Servamp: In Our Next Life

I don't regret it

Masaaki's headache hadn't gone away since the incident at the bowling alley.

He didn't know why. Usually if he took medication or just flatout slept it off it vanished without an issue.

Not this time.

He tried everything he could think of but it was still there stubbornly sometimes a mild annoyance sometimes a searing pain but always, always there at the back of his head.

It made him scared to go out. He didn't know what triggered these stupid aches- what if he collapsed on the side of the street? It was all so complicated not simple at all-

There was a knock at his door.

"Oi. Masaaki."

It was Kuro.

Masaaki'd been avoiding the vampire since the incident. It was nothing against Kuro really, it was just that the more time he spent with Kuro, the worse his headache got. He'd even collapsed again when Kuro tried to have dinner with him, his face falling flat onto the table with no warning. Since he wasn't in a great state he just lay in bed all day and locked the door.

...but there was only so much he could do when Kuro lived with him now.

"Masaaki... you're such a pain. I know you're in there. I got you some food do you want it or not?"

"Come in Kuro."

Kuro entered the room with some ramen he put on the bedside table.

Kuro!

Kuro I'm here can you feel me?!

I'll get out I'll come back I swear just wait for me! Kuro!!

In an attempt to distract himself from the suddenly intense headache Masaaki asked, "How's Sakuya?"

"I don't know- didn't check on him," Kuro replied. "You saw how he reacted to me- I really doubt he wants to talk to me. If I had to guess not very well, but he has Tsubaki to comfort him. He'll be on his feet again in like a week I'd wager."

But... I've never seen him happy... is he really gonna be on his feet again?

Simplest thing to do is keep trying! If I get outta here I can talk to Sakuya myself and find out what's wrong!

Hold on! Sakuya I'm nearly there hold on for just a little longer!!

"That's great," Masaaki muttered, rolling over and turning his back so Kuro didn't see a shadow of his pain. "That's... good..."

Kuro flinched sitting at the bedside with his back to Masaaki so he didn't have to see. It just... felt so much like...

"Mahiru. Shouldn't you be getting ready for school...?"

"...how are your injuries doing?"

"I'm all healed up now... I am a vampire after all."

"Yup. You are in fact... a vampire..."

"Do you regret taking me in? Is that what this is all about?"

"Shut up."

"...of course you do..."

Kuro didn't know it but the same voices swirled in Masaaki's head- almost. Instead of the conclusion of regret that finished Kuro's memory the voice was murmuring...

"I don't regret taking you in. I just... don't know what I'm supposed to do."

I know exactly what I need to do!