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It shouldn't have turned out like this.
He should have seen the enemy's trap coming. He should have protected his master. He should have fought better than he had.
But he hadn't. He had made too many mistakes that were now leading to this terrible outcome.
Kazuma wanted to scream. He wanted to beat his fists against the ground until they bled. He wanted to give in to anger and despair.
But none of that would help Barok. His anger couldn't save him.
If he hadn't fought well, he should at least try to fix his mistakes. He had to get him out of there, take him home, safe. That was his duty as a student. His need as a lover. He had to save him.
There was nothing he could do to heal his wounds. Kazuma just held him while he hissed in pain, as the smell of burned flesh filled the carriage.
And carry him in his arms as they ran into the mansion. Into his refuge.
It was Ryunosuke who opened the door for them. It seemed that he had been waiting for them. It seemed that in his heart he already knew that something terrible had happened.
“Barok!” he yelled, his voice breaking as he saw the man badly injured.
"They had silver weapons," Kazuma said. “They were more men than we expected...”
Kazuma spoke as he tried to carry Barok down the stairs. He nearly tripped, and Ryunosuke ran over to help. Both carrying him, they went to his room.
“Almost there. Barok, hold on...” Ryunosuke was muttering as they walked, trying to give him some comfort, until they finally reached his room.
Kazuma helped him sit down. Barok was still gritting his teeth, his face clenched in pain, unable to react. Ryunosuke had taken one of his hands and was caressing it gently. Kazuma opened his clothes to reveal his wounds.
"My God…" Kazuma muttered as he saw the extent of the damage that had been done to him. Ryunosuke's eyes widened, and they were starting to get wet.
"Is he going to be alright...?" he muttered. From Barok, from Kazuma, the only response was silence.
Until Kazuma took a deep breath, and stood up.
“No. He needs blood,” he said, and his gaze met Barok's, his eyes barely open. Kazuma did not allow a reply, he knew that his words were true.
Kazuma drew his sword from his scabbard. Before Ryunosuke could understand, he placed the blade very close to his wrist. He was about to cut the skin when two things happened. First, Ryunosuke yelled. Then, Barok straightened up and grabbed his wrist.
"No," he said, as he held him. Even as weak as he was, his grip was still strong.
“Barok, those wounds won't heal on their own! You need it!”
Barok's hand trembled, and he had to drop back down, too weak. He still felt Ryunosuke's hand in his, so warm, so soft, stroking him in small circles with his thumb, his heart pounding. For a few seconds, he was the only thing that kept him tied to consciousness, until he gathered the strength to look at Kazuma again.
"The blood I need… to heal this…" he managed to say, "is too much. I can't... if I drank it all from you... you wouldn't survive...”
Kazuma swallowed hard. He could feel that he had turned paler.
Ryunosuke's hand stopped caressing him. For an instant, he was still.
There was an awful silence in the room as they took in the situation. Then, Ryunosuke spoke.
“And from both of us?”
Barok's blue eyes moved slowly to him. Ryunosuke forced himself to continue speaking.
"If you drank from Kazuma and me...would that be enough? Without either of us having to bleed to death?”
Barok tried to think, his mind slow and painful. His lovers looked at him, both expectant and scared. Until Barok nodded, faintly, but enough for both of them to see.
Kazuma stepped forward, pushing Ryunosuke away.
“Start with me.”
He undid the collar of his shirt, revealing the flesh of his neck, baring down to shoulder. Barok stared at the exposed skin. He could feel the pounding reflected in his neck, the blood rushing through his jugular.
He was still able to control his instincts for a few moments. He had been too used to keeping them at bay for too long to not feel the need to jump on Kazuma. But then, he commanded it.
“Let's finish this as soon as possible. Do it.”
And Barok obeyed. He held him around the waist, as he would in a tender hug. He brought his mouth to his neck, and parted his lips. His fangs emerged.
Ryunosuke had been watching them, trying to ensure their safety. But when Barok pulled out his fangs, just as they were going to penetrate Kazuma's skin, Ryunosuke looked away.
It was beyond his strength. He had already seen too much blood today.
He knew the exact moment the fangs passed through the skin, because Kazuma let out a strangled gasp. Ryunosuke closed his eyes tightly.
After the first few seconds, he looked at them out of the corner of his eye. He glanced at Kazuma, making sure that he was alright, that the vampire hadn't lose control.
Kazuma had his eyes closed, frowning, but he didn't seem to be in as much pain as Ryunosuke was afraid of. Nothing seemed too worrisome, until he began to notice the colour drain from Kazuma's face. That made him shudder.
He waited a few more seconds. But with each moment he felt his anxiety increase, fearing that it was too much blood, that everything was going to get out of control. He even felt the urge to put a hand on Kazuma, to pull him free.
But it was not necessary. Suddenly, faster than he had started, Barok removed his mouth from Kazuma's neck, and pushed away from him.
He didn't look at him. He covered his mouth with his hand, so they wouldn't see the blood dripping from it. Ryunosuke went with Kazuma.
“How are you feeling?”
The young man was running a hand around his neck to cover the wound. He was surprised to realize that it had already healed.
"I'll be fine," he told Ryunosuke. “Go with him.”
Kazuma stayed sitting on the ground, dizzy and pale. Ryunosuke gave him one last look before turning to Barok, whose blue eyes were trembling. He didn't seem capable of asking it himself.
Ryunosuke took a deep breath. He slapped himself, trying to summon up courage. He unbuttoned his collar with shaking hands. And finally, he hugged Barok, pulling his neck closer to him.
“Quickly. Please," he said in a whisper.
He felt Barok's hands clinging to him. And finally, the fangs on his neck.
He let out a weak cry. It was stinging, like the shot a doctor had once given him that left his arm aching for days. But this time, the pain lasted much less. Until his neck felt nothing more than a numb tingling.
He remembered something Barok had told them once. That there was something in the mouth of vampires that relieved the pain, and closed the wounds when he was done, so the victim wouldn't suffer. Ryunosuke was grateful, in that instant, that he didn't have to feel the blood coming out of his body.
But little by little more sensations began to surface. He had to close his eyes when he felt the world begin to spin. He felt that he was trembling, as he began to feel very cold. He felt the same urge he had as he watched Barok feed on Kazuma, to push him away and end this moment. But he did not.
He tried to focus on Barok's hold against him. Despite how cold it was, Ryunosuke had always felt good in his arms. Safe, protected, loved. He tried to pay attention those feelings. He tried to make Barok feel that way too.
He focused on it, and suddenly it was over.
Barok pulled away from him, and Ryunosuke felt Kazuma holding him in his arms. The vampire stood up, took several steps back, and used a handkerchief to wipe the blood from his lips.
Although his face was as deathly pale as ever, there was something about it that showed recovery. There was no longer any weakness in the way he moved, and his eyes felt brighter.
"You better lie down," he told them. “You will feel dizzy for a while. And you should eat something. Meat will do you good. Or maybe something with sugar...”
His words stopped, when he felt Kazuma's hand in his. He looked into his eyes.
“Are you alright? We did it?”
Barok's gaze trembled for an instant, due to the tenderness of those words.
He nodded, and Kazuma smiled. Ryunosuke too, as he approached them. Kazuma took their hands, leading them to the bed. So that the three of them could lie down, and rest, recover from that cursed night.