This is what I consider to be the 'climax' of the first part of this story. It resolves a major plot thread and is the end of Tsukune's first month after leaving Moka. There will be a Gaiden chapter after this that will try to explain Akasha's presence and some of the differences from Canon. I hope you all enjoy. -DarkSwordMage
Chapter 36 A Slight Compromise
Pushing his way through the sitting room door Aono Tsukune doesn't look back. Dressed in a simple t shirt and khaki slacks the Aono vampire is hardly dressed for the occasion of meeting his potential bondmate, but Tsukune isn't going to make any hasty decisions about the woman he's supposed to spend the rest of his very long life with. He'd thought that Moka had been 'the one' and she'd tossed him aside when he'd refused to bow down to her. Most of these other suitors are even older than her and like her they were all raised in vampire high society, and it shows in each and every one of them. Not one of the twelve had a very high opinion of humanity. The best he'd been able to get from any of them was tolerance. When he asked about raising their children around humans most had outright refused, only three had considered it, though for widely different reasons.
"Tsukune, wait!" Inner Moka calls out from behind him, pushing her own way through the door.
The Aono vampire doesn't stop. Instead Tsukune's pace seems to pick up as he walks away from the room and its two remaining inhabitants. Though in truth Aono Tsukune only desires to be away from one of said inhabitants, and unfortunately for him it is that person that gives chase.
"Tsukune, WAIT!" Moka calls out again, crossing the distance between them and reaching out and grabbing him by the wrist, his right arm jerking back, the Aono vampire stopping mid step.
He doesn't look back at her.
"Release me Akashiya-san…" His voice comes out in a hushed growl, his disgust for the woman right behind him overflowing in his tone.
"Not until you agree to talk to me." Moka answers defiantly, she's waited an entire month for this opportunity; she isn't going to let it slip through her fingers.
Standing there it takes all of Tsukune's willpower not to turn around and punch his former mate as hard as he can. Just feeling her hand against his skin it used to give him so much joy, now whenever he sees her all he can think about is the video he saw of her and Gin together. In his mind he can hear her ecstatic moans of pleasure as Gin had his way with her…
She'd never been like that with him.
"I have nothing to say to either of you." Tsukune growls, pulling on his wrist, trying to pull it through Moka's fingers.
Her released grip is like a vice clutching tight to her former mate's wrist. With his Rosario on Tsukune doesn't have the strength to pull himself free of her, and if she wanted she could physically hold him down and make him remain still while she talks to him…
…But she isn't going to. Spending the last month alone Aono Moka has had plenty of time to reflect, not only on her relationship with her mate but on her own actions, both by her and by her demure, pink haired seal-personality. Looking back on their entire relationship from the day they were married until that horrible night, Moka saw that Tsukune was correct, he gave in to her on every important decision, from what color their furniture will be to what he should wear. He'd only ever stood up to her twice, the first time had been when they discussed finances, and Tsukune had been adamant about not taking 'handouts.' Both sides of Moka had wanted him to stay home and be with her. Her family was wealthy enough that the two of them could've been living in a grandiose mansion in the wealthiest most expensive neighborhood in Japan eating caviar and drinking thousand dollar bottles of champagne day after day and they wouldn't have put a dent in her father's vast fortune. Instead the two of them were living in a modest single bedroom apartment in a neighborhood full of middle class people.
Tsukune had insisted that he should get a job; that he should earn his keep rather than just accept it like he was entitled to whatever Lord Akashiya deigned to give him. It had been both endearing and frustrating. On one hand the part that she loved about Tsukune is his honesty and nobility, she turned him and ultimately chose to be with him just because he is exactly the type of person that would sooner earn his way rather than accept what he called 'charity.' On the other hand Moka knew that if a husband does cheat on his wife, it's usually with a mistress that he met at work. More than anything Moka had been afraid that Tsukune was going to meet some svelte young woman and would fall prey to her charms and become like the rest of her kind. That he'd been faithful had been a blessing, and she was sure that either Kurumu or maybe Mizore was eventually going to sway him and persuade him to cheat on her with them, even only once. Thus she moved him away from them and intentionally chose where they were living because it was away from the rest of her husband's so called 'harem.'
Ultimately she'd yielded and used her connection to her father to get him a position on the executive board of Fairy Tale's advertising branch. Her father had given him a position usually filled by one of his many 'talking head' representatives that would enforce his will by proxy. Tsukune quickly stepped up to the position and faced it head on, giving it his all to do the job to the best of his ability. He'd done a wonderful job, under his watch the advertising firm's revenue has increased and the morale of all the employees has sky rocketed. Tsukune had made it a point to visit with each of the employees and talk to them, everyone from the advertising 'idea people' to the guy working in the mail room. Her father had been immensely pleased with Tsukune's work. Once Issa saw the numbers from Tsukune's division and saw that his total income had actually increased Issa had summoned the both of them to the castle and had a party in his honor.
In the end though, she'd been the one to break their marriage vows, not her husband…
"We still need to talk." Moka insists adamantly, and Tsukune sighs explosively, his entire body slouching in resignation.
"…Fine…" The Aono vampire mutters under his breath, the look on his face as though he's swallowed something sour.
Releasing his hand Tsukune pulls his wrist away from her, crossing his arms over his chest, keeping his back to her. He has no intention of turning around to face her to speak with her, if she wants to talk so badly she can do it to his back. If that isn't enough, then as far as Tsukune is concerned Moka can go pound sand.
Awkward silence filling the air between them Moka takes a cleansing breath, slowly exhaling to calm her nerves and focus. A part of her is afraid that Tsukune isn't going to listen, and at any moment he's going to take off running as fast as he can and put as many thick reinforced walls between them as possible. Instead Moka's former mate remains rooted to the spot, his chest slowly rising and falling as he breathes through his nose.
"Tsukune, I'm…I'm truly sorry for what I've done to you." Moka begins ever so slowly. "I was wrong and I pushed you away from me, and I want you to know that I never intended for it to turn out the way it did."
Hearing her words the Aono vampire closes his eyes. Pitching his voice low Tsukune's next words practically freeze the air around them.
"How was it supposed to turn out?"
Swallowing the saliva in her mouth Moka licks her lips to wet them. Closing her own eyes Moka can feel the beginnings of old insecurities and loneliness begin to creep back into her. For her standing there it's like she's back in middle school, a scarred little girl alone along amongst a crowd of people that don't understand her. In a way that's exactly what she is. Among vampires both she and Tsukune are but children, and because her upbringing was so drastically different from her sisters' none of them can possibly understand how she feels. Only now her only lifeline, the only creature that was supposed to understand her is standing not three feet away, but for all intents and purposes it may as well be miles for the emotional distance between them.
"You were supposed to stop Gin before he had his way with us. You were supposed to get mad with jealousy and agree before we had to go through with our threat." Moka tries to explain to him, her voice cracking as she remembers what her other self was feeling as she lead Gin to that door.
The pink haired seal personality had been terrified. She'd wanted Tsukune to be her knight in shining armor and stop her from going through with the lunacy she was about to commit, and yet as she stood there Tsukune hadn't moved to save her. Instead her husband and mate and the man she loves more than life itself abandoned her and allowed her to go.
Now Tsukune truly wants to abandon her and be away from her. In his mind however Tsukune feels that Moka abandoned him, that she turned her back on all the ideals and values that Tsukune held sacred. Moka had felt abandoned, that her mate and the man that was supposed to love and cherish her had left her and she'd done the only thing she could think of to hurt him and make him share in her pain. Tsukune had felt betrayed and when Gin had come out and smiled at him with that smug, self-satisfied smile Tsukune was sure that Gin knew that Moka had enjoyed him more than her husband, that Moka had never been fucked like 'The Wolfman' just fucked her.
"And what pray-tell would that have accomplished? Did you expect me to rip his head off and then bow down to you and apologize? Did you think I would release all the anger I held toward you on him and then agree to your conditions?" Tsukune's voice drips with condemnation.
Standing there Moka is sure that he's judging her, pronouncing her guilty of the most painful betrayal he's ever experienced.
"You were supposed to stop us…" Moka continues quietly. "You were supposed to save us from ourselves, and you didn't."
Standing there Tsukune doesn't move to turn around. He can hear the ache in Moka's voice, the longing for him to turn around and embrace her. Two months ago Tsukune would've wrapped her in his arms and held her tight, he would've told her it was all right and they could work through this problem together, that a compromise could be reached. However two months ago Moka wasn't interested in compromise, she wanted Tsukune to agree to her way of raising their children and nothing else, and every time he offered to try and come to a mutual agreement where their children were raised in both lifestyles Moka immediately refused.
In the month since that night, Aono Moka has wished over and over again that she would've just accepted those offers of compromise. Even if it meant her children growing up around humans half of the time at least she wouldn't be alone, she would still have her mate and the ability to have a family. Her father wouldn't despise her and Tsukune would still love her.
"It wasn't my place to 'save you' Akashiya-san." Tsukune responds icily. "You chose to betray me, to take everything I loved about you and throw it aside like it meant nothing to you, just to hurt me. I can't forgive you for that."
Hearing his words Moka looks up to the back of his head, reaching up with her right hand to wipe the tears from her eyes.
"Can't, or won't Tsukune?" Moka asks in that same quiet voice.
"…Both…" Tsukune growls at her, the word like a giant weight slamming down onto her shoulders. "You did what you did solely to hurt me and for no other reason. You knew how much it would hurt me if you betrayed me like you did, and you did it anyway. I can't forgive that, I won't."
"Please don't say that Tsukune…" Moka begins to plead with him, her voice breaking. "We love each other, and we can get past this…"
Rather than deny her, Tsukune's next words are a final condemnation of her and everything she did that horrible night.
"Where was your love for me when it was time for us to work past your hatred of humanity?" Tsukune righteously demands from her. "If you expect me to try and work past this, why couldn't you at least try to work past how you felt about humanity? Why couldn't you at least tell me why you despise my kind so much?"
Blinking Moka's eyes go wide in surprise. Hearing him identify himself as a member of humanity rather than a vampire like her…
"I understand that you feel like you're still human Tsukune…" Moka begins carefully. "In a lot of ways you are still human, in your heart and in your mind you are, but you have to accept that there's more to you then just being human." She continues slowly. "You're a vampire as well, like me, like my mother."
Standing there Tsukune can feel the urge to vomit rise in his throat at Moka's implication. Other than Akasha Tsukune doesn't think any of Moka's family are descent, good natured people. Issa has his honor and proven to be a loyal and proud man who stands by his word and his family, but at the same time the first time Tsukune met him the man threatened to rip him apart and kill him without blinking an eye; he's also a sex fiend who refused to acquiesce to a simple request from a woman that he supposedly loved who loved him with all her heart and soul in return. As for Ria and the rest…
"I'm nothing like you or your family Akashiya-san." Tsukune growls in defiance. "I have more in common with humanity than I do with anyone else, so who else am I supposed to identify with?"
"I understand that!" Moka insists stubbornly. "You have a human's heart and mind and a human's heritage but biologically you aren't human anymore! When our children are born they won't be born human. As much as you may want that to be different you have to accept that!"
"I know that." Tsukune counters evenly, his voice a tranquil contrast to Moka's. "My children deserve to have a human upbringing and to know my human family and the good people I knew growing up along with a chance NOT to turn out like you or your sisters." Tsukune spitting the word 'you' past his lips.
Standing there Moka cannot miss the implication in her husband's voice. He's putting her into the same category as Ria, Kahlua and Kokoa. He's never done that before, he's never ever said that she was anything remotely like her siblings.
"Tsukune how can you say that? I'm nothing like them!" Moka denies his accusation, Tsukune slowly shaking his head in response.
"Oh really?" Tsukune begins sarcastically, Moka opening her mouth to say that she isn't like her siblings when Tsukune continues, silencing her protest in her throat. "Your sisters all think that sex is nothing more than an act to be enjoyed, that they're all better than humanity, they don't care at all about killing or about love, just like you."
Standing there the young vampiress is struck silent by her husband's accusation. She's never once acted like her siblings. She's always used them as the example not to follow and tried to live her life counter to what they would do. Tsukune has always known that she's strived to be a better person than her siblings, so how can he say that about her?
"Tsukune I am nothing like them! I love you and I care about you! I miss you so much!" Moka insists, the words just going in one of Tsukune's ears and right out the other.
At that exact amount more than anything else Aono Tsukune just wants his soon to be ex-wife to stop talking and leave him alone. He's spent over a month putting her behind him and moving on, talking to his biological family with Akasha, spending all that time with Kurumu, getting Mizore pregnant and going out for a day in Las Vegas with all of them together. Unfortunately for him Aono Moka has no intention of shutting up or of leaving her husband alone. She's spent the last month thinking about the next time she saw him, how she would tell him about the child they made together growing inside her body, how she can fix what's broken between them.
"Then why did you betray me?" Tsukune asks heartlessly. "You admitted to doing it solely to hurt me. Why would I go back to you after that? If you're willing to go this far just to hurt me what else will you do if I take you back and I disagree with you on something else? How can I even trust you anymore? You cheated on me in our marriage bed, knowing I was in the next room and I could hear everything!"
Shaking her head Moka sniffles, the silver haired vampiress at a loss as to what she can say or do to fix things. More than anything she wants Tsukune to accept her again, to tell her that he loves her and that she isn't alone anymore. Instead it's as though that she's only pushing Tsukune farther and farther away from her. She would bend over backwards and do anything if only Tsukune would forgive her and take her back.
"I'M SORRY TSUKUNE!" Moka screams at him, closing her eyes, her voice cracking in sorrow. "I'll do anything if you'll only forgive me and give me another chance! In school you always said that people deserved a second chance! You spared Kurumu and the others even though they wanted to hurt you or even kill you! Why can't you give me the same chance to prove that I've changed?"
"Because you haven't." Tsukune answers her absolutely, Moka opening her mouth to deny the accusation when Tsukune continues, giving the silver haired vampiress pause. "And because I'm not the same person that you knew in Yokai Academy. You turned me into a vampire and you twisted my heart and ripped it into pieces, how could I possibly still be the same person after that? Why are you even doing this Moka? Why are you so insistent on us getting back together?"
Staring at his back Moka's red eyes are pleading and desperate.
"Because we were happy! I want to go back to that! I want to be with you and only you! I never wanted Gin or anyone else I swear!"
"And what if I don't want to be with you?" Tsukune asks icily. "If you truly love me as you claim to, wouldn't you want me to be happy, even if it means me being with someone else?"
Shaking her head in denial Moka doesn't want to even consider that. She remembers all too clearly how she felt when Ria took him away from her for their little trysts. She'd felt like a part of her had gone missing and she'd felt alone again. If he were to truly leave her and choose someone else over her… She wouldn't be able to take it, she can't watch him laugh and be happy with another woman, can't watch him smile at another woman, no matter who it is.
"I can make you happy Tsukune!" Moka insists, tears flowing freely from her slitted red eyes. "Give me another chance and I promise that you won't regret it! You'll be happy and we'll be together again."
Scoffing Tsukune opens his eyes, looking up toward the ceiling.
"You know who you sound like right now Akashiya-san?" Tsukune asks casually, and Moka blinks in surprise, opening her mouth to say no when Tsukune continues, silencing her. "You sound exactly like Ria-san. She's told me time and time again since I left you that she can make me happy and if I only spend one year with her that she'll prove that she loves me."
Hearing that Moka dismisses her husband's implication out of hand. She knows that her sister is a liar and a cheat and would say or do anything to get what she wants. Moka is positive that Ria doesn't care about Tsukune, all Ria wants is to hurt Moka and destroy her, beyond that Moka is sure that Ria doesn't care even a little about him. After all, why would she? Ria has been with more lovers than Moka can even count and she tossed each and every one of them aside when she got bored with them. What does that say about her eldest sister's view about sex and love?
"Ria doesn't care about anyone or anything other than our father Tsukune." Moka insists bluntly. "You can't believe anything she says or does."
Standing there a wicked grin split's Tsukune's lips, the Aono vampire looking back at her with hatred in his eyes. Taking her in for the first time since the end of the bond meetings Moka is dressed in a maid's uniform, complete with ruffled skirt and everything, the black and white French maid outfit cut deep, showing a generous amount of cleavage and just barely covering her panties. When she first put it on Moka had been incredibly embarrassed, but her mother had convinced her, telling her that if Tsukune sees her wearing this and she serves him dutifully and without hesitation as a maid Tsukune will see that she places him above herself. Instead Tsukune had been wary around her and suspicious that Moka had some other ulterior motive for acting as his personal maid.
"Like I can believe you?" Tsukune continues unfazed by his wife's emotional display. "At least Ria-san never betrayed me. She never told me one thing and then did another. She may've meant to hurt me when she forced me into her bed and when she seduced my father, but she never told me that she loved me or that our time together was about anything more than hurting you. It's too late for us Moka, no matter what you say or do I've moved on."
He can't mean…?
Standing there Moka is baffled that Tsukune could possibly be defending Ria after everything she did to him. Hearing about it from Tsukune Moka knows exactly how Ria sexually tortured him and forced his human father into an extramarital affair to try and get to Tsukune. When he finally got away from her Moka had thought that it was finally over between her and her eldest sister, instead Tsukune now favors her over his wife, and is defending her against the woman he swore to have and to hold. She can't accept Tsukune saying that they're through, they can't be through. In her entire life Tsukune is the one bright spot in what otherwise has been a dark and abysmal existence and she can't lose that. She can't let him go when she finally knows what it's like to be loved…
"Tsukune, you can't do this, please don't do this…" Moka insists, the fear of being alone filling her, lacing her voice.
"You're nothing but a coward Akashiya-san." Tsukune's voice is ice. "You were afraid of being alone, so you made me a vampire. You refused to face your fears about humanity so you betrayed me and cheated on me with Gin! Even now you're only talking to me because you're afraid of being alone. You don't want me to leave you, well guess what, I'M LEAVING YOU."
Hearing her mate flat out tell her that he's leaving her and that he thinks that she doesn't care for him Moka doesn't know what else to say. What else can she say to try and refute his allegation toward her?
"I'm pregnant with your child Tsukune!" Moka breaks down, the words spilling out of her as she clasps her hands together in front of her. She hadn't wanted to use their child as a tool. She doesn't think her baby should be used like that, but Aono Moka doesn't want her mate to leave her, she wants him back more than anything and if her having his child can bind the two of them together and be the beginning of the reconciliation of their relationship then she'll gladly tell him.
Standing there Tsukune looks her up and down, watching her standing there with her hands clasped together in front of her like she's praying to him. Looking at her Tsukune remembers that terrible night, how the pink haired Moka had pleaded with Gin to give her a child just like the silver haired Moka is pleading with him now. Looking at her the mental image of pink haired Moka standing there wearing his favorite dress with the perfume he bought her filling the air, her hands clasped in front of her, begging Gin to agree to let her raise their abominable children solely around her family with no werewolf influences in their lives at all is clear as day to him.
The sight of it all makes him want to puke.
"…You expect me to believe that?" Tsukune growls at her in outrage, feeling his anger beginning to rise inside of him at the sight of her.
Blinking it takes a moment for Moka to realize that Tsukune doesn't believe her. Unlike him Moka has had nearly three weeks to come to grips with this fact and accept it. She was conscious during Karzai's examination of her and she's seen the results from the examination. She knows that the child growing her womb belongs to Tsukune and no one else. He is the only vampire that she's ever slept with and the only man other than Gin to ever share her bed.
"Tsukune…you…" Moka begins slowly; ready to say that he has to believe her only to have her former mate cut her off, his voice dripping with anger.
"Gin knocks you up and you expect me to believe that it's mine?" Tsukune growls at her indignantly. "You expect me to raise another man's child that you created while I was in the next room! What kind of idiot do you take me for?"
Feeling his anger burning inside it takes all of Tsukune's willpower not to reach out and wring Moka's neck. The Aono vampire is positive that Moka is lying to him. IF she is pregnant he's sure that the child is Gin's, not his. After all, Moka invited Gin over to their home for the express purpose of obtaining Gin's seed and not even looking for child support from him to help her raise it. Instead Tsukune is positive that Moka is trying to fool him into raising a werewolf's half breed bastard, and he doesn't want any part of it. In his mind that child is the product of Moka's betrayal of everything he holds sacred and a symbol of that betrayal, he would sooner die than help her to raise it.
"It isn't Gin's Tsukune! It's YOURS!" Moka insists, closing her eyes with even more tears flowing down her cheeks in rivulets. "A Jinni named Karzai examined me and he found that the baby inside of me is a pure blood! If Gin had gotten me pregnant than the child would be a half breed! Ask my father, my mother! Either one of them will tell you and they have no reason to lie!"
Thinking about it a moment Tsukune sighs in frustration. While it's true Akasha or Issa have no reason to lie to him about the 'purity' of Moka's child he knows better. Her scent is different than it was before, the change reminds him of Gin, and the only reason Moka's scent would be reminiscent to his is because it is his child growing in her womb. The child may not be a half breed, but there have been children born of mixed breed relationships only to be born the same race as the mother.
It isn't common with vampires, but it can happen.
In truth Tsukune doesn't want her to be pregnant with his child. If she is then that means he's forever linked to her through the flesh of that offspring. Even if he takes another mate and has more 'legitimate' children with another vampire Moka will always have his first child as means to get to him, to find him and be in the same room as him.
"What proof do you have?" Tsukune growls back at her in anger. "How can you even expect me to believe you? We spent years having unprotected sex together! I can't even begin to imagine how many times I thought you might get pregnant after what we did together! Instead we spent years together and you never once even worried about it or even had a pregnancy scare! Now you betray me and now you tell me that you're pregnant and it's mine? We haven't had sex in over two months, remember! You cut me off the second I disagreed with you!"
Shaking her head Moka sobs heartbrokenly. Ever since she found out she was pregnant she's been thinking about how Tsukune would respond to her telling him. She'd expected him to be skeptical, that he would want to see the results or that he would at least wait to see the child born before he'd cast his judgment. She'd never expected him to outright call her a liar and tell her straight up that he doesn't believe her.
Unfortunately for her in Tsukune's eyes Moka has been dirtied and defiled. When he'd fallen in love with her he'd equated her to some kind of perfect angel, he'd thought that there was no way she would ever willingly hurt him. Instead she did just that and now she expects him to come back to her and tell her that he loves her and he doesn't care that Moka did the worst thing that's ever happened to him and now wants him to help her with the burden of raising the bastard child growing in her womb?
"Tsukune you have to believe me!" Moka insists, trying to hold herself together in spite of her husband only wanting to get away from her and denying his child growing inside her. "I wouldn't lie to you about this! I swear!"
"And what does that matter to me?" Tsukune asks heartlessly, his words like a knife cutting into Moka's heart, making her just stare at him in a shocked stupor. "I don't trust you, and I damn sure don't love you anymore. I don't want anything to do with you or that half breed…abomination growing in your belly! If you want someone to help you raise that…thing, why don't you go hit up the father?" Tsukune offers coldly, making Moka blink in surprise when she remembers that Gin is in fact dead, and if Tsukune is suggesting that she seek him out than he can't be aware of that fact. "I'm sure Gin would just love to know he knocked you up in one shot…" Tsukune pauses, raising a finger to his lips and looking thoughtful a moment before continuing. "Actually…how many times did he defile you while I was outside the door? How many times did he do it before it finally took?"
"…Gin is dead Tsukune…" Moka quietly sobs the words, ignoring Tsukune's question and looking down toward the floor guiltily. "Father ordered Kahlua to kill him for posting that video of the two of us having sex together on the internet."
Standing there Tsukune just nods. He figured that Gin was responsible for that little web site, though he had no idea that Issa ordered the mutt put down for posting that video. Had he known Tsukune would've gladly attended the funeral; Gin at least had the decency to send him that video and prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he successfully ejaculated inside of his wife and impregnated her. As far as shows of friendship go it isn't much, but at least there was a silver lining to the entire thing…
"Oh?" Tsukune asks curiously, and Moka's head bobs solemnly in agreement.
"I have that pendant that he always wore… The cleanup crew took it from his body to prove that he's really dead. Father wanted me to have it as a constant reminder that he's dead and it's my fault." Moka explains quietly, guilt rising in her at the thought of what happened to Gin because of her and her insecurities.
"Too bad for you." Tsukune comments snidely, not caring that Gin is dead. The man was not and never was Tsukune's friend. Everything Morinoka Ginei had done for Tsukune had been because Gin had an ulterior motive. What Gin had wanted more than anything else back in Yokai Academy had been for him and Moka to split up and Gin to be there to be the rebound guy; the man a woman sleeps with to get her old lover out of her system and begin to move on. Ultimately Gin finally got what he wanted, it just cost him his life, and for that Tsukune isn't sorry and he doesn't feel even a hint of sorrow. As far as Tsukune is concerned the son of a bitch werewolf had it coming in spades. "Looks like you're going to be all alone."
No…Tsukune don't say that! Don't abandon me! Please!
"Tsukune why won't you believe me?" Moka tearfully sobs into her hands, the sight of her crying her eyes out and wracked with sorrow doing nothing to stir Tsukune's pity of her.
"Let's say I believe you." Tsukune assents hypothetically. "What do you think having my child is going to accomplish? Do you think it's going to make me love you again? Do you think that it's going to wipe away everything you did? Do you think I'll take you back?"
"I…" Moka whispers, not really sure how to answer that question. "I thought that you would at least wait to see it until you make a decision, and once you see that it's pure you would at least try to be a father to it."
"And you think that means being your mate and husband?" Tsukune asks sarcastically. "Children grow up with separated parents all the time. Their childhoods are far from what I'd call 'ideal' but our children having an 'ideal' childhood is impossible. You want to turn them into prideful, cruel mean spirited monsters while I want them to at least have some compassion and kindness. Those two ideals can't co-exist; you can't succeed in raising it to be a 'proper vampire' unless I fail in trying to instill any good values in it at all."
"I don't want my children to go through what I did growing up!" Moka insists. "My parents were separated; I know what it means to grow up without a stable loving home! I don't want that for them! They deserve to be happy, to see their mother and father in the same room! I want them to know what it means to love and to care, I want them to have those 'good' values you want to try and teach them!"
"While raising them purely around the rest of your demented family?" Tsukune asks harshly. "Tell me something, how long do you think it will take for Ria or Issa to get our child alone and start influencing them? Ria will tell it to do whatever it wants and to just take whatever it wants whenever it wants regardless of what happens to other people. If the child refuses Ria will tell it that what I've taught it is a lie and that I'm a fool. What do you think will happen when it's given a choice between not getting what it wants and listening to me or doing what 'Auntie Ria' said and instant gratification?"
Tsukune shudders when the words 'Auntie Ria' pass his lips. In his opinion there's no way that Ria should be allowed within one hundred feet of a child, no matter what the situation. To him, Moka wants to throw his children 'to the lions' and let a bunch of beasts raise them rather than try to teach them some compassion and caring. Tsukune doesn't want to see his children jaded, to watch them go into their freshman year at Yokai Academy telling the other students to take what you want and it's acceptable to kill someone for insulting them.
"We can try Tsukune!" Moka insists. "We can raise our children around your family half the time and then bring them here the other half. We can compromise! I swear!"
Turning around to face her fully Tsukune very slowly looks her up and down. Over the years he's learned a thing or two about reading people, and while he might not be able to figure out Ria or Issa (in his mind not even Sherlock Homes could figure out Ria.) he can read Moka. Looking at her he can tell she's serious, that she really means that she wants to compromise with him and raise their children in both environments.
"That doesn't change the fact that I don't believe you." Tsukune answers her absolutely. "My child isn't growing in your womb, and if you don't have an abomination growing inside of you, how do I know that you didn't sneak off and let some other vampire impregnate you or that you took steps so that Gin's child wouldn't be a half breed? How can I trust that you'll keep your word? How do I know that once the child is born you'll let me take it to the human world and try to teach it how to care and how to love? How do I even know that your family will allow me to?"
Standing there Moka can't believe her ears. Every time Tsukune refers to the beautiful life growing inside of her he calls it an abomination or a thing. While it is true that if she was pregnant with Gin's child it would most likely be a half breed, calling it a thing and an abomination...
"My family doesn't care how I raise my children! That decision is up to us and no one else!"
"Then how come the vampire council is making you choose to either give up the child or your ability to reproduce?" Tsukune asks her coldly, Moka's eyes going wide in surprise.
"H-How do you know about that?" Moka asks in shock, Tsukune's expression set in a poker face.
"Akasha-sama told me." Tsukune answers her. "I've known for over a week that you're supposedly carrying my child, but the only thing that so called 'test' revealed was that it isn't a half breed." Tsukune continues ruthlessly. "And you expect me to believe what a Djinn doctor says about my child that hasn't even been born yet?"
"It's yours Tsukune!" Moka insists. "You're the only man other than Gin I've ever been with!"
Staring at her Tsukune's voice doesn't rise even a fraction of a decibel.
"Then how come you smell like Gin?"
Actually hearing him Moka just stares at him, the question completely serious, his chocolate eyes staring at her, waiting for her reply. She doesn't know anything about her smelling different, none of her family has said anything to her about her scent changing or that something is different with her.
"Tsukune, what are you talking about?" Moka blurts out in surprise.
"It's in your scent Akashiya-san." Tsukune explains to her. "It's faint, but it's there, and I will never forget that Wolf's scent, as long as I live."
Standing there Moka doesn't know what to say. Like Tsukune she knows that there is a remote possibility that Gin could be the father of her child. The odds were somewhere around one in one million, but it is possible, and if that is the case and Tsukune is right, then she has no claim to him, the child growing inside her is hers alone, and even if she took another mate her new mate would never accept it and her family would treat it as an adopted child at best, at worse shackle it into servitude.
"Are you sure Tsukune…?" Akasha's voice breaks the silence, the pink haired Hades Lord approaching her daughter from behind, the Aono vampire momentarily looking her in the eyes as he answers her question.
"I'm positive." Tsukune answers without hesitation. "I'd stake my life on it."
Hearing him Akasha slowly bobs her head in affirmation. Seeing that Moka just stares at her mother in shocked stupor.
"Mother…you believe him?" Moka whispers, Akasha slowly rounding her jade eyes on her daughter, her expression solemn.
"The truth is your scent has changed my daughter." Akasha calmly assures her. "I've never been in the same room with this werewolf you speak of, so I merely believed it to be the natural pheromonel changes our bodies undergo when we become pregnant."
"That…that can't be true…" Moka whispers, denial thick in her voice.
Her child being Tsukune's is the only good thing in her life right now. If the baby growing inside her body really isn't his, if she managed to obtain Gin's seed and create a pure blood baby with him…
No…
"Tell you what…" Tsukune begins slowly. "IF the child is born without dog ears and a tail I'll agree to a DNA test. IF that test comes back that it's mine and I can take the child to be raised away from here then I'll consider accepting it."
"It isn't a half breed!" Moka sobs, relieved that Tsukune will at least give her the chance, if not a very good one. The skirt on her maid uniform swinging back and forth as she talks. "It's your child and it deserves to know who its father is and it deserves to have a stable happy life growing up!"
She simply won't accept any other truth…
"Then give it up." Tsukune snaps at her, not believing for even a fraction of a second that the child is his. "If you give birth to a half breed child I swear that you'll never see me again. I will never look at you or it ever, and I would sooner die than have a hand in raising it."
Hearing the 'if' in that statement Moka feels a small ray hope, the pregnant vampiress clutching onto the feeling with everything she has.
"And if it is a pure blood child and the DNA test confirms it's yours?" Moka asks, and Tsukune stares at her a moment.
In that moment of silence between them Moka can practically taste his disbelief. It's clear as day to her that Tsukune doesn't expect that to happen, and that when she gives birth if the child comes out a pure blood vampire the DNA test will confirm that it isn't his.
"If the child is mine, then we'll talk." Tsukune answers her begrudgingly. "Even if it is my child that doesn't mean I have to love you. You having my child DOES NOT absolve you of what you did to me. You hurt me and I will not put you in the position to do it again. I will love and care for my child, that doesn't mean I have to love the woman that birthed it."
It is not lost on him that if the child is a pure blood and it is his Tsukune would have to admit that Moka was in fact telling him the truth. If things come to pass as she claims they will then Tsukune will apologize for what he's said to her, but he will not take her back and accept her as he once did. He can't bring himself to consider the idea of taking her back without the same questions coming to mind: what's to stop her from doing this again, how can he trust her after she did what she did? The truth is, he can't ever fully trust her again, and if they go back to the life they lived Moka will have ample opportunity to be alone in that apartment and she'll have plenty of time every day he goes to work to bring a lover into the apartment and do whatever she wants with him and then clean up whatever evidence. Every day he would suspect of her of infidelity, and he won't raise a child in that situation.
Then there's Kurumu. After everything she's gone through and everything they've done Tsukune can't just callously cast her aside. Kurumu was faithful to him when he got her exiled. She loved him and pursued him even though he made it clear that he'd made his choice. When he said he would be her destined one he meant it. He might not be able to give her children, but he will be there for her as much as he can. She deserves at least that much.
Taking a deep breath Moka visibly steadies. Watching her Tsukune is surprised to see her reach up and wipe her eyes, the female vampire slowly breathing in and out. Gone is the torrent of despair and anger, in its place Tsukune sees a sort of quiet serenity, a calm confidence that wasn't present in her just minutes ago.
What did I do…? Tsukune's thoughts are wary, suspicious. Before I'd told her I would talk to her if the child belonged to me she'd been frantic, now she's at peace, maybe even...happy?
Wiping her eyes again Moka's red slitted eyes meet his human brown ones, the two vampires, one sealed, one not, looking at one another with a myriad of emotions and a long conversation still between them.
"I wish that you wouldn't go this route, but if you're at least willing to wait and see then there isn't much else I can ask of you." Moka's voice is almost happy as she speaks, and Tsukune warily takes a half step back, his own voice level and controlled, but filled with sarcasm.
"You do realize that I still believe it isn't mine." Tsukune needlessly reminds her. "Just because I'm willing to give the child the benefit of the doubt until it can be tested doesn't mean I've forgiven or forgotten what you did."
"I know." Moka assents with a heavy sigh, looking down at the ground a moment before she looks up at him, a familiar 'light' in her eyes that Tsukune recognizes from happier times.
Is she happy? Does she honestly believe so deeply that the child she's carrying is mine? Is she delusional, or…
Tsukune intentionally doesn't follow that thought to its logical conclusion.
"Why are you suddenly so calm about this?" Tsukune asks suspiciously.
"Because, I know the truth and what you are going to see when I give birth to this baby." Moka's hands drift down toward her stomach. "I know that you'll accept that I'm sorry for what I did, and I truly want to make it right."
"You can't just 'make this right.' Even IF the child in your womb is mine, you still tried to conceive a child with my best friend practically in front of me as a means to punish me. I don't trust you, and I will never trust you like I did before."
Again Moka just slowly nods, accepting her former mate's proclamation without a hint of sadness or anger.
"I've made mistakes Tsukune." Moka responds quietly. "Not just with Gin, but with a lot of things. I was selfish and arrogant. I took your love for me for granted and I truly believed that there was nothing I could do to destroy our relationship. I thought that I knew best and you needed me to guide you and correct you. I was treating you like a servant, and for that I truly apologize."
Her words are honest and sincere, everything Tsukune can see, hear, taste and smell about her tells him that she's telling the truth, that she really is repentant for what she did. Not only that, she's apologizing for trying to control their marriage and trying to explain herself.
"Do you think that makes up for it?" Tsukune asks, crossing his arms over his chest, and Moka slowly shakes her head no.
"No…I know it doesn't begin to make up for what I did to you Tsukune." Moka answers him, her response honestly surprising her former mate.
Taking a step forward Moka reaches out with her right hand to touch him, and Tsukune shifts backward, his eyes dropping to her outstretched hand, everything about him telling her that he doesn't want her to touch him.
"However…" Moka begins slowly, lowering her hand. "I mean to show you that I've changed, and I'm going to do whatever I have to in order to prove that to you. Do you at least believe that much?"
"I believe that you're desperate." Tsukune counters evenly. "I believe that you're afraid that I'm going to fall in love with your mother or another vampire and take her for my mate."
"That's all true Tsukune." Moka confirms for him, her eyes ever so slowly drifting to Akasha and then back again. "It scares me to think of you with my mother, with Ria, or with any other woman."
"Why? Because I'll be happy? Because I'll get past you and move on?"
"Because I'll be alone again." Moka answers him, her voice pitched so low Tsukune can barely hear her. "You're the only person in the entire world I can count on. My mother hates my father and can't stand to be around him, I can't relax around any of my sisters, and you're the only one…"
"There are other men out there Moka, three billion of them are human, I think. I'm sure one of them would be more than happy to spend their life with you."
Shaking her head Moka looks up into his dark eyes, her scarlet orbs filled with longing.
"I don't want them Tsukune, I want you…" She whispers, her voice trailing, just staring into his eyes. "Can we at least be friends? I know it's too much to ask you to share a bed with me, but can we at least be friendly with one another until the baby is born?"
"You know that I'm still mad at you." Tsukune needlessly reminds her, Moka nodding solemnly.
"Yes Tsukune, I know. I'm not asking you to take me back or even go out on a date with me, I just want to be able to talk to you or eat breakfast with you and the rest of the family. I just want to be friends, at least for now."
"No demands? No telling me what I should and shouldn't do? No checking my cell phone history to see who I've been talking to or going through my e mail?" Tsukune asks, and Moka shakes her head no solemnly.
"No, Tsukune." Moka assures him quietly.
Standing there Tsukune is silent as a tomb. For a long moment the hallway is deathly quiet, Moka watching the 'gears turn' in her former mate's eyes, seeing the emotional war being fought in his chocolate eyes. One part of him wants to tell her that it's impossible, that he doesn't want anything to do with her, and the other is at least willing to try this with her.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Tsukune asks. "I'm going to see other women, probably even Akasha. Do you want to do that to yourself? Do you want to watch me form a bond with another woman while we're nothing more than friends?"
Swallowing Moka slowly nods.
"I would rather have you in my life as a friend Tsukune, then not at all." Moka answers him, the Aono accepting her statement quietly.
"We'll see." Tsukune affirms after a moment with a weary nod. "The second I catch you falling back into your old habits, that you haven't changed, we're done. Am I clear on that?"
Nodding Moka practically falls over in relief.
Standing next to her daughter Akasha's lips curl in a slight smile. She can't help but feel a swell of pride at Tsukune's words. He's willing to give her another chance, to not totally condemn her for her past mistakes and give her the chance to show that she's changed.
"Yes Tsukune." Moka answers him, the debutant vampire controlling the urge to raise her voice and show just how happy both sides of her are. "Would you talk to Omote? She would really like to speak with you."
"No." Tsukune answers quickly, looking away from the silver haired woman. "Every time I think of her I remember that video. Even looking at you it's hard for me not to remember."
Sighing Moka can accept that. It was her other self who was 'in control' when she'd slept with Gin. It was her other self that was on the video, crying out in ecstasy as Gin had sex with her. Moka doesn't even want to broach the topic to him now. Maybe in time he'll accept that they can be close and she isn't thinking about Gin and how it felt to sleep with him while the two of them are together.
"I understand Tsukune." Moka answers him. "I hope that in time you will give her the chance to redeem herself in your eyes, she is just as regretful as I am."
"I'm sure she is." Tsukune responds in a low whisper, fixing his eyes on the corner of the hall where the wall meets the floor, intentionally not looking at Moka or her Mother.
Like Moka Akasha had been in the room when Tsukune had met with his potential suitors lined up for him by Issa. Akasha had been mostly silent, there in the capacity as the Hades Lord to ensure that the meetings were conducted peacefully. In truth a part of her had been judging each of the suitors, Akasha picking the flaws out of each suitor, the pink haired Hades Lord ultimately finding none of them worthy of Tsukune. For all the 'nobility' on their birth certificates in her mind one hundred of them don't even equal just one of Tsukune.
Reaching out from behind Akasha gently grasps Moka by the shoulders and speaks softly.
"That's enough now Moka." Akasha gently assures her.
Nodding her agreement Moka looks away from Tsukune, looking into her mother's eyes, the slightest smile splitting her lips. She's managed to convince her mate to at least defer his judgment until after their child is born and a proper DNA test can be administered. As far as victories go it isn't much, but it's better than Tsukune leaving her in a broken heap, telling her that he refuses to acknowledge the child even if it is his. She knows that asking him to speak to her other self was pushing her luck, and now knows that however he feels about the silver haired version of herself that he must feel twice as strongly about her 'other' self.
Looking up at Tsukune Akasha can tell that deep down Tsukune truly doesn't know what to make of Moka's sudden change. He's still holding a lot of anger toward her, and in spite of what he's said he isn't a bad person. Anger can make people say and do things that they don't really mean, and Akasha can tell that Tsukune didn't want to have this conversation with Moka. Akasha knows that Tsukune can't show her any kind of compassion; that this has to be done so Moka can understand that Tsukune is through with her and there is no chance of reconciliation between them, but that he will at least give his unborn child the benefit of the doubt. Akasha's only feelings on the matter are that it's a shame that Moka's child will never know what it's like to have parents that are in love and happy together, but whether or not to be involved in that child's life is Tsukune's choice and his choice alone. If Tsukune truly doesn't believe it's his or want to be involved then there's very little anyone or anything can do to make him. Now the choice remains with Moka. Tsukune has made it clear that he will at least wait for physical proof that the child is his before he makes a final decision, and if she were to keep it Tsukune would still have to take another mate and have 'legitimate' children with that mate. If she gives it up without showing him the result of the DNA test Moka can tell him whatever she wants, that it was stillborn or that she gave it up for adoption, and Tsukune will simply nod and in time he will get past his anger and his mistrust and the two of them can slowly rebuild their relationship, if they so choose.
Unless he's mated to another woman before then. Akasha thinks to herself. I'm sorry Moka, I'm so sorry but this is how things are. When you took that creature into your bed that night you made a choice and sent your mate a clear message. You might not have meant to send that message but in the end that only matters if it matters to him, and he's made it clear that it doesn't.
"I think that's enough…" Akasha says quietly, speaking toward Tsukune.
Standing there Tsukune solemnly nods, his head slowly bobbing up and down once.
"I have something that you can wear to the party tonight Tsukune, please go to my room and wait there for me. Once I'm done with Moka I'll meet you there."
Nodding again Tsukune turns and starts walking. After ten steps the Aono vampire stops and looks back over his left shoulder, taking in the scene of mother and daughter standing next to one another, Akasha holding her daughter and comforting her.
Moka looks back at him, a part of her wanting to cross the distance between them and embrace him, tell him that she loves him and beg and plead for him to let her share a bed with him. Another part of her knows that she's attained a victory today, that Tsukune could've just as easily told her that he wouldn't be civil with her and wouldn't even speak with her unless ordered to by Akasha or Issa.
Closing his eyes the Aono vampire slowly shakes his head once before he turns away from the scene. He truly didn't want it to have to tell her like this, but he tried being compassionate and doing this gently. In response Moka had been stubborn and insistent. She'd kept calling him and trying to talk to him even though he'd made it clear that he doesn't want anything to do with her and confusing his trying to break things off with her gently for lingering feelings for her. He'd left the sitting room as soon as the bond meetings were over to try and avoid this, but Moka gave chase, and there just isn't anything else he can think of doing to try and get the message through to her other than putting his hands on her. He even slept with Moka's mother while Moka was outside the room, and while Moka couldn't hear it Tsukune told her about it anyway. Yet she still insisted.
"The meetings are over now Moka…" Akasha says gently. "We need to get you dressed."
Nodding Moka doesn't say anything, allowing her mother to gently turn her around and guide her back to her room.
Maybe now you'll understand. Tsukune thinks to himself as he watches Akasha leading her daughter back toward her room. I'm not sorry for this Moka. When the time comes and my suspicions are proven true you won't ever see me again