Don't Fear The Reaper

Part 1

"Wanna go on a date with me?"

"Huh?"

***

He knows this man. The famous Kentaro Kyoushi. Kind of a legend, actually. Tsukki has heard of him nearly since he had his first bite. His sire, holding their catch, so she won't be able to get away, looked at how messy was the young vampire and sighed.

"You gotta be more careful with the process, Tsukki," he chucked at the scowl. Tsukki knew this tone, he hated to be mentored. "See, you've got the blood all over your clothes. On your shoes, behind your," Ran ran his finger on the smudge, and sucked the dark liquid from it, "Ear even."

He clicked his tongue. "The accuracy is the way to the long... Well, I can't call this life... Existence..."

Tsukki felt like the blood in his mouth suddenly became sour instead of precious metallic, lingering on every taste bud with a hint of Rosè the woman drank for her dinner, sensation. When Ran took this tone, Tsukki felt like he was back at university. He had this economics professor, Hanagaki-san. The way he held the lecture - you may think he, himself, was responsible for the markets to exist and moving its invisible hand by his own, plump and meaty, short fingers not able even to get a proper grip on the mic he was holding to enhance his voice. So yes, when Ran started to teach him life, Tsukki always wanted to stick earphone buds in. He was only half-listening when a certain name appeared in his sire's speech.

"... The youngest of them, but dangerous nevertheless. Kyoushi is from the vampire hunters family. His mom and dad trained him..."

"Mom? Was she the hunter as well?"

It's not a surprise when a woman becomes a vampire hunter. But a couple... Who made their kid a hunter as well... Now Tsukki was curious.

"Tell me more," he wiped the remains of the blood from his lips.

***

"I just asked you out." Tsukki only stared silently, bulging eyes on the raven-haired man in front of him and squirming uncomfortably in a squishy armchair.

"Date?" He finally managed.

"Yeah. You know, we can grab a coffee or something..."

He gotta be kidding. He wants to kill him, right? Tsukki was really careful not to give away his identity amongst the crowd. No one has ever guessed he's not a human anymore. But this one is a hunter. Has he seen through Tsukki's disguises?

A shiver ran down the spine. If he could sweat like a normal person, his palms would definitely dampen the tissue he was holding. Sometimes vampire nature helps to hide the reactions. But not entirely.

"So," the brunette wiggled the brows. "Will you?"

"Uhh, sorry, but I have a girlfriend," Tsukki mumbles, tearing the poor tissue to the perfect impersonation of snowfall. Damn, even the armchair he was sitting in could play it with more confidence.

"Are you sure?"

Why the fuck he's still here? Can't he take "no" as an answer?

"Cause I can't see anyone by your side - Oh, sorry -" Kyoushi rushed, seeing souring as fast as the beat around Tsukki's face. "I didn't mean to be rude or offend you, I just assumed you're here on your own and open to dates."

Okay. He's either a great actor or this innocent guilty puppy look is absolutely sincere. Tsukki would rather take the first. If his heart could beat, it would be heard in Osaka right now. Who would've thought his Halloween night out would turn into a living horror? Ran always told that's the safest time of the year. Looks like Tsukki's personal god of luck decided to have a nap when Kentaro Kyoushi's gaze was scanning the room full of students in costumes.