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Kaeya is going to leave this party.
It’s not that the party is unenjoyable—honestly, Itto throws pretty good parties—but Kaeya has just spotted Thoma from across the room, and, well… He grew up with Thoma and had the biggest crush on him as an early teen. Then, one day, Thoma just disappeared and never, apparently, thought to call. It’s been years since Kaeya’s heard from him.
When he and Thoma connect eyes, Kaeya doesn’t know if he should run toward or away from him. His body moves on its own, though—immediately he excuses himself from conversation and pushes past the other drunken partygoers in their Halloween costumes to get to Thoma.
Then they’re standing face-to-face in this dimly lit room; Thoma’s dressed as a vampire, in a frilly shirt and tight black pants, fangs protruding from his lips, while Kaeya is dressed as a demon, black wings clipped to his back and horns atop his head.
It’s a little silly, this whole thing, Kaeya thinks. “Thoma,” is all he says. He wishes he didn’t sound breathless.
Thoma smiles, his fangs strikingly realistic. “Kaeya,” he says in return. “You look good.”
It takes but a moment for Kaeya to remember why his younger self was so in love. Of course, he would be weak to Thoma, with his voice sweet as syrup and his kind green eyes. He’s grown into himself beautifully, and Kaeya’s heart is lurching.
“Where have you been?” Kaeya asks, just as someone jostles him from behind, pushing him closer to Thoma. He doesn’t back away.
Thoma reaches up to scratch at the back of his neck. “I don’t suppose you’d be satisfied if I said it was a long story?”
Kaeya laughs, “That’s fine,” he says, letting out a breath. He’s no stranger to keeping secrets, and he also wouldn’t want to explain his life story surrounded by sexy cats and cows. He’ll grant Thoma this grace, then.
“I’m sorry,” Thoma says.
Kaeya curiously tilts his head.
“Listen,” Thoma says, leaning even closer to Kaeya—another inch and they’d be chest to chest—and speaking in a low voice, “I’ve missed you. Really. I’m sorry I never reached out but I—I was scared.” His gaze holds Kaeya’s, unwavering.
Kaeya blinks at him. “What is there to be scared of? I don’t bite.”
Thoma’s eyes widen for a moment, then he swallows thickly. “A lot has happened. Let’s just—”
And then Thoma is leading him away from the party by the wrist, right out the back sliding door and into the garden. His hands are cold against Kaeya’s skin. Kaeya doesn’t resist his grasp; he knew, one way or another, that he’d be leaving the party. This is just the best-case scenario.
“You missed me?” Kaeya asks when they come to a stop underneath a willow tree in the backyard, enclosed in its weeping branches.
Thoma lets out a breath. “Of course I did.”
Kaeya bites at the inside of his cheek. “But you were scared,” he says.
“Yes.”
Kaeya takes a step closer until he has Thoma pushed up against the tree, their chests pressing together, faces just barely apart. “Are you scared now?”
Thoma breathes, “Immensely.”
Kaeya mouths against Thoma’s jawline, warming his cool skin.
“Kaeya,” Thoma manages, “There’s something you don’t know.”
Kaeya laughs against the crook of Thoma’s neck. “Is it important right now?”
“I would say—pretty important.”
“How important?” Kaeya asks, lips mere millimeters from Thoma’s.
Thoma caves, pushing his lips against Kaeya’s; like the rest of his skin, Kaeya has come to find, his lips are cold, but nowhere near unpleasant. Kaeya lets his eyes flutter shut and kisses Thoma fiercely, quickly. Thoma kisses him back with the same fervor, as if making up for lost time. Kaeya’s hands roam over Thoma’s body, feeling his lithe build beneath his clothes, fingertips tracing down his sides, causing Thoma to shiver.
“God,” Kaeya says against Thoma’s lips, “You are—”
He’s cut off by a sudden sharp pain in his lower lip, and he reflexively jolts away from Thoma, lifting his hand to his mouth. When he looks down at his fingers, they’re covered in blood.
“Ouch,” he says, about to joke about Thoma forgetting to take out his fangs but stopping in his tracks as he lifts his gaze to see Thoma’s pupils have completely dilated. “Oh.” Kaeya doesn’t think before he offers his bloody fingers to Thoma, who takes them into his mouth without hesitation. Kaeya comes to a natural conclusion as Thoma’s tongue traces over his fingertips: “You’re a vampire.”
Once Kaeya’s fingers are out of his mouth, Thoma says, “I’m so sorry, I was going to—I just—”
“It’s okay,” Kaeya laughs lightly, perhaps less shocked than he’d ought to be. “You act like I’ve never met a vampire before.” In truth, one of Kaeya’s best friends, Rosaria, is a vampire. She would probably be disappointed in Kaeya for not sussing out Thoma earlier, but… He was a little preoccupied.
Thoma stares at him, panic still lingering in his eyes.
“Though, you really dressed up as a vampire for Halloween?” Kaeya teases in an attempt to reassure Thoma, “A little on the nose, is it not?”
Now, Thoma laughs, embarrassed. “It’s nice not to have to hide, I suppose,” he says, visibly calmed, “And I’d guess you’re not actually a demon?”
“Depends who you ask,” Kaeya responds, a smile pulling at his bloodied lips. He leans forward to start kissing Thoma again, but Thoma holds him at a distance, hands pressed firmly to his chest.
“I’m sorry—with the blood, I can’t control—”
“Do you need to feed?” Kaeya asks, reaching up to loosen his collar without a second thought.
Thoma grabs his wrist to stop him. “I’m not going to—Kaeya, I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me,” Kaeya responds, freeing himself from Thoma’s grasp and undoing the first few buttons of his shirt. “Would you?”
“I wouldn’t.” Thoma’s eyes flicker down to Kaeya’s bared neck, and his breath hitches. “I can’t.”
“I really don’t mind,” Kaeya responds. He’s being truthful; there is a pain to being fed on, of course, but it’s not an unwelcomed or unexpected pain—it’s a charged pain, a useful pain. He’s been through it before, and he knows he can handle it.
“Kaeya, it’s been years. How can you trust me?” Thoma’s tongue darts out to wet his lips. He’s losing focus.
“Maybe I don’t trust you. Maybe I have a death wish.” Kaeya reaches up and cradles the back of Thoma’s head with his hands, pulling him closer to his neck.
“My god, you are something else,” Thoma mumbles against Kaeya’s skin, pressing a kiss to the crook of his neck before baring his teeth and sinking them in.
Kaeya lets out an involuntary gasp at the pain—his knees buckle, but Thoma holds him up, switching their positions so Kaeya leans against the tree. The bark is rough against his back, but nothing compared to the searing hot pain in his neck. He lets his eyes close, focuses on Thoma’s tongue and teeth against his skin. The smell of iron fills the air, and Thoma slots one of his thighs between Kaeya’s legs, eliciting a moan from the latter.
Kaeya loses himself to the sensations: there is nothing now but Thoma against him, Thoma taking what he needs, Thoma holding him upright, Thoma, Thoma, Thoma. Kaeya can feel his body begin to weaken as each moment passes, but it is weakness caused by Thoma, who he knows won’t go further than necessary. So, he can enjoy this weakness, too, the way his heart is pounding in his ears, his limbs starting to shake.
And then Thoma is pulling away; Kaeya opens his eyes to see Thoma’s face smeared with his blood. He doesn’t think before leaning forward to catch Thoma’s lips with his own, both their mouths slick with blood.
“You should rest,” Thoma murmurs against Kaeya’s lips, and even if he wants to argue, he can’t. His legs don’t hold him up much longer; he lets himself down easily, coming to sit with his back against the tree. Thoma lowers with him, brushing Kaeya’s hair out of his face.
Thoma presses a hand to the wound on Kaeya’s neck, which still bleeds slowly. Kaeya’s breaths come long and slow, and he says, “See? I knew you wouldn’t hurt me.”
Thoma laughs a little, under his breath. “I think I kind of did.”
“Mm,” Kaeya hums, “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“Are you sure?” Thoma asks, his voice hushed and dripping with concern. The wind rustles the willow tree’s branches around them.
“I’m sure,” Kaeya answers with an air of finality. “Besides, seeing you all covered in my blood is worth it.” He can hardly make it out, but he thinks he catches Thoma blushing beneath the blood spatter.
They’re quiet for some time, then, before Thoma says, “When you’re feeling better, we should probably head back. I mean, before anyone gets worried.” He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, though it doesn’t do much.
“Worried about what?” Kaeya asks teasingly, setting his head on Thoma’s shoulder, “That I’ll be fed on by a vampire on Halloween night?”
Thoma shakes his head, but a smile pulls at his lips as he offers Kaeya his hand to help him stand. He leans against Thoma’s side as he finds his footing, letting out a breath. Thoma then buttons up Kaeya’s shirt, which is far past ruined, stained red.
“Let’s not go back,” Kaeya says, then. He probably could last the rest of the night at the party, but he’d rather spend the time elsewhere.
“Okay. Do you want me to take you home?” Thoma asks, his green eyes softening.
“I’d like you to come home with me,” he says in return. He reaches to caress Thoma’s face, still smeared with his blood.
Thoma nods, pulling Kaeya out of the cover of the willow tree.
Just as they step out, their attention is drawn to the sound of the back door sliding open. Itto emerges, clad in a sexy cow costume. He notices Thoma and Kaeya immediately, shining a huge smile in their direction and giving a thumbs up.
“Hey, sick makeup!” he says, “It’s so realistic!”
They both hide their resulting laughter behind their bloodied hands.