么变化并不了解，而且他现在也实在没心思去深究这个问题了，所以就暂时先放下了。

Another few minutes passed by, and this time when Hongjoong retracted his fangs from Seonghwa’s neck, he licked over the wounded area to accelerate the healing process and prevent scarring, just as he had done the first time. Seonghwa made a sound when Hongjoong pulled away, the hand disappearing from his waist. He wasn’t sure how to feel, too dazed from the drug to think straight, but he didn’t want to be alone. 
又过了几分钟，这次洪仲从星和的脖子上收回獠牙时，像第一次那样，舔舐着伤口，加速愈合，防止留下疤痕。洪仲离开时，星和发出了一声声音，那只手也从他的腰间消失了。他不知道该怎么想，药物让他头昏脑涨，无法正常思考，但他不想独自一人。

“Don’ leave,” he slurred, blinking a few times in an attempt to clear his vision, surprised to realize that his eyes were now filled with tears. “Please.” He looked towards Hongjoong to find that he had turned away, hunched over the bedside table with his back facing Seonghwa.
“别……别走，”他含糊不清地说着，眨了几下眼睛，试图让视线清晰，惊讶地发现自己眼里充满了泪水。“求你。”他看向洪仲，发现他已经转过身，弓着背对着他，站在床头柜旁。

However, when he heard Seonghwa’s voice, he quickly finished his rummaging and turned back around, expression softening when he noticed Seonghwa’s quick change in emotions. “Oh, darling, I will never leave you. Have I not told you that? But I need to take care of you as well, and after losing blood, you need to drink something. Can I help you to sit upright?” 
然而，当他听到星化的声音时，赶紧结束了翻找，转过身来。看到星化情绪转变如此之快，他的表情也柔和了下来。“哦，亲爱的，我永远不会离开你。我不是跟你说过吗？但我也需要照顾好你啊，你刚失了那么多血，得喝点东西才行。我扶你坐起来好吗？”

Blinking hard, Seonghwa nodded, and Hongjoong’s arms came around his waist to prop him up against the pillows. Although Seonghwa was taller than Hongjoong, he didn’t seem to struggle whatsoever, strength hiding within his small frame. His grip was firm but gentle, and he only let go once Seonghwa was in a sitting position, his legs stretched out across the bed. 
星化用力眨了眨眼，点了点头。弘中的手臂环绕在他的腰间，将他扶起来靠在枕头上。虽然星化比弘中高，但弘中扶起来毫不费力，小小的身体里藏着惊人的力量。他的手劲既稳又温柔，直到星化坐稳，双腿在床上伸展开来，他才松开了手。

“Here you go,” he said, placing something in Seonghwa’s hand and wrapping his fingers around it. “Drink some of that for me, please.” 
“给你的，” 他说着，把什么东西塞到星化的手里，然后握紧他的手指， “替我喝一点，好吗？”

Seonghwa looked down at his hand to find that he was now holding a juice box, the straw already poked through the top for him, and he raised it to his lips without protest. It was apple juice, and the sweetness was pleasant as he drank from it, draining the whole thing in a matter of moments. 
星化低头看了看自己的手，发现自己现在正拿着一个果汁盒，吸管已经插好了，他也没推辞，就着吸管喝了起来。是苹果汁，那股甜滋滋的味道真不错，他咕咚咕咚几口就喝了个精光。

He felt slightly more grounded after that, although the drug was still in full effect, and Hongjoong took the empty juice box from him as soon as he lowered it back down. “Good job,” he praised, and his words were warm in a way that made Seonghwa’s heart ache. “You did so great, darling. You can rest now, I can see how tired you are.”
喝完之后，他感觉稍微踏实了点，虽然那药劲儿还是足足的。弘中在他放下果汁盒的瞬间，就拿走了空盒子，还夸他：“真棒。” 这话带着一股暖意，听得星化心里一阵酸楚。“你做得太好了，宝贝儿。现在可以好好休息了，我看你都累坏了。”

Slumping back against the pillows, Seonghwa shifted back to lying down, never looking away from Hongjoong. He was afraid that he was going to leave, and with his inhibitions lowered now, he didn’t want to be alone. “You won’t leave?’ he asked, voice small. 
星化往枕头上一靠，又躺了回去，眼睛却一刻也不敢离开弘中。他害怕弘中会离开，现在他也没啥防备了，实在不想一个人待着。“你不会走吧？” 他声音小小的，问道。

“No, I won’t,” Hongjoong assured. “Would you like it if I brought you to your room, so that you can fall asleep there? I promise that I will stay, if you want me to.” 
“不，我不会的，” 弘中保证道，“要不我送你回房间，让你好好睡一觉？ 我保证，如果你想，我会留下来陪你。”

“Stay,” Seonghwa insisted, reaching for Hongjoong’s sleeve, catching it in his weak grip. “Please.” 
“别走，” 星化执意道，伸出手去拽洪中的衣袖，虚弱地抓住了。“求你，别走。”

Hongjoong’s lips curved gently, and he nodded. “I will. Come here, let me carry you.” Seonghwa tried to do as he asked, but his movements weren’t very helpful. Still, Hongjoong stood from the bed and leaned over to slide one arm beneath Seonghwa’s back, the other in the crook of his knees. He lifted him up like that, and suddenly Seonghwa found himself cradled to a still chest, no heartbeat inside. 
洪中嘴角温柔地弯起，点了点头。“我不走。过来，我抱你。” 星化想照他说的做，但浑身无力，动作迟缓。不过，洪中还是从床上起身，弯腰将一只手臂伸到星化背下，另一只手托住他的膝弯。就这样把他抱了起来，星化突然发现自己被拥入一个寂静的怀抱，那里空空荡荡，没有任何心跳。

He rested his head against Hongjoong’s chest anyway, and he let his eyes begin to droop as Hongjoong moved from the room, going next door instead. They entered Seonghwa’s new room, and he set Seonghwa down gently on the bed, with his head resting against the pillow. “There you go,” he murmured. “Go to sleep, it’s okay. I am not going anywhere.”
他还是把头靠在洪中的胸膛上，任由眼皮开始耷拉下来。洪中抱着他走出房间，去了隔壁。他们进入了星化的新房间，洪中轻轻地将星化放在床上，让他的头枕在枕头上。“好了，” 他低声说道。“睡吧，没事了。我哪儿也不去。”

“Promise?” Seonghwa asked, the word muffled, his lips numb. 
“保证吗？”星化含糊地问，嘴唇已经麻木了。

“I promise,” Hongjoong soothed, sitting down on the edge of the bed, the mattress dipping beneath him. “I’ll sit right here until you fall asleep. You are not alone anymore.” 
“我保证，”弘中轻声安慰，在床边坐下，床垫随着他的动作微微下陷。“我就坐在这里，直到你睡着。你再也不是孤单一人了。”

You are not alone anymore. A simple sentiment, but one that brought Seonghwa enough comfort for him to close his eyes at last, his exhaustion swallowing every last thought inside of his mind. But before he fully let himself fall into sleep, he felt a cold hand brush lightly over his cheek, and he clung to the comfort that maybe his life was still capable of redirecting even after twenty-six years.
你再也不是孤单一人了。多么简单的一句话，却给了星化莫大的安慰，终于，他闭上了眼睛，疲惫感吞噬了他脑海中最后一点思绪。但在他完全坠入梦乡之前，他感到一只冰凉的手轻轻拂过他的脸颊。他紧紧抓住这丝慰藉，或许，在他二十六年的人生之后，一切还有可能迎来转机。

Maybe, for the first time, he had a purpose. 
也许，他这辈子头一次找到了点奔头。