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To the so-called ‘common folk’, the supernatural weren’t known to form attachments. A horrendously incorrect stereotype, in Reca’s opinion, as he knew of many of his fellow neighbours falling victim to the spell that some would call love, whether or not a witch or two would be involved. Black Swan was dating that werewolf, or well at least, the rumours claimed she was a werewolf, and she certainly did possess those werewolf traits, growling at any vampire that should happen upon Black Swan’s abode, much to anyone’s annoyance. And especially when Reca would happen on over there.
That old, purple-silver furred bat seemed to have some sort of superiority complex over him it seemed, her eyes always flashing something said silently at him that he’d never had the time to decipher, not before Acheron would be on his tail, at least. And while he personally never minded anyways, he’d never gotten much further than that. Plus, it seemed like human-watching really wasn’t all that appreciated among the supernatural either except that one vampire who Reca had always run into while he’d be Tar- human-watching.
Argenti was much like him, it seemed, though he seemed far more fascinated by the concept of a human in general, then merely watching a good show or ‘shopping’ for a potential meal. Honestly, if Reca had the human skill to create a film, Argenti would honestly fit the archetype of ‘airhead’. He certainly gave off the correct attitude without even trying to act, and there was also a kindness to him that a good airhead character would have. There was a sort of innocence to him that again would fit the archetype if Reca had the ability. Though that was only what his many years of human watching, and sneaking into those drive-in theatre things had taught him anyways. The concept was fascinating~ but alas, sunlight turning you into a crisp doesn’t help much in that department. Plus, the fangs might scare off potential actors as well, even if they may know of vampires existence.
Well, the sun isn’t an immediate death sentence, but leaving with your pale skin being badly burnt is far worse. So, figures.
Either way, casting Argenti in a hypothetical film had its problems, and they were problems that Reca didn’t really have answers to. Were-animals can survive the sun, Argenti, Black Swan and himself? Can only survive an hour or two in the sun, which, honestly, is so frustrating!
The sun prevented him from doing so much! Why has the world forsaken him? Why was the sun a vampire’s worst enemy? Ah! Annoying!
It prevented him from truly exploring the world of the humans, it prevented him from seeing more of these drive-in films, it prevented him from seeing films, it prevented him from seeing Tartaglia more often!
Reca paused.
Oh Tarty~
He chuckled to himself, rolling over on the bed in the dark room and coming back to reality. He suddenly felt warm as he lay on the bed, smiling and chuckling to himself as if drunk on blood that’d had a high alcohol content. (Which had happened before). Tartaglia, a human that Reca had found himself fascinated with since he first laid eyes on him during one of his regular human-watching sessions, a young man with his hair a bright ginger and his eyes, a deep blue. Before him, Reca had only really known humans to be wary, if not terrified of vampires, which was completely understandable, however, Tarty had seemed full-on ready to fight him if need be, which was so different from the regular that it had fascinated him to the point that he’d started to keep an eye on him. So much so that Argenti had even noticed once or twice, softly chuckling with a sort of soft amusement in his eyes. Reca was never really bothered however, as once or twice, Tartaglia would stumble upon the old, decrepit castle that Reca resided in, not for any other reason other than curiosity, as Tartaglia had a perfectly functional home in that village just outside the dark woods, and just… make himself at home.
To any other vampire, Tartaglia would have been an easy target, just simply offering himself up so they could drink up every last drop, ultimately killing him from a lack of blood. However, for Reca, his curiosity and fascination overwrote his natural instincts, and he hardly drunk in Tartaglia’s presence. And thus, he’d always chalked up his infrequent lightheadedness and warm feelings he felt around Tartaglia to him just being hungry, and not allowing himself the satisfaction of actually drinking from his guest. After all, had Reca been merely an animal, and Tartaglia a piece of juicy meat, he doubted the outcome would have been the same.
Something about Tartaglia, seemed to make his fangs lose the ability at merely the thought. Not literally, of course, and Reca did love a good meal. Blood with some saltiness to it was exquisite~, sweet blood less so, but still anything was better than blood that was simply dry. Reca would much like to not be drinking the equivalent of earth, thank you very much. But salty blood? Ah~ Reca just shudders thinking about it! It wasn’t all that rare, but still, when he did get to drink it, then it was amazing~. He hadn’t really drunk from humans much in general, much preferring animals, but still, he did like blood. Though pre-spilt blood? That was entirely off the cards. You don’t know where that blood comes from, you don’t know what’s in it! You don’t know what diseases you could catch from it!
Though, that begs the question… what does Tarty’s blood taste like?
Would it be tart, like his name? Or would it be sweet?
Reca didn’t know, and he didn’t plan to know.
Tartaglia’s blood would remain a mystery to him, and he was fine with that.
Well, he could ask, when he visits again but. No, he won’t do that. That could frighten him away, and he doesn’t want that. The longer he keeps visiting, the longer Reca can see him. It works out perfectly! So, he’ll continue with the norm.
Assistant Director croaked from her perch by the windows, the moonlight turning her usually dark gray hide into silver, and indicating that night had fallen. With a subtle nod, Reca hopped off of the bed, and got ready for his day well, night, and started fixing up his outfit as if trying to doll himself up, leading to a curious croak from Assistant Director, though Reca only really waved her off. “Tonight is another one of those drive-ins, and I don’t want to miss it. Didn’t I tell you? This time it’s a tragedy~! Filled with pining and mourning! It’s right up my alley.” Assistant Director gazed at him, before letting out a specific series of croaks. Croaks that Reca knew all too well, and caused his smile to brighten considerably. “Oh? Tarty~ is here? Why didn’t you say so!” Rushing away from the wardrobe and knocking Assistant Director from her perch, basically dressed, Reca ran towards the front the door, opening it with a swing and a smile.
“Hello, Tarty~,” Reca hummed out, smiling. Tartaglia gazed at him, and smiled back, shifting one of the sleeves of the long jacket he was wearing. “What brings you here today? More drama from the neighborhood?”
“Still using the nickname, huh?” Tartaglia replied. “Anyways, I’m sure you’ve heard of the drive-in movie tonight? Hm, I don’t doubt that’s exactly where you’re going right now,” he added with a slight laugh. “You seem very fascinated by them, at least from what you’ve told me. And this one especially.” Reca blinked as he felt the warmth rush up. He smiled, however, and his eyes narrowed in amusement.
“Well, you’ve caught me Tarty~. That’s where I was headed tonight. The tragedy calls to me! Pining and mourning? Ah~ the heartache!” Reca false fainted and Tartaglia caught him, chuckling. “It’s perfect! The perfect tragedy! It’s magnificent!” Tartaglia, surprisingly, then ran his finger down one of Reca’s fangs, and somehow, it made the warm sensation intensify, causing Reca’s smile to grow almost dopey.
“You might have to hide these,” Tartaglia murmured out, but Reca barely heard it. “Especially since we’ll be in amongst others.”
“I’m sorry?” Reca said with a blink as Tartaglia’s words registered in his head, Assistant Director announcing her presence with a croak. “Whatever do you mean by ‘in amongst others’?” Tartaglia pulled Reca up and then looked at him.
“You’ve always had to watch from the trees, so I was thinking, why not come with me and watch from human’s perspective? It would give you a whole other view of the movie, and might even give you more context. Plus it’ll all be on me, so don’t worry about sneaking in or using your non-existent cash,” he said, chuckling slightly. Reca blinked at him, the gesture wasn’t anything to write home about, if anything, it was just a friendly suggestion, since they were ending up in the same place. However, the suggestion was related to something that Reca had always been curious about. And also it was convenient too. However, all Reca could think about was how considerate of a suggestion it was. And it was with Tartaglia. “Well, I didn’t know vampires could blush,” Tartaglia added suddenly, thoroughly amused.
“Well, Tarty, I-… I fear you’ve caught me off guard,” Reca said, sounding mildly flustered. “But~, I do think this is a good idea.” Tartaglia then gazed at him.
“Before we go though,” he said. “I must ask, haven’t you eaten yet… or well, drunk yet? I know this is prime time for hunting and I’m kinda eating into that. So, sorry. If you need to hunt, I can wait,” he said with a smile. “I mean humans can wait a while, meanwhile nighttime is the vampires time to hunt and do whatever else they need to do.” For anyone else, this would have been a dangerous mistake, asking that, and not running away. If Tartaglia was any other human, Reca might have been very well inclined to give into instinct and feed, but with Tartaglia, it was almost like he was aware that Reca wouldn’t hurt him. And yet nothing indicated that fact, though it could have been something as simple as him being a scheming weasel and having an escape plan in that case.
Also, was that a blood smell coming from him?
Tartaglia had no open wounds, and there didn’t appear to be blood stains on his clothing either. Plus the blood smell was dry, and off-putting, almost like there was no ‘life’ left in the blood itself. It made Reca’s fangs ache just entertaining the possibility, though still, the itch to try the seemingly non-existent blood was still there, as he couldn’t exactly 100% subdue his instinct. Plus, the blood wasn’t Tartaglia’s own, that had already been established, so whatever or whoever’s it was would be fair game, and plus, it didn’t smell like any other supernatural’s blood either.
As for example, were-creatures blood smelt the most similar to their non-were counterparts; zombies, though rare, had no blood to speak of, and only smelt of rot; vampires couldn’t smell their own blood, and thus couldn’t cannibalize each other. Human blood all smelt the same, and was a vampire’s main source of sustenance, which can be substituted with animal blood too. This dried blood smell was human, and besides that, Reca couldn’t tell anything else. All that to say, the blood wasn’t appetizing in the least. It was dry, dull and boring! Though, he hadn’t exactly answered Tartaglia’s question either, far too focused on the strange blood smell that seemed to cling to his clothes. Tartaglia, however, didn’t seem bothered by the scrutiny, though Reca blinked and shook the smell from his mind.
Hm, maybe he was hungry, judging by how long he’d been staring into space, but, strangely, that fact didn’t seem to be reaching his brain.
“Oh, don’t you worry Tarty~,” was what came out of Reca’s mouth. “This may be hunting time, but I just snacked on an unsuspecting bush pig not five minutes ago. The meal was delightful~. It was so salty and delicious~, feeling the blood running down my fangs once I finished, almost giving me seconds without even asking for it! Ah~ You’re missing out. It’s a tragedy!” Tartaglia didn’t even flinch, if anything his smile grew vaguely amused.
“I’ll leave the blood drinking to you,” Tartaglia replied. “I don’t think I’m equipped for something like that. I don’t think any of us are. Though, I don’t really mind, I experience bloodshed in a different way anyways.” A light entered Tartaglia’s eyes as he mentioned the ‘bloodshed’ and Reca found himself all the more intrigued.
“Though I do find myself curious,” he said as the two of them eventually moved to leave. “As to what that’s like. I’d imagine it’s similar to how we humans drink through a straw, only with fangs. Though, would it be two straws in that case? And then, what does blood even taste like to a vamp-“
“Heavenly. Especially with salt,” Reca hummed out. Tartaglia blinked but he started chuckling.
“Well, then I’ll take your word for it,” he said amused. He looked out at the street, and then back at Reca, as if deciding what to do. “On that front, maybe refrain from doing that while we’re over here. You’re pretending to be human, right? Well, we didn’t exactly establish that but I’m sure you’re smart enough to figure it out. Say, can vampires eat human snacks? I know blood is technically your thing, but can you eat anything else?”
“With difficulty. Well, it’s not that, but… it’s really not nutritious. Not only does it often taste like I’m eating dirt left behind by I don’t know, a wild boar, it only really aims to make us… sort of weak? It affects our flight ability and it can clog up our teeth. It’s horrendous! Evil! I passionately avoid it the best I can! It’s nothing compared to blood. Ah~ blood is amazing, ‘specially salty blood~!” Reca grinned.
“So, trashy fast food, got it,” Tartaglia said smiling sympathetically. “Well, I have some snacks with me, so I guess more for me then! Unless you want to try-“ When Reca full-on hissed at him, Tartaglia blinked, but yet again, he wasn’t bothered. “That settles that then!” Tartaglia led him towards a contraption that Reca had only really seen in passing through his many years of human watching. It was basically a mechanical horse, with wheels instead of legs. Only this horse could be opened by pulling at flaps at its side. It was an intriguing creature, especially Tartaglia’s which was a deep, metallic gray. He’d seen numerous of them at the very same drive-ins that he had attended before, he just didn’t know their name. Either way though, the two of them entered Tartaglia’s horse, and sped off.
Reca had never personally been this close in proximity to any human before, let alone Tartaglia, and it was fascinating. Fascinating how his instincts hadn’t immediately flared up despite it being Tartaglia and bitten him right then and there. Drinking from humans was usually a one and done encounter, the two never being in close proximity for more than a few seconds or minutes, and yet here they were. His curiousity being ignited almost immediately, as was the warm feeling. It was fascinating how Tartaglia drove with an easy smile on his face, his hair moving subtly as the horse moved. It was all so fascinating.
And Tartaglia’s jacket was sliding off of his shoulder, though the jacket sleeve had already been sort of falling off and Tarty hadn’t bothered to fix it, and it was exposing his neck. One of the most vulnerable parts of a human’s body. And intimate.
And there was that thought again, what did Tartaglia taste like?
Was his blood salty or sweet?
Was it dry and dull?
He was so curious, and yet, he’d never know.
Tartaglia’s blood would forever remain a mystery.
Removing his gaze from Tartaglia’s neck, Reca realized that Tartaglia was speaking again. “You know, I’ve been curious…” he said somewhat quietly. “Do you guys having that sort of changing ability that those movies always depict? I mean, you’re the real thing, aren’t you? You should know this, I’d suspect?” Reca gazed at him.
“‘Changing ability’? Do you have any idea how little that narrows it down? What do you mean? The bat form?”
“Creating new vampires,” Tartaglia said immediately, curiousity shining in his eyes. “I mean, I’m sure you’re not the only vampire out there in the woods? Or other supernaturals I guess, but specifically vampires. The fae are too different to have a general idea, and were-animals are again too varied to really give me a clear answer. But, vampires are pretty simple, no offense.” Reca glared at him for a split second, but eventually calmed down.
“It’s a dark ritual, I don’t even like doing it myself. It’s…evil. Call me dramatic, but I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemies! They may be my enemies but they don’t deserve that!” Reca looked at him. “I’m sure you’re familiar with snakes, yes? Specifically venomous ones? The vampirism ritual is much like that. It’s a venom, injected into the victim, or in some cases, willing participants, that slowly kills them until they are reborn as a vampire. It’s a horrific fate. And while I may delight in things that veer more macabre, this is something I cannot get behind. Even if I were human I doubt I’d think any differently. Trust me, you don’t want to become a vampire.”
“And… you?”
“Oh, me? Born and raised~” Reca replied with a flourish. “Vampire since I hit this earth! Nocturnal since day one! Taught that the sun is the enemy day one~!” Tartaglia blinked in surprise, but he didn’t answer until the horse had come to a stop and the two were sat in front of the large black screen that Reca recognized.
“Vampires can reproduce?” He asked curiously.
“In our bat forms, yes,” Reca said, amused. “In this form? Ah well, being undead kinda interferes with that. We may have the, well… stake and heart, so to speak, but, they no longer function correctly or never functioned at all. That changes while you’re a bat though.” He turned his gaze on the big screen, and tilted his head. From this angle, it was much larger than it was from the trees, and they were directly facing the screen as well. It seemed like Tartaglia had gotten the two of them decent seats to watch the movie together. Reca then glanced over at the other horses seated in various parts of the field and saw people milling about.
Almost instinctively, his tongue glazed over his fangs, hidden only by tight lips, as he stared out at the other people.
Okay, maybe he was hungry.
But going on a hunting trip here would only aim to cause chaos, and while he did love chaos, there was far too many people here to get away safely, even if he did have Tartaglia on his side. So Reca merely snapped his mouth shut and forced his tongue back into place, and play cool. Something he could very easily manage, especially if he kept his eyes glued on Tartaglia who seemed to have a subduing effect on him, even if it wasn’t intentional. Focusing his attention back on Tartaglia, he smiled.
“I didn’t ask this before,” Tartaglia murmured, somewhat guiltily. “But you’re fine with the large screen right? I don’t want it to be like a sun to you.”
“Oh worry not, Tarty~,” Reca hummed. “I’ve been here enough to know that the screen doesn’t affect like the sun does. So, please don’t worry about me~ You focus on yourself, alright? Let’s enjoy this together~” he then turned his eyes towards the screen, and Tartaglia did the same, a small smile on his face.
Tartaglia flinched as soon as the screen flashed on, while Reca was left unaffected. Being a vampire did have its perks, after all. He may not be able to see himself in a mirror, but a sudden flash of light? No worries! Child’s play honestly. Though it seemed that humans do have to worry about that, interesting.
Though that did bring up the question…
He couldn’t see his reflection, and since his parents had died, Reca had no recollection of what exactly he looked like. He only really had hints. The body of his ‘human’ form which his head sat upon, his hands and clothing. The deep brown fur of his bat form, and the strands of hair that he could see, but anything other than that was something he would no longer be privy to unless Tartaglia mentioned something about his face.
What did Tartaglia see when he gazed at him?
Did he see a handsome man? Or something else?
What was his eye colour? Was it complimentary or contrasting?
It was so interesting to think about.
Tartaglia’s hair was ginger, or more specifically, a brownish orange, which complimented his blue eyes so prettily. It was messy and short, jutting out in many different angles, and he often wore some sort of mask in it, towards the side. It was so interesting. Those very same eyes were also softly half-closed, watching the film, but also merely enjoying being in the horse. There was no tension in his shoulders like one might expect from being in such close proximity to a vampire, which was something that Reca had come to suspect. Then, those same blue eyes glanced over at him and grew amused and teasing.
“The movie is over here you know,” he said pointing towards the screen. “Unless you’ve found something much more interesting to look at? If so, I sure wonder who or what it is.” Tartaglia said this softly, but there was an undertone to it that had Reca smiling himself, and Tartaglia’s eyes almost grew more hooded, but he was smirking. “You know, I’ve noticed you staring at my neck. Must seem pretty delectable, don’t you think? At least for a vampire, hm?” He chuckled. “Though I’m not quite sure how I feel about eyes red as blood staring at it,” he said, a joking tone in his voice. “I’m sure vampires have more etiquette than that, hm?” Tartaglia was teasing him, that much was obvious, and clearly didn’t really have an opinion on it either way. Reca, however, chuckled himself, and sat back in his seat, completely oblivious to the fact they seemed to have been moving closer together.
Almost as if a dangerous, magnetic attraction was pulling them together.
Oh wouldn’t that make a marvelous film? Had he had the ability?
“Etiquette? We have that in spades, my dear Tarty~. When one becomes a guest, it would be truly horrific if we just, slashed that trust, right?” This was a white lie. Not in that it was untrue, but in that it didn’t quite explain why exactly Reca hadn’t bitten Tartaglia yet. Why Tartaglia by all accounts was still alive by this point. Vampires that followed the etiquette he’d described did exist, Argenti was a perfect example of that, having taken in a broken-hearted man that Reca had only heard of in passing. But that wasn’t the reason for Reca. For Reca it was curiousity, intrigue, and perhaps an attachment linked to fondness (he hadn’t thought about it much), and Tartaglia had never once been anything close to a prisoner. He was a guest, and he could leave whenever he wanted. The length Tartaglia spent in his presence was completely up to him. Only the reason for him being a guest in the first place was different to Argenti’s in every way. Reca hummed to himself. “You’re lucky you’re different, Tarty~,” he hummed, completely oblivious to the content itself and Tartaglia seemingly immediately woke up, hitting his head on the ceiling of the horse. He blinked, and then his cheeks turned a delightful shade of red, though Reca couldn’t decipher why he would be blushing. Though Tartaglia seemingly rushed to respond and go back to normal.
“And you’re lucky I’m not a vampire hunter,” Tartaglia replied. Reca looked at him. He had already sort of figured this out, seeing as Tartaglia had never tried once to attack him or really given him any reason to be wary. Sure, he’d tried to fight him when they first met, but there’d been no stench of garlic, nor stake on his person at all. He’d just wanted to fight. And plus, judging by Tartaglia’s subsequent visits from that day, that had only been corroborated. Tartaglia was no hunter, he was just a human. One that Reca seemingly had an attachment to. “I’m actually one of the few who actually like vampires,” Tartaglia then added with a laugh. He looked away as the redness in his cheeks brightened slightly as he added, “In more ways than one. So you really won’t have to worry about me in any way. I promise.” He grinned.
A scream from the movie turned their attention back to the screen, the context of the film being lost to both of them by this point. One of the characters was bleeding for some reason, Reca couldn’t know, though he felt his tongue glaze his fangs again and Tartaglia seemed to notice him this time and his expression grew unreadable. The blood was fictional, the scene wasn’t real, and yet, it was causing his instincts to flare up. There was something about how the blood was shining in the film, dripping and wasting the delicate nutrients that any vampire could benefit from. Reca shifted uncomfortably as he tried to suppress the urge to jump out of the horse and expose himself to everyone in attendance.
That’s when he finally noticed the encroaching lightheadedness now fogging his brain.
It had been so nice just sitting here with Tartaglia, he shouldn’t ruin it now. He can hold off. He’s sure there’s some juicy wild horse he could feed off of when this is finished. He can hold off-
His stomach growled.
Okay, he’s definitely hungry.
He glanced over at Tartaglia. Tartaglia certainly hadn’t been close enough to a vampire to witness what hunger looked like, but Reca was sure it wasn’t much different from human hunger. Well at least, the most of human hunger that he knew about. Plus Tartaglia had gone quiet too, quietly putting up some sort of folded foil blanket on the inside of the horse. He fiddled with the corners for bit, until the screen was hidden from view. “Okay, that isn’t the best, but it does give us some privacy.” Reca looked at him.
“And whatever would we need privacy for?” Reca asked genuinely, somewhat confused at Tartaglia’s behaviour. “I’m sure this will pass and then we can leave without issue.”
“This,” Tartaglia pulled down his sleeve, and exposing his arm to the elements. “Drink.” Reca blinked at him.
“‘Drink’?” Reca asked somewhat dumbly, and Tartaglia sighed with a smile.
“Yes, drink. Or… is it more correct to say ‘feed’?” Tartaglia said. “I know it’s kinda sudden, and we’re supposed to be doing something else right now, but, it seems like you need it. It won’t be much, but… you’re not yourself when you’re hungry, now are you? So please, help yourself. Just don’t suck me dry, okay? I still have to drive us back.” Reca once again gazed at him. “I won’t hurt you,” Tartaglia added in a teasing tone. Reca smiled at him and leaned over, exposing his fangs, and for the first time ever, bit into Tartaglia’s wrist.
Tartaglia flinched at the initial prick, which was understandable, but soon the tension left his shoulders, and Reca focused on the arm. The initial few sucks didn’t really result in any blood, so Reca slowed the speed, as sometimes you needed to go slow with these things, and it wasn’t long before the first few drops of Tartaglia’s blood reached his tastebuds.
Tarty’s~ blood was a strange mix of sweet and salty, moreso salty, and was quite easy flowing, despite the initial struggle. It was not unlike blood that Reca had before, but somehow, it coming from Tartaglia specifically caused its taste to skew more unique. Perfect for a treat every now and then, but far too special to have every day. There was a slight coldness to it too, despite it being the same colour that all humans possessed. The salt and sweetness blended together in a blend that was exquisite in ways that Reca hadn’t had the opportunity to ever taste before. It was unique, and much too precious, and if Reca had it his way, he’d never make Tartaglia bleed again. This blood was far too special, and should be shared with no one. This will be his and Tartaglia’s secret. An exchange of blood in way, that no vampire would have ever experienced before. And while the position itself wasn’t anything to write home about, the mere fact of a human offering such a… sacrifice(?) for one that most would be afraid of felt far more intimate than anything that had happened before between the two of them. Even though the decision had possibly been made in duress, something told Reca that it hadn’t been.
That Tartaglia had maybe been hoping to one day share his gift with him, that being his blood. And maybe one day, they might even reach the neck, the most vulnerable part of a human, should this continue.
And possibly maybe, this could become a ritual if a vampire and human would just so happen to form a deep bond of whatever flavour it may be.
The first duly given bite signifying trust in the relationship.
Wouldn’t that be fun?
Eventually, Reca’s fangs left Tartaglia’s wrist, blood pooling at the remaining two dots of a bite mark, before Tartaglia pulled a handkerchief out of nowhere and started applying the pressure needed to stop the bleeding. Almost like he’d been prepared in the case he would need it. “See? You must feel so much better,” Tartaglia hummed as he removed the handkerchief to assess the damage. “They’re so… delicate.” Reca chuckled.
“Well, did you really expect me to have lion-sized fangs? Hm? Our fangs are quite small you know,” he hummed, and Tartaglia smiled in response, and as if the foil had suddenly gained sentience, it fell down, revealing that the film was reaching his conclusion. “Oh. Well, it seems we missed the climax. What a tragedy.”
“I’m not all that bothered honestly,” Tartaglia said casually. “I mean, I got a new scar out of it, so that’s great.” He then gazed at Reca. “Though if anyone asks, I already have an excuse.” Reca tilted his head.
“So no one knows you’ve been commiserating with a vampire? Ah! Scandalous!” Reca commented, and Tartaglia smiled.
“People are suspicious, don’t get me wrong, but, besides Teucer thinking I have a secret girlfriend, no one’s really had any theories. The Ol’ Morax down at the newspaper seems curious about my whereabouts, and Xiao is completely suspicious. But besides that, no one.” Tartaglia looked away. “I don’t know, I like having you as my secret. Therefore, this scar will have an excuse.”
“Well, isn’t that marvelously scandalous,” Reca commented. “Secretly commiserating with a vampire. Quite dangerous too~. Aren’t you scared, Tarty~?”
“I stopped being scared the second you called me Tarty, Reca,” Tartaglia responded logically. “Anyways, the movie is over anyways. I should get you home.”
“Will you be staying over or also heading home afterwards? I’m aware it’s late for you humans.”
“I actually wanted to stay over,” Tartaglia responded, smiling, but his sentence seemed incomplete. “So it’s nice to know that worked out fine.”
Reca laughed as Tartaglia started up the horse. “That it is, Tarty~.”