Chapter Eleven – Thanks for the Memories
"I don't know what is right or wrong, or… good or bad when Lord Kaname is around", Yuuki admitted to Ruka in an expression of defeat.
"What do you mean, Yuuki"? Ruka asked, looking around the hall their species filled.
Even now, she was ever so weary to anyone and everyone.
"I can't stop thinking about him, Ruka. Even in his icy sleep, I was so overcome by his existence. With all I have to bring myself to question my devotion to my brother, the rest of myself overpowers it and there I am again love dazed over his majestic being".
The two lady vampires were in the corner of the ballroom now.
All the large windows in the space had their curtains drawn back to let the nothingness of the night seep in for a stereotypical ambiance for their guests of the night.
Everything was in order with the people, much to Ruka's relief, as she continued to scout and keep guard for potential disturbances while dealing with the whiny Yuuki.
She sighed to her dismay.
"Oh, stop it, Yuuki", she gave her a cold glance before turning back to the gathering.
"I-I'm sorry, Lady Ruka"! Yuuki said in the action of doing a one-eighty toward the door.
She was going to let Kaname mingle a while longer.
She knew it was necessary if he were to rejoin society and possibly take part in the overlooking of their society next to the Hunter's Association.
Rima turned to Shiki as she'd observed the encounter regarding Ren, Ai, and Mr. Yokomura.
She specifically noticed an unruly expression of fluster on the princess's face as she curled her feet toward her brother as the exchanged pleasantries.
"Shiki", Rima said, closely entwined toward his narrow ear, "that man gives me a sense of negativity".
His almost silver eyes made their way over to the man identified as Yokomura.
He wore a white suit with a black dress shirt and red to compliment his presentable attire.
Yokomura's hair was also white, which forced Senri to question his taste in clothing along with the aura of creepiness he gave off.
Shiki wrapped his arm around his wife and pulled her around the man as they weaved in and out between guests.
Shiki's eyes continued to stare at him as they circled the unknowing man.
The room was still very lively, and the guests were continuous in their draw toward the resurrected ancestor.
Ichijo and Aidou carefully guarded Kaname and kept the visitors at a distance until it was their turn to be introduced to him.
"…and thank you for showing your utmost welcome", Ichijo happily stated, giving the latest guest a fair well for politeness and hospitality.
He turned to Kaname with Aidou behind him.
"How are you feeling, Kaname"? he asked.
Kaname gave a small smirk of appreciation before answering, "This is all a bit tiring, honestly".
"Lord Kaname, perhaps you've had enough for tonight"! Aidou exclaimed, gesturing toward the doorway to exit.
The pureblood shook his head.
"No Aidou, thank you, but that isn't necessary. I'd rather see my daughter".
"Lady Ai"? Aidou asked, turning his head away from Kaname to see if Ai Kuran was still in the room.
If she were still there, no doubt she would be accompanied by Ren.
Ren was noticeable because of how much he looked like Zero, and just how much he had in fact become his father.
"I'll find her for you"!
Ichijo uncomfortably found himself sweating from Hanabusa's eagerness to serve.
A bit across the room, Ai was still clinging to Ren's arm as they stood off to observe the occurrence of an evening such as this.
There were parties held in the Kuran hall before, of course, but they were before Ai and Ren's time.
Ai and Ren had even been to a few during the first century of their lives, but after the uprising situation Ai and Ren had accidentally entwined themselves in, Yuuki excused all Kuran appearances from societal events – until now.
Yuuki was confusing herself with her ponderings of the evening.
The reawakening of herself was conflicting with who she was for her children.
With that though, the only reason she was that person with cold and serious aspects about herself was because she had to hide her bitterness somehow.
She found her children in the room and made her way to them.
"It's not what I really remember", Ai commented.
"It's probably an excuse to dress in fancy clothes", Ren added.
Ichijo shooed the guests crowding around Kaname away, and thanks to the orchestra Ruka arranged for the evening, the dancing had finally begun.
Because Yuuki dismissed her, Ruka set out to find her husband.
Rima and Senri had circled around their suspicious individual enough before they joined the other guests in a spin on the aged stone flooring.
"Mr. Akatsuki".
The golden-haired vampire turned to the voice stating his name.
"My lady", he bowed to his wife, as she offered her hand to him.
They followed their friends to the floor.
"How… familiar", Ai said, watching the other vampires.
"What"? Ren asked, looking down at Ai as she stared hard at the people spinning in ceremonious circles in rhythm with the music.
"It's nothing", she said in a monotoned voice.
"I swear Sayori was coming tonight", Yuuki muttered to herself as she walked.
She was reminded of her since Hanabusa was headed the same direction she was.
He was a little ahead of her.
"Lady Ai", he called out to her respectful to the music.
She broke out of her trance and noticed Aidou.
"Hanabusa? What is it"? she asked.
"Don't go anywhere", he called, now humbly closer.
He was finally at Ren and Ai's level.
"How is Seiya? I haven't seen him in a while", Ren asked, commenting on Hanabusa's son.
"Oh, he and Sayori are around here somewhere. I told them to keep a low-level tonight since Lord Kaname was being welcomed back into society. I didn't want anyone distracting Kaname, not that they would – but anyways. Lady Ai, would you come with me".
He didn't let her answer as he pulled her away from Ren and headed back through the floor.
Yuuki made her way to the unsatisfied Ren.
"Son", she smiled, placing her hand on his shoulder.
He turned to Yuuki and glanced back up at the silhouettes that outlined Aidou and Ai's shapes.
"Don't feel too discombobulated", she laughed.
"I don't mean to", he answered.
They stared out at them together.
"What is this about"? Ai asked her capture.
She didn't fight his suggested force to follow.
"Lord Kaname wants an audience with you, Ai", he said, continuing to guide her.
She didn't say anything as they made their way to Ichijo and Kaname's corner.
They turned to the new arrivals.
"Hello Ai", Takuma gleefully welcomed.
Kaname gave her a nod of acknowledgement, which Ai exchanged.
"Come, Ichijo. Let's linger elsewhere", Hanabusa said.
Takuma obliged, leaving the Kurans alone.
"Finally", Kaname said in resolve.
Ai was still feeling itchy around her stranger father.
Moments were passing by.
She fidgeted with her thumbs behind her back, trying to show confidence around Kaname.
"There's no reason to be afraid of me, Ai", he said.
She shyly looked away and nodded.
"Apologies, father. I just never thought… I'd ever meet you. It's just taking a lot for me to conquer that thought and the reality you're here".
Kaname made a laugh sound coming from the back of his throat.
He offered his hand to his daughter.
"F-father… I… I don't know how"! She embarrassingly admitted.
"I'll teach you as we go", he smiled kindly.
With the incapability to deny her father, she accepted his request.
He placed her in front of him.
Ai was taller than Yuuki but held an almost identical posterior.
They were both slender in figure.
Her father placed his guiding hand on her back, and took their leading hands to their side, outward.
Ai took in the beauty of her father.
He had a fearsomeness to him that she was trying to analyze.
Kaname led them to the large gathering prancing circles in the center of the ballroom hall.
Ai found it easy to follow Kaname's lead.
Ren and Yuuki continued to watch from the side.
"Instead of looking like you were violated, perhaps you'd do me the honour"? Yuuki asked her son.
He blushed and looked away.
Was it really taboo to dance with the woman that gave birth to you?
"Come on", Yuuki cheerfully suggested.
Ren unwittingly obliged to Yuuki's request.
"Stop acting like a prune", Yuuki pouted, looking angry at her son.
Ren sighed.
"You're acting like Ai when she's upset".
"N-no I'm not"!
Elsewhere, Aidou and Takuma exchanged words.
"Shiki mentioned a specific man – Yokomura – here, this evening", Ichijo said.
"I've never heard of him or seen of him before. Though, his physical features remind me of something".
"I'm reminded of the same thing".
Ruka and Akatsuki circled around the man who was dancing with a random guest.
He didn't look suspicious to her, but Ruka could feel the strangeness coming from him.
"Watch out for him, Kain", Ruka requested, tightening her grasp on him.
He nodded.
"I know it's normal to watch your dancing partner, but I feel like you're trying to steal my soul, father", Ai growled.
"This wouldn't be the dark waltz if there wasn't a bit of losing one's soul, I suppose", he said in high spirits.
His dark humour had yet to reach his daughter.
She recalled her mother and how she'd awoken the house the prior evening.
Something about everything was still so strange to Ai, and she couldn't grasp the newness.
She wasn't used to new, or anything different in her life.
That was still something to work on.
"Mother said she did this for you to remind you of familiar times", Ai said.
"I appreciate it. It's something I'm indeed familiar with", Kaname nodded.
"I've never experienced one in the house before. I was less than sixty the last time I was even allowed to go to one".
"Maybe it can be considered a new tradition for the Kuran house".
"New"?
That was a strange concept.
"Yes. New memories are always nice to have".
"I agree… but still. It's so strange to think about".
"It sounds like you don't have much exposure to life".
"Mother has been protective", she admitted.
"I'll see about improving life in any way I can, if I'm capable of it".
"That would… be nice", Ai honestly smiled.
"Anything for you, my beautiful daughter".
Everyone was gravitating toward Kaname, but Kaname was drawn to Ai.
"Don't say such things, father"!
"Thank you for the new memories. I'd never had thought I'd have the pleasure to meet a child. You're the most beautiful gift I've ever been given".
"Thank you", she blushed.
Ren and Yuuki spiraled around Kaname and Yuuki, as did Ruka and Akatsuki, and Rima and Shiki.
Yokomura was being watched from the corner of Kaname's eye.