iv.
chapter four - you get too close
:-:-: theme; whispers in the dark by skillet :-:-:
Kaname spoke animatedly, latching onto Juri as he gushed about how he was going to be a big brother. The boy even directed his attention to his mother's stomach, speaking loudly and slowly, as if the being inside could hear him.
Haruka and Juri laughed goodnaturedly, sharing happy looks with each other. They were relieved that their news hadn't been taken harshly, though, a part of them hadn't expected it to, anyway. Kaname and Shiori were not known to be selfish brats (despite how lazy Shiori could be sometimes).
Despite the warm and joyful atmosphere, the scene was not completely perfect.
As the amused laughter died down, Haruka's head turned to where his daughter stood. The smile slowly slipped from his face, and in its place was an expression of concern.
"Shiori? Are you okay?"
The young girl was frozen solid, her face void of expression. It was like she wasn't really there, her mind lost in the workings of her thoughts.
"...Shi-chan?" Kaname spoke when the voices of Haruka and Juri failed to rouse his sister. It seemed to do the trick, as Shiori blinked a few times before focusing back on the three in front of her.
She allowed a small smile to assure them that she was okay, "Sorry… I was just wondering if I was gonna have a brother or sister. I'm really excited." Monotone still in place, as if her voice was suddenly filled with emotions, it was sure to raise some red flags.
Kaname seemed to buy her lie (albeit dubiously), as he only furrowed his eyebrows before continuing to paw at Juri's stomach. Unfortunately, the two older purebloods were not so easily deceived, though they did let it slide.
The conversation turned to various topics (the baby's gender, the due date, which room were they going to get, etc). Shiori was wise enough not to let her mind completely wonder for a second time. She kept part of her attention on her family (nodding along and grunting when applicable), but another part continued her musings from earlier.
Yuki was on her way now; due to be born in nine months time. Shiori felt a little uneasy on what this could mean for her and her loved ones' futures. Yuki was probably going to cause a whole lot of doom and destruction, but there was one thing Shiori knew for sure…
She was going to love and protect her little sister, no matter what. Even if Yuki's birth would result in Kaname being separated from her; even if it meant her parents would eventually succumb to their fate. Shiori would still love Yuki, because none of this would be her fault.
Fate was the only thing to blame, and maybe even Shiori herself. She knew what the future would bring, and yet she would have failed to change and prevent it.
'Looks like we'll just have to see how things go.'
"Why are you here?"
Shiori was as blunt as ever, eyeing her younger cousin with a curious glint in her eyes. From beside her, Kaname looked surprised to see Senri as well, though he refrained from repeating his sister's question (despite how much he truly wanted to know the answer to it).
Juri laughed lightly at their antics, whereas Haruka only smiled and placed a hand on Senri's shoulder before speaking. "Due to certain circumstances, Senri will be staying with us for the night."
Shiori was quick to noticed the way Haruka's smile tightened, how Senri seemed to stiffen a little, and how Juri did her best to laugh off the tension in the air. The woman gently gestured for Senri to join the twins, "Now, go on! We're going to settle a few things, so give Senri-kun a tour of the place."
Kaname smiled politely at Senri before nodding to his parents. "Okay, Okaa-sama!"
Seeing that the young Shiki was in good hands, Haruka and Juri disappeared down the hall and into Haruka's study. Shiori watched them go, while Kaname began to distract Senri with tedious small talk.
'Something must have happened with Senri's mother.' Her eyes glanced over to examine her guest. His skin remained unblemished, and unnaturally pale (a recurring theme when it came to vampires, she had noticed). 'It doesn't look like she hurt him… That's good to know, at least.'
"...and we were going to come and visit tomorrow, so this is a nice surprise! I hope you'll enjoy your stay here, Senri-kun." Shiori caught the ending of Kaname's sentence as she tuned back into the real world.
"Yeah," Senri replied, his hands stuffed in his pockets as he looked anywhere but at Kaname.
Kaname became quiet after that, easing off of Senri a bit. Shiori sighed, digging through her pockets, and retrieving a piece of candy. She placed the small sweet in Senri's hands before walking away. "Let's show him the gardens, first."
Looking outside at the warm and inviting sun, Kaname agreed with a nod, "That's a good idea."
The gardens behind the Kuran Estate were tended to daily, and taken very good care of. Each season, new flowers would be planted to accommodate the change in climate and temperatures. So, flowers that would normally rot in the cold clutches of winter, were switched out for ones that would thrive.
Though the sun was certainly out —and very, very warm— the temperature outside was still very cold. A breeze would show up every few minutes, as well, making Shiori shiver every so often while Kaname and Senri remained unmoved. It seemed like she was particularly sensitive to the cold somehow, and she didn't like it one bit.
Due to this, the three children weren't outside for very long. They didn't need a nagging maid to call them inside; they had no trouble scurrying back inside the warm mansion by their own will.
What little Senri got to see, however, he liked. The boy said so with a nod of his head, gazing back at the plentiful greenery through the windows once they were back indoors. "I like the ones with the silvery, blue-green leaves…"
Shiori knew immediately which flower he was referring to. It helped to have a rather vast knowledge of flowers and other kinds of plants; a subject she had taken on by herself, and without the nudging of her instructors. "They're called honeyworts."
"Weird."
"Next stop is the library," Kaname piped in with a smile. He was already halfway down the hall, clearly ready to finish up with this tour. Shiori couldn't blame him really; she'd much rather be napping in her room than mindlessly walking around her home. Despite how rude this attitude could be perceived from a normal guest, Senri looked as if he shared the twins' thoughts, yawning every so often.
"How old are you?" Shiori asked suddenly, curious of her cousin's current age. She didn't think to ask before, she hadn't really cared.
Senri paused for a minute, his eyes staring blankly into the carpet beneath him. After a moment of silence, he held up two fingers. "Ohori-san says I just turned six."
Shiori glanced from Senri's eyes to the fingers he was holding up. Kaname looked at them too, a confused expression on his face. Before he could question it, however, Shiori silently corrected Senri before asking, "Can you count?"
"No," was his quick response.
Shiori sighed heavily while Kaname yelped a bit in pure shock, his polite persona shattering in two for a moment. He gained his bearings a second later, blinking his eyes, "Y-You don't take lessons?"
"I do," Senri shrugged. "Okaa-sama hired instructors for me."
"...What do they teach you?" Shiori asked, almost dreading the answer.
"Sewing, dancing, how to play instruments…"
"What about math, reading, writing…?" Kaname trailed off. Senri shook his head, not understanding what the big deal was.
Kaname and Shiori shared a look before coming to a mutual understanding: they needed to do something about this.
"Good job, Senri," Shiori praised her cousin, a rare smile appearing on her face for a single moment. Senri was a bit taken aback with the sudden emotion on the girl's face, but the only thing that showed his surprise was the sudden blinking of his eyes.
Senri had been praised before, but never like this. He felt more encouraged at Shiori's words, and his heart swelled with pride. This was nothing like the apathy he felt when his mother praised him, or even the passing joy when Ohori-san spoke fondly of his accomplishments.
Shiori made him feel better and, glancing at the grinning face of the other brunette, Kaname did, too. It was too bad that Kaname didn't understand him like Shiori did, otherwise Senri would feel more comfortable around him.
"You're a very fast learner," Kaname stated as he went through all the math problems Senri had managed to complete without error. "I guess we can move on to a different subject now…"
After they completed the basics of math, Shiori and Kaname moved Senri onto reading, and then writing. Last was history, which Senri seemed the least enthused about.
"We —vampires— have been around for over ten thousand years." Shiori explained their species' history as if she was reciting it directly from a book. The information had been burned into her mind after all the history lessons she was forced to attend (punishment for always falling asleep during them). "We first appeared when the human civilizations began to crumble—"
"Human?" Senri interrupted, a look of confusion on his face.
"They're the lesser race," Shiori explains. "They're not like us, though they may look the same. They're mortal, and weak."
Kaname frowned at her explanation, not liking the tone of disdain she used. He spoke up, trying to clear up any bad impressions Senri might have been given about humans. "Humans are very smart, though! They've invented various things that even us vampires use."
Shiori shruged, not having much to say to that. She didn't really hate humans, but she hated the fact that her kind had to hide what they were from such a… lowly race. Vampires could wipe humans off the face of the Earth if they wanted to— Oh, and if the Hunter Association didn't exist; can't forget that.
"Anyways… Vampires used to be at war with humans, in which the Purebloods —vampires like Kaname and I— began recklessly turning multiple humans into vampires. As our numbers increased, a monarchy was eventually established to rule over our race. Among these vampires—"
"Who are Purebloods again, exactly?"
Kaname smiled. "Purebloods were the very first vampires to appear. They have never mixed with humans, so their blood remains pure. We are one hundred percent vampire."
Shiori nodded before continuing, glancing at Kaname as she spoke her next words. "Among these vampires, was the ancestor of the Kuran family: Kaname Kuran." She could see Senri open his mouth to ask another question, but Shiori quickly continued, "Kana-chan was named after him, if that's what you were wondering."
Senri nodded silently.
"Like I was saying," She continued once again with a frown. "A monarchy was established to rule over the vampires, and the Kurans were selected to be the royal family. However, a long time ago, our ojii-san abolished the monarchy and thus, the Vampire Council was formed."
"Wow…" Senri sounded even more disinterested than before.
Kaname laughed softly, "We know it's a bit boring, but it's something you need to know."
Senri shrugged before releasing a yawn. Shiori snorted, "Let's end the lessons for the day and go take a nap."
Though Senri seemed happy with that decision, Kaname merely sighed. He didn't say anything against it, however. They all deserved a nap after all the work they did today. It was a well deserved reward.
Shiori hated the winter season. Her body wasn't made for such freezing temperatures; her bones aching constantly when exposed to it. Somehow, though, she still found herself frequently in the middle of it.
All for the sake of spending time with her friends. Of course, it had more to do with Kaname scolding her about becoming a hermit, actually.
Shiori and her brother found themselves at the Kain manor during one particularly cold day. They weren't alone, Hanabusa and Ruka were present as well. Takuma, however, was unable to come due to kenjutsu training. Shiori had even invited Senri, but he bluntly stated that he would prefer to stay home and do nothing rather than play in the snow with strangers.
Despite the missing members of their makeshift group, the five children were determined to still have fun. Most of them anyway.
"No. I'm not going to skate on the lake! It's way too cold today! Ice-skating i-is childish, anyway." Hanabusa was the only one who seemed to think this, as the rest of the children were already ready to venture out towards the nearby lake, ice skates in their small hands.
Ruka groaned, rolling her eyes. Akatsuki merely watched as Hanabusa threw a tantrum, probably trying to hold back a heavy sigh. Kaname and Shiori also remained silent, though the latter of the two watched the blonde aristocrat with an observant eye.
Shiori's eyes strayed from Hanabusa's obviously forced annoyed expression (he was trying desperately to hide his anxiety by acting like a brat) to the pair of skates that he had dropped at his feet. They looked untouched; brand new and never used.
"Ah," The brunette mumbled her understanding aloud. Hanabusa didn't know how to skate.
Kaname briefly glanced at her from the corner of his eye before returning his gaze to Hanabusa. He intended to try and placate the fussing blond, but Shiori beat him to the punch by stepping forward.
Not wanting to embarrass Hanabusa, Shiori kept his true feelings to herself, and didn't reveal that she caught onto why he really didn't want to go ice skating. For now, she merely played along with his complaints about it being too cold.
"Here. Now, you'll never be cold again," Shiori unwrapped the pale, blue scarf from her neck. She gently placed it on Hanabusa, making sure it fit snugly around his neck. Before she stepped away, Shiori was sure to whisper an assurance in the boy's ear— "I don't know how to ice skate either; we can learn together."
Hanabusa's face was beet red by the time Shiori moved away. She pretended not to notice, even as he belatedly jumped backward and screeched that she shouldn't invade his personal space like that.
"Can we go, now?" Ruka huffed, impatiently tapping her foot.
Kaname smiled politely. "I don't see why not. Please, lead the way, Ruka-san."
Ruka's eyes widened, and her face went red before she bashfully nodded. From beside her, Akatsuki finally released that long sigh he had been desperately trying to hold back.
Kaname wore a warm smile on his face as he lead Shiori around the lake. He stared at his twin with utmost affection, feeling his heart leap in his chest. He was happy just from gazing at her.
His stare went unnoticed by Shiori, however, as she was too busy staring at her feet and trying to keep her balance to pay attention to anything else. That included the annoyed scowl Hanabusa would shoot at her every now and then.
An impatient Ruka was trying to teach him how to skate, but apparently he wasn't picking it up as quick as his cousin would like. The blonde couldn't care less how irritated Ruka got; he was more stuck on the fact that when Shiori said they could learn together… he thought she meant that she'd be holding his hands. He thought they'd be sliding along the ice unsteadily together.
Instead they were literally just learning the same thing at the same time, but with different people.
'Tch,' Hanabusa couldn't help but grumble under his breath.
"Come on, move your feet! You're not gonna learn if I just drag you the whole time!" Ruka fussed after Hanabusa stumbled over his feet yet again, knocking them both over. The blonde merely rolled his eyes and glanced over at Shiori as Akatsuki weakly helped him to his feet.
Shiori had a small grin on her face as Kaname dragged her across the frozen lake. The twins were laughing to themselves, enjoying their time together. Hanabusa's face twisted in annoyance before he turned to snap at Ruka. "Shut up, I'm doing my best! Just look that them. Kaname doesn't seem to be having any problems with pulling Shiori across the ice!"
Ruka's face grew red in embarrassment at the revelation, "S-So, that's different! Kaname-sama is stronger than me. He can do anything!"
"Hah."
"W-What's that supposed to mean!? Don't disrespect Kaname-sama with your doubts!"
In the end, it was Kaname that taught Hanabusa how to skate despite the boy's many protests and grumbling. Shiori was traded off to Ruka and Akatsuki, who linked arms with the girl and happily enjoyed their time skating around the perimeter of the lake.
Ruka and Akatsuki tried not to go too fast since Shiori was just a beginner, however, Shiori seemed to have other plans and increased their pace whenever she could.
"Sh-Shiori-chan be careful!" Ruka exclaimed after they made a sharp turn and barely prevented themselves from falling into a pile of snow. Shiori just snorted.
After a few more hours of skating, the group finally retreated inside to warm themselves by the fire. Each of them had a mug of hot chocolate (an amazing human invention, Hanabusa had exclaimed) in their hands, eagerly sipping at the beverage as they talked about mundane things, such as when the next ball would likely be.
Overall it was a good day, and as Shiori leaned against Ruka's shoulder while the girl gushed over her brother, she definitely thought they've all gotten closer somehow. Even the sour mood Hanabusa had was lifted; he smiled into his mug and tucked the scarf Shiori gave him tighter around his neck.
He sat on the other side of Shiori, glancing at her every so often before he finally leaned close. Hanabusa was only there for a few seconds before he retreated quickly to start up a conversation with Akatsuki. His face was red, but he tried to play it off as he complained about how sore his butt felt after falling on it so many times. He had stayed near Shiori only long enough to whisper a 'thank you' in her ear.
It had been just a whisper, but Shiori had heard it loud and clear.
Shiori and Kaname's seventh birthday was a quiet affair. The Kuran family held a small feast within their estate, choosing to keep to themselves as Juri's pregnancy progressed further and further.
The twins were, of course, spoiled by their parents (and even some of the servants) on their special day. Shiori would never get used to receiving a multitude of useless things. She still appreciated them greatly, however—feeling grateful to receive anything at all.
For the most part, this birthday was a lot like all their previous ones. However, there was one difference…
"What's this?" Shiori asked her brother, grasping the thin box that had been forced into her arms. It hadn't been with the rest of the presents, so Shiori was a little unsure as to what it's purpose was.
"It's for you," Kaname smiled warmly.
"Me?"
"Yes, Okaa-sama helped me get it for you. Happy birthday, Shi-chan!"
Shiori continued to eye the box skeptically, but eventually began to unwrap it. Her garnet eyes gleamed with curiosity as she finally revealed what was hidden within it.
It was a bright red scarf that was certainly too long for her now, but she knew that she would eventually grow into it. Despite its tremendous length, she still planned to wear it as soon as possible— even if that meant she'd be tripping over it every time she walked.
"It's beautiful. I needed a new scarf, too…" Looking up from the box, Shiori took notice of Kaname's elated expression and allowed him a rare smile. "Thank you, Kana-chan."
"Let me help you put it on," Kaname was quick to offer as he practically snatched the accessory from Shiori's hands. He wrapped the scarf around Shiori's neck, though there was a lot left over, hanging from her shoulders and brushing the ground. "I know you needed a new one." His smile became tight. "Since you gave your other one to Hanabusa-san."
Shiori only nodded, amusement on her face that was partly hidden beneath her oversized scarf. Digging through her sweater's pockets, she pulled out a small box of her own and handed it over to Kaname.
It seemed they had the same idea this year.
Kaname smileed as that exact thought crossed his own mind, gently taking the box from Shiori hands. He wasted no time in opening it, but stopped short upon seeing what it was.
Shiori fidgeted silently, staring at anything that wasn't Kaname for the time being.
What Kaname pulled out of the box was a necklace; a silver chain with a purple orchid charm in the centre of it.
"It's perfect…" The boy trailed off, mesmerized as he continued to stare at it. Wordlessly, Shiori approached and helped hook the piece of jewelry around his neck. As she pulled away, he captured her hand in his own and smiled "It's because our name means nine orchids, right? Thank you, Shi-chan— I love it!"
Truthfully, Shiori thought to herself, the gift has nothing to do with our surname.
Once upon a time, Shiori recalled when Kaname gifted Yuki with a rare rose that bloomed only once every ten years during the cold season. She remembered how special such a gift was to Yuki— Shiori wanted to give Kaname something just as significant and meaningful.
She hoped he would treasure that necklace as much as she would treasure the scarf she wore around her neck.
"As you know, purebloods have some very special and unique powers. Of course, noble vampires may also find themselves gifted with an ability— it's not as guaranteed as it is with purebloods, however."
Haruka had Shiori and Kaname in his study, lecturing them about a certain topic they had already learned during their private lessons. The man knew this, but since the twins had recently turned seven, he thought that they were more than more than old enough to begin learning about what kind of powers they could have within themselves— lying dormant until then.
"I'm going to have both of you perform a series of tests. It's important that we discover if you have any hidden abilities, so that we can train them and prevent any accidents from happening in the future."
"Understood," Kaname spoke for him and his sister. There was an excited spark in his eyes, whereas Shiori looked as indifferent to this as usual. It was almost like she had been expected something like this to happen eventually; it would not surprise Haruka in the least if she had. His little girl was a genius, no matter how lazy she was.
Haruka had Kaname take his tests first, deciding it'd be easier to detect any results if he focused his attention solely on one child at a time. At first, none of the tests seemed to be bearing any fruit, but the very last one managed to yield some results.
"Kaname-kun, I want you to try and move this pebble from my hand— Not with your hands, but with your mind."
Kaname spent a few minutes just staring at the smooth rock. As Haruka and Shiori watched on patiently, the pebble finally began to vibrate in Haruka's hand. The man smiled, ready to congratulate Kaname on his ability to use telekinesis, when the pebble flew across the room and directly into a vase, shattering it into pieces.
"Well, I think that settles that," Haruka huffed out a breath, shaking his head at the development.
Kaname eyed the broken vase in shock before sheepishly bowing his head in his father's direction. "Sorry Otou-sama…"
"No worries, Kaname-kun," Haruka ruffled the boy's hair with a warm smile, "Congratulations on your new power. Now—" He looked to Shiori, "Let's see what you can do, Shiori-chan."
xxx
None of the tests seemed to yield any results, and the usually apathetic Shiori found herself furrowing her brows in frustration.
'How can I protect everyone if I'm weak? There's no way I can defeat someone like Rido without any kind of special power backing me up.'
Haruka noticed her irritance and gave her a reassuring smile, "Don't worry, Shiori-chan. Just because you don't seem to have any powers now, doesn't mean they won't develop later on as you grow. I didn't unlock some of my own abilities until I was a teenager. The same can be said for your Okaa-san as well—," He stopped then, an idea forming at the mention of Juri.
"Shiori-chan, you see that rod on display over there? Try and pick it up."
"This one?" The young brunette asked once she made it to the shelf it was displayed on. Haruka nodded, and at his confirmation, Shiori lifted the odd pole-like thing up with ease. It was a little heavy for someone of her stature, but she could easily hold it in one hand without too much trouble.
Haruka released a breath that he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He smiled, chuckling to himself. Shiori and Kaname shared a look before the older of the two spoke, "Otou-sama? What is it?"
"Looks like Shiori-chan has an ability after all," He shook his head. Juri was going to be ecstatic when she found out. "You can wield anti-vampire weapons; just like your Okaa-san. The rod you're holding is one of them. It's called Artemis, and I know it doesn't seem that dangerous now, but trust me when I say that looks can be deceiving."
Shiori narrowed her eyes as she examined the weapon. "What would have happened if I wasn't able to wield it?"
"It would have burned you, but don't worry—," He quickly added when Kaname gave him a shocked look, "It's nothing that wouldn't heal right away due to our pureblood genes. It would hurt, yes, but I believe that Shiori-chan could handle it." He pinched her cheek teasingly, making her glare at him. "You're a strong girl, after all."
"Thanks, Otou-sama…" Shiori grumbled, swatting his hand away.
"That was still really dangerous!" Kaname protested with a frown. "What if Shi-chan got seriously hurt?"
Haruka's expression became stern. "I would never let that happen. If I thought touching Artemis was lethal, I would have your Okaa-chan keep it locked away. I will never let harm come to you both, understand that."
Shiori took Kaname's hand and nodded at their father. "We understand, Otou-sama."
Out of everyone there, Shiori knew what lengths Haruka was willing to go to in order to protect his family the most. She knew so very well.
"We'll protect you, too."
Haruka smiled warmly at that, ruffling the twins' hair. "I have no doubt."
"Say, why does Okaa-sama even have a weapon that can hurt vampires?" Kaname asked.
"Not all vampires are good, Kaname-kun. You'd do well to remember that."
"Like Level E vampires?"
"Yes, but even others, too. Level C vampires… Level B… Even some purebloods are rotten on the inside. That's why you must always be careful when it comes to those you don't know. Know them before they get to know you."
"Of course, Otou-sama."
A dinner party was to be held at the Ichijō's in order to celebrate Takuma turning seven.
Just by glancing at the invitation, Shiori could tell that Takuma's parents planned the whole thing. The blonde would have just been fine with inviting his close friends, but appearances must be kept (according to the Ichijō's) and thus a large celebration must be thrown.
You would think that if a pureblood family could have a private affair, so could the lesser families. Perhaps they thought themselves better than that? Shiori couldn't be sure, but would not be surprised if the nobles thought they were somehow better.
'There's always going to be someone like that.' She couldn't help but roll her eyes to herself.
Due to Juri's growing stomach, she wouldn't be attending the dinner party with the rest of the Kuran family. However, upon Shiori's request, Senri would be filling in the woman's spot; even if she did attend, Shiori would have tried to weasel Senri into the event anyway.
Shiori thought that it would be good for Senri to immerse him in the world outside the mansion he has stayed confined in all the time. She swore that the only place he'd to that wasn't his home was the Kuran estate.
Originally, she hadn't wanted to throw the boy into such a large event right away, but instead slowly work him into social events (starting with the little playdates she had with the others). Unfortunately, Senri seemed to always be busy with something, so now would just have to do.
Upon arriving, the Kurans faced the usual sugary sweet greeting they were typically met with. No one questioned Juri's absence, having been under the impression that she was busy with other affairs for a while now (Shiori wasn't sure how long they would buy it, but for now it seemed to be doing the job). Instead, all the attention fell to Senri.
"Who is this beautiful child? I thought Kuran-sama only had two children..." one vampire asked, and soon it was like a domino effect. Senri was surrounded by the nobel vampires, standing straight and frozen from where he was glued to Shiori's side. The girl was tempted to ditch the boy to his fate, not enjoying the touchy adults invading her space in order to get a look at Senri, but ultimately stayed put when she realized he'd started to tremble.
Gently guiding him closer to her, Shiori stared dully up at the adults. "If you'll excuse us, we'd like to greet the birthday boy."
"Of course, Kuran-sama!" There was a chorus of, "Excuse us for keeping you, Kuran-hime!"
Their attention shifted to Haruka as soon as Shiori managed to maneuver herself and Senri out of the tight-knit crowd. The man was left to deal with the curious aristocrats, and Shiori silently pitied him. She had forgotten that Senri's existence was kept secret until now, so she wondered what her father would say to the crowd.
"Are you okay, Senri-kun?" Kaname asked, having slithered away from a group of women that had been gushing over him.
Senri shakily nodded, sighing heavily. His eyes were half-lidded. "I hate this place."
Kaname laughed while Shiori smiled "Sorry, Senri-kun, but this is something you'll have to get used to."
His words only made the boy huff.
"Shiori-hime!" Hanabusa was the first of their little group to find them. He rushed over to greet Shiori, and it was only then that he took notice of the other two boys that were with her. "Oh—" he sounded a bit dejected, "Good evening, Kaname-sama and—" Hanabusa scrunched his nose in distaste as he eyed Senri, "—who are you?"
Senri merely blinked owlishly and held onto Shiori's dress. The girl gestured to him. "This is Senri Shiki; he's our cousin." She looked at Hanabusa as if she wanted to turn him into stone. "Be nice."
Hanabusa visibly shiverd (Kaname preened with pride on the sidelines) and shakily smiled at Senri now. "O-Of course I'll be nice! I'm always nice, Shiori-hime." Clearing his throat, the blonde shot Senri an obviously fake smile, "I'm Hanabusa Aidō— it's very nice to meet you, Senri-san."
"Hmph."
"What?!"
"It's nice to see you as well, Hanabusa-kun." Kaname smiled politely, quickly trying to diffuse a fight in the making. Some of the adults were already looking their way and giving them scrutinizing glances. "Where are the others?"
"They're at our table; Takuma requested that we sit away from the adults. You'll have to steal an extra chair for Senri, though. He only prepared for the six of us."
"Care to lead the way, Hana-chan?" Shiori asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That's why I'm here, of course." The boy huffed as he turned on his heel and lead the three children into the large dining room that the party was being held in.
Entering the room, Shiori could see her father had found his way without too much trouble. He sat near the head of the table next to Takuma's parents and grandfather. The room wasn't as packed as she thought it would be, so finding him had been relatively easy. Of course, the dinner party wasn't as large an event as the balls were, so there were considerably less people.
"Shiori-sama, Kaname-sama!" Takuma was the first to see them approaching, and excitedly got out of his chair to greet them with open arms. He wrapped Kaname in his arms for a hug before doing the same to Shiori. "I'm so happy you could make it, and I see you brought a guest with you—" Takuma smiled kindly as he turned to Senri, who was still glued to Shiori. "Hello, I'm Takuma Ichijō, it's nice to meet you!"
A little taken aback by his civility, Senri's mouth fell open in slight surprise. "Hello…"
"This is Senri Shiki; our cousin. He's new to these kind of things…"
Takuma nodded in understanding, "Don't worry, Senri-kun— we'll protect you from socializing. We do the same for Shiori-sama, after all!"
Kaname laughed at that, "Happy birthday, Takuma-kun. Thank you for having us."
"No need for thanks! You're my friends; of course I invited you!"
After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Kaname disappeared to find a seat for himself, offering up his own chair to Senri, who immediately plopped down in it. Shiori sat beside him, while Ruka took up her other side.
"Thank goodness you're finally here, Shiori-chan!" Ruka huffed "I was getting tired of listening to my stupid cousin talk about you."
"And she doesn't mean me," Akatsuki chimed in, shooting Hanabusa a smirk.
"I-I was not talking about her!" Hanabusa immediately argued. The blush on his face was terribly incriminating, however.
Ruka snorted, rolling her eyes. "Anyways— Introduce your cousin to us!"
Shiori sighed, looking to Senri before pointing to the two people he had yet to learn the names of. "You've met Hana-chan already, so these are his cousins: Ruka Sōuen and Akatsuki Kain."
"Hn," Senri grunted, nodding to them for a brief second before returning to toying with his silverware.
Shori snorted at the flabbergasted expression on Ruka's face and the amused one on Akatsuki's.
Ruka stuck her nose in the air. "Tsk, poor manners must run in the family."
"Oh, does it?" Kaname asked, having returned with a chair. He slid it in between Senri and Akatsuki before sitting down. A polite smile was shot Ruka's way— the girl was immediately reduced to an embarrassed mess.
"N-No offense to you, of course, K-Kaname-sama!"
"Any offense to my family is an offense to me, Ruka-chan." That sickening smile was still on his face, making the words stab at the girl even more.
She shrunk in her chair just a bit, "A-Apologies then, Kaname-sama…"
Hanabusa groaned loudly, "Enough with this drama! When do we eat, Takuma?"
"Huh? Hm, I think—" Takuma was interrupted when his grandfather stood from his seat and gently tapped his glass to gain everyone's attention. "—now," the blonde finished with a cheeky smile.
xxx
For the rest of the evening, the group of children idly chat and indulge on the large feast that was served to them. There was a moment when the lights dimmed and a large cake with a dozen lit candles was brought out; Takuma was ecstatic.
Senri seemed to fit in well enough. Due to his and Shiori's similarities, the others had no problem with figuring him out. He never spoke, choosing to quietly eat his food and listen to the conversation rather than participate in it. Kaname and Shiori were the same, though the both of them reply when prompted.
Even that seemed to be too much for Senri, though he did grunt at times to acknowledge whoever was talking to him. Everyone seemed to accept his behavior; all except Hanabusa, who just found it annoying.
"Can't you speak for yourself?" He tutted angrily, "Stop being a baby."
Senri took the harsh remark with a cool stare. He didn't outwardly show any reaction, but with the cruel words and expectations Senri had received from his mother… she could only imagine that it struck a nerve.
"No need to be so rude, Aidō-kun…" Takuma chided with a frown on his face. Hanabusa's face heated up at being called out, but he didn't back down.
With an annoyed huff, he crossed his arms and looked away. "Whatever. You guys can be all friendly with him if you want, but not me! I don't have to do anything; especially not for wimpy babies like him!" Before anyone could stop him, the blonde had already slipped out of his seat and marched out of the room.
Akatsuki sighed heavily, making to get out of his seat to follow after him. Ruka stopped him with a firm glare. "No, let him go and throw his tantrum. Honestly, I don't know why he's acting like a complete brat! That idiot; it's Takuma-kun's birthday and he's making it all about himself…"
"Sorry about this Takuma," Akatsuki apologized to the blonde, before looking to the other boy who was targeted by his cousin's fit of anger. "Sorry to you, too, Senri. We don't know what his problem is."
Takuma nodded in understanding, pushing his plate aside as he finally lost his appetite. "Honestly… He was perfectly fine a few hours ago." He chuckled, "He wouldn't stop talking about Shiori-sama and Kaname-sama. I think he really looks up to you both; maybe he's feeling a bit jealous of the relationship you share with Shiki-kun. I mean, he has been attached to you for most of the night."
"That is probably because we are the only people here that he knows," Kaname reasoned with a smile.
Shiori agreed with a nod. "We're the only ones here that he is comfortable with."
"I see…" Takuma hummed before giving Senri a bright smile. "I hope that'll change in the future. I hope to be your close friend, Shiki-kun!"
Senri blinked.
"He doubts it, but appreciates the effort nevertheless."
"All that from one blink, huh?" Akatsuki asked in disbelief. He resisted the urge to sigh; this was all too weird.
Not a moment too soon, Hanabusa came storming back into the dining hall— obviously still fuming.
"Hey!" He shouted as he rushed back to the table. "Why didn't anyone follow me?" There was a pout on his face, and Shiori was amused to find that he was sulking.
Ruka rolled her eyes and scoffed. Not even for a second was she going to be taking any of the nonsense Hanabusa had decided to bring with him. "Just up, Aidō. You're giving me a headache with your senseless tantrums."
"Sit down. This is Takuma's birthday dinner, remember? Keep it up and I'm sure you'll hear an earful from your parents later." Akatsuki tried being a little less harsh, side-eyeing Ruka as if trying to make a point (being too rude and crass with Hanabusa was not a smart method).
Hanabusa mee Shiori's eyes as he went to sit back down. He quickly looked away, his face heating up as he grumbled in annoyance.
"Why don't you like, Senri?" Shiori askd, straight to the point.
"W-Why?!" Hanabusa asked incredulously, not having expected the question at all. "W-Well, I mean— Where is Senri?"
Ruka sneered. "What do you mean? He's right here, idiot— Hey, where's Senri?" The girl started looking around the room curiously, along with the rest of the children at the table.
Takuma chuckled humorlessly. "It seems like his sneaking skills are on par with your own, Shiori-sama."
"It seems so."
"Come on," Kaname got out of his chair, "Let's go and find him. He probably hasn't gone far…"
xxx
Kaname was right in saying that Senri didn't go far. It wasn't long until they sensed his presence inside a room not too far from the dining hall. Shiori commented that she doubted Senri would expend the energy by walking somewhere far, especially if he had no real reason to.
The room they found him in was the library, where he was out cold on one of the couches.
"Figures," Shiori muttered as she stared down at the sleeping boy.
"It's amazing how fast he fell asleep… Does Shiki-kun like libraries?" Takuma asked.
Shrugging, the female pureblood gently toyed with her cousin's hair. "Just sleeping in them. They're quiet."
Hanabusa groaned "Can we just wake him up and leave already? I'm getting tired just standing here."
"No one asked you to stay!" Ruka yelled, startling the sleeping Senri.
Before the two cousins could go head-to-head, the mahogany-haired boy rose from the couch with a messy bedhead and a dark look on his usually expressionless face.
"Ah, he's angry."
"Thanks for letting us know, Shiori-sama…" Takuma replied dryly.
As Juri's pregnancy progressed, she was confined to their home and the estate's security increased greatly. Shiori was used to her mother's complaining by now; she growled about how she hated being confined like this, but understood the need for it.
It doesn't mean I have to like it— she would fuss before Haruka gave her a reassuring peck and calmed her down. Shiori couldn't help but hum at the scene of pure love; it was such a foreign thing to her. She wondered if she would get to attain that feeling someday.
Did she want to? Maybe. Did she really care if she didn't? No.
Shiroi had more important things to worry about than a future relationship, no matter how often it seemed to pop into her mind. That was mostly her parents' doing, however, as they always had to cling to each other.
Moving on, Shiori could sense that her mother was going stir crazy.
So, when one night, Shiori saw her mother sneaking outside and into the night… She was not very surprised. The young girl merely blinked at the scene before turning away and continuing to read. If anyone asked, of course she'd pretend to have been too absorbed with her book to have noticed anything odd.
She told Haruka exactly this an hour later when he barged into her and Kaname's shared room. The man honestly looked frantic, and yet, his tone did not reveal that much when he tried to subtly interrogate her and Kaname.
It didn't get too far, as soon the sound of the front door opening got their attention. The scent that followed was of daffodils and roses; Juri was back. Another one mingled with hers, however, making Shiori frown at its oddity.
The smell of a vampire… but also a human? Intermingled?
Shiori followed after Haruka as he rushed to see his wife; Kaname was not that far behind his sister.
The twins were nowhere near as fast as their father, so by the time they finally reached the bottom of the stairs he was already fussing over Juri and giving a stern look that promised a lecture sooner rather than later. That wasn't what Shiori focused on, however.
No, she was more interested in the stranger that was with her mother. The man stood tall without any signs of wavering, despite the bloody wound on the side of his head.
Kaname glanced at her, just as confused as she was. They both knew the man wasn't a danger, though. Why else would Haruka and Juri not react to him? Even so, Shiori couldn't take her eyes off of him.
She had seen him somewhere within the jumbled mess that was her memories, but she could not place who he was and what his purpose to this world was. All she knew right now was his smell. The smell of a human— but also a vampire? It was a confusing thing.
"Who are you?" Kaname took the initiative, interrupting his conversing parents.
Juri blinked owlishly before smiling brightly and roughly pulling the man forward by his coat sleeve. "Oh, that's right! You haven't met my two lovely children!"
She roughly smacked the man's back when a grumble of there's more of you was heard, making him groan loudly. Shiori and Kaname both cringed a little; that definitely left a mark.
Once again, Juri spoke as she gestured to the odd man, "Kaname and Shiori— I would like you to meet my dear friend, Kaien Cross!"
'Oh,' Shiori thought numbly, 'That's who he is.'
author's note: i recently learned that hanabusa, ruka, and akatsuki only met kaname once when they were children. they only met him again years later, so yay there's something shiori managed to change by being born. kaname and shiori's attachment to each other raised concerns in both haruka and juri (since they were worried the twins would never become independent and would always rely on their sibling). so they made sure kaname and shiori would be surrounded by others around their age, thus forcing them to branch out and make some friends.
disclaimer! very important psa!
this chapter was beta'd by the amazing fortheloveofb god bless and amen.
*coughs* also to help clear up the final scene… in canon, juri first meets kaien when he attacks her while she is pregnant with yuki. they become friends, juri asks him to move in with them so he won't go down a dark path, he refuses her offer and eventually they lose contact. they get into contact with each other again while juri is still pregnant with yuki. this time they meet while juri has snuck out of the house (aka this is present time within my story). again, kaien attacks juri, she kicks his ass and etc.. she makes him promise to make a school where humans and vampires can coexist (the future 'cross academy'). in canon, the scene ends there but i'm expanding on it.
story rec: "how the heart races" by paper . bullets