Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was on Nagi Seishirou’s first day of school that he realized there was something wrong with him.

His parents had always told him that their family was a bit different from everybody else’s, that they weren’t human, whatever that meant; but he hadn’t really paid much attention to those words . He had considered it enough to remember three main facts: 

1. Humans didn’t drink blood. Okay, so what? Everyone has different tastes. He thought they were the crazy ones for using that disgusting white onion - garlic, his mum had corrected him - in their meals, but he didn’t begrudge them for it.
2. Vampires lived a lot longer than humans. This was relevant because it meant he would grow old at a much slower pace, and people could eventually notice this and become suspicious.
3. Humans would be afraid of him if they found out what he was. This was the fact his parents seemed most keen on repeating to him. He had pinky-promised to keep it a secret, but deep down was sure it wouldn’t be that bad. 

On his first day of school - a real school with a teacher and kids his age and books and a playground - he was ready at 7 am, sitting on the couch with his bag all packed and his uniform shoes tied, waiting for his dad to take him. They didn’t go out often - Nagi had spent most of his childhood at home, playing on his console as he waited for his parents to come back from their day trips -, so he was also looking forward to the boys-only ride. He felt a little disappointed to find out it was a short one.

“Seishirou,” his dad said as he brought the car to a stop in front of the school gate. “Remember what we told you: you must be careful. Stay away from trouble and don’t talk about how things are different at home. Understood?”

Nagi nodded. He was getting a bit tired of his parents’ constant nagging; he just wanted to make friends and learn! What could be so bad about being a little different ?

“If you get hungry-”

“I know,” Nagi interrupted,  “there’s a brick in my bag. ‘ Blackberry juice ’” he quoted with his fingers.

His father stared at him for a few seconds, then sighed loudly, shaking his head. “You’ll be fine.” He ruffled Nagi’s hair, a bit too roughly. “Go. Have fun.”

And he did. He was having a great time; everything - the colorful furniture in the classroom, the walls covered in giant posters and bookshelves filled with picture books, the giant slide in the backyard - was new and exciting, and the kids were loud and he could be loud too. It was the most fun he had ever had. He kept reminding himself that he had to pretend to be a human - if you asked him, he thought he was doing a great job at it - but surely it would be fine if he just ran a little bit faster than the rest of his classmates while playing tag, right?

Then the kid with black hair he was chasing after fell and cut his knee on a sharp rock.

Nagi could pinpoint the exact moment the smell of blood reached his nostrils, because everything else around him disappeared.

The memories of that day after that were cloudy. People were grabbing him and pushing him and pulling him back and all he could think about was how incredibly hungry he was. Then, suddenly, everything turned dark and cold, and there wasn’t room for him to move. He remembered an oppressive silence disrupted by the sound of far-away voices, like white noise. He couldn’t get out. 

Someone called his and the other kid’s parents. He knew this because he remembered his dad coming to pick him up and the terror in the eyes of the woman holding the boy in her arms as his dad carried him to their car.

His parents told him he had been locked inside a wardrobe for about an hour, but it had felt so much longer to him. By the time they had opened it, he had been crying silently, holding his knees to his chest.

They moved after that. Nothing spreads faster than a scandal in a small town, and they couldn’t risk being exposed. They packed all their belongings into their car that same day; by midnight they were miles away.

“You were careless,” his mother admonished him while she browsed for a new place for them to stay on her phone. “You can’t forget what you are. You must always stay on guard.”

In the back of the car, Nagi stayed silent. He tried to replay the day in his mind; tried to understand what he should’ve done differently. The look in the eyes of the child’s mother kept coming to his mind.

It was on that day that Nagi truly began to understand how different he was. He was dangerous . If he got too excited, if he lost focus, he could hurt someone. He never had to be this careful when he was at home.

Going outside… is a pain.

He decided he would do it as little as possible from them on.

,,,

The stirring sound of the alarm clock woke Nagi up. He groaned, stretching his arm to turn it off, and buried his head back in his pillow, willing the world to give him a couple more minutes - or hours - of sleep.

Unhelpfully, he remembered that it was a Monday. Not for the first time, Nagi considered the consequences of skipping school for the day. Mondays, however, also meant Reo would come pick him up in about - he opened one eye to check the clock - twenty minutes. Nagi groaned again, but pushed himself off the bed. He had to get ready.

Going through his morning routine didn’t require much energy. The first thing he did was walk to the kitchen and take one of the bottles in the back of the fridge. They were green and opaque, so anyone who saw them would think they were a common protein shake, but actually were the blood packages his mum sent him. Not many left, he noticed; less than a dozen or so. He checked the calendar on his phone: it was only the 15th… 

How had he consumed more than half of this month’s delivery already? He didn’t stick to a strict eating schedule - listening to his own cravings had worked for him so far - so he hadn’t realized he had been drinking more than usual lately. 

A new batch was supposed to arrive at the end of the month, which meant he had to make do with what was left for, at least, the next two weeks. That was troublesome. He decided to drink only half of the one he had picked; he didn’t want to leave his house on an empty stomach because on Mondays he had training, and Reo usually went extra hard after the weekend break.

By the time he had brushed his teeth and put his uniform on, Reo was outside knocking on his door.

“Good morning, Nagi!” he greeted as Nagi walked out and locked the door. “How was your weekend?”

Nagi turned to look at the cheerful boy and felt part of his tired gloominess lift off of his shoulders. Maybe Mondays weren’t so bad after all.

He shrugged. “Nothing special.”

“Well, I just got back last night,” Reo started as he gently guided Nagi towards the limousine waiting for them with a hand on his shoulder. “My dad made me accompany him to this business congress and it was terrible .”

Once inside the car - and after a second morning greeting from Ba-ya - Reo continued.

“I mean, the talks on market stocks were interesting, but not really anything one can’t already find online.”

Nagi let Reo fasten his seatbelt around his waist, then took his usual position in these morning rides, leaning his head against Reo’s shoulder. As Reo kept talking about complex economic concepts and important people he had met that Nagi didn’t care much about, he enjoyed the sound and gentle vibration of Reo’s voice against his ear and let his mind wander off to other thoughts; for example, the way Reo’s eyes looked a bit more red than usual, the skin under them a shade darker than it should - they must’ve arrived home quite late -, or the fresh, sweet smell of Reo’s shampoo.

As a vampire, Nagi’s senses were sharper than any human’s could ever be. He could see tiny details of an object even from a distance, hear sounds that a normal person wouldn’t detect, and his sense of smell was especially tuned for people’s scents. Over the years, due mostly to his self-imposed solitary confinement, his senses had begun to dull. This had turned out to be helpful when he had decided to attend a human highschool, mostly as a way to blend in with the other kids in the neighborhood now that he lived alone, but without any intention of making any connections. He could control himself better when he wasn’t feeling overwhelmed by anyone’s attention.

Then he had met Reo, and everything had changed.

It had scared Nagi at first, the way he became so aware of Reo’s scent as soon as he entered the room. Nagi had learned to ignore the smell of people’s blood around him, learned to read the signs when he was starting to grow hungry; but with Reo, it was like he was always aware of the fact that he could bite him and that it would taste good . His skin looked just that soft and appealing; his smell was inexplicably comforting and enticing. 

Of course, Nagi would never bite Reo. The fact that he was aware of how much he wanted to do it made him stay alert around him. He could control his instincts because he paid attention to them. Besides, Reo wouldn’t have let him push him away even if he had actually tried to. Reo was insistent, relentless in his efforts to get Nagi to play soccer with him, so it was a fair compromise: Nagi would help Reo pursue his dream of winning the World Cup and, in exchange, he would enjoy Reo’s company, his pretty smile and his nice smell.

Yes, he definitely had things under control.

Back in the limousine on that Monday morning, however, Nagi wondered if he should’ve chosen to sit opposite Reo instead of right by his side. Normally he would use this short time to nod off on Reo’s warm shoulder, but that day he was finding it difficult to relax: there was an annoying fluttery itch in his gut that grew when a turn to right pushed him further into Reo’s neck. 

The way Reo’s heartbeat sped up when that happened was incredibly distracting, too.

It was fine. He just had a small breakfast; he would be extra-careful today. He probably should come up with an excuse to skip practice later.

“And then there was this girl my dad very obviously wanted me to take an interest in.”

Wait. When did Reo start talking about this? Time to focus back on the conversation.

“I hate when he does that, it’s really embarrassing for the both of us. We’ve known each other since we were five , maybe? But-”

Nagi straightened himself so he could properly look at the boy’s face. 

“So you’re old friends?” 

“I wouldn’t call us friends ,” Reo waved his hand dismissively. “We’ve never met more than twice a year, sometimes even less, and we don’t really keep in touch in between, so…”

Somehow Nagi felt Reo was trying to reassure him, but he still didn’t like the sound of it. If Reo started dating someone, would he spend less time with him? Would Reo forget about his soccer dream, and about Nagi, altogether? Nagi didn’t want that. 

He had only met Reo five weeks ago, and although he knew it was temporary, he didn’t want to give up this new life just yet.

The unsettling chain of thoughts must’ve shown on his face because Reo leaned in to ruffle his hair with a laugh.

“Don’t worry, I’m not getting a girlfriend! Besides, she’s a lesbian and she already has someone. We’ve talked about it since it’s so obvious that our parents want us to be together. It was a relief to know it was a no from both sides.”

Good , Nagi thought.

Just then, the car came to a stop in front of the school. Nagi didn’t wait until Reo opened the door to get out. He felt himself relax now that he was in an open space where Reo’s scent wasn’t so prominent. 

“Well then, see you after lunch, Nagi!” Reo waved him goodbye as he sprinted towards the entrance.

Nagi waved back, mentally counting the number of hours until then - seven and a half. He had spent much longer periods of time without eating, and the clear sunny sky meant they were sure to practice drills outside. He would be fine.

,,,

Nagi was not, in fact, fine.

Okay, maybe he was being a bit dramatic, drop-dead on the floor as he was right now, but anyone in his shoes would understand him.

“Come on, Nagi, one more round.”

“No way,” he refused in his best whiny voice. “Reo, please, I can’t anymore. Let’s call it a day.”

The sun was about to set in the horizon and they were the only two people left on the school grounds, which should be a clear indication that they should’ve gone home already; but apparently it wasn’t for Reo. He let out an amused sigh, hands on his hips as he stood right next to Nagi.

“Guess this will have to do then.” Reo wiped the sweat off his forehead on his t-shirt. “I don’t want you getting sick of me for pushing you too hard. Here,” he said, sitting back on his heels and showing his back to Nagi, “I’ll carry you.”

Nagi only thought of the pain in his legs, the prickly feeling going up his arms, and the overall exhaustion that made him want to lay down and sleep, so he pushed himself off of the floor and over Reo’s back. Immediately he was comforted by Reo’s warmth, and he pressed himself tighter as Reo slowly stood up and began walking. 

It was when Nagi placed his head on Reo’s shoulder that he realized he had made a mistake.

It was like his mind could only focus on one thing: Reo’s blood. He could hear it flowing under his skin, in sync with the beat of his heart; he could see it in the shadow of the deep red veins running down his neck; he could smell it, and god, did it smell good . He had always thought that, but it had never been as intense as it was right in that moment.

Reo’s voice shook slightly as Nagi buried himself deeper into his shoulder.

“You seem more tired than usual… Do you want me to call Ba-ya instead of riding the bike?”

Nagi wasn’t listening. He was currently finding the fabric of Reo’s jacket extremely annoying. With one hand he pulled it down, leaving Reo’s neck fully exposed. His mouth watered. 

Without anything in his way, Nagi could now press his nose directly against Reo’s skin. Reo’s quiet gasp didn’t go unnoticed to his ears. Something inside him purred. 

I’m so hungry…

“Nagi, are you okay?” Reo asked.

Nagi felt dizzy, as if mesmerized. Alarms went off in the back of his mind, but he barely had the awareness to pay them any mind. He tried closing his eyes, but that only enhanced the sweet smell. Brushing his lips against Reo’s neck felt like torture; Nagi believed himself a dying man in the desert, unable to drink from the stream right in front of him.

Just one bite.

Reo would barely feel it.

Just a tiny sip.

Like an innocent scratch.

I just need… Surely Reo would give me this… He’s always taking care of me…

Such a pretty prey-

Stop.

Nagi pushed away from Reo so forcefully he almost lost his balance. Reo used his body weight to counter Nagi’s and keep them from falling on their backs, but Nagi needed to put distance between them as soon as possible.

“Let me down.”

As soon as Reo let go of him and his feet touched the ground, Nagi took a few steps away from him.

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden?” Reo asked.

“Uh… leg cramp.”

“Really? Do you need a massage-”

“No, really, it’s fine,” Nagi refused. He started walking towards the gate ahead. “Can you call Ba-ya? I just wanna go home.”

Getting himself inside a closed space with Reo right now seemed like the worst possible idea, but it wouldn’t be worse than having to hold onto his back while Reo cycled them home. So when the car arrived, Nagi sat as far away from Reo as possible and rolled the window down. Reo must’ve felt the tension flowing from him, because he didn’t speak a word during the whole ride.

Nagi got out of the car almost before it had fully stopped in front of his door.

“Bye,” was all he said and he didn’t wait for an answer, not caring about how rude he would look. 

In a matter of seconds, Nagi was rushing inside his kitchen towards the fridge. He took the half bottle he had left that morning and gulped it down. He knew drinking too fast would make him feel nauseous later, but he just wanted to get rid of this sickening feeling, this hunger. He opened another bottle, then a second one.

I thought of Reo as prey.

Only when Nagi felt like he couldn’t possibly drink any more did he allow himself to stop. With his head pressed down onto the kitchen counter, he closed his eyes. He had gotten careless, again. He had started to lean too much on Reo, letting him get too close. Reo had arrived into Nagi’s life so suddenly and seamlessly that in just a few weeks he had managed to make Nagi forget himself a little. Why had Nagi thought he could pretend to be something he wasn’t?

For the first time in his life, Nagi had felt seen by someone his age. Only Reo didn’t truly see him; not the side that actually mattered. 

Would Reo hate me if he knew?

…

What a stupid selfish question. The problem wasn’t whether Reo would still care about Nagi if he knew what he was; it was whether Reo was safe while being with him. The more Nagi asked from Reo, the more he lost himself in Reo’s attention, the more dangerous it became for him.

He wouldn’t ask for more. He would keep him safe.

Nagi dragged his feet towards his bedroom and ignored the buzzing texts on his phone as he walked into the shower.

That night, he dreamt he was locked inside a wardrobe.

,,,

There was something going on with Nagi, Reo had concluded. People may call him arrogant for considering himself an expert on someone else’s behavior - especially if you’ve only known said person for a couple of months - but he was pretty sure he had managed to unfurl the mystery that was Nagi Seishiro pretty thoroughly in that short time.

For the past two weeks, though, there had been something off about him. Reo was used to Nagi’s standoffish nature - he wasn’t someone to make small talk or who would willingly come up with plans to hang out together, instead choosing to go along with Reo’s agenda if he felt like it. But lately Nagi had been more… distant.

Reo had always been a physically affectionate person. He could count the times his dad had hugged him on one hand, but he cherished his mum’s kisses and the gentle way Ba-ya squeezed his shoulder whenever he was feeling down. It had become second nature to him: approaching people with a firm handshake and a confident smile; showing his gratitude and appreciation with an arm around their shoulder or a high-five. 

His relationship with Nagi had begun the same way too. Reo held no restrictions in his mission to win the mysterious genius over. He felt genuinely curious about his unrealized potential and quickly took a liking to his aloof personality. It soon became clear that Nagi didn’t have many friends - or any at all that Reo knew or -, so he had hoped that the time they spent together could ease some of Nagi’s loneliness away, maybe part of his own too. And it had worked.

Then he had started to enjoy the intimacy a little too much.

Reo wasn’t sure if it was the fact that Nagi hadn’t let anyone else get this close in all the time he had been in their school, or if Reo genuinely liked him this much, but he had started looking forward to spending time alone with Nagi more and more. He had especially grown to appreciate the way Nagi let himself be pampered: leaning his head on Reo’s shoulder when they sat close, the quiet hum he let out when Reo threaded his fingers through his fluffy white hair, or the warmth of his body against Reo’s back when he carried him around.

For the past few weeks, there had been none of that.

Ever since that day where Nagi had basically jumped out of the limo before his door came into view, he hadn’t dozed off against Reo on their way to class; he sat opposite him instead of in the chair next to his in the cafeteria; most worrying of all, Nagi hadn’t asked for any more piggyback rides, leaving on his own as soon as practice was finished. Certainly anyone would figure out there was something wrong.

Then Nagi had stopped coming to school altogether.

It was on a Thursday - the fourth day in a row of Nagi skipping class and almost 24 hours since he had stopped answering to Reo’s texts - that Reo decided to take matters into his own hands and go check up on his treasure, despite Nagi’s rejections any time Reo had suggested visiting him in the last couple days. He had asked Ba-ya to get a basic sick-kit like the one they had at home, packed with fruit snacks, lemon ginger tea (Nagi’s favorite), honey, chicken noodle soup, gelatin cups, cough drops, lip balm, chest rub and tissues. She had also included some stronger medicines in case Nagi had a fever, and Reo had asked to drop by the grocery store to buy some vegetables and pasta for a full meal-prep session. 

As they turned the corner to Nagi’s street, Reo found himself looking forward to seeing Nagi again and taking care of him for at least a whole evening.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to take the young master to the hospital?” Ba-ya asked for the third time.

“It’s probably just a cold, we’ll be fine.” Reo struggled to take all the bags into his arms. “Thanks Ba-ya, I’ll call you if we need anything.”

And with that Reo found himself in front of Nagi’s door. He had to use his pinky to reach for the doorbell, but after a full minute he didn’t get any answer. He tried again.

Nothing.

Is Nagi sleeping? Damn, I should get a copy of Nagi’s keys… for emergencies only, of course! What if he's passed out in the bathroom?

Reo was starting to consider asking Ba-ya if she knew anything about lock-picking when Nagi’s voice came from the interphone.

“Reo, go away.”

Relieved flooded Reo’s body.

“Nagi! I brought some food and medicine. Let me in and I’ll get started with-”

“Thank you, you can leave it outside and I’ll come pick everything up later.”

Reo felt his heart drop. Why was Nagi so against him coming in?

“I’m not leaving this here. If you don’t want to see me then I’ll call somebody else, but… I’m not leaving.”

There was a long pause. Reo would’ve thought Nagi had gone back to his room if not for the white noise coming from the interphone, signaling that he was still holding the button on his end.

A deep sigh.

“Fine, you leave the bags in the kitchen and then you go home.”

“Yay!” 

If Reo had had his hands free, he would’ve been crossing his fingers behind his back. No way was he leaving just after dropping the bags; he intended to fully check on Nagi, but Nagi didn’t need to know that. It would be easier to argue with him once inside.

As he pushed the door open with his shoulder, Reo was hit with an intense metallic smell.

My god, when was the last time someone opened a window?

Reo let himself inside and walked briskly down the corridor looking for the kitchen. When he left the bags he had been carrying on the counter, he actually took in the state of the room.

It was a mess. The kitchen cabinets had their doors open, showing their empty interiors. Reo found the expensive bottle of olive oil he had gifted Nagi some time ago - a gift his dad had received from a Spanish partner - unused next to a bag of instant ramen and, literally, nothing else. There were some empty tuna cans and what he guessed were milkshake bottles scattered all over the table.

Is this all he’s been eating?

Reo searched the cabinet drawers for a bag and threw all the trash inside; then, he opened the window to let the stuffy air out.

Meanwhile, Nagi was nowhere to be found. The logical conclusion was that he must have hidden himself in his bedroom so Reo walked out of the kitchen and down the corridor to the only closed door. He knocked on the door, but didn’t wait for an answer.

The stench of the room was worse than any other place in the house. It smelled of sweat and something coppery. It took Reo a couple seconds to make out anything inside. The light coming in from the opened door was only enough to light up the first few objects in front of him - a chair holding a pile of clothes, one of the legs of the bed -; the rest was plunged into darkness. Only a thin line of light filtered through the curtains across the floor. Reo’s eyes were drawn to a small lump in the farthest corner.

Nagi was sitting on the floor in a fetal position, knees against his chest. He had a blanket wrapped around his whole body.

“Reo? What are you doing?” Nagi’s voice sounded raspier in person. “I told you not to come.” It was cold; nothing like the smooth tone Reo was used to. 

“Nagi…” Reo took a step closer, hand reached out in what he hoped was a soothing gesture. “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t come any closer!” Nagi snapped. 

He pushed himself harder against the wall behind his back, as if trying to make himself smaller. “You have to leave.”

Reo felt a painful tug at his heart. Nagi’s body was turned away from him, but his eyes were fixed on his. Even in the very weak light that filtered through the curtains Reo could see the disheveled state Nagi was in - the dark bags under his eyes, the messy hair that clung to his forehead, the way his hands shook with how hard they were clenched against his chest. Reo had never seen Nagi so distressed, and the fact that he wasn’t letting him help only made Reo more worried.

“Please, Nagi,” Reo stayed still, “just tell me what’s going on and we’ll figure it out.”

“There is nothing wrong, I swear.” A blatant lie. Nagi’s trembling voice gave him away. He buried his nose under the blanket, as if trying to evade a smell. “Reo, please, just leave me alone.”

“There’s no way I’m leaving you like this!” Reo answered, exasperated. “I should take you to the hospital! Or-”

“I said I want you gone!” Nagi yelled, making Reo flinch back. 

It was the first time Reo had heard him so angry. No, it wasn’t just anger, it was despair and… fear. Reo found himself at a loss for words; he didn’t know how to help Nagi, and that feeling of helplessness was keeping him frozen where he stood. 

Nagi groaned, a miserable sound coming from the pit of his stomach, and he punched the wall with a strength Reo would’ve never believed him capable of. He thought he saw marks left by Nagi’s knuckles.

Just what is going on?

“Please!” Nagi begged. “If you don’t leave right now, I can’t- I’m gonna hurt you!”

For an instant, Reo felt scared. Maybe the situation was far worse than what he had initially imagined; maybe he should’ve come with help. If Nagi became violent in his frenzied state, he wasn’t sure he could take him alone. Maybe he should leave and - 

No. I’m already here. Nagi needs me.

Reo took a step closer, and Nagi spoke in a whisper.

“You smell too good.”

…

Huh ?

“What? What does that even mean ?!” Reo took his phone from his pocket and started looking for Ba-ya’s contact. “Nagi, I don’t know what the heck has gotten into you, but I’m not going anywhere until I get you some help.

“Besides, haven’t you always said you’re a pacifist? You would never hurt me.”

Reo didn’t even see him move. One second, Nagi was kneeling in the opposite corner of the room; the next, he was tackling Reo to the ground. Reo couldn’t have kept his balance even if he had tried as Nagi used his full body weight - had he always been this strong? - to pin Reo under him. Nagi seized his shoulders in a bruising grip, and his knees pushed into Reo’s thighs. Reo felt his heart was gonna jump out of his chest. Then he looked up at Nagi’s face, and he gasped.

Nagi’s eyes were the color of blood. Gone was the gentle, cool shade of gray that Reo had so grown to love; instead there was an endless pool of sultry red.

“What’s happened to you?” Reo asked in a whisper.

“I’m not what you think I am.”

Nagi growled, actually bared his teeth at Reo in a clear threat, and that’s when Reo saw them. The fangs. One on each side of Nagi’s mouth, long and sharp like daggers. Reo’s mind raced, unbelieving. Impossible. It can’t be.

“You’re a… vampire ?” 

Reo felt stupid saying that question aloud. It was ridiculous; clearly he had watched too many young-adult movies. But Nagi didn’t laugh at the suggestion; didn’t roll his eyes or cock an eyebrow. 

He nodded.

“But those things only exist in books and fairy tales, not in the real world!”

Nagi’s breath was labored and shallow. “Reo.” He let his head fall down onto Reo’s shoulder, his nails digging into his skin. “I’ll explain later, now I need you to leave.”

Reo’s mind raced as he tried to make sense of this situation.

“Are you like this because you’re… hungry? ” 

He took Nagi’s pained moan as a yes .

“How long has it been since you’ve eaten?”

Nagi took a few seconds to answer. “Two weeks.”

“Two weeks?! That’s way too long, right?! No wonder you’re in this state!”

Reo felt himself begin to panic. What should he do? He needed to get Nagi blood as soon as possible. Maybe he could use his father’s name to get some from the hospitals the Mikage Corporation was funding… no, that would take days, and how would he explain such a weird request? Or he could call Ba-ya… no, the poor old woman would have a heart attack if she heard about this… 

Nagi was clearly at his limit. Reo hated to think badly of his treasure, but if they didn’t act fast he might end up hurting someone. He was already saying that Reo’s blood smelled-

Wait. Reo’s blood.

“What if,” Reo started, trying to keep the shiver away from his voice, “you drank my blood?”

Nagi’s eyes flared open in alarm. “No. No way. I have never-”

“It’s the simplest solution.” 

Reo was ready for Nagi to refuse his suggestion, so he had already prepared his rebuttal. 

“It’s only a temporary fix; later we can figure out how to get you a regular supply. But for now-” 

“No!” Nagi yelled. He suddenly pulled away, his back hitting the side of the bed. He hugged himself, shaking his head. “I can’t. I don’t want Reo to hate me. If I lose control, I….”

Reo sighed, a warm smile spreading on his lips. He took the few steps that separated him from Nagi. It was incredible how Nagi had looked so dangerous and threatening a few seconds ago; now he just looked exhausted and scared. 

A bit smugly, Reo knew he had already won. He kneeled across from Nagi and reached his arms to catch Nagi’s hands, moving them away from his face. 

“I could never hate you,” Reo assured him. “Not ever.”

He placed Nagi’s frigid-cold hands on his own shoulders, which Nagi immediately latched onto desperately.

“I know you won’t hurt me. I trust you.”

Nagi’s whole body trembled with restraint. He fixed his gaze on Reo’s, searching for any hint of dishonesty. He found none.

“Are you sure?”

Reo nodded. With one hand, he undid the top buttons of his shirt; pushed it open down his shoulder. He saw Nagi follow the movement, biting his own lip. After a couple seconds, Nagi closed his eyes.

“Then…”

Once again, Nagi moved at a speed too fast for Reo to follow. Before he could blink, Reo found himself on his back; one of Nagi’s hands prevented his head from hitting the floor, the other laid on his chest. Nagi’s face was buried in his neck, his nose brushing against the tender skin. Reo felt a mixture of excitement and apprehension, heart pounding in his ears.

“...Forgive me.”

Nagi’s tongue licked up Reo’s skin before his fangs sank into his flesh. Reo felt the exact moment the teeth perforated the meat, a wet trail of blood starting to flow out. Then the pain took over. Like a lashing flame had sprung from his neck and shot down his spine, coursing through his body, consuming every other feeling; Reo could not hold back a cry. It was difficult to focus on Nagi’s words when his whole body was burning.

“Reo…” Nagi moaned. “It tastes so good.”

Nagi drank from Reo with a mix of reverence and urgency. He took short, shallow breaths through his nose as he kept drinking, as if breathing had become just a secondary need. His body trembled ever so slightly with every gulp.

Little by little the pain gave way to a pleasant numbness. Reo didn’t know if it was the loss of blood making him dizzy, or if Nagi’s abilities included some kind of anesthetic, but… he felt at ease. The weight of Nagi’s body on top of him kept him grounded; the thought that he might be the first person to offer his blood willingly to Nagi stirred something in his lower belly. 

You only need me, right? I can take care of you.

Reo's fingers lightly caressed Nagi's back in silent reassurance. After a short time, Nagi’s thirst seemingly decreased. As he came out of his frenzy, his fangs shortened back inside his mouth and he simply became satisfied with licking the drops that flowed from Reo’s wounds. Reo’s back arched at the tingling sensation, and Nagi followed after him, placing a hand on his waist.

Nagi’s saliva was helping close his wounds at a much faster pace than what would be normal for a human; maybe too fast for his liking. Somehow, through the fog of his lightheadedness, Reo felt Nagi open up his mouth again, and he knew it would be too much.

“Nagi…” he whispered, pressing one hand against Nagi’s chest. “Stop.”

Reo didn’t have the strength to push him away; he wouldn’t even if he had been in his best shape. He could only hope that Nagi would listen to him.

“Reo,” Nagi answered, his fangs a breath away from breaking new skin. 

Then, he stopped.

“Reo!”

Nagi jumped back in a sudden movement that made Reo’s head spin. 

“Fuck, Reo! Reo, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.” Nagi ran back to Reo’s side and gently grabbed his upper body so that he rested his head in Nagi’s lap. “Are you okay? Reo, sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

“ Shhh .” Reo moved his hand over Nagi’s mouth. “I’m fine, just… be quiet for a second.”

Nagi nodded, grabbed Reo’s hand in both his own and slowly lowered his arm.

Reo felt… exhausted. There was a mild headache in the back of his head, and a prickly reminder where Nagi had bit him, but, aside from that, he felt fine. As he allowed himself to surrender to his sleepiness, he noticed Nagi’s hands had regained some of their warmth; they felt nice as they caressed Reo’s hair.  They stayed like that for a long time. Reo thought he dreamt of Nagi resting his fingertips on his neck, feeling for the reassuring beat of his pulse, as he leaned down to leave a kiss on his forehead. 

When Reo woke up, he found himself still cradled in Nagi's lap, their positions unchanged. His headache gone, he opened his eyes. Re; Reo met Nagi's gaze, the worry etched on his face reflecting the remorse he still carried.

“Your eyes, they’re,” Reo started, “normal again.”

He reached for Nagi’s face, cradling his cheek. Nagi leaned into the touch, but his eyebrows only furrowed deeper.

“I’m sorry I lost control. I took too much. I shouldn’t have done it.”

“Nagi,” Reo said, “you didn’t lose control.You stopped when I told you to, didn’t you?”

Nagi shrugged his shoulders. With a sigh, Reo pushed himself up into a sitting position. Nagi followed the motion with his own body, just to make sure he could catch him if needed. A million questions flowed through Reo’s mind.

“So… you’re a vampire. Wow, okay. I guess that’s a real thing now.” He muttered these words with his eyes lost on the opposite wall. “Wow,” he repeated.  

Nagi made a snorting sound, but his expression remained serious. He side-glanced at Reo.

“Aren’t you scared? Do you-” He hesitated. “Do you hate me?” 

“What? No!” Reo answered immediately. Nagi’s shoulders visibly relaxed. “This doesn’t change anything - probably. I mean, you have been a vampire this whole time, only I didn’t know, but-” He cut himself. “How have you even survived this long?” A horrible image went through Reo’s mind: news on missing students around Tokyo; women who lived alone found in their homes with their throats torn open. “You… kill people?”

“No, I haven’t. Never.” Nagi said; Reo felt relief flow across his body. “I’ve always survived off the blood bags my mother sends me from the hospital, but apparently there’s been a shortage in the area lately and…” 

Wait, Nagi’s mother works in a hospital ? How come Reo hadn’t known that? Well, now that he thought about it, Nagi had never really been one to talk much about his parents; he had only ever said that they traveled a lot, so Reo had guessed they must be actors or professional photographers. 

“And your parents, they’re…”

“Like me? Yeah.” 

Silence fell over the room for a short while. It was too much information for Reo to process in one sitting, so he decided against proding for more. This would do, for now.

“Are you feeling better now then? Will you burst into flames if I let some light in?”

Nagi shook his head. Reo stood up then, drew the curtains back, and opened the window.

The mess that had been hidden by shadows now came into full view. Reo put his hands on his hips, a determined look on his face.

“First, we clean the house. We’ll figure out the rest later. Together.” 

,,,

It took some time to get used to it.

Nagi’s story came to Reo in little bits, during the short breaks they spent together at school or the studying sessions in his house - Reo hadn’t realized how protective Nagi had been of his home until they started spending at least a couple evenings there every week. 

Currently sitting on Nagi’s bed, with their math homework still spread on the table, Reo noted Nagi looked completely relaxed now that he had nothing to hide.

“I can eat human food, but it’s like… like drinking an energy drink for you, I guess; doesn’t hold any true nutritional value, but it helps keep you awake.”

“But does it actually taste good?” Reo asked.

Nagi shrugged. “I guess, sometimes. Often it’s just bland.”

No wonder he always complains about eating being bothersome , Reo pondered.

“Nowhere near as good as Reo, though,” Nagi added, deadpanned. 

Reo felt his whole face turn bright red, hyper aware of his blood rushing to his cheeks. “Shut up, that’s embarrassing to hear!”

Nagi raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth coming up. “But it’s true.”

“Anyway,” Reo redirected the conversation, “you say you don’t need to drink blood every day?”

“A couple times a week used to be enough. It’s increased ever since I started playing soccer.”

“That still doesn't sound like a lot. Are you sure you’re not undereating?”

Taking his phone out, Reo started typing, then showed Nagi the browser page on the screen.

“One liter of blood has barely 900 calories; that means you would need to drink around six liters per day ! And that’s not taking into account your intake of other nutrients and vitamins and-”

Nagi dropped his head on Reo’s lap, effectively cutting off his train of thought.

“Reo,” he whined, “stop worrying so much. Pet me instead; I’m tired.”

“That’s probably because you don’t eat enough.”

Nagi sent him a pointed look while he grabbed Reo’s hand and placed it on his head. Reo couldn’t help but smile as he started threading his fingers through the messy white hair. 

How could he not worry? 

With a pleased hum, Nagi closed his eyes. Reo wondered what other differences existed between his body and Nagi’s; if the way Nagi perceived the world was a lot different to a human - if he saw or smelled things he couldn’t.

If Nagi could hear things like the beat of Reo’s heart, and if he had realized it beat faster around him.

,,,

“ Reooo ,” Nagi cried, approaching him from behind. “Today’s training was exhausting. I’ve worked so hard.” 

He dropped his full weight onto Reo’s back, threading his arms around his shoulders. “Carry me?”

Reo chuckled, leaning down slightly so that Nagi could seat himself comfortably. “All right, all right, you whiny baby.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Nagi saw some of the boys in their team staring, a scowl on their faces. Paying them no mind, Nagi nuzzled himself further up against Reo’s neck. 

“I’m hungry,” he said, in a voice only Reo could hear. “Will you feed me today?”

According to medical research, the average male should wait at least 12 weeks to fully regenerate the red cells in his bloodstream after a blood donation, so Reo being the only source of Nagi’s dietary intake wasn’t an option. Since Reo had deemed Nagi’s parents negligent after what had happened that one time, he had taken it upon himself to find a new blood provider. He made sure whatever hospital they were getting it from received a generous donation each month, and switched to a different one every so often so that their blood banks wouldn’t suffer significantly. Not that Nagi cared much about the logistics of it all; what he did care about was that every two weeks or so, Reo would let Nagi have a taste of his blood - never as much as that first time, just enough to ease Nagi’s cravings before his next full meal. 

That had been their routine before Blue Lock, at least.

Reo had jumped at the opportunity that was being offered to the both of them. He had rushed to Nagi’s house as soon as he had read his invitation; he found Nagi holding his letter, going over the last few lines.

We are aware of your special condition. We assure you that it won’t be a problem and that you will be provided for accordingly during the duration of the project, should you accept.

“That’s… good , right?” Reo's voice wavered with a mix of excitement and unease, his eyes searching Nagi's for reassurance. “I don’t know how they found out about you, but it might be worth checking out.”

Alarms were blaring inside Nagi’s head. This was against everything his parents had taught him while growing up. Learning that some organization was aware of his true nature should’ve been enough to have him packing his things and moving across the country that same day. Trusting that organization and actually participating in a program that could potentially expose his name on a national level was suicide .

Reo seemed to have come to the same conclusion. He turned his head towards Nagi, concern visible in his furrowed brow.

“They might be all wrong about it, too; they didn’t specify what your condition is. And even if they do know, I can make sure no one ever breathes a word about it.” 

He gripped Nagi’s hands in his own tightly, almost desperately. Nagi recognised anxiety in the slightly reddened rim of Reo’s eyes.

“I’ll find a way to fix this,” he continued, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Please.. don’t run away just yet.”

Don’t leave me.

Nagi had given in.

So that was how Nagi came to his current bearings. Perched on Reo’s back, with his head on Reo’s warm shoulder as he carried him to their room, he thought that things hadn’t actually changed that much. Being surrounded by so many boys his age all day had taken some getting used to, and it still wasn’t something Nagi could say he felt comfortable with, but it also meant Reo had been paying more attention to him than usual. 

He was always watching the people around him, making sure nobody looked at Nagi suspiciously - not the you’re weird kind of look, which Nagi always got plenty of, especially when Reo carried him around; but the you’re a vampire kind of look , which so far nobody seemed to have used on him. Training sessions had been as strenuous as usual, maybe even more now that there were real stakes to lose, but Reo jumped to Nagi’s side as soon as they were over, searching his face for any sign of hunger or turmoil that should be taken care of urgently. Nagi enjoyed the gentle brush of Reo’s fingers against his cheeks as Reo gently held his head, so he never dissuaded Reo’s ministrations, although his worry was unfounded. Nagi had access to as much blood as he needed, only a trip to the infirmary away.

He still preferred the taste of Reo’s blood, though; but Reo had refused Nagi’s pleas ever since they had arrived on the grounds that “there were too many people around”, that “anyone could barge in on them any second”. So Nagi had worked extra hard to find a place where Reo would feel comfortable enough to feed him. And, just his luck, a few days ago he had overheard some other participants talking about a malfunction in the door locking system that had gotten them trapped inside the dorms for almost an hour.

Nagi had been eager to give it a try ever since.

“Come on… I scored five goals like you asked me,” Nagi whispered in Reo’s ear. “Don’t I get a reward? Just one bite.” 

“You’re so spoiled. Wait until we get to our dorm at least.”

Nagi playfully nipped Reo’s earlobe, as if chastising him for making him wait. He enjoyed watching Reo struggling to hide his embarrassment, not quite repressing a shudder.

When they entered the team V room, Nagi got off Reo’s back and turned towards the door control system.

Up, up, down, up, down.

The lights of the panel turned off completely, and then a blue light started blinking. Sure enough, when Nagi pressed the up arrow, nothing happened. Rebooting the system should give them more than enough time.

With a satisfied hum, Nagi turned around and walked briskly towards Reo’s luxury bed, the tips of his fingers tingling in anticipation.

This was his preferred position: 

He crawled to the innermost end and sat with his back against the wall, a pillow supporting his lower back, legs stretched out in front of him. Reo followed and straddled his waist, sitting back on Nagi’s thighs as he placed his arms around Nagi’s shoulders. Nagi grabbed onto Reo’s sides, holding him in place. Something purred inside Nagi’s chest, thrilled. This must be the predatory side of him, satisfied with the knowledge that his prey couldn’t get away.

He would be lying if he said it didn’t excite him a bit.

Nagi took a few seconds to stare all over Reo’s face, brushing his hair behind his ear, playing with the locks behind his neck. Reo couldn’t help but stare at Nagi’s eyes, which had turned a deep red by then.

So pretty… Nagi thought. 

I’m so lucky you found me.

Running a finger down Reo’s neck, Nagi’s hand came to a stop when Reo grabbed his wrist.

“Can you avoid the neck this time?” Reo asked. “I still haven’t managed to get any concealer here and…” He bashfully avoided Nagi’s gaze, a nervous twitch in his smile. “Better not to have people asking questions.”

Nagi frowned. He knew Reo bruised easily - had watched as shades of purple blemished his skin a few hours after he had bitten him -, and he knew Reo had always been careful to hide it the next day at school or whenever he went outside; but Nagi had secretly liked it. It was proof that Reo trusted him. 

He understood Reo’s concern, though, so he nodded. Reo’s back lost some of its tension as Nagi eased his grip on his sides, and Reo leaned back, increasing the distance between them.

“Then where?”

With his left hand, Reo pushed the right sleeve of his suit up his forearm, showing his wrist.

“Nurses always draw blood samples from a patient’s forearm, so I thought this would be a good place. Plus, it’s easier to hide.”

Nagi stared at Reo’s hand, pondering. He could see the veins under the fair skin; inciting, certainly, but somehow not as appealing as Reo’s neck. He wasn’t about to give up this chance after so long, but Nagi couldn’t explain why he felt a hint of disappointment.

When Reo started moving one leg back as if to get off his lap, Nagi made a grunting sound in the back of his throat. He tightened his grip on Reo’s waist, preventing him from moving. He kept one hand there, and used the other to grab Reo’s wrist and bring it up to his face. Nagi was pleased to find that his scent was strong here too. His mouth began to water as he let his lips brush against the soft skin. 

A couple seconds passed as Nagi watched Reo’s face, allowing him to brace himself. When he nodded, Nagi drew his fangs and sank them into flesh.

Reo’s breath shook as he bit his tongue to distract himself from the pain. Reo placed his other hand on Nagi’s chest, leaning down until his forehead was pressed against his shoulder. Nagi knew he couldn’t drink too much - it was dangerous for Reo to lose too much blood when they would have a new match the next day - and he was determined to keep his word, so he forced himself to drink slowly, letting the red liquid flow into his mouth instead of sucking greedily. 

It was taking all of Nagi’s self-control not to push Reo down onto the mattress and cage him under his body weight, bite wherever he wanted until Reo became a giddy mess. Nagi would take care of him: he would carry Reo to the bath and help him shower; he would wash his hair like Reo had done so many times for him; then he would take him back to this room, to this bed, and they would stay here resting for as long as Reo needed; he would even go get some food from the cafeteria if he needed it.

But no, he wouldn’t do that. Nagi directed his gaze towards Reo’s face, mostly covered by his bangs. He could see his mouth was pressed into a grimace and felt a little guilty. He wished there was a way to make this as pleasurable for Reo as it was for him.

Images of some very questionable content flashed through Nagi’s mind.

That was his cue to stop. Nagi started lapping Reo’s skin, running his tongue over the two small wounds he had inflicted. Once the bleeding had stopped, he pressed a soft kiss to each of the bite marks, his lips lingering there for a moment before he leaned back, his gaze meeting Reo's. There was a tender expression in his eyes as he reached out to brush a strand of hair away from Reo's face.

“Are you okay?” Nagi asked.

Reo managed a weak smile, though his face still held a hint of pain. "I'm fine, Nagi," he reassured. Soon Reo was moving to get off the bed, stretching his arms behind his back. His movements were slow but steady, like he had just woken up from a nap.

Luckily, it didn’t take long for the door to unlock itself. Nagi decided to start preparing for a bath while Reo made a quick trip in search of a chocolate bar.

As Nagi watched Reo disappear around the corner, he wondered what else - if not blood - he was feeling so hungry for.

,,,

The cafeteria had remained one of the few facilities that everyone still shared even after they had been assigned their different stratums, so it had become one of the best places for socializing with teammates, old and new. As Reo finished loading a tray with his meal for the day, he heard an unmistakable bell-like voice calling his name.

“Reo! Nagi-chin! Over here!”

Reo walked behind Nagi as he started for the empty seats next to Isagi and Chigiri, Bachira waving between them, among rows of filled tables.

“What took you so long? Practice finished almost an hour ago,” Chigiri asked, showcasing everyone’s mostly empty plates.

Reo waved his hand dismissively. “Nagi wasn’t feeling well, so I took him to get some rest.”

The readiness of his answer surprised Reo. It was a relief, truly, to see that his ability to come up with cover stories for Nagi was still intact despite… everything.

Only a week ago, Reo thought that his relationship with Nagi would never go back to what it used to be; and in a way, it hadn’t. The fact that they had finally made peace with each other didn’t erase the journey they’d gone through. Reo had realized he had grown too comfortable with Nagi’s blind compliance - had taken him for granted - to the point where he had wanted to destroy Nagi’s resolve and passion for the sake of his own selfish dreams. He should’ve felt delighted and proud of Nagi for finding his own ego and learning to choose for himself, but instead he had felt angry, betrayed, as if he had any right to Nagi’s loyalty. 

Just like my father.

“And you’re only eating that ?” Isagi asked, pointing at Nagi’s tray. It only held an apple and a glass of lemon juice.

Nagi shrugged. “I had a snack in my room, so I’m not that hungry.”

Reo’s drink went down the wrong way and he fought to get his breathing back under control at the same time that he kicked Nagi’s foot under the table. Asshole . He sent him a death glare as he saw the corners of Nagi’s mouth twitch upwards. 

Luckily no one connected Reo’s shock to Nagi’s comment - you okay? Do you want some water? - and the conversation naturally moved on to other subjects: Isagi’s latest drama-queen fight with Kaiser, an apparently famous series the Spanish team had introduced Bachira to. Reo ate his curry as he made small interventions here and there, comfortable in the peaceful and, by now, familiar environment.

“Heey, purple-bun !”

A sixth voice came from Reo’s back, immediately followed by an arm around his shoulders. He didn’t need to see the pink and blond locks of hair entering his field of vision to figure out who it was. 

“Missed me much?” Shidou Ryuusei asked. 

Reo’s feelings about his ex-teammate were complicated, to put it simply. On the one hand, they had met during a time Reo couldn’t say he was proud of, and Shidou’s violent personality still made Reo feel on edge when they were together. On the other hand, the blond hadn’t turned away from Reo’s weaknesses; he had believed in his strength and even tried to comfort him at times - in his own, questionable way. All in all, Reo wouldn’t call Shidou a close friend, but he thought he could become one.

But for that he would have to learn the concept of personal space first. Shidou was currently pressing his cheek against Reo’s, which didn’t last long before Reo used his hand to push him away.

Reo thought he saw Nagi’s shoulders tense up to his side.

“You know, I’m actually trying to eat here,” Reo complained.

With a hum and a self-satisfied grin on his face, Shidou slowly stood back straight. Reo took the chance to cast a quick glance at Nagi’s face. Nagi was currently glaring at the hand Shidou had kept on Reo’s shoulder.

“It’s been a while since we spent some quality time together, so how about you come train with me this evening?” Shidou asked then.

Reo didn’t hide his surprise.

“What? Don’t you have the French team for that?”

Shidou sighed dramatically. “ Oui , but most of them are taking the day off and we’re short one midfielder for our mock training match. So I said: Don’t worry guys, I know just the perfect garçon .” 

Reo’s middle-school French tutor would’ve had a lot to say about Shidou’s pronunciation, but Reo couldn’t quite hold back an amused smile. 

Shidou threw a glance at the rest of the table. “Surely your lame friends won’t mind.”

“Oh, you actually know we’re here.” Chigiri said, voice dripping with sarcasm. “I almost thought we had turned invisible.”

Shidou only stuck his tongue out in return. 

Reo scratched his eyebrow in thought. Playing with a different team actually sounded like a good training exercise; maybe he would end up learning something from a different team’s perspective-

“Reo is busy. We have training,” Nagi snapped.

Everyone turned to look at Nagi, startled by his sudden intervention.

“We do?” Reo asked. He didn’t remember seeing anything on the schedule this morning.

“I thought that Chris said- Ouch!” Chigiri suddenly cried out.

“Last minute change,” Nagi insisted. “Special training. We can’t miss it.” 

The sight of Nagi, usually composed and indifferent, acting so antagonistically was always a bit unsettling. Shidou squinted at Nagi, who held his gaze defiantly. Reo watched with rising anxiety as Nagi’s arms tensed on the edge of the table, as if about to spring into action. 

The tension was broken when Shidou raised his hands in a mock of surrender, the aggressive expression leaving his face.

“Okay, okay, I get it. My mother taught me not to steal another man’s food.”

He moved from Reo’s side, approaching Nagi instead. 

“But, you know, I’ve never been a very good listener.”

Then, Shidou leaned down to whisper something into Nagi’s ear. Reo couldn’t catch the words, but he watched Nagi’s face. His eyes, which had by then calmed back down into their usual disinterested shape, flew open with… shock?

It happened in less than a blink. Nagi suddenly stood next to Reo’s seat, in the space between him and Shidou. Nagi’s body was pressed against Reo’s shoulder, so close that Reo was being pushed against the table, while his arms enveloped Reo’s head. It felt like Nagi was trying to cover as much of Reo with his body as he could. Then he made a hissing sound not unlike that of a cat, which prompted Reo to crane his head up towards his face. Nagi wore a frenzied look in his eyes. Then Reo saw them, the impossibly sharp fangs, exposed, threatening, and his brain panicked. 

Reo threw his arms where he could reach around Nagi’s waist, pressing his forehead against his ribcage and praying that he would be strong enough to slow Nagi down. 

In the end, nothing happened. After a few excruciatingly long seconds, Reo raised his head. Nagi was still glaring at Shidou, but his face was otherwise normal. Shidou also looked calm as if nothing unusual had happened. His eyes traveled from Nagi’s face to Reo’s and, with a wink, he turned around and walked away.

“Nagi?” Reo asked. Although the violence seemed to have left his body, Nagi’s grip on Reo remained tight. Reo turned his head towards the others on the table and held his breath at the stunned looks directed their way.

“Dude, what was that?” Isagi said. “Did you just hiss at him?”

“Wow, Nagi, I didn’t know you could move that fast!” Bachira added.

Meanwhile, Chigiri simply shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

The relief of nobody figuring out Nagi’s nature almost made Reo go limp; but it was quickly overshadowed by the embarrassment of their current position. He pushed on Nagi’s chest.

“Nagi, get off.”

At the command, Nagi took a step away; but as he did, he grabbed Reo’s arm, pulling him up from his seat and away from the table towards the door.

“Hey, I’m not done with my lunch!” 

“We need to talk. In private.”

That was all the explanation Reo received as he was practically dragged outside the cafeteria and down the main corridor. Nagi waited until they arrived at the first side passageway which led to the gym to finally face Reo. Without ever letting go of his arm, Nagi pushed Reo’s sleeve up to his elbow and brought it up to his face. For an instant Reo thought that he was about to bite him again, but instead Nagi only looked. He turned Reo’s palm up and down a few times, running his eyes all over the exposed skin.

“What are you doing?” Reo asked.

“Did he touch you?” Nagi asked, an edge of anger on his voice as he turned his attention from one arm to the other.

“Touch me? Who?”

Paying him no mind, Nagi let Reo’s arm fall and suddenly grabbed the collar of his jacket, harshly pulling the zipper down. Reo took a step back, slapping Nagi’s hands away, but Nagi only followed him until Reo’s back was pressed against the wall and he couldn’t stop Nagi as he also pulled his t-shirt down around his neck.

“Nagi! Who are you-”

“That pink-haired demon, did he bite you?”

“ Bite me? No- What the heck? Why would he do that?”

Nagi raised his eyes to look directly at Reo’s, who was honestly feeling more confused by the second. Reo went over the conversation that had taken place just moments ago in the cafeteria; Nagi’s evident discomfort from the moment Shidou showed up; his reaction to whatever the blond boy had said into his ear… 

Reo let out a nervous laugh. “No way. You can’t think that -” 

Remembering that they were very out in public, Reo checked that there was nobody around to hear them, then lowered his voice into a whisper.

“- Shidou is a vampire?!”

Nagi nodded, his eyes wide open like a scared child. He turned his gaze back down to Reo’s neck, searching for any scars that he didn’t recognise as his own. 

Meanwhile, Reo stood frozen in shock. It must be a misunderstanding. Surely Reo would’ve noticed during the time he spent with Shidou during the second selection, right? It’s not like he didn’t know vampires were real. What were the chances of there being any more here?

Then his memory took him back to the day he and Nagi arrived at Blue Lock. Ego Jinpachi had approached them when they were the only two left in front of the entry door. He had taunted them; tested their resolve by questioning their commitment and their dream. Reo had chosen to ignore the lanky man’s babble; but at that moment one particular quote came to mind.

“Rest assured; we’ll be covering for everyone’s special dietary needs,” Ego had said, pushing his glasses up, “including that of blood-suckers.”

Their mistake had been to assume that the plural was only rhetorical.

“Are you sure?” Reo said.

“Yes, certain.” Nagi’s hands had eased their grip on Reo’s clothes, now simply resting on his shoulders. “I felt there was something off about him, his smell,” he scrunched his nose, “was all wrong, and then he said…”

With a sigh, Nagi closed his eyes as he let his head fall into the crook of Reo’s shoulder. “I thought he had drunk Reo’s blood too. You promise he hasn’t?”

Reo shook his head. “Yeah, I had no idea.”

Nagi hummed and Reo felt the vibration on his skin. “I’m glad.” He left a kiss on his neck.

Mine.

A shiver traveled down Reo’s spine. Seeing Nagi react this way to what could possibly have happened during the time they were apart… Reo couldn’t deny he enjoyed the feeling.

The irony of the situation didn’t go unnoticed to him. One of the things that had made Reo feel estranged about his new reality after Nagi left was not having to constantly worry about attending to the needs of a supernatural being; not feeling like he needed to always be on watch about him. Turns out he had just traded one vampire for another.

Nagi took a step back, standing straight again. He brought a hand to rub his neck.

“Sorry; let’s go back. I’ll buy you a new lunch if you want.”

Reo sighed. 

“It’s fine. I don’t have much of an appetite anymore.” 

Then he grabbed Nagi’s hand and started walking towards the gym.

“Let’s go tackle this special training that we can’t miss!”

“ Nooo, Reooo! That was a lie!”

,,,

Some nights Nagi laid awake in bed for hours, his head on Reo’s chest, ear pressed right on top of his beating heart. It had become his favorite sound in the world: quiet, soothing, rhythmic. Reo had been asleep for a while now, but his heartbeat kept Nagi company.

It wasn’t until he had met Reo that Nagi understood how lonely he had actually been before. It wasn’t until Nagi had lost him that he realized how badly he would hate to go back to that life; a life of solitude that his parents had foreshadowed him from an early age. He hadn’t really minded then; one can’t miss what they’ve never had.

Something ugly tugged at his own heart, and he reflexively tightened his arms around Reo’s waist, buried his nose against the crook of his neck, as if he could prevent the universe from taking Reo away from him if he held onto him hard enough.

Reo let out a tiny grunt as he fidgeted.

“Nagi?” He said after a while, voice thick with sleep. “What’s wrong? Can’t sleep?”

Nagi would’ve felt guilty about waking Reo up if he didn’t enjoy the feeling of Reo’s hands running through his hair so much. He would’ve let him go back to his quiet state of slumber if he didn’t like the sound to his voice.

“Reo,” Nagi said, pressing their bodies closer together as Reo slowly turned towards him, “will you stay with me?”

Reo yawned, slowly blinking a couple times.

“Huh? Of course,” he answered. “I promised, didn’t I?”

Together until the end. That had been their promise. It had been Nagi the one to put it into words, but he hadn’t realized then that his end might be completely different from Reo’s. Maybe he himself hadn’t been aware of what he had actually meant.

Nagi’s hand found Reo’s half-way under his pillow. Reo must’ve thought his answer was good enough, a soft smile on his mouth as he let his eyes shut close again.

“Will you stay with me,” Nagi asked again, and this time he squeezed Reo’s hand meaningfully, “ forever? ”

Nagi saw in the way Reo’s eyes widened the moment he truly understood what Nagi was asking. His eyebrows slowly lifted; a soft exhale escaped him, his breathing momentarily catching.

They said nothing for a while that felt like an eternity, but Nagi knew it wasn't more than a few seconds. He counted the time in beats of Reo’s heart - one, two, three, four.

Then Reo nodded.

It was the way Reo threaded their fingers together under the pillow. It was the absolute determination in his eyes. He didn’t take his gaze away from Nagi as he stretched his head back, leaving the whole expanse of skin from chin to clavicle exposed.  

Nagi leaned down and, as his lips brushed against the point of skin where chin and neck met, he felt Reo’s body tense - heard him gasp; saw the line on his forehead where his eyebrows furrowed, eyes clenched; tasted the goosebumps across his skin.

It was the fact that Reo was trusting Nagi with the fragility of his short human life that made all the difference.

This is love.

I'm pressing my teeth against your skin knowing I could kill you, and you still choose to stay by my side.

Instead of the cold ivory feeling of teeth, Reo felt the gentle warmth of Nagi’s lips. 

Nagi left them there as Reo’s body shuddered, waiting for the pain that didn't come. Before Reo could raise any questions, Nagi grabbed Reo’s chin between his fingers and kissed his mouth.

It was a tender, long press of their lips together. Reo’s lips were soft and smooth against Nagi’s own and all Nagi could think was this feels good, this feels right . They made a quiet popping sound when Nagi pulled back just enough to look at Reo’s face - his flushed cheeks, his fluttering eyelashes, the glint in his eyes that kept going back to Nagi’s mouth. There was a lock of hair stuck to Reo’s cheek; Nagi moved his fingers to tuck it back behind his ear and left his hand there, feeling Reo’s pulse under his thumb.

Their noses brushed against each other; Nagi kept his eyes open as Reo closed his when their lips touched again. This time they moved. Reo tangled the hand that wasn’t being held under the pillow in Nagi’s hair, pressing him closer; Nagi‘s tongue brushed Reo’s lip and Reo opened his mouth obediently. Nagi’d had Reo’s blood before, but he couldn’t decide if he preferred the syrupy crimson over the taste of his mouth.

Reo’s heart was beating incredibly fast, its beat so loud it was deafening in the silence of the room, over the embarrassing wet sounds made by their mouths.

Reo, can I be greedier?

Nagi’s teeth caught Reo’s lower lip and bit just enough to break skin. Reo whimpered, his breath catching for a second; Nagi shushed him, kissed and licked over the wound guiltily, but he couldn't hold back the moan that escaped him when Reo’s blood touched his tongue. Reo responded in kind, toes curling behind Nagi’s legs where they were tangled under the sheets, as Nagi pushed their hips together.

There wasn’t an inch of their bodies that wasn't touching. Nagi thought he might completely lose control of himself - it was too much , too good , he couldn’t stop, even if he hurt Reo he wouldn’t be able to-

“That’s it, I’m fucking done.” Chigiri snapped from across the room.

Reo sprung up from his lying position, pushing Nagi off him.

“Fuck, Chigiri, wait-”

“No, don’t worry! You freaks keep doing your thing! I’m leaving!” The redhead didn’t even look at them as he grabbed his pillow and a blanket. “You’re explaining this to Chris tomorrow.”

And with that, he was gone.

“Damn,” Reo sighed, brushing a hand down his face. He smacked Nagi’s shoulder. “What the hell were you doing?”

“Hey, you weren’t complaining,” Nagi protested.

“Yes, but I didn’t realize– I was sleeping! For all I knew, I could’ve been dreaming.”

Nagi’s face fell with dread. Reo cursed himself, reaching for Nagi’s hand.

“It wasn’t a dream, right?”

Nagi held Reo’s gaze as he shook his head. He threaded their fingers together and let Reo pull him close, until their faces were a breath away. 

“Nagi-”

“Seishirou.” Nagi said. “I want you to call me that.”

“Seishirou,” Reo repeated, smiling.

“Reo.”

Reo was Nagi’s first friend - his first best friend; his first kiss; his first love. Nagi kept count of all the firsts that he had shared with Reo. As he closed the gap between them and mapped the inside of Reo's mouth with his tongue, Nagi knew they would share every single one of his future firsts too.

,,,

The next morning, Nagi woke up with Reo’s head in the crook of his neck. He regretted fidgeting to find a more comfortable position when he heard Reo sigh, awake, but he only buried himself deeper. They still had a few minutes until they had to get ready for the day. Nagi used his free hand to run his fingertips up and down Reo’s back. 

“Good morning, Nagi,” Reo started, after a while.

Nagi pinched the skin of Reo’s waist, making him giggle.

“ Sei, ” Reo corrected, leaving a kiss on Nagi’s chest. “Why didn’t you turn me last night?”

It took a few seconds for Nagi to answer. He kept his gaze on the foot of the bed, pensively.

“I was thinking about doing it. I almost did.”

“I know,” Reo said, turning his full body to prop himself up and better look at the other boy. “I wanted you to. I want you.”

“I know,” Nagi said, and it was true. There had been nothing but brutal honesty in Reo’s submission, as there had been none in Nagi’s devotion. “I just… want to give you a little more time.”

Reo frowned. “Time for what?”

“To live life,” Nagi answered, “as a human.

“It’s not that I think you’ll regret it or anything. But we’re still young. You can enjoy having a normal life for a while longer.” He took Reo’s hand and threaded their fingers together, lifting them to his mouth. “Then you’ll be a monster for the rest of eternity.”

Reo’s cheeks flushed at the sweet press of Nagi’s mouth on his hand, but he frowned.

“You’re not a monster.”

Nagi shrugged. Then he did as if to bite Reo’s fingers, but Reo took his hand away before he could.

The corner of his mouth lifted in an amused smile. “So you’ll keep pretending you like human food when I take you out on dates in the future?”

“Mhm. But only if I get a reward afterwards.” Nagi said.

“You spoiled baby.” 

“Not a baby. I’m your partner.” 

“My treasure.”

“Your boyfriend ,” Nagi concluded.

Reo nodded. "And I'm yours."

And that was enough.