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There’s something strange about Bunny’s new roommate.
It almost seems an unfair thing to acknowledge. Bunny has certainly met plenty of strange people in his life, perhaps even stranger than this boy, but there is something about Itoshi Sae that intrigues and bewilders Bunny in equal measure.
Several somethings, actually—including, but not limited to:
The fact that the only food in the kitchen is Bunny’s, even after nearly a month of cohabitation. Sae doesn’t keep anything in the fridge, or even the pantry, and Bunny’s never seen him order takeout, either. The only thing Bunny has ever seen Sae consume at all is tea. Maybe Sae keeps a mini fridge in his room, or something, but seeing as Bunny has never been granted permission to enter Sae’s domain, he has no way of knowing.
The fact that Sae exclusively wears layers of long-sleeved shirts and sweaters, even during the warmth of early fall in Madrid. Bunny typically runs warm, and had felt a bit guilty constantly turning down the air conditioning. But the one time he’d apologized for it, Sae had stared at him blankly, as though he hadn’t even noticed. Hard to believe, but Bunny figures he must not mind. It hasn’t taken long to learn that Sae is hardly the type of person to hold his tongue if he’s displeased by something.
The fact that, no matter how hard Bunny tries, he can’t seem to figure out Sae’s sleep schedule. It doesn’t matter how late at night it may be—every time Bunny peeks down the hallway toward Sae’s room, there’s always a faint light shining from under his door. So either he sleeps with the light on, or he’s just awake at the oddest hours. Not that Bunny can exactly judge on that count, given that he also has to be awake to notice Sae’s peculiar habits, but it doesn’t escape his notice.
The fact that Sae is somehow unnaturally quiet, to the point that Bunny isn’t sure he’s ever actually heard Sae’s footsteps. Bunny’s hearing is perfectly fine, but he’s lost track of the number of times he’s come home to a seemingly empty apartment, bent down to take off his shoes, and straightened again to find Sae there, lingering in the mouth of the hallway, as though he’d materialized from the shadows. Staring, always, with those eerie green eyes of his. He rarely greets Bunny with words, either—Bunny’s lucky if Sae graces his awkward attempt to smile with even a nod before slipping away back to his room.
And perhaps this one shouldn’t count, but Bunny can’t help but notice, anyway, that Sae is strikingly pretty. Sharp cheekbones, a delicate nose, a stubborn chin, and those green, green eyes that always seem to pierce right through Bunny. As though Sae can peer under the surface and see all of his secrets, even though he seems largely uninterested in Bunny as a whole.
It’s a mystery that Bunny can’t quite seem to make sense of, a puzzle with a few of the pieces still missing. The shape of it is forming, slowly, but not clear enough for Bunny to draw any conclusions.
So, maybe, the simplest option is the correct one. Maybe Sae is just weird. But Bunny can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to it than that.
He could always ask Sae, but asking Sae would mean admitting that Bunny has been watching him closely enough to notice all these intriguing, bewildering facets, and Bunny isn’t sure he’s exactly ready to expose himself to Sae like that just yet. Sae would probably laugh in his face—if he’s even capable of smiling. Bunny still isn’t sure about that one.
Bunny resolves himself to simply continue to observe—and continuing to try to befriend Sae, because as useless as his attempts at friendliness have been so far, it’s only been a month. So far, it’s been like living with a reclusive, distrustful cat, one that you can’t quite tell whether it hates your guts, or if it’s just barely tolerating your presence. But Bunny tries to be optimistic; Sae might yet come around. And besides, Bunny really doesn’t want to have to switch roommates again.
The days are beginning to grow cooler, the leaves on the trees outside their apartment window yellowing around the edges, the rains coming more frequently. Autumn is on its way, and the shift in seasons always makes Bunny feel more melancholy than usual, especially on a grey, drizzly day like this one.
If he were at home, his mother would be cooking, filling the house with the warm smells of a hearty meal. Bunny isn’t quite as good of a cook as she is, but he has a folder on his phone full of her recipes, so despite the dreary heaviness in his bones, Bunny hauls himself to the tiny kitchen that only he ever uses and pulls up the recipe for pisto con huevo.
The smell of garlic, onions, and spices that fills the apartment reminds him of home almost more than the taste of the stew will. Bunny is nearly finished heating the final mixture when he hears the faint rasp of the front door attempting to close. That sound, the scrape of wood where the old door doesn’t quite fit into the frame anymore, is usually the only indicator Bunny gets that Sae has returned home.
“¡Bienvenido a casa, Sae!” Bunny calls out. The smile that tugs at his lips is at least mostly genuine. He gives the vegetables another stir, scooping them away from the edges of the pan, then turns to peer over his shoulder at the dim hallway. “How was class?”
As usual, Sae doesn’t respond. Bunny can just barely see the top of his head as he bends to take off his shoes, the yellow light from the kitchen lamp glinting off his dusky reddish hair.
Undeterred, Bunny continues, glancing back down at the simmering mix of veggies in his pan. “I made dinner. Pisto con huevo. Have you ever tried it? There’s plenty here, if you want—”
“No,” Sae says sharply. This in itself is not uncommon, but something in his tone gives Bunny pause.
Twisting to look over his shoulder again, Bunny catches a glimpse of Sae’s face as he straightens. He looks even paler than usual, which Bunny wasn’t even sure was possible, and a little haggard, cheeks almost hollow, the delicate skin under his eyes darkened like he hasn’t slept in days. It’s hard to tell from all the way across the room, but Bunny thinks he might be shaking.
Bunny’s brow furrows. Is Sae getting sick? If he is, all the more reason why he should actually eat something. “Are you sure? You don’t look well.”
“I’m fine,” Sae snaps. “It’s none of your business.”
Which is true, but the way Sae says it is just—he seems so on edge, like he’s seconds away from breaking. It’s the most emotion Bunny has ever heard in his voice. Bunny itches with curiosity and concern, but before he can say anything else, Sae slips past him and disappears into his room, shutting the door with an audible click.
Interactions with Sae often leave Bunny reeling, but this one might just be the most disorienting yet. For several moments, Bunny stands there in silence like a fool, until the sizzling of the vegetables on the stove brings him back to reality.
“Mierda—” Bunny hisses, scraping the veggies toward the center of the pan. Nothing’s burned, thank God, just a little extra brown around the edges, but Bunny needs to pay more attention. Still, as he moves to crack open an egg into a second pan for the final step, his mind continues to whirl.
Clearly, there’s something wrong with Sae. Something beyond his usual odd behavior. But it’s just as clear that he wants to be left alone, and Bunny isn’t all that interested in getting his head bitten off for sticking it where it doesn’t belong. His mother would probably scold him for not at least checking on his roommate, but she isn’t here, so the best Bunny can do is pile the leftover pisto into a plastic container and stash it in the fridge. Just in case Sae decides to change his mind and start eating regular food for once, or something.
Still, thoughts of Sae keep Bunny’s brain occupied long into the night, long after Bunny should have fallen asleep. The hollowness of his face, the tremor in his hands, the odd look in his eyes. If he didn’t know any better, he might almost have called it hunger.
He must fall asleep at some point, although it feels more like a blink than anything else, the way one moment he’s staring at the ceiling, and the next, the mattress is dipping under the weight of another body—
And Itoshi Sae is looming over him, one hand braced on the pillow by his head, staring down at him with unblinking, red eyes.
Bunny’s heart leaps into his throat. “Ay dios mío—”
Sae’s hand cups his mouth, fingers like ice pressing over his lips. “Shut up.”
Is this a dream? Bunny doesn’t even try to push Sae’s hand away, too transfixed by the vibrant color of his irises. Which were definitely green last time he looked, but even when he blinks, Sae’s eyes remain that bloody shade of crimson. And not only are they red, they’re glowing, a faint but undeniable luminescence, bright enough that his thick, feathery lashes cast shadows on his cheeks.
Those eyes narrow a little, glaring down at Bunny. “Don’t scream when I move my hand,” he threatens.
Scream? Why would Bunny do that? It’s not as though anyone would hear him. Still, Bunny nods, and Sae gingerly withdraws his cold little hand.
“Are you a vampire?” Bunny blurts out, the moment his mouth is freed.
Sae rolls his eyes. “Took you long enough to figure it out.” When he speaks, Bunny drops his gaze to his mouth, and catches a glimpse of sharpened canines—no, fangs.
Fuck. Bunny wets his lips, heart thrumming in his chest. “Are you going to kill me?” he asks, breathless with a strange, exhilarating mix of fear and anticipation.
Sae gives him a withering look. “No. You’d enjoy it too much.”
Alright, that’s… more true than Bunny wants to admit. But he thrills at the thought that Sae has been paying enough attention to him to know that. It’s the little things, really. “So, if it isn’t my blood you’re after, what brings you into my bed at this hour?”
“Don’t get the wrong idea, rabbit,” Sae says. His lip curls, giving Bunny another flash of those wickedly curved fangs. “I need your blood. But that doesn’t mean I have to kill you for it.”
How charming. Bunny thinks he might be in love. “I’m honored to be your first pick for a meal, Sae,” he says, batting his lashes.
“You’re not my first pick. You’re just convenient,” Sae tells him. He sits back on his heels, eyeing Bunny critically. “Sit up and lean back against the headboard.”
Pushing his blankets aside, Bunny does as instructed, his heart still pounding against his ribcage. Can Sae tell? Can he hear the frantic rhythm of Bunny’s heartbeat, smell the adrenaline pumping through Bunny’s blood?
It’s hard to say for certain. Sae’s face remains nearly impassive, but that tight, barely-restrained hunger in his eyes is back, even clearer now that Bunny knows what to look for. Once Bunny is settled in place, Sae swings a leg over his lap, perching atop his thighs like a haughty little bird. He truly doesn’t radiate much heat at all, especially compared to Bunny, and he sits lighter than Bunny expected.
“Stay still,” Sae instructs. Cold fingers cup his jaw, tilting his head to one side, firm yet oddly gentle. “It’ll hurt at first.”
“That’s alright,” Bunny breathes. Is he supposed to touch Sae? Just to be safe, he keeps his hands at his sides for now. Goosebumps prickle over his skin as Sae leans closer, breath like a cool breeze against the side of his throat. “Take as much as you need.”
“Your self-preservation instincts need work,” Sae says. And then he bites down.
Sae is right: the bright pain that blooms in Bunny’s neck, radiating outward from where Sae’s fangs pierce his skin, is sharp enough to make him momentarily dizzy. Bunny chokes on an inhale, hands flying up to wrap around Sae’s narrow waist—but beyond that, he remains still, pulse throbbing in those two puncture wounds as Sae closes his lips around delicate skin. His tongue follows, slick and surprisingly warm given how cold the rest of his body is, lapping at the blood that begins to flow.
For several long moments, near-silence settles over the room. All Bunny can hear are his own ragged breaths, and the working of Sae’s throat as he swallows, drinking in long, deep pulls. Bunny’s heart thuds, thuds, thuds. It’s far from the worst pain he’s ever felt, but the mere knowledge that a vampire is drinking his blood, with nothing but his word as a promise that he won’t kill Bunny, heightens the exhilaration tenfold.
He’s never felt so alive.
And as Sae feeds, the pain begins to ebb, replaced by a slow, spreading warmth. A sigh catches in Bunny’s throat, eyes fluttering, as pleasure blends seamlessly with the pain, softening its edges. That warmth drips through him, pooling in his gut, flickering hotter with every rasp of Sae’s tongue. Sae’s weight on his lap is becoming more and more, ah… distracting.
“Pajarito,” Bunny mumbles, lightheaded, “ah, are you…” As masochistic as Bunny may be, there must be something Sae is doing to make it feel so good. He’s already half-hard, just from this. His fingers twitch on Sae’s waist, curling into the fabric of his shirt.
Those fangs detach gently from Bunny’s throat, and Sae pulls back with a soft, wet sound that makes Bunny’s cock throb. He leans back just far enough to fix Bunny with that flat, crimson stare. “Vampire venom contains an aphrodisiac,” he states, with as little affectation as possible. “It should be starting to have an effect by now.”
Bunny stares at him, entranced. Already, Sae looks healthier, spots of color sitting high on those pale cheeks. Is he embarrassed? How cute. There’s a smudge of rust-red on his lower lip that Bunny wants to lick clean. “Oh, it is,” he confirms. “An aphrodisiac? Is it also a love potion, then?”
The flush on Sae’s cheeks deepens, proving Bunny’s theory right. “No, but it apparently turns you into even more of an idiot,” he bites out.
Even on a bad day, Bunny would have a hard time taking that insult to heart; in his current good mood, it rolls right off his back. Unrepentant, he just smiles and tilts his head a little further to the side, showing off the wound like a trophy. “Still hungry?”
A bead of blood rolls down the tendon of his neck, tantalizingly slow. Sae’s eyes zero in, pupils narrowing like a cat’s. “… No.”
“There’s no need to lie, cariño,” Bunny murmurs. “It’s alright. I still have plenty of blood left. I can take it.”
He watches the flutter of Sae’s lashes, sees the moment the decision is made. Enticed by the promise of more blood, Sae leans in again, fingers slipping around Bunny’s jaw to the close-cropped hair at his nape, and—fuck, drags his tongue up the column of Bunny’s throat, following the trail of blood back to its source before sealing his lips around the bite. This time, a pleased sound rumbles in Sae’s throat, like he can’t quite stop himself from vocally enjoying the taste of Bunny’s blood.
Adorable. Bunny isn’t sure when he last felt so aroused. “Does it—ah, does it taste good, Sae?” he pleads, suddenly needing to hear Sae admit it. “My blood? Does it satisfy you?”
Sae grunts. “It’s not the worst blood I’ve ever tasted,” he rasps, lips moving against Bunny’s neck.
The pain as his mouth brushes over tender, torn skin makes Bunny shudder, cock blurting precum in his briefs. “I believe that is Sae-speak for, ‘why, yes, Bunny, you’re so delicious and handsome—’”
“Are you getting delirious, rabbit?” Sae hisses, hand shoving up into Bunny’s hair and forming a fist, yanking his head back to glare down at him with those vibrant, glowing eyes. “If you can’t handle this—”
“Must I be delirious to want to flirt with the gorgeous vampire currently straddling my lap?” Bunny protests, wheezing out a laugh. He’s dizzy, yes, but not quite delirious yet; he’s risked dying of blood loss before, and he’s nowhere close to that now. For all Sae pretends to despise him, he’s being awfully considerate with how much blood he takes. Probably because he doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of having a corpse for a roommate, but Bunny can dream.
That lovely blush on Sae’s face lingers. “You’re insufferable.”
“And yet, here you stay,” Bunny sighs out. Perhaps it’s greedy of him, but he lets his hands slip a little higher up Sae’s sides, fingers splaying over his ribcage. “You’re so flushed. Does your own venom affect you, as well?”
Sae’s thighs twitch on either side of Bunny’s—barely enough of a reaction to notice, but Bunny is so attuned to him that he couldn’t possibly miss it. His pretty, bloodstained mouth twists into a scowl. “Does it matter?”
“I’d say it does,” Bunny says. Carefully, testing the waters, he braces his hands around Sae’s middle and nudges his hips upward. The pressure against his erection draws a thready groan out of him. “I’d—hnn—like to think I’m not the only one taking pleasure from this…”
He doesn’t feel anything between Sae’s legs that resembles his own erection, and for the briefest moment, Bunny is disappointed. But that little upward grind does seem to affect Sae; his other hand flies up to curl around Bunny’s upper arm, palm fitted to the round of his bare shoulder, nails biting into his skin. Cold, still, but his touch makes Bunny burn nonetheless.
“Stay still,” Sae chokes.
Bunny does not. “What’s this?” Planting his feet more firmly on the mattress, he rocks his hips up again, grinding more solidly against the soft, plush space between Sae’s thighs. Much like his tongue, his core is far warmer than the rest of him, and almost squishy with a dampness that Bunny can make out even despite the layers of fabric in the way. “Oh, pajarito, I think you are enjoying yourself.”
The fist in Bunny’s hair loosens, Sae’s hand slipping back down to his nape. “It’s the venom,” he insists, a stubborn set to his chin. “That’s all.”
“I never said it wasn’t,” Bunny agrees, eyes dipping half-shut. Now that he’s started moving, it’s rather difficult to stop. His pulse throbs in his chest, in the side of his neck, in the base of his cock. “F-Fuck, Sae…”
Even like this, Bunny can tell that Sae is trying to cling to his composure. His head lowers, body curling downward so that Bunny can no longer see his face, carefully measured breaths puffing against Bunny’s bitten throat. When his hips start to rock, it’s in tiny, jerky movements, like he’s trying to control even the amount of pleasure he derives from this.
What a lovely creature. Bunny yearns to unravel him, to pick at the tightly-woven threads of every seam that makes up Itoshi Sae until he comes apart on Bunny’s lap. Wants to get his hand under the waistband of Sae’s pants and cup his fingers around Sae’s cunt, wants to feel just how wet he’s become, even if it really is only because of the aphrodisiac in his venom. What kind of pleased little noises would Sae make then? Would he melt in Bunny’s hands, sweet like summer honey, or would he continue to bite out insults with that delightfully sharp tongue? Would his body take Bunny’s cock with ease, or would it be a struggle to fit?
Sae’s tongue against his wound jolts Bunny out of his fantasies. “Sae,” he moans, hips jerking, stomach muscles tensing. “Ah, Sae, por favor—”
A tiny, gritty sound hitches in Sae’s throat. It’s hardly audible, yet it’s nearly enough to make Bunny come—but Sae chooses that exact moment to pull away, dropping both hands to Bunny’s shoulders and forcing him still as he sits up straight.
“Not tonight,” Sae gets out. His chest rises and falls rapidly, mouth still stained with Bunny’s blood; his pupils are blown, only a thin ring of color remaining around the black. But his irises are green again, Bunny notices distantly. Not red.
“Wh-What?” Bunny wets his lips, wondering if trying to kiss Sae would get him slapped.
“I have an exam in the morning,” Sae says, his breaths slowing.
Now, Bunny feels like he’s been slapped. Or like a bucket of cold water has been dumped over his head, perhaps, shocking him back to the reality where things such as eight a.m. classes and exams still exist. “What?”
“Your wound is closing up,” Sae informs him, as though Bunny hadn’t spoken. He starts to move off Bunny’s lap, straightening his shirt where Bunny’s hands wrinkled the fabric. His expression is already settling back into neutrality. “It’ll look bad for a day or two, though. You might want to cover it with a bandage tomorrow. Or wear a turtleneck, if you own one.”
Bunny doesn’t, but that is, frankly, the least of his concerns. “A-Are you seriously going to just leave me here like this?” he splutters. Pathetic, yes—but he was so—
Sae’s gaze washes over him like cool seawater. “You have a hand, don’t you? Use it.”
Bunny is fairly sure he’s the one blushing now. He tugs the blanket back over his lap. “I feel used,” he tells Sae.
Something flickers at the corner of Sae’s mouth. Bunny wouldn’t dare to call it a smile, maybe just the ghost of one, the barest hint of amusement coloring his edges. “Don’t be so dramatic,” he says, turning away. “You’ll survive. And if you’re good, I’ll let you fuck me after class tomorrow.”
Perking up, Bunny watches Sae slip through the shadows to the hallway beyond. “Is that a promise?” he calls after him.
“Goodnight, rabbit,” Sae says, and shuts the door.
Well, that does it. Bunny is utterly smitten. Sinking back into his pillows, he sighs out a long, heavy breath, then peeks under the blankets at his still-present erection. Tempting to handle it himself, but perhaps he’d better wait until tomorrow, to see if Sae will make good on his promise. For all he knows, being good involves not jerking off. And Bunny’s hand can’t exactly compare to whatever delicious torment Sae will surely have in store for him.
A vampire, huh? It certainly puts some things about his odd little roommate into perspective. The bite on his neck still throbs with pain, but even so, Bunny smiles to himself, more genuine than anything he’s felt in quite some time.
“See you tomorrow, Sae.”