Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

It was very late the night Yoshiki was attacked.

Warm, summer air carrying the scent of fried street food, the buzzing sounds of humanity in his ears, and the brightly lit, bustling streets of Tokyo faded as Yoshiki Tsujinaka took a wrong turn. He stayed long after his last class had ended, choosing to study for his bio-chem exam in the library until it closed. He was distracted and exhausted, his back aching from the two textbooks he had stuffed in his backpack, and his favorite band's new album (Maki would have called them emo, but Yoshiki thought they were more nuanced than that) was blasting in his headphones. It was only after looking up from his phone that Yoshiki realized he had no idea where he was.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath. He took out his earbuds and stuffed them into his pocket, quickly pulling up the navigation app on his phone. Damn it, have ya learned nothin'? Yer askin' for trouble.

He set the map to guide him back to his tiny apartment, which was not far from campus. He turned away from the alley, towards a single streetlight along the bigger street he had accidentally strayed from—a beacon, flickering once.

Yoshiki…

He froze. A whispered voice, barely there at all. A trick of the mind, given life by his overactive imagination and chronic anxiety. There was nothing in this alley, and certainly nothing that knew his name. He should ignore it, like he usually did when he heard voices calling to him. He took a step forward, toward the light, and it flickered again, as if blinking at him.

Yoshiki…

He whirled around, gasping sharply. Yoshiki shined his phone light in front of him, and, as expected, there was no one there.

He laughed, a shaky breath of air escaping his lips. An' what if there had been someone behind ya with a knife? What wouldja have done, huh?

The alley was the kind of dark so dark that it was easy to start seeing shapes within, uncanny forms that could not be human. Yoshiki had never liked the dark. His imagination had too much power in the dark, and he was no good at fighting it.

Something moved off to his right. Something fast.

A crackle, like the spark of fireworks. There and gone in an instant.

Yoshiki cried out, stumbling back. When he blinked, he saw nothing but empty darkness. The light behind him flickered again, and for the split second it went out, he was in a void of nothingness. His heart was pounding, his breaths heavy.

Why am I still here? Why ain't I runnin' this time?

It was like the idiot character in horror movies, going exactly where you don't want them to go and never running away when they should.

Yoshiki… Yoshiki… Yoshiki!

Yoshiki cried out again, the whispered sound of his name seeming to come from all directions, whipping around his head like a buzzing swarm of bees. Close, impossibly close. He stumbled backwards into a trash bin, catching himself on it and wielding the light from his phone like a shield. Still, he saw nothing.

"Who— Who's there?" Just like in the damn movies, Yoshiki thought, cursing himself.

A rush of sudden wind barreled down the alley. It was a gust so violent it seemed to rip right through Yoshiki, and though it was summer in Tokyo, it was unnaturally and agonizingly cold.

"Gah—!" Yoshiki's cry caught in his throat as his entire body went rigid. The wind seemed to pass through him, pushing into his chest and out his back, slow and arduous as if his body were molasses. Every aching second it seemed to be inside him, his veins turned to ice. His phone clattered to the ground and he stumbled backwards again, sending the trashbin clattering loudly to the pavement. Yoshiki wrapped his arms around himself, his heart hammering in his chest, as he doubled over and gasped for air.

A sharp cry—like the piercing wail of a small animal—sounded over to his right, the same place he had seen the strange, crackling movement in the shadows. Yoshiki tried to move his legs, but he was so damn cold, his muscles were too stiff and aching to listen. There was a flash of light where the cry came from, like the blue of scorching fire, and then another from off to the left, followed by the same ear-splitting cry. The wind rushed again, blowing something into Yoshiki's eyes that made them sting. He coughed, blinking rapidly.

And suddenly everything was quiet.

Everything was still.

I needa get outta here. I got class in the mornin' and it's gettin' late and stayin' here is askin' fer trouble…

Why the hell ain't I runnin'?

At the other end of the alley, the darkness took on a shape. It was his eyes playing tricks again. But something about it…

… made him take a step towards it.

A burst of fire erupted in Yoshiki's face, twisting and taking shape. Yoshiki screamed, but he was not fast enough to move. The thing, a floating, shadowy visage of a small, wolf-like creature opened its maw in Yoshiki's direction. Within its rows of sharp teeth, blue flames lit to life and shot out in a fiery stream—right at Yoshiki.

He cried out again, raising his arms helplessly to shield himself, right as something heavy and solid collided into him so hard that he was thrown to the ground, his back slamming into hard concrete.

"Haah," Yoshiki gasped as the wind was knocked out of him by something—no, someone—hovering their body over his, pressing their weight into his chest. "Who the hell—? Look out!"

The wolf-like creature opened its flame-lit jaws and rushed its teeth into the neck of the person pinning Yoshiki to the ground. They grunted, as if more pissed off than hurt, and pried the creature off of them with one hand. The other, Yoshiki noticed belatedly, was digging into his shoulder, holding him in place.

The wolf-thing screeched, and the person tightened their grip.

In a flash of blue light, the creature exploded, bursting into ash that fell like snow on Yoshiki and the figure on top of him. Yoshiki stared at the hand flecked with white ash, as white as the skin it fell upon, and the figure gasped, shifting suddenly.

Yoshiki jumped as both of the person's hands slammed to the ground beside Yoshiki's head, trapping him between them. In a sudden burst of movement, their eyes—wide, and bright red—were level with his. And their face, suddenly so close, was impossibly familiar.

"Yoshiki!" cried Hikaru Indou. "You can see 'em, can't ya? That ain't good. Ain't good at all."

And then Hikaru Indou collapsed, unconscious, on Yoshiki's chest.

Yoshiki had seen a lot of strange things since coming to Tokyo.

His mother had tried to warn him that it would be different. She had even used the term "culture shock." But Yoshiki had been so adamant about going to university that he had brushed off her concerns. Had been too excited to see the big city. There was nothing he wanted more than to leave Kubitachi.

After Hikaru left, there had been nothing there for him anymore.

But Tokyo had not been nearly as exciting as it had been terrifying. The public transit system had nearly given him a panic attack on his first day, and if it had not been for the extremely sweet admissions girl that led him to all of his classes, he might never have found them. He had seen all sorts of people doing all sorts of strange things in the year he had been here—and strange, to Yoshiki, could mean anything.

It was not always a bad thing. In fact, when he saw young people wearing outfits he could never have fathomed before seeing them, or singing and dancing in public and not caring that others were watching, he considered that to be strange. But only because it was foreign to him, not because it was unwelcome. Yoshiki found himself smiling to himself on his commute to class nearly every day.

But there were also strange things he tried not to think about.

Those had only started recently, in the last two months or so. A random cold chill, like walking through the freezer section of the grocery store on the middle of a sunny, summer afternoon. A whisper on the wind, like a howl, far away but close at the same time. A feeling like a tugging in his chest, like someone was pulling on it.

Yet none of those strange occurances compared to tonight.

Yoshiki cradled Hikaru's head in his lap, doubled over and pressing his hand into the gaping wound on his neck. His hand was soaked in blood.

"H-Hikaru?" Yoshiki whispered, and his voice shook as much as his hands did. Hikaru's eyes were closed and he was not moving. When he felt at Hikaru's face, his skin, Yoshiki's panic intermingled with horror. "No… That's impossible…"

Hikaru's skin was as cold as ice.

Hikaru gasped suddenly, his eyes shooting open as his hand, too fast, caught Yoshiki's wrist. Yoshiki cried out, and Hikaru's red eyes—why the hell weren't they green?—softened on Yoshiki.

"Yoshiki," Hikaru said with a smile, as if his neck was not gushing blood. "Ah. Ya look all panicked. It's gotta be bad, huh?"

"Yer—yer bleedin' out," Yoshiki choked out, pressing his hand harder into Hikaru's neck. "I—I tried to stop the bleedin' but— We gotta call the police or somethin'."

"Nah, they can't help me. Plus, this ain't blood."

Yoshiki blinked. "Wh—what? The hell are you talkin' about?"

"Look at it," Hikaru laughed. "Yer seein' what ya wanna see."

Yoshiki stammered in panicked exhasperation, but found his eyes drawn to Hikaru's neck before he could form a real reply. The ichor coating Yoshiki's hands was darker than night itself, as black as pitch. It was thicker than blood, almost syrupy in texture. Growing more horrified the longer he stared at it, Yoshiki instinctually flung his hand in the air, as if to shake the stuff off of him.

It splattered on both his and Hikaru's face, and Yoshiki cried out. "The hell is comin' outta you?"

Hikaru laughed.

Even in his horror, something about the sound of it made Yoshiki's chest ache.

Catching his breath, Yoshiki leveled his gaze on the red eyes looking up at him. "Hikaru. Yer… here. That's really you."

He shrugged. "Think so. It's all a bit fuzzy."

"What do ya mean? How—how are ya here? Where'd ya come from and how didja find me and how did ya—that thing! And—!"

Hikaru grabbed his wrist again, and the shock of his cold fingers stilled Yoshiki instantly. "Calm yerself, ya big baby. Ain't ya happy to see me?"

Yoshiki stared at him. Then, he laughed, and his eyes suddenly stung. "Yeah."

"Come on. I know ya got me all cozy 'n yer lap but we gotta move 'fore more of 'em come," Hikaru said, pushing himself up. When Hikaru turned to look at him, Yoshiki realized with a painful heat in his cheeks how close their faces were. "But I'm glad to see ya, too."

Yoshiki looked away, blinking rapidly. "Ya… said more of 'em? Just what exactly were them things?"

Hikaru stood, and for a guy with blood—or whatever that stuff was—pouring out of his neck, he didn't seem too bothered by it. He held his hand out to Yoshiki. "Oh, them? They ain't nothing. Just some low-level hell hounds."

Yoshiki took Hikaru's hand. "What? Yer not makin' any—"

Yoshiki's remark was cut off by Hikaru pulling him to his feet in one, swift motion. It was as if Yoshiki weighed nothing to him, too fast and too easy. Yoshiki stumbled, the weight of his body not making sense to him, and Hikaru caught his arm.

"Whoa. Hey, ya can't be the one fallin' over when I'm the one bleedin' out," he said. Then, he grinned in a way that Yoshiki knew very well—it was the grin that meant Hikaru was about to dig into him. "Already hadta save yer ass once tonight 'n look where it got me. Least ya could do is stand up straight."

Yoshiki laughed, balling his shaking hands and looking down at his feet. None of this made any sense. He was drenched in sweat, covered in blood, his back stung from his impact with the rough pavement, he had almost died a few minutes ago, and something was really, really wrong with Hikaru.

An' yet here I am, laughin' with him. Like nothin'.

"Come on," Hikaru said, waving. "Follow me."

Yoshiki looked around and spotted his phone, still lit up, a few feet away. He pocketed it and jogged to catch up with Hikaru. "You know where yer goin'?"

"Nah."

Yoshiki sighed. "I got 'n apartment. We'll go there, but—" Yoshiki stilled, looking at the wound on Hikaru's neck and the strange, inky substance leaking out of him. Yoshiki imagined the lady in the lobby of his apartment seeing them walk in like this and cringed. He took off his backpack and dropped it to the ground. He pulled off his black hoodie—it was always cold in his classes, even in the summer—and handed it to Hikaru. "I dunno what the hell's goin' on but ya can't walk around lookin' like that. Put this on and pull the hood up."

Hikaru grinned, taking the sweatshirt from him. He pulled it on over his head as Yoshiki put his backpack back on. Hikaru pulled the hood up, hiding his wound, and pulled the drawstrings tight enough to cover his eyes.

Yoshiki sighed. "Stop goofin' around, wouldja?"

Hikaru pulled the hood back, revealing his red eyes and the tips of his white hair. His smile fell suddenly, his brows furrowing. He raised the neck of Yoshiki's hoodie to his nose, breathing in deeply, and his eyes softened. "Oh. That's… familiar."

Yoshiki scrunched up his nose, looking away. His cheeks grew warm as he scowled. "Don't—smell it like that."

In an instant, Hikaru's smile returned, lopsided. "Why? Smells like you."

"I— uh…"

"Come on! For real, we're 'n big trouble if we don't get a move on. Which wayta yer place?"

Yoshiki blinked rapidly, shaking his head as if to clear it. He did a full 360 degree turn, trying to get his bearings. "This way, I think."

"Whoa," Hikaru breathed, as they found the main streets bustling with life. So different than the darkened alley, which was still heavy on Yoshiki's mind. "The city's so beautiful. I wonder how it looks on the other side."

Yoshiki shook his head. "Nothin' you've said tonight has made any sense. When are ya gonna explain what the hell's…?" He stopped.

Hikaru glanced at him. "Yoshiki?"

"Shh." Yoshiki froze, his heartbeat racing. "I hear somethin'."

Hikaru's face hardened, following the direction of Yoshiki's eyes. "Gotta be more of them hell hounds."

"No, it sounds different," he whispered. "They're not… sayin' my name the same way."

Yoshiki… Yooooshiki…

"Hey."

It was not until Hikaru stepped into his path that Yoshiki realized he had stepped in the direction of the voice. Hikaru's red eyes, trained on Yoshiki, hardened.

"Don't go chasin' voices that call yer name."

Yoshiki looked down, laughing through the trembling of his body. "Might notta found you if I hadn't."

Hikaru narrowed his eyes, cocking his head. "That wasn't me callin' yer name. I was followin' ya and saw ya get yerself 'n trouble. Come on."

Yoshiki…

"Uh, right. Let's get outta here."

After a few minutes, Yoshiki felt confident he knew where they were. He guided them towards the direction of his apartment, and the streets quieted. They were only a block away when Hikaru froze and stuck out his arm. Yoshiki ran into it.

"Wha—?"

"Shh," Hikaru whispered. "I think…"

A body dropped from a balcony above them, and Yoshiki cried out. The man landed on his feet like someone from a manga and slowly rose, all without making a single sound. He had pale, porcelain skin, and long black hair that fell over his face. He cocked his head, and his eyes—bright, unnatural red—settled on Yoshiki.

"Yoshiki… that is your name, isn't it?"

Without turning around or lowering his arm, Hikaru murmured, "Don't answer."

"Hikaru," Yoshiki breathed, "what is that?"

"I'm a friend," the man said. His voice was smooth and buttery, warm and welcoming. "You can see me, can't you, Yoshiki? Oh, it's been so long since a human could see me. Come here, so I can get a better look at you."

Hikaru laughed. "That ain't happenin'."

The man whipped his head towards Hikaru, as if only just noticing him. "Oh. How disappointing. I would really hate to have to kill one of my own." He took a step forward, his red eyes running up and down Hikaru's body before widening. "But you aren't, are you? You're… not finished."

"Yoshiki," Hikaru said under his breath. "Stay behind me."

"Wait, what?" Yoshiki said, his voice pitching high with panic. "What are ya gonna—?"

"I would really hate for things to get ugly with you, strange little demon," the man said. "Perhaps an arrangement could be found. Perhaps you would be willing to share your human?"

Hikaru laughed again, pulling his hood down. "Nah. This one's mine."

And then Hikaru moved.

He was a blur so fast that Yoshiki's brain could not process what he had seen until Hikaru was on top of the man. In an instant, they collided, Hikaru swiping his hand across the man's face.

The man cried out. Then he laughed and burst into motion.

Their blows were too fast for Yoshiki to keep up with. One moment, Hikaru was at the man's back, then at his front, then on the ground, then in the air. He could not even tell what they were fighting with, wether it was fists or claws or something else. Yoshiki stood helplessly frozen, unable to even process Hikaru's movements, much less help him.

It was not until he heard Hikaru's cry that he felt his legs move.

And suddenly he was running.

"Hikaru!" Yoshiki screamed. The man had Hikaru pinned to the ground, his knee digging into his chest. His hand was on Hikaru's throat, right where he was already wounded. "Hey! Hey!"

Both heads whipped in his direction. The man's face contorted into a smile, while Hikaru's eyes widened in horror.

"Yoshiki…" he choked out. "Don't!"

"Get offa him, you freak," Yoshiki cried, barreling into the man with black hair. They both fell to the ground, rolling, and the man laughed again. Yoshiki groaned from the impact, his head spinning, and then the man's black hair was swinging into his face, tickling his skin.

He jolted, and the man's weight settled over him. His hands, unnaturally strong, pinned Yoshiki's arms to the ground. The man laughed, bringing his face close to Yoshiki's. As his smile broadened, Yoshiki realized something that filled him with fear.

His teeth were very, very sharp.

"Oh, Yoshiki," the man cooed as Yoshiki squirmed beneath him. "You must be new here, if you haven't been devoured yet. Oh, but now that you've connected with the other side, you won't last long at all. But don't worry, I'll go ahead and take you now, before the others even get the chance to hunt you. I cannot say it will be painless, Yoshiki, but once it's over, it's over forever. Do not fret, Yoshiki…"

The man dug his nails into Yoshiki's arms, so deep he knew the man had drawn blood. Yoshiki screamed, and the man's eyes lit up with excitement. He took a deep breath, his eyes rolling back in his head.

"Oh, Yoshiki—"

Hands suddenly wrapped around the man's neck, ripping him backwards and off of Yoshiki.

Hikaru stood over him, gripping the man by his neck. He looked down into the man's red eyes, his voice nothing more than a murmur. "Get offa him, you freak."

Hikaru's red eyes began to glow. And then he pulled the man towards him, and bit into his neck.

Yoshiki cried out as the man screamed, his arms clawing at Hikaru's face. But Hikaru did not stop, only sunk his teeth deeper into the man's neck.

Hikaru pulled away, and his mouth was covered in black ichor that dripped down his chin and onto his neck.

"Ugh," he spat, making a face. "Nasty."

The man screamed again as Hikaru bit into the other side of his neck, his limps twitching helplessly. Yoshiki covered his mouth with his hand as bile stung the back of his throat.

Hikaru gasped coming off of the man, his open, bloody mouth inhaling deeply. The man was limp in his arms, and Hikaru dropped him to the ground. His hands, covered in black blood, were frozen before him, as if he was trying to figure something out.

Hikaru inhaled again, a hand going suddenly to the black hoodie he still wore. He gripped it, pulling it up to his nose. He inhaled deeply, his face going blank.

Then he turned his glowing eyes on Yoshiki.

"Hikaru…" Yoshiki choked out. "Wha—what are you doin'?"

Hikaru was a blur of motion before he was upon Yoshiki, pushing him onto his back and climbing over him. Yoshiki cried out, trying to shove Hikaru off of him but finding no purchase on a body that felt like a wall of stone. Hikaru, his face a blank mask of emotionlessness, stared at Yoshiki, breathing heavily.

"H-Hikaru! Hey…" Yoshiki shoved his chest but Hikaru did not budge. "Hey! It's—it's me."

Hikaru's head cocked, like an animal trying to understand. He seemed completely unphased by Yoshiki pushing and shoving him, as if he felt nothing.

"Hikaru!" Yoshiki cried. "Are ya even listenin'? It's me!"

Hikaru's face twitched, his eyes blinking once. His lips parted and he dropped his head so his forehead met Yoshiki's. His red eyes were all Yoshiki could see, his nose cold against Yoshiki's, his breath hot on his face. Hikaru's hand, with its unnatural strength, reached up and grasped Yoshiki's jaw, pinning his head to the ground.

"Yoshiki…" he whispered.

"H-Hikaru!" Yoshiki shouted. "Lemme go!"

Hikaru gently pushed into Yoshiki's jaw, turning his head. He shifted his gaze to Yoshiki's neck, and Yoshiki panicked as he realized what was about to happen.

He's gonna kill me. Oh god, he's gonna kill me.

"Yoshiki…" Hikaru whispered again.

Yoshiki strained against him, but he could not move his head. He twisted and writhed, shoving and beating his fists into Hikaru's chest but he was as unmoveable as the earth itself. Finally, unable to suppress his animalistic need for survival, he screamed a bloodcurdling scream.

"Hikaru! Stop!"

Hikaru's red eyes blinked.

And then he was gone.

Yoshiki could see the night sky overhead. He inhaled sharply, palming at his neck. He was uninjured. His whole body was trembling. His cheeks were wet with tears.

He bolted upright. "Hikaru?"

About fifty feet away, Hikaru was on the ground, hugging his knees to his chest. His face was buried in his arms.

After a few moments, Yoshiki got his legs to move. He stood shakily, then slowly walked towards Hikaru, who did not look up.

Some part of Yoshiki told him he should run. That he should be afraid.

He knelt down in front of Hikaru. "Hey."

Hikaru's head shot up, his eyes wide and wet with tears. "Yoshiki?"

No way, Yoshiki thought. He's cryin'?

Nothing about him was the same as a few moments ago. The emotionless, trancelike expression was gone, his eyes no longer glowing. Tears streamed down his cheeks, his lower lip trembling like a little kid's.

"Yoshiki, I'm so sorry," Hikaru choked out. "I… would never do that. Not to you. Please… please don't hate me."

Yoshiki had never seen him cry before.

"I don't hate ya," he murmured. "I… couldn't hate ya."

Hikaru sniffled, blinking as fresh tears fell. "But I… I almost…"

"But ya didn't," Yoshiki said quickly, his brain overstimulated. "Hey, I wanna get the hell outta here. And then ya got some explainin' to do. Yeah?"

Hikaru sniffled, his eyes wide. He nodded, wiping his cheek with the back of his hand.

"'Nough of that," Yoshiki said softly. He brought his hand to the top of Hikaru's white head, and dug into his hair, ruffling it.

"Hey!" Hikaru whined, laughing. But he did not dodge Yoshiki's hand like Yoshiki had expected. He just stayed there, and Yoshiki's hand stilled in his hair.

"Uh…" Yoshiki pulled his hand away, his cheeks warming. "Pull yer hood back up. Apartment's just up the way."

Hikaru nodded, staring hard at Yoshiki with an expression he could not place.

Yoshiki had to look away, and found his eyes drifting towards the dead body a few paces away. Every muscle in his body seemed to tighten as he walked towards it, his hands trembling. The man's neck was a mess of black ichor, but even through the strange substance coating his skin, Yoshiki could see the bite marks left in his flesh. His long, black hair covered his eyes but not so much that Yoshiki could not tell they were still open, frozen in a tableau of horror. His lips were parted in a scream.

Yoshiki felt paralyzed there, unable to look away.

"You… killed a person," he whispered.

Just as he spoke, the tips of the dead man's fingers began to turn black. Yoshiki gasped as the blackness crawled up the man's hand, his arm, his chest. His blackened fingers cracked and dissolved, turning to ash before Yoshiki's eyes. The dust blew away in the wind, and in mere moments, the man had completely disintegrated.

"That wasn't a person, Yoshiki," Hikaru said, suddenly standing beside him. Yoshiki turned, and Hikaru gave him a grin, his cheeks still wet from his tears.

Yoshiki's apartment was small; it was all he could afford with his scholarship. There was only one bedroom and one bathroom attached to the main living area. There was a tiny kitchen with a stove and a minifridge, but no dishwasher and no laundry. He still did not have a couch or a TV like the other students in his classes, but he did not really mind. He was only ever here to sleep and eat takeout; the rest of his time was filled with classes and work and studying on campus.

His room was sparse. No posters or pictures hung on his walls, save for a mirror above his dresser. His desk was stacked high with his textbooks and notebooks, but he rarely used it. There was a pile of clothes on the floor from yesterday. On his unmade bed sat Hikaru Indou, who watched him closely.

Yoshiki approached with a wet towel. He sat next to Hikaru, whose eyes followed his movements, and Yoshiki gestured to his neck. "Turn yer head."

Hikaru blinked, then obeyed. His eyes had a lost puppy dog look to them. Yoshiki had never seen them look that way before. "Yer… not mad?"

Yoshiki brought the towel to the black ichor on Hikaru's neck, gently wiping it away. "I dunno what I am. But yer gettin' my hoodie all bloody."

Hikaru side-eyed him, smiling warily. "Heh. Sorry. It's… a really good hoodie, too."

Yoshiki folded the towel over to find a spot that had yet to be soaked through. Without looking up, he said, "It's all over yer mouth."

He reached out with the towel, and Hikaru's eyes widened. Yoshiki tried to ignore them as he brought the towel gently to Hikaru's mouth, wiping away the black ichor still dripping from his lips.

His hand stilled as he stared at Hikaru's mouth. He thought about how sharp the black haired man's teeth had been and wondered if Hikaru's—

Hikaru's lips turned upward in a smirk. "Whatchu starin' so hard at my mouth for?"

"Ugh, I—wasn't," Yoshiki said, horrified and blushing fiercely. He scowled into the towel in his hands. "If you'd stop talkin' and movin' I could finish this quicker."

Hikaru laughed half-heartedly, his smile falling away. He nodded and stilled.

Yoshiki sighed, bringing the towel back to his neck. After a few moments of tense silence, Hikaru cleared his throat, fidgeting again.

"Suppose yer all kinds a curious."

"Mm."

"Yoshiki, come on," Hikaru said, turning his head and gently stilling Yoshiki's hand. "Yer… yer makin' me nervous."

Yoshiki breathed a laugh. "I'm makin' you nervous?"

Hikaru's lost puppy eyes blinked helplessly at him, and he bowed his head.

Yoshiki sighed. He put the towel down next to him and stared into his hands. "Yer different."

"Yeah."

"Yer… not human."

"Not anymore."

"Are ya… dead?"

Hikaru looked up, and so did Yoshiki. Their eyes met. "Technically, they're callin' it undead, I think."

Yoshiki breathed another laugh, shaking his head. "Ya gotta be kiddin' me." He ran a hand through his hair, laughing again. When he looked up at Hikaru, Hikaru was watching him with big, wary eyes. Yoshiki dropped his hand, his mirthless smile falling. "Show me yer teeth."

Hikaru opened his mouth.

They were as he had expected.

Yoshiki laughed again, doubling over and burying his head in his hands. "Ya gotta be fuckin' with me."

"I ain't," came Hikaru's soft voice.

"Yer a fuckin' vampire."

"Think so, yeah."

Yoshiki peeled his head up from his hands. "And… and that other guy?"

"Also a vampire."

"And… he was gonna…"

"Suck yer blood, yeah."

Yoshiki froze, his eyes fixed on his bedsheets. His voice, barely a whisper, trembled. "And you were gonna…"

"No," Hikaru said forcefully, leaning into Yoshiki's face. His eyes somehow got even bigger. "I would never."

Yoshiki blinked, his cheeks warming at Hikaru's sudden closeness. He shook his head and got up from the bed, moving across the room. He laughed again, his hand covering his mouth.

"Yoshiki?"

Yoshiki laughed. Then, he bolted into his bathroom, doubled over the toilet, and threw up.

It was three in the morning when Yoshiki's takeout arrived.

He had taken a shower, cleaned the cuts on his arms, and ordered food from one of the local college spots that stayed open all night. He sat on his kitchen counter, digging into the paper box with his chopsticks, and staring at Hikaru, who sat on the counter across from him.

"Can ya eat?"

"Yeah, I can eat. Doesn't really do much fer me though."

"Can ya sleep?"

"Same answer fer that."

Yoshiki hesitated. "Can ya die?"

Hikaru blinked. "Yeah. I can die."

"Again, you mean," Yoshiki grumbled, picking at his food. He sighed. His hands still had not stopped trembling, but at least he had some food in his system. "Why the hell are ya here?"

"I told ya I'd come bother ya in Tokyo if ya ever went to college," Hikaru said with a grin. "Told ya I'd always be hangin' around yer place so you could never bring girls home. Didn't I say that?"

Yoshiki blushed, like he always did when Hikaru brought up girls. He scowled into his food, suddenly not hungry anymore. He could not hide the irritation in his voice when he said, "Ya never did though."

Hikaru's smile fell. "Huh?"

"Ya never came like ya said ya would," Yoshiki muttered. "Been here a whole year and ya never came. Then, when ya finally do, ya show up dead."

"Undead," Hikaru corrected meekly. When Yoshiki did not laugh, Hikaru cleared his throat, awkwardly tugging at the strings of Yoshiki's hoodie. "Look Yoshiki, all I know is I've been tryin' to find ya since I got like this. I know that ain't enough but it's the truth."

Yoshiki looked at him. His face was so open, so sincere in its vulnerability. Yoshiki scowled again, looking away. "So how'd ya get like this, then?"

"Uh, I don't exactly remember. But I been rememberin' bits 'n pieces the more I exist like this. I dunno, maybe it takes time?" Hikaru shifted uncomfortably, and he looked nothing like the monster Yoshiki had seen not an hour ago. Neither version of Hikaru he had seen tonight felt like the one he knew. "But I can answer yer other questions. I'll tell ya anythin' ya wanna know, Yoshiki. Anythin'."

Yoshiki sighed. "So there're vampires in Tokyo. And that's somethin' I just gotta accept as real."

"Yeah, pretty much," Hikaru said cheerily. "They've always been there but you only just started noticin' 'em. And it ain't just vampires, it's all sorts of demons."

"Why? How?"

"'Cause Tokyo overlaps with the underworld."

Yoshiki choked. He set down his takeout box on the counter next to him, coughing. "Yer messin' with me."

"I ain't," Hikaru said. "The entrance to hell is here in Tokyo. Apparently, there's a whole alternate version of this city on their side, fulla demons and ghosts and ghouls. That's why there's so many more here than anywhere else."

"Hell," Yoshiki echoed. "Yer sayin' hell is real."

"Think so, yeah! I haven't seen it yet but I think I'm supposed to be there. Ya know, bein' a demon 'n all." He scratched at his hair, as if pondering something as trivial as the weather. "I dunno why but I feel called to it. Like there's somethin' there fer me."

"So that's why ya came, then," Yoshiki muttered, looking away. "Ya came to go to hell."

"Nah, that's just a lucky bonus. I came here fer you."

Yoshiki's head shot up. "Fer… me?"

"Uh, yeah," Hikaru said, fidgeting again and rubbing awkwardly at his neck. "I mean, not to kill ya. Just to see ya. But, heh, now I probably gone 'n scared ya away."

Yoshiki stared at him for a long moment. "Why'd ya attack me, Hikaru?"

"Yer blood," he whispered.

"My… blood?"

Hikaru looked down at his hands, and Yoshiki wondered if he was going to cry again. "Yeah."

Yoshiki nodded, his heart suddenly hammering. "Well, whatever. I ain't scared."

Hikaru looked up, stilling. "Ya ain't?"

"No. Not of you."

Hikaru's eyes widened, his lips parted like he was going to say something.

"What?" Yoshiki prodded.

Hikaru shook his head. "Yoshiki, it ain't good that you can see me."

"The hell does that mean?"

"Humans can't see us. Demons, I mean. The humans that can, well, they're special, I think. Usually they got some sorta power or somethin' most humans don't. And usually…" Hikaru looked away, running a hand through his hair. "Well, I haven't met any other special humans but you got a real pretty soul, Yoshiki. 'N I think demons are drawn to that. I think that's why they attacked ya."

Yoshiki blinked, his cheeks warming. He stared at his hands. "Wha— What do ya mean? You can see my soul?"

"Sure, all demons can see souls. We all got different ways of consumin' 'em, but that's what we want. Human souls. Fer me, I…"

"You drink blood," Yoshiki breathed, his heart pounding. "Ya… killed people fer their blood before?"

Hikaru looked embarassed, then his eyes grew wide. "I won't do it ever again if ya don't want me to, Yoshiki. I'll do anythin' ya say."

Yoshiki shook his head, dumbfounded. "I…"

Hikaru jumped off the counter and closed the distance between them, standing right between Yoshiki's legs. Yoshiki tried to stop his face from warming, but the sudden proximity felt far too intimate.

"Yoshiki, there's gonna be more of 'em is what I'm sayin'." Hikaru looked up at him, his face full of concern. "Ya ain't safe now that you can see 'em."

Yoshiki's panic returned. "But—"

"But if ya let me hang around with ya," said Hikaru, his eyes hardening, "I'll protect ya. I won't let anythin' hurt ya. I promise."

"H-Hikaru…"

His eyes suddenly filled with tears. "And I know I gone and scared ya, I know it. But I ain't ever gonna hurt you, Yoshiki, I swear it." He hung his head, pressing it into Yoshiki's chest. "Please, I ain't ready to go to hell. I wanna be here with you."

Yoshiki's heart, pressed against Hikaru's head, pounded mercilessly. It somehow had nothing to do with the threat of demons consuming his soul, and everything to do with those words, still echoing in his ears.

"I already told ya I ain't scared." As if moving in slow motion, he lifted his hand and placed it gently on the back of Hikaru's head. At his touch, Hikaru's cries ceased. "Yer different," Yoshiki whispered. "Yer not the same as… when you were alive."

"I'm not?"

"Ya don't know?"

"No," Hikaru sniffled into Yoshiki's chest. "The truth is I don't remember bein' alive at all. I don't know how I died, and I don't know how I lived. I woke up like this and couldn't remember nothin' about my past save for one thing."

Yoshiki's heart skipped a beat. "What?"

Hikaru picked his head up, and their faces were so close that Yoshiki's breath hitched. He inched away, but Hikaru seemed unphased by their proximity. He studied every inch of Yoshiki's face before finally looking in his eyes. His voice was a whisper. "You. All I can remember is you."

Chapter Text

Yoshiki never meant to fall asleep.

He had not slept well since he left home, but the past few weeks in particular had been worse than normal. He slept in fits and starts, restlessly tossing and turning through nightmare after nightmare. Sometimes they were strange, filled with problems he did not understand and dangers he could not fathom. Other times, they were the familiar, normal stress dreams of an anxiety-prone college student who did not get enough rest.

After the events of tonight, Yoshiki had not intended to find out what trap his unconscious mind might lay for him if he dared shut his eyes. Visions of demons with sharp fangs chasing him, a cold chill filling his body and suffocating him, the smell of the hell hounds turning to ash above him. His mind had been frustratingly creative before the events of a horror movie had actually happened to him, so he had propped himself up against the wall that met his bed, burying his nose in his textbook and trying to ignore the heaviness of his eyelids.

But at some point he must have lost his battle against them. He dozed, and dreams found him.

Dreams, not nightmares.

He dreamt of warmth and sunlight. His hand, shielding the rays from his eyes. His chest heaving with laughter. His hand lowering into the grass, plucking a few strands as his eyes honed in on a hand resting near his own, palm turned up to the sky. He inched his hand closer, feeling his stomach burst with butterflies as he made a decision. His fingers wove themselves between the other person's, his body blossoming in warmth at the sensation of touching skin. Warm fingers entwined with his, touching him back.

When Yoshiki woke, that warmth was still with him.

His eyes were still closed, his breathing even. Sunlight filled the room, lighting the backs of his eyelids. His back was against the wall, and he was practically sinking into the space between it and his mattress. He must have slid down after falling asleep propped up. His heavy eyelids fluttered open, slowly focusing.

There was a body curled up next to his. There was a head sharing his pillow. Hikaru Indou, the vampire that killed someone not twelve hours ago, was sleeping like a baby so close to Yoshiki that they were almost touching.

Yoshiki jumped, crying out and instinctively pushing away. Unfortunately, he rammed the back of his head into the wall in the process, and the commotion jolted Hikaru awake, his red eyes bright and full of alarm.

"Wha—?" Hikaru cried, clawing onto all fours and looking wildly about the room. "Vampires?!"

"Yeah, there's one right here," Yoshiki shot back breathlessly, shoving Hikaru's shoulder. He tried to catch his breath, ignoring the unsettling coldness beneath Hikaru's wrinkled t-shirt. "I—I thought ya didn't need sleep."

Hikaru righted himself, his eyes widening when he saw Yoshiki's expression. His hands fell into his lap. "Oh, uh. I don't. I dunno why I did it. Force a habit, I guess?"

Yoshiki settled onto his knees, balling a fist into his sheets. "Why were ya—?" He stopped abruptly, looking away. "This is my bed."

"Oh," Hikaru said softly. "I got memories of us havin' sleepovers before. Did we… not sleep in yer bed before?"

"Not—that close." Yoshiki's cheeks warmed, and he could not look at Hikaru. His mind was suddenly filled with the memory of his dream, and the feelings of warmth and butterflies he had felt while completely unaware how close his body had been to Hikaru's. His cheeks burned even hotter.

"Oh. Yeah, yer right," Hikaru laughed, bringing a hand to the back of his neck. "Probably just rolled over in my sleep. Sorry 'bout that."

"It's… fine."

"Didn't mean to make yer face all red," Hikaru laughed again. "Didja think I was a girl or somethin'?"

"What?" Yoshiki hissed, staring horrified at his hands. "No. Shut up."

"Were ya havin' raunchy dreams or what?"

"I said shut up." Yoshiki flung his pillow at Hikaru's smirking face. "I wasn't havin' no raunchy dreams."

The pillow bounced off of Hikaru's body without even a flinch. He, and his smirk, were completely unphased by the attack. "Heh. Whatever ya say."

There was a knock at the front door.

Yoshiki blinked. "Shit. What time is it?"

Hikaru shrugged, and Yoshiki flung himself off of the bed. He picked up his phone off of his desk, cursing again when he realized he had not charged it. He headed for the door, then froze. He turned back, peering through his open bedroom door at the mess of white hair that stared back at him.

"Uh. Stay there. 'N don't say anythin'."

Hikaru nodded, watching him curiously.

Yoshiki turned back to the door and opened it. Asako, dressed in a short denim skirt and a cropped t-shirt, smiled at him. She gave him a once over.

"Didja forget?"

Yoshiki blinked. Shit. "No, of course not. We're walking to campus together today."

"Yer still in yer PJs."

"Oh." He glanced down at himself. "Right."

Asako had joined Yoshiki at university this semester. She transfered from her previous school after their music program had not been all she had hoped it would be. She ended up with mostly general education courses her first semester, and those credits transfered over to her new school, so it had not felt like a complete waste. Though she had still been so disappointed that her dream school had not been what she thought it would be, a few months after transferring to Tokyo, Asako seemed much happier. She seemed to love her classes and had naturally made far more friends than Yoshiki. She, in all honesty, was the only college friend he had, and since he had not met her at college, he didn't think she counted.

But Yoshiki had been happy to have her in his life again. Even though their schedules often conflicted, they met up sporadically and texted often. Yoshiki had been so grateful to have a friend, he could almost ignore the ache her presence brought him. The reminder of home, and the friend that had left him.

The friend that had returned as a vampire.

Yoshiki felt a rise of panic as Asako laughed. "Ya look like ya just woke up. Long night?"

"Uh… yeah."

"Well, I'll wait for ya, but be fast 'cause I've got a 9AM…" Asako trailed off as her eyes drifted over his shoulder. Yoshiki instinctively adjusted the door to hide more of his apartment, then instantly cursed himself as her eyes widened knowingly. "Yoshiki," she whispered. "Do ya—do ya have a girl over?"

"No," Yoshiki hissed, blushing for the second time this morning. "I'll be right back, just wait there." As she began to laugh, he shut the door in her face.

Yoshiki trudged back into his room, shoving books hurriedly into his backpack. Hikaru was an unmoving statue in his periphery, still perched on Yoshiki's bed.

"Where ya goin'?"

"Class."

"Can I come?"

"Yer a vampire, Hikaru."

"So?"

Yoshiki sighed, grabbing his phone and charger and putting them in his bag. Asako could navigate for them, and he could charge up during his classes. A shadow fell over him and he jumped, startled by the sudden Hikaru standing in front of him.

"Hey, Yoshiki…" Hikaru said, smiling nervously. "Was that yer girlfriend or what?"

"I don't got a—" Yoshiki cut off his frustrated retort with a sigh. "Hikaru. That was Asako."

"Asako…" Hikaru's brows scrunched together. "Wait, I know her."

Yoshiki's hands stilled in his backpack. He straightened. "Ya don't remember her?"

"Well, now that ya mention her… I kinda do." Hikaru looked deep in thought, like he was reaching out for something and not quite grasping it. "But, uh, not really, no."

"But ya got memories of me, don't ya?" Yoshiki asked. "She was there for plenty of 'em."

"Yeah… She was, huh?"

Yoshiki blinked. "I don't got time for this. I'm gonna miss class 'cause of you."

"Heh," Hikaru smiled nervously again. "Sorry."

Yoshiki took his clothes into the bathroom, changed, and brushed his teeth. He flattened his straight, black locks with the palm of his hand, sighing softly to himself. The bags under his eyes looked even worse than usual.

When he opened his bathroom door, his heart threw itself against his ribcage.

Hikaru leaned one shoulder against the doorframe, his hands in the pockets of Yoshiki's black hoodie. The hood was up, and the ends of his white hair jutted out from beneath it. His eyes, bright red, bore into Yoshiki's with a seriousness he had not seen since last night's attack.

"Yoshiki." Hikaru's voice was low as he stepped up to Yoshiki, seeming to somehow tower over him despite them being the same height. Hikaru must have grown taller in the time between when Yoshiki saw him last and when he… changed. Yoshiki swallowed hard, his heart hammering at the sudden feeling of unease building in his chest. Something like fear. "I ain't gonna let ya go out on yer own after what happened. So I'm comin' with ya."

"But—" Yoshiki argued, shaking his head. "Ya can't just—"

"Yoshiki," Hikaru said again as he suddenly grabbed Yoshiki's wrist. The jarring coldness of his fingers seemed to pin Yoshiki in place. Hikaru's voice softened. "If ya ask me to stay, I'll stay. But if ya ask me to stay, I can't protect ya."

Yoshiki blinked. Then, he huffed a laugh. "It's that bad, huh?"

"You can seem 'em now, Yoshiki. And they can see you." Hikaru's face seemed to darken, even in the light filled room. "It's worse than bad. But if I'm around, they ain't gonna mess with ya as much."

Asako. Would he be putting her in danger? What about his classmates? Was there no going back to the life he had only just started to get used to?

And besides… is this not what he had been waiting for? Hikaru, here in Tokyo with him? Even if he was not the same, was he not still the one Yoshiki missed more than anything?

"Fine," Yoshiki said. "But… but what are we going to tell Asako? She knows ya, and she'll be able to tell…"

That yer not the same.

"Heh… Guess that's up to you, Yoshiki. If ya wanna tell her the truth…" Hikaru's eyes softened. "I trust ya."

Yoshiki breathed an incredulous laugh. "Me? Yer tellin' me it's my call?"

"Sure," Hikaru said easily. "I'm here fer you, not her."

The intimacy of those words crawled up Yoshiki's skin like goosebumps and sent warmth to his cheeks. He was suddenly painfully aware that Hikaru still held onto his wrist, his cold fingers pressed tightly against Yoshiki's skin.

"Okay," Yoshiki choked out. He managed a smile. "Then… welcome to college, Hikaru the vampire."

"Of course I know vampires're real," Asako said cheerily. "They're all over Tokyo!"

"W-what?" Yoshiki choked. "You knew?"

The three of them walked side-by-side through the bustling city streets on their way to campus. Asako had squealed when she smelled hot food and pulled them over to a nearby vendor to grab breakfast. Food in hand, between a large bite, Asako spoke, looking completely unphased.

"Sure," she said, shrugging. "I gotta sense for those kinda things. Runs in my family. Never expected to see so many of 'em in one place though."

Yoshiki had barely touched his food, staring down at his feet. "And yer… not scared of 'em?"

"No more than any other person, I 'spose," Asako said. Then, she grinned, jabbing Yoshiki in his side with her elbow. "Though, none of 'em have tried to suck my blood yet."

She laughed, and Yoshiki swallowed hard. He glanced to his right, at Hikaru, who was bundled up in Yoshiki's hoodie, despite the hot morning. Hikaru was already looking at him, a pensive expression on his face, like he was lost in thought. He blinked when Yoshiki met his eyes, then grinned.

Yoshiki looked away, his heart hammering. "Asako, there's somethin' else…"

"I guess it's good that it's a cloudy day today," she said, peaking over Yoshiki, "huh, Hikaru?"

Yoshiki froze.

Hikaru blinked, then he laughed. "Heh. It's just like ya said, Yoshiki. She could tell straight away."

Yoshiki felt short of breath. "That's why you were trynna peak into my apartment… You felt somethin'."

Asako's cheery expression was gone, and she fiddled with the remnants of her breakfast. "Yeah. Though I hadn't been expectin' it to be Hikaru. Thought you mighta ran into a girl not knowin' what she really was and…"

Hikaru laughed. "Nah, he'd be dead by now if that'd happened. Vampires ain't exactly gonna let ya walk away after they got ya beneath 'em."

Asako cocked her head. "What about you, Hikaru? Ya don't exactly seem like yer about to drink our blood."

"I'm… kinda different, I think. I don't really know." Hikaru shoved his hands into the pocket of his hoodie, looking down at his feet. His face fell, and his voice suddenly lost its playfulness. "But I could hurt ya just the same."

"You wouldn't," Yoshiki said evenly. The words were out before he could really consider if he meant them. He remembered the way Hikaru had pinned him to the ground, the way he had tilted Yoshiki's head to expose his neck…

He had no reason to put such blind faith in this version of Hikaru. This Hikaru was something completely unknown, something powerful, something dangerous. Only a fool would be stupid enough to trust a vampire, even if that vampire was his best friend.

Perhaps Yoshiki was a fool then.

He could feel Hikaru's eyes on him, but he could not bring himself to turn his way. Not with Asako right there. It felt weird, somehow.

"So how'd ya get like this anyhow?" Asako asked, picking up their steps again as the others followed her lead.

"Don't remember," Hikaru said around a mouthful of food. "And… I kinda don't remember a lotta stuff. Pretty sure that ain't normal, but I dunno."

Asako rubbed her chin. "Do ya remember me?"

"I do now, kinda," Hikaru replied easily. "Like bits 'n pieces. It's weird. Ever since I found Yoshiki, things've started to feel familiar. Like a smell that takes ya back to a time ya can't quite place."

"Aw," Asako teased, elbowing Yoshiki again. It kind of hurt, and he rubbed at his ribcage after swatting her arm away. "That's so sweet, you two."

"Yer elbow is sharp, ya know that?" Yoshiki grumbled.

After a few more minutes of walking and talking about otherworldly things far too casually for Yoshiki's liking, they slowed at an intersection. Asako pressed the 'walk' button and leaned against the post, watching the cars fly by. Her bangs were clipped to the side with a cute little barrette. Hikaru stood next to her, looking the other way with his hands in his pocket. For a moment, Yoshiki could almost pretend he blended in.

Hikaru had always been pale, but now the whiteness of his skin matched his hair perfectly. Everything about him was cold, as if he was coated in snow. Pale skin, pale hair, even his lips were pale. But only his eyes, unnaturally red, made him look inhuman. Dressed in Yoshiki's black hoodie and blue jeans, his eyes downcast and his bedhead messy and ruffled, he really did look like a normal college student.

Hikaru caught Yoshiki staring, but, surprising himself, Yoshiki did not look away.

Hikaru smiled, and Yoshiki amended two of his prior thoughts.

First, that Hikaru could pass for a normal college student. Until he smiles, Yoshiki thought, his own amusement creeping onto his lips. The fangs're a bit of a giveaway.

And second, that everything about Hikaru was cold.

Because that smile held nothing but warmth.

Yoshiki looked away, suddenly remembering his dream for the first time since waking. That sensation of warmth, the feeling of entwining his fingers with someone else's, the blossom of butterflies in his stomach…

Someone ran past Yoshiki, shoving their shoulder into his.

Yoshiki stumbled with the impact, and though he was in no danger of falling, he felt cold, strong hands catch his arm. Hikaru was upon him instantly, looking over Yoshiki's shoulder at the man running past them, a look of fierce anger in his red eyes. "Hey! Fuckin' asshole, watch where yer goin'."

"It's fine, Hikaru," Yoshiki muttered, brushing Hikaru's hands away. "Big city's like that."

"Mister?" Asako cried. "Mister, the light ain't changed yet!"

Yoshiki whirled around just in time to see the man who had run into him, wearing a long coat and holding a briefcase, dash into the busy road.

"Hey! Stop!" Yoshiki cried out.

But the man paid them no mind, and as he ran directly into traffic, the cars slammed on their brakes with a cacophony of screeching tires and angry horns. Asako gasped, covering her mouth with both of her hands. Hikaru grabbed Yoshiki's arm, as if to stop him from running out into the street, too.

Halfway across the street, the man glanced over his shoulder at the three onlookers watching in horror. He smiled lopsidedly. "Sorry about that!"

Once he had made it across the street and the cars began moving again, Asako huffed. "What a lunatic! Almost gamme a heart attack."

"Seriously. What could ya be in such a rush for?" Yoshiki shook his head, then noticed Hikaru was still tightly gripping his arm. "It's alright, Hikaru. We see stuff like that all the time here. People're weird and they ain't as thoughtful as back home. I don't mind it. I was tired of people thinkin' about me so much anyway."

But Hikaru did not seem to hear him. His eyes were still trained on the intersection, hard and serious, his brow furrowed.

"Hikaru?" Yoshiki wrapped his fingers around Hikaru's wrist, gently prying Hikaru's cold fingers off of his arm. "It's okay. I'm fine, look."

Hikaru blinked when Yoshiki touched him, as if so lost in thought he had forgotten where he was. He met Yoshiki's eyes, and the hardness there seemed to soften and melt away. "Man, that guy was a real freak, huh?"

"Yeah," Yoshiki said with a nervous laugh, relieved to see Hikaru smile. "Weird."

Hikaru let go of him, and Asako started telling Hikaru about her classes. Yoshiki's eyes were drawn back to the intersection, and he stifled a gasp when he noticed the man was still there, unmoving on the other side of the street, and staring right at Yoshiki.

He could not make out the strangers eyes, because, even on a cloudy day like this, he was wearing a pair of darkly tinted sunglasses.

As the trio finally made it to campus, the sun was finally starting to peak out from behind the clouds. The air was warm but not so scorching as the summers in Kubitachi. Students were all around, walking with their backpacks and coffees, chatting with each other or listening to music. In the quad, there was a huge grassy lawn shaded by leafy trees where many students louged on blankets with their laptops, doing homework or dozing off. As the sun passed through a gap in the clouds, Asako perked up.

"Say, Hikaru," she said, putting a finger to her lips, "the sun ain't gonna burn ya?"

"Naw," said Hikaru with a grin. "That's just a myth, I think. Demons can be out whenever."

Yoshiki blinked. "I thought that's why you took my hoodie. To hide yer face from the sun."

Hikaru laughed, leaning back casually against a lamp post. "I took yer hoodie 'cause I like it. It smells good."

Yoshiki scowled as a blush crept into his cheeks. He looked away, feeling Asako's eyes on him.

"Yoshiki, ya got a break around 11:30, don'tcha?"

He nodded. "Yeah, fer an hour or so."

"Okay, let's get lunch then!" Asako turned on her heel, then spun back around, her face thoughtful. "Wait, Hikaru, you can eat people food, can't ya? We don't need to stop by the blood donation bank, huh?"

Hikaru matched her smile, rubbing at the back of his neck. Despite his easy air, there was something about the gesture that seemed nervous. "No, nothin' like that. I can eat same as before."

"Great!" she said, clasping her hands together. "Well, I'll see y'all in a couple hours!"

As she turned and headed in the opposite direction across the quad, Yoshiki nodded in the direction of his class, motioning for Hikaru to follow him.

"We like Asako, don't we?"

"'Course," Yoshiki said. "But don't ya got an opinion of yer own?"

"I'm sure I did," Hikaru said softly. "But I don't remember it now."

Yoshiki felt a chill of goosebumps run up his spine, even in the warmth. "Well, I don't wanna just… tell ya how to feel."

Hikaru glanced at him. "I guess I just wanna care about the things you care about."

Yoshiki stilled. He looked at Hikaru. "Why's that?"

Hikaru smiled nervously, looking away and shrugging. "Well, 'cause the only thing I care about right now is you."

Yoshiki blushed fiercely, his mouth practically falling open. He snapped it closed, swallowing hard and looking down at his feet. He opened it again to say something, but no words came out.

"Heh," Hikaru grinned, "I made ya go all red again."

Yoshiki scowled, turning completely away from Hikaru. "Well, stop sayin' weird stuff. Ya never used to say stuff like that before."

Hikaru's voice was suddenly soft. "I didn't?"

"No," Yoshiki muttered. Then he walked ahead without waiting for Hikaru.

"Good morning, Tsujinaka," said Professor Kana, "and… I've never seen you before, have I?"

"No, ma'am!" said Hikaru cheerily. "I'm new!"

Yoshiki tried to suppress the rising panic assaulting his nervous system. "Uh—Professor, this is Hikaru Indou. He's not a student. Would it—would it be alright if he attended class with me? I promise he won't be a bother."

Professor Kana looked over her glasses at Yoshiki. Kana was an ancient woman, but spoke with a voice so commanding she did not need a microphone even in a lecture hall this size. She was a tough teacher; Yoshiki had heard many of his classmates complain about flunking her exams. Some students even refused to take her classes because of how hard they were. She ran the lab like a drill sargeant, and was ruthless with her grading.

Yoshiki had already learned so much from her. In all honesty, she was one of his favorite professors. On his first day, someone had warned him that he would never get on her good side, and that he had better transfer to another class before the grace period for switching classes was over. For some reason, that had made Yoshiki decide to do well in Kana's class, no matter how hard she was on him.

And he had. Yoshiki could not speak to whether the old professor actually liked him, but he had managed to keep his grades well above the average in his class.

"Mm," Kana hummed, her lips thinning. Yoshiki felt a bead of sweat gather on his forehead. "I trust you would not bring a distraction to my class, Tsujinaka. Go on, find your seats."

Relief flooded him. "Thank ya, professor."

Yoshiki guided Hikaru up the steps to the very back of the lecture hall, which was slightly raked like a theater. He slid silently into a desk, and Hikaru followed suit, sitting next to him.

"Ya sit all the way in the back?" Hikaru whispered.

"The less eyes on you the better."

"Heh. Probably right about that."

"Now, look," Yoshiki whispered, "I really gotta focus, okay? Don't be distractin' me 'n stuff."

Hikaru nodded, his expression serious. He said nothing further, just peeled back his hood and crossed his hands over his desk.

As Professor Kana began her lecture, Yoshiki tried to take notes like he usually did. He tried to listen avidly to what she said, copy her equations from the whiteboard, and keep one eye on his textbook. But try as he might, Yoshiki Tsujinaka could not focus.

Hikaru did not say anything the entire lecture. In fact, he did not even look Yoshiki's way. He did not fiddle with the strings of his hoodie, or doodle on the desk.

Of all things, Hikaru seemed to be sitting there and… listening.

In high school, Hikaru had hated school and homework and everything that was not soccer practice or clubs after the school day was through. He had always passed class time by doing anything other than pay attention. But as Yoshiki stole what had to be his tenth glance at Hikaru, he could tell that the vampire's attention was rapt on every word out of Kana's mouth.

When class finally ended, Yoshiki looked down at his notes in complete dismay. They were pitiful. He would have to go back over this chapter in his textbook tonight and try to make up for his slacking.

"Yoshiki," Hikaru said, leaning over Yoshiki's desk and making him look up. "Ya think I could ask yer professor some things?"

"W-what?" Yoshiki stuttered. "Ya… wanna ask her about biology?"

"Sure," he said. "Ya know, bein' alive is so fascinatin'. I never… Well, I never really thought about all the things happenin' in my body when I was alive."

"Ya can't just… If ya ask her weird things, she might catch on that ya ain't alive anymore, Hikaru," Yoshiki whispered, his heart hammering. "Plus, ya ain't a student. She's busy, ya know?"

Hikaru nodded, running a hand through his hair and messing it up even more than it already was. "Right, yeah, I figured."

Yoshiki stood. The rest of the class had already filed out of the hall, and it was silent. "But, I know some things. Ya know, about biology. If ya got questions… I could try to help ya."

Hikaru looked up at him, his face completely still. Then, in a blink, he was smiling. "Yer so nice to me, Yoshiki."

Yoshiki frowned, looking away. "Well, it's my major so it'll be good practice fer me. Why do ya wanna know about bein' alive, anyhow?"

"Well, yer alive," Hikaru said softly. "I wanna understand ya. And me, I… I know I ain't alive anymore but… I don't really feel dead either."

"Undead," Yoshiki amended wryly. "Right?"

Hikaru glanced at him, one corner of his mouth perking up. "Yeah. Undead. But still, I don't exactly know what I am. I know I'm a vampire but I'm not like the others. I'm… different."

"And ya think understanding biology might help ya understand yerself?"

Hikaru stilled. For a moment, he was silent. "Maybe. Or maybe it'll just help me understand the difference between us."

Yoshiki's heart started to pound. He heard himself say, "Us?"

Hikaru looked up, stepping closer to Yoshiki. Yoshiki's eyes widened instinctively, feeling the urge to back away from him. Hikaru's face gave nothing away, and his voice was no more than a murmur. "Ya think we can still be friends, Yoshiki? Even though yer alive and I'm somethin' else?"

It was hard to remind himself that this Hikaru was the same one that saved his life last night, shoving Yoshiki out of harms way and savagely tearing apart the demon that was going to take Yoshiki's life. It was hard to remind himself that this Hikaru was the same one that almost sunk his own teeth into Yoshiki's neck, driven into some sort of stupor by the scent of blood.

It was also hard to remind himself that this was the same Hikaru he knew.

Could this person—this vampire—before him, really be all of those things in one? Was it really so black and white as all that? Or was he, like Hikaru said, something else entirely?

Yoshiki took a breath, and realized none of that mattered.

"Yes," he murmured. "I don't care what ya are."

"What's yer major, anyhow, Asako?"

Hikaru sat next to Yoshiki at a round table in the dining hall. He picked at his food, but seemed uninterested in it. Yoshiki and Asako had both ordered the same thing (and in huge proportions) and were greedily making their way through it as only starving college kids could. It was a fairly busy day in the dining hall, but they were early enough to beat the real lunch rush.

"Music," she said, swallowing. "Don't ya remember singin' in choir together? Technically, I'm majoring in music education, but I specifically study piano and voice."

Hikaru scratched his head, like he was trying to remember. "Singin', huh?"

"Yeah! You always had a good singin' voice, too, Hikaru."

"Mm." Hikaru seemed to be lost in thought, staring down at his fingers absentmindedly thumbing a napkin.

He gets like that a lot, Yoshiki thought. He's here one moment and then he's thousands of miles away.

"So, Hikaru," Asako said, cocking her head at him, "if ya don't burn in the sun, what other myths ain't true about ya?"

Hikaru blinked, seeming to remember where he was. He grinned. "What do ya wanna know?"

"Hm!" Asako thought hard, hiding a smile behind her fingers. "Do ya gotta be invited in to enter someone's home?"

Hikaru laughed. "That one's dumb. No, that ain't true."

"What about garlic? Can I fend ya off with a pizza?"

He grinned at her. "Depends on how good ya are at weildin' it."

It was Asako's turn to laugh. "I think I could do some damage with a pizza. Considerin' I was the reignin' champion of arm wrestlin' back home. Say…" Her eyes widened, like she had a really exciting idea. "What about super strength?"

"Oh," Hikaru said, sounding surprised. He laughed sheepishly, running a hand through his white hair. "Uh, yeah. I got that one."

Asako's smile became a bold, cocky sneer as she slammed her elbow onto the table, proferring her arm to Hikaru.

"Asako," Yoshiki said. "Yer not serious."

"I'm deadly serious."

Hikaru raised a brow at her. "Ya… wanna arm wrestle me?"

Yoshiki remembered how his body was immobilized beneath Hikaru's, how he could not move his head when Hikaru's fingers pinned it to the ground.

Yoshiki suddenly had a terrifying vision of Asako's arm coming clean off and Hikaru staring at it in horror.

"Absolutely not," Yoshiki blurted. "Asako, no. I'm serious."

"He's probably right," Hikaru said. "I could really hurt ya."

Asako raised an eyebrow, as if challenged. She smiled. "You can try. Come on!"

Hikaru glanced at Yoshiki and Yoshiki shook his head. Hikaru shrugged, laughing. "Sorry, Asako. No-can-do. Yoshiki said no."

Yoshiki scoffed as Asako harrumphed. She teased, "So, ya do everythin' Yoshiki tells ya to?"

Hikaru shrugged again. "Yeah, pretty much."

"That ain't true," Yoshiki said, feeling that dreaded warmth in his cheeks. "Ya gotta be yer own person, Hikaru."

Hikaru opened his mouth to say something, then stopped himself, looking away. Yoshiki blinked, trying to think of something to say.

Asako gasped. "Do ya sleep in a coffin, Hikaru?" Then, she doubled over with a fit of laughter.

"Heh. Nah. I sleep in Yoshiki's bed."

Asako's laughter came to an abrupt halt, as did the beating of Yoshiki's heart. He choked on his own saliva, which turned into a coughing fit.

Asako's eyes narrowed, as if she were waiting for Hikaru to finish his joke. She smirked. "Together?"

Hikaru matched her grin. "Yeah. Real close, too."

She squealed, right as Yoshiki found his voice. "Hikaru!"

"What?" Hikaru said innocently, his sly grin disappearing. "I wasn't lyin'."

"Yeah, but yer makin' it seem like—" Yoshiki's face was beet red now, he was sure of it. It was hell on earth. "Like—somethin' it ain't."

Hikaru blinked, and for a second, his brow furrowed—not in confusion, but in what looked like agitation. Silence fell suddenly, with the buzzing of tension.

Asako's voice was warily cheerful as she stood from the table, like she was pretending not to notice the tense silence. "Well, I gotta be off to my next class. But I'll see y'all tomorrow?"

Yoshiki blinked, looking up at her. He could feel Hikaru's eyes still on him, as if Asako were not there at all. "Yeah, of course. See ya tomorrow."

She smiled at them both, and Yoshiki could have sworn her eyes lingered on Hikaru, who still stared at Yoshiki. As she turned and strode out of sight, Yoshiki scowled, gathering their trash. Hikaru had hardly touched his food. Yoshiki left the table to toss their trash in the bin, and when he returned, Hikaru leaned against the table, his hood drawn. His red eyes bore into Yoshiki's for the entirety of his approach.

Hikaru seemed to study Yoshiki's face, pondering over it as if it were a puzzle to figure out.

Yoshiki cleared his throat, his irritation and embarassment suddenly abandoning him, leaving him feeling cold. "Hikaru?"

Hikaru's eyes stilled on Yoshiki's. "Yeah?"

"Let's go."

Hikaru nodded, pushing off of the table and falling into step beside Yoshiki.

Yoshiki guided Hikaru through the halls towards his next class, passing all kinds of different students, professors, janitors, administration, and more. No one seemed to take any notice of Hikaru, despite the fact that he carried no books or backpack.

"Hikaru," Yoshiki said under his breath. "Didn't you say that humans can't see demons?"

Hikaru looked up at Yoshiki, catching his eye. His red eyes narrowed as he grinned. "Wonderin' why they can see me?"

"Yeah. I thought ya said I was the only one who could see demons. But Asako and everyone else have seen ya just fine."

"Ya sound jealous," said Hikaru. "Wanted me all to yerself?"

Yoshiki elbowed him in the side, which was cold and hard and completely unaffected by his jab. Hikaru laughed at the sad attempt, and Yoshiki rolled his eyes. "Would be nice to be special, I guess."

"You are special," Hikaru clarified. "And it ain't a good thing."

"Ya keep sayin' that, but do ya even know what ya mean by it?" Yoshiki stilled, leaning against the hallway wall as other students walked past him. "What do ya even know about demons?"

"Not a thing," Hikaru said with a sigh, collapsing against the wall next to Yoshiki. "Demons can be seen when they wanna, but only fer a short time. Like vampires'll lure in their prey before they suck their blood. But I know I ain't like the rest, so I don't got the same rules as 'em. People can see me all the time, fer some reason. But Yoshiki, you can see all demons. And I may not know much, but I know most ain't as friendly as me. You should know that too, considering how many tried to kill ya just last night."

Yoshiki's stomach rolled over at the mention of last night. Sweat began to collect on his brow. He leaned his head back against the wall. "Hikaru. How do ya know you ain't like the rest of 'em?"

The sound of idle chatter and footsteps all along the hallway was a buzz of background noise, all bundling into one wall of sound. Still, Hikaru's silence felt heavy between them.

"Don't feel like a demon."

Yoshiki breathed a laugh, surprised by that answer. "Don't feel like a demon, huh?"

"Nah."

Yoshiki turned his head towards Hikaru, still leaning it back against the wall. He studied him, the way his red eyes followed the passerbys as they moved across the hall, his arms crossed over his chest, his white hair peaking out from his black hoodie. "Do ya feel like a person?"

Hikaru tilted his head, looking over at Yoshiki. "Not really."

Yoshiki pondered that for a moment. When he could think of nothing better to say, he said, "Ya look like a person."

"Oh, yeah?" Hikaru said, grinning. "What about now?"

He crossed his eyes and scrunched up his mouth, looking like a complete fool. Yoshiki laughed, shoving Hikaru's head with a ruffle of his hair.

Hikaru let Yoshiki mess up his hair, then grabbed Yoshiki's wrist and playfully shoved it out of the way. Hikaru smiled broadly, his sharp teeth on full display.

"Glad that still works," he said, eyeing Yoshiki's smile. "Thought I had lost my charm."

Yoshiki flushed at the attention on his smile, and he looked down at his feet. "Whatever. Yer still a doofus."

"And yer still gloomy," Hikaru said. "Gotta pull a smile outta ya every now 'n then or ya might forget how to." Hikaru leaned over and tugged Yoshiki's cheek.

"Stop it," Yoshiki laughed, swatting his arm. "Yer embarassin' me."

Hikaru narrowed his red eyes, grinning slyly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Then why're ya laughin'?"

"'Cause," Yoshiki said, shoving his shoulder.

Hikaru's eyes followed Yoshiki's hand as it touched him, then his gaze trailed back up to Yoshiki's eyes, bouncing from one to the other with a goofy grin on his face.

"What?" Yoshiki asked, feeling his cheeks warm again.

Hikaru shook his head, still smiling. "Nothin'."

"Damn, it's three 'til," Yoshiki said, only just noticing the clock on the wall. "Yer gonna make me miss my class. Come on."

"Ha! I can't wait," Hikaru said. "Learnin' is so cool."

Yoshiki laughed again, shaking his head. "Yer such a—Hikaru?"

Hikaru had frozen in his tracks, still as a statue. His eyes were wide, staring down at the floor. Students hurried around him, eager to make it to their classes in time, and irritated at the guy who decided to stop in the middle of the hallway. Yoshiki paid them no mind, hurrying back to Hikaru's side and grabbing his shoulder.

"Hikaru? What is it?"

Hikaru blinked, raising a brow. "Yoshiki… You might be goin' to school with a demon or two."

Yoshiki's pulse spiked with alarm. "W-what? Yer not sayin'…"

Hikaru nodded. "I think there's one nearby."

Yoshiki whirled around, as if the demon would be right behind him. "But—shit. What do we do?"

"We?" Hikaru straightened, giving Yoshiki a grin. "This is my job. Yers is goin' to class 'n bein' a good student. I'll see ya after."

Then, he turned on his heel, shoved his hands into his pocket, and walked away.

"Hey!" Yoshiki called out, running after him. He grabbed Hikaru's arm, spinning him back around. "Absolutely not. Yer not goin' after it on yer own."

Hikaru's eyes hardened. "That's what I'm here to do. Protect ya, like I said I would."

"By splittin' up from me?" Yoshiki argued.

"If I bring ya straight to the demon," Hikaru argued back, raising his voice, "how the hell would that be any better?"

"'Cause—I could help." Yoshiki hated how pathetic it came out, and tightened his grip on Hikaru's arm as he gritted his teeth.

"You could help?" Hikaru laughed, his eyes suddenly cold. He stepped closer, and Yoshiki realized with a start that the halls had emptied, and they were completely alone. "And what wouldja do against a demon, Yoshiki?"

Again, he seemed to tower over Yoshiki, as if casting a dark shadow over him and shrouding him in darkness. His eyes, for a single moment, began to glow.

Fear—that's what it was, wasn't it?—burned Yoshiki's veins like fire.

"I ain't scared of you," Yoshiki whispered.

Hikaru huffed, tilting his head and inching even closer. "Yer hands are shakin'."

"That's 'cause I'm pissed off," Yoshiki growled. "And I wanna hit ya."

Hikaru laughed. "Go ahead then, if it'll make ya feel better."

"Stop patronizin' me!"

"Stop patronizin' me!" Hikaru's smile was gone, his eyes flaring. "I came all this way to find yer ass, and now ya wanna hand yer ass over to a demon. I said I would protect ya, and ya can't trust me to do that?" Hikaru shoved a finger into Yoshiki's chest, which somehow threw him completely off balance. He stumbled back into the wall, catching himself. Hikaru moved like lightning, pressing his hands against either side of Yoshiki's head, pinning him there. "I dunno the first damn thing about myself or why the hell I'm here except fer you. And the only thing I know I wanna do of my own fuckin' will is keep ya safe. Who are you to tell me I can't?"

Yoshiki's arguments died on his tongue. All he could do was stare into Hikaru's angry, red eyes, suddenly short of breath.

Hikaru's face fell. His voice lost all of its fervor, coming out weak and small. "I don't wantcha to be brave, Yoshiki."

After a moment, Yoshiki heard himself laugh.

Hikaru's head popped up. He still pinned Yoshiki against the wall, but his face was soft and confused. "Huh? Why ya laughin'?"

"I ain't brave, Hikaru," Yoshiki muttered. "I'm selfish. If ya died trynna to protect me, I'd never forgive myself."

Hikaru blinked, studying Yoshiki's face, as if not understanding.

"Don't ya see?" Yoshiki laughed again. "I'm not even thinkin' straight 'cause I would do anythin' not to lose ya again."

Hikaru's eyes widened. His lips fell open in the smallest 'o' shape. His voice was little more than a whisper of breath. "Yoshiki."

"I ain't gonna patronize ya anymore," Yoshiki murmured. "Yer allowed to do what ya wanna do, and what ya think is best. I don't want ya to just do what I tell ya."

"But I would, ya know?" Hikaru pled softly. "Ya know that right? Anythin' ya say, Yoshiki. I'll do it."

Yoshiki's face warmed as he realized how close their faces were, and in how public of a place they were. He stammered, all of his composure suddenly gone.

Hikaru smiled, shaking his head. He pushed off of the wall, putting space between himself and Yoshiki again. He whispered, "I'm bein' selfish, too."

"What do ya mean?"

"I think if I can protect ya," Hikaru said, looking down at his hands, "then it'll make me feel like I got a reason to be here with ya."

Yoshiki's chest clenched with a dull, painful ache. Without thinking, as if moving of its own volition, his body closed the distance between them with a sudden ferocity. Hikaru's eyes widened as Yoshiki stormed him, grabbing him by the neck of his hoodie.

"Hikaru. You think ya need a reason?"

Hikaru's lower lip trembled, his eyelids fluttering once, but whatever he was going to say was cut off by a low, gravelly moan from their left, at the end of the hall.

Yoshiki gasped as Hikaru, in less than a second, pushed Yoshiki behind him with both arms.

Yoshiki peaked over Hikaru's shoulder at what seemed to have once been a man, but now, flesh rotting off of his bones, was little more than a corpse. It watched them with wide, lidless eyes, and a jawless smile.

Hikaru, still holding Yoshiki at bay behind him, barked a low laugh. "Together?"

Yoshiki steeled himself, digging his fingers into Hikaru's hard arms. "Together."