10 Big Secret, Little Surprise

After one week, Shouji finally came home. The doctor had cited that being home wouldn't put Shouji at a further risk of getting any additional infections, or increase the ones they had already prescribed him antibiotics for.

Honestly, he couldn't argue when the doctor was confident that it was better for him since the likelihood of catching an infection or even pneumonia slimmed by him getting up and moving around on his own in his own home. At the very least, he wouldn't have to worry about everyone checking on him and bothering him.

Still, the amount of intense antibiotics he was on didn't change much, but they couldn't have him still in bed for most of a month. He had to resume some physical activities. It was in his better interest anyway, though it didn't stop him from having his own reserves about the whole decision-making process.

He was certain that the nurses were at their own wit's end with trying to motivate him to move around. He hadn't been exactly the best patient, and honestly, he wasn't trying to be.

Everything was slow to start, especially since he wasn't active, making him more sore and irritable when he was mobile even in the weeks that followed. Even in his awareness, Shouji was noticing how aggravated his nurse was with him when he refused to get up with her help. The entire experience was aggravating, and he was hoping they'd just hurry and release him.

At some points, he felt bad, feeling like a complete burden, but other points he felt like they were just wasting his time, poking and prodding him. He didn't need surgery, and they'd already chalked him up with pain meds and antibiotics, so it felt pointless staying any longer. Though, the nurses tried their best - even with Sora's help - he just didn't seem as motivated with treatment anymore. So, sending him home became the best plan to circumvent him becoming depressed.

"Just sign this paperwork," a nurse told him, leaving a clipboard in his lap.

Shouji stared down at it a good while. After everything he went through here, he still didn't think the pain medicine helped much. His mind wondered off into obscurity as he resolved to deal with his recovery on his own, though he hadn't much plan on how. It was a 'working progress' as the doctor referred to it, but it was progress in which he only took on what his body could handle with minimal pain.

Over nearly the course of a month, it had taken more time to practice these basic skills, but it was paying off. Despite it only being recently, Shouji could finally move his jaw freely. For him, this was the best part of his recovery and enough to give him the opportunity to resume a regular diet of non-puree foods.

He was glad they didn't have to do surgery to fix it, but it affected his eating habits significantly.

His appetite transformed, too. Though he already ate like a bird, now he had to eat small meals five times a day instead of his usual miscellaneous three meals that he'd obscurely nibble on. It sucked being so hungry all the time now, but the hassle of eating deterred him from pushing through a meal and just eating only half.

It was in these moments of frustration, he thought about Megura. It was a frequent occurrence, but it gave him some relief in his trouble time.

He was glad she left before finding out he was sick. She already seemed stressed enough, and he didn't want her worrying anymore. It'd been a long while since she'd returned, but seeing her that night was completely worth it.

Even if it had been nearly a month after her appearance before they released him, he was eager to see her again.

Having signed the paperwork, the nurse dropped his clothes on his lap that he had come in with. His shirt, completely mangled had somehow wound up in the trash but he was thankful for what little clothes his sister dropped off. The jacket she had bought him kept well in the bag was the only thing he put back on. Smudges of blood dotted it, but right now he that was not his concern. What did concern him was the contents of his jacket pockets.

Shuffling through each inner pocket, he searched for the small card she'd given him. When he found it, he smirked to himself while flipping it around with his fingers before getting up. This was all he needed.

Shouji got dressed before dropping the paperwork at the nurse station. When he finally walked out, he got a good bearing of where he was. He knew it would piss his sister off that he didn't take a cab home, but his hopes were more along the lines that walking down to that establishment would not be that far. His second hope was despite his injuries, they wouldn't affect him so badly that it would inhibit his walk there either.

After several breaks, needing to catch his breath, Shouji eventually made it up to the unforgettable tinted black glass doors. His hand struck out for the handle as he opened the door and slipped inside.

His nerves rattled him a moment as he glanced back and forth before arriving at the front desk. "Megura Miyamoto. I need to see her."

The receptionist looked up from the desk. He was a stout man with midnight hair slicked back and a clean-shaven face. His cool blue eyes cast upon Shouji almost judgementally before he turned his head down to his paperwork, "No such person here." He commented slowly, going back to his paperwork.

Though he knew of Megura, he was only following strict orders to not to let any random persons in the building without prior clearance. "You got a name?" he asked, not looking up from his sheet as he flipped through it.

Asami passed by in the hall when she glanced over at the service desk. Her shoes tapped loudly against the tile as she walked towards the elevator. She looked back towards the entrance, musing over the sight of the lobby as a mixed expression of confusion crossed her face.

Glancing back quickly, she stared at the boy at the counter, somewhat recognizing that dark black hair and pale face. His skinny form was really hard to miss. Laughing to herself, she shook her head as the doors to the elevator opened before she could catch the button to send for the boxcar.

Naturally, even with Megura being here, she'd probably run out if she knew he was around. She huffed under her breath at her entertaining such a strange newly aged adult, but it was only natural that she'd meet him if she went out of her way and not vice versa. There was no chance the receptionist would let him up. No one could just waltz up to the front desk and demand to see someone. Especially at an establishment of this magnitude.

"Frank," someone called, a female's voice, smooth and firm as she walked over. "Go on your break."

He looked up at her and nodded, "Yeah, hold on. This kid wants to get in here. I'm trying to look to see if he's scheduled any appointments."

"Don't worry about him. He's probably no one we should be concerned about." She looked up, "We don't welcome street goers. This is a private business. Please come back again with an appointment if you have business here." She told Shouji sharply as 'Frank' got up from his seat and she took his place.

"Nah, it's fine. I'll look. He looks desperate." Frank smirked, flipping through the pages. He pulled the third one up, thumbing through it. "I'm not seeing anything though."

Megura watched as the two office workers bickered over what was right to do as she walked up behind Shouji.

He was so wrapped up in listening to them bicker for a minute, his mind was set on giving up. Shouji shook his head, turning to leave when he heard her.

She tapped his shoulder lightly; her expression was a quiet reassurance of what she'd been weeks prior. "Shouji," she breathed, seeing him turn to meet her. Her big green eyes were doe like and refracted the bright light of the lobby. "What are you doing here?" She refrained from letter the smile touch the edge of her lips just yet.

He smirked and turned around completely to see her. "I was wondering if you'd come have a drink with me," he said. She looked better. Better than she had when she'd visited him at the hospital.

The smile she had faded at the mention of going out. She wanted to but- Megura shook her head, "I'm not really..." She didn't know how to tell him for the last month that she'd been working hard with her father. He'd tried to catch wind about the attackers, having her identify them as they tried to scour the area but it had been a daunting and thankless task.

He had been avid in finding her attackers and she... Well, she had purged the list of people caught at the rave and practically exhausted herself with the idea of saving herself time and just killing them all. Luckily, Daichi convinced her otherwise since it would just make things look more suspicious for the company.

Instead, he offered to put things to rest and just put in a report through the station looking for several suspects in witness to an assault and leave it at that. Her father was a bit harder to convince otherwise, which kept him preoccupied.

With Daichi being out of the picture more recently, Asami had pointed out for her to lie low since the event could spark unwanted interest in her direction. Megura slowly came back to her senses after thinking about the things that lingered in her mind.

It was definitely harder than she imagined, trying to be more involved with the business of their growing syndicate beneath the company's largest layers. Seeing Shouji was different, though. A smile warmed over her face as she started remembering the night they talked before she laid in his hospital bed next to him.

She remembered how arrogant she had been, hot with anger after having delt a deadly blow to Shotaru's older brother, and then it only seemed to scale up in severity the night she went out with Shouji. Even still despite everything, she didn't regret her actions, but it definitely gave her a lot to think about.

"You shouldn't have bothered to come back," she told him, firming up her convictions. She'd taken a lot of time to review what kind of relationship this would become if she truly did have an interest in him. She already understood damn well how much her pride took a hit when Asami explained just how easy it was for them to bait and lure her out.

Her stomach twisted and a surge of anger burned clear in her eyes and she blinked it away. She straightened up as Shotaru turned the corner, walking towards them, then glanced back at Shouji. "Honestly. What happened was an accident. I didn't realize you'd get so beat up, but I don't think we can just walk out and about together. We live in different worlds. That's why I asked... What are you doing here because I think it's dangerous for you." She told him coolly, somewhat crushed by that cute nonchalant smile of his.

It was obvious who was the threat to who here. She could get him killed just from being around if the timing was right. Shotaru came up behind her despite her putting her hand up in his face to stop him from continuing closer.

"We're going to adjourn today's meeting," Shu informed her despite her hand, gently pushing it down. "Your father asked to see you, though. He wanted to-"

"Not now," Megura snapped before licking her bottom lip as she chewed on it, waiting for Shouji to respond. She tried to turn her attention back to him, but before anyone could get a further word out, Shu started up again and she cut him off. Megura rolled her eyes, a flicker of some blunt attitude still revived from deep within. "Tell my father I'll talk to him later. Probably in the night if it's about that again. I've already given up interest in it anyway," she muttered.

Shu nodded, "Then what about him?" he asked, still continuing. It only seemed fitting for him to take petty revenge on her actions for the prior month. It'd been a lengthy time since, and he'd figure he was long overdue.

Megura winced, and it was enough that both of them could have seen. "I was just seeing him off. He came... Unexpectedly." She glanced back at Shouji.

Nodding, he looked to him, about to ask if he was from the hospital, but he recognized his face instantly. The light cuts even were a light reminder of what he'd once looked like on the hospital bed. "Ah, unexpectedly." He remarked sarcastically, "I assumed you were ready to leave with him like the other night." His voice was low.

"What are you talking about?!" Megura stomped, flinging her head up as she stepped up into his face. Her hair tossed back over her shoulders and settled behind her as she yelled at Shu. "I didn't ask for your opinion, Shu! I didn't tell you it was any of your business to tell me how to conduct business! I'm telling him I don't need him here! Can't you see that?" she screamed, her voice echoing in the hall.

Everyone around them stopped, staring at her and she huffed, breathing out heavily as rage filtered into her once jaded features.

Shu rolled his eyes, "And yet, somehow I know that if I didn't do this, it'd make me no more blind than the rest if I just idly stand by." His eyes rolled, before glaring sharply into Shouji.

"I'd expect if the daughter of my boss cared so much to cry over a man she barely met in a night and splayed another with, she'd kindled something for him." He told her, staring sharply into her eyes. It was definitely a challenge. Still, he glanced back at Shouji quickly. "I'd expect no less than for you to be stronger than her. She's mild in temperament," he started, looking back to her again as her fist collided with his cheek. He flexed his muscles, tensing up as her knuckles connected, leaving a largely red knuckled imprint on his right cheek.

"Heh," he scoffed, touching his lip as he stared at the blood a moment. He stood still, motionless, but took her hand gently and guided her into his arms and around to face Shouji. She seemed in shock by his reaction but he made her play along anyway.

Megura's face was red, and she was shaking with rage, speechless. She didn't dare look into Shouji's eyes.

Shu smiled, that arrogant look playing across his face despite the swelling red mark. "Take her, if you'd still have her. She's been bantering nonstop about you ever since then. I'd likely assume you'd be more careful this time," he commented.

Shouji felt like there was almost no need for him to be here. Watching them made him sick to his stomach since it all he could do was react as the scene unfolded before him. They left little room to even speak. He could even get passed that point in the conversation where she remarked herself as "dangerous," before Shu started in. He couldn't process what to even say..

Shotaru knew this, and he laughed at how speechless he was. "Just be more mindful of certain people. Like Daichi." He scoffed, giving her a light shove into Shouji.

Megura stumbled and fell into him. Her hands pressed against his chest as she caught herself against Shouji, her face heating a fiery red as she bit her tongue, unable to form words to Shu's own statement. Shu was the most calm and collected of the three, and by far the sneakiest. He'd completely undermined Daichi and insulted him in one fell swoop.

She breathed in as she shook and Shouji's scent filled her senses, making her eyes widen. Her thoughts a frazzle of her own crushed pride, and Daichi's words a hard echo in the background of her thoughts, but she couldn't bring herself to speak.

It was obvious he was taunting her, yet somehow he got dragged back into their argument. What the hell was this guy's problem?! His mind wavered between being pissed at how he handled her to being irritated that he was standing there to watch without getting a word in.

Shouji made a face at his words, digesting it all after he caught her and stepped back away from her a bit to give her space. He looked at Shu and couldn't speak either with how pissed he was. Did Shu seriously think he had a right to lay a hand on her, even if she had punched him?

His mind left focus on her as he walked past her to leave. He felt his anger boil up in him as he got closer. His senses felt heavy and before he walked past Shotaru, he quickly turned and punch Shu in the face with a surprise left.

Shotaru stumbled back this time. Shouji had quite an arm, even if he had been in the hospital and he felt damn good for having it here and now. "I'm sure Megura can speak for herself," he growled at him. He couldn't bring himself to glance back at her before he stalked out to the front door.

"There's you answer," Shu laughed, "princess." He was still holding his face, cupping the cheek he'd taken two hits to. His hair fell from its slicked back position over one as he lifted his head enough to glance at her as he watched her stalk up to him quickly.

Megura shoved him, "You're an idiot! Shu! Fucking shut up!" she cried about to hit him, but she stopped. She had tears in her eyes, but when she thought about Shouji stepping back, it just.... It irked her. She sucked in her breath and moved back, wishing she had the power to just make the day go away. Shu just... He aggravated her beyond words!

Seeing Shouji just walk away made her heart and head swell with a tangle of emotions that overwhelmed her. She stared after him for a moment as tears fell down her face as the door swung shut behind him.

She didn't know what to say. She was happy he came, but upset he bothered to come back after that. Maybe it was Daichi's constant stress between the difference of a vampire and human. What the fuck did he know?! But that argument always went sour fast.

Megura wanted to scream, but she could only pull at her ears in frustration, digging her nails in before she stomped her foot and huffed. She would not run. She would not run away. She was going to-

She grit her teeth, so pissed that she pulled her phone out of her pocket and smashed it on the ground. "Don't fucking bother to come find me!" she yelled at Shu as she turned around and stomped out the door herself. She contemplated Shu's words.

Of course she wanted Shouji! To be with him, even. She also didn't want to blame herself for the things that occurred around her, but it wasn't the entire truth that shit wasn't dangerous around her. It wasn't like being a vampire- No. No; it was everything to do with that. She couldn't lie to herself about this, and it sucked.

After everything she had done all month long, none of it seemed to feel as meaningful when she finally faced with him in person. Her vision tunneled as she kind of just spiralled down into her thoughts. She wanted to be alone. For once in the last few weeks, she wanted to think to herself without everyone whispering in her ear.

Shu sighed, kind of relieved that the biggest headache in the entire establishment finally took herself out of the madness. All of this had been eating up his patience, watching Daichi was slowly twist her desire for humanity into something so ugly that she herself turned into a more childlike being than an age-old vampire. He practically had her around his finger.

He turned to walk back towards the elevator as he thought about her. She was vulnerable right now. Taking advantage of her was easier than it had usually been, and her blunt nature hid no lies. He noticed the phone on the floor as he made a short detour towards it, kneeling to pick up her shattered phone and turn it over in his hand. Shotaru laughed to himself. "It's about fucking time," he muttered. Megura was her own person, and it was time she went out and was her own person.

Honestly, he hated watching her wander around. Arrogant and full of hot air. If she was really as high as she walked, she'd be just fine. If she wasn't, maybe life would dumb her down a notch.

Megura kicked the side of the Benz, remembering she didn't know how else to call for a driver as she looked around the parking garage's main lot. She struggled to process it through, about how she outright rejected Shouji and her heart felt like she'd just stomped over it. "FUCK!" She screamed, conflicted as she kicked the Benz again, putting a larger dent in the passenger side.

She went to kick it again when someone came in on a motorcycle. The exhausted chugged softly as the light passed over the black and red frame. The timing couldn't be more perfect as she saw him pull up, "Give me your motorcycle!" She screamed. Before he could finish asking her what was going on. He paused, and she jogged over, grabbing the handle as she glared into his eyes, "Give me the cycle," she said again. When he stepped off, she motioned for the helmet and the guy obliged.

"Um," he started.

"I'll buy you a new one," she grumbled. "If I break it." She put the helmet on and tossed her wallet on the ground. She needed a break and this was exactly what she needed.

Kicking up the stand, she pushed forward and revved the cycle before she kicked the gas, her head jerking back as she peeled out of the garage. Megura's intent was to get as far away as possible. It'd been an entire month of torture, of bearing down and accepting it all, but really.... None of it was even her opinion. No one bothered to ask her. No one truly cared, and the frustration had been building.

The rest of the walk down the street seemed to ease a lot of tension for Shouji. He had just put his headphones on, flicking the volume up on his phone as he continued walking down the street. The music took his mind off of things, especially her.

Like his mind was on autopilot, Shouji walked out into the suburbs. He didn't realize where he was going until he was almost there. The crest of the fallen in roof came into view, making him sigh almost depressingly.

Seeing the mostly burned down house burnt him up, but he was too tired to feel pissed. The entire day just wreaked of one disappointment to the next.

He kicked pieces of burnt wood out of the way to get inside. Small pieces turned to ash dusted the edge of his shoes and blotted specs of gray and black on his pants. Despite the debris, Shouji walked around looking at what once was his special place.

He traced his fingers over the remnants of some walls and let his eyes wander over what remained. After a few minutes, he sat down and looked up at the sky. At least the crisp, dark, blue atmosphere wasn't any different from how it had always been. His view was more expanded because the hole in the roof was bigger, making it a lot easier to see through.

He laid back and just stared at the stars, trying to find a peaceful medium with himself. He couldn't though. Shouji's mind wandered back to her again and the hours earlier. A part of him wanted to ignore Shu's words as much as Megura, but he couldn't help but play them over again and again in his mind. She had cried over him in the hospital and then made a big deal of finding those who'd put him there.

It was frustrating to him, though. She said all that and then the next thing she says when he sees him is she's 'dangerous,' as if that was enough to cite why they couldn't be around each other anymore. He smacked the floor to left side, sending ash up around his fist. He really had been a fool.

There was a squeal of tires as she slammed on the breaks. She wasn't quite used to the controls of the vehicle, but she gave it gas, wandering closer to the house when it came into view. She didn't remember it being burned to a crisp.. She'd circled blocks, unable to remember the exact place, passing by twice before she finally reached the conclusion that this was in fact the very place he showed her.

Chills ran down her arms as she slid the helmet off, setting it on the handles as she walked up to the front. The house looked like it was in shambles. Blackened walls pointed up to the sky as if in agony, beams of wood poked out like jagged oversized steaks ready to pierce her, but what was more was the lack of art. Not a single piece of his work was left here. It had all burned up, now lost in rubble and ruin like he told her at the mall.

Her throat felt tight, like someone had pulled a knot through it till it stuck tight.

She knew she couldn't blame Daichi for how she treated him. She'd listened and repeated, but it came out of her mouth. As much as she wanted to, Shu couldn't take the fault either. It was still her mouth, still her voice, regardless of whether she repeated it.

Megura dropped the helmet on the ground and it made a loud clank as the helmet rolled across the concrete. As if almost in a daze, she walked up to the burnt remains of the house that looked like a piece of art in the middle of a small-time neighborhood.

She stepped up to the doorway, feeling a tear roll down her face as she stared into the desolate building. "God, I can't even cry anymore," she muttered, her breath soft as she sniffed. She lifted her hand up to wipe her cheek.

"I can't even feel anymore. It's like... It's like this place is a direct taunt to what I squandered, and I'm over here for some fucking reason I can't even explain. Yet," she raised a hand, lowering her head as she was ready to slam her fist down, but she couldn't. Not here. It was practically in ruins now, but she knew how precious it was to him at one time. "I'm the only one to blame." She laughed, wiping her face despite the ash on her hands.

"I'm the one fucking crying. I don't even know what I'm doing anymore. I don't even know why I'm fucking alive if I can't even enjoy the little things that make me happy." She laughed through a few hiccups before she turned silent again. Her chest heaved, and she let loose a loud sigh, before snorting at the thought.

Who the hell was she talking to? God? That was... If there even was one.

Megura looked over the floor. Her hands traced the lines of the door frame, and she thoughtfully remembered the tiny glimpse of what she could remember, of what Shouji's small painted house looked like before the fire.

It was amazing how someone's face could light up with such pride over something. She'd seen no one do that with such love and devotion, and here it was, a month later. A month.

"Maybe I am cursed to die alone," she murmured, reminiscing on her father. She couldn't recall a moment that a vampire had a fairy-tale ending life. After he'd been turned, her mother died, so it wasn't much of an eternity with her.

It'd been hundreds of years and she hadn't connected with others like she did with him. Her life had been relatively loveless and lonely. Even when she felt close to some, it was easier to see how they talked about her behind her back.

Shouji lifted his head up, hearing something from outside. He took one bud out, not recognizing the voice at first, but he wondered if Smith was back. He really hoped it wasn't the police. He'd had enough of them for a while.

When he heard the steady footsteps inside, he moved back against the wall out of sight.

"Damnit!" Megura yelled, feeling frustrated.

Shouji heard her more clearly then and froze. He wondered what she was doing here, but by the sound of it she sounded pissed about something. He leaned back against the wall, motionless as he waited for her to leave. Maybe she didn't know he was there, so there was no point in coming out to greet her.

She'd made it painfully clear to him what he should do and how she felt about him. Still, he couldn't help but listen anyway. Maybe now that she thought she was alone, she might express how she really felt.

"Damnit." She breathed, "Everyone always gets to put their opinion in but when I ask for something it's like I'm the only one who gets my needs shot down." She raked her nails through her hair, shoving it back out of her face as she crouched down to pick up a few pieces of coal before she skipped them across the scorched floor. "Stupid Daichi wants me to stay home. Shu wants me to go but he taunts me about it but then Asami wants me to fucking calm down! This shit is getting old. I'm older than every single one of them and somehow I get treated like a child!" She snarled, raising her hand up to throw the coals but she stopped herself.

"And I'm here, explaining my feelings to a giant piece of charcoal that belongs to someone I barely got to know!" She sniffed. A few tears dripped down her face and she laughed, dropping the coals before rubbing her face. "It's not like it matters anyway. No matter how many times I argue, none of them would listen anyway. Plus, Daichi was right about one thing. I'll get him killed," she breathed.

She covered her face with her hand and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry!" she whispered. "I'm fucking sorry! Alright!" She yelled at the house. An empty silence echoed back .

"I'm sorry, Shouji. I wish- I wish it was different. If I could throw it all away and just be a fucking regular human. Things wouldn't be so damn complicated if I wasn't born this way, but here I am..." She groaned, shoving her hands into her hair. "Living in a world completely different from yours."

Shouji froze again, hearing her say 'regular human' like she wasn't. He sighed. They were going to talk about this. "You're forgiven," he said finally.

He hoped to let her know he was here before she stumbled upon him. He tried planning a conversation in his head of how he would get it out of her. She was stubborn and had quite an attitude, obviously. At least now he knew she cared.

He stood up then, letting her know exactly where he was before he peeked out of the doorway of another room. She had crouched down in the front doorway at the beginning of the hall, but that changed the moment she realized he was there. He watched her pop up from the ground, startled.

Shouji looked down, running his hands over his neck as he dusted off his back. It was covered in ash, as was part of his hair. He could see she was staring at him, as if he'd shocked her so badly she lost the ability to speak. "So, how exactly is that incident your fault?" He asked her as he pulled the other ear bud out of his ear.

Megura looked down quickly, biting her lip as her hands formed into fists. She wanted to yell back at him for scaring her. He had to be here tonight, too?! She felt humiliated after the show she'd put on in front of him in the lobby. Was he going to laugh at how dumb she sounded now?

Shouji could see how conflicted she was, but his expression was grim. None of this felt funny to him in the slightest, but he figured she was most likely embarrassed from the way her face turned red with what looked like frustration and unease.

The wood crunched under his boots as he crossed down the hall towards her. She wasn't running. That was good. "You've no proof that something worse wouldn't have happened had I not been there with you." He started trying to rise a conversation from her.

His heart was beating quickly, and he didn't really know why he felt this way because he felt calm despite confronting her. "And what's this thing about you not being human?" He looked at her, seeing those bright emerald green eyes stare back at him.

"I know I saw you get stabbed. It was obviously deep enough that you fell into me," he said. "I remember, there was a lot of blood on my hands so it makes more sense since you were able to recover so fast."

Megura flinched, thinking back to that moment. She went to argue that, but she couldn't find the right words. "It's not what you think-!" She tried to tell him as he stopped, giving her a sideways glance before he paced back and forth on the hall.

"I can rule out zombies," he said with a hint of a smile. He had a good idea already, but he was going to draw it out a little longer. "I don't think witches can be classified as non-human." He reached to pull something from his pocket, seeing her eyes trace over it as he glanced back in her direction.

It glinted in the moonlight that filtered through the broken roof and now felt like the perfect opportunity to test how sharp his new knife was. It was security for himself after the whole rave incident.

"What are you doing?" She asked him, seeing the knife.

Shouji didn't answer that, but he looked down at the blade. "I don't know if you've noticed, but it's a full-moon so I think I can rule out werewolf." He admired his pocketknife as he stopped pacing. Before she could get another word out, he sliced his hand open. Shouji drew in a tight breath, feeling the blood bubble up to the surface then pool in his palm.

"So maybe vampire. They heal pretty quick. At least that's what I've heard," he said, holding his bleeding hand out. "I've also heard they like blood." Maybe he was being cocky and pushing it a little too far, but better to get the elephant out of the room quickly. He figured after what he'd gone through, he deserved an explanation. If he was wrong, she'd think he was insane and it would be like before they'd ever met.

She was going to tell him it was just that she was daughter to a mob boss, that the rave was a place where her family trafficking drugs but she couldn't tear her eyes away from his hand. Her eyes set on his hand directly as her heartbeat rose.

She breathed in sharply, turning her gaze away. "Cover you hand. That's enough." She murmured. She tried not to feel the hunger gnawing at her, but she had been eating light the last few months. Her hunger felt so raw she could even hear the drops hit the wood below, at their feet.

Shouji closed his hand, observing her. "So you don't deny it?" he asked. Why did he sound so pissed off? He wasn't. Not really, anyway. Maybe it was her pretending that he had done something crazy. Not telling him the truth... Maybe that irritated him.

She said she liked him, then said she didn't. She was definitely something else. "Look at me." He told her. What right did she have to look down, disappointed in him? She was the one being fickle.

Megura flinched again at his words. She trembled for a moment, unable to resist him. She felt like he was judging her here and now. She drew her gaze back in his direction, but this time her eyes glowed softly in the low light with a dull red ring at the edge of her iris.

She tried to breath out but her fangs hung sharply in the cool air and ached for warmth. Would he call her out for being a monster now? Would he lord this over her? What did he want?

He'd just come out of the woodworks, completely cloaked in ash, and the most notable feature about him was the look on his face that made her shrink down. She felt like she really was the thing out of horror movies.

Never had she felt so naked to the world before, but there was nothing to shield her against him here and now. The way his eyes locked on hers made he feel exposed. She knew then, no matter what, despite his order, she couldn't tear her eyes away from his. She didn't dare move, didn't cry, didn't make a sound.

"I'm not afraid of you," he told her plainly. He stepped closer to her. He was surprised she hadn't run away yet. If she was this powerful, scary monster she could have easily killed him by now, or at least run away. "I figured it out finally." He said continuing to get closer. Her eyes didn't bother him. He was one to hate freaky eyes when he was the one that went around looking like a demon.

"I know it. There was always something about you. Something unbelievable. I thought maybe you were just the beautiful daughter of a very wealthy family, but I knew there was more." He reached with his unscathed hand towards her face. "This was the secret." If anything, she was more beautiful to him now that she wasn't hiding anymore. The face she had now, the one mixed with fear and silence, told him a lot more about why she acted so upset earlier.

Megura couldn't really imagine how he could still stand near her, and her stomach squeezed in a new sensation of feeling she hadn't felt before. She made a brief shriek, flinching back as he reached to her face. Her entire body was warming with anxiety. Surges of new warmth passed over her that gave her the goosebumps unlike anything else she'd encountered.

She turned her head away from him quickly, closing her eyes shut tightly. "What?" Was all she could squeeze out, her voice kind of hoarse.

Shouji felt bold, but maybe it was because he just didn't care anymore. Aftering having thought he'd lost her earlier today, he couldn't help but smile. She, a vampire, was scared to have him touch her. He didn't stop though.

Shouji lightly grabbed her chin, closed his eyes as he quickly tilted her head up and towards him before he kissed her. A kiss in the rave might have been better with her relaxed and high on music and dancing, but that opportunity had long passed.

His heart pounded in his chest when she didn't pull away and for that split moment he forget they were standing in the rubble of what used to be so important to him.

Would he be his new addiction?

He cupped her cheek as he pressed his lips firmly to hers. Her face bloomed in many shades of red as she squeezed her eyes shut. He glimpsed her face, laughing at how cute she was.

From the corner of his eyes, he could see her hand raise up to grab his hand but stopped to tighten in a fist then lowered as he parted her lips to kiss her deeply. Shouji pulled back, watching her catch her breath as her eyes slowly opened and she stared at him. The red ring around her eyes didn't go away but she grabbed his wrist as his other hand cupped her face and he kept smoothing his hand over her cheek as he admired her.

He didn't expect her to rise his hand up with both of hers and kiss his fingertips before she opened his bloody palm but he did watch in silence as she closed her eyes and slowly dragged her tongue across the wound.

It stung at first, but then the pain slowly went away before it disappeared entirely.

"You're not scared still?" she asked quietly.

"No." Shouji replied softly as he watched her lick the blood from the rest of his hand. She really was a vampire. He breathed in deeply and for the first time in a long while he could smell her scent so vividly. He watched her as she gently cupped his hand and kissed the place he'd cut. Shouji tried to hide how excited it made him watching her perform this but what stopped him in his tracks was that gaze that peered from him his wrist as she pressed his hand to her lips. "No. I'm not." He breathed out heavily. It was quite the opposite, actually.

Megura glared up at him while her lips almost pressed to the tip of his palm. "Don't cut yourself again." That moody glare, a dark gleam in her bright green eyes. "I won't do this for you like it's some game." Megura breathed, but her voice soft with a more considerate tone. She was worried for him to a degree, but she was more engrossed with how sweet he tasted and just how much of a threat that could pose for her later. Surely, it had to be a sin that anyone's blood could taste so sweet.

He nodded. "How about that drink?" he asked. He didn't want to be here anymore. The ash was getting to him finally.

"As long as we take the motorcycle," she declared, pointing out the door at it. She wanted the wind to cool her face. With the way Shouji made her feel, she almost felt like it was akin to leaning over a steaming hot pot of water. Megura's gaze darted back to the wall again, unable to stare at him for much longer.

He noticed her surprise when he nodded. "Alright." He breathed, smiling back to her before he stepped out of the doorway of the dilapidated old house. Shouji leaned down to pick the helmet up off the ground, placing it firmly between his two hands as he checked it over to make sure it had no breaks. "Have you ever been to Hotaru?" he asked her as her while getting on the bike.

"No, I've never even heard of it," she remarked, getting on the bike with him. She clasped the back of the seat with her hands and leaned back, steadying herself. She couldn't bring herself to wrap her arms around him just yet. "You know how to drive these?" she asked. The thought never occurred to her till it was time to take off.

Josh turned slightly to hand her the helmet. "You should put this on." He started the motorcycle. "I've driven one once or twice. The bar isn't too far away." He watched her stare at the helmet instead of put it on and he wondered what the holdup would be but decided he'd just get on the bike and wait for her to climb on after him.

Shouji kicked the kick stand up, pulling the bike upright when he felt something slide down over his head, and he stared ahead with the helmet.

"I won't die from a motorcycle crash. You will," she told him, knocking on the helmet. "Don't kill yourself," she sighed before leaning forward.

Shouji straightened up, kicking the stand back down to take it off. "Not that I care what people think, but wouldn't it be out of place for me to wear the helmet?" he asked her. People would find it odd or think he's an ass for not protecting her on the motorcycle.

"And they're not me. It's not out of place," she frowned, "Wear it," she urged. "I'm not visiting you in the hospital again if you don't wear it," she sulked, staring back at him with that moody expression of her. Her body language screamed that she was intent and ready to argue about it if the need came to be.

He nodded and put the helmet back on. He'd do it for her. He looked ridiculous, though.

"It'll be fine." She muttered under her breath, leaning forward as she wrapped her arms around his waist. Honestly, she didn't care much about his appearance since everything about him screamed odd. So, what would the big different be with the helmet? Sure, it was black with a few streaks of red flames, but the bright yellow thirteen made her smirk a little. She wasn't sure, but she would have rather the helmet took the hit over having to pick him up off the sidewalk. Especially after their streak of bad luck.