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Licht distinctly recalled the fight against Higan but, for some reason, the memories of the last moments were muffled, everything occurred too fast and he couldn't react at all. He remembers Hyde screamed at Tsubaki to stop, but he didn't listen, and in a moment the vampire's body was ripped open, blood splattered everywhere, and the sound of the broken dog tag rang incessantly in the ears of the greed duo. Licht shouted Hyde’s name and watched the man fall, the light leaving his eyes, his body turning into the animal form because of the impact. Licht rushed to him and held the little trembling hedgehog in his arms, unable to realize what had just happened.
Lawless woke up suddenly, as if from a terrible nightmare he could not get rid of. He was still in his hedgehog form, wrapped carefully in the sheets of an unfamiliar bed. It took him a few minutes to process the latest events and the bitter reality hit him like a punch in the stomach. His jinn was gone, and with it also most of his powers. He felt like he’d been shattered into a thousand pieces, absolutely useless. Probably, if Tsubaki came back to finish what he started, he would no longer be able to protect himself. But above all, he would not be able to protect his family. And Licht.
Licht. Right. He probably wouldn't even want to see him now, weak and powerless as he was. Even if not fully consciously, with all the time they spent together, Hyde opened his heart to the Austrian boy. He showed him his insecurities, his mistakes, what made him what he now is. Licht surprisingly listened and even gave him some advice: sure, with his usual sharp and arrogant manners, but he talked to Hyde the way someone speaks to a friend he cares about; and he had made it clear that, to him, the past no longer mattered. He was the first person that didn't care about his mistakes and that told him to move on, although it was the same person who managed to place an insult or a death threat in every sentence. Even if all they did was fight, Licht seemed to care at least a bit about him. Hyde wondered how he would act now that the vampire had nothing left to rely on.
The blue-eyed boy interrupted his thoughts by entering the room with a strange calm on his face that didn't belong to him. He sat on the bed. “You woke up, finally."
In his higher than usual hedgehog voice, Lawless replied, "Yeah, I'm awake, Licht-tan."
"How do you feel?" Licht whispered.
"I'm fine, Licht." He replied, hesitation clear in his voice.
"How do you actually feel?" Licht asked again, and Hyde could swear his tone sounded slightly warmer.
"I told you, I'm fine, Licht." Hyde replied with a weak grin.
Licht sighed. "Can you turn back into your human form?"
Hyde smiled and squeaked like the little hedgehog he was. "I didn't know you wanted to admire my magnificence so badly, angel-chan."
Licht frowned at the pet name and glared at him. "You'd like that, shitty hedgehog. I just want to see your actual condition with my own eyes."
He cares, Hyde thought. He still cares. Or maybe he just wants to see if I can still be useful to him.
Hyde returned to his human form, regretting it almost instantly: he found himself sitting next to Licht, too close to feel comfortable.
The only times the two were this close were when they were fighting and beating each other, but Licht had never been this close to the servamp of greed with that look on his face, almost as if he was worried.
Licht took a few minutes observe the vampire, and in his blue eyes as cold as ice there was an abnormal but sweet heat, the same warmth he felt when Licht had held him to his chest after he was attacked by Tsubaki. Hyde remembered that nice sensation best.
"You seem to be doing better, after all it's already been two days. You should show me if your wounds healed with your vampire skills or if you need medication again."
Lawless immediately replied. "I'm fine, Licht-tan, you don't have to do anything." What? I was asleep for two days?
Licht stared at him a little longer and got out of bed. He walked towards the door, then suddenly stopped. "If you need anything, just call me.” Hyde could do nothing but stare at the door as Licht left.
Two more days passed and Hyde still found it difficult to walk. He felt weakened both in body and spirit, and he found it hilarious, considering how he proclaimed he changed and he would now make sense of his life. It was overly frustrating, and every hour he spent in bed made his thoughts more bitter. Again, he was nothing but a failure.
Since Hyde and Licht signed the contract that tied them together they had never been far apart. The two attracted each other like magnets and not a day went by without them kicking and punching each other. It was the first time with this kind of silence. And the longer it lasted, the more Lawless convinced himself that Licht no longer wanted him. Why should I care, anyway?
Licht didn't talk much, strangely, he let him rest in his room and only approached him when the vampire felt weaker and needed his blood. He didn't scold him, and well, he barely looked at him. Lawless couldn't take it anymore.
"Licht, am i really so disgusting that you don't even want to fight anymore? I know this is all my fault, because I was too weak – i am even weaker now, but if you're so tired of me you should just tell me, instead of doing… this. Stop ignoring me, I can’t stand it.”
Licht glared at him, surprised by the heartbreaking tone of his vampire, but that surprise quickly turned to anger before he could think about it. "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"I'm just saying the truth! Am I i really so disgusting to you?" Hyde screamed, his tone strained.
"Nothing's changed, you asshole. You sicken me no matter what happened!" used to reacting to Hyde's digs with other insults, Licht spoke without thinking about what he really meant and only for a brief moment Hyde saw something that looked like panic flow into his eyes. Licht never panicked.
He laughed dryly, and his ribs ached a bit. But he kept laughing. "Well, thanks Licht-tan, really. I see how it is. At least you're always fucking honest with your judgments." And he turned to the other side of the bed.
Licht sighed deeply and, unable to control his steps, got closer to the vampire that was now hiding in the blanket. "I'm sor- that's not what i meant. Forget it, I didn't mean it." He was clearly uncomfortable, Lawless could see that.
Is he trying to apologize? Oh, this really is something new. He never fails to surprise me, after all. Lawless did not answer or move, waiting for the boy to say something more.
"I guess I'll tell you the truth, even though I don't own you any explanation for my actions.” Licht gritted his teeth. “I didn't show up for two reasons. First, even though you're a vampire and you're immortal, your wounds are healing very slowly, probably due to the fact that you lost your jinn, and I wanted to give you time to rest, without bothering or stressing you. Also…” He hesitated, and looked anywhere in the room except for Hyde’s eyes. “I just– I can't look you in the eyes knowing I should have avoided this mess."
Lawless turned his head and sat down on the bed, dumbfounded by his revelation. "Angel-chan, aren't you the one who told to me that whatever happened, it's in the past, and we just have to think about the present? And for God's sake, it wasn't your fault, but mine. I should have done more, I'm supposed to protect my eve and our item. It makes no sense for you to blame yourself, it's just.. not necessary, not right."
"I made a mistake, still." Licht bit his lower lip.
"Licht, did you listen to what I just said?" Hyde looked for his eyes and spoke directly to his face. "I’m your servamp, and it's my job to protect you. I haven't been able to protect neither you or me, and these are the results. I'm sorry, really, I'm truly sorry." The vampire looked away uncomfortably because he wasn't used to being so sincere, and, unexpectedly, Licht sat on the bed next to him, and didn't speak for a while.
"Let's forget about it, then. You're right, we can’t change what happened in the past. Let bygones by bygones. Now we must find a way to get you and your powers back to normal, the rest doesn't matter. And by the way, it's not your fault either. It's only Tsubaki’s."
Hyde smiled. For the first time Licht listened and also tried to comfort him. And most importantly, he said “we”.
"Can i have some blood, sweetheart? I promise I'll be gentle." The vampire joked, fully expecting a negative response. Instead the boy pulled down the shirt he was wearing and turned his head to the side, offering him his neck. "Just be careful."
The vampire got even closer to him and, after placing a hand on his shoulder, he brought his lips to the pianist's white skin. Since he was often shut up in a room practicing on his piano, Licht didn't get much sun and fresh air, not even in summer. So his soft skin always kept a very light color, but slightly shaded. Unconsciously (and maybe instinctually, he just wanted to) the vampire ran his tongue over the area where he would sink his teeth, and felt Licht shiver slightly beneath him. Licht spoke again, his tone somehow restless. "Hurry up, and stop playing with me."
Hyde didn't think twice and carefully aligned his fangs to the boy's skin. He bit down, trying to be as delicate as possible. Licht didn't let him drink his blood that often, and he didn't want to make him angry. His blood was sweet and fresh, it flowed easily and even a small quantity was enough to make the vampire feel immediately better.
The boy shook slightly at the impact, but relaxed as the vampire began to drink his blood. It wasn't painful and in fact, when Hyde was paying special attention, it could even be quite the pleasant experience. Also, Licht was secretly glad to be able to help him this way.
After a few seconds the vampire broke away, being careful not to spill or lose even a single drop of that precious blood. Licht adjusted his shirt and stared the vampire straight in his eyes, pouting.
"Angel-chan! Why are you looking at me like that?" Hyde asked, his tone a little worried. "Did i do something wrong? Did it hurt you too much?"
"No, stupid demon. I was just wondering… What does my blood taste like? Is it good? Well, must be, since it's the blood of an angel.." His voice’s volume gradually lowered as he spoke, until he found himself whispering things that only he could understand. Hyde had noticed this habit of his: when Licht found a new “mystery”, he isolated himself with his thoughts and kept reasoning silently on his behalf; the rest of the world disappeared until he found a valid answer.
Hyde interrupted the train of his thoughts, wearing a crooked grin. "No need to worry about that, angel. Trust me on this one. Yours really is the blood of an angel. It tastes heavenly."
Licht blushed slightly and tried to mask it (badly) by turning his head on the side. Still the pink that spread over his cheeks did not escape the eyes of the vampire. "Well, of course it is."
After that event the change in their relationship was slow, but radical.
Licht was used to being teased in every context by hyde, but the vampire started to be more and more considerate towards him, and all the compliments he was always giving to Licht started to seem more true: now he spoke with his eyes (and maybe his heart), not just with his mouth. Licht found himself often blushing under the amused gaze of the vampire and had no idea of what was happening. After Tsubaki broke their item, shouldn't their relationship have faded? Instead, the two seemed to understand each other more, and seemed to be connected in a way they had never been until that moment.
On the other hand, Lawless was used to receiving only hateful comments and cold glances from Licht, who had always shown him that he was bored by him and despised his existence. The boy stopped getting angry about every single thing, now he just rolled his eyes holding back a little smirk, like he had fun during their (now) little fights, and he also stopped attacking every time he did or say something wrong that bothered him. Hyde wondered what was the reason behind this change.
Time passed, and they gradually stopped fighting.
As they stopped fighting, they started to deeply care for each other.
Maybe they always had; Hyde felt a great interest towards the pianist from the very first day, and behind genuinely appreciating his skills and his music talent, he always liked his personality, and all its characteristics. Sure, Licht could be really mean, annoying and stubborn, but he was also incredibly devoted and Hyde admired the way he dealt with everything: every human being, as such, is doomed to infinite insecurity. It's up to them to decide how to live with that insecurity, and Licht did not consider his insecurities as a weakness: for him they just were there, and encouraged him to work harder, to be serious. Licht seemed firmly confident in his abilities, in his choices, in everything he said and did, but that confidence was not casual and without any bases: Lawless didn't know anyone who, throughout his life, had been as hard-working as him. If Hyde thought of himself as someone insignificant, Licht was the exact opposite. And because of that, he wanted him close, he wanted to learn to live with him, he wanted to be there for him, even if the boy didn't need that.
For Licht it had taken a while to figure out who Lawless really was. The vampire was always trying to appear strong, bold, confident, but Licht was able to see beyond the role he had been playing every day for hundreds of years. Licht had always hated people like him, who didn't have a dream, didn't follow a path in their life and wandered around waiting for a miracle, or worse, had already lost all their motivation. However, he saw great strength in Hyde as well as a great deal of suffering. And without being able to control himself, he began to want to be close to him and grow with him. After the vampire had been injured, he was worried that he might fall and lock up into himself again, he worried that everything he told him would be useless. Instead, he changed, or at least he was trying to do so.
And to licht it was enough.
+ i know i said this can be read as platonic BUT i really wanted them to kiss so here's a little bonus -3-
Fucking hell, Hyde wanted to kiss him. He didn't understand why he was hesitating that much, what could have happened? Licht might reciprocate the kiss, or he might get mad, and in that case Hyde would just have to say it was one of his usual jokes.
He wanted to kiss him, and he was starving.
Lawless started to look at him differently. Sure, Licht has always been beautiful. His eyes glowed even in the darkest night, brighter than any precious stone. They just were so blue. And so beautiful. The most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. The eyes of an angel. His dark hair looked so soft to touch, and Hyde was dying to twist that single white lock around his fingers. The vampire believed it made him look special, and even more beautiful, unique. His lips… Hyde was never able to look at them closely, properly, and he couldn't wait any longer. He found himself staring at them without realizing it and Licht, embarrassed, always left the room and then didn't show up for hours. Hyde didn't know how to read his reaction, he just wanted to try and go further, see what the boy would do.
Yet it was the blue-eyed boy who took the first step. That day Hyde went to hear Licht practicing with the piano, and then they had lunch together. In the afternoon they went shopping together because the vampire needed new clothes for his winter wardrobe and, too tired to cook anything, they ordered take-out (Hyde thought that was something couples do, too. It kinda felt like a date). During dinner, Hyde couldn’t stop staring at his lips for a second, and did not pay attention to his food at all. Licht thought it was clear he didn't like when people who hesitated and didn't fight for what they wanted. So he took the initiative. "What are you waiting for?" He questioned, and looked the vampire straight in his eyes waiting for an answer. They were still sitting at the table, facing each other, and when he heard his words, Hyde looked away and suddenly winced.
"What do you mean, angel babe?" He tried to keep his tone neutral, scared because he’d been caught. Was he thatobvious?
"You want to kiss me, don't you? You've been staring at my lips for ages, what's stopping you, Hyde?" This time Licht was the one who stared at the vampire's lips, having brought up the matter. Hyde’is fangs were barely visible, his lips quivered, in impatience, and for unknown reasons he liked that.
Hyde gasped, unable to answer. Endless words flowed through his head, what the boy had said had sent him into a blackout. Oh, the way he whispered his name.
Licht kept going. "Are you afraid I can't kiss back properly? Then just kiss me, and I'm sure I'll get even better than you in no time."
"Damn, Licht, stop saying the word 'kiss' so many times!" Hyde growled under his breath, the usual pet names long forgotten.
"Don't you want to kiss me?” Licht retorted, a fury in his eyes. “What's the problem? Did I misunderstand things?"
"It's- no, good lord. It's not like that. But you can't tell me something like that this easily!"
"Just because you're a coward doesn't mean everyone else is too.” Licht tone was firm, but not harsh. “So? Am I wrong?"
Hyde sighed, but his embarrassed expression immediately turned to a smirk.
"No, you’re not. And you didn't misunderstand. In fact, I've been longing to kiss you for a long time."
"Just do it, th-" Licht didn't have time to finish his sentence, because the vampire's lips pressed on his like the world was ending and all Hyde wanted to do was hold him, feel him, kiss him until they couldn't breathe anymore. Licht hadn't thought enough about the consequences of his actions, because as the vampire's fangs brushed his lips and his tongue made its way into his mouth, something huge and warm and strangely comfortable grew in his chest, and he wanted to taste more of it.
They broke the kiss only when they could no longer breathe, and Hyde rested his forehead against Licht's, stroking his cheek with his right hand and alternating his gaze from his flustered eyes and his lips, now red and swollen. He already wanted to kiss him again.
"I could really fall for you, Licht-tan."
I think i can really love you, and we're gonna be happy, this time, he didn’t say.