Note from Author: What if things had turned out a little different for Tohru and Natsuno at the end of the series? (Yeah, deviating from the cannon version here.) This is my first fic for this series. I don't know if I'll finish it, I doubt I'll write another, and don't expect much more than a single chapter. That said, I do need to get something out. First off, I'm not one of those Yaoi fan girls. I rarely ever find a male-on-male couple that interest me, and on top of that, I wasn't too thrilled with the way Shiki ended, but when I started watching the show, I jokingly started shipping Tohru and Natsuno as well as Seishin Muroi and Toshio Ozaki. By the end of it, I was a lot more serious in shipping the former couple. I'm giving a spoiler warning now, as the introduction takes place after Natsuno has become a Jinrou. I'm borrowing from a theory I picked up in another fan-fic that a Shiki can feed from a Jinrou. I'm also going to implement a theory of my own on the Jinrou/Shiki relationship. There will be some tame Yaoi action throughout.
Chapter 1: The Offer Still Stands
Natsuno gasped and opened his eyes, darting them around the room. Where was he? The last thing he remembered was Tohru visiting him in the middle of the night, the feel of his best friend's fangs as they sunk into his neck, and the splash of Tohru's tears of remorse as he did so. Natsuno sat up, and put a his hand on his head vaguely recalling the sound of his father's voice, calling out to him as a morning breeze blew through the open window.
"I… I should have died then," Natsuno mumbled, looking around, "So, where am I?" Natsuno checked his wrist. "Is… Is that a pulse? But, Tohru-Chan…?" Natsuno was clearly confused as to where he was, or why. He forced himself up and looked around. It didn't take him long to figure out what happened, Tohru had drained him to the point that he was just barely alive, his father found him and thought him dead, calling in a funeral home from the city. "How long have I been out? Obviously not long enough for them to cremate me just yet."
Natsuno made his way through the door, if he left without a word, perhaps the city would think something got crossed in the paper work, that they cremated him in place of someone else by mistake. His last words to Tohru had been, 'I get the feeling I'm never going to leave this village,' and yet, Tohru had given him his chance to leave. Though, something wasn't right. Natsuno had a pulse, he could feel himself breathing, but something seemed odd, different. He felt stronger than ever before. He stopped dead in his tracks and blinked. That Tatsumi, he was different from the Shiki, too. Had he become something like him? "Damn it all," Natsuno growled at this realization. "They're going to pay. They're all going to pay."
Natsuno returned to Sotoba and watched from the shadows for a while. From what he gathered, the Shiki thought he had been cremated. This was good, it meant they couldn't perceive him as a threat. It was easy to hypnotize his father and regain entrance into his home. Natsuno was careful not to be seen by the Shiki or the other villagers. He'd discovered that Dr. Ozaki was also looking for a way to rid the village of the ever growing menace that was the Shiki. The doctor could prove useful.
There was only one thing that was making Natsuno careless in his efforts to keep from becoming unknown. Tohru. He quietly watched as his best friend, the very Shiki who had turned him, came to his window with flowers, to mourn his actions. It was risky to make contact with him, and he held back as long as he could.
Once Natsuno and the doctor had joined forces to take out a common enemy, he decided to confront Tohru. He over heard the conversation as Tohru confessed his actions to the Junior Monk, Muroi Seishin. He waited until Seishin had left Tohru alone, then slowly approached. "Damn it all, Tohru-Chan," Natsuno said. "You're persistent in making it hard for me to kill you."
Tohru looked up in surprise. "N-Natsuno!?" Tohru gasped.
"Stay where you are," Natsuno insisted, taking a step back, as he saw Tohru getting ready to pounce.
"Natsuno, you… You rose up?" Tohru asked, using the sleeves of his sweater to dry his eyes.
Natsuno sighed and approached Tohru. "I don't know what happened, Tohru-Chan. All I know is I came back. I'm getting Kaori and her brother Akira out of town, and I'm going to ask two things of you."
"Anything, Natsuno," Tohru agreed, "Anything to make up for what I've done to you."
Natsuno backed Tohru back against the tree, looking him in the eyes. Tohru's eyes widened, he could see the change in Natsuno's eyes. "First off," Natsuno said, "Don't tell anyone I'm back. They think I'm gone, and I want it to stay that way."
Tohru nodded, "I won't say anything, if I can help it, Natsuno. As long as they have no reason to ask if I know anything, I won't need to say anything. What's the other thing?"
Natsuno backed up and closed his eyes. "Do your best to stay safe. I can't say more than that. It's dangerous enough to let you go, when you know about me. I offered you a way out of here, once before. If we survive what's about to happen, the offer still stands."
"Huh?" Tohru asked curiously. "Natsuno, what are you…?"
Natsuno put a finger against Tohru's lips to shush him. "Don't ask. It's better if you don't know. Just promise me you'll be careful?" A confused look swept across Tohru's face, but he nodded quietly. "I'll say this much, a storm is brewing, the Shiki are becoming careless in the way their handling things. It won't end well for anyone, but if anyone has the right to kill you, that Tatsumi, or that bitch Shimizu, it'd be me." Tohru started to open his mouth to say something, but Natsuno's eyes locked with his, reinforcing his silence. "One way or another, they'll pay for what they've done to us, Tohru-Chan. That's a promise." With that, Natsuno turned and walked away, leaving Tohru where he stood.
Finally, the night of the Kagura festival fell upon the village. Chiziru's public execution was the beginning of an all out war between the Shiki and the remaining humans. This was what Natsuno was waiting for. If Tastumi was a Jinrou and could kill any of the Shiki if the need arose, then what was to stop Natsuno from doing the same? In the midst of everything, Kaori and Akira were moved to the city, where they would be kept safe.
It took some effort, but Tohru managed to get Ritsuko to run with him when their location had been discovered by the villagers. Even though she was weak from refusing to eat, Ritsuko convinced Tohru it would be best to split up. She knew she was slowing him down and wanted to give him a fighting chance. Tohru narrowly dodged a villager with a stake and managed to escape; Ritsuko wasn't so lucky.
Natsuno took survey over the bodies while the humans were chasing the other Shiki, finding Ritsuko amongst the corpses. He was relieved to see no sign of Tohru, Maso, or Megumi, meaning it was possible they were still out there, somewhere.
Maso was of no true concern to Natsuno. He'd found Maso's constant complaining annoying, and would have loved the chance to knock him around a bit, but Shimizu Megumi and Tohru were the ones he really had his eyes on. If Shimizu hadn't given way to jealousy over Tohru, then perhaps none of them would be in this mess, now. He almost wanted to run the stake through her heart, while Tohru watched. "I wonder if they've found her yet?" he mumbled, as he started the fire that would soon burn all of Sotoba to the ground.
The last thing Natsuno remembered was the sound of the TNT as it exploded inside the pit. He had no way of knowing who had survived and who hadn't. It seemed hours had passed, and yet, somehow, he had survived the explosion. Tatsumi wasn't so fortunate. Perhaps this was because of everything Tatsumi had gone through before their battle. "So, I survived, after all?" he grumbled as he pulled himself out of the pit. It was still night, the flames were still sweeping, but by now the area nearby was only smoldering, but those who could seemed to have left.
"Natsuo!?" Tohru's voice called out to him.
Natsuno's eyes widened and he looked up. "Tohru-Chan?" he gasped, scrambling to his feet.
Before he could say another word, Tohru pounced him, throwing his arms around him. "Natsuno! You're alright," Tohru sobbed. "They killed her, they killed Ritsu-Chan. She never did anything to anyone. She refused to feed, and they killed her."
Natsuno sighed and put his hands on Tohru's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Tohru-Chan," Natsuno whispered, "I know she meant a lot to you. Are you all that's left?"
"As far as I know," Tohru answered somberly. "Like you said, Natsuno, you're the only one with any right to kill me." Tohru closed his eyes, ready for the blow. "If that's what you want, I won't fight you."
Natsuno shook his head. "I've got other plans. Have you fed tonight?"
"Huh? No, not yet, and with all that's happened, I'm surprised to admit it never crossed my mind," Tohru answered.
Natsuno rolled up his sleeve and offered Tohru his arm. He turned and looked away from him. "Then hurry up and do so. From what I've come to understand, I've become a Jinrou. You can feed from me, and I won't die, and since you're the one who turned me, my blood should be better for you than that of any human."
"N-Natsu…" Tohru stammered.
"Hurry up!" Natsuno insisted, turning to look Tohru in the eyes. "It'll be morning soon. I'll have to find a way to move you out of the village without anyone seeing us." Tohru smiled meekly and nodded. Natsuno flinched as he felt Tohru's teeth sink in once more. He smiled while Tohru fed. Had the villagers caught Tohru, then Natsuno wouldn't have accepted his own survival. But, as long as Tohru was unharmed, he had something to stay alive and fight for.
Time passed, and after a while, Natsuno felt safe enough to reenter society in the big city. Using his father's family name, Yuuki, he registered himself and Tohru as a pair of brothers who due to family circumstances, were now on their own. This allowed him to work things out, procuring a building for them. To keep inquisitive towns folk from snooping into their lively-hood, he got a building that would allow himself and Tohru to live in the back, while using the front as a small in-home night-time restaurant.
Tohru had become completely reliant on Natsuno's assistance by this time, as Natsuno was the only one who could go out for anything they needed during the day. When asked about Tohru's rare ventures outside, it was explained that Tohru was always a bit sickly from birth, and it was all left up to his 'big brother' Natsuno to take care of him.
Things were finally ready for them to open their restaurant. Natsuno watched as the sun set, and went to wake the sleeping Shiki.
"Tohru-Chan," Natsuno called as he gave the sleeping blonde vampire a gentle nudge, "Come on, sleepy-head, time to get up."
With a moan, Tohru opened his eyes and looked up at his Jinrou guardian. "Is it nightfall, already?" he asked, sitting up. "Wait, you're opening the restaurant, tonight, aren't you? Natsuno, are you sure this is a good idea?"
Natsuno rolled up his sleeve to expose his arm. "Relax. They think we're a couple of kids trying to make it on our own. This was the only thing I could think of to keep people from asking where we're getting our money in order to get by. Just drink your fill now," Natsuno assured him. "I can count on you for help in the kitchen, can't I?"
Tohru nodded. "As long as I don't have to handle garlic," he said with a half-hearted laugh, as he bit into Natsuno's arm.
Natsuno smiled and wrapped his free arm tightly, yet gently around Tohru's body. Tohru blinked in surprise, but couldn't bring himself to pull away from his meal, when he suddenly felt the back of his head resting against Natsuno's shoulder. Tohru wasn't sure if he could blush, but if he could, he was almost certain he would be. "I know you're nervous about reentering the world of the humans, but it's better to do what we can to live quietly along side them without raising their suspicions, than it is to continue to move from place to place on a daily basis, or to attempt a repeat of what happened in Sotoba. Drink your fill now, Tohru-Chan. Come to me if you need more, later. When it comes to feeding, I want you to look only at me." Now, Tohru and Natsuno both felt as though they could blush.
"Natsuno?" Tohru asked, as he pulled away from the Jinrou's arm, licking the wound with his tongue, "Why?"
"Huh?" Natsuno blinked at Tohru, "Why what?"
"Why are you doing this for me?" Tohru asked. "I bit you that first time, because I was protecting my family, and because I knew you'd never forgive me if I let Megumi do it instead. But, you wanted to run and do this, even before you turned. You could have left, you could have killed me at anytime, but you stayed. I just want to know, why?"
Natsuno smiled and wrapped his arms around Tohru's shoulders from behind. "I thought it would be obvious by now, Tohru-Chan." Tohru squirmed a little, feeling Natsuno's warm breath on his cold neck.
"Natsuno?" Tohru whispered softly, not sure how to react to his friend's embrace. He couldn't understand it; by every right, Natsuno should be angry with him. Natsuno himself had laid claim to Tohru's life. But, Natsuno had his chance to be free of burdens, to live the big city life he'd wanted to return to. Tohru couldn't help feeling he was holding Natsuno back, or that he had taken it all from him.
"You know, Tohru-Chan," Natsuno finally spoke, "For all the complaining I did about my parents taking me out of the city and into Sotoba, there was one good thing I found there. One thing that made me hesitant to leave. A certain someone who followed after me like a little lost puppy, the only one I was able to let my guard down for, and made me feel safe. Someone who would go out of his way to try and make me smile, and I who I never could stand to see unhappy." Natsuno fell silent again, for a moment, letting his words sink in. This whole thing felt out of character for him, but he felt it needed to be said. With a smirk, he finally continued, "You know, for all their rebellion against social norms, like the marriage system and religions and superstitions, I can almost picture my how happy my parents would be if they could hear me say this, and I have to admit, I've been reluctant to say it after Ritsu-Chan. It just didn't seem right. But, I may as well get it out there." His embrace on Tohru tightened a little, as he leaned into the Shiki's ear and whispered, "I love you, Tohru-Chan."
Tohru's eyes widened in surprise. He turned to face Natsuno, but he wasn't sure how to respond. "N-Natsuno, I…" before he could utter another word, they heard a sound, as if someone were entering the restaurant.
Natsuno smiled at him, putting a finger to his lips to hush him, and lightly kissed Tohru's forehead. "Sounds like we've got our first customer. It's alright, Tohru-Chan, you don't have to say anything right now." He didn't expect Tohru to reciprocate his feelings, but felt he deserved to know they were there.
Tohru quietly watched Natsuno walk out of the room. He still wasn't sure what to think of that confession. Were these feelings that Natsuno had always harbored, or had they come to exist after Natsuno had become a Jinrou?
Natsuno entered the restaurant, to greet their first customer, and he was surprised at what he saw. It was Seishin Muroi, the Junior Monk from the temple in Sotoba, standing in the door way, waiting for someone to invite him in. "You!?" Natsuno and Seishin both exclaimed in surprise.
Seishin smiled quietly. Here, Seishin had thought he and Sunako were the only Shiki and Jinrou to escape the flames of Sotoba, yet here Natsuno stood before him, even when Tohru had confessed responsibility for Natsuno's death. "I see, so you became a Jinrou, too?" Seishin asked, quite un-menacingly.
"How the hell did you make it out?" Natsuno asked, surprised to see Seishin.
"It's a long story," Seishin replied. "Sunako and I have been in hiding."
"She's not going to start anymore trouble, is she?" Natsuno snarled, "I had hoped I had destroyed everyone with that fire."
"So you were the one who set it?" Seishin asked. He sighed and shook his head, straightening his glasses at the end of his nose, "No, Sunako and I will not cause you any further trouble. I'll even go find somewhere else to eat, if it'll make a difference."
Natsuno shook his head, "That won't be necessary, have a seat, I want to talk to you."
Tohru peeked through the door from the kitchen. He was equally surprised to see Seishin, but hesitant to come out and take Seishin's order. Natsuno and Seishin both sat down at one of the tables. "So, are you alone?" Seishin asked.
"Not quite," Natsuno admitted, giving a quick glance toward the kitchen, knowing Tohru was in there.
"I see. You have a Shiki with you, don't you?" Seishin asked.
"Straight to the point, Mr. Muroi," Natsuno replied. "Suppose I do? You said you and Sunako won't cause us any trouble."
Seishin nodded, "That I did, and we won't. But, you're a Jinrou, just as I am. It seems that in spite of our superior strength and senses compared to our Shiki cousins, we're much happier when we're serving the Shiki; often as bodyguards." Seishin rested his chin on his hands, and gave a wry little smile, as the light danced off his glasses, and he continued, "Even more so when it's the Shiki that sired us." He watched the look on Natsuno's face as he spoke these words. "So, it is the Mutou boy," he guessed, "Tohru was quite certain you were lost. I'm sure he's relieved to have you with him."
Natsuno shook his head, "I honestly don't know. He's grateful for my help, but seems equally confused that I'm doing so. The fact that he's the Shiki that turned me into what I am, do you honestly think that's why I'm with him?"
"I don't know why you're with him, but you must have done something special for him in order to transform into a Jinrou, rather than rising up as Shiki," Seishin replied.
"How do you figure that?" Natsuno asked.
"Think about it, Natsuno," Seishin replied, "Tatsumi always said there weren't very many Jinrou to begin with. Sunako wanted to see more of us. There were four of us in Sotoba. Tatsumi-whom you destroyed, Yoshie Kurahashi-who was shot by Seishirou, also your handiwork, I believe; a little hypnotism from a bite to the neck? Then of course, there was you, and then I became one myself in trying to rescue Sunako from the villagers. Tatsumi and Kurahashi both selflessly served Sunako and the other Shiki. I willingly allowed Tatsumi and Sunako both to feed from me on multiple occasions before and during the Sotoba Slaughter, and they gave me a few blood transfusions to keep me alive. I was mortally wounded by Ookawa Tomio, while fleeing the temple, after he and his unruly mob slaughtered my mother and the other monks in cold blood. I transformed into a Jinrou and arrived at the abandoned church just in time to kill the old man and rescue Sunako from him. So, Natsuno, what unselfish deed did you do for Mutou Tohru?"
"I willingly let him feed," Natsuno admitted, calmly. A look of surprise crossed Seishin's face at hearing this. "Doesn't add up with what he told you, does it?" Natsuno asked.
"Actually, some of what I remember him saying makes a little more sense," Seishin said.
"I didn't let him feed the first time," Natsuno explained. "Shimizu Megumi, she was smitten with me, the day she first laid eyes on me. But I had no interest in her. She was the first to rise up. When she was alive, I knew she would sneak out and spy on me while I was in my bedroom, so I started sleeping with the window shut. Once she passed, I thought it would be safe to start leaving the window open again. But I began to feel her watching me. At first, I thought it was my imagination, or that perhaps it was her spirit back to haunt me for refusing a postcard Kaori had tried to give me from her the day of the funeral. I started sleeping at Tohru-Chan's because I didn't feel safe at my place. The little pink-haired bitch had the nerve to attack him right in front of me, out of jealousy." Natsuno bit his lip, realizing what he'd just said, and remembering the man in front of him was a monk, "Excuse me, Mr. Muroi, I seem to have picked up some strong vocabulary since I turned."
Seishin shook his head, "I'm not bothered in the least, please continue."
Natsuno sighed and leaned back in his chair, "I couldn't move when she first entered Tohru-Chan's room. As soon as I could, I looked where I had seen her bite him, but there were no signs, so I dismissed it as a nightmare. I was devastated when I heard Dr. Ozaki pronounce him dead. I blamed myself, I thought I had seen something, but couldn't prove it, and Tohru-Chan was lost. If Tatsumi and Shimizu hadn't revealed themselves to me during that first attack, I never would have started hunting the Shiki. But since I knew about them, it was decided I had to be killed. Tatsumi sent Tohru-Chan after me, threatening Tohru's family. I let down my guard and let myself be lured out of my house when I realized he was one of them. Before I knew it, I was cornered; Shimizu on one side, begging me to let her be the one to bite me, and Tatsumi on the other. Tohru-Chan lept out of the trees and caught me from behind. Between the three of them, I'm glad it was him. I confronted him the next time around, but couldn't bring myself to hurt him. He was too much like himself. So, I offered him another way. I told him to run with me, and I would willingly give my blood, that we would try to find a way to coexist. He never had to hypnotize me. We didn't run, but I willingly gave my blood to keep him from attacking anyone else."
Seishin smiled and nodded, "Then I suppose it's true. We become Jinrou when we try to protect the Shiki that feed from us. That's why there's so few of us. We're not common ghouls, hypnotized into doing the Shiki's bidding, but we willingly give ourselves to them, and will go to any lengths to keep them safe." Seishin smiled at Natsuno, "Don't worry, Yuuki/Koide Natsuno, Sunako and I will leave you both in peace, if you agree to leave us be as well." Natsuno nodded, knowing Tohru had occasionally vocalized fears of any straggling Shiki from Sotoba coming after them. "I suppose he's fully reliant on you?" Seishin asked, "Even as Shiki and Jinrou, you're probably still the one pulling his leash?"
Natsuno shrugged, "To a point, I guess. It almost seems unfair, really. Tohru-Chan's older than I am, by three whole years; he was even learning to drive, yet, he always let me have my way, and even now, he's the Shiki that sired the Jinrou I've become, I should be the servant, but he's still letting me call all the shots, and we're claiming that he's my younger brother, since I'm the one who has to take care of things."
"Something tells me he doesn't mind. I wish you both the best," Seishin said, turning his attention to the kitchen, both Jinrou knew Tohru had been listening the whole time. "I'm ready to order, now, waiter," he called toward the kitchen.
Natsuno smirked, "Oi, Tohru-Chan, come on out here," Natsuno called.
Tohru came out and greeted Seishin, obviously relieved there was nothing to be worried about. He took down Seishin's order and he and Natsuno both retreated to the kitchen. Gradually, customers began to trickle in and out. Tohru and Natsuno both invited Seishin to become a regular, as proof that neither side harbored any ill toward the other. Finally, the night began to wane, and the boys closed up the restaurant. Natsuno was almost afraid Tohru would have to retreat to his room to sleep before everyone had left, or all the clean up was done, but they just did manage to finish before that happened.
Tohru sat, quietly chewing on the tip of his thumb, as he waited for the moment he would have to go retreat for a long day of sleep. He finally understood Natsuno's motivations. To be honest, he was a little relieved that Natsuno had opened up to him about them. Finally, Tohru couldn't wait any longer; he had an hour of night time left, he and Natsuno were alone, and he was going to make the best of it. He stormed into the kitchen, to find Natsuno putting the last of the dishes into the machine. He grabbed Natsuno's sleeve and gave it a light tug. "Natsuo," he said.
Natsuno looked up at Tohru, as he pushed the machine shut and pressed the button to turn it on. "What's wrong, Tohru-Chan?" he asked. Tohru didn't answer, he only took Natsuno's wrist in his hand and signaled for Natsuno to follow him. He lead Natsuno back to his bedroom, a room in the building they had picked out for it's lack of windows, it was pitch dark when Tohru pushed the door shut behind them. "Tohru-Chan, is everything ok?" Natsuno asked. The room may have been pitch black, but the two vampires had little trouble seeing each other.
"Natsuno," Tohru said softly, "I only have an hour left before sunrise. I don't want to go to sleep, but just like the hunger, it's something I can't fight. Will you stay with me for a while?"
Natsuno nodded. "Of course I will, Tohru-Chan," he agreed, a little confused by Tohru's actions.
Tohru smiled shyly and sat on the bed Natsuno had picked out for him, only he pulled Natsuno onto the bed with him. Before Natsuno could vocally question anything, he felt Tohru push him back on the bed, so they were laying next to each other, followed by Tohru's cold lips against his own warm ones. "Natsuno," Tohru whispered, "I love you too."
