Goodbye Nostalgia [Ichijou/Vanyel]

He had to say, it was pretty damn satisfying to win the next match, even if it was by the skin of his teeth. His grin grew wider, gradually revealing the medium-sized fangs that had taken root after his demonic transformation. So, taking his hands off the cabinet for a moment after the match was over and stretching for a moment, he took a glance over to her.

Well, he couldn't shake the feeling that he knew her too, but he hadn't been able to really think about where he would know her from. He had met and come across countless people in his life, good terms or no, and many of them had blurred together. Sighing softly, he rubbed the back of his neck for a moment.

"Well, I 'unno what to tell you. I've had that feeling too, but...I've met so many people over the years, and it all kinda blurs together. I'm just some random ex-yakuza with white hair -- not a whole lot of people like that. I dunno where you've seen me from, but, maybe if I repeat the details and put 'em all together, it'll click, I guess."

As Ichijou paused the game, he let his hands go back to his sides as he turned to face the little vampire, letting her stare at him if she needed to look at him, in case she really did know him, and he did the same -- scanning her up and down to try and remember where he knew that face from. But, as her own features seemed to light up -- figuring that she finally knew where she remembered him from -- she started to untie her hair and let it down.

That was when it clicked for him, and the name she gave was what sealed it: Rachael Mikaela. How in the living fuck had he not recognized that face? He had forgotten the small trip that he had made to Romania, all those years ago with his sworn brother in the Kudo-Kai, and they had come across a blonde girl living in the gutters, alone, without anyone to call family -- or anywhere to call home. It had struck a chord with Vanyel specifically and was the reason why he did what the boss had done for him all those years ago: gave her a reason to live.

He treated her to a meal, got her a new pair of clothes, took her back to the hotel that he and his kyodai were staying at to get a bath or shower, then took her back to Japan with them, giving her a new start at life. But, even with that, they had kept their distance to try and keep the innocent girl out of the dark, dangerous world of the underground. So, not long after they met her, they disappeared -- only for Vanyel to reunite with her all these years later.

"Ah, christ, Rachael..."

His voice was quiet, yet soft-spoken as he chuckled softly before he reached over and ruffled the girl's hair a little, smiling warmly and opening his arms for her -- wordlessly requesting a hug. Even if Ichijou couldn't sense emotions -- she would certainly be able to feel the gentleness in his presence: a sense of warmth and care with this revelation. He was glad to see that she was alive and doing well. If he were being honest, part of him wanted to tear up from how happy he was to see her.

After all, he saw a lot of himself in her -- and for that little gutter punk to be standing before him today, was something that just roused emotion in him. A part of his past that he was more than happy to embrace and hold closely. She was someone he cared about, as a person, and as a friend.

"Heya, kid. Been a while, huh?"

The moment she started crying, Vanyel found himself tearing up along with her, and Ichijou wasted no time diving into his outstretched arms, and he didn't say a word as he held her close to his chest, gently stroking her hair. While he hadn't known the girl for too long before he disappeared from her life to prevent her from getting a target on her back by being associated with the underground, he still resonated with her and cared for her.

He knew what it was like to live life in the gutters and the shadows -- it was no way to live for anyone, and when he had the power and ability to bring her out of that, he wasn't going to just pass her by and let her continue to live that life. If he had the power to change someone's life, even if by just a small bit, he would do it without a second thought.

"I'm so glad you're still kickin', Rachael."

Slowly breaking away from the embrace and standing up, his eyes briefly went to the cabinet, chuckling softly as the timer ran out, but he couldn't care less. He ruffled Ichijou's hair as he took a few steps forward, turning around with a warm smile on his face as he spoke.

"Fuck the game. Let's get somethin' to eat, my treat. We've got a hell of a lot of catching up to do, Rae."

Turning around and walking out of the arcade museum, Vanyel waited by the door for Ichijou, before pointing down the street and starting to walk toward a takoyaki stand nearby, getting food and drinks for the two of them, then sitting down on a bench, waiting for the little bloodsucker to join him.

Everything felt so right -- it felt too good to be true.

Vanyel never stopped smiling as they sat down with their food, the demon passing Ichijou's portion to her and setting it in her lap, reaching over and ruffling her hair as she rested her head against his shoulder. It felt like they were reliving the same events from years ago, two friends, sitting down for a bite to eat. To have someone he viewed as a little sister, someone he would save the life of again and again without question, sitting here with him and relishing in the nostalgia and enjoying this small moment of peace...

It was something that he wouldn't trade for the world. He had Calypso, his fiancee, and now he had Ichijou -- to him, it felt as if fate was finally being kind to him for once. Chuckling softly as she vocalized the mildly comedic nature of everything coming back to the concept of devilry within this meeting -- him turning into a demon, soon to be married to a demon, and Ichijou herself dating a demon that he was also connected to.

"One helluva writer, that's all I could tell you."

Despite everything, Vanyel found his smile faltering as a small piece of guilt tugged at his heart -- the fact that they were separate from one another for so many years. Thus, Vanyel set his toothpicks and takoyaki in his lap, he gently put a hand top of Ichijou's head, his voice lowering.

"I'm sorry that we disappeared all those years ago. We didn't want to do it, but we knew that you'd never leave our side if we didn't. We...wanted to keep you as far away from the yakuza world as we could."