The Light of my Life

Looking for Love

Tamotsu loved to drive. He had taken it upon himself to drive Illyana to her gigs. The control and safety of being in his vehicle, away from the reach of others: it was a paradise for Tamotsu, who had a distinct feeling of unease around strangers. Illyana, on the other hand, disliked being driven around. She could understand Tamotsu's desire for efficiency,  unaware it was more that he was easily troubled in crowded spaces. His patience was cut in half in such circumstances and she found his grumpy face adorable. 

No, Illyana loved riding public transportation or walking. It lets her see new people, observe them in their daily lives. She was a people watcher, as creepy as it seemed for a Vampir to do. She couldn't help it. Maybe it was her innate drive as a predator, maybe it was her inability to live like them. It was really an awful contradiction to exist in because she wanted to be like them, yet she would never reach that point being who she was. She'd never be able to truly communicate with Humans or understand them. She would always be the other. 

Tamotsu was perhaps her only connection in that world. He was her bridge and she did everything in her power to not burn that link. Maybe it was wholly unconscious, but she knew there was something about Tamotsu that she loved. She wanted, at the very least, to be considered a friend for him.

But it was hard. He was impersonal during work and isolated himself when he had free time. It was almost as if Tamotsu looked to everyone as if they were outsiders and he was the king of his castle. It was sort of romantic because in a lot of ways that was quite Vampiric of him. Vampir were isolationist by their nature and tended to focus inward on their families. It was rare that a Vampir trusted someone outside of their clan, but falling in love with them was strangely common. 

She liked Tamotsu and wouldn't mind having been able to date him, but she couldn't say she loved him like that. She wasn't even sure if she could after the fiasco with her fiance. But she trusted him more than she trusted her own mother. 

Though that was already a pretty low bar.

"Auuwh, Momo. We should ride the train next time." Lily sunk into her seat in the back, lazily watching the landscape roll by in her window. "You could have more conversations with me~!"

Tamotsu chuckled. "It's more efficient this way." 

Bah! She knew it!

"But we can still talk. What's on your mind?" He spoke gently, warmly urging her to speak her mind. 

Lily sat herself up,  hands moving to press into the leather. She seemed to gleam with the offer. 

"I wanted to ask, for the role-play, of course, well what do you think of Vampir?"

Her question was unexpected, but he could understand it. People inherently feared Vampir. Conflict was a natural state between them and Humans whom they shared a predatory relationship with. It also didn't help that they were the result of the loss of half the Human population about one hundred years ago. 

It was a sensitive topic and most Vampir still faced prejudices as a result. They made mistakes that few were able to forgive them for.  And though Illyana was only half Vampir she found herself closer to her father's bloodline. Her mother was -- difficult, to say the least. 

"I don't know." He watched through the mirror as his words made her deflate. "But I do know what I like about Lily."

He was amused by this and she perked back up. Honestly, who ever said she wasn't cute? Damn typecasting. It would have halted her progress and he wouldn't stand for Lily not getting what she deserved. In truth she deserves much more than she got. The way she was treated and the way she treated others was disjointed. She was just a kind, cheerful woman who was a brilliant athlete and was always willing to try new things. Yet she had suffered, unnecessarily. Her selfish mother's only desire was to wallow in her worldly belongings and play the role of woeful princess. But it wasn't her who needed to be saved because while her mother fed her selfish fantasies Illyana was living a nightmare of those who tried taking advantage of her. She struggled to make social connections and almost drowned in loneliness. 

He understood because he lived a very similar life, but his ended in tragedy. He wouldn't let her story end that way. 

But he would continue. "I like Lily's tenacity, she never gives up. I also like how cute she is. I like cute things." He'd admit. 

"You do?" That was somehow unexpected. "Momo always seems so serious."

"Do I?" He didn't think he was. "Why do you say that?"

She wanted to snark and tease him about his serious expression, but she chose another one of his habits. 

"He's always focusing on work, so he doesn't seem to have fun."

"Oh well I have fun helping Lily. I like when she's happy because it means I'm doing my job. Your happiness is my number one priority as your manager." He proudly proclaimed. 

But that seemed to sadden her. She wanted to be a little more than his responsibility. But he seems to have noticed her dip in mood. Wasn't that enough for her? What did she want? Tapping his finger on the wheel he turned into the parking lot of the cinema they would be doing the signing. 

"Hey." He called out to Lily turning around in his seat. "Even if we're role-playing, I like Lily for who she is. You're a good friend."

Illyana looked over to Tamotsu, her heart swelling with joy. It looks like that's what she wanted to hear, but was it what Tamotsu wanted today? How could she think of him as her friend? She was Illyana! Top model of Blood Moon! She was one of their cutest and hard working models. She was an S-Class cutie for crying out loud!

After settling any worries Lily had, Tamotsu climbed out the car, opening Lily's door. As she climbed out he'd start his directions. 

"Alright, dear," he teased, since from here on they would keep their roles as boyfriend and girlfriend. "First we will be using the staff room they set aside for us to get ready. Dilwyn is waiting for us in the lobby."

Dilwyn was Illyana's bodyguard.  A tall foreigner who had white hair and a build perfect for the job. In the past Dilwyn and Tamotsu were mortal enemies. The man was his bully in middle school. They had many encounters where Tamotsu ended up in the nurse's office. By highschool Tamotsu had enough of it. After a certain incident it was Dilwyn who ended up in the hospital when he met Daido for the first time. 

That isn't to say Tamotsu did nothing. He held his arms back while Daido punched Dilwyn into a bloody pulp. His past aside, Dilwyn is a great bodyguard now. He listens to Tamotsu without question. 

After Lily got ready they met Dilwyn in the lobby. The white-haired guard turned around and was quite shocked. Before him was something not expected.

Illyana was dressed in a costume. It was an extravagant green ball gown that had black frills all around the hem. Large reflective glitter, the individual flakes about the size of a butterfly's wing, sparkled in the light. With each sway of her hips the light happily danced to her soundless tune. She had black, opera gloves made of silk that ran up the length of her arms to her elbows. The ends had intricately weaved lace that cast shapely shadows along the rest of her bare arm. The corset of the dress was a darker green with black trim and laces and pushed up her breasts while squeezing them in to give her a feminine charm that stopped short of sexually explicit with just a few inches of fabric.

Thigh high boots accentuated the outfit, the pointed toes branded with a design similar to the woven lace. Beneath her dress she wore black tights, never one to leave herself vulnerable. Around her neck she wore a green lace collar tied off in front with a black bow and an emerald colored stone bringing another accent to the outfit. On her back were a pair of butterfly wings wound from silk and wire. Her makeup was light, touched up to brighten some of her features to highlight her bright red eyes.

For fans it was easy to recognize as it was Lily's character from the anime she had voiced. 

Dilwyn raised his brows and looked to Tamotsu, who held up his hands to defend from the question.

"It was Lily's idea." He'd smile with pride. "What do you think?"

Dilwyn opened his mouth to speak, Lily awaiting the man's feedback.

"Cute." 

And who could deny it?