Disclaimer: I do not own nor claim the characters or setting from Crescent Moon. I only own the story line used in this story.
Princess, Princess, why do you cry?
In a forest painted by the setting sun…
I made a promise to a demon boy…
That when the moon ascends the sky in ten lunar years…
I'll become his bride.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mahiru twisted at her promise ring with a sigh. A year ago, she had finally gotten Mitsuru to open up to her, and she finally admitted that she was in love with him. She was ecstatic when she convinced Mitsuru to get her that simple little ring; a pre-engagement, pre-life-long promise ring.
Mahiru wore it ever since that day.
Mitsuru never really commented on it, he hated being teased by showing affection. The guys at the shop made sure to poke fun at the tengu whenever the chance arose. They meant it in good nature; they really did. Misoka and Akira approved, since this seemed to be the best way to bring their group closer together -- no more fights between comrades. When Nozomu saw Mahiru's silvery treasure, he smiled for her. He patted Mitsuru's back, teasing him about being a softie.
But over that year, the butterflies had slowed to a soft tingle in her stomach whenever she saw Mitsuru. It was true, she did love him. She loved him very, very much. He was someone extremely important in her life -- he was a big piece to her unfinished puzzle. She couldn't believe she was once so afraid of him. Sure, there were all the times he tried to kill her -- but hate is a strong emotion, just a fine line away from love. Misdirected rage.
Lazily, Mahiru got out of her bed. It had been a long night, and sleep refused to relieve her for the time being. She poked her toes into her slippers and pulled on her robe, careful not to hit anything in the bleak darkness of her room that would wake Mr. Bat from his peaceful slumber. She stumbled over to the wall where her door was and felt for the icy knob. It was abnormally cold in the apartment above the shop. Even under her massive pile of blankets she couldn't manage to generate enough heat to keep her bones from shaking under her skin. Her bathrobe wasn't offering much heat either -- Mahiru wanted to walk around in hopes it would either tire her into not caring about the freezing weather or warm her up enough that she would be able to get some rest.
As she walked down the dark halls, she heard Akira mumbling about snacks in his sleep. She smiled softly to herself; Akira was always acting like a goof even when he was sleeping. She continued to walk as quietly as she possibly could, trying to recall the spots in the hardwood floors that squeaked so she wouldn't wake Misoka up. She always worried about that; he was such a light sleeper.
Her eyes fell on Mitsuru's door. The lights were off underneath it, but she couldn't hear any sounds of him sleeping. Even though her slippers, her feet could feel the icy breeze pouring out from under his door. Mahiru sighed. He'd left again.
Somewhere in the back of her mind she expected this, he always went missing after they had had some sort of argument. He now ran from his rage instead of trying to kill her. She wasn't sure if that was really a good thing -- safer for her, yes, but it wasn't a good way to maintain a relationship. Deep down, she knew Mitsuru didn't want anyone too close -- not even her. He needed space a lot.
She tried hard to keep him happy.
Somehow in the middle of it all, Mahiru had lost her happiness. She didn't feel her stomach do flips when he was around her anymore. She felt calm, but not passionate. Mitsuru himself admitted that they weren't like they used to be. They did, after all, have an argument about that very topic only hours before.
"Mahiru-Chan?"
Mahiru jumped as she turned around to see Nozomu standing not two feet behind her.
"Are you feeling alright, sweetie? You're practically glowing in the dark you're so pale." He smiled down at the distracted girl.
Mahiru noticed he too was in his bath robe, wandering the halls just as she was. "I… Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled back. "I just couldn't sleep. You know me, I can't stay put when I can't sleep."
"Ah," Nozomu nodded. "What's on your mind, kiddo? Something has to be up, your eyes are all red. Do you want to talk about it?"
Mahiru wrapped her arms around her middle, trying to keep it from breaking into a million pieces in front of her friend. Nozomu could see the pain in her eyes. She was fighting hard to hold back a second round of tears.
"Come on, we shouldn't be standing in the dark like this," he grabbed Mahiru's hand from her middle and hauled her to the staircase. "I'll make you some hot chocolate, alright? I need something warm too, I think a blizzard is going on outside and the heater is broken."
Mahiru looked to the small window behind the stairs -- even in the darkness she could see huge dime-sized snowflakes spiraling to the ground. Nozomu tugged on her hand again, trying to get her down to the shop so he could fiddle with the thermostat and make the promised warm drinks. She had to focus on not tripping over her own feet as she took one last look outside.
When they reached the bottom of the staircase, Nozomu let go of her hand so he could flip the lights on. She stumbled to the bar, trying not to slip on the freshly waxed and polished floors that Misoka had spent the evening working on.
"Alright," Nozomu grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Hot chocolate or warm milk?" he asked her.
"Hot chocolate, please, with--"
"With extra marshmallows and a little whipped cream." Nozomu finished her order for her.
"Yep," she fought a sheepish smile. "Exactly right."
He knew it well, it was one of her favorites.
"What're you doing up so late, Nozomu?" Mahiru asked while he puttered around in the kitchen.
"It's too friggin cold to sleep!" he laughed. He had to sound believable, since Mahiru was good at picking up on lies. Truth be told, he could hear Mahiru's crying through Mr. Bat, which made him so uneasy that sleeping was no longer an option. He was constantly fighting the urge to go and talk to her, doing anything he could to fight her tears. They were poison to him.
"You're right," Mahiru wiggled around on her barstool until she got comfortable. "I have no idea how the others are managing it."
"Well," Nozomu said as he leaned over to hunt for the whipped cream in the fridge. "Akira's got all that fur you know. Misoka… Well, Misoka is Misoka. He can do anything he puts his mind to, even if it means sleeping on a block of ice. And I'm pretty sure Oboro and Katsura are holding out on us -- they have electric blankets and fire places in their rooms. They are pretty stingy you know. Ah! There's that little booger."
Nozomu held up what he was hunting for -- the can of whipped cream. Mahiru grinned and clapped her hands quietly while he tried not to laugh too loudly. It had been an ongoing joke in the shop that whenever Nozomu wanted to find something, it would go missing. They were suspicious of Akira hiding things just for the pure amusement of watching Nozomu hunt.
Mahiru watched Nozomu carefully as he finished putting the cream in her drink. Even with his hair messy and down around his ears and shoulders, he looked godly. It was no wonder the shop was always packed with women when it was his turn to sing. At first it surprised Mahiru to see just how popular he was. Women of all kinds would flood in, lured by his voice, then taken aback by his angelic face. School girls were there a lot, even some as young as middle school from time to time. Nozomu had his own rabid fan club. What surprised Mahiru the most were the much older married women who would slip their rings into their purses and come in and stay all evening, sighing happily while Nozomu sang. Those were the scariest of the customers -- women with broken dreams; they hated Mahiru for the playful attention Nozomu would give her from up on stage.
"There you go," he handed her the warm cup.
"Thanks," Mahiru took it gratefully. She held it with both hands in an attempt to stay warm.
"Sure, sure." Nozomu nodded as he put the tea kettle on the stove. He then walked from the bar over to the window up in the front of the shop. Snow storms rarely got this bad, he though to himself. It made him wonder if they'd even be able to open tomorrow.
"Nozomu?" Mahiru asked, breaking him from his thoughts.
He turned around to see her standing a few feet behind him, she too watching the storm.
"Do you feel alright?" Mahiru asked, her cup of hot chocolate still in her hands. "You look like something is bothering you."
Nozomu smiled to himself. "I'm alright, kiddo," he promised. "I just get antsy during storms I guess." He crossed his arms over his chest and did his best to give Mahiru a serious look. "Now, do you want to tell me what's bothering you? You look absolutely miserable."
Mahiru's heart sunk. She was hoping Nozomu wouldn't notice -- she was doing her very best not to be sad anymore. "It's just the same old thing," Mahiru finally said. Her eyes dropped from him to the cup in her hands.
The same old thing… Nozomu thought to himself. He knew too well, as when she was sad, he could feel it as well.
"I feel so out of place," Mahiru finally continued. "Well, not quite. I'm at home, but I'm a stranger in that home, if that makes sense. I feel like I'm either in the way or forgotten about. I know that sounds pretty silly, doesn't it?" She smiled up at him, doing her best to stay calm. It was always so much easier talking to him about these things than anyone else in their strange household.
"You're never in the way," Nozomu told her. "Don't ever think that. We all think of you as family, because you are family to us, Mahiru. I mean, it'll only be a few years until you're officially tied to us, right? So you shouldn't feel like that, alright?"
He was talking about the wedding. Mitsuru promised to marry her after her twenty-first birthday. She would officially be a part of the family, not just the descendent of the princess. The thought alone used to make her swell with happiness. She had finally found her family. She was happy that her aunt would finally be able to relax about her situation. Everything seemed so grand back then. Her eyes went back to the window, watching the last of the storm blanket her once cozy world.
Nozomu was still watching her carefully, waiting for some kind of response. "This is about Mitsuru, isn't it?" he finally said, his voice no more than a whisper.
Mahiru nodded once before she met his gaze.
"What happened?" he pried.
"He just… I didn't know things would be like this, is all. I thought the butterflies would never go away." Mahiru told him honestly. "I don't think he loves me like he used to anymore. I know he cares, but that strong bond we had isn't there any longer." She pushed away some rebellious tears with her fingertips.
"Mahiru…" Nozomu's voice was almost as sad as hers.
Only the steam from the kettle was able to tear his eyes from her. He'd forgotten about being could, about wanting a cup of bedtime chamomile, about how that steam's noise would probably be waking people up if he didn't get it off the heat soon.
Mahiru hurried over to the stove to pull it off while he was rooted to the spot. His nerves tingled. He couldn't believe if not for that stupid kettle, he would've confessed what he had been suppressing since he first saw her in the library -- as soon as they bumped into each other. His crush was no secret, everyone knew about it. They just shrugged it off, sure it was just the goofy vampire drawn to the cute girl type of thing. That was what he wanted everyone to believe once he realized his chances of anything more were shot down once Mahiru started asking him about Mitsuru. He didn't want anyone to know what was really going on in his head, or how it was making his heart ache with each passing day.
He loved Mahiru.
It was not some vampire-bloodlust crush.
And as much as he wanted to tell her, he was terrified it would ruin the delicate relationship he'd built with her. He was no doubt the second closest to her. She felt comfortable around him, as a close friend. He had decided he'd rather be a close friend than nothing at all. It was at times like these when his true feelings tried to escape him. Thank god for that damn kettle.
"Your tea is ready," Mahiru called quietly from the kitchen.
"Thanks," Nozomu tripped over his own feet to get to her. "Hey Mahiru," he grinned while taking the cup she was holding out to him. "Are you tired yet?"
"I think I'm pretty much awake now," she answered while tilting her head slightly, wondering what the vampire was up to.
"Are you up to braving the storm?" he asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.
"I suppose," Mahiru answered. "It can't be more cold out there than it can be in here… where are we going?"
Nozomu grinned wider. "The roof, were else?"
Mahiru stared at him blankly.
"Follow me," he nodded towards the stairs.
Mahiru quietly obeyed, not really understanding why she was being hauled to the ice covered rooftop.
They made a pit stop to Nozomu's room where he shuffled about, piling blankets off of his bed and coats out of his closet into a huge heap on the floor. He wrapped Mahiru in his thickest winter coat and then enfolded her in his bedspread, not wanting the least bit of cold to reach her. She looked at him questionably while he was doing this, but she figured he was being polite and didn't want her to freeze while they were on the roof. Nozomu took the rest of the blankets into his arms and added his little battery-operated space heater to his pile before they headed out to the roof.
By the time they made it all the way up there, it had stopped snowing completely. The clouds were lifting, but a cold mist still swirled around them. Mahiru breathed in the cold wet air, letting it clear her mind. She looked over at Nozomu who was clearing off an area for them to sit. He placed one of his blankets down, trying to prevent them both from getting too wet, then flipped the heater on once he got everything situated the way he wanted it. He motioned with his index finger for Mahiru to join him. She did so quickly, since she was already wishing for the air of the space heater to save her from the cold.
Nozomu wrapped himself up with one of the remaining blankets, then spread the last one over them both. Mahiru cuddled up under the huge bedspread he'd enveloped her in before they even left his room. She looked over at Nozomu, who was gazing up at the misty sky. She too looked up, wondering what could possibly be catching his interest so intently.
"I come up here a lot," he finally spoke after a while of looking at the heavens. "After storms. The night makes it surreal, like another world I guess. It's calming, I suppose."
Mahiru had to agree. The way the water in the air sparkled in the moonlight made it seem like diamonds were dancing in the air around them. The cold air clear her mind, numbing her heart from the sadness it was just feeling. She felt privileged as she realized that Nozomu was sharing his secret spot with her. She would have never have thought to come out after a storm; it always seemed like stormy weather was a warning from the gods above to stay inside. Nozomu saw it differently -- it was an invitation, not a warning.
They sat there in their blankets for what seemed like hours, talking about old legends about the Lunar Race. By daybreak, Mahiru had completely forgotten about her sadness.
They hurried back to their beds before the early risers of the household realized they were missing.
"Goodnight, girlie," Nozomu kissed the top of Mahiru's head before he shut her in her room. Her cheeks burned, warmth emerging from under her skin as she realized she really enjoyed her night with Nozomu on the roof. She dizzily stumbled into her bed, exhaustion taking over her senses.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
"Mahiru-Chan is sick too?" Akira asked Oboro in a worried tone.
Oboro nodded. "Maybe the flu is going around. We'll have to be extra careful not to catch it, we need to stay open if it all possible."
Akira's wolf-like ears laid back flat against his head as he stared up at the stairs. Both Nozomu and Mahiru were in bed, Nozomu swearing he was only tired, Mahiru sicker than a dog. Mitsuru had come down with a bit of a cough, too. He wondered what had happened to them, they were all fine the day before.
"I'm going to take Mahiru some soup," he told Misoka. Misoka nodded from behind the bar where he was currently working on polishing the glasses, getting them ready for the customers they would be serving in a few hours.
"Check on Nozomu while you're up there too, Akira," he called at the wolf boy.
"Kay!" Akira called back, hurrying up the stairs with a bowl of his homemade chicken noodle soup. He knocked lightly on Mahiru's door at the end of the hall. "Mahiru-Chan? Are you sleeping? I brought you some soup, it's yummy and it will help you feel better."
"You can come in," Mahiru's hoarse voice called from behind the door.
That being all the invitation he needed, Akira let himself in the room to see a very sickly looking Mahiru sitting up in her bed. Her cheeks were a rose color, while the rest of her face was ghostly white. Her eyes had circles under them, and she kept sniffling. Akira surrendered the soup in a hurry. "What happened, Mahiru? I've never seen you so sick," the worry in his voice was so apparent that even Mahiru could hear it through the buzzing in her ears.
Mahiru wasn't sure if she should say that she was up on the roof with Nozomu all night. Akira might take it the wrong way, she though, and decided against it. "I must've caught something," she sniffed. "Thanks for the soup, Akira. It looks great…" she managed to say before letting out a massive yawn.
"You're welcome," he told her while she sipped it. "Just leave the bowl in the hall when you're done and I'll come pick it up for you. If there's anything else I can get you, just lemme know, okay?"
Mahiru smiled. "Thanks, Akira."
He smiled a weary smile before leaving the room. He wasn't sure exactly why the blanket off Nozomu's bed was soaked and laying in a heap on her floor, but he decided not to ask her about it. Instead, he ventured off to Nozomu's room, where he burst in without knocking.
"No-zo-mu!" He called, making the vampire clamp his hands over his ears. He sat up in bed and glared at the werewolf, wondering why he'd pull him from his peaceful sleep. "Misoka wanted me to come check on you. What's up? Whatcha doin? How ya feelin?" he said so quickly that Nozomu had a hard time understanding what Akira was saying.
"I was sleeping," Nozomu yawned. "Nothing's up. Why are you acting weird?"
Akira hung his head. He was caught. "Well, I was kinda wondering why all your bedding was filthy, and why half of it was lying on Mahiru-Chan's floor."
Nozomu shrugged. "She was down last night and couldn't sleep, so we went outside for a while. Why?"
"Cause Mahiru is sick in bed, high fever, stuffy nose, looks like she got hit by a bus…" Akira trailed off.
Nozomu smacked the palm of his hand to his forehead. He should've known that the cold would be too much for a human to put up with for all those hours they spent out there. He felt awful for making her sick like that.
"Let me guess," Akira broke him from his thoughts. "This is our secret?"
Nozomu looked up at him, a pleading expression in his eyes. "Thank you, Akira. Please, please don't tell anyone. I'll take responsibility for it, but I don't want Mahiru to get in trouble."
"Gotcha," Akira assured him, "My lips are sealed."
And with that, the werewolf left the vampire to allow him a few more hours of rest. On his way back down the stairs, he passed Mitsuru, who was carrying a cup of hot chocolate with him. He smiled to himself, realizing that Mitsuru was bringing Mahiru her favorite treat.
"I'm coming in," Mitsuru said from behind Mahiru's door. He pushed open the heavy door to look at the sickly girl in her bed. He sighed, shutting the door behind him. "How are you feeling?" he asked sincerely.
"Better," Mahiru croaked. "Akira made me some soup. It's really good. Maybe you should ask him for some -- I'd share mine, but I don't want to make you sick too."
Mitsuru set the cup of hot chocolate on Mahiru's nightstand and looked down at the girl while she continued to sip the last of her soup. When she was done, he took the empty bowl from her hands and sat down on the edge of her bed. She scooted over to make room for him next to her. He moved closer, looking into her eyes as if he were searching for answers to an unspoken question. Mahiru gulped.
"A-are you alright, Mitsuru?"
"I've been better," he told her, looking down at her hands that were now folded in her lap. "About last night…" he began before Mahiru cut him off.
"I'm really sorry, Mitsuru. I didn't mean to upset you…" she told him. "It was PMS or something, I promise…"
He stayed quiet for a while, staring at her door while he tried to compile his thoughts.
"I was worried about you, you know…" Mahiru said with a quiet voice. "It scares me when you leave after we have an argument. I'm afraid you're running away from me. And it was so cold last night…"
"It couldn't have been that cold," Mitsuru scoffed. "You were outside for quite some time, weren't you?"
Mahiru gasped. How could he have known that? "Mitsuru, I… I…"
"You were out, on the roof, in your pajamas, wearing Nozomu's coat, and his bedding, for hours." he said flatly. "Yeah, I already know that."
Mahiru's stomach squeezed like it was threatening to implode. She didn't know what to say, or how to ask how much trouble she was in. She sat there, frozen.
"I was coming back to apologize," Mitsuru finally said, his gaze still not meeting hers. "When I saw you and Nozomu laughing happily in the snow. It was ridiculous. There I was, feeling like a complete jerk, and then I see you and that no good vampire giggling away like nothing between us ever happened."
Mahiru's heart sank. Guilt flooded her body. Tears threatened to spill yet again. "It's not what you think," she said in a begging tone, "He was only trying to make me feel better, I promise. Absolutely nothing was going on other than that, Mitsuru. You know I would never hurt you…"
Mitsuru's gaze finally met hers. It wasn't a gaze of anger, like she was so terrified it would be. It was a blank stare, something she hadn't seen from him in ages. She didn't know how to respond, other than to stare back with a worried expression.
Finally, he broke the silence and looked away again. "Sometimes, we can't predict what will happen to us. Good intentions get twisted. Things change." He got up from her bed and walked to the door. Resting his hand on the knob, he turned to look at her again. "I think we should break up."
"B-b-break up?" Mahiru repeated, but Mitsuru was already gone. Her fingers curled into fists as she let his words sink in.
Did he really not want her anymore?
Would Mitsuru really leave her this time?
Her fever skyrocketed from her panic and guilt.
She laid back down, curling into a ball on her side. She hugged her knees to her chest and closed her eyes tightly. Her whole body ached, a dull pain rippling through her muscles as she thought about his words. It hurt, there was no denying that. But there was no earth shattering pain she thought there would be. She could still breathe. Her heart didn't stop like she once feared it would. In the back of her mind, she wondered how she was going to be able to face the others. They were planning on welcoming into their family, after all. But now all of that was gone…
She inhaled sharply as she realized that this might be the end of her time with the Lunar Race. They had the Teardrops of the Moon in their possession now, they only stayed at the shop to be with Mahiru until she was married to Mitsuru and would be welcomed into the Moon Palace.
Mahiru wearily opened her eyes. They focused on the snow-soaked blanket a few feet away. She felt like the breath had been knocked out of her when she realized she might never be able to spend another snowy night out on the rooftop with Nozomu. She shot up in bed, looking around in a panic. This could very well be the end of it all.
Why would any of her friends need her now? Where would she live? Her aunt got married only a few months ago, there was no way she could impose upon her now. She would be completely alone.
She forced herself to breathe calmly as she looked over at the digital clock on her nightstand next to the now cold hot chocolate Mitsuru had brought her. It was close to two in the afternoon. They opened the shop at three. That didn't give her much time to figure out what to do. Her head fogged, she didn't even notice Mr. Bat flying around her room in a panic as well.
Mahiru threw her bedcovers back and hurriedly changed out of her pajamas. Forget being sick, she thought as she pulled on her shoes. She had to talk to someone about this, and quick.
She rushed out of her room and made a dash down the stairs, not noticing Akira coming up just as she was going down, causing her to smash into him. He managed to catch himself before they both went crashing down the steps.
"Mahiru!" he clung to her, afraid her high fever was making her sleepwalk. "Are you alright? You shouldn't be out of bed."
Mahiru looked up into Akira's eyes, causing him to see just how panicked she was. "I-Is Oboro h-here?" He often was out doing business before the store opened.
"Uhh…" Akira thought, as he scratched the back of his head. "I think you just missed him. He and Katsura had business at the Moon Palace, and won't be back until late tonight. We can't open because of all the snow anyway."
"Do you know if Mitsuru is here then?" she managed to ask, her voice shaking a bit.
"Nope," Akira's wolf ears laid down. "He left after his visit with you." He was worried now, something was clearly going on, but he couldn't put his finger on what it was.
"What's going on out here?" Nozomu asked with a bit of a yawn as he finally made his way out of bed for the day.
"Mahiru-Chan is acting weird," Akira told the vampire.
Mahiru closed her eyes tightly as she felt another wave of dizziness wash over her. If Akira hadn't still had an arm around her, she would've surely fallen down the stairs that time.
"Mahiru!" Both Akira and Nozomu yelled in unison.
"Come on, Akira," Nozomu scooped the fevered girl into his arms. "We have to get her back to bed. Can you get Misoka up here? Maybe he'll know of some kind of medicine that will make this fever go down."
Akira nodded and ran down the stairs in search of the werefox.
Mahiru's mind slipped into hallucinations as Nozomu carried her to her room and tucked her into bed. She thought she could hear him mumbling worriedly under his breath, cursing at himself for causing her to be so sick. She rolled onto her side as he sat on the floor next to her bed. Words were buzzing around the room, and she realized that Akira was back with Misoka. Someone put a cool washcloth on her forehead. Her eyes slipped closed as she tried to understand what they were saying. Nothing was making sense.
Misoka checked her symptoms. She had a fever of one hundred and three. Her skin was warm and clammy, and she wasn't responding to them when they called her name. Her eyes, when they opened, did not focus. Her breathing was steady, which was a good sign. Misoka adjusted his glasses as he finished his analysis.
"The fever has to come down immediately," He told them. "Once we get that down, we're going to have to try and talk some calm into her. I can smell her fear. Something drove her into a panic attack, which made her illness that much worse."
Nozomu eyed Mr. Bat. He'd heard the little creature squawking a while ago, but tried not to pay attention to it since he was still trying to sleep.
Misoka had gone downstairs to fetch some pain killers and cold medicine. Akira looked panicked from where Mahiru lay to the door, waiting for Misoka's return. He was always so worried about everyone.
Nozomu wondered how long he had to figure out what was wrong before everyone swarmed into the girl's room. Oboro would need to be informed of the princess' worsened illness immediately. That would mean he and Katsura would be back shortly. Nozomu made a reach for the trained bat to interrogate him in the other room, when he noticed untouched cup of Mahiru's favorite treat. It was made all wrong of course, Mitsuru didn't know she liked more marshmallows and not a lot of cream. The thing was overflowing with the melty white substance. Nozomu would have scoffed if his brain had not been working two steps ahead of what he was aware of.
The untouched cup.
The panicy bat.
Mitsuru suddenly leaving without an explanation again.
Mahiru's fever getting much worse…
Mitsuru must have seen them up on the roof the night before, Nozomu thought to himself. He must have did or said something to Mahiru to make her panic. Nozomu's hands balled up into fists as anger shot through him. He suddenly felt the need to punch something -- preferably something Mitsuru-shaped.
"D-don't l-l-leave me…" Mahiru stuttered from her fever-induced sleep.
Nozomu's eyes widened. Had that little jerk threatened to leave her just because he was trying to comfort her? Was no one allowed to be friends with Mahiru in Mitsuru's eyes?
"Please…" Mahiru trailed off, tears pooling around her eyelashes. "I don't want to be alone…"
Akira looked up at Nozomu. He didn't know what Mahiru could be talking about. All he could do was hold her clammy hand and promise her that she would be okay.
Nozomu stomped out of the room.
He now had a mission: Tengu hunting.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Mitsuru sat at the very highest part of the roof, overlooking the city as he thought. The snow was covering everything -- he was getting wet out there in the slush, but it hardly bothered him. He eyed the area where he spotted Mahiru and Nozomu sitting the night before, his mind replaying the memory clearly.
Mahiru was smiling. A true, genuine smile. And Nozomu had to do very little to get that from her. They were talking. When Mitsuru talked to Mahiru, she listened carefully, always. Sure, she'd smile for him, but it wasn't a smile like that. Her smile for him was a like the light of a star compared to the light of the moon, which was the smile she would give Nozomu.
He could feel in his gut months before that she was slipping away from him. He knew it wasn't intentional. Mahiru tried her best to do anything to keep him happy, which only made the problem worse. She wasn't happy, he could clearly see that. But he thought, if he tried hard enough, maybe her feelings would be clear again, and she would be only his princess.
It was a foolish thought, he noted silently. He'd lost the battle ages ago, and had been trying to delude himself into believing otherwise.
He knew Mahiru was in love with Nozomu.
She was just too blind to realize it yet.
Seeing them the night before, he was finally able to except it. A part of him wanted to be selfish and take her away from this place so it would be just the two of them. Maybe then, if he were the only man in her life, she would see him and only him again. He had to fight every muscle in his body from trying to do just that. He would love to have her be happy with him, so they could share a long life together and work out their problems.
But Mahiru wouldn't be happy. She would lie to herself until the day she died if she had to, but she would never be completely and fully happy with him.
It took every last drop of his willpower to do what he did. To hurt her after their year of being close. To force her into a realization -- if he weren't in the picture, then she would be forced to see and understand her feelings for the vampire who so often teased him. He cringed at the thought.
Just then, Nozomu burst through the door and glared up at him. He'd never seen the vampire so seriously pissed in his whole time there.
"Mitsuru, you jerk," Nozomu hissed. "Get your scrawny ass over here before I make you cry for your mommy!"
Mitsuru ground his teeth together as he got up from his hiding spot. "What do you want?" he asked, trying to control his nerves.
"Do you have any idea of what you did to Mahiru?" Nozomu asked in a cold tone. "She's down there sicker than a dog because of something you said, and I demand to know what it was."
"You can't demand anything from me, vampire," Mitsuru glared intently at Nozomu. "You don't own me."
"If you won't tell me, then Oboro will get it out of you. I'm sure he's on his way back here as we speak."
Mitsuru shrugged. The Oboro threat didn't scare him. Sure, he might get an earful for making Mahiru's fever worse, but he couldn't possibly punish him for freeing her. He pushed past Nozomu to get to the door, only to feel a strong hand on his shoulder, forcing him to stay put. Mitsuru turned on the balls of his heels to look the vampire in the eye.
"If you want to know so badly, wait and ask Mahiru yourself," Mitsuru told him coldly. "Just don't be as blind as she is, or I'll have to knock your teeth in."
And with that bizarre warning, the tengu left Nozomu alone on the roof to think.
What did he mean by being blind like Mahiru? Nozomu thought, as he too went inside. By the time he got to Mahiru's room, Oboro and Katsura were back. They too were in the room with the girl, checking up on her to make sure the illness wasn't serious.
"She's been muttering about you in her sleep," Misoka told Nozomu quietly. "We've got the fever down, for the most part. We need to let her rest so she can regain her strength though."
Nozomu nodded, not really sure what else to do. He couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't sound completely cheesy.
One by one, Mahiru's company left so she could try to get some rest. Nozomu stayed behind, waiting to see if she would continue talking about him in her sleep. He waited patiently, sitting on the floor with his back rested against her bed. Nozomu took this time to contemplate what Mitsuru had suggested he do on the roof; ask Mahiru what really happened between her and Mitsuru. His mind replayed his memories from the night before, the part where Mahiru confided in him that she didn't think that Mitsuru loved her the same way anymore.
Had she been right?
Had Mitsuru gone and broke the poor girl's heart?
"Nozomu?" Mahiru asked sleepily, recognizing the blonde haired man sitting next to her bed.
Nozomu shifted his weight so he could look at the sleepy girl still cuddled up under her blankets. "Hey girlie," he grinned. "You feeling better yet? You had us all worried."
Mahiru yawned. "I'm really sorry," she said, looking like she was still in a bit of pain. "I didn't mean to cause all of this trouble for you guys…"
Nozomu held up his hand to hush her. "It was no trouble at all," he promised her. "You're a part of the family, which means we worry about you. There's no need to be sorry that you're loved."
Mahiru's sleepy eyes focused on him as she remembered the reason for her panic not hours before. "Am I really part of the family?" she asked, somewhat more to herself than to him. "I'm not of the Lunar Race, and plenty of people living in the Moon Palace hate me…" she trailed off.
Nozomu realized she was still a bit fever dazed. He turned to sit on his knees, facing her. "Mahiru-Chan, I need to ask you something important." He didn't want to miss his window of opportunity.
Mahiru rolled onto her side so she could see him easier, their faces only a few inches away from each other now.
"What did Mitsuru do to you that made you so afraid?" he asked.
"He broke off our relationship," she told him honestly, her eyes dropping from his as if she were ashamed of herself. "I'm scared…"
"Why?" Nozomu pried, wanting to know the reasons for the tengu's actions.
"If Mitsu doesn't want me anymore," Mahiru's eyes met Nozomu's again, "You all will have no reason to stay here with me. I'm terrified of losing you all, because you really are family to me…" She closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them slowly as she became lost in her own thoughts. Nozomu waited for her to continue patiently, her every word aching him clear through to the bone.
"I want to keep working here, seeing you all every day," she said, her fever taking over again. "I want to help Akira cook, and learn from Misoka which drinks are which… I want to continue serving Oboro just like the rest of you, and being friends with Katsura… And I don't want to lose you, either, Nozomu…" her voice seemed to ache, even though her coherent speech was already lost.
"I think, if not for you, I would have fallen apart long ago…" she managed a weak smile as she continued. "You hold me together when I feel like I'm going to break apart… you save me."
Nozomu's eyes were locked on hers. He wasn't sure if she was completely aware of what she was saying. He wondered if the fever was making her speak from the heart or if it was making her say what he wanted to hear. Nevertheless, he continued to listen, unable to break himself away.
"I love you for that, Nozomu." she said softly. "I really do… love you…" she was beginning to fall asleep again, her speech was slowing with every word.
He froze.
Had she really just said she loved him?
Surely she had to have meant as a brother, as she always saw him. Even if she was the most important person to him, he never fully expected her to feel the same way. He was sure the fever was talking by now, and not the real, true Mahiru.
Nozomu's hand acted without his acknowledgement, resting itself on her head lightly to smooth her hair.
He leaned in closer, kissing her forehead ever so lightly before confessing what he'd been holding in for what seemed like ages.
"I love you too, Mahiru. Never forget it, sweetie."
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
By the next morning, Mahiru was up and well again. The snow had started melting, and the shop was full of customers. Nozomu stood on the platform next to the piano, waiting for Katsura to play the next song that was requested.
His eyes scanned over the customers, searching for his favorite waitress. Finally, he spotted her; Mahiru was waiting on a customer in the back. Even under the dim lights in the bar, she seemed to glow. He had no doubt she was feeling better. Her cheeks were rosy and she smiled a lot more than she normally would.
Nozomu then spotted Mitsuru, coming behind Mahiru to tug on her apron. She turned to him, donning yet another smile. His heart sank. Maybe they had gotten back together, Nozomu thought, as he tried to focus on the song Katsura was now playing.
His lips moved without him thinking, the tune of the piano was so familiar that the words came without effort.
Princess, Princess, why do you cry?
In a forest painted by the setting sun…
I made a promise to a demon boy…
That when the moon ascends the sky in ten lunar years…
I'll become his bride.
Nozomu watched as Mahiru and Mitsuru talked between customers. He couldn't believe she would forgive the little snot so easily.
Princess, Princess, why do you laugh?
Behind the veil of bamboo blinds,
The minister explains that
He'll hide and protect me,
Just as do the moon in a hazy sky.
They seemed to be listening to him sing, he noticed they both turned to watch.
Princess, Princess, why are you scared?
In the far-off reaches of the highest mountains,
I hear the cries of a demon boy,
That if women truly are as fickle as the phases of the moon,
Then surly I shall capture and devour her.
Nozomu noticed that Mitsuru was paying close attention, as if he were trying to warn him of something with his eyes.
Princess, Princess, why do you smile?
Beneath the rainbow that shines at dawn…
The treasures of the Demons are hidden.
Which, after 1,000 full moons passed…
Promised to reunite in a future life.
Mahiru clapped along with the crowd as he finished the song they all knew so well. She hugged her serving tray to her chest and hurried over to the side of the stage to meet him.
"You sang my request!" She grinned. "It was beautiful."
Nozomu blinked. Of course Mahiru would've been the one to request him to sing Princess, Princess. He hadn't even thought about it until just now. He grinned back at her. "You should request stuff more often, girly."
Mahiru raised an eyebrow. "Really? I can request anything?"
Nozomu nodded. "Sure, just name it. I'm at your service, princess." He bowed in a silly way, trying to keep the mood light.
Mahiru quickly looked around before grabbing hold of his sleeve and hauling him to a secluded part of the restaurant. "I don't really have a request--it's more of a demand," she told him quietly so only they could hear.
His eyes widened as she lifted herself on her toes so her lips could reach his. He nearly had a vampire heart attack right then and there.
It only lasted for a few seconds; she quickly pulled away to determine how he would react.
"Mahiru? What-huh-that was--I'm confused…" was all Nozomu could manage to say. He was still fighting the shock of it.
"I wanted to return the kiss you gave me yesterday," Mahiru told him sheepishly.
"You… you were awake?" Nozomu choked. He was busted. "H-how much of that did you remember, anyway?"
Mahiru tilted her head slightly, looking at him innocently. "I remember you telling me you loved me."
Nozomu gulped. "And you--you kissed me?" he mumbled. He was still flabbergasted.
"Because you kissed me," Mahiru said, still playing innocent.
For once in his life, the vampire was short on words. The girl was charming him instead of him charming the girl. He didn't know up from down anymore.
"But-but-but…" he put his hand to his head, trying to sort out his thoughts. "But aren't you and Mitsuru back together? I… I saw you guys while I was singing -- flirting, just like always…"
"No no, you've got it wrong." Mahiru held up her bare hand. Mitsuru's promise ring no longer donned it. "We broke it off for good." She looked around the empty room while she collected her thoughts. "He… he realized that my love for him wasn't the kind of love that a girl would feel for a guy she was about to spend the rest of her life with, so he decided to free me. We're not going to get married, Nozomu."
"What do you mean?" Nozomu asked, feeling like he was missing something huge.
"I mean, Mitsuru saw how much I loved you, even if I didn't realize it myself just yet."
Nozomu stared at the girl. "Y-you mean you r-r-really l-love me l-like that?" he stuttered.
"I mean I really love you like that," she grinned. "I didn't realize it, I was being stupid I guess. Mitsuru said I was blind, he told me to thump you for being blind as well."
"So he's really going to let you go?" Nozomu asked, his sense of reason finally starting to overcome the amazement.
"He really is. We talked it over almost all night, and he gave me his blessing -- if you want me, that is -- to be with you, the way I thought I was with him. For real this time though."
Nozomu forgot about the world around him for a moment. "Wait right here," he mumbled. "I'll be back in two seconds, I promise."
And with that, he dashed up the stairs heading for his room. Mahiru stared at were he'd vanished to, her belly rippling with a mix of excitement and fear. Her butterflies were going frantic in there, and she almost couldn't believe she had really just said all that to the vampire.
Before she had time to really think about it all, he came back down the stairs, still rushing to the point the almost wasn't watching where he was going. He almost tripped a couple of times.
"Okay," he huffed, trying to catch his breath. "Lemme pick up from where you left off." He grinned, almost devilish, as he sputtered out what was boiling over in his mind. "Of course I want you, silly girl." He grabbed hold of her hand, and rested his clenched fist in her palm, looking down into her eyes. "And if you'll have me," he slowly uncurled his fingers, letting something drop into her hand, "I'd like to make it permanent some day."
Mahiru gazed down at the glittering treasure sitting in her palm. "It was my mom's," Nozomu said sheepishly. "I'll get you your own later on, if you'd like."
She carefully lifted it to the light, stunned at how gorgeous it was. He had given her his mother's wedding ring; moonstones incasing its diamonds. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.
"A-are you sure?" She managed to say after staring at it a while.
Nozomu grinned. "Totally, one hundred present, cross my heart and hope to die sure."
He took the ring from her, knowing she wouldn't be ready to wear it officially just yet, and hung it from a chain around her neck. He could hear her heart thumping hard in her chest, which made him grin down at her. "Does that feel okay?" he asked, not trying to push her into wearing it.
"Perfect," she told him honestly. His ring somehow felt much more at home than Mitsuru's ever did. She was more than thrilled to wear it, and wear it with pride. She knew now, even if the rest of her Lunar Race family were to leave her to return home some day, she would not be lonely. Nozomu would stay by her no matter what. She would stay with him forever, she could feel herself being pulled to him like a magnet to metal.
There was no way she was ever letting go.
Author's notes:
This took me three days to write! I think it's my longest one-shot ever. Heh.
Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed it. I really put a lot of time into this, and I know it's not all that grand, but please be kind and don't get angry with me over any typing or spelling mistakes. I've done my best to catch them, and when I notice the ones I've missed -- because I'm sure I did miss some of them, I always do -- I'll fix them right away. I promise.
Please let me explain before anyone jumps on me for writing the character sort of off-ish. They're not supposed to be completely in character, as this is about a year after the manga finished. I know Mitsuru seems more caring than he did in the manga, but he was much more affectionate towards Mahiru in the last bit of the manga; hugging and kissing her, singing with the rest of the group, you get the idea. That's the Mitsuru that I was going for, not so much the immature 'leave me alone!' version.
Also, I know Mahiru seems a bit off as well, but that's because any girl going through a breakup with someone who she thought would be her true love would be emotional. Nozomu is how I see him, mature and sweet at some times, immature and childish at others. I hope no one thinks he was too out of character, since I really did try to keep him himself.
This story is dedicated to moonsnite, since she helped me with this, and because of her overall awesomeness.
Yay for Nozomu / Mahiru. I really do love Mitsuru and Mahiru as well, but Nozomu / Mahiru will always hold a soft spot in my heart, haha.
And in case any of you are wondering, yes, the title is kind of pointless. It's kind of related to the song, but kind of not. Take it as you will.
Okay, well, that's it for now. Once again, please forgive any errors.
And please, if you read this all the way through (as it is kind of long, haha), please, please write a review. I'm doing my best to get back into the swing of writing, and your guys' thoughts help tons. Please be kind though, I haven't written anything in forever, so I'm a little scared to post this. XD
-RH