Chapter Text
When Ohno got off the bus, the sun has already set. Birds cawing far in the sky that's turning more purple than orange and Ohno knew it's only about few minutes before it gets completely dark.
The late September chill hit his face and he shudders as he tightened his coat, checking up on his belongings - a sling bag with some of his art supplies and a single tumblr inside - after make sure everything is there he fixed his scarf then quickly strolling away from the bus stop and into the quiet neighborhood.
The sound from the bottom sole of his shoe scrapping the concrete path accompanied him through the walk. Street lights from the surrounding area started to light up the way, but it doesn't really help the anxious feeling building up inside him. Ohno swears inwardly, cursing the emergency meeting he had back in Tokyo earlier that day that took longer than everyone expected. He was supposed to get back to his home in Nagano earlier, but the meeting held him and made him miss his train so he had to take the bus - which took three hours longer - and now here he is finally, walking in the dim streets of Tateshina town.
Ohno has never been fond of walking alone when it gets dark. Not that he's afraid of ghosts. No, his fear is something that is more visible to the eyes. More dangerous. More likely to blend in.
His mind wandered to that article he read few days ago. An unfortunate business man in Shibuya had been a victim of an attack from the night predator. From what the article described, the man's lifeless body found on a dumpster by a group of highschoolers the next day. He was pale white from his blood sucked empty, and two dots of identical bite mark on the side of his neck as the only evidence left by the attacker. It was clear what attacked him the night before, but the police is still investigating the exact identity of the vampire, as what everyone had been calling them.
Vampire attack hasn't been that frequent in Japan, but it's not something usual either. No one knows exactly where and when it starts, but almost everyone knows by now that vampires isn't just some telltale supernatural horror story that you would exaggerately tell your friends over a campfire.
Ads and flyers containing information of them - traits and weakness and even what areas to avoid in the night - are regularly shared, especially in the bustling city where most population resides.
Yet every once in a while there would always that one unfortunate person who fell victim to them. And in the end the police would always say they're going to investigate.
So far, Ohno hardly have heard any successful case.
Which means the vampire might still lurk around the city or maybe they had even moved to another location - waiting for the right moment to strike next. Ohno shudders lightly at the thought; this is why he prefers Nagano than the bustling Tokyo. The population is smaller, making it easier to find what's among who. Everyone knows each other. Even if they hadn't meet yet they would have at least heard about the other. And if something unusual happened, words would still spread fast and everyone could be alerted more easily.
Even the quiet, not very social Ohno Satoshi knew some people in this area. It's not much, and he's pretty sure there are more people who knew him than he knew them - and not just because they knew his late grandparents and had known him since he was a boy, nope! - but at least he's known enough to notice if anything is amiss. In any way, Ohno just feel safer in here.
But still, when it gets dark like right now, maybe not so much. Ohno thought as his mind wandered back to the present time, realizing that it's been quite a while since the sun has set. He quickened his footsteps, after walking a while he could make out the apple orchard the Horikawa family has cared for a long time in the distance. Ohno smiled, his house isn't that far now. He just have to walk through this park around the corner.
Just as he rounded the last corner, Ohno saw something.
It has already dark, with a dimmed lamp post and the moon as the only source of light. But even with the darkness surrounding he could make out the slumped figure on the old bench where he would pass by every time he's walking home. Ohno thought it was a drunken man at first, a fellow too tipsy to walk and decided the cold steel would be his bed for the night. But walking closer to the figure, he couldn't smell any whiff of alcohol on the man. Then he thought the man either lost or a homeless, the clothes he's wearing too light for the cold night; a long coat and a pair of shredded jeans. It's also quite unusual to see a young man in an area with majority of elderly people.
Whoever the case, it is dangerous for someone to sleep out in the dark. It is dangerous for anyone to be out here at this hour, when vampires could be anywhere, Ohno thought as the urge to walk quicker to reach his safe haven of home sooner intensifies the longer he's outside. But for some reason he cannot just leave the man alone.
What if the man become the next victim of a vampire attack tonight? Ohno couldn't imagine the guilt he'd feel if that happened.
He looked around as he bent to pat the man, just enough to wake him. "Excuse me sir, it's dangerous to sleep out here." he spoke quietly.
A grunt was his only reply, so he shook the shoulder gently. "Sir? Sir, please wake up. You shouldn't sleep out here. It's too dangerous."
A hand shot to his wrist, Ohno jumped lightly at the force. He tried to pull back his hand but the man's grip hold him in place. Panic surged inside him, "Wha-!"
"...p me..." a voice rasped from the man.
"Huh?" Ohno looked with wide eyes. Still holding his wrist in place.
"Help.. me.." the man looked up, Ohno caught a glimpse of a dull color of his half lidded eyes before he slumped against Ohno, letting go of his hold.
"A- hey! Wake up!" Ohno patted the man's cheek and jumped at the cold temperature, "Holy shit you're freezing! How long has you been out on the cold?" panic and sympathy surged inside Ohno. He looked around, wondering if it would be really safe to leave him alone.
But the park is completely empty aside from them, with the sound of crickets and car honking at far distance. Ohno gulped, staring down at the slumped man against him.
Help. The man clearly asked for a help. And Ohno is the only one available who can help him.
Ohno closed his eyes for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. He bent down at the unconscious man, not really care if he could hear him or not, "Um.. sir, I'm, I'm going to carry you okay? We're going to my place. It's not far from here. I'll let you stay there for the night."
With a renewed strength Ohno managed to carry the man by his shoulder to his home. A quaint wooden house few metres away from the quiet neighborhood. His grandparents used to live here. Ohno had always liked how peaceful the area was and after his grandparents' passing he took over their house instead of selling it to the property agency once he decided he would need a getaway place from Tokyo to work in solitude as an artist. It might be too big for one person to live alone in here but that just means more thinking space for his works.
Upon entering the dark living room the first thing Ohno did is immediately put the man on his sofa with a loud thud. Grimacing both at the sound and his muscles that he's pretty sure are going to feel sore in the morning. He then took off the man's shoes, flinching at the freezing temperature.
"Ah, you're so cold. I should get you a blanket," Ohno mumbled to himself, putting away the man's shoes.
Already familiar with the room layout, Ohno went to his bedroom without even turning on the light, he placed his bag and fetched a spare blanket to warm the man, turning on the heater along the way. The man weakly curled on himself as he felt the soft fabric draped on him. Ohno left him alone after that, tending to his own need of warm bath and quick instant ramen before going to bed. He left his bedroom door slightly ajar just in case if the man wakes up in the middle of night.
But he didn't. Even when Ohno wakes up late in the afternoon, to his bewilderment he found the man still unconscious on his sofa. Ohno would have thought he might be dead by how pale he looked and when Ohno touched his forehead he's still feel cold as the night before. But the man is moving in his sleep, albeit weakly.
A sudden suspicion occured in Ohno's head, but he quickly dismiss it. Brushing it off as some stupid thought caused by his empty stomach.
Checking his kitchen, Ohno only found a single apple - the last one from the batch Horikawa-san had given him - in the basket and an empty carton of milk. The instant ramen he had the night before turned out to be the last one in his stock.
"Great. I need to buy groceries again.." Ohno looked back at his sliding kitchen door, wondering if it would be safe to leave a stranger alone in his house.
But said stranger is currently unconscious on his sofa, unresponsive since last night. In the end Ohno decided to write a quick message of 'Going out a bit. This is all I have. Help yourself' on a ripped paper, leaving it with the apple and a glass of water on the coffee table in case the man wake up hungry when Ohno still outside.
Ohno went out after giving the man one last look.
-----
When Ohno came back from his grocery run, the first thing he noticed is the man has gone, along with the apple and glass of water he left on the table. Ohno thought the man had left, taking the apple and the glass. But then another thought popped up, what if he had taken something else beside the food? Panic surged inside Ohno as the possibility of becoming a victim of theft flooded his head.
Damn it, maybe I shouldn't have been so easy bringing strangers into my home!
Ohno quickly dropped his groceries on the sofa, right where the man slept the night before. He rushedly checked around the room, noting with a slight relief that everything seem to be still in place. But there's still some rooms left to check, so he went to his bedroom next.
However, when he passed by the hall, he heard a faint noise of running water from the kitchen and stopped. Ohno had made sure to turn off the sink before he went outside. Does that mean the man is still in his house?
He slowly crept towards the source of the noise, noting how the running sink suddenly stopped. Indeed he is currently not alone.
Moreover, the kitchen sliding door is halfway opened.
When Ohno took a peek, he found the man standing by the sink. He's not wearing his coat anymore and is wearing a simple gray shirt underneath, drinking from a glass leisurely, the same one Ohno left on the table. Ohno frowned at the sight of a stranger in his dim kitchen looking like he already made himself home. The sight disturbed him a little.
"What, you're still here?" Ohno slid the door fully open, revealing himself.
The man turned his head to Ohno, he doesn't look surprised, but he does look a little guilty at being caught. "Ah, welcome back. Sorry, I was just helping myself for another drink."
Ohno eyed him warily. He was about to ask the man why he hasn't left yet when the man shifted to fully turned towards him and that's when the slight ray of light caught the man's eyes at certain angle. Ohno saw it. His eyes widened as realization hits him. His suspicion; the cold temperature, the pale skin, and now the glow in those eyes, those striking red eyes. There is no mistaking it. A shiver crept down Ohno's spine instantly as everything suddenly make sense.
"Oh what the hell.." Ohno mumbled, taking a few steps back.
The man quickly sensing what's happening, sighed to himself, putting his glass away. "Damn it. Figured I would immediately found out, even in dim lights. I guess my eyes do really glow?"
"What the hell?!" Ohno repeated, he took another steps back, hand reaching out blindly for anything he could grab.
The man immediately raised his hands, "Listen, I- I need you to calm down okay? I don't want to give you a heart attack, I'm not here to harm you." He slowly approached Ohno.
Ohno grabbed the closest thing he could grab, which was his late grandmother's flower vase from the cabinet, water splashed around as he swing the ceramic and pointing at the man before him. Forget theft, he's going to be a victim of a freaking vampire!
"Back off!" Ohno barked, voice a little trembling.
The man immediately did so, "Okay! Backing off." he still has his hands raised as he backed on the original place he stood, right in front of the sink. "Look, now I'm standing here. Not going anywhere."
"W- what.."
"Alright, before you throw that thing at meーit won't do me anything, just so you knowーPlease let me explain."
Ohno still pointing the vase at the man, breath heavy, "Then explain."
The man slowly lowered his hands, "Okay first, I want to thank you for helping me last night, I was really in a terrible condition and honestly thought I was going to die, even though I'm an undead," the last part said in a mumble. "Second.. I was hoping we're in a better circumstance when I say this but, yes, I am a vampireーbut waitー!" He raised his hands again when Ohno look like he's about to throw the vaseーalong with the flowersーat him.
"I don't drink blood."
Ohno looked at him incredulously, lowering his hand holding the vase, "What?"
The vampire nodded fervently, "Yes. I- even just the thought of sucking someone's blood makes my skin crawl. I don't like it."
"You think I'm stupid? What kind of vampire doesn't drink blood?!"
"The kind that still has humanity left because he was actually forced turning into one?"
"What?!"
The vampire quickly waved dismissively, "Anyway, I'm being completely honest here. I don't like blood."
"And what the heck do you feed on then?"
"Normal food."
Ohno groaned angrily, "You're just messing with me now!"
The vampire raised his glass, "I'm not! I ate your apple didn't I? I drank your water. I can still consume human food."
"How do I know if you're not lying?"
"I, I don't know. What proof do you need to believe me?" The vampire looked at the trash bin, "There's an apple core from the one you gave me in the bin. That's the only proof I have."
Said trash bin is under the counter near the sink. Ohno doesn't want to risk it, and he still find it hard to believe it. A vampire who doesn't drink blood is like a fish that doesn't live in the water. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his other hand as he could feel a headache coming, "God.. what is happening?"
The vampire looked a little sorry, "Listen. If it's that hard to believe.. I uh, I might have another way to prove that I don't drink blood. Which brings me to the second point that I need to explain."
Ohno looked at him, "What."
"I need your help. I need a place to stayー"
"Oh, hell no!"
The vampire bowed deeply, "Please! I know it's too much, it's not easy for me as well to ask this but please, let me stay here for a while!"
Ohno was a little taken aback by the vampire's plea. How many people out there has seen a vampire bowing, begging for help? But then again, how many people out there has met a vampire and lived to tell the tale?
"And why do you think I would let you stay here? I don't even trust you."
"So give me the chance to make you trust me then. Let me repay you." the vampire looked at Ohno, searching for words, "Last night, you helped me. You brought me here to your safe place and even gave me your last food. You're the first person that showed me kindness in a long time, and I was hoping I could.. give you my gratitude."
Ohno grunted, "Yeah well, that was before I knew you're a vampire."
"Come on, I'll do anything. Just state your condition!" The vampire looked desperate, "You're an artist right? I saw your paintings. It must be hard for someone to work on such big projects while maintain a tidy place. I could do all the house chores while you work on your arts!"
"So you snooped around." Ohno gritted his teeth, but his comment was ignored.
"Please? I could even cook for you! The only thing you will worry is just your works."
"And the possibility of getting my blood sucked in my sleep?"
"I will not suck your blood in your sleep," a pause, "or your wake. I will not harm you. In any way possible." the vampire pressed, "That's a promise."
For a few moments, Ohno observed the vampire's face, searching for something suspicious; a twitch on the corner of his mouth, a hint of lie, anything. In the end the only thing he could find in the vampire is just desperation and a sense of helplessness. A complete display of vulnerability. His sympathetic heart tugged at the sight and he cursed himself inwardly.
Ohno opened his mouth and closed it again, before letting out a loud groan at the ceiling, "Ughh.. give me a break."
When Ohno didn't say anything else, the vampire asked quietly, "Is that a yes?"
A sigh. "It's whatever you take it to be."
By the vampire's ecstatic face, he take it as a yes. Of course. "For real?! Thank you so much! Oh you have no idea how much this means to meー!" He spontaneously approached Ohno eagerly but the other pointed the ceramic vase to his face once again.
"Don't, come near me." Ohno hissed.
"Okay," the vampire backed off, still smiling, "okay, sorry, I just.." he bounced on his feet, putting both of his hands in his trouser pocket, "thanks."
Ohno sighed once again, "Yeah.. whatever." He put the vase back on its original place on the cabinet, grimaced at the drops of water and leaves scattered around the floor, "I just hope this won't be the cause of my death in the future."
The vampire shook his head, "It won't. I promise I won't attack you."
"Right." Ohno looked at the vampire again. Now that he had calmed a little, he could have a good look at the figure before him.
The vampire, Ohno realized, is actually taller than him, and slightly more built too - no wonder Ohno's muscle is sore now - the gray T-shirt he's wearing has a faded 'Enjoy' printed on it and is a v-neck, showing quite a view of his collarbone. His skin is fairly pale, complementing his jet black wavy hair and the visible beauty dots above and below plump smiling lips. But the most striking of his feature is of course those deep red eyes that glow even in the dim light.
If Ohno about to be embarrassingly honest, if it wasn't for the red eyes, the vampire would look a lot less menacing, maybe attractive even.
Quickly dismissing the thought and cursing himself once again, Ohno looked back at the grocery he left on the living room, "I'm gonna get my groceries."
"Okay."
Ohno was about to turn his back then quickly reminded again by the vampire in the room. He ended up walking backwards into the living room while staring at the vampire with narrowed eyes. The vampire not moving an inch as he watched, yet his red eyes crinkling in amusement it's almost mocking to Ohno.
When he walked to the kitchen again the vampire is now sitting by the dining table, farthest from the kitchen door, playing with a chopstick. "By the way, I'm Jun. Matsumoto Jun."
"Right." Ohno said, putting his groceries on the counter. Not feeling like introducing himself back at the vampireーJun.
Jun doesn't mind it. He had a feeling they will get along, one day. He grinned. "Once again, thank you for letting me stay here, Ohno-san!"
Ohno groaned, "Just how much did you snoop around?!"