AN: Thank you to everyone who has left a comment on this collab fic's previous chapters, Diana Moore and I really appreciate it!

Warning: Some smut

Chapter 26

Fuck this shit. I love how what was supposed to be a simple transfer to Japan somehow turned into a goddamn vampire love triangle. Even Twilight wasn't this fucking complicated.

They'd taken a seat in front of the lit fireplace one evening, and Annie's thoughts had turned a tad sour and conflicted, looking into the flames that had so terrified Shuu.

"...You know I'm starting to think you're not completely the same as you were. So...maybe we should think about this a different way." Kino mutters, disappearing into the kitchen and bringing back a packet of marshmallows.

Annie blinks up at him as she shifts before the fireplace. "What do you mean?" She asks, crossing her legs. "Are you giving up, then?"

Kino chuckles and brings out some kebab sticks. "Dont get too hopeful. Nah, I'm just saying, maybe we should think about how 'we' would work. Not the other we. Make sense?" He asks as he takes a seat next to her, opening the marshmallows and impaling them on the skewers.

She hums softly. "Yeah, It does," she murmurs. "We can't exactly recreate the past. And I am different. Like it or not," she shrugs, not exactly apologetic.

Kino hands a stick to her that has four marshmallows on it while holding his own over the flames. "Mn, so.. what do you wanna do? Life-wise?" He asks randomly.

Annie sighs and sticks her own marshmallows in, instantly torching it. She brings it back and blows out the flame. "I dunno. That's why I came to Japan in the first place, figure out what the hell I wanna do. Maybe something with languages, but I dunno."

Kino blows on his own marshmallows. "Cool. Anything you wanna ask me? We could take this in turns." He shrugs, biting into the sweets.

She laughs softly and nibbles at the black outside of her marshmallow, "uhhh... how old are you?"

Kino looks her dead in the eye, "17." He says seriously, in a monotone.

Annie bites her lip and does her best to throw on a blank expression. "And... how long have you been seventeen?" She asks throatily.

He inhales as though pained, clenching his fists dramatically. "Awhile," he mutters darkly. His lips twist, before he abruptly bursts into laughter.

She snorts as well. "No, but, seriously. How long is a while?" She shifts closer.

Kino chuckles, sobering. "Less than a century. I think. I was found in the marshes not too far away as a baby. Exact age isn't a thing. But yeah," he shrugs. "Afraid I can't tell you anything interesting about history. I stayed in the demon world for a long ass time until I reached out to the church to exact my revenge."

"Ah, gotcha," Annie nods. "That sucks, though. Tiny you was really cute," she adds as an afterthought. "Just wanted to scoop you up and snuggle you."

Kino huffs, before grinning at her. "We should totally go back into your memories and see tiny you. Ah.. I'd love to see that," he says, spearing another marshmallow.

Annie frowns. "Can we even do that?" She asks, just taking a raw marshmallow and devouring it. "Is that, like- a thing?"

Kino nods, taking his own marshmallow off the heat. "Sure thing. That mirror's not just tailored to my memories," he says, before offering the marshmallow to her to eat, holding the stick.

She leans forward to nom it right off. "Can we, then? Would be kinda cool," she nods. "Different."

He nods and sighs, relaxing down into the rug, so that he was laying down on his side, watching the flames. "We'll do it tomorrow. I'm beat for now."

Annie shifts a bit, but doesn't don't lie down. "Sure, yeah, that's fine," she murmurs, letting out a sigh. "We've got... lots of time."

Kino breeches their no affection rule by resting his head slightly against the side of her thigh. He breathes out, closing his eyes.

She startles a little, before lowering her hand to thread through his hair. I think we probably both need some form of comfort, to be honest. "Just go for it," she says tiredly. "You can put your head in my lap. I won't slap you."

Kino shifts immediately, curling his arm around her bent legs as he puts his head in her lap. He peels his eyes open and looks up at her briefly, his eyes full of past haunts, before he closes them and rests his cheek against her thigh, exhaling.

Annie strokes his hair for a few moments. His methods are obviously totally wrong, but just like in the memory he'd shown her with him stealing, she thinks his heart is in the right place. She sighs and leans down, pressing a small kiss to his temple, before drawing back up and closing her eyes.

A free month, Kino had said. To sort out my feelings. Shuu still hadn't arrived, and she was starting to worry if he was coming at all. Loneliness, confusion and tiredness presses down on her shoulders. "Kino, I want you to kiss me," she blurts quietly.

Kino makes a noise of surprise, sitting up instantly "W-what?" He asks thinly, looking at her with wide eyes.

She looks him straight in the eyes. "I want you to kiss me," she repeats, though her cheeks do redden slightly.

Kino blinks and feels her forehead, before taking his hand away. "OK.." he trails off, eyes darkening slightly. Right...don't lose control. It was only Annie. He'd you know...not kissed her in ages since she'd died in his arms. No big deal. The difference between their feelings was no more apparent as it was then. He felt his body caving in on him, blood rushing in his veins. But...this was just a sample to her. Her heartbeat was calm. He bit back his disappointment and leaned in, steeling himself, before pressing his lips to hers.

They don't feel wrong. There's something very familiar about his touch, and Annie finds herself drawing closer and shutting her eyes. Her lips part slightly as her tongue skims his lower lip, before tentatively brushing over his fangs.

Kino makes a low noise, his fingers moving up her arm to tighten on her shoulder. She was so cruel sometimes. He loved her for it, but they were similar in more ways she'd admit. Kino fights with his control, brushing his tongue against hers and drawing her body closer.

Her hands reach up to hold the back of his neck, clasped together. She keeps kissing him, lips parting wider as it becomes more breathless and needier.

She was playing a very dangerous game if she wanted him to stop, because he found himself dragging her onto his lap, her knees on ethier side of him as he kisses her hungrily. His hand buries itself in her hair as his other hand smooths down her thigh, holding her close.

Annie makes a small noise and her eyelids flick open in alarm, but she steels herself and shuts them again. He tastes of sweets and charred marshmallow, no doubt because he had just been eating them, but it isn't unpleasant.

Kino takes her bottom lip between his teeth and sucks on it lightly, before biting down. He licks the bead of blood away and then deepens the kiss again, practically drugged on her scent as his hands travel over 'safe' areas of her body, as if recalling the shape and feel of her.

Annie squeaks a bit and try to keep up as best she can. His hands feel comfortable, their size making her feel secure. She drops her hands to his shoulders, noting the lean muscle she hadn't noticed before.

He smiles against her mouth and plays dirty. He knew exactly what she liked and how to make her melt. He takes the plunge and slides his hand under her night shirt, touching her skin and cupping her breast, squeezing and massaging it in a certain way.

Light blue eyes widen and she reddens violently, jerking back from the kiss. "K-Kino, what the fuck are you doing?" She hisses, before accidentally letting out a small moan. Fucker.

Kino looks at her completely unapologetically. "Do you want me to stop?" He asks, red eyes sinfully dark as he pinches her nipple hard and teases it with his thumb and forefinger. "I know how to make you shiver, Annabeth," he breathes, kissing her neck.

Annie whimpers as a telling wetness grows between her legs. "K-Kino, this isn't fair," she whispers as she squirms from his touching. Her nipple is already unreasonably hard.

Kino kisses her lips sloppily, groaning into her mouth as he smells it. "If you look at me like that...it only makes me want to torment you more," he mutters against her mouth, tugging her shirt up to expose her breasts, his head descending to her chest as he teases her nipple with his tounge, before clamping his mouth over it, sucking. He holds her around her waist with one arm as his other hand teases her.

Annie squeaks, squirming in his arms violently. "N-no, y-you have to stop," she moans, heart thudding now. She hasn't stopped blushing for even a second.

Kino shoves her down onto her back and teases her nipple with his teeth. "I know something else that you like..." he smiles, trailing off as he plants kisses down her stomach and caresses her inner thigh, rubbing her clothed core with his fingers.

Her eyes widen and she cries out, embarrassed at how wet she is already. She stares at him, practically frozen, breathing jagged. "K-Kino...d-don't-"

At the sound of his name, he rips her shorts down and exposes her sex, licking her clit and tasting her wetness. He languidly licks her for some time, uncaring at the image he made, before he shoves his tongue inside her sex as deep as he can, touching her inner walls and sucking.

She gasps, hips squirming violently. Her back arches from the floor and she can't stop moving. Her hands clutch into the rug and she whimpers, stuttering closer to him.

Kino grins, watching the fireplace bathe her skin in a warm glow, making her red hair shine like flames. He and takes one of her hands, putting it in his hair. He liked the sting of her grip. He then gropes her breast some more as he sucks her juices wantonly.

Her hand quickly latches on in the strands, and she subconsciously notes how soft it is. But it's not...fluffy as she was used to. Her other soon follows, as her legs wrap around the back of his neck. She gets closer, shivering and whimpering.

Kino grunts when she tugs it, and feels his erection strain against his pants. He urges her to move her hips and seek more of his tongue as he sucks her almost roughly.

With her eyes closed, it almost feels just like before. Barely a moment later, she cries out with her release, back arching. "Sh-Shuu..." she moans, whimpering.

Kino stills. It was as if a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped over his head. His arousal was forgotten as he pulls his tongue out of her, easing up slowly. "What...was that?" He asks quietly.

Annie cracks an eye open and blinks hazily at him, oblivious to what she had just said. In the throes of passion, the line between her mouth and thoughts had been blurred.

Kino growls lowly at her and pins her shoulders down. "Saying another guys name...you really are cruel," he hisses, an unhinged look in his eyes. "Ah...I get it. You just wanted to pretend I was him. This whole time you've been picturing him, haven't you?"

Annie blinks, gaze slowly getting less hazed and sharpening. "N-no, I-," she whispers hoarsely, a little scared. "I-I'm trying to... to seriously figure this all out. Th-that's why I asked you to kiss me...!"

"You said his name, Annie!" He snarls, sinking his fangs into her shoulder. When he pulls away, he looks at her darkly. "I might be in love with you, but I won't hear that crap! Never say that shit out loud again, you got it?"

Defiance flares in my stomach and she shoves him aside with a burst of strength. "I'll say what I want to say," she mutters, sitting up and glaring. "I didn't fucking mean to do it, but if I want to, I'll scream his fucking name from the roof. DON'T tell me what to do!"

Kino looks at her as if she'd slapped him. She may as well have. He snarls and grabs her forgotten glass of juice, throwing it against the far wall and disappearing soon after. In his room he tries to catch hold of his breathing.

Annie doesn't wait to think about it. She picks herself off the floor and storms out of the living room. I think I oughta give that swamp another look. She slams the front door behind her, making it damn clear that she's leaving, and trudges forward, anger etched into her features.

Kino hears her go and runs his hands through his hair, gripping the strands tight until his fingers turn bone white. "Fuck," he mutters, squeezing his eyes shut. What the hell was he supposed to do?

She stops at the edge of the marsh and kneels down, squeezing her eyes shut. With a bit of distance, she feels horrible. It isn't like she meant to say Shuu's name, but at the same time, she's not surprised. A low groan escapes her as she starts crying , visibly shaking as hot tears run down her cheeks. They land at her feet on the dead earth. No matter what I do, someone is going to get hurt.

A little while later, Kino steps up behind her, expression collected again. He was good at wearing masks. He takes a seat a little distance beside her and draws his knees up, holding them in a somewhat childish fashion. He doesn't say anything.

Annie glances over at him, which makes her cry harder. "I'm sorry," she whispers, before leaning back and just sitting properly. She buries face in her knees.

Kino forces a smile. "No big deal," he says, but the weight of his lie leaks into his tone. He just stays sitting with her.

Her lips twitch and she puts her pride away as she crawls over and rests her head against his arm. "It is a big deal," she whispers, rubbing her eyes with her fists, though it doesn't stop her crying. "I know it is. It all is. I'm not...good at this...handling delicate things."

Kino sighs, unable to deny her as he shifts, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and bringing her into his side. "Neither am I, bud. We're not even slightly on the same feelings wavelength. If this were a dating game, your love meter would be at the start, empty, and mine would be full," he mutters.

"But like... I'm not TRYING to be difficult. I don't wanna hurt your feelings or upset you or anything. But I don't wanna hurt Shuu either. I just... I don't even know if he cares that much. I honestly don't know if he's even awake right now."

He ruffles her hair, his expression unreadable. "Maybe you shouldn't worry so much about pleasing both of us. Just spend some more time with me. Then I'll let you see him."

She nods and stay right where she is, "I guess," she shrugs. "I don't... not like you. Well, obviously. I let you take my pants off," she says with a snort.

Kino hums and rests his chin against her head. "Well, for what it's worth, I've missed you. Even the crazy fights."

She snorts and gives a small, tired laugh.

Kino smiles and it hurts a little, but he chuckles. "See I knew that would make you laugh," he says, before shifting. "Come on...let's go back. Staring at marshes isn't exactly nice."

Annie nods and stands up. "Okay," she agrees, letting out a heavy sigh.

Hours later, when she felt almost certain Kino was asleep, Annie crept from her room to stand before the memory mirror. To her surprise, once she was within the haze of memories, she could conjure a memory easily to make it play out before her like Kino had done.

"You know that now that you've told me not to tackle fuck bois I'm just that much more likely to do it again to spite you, right?"

Shuu's arms tighten around her waist and he rests his head against her shoulder, breathing out tiredly. "Haa.. Don't make more work for me, woman."

Shuu lazes with his own Annie in the memory on her bed. Real Annie's lips thin, remembering it. She'd tackled some guy just because he'd said a few inappropriate things to her, and Shuu had had to heal her cut shoulder. Even though she'd totally owned that guy, she'd gotten a decent sized cut from scraping against the pavement.

"By the way you reek of his scent...That stupid mortal, tch.." He mutters, grumbling like an old man.

"Yeah well you smell like a jerk so there," she huffs, starting to squirm now that her shoulder doesn't hurt that much anymore. "We should bottle your spit and sell it as a miracle cure."

Shuu hums, closing his eyes. "It would only work on you. A vampires saliva is most effective on pre- uh...A human they've fed from a lot." He mutters distractedly.

"Oh... I guess the concept is pretty gross. But I think I'd label it: Spit polish. The new healing phenomenon," Annie smirks at him.

Real Annie watches how his half lidded blue eyes cut to the ceiling, but they were gentle. Even playful, filled with a dusty kind of amusement. She didn't know why she hadn't thought of it before, but he never looked that way for anyone else. Just her dumb jokes.

After a bit more banter, his touches became more frequent, and then inevitably his lips met her skin. Annie struggles and complains, before dissolving into moans and pulling him tight against her, burying her hand in his fluffy, dishevelled hair.

Real Annie blushes slightly, but a sadness takes hold of her heart, mingling with the sudden tightness between her thighs somewhat left over by Kino's attention earlier.

Had it just been about sex all along Shuu? I figured it was more than that but...is that why you haven't come for me?