JC: Previously… The Kuramochi Faction raided an abandoned warehouse to capture rogue vampires who had plans on kidnapping Tetsuya Yuki's wife. Unfortunately, Kuramochi encountered two masked vampires, fought with one of them, and got injured. He was about to be killed when Sawamura came in the nick of time to save him. And the story continues here. I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own Diamond no Ace or its characters. The Vampire!Au is inspired by saionjiakane's art.
Craving
It was a lovely night to die.
Sawamura felt the stinging, burning sensation as blood started oozing form the deep cut on his left cheek.
"Sa…Sawa...mura…" Kuramochi managed to say before he finally succumbed to the pain and fell unconscious.
"Putting your life on the line to save your senior," the vampire sneered, lifting the sword to his lips, "how admirable…and foolish."
Sawamura glared up at him. His eyes were on fire. The flames burned his irises and singed his brows. "I won't let you kill senpai!" he declared, courage and anger seething from his voice. He stood up, planting both feet firmly on the floor, shielding his senior from the enemy.
The vampire wore a wild maniacal grin. "Don't make me laugh. What can you, a mere human, hope to accomplish? A vampire hunter couldn't even defeat me." With a long slow lick the blood-soaked blade slid across his tongue and he paused. "This taste…"
The feral eyes behind the mask locked onto Sawamura. For the first time that night, he felt terrified of the vampire before him. His hungry expression stared at him, devoid of sanity. Sawamura felt certain he had taken his last breath, as the vampire licked the blood off his lips in a long, slow threatening gesture. But he stood his ground, not wanting to move away from his senior.
The vampire moaned in pleasure as he dropped his sword. "This taste…this wonderful flavor…" he said in a malicious voice. "I need more of it." His fangs slid out, protruding past his lips.
Sawamura swallowed against the hard lump in his throat, not fully trusting himself to speak. "Hey…Are you...?" He was no stranger to the ways of a vampire and this was certainly not the first time he'd seen a vampire lost in bloodlust before.
"Give me your blood." The vampire grabbed Sawamura's hand and flung him to the floor.
Sawamura whimpered in pain. Before he could move, the vampire pinned him down onto the floor, sitting down on top of him, his legs straddling his hips. "L-Let me go, vampire!" He recognized the lust in his eyes and the hunger for his blood, and he hated the fact that he couldn't do anything.
The vampire brought his lips to his cheek, where it bled, licking the blood off with his tongue. Sawamura was rendered motionless and his golden eyes glared gallingly. He then moved his lips from his cheek, down his exposed neck, where two prominent bite marks resided. "I don't care if you belong to someone else. I'll make you mine." He pressed his lips on his neck artery. He felt the blood pumping as he licked there, unable to hold himself any longer.
Sawamura shivered as his warm breath pricked his nerves. Disgust sped through him, followed by a flush that covered every inch of his skin. "N-No…Stop…" He shook his head back and forth. "Don't do this! Please let me go!" he cried out to him.
"What are you afraid of? This isn't your first time experiencing a vampire's kiss, right?"
Miyuki… Sawamura remembered the first time he gave his blood—and that's what it had been, just nourishing a vampire, saving him from certain death –but that had marked the start of their peculiar relationship. He had felt the air change between them, the second time Miyuki had fed, and he knew then that he'd do anything to save the vampire from pain and suffering. If it's with Miyuki, it's okay… That's why…
"Stop resisting." The vampire kissed him hard, bruising his mouth, his fangs cutting his lip. He tasted his blood again, and it excited him more. His tongue shot down his throat, almost choking him, and he gagged.
Sawamura wanted to scream, but he was still kissing him in a craze, aggravating his cut lip. He'd never wanted to experience this with another vampire. He didn't want to taste another vampire's kiss. He only wanted Miyuki. He only needed Miyuki, his body against him and his fangs in his neck. The feelings he had for Miyuki were strong, unlike nothing he had ever felt before, and he couldn't afford to let another vampire do as he pleased. And so desperately, he struggled against the enemy vampire. He kicked and fought, but he was no match for his incredible strength.
He was helpless, and the vampire was relentless.
In an instant the vampire broke off, Sawamura shot him a glare. "You're insane!"
The vampire smiled a sick fucking smile. "Now then… Time to feast."
Sawamura trembled and braced himself, waiting powerlessly for the sharp pain of his fangs on his neck.
"That's enough."
A chain suddenly came around the vampire's neck and strangled him. "What are you doing?!" he gasped while grabbing the chain, tossing a glare over his shoulder, baring his fangs at his companion.
"Control yourself." The taller vampire with the kabuki mask had a cold yet quiet voice. "We didn't come here for his blood."
Sawamura's heart pounded painfully in his chest, so loud he feared the whole place could hear.
The shorter vampire, now coming to his senses, and realizing the error of what he almost did, was grateful for the intervention. He flashed his companion an appreciative smirk. "I must have been unsightly, huh?" And once the chain was off his neck, he fought the urge to lick the blood off Sawamura's lips, not sure if he can trust himself. "See you again, Sawamura Eijun-san," he said, brushing the back of his hand against Sawamura's cheek, then down to the bite marks on his neck.
In a blink of an eye, the two vampires disappeared. Sawamura felt a surge of relief, yet the fear in his heart was undeniable. He was safe for now, thanks to the other vampire, but now he was targeted by another vampire because of his blood.
His attention quickly shifted to Kuramochi, who was starting to stir uncomfortably. "Kuramochi-senpai!"
Kuramochi fluttered his eyes open. But his eyes were listless, almost dead, and he was considerably pale in color. "Sa…wamura… You're..." In spite of his condition, he still saw the wound on his cheek. "You're hurt…"
"Don't worry about me, senpai!" Sawamura cried out in a shaky voice. "I'm fine!"
"That vampire…He…He…" Kuramochi coughed out a couple of times. "S-Sorry for…letting you…go through…" He coughed again, pain stretching across his face, before he fell unconscious again.
"SENPAI!"
Miyuki swung frantically into the hospital parking lot, screeching to a bolting stop in front of the Emergency Room entrance, assuming that was the most likely place where he'd find Kuramochi and Sawamura. They hadn't been there long. One of Kuramochi's subordinates told him they had taken them to the hospital only minutes before he phoned him. The dense smothering pong of medication filled his nostrils the moment he barged through the heavy glass doors. The medical staff was running around, tending to their ailing patients. The stifling aroma accompanying their pains only served to augment his discomfort.
Not too long after his arrival, he found his friend, who was in a bad state. According to the doctor, Kuramochi suffered two broken ribs and a serious cut on his forehead. Everything felt so unreal to Miyuki. He had always acknowledged Kuramochi's strength and prowess in battle. Not once did he see Kuramochi lose to another vampire. And if Kuramochi was in that condition, what about Sawamura? Fear lurched up his throat like acid.
What was Sawamura doing in that warehouse in the first place?
"Miyuki-san," a feminine voice called out to him.
He turned at the direction of the voice and saw a pretty girl of Sawamura's age. She had shoulder-length auburn hair and a lovely set of chocolate brown eyes. She looked somewhat shy and reserved, but Miyuki knew that she was more than just that. Her name was Haruno Yoshikawa, and in spite of her frail appearance, she was actually a member of the Kuramochi Faction—part of the medic team— and one of the managers of the baseball team.
"Yoshikawa, where's Sawamura? Is he all right?"
"Um…Y-Yes! If you want, I can take you to him," she replied, lowering her gaze worriedly.
"Please do."
When they left the emergency room they made their way to one of the medical wards where he found Sawamura sitting on the bed staring out the window, a bandage on his left cheek. "Sawamura!" He rushed to Sawamura's side and immediately embraced him, holding him in his strong arms. "I'm so glad you're all right."
"Miyuki…um…I…"
"Sawamura…" Miyuki took in a deep breath and looked down at his partner, whose pale face was etched with concern. But the plaster he had on his cheek and the cut on his lip, he almost couldn't bear the thought of how he got them. Gently and carefully, he brushed a thumb over the concealed scar on his face, each breath tortured, fighting his desire to remove that plaster and kiss his scar. "What happened to you?"
Sawamura heard the sincerity in his voice, but it was difficult for him to tell him, tell anyone, the torment he'd been through. Most of it seemed so implausible, like it was straight out of a manga, not someone's actual life. "T-This is hard for me to talk about…so can I just give you some details? Just until I feel more ready to talk… Okay?"
Miyuki held his hand, feeling the fine callouses of his palm against his, as he watched those golden eyes lowered. Sawamura's voice was shaky and his body trembled. It was quite obvious he'd been terrorized. He let his fingers entwined with his, giving him a sense of comfort and security. "Sure, go ahead."
"One of the masked vampires barged into our apartment… It happened after you left…"
Miyuki felt the walls of his throat drying up and caving inward. His eyes were as wide as saucers.
"And he informed me about the raid…but that's not all." Sawamura looked away, eyes narrowing in frustration. "His companions were planning to murder Kuramochi-senpai! That's why I just…I just couldn't stay still. I know I was being hasty… I should have contacted you, but I left my phone before I realized it. In the end, I wasn't able to do anything! And that vampire…he…he…" He clamped his mouth shut before he gave away too much information.
"What? What is it, Sawamura?" Miyuki looked imploringly at him.
And it only made Sawamura feel mortified. "I'm sorry. I'd like to rest now if that's alright with you," he let out irately, slipping his hand out of Miyuki's grasp. He turned away, pulling the sheets over his head, and dropped down onto the pillow. "I don't really want to talk about this anymore." He touched his lips, recalling the soul branding kiss of that masked vampire, and felt like throwing up.
Miyuki was stunned as a pang of guilt stung his heart. Guilt for what he had done. Guilt for what he hadn't done. He was supposed to protect Sawamura from harm. He shouldn't have left him alone in the first place. He felt like he had failed Kuramochi as well. But he also dreaded of the things he might do in the near future. He wasn't sure he was composed enough to hear all the details from Sawamura without losing control. Already, there was a part of him that wanted nothing more than to hunt the enemy vampires and take them apart, piece by piece.
In spite of the dark emotions tainting his mind, the affection he held for Sawamura still ran high. "All right… Have a good rest, Sawamura."
Kuramochi groggily woke up the next morning to find Miyuki sitting next to his bed, distracted by his thoughts. He painfully and slowly raised his hand and flicked the vampire on the top of his head, snapping him back to the present. "I open my eyes and the first thing I see is your pathetic face? Stab me now…" Sarcasm reigned heavy in his voice, which matched the scowl on his face.
"You're finally awake," Miyuki said with a smirk. "I thought you were going to sleep forever."
"Can't get rid of me that easily, you know," Kuramochi muttered with a shrug. "How long was I out? And what's my damage?"
"About a day. You suffered two broken ribs and a cut on your forehead. You're recovering fast ever since your family's doctor administered the serum. You'll be as good as new in two days."
Kuramochi sighed, feeling the bandage around his head. "Thought so…" Their family's serum had special properties to aid in recuperation and regeneration, and this had benefitted the faction for many generations.
The haughty smirk on Miyuki's face was then replaced by a rare, gentle smile. "Good to see you alive, Kuramochi." And those were his true feelings. Normally, he'd usually taunt or tease the hunter for the fun of it, but at this moment, he was just pleased to have his friend back safe and sound.
Sighing once again, Kuramochi opened his mouth to retort, but then he remembered something important. "Where's Sawamura?!" He bolted up in bed and immediately he was floored by a headache of thundering proportions that made his world spin.
"You're not supposed to get up yet."
When Miyuki tried to push him back into the bed, Kuramochi forced himself to look up at him. "What happened to Sawamura? Where is he?" There was urgency in his tone and concern in his sharp eyes.
"Sawamura's fine. His wounds are nothing compared to yours," Miyuki said calmly, though deep down he wasn't calm at all.
"It's not the wounds I'm worried about. Those damn vampires…" Kuramochi twisted the bed sheet in his hands. He forced himself to recall the fight yesterday, no matter how much it pained him, and the way the vampire welcomed Sawamura seemed all too suspicious. "They lured him there, using me as bait. But if it weren't for him…I would have been dead by now."
The fact that the masked vampires lured Sawamura into danger didn't sit well with Miyuki, and he wanted to teach them a lesson so badly. Sawamura was just an innocent human. However, he wasn't surprised to hear Sawamura's act of bravery from Kuramochi. As he listened to the hunter's story, he learned that Sawamura had shielded him with his own body. Miyuki figured that was probably how Sawamura got the wound on his cheek. Sawamura had always been recklessly courageous and daring, and had always placed the welfare of others before his own.
Of course, Miyuki shared what he heard from Sawamura. "But there's something he's not telling me, Kuramochi. I tried asking him again a while ago, but he didn't feel like talking."
Kuramochi dropped back into his pillows and groaned at the annoying pain swirling in his head. "Can't blame him for feeling that way," he muttered under his breath.
Miyuki raised a brow. "What do you mean by that?"
"Even I'm pissed as hell for what that bastard did to him." Kuramochi's voice and his anger were gathering stream, and Miyuki knew part of it was from sheer fatigue. "I regained consciousness when it happened. I was groggy, but I'm damn sure of what I saw." His face darkened with some powerful emotion.
He had been unconscious, but his mind had been urging him to wake up. He had heard Sawamura's voice, felt it, and he knew that he shouldn't be lying around and doing nothing. First and foremost, he was a vampire hunter. It was his duty to protect civilians from vampires. Secondly, he had promised to protect Sawamura, and was therefore bound in honor to take care of him. Last but not least, Sawamura was his underclassman, his sworn brother and friend, and one of the most important people in his life. So he had forced his eyes to open. Everything was a blur at first. But, as his vision steadily cleared, his eyes had witnessed a sight beyond his wildest imagination.
The vampire he had been fighting before was kissing his precious junior hard. He was bruising his mouth with so much force, letting his sharp fangs cut his lips, deliberately gagging him. The vampire had tasted Sawamura's blood, and it had been such a thrill for him.
Kuramochi had struggled to move, but his injured body had failed him. He had attempted a scream, but he had no voice. He had felt so completely useless at that time. That particular episode was a nightmare for him, but more so for Sawamura. It even hurt just to talk about it.
Miyuki abruptly punched the wall beside the bed, his hand easily going through the wall, like a hot knife through butter. Finally he understood why Sawamura was so reluctant to tell him everything. He was seeing red. It was a bright crimson sheet of anger that washed over him. The thought of other vampires feasting upon what was his made him want to kill. He had to move away from the hunter because he didn't trust himself already. He was normally rational, calm and collected, but it was a whole different matter when it came to his human.
One of the masked vampires had made his claim on Sawamura. And such declaration was clearly an invitation to war. Miyuki wasn't going to back down. Sawamura wasn't for the taking. There was no way he'd let other vampires have him.
"Hey, Miyuki, calm the fuck down," Kuramochi told him, noting how his metallic brown eyes changed into the color of blood red. He had always been aware of a vampire's protective nature and territorial tendencies. Some vampires would go to great lengths to protect their loved ones—even if it meant killing anyone who'd get in their way. But he wasn't prepared to see his own friend going on a rampage. He was in no condition to stop him either. "I understand you're angry, but you've gotta chill."
Miyuki's expression darkened even further. "Oh, don't worry, I won't go berserk." His tone was bizarrely conversational, much to Kuramochi's dismay, and the look on his face was almost voracious. He turned and walked away.
"Hold on a sec!" Kuramochi forced himself to sit up, driving his headache up a notch. But he could care less about his stupid headache at the moment. "Don't you dare do anything you might regret!" He realized he was yelling in the hospital, but screw the rules. "Miyuki, I swear, you stupid vampire, I'll—" He flinched, shutting his eyes in pain, and when he opened his eyes again, the vampire was no longer in the room. "Dammit, Miyuki!"
He'd tried to forget—or at the very least tried to assure himself that it was all just a bad dream. Sawamura had told himself it would never happen again. He was naïve, but he wasn't stupid, he knew exactly what the masked vampire meant to do. That bastard was letting him know his intention, and the kiss he gave him was every bit as bad as his smile. It was a hungry kiss, a kiss determined to prove how much he'd wanted him and his blood. And it was—damn it all—tremendously sickening. It tasted, it teased, and it almost possessed him.
His face and chest burned with anger and shame. He lifted his hand to clutch the fabric against his chest, to twist it in his hand. Emotions bubbled excruciatingly inside as every memory of last night came crashing back once more, sweeping him along, making him feel so disgusted, making him ache so much. The worst part of it was he let someone other than Miyuki kiss him.
Sawamura leaned his head against the cool expanse of the glass of the window, squeezing his eyes shut, as he forced all of his raging thoughts to calm. He already had a difficult time explaining to Miyuki about what happened. He wasn't prepared to tell him everything. He was afraid of that he might think, of what he might do.
"Miyuki…" Touching the side of his neck, he felt the marks beneath his fingertip before memories of passion intruded, the intimacy of it taking him over. He smiled softly as he recalled him there. Feeding from him; gaining strength from his body. "If it's with you…"
Just then, he heard the door to the ward slam open, the loudness echoing with intensity, and that snapped him from his thoughts. He quickly turned and saw Miyuki at the doorway. But something was wrong. There was something off about the vampire. Surely he couldn't deny the dark expression he wore or the fact that his eyes were strangely red. Miyuki was almost frightening, but Sawamura swallowed his own anxiety and tried to smile as he walked up to him.
"Miyuki, is there something wro—" In seconds, Sawamura found himself pinned against the wall, his shoulders trapped in the clutches of the vampire. "That hurt! Miyuki, what are you—"
"He tasted your blood, didn't he?"
Sawamura was speechless as he saw the stark red eyes of the vampire. They simmered with anger, displeasure…desire? Whatever it was it alarmed him and made him want to run away. Unfortunately, he was a cornered prey at the moment and guilt glittered in his eyes while mortification flamed his cheeks. He touched the concealed scar, averting his gaze, as he clenched his teeth in frustration.
Even though Sawamura hadn't outright said it, his actions just now were more than enough to confirm his suspicion. The blood Miyuki had so greatly treasured had been savored by another. His heart thudded painfully against his chest as he lightly brushed a thumb across Sawamura's lips. "And he kissed you…" His words trailed off—choked off, more like—dismay curling tight fingers about his throat.
Sawamura couldn't bring himself to look at Miyuki. All he could do was bite his lip in frustration. He really didn't want Miyuki to know what happened to him. He didn't want Miyuki to see he was tainted. He had been so powerless. He was at the mercy of the vampire and he hated it. "I couldn't do anything… I couldn't… He was too strong! I wish I could just forget everything, but…"
Miyuki experienced a rush of anger all over again. He hated and loathed the fact that some other vampire had the chance to taste his wonderful blood. The thought of someone else kissing, caressing and holding him made him sick to the pit of his stomach. Just the image of him being defiled by anyone else was enough to make him go crazy and because of this his instinct and pride as a vampire refused to let it go.
Cupping his chin, he leaned forward, bringing his lips closer to his. "Then I'll make you forget." He kissed Sawamura, his control waning, and the sensation of having his lips against his further intensified his emotions. He kissed so hard that he could taste his delicious blood in his mouth.
"Miyuki, stop it! You're hurting me!" Sawamura screamed. "Stop it!"
"You belong to me and only me," Miyuki said with a strange voice, as he smiled and continued to give into his desires. "If I could lock you away from others, allow no one else to see you, I would."
"Miyuki!" Sawamura cried out, struggling to break away. He felt an all too familiar fear in chest and it hurt him even more that Miyuki was the cause of it. "No, stop! Miyuki!"
Miyuki bit his neck hard enough to leave a painful mark and his hand reached into his clothes, running up his chest. Everything about Sawamura was so tempting. "I'll never hand you over to another vampire."
Sawamura's mind was in turmoil. Tears sprang from his eyes and he bit his lip to stop himself from howling. "Please stop…" He stopped struggling as the vampire laid a path of relentless kisses down his neck and collarbone. "Just stop." His shoulders slumped down, resigned to the fate brought upon the vampire he cared so much. It hurt so badly he wanted it to end.
Once the salty flavor touched his tongue, Miyuki immediately pulled back to look at Sawamura. As he saw the tears, he was stabbed by this awful, inexcusable guilt that swiftly consumed him. A fleeting of seconds passed, his possessiveness lessened, and he regained control of his senses. However, he could never undo what he'd done to Sawamura. He released him and backed away, averting his gaze in humiliation.
What the heck was he trying to prove? What the hell was he trying to accomplish by doing the exact same thing the masked vampire did?
He felt so utterly stupid and foolish.
"I'm sorry…" was all he could say to him before he walked away. He had scarcely the decency to face him again. Each step he took was heavy, as if his feet were shackled with heavy chains. He was almost tempted to look back as he heard Sawamura crumple down and cry. The desire to pull him into his arms and comfort him had to be pushed back. As of that moment, he had no right to even be near Sawamura.
That afternoon dawned cold and cloudy, but not particularly unpleasant either. Deciding the weather was just right for an excursion to the hospital gardens to do some reading, Sawamura gathered his two volumes of unread shoujo manga and prepared to set off with Haruno in tow. Kuramochi told Sawamura to be careful, informing him not to go anywhere alone before adjourning to his scheduled checkup with their physician.
Sawamura urgently needed to feel the air outside. His thoughts had been muddled up by everything that has happened and his heart had been in turmoil ever since that incident with Miyuki this morning. It was a painful memory to recall, especially with the fears and feeling of helplessness involved. He had never given much thought of labels before. Now he found himself wondering where exactly did he stand in their relationship. But there was one thing he was sure of that will never change and he wanted Miyuki to know that.
After a pleasant walk to the gardens, Sawamura located a bench near some likely blossoms. Accepting Haruno's offer to buy drinks, he let the girl go off to the vending machines, making her promise not to be away too long. Once comfortable, Sawamura settled into his manga, trying to lose himself in the fictional world of fluff and romance. But he'd found himself thinking about Miyuki again.
Miyuki cared for him, he knew that well, and his bond with him developed as time went by, and with it his possessiveness and his almost frantic anxiety that nothing should ever harm him.
Sawamura was deep in his thoughts and was only vaguely aware of the crunch of footfalls approaching on the concrete path.
"Sawamura-senpai…" called a deep, familiar voice.
Glancing up, Sawamura met rich green gaze of a familiar blonde. "Okumura!" he greeted, sending him a warm smile. His hands fell still while he studied him, his pretty features never failing to make him stand out. "Where did you come from? Why are you here?"
"I just visited a friend here," Okumura replied in an emotionless drawl. "And you?"
Honesty was one of Sawamura's strong points, but this wasn't the time for that. He couldn't possibly tell Okumura that he got hurt by a vampire. He wasn't much of a good liar and he was terrible at making excuses, so in a transitory of seconds, he found himself in a dilemma. "Oh, um…My senpai has been admitted to this hospital, and uh, I just visited him just now," he explained, letting out an awkward laugh, as he shut the manga close. "So…um…. How are you, Okumura? We just saw each other just days ago, but it feels like months. I've wanted to talk to you—Eh?"
The words stopped coming from his mouth as he was stunned speechless by the sudden gesture of the younger boy before him. Sawamura felt the warmth of Okumura's palm against his wounded cheek, a ghost of a touch that sent an influx of emotions running through his body. Okumura's usually cold eyes had melted into something deep and earnest, a kind of glow unlike nothing before. Silence descended, comfortable and undemanding, as Okumura brushed his thumb against the plaster.
"You got hurt…" Okumura muttered under his breath.
Sawamura recognized the concern and welcomed it. After all this time, it seemed like his previous battery partner still cared for him. "Don't worry about it! It's nothing serious," he said, assuring him with a smile.
For a brief moment, an odd, almost alarmed expression passed over Okumura's face. Then, just as abruptly, it vanished. "I don't want to see you get hurt again."
Sawamura felt his heart beat with a resounding thud. A bizarre feeling washed over him in an instant. Okumura had no idea of what really happened to him, so why did it seem like he was guilty or something? It may be just a simple act of sincerity on Okumura's part, but Sawamura felt there was a much deeper meaning to it.
"Please take care of yourself, senpai," Okumura said before turning on his heel to walk away.
"Okumura, wait!" Sawamura said, rising to his feet. "Do you have to leave so soon?" A small voice whispered that he should just let him go. A far louder one urged him not to. "Can't we at least hang out for a while? We were so close back in high school." The bonds they've forged before was strong, fortified with the intense feeling and drive to play the sport they both loved, and Sawamura had always treasured that bond. "I've always wanted you to catch my pitches again. I've missed being a battery with you."
For a long moment Okumura made no reply, taken completely off guard by Sawamura's words. A lump swelled in his throat. "I have to go. Please excuse me."
Seeing him go, Sawamura shot out his hand to reach for the blonde, but then he stopped as he heard someone calling him.
"Sawamura-kun, I bought the drinks! Sorry if it took so long!" It was Haruno.
Sawamura glanced at the girl running clumsily toward him, almost tripping along the way, as she carried two cans of drinks in her hands. Suddenly he felt a soft, chilly breeze blew past him, and as he gazed back, he gasped in surprise to see Okumura gone. "Where did he—"
"Sawamura-kun, what's the matter?" Haruno inquired, watching the brunette looking around for someone.
"That guy's pretty quick…"
Haruno raised both brows in question. "Huh? What guy?"
Sawamura sighed and gave her a quick smile. "Nah…It's nothing." He had lost Okumura again.
Miyuki groaned and rolled onto his back, the empty bottle of wine in his hand dropping to the carpeted floor with a muffled thud. The small sound was enough to bring him awake, his eyes popping open as though fire had broken loose. Sitting upright, he winced at the sight of the spinning room. Clutching his head, he waited dismally for the dizzying pang of pain to recede. As he did, he became aware of two things: He'd slept on the sofa instead of his bed. And he had hurt Sawamura.
"Sawamura…"
He winced as the memories swept through him. He recalled those golden eyes filled with tears, recalled the pain in them…the same pain that had frightened Sawamura. And as he remembered them, the same agony raced through his own being and the anger he felt toward himself took hold of him. He could not control the shaking of his body. After he'd left Sawamura at the hospital, he'd taken out all the expensive wine in his stash and submerged himself in alcohol. The impulse had been immature, he knew, but at the time he'd been so frustrated with himself that he'd needed some means of an outlet. But even then, he'd known better than break some of the glasses.
Sawamura had been harassed by enemy vampires twice on different occasions. Despite his vow to protect him, however, he had forced himself upon Sawamura, claiming him as if he was just a mere trophy to be won and owned.
I deserve to be hated.
Suddenly his phone alerted him of a text message, startling him despite his heightened senses. He reached for the phone on the center table and glanced at the name of the sender on the screen. For a long moment he hesitated before swiping a thumb on the screen to open the message.
From: Sawamura, E.
We need to talk. Meet me on the rooftop of our apartment.
He sighed, then reread the message. So Sawamura was still willing to talk to him after what happened. It was quite surprising, although perhaps he simply wanted to put an end to their relationship once and for all.
The sound of Miyuki's boots echoed through the stairway to the rooftop. He desperately wanted to see Sawamura again, but every step he took was more agonizing than the last. His steps grew heavier, his feet leaden, but he would not stop. An ache rose inside his chest as he drew near the entrance.
When he finally arrived at the top, Kuramochi was there, leaning against the wall with hands stuffed in his pockets. The injuries he had was no more than a thing of the past. His two days stay at the hospital had done wonders for his body's recovery. Of course, being a part of the Kuramochi Faction was a huge advantage since one can benefit from their family's healing serum.
"I told you before, didn't I?" Kuramochi said, glaring up at his friend. "Don't do anything you might regret."
Miyuki gave off a sad smile. "You saw that, didn't you?"
"It was a pain to get out of bed just to go after you," Kuramochi replied with a shrug.
"I never meant to hurt him," Miyuki said as he hung his head. The look of disappointment in Kuramochi's eyes penetrated his heart and left a gaping hole in it.
Kuramochi shook his head, completely annoyed with him. He stepped a closer to him and gave him a hard kick in the ass. Miyuki stumbled forward but caught his balance quickly. "You're an asshole and you know it. Anyway…You didn't come here to chat with me."
"I don't really know how to face him." Miyuki had acted on the stressful emotions of jealousy and possessiveness, and hadn't thought logically and dealt with the situation. Kuramochi's admonishments had always hit it desired target and stung. Nothing hurts more than the truth.
"Go out there before I decide to strangle you."
"Demanding as usual," Miyuki said with a slight chuckle as he reached for the doorknob. Taking in a deep breath, he turned the knob and pushed the door open. He stepped out, closing the door behind him. His breath frosted on the air, but he barely noticed the chill, too numb and resilient to be disturbed by a little cold. A second presence soon joined him, and he turned to see Sawamura strolling toward him.
This was the first time seeing him again since the hospital. The plaster was no longer present, as well as the scar. The medicine from the Kuramochi family was truly effective. However, Sawamura looked tired. Despite his neat and healthy appearance, his gold eyes were slightly bloodshot, as though he hadn't slept well.
"Hey…" Miyuki greeted weakly. A hard gust of wind blew, ruffling their clothes and the scarf around Sawamura's neck. "I think we'd both be more comfortable talking inside. I'm okay with the cold, but I'm sure you're freezing out here."
Sawamura suppressed a shiver. "No…Out here is fine." He buried his hands inside the pockets of his jacket and took several steps toward the fence. "To tell you the truth…I don't really know what to say…but I wanted to see you."
Despite having spent some time rehearsing what he planned to say to Sawamura, the words didn't come easily to Miyuki either. "I've given our situation a great deal of thought. First of all, I want to apologize for what I've done to you. I let my emotions get the best of me." He waited to see if he'd retort, but he didn't. "I really don't deserve you, Sawamura. I've done nothing but bring you pain. Honestly, I no longer have the confidence to be with you."
"I'm not letting you leave, Miyuki, and I'm sure you don't want to either."
Miyuki's metallic brown eyes widened in clear astonishment. "Aren't you angry for what I did? Don't you want me out of your life?"
Sawamura stiffened for a moment, and then turned to face him. "I'm not angry." The word had an edge to it, but it was said without malice. "When I was kissed by that vampire, it was cold and scary, but…" He lowered his gaze, clenching a hand on his chest, grabbing up the fabric of his shirt in his hand. "…it also felt like something unbearable was squeezing my chest." He pressed his fist against his heart as he clenched his teeth against the horrible memory of his ordeal. "When he tasted my blood, I felt like I've been tainted… And when he tried to bite me, I felt I was going to be sick. Even so…I know that during that time all I could think of was you. I realized then I didn't want any other vampires to touch me like that."
"But I'm no different from him," Miyuki reasoned, clenching his fists. "What I did to you was—"
"Yeah, you were scary…but when you let me go, it was even scarier."
Lines of puzzlement formed on Miyuki's forehead. "Sawamura, I don't understand."
"I was afraid that you wouldn't touch me anymore. I don't really understand myself and I feel like my chest is going to burst just by thinking about it." Sawamura looked straight into his eyes. "I can't explain what's happening between us. Hell, I just know that nothing makes sense anymore. I'm so restless I feel like I've got ants crawling under my skin. But I know I'd never push you out of my life. If you try to leave now, then I'll do what it takes to stop you. You know how stubborn I can be."
Miyuki could see in his eyes that he still trusted him, but he wasn't sure if he trusted himself enough to carry on this relationship. "You're really okay with me?" he asked, refusing to meet his gaze. "You don't have to force yourself."
"I guess I'm trying to save you the trouble."
"I don't need you to do me favors, okay? How do we know I won't pull a stunt like that again? There are some things that are beyond my control. It's never going to be easy."
"When was living with a vampire ever easy?" Sawamura asked, quickly becoming irritated by their conversation.
"I don't want you to resent me."
"That will never happen. I know you didn't mean to hurt me."
Sawamura reached out, but Miyuki pulled away from his touch. He could see that hurt him, but he just can't. Once again Miyuki was afraid if he let Sawamura touch him and hold him, he'll never be able to let go, and neither will he. "Sawamura, do you realize what you're saying? Do you even know what you want to happen between us?"
"I know I want you to stay with me, Miyuki Kazuya!" Sawamura fisted his hands in Miyuki's shirt and yanked him toward him. "You're important to me and I wanna be with you, so quit trying to convince yourself to leave! Now you tell me... What is it that you want?"
With his heart near to bursting, Miyuki brought his hand behind his head, pulled him closer, and kissed him, meeting his tongue thrust for thrust. He was kissing him, not out of spite and anger, but because he wanted this human so badly as he wanted him. Losing himself in the pleasures of the kiss, he released all of the passion pent up inside of him, as Sawamura returned the kiss with equal fervor. The warm softness of Sawamura's lips against his and the feeling were so mystical, so powerful, and comforting. He'd never get tired of kissing Sawamura, he thought, and he'd never, ever become complacent about their relationship.
Actions spoke louder than words. Miyuki's answer to his question was clear. He wanted Sawamura—wanted him more than anything he'd ever wanted in all his life—and he wanted him not just because of his blood. He could admit to himself—silently allow himself to hear the words over and over in his mind. Suddenly, he didn't care that he was a vampire or the fact he was older than he was. For in that moment, as all events of the day and every moment of the past quickly traveled through his mind, something affirmed him of Sawamura's own feelings toward him. Sawamura's kindness and cheerfulness had repaired the weathering caused by his past and continued to encourage him every single day. He treasured him so much.
They kissed each other hungrily but suddenly Sawamura pulled away to look at Miyuki. He felt he was getting heady. "Just what the hell are we doing?" he asked, stifling a laugh.
"Well, most people would say we were kissing," Miyuki said, sarcastically.
"Don't be such a smart ass, Miyuki Kazuya," Sawamura said, finally laughing. "But I guess I'm too darn irresistible to resist." He grinned cheekily.
Miyuki rolled his eyes, but he couldn't deny it for he certainly thought of Sawamura as beautiful and the most irresistible human he had ever seen. And the gold of Sawamura's eyes was surely a mesmerizing pair of jewelry. The way they looked at you almost seemed as if they looked right through you. He had seen many beautiful humans and vampires in his life. But Sawamura…he had never seen anyone like him before and he could not take his eyes off him.
He was sure that a number of Sawamura's fans would agree with him, he mused, finally feeling at ease. "Shall I cook your favorite for dinner?" he asked.
Sawamura quickly beamed at him. "Sure! Sure! I always love your food, Miyuki!" he said loudly and cheerfully, wrapping his arms around Miyuki' strong neck, as he giggled. But then a tired smile graced his lips as his eyes fogged up. There was something more he needed to say and he almost hesitated. In a more sincere tone, he continued, "I know I'm not out of the woods yet… Those vampires…I don't know what their goal is, but I'll be careful from here on out. I'll listen to you and Kuramochi-senpai carefully and be more cautious of my surroundings." He closed his eyes, resting his face in the crook of Miyuki's neck, and focused on his breathing.
Miyuki knew he'd have to vanquish the risk of harm now threatened by the masked vampires in order to protect him. Thus, he could not afford to let his guard down—not for one moment. He sighed but then returned his hug, encircling his waist with his arms and nuzzling his head the same place he rested his, breathing his scent even more. His chest expanded with each breath, his pulse thumped under his cheek. He was so lost in Sawamura's warmth and intoxicating smell that he failed to hear someone walk in until they cleared their throat.
Sawamura reluctantly pulled back, clearly fighting something. Miyuki wasn't sure what he could be fighting, but the blush on his face was pink as a cherry blossom flower. He swung around and faced his senior, frustration laced in his eyes.
"I did not need to see that," Kuramochi breathed out, rubbing his eyes his frustration. "Seriously, get a room."
"S-Senpai! You should have knocked!" Sawamura exclaimed, flailing his arms up and down, still blushing like a school girl.
Kuramochi grew more irritated. "Why should I?! This isn't your room or your apartment, brat! And stop being so damn loud!"
Miyuki playfully nudged the hunter. "Aren't you being a bit too loud yourself, Kuramochi-kun?" he teased, and in a matter of seconds, he found himself on the floor and in a scorpion deathlock. "O-Owww….W-Wait, Kuramochi, that hurts!" But Kuramochi elected to ignore his pleas and continued to floor him. "S-Stop! Come on, can't you take a joke?! O-Ouch!"
"I've got five different moves I wanna try," Kuramochi said in a menacing voice, causing Miyuki to shudder. "You won't mind if I test it out on you, right?"
"I would very much mind, so get off!" Miyuki struggled, squirming underneath the hunter, failing to overcome him even with his superior strength. "S-Sawamura, help me!"
Sawamura let an awkward laugh. "I value my life, so I'd rather not."
"Hyahaha! Sawamura's my kouhai, you know, so naturally he listens to me more than you," Kuramochi said, barking out his signature laugh. "But I guess you had enough." He peeled himself off of Miyuki and rose to his feet.
Miyuki awkwardly stood up with a grunt, rubbing his back. "That really hurt, you know. I understand why Sawamura's afraid of you."
"I really wanted to punch your face in, but…" Kuramochi crossed his arms and smirked. "Since I'm in such a good mood, I'll let you off with that." He let out another laugh before he patted Miyuki's shoulder. "No hard feelings, four-eyes. That was just a little payback for scaring my kouhai."
Miyuki's eyes crossed the hunter with a flash of surprise before he burst into a small fit of laughter. "Remind me never ever to get on your bad side."
He prowled the alleys, searching for prey. His footfalls were mere whispers as he slipped from shadow to shadow, his scarf rippling behind him. The night held no terrors, as the darkness was both his lover and companion. When a gust of chilly wind whipped through the narrow alley, driving both the mist and clouds before it, he turned his face to the moon, his senses starved for light. Its silvery rays provided no balm for the bloodlust that had infected his soul.
He heard it then—a soft ripple of laughter followed by a man's low yawn. Drawing back into the shadows, he slipped a hand into the pocket of his coat and waited for his prey to come into view.
The pair could have been any university student, fresh from a recent achievement in class. One was short with doll-like features and pink hair, while the other was quite tall and had hair as dark as the midnight sky. While the petite one's face was soft and reserved, the tall one was a mask of sleepiness and indifference.
The sight of the small one's throat—so tender, so supple, so dolefully exposed—stirred an animalistic hunger in his own belly. Striding out of the shadows, he grabbed the tall one by the shoulder and spun him around. Closing his hand around his prey's throat, he slammed him against the pole. He lifted him effortlessly, tightening his grip, burying his nails into the skin of his neck.
The dark blue eyes of his prey began to widen in surprise as fear lurched in his chest.
A small, vile laugh escaped his lips. "Let's have some fun, shall we?" he growled, a gregarious smile curving his lips.
"What are you doing?! Let him go!" When the small one saw the feral gleam in his eye, his pretty face went limp with fear. He stumbled a few feet away and dropped on his bottom. "Y-You're…Miyuki-san?!"
JC: Well, you can tell who the two new victims are… Sorry, I had to end there. And no, I'm not killing anyone yet, so rest assured. None of the masked vampires' identities were revealed yet, but feel free to guess. I'll probably shed some light on Sawamura and Miyuki's past soon, as well as Miyuki's first meeting with Kuramochi. Hope you guys will stick around for next time. Thanks for reading. Comments and reviews are welcomed! NO flaming.