Chapter Text
Day 4:
"This student is a vampire."
Confusion struck the students as Monomoko read out the 'confession'.
The rules of this game were that each student had a piece of information about them read aloud, in which they had to claim the statement belonging to them. If they didn't, then they were not given whatever reward Monomoko had in store for them. Apparently, this was one of the confessions.
"A vampire?" Takeshi repeated, clearly lost.
"Vampires are real?!" Airi panicked.
"There's no fuckin' way there's a vampire here," Ran argued. "I would've noticed right away."
"Wait, we're in here with a vampire?" Miki worried.
"There is no such things as vampires!" Hitomi snapped, more stern than usual from sleep deprivation. "Please just press the button already so we can move on."
"Do you seriously think they're gonna admit to that?" Kazutoshi chimed in.
"Well they have to," Hitomi argued, "or else they won't get their reward."
A tense silence passed throughout the auditorium.
"Please," she pleaded, "just press the button and we won't talk about it."
"Like hell we're just gonna leave them be after this," Nakamigawa contradicted, "there's a vampire here. It's not gonna be long before they get hungry and go after one of us."
"Nakamigawa!" Hitomi raised her voice. "You're not making this situation any better!"
"I'm just saying, if this supposed vampire is actually smart, they're not going to tell us."
Silence passed again.
"If no one is going to claim the statement," Monomoko announced, "then I shall mark this as a failed round."
"No, please!" Hitomi groaned. "What happened to everyone agreeing to claim their statements?"
"Well that's certainly out of the picture now, isn't it?" Nakamigawa replied smugly. "What's your plan now?"
"Nakamigawa," Takeshi intervened, "cut it out."
"No, I'm genuinely curious," he addressed. "Now that someone's refused to claim their statement, we don't know who it was. That means anyone else can decide to not claim their statement and we'll never know whose statement is whose. What's your plan then?"
"We'll keep claiming our statements," Hitomi persisted. "If we all claim them, then it reveals who it is by process of elimination."
Despite Hitomi's sound logic, the intensity of the proceeding confessions caused several more people to refuse claiming their statements.
In the end, Miki, Kazutoshi, Takeshi, Hanano, Manami, Nakamigawa, and Ruiko never claimed their statements, causing a high amount of tension by the end of the game. Although Hitomi demanded they discuss the matter as soon as possible, the group attempted to disperse quickly after the events that transpired.
Ken was somewhat shaken up by what occurred. Originally, he was eager to start the game, but was soon to realise its awful nature after his statement was immediately read out. What he experienced was such a dark, private memory, yet it was casually stated in front of several strangers he wasn't sure he could trust.
The concept of trust was even harder to imagine after the types of confessions that were read out. Mai had murdered before, Ran had went to juvie, multiple people had a drug addiction or had heavily injured another person, and someone in the group was supposedly a vampire.
Ken had no idea how to interpret that last one. Vampires weren't real; they were a fictional concept. Yet, none of the other statements appeared to be false or all that hard to believe, despite how shocking and personal they were. Did somebody possess certain traits associated with vampires? What else could that statement possibly mean?
"Um, hey," Kazutoshi asked, "are you mad at me?"
"Huh?" Ken's thoughts came to halt. "For what?"
"Not saying my secret?"
There was a morbid curiosity as to what Kazutoshi was hiding, but Ken ultimately wanted to accept him, not resenting him for staying private. If Ken knew what was going to happen, he likely would've wanted to keep his hidden too.
"N-No, no, I'm not."
"Thanks," Kazutoshi's tone was more serious. "And, um, I'm sorry that happened to you."
"It- It's fine," Ken lied, "it was a long time ago, so. . ."
"Still. . ."
Kazutoshi contemplated deeply before speaking up again.
"Do you want me to tell you a different secret? So we're even."
"What?" Ken was caught off guard. "No, you really don't have to. . ."
"But I want to," Kazutoshi insisted, "so you can trust me."
"I do trust you."
"But why?" Kazutoshi questioned. "My secret could've been any of that awful shit."
"I know," Ken acknowledged, "but I really don't see you any differently after that. I still want to be around you. I- I like being around you. I trust you."
There was a small silence. Kazutoshi stared back, his cheeks beginning to blush.
"Thanks. . ."
Kazutoshi's smile soon faded, preparing himself for his confession.
"I've, um. . .I've lost family too."
Ken frowned. "R-Really?"
"Yeah," Kazutoshi looked away. "My parents."
Ken's eyes widened. His mind struggled to comprehend that information, despite how similar it was to his experience. However, something about Kazutoshi's felt so much worse.
Losing Reina was devastating, but Ken still had the rest of his family to help him grieve — Ken still had his parents. Ken couldn't fathom life without his parents, how he'd be able to cope with the world without going to them for support.
If he lost both of them—at this age or even younger—he wouldn't know what to do. . .
"That. . .that's awful," Ken murmured out, too shocked to figure out a response, "I'm sorry."
"It's fine," Kazutoshi ignored, "it was a while ago for me, too."
Ken thought back to the responses he'd get from mentioning Reina, trying to think what he should say to Kazutoshi.
"What were they like?"
"They were really nice," Kazutoshi reminisced, "especially my mom; she was always there for me when I was feeling sick and stuff."
"I'm glad. They sound like good people."
"They were," Kazutoshi smiled sadly.
Kazutoshi was being incredibly vulnerable in this moment, a sharp contrast to how he was with everyone else in the building. Despite being in an environment where distrust and tension lingered, Ken couldn't help but trust and adore Kazutoshi. Something about their personalities clicked, naturally finding themselves drawn to the other. Ken had never felt himself taking a liking to anyone this much in such a short amount of time. So, he couldn't help but trust Kazutoshi, no matter what he decided to keep private.
Day 5:
The next day, the students were forced to play another game, which wasn't exactly helping their continuous exhaustion. There was more hostility and suspicion this time, mostly contributed by the mystery of the unclaimed statements from the day before. The game involved the students being given a punishment selected at random, in which they could inflict the punishment onto themselves or another student.
People were quick to speculate Nakamigawa as the vampire throughout the game due to a lot baseless claims, such as his behaviour, his insomnia, among other things. However, he was quick to argue back, reminding people that he was extremely disgusted by blood, which he proved when forced to enact his punishment onto Shigeki.
Nakamigawa pointed fingers at Kazutoshi and Hanano, though his accusations were just as baseless as the others.
When discussing the potential vampire together, Kazutoshi told Ken he believed it was Miki. He theorised that Miki was trying to get close to people like Ken and Masanari so they could be her targets, along with mentioning the fact that Miki apparently had agoraphobia, potentially because she's weak to sunlight.
Kazutoshi's reasoning had somewhat more logic than the others, yet there was still no proof that anyone's theory was correct.
After enough punishments and bickering, it was Kazutoshi's turn.
"You may choose to take a slash across the cheek, or inflict a slash across the cheek on a fellow classmate."
The other students commented how much easier this punishment was, meanwhile Kazutoshi stood in silence before muttering.
"I can't."
Hitomi laughed. "Are you serious?! That's nothing, just take it."
"My blood doesn't fucking clot, okay?"
A brief silence echoed throughout the auditorium, everyone suddenly not as talkative now that they knew why Kazutoshi was so reluctant.
Ken was as surprised as anyone else about this information, now concerned about Kazutoshi's health if he were to take the slash. Naturally, there was only one other option.
"I-I mean. . . I can take it."
Kazutoshi turned to face Ken, genuinely surprised by his suggestion.
"What?"
"It's not that bad, right? S-So yeah, I can take it."
Kazutoshi looked disgusted. "No."
"Really, it's fine."
"There's like a million other people here I can give it to," Kazutoshi argued, "I don't give a shit about these guys."
"Tasteful," Nakamigawa commented.
"You especially," Kazutoshi glared, "shut up."
Kazutoshi looked back at Ken, significantly less angry compared to his expression towards Nakamigawa.
"I'm not cutting you."
"If- If it's not going to be you, then, I think it kind of has to be me."
"Please take item two from the equipment table," Monomoko requested.
"No," Kazutoshi refused, "no. I'll take it myself."
Ken really couldn't let that happen.
"We'll just do it fast, okay?" He reassured. "And then it'll be over."
Hands shaking, Kazutoshi grabbed the knife from the table before holding the blade towards Ken's cheek, using his other hand to cup the side of the cheek he didn't intend to slash.
Ken should've been terrified, and he was, but there was something awfully bittersweet about this moment. The scared, remorseful look in Kazutoshi's eyes as he apologised, his hand gently holding Ken's cheek in place before inflicting a swift but harsh pain to his face.
Ken inevitably groaned and winced at the pain, but was more focused on reassuring Kazutoshi.
"See?" He spoke weaker than he wanted to. "Not so bad. It'll be a conversation starter — when we get out of here, I mean."
Kazutoshi glanced briefly at Ken before instantly looking away. Ken could only assume Kazutoshi was full of guilt for what happened.
Manami called Ken over to treat his cut, to which he listened. It definitely hurt, it did, but Ken really didn't want to tell Kazutoshi that; he didn't want Kazutoshi to feel bad about what happened.
The more punishments that were carried out, the more Ken felt anxious. He took Kazutoshi's punishment, meaning he still had his own to take. If Ken wanted to avoid any further conflict, he would have to take his own punishment. Even if giving it to Kazutoshi was an option, he really didn't want to. If it was harsh, he couldn't bring himself to inflict it onto him. If it was easy, he could just take it himself.
The tension regarding the unrevealed confessions was one thing, but the sleep deprivation was a whole other ordeal. Ruiko complained about her struggle to keep awake, and as a result, lashed out towards Kazutoshi for triggering the alarm, causing her to impulsively inflict her punishment onto him.
This plan of hers seemed to backfire, as it was addressed that Ruiko never claimed her statement, causing a brief discussion on whether she was potentially the vampire. People were quick to disregard it though, as many still struggled to believe in the idea of vampires being real, along with the speculations still getting them nowhere.
After one more round, it was finally Ken's turn.
"You may choose to accept a brand on your back. Alternatively, you may choose to brand a fellow student. Please make your decision now."
"What?" Kazutoshi's eyes widened.
Ken's body tensed up, horrified at what he had just heard.
"L-Like, with a hot iron?"
"Yes," Monomoko confirmed calmly.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?!" Kazutoshi snapped at the rabbit.
More people voiced their distaste for the punishment, deeming it significantly more severe than the rest beforehand. Ultimately, as Nakamigawa pointed out though, nobody seemed willing to take it for him.
"This is stupid," Kazutoshi gritted his teeth. "Don't do this, I can take it."
"I-I'll take it," Ken spoke louder, hoping his confidence would distract him from what he was allowing to happen to him.
"Hasegawa, don't be an idiot."
"Please remove your jacket and shirt."
Ken was briefly more perplexed by the idea of having to undress himself in front of everyone, but he reluctantly followed through.
"Hasegawa, seriously, what the fuck are you doing?" Kazutoshi stared in horror. "I'll take it."
"I-It's fine."
"It's not! Seriously, fucking stop!"
Ken didn't respond.
"Hasegawa!"
"A student aggressor is being chosen. Please stand by."
"Why aren't you listening to me?!"
Ken couldn't listen, already resolved on taking the brand. If he took it, Kazutoshi would be okay. He'd be okay.
Kazutoshi yelled out some more, a mix of fury and horror in his voice as he begged to take the brand instead. It hurt to hear Kazutoshi mad at him, but the brand hurt a lot, lot more.
Kazutoshi's anger hadn't fully subsided by the time they were in the medbay, but he prioritised Ken's health over his frustration.
"Ow!"
"Hold still."
Ken winced in pain again. "S-Sorry. God, that stings. . ."
"Yeah, well, I dunno what you expected," Kazutoshi responded bluntly.
An uneasy silence passed.
"Why the hell would you do that?"
"What do you mean?"
"I told you I could take it," Kazutoshi reminded. "Why did you take the punishment?"
"It was my punishment," Ken argued.
"But you didn't have to take it."
"Well, it's not like I could let you take it."
"Yes you fucking could have, Ken," Kazutoshi tried to stare at Ken, desperately avoiding the sight of the slash. "I told you to give it to me. Why did you take it?"
"Why are you mad at me?" Ken was genuinely confused.
"Because- wh- look at you!" Kazutoshi gestured to him. "Are you kidding me?! They branded you, Ken!"
"Well- well yeah, but—"
"But that's going to be on your back forever!" Kazutoshi interrupted. "You had taken a punishment. Why did you take two? I volunteered."
"Well, I wasn't going to brand you, Kazutoshi," Ken reasoned.
"But you should have! I said I could take it!"
"No you couldn't!"
"Yes I could!"
"You couldn't, Kazutoshi," Ken's tone was firm this time.
"Why are you arguing with me on this?!" Kazutoshi looked frustrated.
"Why won't you tell me what's going on?" Ken pleaded.
"I don't even know what you're talking about!"
"I- I'm- I'm worried about you, Kazutoshi!" He raised his voice, not out of intimidation, but out of desperation to get his point across.
Kazutoshi stared back at silence, waiting for Ken to explain his point.
"You keep passing out," he listed, "you're always nauseous, you're always sick, you have these mood spikes and I just— I want to be able to help you!"
Kazutoshi looked elsewhere, a guilty expression on his face.
"And I can't!" He continued. "Because you won't talk to me! And what's all of this about your blood not clotting?!"
Ken took a breath.
"I- I thought that if I gave you the brand instead, you would have fainted again, and then everyone else would've gotten punished — they would've hated you. They already don't trust you because you hid your secret."
"So?"
"So I don't want them to kill you, Kazutoshi!" Ken began to tear up. "I want to be able to keep you safe!"
Ken loosely gripped the bottom of Kazutoshi's hoodie, catching Kazutoshi off guard.
"Please," he couldn't care less about how pathetic he must've sounded, "just- t-tell me what's going on with you. . ."
Kazutoshi's voice was significantly softer and uncertain than usual. "O-Okay. . ."
"Really?" Ken stared, hopeful.
"Yeah, o-okay. . . It's, a few things, I dunno," he nervously glanced at Ken. "How much do I have to tell you?"
"Um, as- as much as you want, I guess. I- I just need to know what I can do to help you."
"That makes it a bit easier."
Kazutoshi mentioned his cataplexy and haemophilia, but quicky refused to mention anything else. Although, there seemed to be more.
"That's. . .unfortunate for you," Ken commented.
"No fucking kidding," Kazutoshi returned to his vulgar self. "I get pissed off enough when I feel awful for an entire day at home. Stuck in here with these freaks? Fucking miserable."
Ken laughed, relieved their arguing had seemed to have resolved.
"That's why I hide out in my room, which I can't do anymore, by the way."
"Right."
Silence passed for a moment before Kazutoshi stammered and mumbled a bit.
"I guess that's it; I don't know what else I really have to say about it. If I faint just, I don't know, make sure I don't hit my head I guess."
"I can do that," Ken promised. "And um- and I promise I won't let anyone bother you while you're not feeling well."
"Oh yeah?" Kazutoshi smirked. "What are you gonna do? Fight them off?"
"I- I can, um. . ."
"Yeah?" Kazutoshi took a step closer.
"I can um—"
Kazutoshi leaned in. "Yeah?"
"I'll. . .start talking about chemistry!"
Kazutoshi laughed, backing up. "What?"
"Really boring chemistry," Ken elaborated. "They'll leave right away."
"But I love chemistry," Kazutoshi added.
"Then maybe it'll help you wake up," Ken grinned.
Kazutoshi laughed again, the sound of it being way more relaxing than the sound of pained screams, yelling and alarms.
When Ken looked at Kazutoshi again, his expression was more timid. Ken thought he looked adorable, for some reason; it was probably the lack of sleep making his head weird.
"Hey, so, um. . ." He paused. "You're. . .not gonna tell anyone about this, right?"
"Wh-What?" Ken blinked. "O-Of course not, I figured you didn't want it out there, so- yeah, I won't tell. I-It's not really any of their business anyway."
"Oh," Kazutoshi feigned a serious tone, "but it was your business?"
"W-Well, I mean," Ken panicked, "that's different! I'm always with you."
Kazutoshi giggled, a fond smile on his face. "Yeah, guess so."
The two went back to discussing the status of Ken's brand, with Ken finally being able to put his shirt back on; he hoped Kazutoshi didn't find that too awkward.
"You heading back to your room?"
"What?" Ken was surprised. "N-No, no, I figured I'd just stick around here with you."
"In the medical bay?"
"It's quiet in here at least," he reasoned.
"People might be coming in and out though," Kazutoshi pointed out.
"What about the pool?" Ken suggested.
"Aren't we banned from the pool?"
"So?"
Kazutoshi blinked before snorting.
"Hasegawa!"
Ken giggled.
"You're bad!" Kazutoshi accused him with the biggest smirk on his face.
"Shut up!" Ken retaliated with no anger in his voice.
"You're so bad!"
"Cut it out, cut it out!" Ken spoke through laughs.
"C'mon," Kazutoshi walked towards the door, "let's go sneak into the pool."
"It's not sneaking," Ken corrected, "there's no actual rule!"
"Yeah, but it sounds more fun if we say we're sneaking."
Ken struggled to argue with Kazutoshi's amazing logic as they snuck off to the pool.
Despite everything awful that happened, the two continued to talk like they usually did: complaining about the game and the other students, theorising who would kill and whose secret belonged to whose.
Ken deliberately chose to think about each secret as if Kazutoshi was out of the picture. Kazutoshi didn't want him to know, so he didn't want to know. . .
Well, that's what he tried to tell himself.
Day 6:
Kazutoshi sat on one of the beds in the medbay, trying not to fall asleep as usual. Naturally, Ken decided to join him, sitting on the opposite side. The two sat in silence, trying to enjoy the limited peace and quiet inside the medbay.
Ken's mind was active thanks to the energy he mustered up during the Salvation Game, causing him to finally address a thought he was avoiding for most of the week.
"Um, Kazutoshi?" He called out.
Kazutoshi lazily hummed.
"About your secret. . ." Ken started, "y-you don't have to tell me which one it was if it isn't, but. . ."
"What?"
". . .Are you a vampire?"
Kazutoshi's blood red eyes widened before he glared at Ken.
"No," he answered, "I'm not even fucking convinced vampires are real. That secret was stupid."
Ken thought that in the beginning too, but then he started to notice things.
Kazutoshi seemed irritable. Everyone was—obviously—but something about Kazutoshi's irrational behaviour was different. Everyone else appeared frustrated out of exhaustion, but Kazutoshi appeared frustrated out of hunger. Occasionally, Kazutoshi would complain about being hungry, but Ken couldn't recall many times that he saw him eat.
He kept passing out and feeling sick, but Kazutoshi blamed that on his conditions. However, Ken wouldn't be surprised if he was passing out from hunger, much like when Masanari recently did.
Since Decision Game, Kazutoshi could hardly look at Ken, even though Ken knew Kazutoshi wasn't (as) mad at him anymore for what happened. His glances were brief, as if he wanted to look at Ken before something reminded him not to.
He thought that Kazutoshi wouldn't be too ashamed to hide his confession if it was any of the other ones. Ken wouldn't really judge him if he turned out to be an addict or if he had injured someone.
Actually, Ken wouldn't judge him if he was a vampire either — which is exactly why he wanted to know. If Kazutoshi really was the vampire, he must've been starving; and if that was the case, Ken wanted to help him.
"I. . .don't really believe you."
Kazutoshi properly lifted his head up. "Why not?"
"I don't really have any proof, but—"
"Because I'm not, Ken," Kazutoshi insisted.
"But- but if you were," Ken offered, "then maybe I could help you- with your hunger, I mean. . ."
"Ken," Kazutoshi's tone was deathly serious, "drop it."
"I'm just saying, if you were—"
"Well I'm fucking not!" Kazutoshi snapped. "So quit asking me to bite you!"
Kazutoshi bared his teeth for a moment, and Ken saw it.
He swear he saw a fang.
Something Ken had learned all too well about Kazutoshi this past week was that he was incredibly stubborn about receiving help. If Kazutoshi was a vampire, it would explain why nothing had happened: Nakamigawa was too selfish to wait it out, Takeshi seemed too lost in his daydreams to have a plan, Ruiko was too impulsive and angered to take so long, Miki and Manami could've easily taken advantage of Masanari but didn't, and Hanano seemed like she wouldn't care about restraint, just wanting to claim a victim whenever she pleased. Knowing her behaviour, she likely didn't confess just so she could get roped into the drama of being suspected.
Ken was a little too used to ignoring Kazutoshi's wishes for the sake of helping him, so it couldn't hurt to push a little further.
Cautiously, Ken made his way to the other side of the bed, leaning in closer to Kazutoshi.
"Ken, what are you—"
Gently, but firmly, Ken put his weight over Kazutoshi, pinning Kazutoshi to the bed. Ken desperately tried to focus on his goal and not the realisation of how easy it was to pin Kazutoshi down.
"Ken," Kazutoshi breathed, his composure lost almost immediately, "get the fuck off me. . ."
Ken tilted his neck to face Kazutoshi, pulling down on his collar to expose the skin behind it.
"You haven't eaten in days, Kazutoshi" he pleaded, "you need to eat something."
"Ken," Kazutoshi teared up, "fucking stop it. . ."
"No, you need to eat."
"I can't- I don't want to bite you. . ."
Kazutoshi tried to look away, only for Ken to use his other hand to pull his head to face him again.
Blood red eyes gazed at the slash on Ken's cheek, along with his exposed neck. Kazutoshi found it hard to resist his instincts that were screaming for food.
"Bite me, please," Ken smiled in reassurance.
With a shaky exhale, Kazutoshi jumped up from his position, latching onto Ken hard. His grip on Ken was tight as he adjusted the angle of his neck, aligning his teeth.
Finally, Kazutoshi bared his fangs, sinking them deep into Ken's neck. Ken hissed at the sensation and pain, but refused to push Kazutoshi away.
Using his fangs, Kazutoshi drained blood from the punctures he left in Ken's skin, briefly taking his teeth out to lick up the blood spilling from the wounds.
The process was harsher than Ken expected, but he couldn't blame Kazutoshi for being so eager after the aching hunger he must've experienced throughout the week. Despite the pain and the dizziness, Ken gladly allowed Kazutoshi to continue, taking whatever was necessary to satisfy him.
Kazutoshi found himself in a trance, craving more and more of Ken before being alerted by the alarm. He cursed, carefully taking his teeth away from Ken's neck as Ken attempted to stay awake.
On one hand, the sight of Ken dazed, slightly blushing with fresh bite marks on the side of his neck had Kazutoshi going mad with hunger. On the other hand, a wave of guilt washed over Kazutoshi immediately, realising his predicament.
"Why- why the fuck did you let me do that?" He pushed himself away from Ken.
"Wh-What do you mean?" Ken asked, still somewhat drowsy from blood loss, "You were hungry, I couldn't just let you starve. . ."
"You could've!" Kazutoshi raised his voice.
"No, I couldn't. . ."
"Why do you keep fucking doing this to me?!" Kazutoshi brought his hands to his head.
"What?" Ken frowned, confused.
"You slashed yourself for me, you branded yourself for me, you let me drink your fucking blood!" Kazutoshi teared up. "Why do you keep doing this shit to yourself?!"
"Because- Because I care about you!"
"So?! Stop hurting yourself for me!"
"But. . ." Ken teared up.
"What?" Kazutoshi glared.
"But I love you, Kazutoshi!"
Ken yelled out before immediately sobbing, bringing his hands to his face.
Kazutoshi's eyes were wide. ". . .Huh?"
"I love you," he repeated, "and I don't want you to get hurt or go hungry because I want to keep you safe!"
Ken's tears continued.
"I'm sorry," he squeaked, "please don't be mad at me. . . I'm so tired."
Kazutoshi could think a lot more clearly now that he had something in his system. Unfortunately, Ken was still in a severely sleep deprived state, making him impulsive and illogical when it came to decisions such as prioritising Kazutoshi's health. He really hoped Ken meant it when he said he loved him, but Kazutoshi couldn't take advantage of his restlessness like that — not again.
"Ken," he spoke gently, "come here."
Ken leaned himself into Kazutoshi, the latter bringing Ken's head to his shoulder as they wrapped their arms around each other, with Ken somewhat laying down whilst Kazutoshi sat up.
One of Kazutoshi's hands stroked Ken's head, occasionally playing with small strands of hair; he would do this all day if he could.
"Sorry," Kazutoshi apologised, "I get you're really tired, and it's probably making you think dumb things. I just wish you would prioritise yourself a little more; I care about you too, idiot."
"I'm sorry. . ." Ken breathed.
"You're okay," Kazutoshi smiled. "I'll forgive you 'cause you're just too damn cute to stay mad at."
"I'm cute?" Ken stared at him, his eyes glimmering.
"Super cute."
Overwhelmed by that cuteness, Kazutoshi placed a brief, soft kiss to Ken's forehead. Ken melted at the touch, his expression so giddy yet tired it appeared as though he was drunk.
Was this what it was like to be loved? To have them sacrifice so much of themself to you? To have them look at you as if you placed all of the stars in the sky despite all of the pain and exhaustion they were experiencing?
Kazutoshi wanted more of it — more of Ken, all to himself. He's been without this for so long, without Ken for so long.
"Did I- did I taste good?" Ken asked.
Kazutoshi blushed furiously at the question. Was that really Ken's main question? Not 'How are you a vampire', 'How long have you been a vampire', 'Isn't it kind of ironic that you're a vampire with haemophilia'?
"Um," he smirked, "really good."
Ken grinned. "You can have more if you want. . ."
"Nope, shut up," Kazutoshi refused. "Not until you can get some sleep."
"O-Okay. . ."
"Also, you're not telling anyone a thing about this," Kazutoshi warned. "Got that?"
"Right."
The two continued to hold each other in comforting silence as they waited for another torturous night to pass. Hopefully, the motive wouldn't last much longer, and Ken could finally get some rest.
Ken tried desperately to not fall asleep whilst comforted by the feeling of Kazutoshi's arms wrapped around him. Kazutoshi stared at Ken's relaxed expression, his cheeks still blushing red and his smile still wide from contentment.
Kazutoshi tried his best to resist for the night.