Work Text:
Thirst
It had been almost three weeks since the battle at Nagoya.
Everyone was still in shock, but they were adapting. They found a small civilisation, working together to get shelter, food and medical needs to heal themselves. It was by the sea, with the faint salt spray constantly washing over their faces.
Kimizuki used to want to go to the ocean, but now he didn’t even want to look at it. It reminded him of what Yuu became, after all.
He had been left in a shack while the others worked out in the fields. Yuu still hadn’t snapped out of his demon state, so he had been chained up in an abandoned warehouse, courtesy of Mika. Kimizuki himself still had yet to heal fully, as the gaping wound in his chest left by Guren refused to heal properly. Then again, it had been his own fault as he kept wanting to go around himself, causing it to bleed further.
The girls and Yoichi took shifts to take care of him, constantly changing his bandages and applying medication. Narumi worked hard to keep things in order, getting what they needed and making sure everone was alright. Mika… Kimizuki hadn’t seen him for days.
Kiseki-o’s healing power seemed to be wavering more than usual, and Kimizuki knew it was because of him. The utter shock of seeing his sister being used as an experiment, then failing to bring her back… Kimizuki felt utterly useless. In the end, he couldn’t prevent his sister from danger, even leaving her in the hands of the army that he had trusted with his life.
With his desire to protect his sister weakening, Kiseki-o seemed to fade into the background, not even bothering to appear in his dreams.
Groaning, he shifted his head to see Yoichi sitting next to him, squeezing out a wet towel. The smaller boy had dark circles around his eyes, and his cheeks looked sunken. But he had a determined glint in his eyes, his mouth set into a firm line as he concentrated on putting the towel over Kimizuki’s forehead.
“Yoichi,” Kimizuki murmured, nudging him with his hand. “Yoichi – are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Yoichi said, smiling tiredly. “It’s just… everyone’s worried. About you and Yuu-kun.” He dipped another towel into the bowl of water, rinsing it. “Take all the time you need to rest up, Kimizuki-kun. We all want you back with us.”
“I’m sorry for making you guys worry,” Kimizuki mumbled, feeling the wound in his chest throb. “If only that stupid demon would do his job properly…”
“You don’t have to apologize,” Yoichi said hastily, waving his hand. “Please, do take all the time you need to heal up. We’re fine out here, don’t worry.”
A shadow appeared in the doorway, making both of them jump. To Kimizuki’s surprise, it was Mika – the vampire looked as moody as ever, this time even more so. He still wore his uniform, the white cloth a stark contrast against their dark JIDA uniforms. His light hair seemed to sparkle in the sunlight, the wind blowing wisps over his blood-red eyes.
“Your squad leader is looking for you,” he said, directing his words to Yoichi, who dropped the cloth quickly.
“Um… I still have to look after Kimizuki-kun…”
“She told me to handle it.” Mika sounded displeased, as if he had been sidled with a meagre task he cared little for. “Off you go.”
Yoichi gave Kimizuki a worried look before ducking out of the shack, leaving him and Mika alone. Mika stared at Kimizuki for a good few seconds before walking towards him, sitting down on the floor beside the bed.
The silence was heavy, punctured only by the sounds of Mika washing the towel in the bowl.
“Mika,” Kimizuki tried, the name still sounding foreign on his tongue. “How’s Yuu?”
Mika shot him a look that was hard to read, but it wasn’t pleasant. “The same as always.” His voice was cold, with an underlying hint of anger. It didn’t take a genius to figure out Mika didn’t like him at all.
They lapsed back into silence, with Mika reaching up to sponge Kimizuki’s neck and chest. Even if Mika was like that, his movements were gentle – he dabbed around the wound, careful not to touch the bandage. He repeated it for a few times before sitting back down, rinsing the towel again.
Kimizuki glanced at him. Now that he looked closely, Mika looked paler than usual – even though he was usually pale enough – and his lips were dry and cracked. Even his skin looked ashy.
“Are you… alright?” he tried asking, only for Mika to frown at him.
“I’m fine,” he said quickly, looking away. “Go to sleep. Don’t talk anymore.” Again, there was anger in his voice that Kimizuki found uncomfortable to hear.
“Hey – are you mad at me or something?” Kimizuki asked pointedly, sitting up despite the pain from his wound. He wasn’t a person who held petty grudges like that, but staying in the shack all day had made him irritable. “We’re expected to get along, alright, I can’t have you like this-”
“Like what?” Mika snapped, straightening up. “Because I don’t see any reason to get along with you.”
Kimizuki bristled. “Then why is that, then,” he said hotly. “You seem to be fine with the others, don’t you? Then why-”
“Shut up,” Mika growled, his eyes flashing crimson. “You’re the dumbass that let his own sister get used by the humans in that manner – if you hadn’t kept fighting for the same humans you trusted so much, you might have noticed something, and Yuu-chan wouldn’t be like this-”
“You think I wanted my sister to go through all that?” Kimizuki shouted, losing control. “Do you think I would have ever wanted her to be tortured and experimented on – don’t you know how much I’ve thought about that since the time at Nagoya? I trusted the army with my life and my sister – they took it all from me and now I don’t even know where my sister is, or if she’s even alive! At least Yuu is with us-”
“Yeah, being possessed by a demon who’s probably sucking away at his life force,” Mika interjected angrily, his voice icy. “You sure talk big for a guy who’s so smart – if you used those brains of yours better then maybe your sister wouldn’t have had to go through all that.”
Kimizuki ripped the sheets off himself, standing up against Mika on his own two feet. Ignoring the pain of his wound, he glared down at Mika, who stared back defiantly.
“Don’t you think I know that?” Kimizuki said, his voice suddenly a lot quieter than before. Even Mika looked taken aback, as if he had been expected Kimizuki to lose it. “Yeah, maybe if I had paid better attention, I could have protected my sister from all of that. She wouldn’t have had to suffer like she did, being used by Kureto for his dirty ambitions – I couldn’t protect her because of my own stupidity, and I know that.”
He pointed to his chest where Guren had stabbed him clean through. “You see this? It hurts, but never can it hurt as much as the fact that I let my own little sister fall into the hands of people that I trusted. It will never hurt more than the knowledge that I failed to prevent her from danger.” His voice cracked – it was pathetic, he knew, but he was done with keeping it inside him. “I just want her back. That’s all I ask for. At least you have Yuu back – I have nothing.”
Something seemed to waver in Mika’s eyes.
He stepped back from Kimizuki, looking away. “You should lie back down. Your wound won’t heal if you keep moving around,” he said quietly. “I’m going to go get more water.”
When he walked out, Kimizuki fell back onto his bed, feeling his eyes burn. He took off his glasses to rub at them, inhaling shakily. He didn’t mean to let it all out to Mika – especially since he knew nothing about Mika.
No, that wasn’t right – he knew Mika only from Yuu’s viewpoint. But nothing about the boy himself.
He turned over, feeling the wound burn. It had probably opened again, but he didn’t care. He closed his eyes until Mika came back, feeling the vampire’s presence right next to his bed. But Mika didn’t seem to move, merely shifting his weight around on the spot.
“I’m… sorry,” he mumbled. “I said too much.” His apology definitely took Kimizuki back – he turned over to face him, only to see a faint blush lining Mika’s face. “I shouldn’t have said that. I know you love your sister. I know how you feel – I lost Yuu-chan before as well. It was wrong of me to use that against you.”
He put the water back down on the floor, kneeling down to wash the cloth again. This time the silence was awkward – Kimizuki felt like he needed to say something to kill the tension. To be honest, he didn’t want this animosity with Mika. He felt like they could get along, with their shared concern for Yuu and all – especially about Yuu, he thought dryly.
“I’m sorry too,” Kimizuki said at last. “I didn’t mean to snap like that.”
“You had every right,” Mika said, shrugging. “It’s just… I don’t know how to get along with all of you. If Yuu-chan was here with me, he would have taught me how. But after spending so much time with the vampires… I don’t know.” He paused, glancing at Kimizuki. “You… saved Yuu-chan, didn’t you? Your squad leader told me – you ran back in for him and knocked him out of his demon state. Do you think it would work again?”
Kimizuki hesitated. “I would love to try… but my own demon isn’t exactly helping,” he said regretfully. “I’m sorry. I really… want Yuu back as well.” It wasn’t a lie – he did want to see Yuu again. He wanted to see the idiot grinning at him, making fun of him or trying to pick a fight. After all, he had come to like Yuu rather than hating him.
“I suppose I should thank you,” Mika said hesitantly. “And… sorry. I hit you back then.” He was referring to the moment right after he had rescued Yuu, when he had grabbed Yuu back after knocking Kimizuki away. “I didn’t know you could be trusted.”
“It’s okay,” Kimizuki said, shrugging. “I know you wanted Yuu back. And honestly after seeing my sister like that… I don’t feel like trusting anyone again.”
Mika exhaled slowly, sounding melancholy. “I don’t trust humans, and neither do I want to – but at the same time, I do. It’s… weird.”
“Maybe because you were once human as well,” Kimizuki murmured, letting Mika wipe his shoulders. “The vampires probably conditioned you to hate humans, I don’t blame you.”
“Not all of them were bad,” Mika muttered, looking away. “Krul… she was the closest I had to a friend – a parent, if you want. And now Ferid took her away.” He sounded upset, as if he really did care about the vampire queen. “I want to get her back. She was the one that protected me – she saved me so that I could find Yuu-chan again.”
Kimizuki felt his initial anger at Mika soften – “We’ll get her back,” he said. “With my sister – General Shinya and the rest. We’ll find them again, I’m sure.”
“Don’t get your hopes up.”
There it was – Mika’s cold tone once again.
He continued to let Mika wipe his arms before turning again to the front, only to see Mika drop the cloth and back away, pressing a hand to his mouth. For some reason, Mika looked terrified – he pressed himself against the wall of the shack, suddenly trembling violently.
“Mika? What-”
“Your wound,” Mika managed to spit out, his voice strained. “It’s bleeding again.”
Kimizuki looked down – blood was soaking through the bandage, the crimson stark against his pale skin. “It’s fine, it doesn’t hurt-” his voice died as he looked up and realized why Mika was reacting that way. When he put two and two together along with Mika’s current condition…
Oh.
“You’re hungry, aren’t you,” Kimizuki said slowly, realization dawning on him. “When was the last time you drank blood?”
Mika looked away, trying to avert his eyes with difficulty. “I… since Nagoya…” His voice sounded weak. “I’m fine – I don’t need any for now-”
“Yuu let you drink his blood, didn’t he?” Kimizuki pulled off his bandage, grunting in pain when he felt his wound throb. Blood dripped down onto his chest and stomach, over his fingers and hands. “Come on – you can drink mine.”
“N-no,” Mika said roughly, closing his eyes. “I-I can’t do t-that-”
“Just drink it,” Kimizuki insisted, holding out his hand. It hurt, but it was bearable. “If not, you’re going to go insane with thirst.”
“I can handle it,” Mika snapped, even though Kimizuki could see the glint of his fangs from behind his hand. “Just – wipe it off, quick-”
“If you don’t drink it, it’s going to go to waste anyway,” Kimizuki pointed out. For good measure, he stood up, ignoring the fiery sting of pain that racked his chest. “Come on, Mika – Yuu would want you to do it. He told you to live, didn’t he? Three weeks without blood – you’re going to die if this continues.”
Mika stiffened. He seemed to weaken, slumping against the wall on his knees. For a few moments, he seemed to waver, breathing heavily until he turned to Kimizuki, his pupils dilating. When Kimizuki knelt beside him, Mika seemed to flinch, lowering his hand. His fangs gleamed against his dry lips, which trembled slightly.
“I-I… I’m sorry,” he whispered, finally leaning his head out to Kimizuki’s hand, his cold fingers gripping his wrist. He opened his mouth, tongue darting out to lick at the blood on Kimizuki’s finger hesitantly. However after he tasted it, something in him seemed to switch off, and he started to drink with relish, lapping at Kimizuki’s hand with his tongue.
Kimizuki suddenly found it difficult to breathe as Mika opened his eyes, which seemed clouded over with thirst and something else that sent a thrill down his spine.
“Um… can I have more?” he asked reluctantly, eyeing the blood streaming down from Kimizuki’s wound. The moment Kimizuki nodded, Mika dropped his hand, leaning forwards on all fours to lick at the blood on his abdomen. Kimizuki let out a questionable sound, stopping it just in time before it escaped his throat entirely – okay, he hadn’t planned on this part.
Mika’s mouth travelled from his firm stomach all the way up to his chest, his hand pressed flushed against Kimizuki’s ribcage. The licking sounds left little to imagine for Kimizuki, who suddenly blushed and looked away with difficulty, stiffening when he felt Mika’s soft hair brush against his skin. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t noticed how pretty Mika was, but this was an entirely different case altogether. If Shinoa walked in now, he had absolutely no excuse to give.
“Ouch-” Kimizuki winced as Mika licked at his wound, his lips now damp with blood. Even through the pain, Kimizuki could feel their softness pressed against his half-healed skin.
“It’s painful, right? Then…” Mika looked like he was trying to stop himself, but his eyes travelled to Kimizuki’s neck. Understanding that Mika was still hungry, Kimizuki tilted his head, exposing his neck to him without restraint.
“Go ahead,” he said softly. “Drink all you need, but leave some for me, alright?” It wasn’t like he hadn’t been bitten before. He remembered the nasty sensation from Shinjuku, where a vampire attempted to suck him dry. But if it meant Mika could be sated, he was prepared for it.
“I’m sorry – I’ll clean up later-” Mika mumbled, pressing Kimizuki down onto the floor and straddling him. There was something hazy in his gaze, as if he was in a trance. Their position made Kimizuki suddenly feel warm.
“Mika- what-”
“It’s easier like this,” Mika muttered, leaning in close and inhaling the scent of his neck. The suddenly proximity made Kimizuki’s eyes widen in mortification, his shallow breath escaping his mouth in quick pants. He could feel Mika pressed against him, his slender body against his own-
“Your heartbeat is going crazy,” Mika said suddenly, his lips moving against the curve of Kimizuki’s neck. “I can feel it. Are you scared? Should I stop-”
“Don’t,” Kimizuki said quickly, pressing his hand to Mika’s head, cradling it gently. “Just drink. I’m alright.”
He could hear Mika swallow hard, his tongue flicking over his lips. “If you say so, then.” He opened his mouth, lips brushing against the pulsing skin before his teeth sank in, drawing a stifled whimper from the back of Kimizuki’s throat.
It was nothing like back in Shinjuku with that other vampire. Mika was gentle, sucking and drinking in controlled motions rather than the vicious sucking Kimizuki expected. His lips were warmer, and his hand against Kimizuki’s neck was to support, not to restrain.
But most of all… it felt strangely good.
A soft moan slipped out from Kimizuki’s mouth as Mika angled his head better to drink, a tingle of pleasure replacing the pain from before. Even though the wound in his chest ached, it was all forgotten with Mika’s lips against his neck, tongue lapping the fresh bite marks to clean the leftover blood. He felt dizzy – was it due to the blood loss or Mika’s scent, he wondered vaguely.
Mika’s face hovered above him, blood staining the corners of his mouth. He looked worried, shaking Kimizuki’s shoulders gently. “Hey – are you alright? Can you see me?”
“Y-yeah,” Kimizuki replied, blinking hard. He reached up, wiping Mika’s mouth by reflex, not realizing the startled look that Mika gave him. “Are you full enough? Do you need more-”
“No,” Mika insisted, picking Kimizuki up in his arms. Kimizuki blanched as Mika carried him to the bed, depositing him gently onto the sheets before pressing the towel onto his wound. He was definitely stronger than he looked, Kimizuki had to admit – before this, it was always Kimizuki doing all the carrying.
“You know, I don’t mind letting you drink from me,” Kimizuki pointed out, his voice a wheeze as Mika applied some ointment around his wound. “I don’t want Yoichi to do it – he saw a vampire suck his sister dry before so he might have some trauma. And the girls… well, obviously you would be uncomfortable, and I don’t know Narumi well enough to say he would let you drink… but he’s dealing with his own issues. He lost his entire squad, after all – they were like family to him.”
“His family, huh…”
Mika looked… sad. He was silent as he replaced a new bandage for Kimizuki, making sure to press it down firmly with the waterproof plaster. Turning away, he took the bowl and stood up, not making eye contact with Kimizuki.
“Th-thank you…” he mumbled, sounding like he had difficulty in saying it. “Um… I hope you get better soon.” He made his way to the door, but stopping when Kimizuki said his name.
“Mika,” he said, smiling a little. “I’m Kimizuki Shiho. You can call me Kimizuki.”
A very faint smile graced the corners of Mika’s mouth before he left, murmuring something that Kimizuki barely heard, but did.
Thank you, Kimizuki.