Alone with You | A Kuroken Vampire Fanfic

Bataille D'oreillers

In a week's time, Kenma receives another letter from his mother. Her concerns have not lessened but at least there's no mention of Samuel, or any of the household staff for that matter, telling her about the happenings of late. He doesn't want to think about how she'd react. Fortunately, she only writes of the usual affairs: his grief and the sickness that lays upon the townhouse.

His response is short:

Mother,

Do not worry about me. Tetsurō Kuroo has been a frequent guest, visiting near-daily. He makes the dreary days seem bearable. I hope you can find comfort in the fact that we've reconnected after two years, even in light of father's passing.

Kuro has recently moved back into his parents' home so he's always down the way if I need him.

You shouldn't worry about my health or that of the townhouse, either. I'm well taken care of under Samuel's watchful eye. I even do chores around the house on my better days.

Mind yourself and the villa. I will return there in the autumn and no sooner.

Sincerely,

Your Son.

While the emptiness still lingers in the darkened hallways, he doesn't include that in the letter. He can barely notice it with how often Kuroo is around so he doesn't see the need to mention it.

By now, he thought they'd run out of things to talk about, but it seems that Kuroo is an endless well of conversations and quips. For instance, he has a knack for picking up languages and can talk at length about dialects and how certain sayings can't be translated. He is most proficient in French⁠—demonstrated in his ability to recite whole poems and prose pieces⁠.

Kenma, in return, has started learning the language second hand as Kuroo explains parts of it.

~

It rains today as it has for the past week⁠—heavily and without reprieve. The grey sky seems eternal at this point, but that doesn't bother Kenma. It only means Kuroo will be visiting again.

The adventurous young man shows up, soaked to the bone, at the oddest times. And today is no different as a three-beat knock sounds at the front door. Samuel opens the door without a second thought as to who it could possibly be.

Kuroo smiles devilishly at the old man, drenched head to toe. "May I come in?"

"You always ask," the butler replies, "but by now you should know the answer." He sidesteps and motions for the young man to step through the threshold as footsteps sound behind him.

Kenma steps quickly down the stairs, careful not to lose his composure. "You're late," he says with a glance at the grandfather clock, "It's been raining since this morning." His hands hold something behind his back.

A book of poetry. He nervously grips the parcel paper he used to wrap it, heart beating rather erratically.

Kuroo chuckles as he removes his coat. "Apologies, I didn't know I was being held to a time schedule. I promise to do better next time." He picks out the flush creeping along Kenma's face. "I'd hate to keep the master of the house waiting," he adds with a wink.

Samuel extends his hand to take Kuroo's coat. Already, he appears exasperated, his characteristically grim scowl cutting a line across his face. But before Kuroo hands it off, he removes a book from the inside pocket.

"A small gift." He offers it to Kenma.

A bit shocked, Kenma lets his hands fall to his sides, revealing his own gift. Kuroo eyes the parcel then his own, unwrapped gift.