The Vampire's Last Omega

Zodiac

"I wasn't expecting this sort of place from you," Kieran pondered, staring at the empty tray that once held an extra-large New York-styled pizza. The restaurant was located in the middle of downtown, between the skyscrapers and taxi-jammed streets.

Blaise shrugged. "Sometimes I want to roleplay and be a middle-class vampire who can't afford steak and wine every day. I haven't had pizza in decades. When was the last time for you?"

"Before the first trumpet, I believe."

Blaise turned to Teru, who barely uttered a word since the awkward exchange on the pier. "Don't like mushrooms, eh?"

Several fleshy fungus bodies were discarded to the side of his plate. "No. They sort of...remind me of someone. Can I have more without them, though?" Teru loved trying pizza for the first time because he hadn't tried anything like it! The two vampires told him New York pizza was famously known for its huge, thin slices that required you to fold it in your hand. If you wanted to go sacrilegious and be made fun of by the locals, you could use a knife and fork. Many couldn't finish ‌three in one sitting.

Kieran frowned. "More? You've already had four pieces. The grease will upset your stomach later."

After seeing Teru's dejected look, Kieran told the server, "Two cheese pies to go."

She was flustered when Pride put the order in himself, knowing what he did to Envy months ago thanks to the online video taken by his sister. The shame of being publically stoned was long forgotten, replaced with fear and respect for him.

"Y-yes, Prince," and scurried away to the kitchen.

Blaise snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot!" He rummaged through one of the shopping bags and pulled out a small box. It had a red bow wrapped around the middle. After placing it on the table in front of the birthday boy, Kieran nudged it away like it was contaminated. Apparently, he already knew the contents. Teru's interest piqued, wishing he could open the white cube instead.

"Tsk," his tongue clicked. "Besides human packs, you are the only one I know who lives like the Stone Age. Aquarius people are supposed to be progressive and innovative in technology. At least you show it through your coldness, random bursts of anger, and deluded conviction that you're always right."

"Since when were you into zodiacs like Gluttony?" Kieran's eyes glared at his sarcasm.

"Today, in fact. I was reading about them while you were knuckle-deep in your mate's juicy-"

"Don't," Kieran warned. These two were bickering like petty brothers!

Teru, wanting this to stop, was lost. "What's a zodiac?"

Blaise gave up trying to get Kieran to open the birthday gift. As the old saying goes, you can guide a horse to a watering hole, but you can't make it drink. He took back the box and focused on undoing the ribbon himself, since his headstrong brother would not do it. "You know, your astrological sign. Whatever constellation the sun was passing through when you were born." His burnt orange fingernails couldn't loosen the bow's knot. "Lovely. I made it too tight," he mumbled.

"Constellations are shapes the stars make, like animals and people," Kieran whispered to him, knowing Teru wouldn't know what that term was, either. Humans who lived wildly had their own imagined objects and creatures in the sky to help them navigate the terrain at night. It was nice to have a word for those now. "Some believe your zodiac can foretell your personality, the good and the bad."

"Then what's mine?"

"What's your birthday?" Blaise asked, finally getting the bow off. He grumbled at his chipped nail color.