Work Text
The crunch of snow echos across the lulling hills of the forests. The long, lanky stalks of trees carefully devouring them, leaving the young man in a chamber of his own footsteps and heavy breathing. Birch trees loom overhead, the occasional pine giving a brief relief to the smothering white. The snow is soft, like pollen, but with a hard shell on top. Loud crunches sounding, before being pushed down into the powder below. The young man has to lift his legs up high with each step. His breathing pushing through a plush puff of animal fur encircling his neck and tickling his cheeks.It's rabbit. Spring rabbit. So the fur is a dark brown, soft and beautiful. His heavy coat is also lined with it, as well as his soggy boots. The hide outsides slumping atop the snow, but his feet kept soft and warm against the pelts. Same with his red face. His lips just kissing the warmth of the fur, but his cheeks and forehead are growing slightly numb. His nose is running. He sniffles.The sharp sound bouncing off the trees.Kaminari keeps moving. Looking up towards the bits of sky that peak through the empty branches. The sun is low in the sky, but there is still time before it will get dark. Golden light just barely beginning to overtake the forest. Most of it is still cold and blue.He looks to the side, following carved notches in the trees along the path. His father put them there. He follows his father's footsteps too. Old, and sinking. They are from days ago. The footsteps and notches lead him deeper into the woods. A narrow path amidst the trees. His mother's voice whispers in his head."Don't stray. Be quick. Get home safely. I love you." Always too the point.Despite becoming a man, only just recently, Kaminari takes comfort in her words. He takes comfort in the assured smile he got from his father. They trust him to be smart and careful.He hopes they are right to think so.Kaminari keeps marching on. He knows he will come upon the final snare soon. All the others were unfortunately empty. This winter being harsh and unforgiving, even for the animals. Leaving his family needing more than their stockpiles of pickled vegetables and eggs from their chickens. Though the hens too have slowed down, their own bodies adjusting to the frozen months ahead. So they rely on the occasional rabbit snare to keep them fed and warm.Kaminari hugs his fur-lined coat closer.He hopes to find a body in the next snare. Then he won't return to his parents empty handed. Then his mother will have something a little bit hardier to add to their stew. His father will have a pelt to patch up a hole that's begun to tear in his warn jacket.So Kaminari keeps going.He knows he's getting close. The notches on the trees indicating that he is reaching the edge of his family's land. They have a large plot surrounded by woods, which at the edge gives way to a giant forest. There is a road that leads to a town, but even with a carriage it would take hours if not days to reach.
That's when Kaminari hears the screeching.He hurries up. Footsteps plunging down into the snow louder. He clambers over a slight incline, righting himself when he almost trips. Upon reaching the top, Kaminari looks down. The snare is hidden amongst brush, a downed log ahead of it. A blur of white darts through all of it. Tugging and fighting. It looks like a massive moth, flying recklessly around a lamp. Kaminari's moves in closer. The rabbit begins fighting anew. It jerks and squeals. A thin glinting of metal wire shows Kaminari what's happened. Usually his father's snares wrap around a rabbit's neck, killing it quickly. But it seems this rabbit was either too small or too quick, because it's leg is the only part trapped. A small splattering of blood sits around the kicked-up snow. The wire has definitely begun cutting in.Kaminari's stomach droops.Only once before has he and his father come upon a live rabbit in a trap. He was even younger then. He remembers tearing up as his father grabbed the pretty little creature. He remembered clamping his eyes shut as his father snapped it's neck. During the walk back Kaminari had remained slilent, even through the tears. But when they got home, and his father began removing the rabbit's skin from it's meat, he had asked how his father had been able to kill it. Why hadn't he let it go if the trap hadn't worked. His father just gave him a sympathetic frown and said."Because I love you and your mother so much more. And the two of you need to eat."
Kaminari goes to his knees, fumbling to wrap his hands around the struggling animal. The little white ball of fur keeps kicking. Still incredibly strong for it's size. Kaminari shushes it as he pulls it in close. It's back legs thumping against his lap. Kaminari soothes a hand across it's back. The thin hairs are wet and splayed about. It's pelt tussled in the rabbit's panic. Kaminari tries to ignores how soft the rabbit is. How warm.The rabbit screams louder. Giving a few more thumping kicks before going still. It's heart and chest a thundering herd of movement. The rabbit's eyes bugging out and looking up at Kaminari. The snow beneath his knees crunches as he shifts. Kaminari's own heart thumping faster. He brushes a hand down the rabbit's side, briefly touching the wires hold on it's leg. His stomach turns."Everything's going to be alright." He whispers to the creature. His mind replaying the scene of his father snapping a rabbit's neck. He knows how to do it. "I'll be quick."His hand slides up towards the creature's throat. He can feel the pulse beneath the fur. His own mimicing it. The rabbit's eyes dig into Kaminari's. It doesn't close them as it watches.Kaminari knows what he should do.But he feels like a child again. It's easier when they are already dead.Kaminari sighs, lowering a hand back down to the leg. The wire is both hot from the blood, and burning cold from the snow. Kaminari's fingers pinch and pull at it. The wire glinting brightly. The sun has started to set, and it paints the scene in a golden glow. Kaminari feels the last of the sun's rays warming his cheeks as he struggles to undo the trap. Soon he positions the rabbit between his knees. Holding it still while he uses both hands to get the wire loop off. The rabbit keeps still, as if it has realized Kaminari is letting it go.Eventual he gets it. The loop coming loose. Kaminari tosses it to the side, picking up the rabbit again. It gives a testing kick of it's leg. Then a second. The rabbit screams again, before wiggling hard in Kaminari's arms."Okay okay!" Kaminari mutters as he rights the creature, putting it back on it's feet. The rabbit takes off, kicking up snow as it flees. It's pelt pure gold in the evening light. Reminding Kaminari just how precious of a thing he's let go. "You're welcome." He mutters again to a golden puff of fur disappearing into the forest.Kaminari stands, brushing the snow of his pants then hands. He glances towards the falling sun. He should head home now. It'll be dark not too long from now.The walk back is colder. The sun setting faster than Kaminari had thought it would. But he makes quick progress over the rolling land. The previous footsteps and notches on the trees make it very easy for him to find his way. However, as the world grows dimmer and colder, Kaminari finds himself glancing backwards. The hairs on the back of his neck tingling. The trees looming in, but hiding nothing amongst them.Kaminari picks up his pace.The sudden nerves are put to rest as Kaminari approaches his favorite part of the trail. The path gives way on one side, a sharp drop sitting above a stream. In the spring the water runs slowly. The hill littered with jutting rocks. Now in the winter, it is practically still. The water sluggish and crusted by a thin layer of ice. All the rocks covered by snow and ice. It looks like a dream. Like something out of a fairy tale. The ice and snow bright and beautiful. It's even prettier in the spring though. The birds and animals visiting the water. Plants popping up. Flowers and moss breathing new life into the area. Kaminari has always loved it.When he was a boy, his father taught him how to fish in that little stream. Of course there has never been anything big enough to make a meal in these waters, but his father must have thought it the perfect place to start. He remembers getting the line caught several times. Sometimes his father would just have to cut it. It was a waste of time and resources, Kaminari realizes as an adult. But his father must not have thought so. Everytime Kaminari whined about his hook being locked in a branch, or caught beneath a rock, his father would just smile and make it right again.Kaminari smiles to himself as he looks down at the stream. Reminiscing on only fond memories here.Suddenly his smile freezes as he feels his stomach drop. The ground beneath him rumbles before crumbling. Kaminari feels himself beginning to careen downward as the path below his feet gives way to the drop. A sharp cry is pulled from him as he falls. His legs slipping forward and his back hitting the shelf of the hill. Kaminari's eyes clamp shut as his body tumbles downwards. His heart rattling in his chest as he rolls, thumps, and all but free-falls down the ledge. Then when he hits the ground, that too gives way. The thin layer of ice creaks and splinters as Kaminari crashes through it. His skull and jaw rattling on impact.Burning cold invades his body. Seeping immediately through his thick clothes and attacking his body. His skin catches fire, the cold stinging like whiskey on an open wound. His eyes clamped tightly closed as icy water tries to dig its way under his lids. Kaminari is lost in a freezing black void. His bones frozen stiff, unmoving as he is slowly dragged down.Then Kaminari comes back to life.His arms and legs suddenly jerking in the soft current. He pushes himself towards where he hopes the surface is. His hands slamming hard into a sheet of ice. Then his head. Kaminari swipes numb hands across the rough shelf. Barely able to feel the way jagged divets and spins of ice jab at his hands. Kaminari's heart pounds in his throat, choking him as he searches for the hole he came from.
Where is it?
Where the hell is it?
Panic attacks his body. The numbness growing stronger across his body, but his blood and heart frenzied. His lungs squeeze tighter. He's running out of time.Kaminari forces his eyes open. A scream, if it could, would have torn its way out of him. The burning cold attacking his vision as he searches. At first all he can see is the white and shadow of ice above him. Trees and moonlight only just visible. The shadows almost dancing as Kaminari twists and slushes through the water, frantic for a way out.The shine of light finally coming into fuzzy view. Kaminari is gutted by the sight. He kicks as hard as his body can manage, hands swipping and reaching for the hole. Shards float and bounce in the water near the top. Kaminari swims through them, hands making for the edge of the hole. Ice creaks and bends under his numb grasp. Kaminari feels his tendons pulling, trying to drag himself upwards, but his body screams to give in. But with one last flood of addrenalin, Kaminari forces his body upwards.A blond head breaks the surface. Ice chunks and shards carried on the buoyancy of the water, spill over the top. Kaminari's hands shake as he adjusts his grip. His mouth falling open as he gasps and sputters. His lungs taking in greedy mouthfuls of freezing air. With each intake, Kaminari feels himself float just a little better in the water. But his drenched clothes still drag downwards, threatening to pull him under once more.His arms rest atop a ledge of ice, water lapping up around his shoulders and neck. His core burns as he holds himself up while putting as little pressure onto the ice as he can. Kaminari's mind races. Diced up memories of his father's warnings shout in his mind. He's not sure which pieces of advice matter in this moment. His brain just screams at him to get out. He kicks his legs, no longer trying to be careful. The panic breaking through the daze of cold. His arms slap and scrape across the eagerly creaking surface. Kaminari is clambering up and out.The snow covered surface creaks and moans. Giving way and bending as Kaminari drags himself away from the hole. Underneath him the snow resting atop the ice grows darker. Water flooding up and turning it to slush. Kaminari keeps moving, flopping like a dying fish and clawing like a caught hare. He keeps going as his body turns numb and a hot itching feeling being the only thing to cut through it. He pants. Choking on the air, his breath freezing in his throat. He feels like he's coughing up icicles. His nose has turned to a stinging ember. Both red and white, burning against the rest of his face.Eventually the ground grows solid beneath Kaminari. Ice meeting rocky bank, and rocky bank meeting woods. His vision blurrs as he makes it passed the tree line. He can't tell if it is from water or tears. His body trembles, quivering as his limbs beg to give in. He surrenders. Falling limp against the snow cover ground. His forearms keeping his chest and head up as much as they can.The cold grips him harder. His layers of warmth left dead and drowned. His clothes soaked, his skin numb, and the muscles seized. Kaminari's panting slows. His eyes growing heavy and the blurriness trying to freeze his eyes shut. His body wants nothing more than to sleep. But his mind knows better. His father's words speaking as if in his ear."You must never fall asleep in the cold. It is Death trying to catch you easier. You must always keep going, leave him trailing after."Kaminari blinks his eyes open. The biting cold retracting out of his vains as he pushes himself up. He stumbles at first, falling back into the snow. But keeps going, spitting away the thousands of flakes clinging to his lips. With much effort, Kaminari pulls himself to his feet. His legs weighing ten times what they usually do. His boots and socks sloshing as he swings his feet forward.Kaminari marches on. Moving like an animal peirced by an arrow. Unaware that every step cuts it up deeper; Kaminari however, is unaware that he his walking away from home. Each step leading further into the woods, rather than closer to home.The sun has set after what feels like hours. Darkness consuming the land. Trees no longer beautiful, instead imposing. The woods grows louder. The songs of birds being replaced by owls and other screeching animals. They dart across the sky, momentarily blocking out what little light the moon gives. Kaminari keeps his eyes on the ground, but still stumbles with every step. His ears ring. His eyes unfocused. His body all but dead around him. His mind within thoughtless and defeated.Kaminari moves like a rolling stone. Heavy and hardened. Cold and unalive. He is so far gone that he doesn't notice when the forest grows suddenly silent. The life in the woods going mute. He only watches the snow as it crunches underfoot. The sound masking the other noises that whisper through the night.The trees slowly begin speaking around him."......" They start so subtle that he can't even make out the words.".......may..be......""W.......hav...n..t........e..rs...."".....els...wrong.........too..easy...."Kaminari keeps dragging himself along. His mind slow to realize he's heard words. Then the ringing in his ears softens and his mind slowly works to listen. His brain lighting up at the prospect of someone else being out there."Why not? This one's as good as dead anyways..." A new voice says, words a harsh whisper that cuts through the trees."Hello?" He calls out, desperately. His heart begining to thump harder. His voice strains around the words, vocal cords chilled stiff. "Please!" He tries again, the words a deep and groaning sound.A gust of wind blows through the grove suddenly. Buffeting Kaminari's face and stealing the air from his lungs. He looses his footing, falling onto his knees. The wind persists, howling out. Kaminari shields his face. He curls tighter into himself.The gust is gone as suddenly as it came. The woods silent once more. Snow sprinkles down behind it, clumps being tossed from the trees. It glitters in the moonlight. Kaminari doesn't see though. His face is pressed into his crossed arms. Cold and spiked rabbit fur crushed against his face. Kaminari holds his wet coat close. His breath breaking as black dread closes in. Kaminari realizes he won't be making it home. His arms fall just enough for him to put his face in his hands. Voices or no, he's been too cold for too long.Still he tries one last time."Please....anybody!" He calls out.Silence greets him. Oppressive and final.The last of Kaminari's warmth works to push hot tears to his eyes.He's so defeated that he misses the crunch of footsteps approaching."Would you look at that." A soft voice says above him. "Like a drowned cat."Kaminari lifts his head. Wet eyes meeting the dark gleam of the woman's above him. Kaminari gasps.She is beautiful, like an angel. Her soft smile wide and upturned. Eyes full of pity and black as night. She has short curled hair, and is wearing little more than a dress and heavy boots. Simple adornments hang off her person. She looks like she must be even colder than Kaminari. But she holds herself like a statue. She only moves to cup one of Kaminari's red cheeks in her hand. Her touch brings no warmth. But at least it is gentle."You don't have much longer, do you?" She hums with more pity.Kaminari shakily opens his mouth to argue. He's not out of time, he can't be, he just needs help; but is stopped by another voice."No he doesn't." A grim chuckle from the side agrees.Kaminari's eyes flash to the side. He looks through the parted fingers of the woman as her other hand swipes frost-white hair out of Kaminari's face. The ice collected there isn't thawed by the touch. Nor the white-hot stare of the man next to him.The man is taller, with dark hair and a lazy grin. He too is not dressed for the weather.
"Shouldn't have gone for a night swim, huh kid?" He chuckles again."m'hm not a kid." Kaminari forces out as the man squats down closer to Kaminari's level.The man ignores it. "I guess it's good for us that you did through." He reaches out a hand to pull at the collar of Kaminari's soaked coat. It jiggles like it still has blood and meat beneath the skin. Kaminari winces as air crawls underneath it.The woman's hands retract, leaving only the other man's. "Something doesn't feel right." She massages a wrist."This life has no room for morals, Mina." He starts to say. "You out of all of us should know that.""No it's not that. I feel something... pushing back." She clarifies."Let's just do this." A new voice says. Another man stepping closer, taking up Kaminari's other side. "Nobodys around and we are far enough from the road. We'll have time to take our time, but you know I can't stand toying with them." The man flashes a toothy frown. His hair red and bright like his eyes."We aren't toying." The tall one says."I like helping them pass." Mina adds. Her eyes looking down softly into Kaminari's."Well it doesn't work. You just freak them out more." A gruffer voice says from behind, making Kaminari jump beneath the weight of his coat.Kaminari eyes them all nervously, except for the one behind him. He doesn't have the energy to turn. "Please...I have to get home." He murmurs."We'll take you home. I promise." The black haired man says. He steps in closer. "We just have to do something real quick. Can you sit still?" The question is rhetorical, as Kaminari probably couldn't move if he tried. Though he wishes he could. A subtle inclining of danger pulling through the cracks of cold and exhaustion. He wants to stand, to run, but his body has given up. He feels like he weighs a thousand pounds."Let's get this over with. I'm hungry." The gruff voice says, then a hand is grabbing at Kaminari's hair and pulling him backwards. Kaminari can't even manage to make a sound as he's jerked backwards, falling onto his back. His knees bending uncomfortably, before he is able to dig his heels down and kick them out. He hisses as his scalp stings under the hold the other man has on it.Kaminari is left breathing harshly and he looks up at the figure above him. His eyes meeting another pair of glowing reds. The man is ashy blond, with a hard face. He holds no sympathy in his features, unlike his companions. The threat of danger growing in Kaminari.The image of a kicking rabbit jumps in his mind. Frantic yellow eyes, scratching claws, and blood flicking off a silver wire. His heart skips a sluggish beat."Wait wait wait wait wait-" Kaminari trails off as the man presses him down into the snow. His hands going up to hold the wrist at his hair."Fuck, I hate it when they beg." The red head says. " 'was hoping this one would be out-of-it enough not to." There is a muttered sound of agreement. But he moves in closer anyways.A powerful hand rest on Kaminari's knee, then trails up to his ribs. The touch seems like it's meant to sooth, but Kaminari trembles under it. The hand in his hair releases reluctantly. Kirishima takes over.He smiles down at Kaminari. That's when he finally notices fangs. He's never met a person with fangs before. He looks slowly to the others. They have them as well. The hand at his ribs slips under his coat, under his shirt. A warmthless hand meeting his skin. Kaminari jerks back into the snow. His own hands once again grabbing for a wrist, something to hold onto. His brain a skipping record."Wait wait wait-" His voice shakes, even quieter than before. The warmthless hand breaking the seal and letting cold air rush in, cutting Kaminari open.Kirishima's free hand takes one of Kaminari's wrists and press it against the snow."It's gonna be okay." Is whispered in Kaminari's ear as the hand trails up to his chest, then slowly to his neck. Fingertips touch to something Kaminari hadn't even realized his still wore. He has worn it for so long, it has become part of him. The invading hand pulls back lighting fast with a sharp sound of pain. The hand at Kaminari's wrist tightening painfully before releasing and pulling away. "Fuck!" The man, creature, holds up his fingertips to his eyes. The rest of the group leering.A blistering white wound bubbling at Kirishima's pads. He hisses, looking between his hand and down at Kaminari. His eyes narrow in curiosity before he grabs at the lining of Kaminari's fur jacket, and pulls. Skin tears down the middle, frozen air bleeding in a frenzy. Kaminari whimpers at the feeling. The fur peeled away, then his shirt is ripped to tatters. Layers pulled away, revealing a delicate silver chain.The creatures jerk back with a shocked hissing sound.Moonlight glints off the line of silver that follows Kaminari's clavicle. Leading down to a pendent that sits at the hollow of his throat. It is rectangular with makings engraved in. The surface bumpy and raw, handmade. It's his Ofuda talisman, that his mother made for him.
"It wards off evil, and keeps what is most precious to me safe. It will protect you. Promise me you will never take it off, will you not?"
Her soft words hum in his head. He feels the warmth of her arms around him for just a moment. Then the cold blows the thought away."I told you
I felt something!" Mina hisses.Kaminari is made aware of the voices speaking around him. He feels sobered for a moment. His arms scramble to sit him up, his boots scuffing against the snow as he presses backwards. The group surrounding him startles, three moving to follow him but coming to a jerking halt, as if shunted back. Kaminari's heart starts to thump faster, it feels stiff and hard in his chest. He holds to pendent close to his heart."Please, I have to go home." His words fall out of him, weak. His teeth grit. "I'm going to make it home!" He says, stronger this time despite the trembling in his voice.Three of the creatures look between each other. The urge to pounce clear in their eyes. But one simply narrows his eyes on the silver wire around Kaminari's neck. He stalks closer."No, you won't." He says with a finality that leaves no room for disagreement. There is no malice in his voice, just dominance. Certainty. Then he is lunging, pinning Kaminari down for a final time, and wrapping his hand around the necklace.The harsh sound of sizzling skin fills the air. Bakugou grits his teeth, growling low in his throat as he lurches his fist back with a speed and strength Kaminari has never seen before. The wire tightens around the back of his neck before the metal gives way with a pitiful chiming sound. Just as quickly as it breaks, Bakugou throws it away into the dark of the woods. It thuds into a tree, then drops down into the snow."Fuck, Bakugou...." The black haired vampire says."I'm fine." He grits out, as sludging, black blood drips down his palm."Are you okay? I can't believe you-" Mina is cut off in her worry."I'm fine." Bakugou repeats. "Just kill him and be done with it."He gets off of Kaminari, leaving room for Kirishima to take his place. Kaminari doesn't try to move. He doesn't understand it, but he knows that the show of power he just saw is more than he even try to struggle against. Even if he wasn't already half-dead.If they were toying with him before, it is strictly business now. Kirishima takes Kaminari's chin between two fingers and tilts his head up. His heart thrumming under the touch. The creature around him salivate at the soft, thin skin that is finally revealed to them. Kaminari hears himself whimper as fanged teeth loom over his throat. His heart races as Kirishima presses his lips to Kaminari's neck."I-" Kaminari begins to speak as his hands press against Kirishima's shoulders. The word barely making it out from the hold the creature has on his jawline."It's okay," Kirishima whispers against his neck, inhaling deeply. His free hand once again taking Kaminari's off of him. He laces fingers with the young man, holding his hand down gently. Leaving the other to hold onto the fabric of his shirt. "It'll be quick."Then sharp teeth are piercing Kaminari's throat. They sink in like a knife, efficient and unyielding. Slipping through skin and muscle. Kaminari cries out at the feeling. It's indescribable. His body tenses, eyes clamping shut. He cries out again as the fangs come to a stop, resting deep within his throat. His heart pulses around the intrusion, warm blood flooding out of him. Kaminari groans as he feels his body light up with adrenaline. His fingers tighten between Kirishima's. Holding onto his hand tighter. Kirishima presses in closer, lifting Kaminari's head up in his hand, moving inbetween his knees. Their bodies pressed together, Kaminari ridged against Kirishima. His hand balls up into a fist, he pounds it against Kirishima's shoulder, but it does nothing. The creature groans too, his pleased rather than aching.His lower jaws closes in too, another set of fangs puncturing Kaminari's delicate skin. Tears spring to Kaminari's eyes. His chest flutters as his heart beats hard. The two sets of fangs work to draw the blood out of him. It's easy for the creature, so easy. Like drinking the juice from an orange. Kaminari squirms below him, barely moving, but his body fights to get away. It's an unnoticeable struggle. He's already so exhausted, so weak and defeated.Kirishima's thumbs sooth over his hand and cheek. Holding him like something precious as he bites down harder. Kaminari's own teeth grit. A pained sound fighting through his teeth. He stops hitting Kirishima's shoulder, his hand opening and resting against the creature. His eyes open halfway, lidded and exhausted. His features caught in a wince."How does he taste?" Sero asks. His tongue peaking out, wetting his lips.After a few more greedy sips, Kirishima starts to pull away. His teeth still resting against Kaminari's neck, his breath hot with Kaminari's blood. He pants emptily, the movement mechanical. The old habit of a long-dead body. He laps up any blood that trickles down Kaminari's neck. His tongue one of the only soft parts of his body."He tastes so good. So fucking good." Kirishima says breathlessly. "Just your type." He smirks at Sero as he says it, his lips absent-mindedly leaving fluttering kisses against Kaminari's throat as he does."Hurry up then." Sero whispers back, breathing in the savory smell."I'm almost done." Kirishima responds in the same moment he bites back down again.Kaminari can't do anything but take it. He breathes harshly as the teeth sink back in. His body tense and aching, he feels like he's being eaten whole. The spot at his throat the only warm part of him left. He knows he can't loose much more blood. He doesn't know how much has been taken already, but he feels the effects. His head getting lighter. Kaminari squeezes Kirishima's hand, as if it could coax him into stopping. When he doesn't, the tears in Kaminari's eyes slowly roll down his cheeks. His mind finally accepting what his body is already preparing for.Kaminari is going to die.
He was going to die since the moment he hit the water. It's only taken a diffrent form now.Next thing he knows, Kirishima is reluctantly pulling away. First his fangs, then the last few swipes of his tongue, then lastly the fingers he had laced with Kaminari's. He is left feeling cold. Without the teeth bitting into him. But now he thinks all he's ever known is cold. The absence makes him tremble, even as the next of the creatures moves in. Two this time. He hears Mina scoff slightly."What? I can't wait any longer." Sero says. The woman just shakes her head."Of course you can't." She responds, then they are both leaning in.Sero moving in to bite down where Kirishima already has. Mina taking the other, untouched side of Kaminari throat. They bite down in sync. Twin stinging pains dipping down deep onto Kaminari's neck. He's not sure of he makes a sound this time, or if he has finally fallen silent. All he can hear are the pleased sounds the creatures make.Mina smiles against his throat, chuckling breathlessly to herself as she draws out Kaminari's blood. She slides a hand up to cup his cheek, her other gently tucking his hair out of the way. She holds him close, gently, even as she bites down harder. Kaminari's heavy eyes carefully meet hers. She has them open, watching each and every moment of Kaminari's death. She notices every twitch of his features. Devours every noise that passes his lips. Kaminari finds himself captivated in turn. Though he can only see through the view of his fuzzy peripherals.Her eyes are impossibly dark as they watch him. But are remarkably warm.
A hand presses down on his chest.Sero's long fingers sit atop a pectoral, as he adjusts. The other moving to grab at his blond strands. Curling his fingers in Kaminari hair. He positions Kaminari to his liking. Teeth digging into the holes that Kirishima had left behind, making new ones as well. His bite not perfectly precise, and tearing new skin. It makes Kaminari feel like prey, not for the first time this night. It makes him feel like a mouse in the clutches of too many cats. While Mina caresses, Sero pulls.His head grows even lighter. Vision becoming darker and hazing worse. He feels his brain and body becoming heavier still. Kaminari wants to struggle, to try to fight, but it feels too good. Relaxing down into the ground, giving into the numbness. He can feel himself panting. His arms limp at his sides. The snow burning sharply at his fingertips. But the rest of him is growing warmer. It starts deep in his chest. A heat from his heart outwards, nudging away the cold. It's a warm numbness. Like a soft blanket.Kaminari sighs. The sound almost like forgiveness.The two creatures keep drinking, humming with satisfaction. Kaminari's wonders if they can feel the change in him. If they know the shift that's taken place on his head space. Even of they stopped now, it be too late. So they enjoy the spoils of a success hunt.Kaminari barely notices when they pull away.Mina and Sero lap up any blood the trickles down, though some of it drips down into the snow. As they back away, Mina scoops it up with two fingers. She lifts it to her lips, pressing it against her tongue. The fingers pulling back with a squeaking sound of suction. The snow soon crunching between her teeth."I can't remember the last time we had one this good." She mutters."Me either." Sero whispers. His eyes never leaving the young man in the snow. "At least not since Bakugou, and that feels like a hundred years ago now.""It was." Kirishima agrees. "And before that it was you." Kirishima's face softens even more with nostalgia. "And before that it was me." He glances back a Mina. A shared memory filling the space between the woman and man. Something just the two of them share."Feels like déjà vu." She says as she cups his cheeks and presses their blood stained lips together.Bakugou doesn't say a word as he finally takes his place. It feels almost....intimate; Kaminari realizes hazily as Bakugou lifts the back of his neck up. The fangs sinking down towards the middle of his throat, breaking fresh skin, blood blooming out of it. The warmth shooting like a Shockwave through him. Kaminari gasps one last time as the teeth take all he has left. The warmth giving way to a deep, almost aching feeling. Something ancient and deep-rooted streaming through his vains. It's something an unfathomable number of lives have all experienced before. Kaminari has witnessed it himself before.A plucked weed weeping pienė, or a log spitting and hissing as flames surround it. A hen roosting on the eggs of another and never getting up again; giving the last of her old body's warmth to the next of the flock. A rabbit kicking in a snare, or between the jaws of a wolf; before it's eyes grow soft, and it falls limp. A tree falling in a storm. A butterfly dropping from the summer air. A feverish man never leaving the smoldering heat of his sick bed. A fight between two stags, ending with them locked together until they rot into the earth together.A young man, too cold and tired to fight back.
Kaminari feels himself meet that same place, as the creature takes all he has left. He doesn't feel afraid anymore. He doesn't feel cold. He feels held. He feels release.Kaminari's eyes fluttering closed. Body falling still. His fingers laying in the snow, still red tipped, but no longer stinging. His expression is a portrait of calm. The creature at his throat simply keeps feeding. The muscles under his forearms straining as he lifts up the dead weight of his prey. The last trickles of blood being harshly drawn out through greedy, almost desperate gulps. A growl growing in his own throat, like a dog guarding the last little flecks of meat on a bone."He's done, Katsuki." One of his companions says.The last vampire eventually pulls away from the marred flesh of Kaminari's neck. He's panting, salivating, the hunger just barely satiated. Then, uncharacteristically gently, he lays the body down in the snow. Wet, golden hair haloing out, skin left pale and cold. Bakugou takes the edges of the young man's torn clothes, and folds them over his bare chest. The rabbit skin coat wrapping across nicely.Not a single drop of blood is left wasted in the snow."That's the best one we've had in awhile. Makes me wish there was more to him." Sero says, shaking his head softly with longing."Makes me still hungry." Bakugou agrees lowly. His eyes lingering on the body. "That one felt different...." His hands fist at his sides, the burnt impression of a necklace stings as he does. "I think I know what you meant now. After you turned me. Feels different." Bakugou's tongue peaks from between his lips. The delicate taste of iron still on dancing on it."I don't want to let this one go." Kirishima whispers, pulling the words from the minds of the others."I could turn one last one. Make us complete." Mina suggests, her voice sounding almost distant. All of them left in a haze. She kneels beside her prey once more. Fingers brushing over the bite marks all over him. "He won't remember anyways. No harm done.""I remembered." Bakugou bites out."After awhile. But you still stayed. We all did." Sero mutters optimistically. "We'll be a coven."The woman leans down, softly touching her lips to the cold ones below her. A smile pulling away from her fanged teeth. A darkness clouding her eyes. "Just a moment my dearest." She whispers, hands laying over the bites. "You'll be back with us soon. And you'll never be alone again."Through the thick, impassive, nothingness of death; Kaminari will soon begin to stir. A magic beyond his understanding taking place. He will be born anew. A new 'life' set before him, far different than the one he once imagined for himself. But of course, he won't remember that one at first. He will simply awaken with the urge to return to two hazy faces in his mind. Two hazy memories that he had promised to return home to. But they won't compare to the bonds that have been bitten into his flesh. The connection of his new family, through primal charisma.They won't be able to overcome the new hunger
he feels.Kaminari's eyes slowly open again. His canines sharper than before.
He feels cold.