Saul finishes plating the fruits in bowls before finding the twins and Michael and Israel climbing down the stairs. They were all interested in what Michael had to say about some Japanese history, looking at the phone in his hand in awe as he explains something called a 'yokai'.
"Israel," Saul calls to his younger brother as they all walk into the dining area. "How is the ulcer feeling?"
"Better today. I already took a second tablet this morning to make sure it doesn't get any worse." Israel explains as he sits down at the table and takes a quick glance at his father at the front of the table, typing away at his laptop.
"You will still need to eat porridge for a few days until it completely clears," Grace informs him, placing a warm bowl in front of him.
"Mmmm, my favorite." He says with an eye roll as he grabs some apples and tosses them in.
As Grace and Saul are about to sit in their spots, a knock on the door halts their movements and in unison, all their heads turn toward the front door. Father William stood from his seat, nodding to Saul and Grace to sit as he puts his laptop away and answers the door. It wasn't much of a surprise when they all saw Father Tadaaki with a tray in his arms.
"Good morning, Father William,"
"Morning, Father Tadaaki,"
"I just wanted to hand you and your family some foods that we made as a welcoming gift." Father Tadaaki glances down at the tray in front of him and holds it out to Father William.
"Oh, how thoughtful." He takes the tray from Father Tadaaki's arms and scans the covered bowls.
"Just some foods to get a taste of Japan. Some grilled shishamo, seaweed, and rolled egg. And Grace mentions that Israel may have an ulcer, so we also included some kimchi and miso soup to soothe the stomach."
All the mouths at the table began to water at the sound of some of the unfamiliar foods, the smell traveling over and teasing all the children's noses. Even with the scent of flavorful food just at the door, Michael quickly pulls out his phone and begins looking into Japanese breakfasts and what there was, and what to expect. Even taking in a quick moment to see if miso soup is helpful for ulcers.
"We will also be visiting a partnering church in the city in the afternoon if any of your children would love to accompany us." Father Tadaaki finishes, taking a quick glance over to the group of kids at the table before turning back to Father William.
"I will ask. Thank you for the food." He gives a nod before turning into the doorway and skillfully closing the door with his foot.
"Finally! Some real food!" Israel calls out as his father places the tray at the end of the table, displaying it to the children before asking Grace to grab a few more plates to share some of the dishes.
"You can have the miso. It's apparently high in digestive enzymes. The article also mentions that kimchi is good for gut health too." Michael explains to the group as the food is distributed.
"Should've gotten that container of kimchi I saw at the market yesterday." Grace states as she sits down. "I would love to try some before we give it all to Israel."
"Anyone gonna have the fish?" Saul asks, picking up a small smelt fish with a fork and showing it to his younger siblings. They all shook their heads in unison, digging in and fighting for the rolled egg pile on another plate.
Shrugging, Saul takes the whole piece and scans it. It was still intact with fins, head and eyes, and skin. It wasn't something he was familiar with, but Saul suspected that if it was grilled whole, you ate it whole. Taking a bit from the tail, he is hit with an unfamiliar spice, a crunch of the tailfin, and a chewy texture of the skin. It came apart somewhat easily, but it was the thin bones that he had to pull apart before chewing it and taking it the mixed textures of the smelt fish. It wasn't awful, but whatever spices they used made the fish somewhat okay. Saul wasn't a fish fan, but he could handle this.
"You were all able to hear what Father Tadaaki said just a few minutes ago?" Their father asks the group as the food was distributed, mostly scanning the two older ones of them. "Would any of you be interested in going out for some sightseeing?"
Saul and Grace take a quick glance at each other before giving their father a mirroring look; a mixture of hesitation and curiosity.
Reiji sat in his office with a cup of tea in hand while staring at the man in front of him. Without much of a heads-up, Karlheize showed up after breakfast for some afternoon tea with his two eldest sons. While Reiji was tempted in spiking his tea with something, he knew Karl wouldn't hesitate to either throw him to the bottom of the ocean or lock him in a furnace for a year. Look at what he did when he found out Shuu failed his senior year.
"And your studies are going well?" Karl asks as he sips the tea that their familiar poured for the two of them.
Well, three of them, but Shuu sat at the windowsill and stared out in one direction, his mind in a completely different state of thought. He didn't even react much when his father showed up in front of them.
"We are doing just fine. Most of us averaging and on course to graduate." Reiji tried not to show a sneer as he wanted to snap his father's neck with that dumb of a question.
Reiji was above average. He knew he was too good for the school they were attending. He was always smarter than any of his brothers by a mile, but no matter how much he showed it, it was never enough to get the attention of his father and mother. Reiji is far superior to Shuu, but that's not how Karl will ever see it.
Karl nods at his response before turning towards the silent son at the other end of the room.
Shuu only had one thing on his mind. He was staring off into space, thinking of the demon hunter. How was he ever pulled into such a life? It didn't seem like it was something he enjoyed as he looked uncomfortable just being near the church they were staying at. Or maybe it was that dark aura it had surrounding it that Shuu was also able to pick up.
Saul's big, gentle eyes comforted something inside him. They were intoxicating, so bright and beautiful. Thin, nude lips he tried to choose a flavor for and was desperate to taste. Sweet, honey skin that he wanted to sink his teeth into and leave bite marks that his uniform would never be able to cover. Oh God, he was getting horny just thinking about biting him.
Karl must have seen that light in his eyes, distancing themselves as if he was in another world, dreaming as he had only seen when he was a young child. Especially when he made that friend.
"Shuu has been busying himself with other activities I see," Karl says with a hum, eyes continuing to watch his eldest son.
Reiji tensed all over. His grip on the cup handle almost shattering it as he tries to hide the annoyance. Shuu… with other activities? And Karl being okay with it? Oh, how much that vexed him. His jaw began to hurt as he grind the back of his teeth and made himself take a breath.
In no way will he allow Shuu to have something to love if he himself can't have anyone to love him.
Saul felt a cool chill run down his arms as they drove through the city to the church that Father Tadaaki was talking about. It was already late in the afternoon when they made it into the city, the traffic making the drive take a bit of a longer time to get to their destination. He and Grace sat next to each other in silence, both looking out the windows and seeing the daily life of the busy city as Father Tadaaki and another young clergy who Saul has yet to be introduced to sat across from them with a similar crooked grin. It kinda gave him a weird feeling as he glanced over at them a few times and felt a churn in his stomach. He couldn't tell if he was getting car sick from the limo, but his stomach was feeling a bit off since they started driving.
"We should be there shortly, no need to worry." Father Tadaaki states out in the silence, making Saul and Grace give each other a quick glance in caution. "How was breakfast this morning?"
"It was delicious, thank you." Grace thanks with a nod.
"My pleasure. I hope the miso and kimchi helped with your brother Israel's upset stomach."
"I think he will be feeling better soon."
"And the shishamo?" Father Tadaaki pushes.
"Ate them right up," Saul answers before gulping down the need to suddenly vomit. Must have been acid reflux or something cause his chest was starting to hurt too.
"Oh good. Caught them a few days ago and there were so many we could eat at once, I did not want them to go to waste."
Saul nods, but he had this strange ring in the back of his head that he couldn't get rid of. And as the minutes passed, he was feeling even more chilly even in the warm, humid weather.
"Ah, we have arrived," Father announces, hand on the door handle as he is ready to jump out of the limo as soon as they parked at the side.
Saul and Grace followed behind, taking in the sights of the bigger, more modern cathedral in the middle of the city. Large, circular stained glass in the front and elongated stained glass with different pictures around the perimeter of the church, coloring the inside of the building with dark shapes and colors. Saul didn't have any heavy feelings as he took in the area, but the aura wasn't pleasant.
"Saul," Grace pulls him out of his trance, "you don't look okay."
"Oh, really?" Saul tries to brush off, but he wasn't feeling good. His stomach was churning and his body felt like it was soaked with a cool sweat in the hot weather.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Grace lays the back of her palm on his forehead, her expression falling almost immediately. "You have a fever. I need to get you back, right now."
"No, Grace," Before Saul was able to get any more words out before his sister could go call for Father Tadaaki, he vomited up his breakfast at the doorsteps of the church and fell to his knees against a pillar.
"Saul!" Grace goes to his side, looking back trying to find the Father while also trying to help her brother.
He couldn't help himself, but Saul let out a whispered fuck as a second helping of his breakfast came up his throat.
Shuu couldn't believe him. It was his third night, and Saul already got food poisoning from something he ate.
It was near midnight when the vampire decided to go visit the church boy after his father left the mansion. While an uneventful afternoon, Shuu noticed that Reiji was more pissed after Karl left than when he had arrived unannounced. Whatever, it wasn't his problem.
Shuu watched Saul lie in bed under the thin cover, shivering like he was in the arctic and sweating like he was in a sauna. Humans were really fickle beings, weren't they?
Sitting down at the edge of the bed, Shuu took off the towelette that was across his forehead, already warm from the sweat and not helping with anything. He was trying to debate if he should go to the bathroom and get some cold water for him before his movements cause Saul to open his eyes up at the vampire.
The room was dark, barely lit by the moon, barely being able to make out the beautiful face in front of him. The eyes glowing in the dark as they met their gazes. Whoever Saul felt over him, he could feel the coolness on his skin.
Shuu goes to retreat his hand that was still near Saul's face before he quickly grabs it and gives him a look of desperation.
"Please, don't leave yet."
The words vibrated in his head, heat rising in his chest as he does as the church boy asks. Nodding, he uses his free hand to release his weak grip and lay him down back into bed. Laying his palm on his temple, Shuu took in the heat from the human's skin, cooling it down with his naturally icey skin. It must have been some relief as he felt the shivering stop and the ragged breathing becoming steady as Saul drifts into a deep sleep.
The silence around them forces Shuu to repeat the desperate words from Saul. He did not know who was standing over him, nor whose hand is resting on his skin. He could take blood from him and he wouldn't know. It would be hot, both sweet and salty from the sweat covering his skin.
Shuu bit his lip, piercing the skin and drinking the irony blood from him, keeping himself together for another hour before he could leave and find someone else to drink from. Shuu was not going to take from the church boy without hearing his voice and knowing it was him to take his first drink.