Title: The Taste of Blood
Fandom: Prince of Tennis: Fudomine Chuugaku
Characters: Kamio Akira, Kajimoto Takahisa
Prompt: 039 - Taste
Word Count: 1236
Date finished: 06/05/2007
Rating: PG
Summary: Kamio finds prey.
Author's Notes: I was floundering, trying to find something to write about for this prompt from the Crack Generator: "Kajimoto Takahisa/Kamio Akira - Taste", and someone said something about vampires. And so this was born. It went farther than I expected - but not as far as some of you would like. I also had a better ending in mind, but I never wrote it down, and I forgot it.
Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Konomi Takeshi, and whoever did the anime. At any rate, it's not me.

It was a beautiful night, Kamio Akira thought as he drifted down the street. It was also rather dark, as it was late and the moon was new.

All to the better.

Because there was always someone who would be out when they shouldn't be; he hadn't missed the news reports of the strange disease that slowly killed people. He'd heard, even in his death-like sleep, that the authorities had warned people to stay off the streets at night, or to remain in groups - not that the groups really helped, especially if they were big - but it was better to stay off the streets. Because someone was spreading that disease on purpose, and they didn't know what it was or how to combat it.

There really wasn't a way to stop it, short of killing the originator, and that wasn't going to happen, because he wasn't going to die.

Ahead, he could see a young man - maybe his age (well, how old he looked, anyway) - with dark brown hair and a purpose to his step. Akira, intrigued, followed as he turned the corner and continued to walk. Most people, when out this late, were furtive and moving much faster, huddled in their coats or whatever, eyes darting around nervously. But not this one.

After a block, Akira moved closer, wondering how soon the man would hear his footsteps and get nervous. The one he followed twitched, as if he wanted to glance back, but didn't, so he must have heard.

But he didn't look nervous.

That was even more intriguing. He just kept walking at the same pace, not glancing right or left, and Akira slipped up closer, and then, finally, fell into step beside him.

"Hi," he said.

The other man jumped away from him and stared at him, but Akira got the idea that it was all calculated. He was… expecting something or someone. Maybe, possibly, even him. Oh, how fun.

"You scared me."

Akira smirked. "Did I? I'm sorry." He regarded his prey for a moment, well aware that he did not sound the least bit penitent. "What are you doing out this late? Haven't you heard the news?"

The other man smiled. "I'm going home. When you work my hours, there isn't much you can do about when you're out at night. What are you doing out?"

Akira smiled without showing his teeth. "I'm hungry," he said. "Care to share a snack with me?"

The other man smiled in return, although he looked a little hesitant now. "Sounds interesting," he said. "Kajimoto Takahisa. You are?"

"Kamio Akira. Come. Let's find somewhere."

Kajimoto fell into step with him as he started down the street, and Akira smiled. It was interesting to see if this one would be able to resist. Try, anyway.

Ahead, he could see the mouth of an alley, and he timed it just right, nudging Kajimoto sharply in the ribs as they passed it. The other man staggered sideways, off balance, and Akira pounced, pressing him to the wall of the building they'd just walked past. "Thanks," he whispered before sinking sharp teeth into the soft skin just above his collar bone.

Kajimoto hissed his surprise and pain, and his hands closed on Akira's upper arms. It would have been painful if he were not merely a man, but Kajimoto didn't have the strength to really injure Akira, so he ignored it.

But he couldn't ignore the sharp pain that shot through his right arm, followed immediately by a draining of his strength, and he slumped against Kajimoto, suddenly sickened by the taste of blood in his mouth. The pain spread, carried through his body by the blood he'd just drunk, but he had no strength to do more than moan, face still pressed against the man he'd tried to drain.

For a while, the pain was all he could think of, but slowly, it faded, leaving behind a horrid taste in his mouth and the beating of a panicked heart.

Wait.

A heart beat? His heart beat?

"What…" he mumbled, and felt rather than heard the soft laugh from the man he still leaned against.

"Welcome back to the living, Kamio Akira," Kajimoto said gently.

Akira barely kept himself from sobbing.

Kajimoto Takahisa dialed a familiar number and then pressed the phone to his ear. He glanced at the redhead he'd brought home, curled up on his couch, wrapped in a blanket but shivering. "I think it worked," he said quietly, and the other man flinched, turning terrified eyes on him. "I'll know for sure in the morning."

"Are you sure this is wise? I mean, having him in your house?"

"He'll be fine, if he survives the next couple of months. Going from nearly invincible to helpless as the people he's preyed on isn't going to be an easy transition."

"No. How long will you keep him there?"

"Until I know for sure he was the only one spreading this. Then I'll bring him to you."

"Sounds fair. And if he's not?"

"Then I'll go hunting again, and you can come and get him."

"Done. Let me know."

Takahisa hung up and turned his gaze on his houseguest. "Do you want anything?"

"What do you plan to do with me?" Kamio asked.

"For now, make sure you adjust okay. Are you hungry?"

Kamio flinched and looked away, jaw moving as if he'd just run his tongue over his teeth.

He probably had. Things had changed rather abruptly for the other man, and not for the better, as far as Kamio was concerned. But people would stop dying here, now that this one was transitioned back. Takahisa sincerely hoped he was the only one in Tokyo.

"You don't seem pleased with your new state," he went on, getting up and moving to the small kitchenette. With quick, practiced movements, he began to make tea, most of his attention on the man behind him. He wasn't moving, though; Kamio still looked shocked, but that was easing into fear.

"Why did you do that?" he asked. "Why didn't you just destroy me?"

"I was contracted to find you and… transition you back," Takahisa said, turning to look at him.

Kamio shrank back into the couch, pulling the blanket tighter around him. Takahisa wondered how long he'd been a vampire, to act so young. "Who?"

"I don't ask questions," he said, turning back to the tea. Pouring it into two cups, he walked over to the couch and set one on the coffee table in front of his guest.

The redhead opened his mouth as if to ask a question, then closed it again, looking frustrated.

"Drink," Takahisa told him, sipping at his own cup. "It'll do you good. If nothing else, it'll get that taste out of your mouth."

Kamio reached a slender - still trembling - arm out of the blanket to take the cup. It took him a while to grasp it, but he finally managed to get a sip of it. He grimaced, but sipped again, and eventually gave into the mild tranquilizer Takahisa had stirred into it. Takahisa rescued the cup before it smashed on the floor, and set it back on the coffee table.

He looked down at his unwilling guest for a long time; his face relaxed in sleep, it was easy to see the innocence that everyone seemed to covet for themselves.

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