Another writing commission for s-e-kwan on tumblr

Just the Rain

Reaching up on tip-toe, her fingers strained out, trying to reach a book on the shelf above. Yui huffed and jumped, managing to grab the spine and fall back on the balls of her feet- bumping into something.

"O-oh, I'm sorry." Came a pleasant, accented voice.

Yui turned, finding a foreign young man standing behind her. She hadn't thought there would be anyone else in the library so early.

She bowed slightly, "I'm sorry too. It's nice to meet you," straightening, she offered a smile. "I'm Yui Komori."

"Ah I'm James, James Walker." He also bowed, but a little too low. "Y-you um dropped this," he said, passing her a book.

"Thank you?" She took it, honestly not remembering dropping anything. How strange. "Um, anyway I'll see you around," she turned with the intention of leaving.

"Wait!" James stopped, cheeks heating. "Would you…like to study together?"

Yui blinked, before smiling gently.

She had forgotten.

Yui had honestly forgotten what it was like to spend time with another human being. For a year she'd been surrounded by vampires, at first with the Sakamakis, then now with the Mukamis. She never had any friends, too weak in health to keep up appearances or attention too hogged by a blood sucker to really form bonds with others.

James was different.

He listened to everything she said, and took her out during lunch at school, to the park or cafe. He waited even when she was late for their meet-ups, exhausted and anaemic.

He was apparently from the UK and had transferred there for a few months to learn Japanese.

So for a bright few weeks, Yui drifted on cloud nine, allowing the Mukamis to suck her blood without much protest. She had other things on her mind.

However, the daydream was abruptly broken by a flick on her forehead.

"Livestock."

Yui squeaked, rubbing the sore-spot. "What?"

Ruki's eyes narrowed as they sat in her room. She didn't really seem to notice her legs were on either side of his lap, straddling him as he sucked blood from her wrist. "What is this?" He muttered, sliding pale fingers under the thin chain around her neck.

"Oh, it's a necklace!"

"I can see that. Who gave it to you?" He purred.

"N-nobody…"

Ruki dips her back on the bed slowly. "Lying to your Master, Livestock? What a terrible influence that boy has become on you," he uttered lowly.

Yui's eyes widened as the chain was grabbed. With a single tug, it snapped free, sending the cute charm on the end of it clattering to the floor. Her back hit the bed, fangs burying themselves in her neck as she cried out.

Despite the looks of thinly veiled annoyance that morning in the kitchen, she'd persevered in making a bento for him.

"Woah, it looks amazing!" James grinned up at her during lunch at school.

"Oh it's not…anything special."

"No, really! You'll make a wonderful wife someday," he chuckled, struggling to use his chop-sticks. Yui's cheeks heated, and she reached over the table, steadying his fingers and adjusting them to hold the utensils correctly.

James blinked, and they shared a look that had her heart fluttering like the fragile wings of a bird in its cage.

From across the room, she could vaguely hear Yuma huff, clearly watching. "If she thinks she can use my veggies to feed that guy again, she's damn wrong," he grumbled sourly.

"It…seems like Eve is spending all her time with him lately," Azusa murmured, sitting next to him. "Feels lonely…ne, can't we…scare him off a little?"

"Ruki said to ignore it. The kid is leavin' in a month anyway."

Yui felt the wings quietly fold in her chest, lashes lowering.

She didn't need to be reminded.

Upon receiving a bouquet of roses, Yui's shoulders had fallen.

"You don't like them?" He asked with concern. "Oh- are you allergic?"

"No, they're beautiful. Thank you so much," she smiled.

As anticipated, Kou destroyed them upon sight once she got home.

'Our roses not good enough for you anymore, hah?' He'd snipped jadedly.

It's not that, Yui thought tiredly. I just liked not having something taken from me in return for receiving a gift.

But she knew the vampire wouldn't understand, so she said nothing.

Every day was precious, and she enjoyed how easy and simple it was to be with him, to talk about homework, school, general things. Uncomplicated. James sometimes noticed how unsteady she was on her feet, and insisted on taking her to the school nurse, but apart from that, it became an unspoken law not to pry. She had no answers she could give, just platitudes.

So during the last day of his stay, she'd anticipated more of the same routine, only to be brought up short.

"Yui…I want you to come with me."

She fell silent.

"I care about you. It's not like I know anything about your circumstances but you're…pale a lot of the time. And sad. So I-I bought an extra plane ticket already. Just in case you were scared you'd be stopped by your parents or something," he murmured, and she almost told him everything then. But he kept talking, excited. "Come with me, we can be happy together, I know it!"

Yui slowly set her cup down, sitting across from him at the café. The bitemarks on her skin ached. She knew without looking there'd be a familiar somewhere outside, watching them.

Her lips tilted up, giving a soft smile. "I can't."

"Then can we keep in touc-"

"I can't do that either," she murmured. "I'm sorry. We can't…talk anymore after today."

His shoulders fell, looking crestfallen. Yui felt a pang of sympathy and regret, but she remained placid and kind the entire date, even when he took her in his arms and squeezed tight, saying goodbye.

Yui watched the taxi leave, body beginning to tremble.

Thank you, James.

For just a little while, she'd remembered normalcy. Before vampires and countless horrors had tainted her life. But it was different now, she was different.

When something wet hit the crown of her head, Yui tilted her chin up to look at the grey skies. More raindrops fell, landing on her face and lightly wetting her hair.

"…Are you crying?"

Yui glanced to the side, feeling Ruki's watchful gaze on her.

"No," she murmured, water rolling down her cheeks.

Her lips bent into a painful smile.

"It's just the rain."

End