Chapter Text
It has been about six years since I was first bitten, and we’ve decided to organize a reunion. Everyone from the old gang will be there. Nazuna said she would come, but I really hope she does; otherwise, I might leave early. I can’t stand the girly girl talk, at least not without her there. I know she dislikes it too.
[Next stop, Kumori]
Ah, back home from the Arctic. I wanted to stay longer, but I promised to help set up for the reunion. The remaining vampire crew is letting us use their lounge. As the train comes to a stop, I step off and head toward the detective’s office, where the detective has just finished her cigarette. “I just got back from inviting Nazuna to the reunion,” I say, brushing some autumn leaves off my jacket.
“I thought you were going to stay with her,” the detective replies, lighting up another cigarette.
“I did mention that I would help set up,” I explain. “Even though I wanted to stay, we should have time afterward to relive some memories…” I trail off, looking down and not realizing my fangs have extended. I sigh and glance back at the detective.
“It’s been a long six years for both of you,” Miss Detective reassures me. “I’m sure it will be a fun night. We should head over to start setting up for tomorrow.”
“Yeah, we should get moving…” A yawn interrupts my sentence. “...so we can be there before the others wake up.”
“Kou?” Anko calls out, surprised. I hum in response. “Doesn’t sunlight hurt vampires?”
“Yeah, it stings. Why do you ask? You already know this,” I say, puzzled. She raises an eyebrow, and then it dawns on me. Using my tongue, I feel my fangs. “Oh, I get it,” I say, answering my own dumb question.
“How could you not notice? Pain and bleeding are your triggers,” the detective presses.
“Um… I must have gotten a paper cut or something small,” I explain as best I can. “We should get going. I should switch back soon anyway; the sting shouldn’t bother me if it happens,” I suggest, hoping to change the subject.
“Yeah,” she replies with a sigh as we walk out the door. Instant regret washes over me; it doesn’t usually feel like this. What’s with these new changes? Is it because I’m older? No? Wouldn’t that have happened sooner? Ugh, thinking like this is tough. “KOU!”
“Huh? What?” I say, startled out of my thoughts. The detective gives me a concerned look.
“You alright? You’ve been out of it since you got back,” she tells me as I realize we’ve walked farther than I thought. We’re almost there.
“Yeah, just a bit of jet lag, and maybe the sun is getting to me more than I want to admit,” I respond as I open the door to the lounge. Just as I finally switch back, I mutter, “Figures,” and sigh.
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After they get to the top of the stairs, they start setting things up. Kou is in his vamp state, gracefully setting up streamers while soaring through the air. Meanwhile, the detective was busy arranging tables below. As Kou hovered above, he flashed a wide, toothy grin that revealed his fangs. “I’ve finished hanging the streamers and lanterns,” he declared, just as his stomach let out an unexpected growl.
“Hungry?” she asked, noticing the faint crimson hue creeping into Kou's cheeks. It was typical to see him flustered.
“Yeah…” he murmured, a wave of embarrassment washing over him. He hadn’t meant to draw attention to his hunger.
“Have you eaten today?” she pressed, her tone a mix of concern and curiosity.
“Yes, I’ve eaten more than usual, but I’m still hit with this strange craving,” he admitted, his voice tinged with irritation at his own unusual hunger.
“Have you considered… that you might need blood?” she suggested, a hint of worry in her voice.
Kou shook his head, disbelief evident in his tone. “I doubt it. Given my human half, and considering it’s been six years since I became this strange hybrid, it seems odd that I’d need it now.”
“That might not be entirely accurate,” Anko countered, taking a seat at one of the tables, her posture relaxed but her expression serious.
“Huh? What do you mean by that?” Kou asked, lowering himself to sit across from her, intrigued.
“I’ve asked you to sample blood in the past to track down certain individuals, and it’s been quite a while since we’ve had a case like that,” she pointed out.
“I hadn’t really thought of it that way,” Kou admitted, a furrow forming on his brow as he pondered. ‘But that was just a drop, not a full meal. Not when I think about the others,’ he reflected.
“When did this start happening?” the detective inquired.
“About a month ago,” Kou replied, still lost in thought. ‘Why does that matter? Have I been needing this all along without realizing it?’
“So, this started happening after you turned twenty? Maybe you’ve hit vampire puberty,” Anko joked, pulling him out of his thoughts.
“WHAT?!” he exclaimed, springing up, flustered. “No way! That can't be a real thing, can it? The others would’ve mentioned it, right? AH!”
“Calm down, kid, I was just joking.” Anko chuckled at Kou’s panic. “We still don’t fully understand what’s going on with you, and who knows, things might be changing.”
"True, there’s still so much we don’t know. Nazuna and I are the only known hybrids,” Kou sighed.
“Although, aside from being born a vampire, she’s pretty much a regular vampire,” the detective noted, “so you really are a unique case, Kou.”
“Unfortunately,” he sighed again, resting his head on the table, “can we keep this between us, please?”
“Sure, I won’t say a word,” the detective reassured him, “at least not until we have a firm answer.”
“Thanks,” Kou said, rising to float up once more. “I’m going to finish with the balloons.”
“Starting the setup already?” Niko chimed in as the rest of the vampire crew walked in.
“Yeah, I want everything to be perfect for tomorrow night,” Kou replied, hanging upside down.
“Trying to impress Nazuna?” Seri teased, “if she actually shows up. Knowing you two, you’ll probably vanish halfway through the party.”
“Aren’t you excited to see Akkun, Seri?” Kou asked as he landed to greet the other vampires properly.
“Oh yeah, I can’t wait to see him again,” Seri replied enthusiastically.
“Oh, Kou, I have your suit ready for tomorrow night. Are you sure you want to dress up?” Hatsuka asked.
“Suit?!” the others exclaimed simultaneously, prompting Kou to sigh.
“After the reunion, I was planning to take Nazuna on a proper date since it’s been five and a half years since our last one,” Kou explained, rubbing the back of his neck. “As a surprise.”
“I still want my own Stupid Yamori,” Midori mumbled.
“We should get back to setting everything up,” Anko reminded the group. The group worked together to finish everything ready for the next night.
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“Sooooo... Kou, can we get the details?” Hatsuka asks, and a wave of dread washes over me; not this conversation again.
“No, not now,” I reply with a sigh, scrambling for an excuse to dodge the girly talk.
“Aww… come on, Yamori,” Seri urges, “It’s been six years! We want to know what’s happening between you two.”
“Just a long game of tag, since we can’t really be a normal couple,” I say, my voice tinged with more sadness than I intended. “But at least I get to see her.”
“Are you sure the curse would affect you?” Kubura materializes out of nowhere, startling me.
“I don’t know, and that’s part of the problem,” I sigh again. “I’ve talked it over with Detective Lady; it’s a gamble. Neither of us wants to risk it... if only one of us dies, it would be devastating. I’d probably lose it. There have been times I've nearly given in to those urges, and I know she has too. But there’s a chance all of this is for nothing, and we could have been together the whole time,” I say, looking off into the distance. “We know very little about how the curse works or even what I am!”
“Kou....” Niko tries to console me, but I can’t stick around. Realizing I switch, I seize the opportunity to leave.
“I still have a few things to set up for tomorrow,” I say, irritation creeping into my voice. “See you all then.” In a heartbeat, I shoot into the sky, flying towards an abandoned building I've turned into a training area. I wish things were simpler, that I didn’t have to worry, but love feels like a curse when you’re a vampire.
“Loving someone can bring pain, but it also brings so much joy,” I sigh, arriving at my training space to blow off some steam. I need to be careful; I’ve built up my rage meter without taking any damage, which is new. Ugh, maybe I am really going through vampire puberty. I decide to lie back on the couch I’ve set up, aiming to relax and bring my emotions under control.
Focusing on my breathing, I switch to my human form. “Huh, maybe I can switch at will now,” I muse. Sitting up, I concentrate on making the change again. My fangs extend, and I leap up in excitement when I succeed. “Can I do the reverse?” I wonder, focusing once more to relax. My fangs retract.... yes!
“How long can I stay in this vampiric state? At least this way, I can train with a clearer mindset.” I extend my fangs once again, determined to remain in this form for as long as possible while holding onto my sanity. “Why do I have to fight against the urge to go feral?”
“Maybe it’s because the monster inside you is itching to break free,” Detective Lady responds, causing me to jump in surprise; I hadn’t noticed her coming in. “Relax, kid; it’s just me. I didn’t mean to catch you off guard.”
“Sorry, I was a bit lost in my thoughts,” I chuckle awkwardly. “Of course, you know about this place, huh? Heh... heh...”
“Well, we are detectives,” she smiles knowingly. “It’s part of our job to gather information, and knowing my coworker has a vampire nest is quite useful.”
“It’s nice to have a spot to clear my head,” I sigh. “I’ll have to apologize to them tomorrow.” My fangs retract, and I mutter, “Great.”
“That bad?” Detective Lady asks, “I didn’t take you for the type—”
“No, it’s just tough trying to stay vampiric without taking any damage,” I cut her off. “I’ve figured out I can switch forms at will now, but it’s way harder to stay in one or the other.”
“So, changes are underway,” she notes. “Have you noticed any others?”
“It’s getting much harder to keep my cool and not lose my temper,” I muse, wondering if there’s anything else I’d miss. “You probably sensed that already. How am I going to face Nazuna like this?” I sigh and lie back down on the couch.
“I know you’ll handle it no matter what,” she reassures me. “You were made for her.”
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Alright, it’s sunset! Time to play it cool. I’m a detective….’s assistant, but do I have any fun pick-up lines? Unfortunately, I’ve used them all, and I can’t rely on my usual ‘I know all these details’ schtick since she’s the one coming to me. Ugh, what am I supposed to do? Maybe I can do a fun introduction. I sigh, but honestly, I should be preparing for goodbye instead of hello.
That thought stings. I know it’s necessary, but sometimes I wish I had been turned normally so we wouldn’t have to part ways. Yet, being this way allows me to straddle both worlds. Alright, focus! Flowers? Check. Suit? Check. Camera? Check. Vampire mode? We'll come back to that. Reservation? Check. Enough alcohol to knock out a horse? Check. Is there anything else?
The train should arrive any minute. “Who are you waiting for?” a voice behind me suddenly asks, filling me with instant calm. I smile and relax.
“Just one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever met,” I respond, knowing that Nazuna is behind me. I turn to see her flustered expression. “I’d travel the world just to see her.”
“Shut up!” she retorts, flustered. “What happened to the guy who was pacing just a moment ago?”
“Well, now that you’re here, I have nothing to worry about,” I bluff, flashing her a smile as I hand her the flowers.
“Getting dating advice from Seri again?” she questions, calling my bluff as she crosses her arms.
“Nope, just some romance books that Kyoko recommended,” I reply, and to my dismay, she starts laughing.
“Seriously? You’re such a dork,” she chuckles. I stand there, somewhat disappointed in myself.
“But I’m your dork,” I defend, “one that you’re stuck with for life.”
“I’m glad,” she says, her laughter fading into a warm smile. “Did you drag me down here for a date or a reunion?”
“Why not both?” I suggest. “But we should probably head to the reunion; it’s about to start.” I shift into vampire mode and float slightly above the ground. “Hey, Nazuna, ready to enjoy a night of fun?” I offer my hand to her.
“Idiot,” she replies. Nervous, I wonder if I’ve messed it up, but then she takes my hand, and we soar toward the lounge.