((This is the prologue, when they're kids, and the rest of the story takes place many years later. I warn you now that we've only written half a chapter past this, so it probably won't be updated for a while. But it will be! One day!))

--

"So, how would you feel about biting me?" Tendaji looked at his best friend as he leaned against the wall of their tree house. Sunlight slanted through the cracks in the planks and patterned the air inside with alternating streaks of gold and shadow.

"Uhhh..." Wyrd looked up from contemplating the light patterns. "You want me to bite you?"

Tendaji distractedly pulled on one of his many thin braids and observed the silver bead on the end. "Well, yeah."

"Errrm... okay, I guess." Wyrd scratched at his arm.

"I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to..." Tendaji shrugged and let go of his braid. "I... It was just an idea."

"If you want me to do it, come over here." Wyrd held out an arm.

Tendaji smiled and crawled across the dusty floor to Wyrd. "Does it hurt?"

Wyrd shook his head. "No, it doesn't hurt." He awkwardly arranged Tendaji to his liking, tilting his friend's head back and putting one arm around his waist, the other at his shoulder. "Ready?"

Tendaji hesitated, and then nodded, reaching up to clasp the hand on his shoulder with one of his own.

Wyrd lowered his face to Tendaji's exposed neck, licking a spot before biting carefully into his skin.

Tendaji drew a sharp breath and closed his eyes tightly, his heart pounding.

Wyrd made a soft noise, drawing from the wound only briefly before pulling away and licking it clean.

With a sigh, Tendaji visibly relaxed and leaned into Wyrd. His heart started to slow and, slowly, he opened his eyes, which were hazy as they stared at the knotty floorboards.

Wyrd rubbed Tendaji's back, letting his own eyes fall closed.

After a moment, Tendaji sat up. "That wasn't so bad..." Tentatively, he felt his neck and amended, "Actually, it wasn't bad at all..."

Wyrd opened his green eyes and smiled. "How did it feel?"

"Ah..." Tendaji smiled sheepishly and blushed, though it didn't show through his dark skin. "Good."

Wyrd laughed a little. "Now I want to know what it feels like..."

"Well, maybe you should find a vampire and ask them to bite you."

"But wouldn't that be weird? For a vampire to bite another vampire..." Wyrd glanced out the entrance doubtfully.

"I don't know, you tell me. Maybe if you asked real nice..." Tendaji smiled pleasantly and folded his hands in his lap.

Wyrd laughed and shook his head. "Maybe. Do you want to go get ice cream?"

Tendaji laughed too. "What, you're still hungry?" He stood up and brushed his hands off before offering one to Wyrd.

Wyrd blushed slightly (which was very noticeable on his pale skin) and took Tendaji's hand, standing. "What's wrong with a healthy appetite?"

Tendaji let go once Wyrd was up and started for the doorway, laughing. "Nothing at all." Then he left the tree house and climbed down the rope ladder to the ground. Looking back up at Wyrd, he called, "Last one there's a rotten egg!" and started running towards the house.

"Cheater!" Scrambling down from the tree house, Wyrd took off running after Tendaji.