Chapter Text
In the many years since Barok had become a vampire, he’d managed to curb his cravings for human blood and restrict himself to drinking the blood of animals. Once he adjusted to it, it hadn’t been difficult to hold true to those restrictions. In fact, he rarely felt the desire to bite anyone at all.
At least until the Nipponese lawyer came to London.
Barok flew through the night as a bat until he found the attic room of 221B Baker Street. He had conducted discreet inquiries to learn where the man was staying after their second trial facing one another, but he held himself back from acting on that knowledge. After the fourth, during which the lawyer stood tall and declared his intention to protect his client no matter the consequences, Barok could no longer restrain himself.
The window of the attic room was open a crack, enough for him to gain access. He returned to his human form inside and approached the bed.
The Nipponese lawyer lay sound asleep.
Every time they faced each other in court, Barok ended the trial wanting to bite him. Now the urge was almost unbearable. His bare throat was exposed above the blankets, as if in invitation.
Barok stepped closer and imagined how the man’s warm skin would feel against his lips, how sweet his blood would taste. His pulse beckoned him closer, closer…
He pulled back just in time. Good heavens, he thought he was better than this. Years of never drinking a human’s blood, and he came so close to breaking that vow simply because of a Nipponese lawyer with honest eyes and a devotion to the truth that threatened to break down everything Barok believed? Moreover, it would bring danger. If the lawyer awoke with marks on his neck and a loss of blood, the old vampires rumors would be revived.
But he wanted him… oh, he wanted him… Barok stared at the sleeping man until at last he forced himself to leave.
#
He returned the following night.
Once again, the lawyer lay asleep with his throat so enticingly exposed. Barok urged himself to turn back, but he couldn’t look away. He moved closer to the bed. The Nipponese lawyer had haunted his thoughts all night.
It had been so long since he’d indulged. Years upon years. Animal blood did not have the same richness that human blood did. It sustained him, but it never quite satisfied him.
Just one bite. One little taste. He would do no lasting harm to him, so even if people did begin to whisper of vampires when the marks on his neck were discovered, they would eventually dismiss it as something as mundane as an animal attack. All he wanted was one taste to satisfy this inescapable craving.
One sweet taste to curb his hunger for the rest of eternity…
#
A sense of unease descended over Ryunosuke in his shallow, restless sleep. He’d suffered odd dreams the previous night and woke up with the sense that someone had been in the room with him, only to find it empty. Between Susato’s departure weighing on his mind and himself being barred from the courtroom, he’d dismissed it as stress causing him to have nightmares. Now that same discomfort jolted him out of another dream.
He opened his eyes.
Barok van Zieks loomed over his bed, mouth open to reveal a large pair of long, vicious fangs.
W… WHAT?!
Terror gripped Ryunosuke. He opened his mouth to scream, but all that came out was a tiny, barely audible squeak.
Van Zieks’s gaze met his.
Oh no, oh no, he was going to die, he was going to die, he was—
Eyes widening, the other man retreated from the bed as though he was afraid of Ryunosuke. He dashed to the window and vanished. Outside, a large bat flew away into the night.
Ryunosuke sat awake staring at the window for the rest of the night, but neither bat nor prosecutor ever returned.
#
By the time his sleepless night gave way to morning, he’d convinced himself it was a nightmare. All the same, he consulted all the books in 221B Baker Street until at last he found a description of vampires—undead monsters that rose from the grave to feed on the blood of their victims. Everything about it lined up with what he had seen.
Except, of course, for the fact that Lord van Zieks had fled when Ryunosuke woke up. A vampire would have been able to overpower and kill him before he managed to get anyone’s attention.
Ryunosuke closed the book and thought long and hard about the prosecutor feared throughout London as the Reaper of the Bailey and what he’d seen last night. Despite his reputation and intimidating nature, he’d grown to respect van Zieks for the dedication he showed to the truth. He no longer believed he murdered people, not truly. He couldn’t see him as a monster.
Which meant what happened last night was only a nightmare… right?
#
Of all the mistakes he had made, this might be the gravest yet.
Barok cursed himself as a fool as he once again made his way to 221B Baker Street. Last night had been terrible enough. Not only had he almost preyed upon an innocent victim, but he’d been caught in the act. It was a miracle no one had shown up at the van Zieks manor with a wooden stake to drive through his heart; he could only assume the man believed it to be a dream. By going back, he risked everything—both his soul and his life.
Yet he flew into the room anyway and gazed down at the sleeping lawyer. An odd pang of regret ran through him. Despite everything, he’d begun to feel an odd sort of fondness toward the man.
He hadn’t come here to bite him. Frightening him last night had weighed on his conscience ever since. When the lawyer awoke and looked up at him with such justified terror, it made Barok feel like a monster for the first time in years. He needed to see him again and assure himself that he was safe and well.
Now he would leave and banish all further thoughts of drinking this man’s blood. Barok stepped back.
The lawyer opened his eyes with a sharp gasp. His eyes widened, and he tugged the blankets up under his chin as if he could protect his throat that way.
Guilt lanced through Barok’s heart. He looked away. “Relax, my learned friend. I am not going to drink your blood. I merely came to apologize.” Since he had already been seen, perhaps he could at least ease the young man’s fears. “I should not have come to your room last night. I should not have even considered feeding upon you. I would not have truly harmed you—but that is no excuse. Pray forgive the discourtesy.”
The young lawyer blinked at him, clearly confused.
Perhaps Barok might yet be allowed to taste his blood, if he explained clearly that he would cause no lasting ill effects. Perhaps he would be granted even more than that. Despite the lies he told even to himself, he longed for the company of one who knew his true nature. This life of secrecy left him even further isolated than the rumors of the Reaper would. If he had someone to share the long nights with, it would all be more bearable. He could face eternity if he were not doomed to be forever alone. Even company lasting a mortal’s lifespan would be enough to ease the dread the future held for him.
But no, he did not dare let himself yearn for such things. Even mere companionship was a fanciful wish, let alone the rest. Dreaming of someone who would trust him enough to lie in his arms and surrender his blood willingly… that was a dream that would never come true. And a life like that with this man, of all people? No, it was impossible. The sooner he left, the easier it would be to stay away.
“If you have mercy within you,” he whispered, “do not tell a soul what I am. I will not repeat the mistakes of last night, and in light of your suspension, you need never see me again. Yet if you have no such mercy, I will accept your judgment.”
Satisfied that he had been able to undo at least some of the damage he caused, he left without another word.
#
They didn’t cross paths again until Albert’s case.
Panic surged as the lawyer entered his office. Barok had avoided Baker Street entirely since that final night they saw each other and assumed that distance between them was enough for the lawyer to hold his silence, but he hadn’t anticipated him gaining permission to practice law again and immediately taking on one of Barok’s cases.
Slowly, Barok forced himself to meet his gaze, certain he would see fear there.
The lawyer gasped and averted his eyes to break eye contact.
Barok stiffened. Next would come a formal accusation of what he was, or a raised cross to force him back, or perhaps the lawyer would simply flee the office to request help in dealing with the vampire.
“Oh, I, um…” Contrary to all his expectations, the lawyer stammered out the last thing he thought he’d hear. “I’m glad to see you’re well.”
Barok stared at him. Was he afraid to confront him? Was it due to the presence of the little girl, Iris; did the lawyer see Barok as someone who would harm a child? Something inside him twisted painfully at the thought.
Yet the conversation commenced, it became bafflingly clear he was concerned about Barok’s wellbeing and safety. They spoke of attacks against “the Reaper,” his past with Albert, and the upcoming trial. Not only did the topic of vampires never come up, but the lawyer relaxed enough to blurt out whatever foolish thing popped into his mind at any given moment.
He must have decided it was all a dream after all. Barok’s secret was safe.
Relief settled over him—along with a deep pang of loneliness.
Chapter Text
Ryunosuke never would have imagined things would progress as they did—first with Kazuma’s return and then van Zieks’s arrest. Once van Zieks finally accepted his offer to defend him, he took a deep breath. “Miss Susato, would you go on ahead? I’d like to ask Lord van Zieks something privately before I leave.”
She gave him a curious look, but left without pressing him.
Van Zieks looked surprised as well. “Is there something else you need of me, Mr. Naruhodo?”
“Not exactly, just…”
Ryunosuke had made a promise to himself he would never think about it again, for his own sanity and safety. He had never let the word vampire cross his thoughts since van Zieks apologized to him that night. But the more he saw of van Zieks beyond his outward hostility, the more he worried the man would martyr himself before reaching out to anyone for help.
“Are you doing all right, being locked up like this?” His heart hammered. “I mean… considering what you… are.”
Van Zieks’s eyes widened. “…To what do you refer?”
“You know I saw you in my room.”
“I assumed you had concluded it all was a dream.”
“Why would you think that?”
“For one thing, you offered to defend me.”
“I stand by what I said before. I don’t believe you’re the sort of man who would kill anyone.”
“Yet you know I wanted to drink your blood.”
“But you never did.” Ryunosuke moved closer to the cell door. “And… you even apologized for it.”
That first night had been terrifying, but he might have dismissed it as a nightmare if not for what followed. When he awoke to see van Zieks standing over him again, only for the other man to apologize for nearly biting him, it felt so surreal he ironically knew it must be real. He might have dreamed of van Zieks attacking him. He never would have dreamed of him apologizing.
“I don’t want you to get hurt, Lord van Zieks.”
“…I see.”
“So… is it okay for you to be locked up like this?”
Van Zieks let out a short laugh. “Fortunately, the cell is in nearly complete darkness. The lack of windows is a blessing for me, as I can avoid the sun.”
That only solved one worry. Ryunosuke chewed on his lip and stared at the man locked up in a cell with no window, presumably with no means of leaving no matter what powers he had. “What about, um… eating?”
Van Zieks averted his gaze. “Impossible in my current position, but I can hardly ask someone to bring jars of animal blood here for me. We shall simply have to hope I do not collapse during the trial.”
“What? Is that likely?”
The other man shrugged.
Ryunosuke rubbed the back of his neck. “W-Would you like some of my blood?”
Van Zieks stared at him.
“I… I know you wouldn’t have considered b-biting me at all if it was going to k-kill me, so…” His heart thumped against his ribcage. The thought of a vampire drinking his blood terrified him, but he couldn’t bear the thought of van Zieks growing weak with hunger with no one else to turn to.
He trusted him. He trusted him more than he had realized. He looked into the other man’s eyes and hoped his sincerity shone through.
“You don’t have to do this,” van Zieks whispered at last.
“I want to help you.” He needed to help him. Walking out of here knowing the vampire might starve would hurt worse than his fangs ever could.
“If anyone found out, it would mean my destruction.”
“I won’t tell anyone. And it’s less risky than you collapsing from hunger and people trying to find out why, right?”
Van Zieks stared at him for a long time. Then he slowly nodded. “Very well. I accept your offer, Mr. Naruhodo.”
Ryunosuke’s heart leaped into his throat. “O-Okay!” While it was what he wanted, there was a big difference between discussing it in theory and actually facing the imminent prospect of a vampire drinking his blood. “How do you want to do this? If we need to use knives or n-needles, I might need to ask Miss Susato for help.”
Yet van Zieks simply reached up to the bars that separated them. “Unbutton your collar and come as close to the gap as you can.”
His collar. Van Zieks was going to bite his neck. Ryunosuke’s stomach flipped at the thought, though not unpleasantly. Fingers trembling, he unbuttoned his collar.
#
Barok could hardly believe it. Here was Naruhodo, whom he had treated so rudely, not only willing to defend him in court, but also offering him his own blood. He had placed his life in Naruhodo’s hands for the trial, but now the young man was doing the same in return.
He watched, unable to hide his hunger and yearning, as Naruhodo finished unbuttoning his collar and edged closer. The man visibly braced himself and then stretched onto his tiptoes to bring his neck up to the gap in the bars.
At last. At last. After all those nights of craving him… Barok brought his face to Naruhodo’s throat and breathed in the sweet scent of his blood pulsing just beneath the skin. He reached through the bars and grasped his shoulders, still hardly able to believe this was happening. He brushed his throat with his lips.
Naruhodo abruptly pulled away, and Barok froze.
“That tickles!” he said with a laugh before moving back within reach.
“Is that your greatest concern right now, my learned friend?”
“Well it did tickle.” He looked at him with earnest brown eyes full of trust. “And I trust you.”
Barok’s eyes widened, and he averted his gaze. He couldn’t handle Naruhodo looking at him like that. It made him feel… no, he couldn’t even think about it. He moved in slowly and kissed Naruhodo’s neck again. Despite his words of trust, he was trembling. Barok kissed tenderly across his soft skin. He wanted him to relax. If he could bring Naruhodo some enjoyment in exchange for this precious gift, it would balance any pain his bite caused.
A treacherous part of his mind whispered that he just wanted to kiss Naruhodo’s neck, but he forced that thought aside.
As much as he wished to take his time until the other man was completely at ease, they did not have that luxury. If a guard happened by and caught them in the act, it would be the end. Perhaps he could do so next time, if Naruhodo ever graced him with a next time.
He bit.
Naruhodo gasped, trembling again, but didn’t try to pull away. Delicious blood flowed into Barok’s mouth from the punctures, and he groaned. It had been so long since he’d drank anything but animal blood, yet it seemed even sweeter than he remembered. Hunger certainly had something to do with it, but no, it was more than that.
It tasted so sweet because it was Naruhodo’s blood, freely given.
He yearned to drink until he had his fill, but the thought of a pale, frightened Naruhodo stumbling away from his cell made him stop. He kissed his neck once more, then caressed his cheek as he pulled back. “Thank you, my dear friend.”
Naruhodo blinked up at him, his expression unreadable.
“Are you all right?” Barok asked.
“Y-Yes!” The lawyer fumbled with his collar and then buttoned it so it completely hid the fang marks. “And see, now no one will ever know!”
“Indeed.” He was placing a great deal of trust in Naruhodo, but he supposed he had done that already.
He just wished he knew what that look in the other man’s eyes meant.
#
Ryunosuke lay down alone in the attic room and closed his eyes. He had been perfectly fine with the situation when he considered that he was, essentially, offering himself to van Zieks as a snack.
But things had gotten a lot more complicated.
He should be preparing for the trial, but right now he just wanted to think about van Zieks—Barok—and how his lips had felt on his throat. The memory of those soft kisses sent shivers through him. Even when he bit him, it felt oddly good. And then…
Thank you, my dear friend.
Not “my learned friend” or even “Mr. Naruhodo.” Dear friend. Dear.
He wanted Barok to visit his room at night again. He wanted him to climb on top of him in his bed and kiss his neck and whisper dear friend into his ear before biting him and feeding upon him. He wanted to peel back every protective layer and barrier and get to know the true Barok van Zieks in a way no one else did.
Ryunosuke covered his face with his hands. Of all the people to fall in love with, it had to be the grouchy vampire he was about to defend in a murder trial.
#
He jolted out of a restless sleep to find that he was no longer in his own bedroom, but one much fancier. A mansion? Confused and disoriented, he looked around until he noticed the cloaked man sitting in a luxurious armchair on the other side of the room with a chalice held in one hand.
“Lord van Zieks?” he asked in surprise.
Barok’s gazed snapped to him, and his eyes widened as if he was just as startled to see him as Ryunosuke was to find himself there. He averted his gaze. “Ah. Pray forgive the discourtesy.”
“What discourtesy? How did I get here? For that matter, how did you get here? I didn’t think you could leave your cell.”
“Forgive me, Mr. Naruhodo. I believe this is a dream.”
“…Sorry?” Being a dream made a lot more sense than suddenly waking up in another place, but his dreams didn’t usually apologize to him for it.
Barok sighed. “One of the powers a vampire has over his… prey… is to summon them to his side. If a physical summons is impossible, a mental summons can facilitate communication between them instead. Forgive me, I did not mean for this to happen. It was an unconscious summons.”
Ryunosuke frowned and tried to wrap his mind around that. “If you’re still hungry, I can visit you. I felt fine afterwards, so I don’t mind doing it again so soon!”
“No, that will not be necessary. I drank enough to sustain myself.”
“Then…” He thought through the implications and felt his eyes grow huge. “L-Lord van Zieks! Y-You missed me that much?!”
“Certainly not!” Barok folded his arms and carefully avoided his gaze. “What do you take me for, Nipponese?”
The insult was such a desperate attempt at denial, it was almost funny. Ryunosuke rubbed his chin. “Well, if you aren’t hungry but unconsciously summoned me anyway, strongly enough to bring us together like this…” He grinned. “I really can’t see what else it could mean.”
Barok’s cold blue eyes slowly moved until they were fixed on his.
Ryunosuke froze, pinned in place by his stare.
“I should not want you as much as I do,” the other man said, his voice a low growl.
Mouth dry, Ryunosuke swallowed hard. “O-Oh?”
“Does that frighten you?”
He slowly shook his head.
“It is not as if you have anything to fear, regardless,” Barok said. “Even if I bit you here, it would have no effect on your body.”
“Are you also dreaming right now?”
“Not in the human sense of the word, but effectively. I was lost in thought.” He waved his hand around the room. “I often imagine myself here when I wish to think in peace.”
“Huh…”
They looked at one another for a moment in silence.
Then Ryunosuke rubbed the back of his neck. “So… do you want to bite me?”
Barok furrowed his brow. “Even if I required blood, we are not physically together. There would be no benefit. Did I not make that clear?”
“But you could still enjoy it, right?”
“And you? Why would you make such an offer?”
“I like the thought of making you happy.” Ryunosuke gave him a sheepish smile. “And… I kind of liked it when you bit me before.”
Barok’s eyes widened. Then they narrowed with hunger. “Come here.”
A delicious shiver of anticipation ran through Ryunosuke, and he hurried across the dream room to the other man’s chair. Gloved hands caught his waist and pulled him down into his lap. The vampire tugged his collar away almost feverishly to bare his throat and brushed his lips over his skin. No actual benefit or not, it seemed Barok really wanted to bite him.
His fangs sank into Ryunosuke’s neck. After that brief burst of pain, the feel of his cold lips felt strangely good. He whimpered at the sensation.
“Mr. Naruhodo?”
Aware of his cheeks burning with embarrassment, Ryunosuke buried his face against the other man’s shirt. “You make it feel nice.”
Barok lowered his lips to his throat again. He drank for what felt like forever, then lifted his mouth and bit the other side of his throat too. Ryunosuke gasped, but in a dream, nothing needed to make sense. Barok bit him yet again, while Ryunosuke clutched at his shoulders and panted for breath. All he could feel was Barok’s mouth and fangs, as if he were being savaged by a beast, and yet it thrilled him. His fangs sank into his skin again and again as he drank, and a fog of pleasure descended over his thoughts.
At last, Barok pulled back. “Forgive me. I may have gotten carried away. Are you all right?”
Ryunosuke blinked up at him fuzzily. “Since we’re not really together, there’s nothing to worry about, right?”
“True, but I have no wish to frighten you.”
“You didn’t.” Ryunosuke hummed in the back of his throat. “I know you wouldn’t do anything to hurt me.”
“You truly do trust me.” Barok sounded as marveling as when Ryunosuke offered to defend him.
“I know you’ve never killed anyone, Lord van Zieks. I believe you never would.”
Barok brushed his fingers over his cheek. “Then, before you awaken, may I bite you once more?”
“Yes, please.”
“Pray forgive the discourtesy,” Barok murmured against his throat, “but I may grow addicted to this.”
He wasn’t the only one. Ryunosuke closed his eyes and surrendered to Barok’s embrace.
Chapter Text
It was a little disorienting to wake up and find no physical effects of the countless bites he’d just experienced, but Ryunosuke flopped back against his pillows with a happy smile. He felt like he’d been given a precious gift. The memory of Barok’s mouth, his hands, the low growl in his voice… he hoped to experience them all in reality sooner rather than later.
Of course, first they had a trial to contend with.
Their shared dreams kept his hopes alive each night, and once the whole trial was over, Ryunosuke watched Barok carefully. Although the other man had declined to join their celebration, surely it wasn’t good for him to spend the entire evening alone. He must be hurting now more than ever.
He took a deep breath and stepped toward the other man. “I hope I see you again soon, Lord van Zieks.”
Barok met his gaze, and his eyes widened slightly. Then he inclined his head. “And I hope you have a pleasant night, Mr. Naruhodo.”
A delightful shiver ran down Ryunosuke’s spine. That all but confirmed Barok intended another nighttime visit now that he was free. He could almost feel his fangs already… and it was startling just how much he wanted that. Captivated, he stared at the prosecutor as he turned to leave. He wished they could spend more time together right here, now, instead of waiting. There was so much he wanted to do with Barok… and not enough time for all of it.
He took half a step forward as if to follow him, but Kazuma grabbed his arm.
Ryunosuke gave him a startled look. “Kazuma?”
His friend leaned in close. “I wasn’t going to say anything, but you need to know. I have good reason to suspect van Zieks is a… creature of the night.”
“He’s still a good man.”
“Wait, you knew? Then that conversation just now…”
Ryunosuke blushed.
Kazuma stared at him in disbelief, then sighed. “You trust him?”
“Yes.”
“Fine. Just don’t get yourself drained of blood, or I’ll kill him myself.”
Ryunosuke laughed. “I won’t, I promise.”
#
Everything hurt. Barok was in pain whenever he so much as thought about Klint and the revelations from the trial, but the one thing that kept him going was the hope that Ryunosuke wanted to see him again.
He flew into the attic room and returned to his human form at the foot of the bed.
He had nearly talked himself out of coming tonight, telling himself their exchange in the prison was a one-time thing because Ryunosuke felt sorry for him, the results of his unconscious summons might have been his imagination and wishful thinking, and Ryunosuke’s comment about wanting to see him soon was therefore mere politeness. He’d all but convinced himself a monster like him should not go anywhere near Ryunosuke again—until Asogi cornered him after the trial with a warning that he would answer to him if he harmed Ryunosuke or broke his heart.
Left with the baffling realization that Asogi knew he intended to bite Ryunosuke and gave them his blessing, Barok then realized the second half of his warning implied he saw it in a romantic context. Which made him wonder if Ryunosuke saw it that way as well.
And suddenly, to be held in a lover’s embrace was what Barok wanted more than anything in the world. He gazed down at the sleeping man and wondered if he even dared hope.
Ryunosuke blinked his eyes open, and his gaze landed on Barok. He sat up. A soft smile crossed his lips. “You came.”
“I had to see you. Pray forgive the discourtesy if I misunderstood your invitation.”
He laughed quietly and held out his hand. “It was exactly what I meant.”
Barok took his hand and let Ryunosuke draw him to his bed. He climbed onto the thin mattress and loomed over him. Ryunosuke’s pulse visibly raced as Barok pinned him against the bed, and his eyes went wide—but with excitement, not fear.
“Mr. Naruhodo,” Barok whispered, and paused.
“Yes?”
“Why did you invite me here tonight?”
“Huh?”
“Are you simply such a kind and generous person that you wish to see I remain well-fed? Or…” He lifted one hand and brushed his cheek with a feather-light touch.
Ryunosuke blushed, and the sight sent Barok’s thoughts into a tailspin. “I care about you, Barok.” He froze, and his blush deepened. “I mean, Lord van Zieks!” He gave him a sheepish smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
“Say it again.”
He blinked. “B-Barok?”
His name had never sounded beautiful until now, coming from Ryunosuke’s lips. Barok gazed into his eyes. He would gladly drown in their depths if Ryunosuke let him. “What do you want of me, Mr. Naruhodo? Say the word, and I am yours.”
“In that case, would you call me Ryunosuke?”
“Ryunosuke,” he whispered, unable to keep the adoration from his voice.
Ryunosuke pulled Barok down the rest of the way and kissed him.
The unfamiliar sensation sent a thrill through Barok. It was warm in a different way from when he fed upon him, though similar at the same time. The feel of his lips, the taste of him, they filled him with a new craving. Passion erased any lingering hesitance. He pushed his tongue between Ryunosuke’s unresisting lips and explored his mouth. Then he broke away and kissed down his jaw to his throat instead, while Ryunosuke panted beneath him and tilted his head back.
He bit.
Ryunosuke gasped and clutched at him. Barok ran his fingers through the other man’s hair while he drank his blood, able to truly savor him at last. In the prison, he’d been driven on by the need for haste, and illusory bites in the shared dream could never be quite the same. None of it compared to this, to drinking his blood with the knowledge that it could lead to something deeper. Every taste of Ryunosuke was sweeter than the one before.
For the moment, nothing else mattered. Not the revelations of the trial, not his tormented thoughts about Klint and Genshin, nothing but the reality of Ryunosuke here with him now.
The other man relaxed and wrapped his arms around him in a loose embrace. Mindful that this was not a dream where he could bite Ryunosuke again and again without worry, Barok made sure to stay aware of how much blood he took. At last, he kissed Ryunosuke’s throat tenderly and pulled back.
He lay down beside him on the thin mattress and gazed at him. Then he held out his arms.
Ryunosuke nestled into his embrace at once and rested his head against his chest. “Barok?” He looked up at him. “What will happen to us if I go back to Japan?”
The sudden question shook Barok. He’d been so caught up in his own thoughts about the trial that he didn’t think about what Ryunosuke’s future might hold. It was foolish to assume he would have no plans. A pang of loneliness ran through him, and he closed his eyes. Yet the answer was undeniable; even if he wished to deny it, he wouldn’t be able to now. “I will always be yours.”
“Me too,” Ryunosuke whispered. “No matter what, you’re the only one I want.”
And Barok, who for so long had trusted no one, believed him.
#
The familiar dreamscape returned around Ryunosuke, and he folded his arms with an incredulous smile for the man sitting in the armchair. “Really? You miss me enough to summon me in my dreams even though I’m literally sleeping in your arms right now?”
“I yearn for you always,” Barok whispered.
His heart fluttered. It still surprised him to hear Barok say things like that. He hadn’t imagined the other man would feel for him so strongly, much less admit it, but he seemed to be a greater romantic than Ryunosuke ever imagined.
Not that he was complaining. He hurried to Barok’s side and sat in his lap.
Barok placed his hands on his waist, but hesitated. “I think perhaps I should not bite you now.”
“What? Why not?”
“I cannot trust myself not to unknowingly act in the real world as well.”
Ryunosuke gave him a cheeky smile. “Why don’t you kiss me instead, then?”
Barok snorted and did just that.
#
“That does it. Take the rest of the evening off, go home, and try to contact Ryunosuke.”
Barok scowled at his apprentice. “Since when are you in charge of this office, Asogi?”
“Since you decided to sit around being depressed and lonely instead of doing work.” Asogi glowered at him. “If I had a magical way to talk to Ryunosuke, I wouldn’t spend all my time moping just because it might not work.”
He averted his gaze with a wave of shame. Yes, he had clung to the hope that his connection with Ryunosuke would allow them to continue those shared dreams even after the other man’s departure, but his fear that it would not work kept him from attempting it. Now Asogi’s words made him feel selfish. He had a potential means of reaching Ryunosuke, yet instead he chose to feel sorry for himself.
Better to try and know than continue to worry.
He stood up. “Very well.”
He departed the Prosecutor’s Office and returned to his manor, where he sat down and braced himself. Then he closed his eyes to enter that trance-like state from which he’d been able to call Ryunosuke before. First he pictured the manor room around him, and then—consciously for the first time, though his yearning was so great he doubted he needed to—sent out a silent summons to Ryunosuke.
Nothing happened, and his heart ached.
And then…
“Barok!” Ryunosuke was on top of him before he even had time to register his presence. He embraced him with a strength that belied his smaller frame. “I was starting to think you couldn’t contact me anymore once I was at sea!”
Barok wrapped his arms around him. “Forgive me, my love.”
A dazzling smile split Ryunosuke’s face. “I’ll forgive anything if you keep calling me that!”
Embarrassed, Barok averted his gaze. Yet his heart swelled from Ryunosuke’s closeness and the feel of his warmth. Even if it wasn’t real, it felt real… and it was truly him, if not in physical form. His Ryunosuke was here with him again, even though there was so much distance between them.
“So how are things going? Are you doing all right? Are you getting along with Kazuma? Oh! Do you think you could pass on a message to Mr. Sholmes for me? I’d like to send a message to Iris, too. Speaking of which, have you had tea with her yet?”
As Ryunosuke rambled out a string of questions, amusement made an unfamiliar smile tug at the corner of Barok’s lips. It seemed his lover found his connection to a vampire to be convenient for many reasons. He pressed his face into the crook of Ryunosuke’s neck.
Those nights when he flew into his room driven by a forbidden urge to prey upon him felt like they belonged to another age. Now Ryunosuke was his by choice, bound to him no matter how much distance there was between them, with a connection far stronger than merely his desire for blood.
He had thought this man was a curse upon him, but instead he turned out to be the greatest blessing Barok had ever dreamed of.
“Barok? Are you even listening? If you really want to bite me first, you can, but I want to catch up, too!”
“Anything for you, my love. Anything for you.”