Citrus: One-shots and Multi-Chaptered AUs Chapter 1: As I Lay Here, a citrus fanfic

Chapter 1: "As I Lay Here"

In the long-winded cold of the night in Mystic Falls, a girl laid back flatly against a frigid road. Waiting for any person to stop by, it was her way of luring her prey, and bleed them dry. She'd rather enjoy their frightened screams in the middle of a less crowded area, she's not like her brother after all. Eating animal blood was out of the question and she just can't stuff down its spoiled aftertaste.

She heard footsteps and immediately stood with all force left she had, carrying all the weight in her body as she cooled her heels for a familiar voice nearing her spot.

"Katherine?" She began in a questioning manner.

"No, I'm Yuzu." The blonde looked at her suspiciously.

"You just look, I'm sorry. You kinda really remind me of someone." She straightened her creased jacket and introduced herself, "I'm Mei."

"Not to be rude or anything but it's kind of creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere." Yuzu's gazes were between her estranged torn up sleeves and black leather jacket,

"You're one to talk, you're all out here by yourself." She kept her distance from Yuzu, hunger continued to stir at the back of her head, and Yuzu's scent was very intoxicating, but she knew she can't touch her, she'd be in big trouble if her instinct overtook her senses.

"It's Mystic Falls, nothing bad ever happens here." Her voice wavered, she'd heard about cases circulating around their town that were associated with animal attacks.

Mei stared at her pensively, "What brought you here?"

"I just wanted to be alone, the party was too noisy for my liking. And then there's this thing about my parents." Yuzu shrugged and hoped that the girl in front of her wouldn't pry any longer.

"What thing? May I ask?"

Yuzu sighed, "We got caught up in an accident, I lived and.."

"I'm sorry."

"I just don't know what to do with my life." Yuzu rubbed her temples, her frustration was clouding her judgment. "I don't know what I want anymore."

"That's not true, you want what everybody wants." Mei made an indistinct smile, her voice smug.

"What? A mysterious stranger who has all the answers?" It was eerie but Yuzu felt comfortable enough to be around her, she smiled back at the girl who made her effort to lift up her dead spirits. "So, Mei, what do you think I want?"

"Love." A simple remark that came out with a huff.

"Sorry, can you expound?" Yuzu was certainly not looking for love, her parents just died for Christ's sake.

"Sometimes, when a person searches for her meaning, she needs and wants to be loved. And not just any love, you want a love that consumes you, you want passion, and adventure… or even a little danger."

Yuzu smiled, perhaps this girl was not crazy after all. "So, uhh, Mei, what do you want?"

The raven-haired girl smirked.

"Yuzu!" Someone hollered the blonde's name from the distance.

"I'm sorry, those are my friends. It's nice meeting you, Mei." She glanced at her back to steal a look from her friends and when she turned around to look at Mei, the latter went closer from her so much so that she could feel her warm breath against her skin.

Mei stared at her, pupils dilating as she tried her compulsion towards the blonde, "I want you to get everything you're looking for, but right now, forget that this ever happened, can't have people know that I am in town yet. Good night, Yuzu." And in a blink of an eye, she was gone, carried by the thin air.

The blonde stood perplexed as she tried to remember why she was standing in the middle of the road.

Yuzu inhaled sharply as she halted from her tracks and stared at the huge building of their school with both her arms clung around Matsuri and Harumi. Students from different levels were passing by in front of them and ignoring the three as they dealt with their own share of daily problems.

"I can't believe we're actually in college, who would've thought that we would pass?" Yuzu smiled brightly at both her companions who seemed to be lifeless.

"I think that question only applies to yourself, Yuzu." Matsuri snickered a comment.

Harumi smacked her forehead, "Matsuri! Cut her some slack, she just, you know…" She directed her eyes at Yuzu's melancholic face.

"I'm fine, guys. Really. I don't want you to feel pity for me."

"Whatever you say, Yuzu. But know this, you'll always have us." The pink-haired girl rubbed Yuzu's back in a circular motion.

"I know. And I thank both of you for that."

"Excuse me." A voice from behind made almost three of them jump from surprise.

When they turned around to face the man, Harumi's jaw lowered, she stared at Yuzu and mouthed 'HOT.'

"I'm a new transfer, my sister and I have trouble looking for our classrooms, are you all perhaps first years?"

Yuzu was still staring at his blue eyes and down to his lapis lazuli big tacky ring. It looked like an old heirloom from his predecessors with an engraved initial: 'E'.

Is that their surname?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. I'm Eiji," He held his veiny hands towards Yuzu, greeting her in a vintage manner and it puzzled Yuzu even more.

Once the blonde gained her senses, she accepted his hand and shook it firmly and answered, "We are actually first years, I'm Yuzu… this is Harumin,"

"Pleased to meet you," The brunette held his hand a lot longer as Yuzu continued, "And this one here is Matsuri."

He stared at the pink-haired girl, ready to greet her formally but he was cut off, "Nope, shiny boy, I'm good with name introductions alone."

"Matsuri!" Yuzu chided.

Another calm but authoritative voice cut through their shared conversation.

"Now, where's our classroom? I can't afford to be late."

And somehow, Yuzu felt that she'd heard that voice before. Somewhere... but everything inside her mind was vague.

"I'm sorry this is my sister." He turned to grab Mei's arm but she glared at him. "Mei."

Yuzu stared at her finger, their rings resembled each other but hers had the letter 'M' engraved on it.

"You both can follow us."

All eyes were on their new companions, whispers, and gossips spread like a wildfire as they walked past through the crowded hallways. Students were standing against their lockers, arms crossed against their chest, their eyes never leaving the new pair.

When they sat on their seats, Eiji was next to Yuzu and Mei at the blonde's back.

Why do I feel like I'm watched? Where's Mr. Saltzman?

"I'm sorry, I'm late. I'm Alaric Saltzman, your history teacher. I don't like boring introductions, so who among you here have heard about the Battle of Willow Creek?"

"Yes sir," Came Matsuri's voice, "I heard from my grandparents that it took place here in Mystic Falls, Virginia. Other than that, I have no clue."

"You're right, but that's common knowledge, right? The battle of willow creek took place at the end of the American Civil War which was in the year 1865. The battle resulted in a union victory with the outnumbered Confederate troops retreating to Mystic Falls. My question is, how many casualties were concluded in this battle?" The professor roamed from seat to seat and tapped the brunette's chair. "Ms. Taniguchi."

"A lot? Like a lot, a lot." her answer made her classmates chuckle as she did as well.

"Disappointing. How about you, Ms. Okogi? I'm sure you can enlighten this class."

"I don't know, sir." Replied the blonde while she lowered her head. Shame ran through her veins.

"346 casualties, unless you're counting the local civilians." Someone answered from behind.

"That's correct." The teacher acquiesced "Ms…?"

"Aihara." Mei's brows creased.

"Aihara, huh? Any relations to the original settlers here on Mystic falls?"

"Distant."

"Very good, except of course that there were no civilian casualties in this battle, " Mr. Saltzman laughed mockingly.

"Actually, there were 27, Sir." Mei opposed." confederate soldiers fired on a church, believing it to be housing weapons, but they were wrong."

Their classmates sat in awe, some made a cheering yell as Yuzu tilted her head to look at Mei, but the latter stood from her seat in unison with the sharp blaring of their school's bell.

A/N: What do you all think? Leave comments below. Continue or Nah? Also, follow and favorite this story, please xD.

I know you want updates for my main fanfic about these two beauties, but I think I don't have the mental strength to do so just yet. Just wait for my return. I think this will be my final update for this year, I need rest. I hope you'll be patient with me.

TL; DR.

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope I'm not late.

-emf