don't wanna wake up alone in my head

[talldarknsnarky]

Who: Doumeki and Ichijou; open to Alice at the end (in comments)
When: Friday evening to Friday night (seriously it covers half a day)
Where: Ichijou's home to Doumeki's apartment
What: Doumeki has revived, and his first thought is to go see Ichijou.
Warnings: Ichijou giving Doumeki the scolding of a lifetime



Doumeki woke slowly, coming to consciousness in stages, half-aware of what was going on around him, inside his body. Half-aware that he'd been dead only an hour or so ago. At first it was too difficult to move, his head throbbed, he felt dizzy, nauseous. When he first chose to move, it set him so ill he stumbled onto his hands and knees in the soft floor of the forest, and threw up several times. Swallowing bile and saliva, he sat back, rubbing his mouth and panting slightly, wincing at the brightness of the sunlight.

It took him another few minutes to get himself going, pushing off the ground and stumbling barefoot onto the path. He didn't bother to check for his LP or anything else, he just started walking, wanting a glass of water, ears ringing, head pounding, to Ichijou's place. Thankfully, he'd been there before, knew where he'd been moved to. He knocked on the door once before pushing it open, fighting with the Island's desire to force him into politeness out of sheer lack of tolerance for the sun, and stepped inside, "Ichijou?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly.

Ichijou sat in his room, he had been awake for the majority of the day since he slept after Doumeki's death. His sleeping schedule was a bit off kilter, but he didn't care so much. With the time the archer died, he should have been back by now anyways. He constantly started to check his LP for Doumeki's return. He spoke with Rukia who made him feel a bit better and broke the news to Himawari whom of course was very upset about the entire thing. But he was glad that she didn't blame him for anything.

He was trying to get the sounds of Doumeki faltering vitals out of his head when suddenly a familiarly strong heartbeat was suddenly nearby. His own heart skipped a beat and then the familiar sound was accompanied by a familiar scent then a familiar voice calling his name.

He dropped his LP on the bed, where he was sitting and dashed into the room where he saw the man that he saw die. standing right there, looking something awful.

"Doumeki.....", he said softly. "Go sit down", he commanded, his face wasn't happy in the least.

He knew that, out of everyone on the island, it was likely Ichijou who was bothered the most by Doumeki's death. Some part of him, a part he didn't want to acknowledge, knew that Watanuki wouldn't...

Pushing the thought aside, he leaned against the inside of the door while Ichijou came in, rubbing at his forehead and eyes, feeling sick, head aching. He wasn't surprised when Ichijou came in and told him to sit down. He hadn't really expected Ichijou to be pleased with him. He'd been stupid, and he knew it, and had made Ichijou sit and listen to him die.

He deserved whatever scolding he was going to get. He deserved to be cast aside by Ichijou.

Obediently, he stumbled his way into the living room and sat down heavily on the couch, shoulders slumped, leaning on his knees.

He went into the kitchen, wet down a tea towel with cool water, and poured him a glass of water. He set some water to boil for some tea later. He took in a long breath, his brows were furrowed, and he sighed it out. He hoped his room mate was in, because he didn't know if he could control his volume this time.

He walked into the living room again and had half the mind to just smack him with the cloth, but he didn't,Doumeki already looked like he was taking a physical beating from coming back to life. He pressed the cool towel against the other's forehead and held the glass of water out.

He stood there with his arms crossed over his chest and tapped his foot wondering where to start in his scolding. He figured he'd wait until Doumeki was at least somewhat comfortable, because he didn't know when he was going to stop.

His face turned upward when Ichijou pressed the cool cloth against his head, and it sparked a memory of the night before, a cool cloth pressed against his forehead in an attempt to stop the sweating. His brows furrowed. The glass of water as well. This time, instead of struggling with it, he accepted the cup and drank all of the water, letting it rinse the taste of bile out of his mouth, and soothe his throat.

"Thanks." he mumbled, his head down, his eyes averted, still leaning on his knees, holding the cloth against his forehead while Ichijou scowled at him.

"You....", he started once Doumeki finished downing the water. The island was preventing him from calling him names of any sort and he struggled for a moment. "You...!"

He took in another long, deep breath. "How could you....HOW COULD YOU DO SOMETHING SO MINDLESS?! SURE WE JOKE ABOUT YOU BEING AN ALCOHOLIC, BUT YOU'VE REALLY CROSSED THE LINE! WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU DRINK SO MUCH?! I DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENED, THERE WAS NO REASON TO CONSUME THAT MUCH ALCOHOL TO HAVE KILLED YOU!" he panted softly.

"I had to listen to you die...your heartbeat failing, your breathing going ragged and slowing...I got tipsy trying to clean out your blood. I SHOULD NEVER GET TIPSY FROM DRINKING SOMEONE'S BLOOD! YOU DRANK ENOUGH TO MAKE A WHALE DRUNK! THERE SHOULD NEVER BE THAT MUCH ALCOHOL CONCENTRATED IN ONE'S SYSTEM!"

He lifted his chin to look up at Ichijou when he started talking, saying Doumeki's name, and then the shouting started. He sat still, watching Ichijou, his face impassive until Ichijou said that he had to listen to him die, his heartbeat, his breathing...something in his eyes softened and he lowered his gaze again, averting it. Ashamed.

Swallowing, he pressed the cloth against his forehead, under the hair that hung in his face, wincing at the volume and how it affected what he was realizing now was the worst hangover he'd ever experienced. But he took it, listening, letting the boy rant at him.

"I'm sorry..." he said, when Ichijou left things silent for a moment.

"'Sorry'...No. Sorry isn't going to cut it this time, Doumeki", he said. "They think I killed you! I had your blood on my mouth, and you had bite wounds and I was holding your dead body. The only person that believed me last night was Kaname. If it wasn't peace week and Kaname hadn't been there, I would have been killed! Watanuki and Kiryuu think I killed you!", his voice became exasperated and he started waving his hands as his voice rose. "I'm going to be hunted, Doumeki! I'm on Kiryuu's execution list!"

"Not only that, you've upset Himawari-chan! I had to break the new to her! I had to tell her that you did something so...so...BRAINLESS! You can't just say sorry and walk away! Oh no, you'd better do something to make it up to EVERYONE! I'm TIRED of all of my new friends dying.

YOU JUST HAVE ONE BODY! YOU ARE SO LUCKY THAT WE'RE ON AN ISLAND WHERE DEATH ISN'T PERMINANT BECAUSE THIS MISTAKE WOULD HAVE BEEN THE LAST ONE YOU'D EVER HAVE MADE! AND THEN WHAT? HMM? THEN WHAT?!"

His head jerked up when Ichijou said that they thought he killed him, about blood on his mouth, wounds, his body. He remembered being bitten, though he still wasn't sure why, but he knew for a fact that it hadn't been Ichijou's bite that did it. Disregarding the rest for a moment, when Ichijou said that he was on Kiryuu's execution list, Doumeki stood and fumbled in the pocket of his pants for his LP.

"You won't be hunted." he said, his voice low, and determined, turning on the LP and opening up a voice entry box even as Ichijou shouted.

"Huh? What are you doing? I'M NOT DONE SCOLDING YOU YET!", he said still shouting at him. He crossed his arms back over his chest and gripped his own arms tightly, he furrowed his brows. "You'd better be listening to EVERY. SINGLE. WORD. I am saying or I won't talk to you anymore! You hear me?!"

Doumeki glanced up at him, his thumb on the posting button, and said, his voice calm, "I will not let Kiryuu hunt you. Be quiet for a moment."

He spoke into the LP, his brows furrowed, and his face intense, "Kiryuu Zero. You will not lay a finger on Ichijou, nor will you hunt him. What happened last night was not his doing, it was mine. If you have any concerns about it, you will speak to me about it."

Flicking off the LP, he turned his attention back to Ichijou, "Continue."

Ichijou pursed his lips together in a thin line and he tapped his foot slightly. As Doumeki spoke, his face got softer, hearing how protective his voice was. He let his arms relax and fall to his sides.

When the archer urged him to continue, the drive to yell was gone. "Well...Mmm....N-no more alcohol...I mean it. Not for a whole month. Not unless me or Himawari-chan give it to you", he declared. "I'm serious, too. If I find one bottle of sake that I have not purchased, I will slice it in half in front of you." His voice was a lot softer than it was before. His hands gripped the bottom of his flowing white shirt with a flower pattern embroidered at the edges.

He looked down and away. Now that his anger had calmed down, relief washed over him. Glad that Doumeki was okay for the most part.

Once the LP flicked off, he was hit with another wave of dizziness, and put a hand to his forehead, dropping the LP back in his pocket and looking back up at Ichijou. The boy seemed to have softened somewhat, but the guilt was settling in Doumeki's gut now, guilt for putting Ichijou through what he'd put him through. For making him sit with him while he died, for having him accused of murdering him, for having him go through the stress of all of that.

Kaname, at least, had taken care of him.

Swallowing thickly at that, he walked over to Ichijou and slid hands delicately down his arms at the side, taking hold of his wrists. Leaning his head forward tiredly, he pressed his forehead against Ichijou's, eyes closed.

"I'm sorry." he said, his voice soft, "I'll try not to drink." he paused, swallowing thickly again, "I don't expect you to forgive me for what I put you through, but if there's something I can do to make it up to you, tell me."

Ichijou's eyes looked up at Doumeki through his long, feathery lashes as the archer closed the gap between them and rested their foreheads together. He closed his own eyes and let out a soft sigh through his nose.

"You know what you can do to make it up to me? Stop relying on alcohol to make your problems go away...only utilize it for leisure. If you want help with your problems, come to me or go to Himawari-chan.", he said in a gentle voice. "And don't do this...ever again."

Doumeki's hands on Ichijou's wrists shook slightly, and thinking about that, about relying on alcohol to make his problems go away, it made everything come back full-force. His whole body shook, aching slightly, his chest squeezed up, and he held his breath for a moment before releasing it in a shaky breath.

"Alright." he said, his voice low, pulling his head back from Ichijou and releasing his wrists, going to sit down because his legs were shaking too much to sustain him, "It doesn't...it doesn't make my problems go away. Nothing will." his voice was low.

The blond could feel the dark haired boy trembling. Trembling badly. He followed him over to the couch and sat next to him.

"Now that I've said my piece...Why did you do it? Why did you drink so much?", he asked in a comforting voice, placing a light hand on his shoulder and squeezing slightly. He had a feeling it had to do something with Watanuki, he wasn't sure, but it was a pretty strong feeling.

Doumeki pressed fingertips against his forehead, trying to massage the pain out of his head. He felt drained, tired, very tired. He didn't want to talk about what had happened, wanted to focus on Ichijou, on making him feel better. He didn't want to think about what had happened the day before.

Shaking his head a bit, he frowned, "Watanuki and Zero." he said, simply, "After Watanuki came back, he said he couldn't be with anyone. I suppose that only means me."

Ichijou watched Doumeki as he presssed his fingers against his forehead. The priest looked like he was in a lot of pain. He figured that this was probably the ultimate hangover. Not only coming back to life, but after over drinking. It made him feel a bit bad for yelling at him at that volume.

He processed what Doumeki was talking about and mulled it over in his head. He came to the conclusion that Zero and Watanuki were now together which would explain why Doumeki was so hurt seeing as how strongly he felt for the boy. But if Watanuki said that he couldn't be with anyone in that way...he could understand that Doumeki probably felt lied to or betrayed.

He nodded. "I...I don't know. I can't say anything of reassurance for this. I really don't know what he was thinking saying something like that and doing the other, but...I don't think he was being spiteful. The night you...died. He came by and I didn't look him in the eyes. I couldn't...I could feel the anguish. I could hear it in his voice when he tried to disbelieve the scene he saw. He still cares...maybe not as deeply as you wish, but..."

As inappropriate as it probably was, Doumeki had a hard time caring what Watanuki thought about his death. Watanuki had chosen to replace him, he hadn't waited, he hadn't shown consideration for Doumeki's feelings, acknowledged him. He'd acted as if...

He hadn't acted like the Watanuki he knew from home. The island had changed something substantial in the boy's very being. He'd lost his compassion.

Sighing, he shook his head a bit, "He told me quite bluntly that they had sex." he said, his voice low, looking off to the side, "I couldn't stop thinking about it."

A hand came up to cover his mouth when Doumeki told him about Watanuki and Zero having intercourse. Of course, that also led to images of his own that he would have rather not have had. He understood why he drank then, to get the image out of his head. But he was foolish to have consumed so much that it killed him.

"I see...", he said lowering his hand from his lips and holding both of his hands in his lap. The noble was silent for a bit wondering what to say.

"If...if that had pained you so much, you should have come to Himawari-chan and I. I'm sure we could have taken your mind off of it somehow. Going to see a movie or having a small cooking gathering or just talking about nothing. Why didn't you go to either of us?"

"I don't..." he started, then sighed, turning slightly and resting his head against the back of the couch, eyes closed. It still hurt. He'd drunk himself to death and it still hurt. His head was pounding, some small part of him wanted to just break down and cry, but it wasn't in his nature to give in to that sort of desire. His fingers clenched up, fists closing into handfuls of his pants.

"I'm...supposed to be able to handle my problems on my own." he said, his voice low, "I'm supposed to be able to endure, I'm supposed to be strong, I'm supposed to..." he shook his head, "My grandfather, he did what he could to make sure I was strong. It was my entire destiny. Be strong. Because of Watanuki. And..." he shook his head again, "What purpose is there?"

The vampire sat there and listened to him. He pondered what Doumeki said, watching his position. He spoke of his grandfather again and how he taught him to be strong, but not everyone could handle all of their problems on their own. His death made that obvious. He couldn't handle it and no one here was expecting him to.

"Doumeki...I don't know what your grandfather was like, but from what I've heard of him, he seems like a very wise man. I would think that he would be disappointed in your decision because, to be frank, it wasn't very strong at all. I believe that it takes more of a man to be wise and go to people for help rather than be foolish and go it alone until they're broken down. If he knew that you had people that you could go to, do you think that he would want you to suffer quietly by yourself?"

What Ichijou said was possibly worse than the shouting earlier, though the shouting had hurt his head. Doumeki put a hand to his forehead, wanting nothing more than to just sleep for a while. Sighing, he shook his head again.

"It shouldn't have made me suffer." he said, his voice quiet, "I'm not meant to feel this way."

Still. Ichijou was right about what his grandfather would have said. That his grandfather would have been disappointed in what he'd done. His stomach clenched, and for a moment he felt like he was going to be sick again.

"It doesn't matter." he said, after another long moment, "I've wronged you, I've wronged Kunogi, and a number of other people, it seems. It doesn't matter what I think."

Ichijou listened to Doumeki speak. Talking down on himself again. The noble furrowed his brows and had the rising urge to smack him, but he didn't. He gave him a sharp look of reproval.

"What did I tell you? I told you to never say those words ever again. And if not for yourself, it's insulting to me and Himawari-chan. Don't tell us what matters to us and what doesn't. You don't have the right to", he said harshly. He knew his words were hard, but if Doumeki was going to be a stubborn ox, he'd pull the reigns even harder.

"That's another thing you can do to make it up to me. Stop letting one person effect you this much. It's not fair to the other people that care deeply for you. Don't do this to us, Doumeki. Let us in, too. If you don't want to lose everyone you have, allow us to be able to make you feel better. Allow us to make a difference in your life. Don't shut us out!"

He took a shaky breath, remembering, when Ichijou said that, that he was supposed to give Ichijou his feelings. But he didn't know how to word them, didn't know how to explain what he was thinking, what he was feeling, how useless he was at this point. How little his presence changed anything that mattered to him or his life. How hitsuzen had somehow betrayed him and left him with everything crumbling around him.

How could he explain that? How could he give that to Ichijou? He would have to explain everything. Everything. Things he didn't know how to share.

He hadn't even been able to tell Watanuki he'd loved him. Hadn't even been able to verbalize it inside his own mind until then.

Taking a shaky breath, he lowered his eyes, "It's hard to explain." he said, softly, "Watanuki has affected my life for a very long time, more than anyone other than my grandfather has. Nearly everything I've done other than my schoolwork over the past..." he shook his head, not even sure himself how long it had been, "...for a long while. Everything has been to make sure that Watanuki wouldn't disappear, wouldn't die alone. All of that has been effectively thrown back in my face, and..." he furrowed his brows, "I'm trying to give you my feelings. I just...don't know how many I have anymore..."

After Doumeki was done speaking, Ichijou stayed silent for a while. It was wrong, it was an injustice, it wasn't fair. How one person, just one person could just take his life, play with it, twirl it around a little, mold it what they want it to be, then just take what they've built it up to be and smash it onto the ground and effectively step on it as an added bonus to the mess they've left over.

"Doumeki...", he started. He didn't know what to say. What could he say, he couldn't force Doumeki to share feelings he didn't have anymore, he couldn't push him to move forward if he didn't want to, he...couldn't do anything could he? He felt utterly useless. He honestly...he couldn't make a difference in this man's life, could he?

"That's....it's...it's not fair. Is Watanuki the only one that matters anymore? Or ever has? There are other people who care for you...but you're not giving us a chance", he said.

He shook his head a bit, "My grandfather matters. I...I think Kunogi does." he paused for a while, staring down at his knees, "Kohane, though she's tied to Watanuki, and..." he sighed a little bit, his eyes sinking shut again, "You've always been here, haven't you? Since I came here."

For a moment, he remembered the feeling of kissing Ichijou, during that event with the rings, how it had felt in the split few moments before embarassment and awkwardness took over. His stomach twisted, and he looked at Ichijou for a moment before averting his eyes again.

"I suppose I do still have feelings." he said, his voice soft.

He let Doumeki talk himself out and nodded when he mentioned that he'd always been there. Now that he thought about it, he really had been there when Doumeki needed him. During the random events, when Watanuki pushed and pulled him around, after Watanuki's death, and even now after his own death that he also had been there for.

"It wouldn't be fair if Watanuki got to take all of them and left none for the rest of us, you know", he said. A small smile formed on his face. The first smile he gave Doumeki all evening.

For a moment, maybe two, when Ichijou smiled at him, just a small smile from someone who'd sat with him while he died, had come to help him, who was still trying to help him despite what pain he'd caused, the accusation he'd caused...who he realized, retroactively, he had called out to when he was hurt, of his own volition...for a moment the smile made Doumeki feel like maybe things would be alright.

He licked his lips, and nodded, "Yeah." he said, his voice quiet, and he sighed, rubbing at his face. Ichijou wanted his feelings, wanted to hear what he thought or felt, wanted to listen to him and be there - Doumeki couldn't comprehend why, maybe, but he was starting to think it was the genuine truth. He made a shaky breath.

"It hurts." he whispered, "I feel like my world is falling apart. Thank you, for helping me look past it."

The noble nodded again and his smile grew more. It was soft and warm. A smile Doumeki needed and --he hoped-- wanted. Doumeki had been there for Watanuki countless amounts of times it seemeed, now the archer needed someone to be there for him. He needed to learn that people were willing, that he deserved to have someone to lean on. Or have a balanced relationship of leaning on each other. Yes...that's what he needed, he needed a balance. To need and be needed, to hold and be held, to defend and be defended for. This is what the other needed. And he could be that balance, if he so wanted.

"I already told you, didn't I? I'll help you move forward if you so need it"

Doumeki nodded a bit, his eyes sinking shut again, as Ichijou said that he would help him move forward. For a moment, he was lost, completely confused about how the vampire could do that, how he could help.

A moment later, he decided to just trust Ichijou on that front, like he'd trusted him on being a vampire. He still didn't know why the man had bitten him, but he hadn't been afraid. He knew he hadn't been afraid.

"I'll try." he said, softly, then looked up at his face again, his brows slightly furrowed, "Why did you bite me? Last night?"

Ichijou blinked at him when he asked the question. He guessed the archer was too disoriented to have understood what went on. He felt a little bad about that, but if Doumeki was scared, he would have tasted it.

"Since you had already thrown up, that meant the alcohol had already moved into your blood stream. I though that if I drank enough out of you, fresh blood could replace the tainted blood. I didn't take too much before you started getting a bit worse. I think the poison spread to your vital areas far too quickly before I could take enough out to prevent it from damaging you....I got tipsy from it, as I..shouted before", he explained, scritching the back of his head.

Doumeki lifted his fingers, touching his neck at the spot Ichijou had bitten. The skin was a bit sensitive, and he had a bit of dry blood still caked against his skin, but he scratched it off and just watched Ichijou for a moment, his fingers playing over the bite, listening to what he had to say.

He gave a nod, "It makes sense." and then he paused again, "You'd think that if they saw my...body...they wouldn't have assumed...you didn't take enough to kill me."

Sighing to himself, fingers still playing over the bite, "I'm sorry, still. That you suffered. I didn't intend for that to happen, and I won't let it happen again."

The noble sighed and nodded, looking down at his lap. "You'd think. But you know Kiryuu: Vampires are filthy, greedy, creatures that can't do something like helping humans. He probably thinks that I took advantage of your drunken state to have a bite, but in all honesty, alcohol makes your blood taste...well...like alcohol and it's not that tasty", he said.

"I'm sure you didn't intend to die, either. I could tell...you were trying."

Finally, he relaxed himself and leaned against the back of the couch, closing his eyes and breathing lightly. He concentrated his hearing on Doumeki's heart beat and breathing. Strong and steady, just how it was supposed to be.

Doumeki waved a hand, "It's..." he stopped, brows furrowing, "The island is stopping me from saying it, but I'm sure you know what I mean."

He sighed, resting his own head against the back of the couch, though his eyes were open and he was watching Ichijou. He looked tired. He'd helped Doumeki a lot, already. Said things that made sense, that helped, that took some of the weight off of him. That made him think that maybe, not everything was lost.

His LP beeped, and he looked down at it. Kiryuu wanted to talk to him. Massaging his temples, he rolled his eyes, and leaned forward, fingers brushing Ichijou's hair back from his forehead.

"Kiryuu wants to speak to me." he said, his voice low, "I'll come back, afterward, and stay with you if you want to sleep."

When he heard the beep of Doumeki's LP, his eyebrows raised, though his eyes didn't open until he felt the fingers against his hair.

"Kiryuu does? Alright...be careful", he said. He just remembered the water, he heard it boiling over from the kitchen. "Ah!" he scrambled up and hurried to the kitchen to stop it. "You can come over again if you want!", he called out to him.

Doumeki responded to the message on his LP while Ichijou jumped up and went to get the water. He pushed himself up slowly, and headed into the kitchen after him, picking up the glass from his earlier drink of water, leaning against the counter despite the pounding in his head, and pouring another glass for himself, drinking it quickly and putting the cup in the sink.

"I don't rush for him." he said, his voice calm, "Though I should go see him soon." He rubbed at the bite on his neck again, just watching Ichijou, "I'll come tonight. I don't expect whatever Zero has to ask or say to take long."

If that was that case..."Would you like to stay for a cup of tea before you go then?", he asked starting to brew some green tea in a porcelain tea pot.

Doumeki gave a nod, "Tea would be nice." he said, watching still as Ichijou got things ready, putting tea in the tea pot, pouring the water, just watching the graceful way his hands worked.

Ichijou.

He had some thinking to do.

*~*~*~ TIME WARP!~*~*~*

Ichijou had effectively removed all but one bottle of sake from every hiding place Doumeki had in his apartment. He was thankful for his vampiric senses so that he could sniff out the alcohol like a dog. He was sick of the smell of booze, especially fro smelling it so heavily last night and tasting it mixed with blood. He didn't even want to see another bottle for a long, long time.

He hid the bottle he saved in a new place. One that Doumeki would never find unless he had the nose of a bloodhound.

He began to tidy up Doumeki's messy room while he was away, throwing away the scattered bottles, picking up the clothes, cleaning the bathroom, knowing it was probably in a bad condition from last night. All of this done in half an hour using his vampire speed to his advantage.

As short as the meeting had been, Doumeki felt incredibly drained. He'd held himself together, but Zero's intimation that something had happened to "distract" Watanuki, that the boy had cried...it was tough to deal with.

In lower spirits than he'd had going to the beach, he headed back to his own apartment, hoping maybe for a shower, and clean clothing, his head throbbing still. Perhaps some more tea or shoga-yu would help.

Stepping inside, he brushed his feet off on the mat since he still wasn't wearing shoes, and headed inside the apartment, calling out lightly, "Ichijou?"

Ichijou came out of Doumeki's room to greet him home. He already had some tea brewed for his return because he knew he would need something warm to relax him. Zero was a very trying vampire. Wandering into the kitchen after welcoming him home, he picked up the tray of tea and brought it into the living room.

"So...how did your conversation go?", he asked while pouring Doumeki a cup.

He nearly physically flinched when Ichijou asked how the conversation went, releasing a breath, trying to release the tension he'd built up from just the short interaction. Rubbing at his forehead, he pulled down the walls carefully, because he owed Ichijou that much, walking over to the couch and settling down tiredly as Ichijou brought tea.

He looked up at the blonde vampire, his eyes slightly hazy from his headache, "It was...a conversation with Zero. He intimated that Watanuki cried, and that...he distracted him..."

He averted his eyes, "It seems he's taken you off his list. You won't be hunted."

The noble handed Doumeki a cup and was relieved that he wouldn't be hunted anymore. There was now a new menacing vampire that apparently hunted its own kind, he didn't want to be a target of two people. Now that that worry was past, he focused on the archer's problem.

"Thank you...wholeheartedly. I really appreciate it.", he started pouring his own cup of tea and taking a sip from it, rolling the slightly sweet liquid of the chammomile-lavender tea over his tongue and swallowing. Lavender would help the archer's stomach and the chammomile would calm his nerves.

"Speaking of...Watanuki...", he started. "He wants me to talk to him soon in person....I wonder what he needs to say to me..."

Doumeki sipped from his tea - it wasn't a type he'd had before, and it took him a moment or two to place the flavours. Lavender and chamomile. An interesting but soothing combination for tea. Sipping again, he glanced up at Ichijou when he thanked him, and shook his head a bit, "It's nothing. It's my fault in the first place."

And with a sigh, he nodded at Ichijou's comment about Watanuki wanting to talk to him in person. His brows furrowed, "I'm not sure. Maybe about last night." His eyes flicked to the side, and he sipped at his tea again, "Are you alright?"

The blonde noble nodded at the question. "I'm alright...for the most part. The arrival of that menacing vampire has left me a bit uneasy, though...", he admitted truthfully. That was another reason why the chamomile and lavender tea was made, it soothed him as well.

"More importantly, how are you feeling? You looks exhausted...", he said looking at Doumeki with concerned eyes. He sipped at his tea again.

Doumeki nodded, "I can see why it would." he said, and was about to continue after another sip of tea when Ichijou said it was more important than how he was feeling.

He shook his head, "It's not more important. I'm tired, yes, but I'm alright. Worried, I suppose, about you. Because of that vampire."

Ichijou mentally sighed when he said it wasn't more important, but saved the lecture. Doumeki was the one that was feeling ill, not him. But if he wanted to be stubborn...

"I see...I'll keep safe. I've made contact with him, trying to make a good impression so that he doesn't start attacking us right off of the bat, but...he seems like a psychopath, to be blunt.", he let out a sigh. "But for the week, he can't make a move, so I'm going to rest as much as possible until then. You should, too in case anything happens. And...you look awful. You need to sleep"

It wasn't stubbornness so much as feeling like he'd already explained his feelings, being worn out and numb, and looking ahead seemed like it would be an endless stretch of having to be hurt constantly by both Zero and Watanuki until his heart healed over.

It really was his own fault for playing the part of the stoic, for convincing everyone he had no feelings to hurt.

Rubbing at his forehead, he sipped his tea and nodded at him, "You can't make a move for the week?" he asked, lifting his chin slightly, "Why?" he paused, after a moment, "I do need to sleep. Eventually."

"Oh! I meant he can't harm anyone for the remainder of the week. Haha...remember the thing with the monsters? That...will give us some time to rest.", he reiterated. He took another sip of tea, finishing up the cup and setting it down. He leaned back against the couch and relaxed.

"It's been a long day for you, I'm sure. You should shower. I can make...uhm...something easy for you to eat for when you come out", he said. He still didn't know how to make many things besides rice balls, sandwhiches, and strawberry shortcake.

"Right." Doumeki said, nodding a little, "I almost forgot..." He wondered if that was why Ichijou was alive, considering how Zero had stormed in, as he'd said earlier. His heart hurt for a moment, and he rubbed at it, pounding in his chest.

Ichijou suggested a shower, and something easy to eat, and he nodded, "I got some decent soup at the store." he said, "It just requires heating." he paused again, finishing his tea and setting the cup aside, reaching out to take his hand, his wrist, his thumb trailing over the delicate bump at the outside of Ichijou's wrist, pressing fingers against his pulse point to feel the thrumming of his heart.

"Thank you."

Green eyes glanced down at the large hand on his slender wrist. He smiled lightly at the archer and nodded. "Alright. I'll heat some soup up for you. It should be good for your stomach, too.", he said.

His LP then pinged in his back pocket and he jumped slightly, the vibration of the noise tickling him in his rear end slightly. He pulled it out of his back pocket and saw that Alice wanted to come over.

"It seems Miss Alice is frightened...May she come over?", he asked. He felt bad to burden Doumeki, but he couldn't very well leave Alice alone while there was a crazed vampire cackling all over the NETWORK.

He rubbed gently at Ichijou's wrist for a moment, almost mindless because he was tired, and nodded at the comment on the soup, "Mm. Alright. I think a shower will help too."

He waited while Ichijou checked his LP and then when he asked if Alice could come over, he nodded at him, "My shower might take a while, considering how I feel. Is she coming here on her own or are you picking her up?"

"I'm going to pick her up. I don't want her walking by herself. Especially since she's scared", he said. "I'll put on the soup, run up and get her, then come back down. Then we can set out sleeping places"

There was a warm smile on his face. Alice was like a little sister to him and he had a feeling that Doumeki would find her endearing. That and it would probably take his mind off of things.

He stood up and scurried about the kitchen getting the soup in the pot and putting it on a low heat. Then he walked over to the door quickly and slipped on his sandals.

"I'll be right back", he said walking out of the door.

Doumeki nodded at him, "That's fine. I'll check on the soup if I'm out of the shower before you get back."

Pushing himself up out of the couch, he nodded to Ichijou, and headed for the shower.