She looked truly splendid tonight.

Well, she looked like that every night, but I had never mentioned it before.

I knew that I wasn't the one for her.

She spent long nights sighing over Kaname.

I knew I could never compare.

He was royalty...and I was...low.

Everyone was so very low compared to him.

I smiled just a little as I watched a slight rush of colour spread over her cheeks.

I studied her.

But I made certain she wouldn't notice.

I ran my eyes over her eyes, her nose, her delicate, perfect lips...

I looked at her hair, which was elegantly done up in a swirl, roses decorating it, contrasting perfectly with the colour.

"You look...lovely." I told her.

It wouldn't do it justice, but I could try.

She glanced up at me then, and it took everything I had not to lose myself in her eyes.

"Akatsuki..." She murmured in acknowledgment and smiled.

I loved it when she did that.

A beautiful upturning of her painted lips.

"Thank you. You look rather...charming yourself."

I blinked.

That was new.

Never before had she complimented me...

I watched as her eyes darted over the fine silk clothes I was wearing.

I watched as they lit up in silent appreciation.

Warmth began spreading through me.

I knew that I was the only one who noticed the way her clothing clung to her elegantly as she turned to descend the fine staircase leading towards the ball.

I was the only one who appreciated the way she reached out with a beautiful, graceful hand and ran it smoothly down the banister of the staircase.

I sighed under my breath.

I closed my eyes and chuckled.

She really had no idea how astonishingly beautiful she was.

I had to admit that there were many people in the night class who were beautiful.

President Kuran was beautiful of course.

But it was a powerful beauty.

One that commanded attention.

I guess that some people saw him like I saw Ruka...

To me, her beauty was soft, delicate, and fragile.

I felt as though I needed to protect her.

When she came to in her sorrow of being rejected by Kaname...I felt heartbroken.

I had held her as she told me how much she loved him.

But I wouldn't bring myself to be angry with him.

I guess...I guess I love Ruka.

I love her too much to be angry.

I know she wouldn't want me to be angry with him.

So I won't be.

I would never hurt her.

We enter the ballroom unnoticed.

Ruka reaches a delicate, creamy hand over to a glass of champagne and I take one too.

The night was fairly normal.

Just another ball.

Kaname didn't turn up to this one.

No one really important did.

But to me, the one important person was already there.

I knew better than to ask Ruka to dance, she'd likely dislike the idea.

I didn't want to upset her.

So I refrained.

Although I wanted so badly to hold her in my arms.

"Akatsuki."

I was snapped from my thoughts by her voice.

"Yes Ruka?" I asked.

"I've been meaning to thank you..." Her voice was small and quiet.

It was odd.

She was usually confident and spoke with power.

But her voice still managed to sound so soft and beautiful.

I frowned.

"Thank me?"

"Yes...You are..." She trailed off and I watched, transfixed, as she approached me. "You've always...always been there for me Akatsuki. I never truly understood why, or never truly noticed until now."

I frowned at her expression.

She looked troubled.

Her eyes were full of a strange looking sadness.

"Ruka? Are you alright?" I asked, placing my hand on her creamy shoulder.

"I want to be there for you too Akatsuki. I regret that I took so long to realise it..." She looked away for a moment and when she looked back, she didn't meet my eyes. "I want to dance with you. Just so you can hold me in your arms."

My eyes widened.

"You...you do?" I asked, shock filling my usually calm mentality.

I felt a smooth hand on my face.

"I do. I want to dance with you forever..."

In that instant, my arms wrapped around her beautiful frame and I drowned in her soft, glorious beauty.

I'm aware they'll be out of character. This is the first time I've written these characters so...yeah...