#ALSO CONGRATS ON THE KICKSTARTER WOOOOO

[bloodandthestars]

𝐋𝐄𝐓’𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐒.

❛ and i don’t mind you flirting, but honestly do you really wanna spend the whole night passing looks at me? ❜

— touchstarved. ais.

wc :: 2.7k

a/n : love that you guys like my first try at ais! hope you’ll enjoy this one just as much <3 a bit longer this time and idk fun? at least to write. i tried my hand at a few others this time. i feel like I may have gotten vere wrong so i definitely want opinions on that.

If the Wet Wick was ever empty, it’d be an entire crime. Luckily, if everyone was on their best behavior tonight, none would have to occur.

Your fingers are loose around a glass of gin. You intend for it to be your first and only glass of alcohol for the night. It was one of those rare nights where everyone was in one place— say for Mhin, who finds excuses in contracts to take care of in the night. “‘Better things to do than waste time with degenerates’— or something along those lines.” Leander shrugs his broad shoulders with a sip of his glass. He sets it on the bar counter. “It’s too bad, we all like-"

“Who is we-” Vere speaks with disgust in his emphasis.

“Some. Most. Most of us like their company.”

Vere scoffs, taking a sip of his flute. You let out a breathy laugh and Ais shrugs at Leander’s words, tasting his drink as well.

Background chatter fueled the ambiance of the tavern. Bloodhounds laugh and slam their drinks in various conversations behind you. Every now and then, you hear the wooden doors creak at the sign of a new person coming in and out of the busy space. Everyone has some kind of glass in their hand, say for Kuras, whose elegant voice speaks. “Mihn is a diligent person to be counted on.”

Leander’s lips break into his usual grin, with an arm swinging around the doctor's neck. Kuras doesn’t move an inch, as if used to such a gesture from the leader.

“See?” Leander says with a chip in his voice.

“We hear you, Leander.” Your voice chimes in

“We always do.” Ais places the rim of his glass to his lips.

Vere snickers, but Leander doesn’t take the teasing to a fault.

You hold your glass in the air with your hand. “We promise, we don’t dislike them.”

The mage is smiling still, even when Kuras steps away from his embrace. “Excuse me, but I must get back to work.”

“Aw, you sure?”

Kuras places his hands behind his back after adjusting his attire. He gives the room a nod of finality. You lift your glass as a motion of goodbye, Ais gives the same while Vere keeps his attention on his champagne. The doctor steps away, and you hear the wooden shutters open and close another time that night.

The silence between your four is entirely short with Leander around. He jumps over the counter from behind the bar, turning to address you and the others with another one of his grins. “Anyone up for trying one of my drinks?”

Vere rolls his eyes. “I don’t feel like it.” His voice flairs in its dramatics, placing a palm into his chin as he watches the bubbles in his drink dissipate. The fox’s elbow rests on the wooden counter where he sits next to Ais. “Besides,” His eyes narrow in his direction. “Who knows what you put in there.”

Leander’s smile grows wider. “But that's the best part.”

“Sure, for someone with nothing better to do.”

“Hey-!”

You watch the exchange, eyes going back and forth. You don’t notice the crimson eyes on you, at least not this time. He can hear the chatter next to him, sure. But why take notice of that?

Your gaze turns in his direction when you see Ais’s head nod in your way. “Gin again?”

Your eyes glance to the short glass resting in his hands. “Whiskey again?”

Ais gives you a faded smirk, making a motion with the drink before taking a sip. “That it is.”

“Then I’m not sure how you can comment on my personal taste.”

“That’s because you don’t have any.”

You frown at him, knowing all too well how he enjoys the sight. Your glass clinks onto the high table you’re leaning against when you sit it there. “I can have taste.”

“Sure you can.”

“I-”

“Gin or water. You get either or, every time.”

A scoff escapes you with a sarcastic undertone to your dialogue. “You have tasted the beer, right?”

“That one doesn’t count.”

“How so?”

“because everyone knows it's watered down and shit.”

Not another word falls from your lips. The oni wants a reaction as he usually did. And when you don’t give into it, a smirk creeps onto his face. “It’s alright, sparrow. I’m sure we still have plenty of time to fix that.”

You attempt to take your reaction to the minimum of rolling your eyes, to excuse him from ever giving him the satisfaction. God, how you wanted to wipe that smirk off of his face with every appearance at your dispense. No matter how much of a sight it was.

“Fix what?” Leander interjects with an ear to your conversation and your regard goes on him. You don’t notice the way the demon’s eyes dull behind another sip of his whiskey.

“Apparently, my taste in liquor.”

“At least someone said something about it,” Vere comments with a flick of his tail.

“You realize where we are, correct?” You wit back, earning a laugh from Leander that overshadows Ais’s huff of amusement.

“True,” Vere says primly with a final taste of his champagne disappearing past his lips. He looks over the counter to the usual suspects of wine bottles. Before he can pick out one to toy with, Leander quickly goes behind the counter and grabs the one he wants to properly pop it. The cork flies somewhere on the floor, disregarded in favor of refilling the fox’s glass. Vere gives Leander a sly smile of gratitude, with it disappearing as quickly as it comes. To battle a a bashful smile, the mage motions the bottle towards you and Ais. You both shake your heads at the offering.

“C’mon MC,” Leander shifts the bottle in your direction fully. “Might as well expand your palette now while we have the bottle open.”

Ais’s eyes dart off, lips falling to a flat line at his words. You consider the opportunity as you look into your own glass, ice diluting into whirls of purple liquid. You let out a sigh, a smile following after. “One sip.”

The ends of his lips quirk up into a large smile. “I’ll take anything I can get.”

“As we’re all well aware.” Vere cunningly remarks, though his eyes are set on the shiny new wine glass placed on the counter.

You raise a brow. “Just a glass would’ve been fine.”

Vere groans. “You’re hopeless, dear.”

Leander puts the sentiment into kinder words. “It wouldn’t feel right. Besides, why waste the opportunity to make it special?”

Ais watches as you press your lips press together to resist a smile with narrow eyes. You watch as a dark red pours into the tall glass in a small amount. Leander shifts it across the counter, where you eye it in the Wick’s gold lighting. You push yourself off of the high table, grabbing the stem of the cup. The scent was strong, automatically hitting your nostrils with it so close to your face. The wine swirls in your study, before placing the rim to your lips. Leander watches with attentive eyes, and so does another.

The taste is stark, your brows furrowing at the bitterness that greets your first. But then it slowly transitions to flavors of fruit. The zest lingers on your tongue after a swallow. You shut your eyes to contemplate the drink before opening them back on the group. “Alright…I could get used to that.”

Even Vere slightly smiles at the discovery. Leander laughs heartily. “Not so bad. right?”

You shake your head. The mix of alcohol causes you to let out a soft laugh, a hand quick to hover over your mouth after it. “Not at all.”

The mage blinks at the sound, a warmth creeping up his ears. It goes unnoticed by you, who passes the rest of your drink to Vere. He pours the wine to combine into his own glass. As he swirls his drink, his pink eyes glance over to Ais. In the notice of his silence, Vere remains in his own, sensing something amiss.

“Now that we have you started on wine,” Leander places his forearms out. “You’ll just have to divulge in my artwork next.”

“You mean concoctions?” Ais snorts at your words, grabbing Vere’s attention. “I’ve tried a few.”

“And there’s many more where that came from.” His voice turns to sing-song in order to convince you. You give him a long stare. Leander is charming, there’s no denying that. He’s got a way with words, and his smile is infectious. You’ve found yourself drawn to his energy and his carefree nature, always finding ways for you to loosen up. You let out a sigh once again. “And how could I refuse you when you pull out those eyes on me?”

A soft pink tints the mage’s cheeks. Vere perceives the sight, pink eyes connecting to Ais next, looking down at his hand— now tight when nursing his drink. There’s a twitch in the fox’s eye. His tail begins to wag in a menacing manner with an amused smirk appearing on his features.

Vere drapes himself against the counter, eyes looking at you with an enlightened voice. “You know, speaking from experience, another district has gorgeous tastes in wine. Some of them have been curated for years.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhm,” Vere lets out a low hum. “You must try them sometime. Perhaps Leander and I can accompany you to such an activity.”

Leander’s eyes brighten at the prospect, nodding along. “I think that’d be-”

A sudden yelp comes from behind you. You turn your head over your shoulder, everyone’s eyes following in the direction of drunken roughnecks shoving each other. Leander pinches the bridge of his nose, heaving a heavy sigh. His hand wipes his face, attempting to put a smile back on it. “I’ll be right back.”

The mage hops over the bar counter once more to handle the rowdiness. You turn your eyes back onto Vere with a raised brow, who now looks bored all of a sudden. “That opportunity doesn’t come with you trying to leave me dead in an alley, does it?”

Vere sips his wine with a purr. “You remain on your best behavior and I’m sure it won’t be.”

You’re not sure if it's being used to Vere threatening you through innuendos or the alcohol that makes you retort. “If anyone is in need of good behavior, it’s certainly you.”

“Aw, that sounds like the beginning of an awfully good punishment.”

Taking that as a cue to finish the conversation, you shake your head with a slight laugh. You press off of the high table, walking off to the bathroom with a pair of eyes following after. The owner of that gaze finishes the rest of his whiskey. He’s walking through the crowd when Vere looks at the empty cup on the bar counter. A crack in the glass earns of soft snicker from him.

You find your way to the bathroom through a hall of draped fabrics. After finishing up inside, you shut the door behind you and turn to a mirror on the wall. Covered fingers press to your temple as you rub in circular motions. Your hands then go to pat your face to dry extra water from it after splashing some in the bathroom. A smokey scent greets you before he does.

“Troubled?”

You wipe your face, catching blood-red eyes in the reflection. Your brow raises. “Not at all, but you seem to be.”

You turn to face Ais, crossing your arms. The demon now looks at you with a raised brow. “Do I now?”

“You got awfully quiet.”

“Maybe I was busy.”

You tilt your head at him. “Doing what exactly?”

He falls to silence, eyes set on you despite that. You turn back to the mirror, making sure the water was fully dry on your face. it was quiet for a little while till the oni speaks again.

“Leander’s a bit too eager tonight. You’d think he was wasted already.”

Your movements stop at his words and he’s quick to notice. You press your lips together, eyelids going down in thought. “Eager? Or socializing?”

“Neither of them can be good when it comes from him.”

Your attention goes back to your reflection. “To you.”

His brows furrow at your tone. “Is there something you’d like to say?”

Your eyes go to him in the mirror. “Perhaps.”

“Then say it.”

Your posture straightens, turning back to fully face Ais. Your head motions with curiosity. “You seem…bothered at the prospect of Leander showing me things.“

His mouth remains shut at your words. Your back leans against the mirror. “I mean, did you really think I wasn’t aware of how you changed up?”

And it’s there where you get a reaction. A slight widening of his eyes allows you to further reach your conclusion. It was too hard to hide the flash of a smirk on your lips.

“I’m sure you didn’t plan on spending the whole night passing looks in my direction.”

He relaxes easily, so easily that it confuses you for a brief moment. His boots take steps towards you. A hand rests on his belts as the ends of his lips turn slightly upward. “You’d be surprised.”

You watch as he steps closer to you, eyes going up and down his stature till they reach his gaze. You study his expression, now being one you’re so used to— relaxed and confident even. You help close the space even further as you take your back off of the mirror. At this point, you’re about a foot away from each other, focused and quiet. His head leans down to take you in full, as he always does. Ais’s voice is low when he notes. “Are you implying that I’m jealous, sparrow? Of that desperate fool?”

Your lips part, such an easy target for him to capture. “Not sure.” You mutter. Your eyes scan his face, falling to his lips then back up to his eyes. “You tell me.”

It was strange to feel as though it was you getting a reaction out of him this time around. As you’re met with silence, your feet begin to move past him until you’re stopped by a hand on your forearm. His hold isn’t harsh, not pressing into your skin to cause you pain. It’s a simple grasp, keeping you next to him. You crane your neck a little to look up at him just as his head turns to the side to look down at you. You’re met with the sight of blood red, but never did you feel an ounce of fear from them. You knew by now, the demon would never hurt you. The intention would never cross his mind. So when you two remained still in that moment, your only thought went to what could possibly happen next—

“MC? MC, where’d you go?”

The voice is followed by the arrival of Leander. Both of you were barely able to fix yourselves to stand side by side instead.

“There you are!” He sets his hands on his waist. “I got worried for a second. Everything alright?”

You open your mouth to speak, and just as you do, you feel something warm against your lower back. Leander has no reaction, as he couldn’t see it. “Everything‘s fine, Leander. Just had to find the bathroom.”

Your smile reassures his concerned look, deferring it to Ais. The warmth on your back shifts, allowing you to recognize its shape: a hand.

The demon shrugs nonchalantly. “Had to go too.”

Leander’s nod is slow. Someone catches his attention with a shout of his name, turning to attend to the inquiry. You’re left alone with one another once again. You look up to find his eyes already on you, motionless in your presence. He can tell of the knowing look in your eyes, furrowing his brows at the thought. With the tiniest smile, you slip from his grasp. You head back to the bar, and he soon treads your heels. It seems words didn’t have to give you his answer.