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Salem sighed as he gazed at himself in the mirror, shifting about with mild discomfort to glance at himself from different angles to be sure that his outfit for the night looked at least somewhat presentable. He didn’t gather that he looked too bad—his sandy brown hair light and pleasantly fluffy with the product he’d bought an odd few months ago which he’d ruffled into it in the middle of blow drying.
The rest of him consisted of a tighter variation of dress pants, with a casual white button-up shirt beneath a light pink, fluffy, fleece sweater. Sure, he was going on a dinner date, but he valued his own comfort over a fancy appearance, and the sweater was warm, and the perfect kind of absorbent material for crying into if the date went too terrible. Besides, it was a casual restaurant, so it wasn’t like he had to go all-out with his clothes.
He couldn’t believe it, honestly. It was Valentine’s Day, and after much goading by his two close friends Mina and Reuben, he’d agreed to be set up on a blind date, which he had no doubt of being planned due to their hopes of ending Salem’s perpetual third-wheeling of their dates. He understood their troubles with him tagging along—being romantic with a third person in the room trying to occupy themself in the meantime was awkward, but he couldn’t help but feel like setting the date for Valentine’s Day of all days was a bit insensitive.
For the past few years, any mention of a valentine probed a sore bruise on Salem’s heart that hadn’t quite faded yet, but being dumped by an abusive ex who only wanted him around for money on said day would do that to anyone. The subject still didn’t sit well with him, and he couldn’t help but feel anxious about the thought of any form of romance to possibly come his way.
From what he’d heard, the mystery person was an obscure friend of a friend’s friend, which, of course, sounded extremely promising. Or, in other words, he was already mentally preparing himself to be disappointed. Unfortunately, Mina and Reuben had gone out for the night and left him to fend for himself alone without moral support, which didn’t help with his situation, but thankfully enough, the restaurant was within walking distance from his apartment.
Whenever either of his two friends so much as mentioned a person Salem might find interesting, they usually ended up being a douche, or wanting a quick night in their bedroom, thinking he was easy, so he wasn’t too excited for the night right out of the gate, but he’d promised to try his best, and was usually a man of his word.
A nervous shudder rolled down his spine, and Salem shivered, shaking his head. He lifted his wallet from its position on the corner of his bed, the plastic rose keychain making a tinkling noise as it struck the zipper while he walked to the front of his apartment.
“Wallet, check. Decent shoes?” Salem glanced down to his black wingtips, giving the toe a thoughtful tap against the tile floor. Sure, they were a bit dressy, but they were comfortable, and it gave him an extra boost of confidence with all the thorough polishing he gave them. “Check! Cozy sweater, check. Glasses cloth?” He patted his back pocket, thankful to find a soft, square bump of folded fabric. “Check. I suppose that means I’m ready.”
With a sigh, he approached the shoe shelf beside his front door, reaching towards the dish set on top of it and snatching his keys. He twisted open the doorknob, stepping out onto his doorstep. The cold, chilling air bit at his cheek, and his eyes stung from the dryness of the wind. It wasn’t a terribly good start to the evening.
The restaurant was a local cafe called To Die For, which functioned as a minor, more pricey reservation exclusive dinner venue on certain nights of the week and minor holidays; though it usually sold sandwiches and various breakfast foods on top of pastries and coffees. Salem was especially fond of the way they made milk teas, and was excited to at least get one of his favorite drinks out of the oncoming date.
He’d picked up a paper copy of the dinner menu in advance the previous morning when he’d gone in for a late breakfast, intending to preplan his order. The descriptions were mouthwatering, to say the least, and Salem had settled on a rare flank steak braised with butter and garlic with a loaded baked potato on the side, and a small bowl of their clam chowder. It was a combination of two of his favorite things to eat, and wanted to boost his mood in any way he could… even if it was a bit expensive.
But Valentine’s Day had become a yearly occasion dedicated to him practicing forms of self-love to take away from the heartbreak he’d experienced. Also known as an excuse to eat two pints of ice cream for dinner.
As he walked down the stairs of his apartment and strode down the street leading towards the cafe, he wondered what his mystery date would look like. Granted, he wasn’t judging anyone off appearance alone—Salem just had his own idea of a perfect partner set into his mind, and liked to make hopeful guesses. At the very least, he hoped whoever it was wasn’t going to end up with the same personality of his ex.
For instance, his ex was a bit of a snob who liked to tote around expensive purses and handbags when they met, and he’d assumed they were wealthy, at first, but in reality, had poor money management skills, and would constantly beg Salem for extra spending money when going out with their friends. He definitely could not afford to entertain another gold-digger.
Soon, he came upon the chalkboard outside the doors to the cafe, listing a sweet Valentine’s greeting written in skilled calligraphy followed by a few of their V-Day exclusive bakery items, and he slowly pushed his way inside. He was greeted instantly by the smell of freshly cooked food, baked bread, and pastries, the scent enough to make his mouth begin to water.
With a nervous, yet oddly giddy smile at the promise of good food, he began to look around and survey the area, when a gentle, velvety voice called out to him.
“Salem? Are you… Salem?”
The brunet turned on his heel towards the source of the sound, red in the face as his gaze fell upon a tall, well-dressed man with deep brown hair that rested almost at his shoulders, and striking amber eyes. His breath caught in his throat for a moment, taken aback by the sheer attractiveness of the stranger before him, but he eventually mustered the conviction to reply.
“L-Lucius?” He asked, when he began to get an odd feeling in his gut that the man before him wasn’t entirely as he seemed. There was something off about him that he couldn’t quite manage to place.
A tender smile crossed the latter’s lips, and he chuckled, extending a hand out to shake, which was promptly taken by a blushing Salem. “It’s nice to finally meet you! Our table is over here, if you’d like to follow me,” he said, motioning towards a booth in the far corner with a platter of food sitting in the middle and beginning to walk. “I hope you don’t mind, but I came a bit early and ordered an appetizer in case either of us got hungry. It’s only some honey wheat bread and butter with assorted cheeses. I hope that’s alright?”
“Oh! Thank you, that’s very considerate,” Salem said, surprised that his potential needs had been thought of in advance. He liked cheese—it made for a good snack food with crackers when he had the money and got the chance to sit down with a good book to relax. It definitely scored Lucius bonus points, though looking at how he held himself, and his confident, yet humble tone, he wasn’t sure how far the points extended to.
Lucius seemed friendly, and generous, that was for sure. But Salem was usually more wary than he should be when it came to learning and observing others’ personalities.
He allowed himself to be led to the table, where he sat down and took a small sip from his water glass. “You definitely came well-prepared,” he remarked, thankful to have food already after skipping out on lunch to make room for dinner, then eyed the spread before them. His eyes widened upon a closer look, and his mouth fell open. “W-wow. Brie… sharp cheddar, and red wine? You’ve hit the mark already; you have great taste in food, I take it?”
“It’s not necessarily my palette. I haven’t met anyone who turns up their nose at a cheese spread,” Lucius admitted, his smile brightening at the positive response. “It was a bit of a safe choice on my part, but I thought it would make for a light snack and a conversation, don’t you think?”
“Definitely,” Salem agreed, reaching to his right to take his menu so he could pretend to browse while recounting his order to himself and thinking up some small talk to keep himself and his date occupied. If there was one thing he hated, it was coming across as boring. “What do you usually like to order, Lucius? Er—if you’re a regular at the cafe, that is. I come here often during the day, but I don’t think I’ve seen you around.”
Lucius drew up his menu as well, offering Salem a humored, yet charming look. “I’m more of a night owl, actually, what with my work schedule being what it is. If I’m being honest, I have sensitive skin that runs in my family, so I typically go out around sunset,” he said with a tentative shrug of his shoulders. “Personally, I would recommend the filet mignon. I’m acquaintances with the owners, and I’ve never tasted anything like the ones they make.”
Salem tilted his head. “You’re acquaintances?”
The latter nodded. If acquaintances meant that they’d been doing business together for over a century, that is. “They’re good friends with my Dad. It’s part of the reason I chose to come here; I thought it would be nice to have some familiarity and know the food.”
“Ah! That’s close to the same reason I wanted to come. I’m in here so often that they know me by name,” Salem rambled, but paused. “But back to food—I would take you up on your suggestion and get the filet, but it’s a bit too far out of my budget.”
A soft expression filled Lucius’s features, and he hummed. “I wouldn’t mind the bill being split sixty-forty or so if it meant you got to have a lovely dinner tonight, Salem.” He offered him a warmer smile. “Valentine’s Day is supposed to be enjoyable, no? Don’t worry, I can afford it. I came preparing to pay for both halves of the meal, since it was mostly you who got dragged into a blind date.” Lucius folded his hands in front of him, looking slightly nervous. “I’m sorry if this was an inconvenience for you to set up.”
“N-no! It’s fine—I’m having a fairly good time so far, all last minute things considered, and everything’s been great.” Salem reached out for a small slice of bread, letting Lucius cut out a few slices of cheese for him to choose from. “Sorry if you were forced into this, Lucius. I know my friends can be overwhelming most of the time, and I can only imagine how much they bugged you.”
Curious, Lucius leaned forward, resting his chin atop a fist. “Do you not like your friends that much?”
Salem’s breath hitched at the question. “I didn’t mean for it to come off like that. From my experience, they tend to force things onto people, and I’m no exception.” He gave a subtle snicker. “No doubt they tried to brag your ears off about their extremely average friend,” the teen said, earning an amused laugh in return. “What? What is it?”
“Pardon my enthusiasm, but… you’re actually more than I hoped for. Your… friends didn’t exactly do you any justice.”
Salem felt his cheeks burning, but didn’t find that he minded it too much. “They usually don’t.”
Lucius felt his heart squeeze at his shy nature, equally entertained and attracted by Salem’s bashfulness. He, himself was almost equally as nervous. “Do you live close? I didn’t see a car pull up.” He shifted his coat off of his shoulders, which Salem noticed had a black and white spotted fur collar, and couldn’t help himself from almost gawking at how expensive it looked. “And as adorable as that sweater is, it doesn’t look awfully warm for the weather. If you’re still cold at all and want to warm up, I could offer you my coat? The inside is lined with plush fleece, and it’s fairly thick.”
Caught off-guard by the kindness, Salem began to stammer. “Thank you, but I’m fine for now,” he eased. “Er… as for my house, why do you ask?”
The man’s eyes sparkled with eager interest, and he held his hands together before sliding his menu over to his date, flipped over to the wine list. “I was wondering if I could tempt you into something to drink, but wanted to make sure that you had a means of getting home safely if you agreed to let me treat you to a few glasses,” Lucius said. “Of course, I would understand completely if you didn’t want to; there’s no pressure at all.”
There was a brief moment of stagnant conversation as Salem considered. “Is there any reason in particular?”
“Caught me red handed,” the latter snickered. “A glass or so tends to loosen the lips. It makes it easier to read closed books. That, and wine goes criminally well with bread and cheese, so it gives me an excuse to have some.”
Salem drummed his fingertips along the edge of the table. “You said that you think my sweater’s cute?”
“D-did I say that?” Lucius rubbed at the back of his neck. “I like it. I’ve always been a fan of pastel colors myself.” He motioned towards his outfit, which consisted almost entirely of black clothing. “Despite what it would seem. Most of my clothes are business casual, so I don’t quite have the freedom to be wearing fluffy sweaters—although may I say that the dress shirt underneath adds a very nice touch.”
For a moment, Salem could have sworn he’d seen Lucius’s gaze slowly drag over his neck, partially shifting to hold a slitted, cat-like appearance. He shook off the thought, mirroring the man’s smile, albeit not quite as award-winning. Salem was finding out very quickly that Lucius had a magnetic aura to him that sucked him in close.
“Alright, you and your smooth-talking swayed me,” he sighed in defeat. “Just one. Oh—and please…” Salem gave him a sincere, apologetic look. “As amazing as your offer sounds, I can pay for myself. I’d feel terrible if someone I barely knew spent so much on me so soon after meeting. Especially since I wouldn’t have anything to give in return.”
Lucius nodded in understanding, but felt a twinge of bitter upset that someone had clearly done something wrong to make Salem feel as if a simple act of kindness needed to be repayed. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t want to make you feel uncomfortable.” He reached across the table, placing his hand half over Salem’s own. “And I’d like you to let me know if I ever do. I’d hate to accidentally do something you don’t enjoy, or overstep your boundaries.”
“I… appreciate that a lot, actually.” Salem breathed out an internal huff of relief. “S-sorry, sometimes I don’t know how to take it when people are nice to me,” he murmured. “No offense to you, or anything. Most people are either outright rude to me, or have ulterior motives. I’m a magnet for terrible people.”
“Do your friends tell you that, or is that something that you tell yourself, Salem?”
The question startled him. Out of a nervous habit, Salem reached back to tuck a loose lock of hair behind his ear. “Both.”
Silence soon followed, and Lucius decided to change the subject. However, before he could manage to think of something to say, Salem cleared his throat.
“I think I’m ready to order now. Have you chosen anything?”
Lucius set his menu at the edge of the table. “I’m pretty sure about what I want. And I might have a wine you’d enjoy.” He raised a hand, catching a waiter’s attention, who he immediately recognized to be Noah, one of the two owners. “Busy night tonight, Noah?”
Noah offered the man a smile. “No busier than I can handle, what with the help of Vaughn and my nephew while Victor and his lovely husband are out of town for his birthday.” He looked to Salem, and his eyes widened in shock. “Oh! Hello, Salem. I had no idea that the two of you knew each other, let alone that you were so close.”
Salem held up his hands in denial. “It’s a blind date, actually, Mister Callahan—this is our first time meeting.”
An unfamiliar wariness appeared in Noah’s eyes, and he shot Lucius a look that Salem didn’t understand. “Well,” he began, clearing his throat. “It’s nice to have two of my best regular customers in on such a nice night. What can I get for the two of you?”
Lucius turned to Salem, who motioned for him to go first. “I’ll have a filet mignon and lobster tail with a side of mashed potatoes and asparagus. Possibly two glasses of merlot?”
“A regular filet, or our special offer?” Noah asked.
“Regular for tonight,” Lucius said with a nod. He handed Noah his menu, returning his attention to his date with interest. “Your turn to order, Salem. What would you like to eat?”
The brunet quickly went over his pre rehearsed speech. “U-um… I’ll have the garlic and butter braised flank steak—rare please! And a loaded baked potato with a side of clam chowder?”
“Just a small side bowl, dear?”
“Yes please. Could I possibly also get an iced milk tea?”
“Of course you may,” Noah chuckled. “I’ll go get that started for you. Your drinks will be out in a minute.”
Lucius folded his hands in his lap. “You like tea?”
“I’m actually more of a coffee person,” Salem confessed with a grin. “But I’m a sucker for sweet teas. Though it’s not like I’ll turn my nose up at regular tea—I like black tea sometimes. The bitterness of some types does a good job at waking me up.”
“Speaking of waking up,” the latter began. “Going back to an earlier point, would you consider yourself to be more of a daytime person, or an evening type?”
“A-ah, I think I’d have to go with neither, I guess?” Salem shrugged sheepishly. “I like the afternoons. It’s warm, still light out—not that it matters much, with me holed up inside. I have to work at night, too, so it’s normally the only source of free time I get, unless I wake up a bit early to make myself breakfast.”
“You don’t usually eat breakfast?”
Salem hesitated, embarrassed by the concerned tone Lucius’s voice held. “Is that bad?”
“Nutritionally speaking, yes.” Lucius tutted in disapproval. “You know, I’m an excellent cook in terms of breakfast foods,” he hummed. “If the date goes well, I’d love to take you out for coffee and bring over a late afternoon breakfast sometime? If you like what I bring, I could even teach you how to make it, and give you some easy recipes that don’t need a lot of shopping.”
Shock flashed over Salem’s face. “You’re already considering a second date with me? W-with homemade food?” He briefly wondered why—hadn’t he done anything wrong to disappoint him yet? “Are you sure? I wouldn’t—I wouldn’t want to cause you any trouble, Lucius.”
Another laugh slipped from Lucius, and he shrugged. “I don’t see why I wouldn’t, honestly. It’s been years since I last went out on a date with anyone, and… you’re different from them. I haven’t gotten along with anyone so quickly in ages.” He nervously tapped at the table. “It’s really no trouble at all. Pardon me if this sounds rude, but you seem like the type of person who doesn’t come across kindness easily. I think that given the chance of a few more dates, we should get to know each other better.”
Noah approached the table with the tea and wine, setting them down before the two. “And here you two are. Your orders shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes,” he said. “In the meantime, would the two of you like another appetizer while you wait?”
Lucius clapped his hands together, and he beamed at Salem. “I think we’re alright for now, unless you wanted anything?” He asked, but the latter politely shook his head no, prompting Noah to begin his walk back into the kitchen. “As I was saying, I… would love to get to know you more.” The man took a small bite of a slice of cheese, followed by a sip of his wine. “Ah! Try the red wine cheese with the merlot. I bet you’ll like it.”
Taking his advice, Salem eased a slice past his lips, giving it a thoughtful chew and washing it down with the wine. It was slightly bitter, which he didn’t care for, but held sweet undertones that greatly appealed to him. “W-wow! This is amazing! You must really know your taste combinations well, Lucius.”
“I’m happy you like it! It’s one of my favorite things to sit and drink while reading, when the opportunity presents itself.” Lucius watched Salem carefully take intermittent drinks from his glass, seeming to be enjoying himself. That was good, he thought. He was glad to see that his mood had picked up from the shy awkwardness he’d been greeted with, as endearing as he found his bashful stammering and blushing. “What do you like to do in your free time?”
“That’s… a bit difficult,” Salem let out a halfhearted laugh. “Normally my free time is spent doing whatever Mina and Reuben are up to. They sort of like to drag me places, and silently complain whenever I come with.”
That struck a nerve with Lucius, who frowned. “Despite inviting you, they complain when you go along with it?”
Salem made a face, shrugging in a way that implied it happened often. “I think they just extend the invitation to be nice? Not to be harsh, but they can get to be assholes sometimes,” he said, then stiffened. “Er—please don’t tell them I told you that! I’m sure they mean well, but… um…”
Lucius’s face darkened. Did he really not know about how his own friends spoke about him to each other?
In truth, a few days prior, Lucius had been out on a late night stroll around the park, as he usually did whenever he needed to scout out meals that weren’t provided to him by his business partners. Humans couldn’t see well in the dark, after all, and what with the forest and trees encircling the area, it made it very easy for someone to slip off undetected after taking blood.
He’d caught a couple—Mina and Reuben—ranting on and on about a friend of theirs named Salem, attempting to find a way to ditch him on Valentine’s Day. Usually, he wouldn’t have been interested in mortal endeavors and dramatics, but there was something about it that drew him in unexpectedly.
They had been saying awful things about his poor date; Salem was a prude, Salem was a tight-ass, he was stubborn, annoying, a burden—just some sad, loner kid who they had taken pity on in high school after seeing him eating alone by himself in the school library, and had followed them around like a lost puppy ever since. It set his blood boiling.
“I swear, you couldn’t pay someone a million dollars to babysit him on Valentine’s Day and hear him cry about Beatrice,” Mina had groaned, to which Lucius had cut in and volunteered himself.
It had surprised them, at first, but they took immediate interest. Soon enough, he had been paid a hundred dollars just to keep Salem occupied disguised as a blind date. Of course, money was of no issue to him, so it was petty cash.
He’d intended to spend it for Salem, but was thoroughly surprised to find an adorable younger man who got flustered at the idea of being paid for. Of course, he was going to come clean close to the end of the night—explain everything, tell him his intentions with the money, and express great interest in seeing him again, but before any kind of romantic pursuit, he had more important things to attend to.
Collecting himself, Lucius sympathized. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Salem began to speak, but stopped himself, sinking back into his seat. “I really shouldn’t bother you with that sort of stuff. Especially on the first date. I mean, you didn’t come to be my therapist, after all.” He rubbed at his shoulder, a shiver rolling through his body as a gust of cold wind blew in from the cafe doors while a new set of customers filed in. “Sometimes I get heated when I vent, and I wouldn’t want to ruin the mood.”
Lucius, not wanting to press the matter further for the time being, once again offered Salem his coat at his shivering, which he hesitated to take at first before slowly wrapping it around himself with a shudder of warmth. “Like it?”
“I-it’s very warm, and incredibly soft,” Salem said with a nod. “But aren’t you cold?”
“Don’t worry about me, I’m perfect.”
The brunet hummed, thoughtfully stroking the fabric. “If I had a coat this soft and luxurious, I don’t think I’d ever take it off,” he tittered. “I bet you could fall asleep anywhere wearing this.”
“Oh, I have,” Lucius admitted. “I was in the middle of doing paperwork one morning, and let’s just say that the hood does an incredible job of acting as a pillow.” He ran a hand through his hair, his heart warming as Salem allowed for another laugh while looking entirely adorable in Lucius’s coat, which was a few sizes too big for him. “It looks stunning on you, Salem. And look—it even goes well with your sweater.”
Salem’s heart jumped, and his cheeks flushed red. “Y-you’re just saying that…” He shifted the coat to hug tight around his shoulders, nearly burying himself into it. “In all seriousness, though… thank you for getting roped into going on a date with me, even though we’ve only been here for less than an hour.” The man bit his lip, averting his gaze. “I usually just sit at home and feel sorry for myself when it comes to Valentine’s Day, so… it’s nice to be doing something different for a change.”
“Well…” Lucius reached out, taking Salem’s hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m glad you agreed to come. I’m definitely enjoying your company, Salem.”
“U-um… if you’d like…” Salem fussed with the glass of wine in front of him, clearing his throat. “My friends… call me Sal, sometimes.”
“Sal,” the vampire said, feeling the name on his tongue for a moment. “That’s… cute. I like it.” He snuck a glance at Salem’s glass of tea, then pointed towards it, curious. “Could I bug you for a try? I’ve… never had milk tea before.”
A delighted gasp escaped Salem, and he eagerly held out his glass out for Lucius to take, but much to his surprise, Lucius merely took a sip from the glass in his hand. “Oh! Wow, have I been missing out,” Lucius spoke, resting his chin against his palm. “I might have to get one myself! Thank you—it’s a bit odd after having wine, but actually…” He spread a soft looking cheese over a piece of bread, passing it to Salem. “Try some with the honey goat cheese.”
The two chatted for a while until their food came, discussing their various hobbies and interests, as well as favorite films. Salem had discovered that Lucius was the type of person who liked to go to orchestras and symphonies—something that Salem could never find the spare money to afford to go to. Likewise, Lucius had figured out that Salem liked to sit at home with some ice cream and a movie on most weekends, and couldn’t help but imagine how funny it would be to see him curled up on a couch beneath a mountain of blankets.
Salem eagerly dug into his baked potato first, groaning at the quality of ingredients. “I swear, they could charge over a hundred for any of their menu items if they wanted; you’d think that Noah and Vaughn had been cooking for centuries with the talent they have.”
A wry grin spread over Lucius’s lips. “You’d think so, wouldn’t you?” He mused, partaking in the private humor of the ironic statement. Of course, Salem wasn’t aware of the truth of his statement. Lucius cut out a piece of his filet, holding it out to his date, who looked puzzled at first. “Come; I wasn’t allowed to buy you one; you have to try it, at least?”
Feigning a huff, Salem leaned forward, biting it off of the fork. Lucius really hadn’t been lying—it was quite possibly the best steak he’d ever tasted, the flavor practically melting off into his mouth. A small part of him regretted not letting Lucius order it for him, but he stood firm on his stance about being given favors. If he couldn’t repay it, he didn’t want it.
“What’s your stance on dessert, Sal?” Lucius asked. “They make an excellent hot fudge filled devil’s food cake that my father gave them the recipe for. It comes with ice cream, and today it’s heart-shaped, encased in a red chocolate shell!” He drew a copy of the dessert menu from his pocket, unfolding it for Salem to see. “It’s on the chalkboard outside, but just in case you didn’t see it, I got a copy for you, if you’d like to take a look?”
“O-oh, dessert? Um…” Salem lifted his wallet, glancing to the cash he had neatly folded inside. “I don’t think that I can…”
Lucius shook his head. “I was asking because I’d like to share it with you. My treat; and it’s not nearly as expensive as the filet.” He reached out to give Salem’s nose a teasing poke. “Besides, how else would I be able to repay you for being so kind as to make my evening?”
“Repay me? But…” Salem pouted, realizing he’d been played by his own rules of favors. “You’re good at this, aren’t you?”
“I’m a quick learner when it comes to loopholes, sweetheart.”
“Seriously though,” the latter began. “Thank you for tonight. My life’s been a vicious circle of shit for the past few years, and it’s nice to break away from that, even for just a few hours.”
An intrigued look flickered in Lucius’s eyes. “Can I ask what you mean?”
Salem hesitated for a moment, but relented. “I’m not the greatest person in the world to be around. My friends are getting more distant, I’ve been cycling through jobs like a revolving door, and my rent has been tougher and tougher to pay on time, much less in full.” He let out a sigh. “I’m worried that I’ll never do anything with my life, if that makes sense. I just really wish I had a fresh start at life, if I’m being completely honest,” he said, but stiffened. “Sorry, I don’t mean to ruin the mood, or anything.”
A new start at life… huh? Lucius raised his brows. He could do that. “No, don’t apologize. I understand,” he expressed, surprising Salem. “Before I got the job I have now, I was never really satisfied with much of anything that went on in my own life. No friends, no work, no anything. It was just me sitting around for years with my father feeling like a waste of space.”
Salem’s eyes widened. “You? But you’re so… I don’t know how to put it exactly… valuable? I wouldn’t think that anyone would find you of all people a waste of space, Lucius.”
“Likewise I wouldn’t think anyone would think the same about you,” Lucius countered, then smiled as Salem realized he’d been trapped in a compliment again. “And please, my friends call me Lu. Or Luci, if you’d like. I don’t normally enjoy that nickname, but I think I’d like it if it were to come from you.”
“I-I don’t think my cheeks can get any redder tonight,” Salem mumbled, trying to hide his face in the fur collar of the coat he’d been lent. “I almost don’t know what to say. I’m really not used to anyone being so nice to me.”
“You should be,” Lucius said. “I’m surprised you don’t have a trail of men falling at your feet, what with how sweet and adorable you are.”
The latter sniffed, looking away. “If you keep saying stuff like that to me, I might start to cry,” he said, then started to slice up his own steak. “I would love to go out for coffee, Lu. So long as you let me buy yours as thanks for everything.”
Lucius sighed heavily, faking annoyance. “I suppose I’ll let you twist my arm.” He took another drink from his wine, then returned to his plate. “Have you ever had lobster before, Sal? You should taste it dipped in salted butter. Want to try some of mine?” The vampire asked, to which Salem asked politely if that would be alright. He cut away a piece for him, holding it out to him. “It’s good, isn’t it? This is baked lobster; I think they baste it with a sauce primarily made from garlic butter and lemon juice, almost like that steak you have.”
“I’m impressed with how much you know about food,” Salem commented, giving his bite a chew. “Mm! Is it too late to ask to swap dinners?” He laughed, then raised his glass of tea to drink.
“I wouldn’t mind sharing, actually. That baked potato and clam chowder look incredible.” Lucius reached over, not-so-subtly stealing a bite, causing Salem’s jaw to drop. “Hey—a bite for a bite, Sal. It’s a fair trade.”
Noah made his way back to the table, looking pleased to see the two getting along. “Is everything going well? Nothing overcooked, undercooked?”
Salem gleefully took a bite of his chowder. “Everything is amazing, actually. Better than any dinner I’ve ever eaten, that’s for sure.”
The man beamed, holding a hand against his chest. “You’re always so sweet, Salem. Can I interest the two of you with anything on the dessert menu? On the house, for my favorites.”
“Noah, you shouldn’t—I’d feel bad ordering the Valentine’s special without paying for it,” Lucius declined. “I’m alright just paying for it, really. I wouldn’t want to impose.”
Aww, Salem thought. So there was a part of Lucius that didn’t want favors, too.
However, Noah folded his arms over his chest. “Ever the gentleman, you cheek. I’ll be right out with that cake,” he said, then strode off.
Lucius hesitated. “W-wait just a—” He gave a groan as Noah slipped past the kitchen door. “That’s that, I suppose,” he mumbled with a shrug. “You know, I tend to wait a bit whenever I eat it. If you let the ice cream melt the center of the chocolate, some of it seeps into the cake.
“Oh wow!” A familiar female voice sneered, causing a chill to shoot up Salem’s spine. “Look, babe, it’s Sal! I told you he’d turn out gay.”
Salem froze up, dread sinking into his stomach, and he immediately hung his head, receiving a look of immediate concern from Lucius, who glanced to the person who had been speaking to find a tall, blond woman dressed in knockoff expensive clothing and poorly applied makeup. With her was a relatively buff younger man.
Was this… Beatrice?
The woman approached their table, looking smug. “Is this another one of your failed dates?” She scoffed, then looked to Lucius. “I bet you’re paying for the whole thing, aren’t you? Salem can barely afford anything besides his older sister’s trashy hand-me-down sweaters.”
“I-I—he’s—” Salem sank down in his seat, defeated. Just when he thought he’d found a potential boyfriend to go on more dates with.
Lucius narrowed his eyes. That was why Salem didn’t want to be paid for. He looked back to his date, tilting his head. “Honey, who’s this?” He asked softly, taking hold of Salem’s hands in his own behind the cover of a few stacked plates. “I didn’t know you knew any women.”
The stranger rolled her eyes. “That’s such bullshit. Mina tells me that he still cries himself to sleep over me; I doubt that you don’t know who I am,” she crowed.
Tears began to well in Salem’s eyes, and he started to pull his hands back, when Lucius gave him an insistent look, and he felt cool silver being slipped onto his ring finger. Confused, he furrowed his brows, but Lucius only squeezed his hands and drew them back, revealing a ring set with five beautifully arranged diamonds.
“And here I was thinking my fiancé could spoil me on Valentine’s Day in peace…” Lucius pouted.
“Fiancé—” Beatrice froze at the sight of Salem’s ring, then huffed. “And here she said she’d bribed some rando into going on a shitty date with him. That bitch,” she growled.
Noah approached the table with the cake, narrowing his eyes at the sight of a forming dispute. Noticing Salem’s visible discomfort, he placed the plate down and cleared his throat. “Is there an issue going on here, Lucius?” He asked, receiving a sharp glare from Beatrice, who started to speak, but was swiftly interrupted by Lucius.
“This woman is being incredibly rude to my fiancé and I on our first anniversary. Saying such nasty things unprompted and ruining our evening. She ran straight to our table without any warning.”
With a hum of distaste, Noah turned on his heel to face Beatrice. “If that’s the case, I must ask you to leave these two alone. I don’t take kindly to my customers being bothered, and if you do it again, I’ll have to request that you and your date not return.”
Beatrice started to retort, but huffed, storming off to be seated.
“M-Mina… said…?” Salem frowned in confusion. “But Mina said she’d never talk to Beatrice? What did she mean, a bribe?”
“I’m sorry about that, you two,” Noah eased. “I’ll take care of things, don’t you worry. You just say the word and I’ll have them out.”
Salem shook his head. “No, I don’t want to escalate things.”
Lucius bit his lip, waiting until Noah walked away to lean close. “Sal, I think… I think we need to talk about your friends,” he eased, receiving a troubled, almost hurt look. “I think they told Beatrice that we’d be here.”
“W-what? No, they would never…” Salem paused. “How… how do you know her name?” He asked, suddenly growing defensive when Lucius froze up, looking like he’d been caught. “L-Lucius, why are you on a date with me?”
There was a moment of silence, and Lucius drew in a deep breath, nodding his head. “Will you promise to fully hear me out and listen to what I say?” He requested calmly, guilt aching in his chest as he watched tears begin to fall over his date’s cheeks. “I swear to you that this isn’t what you think, and that I had no ill intentions. Please, Salem?”
“Please just don’t lie to me,” Salem begged. “Not you.”
“I would never lie to you.” Lucius held direct eye contact, then offered him his cool glass of water. “I had gone out for the evening a few nights ago to find your friends out in a park saying awful things about you, Salem, and trying to find a way to ditch you today,” he explained, which, oddly enough, didn’t seem to shock the brunet. “At first, I wasn’t even going to bother, but they had said something about how someone couldn’t even… couldn’t even be paid to go out with you.”
Lucius folded his arms over his chest. “And I thought about what sort of shitty people they would have to be to say that about someone, so I volunteered my efforts for a date. Now, while they did pay me—one-hundred dollars, to be exact—I had fully intended to use it in an effort to make sure you had a wonderful evening out to get you anything you wanted.” He shook his head in disbelief. “I figured it would be an interesting thing to do; prove them wrong and give you a nice night, but… Salem, I really, really like you. I didn’t think that they would stoop so low as to rope me into a scheme.”
The tears rushed over Salem’s face, and he sniffed, looking away to ensure Beatrice couldn’t see him. “Oh god,” he sobbed, and was instantly met by Lucius slipping out of his side of the booth to sit next to him, easing his arms around his shoulders and adjusting the coat, using it to swab his tears. “I-I’m so sorry that you got dragged into this—you were just trying to be nice, and now you’re getting all of this—all of my life’s bullshit…”
“Hey,” Lucius said in a firm, serious tone. “Tonight is about you, Sal. Not any of them, not your ex-girlfriend.” He allowed the latter to nestle his head into his shoulder, drawing him into a tight hug. “I have a present for you after dessert, you know? Something that I think you especially might really like that I feel I can trust you with.”
“Y-you’re serious? You even have a present?”
“For such a lovely man, how couldn’t I?” Lucius brushed away Salem’s tears, then paused, leaning in slowly to plant a soft kiss on his forehead. “Are you in the mood for digging into that cake now?”
Salem sniffed. “In a few minutes, maybe,” he said. “But for now, would—would it be okay for me to sit here like this for a while?”
The vampire rubbed at Salem’s shoulders and pulled him closer. “Anything for my precious fiancé.”
A soft snicker slipped from Salem, and he closed his eyes. “Thanks for that. That was really smart thinking,” he murmured. “I don’t think she would have left us alone, otherwise.”
“Mm… it’s like I said; I’m good at finding loopholes,” Lucius hummed, moving his other hand to ruffle his date’s hair. “Say, Salem? What would you want for your future?”
“Just to be comfortable, and maybe get swept away by a tall, dark, handsome prince to his castle with a huge library, and… maybe a cat.”
“So what you’re saying is that I only need to kidnap you and buy a cat to fulfil your future wishes?” The brunet queried, and Salem snorted, pulling back from the embrace and wiping at his eyes with the sleeves of the coat.
He considered the thought for a moment; having Salem with him at his secluded manor just outside of town, and getting to wake up next to him in the morning.
“In that case, you might want to start packing, Sal.”
Salem laughed. “Oh, please, you shouldn’t tease me like that,” he scolded, then started to grow nervous. “Is she… looking at us?” The man asked softly. “She’s probably called our bluff already. If she’s anything like how I remember, she’ll have been texting Mina through the roof already.”
Lucius looked over his shoulder, finding Beatrice and her date whispering to each other while pointing towards their table. “I think I have an idea, honey.” He grinned down at Salem, sitting up and cutting a small piece of the cake, holding it out to his lips. However, just as Salem slid the bite off of the fork with his teeth, he leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss against his lips to share the bite, causing him to suck in a sharp gasp.
Contrary to what he’d thought, though, Salem kissed back, almost startling him. He could hear the rapid, anxious thudding of the mortal’s heart in his chest, as if he were worried that what he was doing was wrong, but Lucius drew away with a wide smile. “Sorry if that was sudden.”
“Can’t say I’ve ever kissed a man while eating cake before,” the smaller quipped playfully. “Um… hey, Lu?” Salem tucked a loose strand of hair behind his ear, taking in a breath before speaking. “Would you want to go back to my place afterward and watch a movie with me? I have popcorn and ice cream, if you want?”
Lucius’s chest filled with warmth. There. That would be the perfect place for him to make his offer. “I would love to.”
“R-really?”
“How could I resist?”
The rest of dinner was one of the most satisfying and pleasant moments that Salem swore he’d ever had. He resorted to resting on Lucius’s shoulder, listening to him ramble on about various date ideas, and what sort of other foods he knew how to cook while they finished off their food.
“Are you ready to go, Sal?” Lucius asked.
“Oh! No, not yet—I need to use the bathroom quick. It’ll take me ten minutes, tops.”
Lucius nodded. “I’ll wait just outside, alright? Ah—here, let me take the coat for now so that you don’t have to carry it.” He extended his hands out, and was promptly handed his coat, watching Salem quickly make his way towards the bathroom.
Salem pushed past the door, a smile spreading over his lips. A hot, charming, and amazing guy was coming over to watch movies with him, he thought. How could his night get any better? He almost couldn’t believe it; someone genuinely wanted to spend time with him for being himself and go on more dates!
However, there was a slight scuffle from outside, and Salem glanced up to a relatively high window. It didn’t look possible to shut, unfortunately, and he was about to pay it no mind and do what he’d came to, until a familiar voice came from outside.
“So I see you’ve taken a shine to one of our regulars,” Noah’s voice said. “Are you really interested in Salem, or do you just have him in mind for food? Vaughn and I have grown a bit fond of the boy; he’s very polite when he comes for his tea, and I won’t stand for him being used.”
Salem’s eyes widened, and he glanced about, finding a trash can. Holding onto the top of a shelf behind the toilet, he gently hoisted himself up to the point where he could grab onto the base of the window and peek out. Outside in the alleyway were Lucius and Noah, Noah with his hands folded over his chest in a huff, looking suspicious of the latter’s intentions.
“Come now, you can’t think so little of me, can you?” Lucius tutted, shaking his head.
“You’ve never taken interest in humans before, Lucius.”
“Circumstances arose, as you saw, and my biases towards the human race had to be put on hold for a night” He shrugged his shoulders and sighed. “To tell you the truth, he’s one of the best that I’ve met—incredibly humble, modest, and really all-around adorable.”
The man in the window clasped a hand over his mouth.
“Well, in any case, we have ten minutes to discuss minor business, yes?” Noah queried, then drew a dark, plastic cased bag from his coat pocket and held it out to Lucius, causing Salem to furrow his brows—it looked like a blood bag. “This is a sample of the best we’ve collected from this week; still fresh and able to produce more. If you like it, I can send some your way.”
Lucius hummed, feeling the warm bag between his hands and reading the label before placing a tube into his mouth and undoing the clip around it. Blood trickled through the tube, and he gently coaxed more out with a minor squeeze, a bright smile forming on his lips as the blood met his tongue. It was robust, and savory, holding a taste that invigorated him with a sort of primitive delight, and he nodded, passing the bag back. “An amazing selection, as always. I’ll take what you have, say… tomorrow evening?”
“Of course,” Noah agreed, partaking in the smile. “We can discuss the quality of blood, and likewise the quality of meat more in-depth when we have more time on our hands. Meanwhile, you be nice to that boy. Is that understood?”
Lucius chuckled. “Yes sir, don’t worry. It’s just a few little movies, not something that will add to my monthly quota.” He noticed a stream of blood trickling from the corner of his chin, and he eased his hand into a pocket, licking the remnants of blood from his lips and drawing out a cloth, using it to clean his face. “And thank you for the excellent meal, as always,” Lucius praised, promptly checking his watch. “My date awaits! Let Victor know that I said happy birthday, will you?”
“I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear that,” Noah assured, and Lucius moved to walk back to the front.
Salem’s breath shook, and he felt his hand begin to slip. He let out a gasp as he began to lose his balance, and watched Noah’s head whip around, their eyes meeting for a second before Salem stumbled to the floor.
“V-vampire,” he said to himself through short, quick breaths. “Lucius—Lucius is a vampire.”
He swiftly finished his business, then rushed out of the bathroom door and towards the entrance. When he stepped out, he found Lucius standing waiting for him, a charming smile on his lips, and the coat was offered back to him.
“Lead the way,” the immortal said softly, and was promptly taken by the hand. He noticed that Salem seemed nervous, and gave his shoulder a light nudge. “Hey,” he murmured. “Are you okay? I know what happened back there was a bit off-putting.”
“No, no, I’m fine.”
Unconvinced, but not willing to pressure Salem, Lucius silently followed along, observing the various stores and apartment complexes on their walk. It was kind of cute to see Salem wearing his oversized coat, his cheeks tinted pink from the cold.
His apartment, in Lucius’s opinion, was minimalistic yet homey. His living room held a couch that had two blankets folded over the top, and there was a small, tight kitchen that Lucius couldn’t comprehend anyone managing to make a single dish in. No wonder Salem never ate breakfast.
Salem’s nervous state didn’t appear to settle, and it was beginning to make Lucius feel like he’d done something wrong. Salem was polite, offering him a place on his couch before slipping off into the kitchen to make popcorn and grab his carton of ice cream.
“Hey, Sal?” Lucius called out. “Is everything okay? You’ve been a bit quiet.”
The man in question returned to the couch with a popcorn bowl and his carton, sitting himself down and drawing in a deep breath. “That depends. May I ask you an odd question?” Salem queried, taking a bite of ice cream.
Lucius tilted his head, surprised. “Sure, what is it?”
“W-well…” Salem shifted about, biting his lip. “When I went to the bathroom at the restaurant, I heard you and Noah talking outside while you were waiting for me.” He drew his knees close to his chest, resting his chin on top of them and tilting his head. “Um, look… well, I sort of… heard and saw everything that happened? Something about blood quality.” The brunet tapped the side of his leg to keep his thoughts distracted. “Are you a vampire?”
“Would that bother you if I was?”
Salem thought for a moment. “I-I know they exist—I’m not stupid like half of this town is. I thought something was off when you said you knew Noah and his husband. But you weren’t—you weren’t going to do that to me, were you? What Noah was thinking you were going to do?” He asked, raising his eyes to meet Lucius’s gentle gaze. “Drain my blood?”
The latter smiled. “I had something better in mind for you, actually,” he admitted. “The present I was talking about. Are you scared?”
“I’m not exactly… one-hundred percent unafraid, but for the most part, no.” Salem ran a nervous hand through his hair. “What’s… going to happen?”
There was a pause, and Lucius took Salem’s hand into his own, raising it to his chest. “You said you wanted to restart your life, Sal. That you wanted to be taken away by a prince?” He lightly squeezed the mortal’s hand. “It hurt seeing what the people you thought were your friends would do to you. And… what better way to restart your life than to be immortal? Er… I suppose that’s more of an offer than a gift, though.”
Shock struck Salem’s face, and his eyes widened. “But—but you barely know me, Lucius. Why would you want to do something like that?”
“Pardon my boldness, but I have confidence in… well… us. You’re kind, sweet, and caring towards others, Salem. And you’re incredibly humble. You have something that I don’t think I’ve genuinely seen in any person I’ve met in my life,” the vampire laid a kiss against his cheek. “You’ve been put through so much pain by those around you, and I’d like to be the one that helps make you happy. At least, whenever you decide that I’m a worthy boyfriend.”
Tears pricked at Salem’s eyes, and he hugged his arms around Lucius’s waist. “Wouldn’t it hurt, being a vampire? I remember you said you had a sort of skin condition when it came to the sun?”
“Oh, that wasn’t a lie—sunlight sensitivity runs in my family, ironically enough,” Lucius laughed. “The only pain you would get from the sun is an uncomfortable tingle. And I could give you a job where I’m sure they would be more than happy to have you, along with a steady supply of blood until you learn how to properly take it from someone.”
“A stable job?”
Lucius nodded. “I could convince Noah to hire you without issue. We’re business partners,” he said. “While I’d love to have you work where I do, there’s this unfortunate rule about staff relationships.” The vampire gave Salem a serious look. “But it’s not all fun and games where your dreams come true. There’s a lot of blood and death involved, which is a price you have to pay sometimes.”
“You would help me… wouldn’t you?”
“We could wait a few weeks to make sure that all of the preparations are in place,” Lucius said. “If you’re comfortable enough by then, I hoped that I might be able to convince you to stay with me for the first few weeks to make sure you’re alright.”
Salem tightened his grip on Lucius. “It would be a fresh start?”
“A brand new viewpoint of the world to explore, with some fun little add-ons to get used to.”
The mortal felt nervous about the offer, but smiled. “I think I would be a lot happier, then.”
“It makes me glad to hear that,” the vampire whispered, then placed a soft, tender kiss on Salem’s cheek, tucking another blanket around him with a wide grin. “For tonight, let’s just watch your cheesy movies. The real world can hold off until morning; this is still about you.” He paused for a moment, then hesitated. “How… did you figure out Noah and Vaughn were vampires?”
Salem shrugged. “Oh, that’s easy. Their son Victor accidentally spilled a cup of blood all over my pants once. He cut his hand pretty badly going to pick up the pieces, and when I knelt down to help, it was already healed.” He tilted his head. “I sort of went ‘well that was awkward’ and asked for a spare pair of pants. His family got really worried, but I told them that as long as the food stayed good, I didn’t really care who or what was serving it. I mean, come on, am I really supposed to believe that Noah is over forty looking that young?”
Lucius snickered in disbelief. “You’re strange.”
“Thank you, Lucius.”
A hum. “For calling you strange?”
Salem leaned against his shoulder, fixing his gaze back onto the TV as he scrolled through different movies to choose from. “No. For caring.”