Aloha. Welcome to another chapter of Hollow Existence! Thanks for all the support. Probably about ten chapters left in this story. Don't worry, these chapters are going to be monsters ( already are so far after this chapter) Though, after this story I still have some ideas left for other stories. Maybe, you guys will help me decide on a new plot. Who knows, I might just start only doing Co-Authored stories. Which, I seriously love. So, if you interested in something like that: PM ME. Trust me, that would make my day! (:

2.26.14

Disclaimer: Beyotch, If I owned Gakuen Alice there would already be a sequel.

Hollow Existence (10)

Never

"Help me from my haze,"

The wheels of the blue bus gripped the asphalt. Wind pushed against the vehicle as it made its descend further out of the town. Chills were sent up her spine while the town passed by her. Everything was drifting away, so far away. Sunlight shone its way through the windows causing temporary discomfort for the riders. The girl wasn't really sad; it surprised her. Maybe, this place never really was home. Technically, it never was, but she always thought it should feel like home. After all, she grew up here, she learned here, and she had stability for such a long time. The brunette leaned her head back into her seat losing herself in her thoughts.

"I'm hungry onii-san!" A tiny voice whined from her lap. All she could do was smile at the child bouncing on her lap. Her raven locks flowed effortlessly over the back of her shirt. The teenage boy next to the brunette opened on of his eyes. Of course he was lazily leaning back into his seat trying to catch some sleep.

"Will get something to eat when we get there." He lightly hisses, clearly annoyed.

The little girl twitters, "Brother, not that kind of hungry,"

Mikan raises a brow in Natsume's direction, "Aoi, you cannot be serious." Her raven hair moves from side to side when she shakes her head. The brunette just silently watches and tries to figure out what they are talking about.

"Ugh, I don't have any, Aoi. Can't you wait?" Natsume frustratingly sighs as he keeps on searching through his bag quickly. Mikan tilts her head to the side, "I have food in my bag if your that hungry, Aoi." They both groan.

"Mikan-nee, I don't need food! I need b-" A hand covers the little girl's mouth. The raven hared teen looks around swiftly. "Idiot, you can't just yell out loud Aoi!" He whispers harshly. Aoi just pouts in his direction. He doesn't notice because he's too busy looking at the other people on the bus.

"Wait, so if you don't want food. Then what do you want?" Mikan asks dumbly. Natsume doesn't feel at all in the mood to yell at her for being so stupid. So, he leans over to Mikan. His hot breath on her ear causes her to feel tense with nerves. Those lips of his were so close to her ear that a slight goosebumps broke out on her neck. That intoxicating smell filled her nostrils and oh, it smelt so good. More than anything she wanted the smell, she wanted his blood. Whether she would ever admit it was beyond anyone. By now, Natsume had whispered to her, "Aoi wants blood, you idiot." All she could do was nod. He pulled away he leaned back into his seat. The loss of heat almost made her groan.

This feeling she kept on having. Mikan hated it absolutely hated it; she couldn't control it. Sure, it had went away for a while, but it came back twice as strong. She finally noticed Natsume giving her a weird look from her staring at him. She was flustered, "Well, uh, Aoi. You could just have some of mine." Mikan kindly offered her neck by pulling down the collar of her jacket. Maybe this will distract me from this, this thing! Oh, Aoi I know the feeling. The little girl just stared at her for mere seconds before leaping and hooking her arms around Mikan's neck. Natsume could barely even react, it happened pretty quick. What the hell? He thought while trying to lock his gaze somewhere else. The teenage boy wanted to object to it, but what else was he suppose to do?

Meanwhile, Aoi had her little fangs sinking down into the brunette's flesh. At first she flinched a bit at the pain, though it was soon replaced with a surge of adrenaline. From another person's point of view it would have looked like a little girl sleeping in a mother's arms. There was gulp, then another, causing her to suddenly feeling a bit weak. Mikan brought her hand up to stroke her hair and gently tugged at her hair. Oh shoot. Mikan numbly thought. Aoi wasn't budging a bit as she kept on inhaling blood. Intense Crimson eyes pinched the little girls neck making her gasp. Natsume pulled her to his lap. He growled, "That's enough, Aoi." Using his black sleeve he wiped the red liquid off her lips. Mikan felt a bit dizzy from the loss of blood. Her mind was kind of fuzzy again too. Weird- this was so weird, why did she want to give up her blood? Oh right, she understands what its like, she 's Mikan the nice girl.

"Oh, Mikan-nee, are you okay?"

"Y-y-yeah. I-I'm okay." The words came out of her mouth mused.

Natsume rolled his eyes, "Great, just what we need." Rustling noises came from his bag while he searched for something, "Here, drink some of this." He handed her an unmarked bottle full of something purple. Her eyebrow rose, "What is it?"

"Just drink it." He huffed.

She slightly slurred, "Nope, not until you tell me."

"You really want to know what it is?" Mikan shook her head.

He smirked, "It's vampire piss."

She groaned and nearly dropped the bottle, "Ew, gross! Take it back!" He was laughing lightly from her reaction. Who would have known it would be so easy to trick her? Smirking, he pointed at the bottle, "Idiot, this is grape juice. Get over yourself."

Mikan looked at him, "Natsume! That was mean! What the heck is wrong with you!"

He just shrugged his shoulders and leaned back into his chair, "You tell me."

"Your stupid, mean, rude, arrogant, and stupid!"

"You already said stupid, stupid."

"So, did you!" She quickly pointed out.

What did this really all mean? Mikan stared out the window, trying to ignore the boy who was sitting very close to her now. If he would have just let Aoi sit in the middle like she wanted this wouldn't be so awkward. His shoulder pressed against hers and she was already squished against the window. Trees turned midnight black as the sun made its descend in the sky. Sighing, Mikan looked out the window in deep thought. I've suddenly forgot about home. Why? How could I just leave everything behind?

She glanced over her shoulder. A raven haired teen and little girl were smiling at each other.

That's right. I found my happiness. It might be fragile, but it will grow strong.

While staring out the window something caught her eye. Well, someone's eyes caught her eye. In the reflect of the window were two crimson eyes, they seemed soft and caring. Slowly, Mikan turned to look at him, only to see him turned the other way. There was a shrug and a sigh. It really peeved her that he wouldn't show his softer side to her when she was paying attention. Of course, she knew one was there. She wasn't ten anymore after all.

I don't miss home.

An inhale.

I miss not wanting blood.

A sigh.

I wish I missed wondering about my life.

A smile.

I don't wish for anything to change. I'm happy right here.

They were silent. Very silent. Scratch that- extremely silent. All three of them stood outside of the building. Covered in slight moss and vines the house still looked alright. Sure, it wasn't the most ideal. Though, it would be an amazing hideout until everything blew over. At least they were hoping things were going to blow over soon. In reality this really sucked, it truly did.

Natsume kept all three bags slung over his shoulder. He deeply sighed, running his free hand through his hair. For one thing, he didn't want Mikan to be holding anything since the incident. He knew what would happen. He had only been around her kind since he was born. Since, she wasn't drinking blood it made her body weaker than most. Now, that she had also given up some of her blood to Aoi, it double the risk of her becoming to weak to even move or for her to go totally nuts. Both were pretty unlikely, he figured in the least. Mikan was pretty strong, not exactly in the literally sense, but defiantly in the mental sense. Calm and cheerful were her too best factors. With those two things set in mind, no wonder she was so determined with everything she did.

"So, this is it?" Mikan examined the house up and down.

He rolled his eyes, "No, its not it. Its twenty miles away from here, that's why we had the bus drop us off here." Natsume said sarcastically. "Of course this is it! Idiot."

Mikan crossed her arms over her chest, "Can you stop being such a-" The brunette glanced over at the little girl. "Aoi cover you ears for a second." The little girl gingerly complied while spinning around in circles. If she would have sang: La, La, La that would have been the icing on the cake.

Mikan sharply turned in his direction, "Can you stop being such an asshole! Gee, I'm just trying to make conversation and you keep shooting me down!" She yelled at him. Those eyes of her glistened with a fire in them. Somehow, she walked over to the front door of the home and with her anger kicked the door in. The old wood split and tumbled down on the ground from the frame. Mikan gasped at her actions and flopped down to pick up the wood that she had just broken. Natsume raised a brow at her before sighing, "Just leave it. I'll fix it later." He said kindly.

Quickly nodding her head, she picked up Aoi (who was still spinning around like a manic) and make their way into the home. Within a few minutes the two had disappeared off to somewhere in the home. The raven haired teen sighed after looking at the frame of the door. Just another expense he really didn't need. He shrugged, it was his fault for pushing her like that. That girl and her mood swings. He thought with a smirk.

Natsume was pretty surprised to see the safe house in decent condition. Ruka and he had set it up years ago when his parents got taken away. Hotaru had found it for them, under a price of course. Ruka's girlfriend always had been pretty greedy. It didn't surprise him when she was trying to get him to hand over his blood for some quick cash. Crimson eyes gingerly glanced around the first floor. The living room was still in good shape, everything was intact and looking good. Kitchen- oh the kitchen brought back some hilarious memories of Hotaru chasing Ruka with a pan when he took a picture of her. It was priceless. Natsume almost found himself laughing at the thought while he walked into the dining room and office. Eventually, he made it was up to the second story where he found the two playing with some toys.

"Fly birdy, fly!" Aoi cried.

Mikan laughed, "Silly, that's a penguin. They don't fly hun."

Her eyes watered, "B-b-but!" The little stuffed toy got squeezed in the little girl's hands.

"But, they can slide on their bellies!" Mikan took the toy and slid off the bed causing it to flop right on the floor. Aoi looked disappointed, "That's no fun! Let's pretend to be penguins, Mikan-nee!" A sudden wave of faintness overtook the teen. She could fell her hands becoming clammy. A tightening feeling gripped at in her stomach. Oh, lord, her vision was becoming fuzzy on and off. No, of all the times it happens when she moves away from home? That brunette head of hers ending up falling back on the bed. Still fully awake, just not able to sit back up. Her eyes wandered around the room before she spotted Natsume leaning against the doorway. What he there the whole time? What a creep. A look of concern seemed to be present in his eyes. Desperately, she gazed at him hoping that he had picked up on her panic. Of course, Aoi unaware of this thought it was a game. The little girl jumped and landed right on Mikan.

That's when she passed out.

"Shit!"

Hopefully, you liked this chapter! I have a super exciting chapter coming up next. I usually post on the weekends. So, expect the next chapter to be out next weekend, maybe even Thursday, if I get a lot of you reviewing this chapter. (: I literally love reviews. Even if it's just a little comment! Again, thanks for supporting me and helping me become a better writer! I cannot thank all of you enough.

Have a good one,

August Passion.