A/N: Written as a Trick or Treat 2017 exchange gift for JordannaMorgan.
The darkness leading to the outside world was dark. It was black, a long tunnel that reached out to who honestly had any inkling outside, a door that had a heavy weight attached to it and dizzying effect.
Yuu's inner self may as well be running through it. He imagined himself running, feet smacking against the hard, cold tiles. The outside sky would welcome him no matter how blue or white or grey it may be and swallow him whole with warm hospitality. He remembered that—brilliant blue skies—a sight so rare and nonexistent under the dimness of hope he couldn't recall what a cheerful sun looked like.
And yet, Yuu's feet remained nailed to the ground. He couldn't move. His knees moved in his mind's eye, yet his body was frozen, pleading, unwilling. Leaving was a foreign but welcome concept. But something more important was still behind him.
Mika. Dying, bleeding, the light leaving his eyes…
Freedom had been everything Yuu thirsted for. No, not only him—the Hyakuya orphans as a whole unit. The entrance to the beginning of a new life stood ajar to him, taunting and jarring all at once.
He had no idea what he would find out there. Likely, death and destruction would meet his eyes and reduce him to its clutches. A world could be full of inexplicable misery and agony that he would regret.
Abandoning Mika for something like that… after all they had been through together until this point…
After all, isn't that what the vampires had told them? He hated the thought of trusting the blood-suckers and falling prey to their smooth lies, but… he had seen the logical conclusion to their assurances. Yuu had seen the pandemonium in the streets. He had seen human blood spilt on the pavement. The bloodcurdling screams for mercy still echoed in his ears whenever he entertained their memory.
And he would leave to that darkness alone? Even if it foolishly costed him his own life, then, he must…
Nothing on the other side of the vampire city would be more important than his family, and he could imagine it even now, the ruins of buildings and smoke rising from fire and barren landscape.
The darkness melted away from his eyes, and he only saw the room that had changed his life forever in its greys and whites. The dazzling light blinded him, and he ran, footfalls pounding in his ears. He bolt down the stairs, panting, skidding to a stop next to Mika's fallen body. The puddle of blood around Mika's body was increasing, draining out, spilling everywhere… Even so, he knelt next to Mika and pounded the marble floor with a fist. He did it again, and again, and again. Crimson blood spattered his arm and his trousers. It was all he could do.
Mika's mouth moved silently. He didn't say anything, but he smiled, far more relaxed. Yuu wondered if he was there enough to notice Yuu wasn't an illusion.
Yuu had never known so much blood was stored in the human body. Or, perhaps, it was all the orphans' blood on his hands. He did not know, and he did not want an explanation. The tears streaming down his face and falling on the back of his hand was enough to blur the reality of it. But deep down, he knew his heart was bleeding the most in agony right now after the storm had more or less passed, because his family wasn't alive to feel this any longer.
Killing him wouldn't be as painful as this.
So he would stay here until he saw the same darkness they did. It was only proper. He had never called them family. Family did everything together, didn't they? Hadn't they always? And this, too…
"What the hell happened here?"
Movement in the corner of Yuu's eye made him tense. Three vampires in black hoods and fluttering capes raced down the corridor towards him. No matter what happened, he refused to leave. With every tooth and nail he would fight to live.
"Lord Ferid appears to be injured as well," another vampire observed, gesturing over to him.
One vampire reached down and grabbed Yuu by the collar. Yuu struggled to stop him, but the vampire dragged him to his feet. He encircled Yuu's throat with his fist and squeezed his windpipe.
"What did you do to him?" the vampire barked in his ear. "Tell us what you've done, miserable human."
"I… I…" Yuu gasped for air. Having the fun would have been much appreciated even if it didn't fully work, as demonstrated by Ferid. He kicked at the vampire's shins, hoping for release, anything that resembled a chance to escape. The vampire's hold shifted into an iron-clad grip. Yuu wheezed.
"Unhand him," a feminine, bored but brimming with warning, voice called out from behind them. "We shouldn't be too hard on him for now. He has made it this far of his own choosing, in any case."
The atmosphere dropped. All three vampires gave attention to the newcomer. The one holding Yuu nodded and let go of Yuu's throat. Yuu crumbled to the floor, choking for sweet breath, coughing and sputtering. He clutched at the forming bruise on his neck and glared at Krul. She had just saved him—for the time being—but he wasn't thankful.
"Anything you want, my queen," the vampire replied, mocking and angry voice softening into respect. He stepped out of her way and allowed Krul to pass.
On the other hand, Yuu didn't let her.
"Leave Mika alone!" Yuu leapt to action and blocked her path. He raised both arms, glaring her down. This was the most reckless thing he could ever do, but he firmly stood his ground, teeth gritting.
"Oh?" Krul tilted her head thoughtfully and grinned, exposing a sharp tooth. "What are you going to do about it, human? Please enlighten me."
Yuu sized her up. Beautiful pink hair cascaded down her back in pigtails, and the black dress and skirt adorned ribbons, ruffles, and frills. Her hands were at her sides, covered by detached sleeves. He didn't think she looked like a challenge. But he should never fool himself about. She was a vampire.
"I"ll… I'll…" Yuu raised his fists. He had fought many times against the children in Sanguine for food and scraps. Putting those skills to use at an appropriate time like this was worth it. "Fight you!"
Krul's laughter was like silver bells, although hollow. She covered her mouth and shook her head.
Enraged, Yuu lashed out at her. So what if he had no chance of winning? He threw the punch and aimed for anywhere on her body. Tiredly, she easily blocked him and snatched his wrist. Yuu tumbled to the floor and a sea of stars criss-crossed in front of his eyes faster than he could register what exactly happened. He rubbed the back of his head.
The three vampires on the side gasped. Krul was the least bit impressed. She flipped her hair over her shoulder, not ruffled by his attempt in the slightest.
"I admit, no one has had the guts to do that for ages. You couldn't leave a scratch on me. I advise you to rethink your strategy," Krul told him. She swept past him without another word edgewise. Yuu was about to fulfill his threat, but her next words stopped him cold. "After all, don't you want your friend to survive?"
"W—What?" Yuu stared at her blankly.
Krul's attention shifted to Mika below her. "Tell me, human, wouldn't you like to live?" she asked, and Yuu realized she was speaking to Mika and not him anymore. "I can give you life. An enternal life."
"Eternal life?" Yuu repeated, mystified.
Yuu didn't expect Mika to answer. Losing too much blood had sent him on the precipice of death. But his lips moved again, blank expression twisting.
"N… no…"
Krul frowned. Apparently, she wasn't surprised. "I see." Krul leaned towards him, biting her lip. A few droplets managed to break free of her mouth and dripped down her chin. She did not heed Mika's wishes and knelt down at his side.
Yuu's brain caught up with what was happening before he actually understood. "I told you—!"
"But isn't this what you want?" Krul asked. She only offered him words and no glance. "For your friend to be alive? Isn't that why you're trying to fight me? Fighting me is counterproductive to your goal. Now, consider him, not your petty revenge against me. He's lost a considerable amount of blood."
Yuu had no meaningful words at this. She was right, and he couldn't refute it. After his years in the city, he realized something quickly. "Are you… You're going to… make him… a…" Yuu never finished the sentence. The word was poison on his tongue.
"Being a vampire is better than death, isn't it?"
Yuu must have agreed with her, because he didn't interfere again. Krul pressed her lips to Mika's and the blood in her mouth coated his lips and tongue. His eyes bulged, and he screamed, but she didn't bat an eyelash at him. Ferid sat up from his position lying down on the ground just to witness this. Too engrossed to care, Yuu didn't even notice that Ferid wasn't down for the count. When it was done and Mika lay still, Krul returned to her feet and smiled.
Yuu watched her, weary. The significance of this didn't go over his head. But he didn't know what she needed Mika for. Or, honestly, why she cared.
"So, what do you want?" she asked him.
"Me?" Yuu asked. The suggestion that he actually had a choice in the matter made zero sense.
"Do you want to be the repulsive vampires you abhor," she elaborated, lifting her arms, "or do you want to die? I prefer you not die, if you will."
She cared about his well-being, too? Of course not. She was a noble vampire. Vampires didn't have hearts. She had turned Mika into a vampire, and he had allowed it due to his own weakness.
Yuu's eyes darted around the room. All eyes were on him, and he didn't know what to do. They would kill him as soon as he said so. He would leave Mika. He hated the thought of it as well as drinking blood. But… If that was the only way to stay here... If that was the only way to stay in this place he hated…
"No way in hell am I going to drink blood from you the same way," Yuu snapped. It was the only thing he could managed to say that made him sound tough. How much flare there was to his words, though, even he didn't really know. He shivered at the thought. Even thinking a vampire had gotten so close to Mika—putting her fangs so close to feed him blood, no less—made his skin prickle like bats crawling on his skin and leaving behind cuts.
Krul laughed again, the sound truly amused this time. Lifting a nail, she pushed back her sleeve. She sliced open a long, delicate wound on her forearm. "Good, I had no intention of killing you. I do like a little feistiness in a human. However, I don't have a use for you," she admitted, face growing deadpan and serious, "but, as I've said, I have an interest in the blond... Mika, yes? If you were to stay and not die I believe he would be much happier, don't you think? That is the only reason I'll do as you ask of me. Now, come before the wound heals itself."
Her logic was sound. She had a point to Yuu. Yuu didn't have an explanation better than that, and he doubted he would after thinking about it. He didn't want to leave Mika, and Yuu couldn't leave him here to fend for himself among the vampires. Relieved. He was so thankful he hadn't left if this was going to be Mika's fate without him being there with him.
Yuu weighed his options. Yes, he despised her. He would never trust a vampire. He would become one of them, and the knowledge of this settled into the pit of his stomach. He would become a blood sucker.
The three hooded vampires sneered at him and his indecisiveness. One of them stepped forward.
"You little brat, you should be grateful for such a gift!" the vampire that had held onto Yuu earlier growled. He was cut off when Krul raised her uninjured arm and swiftly silenced his tirade.
"Quiet," Krul commanded.
Yuu's hesitation slowly washed away. The final answer was, he didn't want to do this and none of it made sense. The implications of this went above his head. Whatever would happen to them hereafter, he honestly had no idea. His mind swam with the possibilities, and each one seemed out of his reach. But there was one truth that rose above the rest.
Mika would be alive. He would be, and he could help him, and Mika wouldn't be alone with these filthy vampires. With him alive, there was still hope. Yuu had resigned himself to death—and they would be in hell together. Yuu accepted that much reality.
Bracing himself, he lightly took Krul's arm. She watched him approvingly, curious, smothering him in a wiser gaze beyond his years. Yuu gulped and didn't hold back. He pressed his lips to her skin and drank in the salty liquid. Pain shot through her entire body and he fell to his knees, eyes glued shut, veins convulsing and aching and burning like wildfire. But he persevered and still lapped at the beads of blood closest to his lips. He hadn't risked his life twice to back down to pain; Mika had been forced into this treatment. A little pain was nothing at this point.
If hating himself was his price to pay, Yuu already was ahead of himself. Mika would understand.