Delicious [FighterTutor - ENG]

I'

The first time Fighter heard of vampires, he was only a child.
His parents didn't tell him much. They just explained to him that vampires were real, but it was rare to meet them and even more difficult to recognize them. Everything people believed to know about these creatures was misleading: they did not burn or shine in the sun, they could not turn into bats, they could not be kept away with garlic, holy water or silver crucifixes. However, they were dangerous. Dangerous and in need of human blood, so it was better not to wander the streets alone late in the evening or blindly trust strangers.
Fighter was shocked at first and he had strictly followed his parents' advice, trying to convince his friends to do the same. Then, growing up, he began to be sceptical and put aside what seemed to be just superstitions.
He still didn't trust strangers - in fact, the inability to trust was an issue in any of his relationships - but now he quite enjoyed going out at night. He generally found it helpful to improve his mood.

Even now, he is in the usual club, sitting on a dirty leather sofa, sipping alcohol just to pass his time. His friends dragged him there to cheer him up after another failure with a girl, probably because of him, for reasons he can't exactly point out, and now he is simply looking around without really focusing on anything. He catches someone's gaze for a moment but immediately turns away uncomfortably. He doesn't like the feeling of being stared at.

"Cheer up, P'Fight, go find someone better" Saifah encourages him, raising his eyebrows eloquently. Then he grabs the full glass in front of him and lifts it as if he's making a toast before taking a long sip.
Zon, sitting beside him, hits his arm lightly, before taking the glass from him.
"Maybe he's not in the mood, Sai. You should be more sensitive. And stop drinking," he scolds him, but with that particular smile he always has for Saifah. Then he finishes the glass himself and prevents the other from refilling it.
"If you feel sick, I'll leave you in the street this time" Zon threatens, making the other one laugh out loud.
They still argue over the glass and Fighter sighs tired as he watches them, wishing to go home. Maybe it's his jealousy speaking, but he feels unwanted, lonely.
It doesn't mean, however, that he wants to find someone else tonight or anyway soon just be disappointed again and be even more aware of that strange feeling of emptiness in his chest.

He thinks about whether finishing or not the blue liquid in his glass - he has no one to tell him to stop, has he? - but in the end, he decides not to. He already feels bad enough and he just needs some peace to unwind.

"I'm going to the toilet," he says and finally looks up from his drink, ready to get up from the table.

Then he sees him. There is a boy - a beautiful boy, Fighter finds himself thinking - sitting across the room, with his hands crossed, who's staring at him. Fighter instinctively looks back at him, trying to understand why he is doing that, but the other doesn't stop. Quite the opposite, he slowly smiles. Probably only a few seconds passed, but Fighter feels like everything else around them has frozen.
He feels his heart beating wildly, and knows that it is not due to emotion. Or, rather, that it is not due to any positive emotion. He's afraid as never before in his life. The boy's eyes are not looking at him with sympathy or audacity, they are looking at him with voracious greed, as if he were a prey, they seem to discourage him from any possibility of escape.

That's a vampire and that vampire is pointing him.
Fighter is sure, he trusts his self-preservation instinct even though he has never seen one before. With his mind still clouded by the shock, he decides to sit down again, unable to bear that expression on the boy's face anymore.
"Did you change your mind, P'Fight?" Zon asks him, puzzled. Fighter nods. He doesn't dare look in the vampire's direction again but feels the need to check where he is. When he finally gives in, he no longer sees him there or nearby. He disappeared in a moment.

"What's wrong with you?"
"Guys, do you believe in vampires?" he asks back, still looking around for him. He feels locked in a cage with a beast.

Saifah bursts out laughing, adding "C'mon, Fighter, you've been obsessed with this thing since you were a kid. What's the matter now?"
"I'm serious, Saifah" and his faint voice makes him even more serious. His friend stops giggling.

"I think I just saw one. Just a moment ago he was in front of me, staring at me. Am I crazy?" he runs his hand nervously through his hair, almost on the verge of tears. To end the evening in the best possible way, he's risking his life.

Zon looks around (not that he believes in these things, but better to be sure, right?) but he doesn't notice anyone in particular, so he tries to minimize: "Don't worry, Fighter, maybe he was just a particularly creepy guy who liked you"

Those eyes can't be human, Fighter is sure he saw them shining. Still, he tries to think rationally, he can't lose control right now.

A vampire would never attack someone in front of so many people, it would be an inconsiderate move. As long as he stays there, among people, he should be safe. He has to wait just long enough for the vampire to find someone else, and then he will go home and never return in that place again.

"Are you okay? Shall I call a taxi, so we can go home?" asks Saifah, now seriously worried about his friend's state.

"No!" Fighter quickly replies, holding him by the arm. Then he tries to hide his concern with a laugh that sounds fake even to his ears "You're right, it was just my imagination, maybe I drank a little too much. Let's stay here a little longer, I don't want to ruin your night."

"Let's go dancing, then" Zon tries to take the initiative to entertain him, but Fighter shakes his head slightly "No, I want to sit here to recover a bit. But you can go, if you want. Don't worry."
Saifah and Zon look at him doubtfully, but after further reassurance, they decide to get up and head to the dance floor. They are still near the table to keep an eye on their friend. Seeing them wriggle in a failed attempt to follow the rhythm and then bickering when Saifah lifts Zon just to point out their height difference distracts him just a bit and even makes him slightly smile.

"I knew you were smart."

Once again, Fighter understands who the voice belongs to without having to turn around. He felt again that heavy gaze on him even before he could hear the words. This must be a nightmare.