Chapter Text
The first day of school was always a hassle, whether you were new to the scene or not, it always caused a commotion for everyone involved. Going through the work to get everything ready and getting your books and classes assigned, it was all too stressful! It didn’t help that sometimes your classes got switched due to too many people applying for that same one. Everything caused an emotional roller coaster for the young vampling, he was upset he got switched from dystopian literature to Shakespeare. But you can’t win them all, life is never fair like that.
“Muichirou c'mon! We’re gonna be late if you don’t make like a bat outta hell!” His older twin’s voice rang throughout the house. Oh how he despised the first day of school. He pulled the well-loved sweater over his head and huffed, slinging his backpack across his back. He got up from where he sat at the table, taking the two pieces of bacon and toast to make a makeshift sandwich. That would hold him over for lunch, surely (or he hoped, at least.) He shoved it into his mouth as he walked to the door to meet his twin.
“Finally! You take forever in the mornings, you really need to work on getting up earlier.” Oh if it was that easy. School was hard enough as is, but it seemed that they hadn’t understood how certain species worked. Sure, they took into account of werewolves, not having classes at night, and even lake monsters, letting them go out of class as they please if they’re feeling dehydrated. Vampires though? Nope! They got the short end of the stick. Having classes during the day was horrible. Vampires normally sleep during the day, because they’re not supposed to be out! The sun burns them- well, not the kind everyone thinks of. We don’t just shrivel up at the first contact of sunlight, not at all. We can be out in direct sunlight for an hour or two at most without sustaining life threatening injuries. It’s like a sunburn, but worse, it can leave permanent scarring and- wait, when did they get on a bus?
Muichirou kicked himself metaphorically for getting lost ranting in his own head, and not noticing the change of scenery. He followed his brother through the middle aisle, seeing all the soon to be classmates staring them down. Sure, identical twins were a strange sight, but everyone staring was making Muichirou antsy. All the low growls and gruffs from the other kids on the bus were so over the top, you’d think that they were wild animals. And, to be fair, some of them were. Yuichirou sat down in an empty seat, he remembered that his younger twin liked the window seat, so he saved that for him.
Muichirou slid past his brother, taking a seat and looked out the window. So long summer, hello new life of torture. He watched as their house faded from view, and he sighed sadly. He hoped today would go smoothly and nobody would bother him or try to get him to remember their name, because he wouldn’t, he probably wouldn’t even remember what they looked like either, if he’s being completely honest.
His hand gently glided up to the hood string in his sweatshirt, pulling on it lightly and feeling the cool metal bit in his hands. The sweatshirt in question was dark gray with a simple white cartoon cat on the front of it. He’s had this sweatshirt for years, and it brought him so much comfort. Well, it was one of his favorite and most loved sweatshirts, after all. Well, the bus ride was lackluster. All of the monster kids made indescribable noises and screeches, others throwing things, and some of them were just acting plain disgusting in public. That's how every school year’s bus experience went by. Though, Muichirou escaped all of it within his mind, thinking about how the first day was gonna go, because it was always the same. He was only barged out if this thought by his brother nudging him gently when it was time to get off. The more quiet of the two grabbed his brother’s sleeve and followed blindly behind him like a duckling, putting all his trust into the other.
Then Yuichirou stopped and turned toward his twin, putting a hand on his shoulder. Muichirou’s eyes lazily looked at the hand, and then his brother’s face. “Mui, please promise me you’ll stay safe this time, ok? I don't want grandpa Shibo to have to come pick you up after biting someone again like last year.”
He didn't remember biting anyone. Then again, everything he felt like he was “remembering” was only the feeling of them, like the outer shell. He was missing all the rest, all the memories, the metaphorical yoke to his metaphorical shell. The feeling was there, the visuality of the feeling was not. He felt his brother shake him, knowing he got lost in his own head again. “Promise me, Muichirou, ok?” His voice was laced with concern, yet he could feel the well-wishes from it, no ill-intent at all.
“I promise, Yui.” His voice was softer than his twin’s, it came out flowing in the breeze, like it could just start randomly, like a gust of wind. For being identical, the small subtitle differences made all the difference. He watched Yuichirou pat his shoulder, and then removed it before walking into the high school’s main building. “Have a good day, Mui!” He had shouted while the other still stood there, unknowing of where to go first. So he did what he always would when he was lost or confused, he stood still. This was, however, a good tactic to gather information as well. He monitored and looked around the front of the campus, trying to get a lay of what was already placed down.
He saw multiple groups of monsters, assuming the more popular and lesser known groups, because every school had that, right? Some of the groups were more quiet, others were filled with cackling, and some were filled with fighting. It was already chaotic and the day hadn’t even fully started. Though, he did note one thing from his observations. Some of the species weren’t mingling with each other. While sure, species bias was real, but this was a whole nother level. Vampires wouldn’t be around werewolves, zombies wouldn’t be around aquatic creatures… but zombies would be with vampires whereas werewolves would be with the aquatics. It might be a social class thing for the others, but vampires and werewolves are known to have rivalry with each other, even outside of school. What caused that to be? The poor vampling thought as he was suddenly almost toppled over.
“Shit! My bad there-“ A gruffer voice spoke. “-Are you ok?” It sounded more inviting than it should. Being rough like hard concrete, yet sounding sweet like honey tea. Muichiro looked up to see who this stranger was, only to be greeted by a taller teenager who sported fur on his face and ears. Not to mention, a wagging tail. Fuck. He was in trouble now. His hair was a darker gray, possibly black but he couldn't tell, whitish blonde streaks of hair were here and there, all styled into a messy and long mohawk. He wore a purple drawstring hoodie, paired with some jeans and combat boots. “Hey… I asked if you were ok? Are you actually hurt?”
He was still staring. His face flushed at the realization and he stumbled backwards, mouth trying to let out any words that would come out, yet no sound was audible. Then he remembered what he was thinking about before. The rivalry between vampires and werewolves. The other had seemed to know this as well, seeing the larger and sharper fangs Muichirou had, ears slightly pinning back. He had noticed the nervous demeaning of the other, tail stilled and shoulders slumped, before the werewolf spoke again. “I'm assuming you’re not hurt. Goodbye, then.” And just as he came, he went again, speeding off into the various groups of people on the campus.
Muichirou didn't know what all just happened, yet at the same time he completely understood it. The teen was risking his life just being by Muichirou, let alone bumping into him. But there was only one predominant thought that ran through the vampling’s head.
He needed to find out more about this wolf-boy.