There was man, vampire. Barely out of his teens but he didn't look that wau.He was average in looks, his face was asymmetrical which made him look distinct and guy had acne scars on face. Scars made him look older than he originally was, scars made him look dangerous. He wore simple tshirt and jeans, his clothes were old and lustreless. Which showed that he came from poor economical background.
" Young master Eren, What happend to you?" He asked in worry, he noticed blood stains over Eren's clothes and hands.
His eyes were shining red like every other vampire but unlike most people he carried gentleness despite living such ardous life.
" Nothing jensen, blood's not mine." Eren thought for a while and answered, his clarification brought visible relief over both jensen and his kid brother. Ofcourse the question still remained in their mind, whose blood it was?
" Hey lucas, How've you been?"
Eren gazed at vampire boy, boy was around his own age and He looked normal, nothing like eren. Usual 14 year height and weight, maybe little less weight than how it should be but it wasn't something out of ordinary.
" Good brother eren." Lucas answered with a smile, Eren could see it clearly how truth sounded. He was smiling, he was chummy and he was enjoying it as he answered. Something eren had long forgotten.
" Here's your phone." Third man spoke as he handed eren his phone back, eren looked at his face and took it back calmly.
The third man was who pressed eren to give his phone and to help injured,
" Yes thank you for giving this back." Eren watched with surprise,
" No I should be thanking you, no actually I should first apologise for my ill mannered behavior then." Eren was surprised again because this man had manners, why was he this surprise? Because now he didn't wear the mask and cap and he looked otherworldly.
The guy had boucy black hair for head, typical vampiric features but it looked more prominent cause of his chiseled face. His body looked thin but had sufficient musculature and muscle mass. Even his jaw muscle seemed good, especially since his jawline was well defined, nose was sophisticated and eyes were sharp.
Eren knew he himself had beauty, wasn't arrogant about it but naturally analysed what made him better than others. Aspects such as nose, eyes, lips, jaw and general shape of face made one cute or handsome. And Eren had all those features with God level craftmenship, that made him handsome beyond usual mass of most handsome men.
By far Eren was on top of stunning radiance of charm, he didn't realise it but he was and for the first time he met someone on same level as his. The guy had all the nobility, beauty, Charm and charisma.
It was obvious to get shocked, jealous even,
" Brother?"
Lucas watched eren going silent and poked his hand.
" Yes, yes, And no, Don't apologise. If not for you I wouldn't be of any help." Eren smiled awkwardly to lucas, then shifted his smile to third man.
" What can I do for you gentlema-" burly man had noticed that few man came, they were talking with eren and judged them to be new customers.
He wanted to ask if they wanted to eat at well but his words choked on his throat, his eyes fixated on third man and his lips quivered in unknown erupting feelings.
" Nolan richards!!!" Word just slipped out his mouth stammering, his disbelief seemed out of the world, neither eren nor jensen understood why he acted such way.
" I mean sir Nolan, My name is huge fan. Can I take a photo with you?" Burly man blundered so stupidly, what was that made him such awkward in an instant.
That sight was especially bewildering to those present at scene, he was tall and bulky with big beard, mustache. Nobody imagined he'd be behaving such foolishness.
But third man, supposedly whom the huge fan referred as nolan richard smiled awkwardly and nodded.
Now situation was even weirder, ofcourse eren could guess that nolan was not random noble but high profile celebrity.
Burly man hurridly pulled out his phone and lifted his child in arm. He was worried if he blundered than nolan wouldn't take picture so his actions were rapid but out of finesse.
But nolan had no such thoughts, burly man took selfie first beside nolan and then requested for another, this time only with his 4 year old son.
Nolan couldn't reject it, and in few seconds while nolan lifted child up in his arms burly man captured dozens of photos.
" What is happening brother?" Lucas asked, but just like him eren and Jensen had no answers.
" No idea."
" Same here."
" What?, You don't know who sir Nolan is? Burly man hurridly grabbed jensen's shirt for investigation now that photo session had ended.
" I mean, No."
Jensen could feel his breath heated as he closed up in annoyance,
But then burly man pointed at a distant building's top. The building was huge with more than hundred floors, glassy appearance that lit in night, seemed extravagant. It was little far as it's foundation laid in shopping district while this was a residential area from where they looked and it still looked high enough to pierce sky with spear shaped top. It gave validation to sheer size of its humongous marvel.
But burly man wanted to show something else, there was a large screen on top that displayed few images repeatedly.
And there everybody noticed, promotion to upcoming UWC fight was being signaled. UWC meant ultimate warrior championship, as the name suggested it was fighting competition between warriors, being a warrior meant that they didn't had any other means to utilise mana other than physical enhancement.
Eren didn't knew what were the rules?, how did they fight? and how did they enjoy it?, hell he didn't even knew if it was really a fighting competition. He just logically assumed it was by the name which typically turned true.
And Fighting was not something eren considered fun.
" Sooo??" Jensen asked watching the screen and not understanding what burly man wanted to convey,.
" Just keep your eyes up." He was adamant on grabbing on jensen's face to direct towards the screen, as if he let go then Jensen would miss it.
And without much delay add progressed, It showed multiple portrait images of half naked individual who were competitors. List was long, Around 16 faces came to present.
" Now here comes the real deal." Just as burly man said it with amused arrogance, A Face was displayed with more decorating highlights than any other contenders.
Just like every other contenders his portrait showed face upclose but unlike others, or unlike most people of this world, he looked insanely charming, too charming to be a fighter. Also unlike others he wore casual shirt in his frame with lively smile that showed confidence.
Eren inspected twice and concluded that this nolan richards was the same UWC fighter.
Screen projected 'Two time champion.'
" You see that, UWC is second largest grossing sport in this country. Every year thousands of stage takes place all over the country for newbies to rise. Prelims proceeds with round 1 to 20. Can you realised how fine the process to weed out best of the best is? And Sir Nolan richard not only won once but twice, it's a feat that nobody has achieved since the start of UWC." His words were loud and expression grim, Now that he said it eren and Jensen took some seriousness of his status. Though they still couldn't really understand his magnanimity.
" Mr. Big fan I want to eat noodles." Lucas couldn't care less for what those adults were talking about, he was hungry and that's all that mattered.
" Big fan..papa." Burly man's child started laughing who was sitting at the table, suddenly burly man had all the eyes on him which made him red.
" Fuah.haha..."
And Jensen couldn't help but laugh out loud, nolan smiled and even eren felt compelled to let his restrain loose.
Burly man's face flushed red even more but then he looked at nolan and bowed again,
" Sir richard my name is fredo barns, I hope you bless my humble shop with your magnanimous heart." Fredo had tears in his eyes, he was sentimental. It showed how much he admired nolan.
" Ofcourse, That's why we're here, bring us your specials." Nolan smiled and patted his shoulders with gentle smile.
Fredo had butterfly in his stomach,
" You hear that michael, Great Sir Nolan has come to try out our shop. We shouldn't hold anything back." His eyes had flaming passion never seen before. His child michael was too young to understand his father's enthusiasm and could only smile to his face.
Nolan didn't shy away as he stepped forward, " Let me take care of michael, You prepare us food." And hearing that gave fredo almost a heartattack, His life long wish to meet sir Nolan was fulfilled m, but this, it was beyond anything he could imagine.
" Don't worry, I'm great with kids." Nolan's hand picked michael up in his arms as he tickled his cheeks softly, it instantly brought child to a purest laughter.
Fredo was stupefied, unable to process that such things were happening.
" Mr. big fan!!!, Foood." Lucas cried out in childish annoyance, he really didn't care for anything else.
Fredo came to his senses and hurridly ran to kitchen, his eyes showed urgency to prepare best food of his life.
Eren and Jensen were looking at each other, eren had doubts how nolan richards came in contact with Jensen. His eyes traced nolan playfully enjoying michael's company and child didn't even cry, usually they did with strangers.
Eren's stare brought nolan's attention, he smiled to eren but then sudden panic came to his face,
" Eren, Marco called." His words grew silent in hesitation but the he continued, " More than few times." He looked annoyed, Eren could share his stress. Marco had tendency to get way too close, to the point where it would be awfully annoying. Eren never complained, he just ignored it.
Eren smiled pitifully as he nodded to nolan, but did nothing. He should've called Marco but eren decided not to, Because if he did he needed to explain all the things and he didn't wanted to be bothered now.
" Brother eren, Who's blood is this?" Lucas asked, after much awaiting. jensen too shared his doubt and nervousness.
" There was an accident, So eren decided to help. He also gave me phone so that I could call an ambulance. That would also solve your question why I had his phone with me." Nolan answered instead. Jensen felt surprised knowing such incident had taken place.
" Yes and he helped me as well." Fredo from the shop chuckled as he added oil on the pan. " we helped few very injured patient to hospital so one of us needed to stay but I had my kid to pick up from tution and shop to open, so it was very generous of young master to help me out." Once oil seemed hot enough, freo added sliced onion that sizzeled in melody. He further added chilly powder, turmeric,salt and another few seasoning that soon brewed delicious aroma in the air.
Lucas had lost focus again, her eyes traced the pan and food within.
" Smells really good." Nolan genuinely showed expression of surprise which earned him eyes.
" You're too kind Sir richard, I know my small shop food cannot come close to your regal cuisine and even though I can't provide nutritional food that you usually take to maintain such physique, It wouldn't be any less in taste." Fredo then added noodles to the pan, mixing them up skillfully.
"Regal?, in name of diet I've been on only boiled and raw food. Nothing that could be called regal."
" I understand Sir richard, It's my pleasure to help you cheat once in while." Fredo was over the cloud as he prepared the noodles, He draw the ladle in circles inside the pan which mixed the ingredients to the plain noodles without damaging long strands.
Nolan didn't answer, he was salivating in anticipation and delicious smell of food enticed him more and more.
Once finished with the frying, Fredo served a circular dome shaped noodles in center of plate and garnished it with thinly grated cheese.
And toddler who was sitting beside nolan ran to his father with little tumbling steps, he didn't tumble but his every step made everyone present worry for him.
Luckily or the way his usual practice, he didn't falter, instead he picked the served plate in his tiny hands and slowly put it on table before nolan.
" Order up." Michael was small, his words were blabbered as he spoke and it sounded really cute.
Eren and Jensen smiled in love, Even nolan who had forgotten when michael broke from his embrace stared bewildered and proud. For a moment he even forgot about the food.
" Thank you good sir." Nolan pecked his cheeks that tickled him a bit and Michael burst into another fit of laughter.
Lucas too couldn't help himself and joined in the fun, he had some experience with kid but as a kid himself, he naturally formed a bond with Michael easily. Lucas had no toys to give so he gave michael bottle of salt that laid on table, and Michael was smart. He took the bottle and and in return gave him bottle of pepper.
But lucas showed a cheeky smile and hurridly snatched salt bottle from his hand, Michael eyes teared up but before he could even make a peep, lucas gave both bottles to him. It instantly lit up child's cute face.
Such delicate and responsive yet pure emotions they were.
Eren and Jensen were watching happily, eren with his usual complicated expression, Jensen too had some trouble written on his face, Even nolan who seemed to be esteemed celebrity had tension in his eyes. But all smiled as they enjoyed watching michael and Lucas play joyfully.
There was unspoken tension even in such heartful moment,
" Order up gentlemen." fredo served the same dish, prepared with same skills, same ingredients and same accuracy.
Lucas dropped to play with Michael and took one plate for himself, He didn't care for manners as he dig in the food ravenously. He was hungry and food smelled to delicious to hold back.
But he was kind as well, He offered small forkful of noodles to Michael. Small, Because he was small and his mouth could not feel too large of bite. Michael made sure to blew it cold, as he himself got burned in hurry and didn't wanted to harm michael.
Eren and Jensen joined in the food as well. As they imagined, noodles tasted delicious. Somehow the food made all their worry disappear.
" So Eren how did you meet Lucas and his brother?" nolan asked, wiping his lips clean off the souce.
Eren didn't answer, he was thinking that it was such a waste to let even tiniest of food go to waste. Nolan could've licked it clean and it would killing two birds with one stone.
Obviously he didn't say it out loud, Eren was taught table manners as well,nolan followed those manners and Eren didn't, that was difference.
Raising his brows, eren thought of the day he met lucas and answered as small smiled crept up on his face,
" Well he was stealing food, and I was watching if he would succeed or not." small chuckle slipped out his lips when thinking about it, " But he got caught and and do you know what he said to shop owner?" Eren chuckled again, unable to hold it in.
" I'm blind."
Nolan looked at lucas, and Lucas just shrugged under the three bewildered gazes. He avoided their eyes, especially his brother's. He was eyeing him daggers.
" His face,.. Hahaa..but I was too close and ended up laughing. So this little guy dragged me in his mess." Eren pocked Lucas's cheeks who were filled with noodles, he was busy with them and didn't bother to listen, No, he was purposely avoiding the topic.
Eren continued,
"Owner thought of Lucas as someone too young be blamed for his misdeeds, he needed his guardian or parents to be reprimanded and he also wanted someone to vent his anger on, So when Lucas just pointed his finger at me and called me brother, I was caught in it." Eren looked at his plate, Still pretty much same and delicious with serene contemplating expressions.
" Well then shop owner shouted on face for nearly half an hour." Eren smiled in mirth as he looked at Jensen with apologetic face.
" Brother eren, You said you'll keep it a secret.." Lucas cried out in anger, to which eren acted surprised.
" I totally forgot about that ." Eren lied to his face, This was revenge.
" Lucas, You said brother eren helped you when few boys were picking on you." Jensen looked at lucas with a smile, And lucas felt scared under his reprimending smile.
He didn't answer, he couldn't. He even forgot that food was getting cold as Jensen kept his eyes locked and busy.
Though Jensen smiled, Suggesting his dotting behavior for his brother, there was anger. Everybody could see it, he wasn't very clever in hiding it. Even lucas knew those expression meant trouble.
" Don't be too uptight Jessy, I'm sure he's learned his lesson." Nolan barged in the conversation, he meant good and he also didn't like this sour mood.
" Yes let it go."
Jensen didn't say anything for a while and shrugged with a sigh saying, " Out of respect for you Eren."
Jensen was already 20 years old, Older than Eren and looked even older because of thin musculature and aged skin.
And Lucas was 14, Similar to Eren. But because eren looked older and noble, They both held eren in high regard.
" Respect for him and not me hmph.." Nolan turned his back with puffed chest, he sounded jealous.
" No Brother nolan, It's not like that." Jensen got up from his seat, shaking nolan's shoulder with apologetic smile but he didn't budge.
" Why? because he's rich kid acting high and might. This shop owner too, You called him young master. Do I not look like fancy young master from rich background?" Nolan held their heart in guilt, Jensen and fredo was tied by it. Fredo especially, On one hand his favourite idol and in other end good guy eren.
" Come on nolan, look at their faces. You're gonna give them heart attack." Eren laughed, watching nolan picking at those two.
Jensen and fredo was left speechless staring at him, their eyes immediately sought nolan for varification of Eren's words.
Nolan was really smiling, barely holding his laughter from breaking out as he turned to face them.
Jensen was lost for words, Even fredo was left mute.
" Brother nolan, For a second I really though I'd angered you."
" No no jessi, I just saw a moment and played, Nothing serious." He swatted his hand in humorous clarification.
" Besides I knew about eren who helps you time to time from certain little miscreant." Nolan peeked at lucas with playful wide grin.
" I just didn't knew the guy would be this handsome. You know it's really miracle, For all the few hours I know him, he's good in both personality and looks. I mean that's a gem." Nolan held Eren's eyes but eren simply shrugged, Not bothering with his compliment.
" Wish I could say the same." Hearing Eren's remark, Situation completely died out.
" I was... Joking." Too awkward that eren cleared out his throat with embarrassed expression.
And even after his clearance, everything was in stalemate. Nobody said anything, it was only after few dozen seconds that nolan burst out laughing.
" Good one eren."
" Aren't you angry?" Asked eren, weirded out by his words.
" Why?, It was just a prank. You pull my leg, I pull your ear. The way I see That's begining of great friendship." nolan chuckled to himself, Looking at Jensen with cheeky smile.
" And You're better than this old fellow." Nolan pulled him on chair beside him and put arm around his shoulder.
" All he does is Worry, worry and worry." Nolan poked his cheek. That annoyed Jensen to great degree but he was reserved to begin with, he didn't open up very easily.
" Brother nolan you'll realise that, Responsibility is heavier than anything." His words were as his body, stiff and straight. His eyes showed Anxiouness, it showed he was really troubled in life.
" Eren You do have humour and I'm sure you'll get your timing right next time but we need to work on your smile." Nolan ignored Jensen, walking upto eren and twisting his cheeks as he wished.
Eren was surprised, little annoyed and mostly awkward. Nolan was something that could be very well be defined as extrovert, on the other end eren was exact opposite.
Eren was having hard time seeing as nolan rubbed his cheeks in circles, enjoying it with pleased smile. Suddenly his fingers glided over to his waist, poking successively.
And as he expected, that tickled. Eren burst out laughing, unbale to hold it under nolan's unending assault.
Eren resisted, he coiled his arm to block nolan but failed, nolan's flurry of attack had agility of snake, poking in, receding out and changing direction to evade Eren's defence.
Pitiful Eren had tears in eyes and pain in abdomen with much laughing, he wanted to nolan to stop but he didn't, With much effort he finally succeeded. With nolan's hand tightly gripped in his arm, he finally had a breather.
But then another jolt of tickle rose from underarms and then waist, this time it was lucas.
Tickle wasn't painful but awfully electrifying. Eren's skin crawled again, and in state of panic and spook, eren lost the grip on nolan.
" Nice work lucy." Nolan didn't waste any time as he joined lucas in the attack, His intentions were apparent.
Eren had barely any time to breath when Lucas foiled his success, now he needed to defend against two. For a moment it seemed impossible but after consecutive encounter, eren learned the trick to defend efficiently. Not that he blocked 100 percent but managed avoid 50 percent. that was small relief and once finding opportunity, Eren broke free from their tightly closed space to much open, where he could run and avoid their sneaky hands.
" Young master Eren, you shouldn't leave your food unattended." saying so nolan stole Eren's plate. Just a moment ago eren wanted to get away from him and now he was forced to chase him. Alas he didn't had a choice, food was one thing he desperately cling to.
Eren ran with his might, yellow core strength was overtaking His body, his speed insane that caused wind to swish intensely. But nolan was always one step ahead.
Nolan jumped around, circled around shop and evaded eren's arms. He was playing, afterall his strength was far more than Eren and after few minutes of chasing, even eren knew how futile his efforts were.
As much as he hated it, Eren had no choice but to give up, not completely but partially.
Eren's eyes searched for fredo,
" Another few plates of those delicious noodles please."
Saying so eren shifted his eyes on nolan with cheeky grin,
" I'll take that one as well." nolan smiled in return, was he offended by what eren said earlier? Or was he really this childish?
Eren had doubt, but he didn't bother with it, there was a chance he would never even meet him again after this, why would eren care for what and how he was? Besides, it was all but pranks, wasn't it? Then He also wanted to reply with prank.
" Oh I dare you to."