(no subject)

[miraculost]

[it's been a long couple of years, without Kaito.

after the first decades of life, time seems to go faster - after the first century of immortality, mind still undulled by age, the world seems to rush by in a terrible hurry. A year or two could pass as nothing. even Len, for all that he loves this world, sometimes loses track of the swift flow of time.

but Kaito... Kaito had brought something precious into his life. he brought youth and vitality into a house that had come to feel cold and stagnant... he'd brought a human touch, companionship, and...

... family.

even before the illness, even before Len had made his offer, and Kaito his decision - Len had already come to think of Kaito as his son.

and when Kaito had left, cursing Len and the immortality Len had given him...

Len angles into a controlled descent, catching hold of a drainpipe on the side of a building. he's been flying for a long time, and the bat form can only take so much at a time, even with the strength of a vampire. resting his wings for a moment, he surveys his surroundings again.

the hospital isn't far, now. there, he's sure to find the girl who was bitten. he'd fumbled the first lead, the one with the old man - but this time, for sure, he will make it in time. he knows every vampire on Honshu, where they live and what they do, and the one behind this attack could only be the newest and youngest of them. the one he created.

he will find Kaito, this time.

letting go of the drainpipe, he takes flight again, speeding towards the hospital.]

Comments

[miraculost]

Kaito... She'll be all right. She's already begun to recover, hasn't she?

... I overfed before I left, in case you were still hungry. Vampire blood isn't as satisfying, but it'll tide you over.

[was_no_monster]

[jerking upright, his eyes going a hungry reddish purple— but he brings one hand up to cover his mouth, looking nauseated]

No.

[miraculost]

[red-- that's not a good sign. Kaito is nearly starving.]

... Then you'll have to go out and hunt. Or feed on the horses. There's many safe options. But you'll need to eat something, soon.

[was_no_monster]

[hissing angrily, his hand still over his mouth. even if he could leave Miku, he wouldn't, he won't, he's not going to take from anyone ever again and how dare Len show up and tempt him with this when he's already so hungry]

No!

[miraculost]

... Kaito.

I don't have to explain to you the danger, if you don't.

As I said, I've overfilled myself. So I'll be all right, even if you take your fill.

Please?

[was_no_monster]

[faltering, his eyes finally flickering to true red and his hand dropping just enough to reveal that his fangs are out—]

[was_no_monster]

[but he's had several years practice with restraining himself while slowly starving, and he's still has the last dregs of what he'd taken from Miku in him. it's just enough to keep him from snapping, just enough of something to cling to to let him push the hunger back down and cover his face again instead, curling up in an attempt to keep himself contained]

Sstop, sstop it, I can't—

[miraculost]

... No.

Here, Kaito.

[Len undoes his tie and the first couple buttons of his shirt, exposing his neck

and suddenly he is embracing Kaito, very deliberately putting his bared throat next to Kaito's face. vampire or not, he's warm and flushed with blood and life.

if Kaito could resist that temptation, it would be a wonder.]

[was_no_monster]

[he can't.

this is the same thing that undid him twice before, acceptance and arms around him and his own hunger and the urge to bite becoming everything—

he makes a raw, desperate noise and strikes, his own arms uncurling to wrap around Len and cling before he sinks his teeth into his neck. there's no finesse to it, and far more force than necessary; enough that almost all of his teeth break skin instead of just his fangs.

part of him is screaming, but he can't hear it over the taste of the blood in his mouth.]

[miraculost]

[Len stays calm and still as Kaito drinks, stroking his hair soothingly. it's all right, he says with that silent caress, you're all right, everything is all right.

he'll be weak and drained when Kaito is done, but he has a belly full of blood and so he won't even have the chance to be hungry. Kaito can take as much as he needs.]

[was_no_monster]

[his tension slowly ebbs; his white-knuckled grip on Len's back eventually loosening as the blood-lust fades. by the time he finally lets go with his teeth to mindlessly lick the blood off of his lips and Len's neck, he's gone almost entirely limp with something like contentment.

that lasts for all of ten seconds.

the only warning Len gets before Kaito reaches up to try and shove him away is the way his breathing hitches and the sudden scent of tears]

[miraculost]

[but Len is faster, with 200 years of age and power and practice, and he catches Kaito's upper arms, holding him firmly but lovingly]

It's all right. You're all right now. You're fed, you're safe.

[was_no_monster]

[shaking, but not trying to fight him off]

No, no it's not, it's not all right—

[miraculost]

Shh, shh. It will be. She's healing, you've done no irreversible harm, and I'm here now. I'm here for you. It'll be all right.

/3

[was_no_monster]

That's not true!

[icecreamtopping]

[...mnnnnnngh. boyfriend why are you yelling when I'm asleep, stoppit |(]

[was_no_monster]

[—going completely silent and still, all of his attention abruptly focusing on her]

[miraculost]

[... shutting up for a moment so my son can check on his girlfriend]

[was_no_monster]

[when she doesn't stir further he sags again, and when he speaks his voice is soft and broken]

... They- they told me that she'll have a scar from this. Because I hurt her that badly. [and he hates that that makes a part of him happy, because it means she's marked as his.]

...there was someone else, too.

[miraculost]

[a scar... well. there's creams for that, and a few old tricks, but he can bring that up another time. for now...]

Mr. Kamui, correct? I've spoken with him. He's in good health, and bears you no ill will.

[was_no_monster]

[... what]

[miraculost]

I did have a certain amount of explaining to do, though... I don't think he was very impressed with me, really.

[was_no_monster]

[sorry I am still stuck on the part where you're talking about him like he's still alive]

But that's not... h-he...

[miraculost]

He's alive and well.

You didn't take his life, Kaito. He recovered. He's all right.

[was_no_monster]

[collapsing numbly back against the chair

if sensei was still alive... then it meant he hadn't killed anyone. he hadn't taken any life that would be missed.

...it also meant he'd left the man who had taken care of him all alone with a life-threatening injury, and no one to help him through the subsequent recovery.

crumpling]

...I left him...