Human Lessons
Aido grumped on his perch beneath the oddly blooming tree, his glass of tablet-based refreshment still untouched at his side. He hated these silly human rituals and begrudged being forced to indulge them. He would rather eat lunch in the classroom than in the mucky, damp grass he was certain would stain his otherwise immaculate uniform. The indignity of sitting on the floor could not be atoned for with a gourmet boxed lunch, even if it was from his favorite human restaurant.
Humans were so barbaric.
He crossed his arms petulantly, ignoring the conversation only a few feet away. He was annoyed Kuran had no trouble maintaining the pleasant conversation despite his small protest. He wanted to smack Kain for participating.
He picked up the pink box hesitantly, scowling at the flower shaped carrots being speared with the tip of his chopsticks. He shoved it into his mouth unceremoniously and made a face at the almost mushy texture. He didn't even touch the mushrooms. Aido tossed the food back onto the floor, dropping the chopsticks clumsily onto the lid and pressed his head against the trunk of the tree. This wasn't the taste or the texture he craved. He regarded the tablet wine with a new degree of loathing. When he heard there would be a party to greet everyone, he had expected an actual party; something he knew, something he was used to; not this pretend ritual that belonged to the humans.
The night could have been saved had they been allowed to enjoy the calm evening with a few humans at least. Then this silly tree watching might actually have some merit. He was sure he smelled a few girls lingering by the gate, but the guardians held their posts well and not a single warm blooded female had managed to break through their ranks. Secretly he entertained the idea of lending them a helping hand—just for kicks. But the more he pondered this, the more he thought it plausible and not as ridiculous as it first seemed. Observing the party or other nobles rapt in Kaname's voice, his presence, he was certain no one would even notice. And if they did, surely Kuran couldn't deny him just a little fun.
Aido pushed himself up with both hands, planting his feet firmly on the ground to stand. The conversation halted, numerous pairs of eyes watching him curiously. "Don't mind me," Aido gave a short bow. "I'm going to walk around the garden a little," he said. Kain met his eyes, a silent question written in the slight raise of his eyebrows. Aido knowing what he was asking, smiled and shook his head. Without a word, Kain turned to face Ruka to resume the conversation. Aido observed their faces carefully, smile in place as he noted their preoccupation with Kaname's story. He inched away from the group slowly, hands clasped behind his back and his face pointed upward as though admiring the trees.
In the bright lights the petals shined pink in the darkness—a hovering cloud of the cottony treat humans so enjoyed at festivals. He stepped up to one carefully scrutinizing a branch with its small blossoms lined up in rows. Up close the petals were not pink, but white, small and round like popcorn. He realized it was the red stems and pin point stamens that gave it the illusion of pink—a canvas of red and white dots in true pointillist style.
But the imagery was a dangerous one. His tongue slid along the edge of a fang feeling the pangs of hunger that simple human fare would not satisfy. His eyes fixed on the red stem, darker in this light, bleeding onto white petals. He regretted not taking at least one tablet.
"Idol, I mean Aido-sempai!" Aido turned his hungry gaze onto the flustered guardian. "You are headed in the direction of the gate. As guardian, I request you return to the party." Her eyebrows furrowed like they did every time she tried to seem more intimidating than she really was. Her stern eyes amused him, bringing a smile to his lips.
"I'd love to," he caught her hand in his, "but you see I'm simply famished and was hoping for a bite to eat." He brought her fingers close to his mouth, inhaling the scent of her skin, her sweetness, her health. He turned the hand over, palm facing up, half-lidded gaze zeroing in on the jumping pulse in her wrist.
"Aido-sempai," she repeated, "I request that you return to the party immediately." She glared at him defiantly, not trying to tug away the hand he held captive. Aido pulled her wrist a little closer preoccupied with wondering what she would taste like. He ignored the residual scent of cold metal on her hands, his glowing eyes concentrating on the purple web of blood lines giving her fingertip a rosy flush.
"You look delicious, Yuki-chan." The pulse in her wrist leaped higher. "Just one taste?" The tug against his hand was hardly noticeable. He only suspected it because of the hint of fear in her bright brown eyes. Aido pulled a finger close, sharp fang grazing the soft flesh, testing the limits of its durability.
"Stop right there," a cold barrel pressed against his skull. "Let her go, or I shoot," a male voice said. Aido dug into her skin a little more; his eyes watched her fearful calm before pausing. He lifted his head slowly, aware that the gun's aim was following him closely. Letting her hand go in plain site, he raised both hands into the air to show his compliance.
"I was just having a little fun," Aido said cheerfully. "You weren't scared, were you, Yuki-chan?" Yuki smiled at him uneasily, cradling her wrist to her chest.
"Yuki, is there a problem here?" Aido flinched when he heard that voice. Kaname didn't have to address him directly to get his point across. Yuki looked troubled, biting her lip while her eyes darted from him to the dorm leader a yard away.
"I don't think Aido-sempai is feeling well. You should make sure he eats something and gets some rest." The safety on the pistol clicked. The gun shoved into him as a reminder before letting up. Aido turned to face the new party with a sheepish smile. Kaname was not amused.
"Kain, escort Aido back to the dorms. Make sure he stays in his room to… recover." His cold expression was icy in the shadows. Aido gave a small shudder, knowing this was just a reprieve, knowing his punishment would come later. Kaname was being lenient with him and he knew he should be grateful; but some small part of him, the pride that came with being a noble, the pride that once made him reject this beautiful boy before, was angered. Aido couldn't understand why his leader was so willing to defend these simple creatures. Why such an insistence on denying their most basic nature? Did peace with humans mean an eternity of denying everything that they were? And what sacrifice would the paltry creatures make in return?
Aido's smile faded. He was ready to give Kaname a piece of his mind when Kain was grabbing his arm and dragging him the other way. Yuki escorted them to the gate and allowed them out, shooing away the few girls lingering and warning them that Aido wasn't feeling well. Aido imagined he looked bad enough—displeasure marring his otherwise model features. His scowl frightened away a couple of first year girls who quickly went scampering in the other direction. Yuki saw them to the dorm gate, relaxing only when she waved to them from behind the closing doors. Kain locked the gate from inside.
"You traitor," Aido grumped. "How can you take their side? I was just having a little fun." He yanked his arm away, walking a few paces ahead of Kain, trying to ignore him. The moon dorm was dark ahead of him, yellow light illuminating the front steps while the dorms rose high above them in blue and gray shadow. Aido trudged up the steps, letting each foot fall with exaggerated weight. His shoes pounded loud against the stone. Kain followed silently behind him.
"I was taking orders," Kain said calmly. Aido scowled behind his back. He knew that, but he didn't like that answer and so he pretended that Kain deliberately acted against him. He refused to look at his taller cousin, even when Kain attempted to hold the door open.
"There, I'm home," Aido snapped. "You can go back to your precious party," he spit out. His eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly, the outline of furniture and stairs quickly visible in sharp relief. He stomped his way up.
"Why are you throwing a fit?" Kain asked. "You agreed not to shed blood on school grounds." Aido froze, having forgotten that important little fact. His feet paused and shoulders drooped while one hand rested on the banister. Kain stayed where he was, waiting for his answer, waiting for any response to explain why he so deliberately chose to do something obviously in the wrong.
"I just don't see why we're the ones bending over backwards," he said in more subdued tones. His gaze shifted to the window, at the bright clouds of pink glowing over the garden. "Why we're the ones that have to understand them. When will it be their turn?"
Kain sighed audibly, clothing rustling in the quiet air between them. His soft footsteps creaked against the stairs. "They can't accept us. Not yet. Give it time," he said, hand resting on the windowsill while he gazed out at the same garden. "Remember, we're the threat, not them."
"And staring at a bunch of trees is going to solve all that?" Aido said cynically.
Kain was quiet. His eyes gazed out into the distance thoughtfully. "You didn't listen to Kaname's story, did you?" Aido wondered why he bothered asking when he already knew the answer. Kain's golden eyes slid to meet his, but Aido, convinced he was not in the wrong, crossed his arms and huffed. "These trees are special to the humans," Kain continued. "Their beauty and short life give them meaning." His head turned to look out the window. Aido followed his gaze to the tree he no doubt sat under just moments ago. He always thought trees that bloomed without leaves looked funny to him; almost naked with all those petals and nothing underneath. What cared he if they only bloomed a few days?
"Humans see their lives in those petals. Quick to bloom, quick to die. A few scant days of perfect beauty before they wilt, or worse, they fall off the branch completely." Aido listened, but he struggled to follow.
"They fear dying or becoming ugly?" he couldn't tell which
Kain gave a slight shrug. "Which do you fear more?"
Aido scoffed at the question; as if either was really worth worrying about.
"See? You can't understand. Because you'll always be beautiful." It wasn't a compliment, it was meant to be a statement, but Aido felt touched nonetheless. He felt a little less angry than before. "If we reveal ourselves to humans, we must understand why they will fear us. They will envy us our long life, our strength," he raised his hand to inspect his palm, "and our beauty." His eyes met Aido's with an unusual seriousness. Aido realized then that tonight's celebration, the picnic under the trees, the human celebration—it was all meant to be a lesson. Kaname was trying to help them understand his vision, to help them accomplish his dream. His poor behavior tonight was an insult and even his easy-going cousin seemed disappointed.
Aido's shoulders slumped a little. He leaned his head against Kain's arm, eyes staring out the window to the party off in the distance. He would have to apologize when Kaname returned. There would be a punishment of course, but nothing he didn't deserve.
"I'm sorry I ruined the party," Aido said softly into Kain's sleeve. Kain lifted his arm, resting its weight over Aido's shoulder and pulled him close.
"You're having trouble adjusting, I know." The taller man pulled him away from the window, slowly dragging him up the stairs. "Next time you refuse your tablets, tell me. We're not allowed to shed human blood," he reminded him.
"Yeah yeah, I know," Aido whined, not noting whose room he was being ushered into. Kain pulled his arm away to close the door behind him. Aido took a few paces forward when he heard the click of the lock. Clothing rustled behind him, something slipped onto the floor.
"They said nothing about vampire," the sharp smell of blood hit the air. Aido turned quickly, noting the rolled up sleeve—the dark line dripping down Kain's wrist. "Now eat, before you do something else stupid." He held the wrist forward, fat drops beading the cut flesh. Aido licked his lips, wasting no time in arguing. He held the wrist to his mouth, breathing it in, lapping up the sight of red lines bleeding into white.
Kain's blood was sweet and warm against his tongue. Closing his eyes, Aido gave into his hunger. He sank both fangs into the soft flesh, blood bursting with the flex of Kain's fingers. He opened eyes much more sensitive to the dark, noting Kain's half lidded stare, the flush of pink dusting his pale cheeks. He thought of snowy petals under moonlight, naked save the blush of red and pink, from both the tree glowing outside his window and the flesh under Kain's rapidly vanishing clothes. Tearing his mouth away long enough to help, he slid off the remaining sleeve before tugging off his own coat and letting it drop to the floor. Kain disregarded his bleeding wrist, fingers rushing to undo the line of buttons, to tear off his tie.
Aido pressed bloody lips against Kain's chest, tongue painting a bloody streak against the pale skin—red and white calling forward a different type of hunger. Falling into a bloody kiss, Aido didn't think he'd ever fully understand humans, or that they would ever truly understand him; but this notion of beauty he could understand—this ideal, he felt, was not too different from his own.