Tea Time with a Vampire (Private Topic: Only Voidfrostfox)

After the short shinkansen ride to Yokohama, Aoi had lead the way to a rather small, but very well maintained and rather famous cafe. The Misty Moon Cafe was a well known place among the magical creatures of Japan, and it was even a well known destination for humans in Japan as well. The small cafe had a beautiful pale blue exterior with a small, intimate patio area where the tables were situated in an orderly manner and pale blue umbrellas were opened to keep the sun off of the patrons as they dined and sipped their coffee and tea.

He waved politely to a nearby waitress who smiled and came over to seat them. She was a young human who couldn't have been any older than 23. Her hair was as black as night and obviously natural. She was very pretty and very polite. She seated them and happily handed them both a menu.



Aoi, as usual, flipped the menu over to the "Vampire Friendly" section. He gently moved his index finger over the menu until he came to what he wanted. He handed the waitress the menu and ordered lowly, "I'll have the Acai Blood Tea please."

All the way during their ride she thought about what he had said about fledglings turning it over in her mind. So they did have issues with people getting turned and not knowing what the hell they were doing, the wolves had a similar problem with rouge wolves biting humans and then leaving them there to fend for themselves. She had little problem getting the subway pass for the ride and more often now that she thought about it. She did find it odd that the blood ties from the maker of the vampire were stronger than those made. Then again that was probably her cultural bias coming to the surface again. Upon arrival to their current location, she smiled and took her seat opposite Aoi. This could be a problem though, her Japanese was fluent though she had some problems reading it with the three different letter styles.

"Aoi, I have slight problem reading the menu. My Japanese is shaky when reading but fluent reading. But, umm, besides that I'll have some green tea please?" She smiled and felt a little embarrassed hoping to have a food order before she came back.

He gently took the menu from her hands and smiled warmly at her. "They have all sorts of sandwiches, cakes and cookies. I've been coming here a while, so I can recommend their steak sandwich. It's made with Wagyu Sirloin. One of the more expensive cuts of meat, but relatively cheap here in japan since Wagyu cows are native to Japan. My brother wants to own a restaurant some day, so I've caught a few things from him..." he said and winked at her as he handed the menu back to Vech.

"Reading Japanese will become easier with time. It takes a lot of practice to be able to read and speak it fluently. Don't get discouraged," he encouraged her lightly.

Vech hummed as she took his suggestions in, hearing that his brother wanted to own a restaurant put a smile on her face. She enjoyed hearing of other people's dreams made her happy. "That sounds good, I enjoy hearing more of your dreams from you and your brother, you don't seem to ask very many questions though." She smiled looked around at the wonderful cafe they were in, it was nicely decorated and soothing. She smiled as he encouraged her to keep trying it gave her hope that she may eventually get good enough to not need help."So what kind of things do you enjoy doing?"

She took a slow drink of her tea and enjoyed the flavor of the drink she rarely gets. She looked for the young waitress as she enjoyed the company of the other. "So, how did you do it?" She looked around trying to casually slip into a conversation, it might not have been so casual though.

He chuckled a little and closed his eyes. "Yes, well...Zero isn't normally the type to aspire to be around people. The fact that he mentioned wanting to open a restaurant some day in the future was rather interesting. However, I'll encourage him however I can. He's been through a lot and deserves so much good in his life..." he explained and lifted his cup of tea to his lips and took a sip of it. As he sat the teacup back down, he glanced up at Vech who noted that he himself didn't ask many questions. "Asking questions for myself has never really been my style. I admit some things make me curious, but when it comes to talking with people who have rarely spoke with me, I tend to let them do more of the asking. Especially when they seem very interested in vampires," he answered.

At her question of what he liked to do, he smiled gently and pointed towards a billboard display of Hopeless Beauty's latest album release. "In my free time, I like to make music with my brother and my band. Seems everyone rather enjoys our music, so we've become quite famous outside of the vampire world..."

At her sudden question of how he did it, he brought his tea up to his lips and took a long sip before he sat the teacup back on the saucer and looked up at her with his mix-matched gaze. "How did I become vampire king? I killed my maker- my father and took his throne for myself..." he answered rather bluntly. "As for how I got used to being on my own and broke away from everything that everyone was telling me I should be, the answer is rather simple. I worked hard at it and had people that I loved by my side."

Vech nodded and smiled, it was nice to see how much Aoi cared for his brother, he really was a deeper person than anyone had let on. His brother seemed the type to avoid people from they way he was described, but that has no effect on how well you can cook. Her interest went through the roof as he mentioned music, she absolutely adored it and how it could lift her spirits. though she thought about his comment about asking questions and laughed a little. "I think it's really great that you like spending time with your brothers, you encourage them to chase their dreams. Well as far as the questions go I like asking but still I like answering as well, it just takes an interesting person to bring it up. But I ask a lot of questions regardless, especially things I don't know, I like to learn." She laughed and scratched the back of her head at the last part, a little embarrassed but she could admit it.

"What's the name of your band? I like music a lot, I traveled around for a while listening while I went, maybe I've heard of you and never realized it." She flagged down the waitress and smiled before ordering her food. "I'll have the Steak Sandwich, please." She turned back to her companion and frowned a bit, not what she meant but it could still work out. "Not quite what I meant but it works, I wanted to know how you built up the courage to do it.. and that doesn't exactly work in my situation, I don't know how to bring it up to them...But that last part seems doable." She smiled and drank some more tea, this was turning out rather interestingly.

He leaned back in his seat a little and sighed. "When it comes to my family, I adore them. I hold every vampire I make or take into my household in the highest regards. I cherish them, I teach them and most of all, I love them," he said as he opened his eyes to look at Vech. "That, is where their lives differ from my own. I was...a means to an end to my human family. They sold me to my maker when I was still in high school. I wasn't allowed to do anything outside of my authorization by my new father. He ordered me to remain with my human family until I had reached peak human age and maturity. I was to attend college and to graduate with honors or else I would be punished severely...I learned the hard way that his type of punishment wasn't as painful as it was...scarring..." he explained as he leaned forward again and rested his elbows on the table to stare at Vech. "My suicide attempt had been because of my misfortune of being raped by my peers, but I had lost all control of my life. My decisions were no longer my own. I could no longer determine my grades, my future. I was a human slave without all of the chains, beatings, and brandings...but I survived all of that, only to continue to feel hopeless..." he continued to explain. "After I became a prince to the last vampire king, I continued in my downward spiral, and so my hopelessness gave birth to my rebelliousness. My rebelliousness gave birth to my band and the band's name was forever to become known as Hopeless Beauty..." he told her as he lifted the tea cup from its saucer and took a sip.

He sat the teacup down and looked back at Vech. "I didn't build up the courage to build my own kingdom and to change the rules that had been in play for centuries. I was angry for the abuse that Neikan and Kira and Zero and so many others had been forced to endure under my father's rule...my anger boiled in my veins and drove me to murder my father. After it was all done, I was worried that I wouldn't be accepted, but not once did my family abandon me. They supported me regardless of if they agreed with my ideas or not. That's what family is for. They support each other, love one another and hope that everything works out for one another..."

Vech nodded and stared into her cup of tea while he told her of his story. It was a sad and solemn one indeed. Her heart hurt for him, it truly did, no one deserves that kind of treatment... She looked back up to him and smiled "But now there are laws, you help those so that they don't have to experience the same fate. You are being that person you needed, and that's something that should mean a lot. I can say that if it weren't for your experience things probably wouldn't have changed. I'm sorry it had to happen like that, though, not one soul deserves to go through that." She looked up from their quiet but intense talk to the waitress that brought the food and set it in front of her. It smelled heavenly and looked about the same. She nodded her head to the waitress and then turned back to Aoi.

"I'm sorry if I sound angry or you think I've overstepped my bounds, but I truly believe things happen for a reason and that had this not it would still be continuing even stronger today. I can't stand cages even ones that aren't physical are hell, no one should be trapped like that. As for your band, I've heard your name but never had the luxury of seeing a show or being told which songs are your all's. I could pick up a track or two later, though."

He looked at her, long and hard. His mix-matched eyes still holding eternal sadness. "I put those law in place after I began my rule as king. I want to protect those who aren't strong enough to protect themselves. I didn't do it because of my own experiences. I did it for my husband and my brothers. They were the ones who didn't deserve the things that happened to them. I don't care about myself. I never have," he told her.

When Vech said that she believed that things happened for a reason, he nodded in agreement and said, "Fate plays a huge part in the magical community. It always has. Those who are meant to do good things are rescued from their suffering, and those who are meant to do cruel things are given choices, but they are doomed to always make the wrong choice." He lifted his teacup to his lips and took a sip before sitting it back down on the saucer. "If you want to listen to our music, I would gladly offer you a copy of our new album once we return to the castle."

She nodded a bit grimly at his first statement though didn't voice her own thoughts again, he may not care for himself but his own experiences still shaped the laws that were laid down from them. Her ears perked at husband, she never knew that Aoi had a romantic partner let alone was married, she supposed this was the consequence of not having much contact with the outside world much. "I never knew you were married, forgive me but I hope it continues to be prosperous! I understand not caring for yourself, it is hard caring for everyone and then you see so small in comparison. Hopefully that husband reminds you to take some time to yourself as well." Vech laughed a little as she looked around the shop and took a bite of the sandwich and her taste buds lit up. It was juicy and tender while keeping the slight game flavor, the veggies were crisp and fresh and just a hint of mayo. All around she gave it a ten out of ten! Clearing her mouth and swallowing the bite she turns back to her lunch partner while listening to him talk about fate and the album before speaking.

"This is wonderful Aoi! I appreciate the point in the right direction, A ten out of ten for sure in my books! I happen to think we have very few choices that could change anything, but there are a few chances we get that could change everything. I would love to listen to the album, I'm sure you guys are awesome. So what kind of things do you find interesting about other races?" She drank out of her tea and took another bite her food.

At the mention of his husband, he smiled. It was a true smile that was warm and purely happy, one that plainly told of his affections towards the smaller vampire. "Yes. I've been married for so long now that I assume everyone in the magical community knows. My husband is Kira and he was the one who saved me all of those centuries ago," he said as he took the last drink from his teacup and sat it back down. He gently waved the waitress over and ordered a small glass of Blood Wine.

"Fate is a fickle thing at times. It seems that it doesn't truly know what it wants from us at times, but those times are when it is challenging us, offering us different paths so that we may get off of the one we are currently on. I do believe that fate has chosen to give you a chance to change paths."

"Possibly, I just hope I make the right choice, I'm in a hard place for myself now... I want to start a new pack with my... I guess boyfriend is the most appropriate name? I just hope I'm not rushing into things so soon, it feels right but I've been known to screw up... I mean we aren't even that far into the relationship yet... I'm sorry, I should n't be dragging my insecurities into this should I? As for the magical community knowing it's what us wolves get for staying so secluded for so long, we don't get news very fast and when we do, unless someone brings it up it can be left to the wayside, while it does keep things quiet and calm it doesn't leave for very good history classes."

Vech finished up her food and drank some more of her tea while Aoi ordered his own food. This was turning out to be very interesting though she didn't want to make this outing into a worry-fest she doubted she would get a straight answer from her pack or worse not wanting what was best for the pack or her. A fear that wasn't as outlandish as it seemed her brain reminded her.

When he got his glass of Blood Wine, he took it from the waitress before she could sit it down and smiled at her, nodding kindly and thanking her. When the waitress was walking away, he took a sip from his glass and closed his eyes, relishing in the flavor. He himself didn't drink human blood, but the blood wine here was fashioned from vampire blood and made it a welcome treat. After a few moments, he sat his glass down and opened his eyes to look at Vech. "In the vampire world, we don't choose our partner by thought or by what humans would consider love. Vampires are drawn to a certain partner regardless of race or gender. Some don't even know that they were willing to have a partner of the same sex until they meet that certain one," he explained as he looked at her.

"We are drawn to our partner by a force much more powerful than we can truly explain. I would like to call it instinct in some sense. I believe that many races have something similar and if this force is drawing you towards this person, then perhaps it would be alright to listen to it, no?" he mused lowly.

She blushed and looked at her mostly empty tea cup, reminding herself that Aoi had lived a lot longer than her and probably knew what he was talking about. He was right anyway she flipped it, she was like a moth to a very pretty flame. She kept her eyes on the cup a minute longer before looking up and smiling at him in thanks, those few thoughts managed to put her worries at ease for a while. Now the only thing left to do for that is wait and see what her potential mate would say about it.

"Thanks for the thoughts, it settled mine for a while I think. I kinda knew that I would never find a mate the human way, but this is a bit new. We have legends in some wolf packs about how some great wolves are meant to find each other by fate and are linked by fate in the color of a red string tied at their pinky fingers, this is the Japanese wolves and community so I would think you were already familiar?" She laughed as she remembered where she had heard it before, an old traveler had come through the woods an old gray wolf and no harm to the pack, he had stayed the night and told stories to the youngsters about Oni and other things including the string of fate.

"I've always felt as though there were forces that even those in the magical community couldn't explain at work. This sentiment is something that has always kept me looking forward even when my mind is telling me to look back," he said as he took another sip of his Blood Wine and sat the glass back down. "I must admit that I've broken this personal rule of mine a few times and everytime I look back, I've come to find that there was nothing to look back on. Everything I had ever thought would be back there was never there, no matter how hard I wanted it to be or how much I feared it would be."

Aoi was a well versed man, but he was also a highly spiritually aware being. He knew in his heart that there were things that even he himself would never be able to explain and knew that somehow, the heart always found what it was looking for in the oddest of places. This young wolf hadn't had the time to learn these things yet, but he hoped that one day she would be able to proudly say that she had lived long enough to gain some of this wisdom.

"We call it the red string of fate and it is a story that has been passed down for centuries. The concept is that two people are connected by fate from the moment that they meet. This bond that they share is strengthened by their experiences and their bond eventually grows. Sometimes it grows into love, but most of the time the magic of the string creates everlasting friendships. We consider it an honor and a miracle if the string creates a bond of love. Though I should warn you that there are those whose bond can become severed and once the last thread in the string frays, that bond can never be mended no matter how hard you try."

"I think I could share those sentiments though more from a point where things happen and we don't have a way of knowing whether it's for better or worse. Often times we really have no way of knowing until the time is right I suppose. I admit I kinda like not knowing, even of it does give me some gray fur at times, it adds a certain spice to life I think." Vech finished off her food and tea while contemplating her own life and the curve balls thrown her way before giving Aoi a cheesy grin upon hearing his next words about the past. "How can we make strides to a good future without looking at our past? If we don't are we not just doomed to repeat its mistakes? We learn from our deeds, both good and bad, the past may haunt some but you learn to make peace with your ghost I've found." They may not see exactly eye to eye but everyone had a unique outlook on things like this. She looked at him again as he spoke again thinking mainly on just how to make peace between the past and now for entire races, let alone herself. It wasn't going to be easy.

As Aoi explained the string her mind drifted once again to her boyfriend, and potential life mate. She hoped that maybe fate would be kind this once and let her have a person to love all for herself. She loved being able to have someone to talk to and cuddle up to without feeling like they were using her, not to mention that he was pretty good looking in her opinion. Sure she had been on dates before but nothing had ever come to them except maybe some form of friendship or a deep seeded mistrust of that person. As Aoi finished she thought about the legend and nodded in agreement. The person was definitely very lucky if they found a true love, she did feel sorry for those whose bonds fray that must be very painful. "It must be quite the challenge when those bonds break, I'd imagine it's extremely painful, if not physically then mentally and emotionally without a doubt" She rested her hand on her chin and gave a sad smile.

He smiled sadly and closed his eyes. "What I mean by looking back and finding that nothing was there, was that I always found myself looking at my past wondering "what if?" all the time. When I would look deeper, I found that I was living my life the wrong way. By asking "what if?" all the time, I was missing the things that were right in front of me. I was missing out on all of the happy times with my loved ones and I was living my life in a false reality," he explained as he opened his eyes and took his wine glass in his hand. He stared into the nearly empty glass, taking in his own reflection in the crimson colored liquid. "I wasn't learning anything by living in the past. I was wasting precious time- time that, for the longest while, I thought that I never had," he said and finished his glass of wine and sat the empty glass down on the table and looked up at Vech.

Aoi nodded at her mention of it being painful for those whose strings of fate have frayed. "Yes. It's very painful when you sever a tie to another person, especially one who is very close to your heart. When those strings fray and that relationship is gone, it feels almost as if...someone as tore a piece of your soul out and nothing remains but a gaping hole that no one can ever hope to fill..."

"Not what I meant either, you should reflect and learn from your past, not dwell on it. Life goes on regardless, time marches on and stops for none." Vech smiled sadly and looked at the lights around the cafe. one could imagine the world just out beyond those doors but what you did with your inner reflections and how you shaped yourself would play into how you interacted with it just as much as taking action or having no control of a certain aspect.

Vech nodded solemnly and then smiled, it was a painful truth no matter how close to someone's heart you are, all it takes sometimes is one bad event or misfortune and unlike other pain, heart pain was there until the day you die.