The Spider's Web by Rondomness

Chapter title chosen not because of Yuki, although that would have fitted well too, but because of Sara. I wanted to call it "Fascination" but uhh, Sara is also a pureblood so… what's to be fascinated off?

Tears of Blood (sequel to Crimson Depts) is being written at the same time as The Spider's Web, that's why it takes a hell of a time to get a chapter out lately. However, I still need to put all my notes together and create chapters out of them, so Tears of Blood's release date will probably be put out to the beginning of October, perhaps longer. But I promise, it will eventually come and the story seems to get longer than Crimson Depts.

Warnings: Angst

Chapter 7: Adoration

Kaname inhaled Takuma's calming scent in long, deep drafts as he clung to the blond noble. The pureblood completely ignored the burning pain from his sunburns, simply seeking the warmth and gentleness of the other's embrace, and Takuma held him tightly, wishing only to remove whatever was coursing his friend this pain.

"Kaname? What happened?" Takuma whispered, slowly stroking the other boy's hair with his free hand. The other hand was holding Kaname as close as possible. It took the pureblood a few moments to gather himself enough to say anything. "Takuma. I'm sorry," he whispered in a very tiny voice.

The half dried towel and the pureblood's wet hair soaked the front of Takuma's shirt, but he didn't care. "You don't have to apologize. I don't know how he found out about your visit at Yuki-chan's house, but I promise that I didn't tell him."

Kaname pulled a little away and looked absentmindedly around the room, gasping for breath. "Takuma, why don't you hate me? Why don't you abandon me? I should be abandoned," the pureblood said, looking at the noble with such horribly sad eyes that the other vampire couldn't stand to see.

"I don't hate you or abandon you because I'm your friend," Takuma answered without hesitation, a comforting arm sliding around the pureblood's shoulders. The noble wasn't sure what had happened but he understood that now was not the moment to ask anything of Kaname, not even an explanation. Instead, he simply held on to the pureblood and supported him.

"Takuma, I'm a fool, you should despise me," Kaname whispered, shame and guilt completely overpowering him. He was such a horrible creature, doubting his only friend's trustworthiness even though he should never have, and letting himself get used that way by an old noble. He could never, ever be worthy of Takuma's friendship.

"I won't do that, no matter how much of a fool you are," Takuma whispered reassuringly in the pureblood's ear, rocking slowly back and forth with Kaname in his arms. "What happened? You know you can tell me, I promise I won't say anything about this to anyone." Kaname's eyes were big and hurtful when he pulled a little away.

An involuntary sob escaped the pureblood and he hit his own face in Takuma's shirt. Guilt and shame were gnawing at his insides. He'd allowed himself to be dominated that way, to be controlled almost to the point of Ichiou biting him without resistance. A light tremor ran through Kaname's slender frame when he thought about it.

He could still feel Ichiou's mouth at his neck, his lips and tongue, even his moustache sending waves of absolute bliss through his entire body and mind and it disgusted him. It gave Kaname the lust to pour a bucket of acid over himself to etch away the feeling of horrible, sinful pleasure. He would go through the burning pain and the brain damage with joy if it could remove his memories and feelings of what had just happened. Already, the pureblood was experiencing so much pain, a little more couldn't be so hard to tolerate.

Kaname still wasn't sure whether or not he in fact could trust Takuma, but he didn't care anymore. Not right now at least, and he learned his head against the other's warm, comforting chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and confessing to his deepest feelings. "Takuma, I'm scared," he whispered so faintly that the noble barely understood him.

"Why?" Takuma asked lowly, a hand nuzzling the brown haired head. He understood that something horrible had happened, but what it was he wasn't sure of yet. All he knew was that he wanted to be there for the pureblood no matter what happened in the entire world. No matter if Kaname thought Takuma'd betrayed him, no matter if he hated the noble, no matter if his grandfather hated him. None of these things would ever change his feelings for Kaname.

"I'm weak," was the slow response from the pureblood. "I'm scared because I'm weak." Takuma looked down at Kaname's head buried in his shirt in disbelief. Continuing to nuzzle the brunette, Takuma's thoughts were in wild uproar. He didn't understand. What could his grandfather have done that would make Kaname feel this way? "You are not weak. You're the most amazing and special person I have ever met, you're strong and clever, yet you're so kind and I like you very much," Takuma said in a reassuring tone, feeling as Kaname slowly stopped trembling even as short tremors gripped him once in a while.

"And I swear I would never ever tell my grandfather anything about this. About your visits, about Yuki, about anything. I promise I've told him nothing." Kaname let out a small, faint whimper, feeling something wet on his eyelashes. Tears. He shut his eyes tightly and refused to let them escape down his cheeks.

"Takuma," he whispered in a very tiny voice, shaking because of the sobs that he fought to control. "I am… not like you. You can't understand. I am… not human."

The shock was visible on Takuma's pale face when Kaname's eyes sought his. "Does it surprise you?" Kaname whispered as Takuma simply stared at the pureblood. The noble looked at him for a few moments before pulling him close once again, holding the pureblood against himself tightly. "It doesn't matter to me. I'm not human either. It doesn't matter to me. But, please, I beg you. Tell me what happened. Tell me why you're suddenly so shaken, why you're almost crying and why… you're… half naked." The last part wasn't something he would have liked to mention, but he couldn't help wonder why Kaname would run to his room, utterly frightened and still wet from what Takuma could guess was a recent shower.

Kaname was too ashamed to say anything. He didn't have to anyway, it was his right as a pureblood to only tell others what he was comfortable with letting them know. He felt completely tainted from the insides out and it hurt. With an immense force of will, Kaname removed the tears from his eyes where they had been on their way to spill over and paint crystal lines on his pale chin.

"Don't you want to tell me? That's okay too, Kaname. Shall I help you?" Takuma offered, controlling his curiosity and instead helping Kaname to stand up, even as the pureblood said nothing or made any gesture as a response to his questions. The noble helped him to sit on Takuma's bed and then went to his own bathroom to get another towel.

When he returned with a white towel, which smelled of lavender, Kaname was sitting in exactly the same position, Takuma wondering if he'd even touched a single muscle in the noble's absence. Stepping in front of the still figure on the bed, Takuma observed how absolutely lost the look in Kaname's eyes felt. It was as if he could see kilometer after kilometer in those garnet eyes without finding anything but sorrow.

Takuma slowly began drying the pureblood's wet hair with the towel, while pulling the other towel a little longer up around Kaname's waist. It slid back again immediately and the pureblood made no effort to pull it up again. "You're going to catch a cold like this, you know?" Takuma asked conversationally, not expected a response and therefore not disappointed when Kaname remained silent.

Giving up on Kaname's hair, Takuma instead focused on drying off the pureblood's body, his pale chest already icy from the cold air. "Is it… okay if I dry your body off?" Takuma asked, afraid of triggering Kaname's wrath from before. Even as he watched Kaname's sad form on his bed now and remembered his apologies, Takuma also freshly remembered how angry the pureblood'd sounded when he'd ordered Takuma to leave. Get out.

Takuma's eyes flickered to Kaname's face as he began drying his arms, stretching them on turn while the pureblood stayed limp like a marionette. Too many thoughts were racing through his head at a time. He tried to calm himself on all aspects, but the most urgent question, is it going to happen again, Kaname could find no answer to. He calmed himself by thinking that Ichiou, too, had lost control and that he wouldn't allow his own execution to happen, thereby staying away from Kaname. After all, it had been a coincidence.

However, Kaname couldn't get the image of Ichiou's crimson eyes or the feeling of strong hands pinning him to the wall out of his mind. The pureblood was almost shaking when he thought of how close he'd been to feeling Ichiou's fangs in his throat.

"You're dry now, Kaname. Shall I help you dress? Remember, we're going to a soirée in around an hour." Takuma glanced at the watch. They actually had less than an hour before driving if they wanted to reach the place of the soirée before it started.

Kaname's eyes shot open. He'd completely forgotten everything about the soirée and now, that information filled him with grief as well. Not only because he detested huge vampire gatherings but also because that meant that there was less than an hour before he had to face Ichiou and look the elder vampire in the eyes.

Kaname stood up from the bed and swayed dizzily for a second before regaining control and picking up the towel from where it had fallen on the floor. He felt like sitting on the floor of Takuma's room and cry, but he couldn't allow himself to be so weak. Kaname wrapped the towel around his upper body to be sure to free Ichiou of any temptations if the pureblood would ran into him on his way back to his own room.

Takuma watched him in concern when he walked out in the hall and disappeared from the noble's sight. Kaname. What happened? What did my grandfather do to you?

Finding no other option than to ask Kaname directly at the soirée and demand to know it, Takuma began dressing up himself. He had already made up his mind when he'd heard Ichiou hit Kaname from the other side of the door. No matter what, he would stay by Kaname's side forever. No matter what.

Kaname's eyes were automatically darting around the hall, his instincts going into overdrive when he passed by Ichiou's office door. But the noble weren't even there, Kaname couldn't sense his presence behind the door. The pureblood looked around before sliding quietly inside his bedroom as if he was some kind of criminal on the crime scene.

Kaname got dressed fairly quickly as he refused to stop for just a second, refused to keep his mind unattended, refused to let his eyes dart towards his bathroom door. When he was done getting ready, he looked into the mirror for a moment although he was quite uncaring when concerning his appearance. He was studying his face and expression more than the rest of his body or his suit. Kaname was deadly pale and his eyes were big and worried. His hand automatically slid up and took a firm grasp on his neck on the place where Ichiou's mouth had touched him.

Once again, a shiver went through him at the thought of Ichiou's fangs buried in the pureblood's neck. Holding his hands in front of him, Kaname studied his wrists carefully. If he really straitened himself, there was a faint redness to be spotted and when he held around them, he felt how sore they still were. Ichiou had held him pinned with excruciating force, being close to snap Kaname's wrists, completely uncaring or perhaps even unaware of the pain he coursed his ward.

"Still sore I see," Ichiou's voice sounded from behind, jerking Kaname back to reality. He'd been completely lost in thought and hadn't realized that it wasn't Takuma but Ichiou who'd stepped into his room. For a second, ward and guardian merely stared at each other in silence, both remembering their previous encounter with individual feelings. Then, Ichiou approached Kaname.

"You never did answer my question. But I guess I was just as responsible for that as you were, as I must admit that I was very… distracted." Kaname turned his attention back towards his own mirror reflection, trying to look like he ignored the noble even as he was painfully aware of every single step Ichiou took in his direction.

Suddenly, arms enveloped Kaname's body in warmth as Ichiou hugged him from behind. However, the hug was not meant to be comforting, it was meant to restrain him so he could not walk away, could not block out Ichiou's words. "It is never going to stop, you know that, don't you, Kaname? This… bloodlust… it's never going to leave those in your presence."

Kaname twisted uncomfortably in his guardian's strong hold, fighting to break away from this unwanted intimacy. "You must have seen that everybody wants only your blood, right? Even Takuma wants it." The young pureblood choked back a cry, the tears burning behind his eyes. He wouldn't let them fall though. Never, ever.

Takuma did not desire his blood, he did not. The only ones who wanted something like that was vultures at the Council, at the soirée and… mostly everywhere. No, Ichiou was just playing with his mind, Kaname wouldn't let him do that. The noble was merely enjoying himself by watching Kaname getting hurt.

Takuma wasn't interested in Kaname's blood, he knew that. Or at least, the blond noble didn't show any interest in it in any way. That was rare enough for it to be precious to Kaname. The pureblood squirmed again, trying to push the other's arms away from his body, at least holding them on a small distance.

Ichiou released him and turned the boy around before he had time to fully pull away. Using a strong hold around the pureblood's slender shoulders, Ichiou gave him a soft smile when Kaname glared defiantly at him. The boy was extremely prideful and like all purebloods, he'd learned from a young age that it was highly unwise to show his true emotions or intentions to anyone. Already before he'd come to live at the noble's house, and even more so in the first time, a shield had involved around his soul, holding everyone on a couple of centimeters distance from his most private, intimate parts.

"Kaname, you're fourteen years old and I think it's time for you to begin to think about whether or not this behavior is clever. You're not a child anymore. I can understand and forgive you for acting childishly and stupidly because you were only eight years old at the last time we asked you directly, but I think that soon, the Council will decide that harder measures must be used to make you behave yourself. And I think you know what I mean," Ichiou threatened in a low, soft, yet lethal whisper.

Kaname looked blankly at him, closing off his responses, but his mind was reeling badly by the sheer memory. Yes, yes, he knew all too well what Ichiou meant but he wished he didn't. "You are not going to lock me inside that dungeon ever again, Ichiou. I refuse," he stated in a calm, hollow voice which matched his face expression.

Ichiou gave a short, amused sigh. "Unfortunately, Kaname, I don't think it is something you are able to determine in the slightest way. Unless, of course, that you give in to our requests. I promise, nothing will happen to you, then." Kaname snorted in irritation and misbelief.

As if having his precious blood sucked away by those bastards of the Council wasn't anything. Kaname couldn't imagine that it wouldn't hurt excruciatingly. Sure, blood drinking was a pleasurable act between two vampires, but the intimacy also made that it could be hurtful if it was forced.

"You already know the answer to that request, Ichiou. Don't make me repeat myself," Kaname whispered slightly, backing away while trying to pry the other's arms away from himself without actually pushing him. The pureblood finally broke free of the elder vampire's arms, but he wasn't quite sure whether or not it would be wise to tell Ichiou to leave him. He desperately wanted the noble to leave him alone, but perhaps he would get angry and that wouldn't be good. If he didn't hit Kaname before the soirée, he would after.

Kaname was sure that even his latest words had been enough to make Ichiou irritated and he didn't want to push the limits any further. "Kaname, I'm going to a meeting this evening after the soirée and then I might have to tell them that you have refused once again. You know what I'll have to do afterwards."

Suddenly, Kaname lost control over his emotions. They were being too denied and suppressed and the pureblood couldn't contain himself. Kaname glared daggers at the elder noble, before ducking to avoid a swift blow to the head. The pureblood stared at his guardian in silent horror, terrified over his own behavior. Glaring like that was a luxury he only allowed himself to get when he was on the brink of exploding something and usually when Ichiou wasn't looking. Then avoiding a blow. If he hadn't done that, Ichiou might have been satisfied with just slapping him across the face, but now, it wouldn't be enough. Kaname knew all too well about how Ichiou judged such a situation and he could watch the noble's feelings flash through his steely, grey eyes.

"If it wasn't because we're attending a soirée in an hour and I came in here to tell you that we're driving now, I would hit you now. How dare you glare at me like that? I thought we'd beaten such insolence out of you," Ichiou stated in a calm voice, looking neutrally at Kaname as if he hadn't just said something so disturbing. The noble gestured towards the door, indicating that Kaname had to be ready to leave. A slow nod, before the pureblood followed him out the door, wondering if he would have liked to stay at home and get a beating, or, go to the soirée the least.

Takuma didn't dare ask Kaname about anything as long as Ichiou was there and Kaname was too horrified to say anything so the drive in the car was nothing but dead silence. From time to time, Takuma casted nervous glances towards Kaname's unmoving silhouette, looking almost like a statue.

Kaname wasn't even sure who was hosting this evening's soirée, but he didn't really care. It didn't matter who hosted the party as long as it wasn't the Ichijo's, the Shiki's or the other families from the Council. It was a lot easier to be at a soirée hosted by the pro-monarchy noble families like the Aidou clan.

Of course, as usual, everybody reacted on Kaname's presence the moment he stepped inside. He hadn't been quite lucky enough to avoid too much monitoring, both a lot of Council members, and, because of the size of the soirée, a few hunters. The hunters, too, reacted to him, casting disdainful glances in his direction.

After a few moments, the nobles began continuing what they had been doing prior to Kaname's arrival. The sounds in the room increased when they started talking and walking again and a man from the Council, from the Shiki family if Kaname remembered correctly and he was probably the person hosting this event. Not lesser than Kaname had imagined.

"Good night, Kaname-sama. Ichiou-san, Takuma-kun," he gestured to the newest arrived guests. "An honor to have two purebloods gathered here. Ichiou, may I speak to you in private?" he asked, the two nobles disappearing into a corner of the hall. Kaname's eyes looked across the room, trying to locate where the other pureblood was located and who it was. Takuma was standing behind him, nervously glancing towards his friend, not knowing if he should press Kaname further.

Kaname, however, didn't have to look for the other pureblood as she headed straight for him and he took her delicate hand hidden in a precious, white glove. The girl smiled at him and her face lighted up. She had an extraordinary beauty, her skin was porcelain white, her body in many ways resembling a perfectly shaped doll. She was about 16 now, maybe a little older, the blond hair cascading down her slender shoulders like a waterfall. "Kaname-san, Ichijo-kun," she said, keeping her interested, sapphire blue eyes on Kaname. "It's lovely to be able to be with you two alone. It's so rarely and it's been way too long. My deepest condolences again."

"Thank you, Sara," Kaname whispered in a very hollow voice. How he despised people like her who behaved as if she was sorry when they had just been waiting for the Kuran family to perish. Kaname knew full well that the Council had thought that they could make him into nothing but a political tool. However, Kaname wouldn't let them. He would fight until his last breath and he was determined that he would only stop breathing after each and every single one of those bastards was under tombstones.

"And Takuma-kun of course, not to forget," Sara continued in a very cheerful voice as if she hadn't sensed Kaname's slight distemper. Takuma blushed all over the face from the sudden interest Sara took in him, which shouldn't have startled him so much as the blond pureblood always was very happy to talk to him and Kaname wondered if that interest was one day going to hurt his friend. He didn't particularly like Sara and her obsession with him, but he thought even lesser of her obsession with Takuma. If she one day chose to come after them, only Kaname would stand a chance.

"You two have become so much higher since last time. Especially you, Kaname. You're just as high as I am now. Wouldn't it be funny if you outgrew me in the future?" Sara smiled with a smile so tender and beautiful that even Kaname had to admit that she was pretty. When turning around, he saw the dead end puppy look in Takuma's eyes and he quietly gripped the noble's arm and pulled him towards a table at the other end of the hall. "Excuse us, Sara, but I think we'll go and get some drinks," Kaname said as he disappeared into the big crowd of people.

The Shirabuki family nowadays wasn't a big family. Sara still had her parents as they, very unusually, had chosen to get children at an early age. She had a fiancé although he didn't treat her that well as he was older than her parents even. Normally, she used time at the few soirée she attended to chat with Kaname. And Takuma, too, when she saw her chance.

Kaname pushed through the crowd and located his way over to a small table with drinks, literally sticking one into Takuma's hand. "Why couldn't we stay for a little?" Takuma asked with a bit of disappointment in his voice as he nipped to the drink. Kaname also got a drink in hand and stared blankly at the scenario in front of him. "Because I don't like her. And neither should you. I don't think she is trustable," Kaname said, turning to meet someone who'd come to greet him.

"Kaname-sama," the girl said, looking up at him with barely concealed adoration in her eyes. Kaname knew he'd seen her before, at least once or twice. She always came running to his side to talk with him the moment he arrived, but had probably contained herself because she saw that he was talking to Sara. Her hair was short, just below the ears, peach colored, and her eyes were big and honey brown. Kaname tried to remember her name but he wasn't quite sure he'd ever received it. "The daughter of… Souen, right?"

The girl's eyes got bright, apparently immensely happy that he remembered who she was although he only knew her surname. "Yes," she whispered, obviously fighting for something to say. Kaname knew he'd seen her when she was young and also at another soirée, where she'd been with a boy. That boy was apparently always in her surroundings as he quickly stepped in, laying a hand on her shoulder. "Ruka. I think we should give Kaname-sama some private life, don't you agree?" he said politely and pulled her a little away.

"Akatsuki. Don't interfere," Souen answered a bit distracted as the boy lead her away. He bowed down to whisper silently in her ear, clearly believing that Kaname couldn't hear him. "He's a pureblood, Ruka." Souen blushed when she apparently was caught in the act and they both left in a hurry.

Kaname stood back beside the table, while Takuma, who'd witnessed the entire conversation, but hadn't heard the last bit, looked after them. Stupid kids, don't understanding that Kaname's hearing was even more delicate than a noble's. However, as much as he'd wanted to remain untouched by everything, Kaname couldn't stop himself from feeling hurt. A pureblood. It might be a blessing in some ways, such as almighty powers and eternal life, but it sure also was a curse.

Takuma laid a hand on his shoulder when the pureblood's feelings quickly flashed through his eyes and a brief smile lighted Kaname's face up. Even as everybody respected him, even as everybody feared him, Kaname still had Takuma and he would always stay by his side.