Chapter Text
“Vampires are human-like species that subsist by feeding on blood - which could come from human or animal through both live feeding and bottled blood products. Compared to a normal human, vampires can heal at 150 to 200 times faster and have significant strength, endurance and agility. However, due to their sensitivity to sunlight, vampires cannot stay for a long time in the sun. The world’s record for staying under the sun for a vampire was…”
Keng looked up from the note to see that Namping was obviously not listening. Instead, the boy was busy staring at the ladybug that had just landed on the book in front of him with unabated interest.
Keng sighed, pinching his nose bridge.
“Ping,” he said, exasperated, “you need to focus. The Naturalization Exam is next week.”
Namping looked back at him and smiled sheepishly.
“Sorry P’Keng, I got distracted. Besides,” Namping absentmindedly touched his side part to smooth out a strain of stubborn hair, “this is the fifth time we’ve gone through this. Also we already learned this in Vampirology in middle school.”
Keng knew Namping was right. He also knew that Namping would ace the exam, just as he had aced the selection to Chula. The boy was one of the smartest people Keng had ever met. Yet, a part of him just couldn’t help worrying.
“I know,” he said, his tone softened. Not that he could ever raise his voice against Namping in the first place, “but I couldn’t help being nervous. If you fail this exam, you won’t be able to go to any public place.”
And I know how much you love your freedom, Keng thought.
Namping shot him an understanding look and reached out to lace his fingers with Keng.
“P’Keng, it’s gonna be alright. I’m going to pass this exam, get the certification and then we will go celebrate at our favorite restaurant.” He pulled Keng’s hand towards him and pressed a kiss on his palm. “How does that sound?”
Keng smiled at him and the creases between his eyebrows relaxed. Namping laughed, his eyes curved into crescent moons and his sharp fangs peeked out from his soft lips, which reminded Keng of a cat. Keng fell like he was falling in love with the boy all over again.
Namping clearly knew the effect he had on Keng as he smiled mischievously and started nibbling on Keng’s finger. His soft lips touching the fingertip - barely there, but enough to send a jolt of electricity down Keng’s spine.
Keng pulled his hand back and cleared his throat, trying to act like he wasn’t affected by Namping’s action. However, his red ears betrayed him and Namping laughed again.
“We’re still in the middle of studying, Namping,” Keng said, trying - and failing - to sound stern. “Let’s stay focused. Now about the Great Riot in the year 2505…”
Namping shook his head.
Guess this is what I signed up for by being a teacher’s boyfriend, he thought.
· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Vampires were creatures of the night.
Which meant a typical day at the Buamuang usually started in the afternoon. Although with their curtains perpetually drawn during the day, one wouldn’t be able to tell the time at all.
Namping yawned and rubbed his eyes as he sat down at the dining table. Vampires didn’t need to eat human food to survive, but since Namping was turned less than a year ago, Keng insisted that at least one meal per day should consist of regular human dishes. Something about easing him into a new lifestyle and preventing culture shock.
He slid into the chair opposite Keng and grabbed a slice of toast. Today's breakfast was Western-style.
Across from him, Keng sat reading the morning newspaper while sipping from his "No.1 Daddy" mug - and Namping knew inside was iced latte with extra sugar. Who knew one of the members of the High Council that determined the policies impacting the entire vampire population of Thailand - and humans, by extension - would have a sweet tooth?
I do, Namping smiled at the thought.
That was when he realized Keng was wearing his three-piece suit - something he only wore when he needed to go to the High Council meetings.
“Do you have a Council meeting today? But it’s not the 15th though.”
The High Council of Vampires traditionally met on the 15th of every month, regardless of whether there was business to discuss or not - a tradition that Keng complained about regularly.
Keng gave him a tired smile.
“Emergency session,” he signed, “There was a new vampire attack on a human last night.”
Namping understood.
To ensure peaceful coexistence, vampires had to follow a long list of regulations designed to protect both communities. The Naturalization Exam - which Namping had passed a week ago (thank you, he was very proud of it) - was one of them. There were also residential registration, job restrictions and strict feeding laws to prevent abuses.
Of course, not all vampires - especially older vampires who lived before the Great Riot - were happy about this arrangement. They considered the current laws restrictive and humiliating.
For a long time, underneath the seemingly harmonious human-vampire society of Thailand, tension had always lingered. It seemed that the recent chain of vampire attacks was yet another bubble bursting.
“What time do you have to leave?” Namping asked, looking at the grandfather clock in the dining hall.
“Right now, actually,” Keng said, setting down his mug.
Right then, as if on cue, the butler walked in to announce that the car was ready.
Namping immediately abandoned his breakfast to walk his boyfriend to the front door, much to the older man’s protest.
Before leaving, Keng hugged him and smiled.
“I’ll be back by dinner time.” He turned and headed outside.
“Wait!” Namping called after him. Keng stopped and gave him a puzzled look.
“Did you forget something?”
For a moment, Keng just looked confused. Then, as if a lightbulb turned on in his head, the man grinned and walked back.
“Sorry, I almost forgot.”
Before Namping could react, Keng cupped his face and leaned in. Their soft lips melted into each other.
When Keng finally pulled away, he looked at Namping’s dazed expression with a satisfied smirk.
“I’ll be leaving then”, he said.
It was only after the door clicked shut behind him that Namping snapped out of it.
“P’Keng, you forgot your keys!”
· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Keng stared out the car window absentmindedly - which, Namping had come to realize, meant he was extremely nervous.
Namping knew exactly why. Today, they were heading to the National Blood Bank, which also housed the country's largest feeding center.
Bottled blood must be distributed through the Blood Bank’s system, while live feeding must be done under medical staff’s supervision. His mind supplied unhelpfully - side effects from all the exam cramming they had done.
Before taking the Naturalization Exam, Namping hadn't been eligible to register and had to rely on Keng to place blood orders on his behalf. Now that he had passed, he could register and order his own blood deliveries. This independence was why the registration was generally treated as a rite-of-passage for new vampires.
Soon, they arrived at the center and even from a distance, Namping could see the reason for Keng’s nervousness.
A large crowd of hecklers had gathered in front of the facility, shouting curses and holding signboards. The signs varied in tone - from sarcasm to anger to outright threats - but they all carried the same message.
“Vampire existence is against nature”
“Feeding is a crime against humanity”
“Vampires should disappear from the society”
The car slowly turned at the next block, taking a passageway especially prepared by the center for vampires to arrive safely, away from the hecklers.
The entire time, Keng was still looking out at the window with his fake nonchalance. However, he reached out to take Namping's hand, slowly rubbing his thumb across the back of it in silent reassurance.
Namping squeezed his hand, which finally made Keng turn to look at him.
He smiled at Keng and said softly, “It’s ok, P’Keng.”
Keng nodded and gave him a small smile.
Still, he didn’t let go of Namping’s hand until they reached the registration desk. Namping wasn’t sure what he expected. He had imagined either a grand place with high ceilings and marble columns, like the inside of the Bank of London, or a white clinical setting of a hospital.
Instead, the National Blood Bank looked more like the lobby of a modern company. Warm yellow walls were decorated with informational posters and infographics. Staffs and visitors moved in and out constantly, yet the building remained surprisingly quiet. Soft classical music drifted through hidden speakers, easing Namping into a mellow mood.
The officer taking his registration - a lady not older than thirty - welcomed them and took Namping’s form. After stamping it, the lady gave them a few brochures about different services the center offered and told them to wait for fifteen minutes.
When they reached the waiting area - a nice corner with a beige-colored sofa and a water table, the setting reminded Namping of the guest area in the office where he last interned - there was already a tiny old lady sitting there.
As Keng sat browsing through the brochure, Namping turned to chat with the lady. He soon found out the lady was a blood donor - she first donated to her husband, who was turned into a vampire. After he passed away, she started to donate blood to the blood bank.
“It’s a lot better now for the donors, you know.” The lady said, “Back in the day, before the agreement between the High Council and the government, it was messy. I was lucky I met my husband and he protected me, but I knew so many horror stories of people hunted or kidnapped for blood. Meanwhile, nice vampires were dying because they couldn’t find someone willing to give blood to them.”
She paused.
“I still think what we have right now is so much better than how it used to be. So those hecklers can scream all day if they want, I still think High Council and the government did a good job, you know.”
Namping smiled at her. Next to him, Keng’s eyes were glued to the brochures, but the tips of his ears turned slightly pink.
By the time their registration was finished, Namping and the old lady had become friendly enough to exchange numbers.
As they waited for their driver, Keng chuckled.
“Seems like you’ve collected a new friend today.”
Namping just smiled at him.
“What can I do? I’m just charming like that.”
Keng just smiled and suddenly gave him a quick peck on his cheek.
“P’Keng!!”
Namping faked protesting, tapping Keng’s bicep. Keng just laughed.
A hard object whistled through the air towards them.
Keng reacted instantly - he wrapped around Namping's waist with one arm and turned them just enough to get both of them out of harm’s way.
Behind them, the glass shattered.
“Die, you freaks!” a young man screamed at them while hurling the next objects - which Namping had now recognized to be stones - at them.
Keng grabbed the stone with ease and crumbled it in his palm as if it were made of chalk. The man’s face fell for a moment before twisting into an ugly expression between anger and fear.
Security quickly appeared and pulled the man away, while a senior staff member apologized profusely and promised some complimentary blood delivery as an apology. Namping looked at the ease with which the senior staff was handling everything and felt an unnamed uneasiness rising through his throat.
Later, as they were in the car, Namping couldn’t help asking:
“Does this happen often enough that they have a protocol to handle it?”
“Oh, yes, this happened quite a few times already. It has gotten a lot better after they upgraded security and started alternating entrances to throw the hecklers off their trail though.” Keng answered easily.
Seeing the uneasiness in Namping’s eyes, he softly added.
“Ping, this is the unfortunate reality we’re living in. Not everyone has fully embraced integration yet.” Keng said, reaching out to pat Namping’s hair gently, “But like your new friend today said, it is a lot better now.”
Namping was still quiet, so Keng just rubbed his shoulders patiently until the boy spoke again.
“Was it bad for you back in the day as well?” Namping looked at him with concern and sadness.
Keng fought the urge to grab his face and covered it with kisses. Instead, he leaned forward and touched his forehead against Namping.
“That was a long time ago,” he whispered, “long enough that I have already forgotten most of it. What’s important is right now. And how can I be sad if I have you in my present?”
Namping stared into his eyes. For a long time, they didn’t say a word, before Namping chuckled.
“That’s so corny, P’Keng”
“Doesn’t make it less true.”
· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·
Today was the annual spring cleaning at the Buamuang mansion.
Since noon, Namping had been busy running around the estate - cleaning, rearranging furniture and directing the staff.
Keng had been helping as well - until he was summoned away by the High Council for yet another emergency meeting. Namping was slightly concerned about the frequency of the meetings - which had increased tenfold since the attacks started, but Keng assured him most of the time it was just because the High Council was a bunch of worrywarts.
Namping was grateful that they had staff to help him - or else he wouldn’t know how long it would take for him to go through the mansion.
The Buamuang estate had originally belonged to Keng's family and had been passed down through generations of the Buayoi clan. After Namping's turning, Keng had insisted that he move in, whining that the mansion was too big for one person, but Namping knew Keng was concerned about him living alone while going through such a life-changing event.
The name Buamuang was also Keng's proposal. The man had explained simply that he wanted Namping to feel the mansion was his home as well.
By the time the sun had fully set and the first stars appeared on the night sky, Namping decided to call it a day and gathered everyone for a well-deserved tea break. To thank everyone for their hard work, he had ordered an impressive spread of food and desserts.
Namping had never been the type to keep a strict distance from the people who worked for him, and it didn't take long for the tea break to turn into casual conversation and gossip.
Eventually, one of the younger maids asked the question that everyone had been wondering.
"Master Namping, how did you and Master Keng meet?"
A few heads immediately perked up.
Namping chuckled.
=========
"Excuse me. I'm looking for Exhibition Room 5. Could you point me toward the right wing?"
Namping looked up from the reception desk. Beside him, his friend Kong audibly gasped.
The man standing in front of them was tall, broad-shouldered and with the sharp features that looked as though he was a walking Greek statue. Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit with neatly parted hair, he looked more like someone from a movie poster than a visitor wandering through the hallway of a university museum.
In short, he was totally Namping’s style.
"Ah, yes," Namping pointed down the corridor. "Just follow this hallway and then -"
"Actually, Ping, why don't you take this gentleman there?" Kong interrupted, "That room can be a little difficult to find and Ohm would be here soon. I can handle the desk."
At the same time, Namping felt a nudge under the table.
"That would actually be very helpful, if it's not too much trouble," the man smiled politely, "I'm terrible with directions."
Namping shot Kong a glare.
Kong responded with a grin.
Namping sighed and stood up.
"Alright. This way."
—----------------
Namping, a Communication major and a natural extrovert, had always been confident in his social skills.
Within minutes, they were chatting comfortably as they made their way through the museum. The conversation came so naturally that Namping barely noticed when his phone buzzed.
From: Kong <3
Take your time. Ohm is here with me ;)
Namping rolled his eyes. The man beside him chuckled.
"Your friend?"
"The worst." He said as he shoved his phone into his pocket, shaking his head and resumed their conversation.
The man turned out to be the curator responsible for the upcoming exhibition. Apparently, the school had borrowed a large collection from several alumni to display on their anniversary and the museum had been advertising the exhibition for weeks.
Inside, preparations were still underway. Wooden crates and other packing materials were lined neatly against the walls. The museum staffs were moving around, carrying equipment and unpacking artifacts.
"Since you're already here," the man said with a smile, "would you like a preview?"
Namping's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Sure."
As they wandered through the room, the man explained the exhibits while Namping looked at everything with wide eyes like a five-year-old. At one point, Namping was so engrossed to notice where he was walking.
His shoulder bumped into something solid.
Namping turned just in time to see a life-sized statue wobble dangerously on its pedestal, before it tipped forward and fell toward him.
=========
“And Master Keng sweeps in to save you?” one of the younger maids asked eagerly.
“No, he wasn’t even there that day.”
“Oh?” She looked surprised, “But I thought Master Keng was the curator?”
“Nope. That man was just someone hired by our university.” Namping laughed, “I managed to dodge the statue at the last minute, but it fell and shattered. That statue was Keng’s donation to the exhibition.”
Namping paused just long enough to take in the stunned expressions around him with amusement.
“So I had to meet him the next day to apologize and discussed about how a mere student like me was going to compensate him for the damage.” He took another sip of his tea, “P’Keng was actually very kind. He offered that instead of money, I would come over to help him arrange the library every other week for one semester.”
Several staffs shuddered. The library was the biggest room in the mansion - after all, when you had lived for centuries and were an avid reader like Master Keng, you would eventually end up with a collection rivaling some national libraries. The sheer amount of books and items to arrange was daunting even to the most hardworking of them all.
“The rest was actually pretty boring. We spent a lot of time arranging the library books together, we talked more and found out we enjoyed each other's company. Everything just fell into place after that.”
Everything just fell into place. It sounded simple when Namping said it - but everyone who knew them would know it was never easy for a vampire-human romance. On top of that, at the beginning of their relationship, Keng was an extreme introvert - the result of both his personalities and thousands of years of barely communicating with anyone outside his extremely small circle.
More than once, Namping had to beg Keng to please talk to him - even vampires weren’t blessed with mind-reading skill, let alone a human like him.
To get to where they were today, they had to go through parental objection, tearful nights, misunderstandings and arguments so big that Namping was even scared they would break up. Luckily, Keng was a fast learner and while he might not fully understand everything, he was willing to do whatever it took to make Namping happy. So he learnt to handle his sharp edges carefully enough that they no longer hurt the person he loved the most.
“What are you guys talking about?”
Namping spun around in surprise. Keng was standing at the door, arms folded, looking at them with amusement.
“When did you get back?” Namping asked.
“Just now.” Keng said as he walked over and sat down next to Namping like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Namping smiled and let him try a sip from his cup.
“I was telling them about how we met”
Keng smiled.
“Did you tell them about how you managed to break another statue in my library on your first day here?”
“P’Keng!!!”
· ─ ·✶· ─ · ·