Chapter Text
Browsing the aisles of the 7/11, Tsukasa found himself at a loss. He’d originally gone to the convenience store to grab a snack for himself really quickly, when Saki intercepted him in the living room and asked for snacks as well. Tsukasa didn’t mind at all, it was his sister and he would do pretty much anything to see her smile.
The problem was that he didn’t know what snack to get her.
She was very simple when it came to snacks… As long as it was a snack, she would eat. But now Tsukasa stood in front of the snack aisles with a dumbfounded look on his face, counting at least a hundred different types of snacks.
“I should send her a quick message.” he thought out-loud.
As he typed the message, he heard the front door of the 7/11 open. Previously, he was alone, given that it tended to be pretty empty at 2 AM. He faintly turned his head towards the door, peeking at the newcomer. A young man, human most likely, stepped in and looked around, not noticing Tsukasa in the aisle right in front of the door.
Tsukasa didn’t pay much attention to him, only catching a glimpse of his violet hair before he turned back to his phone screen as he typed the message for his sister.
>> “Do you have any cravings for any snacks? Or should I pick at my own discretion? :’0”
Having sent the message, Tsukasa pocketed his phone as he waited for her to answer. He had no rush.
The only people in the 7/11 were the workers, one at the front and one at the back, and the previous guy who entered, three aisles over. It wasn’t surprising that it was so empty, it was really late in the night, and he was sure he was just as weird as anyone who came to a 7/11 at night.
He grabbed a pack of ginger hard candy for himself, and browsed the other aisles as he waited for Saki to text him back. The store had no music playing, just the buzzing of the fluorescent lights, the motor sound of the fridges in the store, and the faint footsteps of the other three people minding their business.
He walked over to the beverage fridge. An assortment of sodas, juices, and other drinks on display. He could bring Saki chocolate milk as well, he knew she liked it. He didn’t quite know what to get for himself, maybe a soda, but the fizziness could be too much this late at night.
Another set of steps approached him. The guy who entered before. He stood next to Tsukasa, opening the fridge and grabbing a soda. “It’s weird, isn’t it?” said the man.
Tsukasa turned his head to look. This guy was taller, a bit lanky, with a mop of straight violet hair with specifically two teal streaks. He had an amused smile on his face.
Tsukasa looked back at the drinks. One could never be too careful about strangers this late in the night. Even if the guy seemed to be human, there was never a confirmation that he wasn’t a sorcerer, or a shapeshifter, or a witch. He had to be careful. “What’s weird?” he asked.
“Being the only customers at 7/11.” he said, a slight chuckle leaving his lips. “It’s always curious, because only odd people would go to a 7/11 this late in the night.”
Tsukasa raised his eyebrows. He had a point, it’s always curious seeing other people late at night, especially humans, considering that the night is meant for sleep. Tsukasa never thought about it, though, he simply went about his business. “Are you implying that I’m odd?”
The man chuckled again, his amused smile still on his lips. “I'm just saying, it’s a curious thing.” he looked at Tsukasa once again. Tsukasa, feeling him stare at the side of his face, looked back. His eyes were yellow, like those of a cat. “Like there’s a sense of solidarity, don’t you think?” a pause. “I’m Rui Kamishiro.”
“I am not odd.” Tsukasa said, puffing his chest out a little. “It is not odd to want snacks late at night.”
“I apologize if my comment came off as insulting, I did not mean to insinuate that you were weird.” The man’s— Kamishiro’s voice was cheeky, but not mocking. “Simply making an observation.”
Tsukasa let the tension of his shoulders leave, “My name is Tsukasa Tenma.” Tsukasa gave him a short nod in greeting. It was weird to meet new people at a 7/11, or at least people who talked to you, but Tsukasa had been in weirder situations before. “And why are you at the convenience store this late at night?”
Kamishiro smiled. “I’m working right now, actually.” he looked back towards the fridge. “Stopped by to grab a snack before I had to go back out.”
“You work this late at night?” Tsukasa asked. It wasn’t strange for people to work late at night, but someone this young normally wasn’t out unless they were a student at some sort of university.
“It’s a special kind of profession.” Kamishiro didn’t elaborate. “Are you working as well?”
“I’m a night student.” Tsukasa said, shrugging. “Left my classes and now I’m grabbing some snacks for my sister and I before I have to go back home.”
“Oh,” Kamishiro looked at him, now with concern framing his expression. “I doubt most of the train stations are open this late, will you be safe?”
Tsukasa smiled proudly, now that was something he was more than sure of. “Of course I will! I know l how to defend myself against assailants.”
“There have been vampire sightings around this area recently.” Kamishiro said the newfound seriousness in his tone made Tsukasa’s thoughts halt. Vampire sightings? He hadn’t heard anything of the sort.
“Rogue vampires?” Tsukasa asked, looking from the fridge, drinks forgotten. “I hadn’t heard about that?”
“I think it would be better if you had company, and stayed in a more public place” Rui was worried, Tsukasa could deduce that much from his expression and his tone. He didn’t mean ill will. “Maybe to the plaza? I know some businesses that are still open.”
Tsukasa really didn’t need the escort, he was more than fine protecting himself, but he also didn’t want to leave Kamishiro worried if he didn’t know if Tsukasa was fine. Tsukasa could do this, to calm the worry in Kamishiro’s heart.
Tsukasa nodded. “I have no problem with that, I have to pass through the plaza to go to my house.” he took his phone out of pocket, checking if Saki had answered the previous text message.
>> “Pocky please! Strawberry flavor!! (*≧∀≦*)!! <<3”
Tsukasa looked back at Kamishiro. “Let me pay for this, I have nowhere else to be.”
Kamishiro smiled, but now his eyes shifted constantly to the outside street. The darkness, illuminated but a few street lamps, would not look promising to any human. If there was truly a rogue vampire wandering the streets, then Tsukasa could be better off being accompanied by Kamishiro.
Walking to the counter in silence also added to the tenseness of the situation. Kamishiro kept looking towards the door, to the parking lot outside, back to Tsukasa, and back to the door.
“Are you worried we might get attacked by the rogue vampire?” Tsukasa asked, taking out his card to pay as the cashier bagged his snacks. Kamishiro looked over at Tsukasa, a proud smile appearing on his lips.
“I’m not worried about the vampire,” he said, placing his hands on the back pockets of his pants. “Just the innocent people who may be walking around at night. Such a shame that nights like these are plagued by dangers.”
Tsukasa hummed, he agreed. He hadn’t heard anything about a rogue vampire in the city, much less in the area. Maybe there hadn’t been any fatal victims yet, but it was only a matter of time before there was a casualty.
With a quick goodbye from the cashier, and Tsukasa’s snacks in his bag, they walked out of the 7/11.
The night was cold. A sharp, stinging breeze hit Tsukasa in the face, he pulled his scarf up to his nose and rubbed it. He hated cold nights, they tended to freeze him. “I hate cold nights.” Tsukasa muttered, putting his hands on the pockets of his coat.
Kamishiro laughed, his hands still in back pockets, his clothing thin, as if he wasn’t affected by the cold. “It’s barely fall, the true cold months have not reached us yet.”
Tsukasa shrugged. “It’s still cold,” he said, straightening his posture. He looked into the dark night, it was eerily empty. “Where did you hear about the rogue vampire?” Tsukasa asked. The question had been nagging at the back of his head. Rogue vampires were becoming more common, which was worrying to everyone, and usually their appearances were documented as soon as there was a casualty… Had someone died and Tsukasa did not hear about it?
Kamishiro shrugged, his eyes looking down the road as well. He started walking. “I’m always careful about these things. Come on, the sooner we get to a more crowded area, the safer we’ll be.”
Tsukasa walked right behind him, jogging to catch up to Kamishiro. The roads were too empty for his liking. “Rogue vampires don’t attack people in pairs, we should be safe.” Tsukasa said. He knew the way to the plaza as well, he didn’t need to be guided.
“Some vampires are too feral,” Kamishiro said, a seriousness in his voice that Tsukasa had not heard back at the 7/11. “One can never be too careful.” His tone, sharp and determined, stopped Tsukasa’s train of thought. Did Kamishiro think he could take on a rogue vampire in a fight? Vampires were strong, fast, with reflexes faster than light, it was superhuman. As far as Tsukasa could tell, Rui was human. No match for a feral rogue vampire.
“Even so, I doubt the rogue vampire will dare show its face.” he stood proud as well. He knew they weren’t going to get attacked, or, well, he thought he knew. Some sort of gut feeling.
“Well,” Kamishiro looked over to Tsukasa, smiling. “Let’s hurry to the plaza so you can eat your snacks.”
Tsukasa smiled, but as soon as the feeling of safety filled him, a new, sharper sense of danger woke in the back of his head. A vibration. Danger. Danger.
Behind them.
The rogue vampire jumped from behind, being probably smart enough to plan a surprise attack from behind. “Careful!” Tsukasa yelled as he tackled Rui out of the way, and the rogue vampire flew past them in the middle of its momentum.
They managed to keep their balance, Tsukasa tried to hold an arm in front of Rui. Rogue vampires were dangerous. They were animalistic, focusing only on survival, on eating whatever they could get their hands on. If they didn’t find a way to neutralize it, then it could easily—
“Stand back, Tsukasa,” said Rui, gently pushing Tsukasa out of the way. Rui stood straight up, not an ounce of fear in his stance as he stepped forward. “You’re safe, I know how to deal with these creatures.”
Tsukasa did not expect to see what happened next. He had heard of alchemists before, people who could manipulate the laws of the world, capable of breaking down items and formulas down to their single components, only to build them back up again. Kamishiro extended his right hand forward, and a silver ring that Tsukasa hadn’t noticed before, started glowing, and in a split second, it became a scepter in Rui’s hands. It was sleek, with a gem of amber at its top.
The rogue vampire, still regaining its footing from the awful fall from before, growled at them. Its eyes were a sick shade of purple, its hands and claws bleeding the gross liquid that was rotten vampire blood. It was an awful sight, Tsukasa wanted to look away.
Rui pointed his scepter towards the vampire, and a bright light illuminated the entire street. It was so bright, it had to be supernatural. It was no simple blinding device… No, this was the light of the sun. Pure light from the sun emanated from the scepter in Rui’s hands. It was quick, short lived, but during that moment, it felt as if it was day.
The next sound was the scream of agony from the vampire. Sunlight was harmful to vampires, and a bright light straight from the sun would be enough to incapacitate any vampire, even vampires higher up in the food chain.
Tsukasa took a step back in fear of such a creation. Bringing the sun into the night, where the creatures of the dark were meant to feel free to roam.
“It’s blinded.” Rui spoke, twirling the scepter to hold it at his side, his yellow eyes not leaving the form of the vampire. “You should run. I don’t know if I will need to blind it again, it could attack at any moment.”
“I will not leave!” Tsukasa exclaimed. He knew now that he couldn’t fight against the vampire, not if Rui was the one fighting it. But he couldn’t leave Rui with a rogue vampire like this; Tsukasa didn’t know the intricacies of this scepter, and if the vampire recovered, who was to say Rui could fight him in melee combat? “The vampire is blinded, but for how long? Can you fight it!?”
Rui took a firm step towards the pained, flailing form of the vampire. It was growling, hissing. Tsukasa could see it become more and more aggressive by the minute, by the second. “I train for this, you’re in safe hands, Tsukasa.”
Trained for this. Tsukasa let out a small, scared gasp.
Rui was a vampire hunter.
Tsukasa had heard of those before, but he had never met one before, much less had the chance to see one in action, to analyze how they take down the vampires.
Rui got close to the vampire, who, while still being blinded, could still react to movement and sound. The vampire lashed forward with its claws at Rui, but the hunter simply stepped to the side unbothered, the vampire swung again, and again, Rui stepped to the side. Having used its swinging arms to attack and regain balance, the vampire stood once again. Still blind, but listening to the steps of the hunter, it lashed aggressively, with no exact direction except where the close sound of steps was coming from.
Rui used the bottom end of the scepter to divert the movement of the limbs lashing at him, turning the vampire on its heels, and Rui kicked it hard on the jaw, before using his own momentum to hit its side with the scepter, sending the vampire tumbling down.
It tried to stand up, but aside from being blinded, it was now disoriented. Tsukasa could only watch as Rui, who seemed more than experienced in hunting vampires, toyed with the senses of the creature. He could feel his heart pounding louder and louder in his ears as he saw the fluidity of both Rui and the vampire.
The vampire, having no sense of direction, was left scrambling for something to attack, something to eat. Rui took the opportunity to hit the vampire in the back of the head, knocking it out cold.
The body of the vampire fell limp on the floor, it twitched and bled that disgusting black ooze of what was supposed to be vampire blood, but it was pretty unresponsive.
Rui quickly took out his phone, pressing his screen a few times before pocketing it back. He stood over the unconscious body of the vampire, making sure it was knocked out cold, before he turned to Tsukasa.
Rui made his way over to Tsukasa, holding him by the shoulders. “I’m sorry you had to see that, these creatures are scary… Are you okay?”
Tsukasa nodded, he couldn’t speak. It was barely five minutes. Rui managed to neutralize a feral rogue vampire in less than five minutes. The scepter in Rui’s hand was able to harness the light of the sun as a weapon against vampires. His ingenuity made it easy for him to play with the sense of direction of vampires, turning the tides of a fight in his favor. It was impressive, and so, so, so intimidating.
Rui nodded. “I’m glad.” he smiled. It was a soft smile. “Even if the threat of this vampire is gone, we should still make our way to the plaza. We don’t know if more of them are hiding.” He did something good, he protected Tsukasa from the rogue vampire, did he not?
It was the job of the vampire hunters, to exterminate any rogue vampire they could get their hands on so they could make the night safer for humans, who were normally the food of choice for the vampires.
But as they walked over to the plaza, Tsukasa couldn’t help the tenseness in his shoulders, as he made sure to hide his own fangs from the hunter next to him.