The Strict Leader

      He accepts the second cube, admittedly impressed by the quality of the medicine and can’t help but wonder how it was prepared, what sort of ingredients went into it… but there are some things that are better left unknown, like how your colleague is an actual vampire. They say that ignorance is bliss, and maybe, just maybe, Kuro would’ve been content to remain ignorant… not that he’d be able to for any longer. 

      “ It’s alright, Danna. I’m sure it’ll come to light eventually. ” He notices Keito’s eyes shift towards the door upon being asked that question, and while he’s able to pick up on the answer from that relatively quickly, he refrains from commenting on it, opting to give a knowing nod instead and leaving it at that.

      “ …Yeah, I’m still reelin’ from everything, so I oughta sleep it off some more. I’ll be up and at ‘em before you know it. ” He still manages a little grin, trying to maintain his usual disposition despite his weakened state, but he responds in a similarly solemn manner once they discuss Rei’s accountability for the incident. 

      “ …That’s all that matters in the end to me, really. The fact that he’s ownin’ up to it is enough. …Not that I’m any less messed up by what happened, but it’s just gonna take a while to process. Once I hear the entire story from him, only then can it be settled. ”  There’s no hostility in his tone, but he’s firm in his resolve to know the truth, having resigned himself to having his entire perspective of the world changed forever. 

      It’s a lot to process, and he feels it weigh upon him both mentally and physically, as his body begins to force him to rest after he’s strained himself to stay awake. He can feel himself drifting off, struggling to keep his eyes open as his eyelids feel heavier by the minute, before he finally lets out a big yawn, unable to fight it any longer. 

      “ Welp, guess that’s a sign I should just go back to sleep, seein’ as I can’t do much else. …Thanks again, Hasumi. Sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused ya… wouldn’t be the first time, probably won’t be the last but… I’m grateful you’re still lookin’ out for us. ” 

Kuro had been quick to accept his words, just content with receiving promises for the time being, although Keito couldn't blame him for not being too inquisitive, especially since Kuro ate the second jelly cube. Rei had explained prior that the medicine would most likely lull him to sleep as part of its effects, and it was quicker to come than Keito had expected.

"I suppose that sleep is the best thing to do now." Keito nodded in agreement, closing the lunchbox, and then moved to place it onto Kuro's bedside. "I'll leave the medicine here so you can take one once you wake."

Getting up from his seat so he could tuck his friend in, Keito then scoffed at Kuro's sleepy comments. "Oh, come off it; someone would have to keep an eye on all you dunces! Incorrigible..." Despite the insult, there wasn't any malice nor anger in it. Keito's stern expression then softened a bit.

"Rest well, Kiryu; I'll return to check up on you again later."

-----

      “ Ah- ” Caught off-guard by the question being redirected at him, Tetora realizes that he probably should’ve thought it through a bit more. ‘ That’s what I’m asking you! ’ is what he wanted to say, but for once, his brain-to-mouth filter actually worked, if only because he’s more self-conscious about his behavior around the strict leader of Akatsuki. 

      “ Uh… How do I put this? ” ‘ Man, if Hiiro were here, he’d probably just bluntly say ‘there’s the smell of blood in the dojo’ wouldn’t he? But how do I say that without coming across as suspicious? ’ He does manage to collect himself however, and finds a way to phrase what he meant to say, providing proper context.

      “ A friend of mine - I mean, Hiiro-kun said he smelled something… weird, and we were wondering if there was some kinda accident? Like, we noticed that everything looked super tidied up too, so we figured it’s been taken care of and all… but we still wanna make sure everything’s alright. ”

      “ …’specially ‘cause I was worried Taishou might’ve gotten caught up in something ‘cause he wasn’t responding to my texts, but if he’s just resting ‘cause he’s not feeling well, then I won’t be a bother and be on my way so he can recuperate! ” 

Keito's very much just running circles around Tetora's brain now, all to keep a potentially dangerous truth. Not that he had any malicious intent towards his junior, but he couldn't readily trust just about anyone with it. So, with a heavy heart for having to trick an innocent child, Keito kept his strict, rigid mask on, his piercing green eyes trained straight at Tetora through the cold lenses of his glasses, seeing as that stance of his was making Tetora anxious, anything to distract him from asking any further.

Still, Tetora was able to give Keito information he didn't ask for. 'By 'Hiiro-kun', the boy must mean the younger Amagi...' Just the thought of that name was enough to knot Keito's eyebrows into a frown. How could a diligent boy like Hiiro be related to someone like Rinne...

On the other hand, the information also told Keito that Rei would have to be even more careful with handling blood in the future, if they have someone else with a keen sense of smell around. Hiiro would prove to be difficult to fool if he could still catch the scent of blood even if they've used all the most potent cleaning agents in the world!

"I see..." Keito hummed thoughtfully, quickly thinking of an answer he'd hoped would be convincing enough. "That sounds plausible. There was a problem involving rodents last Summer...That might be a possible cause...And, Kiryu must've called for someone to clean the dojo in his stead."

      “ Well, that’s unique… ” He raises a curious brow upon being offered the cube, which was unlike anything he’s ever seen before when it came to herbal medicine… but then again, supplements take various shapes and colors nowadays, so he doesn’t think much of it and accepts it graciously, allowing it to dissolve in his mouth as instructed. He expects it to taste bitter, and while it did have a faint metallic taste that’s characteristic of iron supplements, it’s masked by the taste of fruit, almost as if he’s eating a fruit-flavored jelly instead of medicine. 

      He swallows what’s left of the medicine, listening intently to Keito’s explanation. While he appreciates the transparency from him, he can’t say he’s surprised that there’s only so much Keito can tell him either, and quietly sighs along with him in resignation. 

      “ I appreciate it, Danna. I really do, but I understand where you’re comin’ from so I ain’t gonna pry too much… ‘cause you’re right, it’d be better to hear it from the guy himself. …Where is he right now anyway? ” He didn’t suspect that Rei is actually waiting right outside the door as they speak. “ I ain’t sure how I’ll react if I see ‘im but… we all gotta talk, ‘cause I won’t be able to rest ‘til I hear your sides of the story. ”

"It is; it's...one of a kind, to put things simply." Keito nodded in agreement as he'd also gotten to sample the 'Sakuma remedy' earlier. Unfortunately, Rei had fed him the very first piece of the batch: the eldritch monster octopus Rei had hand-sculpted himself. The remedy itself was effective, but, for the sake of all that are holy and pure, Rei really needed to work on bettering his presentation!

Keito waited, watching as Kuro took the offered medicine, and when the latter showed no ill reaction to it, offered him another jelly cube as a follow up.

"I'm sorry, Kiryu; you deserve to know the truth now, and yet..." Keito shook his head; no use regretting what's already happened. When asked where Rei was at the moment, Keito subconsciously glanced sideways towards the door, unintentionally giving Kuro the answer.

      “ S-Sorry! ” He didn’t realize just how much he’d been running around, and quickly bows his head in an apologetic manner before facing Keito again, distress evident in his expression and frantic manner of speech. However, he does buy Keito’s half-lie, and all tension seems to be released from his body at once as he lets out a heavy sigh of relief and laughs. 

      “ Ahaha, so that’s all it was…? Guess I was getting worked up for nothing after all, but that’s fine, as long as Taishou’s alright! ” He’s quick to bounce back to his usual enthusiastic self, bowing once again before Keito, this time in gratitude. “ Thank you, Hasumi-senpai! I’ll definitely respect Taishou’s wishes and give him some space so he can get the rest he needs. ”

      He’s about to turn to leave, but remembers one last thing he wanted to ask, not realizing how much he’s unintentionally prying into the truth of the matter, “ Er, this might sound strange but there’s something else I wanna ask… did anything happen at the dojo earlier in the day? ”

"Just don't do it again." Keito replied with a grumpy huff, fully knowing that Tetora would be running through the halls again in the future. Energetic kids, they're so cute, and he meant that both ways. But, most importantly, Tetora had actually believed his half-lie, relieving Keito of his own worries about the truth behind Kuro's disappearance getting out.

"Yes, that's all it was. Now, don't worry about him too much; he's going to feel embarrassed about it, if he knew." Keito repeated, confirming his earlier response, then lightly chuckled, and was about to dismiss Tetora when the boy turned back and asked one more question. It was enough to make Keito visibly twitch.

Why did this boy decide to be nosy today??

|| @chuuninjabyou

Just as Keito and Rei were about to head to Kuro's room, the sound of footsteps approaching them so fast was more than enough to make Rei find a quick exit to hide himself away, which turned out to be a maintenance hatch up on the ceiling. Using his newly-regained physical prowess, Rei was able to nimbly leap up and slink himself into the open hatch, waiting for the person to pass by and away.

-----

That left Keito to meet the approaching person, and as luck would have it, it was none other than Tetora, the last person Keito wanted to see right now.

"Nagumo! No running in the hallways!" Keito was quick to scold his junior, his usual scowl on his face. "Incorrigible; what am I to do with you rowdy lot..."

As to be expected, however, Tetora was looking for Kuro, and his desperation was so obvious, it hurt to see that distressed face. Keito didn't want to deceive him, but there's a secret that must be protected.

"Kiryu? He's feeling a little under the weather today, so he's retreated to his room." At least that wasn't a complete lie. "He's asked not to be disturbed for the time being."

      “ …Still ain’t feelin’ too great but nothin’ a bit more sleep can’t fix. Ain’t got much of an appetite either, sorry- ” A pained groan immediately cuts him off, making him realize that even talking itself is proving to be a strain. He acquiesces to Keito’s ‘nagging’ and lays down, knowing very well that it’s just how he is and how he shows concern. If anything, he’s grateful for it more than ever, since he took such good care of him. 

      However, as Kuro recalls the bits of conversation he picked up between Keito and Rei, he’s not about to let that go either, because a few things clicked in Kuro’s head at once, but now he needed to hear it from Keito himself.

      “ …Danna. I’m just gonna cut to the chase here. Sakuma really is a vampire, ain’t he. And you knew all along. ” While his expression is grim, his tone isn’t accusatory but rather, matter-of-fact, as if he’s trying to collect his thoughts out-loud. He then lets out a quiet sigh, as he mutters the next part, “ …not that I can complain about that, ‘cause I never would’ve believed ya if you told me… at the time, anyway. ”

      “ …But now, everythin’ just… feels surreal. Like I just… thinkin’ about it, just… ” His voice trails off, this time by mental fatigue as he closes his eyes, eyebrows in a deep crease. “ …Sorry, I think I need to rest a bit longer… ” 

      “ …but I still want you to tell me everythin’. I think I oughta know, even if this is somethin’ that’s just been between you and Sakuma… well, I’m in on it now too, whether I like it or not. ” 

It brought a great relief over Keito to see Kuro awake and talking, despite the obvious weakness that had taken over the latter. Keito let himself in, closing the door behind him, and then took a seat by Kuro's bedside, laying the bundled lunchbox on his own lap.

Meanwhile, Rei stayed outside the room, just content to use his ears to listen in for now. There's no way he could ever face Kuro casually now, not after what he'd done.

"I see. I figured as much." Keito mused as he undid the bundle. "Still, you should try and eat something; you've lost quite an amount of blood." Opening the lunchbox revealed not food, but moss-green jelly-like cubes that sparkled like gems. "I've brought...some...herbal medicine; these should help replenish the blood you've lost." He held up one, offering it to Kuro to eat. "You don't even need to chew it if you wish not to; it'll dissolve on its own."

When confronted about Rei, however, Keito's lips became pressed into a tight thin line. Of course, of course this was going to come up; no sane person wouldn't question being bitten by a vampire.

"He is." came Keito's simple reply. "And yes, I knew about it; we...did grow up together. For a time." Then he was at a loss as to what to say next. Kuro didn't have the privilege of having a vampire for a childhood friend; of course it'd be too much for him to comprehend.

Keito sighed, nodding. "I'll tell you what you want to know, Kiryu, that I promise you," he said, "but I'm telling you now; not even I know everything about Sakuma nor about his family. He'll have to answer for himself, I'm afraid."

      Kuro is finally free, but barely conscious after the encounter, wanting nothing more than to pass out right then and there. He can feel blood trickle down his neck from the fresh bite wound, forming red streaks along his skin that stained his white shirt, creating an unsettling contrast. He can’t get up on his own and has to rely on Keito’s support while he’s being tended to… but everything after that is a blur. 

      He vaguely recalls hearing a conversation between Rei and Keito, only picking up a few words that stuck out to him in particular, but nothing coherent. Without context, he understands less than he already does, the entire situation feeling too surreal… and he must’ve passed out at some point because the next thing he knows, he awakens in his own room. He doesn’t know how much time has passed, but he does know one thing - he’s alive, at least.

      It’s a slow start, but as he regains awareness, the reality that he had been attacked by a vampire starts to sink in… and that vampire was none other than Sakuma Rei, who finally showed his true colors. …No, that’s not quite right. As it turns out, his vampire ‘act’ was never really an act to begin with when it is his actual nature. Kuro’s left in stunned silence at this realization, staring at the ceiling with a blank look on his face as he’s processing everything that happened… 

      He still can’t move his body, but he’s able to tilt his head, which is when he feels the gauze on his neck, covering the area where he had been bitten. He grimaces as he recalls the experience, trying to shake off the lingering feeling of discomfort. But the longer he lays in bed, the more and more restless he gets. Where were Rei and Keito now…? Surely, things must’ve been resolved if he had been taken back to his room, right? But he still had many, many questions that needed answers, and as if on cue, he hears the door open, turning his head towards the entrance to greet his visitor with a weak, forced smile. 

      “ Yo, Danna… I’m awake. ” 

It was a mess, a big mess. Not only did Keito have to stop the bleeding---Damn vampire bites---he and Rei would also have to clean up the whole place, and then make up a story as to what had happened to Kuro. 'An accident' would probably suffice, but who can make up a story to explain the telltale bite marks on Kuro's neck? Keito would have no choice but to dress the wound himself.

And then, there's the issue with Rei. As much as Keito wanted to yell, and rant at him on the spot, there were far more important things to be taken care of. As such, Rei looked absolutely miserable already; a part of Keito wanted to feel sorry for him, but the other part of him said that it was well-deserved for being so much of a self-sacrificial twat.

"Now do you see? This is what I've been telling you about...!" Thankfully, or rather, surprisingly, Rei didn't protest; he didn't even make one of his signature childish whines. The pained look on his face was enough for Keito to know how guilty he was feeling. Still, Keito didn't stop with his lecture; he needed to get the point across. "Sakuma, I know you know that you can't live without blood, no matter how hard you try to force it. Kiryu may be such a dense meatloaf at times, but he's tough. But, what if this happened to someone else? To Shino, perhaps? Mashiro? A random stranger? Think about it!"

"Incorrigible...This could've been prevented if only you'd---Ugh! No, no; we're not done with this, Sakuma! First, we'll take care of this mess, tend to Kiryu, and then we'll talk!"

-----

As much as Keito didn't want to admit it, but Rei finally having a proper 'meal' after so long really worked wonders. Rei, now returning to his prime form, did most of the cleaning, and the lifting, making their work a little easier.

After putting the dojo back in order, and with Kuro safely tucked in his dorm room, Rei and Keito headed for the kitchen.

-----

Hours passed, Keito returned to Kuro's dorm room, carrying a packed lunch with him. Could Kuro be awake now?

It turned out that he is.

"Kiryu." Keito, relieved, returned the greeting with a curt nod before heading over to Kuro's bedside. "How are you now? Are you hungry? Oi, don't move so much; we don't know if the wounds have closed already---"

      His mind is still on high alert as he comes face-to-face with his assailant,… but Kuro’s mental fortitude begins to waver as he realizes that he can no longer resist with all his strength - because it’s gone, and he doesn’t understand why. Deprived of the ability to fight back, he’s in a position he wouldn’t wish upon anyone, but all he can do is resign himself to his fate.

Keep reading

It's just one thing after another. There's work to be done, and he's left all alone to finish it. He would've, if it weren't for an insistent feeling at the back of his mind that's stopping him from concentrating. Furthermore, Rei should've been there at the office today; they were supposed to sort through the paperwork today!

Keito shook his head in annoyance, as he made his way to the dojo. Unfortunately, as his luck would have it, the elevators were full, forcing him to use the emergency stairs. The short time he could spare to look for Kuro at the dojo had just increased.

However, as he neared the dojo, the air felt cold and heavy. The hairs at the back of his neck prickled as an ominous feeling made itself known. Uneasiness crept up his spine, and instinct was telling him to turn back and leave the area immediately.

But, instead of leaving, Keito decided to press on towards the dojo, and he was rewarded with a grisly scene.

The dojo was a mess, most notable was a spilled tea set on the floor. Past that, however, was what made his blood run cold.

He'd found Rei, but not in a position he'd ever expected. The vampire was on all fours, hunched over something...or rather someone. It wasn't until Keito heard that weak, yet familiar voice call out his name, coming from underneath Rei.

---“ Ha... sumi... ”

Kuro’s probably busy as well, and these papers needed to be processed as quickly as possible---Just where is that blasted vampire---

There’s that nagging feeling at the back of his head, preventing Keito from concentrating onto his work.

He should go see what Kuro’s been up to...He could spare some time for that.

And Rei’s as useless as ever. Didn’t he know that there’s a lot of things they needed to discuss today...!

🐱🎀 - Keito attempts to style Anzu's hair like an anime heroine. Key word: attempt to.

come get your government mandated producer affection: accepting ( x )

🎀 Play with your muse’s hair 🐱 to reverse

“I don’t think my hair is long enough to mimic Usagi’s sorry. Maybe we could try Makoto’s? Or if you have scissors, we could do Haruka?” She certainly wouldn’t mind having her hair cut shorter, she just never has the time to cut her own- but her hair isn’t quite lengthy enough to mimic Sailor Moon yet. She’s pretty sure that’d be harder to deal with than one would think.

Perhaps it was a liiittle too early, or rather, perhaps he was a liiittle bit over his head, deciding to even try something so silly as to imitate a certain ‘rabbit’s hairstyle on Anzu. Still, here Keito was, holding a hairbrush behind Anzu, only succeeding in fixing her hair in (really) tiny round buns. There’s just no way her hair can produce a tail.

“Incorrigible. Don’t be ridiculous; I’m not putting your hair to the blade for no good reason.” Keito huffed, undoing the buns so he could start over with a more appropriate hairstyle.

{ @songofeveninglight​ liked for a starter }

      “ Uu… M-Mama… Why… W-Why did you have to leave me alone? I hate this, I hate this…! I don’t wanna be without you… I miss you so much, please come back… ” 

      The sobbing little girl sat in the corner of her room, as far away as possible from the locked door… because her older brother sat on the opposite side, back against the door as he let out a heavy, defeated sigh after getting into another argument with his little sister. …No, it wasn’t even an ‘argument’, so much as a one-sided tirade of a little girl lashing out in frustration against her older brother. But he couldn’t possibly hold it against her - how could he? His little sister was only a child after all, still grieving for their mother’s untimely death. 

      ‘ I HATE YOU, STUPID BIG BROTHER! GO AWAY! LEAVE ME ALONE! YOU NEVER COME HOME WHEN I WANT YOU TO! ’

      Those words injured him far more than any fist thrown at his face, but like the pain he endured at the hands of members of rival gangs, he felt the need to endure this pain for his sister’s sake, as her older brother. He needed to take responsibility and care for her, in their mother’s stead… but no matter how much he tried, he couldn’t fill the void in her heart, left by their mother’s departure from the world.

      Now a high school student, he felt that sense of responsibility weigh heavily upon his shoulders, as he sought to turn over a new leaf and redeem himself as a proper member of society… but it’d be a long, arduous path, making him doubt whether or not he’d even make it, since he’s still facing the consequences of his delinquency. 

      It wasn’t until he saw a strange, almost out-of-place advertisement in a magazine he browsed at the convenience store that he realized that he might’ve been closer to that breakthrough that he initially thought… and after talking it through with their father, he finally went through with contacting the service. A part of him remained skeptical, even wondering he was being scammed… until the butler appeared at their residence, exactly as advertised, and quelled any doubt he might’ve had regarding the legitimacy of the service.

     “ …Right, let’s just get straight to the point then. There’re a few points I wanna clear up first before proceedin’ any further. You’re a… butler, and you’ll take care of my li’l sis while we’re not home, yeah? Stuff like droppin’ her off and pickin’ her up from school, helpin’ her with her homework, cookin’ for her… ”

To think that he’d be back at this neighborhood, in front of the very same house, and so soon at that. He’d been certain that the chances were very slim, but even he had to admit that the chances weren’t zero. Still, a summons was a summons; he’d have to answer.

He looked so out of place in this ordinary neighborhood, sharply dressed in his dark-colored butler uniform, a style straight out of a luxury magazine, and staring intently at the house in front of him.

-----

The son, now grown up, bore that familiar resemblance; Keito couldn’t help but to stare straight at Kuro’s face as his new contractor talked. Yet, he said nothing about it, doing exactly as promised, keeping on a deadpan expression that could only be seen as strict.

The wariness in Kuro’s tone was obvious in his words, and Keito couldn’t blame him; this human had probably sensed that something was off with that magazine advertisement already, so it was amusing to the butler that he still went through with the summoning process.

“Yes, I’m a butler, obviously.” Keito replied curtly when Kuro’s words trailed. “And I am here to carry out whether duties you may impose upon me.” He paused as his bright green eyes narrowed, as though searching for something that’s past Kuro’s frame. “As well as hers.”

@songofeveninglight​

“Congratulations, Young Master; you have worked yourself so hard that you’ve been sentenced to three days of bed rest.“ A pause rang as Keito pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, clearly displeased. "Are you trying to make me laugh, perchance?” - to Eichi from butler Keito

The little boy nearly drowned in the huge canopy bed that could fit perhaps three grown men in it, let alone a little slip of a boy not even ten years old yet. His face was flushed and his eyes shiny with fever, but that didn’t stop him from giving his butler a somewhat disapproving glare. 

“With that stone face of yours?” He coughed. “Wouldn’t dream of it. …I don’t wanna be in bed, not again! I was doing really well! Didn’t you see? Grandfather praised me yesterday! So…” So of course he ended that lovely day with an epic seizure because hell be it for things to go his way for once. Eichi sighed… Which caused him to cough again. 

“Incorrigible.” What a troublesome child, although, Keito could see where his frustrations lay, and the roots have run deep. It would take a longer time than usual to fix the problem, but the butler was determined to see it through to the fulfillment of their contract. “My face is fine, unlike yours.”

Taking on the form of a young teen to suit Eichi’s needs for companionship must have brought out a certain degree of childish cheek from Keito. Keito was surprised at first, but he soon came to be amused by it.

“I’ve seen your progress, and heard the praises, Young Master; you’ve done a splendid job.” Keito nodded as he filled up a basin with iced water with a wave of his hand, before dipping a thick cloth into it, wringing out the excess water afterwards.