Tell-Tale Pestilence

Chapter 2: Wings

By: Alice

Why, Riku was still gaining glances his way, of suspicion, concern, as they held their children a bit close. He sighed, fingers rubbing his temples. Aggravation. Riku's pride had been trampled upon. It was now, officially, below average; Which, for a vampire, was just too much. Not only was he humiliated when the little lovely had shrieked, which gained himself a small crowd, but he had lost his prey amongst the commotion. A vampire never loses his prey. As if all the suspicious, scolding glances over the shoulder weren't enough. Not the haunting whispers. No, he had to loose his prey. His lovely, lovely prey.

But the problem at hand was beginning to piss Riku off. He was ready to find a rock, perhaps stayed from the pavement, and launch it at someone's face. Impale it at someone's flesh. Just so they'd change their label from sicko to psycho. Even Riku found the ladder more fitting. He sighed. Despite the pretty doubts and lies coating his mind, he knew he couldn't let that boy get away. No victim got away from Riku Allure. And the vampire wasn't in any hurry to damage that reputation.

So what If Sora wasn't as… innocent as he had thought. No one was. So he had some kinks to work out… Riku had no intention as letting something that beautiful get away. Even if it was human. Albeit Riku seriously doubted that; the boy was far too gorgeous than anything… human. Riku paused. He chuckled in spite of himself. Here he was thinking bout that boy again. Did you honestly think he could just leave the subject like that? Hah! Riku laughs at you. Of course. And Riku knows he probably isn't the only one.

The question now, was, how? Dodging the stares, the vampire pushed himself from the apartment wall, and the clicks of his boots trailed down his path. The night was a child, sweet, the moonshine full. Basking in the pooling light, flooding the cracks of the earth, sadistic. This sense of purity was both haunting and seductive. Smooth breezes, they played with his sliver locks; This darkness shaded the stagnant air, thick with booze and the city sound, with it's lack of joy. It's a whole lot of pain. A flavor that wouldn't last, and now it's dull and remnant.

Yes… He would find Sora Mickale. Watch as he strides, in solemn and in melancholy bliss, retracing the footsteps of his boy. This angst bullshit would lead his way—They were tied. Tied by such bloody threads. The panic in the boy's mind (which he could read from a mile back), a symphony of ecstasy. Blood descending in the boy's veins, the perfect perfume. Desire. He'd drag that boy back if he had to.

He stopped. Obviously, Riku needed a plan B, considering his first approached back-fired. Go figure. Maybe… He should take things slower. Apologize. Obviously this wasn't the 17th century anymore. People weren't as… Easy-going and calm. No. Nowadays people were so cold hearted the had to bribe people to give to charity—A dollar, a lollipop. It was sad, but expected. Welcome to the age of hysteria, of paranoia. Vanity. Riku caught a glimpse of that disheveled chocolate hair, and called out to him.

…Nothing happened.

"Hey!" Louder that time. Oh, it must have worked. But when Sora turned around, and those azure eyes caught Riku's, they widened. But before he could get away, Riku caught his sleeve.

"Please.. Let me explain," And Sora remained achingly still, "I.. I'm sorry. I'm not from around here. I didn't mean to offend you."

The boy's eyes softened. He must have bought it. But it's not like it wasn't true. He wasn't from around here, let alone barley this time period.

"Where are you from?" His soft voice inquired.

"Ah… America." No shit, Sherlock. You're Caucasian. Where else could you be from?

The brunette no longer seemed ill at ease, so, hey, Riku wasn't complaining. Sora's eyes brightened.

"Oh? America always sounds so gorgeous." He ranted, learning foreword with eager eyes, "From what part?"

"Um…All over, really. I travel a lot." Riku shook his head, "But back to the point. I'm really, truly sorry."

Sora brushed it off, "No, no. I should be apologizing. " The boy blushed, "I didn't mean to cause such a problem like that. You just… Startled me. And you can never be too safe." Sora grabbed the vampire's hands gently, soothingly. "Let's start over. We can catch something to drink at the coffee house, and you can tell me all about your travels, alright?"

And, of course, Riku nodded in agreement. He liked that idea. Then again, he'd like any idea that involved Sora and Riku. Together.

-

The problem with talking about travels is that… You actually have to know about where you traveled to actually seem, or at least sound, like you know what you're talking about. To the platinum-blonde's luck, Sora was pretty gullible. He swallowed every little phrase which formed on Riku's lips, nodding, with those azure eyes intently showering over his features. Riku adored such attention—This is what he thrived for.

And he also found other qualities Riku began to fall for: The cute, girlish noises he'd make whenever a topic which struck interest in the brunette showed up. The way these adorable dimples would appear on his apple cheeks whenever he smiled. And Sora was just so childish. He really was this five-year-old on the inside. His giggled were charming and he always refered to things as "Whatchamacallit"s and "thingamagigs". He stilled called the bathroom "potty", and was very immature about… certain subjects. Of course, he'd have matured in those subjects by the time Riku was with him.

Riku never actually drunk his coffee. Vampires don't require human food, but the heat. The steam billowing from the drink's coating embraced his flesh with its fingers. He could feel this warmth shocking from his finger tips as they encircled the small cup, and he didn't need an excuse for basking in the mere heat. Winter was rolling in. Why, just then, the soft flakes began drifting down, silently. As if.. locked within its own timeless case. Clad in unrequited purity. Sad; Neurotic. The unsung song. It blanketed the cobblestone and streets, dead trees with their haunting finger-like branches cast towards the sky, the brush. Building, lay angst, with an ongoing pain.

Sorrow, brutal. Suffocation. Like a painting—Surreal, frail, and still. Torment.

"So what're you doing out so late, Sora?" Riku asked, breaking the silence.

The boy quickly turned his head up. His eyes grew sad-- Glazed in uncertainty. Shame. Beautiful eyes should never be dressed in such tainted, distastful emotion.

"I am…" A sigh, "…I…don't really know myself."

Caution struck Riku painfully. "You…You have a… home, ri--"

"Oh, oh yes, of course." Sora laughed. Angelic, "It's nothing like that. I just felt… Like I needed to get away. Tear from things for a while, y'know?" Riku nodded. He felt thay way plenty of times before. To free himself from the normal, to regain parcel sanity. To fall back on track, and answer questions. Dark, dark ugly questions. Run away and hopefully find a solution, a pretty lie, along the road. He only needs one more reason to believe…

"Looking for some changes?" Riku offered, and gained an immediate nod from the chocolate-haired boy.

"Something like that." Something clicked in Sora's mind, and he gave Riku a look of confusion, his brows knotted together. "And what about you, Ri-ku?" He inquired, his voice laced with charm, then giggled as he rested his chin on his hand, fingers curling. "What're you doing out so late?"

"Me?" Riku's brows arched, "Why, don't you know? I'm a night creature. I stalk beautiful men."

Sora erupted into giggle fits, his cheeks tainting red, a blush, and Riku couldn' help but join in the laughter, with his own rich voice. But of course, he wasn't laughing at his words, because those were true. He was laughing at the irony.

"…And also, because I'm waiting for my hotel room." He shrugged.

"Sora's features broke into concern, "Waiting?"

The vampire nodded in a positive gesture.

"Waiting." He confirmed. Sighing.

"Oh, Riku.." Sora said softly, "…You can stay with me for th night? If yu'd like that?"

Riku glanced up with guilt and, perhaps, shock. But on the inside, he was smiling, and maybe chuckling. Of course kind-hearted Sora would offer… Riku barely knew him and could already tell this was his nature.

"Oh, but I couldn't" Riku rejected, "I'd be too much of a burden and … I just couldn't."

Sora pouted, "Aw. C'mon… I insist. You don't ever have to stay very long if you don't want to."

Riku sighed dramatically and closed his eyes. "I..I suppose.."

Sora made one of those noises and patted Riku's pale hand. "It'll be fun. And Cloud could help."

Concern. His eyes shot up. "Cloud?"

"Oh…Yeah," Sora smiled, "He's my older brother."

This… Might be a problem. Of course Sora would have family. But--- Sora clearly looked old enough to live on his own. And why just his brother? Why not a mother or.. Or at father?

"What about your parents, Sora?"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about them." Sora took a sip from his drink, "My mother died when I was little. And.. I have no idea where my father is."

"Does he go on business trips?"

"No…" Sora sighed. "When Cloud turned 18, he just decided to leave."

"So.. He ditched out." This was more of a statement then a question.

"Basically. Yes."

Riku was a little timid now. This was a touchy subject. Of course, Riku's parent died off a while ago. But Sora seemed too innocent for remorse. He didn't know what to say, so he didn't say anything at all. But Sora must have caught on to the silence.

"I'm sorry! Did I upset you?"

Riku almost choked on his drink. "How would that affect me?"

Sora pouted and slouched in his chair. "Well.. Y'know.."

Riku laughed. "No. You didn't offend me."

"Ookay.." The boy drawled.

His sad eyes fell down to his drink, and so his mind must have fallen lost amongst memories. Happy ones, sad ones.

"So, tell me about this brother of yours… Chloe?"

"Cloud."

"…Yeah."

Sora smiled to himself, though it was softened by the bits and pieces of memories; Sora's brother seemed to strike an emotional chord on his heart. Just simply how the corners of his mouth tugged on his lips into a smile, and his eyes blanketed over by joy. A viel of heart-warmth. Riku decided… He liked that smile most of all.

"Cloud…Well.." The boy began, and he lifted his ocean eyes to Riku, "He's many complex things."

Riku nodded for him to continue, but, in all fairness, Sora didn't seem like he knew how to.

"He's…He's very handsome."

"Ah. So you take after your brother?" Quick. Sharp. No hesitation means no doubt.

Sora laughed. Blushing.

"Not quite. Though he does have the same hairstyle… He's a blonde."

"Same blue eyes?" Same gorgeous, peerless eyes?

"Mmm.. Sort of. His are.. Different somehow." He pressed his thumb and index fingers together and made little circled around his eyes, "Dark blue. He's got dark blue eyes."

Riku snorted at that.

Looking up thoughtfully, Sora began again. "He's a nice guy at heart, just a little stubborn and high-maintenance. He's strict." Sora let out an abrupt laugh, "You should see him with his boyfriend. Hah! Once, after Leon left in this big huff, I asked why and Cloud just shrugged and said something like, 'he got mad when I told him he wasn't kissing me correctly.'"

Riku joined in Sora's laugh, albeit it was calmer. Sora couldn't contain himself; Riku loved this. This: Listening to Sora and his every-day life. The normal. And yet, to Riku, it wounded like a fairy tale. He never realized… He'd been dead for so long. He may have walked among the earth like a breathing man, but he was far from orthodox. He missed simply living out the day, never know if it'll be the very last. He missed waking up to sunshine creeping from the shutters and the birds' song. He missed.. The heart buried deeply within hi cold, cold exterior. Flesh; He missed its beat.

"He also likes to cook, "Sora stated. "He can make a mean croissant. But, of course, he denies with. 'Says it wouldn't be worth a sou."

"I'll have to try it sometime," Riku smirked, "Then I'll decide on that."

Sora smiled, "Oh yes. You should. How about now?"

Riku blinked, "…What..?"

"I said you could stay. And my brother's somewhat of an insomniac. And he's generous to anyone who would want to try his cooking."

"Ah…Are you sure?" His eyes flashed to the clock, "It's well past midnight, darling."

"Like I said. He barely ever sleeps."

"How about this." Riku said, reaching for a napkin and a pen, "Here's my hotel and room number. You can stop by, you and your brother maybe, tomorrow night. That way, your Cloud may actually have time to prepare something."

Sora's eyes scanned over the little napkin and his smiled broadened, and folded the note.

"Alright."

--

1)I'm being original here. Giving Sora some realistic qualities. DON'TSHOOTME.

2) ½ a franc. (French money.)

Note: The money I use in my story is not used anymore. So don't go around thinking you know French money. Because.. Well. It's not used anymore. :P