A/N: I was honestly shocked at how well this story was received. Everyone's positive comments inspired me to write more with these two. Again, bare in mind there are some obvious differences from canon to make this story the way I want it to be.

Thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, or added this story to their alerts. I truly appreciate all the kind words people said about these two and the story in general.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as the first!

Still Doll
Chapter II : Nightmares

For an entire year, Akimi had an average life at Cross Academy. She did her work, passed her assignments in on time, and kept to herself. She didn't socialize much with her classmates, mostly because they were obsessed with the Night Class, and she didn't want anything to do with them.

Now, however, everything changed. She knew a secret many humans did not; vampires are real. They exist amongst humankind, passing as exceptionally beautiful ones, but some, she found out, were deranged. They were called Level E, vampires without a shred of humanity left in them.

The vampire who attacked her was close to becoming one, Kaname had said. He told her sane vampires wouldn't dare go near a person a pureblood had deemed theirs, and such an occurrence would not repeat itself if he had anything to say about it.

Akimi tried to stay away, but ever since the attack, she found herself trembling from nightmares so violent they left her throat raw from screaming. The girls in her dorm ventured away from her since then, and Akimi didn't blame them. She would have as well if she heard one of them yelling bloody murder.

Someone must have told Headmaster Cross something, as one night, as Akimi lay trembling and sobbing in her bed, someone knocked on her window. Terror went through her nerves, but when it opened and she was enveloped in an embrace which became all too familiar, she relaxed and curled into Kaname.

He had kissed her hair and whispered words of reassurance, his hold never loosening. For the first night in days, Akimi felt safe, and she had fallen asleep in the pureblood's arms.

When she awoke, she found herself in an unfamiliar room. It was enormous compared to hers and elegant in its decoration. Every bit of it spoke of royalty, and her eyes had darted around until they rested on Kaname.

"I'm glad to see you awake, little rose," he told her, moving gracefully from chair to bed. He sunk down on it and stroked her cheek. "You slept well, I presume?"

Akimi flushed in embarrassment. "For the first time since the attack, yes," she admitted, unconsciously leaning into the man's feather like touches. "I'm sorry. I'm likely causing you all kinds of problems."

"You're worth every bit of trouble you may cause me," Kaname whispered, a small smile on his features. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "You're excused from classes for a while, so please, look around as much as you'd like. I have some business to attend to, but you can always call on me."

Akimi stared at him for a few seconds, chewing on the inside of her cheek before nodding. "Thank you…"

This is how she ended up staying in the Moon Dorm. She's sure it raises questions with her former classmates, but she doesn't care. The vampires treat her as one of their own, and it's more than she ever had. They care for her when Kaname isn't there and look out for her wellbeing; more than once, she's awoken from a nightmare to have one of them smoothing her hair or touching her face in a way to calm her.

The pain is gradual at first. Her limbs begin to ache and her head pounds with a headache, but Akimi assumes it's from some kind of illness. She stays in Kaname's room, coughing so much her throat burns and her lungs ache, and sometimes there's blood.

She guesses the pureblood smells the blood, but he doesn't comment on it if he does. Instead, he wipes her face when she's sweating up a storm and strokes her forehead when she moans in misery.

"S… Still think I'm worth the trouble?" she asks one morning as Kaname wets a cloth and smooths it against her sweat-slicked brow. He says nothing for a few moments, seemingly focused on the task at hand.

"Yes, sweet one," he says. She sits up and has a coughing fit, to which he pats her back after it's over. "Sometimes I forget humans are fragile creatures."

He murmured it to himself, but Akimi hears it plain as day, and she laughs weakly, reaching forward to pet his face. Kaname arches an eyebrow, his expression one of amusement, as she mumbles "Not all of us are immune to everything."

"Mm, I suppose you have a point." He pushes her back on the bed and gets up, looking over his shoulder as one hand reaches forward to push open the door. "I have to speak to Headmaster Cross about something, but I will return soon."

Akimi nods as Kaname leaves. She wraps her arms around herself, clenching her teeth. Her skin feels as if her nerves are on fire and despite the coolness of the room, she can't cool down.

Maybe she's coming down with a cold. Her nose wasn't congested or her chest, so it's a far fetched theory, but she can't think of anything else. She goes towards the open window, letting the breeze soak through her bones. Winter is fast approaching, so the air is getting colder, something Akimi appreciates at the moment.

"How pathetic," a voice breaks through the tranquility. "He hasn't noticed vampire poison seeping through your veins…"

"Who's there?" Akimi looks around, seeing no one, but she's sure she isn't hearing things. Another violent coughing spasm rips through her throat and blood trickles down her chin afterwards. The burning sensation gets worse and she falls to her knees, teeth clenched together as terrible shudders rack through her body.

"Hmph, why should I give my name to a measly human? Even if you are the intended mate of a pureblood." Laughter. "It's a matter of time before the venom ends you, so I suppose I'll watch until you die or someone sucks it out of you. It'll be amusing to see which transpires."

It's gone as quickly as it came. Akimi stumbles to her feet. Her throat aches and she can't stop shivering, plus the burning has gotten worse, not better. She moves towards the door and leans against it, breaths coming out in shallow pants. Her world spins and she's on the floor again, but this time, Akimi lies there. I'm so tired…

"Who did they think they were, stalking outside of Lord Kaname's room?" someone says; Akimi recognizes it as Hanabusa's voice. "Well, whatever. They're dealt with, so I guess we should check on that woman now, huh?"

"Yes, Lord Kaname would not be pleased if something happened to her," another mutters. She hears footsteps, the door opens, and it's inches away from smacking her in the face. "Akimi? ...Oh no."

"What-damn. She's seen better days."

Akatsuki and Hanabusa kneel next to her, eyes wide. She doesn't know who does what, but a hand goes against her inflamed skin and it cools down in seconds, while another warms her afterwards, stopping the shivering.

"Should we move her?" Hanabusa asks, flicking his eyes over to his companion.

"No. I'll get Lord Kaname; you stay with her and cool her skin if it becomes inflamed again," Akatsuki instructs, standing up and running out. The blond aristocrat sighs and pats Akimi's hair.

"Poor girl," he says, more to himself. "Don't worry, you'll be fine."

"I…" she rasps, turning her head to cough and spit out blood. She tries again. "I'm… sorry."

"Sorry?" Hanabusa arches a brow. "You're a weird little creature. Why would you apologize for something beyond your control?"

Akimi tries to say something, but her throat feels as if it's coated in acid. Her breathing becomes shallower and rasper, as if she ran a marathon and didn't drink a single drop of water.

She's picked up a few seconds later, and through her foggy vision, she can make out glowing red eyes and bared fangs. "How did I not notice this sooner?"

"You were likely enthralled by the scent of her blood, my lord," she hears Akatsuki say, but words are becoming jumbled and it's hard for her to make out anything, let alone hear decently.

"Leave, now."

There's footsteps and the door shuts behind the two aristocrats. Akimi clings to Kaname's shirt, trying to ground herself to the little bit of the real world. "K… Kaname…" she whispers hoarsely, tears pooling at the corner of her eyes. "I… I don't… want to…"

"You won't die, little rose," the pureblood reassures. She's put on the bed and he hovers over her. "I'm sorry, but… I do not wish to see you die, so I have to get the poison out."

Akimi nods, small arms wrapping around Kaname as he lowers his head so his fangs ghost over her neck. They sink into her skin and it's unlike anything she ever felt before. It's a hard feeling to describe, but she listens to the sound of him drinking her blood, and her head swims.

All too soon, it's over, and for the first time in a while, Akimi feels normal. She blinks, her vision returning to her, and licks her lips, eyes focusing on the man hovering over her. "That was…"

Kaname smiles a little, and she notices his eyes are back to their normal brown-red tint. "You're feeling better, I hope," he murmurs, a soft twinkle in his eyes which makes her blush.

"I feel quite a bit better," she says, tipping her head to the side slightly. "I overheard if a pureblood bites a human, they become a vampire… will that happen to me?"

He shakes his head. "For it to occur, my fangs must touch your veins, and I made sure only to get the poison out," Kaname reassures, smoothing Akimi's hair from her face and kissing her forehead. "I won't turn you into a vampire against your will."

She pulls him down until he's laying on top of her, and she wraps her arms around his waist. "What did I do to deserve you?"

Kaname chuckles. "We deserve each other," he says against her cheek. "I've waited for years to find the one my blood said was to be mine, and now that I have you, I won't let you go."

Akimi nods. For the rest of the afternoon, they lie there, sometimes in silence, other times telling stories of their days. She tells him of the times she was growing up, of how her parents favored her older brother and she felt she wasn't good enough for them.

She opened up to him more than she did with anyone in her life, and it felt refreshing to. The whole time Akimi spoke, Kaname listened, wiping her tears when she began to talk of the grandmother she loved so dearly and squeezing her hand when she became choked up.

Eventually, night fell. Akimi curls in bed as Kaname prepares to go to class, yet before she dozes off, she feels him run his hand down her side and kiss her cheek.

"Sweet dreams, my love."

TBC.