chapter xiii.
He had been uncomfortable the moment his presence was revealed in front of the other vampires, ones that he had never met before. Senri had been afforded a sheltered childhood, albeit one that had been rather abusive by the hands of his father Rido. And thus, he was majorly out of his comfort zone the moment he had been set in the limelight, and his lifeline Asuka had been taken by her twin brother. And whilst he knew he could have fought to have her by his own side, he knew that he couldn't afford to do so in front of nobles he did not know, and especially ones that had loyalty to their precious Kaname.
Thus, he had gritted his teeth and played the demure noble, allowing Kaname to have his own way, whilst analysing those that watched him. Yes, he saw their calculating gazes, the little whispers that passed behind his back as they wondered who exactly Senri was, and who the new Kuran princess was — the one who had been unknown up unto this point. And as they made their progression the outer skirts of the Moon Dormitory, he winced at the screams of the masses of fangirls that seemed to line the pathway to class, moving closer to Asuka as he sought for some sort of protection against the pesky humans.
Ignoring Kaname's warning glance that promised some sort of later retribution, he heaved out a relieved sigh the moment he felt Asuka's calming touch upon his shoulder as she sent him a brief warming glance. Whilst he knew that they were to remain in accordance to vampire etiquette whilst in public, he couldn't deny the sense of relief that arose with just that single touch. Giving her a brief nod, he steeled himself to remain stoic in his facade, as he continued to follow the pathway alongside his fellow vampires, before shifting his focus upon Asuka's who had slipped past both him and her brother towards a human girl.
Hearing the mutterings of the nobles at her bizarre action to save the girl from the humans that seeked to trample her over, he wondered just who exactly this person was to catch Asuka's attention. That, and why the vampires also seemed intrigued in this action. Yes, it was unusual for a pureblood to care about a human in this fashion, but it seemed she wasn't alone to care for the girl. And because said individual was Kaname, he wouldn't chalk this up to a coincidence, at all. He would have to bring that up at a later date.
And whilst he wished that it could have been him by her side, he knew that he couldn't challenge Kaname's so blatant authority when he himself didn't know all the unknown variables. A small sigh escaping his lips as he realised this was his new reality, he wondered what Asuka would have done if he had denied her request when she had proposed attending Cross Academy. And whilst he knew that it was in her nature to be selfless — that she would have so easily given up her plans, he knew that she would have secretly been hurt by these actions.
And if there was anything that he despised doing, it was hurting Asuka.
It was almost like cutting off one of his own limbs.
And to do so was unfathomable.
But he knew that with this new reality, it heralded a change in their relationship, and he feared the changes that would be brought about as a result of Kaname. The man that brought a bitter taste to his thoughts. And one whom he knew would be a fierce competitor in the race for Asuka's love. Not that she was aware of this at all.
Oblivious, naïve little thing.
And how he loved her all the more for it.
Moving through the classroom to seat himself in the back row, he ignored the other vampires who seemed to chat about the bizarre actions of Asuka and the mutterings about her kindhearted nature, and who exactly she was in relation to Kaname outside of being his sister. He had no interest for their noble political moves, seeking to only have this over as soon as possible so that he could escape back to his room. Away from the noise, away from socialising.
Yet the moment he wondered what the next few days would bring, his attention was diverted by the appearance of Asuka before him. He hadn't expected for her to follow him, not with Kaname tailing her at every move she made. Oh, she must have sensed his inner turmoil the moment they had step foot outside.
How he loved her for knowing him so well.
And for always caring.
"You alright Ri-chan?" Asuka murmured as she took a seat adjacent to him, uncomfortable with the multiple stares she had received the moment she had step foot in the classroom. While she knew that the novelty of being a new pureblood would afford her the attention of many vampires, she wished that this wasn't so. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like if she was just a plain human, and not one of the most powerful creatures upon this planet. Like her previous life.
But then she wouldn't have Yuuki, Kaname or Senri and she was sure that she would come to not enjoy life as much as she did with them by her side. Speaking of Yuuki, she was pleased to see that she had at least made tentative friends with her younger sister. Whilst this was still uncertain, she was glad that the other girl didn't seem apprehensive about a vampire approaching her, (perhaps this was courtesy of Kaname's intervention, but nevertheless she was looking forward to getting to know her younger sister). That and perhaps guide her to not be so naïve as she was in the series.
That had led to several decisions upon her behalf that had been rather unsavoury. And she didn't want to see her hurt at all.
Pleased to see Senri reply to her comment with a small nod, she reached over to briefly touch his arm in assurance before fixing her attentions upon her twin brother whom decided to take the other seat adjacent to herself. Surprised to have him next to her when she knew it wasn't his normal place from the anime, she wondered if his protectiveness had led him to change seats so that he was next to her. Not that she completely minded — she enjoyed having his presence so near her, it was soothing after having been so far away for so long.
A twin bond was something rare. And after having been separated for so long, it had felt like a part of her had been ripped out. Ripped out and away from her. But now that she had been reunited with Kaname, everything felt right in the world.
Heaven help her if she was taken away from him again.
She certainly hoped not.
Kaname had hoped to guide Asuka to a table near to where he normally sat, but his plans had quickly been altered the moment she followed their cousin to seat herself beside him. And whilst he had been irritated at this move, he sought to quickly cover this turbulent emotion with his nonchalant façade as he dropped to take a seat beside her, ignoring the nobles who knew better than to question his motives.
After all, there was nothing more important than his twin, Asuka. And he sought her protection, especially from the wolves would try and take her away from him. He almost dared them to do so, so that the bloodthirsty monster that lay beneath his façade could be appeased by the sacrifices. He would happily bathe in the blood of their enemies if it meant she could live for another day and grace the world with her presence. Her smile, her infectious laughter were gifts from the God's above.
And he would treasure them and her for eternity.
But there was just one roadblock in the way of her happiness. Or multiple. It hadn't escaped his attention the way the male aristocratic vampires and humans alike had eyed his sister. From her breathtaking Kuran beauty, to her kindhearted nature when it had come to helping their younger sister Yuuki. And how this brought awake the darker side in him that sought to eliminate all his competition to ensure that he was placed first in Asuka's heart.
Or perhaps he would be able to do that without her attention.
For now, he would remain in the shadows.
At least he had his dear sister by his side.
And with that thought, he ignored the teacher's ramblings as he occasionally glanced towards his sister, wondering what she was thinking about as he twisted a pencil in his fingers, wishing that they had time alone together so that they could get to know each other again.
How easy it had been in the old days. Yet, with their separation time had passed. And he felt like he barely knew his sister like he once had. And he would be damned if Senri Shiki would know Asuka better than himself, her own twin brother.
He would have to plan out for this weekend to be spent just the two of them, just like old times.
To go to their old Kuran mansion which he had fixed up ever since she had disappeared, and to remake new memories. That and perhaps allow her to see where he had buried their parents so that she could have a chance to farewell them.
It hadn't been easy, but Asuka had managed to give both Senri and Kaname the slip when she had convinced them that she wanted a bit of time to herself. Well that, and she might have managed to persuade them through widening her doe eyed brown gaze to plead for them to agree. Not that she had an underhanded agenda, but she did want to explore the campus a bit better and perhaps cross paths with her younger sister, or even Zero.
She had been surprised to not see him through her own interaction with Yuuki, but she had remembered that at this point of the anime, he had been suffering with his bloodlust, especially since his body would be rejecting the tablets. And perhaps she was willing to help him in his suffering, if it meant that her younger sister wouldn't have to suffer through Zero's hunger. Not to mention, Zero had a pretty wicked sense of snark she knew that she appreciated throughout the series.
Hopefully they could make good friends. Otherwise she'd have to take matters into her own hands.
After all, she couldn't have Yuuki hurt under her own watch. Especially since she knew Kaname's possessive tendencies, and considering how unpredictable he could be, it could end up with them straying far away from the original storyline.
Walking amongst the forest, her eyes lit up as her night vision allowed her to see everything that lay before her easily without any hindrance. How she enjoyed nature, the comfort it brought in the dark, when one was undisturbed. And perhaps that was what she missed most from her old life. Having lived upon a property, it had meant that she was able to spend hours upon end in the outback, lying in the grass to stargaze, or galloping among the fields upon her beloved steed.
Yet, as she continued her pathway, her lips began to quirk to a bemused smirk as she sensed Zero's presence nearing herself. Steeling herself the moment she heard him cock his gun at her figure, she turned around slowly as she gazed at his frown.
"And just what do you think you're doing out here after curfew, vampire?" Zero snarled out, the moment he had sensed a vampire — and a pureblood that had been skulking around the forest after their classes. It irritated him that she didn't seem fazed at the least even when he could have shot out her heart with a single bullet. Why wasn't she afraid of him? His curiosity slightly peaked at her polite reply (unlike the rest of the bloody irritating Night Class), "I apologise Prefect. But I just wanted to explore the campus since I'm new and all. My brother gave me permission, especially since I'll never be able to do so during the day."
Ugh. She was a stupid Kuran too. At least she seemed much more bearable than her brother. Kaname. The one that Yuuki seemed to have an attachment to. And whilst he could see that it wasn't anything romantically inclined (which he wouldn't deny gave him a sense of relief when it came to a certain jealous green monster that arose inside of himself) but more of a trust bond, he couldn't help but want to protect Yuuki since her naïve nature would probably end up trusting the vampire that would drain her or turn her into a vampire like himself.
And he would do anything to prevent that.
Not only because he loathed his existence as a a vampire, but she as a creature of the light didn't deserve to be chained to the night.
Bemused as Zero reluctantly lowered his gun, Asuka decided to offer, "If you're so concerned, you can join me and give me a tour of the campus if you want." It wasn't as if she didn't want to get to know Zero better anyways. She wanted to ensure that Yuuki had the best protectors, and if this was her way to be able to vet out Kiryu, then she would take advantage of the opportunity. It wasn't as if she didn't know that Zero would be suspicious of her nature — especially since she wasn't just a vampire, but also a pureblood.
And wasn't she a bizarre one. So unlike her brother, and the rest of the Night Class who seemed to live their lives out to irritate him with their condescending natures. Not that he trusted her one bit. She probably was the type that if you gave an inch, she took a mile. But at least he could watch over her movements and take action if she stepped one centimetre out of the right direction. Grunting with a nod, he kept his hand upon his gun as he tucked it in his pocket before replying, "Fine. But if you do anything wrong vampire, I'll shoot you out."
Chuckling at his threats that did not faze her at all, (she could always utilise her powers if need be), she nodded as she replied, "So scary, Mr Prefect. And my name is Asuka, not vampire."
The arrogance! The audacity! Maybe she wasn't so different from the others. And yet, there wasn't a hint of malevolence to her speech, instead more playfulness? And the fact that she seemed bemused by their conversation, not seeking to end his existence like he knew Hanabusa was itching to do for his 'disrespect to their precious Kaname-sama.'
He wasn't going to lie; it did confuse Zero the fact that this vampire acted so differently to the rest. But it didn't mean he was going to let his guard drop one second.
Ugh, just when he thought he could sleep — now he had to take Asuka — the stupid pureblood vampire out and about the school.
And Yuuki was nowhere in sight for him to push the duty off onto her.
With his sister away from the rest of the vampires, Kaname took the opportunity to lay a few ground rules when it came to Asuka. A possessive gleam appearing in his gaze as he regarded the rest of the Night Class, he commented, "I'm sure that you'll be striving your best to protect my twin sister Asuka in the future. I expect that you'll afford the same respect I am given, if not more. I will be watching out for any impertinence or insolence and rest assured — you will be punished if you misbehave. I trust you will handle these tasks to the best of your ability. After all, Asuka is the most important person in my life, and one day will most likely be my wife if she wishes, as my parents intended us to be fiancés."
Ignoring the gasps and murmurings of the nobles, Kaname surveyed his audience before letting his gaze settle upon his dearly beloved cousin. And whilst he could see the usual façade placed upon his features, he couldn't deny the sense of satisfaction that arose when he swore, he could see the irritation ascend from Senri's figure at his words, and the challenging gaze that was met head on.
Kaname vs Senri: 1:1.
Take that.
Nodding at the noble's vows to protect his sister, and their nods to comply with his wishes, he left them to continue their gossiping as he left to his rooms. And whilst he could have continued his conversation with Senri from previously, he decided to let the other stew in his words, whilst he placed his attention on what to do next with his next few steps, especially when it came to regards to winning Asuka's affections, and later her heart.
But first, he would have to plan the outing this weekend with Asuka, allowing them to finally have privacy and be away from the irritating gnat (Senri), allowing their twin bond to settle and flourish like it once had in their childhood.
How he missed being able to easily interpret each gaze and expression upon Asuka's features in a second, and how he deeply desired to do so again. That, and he still had thousands of unanswered questions about Asuka's time in Rido's prison. Not to mention what she had been up to with Senri in the past few years (had she missed him as much as he had missed her? Who was Senri to her truly? Who was the most important person in her heart?) He desperately wanted to hear the words that would soothe his fears. To hear that she desired him just as much as he did for her.
And he couldn't forget that nifty little notebook he had seen upon Asuka's bedside table the moment her possessions had been unpacked by the maids in her room. Kaname still couldn't get over how his twin had been able to create a shifting code that he — the first Kuran ancestor hadn't been able to interpret at all.
All this and so much more.
But mostly, he couldn't wait to spend more time with Asuka.
Undisturbed.
Together.
Like it should have been all those years ago.
Kissing the Queen piece of his chessboard, he moved a white pawn to capture one of the black knights as he gazed out the window, wondering what was taking his sister so long to come back to the dormitory.
And whilst he knew she was capable in her own powers now, having been assured by her demonstration last night, he couldn't help but fear that she was all alone out there, without any of his knights to accompany her. Well, he knew that Seiren would at least be tailing her from a distance, but no noble was a match for him and his abilities.
He was certainly the formidable opponent.
But he knew the moment she had set her gaze upon him, he had become weak (he would topple kingdoms, raze hell for that gaze alone) — easily acquiescing to her pleads. And a weaker man would have hated the weakness that Asuka brought. But Kaname relished in it, knowing how lonely he would be to endure eternity alone without her by his side.
And he would so loathe to cage her in a golden cage, when she was meant to be free.
Now just to topple the intrusions that stepped in his way to claim her as his own, so that they could live happily ever after.
author note: you've been blessed with another chapter again! i've been bitten by some muse which has brought out my writing process much faster than usual so i hope you enjoyed this chapter, especially with more of senri and kaname's pov but also to finally have zero make an appearance! (it only took 13 chapters to get there...) fear not, we will see much more of him in the future. i did want to add yuuki, but i felt that it would have been a much less smooth interaction between asuka and zero if she was there, as zero would be on protective vampire hunter mode if she took part in the conversation. hopefully zero didn't seem too ooc, but then again — this is an au universe, so i'm not going to really apologise too hard for that.
honestly i get so excited every time i see a review or pm pop up in my inbox, telling me of what you enjoy about this story, or what you would like to see happen or even what pairing you like best! to be frankly honest, it might take awhile to have the romance finally cook up in any of the pairings because a) asuka is an oblivious idiot (but we still love her) b) because i still am prioritising plot over romance and c) well i am a sucker for angst so really please don't kill me on that end. however, until the romance really begins, i will still be keeping polls open for which endgame pairing you guys prefer most! quick reminder for what they are — asuka/senri, asuka/kaname, asuka/kaname/senri, and what pairings you would like to see for yuuki! let me know. also if you have any ideas for how you would like to see the guys woo asuka (because honestly they're really gonna have to step it up so that she realises that they are romantic intentions and not just wow! i'm! appreciating! you! as! a! close! friend! slash! sister!) so if you have any ideas please let me know!
finally — thank you to all of you who favourite and follow this story, i really am so touched that you guys are enjoying this story enough to be doing that. hopefully i am not letting you down with each instalment and chapter of this story.
and as always, if there's anything you would like to see happen (because truly i really am open to anything), please do send me a pm or a review and let me know.
till next time! xx