AN: Back after delays! School sucks my soul *rolls around in bundled up blankets to regain pep*
"Neh, Asami," Aki rolled around the bed, bundled up in the sheets. "Can you give me one of those ID passes?"
"I certainly could," The man acknowledged, smoothing back his hair in the mirror, "But I see no reason for that."
"Well, I can't go out without one of those things, can I?" The boy demanded, pouting. Well, an uphill battle was expected. Knowing Asami, he would be most comfortable with Akihito locked up in a pretty cage, ankle cuffed. Aki shuddered at the mental image. Only silence greeted his question. With a heaving sigh, he buried his face into a pillow. "I'm going insane locked up in this tiny space; just let me explore a bit okay? Aren't crime rates out there at zero anyways?"
"Near zero, mind you, not at zero. And that's for the average citizen. You are different."
"How~" Aki groaned. "Look! Perfectly normal, Japanese male here! No one will know any better, as long as I wear a uniform and be all expressionless and apathetic. And knowing you, I'll be tailed with an absurd number of guards anyways."
"As soon as you leave this room, I can't guarantee your safety." Asami buttoned up his shirt with deliberate calmness.
He bit down on his lip in irritation, glaring fiercely at the surface of the pillow. "You couldn't guarantee it even when I was locked up." The words flew out of his mouth before he could think twice. Aki froze. Too far…
Looking up cautiously, he was greeted with frozen golden eyes. Asami's hands were curled into fists, the tendons standing out starkly as his manicured fingernails dug into his palms. Crawling out of the bed, Aki let his arms wrap around the vampire, burying his face into that broad shoulder. "I'm sorry."
Asami softened, reaching up to ruffle his hair. A great sigh rumbled through his chest, and he smiled in grudging acceptance. "I'll arrange for a pass, but you'll have to consent to getting some guards of my choice. And if there is any sort of disturbance that you could get injured in, you are to return immediately."
Well, it was hardly ideal, but it was the best he was going to get. Aki nodded silently, pecking Asami on the cheek. "Have a nice day at work!"
The man smirked, diving in for a deeper kiss, his tongue intertwining with the boy's. His large hand caressed Akihito's butt, a last reminder of the night. "I'm off." With that, he left the room, pulling on his suit jacket.
For such a large guy he can be such a tease. Aki thought, stumbling back to bed and burying himself into the mound of sheets that smelled of Dunhills and spices. Well, until I get my freedom back, this ain't half bad either…
The first time he saw the boy, he could see how a king would love him. He walked with a spring in his step, flanked by two looming vampiric guards, for some reason still decked out in suits and sunglasses. Well, thugs would dress like thugs, no matter the civilization it seemed. His slender legs weren't done proper justice by the white slacks, his elegant collarbone revealed just a smidge by the uniform shirt. In short, he looked angelic. Even with that ugly bracelet, Shi thought in muted shock. How unexpected, that Asami's favored one would still wear that sort of ID pass.
Surreptitiously, behind the granite countertop that separated the concierge from the rest of the lobby, Shi Ping snapped a clearer photo of the boy. Fei Long-sama was most curious about his appearance, this would surely please him. Sliding his mobile into his pocket, he smiled in satisfaction. The boy turned, tilting his head curiously as his eyes surveyed the large, open lobby. His pretty little mouth opened in awe as he whirled back to ask one of his guards an eager question. The guard had to lumber down just to hear the question clearly, that was how tiny the kid was.
Guess the plan starts now. Shi Ping waited for when the boy's eyes skimmed over his, then gave a kind, understanding smile. The smile of a father. Akihito looked shocked for a second, and then waved back cheerily, his returning smile brighter than the sun. Ba-thump. Oh yes, he could definitely see how this boy could steal the heart of one of the most powerful men on earth.
It would almost be a pity to see him all pale and dead.
Stepping out, Akihito relished the feeling of sun across his skin, the sensation of a faint breeze brushing along his cheeks. Even in a crowded metropolis, being outside felt freer than any openness the indoors could ever simulate. "Where to, Takaba-sama?" The lumbering vampire asked.
"Hm…I don't know!" He flashed a mischievous smile. "Maybe just wander around the city for a bit?"
He could almost feel the men sag, already overheated in their suits. Vampires seemed to particularly despise heat, go figure. Smiling sympathetically, he relented to something a little nicer. "Well, are there any grocery stores in this city? I wanted to buy some stuff so that I could cook properly."
The men perked up. "Yes, sir! While Asami-sama designed this city to be a more sanitary version of Tokyo, all the common places are here. We can take you to a mart if you would like."
"Sounds good!" I wonder where all the food comes from…
It turned out that the marts in the new city were extremely well stocked, somehow. Which was strange, considering all the chaos was supposedly going on outside the city. Picking out some daikons and examining the lanes for any good options, he asked one of the guards Jun, "Hey, where is this food coming from? Is it imported? I know for a fact that half of this stuff isn't grown around here."
"For now, most of the vegetables are being imported from country regions under our protection." The shorter of the guards said. He seemed to possess the brains between the two. "However, Asami-sama seems to be planning on making greenhouses and temperature-controlled areas to farm all sorts of vegetables and fruits all year round so that we won't have to be reliant on our other food sources. Areas dedicated for livestock raising are also underway, which would also open up more jobs and living areas for everybody."
Aki whistled in appreciation. "Ambitious."
They nodded, bursting with obvious pride for their master. It was strange, how all the subordinates under Asami seemed to adore him.
"Say, why is it that you guys like Asami so much?" Akihito asked as he picked out some leafy greens.
"Asami-sama is our savior." The stony-faced guard said. "He has given us a stable life, a miracle that all vampires of Japan admire. Only Asami-sama could have done such a thing, and thus we respect him for it."
Aki waited patiently for a more thorough explanation, though the guards seemed to be unwilling to confess any further. Turning back to his vegetables he sighed quietly in disappointment. Despite his slight twingings of guilt of invading the man's privacy, one had to wonder what circumstances had shaped a man like Asami.
It would have to be truly incredible, indeed.
AN: Lol, for anyone who couldn't tell, I'm a total nerd who loves imagining how a perfect, self-sustained city/nation would look and be planned. Sorry if that part about the vegetables or livestock was boring! And as always, reviews drive me onward and help me not decide to deliberately fail my hard classes *cries*