Lavi lifted the heavy box of books up to the table, letting out a groan once he slid it into place. He stretched out his back, hearing a few loud cracks as the joints popped. With a sigh, he brushed back his sweat-dampened hair from his forehead. He'd hauled books around all day long, and the exertion was starting to wear him down. Even with Allen and Lenalee's help, they were only half through his store's new acquisitions.
Flopping back into a metal folding chair, Lavi let out a long whine as stared up at the ceiling. "We're never getting through all these books. Never."
Lenalee pushed a cart next to the table and began to sort through the box. "I think you're being dramatic."
"My life is dramatic."
Shaking her head, Lenalee set one of the dusty books down on the sorting table and eyed the redhead. "Well, that would explain it."
A loud thump sounded and Lavi turned his gaze to the source. Allen dropped another cardboard box of books on the table with a heavy sigh. "I think we've gotten them all into the store and out of the truck at least."
"That was the last box?" Lenalee asked, leaning over to peek at the contents. She smiled as she pulled out a well-loved copy of Moby Dick from the box.
"Yeah. Now we just have to sort through everything." Allen collapsed into a chair next to Lavi to catch his breath.
"But this is the best part," Lenalee said, looking around at the storage room with a glint of excitement in her purple eyes. Cardboard boxes filled with books of all genres were piled high in every corner. There was barely enough room to walk around the stacks. "We've got these new books for the store and we get to go through them all! I call that fun."
Lavi laughed. "She's right, Al. This is the best part." He reached in and grabbed a book at random, grinning at the faded cover. "Gotta love a good sale."
Allen relaxed back against the chair, stretching his feet out under the table. "I can't believe you found that estate sale, Lenalee. All these old classics were just sitting in some house, collecting dust."
"And now they're mine," Lavi said with a grin.
Lenalee laughed, shaking her head as she pulled out a few more books from the haphazardly stacked boxes. "You mean for the store, not you."
"Same difference. I paid for them, either way." Lavi paged through the book in his hand, the smile never leaving his face. "A lot of these are first editions. I think I might actually keep them in my personal collection."
"If you keep every book you find, how will your bookstore stay open?" Allen asked, leaning forward to peek at the contents of the box closest to him.
"I think you're forgetting that this store is basically Lavi's own little playground," Lenalee added. She worked on moving the books to the cart, organizing them as she worked.
"That is not true," Lavi interrupted, frowning at his friends. "I take my work very seriously."
Lenalee glared back at him. "I caught you sleeping on that chair in the History section just yesterday."
"Okay. In my defense, it was just after lunch, and I had eaten a whole pizza by myself. I needed a nap."
Lenalee's frown deepened. "You were asleep for two hours."
"It was a lot of food. It required a long nap."
With a sigh, Lenalee gave up on the argument and went back to sorting.
Allen, unaffected by the squabble, stood up and stretched his arms above his head with a groan. "I think I'll head home. It's late and I'm exhausted."
"It's not that late, Al!" Lavi looked over at the clock on the wall, blanching at the time. "Shit, is it already ten?"
"How did you not notice the time?" Lenalee asked, not looking up from her task.
Lavi jumped up from his chair, setting the books on the table before grabbing his jacket. "I gotta go."
"Now? I thought you wanted to go through your haul?" Lenalee turned her gaze to him then, confusion in her eyes.
"Can't. I have plans."
"Plans this late at night? Sounds like a date to me," Allen said, stifling a yawn.
"Ohh, your mysterious paramour?" Lenalee gave him a sly smile.
Lavi couldn't help but flush at the teasing. "I don't have a date." He tried to ignore them, focusing on grabbing all his belongings before leaving, but their knowing gazes were too intense for him to handle.
"You say that, but you always leave at the same time every week – like clockwork. What else are we supposed to assume?" Lenalee busied herself with more books, but didn't relent on her questioning.
"It's nothing. I just don't want to talk about it." Lavi checked his pockets, making sure he had his wallet, keys, and phone before heading to the door. "Lena, can you close up for me?"
"Yes, yes, yes. Just go and see your lover, already."
Lavi huffed and closed the door, hearing the sound of giggling behind it as he left.
xXxXxXx
Lavi rushed down the sidewalk to his apartment. He had missed the bus, and couldn't wait for the next one to show up. By the time he reached his block, his legs were sore from his hurried steps, and the cold, late Autumn wind had numbed his cheeks and nose. Tucking the lower half of his face into the folds of his orange scarf, Lavi sighed and hurried to the front stoop of his apartment building.
He pulled out his keys, fingers stiff from the cold, and fumbled to open the door. Just as the correct key entered the lock, a voice sounded behind Lavi.
"You're late."
"Shit!" Lavi exclaimed, spinning around to see his addresser, the keys jangling in the lock behind him. His heart thudded in his chest, blood pumping in his ears from the adrenaline. When he recognized who had spoken up, Lavi relaxed, but only slightly. With a sigh, Lavi's shoulders slumped as he turned to finally open the door. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Yuu."
Kanda stepped up right behind Lavi, his cold body pressed up against the redhead's. Lavi couldn't hear him move, but sensed the approach as a chill ran up his spine. "I've told you before. Don't call me that." The tone was flat, devoid of emotions, but Lavi smiled in spite of the warning.
"Should've never told it to me, then," Lavi added, opening the door and holding it for Kanda to enter. He received a sharp look as Kanda passed by him, his dark eyes narrowed and his long, black hair still silky smooth, even after waiting outside in the wind and cold.
Lavi swallowed, his skin heating up from just the look. Kanda never had to say a word – a simple glance spoke volumes, and Lavi could always pick up on the most subtle of cues.
They headed up the stairs, Lavi's boots clomping noisily on the worn wooden flooring, while Kanda moved like a ghost through the hallways. His haunting presence never failed to leave Lavi on edge, that nagging feeling that under his calm and taciturn exterior, Kanda harbored dangerous strength and power. Lavi had fought with himself daily on their arrangement, whether it was too much to keep on with, but every time Lavi fell in favor of continuing it. He knew it was dangerous and could get him killed one of these days – that was why he loved it so much.
Reaching his apartment, Lavi opened the door, keys jingling once more. The noise echoed in the empty hallway, his hands shaking as he worked the lock. He already had a nervous tremor of anticipation vibrating along his skin.
Once inside, Lavi turned the light on and locked the door behind them. He moved with practiced efficiency, avoiding the stacks of books and journals he had stashed in the living room. His home space looked no different than his work space, cluttered with notes, papers, and books. Nothing was organized, the haphazardly stacked piles looking as if they would topple over at any moment.
Kanda looked around the living room, his dark eyebrows knit tight. "Tch. Don't you know how to clean?"
Lavi hung up his coat and kicked off his shoes near the door. "I've been busy."
"It's like this every time I'm here."
"I'm always busy," Lavi clarified, brushing back his messy hair from his good eye and walking towards Kanda. His skin still tingled from the cold, but he was slowly warming up now that he was inside. His eye scanned over Kanda's body. Even though it was freezing out, he only wore a thin black button up shirt and slacks. Lavi envied how the temperature didn't affect him. "So… You ready?"
Kanda rolled his eyes, then walked towards the bedroom. "You really have a way with words."
"Aww, Yuu! Don't be mean. I've had a long day. I'm just tired." He followed after Kanda, passing the threshold into the darkened room. He reached for the light switch, but Kanda's hand shot out and grabbed his wrist, stopping him in an instant.
Lavi's breath caught in his throat as Kanda pressed him up against the wall, pinning his larger form against it. His green eye widened, taken by surprise as Kanda stared him down in the dark. He could just make out his eyes, the light from the living room giving them an otherworldly glow.
"Is that all your mouth is good for? Complaining and making up excuses?" Kanda stared him down, his grip like a vice as he held him against the wall. "You're more trouble than you're worth."
The blood drained from Lavi's face as he looked down at Kanda, not sure if he could take the words seriously or not. Kanda's moods were all over the place, and though Lavi had never been truly injured by him, the fear of it never completely left. "If you're gonna kill me, then you might as well do it now and get it over with."
Kanda's eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he continued to glare at the redhead. A moment of silence passed between them, tense as the air seemed sucked from the room in that instant. Lavi felt his mouth go dry as he waited. He thought for certain that he'd stepped over the line this time — that Kanda had had enough of his shit and decided to end their little tryst.
But then Kanda kissed him with his hard, cold lips, and Lavi melted against him. He let out a soft moan as Kanda's tongue explored his mouth. The grip on his wrist loosened enough for Lavi to regain mobility, and he used it to run both of his hands into Kanda's hair, threading his fingers through the long, black locks. Kanda wasted no time, grabbing Lavi's hips and hoisting him up off the ground. Their kiss broke off and the redhead lost his balance, holding onto Kanda's shoulders to keep from falling.
Kanda dropped him to the bed, Lavi's arms and legs tangling in the disheveled sheets. He kicked off his shoes before crawling on top of Lavi, capturing his lips in another kiss. Lavi moaned into his mouth, hands reaching out to grip at Kanda's thin shirt, hoping to pull him closer yet. Their legs twisted together, and Lavi felt himself already grow hard under Kanda's rough touches.
When Kanda pulled back, only to lick over his neck, Lavi shivered in anticipation. "Yuu… Yuu, please…"
With a smirk, Kanda sat up, his legs on either side of Lavi's waist. He pulled off Lavi's shirt in one quick motion, then went to work on his pants. "You whine too much. I ought to punish you for making me wait, but I'm too hungry for that."
Lavi let out a long sigh, fighting to keep his hips from thrusting up as Kanda worked his pants off. "Yes, please," he mumbled, already lost in desire as his skin flushed hot with want. "Bite me."
Kanda shifted on the bed, shucking off Lavi's pants to the side before sliding back over him. The smirk on his lips left the redhead weak, and he knew that had he been standing, he would've collapsed from the sight. "Such a willing blood bag, you are." Kanda slid his fingers over Lavi's chest, biting his lip with his pointed teeth as Lavi arched his back into the touch.
As his fingers moved lower, Kanda teased the erection and listened as Lavi gasped and mewled under his ministrations. Tired of waiting, he palmed the hardened flesh, slowly stroking it with a steady rhythm.
"Ahh! Yuu…" Lavi whined, tossing his head to the side as he panted. His face and chest flushed from all the attention and he gripped the sheets to keep from squirming too much.
"Shh, you're so loud," Kanda chided, lying next to Lavi as his hand continued to work him over. Burying his face in the crook of the redhead's neck, Kanda opened his mouth and bit down.
Lavi gasped, the initial pain searing in his neck. He felt Kanda's teeth puncture his veins, the ache more familiar than he liked to admit. The sting of the open wound left him biting his lips to keep from crying out. He focused his attention on Kanda's hand, and how gentle he was for once. He knew this pain would dull in a moment or two.
Then it happened — Kanda's lips wrapped around the wound, sucking and lapping at the blood that pooled against his flesh. The sensations left him stiff against the mattress, muscles taut. He couldn't hold back anymore, letting go of the sheets in favor of grabbing Kanda's still clothed body. He clung to Kanda, tilting his head to the side to give him more room to drink.
This was what Kanda came here for every week, sometimes more if the mood struck him. Lavi let the vampire feed off him — just enough to satiate his body while leaving Lavi alive, if not a little light headed. In return, Kanda pleasured him. His methods changed every so often. From what Lavi could tell, Kanda didn't have much of a sex drive, if any, but the act of drinking blood left him feeling something akin to Lavi's post-sex high. They both got off on the activity, both benefited from it, and Lavi had grown accustomed to his life as a willing meal for a vampire.
A particularly hard suck on his neck left Lavi moaning into Kanda's shoulder. He felt the pace of his hand increase, the friction of Kanda's cold digits on his hot flesh sending his stomach into a twisting roller-coaster of excitement. Kanda grinned into his neck, still sucking at the wound. And when his tongue played with the bite marks, Lavi shivered and groaned against the feeling.
"Yuu.." Lavi moaned out, his hips thrusting up into Kanda's callused, cold palm. His neck ached from the wound, and every deep suck from Kanda's mouth left Lavi weak and light headed. "H-Harder, Yuu. Please… Harder."
Kanda chuckled against his neck, pulling back to stare down at him. Blood smeared over his lips and chin. "Beg me more," he said, licking his lips as he leaned in closer to Lavi's face.
"P-Please," Lavi whispered against Kanda's bloodied lips, his voice hoarse and strained. He stared up at Kanda, not breaking eye contact. "P-Please drink me and let me cum. Please, Yuu." The hand on his cock never ceased moving, and Lavi could feel Kanda toying with him. Every time his body shuddered, ready for orgasm, the vampire would ease off, denying him the completion he craved. Lavi knew he did it on purpose, just to drag out their encounter.
With a crimson-smeared smirk, Kanda met their lips and kissed Lavi, filling his mouth with the taste of his own blood. Lavi winced at the coppery tang on his tongue, but whined as Kanda stroked him harder, firmer. He broke the kiss off, moving back to Lavi's neck to continue drinking down his essence.
Lavi tugged Kanda closer, fingers tight in his shirt as he fought to keep his head on straight. His body hummed with pain and pleasure, the two sensations merging into one amalgam of desire within him.
After one long gulp, Kanda sighed and grinned against Lavi's neck "You taste so good when you're worked up like this." He pumped his hand faster, the precum oozing from the tip of Lavi's cock, desperate for relief. Kanda continued drinking him in, not slowing his rhythm.
Lavi cried out, the burning in his neck almost too much to bear anymore. His hips thrust up into Kanda's hand, desperate for more friction. "Ah, shit!" he cursed, biting his lip against the pain. "Yuu, please."
Kanda dug his fangs in deeper, blood filling his mouth and dribbling over Lavi's shoulder and onto the sheets.
That last bite brought Lavi over the edge. He came with a moan, spilling himself over Kanda's fingers and onto his own naked stomach. Kanda kept drinking, a low groan rumbling in his throat as his grip on Lavi tightened. The orgasm left Lavi flushed red, sweaty, and numb. His hands fell limp at his sides, vision suddenly blurry. He blinked trying to keep from falling asleep. Why was he so tired all of the sudden?
When the tension left his body, Kanda pulled back to scan over his face. An unusual look of concern burned in his black eyes. "Lavi?"
"Mm?" Lavi managed to groan out. He tried to sit up, but the room began to spin, forcing him back on the dirty bedsheets. A sudden cool and damp cloth pressed to his neck over the wounds. Lavi opened his eye to see Kanda, gently cleaning the bites he had made. He smiled up at the vampire. "Don't look so worried."
Kanda eyebrows furrowed as he glared down at him. "You lost too much blood, idiot. Why didn't you say something?"
"Felt too good," Lavi admitted, trying to swallow, but finding his mouth and throat dry. "Don't worry. I'm fine."
Before Kanda could protest his assurances, Lavi passed out cold.
xXxXxXx
The nagging pain in his neck pulled Lavi out of unconsciousness. He winced as he rolled over, the sun peeking in through the cracks in the curtains disturbing his slumber. It took Lavi a long moment to realize that morning had come, and the sudden realization left him panicked. He sat up in bed like a shot, then groaned as he felt a wave of dizziness come over him, leaving his head aching.
"Yuu?" he called out, scanning the room, but finding it empty. His hand slid up over his neck, the wounds already wrapped and treated. Looking down, he noticed he was still naked, but the blood and cum had been cleaned from his body, and the dirty sheets changed as well. On the nightstand, he saw a large glass of orange juice and his phone next to it. He reached for the drink first, downing it in one go, then grabbed his phone to check the time. One unread message flashed on the screen, and Lavi grinned when he saw Kanda's name attached to it.
Drink your juice and stay in bed, asshole. I'll be back tonight to make sure you're not dead.
Lavi laughed, falling back against the pillows as he stared at the text. "Well, look at that. He does care if I die or not." Shaking his head, he pulled up his contacts and called a different number, waiting patiently for an answer.
"Ah, Lena? Can you run the store for me today? I'm not feeling well." He paused to listen to her response, then frowned. "Such accusations! Can't you just help me without giving me the third degree for once?"
After another silence, Lavi sighed in relief. "Thanks. I owe you one." After ending the call, he set his phone aside and relaxed against the bed. He never had the chance to see Kanda two nights in a row before. Even with his body sore and exhausted, he couldn't wait for night to fall once more.
