wow rei sakumas gay? - fuck-christianity

wow rei sakumas gay?

gay shit / fuck-christianity

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1sZEvHtPVkfR5NCM2xmMewr8IxHk5syO4x3CZeEtOAYs/edit?usp=sharing

fuck christianity

In every sense, the mission that Kaoru Hakaze had been sent on was simple. His steps were mapped ahead of time, his supplies packed before he was set to leave, and his instructions repeated clearly to him on more than one occasion. All things considered, this mission was simple. An in and out jou...

1:27 AM

Kaoru watched as he flopped back, eyes lingering on his lips as he let his fingers rest there for a moment. He was quick to tear his eyes away, not allowing himself to think too long on where he'd been looking, or why he'd been looking there. He excused it as simple human psychology, that his eyes had been drawn there because of where Rei's hand had been. He was almost relieved when the conversation shifted off of himself, not quite wanting to speak on the situation with his father. That was an argument waiting to happen, and it wasn't worth expending the energy that such a conversation would take. Particularly not with a vampire, of all things. "Reading and sleeping?" He clarified, almost a little surprised. Though, he supposed that there were worse habits. Still, he'd expected... more from someone who claimed to be as old as he was. "Sleeping is.. not a hobby, no. However, I'm surprised. Though you were... ah, locked away for some time. Has the time not passed slowly for you? Without something to keep you busy."

"I used to do much more.." Rei sighs again, mumbling something under his breath as he rested there. He seems to have relaxed a bit. Enough to look two steps away from napping on Kaoru's couch. "I used to be a vocalist before I was sealed away. Me and the others had a band and we would play together. I've also taught dance. But all of those things are gone now. So I can't really say I do them." Homeless vampire complains about his life. He twirls a lock of hair in his hand and brushes it out of his face. "Time passes slowly for me no matter the year. I even stopped keeping track of my age, since it became far too boring to bother with. What do you do?"

Kaoru could understand time passing slowly. If he was truly as old as he implied, than time dragging on was simply another bother -- not quite the motivator that it was for humans. He kept his gaze on his expression, trying not to seem overly interested in the minuscule actions that he was tempted to look towards. "Ah-" And the conversation was back on him. "I'm told I should.. study my readings more often, but I find that-" Boring? Uninteresting? Unhappy? "- To be extending the amount of work I already do. I taught myself how to play the guitar years ago, so that as well as music in general and offhanded research into marine sciences-" He waved a hand dismissively, "A career path I'd always wanted to take, after my mother, but my father insisted on religion." He laughed it off, sounding more bitter than amused. He was quick to quell that, "A vocalist, you said?"

Rei hums, a low noise in his throat and he forced his eyes open. He almost looked peaceful at this angle, but there was a type of melancholy that clung to his skin. Something that chilled the aura around him rather than his usually teasing lilt. "That sounds nice." He offers him a sleepy smile. "I'd like to hear you play sometime. I think it would be more fulfilling for a young man like you." Oh? He perks up at his question, eyes opening in earnest and they sparkle in the apartment lighting. "Yes. My two other rights hands that I've told you about, Koga and Adonis, they and I formed a band called Deadmanz. Koga was on the guitar, I was the lead, and Adonis was my ah. My backup singer. It was so much fun. We traveled all sorts of places, and no one ever figured out what we truly were." There's a lump that forms in his throat that makes him swallow, as if his voice had just died right there. "Though. Those are just the ramblings of an old man these days."

Observing Rei was interesting. Dissecting his emotions and expressions as they shifted slowly across his face. It was far more interesting when he assumed the vampire wasn't looking, simply watching him react without much of an audience or a need to put on a show. Kaoru quickly caught the longing that seemed to settle over him, quick to pick up the conversation from there. "Ah. It sounds interesting." He hummed, "I'd love to play for you some time-" He glanced at his wrist, simply checking his watch. He had to be up early, unfortunate: "Perhaps not tonight though.. Another day when I'm far less busy. " He sighed, the phrase more fulfilling still stuck in his mind. Would it truly be more fulfilling? It was something he enjoyed far more than what he currently did. But his father had always discouraged it.. He pushed the thought from his mind. "It's not too forward to offer you the couch to sleep on, no?" He asked, standing and checking that he had his things. "If you haven't been sleeping well, I'd like to extend that kindness to you."

"You have no idea~" Rei chuckles quietly, shaking his head and fussing his hair up even more than it was already. "It's a shame. I would have loved to see you in the audience." Oh well. No sense whining about things that are long gone. Even if saying that to himself hurts. Now all he does is wander around like a newborn kitten, confused and alone. Not that he's lonely. Hah! No way. No...why would he feel that way. He sits up and reaches his arms up, stretching in an attempt to not pass out on his couch while he was talking. "Goodness, how late has it become?"The vampire leans over to peek at Kaoru's watch. Oh. It was much later than he thought. Had he really eaten up that much time? Perhaps rambling isn't an exaggeration after all. "You don't have to extend such kindness to me. However, I find it hard to turn you down.."

Kaoru leaned back ever so slightly, barely noticeable as he tried to keep some amount of distance from the vampire. Still, he recognized that he was only trying to glance at his watch, so he didn't outwardly fight the action. "Not an issue-" He's spent nights around far worse people, but that was the territory that came with accepting jobs from his father. Not to mention, he'd taken a bit of an interest in the vampire. He'd never admit such a thing, but at the very least he wasn't trying to be killed. "I wouldn't kick someone out to the streets." He waved a hand dismissively as he pushed himself to his feet. "However, I do have to work tomorrow, so I will be up early. As long as that's no issue, you're free to stay." He hummed, moving to the front door to ensure it was locked. He slipped away to his own room soon after, shutting and locking the door securely behind him. (edited)

Rei yawned, wiping a stray drop of water from his eye with the motion. ”Very well, I will accept your generosity, Father. Ah... and thank you for entertaining this old man.” He waves as Kaoru retreats to his own room, snapping his fingers to turn the lights out. Hah. It’d been a while since something he did was so. Normal. His arm came up over his eyes to blot out the creeping lights below and he let himself drift off. .. Sleeping out in the open felt a little more...different. Than sleeping in the safety of a coffin or a box. Vulnerable. He turns over and puts his hands above his head and that helps for a few hours. Then he uses the pillows to block himself in, but that only makes him more uncomfortable. He stirred again in the dead of night. Or was it the morning? His half open eyes could barely tell. The vampire rolled off of the couch and stood up, keeping his eyes covered with his messy hair to blot out the surroundings. A clawed hand opens a door to, in his tired mind, is simply “darker space”. Little did he know that was uh. Kaoru’s private space. He climbs into the bed with him and slides down under the blankets until his whole body is covered. Mmmm dark space. Yes

. He quickly falls back into a deep sleep.

Kaoru wasn't sure when he'd fallen asleep, his mind a mix of a million different thoughts that never quite seemed to go silent. Not that he minded, it gave him something to focus on other than his work the next morning. Which was, typically, what his mind ended up focusing on. This was a welcome change, especially since it allowed him to rest more easily. When he woke the next morning, to the sound of his phone blaring some alarm sound at him, he was upset to lose that easy sleep that he'd fallen into. He hardly processed anything, hand shooting out from under his covers to smack blindly at his phone. It was far too early for him. It was another few moments before he properly processed anything, feeling an odd weight within his bed. His still closed eyes fluttered, brows furrowing. He opened them, head turning to see what had fallen onto his bed when he saw the vampire? Kaoru shot up, quick to his feet as he nearly staggered out of bed. His hand moved to his heart, taking a breath. When the hell had- No, why was he here? His hand moved up, as if feeling his neck for any new marks but he seemed to be.. somewhat safe. That didn't answer his many questions, however, and he paused, silent for a moment as he stared at the vampire in confusion, unsure of what to do.

Wow, imagine waking up to alarms. Couldn't be Rei, who's continuing to sleep soundly. Even when Kaoru springs out of the bed, all he does is bounce on said mattress from the force of the human hopping off. He turned over in the bed, scooting over to the warm spot the other man left behind. Cozy. He hasn't woken up a tad. Sorry buddy. You're having your crisis on your own. (edited)

Kaoru cautiously approached the bed to grab his phone off the nightstand, tucking it into his pocket. He debated on how to wake up the vampire, if he even could -- he seemed to be sleeping heavily. Then, he wondered if he should even wake him up. He took a breath, shaking his head and glancing at the time. He had to start getting ready now if he didn't want to be late. So he tried anyway, reaching out to awkwardly shake his shoulder and say his name. "Rei-"

Zzzz. Rei had only stirred when Kaoru shook his shoulder, one red eye squinting open to look at him. Oh. Hello. He yawned, tongue sticking out and showing off his long canines as he twisted in the sheets. Wait, sheets? ”Ghhh...how did I...” He sits up, looking around in sleepy confusion and down at the blanket in his lap. Uhhh..? Well. That’s certainly something isn’t it. How embarrassing. His voice was thick with sleep as he blinked at him. ”Kaoru...?” (edited)

Kaoru had immediately pulled his hand back when he noticed Rei waking, glancing at his exposed fangs before he flicked back to his expression. Confusion, obviously. Had he not walked into here himself? Kaoru's expression mirrored Rei's confusion as well, brows furrowed. "Ah- Yes." He swallowed nervously, "Pardon, could I ask why- no.. how you got in here?" He started with, "Why comes next.."

"Though the door..." That seemed rather obvious. He crosses his feet under the blankets and picked at his hair, moving some of the strands out of the way and running his hands through it. Rei caught Kaoru's gaze and smiled for a moment, head cocking to the side as he yawned again. Sleepy. "Why?"

"Yes. Why." He motioned at Rei, and his own bed, trying to understand why his room had been taken over by the vampire. "Not to mention-" He glanced at the door, as if to ensure it wasn't broken. "- I locked the door before I fell asleep last night." He shook his head, attempting to pull his thoughts together. He kept his gaze off of Rei, not wanting to linger on how he looked so early in the morning. It felt wrong to think on it for too long. He looked similarly tired, hair a little mussed from sleep, clothing wrinkled. He glanced at the time once again, making a note of it just to be safe. (edited)

Ohhh. That. Rei nodded and waved his hand, the door locking loudly in the tension of the quiet room. "I can unlock doors. I must've done it in my sleep..." Only then did he kick the covers off, sliding off the mattress and looking Kaoru up and down. He seemed much more peaceful at the moment. Head empty. So empty that he can't dramatically lament abut his situation at the moment. "Though I don't....usually sleepwalk. My apologies for scaring you."

Kaoru's head snapped over, gaze locking on the door that had just locked on.. it's own, or rather, with just a wave of the vampire's hand. Terrifying. His gaze snapped back over to Rei, blinking once, twice, as he took a step away from him. "Ah- Just.. confused is all." He said slowly, trying to make heads or tails of the situation as a whole. So he'd.. sleepwalked into here? His hand moved back up to his neck. He glanced back at the time, muttering a soft curse at himself under his breath. "I need to get ready- Apologies." He managed, quick to turn on his heel and begin to get his things together. He could... try and question the vampire another time.

Rei nodded and let his hand drop. Hm. That was probably his sign to get out of Kaoru’s hair. He waved his hand to unlock the door again and straightened his clothes out, coming his hair to be somewhat decent. ”Mmmm. Very well.” He waved a hand at him to encourage him to start moving. ”Go. Shoo. I’ll be out in a moment.”

Kaoru paused, processing the fact that he was being kicked out of his own room. He shook his head, his things in his arms as he left the room to head to the bathroom quickly. In the quickest he'd ever gotten ready, he managed to pull himself together. He barely had time to pull a brush through his hair, knowing he'd be late if he didn't hurry. He was already dreading work, knowing full well he likely wouldn't get downtime for at least another week or two. He was out the door quickly enough, things with him as he left the vampire behind. ... Bad idea, but dealing with his father was far more worrying.

Oh, he actually obeyed. Rei cocked an eyebrow as he watched him rush around, waking up enough to be somewhat alert. Oh, and there he goes! Nyoom! He watched him leave, eyes wide as the human practically bolted out the door. He didn’t even give Rei a second thought after that. What a strange man. ... Well. Uh. Now he’s alone. In his apartment. Just. Hanging out. As one does. It’s not like he had anything better to do but. It was kind of cold without his company. He could wait, but he wasn’t sure if that was gonna do anything. He sighed and closed the curtains to blot out the rising sunlight, feeling it tingle on his skin uncomfortably. Whatever happens will happen.

If anything, Kaoru wasn't exactly worried about Rei. He was busy with dealing with his father, and making sure that he didn't get angry at him for one reason or another. It wasn't exactly a kind day for him, but he managed to push through it. He returned back late, loaded with paperwork. It was already dark out, and he entered his apartment. His back hit the door, and he sighed heavily. He leaned his head back, a soft thud against the wood of the door. He dropped the paperwork, taking a moment to just relax and breathe at the entrance to his apartment. What a long day..

mmm

1

Rei had taken this time to become acquainted with the small space that Kaoru occupied. It wasn’t much, and it was easy to tell that he didn’t spend a lot of time here, but it was warm. He had went back to sleep on the couch, for real this time, and only woke up that evening. Though he still woke up alone at that point. By the time Kaoru had come back, Rei was hanging out in the kitchen, making a pot of tea. The vampire had heard the door open and poke his head out to look for the source. Ah. There he is. Though Rei...chose not to say anything at the moment, and went back into the kitchen. He understood what it was like to need a breather before trying to speak after a long day. So instead, there would be two cups of tea rather than one.

Kaoru took a moment to breathe, just standing with his back against the door. His day was far from over, and he was almost upset to say that he'd taken his one day off for granted. He should have spent it mentally preparing for the next day, but instead he just took a day to himself. A good plan in theory. He sighed, leaning down to grab the paperwork again. It ended up sitting on the coffee table in the main room, before he ducked into his room for more comfortable clothing. He'd nearly completely forgotten that Rei should still be here, moving to sit down and grab the paperwork so he could begin writing and filling in what he needed to work on. Boring, tedious work that he'd rather not do, and should logically be split among all the members of the church and not just him.

Ahh...poor Kaoru... That pile of paperwork left on the table was downright disgusting. That's not fair, nor is it kind. It was rude in every way and almost insulting. How can one person stay sane while doing all of that? They don't. Take it from the Doppo kinnie. Rei brings out the two cups of tea, setting the human's mug down on the table next to him. He's in his personal space yet again as he rests his empty hands on his shoulders as he worked, his chin sitting on top of his head. "Good evening."

Kaoru tensed up as he felt the hands on his shoulders. That, accompanied with the voice, was certainly a bit frightening. He had nearly forgotten that the vampire was there, having half expected him to leave. He managed to force himself to relax, eyes still trained on the papers taking up the table in front of him. Finish by tomorrow, and then the rest of the week would be a little easier -- he hoped. Take it from the Shu kinnie, he won't last long he'll collapse eventually. "Evening." He mumbled under his breath, rubbing one of his eyes with his hand. He could hardly be bothered to mention the contact, letting the slight bit of kind contact force him to relax. "Thank you-" He followed with that, reaching out to pick up the mug to take a sip of the still hot tea. Relaxing enough.

"Hmm, you're welcome." Well, he didn't know what else to do. So he just stayed and waited for him to return. Rei rubbed circles into the back of his shoulders, noticing some of the muscles there that were overly tight. Yeesh. Just because he can handle it doesn't mean he should have to. Human lives are too short to be doing all that. "It's the least I can do, I suppose. Since you're already drowning in work." God, looking at Kaoru exhausted and strung out made him actively pissed off. (edited)

Kaoru let out a soft breath, feeling Rei's fingers press into his back. The action was enough to force him to relax a little more, drawing him a little further into reality rather than the hell that was his work. Still, he continued to finish up his work here. Pen moving quickly across the page and doing what he needed to do. Tedious, boring work. As always. He'd only been back after one day off, and the exhaustion was beginning to set in again. Perhaps he should have slept more the night before. It was a while before he finished, mug empty and sitting off to the side. He slumped, arms crossed on the table as he rested his head on them. He let his eyes shut, taking a moment to just breathe and relax before he had to go to bed and get ready for the next day.

Kaoru was far too tapped to listen to his complaining, so he decided to Not! For once. Who would have known such a feat was possible. Not that he had much to add that he hadn't stated before. But seeing him relax slightly put his mind at ease for now. He reached over him and collected the cup to move it into the kitchen, watching the human rest on the table. That can't be comfortable. Rei sat down next to him and cozied up to sap the feeble warmth that Kaoru gave off. Hmm... He rested his arms on the table and laid down on them, facing him. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

Kaoru had to wonder if Rei even knew what personal space was. He was far too tired to complain, a protest on the tip of his tongue that quickly died down with the wave of exhaustion that swept over him once more. Instead, he'd allow himself to relax into that coolness that emanated off of Rei. His eyes stayed shut, and Kaoru shifted slightly to get more comfortable. Just.. a few moments like this and he'd be alright. "I'm simply tired." An easy lie, and one he had no qualms about tellling. "Long days truly do take it out of me." He spoke quietly, "My day off has left me unaccustomed to such things. I'll live." He stated, trying to avoid giving any more information about what was going on.

Liar. Not that Rei had the authority to call him out on that, but it was easy to tell that the human had been put through the ringer. Possibly more than once. Something in his fingers ached to brush through that sandy blonde hair and tell him everything was going to be okay, that he could take care of it. But they didn’t know each other like that. It was all just an act. If it wasn’t to tease or pick on Kaoru to make him trust him, then there was no point pursuing it any farther. So instead he didn’t move at all, the tingling eventually fading from underneath his skin as he forced it aside. Everything all boils down to that same apathetic feeling anyway, so what was the point of trying anything else? ”I see. That’s quite tragic.” He says plainly, watching him...basically zonk out on the table. ”You don’t seem to be ‘ living’ very well at the moment.”

Kaoru felt as if he might fall asleep just like this, laying on the hard table. He knew it was a poor plan, that the harsh position would be hell on his poor back and posture. He stayed like that for another moment, just sinking into the soft tiredness of the moment. "Tragic?" He repeated, voice quiet in the near silent air of the room. "I'm working, living. That's just-" He sighed, pushing himself to sit up. His back popped, and he winced. "That's simply how it is with my father." He hummed, reaching up to push his hair out of his face. "Apologies. But I might have to retire early.. I'd love to talk more but.."

Maybe a little softness. As a treat. It couldn’t hurt either of them. Rei winced as he heard the pop in his back, standing up to do the same. Ow. Okay maybe laying down like that wasn’t the best idea. Anyway. ”Here-“ He bent his knees and tucked his arm under Kaoru’s knees, scooping him up from the couch with a soft grunt. ”Working isn’t living, it’s surviving. Which leaves barely any room for one’s self to exist.” He carries Kaoru to the bedroom and sets him down on the bed. If the priest boy needed sleep then that’s what he would get. Rei can entertain himself.

Kaoru froze as he felt himself get lifted by the vampire, scrambling to grab his phone from the table. He managed to tuck it into his pocket, shooting a confused look up at Rei. He wasn't typically this busy, but he could see where Rei was coming from. The past two weeks had been hell on him, and being thrown back into the cycle was less than appealing. He didn't move though, allowing himself to sink slightly into his grip. It was wrong, to lean so far into the kind contact, but he couldn't stop himself, having missed the ability to be so close to another person. Still, he knew it was wrong. To want to be so close to a guy -- a vampire -- like that. He almost missed it when he was set down, but he didn't complain, keeping his mouth shut. He curled into the sheets, letting out a soft breath, nearly out by the time his head had hit the pillow.

There he goes. Out like a light. Rei tugged the blankets over him and adjusted him to be more comfortable. Wow. That didn’t take long at all. As cute as it was, he couldn’t help but worry. He kind of...inherited Kaoru by accident. Now he had to take care of him since he didn’t have the freedom to do it himself. But how does one take care of a human? They need nutrients, water, uh...clothes? No. Maybe. But not really. How do you take care of a religious human? Are they different? Kaoru was doing him a kindness by letting him stay here indefinitely, the least he could do is make his life easier when he could. Guess he’s going shopping tonight! He’d be back before Kaoru got up. He can just..cheat capitalism ❤️ that’s something he’s very good at. Vampire charm has its benefits.

Kaoru curled in on himself as he slept, drifting into an easy and rather heavy sleep. It was comfortable to sink into it, despite the dreams that usually filled his mind at night. His hands shifted, pulling a blanket close and holding it to their chest. He curled up around it, shifting minimally in his sleep. He woke up some time later, having been able to sleep for a good while. He didn't quite sleep through the night, waking closer to midnight than anything. He grumbled as he woke, rubbing his eyes and pushing himself to sit up.

Rei didn’t seem to be back as Kaoru woke up, but judging from the couple books left on the nightstand he’d been here once before. He was busy trying to figure out Kaoru’s likes and dislikes while also just. Getting used to the idea of having another person in his space full time. Or. Wait. The other way around. Being in someone else’s space full time. He was also searching. Both literally and metaphorically, for some trace of his companions. Rei wondered what they would think of Kaoru, if he would take up a guitar and ditch his old life for their band. Maybe. Maybe not. But it would be nice to stand on stage again. He’d come home during the dead of night, unknowing that Kaoru was awake, and sat down some bags in the kitchen. Step one done! Uh. What comes after that? Er. Who knows? Not him apparently. At least he had some of his own readings, even though his mind was dozens of miles away from his body.

Kaoru pushed himself properly to his feet, pushing a hand back through his hair as he stretched a bit. The bit of sleep he'd gotten had been good for his mind, but even so, he still felt bad. His body ached, and his head hurt, and he just felt a little off balance. He made his way to the kitchen, getting a glass of water and finding his way back to the main room. He pulled his legs up under him, having flipped on a light so he was more comfortable. His gaze darted up as he heard a door, and he called out, voice a little hoarse from having only recently woken. "Good morning." He called out, knowing well that it was nowhere close to morning. Maybe he'd call out. He needed to talk with his dad about this job anyway, about how he.. wanted to do other things, but that was far easier said than done, and taking a sick day would be good for him.

”It’s midnight, my friend.” Rei chuckles quietly as he shuts the door, shaking his head. Poor guy must really be strung out to be mixing up the night and day like that. If it was morning he’d be fast asleep by now. He finished in the kitchen and holds a large binder close to his body, the plastic holding no defining features on the outside except for the spine that was hidden from view. ”You look even more tired than you did when you went to bed.” He commented, standing over him and letting his black hair fall over his shoulders to frame his concerned expression.

"I know." He hummed, taking a sip of his water. He was feeling at least a little more awake, but he felt more exhausted than anything. "I checked the clock." He yawned, raising a hand to cover his mouth as he looked up at the vampire. Wasn't it too late to still be awake? Oh, well, he supposed he didn't quite know the vampire's sleeping schedule, so he couldn't really make any comments on that. "Ah- Only a bit. I think the exhaustion is catching up to me... That binder- what's in it?" He asked, tilting his head at him in curiosity as he motioned towards the object in Rei's hand.

Opposite of humans, that’s for sure. Not that Rei had ever told that to Kaoru so he wouldn’t know. He tilts his head and sits by him, crossing his legs and setting the binder in his lap. ”It must be. Humans are usually asleep during this time if they aren’t night owls.” He nods. The..binder? Oh. Rei laughs and looks away from him. ”Oh, nothing really. Just some old photos. Memories and things. I thought looking back on them might help me deduce where my unit mates have gone.” (edited)

"No.. The exhaustion from the past few weeks." He sighed, leaning forward to set his glass down on the table in front of him. He turned his head to look at Rei, glancing down at the binder in his lap. He didn't think he would be able to recognize any of the people Rei was talking about, but it would be interesting to see the people he had associated with. "Oh?" Hadn't Rei been locked away for twenty years? Maybe more? "Could I see?" A question asked out of genuine curiosity, and a simple want to know more about Rei.

Rei tapped his pointed nail against his cheek, feeling his face heat up. Ah. Well. He guesses it couldn’t hurt. ”If you don’t mind this old man looking back on the good times...I suppose you can.” He scooted over to Kaoru’s side, pressing their legs together to use their combined laps as a table to open the binder. ”Sure~” The front of the binder may be blank, but the inside was littered with doodles and drawings, little notes written to each other in the margins in various colors. There seemed to be a theme, but there wasn’t a key for Kaoru to figure out who writes what. ”These are some of our old photos. Really old. See here..” He points to a photo of four men standing in front of a large mirror in shredded jeans and leather jackets, introducing them one by one. ”That short one on the left is Koga, the guitarist I mentioned, then there’s me, then our vocalist is Adonis, the purple haired one..and our old choreography...maker.. His name was Keito.”

Kaoru leaned into the contact slightly, arm pressed slightly against Rei as he leaned on him. He tried not to rest too heavily on him, just allowing himself a little bit of contact. The picture was nice, and he looked over the image and took it in. He definitely did not recognize any of them, but it was still nice. His eyes lingered on Rei for a split second. He still looked very nice. Despite the age of the picture. "Ah- How long ago was this image?" He asked, eyes still trained on the picture in front of him.

”Hmm..this one? Probably....7-8 years ago? We all met by accident. Keito ended up leaving the unit after the first year since he found something better. That’s when we contracted Adonis to take his place. In that case, this must be our reunion tour...” He takes the picture out of the binder and checks the date, a sweet smile resting on his features. ”Yeah, that’s the reunion tour. Ahh. That was fun. What else is in here..” Delicate hands slide the photo back into the slot, looking at some of the other ones. They all seemed to be from the same time, with one of them a picture of the boys hoisting Koga in the air in a crowded room. Crazy party. He flipped to the next page and turned red, immediately covering the bottom left one with his hand. ”Ahaha~ ah, don’t mind that one. We didn’t exactly have a squeaky clean image.” Keito wasn’t in any of these photos, only Koga and Adonis were there. There were some purple notes scribbled in the margins that read ‘get a room’ with a small angry face in the corner that looked like a small version of Adonis.

Kaoru watched, despite feeling the tiredness wash over him once more. His eyes darted from picture to picture, brows shooting up in curiosity as he noticed Rei cover an image with his hand. Oh? His gaze flicked up to Rei's face, catching the blush that colored his cheeks. He looked back down, reading through the little notes in the margins. Ah.. That would explain that. Still, he was curious. "Not a clean image, hm?" Kaoru laughed at that, the sound soft due to his still sleepy demeanor. "Reminds me of..." He shook his head, pushing the thought aside. "Sorry, never mind. My school years were... interesting."

Nosy Kaoru. Rei laughed with him, shaking his head. ”I can imagine. I’m sure you would have fit right in around that time of your life.” A pity he’s all stuck up and proper now. How boring. Oh well. It is what it is. Rei points to the other images on the page instead. One of them seems to be right after a show, all four men collapsed on a couch. Who on earth took that? The others were them during said show, one of them a really flattering angle of Koga with his guitar. Meanwhile, Adonis seemed allergic to wearing shirts, since all of the images had him donned in only the leather jacket. ”I never did understand why Adonis hated tops so much. You’d think for a demon he’d get cold more easily but nope! It’s something I’ll never get. But I guess I shouldn’t complain..” He seems to have forgotten who he was talking to, speaking freely as he told Kaoru the stories behind some of the images and recalling hazy memories with a soft gaze.

"I'm sure I would have.. but we age differently, so I would have never met you." He hummed, "At least, I assume so." He thought about that often, how before he was pushed towards this line of work he'd had a much more fulfilling life. He longed to go back to it at times. A demon? His eyes widened slightly, and he was quick to glance at Rei's expression. He wasn't sure what he'd expected, especially not if they'd made a vampire their friend. He looked back down at the pictures, trying to push those questions aside for the time being. It wasn't his right to question what sorts of things were out there. Hell, he'd been led to assume most of these things simply.. didn't exist. "A demon, hm." He hummed, "Vampire, demon, and...?" He pointed at Koga, curious to see if he was anything other than human.

That’s what happens when you get an old man rambling. They say all sorts of strange things that are honestly up for debate. Rei sighs longingly, tapping the picture of Koga on stage. ”He’s a werewolf. He was rejected by the rest of his pack so he ended up joining our little band. Here-“ He flips back to the previous photo of all of them in the mirror. ”Keito is a spirit of snow called a Yūki-onna, who lost his powers after rejecting his femininity, then Koga who was abandoned by his pack, Adonis who I signed a contract with after Keito left, and myself, who was rejected by my younger brother. That’s why we created Deadmanz in the beginning. We wanted somewhere to belong, you know? Ah. Perhaps you don’t know. But I guess that’s alright.” He flips back to the page they were on, slipping one of the photos out and checking the notes on the back, leaving the...unscrupulous one uncovered. Rei you..you’re distracted you should probably get that. It was a photo of Koga and Rei, with no space left between them. Koga was pressed up against the wall, bearing his sharp teeth at Rei in an amused grin. Rei was giving the same expression back, with bite marks littering the small exposed parts of skin in the photo. (edited)

Kaoru listened, taking in the information. It was interesting, a side of the world that he didn't know existed. It only raised a bit more curiosity in his mind, and he wanted to know more about it. Even if his mind was occasionally drifting off even just talking. Perhaps another time he could ask more, and properly read some of the books that Rei had brought him. It would answer quite a few of his questions, and he could learn a bit more. "Wanting somewhere to belong has always been something I feel strongly towards." He hummed, eyes fluttering shut for a split second. He felt the same way. He'd never quite had anyone to fit in with, especially not now.. feeling as if he were the odd one out in the clergy. Not that he'd say as much. He was meant to be a priest.. That's all that mattered, right? He opened his eyes again, gaze landing on that photo of Koga and Rei. His cheeks heated quickly, coloring up to the tips of his ears as he looked at it. He was quick to avert his gaze, coughing to clear his throat. "Ah- That's why you covered it." He muttered.

lookeing

1

”Yes. I believe having somewhere to belong is more important than money or status. Because being the odd one out will always feel like a strange, lonely life.” He nods and slides the photo back in the slot, reading some of the notes in orange pen. They’re mostly curse words, with little smiley faces next to them. ”Without then I’m like a ship without a rudder, lost in the black se—Ah! Uhm!!” He slaps both hands over the image, face turning bright red as he starts laughing nervously. Okaaayy! That was uh! That’s something. ”I-I mean what I said.” He flipped to the next page. Oh look! Two more people. Two orange-haired boys with talismans on their face, chasing a half-naked Koga down a hallway with a hose. The sight made Rei roll his eyes. ”What are those two doing in here? Jeez..these must be the resort photos.” The other images seemed to prove that. Everyone had white fluffy towels around their waist, sitting in lounge chairs or diving into an large and fancy hot tub. Though this time Rei’s doing the diving, hands outstretched as the moment is captured just before he hits the water. ”We could get all sorts of accommodations during our high lives. Have you ever taken a vacation, Kaoru?” (edited)

Kaoru laughed, the sound light in his chest as Rei fought to hide the image. He'd definitely seen worse, but the panic to hide it was entertaining. He didn't comment on it, eyes focused on the image. "Hm?" A vacation? The thought was nice. He hadn't been on one in years, not since he was younger. He seemed to be relaxing more as the two spoke, leaning more of himself onto Rei. The tiredness was overtaking him, yet he fought to stay awake to continue speaking. "Not in a while.. no. I've been so busy I just haven't had the chance. Maybe some day soon..."

"You deserve one." Rei commented, beckoning Kaoru closer to use his shoulder as a pillow. Whether or not he took the offer didn't bother him that much as he flipped through the photos. There were so many more...not a single stripe of space was left blank. I guess when you spend your time sharing a space with people long enough, you grow accustomed to their company. He rambled on about their stories, and while some of the photos were more...performative. Others weren't. Clearly they were all intimate in some way, some of the photos depicting silly moments in cafes or sharing kisses between one another. Everything was starting to fall into place. "Ahh...I could go on and on, I adored them.."

Kaoru debated it for a moment. There was no harm in doing so, in leaning over and resting properly on Rei. No one was here to witness it, and he could blame it on the exhaustion overtaking him. Some part of his mind argued against it, told him that he shouldn't, but he didn't quite listen. He leaned over, resting his head on Rei's shoulder as he continued to listen to the vampire talk. His vision grew blurred as he fought to stay awake, not able to focus on his words or the pictures that swam in his eyes. He found himself falling asleep against him as he sat by his side. His mind raced with unanswered questions and comments, but he couldn't quite articulate them as he drifted off, cheek pressed against his shoulder.

Sleepy Kaoru...Rei was relieved he actually took his offer. He wrapped one of his arms around him, rambling on and on until he was sure the priest had fallen asleep. "There you go..." He chuckled quietly, closing the binder and setting it on the coffee table. Most humans weren't built to stay up so late at night. If Kaoru wanted to listen to him ramble on about his unit mates he could do that later. He picks him up when he's sure he's passed out and takes him to bed. Nighty night ❤️

Kaoru managed to sleep through the endings of Rei's rambling, not waking even when he was lifted and moved out of the main room. Perhaps he should be more cautious around the vampire, but he seemed to have.. little ill will at the moment, so he'd allow himself to let his guard down a small bit. He found himself leaning into that cool touch as he was set into his bed, but didn't react much more than that. Kaoru slept relatively peacefully throughout the night, despite the odd dream he had that had to do with his father. He woke the next morning to his alarm, and he reached out to try and shut his blaring phone up.

Rei hadn't slipped into the bed with him this time around, choosing to pass out on the couch with one of the pillows tucked underneath his head. Kaoru can run around the place all he likes, and he doesn't stir one bit. Who would have known vampires were such heavy sleepers outside of their coffins. He had the binder in his arms too, holding it close to his body as he slept.

Kaoru snoozed his alarm. It was far too early, the sun hurt his eyes, and his head hurt from the rude awakening. He slipped back into the covers, knowing he'd regret that in a few moments. He did regret it, having to get up the next time his alarm went off and having to get dressed quickly. He glanced at Rei as he left, the barest hints of a smile touching his expression at the sight of him holding the binder. He made a note to ask about it another time, but he was out the door quickly enough. Kaoru returned later than he had the previous night. He hardly spared a glance to anything else in the apartment, not even taking a moment to breathe before he moved to drop some things on the table and sit down. No real paperwork, but he had to read some things he'd been given. His head already hurt, and it was barely his second day back after a day off. He hated it here.

Siiiigh...there was only so much he could do to fill the time that wasn't occupied by Kaoru. Especially since his search for his unitmates is still fruitless. Not that he was too ate up about it. Kaoru was a welcome distraction. Cute too. By the time Kaoru came through the door, Rei was already settled in, flipping through a large thick book with his feet on the table. He glances up to watch him stumble around. The sight made his teeth hurt. Grrr. "Good evening. You look ragged, as usual." His tone was soft but firm. But he wasn't angry at Kaoru.

Kaoru settled into his seat, hardly processing what Rei was saying. He was exhausted, and he felt he might just fall asleep dead on his feet. "Ragged?" He repeated, as if he hadn't really processed the words that were directed towards him. He really hadn't, his mind somewhere else as he began to pull out the things he needed. Some loose papers, a book, and his pen. Wait. Where was his pen? He paused to look around, checking any pockets. He hadn't even bothered to get changed into something more comfortable, dealing with his work clothes.

”Yes.” At this rate, Kaoru was going to keel over faster than Rei anticipated. The fact left a really sour taste in his mouth that made him stiffen, elegant movements holding back a mountain of emotions he usually didn’t deal with. Not that he felt them enough to deal with them. He snaps his book shut and takes one of the pens from the coffee table, coming over to hand it to him. Any unnecessary stress could be avoided inside the home, but when Kaoru was out, there was nothing he could do. Ah...unless. Well. That would be extremely invasive. But considering the state of the boy, it would be warranted. Anything strange can just be hidden under the mask of eccentricity. Rei’s hand came up to feel Kaoru’s forehead and neck, frowning at the tiredness in his eyes and the pallor of his skin.

Kaoru let out a soft sigh as Rei's hand touched his skin, cool against the far too warm feeling of his skin. He leaned into the gentle touch, reaching forward to take the pen from his hand. He let his eyes shut, letting himself melt into the cool touch. He almost wished for more, but he didn't want to ask. Not when he shouldn't even be leaning into this touch. "Thank you." His voice was soft, and he took in a long breath. He slowly pulled himself away, opening his eyes to look back down at his paper. Work, and then he could go read some of the books Rei had brought. His eyes focused on the words, and he began to write.

pleadingheart

1

Ahh, so cute. Kaoru was burning up, which only made him more concerned. His touch was always cold. Rei never thought that would be a benefit to anyone until now. He follows Kaoru with his hand as he moves, parting from him at the last second. ”Ah..you’re welcome.” He touched his fingers to his own face, a tingling sensation underneath the skin that turned it pink in the light. What a strange feeling, he’d almost forgotten it was possible. What was he doing again..? Oh right. He sets a cup of hot tea by Kaoru and slips into his bedroom, sliding open the closet to look for something. He punches the sleeve of his work uniform and pulls it out. Oh? They’re...pretty much the same size, him and Kaoru. At least with this cut. These outfits must not be tailored. Or perhaps having clothes tailored to you is considered spoiled. In that case, Rei is extremely spoiled. He could make use of this. Tomorrow. (edited)

Kaoru's eyes drifted over to the mug, lifting his head to say a thank you before Rei was gone. He still muttered it to the empty air left behind, reaching over to take the mug in both his hands. He set his pen down, taking a sip of the drink and relaxing back slightly. It was another moment before he moved forward to grab the pen again, continuing to fill out forms. There were far less than there had been the previous night, and so he was finished quicker than before. Once he finished, he relaxed back with the quickly cooling mug of tea, letting his eyes shut as he forced himself to take a breath.

Yes, this would do nicely. He tucks the uniform back into the closet and slides it shut, making sure that everything looked as it did before. As much as he wanted to pester and poke into Kaoru's work again, he figures he'd be better off giving him a break from his antics. Rei doesn't want to drive him off and ruin whatever kind of kinship they've made together. He does check on him after a while though. And to make matters worse, he pokes his head into the room Kaoru is occupying with a wet mop of hair. Did..did he even ask at this point? He just acts like he owns the place! Honestly Rei.

Kaoru seemed to be relaxed, at least somewhat. He was clutching the now cold mug of tea in his hands, leaning back into the couch. His work sat in front of him, finished and just needing put away, but he couldn't bring himself to sit up properly, or to get up and go to bed, even as it was getting later and later into the night. He didn't notice when Rei poked his head into the room at first, fully immersed in his own thoughts of relaxation -- as well as finding some way to quit his job. However, feeling eyes on him was odd. He blinked open his eyes, finding himself catching Rei's gaze. Ah, unfortunate. "Ah- Hello." He greeted him, managing a weak smile.

Unfortunate? So mean. :( "Hey. You survived all those papers. Good for you~" His tone is teasing, but there's a certain warmth behind it that can't quite be named. He comes in and sits down by Kaoru, placing a cold hand on his shoulder and rubbing it soothingly. This is casual, not gay. "I'm surprised you didn't pass out by now, it's really late."

Unfortunate to open his eyes and see he's being stared at, yeah. That's about it. "It was far less than yesterday." He explained, moving to set the now cold tea aside. It seems he'd just been sitting here and taking the warmth from the mug, given that it was still over half full. He tensed slightly at the contact, not quite expecting it, but forced himself to relax. It was.. nice, loathe as he was to admit that. "It is late, but I had to finish this-" He waved at the papers, "-before tomorrow. I didn't need to be scolded as soon as I walked in."

"This junk?" Rei asked, picking up the stack of papers and flipping through them with a sneer. His eyes seem brighter than they usually did, red eyes glowing like embers from a fire. He grumbles and puts the stack back down with a huff. "Honestly..." Kaoru was an adult, wasn't he? Why was he still being treated like a child. He brushes some wet hair out of his face with a quiet growl. "How on earth you manage to stay sane while being treated like a child day in and day out, as Well as being underpaid and overworked? I will Never know. It's absolutely cruel." He shakes his head and places his hand on Kaoru's shoulder again. "Picks up your guitar and run away with me."

Kaoru reached out to take the papers back from Rei, moving them off to the side slightly. He really did need these if he wanted any chance of getting a break sometime next week. He glanced back at Rei, taking in his expression. It took another moment to process his words, and Kaoru simply chose not to reply to them. It was unimportant right now. That wasn't something he needed to worry over. "If only life were so simple." He laughed, but it felt a little more forced than usual. "I have to work this job, Sakuma." He hummed, even though he knew there were other options. He just. Didn't feel he could pursue them. "I'm not being treated like a child-" Yes he was, he knew his father well enough. "I'm just being kept busy is all." (edited)

Rei gladly hands the papers over, his fingers twitching as he crosses his arms to hide them. He looks him up and down with an openly judgmental look, cocking his head. "Really?" The words were heavy and full of spite, he practically radiated the stuff. Bright red eyes lock with Kaoru's and don't let go until he can't stand the burn anymore. His fangs catch the artificial lighting in a threatening way. Though that moment only lasts as long as Kaoru lets it. "Oh.." What, were you expecting a yes? He seems to wilt at that point, uncrossing his arms and letting them drop to his lap. "You don't have to, you know. You're the one running your life, not your father. You can go and do whatever you please and make it work. But...whatever."

Kaoru froze as his eyes met Rei's, unblinking and unmoving as the two looked at one another. He let the moment last, not out of any particular want for it to, but simply because in his sleep deprived mind he couldn't do much else. As soon as their eyes left one another's, he could relax a little. He took a breath, observing Rei's mannerisms as best as he could. "Oh. I suppose on some level you're right but-" What was his reasoning for staying? He wasn't happy, and his father was a dick. So why stay? Fear? Fear of disappointment? He wasn't terribly sure, but he chose not to think too much of it. "But.." He shook his head, pushing the train of thought aside. It was far too easy to blame on exhaustion. "I'm not sure where I was going with that- Apologies."

”I know I’m right. I’ve lived countless lives though the ages and seen the rise and fall of others. Where you’re going is just a dead end.” Yeesh. Rei sounded disappointed this time around, resting his head on Kaoru’s shoulder with a heavy heart. ”But...in the end, it’s your life. I have no control over what you make of it.” He closes his eyes and files this emotion under ‘extremely uncomfortable’ and he hopes it’ll just go away with enough time. Most of the other ones did. Why did he bother trying to dig Kaoru out of the ditch anyway? His efforts are just being wasted.

Kaoru's gaze flicked down to the vampire at his shoulder, and some forgotten instinct in his mind told him to reach up and run his fingers through his hair. He didn't, keeping his hands firmly near his lap. His mind raced with unspoken thoughts as Rei continued to speak, and those thoughts from before came back. The want to leave his job, to do something different. To try and make himself happy. He sighed softly, relaxing into the contact at his shoulder. It was almost comforting, but he reminded himself that he didn't initiate it, and that it would have been wrong to do . "I'm.. not even sure what control I have over it." He spoke softly, shaking his head. "I suppose all will work out, in time. Maybe.."

Hmph. Fine! It’s fine. He feels totally fine. Not huffy at all no sir. Rei just hummed quietly, the sound almost turning into a growl from the bottom of his throat. Haha, wonder where he learned that from. He let his head rest on his shoulder, soaking in the small bit of contact even if it only seemed to confuse him more. ”Whatever. I guess I can’t sway you one way or the other.” He’d find his answers one way or another. Take matters into his own hands. What do you have to fear when you’re already dead? (edited)

Kaoru hummed in acknowledgement, trying not to let the vampire's words get to him. What did it matter to him why he wasn't leaving his job? He hardly knew the vampire, and couldn't quite see a reason he was as invested in his life as he was. The growl gave him pause, and Kaoru found himself thinking on that sound for a second or two longer than he should before he fully pushed it out of his mind. Still, if Rei had been attempting to sow the seed of doubt in his mind, it worked rather well. Rei certainly couldn't sway him fully, but it had been enough to make a difference. He had already been thinking of the ideas Rei had suggested, but to have them be a legitimate option? That was something he didn't expect. He was beginning to get tired, the more he sat here, and the combination of his heavy mind, the comfortable weight against him (despite the wet hair), and his built up exhaustion lulled him into a very light sleep.

If you asked Rei, I’m not sure if you would get a straight answer anyway. How he’d become invested in Kaoru’s life in such a short time frame was a mystery to him. Maybe he was just bored. Or maybe he wanted to see Kaoru smile and not look two steps away from collapsing. Then he could vanish and Kaoru wouldn’t care because he’s living for himself, pursuing his passions or..whatever humans like to do. Then he could go back to whatever he was doing...right? Rei closed his eyes, bringing his feet up on the seat to use Kaoru as a makeshift pillow. Too many thoughts, head full. Sleep early.

That light sleep soon gave way to something more, and Kaoru ended up falling fully asleep against Rei. The position would be horrible on his back, but he was so tired that the thought didn't even cross his mind. His head tilted, cheek pressed gently against the top of Rei's head as he slept. He was still in uncomfortable work clothes, and he was jolted awake by the sound of his phone going off closer to the morning. It was still early, far earlier than his alarm should be going off, and he grumbled as he twisted to try and find it. He paused at the weight against him, finding that he'd shifted to get closer to Rei in his sleep. Odd. He managed to grab his phone from his pocket, squinting at the bright light on the screen. Ah, his father. He shifted again, allowing Rei to rest against his side as he laid an arm gently around his shoulders. Just so his arm didn't fall asleep pressed into his own side. He answered the call, pressing the phone to his ear. "Mhm?" He didn't bother with any formal greeting, voice still echoing the exhaustion of the previous day. Little sleep will do that to you. "Yes, it's completed." He sighed, leaning further into the comfort of the couch. He couldn't be bothered to give proper answers, not this early. Absently, his hand came up, brushing through Rei's hair. He curled a strand around his finger, just playing with it as he spoke back and forth with his father about the work he'd completed. After a brief lull in the conversation, he sighed, scrunching up his nose. "I need to talk to you about something-" He managed. He winced as he received some scolding words about professionalism because this was some sort of 'professional call', but sat mostly still through it as his father offered to talk to him later. He tossed his phone aside after setting an alarm, curling back up on the couch in the hopes of drifting back to sleep.

Rei was dead asleep as he was moved, not stirring until he heard a few voices outside his coffin. Wait no he wasn't sleeping in a coffin anymore. His coffin was thick and blotted out any unnecessary noises so he could listen to the air conditioning unit whirring quietly. He was sleeping on a couch. Right. Fluffy... He twists his body to chase whatever is currently radiating heat next to him. Which happens to be Kaoru. The vampire nuzzles into his chest, awake but asleep at the same time. Lucid enough to listen. Mmm. Wow. How dare they treat Kaoru like hes disposable. It pisses him off so bad, even when he's barely awake. Humans have short, miserable lives. There's no need to be clawing at one another when you'll share the same grave site anyway. Rei'll never understand it. If he did he's long forgotten. Clawed fingers reach for Kaoru, digging into the thick fabric of his work clothes and dragging him closer. Humans do that sometimes in their sleep, right? He can totally play it off. Kaoru warm. Give.

Upon feeling the shifting, Kaoru's gaze dropped down to Rei. He wasn't surprised at the shift, chalking it up to just an unconscious move to get closer. What did surprise him, however, was the force with which he was dragged closer. He bit the inside of his cheek, debating whether or not he wanted to break his grip and move away. It was wrong of him to want this contact. He knew that. Even as his fingers were still carding through the vampire's hair. He'd been able to excuse it thus far as exhaustion, and the vampire initiating contact but this.. this was different. Kaoru shifted. He didn't move to get up, no, instead leaning back a bit and getting more comfortable onto the couch. His fingers didn't leave Rei's hair, just gently brushing through it. More comfort for himself than anything. It was something to do. He began to drift off soon after, far too close to the vampire. That was an issue for Kaoru in the morning. Not Kaoru now.

Hmm..this was nice. It’d been a long time since someone treated him so gently. Without the need for anything back. Rei felt himself relax again, fingers loosening as his hand dropped back on the couch. He nuzzles into the small space between them, sighing softly. Everything has its place in time. This whole situation wasn’t exactly intended, but it certainly was a nice outcome. Something that made his chest hurt. He’s not going to think about it! For now he will absorb Kaoru’s warmth and set his plan in motion.

Kaoru's hand eventually stilled as he pet Rei's hair, sinking further into the couch as he drifted back to sleep. He pushed his issues from his mind, focusing instead on the comforting feeling of someone else against him. The position was bad on his back, but he was far too worried about catching up on sleep to care much. He didn't wake until his alarm, phone tossed somewhere he couldn't quite reach when confined to the couch. He shifted, trying to wiggle out from where he was trapped by- something? He didn't quite manage, opening his eyes to see- Oh. His cheeks immediately colored, alarm still blaring somewhere to the side. He shook his head, managing to reach just far enough to turn off the alarm. Eventually, he managed to untangle himself from Rei, moving to go get changed. That was.. likely the best sleep he'd had in weeks. So he certainly didn't regret it. No. He got ready quickly, having set the alarm early enough that he was able to get ready without completely rushing to fit in his busy schedule. What a relaxing change of pace.. shame it'd only last a day.

pleadingheart

1

Nooo. Not the comfy... Rei grumbles quietly as Kaoru untangles himself from the spot they made on the couch, clinging to the warmth like a sleepy cat for a long as he could. Only then did he shuffle on the couch, taking the space he left behind and listening quietly. Riiight, right. His Plan. He rolls over and places an arm over his eyes, peeking out to wait until Kaoru left out the front door. Parting is such sweet sorrow. The vampire forces himself awake properly, groaning as he did so. Ughhhh...how did Kaoru do this every day. Waking up and dealing with people so early? Gross. He pads over into the bedroom and gets changed in the priest garb. The fabric was constricting and the texture was strange when he ran his hand along it, but eh. It would do. Maybe he even wears it better than Kaoru does. Ah. Maybe not, actually. He closes his eyes and feels a strange pull. At first it was all over the apartment, but he managed to hone in on a distinct trail Kaoru left behind. Not that he would know that. Rei just has really good instincts. He would tail him like before. But with purpose.

Kaoru had left soon after to head into work. He double checked he had everything, especially those papers -- he didn't even want to imagine his father's wrath had he forgotten them. It wasn't difficult to get there, but Kaoru simply didn't want to. He enjoyed very little about this job, but he was good at it. At least on some level. So heading in was easy. He dropped by the office to hand his father the papers, grimacing as his father wanted to speak to him about something or another. Once that was over, Kaoru was free -- at least somewhat. Much of today would consist of getting in contact with people within the church, so his father was conveniently left alone, and Kaoru had.. well, a lot to do. He'd be sort of all over the place as he tried to do what he needed to do. Especially when it came to instructing less experienced members of the clergy -- with his father locked away doing God knows what, he was sort of left to his own devices to teach others. Oh well, another stressful day for Kaoru.

He hated churches. It didn’t matter what faith they belonged to or who rubbed them, the place was just seeped in “holiness” and “judgement” so much so that it made his stomach turn. But he had a reason to be here, maybe he could torch it when he was done. Ah...wait. Kaoru would probably take the fall for that, not Rei. That wouldn’t be fair. Kaoru had vanished into a room, and Rei had to wait around the corner for him to vanish. His chest aches as he catches sight of him, standing strong and yet looking so dead inside. He didn’t deserve any of that. When Kaoru was vibrant and full of life it almost hurt to look at him. In Rei’s eyes, he’s clearly being holed up and worn down until that flame in him dies entirely. Not if he can do anything about it. When Kaoru’s footsteps aren’t an issue anymore, it’s his turn to go into the office. He rubs his gloved hands together and knocks on the door, slipping into the office when he was called upon. He hoped Kaoru was doing okay... ”Good morning. My humble apologies for such a sudden intrusion sir, ill only be a moment of your precious time.” This song and dance is something he’d done many times before. Tracing the steps over and over again through the years, placing himself in people’s pockets and vanishing when it was convenient for him. Never truly staying true to a singular storyline. Deadmanz was probably the only consistency he could think of, and now even that had been lost to the ashes of time.

As Kaoru left to continue his work, the room grew silent behind him. It was already rather cold in the bright office, the few decorations within the office showing no indication of any warmth or care. The room wasn't particularly 'lived' in, the one picture showing any such 'care' being a worn picture frame on the desk, photo facing outwards. It was a photo of a family, with a younger Kaoru and his parents. They looked happy, and the father in the picture looked content. Quite the opposite of the man in the room. His face was stone, and though the man was the same man, he looked to have lost that spark of life. Rather, resentment seemed to gleam in his eyes, a disappointed frown resting on his lips as he flipped through the paperwork Kaoru had brought him. It was completed to his satisfaction, but it would be rather easy to nitpick. The facial structures of the man at the desk bore little resemblance to that of his son, the only constant being the similar colored blonde hair. Kaoru looked more like the mother in the photograph, facial features more delicate and eyes matching hers. His smile mirrored hers as well, bright and full of life. Hakaze looked up as he heard a knock, quick to look back to the paperwork as the individual was beckoned in. Soon enough, it was set aside, and his hands were folded in front of him on the desk. He met eyes with the individual in front of him -- who was he, again? he didnt recall hiring him -- and he quirked a brow at him. "Ah. Good Morning. What may I assist you with... Mister..." He offered a pause for an answer.

"Mister Dantes, if you will." Rei smiled, the false name slipping easily from his soft lips. Rehearsed, like everything else he'd practiced again and again. This was the man causing Kaoru so much grief? At first he couldn't believe it, but there were no other clues leading to anything else. The hair on the back of his neck stood up as he bit down on his scorn, sharp teeth grinding together in his skull. Deep breath. Don't fuck this up. "I'm a minister for the Church of Blessed Vines, I had originally been drawn here by your efforts for the greater good, but my eye had caught a sickly boy coming out of this room. Do you know such a man?" Sickly boy. He hates moments like this. The holy symbol in gold around his neck feels like a collar as he winds it around his index finger, inviting himself further into the room. The place was oppressive, he can feel the pressure on his shoulders. It makes him yearn to just dig into him with no context or reason. It's itching. Rei does none of this.

Dantes. The man didn't repeat the name, committing it to memory as he looked over the other. He certainly didn't ring any bells, but he wasn't well acquainted with everyone across the city. So it was no surprise that he didn't recognize one person? "Sickly boy..?" He repeated the phrase, disgust coloring his tone as he thought of it. He didn't recall anyone else leaving this room.. unless. "Ah. My son?" The man pushed himself to his feet, stepping out of the desk and pushing in the chair after himself. He turned the picture on the desk so it was facing away from Dantes, not wanting that to show. "He's not sickly by any means. A fine young man. He's meant to take on my role once I retire. For now he's doing typical work. I can't imagine how you'd see him as weak." He hummed, moving out in front of the desk. He was quick to redirect the topic away from Kaoru. "Now, about our Church. Much of what we do is conservation of information. We seek to pull together records from churches new and old. Our goal is to unite many of our same branch." He hummed, "Of course, our clergymen and priests do much of that work. I am a mere supervisor and pastor to run this place."

Too bad, Rei already caught a glance at it. He had the right guy. Though in his opinion, Kaoru looked better than both of them. The human's features were softer and flattered him better. "He's so pale, sir. That's why I was concerned at first. But...very well then. I suppose not everyone sees things the way I do." He heaved a sigh and took a glance back at the door, putting on a perfect pout that made his blood boil. Don't. No. Just. Just Wait. Come a little closer, he dares you. Or don't. Either way the vampire made his decision. He nods slowly with a hum, placing one foot behind him on the floor and digging it in to ground himself. All this religious drivel drove him insane, and his entire body felt like it was itching with the instinct to get out. Get out and run and hide and bite and claw like a rabid animal trying to protect itself with what it had. A shame that he walked into this trap himself. "I see, I see. That's quite a noble cause, if not a heavy one."

"Well of course it's a heavy one." The man laughed, the sound not quite resonating with any joy. It was practiced, a calculated laugh to try and make the other priest feel more comfortable within the room. "Now, what can I help you with? I could offer you a tour, or perhaps tell you a bit more about our methods." He motioned sort of vaguely around the two of them. "Now, I'm a little swamped with work--" He motioned back to the paperwork on the desk. The papers Kaoru had brought him. The completed ones. But he didn't have to know that. "- So if you'd like a tour, I'd have to go fetch Kaoru. I'm sure he'd be happy to show you around." He kept a placid smile on his face, trying to figure out the quickest way to be alone with his own things once more. "Or do you just have any other questions for me?"

Grrrr. This man is lucky he can't see the fangs Rei's tucked away in his mouth. The urge to strike fear of the undead into him was almost overwhelming. Don't. No. He holds his other arm at his side, the other one toying with the chain around his neck. This whole room was giving off this aura of saccharine sweetness and it made Rei's stomach turn. He wiggled the fingers at his side, the knuckles aching. Okay yep. While there's a lot he doesn't know, he's decided he doesn't need to know. It's not like he'll ever willingly set foot here again. "Oh no my friend, that's all I wanted." He takes two steps into his personal space and swings. His knuckles make contact with the placid smile on his face and he feels his weak human teeth cut his knuckles from the impact. Something cracked, he knew it. He felt it under his fist. Whether or not he broke a bone, Rei wasn't sticking around to find out. The vampire turns around calmly, ignoring the blood on his knuckles and walked out of the office, locking the door from the outside with a wave of his hand. Try that on for size, bitch. Now then. Time to....bring Kaoru lunch, like a regular person. As a symbol of kindness. The human probably needed the pick me up.

The man stumbled back at the hit, one hand flying up to grab his jaw and the other gripping the edge of his desk to stabilize himself. He hardly had a moment to react after Rei had spoken, and after a moment he lifted his head to speak to him. Only to see him walk out the door, the click of a lock behind him. He frowned, moving to it to try and walk out, but it seemed he was stuck for a moment. He scrambled for his phone, first moving to check his own face to see whether or not something had broken. His nose was a little crooked, and as he opened his mouth he processed the taste of blood. Gross. He texted Kaoru, telling him that if he saw someone that didn't belong within the church to call him immediately. Kaoru was rather busy, despite the urgent text from his father. He'd managed to escape to an outdoor courtyard for the time being, legs crossed under him on a bench, with a notebook in his lap. He seemed to be writing as he spoke to someone on the phone, grateful for the escape from the stuffy and quiet church. His work for the day today was simple. He was phoning to other churches to get some information on membership within their churches, as well as finding some historical information. All busy work, but luckily some that he could do away from a desk and chair. He also didn't really want to interact with some of the other clergy members, many of whom seemed to look down on him.

wink

1

Ah. He let his disgust get the better of him. How disappointing. Rei's usually good at keeping a lid on that. Oh well. There's always next time. It's easy to fool humans with just a haircut and different clothes. Despite the fact he just outed himself as a violent stranger, he strolled the claustrophobic halls of the church unbothered, itching at the gold around his neck. He wanted it off but it was part of the costume. The symbol added to his authenticity even though wearing it himself made him feel drained. He was thankful that most of the curtains inside were drawn. The extra stinging really wouldn't help his case. Being out in the daytime wasn't deadly persay, but it made him weaker than any human and it's something he would much rather avoid. The safety of Kaoru's apartment or his coffin were much better places. Ah, Kaoru~. What a strange man. Why does he bother to put up with so much when he clearly doesn't have to? Rei would never understand that. Then again he's always had the freedom of doing whatever he pleases for most, if not all, of his life. Rejecting his own parent's ideals and all that. Kaoru could do so much better. Oh. There he is. Awww...he looked so peaceful. Sigh. He eased open the door to the courtyard and hid in the shadows cast by the building to sneak under one of the trees by the bench, leaning up against it and crossing his arms. Whether Kaoru noticed or not would be up to him. He didn't mind just standing in the same space with him.

Kaoru didn't notice the presence of the other, fully focused on the work he was meant to be doing. He'd like a break, but he knew that putting off any amount of work would only result in him having to stay later. Unfortunately. It was a contrast to high school, where he could openly skip class (~~to sulk~~ to go on dates) and still manage to get good enough grades. A shame he had to do this. The phone call he was on ended soon enough, and he barely spared his fathers message a glance before he set his phone aside. He didn't really care, if he was being honest, to respond to it. He'd gotten the message about being careful, he wasn't a weakling.. Not completely, anyway. As he set his phone to the side, he looked back at the paper. He seemed to hum to himself, just under his breath, as he sat in the warm glow of the sun. It was refreshing, the warmth bringing back nostalgia and a want to get into the sun more. He didn't get to do this often, despite how close they were to a beach and how a day or two off would allow him to go back to what he loved doing. He didn't think his father would ever let it happen though. He looked over, tapping on his phone to check the time. He finished the page, set the notebook aside, and stretched one leg out. He had to wait for an email back before he could do much else. The other remained crossed under him, and as he stretched to not feel so cramped. He twisted, catching sight of a figure. He startled a bit, processing after a moment just who it was. He blinked once, twice, before narrowing his eyes at the vampire. "Ah.. Sakuma?" Back to last names, I see.

They're in public, of course they are. "Good morning, Hazake~" While Kaoru basked in the sun, Rei soaked up the shade being provided by the leaves to blot the heat out. Man. The two of them really are from two different worlds. He slides down the bark of the tree and sits on the ground with his legs propped in an almost model-like way. Show off. "I got you something. But you'll have to come to me. Sunlight is far from kind to my fair skin." It would be a crime to rob Kaoru from the light of sun. He made it look so comforting, so easy. As if a part of the light lived inside him that had been hidden away from sight. Rei couldn't find it in himself to grab him by the throat and drag him into his world of darkness and demons and...god knows what else lives in the underground of the city. Yet here he is. How the fuck does he wear these heavy clothes all day anyway..

Kaoru tilted his head at that. Something for him? He couldn't imagine what the vampire could have for him. Especially not at.. work. Were those his clothes? He didn't have it in him to question that just yet, instead standing and grabbing his phone. He flicked on the screen, turning the messages to face Rei, albeit briefly. Not long enough to read before he pocketed his phone once more. "Could you be the individual I've been warned of?" He laughed at that, at the notion that the vampire had frightened off his father of all people. Of course, he'd love to have seen the reaction, just the fright. Kaoru stepped over to the vampire, and with a brief moment of hesitation he moved to sit next to Rei. A similarly graceful move to the ground, but without much thought behind it. "Could I ask why you've come.. here of all places?"

Shhh. Don't think too hard about it. Kaoru could probably notice Rei occasionally picking at the chain around his neck, moving it this way and that to try and offset the discomfort. He pats the ground next to him before noticing the light of a phone screen. Warning? Ah. Yeah probably. "Ahhhaha, maybe. I came here secretly, after all." He welcomes Kaoru into his space, pushing the lunch bag into his lap. Though if Kaoru is perceptive enough, he might notice how he's using his non-dominant hand. For reasons. He's sneaky. "Hmm. I felt like following you. Not for any reason, just an old man's curiosity."

Kaoru took the lunch bag, confusion crossing his face. When had he had time to do that? He shot Rei a confused look, but that died down after a moment. He hadn't noticed the one handed pass of the bag, more concerned with when this had happened. "Curiosity?" He hummed, "Did you see my father, or should I remain actually vigilant for some other threat?" He asked, fiddling with the opening of the bag. He did open it. Prone to skipping care for himself in order to finish his job. "I do appreciate the company though." He hummed, "Thank you."

Magic of course. :) Rei smiled at him. A genuine one compared to what he gives others, with the elongated fangs poking out enough to be noticed in the shade. ”I did. He’s not exactly the most..charming individual. I didn’t bother speaking with him.” He looked at his nails with a bored expression. ”It wasn’t worth my time.” Ah well. What Kaoru doesn’t know won’t hurt him. He scoots closer to Kaoru and presses their legs together, soaking up a bit of the warmth through the thick fabrics. ”You’re re welcome. You deserve it~” Gay.

"Of course not. I got my looks from my mother." He shot Rei a wink with that, happy to relax a little bit from his work. He kept his phone to his side, screen up so he could keep an eye on his emails. He technically was meant to get a break for lunch, but it was hard to take one when he was constantly working on things. Most of what he did was in the midst of his other work. Kaoru didn't fight against the contact, instead just looking up as if to scan the area and ensure that none of his coworkers were out here. He ate what Rei had brought them, attention split between checking his email, his surroundings, and speaking to Rei for the time being. "I need a break." He muttered, glancing over and refreshing his email once more. "Maybe I'll quit." An obvious joke, muttered bitterly under his breath.

”Ahhh? That explains it. No wonder you’re so cute~” He winks back at him and laughed, resting his elbow on one of his propped knees. Thank goodness Kaoru was getting a break for once. He seems like the kind of guy who never did. Unlike Rei who had too much time to himself it drove him nuts. Hm? ”You could. You’re too young to be working in the same place forever. You’re only human.” Rei peeked over his shoulder to read the messages. Not that any of them meant anything to him, he was just nosy. Something to occupy his brain instead of filling it with thoughts of Kaoru. ”Where would you want to go, hypothetically...if you did take a break, or quit?”

The emails were boring, professional, the other people being asked to call or set up a time for a call in order to share some information between branches. Nothing major. Boring. Exactly what Kaoru despised doing, and yet here he was. "I'd take a day or two off to go to the beach." He explained easily, setting the lunch bag aside. He really wasn't too keen on going back to work. "I haven't surfed in a while, and my board's collecting dust. Not to mention, being inside all the time's not great for the skin." He laughed at that, leaning back and letting his eyes shut as he gave himself a moment to relax. That sleep last night had done wonders for him. "If I quit..." He trailed off, "Think I'd like to work with the ocean. Marine stuff. I've volunteered, meant to make a career out of it since that's what mom did but I was pushed this way." He paused, "I've got half a degree with that? Not hard to go back and finish that. Plus, it's not a paperwork job at a place like this." He sighed after that, "Maybe I'd have more free time too."

”Ahh, one with the sea? That’s rather nice. I’m surprised you have hobbies at all considering your current state. No offense.” Okay smart ass. Rei mimicked the motion Kaoru did, turning his eyes to the canopy of leaves above rather than the ground. Turns out his guess was right though. The sun one that is. He wonders if there’s anyone he knows out on the open sea. Or if they even wanted anything to do with him in the first place. The vampire nods with a hum as Kaoru spoke, adding it to the list of facts. It’s a shame Rei doesn’t have any aspirations in comparison. Not anymore. Everything he’d built had been washed away now. He wonders...ever so faintly. What’ll happen when Rei becomes boring to Kaoru. If he finally gets to achieve his dreams or become free. Heck, would they even see each other again? He’s old after all. So very old and so very boring on his own. ”I believe you’d have fun doing that. You’d have more free time surely.” Even his own voice sounds foreign to his ears.

"Don't know if it's possible to leave though. You know? I feel like I'm kind of stuck here. Don't think my dad would let me leave." The words were accompanied by a shrug of his shoulders, nonchalant. As if he had expected that. "The ocean sounds nice though.." His mind moved elsewhere, a little more motivated by the idea of a break. He could call in sick, that wouldn't be difficult given how bad he did feel from day to day. He could spend a day down at the beach, letting himself enjoy life for a little bit longer. "Sakuma?" The question came out before he could stop it, and he found his mouth working far faster than his mind as he posed another question to him. "Come to the beach with me?" He asked, not knowing what else the vampire would be doing. Once more, words rushed out. True intent coloring the phrase. "I want to quit. So I'll call in sick and take the day to clear my head."

...Huh? ”Are you sure you should invite me? I imagine there are other youthful humans you could spend time with than an old man like me.” Oh boy. The sun and sand and water, and getting up early to see it all. It sounded dreadful just from the start. And yet he found himself wanting that. Craving the change, even. As long as Kaoru was free then he would he satisfied. He could figure out the rest when the time came. He placed a cold hand on his chest, sharp nails gripping the fabric. Great. More emotions. ”I think a day off would be good for you ah, anyhow. If you really want me to come with you, I. Suppose I can’t refuse, hm?”

"Oh c'mon. Who else would I ask in the middle of the week?" He nudged Rei with an elbow, moving to push himself up off the ground. He made sure to grab his phone, slipping it into his pocket. "I.." He paused, taking a moment to think about how he'd go about this. "I do have to go back to my work, but thank you for stopping by." He offered him a grateful smile, bowing his head in a quick show of gratitude before he moved back to the bench to grab his things. "Tomorrow for the beach then?" He asked, not really expecting an answer as he walked out of the courtyard area. He went back to the offices, happy for the little time he'd had outdoors. Back to work.

”Haha~ you got me there. Alright. I’ll go with you.” Rei smiled back at him, his face warm with fake sunlight as he got off the ground. He’s largely overstayed his welcome, and really didn’t want to land Kaoru in hot water. He finally rips the stupid piece of jewelry off with a grunt and tosses it into a brush, itching any inch of skin that it touched like he was allergic. ”Oh, you don’t have to thank me. I wanted to after all.” He chuckles. ”I’ll see you later then. Ta ta~” He gives him a wave as Kaoru walks off with his things and he escapes the church to go hide in Kaoru’s apartment again until it’s dark outside. Maybe he’ll have a nap. As a treat. Tomorrow will be full of surprises.

Kaoru didn't return to his apartment until late again, having had to go deal with his father (who was sporting a sizable bruise) after he finished some of his typical work. Kaoru was left to deal with his work in addition to his own, but he did mention feeling a little under the weather offhandedly to his father. He came back to his apartment, feeling dead on his feet once more as he stepped through the door. Still, he didn't have.. much paperwork for the night. He'd gotten off easy that day. He quickly set his things down, ducking away silently to change into comfortable clothing in his own room before trying to find the vampire. (edited)

Hehehe. Rei went back to the apartment like a victories cat. Mission accomplished. Now he could catch up the sleep he had to miss out on. Even if it wasn’t the same without Kaoru to borrow as a pillow. He was currently taking up residence on the couch, with his own clothes on again. The outfit he’d stolen had been slipped back into the closet like it hadn’t even been used at all. Unless you held it to your face, then it would hold a soft scent of roses and...some kind of spice. He rolls over on the couch when the door opens, blinking a few times before closing his eyes again. It can’t be morning yet, he can nap a bit longer.

It felt odd to tip toe around his own apartment, keeping quiet for someone who was sleeping out on the couch. Not that he minded, of course, he'd have appreciated the same courtesy. Not to mention, he had invited the vampire to stay here for... some amount of time, so letting him sleep was harmless. He made note of the fact that his outfit was back in the closet, not that it mattered too much, and was quick to change into something far more comfortable than his uncomfortable work clothing. Soon enough, he'd found his way back out to the main room, paused as he looked at the person taking up the majority of his couch. Got it. He moved to turn, to head back into his room and to settle down with.. something to do. He wasn't sure what, but he'd figure it out. Perhaps he'd continue working on that resignation letter, but that was neither here nor there.

Catboy has awoken. Rei registers a blurry shape in the doorway, and he grumbles and sits up, running a hand through his messy locks. ”Mhhh? Hello Kaoru....” he trailed off with a yawn, rubbing at the corners of his eyes. They looked a little bloodshot. Whether from sleep or something else, it was hard to say. He takes his legs off the space of the couch and places them on the floor, blinking at him slowly.

Kaoru paused at the sound of a voice, glancing back at Rei. He'd been planning on simply leaving the room, but it seemed that he had no reason to leave anymore. The vampire still looked exhausted, and he couldn't blame him. He was also exhausted, and so he'd been planning on just letting him sleep. Now that he was awake, though... "Ah. Good morning." He chuckled, standing in his spot by the door. "Sleep well?" He stood up a little taller. "I just got back, no worries. You haven't missed much." (edited)

Rei laughed softly, feeling that tingling sensation that felt an awful lot like blushing. Even though it’s hard to register that when you’re dead. He curls up into a ball on the couch, using a pillow to prop his head on the arm. The photo album he had laid open on the coffee table, as if he’d fallen asleep while looking through the pages again. ”Well enough I suppose.” He says, yawning again. ”You get back so late, I get bored just waiting around for you to come home...” You know you can have hobbies too, right Rei? No, you don’t think so? Oookay then.

Kaoru stepped back towards the kitchen as he spoke, moving to get them both tea. It almost felt natural at this point, despite how little the two actually knew of one another. "That boredom will come when you have nothing else to do." It was a joking statement, and he was looking for a mug as he said it. Making tea was the easy part of this situation. "I'm so busy I hardly notice the day's gone by. Do you not still have things to do? Music, anything?" He asked, beginning to pour each mug.

Rei hummed loudly at his statement, leaning forward to close the album before Kaoru saw anything in there again. He didn’t want a repeat of last time, that was so embarrassing. ”I used to.” he shrugs in a lopsided way, sitting up again to put the pillow in his lap. The man has his arms wrapped around it like its a stuffed animal, propping his chin on top of it. ”Not so much anymore.” ”After I formed Deadmanz we didn’t have any time for recreational things, but it was very fulfilling. Everything else I’ve already done and gotten bored of. That’s the cost of living forever...” A shame, really. He almost wants to add more but instead his words catch on his teeth, and he trails off into sleepy silence again.

Kaoru nodded despite Rei not being able to see him, just listening to his explanation. It made sense, of course, and he felt a little bad for him. Boredom couldn't be comfortable. He pushed that from his mind. This was the same person who'd bitten him twice. He should exercise a little more caution. As he stepped into the main room, he caught sight of him with the pillow. Ah. Yes. Something to be cautious over. Soft Rei. He stepped over to him and set the mug on the table in front of him. He settled onto the space on the couch, taking a moment to focus back on Rei. "And there's nothing else that interests you? Shame." He hummed, taking a sip of his tea. That could explain why the vampire seemed to be attached to him. Curiosity is all. "Ah, I meant to ask. Did my father have a bruise when you saw him? I spoke to him earlier and he looked a little bruised up." (edited)

At this point, they seem to have gone past the point of caution and into some strange gray zone that neither of them care to define for one reason or another. Rei welcomes the warmth of the tea mug again, making a grabby hands motion before leaning forward to take it in both hands. He stared into the contents of the cup before answering. His fingernails tapping the ceramic as he thought about what to say. ”I assume there are things I haven’t tried, but deciding what to do is rather difficult. It’s also not the same when you’re doing it by yourself, but I digress.” He takes a sip of the tea. Mmm. Warm. ”Hm?” He turns to look at him in confusion. Bruise...what bru—wait no. He put that there. Oops. “No I hadn’t...that sounds unfortunate for him.” Hehehehehehe.

Hm. Duly noted. He'd assumed the vampire had something to do with the bruise, given that his father had warned him about someone who could pose some danger within the church, but Rei had said that he hadn't interacted with his father, nor had he seen the bruise. There was the potential for it simply to be an odd coincidence, but he didn't have much more information to work off of. Kaoru settled back into the couch, just taking in the warmth of the tea for a moment before he actually took a sip. "I can't imagine having been alone for so long." He hummed, "Especially after.. having been imprisoned." He approached that phrase cautiously, quick to move on. "I'm certain you could find things that entertain you. The world moves so fast anyway." Kaoru took another sip of his tea, allowing for his eyes to flutter shut as he relaxed into the warmth of it once more. Tomorrow would be a better day. He just had to call in sick.

Rei chuckled quietly at Kaoru’s comment and shook his head. ”Humans are naturally social creatures, so years of loneliness doesn’t really occur to them.” He had to have been human at some point. Yet he can’t remember that time. Not just because all the years blend together into a muddled mess of color, but because it might have never happened at all. Even when Ritsu was just a child, he still bore his own small fangs. ”I suppose I could find something...” he shrugs. The vampire moved his pillow to the side and set his tea down to adjust himself. Kaoru is the pillow now. Rei leaned up against him and rested his head on his shoulder, closing his eyes with an over dramatic sigh. ”I could pick up a microphone again too. It’s been so long since I was on stage. While going up there alone isn’t entirely appealing, it would certainly benefit me.”

Kaoru paused as he felt the contact of Rei against his shoulder. He was temped to do what he'd done before, and only further the contact. Still, he didn't. He kept his hands wrapped around the mug, taking another sip of the still warm tea. "Interesting. I'd like to hear you sing at some point." He shifted despite the vampire against him, leaning forward to put the cup on the table. He leaned back against the couch, tilting his head so it was leaning against Rei's head. "Did you ever play guitar? I have mine. It'd give you something to do." He offered, before sighing. Right, he had to call his dad and say he was sick. That could wait a little longer though.

”Mmmm. I’d like to get back into it.” He looked up at Kaoru with a cheeky wink. ”Though you might fall in love with me if you heard it.” Rei laughed that statement off and picked up his mug again, holding it to his chest to leech the warmth from it and Kaoru at the same time. Trying not to think about tomorrow too hard. Going with the flow is a good thing, right? “Guitar? Oh goodness no. That was Koga’s role, and he played it very well. But I suppose it couldn’t hurt to try, even if my heart isn’t in it.” If he doesn’t think about it too hard. Cough cough.

Kaoru seemed content to settle into a comfortable position, half finished mug of tea lying forgotten on the table in front of him. He shifted again, as if moving closer to Rei. Comfortable. He wouldn't mind sleeping on the couch again, even if it was hell on his back. His eyes had shut at some point, and he managed a nod at the statement. "No pressure. Just think it might give you something to do." He spoke softly, reaching to grab his phone from his pocket. "I do play occasionally, don't know if there's anything else I could assist you with doing."

Rei wasn’t going to tell him no if he wanted to get closer. The guy was like a living space heater compared to the chill the vampire himself gave off. ”If you get to hear me sing, I should get to hear you play sometime. It’s only fair~” He elbowed him gently, raising one hand to pull the curtains shut that he originally opened to let the moonlight in before he crashed. Leaving them in the darkness. How...comforting? It didn’t feel all that gloomy, honestly. Not when they were just hanging out like this. It was relaxing. ”You sound sleepy...” Yeah so do you, bucko.

Kaoru's fingers curled around his phone, and he let himself relax a little further into the vampire's cool touch. He really needed to call his father, but this was so comfortable... "Mm? I could play for you. I haven't sung in front of anyone since high school, but I'm willing." He offered, slowly forcing himself to open his eyes once more. He unlocked his phone, routing to his fathers messages so he could call him. He lifted the phone to his ear, waiting for a response. He'd be waiting a moment.

"I know some good warm ups, if you need them. I used to sing a lot of ah...dark pop and idol-ish music. Little bit of jazz. Things like that.." He yawned and watched Kaoru flip through his phone with dull eyes, eventually letting them slide shut. Kaoru was warm and cozy, so as long as he didn't move Rei was content. The image of them standing together on stage, guitars in hand and having the time of their lives....ah. That would be nice. Maybe Kaoru could join Deadmanz if he could ever reform them. He lets his mind wander with that train of thought, breathing steadily. He snzzing.... (edited)

Kaoru was not planning on moving quite yet. Rei was comfortable against him, and even if the sleeping position was uncomfortable he didn't really care at the moment. This was wrong. On more levels than one. For starters: Rei was a guy, and unholy, and Kaoru shouldn't let himself get distracted from his work. He could deal with that in the morning. When his father picked up, it was easy to feign illness. A quiet voice with some added tale of feeling under the weather, ~~as well as what Rei said but he didn't know that~~, led to a rather easy call. He was allowed off for the next two days (just in case), with the expectation that he'd come back and complete the work he'd be gone for. Kaoru sighed, setting his phone aside as he looked down at Rei. He really should get to bed. He shifted a little, trying to get out from under his lean so he could properly get to bed.

Yaknow. The unholy part should really be coming before the guy part, Kaoru. That’s usually a bigger issue. Rei had placed the cold tea mug on the table in his half-awake state, listening to Kaoru talk on the phone with a smile. Good. Humans need sunlight and free time to live happily. Plus, that guy’s kind of a jerk anyway. He did the world a favor. He grumbled quietly as Kaoru carefully moved off the couch. He propped himself up for long enough for him to be free, then collapsed on the couch again. There goes his warm spot. Oh well. It was probably better this way. No one could tell if he was truly asleep anyway, Kaoru is no exception. All he needs to do is shift his arm to cover his eyes.

The guy part's the bigger issue when it comes to a guy who's already questioning his own religion and what he actually believes in. Not too fussed about the unholy it's hot. Kaoru glanced back, moving to grab a blanket he'd folded to the side to toss it over the vampire. He had no idea if he'd get cold, but he might as well. Maybe that's why he'd found his way to his bed the first night. Kaoru slipped away quietly, ducking into the room and locking the door behind him. He knew now that it didn't do anything, but it made him feel a little safer with a near stranger in his apartment. He slipped under the covers, falling into a less than easy sleep as he drifted off

Okay Kaoru. Whatever you say. Even though you have your priorities backwards. Rei felt a weight on top of him but refused to move until he heard the bedroom door click shut. He opened his eyes and tugged the blanket he'd been given over his head. Aww. Kaoru didn't have to do that for him. Rei's a vampire, he's always cold. God. What the fuck is he doing. He rolled over onto his back to stare at the blank ceiling, resting his hands on his chest as his mind wandered. Why spend so much of his energy on some silly human boy who's working himself to death? They met by total accident and they should have never seen each other again before that. Yet here he is, going to a beach in the middle of the day with the guy. What did his grandkids say about stuff like this? Simp?? Is he a simp?? What's a simp, even. Fuck it. He's going to sleep.

God imagine being a simp. Couldn't be Kaoru Hakaze. Never. Kaoru managed to sleep through the night, surprisingly undisturbed by any vampires. It wasn't the most restful night of sleep he'd ever had, but waking up without an alarm was a blessing in of itself. He still managed to get up early, an hour or so past his normal far too early wake up time, ready to head out. He hadn't been to the beach in ages, and he was more than excited to get out and go. He got dressed on his own rather quickly, pausing before remembering to snatch a pair of sunglasses by his bed. It was meant to be sunny and warm anyway. The perfect day to call out. Finally, he stepped out of his room, pausing as he looked for the vampire. "Ah- Rei?" He called out, walking into the main room.

Rei quite literally annoyed himself to sleep the other night, the internal conflict in his brain only causing him grief in his dreams. Though unlike Kaoru, Rei sleeps in a lot longer. Not just because he doesn’t have a day job, but because sunlight out usually equals to ‘I can’t do anything anyway so it’s nap time’. So when Kaoru came into the room, he was still asleep on the couch, albit lightly. He seemed to toss and turn in his sleep, disturbed by something in his subconscious that wouldn’t leave him the hell alone.

Kaoru paused as he saw the vampire. A nightmare? He found himself going silent for a moment as he tossed between his options here. He didn't typically have normal nightmares, nor did he have much experience being helped through them. So, he wasn't too sure what to do. He didn't want to scare him awake. That'd likely leave him hurt, or just with an upset Rei on his hands. But he didn't know how to wake him without scaring him. Cautiously, he took a step towards the couch, calling out his name once more. If he didn't respond, he'd step closer and maybe place a hand on his shoulder. He didn't just want to leave him to suffer.

”Nnnh?” The comfort of the blanket over his head became suffocating in his half-conscious state. He tugs it off of his head and looks around, covering his eyes and waiting for them to adjust to whatever bits of light were filtering into the room. It’s hard to tell how early or late it is when you sleep all day. Why was he up in the morning again? This was complete—wait. No he agreed to this. Oh boy. ”Kaoru..?”

Kaoru took a step back as he seemed to wake, not wanting to crowd his personal space. He gave him a weak grin, concern flickering across his expression for a brief moment before he fixed him with a more typical smile. "Tired?" He joked, turning to step into the kitchen so he could get himself a drink. "You were tossing and turning. All good?" His voice held a still jovial tone as he set to getting himself a glass of water. "Don't suppose you'll be getting in the water either. Need an umbrella?" He spoke just offhandedly, not really expecting too much of a response the moment Rei woke up.

Rei’s face turned red. He didn’t notice it. And with the lack of heat in his body, it shouldn’t have. But it happened all the same. He blinked at him and shook his head, trying to will the sensation away. ”Some days are easier than others. I simply brought my troubles to bed, that’s all.” It happens. Though Rei can’t bear to stamp all over Kaoru’s good mood, since he’s actually peppy for once. He stretched his arms up and felt the fabric of his shirt slip down his shoulder but paid no mind to it. ”Regular umbrellas don’t work for me, unfortunately. I used to have one fitted with light blocking fabric but I don’t remember what happened to it. As for the water....neh?” He shrugs. Rei hasn’t actually been in the ocean in years, most of his swimming time was spent indoors or outdoor spas at nighttime. Kaoru pretty....

Kaoru got Rei a glass of water too. He knew he didn't ask, but it was early enough that it likely wouldn't hurt. He moved out to the main room, handing Rei a glass as he settled onto the couch. He'd dropped his bag by the door so he could just grab it as he left. "Can't hurt, right? You're kinda pale." He did laugh after that, shrugging his shoulders. "You don't seem like the swimming or surfing type-" He nodded towards the surfboard leaning against the wall. Easy enough to walk down to the beach. "No pressure to stay out long. I'll probably be out most of the day though." He explained, taking a sip of his water. He was willing to wait to leave, even if he was itching to get to the water as soon as he could.

Rei took the water gratefully, drinking half the glass in just a few moments. That would help him wake up quicker, the coolness helping the redness of his face calm down. Phew. Kaoru didn’t seem to think anything of that, since his mind was somewhere else. Good. He really did look like he was comfortable for once. In his element, as it were. That surfboard made for a nice accessory too. Rei could tell it was well-loved despite being tucked away for a long time. Some objects just have a feeling around them. He sets the glass down and runs a discarded hairbrush on the table through his hair and straightened his clothes out. Perks of not sweating is that he could just live in the same outfit for days and no one would notice. Especially since he had a natural scent of roses and spice. ”Hmhm~” he chuckled quietly at the comment. ”Perhaps. Though you can blame the curse for that, rather than a lack of sun. It’s good that you’re getting out and...stretching your legs, as it were.” (edited)

"It's been forever since I've gone to the beach." He sighed, elbow on his knee as he propped his chin up on his hand. Forever was equivalent to.. probably almost a year. He didn't really get much free time, and by the time he did, he wasn't able to surf. Not fun when he loved it like he did. "Got two days off though." He shot Rei a grin, pushing himself up to his feet. He moved to grab his nearly empty cup, drinking the rest of his own before taking it to the kitchen. "You going to be alright? I know the suns not your thing." He asked from the kitchen, ducking out after a moment. "I can go alone if need be." Oh but then you'd miss shirtless Kaoru, Rei. You wouldn't want to miss that :). But Kaoru doesn't want Rei to get hurt just because he asked him to tag along.

”Really? How lucky~” Rei smiled at him, pushing himself to his feet once he felt lucid enough to go running around. He wanted to spend time with Kaoru without having to give him a mid-life crisis every five minutes. They can just spend time together as people rather than...whatever the heck they’ve got going on at the moment. That’s why he shakes his head when Kaoru offers to go by himself, a clawed hand on his hip. ”No no, I want to go with you.” It wouldn’t be the same with just one of them.

"If you're sure." The statement drew a laugh from him, and he moved out of the kitchen and to the door. He moved to pull the bag over his shoulder, after double checking everything was in there. He'd probably end up throwing sunscreen at the vampire at some point. Just in case. "Just let me know if you need to go under shade so you don't. Die? Or something?" He seemed a little confused, but he's got the spirit! He slipped his keys into his pocket, grabbed his surfboard so he could carry it under his arm, and he was ready to walk. It wasn't a terrible walk out, but it was sunny and warm so there was some worry for Rei. As soon as they were outside, though, he did offer him an umbrella. Nothing magically light blocking, just one for rain, but it was better than nothing.

Not to worry Kaoru, your wishes are being heard. Though not by a fairy grandmother. Rei waited for him by the door with a warm smile, laughing softly at Kaoru. He does have the spirit, it’s rather cute. In an endearing sort of way. When the two of them opened the door, whoever went first would end up tripping on something that was left on the landing. It was nearly invisible against the dark floor. ”Oh, that’s where it’s been...” Rei moved to pick up the object and give it a good shake. It’s an umbrella! That looks straight like it’d been pulled out of a painting. The water-resistant fabric is surprisingly thick, and the wires were hidden with a beautiful lace trim. That’s..just a parasol with extras! What the fuck! There was a small note attached to it that Rei hadn’t noticed yet, waiting until the two of them were outside when it caught his eye. He plucked it off as they walked, reading it to himself and tucking it away when he was done.

Kaoru had paused when he saw Rei stumble over it ( tongueout

tongueout

Kaoru's got a surfboard), tilting his head slightly. Oh, it seemed he wouldn't need his. That was probably for the better. His eyes scanned over the object, and he seemed to process that it was probably the umbrella Rei had mentioned before. Neat! Except it was a little odd to be appearing here so suddenly. Not that he minded. It meant the day would likely go a little better for the vampire. As the pair began walking he was mostly quiet, seeming to perk up a little as he stepped into the sun. "So. Where'd the umbrella come from?" He asked, mostly out of curiosity. He didn't want to pry terribly deep.

Rei was grateful for the shade the parasol provided, opening it up with a sigh. He twirled it in his fingers with a soft smile, the weight in his hand comforting. God...he used to carry this everywhere. Especially when he and Keito would be out, where the vampire was basically being dragged around on his errands just so Keito didn’t have to do them himself. Ah. Those were interesting days. Rei can’t tell if he misses them or not. ”This? Probably from my grandkids.” He shakes his head. ”They have a sixth sense, I swear. I don’t know how they managed to figure out where I’ve been staying. But ah, ever since I got in contact with them again, they’ve been looking out for me.” He tilts his head back to look at the sky. This was...nice. Warm, in a strange metaphorical sense. *”Have you heard of Y and H cosmetics? They’re an indie brand that really blew up last year. Those two are my grandkids.” (edited)

Kaoru paused, brows furrowing once more as he tried to process the name. He swore he'd heard it somewhere.. but he didn't quite recognize- His face lit up as he fully connected the name for what it was, and he nodded. Interesting. Small world, he supposed. Izumi had recently done some modeling thing for them. He'd gotten sent the texts agonizing over a slightly off hand position. Drama queen. "Right- Yeah, Sena was talking to me about them." The name came offhandedly, and he waved his hand dismissively as if to wave away that train of conversation. "Glad to hear they're willing to get in contact with you. Especially because. Y'know." He motioned vaguely at the sky, adjusting his surfboard in his arms. "Small world, I guess. That's like a degree of separation." He shrugged, glancing around as the two made their way to the beach. It wasn't too far from here, and as his feet hit the sand he resisted the urge to run off immediately. He was patient.

Rei nodded, toeing off his shoes and setting them to the side as the ground shifted into sand. ”That’s good. They deserve all the attention for the work they do. Though if it wasn’t for pinky they wouldn’t have launched at all. Ahh, those were wild days.” He twirls his parasol with a laugh and looks at Kaoru. Then out at the water. Then back at Kaoru. Rei waved his arm at the open space. ”Well? Go on then. Don’t wait up for this old coot. Go on. Shoo. Have fun and make merry.”

Kaoru didn't hesitate to set his things down as well. He shuffled out of his shoes, and set to tying his hair back -- at least somewhat -- into a low ponytail so it didn't stick awkwardly to his neck. His shirt was the next thing gone, tossed haphazardly into his bag. He then set his bag down, making sure everything in there was fine before he headed out to the water. The water was cool, but not cold enough to bite as he first approached it. The waves weren't calm, and for that he was thankful, but they seemed manageable enough. He'd have loved to just sit with his feet in the water to just relax, but he knew he was on borrowed time. He hadn't surfed in a while, and he'd missed it. It was like riding a bike as he properly headed into the water, remembering the motions needed to get out there and set up to catch anything. It was calming, almost, the routine he'd known since he was young.

Off he goes! The young are so full of energy, aren't they? Rei doesn't know jack shit about surfing, that's for sure. But Kaoru seems to happy to be out on the water that he doesn't care if he doesn't know. He tossed his own shirt into the bag just so he could be a bit cooler and along the beach. He sits somewhere on the sand, where the waved crashed against the shore. Rei sticks his feet into the wet sand with a wince and chose this as his new perch. If he gets washed up then it happens. Honestly? He isn't as chuffed about it as he should be. Well....he can kind of see what Kaoru sees in this place. He can also see Kaoru. God he can see Kaoru. In that getup he looks made for the beach. A human holed up in a church shouldn't look as toned as he did. Sigh. Wow....

Kaoru was out a little deeper in the water for a while, just growing accustomed to surfing again and how it felt to be back in the water. It was amazing, his mind torn completely away from his work as he focused on what he actually loved. He tried to keep himself together and healthy and in shape despite being a workaholic, and surfing was always a good way to do it. He didn't get closer to the shore for a bit, and although his first wave wasn't exactly a wipe out, he did stumble and fall. That was his own fault, of course, coming to a rough halt and tripping over himself a bit. He stumbled, and fell onto his knees in the sand, but he didn't seem upset. No, he laughed. The sound was bright, bubbling up from his chest in the even brighter sunlight. He only reached up to untie his hair, letting it hang loose finally. He stood up, brushing off the sand on his legs before he waved at Rei and went right back to the water to continue surfing. Yeah, he'd.. He'd be at this for a little bit.

He really did look like he was in his element. Rei rested his elbows on his knees, propping his chin up to watch Kaoru fall into the water. He makes it look so easy. Not just the surfing but living. Being in the moment. Rei was jealous of that. If only for a moment. The feeling washed away like the waves retreat into the ocean. No, jealous wasn't the right emotion to feel. Kaoru is bright and sunny and full of life but it's far from a bad thing. It's what he deserved, what all humans deserved really. Something about Kaoru was differnt than any other human. The vampire still couldn't quite place his finger on why. Darkness is drawn to light and light is drawn to shadow. Maybe it was something like that. One of his hands comes up and waved back at him with a huge grin, and bright red eyes watched him immediately dived back into the embrace of the water. Maybe Rei should take up beaches more often. The hand he held up rests on his chest and the fingers slowly clench into a loose fist against his cold skin. "I've got it bad again, don't I..." he mutters quietly.

Kaoru was absolutely comfortable in the water, completely in his element as he surfed. It almost came naturally to him, and he couldn't help but want to just say out in the ocean. Still, he needed a break eventually. And of course, he did take one. He finally moved to walk back to where the two had dropped their things, surfboard tucked just under his arm so he could set it aside. Once he reached his things, he was quick to set the board aside and set down a towel so he could sink down and sit on it, one knee up and the other extended as he leaned back onto a hand. He was still wet from the water, but didn't seem to mind as he rummaged through his things for a water bottle. Half of it was gone in a second, and he sighed as he set it back aside. He pushed a hand back through his hair, just to move it out of his face, hoping he dried somewhat quickly in the sunlight. Not that it mattered. He was happy to even be out here. He'd gotten the hang of everything quickly again, the first time he stumbled being the only time he'd fallen. It had come back so naturally to him. And he wanted to go back out, but he knew he needed a break. His eyes darted over to the vampire, scanning to see if he was alright in the hot sun.

Rei was thankful that he raided Kaoru’s clothes earlier because running around in dress pants would be awful for trying to stay cool. Even though he felt like he was melting like a popsicle anyway. But the suffering would be worth it in the end. He was spending most of his time by the water’s edge watching Kaoru surf, looking him up and down when the opportunity presented itself. He looked so confident that nothing could deter him. Who was Rei to try? Eventually he got up from his perch in the sand, twirling the parasol lightly as he strolled along the beach. The cool water washed over his feet but he found himself welcoming it, feeling an old nostalgia from everything around him. Ohhh. There are seashells here. Snatched. One of them was a small empty conch shell that easily fit between his two pinched fingers. The vampire waves to him as he walks over, kneeling in the sand next to him and wiping some sweat from his brow. Dude, you’re under a thick parasol and you’re still sweating. Jeez. Guess that’s what happens when you don’t generate your own body heat. ”You look lively for once~”

Kaoru ~~reised~~ raised a brow at Rei as he walked over, and he rummaged through his bag to grab another water bottle. See, he'd come prepared. Mostly because he knew how tired he got on the beach, and add on someone who wasn't good with the sun? Definitely need extras. He looked like he was going to toss it to him, before he thought better of it and just stuck his hand out to offer the bottle to him in his hand instead. There was no guarantee he'd catch it if it was tossed to him. "Lively? It's the water." He laughed, a smile still playing across his face. He was far more happy out here than stuck in that church, and he was glad he'd called in. Being a little under the weather hadn't been a lie, but not because he was sick. He just felt trapped. He glanced at Rei, looking as if he were going to speak before he changed that course of action. He just relaxed back a little more, looking back at the ocean. The waves had been kind to him this morning, not throwing him every which way and not being overly calm. "How's the sun treatin' you?"

Oh? How kind. Rei takes the bottle from him and places it to his neck, sapping the cold from it for a moment before drinking. Blink blink. It’s the water. It’s..yeah? Yeah it is. How the heck was he supposed to know Kaoru was a surfer? That’s not exactly something that comes up in conversation. Though he chooses not to comment on that. Mainly because he needs to conserve his energy. He shrugs his shoulders with a smile. Just because he’s dying in the heat doesn’t mean that he’d want to put a damper on the human. ”Terribly, but I find myself not caring as much as I usually would.” Wow. That was a refreshing thing to say. It’s not often he’s one hundred percent honest about himself as a person. Well. Undead person. ”Then again, I’m sure it’s been a while since either of us enjoyed ourselves with anything. Perhaps it’s the atmosphere that keeps me at ease.”

Well, he wasn't supposed to know. You know, because Kaoru hates being a burden. Talking about himself would have just made him want to come out here sooner -- which is difficult. "Yeah. Been a bit." He shrugged, letting his eyes shut as he relaxed back onto his towel. He was still wet, but the heat had him drying off relatively quickly -- even if the salt water dried a little weirdly. He knew he'd have to wash his hair, but he couldn't find it in him to care. "Just make sure you're not dying too much." He teased, tone joking. He knew he'd probably be out here until the sun started to go down. Back when he wasn't as limited in how often he could surf, it'd be maybe a few hours before he headed home. But given that he was on short time? He didn't want to leave. "Used to come out here to pick up girls, y'know?" Oh god he's reminiscing on before he got stuck in the church. "Didn't think I loved the water but I had fun flirting. Took me a while to realize that I enjoyed surfing far more than the attention it got me." He shrugged, opening his eyes to look over at Rei. "Mom brought me here as a kid too. Seems I've got lots of good memories here. So, yeah. It's the water." He did laugh, tone still bright. "Hell, I'd normally bring Kanata with me. But life's been busy for everyone."

Rei rested his elbows on his knees again, occasionally chugging water to try and keep himself from keeling over. ”Hm. It’s a shame you can’t come more often, you’re quite talented.” he says, fingertips tapping on his knee as he listened. ”Such is the way of human life though. It’s quite easy to get absorbed by day-to-day nonsense that won’t matter within a decade.” He didn’t see that as a bad thing to say. In fact, he found it rather funny. His hand rested on his chest again, taking a deep breath that he really didn’t need but felt like he did. In fact, he actually reaches out beyond his little shade spot and pokes Kaoru’s check with a smirk, making sure his nail didn’t jab him in the process. ”You had me fooled, I didn’t take you for the playboy type before now.” (edited)

Kaoru frowned, lips turning down into something that was pretty much a pout as he was poked. It was far less practiced than the calm expressions he had to use as a priest, fully letting his expression show. "Can you really not believe it?" That pout stayed on his lips as he looked at Rei, tilting his head ever so slightly to emphasize his question. "I got two years of college and that in before my path was changed. Always just.. assumed it was some act of god." He shrugged his shoulders, sort of unconvincingly. "That train of thought was thrown for a loop a while ago.." He trailed off, yeah whenever he'd met Rei. "Guess it never came up. Priestliness and all." He glanced back at the water, and his board. Five more minutes, and then he'd head right back in. He'd been out a while anyway, he needed the break.

”I couldn’t believe it, no. Your natural personality has been so condensed and dumber down for the sake of your work.” He shrugged and pulled his hand away with a smirk, rubbing the top as if it was burned. Sunlight stung. ”Though..” he paused for a moment... He scooted a bit closer to Kaoru, looming over him. The sun was blotted out by his parasol, creating a small space between them as the vampire leaned closer to his face. ”I like you better this way.” Rei pulled away and scooted back to his original spot, letting that comment sit as if he never said it at all. ”Anyway. I don’t believe in acts of god myself, not just because of my philosophy but...in general. You are in control of your own life. That’s what I believe.”

Kaoru was going to speak on the burn, curious if he actually did feel the burn of the sun that quickly. He'd opened his mouth to speak before he processed the vampire being so close to him. He quickly shut his mouth, breath catching for a moment as Rei leaned closer to him. What was he doing? An odd feeling surged through him, and he fought to stamp that down as the vampire moved just out of reach again. He was left scrambling for an answer, but with no proper way of getting one. "Ah. Glad to hear." He nodded, trying to bring himself back to the real world. Just what was that? And why did it send that weird feeling in his chest? More importantly, why wasn't he opposed to it? He shook his head to try and clear it, pushing that aside. "My dad's always been religious. So I'd expected it." Kaoru pushed himself to his feet, brushing off any lingering sand. "But yeah. If I was in control I don't think I'd be.. well, here." He motioned vaguely around them. He could take that however he wanted. He moved to grab his board again, twisting to stretch his back before he was right back to the waves. It was already getting later in the day, it'd probably be dark soon. Woops.

Rei was an expert in pushing boundaries just far enough to where he doesn’t have to justify himself. Teasing Kaoru was fun, especially when he looked at Rei like he had three heads instead of one. That’s all it was. Just for fun. At least that’s what he tells himself. He stands up when Kaoru gets up to stretch, patting sand off of himself in the process. Maybe if they hang around until nightfall he can actually swim with him without burning up in the sun like a piece of paper to a flame. ”Perhaps. Though no matter what happened before, we’re here now. And I think that’s the best part.” He finishes off the water bottle and sets it aside to throw away when they leave. For once the past or the future wasn’t weighting on his brain, just where they were right now. It was surprisingly simple. ”Have you always knew how to surf, Kaoru?”

Kaoru had leaned down to grab his board when Rei asked the question. He paused, turning back to face him. He had to think about the question, trying to remember when exactly it started. And.. well, why? "Well, no. But I learned when I was young." He continued to think about it as he picked up his board, brushing off any sand that seemed to be sticking to it. It didn't do much but bother him when he was out surfing. "Came to the beach a lot, saw others doing it, and it looked cool. Mom didn't surf, but she loved the ocean and it gave me an excuse to keep coming with her. Was the only time she stepped away from her research." Seems workaholic ran in the family. He hummed, turning the board over to make sure that it wasn't dirty. "She gave me the board, actually. Said I'd grow into it one day." It was a pretty board. A deep yellow and brown that seemed to fit in with the sandy beach. Something he cared for a lot. He smiled softly, mostly to himself before shaking his head. He tucked the board under his arm, shooting a wider grin back at Rei before he walked back to the water.

Workaholic does run in the family. Jeez. At least Kaoru isn’t going the exact same way, taking breaks even if it meant Rei interfering with his life enough for him to consider it in the first place. The story made him smile. Sure, he may have no stories of his own to share that aren’t plagued with heartache and bloodshed, but the stories he gleans from others will forever be remembered. Even when the storyteller long forgets them. ”She’s right too. You did grow into it. The color compliments you nicely.” He nods and gives him his own fanged grin, waving him away as Kaoru looks over at the water. Not that he wants to be rid of his presence at all, he just wants him to have fun. Even if Rei can’t join him. Though his feet have other ideas as they walk back to the space where the sand gets wet and almost gooey. Kaoru was right. It does look cool.

Kaoru smiled to himself as he walked off, and he was back to it rather quickly as he reached the waves. He was back in his element, the cool water splashing up at him and calming him immensely. His mind might have been elsewhere occasionally, but out here all he could think about was surfing. His balance on the board, which wave would do him best, and where he was going. It cleared his mind, and he was more relaxed than he'd been in a long while as he got back to it. His eyes landed on Rei occasionally, drawing up odd complicated feelings in his chest that he tried to push down. Now wasn't the time for this. He couldn't be thinking about these things. He had a lot more to think about. As Kaoru thought more on his mother, however, it only solidified his want to quit. He could go back to school, keep working on that, and be doing something he loved. Something by the ocean. Hell, Kanata could help him with research stuff. He trusted Kanata a lot, and so he'd be able to do something he wasn't sick of within a week. The afternoon slowly grew darker, and as the warm sunset washed over the beach he finally got out of the water. He was tired, a little sore, and definitely nearly dehydrated, but he couldn't be happier. He made his way back to his towel, shaking his head to get some of the water out of his hair as he set his board down.

What would Rei do when Kaoru was free? Would he quietly detach himself and focus on his quest of reuniting Deadmanz to go back to the glory days, or would he let the past lie and move on to other things? He doesn’t know. And the thought of that sends a shiver down his spine. Being as old as he is, he usually has a plan of action set for at least the next three months. Yet at the moment he hasn’t even thought of tomorrow, wanting to live in whatever this moment is even if he can’t fully enjoy it. Watching Kaoru ride the waves reminded him of that. The fact that he always lived like he was looking through a window, simply learning to enjoy by watching rather than doing. Heck, maybe this is how Ritsu felt all the time. Maybe that’s why they don’t get along anymore. Among other reasons. When the sky turns a blazing orange, Rei is able to close the parasol and stick it into the sand, the setting sun much nicer to his skin than the overhead afternoon. Granted it still stings, but not as bad. Maybe he could learn to enjoy the beach now and again. The two of them seem to come back at the same time, with Rei fanning himself with his hand as the parasol was placed next to their stuff. ”So? I told you time to yourself would be for the better. You should have believed me the first time~” The gloom that settled in his bones is pointedly ignored. He just wants to vibe, damnit.

Kaoru turned to look at Rei, offering him a smile. His body moved before his mind, and he tugged the vampire into a hug. It wasn't something he'd do typically, nor something he could ever see himself doing again, but it was driven purely by instinct. He was still a little wet, without a shirt, and with his hair still dripping, but he still tugged him close. He laughed, trying not to be terribly loud, but the sound was bright nonetheless. "Thank you." A smile remained on his face, and his eyes shut as he kept close to Rei like this. It was odd, and his heart did some weird thing in his chest, but he ignored that. He grimaced at the water he'd gotten onto Rei, but couldn't find it in himself to care one hundred percent. "For all this. No need to tell me 'I told you so'. I know." He scrunched his nose up at him, shaking his head again. He'd think about those weird feelings later. For now, he was content with this. "Nice to have a day to just think. I think I know what I'm gonna do now anyway."

”I...oh..” For a rare moment, Rei was left speechless. Not a frequent thing by any means. His eyes are wide in shock and he doesn’t know what to do with his arms besides wrap them around Kaoru. He blinks to try and rearrange his thoughts but they’re all a mess now. That jenga tower has fallen. ”You’re welcome..” His mouth is dry when he speaks, and the water on him feels cloying and awkward. Kaoru laughed like he could take on the whole world and not break a sweat. Such a sound moved him to tears. He hides his face in the crook of his neck, mainly to hide the salt gathering in the corners of his eyes and the red in his face. Suddenly his brain was so Very empty. ”What ah. Uhm. What’s your plan then...” He cleared his throat to try and steady his voice.

Kaoru shifted slightly as Rei buried his face into the crook of his neck, a few memories dragged to the forefront of his mind at his feeling. He didn't push him off though, happy to let Rei sink into the hug. Just for a moment. It'd been an odd day anyway. He could swear off the contact in the future, when it felt a little weirder and a less less normal to him. He squeezed him slightly, fingers curling gently into the fabric of his shirt just to steady himself. He tucked his head just over Rei's, leaning his head onto Rei's just slightly. "Ah. Well, I have tomorrow off. I can go get my things from the church." He said, just explaining what he was going to do. "I'm going to quit. Y'know. Still have a lot to do but.." he trailed off, slowly detaching himself from Rei after a moment. "Sound alright?" He asked, a little unsure of his own plan here.

"I think it's a great idea." Rei smiles, feeling Kaoru's hand dig into his shirt. The feeling was oddly grounding, and he found himself wanting to tremble from the feeling. His heart still beats even if he's dead, and it's quite apparent in this weird...almost tender moment. He placed a hand behind Kaoru's head and ruffled his hair, the strands damp and smelling of ocean water. That would be a big change for Kaoru. Leaving the clutches of the church and moving onto brighter things. It's what he deserved. Where ever Rei falls into that picture is a mystery. So he doesn't ponder that for now. "Whatever you choose to do from here on out, Kaoru...Is something you'll like. I have faith that you'll be happy."

Kaoru laughed again, shaking his head as Rei ruffled his hair. It only served to get water everywhere again, but he really didn't have it in him to mind that. He was going to shower when he got back to his apartment anyway, and he was tired enough to want to relax -- but not pass out immediately as he'd done in the past. He moved to grab his things, grabbing another water bottle as he sat back on a towel. He wanted to watch the sunset, and then he could drag Rei back to his apartment. "Mhm. School's gonna suck but.." He shrugged, scrunching up his nose. Two years under his belt, he could finish a degree. He just had to deal with his dad. He opened up the water bottle, drinking most of it down rather quickly. "What are you gonna do? Just hover around? Or do you have something you wanna do?"

Rei let his hands drop and went to sit on the ground again. The parasol lay speared in the sand by him and he leaned back on his hands with a sigh. That...was a very good question. Kaoru had a front row seat seat to his face switching from peaceful to lost and concerned as he thought of his answer. "I don't know." He stated plainly, red eyes trained on the orange horizon as if that would give him answers. "I guess I'll go. I. Technically I achieved what I intended, which is for you to spend your human years pursuing things you enjoy rather than, uhm, things you don't. So you don't need some old man hanging around after that." Clawed hands make loose fists in the sand, choking on his own words. "I know I can't continue to coast on what used to be, but starting something new is difficult when you have no direction."

Kaoru paused. Why did that make him feel odd? To hear Rei say that he was just going to.. leave like that. It had been odd to have him come into his life, but he found himself not wanting the vampire to leave quite yet. He'd grown quite used to his presence, and it was.. nice to have him around. He was interesting and.. And. His heart did some weird things around him. He didn't quite know how to explain it, how to categorize these feelings. He didn't even know if he wanted to categorize them. "Then get a map." The statement was light, mostly joking as he turned his head to look at Rei. "You don't have to go quite yet-" Please stay. "- Get your bearings here and then figure it out from there." Let me help. "Small world, I'm bound to know someone who knows someone, and I'll want some company while I do school work."

Rei rubbed his eyes with a heavy heart of his own. He finally tilted his head down to look at Kaoru with a look. A...a weird one. A mix between shy and sad. Something about the empty air between them made him a little too raw. But Kaoru's light tone didn't seem to carry any weight like the vampire's did. It was reassuring. He rolled his shoulders and forced himself to relax, a smile dancing on his lips that he wasn't expecting. Kaoru was...willing to let him stay longer? Even after all that? "That makes me happy." He smiles at him, teeth shining in the fading sunlight. "If you don't mind me imposing on you some more, I'd....like that. Very much."

"Not at all." Kaoru supposed he should be more careful, particularly about just letting someone else stay in his house. Still, he couldn't really.. stop himself? On some level, it was just kindness, but on another he felt somewhat connected to the vampire. That was dumb, wasn't it? To feel comfortable with someone so quickly? He certainly didn't want to get hurt here, but Rei seemed to trust him, and vice cersa. The sun fell below the horizon, the moon the only light shining in the sky. He sighed softly, pushing himself to his feet. He shook off the towel before laying it over his shoulders and moving to gather his things. "Are you alright on the couch, by the way? Can't be too good for your back." Kaoru was willing to give up his bed for a bit if need be.

Yeah. Kaoru's not the only one. Rei wonders yet again if it's worth staying in Kaoru's life or if he's just fooling himself. Kaoru's life is finite, and full of life. Rei's is infinite until he's eventually killed for whatever reason, and he's been worn down by the sands of time. And yet. Yet. Kaoru had to have put some modicum of faith in him or else the two of them wouldn't even be here to begin with. "Oh?" He laughed and shook his head. "I'm used to sleeping in a velvet lined coffin, which is much less forgiving than a couch. You don't have to worry about that." Plus he felt rather rude kicking Kaoru out of his own bed. Assuming he wouldn't let him into it like last time. He breathed a sigh of relief as the sun went to bed, the light of the moon cradling him like a familiar blanket. He immediately starts rubbing his arms and legs with a wince, feeling the effects of even the setting sun. Itchy itchy itchy i-

Letting someone (read: pretty vampire that makes you feel weird emotions) into your bed sounds Kinda gay so Kaoru chooses to stay away from that. One time was more than enough, especially now that his mind is focused on other things. He gathered his things quickly enough, shooting a glance back to Rei. He looked uncomfortable, oh- He'd ask in a little bit to ensure that he was alright. It can't have been easy being out for so much of the day. Kaoru began to walk, motioning for Rei to follow him as he began the path back to his apartment. "Ah. I wouldn't scratch." He explained, "Gotten more than enough sunburns to learn that the hard way." He adjusted his board under his arm, "That is.. if it even works like a surnburn. I'm not sure".

Rei pulled his parasol from the sand, swinging it by his side as he made sure they got everything. He keeps scratching at his arm like it’s burned, but the skin there seems perfectly fine. Er. It was fine, but now it has a dozen red lines on it from the vampire’s sharp nails. ”Ssssomething like that. Have you ever went swimming in a pool treated with chlorine, and forgot to wash it off until the next morning? That’s kind of what sunlight feels like. It also makes me feel extremely weak and thirsty. So all around, me and daylight don’t get along.” He flashes him a reassuring smile. ”Don’t feel responsible though. I brought it upon myself by coming here. I don’t regret it in the slightest.” He’s gotten way too personal today. Rei can see it now. One too many strange comments and Kaoru’ll crack his skull open with a guitar. Which he’d rather avoid scaring him off. So instead of saying anything else, he just closes the small space between them to brush shoulders with him.

Kaoru nodded after a moment, just taking a moment to process Rei's comparison. Interesting. He did feel a little guilty for having brought him out here, but if he said it was alright.. He tried to push the guilt from his mind, letting that reassuring smile calm him at least slightly. Alright, so he technically didn't have anything to worry about here. Still, he made a note to check on Rei later. He leaned slightly into the brush against his shoulder, mostly quiet and just thinking as the two walked. That odd feeling had bubbled up again, resting in the base of his chest. How odd. He didn't know how to describe it, and was worried he'd be seen as odd for it. Was he anxious around the vampire? No, it'd make sense but.. he knew his nerves well, this wasn't similar. It wasn't long before the two reached his apartment again. He was in first, immediately moving to go store his surfboard so he could shower and take some time to think.

Rei felt himself relax on the walk home, his heart lighter than before with some of his feelings out in the open. A lot of things he preferred to keep to himself for many reasons, but. Maybe trusting someone again wouldn't be so bad. If worse comes to worse Rei can vanish. Not that he'd want to. He'd grown rather fond of whatever they have going on. Company. Of...some variety. The vampire waits for Kaoru to go in first, slipping in behind him and leaning his parasol up against the wall. Ahh. That was nice. Now that he was home he could relax. He gives Kaoru a wave as the human crossed into the bathroom. Easier to check him out from behind. Coughs. Rei takes off the shirt and drapes it over the back of the couch and crashes onto the cushions with a heavy sigh. An arm comes up over his eyes and he whines quietly to himself. Humans are so vibrant and full of life it almost hurt. Though it wasn't his head hurting. It was his heart. Again. Ughhh..

Kaoru's mind was rather full, different thoughts that seemed to overlap, some that seemed to coincide, and some that pushed and pulled against each other in a million different directions. It was frustrating. There was no true 'right' path to take, and though he knew his plan he still had to put work into it. And so, he took the opportunity of a shower to clear his head. As soon as the warm water hit his shoulder blades, he was gone. It allowed for him to relax, and to let his thoughts run wild for a little bit. It also soothed some of the soreness in his muscles from being out all day. Maybe then he could categorize everything he was feeling. Everything except Rei. He wasn't sure why he felt so odd around the vampire (it couldn't be nerves, no, nor could it be illness -- he felt fine otherwise) but there had to be some reason. Still, he found himself unable to pin it down. Once he'd thoroughly cleansed himself of the salt, particularly in his hair, and had sorted his thoughts, he stepped out. It was nice to take a moment to relax, and he dressed quickly before taking a towel to his hair. It was still somewhat damp when he left the bathroom, passing the main room briefly as he moved to the kitchen to get himself some water.

Rei's head was also Very full. But in a different way. Less conflict and more struggling with his own thoughts and where to go from here. Now that he couldn't fixate on Kaoru kicking his old job to the curb he actually had to actually find a game plan. Whether it be reclaiming his lost charms or finding new ones. He was also fucking thirsty. Sun sickness is cruel. He'd been having such good luck with Kaoru that he didn't want to blow their good day because of his poorly timed appetite. The vampire eventually manages to stop clawing at his skin by leaning out the window, letting the cooling breeze brush over his skin and through his hair. Pale elbows crossed on the windowsill and he sighed, closing his eyes. Just...calm down. That's it. That's all he has to do. That way he can ignore the feeling until tomorrow. Maybe. Or he could go out hunting. The idea wasn't appealing at all though, which would be a problem in the future.

Kaoru gladly grabbed some water, drinking nearly a full glass before he refilled it. He took a moment to get himself some tea while he was in the kitchen as well, thinking a moment before he prepared a mug for Rei. He seemed to have appreciated it in the past, so why not? He left the water glass in the kitchen for the time being, moving out to the main room with the two mugs. He paused as he noticed Rei by the window, cautiously setting the mugs down on the table. His eyes scanned over Rei, and he tilted his head slightly. "Ah- Are you alright?" He asked, trying to approach the topic cautiously. He knew he'd been a bit uncomfortable after their time in the sun, but he didn't quite know what he could do to fix that. "I have some tea if you're uh.. feeling well enough."

He looked behind him to see Kaoru and grit his teeth, letting out a slow breath with a nod. Don't think about it don't think about it don't think about it- "Haa? Oh. I'll be alright, my friend." He waves a hand at him with a smile and walking over to take the tea from where he set it on the table. Usually the warm drink would put him at ease. Now it just reminded him of other things. Rei takes a long drink from the mug despite the fact its nearly-scalding hot liquid. Fuck. We're still ignoring it. Nooope. Don't even think about it because once you do you're boned.

Ah, that was... somewhat reassuring? He wasn't completely sure, given that he had looked a little uncomfortable. He tried not to keep his gaze on the vampire for terribly long, noticing the shirt draped over the back of the couch. Coughs, I guess. Kaoru moved to settle onto the couch, pulling one leg underneath him and letting the other hang off the edge. He looked comfortable, far more relaxed than he had been in the past. After all, he'd fallen asleep in his work clothes quite often, but now he seemed to be in something that was just for the night. Easy. A t-shirt with some music group on it and a pair of joggers. He took a sip of his tea, closing his eyes as he did so and relaxing into the warmth. It had been a good day for him, and although he wasn't as desperate to get back out there as soon as possible, he enjoyed the thought of going again sometime soon. "Mm- If you say so." His eyes opened again, finding Rei as he offered him some sort of a reassuring smile. "Anything I can do to help? I know the sun's not your friend like it is mine."

Internal screaming for forty five minutes! Woo! That’s the inside of Rei’s head at the moment. He tries not to drain the whole mug in one go since he already hurt himself from how hot the tea was. He rested his elbows on the back of the couch and gently bit at the rim of the mug to do something with his teeth. He wasn’t aiming to break it, he just needed something to do with them before he ruined everything. As he does. ... Fuck. ”That’s a very dangerous question, Kaoru. I choose not to answer it.” Rei’s dark gaze raked over him, fixating on the slope of Kaoru’s neck that was decorated by sandy blonde hair. He knew what he looked like under that stuffy uniform now and that’ll surely haunt his dreams. The two conflicts in his brain had combined into a monster he currently didn’t feel like dealing with. Yet here he is!

Kaoru was still slipping slowly at his tea, glad to take a moment to relax. He was still a little tired from earlier, but not the type of tired he was from work. He appreciated this tiredness, the kind that came from being out and doing things for the majority of the day. It was a nice change. He caught Rei's eyes, watching red eyes almost scan over him, as if there were something wrong. He glanced down at himself, confused for a moment as he tried to process what Rei might be looking a- Oh. Oh. Kaoru swallowed nervously, realizing the danger he'd offered with that simple question. He'd already been bitten twice by the vampire- Did he not have anything else he could... you know? Drink? He chose not to press the question, simply nodding. "Ah. I see. Then, I will ask, is your skin alright? I noticed you were scratching earlier.."

"Ahh. Better now that I've been inside for a bit." Rei fluffed his hair up and showed him his arms. They had soft red lines on them from the itching, but his skin seemed to have calmed down. Actually, he wasn't sure if he could tell the difference but he wanted to reassure him in some way. Ah fuck. He's scaring him away isn't he? Well. That's the curse of the vampire. Okay. He just. Won't. That's all. He'll live. Said vampire sets his drained cup on the coffee table and sighed. He had two roads he could go down here. Rei comes around the couch and goes to put his shirt back on, touching Kaoru's shoulder for a moment as he did so. "Though if I might ask. Do you have tomato juice around? I'm sure you can guess why." Blech. It wasn't his preferred choice but it would do. Or he can just dip and go hunt for some other unfortunate soul. Plenty of humans have offered to be under his fangs. So it's not like it would be difficult. Just....boring. Everyone is so boring.

Tomato juice? Oh, odd. He hadn't even thought about alternatives, but that made a surprising amount of sense. And, not to mention, it was certainly better than the alternative in this case. The alternative that involved where Rei's eyes seemed to have been focused. He did tense as his shoulder was touched, but forced himself to relax. He shifted slightly to look back at the kitchen, trying to think. He pushed himself to his feet, setting the mug down. "Let me check?" He sounded unsure, it wasn't really likely. He moved quickly to the kitchen, pushing those emotions that tried to bubble up back down. The thought of Rei... biting him again was an unwelcome one, at least he tried to tell himself that. He pushed it down, far down, so that he didn't have to listen to those thoughts anymore. He scanned the fridge quickly, nothing. "Ah- Sorry-" He moved back to the doorway of the kitchen, "Nothing. Do you need me to run and get some for you? Not sure how.. urgent this is."

Yep. Rei officially scared him. Great. Yep. Good to know. That doesn't make him feel gross in any way, not at all. Then again he was never really bothered with scaring people before Kaoru freed him. Maybe he's imprinted on him like some sort of cat. Cats do that right? Probably. They're creatures. Rei is a creature. It counts. This train of thought went off the rails while Kaoru was in the kitchen. By the time he get's back the vampire's already composed himself. And by composed I mean he's waiting by the doorframe and biting down on his overly-sharp nail. "Oh? No it's alright. I'll just run out for a snack and come back. I don't want to ruin you~" He winks at him and slips out the door before he stares Kaoru down any longer.

Ruin... him? Kaoru blinked after that, trying to process it. He'd opened his mouth to ask him about it, but the vampire had already left once he'd had the thought of properly asking him. Confusion spread over his face, and he shook his head to try and clear his mind. Odd. He couldn't really go back and ask now, though. He moved to clean after himself, grabbing the mugs and washing them before putting them away. A snack..? Was Rei just.. going to bite some random person? The thought made him pause, why was that.. unappealing to him? Weird. He pushed aside those weird thoughts, properly heading to bed, at a decent hour for once. Oh the wonders a day off will do for you. He made sure to lock his door behind him, collapsing into his blankets. It was a while longer before he properly drifted off, mind heavy with thoughts and wanting to ensure that Rei was alright before he fell asleep. It was just hospitality, right? To want to make sure he was okay? Yeah.. that was all.

The wonders indeed! Kaoru going to bed at a decent time is a miracle in its own right. Rei was true to his word through, coming back shortly after he stepped out. He hated to leave on such short notice but the sooner he drank, the better off he would have been. Though he did grab some tomato juice of his own for the future. Since Kaoru wasn’t exactly available on a daily basis. Nor did he want to give him a crisis once every couple of days. He tried to avoid in general but cultural differences existed. By the time Rei was done putting everything away, Kaoru seemed to be fast asleep. He unlocked the door quietly and poked his head in, noticing him under the comfortable blankets. The vampire closes the door and locks it again, laying down on the couch that he made his nest in. Though he spent most of his time staring at the ceiling until he eventually tired himself enough to sleep. Kaoru is a very strange man. Rei is a very strange creature. There’s a lot he still doesn’t understand. The same probably goes for Kaoru, since learning about the underworld and otherworldly creatures is certainly taxing. Though it wasn’t all bad. Yeah...it was nice. He hoped he could apologize tomorrow.

Kaoru slept well, despite the confusion and the bit of stress that had occurred towards the end of the night. It certainly wasn't his most restful night of sleep, but it wasn't his worst either. He'd certainly dealt with worse, given how sometimes his mind would turn on him and offer up dreams that were more trouble than the sleep they accompanied. Still, it was nice. Unfortunately, however, Kaoru woke up far too early. Habit had apparently kicked in, and he had to reach over to smack his phone to turn off his alarm in the early hours of the morning. Gross. He couldn't go back to sleep, so he simply grabbed his phone and curled up with it. He took the time to text some people, just a few questions for Kanata, as well as a quick text to his father saying he still felt unwell. He would gladly take another day off. He set his phone aside after some time, pushing himself out of bed so he could start getting dressed. He should at least be somewhat productive. And by somewhat productive, he meant he should probably run to the store and run any errands he needed to today. Boring, but hey, he needed to.

Imagine having a consistent sleeping pattern. This post was made by undead gang. Though Rei was already awake this time, with his legs hanging over the arm of the couch as he talked quietly into his phone. He seems to have finally learned how to relax in Kaoru's space, judging from the fact he just has one of Kaoru's band tees on with a pair of lazy shorts. When the human makes his emergence from his ~chambers~ he raises his hand in a quiet wave. A soft smile stretched on his lips as if the...situation. From last night never happened at all. Though the fridge is stocked with tomato juice now.

Kaoru stepped out of his room, not having bothered to get dressed just yet. It was his day off, he was allowed to wear comfortable clothing. He rubbed his eyes, yawning as he let the door swing shut gently behind him. As he stepped into the main room, he glanced over at the vampire, rather surprised to see him awake so early in the morning. He raised a hand in a quick wave at him, glancing at his shirt -- when had he gotten into his room to steal that? -- before he moved to the kitchen. Right, yes, water. He got himself a glass, mildly amused at the sight of the tomato juice in the fridge. It brought an odd feeling to his chest, remembering how he felt the previous night. He pushed that out of the way, filling his glass with water as he tried to ignore those pesky feelings. Annoying, really. He needs to push those down further. It was wearing him down to keep feeling so... weird around Rei. It's not like he had- Correction, he couldn't admit these feelings to anyone. He had people to talk to, but he was worried of what the answer would be. He stepped back out into the main room, yawning again as he looked for a place to sit.

Don't worry, Rei wasn't hogging the whole couch this time. His head was resting on the middle cushion with his legs over the left side. One of the cans was open on the coffee table and his eyes were turned up to the ceiling as he heard someone chatter over the line. He placed it to his chest and craned his neck to look at Kaoru, exposing the slope of his neck as he scooted so his vision wasn't lopsided. "Morning. I'm sorry if I spooked you the other night." Hm. That felt a bit flaccid. Even though apologizing was new to him, since he usually brushed off other people's feelings. Not in a harsh way by any means. The act was just familiar to him, especially since it never mattered before. Even if he teased people they usually understood. The only thing is that he felt bad about teasing Kaoru. Which made things complicated.

How kind of him. At least sleepy Kaoru doesn't have to try and work his way around a couch full of vampire. He paused as Rei looked up to speak to him, taking in the apology (albeit with a little confusion). He hadn't really expected Rei to apologize to him so easily, particularly because he couldn't control needing blood. But, nevertheless, it was much appreciated. He nodded, moving over to the couch. He settled into the empty space, glass of water in both hands as he took occasional sips from it. His throat felt dry, and he had to wonder if he'd managed to fall asleep with his mouth open. "Ah- No need to worry." He waved it off, keeping his voice quiet so as to not disturb the person Rei was speaking to on the phone. He'd just have to be more cautious himself, at the very least about Rei and his teeth. The bites didn't really hurt, if he was being honest, but the thought of them made him feel... weird, so he'd rather avoid having to think about those emotions.

Rei moved back into his original position, head resting on the cushion. Kaoru was close enough to where he could crane his neck to look at him upside down, which was...a very unflattering angle for both of them. Unless Kaoru fixated on people's throats the same way Rei did. Which Rei certainly doubts. "Ehh, are you sure?" He asked, the phone laying on his chest. The two voices on the other side were loud and chattery, listening closely to a conversation they weren't in. "I didn't want to ah, put a damper on your evening." He smiles softly at him. Head very empty.

The fixation on throats was just a Rei thing. At least, Kaoru had never spent much time focusing on others' necks. He'd never really thought of it as something to pay much attention to. "It's no worry, truly." He shook his head, curling his fingers around the glass in his hands. "You didn't do anything to do that. I was.. ah.." Conflicted. That was the right term, but he couldn't really say that, could he? "Elsewhere with my thoughts. I reacted poorly." He shook his head, "No need to worry. I certainly hope you're alright though." Had he gone and found another person? Or was he dealing with the tomato juice? He didn't want to ask.

Rei hummed, nodding slowly. That was a confusing, wordy sentence. Looks like Kaoru’s back to his usual stiff self. How disappointing. He pushed that feeling aside to be dealt with later. ”Oh, I’m quite alright. I have a few connections on the surface that keep me fed. You won’t believe how many people have turned my whole race into nothing more than a fetish. It’s quite insulting~” Rei you shouldn’t sound so chipper about that. His saccharine tone was dark with malice as he winked up at the human. Though that’s what happens when you’re absent from the world for too long. Everything moves on without you and you’re left scrambling to find your place in the new era.

It happens. He was back to his stiff, almost boring self. He didn't really want to go back to it. It had felt so nice and freeing to be able to just relax for once, and be himself. Still, after last night? He was reminded of the experiences he'd had with Rei, and it had affected him. It was all that was on his mind, and he was still confused on how he should be feeling about this whole situation. "Ah-" He paused, a fetish? That was.. upsetting, but he could see the appeal of it. Particularly with how cl- He shut that train of thought down pretty quickly, nope. He had no need to think about that. "I'm glad you were fed, though. I'm not sure how often you need to... you know."

Why hello. :) “Oh, right.” Rei coughed into his arm, forgetting the whole Christian thing for 5 long seconds. Congrats! He just made this extremely awkward. ”Sorry, I’d forgotten about your beliefs for a moment. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.” He offers him an apologetic smile, hiding his fangs between his slightly chapped lips. ”Yes, I’ll be fine for a while. Sometimes I feed every other day, while other times I only need to drink about twice a week. It’s quite the erratic schedule.”

Oh god the vampire's back ~~/lh~~. Confusion crossed his expression, knitting his brows together as he took in the apology. He'd nearly asked what it was for, before he heard Rei speak. Ah- "No need to apologize-" He didn't have the heart to tell him that he'd done nothing, that it had been his own overactive imagination and emotions. Not that it mattered. If it worked in his favor, he supposed, he could continue to push down those emotions that threatened to bubble up to the surface every time he looked at Rei. Not that he could use the religious excuse much longer, not with the path he was going down. "Every other day?" He couldn't mask the disbelief in his tone, voice pinching slightly before he forced himself to relax. "That's certainly..." Bothersome wasn't the word he wanted to use? "..intensive. I'm glad you managed." He tried to force himself to relax slightly, but couldn't help the way his eyes jumped down to his lips, noticing the way he was hiding his fangs. He told himself it was curiosity and nothing more as he forced himself to look away and back up at Rei's actual expression. "...I'm not sure if I'd want to know how you managed, but I'll trust in your methods-" Read: I'll think about how it was nearly me again for the next few nights but no one had to know that.

Rei lifted one of his arms in the air and made a strange flourish with it, the position he was in not leaving room for much else. ”Perhaps. I was also doing a lot more back then, so I probably don’t need as much today. Sometimes I fed just because I wanted to, rather than actually needing to. You need not worry.” How come Kaoru was pretty from all angles? It’s not fair. Even when he looked at him from underneath like this he was still pretty. If he wasn’t pretty then Rei’s life wouldn’t be so hard. His sentence made him wince slightly, red eyes flicking off towards the far wall. How he managed? Ahaha... right. Don’t worry about that. ”Yes. Some things are ah, best left unsaid. Although-“ “OJISSAAAN! Stop talking to your boyfriend and pay attention to your WARM and LOVING grandchildren!!!” ”Ah. Nevermind~” He reaches forward to pat Kaoru on the leg and sat up, taking his phone in his hand and walking into the kitchen adjacent from the main space. The vampire laughed and leaned up against the counter, apologizing quietly to the loud shouting coming from the other end. They’re convinced Rei and Kaoru are romantically involved. Oops.

The shout from the phone gave him pause, and almost instinctively he opened his mouth to try and shut the idea down. Before he could manage, however, Rei had already patted his leg and had stood up. Without denying it. "We're- I'm sorry, what?" Rei had already walked off, but he still managed, cheeks burning with embarrassment as he fought to pull his thoughts together. Boyfriend? He wasn't anywhere Near close to romantically involved with Rei. Above all else, he was a guy. Not to mention a vampire. And someone he barely knew. He sat there for a few moments, mind racing far too much with thoughts of the word and its implications. So what, he'd been bitten. But that meant nothing.. Right? He forced himself to his feet, glancing at the kitchen for a brief moment before he moved to slip back into his room, locking the door behind him as he moved to hide in bed.

mmm

1

”We aren’t boyfriends, I told you not to say that. You’ll scare him..” Rei sighs heavily into the receiver, shaking his head. While it was just a little light teasing to him, it would probably be super embarrassing for Kaoru. The human was so skittish around Rei sometimes that even a pen on the ground would startle him. He was trying to work on that. Apparently it wasn’t going very well. He’d caught the sight of blonde hair in the corner of his eye and the sound of a door closing. Great. There goes all the progress he just made. ”I’m very upset with you both. I can’t believe you..” “Like, seriously or as a joke?” ”Seriously. Here, let me explain.” Rei turns around and props his elbows on the counter, playing with a dish towel that was left there as he recalls his strange friendship with Kaoru. He wasn’t sure how long that story lasted, but by the time he was done the two children were totally quiet. “Ohhhhh...” ”Now you see why I’m frustrated with you?”

The thought was a little more pervasive than he thought it would be, near completely taking over his thoughts. It was a foreign concept to him, one he'd never put much thought into. After all, he liked girls. That was it, right? So why would he have a boyfriend? Why would anyone think he was gay? Did he somehow give off the wrong impression? Hell, was he actually gay? So he did what he did best. He let it stew. His fingers tangled into his hair, some sort of grounding force as he curled into his bed and let his mind race. He didn't tug, just trying to brush his fingers through his hair and untangle any stray knots. His hand reached to the side reaching for his phone. He managed to grab it from the side table, pulling it close to him. He curled around it, typing out a quick text message. > To: Sena (9:27 AM) > you like guys. right? help. An embarrassing text message, but one that'd have to do. It wasn't as if he could do more other than turn the question over in his mind. He didn't get a message back for a little longer, but the conversation was a lot more than he'd expected so early in the morning. Good start to the morning.

What the hell does he do now? Rei stews in his own way, fingertips drumming on the counter as he figured out what to do, hanging up on his two little demons and staring at the wall. How do you pacify a scared human without magic? Do you leave them alone? Rei would feel awkward coming into Kaoru’s space again when he’s actively trying to get away from him, but he didn’t want to leave him worried for his life. Especially since this isn’t even Rei’s house to begin with. He settles for taking one of the water bottles in the fridge out, easily undoing the lock to leave it on the bedside table closest to him. Rei speaks no words and his footsteps are silent, leaving the human to his little cave. Though he makes sure the door clicks behind him. Maybe choosing to stay with Kaoru wasn’t a good idea after all. Even if it wasn’t his idea to start with. All he’s done for Kaoru is bother him and make him second guess his entire life to this point. And for what?

The click of the door was what got his attention, head snapping up as he shifted to try and escape his ~~blanket prison~~ tangle of blankets to see what it was. The door was.. just closed. He put his phone aside, effectively leaving Izumi on read, as he caught eye of the water bottle. He grabbed it, popping the cap and taking a drink before he set it back aside. "Thank you?" He sounded more confused than anything, calling back through the closed door. It had been a kind gesture, but the thought of Rei stepping in here (when he looked like such a wreck) left a bad taste in his mouth. He couldn't quite tell why, but he suspected it was something similar to what he was talking about with Izumi. Cautiously, he set the bottle down and grabbed his phone, ending the conversation soon after before he moved to properly get dressed and out of his pajamas. He should probably finish up that letter of resignation, not think about Rei Sakuma, call his father, not think about being gay, and take some time to actually call Izumi or Chiaki. It'd been a while since any of them saw one another, and he was sure they'd like an update. The thought drug up another tired train of thought, and he shoved it aside in favor of thinking about his plans for later as he went to shower. Plus it'd give him a chance to avoid thinking about the words 'boyfriend' and 'gay'.

He didn’t even see you Kaoru, relax. Rei calls out a casual “You’re welcome!” through the door and walks away with his hands in his pockets. Damn. Now he’s going to holenup in his room like a pouty vampire. What on earth is he to do when he can’t pester Kaoru? He sits back down on the couch with a can of tomato juice, playing around on his phone as he thought about what to do. Wait a minute. He sat up on the couch and looked over to Kaoru’s guitar that he’d left in the main room ages ago. Leaned up against the wall as his life changed before his eyes. .... cmere

cmere

It couldn’t hurt to see what he remembers.

It wasn't long until Kaoru'd come out of the bathroom, washed and feeling a little better, despite the odd conversation with Izumi. It hadn't been anything bad, just something to think on, and it had left an odd taste in his mouth. He couldn't stop thinking about Rei, and he was hard pressed to push their interactions out of his mind. Particularly those where he'd been closer to Rei, or the vampire was too close to him, or anything really. It was definitely frightening to think about. He couldn't be gay. He wasn't allowed to be. He moved to put things away, keeping to himself before something caught his attention, and he found himself stepping into the main room a few moments later. He paused as he saw Rei with his guitar, blinking a few times as he tried to process it. "Ah- Bored?"

You could always rely on good ol' muscle memory. Rei hadn't picked up a guitar in what felt like years, but the riffs feel burned into the back of his brain to be accessed at any time. His feet were dangling off the edge of the couch with the guitar resting in his lap, the weight feelings comfortable and empty at the same time. What should he do..? Not right now. In a metaphorical sense. Should he give up his dreams of bringing Deadmanz together again and do something else with his talents? Go solo and do whatever he wants to? Or just...make something else?? He looks over to Kaoru and shrugs with a small smile. "Something like that. I hope you don't mind." Don't mind him casually playing nightless world like it's nothing!!! No fair!

Kaoru's eyes caught his movements, an amused smile dancing across his lips. It was brief, a flickering expression that didn't last for very long, but it was there nonetheless. He pushed it down, just quirking a brow at Rei in confusion. He should have expected that the guitar would have caught Rei's eye- it had been mentioned before after all. God, how long had it been since he had a chance to just sit down and play? He had been trying the night Rei had shown up, but those plans had been tossed rather quickly. "Not at all. You used to play a lot, no?" He moved to take a seat on the couch, keeping some distance between them. He seemed a little more relaxed, if only a little. "I see you didn't forget."

Heheheh guitar go brrrrr Rei didn't notice the distance between them and honestly that's for the better. He doesn't need to have that in the 'accidentally scaring Kaoru Hakaze' bin that was quickly filling up with little things he's overthought again and again. The feeling of the strings on his fingertips brought him comfort, as well as a strange wave of nostalgia that he's not sure if he wants to deal with at the moment. If he closes his eyes he can almost remember how scorching the stage light were. Ugh. At least he doesn't have to deal with those at the moment. "Yes. Before Koga took up playing guitar, I was the lead guitarist. Then I gave him my old guitar and went to pure vocalist. It was a lot of fun watching him jump around with that thing. Little darling couldn't stay still for anything~"

All things considered, this environment was a lot softer. Even in the day, the blinds were pulled down and the light in the room was soft. It was nice, but far from what Rei was used to when it came to the stage. Not that Kaoru really minded, it was.. nice in some odd sense of the word. "Hm?" He had sort of managed to lose himself in his thoughts for a moment, catching Rei's sentence while half there. He'd heard a bit about Koga, and tried to remember just who he was from those images. "You play well." He managed, eyes glancing over the guitar again. He could probably go ahead and retune it, as well as inspect it. It was in and out of use for years, after all. "And yet I still haven't heard you sing-" It was half a taunt, slipping from his lips before he could stop it. Woops, he was committed now. "Though I believe I owe you the same."

It's okay Kaoru, he talks a lot. Even with the tuning off, Rei still managed to make it work. Chalk it up to some crazy vampire talent. For once his piercing red gaze wasn't fixated on him, but on the guitar on his chest as he retracted the old notes. "Thanks. I'm a little out of practice. Do you want me to sing for you?" He sounded way too excited about that. The vampire kicks his legs up to hop off of the couch, the guitar slung over his shoulder like an extension of his body more than an instrument.

Oh- No, he hadn't expected that. If Kaoru had gay panicked before, he was dreading what might come of this. Still, he seemed excited, and Kaoru couldn't quite bring himself to care as he watched the vampire push himself to his feet. He tucked a leg underneath him on the couch, looking up to watch him. That had certainly drawn a quick reaction from it. "Hm, why not?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. "I'm curious. Might as well, right?" He smiled, if only a little nervous. Maybe he should have thought this through a little more, but he was too far in at this point. Who knows, maybe he wouldn't gay panic and he'd realize that he had no reason to worry because he only likes girls. .... As if.

Rei breaks out into a wide cheery smile, fangs and all, and stands in the center of the room. Let's see here. Does he remember the words too? As soon as he thinks about it, the whole performance seems to spring to the forefront of his mind. Okay he didn't have enough space for all of that nor any backing vocals. Buuut he can make do. "Might as well indeed!" The vampire can sing. Because of course he can. Fucking showoff. Even though he hadn't actually sung in a while, his voice comes out clear as water yet dark and dripping with promises. If Kaoru needed anymore proof that he was telling the truth, this would be it. He clutched the guitar in both hands as he turned the living room into his stage with the human as his audience, even going as far as to place his foot on the coffee table to stand on it for extra height. Not that he needs it, since he bends down into Kaoru's personal space anyway.

Oh, god, he really, truly, was absolutely fucked. Kaoru didn't know what he'd been expecting, especially not since he had asked Rei to sing for him. He had to be good, obviously, given how much he'd talked about his previous group and performing. Kaoru hadn't doubted that for one moment. What he hadn't expected, however, was how it made him feel. It dragged up feelings he was desperate to forget, odd emotions that turned in his chest and gripped his heart with such intensity that he forgot how to breathe. His breath had caught in his throat, eyes going slightly wider as the vampire leaned into his space with no qualms about the distance between them. That pink color flushed his cheeks, and he fought to push it down quickly. It was quickly masked with a laugh, anyway, but Kaoru realized one truly horrifying thing. He had it bad, didn't he? Not that he'd think about it for long. He forced those thoughts down as far as he could possibly manage, managing a playful roll of his eyes as Rei finished. He had to take a breath, trying to clear his throat and mind. Luckily, those emotions were easily masked if not completely pushed away. "You certainly weren't lying." He joked, loosening the grip he'd had on the fabric of his jeans. When had that happened? "I can see why you thrived on stage. It certainly fits you."

Holy crap Rei needed to breathe. His mind was empty, the movements and chords coming together in a perfect flow that moved his undead heart to tears. Things had changed now whether he wanted them to or now. But the high he was riding right now? That hadn’t changed a bit. He knew what he had to do now. “Ah...hah...I sure hope so. I’d be hurt if you thought I was a fraud.” He wiped some sweat from his brow with his sleeve, wondering when it got there in the first place. Did vampires sweat? Since they didn’t create body heat he wouldn’t have to. Unless his body is operating like he could..? Ah whatever. Rei seems to relax after a moment, the guitar going slack in his hands with a bright smile. Kaoru seemed...okay? Maybe it was a bit loud for him. Or.. wait. He’s uncomfortable? He’s uncomfortable isn’t he. Goddamnit. Ignore it. Ignore it. It’s not worth asking about. ... ”You didn’t like it, did you..?”

Kaoru had seemed relaxed, pulling his legs fully underneath him onto the couch so he could settle a little more comfortably into it. He had taken the opportunity, given that he had the time needed to do so. It wasn't as if he had much to do anyway. His peaceful smile, however, was broken quickly by that question. Confusion flickered over his expression, and he found himself tilting his head in a silent question at Rei. Had he just assumed he didn't like it? He'd thought his embarrassment was evident on his face, and a quick hand up to his own cheek confirmed the heat that was still there. "The opposite, actually." His hand dropped back down to his leg, and he offered Rei a calm smile again. "Was just a little speechless." He laughed, trying to push down that embarrassment that bubbled back up along with all those thoughts that had flooded his mind. "Exactly the sort of thing I'd have loved to see live in high school, or early in college." He shook his head just slightly, mostly to himself. God it had been phenomenal, but he couldn't say that. Not when he was trying to keep his dignity. "Didn't know you were so lively. You call yourself boring an awful lot for someone who can do that."

Oh never mind, false alarm. Thank goodness. Rei let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and took the guitar off of him, setting it aside. "Good~. I'm relieved I haven't lost my charm yet. If I don't sing once in a while, my voice will grow old and decay like the rest of me." He sits down on the couch and puts his feet up on the coffee table again. Kaoru did look a little shaken but Rei could read it in a different light now. Finally something that he could easily understand. Hehehe...Kaoru pretty. "That's probably what I'll get back to doing, you know." He comments and takes a sip from the can of tomato juice. "I miss the stage too much to think of doing much else. And for the record, I'm still quite boring. This is just my talent."

"You certainly haven't lost your charm. Hm, and somehow you haven't bored me once with your conversation-" Woops, was that too honest? He seemed to process that a moment later, choosing to ignore that he'd just said that. They could continue on with the conversation, right? Rei wouldn't have to mention that. Maybe it was a bit too gay. He settled a little further into the couch, absently tapping on his ankle as he looked over at Rei. Maybe this was a bad idea, letting Rei into his home. Yet, he found that he didn't regret it in the slightest. "I hope you enjoy getting back to the stage.. I'm still struggling with how to talk to my father, but I think I might just drop the bomb and leave. No sense in letting him keep me around a little longer, right?" He hummed, looking away from Rei. He glanced at the guitar, and then out to the closed window, just to stop staring at Rei for a little while.

Rei winks at him again with a smirk. Maybe it was too honest, just a tad. But he was taking it in stride. He's more relaxed now, the tension from earlier dissolving like melting ice in the sun. Which was a pretty good metaphor for the both of them. "Hehe, I think that's a wonderful idea. You think a man who's held you on strings you all your life deserves a proper send-off? Or even dignity? Oh heavens no." He sighs and flops against the back of the couch, his head tilting back to expose the smooth column of his throat with black locks covering it. You know. As a fruity man does.

Fruit (derogatory). Kaoru's gaze flicked back over to Rei, a brief moment as he just watched him fall back into the couch. Something had caught his eye, but he wasn't sure what. His eyes darted over him, and he was quick to tear his gaze away after another few moments. He should probably go soon, but the two had settled into an almost comfortable feeling. Even if it wasn't an intensive conversation, Kaoru had missed this level of familiarity. His eyes darted back over for another brief moment, and he although he had to wonder what Rei saw in throats- just an expanse of skin, right? - Kaoru could see the appeal when it came to the v- No. He shut down that train of thought quickly, and it was another few moments before he elected to get on with his day. "Ah- You won't mind if I go to the church and grab my things, right? I know he'll want me out as soon as possible." He was already standing, of course.

Rei drummed his fingers where they were resting on his lap, taking in the comfortable silence with Kaoru. This was pretty nice. It'd been a while since the two of them were able to just hang out like this. Without the nervous feelings of vampire and human relations and... avoiding whatever lingering feelings that hung between them. They we're just roommates! "Hmmh?" He hummed quietly. "Oh no, by all means. Call me if you need anything. Ah. Wait. I need to give you that first."

Oh my god they were roommates.... Realization seemed to spark on Kaoru's face, ah. Right. Rei did need his number. The thought was oddly nerve wracking to him, despite the fact that it was a normal thing to do. You'd think Kaoru would have done it the moment he offered this random vampire a place to stay. "Ah- Right." He pushed off the odd nervousness that bubbled up with a laugh, digging for his phone and opening it to the contacts page before leaning over to hand it to Rei. He told himself it was normal, once again, and that it meant nothing. Despite the fact that the word had popped back onto his mind. "If I don't come back soon, no need to worry. I'll probably be getting a lecture." He hummed, elbow resting on his knee as he relaxed so that his cheek was in his hand. "And then I've got a lot to figure out." Stuff that probably could wait a few days, and could probably stay on his mind. He could distract himself easily from it, especially given that if he had the free time, he could very easily spend some time working with his guitar again or taking some time to relax before he had to properly start on his plans.

Rei pulled up an empty contact on his phone and traded it with Kaoru, shaking his head. "It's quite alright. I forgot as well." He chimed and handed it back when he was done. Nothing fancy there, though not because he didn't want to. Rei wasn't the most skilled with technology even with everyone trying to teach him. He pocketed his own phone when Kaoru was done with it, and he may have caught a glimpse of Rei's lockscreen. It was a selfie of two orange haired teens with leaves on their heads, holding up some kind of award around their necks. How cute. "You get lectures at your age?" That kind of sucked. I mean yeah, Kaoru was young to Rei since he was a tiny human, but to other humans he looked like an adult. Right? Was he crazy? Probably. Oh well. For as doting as he is Kaoru can take care of himself. He relaxes back on the couch and blows a bit of hair out of his face. "Take your time. Don't mind me if I pick up your guitar again."

Kaoru was quick to tap in his number, leaving his name simple but with an emoji at the end -- perhaps a relic of his 'playboy' era, as Rei had referred to it. A soft smile tugged at his lips upon seeing the lockscreen as he passed it back over to the vampire. Ah- There was that question. Confusion replaced the smile quickly enough, brows furrowing together just slightly. "He's both my boss and my father. I don't have a choice." He chuckled, and it seemed that with every passing hour, his own words slowly became less formal as he attempted to shake off those teachings. "Don't break it-" He cautioned, turning quickly on his heel so he could head out the door. He was really on borrowed time, especially given the fact that he had a few errands to run. Luckily, more casual clothing let him walk a little quicker and he was forced to face his workplace soon after. He probably wouldn't be back until the sun was juust starting to set.

Rei takes his phone back, smiling fondly at the way Kaoru put his contact in. Ahh. Every little thing about him was charming, even the parts that frustrated him. He tucks it back into his pocket as his fingertips burn from where they collided with Kaoru's. "Oh." He blinks a few times, mouth open slightly. That. Explains a lot. "Well. For your sake I hope you Don't have to deal with an obscenely long lecture. Off you go then." The door closes behind the human, leaving Rei in the almost suffocating silence of morning. Or...some. Time of day. He never bothered to keep track. The point is he's alone again and he finds himself wanting to grab Kaoru by the collar and bring him back to the apartment even though he'd just left. One of his long legs dangles over the edge of the sofa and scuffs the floor as he lays down on it, shoving his face into one of the decorative throw pillows. Kaoru will be back. So why is he so stressed out? He crams as many of these thoughts into a small box to be dealt with later. He'll go to sleep. Wake up. And try to remember how to be a punk idol. And he will Not think about Kaoru The Surfer at any of these points.

When Kaoru finally returned to his apartment, he was exhausted. The sun was low in the sky, hovering just over the horizon. However, the tiredness that washed over him was different than the previous days. Rather than an almost lifeless husk, he felt rather... invigorated? That wasn't to say the day hadn't been difficult, it was -- and he had a bruised wrist (among others) and the memories to prove it -- but it was... far less dreary than the last year or two of his life had been. He struggled a bit with the key, finally managing to push the door open and step through. The reason for his struggle was evident as he stepped in, two tote bags on his arms that he quickly carried into the kitchen. He bumped the door shut with his foot, humming to himself as he set things down. He was a little disheveled, yes, but that was the territory that came with a busy day. His blonde hair looked a bit mussed by the wind, white button up undone three or so buttons at the top and rolled up to his elbow. His pants, while not dress pants, but just khakis, hadn't creased too badly during the day, so overall he looked... alright? He hadn't called out to Rei as he walked in, putting away the groceries he'd picked up and taking a brief moment to situate himself. He hadn't been able to calmly shop in a while, always restricted by the few hours he had free in a day. It was a strangely nice feeling. Although, his mind had been everywhere today. Between his father, Rei, and the conversation he'd had with Izumi, his mind was working in overtime, and if Rei stepped into the kitchen, it would likely take him a bit to notice. (edited)

The vampire was in the same place he always was when Kaoru got back. Mentally and physically. Mentally he's doing dances around his own feelings, trying to corral them like wild animals before they grow too unruly to handle. It's a losing battle. He knows that. But what else can he do? Kaoru isn't interested in him like that. Even if he was, he has too much going on during this time in his life. Human lives pass by so quickly anyway that if they two of them ended up together it would only end in Rei being alone again in another fifty years or so. That feeling of loss wasn't worth the sacrifice to get there. Instead he's making peace with what he has now. He's content. Not dead. And Kaoru is fun to talk to and poke fun at. The silhouette of Kaoru passes by in the corner of his eye and he looks up from where he was typing on his phone. Huh. Rei must have done well to erase his own presence. Or Kaoru was very distracted. He keeps that front up as he toes quietly along the floor to join him in the kitchen. "I guess everything went well?" The question left his mouth before he thought about the implications of sneaking up on Kaoru.

"Jesus fu-" He cut himself off, habit. Ah, there it was. Kaoru jolted a bit at the voice, shocked by the sudden presence near him. He spun around quickly, but he was slightly less on edge as soon as he processed that it was just Rei. He let out an audible sigh of relief. "You cannot just sneak up on me like that." The blonde leaned back against the counter, raising one hand in a lazy wave. He'd almost forgotten that his sleeves were rolled up, the shape of a hand on his wrist blossoming into a bruise. He was quick to drop his hands once he realized, hands going into his pockets absentmindedly. A soft chuckle escaped him, and he forced himself to calm down. "As well as any conversation with my dad. I probably won't get a text from him for two months at best." He explained. He scanned over Rei, just trying to catch any little bits of emotion. "Your day passed smoothly, I assume?"

"Ah, sorry~" Bastard. Rei chuckles and holds his hand in the way to muffle the noise, but it's clear that he's laughing at getting the jump on Kaoru. He looks him up and down noting his disheveled appearance. He made it work for him! Rei could never look that messy and make it look nice. Then he notices the blotchy discoloration around Kaoru's wrist and narrows his eyes. For the human's sake, he won't point it out. But the sickly feeling that bubbles in his stomach fills him with a simmering rage. Kaoru goes through enough trouble letting him stay here and torment him. "Don't fret over me. Everything was fine." As fine as running yourself in circles could be. "I helped myself to more of the tomato juice in your fridge, hmhm~"

Kaoru couldn't help himself, rolling his eyes at the laugh that came from the vampire. How immature. You'd think that for a being that had been around as long as he had, he'd show some more maturity. Or maybe that concept was entirely human. Catching the way Rei's gaze narrowed in on his wrist, he cautiously kept it behind him, using it to lean against the counter. "Hm, did you now?" He taunted, using that as the perfect segue. He turned back towards the bag he had propped up on the counter. Okay, maybe he was a hypocrite. He was just as immature. He grabbed something from the bag, glancing back as he tossed it at Rei for him to catch. Not a bad throw, really. It seemed to be a fake blood bag -- it was... candy. As the vampire looked at that, he continued to grab things from his bags and put them away. "First time I've been able to grab groceries relaxed in a bit. That caught my eye." He hummed, his phone going off in his pocket with a text. He ignored it for now. It was probably unimportant for now.

Rei blinks a few times seconds before he catches the bag. Thankfully for Kaoru that totally distracted him. Don't worry! He'll complain about it later. He squishes the candy bag in his hand, tilting his head like a curious dog. People make strange things. "It's a bit silly admittedly..." He starts to say, holding it up to the light. After a moment of throughout examination he disregards every rational thought and bites into the packaging. Yes. There's an actual nozzle. He is Not using it. "Hah~ But it's sweet. Thank you, Kaoru." Apparently he finds this terribly funny. "It doesn't taste as good as you do, though."

Kaoru was going to turn back to his groceries, that really was the plan. And then Rei was biting through the candy and he couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of his chest. He almost would have missed that second comment, but he didn't. "I cannot believe you just bit through plastic." The blonde shook his head, turning back but freezing as soon as he was facing the grocery bag. He felt something twist in his stomach at the statement, quietly thanking fate that he had turned and was able to quell the color on his cheeks. "Sucks. That's what you're getting." He hummed, I don't like men rested on his tongue, but he didn't bother to say it. It was implied, right?

Rei's eyes are wide and makes a muffled noise, face heating up against his will with his teeth still embedded into the candy bag. Two things happening at the same time collide in his brain and he's helpless to do anything but ride it out until they've both dissipated. He wishes Kaoru would laugh more often... With a tilt of his head he extracts his teeth from the plastic. Or, tries to. He gets stuck a few times and eventually wrenches them out hard enough to cause his head to shoot back. Thankfully he doesn't bang it on any of the walls or cabinets. "Was I not supposed to bite it?"

"It has a nozzle, Rei-kun~" He teased, going back to putting things away from his bag. He was rather happy, despite being tired, and as he finished things up he folded up the paper bags and slid them into a drawer. "How else would humans drink it?" He turned back to face him, leaning back up against the counter. A thought comes to his mind, and before he could quiet it he's speaking aloud. "You were locked up for like. As long as I've been alive, right? What's the last movie you've watched?" Oh, that sounded... oddly familiar. But, hey, popular culture changes. And it'll get his mind off things (edited)

Oh. There was.... Rei stares at the nozzle for a long moment then goes back to lapping at the candy leaking from the bag. He already poked holes in it so there’s no point trying to feast normally now. It’ll only make a mess. ”Movies?” He blinks. ”I haven’t watched any in a long time. The last time I’d been to the theater iiiii watched...what was it.” Thinking about it takes a little while, but he finds the answer eventually and chimes up. ”Citizen Kane! Ohhh I remember that. No one wanted to go with me, and I ended up making friends with a widow next to me. Those were fun days.”

Kaoru paused in his spot, blinking once, twice, at Rei as he tried to make sense of what he had said. The idea of him being... immortal essentially still felt odd to his mind. "Isn't that movie old as hell?" All formalities had sort of slipped away, and he covered his mouth after a moment, chuckling nervously. "Sorry- Took me by surprise." He sighed, pushing himself up from the counter and moving out of the kitchen. "Sounds like you're in need of a better 'last movie watched'." He hummed, "When did that movie come out anyway?"

“Why, yes it is! It was released in the 1940’s. I wasn’t being hunted as intently back then, so I could go where I wanted to. Come to think of it..” Rei trails off as he lowers the bag of candy, tapping his finger on it. ”I guess that’s a long time for you. You wouldn’t have even been a concept then, Kaoru-kun. I’m sorry.” If only Kaoru would live as long as Rei would. The two of them would be unstoppable even if they stayed in this awkward friend zone forever. “What do you recommend for this old man then?” (edited)

"Huh? What's there to be sorry for? Just don't get candy all over my floors." He asked, grabbing his laptop from a side table in the living room. "Now. For you. I think a movie about the supernatural would be in poor taste." For such a 'religious' man, he certainly had a good collection of less than holy things. Perhaps he'd been questioning for longer than he'd said. He sat back on the couch, tugging his legs under him and going to a browser. "But I think bad rom-coms are too much mine and Senacchi's taste..." He thought about it for a moment, "Horror movie up your alley? I don't usually get to watch them with my friends.."

"Humans tend to get offended when I mention how old I am." Rei shrugs, crossing into the living room and taking a seat just a tad too close to Kaoru. He doesn't think anything of it though as he continues mauling the poor candy bag. At least he's holding it above his legs so if any drips down it'll get on his clothes instead of the nice floor. Huh. These didn't seem like the kind of movies a priest would be watching. He watches lazily as he scrolls through the movie list until he's prompted. "Horror movies? So I can see what scares humans these days. That sounds fun. I would like to do that with you." He smiles warmly, forgetting that he has two sharp teeth in his mouth. Watching movies with Kaoru! What a wonderful way to spend his evening. He's already excited.

The teeth in the smile did give him pause, but he pushed past it relatively quickly. Rei couldn't help it, it was fine. Unfortunately for Rei, he did have to shift so he could connect things to his TV. He moved over to plug things in, leaning down to fuss with some of the cords. ~~Gratuitous ass shot~~. He managed to get everything hooked up, clicking a horror movie before moving to sit back on the couch. "Can't watch em often, Moricchi gets scared by the word ghost." He'd chosen a decently simple horror movie. Nothing overly bloody or filled with jumpscares. The better kind, really. "Maybe I'll force you to watch some stupid rom-com. Learn what not to do with a girl." He hummed, kicking his feet up onto the coffee table.

Rei is looking Respectfully. He swears. Not just because Kaoru is easy on the eyes but because he's working with all the fancy cords and buttons that the vampire can't begin to wrap his head around. "Really? That's a shame. I find ghost stories very funny when they're grossly inaccurate." How...would you know? Rei pulls his feet onto the couch too, slipping a few times due to the fabric of his socks. He gets it on the third try. Congrats. The idea of watching a rom-com makes him scoff. Yeah okay. "I think you need that advice more than I do, Kaoru-kun."

"As if." He rolled his eyes, but his tone was still goodnatured. He forgot that Rei didn't exactly know him in his... ah, playboy phase. Most of his friends had known him for quite a long time, so it had almost slipped his mind. "You should have seen me in college." He chuckled, shaking his head. Had he not been forced to leave by his dad, he probably would be much the same now. And well, now that he had been toying with the idea of going back... "Ah, what did Izumi call me? A manwhore?" He shrugged his shoulders, settling back into the couch as the beginning of the movie began to play. "Forgot you've only known me for a little bit..." He trailed off, thinking about it. How odd. The conversations between them felt... oddly comfortable?

He shifts and props his elbows up on his crossed knees and leans forward, which makes for a very odd profile from the side. It's comfortable to Rei so he doesn't think much of it. "Really now?" He asks, giving him a side-eye. "They changed the word for that now? It's so...mean." Not that he's really doubting him. He's only teasing. Rei knows he much prefers girls to men, and he swallows down the slight bitter tinge in his mouth that candy can't cover up. "I'll stick to calling you loverboy or something." Maybe Kaoru was never built to be a priest if he was sleeping around in college. Rei did something good for the world then. Even if his help was just pushing Kaoru in the direction he was already headed in. Red eyes focus back on the television with a soft smile. It is what it is.

Kaoru's gaze flicked over, brows furrowing slightly at the awkward way he was sitting before he forced himself to focus back on the screen. It was a wonder he didn't have back issues -- or maybe he did, who knows. "Hm? That's just how he and I speak. Mean to me is his love language." He hummed softly, forcing himself to shut up soon after. The movie started soon enough, and Kaoru honestly wasn't scared at all. It was more entertaining than anything to him, purely because it was all fake. Right? The few jumpscares in the movie did make him jolt a bit, but he seemed willing to shake his head and laugh it off. He couldn't help the way his eyes would flicker over on occasion to the vampire. The movie was certainly more modern, and he expected there to be phrases or objects or technology he wouldn't get, but that was a later issue as far as he was concerned. It had been far too long since he'd been able to kick back and just watch a movie.

"You're so odd." Rei chuckles and leaves it at that as the movie gets going. It's actually very fun to watch! Nothing at all like the reality, but that's the fun of it being a movie written by people who believe it all to be fake. Where do humans think they get the source material from? The air? Whenever Kaoru gets startled by the movie Rei can't help but laugh about it. The light from the TV screen draws attention to the fangs that he covers every time he does, sparing Kaoru of his inhuman nature. It's normal! It's just...a normal night. With two dudes sitting on a couch watching a horror movie that Rei treats like a comedy. This can't last forever obviously. But he won't concern himself with that for now. For the first time in a long time he's going to live in the present day.

Kaoru easily caught the laugh, shooting Rei a taunting glare. He should have known that he wouldn't be easily scared, but that didn't mean he had to laugh at him. At least Kaoru wasn't as bad as Chiaki. God only knows how poorly that would go. Still, he did enjoy the film. It was decently well done, certainly not the bed he'd ever seen, but it was a pretty good one over all. It felt nice to be normal for just a bit. Even.. if he was an ex-priest sitting on a couch with a vampire who he was trying to deny his own feelings for. Nope. No. He was living in a really shitty romance novel. As the credits began to roll, Kaoru seemed to have grown a little more tired, arms crossed over his chest with his chin dropping slightly. Half in and out of sleep. He was still awake, just.. not as awake as he'd been at the beginning of the film. He couldn't sleep though, he had to get dinner and then start figuring things out. But five minutes couldn't hurt...

It's okay Kaoru, he's not only laughing at you. Take solace in that. Rei found the movie to be very fun and scary at the same time, maybe for the wrong reasons. He won't bother trying to figure it out and take it at face value. It was nice to be normal. Ish. Normal-ish. He drums his fingers together as the credits begin to roll and un-pretzels himself with a soft sigh. "Kaoru...?" He speaks softly, looking him over. Ohhh, he's sleepy. Right. Kaoru isn't nocturnal, plus he's had a busy day. Rei climbs off the couch carefully to not disturb him and bring one of the human's blankets from the bedroom to drape it over him. Sigh... Maybe he'll get more sleep now that he's not agonizing over his validity of being a priest. His fingers gently run along his sandy blonde hair, tucking some of it behind his ear to expose the slope of his neck. It would be so easy. So so easy. It wouldn't hurt. Unless Kaoru wanted it to. No. He can't throw away the trust the two of them had built together. He'll be fine. Quietly he pulls the blanket up farther around Kaoru and pats him on the head like he's a small cat. "Goodnight."

Kaoru wasn't really asleep enough to not take note of the contact, but he certainly didn't fully process it. He leaned into the gentle touch at the side of his face, perhaps leaning a little more than his balance would allow and sort of letting him fall over a bit. He was leaning against Rei, but that contact was what properly woke him up. He shook his head, pushing himself to sit up, confusion crossing his expression. "Oh- My bad." He chuckled softly, rubbing his eyes. "Must have drifted off for a moment." The statement was punctuated by a yawn, and he raised a hand to cover his mouth. He wanted to just curl up with the blanket, but he was still in his clothes from the day and he knew that wouldn't be very comfortable. "How was the movie...?"

"I'm surprised you woke up at all." Rei smiles, accidentally looming over Kaoru from his fussing. He moves once he sits up properly, rolling his shoulders as he kept his jaw shut. Nope! Nothing to see here. "I thought it was really good. Do all humans drive so crazy?" Rei Please. You're focusing on the wrong parts already. At least he realizes how silly his question is and walks around the couch to prop his elbows on the back. Fruit behavior. "If you're sleepy you should go to bed. Or at least lay down." If Kaoru falls asleep on the couch he'll just steal his bed. Riiight after rummaging through the fridge.

Kaoru felt his heart twist in his chest, but did his best to ignore the feeling. It was nothing to be worried about, and he could always think about those feelings another time. Perhaps when Rei wasn't so close to him. He laughed at the question, unable to help the grin that played on his lips. He pushed himself to his feet, folding up the blanket neatly before placing it on the arm of the couch. ~~Okay, Malewife~~. "I'm gonna grab a snack or something before I head to bed. Just not used to feeling tired and not... burnt out." He explained, running a hand back through his hair to push it out of his face. "Need anything from the kitchen? I dunno if you eat, but I like to think I'm decent at cooking."

Rei watches him stand up, almost regretting even disturbing him at all. He's a master of steath! He just couldn't help himself. Oh well. He'll settle for stealing every little moment he can and keeping them close to his cold heart. "Actually, I was planning on going out for a while, if you aren't bothered. By the time I get back you'll probably be asleep anyway." It would mean he wouldn't have the opportunity to steal Kaoru's comfy bed for a while, but that's a risk he can live without. Better to lose out then to accidentally corner Kaoru and pierce the skin of his neck again. "Go to bed early. You have rest to catch up on." The idea of cooking makes him pause for a moment. "I don't eat human food usually since. It doesn't do anything for my old bones, but if you make something I'm willing to try it."

Huh. Kaoru wasn't quite sure why the idea of Rei heading out sort of itched at his mind. Perhaps he was seeing Rei more as a friend than he had before? That would make sense considering everything, even if it didn't completely explain everything that happened. "Best of luck~" He hummed at the statement, choosing to just go with the flow here. He knew there was no proper way to respond, moving to the kitchen and opening the fridge. He grabbed an apple, tossing it up briefly before catching it. He looked it over for any bruises, quickly washing it before slipping back into the main room. "Wonderful. Pancakes for breakfast it is then." He took a bite of the apple, "Chocolate chips or blueberries in your pancakes? Or neither?"

Rei doesn't notice any change in Kaoru's behavior, so he's off the hook for now. Instead he watches Kaoru pace around the small apartment, ears perked for the small noises and the sound of his footsteps on carpet and tile. Oh what he would give. "Hmm..." He ponders it for a moment, staring off into space with his lips in a pout that he didn't register. "I'm partial to blueberries myself, I think chocolate chips work better in muffins. I would usually get roped into making them with one of my old bandmates. Real tall guy, bronze skin, you would have gotten along with him pretty well."

Kaoru moved to sit on the arm of the couch, turning the apple over in his hands once more. His mind was sort of stuck on the events of the day, replaying everything that had happened -- particularly the conversation he had with his father. Everything in his life had changed so quickly- "Hm? You can bake??" He asked, amusement lighting up his face. "That's so unexpected." He laughed, shaking his head. "I like to think I'm a wonderful cook. Wonder if you could hold a candle to that~"

"Haha~ Barely. You'd do a much better job than me." Rei laughs, covering his face with one hands as the skin on his face tingles. He can't blush, not at the moment, but he feels like he could if he thought about it hard enough. He's got no home making skills to speak of! As of right now he's currently surviving purely on Kaoru's kindness, tomato juice and gay thoughts! Wait does staring at his neck count as gay thoughts or hungry thoughts? Hopefully he doesn't notice. "Is it really that unusual? I only look like I'm incompetent."

"Huh? Well you just said you don't need to eat, right?" With another bite of the apple, he fell back onto the couch, legs hanging over the arm. His button up seemed to ride up the slightest bit on his stomach, but he couldn't be bothered to fix it. Kaoru certainly didn't notice, but perhaps if he had been more awake he would have. He didn't have the energy to observe every little thing the vampire did, not today at least. "So, like, you wouldn't need to cook or bake." Despite lying down, he held no qualms for finishing off the apple before setting the core onto the coffee table. He could toss that away later. "Plus~ Twenty years in a coffin means you've missed some wonderful recipes." Baking his Beloved.

Oh right. He would only need that skill for fun or to benefit others. Not for himself. Now he just feels silly. Rei casually observes Kaoru without giving away that he'd be doing that, occasionally letting his eyes squint shut like a content cat would. Ugh, how embarrassing. "Good point. Even if I was good at baking back then, I wouldn't be now. You people advance so fast while I was busy sleeping." He yawns. Sometimes he wishes things were still that simple. "I don't even understand half the appliances in your house let alone new recipes."

Oh- That hadn't even crossed his mind. He supposed he was lucky in the sense that he'd grown around technology, he couldn't imagine having to learn everything just from nothing. "So the last movie you saw was in like. 1940. What was the last video game you played?" He had to turn his head a little oddly to be able to look at him from how he was laying, but it wasn't too bad. "Have you even touched a video game?" He realized that he could probably crush Rei in Mario Kart if he wanted to. But that would mean he would have to own the game -- He'd only ever really played much of anything with Moricchi. Sena wasn't as into games, and Kaoru just never had time for them. "Every day I am more confused by you." He said, lightheartedly. He chuckled, letting his eyes flutter shut. Just another minute here, and then he'd go to bed.

"What the fuck is a video game?" The question comes out far more blunt than he intended, but he didn't have a clue what Kaoru was talking about. It sounded vaugely familiar. Maybe his sons had mentioned it to him sometime before, they're the type of boys who would enjoy something techy called a video game. After a moment he lets go of his incredulous tone and laughs it off, shaking his head. "You confuse me too, Kaoru-kun." In more ways than one. He leaves that part unsaid.

"Oh my god you don't know what a video game is." Kaoru's eyes opened at that, and he was very quick to push himself up into a sitting position. He nearly forgot he was awkwardly on the arm of the couch, but kept his balance well enough. He tugged his phone out of his pocket, tapping around for a moment or two. "It's just a game on like a phone or computer." He finished what he was doing, handing his phone over to Rei. On the screen was a. Very bright game. Candy Crush. It was mostly an old man joke, but Rei didn't need to know that. "Have fun. I'm going to bed." He chuckled, finally standing up once more. Kaoru stretched, yawning as he moved to go back to his own room. He paused at the door, glancing back and calling a 'Good night' to the vampire before he slipped into his room and locked the door behind him -- Just out of habit, of course. He knew far too well that Rei could unlock doors. Maybe he needed another way to lock it.

Rei clears his throat to hide the absolutely confused look on his face. He reaches out without much thought, taking the phone from Kaoru and blinking at the screen. What. What is all that? Why is it so bright? "Hah? Thank you?" He takes up the seat Kaoru left behind, calling out to him as he hears the door lock in his little corner of the apartment he calls a bedroom. Rei turns the phone over a few times in his hand. Yeah okay. He knows how this works. Kind of. He knows how to text and call at least, and that's really all he's ever needed. This?! This is something new entirely. It's actually really fun! So much fun that he ends up losing count of the levels he's cleared until Kaoru's low battery message pops up. Whoops. Uh. It'll be fine! Kaoru has a charger. But when he leaves to go get one of the remaining cans of tomato juice he clicks the home button twice and leaves it on the countertop. There's a lot of self-restraint going into not biting a hole in said can when he finds that out a moment later. Clawed fingernails drum against the back of the case as he figures out what the fuck to do. Uhm. Okay. Where...where is the thing? He taps one of the icons at the bottom and no that's not it. That's text messages! Kaoru has friends :) Good for him. Rei's happy that he'll get to spend more time with them. ...Should he really be looking at these?

Kaoru was quick to get into bed and pass out, for once not struggling with feeling unproductive as he drifted off into an oddly comfortable sleep. He had almost forgotten that he'd left his phone with Rei, and he could probably ignore that just fine. Maybe he'd regret it in the morning, but for now he saw nothing wrong with it. Kaoru's phone had.. a good amount of apps on it. Once Rei exited to the home screen, he'd notice that the lockscreen was of Kaoru and two close friends. Taken by someone else, the picture was of the three of them, and they all looked surprisingly happy. Kaoru was between the two, the tallest of the three, in a very casual beach outfit. Dark swim trunks and a light blue shirt unbuttoned over top. The guy to his left, with grey hair, seemed to be trying to hide from the sun, and the guy on the right had a very bright grin and looked to have far too tight of an arm hugging Kaoru's shoulder. His text messages had quite a few people, and one or two unsaved numbers that Kaoru hadn't even bothered to give a name to. The messages at the top were all read, except for the one at the very top from an 'Izumi Sena', for which the preview said "You figured things out with the vampi....". The other top messages included a 'Moricchi' and a contact that was just a little fish emoji. But the most recent messages there were, respectively, "yeah, yeah. i should be fr..." and what looked to be an address in the second one. And then the one from his Dad, but the preview there was just a "Work Done" message. They didn't text often. Kaoru's not awake, he can't stop you Rei. Go for ot.

He looks so happy... Rei wipes a tear from his eye using the palm of his hand with a gentle groan. This isn't the time to lament about his own issues and project them onto Kaoru's friends that Rei doesn't even know. Humans usually liked it when you brought up things they talked about even if they were people. The messages were...honestly a bit confusing. Kaoru talks to more people than Rei does certainly. Sena? He knows that one. Kaoru's mentioned him before. He doesn't know what a Moricchi is though, sounds like some kind of food. Fishies? Who's associated with fish in Kaoru's life?? Ugh, he wouldn't know. What he does know is that he's proud of the little not-priest. In fact he'd forgotten he was a priest so quickly that it felt like it didn't happen at all. He won't linger here though, it'd be rude. Rei uses the side of his finger to look through the top two before deciding that he'd feel too guilty going through all of his text messages. Those are the two Kaoru has mentioned in passing therefore those are the only two Rei is looking through. Especially since Kaoru talks about him to his friends....He's flattered that the human doesn't find him a total pest.

Oh no. The empath in Kaoru has the brief worry that something's going on. But he's sleeping well enough anyway. He won't fuss about it. Perhaps its an odd dream? Izumi Sena

If you die, I'll kill you Kao-kun.

Oh my god I am not going to die, it's just my dad.

Yeah, the dad who wants you to do the same thing as him.

i honestly just think he'll be mad that his kid isn't a 'good little christian boy'

His kid was getting at least two dates a week in high school. His kid also has a mullet.

im going to Kill you. my hair is fine, senacchi

Let me cut it

no????

Ugh, fine. Anyway speaking of hair. I have a shoot in a few hours on the beach. How do you wash the salt water out without Killing the integrity of your hair?

i won't say what i use you'll kill me

?

two-in-one

I'm disappointed in you, Kao-kun.

</3 Two Hours Later

Hey You figured things out with the vampire and your '''''''''issues''''''''' yet?

Moricchi

HAKAZE!

oh my god did senacchi tell you about the two in one shampoo

huh?? no? wait does he not like two in one? i use four in one?

thats even Worse oh my god im telling him in the group chat what's up?

OH! a film i worked in is showing soon!! do you want to come with kanata and i!!

hm. stunt double work or hero work?

hero work!!!!!

oh- hell yeah

friday?

yeah, yeah. i should be free? text me the ticket details (edited)

He feels reassured looking through the messages. Kaoru's friends are sweet to him in the way friends are, even with the teasing and the threats of using two-in-one on someone's hair. Even Rei doesn't do that. The vampire instincts in his brain connect the wrong dots and he stares at the closed bedroom door with glowing eyes. Issues? Does Kaoru want him out? He should say something if he does, but...he doesn't act like he does. And he's never expressed a desire to kill him? After a tense moment he forces himself to relax and goes back to scrolling. There's something else that caught his eye. Was it this one? No...the next one? It had a really silly name. Group chat! Right! He used to have one of those, maybe. Whether he finds it or not is okay since he's done after that, tabbing out to the main menu. So many icons...none of them make sense to him. He just wants his candy crush :( What about this yellow one? Was that candy crush? Probably not. He's no good at this.

The group chat was.. Well It was exactly what you'd expect from a group of friends who had known each other too long. It was aptly titled 'Izumi Sena's whores' although looking back at the chat showed a desperate (albeit useless) attempt to change it to something less vulgar by Chiaki.

Izumi Sena: Image Attached: A meme about vampires Moricchi: izumi!! stop Moricchi: they're not real! Izumi Sena: then explain kao-kun's boyfriend You: hes not my boyfriend Moricchi: maybe he's just really Moricchi: goth?? Izumi Sena: uh huh. Izumi Sena: bite marks on his neck say otherwise to Both of those You: i didn't let him bite me! its not my fault i was attacked on a church job Izumi Sena: even further proof you should have quit your job and started an OnlyFans You: im not getting into porn Izumi Sena: sigh. shame. Moricchi: okay but. maybe he just? bit kaoru? You: he's real, moricchi Moricchi: NO!! Izumi Sena: moricchi theres a ghost behind you Moricchi: dont joke about that :( Izumi Sena: boo Moricchi: AAAH You: hate to break it to you, moricchi You: but they're Very Real and one's in my living room Izumi Sena: holy shit he's still with you?? You: what? do you want me to kick him out? he literally admitted he didn't have a proper place to go to? Izumi Sena: your first interaction with this guy was getting bitten and then he showed up at your door out of Nowhere. kao-kun you have No sense of self preservation You: shut up You: he's been fine so far. haven't had any reason to want to kick him out You: seems trustworthy enough Moricchi: but like... what if he bites you again??? You: he's got tomato juice Izumi Sena: he's got What You: you heard me You: anyway. yeah. so he's here for now. Izumi Sena: hey kao-kun can i come over You: ?? Izumi Sena: gotta give him the 'if you hurt my friend talk' that i give to all your significant others You: oh my God im not into him i dont like men Izumi Sena: uh huhh Izumi Sena: your call the other night said otherwise You: i wasn't thinking straight Moricchi: well... if it was about liking men it wouldn't be straight? You: i don't like men. Izumi Sena: come back when you leave that closet of yours~ You: can we Please change the topic You: like to how Moricchi uses 3-in-1 shampoo Izumi Sena: HE WHAT. Moricchi: oh no Moricchi has left the group Izumi Sena has readded Moricchi You: oh this'll be good A call was started that lasted 1 hour Izumi Sena: have fun with your vampire~ You: no. ill be putting away groceries and relaxing for once Izumi Sena: laaaame Moricchi: have fun!!!

Definitely not. Close though! Rei is certainly on the right page for candy crush. He's very close. However, as soon as Rei opens the app he'd be greeted with a camera showing his face. Swiping to the side would show some unopened snapchats (all some random girls, the opened ones were actually his friends). The other side would show typical stories, and if Rei swiped up, he'd be greeted with.. A lot of pictures. Scrolling through, some were normal ( selfies, pictures of his friends, some aquarium pictures, beach pictures, the usual. some of him surfing that Chiaki or Izumi had taken) but among those were uh. Some that were a little different. There was one picture with his head tilted back, showing off the bite marks on his neck. Nothing else regarding Rei, though. He'd have to scroll a little bit (though less than a month, really) and there were some pictures that were Very Clearly thirst traps. Pictures taken in a mirror usually, shirtless, and with a pair of joggers or something hanging low on his hips. Yeah. Not very priest-like at all. He had been pretty good at living a double life. Nothing more revealing than that, however. Sorry Rei. You'd need to guess a passcode for anything more.

Aww, Kaoru gets along with his friends. That's also very reassuring. Rei scrolls through the snapchat story with a smile, feeling warm at all the pictures of Kaoru with his friends and places he's been. Humans have such interesting and varied lives. He can't really utilize any of this in a conversation with Kaoru without being suspicious but that's okay. Ohhh-kay! What is that! Rei squeaks and drops the phone like the plastic suddenly caught fire, letting it land face down on the couch. That's Kaoru! That's not Kaoru, Kaoru doesn't do things like that! But he does! He posted those for people to look at?! Is he an exhibitionist! No wonder the life of a priest doesn't work out for him! He reaches out and gently pries the phone screen towards him like he's opening a door only to drop it again. Then he repeats the motion, staring way too long at the image on the screen before dropping it again to shove his face into his hands. Rei's teeth ache. Oh, they ache. They remember how it feels to pierce Kaoru's sea-soaked skin and taste his blood again, nothing compares to it because it's Kaoru. The blood would stain his skin a beautiful red and Rei would smooth it over with his tongue and he'd ask him to do it again later...He sighs. "I wish I was a woman." His clawed hands click the home button twice and put the phone face down on the table, and he slips out of the apartment. Goodnight Kaoru.

Kaoru slept pretty soundly throughout the night, despite the oddness of the previous few days. The quiet sound of the door clicking hardly registered in his mind, and if he did shift then he didn't properly wake. Waking in the morning to no alarm was odd, groaning softly as the sun hit his eyes and demanded he leave the comfort of his bed. He wanted to curl further into the sheets, throwing an arm over his eyes to try and shield himself from the sun. He reached out to his right, blindly grabbing at the nightstand for his phone and coming up. Empty handed? "Ugh." He grumbled, pushing himself up to sit. He looked over to the nightstand, confused for a brief moment before he recalled that Rei had his phone the previous night. Right. Ugh, part two. Judging by the sun, it wasn't too late. He'd guess maybe nine? But he could be totally wrong. He forced himself to stand up, pushing his hair out of his face as he moved back into the other room to grab his phone. Hadn't he promised Rei pancakes?

Rei had probably spent more time out of the apartment than he usually did, and proceeded to come back and collapse on the couch with his socks and belt still on. His face was shoved into the couch cushion, looking like he had died for good. He didn’t but...he almost wished he did. Only so he didn’t have to sit with these feelings consuming his every thought. They invaded his dreams now too. Ugh... In his daze he noticed sunlight streaming into the room and he groans, rolling off the couch to hide from it. The sound is a lot louder than he thinks it is. Sunlight... owie.

Ah. Perfect timing. Kaoru had stepped into the main room and had just grabbed his phone (on eight percent) only to watch Rei roll off of the couch. He nearly jumped back, but quickly walked over to him. He kneeled down by him, brows furrowed in concern. "Did you hit your head?" He asked, offering a hand to help him out. "That sounded like it hurt." He chuckled softly, maybe a bit nervously. "How late did you get back...?"

Rei blinks his eyes open, looking wearily up at him. Kaoru’s hair was nice when the sun was hitting it, it’s a shame he can’t really think coherently though to say that. “I sleep during the day, Kaoru-kun....remember?” He forced the words out as the world around him slowly came into focus. His hand reaches out for Kaoru’s but... instead of actually grabbing it to let himself be pulled to his feet, he slips his fingers in between the spaces instead. “Uhm...I don’t recall.”

Kaoru's eyes flicked over to his hand, confusion crossing his expression. Something broke in his mind for a moment as he tried to process that, but he swallowed down those odd nerves. Rei seemed disoriented. He pulled him up to a sitting position, but didn't let go of his hand. He let his hand gently drop down, moving to sit down next to him. "Yeah, yeah. Late, obviously." His malewife insticts kicked in, and he absently reached up with a free hand to push Rei's hair back, feeling his forehead. Right. Vampire. He coughed awkwardly, dropping his hand and pulling his other hand away from Rei's. "Pancakes? Then I'll let you sleep." He offered him a smile, trying to seem somewhat reassuring.

Rei chuckles softly as Kaoru checks his temperature. It’s cold, obviously, but the thought of it was so tender it could move him to tears. He doesn’t let go of his hand until the other man does, his nails scratching gently at his skin as if he could keep them there. Unfortunately for Kaoru, Rei still seemed dazed. He turned his chin to face him, swiping his thimb over his bottom lip. “You know Kaoru-kun...” He trails off for a moment as he leans into his personal space. “I’m really happy I got to know you...”

Oh. Kaoru's breath hitched in his throat, and he swore he forgot how to breathe for a few seconds as Rei's hand rested on his chin. He chuckled nervously, ignoring the way his heartrate seemed to pick up. "Hm? Yeah, I mean. You have a place to stay now?" Ah, what an idiot. He really didn't understand what Rei was getting at, but he was also just making sure that he was alright. "But yeah.. Without you I'd be stuck in a dead end job." He didn't move away, not yet, not sure if he even wanted to.

Rei brings him closer with the hand on his chin, giving him a gentle kiss on the soft skin under his eye. Then he lays back down and covers his eyes with his arm like nothing had happened. “I’m going to sleep for a bit longer, come get me when you’re done. I’m afraid I wouldn’t...” He yawns. “Be much help.. in this state.” Did he totally not register what he did? Nope! The shock will set in later! Kaoru was so pretty and they were so close, he couldn’t help himself. Maybe he thinks he’s still dreaming...

Error 404, Kaoru not found. Try again later please. Almost immediately, his cheeks burnt a bright red. He watched Rei lay down, eyes going wide as he looked down at him. What. Had just happened? He reached up, fingers brushing against the spot he had kissed, swallowing as he nodded his head. Rei couldn't see him. Forgot that part. "Yeah. I'll. Wake you up when I'm done." Kaoru slowly pushed himself to his feet, nodding to himself as he walked to the kitchen. He leaned up against the counter, immediately texting his group chat (which was loaded in the messages app? he didn't remember that, oh well). And then he finally started on the pancakes.

Rei quickly falls back asleep, safely on the couch rather than splayed out on top of it. His behavior was very out of the ordinary, and yet it made sense with how much he tended to dote on Kaoru without meaning to. He doesn’t stir until the other man is halfway through making pancakes. Which is still grossly early since he came back by sunrise, but his brain seems to remember that Kaoru is making breakfast today. Rei yawns loudly and hops off the couch, crossing into the washroom without tormenting the human in the kitchen. Not yet anyway.

Kaoru was decently quick at cooking, but that came with the consequence of being incredibly immersed in what he was doing. He likely wouldn't hear him cross into the other room, focused on the batter. He was making about a third normal, a third blueberry, and a third chocolate chip. He was (probably) making too many, but worse comes to worst he could easily give it away to one of his neighbors or something. He was just humming to himself quietly as he cooked, some song that had ended up stuck in his head in the process. No vampires on the brain. Nope, none at all. He couldn't imagine why there'd ever be vampires on his mind.

Rei’s dreams cling to his mind as he fixes the mess that he’s become, checking the bags under his eyes and running his fingers through his hair until it’s presentable messy. Once he gets the strands to lay right he invades Kaoru’s space again, walking into the kitchen and touching him on the shoulder as he walked by. “Good morning, Kaoru-kun. How are you feeling?” He asks, pulling a bottle of water from the fridge. Did he...not recall what he did at all?!

Kaoru tensed a bit as he felt the contact at his shoulder, but forced himself to relax. He nodded at the three plates to his left, each with pancakes. Woops. A lot. It seemed Rei was just. Ignoring what happened earlier? That was fine. It was whatever. Yep. Nothing at all. Even if it kept replaying in Kaoru's mind like crazy. "Mm. Slept well. My phone's nearly dead~ Candy crush get to you?" His phone was sitting off to the side on the counter, plugged in. "Plates are in the cabinet, syrup in the fridge. Forks in the drawer." He hummed, nearly finished up with his little bowl of batter. "

“A little bit~ You’re twenty-two levels ahead now, at least.” Rei laughs, leaning on the fridge door. “I had the most amazing dreams. I wish you could have been there.” He shrugs. He may not be able to tell Kaoru about the fantasies in his head, especially when he’d never accept it. So instead he’ll rob Kaoru for little moments like these. And of his pancakes. “Goodness, you’re cooking for a whole village. I hope you have owners for all those.”

"Could say the same about mine. Had the strangest dream that vampires were real." He chuckled softly, reaching back to fix the little tie pulling his hair out of his face. "You can keep playing the game if you like after we eat. I have to clean up a bit and do some paperwork stuff." He explained. "I'll find owners." He shook his head, setting the now empty bowl in the sink as he finished up one last pancake. He had gotten a little too into it, but it was a very comforting change of pace for him. He flipped the pancake, not even bothering with a spatula for this one, glancing back at Rei. He quirked a brow at him, as if asking him what the hold up was. "And you're at least half the owners. Come on, hurry up." He grabbed himself a plate first, nabbing what he wanted before moving over to the little table in his kitchen.

“Heeyyy~ You’re the one who let one into your home.” Rei chuckles, hiding his fanged smile behind his hand. Watching Kaoru work was relaxing in it's own way, like watching a cat prance around the house. He's only eyeing the curve of his neck a little bit today. Only a little bit. The supple skin is tempting. He'll live. When Kaoru gives him that curious look and chides him for standing around he makes a move, pushing off the fridge carefully and grabbing his gay little cutlery from the gay little malewife. He took a large amount of the blueberry pancakes and then took a couple from the other two stacks. It won't do anything for him obviously, but letting his hard work go to waste didn't sit right with Rei. Once he's got a comical amount of pancakes he sits down at the little table before he gets nagged at anymore. "You're so impatient, Kaoru-kun."

Kaoru definitely didn't grab as many as Rei, probably four pancakes (half chocolate chip, half normal) and slid into the other seat. He had grabbed syrup on the way to the table, popping it open and putting a bit on his plate. "Hm? Impatient?" He asked, cutting into one of the pancakes with his fork and taking a bite. "Can't help that you're just slow~" He was enjoying getting a chance to relax, trying to push anything extra out of his mind. Whatever had happened last night could stay there. And could stay in his calls with Izumi and Chiaki. "My life goes a little faster than yours. No? I have to be impatient." He hummed, "Would be better with strawberries."

Rei takes his time cutting of a slice of pancake and not accidentally hitting his teeth with the fork. Because sometimes it's easy to forget how long your teeth can be when you don't eat solid food. The pancakes were really good! Who knew Kaoru was hiding even more talents under his ~~sexy~~ ugly priest garb. Though his light teasing only manages to get an eyeroll out of the vampire. And some dirty comments he'll keep to himself. "You're speeding through now that you've been freed from your chains." He laughs, taking his time to gather a silly amount of pancake on his utensil. "I remember being that young and energetic, so I can't say I don't blame you."

Kaoru definitely caught the soft sound of metal bumping teeth, but he wouldn't comment on it. Not yet, at least. That little tidbit of information was tucked away until he needed it again. "Making up for the just about two years I lost." He shrugged his shoulders, dipping one of his pancake pieces in syrup before eating it. "Was hard to shake off my dad when I was younger. So I guess I got stuck. What's passed is in the past, right?" He asked, shaking his head to clear out the thoughts. Maybe if his school life had gone a bit differently he could have split away from expectations a little sooner. His sister was still stuck in the loop of a lot of things, and he wished he could help her more. But he knew his dad would be demanding she cut him off now. Oh well. "Right- I might have to dash after I eat. Senacchi wanted to meet up with me and Moricchi for lunch and also to help him shop for something."

Huh. Hard to believe Kaoru was only stuck for two years, that barely sounded like any time at all. Rei neglects to think how long two years can be for a human and of all the little things that happen before that. He gesters to Kaoru vaguely with his fork. “That’s true. Your life is so short you have no time to spend lamenting what you’ve wasted time on. If only I was so wise.” Kaoru lives in the present while Rei lives in the past. One of them is moving forward and the other has no idea how. Though depressed lamenting like that can be saved for when he’s alone with his thoughts. “It’s good that you still have your friends. A lot of vampire hunters force themselves to give up connections that aren’t for business purposes.” Priest and vampire hunter are kind of the same thing, right? They go hand in hand enough.

"Huh? Yeah, my dad wanted me to drop them." He explained, finishing off one of his pancakes soon enough. He still had another on his plate, but that one could wait a moment. "Moricchi and Senacchi have been my friends for uh. Too long. Since high school. I wasn't gonna drop them out of nowhere. Plus, Sena would never let me hear the end of it." He laughed softly to himself, moving to grab his phone off the counter before sitting back down. He opened up his texts to check for a time, sending a quick thumbs up to their group chat before he swiped out of it once more. Huh? Snapchat was open on his recent apps. Interesting. "Also. I'm not a vampire hunter? I feel like we went over this the first day we met." He joked, "Memory lacking, old man?"

“Mmm, we may have already discussed it yet I still don’t believe you.” Rei chuckles, waving him back to the table once he was done with his phone. “Priests can do both. Since defeating vampires can count as an exorcism of a location.” Whether or not Kaoru really needs information like that anymore doesn’t cross his mind. Maybe he can glean a little bit of interest from Rei’s ramblings. He cuts off a piece of his own pancake and offers it to him with the fork outstretched. “Maybe one day you can tell your friends that your roommate is a vampire with minor attachment issues. Who knows~?” He thinks he’s funny. whyme

whyme

Absently, Kaoru leaned forward, taking the offered piece of pancake off the fork. Were he thinking more, he might have had the common sense (and dignity) to just take the fork himself, or just flat out deny it. But he'd already dug his own grave, realizing his mistake after he sat back. Oops. "Hm. No. Reminder I didn't know vampires existed until a month or two ago." He joked, sliding his phone off to the side so he didn't have to deal with the inevitable message or two from Izumi. "Senacchi wanted to meet you." He added on, just sort of absently bringing the idea up. "He just knows I've got someone staying here, and he's a little more than nosey." He explained. He chose not to mention that Izumi knew everything everything, but that idea wasn't terribly important at the moment. He could always just tell Izumi not to bring up the vampire thing. "Since I guess you're my roommate who doesn't pay rent now~"

Rei smiles when Kaoru takes the pancake without any fuss, cutting a piece of himself and repeating the process with another piece of pancake. As long as it goes unsaid, it’s nice. They can just exist. The two of them. In whatever domestic space they’ve created. “Mm, yet you haven’t kicked me out yet~” He chuckles. “You know you can tell me to go at anytime. I won’t impose on you any longer than you want me to.” He knows he’ll have to leave eventually anyway. It’s dangerous to live in the same space with a human for long periods of time, especially without being allowed to feed on them. This truce they have is only temporary, which makes his cold heart ache.

Kaoru reached out to take the fork this time, stealing the bit of pancake off of it before he pointed the tongs back at Rei in a sort of joking accusation. He did laugh, the grin on his face indicating that it wasn't anything more than a playful statement. "You need to get a job, old man." He teased, flipping the fork in his fingers and handing it back over to him. It wasn't as if he actually paid rent. The one good thing about his father being very well off is that his apartment was paid for. Of course, it was nothing extravagant but he owned it so he didn't have to deal with anything. Kaoru did still need to get a job if he wanted to keep doing anything at all, but he likely wouldn't have an issue. "I can probably grab my high school job back? They loved me there~" He grinned, setting his own fork down for good, half a pancake left on the plate. He always seemed to cook far too many for himself. "I'm not gonna kick you out, though? You said you didn't have a place to stay, yeah?"

“Yes sir~” Rei grins with a mouthful of sharp teeth, putting his hands up when Kaoru points the fork at him. Okay! Point taken. Even if it’s playful~ He has a point. Rei needs to start supporting himself again. “Ohh? What were you up to in high school? You strike me as a good host, with your blonde hair and affinity for cute girls.” As well as cute vampires, apparently. He’s not going to make that comment out loud though. Rei already has a couple of ideas of what he can do to support himself. It’s not hard! He just...well. He wants to live in this dream for as long as he can.

"Close, close." He just shook his head, a little surprised that he'd managed to get so close to the actual answer with just one guess. Huh. Had he really been so open around him that he could just do that. "Worked at a coffee shop~ Cute little place that's tucked away towards the center." He explained, pushing his chair back and standing from his seat. He was enjoying this back and forth, finding it surprisingly easy to sink into conversation with him despite... everything that had happened when Rei had first woken. But that was behind them now, yeah? Whatever kiss happened was.. unimportant to the current situation.

“Coffee shop~? That sounds rather cozy. If you pick it up again, I’ll be your favorite customer~” Rei raises his eyebrows, leaning back in the tiny kitchen chair when both his and Kaoru’s remaining pancakes are gone. They don’t do anything for him energy wise, so he’s not worried about looking a bit selfish. Besides! They tasted good. So why not show his appreciation? “I can see you being a good barista, especially in the summer with the uhm.” He waves his hand over his head for a second before remembering the word. “The little sport brim hat things they wear. Not to mention your cooking skills.” Okay. Upon further thought Kaoru would look silly in a hat like that, but Rei’s sticking to his guns. Maybe Kaoru getting on with his life is a sign that he can do the same.

Kaoru reached over to grab the plates and the silverware from the table, moving over to the sink so he could wash the plates and put them away. The taunting comment gave him pause for a moment, and he chose not to think too hard on what had happened earlier. God- There was no way a guy was into him like that. Right? "Hm. I mostly like the place for the free coffee." He explained, setting the plates aside in the dish rack before turning back to look at Rei, leaning against the sink. "You'll be fine on your own, yeah? I should only be out about two hours." Although knowing Izumi Sena, it'd end up being far more. He'd probably end up helping him agonize over modeling shots or some other inane thing. "I'd offer you candy crush again, but I don't think your flip phone can handle it~"

Rei frowns at Kaoru when he turns away from him to attend to the dishes, propping his elbows up on the tiny table. Maybe he should throw in the towel on this impulsive idea and just go home. But he’s too stubborn to actually go through with that. “Mmm, of course I will~ I’ll be a good boy and not re-arrange all your silverware out of boredom.” He thinks he’s hilarious. A true comedian, even. He pulls his funny purple flip phone from his pocket and looks at it for a moment before using it in earnest. “Crush Candy is very distracting, so it’s probably better I don’t have a fancy phone like you do. What do you need all those cameras for anyway~?”

"Gotta get good pictures at the beach somehow~" He laughed, as if that was the only reason someone would ever need a good camera. Naturally, there were other reasons, but he didn't have any need to go into detail with them when they were likely obvious. "Trade you for the day? I can snatch Senacchi's number off my phone and just take your little flip phone as a just in case." He'd be busy anyway, so it wasn't as if he'd really need to use his phone during the day anyway. He slipped the phone out of his pocket, holding it out as if offering. "Passwords 1103." He hummed, offering an explanation though there was really no need for one. "My birthday, in case you end up wanting to give me something nice~"

His laugh makes him laugh, fluffing some of his black hair out of his vision as he stops slumping over the kitchen table. “My, do you remember how to use a flip phone? You’re older than I thought~” He reaches for Kaoru’s phone, hesitating for a moment. Isn’t this breaching some kind of trust? But... Kaoru doesn’t mind. Something about that makes him happy. He takes the phone and places his purple flip phone phone in it’s place. “Hmmm, Maybe. Or I can curse you with one of my ominous vampire antiques~” Okay he wouldn’t actually do that. But the thought is funny all the same.

The quick trade off was easy, and he flipped the phone open to look at it before he slid it back into his pocket. Easy enough. He doubted he'd need to use it, but if he did he'd be able to get by. "I'm not that young? Flip phones were common for like ever." He rolled his eyes, tone coming out a little more defensive than he'd originally intended for it to come out. "Ugh. What a gift. When's your birthday, then~? I can sneak a vial of holy water." Back to that teasing tone from before. He knew he should go finish getting ready, but he was enjoying their little back and forth.

Kaoru’s so funny. “Oh, so you’re as old as me then? That’s quite the feat for a human. You should be all bones by now~” Rei chuckles, making no move to cover the sharp incisors in his mouth. It’s a miracle he became so comfortable around Kaoru so quickly, telling him stories of bygone days and flashing his fangs at him like they’ve been friends forever. His birthday.... when was that again? “The last time I celebrated, it was the...day before yours, actually. November 2nd. But it’s okay if you don’t remember~ I don’t either.” (edited)

"Holy water actually makes humans live longer. How do you think my dad's still kicking?" He joked, relaxing back against the counter just a tad more rather than properly getting up. "Oh-" He paused for a moment, brows furrowing as he processed that. November 2? That was.. surprisingly easy for him, for a number of reasons. "That's Senacchi's birthday too~ No way can I forget the day." Finally, he pushed himself off the counter, moving towards the doorway. "Text your own number if you need anything~ I'm gonna finish getting ready and head off to stop Senacchi from buying out a mall-" And with that, he slipped back to his room.

Rei rolls his eyes. Isn't holy water really dirty and gross from everyone putting their hands in it? "Spite, I reckon." Wait, he shares a birthday? That's both very convenient and very terrible. Kaoru would never put him above his best friend. A true tragedy. He turns Kaoru's phone around in his hands a few times, still a little confused by it. Hopefully it doesn't start buzzing at him. He wouldn't know what to do after that. "Okaayy, have fun~ Kiss and tell if you want to~" Their friendship isn't actually like that. But it's a bit too fun to constantly tease Kaoru about one thing or another.

"I'm not kissing my best friend-" He called back from the hallway, going silent after that as he got his things together. He was out the door soon after that, calling out a quick goodbye before he rushed out. He was already running a few minutes late and he knew Izumi would never let him hear the end of it. Kaoru texted his own number, the message lighting up on the lockscreen:

New Message from: Rei Sakuma

Phone password is 1103 He wouldn't text back after that, busy with other things. The phone, thankfully, didn't start buzzing in Rei's hands. So that was one lucky strike for him.

Rei watches the phone light up in his hand, typing in the code with his other hand to watch it unlock. Nice! Okay! He’s getting the hang of this now. That also implied Kaoru had to text that on his little flip phone, which brings a goofy smile to his face. His hand on those tiny buttons. So silly. He continues to sit at the kitchen table for a while, idly flicking through some of the apps and messages because he’s gotten way too comfortable being in Kaoru’s space now. His recents are going to be very confusing when he gets this back! That’s probably how he ends up going through Kaoru’s Snapchat again. Rei isn’t lonely, not in the basic sense. But watching Kaoru have fun with his friends makes his mind wander a little bit. There’s two sides, the desire to be a part of Kaoru’s life and know the people he knows, sees what he sees and does what he does, mimicking what humans do nowadays. The other is him wondering if the people he knows are doing the same thing. Is Koga hiding in someone’s apartment strumming away on his guitar? Maybe. Maybe Keito picked up a life as a politician or something, he always had the Type A personality for it. Speaking of Keito, where’d his boytoy go? Kuro? Actually.. the more he thinks about that the more depressed he feels, so he decides to look for more of Kaoru’s fun memories by borrowing the passcode again. Sure there’s probably some.. stuff. In there. But he’s going to pretend it’s not there.

Kaoru's phone was still as well-organized as ever, and as Rei swiped into Snapchat (and subsequently his my eyes only) he'd see that a few things had changed. Rather than the far more innocent photos, barring the thirst traps, that Rei had seen previously, it seemed like the photos in this section of the app left a lot less to the imagination. The previous sorts of photos were still there, shirtless shots with his joggers hanging low on his hips. But more than that, there were other photos. A few full on nudes, taken in a mirror with a shirt hiked up. One or two dick pics from a lower angle, showing off a mischievous grin. And a video or so. If those were clicked, he'd be greeted with the sound of Kaoru's heavy breathing, moaning as he jerked himself off. One was just that, the sound filled with the noises and whines he made, and the second was him letting loose, face almost relaxed as the camera focused on it at the end.

Rei Sakuma has never regretted something so ignorant as looking through someone's phone in his life. He thought he'd found the worst of whatever Kaoru likes to do in his free time, and wasn't going out of his way to find anything more incriminating than the silly thirst traps that he...really didn't understand the appeal of until recently. Maybe it's some kind of validation thing, he doesn't care to dig any deeper than he has already. But like a fool, he did. Oh boy he fucking did. Instead of tossing the phone aside with his inability to deal with what he saw, he was actually....enraptured by this. This treasure hidden away like the sweetest forbidden fruits in the garden of Eden. His brain scrambled itself into a mess of emotions, biting gently at one of his own fingers in his other hand. His teeth ached. He can't pinpoint for exactly what anymore. The sensation isn't simply for Kaoru's sweet blood anymore, it's grown far past that without his permission. Without him even noticing. He lets the phone screen go black and place it face down on the kitchen table, slumping over it with a pained whine. This wasn't something he'd just be able to shove out of his mind like he could the last time he went through Kaoru's private things. That'll teach Rei to go poking around where he doesn't belong. His hand slips off the table without his notice, creeping between his legs and pressing down on the hardness that has made itself known. "I'm....I'm going to bed! I am going. I'm going to go to bed." Rei announces to the empty room, closing out of Kaoru's apps and opening some other ones just in case he bothers to check his phone history. Hopefully he doesn't put much thought into it and chalks it up to Rei being smartphone illiterate. Which...he is! So it's not wrong. Then he realizes that he's borrowing Kaoru's bed. For that. He's going to go insane. In fact he already has. Even the very idea of it feels so so wrong. But by the time he collapses on top of the covers, pulling one of Kaoru's pillows close to hide his face in it, he can't bring himself to care.

Kaoru had been out for a good while before he actually came back. He'd been torn with himself over whether or not to continue hanging out with Izumi, but that seemed to have been decided for him as his friend got a (seemingly frustrating) text and simply rolled his eyes. The two had to part ways a little bit away from his apartment, and he had to walk the rest of the way home. Kaoru ended up humming to himself, not having his own phone on hand to be able to do anything with. While he'd normally listen to music or reply to an email or two, he had to just shove his hands in his pockets and walk. It was strangely relaxing to do so, and as he turned into his apartment building he felt a lot lighter than he had in a good while. It felt nice to be free from the things weighing on his shoulders (namely his father) but he found his mind wandering a little too much. He found himself thinking about Rei. The vampire was far too prominent on his mind, and he had to shove those thoughts aside. He shook his head, pushing open the door into his apartment. Although he'd typically call out, he didn't this time. He dropped his keys on a little table near the door, glancing around for Rei. Weird. He wasn't around -- Well, it was evening so maybe he'd gone out. Kaoru kicked off his shoes by the door, shrugging it off and moving to the kitchen. Huh. His phone was there. He picked it up, not noticing any recent usage (if the notifications were anything to go by). Weird. He didn't think too much of it, slipping his phone into his pocket and setting Rei's on the table. He flicked off the lights in the kitchen, before going down the hall to his own room. He didn't hesitate before pushing open the door, stepping in without much thought behind it.

Rei had actually managed to calm down after a nap. Kind of. The lingering thoughts still danced around the back of his mind, but he refuses to give them any power. He’s normal okay? He’s sooo normal. He drinks his tomato juice and burns through Kaoru’s phone battery on Candy Crush and pretending that he saw nothing. Eventually he migrated back to the bedroom, nearly tripping over a neglected pair of jeans on the floor. Leaving a mess behind wasn’t like Kaoru, so he was probably in a big hurry to meet up with his little human friend. That’s okay, he can help! He can’t do much but he can at least put things where they belong. The jeans are collected and chucked in the hamper along with a pair of mystery socks. There’s a sweater hanging over the edge of the hamper that he rolls up in his hands and hugs close. It’s comfy! This is the sandy colored sweater he sees Kaoru wear in his free time. It still smells faintly of salt and a little bit of... sweetness he can’t describe. The smell is so comforting, Kaoru is so comforting. Kaoru is comfy and he smells good and he’s so nice to him and he tastes amazing. Kaoru tastes so good, he makes the cutest noises when Rei digs his teeth into him and he’s so sexy and- Ah, crap. Rei forces himself away from the hamper so he doesn’t collapse on the ground then and there, feeling his hardness come back with a vengeance, aching in the restriction of his jeans. Fuck. Okay. Maybe...no. He really shouldn’t be doing this. Not in Kaoru’s bed, where Kaoru sleeps and probably does the same thing he’s doing. Does this count as defilement? Maybe? Against his better judgement he undoes the zipper to loosen the hold the cloth has on him, sliding his hand under the waistband and breathing a sigh of relief when he pulls his dick free from his briefs. What? Boxers have too much fabric sometimes. ”Haahhh...Kaoru..” Rei completely loses track of time. Wrapped up in the comfort of the sheets and the sweater he’s hiding his face in to muffle the sounds coming out of him, the pre dripping from his dick being used as makeshift lube for his index and thumb that he strokes himself in a daze. The daze that was quickly broken by the Actual, real life Kaoru opening the door and Rei freezing like a deer in headlights, quickly curling his legs up and hiding his leaking dick with his other hand as he stares in shock. Uhm?! Hello?! When!! When did that happen?!

Whatever Kaoru was expecting, it wasn't this. He'd maybe been expecting to walk in on Rei sleeping in his bed (the usual, since the sun was still out and he hadn't expected him to drop the nocturnal thing any time soon), or to walk in on him draining his phone battery with Candy Crush (but his phone had been in the kitchen), or even to find him messing with his guitar. But he'd gotten none of that. He'd walked in on Rei. In his bed. With his sweater M- Masturbating. Jacking off to the idea of him no less. The sound of his own name had caused an odd heat to pool in his gut, and he could hardly process everything in front of him. His head felt like it was full of cotton fuzz, as if his thoughts were being slowed by it. His mouth felt far too dry, and he opened it to speak, finding himself at a complete loss for words. He shouldn't have wanted to see this. There was no way he did. Rei was a vampire, and a guy, and he didn't like guys. Or vampires. Or vampire guys. Or guys who were vampires but were weirdly attractive despite his own insistence that he was straight even if Izumi could totally see right through it and he knew the closet was probably glass at this point but he still couldn't bring himself to think of a guy in that way because of all the underlying shame and fear that had been built up by years in a religion that prides itself on self-torture and the fact that his father was so openly homophobic and really it was his fault he couldn't control those urges and impulses and fuck maybe he could be like Izumi who liked both and was proud of it but he didn't think he could ever be proud when he constantly shamed himself for who he was and really he should have realized it before and it should be obvious now that he was wishing it was him Rei was holding and not that Stupid. Fucking. Sweater. God dammit. Rei was hot. Kaoru was bisexual. And they were both fucked. Kaoru snapped himself back to reality in a heartbeat. He'd been staring without realizing it, cheeks burning red with shame as he turned his head to the side so he was no longer watching Rei. He shifted awkwardly in his spot, one hand hanging down to cover up the odd tightness that was very obvious in his jeans. "...Rei-kun?" He asked, voice a little strained as he said it. He tried to shake any lingering thoughts out of his head, breathing shaky. "Is that... my sweater?" (edited)

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