A/N: hello, welcome to a little project of mine. This is going to be a series of drabbles with various characters and themes throughout, some of these might feature a few BL pairings as well.

-X-X-X-

I Part: Heretic

He couldn't see anything relevant, it was all dim in his vision. Sunako did took a fair serving of his blood last night, so it was probably a given. Perhaps Seishin should be happy, that he hadn't passed out or died yet... Should he really though?

Now he laid limply on a timeworn couch with Sunako sleeping soundly. The girl's head was rolled on his side, her hair neatly falling down her back, although several rebellious strands had cascaded onto her pallid cheek. Muffled crashes and yells manifested from above, as if imitating a bloodthirsty tragedy from the infinite sky. He supposed those were the sounds of the villagers, investigating the mansion. If by chance they were found here, the villagers would kill Sunako for sure. That was, what Seishin feared the most. The man even wished, that he could somehow steal her anguish and render it his own. He couldn't bare to see her suffer or worse see the poor shiki fallen under the stake's sharp apex and yet his mind already pondered on those horrid possibilities, painting them in ghastly visions inside his anemic psyche. They were trapped inside this man-made cell after all, there was nothing left for them to do. The prospect of escape and freedom had been forbidden. The only thing, that God handed to such creatures, who betrayed his teachings, was the agonizing wait for the inevitable demise.

Perchance this was his punishment for being a heretic...

II part: Innocence

„And you have the guts to tell me this now?"

„Toshio, don't say..."

„Why shouldn't I? You were the one shouting from the top of your lungs!"

Seishin quieted his next words, evading his gaze from a fuming Toshio. Instead of paying attention to his friend, the silver-haired male stared dimly at the catheter, slithering from his arm, like a damned snake after partaking in a fabulous feast. Really Seishin had no means of answering his childhood friend… After the quiet had become dire, Toshio leaned over, placed his hands on the sides of the ivory bed, trapping the monk's already stiff and awkward posture…

Perhaps it would be wise to note, that the whole room was deeply drenched in disinfectant, due to a particular sharp and metallic smell. The remains of that vile liquid were still proudly masking patches of the floor - immoral and sickening. Wherever Seishin diverted his attention, the dull white followed, mocking his attempts. Toshio stopped beating around the bush, he sighed deeply, before inquiring in a softer tone.

"What happened to you, Seishin?"

No, Seishin was wrong it seemed. The walls had abruptly gained a red hue, due to a rebellious slithering thread and with that his friend's voice faltered.

"You changed. Why?"

The plain white colors had all but gone from the palette. Then silver-haired man tensed. Red…

"Please tell me, why." Toshio's voice got stuck in his throat, after he noticed an empty smile gracing his friend's lips. "Seishin?"

Red... The ivory had finally lost. A funeral had commenced for the lost innocence... Yet there had been nothing Seishin could say to fix this freshly formed reality, this new opinion… He should've noticed sooner, that it was no use hiding his true self…

III part: Coffee

Two cups of dark coffee… The scent alone could drown even the fiercest of enemies and bound them with a swirling aroma. That wasn't entirely the case with Toshio, as he sat on a swivel chair inside his office and opposite from a certain violet-haired girl. Sunako had no problems with this odd meet up, she sat at the end of the table, keeping the brimming cup between her palms for warmth. Perhaps she even reveled in the fact, that she had so easily breached into the enemy's hideout or maybe she was delighted at the mere fact, that he had no choice, but to listen to her, whatever was the case, the shiki gave off a pleased, aristocratic aura. Toshio could not share such a sentiment. He despised her way of barging in unannounced and wearing such an extravagant dress, like an attempt to intimidate him.

In the middle of this interrogation, the doctor sat with crossed arms below his chest and a stake stashed below his desk. He chose to cut their chat short.

"So why did you come here?" Sunako drank her coffee, seeming to ignore Toshio's question. The doctor frowned, his patience was wearing thin. "Well?"

"I didn't came meaning you any harm."

"You're existence in my hospital is already threatening." He grunted.

"I'm sorry. It's just that, I needed your help..."

"I suppose I have no right to refuse…"

"You see, I did not came to Sotoba harboring ill intent. You above everyone else should understand the desire to live. I need to feed in order to survive, but I can't eat anything else beside human blood… "

"And I should believe you?" Toshio cocked an eyebrow skeptically, pushing his coffee away to the middle of the desk. "Have you tried?"

"I did... For a lot of decades…" Sunako nodded solemnly and Toshio's eyes widened in mild surprise. After a brief pause the girl inhaled, locking her determined eyes with Toshio. "That's why I'm asking for your help, Ozaki-san."

Toshio seemed to be blown off from such a proposition. The man felt uneasy about helping such a damnation. She was the one responsible for the myriad of deaths since summer, he should threaten her to leave or he'd execute their bunch just like he did to Kirishiki Chizuru. However there was another glaring problem in killing this species and that would be, that in between the risen dead, there mingled a fair share of well known faces, like his nurse Ritsuko, Mutou's son - Tohru, even Natsuno was one of them, Seishin had been particularly keen on savoring the shiki's likewise. Toshio supposed that he had to give in, much to his displeasure.

"What exactly do you want me to do?" He asked, mockery hidden in his voice. Sunako caught onto the menacing tone. She knit her brows, abandoning her calm façade.

"I'll leave that choice to you, Ozaki-san…" Toshio was about to argue, but Sunako interjected. "I believe you are far more experienced in the medical field than me. In order for all of us to survive, you'll be sure to make a right decision. Yes? "

"You're not giving me an option, Kirishiki-san." Toshio sulked, scratching his head. Sunako giggled lightly at that, before putting down an empty cup.

"Call me Sunako, I hate, when others add suffixes to my name. Then we have an agreement." She stood, elegantly bowing to him then. "Thank you for having me and for the coffee of course, Ozaki-san."

"Yeah , sure…" Toshio grumbled silently. For a minute the doctor regarded his own half-filled drink. Somehow the coffee had lost it's taste.

IV part: Sunlight

It had been a very long time since Tohru had seen the morning sun, regrettably it had been the same amount of time, that he ceased to be human. He was living as something else now, something abominable and hated. He was a shiki - as their leader, Sunako, preferred to call herself and others, who had the same fate... Literally he was a corpse demon. Tohru did not understood the need to gloat. He hated the creature, that he had become, he despised the unbearable hunger, which gnawed at his insides like a pair of irked demons. He was not strong enough to end his life, honestly Tohru was frightened of death - the actual death - he was afraid of the pain, that came without feeding… There was simply no other way…

The man's eyes had drained from the white color, leaving an abysmal black in their wake. He was nearing Natsuno's house, stalking the night like a thief - he was no better, he was weak, afraid of Sunako, or perhaps more so of her jinrou… Tatsumi won't let Tohru's family see the end of night, if he'd figure, that the blonde had tried to bend the rules.

In so, as there was no plausible escape, Tohru quietly trudged through the fallen leaves and lost branches, nearing the wooden edge of a renovated house. it's outline had been visible to him. Soon enough the blonde pinched his bottom lip, as he came closer to window. After some hesitation he softly rapped against the glass, calling out meekly.

"Natsuno…"

V part: Pharmacy

A lot of years ago the heart of Sotoba used to be a lot livelier, there were a significantly larger amount of open shops and at the same time their heavenly presence had attracted pedestrians, who used to swarm into the shopping district like a pack of bees. This particular street had been known for long conversations and warm meet ups, sometimes even loud arguments, that sprung up from inside or outside of Ohkawa's liqueur store. But nothing less was expected from the village's shopping district. This street had followed the Omi river, going along it's giant stream. This street nowadays would still become unusually merry during the Kagura celebration, but the numbers could not compare…

Things were different nowadays… That the twenty-four year old woman noted, as she walked near the river, one Autumn's afternoon. Ritsuko was enjoying the sharp breeze and the dampness, that were both customary to the month of October. Nevertheless she felt relieved to spend her free hour this way.

However these deserted streets around her had caused a sudden twinge to manifest and poke at her heart, the mental stabbing had gotten particularly fierce, after her steps inwardly halted in front of an abandoned shop… The rusted shutter had been set, it did not budge nor move an inch, while the windows of the second floor were tightly masked by shades. All of it was the same as she recalled… This acted as another dagger to Ritsuko's childish dreams and the hope of it's owner's returning to Sotoba…

This building used to be a pharmacy…

Ritsuko could vividly re-imagine her first visit here, when she had been but a small girl with rosy cheeks and azure colored mittens. That first meeting had transpired in an unforgiving Winter.

Her mother led her here, tugging on her tiny hand in order to hide from the unexpected storm.

"Oh?" The owner of the pharmacy – Gotouda Hina had appeared in front of the register with a smile then. "The weather's rather terrible there, isn't it?"

Ritsuko nodded, meanwhile her mother greeted Hina, retying the little girl's scarf tighter. Ritsuko's little eyes trailed the numerous colorful bottles and boxes on the shelf behind the cashier. The odd smell also penetrated her nose, making the five-year old girl both mesmerized and curious. Gotouda Hina spotted the young girl's gaze, so she came closer.

"Why don't you stay for a while, til the storm lessens a bit. I was about to make tea, it would be nice, if you could join me…"

Ritsuko's mother gave an affirmative motion after a stunted moment. Ritsuko herself grinned widely.

And so began the long lasting friendship, that the Kunihiro family shared with the pharmacy store's owner…

VI part: There was a time

"There was a time, when I would save you…"

Seishin always would talk Toshio out of his antics, regardless, if the doctor would approve of those irksome interruptions or not… They lived with one another's stagnant company for so many years, Toshio should know, where he shouldn't prod or when to expect an irritated pout… The same could be said about Seishin, alas neither of them changed their tedious habits…

"There was a time, when I would miss you…"

"Hey, Seishin." The doctor greeted with a wave, as he climbed the steps of the temple. The monk stopped sweeping, waiting for him to add, what he already suspected. Toshio smiled bitterly at his friend's expression. "I guess you already heard, eh?"

Soon enough both of them observed the village down below, as it bathed in the evening sun. The shinning sphere fell into the sea of flourishing firs, reluctantly it did so, as if shackled to the ruthless roots. Toshio inhaled suddenly.

"Well, then I guess this is goodbye… Until next year at least…" His tone sounded nonchalant, but Seishin remained clenching the broom in his hold, as if readying himself for a verbal attack. The sour fact, that Toshio was leaving to study in Kyoto hurt enough, even making the monk's heart beat heavy against it's cage.

"Toshio…"

"Hmm?" 'Have you lost your mind, Seishin?!'

"It's nothing…" He shook his head, praying those relentless wishes away with a blush. "Have a safe trip."

"There was a time, when I would fall in love…"

It took Seishin long enough to realize those feelings and an eternity to accept them, luckily he now had all the time to his leisure or despair… He had fallen in love with Toshio… But as the man gazed into an ocean of shivering birches, basking in the late sun, he smiled bitterly. It was too late…

VII part: Runaway

Sotoba was the farthest place, that he wanted to be in, those were the recurring thoughts beckoning Natsuno. The national road led away from this cage entombed between three exceeding mountains. The teenager was harboring an idiotic hope of going down that road and leaving this village for good. Of course such a narcissistic wish was worthless – because that way his parents would be left to wander in the dark, about what had happened to him, just like Natsuno would wander aimlessly for food and shelter…

In his mind the boy could envision a brighter possibility, where he would come across some trustworthy people, find a job and so on, and so on… Of course that was just a possibility out of plenty others, that awaited him. This was one of those nights where the latter idealistic thoughts had overtaken his psyche, itching his body to finally make a move.

So in the dead of night the blue-haired teenager had gathered the bare necessities and stuffed all of his money into a bag, then quietly climbed out of the window, heading through the thick firs. Initially he was hoping to round the woods and find a path to the bus stop. From there he would ready himself for a three hour walk to Mizobe. If everything would go according to plan by the time morning would come, he'd reach the neighboring town, then Natsuno would catch a bus and head to the city… Away from this damned hole…

After an exhausting trudge inside the enormous woods, Natsuno finally made it to the civilization of the little village. He took a breath and eyed it from this bird's eye's view. The houses were all shrouded in quiet submission and were leaning their exhausted heads to the night's comfort. Nothing altered or shifted here, Natsuno found that sickening. Eventually he reached the bus stop, but his craved freedom mockingly hid in the murky clouds. Natsuno spotted a well-known dog, sniffing a tuft of grass near the metal poll. His owner – Ritsuko was near by, watching over it, with a calm smile. Natsuno stood near the forest's opening, hiding in the shadows. She would not approve of his actions, if Ritsuko would spot him she would rant him out, there was no other way. The nurse loved this village, it was her hometown, so she wouldn't be able to understand his seasonings…

Standing between the menacing gloom, shattered his resolve and likewise flooded Natsuno with common sense. The teenager pinched his bottom lip, while clutching the strap of his bag. He won't be able to run away this night…

VIII part: Abandonment

Dear Kirishiki household,

I address this letter to you, as an invitation to the dying village of Sotoba. Perhaps the word 'abolished' would suit better.

The villagers, despite being the perpetrators, preach about saving their own souls. Don't you find that rather pointless? In my opinion, there is nothing left to save… At least not in this life, not for me. That's why I ask of your assistance… Breach this barrier with no fear, my friends, I will welcome you to my humble abode tonight. Sotoba is doomed beyond saving and I can solely blame this on their foolishness, while I am a fool myself… I will abandon the villagers, like they did to my free will. To greedy vultures all of us turned, we disregarded kindness, ripped away understanding and selflessness from our nests. We are all guilty, flawed. Thus we will pay for these sins accordingly. Certainly, how can we fight with reason and abnormalities, if we banished them long ago?... Let my entry serve as guidance to you and the next generations, let it testify our faults, engrave our blemishes for eternity… I pray, that the future will choose and act wisely, learning form our mistakes.

Lastly, I give permission to your kind and thus entry to my bedroom, however this invitation does not extend to my wife's nor my son's rooms. Please come directly to me. I'll be waiting.

Sincerely,

Muroi Shinmei.