▫ abandoned building

@☩ hwang hyunjin Right. The bottle of rubbing alcohol had run down long ago. He kept forgetting to go out and restock on medical supplies, having little to no free-time due to the amount of back to back missions. He saw the bottle of whiskey in Hyunjin's palm - the /only/ bottle of whiskey left - and immediately decides he's done for the ing week. It's very, very rare that the hunter will go on a break from missions but this calls for it whether he wanted it to or not. The injury itself was a good enough cause to not accept anything else for good while so that he could recover. The clan will do just fine without him for a couple of days. At least that's what he tells himself. It was starting to become bothersome that no one else seemed to be doing their half of the work lately. Were they scared? Or were they just being lazy and choosing not to work? Regardless, he needs a new ing partner that won't high-tail it out of there and leave him to the wolves every time hits the fan.

Whiskey and an infected wound were never a good mix. It was painful. His whole body goes taunt as the liquid sinks into the gash and he inhales sharply through his teeth, but otherwise stays still. There'd be no use squirming around - that would only make the whole process last much longer than usual. CB97 did his best to stay still so that Hyunjin could finish stitching it up. Slowly, very slowly, the agony was becoming more bearable and he was starting to relax a little. This wouldn't be the first time he had to get stitched up and given his profession, it most certainly won't be the last either. However, he's normally the one stitching his own injuries closed with a bottle of rum in one hand and a needle in the other. And to be honest, he was still a little surprised that Hyunjin was still in the cottage honestly. Why /was/ he still here anyways?

And of all things to try to talk to him about, he wanted to know more about that little note on the whiteboard. CB97 lets out an exasperated groan as he leans his head back against the cushions, eyes slipping shut. He reaches out and lightly hits Hyunjin's chest with the back of his head as if to say, 'Knock it off.' Of course he wasn't into women but he most certainly wasn't with his own pet. He was interested in the same gender, that's all. The wound was closing by the minute and soon, it was completely sewn shut. Taking a few to gather himself, to take some deep breathes, CB97 carefully begins to sit up. Opening his eyes and taking notice of the notebook sitting on his dresser, he nods towards it and the raven doesn't hesitate to bring it over. With a trembling hand, he begins to write a letter to the clan master, someone he considered a father figure, to let the other know about the attack and about a much needed break. The mute hunter then folds the letter up into an envelope, hands it to his winged friend, and watches him fly off to make the delivery. Another thing that was needed was a nice bath to get rid of all the dirt and dried blood. He probably looked like hell.

@✠ cb97 It wouldn't be the first time Hyunjin had to deal with such kind of situation and it certainly wouldn't be the last. At the sight of so many open wounds he quickly grabbed a bottle of whiskey when he realized there was no disinfectant around, alcohol would do. Using a cotton ball he dabbed it into the liquid as he muttered "This is going to hurt." in a calm, calculative tone before pressing it against the hunter's damaged skin carefully. He had dealt with far more serious kind of injuries before, mostly inflicted on himself and since paying hospital bills wasn't an option he was forced to learn everything by himself. Fortunately for the hunter, Hyunjin had quite a few experiences when he needed medical attention and therefore he knew every step of the procedure, probably better than a skilled nurse would. Perhaps he lacked the proper education but as a drug dealer he had some specific knowledge about various medications.

He didn't really mind getting his hands dirty with the other's blood, too focused to treat him properly and return the favor. At the elder's tight grip he merely winked at him, not interested to hear an apology as he kept working on cleaning every wound. Once he was done with the minor ones, he took a deep breath as he faced the large gash on his right side that looked like it was infected. Resting his palm against the man's forehead only proved him right, as he realized he was already having a fever which was a clear sign of an infection. "Penicillin." He mumbled to himself as he left to retrieve the pill from his backpack along with a glass of water. "For the fun stuff, I charge more. But this will do for now." He chuckled lowly, trying to distract the hunter as he took the liberty to place the pill between his lips before handing him the water.

Then he averted his attention back to the large bleeding wound. "Stitches~" Searching through the first aid kit he found a needle and then attached it to the string cautiously. Perhaps one would find his completely unbothered personality by the sight of blood peculiar and they wouldn't be wrong. The reasons that lingered behind his lack of revulsion at such a sight were far more concerning than just habit. Being abused during his childhood totally ed up his brain in various ways and his sadomasochistic tendencies was among them. So as a result, his brain just couldn't directly link the sight of blood to pain and therefore it made it easier for him to appear composed as he pierced the needle inside the skin, stitching the other up slowly. "So...when you said-wrote- you weren't into women...did you mean-" He paused, looking between the hunter and the raven with a curious raised eyebrow, half joking half serious.

@☩ hwang hyunjin It was never fun to be held captive. Believe it or not, he actually preferred having vampires as his oh-so delightful hosts rather than his own kind. He's seen how mad they can become and witnessed the drastic change of once good people happen before his eyes in such a short amount of time. Humans can be equally as destructive as any other being that roamed this planet. It didn't matter who could outlive who or who was stronger than the others - everyone was just as susceptible to being consumed. There were no exceptions. Even the hunter knew he had greed in him. He knew there was sin flowing through his veins.

'The wolf you feed is the wolf that wins.' It was a saying his mother always told him. She was always crystal clear that no one should give into temptations, impulses, desires, and pleasures. She figured that once you did, you'd be gone to the world, one with the darkness, no longer the person you once were. Back when CB97 still called himself by his real name, Christopher, he followed those guidelines. He never gave into anything and diverted his attention to temptations that would give him urges. Not that there was much choice to go with given the limited amount of people that were in the bunker, Christohper had never bothered with relationships or . Some people tried making advances, sure. He knew he was a little attractive. The eyes certainly helped. However, it wasn't until Red came into his life that things started to tip sideways. Red was his first kiss. Red was his first /real/ temptation that got him hookline and sinker. When he fell, he fell hard for the man. Christopher was in love for the first time. But then someone stumbled upon them one night and it ruined everything.

Betrayal painted his world a different color.

Drifting in and out of consciousness, the mute hunter barely could process anything that was going on around him. He hadn't seen the feathered creature fly off towards the cottage and he didn't hear the other male approaching. His senses were kind of going haywire. There was a loud ringing in his ear that prevented him from hearing any sounds. And his vision was lopsided, wobbly, blurry. Seeing doubles was all that appeared to him. It was only when Hyunjin began hoisting him off the ground that he was able to drift back to reality for a couple of seconds. The pain was enough to have him hissing quietly in discomfort, but at least he was still showing signs of being coherent despite his current state, which became clearer once they were inside under proper light. Most of his gear needed repairs due being ripped and torn. Dried blood coated his arms and torso from various injuries; rough looking bite marks with a particularly nasty one on his throat. Those were minor in comparison to the gash on his right side. It was large and looked to be deeper than it needed to be. It was also showing signs of being infected, implying that it was the injury that downed him and ultimately led him to be captured. A fever was already present. And his shirt was sticking to the injury because of the dried blood so when Hyunjin took it off, he had unintentionally ripped a band-aid off.

It was the first sound CB97 has ever let out since his family was killed. However, this was a harrowing type of agony that reminded him of the night his shoulder was violently dug into; it was powerful enough to make him pass out. He had just gotten to the point where numbness was taking over his body when his shirt was separated from the wound, and then it was nothing white hot flames spreading through his side. He doesn't even realize that one of his hands instinctively grabbed Hyunjin's arm in a vice grip in order to get him to stop. At least /now/ he's awake, eyes wide open as he breathed heavily, chest shakily rising and falling with every gasp. It took him a moment to be able to stop himself from spiraling so fast. It was enough to get him to realize and release Hyunjin's arm as he mouthed the words 'I'm sorry,' not meaning to accidentally hurt him (if he did, anyways, he wasn't sure).

The wound was bleeding again. He had already lost too much blood - this needed to be closed immediately if he didn't have any plans on bleeding to death. The first aid kit was still in the same spot; exactly in the only drawer on the nightstand in the living room. Left hand side of the couch for easy access. That was when his little friend came in dragging the first aid kit noisily since it was too heavy to carry in flight. The raven caws quietly as it released the kit then flies up beside them, bumping closer and pressing its head against his temple. Either it was trying to comfort him or comfort itself, that wasn't quite clear.

@✠ cb97 Perhaps Hyunjin was supposed to feel ashamed of himself for taking advantage of the hunter's hospitality and even thinking about invading his privacy at the same time...who was he kidding, he was desperate enough to steal a blind person and still feel no regrets whatsoever. It was merely a matter of survival, no hard feelings were involved and yet needed to be done in order to make ends meet. However his eyes widened momentarily at the feeling of the cold dagger against his fingers. "Red does match my hair. But I'd prefer them to stay black." He said, swallowing down the lump in his throat, referring to his painted nails as he curled his knuckles away from the sharp edge with a forced smile on his face. Once the other took a step back, he was finally able to breath freely, missing the flustered look on his face due to the shock of getting caught red handed.

One would excusably question Hyunjin's survival instinct, since by the time the man was out he wasted no time to satisfy his curiosity as he opened the mystic drawer only to come face to face with sentimental family stuff. Too boring for him. Or perhaps he was just envious of anyone who had the chance to meet some kind of family unlike him who had to live like a parasite his whole life. the orphanage system. At least he got to meet his little brother there, the thought of him was the only thing that got Hyunjin going through the bad days. His tendency to self harm though had him looking for a minute longer at the pictures of the hunter with his family and various gifts that he had apparently received from them. It seemed like the man had a rough life as well so there was a spark of warmth through the jealousy Hyunjin was feeling over the other's privileged situation. He wasn't petty enough to dare stealing any of their belongings though, no matter their value. He knew he'd go ballistic if anyone ever dared to take the picture of his brother that he kept in his wallet. Emotional value couldn't be replaced with any amount of money.
" this ." He muttered, shutting the drawer close before dropping his body on the couch, welcoming the physical pain in his stomach that worked as a distraction for the moment. After taking a deep breath, he balanced a cigarette between his lips, taking a long puff of weed, the only way to calm him down whenever he was feeling gloomier than usual. It also replaced his need for food for a couple of days. Even though he despised his underweight physique he would still work out from time to time to maintain his muscles. He could never be compared to a bodybuilder with his lifestyle, he was closer to a swimmer or a figure skater, lithe and wiry. Plus he had completely forgotten about his surroundings, too high to even consider looking through the hunter's shelter. Other than some daily trades here and there around the neighborhood, he'd never leave his spot from the couch, falling asleep with an arm tucked under his head and a between his index and middle finger, missing to start a fire by pure luck. It had been a while ever since he was completely unbothered to sleep without feeling threatened at the same time so he was replacing all the restless nights he had to spend at the facility.

Having lost the count of days of the hunter's absence, it was during one night that he was snoring loudly when he has his sleep disturbed by the man's pet. "Easy there Ralph." He mumbled through his sleepy daze, taking his time to stretch his arms before he decided to focus on the animal that seemed to ask him to follow. Standing up, his body swayed unsteadily as he rubbed his eyes and walked behind the bird leisurely with a flashlight in hand. As soon as he came closer to the gate he noticed the hunter's body resting against an abandoned car and that was all it took to awake him completely. Without thinking twice about it, he ran to the man's side, quickly checking for any vital signs, only able to breath in relief when he felt the elder's heartbeat after pressing his thumb against his wrist. Taking CB97's arm around his shoulders, he slid his own over his waist and carried him inside, with the flashlight resting in his mouth. Once they reached to the bedroom he placed the limp body on the bed carefully before bringing the first aid kit to tend the other man properly. "Alright big guy, Imma need to check for any wounds." he warned the hunter, just in case he regained consciousness as he struggled to the upper half of his gear, that exposed his muscled chest once he managed to pull it down.

@☩ hwang hyunjin Of course he noticed. The hunter was always more perceptive than everyone around him realized. Guess it's because he's mute that they don't expect him to be completely aware. So when he stepped out and noticed that Hyunjin had moved towards the dresser, there was indeed a small flare of anger that broiled in his veins, flickering in his mismatched eyes. CB97 fixed him a leveled stare that otherwise seemed calm and rather stoic, however his eyes gave the warning away as he slowly stepped towards the other male with purposeful strides; the floor creaking quietly beneath his combat boots. Once he was directly in front of Hyunjin, perhaps a little too close for comfort, he tapped the tip of his specialized dagger against the male's finger three times. 'Don't. Touch. It.' He meant the warning and wanted to get the message across that even though the hunter is showing hospitality, there are lines Hyunjin shouldn't dare cross yet.

And searching in that dresser was one of them. Inside the drawers contained momentums of his fallen family members. Each drawer was in dedication to one of them and held personal items that they had given him; letters, small gifts that he has kept over the years, photos, maybe something that was once theirs like a necklace or bracelet. There was a drawer for his mother, his father, his younger sister Hannah and his baby brother Lucas. The drawer for his mother and for Hannah were the only ones that held something valuable; the promises he sworn himself to after burying them back in Sydney. Obviously there wasn't any dead vampire heads in the drawers, that's not what he meant by retrieving their 'heads.' The vampires that attacked the bunker were clearly elder vampires. They've been around for a long time. Most elder vampires carried something with them that helped establish their dominance amongst the others like them. Gathering those special items, known as 'heads' in his hunter clan, was what CB97 has spent the past two years doing. He's managed to down the vampire who ripped his mother's throat out a couple months ago, and that lead him to the most recent killing (and also to Hyunjin, ironically). The first elder had a necklace while the other had a ring.

If Hyunjin decided to take those items, he will not hesitate to take /his/ head. Though, it was be his literal head instead. Of course, if he decided to look and not touch anything, then he supposed he could allow it. For now, at least.

Giving a brief pause when the other male began checking him out, CB97 looks down at himself in confusion, wondering if he looked stupid like this for a brief moment before he heard the mutter. His head shot up, eyes widening a little in clear surprise. He hadn't expected that. Unable to find himself to bite back, for some reason quite flustered even, the hunter gives him another half-assed glare before finally turning to leave with the raven flying close behind him.

The mission was only supposed to last a few hours according to the message he had received earlier. Supposedly there was another hunter that would be meeting him at the location, which was an area CB97 hasn't been to yet. He was already at a disadvantage due to his own condition and now having to navigate through terrain that was unfamiliar? Annoying. He hated every second of it, even more so because his fellow colleague wouldn't stop asking him questions; appearing starstruck that he got to work with the infamous vampire slayer. And, much to his dismay, of course things turn south - but it happens far more quicker than he anticipated. What his employer failed to say was that his so-called 'partner' was a rookie and that this was his first time out on the field. Another thing that was failed to mention was the fact that they'd be walking right into a damn vampire den. His partner was too wimpish to fight back so CB97 was left alone against an entire clan as the other ran out in terror.

What was only supposed to be a couple hours... turned into a couple of days, for CB97 has had yet to return. However, on the fourth day of his absence, he was finally able to break free after being held there and used as a blood bank for a good while. Fighting through the clan, downing as much as he could before making a hasty escape. The man was impeccably weak and in bad condition by the time he made it to the gate. He could see his cottage a good ways away, beyond the junkyard, but his body had collapsed before he could take another step. After using all of his energy to get make the nearly two day trek back, the hunter was unable to move any further and managed to prop himself against one of the many discarded cars and stares up at the night sky. It was pitch black out. Rogue vampires loved these types of nights because they could sneak around better. Running into a good handful of them on his journey already, he knew it wouldn't take long for the scent of his blood got the attention of another. He needed to get inside. The raven stays silent as it perched on his knee, staring up at the barely conscious male in what could only be seen as concern. It then seems to realize something before taking off towards the cottage in search for the one that was hopefully still residing within; Hyunjin.

@✠ cb97 Hyunjin was kind of hoping to get the man to speak, especially once he got to inspect his neck, unable to notice any scar deep enough that could have affected his vocal cords. So he figured the hunter had stopped speaking by his own choice, which was rather inconvenient and a complete nightmare for Hyunjin if anyone asked him. Even though his loud mouth got him into some serious kind of trouble every once in a while, he could never just keep it shut, blame his ADHD for that. He decided not to ask for any details just yet, reminding himself that curiosity killed the cat. Taking the whiteboard in his hand, he squinted his eyes, pretending he had some kind of eye sight problem, too ashamed to admit that he was just uneducated and could barely even read. Leaning closer he mouthed each character and after a while his lips curled into his signature cocky smirk when he finally put two and two together and understood what the other meant.

"Yes, sir, copied!" He said loudly as he stood in attention and made a military salute, his hand raised in front of his forehead. Of course it was nothing more but an act, perhaps an obvious lie even. There was no way his curiosity wouldn't win him over as soon as the hunter was gone, even if it meant risking his fingers, he would still inspect the other's belongings...hopefully there wasn't anything of value so he wouldn't be tempted to take a closer look... Well, in his defense, it wasn't like CB97 wasn't aware of Hyunjin's reputation, his cycle often hired him for such kind of service as well, considering they were still kind of poor and the black market was a one way street for the majority of them.

"Services for free, then! Noted!" He winked playfully at the hunter, still maintaining his previous soldier-like position. At the mention of his lack of interest in women, Hyunjin couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in an exaggerated manner to make clear that he didn't miss to read that part and that he was kind of intrigued as well. It wasn't anything he hadn't predicted beforehand though, since there had to be an ulterior motive about a stranger letting him stay over, no one did that out of the goodness of their heart especially to a known petty thief like him. He was no optimistic fool, plus he wasn't just joking when he mentioned that he offered such kind of services too. ion was like a bachelor degree when it came to surviving the street life, easy money.

As soon as the hunter was gone, probably to prepare for his mission, Hyunjin was already busy picking up random stuff, to inspect them before tossing them back to their place if they failed to hold his attention for too long. Then his eyes fell into the drawers of an antique. He knew he was taking it too far but he just couldn't hold back himself, it was like his legs were walking on their own towards it. Just when he was about to open it, he sensed the other's footsteps coming closer and he quickly turned around, his hips half leaning half sitting against the furniture, pretending to inspect his painted black nails as he whistled absentmindedly. When he looked up at the hunter he took in his uniform, unaware he was staring too intensely, his amazement completely obvious. ", that's hot." He muttered, forgetting for a minute that CB97 was unable to speak but could perfectly both hear him and see him checking him out from head to toe.
Shaking his head to wake up from his daze, he barely noticed the hunter's questioning gesture. "Got it. No touching or eating anything." He raised both hands in the air to show he meant no harm.

@☩ hwang hyunjin Another mission like this meant that his employer expected him to get right on it immediately. With the raven delivering the message, CB97 focused on a plan last minute as he looked around for the medium-sized whiteboard he always kept around. There were rare occasions where people did stay at his cottage for a decent amount of time. He had snagged the whiteboard as a last resort in case he needed to get a point across that gestures and expressions couldn't quite grasp. It was much easier to scribble things down in a hurry instead of initiating a game of charades. Once the board was located, the hunter began writing something down and scoffed at the mention of 'women.' Shaking his head with the faintest of smiles tugging at the corner of his mouth, he finishes up the message and turns the board around to show Hyunjin.

'you can stay as long as you need but i will notice you mess with my
so i suggest you don't if you want to keep your fingers :)
but i do suggest the bed would be more comfortable your injuries. i won't be around for a little while due to an important mission i just received. just don't eat all my food, got it?
p.s: i'm not into women. but don't worry. my 'services' can't be bought.'

It was a small jab towards the comment the other made earlier when he stripped off his shirt. The small smile turns into a soft smirk, looking satisfied with himself as he placed the board down and heads off to the bedroom to get dressed into his proper gear. The mission was a stealth one so he needed as much as he could take, which was never much. He always packed light. It never felt right to pack more than he should. Normally, he'd even hesitate to take the wooden stake but something in his gut told him to grab it, so he did. Once he was fully dressed in the appropriate attire, he returns to the living-room while adjusting the arm braces to make sure they fit snugly before nudging the mask over the bridge of his nose and letting it hide half of his face. The sound of cawing drawing closer prompts the hunter to lift his arm for a second time as the raven returns, landing on his extended limb before hopping further up to instead perch on his shoulder. After double checking that he has everything, CB97 turns glances towards Hyunjin with a raised brow; 'you going to cause trouble?' was the silent question.

@✠ cb97 Hyunjin rarely let his guards down around anyone he didn't really know personally but somehow his conscience kept urging him to relax around the hunter, he just couldn't perceive him as a threat. Sure he had just slaughtered a vampire who was kind of human like but towards humans he seemed empathetic...and certainly less lethal judging by the way he tended to his wounds. Oh the satisfaction he would take when he showed off to the nurses in the facility who thought he was too broke to ever waste any supplies or bandages on him, using them instead to wrap them around random vampires' paper burns. His eyelids felt heavy and he didn't realize how they fell close until he felt the absence of the hunter's touch against his skin. It didn't take long before he saw the large bills, counting them one by one, just in case. Just as he was about to speak he was interrupted by the raven's arrival, raising a curious eyebrow while watching their interaction, interested by their way of communication. "Dude, that was ing impressive. Don't tell me you do this trick with women too?" He chuckled at his own joke in a boyish manner, referring to his own lack of communication with the opposite even when he was perfectly capable to talk unlike the other. Flirting just wasn't his thing, he would always make a fool of himself and it wasn't like he was considered a catch when it came to females, somehow he tended to attract men more. Honestly, he was fine with both, most of the time, as long as his boss didn't find out.

Once he was over the shock of the hunter communicating with the raven, Hyunjin curled his thighs against his chest, resting his elbows on top of his knees in a leisure manner as his lips formed a thin line, lost in his thoughts. That should be the part when he stood up and left but he just couldn't bring himself to do so, especially when he was just treated like a normal human being instead of a criminal. Unlike his age, the eyebags under his eyes were getting more prominent due to his sleepless nights in the facility. For once he found a shelter, even sleeping on the dusty floor seemed luxury to him. "So~... You mind if I stay here for the night? You'll barely notice me, I can sleep on the floor. No snoring, no sleep walking and no talking in my sleep. Unless I have a nightmare." He murmured the last sentence, hoping the other missed it as he rubbed his nape nervously, mentally preparing himself to get his kicked out like the street rat that he was. Well he had nothing to lose if he tested his luck with the hunter. His youthful features often earned the trust of his preys before they were victims of his wandering hands, reaching for their valuables. Perhaps it worked for the man too. "Plus my abdomen is pretty ed up because you were late along with my nose." He pointed at his face before he gave up, already feeling too dumb for even trying to persuade the elder into lending him his shelter for the night. Just because they were business partners didn't mean they were anything more than mere acquaintances. "Say nothing and I'm taking it as a yes. Just kidding. Sweet dreams~." He tutted as he stood up, waving at the hunter without bothering to face him as he walked towards the exit.

@☩ hwang hyunjin He always did his best to stay away from the Blood Farm. He know how that place worked and despite his employers often asking him to go undercover, CB97 made it a point to keep away from there unless he really couldn't. People have told him horror stories about that place, however others have also told him good things as well. There's a mixture of both lingering in the corridors. However the hunter doesn't wish to get himself tangled in any other messes. It's been too chaotic lately with the sudden, unknown spike in vampire attacks. He's got his hands full at the moment and even the thought of entering the farm made his skin crawl for some reason. However, with how this little incident ended, unexpectedly finding the vampire himself instead of one of his men like he was expecting, there must be something else going on in the farm if he was given this mission by someone who worked there. What else has this vampire done to warrant such a fate?

The hunter doesn't respond back to anything Hyunjin was saying, too focused on patching the guy up and sending him on his merry way (though he does shoot him a look at the comment that was made when his shirt came off). A deal was a deal and he still did intend on upholding to his end before they parted ways. And it's not like Hyunjin was going to stay any longer either. At least, he certainly didn't act like he was planning on it. People always came and went, sealing the deal then shutting the door behind them once it was complete. Sometimes they'd return with another favor but they'd still leave just as quickly as the previous time. No one tended to stick around in his company for long. Of course it never bothered him most of the time although the idea of having some company did sound pleasant once in a while... However, that must be near impossible. He's mute. There wouldn't really be much conversation, so what would be the point?

Settling down into the spot beside Hyunjin, he begins carefully tending to his nose first by cleaning up all the blood and applying what was needed to help stabilize the injury. Once that was finished, he shifted back a little and began lightly pressing down along the male's torso to try to see if there were any broken ribs, keeping a close eye on his reaction for any grimaces or signs of pain. After a moment, he pulls back completely and gets to his feet, digging into his pocket to pull out a trifold wallet and the pouch of compensation he waved around earlier. Tossing several large bills into the mix as extra payment, he places the money in Hyunjin's lap before moving to clean up the mess that was created. Now would probably be the time the other would be out of the door by the time he finishing picking everything up. Just as CB97 goes to turn around, a loud caw catches his attention and he looks up, holding his arm out to let the raven perch upon it, not at all bothered by its sharp talons that pressed into his tanned skin. The bird drops a small envelope into his palm and watches with its head cocked as he opens it up. As his eyes scanned the contents, his expression gradually morphed from confusion to mild irritation.

'Another sleepless night,' he thought to himself. It was a new mission. An important one, it seemed, since it was marked as urgent. 'Fantastic.' With a heavy sigh, the hunter sets the envelope down and runs a palm down his face. Truth be told, he himself was beyond exhausted and it was quite obvious. Been going on for nearly a week without rest due to how messy the streets have become. Mayhem was stirring up even the craziest rogues and the most recent full moon was a show. He nearly ended up with a stake in /his/ chest after a fellow hunter got turned and lost control. His body was impeccably low on energy. He /needs/ rest or else this mission will turn south /very/ quick. After a moment, CB97 grabs the nearest pen and circles 'accept' before folding the paper back up into the envelope and handing it to the raven, who seemed to hesitate before reluctantly taking it before flying out of the window.

@✠ cb97 Normally Hyunjin's intuition was never wrong when it came to judging someone's character and perhaps that was the only reason he had survived so long, being involved with the wrong crowd. He was almost sure that the hunter wasn't as tough as he appeared even though they deals had only been professional before, with only a few interactions enough just to take care of his payment and then he was off. It was the first time they had to spent more time together due to the attack taking place and Hyunjin wasn't really sure whether he minded or not. At least he wouldn't get to risk getting beaten up again by the guards if they caught him returning so late in the facility.

He was awakened by his thoughts once he was pulled up by the other, his breath hitching before he winced loudly in pain, one hand clutching his stomach and the other the man's arm for support. "A warning next time wouldn't hurt." He managed to say through his heavy breathing, his shoulders tensing slightly as soon as he realized their closeness, taking an unsteady step back, watching the hunter undressing with a raised eyebrow, suddenly intrigued. He couldn't hold himself back from muttering "I charge for this kind of service." with a playful wink, even through his pain, chuckling slightly before leaning down once again, hugging onto his stomach tightly, eyebrows furrowed in discomfort. "er got me good." He groaned as he accepted the offered shirt, curious eyes scanning the hunter's muscled body briefly before looking elsewhere after taking in the huge scar located on his shoulder. It was ugly to look at but Hyunjin was used to seeing deformed bodies through his social cycle so he wasn't really bothered by the sight not more then he was interested to hear the story behind it. Holding the cloth to his nose, he threw his head back to get his bloody red bangs away from his sweaty forehead. He didn't fail to notice the man retrieving the ring that he himself had set his eyes upon for quite a while. It seemed precious for him so Hyunjin opted to keeping his mouth shut and perhaps try talking to him about it later.

Hyunjin didn't hesitate to follow the other back to his place, not even thinking twice about it. It couldn't be worse than sleeping in the facility. Even if the furniture wasn't as run down, it was filled with racist guards, having their eyes set on him as soon as the word got out that he was from the North. There was no night that passed without Hyunjin sleeping while holding onto a dagger, just in case.
Looking around the cottage, his eyes scanned each exit cautiously, taking into consideration that in the end he didn't really know the hunter's intentions even if he appeared reliable. Carefully, he lowered himself on the couch, his breath hitching as he sat down, feeling as if his insides ached with every slight movement he took. "Happy now?" He asked sarcastically as he leaned back, his legs falling apart in a manspreading manner as he got more comfortable around the mute's presence once he looked at the first aid kit. "I'm not paying for any of this though." He added as a warning, in case the hunter intended to hold back money from his payment because of the supplies he was going to use on him even though Hyunjin didn't even ask for his help in the first place.

@☩ hwang hyunjin Judging by the way Hyunjin spoke, still full of fire it seemed, he seemed more than okay to stand up if he was able to be sarcastic. The hunter raises a brow, leveling him with an unamused stare in response to the complaints. It was just shirt, and shirts could be washed. He rolls his eyes and sighs softly, wondering if he should regret ever agreeing to this deal or not. Instead of plopping the money into Hyunjin's awaiting hand, CB97 gets up to his feet and grabs his arm, pulling him up to his feet and holding him close, grip steady and eyes locked on his feet to observe his sense of balance and equilibrium. He was trying to determine if the other could stand and walk on his own or not. Only when his mismatched eyes raise to meet Hyunjin's gaze, did he notice their noses were almost touching. He then uses his free hand to hoist his own shirt above his head, pressing it into the other's hand and bringing it up to press the fabric against the bleeding appendage. At least his nose didn't seem broken.

Now shirtless, his entire torso was exposed along with the ugly, messy scar that condemned his left shoulder. The skin there was marred and twisted, evidence of an attack that left a gaping wound that nearly caused a life to be lost in the process. It was horrendous to look at, to be frank, and it was a wonder that he could still move his arm as well as he does now.

Once the other male seemed to be doing well on his feet, the hunter lets go slowly - just to make sure - before turning away from him for a brief moment. He had to check something real quick. Approaching the pile of ash and bones, CB97 crouches upon spotting something glinting back at him and pulled out a familiar looking ring. The brief image of a hand adorning the same ring pinning his sister's head down to the ground flashed in his head and his fist clenches around the piece of jewelry. One down. That's enough to satisfy him for a good while. He was getting somewhere, his efforts paying off. Perhaps Hannah had it within her heart to forgive him now. He turns around to face Hyunjin, holding up the bag of compensation that was owed before pocketing it and beckoning at the other to follow him. Just because the vampire was done and he got what /he/ needed doesn't mean their little deal was over just yet. Hyunjin got injured due to his negligence and, against his better judgement, he decides he wanted to tend to him instead of parting ways. This was kind of unlike him. For someone as anti-social as he was, he really was making the effort to stick his neck out for the guy.

His hideout wasn't too far from where they were. Just a few turns down the street and past a broken, barely functioning metal gate that lead into a junkyard sat a small cottage that had the vast forest in its back yard. He opens the door, lets Hyunjin enter first before following suit, gesturing towards the couch in a way that made it seem he was saying 'sit down' as he wanders off for a moment. The interior of the cottage was organized stylish with modern and antique touches here and there. The vibe was comfortable and calm, but it definitely looked like he needed some new furniture. The couch was starting to go despite still being somewhat useful (at least it hasn't broken. Yet). CB97 soon returns with some first aid supplies and gestures at the couch for a second time, insisting with a point stare. 'Sit down or I'm not giving you the damn money.'

@✠ cb97 Having grown up practically in the streets, violence was no unfamiliar territory for Hyunjin and it certainly wouldn't be neither the first nor the last time he was on the receiving end of it. Especially with the nature of his various 'jobs' including involvement with the yakuza, black market and several other illegal kind of trades, he was often getting violated either by the so called law forces or some other shady people he frequented with. It was only natural that he grew accustomed to a broken nose or rid every once in a while, without much of a fuss like he once did. The only thing that mattered to him was getting the job done to receive his payment, nothing more, nothing less. If getting the beaten out of him was part of the deal, he couldn't careless. Especially if it gave him an excuse to ask for compensation. As daring and reckless as he was though, he wasn't clueless enough to even dare to bargain with the yakuza. On the other hand, the hunters were pretty negotiable since they did have a more human nature than beings involved with the mafia whether they were vampires or not. Hyunjin didn't really pick a side, his devotion laid to whoever paid him more, no strings attached.

As he pressed the inside of his palm against his bleeding nostrils, he waited patiently for the hunter to arrive, as he slowly counted down the minutes that passed. He wasn't exactly unfazed yet he wasn't fazed either since he was pretty certain that the reliable hunter wouldn't let him down. There was surely a valid reason he didn't turn up sooner but Hyunjin was going to use his lateness to his advantage anyway. Even though he liked the guy, he made no exceptions when it came to business. Before Hyunjin was aware of the hunter's presence he felt the vampire pausing and not long after he was splashed with its body liquids', probably a result of the man's attack. His nose wrinkled in disgust, the movement making him wince in pain as more blood flooded down his nostrils. "Man, I could handle a few more seconds with the leech. , that's- was- my fav shirt." He sighed in frustration, letting the other inspect his injuries. "You don't have to-" He tried to warn him not touch his face since it was pretty much full with blood but by then he could already feel the warmth of his hand as he checked his wounds.

Resting on his elbows, he tried to catch up his breath, thinking in the meantime how he was supposed to demand a raise for what just happened. The hunter was all bark but no bite as far as he knew, at least towards fellow humans. It was worth testing his luck, with the visual effect of his messed up nose only working to his advantage. "Yeah don't look at me like that. What we agreed plus a third more for compensation. You know for mental anguish and stuff." He stated, extending his arm as he opened his palm waiting for his payment, looking down at the man with his head tilted backwards in a fruitless attempt to stop his nosebleed, still laying on the dirty ground.

@☩ hwang hyunjin When he first met Hyunjin, he couldn't help but wonder 'who the hell is this guy?' The male seemed quite conning, and that the only the first impression he had thus far. However, there was a tempting offer presented to him and CB97 was never one to pass up good deal. If Hyunjin was eager enough to look for help, then there must be a good reason that he - of all hunters around them - was the one selected. Perhaps it was because the guy had ulterior motives that his normal clients wouldn't exactly appreciate, as CB97 quickly realized. Of course Hyunjin didn't know about his own motives but did he need to? They were both on the same page, it seemed. The deal was beneficial; they both would be getting what they wanted in the end.

And just like everything else this week, the deal turns south quickly and it wasn't either of their faults. CB97 was heading to the location on time, his friend - the raven - already flying way ahead of him to scope out the area. He walked calmly through the empty streets, keeping eye on the darker areas when he spots movement in his peripheral. A rogue vampire. And by the looks of it, it was more than desperate for whatever food it could gets its dirty hands on. The hunter bristled at the sight of a young girl laying limp on the ground with the vampire busy greedily feeding from her shoulder. Her hollow, empty eyes had locked with his, and now he's seeing red. By the time he had finished cutting the vampire's head off and gathering the girl in his arms, the raven returns flapping its wings desperately, cawing endlessly in a panic. Gritting his teeth, CB97 refused to abandon the girl despite her life already being long gone and just so happens to spot someone wandering down the street. The poor guy is startled when CB97 approaches them and wordlessly hands the body over with a look of fury on his face. No questions were asked though, as the person's eyes flickered with realization, which was fantastic because now he's in a ing rush.

It took only minutes to get there - and just in the knick of time, too. Before the creature could dig its fangs into Hyunjin's neck for longer than two seconds (certainly not even enough time to get a drop), it's crying out in agony as his specialized dagger drags across its flesh. The vampire whips around only to go completely rigid at the sight of the angry hunter, who wasted no time to move towards Hyunjin, gazed fixed on him completely even as there was an attempt of escape. His blade sunk under the vampire's chin in one swift movement that CB97 didn't even have to look in order to accomplish. The second he removed the dagger, there was nothing but a pile of bones and hissing ash that was left behind. He moves toward Hyunjin with haste in his step and crouches down, reaching out with his free hand to tilt the male's head to the side so he could inspect his neck. Fully aware of the other's health condition, he was just making sure he had gotten there in time before there was a more life-threatening injury. People have always claimed that although his touch is a rarity in itself, and his hands have killed many vampires. However his hands are always surprisingly warm and gentle whenever they do touch the ones he's actually trying to protect.

Satisfied that there didn't seem to be anything critical, CB97 slowly retracts his hand as his expression relaxes, though his brows remain furrowed. There was still the possibility of a broken bone, though, because he definitely took some good hits. Could he stand, though?

@✠ cb97 It didn't take long before Hyunjin stumbled upon the infamous vampire hunter, making a business proposal to him that lead them to form some kind of alliance. It was supposed to be a win win situation, with Hyunjin having an obvious advantage since he both got paid by the mute and also got to keep the valuables he stole from the vampires he lured to their trap. His sweet type of blood combined with his anemia made him the perfect prey for broke, desperate vampires. In the end they were barely able to satisfy their hunger due to the facility's limitations of the amount of blood they were allowed to from Hyunjin because of his health condition, leaving them begging for more. Booking appointments with broke vampires didn't really benefit Hyunjin in any way since there was nothing more but a few golden tooth of value on them and in order to retrieve them he would have to use his fists which were rather frail even when compared to a normal human's physique, blame his drug addiction for that. So the only way to take advantage of such appointments were to lead them on, promising them an extended time of blood for a far greater deal than the price the blood farm charged them for. Most of them agreed and after their appointment they would follow after Hyunjin to an abandoned building in order to make the 'transaction'. Then the hunter would appear and take care of the rest.
That particular night though, Hyunjin was either too early or the hunter was too late, he couldn't really tell as he paced around their meeting point, one hand clenching around his dead phone, cursing silently. The vampire was slowly growing wearier of his game as Hyunjin kept dodging the subject, beating around the bush as his eyes scanned desperately his surroundings for the mute.
"Man, it's only our first date who do you take me for. At least buy me dinner first." Hyunjin chuckled humorlessly as he rubbed his nape with one hand, raising the other to keep a distance between himself and the pushy vampire, glaring daggers at his neck. "Hey, easy there. Told ya I'm anemic, you'll have to wait for your next dose. Dude, back off." He warned the vampire, staring around the abandoned building uneasily, a droplet of sweat running down his forehead. " it, I'm off!" He cursed before he broke into a run, only to be caught a few blocks away by the hungry leech who punched him hard on his stomach and then on his face to have him motionless so he could his neck without a bother.