Vampire Knight (c) Matsuri Hino

Author's Note – This takes place many years later after Kaname sacrifices himself.

Aido Hanabusa X Hayashi Natsume (OC)

Summary: She looked at him tiredly. "H-Hanabusa?" "Shh, go to sleep." Immediately, she went back to sleep in his arms. Hanabusa looked at her with a small smile. "It'll be okay. I promise." He whispered in her ear.

Falling Short
Chapter i

"One...two...three...hm? Who's there?" A black-haired girl turned around to find nobody near her. "Nobody..." She turned around and quickly gathered her items. Her blue eyes scanned the area once more before making her way out of the room full of portraits.

She walked down the hall in silence and dark. She went up a set of stairs and turned a hall. She stopped in front of a door and opened it, stepping inside quietly. She went ahead and dropped her belongings on a desk and placed herself under her covers. She looked out to see bits of sun rising hit her curtains. She sighed before falling to her sleep.

"Wake up. Natsume, wake up." A voice pulled Natsume out of her slumber.

"Hmm...?" Natsume rubbed her eyes before opening them to see her maid-servant. "I-Iru-san?"

"Yes, it's me. Now wake up. You're mother and father have called you."

"Right..." Natsume got up lazily.

Natsume dressed herself. She was now wearing a black waistcoat over a white blouse and gray dress-pants. Her neck was adorned with a gold necklace, fit with a gold rose. A single braid was placed in her hair as her bangs layed upon her forehead, covering it.

"Here are some blood tablets." Iru gave her some water to go with it.

"Thank you..."

"It's still early, so you have plenty of time."

"Did my parents say why they need me?"

"No, ma'am."

"...what time is it?"

"It's still six o'clock."

"...I want to take a nap."

"No."

Natsume frowned at the answer. "It's still so early..."

"You are the only daughter to the Hayashi family. This behavior is unacceptable Natsume."

Natsume sighed. "Of course, but when I am serious, you don't like that either. Which one do you want? I can only be both for so long." Natsume said, facing her maid-servant.

"...I've nothing to say." Iru said.

"...I didn't mean to say it like that...I'm sorry. It's just..."

"I understand. Apology accepted. Please, do not worry yourself over what I say."

The silence continued from there on.

"Iru...?" Natsume said, breaking the silence.

"Yes?"

"Do you...am I normal?"

"...Of course you are. What makes you think you're not?"

"Well...am I normal in vampire standards? I like to think I'm normal...but am I really?"

"Of course. Why are you asking me that?"

"Because...I remembered something. I was awake early morning-"

"You were what!?"

"I was just awake early this morning, that's all. But I drew the weirdest thing...It was a man I think. And...he had the darkest hair I've ever seen. I drew his outline, but I didn't draw anything else to define this man...the setting seemed a bit dreary, but it was blurred. Let me show you my picture." Natsume walked over to her desk and pulled out her painting.

Iru observed it. "Do you think this is another of your future paintings?"

"I don't know...anything I paint, I don't know if it can tell the future or not. I just paint. I don't think I'm normal if I can do this..." Natsume said.

"This is just a bonus power Natsume, most vampires wouldn't be amazed. Don't worry yourself over that. But we should show your parents just in case."

Natsume nodded her head lightly. "Okay."

"Come, we should go now. We need to decipher this painting as soon as possible anyways." Iru said, opening the door to Natsume's room.

"Alright..." Natsume brought her painting along with her.

"Lord Mitsu, Madam Bell. Your daughter has arrived." Iru said.

"Thank you, Iru. Please sit, Natsume." Mitsu said.

"Father, I brought in this painting..."

"Show me the painting dear."

Natsume showed her father the painting.

"...this is a bit vague, isn't it?"

"Yes...it is...for some reason, I only drew the outlines."

"Dear, this could be another one of her paintings."

"Yes...it could...Iru, if you will take this painting and place it in my room for observation."

"Yes, mi'lord." Iru took the painting out of Natsume's hand and left the room.

"Natsume, my dear daughter. Your mother and I have talked long about this and have decided that you will have a fiance."

Natsume's face remained unfazed, although inside, she was feeling confused.

"...we'd like to introduce you to a well known, noble vampire, Aido Hanabusa."

"As your father has said, you will be meeting him at a ball tomorrow night. It's going to be held at the renown Kuran's home." Her mother said.

Natsume's ears perked at the word 'Kuran'. Things had gotten quite crazy, before she was born, with the Kurans. But that was many, many years ago. It didn't mean much to Natsume since she was living in the current era.

"We will be in attendance as well." Her father said.

"We expect the best out of you." Her mother said.

"Yes, Mother, Father." Natsume said as she bowed slightly.

"We expect for you not to fall asleep randomly as well." Her mother said. "We can't be having them look down upon us. Not many know of your...bonus ability."

"...I'll try."

"Well, we should prepare a dress for you then." Her father said.

"Okay."

Natsume walked to the home of the Kurans, seeing many other aristocrat vampires attending as well. She had gone on a seperate car from her parents. The dress she wore was a purple ballgown. She wore white gloves that reached her elbows and dazzling, dark-blue orbs as earrings. She put her golden rose necklace underneath her dress. She walked towards the entrance.

"Ara~ You must be Hayashi Natsume-san." A voice said, causing Natsume to stop in her tracks.

She turned around to see a sharply dressed, blonde man. His icy blue eyes stared her up and down. Natsume had a good guess of who it was.

"Yes...and you must be Aido Hanabusa-kun." Natsume answered.

The man smiled and walked over to her. "Yes." He lifted her right hand up and kissed it before looking at her. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Natsume-san."

"Y-yes..."

Hanabusa smiled at her stutter. "Let us go, and enjoy this ball." Hanabusa said as he lead her inside.

Natsume believed that it was an act, being his fiancee.

The two walked inside the building, hearing the steady music being played and the chatter and gossip between other vampires. Hanabusa led her through the crowd and in front of another girl. She had long brown hair and brown eyes that went along with it. She turned around when she felt a presence and smiled.

"Aido-senpai. I'm glad you could come." She said with a smile.

"And you're still calling me that even after we finished school long ago." Hanabusa answered back.

She noticed Natsume and smiled. "Hello. I don't believe we've ever met yet. I'm Kuran Yuki." Yuki said to Natsume, extending a hand out to her.

Natsume hesitantly extended her hand out to the pureblood. "H-Hello...Kuran-sama."

"It's okay. I don't bite." Yuki laughed herself.

Natsume shook hands with the pureblood. "I'm Hayashi Natsume."

"Hayashi? Ah, you must be Aido-senpai's fiancee. I've heard about the arrangements from Aido-senpai. Please, call me Yuki." Yuki smiled at Natsume.

"No, it would be rather rude of me, Kuran-sama." Natsume said, doing a slight bow.

Hanabusa frowned. "Oi, you don't need to be so formal. Yuki is a friend of mines."

"That's right. So please, just call me 'Yuki'. And if anyone has a problem with that, I can always fix that." Yuki said.

Natsume was quite surprised. "Uh, okay, Y-Yuki...-sama."

Yuki sighed. "We'll work on that. Well, have fun Aido-senpai. You too, Natsume." Yuki said before going to other aristocrat vampires.

Natsume looked at her as she talked to other vampires. She'd never met a pureblood vampire before, so saying that she was scared wouldn't be an understatement. Hanabusa looked down at her.

"You..." Hanabusa sighed. "Calm down. Your heart is beating fast." Hanabusa said, trying to calm her down.

"S-sorry..." Natsume said, taking a deep breath.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised if it was your first time meeting a pureblood..." Hanabusa said. "Well, shall I have the pleasure of this dance?" Hanabusa said, extending his hand out to her.

"Of course." Natsume said, taking his hand.

"Do you like this engagement?" Hanabusa asked her as they danced.

"...I don't hate it." Natsume said.

"Do you want to know why I chose you?" Hanabusa asked, making Natsume look up at him.

Her dark, deep blue eyes met his light, icy blue eyes. She could see a playfulness in his eyes. He could see curiousity in hers.

"I-Is it because you know?" Natsume asked quite timidly.

Hanabusa raised a brow, his face contorting into confusion. "Know what?"

Natsume's eyes darted to the sides before shaking her head. "I can't say it out here."

Hanabusa became even more curious.

"So...why did you choose me?" Natsume asked.

"Hm...I think I wanna know what you thought first." Hanabusa said.

Natsume's eyes widened ever-so-slightly before going back to normal. She averted her eyes down. The two stayed silent throughout the rest of the song. As soon as it ended, Hanabusa dragged her out the room.

"A-Aido-kun, where are we going?"

"To a place where we can speak privately. And I know just the room. Also, call me 'Hanabusa'."

"B-But this is Yuki-sama's house, H-H-H-Hanabusa-kun..."

"I know. I already told you we were friends."

Natsume stayed silent as they entered a room.

"Now then, what was the reason you think I chose you?" Hanabusa asked as he sat down on a couch.

"...My ability. Do you really not know? My parents surely would have told you."

"Ability? Isn't the Hayashi's ability to manipulate objects?"

"Erm...my secret ability..."

"Secret ability?"

Natsume nodded her head. "Whenever I paint, some of my paintings can tell the future...I don't remember when it started but...isn't that the reason you chose me?"

Hanabusa stared at her. "No! That is most definitely wrong!" Hanabusa said, pulling out his childish side. "If I did that, Yuki would kill me! And that is rude!"

Natsume stared at Hanabusa in surprise from his sudden change in attitude.

Hanabusa stopped his ranting and coughed a bit, regaining his composure. "What I mean to say is, that is far from the reason I chose you. Even if this ability I've never heard of is special, it doesn't change my mind that I want you."

Natsume felt her heart skip a beat. "Wh-What?"

"The real reason I chose you is..."

Natsume waited for his answer.

"Argh! Don't you remember me!?" Hanabusa said, feeling a bit frustrated.

"N-No...?"

"That's right...you were still a kid back then..."

"Uhm...we met before?"

"Of course!" Hanabusa said, pouting. "You were still a kid back then. Of course you wouldn't remember me."

"That's why you were able to pick me out easily outside..." Natsume mumbled.

"Yeah." Hanabusa answered nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry. I just don't remember you at all..." Natsume said, feeling a bit ashamed.

"No, don't worry about it. Now then, why don't we go back out and enjoy ourselves. Maybe we both can see your parents together." Hanabusa said, getting up.

Natsume nodded.

End of Chapter

AN – I personally wrote this story for some Hanabusa love. This will be a fluff story, so minimum drama. And because these are vampires, I wanted to mess with some things a bit, test the waters. The story implies that Hanabusa is, in fact, a lot older now, and Natsume is still a fresh baby vampire.

I'm not sure how I feel about Zero being Yuki's 'husband', so I'm not including him at all in this story.

Hope you enjoyed the first installment to this story.