Vampire Knight (ヴァンパイア騎士) © Matsuri Hino & Hakusensha
How the Heart Races Plot and Original Characters Belong to Me.
How the Heart Races
(Formerly 'Blood Lust')
. . . A Vampire Knight Fan Fiction . . .
Prologue and Chapter One
|| -X- || Prologue || -X- ||
"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday, dear Ayame! Happy birthday to you!"
I emitted a high-pitched giggle, clapping like a happy seal. Mom chuckled, and took my head for a kiss on the head.
"Happy ninth birthday, Ayame," she cooed, caressing my scalp. I wrapped my short arms around her, and tried to reach around to clap behind her back, too. She laughed. I loved it when Mom laughed. "Oh no, did my little girl turn into a happy little seal?"
"I'm not little anymore, I'm NINE!" I held up two proud hands, and Mom humorously put a finger down to correct the number. My big brother, Daisuke, rolled his eyes from beside me and groaned loudly. I tried to emulate him, only to roll my entire head. I slapped my palms down on the table and let out a big 'Uggggh!'
"Daisuke, don't give that attitude on your sister's birthday!" Mom scolded gently, "Come on now, sit close to your sister for the picture."
My brother slid his chair over, scowling and I made a face at him. Daisuke was born four years before me. However, he was born in December and I was born February, making it closer to three years, but he always tried to act older than he was. Looking back, I can hardly blame him. Ever since we were little, he had always tried his best to be the 'man of the household', since we didn't have Dad around.
"With Daddy, too!" Mom froze, and Daisuke's face lit up as he hopped out of his chair, his bare feet pattered against our hardwood floors as he went to retrieve Dad's portrait. I twisted my gaze to look at Mom, her traditional black hair framing her delicate, controlled expression. Although both mine and my brother's hair were also dark, there were obvious dark auburn tones, and the older we got, the more prominent the colour was seeping through. Our father's hair was the same auburn color, but it even looked purple in some of the pictures that Mom had. I had thought it was really funny that Dad had such weird colour hair. I hadn't asked why, since I didn't care about those kinds of things when I was that age. Daisuke did once, because he came home from school and said his friend had asked him about it.
"You're your father's son, alright." Mom had squatted down to pat his head and give him a kiss on the scalp. "You look exactly like him when he was young, Daisuke, and I can tell that you'll grow up just as handsome."
"And you, my dear, dear, Ayame!" I had waddled over from the couch, getting jealous of my brother's attention, curious as to what they were talking about. "You'll grow up into a beautiful woman with suitors lining up at your door! You'll have to protect your sister then, Daisuke."
"Yeah right! Who would want to marry this red monkey?" Daisuke stuck out his tongue and ran, and I copied him, chasing him obliviously as he went to put his backpack away in his room.
"Got him!" He runs back with the portrait in his hands, taken from the fireplace mantle. I kept looking at Mom, watching just in case tears came. Occasions were the hardest. Christmas, New Years, Birthdays, Father's Day…. It wouldn't be the first time we both saw our mom cry. She kissed Daisuke once on the forehead as he stopped by to hoist the picture up to her face, and he scurried back to his seat, happy with his reward.
"Alright, I'm going to press the button, and then we have 10 seconds, okay? It's going to take three pictures, so be ready!" She readied us, and pressed the button before hurriedly sitting down on my right. I waited expectantly, smile at ready.
Until a fly flitted past my vision and landed on my Daisuke's lap.
Slap!
"Hey!"
Flash!
"Mom, she hit me!
"He had a bug on him!
Flash!
"I did not, you totally just wanted to hit-"
"Aya! Daisuke! Smile!"
"Oh, right!"
Flash!
We continued with our halted bickering as she rose to check if the pictures were good were good. Daisuke got up, so I tottered out of my seat to check, too. Daisuke was just tall enough to see the picture, but I had to crane my neck and stand on my tippy toes.
The first two pictures were wastefully taken with neither me or my brother look at the camera, too busy arguing.
In the last picture, we were all smiling. Even Daisuke looked genuinely happy, which was rare because he always looked exceedingly annoyed in all pictures with me. Mom always smiled with her eyes, which were curved into half moons, opposite of her upward turning lips. Dad was smiling serenely in all of them, placed on the table right next to Daisuke's face so that we were sandwiched between our two parents.
Mom looked pretty pleased with the last one, and we put the camera away to begin cake-cutting. I bounced up and down, giddy and began to clap again. Mom retrieved the big knives from the holder. Daisuke eyes went wide and he began circling mom, like an energetic puppy trailing his owner for a treat.
"Daisuke, don't jump around me! That's dangerous!" The word only seemed to encourage him, his eyes sparking with fervour and determination, as if getting a hold on that knife would prove just how capable and manly he was. "Daisuke!"
I giggled again, and kept teasing him because it was so funny. "Hahahaha! Yeah, Dai-soo-kay!"
"I can do it, though, I'm a teenager!"
"Dai-soo-kay, Dai-soo-kay! Hahahah!"
"Shut up, Aya!"
"Daisuke! Don't speak to your sister like that!" retaliated our Mom. I stuck out my tongue victoriously and he stuck his back.
"Let me do it! Let me!" He was basically pouncing at Mom, hopping up and down, and he grabbed the knife out of her hands, eliciting a gasp from her.
"Wait, stop! Daisuke, I did not raise you to grab things out of people's hands!" Daisuke ignored her and was just about to stab into the cake with the point.
I huffed my chubby cheeks out and leapt forward over the table. "Mommy said stop!"
Mom cried out, hands flying up to her mouth, and I think she might've said a curse word, but I didn't hear because I was too busy crying and drowning my mouth in tears. Daisuke let go of the handle, his jaw dropped and his eyes the size of saucers.
I had grabbed the blade with my hands, hard, never having come in contact with any knives before to have known better.
"I-I'm sorry, Aya! I-…" Daisuke stammered, but Mom was already coming beside me and looking at the damage. The knife was cut into my finger and hands, the palms of my hands slit straight under the blade. I let go and bawled and yelled and cried and watched as Mom shrieked at Daisuke to get the bandages from the other room, but everything was blurry. My hands stung and throbbed. My head stung and throbbed. Mom had grabbed my hands and applied pressure.
"Shh, baby, it's going to be okay. Aya, I need you to calm down, I…" Mom went quiet, and I opened my eyes just enough to see an alarmed expression on her face I'd never seen before.
"Aya, quiet." She brought me closer into her chest, but I was still crying because it hurt so much.
"Aya, please, be quiet for just a moment. Shh…" The urgency in her voice confused me, and my moans of pain turned into pathetic little whimpers. She picked me up, and stealthily moved away from the kitchen windows.
Mom was listening for something. Daisuke was back with the bandages, his face twisted into concern.
"Mom?" he whispered.
I held my breath. Everything went quiet.
….Creeak…
"Run!" she cried.
The windows behind us shattered, masking the sound of our screams.
"Daisuke, take your sister and run!" I was transferred to Daisuke's arms, who's face was contorted into horror as a dark figure appeared from the other side of our window. Except our window was shattered into pieces on the ground, so it wasn't on the otherwise of anything.
Daisuke's eyes darted from me, to Mom, to the monster outside. It was just standing there, eyes red. My voice was caught in my throat, I couldn't say it.
Mom.
"I SAID, RUN!"
Everything happened too fast for my newly turned nine year old mind to register. The monster leapt forward at our mother, who suddenly had a gun in her hand and several gunshots go off, but I was already closing my eyes. Its blood splattered everywhere, including all over us. Screams erupted in the neighbourhood.
By the time Daisuke finally reacted and got us out of the house, white fangs had stabbed into our mother's neck and stained them crimson.
When we made it outside, the entire neighbourhood was in a frenzy. The houses had evacuated at an alarming rate, everyone getting into their cars and driving away, people hopping not bikes and running down frantic pedestrians.
Daisuke knocked on multiple cars doors, pleading families and couples to help us, begging to let us use their phone, seeing if they had extra room. They called for the cops and ambulance, but they didn't let us in. Many didn't have room, already crammed 10 people in a tiny sedan, filled to the trunk. We offered to sit on the roof, we offered to sit in the trunk, but no. We were covered in blood. They didn't want whatever was after us to go after them. They knew it was our house that was attacked. They apologized and shut the door on us.
We were about ten blocks away, at the park closest to our house. He pulled a watch from his pocket. It was the analog pokéball watch from his favourite cartoon Pokémon. Mom had gotten it for him for Christmas several years ago, and he hadn't worn it for a long time, because he didn't want to be made fun of. He always kept it in his pocket, and now that I think of it, I doubt he ever took it off him.
I glanced at the surface. It was 1 o'clock. We had celebrated my birthday at midnight because I had complained about it for months and months, because Daisuke got to stay up on his birthday, so I wanted to, too. If I hadn't been so stubborn about it… It was just a birthday. Why hadn't I just waited until…?
"Why aren't the police here yet…?" Daisuke muttered quietly to himself. He turned back suddenly, eyes looking in the direction of where we had come from, and I felt panic settle in as the words tumbled from his mouth. Words of absolute stupidity. "I'll be right back. You stay here."
"B-Buh… w-we sh…. t-t-ogevver…" I was fresh out of tears, and my voice and lips weren't listening to me. But we should stay together, I was trying to say. We shouldn't split up!
"I need to go back, What if… Mom is …" He swallowed. I reached out my small hands to hold his hand, and he flinched away. "You stay here. If that thing is still there, you'll only slow me down."
Daisuke was the fastest runner in his grade at school, and he had the best long-distance, too. Running without shoes was painful enough, but he had carried me on his back, too. I knew that having him carry me would only slow him down, but I couldn't run nearly as fast by myself, and in hindsight, I was probably weak from blood loss.
"W- wah... if... you don't co' back?"
"I'll come back. I'm the fastest runner in school remember? It'll never catch me." We both knew that those words were empty comfort, but I didn't argue.
"But," he breathed, looking down at his bloody feet. I would've cried right then and there if I wasn't so tired and out of my mind. "If I don't… No, I will. I promise I'll come back, Aya, so just be a good girl and hide while you wait for me. The police will be here soon, and then … we'll be okay."
He swallowed, and squeezed my small hands. "We'll be okay. We have to be strong, Aya. For Mom."
"And Daddy," I added, controlling my words. Daisuke gave a pained turn of his lips, and I sniffled.
"Yeah. For Mom and Dad. I'll be back for you. It's not far."
"Pinky promise?" I stuck out my smallest end finger, the simple gesture somehow still proving the most powerful guarantee in the world for me at the time. Daisuke hooked his pinky with mine, and we sealed the deal.
"Promise," he assured. I reached up and kissed him on the cheek, but he turned away so that I couldn't see his expression, and left without another word. I wait until he was out of sight to lodge myself in the small tube of the playground, and held myself tight.
If I had known, I never would have asked my mom if I could celebrate my birthday at midnight. I never would've grabbed the knife, or screamed or cried. As if a playground tube would've protected me if anything had actually come after me. As if Daisuke going back to the house would've solved anything. When bad things happen, all you can ever think about is what you did to make it happen, and what you could've done to have avoided it. There were so many factors, so many reasons why, and for years, all I could think about, during each painful memory, was what I could've done differently. How close we were to a different life. I was young. I was so, so stupid.
If I had known, I never would've let my brother leave, because he didn't keep his promise.
Daisuke never came back.
|| -X- || CHAPTER ONE || -X- ||
"Anniversary"
My shoulders and spine crackle as I arch my back and emit the loudest yawn known to man. I mow down the crust in my eyes with the curve of my back wrist and shake the sleep out from my body. I'm surprisingly well-rested despite the rough night before, I think to myself, as I moan groggily and scratch an itch on my arm. I even woke up before my alarm clock—
'Ugh, five more minutes.'
I pause mid scratch, memories from only moments ago creeping into my head like movie credits. Red digital numbers blur into my vision. Had I…? How many times?
6:30 — SLAM!
6:50 — SLAM!
7:10 — SLAM SLAM SLAM!
My jaw unhinges, and my eyes burn from how wide they are. First period starts at exactly 7:35, and I have a Chemistry test.
I whip my head to stare at my clock in disbelief. It daintily greets me with 7:22.
Which, when decoded from numbers to letters through my many years of experience, translates perfectly into: "Detention, Dumbass."
I throw off my covers and make a mad dash for the washroom, splashing water on my face to wash over the overnight oil as I try to focus on what I need. Okay, uh… must… uh…clothes! On… put! MUST FAST! FAST!
As if demoting myself back to caveman talk isn't humiliating enough, I'm scrambling, trying to throw on my uniform with only one arm as I pack my binders for the day into my bag, mind choosing now of all times to short-circuit and forget everything about organic chemistry I had ever learned. What was all that studying for last night even for?
My Chemistry teacher, Ms. Chan, is the one of the most unforgiving teachers in the entirety of the Academy, second to only several sadistic individuals. Usually, you'd only get a detention if you're frequently late, or late by a significant period, but not with Ms. Chan. She is harsh as it was when you're late to her class, and she had made it clear at the beginning of the term that being late on a test meant automatic detention and 10% off your test mark.
And when you're like me, and you're already barely passing with 55%, that's not something you can afford!
" 'Shcuse me! Shorry!" I try my best to apologize to the other students bolting it, also on the border of being late as we all ran from the dorms to the Academy. There weren't a lot of us, maybe 20 out of the entire academy, and it was rarely the same people, with the exception of me… And it's not like I'm always late, either, but there's something about Mondays, ja feel me? But still, you'd think that during this late morning dash, blending in shouldn't be so hard.
And I probably would, except I've got a pink toothbrush handle dangling awkwardly from my lips, which are framed with toothpaste foam.
It was the run that always took the longest. Thank gosh I was one of the fastest runners in the school. Sometimes I swear the only reason they keep me here is the fact that I bring home gold medals in Track like a cat brings home dead birds.
…Okay, not my best analogy, but you can probably guess why I'm not getting an A in Literature. Granted, Shakespeare would probably roll in his grave if he knew how Ms. Coriander taught our class! That, and her name is freakin' Ms. Coriander. SHE'S A FREAKIN' CULINARY HERB!
I'm almost at the gate when I hear the warning bell sound, meaning I have 5 minutes, and my chem classroom is all the way on the third floor West Wing. Stupid alarm clock! Stupid half-asleep reflexes!
"Miss Makino, have some decency!" I grin with my mouthful of minty foam at the French teacher at the gate. Planting my lips around my water bottle, I gurgle and spit into the trashcan by the gate just as I run past, and catch him rolling his eyes. I wipe the remnants from my mouth into a napkin and shoot him a quick salute.
"Looking handsome, Antoine!"
"Je suis professeur Desrosier à vous, Mademoiselle Makino!" I chuckle, inserting my toothbrush into my zip-lock. "Please do not run in the halls!"
"Not in the halls yet!" I holler back, laughing as he waves his fist. I take another gurgle of water to clear the taste from my mouth and spit out into the trash-can at the door, just as I enter the Academy, my legs never stopping to rest.
The last bell blares when I'm only on the second floor. When I finally get to class, I control my heavy breathing, and attempt to slip through the door frame with as little noise as possible. Ms. Chan is in the middle of handing out the test to students in the back row. I tiptoe to my desk in the second row, thinking maybe, just maybe…
"A greeting would be polite, Makino-san." I freeze, flinching, and then smile sheepishly at her backside. How did she see me coming in?
"Morning, Ms. Chan. Your curls look absolutely buoyant today on this merry monday morning," I attempt wistfully.
"Spontaneous uses of alliteration will do you no good in organic chemistry, Makino-san." She turns around, expression unforgiving, and I swear an evil glint passes her glasses lenses as she stares me down. "Tardy. That will be detention today, and ten percent off your test mark."
The class chuckles, and I'm forced to admit that my compliment sounded much better in my head. I seat myself down, and if I had a hood to pull over my head in humiliation, I would, because the entire class knows I am near failing this class. My classmates are looking at me either condescendingly, or sympathetically at Chan's harsh punishment. They must've seen it coming: heck, they probably placed bets. Every. Single. Monday.
Heavy breathing at the door distracts my shame just long enough to glance up to see who it is. I smirk in spite of myself.
"Kiryuu-san, tardy as well this morning. That will be detention for you and ten percent off as well." Zero Kiryuu's silver hair is damp and sticking to his forehead of sweat, obviously from running. His handsome features are twisted into frustration upon Ms. Chan's news. I dare to crack a smirk, because he just looks too pitiful. His tall, lean frame makes his way to the desk beside me, and he drops his belongings down with a thud, running a hand across his sweaty forehead. I hadn't seen him in my swarm of late people, so he must have woken up even later.
I don't say anything to him as he sits down in his seat, on my right. He sends me an unappreciative glower as he catches me staring, lavender eyes holding mine in a deadlock before I anxiously break my gaze. Chan has made her way to the front, anyway, and I try to look at the facedown booklet without puking last night's dinner out. Tuna and bread on my test would probably earn me a lot more than a Tardy and 10% off.
I'm twenty seconds into the first question before I ask why I even bothered showing up to class, and from the heavy sigh beside me, I'm guessing that the boy on my right is asking himself the exact same question.
-X-
The rest of my classes pass without much trouble, seeing as it's always first period that gets the better of me. Mornings aren't my enemy, oh no — I could wake up in the afternoon and it'd still suck. It's the gruelling act of waking up in its entirety that doesn't bode well for my motivation.
Since it's just a 'late' offence and fairly minor, my detention is for 15 minutes during lunch period. I flip a quarter up into the air and catch it, just playing with my spare change from the vending machine from the chocolate milk I had bought earlier.
Honestly, Ms. Chan is such a bitch. 10% off my test mark because I'm 30 seconds late for a class test. I shouldn't have brushed my teeth… gah, who am I kidding, brushing my teeth didn't get in the way at all! If only I had started running in my pajamas! Detention for not wearing my uniform is better than failing a class, gosh, Aya, why can't you just—
"Stop!" I freeze, almost losing my balance before I catch my quarter in the air and steady myself. For a second, I'm trying to comprehend where this exclamation just came from, until I realize that it's right around the corner. Exactly where I would've turned if I had taken two steps forward. I slide my forward foot back into the position of attention and stay there.
"Please just… just listen to me. I only need 10 seconds." It's a girl. I narrow my eyes dangerously, resisting the urge to peak around the corner to see what's going on. I don't know who this girl is talking to, but there's a window open down the corridor. I can faintly make out the scent of perfume, but I don't recognize it. There's another scent there, and although it's oddly familiar, I can't quite put a name to it…
A boy replies to her. "I don't have time for this—"
"I've been waiting for 3 years, Kiryuu-kun, surely you can wait 30 seconds!"
Unholy hell, did she just— Did she just say Kiryuu?! I've never heard that guy utter more than a sentence, though this is the first year I've ever had a class with him, despite us both being at Cross Academy for the longest time. Despite the fact that we're both close to Headmaster Kaien in our own way, we'd never spoken a word to each other. He's a prefect of our year, along with another girl, Yuuki Cross, who he always seems to be around. She is Kaien's adopted daughter, and Kaien is the legal Guardian of Zero, but I take it that Zero's more or less Kaien's adopted son. You'd think that if a girl like Yuuki is friendly and lovely, that the guy who grew up with her would be too, but no.
One does not simply mess with Zero Kiryuu, as my friendly neighbourhood Boromir would say.
"I don't know what's wrong with me. I'll bet you think I'm crazy, because we've barely said a word to each other but…" She takes a deep breath to calm herself, and for some reason, I do too. "3 years ago… when I twisted my ankle and you found me in the courtyard… Do you remember? You took me to the Nurse, but she wasn't there and… you bandaged my foot."
I don't need to be a genius to figure out that I've just walked in on a love confession, and as much as I'd love to stay (not), I don't want to have anything to do with Zero Kiryuu and his not so shoujo-manga love life (or lack thereof). I stay a moment longer, only to ponder whether I should interrupt them or not. How long would they continue? I can't get to the classroom unless they move, and the guy she's talking to should be in the classroom having detention with me right now!
It's not until her voice picks up again that I realize he didn't say anything, or it was too quiet for me to hear, which is unlikely the case. My senses are too heightened for that.
Making my way downtown, I sing to myself internally so I don't eavesdrop, but it's not working, walking fast, faces pass and I'm homebound! DUH NANA DUH NANA DUH NANANA NANANAN DUH NANA DUH NANA DUH NA NA NA NANA NANANANA!
"I've never been able to forget you. I know that you're a good guy on the inside, Kiryuu-kun. I want you to know that… I've believed that ever since that day. I've always been rooting for you, silently supporting you, hoping… that you'd glance my way, just once."
Wow. She really likes him… I look at the quarter laying in my palm, facing tails. I flip it once in the air and catch it quietly, and then again. It's kind of awkward listening to something so heartfelt and personal… Should I go and leave them alone after all? It's not like I'd tell anyone. I know myself well enough that my moral standing is genuinely higher than that.
He still says nothing, and I scowl at him without him knowing. What an asshole. He could at least give her something to work with, the poor girl. If I was pouring my feelings to a guy like this, my heart would probably be instigating a chainsaw massacre to my nerves and tearing out my insides.
"I know that you're probably not looking for a relationship right now, but," I can make out the sound of her nervous swallowing, and she stammers back into her words, her voice trembling, "I want you to know how I feel. I'm leaving next month for America, and if it's not too much to ask…I just want to be beside you for the time I have left here. I c-can't bear this anymore."
She's crying. That's the last straw. I am absolute scum for having stayed so long anyway, and so I begin to make my way down the stairs—
A scoff. "You thought I'd fall for that?"
But apparently, Zero Kiryuu is even lower scum.
My feet aren't listening to me anymore as I halt, and my heartstrings tug. I'm listening again.
"I don't have time to play your games with you," he snaps, voice disinterested and not the least remorseful. I am baffled speechless, and my palms hurt from how tight my fists are clenched. What a good for nothing piece of shi—
"No! Please don't—"
"Get out."
There are fast-paced footsteps, and my first instinct is that he's trying to run away. I rush out from where I'm hidden, and come face to face with a girl my age, pretty blonde hair cascading over her scalp in waves, and a sea of tears crashing down her face. Her expression stiffens when she sees me, and I think I see anger, but she shoves the observation out of my mind as she literally shoves past me.
I fix my eyes to the silver-haired boy in the middle of the hall as he faces the wall, the expression on his face mainly unreadable except for obvious traces of irritation. His eyes slither to acknowledge my presence.
My lips part, but a click of the door beside him interrupts me, and a voice pierces the silence.
"Zero Kiryuu, what are you—" Ms. Chan looks down the hall and finds me, her frown lines deepening, proving something that I thought was impossible. "Aya Makino! You both dare to skip detention and dilly-dally outside my classroom instead? And to think, I was going to exempt you both of the 10% punishment if you showed up to Detention and sat through it like good students…"
I nearly curse. "…Ms. Chan, I'm sorry that I'm late, but something came up. Could we move the detention to after school?"
"Do you think you can sneak behind my back twice in one day, Makino-san?" The evil glint in her glasses is back, and I swear it's not my imagination. "I heard you both muttering outside my classroom for the longest time. I know that you're just wasting time so that the detention will be cut short. If you think 15 minutes is too long, well then, how about half an hour after school?"
"What?" I blurt. "Ms. Chan, you know full well that I've been suspended before, and that's because I punched, I mean…. accidentally placed my fist near a guy's face. 15 minutes is nothing to me, so I would have no reason to avoid it. Something came up, so if we could just—"
"15 minutes is nothing, is it? I guess a half-hour isn't enough to get a message across to you either, Makino-san. A full hour it is. And the same for you, Kiryuu-san."
I tense my jaw, and I'm prepared to argue, but Zero shoots a look at me so hard, that I'm fully convinced I might turn to stone if I dare move. "Makino-san, I expected a little more effort from you this term, and Kiryuu-san, you are a prefect. Very disappointing."
She slams the door, leaving us alone with each other, but only for a second, because I turn on my heel and bolt the hell out of that prick's presence.
What a cold hearted bastard.
-X-
"There is something wrong with your son." Kaien chuckles softly at my outburst. "You need to teach him some manners, or bloody hell, I might accidentally place my fist near his face too."
"This is the first time you've ever brought up Zero in conversation," he answers bemusedly from across the desk. It's true. I rarely talk about Kaien's 'kids' in his presense. Not because I avoid the topic or anything. I just don't have anything to say about that. I've ever talked to either of them before. "What happened?"
I fold my arms firmly over my chest in the seat opposite of him. "I don't want to talk about it."
He raises an eyebrow to show how convinced he is. He's not. "Okay, so I do want to talk about it. We went late to Chan's class for a Chem test—"
"Which means detention."
"Which means detention and ten percent off our test mark," I correct swiftly, and he nearly laughs, but stops himself short of being rude. "So I'm on my way to detention, when I… basically, it's thanks to him that I had miss detention and now I have to stay after school for an hour!"
"That wasn't a very good story. It seems like you purposefully left out the entire middle part, which I presume is the part that actually matters, Aya."
"I may think he's a cold-hearted prick, but I won't stoop low enough to spread his secrets around when they're not mine to say." Kaien opens his mouth to protest. "Even if you're his Guardian."
He sighs. "Even if I offer to get you out of detention?"
"We both know you won't, and even if you did, my integrity wouldn't let me take it."
"That's my girl." I grin. I don't have a class last block today, which is why I'm spending it in Kaien's office.
Kaien was the one who had helped me when I was a little girl, after I was left by my brother at the park to fend for myself. Thanks to him, I'm alive today and attending his Academy. Due to various reasons, we've bonded over the years and our relationship is casual when it's not necessary for it to be professional.
"Ah, I forgot to notify you." His hands reach under his desk and it worries me for a second until he pulls out a box, just big enough to fit … like a small bird or something.
… It's Ms. Coriander's doing, guys. I swear my descriptive skills weren't this bad before I was in her Lit class.
"Your Aunt called, and I received this in the mail a few days ago." I take the small box from his hands, and survey it from a few angles first, listening for any ticking noise that might be inside. If it's not a bomb, what else can it be?
I stare at it for a little longer. "It's a box."
"…Wrapped in wrapping paper. And a bow. On earth, we call this a gift, Aya, which is synonymous for present. Maybe you've heard of it."
"You should fire Ms. Coriander."
"What?"
"Nothing. So Aunt Noriko sent this, did she? Well, I only have one aunt, but…" Kaien only grins bashfully. "Can I open it?"
At his nod, I undo the bow and snap off the pieces of tape holding the wrapping paper together, ripping it cautiously. "What if it's a dead rat?"
Kaien can't contain his chuckle, and he seems much too happy and content for his usual self, even if he's eerily cheery most of the time. "Open it, silly girl!"
I oblige, and pull off the lid. There's a small, black velvet box within. I haven't seen many in real life before, but I've seen my fair share of television to know what the expect inside such an article, though I don't understand even as I snap it open.
Two rings.
One is black, and the other is… silver, or maybe white gold, I don't know how to tell. It's obvious that it's a matching set, meant for a couple, most likely. I gingerly pluck them out from the box. They look slightly worn, but I can see that they're strangely polished, as if someone tried to make them look better.
The black one seems to be.. platinum all the way around with single black diamond embedded into it. Its counterpart is the same, except there are two white diamonds sandwiching the main black diamond. The centre stone is a smidgen larger than the others, and I realize, a little late, that the rings are like 'Yin and Yang'. I am dumbstruck by the gift, and I'm sure it's on my face because Kaien is smiling like a kid with candy.
"…I'm not getting married, am I?" The last thing I need is an arranged marriage by Aunt Noriko. She'd probably set me up with someone who has past murder charges and a criminal record extensive enough to impress even her... Thinking about it makes me shudder.
"Not unless you have something you want to tell me," he jests, before leaning forward with a serene look on his face. "Those are wedding bands, Aya. They belonged to your parents."
All humour is gone from my face as I stare. I have so many questions, but only one comes out the way I want it to.
"How?"
Kaien holds my eyes with his, and I can tell right away from his expression that he's choosing his words carefully. "We both know that what was left of your house was knocked down, and even though we managed to get anything of value out for you, we must've missed this. They knocked the house down after you got everything you needed, and a new one has been built. My best guess would be that the rings survived the wreckage and perhaps someone, maybe the new owners, found them in the ground."
I'm blinking back tears, because I didn't expect this. I never expected this.
"Happy 18th Birthday, Aya." I let out something that sounds like a chuckle before my eyes squeeze shut, and that's all it takes for me to tip over the edge. Kaien comes around and places a hand on my shoulder as my breathing shakes and stutters pathetically. I'm crying on the rings. I'm crying. My insides quake, and I can't contain the sobs anymore. I am nine years old, curled in that stupid playground tube like an absolutely idiot waiting for my family. My family, who never came back.
My family, who I miss so, so much.
I am nine years old for what seems like an eternity, but the clock on Kaien's tells me otherwise. After about 15 minutes, I win the struggle of regaining composure and calm my gasping breaths to forcefully controlled ones, gripping my senses to get themselves together. Kaien finally unleashes me from his embrace, and I don't even bother trying to remember how we got there or how long we had stayed like that.
The first words that leave my lips are, "I still have detention."
Kaien sighs. "Times like this, I wish I could be your Guardian before your Headmaster."
"You're not my guardian, Kaien. You're the greatest friend I could ever ask for." I squeeze my arms around him, and his strong, protective arms embrace me back. "Thank you. It feels like the stupidest thing coming out of my mouth, because they feel so empty and mediocre compared to everything I owe you for, but thank you, Kaien Cross. One day, maybe I'll be able to make it up to you."
"Watching you grow has been the most fulfilling thanks I'll ever receive from you. You think too highly of me, my dear. Your gratitude towards me is a thousand times more of a burden then you will ever be."
I rub my eyes and slap my face a couple of times in lame attempts to hide the redness, but who am I kidding? I'm going to sit in detention looking like a steamed pig next to my attractive-ass partner… who, note to self, is still an ass. And all this reference to asses by-no-means has anything to do with the fact that I think he has a an attractive and drool worthy posterior, no, that is not true!
"Give Ms. Chan my best," Kaien sends me a wink and I catch it like a dork and pretend to eat it.
"Give my aunt my best. And by aunt, I mean you, because I may be borderline failing most of my academic courses, but I'm not stupid enough to fall for such lies. I know that she didn't call you last night, and I know that you arranged for this gift. You know she called me yesterday, right?"
Kaien's face tenses, and I can see the anger threatening to surface on his calm exterior, but he is too controlled of a man for such behaviour. The main reason I'm at Cross Academy is not only because of my past and connection to Kaien, but because upon returning me to my closest living family when I was nine-years-old, it didn't take his Vampire Hunter senses to hear all the crap she screamed at me for. Kaien enrolled me in Cross Academy and put me in the dorms so fast, my aunt never even got to see my luggage open.
"She drunk called me. I don't really blame her, though, I mean, it's only natural to get totally hammered before the anniversary of your sister's death. Oh, and I guess her nephew's death too, but I don't think she gives a damn about the children of that 'wretched bastard who ruined her sister's life' as she likes to put it."
"Aya…" he breathes, but I'm okay. I'm not going to break down a second time, and definitely not because of this woman. For anyone but this woman. Never again.
"It's a shame, because I kind of had hope for that test today, too. I was studying really well up until that phone call. And you know what the worst part is?"
I am a jerk. Kaien doesn't need to hear me blow my steam off like this, but I can't help it. I've kept it in, and the absolute selfish part of me needs to let it out, and Kaien is the only one I trust. I trust him not to look at me with pity in his eyes and stammer out all the wrong words to say. I just need someone to listen. Someone to know.
"She demanded that I apologize, like she does every year. And every year I do, but last night… I didn't. I didn't say 'I'm sorry'. It was a drunk phone call from my aunt that made me realize that that I am sorry... but I've had nine years of being sorry to that bitch. It took me nearly ten years to realize that if I'm going to be sorry to anyone, it's people like you, and my mom and brother. Maybe I never will stop being sorry, but I'm done being sorry to that god-awful bitch. My family deserves better from me than to waste my time apologizing to someone like her. She curses at my mom, her own sister, for leaving them to be with my Dad, can you believe how utterly fucked up that is?"
Kaien listens, once again proving to me just how much this man means to me. His eyes tell me how much they care, and there is no need for him to say anything. He's learned, through years of dealing with my rants, that I don't need him to say much. I'm just grateful that he cares enough to listen.
"I have one favour to ask of you, Kaien, and it's not to get me out of detention," I paused to chuckle at myself, "which I'll be late to if I don't go in the next 10 minutes."
"And what favour is that?" He plays along with me, and I smirk triumphantly.
"I'm not going to answer her calls anymore. This might cause me a lot of trouble, but I don't care. If she ever calls the school, I'd like for you to pass on just one message from mer…"
I stand up from my seat, faking a few stretching motions. "I'm not a legal adult in Japan until I'm 20, but I have no intention of letting her use any of her legal power as my guardian, and so I hope you'll let her know that firm and clear. I'd sooner run away than call her my family."
"That's not a favour Aya." I lips nearly twitch to a frown, but I should know better from the man in front of me. "The pleasure that carrying out this task for you makes up for everything you think you owe me."
"Kaien, I would marry you if it wasn't so creepy."
"I would say yes if you propose. Get on your knees! …Okay, that did sound a bit creepy."
I am laughing as I leave his room.
-X-
Guess where I am.
It's not hard, seeing as it's predictable in terms of how the sequence of today is supposed to play out.
I'm in detention, where I'm supposed to be.
Guess who's not.
So it turns out that not only does Zero Kiryuu have a particular cardiac organ that rivals the Grinch in how freaking small and non-existent it must be, but there are more things on the list of things he wholeheartedly lacks. I take the liberty of listing these numerous traits and qualities that he does not have on a lined piece of paper in my pocket, and I start scrawling.
'Shame.
Honor.
Dignity.
Honesty.
Guilt.
Intelligence.
Manners.
Responsibility.
A nice butt.
Shame.
WHAT A SHAMELESS LITTLE BITCH.'
I underlined the last line 3 times for dramatic effect in portraying my complete and utter LACK OF RESPECT FOR THIS BITCH.
How can he get dismissed from detention because he's a prefect?! Ms. Chan said it wasn't his fault that I back-talked and made excuses? Are you kidding me? There is obviously favouritism going on here! It was his fault that I couldn't make it to detention in the first place, because he was busy breaking someone's heart! Probably out of jealousy, because he sure as hell doesn't have one, and do not get me started on how he just took the free-card instead of sitting in for detention anyways, because that's what I would've done even if the freaking Headmaster chose to let me off, because I know when I've done something wrong (and might I add that he came into class even later than I did), and honestly, it's about integrity and moral standing, which he apparently doesn't have, so I have to add that onto my list but are you kidding me?
I stopped asking if she was kidding me when she threatened to extend it to two hours.
-X-
My mom and brother's body were never found. I never liked to think about why that was the case, but I had never pressed into the issue. Mom's tombstone isn't next to Dad and Daisuke's in the cemetery, for reasons that I try not to dwell on, so I leave flowers and fruit over the stones of Kohaku and Daisuke Makino first. I light their incense sticks and have a long talk with them, before going to speak with Mom.
Misaki Takamura. My mom's maiden name adorns her stone instead of Makino. Both tombs were financed by my Aunt's family, which should tell you enough.
I am proud of myself for making that decision in Kaien's office today. I do not need to be sorry to a woman who lacks in decency to the point of separating a mother from her child and lover, even in death. At the very least, she should have respected my mom's wishes. She said it herself that Misaki chose us. A part of me, the selfish and spiteful part of me, hopes that Noriko phones again so that I'll get to attack her with everything I've got and throw her behind bars. Alas, I refuse to do to her what she did to my mom; separate her from her loved ones. I shake the thought of my Aunt out of my head, not wanting to ruin my mood any further.
The incense burns into grey spirals and fades into the wind. It's early February, so we're still reaching out from Winter, and the air is cold and humid against my cheeks. Luckily, I've dressed warmly, and lay down my mat to kneel down in front of Mom.
"I hope you're doing well, Mom. I'm sorry that it's been a few months since I've come to visit, but I'm sure you'd be proud of me for what I've had to overcome since the last time I came."
I sniffle, my nose wanting to run from the temperatures around me, but I've had worse. "I was late for my chemistry test today. I hope neither you or Dad were chemistry prodigies, because I'd be a true embarrassment. I'm pretty sure that if Ms. Chan had an emergency with corrosive chemicals, she'd rather trust a 13 year old to neutralize it than me. So I got detention because I was late to class, on top of ten percent deduction from my test, and so I get stuck with detention, right? But this guy — his name is Zero Kiryuu, and trust me, Mom, he has zero shame, honor, dignity and— well basically, when I show up after school for our extended punishment, Ms. Chan lets him go because he's a prefect and he has duties! I have duties too, right, Mom? Like coming to see you, Dad and Daisuke. Those are my duties. I had to stay the hour anyway, so I'm sorry I was late coming here."
The stars have already come out from overhead, as winter nights usually come faster and colder. I don't have much time before I need to get back to the dorms, or else Kaien will get worried. I insisted on making this trip alone two years ago when I turned 16, and he respected my wishes with the condition that I keep my cell phone on me at all times should he need to contact me, and come back before nine. I glance at my phone, and see that it's just past seven, and it takes a little less than an hour to commute back to the Academy, due to its obscure area. I set a timer on for thirty minutes, and I begin to talk to Mom.
When the timer finally goes off, I swipe it off and sigh, taking a few moments to collect my thoughts and see if I missed anything important I wanted to speak with her about.
I touch the chain dangling around my neck. Kaien's (second) gift to me was a chain for the rings, so that I could keep them with me at all times. I could tell right away that it was obnoxiously expensive. He assured me that it would'nt break unless I used it for target practice with a gun. The rings dangle as a pair over my heart, where I keep them warm and safe under my clothes where people can't see. "I hope you and Dad don't mind that I keep these for you, Mom. I promise to take good care of them. I'm a bit scared that I'll lose them. You know that I don't really wear jewelry, and I'm awfully bad at remember things... Help me out when you guys can, okay?"
It's time to say goodbye to my mom for now, so I end it off like how I always have. I bow my head down sincerely, keeping the tears hidden. "Thank you for giving birth to me, Mom. Thank you for being my mother."
The lights guide me home to the Academy. Kaien phones me as I am walking from the bus stop, feet scraping rhythmically against the gravel. I pick up right away.
"Home?" he inquires softly. I can already see him standing alone at the gate, waiting for me. His concern is heartwarming, and I crack a smile against the night.
"Home," I say.
End of Chapter One.
-X- Author's End Notes -X-
Holy crap. HOLY CRAP ARE YOU READY FOR THIS.
I am probably crazy. I am. Starting a new story for a story that has gotten so many reviews and alerts and I am throwing that all away to start this all over again. Blood Lust is the longest running story I've had that I have not discontinued. I've already discontinued 3 stories, I can't do it to this one. That being said, reading the first chapter of Blood Lust makes me vomit my intestinal fluids. I can't live with that. If I try to add sprinkles to a mound of crap, it's just a waste of everyone's time. THAT MOUND OF CRAP WAS PUBLISHED BACK IN JUNE 2008, I WAS JUST COMING OUT OF GRADE 5 OKAY /explodes
Anyway, this chapter was all over the place. I wrote this in 3 days, so please be forgiving. 9000 words in 3 days. When the muse comes, it's here, but when it's gone, it's taking a billion mile hike. I'm so excited to post this that I'm going to post this, and then read it the next day and think it's absolute crap, but what else is new. Please give constructive criticism if you have the time! I know I probably have a lot of odd writing quirks that probably annoy people to the ends of the earth. I'd rather know about them than have you dislike me without my knowledge of how to improve!
Please, please let me know what you think! Old readers, I love you to bits and pieces if you're coming over from Blood Lust to give this a chance. You'll notice both plot and character similarities and dissimilarities to Blood Lust. You'll fine out more next chapter! New Readers welcome! And please don't read Blood Lust because it will burn your eyes.
You might feel it's a bit cliche that the only person Aya has conversed with in the entire chapter is Zero, Kaien, and teachers, but you'll get to know her better and why that is, later. It makes me feel a bit guilty that it's a pairing for Zero, and it's rather cheesy that they're interacting so strongly in the first chapter already, but I want to keep some elements light-hearted for you during these dark times. After all, Aya kind of lives two lives. One that people see, and one that people don't. (cough*Much duality, such try.)
It's a pleasure to be back, and hopefully I'll be staying a little longer this time. I never really know, but I'll never stop hoping.
Ladies and Gents, this is How the Heart Races.