hey guys!. i'm sorry for going on hiatus but my last two weeks of summer were brutal. i had to work ten hour shifts since there weren't a lot of lifeguards and a lot of them had quit after mid-season. especially two of my lifeguard friends. those dudes were the best and they had to leave me hanging. i worked at another pool close to my house and made some new friends there so it was all good. school started this week which sucks!. i'm gonna only be able to write and upload on the weekends or during my lunch hour. Late buses don't start until the 18th. well, enjoy chapter 2!

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Cloud slammed and locked the door to the house. He sat down on the living room sofa. This type of moment calls for a cigarette, he thought. He fumbled in his coat pocket for the box and lighter.

He then sighed, releasing a puff of smoke. That guy…a vampire?, he thought. I don't believe this.

"Quite a place you got," said a voice. "I never took you for the rich type but it needs a few minor repairs. Your house, I mean." Cloud turned around and saw Leon leaning against the doorway, smiling.

"How did you come inside," Cloud asked, annoyed. "Come on, do you think doors can stop me? I locked it back again, though," Leon replied, taking step forward into the room. "I--." "Don't come any closer," Cloud said. "I'm warning you. I'll decapitate you." "I wouldn't dream of biting you," he said, trailing off. "Although I think that sounds nice considering the smell of your sweet blood."

"I heard that," he replied. "Now…OUT!." "I won't do it," he said. "Riku would stake me if I ever did." "Isn't that a given," Cloud said, sarcastically. Leon half-smiled at his old-fashioned expression.

"By the way, the name's Leon," Leon said. "Cloud," he replied, walking to the kitchen. "Cloud, are you all right," Leon asked, following him. "Just peachy," he replied, dully.

Opening up one of the cabinets, he fumbled and searched for something inside. After a moment, he took out a bottle full of pills. He took out a bottle of water from the fridge and swallowed the pills.

"Medicine," Leon said. "I'm told I have behavioral issues," Cloud said. "You're lying; tell the truth this time," he said. "You can tell," Cloud asked, raising an eyebrow. "There a change of pitch in your voice, you answer seemed automatic, you had a slightly annoyed expression, and--," he said.

"Okay, I lied," Cloud said. "I just have a headache. Why are you inquiring about my health anyways? Waiting to see if I'll die in the near future?." "I'm not like that," Leon said, coldly. "Is knowledge such a bad thing?."

"Sorry," Cloud said, putting a hand to his head and sitting down. "The headache and current situation are just stressing. Look…I have nothing genetic, psychological, or physical, all right?. What about you if you're so insistent?."

"You have no idea," Leon said. "I hate being a vampire. Problem is, I can't change that for now." "Aren't you supposed to kill you master with a stake or something to change back," he asked skeptically.

Leon stared at him for a minute. His head was resting on a gloved hand, with sapphire-blue eyes staring at him. Then, he laughed for a bit.

"His next move or location is unpredictable," Leon said. "I'm still not strong enough since I haven't killed any werewolves lately. Plus, I haven't trained enough." "Ah, the mortal enemy finally pops up," he said. "How do you know so much about vampires, anyway," Leon said. "I know you, uh, were a skeptic."

"I…seriously don't know," Cloud said. "I've never wanted to read or hear about vampires, so I didn't. It's…just as if it was all in my memory all along for some reason. Déjà vu, y'know?." He studied his face for a second before saying, "I believe you." "You serious," Cloud asked. He nodded.

Abruptly, Leon got to his feet which surprised Cloud. He walked to the window. "There's been a fire," he said. "I heard the explosion." Explosion…?, Cloud thought. Cloud stood up and went to open the sliding glass door.

Walking out, he saw a pillar of smoke coming from a building close to his house. "Oh shit! Riku," he said, suddenly worried. Then, he heard a loud knock on the door. "Shit," Cloud said, with a hand on his chest. "I have to get the door."

He mentally cursed the hammering beats of his heart. "I need to investigate; this fire didn't start itself," Leon said. "I know it." Cloud nodded in agreement despite his stressed state. Then, Leon approached him and took Cloud's chin in his hand.

"Everything's fine," he said. "You worry too much." Leon grabbed his waist and began to kiss him. Cloud's eyes widened in surprise as Leon kissed him. When Leon stepped back, he felt his heart bounce against his rib cage.

"W-What? W-W-Why did you just--," Cloud began. "It was either that or taste your blood," Leon said. "CLOUD! YOU ASSHOLE! OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR," yelled a muffled voice.

The voice made Cloud jump and turn around. When he turned back, Leon was gone. Damn him!, he thought. Why'd he have to pull something like that?...but it felt kinda…nice. Argh! What the hell am I saying!. I sound like I'm high on morphine.

He felt morphine was the drug that fit the way he felt when he was kissed by Leon. Damn him! Damn him! A million times: damn him!, he thought to himself. I am not about to let myself get hung up over a vampire who kissed me. Plus, I have to worry about my career and my life. I have no room for anybody in my life…including him!.

He stopped in front of his front doorway and opened it. He saw Riku, who was ready to bust the door open. "Riku? What the fuck happened to you," Cloud said, stepping aside. "I was about to ask you the same thing," Riku said. "You're blushing…which is something you never do unless there is a…oooh."

"Look just ignore me and tell me what the fuck happened because you smell like smoke and there are traces of soot on you," he said, self-conscious. "And don't get any ideas!."

"I'm not going to get into your business, okay," Riku said, laying down on one of the couches. "Someone just blew up my building. Even bigger problem, I don't have anywhere to go now." "You serious," Cloud asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You think I'm not? Anyway, all of my shit was in there excluding the things that mattered," Riku said, taking off a messenger bad he had on. "Leon was planning to stay over at my place since he has no connections in Tokyo, I'm guessing."

Cloud remained silent for a minute as he grabbed a seat in the lazy boy chair opposite of the sofa. "You know I never do this but you're an exception," Cloud said. "You can stay here until you have somewhere to go or you don't want to live anywhere else. Anyways, I have more space than I can handle in this godforsaken mansion. Let's see…I think I have a room upstairs for you but Leon'll need a dark place so…"

"You hate my guts when I move in, remember," Riku said. "Plus, I'll just be a bother to you. I owe you so much that it's not even funny."

"Hold it," Cloud said, silencing Riku before he could protest. "I never told you it was for free. I want rent. Does five hundred dollars a month for each of you sound fair?."

"I guess so," Riku said. "Uh…thanks. A lot." "That sounds reasonable," Leon said, walking in.

Cloud looked away as Leon walked in and sat down in the fainting couch. "You find anything," Riku asked. "Another hunter," Leon said, toying with a paper airplane in his hand. "He was long gone when I got there but he had a messenger."

"Let me see that," Riku said. "I can figure out who it is."

Leon threw the airplane which made a loop before landing in a spiky lock of Cloud's hair. Riku tried not to laugh as he untangled the plane from his hair.

"Aim a bit lower next time," Cloud said, annoyed. "I'm going to get your rooms ready." Then, Riku began to chuckle as Cloud was leaving.

Cloud stopped at the entry way and said coldly, "Shut up…or you're sleeping outside." He left and the two heard the sound of him going up the stairs. Riku unfolded the paper airplane. He recognized the blue handwriting.

I still haven't given up on

you, Leon. Take this as a

warning. I'll be waiting for

the day I can put a stake

through you.

"I knew it," Riku said, sighing. He crumpled the paper in his hand. "Kaito is so insistent on killing me isn't he," Leon said. 'He's good at making his messages clear but he's still an apprentice."

"He has guts," Riku said. "Heard he actually became a full-fledged vampire hunter after that Munich incident." Then, they heard a crashing sound.

Leon and Riku got up quickly and went upstairs and dashed up the stairs with Riku in pursuit. They saw Cloud stuck in a mountain of knick knacks, storage boxes, and laundry bags.

"Goddammit," he said, frustrated. "Stupid pieces of shit!." He held one of the several laundry bags in his hands. "You could've let us help you," Riku said, taking the bag from Cloud. "I wanted to do it by myself, dumbass," he said. "Get me out of here!."

Leon though Cloud looked cute in the pile of stored items, frustrated and stubborn. Within a few seconds, Leon had everything neatly back in the closet. "Stupid closet," Cloud muttered.

"Hey, you still have your mother's old Tarot deck," Riku said, with a box in his hand. "I'm not gonna just throw it away," he said, grabbing the box. Leon noticed that Cloud's expression changed slightly. "That bag has your bed covers and your room will be the one to your right."

"You been to her shop lately," he asked, opening the door. "No…I haven't," Cloud said. "Well good night and dream of a dame tonight," he said. "Shut up you perv," Cloud said. "Night."

Riku shut the door to his new room. "Where's my room," Leon asked. "First door to your left in the basement," Cloud said, peeling off his glove. "You need a dark room so I figured the basement room would suit you." "Can you show me," he asked.

"All right, I guess," he said, scratching his head. "I wasn't entirely sure about the condition it's in anyhow. I haven't been in it for a long time so I think it's a bit stuffy." Cloud gestured for him to follow as he descended the stairs.

Remember what I told you, Riku said in Leon's mind. Jesus! All right already!, Leon replied, annoyed. I said I wouldn't. "Hey," Cloud said. "Wrong way. The stairs are this way." "Oh right," he said, turning around.

They went down another flight of stairs close to the kitchen. After they both reached the room, Cloud switched on the lights as they went into the room. It was empty except for a sliding paper door on the other side of the room and a dresser.

"No windows," he stated. "This'll do." "I don't have a bed…but I think I have a futon here somewhere." He walked over to the sliding paper door and opened it. It was a closet that had a few hangers and a futon on the floor. "Aha," Cloud said, pulling it out. "Here you are."

"That's all I need," Leon said. "I just need to get a few things tomorrow." "I could go buy you some clothes," Cloud offered. "You could just make a list, I mean you can't just walk outside during the daylight and--."

"I'll do it," Leon said. "Don't say I didn't offer," Cloud said, pulling out a cigarette. "You're very insistent, aren't you," Leon said. "Eh, sometimes," he said, puffing out a cloud of smoke.

"You win," Leon said. "I'll make the list. I have just one question, though." "Shoot," he said, leaning against the wall. "You have servants, right?." "None," Cloud said. "I have a maid service come over to clean once a month."

"You should get some sleep," Leon said. "There's only three hours left till dawn." "I have band practice down here sometimes," Cloud said, ignoring his comment. "But you'll be fine. I soundproofed the room professionally."

"I'm going to see if it's true then," Leon said. "If I'm not mistaken, the rest of the room is designed to look like a studio, right?." "You noticed," he asked. "Pretty much," he said. "Night vision comes in handy a lot."

Cloud now had a guitar in his hand as Leon turned on the rest of the lights.

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another chapter done!. yes!. anyways, i'm so sorry for going on hiatus. i'm not gonna be able to upload as much now since school's already started this week. also, i got a bad case of Writers' Block for my other story! nooooo!. ugh, i need some ideas. as of now, i'll summarize the next chapter. anyways, please read and review!. until next time!.

On the next chapter: enter Sora, Cloud's editor!. he invites Cloud, Leon, and Riku to the bar. also, they find out about Cloud's stories and pen name!. will they accept? what'll happen at the bar?. stay tuned!. (Jesus Christ! i sound like a TV announcer. the screwed up part: I LIKE IT!)