The air in Ferid's mansion was heavy with a seductive stillness, the kind that enveloped predators as they lay in wait. It was an aura Crowley Eusford knew well and wore effortlessly as he lounged in the dim light of the dining hall. A goblet of crimson liquid rested in his hand, catching the faint flicker of a candelabra nearby. He swirled it lazily, its aroma rich and unmistakable.

"You don't have to stare," Crowley remarked, his voice low, teasing. His crimson eyes flicked to the younger vampire lingering in the shadows of the room. "There's plenty for you if you're hungry."

Mikaela Hyakuya's pale blue eyes narrowed. "Whose blood is it?" His voice carried an edge of mistrust.

Crowley smirked, taking a leisurely sip before replying. "No clue. But it's sweet—tastes like a child's. Ferid has a penchant for the young, as you know." His gaze lingered on Mika, noting the subtle tightening of the boy's jaw, the way his fingers curled into fists.

"You don't have to remind me," Mika replied tersely, his voice a quiet snarl.

Crowley leaned back in his chair, one leg crossed over the other, exuding a predatory grace. "Strange, isn't it?" he mused, his tone almost philosophical. He gestured toward Yu and Kimizuki, who were busy preparing the evening's meal in the adjoining kitchen. "They're perfectly fine with roasting a cow for dinner, but the moment it comes to drinking the blood of their own kind..." His gaze fell back to his goblet, the smirk fading into something more contemplative. "Why does it evoke such self-loathing? Such... sin?"

Mika didn't reply, though Crowley could see the tension in his shoulders, the storm of thoughts swirling behind his stoic expression.

"I used to feel the same," Crowley continued, his tone darker now, threaded with something deeper. "Back when Ferid turned me. There's a threshold, you know—one you'll cross soon enough."

Mika remained silent, but Crowley noticed the flicker of hesitation in the younger vampire's eyes. He pressed on, his voice dripping with knowing amusement. "You're curious. I can tell. Go on, ask."

Mika hesitated before finally speaking. "How long do I have?" His voice was barely audible, his gaze fixed on the floor. "Before the last of my human emotions fade away? Before I stop being... me?"

Crowley chuckled softly, the sound laced with both amusement and pity. "Ah, the eternal question. How long until the monster consumes the man?" He leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "It's hard to say exactly when it happens. You don't notice at first. A little apathy here, a touch of indifference there. And then, one day, you look in the mirror and realize you don't care anymore."

Mika's grip tightened on the windowsill he leaned against. "But my feelings for Yu... they're the same. He's all that matters."

"For now," Crowley replied smoothly, standing and approaching the cabinet. He retrieved a second glass and set it beside Mika. "You're starving yourself, Mika. You think you're holding on to humanity by denying your nature, but all you're doing is hastening the end."

"I don't need your advice," Mika snapped, his voice sharp but not loud enough to carry to the kitchen.

Crowley smirked, pouring fresh blood into the new glass. "Maybe not, but you'll take it anyway." He placed the glass in front of Mika and leaned close, his voice dropping to a velvet murmur. "Drink. Or don't. But know this: the more you resist, the sweeter the fall will be when it happens."

Mika's gaze flicked to the crimson liquid, then away. "I'll think about it."

Crowley straightened, his smirk growing wider. "Good boy. For now, I'll leave you to your thoughts." He swept from the room with a deliberate elegance, the air growing colder in his absence.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

As the group settled down for dessert, Mika still hadn't touched the goblet before him. His fingers drummed lightly on the table, his gaze distant. Yu approached, his usual energy dimmed by concern.

"Mika," Yu began softly, leaning closer. "Aren't you going to drink?"

"No."

"Are you thirsty?" Yu pressed, his green eyes searching Mika's face.

Mika hesitated before nodding slightly. "A little."

"Then why not drink?" Yu's voice was filled with quiet understanding, yet firm. "You'll feel better."

"If I drink this..." Mika's voice faltered, his gaze fixed on the glass. "What's left to separate me from them?"

Yu's eyes softened, his hand resting lightly on Mika's arm. "Then don't. If you need blood, you can drink mine."

Mika's head snapped up, his eyes wide. "Yu—"

"I mean it," Yu said with a lopsided grin, his voice unwavering. "I made sure to eat a lot, just in case. I don't want you suffering."

Mika stared at him, conflicted. His throat tightened as he fought the primal hunger gnawing at him. "I... I think I will."

Yu smiled, his warmth cutting through Mika's darkness. "No problem."

As Yu walked away, Mika's fingers tightened around the glass, his mind a war zone of restraint and longing. Crowley's words lingered, a tempting whisper at the edge of his resolve.

-END-