Francis took my hand as Gilbert let me down, and he pulled me into his chest, where he sat on the ground. He held my back to his chest, arms wrapped around me as they waited for Alfred to announce the beginning of their "festivities."

Vasch's servants entered the room from the hallway leading to the kitchen with silver dining trays full of small pint glasses full of blood.

"Oh look, it's the blood drugs," I said playfully.

"And you are never drinking those again," Francis sighed, recalling the memory.

"I wouldn't mind if she did," Alfred snickered.

"Let her-a do it," Lovino joked.

Of course, Heracles hummed in agreement.

There were at least ten other men and women insisting they let me, most of them having been people I'd asked. I blushed and turned around in Francis's lap, unintentionally straddling his waist.

Gilbert stared down Ludwig, who was blushing and avoiding eye contact as he sipped slowly on the blood. Maybe Ludwig secretly agreed with the others, and Gilbert could tell. That, or he was still sour Ludwig was the first person I'd asked.

Heracles' eyes lingered on me too long for Antonio's liking, and he sat in front of me, blocking my view of everyone else and the visibly excited pet humans.

"Alright, everyone! Let's get the fun started," Alfred exclaimed, and everyone raised their empty pint glasses, handing them back to the servants before turning around to their meals of the night.

Francis turned around and rolled me onto my back, out of his lap, and Antonio raised my leg over his shoulder. I'd been careful choosing my outfit this night, and Antonio pushed back my loose pants to get to his favorite spot before taking the first bite.

I sighed and looked at the ceiling before Francis blocked my view, looking down at me and giving a faint smile before carefully propping me up a bit so he could lean in to bite my shoulder.

Gilbert didn't care about grace or seductiveness at the moment and yanked my shirt upwards along with my bra, sinking his teeth into my lower-breast, hungrily.

My eye twitched, and Francis noticed and used one hand to gently tap Gilbert who hummed in response and I felt the vibration on my chest, it tickled a little and a giggled. Gilbert's face grew pink in response, and his bite deepened, causing my back to arch.

Gilbert's drinking was louder and sloppier than usual, and I couldn't decide which reason it must be. The initiation? The protectiveness? His claim on me? Or maybe his venom is heating up, and he needs more than unusual.

I decided that must be the case when Antonio and Francis finished their meal and licked the blood from their lips, watching Gilbert aggressively feeding.

Francis rubbed circles into Gilbert's back and Gilbert calmed at his touch, something that seemed to comfort Francis.

Gilbert continued his feeding even after several moans could be heard around the room already. The first sign things were about to escalate.

Antonio and Francis undressed themselves down to their silk underwear and set their nice suits aside carefully before turning back to Gil and me and gently shaking Gil so he'd stop, but he would not.

Finally, I wrapped my arm around Gil and ran my fingers through his hair. He let out a vibrating growl and finally looked up at me. Blood from the wound slid down my side, and Antonio leaned in to seal the wound since Gilbert seemed lost in a trance.

He licked his lips and sat up, he held out his hand to me, and I looked just as lost as Francis and Antonio. Still fully dressed, he uttered the words I never expected from his mouth, "I'm...not veally in the mood..."

"The fuck?" We heard Eliza say across the room, as she had heard Gilbert.

Gilbert blushed and turned around to walk upstairs to where the dhampires and vampire kids were.

"Follow 'im," Francis instructed me, and I nodded and pulled down my shirt and pants, running after him upstairs.

"Gil," I called. "Gil," I said more sternly, and he turned around to look at me.

"Ja?"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie."

He blushed again and turned around awkwardly.

"I just...vant to have some downtime vith you..."

Now I blushed at his sentimentality and looked down just as awkwardly as he was.

"If I stay down vhere, I'll get tangled up and lost in lust, and you'll be up here vithout me..."

"If you want to have your...'fun' then you can..."

He turned around and glared at me, eyes dark. "Vith another voman? Jou are okay, vith vhat?" He snapped, evidently angry, and I felt beads of sweat run down my forehead.

"I-it's uncomfortable...but I'm not going to impose on centuries of tradition."

"It's not tradition, it's just lust," he mumbled quietly.

He turned back around to face me and took my hand, leading me to the open space where the kids were gaming. They turned around, surprised to see us, and Tarkan looked away, worried he was about to be scolded, which made me laugh on the inside.

"Uncle Gil!" Everyone but Tarkan cheered in unison.

"Hey guys," Gilbert smiled and held out his arms for a hug, which Raphael, Peter, and Wendy ran into. He smiled and fell over, genuinely happy as he laughed and ruffled their hair.

"Why are you purposely missing out? Are you afraid for ___?" Tarkan interrupted, and Gilbert propped himself up on his elbows as Peter continued to cling to him. Gilbert gave him a confused look and shook his head.

"Nein, I just vanted to spend quality time vith ___," he hummed, and I turned away as a blushed.

Raphael, Peter, wendy, and Erwald moved out of my way as Gilbert tugged on my sleeve and brought me next to him, leaning against the wall watching as Raphael and Peter resumed their game and Raphael completely destroyed Peter in Splatoon: Seven Keys.

Peter was trying not to cry, and I was cozy against Gilbert, and for once, things felt like they should be. This was exactly what I needed. No angst. No sexual activities. No current concerns until later. Just Gilbert and I.

Tarkan decided to join Gilbert and I against the wall and looked nervous before asking Gilbert, "why are you spending quality time with a human. I don't understand," he grumbled.

Gilbert raised a brow in concern, "you've never really been around humans, have you?" He asked, and Tarkan shook his head.

"I know about them from history books. They are bloody and dirty. This earth is going to hell because of them."

"Most of us vere once human. Humans aren't all really at fault, but the majority are. Vhat's vhy veganism became a big thing. Some humans care about the earth so much, vhey von't even eat meat. As someone who lived in the twelfth century, it's hard to imagine not taking a chance to eat meat. Vhat vas a veal treat back vhen..." Gilbert reminisced.

"What was being human like?"

"___ can tell you."

"She's still human, it doesn't count, you've been both," he argued, and Gilbert shrugged, seeing his point.

"Very different," he leaned forward, readjusting his position as he became more invested in Tarkan's questions. "Vampires...ve are millions of times stronger vhan humans. Vhen I voke up, it vas like my eyes had never been open before. I could hear the whole vorld; I could smell fire on the mountains vhere I'd come from miles avay, I could taste the dust in the air...it vas surreal and enlightening. Vhen it vas horrifying...urges are so much harder to control, and food doesn't taste as good as blood. Blood doesn't take like copper anymore; it's so different human to human. Being human is like...being trapped, I guess. Vith venom, our bodies are capable of so much more vhat looking back on human life it feels like I vas cheated out of so much. Vhese powers, und senses, und strength..." he trailed off, and Tarkan seemed interested.

"Tarkan, What is it like for you?" I asked, and he seemed surprised I was talking to him, and he shrugged and thought about it for a moment while his friends remained distracted playing games.

"I don't know. I feel myself get stronger all the time and looking at humans...I feel...so superior. But ___ is the first Human I've really talked to and...she seems fine...despite having no power against me at all, she stands up like she does. It's kind of...stupid."

Gilbert laughed loudly and patted me on the back.

"Vhat's just ___. From vhat I've seen she's blunt, she's strong, she determined, relentless, doesn't know Vhen to give up, stubborn as all hell, completely fearless and a serious force of nature. ___ is beast mode compared to other humans," he complimented and I blushed.

"How is she different physically?"

"Huh? Vell...just vook at vhese muscles. Not all humans have them. She can climb mountains and rock walls and deadlift over a hundred pounds, and she once carried Toni up the stairs when he passed out. She has social media, if you scroll back far enough, you see pictures of her vinning races, posing on top of cliffs, swimming in the ocean, just enjoying life and improving herself as best she can and not all humans aim for that, are capable of that or are as talented as her."

I continued to blush.

"I'm not a good example of a human," I tried to interject, and Gilbert gave me a confused look.

"My brother is way better. He always works out, he got his license before me even though he's younger, and a car. He's great with his money, he runs his own business, he's been working since he was twelve, he can cook just about anything or fix any electrical problem, he has amazing friends, is rich, loving the single life and has his own house and he's only twenty," I argued.

"Aww." Gilbert cooed.

"What?"

"You love your bruder."

"Of course I do. I'm just trying to make my point he's the perfect human, except he sweats a lot..."

Tarkan seemed more confused than ever.

"But all that is boring stuff all humans are expected to do. Just cause he's better at it doesn't mean he's actually really talented or anything. Your brother doesn't have the ambition to do what you are. He hasn't seen the world, he doesn't know all your languages, he doesn't know the big secret about vampires, and you get so much more freedom."

"I have less freedom than you know. Mostly the government's fault."

The three of us sweatdropped.

"All generations can relate to vhat I think," Gilbert chuckled nervously before arguing for me again in what would make me blush even more. "You don't need to always work out to stay fit. You got your license vhen you vere comfortable, and you aren't great vith money, so it took you longer to get your van, but vhen you did jou got everything together all at once without hesitation. Tarkan is right, you speak, and respect and have seen so many cultures. You've matured in ways most humans don't; you've seen the world and all its beauty and all its hardships, and you've lived through them too. You're an empath; you can feel the tears of a childless mother, the pain from a family scattered in war, the joy of a tribe when a new babe is born, the spirits of the religious praising their god, the hurt of someone on the wrong path, you know those things. Those things are human things, and if your bruder or anyone else doesn't really know those things, then they aren't as mature and human as you."

I hid my face; I was almost teary-eyed.

"You should stay stuff like this more often instead of blunt sexual flirting," I muffled in my sleeves, and he blushed, and Tarkan laughed at him. The first time I'd seen Tarkan really smiling.

"Humans are complicated," was all he said and leaned his head back. "I guess it's good after all that I'm not one."

That raised a few questions for Gilbert and I.

"Did you want to be one?" I asked, surprised, and he shrugged.

"Not really. I just...wondered what it felt like. Besides, I'm scared-no. Worried...that my urges will be terrifying."

"At least you won't go through heat unless the queen forces it," Gilbert rubbed his back.

"Thanks for that reminder," Wendy said apathetically as she focused on the tv, trying to beat Raphael for the championships.

"Unless the queen forces it?" I questioned, and Gilbert blushed.

"Oh Ja. Doesn't happen often but usually, after massive vampire causality or before a big event she can control venom to make it, so both genders go into heat and seek each other out for help in hopes of increasing our population and familiarity.....probably von't happen for a few more years..." he trailed off, wondering. "Ve usually get a warning through Telepathy, but I think she's trying to figure out technology. Eduard is an expert, so he's been sent to help her close staff."

"That seems like fun."

"Nah..."

"Is the queen nice?"

Gilbert sweat-dropped. "Vell....she isn't merciless or cruel, but her mercy is usually based on curiosity. She vet me live because she vondered vhat made me different. She vet Ludwig live because he vas the one and only of his species and valuable to the race. She usually makes decisions based on vhat her council decides no matter vhat it may be. Vhat's vhy council members can be terrifying; they have more power vhan anyone. If you can influence the queen vhen you are just as strong basically."

"And I heard Alfred gets away with some stuff?"

Gilbert snickered and nodded, "she has a soft spot for him. Everyone has different bets on why, but it's still a mystery. Maybe it's just because he's stupid and really doesn't know better most of the time."

"I dunno. I think Alfred is hiding more intelligence than we think. I think his true nature is rather malefic."

"Malefic?"

"Don't think I've heard vhat in a few centuries," he joked.

"Does he not concern you?"

Gilbert shrugged, "Alfred is terrifyingly strong. Vhat is vhy ve don't veally question or mess vith him. He's all bright and cheerful till you piss him off. Besides, he had a fling vith Francis, so he's sort of okay vith us. Not Toni, though. Vhose two hate each other."

"Ooo, drama, I'm in," Wendy said and paused their game before Raphael could win. She scrambled over to us and sat down excitedly.

Gilbert blushed, not sure he should continue.

"I wanna know everything the adults are gossiping about right now!" She insisted.

"Huh? Vell most of it is about ___, so I'm not sure I should say..."

"Wait; what?" I asked, and he looked away from my laughing nervously.

"Okay, no, now I need to know too," I urged him and shook him gently.

He sighed and relented, "Fine. Vhere are vots of theories and stuff basically. Lily thinks you aren't human. Zasch thinks you're vike some kind of magnet. Some people vhink your real aura is a death Viper, not a Venus fly trap-"

"I knew it!" Peter shouted across the room, and Erwald rolled his eyes and facepalmed in annoyance of his friend.

"Some people vhink you aren't a virgin and your aura just masks it. Vhere are also theories on vhat happened vhat night vith Shenck. Some people vhink he scratched you, and you'll be a Lupus."

"Gross," Tarkan hissed.

"Oh no, I hope not," Wendy fretted.

"Some people don't believe ___ actually killed Dedric and ve are only saying vhat as some kind of false testimony of vhy she'd make a good vampire...and just other random stuff."

"Like?"

Gilbert scratched his head and grit his teeth, "Vell...some people, vike Sadik and Arthur, vhink you're more interested in Heracles vhat us, and vhat you are drawn together because you're soulmates or something..."

"Is there a way to tell?"

"Vhat?"

"Soulmates?"

"Nein. Ve don't veally know. Jou can sometimes tell based on aura compatibility but vhat doesn't alvays mean jou are perfect for eachother. For example, Alfred and I have perfect matching auras, and it's true ve are friends, but it's nothing more vhan vhat. Same goes for lily and Zasch, but they're siblings. Or Kiku and Heracles, Kiku and you, Arthur and Francis, Elizabetta and Vlad. Sometimes perfect matching auras are a very bad thing."

"But...but doesn't my aura go well with your's and Francis's and Antonio's?"

Gilbert nodded, "Ja."

"So...then how do we know if it's actually a really bad thing."

He looked nervous but concluded, "ve don't."