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The question was brought up unprompted, out of the blue.
It was when Koga tagged along yet again to another Rhythm Link meeting even though he was uninvited, claiming that he was his “number two” who needed to make sure that Rei won't sleep halfway through the meeting. What a rude excuse, the old vampire thought, but he still let Koga in anyway.
And it was thanks to his beloved wolf that the it lasted in a blink of an eye, where the majority of his attention was focused on the warm hand holding his the entirety of the meeting.
It was when the sun was starting to set, a view one could clearly see if they looked outside the office windows. The air is dense despite the room being air-conditioned, the hot weather not up to Rei's taste. But Koga's still there with him, looking through his phone while waiting for Rei to pack up.
As his ruby red eyes perked up due to hearing his name called, the guitarist asked, “Is there somethin' yer afraid of, Sakuma-senpai?”
Rei found himself staring at him for a short while, maybe more. The boy himself didn't seem to notice how off-guarded his companion was, continuing to scroll through his phone. It was until Rei asked the question to be repeated again when he got Koga's golden eyes on him, nonchalant.
And as requested, the question was repeated through those chapped lips that Rei found himself nibbling on at times things got sensual between the two of them.
“I suppose I’m most afraid of what causes great harm to vampires such as myself,” was what Rei absent-mindedly says, zipping his bag close after placing an empty water tumbler in it. “Silver, running water, and crucifixes. Does that answer your question, my beloved?”
A weak excuse to avoid answering truthfully, as the vampire would like to put it. But Koga seemed satisfied enough as if expecting the very answer from him. That is, if Seriously? That's it? could be considered “satisfied enough.”
But Koga is a dear, as always. He never tries to pry too much in his life when they're in public places, or just when there are people that may be eavesdropping behind the office dividers and walls around them. When at a place both consider their home, Rei is not afraid to lower his guard around the wolf. This is what he had always yearned for, isn't it? For Rei to be honest with himself.
It is a slow process, but Koga is patient as ever.
Rei traced his fingers on the guitarist's cheek until he got the other to look at him, the sunset hues reflecting off on those citrine eyes. It made Koga more beautiful than he had ever seen, something that he wasn't sure was possible until now. “Shall we head home, dearest?”
A leather-gloved hand removed the hand on his cheek, both hands intertwining their fingers with each other as if that's the main reason why they're made. No words were expressed but the old vampire felt a smile form on his face.
No detours were made when they rode through the busy streets. Rei was holding on to Koga's waist as if his life depended on it, forever thankful that he taught him how to drive his old motorcycle.
And now they're here after Koga decided to give Leon a bath now that both of them have nothing to do for the night. Though truth to be told, Rei never imagined himself sitting on a bathtub accompanied by their most loyal corgi, hair tied in a low ponytail with various hairpins failing to keep his hair away from his face.
The question from hours ago still rang in his ears.
“Something I'm most afraid of, huh,” he muttered in a soft tone, hands tasked to keep Leon still as his fiancé spread the conditioner around its body.
“Perhaps I'm afraid of you, dearest Koga.”
Rei kept his eyes on the over-energetic dog, voice still soft in order for his human companion to not hear what he has to say.
The answer he gave Koga wasn't a lie, neither did he give him the whole truth to ponder upon. Rei Sakuma is human, after all. Even more now that the person who nursed him when he fell from his godly throne to live as a human resided in the same household as he does. Answering such a question meant for humans with vampiric fears was not the right way to do so, but it was the truth.
Silver. Rei Sakuma was afraid of silver. Rei Sakuma was afraid that he would never get to see the silver hair mainly caused by stage lights and sweat running in front of him after UNDEAD had finished their live performances, what most would call a dull color completing the view.
He was content with staying behind the group. He doesn't reach out to thank the audience too far in fear that if he does so, Rei will never see the ear-to-ear grin given to him by his wolf that never failed to make his old heart skip a beat.
But who was he kidding. A life shared with Koga Oogami is a life where every moment spent could be symbolized by the silver of his hair.
And the old vampire was afraid to let go of that silver, the same way he was afraid that Koga will be taken by the currents of running waters far away from him.
One of the things that continue to amuse Rei was Koga's keen interest in going overseas to the place where rock was born. UNDEAD has gained popularity over the years for them to be considered international stars, allowing worldwide tours to be included in the activities they could be offered.
Rei found it difficult to forget how the boy never hid his excitement for the whole tour, his tone sounding more inviting than threatening when he demanded them to go sightseeing. It was an attitude that he'd never expected Koga to have if he hadn't been with him through all these years.
But worldwide tours resulted in more eyes on them, more specifically on Koga who the world now dubbed as one of the promising rock idols that they've seen in this decade, and Koga was more than happy to own that title. Various job offers were brought up to him at once, and more often than not Rei had seen some offer Koga a place outside of UNDEAD.
He would've been alright if it was only offered once, but the number Rei had seen Koga dismiss these similar and overall repetitive offers personally struck fear into him that there'd be a day when Koga would be persuaded enough. An offer overseas, a normal person wouldn't hesitate to take it. Koga's family background was still hazy to Rei, but knowing the other's love of rock, Koga would leave sooner or later to chase his dream of becoming the top.
Rei was aware that this fear is irrational; he trusted Koga enough to not abandon his unit—abandon him because of such offers, but the worries never leave him.
But these are simple fears compared to something inevitable. If there's one thing that humans and vampires have alike, was that none of them were truly immortal.
Crucifixes were one of the few items that harm vampires great enough to cause their death. Death was not something both humans and vampires could avoid, and Rei was aware of that. After all, he spent most of his days in cemeteries where people would follow him. He'd seen hundreds, thousands even, of cenotaphs and headstones of people he did not know. With that exposure to the idea of death, one could say that there's no chance of Rei Sakuma developing a fear of death.
But at that moment, as disconnected as he was to the outside world that Koga's rough, yet soft and pleasant to hear laughter sounded out of reach, Rei wished that death would never reach the both of them.
And if Death would not be so kind to listen to the old vampire's plea, he at least hoped that he would die the same time his spouse will. Call him romantic, clingy—but a world without Koga Oogami is not a world that Rei Sakuma wanted to live in.
What is Rei afraid of, Koga asked hours before.
The crimson red eyes started to focus on the commotion happening in front of him, steadying his grip on Leon now that it seemed that they were now washing off the applied conditioner. He watched as Koga continued to talk to Leon in his own Koga way; how the boy's usually loud and rough voice became soft akin to a middle schooler playing with his friends, how his golden eyes so full of love narrowed when he did so.
Rei observed the scene before him, a heart that he thought was incapable of life now beating to see the family the love of his life provided him.
I'm terrified that you'll leave, my dearest, most beloved Koga.