A/N Hello to everyone! This will be a series of oneshots of different characters from Blood Plus and random themes. Some are fun and some are serious, but all are various drabbles that 1,000 words or less. The challenge is to pick a character and a word and try to write a drabble. Ratings for each fic will be at the top. If you want to join the challenge, let me know and write some, too. I'd love to read them. Right now it's just me and Natalie Dumas that are doing this, but we could always use some other creative minds to see where this goes!

Scars

Character: Hagi

Word: hot pink

Rating: T

Steam rose from the storm drains that lined the damp pavement of the New York streets. A lone figure shrouded in shadows staggered along the sidewalk. He was wearing a torn tuxedo that was singed along the shoulder and parts of his legs, revealing the alabaster skin exposed to the colder weather that came with the passing cold front. How long have I been buried? The thought burned in his mind just as the slow, heart beat of his sleeping queen pulsed in his ears.

He leaned against a nearby bank and looked at the sign, flashing amber of the name of the bank that switched to the time, temperature, and date.

12:03am

28 degrees Fahrenheit

2/12/2008

It had been 6 months! No wonder it was cold. Thin flakes began to fall from the sky and land around the beaten and battered man in a hiss. Saya was asleep and he had missed it, for a second time! He inwardly cursed as he curled his chiropteran claw into a fist.

He continued to move along the sidewalk. It seemed so odd to him that the bundled New Yorkers just bustled past him without uttering a word of acknowledgement or even a pitiful glance. This is certainly not the friendliest city I have encountered. He caught his reflection in a nearby storefront that had closed for the night.

Valentine's day was coming soon and the stores were insanely pedaling large pink and red stuffed animals, large boxes of chocolate, colorful bouquets of flowers, sappy romance cards, and various other items that lovers enjoy. Hagi's battered reflection was superimposed over a large hot pink heart. There was a thick silvery patch that extended from his left ear up to the corner of his steel-blue eyes. A large portion of the sleeve from the left side was torn off and he had found a tattered rag to cover the newly formed chiropteran claw that matched the right one now. Luckily, he was able to draw the right into the sleeve enough to conceal it. He was torn and scarred, but he was still alive. The ebony strands of hair looked dull, just like his eyes. He needed to feed.

The reflection, shrouded in hot pink, certainly wasn't pretty, but he needed to get back to Okinawa and his beloved queen.

He scanned the dark alleys that separated the buildings and felt the warm heartbeat of his prey. He felt the sharp prick of his fangs scrape against the back of his lips. He moved through the shadows to the wino passed out in a large cardboard box. The light from a nearby neon sign cast the scene in a hot pink glow as he pressed his fangs through the human flesh. He felt his eyes burn red as he took in strong pulls of the man's blood. He heard the man's heartbeat pounding steady before it began to grow fainter and slower as he drained the man. Hagi tried to pull back, but his hunger was taking over. The neon sign sputtered for some reason and strobed hot pink shards into Hagi's vision even as his eyes squeezed shut in an effort to regain control and not take this man's life.

He finally tore himself from the man, sated for the moment, Hagi crouched in a corner and let his flesh knit together as the drunkard's blood filled his parched veins. He hated himself. What was he? Saya would hate him for this. She would never take an innocent life the way he had just done. The damn sign seemed to buzz with accusation, "MURDERER!" He simply hid his head between folded arms as he tried with all his might to dissipate the guilt and remorse.

It felt like an eternity that Hagi stayed there, but he had to get moving. The last thing he needed was the police finding him here with a blood-drained corpse. Noticing a moth-eaten jacket that draped over the man, Hagi rose, quickly snatched the coat, and headed into the night once again.

This was not the first time he had to kill in order to survive, but he hoped he would never have to again. He moved along the streets toward the small apartment they had stayed in. Hopefully, David or Lewis would have an informant nearby that could contact Joel for him and get him some decent clothes to wear.

When Hagi finally arrived in Okinawa a month later, his flesh had healed and all the terrible outward scars were smooth again. His eyes and hair shined from the transfusions he received, but the guilt of those that he had to kill still tore at the internal scars and opened them again and again. He was tormented internally but held it all back for her sake.

He held all his torment inside just for her.

A bandaged hand pressed to the airport window as the brilliant sun rose above the ocean horizon into a hot pink sky. A new day had begun for him and for Saya- they were finally free of war. He hoped that she would awaken in 30 years to a bright future and maybe- just maybe love him, too. Scars and all.