A/N: Well, I'm back with another one. XD This is probably my first AU attempt in any fandom, though most definitely not the last. Hurray for SK being the basis of all my firsts!

RenHoro for the most part, as well as HaoYoh, MarcoLyserg and FaustEliza on the side. The story at this moment is about halfway complete on my computer, and has been that way for the last several months. I'm trying to get back into it; I figured if I posted it somewhere, I might give myself motivation to continue.

Please note, kids, that this story will eventually contain explicit yaoi content. That means, in no fancy terms, male/male sex. If this sort of thing is offensive to you, please find something else to read. I won't tolerate flames on this account.

Please also take note that in this story, Horohoro goes by his full name, Usui Horokeu. I found it more fitting for the story, for some obscure reason.

Oh yes, and before I forget: this story is also posted on my recently-debuted fanfiction website, Eden Evolution. The version on that site will be slightly different from the FFN one, as it will contain the NC-17 stuff (which will be cut from this version, as per FFN regulations). If you would like to see the new site and/or contribute to it, the link is in my author profile.

Can you tell that I really like vampires?

See y'all at my next update. In the meantime, enjoy the debut.

Intemptesta Nox

"Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win." Stephen King

BEGIN

"You're…firing me?"

Stiff-necked Ebisawa Gihei frowned. "That's a little harsh, Horokeu," he said. "I told all of you that lay-offs were imminent, and I need room for Hashimoto-san."

Twenty-three-year-old Usui Horokeu had to swallow hard in order to keep his voie from trembling. "I don't understand," he said. "Why Hashimoto-san and not me?"

"Horokeu," said Ebisawa, slowly adjusting his glasses, "Hashimoto-san has a Master's in library science and four years of experience. You, on the other hand, are a failed law student who came to me two years ago with no money in your pockets and nowhere else to go."

"But I learned, didn't I?" Horokeu pressed. "Please, Ebisawa-san, I've been working for you for two years without complaint. I've been faithful and diligent—you can't fire me."

Ebisawa sighed. "I'm very sorry, Horokeu," he said.

Slowly Horokeu lowered his head, allowing his light blue hair to fall in front of his black eyes. "I can't lose this job," he whispered. "Pilika and I hardly have enough as it is. If I lose this job…we won't be able to recover."

For a long moment Ebisawa said nothing, only looking down at the desperate young man before him, knowing that Horokeu was telling the truth. Horokeu and his little sister Pilika's parents had died in an accident several years ago while the older Ainu had still been in college studying law. The passing of his parents had hit him hard; his grades had plummeted and he had ended up dropping out. Now he lived with his sister in a small, run-down apartment where they hardly had enough to eat, much less any surplus money. Ebisawa had only seen Pilika once in his lifetime, a young, pale-skinned girl just blossoming into womanhood. When Ebisawa had last seen her, she had been studying to become a nurse while at the same time working part-time as a waitress to help her brother make ends meet. He had no idea how she was now.

Straightening, Ebisawa gently placed a hand on Horokeu's trembling shoulder. "Don't give up hope," he said. "There are bound to be a lot of other opportunities for a bright young man like you. Perhaps you'll even find a better job that pays more."

When Horokeu looked up, his face was set though his midnight-black eyes shone with what Ebisawa strongly suspected were tears. "Thank you, Ebisawa-san," Horokeu said, speaking slowly and backing up. "It was nice working with you." Turning, he walked out the door of the small library.

Ebisawa sighed as he watched the young Ainu slowly make his way down the tall steps. Horokeu was a good kid; it was unfair that he had to go through this, but the modern economy was ruthless. He decided that he would try to forget this over a cup of coffee.

Twenty-one-year-old Usui Pilika looked up and smiled as the door opened. "Hi, Oniichan," she said. "How was your day?"

Horokeu sighed, turning away from his sister to avoid meeting her eyes. "It was…fine," he said. As he spoke, he glanced quickly around their small apartment, decorated with ornaments from their parents' house and some second-hand furniture.

The smile faded a bit from Pilika's face. "Is something wrong?" she asked, coming up to him and touching his shoulder, forcing him to turn around and look at her.

Horokeu tried to smile but did not quite make it. "No," he said. "Just…you know, work."

"What happened at work?" Pilika asked.

"Well…" Horokeu swallowed. "You see…Ebisawa-san, he…" He allowed his voice to trail off.

"What?" Pilika said. "He what? Oniichan, tell me."

Horokeu fought back his tears as he spoke. "He…He f…" Then his courage failed, and he finished quickly, "He feels like I've been working too hard, and he says I deserve a break, so I won't be going back for a while."

Pilika frowned. "How long is a while?"

"I…I don't know," Horokeu said. "A week or two…"

"A week or two?" the younger Ainu repeated. "But do you get paid during your vacation?"

"Uh, yeah, sure I do," Horokeu said. "No worries, Pilika. Really." Turning, he headed for his bedroom.

"Wait—Oniichan, where are you going?" Pilika cried.

"To sleep," came her brother's reply. The door closed behind him, and Pilika frowned before heading for the kitchen to prepare dinner.

Once inside the safety of his bedroom, Horokeu instantly sank down against the wall, shivering with something that was not cold. He stared blankly at the floorboards for a moment, remembering what Ebisawa had told him. Opportunities? If there had been other opportunities, Horokeu would have left the library a long time ago. The truth of the matter was that Horokeu had been backed into a corner years ago and had not gotten around to getting himself out yet. He and Pilika had been living in this apartment for about three years, and though his sister never complained, Horokeu knew that secretly she hoped for a better life. As her brother, he felt that he carried the responsibility of granting her wish, and these past few years he had worked exceedingly hard in order to keep Pilika in school so that she could achieve her dream of becoming a nurse. It pained him whenever he passed by the local restaurant and saw Pilika inside serving drinks at the bar; she deserved so much better than this.

Horokeu sighed, shivering again and rubbing his arms in a futile attempt to banish the cold that was now seeping into his bones. As an Ainu he was used to low temperatures, but this was no ordinary cold; this cold reeked of guilt and failure. He should have told Pilika that he had been fired, but he did not have the heart to see her sad frown or her eyes glistening with unspilt tears.

Very slowly he rose, opened the door, and made his way down the hall. When he passed by the kitchen, his sister's voice came to him. "Where are you going?"

"Out," Horokeu answered. "For a walk." Not bothering with a jacket, he stepped outside into the chilly autumn air. The sidewalk was empty, and as the Ainu picked his way down the street, kicking aside the garbage that littered the concrete, he found himself looking up at the stars that were just starting to blanket the sky, darkened from the setting sun.

Otousama…Okaasama…if you're up there, your son needs your help…

A light at the very corner of his eye caught his attention and, turning, he blinked when he realized that he had arrived in front of the city's local pub. Why his feet had taken him here, he did not know; Horokeu had never been inside a bar his entire life. They were violent, foul-smelling places full of drunks and stupid pickup lines, yet this night, Horokeu felt that he was ready to try anything to make himself feel better and so he turned, carefully pushed open the door, and stepped inside.

Instantly he was bombarded by a barrage of sights and smells. The scent of alcohol hung heavily in the air, as did the odor of smoke. The light from the bare bulbs on the ceiling was harsh and Horokeu blinked, allowing his eyes time to adjust so that he could see the oily tables set rudely against the walls, the smudged windows, the stools scattered haphazardly at the wet bar. The air was filled with voices, some drunken and some not, but he ignored them as he made his way slowly to the bar and took a seat, waiting for the bartender to notice him. Had he cared to look more carefully around him, he might have seen a single dark figure sitting alone in the farthest corner of the room, watching him curiously with slitted golden eyes.

The bartender turned and slowly approached the Ainu. "What can I get ya?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

Horokeu sighed. "S…Something strong."

The bartender nodded slowly, fetching a glass and pouring a thick dark liquid inside. "Rough day?"

"Quite." Horokeu took the glass with an appreciative nod and took a gentle sip. The substance was indeed strong; it bit his lips and burned his tongue so that he nearly choked.

The bartender laughed at the Ainu's reaction. "Bit too strong there, mister?"

"N-No." Horokeu took a long swig, feeling the liquid burn all the way down his throat. It hurt, but he needed this pain. "Fetch me another," he said, emptying the glass. The bartender shrugged and obeyed.

Three hours had passed, and most of the customers had left. The bartender was busy wiping down the counter when he heard the familiar call. "Ey…mister?"

He turned with a sigh to the blue-haired man seated at the far end of the counter. Several empty glasses lay before him, and he was clutching another one in his hand. The bartender walked slowly over to him. "Listen, pal," he said, "You want another one, you gotta pay for it, but as I recall, you ain't got no more money."

"Eh?" The Ainu slowly searched his pockets, dipping his hands uncoordinatedly in and out of his pockets. The bartender slowly shook his head as he watched his customer's actions. He was completely drunk, his eyes bloodshot and squinting to see, his head sunken beneath his shoulders. "I wa' sure…there was a somethin'…" His speech was so slurred that the bartender had trouble understanding him.

The bartender sighed. "Go on home, sir," he said. "You've had a long night." He turned. "I'll call a policeman to escort you." He took one step forward but was stopped when the Ainu grabbed his arm.

"Wait," he said, his head bobbing slowly up and down. "W…ait. I sure I got a somethin'…you wait a sec there, doc…"

The bartender frowned. "Hey, pal, you're drunker than a skunk and you got no money. Scoot on out of here."

"Wait," his customer pleaded, grabbing something from his neck and holding it up to the light. The bartender blinked; it was a necklace, a thick teardrop-shaped diamond set on a silver chain. "This 'ere," the Ainu said, grinning wide, "It belong…belonged…belonging…to my mom."

The bartender's eyes gleamed when he saw the light reflecting off of the diamond. "It's very nice," he said slowly.

"Mm." The Ainu nodded slowly, his head almost hitting the table. "'Ow many drinks I get for this, mister? 'Ow many?"

"Well," the bartender said, hardly able to conceal his smile, "I guess I could manage another glass for you."

"Awesome," his customer said, and then he giggled. "Pretty…ain't it? My mom was…pretty, she was too. My li'l sis, she got my mom's eyes. My li'l sis, damn. If she wa'nt my brother, I mean if I wa'nt her sister, I'da screw 'er…"

The bartender laughed, reaching down, fetching another glass, and filling it up. "Here you go, sir," he said, and then held out his hand, palm open.

"Yeah, yeah, 'ere you go, mister," the Ainu answered slowly, but just as he was about to drop the necklace into the bartender's waiting hand, someone seized his wrist. Both men looked up, one surprised and the other simply groggy, to see a stranger standing beside the drunken Ainu, his hand closed firmly around the other man's wrist. He was rather pale, and the bartender remembered him easily because of his eyes: golden with slitted pupils like those of a cat. He faintly recalled this man coming in earlier that night, sitting down in one corner of the pub, and not moving since then.

The Ainu opened his mouth to say something, but the new stranger interrupted him. "You don't want to give something like that away," he said. His voice was smooth and silky.

"Why not?" the drunken man answered. "S'mine, ain't it?" He tried to pull his arm back, but the stranger refused to loosen his grip on his arm. "Ey, leggo, mister!"

Instead, the stranger forced his hand still clutching the necklace back against his neck while at the same time gripping his shoulder with his other hand and hauling the Ainu to his feet. Pulling the man to him so that his head was resting against his shoulder, the golden-eyed stranger then turned to the bartender, reaching into his pocket and setting two hundred-dollar bills onto the counter. "This'll cover it," he said to the stunned bartender, before his eyes narrowed. "I would not suggest you take such advantage of your customers in the future."

Not waiting for an answer, he turned and steered the drunken Ainu toward the door.

The cold night air suddenly blasting on him shocked Usui Horokeu like a bucket of water in the face, and he blinked, shivering. "Where…what…"

"Come," the stranger said, and lifting his head, Horokeu got his first good look at him, his golden eyes glowing in the dim light and purple hair tapering into a spike at the top of his head.

"Wha…Who're you?" the Ainu asked, his voice still slurred.

"That is not your concern," the stranger said, wrapping an arm around Horokeu and allowing him to lean against him as they began walking down the street. "Tell me your name."

"H-Horokeu…Usui Horokeu."

The stranger nodded. "Where do you live, Horokeu?"

"Jus'…er…down th'street 'ere, mister."

"Very well," the stranger answered. "Come."

"Where're you takin' me?" Horokeu asked, leaning heavily on the stranger's arm for support.

"To your home, where else?" the stranger answered as they walked slowly along the sidewalk. There was silence for a moment before the stranger spoke again. "Why did you come to the pub, Horokeu?"

"Eh…?" Horokeu blinked. "Uh…oh…'cause I'da losted m'job, mister." He laughed suddenly. "I really aren't much'a drinker. Don' like bars."

"Hm," the stranger said. "What was your job before?"

"Uh…" Horokeu had to think for a moment before he remembered. "Bookstore…no, library. Y'know, th'place with all the books an' papers an' stuff?"

The stranger nodded. "Yes, I know," he said with an amused smile. He was about to ask another question when the Ainu suddenly seized his arm, pointing into the darkness.

"There," he said. "There. Righ' there."

The stranger glanced briefly up at the apartment building. "Is this where you live?" he asked.

"Uh-huh," Horokeu said, nodding eagerly like a child. "Tha's th'place."

"All right." The stranger led—or rather, dragged the Ainu slowly up the stairs to his front door. Here he allowed Horokeu to lean against the doorframe as he searched the Ainu's pockets until he found the keys. Unlocking the door and opening it, they stepped into the darkness inside.

"You said you had a sister," the stranger said as he closed the door quietly behind them. "Where is she right now?"

"Huh? Oh, Pilika? She sleep early weekdays 'cause she 'as t'get up early for work. Y'know, waitress down at th'rest'rant. Damn cute skirt." And he giggled.

"Hm." The stranger pulled the Ainu to him again. "Where is your room?"

"Down th'hall."

The stranger nodded and slowly they walked into Horokeu's bedroom, and here the stranger left him in the middle of the room. Confused, the Ainu cocked his ears and heard the door close and the lock slide shut. An instant later he felt the stranger close again, and took a moment to realize that his shirt was being unbuttoned.

"Eh…whatcha doin' there, mister?"

"Undressing you," the stranger answered. "Hold still."

"Why you doin' that?" Horokeu asked. "Ya gonna rape me or somethin'?"

He saw the stranger smile in the half-darkness, golden eyes glinting with amusement. "No, my dear Horokeu," he said, removing the Ainu's shirt, followed by his undershirt. "I would never do that."

"Then why're you takin' my clothes off?" asked Horokeu, shivering slightly when the cold air of the room bit into his exposed skin.

The stranger did not reply, undoing the Ainu's belt next and pulling his pants off, leaving him in only his boxers. He then took Horokeu's hand and guided him to the bed, throwing the covers aside and gently lowering the Ainu onto the mattress before covering him again. "Sleep now, Horokeu," he said. "Everything will be better tomorrow."

"Mm…what's your name again?" Horokeu muttered, his eyes sliding shut.

The stranger smiled. "As I said, that is of no concern to you," he said, and then, bending closer, he whispered, "I will be back, Horokeu." The Ainu gave no reply, having fallen asleep, and a heartbeat later the stranger was gone.