Selfish Trust

Disclaimer: Weiß Side B is owned by Takehito Koyasu and Shoko Ohmine, not me. This story takes place during volume five when Kurumi and Okita are together and before Kurumi starts screaming while Okita goes nuts and attracts a crowd. In other words, before chapter 26. Also, the reference to Jack's warning is completely my idea. Such a thing is never mentioned (or even hinted at) in the actual manga. So then, read on and enjoy!

"I told you not to say such disgusting things!"

Okita hadn't meant to raise his voice that much. Now was not the time to be attracting a crowd. While it was a small street, there were still a few people staring, but maybe they thought he was just a father scolding his daughter. He bit his lower lip and his fingers tightened around Kurumi's wrist. He tried to pull her forward, but she stubbornly remained where she was.

"What are you doing?" Okita hissed, more harshly than he had intended. This wasn't the way to win Kurumi's trust, he knew, but he didn't have time to be "nice." Where they were was not a crowded area, so those men would find him and the girl easily. That white-haired monster with the odd facial tattoos… Okita shuddered at the through of confronting him.

Okita pulled on Kurumi's arm again, this time much harder. That threw her off balance and she would've fallen over if Okita hadn't caught her by her waist with his free arm. He thought briefly of just knocking her out and then carrying her, but that would look rather suspicious. "Shinjou, why are you being so stubborn?" he asked. He hoped his tone was gentler, but after months of being treated like a bum, that was difficult for him to manage.

"I don't trust you," Kurumi whispered, trying to pull away from Okita. He, however, kept a firm grip on her wrist. It was smaller than he would've expected of a girl her age and height, now that he thought about it. Kurumi had always been a frail girl, but this… Could it have been from the stress of seeing her parents murdered and then being forced to live with the murderers?

With that thought of murderers, Okita's free hand went up to his throat, where were was a long, light scratch. Several days ago, Jack had teasingly brought his blade across Okita's throat as a "warning." The cut wouldn't leave a scar, but it had bled quite a bit before Okita had been able to bandage it. It was light enough that Kurumi most likely didn't notice it (he had even removed the bandages a few hours before meeting her so as not to scare her), but he clearly remembered how much it had pained and worried him.

I don't wanna die!

"Ku- Shinjou," Okita said, making a serious attempt to sound kind, "why do you trust those murderers over me?" He thought again of Kurumi's small wrist. "That monster could snap your neck with one finger."

Kurumi's face became distorted, as if she was about to cry. "Free wouldn't… I don't think…"

Okita tried to force a small smile. "You don't know him at all," he told Kurumi. "But you know me. When you were younger, I helped your parents find the best medicine for you." He paused for a second, and then pulled Kurumi into a tight embrace. He saw a flash of surprise appear on her face as he brushed his cheek against hers and brought his arms closer around her back. Maybe if he acted like a friend instead of just another person after what was inside her blood, she would trust him.

But, as he had expected, Kurumi did not return his embrace.

"You're scared, aren't you?" Okita began. His lips were close to Kurumi's ear, and he felt her body stiffen with discomfort. "But if you come with me, I can protect you. We can use the Human Interleukin in your blood to attain a better life for the both of us. I won't hurt you, so trust me."

"Let me go," Kurumi requested in a meek voice. She laid her hands on Okita's shoulders and pushed herself out of his arms.

I need you! Your blood is worth so much money!

"Don't!" Okita screamed, more out of concern and frustration than anger. A few people around him and Kurumi turned their heads, but they lost interest as soon as they did. Okita hardly noticed. Why was she being so selfish? He needed her. If he couldn't win Kurumi over and bring her back with him, he would be killed… Again, he seized her wrist, and this time, with his other hand, he grabbed her chin. In that moment, shock was clearly visible on her face, and in that same moment, Okita's lips were on hers.

Okita hadn't done anything that resembled dating in several years, and even when he had, he had never been that popular with women. So, what exactly did he hope to accomplish by kissing Kurumi, a girl young enough to be his daughter…?

"Mmf!" Kurumi sounded, trying to push herself free of Okita's grip. But he curled his left arm tightly around Kurumi's waist and then placed his right hand underneath the back of her head, near the nape of her neck, so that her mouth was pressed even more against his. His fingers became intertwined in her soft hair, and with her chest against his, he could easily feel her racing heartbeat. Her body was small, he noticed, especially compared to his, but she was hardly weak, as how much she was digging her nails into the parts of his shoulders near his neck was actually quite painful. She truly underestimated herself. Did she really fear her own strength that much?

But, the more immediate issue was probably how disgusted Kurumi was by all this, Okita guessed, and he most likely made that feeling triple when he slipped his tongue into her mouth. Or, to be more honest, it was more like he was attempting (and failing miserably) to shove his tongue down her throat. There were probably more strangers staring now, perhaps wondering what the truth of the matter was.

Truth. If Okita's mouth hadn't been busy, he would've scoffed at the notion. Being "truthful" would only make things worse; it would definitely not win him Kurumi's trust. But evidently there was some small, meek part of him that saw her as an actual human being and wanted to show her what kind of man he really was. That was the only reason he could come up with for trying to assault her.

From disheveled acquaintance to shady friend to would-be rapist. And he expected to attain Kurumi's trust how…?

As soon as he finished that thought, he felt Kurumi's teeth come down on his tongue, but not hard enough to draw blood. In pain, he pulled his tongue back quickly and took his lips off of hers. However, he didn't let her go completely; he moved his hands to her shoulders and clutched firmly.

"Don't do that again," Kurumi forced out, averting her face and taking her hands away from Okita's neck.

"Shinjou, I need you," Okita said. His tongue hurt, but he could still speak clearly. "I've told you that repeatedly." With his right hand, he gripped Kurumi's left hand and brought it to his mouth. He then bit her palm, hard enough to break the skin. Kurumi flinched and attempted to pull her hand back, but Okita tightened his holds on both her hand and her shoulder. As blood gushed from the open wound, Okita began licking some of it away. It tasted like normal blood, but it was this blood that was going to get him out of his slump.

"Your blood is precious," Okita reminded as he noticed the repulsed expression on Kurumi's face. He licked away the blood that was still on his lips. "It can benefit so many people. It can make us so rich." Although, he thought to himself, she didn't actually have to be alive for her blood to be useful, but he wasn't going to tell her that. He was determined to bring her back alive.

Okita strengthened his grasp on Kurumi's hand, and once more he tried to move forward. This time, Kurumi did not resist, much to his satisfaction. As they continued to move down this street, people watched them strangely, but Okita tried his hardest to ignore those disapproving stares.

He let out a silent sigh. He wasn't any better than those murderers Kurumi loved so much. He, like her parents, had sacrificed so many to produce the Human Interleukin viruses. And for what? Money. Filthy, detestable money. But he wasn't really such a bad person. By seeking Kurumi, he was trying a positive use for the medicine in her bloodstream. And even though Jack was quite firm in his belief that Kurumi would be easier to deal with if she was dead, Okita refused to go along with that idea. Sacrifices weren't needed now; they would just get in the way. A living Kurumi was more much beneficial to him than a dead Kurumi. Although many of his methods were dirty and he wasn't being entirely honest with Kurumi, he was only trying to redeem himself. Wasn't he?

Wasn't he?

"Kurumi, I'm such a selfish man."

Trust me, please.