Author's Note: I THOUGHT I was done with this story, but I had other scenarios hit me for follow up chapters. While Tohru unintentionally drawing attention to himself and being publicly branded as a Super Hero is hilarious in and of itself, I have NO idea what scenario could cause the event, or what he would call himself. Natsuno having actually set them in a hotel in his old neighborhood and Tohru trying to 'figh't Natsuno's old friends for attention is too tropey and stereotypical. But THIS scenario at the end just wouldn't leave me alone, and it's something I'm surprised I've never seen a Vampire story tackle.

¥21997.36 = $200.00

¥03849.54 = $020.00

¥00109.97 = $001.00

I got the hotel name from fantasy name generator. I didn't want to use the Katashi Inn a third time, anyone reading my Karneval fics would want Tohru and Natsuno to bite Miichi and Osamu on principle alone, lol. Anyway, I took two suggested names and considered the ironic relevance of the name Lunar Hotel and the idea of Sunset Jungle Hotel and the fact that it's on the outskirts of the city and the forest, and combined the names.

Don't worry about "Pyromancy" I'm a little over halfway through the next chapter.

Synopsis:

Shiki: Brainwashing and Blackmail

Love Bites Chapter 2

Tohru opened his eyes and groaned as the last days of the sunset peaked through the freshly opened motel window. The bed was far enough away from the window, Natsuno knew he could safely leave the shade open until Tohru woke up. "Damn! What does it take to get that taste out of your mouth!?" Natsuno complained, his voice coming from the bathroom.

Tohru blinked. "Well, that's an interesting thing to wake up hearing?" Tohru lazily noted as he sat up and stretched.

Natsuno twitched and blinked as he picked up on Tohru's voice. He peeked out of the bathroom, toothbrush still in his mouth, "Oh, you're awake! Hold on, I'll be right there."

"Oh no, there's a rabid dog in here, " Tohru quietly teased as he slipped up next to the doorway.

Natsuno rinsed his mouth and spat. "Thank goodness I don't have to worry about catching that... Do I?" Natsuno reasoned.

Tohru chuckled. "No, one of the few perks of being an Okiagari; there are n ailments known to man that can hinder us. What's wrong, what'd you eat, Garlic or something?"

"Or something," Natsuno affirmed, wrapping an arm around the Shiki and leading him back into the living room area. "Keep the lights on, and your eyes open Tohru-Chan. We're getting my money's worth of two weeks out of thisplace, and then we've GOT to find somewhere else to stay, and a couple of night jobs to help us move in."

"Why? What's wrong with this place? I know it's a little shabby looking, but it's actually sort of cozy, and seems like a nice out of the way place to stay hidden," Tohru argued. He had no objections to finding jobs, but he was curious as to Natsuno's objections to the location.

Natsuno gently took off his shirt and gently pulled the blonde into his lap. "Geez, why are you always so much colder when you first wake up?" He protested .

Tohru shrugged, "Maybe my blood hasn't started moving yet," he suggested .

"I suppose that makes sense," Natsuno conceded as Tohru nuzzled his face into the left side of his neck. "You're right," he admitted , as the Shiki gently bit into him, "This would be the perfect place to stay hidden, if not for all the police activity going on. I think the cops have been here at least five times today, each time for a different instance. It could have been six... Let's just say, I'm not keen on the idea of biting and hypnotising the hired help on a daily basis to make sure they don't report a dead body and a truancy violation, " Natsuno smiled and ruffled a hand through Tohru's bedraggled honey locks. "All the more reason I can't go back to school," he quietly thought to himself.

Tohru blinked as he pulled away. "You bit someone?" he asked worriedly.

"Tch... Not enough to do them any harm," Natsuno said, reassuringly, "Room service came in around noon and tried to open the shades. It woke me up and I managed to stop her. She took one look at you, and freaked out. She refused to believe me when I told her you were just a sound sleeper and allergic to the sun. She threatened to call the cops. Rather than take on the whole Tokyo PD, I lunged at her and sank my teeth into her neck, just long enough to hypnotize her into believing me. It's a useful ability, but not something I want to make a habit of. How long does that last, anyway?"

Tohru shook his head, "I honestly don't know. I was never allowed to leave any of my victims alone long enough to find out. At least twenty-four hours."

" No, definitely longer than that, " Natsuno admitted, "I bit Oaki-Sensei before the Kirashiki woman got to him. I used it on him to tell him to handle things however he saw fit."

Tohru's eyes grew wide he caught Natsuno's chin and forced she contact, "Natsuno...? You did WHAT!?"

"My plan was to exterminate them all, Ozaki-Sensei was the only adult I knew I could turn to! Everything changed, though, once I made contact with you. It changed even further after Tatsmi told me he had taken you captive," Natsuno explained.

Tohru sighed and wrapped his arms tight around the Jinrou. "Natsuno... I'm sorry. None of this is what I wanted for you," he said, . "How many times have you bitten someone?"

Natsuno hugged him back, slightly tighter. "Willful donors, or forced improvisation?" he asked.

Tohru shuddered at the mere thought that Natsuno even had to ask in such away, "Either," he said , meekly.

"Unwillingly, there times" Natsuno admitted, "Willingly, four. So, seven all together."

Tohru blinked. It was, admittedly a better track record than his own, but still surprisingly high for the young Jinrou. "Seven?" the Shiki asked.

Natsuno nodded, "My father, Ozaki-Sensei twice, Kaori and Akira, Kirashiki-San, and then this woman makes seven." Tohru tightened his hold on Natsuno's neck. "Hey! Stop blaming yourself," Natsuno sighed, "Tohru-Chan, we've been over this. If you feel guilty about you're other victims, I understand, and I'm willing to stand by you and try to make whatever peace with it you can. But, you were doing what you were told you had to do to survive. As for what you've done to me.. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, me or your family, you couldn't protect us all, and I've already forgiven you." Natsuno pressed his forehead against Tohru's. "Come on, where's that beautiful smile of yours? Seeing you worry over me like this tears me up inside."

Tohru gave him a weak smile, "You say that like you think I haven't always worried over you." Natsuno blinked at him confusidly. "Letting you sleep at my place, when you couldn't sleep at home, driving you to school, coming looking for you when when you'd been missing all day, fixing your flat tires... Giving you my bed and covering you up because we all thought there was a summer cold going around. I've been worrying over you a lot more this past year and a half than you seem to give me credit for, ya' jerk," Tohru explained with a slight laugh and playful push against Natsuno's shoulder.

Natsuno laughed and caught both of Tohru's hands in his own. "You're right. I was a jerk," he admitted, "I tried so hard to push everyone way, but you just wouldn't let me." He began kissing Tohru's hands, and down his arm, until he reached the Shiki's neck as he spoke, "Constantly calling my name, always trying to find a way to make me smile, even if it meant climbing in the bed with me. No matter how much I pushed you away, no matter how hard I hit, you kept coming back." Natsuno pressed his lips to Tohru's. "Even when SHE told me she was going to take you away from me, somehow, still came back."

Tohru blushed as Natsuno snuggled up with him. The young Jinrou was soft and warm, and his dark blue hair tickled the Shiki's neck. The blonde nuzzled into Natsuno's hold, gently stroking his hand through the indigo lock, a sad, sweet, caring smile across his own face. "He's right," he quietly thought, "I don't know if I can ever fully made peace with what I've done, up to this point, but I have to try. And I have to accept that he is what he is, that WE are what we are because of what they wanted. And we have to find a way through this together."

Natsuno had become so still and quiet, Tohru had thought he'd fallen asleep, until the younger Okiagari spoke, "Thank you, Tohru." The blonde blinked, almost startled by the sound of his lover's voice. "Thank you for not giving up on me when I was alive." Natsuno tightened his hold around Tohru's waist, careful not to hurt him. "It was what gave me the strength and resolve I needed to come back for you," he thought, not daring to make this admission out loud, for fear he would further upset his Sire.

Tohru smiled and gently titled the younger teen's head upward, lovingly locking eyes with him. "We'll find a way to get through this together," he thought, He gave a soft chuckle, "Somebody had to look out for you," he teased, leaning in for another kiss, "You certainly wasn't doing a very good job of it on your own."The

"Hey!" Natsuno protested, obviously nowhere as upset as he was trying to make it sound, "Screw you, too!"

Tohru smiled and laughed, leaning in to Natsuno's ear, "Sounds fun, but the window's still open, someone might see us," whispered.

"If that's an offer, I can fix that," Natsuno suggested.

"Uhnhu," Tohru refused, "Not right now, anyway, I'm just enjoying you're company and your warmth, right now."

Natsuno smiled, "Prick tease," he laughed. Not that he really minded, they had all eternity together, now; but he understood, after everything they had dealt with, after everything he knew, and didn't know, Tohru had been through, the timid blonde needed his time and space, that sort of intimacy had to happen when Tohru was ready for it. "Alright, have it your way."

"So, you've really only bitten people seven times?" Tohru asked, curiously, returning to their original conversation. Natsuno nodded. "I'm impressed, Natsuno, maybe even a little jealous you have the option. I never really talked to Yoshii -San about how it effected her, and Tatsumi-Kun was just too intimidating to talk with. Do you not like the taste?"

Natsuno looked at him, with a raised eyebrow, "Do you?" Tohru clenched his fists against Natsuno's chest and quietly looked away. "Come on, Tohru-Chan," Natsuno coaxed, gently brushing a hand through the blonde's hair, "I know it's not something you have a choice in, but do you at least like how it tastes?"

"No!" Tohru admitted, point blank, forcing his eyes back to Natsuno's. "I refused to take a victim for days. Instead, they offered glasses filled with blood, but they offered lead and less each night, until the victim was the only option left." Tohru's eyes became spotted with years as he continued to talk. "It was just more of their brainwashing techniques. Force us adjusted to drinking it, until we craved it, but no matter how much I drank, I never became accustomed to the taste. It reminded me of a joke my dad once made; Drinking alcohol for fun is like having Stockholm Syndrome, you drink for the effect, not the taste. But... Then, I bit you." Tohru shyly turned his eyes back to Natsuno's. "Yours was so different, it tasted clean and pure. It's warm and sweet, yet savoury. I hated myself for finding it so delicious. But, if I'm truly being honest, Natsuno, yours is the only one I want anymore, but I don't know if as a Jinrou it replinishes the same as a human's, or the same as an Okiagari's normal healing rate."

Natsuno smiled. "And that's why you've been so worried about making sure I eat?" he surmised. Tohru nodded. Natsuno huffed Tohru tight. "I'm sorry you've been left with no other options, but if mine is the only one you want, then it's yours, no strings attached, " he promised, "I seem to replenish it faster than I did when I was still human, but if it'll out your mind at ease, I'll try to make sure I still way at least once a day. But, to answer your question, no, I don't care for it either," he added firmly , "You know the smell on your hand, after you've held a piece of copper, or started to sweat?" Tohru nodded "That's what it reminds me of. Even Kaori's had that, and I had almost expected here to be different," he admitted, "But Ozaki-Sensei's was the most unique, there was sort of a smokey aftertaste."

Tohru laughed. "That doesn't surprise me, he goes through packs of cigarettes like they're going out of style. But, Yoshii did once tell me that smoking and drinking, while it wouldn't have any effect on us, it would effect how the blood tastes, and she suggested I stay away from people who drink because I wasn't 21, yet." Tohru out a thoughtful finger to his chin. "Now that I think about it, you did taste a little off tonight, what did you eat?"

"A nother noodle cup, and some fried rice... And a microwave beef and broccoli bowl," Natsuno answered., "You never told me what I way would effect how it tastes?"

"It never really came up before," Tohru shrugged. He leaned in and whispered, "Your blood isn't the only thing it effects." He smiled as Natsuno blushed, picking up on what he was suggesting. "So, the maid must have been a drinker of a smoker, then," he guessed, "Is that the taste you were trying to get ride of when I woke up?"

"Oh, that.. Actually, I got so distracted with you, I'd forgotten about that.. Thanks, now it's back," Natsuno complained.

"I might know a way to fix it," Tohru offered, standing up and going to the nightstand where they had found the remote and pulling out a phone directory for local delivery places. "I suppose it's too much to hope for that you managed to get my wallet from my family," he sighed.

Natsuno say quietly on the couch, blinking for a moment of thought. "Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet, "Hold on, a second!"

" No way!? " Tohru exclaimed, watching, slackjawed, as Natsuno began rifling through one of the suitcases.

A moment passed and Natsuno pulls out a thick, brown leather wallet, with a rubber band tied around it, at least a year old. ,'Here you go, " he said, passing it to the blonde.

Tohru took the wallet, as look of disbelief sweeping his face. He stared quietly at it for a moment, closed his eye, and forced a sigh. "Ok. My bath supplies, I get. My clothes and pictures make since... But HOW did you get your hands on this!?" he asked, clear confusion in his voice. "I had cash and pictures, and everything in here," he muttered .

"I found it in the back pocket in one of the pair's of pants in the box of clothes they gave me," Natsuno answered, nonchalantly. "I meant to return it to them, but... I got caught up in all this mess ."

"Just as well," Tohru said shaking his head, as he removed the rubber band and leafed through the wallet, "At least this way, I can contribute something for a while, and not feel like a total leach." He gave a sad smile as he find counting the contents. "Still all there," he said softly.

"Tohru-Chan?" Natsuno noticed the poorly hidden remorse in the Shiki's voice. His eyes strayed back to the wallet. Natsuno closed his eyes and shook his head. "He may say he's in love with me," Natsuno thought to himself, "But I can't kid myself. He was just as infatuated with Nurse Kunihiro." Natsuno sighed, "You were saving that for your 'date' with Ritsu-Chan, weren't you?"

Tohru nodded, "Yeah... Yeah, I was, all ¥21997. I had been saving my allowance for months for that day. " He closed his eyes and clenched his fists.

Natsuno quietly slipped up next to the Shiki and draped a comforting arm around him. He wasn't sure what he should say or do. "I'm sorry, Tohru-Chan, " he said softly, nuzzling his nose into Tohru's neck. He felt that same numbness overtake him that he'd felt when Dr Ozaki had first pronounced Tohru's death. "If only I had acted sooner," he thought out loud.

"Don't do that to yourself," Tohru quietly scolded, leaning in to Natsuno's embrace. "Between your father's teachings and your lack of sleep, I'm sure you were convinced you were just hallucinating and having nightmares. I didn't know until you said something that you even knew what happened. It wasn't until them I even understood how you knew we existed in the first place. Natsuno..." He turned and faced the Jinrou, a serious expression across his face. He gently caressed Natsuno's cheek with his free hand, "I want you to understand, I have NEVER blamed you for what's happened to me." He leaned in and pressed his lips to Natsuno's offering a brief, chaste kiss. "I know when you say you're going to do something, I know you'll do it. You... You came by that day, to go with me to ask that dirve, didn't you?"

Natsuno nodded. "Aoi-Chan was so certain you had just been playing hooky so you could enjoy your new video game. It was such a shock to hear Ozaki-Sensei pronounce you dead. I felt so lost." He wrapped his arms tight around the blonde pulling him into a tight, yet gentle hug.

Tohru smiled and returned Natsuno's embrace. He gently ruffled his hand through Natsuno's hair. "It's alright," he said lovingly, "No one can take me away from you again." He smiled and pressed their foreheads together. "Now, don't worry about me. I'm still coming to terms with a few things. But as long as we're together, I know we'll be alright. Go sit back on the couch, I'll rejoin you shortly," he promised. Natsuno obediently went back to the couch, mentally acknowledging they both had things they needed to come to terms with. Tohru looked over the directory, found what he was looking for, and dialed the number. "Yes ma'am, I'd like to order delivery? The adress? Um. .. I guess I should have thought to look before I called, huh?" He said with a nervous chuckle, as he looked at the top of the directory in hopes it would have the name and address of the hotel on it. "No, ma'am, I don't, I only arrived at this hotel last night. Ah, here we go, The Lunar Jungle Hotel...?" Tohru sighed and shook his head as he recognized the irony of the name. "Oh, it's a common stop? Great, that makes it easier. Yes maam, one second... " He looked at his room key in hopes the number would be on it. "A14. Yes ma'am, that's correct. Is there a limit on how much we have to order before it's delivered? Oh. Ok. Um, Two large pepperoni with extra cheese, and an order of buffalo wings. No! No ma'am, thank you, but we'll have to pass on the complimentary garlic bread sticks. As a matter of fact, can you make sure garlic is omitted from the pizzas, too? I'm afraid we're highly allergic to it. Yes ma'am. Half an hour? Yes ma'am, that's fine. Oh, and can you and two bottles of water to that? Great thank you. Yes ma'am, you too. Byebye, " Tohru hung up and dug the money out of his wallet, ¥3850 for the food and an added ¥110 for tip.

"A western style pizza?" Natsuno asked confusedly as Tohru joined him back on the couch.

"They say cheese is a pallet cleanser," the blonde explained, laying across the couch, resting his head on Natsuno's lap, "Western Style pizza has plenty of it, and I requested extra. If that doesn't help get rid of the taste, I don't know what will."

"Tohru-Chan, I can't let you spend your money on something you're not gonna eat," Natsuno protested.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do with my own money," Tohru spat back, "Half of that was meant for you anyway, it was meant to be a double date of sorts" he said, half pouting, "I was going to try to convince her to make it an all-day thing and drive here to the city, anyway. I was hoping, maybe getting you here to the city would make to feel less homesick for it, but I didn't know how to tell you without ruining the surprise." He glanced away with a blush sweeping his face. "And I knew if I told you outright, you'd refuse. Besides I didn't you hear me say 'No garlic'? I may not get anything out of it, but I'm still going to eat some. I want to know if it still tastes the way I remember it. If we can't finish it tonight, you can out it in the fridge for tomorrow," he reasoned.

"Great, just I e more tho g to attract the rats," Natsuno chuckled.

"Oh, come on, city boy? Don't tell me you're afraid of rats?" Tohru teased.

"With the exception of Megumi, have you ever known me to be afraid of anything?" Natsuno scoffed, "No! I'm not afraid of them, little country boy, but you should be. They may be necrophobic, but they're also omnivorous. I'm hoping the one I caught earlier this afternoon was more due to the proximity to the forest, and less related to an infestation. I may be more animalistic in nature, but I'm not a cat, and I have no interest in becoming a professional mouser."

"Wait...?" Tohru flicked his eyes back to Natsuno's face.

Natsuno smiled deviously, "How's your big toe feeling?"

"Gyah!?" Tohru sprang back to an upright position and drew his legs up off the floor, frantically looking at both. "Which one!? You mean it was...!"

Natsuno smiled and wrapped an arm around the blonde. "Calm down, we both know you heal faster than I caught and killed it before it broke the skin."

Tohru heaved a sigh of relief, of course Natsuno would have protected him while he slept, no matter the threat. Just as he was about to relax completely, another realization hit him. He was quick to his feet and spitting, furiously wiping at his mouth. "You but it, didn't you?"

"Unfortunately, that was the quickest way to catch it," Natsuno reasoned, "Like I said, you didn't tell me what I eat would effect how my blood tastes."

"That's not the issue!" Tohru complained, "I thought you were complaining about biting the maid. You coulda told me. You've been kissing me on the mouth all night!"

Natsuno bit back a laugh, "Relax, would you? I've eate n two Ramen cups, three bean buns, and brushed my teeth somewhere between five to ten times since then. My mouth is clean, it's just a stubborn aftertaste, " he insisted, "You really think I would purposely kiss you after something like that without say least doing that much?" He shook his head. "To be honest, I wanted to catch it with my hands, and carry it to the admissions desk and tell them to call an exterminator. Instead, reflexes took over, just like when I went after the fish... Next thing I knew, it was in my mouth and I had drained it dry. Instead, I left it at the front door and did my best to make it look like a stray cat had got it."

Tohru smiled and wrapped his arms around Natsuno's shoulders from behind the couch, nuzzling his forehead into the young Jinrou's cheek. "Poor baby, it sounds like you earned this pizza tonight," he said with a thinly veiled laugh. "I know he says he forgives me," he thought "But will there ever be a day I don't feel guilty for turning him into this? Where I don't feel responsible for him? He won't admit it, but I can see he's just as scared of what he's become as I was."

They both blinked. "Pizza's here," the said in unison. They had heard the delivery vehicle pull up. They could smell the delivery guy, and the pizza, before he even reached the door.

Tohru grabbed the money and passed it to Natsuno. "Maybe it's better if you answer it?" he suggested, "I know I've already eaten, but... This guy smells tempting. I wonder if it's got something to do with your bloodtypes?"

"Tohru, you bite anyone else, except in case of self defense, and I may just kill you both, " Natsuno threatened. He smiled. "Sit down and see if you can't find something on the tv. I'll handle this, " he promised. The delivery guy knocked. Natsuno could hear the guy on the other side of the door about how he always disliked coming this way after dark, given the proximity to the forest.

"Cops crawling all over the place, drugs, hookers, Yakuzza... And those trees, prime location for someone to hide a dead body, I'm sure," the guy grumbled .

Natsuno not back a laugh and opened the door. The delivery boy stood there in his red and blue uniform with a short black ponytail. He couldn't have been much more than twenty. "I have a delivery for room 414?" He said , "Two large pepperonis, hold the garlic? Two bottles of water, and a side of buffalo wings?"

"That's us," Natsuno nodded, "You got here a little faster than we expected."

"It's a slow night," the delivery guy admitted, "You were like, only the fourth order to come in after dark."

"I see, say, are you guys hiring?" Natsuno asked.

"I'm not sure. You can always swing by during the day, or call to find out, though," he answered.

"How old do you have to be For a night job?" Tohru asked, from the couch as pizza and money exchanged hands.

"Seventeen and under work part time after school hours, up until right pm. Eighteen and nineteen can work until eleven, twenty and up and work until we close at midnight. But, no one under eighteen can deliver, and you have to have your drivers license for instance purposes," he explained.

Tohru flinched and clicked his tongue, "Well, there goes that idea," he thought .

"I see, thank you, We'll keep that in mind. Thank you," Natsuno said.

"Good night," all three said as Natsuno closed the door.

"I suppose it's just as well. You can't handle the garlic,anyway," Natsuno reasoned.

"I don't know about touching it, or cooking with it," Tohru sighed, "I just can't eat it. If only Megumi had waited until I got my license, I could have delivered it, at the very least."

"Again, just as well," Natsuno reinstated, "I listed us both under my father's last name. Mutou Tohru has a death certificate, and after talking with Ozaki-Sensei, so does Koide Natsuno. Even if you had gotten your license, you would have had to take it all over again."

Tohru turned and looked at Natsuno. "You could have brought that bit of information up sooner," he complained.

"I was otherwise... Preoccupied last night," Natsuno winked, "Here," he passed a plate of pizza and chicken wings to the now blushing Shiki and sat down with his own.

"Oh god, that smells so good," Tohru acknowledged. "Thanks," he accepted the plate.

"No, thank you, this is your money, after all, how is it?" Natsuno replied, "As good as you remember?"

Tohru took a bite. "Mmm... Mnh, on yeah, better I think," he said as he swallowed it.

Natsuno smiled , it did him good to see his boyfriend happy and smiling. "Don't worry, Tohru-Chan, I promise, we'll figure something out."