Once Hayami's bite mark had been healed, the demon laid back on the pillows with his mate in his arms. He hadn't moved an inch since making himself comfortable and wasn't intending to move either. In fact, his fingers were still interlocked with her's and hadn't separated since. Now that Haku finally had his human mate at his side, he let himself truly relax for the first in a long time. He didn't need sleep, and simply closed his eyes and enjoyed the peace and quiet.

This moment made all the years of searching, all the horrifying visions, and accompanying guilt, worth it. Just by having her with him made him feel complete in a way he never thought possible. Haku had been so focused on the human that he didn't allow himself to let things sink in. Now that things had settled, it all became real for him. Now that she was here with him, he quietly vowed that she'd always have his protection and love. He didn't want to move or whisper too much to wake her, so he let a couple tears slip and pecked her forehead before restraining himself. He felt like he could shower her in affection forever, but also felt it was too soon for more than this.

Hayami didn't sleep long, too used to her routine of broken sleep. Two hours later, she woke up. But instead of being confined in a hideout, she was surprised to be under soft, warm covers and in a protective hold. No wonder she felt more rested than usual. Once she was aware enough, she lifted her head to look at the demon beside her. He was already looking at her too.

"You're here. So.. It wasn't a dream then." Her eyes began to gloss over but didn't cry.

She wouldn't have been surprised if it all were a dream. Now that she had gotten some restful sleep, she was more levelheaded than earlier. She was still tired but enough to where she could process things properly now.

"Yes, it's all real," Haku concurred. He could see that her judgement wasn't as clouded and frantic.

The demon removed his arms from her once Hayami began slowly sitting up. Haku sat up with her and observed her behavior as she looked around the room. She started with the farthest features, being the walls, and ending with the blanket that covered her from the waist down. A voice beside her then called her name, and Hayami looked to the source. Delirious or not, Haku was still as gorgeous as when she first laid eyes on him. She recalled all of the care she got from him, with her eyes looking into his adoring gaze. She had a hard time believing that someone like him wasn't human. But human or not, it was obvious how much he cared for her wellbeing.

Hayami wasn't used to being worried over or cared for like this. While she was grateful, this treatment made her question what would happen to her next. She looked back down into her lap and asked aloud, "W-What will happen to me..? After all this, I mean."

Haku's brows upturned themselves and the demon murmured her name under his breath. He then cautiously took her back into his arms. Feeling the calm wash over her once more, she held onto him and let the tears escape her lids.

"Nothing will happen to you- not anymore. I meant it, when I said you were now safe, Hayami." Haku told her. He tilted up face up by her chin and wiped away any falling tears.

"Even so.. I know you feel scared. You don't know what's going on, but you can ask me anything. I'll answer the best I can, okay?"

Hayami nodded and sniffled before asking, "What is this place..?"

"We're in the Land of Fire, in the Village Hidden in the Leaves. But this building is the embassy of my homeland, the Land of Water, and I come from the Village Hidden in the Mist."

"That means.. That.. You aren't staying here?"

"Right. We'll take a day or two for you to rest, and then we'll go back together."

Hayami perked up and gave him a surprised look. Haku chuckled and replied, "I wouldn't come all this way just to leave you here, you know." Hayami blushed and lowered her gaze. "I-I guess."

Hayami was not used to his presence yet, and Haku understood that. He could relate to her words since their meeting seemed like a dream. But no, as he said, it was all definitely apart of reality.

"You.. You're my.." Hayami just couldn't bring herself to say the word 'mate.' Humans weren't supposed to have 'mates' so it felt strange to even say it with her own mouth.

"Yes, I'm your mate. That I know for sure."

"H-How do you know for sure?"

"Well, for one, if you weren't, then I wouldn't have been able to heal you like I did earlier." Haku's answer made her blush as she remember what happened as she succumbed to exhaustion.

"O-Oh."

Hayami did have lots of questions. Her biggest worry was that she didn't really understand what being a 'mate' entailed. She didn't know what was expected of her- if she were expected to give him anything. Haku didn't seem like the type who craved blood but appearances could be deceiving sometimes. It was definitely on her mind, now that she was more alert.

"I don't get much of what's going on... I don't know enough to understand. I don't really know what a mate is supposed to be. I especially.. Don't know what's expected of me since I'm human.. Just.." Hayami began to ramble. Her eyes began to glisten with threatening tears, causing Haku to intervene. It pained him to see her so distressed.

"Breathe. There's no need to rush your words." He reminded her. Hayami took a couple breaths before continuing.

"This entire time, my whole life, I've been so.. Confused." She stated.

Haku knew she was referring to literally everything to do with having a supernatural mate mark on her from birth. He would happily explain and only hoped she could process things. It was a lot of information and concepts that would be foreign to most ordinary humans.

"I understand." He himself took a breath and continued. "I'm not going to lie, it'll be a lot to understand. But I'm still here to help you understand."

Hayami took the indication to start asking questions one by one. She had to start somewhere, that was for certain. And while she felt a bit nervous, she was also eager to finally be getting answers about who she was supposed to be.

She unraveled the hand she held onto Haku's and pulled over her top to she her mark, as she asked her first question.

"I know what this is supposed to be.. But what does it mean? And why do I have it?"

Haku silently looked over to her displayed mark for a moment. He looked at her with sincerity while explaining things in full.

"Since you are human, I can only speak to how marks like that one affect my kind. As you very well known, the concept of mates are not something humans normally adopt... In a way, it's like a betrothal but much, much deeper of a bond than the human standard. It's usually something only two members of the supernatural race have together. In fact, a human bearing this mark is almost unheard of. It's an incredibly rare phenomena."

"So what.. Does that mean for me..? And you?"

Haku chuckled to himself. A recognizable expression of worry had started to creep it's way onto her features. He was quick to answer her before the anxiety set in for her.

"I promise it's nothing you have to feel scared of. In the supernatural race, mates have always been considered something sacred."

"B-But.. I'm human."

Haku softly shook his head. "It doesn't matter. If anything, you being human actually makes me feel more towards you.." Haku blushed a bit once he admitted his feelings.

"What do you mean?"

"The supernatural are naturally protective of their mates. It's apart of our instincts. But since you are human, you are more fragile. You can't defend yourself like I would. Therefore, my instincts when it comes to you are even stronger than most.. We only get one mate in our life, after all. If we even are given that blessing to begin with."

Hayami then felt kind of foolish for being even a little fearful of Haku. It was clear as day how much he cared for her. If he really wanted to hurt her, wouldn't he have done so by now? She saw how solemn his eyes looked after he finished speaking. It was almost like he was pleading her to believe him. It caused an ache in Hayami's chest that she just couldn't shake. She may have only met Haku today but the pull she felt towards him was undeniable.

Hayami shuffled closer to Haku, still facing him.

"And what is it that you feel?"

Without a pause, he had already answered her. "I love you."

The human froze and blushed a deep red. She covered her face with her hands. Peaking through the spaces between her fingers.

"A-Are.. Are you sure?"

Haku chuckled to himself and tilted his head in amusement, at her flustered face. It didn't really help Hayami with her situation. She was now close enough that she could clearly see the hues of his big, gorgeous eyes. She also just noticed that his hair was no longer in his bun from before, now flowing down his shoulders and back. And goodness, even his expression and smile looked beautiful. Never had someone of the opposite sex looked so attractive to her.

Haku reached to remove her hands from her face. He held one palm in each hand with his thumbs stroking the back of them.

"Hayami, you've only met me today. But I've known of your existence your entire life. It's given me plenty of time for me to claim such words."

Hayami was still rather young and inexperienced, so it was expected that she'd react with such shyness. He certainly would not expect for her to return his words. For now, he was content. While on Hayami's end, she was at a loss for words. She never had someone profess their love for her like this. He spoke as if it was the most natural thing for him to say, like he had done so a hundred times already.

"Mates... You said, it's almost like being betrothed?" Hayami asked quietly. She couldn't look him in the eye anymore and still had a blush present on her cheeks.

Haku nodded before answering simply, "Yes."

Maybe it was simply because she wasn't used to these kind of interactions, but she always seemed to want Haku's company and attention. Unlike anyone else, he never truly felt like a stranger to her. The human wouldn't have wanted to with anyone else. She just felt right with him there. Though it defied what she knew as a human, she decided to listen to her gut feeling, which told her to trust this demon.

After some time, the two had laid back down on the bed together. Hayami started speaking and asking Haku more questions. Of course, he also participated in the give and take.

"You know.. I've been told some strange stories of human that are chosen by demons."

"Oh?" Haku asked with a curious expression. He had a feeling he knew what kind of things she would say but played along anyways.

Hayami told him how the stories included tales of human women being kidnapped by the supernatural race, being drained of blood, and even raped in some cases, before being left for death the claim them. It was exactly what Haku expected her to say. He almost let himself laugh, but he did giggle with a hand covering his mouth instead.

"It's no wonder that you were apprehensive before."

"S-So.. Those stories weren't true after all?" Hayami meekly asked. Haku shook his head and responded.

"I think those stories may very well be real but not in the case of mates. I can't imagine a case where a supernatural would ever harm their mate, even if they were human."

"So the supernatural.. Do they drink blood?"

"Depends on them individually- I don't."

Hayami knew some partook in drinking blood, considering she had been bit before. She let out a sigh of relief that the being laying across from her didn't.

"Hayami," Haku called her name to get her attention.

"Even if I did, I would never take your's by force. I won't make you do anything you don't want to in any case. Alright?"

Hayami silently nodded in understanding and snuggled closer. Haku wrapped one arm around her while his other hand stroked her hair in a calming manner. Still in his arms, Hayami still continued the conversation once relaxed again.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly are you?"

The supernatural races are a reference to demons, spirits, and several sub-categories. A rather standard question but more complicated in Haku's case, as he was about to explain to the human girl.

"Hmm. I'm technically classified as a demon. But it's actually not as straightforward as that.. You see, I come from a bloodline that's rather rare. And clans like mine have special attributes and abilities that are unique only to us. I'm actually quite the mix of supernatural races, though predominantly a demon."

"Your clan? So there are others like you?" Haku stopped stroking her hair. Painful memories had briefly come to mind with his mate's question.

"No... There isn't. I'm assumed to be the last of my clan."

Hayami stiffened and looked Haku in his eyes. She didn't know any better but still didn't mean to bring such a subject up. She just hoped that it didn't make the demon too upset. Hayami desperately wanted to apologize but no words seemed good enough to say. Though she spoke no full words, her eyes and expression said it all. And that was good enough for Haku. He was far too used to the fact that he was the last of his clan and had long learned to move forward despite it.

"It's okay, Hayami, you didn't know." He slightly tightened his grip and resumed running his fingers through her long hair. "The downfall of my clan happened a very long time ago. In all that time, I hadn't met a single one who was survived. Please don't feel the need to apologize."

Hayami accepted Haku's reassurance though she still felt kind of bad. She certainly felt too awkward with herself to carry on the conversation. Just like Haku had his hand in her hair, she had started playing her a lock of his silky black locks that had fallen over his shoulder. She remembered how he looked with a bun and couldn't decide which style she liked better. She was content laying against Haku, silently playing with his hair and recalling all that had occurred that day. It definitely felt better to be with him like this than alone and without his attention. She didn't want to return to life before Haku appeared.

As the time went into the evening hours, Haku ordered dinner for the two of them and they ate before brushing their teeth and winding down once again. Hayami amused herself with the different channels on the television in the room, all while encircled in Haku's arms once again. Already, Hayami felt like Haku was treating her to luxuries she never had before in her life. That's what she considered all these new amenities to be at least. Their meal was a light, traditional meal but with more variety than what Hayami had been fed up to now. She never even had fresh, hot rice until Haku gave her a bowl of it. Television shows were also never apart of her life either. She knew what it was and how it worked, but indulging herself in watching instead of working was a big no-no.

And now, clothed by material that was properly made to be clothes, and covered by fluffy blankets, with equally comfortable pillows for her head to rest on, it was all more that added to the list of things she never had in her life. Even these little things that seemed normal to so many people had opened up a whole new world for her. Least of all, she didn't expect to be laying comfortably in the arms of someone like Haku, who treated her with nothing short of care. Bit by bit, she was getting more comfortable