The room falls silent and Nino shrugs. “That’s the plan.” Giovanni sits, just staring with his hazel-green eyes and his arms folded. Nino frowns. “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

“Because I said I wouldn’t yell at you. Let me start by saying I’m pleased that you’ve formed a meaningful relationship with Haruka. He’s intelligent, patient and pragmatic. I think he’s exactly what you need.”

“Thanks,” Nino says, relaxing his shoulders but not his guard. More is coming.

“I also like that you’re working with him on something important that benefits our race,” Giovanni continues. “Running that bar, I was terrified you’d come home with some gutter vampire or fetishy human and expect me to welcome them into our home. So I’m pleasantly surprised that you’ve done exactly the opposite.”

Nino cuts his eyes away. I wouldn’t have brought her home. Jesus, I’m not stupid.

“That being said…” Giovanni raises his eyebrow. “Your plan sucks. I don’t like it.”

“Why? It makes sense for us. And you know Haru doesn’t want to bond.”

Giovanni rolls his eyes. “Right. I’ve never heard of a bond breaking—that shit is crazy. But lover boy needs to get over himself. You’re going to move there and do what, exactly?”

Nino adjusts in his seat, feeling the heat of his brother’s inquisition. “I don’t know yet. But I’m capable of running a successful business, G. I just need to get there and figure out where there’s a need—”

“So while Haruka is dealing with busy vampire aristocracy bullshit and overseeing his entire realm alone, you’re going to open a bar across town so that humans and low-level vamps can gawk at you? You’re going to live in his house, eat his food and give him hand jobs when he comes home?”

Nino drops his head, laughing despite himself. “Not… necessarily.”

“Nino, you cannot go to Japan—a new realm, a new aristocracy with this old-blooded and exquisite creature—and do the same garbage you’ve been doing. If you move there, you need to be his equal partner. You have to stand beside him and solidify your place in front of his society members in his realm. You can’t go there and be his fucking house cat.”

He’s right. Nino sits back and runs his palms down his face. If he goes to Japan and does the same things he’s always done—avoid other ranked vampires and shy away from his proper designation in their culture—he’ll end up in the same situation he’s in now. Disrespected. Pitied.

“You should have come out with us when I took him to greet our society members—”

“I know, G,” Nino sighs.

“You can’t let assholes like Moretti get to you. He might be older, but in the hierarchy of our culture, you outrank him, Nino. You’re purebred. Do you really get that? You’re an unflawed, rare and extraordinary creation. There are billions of humans and millions of fucking ranked vamps on this planet, but there probably aren’t even a thousand purebred vampires. You need to let that sink in and think before you hopscotch over to Japan to play house with Haruka.”

He understands. Spending so much time with Haruka in the past three months has shown Nino that he needs to change. That he needs to grow. In the beginning, he commiserated with Haruka over their shared reluctance to engage within the aristocracy. It is the foundation of their relationship. The irony that brought them closer.

But Haruka has slowly changed. The guarded hermit that Nino met in the beginning has transformed, shedding his heavy cloak and lifting his head to the sunlight. Now, Haruka is looking back at Nino and reaching his hand out to him, as if to say, “Come with me?”

Instead of grabbing his hand, Nino is hesitating.

“I hear what you’re saying, G, but what am I supposed to do? I can’t just start barging into meetings and events with my chest puffed out like some asshole.”

“Practice,” Giovanni says simply, letting the word sink in before he goes on. “Stay home for a while and come with me to meetings and social events. Nobody will fucking talk to you the way Moretti did if I’m with you—and I’ve already had a conversation with him about that.”

Nino nods. He needs to make more arrangements at Scotch & Amaretto and talk to his employees. He’s already spoken with Mariana about taking on the role of co-owner. With some additional staff, she can definitely handle the responsibility of running the bar long term.

“And then,” Giovanni continues, “you need to go to Japan sooner. None of this ‘let him get settled’ shit. Within the first two weeks of Haruka being back, somebody will throw him a big soiree to welcome him home. I don’t know who or when, but you need to be there.”

“I shouldn’t just show up uninvited,” Nino says, doubtful. “Haruka hasn’t told me—”

“Nino. Haruka knows that you hate aristocracy events. Of course he won’t invite you. But it’ll be an important event to be beside him and assert yourself. Based on what he’s told me about the size of his realm, he’s got a lot on his plate. He’ll be happy you’re there. Trust me. When the time comes, just go and surprise him. Show him you can handle being his partner.”

Can I handle being his partner? Nino wants to be with Haruka. Whenever they’re together, it feels more natural than when they’re apart. Even now, Nino’s skin is itchy and his nature discontented from the geographical distance between them.

“Are you accepting my offer?” Giovanni asks. “What’s your decision?”

“I’ll stay,” Nino resolves. “I don’t want to be his house cat.”

Laughing, Giovanni stands from his desk. “Perfect. When is mama duck coming by to feed you? Hopefully that bullshit can finally stop. Who the hell is she feeding from in England? Never mind. It’s best that I don’t know names.”

Nino shakes his head, smiling. “So jealous.”

Giovanni stops dead, his smile dropping and his voice rising. “You want me to fucking yell at you now?”

“Nope.” Nino swiftly pushes himself up from the couch and leaves the office.

Late March

Thirty-Three

A month has passed since his week-long visit to Italy. Despite this, and even as he sits inside his home in Kurashiki, Japan, the warm echoes of Haruka’s time spent with Nino still radiate in his body. The golden glow of him has lingered, firmly centered both in Haruka’s heart and deeply within his core.

He had expected to see him in England once more before he made the preliminary move back home. But Nino had suddenly changed his plans and they hadn’t been able to meet. He decided to stay in Milan longer, and he is still there. When Haruka asked why, Nino vaguely explained that he needed to take care of some things.

He doesn’t let it show, but Haruka feels disappointed by this.

The crystal-clear sound of a chime rings out, breaking the silence of Haruka’s small office. He perks up, his response officially an ingrained behavior as if he is one of Pavlov’s dogs. He isn’t salivating (yet) but his heart unquestionably beats faster.

He is sitting on a cushion on the tatami floor with one knee drawn up, his new, shiny black smartphone on the low oak table in front of him. Nino purchased it as a surprise and had it delivered to his home. Asao taught Haruka how to use it.

It isn’t complicated and he likes being able to communicate regularly with Nino. But something about it feels invasive. As if it is covertly tracking his whereabouts and conversation at any given time. He greatly dislikes this feeling. When he expressed his concern to Asao, the manservant shrugged and said, “It probably is.” Which wasn’t helpful.

He taps and opens the device like Asao taught him. A message from Nino flashes brightly before him on the small screen.

[It’s almost time, yeah?]

Haruka looks at the clock at the top of the screen, then types his response.

[Yes. Why are you awake? It is 4am there.]

[Because I’m worried about you.]

Nino’s reply is quickly followed by another message.

[You’re not happy about this meeting.]

It’s true. He isn’t. He’s been receiving letters from Yuna for more than a year now. Although he hasn’t read a single page, it was inevitable that they would eventually cross paths. His decision to return home has only increased the likelihood. The chime rings out again.

[I wish I was there with you.]

Haruka types his response.