I started this story well over a month ago, and I'm only just posting it now. I'm so mad. I was hoping to have a few chapters up before the new ons chapter came out. There's a scene in an upcoming chapter that continues from chapter 34, so it would have been so cool to have it up before chapter 35. But oh well. It isn't as if that's the prime focus, anyway. It's just a flashback.

After seeing all of those spoiler pics for the new chapter, I need someone to hold me though.

PLEASE READ

Anyhow. Be sure to read the tags before reading, because there ARE a few trigger warnings and such. Also, as my tags stated, this does take place in the canon universe. Though I changed a few things up, and these changes were inspired by Vampire Diaries / The Originals. For instance:

- Vampires can use compulsion

- Vampires who were once human can switch off their humanity at will. This leaves them uncaring and guided mainly by their lust for blood / vampire instinct.

- Vampires feel emotions more intensely then humans do. This is a factor that most often leads to one turning their humanity off. Their overwhelming emotions consume them to the point where it's too unbearable, so the humanity switch is an escape from that pain.

- Vervain (a potent herb which has been in short supply since the world's end) harms vampires. It burns them on contact, and typically weakens them.

- Despite not being a Noble, Mika is capable of turning humans into vampires.

Note: I'm actually really confused with this fact in the manga, though. Like, I own the official manga, and when Shinoa is explaining this part, she says that Nobles are the only ones who are ALLOWED to turn humans. As vampires don't like to increase their numbers, apparently. This tells me that all vampires are capable of turning a human, it's just that it's against their law for one to do so if they are not a noble. Now, when I read the online translation, it said more so that nobles were the only ones CAPABLE. So I don't know which would be more accurate. I'd say the official English translation, but who knows. Either way, Mika can turn people into vampires – whether I've simply made him capable of such, or he's breaking vampire law (likeaBOSS) is up to you.

WARNING: Contains trigger warnings. Such as suicidal thoughts, psychological abuse, anxiety, and depression.

Memento Mori

"I find myself doing all of the wrong things for all of the right reasons."

- Who Am I? (I see Stars)

Chapter One: Fallen Angel

Mikaela couldn't allow himself to lose control.

Yuu and his friends hadn't doubted Mika even once since Yuu had convinced him to return to the city with them, despite what he was. They'd welcomed him without question, going as far as stating that any family of Yuu's was family of theirs.

He couldn't let them down by showing them the darkness inside of him.

But it was so damned hard for him when blood hung in the very air of the battlefield around them. He'd begun to tremble, sucking in shaky breathes as every inch of him ached with excruciating blood lust. Wrapping his arms around himself, fingers squeezing into his shoulders, Mika dropped onto one knee. Human and vampire raged around him, and it was obvious that he'd fallen out of the battle – thus existing no longer to those still desperately fighting. He was ignored, no more significant then those who were already dead.

Mika's gaze had even fallen from Yuuichirou, who he'd been keeping a close eye on since conflict had rung out around them.

Now, however, he could focus on nothing but the rich scent of spilled blood.

Resisting only made it all the more agonizing, but the thought of losing himself to a vampire's monstrous instinct hurt even more so. If he succumbed, not only would he be beyond redemption, but upon finally tasting the human blood that he craved, his mortal biology would collapse. Time would freeze for him, and he would be stuck at sixteen for eternity – forced to watch as Yuu's own clock continued to tick, leaving the ageless boy behind. The gap would become greater and greater, until eventually Mika couldn't bear it. An immortal life without Yuu was no life at all. He may as well be dead.

"Mika-kun!"

The urgent voice, as well as the gentle hand on his shoulder, snapped Mika away from his torment. He whipped his head around, eyes flashing with warning. He shouldn't be approached, not when he was in this sort of state.

However, if there was one thing that could pull Mika back from his blood lust, that would be his love and dedication for Yuu. Some things ran deeper then blood ever could.

So when he locked eyes with Yoichi Saotome, a member of Yuu's precious family, Mika softened somewhat – managing to pull away from the thirst, even if just for now. The distraught glint in the human's green eyes was a bit unsettling, and so concern became Mika's prime focus – a concern that ate at his heart much more violently then any sort of hunger ever could.

"What is it?" Mika urgently asked, "Is Yuu-chan alright!?"

Yoichi had been kneeling next to him, but Mika was quick to jolt back up onto his feet. He drew his sword, wild eyes searching the madness around him for Yuuichirou.

Before Yoichi could answer, there was a piercing crash as the glass of a skyscraper's window shattered just above them. From it's jagged opening a group of three vampires or so descended upon them.

Beams of green light whistled through the air towards them, and Mika knew without having to look back that Yoichi had been the one to fire the shots, his bow poised in his hands. His reaction time had been immediate, taking one of the three by surprise.

It couldn't even gasp as one of the arrows tore into it's throat, it's body twisting into ashes that were quickly scattered by the wind.

That left only two...

Neither vampire seemed fazed by the loss of their teammate, but that didn't stop either vampire from understanding the threat that Yoichi posed. As for Mika, eyes that were a harsh red flickered over him for but a moment – slightly confused by his purpose there. Almost as if they couldn't understand why one of their own hadn't taken down the far-range attacker when doing so would have been a simple task, especially with how closely Mika stood to him.

One would've thought that they'd been informed. Then again, Mika wasn't wearing the usual Moon Demon uniform like he did at home. He had switched into his original vampire uniform specifically for this very reason. Confusion gave him just enough edge to take out his foes with little struggle.

The battle in Mika's favour, he sheathed his sword as the two vampire's lunged for Yoichi, fangs bared and a hungry glint in their glowing eyes. Just as they prepared to whip past the blonde, Mika's arms lashed out like whips – his hands closing around each of their throats.

"T-thanks, Mika-kun," he heard Yoichi murmur, a small, relieved sigh escaping him.

Mika silently nodded before then releasing one of the vampires from his hold. The exact second that Mika did so, arrows rained down one after the other like some sort of furious storm - almost as if they had practiced this moment over and over again. Before the vampire could even pick up on the fact that such wounds were fatal, he'd already vanished into dust.

That left Mika to focus on the other who remained within his grasp, the shock having passed as the vampire began to struggle. His fingers tightened, and a strangled gasp managed to find it's way between the vampire's lips just before Mika reached for the hilt of his sword. He drew it like lightning, plunging it's blade into the writhing monster's chest without so much as batting an eyelash. No, he didn't care as the vampire went limp in his hold, it's weight fading soon after as death embraced it. Instead, he spun back around towards Yoichi, blue eyes filled with desperation. "Take me to Yuu-chan!"

Yoichi nodded his head, hesitating not because he was unsure, but because it'd taken a moment to process what Mika had said when all of his senses were tuned on staying alive and picking up on any other advancing threats. "R-right!"

The brunette guided Mika along, as Mika acted as his shield in return. Close range would be the death of him, so they had to be extra cautious. There was no way someone precious to Yuu would die, not in Mika's care. He'd shelter the archer with his very own life.

In-between any of the battles that slowed their progress, Yoichi reassured the other, "Yuu-kun's fine. But our squad was at risk of being overwhelmed, so I volunteered to come look for you. Mitsuba-san and Shinoa-san should be able to cover Yuu-kun and Kimizuki-kun until I return. But we should hurry!"

Mika was glad for that, especially if they were in danger. But it was a bit reckless... Losing their sniper would put the squad at a noticeable disadvantage, but more so then that, the trek to Mika would have been deadly for Yoichi to travel alone.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, he supposed...

Mika could imagine that Kimizuki hadn't been very approving of that... not if Kimizuki felt the same way that Mika did for Yuu, even if it were but a fraction of Mika's intense feelings.

The vampire attacks seemed to dwindle – perhaps they were retreating, as it was more then obvious to Mika that the tides of battle had turned in favour of the humans. Despite being far more fragile when compared to vampires, Mika couldn't help but hold a sort of respect for them. They were resilient, despite their inferior body structure.

But as Mika and Yoichi made their way down the clearing street, Yuu and his squad now in view just ahead of them, Mika was only reminded of just delicate a human life could be.

The vampire's heart sank, his blood turning into ice that flowed through his aching veins. Everything hurt right then, and all he could do was take in Yuu's broken body, draped over Shinoa's lap as pure despair clutched it's dark, sorrowful fingers around his very soul.

Blood stained the cracked pavement below them, and it's scent dizzied Mika just long enough for him to almost forget that the wounded one before him was his very world. But the heartbreak painfully crept back, frightened, ice-blue eyes flickering to Yuu's fluttering eyelids, and then to the oozing wound at his abdomen. Shinoa's hands were urgently pressed to it, but the blood still managed to stream from in-between her fingers. You wouldn't have ever known that her gloves had once been white.

A vampire had limitless blood to lose. Despite their pumping hearts, they were still undead. To a vampire, their blood's sole purpose was to sire others. That, and to bestow their weapons with strength. A human, however... their lives were linked with their blood.

And judging by the amount of blood that Yuu had lost, his life-line was running short...

"Oh my gosh..." Yoichi clasped his hands to his mouth, green eyes dimmed by horror as his lip began to tremble uncontrollably and tears automatically danced down his face. He froze in place, his legs too weak to carry him forward.

Shinoa's distant voice reached their ears, it's very sound cracking as she tried to encourage Yuu to stay awake, at least until help arrived. "Open your eyes, Yuu-san! Come on, you can't just die like this! You promised to cure Mika! You promised you'd always protect everyone! You don't want to die a cherry boy, do you!? Please open your eyes, Yuu-san!"

Mika dragged himself along, despite the heartache that should have crippled him. The only hope that hung in his broken heart was the naive notion that none of this was real. It couldn't be real. The Apocalypse had begun many years ago, and the reign of humans had most definitely ended along with the world as any human had once known it. But Mika hadn't ever really felt such. So long as Yuu was in the world somewhere, even if others claimed otherwise, how was it dead?

Yuu was the definition of life itself. He was Mika's definition of 'the world.' He was Mika's world. Without him, what was left? What was left as Mika dove down onto the concrete before Shinoa, the world bleeding upon her lap? There was no way this could be real, Mika wouldn't allow it to be. Otherwise, life as he knew it would be over for real this time...

Kneeling before him, Mika desperately cupped a hand to Yuu's face – pleading that there would be warmth there. This was a nightmare, and he would soon awaken from it. Yuu would be sleeping next to him, stirring in response to Mika's startled gasp as he jolted out of bed. Then Yuu would tiredly ask him if he was okay, or if he had had a nightmare, and Mika would pull Yuu into him tightly. He'd murmur 'I love you's' and sweet nothings into the human's ear - so, so glad that he could hear Yuu's heart beating through his chest. Then he'd squeeze his arms around him more securely, making the both of them promise that they wouldn't ever be apart. Not ever. Never again...

But as the scene before him refused to fade, Mika's eyes grew wider and the dizziness from earlier returned. Though this time, it was different. It felt as if he could no longer breathe, and his mind buzzed. He was so light-headed...

This was reality... and rather then this nightmarish hell fading, it was Mika's body and mind that had felt as if they would shut down – as if he were somehow linked to Yuu's life, and he too were dying.

"Yuu-chan..." his voice was barely audible as he searched Yuu's paling face, his hand falling away from Yuu's cold skin.

Yuu's eyes, such a vivid shade of green, fluttered back open at the quiet call of his name. Despite being so vivid, there was a drained look to their depths and they couldn't seem to properly focus as they tried to search Mika's grief-stricken face. "M-Mika...?"

The dying boy weakly lifted his hand, as if searching for the source of the beloved voice. Mika bit his lip to keep from sobbing as he completed the distance for him, lacing his fingers between Yuu's own and clasping tightly as if to reassure him that he was right there for him. But really, he simply didn't want to ever let go.

Somehow, through all of the agony, the trembling, and the shock that continued to spread a haze over his mind, Mika managed to speak thickly, "Yuu-chan... You're going to be okay, I promise. I'm here now!" He wasn't sure if those words were meant to comfort Yuu or himself. Perhaps neither. Denial soothed him best.

"Mika, I'm glad... You're here."

Gently, Mika began to sweep his other hand through Yuu's dark bangs.

"Of course I am, I'm not going anywhere. Not ever. So please, hold on just a little while longer. We'll get someone to treat you, and then we'll all go back home. Okay? Just please Yuu-chan, just keep your eyes open a little while longer," Mika insisted, unable to keep his voice from shaking.

"Home?" Yuu repeated the word as if he were so very happy that Mika even referred to it as such. "We're going home... huh? D-did we win?"

Mika nodded his head, "Y-yeah. I think so."

"Good... I kicked ass today. You should have seen me, Mika." Yuu's eyes began to flutter again.

"I did! The majority of it," the blonde squeezed Yuu's hand, desperate to keep him awake. If only Mika hadn't ever lost sight of him... It was then that Yuu had been hurt like this. Mika could have prevented it, but instead, he'd been overcome by blood lust. The very thought made him nauseous.

Yuu frowned and the strength in his hand seemed to grow weaker and weaker by the second. "I'm sorry, Mika... I... I don't think that I'm gonna make it home with you guys."

"Don't talk like that!"

A pang that mangled Mika's entire body made him shudder as Yuu's lips formed into a small, weak smile. His voice sounded strained, yet his tone sounded as warm as it usually did when he spoke with Mika. It was a sound that often melted him from the inside out, but now, it did nothing but make the vampire feel all the more ill.

"It'll be okay... You have... our new f-family now. M-Mika, you don't need to do anything by yourself anymore. Please... Let them take care of you... for me."

With a cry that was produced through a mix of both fury and anguish, Mitsuba slammed her curled fist into the nearby wall of a wrecked skyscraper. Kimizuki had long ago found his way to Yoichi's side, who'd been crying into his hands, shaking so uncontrollably that if not for Kimizuki's hands upon his shoulders, he would have sagged to the floor. Perhaps Kimizuki himself was even crying. His shoulders were so tense, as if he were trying to stay strong for the sakes of everybody else... Then there was Shinoa. She could do nothing but bow her head, unable to restrain the tears that fell from her eyes. Her hands only shook all the more violently against Yuu's wound, though if he felt it, he didn't display such.

Mika's voice cracked, "I can't live without you..." He choked on his tears then, having no choice but to force his eyes shut as an undefinable force constricted mercilessly around his heart.

Then, once those truthful words left his mouth, that was when it hit him.

It didn't have to be this way. Mika could save him.

His precious, precious Yuu-chan... He'd never wanted this sort of life for him. This sort of suffering. Yuu wasn't only Mika's very world. Yuu was perfect. He was everything. He wasn't tainted and selfish, not the way that Mika had become. Yuu was too pure. Too good. Too kind. He was light. Mika would rather sacrifice his entire being then lure Yuu into such foul darkness...

But perhaps it was because he was selfish.

Mika just couldn't live without him. He couldn't... And as he reluctantly raised his free hand to his lips, disgust coursing through him so putrid that he thought he might be sick, Mika reassured himself that this was his last resort. He didn't want this... but he didn't have a choice.

All that mattered was mending the world that was crumbling down around him. How he did so didn't matter anymore. This pain was too much. Unbearably so. If not for Yuu, he would have switched his humanity off a long time ago.

Whimpering, Mika fought his hysterical thoughts as well as his doubt, sinking his fangs deeply into his wrist. Blood stained his mouth, and as he withdrew he watched as it flowed from the self-inflicted wound with horrified blue eyes. It ran down his arm, dripping onto the concrete below.

"M-Mika-san, what are you doing?" Shinoa raised her head to look at him with frightened eyes. The glint within them told Mika that she was very much aware of what it was he planned to do. "Stop!"

Her numb hands finally left Yuu's abdomen so that she could try to snatch Mika's arm.

For a moment, he paused. Again, second-thoughts drifted to the surface of his mind. Was this what he truly wanted? Would this be what Yuu wanted? It was too late to ask him. He'd fallen into unconsciousness. He was so cold... But this... this would bring him back to life.

But what if Yuu-chan hates me?

He could never hate me.

What if he suffers like I have?

No, I'll help him.

This is wrong.

But he'll be alive.

I don't want him to be a monster.

If they assure you that you're not a monster, then why should they look down on this? Would they rather leave Yuu-chan to die over becoming the same as I? If that's the case then they're lying hypocrites. Filthy humans, just like the rest.

But what if...

Shut up!

What if...

"Mika-san!" Shinoa cried as Mika shook her hand off, hastily pressing his bleeding wrist to Yuu's lips.

He may as well have been drinking human blood right then, because as unreadable orbs searched Yuu's face without knowing how to feel, it felt as if time itself had stopped. The sight of blood soaking Yuu's unmoving lips was almost so surreal that Mika felt as if he were viewing the scene through another's eyes.

His heart, now indifferent to it's prior pain, had stopped beating, and he held his breath without even taking notice to it – too focused on trying to process everything before him. It wasn't until Shinoa lunged for his hand a second time that Mika finally jerked upright, eyes lighting up with shock and a gasp escaping him as he was pulled from his dreamlike state.

This time he allowed for the hands to coil around his wrist, guiding it away from Yuu's mouth.

But it was too late, and Mika's ice-blue eyes froze over in realization, his lips parting slightly as he breathlessly murmured through icy disbelief, "...What have I done?"

The crying among the small band of humans had ceased sometime before Mika had recovered just enough from his grief to return to his right mind, and now all the each of them could do was gape in shock. Nothing but silence hung in the air as they simply stared. Even the sound of battle had long ago calmed – leaving behind nothing but the bodies of the dead, the distant howls of victory from any survivors, and a certain degree of eeriness.

Even once Yoichi shattered the tense silence that hung heavily over them, no one dared to shift in even the slightest. They could hardly even breathe, let alone figure out how to feel.

"...E-even though you've never had human blood to awaken more of your powers, does this mean that Yuu-kun will wake up, but as a vampire?" He spoke carefully, though sounded oddly relieved in a way. At the same time, Yoichi seemed dazed. This just couldn't be happening. He couldn't wrap his head around it. Even though they had accepted Mika, as well as come to recognize that he'd retained several of his human qualities, there was still something incredibly unsettling about having their comrade forcibly turned into the very thing they'd been trained to eliminate.

"...I," Mika swallowed thickly, still fixated on Yuu's face as he struggled to reclaim his breath. His stomach flipped, and he thought for sure that he was going to be sick for real this time. "I don't know..."

Shinoa bit the inside of her mouth, trying to speak coolly, though it was more then obvious as she spoke unsteadily that she was as terrified as everybody else. The panic that danced in her eyes was enough indication on it's own. "Let's assume he's going to wake up..." she paused, her gaze flickering to Mika's, "Mika-san... What... What can we expect? What happened to you once you were sired?"

So Yuu was either dead, or would re-awaken as a vampire. Mika didn't want to acknowledge either option. How could he? Then again, how could he make sense of just about anything without Yuu? Yuu was his compass. Without him, Mika felt so terribly lost and cold. If Yuu was dead, then he wanted to be dead too.

"Mika-san?" Shinoa repeated herself upon the silence that followed her question, a hint of urgency entering her tone. "Mika-san, what do we do?"

His mind swam with Yuu, and it was almost impossible to focus on anything else right then, let alone the memory of when he'd been made into a vampire all of those years ago. It wasn't as if the memory of it had ever dimmed. It would probably remain vivid for as long as his immortality lasted. If Yuu ceased to wake, then his so-called eternal life would expire very soon, anyway...

No matter how memorable the appalling recollection of his past was, it still took a great deal of willpower for Mika to focus enough to speak of it when all he could concentrate on was his loved one's fate. "He... he'll want blood," Mika spoke gingerly, far too distracted as he sadly took in Yuu's sleeping face. His skin was more pale then Mika had ever seen it, and the blood upon his still lips was striking. Yet there was still something sort of pretty about him, as messed up as it sounded. Maybe it was the way his breath softly sounded from his lips, as if to reassure Mika that he was still alive. Or maybe it was the way his closed eyelids quivered every now and again, his thick lashes seeming to spill shadows across his lightly coloured cheeks.

"Right away?" Shinoa confirmed, her tone attentive. She wanted to be prepared for anything.

Again, Mika hesitated, "...Yeah. But Yuu-chan will be fine. I'll help him..." There was a hint of doubt in his own voice, so he sounded anything but convincing. Why had he done this? The guilt hit his bloodstream like acid. He wanted to help. But he knew better then anybody just how powerfully his entire body had ached back on that very first day. He may as well have been set aflame, because he wouldn't have known the difference when every inch of his body had pounded and throbbed with it's need for blood. Now he was going to put Yuu through that... What? Did he think he could do the same as Krul had done for him? Feed Yuu his own blood and hope for the best?

"No, unlike me, Yuu-chan will have support. I'll support him," Mika whispered, trying to rid himself of his shame. It was too late now, and Yuu would need him to be strong. He had time to hate himself for this later.

Mika jumped when he suddenly felt a soft touch to his shoulder. Yoichi's touch.

"No, we'll support him. All of us," Yoichi corrected him warmly. His eyes were still red, and his face was stained with tear tracks, but somehow, the brunette looked bright. Confident, even. Like he really, truly believed that everything would be okay, so long as he, Mika and the rest of the squad were all together.

Despite their continued shock at what he had done, Mitsuba, Kimizuki nor Shinoa protested.

By some means, Mika almost smiled.

He opened his mouth to express his heartfelt gratitude, but his focus was broken apart just as quickly as the hope that had just entered his heart when Yuu shot up from where he'd been lying within Shinoa's lap with a strangled gasp.

Mitsuba, Yoichi and Kimizuki stared over in astonishment, as Shinoa stood up from where she'd been on her knees all this time. She took a step back, carefully observing the boy. Though a glimmer of relief bled through her cool exterior.

"Yuu-chan..." Mika took him in, all else melting away as comfort at being able to see Yuu again embraced his damaged chest like a warm blanket. He knew it was wrong. But in that moment, he felt that so long as they were together, nothing else mattered.

Yuu's gaze wildly darted from Mika to the other faces around him, and Mika automatically went to cup the sides of Yuu's face with his hands tenderly – hoping to calm him by reassuring him that he was there for him. As Yuu searched Mika's face in return, green orbs reflected a flood of overwhelming emotion: the alleviation he felt from Mika's presence ; his confusion ; fright ; the hunger that he couldn't possibly explain.

"Mika, what's going on?!" Yuu demanded, placing a palm over one of the hands that caressed his cheek. He squeezed his fingers against Mika's knuckles anxiously. "What's wrong with me!?"

Mika replied in a soft, hushed tone – trying to seem soothing. He forced what he hoped was a fond smile, but that didn't stop the sadness from sneaking it's way into his voice. "...I'm sorry, Yuu-chan. I..." there wasn't any excuse that justified what he'd done, and he only hoped that Yuu would mistake the tremor in his hands for his own. "I can't live without you. I... did something immoral." Like the filthy monster that I am. "But I'm going to fix this, okay? You're going to be okay. I promise you, I'll take care of you."

Mika could feel it as the fear dissipated. Yuu's trembling no longer fondled the blonde's fingertips, almost as if Mika had taken all of Yuu's uneasiness into himself.

He'd carry it all.

At first, Mika had believed that maybe his words had touched Yuu's heart somehow, and that was why he'd significantly calmed. But when he continued to examine Yuu's face as he awaited even just the faintest sound from him, Mika caught the detached gleam in Yuu's eyes.

"Yuu-chan?" Mika leaned slightly closer, blinking at the other as he slowly lowered his hands from Yuu's face. A tinge of concern returned and it pinched at his stomach.

An alarm rang in his mind, and the chill that had swept over him told Mika that something wasn't right. Something told him that he shouldn't. Perhaps it was because Mika loved the dark haired boy's eyes so much, and now the very light he liked within them had been replaced with a certain icyness. Or maybe it was because those very eyes were directed at him. But Mika couldn't restrain from reaching for Yuu's hand. Four years had been long enough, and Yuu felt as if he were suddenly so distant. He'd take hold of his hand and never let go, just to ensure that there would never be any distance between them ever again.

"Thanks, Mika..." Yuu welcomed the touch, though his words sounded anything but sincere. His tone matched the ice in his eyes. Mika could only frown at it, though found himself unable to speak when Yuu's fingers intertwined with his own. "Really though, Mika, I'm fine now. Just hungry."

Mika's uncertainty disappeared and he curled his fingers around Yuu's in return, opening his mouth to offer aid in the only way he knew how: through his blood.

However, before a single word could escape him, Mika instead found himself sucking in a sharp breath as Yuu lunged at him without warning.

"Yuu-san? What are you doing!?" Shinoa exclaimed.

Fangs tore into Mika's throat, puncturing a vein that would have killed him if he'd still been human. Even so, Mika never thought once of pushing Yuu away. This was what he'd wanted, anyway. He was more then aware that Yuu wasn't himself, but maybe that would change once he'd been fed. For now, all he could do was rest an encouraging hand against the back of Yuu's head, softly stroking his fingers through black strands of messy hair as he could feel Yuu eagerly running his tongue against the skin of his throat.

When he finally lifted his head from Mika's neck, warm blood streaming down his face, Mika still couldn't seem to recognize him... He could feel Yuu's breath against him, and the boy's lips hovered only moments from his ear. "Thanks, Mika. That was enough to get me up on my feet, at least.," he whispered, still lacking the warmth that Mika compared to the sun.

Mika's hand left Yuu's to clutch at his chest. He felt cold again, and it hurt to breathe. He flinched as Yuu hummed, "But did you really think that your blood would be good enough? That I needed you to 'take care' of me?" He scoffed. "I'm not so pathetic."

Mika heard frantic cries from the others, each of them calling Yuu's name as if to snap him out of it. But their calls sounded so distant as Mika could feel himself spiralling. Even his vision couldn't properly focus, not as shock consumed him entirely.

What the hell had he done?

What the hell had he done to his Yuu-chan?

That was the last thought that crossed his mind. Then the face that could have been mistaken for a stranger's – Yuu's face - was the last that filled his vision before he blacked out upon the newly awakened vampire wrapping his hands around his neck and snapping it.

Thanks for reading, and I'm sorry for the cliffhanger. I've been dedicating so much of my time to writing this story, and I'd absolutely love to receive any sort of feedback from all of you. I get seriously discouraged when I don't get any comments, so just let me know if you want me to continue. Haha, even just talk to me about Mikayuu. Please?

Also, I wanted to make a shout out to Roro. Thanks for always encouraging me with writing this. I wouldn't have found the motivation without all of your kind words.