Chapter Text
Ochako had no foreboding premonitions about the day as she scuffed her shoes against the snow covered cobblestones. It was simply another Monday, innocent in all its Mondayness as she meandered her way to the university. What was less innocent was the Januaryness of everything. Ochako liked to think of herself as a child of the sun, yet here she was. In the cold darkness that wasn't even winter in Prague. In the middle of winter, one could forget about seeing the sun before eight. It was cold and it was dead but it was anything but lifeless.
Beautiful.
That is the way Ochako would settle to describe the ethereal ghostly picture that was Prague, painted by the early morning hours and the falling snow. Sepia eyes looked around. The world about her resembled a ferrotype photo - all silver and haze. Glances down the quieter streets and lanes, encased in their wintry peace, reminded her of a time long past.
Snow, stone, and ghostlight.
The busier areas, such as the riverfront thoroughfare, were overrun with trams and buses that roared past - cementing the day in the twenty-first century. As beautiful as the quieter lanes were, Ochako always preferred the main roads on her strolls to class. It allowed her the illusion of company. Despite having nothing but her own footsteps and the feather steam of her coffee to break through the monotonous thoughts of school and errands.
However, even on busy streets like this, Ochako was aware that she was alone and adrift. Something made all the more prominent by pangs of heartache that filled her mouth with a bitterness she could never untaste. They were reminders that, although Ochako was perfectly capable of enjoying her own company, she hated being alone.
The heartache and the ever encroaching, all consuming loneliness-
Ochako shook her head and shoved those thoughts aside, as she always did. Resolute and uncaring to her own plight. They're merely feelings. She'd remind herself, knowing full well the power that feelings held. She was an artist after all. Feelings were her weapons. Ochako pulled the strap holding her art portfolio higher up onto her shoulder before readjusting her cloak. She pulled it tighter against her petite form as she took a sip of her coffee in an attempt to will out the cold leaching into her bones. She brushed her bangs from her face, watching as she knocked a few errant snowflakes loose. Ochako heaved a deep sigh as she shoved her free hand into the depths of her coat pocket.
Just another day.
Until it wasn't.
A snarl sounded behind her, followed by the sound of rapid footfalls. The cup in Ochako's hand jerked precariously as she was seized from behind. A yank had her stumbling a few steps back into a man's broad chest before hands found her pastel yellow scarf. It was torn askew and suddenly Ochako felt teeth - Teeth! - against her neck.
Nomming.
Nibbling.
Her attacker was nibbling her.
An incredibly annoyed groan tore from Ochako's lips as she planted a hand on the man's face. She pushed, trying to shake him off without spilling her coffee. Alas as fate would have it, she watched with mounting frustration as it sloshed over the rim on the dirty snow at her feet. The brunette whirled around and planted a hard slap to the man's chest.
"Jesus Yo, fuck off." She snapped as she came face to face with the grinning visage that was her ex boyfriend - Yo Shindou. The man rubbed his chest as he feigned hurt. Ochako felt her eyebrow twitch as the lamplight cast softly over his beautiful face. His stupidly beautiful face. Stupid beauty. She thought with a huff as she readjusted her scarf. Stupid face. She amended with a scowl that had the ravenette raising his hands placatingly.
"How did you know it was me?"
Ochako rolled her eyes with a long, suffering sigh as she continued her trek to cast. "Because it's always you, Yo. And it's me - that never works."
Shindou made his living jumping out from behind things and few things frustrated him more that he could never get even the slightest rise from Ochako. "For someone so expressive and emotional," He huffed, interlocking his fingers behind his head as he fell in step beside her. "You are impossible to scare."
Ochako glared up at the man only to experience an even stronger eye twitch at the sight of the man's pout. It was a pout that he thought was irresistible and, until recently, Ochako very much agreed with the sentiment. Until recently she would have caved, standing on her toes as she tugged him down to lick that pout puckered lower lip. Licked it languidly before catching it between her teeth to tease it until she inevitably lost herself in a kiss that would have had her melting against him like summer snow.
Those days were long gone.
She settled for whipping back around, her portfolio catching him in the side with enough force to make him stumble a few steps to the side. "Maybe you're just not as scary as you like to think." She uttered haughtily as Shindou rubbed his side.
"Wow, rude." He muttered as he caught up with her again, this time shoving his hands in his pockets. "I'll have you know I am so scary. That snarl? The bite? Any normal person would've had a heart attack, Miss Ice Water for Blood." He took her silence as encouragement to continue. "Ya know, Shikkui and I are starting a new tour - Old Town Vampire Tour." Shindou threw an arm around Ochako, jostling her again. "Tourists are going to eat, it, up."
Ochako threw his arm off her with another scowl. One, because he still thought he had a right to invade her personal space. And two, because he was right. They totally would. Tourists paid good money for Shindou's "ghost tours". They usually consisted of being herded through the tangled lanes of Prague at night, pausing at supposed murder sites, and having "ghosts" leap out of doorways to make them shriek.
She'd played a ghost herself once. On several occasions actually. Leapt forth as she held aloft a bloody head and moaned. The tourists' screams gave way to laughter. It had been fun.
Shindou had been fun.
Not anymore.
"Right." She hummed disinterestedly. "Good luck with that."
"We could use you-"
"No,"
"You could play a sexy vampire vixen-"
"No."
"Lure in the men-"
"No!" Ochako snapped, whirling around. Her eyes were alight as she rounded on him, only to stall at his knowing smirk.
He shrugged loftily as he eyed her. "You could wear your cape..."
Ochako froze.
Shindou stepped closer, leaning down into her space. "You still have it," His breath was warm across her face. "Don't you baby?" He coaxed gently. His voice was deep and rich and always felt like how warm honey sounded. If it had a sound. He reached up and gently twirled one of her bangs around his fingers. "Most beautiful thing I've seen you in." He murmured as he pressed her hair to his lips. Their eyes locked and onyx eyes flashed. "That black silk against your skin-"
Ochako shoved him. Hard. "Shut up!" She hissed as she stormed off from where they had stopped in the middle of the square. God. It was all she could do to not tear her hair out. How had she fallen for him? For him?? That petty, pretty street actor. Fallen hard enough to dress up for him and give him memories like that.
Exquisitely stupid! She yelled at herself, only for her anger to fade as the distance between them increased.
... Lonely stupid ...
"Chako,"
When had he caught up? Her eyes gleamed with barely restrained anger as he lifted his hand. "Touch me again and this coffee is going in your face." She threatened and Ochako was not known for her idle threats.
Shindou watched her for a moment before his hand dropped. The pensive look was wiped from his face as he sighed dramatically. "Oh Chako Chip," She scowled at the nickname. "My fierce Ochako. When will you stop fighting me?" That damn pout was back. "I said I was sorry."
"Be sorry by yourself then." She spat as she started walking again, refusing to stop again because of him. She was at the risk of running late if this stop-starting kept up.
Shindou sighed as he followed her and Ochako could hear the irritation in the sound. Of course he was irritated. Her continuous rejection of his apologies wasn't in his script. "C'mon 'Chako baby," He all but purred. Ochako's grip on her coffee cup was white knuckled. That man's voice was simultaneously rough and soft, reminiscent of a blue's singer - a mix of gravel and silk. "We're meant to be together, you and me."
Right. Meant.
Ochako did nothing to conceal her eye roll. If she was "meant" for anyone, she sincerely hoped it wasn't him. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye to find him scowling at the path in front of them. Shindou. Beautiful Shindou whose smile was once upon a time a summons to compel her to his side. And oh what a glorious place it had appeared to be. Colours were bright there, sensations were more profound.
It was also a popular place. Occupied by other girls when she was absent.
She flipped her brown hair, even though it just reached the top of her shoulders. "Get Rosa to be your vampire vixen then." She said flippantly. Her side eye glare caught the look of hurt that embedded itself in his features. His stupidly handsome features. "She's got the vixen part down." Ochako didn't bother to keep the bite out of her voice.
"I don't want Rosa, Ochako." She ignored his pleading tone, turning her attention back to the path they were walking. "I want you."
"Pity."
"Ochako."
"I am not an option anymore Yo."
"Don't say that-" His fingertips barely brushed Ochako's hand before she reared back. She pulled her hand to her chest as she openly glared at him. She felt betrayed at the heartache that surged through her, despite all her efforts at aloofness. Not worth it. She spun on her heel and stalked off. Not even close.
"Ochako!"
"This is stalking you know?" She called back over her shoulder.
Shindou scowled at her but it went unnoticed. "I'm not stalking you." He snapped before his gloved hands interlocked themselves behind his head again. "I just also happened to be going this way."
Ochako rolled her eyes in lieu of response. The rest of their walk continued in tense silence until her university finally came into view. The Academy of Fine Arts. The tall and long white building was the oldest art college in Prague. "This is me." She said dismissively as they passed by various students, all smoking or waiting for friends, to reach her door. Her hand paused, poised to push open the large wooden door, when she noticed Shindou still hovering nearby. From the top of the few stairs it took to reach the doors, she narrowed her eyes at him. "What are you even doing here?"
"Hm?"
The feigned nonchalance did nothing to deter her. "Playing dumb doesn't suit you. You know what I mean. What are you doing here?"
"Aside from wooing you?"
Ochako's eye twitched violently. "You're never up before midday, let alone out of bed. It's not even 9am right now."
The slow, leery grin that stretched across Shindou's face had Ochako suppressing a shudder. "New job." He said evasively. "Starts early." He finished with a shrug.
Ochako merely raised a brow. "You doing morning vampire tours now?"
That grin grew. "Nope." He took extra effort to pop the p. Ochako stepped aside, to avoid blocking the students that were starting to file into the building for their various classes. When she turned back to him his gaze was expectant but that grin was still there.
Gloating.
He wanted her to ask what his new job was.
Too bad Ochako was beyond caring.
With perfected disinterest, aided by the physical distance between the two, she merely popped a shrug of her own. "Right. Well you have fun with that."
"Aren't you curious?" He called after her. Ochako could hear that damn smirk in his voice.
She didn't dignify the man with a response as she slipped into the building, the large wooden door slamming shut behind her.
Ochako really should have asked.