200 Taps
Disclaimer ~ I do not own Seraph Of The End
*The one where Yuu has a soothing habit*
Yuu wasn't sure when the habit started. Maybe at the orphanage? Or the vampire city? He didn't know. But one thing he did know was he couldn't sleep without doing it. He would tap his right index finger exactly two hundred times against a hard surface every single night before he went to sleep.
Akane had told him once that the noise had all the Hyakuya children, including herself, falling asleep so much easier. Yuu had never realized it until she had said it, but the steady tapping noise was relaxing in a way. Mika had joked that none of them would ever be able to fall asleep without the noise. And Yuu realized it was true.
He had trouble sleeping without doing it too. He always felt restless. Even when it was just him and an empty room, he tapped his finger against the hardwood floor he slept on. He could never get used to sleeping on a bed.
But now, he was surrounded by his new family. He had Mika back too. Sure, they were on the run from JIDA and the vampires, but they were together. Tonight, they were all settling down to sleep in an abandoned farmhouse they found. A small fire danced in the center as everyone laid down around it. Mika sat in the corner right beside Yuu. He had Yoichi and Kimizuki on either side of him. Narumi was next to Kimizuki, while Shinoa and Mitsuba were in between him and Yoichi.
It was a subconscious thought, him reaching his hand out and starting his two hundred count.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Mika's eyes shot open and stared at Yuu with shock. But then he smiled, relaxing instantly. The familiar noise urged him to close his eyes and rest. The sound had memories of similar nights running through his head. It made him think that maybe, just maybe, it would be okay for him to have a family again. For the first time since being turned into a vampire, Mika drifted off into sleep.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The noise startled Narumi at first, and he sat up expecting an attack. That is, until he saw the source of the noise. He didn't know what to think when he saw Yuu simply tapping the ground. He thought about asking him to stop, but a glance around the small fire told him it was better not to. So he simply laid back down. And soon enough, the constant, even noise lulled him to sleep as well.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
The noise comforted Yoichi. The sound seemed to say 'I'm here. Everything will be okay,' as it continued on. And Yoichi believed it. Because he believed in Yuu. So, he to, drifted off. A small smile on his face.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Like Narumi, Mitsuba was instantly on alert. If it weren't for Shinoa's quick hand stopping her, Mitsuba probably would have summoned her weapon. Calmer, Mitsuba searched for the source of the noise. On the other side of Yoichi, she saw Yuu steadily tapping his finger against the floor. She shared a questioning look with Shinoa before the purple haired girl shrugged. Mitsuba laid back down and just listened to the noise. It was so calm, like Yuu had done this weird tapping ritual a million times with the same purpose. To calm everyone down. 'And it worked' Mitsuba thought closing her eyes and listening to the noise until she too, was claimed by sleep.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Shinoa was shocked at how a simple tapping noise could calm her down. Even more so that it came from her hotheaded teammate. But like Yoichi, she heard the hidden message. She knew that, despite their crappy situation, everything would work out in the end. And that was enough for her to finally relax into falling asleep.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Kimizuki was annoyed by the tapping at first. Considering it was practically right next to his ear. He didn't do anything at first. Thinking Yuu would stop this attempt to annoy him if he didn't react. But he didn't. It was about the 129th tap that Kimizuki turned around to tell Yuu to stop, but he froze. Yuu looked so peaceful. An expression Kimizuki had never seen on his teammate's face before. Thankfully for Kimizuki, his eyes were closed as he continued his steady rhythm of taps. Suddenly, the noise wasn't so annoying anymore. It seemed more relaxing to Kimizuki. Like rain on a rooftop. He stayed awake, listening to the noise quietly. He never realized when the hypnotizing sound put him to sleep as well.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
He was reaching the end of his count now. The familiar motion he had done for years now finally had its true purpose back. But Yuichiro wasn't lulled by the tapping he continued to do. Instead, it was the breathing of his family as they fell asleep that calmed him. For a minute, he was able to pretend everyone was alive and with him. They would use him and Mika as pillows and he could feel their hearts beating against him. But the lack of warmth and weight reminded him that those days were gone. But he wasn't alone. He has Mika back. He has a new family. And in the end…that was all Yuichiro cared about. And so, he ended his count so he could join his family in the land of dreams. Both new and old.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Here's another reposted story. The next chapter will be a reposted one as well, but after that they will all be new stories.
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