(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

[was_no_monster]

[he hasn't left her side since it happened.

not that they haven't tried to make him go, both those who knew and those who didn't. he has no illusions about how he looks right now; even if he did, he still wouldn't be able to keep from overhearing the way the nurses and doctors gossip. those who don't know at least only think that she deserves better (they're right) than some homeless looking punk— and besides, he's not related to her. even if he were, she's not so sick now that they would let him stay (and that is still something he thanks God for at least daily, for that small scrap of mercy that He was willing to at least give her.)

those who do know, though...

he's seen the way most of them look at him, when she's not awake or clear-headed enough to bristle in his defense. (they're right, too.) even the few who look at him with something like sympathy worry; after all, what might an obviously unstable, hungry vampire do when completely surrounded by the temptation of the weak and bleeding?

but he's ignored the polite reminders that visiting hours were over, the less polite requests that he go home so that she can rest, the nervous inquiries into whether he was hungry or not (he's not, regardless of what his body says) when he scared the last person off. he's staying, until he's sure that she's well.

it's the least can do, for what he did. it's the last he can do, before he leaves.]

[miraculost]

[there are many ways for a vampire to move in the world of humans.

there is stealth - he could slip through the hospital as mist, barely visible, and find his way to Kaito without anyone knowing.

there is subterfuge - he could act as though he is meant to be there, and with his appearance and the right attitude, he would be believed and given whatever information he needs.

there is manipulation - he could influence their minds, subtly or forcefully, to make someone take him to his son.

and there is simply walking up to the reception desk, being lucky enough to find a staff member who knows about vampires, and explaining the situation and that he is here to take his wayward son home.

Len likes that method the best. people are essentially decent if you just talk to them, really.

he stands outside the door of Miku Hatsune's room, inhaling deeply. there's no question about it - his son is inside, his scent unmistakable. here, at last, is the scene of their reunion...

Len lifts his hand and knocks quietly on the door.]

/2

[was_no_monster]

[starting out of a half-drowse with an irritated hiss and rubbing at one eye. he's been doing his best to keep human hours and he's been sleeping in a chair next to Miku's bed, can't they at least respect that and let him get what rest he can—

...that isn't one of the nurses.

it takes a moment for him to realize what he's smelling; he's spent so long trying to quash every fanged impulse, every whisper of knowledge that he shouldn't have had that it's a struggle to understand what that side of himself is trying to tell him: that's family, that's sire—

that's Papa.

Papa's here and he can't leave, he can't, Miku's still here, and if she wakes up and he's gone because he was too much of a coward to face his father what will that do to her?]

[was_no_monster]

[... is there really anything that Len can do to him that's worse that what he's already done to himself?]

...

C— [his voice cracks, and he shuts his eyes before trying again] ...come in.

[miraculost]

[Len opens the door, slipping inside and shutting it quietly.

the girl is asleep... good, she'll be needing as much rest as she can get. from the smell of her, she's on the mend already. that's a relief.

that means Kaito hasn't killed anyone, in his hunger.

... oh, but he looks a mess. His poor son. He would take the boy into his arms now and not let go, if the situation didn't call for delicacy. Len pulls up the other chair and sits across from Kaito, with a slight, encouraging smile]

It's been a while, hasn't it?

... I missed you.

[was_no_monster]

["a mess" is putting it lightly. he looks every bit as scruffy and feral as he had when Len had first taken him in, and despite the fading flush of life that had come from his recent feeding, he's... gaunt, somehow. between that and his obvious exhaustion, he looks far too much like he had when he was dying.

he feels like he had when he was dying, too— all torn between too many choices and too much pain and desperate for it all to stop, and it isn't fair that Papa would show up now and twist that knife in him like that when he already wants so badly to just give up.

just... balling his hands into fists and clenching his jaw, unable to think of a way to respond to that that wouldn't either reveal more than he'd like or likely wake Miku]

[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.