in reality, he doesn't have any ― at least not when it comes to the human next door, who he's been keeping watch over like the past few weeks like a school girl with a crush.

as much as it would pain him to admit it (he was someone who believed in rationality and logic, and feelings like love and crushes were not part of his not-that-he-would-admit-is-flawed logic), he was head over heels, and had fallen in love at the first sight.

which lead him to where he was now, watching over you as feed the neighborhood strays, as they run and curl up next to you for pats and roll around in weird ways that make you laugh.

he feels his heart skip a few beats, and it makes him worried that he's falling too hard (you already have, his mind whispers at him, but he pointedly chooses to ignore it).

he continues to keep watch, until you reach home with little to no issues (he did it seeing as how it was late at night, and that meant more activity from mischievous supernaturals), and he's just about to go away, content with having made sure that you were safe and sound, when you turn around and look at him straight in the eye (even as he hides and blends in the night in his black cat form).

“well, i need to thank you for keeping watch over me for a while now, but if you wanted my attention, you could always come talk to me in your human form, neighbour.”

the first time he hears you speak to him directly has him falling harder into the abyss of love and adoration, but your words only click with him when you're long gone ― and he finds himself grinning, hard.

maybe there isn't going to be a lot of explaining about why he can turn both into a cat and a human as he initially thought there was going to be.

he'll take you up on that offer, he decides, as he shows up the next day in his human form ― and turned quite the few heads, leaving him more than confident enough in facing you.

as he stands outside your door, he falters in his steps ― how would he let you know that this was his human form? should he meow at you? should he shift in front of you? what was he supposed to do?

as he's lost in his thoughts, he hears the sound of your door creaking open too late, and before he can say anything, you give him the most smug smirk he's ever seen on a person (that is, other than marius, the sneaky little devil).

“i see you've decided to take up my offer, dear neighbour.”

he's taken aback, but doesn't show it, as years of blending in amongst humans has made his acting and resting face almost impeccably perfect ― one that seems extremely hard to decipher, unless he lets you do so, to pry into what makes him, him.

he responds with an equally smug tone, although it's hidden amongst his calm demeanor and you don't quite notice it anyway, because his twinkling amber eyes have you distracted.

“your offer was quite the tempting one, you see, and how could i refuse any opportunity to know my latest acquaintance some more?”

“seems that you know quite enough from your time shifting,” you quip back, teasingly raising your eyebrow at him, and he knows that it was a good choice to accept your proposal.

“then can i take it as that you know what i am, too?”

“i do, i suppose.”

“oh, and what could i be, human?”

“a vampire.”

he blinks in visible astonishment at you, surprised that you got it right at the first try. was he really that obvious? maybe he wasn't as good at acting like a human as he thought he was.

“oh, i got it right? i was just random guessing, but who knows it'd turn out to be true.”

he hears you mumble the second part of your sentence under your breath, and chuckles softly. you seem to have realised that he's heard you, as a soft colour flushes through your skin.

“it appears quite so that you would make a truly excellent companion at a quiz.”

he watches you blush harder at his teasing. a part of him wants to continue to tease, to continue to fluster you further, but he holds back, both to rein in himself and to spare you what could be further embarrassment.

the day passes far too quick, and he learns far too little about you ― at least, according to his liking.

you were a teacher at the very same place where marius's contractor (and significant other, his mind supplies) studies ― and you were the very same, extremely interesting human, that marius told the rest of the nxx about ― your curiosity in the supernatural had piqued his interest, and he was very happy that it was you who had him running around so illogically (at least, according to him).

as you part ways with him, he feels a need to reach out, and to ask you to spend some more time with him, to tell him more about yourself ― but he stops.

he only gives you an enigmatic smile as he moves on, although his eyes that seem to burn like liquid gold, hold silent promises of a next time, and the next time after.

he feels greedy for the first time in a long, long while.

it seemed that his self-restraint always flew out of the window whenever it came to you, and only you. He wanted more, and more, and more than he thought could ever have, and frankly, it appeared that he would soon be more and more avaricious when it was about you.

he'd have to do something about that, given that he's supposed to be a part of the undead.

but look at him, nearly the avatar of greed.

vyn richter does not get jealous.

or so he tries to convince himself.

as he watches you interact with that other teacher, who oh-so-clearly has a crush on you, very much visible from her constant teasing and flirting that's directed towards you.

(oh, and he's a teacher alongside you. he showed up one day as part of the new faculty, nearly giving you a heart attack ― but he's a great teacher, and you're pretty sure at least half the student population has a crush on him.)

he watches you flush and laugh at whatever she says, and a twisted feeling makes itself home in his chest ― he feels it wrap around his very being, twisting and constricting him as his chest tightens.

jealousy, his mind says. you're burning in jealousy, because you can't do what she can do, because you don't have the courage to act on your feelings like she can.

no, he whispers right back. i'm not jealous. they're just talking with each other.

the voice in his head only tuts at him, before retreating to the depths of his consciousness.

before he can move forward and do something about his unprecedented feelings (or so he thinks) ― he hears a few students call out to him, and they take up his attention for the remainder of time, even as he tries to keep an eye on you amongst the crowd.

when he's finally done, and the students move away with warm smiles of 'thank you, professor richter!' or 'i'll make sure to come by if i need help with something else, professor!', you're gone and out of sight.

he glances around, before sighing to himself.

“what's the big sigh for, professor richter?”

and lo and behold, just as he was thinking about making his way around campus to find you, it turns out that you found him first.

you stand right behind him, lips curled up in that charming grin that always has him falling over and over again (he'd never admit it, again), leaning on the doorframe of the entrance to his classroom as your eyes stealthily follow every movement of his.

“nothing to worry about. it's just that the kids are really energetic, but their enthusiasm is welcomed, although it does drain me out.”

you nod in understanding at his answer, before gesturing at him to follow you.

he tilts his head, confused at your actions, but then he notices your captivating hues light up, with what he assumes to be, mischief.

“students bunk classes all the time, so would it really hurt a little if a professor or two did it too?”

he stares at you for a moment, trying to process what he just heard, and really, it makes you want to die of embarrassment. then, he laughs.

he laughs, so hard that there's tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.

“sure, i would love to accompany you, but really, you can't say that considering the fact that the working day is already over, can you?”

he watches you flush again. huffing, you turn away from him.

“just shut up and let me treat you to a good meal, you damn vampire. i'll spray salt all around my house if you keep this up, you know.”

he laughs once again, but refrains from teasing you further.

“all right, lead the way, then.”

really, really, you've got him wrapped around your finger, and well, he doesn't mind.

after all, you make him feel things that he thought he'd never feel again.

vyn richter has an epiphany.

maybe he should stop trying to lie to himself.

vyn richter has almost always found himself on the receiving end of peoples' affection over the years that he's lived, be it for his good looks or for his wealth. there's never really a dearth of people looking for an opportunity to have a piece of him, but he's learnt to ignore them all.

because after all, humans are the most selfish creatures of all. but, it is in this ability to feel emotions that gives them a beauty like no other, and sometimes, just sometimes, he wishes that he could be human again.

to feel his heart beat again, to feel the now frozen blood in his veins thrum with the echoes of life once again, to have his emotions crumble his very being, to feel his very own warmth, but alas, he's unable to have it.

that is, until, he met you.

you, whose warmth just radiates off of your being like the sun, and you, whose ability to get along with supernaturals like it was second nature, and you were, but one of them.

marius's mentioning of your curiosity in and about the unknown and the unseen had piqued his own into you, and truly, he can never forget the first time that he saw you.

because for the first time in a long, long while, he felt his heart thrum in rapid beats, leaving him breathless, and the liquid life in his veins burst alive like an explosion, and he knew ― he knew at that moment, that no one else but you, would be the one for him.

no one but you, who he could fall in love with, and devote his entire being to. the time he's spent with you, as he watches you smile at him in that bright, blinding way you do, and the way your affection burns through him and brings him back to an era long gone, only convincing him further.

and so, vyn richter decides.

that, maybe, he'll let himself fall and indulge himself this once.

because, there is no greater beauty, than the beauty that is love with true, deep affection.

vyn richter wants to spend the rest of his life with you.

this time, he agrees wholeheartedly.

it's a late evening, closer to dusk, when you call him out for one of your regular excursions that have now become second routine to him.

as he walks his way to the location that you'd sent him, he takes the quiet and solitude to look back at how far he's come.

it's been a long, long time since he's turned, and since he's found people he can keep close to him, but it doesn't really matter to him. not anymore, now that you're here to brighten his cloudy days.

the closer he gets to you, the more he feels it ― warmth blooming through his chest, crawling up and into his blood, setting him aflame from the inside, in a way that just screams that he's alive.

he sees you wave at him as he comes into your line of sight, and he hardens his resolve.

to tell you of the way he feels, and of his wish to spend his time with you.

you give him a small smile when he finally, finally reaches you, and he reciprocates with one of his own.

but, then he notices. it's not one of your usual happy smiles, and he finds himself frowning at the thought of something bothering you enough to take away your brilliant self.

and of course, you notice the smallest of changes in his expressions, as you always do with the tiniest of things about him (and he feels himself fall deeper, deeper into this abyss everytime you do, and he never wants to come out of it), and sigh deeply.

“i'm sorry for calling you out on such short notice, but thank you for coming ―”

he feels the nervousness roll off you, instead of the usual happiness with that twinge of mischief, and he feels some things that he hasn't felt in a long time crawl up his being.

fear and anxiety.

but he shakes it off, in favour of listening to you, and not the what ifs? his mind keeps conjuring about the worst of scenarios that could possibly happen.

“i've got something to tell you.”

he nearly feels his heart stop in his chest (and he forgets for a moment that it was nigh impossible for it to happen, since it stopped beating a long, long time ago), but keeps his composure.

“vyn richter, i ―”

he holds his breath, ready for to hear anything and bear the consequences of it, but a part of him wants to oppose it, and he shuts it down.

“i'm in love with you.”

he blinks. once, twice. as of he's unable to believe what he's heard, because he really can't and it all seems like a cruel joke that his mind's made up ―

“what did you just say?”

he hears you sigh, and you begin to speak again.

“i'm in love with you, vyn. have been since the day i first saw you.”

so he really did hear it right. and then, he feels relief washing over him, and he can't help but want to hear it again and again and again.

“once more.”

“what?”

“say it once more.”

“what? that i'm in love with you?”

“yes,” he says, breathless.

“fine,” you drawl out, embarrassed for a reason unknown to you.

“vyn richter, i am so, so in love with you, to the point that i want to spend the rest of my time with you, and i want to be your happiest memory.”

he smiles, and it's not that charming, enigmatic smile he gives everybody else ― this one's genuine, and you know from the way his eyes crinkle a little.

“i love you too.”

then, you smile too, and soon enough, the two of you are laughing for a reason that neither of you know, but really, he swears, he's never been this happy.

as he calms down, he finally, finally, finds his courage to ask you, but you beat him to it once again.

“can i kiss you?”

and all he can do is nod, because he doesn't trust himself at the moment, not to say something that'll ruin this precious little moment.

kissing you is an explosion of emotion, and all he wants is to feel it again, all over again, like it was the first time, and soon enough, one of his hands is threading through your hair, and the other pulling you close, closer than he thought would be possible.

he never wants to let go of you, but he reluctantly does so, because you are human, and humans need to breathe.

you smile at him, the one he loves so, so much and he can't help but want to kiss you again.

so, he does, and joy bursts through every fibre of his being when you respond with equal fervour and enthusiasm. it's only when he feels you tapping at his shoulder, that he pulls away.

“now that we've established how we feel about each other, there's something else i need to tell you about.”

he listens with rapt attention, not wanting to miss anything.

“make a blood bond with me.”

and for the second time that evening, vyn richter is left stupefied, because the person he loves now (and the fact that he just found out a few minutes ago) wants to have the vampire equivalent of a demon contract (and the human equivalent of an engagement) now?

“are you sure?”

he's happy, he really is, but he wants to make sure that this is what you really, really want.

“i am.”

he searches your face and body language for any sign of hesitation, but when he doesn't find any, he finally agrees.

he kisses you once again, and slowly moves his way towards your neck. his touch his feather-light, and he handles you like you are someone made of glass, someone that will shatter at just the wrong touch.

when he finally, finally sinks his fangs into you, and the taste of you tumbles into his mouth, he feels a closer, deeper, bond forge itself between him and you, and he can't find it in himself to complain.

not when he finds himself getting addicted to the feeling of you, the taste of you and you in your entire being.

he pulls away slowly, so as to not hurt you, and a small marking manifests onto your skin, at the very place he bit you.

he finds himself strangely proud, and you look the happiest he's seen you.

“please, do know that i'm never letting you go now.”

you laugh, and it's music to his ears.

“would never dream of it, and it's more like you're stuck with me.”

yeah, he really wouldn't mind that, not one bit, and vyn knows that he's made the right decision.

you were, are and will always be the one for him.

“so, when are we holding our wedding?”

“oh, shut up and kiss me first, and then take me out on a date, we'll think about it afterwards, human.”

“your wish is my command, but we're definitely inviting my students to the wedding.”

he ends up kissing you to shut you up himself.

yeah, he definitely wouldn't mind spending his eternity with you.

vyn has come a long way. from being someone who has had nothing, to someone who has everything, and the reason for it all, is you. you and your brilliantly wonderful self, you're the one who his heart yearns for.

and he would never, ever, have it any other way.

✦ notes; holy that is long ― but i hope you enjoy it! i certainly did writing it, and i hope you will too, reading it! now to write that android artem fic ―

take care of yourself and remember to take breaks <3

― rine

© 2022 rine @artemstellation. do not plagarize or repost without due permission.