Midnight Rose (Kaimaki vampire AU)

Chapter 23: The Hotel

Maki felt like her body was heavy. It felt like she couldn't move at all. She couldn't remember the last time her body felt like that. Definitely when she first started her training (though it was rare for her to sleep properly back then). She just felt so drained, like all of her energy had been sapped right out of her. While it was worrying, at the same time, it felt a little nice. She could properly relax for once. She wanted to fall deeper into a sleep. However, her eyelids opened against her will. Once they opened with great difficulty, Maki only saw her own tired face looking back at her. It made her realise that she was in another room. Once again she woke up in a room that she didn't know where. 'Not again. This better not turn into a habit.' Maki thought, her eyes shifting to the rest of the room. It wasn't like the last time she woke up. The room was clearly that of a hotel. The room was small. It seemed like a nice room. It was simple and not extravagant like the last room she woke up in. The room was lit by a dim purple shade. There were a couple of beside tables on either side of the bed with a lamp each, to use for better lighting. The window was concealed by a thick curtain that Maki was sure was a blackout curtain. The mirror that Maki saw stretched along the wall, from floor to ceiling.

Despite it looking somewhat cheep, Maki felt more comfortable in this room then she did in the previous one. She sat up. The duvet slipped off of her body, but she also felt like something slipped off of her shoulders as well. Maki looked down. She was still wearing the ridiculous dress that she was forced to wear. But she was also wearing something else. Kaito's coat was still wrapped around her since Kaito gave it to her. Feeling a little cold, Maki wrapped the coat around her shoulders again, faintly smelling the cologne that Kaito uses. That was when it all suddenly came back to her: the Chief attacking her; Kaito saving her; the fight; her killing the Chief after he tried to kill Kaito and Kaito wrapping his coat around her as if it were a safety blanket for her. But what came down harder than a sledge hammer, was the fact that the Chief was a vampire. And so was Kaito. 'If that was real, this-' Maki started to think as she felt herself shaking.

"Hey. Glad to see you're awake, Maki Roll."

Maki turned her head to where she heard Kaito's voice. There he was, standing in the doorway of what Maki would assume to be a bathroom. He seemed to be his normal self. His smile was wide and his eyes held their permanent childlike spark. However, Maki felt her face go red hot and her head was whirring. In his excitement to check in on her, Kaito seemed to have forgotten that he was shirtless. Maki stared for about three seconds before curling up, hiding her face in Kaito's coat.

"S-sorry! I was-give me a second." Kaito exclaimed, immediately catching on why Maki suddenly hid her red face. The bathroom door quietly closed, momentarily leaving Maki alone. Maki lifted her head a little, still concealing her bright red cheeks. She had seen shirtless men before and never had much of a reaction towards them. Kaito shouldn't be any different. So why did she react like a schoolgirl having a hardcore crush right now? 'Even for a vampire he looks-what the hell am I thinking?! What's wrong with me?!' Maki thought only to recoil back under Kaito's coat, almost imitating a tortoise recoiling into its shell. This is starting to get ridiculous!

Someone suddenly clearing their throat snapped Maki back into reality. She looked up a little shyly, only to be met with a bento being offered to her. He trailed the arm holding it out to her to be met with Kaito's warm smile. Only this time he was now wearing a dressing gown that the room had available. Upon further inspection, Maki noticed that he had cleaned himself up, washing all the blood that had been on him. His hair lost all of its gravity defying features and telling by how damp it was, it was clear that he had a shower.

"Here. I didn't know what you wanted, but-" Kaito offered, gesturing to the bento.

"Thank you." Maki muttered, carefully taking the food from him. She opened it up. The smell of food made her mouth water. She hadn't eaten much back when she was at that place. She didn't want to be fed like a baby by a creep, and he pretty much wouldn't let her eat on her own. So even if it's cheep takeaway food, Maki will take what she can get. She immediately took the chopsticks that were provided and started to eat. The food was still a little warm, making her let out a quiet, but satisfied hum. She stopped for a moment when Kaito suddenly sat down on the end of the bed, digging into a bento that he had for himself. 'He's eating human food. He acts so much like a human that it's no wonder that you mistake him for being one.' Maki silently observed, watching as Kaito was stuffing his face eagerly. He must have sensed her watching as he suddenly stopped eating and turned to her.