Amaranthine: Descent | WinTeam | Boyslove

Side Effect

Team bounded out of bed, the late afternoon sun peeking under the curtains of his room. Win groaned at the disruption, flopping over and cuddling back into the warm blankets. Golden light filled the room as Team swept the drapes back from the sliding glass door.

"Can you not?" The lump on the bed griped from behind him. Win had hidden himself under the covers as Team abused his sunlight allergy.

The human jumped on the bed, bear hugging over the concealed vampire. "Get up, Hia. We slept so late." A half-hearted growl sounded from below.

"Late for you, maybe."

The comforter slipped down as Team's fingers dug into Win's sides. He gasped at the shock of being tickled so early in his "morning." He squinted past the sunlight as he bucked under Team's claws. This brat. Win rolled Team under him, yanking the comforter along for the ride. He sat on Team's stomach and pinned his ornery arms overhead.

"Haven't you ever been told to not wake a sleeping vampire? That they're driven by hunger, keen to bite the neck of the one foolish enough to disturb their slumber?" Team snickered at Win's attempt at theatrics.

"Go. Ahead." Team dared him with mocking tilts of his head.

Win could only shake his head at his ever sassy human. "Fiend."

Another laugh threatened to break free as Win crossed his arms over his chest, the blanket bunching around him like a floppy coat of armor.

"I mean, it's awesome, but I only want you to do it."

Team had considered what he might do if they broke up. Would he go off trying to find someone else willing to suck his blood? Lurk around the vampire bar, offering himself up as bait just so he could maybe feel it again? Definitely not. He didn't want to be one of those humans lured to the loft, used and discarded. If it wasn't Win, then no thanks.

"You're just kissing ass for hitting me with sunlight."

"I'm 100% serious." Team gazed up with sudden innocence. "Unless 'kissing ass' keeps me from being punished...?"

"Not a chance. I still owe you for the café."

"Oi, Hia! You had fun, too. Admit it, I won in the date planning competition."

Win literally harrumphed as he acted insulted. "That's not fair. I didn't get to finish mine!"

Team winced. "True..." He thought for a moment. "Would you have told me otherwise?"

Win felt Team studying his face after his question. He sighed as he shuffled off of Team, returning to his side, still wrapped in the protective cocoon of fabric.

"I think so, yes." Win was contemplative, fiddling with the hem in his hands. "Depending on where our relationship led, I would have had to."

Team hummed. "I would have caught on even if I didn't find the picture. The hot boyfriend who doesn't age, doesn't eat, and only comes out at night? Puh-lease. What a cliché."

"Oh? Am I 'hot?'" Win grinned from where he peeked out of his blanket burrito. Team rolled his eyes and snorted as he motioned at his current state.

"So. Hot." Team heckled him. "You've never looked better."

Win would have kicked him if he wasn't all tangled up. He was also comfortable, though, so he let it go.

"Where did you find it, anyway? My photo." Win hadn't thought to ask before.

"It fell out of our coach's binder after a meeting."

Team referring to the coach of Pinyo University's swim club as "our," and not "my," wasn't lost on him. Win hadn't considered himself a part of that team for many years. To find out his old coach had kept his obituary photo in his binder twisted Win's heart a little. The old bugger probably felt guilty for his death, though he shouldn't.