Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I've got a cavern of secrets
None of them are for you
Even if you wanted to keep them
Where would you find the room?

— warm blood, carly rae jepsen 

It’s the usual walk back home from Kami High, Momo trudges her feet through the horrible rain. Her loafers were already saturated from a puddle she stepped in. She winces, feeling her socks absorbing all of the moisture.

“Ugh,” she says. “I should’ve just gone on the bus,” she whines. Although, she would still have to walk some ways away to get to where her home is. She hated the metro stopping only within city limits. What a drag! 

Momo continues forward, if she tries to run, she’ll likely slip and fall. If she takes her time, maybe she’ll be okay. Sickness aside, if you quantify that into the equation. 

Whatever, less school for me! She thinks giddily. 

It’s not that she hates the rain, but she dislikes the sensation of her feet getting wet. Her legs were bare from her skirt and the stray droplets were so chilly they kept giving her goosebumps. 

Curse granny for not having a car. She’s out on a job today. 

Momo stops by one of the convenience stores, hoping they sell a parka and when she steps out purchasing the item, she sees a tiny cardboard box in the alley. Her curiosity growing, she approaches the alley to take a look. 

She curls her umbrella closer to her and crouches to see a tiny creature inside. “Oh!” She says out loud, she looks around, curious to see if anyone else can see the critter. 

Everyone seems to walk on by without a care in the world. What’s that even like?

Momo looks in there again and sees the tiny ears. She bites her lips, a warm feeling passing through her. It’s so cute!

Momo hovers her finger over the critter and pauses. Maybe, like her grandmother always said, don’t just touch random animals. Rabies. Disease. Any other abnormality. She has some sense of self-preservation. Well, she likes to think she does. 

She lifts the box, and it jostles the creature. It’s so impossibly round that it rolls upside down. Momo gawks, seeing the little round frames, and its pug-like nose. It’s like a stuffed animal. She really wants to poke it. “Oh my gosh, you’re so cute!” She squeals. 

The creature seems to be sleeping, maybe tired from the activities. It does have wings, so maybe she should be cautious about letting it out. Should she acquire a cage, perhaps? 

The tiny thing doesn’t even blink, she has yet to see its eyes. No matter, she’ll take it home. Maybe Granny will come home tonight and she can show her.

Momo winces though. How is she gonna get herself home without dousing herself in the rain? 

She figures it out eventually, and she’s shielded thankfully from the plastic parka. Thank you, convenience store! 

She uses her umbrella to protect the thing in the box from getting wet, and she manages to get home without any other hiccups. Or without finding any more critters.

“I’m home!” She calls out, even though she's only greeted with silence. Ugh, when is Granny going to come back, already? 

Her granny should consider her more often. 

She shucks off the wet items and then takes the box upstairs. It’s a little soggy, so maybe she should find something else to put this thing in. She should probably pick it up with a towel. 

Momo tries to frantically think of a box situation for the thing. She digs into her storage of manga under her bed and pulls out a frilly box from her childhood. This’ll work, she’s certain. So she clears it out, cleans it, and grabs a wash towel to pick up the creature. 

When she looks in the box, it’s still there, seeming to sleep through it all. When she picks it up, it seems to snuggle deeper into the cloth. So cute! 

She’s elated, she cannot wait to show her grandma. She hopes she can keep it, whatever it is. She examines it closely; it has ears, a nose, two eyes, and round frames.

She notices the tiny leather wings and nearly falls over gushing. It’s so adorable, she can’t believe this. Could it even be alive? Or is it really just some soggy stuffed animal she found on the side of the road? Should she try putting it in the laundry? 

As if the creature could sense her idea, it awakens, seeming to lift itself. 

Momo gasps. “You can fly?!” She questions, and the creature rises. And she realizes, that maybe this isn’t just a stuffed animal. It’s a bat. It’s a real honest-to-god bat. Oh no. 

”Wait, hold on, don’t—” The tiny bat tries to flap upward, but then fumbles back. It plops onto the rug, rolling pathetically facedown. 

She runs over to it, and cups the bat inside the washcloth. “Hey, wait, can you read minds because I did not say that out loud?”

 The tiny bat peeks up at her from the damaged wing and freezes. It makes a tiny noise, similar to a hamster. Oh my gosh, it’s alive and real. 

”Okay, wait, can you understand me—uh, blink twice.” 

The tiny bat looks up at her then, blinking its eyes. Twice. Oh, this is so weird. She has to confirm she didn’t imagine that. 

“Hold on, so you’re like, real?” It blinks twice again. Oh my god.

”So don’t put you in the laundry?” She asks finally, it blinks and shakes all at once.

Okay, maybe she shouldn’t give the poor thing a heart attack. 

”So, like, do you have rabies? Yes or no?” It blinks twice to the latter, but it gives her a very huffy look. Rude. 

“Hey, don’t make that face! I saved you!” It shakes again. Okay, maybe a little forward. She’s going to reel it back. 

“Sorry, I don’t mean to scare you,” she whispers.

 She continues to balance it in one hand and brushes a strand of hair behind her ear.

”Hey, listen, can you give me directions on how to help you?” she smiles at the tiny bat, offering an olive branch during this frightful time. 

It looks at her, a gentle twinkle in its eye. It blinks twice again. ”Okay, awesome, are you hurt?” It blinks twice, and tries to lift its right wing, but huddles it back to its round body.

Momo, much more assured, goes to her bathroom. 

“Okay, little dude, I’m going to get you all cleaned up.” 

After about a moment of wrestling around, and not being as brusque as possible with something so fragile. Momo achieves this by wrapping its tiny wing. 

“Alright, how does it feel?” It only has the grace to look at her with beady eyes. This thing is seriously so cute, she doesn’t know what to do. She’ll take that as a yes. 

Momo moves around her room, carrying the tiny creature. She should maybe find out if it has a name or something. She has to remember how bats even sleep too, she should have her phone somewhere. 

“I’m home!” She hears the voice of her grandmother, and Momo all but excitedly bolts down the stairs, holding the tiny bat carefully to her chest. 

She slides into the living area where Seiko is already settling into her routine of Bakatono Tuesdays (not listed are the other days of the week). “Granny, look!” 

Momo holds out the bat to her as it seems to clutch onto her fingers. Seiko looks at the thing and then back at her grandchild. She does this for a very long time. 

“Are you stupid?” 

Momo gapes. “What, it’s a bat– it’s a little guy! Granny, look!” 

She’s so excited, eyes sparkling and smile wide. 

“That’s a vampire, Momo.” 

She is startled. “What?” 

Seiko shakes her head, standing upright. “That is a supernatural creature.” She reiterates once more, tilting her head and glaring at the thing. The bat trembles, using its one good wing to hide from her grandmother's fierce gaze. 

“It’s just an animal, it’s a bat!” She refuses to believe because seriously. Vampires were such a Western thing. A ghoul, maybe? Possibly. Hm. 

Momo then looks at the creature, frowning. “Would you lie to me?” She asks the bat. 

It doesn’t blink, still shielding itself from Momo and her grandmother's eyes. 

“Bat–thing. Uh? Are you a vampire?” It looks up at her, peering from its wing. It blinks twice. 

She gasps. “No way, like, seriously?!” 

Seiko gently jabs a finger at her forehead. “You need to take that thing back wherever you found it, Momo,” she warns. Momo shakes her head. 

“We can’t just leave it! It’s storming and it was all alone!” She protests, and she looks at the tiny creature. The bat looks downright pitiful with its large eyes. There’s no way she could let this poor thing back into the wild. 

“It’s a vampire, I don’t even know how it got past the seals,” Seiko says. Momo looks at the bat and it seems to curl into itself. 

“What if we can take care of it? Just for a little while? I’m sure it’ll be fine?” Momo begs, she wants to find a way for this to work. It couldn’t be all that bad. What if it’s different from the other vampires? It must be, considering how it looks unusual from the regular bats at the zoo. It’s way too round. 

Seiko sighs, trying her best to be firm. She looks at Momo’s large sparkling eyes, and the bat in her hands. “Momo, you do understand, if that thing drinks your blood it won’t leave you alone?” 

Momo gapes. “It hasn’t drank my blood – oh my god,” she looks at the bat. “Have you been drinking my blood without my permission?” 

The bat trembles and it seems to be denying this accusation. Good enough. “Okay, see! It hasn’t, it already told me it wouldn’t lie!” 

Seiko groans. “Fine, do what you want.” This is a win. Oh, she’s good. 

“Yay! Okay, uh, do you know what they eat?” 

Seiko stares at her in disbelief. Momo flushes. “Oh, right. Uh, do we have any blood around here?” 

Her grandmother nearly throws her out. 

Momo groans, slamming her door shut. “Whatever, she’s such a nag!” She tells the tiny bat. It blinks once. 

Well, fine, don’t agree with me! 

Now, she probably should figure out a name. “Are you a boy bat?” She asks then, and he blinks twice. Oh, nice! 

“Okay, now for a name – do you want a name?” He blinks twice. 

She hums to herself, pacing around her room. A name, a name. Vampires are supernatural and what goes with the supernatural? The paranormal? “Para-kun?” 

He doesn’t respond to the name. “No? Damn.” 

She ponders for a moment longer, stopping near her television set. She sounds it out first. "O-Occult-kun?" he blinks once, and then it strikes her.

“Oh! Okarun!” she says out loud and he blinks twice. 

“Okarun. So you like the name? O-ka-run,” she repeats, her voice carrying a song-like tune. He seems to beam at the acknowledgment. 

Momo moves around a bit, setting him down on her bed. She searches for anything to give him in his new enclosure. She could probably use her jewelry stand as a way for him to hang upside down since that’s how bats sleep. She continues searching for other helpful items that could support Okarun during this time of healing. 

Once she’s gathered everything, she switches on a movie and tells him she’s going to get cleaned up. 

She leaves the tiny bat on her bed while it seems to very much enjoy the random Ken Takakura movie she put on. 

When Momo comes back into her room, she’s finally prepared. “Okay, Okarun, I have an idea!” She calls out. He looks at her from the bed, and he is so round. She cannot get over that.

“I’m going to give you some of my blood, so this way you can heal faster.” 

Okarun blinks once at her, seeming uncertain. Maybe he doesn’t want to get better so soon. “You like me doting on you, don’t you?” She points out, and Okarun seems to scramble in such a weird way that it nearly makes him roll off the bed. She has to put her hands out to catch him. 

“Okay, okay! Calm down, sheesh. This is the way to help you though, right?” 

He seems to chirp at her, and she can feel the sound tickling her ears with how high-pitched it is. “Don’t argue with me!” 

Okarun gives her a look. Wow, he sure is expressive for a bat. “It’ll be fine, okay. This way you can get a little nutrition, and get better soon.” 

Momo smiles then, sitting down on her bed and cupping him in her hands. “Hey, listen,” she murmurs. He looks ready to gripe at her again. “I know it’s probably been rough on you, but I want to help. So, can you just let me do this for you?” She tells him softly, giving him a hopeful expression, maybe he’ll yield if she asks nicely. 

Okarun’s eyes shimmer, looking at her like she pulled the stars and moon just for him to see. 

He blinks twice, seeming to allow this. “Nice, here. I’ll be right back!” 

She ignores her grandmother's earlier warning of not giving the creature any blood. Because, really, what’s the worst thing that will happen? He’s just a little guy. No harm, no foul. Karma is sure to be good to her. 

When she pops off the cap of a pocari sweat by her bedside, she flips it up. She then takes a small needle, attempting to prick her finger. She’s a little nervous but can get the sharp object right through her skin. The blood comes forth, and then she pinches the finger to put the drops of blood in the cap. She offers this to Okarun, looking at him expectantly. Should she maybe grab a syringe? “Does this work?” He tilts his round figure, seeming to shrug. 

She gives it to him then, watching him carefully take tiny sips from the cap. So cool. She should be weirded out, but it’s not so bad. “Is that better?” She asks him. Okarun flaps his one good wing. 

She grins. “Okay, sweet, while you do that. I’m going to get ready for bed. You can use my jewelry stand to sleep! I already removed everything off it.” 

He watches her flout about her room, uncovering everything. She shuts off the lights and curls into her covers. 

Okarun, needing some help from Momo, has positioned himself upside down to sleep. Momo has the thought to finally think, don’t vampires usually sleep during the day? Well, whatever. He’s different. 

“Goodnight, Okarun,” she tells him. She closes her eyes and lets the exhaustion overtake her. 

She wakes up feeling itchy on her stomach. Momo’s hand reaches to scratch underneath her shirt. Ugh, what time is it? She thinks. She stretches, pulling her arms above her head. When she opens her eyes, it's still dark in her room. So, maybe not daylight. 

Momo sits up when she feels something brush her forehead. “Huh?” Her voice is groggy. 

She rubs her eyes, and she sees a head of dark hair. Okay?

When she squints she sees a shape above her, hanging upside down. What? 

Momo blinks, and she looks back at the jewelry stand. Okarun, her tiny bat friend, is not there. 

Okay. 

She turns her head and still sees the head of dark hair. The figure is still somehow hanging upside down. Her heart thumps wildly. No way. No fucking way. 

“It’s a dream,” she tells herself quietly. Momo shakes her head, feeling silly. She lays back down, shutting her eyes. 

She opens them again, she even pinches her arm for good measure – and ouch! That fucking hurt. 

Momo sits up again. The figure is still hanging there, right above her. Oh my god. No way. 

She rolls out of bed as quietly as possible, trying to get a good look at whatever this is. And it’s a person. 

Momo scooches so far back to where the door of her room is that she quickly turns her light on. It’s a boy. It has glasses and a dark cape – how is that possible? 

She flickers them off again. She feels like she’s going crazy, there’s no fucking way. No, no, no. 

Momo turns them on again, and the figure is hanging upside down from her light fixture. His curly hair, his fangs, the cape? She notices the round frames, just like – the bat. She gapes, and she’s quiet for the longest time. Her heart is pounding, and seriously how is he not awake? In this situation, there’s only one thing really to do. 

Momo screams.

She screams at the top of her lungs. She grabs one of her stuffed animals and pelts him with it. The boy ends up opening his eyes right when the plushy hits him square in the face. He makes a noise and falls hitting the carpeted floor. It’s a loud thump so she knows it'll wake her grandma. She keeps pelting him with her plushies and random items from her vanity. 

“Who are you, and what did you do to Okarun?!” She hollers. She holds up a tube of mascara and tweezers as a line of defense. Damn, maybe she should’ve used her straightener. No matter, this will do. 

The boy looks at her, rubbing his face. He speaks then. “I–” and then he freezes. He seems to be processing everything and looks at his arm. It’s bandaged just like the bat. 

Momo squints. “Okarun?” She asks, her voice quiet. It’s finally catching up to her. “Oh my god, you can transform?” She yells, and she flings her mascara at him. “This is so weird, oh my god, and you’re like a human vampire?! I thought you were just a regular vampire bat!” 

Okarun still seems to be registering everything, his mind finally catching up to his racing thoughts. “Oh dear,” he says. Then he gapes like a fish. “I do apologize, I– this is very inappropriate.” 

“Inappropriate? You’re in my room!” 

Okarun glares at her, cheeks red, he furiously adjusts his glasses. “You invited me in!” 

“So!? It doesn't mean that I gave you permission to transform and dangle from my ceiling like some kind of wind chime?!” 

He stands upright, his cape whipping behind him. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, then.” He pauses, looking around the room. Okarun does notice she is blocking the only exit. He has the grace to look sheepish. Oh, what now? Momo groans inwardly. 

“Well, can you let me out then?” He's polite at least. 

Momo relaxes then, about to speak when the door to her room flings open. Granny is already wielding her infamous weapon, Nessie. 

“Told you,” she declares. She points the baseball bat directly at Okarun. 

“You, vampire boy, you’re about to get your ass beat.” 

Okarun yelps, trying to hide in his cloak. “No! Wait, please –” 

Momo steps in front of her grandmother. “Granny, wait!" Momo turns to look between the two of them. "This is so weird!” Momo huffs, running a hand through her hair. “Maybe he can give us his side of the story or something?” 

Seiko eyes both of them, she looks ready to maim more than anything. “Did he drink your blood, Momo?” The question is terse. Not good. 

Momo and Okarun both make twin expressions of realization. She did. She did give him drops of her blood. 

Seiko pinches the bridge of her nose. “And I told you not to do that, morons!” 

“He needed to heal!”

Seiko points Nessie at her. "You are now going to be bound to him, do you know what that means?" 

"What?! It's just a drop of blood!" 

"That's not the point, Momo," Seiko reprimands. "When you give a vampire your blood they're now eternally tied to you." 

"She's right," Okarun murmurs. He looks impossibly like a kicked puppy. "It's essentially a contract," he whispers. He doesn't look up at them. God, what time is it? Momo is exhausted just thinking about it. 

"You didn't think of that before you drank her blood?" Seiko challenges. 

Okarun looks scandalized. "Well, she, offered and you know, I couldn't just tell her no." His argument is weak, he hides his face in his hands, groaning. Seiko looks ready to smack them both around. 

Momo interrupts them. "Okay, but like, can we go back to bed because I'm tired," she grouses. She rubs her face with her hands. The anger, and the excitement all drained out of her. This is the weirdest thing ever, but she doesn't want to put context clues together. 

Seiko shakes her head. "I told you, Momo. Now, you're going to have everything under the sun after you. You've made a dangerous friend." 

"I apologize," Okarun bows, his whole body squared and tight. He looks up expression determined. "I can fix this somehow. I mean — I think I can." 

"You can't," Seiko refutes. "Like you said before, it's a contract. There ain't no way to remove something like that." 

"Can't I just, like, have him drink someone else's blood?" 

Seiko and Okarun eye her incredulously. "No," they echo the response. 

"Wow, now I have two people ganging up on me?! I am going to bed. Okarun — you can stay here I guess. Just hang upside down in my closet or something." 

"In your closet!? That would be unseemly!" 

"Oh, shut up!" She gripes. 

Seiko rubs her forehead. "We'll figure this out later in the morning. Just, go to sleep. She gestures to Okarun. "No funny business, four-eyes." 

Okarun salutes, and it looks a bit silly in his weird vampire get-up. Okay, he looks like he came from a convention. Do they seriously wear outfits like that? 

She has a million and one questions to ask, but none of them make sense. 

Momo finally settles into her covers. She gets to shut her eyes and —

"Uh, Miss," the gentle voice calls out. She opens her eyes, gritting her teeth. "Yes, Okarun?" 

"Um, if it's okay with you, can I keep the closet door open, it's stuffy in here." 

Momo works her jaw around in irritation. "Dude, I don't care." 

She flops back onto her bed, shutting her eyes. The closet door's loud creaking heard from Okarun moving. 

Momo's eyes open up in anger. "Will you get settled in before I give you another bad wing?!" She threatens. 

He gasps, appalled at her warning. "That is incredibly unkind behavior towards a guest!" 

"Oh, can it!" 

They finally settle in, and Momo closes her eyes. 

Whatever, they'll figure this out tomorrow. 

Chapter Text

Say my name, guess no one else can say it quite the same. 

— more than a memory, carly rae jepsen

When Momo wakes up, she stretches, overcome with a content emotion of great rest. She feels much more rejuvenated, but when she looks at the clock on her bed stand. She is in fact running late for school. 

Shit.

She scrambles, trying to get everything in order. She rushes to brush her teeth, she changes in the bathroom, and then when she goes to her closet she is faced with – 

“Okarun!?” 

He opens his eyes, suddenly aware. He flops from his weird upside-down perch and falls face-first. God, he’s going to get a bruise at this rate. 

She had almost forgotten about the weird vampire bat-boy situation. Oh my god. She had to go to school. Momo jogs in place, trying to kick him to the side as gently as she could. He needed to scoot over. He’s blocking her jacket selections, dammit! 

“This can’t be happening today, move over, I have to get ready!” She steps over him, and he tries to crawl away, covering his eyes. 

“I apologize! I was not aware of your schedule,” he mumbles out. He sits resolutely, shielding his eyes with his hands. 

Momo snorts, shaking her head. This is the weirdest start to her day. She hears her Granny calling her to head down. Shoot. She grabs a few more items from her room, rushing quickly down the steps, unaware of Okarun trailing behind her. 

When she stops, he runs right into her. 

“My apologies!” 

Momo turns around, giving him a strange look. “What’re you doing? You’re going to stay here,” she tells him. 

Okarun is about to open his mouth when Seiko interrupts. 

She loudly drops the plates onto the table calling their attention. “He’s going to tag along, that’s what happens when you get into a contract with a vampire.” 

Momo blinks because there’s no way she can explain some weird transfer student with a cape and bat form at her school. How is that even possible? 

“No way,” Momo starts. Seiko silences her with a stern look. 

“He is going with you, no ifs ands or buts.” 

She gears up to argue again, but Okarun finally speaks. “Ah, it would seem that since I have taken your blood, I cannot part from you.” 

Momo flushes a deep red because why does that sound so – romantic? She scrubs her palm against her hair in frustration. This is such a headache. “Fine, whatever. Let’s eat.” 

They all gather, and Momo must ignore that Okarun is right there. Right beside her. She peeks looking at him and he looks pretty normal. Save for maybe the fangs and the weird getup – his ears are pointy. He almost looks like a regular boy. Almost. 

“So, does that mean he’s going to be around me 24/7?” Momo asks, setting down her bowl. She’s already so full, and she’s used to being late, but now with Okarun in tow, it’s going to take even longer to get to their destination. 

Seiko nods. “That’s usually the case with contracts, although,” she glances up at Okarun suspiciously. “You’re different from regular vampires, aren’t you?” 

Momo makes a face, whipping her head around to see Okarun desperately forming words to explain the situation. “Well – you see, I am, yes.” 

“How so?” Momo prods, her heart thumping wildly. What if he’s some vampire overlord with adversaries? Maybe he’s a count to a creepy castle hidden in the depths of the woods? Momo’s imagination runs wild and Okarun, who is still trying to gather his wits, begins to tell his tale of woe. 

“You see I had been attacked by an entity. I’m not entirely sure, but I think it may have been after something of mine.” 

Momo and Seiko exchange a glance. Momo gestures for him to keep talking. He does so, still not touching his plate of food. “I come from a great line of vampires, we’re in a cluster – a clan. It’s a community at the edge between Shono and Kamigoe. We reside there in the mountains of that dividing line in secrecy –” 

“Some secret,” Momo mumbles between her chopsticks. He gives her a withering look. 

“So?” Seiko says, trying to pull more from the story about him. 

Okarun nods. “It’s not much of a secret now judging that you now know them, Miss –” 

“Ayase Seiko, kid.” 

“Seiko-san,” he begins. “We’ve been in deep hiding for as long as I can remember. My adversary the Count, he is someone who is part of our council – he bestowed me the title of prince among them.” 

Momo whips her head around. “Woah, like a prince – prince?!” She emphasizes. There’s no way this spindly, slouching dude could be a prince. Of all the things. The cape-wearing poindexter of shrimp’s past is a prince? “Are you rich?! You just said you have an adversary? Oh my god, you owe me gold now for taking my blood!” 

“You offered!” He counters, exasperated by the overwhelming amount of words she’s throwing at him. “Please, I beg, just let me finish!” Momo’s ready to stab him with her chopsticks for not clarifying anything to her. 

“Anyways –” he starts pointedly. He throws her a wary look. “I think we may have some targets on our backs. Our clan was one huge clan amassing over centuries before I and a few others came along. I think it split due to me becoming the prince.” He finally finishes, and he looks pathetic. 

He’s completely withdrawn, he shuts his eyes. “I do apologize for everything and for possibly even involving your daughter, Seiko-san.” 

“Granddaughter, ” Momo corrects. 

Okarun jolts. “What? That’s –” 

Seiko ignores the two. “So, you think some apology is going to have me forgive you? I know your kind, you ain’t all bad. Or else you would’ve just straight up sucked Momo dry by now.” 

He sits upright, pin-straight. “Oh, I wouldn’t dare. Ayase-san has been very kind to me albeit being a bit crude on occasions –” 

“Hey!” Momo gripes. “I ain’t crude!” 

Okarun coughs to himself. “Oh, well, tactless.” 

“What the hell is that?!” 

She reaches over to shake him a little. Okarun tries to stop her, trying to get out of her hands. 

Seiko can only witness this interaction with something like bemusement. “What’s your name kid?” They both freeze, glancing at her.  

Okarun pries himself away from Momo. “Ah, my name is Takakura Ken, prince regent of the KamiShono clan.” 

There is a prolonged silence. 

Momo launches herself at him, squeezing her hands around his neck. “There’s no way your name is Takakura Ken! Take it back!” 

Okarun screams, his voice becoming muffled as Momo continuously pelts him with her fists. Not enough to hurt, but her knuckles are sharp and Okarun’s having a rather rough time trying to defend himself. 

She’s stronger than she looks. This is rather embarrassing for him. 

“Please – it’s my name! I am Takakura Ken!” 

“Shut up, don’t say that there’s no way.” 

Seiko stands up, disrupting them from their wrestling. “Hurry your asses up!” 

Momo pauses her beating to scramble. “Oh my god, I’m going to have to stay late again. Okarun, let’s go!” 

“I don’t have a uniform?! Should I call someone to enroll me?” 

Seiko calls out to them. “No worries, I got it.” 

Momo pulls her loafers on and books her way down the road, not sure if Okarun’s even behind her anymore. 

Once she reaches the school gate, panting from exertion, she skids to a stop. Where did he go? 

“Okarun?” 

She hears a gentle chirp from her side and he’s there in his stupid squishmallow bat form, perched on her shoulder; as if she’s some kind of taxi. 

Momo feels a surge of anger. “Why you –” she grasps him like a stress toy, gripping him between her hands. 

He struggles to free himself, squeaking in a panic at being manhandled. When they both go rigid from hearing nearby voices. “Momo, what are you doing?” Oh my god, it’s Miko and Muko.

Shit. 

She turns around, trying to play it cool. She stuffs Okarun in her jacket pocket. Stay there, she thinks! 

“Hey, girls! How is it going?” 

They raise an eyebrow. “Were you like, talking to someone?” 

Momo responds quickly. “No, I wasn’t, what made you think that?” 

“We heard your voice,” Miko deadpans. 

Momo only laughs, rubbing the back of her head. “Oh jeez, I was just talking to myself.” 

“You’re like, being totes weird,” Muko states, making a face. 

Momo grits her teeth. God, they know her too well. She feels a presence behind her, oh no. It can’t be, he was just in her pocket. Momo pushes her hand, grasping frantically around for the rotund beast. 

Oh god. 

“Who’s that?” Muko asks, pointing at something behind her. 

“Who what?” Momo says. 

“Ah! Greetings,” she hears his voice. Oh my god, how did he escape?! How did he transform without them noticing? He’s supposed to be injured. Momo is trying to wrack her brains on the how and the why. 

Momo rounds to see Okarun in his caped glory. She lets out a groan, slapping her forehead with her palm. “This is Okarun, he’s – !” 

The girls interrupt her, eyeing him with fascination. His get-up is entirely out of place. “Oh, sick. Are you like an exchange student?” Muko asks. 

“Something like that!” He says he holds his hand to his heart bowing. “My name is Takaku –” 

Momo slaps her hand over his mouth. “It’s Okarun, he’s Okarun. He’s just staying with my Granny and me until he can go back to his own country.” 

“Country?” Miko and Muko parrot. 

Okarun protests, but Momo digs her palm harder into his mouth. “Yes. Granny just forgot to tell me before I could tell you two about it!” Momo releases a nervous laugh, and they all three give her a strange look. 

“Right,” Miko drawls. “Well, wanna head to class soon?” 

The four make their way to the entrance of the school, already noticing the teachers are escorting students to head to their respective grades. Shoot, Okarun needs to find his homeroom. 

“Ayase-san,” calls one bald teacher. “Your mother called –” Grandmother, she reiterates in her mind. “She let me know of our new exchange student. Takakura Ken –” 

Momo squeaks, her heart panging at the name. Not the time! 

“Yes,” she mutters out weakly. Her cheeks are burning. 

“Takakura-san will be in 2-C, then, I can show him there.” 

“Wait –” 

Okarun steps aside, shielding Momo. “Ah, I cannot be apart from Ayase-san. She has been my guide this entire time.” 

Is this his way of protesting the scheduling? Momo feels herself visibly cringe. Miko and Muko watch this with rapt interest like they are witnessing some corny daytime drama. Oh god, her life has become a B-grade soap opera. She’s going to wither away in embarrassment. 

“I do apologize, Takakura-san, but her class is already full –” 

Okarun deflates only temporarily, but then he gathers himself. “This doesn't matter, I will adhere to this despite my feelings.” 

Feelings?! 

Is this a shoujo? Momo feels lightheaded. What is going on? 

“Are you two dating?” Miko asks finally, and Momo nearly keels over.

“No! We’re not –” 

Right when she protests, Okarun is speaking at the same time. “Well actually –” 

“Actually what?!” Momo rounds on him, aghast. 

Okarun is flushed a painful shade of red, but he stands firm. “By vampiric terms –” Don’t say that out loud, she screams internally. “We are by definition engaged. Contracted is what we use.” 

Everyone goes dead silent. 

Her grandmother’s earlier phrasing comes to mind. "When you give a vampire your blood they're now eternally tied to you."

Right, that’s fine, this is fine. 

Oh god. 

Eternally. 

Oh no. 

Before they can even go to class, Momo passes out. 

Just her luck!

Momo wakes up in a surge.

“Steam pork buns!” She calls out, and she groans. She feels like she smacked her head into a boulder. God, where is she? She blinks, looking around. It’s white and there are curtains surrounding her. 

Nurse’s office? 

Ugh, she holds her head. Maybe she did take a beating. 

“Ayase-san,” the delicate voice calls. “Are you awake?” 

Oh my god, it’s Okarun. She curls into the covers of the scratchy linen. “Yes,” she mumbles. She has to hide her face because there’s no way this is her life now. 

He pulls the curtains aside, offering her a gentle smile. She peeks at him, her heart thumping despite everything. Ugh. She notices he’s in the school's gakuran. They must have given him a spare. 

“I apologize for earlier,” he says. “I shouldn’t have said that.” 

Momo bites her lip, stretching her legs out. “No, explain it to me. Is what you said true?” 

Okarun sits down on one of the guest stools. He looks ashamed, expression utterly guilty. “It is,” he adds softly. 

Momo feels her heart pang. “Then why didn’t you say anything? I mean – if that’s the case. Is there not a way to reverse this?” 

Okarun shakes his head. “I don’t know, I think there is. I do apologize for completely throwing aside that trust from you. You had wanted to help me and I didn’t think anyone would. I don’t know how long I had been in that state. I had been desperate for any consolation.” 

Momo feels herself softened by that. She should be angrier, but it couldn’t be so bad. He’s not evil nor is he hideous. He’s not some kind of ghoul, and she did offer her blood despite her Granny’s initial warnings. It is her fault for everything. 

She knows that he can’t let himself put all of the blame on himself. “Okarun, I’m sorry. If I had just listened to Granny none of this would’ve happened.” Okarun looks ready to argue, but then she grasps his hand in her own, she gives it a gentle squeeze. “I don’t regret saving you, you know.” 

Okarun looks up at her in surprise, his eyes watering. “Ayase-san, if I hadn’t gotten hurt in the first place this wouldn’t have –” 

She groans, smacking his cheeks with her hands. “Listen, I don’t regret saving you. If you have to be some weird Pokemon I have to summon –” she laughs at the thought. “Then I guess it won’t be so bad.” 

Okarun reels back, correcting her term. “Uh, Pokemon? I am a vampire.” 

“I know that! It’s just an example, so do I summon you with this contract or something, bat boy?” 

Okarun looks positively irate. “No! I told you it’s like we’re –” his voice drops low. “Engaged.” 

Momo flushes a deep shade, squishing his face. “No! Don’t say that, I’m sure it doesn’t mean that way!” 

“It is,” he manages to say. “I meant what I said, by vampiric terms, we’re now eternally bound.” 

“What?” 

Okarun in disbelief pulls away from her. “I don’t jest for kicks, Ayase-san.”

She gapes for a long moment. Oh god. She slumps back onto the bed, head hitting the pillow. This is her life now. 

Her high school career is so over. She did at least get to have one boyfriend, but he had been a total jerk! Now, the new possible guy isn’t even a guy but a supernatural creature bound to her. She rolls around in embarrassment. “No, no, no!” 

“Ayase-san, you’ll fall!” 

An idea springs upon her. She ceases her agonizing, lifting herself. “Okarun, do you want to reverse this?” 

Okarun stares at her, he looks away, hiding his expression. She has to crane her neck to try and see his eyes. “Only if you deem it necessary, I will gladly support you –” 

“Then let’s figure it out, together!” 

She holds her hand out, and he gives her a small smile. Something in her gut feels that the expression is disingenuous even for him. 

“Absolutely.” 

They shake on it. 

The rest of the school day goes by with ease. Okarun somehow managed to find himself on a nice schedule during all of this. Momo can only wonder if he’s okay. She’s beginning to think he’s meant for school life. He seems to be enjoying all of the education. She has to ask him later if he went to some kind of vampire-only school similar to the one from Vampire Knight. 

Maybe she should re-read that manga again. 

“So, are you going to walk home with your boy?” Muko teases when school has finally ended. 

She doesn’t even try to fight the title. “I mean, he’s staying at my house so I suppose he is,” Momo mutters. She throws them a huffy look, but her friends can’t help but tease her about everything. 

Miko shrugs, carrying her things outside the class. “He seems like a good dude, a little weird.” 

“Yeah, what was up with his getup? One of the teachers had to get him an extra uniform because he kept saying that his allowance had ended.” Muko wonders out loud. 

Momo grimaces, what did he say to them anyway? Especially after she had passed out? 

“He wore it a lot from the country he’s from,” Momo explains. The girls only raise their eyebrows. 

Okarun is already waiting for her at the school gate, back in his usual clothes. God, it’s so weird. 

“You got everything?” She asks him. 

Okarun beams. “Absolutely!” 

“Well, I’ll see you two later.”

 Miko and Muko giggle. “Bye, bye lovebirds!” 

Momo cringes, slumping forward while Okarun stays in step beside her. He’s at least sweet enough to walk on the side where the traffic is going. 

She smiles inwardly at the detail. Maybe eternally bound could mean anything other than engaged. Suddenly she has to ask him. “Okarun?” 

“Yeah?” 

“For vampires what does engagement even entail?” She inquires. 

Okarun stands up straighter, confident in the question. “Well, it means many things. We’re indebted to that person, by extension they’re like our other half.” 

Momo blinks. “Like soulmates?” 

Okarun’s eyes sparkled. “Yes, almost. It’s a bit different, I did research it in our clan’s archives once. It’s very fascinating, the connection between vampires and humans is vast,” he rambles. “I think once I return I could show you sometime.” The offer seems to tumble out, and Momo just now realizes that he means to stay beside her. Something weird twists in her gut, and her heart flutters. It’s new and it’s never happened before. Not even with her first boyfriend. 

Momo purses her lips, her hair shielding her red cheeks. “I think that’s cool if you want.” She tucks a strand behind her ear. What’s happening, what is this feeling?

Okarun continues to talk. “If you will, then yes! I also have to tell you, there's a lot I don’t seem to know myself. I’m still learning.” 

She watches him, suddenly taken with the light in his eyes while he looks ahead. This shouldn’t be so bad. “If we want to find a way to reverse this contract, I could even try making –” Momo feels her heart give a painful thud. Oh, that’s right. 

“Yeah,” she mumbles out weakly. Her mind is going a bit fuzzy. This is still so different, she doesn’t even know him that well, and she’s already dreading the mere idea of being apart. Weirdly, he had become some kind of friend in the span of what twelve hours? Not even a full day has gone by. 

She shakes her head, it’d be fine. 

What’s the worst that could happen? 

Somewhere in the deepest regions of the mountains is a tiny creature fluttering its way back toward a castle. 

“Urgent matters are upon us!” The voice calls, a frantic tiny bat is circling in one of the chambers. 

“Prince Takakura, he's been taken!” The Count grabs the tiny creature. 

It gives a pathetic squeak in his hand. “No matter, we will find him.” 

“But the prince he’s with a human girl!” 

The Count looks at the creature in his hand. He narrows his eyes. He looks out towards the mountains of the dividing line. 

Kamigoe and Shono’s city lights glitter overhead. For centuries they’ve overlooked this same spot. For centuries they had not been around humans for a reason. This had been part of their contract with them. 

The Count releases the tiny bat. “Meru,” he calls softly. The bat is nervous, suddenly afraid of his master’s low voice. “Gather the others.” 

Meru shivers. “The prince –” 

“Gather the others,” the Count repeats firmly. He cranes his neck to pin the bat down with his stare. 

“We will pay them a visit, very soon.” 

(several days later). 

“Okay, that should do it!” Momo looks proud of the assembly. All of those times she had to help Granny build things paid off. She didn’t ask for her help once. 

Momo goes down the stairs where Okarun and Granny are watching the television set. 

“It’s done,” Momo exclaims, she’s covered in sweat and desperately needs a shower. 

“Finally! Could’ve taken you long enough!” 

Momo grouses something under her breath as she opens the door to the other room. 

“Ta-da! A nice perch for Okarun!” 

She presents it to them both, and it looked to be – 

“Precarious, no?” Okarun says, he eyes it with wariness, he’s walking back and forth following the way it’s been drilled into the ceiling. “I mean how did you manage to get that pole there?” 

“Momo, what the hell did you do?” Seiko asks, tilting her head. That had not been in the instructions. 

“I followed the booklet, I just added my own twist.” 

Okarun gasps. “You’re not supposed to improvise a manual, the directions are there for a reason!” 

Momo growls. “Ugh, if you didn’t think I could do it, then why didn’t you!?” 

“I’m your guest,” Okarun hisses. “You are incredibly bubble-headed.” 

Momo feels steam rising from anger. “Who’re you calling bubble-head, baldy!” 

Okarun tries to run, but Momo scruffs him by the collar of his cape. He wears this thing 24/7, doesn’t it get old? 

Seiko speaks then. “Well, I’ll guess it’ll work fine for what you have going on, kid,” she tells Okarun. “Go ahead, try it out. If you fall, we can just put it back.” 

Okarun grumbles an obscenity under his breath. Momo hears it and threatens to punch him, psyching him out. 

He recoils from the attempt. “You’re so mean, Ayase-san!” 

Okarun looks up, nervous at the way it looks drilled into the ceiling. If he falls she’s going to have to pay for his hospital visit. Momo watches in keen interest as he transforms into his tiny bat self to dangle upside down, then de-transforming to his regular form. 

He hangs perfectly fine, not a missing bolt falling from his weight. 

Momo stands proud. “See! I told you it’d be fine!” 

“Well, I’ll be damned. Good enough.” Seiko leaves the room then, going to finishes watching her program.

Momo sticks her tongue out when Okarun finally gets down from his new bed. 

“See, no more stuffy closet for you.” 

Okarun purses his lips. “Well, if this thing collapses tonight, I’m waking you up,” he warns. 

She laughs then, punching him lightly on the arm. He still winces. “That’s fine by me, it’s weird though. I thought vampires sleep in coffins?” 

Okarun shrugs. “Some do, some don’t. I prefer my method, it’s good blood flow.” 

“In what way? You’re just giving yourself a headache?” 

“I’m not,” he challenges. “It is better for me because I have to expend my energy somehow. Sleeping this way helps me clear my mind.” 

Momo blinks slowly, still not believing him. “Sure,” she says. “Well, whatever, you owe me something.” 

“I owe you nothing!” 

Momo makes a pout, feigning her sadness. “After all I did for you!” She objects playfully, crossing her arms. 

He rolls his eyes, sighing in defeat. “Thank you, Ayase-san.” 

She grins, reaching to pinch his cheeks. He swats at her. 

“Come on, you want to go do something? It’s the weekend?” 

Okarun considers it for a moment. “Oh, I’ve never been to an arcade, can we go?” 

Momo beams, already scrambling to her room. “I’m going to go get ready!” 

“Ah, but –” Okarun’s words drown out. 

Momo frantically goes to get put together. She’s digging through her closet to find cute clothes to wear to their da – hangout. 

Not a date. 

A hangout. Perfectly normal, even though by technicality they're weirdly engaged. Sometimes though, Momo’s brain works faster than necessary. If it was a date Okarun would’ve told her, right? She has to shake it away. She feels like she has to write not a date somewhere on her walls to continuously remind herself that all of this is temporary. 

She swallows, ignoring the feelings. 

Momo forms a plan, she’s going to show him to the niche arcade she and her friends go to, maybe take the train to Nakano Mall, and then hopefully grab some boba or something. It’d be fine, it’ll be fun. This way before he departs back to his vampiric duties he can get a taste of how fun being a human can be. 

Momo chews on her lip, unable to shake away the feeling of dread. 

“I’m never this anxious,” she mumbles, once she has something of an outfit spread out. 

Although she thinks, maybe she should probably listen to her gut instinct sometimes. 

She knows that, but instead she decides to ignore it. 

Just this once. 

Chapter Text

Momo puts the finishing touches on her outfit and looks at herself in the mirror. She fiddles with the tendrils falling down the sides for a moment but then pulls them back. Once she's done, she clambers down the stairs.

“Sorry, Okarun if I kept you waiting –” 

She freezes. 

“What’re you wearing?” 

Okarun stares at her for a little too long. “Uh, my clothes?” 

“No, you’re wearing that cape even now?” 

She sees him purse his lips, the blush seeming to swallow his face. “It stays on,” he answers firmly. She blinks a few times and then rolls her eyes. 

“It belongs elsewhere, but whatevs, let’s go.” 

She won’t argue with him, it’s probably more than anything a comfort or maybe just a really niche vampire quirk. It’s fine, he can look like that. They call out their last goodbyes to Granny, and head out into the night.

He decides to speak first, after a moment of silence. “So, what do we do first?”

"We're going to head out and maybe take the train to Nakano —"

She turns, noticing he's already perched on her shoulder in his bat form. Momo gets ready to squeeze him between her fists. "Are you going to just use me as a taxi?"

He flutters his wings, his eyes twinkling. Whatever, that's fine. "Anyways," she continues walking down the dirt path. "I figured we can take the train to Nakano, go to the mall, hit the arcades, and maybe go get boba or something."

Okarun reverts back to his human form quickly. Momo can only look at him, stunned by how seamless the transition is. Woah, maybe it does have its perks to be a human-vampire-bat thing. Sweet. 

"I think that's an excellent idea," he exclaims. "Ah, Ayase-san, I want to thank you so much for letting me stay beside you to do this."

He's excited, looking completely at ease for the events of the night. Momo flushes, kicking a rock. "Yeah, well, I figured we could do stuff while you're still here."

Okarun clenches his hands by his sides. "I don't know when I'll head back to my clan. I'm sure they'll be hunting me down soon enough."

Momo frowns, tilting her head. "Do you have, like, an actual family? Like parents?"

He makes a face, and he tries his best to turn away before she can take an even deeper look into it. He's hiding something. "I did, I think, at one point."

Oh man. Now she feels bad for bringing it up. "Hey, Okarun, we don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to."

He shakes his head. "You didn't mean anything by it, Ayase-san. You and Seiko-san have been so kind, I know there's a lot you don't know."

They continue down the dirt path. Momo was still uncertain about asking too much; they had been together this whole time, existing under the same roof. Maybe she should learn some tact about poking her nose into things where it doesn't belong. He is right about that.

Okarun takes the silence as a sign to keep talking. "I think I was found as an infant. I don't remember much of my life really. It's sort of interesting; we're vampires, but we're nothing like what folklore makes us out to be."

Momo could've told him that. He looks like the stereotype from the films, but everything about him is the complete opposite. She wonders if all of them are meant to be like that? Is it like a genetic thing passed down? Is it a mutation from DNA causing this? Maybe what her grandmother had mentioned about yokai and humans being together at some point caused these anomalies within someone. She wonders if it's something she could find out within research through the archives. Momo thinks there may be something out there to look for.

Okarun stops then. "Ayase-san, I think I didn't have anyone initially in my life like parents. I think all I have is my clan."

Momo feels her heart pang. How awful. She doesn't want to show him pity. That wouldn't be fair. She can empathize though. "I understand how you feel, I think."

Okarun looks at her, with so many questions within those eyes. She wants to laugh a little at how his teeth are. The fangs peeking through on his lip. He looks a little silly.

"My parents died when I was young, so I don't remember. I just know Granny."

He frowns at the admission. She continues talking, looking forward to the countryside. They've barely passed two homes up ahead. "I think sometimes all we have are the people around us, but—" she smiles, a gentle one. "I'm grateful I still have Gran, I wasn't alone. Not really."

"Yeah," his voice rasps. Momo watches the way he stares down the dirt path. She wonders what he could possibly be thinking. What’s it like the place he grew up? Is it really a castle? A cavern full of secrets lies behind those walls. Although from this angle, he looks lonely. Even though she’s right beside him. 

Momo reaches forward, grabbing his hand. It's warm against her own. "Okarun," she calls.

He looks at her, in awe of the action. She offers him one of her bright grins. "You have me and Gran after all."

Okarun’s eyes widened, his face softening. He must’ve been needing reassurance after everything. A part of Momo doesn’t want him to leave. Her mind has to shoo away the fact that they’re technically engaged. She pushes that part down. 

"I do, don't I? Thank you for reminding me, Ayase-san," he tells her. He bows his head, and she wonders what face he makes. 

She reaches out to poke his cheek. "Come on, let's get going!"

Momo pulls him forward to begin their venture to the city. 

After the hectic train ride, and almost nearly losing him in the crowd of people, they step off the platform heading up one of the many steps to the arcade area in Shono.

"It's quite a busy night," Okarun points out, looking excitedly at everyone. Momo has to ignore the double takes some passersby give them. His appearance is a bit unconventional for this area.

"Well, we're going to head towards the arcade district, it's up this way," Momo directs, still pulling him by the hand. She hopes he doesn't say anything about it, but Okarun seems too lost around the neon lights and titles of different shops to even notice. He seems to be soaking everything in. For someone so anxious, Okarun seems distracted enough to not even register how many people there are.

"I think I've seen this before in one of the brochures one of my clan members brought," Okarun states.

"You've never actually been out here before?" Momo didn't realize how isolated they must be.

Okarun shakes his head. "No, we're not allowed to leave the area, we're sealed away in the mountains. Typically the only time we're allowed to venture out is when we need supplies. The Count does everything though."

Momo frowns. "Who is the Count anyways? Is this the same one who staked your claim to the clan?"

Okarun nods, suddenly quiet. It's impressive she can still hear him speak. "Yes, he's elusive, not quite around. When he is though, you'll know. I think you sense him coming before he actually appears."

The Count sounds ominous. Momo feels a slight shiver down her spine. "Sounds like a real piece of work."

They don't say anything else for some time, still looking around the area to see where to begin. Okarun seems to see something he likes because he makes a beeline towards one of the games lighting up. Momo has to quickly scramble to head towards him.

"Hey, Okarun, wait —"

He stops in the middle of the walkway for her, nearly getting knocked into by someone. The guy whoever it is — sneers at Okarun, muttering something nasty under his breath.

Momo heard though, and she's ready to say something. "Hey, jerkass! Apologize!"

The stocky asshat lifts his head up. "I ain't doing nothing, you bitc —"

Momo already had her fist clenched, but Okarun does something entirely different. This she has not seen since living together for the last week. He transforms before her eyes. The white hair billowing outward, his figure seeming to shift right in front of her eyes. He looms over the aggressor, entirely pale in contrast to the boy she just witnessed a second ago.

That's new.

"Hey —" he grabs the guy by the collar, lifting him a few inches off the ground. "Say it again."

The man yelps, trembling in his grasp. "I didn't —"

"Say it, what you wanted to say to Momo-chan, say it again. I dare you." His voice drops to a cool tone, but she can hear the obvious threat in the words. The stocky guy gets dropped unceremoniously to the ground while Okarun hovers over him.

"I'm— I'm sorry!" The man yelps, running out of the way. The entirety of Shono's Arcade area not even batting an eye to watch what just happened. Momo blinks, completely in shock because what the —

"Okarun!? Do you have another vampire form?"

The white haired something — whatever he is — glances at her. "I do," he drawls. He slumps suddenly. "It's not very fun to shift though, it seriously sucks."

"Then why'd you do it?!"

He jabs a thumb in the general direction of where the asshole went scramming off to. "That dude was going to say something not cool to you. Couldn't let it slide."

Momo sighs, still uncertain about whatever he is. She much rather prefers his bat form if anything. At least he still looks like himself — kind of. She tilts her head. "Well, whatever, nevermind that. What'd you see that you wanted to go do?"

He points somewhere — "Pinball," he says. The neon lights of the game flashing before Momo. She laughs.

"Right, got'cha," she holds her hand out. "Ready?"

He glances down, then back up again. He de-transforms and he's back to his usual toothy self. Momo raises a brow. "That was fast."

Okarun scratches his neck. "Well, I needed to show that gentleman —"

"Just say dickwad."

"Will not!" He hisses, cheeks red. "That man was being very unkind. I got distracted with the idea of playing my first arcade game and I think helped with getting me back to normal. Usually it takes a lot longer than that —"

Momo rolls her eyes, knowing he'd just continue talking in the middle of a major walkway. She grabs his hand into hers. "Come on, bat boy. We've got games to play!"

Okarun pays no mind to the warmth and smoothness of her hand in his. He tries not to. Obviously. The two of them go, playing several rounds of pinball. Okarun somehow getting the hang of it and beat his personal score.

"Delightful!" he declares, a large smile across his face.

Momo laughs. "You're a real gamer, ain't ya," she notes. Okarun's eyes spot another game, and he practically drags her to each one. They do the racing games, the gundam ones, and even a pachinko one.

"Gambling is forbidden, isn't it? We're not of age," he murmurs.

Momo shrugs. "Granny said I could once when she took me."

Okarun gasps, scandalized. "She took you to gamble?"

"I said once!" Momo retorts, cheeks red. "It's not horrible — plus she knew the owner, she was a great babysitter."

Okarun blinks. "Oh, you've had an interesting upbringing, Ayase-san."

Momo sighs, losing the game again. "Ah, shit," she glances at him. "I did have a weird upbringing, but I swear Granny didn't just leave me with anyone."

He gives her a shy smile. "I believe it, I can tell she really cares."

Momo gives him a skeptical look. "What, you think Gran is too flat sometimes?"

He shakes his head. "Not at all. It's just sometimes the way she says things means something else."

Momo considers it, facing more towards him to lean against the machine. "You wanna go get some food?"

Okarun seems to perk up at this. "Oh, real, greasy authentic human food?"

"Of course, do you eat sludge back at home or just the blood?"

He whips his cape around, the flair a bit dramatic, mind you.

"No! I eat a grand variety of meals. I cannot seem to fully understand chopsticks tho—"

Momo rolls her eyes. "You use them fine, come on!" She grabs his hand again. Not realizing it's becoming a running theme here. Maybe she does. Momo tries not to think about it. It's the repetition of it all, really.

She whisks him away to one of the spots she and the girls usually go to. She tells him to try one of the hot dogs, a K-Dog. "It has cheese and a sausage?" he questions, looking at the food.

Momo grins, taking a bite of hers and showing him the cheese pull from it. "See! It's delicious, if you like it we can eat another."

Okarun still seems apprehensive but tries his bite anyway, and he's delighted by the flavor. He's probably never seen anything like it, and with the way his eyes seem to sparkle, Momo knows he's enjoying a new experience.

"This is delicious, Ayase-san!" Okarun croons. "This is unlike anything we have back in the mountains."

"So they do feed you slop?"

"Absolutely not!"

Momo laughs, feeling content how great the day has been. "Did you want to go another round on any other games?"

Okarun cheeks puff, seeming to consider her invitation. "I suppose. I can beat you again."

Momo gapes. "Hey! I totally won the last several rounds. You were totes cheating."

"I was — totes not!" He argues, cheeks red. It's the first time he's ever tried doing silly teen lingo. Momo snorts. 

"Don't ever say that again," she suddenly thinks of an idea. "Hey, Okarun, in your cute bat form —"

"Cute?!" He coughs loudly.

Momo ignores him. "In your bat form can you drink from a straw?" 

Okarun blinks and he seems to consider it for a moment. “I guess – uh, make sure no one is around.” 

Momo keeps on the lookout while he shifts quickly, his plump form flapping its wings around her. She beams, reaching to cup her hands out so he can sit himself there. “Sweet!” He’s so adorable like this. It fills her with an impulsive need to throw him across the room. 

He chirps something at her. “I don’t know what you just said – but here!” 

Okarun flies upward, trying and struggling with attempting to get the straw between his mouth. He chirps something else and she’s wondering if that’s him getting frustrated it’s not working. 

“I guess it doesn’t work – here, Okarun –” she gets up to one of the back tables of the food court. She comes back grabbing two plastic lids and stacking them to fill it up with her tea she got. 

She grins, content that no spillage is coming. “Alright, try it now!” 

Okarun swoops below, seeming to get a good amount of the flavor. When he reverts back his face is sour. 

“What?” 

“Red bean and lychee?” he questions, his face contorted. She likes interesting flavors, okay. Momo flushes. 

“Those are my favorite!” 

“Ayase-san, you need your taste buds checked.” 

Momo nearly throttles him when some people walk by. “Hey, nice cape dude!” 

“Is that a cosplay?” 

Okarun seems to preen at the compliments. “Thank you!” 

Momo’s brows twitch. “ Anyways – I like fun combos, not my fault you don’t get it.” 

He shakes his head. “Never let me try anything you drink ever again.” 

Momo throws the wad of a crumpled up wrapper at him. “You doofus, see if I invite you out again.” 

Okarun seems to hide his smile beneath his cape. What’s he thinking? Momo peers at him, leaning over to see what’s got him so happy. “Hey, show me your face –” 

He squeaks. “What – no, Ayase-san, you’re too close!” 

Momo laughs, poking him in the shoulder to get a better look. He still fights with her. Okarun tries to swat at her, but she advances anyway. 

“Come on, you dork!” she pokes, grabbing his arm. “It’s not too bad being close like this now is it?” 

“It’s embarrassing! I thought you –” 

“Momo?” 

The two of them freeze. She knows that voice. She turns to see Miko and Muko, hands covering their mouths in delight. 

No! 

“OMG! Is this for a real date with you and the exchange student?!” Muko declares, looking between the two in excitement. 

“No way! No way! You should’ve told us about this!” Miko says out loud. The two girls are so loud that some people turn their heads over to their table. 

Momo flushes a thousand times over. Oh my god. “It’s not a date!” she protests. A part of her kind of did think it was, but she leaves that out. No. No . She cannot go there right now! 

She barely knows him. Even if she has been living with said vampire-bat-boy this entire time. Although now her brain cooks up a vision of his round batform in a small bowtie and nearly dies at the idea. No! Resist!

“What’re you two doing here?” Momo asks, stepping a little away from Okarun. She totally was in his space just now. They saw it. She wants to bury herself in sand now. 

Ugh, where’s the nearest beach. 

Okarun doesn’t seem too bothered though. He waves at the two friends. “Ah, hello. Pleased to make your acquaintance again.” 

Muko snorts. “This guy’s awesome. Momo, your boyfriend’s cute.” 

“Yeah, so like, when did it get official anyway?” Miko teases, her eyebrows wiggling.

Before Momo can speak, Okarun steps in. She seems to notice a pattern that maybe he’s aware of whenever she gets too overwhelmed. She has a horrible thought: did her giving him her blood cause this? 

“It’s not what you think. Ayase-san was enjoying a nice evening out. Where I’m from we don’t have arcades.” 

“Woah, really? That kind of blows,” Miko says. “No one deserves a life with no arcade games.” 

“Totally. Well, how was it then, Okarun?” Muko asks him. 

Momo sweats a little. She should say something but they’re just asking him questions. God, please don’t say anything embarrassing, she thinks. 

“It’s been wonderful. I suppose you would call this sort of gathering a date then!” 

Momo screeches, clapping her hand over his mouth. 

There’s a muffled ‘Ayase-san!’ and she moves her arm to grab him by the neck. “Don’t say it like that – why – you!” 

Miko and Muko burst out laughing.

“Hilar, girl! He exposed you.” Muko snickers beneath her hand. 

“Who knew our Momo would hide a secret relationship with a foreign exchange student,” Miko says. 

She’s going to throw both of them a hundred miles out. 

God, she wishes she had powers right now! 

Momo trudges, slumping and stomping all the while. Okarun trails behind her. After departing with Miko and Muko at the train station, they head back the tiring walk to the shrine. 

“Uh, Ayase-san?” 

“What!” Momo grouses, throwing back a stern glance. 

“I apologize, I didn’t mean to say that.” 

Momo curls her lips. “You’ve been saying all kinds of weird things, Okarun! Please don’t say anything else!” 

There’s a moment of long silence. The sounds of their feet crunching against gravel. The crickets nearby chirping. Momo sighs. That’s mean. She knows better than to treat a friend like this. 

She stops and from her peripheral Okarun ceases his movements. 

“Hey, I’m sorry. I –” 

“It’s okay,” he says. When she looks at him his smile is pressed. She did that. Momo feels even worse that she made him look so kicked. 

She shakes her head. “It’s not, Okarun. Let’s go home, I’m sure Granny’s waiting for us.” 

He doesn’t say anything else, but just to reassure him – she reaches for his hand. 

She’s pleased to know that he squeezes her hand into his. It makes her heart flutter. Even if he’s a loudmouth turd, he’s still a friend. 

And a bat. 

A bat-shaped friend after all.

Chapter Text

When Okarun bangs on her door in the early hours of the morning, Momo thinks of every single way she can turn him into a minced bat. 

She rubs her eyes, groggy with sleep. 

The pounding continues. “Ayase-san! This is urgent!” 

He sounds like he’s been crying, his voice raw with emotion. What could it possibly be? They have school soon and she really wants to sleep. 

It’s technically her fault for playing that new first-person shooter game. She needed to win, okay? That was the priority. Well, at the time. 

“Ayase-san!” Okarun cries, his fists insistent against her door. 

Momo rolls out of the bed, stomping her way over. 

“What the hell, Okarun–it’s like 5 in the morning!” 

There’s a few things she notices. First, his bed head is outrageously funny. How did he even get that when he sleeps upside down? Second, why is she the go to person for this situation? Well, she supposes Granny isn’t awake right now. 

Neither was she until he came banging on the door. 

Okarun’s face is smothered in tears. He looks positively wounded, just gutted with emotions. 

She squints blearily at him. “What?” 

Okarun sniffles, his eyes shimmering with tears. “My–” he hiccups. “My cape! It has a hole!” He’s holding up the fabric for her to see, practically shoving it in her face. 

What the hell. 

“What?! How did that happen?” she questions, trying to see where he’s even pointing to. Now, she’s awake. How did he even manage that? 

“Your perch you made, Ayase-san! It snagged onto the fabric and ruined my cape!” 

“Hey, this isn’t my fault, why do you even wear it to sleep?” 

Okarun gasps, offended that she would even ask. “This is an important accessory to a vampire, don’t you know?” 

Momo blinks, entirely unimpressed. “I don’t.” 

“Ayase-san,” Okarun cries, wiping his face with the sleeve of his shirt. “Please help.” 

“Well, I can fix it, don’t worry.” She gestures for him to come into her room. She’s still groggy, but she can at least try. Even if he did wake her up, mind you. Ugh, she totally shouldn’t have stayed up so late playing games. 

Okarun brightens, sniffling even louder. “Really? Thank you!” 

“Hm, I don’t know if I should though…” 

“What?! Why?” 

“You blamed me for ruining your stupid cape!” 

“It’s not stupid, it’s my cape!” 

“Well, your cape is stupid!” 

“It’s not! How can you be so cruel to a guest?!” 

“You’re not a guest, you’re like a tiny leech!” 

“You invited me in,” he hisses through clenched teeth. 

Seiko’s door opens. “Shut the hell up, both of you!” 

“Yes ma’am,” the two of them mumble out quietly. 

Okarun sits on her carpet, while Momo slides out her sewing materials from under her bed. The tin box she has it in is decorated in doraemon and ojarumaru stickers. Her name scribbled in hiragana that she painted in neon colors when she was eight. “Don’t laugh, I’ve had this kit since I was little,” she confesses. 

“You sew, Ayase-san?” he asks. He looks curious about it if anything. Which is sweet. She’s never had anyone else see this before. She still wants to wring his little neck though.

 He deserves it for waking her up at five in the morning to cry about his cape. But, she doesn’t entirely blame him now that she’s waking up to focus on the task. 

“I do–also, what the hell, how did you even get your cape snagged on the perch?” 

Okarun flushes. “I don’t know how either. I think it may have happened some other time, but I just now noticed.” 

“You’re such a dork,” she mutters. She flips the fabric over, pinching the pieces together. She reworks it, moving to dig around for any scraps of fabric. There is a small piece of black she could use, she moves it on top of the spot. 

“I may be a dork, but my cape is important!” he repeats again. 

“Why? Does it do something?” 

“Like I said,” he responds. “It’s an important piece of our identity. It’s something you’re given.” 

Momo stops right before she lets the needle through. “Given?” 

“Yes! It’s fascinating really. Our clan has been passing down capes for generations!” 

Momo looks up at him, a smile playing at her lips. “Really? Reminds me of how my granny taught me a lot about the spiritual. She was given her knowledge by an older miko, too.”

He tilts his head. “I suppose it is something similar.” 

“Well, that’s cool to know,” she says. 

Okarun grins, his eyes sparkling. Momo wants to poke the fangs prodding through his smile.

She continues to work, tending to the fabric easily. He seemed really upset, so the last thing she wants to do is ruin it even more. She concentrates as hard as she can. She follows her rhythm to sew, doing the usual routine for a backstitch. 

Okarun hovers over her, intently focusing on the way she mends the pieces together. 

He gasps, leaning closer over her shoulder. “Ayase-san, this is incredible.” 

She smiles at the praise. “Well, it’s simple, I could teach you.” 

Momo moves to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. She follows the familiar process she knows so well. All of the times Granny has taught her how to do things like this really did pay off. 

Momo glances up at him expectantly to see what he says. He fixes his glasses, peering closer at the thread and the lines over it. 

“Ayase-san,” he murmurs. 

“What?” 

He makes a disapproving noise. “This thread is gray! It doesn’t match the cape!” He holds it up to her face, then gestures at it again. His finger jabs at the color for emphasis. 

She rounds on him. “You jerk! It doesn’t matter, it’ll be flipped inside out!” 

Okarun puffs up, stubbornly holding his ground. “But–” 

Momo puts her stuff to the side, standing up. She can’t believe the audacity. After waking her up, after she fixed his cape! 

“If you didn’t want my help, then why did you wake me up!?” she demands. See if he gets another hole in that cape again, she won’t help him next time. 

Okarun puffs his cheeks, his ridiculous fangs prodding through. Honestly, she would much prefer him to be in ridiculous bat form. At least he doesn’t talk then. 

“You’re supposed to treat a guest kindly with manners–which you lack, Miss Ayase!” 

Momo gapes, standing up because she’s going to boot this bat-vampire dude into next week. “You’re the one who comes in here weeping like some–some–” she can’t even think of a word. 

Okarun seems to just take it as a challenge. He puffs up like some kind of bird ruffling his feathers. He stops then, exhaling a large breath. 

She blinks, wondering why he doesn’t say anything. He’s quiet, suddenly way too pensive for her liking. 

“Uh, what?” she asks.

Okarun gives her a serious look, gently taking the cape back. “I apologize, Miss Ayase,” he mumbles. 

Say what?

She blinks at him, weirded out by his change in emotions. What’s going on in his brain anyway? 

“It’s cool; are you good?” she asks. She waits to see if he’ll continue to fuss about the thread color. She should’ve looked carefully at the thread she was using. It had been her error. 

“No, I just, maybe I should tell you more about myself–I…” he trails off. He sits back down, knees on her leopard carpet. 

“Oh?” Her earlier frustration doesn’t even register anymore. What kind of emotional whiplash is this? 

She sits back down on the carpet of her room. He’s still looking at the cape, so carefully. 

“My grandfather gave me this.” 

Momo raises a brow. “Oh?” Has he ever mentioned direct family before? He’s only mentioned his clan as a whole. Never just one single person outside of that. 

“This cape holds a lot of sentimental value. My–” he hesitates. He grips the cape tighter in his fists. 

“Okarun, if it’s something you don’t want to talk about, you don’t have to,” she reminds him softly. She knows she can rile him up; she expected to argue with him a bit more until Granny woke up to smack them both. 

She didn’t think he’d get serious all of a sudden. Momo deflates lightly. She will remain as attentive as can be, even though she’s pretty sure her eyes feel crusted shut with remainders of sleep. 

“I want to tell you that I–my clan, we’ve hid from humans for a while. The times at school, the arcade, and even having dinner with you are all something I’ve only learned about in books, Miss Ayase.” 

“There’s books about humans doing random stuff?” she wonders. 

Okarun must think she’s trying to be funny because he glowers at her for a second. He exhales before continuing. “I read all of them–I mentioned my clan’s archives before, it does hold a lot of our histories, but I did learn a lot about humans through it. I learned about your education system, your way of living, and your communities.” 

He slouches, holding the cape closer now to his chest. 

“I always wanted to be a part of that. You and your grandmother have treated me with that care. What I’ve always dreamed about.” 

That’s a bit of a confession. Was Okarun always alone in the mountains? She imagines the boy before her stuck in a quiet study with masses of shelves surrounding him. Where he’s close to a book in his nose, reading through the history of humans. 

She feels bad now. After getting so frustrated with him. She sometimes has to set aside her own feelings. At the end of the day, Okarun is technically a guest and she did invite him in. He won’t be here for long. Eventually he'll have to go back. He made that promise to her in the nurse’s office when she passed out. 

Momo reaches over, her hand brushing against his. Okarun takes it, their palms pressing close to each other.

“Is this something that involves your cape?” she questions. There’s a point he’s trying to make, so she can surely nudge it along.

He’s still fairly quiet. “My grandfather gave me this cape,” he says. It’s whispered low, his tone sensitive. 

“Oh,” she murmurs. “I’m sorry, Okarun, that I didn’t use the right color of thread.” Now, she feels guilty. It’s important to him, of course it is. She would react the same way if someone tampered with something that granny had given her. 

“Ayase-san, this is what I have from him.” Great, now she feels even worse. It’s the only thing he has left. Now that she thinks about it, she doesn’t have much left from her parents either. Momo gets lost in her thoughts, trying to remember what her parents may have passed down to her…

“He also gave me two golden balls —” 

What? Did she hear that right? 

“Huh? Is that a dirty joke?” Momo’s confused now. Where is this going? She’s trying to process what he said. She had been under the assumption that his grandpa was dead. Right? That’s totally what’s happening. 

“It’s not a dirty joke!” Okarun exclaims, more passionate now than he was when he was quiet. “My grandpa he’s still around–he’s just on vacation in Panama.” 

“Panama?!” Momo emphasizes.

“He’s a researcher for forests! He’s always had a curious mind! 

“I thought your grandpa was–nevermind, so is there anything more to this story?” She had gotten so lost in her own head. She blinks quickly, lift her hand to rub away the last bits of crust from her eyes. 

“Yes, he gifted me my cape, my curious mind, and my two golden balls!” 

“Don’t say it like that!” Momo reprimands lightly, her cheeks burning. He’s so loud about it. 

She’s worried Granny’s gonna come busting in. 

Okarun only gives her a look. He’s totally not thinking what she’s thinking. Typical. “Ayase-san, my two golden balls –” 

“Stop!” Momo shouts, suddenly getting up. She’s going to bonk him with Nessie at this rate. 

“It’s not a euphemism!” He hisses, gritting his teeth. “Let me finish–they’re all gifts from my grandfather.” 

She blinks. Okay, that is reasonable. “Well, what are they? You know, the balls?” 

Okarun gasps. “They’re not just balls! They’re golden! And they’re valuable!” 

“So they are your balls?!” She points out. What a pervert! She’s welcomed this little bat-vampire-guy into her home and he has the audacity to talk about testes at five in the morning?

Okarun puffs up again, he looks kind of like a frog now. “That’s not correct! They’re these –” He moves his hands down to his pants. 

Momo screeches, covering her eyes. “Don’t show me anything!” 

“I wasn’t!” 

Momo peeks behind her fingers to see him looking for something. He keeps patting himself down, the cape even ignored at this point. 

Weren’t they literally just arguing about thread? Momo is feeling weary now watching him frantically pat his clothing down. 

“Ayase-san –” 

“What?” she yawns. 

“My balls are gone.”

Momo’s ducking her head underneath her bed. “So what do these balls even look like? Are they like your testes–” 

“They’re not!” Okarun says. “They’re just my–well, you know. My grandfather gave me yo-yos–” 

“And you call them balls?” she asks. Because she cannot believe her ears. Balls are what you call your testicles. Momo shakes her head. “That’s crazy.” 

“It’s not. They’re very special. My grandfather was a professional yo-yo-er, he learned from the archives. From humans, actually.” 

“So your grandfather is a vampire too?” 

“We all are, Ayase-san,” he tells her. It’s already nearing time for them to get to school. Momo has to dig around her closet. 

“Ugh, I can’t even find these stupid things!” She groans. “Well, there’s nothing here.” 

Okarun frowns. “Whatever attacked me back then might’ve gotten a hold of them.” 

Momo moves away from her armoire. “Hm, maybe? Did you see what attacked you?” 

Okarun shakes his head, his body slumping into that shrimp posture he seems so fond of. “No… I mean, I should’ve but they blindsided me. I was mid-flight, I was headed to go look at the gathering nearby.” 

Momo does remember there was a small festival that day. “Really?” she asks. Has he just been making his way over to Kamigoe just to fly above the city? She didn’t think his tiny wings could keep him suspended for that long. He’s, like, so round. 

Okarun’s face lowers. “I like to people watch,” he admits. “It’s comforting getting to see humans interact the way they do.”

Momo feels her heart clench. “Do you not have that? I mean your clan, it just doesn’t seem right for them not to. It’s still a family, no?” 

Okarun scratches a spot on his head, shrugging. “It’s different. It can be lonely hidden away.” 

All she can picture is a tiny Okarun, locked away in a chamber with his books and his cape, all alone. “I’m sorry, Okarun, I keep prying into your life.” 

She feels horrible about it. They’re supposed to be looking for his balls. Yo-yos, whatever. 

“Ayase-san, you didn’t do anything except ask,” he reminds her. He gives her an earnest look. “It’s just we don’t have much time before I need to go one day.” 

Before? Momo frowns. Oh, right. Of course, he’s only here for a time, not enough to stay. They’re supposed to figure out how to unbind each other. From the weird vampire vows–the drinking blood. 

Momo feels a pit grow in her stomach. “Well, yeah, but I mean I have to help you, right?” 

“Um, with what?” 

“Your balls,” she says. She winces then, that sounds bad. “Your yo-yos,” she corrects. 

Okarun raises a brow then. “Really, you’d join me?” 

“Of course! We’re friends, aren’t we?” 

Okarun stares at her, his eyes holding contact with her own. He’s never actually looked into her eyes before, has he? Momo feels her heart pick up in pace. 

“What?” she asks, looking around. She feels self-conscious being under his gaze. 

“It’s just, you called me your friend,” he ducks his head. “I’ve never had one before,” he adds quietly. 

Momo’s chest aches, that familiar pang returning. “Oh…well, you are my friend, Okarun.” 

“You’re mine too, and I’m glad you’re helping me find my yo-yos.” 

“You mean your balls?” she teases. 

Okarun jolts upwards, like lightning struck him. “I think I know where they are!” 

Momo blinks, suddenly all too aware now that it’s nearing six in the morning. “Well, we can look after school!” 

“But Ayase-san, where you found me, they could be there,” he declares. Momo sighs, rubbing her bleary eyes. “Well, let’s get ready and we can head out to that spot. We’re going to look for your balls!” 

“My yo-yos,” he corrects. 

“Whatever!” 

It’s the least she could do, before he does have to go. Momo turns away, shooing him out of her room to make him wait outside so she can get ready. She tries not to think about him eventually leaving or an Okarun alone in the mountains without even a soul to be beside him.