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“Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit,” Sakusa hissed as they thundered through the quiet town. The night had fallen upon them, most of the townspeople were down for the night. Albeit a couple of stragglers at the tavern keep or the guild hall. Slumped across his back was Atsumu’s shivering form and Sakusa hoped and prayed that the base would be quiet enough for all of this to go down.
Vampires. Fucking vampires.
He hadn't been watching, it was his own damn fault. The clan had been faced with many beasts before, that was why they had formed in the first place. They were a group of hunters trained for shit like this. Skilled and ready to take down threats to the town. Sometimes even journey further when word from another village, town, or even city, spread to them– alerting them of more dangers.
Sure, they had a few supernatural members in their team. However, the majority of those happened to be born that way, they had never had that lifestyle thrust upon them. (As he said, the majority– but he couldn’t think straight right now, couldn’t think of who could aid them right now). Atsumu– shit, he hadn't deserved this. If only Sakusa had been looking. If only he had managed to alert the blond in time so he could have dodged the bite.
“Kiyoomi?” Atsumu mumbled, barely audible, “wha’ happened?”
Sakusa hushed him.
Not long now and they would be back at the base. They could deal with it there, where no one (at least, no outsiders) could watch. If he had counted correctly, the first changes were probably already happening without either of them realising. Soon they would be unapologetically present and Atsumu needed to be somewhere he could one– be monitored, and two– feel somewhat safe.
Damn, Osamu was going to kill Sakusa when he finds out about this.
Finally, the building came into view. The hunting clan’s crest on a swinging board outside the door. It was a large building, some of the members stayed there sometimes. Others had a permanent room. Sakusa just hoped it wasn't too busy. Firstly, he didn't know how accepting everyone would be of this new dilemma. Some would welcome Atsumu’s soon-to-be new form with open arms. Others he thought could potentially have a problem with it. Secondly, he didn't know how Atsumu was going to react either. The last thing they needed was a load of people watching with probing questions that Sakusa did not have the time, nor energy, to answer right now.
He swung the door open, scanning the large entrance room. It was laid out like any tavern floor, with a bar, tables and chairs. He was lucky that only one figure was currently in the main room. At least most of the individuals here had the decency to go home or to bed at a reasonable time since he was certain it was around two in the morning by now. Or some of the members would be on jobs currently. He did not have time to consider it, that really did not matter at the moment.
The one individual still there was Tetsurō. Thank fuck. Kuroo would understand, especially with the whole Kenma situation.
“Sakusa? How’d the mission go–” Kuroo’s words died on his tongue as he caught sight of Atsumu. The blond was now squirming slightly splayed across Sakusa’s back piggyback style, as if his consciousness had finally caught up with him. Instantly Kuroo straightened himself in his seat, “What do I need to do to help?”
Thank fuck for Tetsurō.
“Bit by a vampire,” Sakusa whispered, praying no one else here would hear them. Kuroo’s eyes widened. “We need a quiet spare room, no one else can come in.”
“Ground floor, room 6 is completely free. I can stand guard and make sure no one comes in and bothers you two. It would be best if I wasn’t around for when he wakes up fully, he’ll probably be more comfortable with you,” Kuroo stated as he made his way from the table he had been sitting at and then down the corridor, Sakusa close behind.
Kuroo opened the door, Sakusa nodded. “Thank you, Tetsurō.”
“Do you need anything else?”
Sakusa stalled, he heard Atsumu whine. “Um,” think, think. “Meat, probably. Raw meat, right? That's what he's going to want and I don't know if he can stomach anything else. I wouldn't want to make him ill.”
“Okay, sure, sure. Can I get Kenma to get that for you? He won't tell a soul about this and you know that's true. I think it's for the best if you and Atsumu tell the others once he isn't going through the changes and all the side effects.”
“Yeah, sounds like a plan. Thanks again.”
Kuroo offered a smile though it fell flat. An attempt at comfort that didn't quite reach. They both knew that this was a dangerous game. One Sakusa wasn't sure he could win if he was being honest. “I’ll knock three times once the meat is here. Stay safe.”
Then the door shut behind him.
Sakusa immediately got to work, lowering Atsmu onto the bed roll stuffed in the corner. This was one of the spare rooms, just there if anyone needed to stay the night, nothing more. Atsumu groaned but his eyes stayed shut, the mumbled sentence from before must have been said before he slipped into unconsciousness again.
Now he could examine the body.
His eyes darted to Atsumu’s neck, two red pin-prick dots stark against his paling skin. A smear of blood wiped across it. It had dried, the murky crimson now crusted. Slowly, his fingers reached up towards it, brushing against–
Without warning and far too quickly, Atsumu’s eyes snapped open. His body lurched forward to sit up. A hand, grip tight, grabbed Sakusa’s wrist and ripped it away from his neck. It was as if Atsumu had been dazed, blinking the confusion away as alert pupils began to soften (now with a red hue as the lantern lights gently reflected off of them).
“Kiyoomi?”
“How much do you remember Atsumu?” He did not try to struggle free from the iron-clad grip, instead gently speaking to the blond.
“Vampires, right?” Sakusa nodded. Atsumu exhaled slowly. “Fuck.”
“Fuck indeed.” Finally, Atsumu let go and Sakusa’s hand flopped to the ground.
“Am I– shit,” Atsumu cried out, curling in on himself, hands coming up to cup his own jaw. “I was bit, wasn't I?” He questioned through gritted teeth, eyes clenched shut.
“Yeah,” was Sakusa’s brilliantly eloquent answer because he didn’t know what else to do. He never had thought he would be in this predicament. A vampire had bitten a close partner who was now turning into one. He hadn't prepared for this. Sakusa knew how to hunt monsters, not how to comfort them.
“Fucking hell this sucks,” Atsumu swore, an audible pop sounding out as each knuckle elongated. Fingers turning into something claw-like. Something monstrous. A hand– a claw? Whatever it was– it reached out blindly and Sakusa, with no hesitation, took it in his own palm.
“I’m sorry Atsumu,” his voice was barely above a whisper. Atsumu’s whimpers almost drowned out his apology. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t say that Kiyoomi,” Atsumu hiccuped– shit he was crying now. Atsumu grunted as something in his jaw snapped and a bout of blood trickled through his closed lips and down his chin.
Then three sharp knocks at the door interrupted them.
Immediately, Atsumu growled, pupils narrowing as his head shot up at the sound. He spat out a wad of blood, Sakusa catching sight of pearly white fangs now sitting awkwardly in his mouth, crimson dripping off of them.
“Stand down Atsumu,” Sakusa ordered and when Atsumu complied something horrible twisted inside of him. It was as if he was a master ordering his animal to be patient and wait.
“We’ve brought you food, you need to eat.”
At that, Atsumu’s eyes widened and for the first time tonight, he thought he could see true fear in those eyes. “Please don’t make me do this. Then it’ll be real.”
It pained him to let go and shuffle to the door, Atsumu’s plea falling on deaf ears (but still replaying in Kiyomi’s mind). He did not want this to be real either but the truth of the situation was that Atsumu had been turned and Sakusa at least knew that newly turned Vampires needed to be fed. They needed to provide something or the fear that he may try and latch onto something else that could feed them would potentially become a reality.
(A part of him wished to believe that Atsumu would never turn and bite into the soft of Sakusa’s neck. The other part of him, selfishly, didn’t trust any of it.)
“Please,” Atsumu repeated weakly, “I’ll be a monster. I can’t– don't feed me.”
Sakusa cracked open the door, bending down to pick up the delivery. Kuroo was somewhere to the side, his shadow looming. Both of them knew it was no time for conversation right now. He grabbed the box, not questioning where or how Kenma had gotten the mysterious meat, instead closing the door once more and heading over to Atsumu who currently had a hand clamped over his mouth.
“Atsumu, you need to eat. It'll be dangerous if you don't and we both know that,” he explained as he sat down, a hand stopped him from opening the lid. “Atsumu,” Sakusa warned, more sten this time round. The hand retreated.
Cautiously he opened the lid, Atsumu’s pupils narrowing to pinpricks as the copper scent filled the air. The blond blinked once, twice, an internal battle raging on as his hands trembled. Finally, the hand slipped away from his mouth and Atsumu dove forward, snatching the box out of Sakusa’s hold.
Kiyoomi had wanted to look away, for the sake of privacy but curiosity kept him still. He watched as Atsumu clamped down on the meat tearing it apart with his teeth. He threw his head back, swallowing the chunk whole before repeating the process several times, ruby-red juice dribbling down his chin and staining his shirt even more.
“Don’t… look– ” he gargled between bites and finally Sakusa broke away, eyes trained on the door instead.
Once the noises had died down he eventually looked back. He was met with a sniffling Atsumu, hands (claws, Sakusa had to remind himself. They were now deadly weapons a the tips of his hands) outstretched. As if, if he got any closer to them they could hurt him.
“Kiyoomi, you need to go,” he cautioned, unblinking.
“Pardon?”
“I– I can't explain it– fucking hell,” he was interrupted by a guttural sound, something between a hiss and a snarl. “It yearns for more. It needs to feed.”
Sakusa backed away, heart racing as Atsumu’s words settled in. He thought if Kuroo was still outside then hopefully Kenma would be too. Then at least Kiyoomi wouldn’t have to run because if it were a human or vampire, the latter would always win.
“Please,” Atsumu begged, “I can't– hold on… please.”
“Kenma!” Sakusa yelled, “Atsumu needs sleep, now.”
In an instant, the door opened and a flash of a figure darted across the room. A nimble padded finger tapped against Atsumu’s head. The vampire slumped forward, soft snores escaping past his lips as he slept, blissfully unaware now of the world around him.
Kenma was crouched back at the door, cat eyes observing Atsumu before finally deciding it was safe to straighten and stand up on his back paws again. Kuroo stood behind him, face a mix of concern and– if Sakusa had to guess, determination. A plan was forming in the man’s mind and that (usually) was a good thing.
Sakusa looked back at Atsumu sleeping in front of him and let out a breath that he didn’t know he had been holding.