Kaori pushed Aidou aside as he dragged her back into her dorm. She tried to get away from him, worried for her sister as the scent of Tsukino blood burned her human senses. She felt tears sting her eyes as she practically growled at the restraints around her.
"Kaori-san!"
His voice sent shivers along her skin and made her heart race even more. She shoved at him, desperate to get past him. But even as a strong human her strength couldn't match up with a vampire's. She began bawling, unable to control it anymore as she banged her fists against his chest.
And he just let her.
She punched him and slapped him and threw him back against the door. He let his head drop forward, his hair falling around his face.
When she finally began to calm down, she collapsed on the floor. Slowly, Aidou knelt down beside her weeping figure, the shadows of the dark room taking a hold of her beautiful face and making her look morose.
"Aidou…" She sniffed. "Is she okay?"
"Yes." Aidou promised her, taking her by the arms and pulling her close. "She's receiving blood now. She'll be fine soon."
"What were those Level E's doing here?" She asked quietly.
"I'm not sure…" Aidou answered, his voice distant.
"I'm sorry I hurt you." She whispered, keeping her dark hair as a curtain over her face.
"I deserved it."
"No." Kaori shook her head briskly. "No, you don't deserve it."
"Kaori-san-"
"Who are you?" She looked up at him through her hair, her pale face burning into his blue eyes like a hot iron on snow.
"What…do you mean?" Aidou mumbled.
"I mean who are you to me?" She quickly got to her feet. "And why do you keep showing up everywhere? Why are you nice to me but no one else? Is there a reason you are always so gentle with me?"
She was pacing now, and Aidou had to grab her shoulders to make her stop. But she only turned away once she got a look at those eyes, and opted for her gaze to be caught by the window instead.
"Kaori…"
She was taken aback by the lack of honorary accompanying her name, but enjoyed it a little as well.
"Only you can answer the question of who I am to you." He said softly. "As for the rest…I'm not so sure why we keep running into each other. Fate, perhaps? And the last two…I hurt you on that one night. I took too much blood, of which I wasn't supposed to take at all. I regret what I did, in a way. But I'm also glad I did it, also, because I would've never been able to be so close to you even for only a moment. It was worth it to be able to hold you for a moment…but I feel as if I must repay you. If not with kindness and politeness, then gentleness and caring. And love."
Kaori stared out the window, at the snow. It fell so beautifully against the cobblestone walkways, yet not as beautiful as those words that reached her ears. She felt a weight lifted off her chest as she felt his presence closer and closer, until finally his hands rested on her shoulders.
Slowly, they slid off her shoulders and down her back, along her hips and around her waist. She leaned her head back on his shoulder as he turned his head against hers and pressed his lips against her ear, then her cheek before trailing down to her neck.
She reached up and felt his hair beneath her fingers as his lips only teased her skin, his teeth not even beginning to take control. She sighed as she turned her head and ran her nose along his jaw line.
And before she knew it, she couldn't stop herself.
She turned around, pushing Aidou until his back hit the wall. Her lips instantly found his and they melded together like water in sugar. Their mouths opened in unison, allowing their tongues to crash together in a beautiful dance that matched the rhythm of their breathing.
Pretty soon, Kaori was unable to breathe and Aidou's hands were all over her. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. Other than Hanabusa Aidou there was nothing but blinding light in her head. Her heart pounded in her chest and all she could think of was the way his hand was ever so slightly pushing up her shirt and she liked the feeling of his fingers along her skin-
No!
She couldn't. She hated vampires. She hated Aidou. She hated this. How could she allow such a promiscuous scene to take place here? How could she allow Aidou to touch her like this?
But it felt so good…and it felt so right…
But Akahana. She'd kill him. If she found out, she'd surely skin Aidou alive. And she could do it legally considering her rank was higher. Or she could trick Kaname into doing it…
So many images flashed in her head of how many things could go terribly wrong. She felt a sudden fear, not only for Aidou but for herself. He was a vampire. And he'd already lost control once before, what's to say he won't do it again? Could she trust him?
Her body told her she could trust him very well, but her mind screamed something completely different.
As for her heart…she wasn't so sure.
She pulled away from him and shook her head, distancing herself a few feet as he reached for her.
"Kaori-"
"No, no, no." She felt those dreaded tears rise again. "This can't be right."
"Of course it is." Aidou tried to persuade her as he took a step forward, but she only retreated a step back. "Kaori, please. I'm sorry. Just let me-"
"I need time to think." She bit her lip. "Get out!"
"Kaori, please-" He repeated, but with no avail.
"Get out, Hanabusa!" She screamed.
He fell silent, his features suddenly irritated. He jerked his head down and kept his gaze on the ground. Until he vanished.
She was left alone in her empty room and fell against the window, touching her lips, her cheek, her neck…the places where his lips once grazed her skin.
Was it a shame that she herself was the one who pushed him away, and she was already missing him?
"Are you going?"
Akahana turned to Rima's comment, looking at the blond girl with confusion.
"Going where?" Aka asked.
"The Valentines Day dance." Rima commented nonchalantly. "Everybody usually goes."
"Oh, I didn't know about it." Aka muttered, looking down at the manga in her hands disappointedly. "I guess not. Since no one's asked me."
"Why do you think I asked if you were going?" Rima sighed.
"Um, Rima, you're nice and all, but-"
"I wasn't the one wanting to ask you to go." Rima grimaced.
"Oh…" Akahana mumbled. "Then who?"
"Ichijou, who else?" Rima exhaled noisily. "He's madly in love with you."
"No, he's not." Aka ran a hand through her charcoal hair, shaking her head. "He just thinks he is."
"Well, now that I know you're most likely going, I'm going to run off and tell him so he can ask you." Rima said, almost lightly.
"Rima, wait-"
But she was already gone. The library they sat in once didn't feel so lonely. Now, the spot on the couch where Rima had sat was vacant. The dark, monotone library seemed ancient in her wake as Aka just threw the book to the side and stood to walk out the door.
But it seemed a dark shadow was blocking her way.
"Oh, hi Shiki."
Aka had all but forgotten the spat the two of them had had on her first day here. She had so much going on that she hardly even cared why Shiki had been in her dream, or how.
"Akahana, I…" Shiki mumbled, Aka trying to happily encourage his statement with a smile.
"Yes?" She urged, wanting to get on with her moping.
"I just wanted to know if…oh, never mind." He shook his head quickly and disappeared before Aka could blink.
She raised an eyebrow and shook her head. What the hell was up with these people?
She opted to just walk down the long, slender white hallway towards her dorm and put it all out of her head. She was surprised to see Ichijou walking down the hallway, away from her room. She smiled at the way he kept his hands in his pockets, his hair bouncing with his step.
She knew he sensed her behind him, because he turned his head slightly as he turned the corner towards the stairs. She caught the slightest hint of those beautiful meadow eyes and a smile, mischievous grin.
She tilted her head as he disappeared down the steps, confused even though her heart beat fast in her chest.
What did that look mean?
She turned to her door and shook her head as she walked through. She sighed as she shut it behind her and ran her hand through her hair. Slowly, she looked up and around her room until her eyes came on a large red package on her bed.
She found herself beside it in an instant. She was hesitant to touch it, wondering if maybe this was a cruel trick Aidou was playing on her and it was going to explode in her face.
When she finally saw the small folded piece of paper beneath the package tucked beneath the box and the contrasting purple covers of her bed.
She picked it out from beneath the parcel and unfolded it quickly. It took her a moment before she was able to read it but when she did, she felt the blood rise to her face.
Dear Akahana,
I won't be formal in this note. I felt too shy to ask you myself, though if you'd like I will. Would you possibly be my date to the Valentines Day Ball? I bought you this dress and shoes. I hope they fit. Rima helped me pick them out.
Love,
Takuma Ichijou
She temporarily put her fingers over her mouth, her jaw agape and her eyes wide. He had just asked her to the ball.
Aka looked down at the box momentarily wondering if it was real or a mirage.
She took the top of the box and slowly removed it. She bit her lip in anticipation as she moved the paper away and gasped at the sight.
She picked up the dress that filled almost the whole box. Her eyes stayed dilated as she swooped the dress out and stared at it in awe.
The strapless top was made entirely of fabric and diamonds, fitting in the shape of a corset. The skirts fell down floor length in a mass waterfall of white netting. The diamonds were arranged in a shapely floral vine pattern that made Aka afraid to touch them.
When she finally looked back down at the box, she saw another package inside. She carefully placed the dress out on her bed and opened the other box, her breath escaping her yet again as the most beautiful diamond heels became visible, designed in the same vine fashion as the decoration of the top of the dress.
Akahana wasn't sure what to do or say, but she soon found herself running out the door, the dress and shoes left lonely on the bed.
She raced down the hall, down the stairs and through the foyer. She peeked out the window and bit her lip as she saw Ichijou and Kaname walking through the gates of the Moon Dorm, the daylight shining down on them.
She sighed and threw the door open, startling Shiki who was just coming inside.
"Sorry, Shiki!" She smiled at him and ran down the walkway.
She hardly even cared that Kaname was there, it wasn't like he cared anyways. She ran up behind Ichijou and wrapped her arms around him from behind. He raised an eyebrow and peeked over his shoulder and grinned as she hugged him tightly.
"Of course I'll go to the ball with you." She sighed into the back of his uniform.
"I'm assuming you liked the dress?" Ichijou smiled to himself as Kaname looked at them out of the corner of his eye.
"I'll wait for you at the Chairman's house." Kaname said in his monotone voice before continuing on his walk down the path.
Akahana took that time to wrap her arms around Ichijou from the front this time, holding him tightly as she felt his arms twist around her comfortingly. She buried her face in his uniform and took in his warm scent, her gaze eyes fluttering closed as she could hear the steady hum of his heartbeat.
"Takuma?" She muttered.
"Yes?" He asked against her hair.
"I need to tell you…" Aka held on tighter as she realized that all this bliss could possibly disintegrate with her next words.
"What is it?" He urged.
"I think…that maybe…" She held her breath against the painful thoughts of the truth. "I think that maybe the only reason you like me so much is because…when me and my sister were born…we were given the gifts of service of two Goddesses. I was gifted with service to Aphrodite, and Kaori was promised to Athena. And Aphrodite, I don't think, doesn't like me so much. So I think she made you fall in love with me…"
Ichijou was silent for a moment frozen in place and unable to quite take in all of it at once. She could almost hear his thought process and the sharp breath when everything she said finally clicked.
"Takuma…-dono?"
Just then he began to shake with laughter. Pretty soon, he had to release his hold on her and catch himself by leaning on a tree on the side of the path. Aka looked at him in confusion as he continued to bust out laughing.
"What's so funny?" Akahana asked as he finally began to retrieve control of himself again.
He looked up at her for a moment before reaching forward and brushing her hair behind her ear. She swallowed hard as his hand lingered on her cheek and his fingers played along her skin. Without noticing it, she leaned into his hand and watched as a grin made it's way onto his lips.
"Akahana…" He said. "I don't think anyone, not a God especially, could make me feel the way I feel for you. Other than you, yourself."
He leaned down and kissed her cheek. She resisted the urge to turn her head and press her lips against his. Instead, she brought her hand up to rest on his forearm as his hand still played with her hair. She reached up on her toes and kissed him for only a second, pulling back before he felt himself able to take it further.
And when he finally was able to think coherently again, she was gone.
