As Reina walked along the castle aimlessly, finally having finished her studies for the day, she could have sworn she heard muffled crying. She didn't know why she was so quick to pick up on it, perhaps because it was a sound she was all too familiar with, but her feet reacted to the sound, and almost instantly, she found the culprit.

Upon seeing her, Ayato quickly wiped his face and told her to go away. She crouched by him, so that she was practically sitting next to him on the floor.

"Ayato," she said, "Show me your face."

He shrunk away even more. "I got in a fight with Subaru. It's nothing." He spat.

She carefully cupped his cheek with her hand and assessed the damage. It was too big of a bruise for even Subaru to have created. Her heart clenched. Cordelia was perhaps more brutal than her own mother. "It'll be ok," she told him encouragingly, "They tend to fade quickly. And the pain stops after a short while."

He shook her away. "What the hell would you know! Get away from me!"

Her eyes widened in surprise, slightly taken aback. Silently, she stood up and began to roll up the sleeves of her dress, revealing the multiple bruises that littered her arm.

Ayato blinked quietly, lowering his head a bit. "Sorry." He mumbled.

She smiled and shook her head, lowering her sleeve. "It's not your fault. But, I do know how you feel. So there's no need to hold it in."

He nodded affirmatively, seemingly with new resolve, standing up to join her. "You don't have to hold it in either." He told her, offering his hand, "We're siblings now, after all."

She took his hand and shook it happily, "I've always wanted a brother."

"Don't worry about it! Ore-sama will take care of you! I'll be the best big brother you ever had!"

Reina giggled, not having the heart to tell him that she was actually older than him. "I'd like that very much, Ayato."

He smiled gleefully, and then ran off.

Her relationship with the triplets was a rather good one. Perhaps it was because of the silent understanding they all shared. Laito could get a bit touchy, but it was never anything she couldn't handle. Besides, no matter what Laito chose to do, she couldn't exactly find herself angry with him. He took the largest brunt of his mother's caprices, and it was something she admired in him. So if he chose to act out every once in a while, she couldn't say it was without reason.

All three brothers were quite protective of her, the way brothers should be towards a sister, but when it came to Kanato, she felt herself being the protective one. She couldn't stand to see his tears, so she had taken it upon herself to always carry candy in her pocket, with which to cheer him up. It was something she rather enjoyed; being able to pamper someone. When he was in one of his better moods, sometimes Kanato would even sing to her.

"Do you sing, Onee-san?"

"Oh, no," she politely folded her hands in her lap as she sat, smiling kindly at her younger brother, "Not the way you can."

He giggled, "So, I'm better than you?"

"I suppose that's one way of putting it," she said hesitantly, "Yes."

Kanato giggled again, holding up Teddy. "Hey, did you hear that Teddy? She thinks I'm better than her."

Of course, there hardly ever came a time when the triplets had to soothe Reina. Although she had made that promise to Ayato, it was something she didn't want to burden him with. Besides, she was quite skilled at hiding her true feelings, and her mother never left bruises in places that would be visible to the public. Except, on one horrible day that she'd really rather forget, her mother had gotten into some sort of argument with Cordelia, and was in a terrible mood. Henrietta took it out on Reina, though she had done nothing, and Reina was so beaten down that she could not find the energy to get up off the floor. Her mother called her pathetic, if a simple beating was enough to ruin her, and left her there. At the time, Reina wondered if she would die like that.

Kanato happened to walk into her room that day, demanding candy. When he noticed the state she was in, he broke into one of his rages, claiming he would kill whoever had done this to her. Reina begged him to calm down, using up the last bit of her strength, managing to satiate him with some sweets.

Even still, the seriousness in Kanato's eyes as he vowed to kill Henreitta…it was something that Reina would never be able to erase from her mind.

The only brother she was unable to really communicate with was Subaru. He seemed to prefer the solitude. It was something that she could understand at times, so she let him be. He, in turn, let her be.

He got mad a lot. Christa was the only wife Reina didn't know very much about. She definitely seemed like a broken woman, though. It didn't help that Cordelia threw a jab at her any chance she got. No doubt it had an effect on Subaru.

Sometimes she wished they talked more. She really did hate to see him so depressed and alone all the time. She knew how lonely solitude could be, even if one preferred it that way. But whenever she tried to get close, he'd push her away. She could understand that as well. If whatever was going on between Subaru and his mother needed to be dealt by him alone, then she wouldn't pry. It wasn't her place after all. Still, it hurt her to know that one of her brothers was in pain.

After living with the Sakamaki brothers for so long now, she saw them as just that; brothers. One time, in an effort to cheer Ayato up after he had received yet another beating, she decided to make him some takoyaki. He was quite pleased with it, and so she let him know that she'd happily make them whenever he wanted. Ayato laughed at that, calling her a doormat. She didn't mind though. She liked making her new family happy. She had even offered some to Shu, but for some reason, he wasn't a very large fan of it. She assured him that she would improve her cooking skills to create something of his liking.

One particular day, Subaru happened to roam into the kitchen, and shyly asked if there was any takoyaki left. Reina regretted to tell him that there was not, but she could quickly make some more. He blushed at this, and grumbled that it wasn't necessary. After that, whenever she made takoyaki for Ayato, she was sure to save a select few for her youngest brother, whether he asked for them or not. Sometimes she'd just drop off a plate by his door. He wouldn't say anything, and neither would she, but after a short while she'd return to find the plate licked clean.

Perhaps the best and easiest relationship was the one she held with Reiji. He was the most like her, after all, so they understood each other easily enough. Sometimes, though, she found herself rather jealous of the fact that his mother never scolded him. Even without punishment as a means of motivation, he still managed to encompass the epitome of everything she had ever been taught to value. How did one achieve such a level of dedication? She wasn't quite sure, but she admired him all the same. Often, they'd sit together in the library, reading. They did not exchange much conversation, other than the required formalities, but she enjoyed his presence just the same. He was her only older brother, about three months her senior, and she revered him as such. At times, she wished Shu would join them in their silent admiration of literature, but she knew he didn't enjoy reading the way she and Reiji did.

…

Reina couldn't seem to find Shu anywhere. Had he run off with Edgar again? She sighed. This was getting slightly out of hand. He would rush through his studies and then disappear. It worried her. What if he got hurt? She knew, of course, that he could handle himself, but this simple logic was not enough to soothe her anxiety. She had been told by Beatrix to please find him, so that the young couple could perform a duet. He, of course, on the violin, and she on the piano. Although, Reina had to admit, part of the reason for her search was a selfish one. More than anything, she missed him.

Continuing on her hunt, she entered the library, only to find Reiji reading a book. "Oh, I'm sorry." She excused herself politely.

"It's no trouble," He assured her, closing his book, "Is something the matter?"

She looked around, before her eyes landed on his. "I was just looking for Shu."

Of course she was, he thought.

He laughed wryly. "Why he would be in here I can't imagine."

A small smile tugged at her lips, and she walked over to where he sat, taking her seat across from him. "To be honest, I'm a bit worried about him."

Reiji raised an eyebrow.

She rubbed the outside of her hand with her thumb nervously. "Well, you see, he's told me," she bit her lip, unsure of herself, "He says he's made friends with a boy…a human one."

"Yes, the one he brought to our ball the other day. Only he would do something like that."

"It seems harmless," she quickly jumped to his defense, "But something about it is unsettling. She lowered her head, but quickly raised it. "Do you…do you think someone like us should be around…"

"Of course not. They are beneath us in every respect."

She nodded her head affirmatively, "That's what I had always thought but…I don't know. My stomach just feels so uneasy."

"Have you told him this?"

She nodded, as though she were deep in thought. Suddenly she reached out to him, placing her hand on his. "Oh Reiji, please don't tell your father. I would hate for him to get in trouble again."

Reiji never understood how a vampire like her could provide such warmth, even with just a brief touch such as this one. He quickly removed his hand and adjusted his glasses. "I will take care of it, if you so wish."

She smiled. With the two of them working together, surely they would get Shu back on track. They would be the two pillars that held up the throne of the next vampire king. She was glad to know that Reiji's aspirations matched her own.

She got up to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Thank you, Reiji."

With that she excused herself, and left him alone in the library.

As Reiji watched her leave, warmth began to hug his cold body, starting from his cheek, and slowly spreading its way down. This warmth soon burned with envy, however, as he remembered once again that everything she did, she did for Shu.

A/N: ^_^ I like their kid versions haha

Andrea: Thank you, hehe. Hope you enjoyed the update :)