I recently read volume six and came upon chapter 28 and 29. It made me quite sad really. We see Kain ask where Ruka is and he goes off to the garden where she is and you don't see him for some time. When you do see him again, he's holding a vase of roses. Where did he get them? How? What all happened from the time he disappeared to when we see him again. This is my interpretation. My first oneshot. ^^ Hope you all like it!

*I do not own anything, characters and original part of this belong to the talented Matsuri Hino*

Roses for Kain

(Based off Nights 28 and 29 in Vol. 6)

"Hanabusa? Where's Ruka?" he asked for his own sake, but no one would guess that. Hanabusa gave him a blank stare before replying slowly.

"Um… she went out into the garden with Rima." That's all he needed.

"Hmm," Was all he replied with. Takuma began talking at his cousin, but Akatsuki's mind was elsewhere. He passed Kaname without a second glance and made his way out to the back gardens. As he wandered through the halls, he let his mind forget about what Hanabusa was discussing with the dorm president and vice-president. He loved these odd moments when he could relax. He regarded the walls of his aunt and uncle's home. Just the walls alone held so many memories of his childhood. When his parents were called away with work, he would come to his cousins'. He smiled at the fond memories of running through the mansion with his cousins. Being an only child, he loved any chance he had playing with Hanabusa and his sisters. He stopped when he came to the back porch. He could hear Ruka and Rima talking outside and his heart leapt. The cool night air rustled through his copper hair as he walked through the soft grass. He heaved a heavy sigh. Sometimes he could think of nothing better than being a creature of the night. The sounds, the smells, the sights that came alive at night were wonderful.

"Oh Akatsuki! Have you come to help me?" Ruka called out from behind the rose bushes.

"Sure." She smiled up at him when he reached her and handed him the bunch of roses she had been cradling.

"Now just hold those while I find more for a second vase." She didn't stop smiling. He loved to see her smile. It was rare that she was so distracted that she would smile just for the joy of smiling. He didn't feel the need to talk; Ruka wasn't one to demand speech from someone, particularly Akatsuki. The wind blew stronger and he closed his sepia eyes and tilted his head up to feel it better on his heated face. When he opened them again, he saw Rima looking at him. She looked mischievous and dropped a heavily lashed eyelid in a discreet but effective wink before turning back to Ruka. He felt his cheeks flame up and he turned his head to the suddenly intriguing mound of brown dirt beneath the bushes. Rima was the only one besides Hanabusa aware of Akatsuki's feelings for Ruka. The difference was though that Hanabusa had not been aware till Akatsuki told him during a heart-to-heart chat. Rima had figured it out from the moment she met Akatsuki. One night at a soirée, she had cornered him and had dragged a confession out of him. She may be tiny, but she was certainly intimidating. That was definitely not one of his fondest memories.

He was making a curious study of the moth flying sporadically around a rose when Ruka called out his name.

"Akatsuki, do you think these are enough?" He snapped his head up too quickly was wobbled momentarily. Ruka giggled and came closer to him.

"Silly, you should know better than to move so quickly when you're tired."

"I'm… I'm not… well, that is…" Ruka raised a delicate eyebrow and put her free hand on her hip.

"Maybe I am, just a little." He murmured embarrassed. She 'tsked' and fiddled with the roses he held gently.

"Well, try to relax a little this vacation okay?" Akatsuki could only nod. She smiled up at him and beckoned for him to follow her back into the mansion. His long strides brought him right beside her. Her soft brown hair billowed out behind her and he couldn't help admire her all around beauty. Rima was up ahead of them, a small bouquet in her own arms.

"Where are these going?" he asked regarding the bunch in his arms. Ruka stopped and looked at him.

"These are going into the sitting room, Rima's are going in our room and the ones you have… hmmm they can go in your room!" She smiled sweetly and he couldn't help but smile back.

Once inside, Ruka helped him put the roses in a handsome vase. While she clipped the lower leaves off the stems, she set him up filling the vases with water. At that point, he couldn't resist and flicked some water at her neck. Ruka gasped and laughed shocked. She pursed her full lips and looked up at him, her bright brown eyes sparkled with mischief. He ducked but wasn't fast enough as she threw a handful of discarded rose leaves at him. He laughed along with her as he picked them out of his hair. They finished putting the roses in perfectly. Ruka giggled again and pulled out one last leaf out of his hair before shooing him out.

"Go and add some beauty to you and your 'dear cousin's' room." She teased. Akatsuki smiled and obeyed.

He felt warm and fuzzy inside. It was rare that he was able to get time with Ruka where she didn't talk about Kaname. It brought out hope that he rarely indulged in. As soon as he opened the door to the room he was sharing with Hanabusa though, he knew something was wrong. His eyes widened at the sight in front of him.

"Huh? What's all the paperwork?" he asked. Hanabusa was sitting on his bed, surrounded by books and papers. Without looking up, Hanabusa answered.

"These are records of the soirées our family sponsored… and the family trees of certain clans." Akatsuki stood shocked.

"I'll figure out who might hold a grudge against the Kuran family… and find my way to Kaname-sama's secret." Akatsuki took in a breath and spoke.

"That sounds intrusive."

"Yes… but… I think something bad may happen." The roses Akatsuki held suddenly felt silly. He was back into the world of Kaname Kuran; where everything was serious and unkind.

-Try and relax a little this vacation okay?-

'Easier said than done Ruka… I can never relax. Not while I know Kaname is so close to you and you're so vulnerable to his charms.' Akatsuki's relaxing was already over. Now it was back to work.

WOOT! FIRST ONESHOT DONE! ^^ I like oneshots. Just so you know I am NOT abandoning my other stories, I've just come up to a wall with them... ): please forgive me!

A HUGE thank you to all who have reviewed my other two stories! I love to hear your thoughts! :'D

Remember to review and HAPPY READING TO ALL!