road to sunset // keito hasumi

Vampire's Bite

Pressed against the wall, you cowered below Keito Hasumi. He looked tired and exhausted. Those dark circles under his eyes and that incredibly pale complexion were undeniable, not to mention his shallow breathing that couldn't possibly have been a good sign.

You gently cupped his face with both your hands, running your thumb along his cheekbones. "You've been overworking yourself again, haven't you?" you asked with worry washed over your voice; and the silence that followed spoke so loud.

"You." Keito called out to you in a breathy low voice. He caught your attention when he leaned his head into your touch more as if seeking comfort in the warmth emitted from your hands.

A giggle left your lips. Witnessing Keito so vulnerable; you made sure to savor every last second of the moment. It didn't happen too often after all and who knows, perhaps you could hold this against him one day. Not that you would, that would be unfair towards him, no? Smiling softly, you gently pressed your forehead against his as you opened the first two buttons of your shirt to reveal your neck to him.

The silence between you two was heavy. You could feel his hesitance as he stared blankly at your exposed skin, presumably forcing himself to hold back his thirst for blood. Even though you didn't understand much about vampire anatomy, it couldn't have been good for him in the long run. "Go on," you encouraged him, "a vampire mustn't starve himself, right?" Keito gritted his teeth. He hated to see people getting hurt by his own hands; but for the sake of protecting those said people, he had to make this sacrifice. What a paradoxical world this was, requiring to hurt someone to protect them at the same time.

Ah, what a pain in the neck! This wasn't the time to be worrying about trivial things like these; for now he had to take care of himself before things got worse. Grabbing you by the throat, Keito sunk his sharp fangs into the crook of your neck. A sensation of pain rushed through your body, followed by an arousing warmth. It was for Keito's well-being, you told yourself, nothing more.

With a smile, albeit a very pained one, you ran your hand through his hair to soothe whatever could plague his mind. He wasn't usually one to share what was going on in his head, not that it was a big issue to you. It was part of his charm and even when there wasn't much you could do for him, offering him a shoulder to cry on was the very bare minimum. You couldn't force him to speak after all and you were willing to wait for as long as Keito needed to open up to you, even if that day may never actually come.

In return, Keito appreciated your efforts, too. Although he more often than not complained about your behavior, it was all out of love and affection. He valued your compassion for him and the fact that you kept an eye on him for so long. Not just that, but also you blind acceptance when you learnt about his being as a vampire was something he was eternally grateful for. You closed your eyes. The blood loss was slowly but surely making you feel lightheaded and unsteady on your feet. You were losing consciousness which made you wonder how much blood he must have taken from you; but you were certain that as long as you were in his arms, you were in a safe place.

As your vision turned black and you fell limp, Keito caught you in his arms. "Sorry about that", he whispered to your unconscious body as he placed a chaste kiss on the bite marks he left behind on your body.