Don't roll your eyes at the Vampire theme – every writer has to do at least one, it's like a rite of passage. This was supposed to be a one shot, but like usual with my stories, it grew into a monster! Enjoy :)

Chapter One.

Ventus had been on the arse end of his working week the night something out of the ordinary finally happened. It was just after 9 o'clock at night and he was tired, his hair was a sweaty mess, and he'd changed his waiter apron twice in the last hour due to clumsily spilling steamed milk all down the front of it. It was one of those shifts. The kind where you're pretending to clean down the coffee machine, or restock the take away cups, but really, you're just mindlessly looking busy while you wait for the minute hand on the clock to come around. He still had an hour to go till close, and frankly, Ventus was just done.

He was crouched down on the floor by the immaculately clean coffee machine scrolling through his Facebook feed when he heard the distinctive sound of the automatic doors opening, signalling a new customer entering.

Knowing it took people usually at least 30 seconds to amble their way over to the cash register, Ventus kept scrolling. He quickly finished up the article he'd been reading before promptly straightening and turning to face the rest of the café front, only to find said customer standing directly in front of him.

"Whoa!" He couldn't help his small shout of surprise as his eyes were immediately accosted with a sharply dressed man, his suit impeccable – black, with a silken dark blue tie. But that wasn't what had captured his attention. Under a thatch of stylised jet black hair was a handsome, youthful face, and the most intense eyes Ventus had ever seen. They were like liquid gold.

Ventus wasn't sure if he'd been staring for long, but the man had surely noticed his attention, his lips quirking into a knowing smirk.

"H-Hi! Sorry about that, what can I get you?" Ventus rushed out, hoping his cheeks weren't colouring with his embarrassment at being caught ogling.

The man just smiled. "Just an espresso. Thanks." His voice was deep and rich - one, Ventus found he liked immensely.

"Sure," Ventus heard himself replying, tearing his eyes away from the man's penetrative gaze. He stepped off to the side and grabbed up one of the group handles of the coffee machine. He flicked some of the already ground coffee out of the grinder and into the double headed portafilter and tamped the aromatic grounds in. He'd been making coffees for so long he could've done this in his sleep.

There was soft music playing in the background of the café, but Ventus still felt like striking up a conversation. Although this wasn't a small town, it wasn't particularly large either, and it was rare to see someone he didn't know come in here.

"I haven't seen you around before," he stated the obvious. "Are you just here for work, or…?"

The dark haired man was standing impossibly still, one hand clutching a smooth leather bound journal. "I've just taken a temporary position at Hall & Blades round the corner from here. I'm filling a vacancy for a month or two."

Ventus nodded, his eyes flicking back over the counter, minutely meeting the other man's. "Would you like this to go, or would you like to have here?"

There was a short pause, Ventus standing with the ready to go group handle poised under the coffee machine group head, getting more and more lost in this handsome stranger's captivating eyes.

"Have here is fine," the man answered, not moving to break their eye contact in the slightest.

Ventus drew in a quick breath and shifted his attention, his hands busily working to lock the group handle into the coffee machine, place a small ceramic cup underneath, and press the button for a strong double shot of espresso.

He knew of Hall & Blades, he always got a few of their workers coming through in the morning. It was a prestigious accounting firm that mostly looked after the books of large companies. This man was obviously intelligent. That, and wealthy. That easily explains the suit then…

"Do you travel a lot for work then?" He asked, readying a small saucer and a small dark chocolate covered almond to accompany the espresso.

The man across from him finally shifted, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Yeah, it keeps things interesting. I don't like to stay in one place for too long."

The coffee machine finished generating its aromatic, liquid goodness and fell silent between them. Ventus was just about to ask the customer to take a seat somewhere when the man unexpectedly spoke again.

"That, and I'm looking for someone."

Ventus' interest was piqued. "Someone, as in a friend or something?"

He placed the espresso cup down between them, shifting two sugar sachets onto the side of the saucer neatly. He looked up to meet the man's eyes once more, only to find the man was gazing intently at his moving hands. Those golden eyes lazily dragged all the way up one of Ventus' arms, roved over his neck and lips before once more gazing into his ocean blue eyes.

Ventus felt his heart beating faster at the casual scrutiny, his eyes flicking downwards to the man's almost playful, flirtatious smirk.

"…Or something."

Was it just him, or was the air between them suddenly charged? Ventus bit the inside of his lip, and slowly pushed the little cup forward. "That'll be three-fifty."

The dark haired man wordlessly handed over a five-dollar bill, Ventus taking the note and ringing it through the register with slightly trembling fingers. He felt weirdly lightheaded and unbelievably turned on. This man was like dynamite and the attraction he felt was racing wild through his veins. He felt like something was going to happen, something powerful drawing him in – like an unsuspecting moth to a flame.

The man said nothing more, pinning Ventus with one last, long look before picking up his espresso and moving over towards the couches at the front of the café.

The spell broken, Ventus let out a shaky breath he didn't realise he'd been holding, and quickly busied himself with cleaning the coffee machine.

He tried to not look so much but his eyes were continuously drawn to the sight of the other man, now lounging comfortably over by the large glass windows. The man had one arm up along the back of the lounge, his hand supporting his chin as he quietly took in the street outside the window. The black leather bound journal sat close to his thigh. There were a few people bustling past the café, and a steady flow of traffic for this time of night as people were all headed home or out for weekend drinks. It was a Friday after all. Ventus idly wondered what this handsome stranger was doing on his own, drinking coffee at 9.30 at night when he could be out with work colleagues or even on a date with some lucky girl. He found himself doubting that last thought, what with the way he'd just been looked at, it was more than likely the man would rather be out with another young man.

He finished cleaning up the coffee machine, everything back in its place, neat and tidy. A quick glance at the man by the window revealed that he was still comfortably seated there, his gaze still directed out towards the darkened street. The espresso cup sat neatly on the small coffee table in front of him. It was empty.

Ventus dried his hands on a nearby tea towel before straightening his apron and walking around the counter towards the only customer in the café. The man on the lounge didn't look round at his approach, his eyes still resolutely fixed to the world outside.

"Was there anything else you needed?" Ventus asked, now standing beside the small coffee table, bending down slightly to retrieve the empty cup. He looked up, finding the man's eyes reflected in the plated glass of the window, but they weren't looking outside, and for a brief second, Ventus realised they probably never had been. They were staring straight into his.

Ventus jumped, not anticipating the man's intense stare, the small espresso cup slipping fluidly through his fingers, and shattering loudly all over the floor. Chunks and shards of ceramic skittered under the nearby tables and chairs.

"Damn it," Ventus cursed. He certainly had the other man's attention now as he hastily crouched down amongst the remnants of the cup and began gathering up the largest pieces.

"Wait, let me help you with that," he heard from above him, his senses immediately hijacked by the handsome stranger now crouching down beside him and helping to gather up more of the broken shards littering the floor.

"It's okay, you don't have t – ah!" Ventus broke off with a small cry of surprised pain. In his haste to stop the man from helping clean up his mistake, he'd grabbed at one of the larger pieces in his hand, a long, shallow cut now running across his palm. Instantly, the cut was welling and overflowing with dark, crimson blood. Ventus didn't notice the man going still beside him.

"Damn it…!" Ventus swiftly got to his feet and dropped the rest of the pieces back onto the floor, droplets of red spattering onto the shattered ceramic and tiles around him. More blood was now pooling in the centre of his palm, his other hand cradling the injury, pain lazily shooting up his arm.

"A-B…" Ventus thought he heard the man beside him murmur quietly, then was momentarily caught by surprise when the stranger's hands moved to gently encircle his. They were as cold as ice.

"W-What?"

The man's hands tightened around his, effectively holding him in place; Ventus' pain filled eyes meeting with golden ones that burned with an inner fire.

"Quick, do you have a first aid kit here?" The man said, snapping Ventus back to the problem at hand.

"Yes, behind the counter…"

The man pulled him forward, manoeuvring him over towards the couch. "Sit."

Still cradling his injured hand, Ventus did as he was told, the man swiftly moving back over towards the counter at the back of the café, and methodically searched the shelving underneath. He was back beside Ventus in seconds, unzipping the small green pack on the coffee table in front of them and pulling out cotton wool balls, disinfectant and medical gauze.

The man worked quickly, staunching the flow of blood by pressing firmly into the cut with some of the cotton wool balls. Ventus hissed at the pressure, the stranger only smiling slightly in answer, his cold fingers keeping the cotton in place while his other hand held Ventus' hand steady. For such a small cut there was a lot of blood, the cotton already soaked right through, staining the man's fingertips red.

"Sorry about all of this," Ventus mumbled quietly. "It's been one of those days."

The man removed the soaked cotton balls from Ventus' palm and immediately replaced them with clean ones, his fingers pressing them in firmly again, collecting the new traces of blood weeping there. Ventus winced.

"Technically if I hadn't come in here you wouldn't be bleeding right now, so consider this my penance."

Ventus laughed. "It was bound to have happened sooner or later; I've been dropping things all day."

Their eyes locked once again, but for some reason Ventus felt a lot more relaxed. He was still terribly aware of how close the other man was sitting beside him so maybe he was just feeling faint from the blood loss? Surely not, but something had definitely changed between them, almost like some sort of shared understanding.

It oddly felt like they'd met before…

The man smiled warmly, his cool hands still cradling Ventus' injured one. "I'm Vanitas, by the way."

"I'm Ventus, but I usually go by Ven. It's nice to meet you," Ventus answered, his heart speeding up a couple of beats. First name basis definitely meant something. He was already hoping that this wouldn't be his only encounter with this devilishly handsome, young man.

Vanitas' golden eyes shifted away from Ventus for a moment, his thoughtful expression suggesting he was contemplating something. His mind made up, he returned to look searchingly into Ventus' expectant eyes. "Look, I was just on my way home, but would you like to have a few drinks with me? There's a place not far from here."

Ventus couldn't hide his surprise, but a millisecond later he was immediately nodding his head. "I – Yeah! That would be great. Just let me close up and we can go."

Vanitas shifted just that little bit closer, and flashed the best smile Ventus had seen yet. He was hooked. This was certainly turning out to be an unusual shift, but Ventus was no longer complaining.

-0-

Vanitas disinfected his cut, expertly wound the medical gauze securely around his palm, and then waited patiently while Ventus ran around like a bridesmaid trying to catch the bouquet – frantically checking everything was ready for the morning shift, flicking off lights and appliances as he went. He had everything done in near record time, removing his apron and straightening his black button down dress shirt and pants, before grabbing his keys and phone from underneath the counter. As he followed Vanitas outside he hopelessly tried to fix his hair in the window, but already knew he was fighting a losing battle. He felt a tad bit self-conscious next to the impeccably well-dressed Vanitas, but at least he wasn't heavily underdressed. He looked decent enough for a few quiet drinks.

Ventus fell into step with his new companion, Vanitas leading him two blocks down the street to a small, tasteful bar called The Blue Moon. Ventus being more of a homebody or a house party kind of guy didn't really go out on the town very often, but was pleasantly surprised all the same to find that he was comfortable here. The bar was lit with soft, warm lighting, some hipster looking musician playing soulful notes on an old brass saxophone. Ventus wondered if Vanitas was a regular here. It seemed to suit his disposition perfectly.

They had been talking for a little over an hour now, Ventus nursing his second bourbon and coke in his uninjured hand, while Vanitas was taking it easy with a seemingly endless supply of scotch on the rocks. Ventus was captivated by the illustrious Vanitas, the enchanting young man sharing some of his travelling stories from over the years. Ventus couldn't believe Vanitas was only 28, what with all the places he'd visited around the world, and the companies he'd worked for, it almost seemed like Vanitas had lived at least ten different lifetimes. Ventus felt his 26 years of living and working in the same town were sorely lacking in comparison.

"I'm honestly having a hard time here trying to picture you in diving gear," Ventus chuckled, lifting the tumbler of bourbon up to his lips, Vanitas describing a job he'd taken where he'd been diving to collect pearls.

Vanitas threw back his head and laughed, a warm, caramel rich sound Ventus was quickly getting accustomed to hearing. Vanitas was so attractive – so intelligent and interesting, Ventus felt like he could listen to the sound of his voice forever.

"It wasn't exactly flattering, I assure you, but it was paying the bills at the time, so it was good enough."

"Have you always travelled so much? Doesn't your family miss you?" Ventus asked, his fingers sliding through the condensation on the outside of his glass.

Vanitas gave him a small smile. "Ah, my family and I don't get along very well. Never have. So having the freedom to be in any one place at any given time has always worked for me."

"Oh…" Ventus felt like he'd stepped on a landmine, but Vanitas immediately seeing his change in expression waved his concern away.

"My family and I are just an odd bunch of people…too many strong personalities and all that. We get along better when we're not seeing each other."

Ventus could understand that. "I guess my families' the opposite to yours then – we're a tightknit bunch. My mum and dad only live a half's hour drive away from me. My younger brother is close by, too."

"Let me guess – you're a bible basher, too?" Vanitas teased, the ice in his glass clinking lightly together.

Now it was Ventus' turn to laugh. "Well, not exactly. I mean, my parents still go to church regularly, but I definitely don't. I don't believe in all that judgemental, brainwashing crap, but for the sake of my parents I just keep my opinions to myself."

Vanitas nodded, his heated gaze peering over the rim of his glass at Ventus as he took a long, slow drink. Ventus didn't need to ask in order to figure out that Vanitas wasn't overly religious either. Ventus had been around certain people where his opinion on religion had discomforted them and Vanitas was anything but. They were sitting so closely together at the bar that their shoulders were touching. Ventus lazily thrilled in the contact, the alcohol buzzing through his veins already, courtesy of drinking on an empty stomach.

"Do you think you'll ever travel away from here, and see the world?" Vanitas questioned, his tone light and playful.

Ventus thought about it. "…Maybe just for a holiday, but it'll be a while till I can move away from here, if ever. My dad's sick, so my mum really needs me around at the moment. I completed a dual degree in archaeology and anthropology almost three years ago now, but there's no work for me here. I'm grounded, working an entry level job making coffee. Believe me, I wish things were different."

Calm, serious eyes observed him. "It sounds like this is pretty hard on you, too, having to put your life on the back burner."

Ventus tried not to feel guilty, but Vanitas spoke the truth. "It is hard, but it's harder on my parents."

"You mentioned a brother, I guess he works in town, as well?"

"Yeah, Roxas is studying to be a nurse, loves saving lives and all that. He's comfortable here," Ventus smiled into his glass, lightly rubbing his shoulder against Vanitas'. "He's younger though, only fresh out of school. More freedom, less responsibility."

Vanitas remained silent for the moment, signalled to the waitress behind the bar that they wanted another round.

"How long is your contract with Hall & Blades? …Are you staying here long?" Ventus hoped he was being subtle in moving the topic to safer territory. It wasn't his intention to bring down the mood. For all he knew Vanitas was just being polite. He surely didn't need to hear Ventus' entire life story.

The waitress chose that moment to place two new drinks in front of them, Ventus draining his glass and eagerly taking up its replacement. Despite their conversation taking a serious turn he was feeling good. It had been a while since he'd had a chance to just unwind and enjoy a few drinks.

"I'm only here for three months, and then I'm not sure where I'll head to, next. I could stay longer…depends on if there's anything here worth staying longer for."

Vanitas looked over at him, his eyes heavy with meaning. Ventus was thrilled. Regardless of whether Vanitas stayed or not, three months was a good enough amount of time for a little fun…

Ventus leaned closer. "Well I guess I'll have to keep your interest piqued. I wouldn't want you running off on me now."

Vanitas breathed out a laugh, causing a small shiver to race up Ventus' spine. He idly noticed a small, gold earring peeking out from underneath the Vanitas' silken, jet black hair.

"So – Ventus, I've kept you out long enough. Won't your girlfriend be wondering where you've gotten to?" Vanitas leaned closer. Ventus could smell the whiskey on his breath.

"Maybe if I had one…" he murmured in response, abandoning his drink and leaning in too.

"Your boyfriend then," Vanitas breathed onto his lips. It wasn't really a question and they both knew it.

"Would that really have stopped you…?" Ventus whispered, one of Vanitas' hands sliding slowly up his spine and into his hair.

Vanitas grinned wickedly; pressing his lips to Ventus' slightly parted ones. Ventus shivered in anticipation, before tilting his head slightly, and slid his tongue inside Vanitas' mouth. Vanitas was ready for him, his own tongue meeting Ventus halfway, lazily and sensuously sliding them together.

Ventus moaned. He couldn't help himself. Everything felt so good and the things Vanitas was doing with his tongue were perfectly sinful. He felt like his nerves were charged and electrified, his uninjured hand sliding teasingly up Vanitas' thigh. Ventus reluctantly broke the kiss, his breath already reduced to small gasps. His head was spinning. Golden eyes imbued with lust burned into darkened blue.

"It's pretty late." Vanitas' wicked mouth brushed over Ventus' cheek and pressed deliciously close to his ear. "I'm getting tired of sitting here when I should really be fucking you into the nearest wall right now."

A bolt of white, hot desire shot straight to Ventus' groin, Vanitas' words conjuring the most pleasurable of fantasies. He turned his head, bringing their lips into close contact once more, his tone of voice heavy with longing. "We better get out of here then."

-0-

Vanitas' apartment was a ten-minute cab ride away from the bar, but as soon as the vehicle had pulled away from the curb, they hadn't wasted any time in getting their hands all over each other. Ventus was halfway into straddling Vanitas' lap – desperate for more sensation as Vanitas' sensuously simulated what he was going to do to him later with his tongue, hands and hips. It was all a blur of touching, tasting and feeling, Ventus brain' melting into blissful goo. Not even the exasperated taxi driver's faint, "Hey…" could bring them back to reality.

Ventus vaguely remembered the cab stopping, a cool hand leading him along confidently, and then he was being slammed up against the wall of an elevator, a toned thigh pressing and rubbing between his legs. Ventus gasped, Vanitas greedily kissing him, his fingers fisting into Ventus' hair.

"Oh, God…" Ventus moaned, the elevator doors sliding open for what only seemed mere seconds later, Vanitas once again taking up his uninjured hand. There was the sound of keys turning in a lock, and then finally they had arrived.

Vanitas growled lustfully and pulled Ventus roughly against him, his lips and tongue sliding down Ventus' neck. Ventus whimpered, his hands moving underneath Vanitas' suit jacket, and grasping hard at the fabric of the shirt underneath. He pulled sharply, freeing the shirt from where it was tucked fast beneath Vanitas' pants, his hands wanting nothing more than to slide over his new lover's deliciously smooth skin.

It was only when Vanitas began unbuttoning his black dress shirt that the fog Ventus' brain seemed to have happily sunk into, started to lift. He couldn't shake that nagging thought in the back of his mind, that in reality he had just finished an eight-hour shift, some three hours ago, and was now currently a whole lot of unclean. He knew he wouldn't smell, per se, but there was no way in hell he was getting this far with the gorgeous Vanitas, only to have him irrevocably turned off by his personal hygiene.

"Van-Vanitas – wait."

Vanitas' hands hesitated unclasping Ventus' shirt buttons, his face lifting away from his neck and up towards Ventus' suddenly apprehensive expression.

"I want to take a shower," Ventus whispered, leaning forward to capture Vanitas' lips once more. Vanitas groaned into Ventus' mouth, but said nothing more, faintly nodding his understanding before almost bodily dragging Ventus further into his apartment.

Ventus was led into a breathlessly stylish, modern bathroom – floor to ceiling black tiles and a large open shower. A single glass pane separated it from the rest of the room's amenities. Vanitas stalked over towards the shower and turned it on. The water heated up within seconds, already billowing out warm, inviting steam.

Vanitas reached for Ventus, swiftly pulling him back into his arms. "I can't wait," he murmured against Ventus' lips, kissing him hungrily, his hands already moving to unbutton the rest of Ventus' shirt.

They undressed hurriedly, desperate hands pulling off shirts, wrestling with belt buckles and suit pants. Ventus' fingers skirted up the perfectly sculpted muscles of Vanitas' back as Vanitas dragged them bodily against each other.

Ventus felt like he was going crazy with need. Vanitas pulled him under the heated spray of the shower, and pushed him roughly up against the tiled wall. Ventus gasped and moaned, the difference in temperature between the steaming water, and the still cool tiles slightly disorientating his senses.

Vanitas' hands were everywhere, roaming over Ventus' heaving chest, and sliding down his waist to drag his nails slowly across his lower back, ultimately exploring further down. Ventus whimpered at the intimate caress to the sensitive skin between his cheeks, Vanitas sensuously sucking and biting along his neck and shoulder.

"I confess…the moment I saw you, I had to have you…" Vanitas breathed into Ventus' ear, one of his hands purposely caressing along Ventus' hardened length. Ventus arched into the touch, the heated temperature of the water, and the warmth of the other man's fingers around his erection making it almost impossible for him to form a coherent response. Instead, he grabbed a fistful of Vanitas' dampened hair, and dragged the man's enticing lips back to connect with his.

There was a long moment where Ventus was completely lost to the heady sensation of their lips just pressing and tasting, his quiet gasps for air reverberating over the bathroom's tiles. Vanitas briefly pulled away, biting at Ventus' lower lip before blindly reaching for a bottle of body wash sitting on a small shelf embedded into the wall beside them. He popped the cap and poured a generous amount into the palm of his hand, then immediately began lathering the soap over Ventus' shoulders and back. He sought Ventus' moistened lips again, his tongue moving teasingly slow as his hands worked the scented liquid all over Ventus' body.

Ventus had never been washed by someone else before, and found the experience amazingly erotic; Vanitas' hands were sliding everywhere, rubbing at his sensitive nipples, over his shoulders and down his arms, massaging between his cheeks, and over his aching erection.

He encouraged Vanitas' fingers to slip inside of him, wanting so badly to feel that penetration – desperate to feel even more. Vanitas swiftly obliged, using the body wash as lubrication, and pressed two fingers into Ventus' tight entrance. He rhythmically moved them in deep, then pulled them all the way out.

Ventus moaned breathlessly and ground his head back against the tiled wall, his eyes squeezing shut at the overload of pleasurable sensations. He pulled Vanitas in closer still and wrapped a hand around their straining erections, stroking them in time to Vanitas' thrusting fingers.

It wasn't long before Ventus couldn't take much more. He turned his back to Vanitas, and slightly bent over at the waist, bracing his arms up against the cool shower wall. Vanitas didn't falter in his movements; his fingers pushing in deeper still, making Ventus shudder and groan.

"Do you trust me…?" Vanitas whispered into Ventus' ear. He abruptly removed his fingers, but returned them moments later, more of the body wash pooled in the palm of his hand. He generously massaged more of the liquid inside and out, pressing open mouthed kisses along the nape of Ventus' neck.

Ventus thought over Vanitas' quiet words and was surprised to find that he did indeed trust him. They may not have known each other for long, but there was just something about Vanitas that set his mind at ease – as if somehow, something unseen was connecting them together…

He nodded wordlessly and spread his legs further apart, Vanitas covering Ventus' body with his own; his hard length nestled enticingly between Ventus' cheeks.

"I want you to feel all of me…" Vanitas braced himself over Ventus and slowly eased his way in.

Ventus gasped for breath, trying to adjust to the suddenly larger intrusion. His spine arched further as an irrepressible moan escaped his swollen lips. His hands clawed reflexively against the slick black tiles, trying to find purchase. The bandage still wrapped around his injured hand was soaked through. Vanitas' hands tightly grasped Ventus' hips as he smoothly slid all the way in to the hilt. There was a moment's pause, Ventus hungrily relishing the euphoric feeling of being so perfectly full. Without further warning, Vanitas swiftly pulled all the way out, leaving just the head of his cock still inside, before roughly shoving his way back in. Ventus' fingernails scraped along the tiled wall in front of him, gasping for breath as Vanitas immediately set a furious pace, slamming into Ventus without restraint – over, and over.

God, it was so deep, and Ventus had been craving this feeling for so long – the blissful sensation of being filled, the almost painful stretch of his ass, and the rough, wild movements of Vanitas leaning over him, fucking him so hard and fast.

Vanitas groaned on every one of his forceful thrusts inside, one of his hands hurriedly pushing Ventus' back down lower, changing the angle, and sliding in just that little bit deeper.

That spot inside Ventus was being repeatedly struck, again and again, with every wicked plunge of Vanitas' hips. He was finding it near impossible to stifle his increasingly louder cries and moans – so lost in the intense pleasure that was undulating through his body.

"Ah…! Van-Vani…tas…!" He was so close – that electrifying, familiar pressure building deep inside of him.

Vanitas drove in harder, one of his hands sliding around Ventus' hip to pump him in time with his thrusts. It was all too good, and Ventus just couldn't take it anymore.

He felt his orgasm racing along his veins seconds later, overwhelming his senses completely, and leaving him boneless and gasping for air. Wave after wave of pulsing sensation shook Ventus' frame as Vanitas leaned into him, his hand still stroking out Ventus' release.

Ventus suddenly jerked and gasped out in shock, a sharp pain at his neck bringing him swiftly back down to Earth. He tried to speak, to ask Vanitas what had just happened, only to find his mind curiously falling blank. It was almost instantaneous – like shutters being dropped over a window. His eyes slid closed, and his head lolled on his shoulders as a new pleasurable feeling lazily hummed its way through his body. He felt amazing – as if he was floating in a dream.

If Ventus had managed to open his eyes again – to break free of Vanitas' alluring charm, he might have started to panic at the sight of his own blood, flowing in small, pink rivulets down over his damp chest and legs. But he felt so warm, and safe, and satisfied – he wasn't aware of anything feeling wrong or different at all.

The last thing that filtered through the fog of his mind was the sound of Vanitas finally reaching his own completion. Ventus sighed and smiled contentedly; sinking further and further into blissful oblivion.

-0-

Ventus woke up slowly, sluggishly noting the soft pillow cushioning his face and the slip of cool, smooth sheets against his bare legs. Wherever he was, it was so quiet; the faintest hum of an air conditioner just managing to filter through, into his hazy senses.

He blinked open his eyes and stretched languidly, a twinge of pain in his hand rapidly bringing him further into consciousness. He blearily brought his right hand up to his face, immediately noticing the fresh white bandage wrapped around his palm and suddenly, the rest of his memories flooded in.

Vanitas.

He'd cut his hand at the café, and he'd met a handsome stranger called Vanitas. They'd gone for some spontaneous drinks, and then made their way back to the other man's apartment. He remembered the amazing sex, and instantly felt a slight ache along his hips, from where Vanitas had held him. Bizarrely, the left side of his neck was aching, too. He smoothed a hand over his throat and upper shoulder, tenderly pressing into the unmarred skin where it hurt the most. It was so sore; but for the life of him, he could only remember Vanitas pressing kisses there.

Ventus' body trembled lightly as he rose into a sitting position. His head faintly throbbed and the room spun. He rarely drank these days and never nearly as much as last night. He knew he was going to pay for it today – especially with having his last night shift of the week lined up for the evening. He silently took in the spacious bedroom he was currently sleeping in, remembering nothing of how he'd gotten there. The room was huge and tasteful, if not sparsely decorated. There was a walk in wardrobe to his right, then in the wall directly across from him, but just a little to his right, was a door leading out to the rest of the apartment. To his left was a small coffee table and two plush chairs, and through the thin, floor to ceiling sheer curtains, he could faintly make out what looked to be a large, sheltered balcony. Ventus had only ever seen such extravagance in movies. Sure, Vanitas was still quite young, but he was obviously highly educated and fairly wealthy. Ventus' own apartment, on the decent side of town wasn't a dump, per se, but it was definitely not on this level…

He surmised Vanitas must be renting this place for a ridiculously exorbitant amount, since he really was just a blow in, only slated to stay in town for three or so months. Just thinking of the beautiful man leaving made Ventus' heart thud painfully. He'd spent such limited time with him, but already he wasn't looking forward to their eventual separation. He vowed to make the most of it, whatever the outcome.

But, now that he thought about it…maybe that was all just wishful thinking. He was waking up alone, after all. Perhaps it really had just been a one-night stand? Ventus gazed across the large, expanse of the bed, confirming for himself that it was indeed very empty, save for himself being in it. He shifted himself over to one side of the bed and swung his legs down onto the floor. His head spun dizzily from his sudden movement. He braced himself against his knees and cradled his head woefully. Man, he felt terrible – weak and disorientated. He was never going to drink on an empty stomach again!

Raising his head and taking in the white bandage across his palm once more, Ventus couldn't help but smile. It had been sopping wet in the shower last night so at some point after he'd passed out, Vanitas must have changed it for him. Remembering what they'd done in the shower made a small shiver race through him. It had been amazing – so amazing in fact, that he'd gone and completely blacked out. How mortifying. He couldn't ever remember doing that from sex before. He clenched his hand, testing his reflexes and found that it really wasn't so painful anymore. If he ever managed to see Vanitas again he'd have to thank him for looking after him.

The two bedside tables flanking the bed were solid black in colour, and that's how Ventus caught sight of the glaringly obvious, white piece of notebook paper resting on the one closest to him. He drew in an excited breath as he reached for it, his eyes darting over the inked words written there:

'Ventus, I didn't want to wake you, but I had to get to work early this morning. Don't rush, and help yourself to anything you find in the kitchen. Call me when you get a chance – Vanitas.'

The note was so casual and yet, Ventus felt like the grin on his face was splitting his cheeks. Vanitas wanted to see him again! He flumped back down onto the bed, his fingers still loosely clutching at the note. He didn't care if his head was still faintly spinning, and that he had the urge to roll around on the bed like a sixteen-year-old girl. God damn, but he was happy.

With some effort involved, Ventus managed to get himself up on shaky legs and back into the shower. As soon as he uncapped the body wash and caught its fragrance, his mind swiftly filled with colourful images and sensations of greedy lips pressing into his own, and large hands gripping at his hips, tight. He moaned quietly at the thought. There really was no denying that he and Vanitas had shared some truly electric chemistry.

Grabbing a nearby towel, he dried himself quickly before reluctantly pulling his clothes back on from the night before. It made him feel gross putting dirty clothes on when he himself was newly clean, but he knew he really didn't have a choice right now. It certainly wasn't a usual habit of his, and besides, he'd be home soon anyway.

Ventus rubbed the damp towel over the fogged up mirror, clearing the condensation, and carefully scrutinised the still aching side of his neck. A faint purplish bruise had formed there, but surely not large enough to warrant such deep pain. He gently probed the area with his fingers, finding the sorest part at the junction of his neck and shoulder. Vanitas must have bitten down really hard. He was surprised he hadn't broken the skin.

Taking Vanitas' advice, Ventus made his way through the apartment and out into the kitchen. The refrigerator was what he'd expected – the shelves were practically bare. There was a tub of expensive looking butter, some eggs, and a random bunch of broccolini, which looked like it was a bit past it. Being a bachelor himself, Ventus could definitely relate. The eggs were promising, but he honestly didn't feel like cooking right now, his head still feeling like a revolving restaurant. The pantry didn't have much to offer either. On the kitchen counter he spied a neat, brown paper bag, and to his delight found it held two wonderfully fresh looking blueberry muffins. He gave a small shrug, grabbed one out and took a bite. It tasted as good as it looked, too!

He'd kind of been suspecting the note Vanitas had left was just for appearances sake, and they really had just shared a one-night stand, but now the delicious muffins were helping change his mind.

Vanitas obviously cared enough – he had re-bandaged Ventus' hand, left a note with his number, and having discovered that his current food staples were lacking – had supplied him with breakfast. Ventus really hoped that Vanitas was just as keen to meet again as he was.

Ventus finished off the muffin on his way to the door, locating his shoes there, and making a last minute check that he had his wallet, keys and phone on him before calling a taxi.

The ride in the cab over to his workplace was uneventful – definitely not like the last time he'd been in one. He blankly stared out at the passing scenery, replaying the previous night's events over and over. Vanitas swabbing his injured hand, Vanitas' shoulder brushing against his, Vanitas' alluring golden eyes peering over the rim of his glass…

There was so much to remember, and Ventus just couldn't stop thinking about it. Yes, it had been a while since he'd had a serious interest in someone, and definitely even longer since he'd gone home with someone he didn't really know, but that didn't really excuse the fact that he was feeling positively head over heels for a perfect stranger. It was stupid and cliché to call it love at first sight – so he wouldn't, and he wasn't exactly some inexperienced teenager anymore, but something about Vanitas had really resonated with him.

Arriving outside the café, Ventus paid the taxi driver and walked over towards his parked car. It was nearing 10 o'clock in the morning and he could already feel the heat of the day getting to him. He still felt so sluggish and exhausted, even if the dizziness he'd felt earlier had finally subsided. Maybe he was getting sick? It seemed odd that he would feel so drained when he really only had a couple of drinks.

He weaved his way home carefully, negotiating the rushed, morning traffic, and cranking the aircon to full blast. The radio was mentioning something about a record breaking heatwave, and Ventus didn't doubt it for a second. For the life of him, he could never remember summer being this hot before.

He sighed in relief when he finally, finally nudged his car into his garage. There was just nothing he wanted to do more than to take off his dirty clothes and get back into bed. Nightshift was going to kill him if he didn't get a bit more sleep. Ventus kicked off his shoes, and threw his keys down on the kitchen counter before immediately making his way to his bedroom. His hands were already pulling off his soiled work shirt and pants, haphazardly throwing them to the floor.

He flicked on the ceiling fan and set it to high before flumping back onto his bed, his arms splayed wide. His phone was still in his hand. He wanted to call Vanitas, he really did, but he honestly didn't feel up to a conversation right now. He wanted to sound flirty and sexy – not tired and grumpy. A text just seemed too…uninterested.

Ventus rolled over and settled himself on his side, his fingers flicking over his phone's screen and keying in an alarm for the afternoon. It was lucky he didn't have anything to get done today because he certainly wasn't going to do it! His eyelids were already drooping.

He fell asleep with his phone still clutched tightly in his hand.

-0-

Ventus was three hours into his shift, and the five o'clock evening rush was just beginning. Time was positively dragging. Who knew so many people would want to drink coffee after work?

As soon as he'd arrived at the little café he'd smashed a triple shot flat white and finally felt some semblance of refreshed. He'd easily slept soundly for the entire day – possibly too well really, since he'd woken up to find that his alarm had been chiming for quite some time, and now only had 20 minutes left to get to work. There'd been a mad rush to get himself together, but he'd made it on time – just, and now the only thing he had left to worry about was the fact that he hadn't had time to call Vanitas.

Against his better judgement he'd sent the other man a rushed, impersonal text message – explaining in minute detail that he'd overslept and was late to work, but that he would call on his half hour break. Vanitas was yet to reply, which had Ventus wondering all over again if the phone number on the note had actually been real or not, and if in actual fact, Vanitas wasn't interested in seeing him again, after all.

Six o'clock rolled around and the constant stream of customers had finally let up. The heat of the day was finally dissipating as well, the street lights outside flickering on one by one. The café was still quietly abuzz with the conversations of various small groups of patrons, but it wasn't anything that Ventus couldn't handle on his own. The waitress helping him had already left, having asked to go home early.

Ventus was restocking the coffee station, stacking cups and mugs up on the warmer, when he felt his mobile vibrate in his pocket. It was most likely Roxas, but his mind instantly leapt to Vanitas. Maybe if he got everything done quickly he could manage to sneak out the back for a few minutes and make a call. He was removing a tray of latte glasses from the glass washer when from out of the corner of his eye, he saw a new customer entering the café. He turned with the tray of glasses in hand and nearly dropped them, his startled blue eyes meeting with piercing, liquid gold. Vanitas looked as handsome as ever, once again immaculately dressed in a black suit, and his tie a deep, rich red.

Ventus smacked the glasses down on the bench a bit too forcefully, and tried not to grin like an idiot. Damn it, he was supposed to be playing it cool, but he just couldn't hide his happiness and relief.

Vanitas smiled in return, already weaving his way through occupied tables and chairs to where Ventus was waiting for him.

"Hey," Ventus said casually, his fingers playing idly with a latte glass handle.

"Hey," Vanitas' murmured smoothly, his expression turning faintly apologetic, "I got your message, but I've been stuck in video conferences all afternoon. I was going to call, but I thought it would be easier to just come in and see you."

"I think you just couldn't wait to see me again," Ventus teased, his smile wide and flirtatious.

Vanitas just laughed. "Maybe I really came in just to watch you get all flustered and drop coffee cups around me again."

"My, aren't we modest today," Ventus threw back in answer.

Vanitas lowered his voice further, his wicked smile firmly in place. "Well, I guess I didn't do a good enough job last night then…" He leaned forwards slightly, his fingers lightly trailing over the back of Ventus' hand still clutching at one of the latte glasses. Ventus felt the lingering touch and his fingers twitched in response. He couldn't tear his eyes away from Vanitas' entrancing gaze. Just hearing Vanitas mentioning their night together had his heart beating just that little bit faster.

Ventus leaned closer as well, his words heavy with meaning. "Hmm, my memory seems to be a little hazy – I think you might have to try again."

Vanitas' eyes darkened, rising to the challenge. "Do you finish at ten?"

Ventus nodded. Vanitas didn't say anything more. He grabbed up a small pad of paper that was sitting beside the cash register, and slid a sleek, golden pen from out of his breast pocket. He scribbled a few lines down before ripping the piece of paper off and handing it to Ventus.

"I have a few things to take care of, but here's my address." His devilish smirk was pure sin. "I'd love to have you for dinner."

The true meaning behind Vanitas' words weren't lost on Ventus, as he quickly scanned the note before shoving it deep into the confines of his pocket. He looked long and hard into Vanitas' eyes and poured as much as his own desire into his answering stare.

"Can't wait – I'm feeling hungry already."

"You have no idea," Vanitas growled.