AN: Another writing commission from s-e-kwan on tumblr

Saccharine

"Gahhh crap, where is it, where is it?!"

"Uh, Mr. Mukami? The recording booth has only been booked for two hours, so if you could-"

"I know that!" Kou barked, glaring over his shoulder at the dumb record staff waiting behind the glass. He was supposed to be singing the lyrics of the new song he'd personally come up with. But he'd gotten a tad too eager and left without his lyric sheet that morning.

And Kou only had a brilliant memory when it came to remembering the juicy, dirty, cruel details about another person.

But math, history, lyrics? No dice.

"I have to go back home to get it," he gritted out.

"What? But, Mr. Mukami-"

Storming out of the sound booth, Kou hurried down the hallway of the agency that had signed him. This sucked. This was not what a star did. Reaching the entrance of the building, he was halfway through texting for someone to come pick him up, when the Mukami's signature sleek black vehicle pulled up outside.

Kou stopped, blinking.

The door opened, and a pale leg became visible first, before Yui ducked out, clutching a hot pink folder to her chest.

"Kou!" She breathed, eyes bright. A smile tugged at her mouth as she jogged up to him, skirts and light blonde locks fluttering in the breeze.

He stared.

"I brought this for you. I wasn't sure if you had a copy," she passed the folder to him containing the lyrics he'd worked on. "You must be busy working, so I won't bother you. Just make sure to give it your all!" With that, she turned, waving. Not even wanting anything in return. "Good luck with the recording session!"

This caused the rusted gears turning in his head to abruptly stop. A Yui shaped wrench lodged in-between the metal.

He remembered purposefully getting her harassed by his fans and laughing, the look on her face as he'd inflicted terror after terror. But she was still smiling? Still being kind? Still…there. Kou drummed his fingers against his thigh, shifting on his heel as he came to a silent decision.

That evening, when she served him vongole bianco on top of everything else, Kou lifted his head. He took a seat beside her, despite not having done so in the past, and started eating with gusto.

The others blinked, refraining from comment. When Yui reached the end of her meal, she sighed with contentment.

"Ah, M neko-chan. Want seconds?" Kou asked.

That was odd. "Oh, no thank you," Yui smiled politely.

"Noooo really, it's fine~ you can have some of mine if you like?"

Yui's eyes widened and she held up her hands. "But you love this food? I-it's okay. I'm very full."

Tilting his head slightly, the blonde nodded, continuing to eat. Everyone else glanced at each other, wondering what had gotten into the usual food hog.

Hearing a knock at her bedroom door, Yui opened it, her heart doing a funny thing in her chest.

"H-hello?"

Kou smiled widely at her, leaning closer. "Ne, I couldn't sleep in my room. Mind if I come in here?"

Yes, she did mind, but Yui knew there was no choice involved. Keeping an uneasy smile plastered to her face, Yui stepped aside for him to enter.

Returning awkwardly to her bed, Yui squeaked when his body appeared behind her under the covers, pulling her back against him. Hot breath fanned into light blonde locks.

"Goodnight~" he crooned softly, nuzzling into her neck and promptly falling asleep. Yui blinked owlishly, laying within his arms for a long time and waiting for the inevitable. For the sharpness of his fangs.

But nothing came. Slowly, she relaxed and smiled in his hold.

A week later and Yui closed the fridge door, glancing at the blonde vampire who watched her attentively from the table. She jumped, having not noticed him. "K-kou? Don't you have another recording session to get to? You know you… haven't been writing lyrics like you usually do…"

"Huh?" He tilted his head, cat-like eyes gleaming. "Oh, that's because I'm not going to record music anymore. I'm finalising my paperwork so that I can quit being an idol!"

"What? But why?"

Sharp fangs flashed. "Obviously it's so I can spend all my time with you! Hehe~"

Yui blinked, tilting her head.

"Hey, there's a film you'd like playing at that cinema we went to downtown. Want to go tomorrow?"

She nodded faintly, not really grasping his words as he started excitedly telling her what time they'd meet.

His behaviour became increasingly strange compared with Kou's usual self. He followed her almost every-where, like a baby chick in need of attention. But no matter how much Yui engaged him in conversation, he didn't seem satisfied. As though he were waiting for her to say something specific.

Eventually, Yui ran out of things to talk about and just continued studying in the living room, albeit awkwardly with his elbow touching hers. The subtle heat from his vampiric body always felt so close.

"Oi, Sow! I picked some vegetables for dinner," Yuma padded in, grinning.

Rising from the table, Yui sent him a gentle smile. "That's great! I'll start preparing them."

After she'd left the room, Yuma caught Kou's eye. "What?"

His brother stared, a slight frown skittering over his features, before he gave a lop-sided grin. "Nothing~ just stay away from my girl. M'kay?"

For some reason, Yuma felt an instinct not to get into anything with him. Raising a brow, he tsked, leaving the room.

It was getting too much. Sweat broke out on her forehead. She twisted and turned within the cocoon of countless blankets and his stifling arms. Her lungs constricted, begging for air, even though she had a steady supply.

Shaking, bone-white fingers latched onto the thing crushing her in its embrace. She moulded her digits to the shape of Kou's neck, wrapping her hands around him fully and resting her thumbs on his throat. Then, like a boa constrictor, she squeezed and squeezed and squeezed some more. Pressing her nails down, her thumbs sank in above his Adam's apple, his form trembling and gasping around her- legs kicking out, hoarsely screaming-

Yui started awake, bolting upright and panting wildly. Shaking, she glanced down at Kou's sleeping form, his arms still clinging on around her waist.

"You just need some space," Ruki calmly advised that morning, making breakfast.

"But I don't know how to do that without hurting Kou's feelings. He seems troubled by something."

He sighed, "he's emotionally volatile to the point of fragility. Most likely he's just experiencing tenderness for the first time and is now trying to replicate it, poorly, I might add. He's not going to realise he's doing something wrong if you keep enabling him."

"I-I see. So if I just…try to get some space, Kou will go back to normal?" Yui murmured. She never thought she'd miss the old Kou, but thinking on it…he'd become someone she thought of often. Even at school, or brushing her hair. She'd wonder in passing how he was, what he was doing, if he were singing.

And if he was giving up singing for her, she didn't want any part in enabling him further.

Ignoring his texts proved difficult, but Yui dodged replying to almost all of them throughout the day. Avoiding him was only possible for so long, as she took extra classes at school or hid in the library at lunch. When the school bell rang, the girl ducked onto a bus and exhaled with relief, riding on it until she reached the road outside the Mukami mansion and walking the rest of the way.

It occurred to her just how tamed she'd become if she weren't taking the opportunity to run.

Feeling something wet land on her head, Yui glanced up, finding the skies rolling in grey and grim. Hurrying on, she made it inside before the heaven's opened.

Kou hadn't come back.

Hours had passed and the rain hadn't stopped. Yui broke her unspoken vow not to text and sent one after the other, worriedly asking where he was.

Staying near the front door, she watched the droplets roll down the glass. The cold, clammy hands of dread grasped her heart.

Hearing the door close, she caught sight of a figure.

"Kou!"

Rushing forward, she ignored his soaked clothes and cupped his frozen cheeks, lifting his head and smoothing the wet locks away from his face when they plastered to damp skin.

"…You didn't come," he muttered in a subdued voice.

Yui stopped, blinking the tears from her eyes and bowing her head. The movie. "I-I'm so sorry."

He didn't say anything for a while, not even as she took him into her arms, soaking herself in the process. Combing shaking fingers through his hair, Yui held onto him as though he were something fragile, not immortal.

"I don't get it. I don't get it at all," his voice came again, slowly. "You didn't respond to me the way I wanted, no matter how nice I was, you didn't seem to…want me back. Why is that? Huh? Tell me. My head's all screwed up and it's your fault."

Exhaling, she kept Ruki's words in mind and stroked his hair. "I do want you Kou. Just not like that. I liked you when you were…yourself."

"You did?"

"Mhm."

"But I was an asshole?"

She blushed. "W-well…I wouldn't describe you like that. The Kou I like is funny and a little selfish, but when he cares about things, he really commits to them, even if he says he doesn't."

"You're kinda weird." Kou mumbled, his hands resting on her waist pulling her in so that their hips met. "But…maybe, we can have a uh…do over?"

A relieved smile touched her lips. "I'd like that."

"Okay. Go out with me, m'kay? And don't ghost me this time."

"I promise I'll be there," she said, before sneezing.

"Hehe. That's your punishment for making an idol stand out in the rain," he grinned, kissing her neck and nipping the skin harshly. "C'mon. Let's go take a shower together."

"Kou!" She gaped, swatting his arm lightly. When he gave an answering cruel laugh, she knew he'd returned to his normal self. Relief flooded her right down to her toes.

End