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"This way!"
Yuu followed Mika while he held his jacket over his head. It made a poor protection against the downpour. His boots splashed in the mud and water seeped into his shoes. The rain was so thick he could barely see where he went, so he just followed the white shape of Mika running in front of him.
The storm had broken out suddenly, surprising them both. Yuu had followed Mika on one of his patrols around their camp, and he had no idea how far they were from the rest of the squad. Their priority now was to find some shelter. The thunder was growing louder and Yuu hoped they would not get struck by lightning.
After what seemed to Yuu like several minutes of running, Mika finally slowed down. Yuu could distinguish the shape of a building.
"Wait here, I'll check if it's safe," Mika said, talking loudly so his voice could be heard through the uproar of the storm. He pushed a door and disappeared inside the building.
Yuu waited for him under the porch. Mika soon reappeared to let him know that the way was safe. Yuu was glad to finally get away from the rain, so much he laughed as he went inside.
"You think it's funny?" Mika said, and Yuu barely managed to stifle another laugh as he looked at him. Mika's clothes were soggy with water, clinging heavily to his body. His usually wavy hair was flattened by the rain. The sight gave Yuu the impression of a sulky puppy who had just taken a bath.
"You're soaked," Yuu said. Mika's frown deepened.
"Thanks for stating the obvious. And you are too."
Yuu shrugged. He did not really mind. The true reason for his euphoric mood was Mika's presence. Now that his childhood friend was back in his life, every minor hardship turned into a fun experience. "It's not that bad. The weather is still warm."
Mika sighed and shook his head. "You're insufferable, I swear."
Yuu grinned and moved closer to Mika, paying close attention to his ears. He had noticed their new unusual shape a few days earlier, but Mika was always making sure they were concealed by his hair, and every time Yuu tried to broach the subject, Mika just up and disappeared. However, right now, Mika's wet hair could no longer hide the objects of Yuu's curiosity.
"About your ears..." He stopped, almost expecting Mika to flee. But he did not, so Yuu went on. "When they did change shape? Was it when you drank my blood?"
Mika shook his head. He was careful not to meet Yuu's gaze. "They changed right after I first drank Krul's blood."
"Was it painful?"
Mika nodded.
"I'm sorry," Yuu murmured.
Mika finally looked into Yuu's eyes. He opened his mouth, probably to say something along the lines of "it wasn't your fault", but he held it back in the end.
"Can I touch them?" Yuu asked.
Instead of the outright refusal Yuu expected, Mika lowered his head.
"If it'll satisfy your curiosity." Mika was trying to sound indifferent but Yuu could not miss his embarrassed expression.
Yuu slowly removed his gloves and tucked them in his belt. Then he began his careful tactile exploration. Mika's skin felt cold to the touch, but Yuu could swear that the tips of Mika's ears were reddening. He had already seen Mika's cheeks turn pink with embarrassment, but he had no idea it would extend to other parts of his body. Yuu smiled at the discovery. While he had never held much interest in vampire physiology, he found every little thing about Mika fascinating.
"Can you move them?"
"I'm not a cat," Mika deadpanned.
Yuu let out a disappointed sigh. He ran his fingers down behind Mika's elongated ears. Mika's skin felt silky soft and Yuu wished he had more chances to touch Mika barehanded like that. He noticed that Mika had closed his eyes. He looked relaxed as if he enjoyed being petted. Yuu smiled and allowed his fingers to rub the spot behind Mika's ears.
"Does it feel good?" Yuu asked in a low voice.
Mika's eyes opened. "Surprisingly, yes."
"Why 'surprisingly'?"
"I didn't think I could still enjoy physical contact," Mika said sheepishly.
"Well, now we both know you do."
Yuu had never stopped his caresses during their exchange. Mika's eyes soon fluttered shut again. Yuu had never seen him with such a calm expression. He liked that, that he could make Mika feel at ease.
The pouring sound of the rain was growing fainter as the storm pulled away. It was probably safe for them to travel back to the camp, especially considering Yuu would have to be tied down in a few hours to prevent him from going berserk. Mika's proposition to run away, just the two of them, suddenly sounded attractive. If only the circumstances were different.
"We should go," Yuu murmured.
Mika let out a little moan and his eyes opened and blinked as if he was emerging from sleep. The sight was so unusual that Yuu's heart began to race.
"Mm. You're right, we should."