It's Not Quite Time
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Blood+ characters or plots or places, but I really wished I owned Haji…or at least had a guy like him…
Quick Note: This is the PREQUEL to It's About Time. That means it comes before the series, even though I'm writing this way, way after I finished that one. It could be read as a one-shot, if you don't want to/haven't read it yet. If you have, then you should enjoy this, it's sort of like a prologue. Please ignore the fact that most of these people are dead at the beginning of IAT…
x-X-x
"Saya," Solomon said, bowed down in front of her.
Diva was pissed that she was being betrayed by yet another one of her chevaliers but she stayed quiet. After all, there was always the chance that her dear sister would reject him, then she could enjoy his misery. He didn't deserve to be happy if he didn't want to be with her. She was his Queen; he should love her, not Saya.
"Saya," he continued, "I love you. Will you stay with me, please? I promise I'll take care of you for the rest of eternity."
Haji was furious. He couldn't believe that he had to just stand there while his rival took away the one person he had left to love in this world. He couldn't take it; he had to get out of there. He'd already told her he loved her and it had been returned. Who did Solomon think he was to try to take his love away from him?!
"This is no fair, Saya," Diva pouted, stooping to sit on the ground in front of the three. "You're always the favorite. Everyone loves you more than me; even my own chevaliers…"
Saya looked at her sister sympathetically and offered her a hand to help her up, "That's not true. I'm sure Amshel and Nathan and James and everyone else loves you much more than me…"
"That's not true. None of us can stand Diva, Saya. You are much kinder to us than she is and we're supposed to be your enemies…" Solomon whispered up to her.
"No…"
He stood up and looked down at her, "Yes, it is. Now Saya, I'm tired of waiting, darling. Please make your choice now: Haji—who only follows your orders and nothing more—or myself—who will love you forever and give you anything your heart desires?"
Saya let out a heavy sigh, "I don't believe you; you're honestly going to make me choose between the two of you?"
Solomon nodded, "Yes, please. I know it's a hard decision, but please try to be honest."
"Honest, right…"
Haji hung on her every word. The health and life of his heart depended on what she said. If she decided she didn't love him anymore his heart would literally cease to beat. It would break in half and leave him broken and alone with nothing to live for. He wouldn't be able to live without her—okay, maybe he was being overly dramatic, but it would definitely hurt; he seriously didn't know if he could get over someone like Saya.
"Solomon, I really like you—"
He knew it! Haji tore through the hall, running as fast as he could, trying to get as far away from that place as possible. She never loved him; she just used him to get his hopes up!
"Haji, come back!" she called, even though she knew he couldn't hear him anymore. Her head dropped as she started to silently cry.
"Saya?"
"Shut up Solomon! It's your fault he's gone! Don't you get it?! I love Haji! HAJI!! There is no decision! Haji already loves me and he already gives me everything I could ever want! You could never replace him no matter how much you try. I've told you over and over that you're just my friend! How could you?" she screamed. "…he's gone now…"
"…Sorry…"
Diva fell back, laughing out loud, "Ha ha ha! Silly sister! You have no problem! Go after him. Tell him what you just said! …Silly, stupid big sister…"
That was actually a pretty good idea, though she would never admit it to Diva. She wanted to be with Haji, so she was going to go after Haji. It was brilliantly simple. She mentally smacked herself for not thinking of it on her own. She ran out of the hotel they were all sharing (for what reason, no one knew) and ran down the street after Haji. Of course the moment she dared to venture outside without an umbrella in the springtime, it would rain. It hadn't rained in weeks! The weathermen had even said there was practically no chance of rain…
…She really should've been expecting it…
At least it was a warm rain, like a mist. It made her very damp very fast; by the time she found Haji—on the balcony of a bistro—she was completely soaked through.
"Saya…what are you doing? Isn't Solomon going to worry about you?" Haji asked bitterly, not turning to look at her.
"I'm more worried about you right now, actually. I think you misunderstood what I was saying back there," Saya began, trying to nonchalantly ring out her sopping hair.
"I misunderstood nothing; you said you liked him more than me, so there is no need for me to stay with you any longer."
"Haji…"
"Yes?" He now hated the fact that he was her chevalier, bound to answer whenever she wished to talk to him. All he wanted to do was crawl under a rock and hide.
"Do you love me still?"
He turned and looked at her soaked appearance for the first time. She had a lost puppy look on her face, and her school uniform was quickly gaining transparency, enough for him to see her lacy bra underneath. He remembered two nights earlier when he was the one who had taken off that particular bra and smiled with remorse. "Very much so; but it doesn't matter. If you truly love Solomon, then I shall not stand in your way. I have tried my hardest to please you in every way possible, but apparently I have not succeeded, so I am going to give up now."
"….Haji, don't please…"
"I want you to be happy, Saya. That is my only wish."
"…"
"What was that?"
"…I—I want to be happy…with…you, Haji. I turned Solomon down the moment you left. I could never choose anyone over you. I—I love you too much…"
"Saya?"
Saya looked up from under her dripping bangs. Haji was leaning against the rail, looking relieved. That was good. "Yes?"
"I really do love you," he confessed again. Saya thought the first time had been sweet—in the opera house, with everyone there to witness it and their first kiss—but this second time completely blew her away. He looked heavenly, like an angel, with the sunlight behind his back, finally peeking out from behind the clouds. The rain had stopped, leaving everything wet and sparkling and looking magical.
"I really do love you, too, Haji," she smiled.
He walked up to her and took her hands in his. She stared up into his pale blue eyes and smiled; she could see all those years of pent up love unleashed in those eyes and she knew that he could see those exact same emotions being reflected right back to him. Haji leaned down and pressed his forehead to hers and lightly placed a kiss on the tip of her nose.
"…Saya…?" he breathed.
"Hmm?"
He sunk down to the ground and stared up lovingly at her. Oh, God. She knew what this was; her eyes welled up with happy tears as she watched him reach into his jacket and pull out a small velvet box.
"Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Saya covered her mouth in awe as her tears spilled over and she nodded her head. Haji gave her a full smile; showing off all his perfectly straight teeth and quickly rose to lift her into the air and swing her around in circles.
He set her back down on the ground and they stayed like that, holding each other, for what seemed like hours, staring into each other's eyes, laughing at nothing and everything all at once.
"This is going to be one hell of a til-death-do-us-part forever," Saya joked.
"It's about time, too!"
End
A/N: Awww…I actually had requests from some people asking me to do a prequel, so here it is. It helps a little that I actually wanted to do one for a while too, I just didn't know if anyone would read it. Oh and sorry some of the characters are a little OOC, it's just that I haven't seen Blood+ in quite a while so I'm going off memory here.
Review for me please. I love reviews, they make me so happy…