Block A 「Nishimura Riki」

23

"So I'll be feeding from you from now on."

"You two are dating?" Jay questioned, in genuine bewilderment that it happened faster than he had expected. His surprise was short-lived.

"No, we aren't," Eiko clarified first while her skin ran cold.

Jay skeptically glanced at them, obviously not taking Eiko's rushed words for it after what he had heard.

"We aren't," Riki repeated frankly, demolishing any idea that Jay had of their relationship completely.

"Your eyes..." Jay had stated, physically pausing when he noticed the obvious change in the hue of Riki's normally umber brown pigmented eyes.

Eiko wondered how long they would last like that before they returned back to their natural hickory that she was familiar with.

"It'll go away later." Riki dismissed the topic with a casual wave of his hand to not further the conversation on it.

Jay let out a disapproving sigh. "You royals always give the rest of us the short end of the stick," he commented bitterly but without any sign of genuinity in his tone.

"What?"

Jay caught Eiko's eyes on him then turned to Riki, scanning the warning look in his eyes. He clicked his tongue and in turn gave Riki a look as well, mirroring the subtle warning also.

Riki ended the nonverbal conversation by shaking his head.

"Just a little joke, Eiko. The privilege of a royal, y'know?" He explained. "I'm going out to get something for Jake and I. Do you need anything?" Jay asked, though there was a slight implication that he was talking to Riki given that he, Jay, and Jake were the only pure vampires.

So the something was most likely blood.

"Ah nevermind, you have Eiko. I'll go out then."

Riki dodged Jay's gaze and ignored his hinting statement, feeling a bit bashful.

"I thought you were leaving?" Jake mockingly mumbled as he entered the kitchen.

Jay's eyebrows frowned, instantly irked by what Jake had said. "I was just about to."

"You said that like 10 minutes ago and you're still here," Jake grumbled. His eyes led to the duo who were still standing at the door and observing their interaction. "Woah your eyes."

"They'll go away in a bit," Riki told him.

Jake just hummed and faced Jay again, impatiently nudging him in his arm. "Aren't you supposed to be going somewhere?"

"I'm not getting you anything anymore," Jay murmured, purposely brushing past Jake to head to the door.

"Wait- that's not fair I thought we were friends. Friends don't do this to each other." He dramatized, putting his hand over his unbeating heart.

Eiko dragged Riki away from their interaction and led him into the living room. "I have a question."

"What is it?" The entirety of his attention was given to her, suddenly only aware of the words she was saying.

Eiko had halted, belatedly thinking if she should ask the question or if she should leave it alone. Unfortunately, she already had Riki's interest and didn't have the time to mull over it and back out of something she started.

"Those vials in your drawer. What are they for?" She could see the surprise wash over Riki's face in an instant, that way he was unable to fit in an immediate response so it only made Eiko more curious.