Author's Note:
To Atheist1- you are on the same brainwave as me, my friend. (nods) very well done to anyone else who has worked through this with the same conclusion! i bet it wasnt as unpredictable as i had thought it would be...but i hope i created some suspense!
this is the MOST yaoi-ish chapter i have ever written, and when you read it, im sure youll think "what's the big deal?" but i tell you, you have no idea how red my face was as i was typing this... my Mom asked what the hell i was doing, and i told her it was "biology homework"
tch. i dropped biology ages ago!
but everyone knows what "biology homework" means. learning about "it" many years ago gave me a permanent blush for a year, every time i walked into the labs...
but im like, TOTALLY more maturer nowadays. i dont even giggle when i say peni-hihihihihi-s. (straightfaced) yeah.
has anyone had this stupid thing going around school, called the Pen 15 Club? my friend was like- "Hey [puui'srealname], want to join the Pen 15 Club?"
and i said "Ok!"
so she grabbed the my hand and wrote in HUGE, AMBIGUOUS letters "Pen 15" and i was like "dude! you wrote PENIS on my hand" and then the teacher walked in.
gawd, i was sooo stupid and naive last year, srsly.
read on folks!
He staggered over to the bed, one hand covering his face, his eyes - he didn't want to see…
"Sen…Senri…"
Takuma's hand fell on the mattress, he blindly scrabbled around for Shiki's hand, squeezing it like a lifeline. Ironically, it was like he was the one dying.
He was so cold.
"No," he moaned, pressing his face onto the mattress, just beside Shiki's shoulder. He shook with his sobs, letting his tears melt into the cloth.
"No? No what?"
His head snapped up, and he let out a strangled yelp.
Shiki was staring right at him, under the mess of his auburn hair.
Takuma leapt onto his friend, squashing him to himself, burying his face in Shiki's shoulder as he sobbed loudly.
Shiki bit his tongue as fiery pain laced up his arms and around the wounds on his body, but he didn't want to make Takuma feel worse, since he was… crying. Since when did Takuma cry? He couldn't pat his friend's back with his arms trapped by Takuma's against his chest.
"Why did you look dead?" Takuma whined, wiping his tears on Shiki's shoulder clumsily. He placed him back on the bed, hovering over him on his hands. A few droplets of tears fell onto Shiki's face, but the redhead wasn't bothered by it. His hands were at the source, wiping tears from Takuma's cheeks with his thumbs, like windshield wipers.
"I was sleeping," Shiki said pointedly, smiling at the blush that began to form on Takuma's wet cheeks. "That's when you close your eyes and lie really still-"
"Senri, that isn't funny. There's really bad news."
"Hmm?" Shiki hummed distractedly reaching over to the tissue box on his nightstand. It was just out of reach-
"Your mother, she was killed."
Shiki's arm dropped in shock. His head turned slowly, blue eyes wide. Takuma nodded, drawing him close again and rocking him side to side comfortingly.
"I'm sorry Sen, I'm so sorry…" he whispered, feeling Shiki beginning to cry this time. He felt guilty that while Shiki was mourning, he was just feeling so happy, so relieved that his best friend, his precious friend was still alive. He could barely imagine what life would be like without Shiki. For just those few moments before, he had already felt despair beyond anything he had ever experienced in his lifetime. It was terrifying, how the world seemed empty, cold, harsh- everything he had felt in only a few moments. What would he be without Shiki-
"God, I'm sorry I scared you."
"It's okay. You're fine, I'm so relieved Senri…"
"Takuma," Shiki pulled his head away from his shoulder. Takuma gazed down at his face, confused at the frightened expression on his face. "I'm scared of dying."
"You're fine," Takuma insisted, stroking his cheek tenderly. His heartbeat began to sound louder in his ears as he felt that something bad was about to happen. His other arm swept under Shiki's waist to draw him closer. As long as he was close to him, he would be fine…
"Takuma, I'm going to die."
He shook his head vehemently, "You won't, you're fine," he insisted, beginning to rock them back and forth again.
"I was Bonded to her."
"But you're alive!" Takuma yelled, shaking Shiki. "You're still alive!"
"Only for a while. Soon enough the Bond will catch up to me."
He watched as Takuma's eyes welled up with tears again, and caught his body as he collapsed into another fit of sobs. Shiki wanted to hug Takuma back, but the shock of what he'd been told… His death sentence…
"I hate her!" Takuma hissed.
There was no guessing who "she" was. Shiki hated her too. He hated his parents. What a messed up bunch they were.
He clung to Takuma. As the thought of death sunk in, he realised that he would be apart from him forever. His best friend. The person he'd first met at Kurosu Academy. The person who'd made him feel so welcome in a strange place, more at home than when he was at his real home, more loved than the love his family gave him. Takuma was so much to Shiki, more than he really thought he could ever be to Takuma. Where Takuma had a thousand friends, Shiki could only really count one who stood out from all others.
"I was wondering why it felt so cold," he whispered, shivering as Takuma placed an unexpected kiss on his forehead.
"I'll stop it," he gripped Shiki's chin, "I won't let you go."
Shiki gasped as Takuma began to unbutton his shirt, tugging it away from his neck. He watched Takuma lower himself so his face was right above his, their breaths mingling together. Immediately, he knew what Takuma was going to do.
He shoved him back.
"No!" Shiki cried, "You…you can't do this!"
Shiki knew many of Takuma's dreams, and one of his dreams was to Bond with his someone he loved- something clearly inspired from those ridiculous, girly mangas he read. Shiki had rolled his eyes when he had heard that one, but he remembered it now, and he knew that dream would be broken if they- if he-
Takuma's eyes were shiny, eyelashes matted with tears, this time of embarrassment. What was he thinking? Shiki might not want to be Bonded to him. It was a total crime to suddenly push this idea onto him. He lifted himself again, ducking his head in shame.
"It's the only thing I can think of to save you. If I Bite you, your life will be Bonded to mine," he mumbled, shifting to rub his red face self-consciously.
Shiki's heart warmed at the sentiment, so selfless and kind- so Takuma. He blushed too. That kind of selflessness proved to him, at least, that Takuma cared about him, a lot, which he appreciated. But...
"You told me once, that you dreamt of Bonding with the one you love."
Takuma's blush deepened, but he turned to Shiki again, this time with confidence he dropped another kiss on Shiki's forehead.
Shiki could feel the burning heat of both their faces combined.
If this was the last moment he lived, he would die a happy man.
Takuma smiled shyly as he pulled back from him.
"And that's what I intend to do."
Shiki inhaled sharply, trying not to read too much into what he had just said and done. Who was he kidding…?
"If you're sure," he replied simply, pressing himself flatter on the bed and lengthening his neck.
The heat of Takuma's blushing face radiated onto his skin as it neared the flesh of Shiki's neck. Shiki trembled as he felt Takuma open his mouth, a cloud of warm moist breath, the delicate touch of two needle-sharp fangs perched on the surface of his skin.
The prick at first didn't feel like much, just a little sting.
But then the fangs slid deeper, tentatively- Shiki was aware that Takuma hadn't fed from anyone for a long time, not even a Human (though the Noble families tended to dabble into Humans sometimes as a luxury, at least for old traditions' sake). Shiki almost found it funny that he was able to blush even more at that thought.
As the Bite slid in completely, Takuma's mouth flush with Shiki's flesh, they both groaned at the feeling.
Takuma's tongue flicked out to catch the first droplets of blood. This was the first time he'd ever tasted it, and he moaned at the taste. Unbelievable. Rich and creamy like butter, smooth and delicious. His eyelids hooded over bright red eyes as he sank in deeper, opening his mouth to drink more of it.
"Oh god," Shiki gasped, feeling something strange happening. A connection forming, the Bond. It was like the arms around him weren't just there, Takuma was everywhere. Hugging all around him. So warm and wonderful. He ran his fingers through Takuma's hair, tugging him closer.
With every mouthful of blood Takuma drank, Shiki felt the unbreakable Bond grow and the essence of Takuma he was encapsulated in thrum warmly. The coldness he had felt before had all been cancelled out.
"Takuma," he sighed, closing his eyes in pleasure, "Taku…"
Ruka headed to Yuuki's room, deciding to deal with the lesser of two evils first. She hoped at least the sunshine-y, bouncy, energetic, generally too happy girl was in her damn room. She was not in the mood to deal with an impromptu hide-and-seek at the moment. The visit to Shiki's had left her feeling on-edge, and Ruka hated feeling uneasy. She didn't even remember what had happened to make her leave like that. All she could recall was feeling like she had to leave, so she did.
"Yuuki-hime?" she called, knocking sharply on the door.
The door opened promptly, and Yuuki's smiling face popped through the gap. "Ruka-chan?"
"I was just coming by to check up on you," she said as pleasantly as she could muster. Ruka tried not to behave rudely around Yuuki, but she had a personal grudge against the girl. Before, she had been jealous of Yuuki for Kaname's attention. That was in the past. Now she was jealous of Yuuki for her happy-go-lucky personality, and how she could breeze past in relative happiness, in her own personal protective bubble Kaname had constructed for her.
It was thanks to Kaname being too protective of her that Yuuki was too innocent. Ruka often wondered if Yuuki would even know that the world had blown up if that was to happen someday. She mused that by overprotecting Yuuki, Kaname was making it much more dangerous for the time when Yuuki would break into the real world, where there was the real pain. The shock of it would be devastating.
"I'm fine," Yuuki chirped, "Just fine. I've been to the library. There's not much to do around here, you know? Especially with Kaname gone again."
The way she spoke - as if there wasn't a war happening at all...
"Ah, well there are lovely gardens around the Castle, though I suppose Kaname-sama would not want you to go outside at the moment…"
"Hmm? Well I'm alright. I can entertain myself fine. Anyway, Yori-chan sent me some homework," Yuuki groaned, pointing out a small pile of books on her desk, "So I'm gonna be kept busy anyway."
"Alright then, good day Yuuki-hime," Ruka bowed and shut the door.
Last on the list: Zero.
Joy of all joys.
She scurried down the halls, for once, hating the sheer size of the Castle. She was going to be worn out babysitting these people!
Ruka slowed down as she caught the whiff of… blood? She shook her head, it was only small.
Zero… she had saved him till last because she could already imagine what trouble she was going to run into. With the other lesser evil of two (a.k.a. Yuuki), she was easy to deal with. But with Zero? Ruka was going to have a struggle to get him to speak to her, let alone to question how he was doing.
She rapped her knuckles on his door sharply.
"Kiryuu, I'm coming in, are you decent?" she yelled, well-used to dealing with boys who liked freaking out girls in various states of undress.
Kain was so shameless.
"Yeah!"
She opened the door, quickly locating Zero under a pile of blankets.
Upon closer inspection, she could see that he wasn't even dressed, but was swaddled in the blankets, naked shoulders peeking out of the top.
"I asked if you were decent," she said through gritted teeth.
"This is the most decent I can manage," he snapped.
"What, you can't dress yourself?" she strode over towards him, recoiling at the powerful smell of sweat.
"Not in enough time to greet you. I'd want a shower first," he grumbled, tugging the blankets to cover his shoulders more. It made the part covering his legs shimmy up, revealing bruises on his shins.
"I certainly hope you aren't completely naked under there."
"I've got fucking boxers on," Zero growled moodily. Clearly he wasn't even in the mood to rally back with a teasing comment, or a sneer.
"Are you alright, Kiryuu?" Ruka asked, finally feeling a bit concerned when his scowl twisted into a grimace.
"I feel like my body's on fire one second, and then cold the next. My body is getting bruised everywhere when I haven't even done anything to get them. I feel like shit."
Ruka stared at the bruises on his legs. Her eyes widened as she saw it actually spreading down to his ankle in real-time. What was going on? It had to be the strange blood disease thing Kiryuu was going through.
"I know what it's like to feel hot and then cold at the same time," she said attempting to cheer him up, "You haven't ever been on the caught in the middle of one of Kain and Aidou's water versus fire tournaments, have you? At least they cancel each other out, otherwise I'd have gotten toasted and frostbite at the same time!"
Zero's mouth twitched, but he otherwise didn't look at all cheered up.
Ruka sighed.
She needed to work on her social skills. A pretty face she had, but that was only good enough to look at.
She stared at Zero, seeing the darkening bruise, the way he was shuddering every now and again, from the waves of pain and heat or cold battling his body.
"You need blood," she realised.
Zero shook his head, "I drank yesterday."
"But from what the doctor said, it suggests that the Pure blood you're getting from Kaname is mostly being destroyed by your Hunter blood. That would mean you need more Pure blood, wouldn't you?"
"I don't think it works that way Souen."
"Let me get you some," she said, holding her hand out for the key. Kaname had told her that Zero had the only key to the fridge. She had been permitted to force Zero to drink if he refused.
"It won't help me," Zero protested, but handed over the key anyway.
Ruka retrieved a bag of blood from the infirmary, her hands holding the bag like it was a baby.
Zero rolled his eyes, taking the bag from her. She watched, aghast, as he casually nicked a hole in the plastic with his fang and sucked on it like it was one of those yoghurt tubes.
What a way to drink Pure blood.
She sighed as he handed her the empty bag, wincing as some blood dribbled onto her fingers. She was glad she was used to being around Kaname. The temptation was great to lick off some of the blood, it smelt so good, but Ruka knew somehow that Kaname would be furious with her if she tasted it. She knew what he looked like when he was furious, and she didn't want to face that.
"Feeling any better?"
Zero rolled his eyes again, "It takes some time for it to start working, if it even will."
They waited in tense silence for anything to happen. Both of their eyes ended up focusing on the visible bruise on Zero's leg. Nothing changed.
After a few minutes, Ruka got impatient.
"Can you feel anything happening?"
"Nothing," Zero admitted with a shrug, "Maybe that's a good thing. I don't think the fever thing is as bad, though I can't be sure. It's only been a few minutes."
"That's good, I suppose," she agreed.
"I shouldn't have drunk that though," Zero muttered, "Kaname's left, hasn't he? We don't know how long he'll be gone for. If I drink them all too quickly and they run out, I don't know what will happen."
"If you don't drink enough and die before then, what will happen?" Ruka sniped back. She scoffed, "Don't be stupid. Kaname won't leave you starving. He won't even let you go hungry. Have you seen the fridge?"
Zero nodded. He wasn't worried about the blood supply. Kaname was already being more than generous enough to drain himself of blood for him, and there was plenty of blood in the fridge, let alone the freezer, to last him a while.
But Zero was afraid. He didn't completely know why he was, but there was this sense of danger that was nagging at the back of his mind.
When he woke up that morning, he had felt this hunger for blood hit him in the face.
It was strong, like a bloodthirst, but even more desperate than he would have expected. It was the feeling of "must drink blood or die" that he got at the very end of a fasting period, when he was beginning to lose his right state of mind and obsess about drinking Kaname's blood.
Only this time, the thought was different, he felt an unexplainable rage burning in his chest, the desire to lash out, even at Ruka who was being quite civil and even kind to him.
It was animal, and wild, and Zero could only hope it didn't mean what he thought it did.
After drinking the bagged blood, he felt better, but only like his thirst had been quenched, and he knew somehow that it would come back sooner than later.
The thought had been more like "must drink or kill".
In Zero's opinion, it could only be the mindset of a Level E.
