Uhh, I guess a sort of potential addition to the vamp! Heizou x assistant reader AU?
Where Heizou and the reader end up going undercover as a couple at an auction or something(?). Like everyone else doesn't really question whether or not they're actually dating. But Heizou and the reader are strangely aware of the circumstances of it.
The main conflict resolution doesn't really have to be about them being honest about their feelings though.
(I tend to find fake dating AU's/one shots are best if the other characters aren't the ones questioning it. More fun/funnier if the couple themselves are like 'why am I enjoying this so much?!' or something. This is mostly just my opinion though.)
(Ps.ps. Your writing for Heizou is really great so thanks in advance if you pick up this ask.)
…𝚆𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜: Mild gore, human trafficking, allusions to domestic abuse/ mistreatment …𝙻𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚝𝚑: 6,450 words …𝙰𝚍𝚍𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗: I kind of took your prompt and ran with it… so some parts are different to what you suggested, but I tried to keep the general idea. This was fun to write and helped me for some more ideas for the future of this AU! You can read ‘part one’ of this vampire AU here. Comments and reblogs are appreciated.
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𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗.
For being in such a dark neighbourhood, the auction house was grande, ghostly crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, its crimson carpets overflowing with guests. The building itself was a traditional Inazuman house, but the interior decoration was distinctively foreign, the northern regions of Mondstadt and Fontaine serving as the central inspiration—a particular taste of the hosts of tonight’s event.
Many of the guests wore masks resembling various yōkai, while many others did not. Given his purpose in coming here, it was only natural that Heizou and yourself took advantage of this disguise. In his case, this was to avoid recognition; in yours, to hide the various features which bespoke your unsuitability to this world: the flush of circulating blood underneath your skin; the bluntness of your teeth; the ever-so-slight movement of your nostrils as you inhaled, betraying your need to breathe. You donned a pair of leather gloves to conceal your body heat, not yet chilled by death.
Your heartbeat was more difficult to hide. Generally, creatures of the night could not detect a heartbeat unless in close proximity, or when the pulse grew more pronounced with emotions such fear or excitement. The surrounding noise should help to divert attention from one little palpitation. Heizou only hoped that you could keep yourself calm if anything happened. Scent was another trickier thing to cover up. The scent of the living announced the presence of a human far sooner than a heartbeat did. To resolve this problem, you and Heizou had to resort to more creative means.
“A ring?” you asked, looking at the small red band held out on his palm. “What’s for?”
“An enchanted ring,” Heizou corrected. “To help mask your living scent.”
“How does it do that?”
“I’ve imbued the ring with some of my essence. While you’re wearing it, it blankets your scent with mine. It’s essentially possession magic—in the sense that wearing it marks you as, well…” He flashed a grin. “Mine.”
You stared at the ring for a prolonged second before picking it up and slipping it onto your forefinger. The crimson cord was stark against the colour of your skin. The effect was immediate: he could no longer detect your mortal scent. As engaging as the image of you donning the ring was, he could not help but feel a pinprick of disheartenment towards the loss. Over the last couple of weeks, he had grown accustomed to your subtle scent, even fond of it.
“Oh, I should also tell you that these rings, although used by vampires, aren’t particularly common. They tend to be indicators of, ahem, certain relationship dynamics.”
Your eyebrows rose. “Oh.”
“Still happy to wear it?”
Your eyes fell to your hand. “If it’s the only way, then yes.”
Your resolve was intriguing. Heizou pushed a little harder. “You don’t have to come, you know. It’ll be dangerous.”
You shook your head. “I have to go. I can’t investigate supernatural crimes but stay hidden in the shadows myself.”
“If you say so.”
“Stay close,” he murmured. You hardly needed reminding—out of the two of you, you were at greater risk—but you nodded nonetheless. Your position in the entrance queue gradually neared the front until you stood before the main gate. The guard stationed here looked between the two of you closely. One by one, he patted you down, searching for items such as stakes or water. Weapons were not allowed into the venue—a minor annoyance, but nothing he couldn’t work around. Heizou preferred to rely on his wits and his fists anyway, while you had another way of defending yourself.
As the guard checked you, his nose wrinkled, and a frown pulled on his lips. With an easy smile, Heizou twined your fingers together and raised your conjoined hands in front of him to display the red band on your ring finger. The vampire raised an eyebrow, but nodded and stepped aside. Then you were in.
You took your seats on the balcony of the auction house. The room was filled with anticipatory murmurs about what the night would bring. Heizou had warned you in advance that the nature of this auction may be particularly sensitive for you. You knew what to expect, but it was down to you to keep your cool no matter what happened.
The auctioneer stepped onto the stage. He was a short man, well-dressed in a Fontainian suit, and not the target of today’s investigation. Smaller fry like him could be smoked out once the root of the problem was cut.
He began to run through the collection for sale, all of which belonged to the personal stock of this event’s organiser, a vampire by the name of Takashima Kiyoshi. It was he who Heizou was after. From what Heizou could tell, it seemed the man would not be showing his face before the crowd. Not that finding him would be a problem, anyway.
Most of the auctioned items were interesting but relatively unremarkable: old artefacts, books on a variety of topics, a few weapons which may be dangerously in the wrong hands. The hall was abuzz with attendees making offers, leading to a few heated exchanges, but this was merely a precursor. Everybody was waiting for the real prize—and soon enough, once the preceding items had been claimed, the time came to reveal the pinnacle of the collection.
At the auctioneer’s commas, the curtains at the back of the stage parted to reveal a large gilded cage. Inside sat a group of humans, blank-faced, motionless. Their complexions were foreign: golden and copper hair with pale eyes. Apart from their evident psychological dissociation, they looked well-kept and healthy, like prized swine prepared for a slaughter. Heizou stole a glance at your reaction. Your heart rate remained steady, but your eyes widened behind the mask, and your fingers curled into your lap.
The auctioneer announced, “Fresh stock, delivered directly from overseas, from the illustrious capital cities of Mondstadt and Fontaine. These are the finest they come. Our sources say their blood tastes like spices.”
Immediately there was an uproar as the guests began shouting prices over each other. The offer inflated twice, thrice, and more, so quickly that even Heizou struggled to keep track. After a few minutes the initial surge died out, and those still making offers narrowed down to five, four, three main contenders.
“Fifteen million mora!”
“Twenty million.”
A pause. “Twenty-five million.”
“We are currently standing at two point five million mora,” proclaimed the auctioneer. “Does anyone want to make a higher offer? These humans could be yours.”
The air was fraught with tense silence as attendees hurried to check their budgets. Even though he was opposed to this whole business on principle, Heizou could not help but get swept up by the excitement, wondering, Will anyone say anything? Who will it be? Beside him, you had averted your eyes from the stage. Evidently you did not share his investment.
“...Thirty million.”
“An offer for three million mora! Remember, these are top-notch humans, aristocrats of foreign lands—you won’t come by them again.” Nobody rose to the challenge. “Thirty million mora, going once, twice. Sold!”
After the auction, you and Heizou joined the crowd of guests in the main room. The focus of conversation was of course the auction—the collection, the prices, all of it. With everyone distracted and a window remaining between the delivery of the goods, now was the perfect time to strike.
Heizou sidled close to you and mumbled, “I’m going to go find this Takashima.”
You nodded. “I’ll go and find the people.”
Despite agreeing on your relative roles in advance, Heizou was not eager to loose you into the crowd on your own. If it got out that you were a human, you may be sucked dry by the time he could get to you, or worse. Having a human under his wing was certainly more stressful than when he was working alone.
Just as you were about to part ways, a figure approached you from the crowd. It was one of the vampires who had been fighting over the human stock, but ultimately lost. He wore a red and white kitsune mask made of polished bone. Heizou turned to face this newcomer with a smile.
“I haven’t seen you around these parts before,” said the masked vampire. “Where are you from?”
The lie slipped easy as a stream over his lips. “Watatsumi Island. My partner and I came when we heard the news about the collection. It isn’t often such a great opportunity lands on our shores.”
At the mention of you, the vampire’s eyes slid over to you, and then down to the band on your finger. You met the gaze steadily. Heizou kept a close eye on his reaction. Nothing in his expression suggested he suspected your identity. “You came a long way for this auction, then,” the vampire said, returning his attention to Heizou. He didn’t so much as address you—a symptom of the other implications of the ring. “But you didn’t bid?”
He chuckled, not having to lie when he said, “Oh, no, we don’t have that kind of money. Just here for the show. I have to say, you put up a good fight for those humans.”
A sour look passed over his eyes. “Yes, well, there will be more opportunities.”
“I’m sure there will be,” Heizou returned, smiling. After exchanging a few more words, the vampire departed, merging back into the rest of the crowd.
You muttered, “Do you think he detected anything?”
“Not at all. It’s just a bit of socialising,” he said, and added with a slight laugh, “No doubt he’s trying to make himself feel better about losing.”
You looked quizzical. “Is your financial situation really that obvious?”
Heizou scoffed. “I’d rather call it our financial situation, now, my dear,” he replied, “given that we are working together. But to answer your question, yes, vampires have an… unfortunately close eye for indicators of things like social status.” He sighed, putting such dismal thoughts out of his mind. “Anyway. Back to business. We haven’t got much time. Ready to go?”
“Yes. Let’s go.”
——————
With the majority of guests mingling in the main room, the corridors were all but empty. You nevertheless kept your footfall light as you snuck through various winding hallways. Most likely, the humans, as a ‘prized possession’—the thought sickened you to your stomach—would be kept somewhere out of sight, somewhere secure, in case some customers weren’t willing to play fair.
Sure enough, you found a large sliding door near the back of the building. Two vampire guards were stationed outside. You crouched around a corner, making sure to keep your pulse steady and your breathing low as you reached into your sleeve. You didn’t have any stakes on you; what you withdrew from your pocket was a little paper slip. You’d managed to slip this shikigami by security, but you were not yet very advanced in onmyōdō. Two vampires, if you could catch them off-guard… hopefully that was something you could manage.
You focused your attention on the paper figure and willed it to slip towards the guards, sticking close to the walls to avoid drawing any attention. It dropped on the floor in front of their feet. As the first vampire stooped down to get a closer look, you commanded the figure to leap up and spin in a swift drilling motion, momentarily resembling a stake. Before the guard could react, the shikigami had skewered her chest. She slumped forward on her knees, her skin already beginning to flake away.
The second guard withdrew the katana at his side. You struggled to regain control of the paper figure as he lunged towards it. It narrowly avoided a slash from the blade. Having lost the element of surprise, you weren’t sure you could hold on for long. You had to finish this quickly, before the guard realised you were nearby. The vampire prepared for a second attack. You closed your eyes and concentrated, imagining the paper slip slicing like a blade through the air.
There was a hissing sound as the shikigami arced towards the vampire’s head and cut clean through his neck—but you couldn’t call it back to you before a final swipe of the vampire’s nails tore it down the middle. You hurried over and collected the two halves of the paper, relief mixing with the sinking feeling in your chest. That was your only shikigami.
You slid open the door in front of which the guards had been stationed. Beyond was a small room, and in the centre sat a large cage. You closed the door behind you and stepped inside. The people nearest to the edge of the cage flinched away from you as you crouched down beside them. “Don’t be afraid,” you said in the most assuring tone you could muster. “I’m here to help you. I’m human, like you.”
A bang sounded from behind you. You jumped around to see the door flung open. In its shadowed frame stood the security officer who had let you into the venue. He bore his sharp canine teeth in a smirk. “I thought there was something strange about you. Something living.”
Now there was no hiding the frightened drumbeat in your chest. You glanced around, searching for something to defend yourself with, but the room was cramped and bare, stripped down to the cage and little else. The only exit was blocked by the vampire. There was nowhere to run, nor hide, nor fight. Your opponent knew this.
Before you could blink, the vampire sprang forwards and seized your throat. He lifted you in their air as you struggled against his grip. His clawed fingers crushed down on your windpipe. You couldn’t even gag. Black spots danced in your vision. Tears leaked from the corners of your eyes.
A glint of light caught your eye—an iron key, hanging from a chain around his neck. Carried by a surge of adrenaline you snatched the key from the cord and drove it into the guard’s left eye. He howled, his grip loosening, and raised his other hand to strike you. You twisted your head sideways. His nails raked your skin as they flew past. Before he could recover you stabbed the key into his other eye. The guard dropped you to the floor, his hands rising to clutch at his bleeding face. You wasted no time in scrambling away from him as far as possible. He was blinded, yes, but you were bleeding. That was all he needed to locate you.
You turned to the cage. Inside huddled a group of seven people. Of these, one was kneeling by the back of the cage, her hands clasped and head bowed in prayer.
You took a wild bargain. You tapped her to get her attention and gestured to the bowl of drinking water in the corner of the cage. At first, she stared at you with wide, blank, tear-rimmed eyes; then she understood. She shuffled over and began muttering words you didn’t understand over the water.
One of the reasons that vampires were so prevalent in Inazuma was that the people of this nation were not adapted to defending against them—at least, not this kind which hailed from the north. Crucifixes and garlic were sparse on the isles, as was belief in the powers which repelled them. You had tried to make holy water before, but without sharing the faith of Mondstadt, the attempts had all failed. Genuine belief was a necessary condition for success.
You had no idea whether an average person of faith could bless water or whether a more complicated process was required, but this was your only chance.
Meanwhile, the vampire had lifted himself to his feet and was wiping the rivulets of blood from his eye sockets. His head snapped in your direction. His anger was palpable, now, and he moved with the intent to kill instantly. You stepped backwards and felt yourself cornered against the wall.
The praying girl nodded. You seized the water bowl and, just as the vampire ran at you, tossed the contents down his bared mouth.
A hissing sound filled the air as the water made contact with his skin. He staggered backwards, clutching at his throat. The smell of charred flesh soon followed, accompanied by a curl of smoke rising from his mouth as the water burned through his insides. The guard fell to his knees, tipped forward, and was still.
Your own heartbeat ricocheted in your ears, far too fast, far too loud. You raised your knuckles to the scratch on your cheek. They came away stained with red. It was only a matter of time before the other vampires—the entire house full to the brim with vampires—caught a whiff of your blood and came running. You had to get these people out and you had to act fast.
With trembling hands, you raised the key to the lock, its teeth slippery with dark blood and flecks of eyeball. After a few rattles, the lock came loose and clattered to the floor. You pulled the cage door open. One by one, you helped the victims out, who stumbled forth blindly, too shocked to believe what they had just witnessed.
Footsteps approached from outside the door. You turned to face it, clutching the key close to you as if it were a knife. Your heart was going like a rabbit’s. There was no way your presence was a secret now, but you would not abandon these people. You planted your feet in the ground. You were not going down without a fight.
——————
It wasn’t difficult for Heizou to lie and sweet-talk his way into locating the office of the auction house’s owner, Takashima Kiyoshi. Back when he was a human, Heizou hadn’t been fond of lying—but he was very good at it, and since his rebirth as a creature of the night, he’d found it easy to shed the moral qualms he once associated with the act. A few well-timed bluffs and a convincing story later, he was directed to the office. Just as the bodyguard unlocked the door for him, Heizou landed a jab on his side. He caught the guard as they slumped to the ground and laid them on the floor before slipping inside.
The office beyond was spacious, lined with polished wood and imported furniture: tall bookshelves, cushioned armchairs, even a large fireplace. Sitting at a large desk was the man he was after: a big player in the black market with ties to the yakuza, who had been no less brutal a criminal in life than in death. Currently, he was filling out some paperwork.
Heizou leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “So. Takashima Kiyoshi.”
Kiyoshi did not look up from his desk. Continuing to write with one hand, he flicked a pistol from his sleeve, levelled it straight at Heizou’s heart, and fired.
The bullet came to a stop an inch above his chest. Still pinching it between two fingers, Heizou raised the little pellet to eye level. “A head grafted with wood,” he observed, turning it over in front of him. “Designed specifically for killing vampires. I guess you’re not a big people person, huh?”
Takashima Kiyoshi cast him a disinterested gaze and raised his pistol for another shot.
“Whoa, there, wait a minute. You’re not even going to ask who I am? What I’m doing here?”
“I don’t care. I don’t know you, and you want to meddle with me, so you die.”
Heizou sighed loudly. What a boring excuse for a vampire. Had this man no sense of curiosity at all? “I’m still willing to talk this out, you know.”
Kiyoshi pulled the trigger again. Heizou ducked beneath the shot, sprang forward, and slapped the firearm out of his hand. It clattered to the floor a few metres away. “Or not.” He shrugged and pinned Kiyoshi against the wall by his throat. “We can do it like this if that’s what you want.”
Kiyoshi’s eyes narrowed into slits. He struggled against Heizou’s grip but could not escape. “Who the fuck are you?”
Heizou rolled his eyes. “Now he’s asking. Well, turns out I’m not interested in telling you anymore. Instead, you can tell me a little more about this ‘business’ you have going on here.” Disgust crept into his voice. “Selling humans to the highest bidder.”
“What, you want them? I don’t care about the humans. Take them if you want. There’s always more blood out there.”
“Oh, no, no, I’m afraid you’ve misunderstood me,” he chuckled. “I’m here for you.”
“To question me?”
“To kill you, actually. You’re not the kind of person who can be trusted to keep around.”
Kiyoshi’s lip twisted. He gave up struggling and turned to bartering. Typical businessman. “I’ll give you information,” he hissed. “Information you can’t find yourself.”
“I don’t make deals with the likes of you,” Heizou spat back. “You’re just trying to save your own skin.”
“If you’ve managed to track me down, you must know this is a big business. Some of my partners are much better hidden than I am.” Kiyoshi smirked. “Without me, you’ll never find them all.”
Heizou opened his mouth to respond, but something gave him pause. A familiar iron scent was drifting through the air. Human blood—more specifically, your blood. Kiyoshi detected it at the same time he did. His nose wrinkled, his pupils dilating with hunger as he realised this was not a scent that belonged to his human stock. A flash of panic shot through Heizou. Something had happened; you must have been injured, revealing your identity as one not of this company. There was no time to lose if your disguise had been breached.
Without another word, he snapped off the tip of a nearby chair and drove the sharp end into Kiyoshi’s chest. Kiyoshi uttered a long, low hiss between his bared teeth. The skin flaked off his bones, and his bones flaked into dust. Heizou returned the makeshift stake to his sleeve with a twirl and looked down at the pile of ashes. “I don’t need you to find the others. I’ve got my intuition for that. And a companion.”
His business thus concluded, Heizou hurried out of the office, staking the unconscious bodyguard as he went. He followed the scent of your blood until he arrived at what could only be the storage room for the humans. He pushed the sliding door open. Inside, you stood facing the entrance, brandishing a bloodied key before you in your bloodied hands. The frame of your shoulders loosened when you recognised him.
Judging by the smoking ashes a few feet away, you’d dealt with whatever trouble you encountered. The source of the bleeding was a scratch on your cheek—hardly large, yet sufficient to act as a beacon to the whole troupe of vampires within these walls.
“Takashima Kiyoshi?” you asked.
“Dealt with.” Heizou glanced over his shoulder. His ears had picked up a series of footsteps, in the distance as yet, but approaching steadily. “We have to go, immediately.”
“Wait. We can’t leave these people here.”
Heizou looked between your determined expression and the huddle of terrified humans. They stared back at him with wide, glassy eyes. He clicked his tongue. “Aiya. Fine. But it won’t be simple. Any ideas?”
To his surprise, you nodded. “On the way here, I saw some boats stationed near the gate. We can load everyone on and escape by river.”
Heizou’s lips drew into a scowl. “Running water.”
“I know. Can you…?”
He expelled a sharp sigh. “I’ll make it. Come on, then.”
You set off through the corridors. You ran in front, pulling the humans along with you, and Heizou brought up the rear, keeping an eye and a pair of fists out for any vampires you may encounter. It wasn’t long before you encountered trouble. A pair of vampires, guests to the auction by the looks of it, turned the corner towards you, attracted by the blood. Heizou flicked the makeshift stake from his sleeve and dispatched the first. The second dodged backwards before lunging forwards to attack. He kicked her legs out from beneath her, and she stumbled forward onto the stake.
There was no hiding the commotion anymore. He heard footsteps, three people in total, approaching nearby. “Keep going!” he called over his shoulder. “I’ll join you in a moment.”
You nodded and kept running, ushering the humans forward like stumbling foals. Heizou planted his feet and threw a quick succession of punches at your pursuers. Taking advantage of their brief disorientation, he lunged forwards and struck swiftly with the stake three times.
A snarl from behind him. He barely had time to dodge the nigata which sailed an inch above his head as he dropped to the floor. He whirled around and struck out again with his fists. The blade shattered into fragments. He snatched the broken hilt, stuck it into his attacker’s chest, and kept running.
More vampires, trickling steadily in from the hall. If he stayed for much longer, the sheer numbers would overwhelm him. He whipped around and followed your scent to the exit, a growing trail of pursuers hot on his heels. He ducked beneath the sword of a guard who appeared around the corner and kept running. Heizou had always been quick-footed, so the escape wasn’t what concerned him. He was more worried about your getaway method.
He burst through a window and landed on the ground outside, rolling to break the fall. Vampires spilled from the front doors and the window he had leapt from. As you’d said, there was a river not far away. A fishing boat bobbed on the surface of the water. You were helping the last human aboard when you saw him, and you nodded as he caught your eye. Throwing his stake into the chest of the nearest pursuer, Heizou ran to the riverbank. You held your hand out to him. He took it and carefully stepped onto the boat, and you pushed off from the riverbank. The vampires stopped abruptly by the water’s edge, not daring to cross.
Almost as soon as his feet touched down on the deck, the world spun around him. Even without touching the water directly, it felt like—he was suffocating, treading quicksand, every minor rock of the boat magnified tenfold. He lowered himself to the ground, where he lay still, trying to focus on the star-flecked canvas of sky above instead of the twisting currents below.
You oared down the river for a while, pushing forwards through the water. He didn’t know for how long. Time passed by in warped, sluggish, quick flashes, tangling in his mind like knots of clumped hair. Once you judged yourself a safe distance away from the auction house, you placed down the oar and let the currents carry the fishing boat the rest of the way. Heizou was aware of you communicating in low voices with some of the rescued humans before joining him near the prow. You didn’t speak, simply sat there. He was grateful you didn’t attempt to ask any pointless questions like How do you feel?, because he would have been tempted to bite your throat out. Not that he had the strength at the moment, but at the very least he’d have to disown you as his assistant for showing such poor deduction skills.
After far, far too long, you steered into a small dock and helped everyone disembark. Heizou you led off first. He stumbled onto the dry land with relief so intense he could have fallen to the floor and kissed it. He never wanted to set foot on a boat ever again. You also assisted the rest of the humans in stepping off the boat before finally disembarking yourself. When he got a hold of his bearings, Heizou recognised the dock as one of the ones on the outskirts of Inazuma City. From here you took the group of humans to the police station, and Heizou explained their situation to the officers on duty. They affirmed that the humans would be taken care of, after which Heizou and you turned your steps back to his home.
You sat down on the tatami mat shortly after arriving. No doubt you were tired now that your surge of adrenaline had worn off. Your eyes were downcast, and Heizou got the sense that you were unhappy for whatever reason. “I almost jeopardised the mission,” you said. “I’m sorry.”
Your apology came as a total surprise. What silly knots were you tying your human brain up into now? “Well, you didn’t, so there’s no need to be sorry. It’s not like you got yourself injured on purpose. Plus, if not for you, those humans wouldn’t have been saved.”
“True.” You raised your head to look at him, and Heizou’s eyes fell to your injury of their own accord: a cut on your cheek, not so large, but still bleeding. Vampire bites and scratches tended to bleed for a while. There were chemicals in their nails and teeth which slowed the scabbing process, allowing them to continue locating their prey as it weakened. The thin crimson line shone like a thread against your skin in the low light of the room.
Before he quite knew what he was doing, Heizou had leaned in, bringing his face right in front of yours. Your eyes widened as he dipped forward and placed his mouth over the cut. Your blood was warm and rich on his parted lips. It tasted—like you. Through the contact he felt the rapid pulsing of your heart as more blood surged to the surface of your skin, heard your quickened breathing. Curiosity and something else got the better of him. He could not resist running his tongue over the open seam in your skin. Deep inside, his instincts urged him to take more, to take everything, to drink of you deeply and unscrupulously until you were dry as a bone and all you had been was part of him forever—but no. He would not do that.
Heizou withdrew, not without leaving a little red smear on your skin. He swiped this off with his thumb and, winking at you, licked the remaining blood from his finger. You flushed and looked downwards, your eyes landing on your hands.
“Oh. I guess I can return this, now.” You slipped the ring from your finger and dropped it in his palm. Heizou had to suppress a frown. A small part of him had been hoping you’d forgotten about it.
As if you’d read his mind, you said quietly, “I think you enjoyed me wearing that a little too much.”
“What can I say?” He smirked, not feeling at all sorry. “I like it when you’re mine—although I like it when you’re you even more.”
You fell silent. As he tried to determine the reason behind your hesitation, in a small voice, averting your eyes, you said, “I liked it, too. And I don’t like that I liked it.”
Heizou raised a brow. Now this was too good. An amused smile crept onto his lips. He leaned closer to you, teasing you with his proximity. “That’s nothing to be ashamed of. There are stranger things which humans have found pleasure in, you know.”
“But you don’t see me as an equal,” you replied. “To you, I’m a… curious human specimen, or something. It’s too easy for you to see me in that way.”
He blinked. “You are my human, though. Isn’t that exactly why you came here?”
“I’m here to learn from you. I don’t want to belong to you.”
“Are you sure? You just said you enjoyed it yourself.”
“Yes, but—” You cut yourself off with a frustrated sigh and gesticulated in the air. “That’s not…”
“So what is it? What’s the problem?”
“I don’t—it’s just… I can’t tell what you actually think of me. I don’t know if I’m a person or a fun puzzle to you.”
You did not seem to realise the possibility of both these things being true. This was both amusing and vaguely frustrating. Humans always tried to impose categories on matters that didn’t need categorisation and tangled themselves up by trying to force reality to fit their neat little boxes. It was such a useless expense of mental energy.
Meanwhile, you were still trying to articulate yourself, judging by the uncertain hand gestures you were waving in the air. “Your behaviour is confusing,” you said at last.
His behaviour, confusing? He thought it was perfectly obvious. You were observant; surely you ought to be able to notice this, too? Archons, you could be exasperating sometimes with your silly doubts and antics. “I’m trying to give you everything that you want!”
“There’s more to a relationship than that, Heizou!” you shot back. Your eyes were shining. Heizou faltered, taken aback. He knew then that he had hurt you, but for the sake of him, he had not the faintest clue how. Humans, he thought again, with a pinch of frustration: humans and their strange, confusing, unfathomable emotions.
“Relationships have to have boundaries. It’s not just an exchange of what each person wants. Sometimes caring about someone means you have to deny them what they want. And you don’t do that.”
That was when it struck him. In a light, lilting voice, he realised aloud, “You have no idea how much I care, do you?”
“No,” you agreed softly. “Perhaps I don’t.” You hung your head, leaving Heizou floundering in uncertainty by your withdrawal. “I just… need some space. Please.”
And now you’re asking me to give you what you want, he thought, bemused. “Alright, alright,” he said, raising his hands and backing away. “I didn’t mean to upset you.” You didn’t respond to him, your mind occupied by other things.
Daybreak was approaching, and the time on the boat had left him drained, so Heizou went to sleep and left you alone for most of the day. In the evening, once the shadows were long enough, he wandered onto the verandah of the house. You were crouching there, looking out into the shaded vegetation. He sat down beside you. The chirr of crickets and the low, muffled sound of your heartbeat filled the absence of your speech.
“Sorry about earlier.” Your voice emerged as part of the surroundings, made of the same stuff as the whispering grass and croaking cicadas. “I needed time to process my emotions. I didn’t mean to confuse you or come across as ungrateful. I appreciate all you’ve done for me.” Here you paused. “I never told you what made me come to you.”
“I have some ideas,” Heizou replied, “but go on.”
“My family was killed by vampires. But before that, things weren’t much better. I was a tool to my parents and they used me accordingly. I wasn’t even allowed to set foot outside the house. When they died, I knew I had to find out more about the supernatural world to prevent similar things from happening to other people… but personally, I didn’t know what to feel. Whether I should grieve or be relieved. Or even thankful. I guess the auction brought back those memories, is all.”
Heizou received your story with keen interest. His sympathy was stirred, of course, but his current focus was more concerned with the information itself. It was like uncovering a little plot twist in the thread of your character. Your sensitivity had misled him into believing you more innocent than you were—but you had already seen your own share of the darkness residing in men’s hearts. Perhaps you were a little sturdier than he thought; not quite as susceptible to breaking as he feared.
He forced his intellectual curiosity aside. You wanted him to treat you as a person instead of a puzzle, and Heizou had no desire to hurt you by ignoring you. He let his emotional instincts take precedence over his words. “If you’d let me know beforehand, I would have found another way to cover up your scent without the ring.”
You shook your head. “The investigation takes priority. I don’t want to complicate things with irrelevant personal details.”
‘Irrelevant’ wasn’t the word he would have used to describe your situation, but he understood the sentiment. He wouldn’t let his personal affairs get in the way of a case, either. Things would get too messy that way.
Heizou leaned back, crossing one leg over another. Ruminating aloud, he said, “Before you came along, I’d been working alone for a while. Got pretty used to it, too. The humans from the Tenryou Commission only come to me when necessary, and as far as the supernatural world is concerned, I’m their enemy. Despite my charms, I’m not exactly popular with either side.” He turned his head towards you and let his eyes rest upon your face. He could still make out all of the details in the darkness: the shape of your nose, the little blemishes on your skin, the near-imperceptible rise and fall of your breathing. You were so alive, in every sense of the word; possessing a spark which an undead creature like him could only dream of imitating. Heizou smiled. “So I’m not exaggerating when I say you’re one of the best things that’s happened to me in a long time.”
You drew in a quick breath. Your eyes widened and took on a silvery sheen. Just as he was afraid he’d said something that hurt you again, your lips spread into a little smile. He had the fleeting urge to reach for your hand, but he held himself back. “The same goes for you. Thank you for letting me learn from you, Heizou. I don’t think it’s right how people see you because you’re a vampire. You might just be the closest thing to a friend that I’ve had.”
Heizou opened his mouth to respond and found that he had no words. His eyes strayed into the darkness beyond the house. The undergrowth shivered in a passing brush of wind. Turning to you, he said, “It’s getting a little cold out. Care to head inside? There’s another case I’d like to start on. Oh, and you’ll probably need to get some sleep at some point, too, right?”
You dipped your head. The residue of your smile lingered in the corners of your face, rays of light still warming the earth after the sun has descended.
“Alright,” you said, rising to your feet beside him. “Let’s go.”