Crimson Moon

Chapter 1: The Cat's out of the Bag

The shift in the air was always something that ruffled the dark black fur along the feline's back. It was harsh and cold despite the warm winds. Something was coming, and he knew that for sure. Whatever it was, the feline didn't know. It was tiring and he just couldn't bring himself up to properly care. Shaking out his fur, heavy paws dragged the weary cat down the busy streets, straying away from the busy feet of the humans that paid no mind to him. It wasn't unusual for the cat to be completely ignored, and it didn't bother him one bit. Sometimes he got the affection he enjoyed from kids who wanted to pet him. He was happy and content with that, their hands were gentle and soft against his body. Letting out a small sigh he wandered towards a meat shop, giving a tiny meow. The old man that ran the place often fed him, the old green eye lighting up once the man spotted the cat. Giving him a grin, the man offered the feline a fresh cut of fish. The cat would prefer a big bowl of perfect ramen, but he couldn't complain, he was hungry after all. Slowly taking the fish from the man, the cat trots towards a empty alley. The shadows that crept along the walls hung like heavy spider webs, crowding every corner of the area. This was his area, a lonely little place for a broken creature. Settling down, the feline ate the fish, munching on it in silent thought. It was always the same, for hundreds of years. Life passed by with the humans, rushing by before fading away into dust. The world remained lonely, only a thorn in the cat's side. Nothing stayed the same, a constant change. People would drift into his life before being stolen away by the red flower of death. It was exhausting. It was lonely. Lives that he cared about deeply would always vanish, leaving him in a small pit to rot in alone. His life was lonely and meaningless, a darkness that drowned the very light itself leaving a empty shell to mellow in it's guilt and regrets.

Regret...shame, it's all that remained.

Haven't realized that he'd fallen asleep, the cat was jostled awake, tired red eyes opening wide in startled shock. It was a start that he was not expecting. Young hands grasped him gently, lifting him into the air. Bright, lively brown eyes stared at him, a smile painting fair skin. The cat closed his eyes, the boy's voice a small whisper in his ears. He didn't care. Not anymore. The warmth was welcoming though as the boy rushed off into the streets, pressing the cat into his jacket to keep it warm. The cat was kind of cold, which was weird. Wasn't cats supposed to be warm?

The click of a door woke the cat once more, red eyes scanning the apartment. It was nice. Well kept and clean. He was hungry again. It smelled kind of like a omega lived here. The smell was sweet, almost like freshly baked cinnamon rolls and vanilla ice cream. Food...his mouth was starting to water as he curled up to rest again, squeaking as he was picked up. The sound of a bell jingled close to him, something wrapping itself around his neck. Well that's just great. Hopefully this kid wouldn't catch him in his human form. That'd be exhausting to explain, let alone set a contract. Ears flick a little as a voice becomes clearer. His senses clearing up with the small promise of hope. He didn't understand it. They were all the same anyways. Why was he hopeful? He did not want a contract. He did not want a Eve.

"Kuro," The voice became clear. The name ringing in his mind and shooting warmth into his mind and body. The small ray of light that filtered into him was to much. It hurt. The memories that threatened him. Squirming around, Kuro was finally set down, the boy scrambling around, gathering his belongings, his voice fully clear as the feline was finally able to fully understand the words as a fog cleared up in his head, "Alright Kuro, I have to head to school now. Stay out of trouble, ok?"

Hearing the click of the door, and listening to the retreating footsteps, the feline sat up. A name, and a given object...there was only one more thing he needed for a contract. Shaking his head, he huffed, he didn't want a Eve. There's no hope for a monster. A poof could be heard in the air, red eyes complimenting pale skin. Heavy bags hung under the eyes that scanned for food in the kitchen. His stomach felt hollow. Void of the fish he ate earlier. Sighing, Kuro moved to snoop through the cupboards. Bingo. Instant ramen and chips, perfection in his mind. Shaking his pale azure colored hair out of his eyes, he reached for the food, gathering what he wanted before setting things down. Starting up his ramen, Kuro approached the TV, switching it on. News, how boring, finding the remote, he switched through the channels. Finding a channel that interested him. Looking up as the microwave dinged at him, the male moved to receive his stomach's food date. Adding the little packet to the ramen, he also gather the chips, settling back down. The feast was amazing. Filling his bottomless pit of a stomach with the food, his eyes scanned the TV, watching it in mild interest. Growing rather bored with the show,  Kuro decided to snoop around, looking for things to do. Finding a PSP, and a few manga, he relaxed in his old spot, deciding to play the game that was in it. Pokemon, it was a simple game of catch creatures, train and fight them while exploring a virtual world. Kuro thought it was pointless, but it was something for him to do. The time ticked on by, hours flying by as he grew more attached to the game. He never realized the door click, or the sound of footsteps approaching the room. Yet the boy's voice rang clearly in the once silent air.

"Who are you!?" Tired red eyes stared at the boy, blinking as a broom swung towards him, quickly leaping out of the way, he landed behind the kid with a yawn.

"Are all of you kids violent these days?" Kuro mutters, glancing at the boy as he spun around towards him.

"You're the one breaking into my apartment!" 

"You invited me in," Kuro protested a little, "So bothersome..."

The look one the boy's face was interesting, till the kid tripped, ripping open the blinds, shedding bright sunlight into the room. The puff startled the boy, his eyes focused on the little cat that now lay on the ground, "Kuro?"

"Hey...shut the blinds, a vampire can't be in the sunlight," Kuro complained, wincing at the boy's squeal. 

"Y-you're a vampire!? Wait- Are you the one that's been killing people!? Are you here to drink my blood!!??"

"So annoying, stop with the questions already...I'm not here to drink your blood, I could careless about blood. Who'd want to constantly hunt and pointlessly kill? It's all tiring and bothersome. I'm just a cute house cat that you picked up," He huffs, puffing back into his human form once the boy closed the blinds, "As long as you don't call my name while I'm in this form, I can leave."

"Your name? I don't even know your name, I only gave you a name when I picked you up cause I thought you were a cat, Kuro-"

The bright blue light startled the boy. The strong fear scent drowning Kuro's senses as he grunts. A blue chain formed between the two, wrapping around Kuro's neck and the boy's wrist. Yet the boy was clearly a omega. The omega whose scent hung on everything in the house. Kuro should have realized that the boy was a omega. There was only one scent in the house, and the distressed scent that came from the boy was potent. It burned his nostrils and throat as he tried to breath. Tired and frustrated, Kuro glared at the boy, "Are you stupid? I just told you not to say my name. So bothersome," He sighed, the link fading as the boy stared at him in shock.

"What was that?"

"A half contract, I'm stuck with you for 24 hours now, good job."

"Don't blame this on me! Ugh, I still have to go to the market to buy things," The boy grumbles, looking around his apartment with irritation, "HOW DID YOU DIRTY UP THE ENTIRE PLACE!?"

"Why are you screaming at your cute kitty? Your parents should be ashamed, where are they anyways?" Kuro looked towards the boy. The pained expression caught him off guard, guilt tugging at his heart as the boy slowly started cleaning up.

"My mom died in a car crash when I was a kid, and I never met my father. I live in this apartment with my Uncle, he took me in when no one else would...but my Uncle is on deployment somewhere, so I'm here alone. That's why I picked you up when I found you."

"Because you didn't want to be alone," Kuro mumbled. His heart ached. He didn't like it. He wanted the feelings to end. He wanted them to leave him alone. The pain and loneliness that threatened to swallow him completely. He hated it. Hated himself.

"Anyways...since you said we're stuck together for 24 hours, does that mean I have to take you to the market with me?" The words cut his mind off, red eyes glancing at the boy.

"I'm a vampire, I'll die in the sunlight, even though I'm immortal."

"That doesn't make sense!" Hands grasp the cat again as he poofed, picking him up and hoisting him up against a firm, warm chest. Kuro was tired, sighing as the boy rushed towards the city with him, neither knowing of the window that shattered in the empty apartment.