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There's a cat on Hayato's way home.
That in itself is not unusual, he passes by stray cats quite often and always enjoys spending time with them. This one, however, has been in this same spot for several days in a row and — call him crazy if you want — but it feels as though the cat is watching him.
It's a small thing, scrappy and malnourished with black and white fur, and it always stands by the mouth of the alleyway next to the Thai place, looking at him as he passes by with its mismatched little eyes. A few times, Hayato had tried to approach it but the cat always scurried away from him with a hiss.
So, while he hasn't tried to pet it again, he always makes sure to drop a few treats nearby. Maybe the cat will come to him once it feels safe. Even though Hayato still can't decide if the cat is scared of him or not. With the way it watches him sometimes, irrational as it is, Hayato feels like it considers him prey.
It's a ridiculous thought, especially for someone like him to have. He can take several grown men out without breaking a sweat, there's no need to be worried about a cat attack. Though, it's less that he's worried about that, it's just that it all feels a little unnatural.
Still, he finds himself looking forward to seeing the tiny thing on this fateful day too, smiling as he approaches the alley. It's overcast today, the clouds heavy with rain and the air thick with humidity. He takes the bag of treats out of his pocket when he's close enough, shaking it slightly as he crouches down near the cat, who is sitting on top of a dumpster today, eyes on him.
"Hey, little one", he makes his voice soft as he speaks to it, "How are you today?"
Hayato expects nothing out of the ordinary to happen, so he gasps in surprise when the cat actually jumps down from its vantage point and pads towards him. It doesn't seem interested in the treats — strange — instead rubbing its fuzzy head against his arm and legs. Blinking, Hayato slowly lifts a hand and begins petting the cat, careful not to apply too much pressure.
It purrs against his hand, treats still left unacknowledged, before suddenly pushing its face into Hayato wrist and biting him.
It's not deep but it feels out of place. There were none of the usual warning signs that the cat was uncomfortable or wanted to play, and the bite itself almost seemed calculated — intentional.
Hayato pulls his arm away and frowns. There's two red marks on his wrist, a drop of blood trailing down and soaking into the sleeve of his coat. Huh, he thinks, sharp teeth.
The thought crosses his mind that the cat might be sick, even rabid. But while Hayato is not a veterinarian, he knows the symptoms don't match up.
"What's up with you, hm?", he mumbles. Carefully, he reaches out again. Maybe it's stupid but something about the cat compels him to try and befriend it. "Feisty, aren't you?"
The cat blinks up at him, hesitating for a moment as if it's thinking. Hayato must be losing his mind, why is he personifying this random cat so much?
Still, once it seems to be done "thinking", it rubs its head against him, even licking at the wounds it left behind. Hayato tilts his head, considering. Nirei had once said something about cats being intelligent and he vaguely remembers being shown a video compilation of some rather sly felines trying to correct their naughty behaviors. Maybe that's what's happening here.
After a few more pets, Hayato stands up and dusts himself off. As much as he loves animals, thunder has announced itself in the distance and the clouds grow darker by the second. It's time to head home lest he get caught in the downpour.
To his astonishment, the cat trots alongside him as he exists the alley, perfectly confident as if this is a daily occurrence. Hayato raises an eyebrow but continues walking, the cat following in the periphery of his vision.
He chuckles quietly, hands in the pockets of his coat as he hums to himself.
Should he take the cat home? He's never done that before, but it's clear the little rascal has taken a liking to him. It's not like he's not allowed to have pets, he's just never really thought about it. It could be nice, and maybe then Nirei would stop pestering him about loneliness and isolation. His best friend worries too much for his own good.
The apartment building looms before them not ten minutes later. Considering, Hayato approaches the cat again and holds his hand out, allowing it to sniff at his fingers.
Raindrops have begun to fall, slowly but steadily picking up pace, and Hayato would rather not leave this poor stray out to suffer through it, not when it's happily tailed him this far. With a sigh, Hayato bends down to pick it up, hoping it won't lash out at him again.
Mrrrow, the cat purrs as he scoops it up, settling easily into the crook of his arm and hooking its claws into Hayato's expensive coat.
"Someone's clingy", he chuckles as he traipses up the stairs to his apartment.
Once there, he digs out some cat food he keeps around for the strays and puts it on a small plate. The cat doesn't even look at it, instead continuing to follow Hayato around as he goes about his evening routine.
It's quieter than most cats, not meowing or hissing at anything, just watching — observing, Hayato can't help but think — as he readies his tea and slips into his pajamas.
Humming along to a song on the radio, Hayato stands by the window with his cup of oolong, waiting for it to cool as his gaze follows the raindrops racing each other down the windowpane. The storm has really picked up, dark clouds crying rain in buckets and the wind howling eerily. It's got a bit of a horror movie atmosphere, Hayato likes it.
As he thinks that, his ears pick up on a strange noise behind him. He furrows his eyebrows, wondering what the cat could be up to. Perhaps it was waiting for him to turn his back before it begins tearing his apartment apart. There's no abundance of furniture, barely any trinkets or smaller items it could break, so Hayato allows it to happen for a moment, taking a few sips of his tea — still too hot — before resigning to turning around in order to deal with whatever shenanigans his new friend has gotten up to.
…Huh.
What he sees won't compute in his brain no matter how many times he blinks.
There's — no, Hayato thinks, it can't be — a boy in his apartment. A young man, more accurately. Hayato's age, give or take. The cat is nowhere to be seen.
Except…except the stranger has black and white hair, perfectly split down the middle, and the same heterochromatic eyes as the stray that was supposed to be sitting on the hardwood floor behind him.
Evidently, Hayato is going insane. He was aware of his multiple mental health issues, but this is a new one. He's never hallucinated before.
"Uh", the man speaks, "Hi?"
A giggle escapes Hayato's lips against his will. What is this intruder acting so awkward for? As if Hayato is the rude one for not greeting him.
"Who might you be?", Hayato raises an eyebrow. He lifts his cup to his mouth again, breathing in the steam more than he drinks, stalling. The man hasn't attempted to attack him yet, so Hayato will wait and see what happens.
He can tell from his lithe but strong build that the guy can fight, but so can Hayato. His hair is disheveled and he's wearing a ratty t-shirt and jeans that have seen better days. Unwanted, concern tightens Hayato's chest.
Maybe this guy just needed a place to stay? But even then, how did he get in here? Hayato's apartment complex is on the expensive side, certainly not easy to break into. No, the only one Hayato even saw in the hallways other than himself was the cat, who is now suspiciously absent.
It can't be, he shakes his head at himself, That's impossible.
And yet.
"You -", the stranger's eyes bulge in surprise when Hayato doesn't scream or call the police. "I -"
Hayato hums, tilting his head.
"Any reason you broke into my apartment?", Hayato asks. Honestly, as intriguing as this is, he had been hoping for a more relaxed evening.
"Hey!", the guy raises his hackles and Hayato can picture the hair on a cat's back standing up, "Ya let me in!"
The guy shakes his head and suddenly grows serious, as if remembering what he came here for in the first place. It's a bit disconcerting when he begins to take steps towards Hayato, no hesitation in his stride, though his beautiful, mismatched eyes shine with uncertainty.
Hayato doesn't move.
"So", he takes another sip, "Are you the cat or do I need to get myself checked out?"
He has to know.
To his surprise — and delight —, the guy blushes bright red. The color lights up his cheeks and the tips of his ears and Hayato's mind conjures up one single thought: Cute.
Once he's noticed it, he can't stop. The guy is objectively adorable, with his long eyelashes, upturned nose and pouty lips. In any other circumstance, he'd definitely be Hayato's type. He's always had a thing for the wet cat types, as Kiryu so eloquently puts it.
"So what if I am?", cute guy growls as he comes to a stop in front of Hayato. It's clear he expected a different reaction and doesn't quite know what to do with what he is offered.
Raising an eyebrow, Hayato looks him up and down with a more critical eye. Fascinating, he can't help but wonder where the clothes came from. Shouldn't he be naked after such a transformation? Not that Hayato wants him to be — just curious.
Never has Hayato been a particularly spiritual guy, though he's never had a problem with the concept either. Guys turning into cats, though? That's not something he ever expected to be confronted with. It leaves him with a lot of questions he's not sure he wants to know the answers to.
"How's that work?", he asks and empties his teacup. Satisfied, he begins to rinse it in the sink, easily slipping past the guy. He's an awkward one, Hayato wonders whether this little scheme of his has ever succeeded before.
"Sh- shuddup!", cute guy advances on him once more. There's a determined set to his eyebrows, his jaw clenched. Seems like he means business. "'m gonna bite ya now."
Bite him?
Hayato's confusion must show on his face, as the guy groans instead of continuing with his attack — if that's what it's supposed to be, Hayato honestly isn't sure.
"'m a vampire", he mumbles, cheeks no less pink.
Hayato was always under the impression that vampires were supposed to turn into bats, but oh well. Cats are much cuter anyway.
"Alright", he shrugs, "Where do you want me?"
It's a bit of a gamble, he's not sure if real-life vampires kill their victims or not, but it's worth it when the guy — vampire? — turns an even darker shade of red.
"H-huh!?", he waves his hands around almost aggressively, "Wh-why aren't ya like, scared?"
Hayato purses his lips in amusement.
"You haven't exactly been scary."
And honestly? Hayato is kind of on board with getting his blood sucked, it sounds kind of hot. As long as the guy doesn't kill him. That'd be less than ideal.
Speaking of —
"What's your name, anyway?"
Cute vampire cat guy just gapes at him for a second. Hayato's friends always say he's a weirdo who constantly catches them off guard with the stuff he says. It seems this guy agrees.
"I-it's Sakura", the guy — Sakura — mutters in reply. Hayato's surprised he's allowing this conversation to happen at all. He wonders for a second if Sakura has been a vampire all his life or if it's a more recent development. He doesn't seem to be very good at it.
"Well, Sakura-kun", Hayato throws caution to the wind and pokes a finger into the other man's chest, backing him into the kitchen counter, "Do you typically kill your victims?"
Sakura stares at him.
Idly, Hayato wonders how much more a human being — or vampire? — can blush before they explode.
"Uh," Sakura's knuckles turn white where they're gripping the counter but he doesn't try to escape or retaliate. Interesting. "I try not to, but they often panic and i-it's hard to control -"
"Mhm", Hayato can't say his hands don't tremble a little. What is he doing? This is dangerous. This guy may be cute but he's a vicious creature when it comes down to it, something that craves and consumes blood to live. A parasite.
Still, he doesn't back away.
"I'll let you", he hears his own voice say, "But try not to kill me."
Maybe Hayato should have taken Nirei up on his suggestion of seeing a therapist. Oh well.
Sakura looks like he wants to say something else but a loud growl stops him in his tracks. It's a little funny, Hayato didn't consider that vampires would get hungry in the traditional sense, tummies grumbling and all. He giggles a little before grabbing Sakura's hand and dragging him over to the couch.
The rational part of Hayato's brain is screaming bloody murder at him but unfortunately, he's entirely too intrigued by this situation and this oddly enchanting boy to make any smart choices right now.
The vampire clearly considers fighting him, baring his little fangs for a second and assuming a half-assed fighting stance but in the end, he fails to go through with it. He's getting what he wants after all, so it'd be stupid of him to attack Hayato now, even if he's befuddled by how this has all turned out.
Unceremoniously, Hayato pushes the other man down on the couch. He lands with a squeaking of the leather and a yelp, his eyes big and round in the dim light of Hayato's living room. He's so pretty.
"W-what are -" Sakura's inquisition is cut short by Hayato saying goodbye to the very last of his sanity and boldly settling himself in the vampire's lap. Better vantage point for him, right? Now Hayato's throat is right there for the taking.
"Yer crazy", Sakura huffs, something almost amused in his tone. Noticeably, he doesn't pull away, instead lifting his hands to place them on Hayato's hips almost on autopilot. Hayato can feel them shaking, the vibrations ever so slight through the thin material of his tangzhuang.
In response, Hayato just shrugs. He probably is, all things considered.
"Aren't you hungry?", Hayato sing-songs and bares his throat a little. His heart is galloping in his chest, the tips of his fingers tingly with anxiety and something else. The same thing that's causing saliva to gather in his mouth, probably.
That seems to do the trick. Curious, Hayato watches as the vampire's eyes go dark and he licks his lips, gaze fixed on the skin of Hayato's throat, his rabbiting pulse. There's an uncharacteristic blush rising in Hayato's cheeks, his mind whirring in turmoil. Is there any chance this is all just a strange dream?
Before he can attempt to wake himself up, the hands on his hips tighten and Sakura launches forward. His previous stiffness nowhere to be found, the boy buries his face in Hayato's neck.
Ow, is his first thought when two teeth penetrate his skin. They're thin and sharp, more akin to needles than anything else. It's a strange sensation, the way they latch onto his throat, pressure building behind the skin and a low groan escaping him as Sakura begins to suck.
He shivers, hyper-aware of his blood being drawn out of his body. The pain is present but dulled, a pulsating ache rather than the piercing heat the initial bite was. It's almost pleasant, weirdly enough, the feeling causing Hayato's toes to curl in his socks. Against the skin of his throat, Sakura is panting between sips, his breaths hot and moist in a way Hayato would not have expected a dead person's to be.
Is he even dead? Undead? Or is that another untrue myth? Because right now, the body against his appears as alive as his own — if not more so. The way they're pressed chest to chest, Hayato can easily make out the other's strong heartbeat and the featherlight trembling of his arms.
Hayato feels himself becoming a little lightheaded, resting his hands on Sakura's heaving chest to steady himself. He wonders for a split-second if the other is going to stop or if he's too far gone to remember Hayato's request. Perhaps this is the night he dies, left limp and bloodless by a cute little cat of a vampire.
It wouldn't be the worst way to go.
But no, to his surprise, the sudden touch seems to startle Sakura and — with noticeable effort — he pulls away. His mouth is stained red, thin rivulets running down his chin as he stares at Hayato with half-lidded eyes. There's a frown on his face, lips pouty, and Hayato can't help but sigh. He's too adorable for his own good.
"Good?", Hayato asks. His voice comes out breathless.
Sakura blushes vigorously. That's my blood, Hayato can't help but think, He's blushing with my blood.
"'s not bad", the pout intensifies, "Are ya…uh, alright?"
Chuckling, Hayato shimmies a bit to get comfortable. The other man, suddenly reminded of their position, flails a little, almost pushing Hayato off his lap before catching himself. In a motion that can only be subconscious — considering Sakura's whole demeanor — his hands lower from Hayato's hips to his thighs, running slowly up and down in what must be an attempt to ground himself.
It's funny, Hayato thinks, that while his blood is getting sucked by a stranger, it's Sakura who seems like he needs emotional support.
"Mhm", Hayato finally replies, "Perfectly fine."
Sakura nods, uncertain. Sweet, how he doesn't actually want to kill him, clearly trying to fight the hunger building up inside of him as he frantically licks the last of the blood from his lips, eyes jumping down to Hayato's neck again and again.
"You can keep going", he encourages him. Rationally, it's a stupid idea, Hayato already feels a little dizzy. But he doesn't want to stop, not when it feels so horrifyingly good, and not when the image of Sakura's lips covered in his blood has burned itself into his mind.
"A-are ya sure?", Sakura asks though the words are muffled by the fangs he must be trying to suppress. Hayato rolls his eyes.
"Here." He holds up his wrist to the other's face, the marks from their earlier encounter in the alley still visible. "Have at it."
Hayato is well-aware he's playing with fire. However, the lurking danger somehow just spurns him on, offering his wrist instead of his throat to get a better look at the vampire while he drinks his fill. If he ends up too dizzy or passes out, he'll just have to drink lots of water the next day. As long as Sakura retains his self-control, that is.
The pain is worse this time, much worse. The pressure of the needlepoint teeth entering his thin wrist is immense, and the pain quickly spreads all the way down his forearm and up into his fingers. He hisses lowly through his teeth as Sakura feasts with reckless abandon. He's not careful with it, thick drops of dark red blood missing his mouth entirely and running down Hayato's quickly paling arm. Some of them land on the couch, but that will have to be a problem for another day.
Through the haze of the pain, Hayato watches the vampire. Messy eater as he may be, it's evident the other holds reverence for his food, lapping at the liquid with evident joy on his face, his face red and open as he suckles on Hayato's wrist like a baby, rough hands gripping the skin with an odd tenderness. The juxtaposition only adds to Hayato's dizziness.
He shouldn't enjoy this, he knows that. Yet the pain becomes secondary as a tingling heat makes its way up his spine, his breaths quickening and hands shaking. He feels so unlike his usual self, coming undone like this by the merit of some blood-sucking creature who followed him home — God, he thinks for a second, It's like I'm in one of those bad erotica novels Tsubaki likes to read — but he can't pretend he doesn't enjoy it.
This time, the feasting goes on for longer — so long, in fact, that Hayato begins to feel his thoughts turn sluggish, lucidity a distant dream. His mind is hazy, his body floaty and warm as his life force is taken from him by the world's grumpiest, most awkward vampire.
He barely feels it when the fangs detach, Sakura seemingly catching himself just in time. Almost lovingly, he caresses Hayato's wrist as he licks the wound clean, though some of the spots have already dried on his skin. The boy's lips are positively glistening with blood, dark red instead of their usual pink, some of it smeared across his glowing cheeks. There's even a drop of it on his nose, and it's so cute Hayato can't help but lean forward and lick it off.
It doesn't occur to him that this might be strange, his thoughts slow and dream-like from the blood loss. The only thing he registers is that it tastes weird, though not bad. The metallic flavor of his own blood fills his mouth for just a moment as he stares into Sakura's wide eyes. Once again, it seems he's managed to confuse him beyond measure.
"W-what are ya -", he furrows his pretty eyebrows but Hayato doesn't give him the chance to finish his sentence. His gaze is fixed on the other's mouth, and his desire to taste himself on Sakura's lips grows too powerful for his lagging brain to suppress, so he surges forward. It's a little clumsy — Hayato will curse himself for acting so inelegantly tomorrow — but he connects their mouths successfully.
It's less of a kiss and more of an attack. Immediately, he employs his tongue to kittenishly lap up the blood on Sakura's mouth, dipping into the seam of his lips to catch every drop of it. It doesn't taste good — honestly, the more of it he licks up the grosser it gets — but he doesn't want to stop. For a second, he wonders what it tastes like to Sakura. It can't be the same iron-y flavor that it is to him, the other looked like he was drinking divine nectar earlier.
Just as he's about to pull away and attempt to get his wits about himself, Sakura's grip on his thighs tightens perceptibly and the mouth against his opens up. There's more blood inside, smeared on his teeth and soaked into his tongue, and Sakura exchanges it with him readily.
Without thinking, Hayato's hands wander up to curl in Sakura's uniquely colored hair, pulling on it as the exchange of blood transforms into heated kissing, the blood all but licked from Sakura's teeth completely but still they keep going. It's painful and inexperienced, the two of them biting at each other's lips and tongues as their hands roam to their heart's content.
This is most definitely not the evening Hayato was expecting to have.
Still, he can't say he minds it so much, not when Sakura's chilly hands have slipped underneath Hayato's shirt to caress his lower back, drawing goosebumps out of his skin and making him shiver. Their lips disconnect with a wet squelch that resonates through the empty apartment, a reddish trail of saliva connecting them as Hayato lowers his head to press kisses into the other's jaw and throat, occasionally allowing his dull teeth to graze the skin with interest and intent.
Above him, Sakura makes little mewling noises, throwing his head back. Amusingly, he's still bright red all the way down to his collarbones and — Hayato presumes — his chest. It makes Hayato even more lightheaded, the image of the boy's flushed skin and the sounds of his reluctant moans causing his heart to work overtime.
When his inquisitive hands wander too close to the waistband of Sakura's hole-ridden jeans, the vampire startles. They separate, though not by much, and Hayato feels himself sway against his will. Ah, he manages to think through the thick sludge in his head, I should drink some water.
"H-hey", Sakura stumbles over his words as his hands hold Hayato's, as if he's worried the other will proceed without him holding him back. Hayato would never. "N-not, uh, tonight."
The implied promise of another meeting makes Hayato chuckle. Well, it's not like he's opposed.
"Okay", Hayato nods and presses a much less heady kiss to Sakura's burning cheek before attempting to get up. The world tilts the second he stands upright, Hayato promptly falling onto the couch. It's a bit humiliating, the other must think he's always this hot-headed and clumsy when nothing but the opposite could be said to be true. Usually, Hayato is immensely level-headed, known for his calculated calm and aloofness. Not that he could convince Sakura of that right now.
"Ya should eat somethin'", Sakura winces as he watches Hayato's pathetic endeavor to steady himself. The spinning isn't letting up as quickly as he had hoped it would. "Wait 'ere."
To his absolute astonishment, he hears Sakura stand up and rummage around in his kitchen, eventually returning with a slice of white bread on a plate. It's…something.
While Hayato isn't generally comfortable eating in front of others, he would prefer not to fall unconscious, so he thanks the vampire before slowly nibbling at the food. It's dry enough to make him miss the taste and texture of his own blood.
Oh my, he thinks, This will become a problem.
A barely comfortable silence envelops the two of them as Hayato tries to find his footing. Sakura is fidgeting on the couch as he waits, his eyes alternating between staring at Hayato and avoiding his gaze entirely.
"Uh, thanks", he says once Hayato has finished the slice of bread. His head feels a little better, though he's in dire need of a nap now.
Still, Hayato laughs a little and leans against Sakura's tense body.
"Anytime", he says and then sits up straight again. Hayato ignores how dizzy that makes him in favor of turning to look Sakura in the eye. An idea — stupid, ridiculous, dangerous — has popped into his head.
"Actually, Sakura-kun", he smiles, "How about this? If you let me pet your little kitty self whenever I want, you can drink my blood when you're hungry."
As long as he stays hydrated and eats enough, that should work, right? Somehow, the idea of Sakura — pathetic and scruffy as he is — going back out into the street to find another victim to drink from doesn't sit right with him at all. Honestly, he had a lot of fun and he kind of wants to do this again, already imagining all the things he could do to incite that lovely blush. Plus, Sakura's cat form is frankly adorable.
Win-Win situation.
It takes Sakura a moment to parse his words, outrage and bafflement warring on his face. It's rather obvious that he thinks Hayato is insane but he doesn't appear too put off by it. Pot, meet kettle, huh?
"I mean", he mumbles, "If yer sure…"
Hayato hums in amusement, a glint in his eye as he strokes the puncture marks on his neck.
"I'm sure." He nods, which is a bad idea as the lightheadedness immediately returns tenfold. "I've been meaning to look for a roommate anyway."
Now, he'll just have to think of a way to explain this to Nirei.