Zetsubou no Amai Kiss Shite?
(Won't You Give Me a Kiss of Despair?)
Last Chapter Summary:
With the effects of Kiku's Blood fading and needing restoration, Alfred slowly comes to realize that he has no choice but to be involved with Kiku. As an invisible seven-tailed kitsune enters the house to assassinate Kiku, he goes wild with a chainsaw chasing the intruder, and eventually even sets the house on fire.
IMPORTANT! Read this! DL, DR!
Warnings: Violence, Language, Mentions of Blood, HalfWerewolf!Antonio, Black!Kiku, and more crazy characters in the next few chapters
Pairings: mortal!AlfredxBlack!Kiku
Genre: Horror & Supernatural
Chapter Summary: Half-Werewolf Antonio Carriedo, the lover of the werewolf Lovino Vargas who was killed by Kiku, comes to claim his revenge. But he does not yet realize that he himself was used as a chess piece to make Lovino betray Kiku.
Disclaimer: I will never own APH, guys. All rights reserved by all concerned parties.
Third Drop of Blood:
Rampage
Alfred was walking home from school, and as usual, he felt like tearing up from all the schoolwork. He was beginning to get into fights with his other male classmates, and he didn't like that one single bit. Alfred was not that fond of fighting, and he'd rather things were talked through rather than settled with fists.
He was trudging up the road that led up the hill to Kiku's residence when he heard a faint yipping. He rushed to find out what was making such a noise and saw that it was a small white dog, probably an Akita or something. It ceased yipping and began barking madly when it heard Alfred's running footsteps. Alfred picked the dog up and grinned at it. Maybe Kiku'll allow him to keep a dog? With the right wheedling, Kiku will surely allow his request. It was getting a little too silent in the house any way…
He continued walking, too absorbed in his thoughts about the day that he failed to hear the shout.
"Oy! Out of my way! She's gonna lose her control!"
The motorcycle collided hard with Alfred, sending him sprawling on the road. The rider had jumped at the last second and had ended up picking himself from the side of the road.
"Dios mio," the rider of the motorcycle muttered to himself as he surveyed the motorcycle. The engine wasn't broken, but the lights were. "Oy, kiddo. The one with the glasses!"
Alfred stared at the rider as the latter took off his helmet, revealing a good-natured face with bright green eyes and a bright smile. Alfred guessed that this man must have lived somewhere in the Mediterranean or else in the tropics, since his skin was a healthy shade of tan.
"Not hurt, are ya?" the stranger said worriedly, kneeling down and examining Alfred closely.
"Um, just some scrapes," Alfred replied, examining his elbows, which were scraped clean of skin. The stranger whistled at the sight of the wounds and smiled apologetically.
"Eh, sorry 'bout that. If you'd just listened to my warning maybe you'd walked away without a scratch." The stranger raised his eyebrows cheerfully. "Want me to take you to the hospital?"
"No… um, it'll be fine soon anyway…" Alfred muttered, watching as the wounds began to heal quickly. The stranger's green eyes darkened at the sight.
"Tell me," the stranger growled suddenly, startling Alfred. "Are you a Blood warrior?"
Kiku finished his afternoon tea with a sigh, remarking, "Not enough."
Matthew, who was kneeling beside him, remarked nervously, "Oh? Then maybe I should bring you some more…"
Kiku smiled indulgently at him. "Not you, Matthew-san. The serving you've actually given me today was more than enough." He sighed and wiped his lips delicately with the cloth napkin on the tray, the sleeves of his black-and-purple kimono drooping gracefully at his sides. "What I meant was that I have not enough servants." He glanced at Herakles, who was dozing opposite to him at the table, then back to Matthew's violet eyes.
"Are we three not enough?" Matthew asked.
"That's not it," Kiku sighed again. "I used to have a personal guard in the past because of my status as a prince… but now I have no one to protect me except my Hera-chan and the very reckless Alfred Jones." He smiled bitterly. "How low I have fallen!"
Matthew frowned thoughtfully, silently picking up the tea things and proceeding to the kitchen.
"Oh, and Matthew-san, one more thing."
"Yes?"
"You make really good tea."
"Oh! Thank you."
Alfred's eyes widened as the stranger's arms transformed into huge paws with sharp inch-long claws and pick him up by the collar of his shirt.
Shit.
Alfred knew that he should have suspected immediately that this person is not what you can call normal. After all, Kiku isn't what you'd call normal himself, so of course you couldn't say that he receives normal visitors.
"You are a Blood warrior, right?" the stranger roared. "Lead me to your master!"
Alfred clutched the little white dog he had picked up earlier and winced. This one might just be another assassin sent out by one of Kiku's siblings to kill the prince…
"Kiku-sama…"
Kiku turned around to see Herakles holding a dead cat in his hands and looking particularly sad and determined.
"Why are you bringing that cat to me?" Kiku asked suspiciously, glaring at Herakles with dark eyes. "Surely you're not asking me to resurrect that cat of yours?"
Herakles nodded once.
Kiku sighed and waved him away. "Hera-chan, I know that you love that cat and I know I need more Vassals, but by the Blood of the Golden Chrysanthemum, don't make me resurrect a cat so that it can be a Blood warrior. Yao-nii-sama'll laugh at me."
So the member of the Royalty that killed my Lovi is in that mansion… I'm in luck…
The green-eyed stranger that Alfred met was speeding to the mansion on his motorcycle, his eyes dark with anger. Just wait… Lovi's murderer…
Meanwhile, Alfred was continuing his way to the mansion, remembering his conversation with the stranger before he left on the motorcycle.
"…Don't go near that mansion! It's dangerous!" the stranger had warned him, putting his helmet back on.
"…But why are you…?"
The stranger set the motorcycle upright and slung a leg over it. "You're a good guy. I could feel it. So don't get yourself involved." He gunned the engine to life and took off, leaving Alfred choking on his dust.
Alfred had been running since the end of that conversation, determined to rush to Kiku's aid. He didn't know why he desired to protect Kiku, but maybe it was Kiku's Blood inside him crying out for him to go and save his master…
Ah! I don't really understand! But I have to go!
Kiku was surprised when a motorcycle practically tore down his front door, since he was standing on the entrance hall when the green-eyed stranger that Alfred met earlier entered the house in that manner. The motorcycle skidded a bit past him before coming to a complete halt, marking the perfectly clean floorboards with dirt.
The stranger took off his helmet and flung it on the motorcycle, green eyes full of unbridled rage as his tanned arms transformed into the paws of a Werewolf. He bared his teeth to Kiku, his canines growing and forming sharp fangs.
"I've finally found you, my little Lovi's murderer!" he roared out, flexing his arms and claws threateningly. "My name is Antonio Carriedo! And I come to avenge Lovino Vargas, who was betrayed by his filthy master!"
Kiku suddenly grabbed the ax that hung on the wall behind him, smirking. "Oh! So you are that Antonio?" He swung the ax playfully side to side, dark eyes traveling on Antonio's face almost hungrily. "He mentioned you to me in the past. Half-Werewolf, half-mortal… an unusual kind…"
"That's right," Antonio snarled, lunging forward. "Tell me! What dirty trick have you used to kill him?"
"I fought him fair and square, Antonio," Kiku replied calmly, preparing to swing the ax and meet Antonio's strike. "I won fairly."
"Lies—!" Antonio roared, bringing down his paw on Kiku's face, but Kiku lazily parried the blow with the handle of his ax. "Don't give me that crap—!"
Kiku staggered back at the might of Antonio's brute strength, and swung his ax back to chop at Antonio. Antonio dodged, and the blade of the ax missed and buried itself on the floor.
Kiku cursed as he tried to pull the ax out before Antonio can attack, but Antonio had already bounded forward and struck at him with a mighty paw. Kiku quickly intercepted the blow with the handle of the ax again, but Antonio's strength threw him against the wall, his breath knocked out by the impact.
"Weak…" Antonio growled with a smile, green eyes widening with triumph. "I've heard that the members of the Royalty who had not yet reached adulthood were just as weak as humans… Looks like the rumors are true…" He walked up to Kiku's fallen form slowly, smile replaced by a murderous snarl. "With that in mind, there's just no way that you have destroyed my Lovi in fair combat!" He cocked his head thoughtfully, as if considering something before saying, "Stand up! I will avenge Lovino Vargas's dishonor!"
Kiku let out a low laugh and looked directly into Antonio's eyes, calm brown meeting furious green. "Ah… that's impossible…"
Antonio let out an enraged roar. "Shut up—!" He darted forward, claws raised and ready to maul Kiku's face—
—When a distraction arrived in the shape of a large truck smashing its way in the house through the front wall.
Antonio glared irritably in the direction of the truck, his paw still raised.
Kiku stood up with an amused expression as he saw Herakles sitting in the driver seat, face sleepy as usual as he reversed the gears and drove the truck backwards for a distance before driving it back in the house again. With an enraged noise, Antonio dodged away before the truck could crush him against something.
He mounted his motorcycle again, shooting an angry glance at Kiku. "That's fucking cheating!"
Kiku laughed mirthlessly. "Cheating? Who said I have to fight you fairly? And you are trespassing in my home, after all. It's quite within my rights."
Antonio gunned the engine on and rushed off, screaming, "Stop screwing around!"
Kiku leaped into the passenger seat of the truck beside Herakles. "Hera-chan, don't let him get away." His eyes narrowed. "He needs to be punished thoroughly."
Alfred finally burst through the front gate and streaked through the lawn. He paused to catch his breath, and was startled to see the big hole caused by Herakles's truck.
"Let me guess…" he muttered as the little white dog in his arms yipped happily and jumped from his arms to run around the yard. "I'm already too late, right…?"
Antonio's motorcycle roared through the woods behind Kiku's house, cursing whenever a stray branch whipped him across the face. He looked back breathlessly to see the truck keeping up with him effortlessly, leaving destruction in its wake.
Antonio cursed again and willed the motorcycle to run faster, the untamed path through the forest jolting him every other minute.
He looked back again to see Kiku's upper body protruding through the window at the passenger side, smiling gently as he held the scope of a sniping rifle to his eye. "Hunting time, wolf!" Kiku called in a sweet voice as he shot. Antonio drove erratically, hoping to confuse Kiku.
Another shot sounded in the air. Antonio cursed and yelled over his shoulder, "Is this how you killed Lovi?"
"You are a glutton for punishment," Kiku called back, pulling the trigger and shooting some branches above Antonio.
Hearing the shot, Antonio growled and screamed, "Punishment? Don't mess with me!"
"Such a child…" Kiku muttered under his breath. He held the scope to his eye again and called out to Antonio tauntingly. "You don't even know the details, my dear Antonio. You are desecrating your lover's death if you insist on continuing this madness!"
Antonio was stunned by this statement and suddenly braked, his motorcycle skidding in a wide arc before stopping right in the path of the truck. Kiku's eyes widened, and an "Oh?" slipped from his lips.
"What did you say," Antonio said quietly, darkly. Then something inside him snapped, and his arms transformed into the monstrous paws again before roaring out, "What the hell did you just say!"
"Pay no attention, dear Hera-chan," Kiku ordered, putting his gun down. "Ram him!"
Antonio merely held out his arms and received the truck's full speed with an almighty war cry. Because of the mighty force, the truck tilted on its driver side and threatened to fall down. Kiku kept his balance gracefully, kimono sleeves fluttering, as Antonio slammed the truck on its side, the shock of the crash shaking the earth.
Antonio grabbed Kiku by the neck of his black kimono and dragged him outside, green eyes furious and agonized. He dropped Kiku on the grass without any gentleness, lips drawn in a thin line.
Kiku calmly sat on the grass, head tilted slightly to the left and his face back to its usual stoic state. "What? Aren't you going to kill me?"
"Explain it to me first," Antonio said quietly. "What did you mean when you told me that I'm desecrating Lovi's death?"
"Think about it yourself," Kiku said coldly, crossing his arms.
Antonio's eyes burned. "You—!" He raised his paw and prepared to buffet Kiku's head—
—Which was received instead by Alfred, who had appeared from nowhere and had held his arm up to shield Kiku from the blow.
Kiku smirked at Alfred's trembling body. So the Blood called out to him again, eh?
Antonio was outraged. "You? I told you to stay the fuck away!" He was about to swipe Alfred away, but Kiku spoke.
"Stop it." He said the words in a cold tone, staring at Antonio stonily. "Both lover and beloved dying in the same way would be stupid. Even Shakespeare's legendary Romeo and Juliet hadn't stooped to such a thing." He raised his chin and regarded Antonio with a stoic expression.
"Wh-what?" Antonio was stupefied at such bold words.
"Lovino had prepared himself for the dishonor of regicide," Kiku replied emotionlessly, as if he was tired of the matter. "Then he challenged me."
Antonio bristled. "Stop feeding me lies," he snarled. "My proud and honorable Lovi will never do such a—"
"He did."
"He did not!"
"He did," Kiku declared in such an awful tone of finality that Antonio didn't retort. "To save you. His only beloved."
"I—" Antonio was at a loss for words.
Kiku sighed and stood up, straightening his kimono. "You may have not realized it, but I know one of my brothers had threatened Lovino that they will harm you if he will not go against me. Figuratively, you are a hostage."
Antonio shook his head frantically. "No, that's impossi—"
"I don't care if you believe me or not," Kiku said seriously, raising his voice and overriding Antonio. "But remember this. He challenged me honorably and lost. A warrior's greatest honor is to die on the battlefield. He died honorably." Kiku's eyes turned steely. "And now you're staining his death by saying that he died a dishonorable death because of betrayal. Have you no faith with your lover's honor?"
"Just to save me…?" Antonio gasped, a lonely tear streaking down his face.
"So do you still wish to fight me?" Kiku asked calmly, gazing at Antonio without any hint of emotion.
"Not anymore…" Antonio said dully, setting his motorcycle upright and mounting it while his eyes were downcast. "I've lost the passion…"
Kiku breathed out heavily. "I know your whole family was already wiped out… do you have anywhere else to go…?"
Antonio looked up. "What do you mean…?"
Kiku smiled slyly. "You know what I mean. Be a Vassal of mine… and you'll get a chance to have your revenge on whoever of my brothers might have done this to you two." Kiku put a hand on his hip matter-of-factly and calmly looked into Antonio's eyes. "Think about it. Your real enemy is the person who used you to scare Lovino. And I know it's one of my siblings."
Antonio looked devastated and hopeful at the same time. "I was thinking of the same thing. But I know for a fact that the Kingdom of the Rising Sun is currently in turmoil because of the intense rivalry between your siblings for the Throne. And I should think you wouldn't want me to kill your siblings off. Do you mind—?"
Alfred was on the side, listening intently. What was Kiku planning to do?
"Not at all. I'm not exactly fond of any of my siblings, so you can rip them apart if you wish, and I'll just turn my head the other way," Kiku said.
Antonio's expression relaxed. "I— I guess that won't hurt—"
Kiku smiled widely. "I'm glad you're thinking clearly for once."
Kiku held up the dog in his hands, looking at its cute face for a long time before putting it down on the floor and looking at Alfred irritably. He stated bluntly, "We don't need a dog, Alfred."
Alfred pouted. "Maybe you don't, but I do. It's lonely here when evening comes."
Antonio entered the room with a burst of energy. Alfred presumed that this was the real Antonio, the Antonio that Lovino loved. He seemed so different from that first meeting. "The kid's right, señorito. And it's so cute anyways~"
Matthew smiled shyly. "I agree… and we'll take good care of it, Kiku-sama, so don't worry…"
Kiku glared. "Fine. But I'll take that promise at face value. You, Alfred, will be the one responsible for all its messes. If I see as much as an iota of its wastes on the hallways…" His eyes gleamed dangerously. "I'll make you pay."
Alfred grinned and flashed a thumbs up. "No prob!" Then he watched the dog run around the place, sniffing at everything. "Um, I just thought of it now, but the little guy's got no name. What do we call him?"
Matthew thought for a moment. "There are too many nice names for it, you know…"
Antonio suggested, "What about Pomodoro? Pomo for short?"
Alfred grimaced. "Can't we make it something not related to food, at least?"
Kiku stood up. "Ah, I'm going crazy with all your talking!" he said exasperatedly. "I'll just be the one to give him a name then!" He pointed his finger commandingly at the dog. The dog stilled and turned around, as if he sensed Kiku's attention at him. "From now on, you're Pochi-kun. And I swear by the Blood of the Golden Chrysanthemum, you'll not answer to any other name. Understand?"
The white dog, or rather Pochi, yipped happily as if he did understand. It made Alfred break out in cold chills.
"Come, Sadık."
The Turk glanced blankly at the Chinese boy in front of him, who was wearing a black-and-gray duanghua and black pants. His choppy dark hair reached his chin, and his dark eyes were emotionless and ominous.
"We are here, Xiao Chun. Is this where your older brother lived? It's too… drab a town."
"That is just like my Kiku-nii-sama. He likes solitude and simplicity." Xiao Chun's face didn't betray anything, but his dark eyes were alight with mischief. "Now we go and give him a little housewarming party. You can also try to befriend my brother's android or something."
A/N: The last part kinda sucked…
Review guys! Next chapter will feature a new friend… or is it new opponent? *grin*
Next Chapter Summary: Kiku's younger brother Xiao Chun shows up in the town, proposing an alliance against their other siblings. Kiku refuses, but Xiao Chun's goal from the start was to plant a large array of fireworks near the house to attempt to burn it to the ground.
