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Jamil never thought in a million years that it would come to this! This was the most embarrassing thing in the world and the worst part was that Jamil almost (definitely) liked it. Here he was, on Floyd’s stupidly messy bed, staring down at the mermaid he was sitting on top of.
Floyd looked entirely too amused below him, drumming his fingers against Jamil’s waist with the other. Floyd tilted his head up and to the side, showing his neck as he grinned and spoke.“well? gonna take a bite?”
Jamil licked his lips. Really, how did things end up like this? Ah, right. Basketball practice.
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It was a hot day. And Jamil was terribly hungry.
Not the normal kind of hungry, no. He’d eaten three full plates of scrambled eggs and all it earned him was a mildly worried and bewildered look from Kalim. But he had the type of hunger that had remained, and it certainly wasn’t for food.
Jamil kept staring. He was standing in the basketball locker room and all he could do was stare as Floyd lifted his shirt to change into uniform. At Floyd’s neck whenever the taller tilted his head in thought. At Floyd’s wrists, and the visible veins there, whenever he reached down for a water bottle.
Jamil was sitting on the bench, listening to Ace crunch on a bag of chips beside him as he watched Floyd spin and pretend to aim for the basket before fully slamming the ball towards a nearby teammate. Ace sighed beside him, the bag of chips crinkling in his hand as he sulked. “We would totally win more games if Floyd stopped trying to turn basketball club into aggravated assault club.”
Jamil would have probably agreed to that if he had been paying attention. Instead he was watching as Floyd laughed loudly before biting his lip to muffle said laughter. Floyd bit too hard though, sharp teeth easily digging into skin and darkening Floyd’s lips with blood. Jamil felt like he was gonna faint as he watched Floyd lick it up before going back to playing.
“Dude.” Ace glanced at Jamil, frowning at his upperclassmen before waving a hand in front of Jamil’s face. “Maaan, and the prefect says I’m obvious. You’re staring at Floyd like he’s an oasis and you’re a thirsty man in the desert!”
Jamil just sighed in response, biting back the urge to say that he WAS the thirsty man in the desert!
Being a vampire came with no upsides, Jamil was sure of it. And the absolute hunger was one of the lowest to come from it.
Usually he could satisfy his hunger with the blood packs that Kalim’s family supplied from who knows where. Kalim just seemingly enjoyed cheerfully giving them to any vampire in need. How Kalim just always knew someone was a vampire, was beyond Jamil. But free blood was free blood, so he wasn’t gonna question anything…for now, at least.
Recently, too, Jamil discovered Octavinelle housed a weirdly in-depth collection of blood. From shark blood, to fish, to human blood, and more. Lots. Apparently some mermaids have different cravings that even magical human portions didn’t completely get rid of. Also, blood apparently was used in a good chunk of potions. And apparently Azul found a decent market for blood…scarily enough. Azul didn’t question Jamil when Jamil asked to take some, but the mermaid did give him a skeptical look before relenting easily when offered cash.
Despite these easy accesses to blood, Jamil still sometimes got preoccupied with club or school activities and forgot until he was starting to go slightly crazy with hunger.
Like now. Ace eventually joined the practice game once Floyd called him over. Jamil watched them, or he at least tried to. His gaze was trained on the dried blood now on Floyd’s lips.
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After practice, the locker room was always left messy. Usually one or two people would be picked to clean it up. Today was Floyd, as punishment for almost giving someone a concussion via a basketball. Without thinking, Jamil had volunteered to help too. Which earned him quite the look from Ace before the younger classman laughed as he walked away, typing away at his phone like mad.
Jamil currently sat in one of the benches, watching as Floyd paced around and talked about…something. It had to do with some shoes or something…probably. Honestly, Jamil was barely paying attention. And apparently he was as obvious as Ace said he was, because soon enough Floyd was leaning over Jamil with a curious gaze.
Floyd tilted his head. “Sea snake. Are you craving fried eel or something? ‘Cause, damn, you’re practically drooling and everything.”
Jamil swallowed nervously before he answered totally eloquently with, “Um….no?”
Floyd huffed, unimpressed while Jamil glanced away in embarrassment as he wiped his mouth. Floyd fell into thought, dramatically tapping his finger to his cheek before poking Jamil’s forehead. “Well, at the very least, Sea Snake must be hungry, yeah? That, or Sea Snake is mad at me, since you’ve been glaring daggers at me all day.”
Jamil scowled, “I don’t glare.”
Floyd nodded, “Right, and the sky is red. Well, c'mon, get up. If you’re hungry and mad at me, I can fix this so easily~ Sea snake just needs food. I was gonna make dinner after basketball club anyway, you can join us.”
Jamil faltered, frowning as he grumbled. “I said I’m not mad at- Us?!”
Floyd nodded once again, leaning down to pick up a couple of fallen water bottles, tossing them in the trash can with ease before walking up to his own locker. Jamil is pretty sure his heart stopped for a moment when Floyd pulled off his basketball shirt without a care, before shuffling to grab his usual one. “Yeah. Jade and Azul and I usually eat dinner together. You can join us.”
Jamil almost just automatically agreed, before thinking it over carefully. Azul, Jade, and Floyd were known as quite the close trio. And they’re quite the gossipers, what if they notice what’s wrong right away? But Floyd is inviting him to dinner! That’s basically a date!…Not that he cares!
“Sea snake.” Floyd stared at him, letting out a frustrated sigh at Jamil’s lack of response, while he closed his locker with his hip. “You’re acting all funny and loopy today. Maybe you really do need some damn food.”
Floyd hummed, slinging his own bag on one shoulder and picking up Jamil’s backpack as well before heading towards the door. “stop mumbling about whatever nonsense you’re overthinking, let’s go eat.”
Jamil blinked before nodding mindlessly, gaze falling back to Floyd’s lips before Floyd turned to walk out the door. Jamil stood up to follow before pausing. “Ah- Wait! I still have to change.”
“Hmm, too late~ I’m going! I’m leaving. Oooh nooo.”
“Floyd!”
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The Octavinelle dorm was always cold. Apparently, it was meant to mimic some of the coral sea temperatures at night, but Jamil was NO sea creature. He was freezing!
He was sitting in a booth seat, across from him was Jade and beside him was Azul. Azul was surprisingly silent today, but only because he seemed focused on finishing a handful of worksheets for class. Jade was currently just…staring at Jamil and Jamil was trying really hard to not notice at all.
After a long while of listening to bubbles and the scratch of Azul’s pen, Floyd eventually came back out, proudly serving a four plates of pasta. Azul moved his homework to a nearby table while Jade moved the plates in place, though his gaze was still set on scanning Jamil up and down.
The pasta was really good. Of course it was, Floyd was a real good cook when he wanted to be. Azul and Floyd chatted about what Jamil thinks is school, but Jamil is once again not paying attention. Instead he’s staring at the plate of pasta. The red sauce looked so delicious. But it didn’t taste like how Jamil wanted it to.
“Jamil.” Jade’s voice felt like being splashed with cold water. Jade was watching him carefully, before smiling politely as he carefully asked, “Do you dislike the pasta? It’s okay if you do, I’m sure we can find something else for you. Though silently staring at it isn’t going to magically change it.”
Jamil blinked, “Uh-“
Floyd whipped around to face Jamil with surprising speed, which earned a muffled snort of laughter from Azul, “Do ya not want pasta? You could’ve told me that! Luckily i’m still in a cooking mood, I was gonna make garlic bread later. Whatcha want, Sea Snake?”
Jamil hesitated, biting his lip, “Um.”
“We have plenty of food in store.” Azul dutifully added, smiling gently yet his eyes sparkled with interest, “We have a grand selection. If there’s anything you want, I’m sure we could provide it one way or another.”
Jade nodded, “Yes, anything you’d like.”
Floyd tilted his head, “Just say the word~ Whatcha want?”
Jamil felt like he was gonna die! Mermaids really are persuasive to a fault, Jamil felt like he was drowning and this was them being nice! He hesitated. Surely, he couldn’t ask for blood. Sure he asked Azul for it once, but he refused to do it again. Once was already odd enough times to ask! Two times he’ll just look creepy!
“If it’s blood, we have plenty, Jamil. You really shouldn’t beat around the bush with these things, it’s important to stay well fed.” Azul spoke casually, as if he was talking about any old food and not literal blood.
Floyd and Jade gave Azul an amused yet proud look before glancing back at Jamil with twin grins. Jade tilted his head just like Floyd had done earlier, “Ah, is that it? You should’ve said so sooner. Naturally, the pasta wasn’t filling your stomach if you’re craving something else entirely.”
Floyd nodded eagerly, “Yeah, duh! Let’s get ya some before you die”
Jamil stared at the trio in shock and slight horror. How did they know?!
“How did we know?” Azul asked smugly, chuckling to himself. Jamil almost considered that maybe Azul could read minds for a moment, before dismissing the idea entirely. Vampires and magicians were already a lot, surely the world didn’t also have mind readers. Right?
Azul tapped his head, “I read your mind.”
…
Floyd burst out laughing as Jamil’s eyes widened slightly. Jade glanced away and used his hand to cover his own laugh. Azul chuckled softly, “I’m kidding.”
“You’re actually awful” Jamil grumbled, crossing his arms and frowning while Floyd continued to laugh hysterically.
Azul shrugged, grinning before continuing “We’ve had students ask for blood a couple times before, it’s a nice way to make profit I’ve found. You’re not the only vampire in the world, you know, there’s plenty more. Plenty of students ask for blood.”
“Oh! Like devil fishie! and beta fish! and that one dude-“
Azul let out an irritated sigh, “Floyd, stop giving away all our customers.”
Floyd only laughed, reaching to grab Jamil’s hand and tugging him up from the seat, “Cmon, sea snake, let’s get ya blood”
Azul reminded Floyd to not make a mess before bidding the both of them goodbye. Jade only watched them go, giving Jamil an amused but curious gaze.
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“Sooo…are you set on specifically having human blood or is, like,…fish okay?” Floyd bit his lip nervously as he glanced down at Jamil.
Jamil stared at him for a moment before frowning. “What? No. Vampires only drink human bloo- Are there vampires drinking fish blood?!”
Floyd shrugged, not at all answering the question, only turning back to the fridge with a sigh. “Hm. Well, bad news, Sea Snake. We’re all out of human blood. I think Devil Fishie took the last one yesterday.”
Jamil sighed, dejected but acceptant of defeat as he turned away. “Thats fine. I guess I should’ve guessed other people were vampires too…especially Lilia. That one seemed obvious.”
“Hm? Oh, Devil Fishie isn’t a vampire.”
Jamil turned, staring at Floyd in bewilderment as the other started browsing through the rest of the things in the fridge. “What do you mean he’s not- What’s he getting blood for?!”
“Beats me.” Floyd shrugged. He waved his hand vaguely before starting to rearrange the fridge for no particular reason, “We’re businessmen, we make contracts first and ask questions later. At least that’s what Azul says. Hey! Here’s the honey I was looking for yesterday, who the hell put it here?!”
Jamil frowned, “so you just…? give out blood? to whoever? why would you- Why are you rearranging the fridge?!” Jamil shook his head, turning away. “You know what, nevermind. Maybe I can ask Kalim… later.”
Floyd slammed the fridge close at that, making Jamil jump. Floyd frowned, crossing his arms. “Later? but you’re hungry now, aren’t you?”
Jamil stared at Floyd cautiously, raising an eyebrow curiously. “Yeah? But I’ll just…wait it out. I guess.”
Floyd scowled, as if the mere idea of anyone being hungry made him take offense. Floyd shook his head. “Uh, no. C’mere, let’s go to my room. I’ll give you mine.”
Floyd grabbed onto Jamil’s wrist, pulling him out of the kitchen and out into the Octavinelle dorm’s hallway. Jamil stumbled as he tried to meet Floyd’s pace, panic sinking in as he registered Floyd’s words. “Give…me…yours? WHAT? No! Floyd! You can’t just- You-“
They got to the twin’s room all too fast. Jamil identified Floyd’s bed easily given the stark difference in both sides of the room. Floyd turned to face him, watching him curiously. “If you really don’t want it, you don’t have to take it.” Floyd paused for a moment, thinking his words over before just speaking impulsively nonetheless. “But you do, right?”
Jamil nodded, words failing him.
Floyd hummed, poking at his own neck, “Then you can take some, I don’t mind. Just let me know.”
Jamil nodded once more. Floyd moved to sit on his bed and wait as Jamil stood by the doorway. He was distraught. He did so very much wanted blood. Especially Floyd’s blood…it seemed special somehow.
But there was one problem. One that Jamil grumbled while looking everywhere but directly at Floyd, “I don’t…know…how to take blood from people, though.”
They sat in silence for a long moment before Floyd snorted, “you’re a vampire that doesn’t know how to bite? Now that’s really funny”
“I’m being serious!”
“Yeah, seriously funny.”
“Floyd!”
Floyd snickered, patting the spot on the bed beside him before speaking. “Come here. I’m sure we can figure it out. Can’t be that hard right? Just a bite?”
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And that’s how they ended up here. With Jamil hovering over Floyd nervously. They had tried plenty of different positions until Floyd got bored and threw himself backwards into bed, laying on his back to frown at the ceiling. Jamil had cautiously leaned over to look at home before tripping on one of the many items scattered all over Floyd’s room.
Floyd being Floyd had just dragged Jamil forward, moving him so Jamil was sat comfortably over Floyd’s hips. Floyd drummed his fingers on Jamil’s side, looking all too smug, “Well?”
Jamil stared at Floyd’s neck before slowly leaning down. Sharp’s teeth grazed Floyd’s neck and Floyd tensed…for a bit that never came. Jamil ended up just sinking forward into Floyd’s shoulder with a sigh.
Floyd snickered. “Well, I guess…the third time wasn’t it. Fourth time’s the charm?”
Jamil groaned. Right. Because if the situation wasn’t embarrassing enough, to add insult to injury Jamil kept getting nervous right before biting. Floyd had been surprisingly patient, but Jamil could tell he was slowly getting bored of the back and forth and Jamil couldn’t even blame him.
Jamil sighed, “Maybe I will just ask Kamil.”
“Eh? Why do that when you got fresh meat right here?” Floyd poked at Jamil’s forehead before urging Jamil to sit back up.
Floyd sat up alongside him. He hummed, leaning back on his hands while Jamil remained sitting on his lap. Floyd tilted his head in deep thought, while Jamil frowned, “you better not be making up some stupid plan.”
“I’m not!” Floyd huffed, before raising his arm towards Jamil, poking at his wrist. “How about biting here. It’s easier…maybe? And less scary than my neck, yeah?”
“Your wrist?” Jamil hesitated before gently grabbing onto Floyd’s arm, his finger trailing over faintly visible veins and light bruises from basketball club.
Floyd nodded eagerly, “does it say in the vampire rule book that you can only drink from necks? I don’t think so! Blood is blood from anywhere in the body!”
“I guess that’s true.” Jamil mumbled. He hesitated, glancing up at Floyd for a moment. Before very cautiously tugging Floyd’s arm closer. He stared at it for a moment, before carefully leaning down and biting into it. Just to be met with the sweetest blood he’s ever tasted.
Jamil isn’t sure if it was the hunger that made it so good or just the fact it was Floyd, but it was delicious. He drank as much as he could before unhooking his teeth and liking his lips. He stared down at the fang marks now left on Floyd’s wrists before glancing up at Floyd.
Floyd’s cheeks were flushed red, eyes pressed closed with his head turned away and to the side. Jamil let out a stuttered breath as he stared at him until Floyd turned back to meet his gaze. Jamil almost wanted to kiss him, but the fact that he would probably taste like blood right now was maybe the one thing stopping him.
Floyd tilted his head, before smiling, letting out a soft laugh. “Real hungry, huh?”
“You taste good.” Jamil said, all too impulsively.
Floyd mumbled a soft thanks, glancing away with even warmer cheeks while Jamil pressed his hands to his face to hide his own blush.
Floyd got over his embarrassment first however, falling to lay back down on the bed once more. He let out a hum, fidgeting with the ends of his hair, not quite meeting Jamil’s gaze as he mumbled, “well, wanna try biting on the neck for reals now?”
Jamil hesitated before moving closer, softly mumbling, “…sure.”
Jamil hovered over Floyd for a moment before gradually moving down, leaning closer and closer carefully, grazing his teeth against skin before fully biting down. He could feel Floyd wince at first before slowly relaxing into the feeling.
Floyd’s blood was just so much sweeter than regular blood, yet it had a salty after taste that reminded Jamil of the sea. Maybe it was a mermaid thing. But it was downright delicious. Jamil wanted it all of it. He got so caught up in the taste he lost track of time.
Floyd tugged at the edge of Jamil’s sweater, letting out a soft breath before mumbling, sounding slightly dazed. “heyyy, sea snake…I’m glad ya like it, but I need some of that blood too.”
Jamil eyes widened, quickly pulling back and sitting up instantly. “Fuck! Sorry! I got carried away…it’s just…super sweet, it tastes really nice- Ah, ahem, that’s besides the point. Do you have a first aid kit?”
Floyd blinked up at Jamil slowly. “A wha- ohh. Oh. yeah I have that.” Floyd nodded slowly, smiling as his eyes fluttered shut.* “‘s somewhere ‘round my closet.”
Jamil found it under Floyd’s bed. And It Floyd wasn’t so loopy, Jamil might have grumbled at him for wasting his time. Jamil patched up the bite mark on Floyd’s neck and the one on Floyd’s wrists with ease. He frowned, “Hm..I’ll go get you some water and a snack. I’m sorry for taking too much”
“Eh? Don’ leave.” Floyd hummed, blinking one eye open to glance at Jamil before grinning. “I’ve got lots of snacks ‘round here. There’s like….uhh…chips and stuff. Yeah.”
Jamil snorted, “Oh… I really did take just a little too much, huh?”
“I feel funny” Floyd mumbled, as Jamil shuffled around Floyd’s room until he found a small bag of cookies.
He held one to Floyd’s lips as he smiled, “yeah, that’s blood loss. My bad. I’ll make it up to you. Do you want food? I could make you lunch tomorrow.”
Floyd munched on the cookie, tilting his head to his side as he thought, “I want…you to tell me when you’re hungry again.”
Jamil paused, staring down at Floyd for a moment before carefully asking, “you mean…you want me to drink blood from you again?”
“Not necessarily.” Floyd mumbled, muffled around the cookies he was shoving in his mouth now. Softer, Floyd added, “I just want you near.”
Jamil took great interest in staring at the ceiling as his cheeks grew mysteriously warm, “I guess I can do that”
Floyd giggled softly, grinning as he closed his eyes once more, “yay~” He hummed before letting out a sigh, “I th’nk I’m gonna pass out.”
Jamil whipped around, “What?! Eat more cookies, idiot! Drink water! Now!”
Floyd rolled his eyes, grumbling about nagging yet he grinned as he happily took a bite into a cookie held by Jamil. Floyd laughed, “next time, I'll bite back.”
Floyd burst into even louder laughter as Jamil’s face turned red.