Secretly Enemies (nico/Bunz)

Bunnbunz3

Member
From a young age, there had only been one goal that really stood out to Matthias Wesly. Unlike many of the other goals, this particular one wasn’t something forced upon him by his family. It had no need for the traditional violence and bloodshed that was worshiped throughout the generations of his ancestors. This goal was strengthened by the pure thirst for freedom and an insatiable yearning for a life without his family’s responsibilities. The time to make this dream a reality had finally come into play on his twenty-fifth birthday. It was also supposed to be the day his little brother Lance would start his initiation into the Crescent Moonlight Clan.

The ceremony of getting initiated is a brutal year long tradition that starts at the age of eighteen years old. Once you were eighteen, you were expected to be given your first trial; which was one step closer to being a warrior of the clan. The trials were ruthless and made you question your morals or decisions. It was supposed to be a way to desensitise any compassion you had for the monsters we call vampires. Having been put through those trials, Matthias knew just what Lance was going to be up against. There was no way that he’d see Lance’s innocence disappear first hand. Even though he had tried to convince Lance many times to leave with him, Lance would reject his offer; he was always more into his family’s tradition than he was. Matthias knew the darkness that was tucked away in the fake rays of light that blinded many. He could never forget how that darkness made him feel and soon ran away to what he’d thought would free him from his family’s grasp.

Yet, who knew that running away without a plan would be so....frustrating?

Matthias growled under his breath in the cool rain that poured upon him. His breath was heavy and despite the hoodie that covered his head, Matthias’s dark brown hair was already fairly damp. His blazing hazel eyes scanned the apartment complex he now stood in front of, confirming that he had arrived at his destination. This was where he’d meet his roommate that he found from an AD online. The rent was decent and so was the apartment itself; at least, that’s what it seemed like from the photos. In the situation he was in at the moment, it really didn’t matter what he thought. That AD had been the only option that made itself convenient at that point in time. His desperation was definitely something that played into his factor of choosing his new living space.

In all honesty, he was kind of uncomfortable with the fact that his roommate was a woman. He had been living with men all his life. Dealing with five brothers is what he was used to. The only other two women in his life were his mother and his sister and even then, they confused the shit out of him. However, Matthias couldn’t be bothered to think of his own plight in rooming with a girl. He had to do whatever it took to get her to have him as a roommate. Even if it meant that he had to make a few lies about his background and who he was in order to be her roommate.

Whether she believed him or not was really important; the important thing was that she agreed to letting him be a potential roommate. In any other case, he was in a terrible mood and wanted to get inside as quickly as he could to get shelter from the rain. Matthias swung the door open, trying to control his immense strength from breaking it in the process. His hands dug themselves into the sleeves of his long black suit jacket that came over his light grey hoodie that kept his body warm and dry from the rain. A rather big duffel bag hung at his left hip with a strap coming across his chest and over his right shoulder. It looked pretty heavy but felt as light as a feather due to Matthias’s superhuman strength. Superhuman strength was probably the only good thing in his family’s lineage but even then, it had its downs. He shook his head as he let the hood fall and made his way to the elevators of the small complex while ignoring a small greeting from the receptionist at the front. Pushing the button, he waited for the elevator to descend as he tapped his white sneakers in his own rhythm of impatience.

The receptionist from afar raised an eyebrow at Matthias looking him over before commenting, “Seems like you didn’t have an umbrella mister.”

Matthias glanced to the side at her before crossing his arms in annoyance. “Yeah. I guess I forgot it.” he replied moodily.

The lady snorted, seeming to be amused by Matthias's answer and turned her head the other way. Turning his head and raising a brow, Matthias couldn’t help but glare at her.

“What?” The lady questioned, looking up once more and letting Matthias get a full view of her face now. She was a rather pretty looking woman with an obvious smug look on her face. Her eyes were a dark brown and her light brunette hair was tied up in a bun.

“The names Lily if you were wondering~.”

“I never asked.” Matthias looked away from her as the elevator beeped and opened. Lily chuckled, laying back in her office chair. Matthias’s eyes only looked forward as he hoped he could just get where he needed to be quickly and get done with the first impression that actually mattered. He was then greeted with an old frail woman, leaning on the cane that supported her weight. Sighing, Matthias stepped to the side waiting for her to walk out.

“Mrs. Harring! Out again this late at night?” The receptionist shouted, making him turn his attention toward the older woman. Her hair was grey and her features could have most assumed that she was in her late 60s. She was short and gave off a sort of calming aura. Mrs. Harring gave a weak chuckle as she moved with her cane.

“Yes, yes...so it seems. A woman’s work is never done, even at this age.” Mrs. Harring replied happily, giving a look at Matthias. “Why hello there. You seem like a new face.”

Matthias gave a weak smile trying his best to be respectful at the very least. “Yeah. I guess I’m renting out a place with-” he was soon cut off by a hard thud that came from the top of his head. Matthias winced as he moved his hands onto his head, realizing that the old hag just hit him with her cane.

“W-what the-”

“You guess or you know?” the old woman questioned.

“I-I...Ow! H-hey!”

He was then interrupted again by Mrs. Harring’s cane hitting him over and over again, not looking to stop. Lily’s voice echoed in the background, obviously laughing at the situation Matthias found himself in. Of course, this infuriated Matthias even more, making the fire in Matthias blaze even more.

“Hey!” Matthias snapped as he grabbed the cane, holding it in place so it wouldn’t move to hit him again. “Are you crazy?! You really do got some nerve you old hag! I’m already in a bad mood so don’t piss me off more than I already am!”

“Well then, I suppose that’s better.” Mrs. Harring said, looking hardly fazed by Matthias’s outburst. Matthias then developed a look of confusion as he hesitantly let go of Mrs. Harring’s cane.

“I prefer talking with an honest man then one with stupefied emotions or actions he can’t express clearly.” she continued to explain, seeming to be clearly unsatisfied with the outcome. “You seem like a boy who has a hard time making his own decisions. Not only that, but a boy who executes his plans and actions half assed.”

Matthias could only look at the old woman, flabbergasted with just how honest she was being. He was at a loss for words, trying to figure out if he should laugh or scream in rage.

“A young man who is apparently drenched by the rain and has barely any luggage is either a man who makes childish mistakes, or is a man who is down on his luck. But it seems like it might be both. A word of caution young man…” the woman lowered her cane and tapped it on the ground before continuing, “being wet can lead to catching a rather bothersome cold.”

Matthias raised a brow as Mrs. Harring smirked, making a soft chuckle. The old woman walked by him, leaving Matthias lost in his jumbled thoughts of confusion, anger, and amusement. The elevator doors started closing, making his head snap back. He lunged at the doors, stopping the doors from shutting just in time. Sighing in relief, he finally stepped inside and pressed a button to move the elevator to the second floor. Soon, he was left with just his thoughts as the elevator started to move up.

“What a weird old hag. The fact she had the guts to speak her mind really made my blood boil. Saying that I half ass things and that I'm indecisive isn't something that should have come out of an old lady’s mouth. A stranger at that!” he muttered, giving another sigh as he let his back press up against the back wall of the elevator. Thinking back to what she had said, he couldn’t deny the honesty in her words. It was as if she had read him like a book. Was he really that obvious?

His family was always in control of his life and this was the first time he was doing what he truly wanted. It was true that he never did listen to his family’s traditions even though he was punished many, many times. Even after being punished, his strong will made it hard for the punishments to actually “teach” him something. Always being labeled as a troublemaker, he always did things that fought back the family traditions but never made any real difference.

Running away was also a way he rebelled. It was true that this wasn’t the first time he ran away. Having done it many times, his family always reminded him just how shackled he was to them and just how different being in a world without vampires and vampire hunters really was. In the end, he always came back defeated and empty handed. It was humiliating and he was sick of it. This time it would be different…

This time, he would break free from them for good.

The elevator beeped, making him snap back into reality, watching the doors open to a hallway. Matthias walked out and through the hallway, looking for the apartment number to his soon to be roommate’s apartment. He felt bad for showing up without having called first but his phone was dead and he didn't have time before leaving his family to charge it. At least they had made a time in which he would arrive and meet with her. It had seemed like night time worked out for both of them.

He eventually came to a stop and faced a door with the number 127 on the plaque that was bolted onto it. His hand raised, firmly knocking on the door as he shifted his weight to his right.
 
Deanna had attempted for a while to find a roommate, but every person she had sat down with to get a feel for had felt wrong. The only good candidate thus far had been a younger female, seemingly fresh from high school, but she had asked far too many questions for her liking. That, the questions, seemed like they could end up being the biggest problem Dee had in her search for a roommate since she couldn't exactly answer all of these questions being thrown her way with the truth.

Moving away from her family had been liberating; she was finally allowed to exist in the most real way a person could. Back home, even small mistakes had cast weeks or months of shame on her, and - as if that wasn't punishment enough - her family would take the time to harass her about her actions, chastise her for her mistakes. They were meant to be noble, untouchably perfect, but she had never been that way. Her father hated her for it. Even in her childhood Deanna had been less than perfect which resulted in harder punishments and more hours of lessons on how she was meant to act. No friends, no life, all she had to do was keep up appearances, but she couldn't do it. Foolishly perhaps, she had dreams and desires of her own, none of which had garnered any scrap of support from family members, so she left. Content with the possibility that on her own she could finally live a life like she wanted to, but it hadn't been that easy.

Some days she swore she could hear her parents laughing at her, at the small life she had elected to live. Those dark, manipulative laughs plagued her some nights, keeping any ounce of sleep from remaining in her veins. The first week she had spent on her own had nearly broken her, all she could hear was the hateful comments of family. "Such a small place, you could live in a palace you stupid girl," her aunt would've said, "If the other vampires saw this the sounds of laughter would roar for days." Her mother would've tried to convince her to come back, to fall into line, "Darling we just want what's best for you. You can't even afford a small place like this. Come home, we will take care of you; all you have to do is behave and keep the family name shiny Deanna please."

There had been a few days she considered doing so to grovel for money or help, to plead her case. "I just make us look like fools," she would've cried, "I just need your help to get on my feet and you will never have to see me again. Our family name will be upheld. It'll be so much easier without me here father." It would've been shameful, embarrassing to kneel and grovel below such heinous people, but if she made herself out to be the criminal they may have considered it. However, she had held strong, believed in herself and her ability to save her situation.

It was doubtful anyone could've understood such a thing even if she had soaked all the vampire details out of the story.

She was hopeful about today, the small conversations she had with Matthias had painted him as the type to not ask questions. He seemed just as desperate as her to have a roommate, thus a stable place to live.


The entire day had been spent straightening up the shared spaces in the apartment and preparing the guest bedroom for someone to stay in. If it weren't for the weather maybe she wouldn't have invited him inside before they were entirely certain that this situation would work out for both of them, although it didn't bother her too much. Maybe she should've cooked, but she couldn't bring herself to do so without knowing his tastes. She didn't want to give him any solid reason to turn her down if she'd decided she wanted him to stay.

"If I was human, would anything in this place raise a red flag," she had asked herself as she surveyed the apartment. No family heirlooms had made their way into her apartment from her families home, and she hadn't really bought much to decorate the place as she was hurting for funds to cover the rent. "He won't be in my room," she noted, making her way to the door to her bedroom and swiftly shutting it, "anything in there is for my eyes only." Into the bathroom, back to the living room, into the second room, and back out. The kitchen was her final stop, wherein she dug through the cabinets as well as the fridge and freezer. A few spices and such seemed a bit more exotic than the others, but that wasn't an issue that would truly bother someone. The freezer had chicken and beef in it, not too much, yet it seemed like enough to raise a red flag to outsiders. "I suppose it's all I really know how to cook, if you can call how I prepare such things cooking." The fridge was barren aside from a small case of water and a few condiments scattered in the fridge door.

"Seems human enough to me," she smiled to herself, seemingly proud that she lived such an average life.

In her short time in these apartments she hadn't really interacted with the neighbors. The woman at the front desk was nice enough, although she seemed to flirt with all the men that made their way inside alone. Admittedly, she had been a bit cold to Dee at first, always coming up with a snide remark to make about her appearance or destination, but once Deanna started to fire back things had opened up. She remembered Lily looking at her and saying, "You know, you're not so bad after all." After that Deanna started to warm up, any residual fear about her social standing had slipped away that day. It felt almost as if she'd finally made a friend which warmed her heart. After that day she had started dressing up less, not bothering to fuss over her outward appearance anymore. Besides, normal people didn't dress up every day, at least those with average lives.

As the time for their meeting approached she found herself perched on the arm of the couch, trying to concept what it would be like, reminding herself how to act. Quickly she found herself entirely zoned out, the sound of the rain against the window lulling her further and further into that vague place in her mind.

Knuckles rapped on the door, tugging Deanna's attention from her shapeless mindscape. He'd knocked hard, harder than she presumed most people would, but the added volume could've been explained by her heightened senses. Smoothing down her skirt she made her way to the door and opened it gently, a soft smile gracing her features. "You must be Matthias," she stepped out of the way and gestured for him to come inside, "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Deanna, as you know." A soft laugh escaped her lips. She hoped her anxiety wasn't palpable to the man.

He was tall, quite muscular as well. The complex didn't have a gym, but she imagined if it did he would've considered stopping by before he came up. Comparatively, her small frame and petite figure made her feel almost like prey, but beneath the shell was more strength then she care to think about. She made note of the bag he had slung across his shoulders and silently wondered if that was all that he had belonging wise. When she had moved away she didn't have much, she hadn't wasted any time grabbing things she didn't need. All she wanted was to escape, and escape didn't require much.

"It must really be coming down out there," the door clicked shut, "I should've come out to meet you with my umbrella. I didn't realize it had gotten so severe already. Make yourself comfortable, they have fancy couches that can handle spills and such."
 
Matthias started to feel a bit self conscious after his knock at her door. He wasn't in the nicest shape as his mood was obvious and his hair was a bit messy. Even so, the feeling was only lurking in the back of his mind since what he really wanted was to just seal the deal with this new roommate of his. It was true they had already discussed living expenses as well as other important details about the apartment but he just wanted to make sure she wouldn't think of him as a "mistake" in terms of allowing him to live with her. He had already been enough of a "mistake" in his family and he didn't really like the idea of having another think the same way of him.

As the door to the apartment opened, a pleasant face revealed itself from behind it. A woman with a rather compelling pale complexion now stood in front of Matthias. Looking down on her, his eyes met with a pair of brown soft eyes that gave off a rather calming feeling; easing his feeling of tension within him. His intense hues softened in response as his moody expression softened and developed into more of a friendly one. Her small frame made him realize how different the girls in his family were compare to others in a rather normal "world". It honestly made him feel a bit burly despite not being considered huge compared to other men. A slight smirk formed as he nodded in response to her greeting. Hearing her name once again, he became a bit taken back. It had seemed that he really hadn't remembered her name. It might have been the fact that it seemed kind of foreign to him or maybe it was just his memory failing him? In any case, he would most likely try and fight back anyone who asked that it wasn't his memory's fault, it was the name's fault.

"Oh yeah. Deanna! Haha, sorry it's been quite the day for me." he greeted in turn, widening his smirk into more of a friendly smile, "Matthias, nice you meet ya."

He moved in after her, listening to her words as she continued to converse with him. Stepping into the apartment, he couldn't help but smell the cleanliness. It might have been because she might have been cleaning before hand, but having lived in the same room with a bunch of men in his life really made you notice the difference between a well cared for room, to a rather filthy one. He focused his attention back onto Deanna and made a slight huff in amusement. What she was saying made him feel very welcomed and to be honest, it was comforting.

"Yeah, I didn't think it'd rain today so I didn't think of taking an umbrella with me. It was a bit of a bitch but nothing I couldn't handle. It's just water after all." he replied, his voice a bit deep and slightly ruff.

He made his way inside, looking around him as he did. The apartment wasn't too small at all and seemed perfect for two or three people. It seemed pretty orderly and well kept with it's modern decor and such. Matthias made his way to the couches, taking his overcoat off as he did and sat down. He folded the jacket over his lap sitting in a rather relaxed position. His posture wasn't perfect but he made sure to be at least presentable in the presence of Deanna while sitting. Now that he was sitting, he took off the strap and placed the duffle bag beside him, turning back his attention to her.

"I'm sorry I couldn't text or call you to let you know I was already here. My phone had died while I was getting to the apartment. Other than that, this place looks nice! I can tell you take care of it Miss Deanna~." he said, taking a look around once more before looking for her response.
 
A soft pink dusted Deanna's pale cheeks at the title Miss. "I'm glad you like the place! I try my best to keep it tidy," she smiled, standing at the edge of the living room area. Of course, the place had been combed over more so than usual in hopes to sway him into agreeing to live here with her. "I considered buying decor to make things a bit more lively, but if I'm to share my space I would prefer the decorations to be agreed upon." She had casually left out the part about how she'd been far too broke to afford any hint of decor for the place. Besides, it seemed a bit more neutral and welcoming. The lack of provided decorations in the apartment had made it much more welcoming; it had also made the provided furnishings feel less -- well -- provided.

"Don't worry about the heads up," she smacked the air down in front of her, "We had settled on a time, and I assumed you'd be punctual. You seem very serious about wanting the spare room here."

The statement lingered, and Deanna hoped that she hadn't overstepped any boundaries with the man so soon. She might as well have asked him why he needed a place; it likely would've sounded as condescending. However, she could tell by the way he sat that he wasn't here for nefarious reasons. She'd interviewed with a small set of men that had shown her exactly what a male searching for prey looked like, and Matthias wasn't it. "I also left the second bedroom quite -- plain. I considered trying to dress it up, but I backed out." Outwardly, his appearance didn't look like that of someone who would care about such a small, trivial thing which was moderately relieving. Plus, he didn't have much with him, so she figured decorations weren't exactly a priority for him.

Her eyes walked back over to his duffel. It seemed like he wasn't really here do to unsolved questions and interpersonal communication. He knew he'd say yes; as soon as he walked in the door this place was deemed home in his mind she assumed.

"I haven't met the neighbors," she blurted, her eyes widening as she realized, "Sorry, I was just thinking you may have run into someone. Also, I hope Lily wasn't too -- how do I say -- brash, with you; she can be a bit much if you don't understand her humor. She also flirts with every male who ends up in that lobby; I should've warned you." She scratched at her left bicep, letting her chin drop in embarrassment.

He was here for the room; her head shot up. Her eyes peered into his, "I suppose you will want to see the bedroom that will be yours if we come to an agreement today!" her tone was perky, seemingly hopefully. Of course the answer to the agreement sat beside him on the couch. Maybe she was wrong however, maybe he had just assumed he would be allowed an overnight stay even if they didn't decide to live together. "You can explore the whole place, par my bedroom of course, with my guidance where needed afterwards if you would like. It's nothing spectacular," she didn't know what type of place he had come from and shouldn't have said that. "But, I think it's a decent space for two people. The price is comfortable for two people as well -- at least in my opinion; I was foolish for taking it on my own. Especially when I had no use for the extra bedroom."
 
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