JE-united surprise fic for je_levy
Gift fic for je_levy
Title: Abyss Night Academy
Pairing: Taguchi / Nakamaru
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None.
Summary: Nakamaru struggles on his journey of re-discovery. Taguchi does little to help.
Notes: Hi je_levy, I was nervous when I received your assignment as it was not my usual genre/pairing but I tried my best! I do hope I did justice for your prompt and that you will have some fun reading it. Many thanks to my beta as well who had so little time to work with!
Rubbing his sweaty palms against the sides of his trousers, Nakamaru tightened his gripped and inched forward gingerly to the drape building ahead of him. He had taken a look at the place in the morning, scoured through as many online information websites as he could find. However, all the preparation did little to prepare him for the shocker at night. In the day, Valley High was a perfectly bright and cheery school situated along the mountain side, full of eager young teenagers pouring through its corridors. In the night, it told a completely different story.
Normal human vision would never be able to see the dimly illuminated letters spelling Abyss Night Academy in complete darkness. The bats which had gathered around the branches and the crows which watch your every move with their beady eyes weren’t exactly inviting either. Nakamaru wondered what he had signed himself up for. The advertisement looked so promising in answering his woes when he chanced upon it. Maybe he shouldn’t have trusted stray fliers drifting in abandoned alleys during the dead of the night. The lack of school fees was also too unbelievable.
Nakamaru sighed at the thought at how eternal life failed to bless him with courage. As he pushed open the doors to the main hallway, a flurry of bats rush passed him. It was cliché and he should have known, but he jumped anyway. Squeezing his eyes shut, he desperately tried to bat the creatures away. As expected, his actions caused a bout of rancorous laughter.
Here we go again, Nakamaru thought bitterly. Time to be the butt of everyone’s jokes again after a hundred years.
“Sorry, freshmen’s tradition,” someone spoke amidst the laughter. “Never got anyone but it sure got you good.”
More laughter soon joined in. Nakamaru could feel that this is the start of another dreary three years. Till a man with one of the brightest smile he has ever seen walked up to him when he pried his eyes open.
“I’m sorry for the little shocker and for laughing,” the man spoke as he slowly approached him.
Chiselled jaw with the most mesmerizing ruby red eyes, Nakamaru found it hard to look away. Good-looking was not sufficient to describe how Nakamaru thought of him. There was a certain attraction which drew him in; it made him feel at home, as if he knew the person standing in front of him for all his life (which was hardly possible). Maybe they have met somewhere before… or maybe the rumour on how different classes of vampires and pure bloods have different charm and magical abilities is true. Or perhaps, the vampire in front of him was just incredibly attractive. It has been a long time after all.
“This is Abyss Night Academy and I’m Taguchi Junnosuke, president of the student union. I trust you feel sufficiently welcomed,” Taguchi continued with a twinkle in his eye, unfazed by Nakamaru’s constant staring.
***
Nakamaru never believed in magic or mystical creatures. He did hold on to the belief that Santa existed till middle school but werewolves and vampires? Nope.
Nakamaru had a beautiful set of silverware cutleries which he used every dinner. He loved black garlic and beer while watching soccer matches. He never suspected much till a fatal car accident left him unscarred and falling down a ravine during a hiking trip only caused temporary pain.
In fact, he never knew he was different, or when he became different, till his friends started aging and he still looked, well, in his twenties. His friend said he had a good skincare regime and he tried to believe in it, till they have all passed on and were not around to convince him any longer.
What kind of freak was he?
A simple comment by a dentist gave him his answer.
“You have really sharp canines. You can probably play it off as a vampire during Halloween.”
***
Nakamaru noticed how the exterior of the school resembles nothing that of the interior. There were no grimy tiles or flickering lights hanging dangerously off the ceiling. For a school which requires zero form of payment, it sure looked posh and fancy with red carpets lining the floor, a high roof and chandeliers illuminating the place.
This looked nothing like Valley High in the morning. Was this what they called, magic? Would he be able to master such feats should he go through with this entire “school program” which was never elaborated on during his application?
“Ask me anything,” Taguchi announced in flourish as he volunteered to take Nakamaru to the administrative office. “I bet you have a million questions in your mind. I was born a vampire and thus know a little more about our world as compared to humans who just flounder for years and years before finding their way here.”
Nakamaru shook his head. Even though he was dying to ask just how exactly did Taguchi tell he was a human once. Did he carry a different scent from them?
“Just speak up, I wouldn’t bite you,” Taguchi tried again, with a strange emphasis on the word “bite”. Nakamaru wondered if he was supposed to laugh a little for the sake of politeness.
“You know, showing you around wasn’t supposed to be my duty.” Nakamaru would have appreciated the silence but it was apparent Taguchi thought otherwise. “The vice president was supposed to take care of all the freshmen but he didn’t make it on our last expedition.
Nakamaru raised an eyebrow. “Expedition? What kind?”
“Oh, goody, I finally got a response from you. I almost thought we spoke a different language!” More laughter. “But it’s true he didn’t make it. Vampire slayers are nasty but -”
“They exist?!”
“Surely you’ve seen one or two around?”
“I’ve never met one…”
“That’s because you smell too human.” Taguchi narrowed his eyes and moved closer. Nakamaru instinctively took a step back. “Be careful, not all purebloods take well to that. Anyway, the previous vice president got caught in a trap when he wandered off, so none of us knew he was in trouble till it was too late. That’s why we need to stick very closely together.” Without thought (or permission), Taguchi slung his arm over Nakamaru. “Very very closely. Wouldn’t want you to run into any trouble.”
***
Nakamaru's new identity was not a kept secret; no one ever asked. He attributed it to the fact that he never stayed in a place for too long. The police checking his identification card was one of his greatest fears as he travelled from one city to another.
He made his fortune through the stock market under a cloak of anonymity. He wasn’t very good when he started, but years of observation had trained him well. Soon, he could afford to live lavishly, even beyond his wildest dreams. But he had always been contented with just staying in his own little apartment in a sparsely populated town. The less people he met on a daily basis, the better. After all, his constant hunger was a worry. Twenty napoleon pizzas in the dead of the night did nothing for his appetite.
The thought of blood always elicited a strange reaction. It made him both excited and sick at the same time. He was never brave enough to withstand the sight of blood for prolonged periods of time. Joining his university’s medical team eons ago in hopes of curbing his fears backfired pretty badly. He had thought many a times of biting the drunk friend he had just made at a random bar but thought it would be unethical and too terrifying a thought to entertain (but all the free time he had on his hands did make his mind wander… a lot).
Nakamaru wondered if there was anyone out there that was the same as he was, and could empathies and advise him.
***
“There’s an evaluation test before you’re sorted into your class,” Taguchi said as he brought Nakamaru to an imposing door. “Do your best and make me proud!”
Nakamaru winced; were they testing on physical strength and weird powers one may possess already? All he could ever do was a backflip or two in quick succession despite being a hundred odd years old. Nothing too complex based on a vampire’s judging criteria no doubt.
“What if I don’t do well?”
“Wow, you sure are a ray of sunshine, aren’t you?” Taguchi responded with a frown of his face. “No worries, you just get additional classes. Or special attention from the principal. Nothing too big.”
Nothing too big he says, Nakamaru thought miserably.
“Oh! And your grades will be announced on the school bulletin board so everyone will be able to see how everyone is ranked!”
Nakamaru raised an eyebrow.
“No matter what happens, you’re under my charge. I’ll be with you as your guardian, so don’t worry about it, really!” Taguchi beamed, flashing his pearly white fangs. “I’ll meet you in the cafeteria after the evaluation test. We have to mark some territory.”
Huh?
Even before Nakamaru could process what Taguchi had been saying, he was unceremoniously shoved into the gym and the door clicked shut. The place was completely pitch black but it wasn’t a problem for his vision. In fact, he could see, hear and smell a lot better. He just didn’t like the darkness because well, not everyone grows out of achluophobia just by becoming a vampire (or do they?)
“Welcome Nakamaru Yuichi,” A calm female voice greeted, and Nakamaru could feel a breeze of cold air brush by his shoulders. He couldn’t see her but her overwhelming presence could possibly be felt across the entire gym. “Do you see the different stations in front of you?” Nakamaru nodded. “They test your physical skills in a variety of ways. The test stops when you hesitate for far too long or fail. It concludes with an interview.”
“Wait-how long-”
“Is that hesitation?” The female voice responded mockingly. “Now, go!”
***
Nakamaru made a short list as to how he could possibly have become a vampire.
Sadly, given his luck, experiences tell him otherwise.
Maybe his sire was a young vampire who didn’t know any better. The only consolation was at least whoever he/she is, the vampire was kind-hearted enough to be a blood donor.
***
“So, how did you find it?”
Nakamaru felt ambushed the moment he left the gymnasium. Taguchi had practically pounced on him for an answer, eyes gleaming with hope like an eager parent. Nakamaru couldn’t help but feel like he had let Taguchi down. Despite his age, Nakamaru hardly ever trained his newfound strength or speed. His physical result reflected the most miserable of grades: human. If not for his natural rate of recovery, he would have probably fallen to his death countless of times during the course of the obstacle trial. Thankfully, he had fare a little better in his mental fortitude interview and was ranked “passable” instead of “coward”.
Nakamaru forced a grim smile on his face in hopes that Taguchi might take the hint. Instead, Taguchi got hopeful and pressed on relentlessly, asking, “Well?” once every couple of steps. He sighed and decided to end his misery by breaking the bad news himself.
“I probably got into the last class,” Nakamaru sighed as he passed his class schedule to Taguchi. “I’m sorry for being a disappointment.”
“Disappointment?” Taguchi’s eyes grew wide. “How high are your expectations?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your results are already reflected on the public notice board! You got into Class Y1S9! That’s a special class for the gifted!” Taguchi overwhelmed Nakamaru with a big bear hug. When Nakamaru tried to struggle out from Taguchi’s death clutch, he failed miserably. “I heard the other people who got into this class are the twins!” Taguchi went on, breaking the hug momentarily to take a good look at Nakamaru. Agonizing awkward moment crawled by before Nakamaru could finally pry his arm away from Taguchi. “I always knew you had it in you. You’re going to be famous in school, you can bet on it.”
Probably for all the wrong things, Nakamaru thought bitterly. His best bet would be that the teachers were playing a cruel joke and assigned him to the wrong class. But for now, he’ll just bask in this short lived fame (if Taguchi wasn’t kidding about Y1S9 being a gifted class) and give it his all. And maybe enjoy the very brief companionship of another vampire.
***
Wikipedia might be an almighty resource but Nakamaru thought he just found a place they could work and improve on. As informative as the page on vampires was, they were largely inaccurate. For one, vampires do not hiss and burn under the sunlight, nor do they perish at the stench of garlic. He has debunked the myth countless of times. Moreover, the page writers have left out a vital segment as well: What do you do when you’re a vampire? The dismal results generated by Yahoo!Answers was too, nothing to be pleased about.
A trip to Europe for a “heritage tour” did nothing to better his knowledge. In fact, the vampire hunting expedition which he joined to look for others of his species turned out to be a completely bogus bunch and a colossal waste of time as well.
***
It’s high school all over again when Nakamaru steps into the cafeteria; it’s clear that there were the cool kids and the not-so-cool kids, the fashionistas and the hobos, the jocks and the hippies, and the list went on. He spotted several celebrities and gawked, because they had always been famous for their youthful looks and fair skin but now Nakamaru knew better. He also instinctively drafted a mental list of people he should avoid before attempting to head straight to an inconspicuous corner. Taguchi almost immediately grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back on track.
“You’re with me,” Taguchi repeated for the umpteenth time, his ruby red eyes glaring straight into his own dull maroon ones.
Why did Taugchi seem so upset for a moment?
Nakamaru gulped visibly and choked on thin air when they head straight for the table positioned right in the very middle of the cafeteria. There’s a respectable distance between where Taguchi sat and the rest of the school cohort; it almost became too painfully clear that Taguchi was an untouchable pure blood, an aristocrat of the vampire world. He has heard of them yet was never quite as lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you view the situation) to meet one till now.
“I’ll fetch you your lunch,” Taguchi offered and Nakamaru immediately sprang up from his seat.
“I’m fine with normal, uh, you know, food. I’ll get it myself.”
“But as part of the student union, you have an exclusive lunch and dinner set from the cafeteria!”
“Hold it, when did I become part of the student union?”
“Because I decreed it.” Taguchi winked. “Now sit right down.”
The moment Taguchi left him on his own, a couple of vampire slunk their way over.
“Are you the special dessert today?” Someone hissed while smacking his lips.
“We actually have a human today!” Another squeal. “Amazing! I thought they were banned.”
There’s a heavy ominous feeling in the air before the other vampires bolted off as quickly as they had gathered.
“Junno is not going to be very pleased,” a seemingly young man said with a yawn as he sat himself down, right next to Nakamaru. He had brown eyes, spiky golden hair, and a fairly tanned complexion (a rarity!). “He’s gonna blow if he knew the other vampires thought you were food and-”
Before he could finish, another man interrupted the conversation by clearing his throat. He resembled much like the first vampire, only with shorter and darker hair. His eyebrow arched perfectly as he frowned disapprovingly at Nakamaru.
“What dreadful fashion sense you have.” Nakamaru was taken aback by the great change in topic. First they were mocking his very existence, and now even his fashions sense? “Argyle? Really?”
“Well, I happen to be born in the early 1900s, thank you very much,” Nakamaru replied defensively.
“Urgh, he’s so much younger yet… I mean, I’m not even remotely interested in dressing up as an antique.” The blonde sat up, amusement in his face. He leaned in close, studying Nakamaru’s face before snorting. “So that’s what Junno goes for? Really?”
“Shut up, Ueda. Before we go on any further, let us introduce ourselves. I’m Kamenashi and the annoying one is Ueda.”
“And we are not twins,” Ueda hastily added on. “We just had similar looks in the past. I’ve since gone for a different look.”
“Gaudier,” Kamenashi retorts.
“No, cooler.”
Their squabble continued on and on till Taguchi returned with two sets of lunch in his hands.
“I see you have met your classmates,” Taguchi exclaimed as he placed the food on the table. They look very much like real, normal, human food in every sense yet his nose didn’t agree with his judgement. “And I see they have lost interest in you just as swiftly. They don’t usually sit here. Ueda likes to be down the hallway setting random things on fire while Kamenashi spends his time in the library.”
“Setting things on fire as well?”
“Kame? No, he reads clearly.”
“Oh.”
“Anyway, dig in. Experience your first meal. They’ve done a pretty good job disguising the food, knowing that the freshmen are coming. Some newcomers are really screechy but I trust you are not the kind to make a scene.” Taguchi grinned mischievously as he shoved some mash potatoes into his mouth. “Dig in, Yucchi.”
Nakamaru twitched; it has been so long since someone had called him by his nickname. It’s a nostalgic feeling.
In fact, he was so caught up in memory lane that he didn’t register putting the sausages into his mouth. Nakamaru dropped his fork when a sweet metallic taste invaded his taste buds slowly. As Taguchi grinned like the Cheshire cat, Nakamaru tried his best to cough out the food he had ingested.
***
It was supposed to be a regular hotline number for stressed individuals to dial but Nakamaru gave it a try anyway. After all, it was his 56th attempt at such numbers, and he was assured by the fact that the call wouldn’t be traceable. His identity would still be an unknown so there’s no harm in trying, right? He waited patiently for the line to connect before a comforting voice spoke up on the other side of the line.
“This is the Sunshine Remedy hotline. How can I help you today?”
Nakamaru hesitated.
“I’m conflicted.”
“How so? Everyone has their own share of troubles and secrets. If you feel uncomfortable talking to your friends and family, you can always pour your worries out to me.”
“I no longer have friends and family,” Nakamaru started and the girl made sympathetic noises accordingly. “I stopped aging since fifty years ago. I don’t think I’m human.”
“Sir, do not be afraid. Let me transfer you to another line where they will be better assist you. Please wait for a moment.”
Nakamaru hung up the moment the “on-hold” music started to play. He did not appreciate being transferred to that familiar number for general enquiries at a nearby mental institute.
***
Nakamaru badly wanted to snap at Taguchi for playing such a prank on him. Freshmen were usually vampires who have yet to drink blood and will be served “blood-flavoured” food to ease them into this brand new world. Taguchi had conveniently forget to let him know about that little detail, resulting in him panicking for the next 10 minutes. He was relieved when Taguchi decided to let him out of his misery and told him the truth. However, the relief was short-lived as Taguchi smirked and told him “maybe I didn’t take from the freshmen’s side of the buffet” and “I can’t remember”.
Taguchi refused to tell Nakamaru what exactly he ate till the very end. He just gave knowing smiles whenever Nakamaru asked, which all the more unsettles Nakamaru and his stomach.
Taguchi was definitely enjoying himself.
Lunch swiftly passed by without Nakamaru eating anything else.
“This is your survival kit,” Taguchi explained as he passed Nakamaru two scraps of paper, one with his classes printed on, and the other with messy scribbling. There was absolutely no remorse on Taguchi’s part as his stomach growled incessantly. “Classes are starting and since today is a Monday, it’s Art now. You won’t want to be late! I’ll be going to my own classes now, catch you later!”
Taguchi ran off for his own lessons even before Nakamaru could thank him. Or ask him for which classroom he should be heading for. Nonetheless, it’s good to know that he’ll be starting school with a subject he used to be decent in. However, a quick look at his schedule instantly dampened his good feelings. Defence Art which would follow seemed like a difficult class to grasp.
It also appeared that Taguchi thought it was necessary to interject his own opinions and every class.
Guide to Survival by Taguchi Junnosuke
Homeroom - For people to arrive fashionably late and still not miss a thing
Literature - We can’t all be uncouth buffoons so we study ancient European literature. All written by dead men.
Physical - For the poor runners (you must surpass the human standard! work hard and all the best!)
History - Meh, our really old ancestor who were stupid enough to be killed (the truly great ones are clearly still alive so why aren’t we studying on them instead?!)
Language - Learn a new tongue apart from Japanese! I’m currently taking Spanish, wanna join?
Dance - Classical Latin dances. We need poise and grace for… I don’t know. The art of seduction? :P
Magic - Pew pew! Blow your friend’s arm apart. The teachers will try to harvest your inert powers.
Astronomy - Studies about a bunch of stars. But I prefer to look at Perfume?
Art - Never, ever, paint a werewolf. We don’t like them!
Defense Art - How to defend yourself against pesky insect aka vampy slayerrrrrrrrrrrrrrs.
Break - SOCIALISE. Do not hide.
Club - I am in the student union. I expect to see your face on both Wednesdays and Fridays.
Evaluation - Progress check! But you can bribe the examiner with food… sometimes….
Dismissal - YEAHHH. But everyone must leave early to avoid detection by pesky humans, haha.
Nakamaru couldn’t stop himself for smiling, his anger directed at Taguchi instantly ebbing away.
Although the note was pretty sweet, Nakamaru was hungry enough to think about eating that scrap of paper (at least the writings were in ink, not blood).
“I can’t believe I let myself go there,” he muttered under his breath.
It also dawned upon him that while Taguchi seemingly knew much about him, Nakamaru couldn’t say the same. Maybe he could ask Kamenashi; he seemed like the nicer of his two classmates.
***
Nakamaru received his newspapers daily and many a times wondered why the publication company never called to check if the recipient, after a hundred years, was still alive or not.
“Customer service these days,” Nakamaru lamented at a nearby bar. The place was empty apart from a stranger seated beside him, fedora pulled so low Nakamaru could barely see his face. “They respond to money and nothing else.”
“I beg to differ,” the person mumbles. “At least they check your identity nowadays before you can donate your blood. They didn’t use to.”
“Pardon?”
“Blood donations… A mess in the past.”
“How many years ago was that?”
“It’s been a long time...” The stranger replied before downing his cup of whisky. “Because of their negligence, I made a mistake. But after thinking about it for a long time, maybe I don’t regret it after all.”
“Why do you say-”
Nakamaru had yet to complete his sentence when he discovered he was alone in the establishment. Had he had too much that he was conversing with himself?
***
Apart from art and dance (which were unofficially deemed the most redundant classes), Nakamaru didn't fare exceptionally for the rest of his classes. In magic lessons, Ueda was busy conjuring fire with a snap of his fingertips. Kamenashi excelled in physical strength, breaking through concrete slabs with ease. They both possessed special abilities far beyond a normal vampire, as expected of pure bloods. On the other hand, Nakamaru still struggled to understand how on earth was he even sorted into the "special" class. Thankfully, scary appearances aside, Kamenashi and Ueda were pretty friendly. At least they only laugh about his argyle vests and not dunk him into the pond like his class used to.
“Nakamaru, I bought you a present,” Kamenashi approached him during break one day, holding a large sack in his hands. “I think it is time.”
“Time for what?” Nakamaru’s eyes widened.
“Is it a human?” Taguchi laughed as he shovelled a spoonful mash potatoes into his mouth. “Yucchi, try more of the faux blood cake, it’s pretty tasty, no? You need to get used to the taste!” he continued to exclaim. Nakamaru tried his best to avoid being hit by a stray bit of mash potatoes (and from Taguchi’s force feeding).
“Taguchi, where are your table manners?” Kamenashi snorted disapprovingly. “Stop hounding Yucchi and hand him over.”
“What are you going to do to me?”
“But Yucchi is eating.”
“We have more pressing matters to do.”
“Can someone answer my question?” Nakamaru sighed in exasperation.
“Kamenashi bought you clothes, lots of ‘em. In that huge man bag sack thingy he has in his hands.” Ueda helpfully pointed out.
“I don’t need a makeover.”
“You do!” Kamenashi immediately redirected his attention back at Nakamaru.
“Apart from the large framed spectacles you sometimes wear-”
“I agree, Yucchi looks great in those!” Taguchi interrupted, earning a disdainful glare from Kamenashi. “But I do think he looks great all the time!”
Nakamaru felt heat rush to his face. He was probably as red as a tomato but Kamenashi didn’t seem to realise his embarrassment (or even acknowledge Taguchi).
“-you need to do something about your 17th century fashion sense.”
“I am not that old.”
“Hey Kame, you’re not that fresh from the oven yourself,” Ueda sniggered.
“I am from the 18th century, Senior. You, on the other hand, come from the 15th century and took forever before you decided you wanted an education.”
“Oi, I am much younger than that.”
It’s a pretty typical day in school, Nakamaru has gotten used to their usual banter, and it felt good to have friends again. The conversation will never end as Kamenashi and Ueda go at one another, forgetting Nakamaru eventually. Maybe signing up for this school wasn’t as bad as he thought initially. Sure, the teachers were often frustrated at his lack of talents (and constantly questioned if the sorting process was flawed that day) but everyone had been very kind to him. “We are too old for high school drama,” most of the vampires would say despite their outward appearance, keeping Nakamaru free from the constant teasing unlike back in those days.
Taguchi tried to expose him to all aspects of being a vampire. Given Taguchi’s incredible power of persuasion when he looks into his eyes (and his fluttering heart whenever Taguchi does that), it wasn’t hard to get Nakamaru to do a bunch of crazy things. The list included embarking on a bat and crow catching expeditions to rear them as pets (“Good for boosting your image as a vampire,” Taguchi insisted), practicing morphing magic (not fun if you are stuck in the transitional phase between that of a human and a bat; Nakamaru could attest to that), and bringing him out to the local vampire hangouts to get to know more of their kind. Much to his chagrin, he has actually been to some of those places unknowingly and never sniffed a thing out. “I don’t get why some people believe that mere garlic will ward us off”, was also the most common topic up for discussion behind closed doors.
Although Nakamaru was very much thankful that Taguchi was very much an excellent senior (albeit the one time he persuaded Nakamaru to rob a blood bank just so he can expose him to vampire slayers; thank goodness nothing scary happened), it unsettled him that he knew nothing about the other vampire. He led an elusive personal life and both Kamenashi and Ueda simply could not be bothered to tell him anything about Taguchi (apart from the open fact that he likes very bad puns). He wished to know the other man better, if his warm exterior was just a facade for his frosty heart, or that he was just someone easily distracted and did not have the habit of introducing himself as he jumps at more “stimulating” things.
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Kamenashi and Ueda always said, before bursting into laughter, “They are so awkward, it’s adorable,” Ueda once mentioned in passing before continuing to crack up. “Oh god, they might actually need some help eventually or it’ll be too painful to watch.”
When was Taguchi ever awkward? He's too busy making others feel that way with his lame jokes, Nakamaru thought, puzzled.
***
A blood moon doesn’t happen too frequently, but when it does, Nakamaru would spend the entire night walking about town, combing alleys, crowded clubs and bars, and practically any place he believes a vampire would hang out at. He has read in dusty old tomes that a sire will always come for his progeny eventually, and that’s when he feels bitter that he has an entire eternity to wait for that to happen.
Getting hit by paper aeroplanes every time a blood moon comes about didn’t help his mood either. Nakamaru wished kids hiding around the corners would stop aiming at his nose whenever he got out of his apartment. He would have caught a couple of them and gave them a good lecture if they didn’t give him the slip that quickly. They are never there when he finally discovers their location.
It’s frustrating and upsetting, and kills his hopeful disposition each time without fail.
***
RARE OCCURRENCE OF A BLOOD MOON HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND
Nakamaru got excited when he saw the headlines of the newspaper one morning. It took him absolute control to stop himself from rushing to school at that very moment. With the help of his teachers, Taguchi, or even Kamenashi and Ueda, he could possibly sniff out the scent of his sire once and for all! Perhaps he would no longer live in a world of uncertainties! If he found his sire, Nakamaru was sure that years of questions will finally be answered.
Strangely enough, the rest of his friends did not share his enthusiasm. Kamenashi and Ueda merely snickered among themselves while Taguchi avoided the topic as a whole, going on to ramble about how he was rearing a pet begonia plant instead. Was the tradition of the blood moon a mere rumour?
They were probably ignoring it to avoid hurting my feelings, Nakamaru thought as he walked down the hallways. Yet the incessant chattering about being claimed and acknowledged was rampant among the other freshmen like himself. He was getting increasingly confused when Taguchi rushed up to him and swept him away, claiming that they have “very important student union duties” which required immediate attention. It was only when they reached their club room did Taguchi take a breather to fill Nakamaru in on the details.
“I need you to fill up a survey form.”
“A what?”
“A survey form,” Taguchi repeated. “On abandoned or neglected progenies. It is the duty of the student council to comfort any lone and lost vampires after the red moon. Your input will be invaluable.”
Nakamaru let out a soft “oh.” What else was he expecting?
“Will you be angry if you realised you were changed accidentally, even if your sire has truly fallen for you due to odd and unexplainable reasons after years of observation?”
“That’ a very unique question for a general survey…” Nakamaru raised an eyebrow. “But I guess it’s the present that counts so I won’t think about it too much.”
Taguchi gave a weird victory jig, which made Nakamaru exasperated. Such a person he looked up to and has slowly begin falling for. He didn’t even realise when Taguchi had successfully snuck into his heart like an annoying virus, impossible to rid of. Perhaps it was during one of their many escapades, or the realisation that Taguchi was always around whenever he needed help or saving (Nakamaru was exceptionally grateful when he got entangled in some vines for a couple of hours and Taguchi freed him with a flick of his nails when he finally found him).
“What if your sire has actually been trying to contact you all this while but you just haven’t been getting the hints?”
Nakamaru let out an incredulous laugh.
“I don’t think that’s possible. I crane my neck out every night. Other vampires should also be similar-”
“Yeah, I can see how that pose has become permanent,” Taguchi snorted in amusement. “Kind of like, a Yucchi trademark. Dedication.”
“Are you trying to be-”
“Lastly, if a senior in this school turned out to be your sire, on a rating of 1 to 10, how surprised will you be?”
“Why are you even asking these weird questions?” Nakamaru commented but he was slowly joining the dots together. Given the specificity of the questions, was Taguchi actually referring to himself? “So where is your progeny now?”
It wasn’t his intention to sound irked but it came across that way. Imagine that poor lonely soul waiting for Taguchi to acknowledge him/her while Taguchi galavanted to the other side of the world. It sounded pretty much like his situation so he felt irrationally angry on behalf of the unknown progeny.
“No, Yucchi, definitely, uh, not anybody else,” Taguchi answered while fidgeting uncomfortably. “Not wrong in saying that." he shrugged before continuining. "Just a hypothetical question. Right, an imaginary scenario. But does that mean you’ll be angry?”
“You insistence on this matter totally gives you away. Just admit it, wouldn’t you?”
“Promise me you won’t get angry regardless of the answer?”
“I promise.” Nakamaru sighed. Taguchi had been nothing but nice to him; he had no reason to stay upset at him for long. They’ll probably have a little squabble and life goes on. That’s what friends do, don’t they?
“No, we’re not friends,” Taguchi spoke up, his sudden declaration a shock to Nakamaru. “I know exactly what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling all the time. Vexed, confusion and disappointment. I don’t want you to think that way because of me any longer. And I definitely don't want to be on the same level as friends with Kame and Uepi.”
“Huh?”
Taguchi leaned in close, beckoning Nakamaru against the nearest wall.
“I’m your sire,” he whispered as he bared his fangs.
***
Nakamaru sighed as he sipped his coffee at a nearby cafe. It was a gloomy day, when the rain continued to beat down relentlessly. There was nothing much for him to do but observe people as they rushed by.
“The things they miss,” he commented absentmindedly as he set his cup on the table.
“The things you miss,” someone said before a man donning a fedora appeared in sight. “May I take a seat?”
Hat pulled low, it was hard to make out the features of his new companion. Nakamaru couldn't quite explain the weird sense of déjà vu he was getting. Had this happen... before? Nonetheless, Nakamaru nodded and showed the stranger his seat.
“Why is a fine man like yourself just sitting and willing your time away? Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“I don’t,” Nakamaru replied curtly. “What about you?”
“I’m having an interesting conversation with someone special. How about we watch a play together? I know a good one starting soon, just near the corner.”
Nakamaru found it difficult to reject this kind but absurd invite. Watching a play with someone he has just met seconds ago? Before he could have another moment to consider, he found himself being led away by the stranger, taken to a magnificent theatre on a busy street. His coat was a little wet from being caught briefly in the rain but it didn’t stop him from appreciating the story which slowly unfolded itself on stage. He was so wrapped and caught up in the plot that he didn’t realise when the stranger had left till the show was over. All that was left of him was a tiny note on the seat.
See? It’s not too bad to go along with spontaneous plans once in a while, isn’t it? ;)
It was neither a one-off experience nor a common occurrence but Nakamaru found himself bumping into the mysterious stranger more often than not. He would tease Nakamaru’s boring routine and bring him to try out different things, leading him to secret locations to appreciate nature or sniff out good bargains and leave quietly when Nakamaru was too absorbed in a certain matter.
Nakamaru never found out who the stranger behind those pair of sunglasses and flu mask. He felt comfortable hanging out with him as if they had known one another for a very long time; names weren’t necessary.
***
The dull throbbing pain at the back of his neck where Taguchi sank his fangs into on that very night plagued him for days. If he had known forging a proper bond with your sire would hurt that badly, maybe he was better off being a wild one. Nonetheless, for the first time in many years, he felt complete.
"I honestly didn't know that humans who are contaminated with our blood will morph into a vampire," Taguchi explained that day as Nakamaru bombarded him with all the questions he had kept to himself for all these years. "I often felt an incredible sense of loneliness as well. When I finally found out about my terrible mistake, I frantically tried to seek you out. One day, I met you at the pub and it clicked. You were the one."
"Why didn't you tell me there and then?"
"I got scared. I didn't know how to tell you. It's not common for vampires my age to get a progeny so I didn't know who to talk to either. You probably need a degree in vampire studies before you can try doing that." Taguchi licked his lips nervously. "I tried throwing paper airplanes to catch your attention but you put on a scary face whenever one hit you."
"So you were the one!" Nakamaru gasped in shock. All this years he had thought it was a prank directed at him by the children around his neighbourhood!
"I had a change of plans and brought you on anonymous dates to get to know you better. Imagine my relief when I realised you weren't an asshole wreaking havoc with your improved physical abilities!"
"But you're one."
“I can cook. Men who can cook aren't assholes.”
“So what can you cook?”
“I make wonderful orange juice.”
“Is that even worth mentioning?” Nakamaru retorted in annoyance.
“I make a mean miso soup too,” Taguchi whined defensively. “Even if it’s from a packet, it still takes skill to get the right amount of water and temperature.”
"When I decided you were finally ready to meet me, I threw the advertisement for this school at you," Taguchi continued back on the topic. "But the wind that night was strong that night and unfolded my paper aeroplane. Thank God you picked it up anyway."
"But why did you appear so distant whenever we talked about our personal lives?"
"I didn't want to scare you away. So I did my best to control myself. But I was getting impatient so I decided to go to you directly. And this is how things worked out. Pretty haphazardly." Taguchi paused before looking at Nakamaru. “I’m really sorry. Should have gotten myself enrolled in school much earlier.”
Nakamaru pursed his lips. Whenever Taguchi looked at him straight in the eyes, he would get a weird bubbly feeling at the bottom of his stomach. Was it because of their special bond or something else? They had just acknowledged one another’s existence; there’s no need to rush. He can take it slow and sort out his feelings. It had been years since his emotions were all in a jumble. .
But Taguchi seemed to have thought otherwise.
When Nakamaru asked what the other man seemed to be impatient about, he was forthright in his reply.
“I don’t know if it is because of the bond we share but I really like you. Do you feel the same way as I do?”
Nakamaru has only confessed once all the way back in high school but he was hardly the receiving party. Words couldn’t really form at the tip of his mouth so he kissed him instead. And again and again, till it felt right and Nakamaru knew the answer to Taguchi’s question.
***
Even if Nakamaru was still crashing his way through classes while Ueda and Kamenashi would only watch on sympathetically, he finally knew the reason why he was put in the “special” class. He could finally be assured that it was not a ploy to set him up for embarrassment.
“Because I’m a pureblood and our progeny will excel like us.” Taguchi licked his lips. “The evaluation ranks your potential. Your presence might be weak at the moment because of your refusal to take blood, but it will multiply greatly once you have had your first drink. If you’re scared, I can offer you my arm or anywhere else for that matter.”
“Just not the face,” Taguchi added as an afterthought. “I have a speech to make in school next week. I need to look good. And you probably won’t get much blood there anyway.”
Nakamaru groaned.
“Are all purebloods as insufferable as you?”
“Looking at Kamenashi and Ueda, I would say I fare much better,” Taguchi laughed as he snaked a hand around Nakamaru’s waist. Nakamaru inched away.
“We’re in school for goodness sake.”
“But you kissed me first! Who’s the daring one?”
“Keep your volume down.”
“Didn’t you date in human high school? I think we’re alright, at least I’m not shoving my tongue down your throat like those teenagers I see on the streets… Unless you want me to?” Taguchi asked innocently, batting his lashes.
Nakamaru hurriedly looked away; who knows what might happen should he continue staring into Taguchi's eyes. When he calmed down, he thought about hitting Taguchi for doing such things on purpose. However, he had read in a guidebook somewhere that it was unlawful to injure your sire; maybe he would be the first progeny to challenge that.
Apart from Taguchi constantly getting on his nerves and trying to challenge his limits at every chance, nothing has really changed. They still hung out after school every day, participate in Taguchi’s lengthy pun-writing sessions which never led to fruition (he was forced to) and went on dates occasionally. For now, they wouldn't try to rush through things, at least up until they both graduate (where have he heard that line before?) and knew more about themselves. Then there's still meeting Taguchi's family (more pure bloods to deal with, hooray!) and being acknowledged as his progeny in the social circle.
At the current moment, the biggest huddle would be getting used to the sour looks Kamenashi and Ueda had been putting on a lot recently whenever the four of them hung out together. It'll probably take some time but he could live with that.
The End.
Title: Abyss Night Academy
Pairing: Taguchi / Nakamaru
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: None.
Summary: Nakamaru struggles on his journey of re-discovery. Taguchi does little to help.
Notes: Hi je_levy, I was nervous when I received your assignment as it was not my usual genre/pairing but I tried my best! I do hope I did justice for your prompt and that you will have some fun reading it. Many thanks to my beta as well who had so little time to work with!
Rubbing his sweaty palms against the sides of his trousers, Nakamaru tightened his gripped and inched forward gingerly to the drape building ahead of him. He had taken a look at the place in the morning, scoured through as many online information websites as he could find. However, all the preparation did little to prepare him for the shocker at night. In the day, Valley High was a perfectly bright and cheery school situated along the mountain side, full of eager young teenagers pouring through its corridors. In the night, it told a completely different story.
Normal human vision would never be able to see the dimly illuminated letters spelling Abyss Night Academy in complete darkness. The bats which had gathered around the branches and the crows which watch your every move with their beady eyes weren’t exactly inviting either. Nakamaru wondered what he had signed himself up for. The advertisement looked so promising in answering his woes when he chanced upon it. Maybe he shouldn’t have trusted stray fliers drifting in abandoned alleys during the dead of the night. The lack of school fees was also too unbelievable.
Nakamaru sighed at the thought at how eternal life failed to bless him with courage. As he pushed open the doors to the main hallway, a flurry of bats rush passed him. It was cliché and he should have known, but he jumped anyway. Squeezing his eyes shut, he desperately tried to bat the creatures away. As expected, his actions caused a bout of rancorous laughter.
Here we go again, Nakamaru thought bitterly. Time to be the butt of everyone’s jokes again after a hundred years.
“Sorry, freshmen’s tradition,” someone spoke amidst the laughter. “Never got anyone but it sure got you good.”
More laughter soon joined in. Nakamaru could feel that this is the start of another dreary three years. Till a man with one of the brightest smile he has ever seen walked up to him when he pried his eyes open.
“I’m sorry for the little shocker and for laughing,” the man spoke as he slowly approached him.
Chiselled jaw with the most mesmerizing ruby red eyes, Nakamaru found it hard to look away. Good-looking was not sufficient to describe how Nakamaru thought of him. There was a certain attraction which drew him in; it made him feel at home, as if he knew the person standing in front of him for all his life (which was hardly possible). Maybe they have met somewhere before… or maybe the rumour on how different classes of vampires and pure bloods have different charm and magical abilities is true. Or perhaps, the vampire in front of him was just incredibly attractive. It has been a long time after all.
“This is Abyss Night Academy and I’m Taguchi Junnosuke, president of the student union. I trust you feel sufficiently welcomed,” Taguchi continued with a twinkle in his eye, unfazed by Nakamaru’s constant staring.
***
Nakamaru never believed in magic or mystical creatures. He did hold on to the belief that Santa existed till middle school but werewolves and vampires? Nope.
Nakamaru had a beautiful set of silverware cutleries which he used every dinner. He loved black garlic and beer while watching soccer matches. He never suspected much till a fatal car accident left him unscarred and falling down a ravine during a hiking trip only caused temporary pain.
In fact, he never knew he was different, or when he became different, till his friends started aging and he still looked, well, in his twenties. His friend said he had a good skincare regime and he tried to believe in it, till they have all passed on and were not around to convince him any longer.
What kind of freak was he?
A simple comment by a dentist gave him his answer.
“You have really sharp canines. You can probably play it off as a vampire during Halloween.”
***
Nakamaru noticed how the exterior of the school resembles nothing that of the interior. There were no grimy tiles or flickering lights hanging dangerously off the ceiling. For a school which requires zero form of payment, it sure looked posh and fancy with red carpets lining the floor, a high roof and chandeliers illuminating the place.
This looked nothing like Valley High in the morning. Was this what they called, magic? Would he be able to master such feats should he go through with this entire “school program” which was never elaborated on during his application?
“Ask me anything,” Taguchi announced in flourish as he volunteered to take Nakamaru to the administrative office. “I bet you have a million questions in your mind. I was born a vampire and thus know a little more about our world as compared to humans who just flounder for years and years before finding their way here.”
Nakamaru shook his head. Even though he was dying to ask just how exactly did Taguchi tell he was a human once. Did he carry a different scent from them?
“Just speak up, I wouldn’t bite you,” Taguchi tried again, with a strange emphasis on the word “bite”. Nakamaru wondered if he was supposed to laugh a little for the sake of politeness.
“You know, showing you around wasn’t supposed to be my duty.” Nakamaru would have appreciated the silence but it was apparent Taguchi thought otherwise. “The vice president was supposed to take care of all the freshmen but he didn’t make it on our last expedition.
Nakamaru raised an eyebrow. “Expedition? What kind?”
“Oh, goody, I finally got a response from you. I almost thought we spoke a different language!” More laughter. “But it’s true he didn’t make it. Vampire slayers are nasty but -”
“They exist?!”
“Surely you’ve seen one or two around?”
“I’ve never met one…”
“That’s because you smell too human.” Taguchi narrowed his eyes and moved closer. Nakamaru instinctively took a step back. “Be careful, not all purebloods take well to that. Anyway, the previous vice president got caught in a trap when he wandered off, so none of us knew he was in trouble till it was too late. That’s why we need to stick very closely together.” Without thought (or permission), Taguchi slung his arm over Nakamaru. “Very very closely. Wouldn’t want you to run into any trouble.”
***
Nakamaru's new identity was not a kept secret; no one ever asked. He attributed it to the fact that he never stayed in a place for too long. The police checking his identification card was one of his greatest fears as he travelled from one city to another.
He made his fortune through the stock market under a cloak of anonymity. He wasn’t very good when he started, but years of observation had trained him well. Soon, he could afford to live lavishly, even beyond his wildest dreams. But he had always been contented with just staying in his own little apartment in a sparsely populated town. The less people he met on a daily basis, the better. After all, his constant hunger was a worry. Twenty napoleon pizzas in the dead of the night did nothing for his appetite.
The thought of blood always elicited a strange reaction. It made him both excited and sick at the same time. He was never brave enough to withstand the sight of blood for prolonged periods of time. Joining his university’s medical team eons ago in hopes of curbing his fears backfired pretty badly. He had thought many a times of biting the drunk friend he had just made at a random bar but thought it would be unethical and too terrifying a thought to entertain (but all the free time he had on his hands did make his mind wander… a lot).
Nakamaru wondered if there was anyone out there that was the same as he was, and could empathies and advise him.
***
“There’s an evaluation test before you’re sorted into your class,” Taguchi said as he brought Nakamaru to an imposing door. “Do your best and make me proud!”
Nakamaru winced; were they testing on physical strength and weird powers one may possess already? All he could ever do was a backflip or two in quick succession despite being a hundred odd years old. Nothing too complex based on a vampire’s judging criteria no doubt.
“What if I don’t do well?”
“Wow, you sure are a ray of sunshine, aren’t you?” Taguchi responded with a frown of his face. “No worries, you just get additional classes. Or special attention from the principal. Nothing too big.”
Nothing too big he says, Nakamaru thought miserably.
“Oh! And your grades will be announced on the school bulletin board so everyone will be able to see how everyone is ranked!”
Nakamaru raised an eyebrow.
“No matter what happens, you’re under my charge. I’ll be with you as your guardian, so don’t worry about it, really!” Taguchi beamed, flashing his pearly white fangs. “I’ll meet you in the cafeteria after the evaluation test. We have to mark some territory.”
Huh?
Even before Nakamaru could process what Taguchi had been saying, he was unceremoniously shoved into the gym and the door clicked shut. The place was completely pitch black but it wasn’t a problem for his vision. In fact, he could see, hear and smell a lot better. He just didn’t like the darkness because well, not everyone grows out of achluophobia just by becoming a vampire (or do they?)
“Welcome Nakamaru Yuichi,” A calm female voice greeted, and Nakamaru could feel a breeze of cold air brush by his shoulders. He couldn’t see her but her overwhelming presence could possibly be felt across the entire gym. “Do you see the different stations in front of you?” Nakamaru nodded. “They test your physical skills in a variety of ways. The test stops when you hesitate for far too long or fail. It concludes with an interview.”
“Wait-how long-”
“Is that hesitation?” The female voice responded mockingly. “Now, go!”
***
Nakamaru made a short list as to how he could possibly have become a vampire.
- Parents are vampires They passed on normally
- Bitten by a vampire Never hung out at sleazy bars or alleys and got ambushed
- Cursed into a vampire No such recollection
- Magic? Don’t think my parents made a pact with any witches or wizards with their first-born; or did they forget about it? Surely they would remember when I look the same for their last 50 years or so.
- Unexpected exchange of blood - Greatest possibility? I stopped aging at 24, the day I got into a fatal accident, was out for a week and needed a blood transfusion.
Sadly, given his luck, experiences tell him otherwise.
Maybe his sire was a young vampire who didn’t know any better. The only consolation was at least whoever he/she is, the vampire was kind-hearted enough to be a blood donor.
***
“So, how did you find it?”
Nakamaru felt ambushed the moment he left the gymnasium. Taguchi had practically pounced on him for an answer, eyes gleaming with hope like an eager parent. Nakamaru couldn’t help but feel like he had let Taguchi down. Despite his age, Nakamaru hardly ever trained his newfound strength or speed. His physical result reflected the most miserable of grades: human. If not for his natural rate of recovery, he would have probably fallen to his death countless of times during the course of the obstacle trial. Thankfully, he had fare a little better in his mental fortitude interview and was ranked “passable” instead of “coward”.
Nakamaru forced a grim smile on his face in hopes that Taguchi might take the hint. Instead, Taguchi got hopeful and pressed on relentlessly, asking, “Well?” once every couple of steps. He sighed and decided to end his misery by breaking the bad news himself.
“I probably got into the last class,” Nakamaru sighed as he passed his class schedule to Taguchi. “I’m sorry for being a disappointment.”
“Disappointment?” Taguchi’s eyes grew wide. “How high are your expectations?”
“What do you mean?”
“Your results are already reflected on the public notice board! You got into Class Y1S9! That’s a special class for the gifted!” Taguchi overwhelmed Nakamaru with a big bear hug. When Nakamaru tried to struggle out from Taguchi’s death clutch, he failed miserably. “I heard the other people who got into this class are the twins!” Taguchi went on, breaking the hug momentarily to take a good look at Nakamaru. Agonizing awkward moment crawled by before Nakamaru could finally pry his arm away from Taguchi. “I always knew you had it in you. You’re going to be famous in school, you can bet on it.”
Probably for all the wrong things, Nakamaru thought bitterly. His best bet would be that the teachers were playing a cruel joke and assigned him to the wrong class. But for now, he’ll just bask in this short lived fame (if Taguchi wasn’t kidding about Y1S9 being a gifted class) and give it his all. And maybe enjoy the very brief companionship of another vampire.
***
Wikipedia might be an almighty resource but Nakamaru thought he just found a place they could work and improve on. As informative as the page on vampires was, they were largely inaccurate. For one, vampires do not hiss and burn under the sunlight, nor do they perish at the stench of garlic. He has debunked the myth countless of times. Moreover, the page writers have left out a vital segment as well: What do you do when you’re a vampire? The dismal results generated by Yahoo!Answers was too, nothing to be pleased about.
A trip to Europe for a “heritage tour” did nothing to better his knowledge. In fact, the vampire hunting expedition which he joined to look for others of his species turned out to be a completely bogus bunch and a colossal waste of time as well.
***
It’s high school all over again when Nakamaru steps into the cafeteria; it’s clear that there were the cool kids and the not-so-cool kids, the fashionistas and the hobos, the jocks and the hippies, and the list went on. He spotted several celebrities and gawked, because they had always been famous for their youthful looks and fair skin but now Nakamaru knew better. He also instinctively drafted a mental list of people he should avoid before attempting to head straight to an inconspicuous corner. Taguchi almost immediately grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back on track.
“You’re with me,” Taguchi repeated for the umpteenth time, his ruby red eyes glaring straight into his own dull maroon ones.
Why did Taugchi seem so upset for a moment?
Nakamaru gulped visibly and choked on thin air when they head straight for the table positioned right in the very middle of the cafeteria. There’s a respectable distance between where Taguchi sat and the rest of the school cohort; it almost became too painfully clear that Taguchi was an untouchable pure blood, an aristocrat of the vampire world. He has heard of them yet was never quite as lucky (or unlucky, depending on how you view the situation) to meet one till now.
“I’ll fetch you your lunch,” Taguchi offered and Nakamaru immediately sprang up from his seat.
“I’m fine with normal, uh, you know, food. I’ll get it myself.”
“But as part of the student union, you have an exclusive lunch and dinner set from the cafeteria!”
“Hold it, when did I become part of the student union?”
“Because I decreed it.” Taguchi winked. “Now sit right down.”
The moment Taguchi left him on his own, a couple of vampire slunk their way over.
“Are you the special dessert today?” Someone hissed while smacking his lips.
“We actually have a human today!” Another squeal. “Amazing! I thought they were banned.”
There’s a heavy ominous feeling in the air before the other vampires bolted off as quickly as they had gathered.
“Junno is not going to be very pleased,” a seemingly young man said with a yawn as he sat himself down, right next to Nakamaru. He had brown eyes, spiky golden hair, and a fairly tanned complexion (a rarity!). “He’s gonna blow if he knew the other vampires thought you were food and-”
Before he could finish, another man interrupted the conversation by clearing his throat. He resembled much like the first vampire, only with shorter and darker hair. His eyebrow arched perfectly as he frowned disapprovingly at Nakamaru.
“What dreadful fashion sense you have.” Nakamaru was taken aback by the great change in topic. First they were mocking his very existence, and now even his fashions sense? “Argyle? Really?”
“Well, I happen to be born in the early 1900s, thank you very much,” Nakamaru replied defensively.
“Urgh, he’s so much younger yet… I mean, I’m not even remotely interested in dressing up as an antique.” The blonde sat up, amusement in his face. He leaned in close, studying Nakamaru’s face before snorting. “So that’s what Junno goes for? Really?”
“Shut up, Ueda. Before we go on any further, let us introduce ourselves. I’m Kamenashi and the annoying one is Ueda.”
“And we are not twins,” Ueda hastily added on. “We just had similar looks in the past. I’ve since gone for a different look.”
“Gaudier,” Kamenashi retorts.
“No, cooler.”
Their squabble continued on and on till Taguchi returned with two sets of lunch in his hands.
“I see you have met your classmates,” Taguchi exclaimed as he placed the food on the table. They look very much like real, normal, human food in every sense yet his nose didn’t agree with his judgement. “And I see they have lost interest in you just as swiftly. They don’t usually sit here. Ueda likes to be down the hallway setting random things on fire while Kamenashi spends his time in the library.”
“Setting things on fire as well?”
“Kame? No, he reads clearly.”
“Oh.”
“Anyway, dig in. Experience your first meal. They’ve done a pretty good job disguising the food, knowing that the freshmen are coming. Some newcomers are really screechy but I trust you are not the kind to make a scene.” Taguchi grinned mischievously as he shoved some mash potatoes into his mouth. “Dig in, Yucchi.”
Nakamaru twitched; it has been so long since someone had called him by his nickname. It’s a nostalgic feeling.
In fact, he was so caught up in memory lane that he didn’t register putting the sausages into his mouth. Nakamaru dropped his fork when a sweet metallic taste invaded his taste buds slowly. As Taguchi grinned like the Cheshire cat, Nakamaru tried his best to cough out the food he had ingested.
***
It was supposed to be a regular hotline number for stressed individuals to dial but Nakamaru gave it a try anyway. After all, it was his 56th attempt at such numbers, and he was assured by the fact that the call wouldn’t be traceable. His identity would still be an unknown so there’s no harm in trying, right? He waited patiently for the line to connect before a comforting voice spoke up on the other side of the line.
“This is the Sunshine Remedy hotline. How can I help you today?”
Nakamaru hesitated.
“I’m conflicted.”
“How so? Everyone has their own share of troubles and secrets. If you feel uncomfortable talking to your friends and family, you can always pour your worries out to me.”
“I no longer have friends and family,” Nakamaru started and the girl made sympathetic noises accordingly. “I stopped aging since fifty years ago. I don’t think I’m human.”
“Sir, do not be afraid. Let me transfer you to another line where they will be better assist you. Please wait for a moment.”
Nakamaru hung up the moment the “on-hold” music started to play. He did not appreciate being transferred to that familiar number for general enquiries at a nearby mental institute.
***
Nakamaru badly wanted to snap at Taguchi for playing such a prank on him. Freshmen were usually vampires who have yet to drink blood and will be served “blood-flavoured” food to ease them into this brand new world. Taguchi had conveniently forget to let him know about that little detail, resulting in him panicking for the next 10 minutes. He was relieved when Taguchi decided to let him out of his misery and told him the truth. However, the relief was short-lived as Taguchi smirked and told him “maybe I didn’t take from the freshmen’s side of the buffet” and “I can’t remember”.
Taguchi refused to tell Nakamaru what exactly he ate till the very end. He just gave knowing smiles whenever Nakamaru asked, which all the more unsettles Nakamaru and his stomach.
Taguchi was definitely enjoying himself.
Lunch swiftly passed by without Nakamaru eating anything else.
“This is your survival kit,” Taguchi explained as he passed Nakamaru two scraps of paper, one with his classes printed on, and the other with messy scribbling. There was absolutely no remorse on Taguchi’s part as his stomach growled incessantly. “Classes are starting and since today is a Monday, it’s Art now. You won’t want to be late! I’ll be going to my own classes now, catch you later!”
Taguchi ran off for his own lessons even before Nakamaru could thank him. Or ask him for which classroom he should be heading for. Nonetheless, it’s good to know that he’ll be starting school with a subject he used to be decent in. However, a quick look at his schedule instantly dampened his good feelings. Defence Art which would follow seemed like a difficult class to grasp.
It also appeared that Taguchi thought it was necessary to interject his own opinions and every class.
Guide to Survival by Taguchi Junnosuke
Homeroom - For people to arrive fashionably late and still not miss a thing
Literature - We can’t all be uncouth buffoons so we study ancient European literature. All written by dead men.
Physical - For the poor runners (you must surpass the human standard! work hard and all the best!)
History - Meh, our really old ancestor who were stupid enough to be killed (the truly great ones are clearly still alive so why aren’t we studying on them instead?!)
Language - Learn a new tongue apart from Japanese! I’m currently taking Spanish, wanna join?
Dance - Classical Latin dances. We need poise and grace for… I don’t know. The art of seduction? :P
Magic - Pew pew! Blow your friend’s arm apart. The teachers will try to harvest your inert powers.
Astronomy - Studies about a bunch of stars. But I prefer to look at Perfume?
Art - Never, ever, paint a werewolf. We don’t like them!
Defense Art - How to defend yourself against pesky insect aka vampy slayerrrrrrrrrrrrrrs.
Break - SOCIALISE. Do not hide.
Club - I am in the student union. I expect to see your face on both Wednesdays and Fridays.
Evaluation - Progress check! But you can bribe the examiner with food… sometimes….
Dismissal - YEAHHH. But everyone must leave early to avoid detection by pesky humans, haha.
Nakamaru couldn’t stop himself for smiling, his anger directed at Taguchi instantly ebbing away.
Although the note was pretty sweet, Nakamaru was hungry enough to think about eating that scrap of paper (at least the writings were in ink, not blood).
“I can’t believe I let myself go there,” he muttered under his breath.
It also dawned upon him that while Taguchi seemingly knew much about him, Nakamaru couldn’t say the same. Maybe he could ask Kamenashi; he seemed like the nicer of his two classmates.
***
Nakamaru received his newspapers daily and many a times wondered why the publication company never called to check if the recipient, after a hundred years, was still alive or not.
“Customer service these days,” Nakamaru lamented at a nearby bar. The place was empty apart from a stranger seated beside him, fedora pulled so low Nakamaru could barely see his face. “They respond to money and nothing else.”
“I beg to differ,” the person mumbles. “At least they check your identity nowadays before you can donate your blood. They didn’t use to.”
“Pardon?”
“Blood donations… A mess in the past.”
“How many years ago was that?”
“It’s been a long time...” The stranger replied before downing his cup of whisky. “Because of their negligence, I made a mistake. But after thinking about it for a long time, maybe I don’t regret it after all.”
“Why do you say-”
Nakamaru had yet to complete his sentence when he discovered he was alone in the establishment. Had he had too much that he was conversing with himself?
***
Apart from art and dance (which were unofficially deemed the most redundant classes), Nakamaru didn't fare exceptionally for the rest of his classes. In magic lessons, Ueda was busy conjuring fire with a snap of his fingertips. Kamenashi excelled in physical strength, breaking through concrete slabs with ease. They both possessed special abilities far beyond a normal vampire, as expected of pure bloods. On the other hand, Nakamaru still struggled to understand how on earth was he even sorted into the "special" class. Thankfully, scary appearances aside, Kamenashi and Ueda were pretty friendly. At least they only laugh about his argyle vests and not dunk him into the pond like his class used to.
“Nakamaru, I bought you a present,” Kamenashi approached him during break one day, holding a large sack in his hands. “I think it is time.”
“Time for what?” Nakamaru’s eyes widened.
“Is it a human?” Taguchi laughed as he shovelled a spoonful mash potatoes into his mouth. “Yucchi, try more of the faux blood cake, it’s pretty tasty, no? You need to get used to the taste!” he continued to exclaim. Nakamaru tried his best to avoid being hit by a stray bit of mash potatoes (and from Taguchi’s force feeding).
“Taguchi, where are your table manners?” Kamenashi snorted disapprovingly. “Stop hounding Yucchi and hand him over.”
“What are you going to do to me?”
“But Yucchi is eating.”
“We have more pressing matters to do.”
“Can someone answer my question?” Nakamaru sighed in exasperation.
“Kamenashi bought you clothes, lots of ‘em. In that huge man bag sack thingy he has in his hands.” Ueda helpfully pointed out.
“I don’t need a makeover.”
“You do!” Kamenashi immediately redirected his attention back at Nakamaru.
“Apart from the large framed spectacles you sometimes wear-”
“I agree, Yucchi looks great in those!” Taguchi interrupted, earning a disdainful glare from Kamenashi. “But I do think he looks great all the time!”
Nakamaru felt heat rush to his face. He was probably as red as a tomato but Kamenashi didn’t seem to realise his embarrassment (or even acknowledge Taguchi).
“-you need to do something about your 17th century fashion sense.”
“I am not that old.”
“Hey Kame, you’re not that fresh from the oven yourself,” Ueda sniggered.
“I am from the 18th century, Senior. You, on the other hand, come from the 15th century and took forever before you decided you wanted an education.”
“Oi, I am much younger than that.”
It’s a pretty typical day in school, Nakamaru has gotten used to their usual banter, and it felt good to have friends again. The conversation will never end as Kamenashi and Ueda go at one another, forgetting Nakamaru eventually. Maybe signing up for this school wasn’t as bad as he thought initially. Sure, the teachers were often frustrated at his lack of talents (and constantly questioned if the sorting process was flawed that day) but everyone had been very kind to him. “We are too old for high school drama,” most of the vampires would say despite their outward appearance, keeping Nakamaru free from the constant teasing unlike back in those days.
Taguchi tried to expose him to all aspects of being a vampire. Given Taguchi’s incredible power of persuasion when he looks into his eyes (and his fluttering heart whenever Taguchi does that), it wasn’t hard to get Nakamaru to do a bunch of crazy things. The list included embarking on a bat and crow catching expeditions to rear them as pets (“Good for boosting your image as a vampire,” Taguchi insisted), practicing morphing magic (not fun if you are stuck in the transitional phase between that of a human and a bat; Nakamaru could attest to that), and bringing him out to the local vampire hangouts to get to know more of their kind. Much to his chagrin, he has actually been to some of those places unknowingly and never sniffed a thing out. “I don’t get why some people believe that mere garlic will ward us off”, was also the most common topic up for discussion behind closed doors.
Although Nakamaru was very much thankful that Taguchi was very much an excellent senior (albeit the one time he persuaded Nakamaru to rob a blood bank just so he can expose him to vampire slayers; thank goodness nothing scary happened), it unsettled him that he knew nothing about the other vampire. He led an elusive personal life and both Kamenashi and Ueda simply could not be bothered to tell him anything about Taguchi (apart from the open fact that he likes very bad puns). He wished to know the other man better, if his warm exterior was just a facade for his frosty heart, or that he was just someone easily distracted and did not have the habit of introducing himself as he jumps at more “stimulating” things.
“Why don’t you ask him yourself?” Kamenashi and Ueda always said, before bursting into laughter, “They are so awkward, it’s adorable,” Ueda once mentioned in passing before continuing to crack up. “Oh god, they might actually need some help eventually or it’ll be too painful to watch.”
When was Taguchi ever awkward? He's too busy making others feel that way with his lame jokes, Nakamaru thought, puzzled.
***
A blood moon doesn’t happen too frequently, but when it does, Nakamaru would spend the entire night walking about town, combing alleys, crowded clubs and bars, and practically any place he believes a vampire would hang out at. He has read in dusty old tomes that a sire will always come for his progeny eventually, and that’s when he feels bitter that he has an entire eternity to wait for that to happen.
Getting hit by paper aeroplanes every time a blood moon comes about didn’t help his mood either. Nakamaru wished kids hiding around the corners would stop aiming at his nose whenever he got out of his apartment. He would have caught a couple of them and gave them a good lecture if they didn’t give him the slip that quickly. They are never there when he finally discovers their location.
It’s frustrating and upsetting, and kills his hopeful disposition each time without fail.
***
RARE OCCURRENCE OF A BLOOD MOON HAPPENING THIS WEEKEND
Nakamaru got excited when he saw the headlines of the newspaper one morning. It took him absolute control to stop himself from rushing to school at that very moment. With the help of his teachers, Taguchi, or even Kamenashi and Ueda, he could possibly sniff out the scent of his sire once and for all! Perhaps he would no longer live in a world of uncertainties! If he found his sire, Nakamaru was sure that years of questions will finally be answered.
Strangely enough, the rest of his friends did not share his enthusiasm. Kamenashi and Ueda merely snickered among themselves while Taguchi avoided the topic as a whole, going on to ramble about how he was rearing a pet begonia plant instead. Was the tradition of the blood moon a mere rumour?
They were probably ignoring it to avoid hurting my feelings, Nakamaru thought as he walked down the hallways. Yet the incessant chattering about being claimed and acknowledged was rampant among the other freshmen like himself. He was getting increasingly confused when Taguchi rushed up to him and swept him away, claiming that they have “very important student union duties” which required immediate attention. It was only when they reached their club room did Taguchi take a breather to fill Nakamaru in on the details.
“I need you to fill up a survey form.”
“A what?”
“A survey form,” Taguchi repeated. “On abandoned or neglected progenies. It is the duty of the student council to comfort any lone and lost vampires after the red moon. Your input will be invaluable.”
Nakamaru let out a soft “oh.” What else was he expecting?
“Will you be angry if you realised you were changed accidentally, even if your sire has truly fallen for you due to odd and unexplainable reasons after years of observation?”
“That’ a very unique question for a general survey…” Nakamaru raised an eyebrow. “But I guess it’s the present that counts so I won’t think about it too much.”
Taguchi gave a weird victory jig, which made Nakamaru exasperated. Such a person he looked up to and has slowly begin falling for. He didn’t even realise when Taguchi had successfully snuck into his heart like an annoying virus, impossible to rid of. Perhaps it was during one of their many escapades, or the realisation that Taguchi was always around whenever he needed help or saving (Nakamaru was exceptionally grateful when he got entangled in some vines for a couple of hours and Taguchi freed him with a flick of his nails when he finally found him).
“What if your sire has actually been trying to contact you all this while but you just haven’t been getting the hints?”
Nakamaru let out an incredulous laugh.
“I don’t think that’s possible. I crane my neck out every night. Other vampires should also be similar-”
“Yeah, I can see how that pose has become permanent,” Taguchi snorted in amusement. “Kind of like, a Yucchi trademark. Dedication.”
“Are you trying to be-”
“Lastly, if a senior in this school turned out to be your sire, on a rating of 1 to 10, how surprised will you be?”
“Why are you even asking these weird questions?” Nakamaru commented but he was slowly joining the dots together. Given the specificity of the questions, was Taguchi actually referring to himself? “So where is your progeny now?”
It wasn’t his intention to sound irked but it came across that way. Imagine that poor lonely soul waiting for Taguchi to acknowledge him/her while Taguchi galavanted to the other side of the world. It sounded pretty much like his situation so he felt irrationally angry on behalf of the unknown progeny.
“No, Yucchi, definitely, uh, not anybody else,” Taguchi answered while fidgeting uncomfortably. “Not wrong in saying that." he shrugged before continuining. "Just a hypothetical question. Right, an imaginary scenario. But does that mean you’ll be angry?”
“You insistence on this matter totally gives you away. Just admit it, wouldn’t you?”
“Promise me you won’t get angry regardless of the answer?”
“I promise.” Nakamaru sighed. Taguchi had been nothing but nice to him; he had no reason to stay upset at him for long. They’ll probably have a little squabble and life goes on. That’s what friends do, don’t they?
“No, we’re not friends,” Taguchi spoke up, his sudden declaration a shock to Nakamaru. “I know exactly what you’re thinking and how you’re feeling all the time. Vexed, confusion and disappointment. I don’t want you to think that way because of me any longer. And I definitely don't want to be on the same level as friends with Kame and Uepi.”
“Huh?”
Taguchi leaned in close, beckoning Nakamaru against the nearest wall.
“I’m your sire,” he whispered as he bared his fangs.
***
Nakamaru sighed as he sipped his coffee at a nearby cafe. It was a gloomy day, when the rain continued to beat down relentlessly. There was nothing much for him to do but observe people as they rushed by.
“The things they miss,” he commented absentmindedly as he set his cup on the table.
“The things you miss,” someone said before a man donning a fedora appeared in sight. “May I take a seat?”
Hat pulled low, it was hard to make out the features of his new companion. Nakamaru couldn't quite explain the weird sense of déjà vu he was getting. Had this happen... before? Nonetheless, Nakamaru nodded and showed the stranger his seat.
“Why is a fine man like yourself just sitting and willing your time away? Don’t you have anything better to do?”
“I don’t,” Nakamaru replied curtly. “What about you?”
“I’m having an interesting conversation with someone special. How about we watch a play together? I know a good one starting soon, just near the corner.”
Nakamaru found it difficult to reject this kind but absurd invite. Watching a play with someone he has just met seconds ago? Before he could have another moment to consider, he found himself being led away by the stranger, taken to a magnificent theatre on a busy street. His coat was a little wet from being caught briefly in the rain but it didn’t stop him from appreciating the story which slowly unfolded itself on stage. He was so wrapped and caught up in the plot that he didn’t realise when the stranger had left till the show was over. All that was left of him was a tiny note on the seat.
See? It’s not too bad to go along with spontaneous plans once in a while, isn’t it? ;)
It was neither a one-off experience nor a common occurrence but Nakamaru found himself bumping into the mysterious stranger more often than not. He would tease Nakamaru’s boring routine and bring him to try out different things, leading him to secret locations to appreciate nature or sniff out good bargains and leave quietly when Nakamaru was too absorbed in a certain matter.
Nakamaru never found out who the stranger behind those pair of sunglasses and flu mask. He felt comfortable hanging out with him as if they had known one another for a very long time; names weren’t necessary.
***
The dull throbbing pain at the back of his neck where Taguchi sank his fangs into on that very night plagued him for days. If he had known forging a proper bond with your sire would hurt that badly, maybe he was better off being a wild one. Nonetheless, for the first time in many years, he felt complete.
"I honestly didn't know that humans who are contaminated with our blood will morph into a vampire," Taguchi explained that day as Nakamaru bombarded him with all the questions he had kept to himself for all these years. "I often felt an incredible sense of loneliness as well. When I finally found out about my terrible mistake, I frantically tried to seek you out. One day, I met you at the pub and it clicked. You were the one."
"Why didn't you tell me there and then?"
"I got scared. I didn't know how to tell you. It's not common for vampires my age to get a progeny so I didn't know who to talk to either. You probably need a degree in vampire studies before you can try doing that." Taguchi licked his lips nervously. "I tried throwing paper airplanes to catch your attention but you put on a scary face whenever one hit you."
"So you were the one!" Nakamaru gasped in shock. All this years he had thought it was a prank directed at him by the children around his neighbourhood!
"I had a change of plans and brought you on anonymous dates to get to know you better. Imagine my relief when I realised you weren't an asshole wreaking havoc with your improved physical abilities!"
"But you're one."
“I can cook. Men who can cook aren't assholes.”
“So what can you cook?”
“I make wonderful orange juice.”
“Is that even worth mentioning?” Nakamaru retorted in annoyance.
“I make a mean miso soup too,” Taguchi whined defensively. “Even if it’s from a packet, it still takes skill to get the right amount of water and temperature.”
"When I decided you were finally ready to meet me, I threw the advertisement for this school at you," Taguchi continued back on the topic. "But the wind that night was strong that night and unfolded my paper aeroplane. Thank God you picked it up anyway."
"But why did you appear so distant whenever we talked about our personal lives?"
"I didn't want to scare you away. So I did my best to control myself. But I was getting impatient so I decided to go to you directly. And this is how things worked out. Pretty haphazardly." Taguchi paused before looking at Nakamaru. “I’m really sorry. Should have gotten myself enrolled in school much earlier.”
Nakamaru pursed his lips. Whenever Taguchi looked at him straight in the eyes, he would get a weird bubbly feeling at the bottom of his stomach. Was it because of their special bond or something else? They had just acknowledged one another’s existence; there’s no need to rush. He can take it slow and sort out his feelings. It had been years since his emotions were all in a jumble. .
But Taguchi seemed to have thought otherwise.
When Nakamaru asked what the other man seemed to be impatient about, he was forthright in his reply.
“I don’t know if it is because of the bond we share but I really like you. Do you feel the same way as I do?”
Nakamaru has only confessed once all the way back in high school but he was hardly the receiving party. Words couldn’t really form at the tip of his mouth so he kissed him instead. And again and again, till it felt right and Nakamaru knew the answer to Taguchi’s question.
***
Even if Nakamaru was still crashing his way through classes while Ueda and Kamenashi would only watch on sympathetically, he finally knew the reason why he was put in the “special” class. He could finally be assured that it was not a ploy to set him up for embarrassment.
“Because I’m a pureblood and our progeny will excel like us.” Taguchi licked his lips. “The evaluation ranks your potential. Your presence might be weak at the moment because of your refusal to take blood, but it will multiply greatly once you have had your first drink. If you’re scared, I can offer you my arm or anywhere else for that matter.”
“Just not the face,” Taguchi added as an afterthought. “I have a speech to make in school next week. I need to look good. And you probably won’t get much blood there anyway.”
Nakamaru groaned.
“Are all purebloods as insufferable as you?”
“Looking at Kamenashi and Ueda, I would say I fare much better,” Taguchi laughed as he snaked a hand around Nakamaru’s waist. Nakamaru inched away.
“We’re in school for goodness sake.”
“But you kissed me first! Who’s the daring one?”
“Keep your volume down.”
“Didn’t you date in human high school? I think we’re alright, at least I’m not shoving my tongue down your throat like those teenagers I see on the streets… Unless you want me to?” Taguchi asked innocently, batting his lashes.
Nakamaru hurriedly looked away; who knows what might happen should he continue staring into Taguchi's eyes. When he calmed down, he thought about hitting Taguchi for doing such things on purpose. However, he had read in a guidebook somewhere that it was unlawful to injure your sire; maybe he would be the first progeny to challenge that.
Apart from Taguchi constantly getting on his nerves and trying to challenge his limits at every chance, nothing has really changed. They still hung out after school every day, participate in Taguchi’s lengthy pun-writing sessions which never led to fruition (he was forced to) and went on dates occasionally. For now, they wouldn't try to rush through things, at least up until they both graduate (where have he heard that line before?) and knew more about themselves. Then there's still meeting Taguchi's family (more pure bloods to deal with, hooray!) and being acknowledged as his progeny in the social circle.
At the current moment, the biggest huddle would be getting used to the sour looks Kamenashi and Ueda had been putting on a lot recently whenever the four of them hung out together. It'll probably take some time but he could live with that.
The End.