digitizedsouls | (open post) (au) maybe it's the moonlight mixed with carnal insight

[ the night is young and beautiful, and kaeya is hungry.

undeath, however, has not cured kaeya of his love for wine. it offers no nourishment, of course, but the taste still pleases his tongue and leaves him with a comfortable buzz - hardly the same as draining an intoxicated victim would, but that's all right. he'll take it. swirling his glass, he takes a long drink before he crosses to where diluc sits at his desk, working. he sets down his glass.

bonelessly, kaeya drapes himself over diluc's shoulders, nipping playfully at his neck. ]

I'm hungry..

[ he purrs, and before diluc can protest with then go hunt, he continues. ]

Come with me.

[Undeath hasn't cured Kaeya of many things, least of all his tendencies toward excess and indulgence. If anything, being a vampire has made them all the worse. As he descends onto Diluc's neck, he's entirely unsure if it's hunger or lust that's driving his actions. Either way, he's going to attempt to drag Diluc into it.

As it turns out, it's hunger. At least for now; he's fully aware of how the two of them hunting together tends to turn out.

Grumbling, he shrugs his shoulder in an attempt to shake Kaeya off.]

You're perfectly capable of hunting on your own.

[ and undeath hasn't made diluc any less uptight, either. a shame, that, but if he's honest, kaeya likes it that way. it's like a constant game of cat and mouse between them, and kaeya does so enjoy a challenge, sometimes. ]

Of course I am.

[ he helps himself to the arm of diluc's chair, perching himself onto it to better lean his weight onto diluc's shoulders, one hand drawing down his chest, the other sinking into his wild scarlet hair. kaeya sighs heavily, as if diluc is asking the world of him. ]

But it's so much more fun with company. Aren't you at least a little bit thirsty?

[ so what if being hungry makes him slutty let him live ]

No.

[He is quite thirsty, actually. When he gets sucked into his work, he tends to forgo feeding for as long as his undead body will allow. But to admit that would be giving in, and he isn't about to do that so easily.

Not that it matters in the grand scheme of things. Kaeya has to have noticed how long it's been since his last hunt. He's almost certainly counting on it.]

You're in the way. Get off.

You know, there is such a thing as playing too hard to get.

[ he says that, but virtually nothing could stop kaeya from seeking diluc's attention at any given opportunity. not only is he terribly fun to annoy, there's a satisfying tug of war to their relationship that kaeya never really tires of. they've been together for centuries now, if he hasn't tired of it yet, he certainly never will.

and of course he doesn't get off. if anything, kaeya is only sinking against him that much more deeply. ]

You're also a terrible liar. I know you haven't fed for over a week. You're pale as death. Though if you're so sure that you're not even a little thirsty.. surely this won't bother you?

[ it's easy, just the flick of kaeya's sharp thumbnail to his own wrist to open a cut. his blood glistens in the light, tempting, alluring, far more potent than mortal blood. ]

[He only gets away with it because he knows that if Diluc hasn't already thrown his ass out in the centuries they've been together, he never will.

The scent of Kaeya's blood fills the air, and Diluc instinctively draws in a sharp breath and tenses his jaw in response. He swallows heavily, trying to ignore the way his mouth waters.]

Not bothered at all.

[The lie is worse than his initial one--his voice is too tight, and he's unable to pull his gaze away from Kaeya's bloody wrist.

Silence hangs between them for several moments as Diluc's resolve slowly but surely crumbles. Eventually, he snatches Kaeya's arm with a grumbled insult and presses the cut to his lips, drinking deeply from it. As always, Kaeya tastes sinful and decadent, with a hint of wine that somehow enhances the flavor rather than turning Diluc off of it.

Tempting as it is to drink until Kaeya is feeling too tired and drained to keep bothering him - something he has absolutely done before - he doesn't let himself go that far. Instead, he relinquishes his hold and sighs deeply.]

All right, we'll hunt.

[ it would be quite easy for diluc to pull that little trick, in fact, given how hungry kaeya is at the moment, but for a kindness, he doesn't. thanks for that, diluc.

nevertheless, it's always a sweet feeling to be fed upon, even if it's not something kaeya is able to indulge in very often. he hums his appreciation while diluc drinks, even as he feels the lifeblood and energy draining from his body - it is yet still a positively exquisite experience. and over too soon. alas. kaeya's a bit breathless by the time diluc pulls back, and grinning like the cat who got the cream. ]

That's just what I wanted to hear.

[ of course, he could always hunt alone, and allow diluc to feed off of him again after he's replenished, but there's nothing like a good hunt with diluc by his side. they work together perfectly, always. vampires are by their very nature solitary creatures, but perhaps the two of them shake off the norms, for all that diluc treats kaeya like a nuisance, he sure hasn't thrown him out on his ass, and that much is telling. looking at them, however, you'd be hard pressed to figure out whether they hate one another viscerally, or love one another thoroughly.

drawing back his wrist, kaeya flicks his tongue over the seeping wound to seal it, and licks his lips, before at last he's unfolding himself from diluc's chair, and standing straight again. ]

Keep me entertained enough, and I may even leave you be for the night.

[ maybe. ]

[For all of his grousing, Diluc sincerely cannot imagine a world without his partner in it. Vampires are solitary creatures, and Diluc is less trusting and open than most, but Kaeya is always, always there. After being together as long as they have, they naturally fall into tandem and complementary patterns while hunting--and doing nearly everything else. Even those who question the nature of their relationship can't deny that fact.

Diluc wipes his mouth with a handkerchief as Kaeya climbs off of him, then stands up himself.]

Don't make promises you have no intention of keeping.

[He's losing the rest of his night to this, one way or another. Now that he's given in, there's no point in pretending otherwise.]

Do you need anything before we leave?

I did say may.

[ kaeya says, through an easy grin, while he moves past diluc's desk to the chair he'd been drinking in earlier. plucking his coat from where it's draped over the back, kaeya pulls it over himself, and snaps it closed. of course he has no need of it for warmth, but he's a preening peacock who wants to look a certain way, especially while on the hunt. ]

No. I'm ready when you are.

[ with a grandiose gesture, kaeya strides toward the door.

their hunt is a quick one, tonight. kaeya prefers the slower method, the planning, the luring, the seducing, but things like that take time to build and procure, and diluc is difficult to talk into parties. so tonight they are fast, and brutal, preying upon the perfect target - a small stagecoach passing near to their estate, with only one passenger, and one driver. one for each of them. it's kismet.

diluc takes the driver easily, while kaeya gluts himself on the lovely young lady within the coach, drinking deeply until her body falls limp in his arms, until he's flushed and warmed by fresh blood. ]

[Kaeya's preferred hunting style is graceful, manipulative, beautiful. On those nights, Diluc plays wingman as Kaeya works the crowds with his smile and his charm. Typically Kaeya plays with his food on those nights, while Diluc eats his target quickly and then remains on guard lest someone unfortunate soul stumble upon them before Kaeya's finished.

By contrast, Diluc does far better when allowed to bring the full feral ferocity of his vampirism to bear. He descends on his prey with an ancient rage that has never fully gone away, tearing out throats and drinking his fill as Kaeya watches his blind spots and dispenses with any potential witnesses.

Regardless of whose tactics they end up using, they work well together. Tonight is no exception.

After Kaeya finishes with the young lady and exits the stagecoach, he'll find Diluc leaning casually against it, covered in the coachman's blood. He looks alive* in a way he hadn't before, bright and aware instead of pale and irritable. He gives Kaeya an easy grin, a rarity from him.]

Took you long enough.

[* That he's actually undead has nothing to do with anything shut up.]

[ even when it's not his usual style, kaeya loves a hunt, loves to feed, to feel the blood spill against his tongue, to drink deep until he's thoroughly, completely slaked. it's been a few days since last he fed, and even longer still for diluc.

by the time kaeya drops the body he's feeling full and energized, his skin flushed hot, his eyes bright, his smile wicked. he steps down from the coach to find diluc already finished - of course he is, he doesn't play with his meals, and he's always quite voracious - and kaeya grins, licking his lips. ]

I told you, didn't I?

[ he asks, pressing forward and against diluc, touching their foreheads, his mouth still wet with blood. his hands tangle in diluc's thick coat. ]

You needed it. You look like a new man.

[ a good hunt always has him this way. ]

Shut up.

[He has no better retort because Kaeya's absolutely right. Even those words have practically no venom in them, and the grin remaining on his face as the distance between them closes.

Almost better than the hunt itself is how Diluc feels immediately after, high on adrenaline and the rush of warmth that comes with new blood. That he has the bad habit of ignoring his hunger for too long almost makes the feeling that much more potent. It's in these moments that he's at his boldest and least restrained. Which is why, when he agreed to accompany Kaeya, he had written off the rest of the night as occupied. He knows what he becomes and what he wants after feeding.

He cups Kaeya's head in his hands, smearing blood onto his cheeks, and pulls him in the rest of the way for a rough, searing kiss.]

[ diluc snaps at him, but kaeya can only grin, bloodied fangs sharp in the moonlight, flashing - but only for a moment, for soon diluc is grasping him, pulling him in.

so yes, kaeya may very well have had this in mind when he suggested that they hunt, he may have been feeling just a little bit needy. it's worth all of the pestering, to see diluc this way, to be on the receiving end of his fire and ferocity. it's beautiful to behold.

kaeya's lips part with a low purr of a hum, and he's quick to smooth his hands down diluc's chest, beneath his heavy coat while he tilts his head to better lock their mouths together. it's an easy angle to find, for how long they have been lovers; kaeya knows just how to kiss him, just how to be kissed by him, depending on how hot the fire in his blood runs.

but it never runs more hot than on the night of a hunt. kaeya's sharp teeth sink into diluc's lower lip, tugging hard, before his tongue glides in apology over the wounds left behind. ]

Can't even wait to get home, hmm?

[All of this is so familiar that they fit together like puzzle pieces as Kaeya returns the kiss. And Diluc wouldn't trade it for the world. Especially after nearly throwing it away all those centuries ago, back when he was still young and mortal and naïve. Despite how he behaves in their day-to-day interactions, he makes it a point to never take Kaeya for granted, irritations and flaws and all.

The bite cuts through his thoughts with a delicious sting of pain, and soon Kaeya releases his lips. He huffs quietly, although it's unclear if it's a noise of pleasure or discontent at the kiss having ended.]

You're the one who pressed in so close to begin with.

[Even in the thrall of his own fiery desire, he can't help but argue. Right now, being contrary feels a bit like foreplay.]

We should head home, and quickly.

[ kaeya is no different. for all they bicker, diluc is his entire world. kaeya almost lost him once, so long ago - almost lost him twice, truly, and both times the fear and grief had seized his heart so completely that he'd nearly come undone. he has the scar to prove their first falling out, and diluc's presence at his side to prove the second. being with him is as simple as existing, as thoughtless as blinking, for all it goes against their vampire natures, it feels right to them.

and that's all that matters. ]

You're right about that..

[ kaeya says, through a laugh, diving in for another kiss, and another, before he's finally able to break away long enough to seize diluc's hand, tugging him away from the carriage. ]

Come on, then. Let's not stand around all night.

[ ~~it's not as if we're frozen in place~~ ]

[It's difficult to let Kaeya pull away, but they shouldn't stay here. Eventually, the missing carriage will be noticed and someone will go out to search for it and its occupants. It'll be a pain to have to deal with whoever first stumbles upon the carnage. The fight would be exhilarating, certainly, and his blood would burn even hotter than it does now. But it also would delay what it is he truly wants right now.

As Kaeya takes his hand to lead him away, he turns toward the carriage and sets a spark upon it. The flames will eliminate the worst of the evidence that they were even there at all.

From there, it's just a matter of maintaining enough self control to get home. He manages it just fine; he's not a child lacking in discipline, even if every fiber of his being wants to throw himself against a wall and pull Kaeya on top of him. It'll be worth the wait to get to somewhere more private and appropriate.

As soon as the door closes and locks behind them, Diluc is on Kaeya like a man starved, wrapping himself around his lover and burying his head into his neck.]

[ the scent of burning wood fills the air as they flee back to the manor, kaeya grinning all the while, occasionally stopping to fight diluc's powerful sense of self-control by pressing him to a nearby tree, or seizing him in a hot kiss.

but soon enough they've made it back, and no sooner does the lock click than diluc is on him.

it makes kaeya's cold heart feel warm again. it's difficult to get this sort of attention from diluc, sometimes. while he knows full well that diluc loves him, needs him, even after all of these years he is not always so good at expressing it. diluc's veneer is not so easy to crack, even for kaeya, who knows him better than anyone ever could.

so he revels in the feel of it, of diluc's arms wrapping so tightly around him that he can hardly breathe. it feels good, to be wanted. to be needed. kaeya leans back into the wall, exhaling hard, and tipping his chin back to reveal the tender column of his vulnerable throat. both hands slip beneath diluc's heavy coat, smoothing over his sides - he feels so blessedly warm from their feed, and kaeya knows he must feel the same. his voice is low and rough. ]

So impatient, Master Diluc..

Like you weren't all over me on the way here.

[They would have gotten here much faster if not for all the makeouts along the way, Kaeya!

Diluc shrugs his coat off as Kaeya's hands slip under it, throwing it off to the side and pointedly out of the way. Between the feed and the heat rising between them, he's feeling warm and flushed. The extra layer is neither wanted nor needed. He also doesn't want so many layers on Kaeya, reaching down and unbuttoning the jacket he so pointedly donned in the name of fashion earlier.

His fangs brush against the skin of his lover's throat, scraping but not cutting. It's a tease. Kaeya deserves it.]

Besides, you enjoy it.

Edited (the last sentence didn't copy/paste over and it's kinda important) 2022-09-17 03:49 (UTC)

[ at that, kaeya can only chuckle, the sound rough in his throat. ]

I most certainly was..

[ and he doesn't regret a single kiss. they were at each other like schoolboy lovers, and it's such an exhilarating feeling, to want someone so much. diluc strips off his heavy coat, and so kaeya does the same, shrugging out of his own and letting it drop into a heap at his feet. ]

And I most certainly do.

[ kaeya is all but a preening peacock beneath diluc's attentions, purring and arching and groping over diluc's back, his hands slipping beneath the hem of his lover's shirt to feel over hot, fair skin. diluc's fangs scrape like a tease at his throat, and kaeya groans, rocking his hips forward, one hand slipping into the wild nest of diluc's hair. ]

And you're such a tease.. who taught you that?

Hm, I wonder.

[The response is terribly dry despite their circumstances. They both know.

Kaeya has had other partners in his long life, but Diluc has only ever known Kaeya. He's not interested in anyone else--even as a diversion or as part of the hunt. For being so guarded and aloof, especially in the years that pass them both by, there's a part of him that still maintains his mortal sentimentality.

It's a truth he'll never admit to. He doesn't have to. They both know that, too.

The way Kaeya moves, hands desperate to touch skin and hips moving of their own volition, are all the encouragement Diluc needs. He wraps his arms around his waist and pulls him in close, humming with approval at the contact before he sinks his fangs into Kaeya's neck.

Unlike before, it's not about how he's starving and being taunted by the allure of blood too strong to ignore. This is purely about the pleasure of the feed, violent and vulgar, and drawing those same feelings out of Kaeya. And beyond that, it's about feeling the exchange of lifeblood--their bond--weave between them as the blood pours over his tongue and down his throat.

He won't drain Kaeya dry. More likely than not, Kaeya will take back what Diluc has taken before the night is over.]

Edited ("lovers" suggests that he's actually been hung up on someone other than diluc these past 834930 years) 2022-10-11 06:24 (UTC)

[ kaeya, too, is far more sentimental than he would ever like to admit. he was in life, and he is now in death, though he has diluc to thank for that, for keeping some part of him.. mortal. diluc's heart has always been soft and warm, however much he might act otherwise, and even in this next life of theirs it remains the same. perhaps.. perhaps for all their memories together, for all they have been through, side by side, they have kept one another human, in many ways. they might defy the norm when it comes to vampire culture, when it comes to existing together rather than on their own, but kaeya couldn't imagine being beside anyone else, or worse, being without diluc entirely.

for better or for worse, they are tied to one another, always.

of course it hasn't stopped him from taking other partners, no, but they are brief, fleeting trysts, meaningless in comparison to what he has with diluc, and honestly, were diluc to ever ask it of him, he would stop. for all his playful teasing, kaeya is devoted to him thoroughly and completely.

but right now, all soft thoughts are driven from his mind by the drag of diluc's hands, and the sinful sinking of his sharp fangs into kaeya's throat. he groans, low and rumbling, his body tensing before he slumps back against the wall, his knees gone weak from the pleasure of being fed upon. for how often kaeya allows this, it never feels any less intense. heat rolls over him, and kaeya's hands cling more tightly, painfully so, tugging at the roots of diluc's fiery hair. ]

Luc..

[ he murmurs, pressed flush to him, one knee pressing up between diluc's thighs, while the hand not in diluc's hair pulls down his back, sharp fingernails scraping his skin, breaking it open beneath the pass of his fingers. ]

[The night is a pretty thing. But not quite as pretty as how Diluc looks under the darkness and speckled stars up in the night sky. His flash of red hair contrasting so nicely with the pale of his vampire skin. Almost matching the speckle of blood that Diluc might have forgotten on his bottom lip.]

Oh~! Diluc.

[Venti's voice is a tune on the chilly wind as he appears from the shadow of the streets. His footsteps silent on the cold pavement as he hops playfully from one cobblestone to the next.]

Are you playing without me? That's so rude.

[Venti is always watching Diluc, though. He wouldn't be a very good sire if he didn't know where and what his strong and beautiful Diluc was up to.]

[Diluc knows that his sire is never far, and therefore shows no surprise at his approach. Instead, he watches him hop from cobblestone to cobblestone with equal parts admiration and exasperation.

The bit of blood on his lip continues to go unnoticed for now.]

Hunting is not play. It's survival.

[Casual observers of this pair often struggle to make sense of them. By all expectations, Diluc ought to be subservient and deferential--especially given how clearly beloved he is to Venti. There are murmured assumptions that the Diluc must have tangled, complicated feelings about being Venti's childe and having been turned into a vampire in the first place.

To Diluc, however, their relationship is anything but complicated. Venti is his sire, his reason for being, and therefore Diluc belongs to him. It's as simple as that. There's a great and terrible power behind the playful, lackadaisical façade, the kind that makes him weak in the knees in the best of ways. Diluc would be a fool to challenge it, or even want to.

He'd offered himself up willingly, after all.

The way he behaves is simply due the fact that he's a contrarian at heart. Venti has never seemed to mind.]

You could have stepped in sooner, if you wanted to drink with me.

[Venti giggles airly at the response and twirls delicately on one single cobblestone before standing on his tiptoes with his hands gracefully folded behind his back.]

It's not play if you put it that way, dear one.

[He might be small and thin as paper but the other vampires know to never cross Venti should they somehow find the chance to do so. As young as he might look Venti is thousands of years old with the strength and wisdom to match. He can snap a neck with a mere tilt of his hands or suck the very life out of someone without batting a pretty eyelash. His sort of power is long-lasting, like a cold breeze or chill that sticks to bones. Under his sweet smile are fangs sharper than razors.

The only vampire that dares speak back to Venti like that is Diluc and even then Diluc does not dare to go against Venti's superiority. Although Diluc himself is quite spoiled in the eyes of the others, always letting the redhead do as he pleases so long as he shares sometimes.]

You'll have to make it up to me for leaving me out.

[He winks before dancing his way over to Diluc and practically floating in from of him with his gentle slim fingers touching at Diluc's cheeks.]

[Diluc is absolutely spoiled. Just like a good pet should be.

Venti needn't worry about Diluc challenging his superiority in any capacity. He's perhaps too blunt or flippant with his sire, but is in turn unyieldingly loyal. Where he lacks in wisdom, strength, and experience comparatively, he's more than willing to make up it for in fiery potential and ferocity. All Venti needs to do is say the word, and he'll tear down the heavens themselves if he has to in order to see his master's will done.

Or, in this case, he'll keep his backtalk to a minimum as Venti takes whatever it is he's angling for with that smile. Briefly, he glances down to where his fingers touch his face.]

And what would appease you?

[He has a few ideas of what the answer might be, but he's not about to make the mistake of assuming anything.]

[And such a good pet Diluc is. There are reasons why Venti adores him so much and would give him anything that he wishes for. Not that Diluc ever asks for much. But Venti remembers the days when Diluc had been human and how Venti had been completely obsessed with the red headed man for weeks before deciding to keep him forever. And he hasn't thought back on the decision for a long time.

It makes Venti swim with pride and playfulness when Diluc stays so still for him. Listening like a wolf ready to leap. A spark gleams in Venti's deep reddening eyes. He floats closer and his lips gently brush at Diluc's jawline.]

A taste. Ehe.

[His favorite taste. It had been when Diluc was human and it still is now that Diluc is a vampire. Some might say that a vampire tasting another is entirely barbaric, rude, strange, bizarre, unnatural- But Venti has never been a stickler for the ordinary.]

[He's noticed that something is wrong with Diluc, that he seems paler than usually and like something is weighting on him. Aether fails to recognize what is the real issue though. It never even crossed his mind that Diluc might be something different than human.

That night he finally decides to confront his friend, concern obvious in his golden eyes as he walks up close.]

Hey... You don't look well lately. Did you get sick? Are you hurt? [He presses a hand to his chest, as if in solemn offer.] Please, don't tell me you're okay. I know you're not. And I want to help you no matter what it is.

[His words are honest. He's ready to offer a lot, but he still doesn't even imagine what is it that Diluc needs right now. And so Aether waits, staying close and observing his friend with endless care and worry.]

[Vampirism is an undesirable souvenir that Diluc picked up during his time abroad, although he can't quite begrudge it either. After all, being turned is how the information organization he has since pledged himself to saved his life after he was left for dead by the Fatui Harbingers.

Well, saved his life to an extent. As long as he's cognizant and capable, he doesn't really care about the semantic difference.

Adelinde and Elzer are the only two that know. His undeath is a closely-guarded secret, even moreso than his status as the Darknight Hero.

Unfortunately, it leaves him in something of a quandary when it comes to day-to-day survival. He obviously can't start feeding on the people of Mondstadt--major ethical considerations aside, people would notice. Feeding on animals is out of the question for similar reasons. There are too many hunters who follow the patterns of local wildlife who would certainly spread the word if a spat of them started dying of desanguination.

(He attempted to drink from a hilichurl once and ended up vomiting from drinking blood that tasted stale and ancient.)

So he depends on a combination of Adelinde sourcing blood from local butcheries and the resources of his information network to get what he needs. Almost impossibly, both sources are currently behind schedule, leaving Diluc feeling frustrated and starved.

Of course, perceptive as he is, Aether has noticed. Having been cornered with nowhere to retreat to, he sighs in response to the question.]

It's... not anything you can help with.

[A lie. But he's not able to ask Aether for his own blood.]

[Uncovering that Diluc is the Darknight Hero seemed like an easy task comparing to the man's other secrets. Aether is painfully aware of this especially now, when he is faced with a dear friend so clearly suffering for some reason, yet claiming there is nothing the traveller can do.

...He knows. Aether really knows that he can't save everyone and that no matter what blessing he gets or what powers awaken in him, he won't be able to cure everything that troubles his friends. But that won't stop him. Even if he can make the smallest difference, it's still worth it.]

You're not even going to tell me what's wrong?

[His brows furrow upwards and he sighs. It won't be easy, but he has an idea what to do.]

At least let me help you get home... You should lie down, you really look very pale.

[Maybe if he insists to watch over his friend, he'll find out what is wrong.]

[Aether's response cuts into Diluc more deeply than he expects, and it feels like he's somehow betrayed his trust by continuing to keep this secret. Given all the ways he's already opened himself to Aether, both directly and indirectly, the fact that he's still holding back on this is a betrayal of sorts.

At the very least, he's in no position to refuse the assistance offered. And it will undoubtedly make Aether feel better besides. So he nods his agreement.]

Thank you, Aether. Let's go.

[The fact that Diluc lets him do at least this much is already making Aether smile softly. A small win and it's okay like this. He knows the other has opened up a lot to him already, showing how much he trusts him. Even if it hurts that he can't help him with whatever he's suffering from, the traveler is determined to do as many little things as possible to at least make sure his friend rests well.]

Let's go.

[He stays close and even when they finally reach the mansion, Aether doesn't leave. He insists on helping Diluc get to his room.]

I have to make sure that you lie down and rest. [He explains.] And I can get you some water... or maybe something to eat? You won't recover if you're hungry...

[Aether's too kind to him. It's an ongoing state of being, and not one that he's likely to take action on. Loathe as he is to admit it, he enjoys having someone care without any strings or complicated histories attached. Letting people in, he's realizing, isn't nearly as terrible as he has convinced itself it would be after years of being closed off.

About halfway to the Dawn Winery, Diluc makes a decision. After they arrive and Aether fusses after him to try and anticipate his needs, he doubles down on it. His friend should know the truth, just like he knows every other truth there is to know about him.

Besides, he's entirely confident that he can't stomach the charade of human food right now. And that would only serve to make him more worried in the long run.

With a heavy sigh, he begins.]

Close the door. What I'm about to tell you does not leave this room.

[It surprises him how fast Diluc changes his mind, but Aether doesn't comment. Obediently, he closes the door, then he gently leads Diluc to the bed so they could both sit down at the edge of the mattress. At that time, he notes how cold the other feels to the touch and it's just one more worrying sign.]

Of course. I promise I won't tell anyone.

[His face is serious, his eyes focused and concerned. The promise is made to assure his friend that his secrets are safe with Aether. At the same time, there is a pang of worry in the boy's heart that being unable to talk about this with someone else may prevent him from finding a way to help Diluc.

...But maybe he's worrying prematurely. He still has no idea what is wrong.]

[Diluc's change of mind is a combination of how worn down he feels and how much he's come to trust Aether over the time they've known each other. That, and perhaps a need to be open with someone. Despite his stern demeanor, despite his devotion to his mission at the expense of even his very self... there are times when he yearns for more of a connection with someone.

Later, he may chide himself for this moment of weakness. But for now, it feels right.]

First of all: are you familiar with vampires?

Vampires?

[That question surprises him, since he can't say he would ever expect it from Diluc, especially in this kind of situation.]

I... only know stories. That they drink blood to survive... have to avoid light and dislike garlic.

[He gives Diluc a closer look, before asking very carefully:]

Is your condition... caused by a vampire?

[Or is Diluc...?]

[Well, that's better than starting from nothing.]

That they drink blood is true. They're sensitive to light, but not paralyzed or damaged by it. And the garlic thing is totally false.

[Better to get the misconceptions out of the way ahead of the actual reveal, lest Aether get worked up over things that actually aren't issues.]

You could say my condition was caused by vampire, but that happened years ago. Currently, the problem is that I am a vampire unfed.

[He leaves it there for now, letting it hang in the air between them as he watches Aether closely for his reaction.]

[Aether's eyes widen as Diluc confesses to him the true nature of his poor condition. Many questions come to his mind, but eventually he decides that none of that has any meaning now. With a confident gaze, the traveler reaches out to carefully grasp Diluc's hand in his own. A sign that he's not afraid, that he doesn't think any less of him now.]

So what you need is... blood. [He states, then falls silent for just a moment.] ...If you took mine, would it kill me? Or cause me some permanent harm?

[He serious about it. After all, if all he has to do is offer a bit of his blood without any real danger befalling him afterwards, then he sees no problem here.

He trusts Diluc, even in this new situation.]

[ His abilities are not something he normally uses in public, not anywhere he could be caught using them. Abilities like his are not looked upon fondly by... well, anyone, really, and there's a reason he keeps most of them a secret. Only desperate times sometimes call for desperate measures and his most recent contact with the adventurers guild got a little too nosey for his own good.

Which is how Jamil had found himself backed into a dark alley tonight with a Problem on his hand that had no other solution than to make sure his secret was kept. Which meant it had to be Forgotten. Fortunately for him, this idiot had thought to take advantage of him somewhere secluded and he turned that to his own advantage with ease. Catching the man's eyes and holding his gaze until he fell into Jamil's snare and then a few whispered words could fix everything.

If he relieved the man of his very full purse as recompense for his trouble? Well, it only served the fool right. Sending the adventurer off to some distant locale thinking he was headed off on some great destiny neatly tied up any loose ends and he left the alley with a crooked grin and in a much better mood.

Tonight had been surprisingly more profitable than even he'd expected. ]

[Dark alleys are where the Knights of Favonius will not go, so it stands to reason that Jamil would assume that they're safe. Unfortunately for him, they aren't.

A dark figure lingers in the shadows behind him, watching the entire interaction with bright crimson eyes. What he sees is more than enough--the hypnotism, the wild goose chase he's sent the man on, the taking of his purse. Someone should intervene and teach this kid a lesson.

As it so happens, Diluc is more than qualified to do exactly that. He shifts in the darkness, firmly setting himself between Jamil and the open street. His eyes narrow]

Interesting ability you have there.

[ Jamil stills immediately in the darkness and normally that would be enough to help him slip back and hide, but whoever had seen him... he didn't think this newcomer would be so easy to dodge.

And he'd already seen too much. Honestly. What was with his luck tonight?

Forcing a casual pose, he merely arches an eyebrow at the figure he can only make out the outline of, backlit from the glow of the open street beyond. ]

I don't know what you're talking about, friend.

[It was too much to hope that he wouldn't be evasive about it. A shame; it would have been easier for both of them if he had just admitted to it then and there. Diluc might have allowed some leniency.

As it is, he remains planted where he stands and crosses his arms.]

Takes quite the persuasive tongue to convince a man to chase shadows on a whim. Especially without any funds.

I'm curious how you managed it.

[She knows it deep in the thrum of her veins. She. Knows. It. She has known it for some time. Beatrix Belmont (~~I sure am going with this~~), vampire huntress has seen her share of strange things, and she is confident when she notices something that seems strange or out of place. But the world is sceptical at best and when she's warning local townspeople of a potential threat, more oft than not they refuse to listen. Simply because she has nothing to show for it.

She supposes a historical lineage she's trying to live up to is not good enough to provide that. It would be difficult to take her claims at face value.]

I have finally found you.

[She says it under her breath from her perch, a tree that she's been poised in. It's an area she's staked out multiple times before, watching and waiting for the man red of hair who sets all of her senses alight. At her waist dangles a coiled up whip (~~I really am doing this~~), and she sets hand atop it, as if to simply connect herself to the moment.

She'll tail him. She must find evidence. And if her theories are correct, the cloak of night is when he is most active.]

[Diluc is not unaware of Beatrix's interest in him, and he suspects that it's not an innocent one. She has a reputation as a competent vampire huntress, after all, and he just so happens to be the sort of creature that she has no love for. It's only a matter of time before she catches up with him and he'll have to deal with her head-on.

In the meantime, he's doing his best to remain just far ahead of her that there's little she can do. A woman without evidence is a woman not believed, and he's been careful to maintain the best of behavior in her presence.

However, he still needs to hunt if he wants to continue to survive, as much as undeath is surviving. So that's what he's up to at the moment, tailing a would-be victim from a distance and waiting for his opportunity to strike. For now, he's unaware that he is also being followed.]

[She would not claim she is an expert in the ways of subterfuge. If anything, perhaps she is too transparent. What reason has she to hide? Only those with underhanded notions have need to conceal themselves. Vampires do as they will beneath the cloak of the night. She supposes in some ways, her hunting is not so different. One really doesn't see such a thing out in the day, or if they walk amongst the living, then perhaps she would never know of it.

She has only books to refer to, an impressive archive of notes and observations of those her family has hunted for ages before her.

Beatrix eyes him from where she's posited, hand twitching and lingering, though she knows it's not the right moment. She must strike when he is least likely to suspect her. She expects him to have superb hearing and if her educated guess is accurate, he may easily hear her. She must be capable of outsmarting the prey. A cat who must outwit the mouse in order to capture it.

But she can taste it. The deep desire to find answers to her questions, a moment's understanding for who and what they are, and perhaps an explanation as to why her family has been so firmly pinioned against them as opposition. Will Diluc be able to provide any of those answers, or is it simply wisest to strike him down before he should take another? Before he should make others akin to him?

As she tails after him, she keeps an appropriate distance, tries to stay above him where she can, over awnings and lines of thickly bound rope that try her nimble patience, and it's only when she feels it is the time most opportune that she jumps down behind him, ensuring the footsteps of soft leather boots echo in an otherwise eerie silence.]

(open post) (au) maybe it's the moonlight mixed with carnal insight

double vamp bros leggo i'm not sorry

don't ever be sorry

nods emphatically

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I may have gotten carried away with building the ~lore~ for this one, hahaha

no worries :D

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The Hunt is On - I can't believe I'm doing this.

I love you for all of this.

I am just an aspiring vampire hunter trying to live up to a legacy that preceded me.