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Chapter Text

The sound of soft sobs nevertheless fell loudly on his ears in the silence of the night, and Tadashi cautiously followed the sound to its source: a small child huddled in the shadow of a wall. It seemed to be alone, its parents nowhere in sight, and Tadashi approached it silently, crouching down until he was closer to its level.

"Are you hurt?"

His voice made it flinch, throwing up an arm as if to ward off a blow, and Tadashi's eyes were drawn to the pale flesh that was exposed—marked with slashes of red that called out to him. The wet red eye that peered out at him from under the slender limb was wide with fear… but he watched as its expression slowly changed to curiosity and then wonder as it lowered its arm. A boy, he guessed, but young enough that it wasn't easy to be certain.

"What's your name?" he asked gently. "Where are your parents?"

"I'm Ainosuke. My dad's away on business, and my mom's dead," the child replied obediently, still staring at Tadashi wide-eyed. "Are you an angel?"

His question made Tadashi smile, though there was no humor in it. The cursed life he lived had more often seen him accused of being the exact opposite, but Ainosuke's naivete was endearing. Though Tadashi had always preferred children to adults: they didn't put on a mask and smile to other people's faces while plotting how to undermine them behind their backs. All children eventually grew up to be adults, though, slowly stained by the ugliness of life until they either became the victim or the offender. Or, more often, both.

"Why do you think I'm an angel?"

"Because you're beautiful, just like the pictures in the books. Are you here to—" He cut himself off abruptly, his expression shifting into something else that Tadashi recognized: guilt.

"Who hurt you?"

He watched as Ainosuke clutched his wrist before pressing his hands closer to his chest, shaking his head. His gaze slid away from Tadashi, the eager curiosity in his voice fading as though he was reciting a script.

"It's my fault. Because I was bad. They only do this because they love me."

"Who is 'they'?"

Ainosuke hesitated, starting to tremble again, and Tadashi took a deep breath before asking again, more softly, but lacing his tone with a slight compulsion.

"Who is 'they'?"

"My… my aunties."

"And does your father know about this?"

Ainosuke nodded, still unable to meet Tadashi's eyes. His demeanor, the way he spoke… it upset Tadashi. He'd lived more than long enough to know that life wasn't fair and that there were millions of children out there who had probably suffered just as Ainosuke had—and many far worse—but from what he'd seen of this place, Ainosuke shouldn't have. If this was his family's house, then he was a child of privilege, one who should have lived spoiled and carefree, protected and doted on until he became a rotten adult.

He had seen the type before, though. Adults obsessed with their legacy, forcing their expectations onto their children and crushing their individuality to make them chase their parents' dreams. It wouldn't be the first time he'd taken in a human child, either, though he couldn't remember how long ago the last one was. But he wasn't going to lie to Ainosuke, or abduct him against his wishes.

"You asked me if I was an angel, right?"

Ainosuke nodded again, finally glancing back at Tadashi. So Tadashi smiled, letting the moonlight reflect off his fangs. He saw Ainosuke's eyes widen as he spotted them, but he didn't scream or try to run away, simply continuing to stare at Tadashi.

"I'm not an angel: I'm a demon. I hunt down humans and eat them, so I'll never go to heaven. But if you really want to leave this place, then I'll take you with me."

As he spoke, he infused more power into his voice, this time to intimidate rather than to command. The air between them seemed to tremble with it, but especially when it came to children, it was better to be a little more forceful. They didn't understand how life-changing a decision like this could be, drawn by the allure of something else, something different—and for the children he took, something better—without realizing what it meant to live with a monster. Indeed, Ainosuke seemed to shrink a little, but his eyes never left Tadashi's as a small, trembling hand reached out to him.

So Tadashi let the power fall from himself as he reached out to take the hand, so warm in his chilly grasp. Then, he gently pulled Ainosuke into his arms before straightening up and starting to walk away, springing over the locked gate with ease. That elicited a small gasp from the boy in his arms, and he glanced down at Ainosuke, but rather than surprise or fear, those red eyes sparkled as he squirmed, trying to get a better look at their surroundings.

He seemed like a bright child—Tadashi wouldn't have considered doing this otherwise, since the more dependent they were, the more difficult they were for him to raise with his condition—though it would still entail quite a bit of effort on his part to make sure that he was properly taken care of. Tonight, though, he'd just go to a convenience store to buy something that Ainosuke could eat while he searched for a new place for them to live. They couldn't stay here, not with all the fuss that would arise when his family discovered that he'd been kidnapped, and it would be better to be somewhere with more people so that Ainosuke would have enough normal interactions with other people to facilitate his social development. Tokyo, perhaps. But his thoughts were interrupted by a small, polite voice.

"Um. What's your name?"

Ah, he'd forgotten about that. If he was going to try to avoid accusations of kidnapping, it would be better for Ainosuke to know his name, so he looked down at the boy with a small smile.

"You can call me Tadashi. Or maybe 'Dad' or some variant would sound more natural? But whichever you're comfortable with is fine."

After all, Ainosuke did already have a father, even if he seemed to be neglectful, so he might be reluctant to call Tadashi by the same title. So he wasn't surprised when the small voice replied, "Okay… Tadashi."

After another pause: "Are you taking me to Hell?"

That made Tadashi sigh, shaking his head.

"No. We're going to buy some food and then go home. My home, not yours." He'd felt Ainosuke tense at the word, so he was quick to clarify. Even so, Ainosuke still seemed to be somewhat anxious, which Tadashi supposed was understandable: he had just been kidnapped by a complete stranger, even if he had agreed to it. Though for him to choose "Hell" over his own home…

"You don't live in Hell?"

"No, I live here, in Okinawa. But no more questions for now, okay?"

He waited for Ainosuke to nod before he stepped into the convenience store, walking along the shelves and checking what the boy wanted. He didn't seem to be familiar with many of the products, though, so Tadashi tried to pick out some things that he thought a kid might like: candy, snacks, some drinks, and a few refrigerated meals. After all, he just needed enough to tide Ainosuke over until he could order some proper food during daylight hours.

After paying in cash, they left, and Tadashi handed the plastic bag to Ainosuke before striding into the darkness, past the glow of the street lamps.

"We're going to fly now. Stay calm: I won't let you fall. And don't drop the bag. Do you understand?"

Wide eyes stared up at his face, and Ainosuke nodded.

"Yeah."

Still, Tadashi tightened his grip on the boy before large, batlike wings slid out of his back, flapping powerfully to lift them into the air. He tried not to wander too close to his home to avoid strange rumors spreading, so it was faster to fly back if Ainosuke could handle it.

To his surprise, the boy wasn't squirming at all as he watched the ground fall away beneath them, still clutching the handles of the plastic bag tightly. And then he looked back at Tadashi, his eyes sparkling.

"I knew you were an angel!"

"Demons have wings too, you know."

But Ainosuke was shaking his head.

"You're too nice to be a demon!"

Tadashi shook his head too, ruefully. Ainosuke really was a good kid, but he'd need to make sure that he didn't grow up to be too trusting of anyone "nice." After all, some of the worst fiends cloaked their intentions behind a pleasant facade… and even Lucifer had once been an angel.

Chapter Text

"Why don't you ever drink my blood?"

Tadashi glanced at Ainosuke, who was lounging in the doorway of his room, as he locked the front door. The child he'd stolen had grown up into a confident, handsome young man, and while raising him had its fair share of difficulties, it had broken up the tedium of eternity. There had been something rewarding about watching a small life grow and flourish, a feeling that would last long after they finally parted ways.

"That's not why I took you in," he replied mildly. If it was just about blood, he had other, far more convenient ways to feed himself… like paying the donor who had just left. While vampires were largely considered creatures of legend in the modern world, it was foolish to believe that their hunters had completely disappeared. Thus, Tadashi had long ago decided that the best way to avoid trouble was to engage in consensual transactions rather than relying on supernatural charm.

"I wouldn't mind," Ainosuke insisted. "I know that I can't supply it all by myself, but if you drink from me, then you'd be able to reduce your risk of exposure with too many people knowing your secret. You know I'd take good care of my health, too."

But Tadashi was shaking his head. Ainosuke was reaching an age when he would soon set out on his own, so he didn't want to restrict the young man's freedom. Besides, he'd be a rather sad excuse for a father if he needed his son to worry about him.

"You don't need to do that for me: instead, you should start seriously considering your future. Your homeroom teacher called me earlier to say that you hadn't turned in your career form yet: you aren't planning to rely on me for the rest of your life, are you?"

"Of course not!"

Ainosuke flushed with indignation, and Tadashi smiled. Although his son was trying to act more mature lately, when he got excited, his feelings still showed too easily on his face. Even so, it was an improvement from when Tadashi had found him: combined with the hubbub of moving to Tokyo and registering him for a new school, it had taken a few months for Ainosuke to really start to settle in and be able to express himself. But as more of his personality came out, he turned out to be highly sociable, easily making friends among his peers. Tadashi had been a little worried when Ainosuke started hanging out with a small gang of skateboarders a few years back, but after spying on them for a while, he'd been reassured that they didn't engage in any illegal activities, so he hadn't interfered.

"I just… I mean, I'm not going to depend on you forever, but I don't want to lose you, either. You've done so much for me, so I want to do something for you, too—"

"If you really feel that way, then you can repay me by living your own life to the fullest," Tadashi interrupted, walking over to Ainosuke to ruffle his hair affectionately. "I'll always be there for you if you need me, but I've already lived a long and fulfilling life, especially after raising an exemplary son like you. It's almost time for you to spread your own wings… or is it that you're struggling to make up your mind? Do you want to discuss your options with me?"

"That's… No, I know what I want. But it's not something that I can do by myself."

"Is there any way that I can help you?"

"Yeah. Yeah, there is."

Ainosuke took a deep breath before raising his head and staring into Tadashi's eyes, his own sparkling with stubborn determination.

"I want to be your real son."

Tadashi blinked, confused.

"You already are my real son, Ainosuke. In all but blood—"

"That's exactly what I mean! Tadashi, I want you to turn me into a vampire so we can always be together. Not just twenty or fifty years, but hundreds, or even thousands. If you don't want me to keep hanging around, that's fine, but I want to be here for you, too."

Ainosuke stepped forward to rest a warm hand against Tadashi's neck, but as he leaned closer, Tadashi stepped back, breaking away from the hold. Disappointment flitted across Ainosuke's face, and then he smiled, a little sadly.

"I know you don't see me that way yet, but I really do love you, Tadashi. Not just as a father, but as a man. I just want to have the chance—and the time—to change your mind."

But Tadashi shook his head again.

"Ainosuke… there's nothing romantic about this sort of life. It's not like the movies: immortality isn't all that it's made out to be, and I don't want you to live by hurting others, like I do. Especially since I may not be able to return your feelings, it could end up being an unending loneliness, watching other lives pass you by—"

"Like you?"

"Yes, like me."

"Then wouldn't it be better to have someone who can stay with you?"

Tadashi sighed. Of course it would. But he couldn't impose this life upon anyone else, especially not Ainosuke. The young man was so full of life, always eager to try something new, but after the first few centuries, there wasn't much that was new anymore. So especially for Ainosuke, it would be better for him to live constantly chasing after something… and pass away with unconquered challenges.

"Tadashi, please." Ainosuke clasped his hands in his own, staring at Tadashi in the endearing way that was so hard to say no to. "I know what I'm asking for, and even if you never return my feelings, I won't regret it. I've seen what you need to do to survive and protect us, and I'm not the foolish child I used to be. Even if it means falling to Hell, I'd be happy to do so, as long as you're also there."

"You're still young, and you have your whole life ahead of you: it's too early to know what might happen in the future," Tadashi argued. "This would be an irreversible decision—"

"How old would I need to be for you to accept my decision, then?"

"You need at least another fifty years."

"I'll be old then! You were only, what, thirty when you were changed?"

"I didn't have a choice in the matter!"

Tadashi's voice was uncharacteristically loud, and he saw Ainosuke start in surprise. Instantly, he felt ashamed of himself for lashing out, but his dusty past was something that he'd never really discussed with the young man: he'd never seen the need to. After all, it was irrelevant to raising a child, especially since he'd wanted Ainosuke to have a future among other humans instead of pursuing this particular dead end.

"But I really do love you, Tadashi."

Ainosuke's own voice was a little smaller, a little hesitant, and Tadashi sighed as he closed the distance between them to wrap his arms around Ainosuke, feeling the young man relax in his embrace.

"I know. And I love you, too. That's why I don't want you to suffer as I have."

"As long as I'm with you, I'll never suffer."

Tadashi sighed again. Had Ainosuke inherited this stubbornness from him? If they kept arguing like this, they'd just end up going in circles. He knew that Ainosuke meant every word, but he really hadn't experienced life yet. They'd been living together for nearly as long as his son could remember, so to him, Tadashi was a figure larger than life, omnipresent and worthy of his respect and devotion. But when other people started to fill his life…

"Twenty years."

"Twenty years?"

"As I said, I'll always be here if you need me, but I want you to spend twenty years really living among other humans. Whether you go to university first or straight into the workforce, it doesn't matter, but I want you to genuinely try to make connections with other people and try to find others to love. If, after twenty years, you still feel this way, then I'll change you then."

"But then I'll be older than you!"

Tadashi pulled back to stare into Ainosuke's eyes, his gaze stern and unyielding.

"I won't compromise any more than that. Take it or leave it."

He felt Ainosuke deflate, but the young man nodded. "Okay, I'll take it."

"Then promise me."

"I promise I'll really try to meet more people and stop depending on you. I'll try to find someone else to love… but I won't try to stop loving you. That's as far as I'll compromise."

With a wry smile, Tadashi shook his head. But it was the best he was going to get, so he rested a hand on Ainosuke's head.

"Alright. Now, about your career form—"