OZMYERE

Ryker wanted to come over tomorrow morning, but I texted him and told him not to. He then proceeded to ask why and if something had happened, to which I bluntly replied no. Is it wrong of me to want to see him but also feel queasy at the same time? I clench my sheets in my hands and sigh, unsure of what to do.

"Maybe...maybe Alec and Azusa really are right," I sigh as I hang my head.

"What am I right about?" Alec asks as he hovers in my open window, making me gasp with a start and nearly fall off the bed.

"Alecsander!" I snap, looking at him with a pout as his black wings strongly flutter back and forth until he climbs in through the windowsill and lands on the floor.

"Sorry, sorry," Alec puts his hands up in defense, "I just went out for a night flight and I wondered what you were up to."

"It seems like you did more than that," I muse as I look at his ears, which both have two piercings in the cartilage now.

"You mean these?" Alec smiles and points to his earrings. "Yeah, I've wanted to get them done for a while."

Alec flops down on the bed beside me and grabs my TV remote, turning on the TV and flipping through the movie channels.

"So, what's on the schedule, buddy?" Alec asks.

"How would I know?" I scowl. "It's three in the damn morning, Alec. I was trying to sleep."

"Doesn't seem like it," Alec hums and I snort.

Alec eventually settles on playing an action romance movie. I end up moving so that my head rests on his chest and I try to fall asleep as he hums in content. Eventually, I drift to sleep and wake up a few hours later to find sunlight streaming through the windows and Alec still in my bed, the TV still playing in the background as he sleeps. I smile and gently move away from him, careful not to wake him up as I climb out of bed and go take a shower.

I change into a pair of light grey joggers and a red t-shirt, wringing my hair out in a towel and drying off my ears and tail thoroughly. I then check on Alec to see that he's still asleep and I let the TV play as background noise before I head out of my room and go get breakfast, figuring Alec would rather be left to sleep instead. Once in the kitchen, I find Azusa standing there sighing and looking through the fridge anxiously.

"Is everything okay?" I ask and Azusa's breath hitches, his hand clenching slightly tighter around the handle of the fridge.

"Y— Yeah," Azusa stammers and refuses to look in my direction.

"Azusa..." I trail off and walk over to him, looking in the fridge to see that his blood supply is gone, "you ran out of blood, didn't you? When was the last time you drank?"

"I'm fine," Azusa clears his throat and slams the door shut, still refusing to look at me.

"If the last time you drank was when you bit me, that would've been at least over a day. Did you...use all of your supply on me?" My breath hitches at the thought of him giving up his blood supply for me.

"Oz, I'm fine," Azusa laughs nervously, "really. I'll just...go into town and..."

"Azusa," I say firmly and grab ahold of his right wrist, making his eyes widen and breath hitch, "look at me."

He slowly turns to look at me and I notice that his eyes are red and there are dark circles under his eyes, and that's when I truly take note of his disheveled appearance. His hair is messy and sticking up in random directions and his clothes look like he slept in them, his lips also seem slightly chapped, and he swallows thickly when he looks at me.

"Azusa, if you need blood, I'd happily let you take some from me," I say and he clenches his jaw.

"I can't," Azusa shakes his head, "you need your energy."

"Azusa," I frown, "you're my best friend. I don't want you to suffer."

"But I..." Azusa's voice catches in his throat, "what if I lose control?"

"You won't," I smile, "I promise."

Azusa swallows thickly before he moves closer and shifts us around so that my back is pressed against a counter, his eyes flickering between my eyes and my neck.

"Are you sure?" He whispers uncertainly.

I nod in response and he takes a shuddering breath before he tilts my head to the side and leans down, sinking his fangs into my neck. I shiver at the feeling of him being so close to me and he steps even closer so that he's pressed flush against me as he drinks from me, a small groan slipping passed his lips and I whine in return. He eventually pulls his teeth out and licks at the wound, lapping up the extra blood and I shiver once more. He breathes somewhat shakily and keeps his mouth hovering over my neck, his fangs grazing against my skin lightly as he moves his head. My eyes widen when he leans back down and instead of biting into my neck he leaves small bites and kisses in a trail up the side of my neck, making me blush.

"Oz..." he breathes out, his hands going to my hips.

"Azusa...what..." I trail off in confusion and Azusa suddenly freezes as he realizes what he's doing.

Azusa's eyes widen and he pulls away from me as if my touch burns, covering his mouth with the back of his hand as he averts his eyes, which happen to be still red.

"Sorry..." he mumbles out before he takes off in a run out of the kitchen.

"Azusa!" I shout, watching his retreating figure with confusion, surprise, and a racing heart.

I bury my face in my hands and groan, wondering what just happened between us. Caesar happens to choose that moment to come into the kitchen and he raises a brow at seeing me so distressed, crossing his arms against his chest.

"What's up?" Caesar frowns. "I heard you yelling at Azusa and he ran passed me like a madman when I was coming to the kitchen to get a glass of orange juice."

"I...don't really know," I laugh bitterly, wondering if I should have a feeling of hope that wants to bloom in my chest.

"Hey," Caesar's voice softens and he walks over to me, placing a hand on my shoulder gently, which makes me look up at him, "don't worry, whatever it is, it'll all work out."

"Thanks..." I trail off and force a smile as Caesar ruffles my hair and walks over to the fridge.

***

A few hours pass before I hear the front door slam, signaling the return of one of us. I crane my neck from the living room couch, placing my book down as I look to see who it is. Harlow's been gone almost all day and I'm not sure where she could've went, which is concerning to me. When I asked Karmine if he's seen her at all, he said he thought he heard Everett talking to someone in his room, so maybe the two finally got acquainted.

I raise my eyebrows when I notice that it's Azusa who's returned and he currently has bags full of blood in his arms and is making his way to the kitchen. As he walks passed, I'm able to pick up scents of someone's perfume and I frown. Don't tell me he seriously...

I huff and cross my arms, unsurprised that he's already all over everyone he sees again. For a moment, I wonder why I'm so upset. I mean, it's not like we expressed our love for each other. Hell, he never even told me he liked me like that. All we had was one somewhat awkward moment in a kitchen and that's it. All these pent up feelings are on my end, not his.

I know that I can't help how I feel, but it frustrates me to know that I can't seem to ever get over Azusa. I'm with Ryker, even if I am having doubts about him being right for me. I shouldn't let my past feelings for Azusa interfere with my current relationship. But still...why would Azusa have acted that way earlier?

I sigh to myself and decide to check on how Azusa is doing. After all, I know he didn't get enough to drink earlier. I get up from the couch, leaving my book behind as I make my way to the kitchen. I find Azusa stocking the fridge and I head over to the sink, stealthily attempting to watch over him from a distance.

While lost in my thoughts, I accidentally turn on the pressure too far and the water sprays me, making me yelp in surprise as I stammer to shut the sink back off. Azusa looks over upon hearing my yelp and I notice the way his breath hitches and how his eyes fixate on my now drenched shirt, which clings to my body. Embarrassed, a blush rises to my face as I sigh and I reach for the towel rack. My eyes widen and I curse as I slip on the water that sprayed onto the floor while reaching for the towels.

"Shit!" Azusa shouts and rushes to catch me, making me collide into his strong chest and soak the front of his shirt.

I look up into his eyes in surprise as he holds me and he swallows thickly.

"Sorry," I mumble sheepishly and my blush deepens as my wide eyes stare into his, feeling as if I've only added to the awkward tension between us.

I attempt to push away from him and my mind goes into overload when my hips come into contact with his and a groan bubbles passed his lips. Azusa blushes and coughs, attempting to avoid the situation as he goes back to the fridge and rubs the back of his neck awkwardly.

"No problem..." he trails off, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

"I— I should...go change," I stammer and rush back to my room, wanting to escape as fast as possible.

Once I reach my room, I quickly slam my door shut and slink down to the floor, groaning with my face in my hands.

"Way to go, Oz..." I chuckle dryly, feeling completely humiliated and as if I only made a bad situation worse.