HoneyBlossom99: :D speculation on what she is is part of the fun! ;) I'm glad that you liked the interaction between her and Touga. It was interesting to right! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Seasons-in-DL: Haha, I'm sure that Reiji would scare about anyone! Thank you for the compliment! :D I hope that you enjoy this chapter!
mspyrrha: I hope you enjoy the talk! :p Haha, games are always so much to fun to write, cause they can either go in her favor or against her. (: I'm trying to maintain a longer chapter update. Hopefully this one is just as good of a read! :D
kamisdaniti: Feel free to ask me anything! :D You can either message me or leave it in a comment. (: I don't mind answering questions and advice is always welcome! Sorry I've taken so long to update this chapter! I hope you find it just as good as the others!
Tsukiyomi-Hio: Sorry I've taken so long to update! Thank you for the review! :D I'm so glad that you are loving the story!
Illusions4738: Thank you for reviewing! :D There will be more Laito and Mai stuff to come! They are so much fun to write together. :D I'm going to try to pull out Laito's teasingly romantic side! :D I think it'd be great to see it! I didn't mean to take as long as I have updating, but I hope you enjoy this new chapter!
Bless You: The sexy time teasing is the best way to go! Haha, jk jk. (: I'm happy that you are liking the story! Thank you for reviewing!
Hey! It's been a while! (: Sorry for leaving you on a cliff hanger! This chapter has been done for a bit, but I just went over it and ended up changing a few things. I hope you guys enjoy! Thank you for being patient and reading! :D
She thought that Reiji would immediately start talking; however, he just silently sat beside her. Her heart hammers against her chest even harder as the seconds tick by, and she tries to distract herself by staring out the window. Finally, she simply rests her head against the cool window and closes her eyes. Once her body finally relaxes, she opens her eyes and turns her head just enough to make sure that Reiji really was there and not a figment of her imagination. Unfortunately, he was, so she turns her attention back to the street outside the car. Curiosity was starting to burn a hole in the pit of her stomach. Against her better judgement, she gives into her curiosity and turns her gaze to Reiji. One leg was crossed over the other, and his hands were neatly rested in his lap. His eyes were closed, and he almost looked serene. For a brief moment, Mai finds herself unable to pull her gaze away from him.
It was so unfair that all of the brothers were handsome, almost alluring, to look at. The thought of their rotten personalities help to dispel the illusion that they created. Thankfully, she doesn't get a chance to dwell on her thoughts. Unfortunately, it's due to a cold look of disgust that flickers over Reiji's handsome face. She can't help but feel that he is mocking her by letting her see it. Every muscles in her body tenses to the point of pain, and her hands grip her borrowed pants tightly. Her gaze snaps back out the window, and she takes a slow breath to steady her nerves, though she knows it won't help at all. She flinches when the sound of his voice fills the silence after she releases her breath. "Now that our family will be supporting you, we expect you to behave like a civilized individual."
Despite the irony in that statement, anger heats her entire being, and she turns her heated glare in his direction. He simply returns the glare with a cool, impartial look of his own. Her voice is low and quivering with anger when she says, "Your family isn't su-"
"One such thing is to at least bring your own clothing." His eyes flick down her body then back up to meet her eyes with that same cold, impartial look from before. "Borrowing from my brother is not appropriate of a girl your age."
Mai clenches her fists even harder, but she bites back a response. There wasn't a point in arguing with Reiji. Just as she suspected, he continues on without seeming to be concerned with her clear look of anger. "You are to get good grades. If you are having troubles with a subject, be sure to ask one of us before you go to a teacher. We will not have you embarrassing our family by appearing stupid. We are arranging a private tutor to take preemptive measures, since you will not have easy access to me or the others."
In an effort to keep her temper in check, Mai forces herself to turn her gaze back to the scenery outside her window, and it falls silent once more. The silence was wearing on her even more than his cold words. Unable to take it anymore, Mai turns her attention back to Reiji and regards him for a couple of seconds. His eyes had closed once more, as if he was patiently waiting for either her to say something or the ride to be over. She shifts in the seat and glances back out the window. It was time to change the subject to something less offensive. Trying to keep her voice as civil as she can, she asks, "Has anyone been able to get away from one of your brothers before?"
The silence that settles between them stretches for a only few moments, but it felt like forever to Mai. Had she been to obvious with her prodding? Just before Mai gives up hope that he will actually answer her, he says. "If this is a reference to Yui, than I would recommend that you give up any efforts on freeing her. She belongs to the Sakamaki family now. There is nothing a human such as yourself can do about it."
Goosebumps rise all over her body, and she is unable to actually turn to look at him. It was like he was talking about some inanimate object and not a human being. His voice was almost cold enough to physically feel it. Mai finds herself struggling to swallow the lump of fear that was firmly lodged in her throat. She takes a deep breath and releases it slowly. She wished that her question had been about Yui, but it wasn't. In order to help Yui, she had to have a clear head, and she didn't think she would be able to have one while she was worrying about her deal with Laito. She truthfully says, "this isn't about Yui."
In an effort to quell the guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach, she tells herself that there is no way that she'd be able to get anything useful out of Reiji anyway. She begins to feel foolish for even trying to ask Reiji for information. Thankfully, they had just pulled up to her house. At least, she'd be able to forgo the awkward silence following her statement. Her fingers just brush the door handle when a mind numbing pain races from her wrist to her shoulder. The pain is quickly followed by an almost freezing sensation. Her heart skips a beat, and she snaps her head around to give Reiji a bewildered look. The thoughtful look that she found on his face almost gave the impression that he was facing an interesting puzzle, which was far from reassuring. His voice doesn't reveal any of the curiosity. "This wouldn't happen to have anything to do with Laito, would it?"
Despite herself, Mai can feel her face flushing. A satisfied look flashes over his face, but it's gone just as soon as it appears. The only reassurance she is able to take away from the situation is the fact that he didn't get a smug, 'I told you so' look. He makes a soft scoffing sound and grips her wrist even tighter. Her opposite hand wraps around the door handle, but it does nothing to help her with her current situation. It only gives her a strange sense of relief against the belittling gaze that she can see in Reiji's cold, red eyes. She swallows against the lump of terror that is forming in her throat and wants nothing more than to turn away. Even better, she'd like to get as far as humanly possible away, but she finds herself unable to even tear her gaze away from him. To her utter embarrassment, Reiji doesn't lower his voice when he asks, "How far have you tangled yourself up in Laito's hands?"
Mai's gaze unconsciously flicks toward the driver. She hadn't given any thought about his presence. In fact, she hadn't even looked at him the entire time they had been driving, and she now wishes she hadn't. The mere sight of his reflection in the rearview mirror stops both her heart and her breath. His face didn't look human at all. In fact, it looked like something out of a horror movie. He didn't have eyes. Instead, they were nothing but black holes with a dim light in what appeared to be deep inside his skull. His skin was stretched awkwardly over his bones, almost as if it was nothing more than a mask. His nose looked like a pig snout. As disgusting as it was, she was surprised that she didn't see any snot running. She cringes when she sees a thin line that looked like it had been drawn with a dull pencil beneath his nose. She could only assume that was his mouth. She isn't able to bite back the startled, half-scream from leaving her mouth. The best she can do is release the door and press her now shaking hand against her mouth to try to stifle the sound. Unable to stomach the terrifying appearance anymore, Mai turns to look at Reiji, who is watching her with mild amusement. She jerks on the arm he is holding at the same time that she grabs the door handle again and shoulders the door in an attempt to open it. Unfortunately, the door doesn't open. The sensation of being trapped with a couple of dangerous animals starts to overwhelm her. She didn't know if she should turn to see why the door wasn't opening or keep her eyes on the amused Reiji. She decides to keep her gaze locked onto the vampire and continue to try to open the door. A shudder runs down her spine, and she can hear that shudder echoing in her breathing, which seemed oddly loud in the now silent car.
"How can he drive looking like that?! Aren't you worried that someone will see?!" Mai asks louder than she meant to. She knew that she didn't have any hope of distracting Reiji, especially being so upset, but she needed to say something, or do something, to distract herself. Gripping the door handle till her knuckles turned white wasn't helping at all. Reiji just continues to watch her with mild interest. After a moment, he lets out a chuckle. The sound makes her heart skip a beat. She didn't know that laughter could actually sound so evil in real life. Every fine hair was standing on end, and she considers glancing back at the driver. The thought sends a twist of cold fear through the pit of her stomach, letting her know that would be a bad idea. His grip felt like it was going to crush the bones in her arm. Silence settles between them for a couple of seconds before Reiji lets out another chuckle. His hand slips away from her wrist, and he sits back, looking relaxed for the first time since she had met him. Every warning bell in her head starts to ring loudly. She knew now that there was not going to be any chance of escape from him. She presses her body as tightly against the door as she can and tries to wait patiently for him to have his fun.
"He is nothing more than a familiar. He does the menial tasks around the house such as driving. The windows are tinted, so people cannot easily see him. In the event that someone does manage to see him, he would appear normal to regular humans. Though, there are a few humans…" He gives her a once over that makes her want to call out of her skin. The curiosity on his face was one that she had seen on her parents' faces many times. It was like he was looking at an interesting experiment instead of a young human girl. "...that can see part of what he truly looks like. Perhaps you are more interesting than I originally gave you credit for."
Mai clenches her jaw so tightly that her teeth begin to ache. His red eyes turn to look at the driver before they return to her expectantly. For a moment, the look throws her, but she finally realizes that he was waiting for her to answer his question about Laito. She tries not to glance in the driver's direction. Human or not, it was still embarrassing to admit her shortcomings out loud, much less with a creepy audience. Still, it's like Reiji reads her mind. His voice is once again stern and cold. "Human, you are wasting my time. That familiar does not care what you say, nor will he ever repeat what is said in the car."
Mai barely manages to not flinch. With a deep breath to calm herself, she gives him a vague rundown of what happened between her and Laito. She simply tells him that she had made a deal with Laito to answer her questions in return for not fighting against him when he tries to drink from her. It doesn't come as a surprise that he asks her what information she had wanted to know. With her cheeks burning in embarrassment, she tries to keep some information to herself, but he eventually forces it out of her anyway. After she told him more than she wanted, she expected him to criticize her for falling for such a simple trick, but he didn't say a word. She was getting tired and impatient with the silence that had followed her explanation. It felt like she had been sitting only feet away from safety for hours.
The lock releasing is like music to her ears, even if it makes her feel like a fool for not looking for the lock earlier. She slips out of the car, gently shuts the door and starts around the back of the car in order to head to her house, only to freeze at a horrifying sight. Reiji was already standing outside the car. His face was completely devoid of any emotion, and he was holding a briefcase that she hadn't seen in the car. She tries to keep her voice even when she asks. "What do you think you are doing?
He gives a coldly indifferent look. "I do not believe you are capable of informing your parents of your agreement with my family. You will not tell them all that is required of your new position. In all reality, I doubt you will even tell them what has happened; therefore, I will be the one that informs them."
Mai feels disbelief overwhelm her. She casts a nervous glance in the direction of her house, silently hoping her parents hadn't looked out the window yet. Upon not seeing any movement, she turns her attention back toward Reiji and firmly shakes her head. To her horror, he is already walking away from her. She scrambles to catch up with him. The moment that she is in arm's reach, she lifts her arm in an attempt to grab his sleeve but thinks better of it and lets her hand drop. Instead, she quickly steps in front of him and gives him her best glare when he stops. It doesn't surprise her to see a look of distaste flash over his face. She doesn't let that bother her though. Instead, she puts as much strength as she can into her voice and says, "You can't just waltz up to my door and announce that I was with your family last night. I told them I was staying at a female friend's house. I'm already not dressed appropriately, according to you. This will just make things more difficult than they need to be. I don't think they will want to listen to you or me explain what is going on if I show up in the morning dressed in unfamiliar men's clothing with a guy. This is the worst possible timing you can choose!"
She tried so hard to stress the fact that her parents would get the wrong impression, but she may have well been talking to a wall. Reiji simply steps around her and continues on his way without another word. He's at the door before she can stop him. She doesn't get a chance to even try to stop him from knocking. It almost felt like he was nailing her coffin shut. Her head falls forward, and she takes deep, defeated breath. She literally drags her feet to the bottom of the stairs. Unfortunately, it's at that moment that the door opens.
Her father is clearly still in his pajamas, with sleep clinging to his face. He regards Reiji with a detached sort of irritation that Mai rarely saw. However, that irritation melts away into surprise, followed by confusion, which quickly gives way to anger the moment his eyes drift over and lock with Mai's. Her gaze drops back down to her feet, and she fights embarrassed tears. She glances up for a moment to find that he was once again looking at Reiji. It wasn't a surprise that her father was looking at Reiji with a renewed, yet critical, look. A sick feeling settles into Mai's stomach, since it was obvious what her father was thinking. Anger is barely suppressed in his voice when he says, "Who are you?"
Reiji makes a slight bow. Once he straightens back out, he holds out a hand, but her father doesn't even glance at it, much less move to shake. Reiji only offers it for a few moments before he lets his hand return to his side. Letting curiosity get the better of her, Mai leans just enough to find that unspoken insult didn't affect Reiji in the slightest. Mai notices a swift, jerky movement from the corner of her eye and turns her attention in that direction. Her heart sinks when she sees that it's her father making a small gesture at her to get inside. It was a strange, but she didn't want to go inside. She knew what was going to happen.
Best case scenario, they would ask her what she had done with Reiji. They may or may not believe her, and she would only get away with a lecture and be grounded for a while.
The worst case scenario, they would ask her what she had done with Reiji, which would be quickly followed by an awkward talk about sex and all of the horrible diseases that came with them. They would explain a teenage boy's mindset, then would move on to asking who Reiji was. When they found out that he was related to Laito, everything would get worst. She would have to listen to them lecture about how she can't be keeping so close to her tormentor. They may send her to a therapist for Stockholm Syndrome.
She figured that she was likely going overboard with the worst case scenario, but she knew that it wouldn't be a pleasant experience. Still, it wouldn't do to make her father even angrier by lingering longer than she already had. She slips up past Reiji, careful not to touch him. The second that she steps past her father, Reiji starts to talk again. "I'm here on behalf of my father. I have a couple of things to discuss with you, sir."
Mai's gaze snaps back to stare at Reiji. She tries to silently warn him not to say anymore; however, he wasn't looking at her. Something was off about him, but she couldn't place it. That's when it hit her. He was being his usual, seemingly polite self, but it felt almost like he was being too polite. Was he trying to win her father over? The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Why would he need to do that?
An uneasy silence settles between the two men. Tension was becoming so think that it was almost tangible. Finally, her father asks in soft voice, "who is your father?"
Her father sounded almost threatening, but Reiji didn't even seem fazed by it. With a calm tone, he answers, "Touga Sakamaki."
Without warning, the door cuts off Mai's view of Reiji. She doesn't get a chance to even feel surprise before her father seems to spin on his heel to face her. A look of pure anger was on his face, and it only grows darker when he, once again, looks her down then up. The second their eyes meet, she knows that she's in trouble. Fury laces his tone when he asks, "Where have you been? What have you been up to?"
She opens her mouth to answer, but a soft knock cuts her off. Both turn their gaze to door. A look of irritation flashes over her father's face as he turns to his back on Mai once again. They both seem to know who it is before her father even opens the door. Mai tries to fight the grateful feeling that was welling up inside of her chest. She would never openly thank Reiji, but he delayed the inevitable just enough that she now had time to think up a valid excuse to a few questions.
Upon seeing him again, it frustrated Mai's father that Reij didn't seem fazed by having a door slammed in his face. Instead, he says before her father could speak. "I have terms to go over you with, and I regret to inform you that they are non-negotiable terms. I will continue to knock until you hear me out."
Upon hearing those words, chills race up and down Mai's spine. The desperate need to escape the situation overwhelms her, so she turns to head to her room, but her father's voice stops her dead in her tracks. "Mai?"
She stares longingly up the stairs, silently wondering where her mother was. She hears her father call her name again and slowly turns to face the two. It felt like she was about to suffocate. They were both staring at her with expectant looks. Reiji's was a cold, detached look, while her father's was barely containing frustration and anger. Her father sounded calmer than he looked when he asks, "Mai, what is going on? What is he talking about?"
With a rush of air from her lungs, Mai tries to get her thoughts in order. The anxious feeling that was welling up in her chest was making it hard to talk. Feeling completely ashamed, her eyes drop to the ground, and she mutters softly, "Dad, I'm sorry. I think we have a few things to discuss."
That was how they found themselves sitting at the kitchen table an hour later. Mai and her father on one side of the table. Reiji was sitting patiently on the opposite side of the table. Mai had just finished explaining the deal Tougo Sakamaki had gotten her to agree to. Her eyes hadn't lifted from table once during her explanation, though she was tempted to now. No other sound had followed her explanation, and it was starting to feel hard to breath. Finally, Mai's eyes slowly lift to look up at Reiji. His eyes were closed with his hands neatly folded before him on the table. Laying out on either side of those hands were two neat piles of paper with a pen on top of each small stack. Mai's gaze slowly turns to her father. What she sees causes her heart to skip a beat. He looked so tired and defeated. Once again, she wonders where her mother was, but she pushes the worry to the back of her mind. Her gaze draws back to the two stacks of papers, but she didn't even bother trying to read what they said. A cold feeling settles into her stomach. Each pile was directly in front of either her or her father.
"Dad?" Her voice is barely audible.
She's promptly ignored since her father asked at the same time, "She won't be mistreated, will she?"
Mai's gaze snaps up to her father's face in complete disbelief. In fact, she was positive that her jaw was hanging open. The second his eyes meet hers, a look of pain flashes over his face. Mai is unable to tear her gaze away from her father, even when Reiji says, "She will be treated like a guest when she comes for the dinners. You have our word."
Mai finds her hands tightly gripping the edge of the table. She felt like this whole situation was one large lie. She hadn't been treated as a guest at their house even once. They weren't even civil to the one guest that was living with them. Mai had experienced nothing but nerve wracking situations if any of them were involved. The paper makes a soft sound as it is dragged along the table toward her father. Mai finds that her body is completely frozen as she watches him pick up the pen. She wanted him to say no; she wanted to reach out, take the pen away, and tell Reiji where to go, but she found that she was frozen. All she could do was watch her father glance through the papers and sign. Time seemed to slow to a crawl.
Something brushes her arm, causing her to jump and turn her worried gaze to meet cold, red eyes. The second that something bumps her arm, she glances down. The papers in front of her causes her to feel nauseous. She starts to shake her head, but she stops after only a couple of shakes. Pain fills her chest when she realizes that it wouldn't matter if she didn't sign the apparent contract. She glances in her father's direction, who was frowning down at the papers he had just signed. Everything had already been sealed with his signature. Her heart suddenly feels as if it had just sunk to the bottom of her stomach. Reluctantly, she turns her attention back to the paper and begins to glance through it. It just spoke about what time she was expected to show up for dinner, and that she was to dress comfortably but semi-formal. If she did not have such clothing, she was to inform either Shuu or Reiji. A budget would be placed for her to get the appropriate attire. Should she fail to uphold the dress code and the time frame, she would receive whatever punishment was deemed fit. With a flinch, she signs and dates the bottom. She didn't even want to think about what type of punishment she would possibly receive.
She glances through the next papers. It is a long list of what is expected of her at school. She is not to engage in inappropriate actions that would result in expulsion from school. She was to maintain A's or B's in all classes, and she would show a list of classes to either Shuu or Reiji for approval. She was to arrive at least ten minutes before the first warning bell. She was to wear the approved uniform. Should she feel ill, she was to inform the Sakamaki household before informing the school. She was to attend every class she received. The part that made her heart stop was one of the last paragraphs. It said that she was to receive a ride to and from school. It even gave the exact time that the car would be outside her house, along with how long she had before it left her behind.
She couldn't stop her hands from shaking. Her mind pulls up the image of the driver, and she barely represses a terrified whimper. She could only hope that it wouldn't be the same driver that she had today. She forces herself to sloppily sign the paper, silently hoping that she wouldn't end up riding with the brothers. She didn't bother looking for the punishment clause since she knew it would be vague.
Her father calmly passes his papers over to Reiji, who accepts them. Mai glances at them wondering if her father had different papers. Her father abruptly stands, muttering something about letting Mai's mother know and getting the documentation needed to start his new job. Mai reaches out for him, but he's gone before she gets a chance to touch or say anything. Her hand hovers in mid air for a few seconds before a soft click causes her to remember that Reiji was still with her. She lets her hand fall to the table and turns a furious gaze on Reiji, but she doesn't get a chance to say anything. The papers had disappeared back into the briefcase, and he was standing. The thing that surprised Mai was the fact that he was giving her a look of pure disgust. That made her realize that she didn't think that Reiji was capable of displaying emotion.
"You smell disgusting. Go shower."
She couldn't believe that he had said that so calmly. She tries to reign in the offended feeling that is threatening to overwhelm her. She knew it wouldn't be wise to get an attitude with him. Barely able to restrain her anger, Mai says as calmly as possible. "I'm sorry that I don't smell up to your expectations, but I can assure you that I have a regular showering routine. I assume that the clothes are the source. I imagine they smell like Laito, but I didn't have much of a cho-"
He makes an uncharacteristic snarling sound. "You dimwitted human. I wasn't speaking about that pervert's smell. It's at least tolerable."
Confusion fills Mai, completely suffocating the anger that she felt before. She couldn't figure out what Reiji meant. Her brain was trying to run through the people she had recently interacted with. She had spent most of it with Laito, so she assumed that Reiji was referring to the redhead's lingering scent. It had to be the strongest, right?
Could it have been Yui?
Mai opens her mouth to ask, but her father chose that moment to reappear. Reiji's face was once again the mask of indifference. He gives her father directions to where her parents would be working. Both men were ignoring Mai, though she grateful for that fact. It gave her a few moments to gather what was left of her sanity. After a few minutes, she silently slips from the room. Just before she leaves, she glances back to meet Reiji's cold, red eyes. Once again, a look of disgust flashes over his face. It was almost like he had tasted something foul, but it's gone just as fast as it appeared. Bewildered, Mai makes her way up to her room. She collects some of her own clothing and decides to shower. She stubbornly tells herself that it wasn't because Reiji told her to.
When she enters the bathroom, she pauses in front of the mirror. After a few minutes of staring at herself, she drops her clothes on the counter and lifts the neck of her shirt to give it a sniff. She could smell Laito's cologne, but she couldn't smell anything disgusting. She drops the neck of the shirt and lifts one of her arms then the other. She finally smells the belly area of the shirt. She knew that she wouldn't smell anything, but it didn't stop her from feeling even more confused than before. There was only the lingering scent from Laito and nothing else. With a shake of her head, she turns her back to the mirror and prepares to shower.
The house is eerily silent when she finishes. She quickly moves to her room and shoves Laito's clothes to the bottom of her hamper. After that, she shoves her phone in the pocket of the baggy sweats she was wearing and moves downstairs. The house felt cold and dead the second her foot touches the ground floor. A quick sweep of the living room and kitchen reveals a letter from her father saying they would back later to discuss her punishment, and some money for take out. Her eyes water, but she stubbornly refuses to cry. Slowly, she makes her way back into the kitchen, where she sits in one of the chairs. Just as she gets settled, her phone rings, causing her to jump. She digs around in the pocket of her baggy sweats till she is able to pull it out and see who was calling her. Her heart stops the second she reads the name.
It said that it was Laito. With a grimace, she reluctantly answers and holds the phone up to her ear. "What do you want?"
"Hey, Sweetheart! Are you ready to go?"
"Huh?" She flinches at the stupid way she sounded. She doesn't get a chance to rectify her question though, since Laito starts talking again.
"Reiji asked Shuu to give you some money to buy some clothes for the family dinners, but we all know that Shuu won't do anything, so I offered to go in his stead. Isn't that great? We get to spend time together!"
Mai flinches at the thought, and her eyes lock with the wall in front of her. "I think that I'm going to have to pass on your offer. I have clothes to wear to the dinners."
He lets out a chuckle and says. "No need to be shy, Sweetheart! I promise I will pick out only what looks good on you."
"I'm sure that they wouldn't be clothes I'd feel comfortable wearing out in public, let alone a dinner," Mai almost deadpans. He makes a playfully offended noise.
"I can assure I will pick appropriate clothing, and I know that you are lying to me. It's bad to lie, you know." It was almost like he was cooing to a little kid. Frustration flares at his tone, but she doesn't get a chance to snap at him. He continues talking. "I'll be over in a few minutes. Be ready! I'm not going to take you out in sweats or old clothes! I'll dress you myself if I have to. Oh, and Reiji already went through your clothing to make sure that you had the right clothing."
"What?! When did he do that?!" A beep is her only answer. Mai clenches her phone tightly and glares at the wall, like it's at fault. Once again, she feels like her privacy had been violated. In fact, she was starting to wonder if any of the Sakamaki family knew the meaning of the word privacy. She doubted they did. With a sinking feeling, she realized that situations like this one would likely happen more often. She reluctantly makes her way back to her room and quickly changes into jeans and a loose fitting t-shirt that was on the newer end. Once she is done, she returns to the kitchen and sits down to wait.
It felt like only a few minutes had passed before cold hands land on her shoulders. She jumps, but she doesn't give him the satisfaction of turning to look at him. Only seconds later, a playful voice whispers close to her ear. "Ready to go?"
Mai takes a deep breath and slowly nods. His chuckle brushes along her skin, raising all the fine hair on her body. Goosebumps form down her arms. She abruptly stands up and turns to glare at Laito, only to find him across the room. He gives her a playful smile and takes off his hat to mockingly bow to her. Mai can't help but roll her eyes, make her way past him, and out the door.
Once again, she finds herself in a nice black car that has windows that are tinted darker than normal. She stops mid-step upon seeing driver. For a heart stopping moment, she scans the man for anything out of the ordinary. He looked to be around the age of twenty. He was dressed in a black suit with a matching black chauffeur hat that she was positive out of the movies. His eyes were closed, making him look like he was at peace. He looked perfectly normal, which comes as an enormous relief. The sound of the passenger door opening prompts her to quickly make her way to the car, crawl in, and get comfortable on the far side. Laito slides in right after Mai gets settled. Only seconds later, the car is in motion. A sense of uneasy fills her stomach, and she glances in the rearview mirror just to make sure that he still looked normal. The man's eyes were now open, but she couldn't quite figure out what color his eyes were. She didn't put much thought into it though, since she figured it be hard to tell the color from a mirror. She was just relieved to see that they weren't just black pits with a dull light like the last driver. She jumps when something brushes her along upper thigh and snaps her gaze to Laito, who gives her a teasing smile on his face.
"Are you into older men?"
Without missing a beat, Mai gives him her best smile and sarcastically replies, "Yeah. I don't know what it is about the mature type, but they seem so..."
She makes a dream sound and lets her voice trail off. Unfortunately, that earns a chuckle from him. She wasn't surprised when he continued their banter by replying with. "Well, I'm much older than you think I am."
Mai makes a childish face at him. "Couldn't have guessed it. You act like a horny teenager. I don't think you have a mature bone in your body."
He feigns a hurt expression before a sadistic look flashes over his face. He lets out a scoffing sound and leans dangerously close to her. She expected him to reach out and touch her, but he kept his hands and body just inches from hers. His voice is low, yet it's still got a playful hint to it. "You know, if you keep eying the help like you have been, I might be forced to feel jealous. I'll have to punish you both, unless that is what you are looking for. Let me tell you one thing, though. Help is not better than the real thing. I've had first hand experience in this area, so you can trust that I'm not lying to you."
A shiver runs down her spine, and she finds that she's not sure how to respond to the clear threat. The memory of the uncomfortable ride with Reiji flashes through her mind. She blurts out without a second thought. "I wasn't interested in him. He's probably a familiar anyway, right?"
The playful look disappears from Laito's face. In fact, it's unnerving to see no emotion at all on the red head's face. She didn't see him move. It is like she blinks, and, suddenly, his body presses lightly against hers. His gaze was facing forward though, like he was looking at the driver in the rearview mirror.
"Yeah, he is. He's not what you would call human."
Silence spreads through the car. Laito's voice still held the usual playfulness, but his face seemed thoughtful. Mai decides to not dwell on it and turns her gaze out the window. She numbly watches objects go by without paying much attention. Eventually, the car slows to a halt outside an expensive looking store. High end, name brand clothing logos are posted all over the windows beside mannequins that were wearing expensive looking clothing. Mai feels her stomach drop, and turns to tell Laito that he had made a mistake asking the driver to go to a store like this. The words halt in her throat at the look of excitement on his face. In fact, she wasn't sure she had ever seen him looking so happy. She wasn't sure why, but she suddenly found it hard to say anything at all. With a flinch, Mai resigns herself to at least going into the store with him.
She didn't want to admit it, but Laito did know what he was doing. Every single outfit he had picked out for her to try on had not only looked good on her, but it fit comfortably. She had been nervous when he had simply waved the approaching employee off. The woman had looked confused until Laito sent a charming smile in her direction. Red had flooded her cheeks, and she had scurried away, chuckling like a teenage girl who had just talked to her crush for the first time. Mai hadn't been able to keep from rolling her eyes before following a chuckling Laito.
With a quick shake of her head, Mai focuses on the mirror in front of her. She had lost count of the multitude of simple dresses, blouses, skirts, and other variety of clothing she had tried on. The clothing she was currently trying on was the only one to surprise her. It was a simple, metallic grey T-shirt with the brand name sprawled out in soft blue bubble letters down the left side. The neckline dipped low down her chest, which was covered by tank top. The tank top was white in color with pretty lace work along the neckline as well as the bottom. The material felt like silk against her skin. The pants were simple, yet very comfortable, blue jeans that were dark in color with decorative pockets. They fit good enough to show off her curves, but they weren't suffocatingly tight. She couldn't help but feel a thrill of excitement at the sight.
That thrill disappears the moment green eyes appear over her shoulder. Her heart skips a beat, and she spins to face him. He gives her that same charming smile he gave the store worker before his eyes roam up and down her body with a hungry look on his face. She can't help but roll her eyes and stick her tongue out at him. With a jolt, she realizes she is acting so friendly with him, and she hadn't even tried to shoo him out of the dressing room. She quickly sobers up and gives him her best glare, but she knows that it comes off as half-hearted, due to her burning cheeks. He gains a thoughtful look on her face and reaches out to lightly push her shoulder. A second push prompts her to turn in a circle under his thoughtful gaze. He releases a sigh and mutters. "It'll do."
The second his eyes meet hers again, he gives her a playful grin. "Hungry?"
A wave of exhaustion spreads over her body. Shaking her head, Mai says softly. "I think it's time to go home."
He gives her a playful pout and disappears before her eyes. With a sigh, she turn to grab her own clothes. Her heart skips a beat when she doesn't see them where she remembered putting them. Frantically, she looks all over the dressing room, but she can't find them. Her entire body tenses up with dread as the worst possible scenarios race through her mind. The only way they would be missing is if she had accidentally scooped them up with some of the clothes she had tried on and didn't like, but she was positive that she hadn't done that. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she was tired and had likely not given it much thought. After all, she didn't even know how long they had been missing! With a racing heart, she opens the door to look for a store employee.
Her frantic eyes meet calm brown ones. The woman was a different one from the one that had greeted them at the door. She was a woman around the age of thirty and seemed to have an air of authority about her. She gives Mai a pleasant, but tired, smile. "Those fit you very well. Your boyfriend was very picky, but I think he knows what suits you best."
The woman gives Mai a suggestive wink. It takes her a moment catch up realize what the woman was suggesting. Her face flushes a deep crimson, and she quickly starts to shake her head. "Oh no, he's not…."
The older woman gives Mai a sly smile. With a wink, she says. "Don't worry, sweetie. You should claim him. He's good looking, and he's apparently rich. You've got quite the catch."
Mai could only stare at the woman in astonishment. She suddenly envies the woman's enthusiasm and ignorance. The thought of 'claiming' Laito sounded so wrong on so many different levels. With a flinch, Mai tries to shove the thoughts out of her head. She had more important things to worry about. After forcing a smile onto her face, Mai says. "Thanks. I will keep that in mind. I think I may have goofed up. You see, I can't find the clothes I came in with. I'm afraid I must have mixed them in with the clothes that I tried on today. I'm very sorry, but could…"
The woman let's out a playful scoffing sound. She playfully flicks her hand and happily says, "your boyfriend already paid for your clothing and asked to let you know that he's waiting for you out front."
She lightly elbows Mai in the side and gives her a sly wink. Her voice is low and suggestive. "How romantic. I bet you are in for quite the night, hm?"
Mai's face flushes, and her head falls in hopes of covering her face. Horror and humiliation at what the woman was implying fills her entire body. She only pulls her face from her hands when she feels the woman tugging at her clothes. Mai turns to find the employee cutting the tags from the outfit. She lets out a chuckle and says, "Have fun at dinner, sweetie. Please come again!"
Mai watches the woman spin around, greet someone else, and disappear amongst the racks of clothing. Slowly, she makes her way out of the store. The sunlight hits her eyes at just the right angle to momentarily blind her. She flinches away from it and lifts her hand to shield her eyes. Her heart skips a beat upon realizing that it had taken her almost all day. It had only felt like a couple of hours. Suddenly, the sunlight is blocked out, allowing her to fully open her eyes. Laito smirks down at her, causing her to scowl up at him. He leans too close for comfort, prompting her to take a step back. The sun blinds her again, making her flinch and close her eyes. Irritation builds when she hears him chuckling. She lifts her hand to try to block out the sun and happens to spot the car. She ducks her head and hurries toward it. For once, she is thankful for the tinted windows. It helped to cut down on the amount of light pouring through the windows. Only seconds later, the car is moving.
After a few minutes of silence, Mai glances over to see Laito leaning against the opposite door with a bored look. He looked almost like a normal teenager watching the world fly past him. It was unusual for him to be so quiet that it was bordering on the unnerving side of things. Mai's brain frantically searches for something to say in order to fill the silence, but she couldn't think of anything worthwhile. Finally, she settles on a subject. "Hey, Laito?"
"Hm?"
Goosebumps rise along her skin. He didn't even turn to look at her, and he sounded so disinterested. She immediately considers not saying anything more, but Laito seems to choose that moment to turn his attention back to her. His usually bright green eyes seem slightly dull, and it's almost like he is not truly there. The question she was going to ask disappears upon seeing that distant look. Despite herself, Mai felt a small tendril of worry in the very bottom pit of her stomach. "Are you ok?"
The question was barely audible, but it seemed to be the right thing to do. The dazed look disappears from his face, leaving him with his usual playful look. He scoots across the back seat until his thigh is pressed against hers. She presses herself as tightly against the door as she can. This was the Laito that she knew, and she was regretting pulling him out of his thoughts. His arm loosely wraps around her shoulders. He has a mockingly sweet voice when he coos. "Aw, are you worried about me, Sweetheart?"
Mai can't stop the scoff from leaving her mouth, so she doesn't even bother to hide the fact that she was rolling her eyes for what felt like the millionth time that day. She shifts her arm so that her elbow is digging into his side. This action seems to just earn a laugh from him. He pulls her even closer, causing her elbow to dig into her side. It wasn't a horrible pain, but it was enough to keep it at the front of her thoughts. She wiggles a little, but she doesn't have anyway to put any distance between them. She lets out a frustrated sound from the back of her throat. Unfortunately, it doesn't have the desired effect, since he leans on her even harder, making it feel like she wasn't going to be able to breath soon. She lets out a gasping sound and says. "It was a mistake."
He lets out a chuckle, and the pressure seems to almost disappear. She didn't even care that he hadn't moved away from her. She closes her eyes and lets out a breath of relief, but her eyes snap open when she feels something soft brush her cheek. Red hair fills her vizion, which comes as a surprise. His cold forehead was pressed lightly against her temple. His breath lightly tickled her jaw and upper neck area. It almost felt like he was snuggling her. The second that thought passes through her mind, her entire body begins to tense. He wasn't a sweet person, despite the way he seemed to be viewed by the female population around him. All of his actions and words were empty. She hears him mention something about being hungry, and her heart starts to race. She didn't want to get bitten in a moving car that jolted randomly, but she remembered her deal with him. She tries to keep herself from moving by making herself as rigid as she possibly can. The less she moved, the better it would be for her. In fact, she slows her breathing down to slow shallow breaths. Her eyes remain locked with the back of the driver seat in front of her. She jumps when she feels cold fingertips start to run up and down her arm. He was starting to lean on her again, and she wanted nothing more than shove him away from her, but she didn't dare move any part of her body. Her heart continues to pound loudly in her chest while she silently begs Laito to not drink from her in the backseat of a car. She slowly opens her mouth to ask a random question in order to distract him.
"I love you."
She flinches at his words, causing him to pull away. Out of the corner of her eyes, she can see his eyes narrow playfully at her, though she was almost positive that she'd seen a flash of frustration. He leans toward her again, causing the panic to set in again. Frantically, she asks the first thing that comes to her mind. "Does Reiji hate Yui?"
Laito lets out a groaning sound, so she cautiously turns to look at him. He was still too close for comfort, but it looked like she had successfully stopped him from biting her. She cringes at the frustratingly amused look on his face. He chuckles and settles back against the seat, though he leaves his arm around her shoulder with his leg against hers. Time seems to slowly tick by, and she was sure they should have made it to her house already. She doesn't get a chance to dwell on it though. Laito had chosen that moment to finally answer her question. "I wouldn't say that he hates her."
Mai turns her full attention back to Laito and regards him silently for a moment. That's when it occurs to her that there was another person that she had been around. She hadn't given him much thought though, since she hadn't been near him that long. She mutters softly. "Shuu."
Laito gives her a playfully hurt look. He leans against her even harder than before, causing her elbow to dig into her side again. She lets out a small hiss of pain and tries to shove him away, but he doesn't move an inch. His free hand touches just above her knee, making her entire body tense up even more. He makes it sound almost like he's hurt when he says softly. "You are saying another guy's name while you are sitting beside me. How cruel could you be?"
Mai opens her mouth to snap at him that she wasn't doing anything wrong, but she slams it closed without uttering a single sound. He was drawing lazy circles up her thigh, which she tries to stop by moving her leg away from , he doesn't even seemed fazed by her feeble attempts. She closes her eyes tightly, when she feels his breath brush the rim of her ear. In a rush, she demands. "Get away from me."
Everything seems to freeze for a moment. Just when she considers hoping that he would actually pull away, she feels something cold run along the skin just below her ear. She flinches away, but she ends up banging her head on the window beside her with a loud, sickening crack. Dazed, Mai's head lulls around for a moment, and she focuses on the closest thing she can think of, which happens to be the headrest for the driver seat. She couldn't believe how much of a klutz she had been lately. She feels something cold touch her chin and wants to struggle, but she doesn't even bother trying. It felt like a waste of precious energy that she should be focusing toward straightening out her thoughts. She finds herself staring into mesmerizing, green eyes. He leans forward, pulling her head down. It seemed like he was inspecting the spot she had cracked against the window, but she could never be completely sure when it came to Laito. It's silent for only a few seconds before he lets out a tsking sound. When he leans closer, she considers asking if he was seriously going to kiss it better like she was some child. She's provided wrong when something cold runs along the sore spot on her forehead. She flinches at the thought that he was probably licking her, like some kind of animal. Her thoughts were clearing, but her head was pounding, which was making it hard to focus. He pulls away with an almost arrogant look on his face. His voice is playful, but seemingly loud. "You owe me now, Sweetheart."
She tries to snarl at him, but her voice sounded even louder than his, so she just sags back in the seat. Silence settles over them once more, and she lets her eyes drift closed. To her relief, it felt like the headache was starting to ease off. It would only be a few more minutes until she got home, where she could finally relax. Now that her eyes were closed, she could clearly picture the look of disgust on Reiji's face. Without a second thought, she asks. "Does Reiji really hate Shuu that much?"
Laito lets out a sadistic chuckle that sends a shudder racing down her spine. She cautiously opens one eye. He was reclined back and was looking at the ceiling. His voice was just as playful as always, but there was something just under his tone that she couldn't quite place. "I don't think that weirdo particularly likes anyone. Shuu is just his favorite chew toy when he is frustrated. Why?"
Mai lets her eye drift closed. She briefly wonders when she had started to feel comfortable enough to do that around Laito. With a soft shake of her head, she clears her thoughts. After letting out a slow, steady breath, she opens her eyes once more. Despite her head only lightly throbbing, she still tries to keep her voice down when she says. "Well, he said something about me smelling bad. I asked if it was you, but he said you were at least tolerable."
Laito let's out a dark chuckle, which causes her to look at him. She barely represses the shudder the second she sees a look to match the dark chuckle. His eyes were glowing dangerously, causing Mai to tense to the point of pain. Unconsciously, she balls her fists up until her knuckles turn white. The second that their eyes lock, she finds that she couldn't tear her eyes away from Laito's green gaze. He was leaning closer to her. Her heart was racing in pure terror, but she was unable to move. A look of satisfaction spreads over his face, and he presses a light, almost gentle, kiss to her forehead. The gesture bewilders Mai, and she finds herself with more questions than she thought she would ever have.
Almost as if it had never happened, Laito looks away, effectively breaking her thoughts free. She lets out a breath that she didn't even realize that she had been holding and quickly turns her attention back to the window. Her heart skips a beat when she finds that they are in an unfamiliar neighborhood, but she doesn't get a chance even ask. The car slows before turning into the driveway of an unfamiliar house. Every muscle in Mai's body feels like it's about to snap from the tension. She turns to give Laito the best glare she can manage, which he returns with a playful smile. "Where are we?"
Unfortunately, she doesn't get an answer. The door she is pressed against suddenly opens, allowing her to unwillingly exit the car. Her mind goes blank, and she tries to brace herself for the pain of hitting the ground. Surprisingly, a cold hand wraps around her upper arm. In front of her, Laito was watching from the car with a mischievous look. Slowly, her eyes turn upward to meet the eyes of the young looking driver. Her heart skips a beat, and she can feel her face flushing. The driver was the one who had kept her from hitting the ground. Just as she opens her mouth to thank him, an arm wraps around her waist. Her body is jerked into a standing position and pressed against a cold one. A lump forms in her throat, and she forces herself to swallow the growing fear. After working up the courage, she manages to look up at Laito, and she puts her hands against his shoulders and pushes. She didn't expect him to allow her to push him away, yet she was able to. Suspicion only fuels her fear. Her heart begins to race wildly, and she tries to turn her fear to anger. "Where are we? I want to go home."
"You are home, Sweetheart," Laito practically purrs. Only moments later, Mai notices movement out of the corner of her eye. Reluctantly, she glances in that direction. To her absolute horror, the driver was carrying multiple bags, with the clothing store's logo boldly printed on the side, toward the front door. There were so many bags that she was positive that she hadn't tried on that many clothes. Her gaze snaps back to Laito. It was just the push she needed to turn her fear into anger. She takes a threatening step toward him, but it doesn't have the desired effect. Instead, he looked more excited than anything. She knows that it should serve as a warning, but her anger was clouding her better judgement. Despite her instincts, she makes a wild gesture toward the driver, who had disappeared into the house and practically snarls. "What is wrong with you people?"
"You are going to have to be more specific, because I don't have any idea what you are talking about, Sweetheart."
It felt like something snaps deep inside her. Her eyes well up with tears, which was making it hard to see his face. Her voice sounds barely unintelligible when she says, "You know exactly what I am talking about. This… this.. You all throw money around like it's nothing. You live in that big fancy house, so I guess that's not a surprise, but, you can't treat people the way you do! You can't buy my parents off; you can't buy Yui off. You can't buy me! I don't want to go to school with you! I don't want to be driven! Are you saying this is my house now?! Why did I have to move?! What was wrong with the old one?! I just wanted some peace and quiet! I just wanted a normal life, but you are ruining it! You're entire family is ruining it! I ha-"
She doesn't get a chance to finish. A hand painfully fists in her hair on the back of her head, and she finds her face buried in a chest. Her entire body tenses even further, but that only lasts a few moments. She closes her eyes and just lets herself cry. She didn't let believe that he was trying to comfort her, but she still found a small shred of it in his actions. Finally, she pulls herself away from him and turns to look up to the house. A shove from behind gets her on the path toward the house. Her heart sinks with every single step she takes. It only gets worse when she finally steps into the house. It was laid out similar to her old house, only larger. The larger rooms made it feel more open. All of the familiar furniture was set up in the exact same style as before. Slowly, she wanders deeper into the house. It was two levels like before, only her room was no longer upstairs. She had been moved to a bedroom twice the size of her old one, and it was in the back of the house. A chill runs down her spine at the thought that someone had handled her things without her permission. The sight of her room rose a question she didn't know if she wanted answered. Where had all the new clothes gone? She considers exploring her room in order to find out, but she found that she didn't have any sort of interest in doing so.
She decides to look through the room anyway, since there was two doors. The first one leads to a large walk in closet that took her breath away. A quick glance reveals that her clothes all seemed to be there. The best part was the fact that the second door lead to a small, private bathroom. That brought a smile to her face. Her gaze moves to the large window that showed a beautiful backyard. Her bed sat right under the window, which she wasn't sure she was happy about.
"I see that you like your room."
Mai jumps and spins around to glare at Laito. Thankfully, he was just lounging against the door instead of actually stepping foot inside the room. He flicks his hand up, drawing her attention to the piece of paper clenched between his fingers. He gives her a flirtatious smile and says. "I found this little love note for you on the kitchen table."
A wave of exhausted embarrassment floods through her. She couldn't believe that she had just cried in front of Laito's, let alone cried into his chest. She tries to shove the thoughts out of her mind and focuses on the note in his hand. She slowly makes her way over him and holds out her hand with an expectant look on her face. She stubbornly focuses on Laito's green eyes instead of the fact that she was still shaking. He tilts his head just a little, but the smirk never leaves. Thankfully, he doesn't say anything when he finally passes the note over to her. She quickly pulls it away before he has a chance to reconsider. She resists the urge to turn her back on him for privacy. To her relief, he makes no attempt to read it. The relief is short lived when the thought of him just opening and reading it passes through her mind. She gives a small shake of her head and focuses on the note.
We are getting settled into our new work environment. I just wanted to let you know that we likely won't be home tonight. We were alerted to the fact that they are moving us to a new house tonight. I'm sure there are snacks, or you can make yourself something. We will talk about what you have agreed to when we get home tomorrow morning.
Love you always,
Mom.
Numbness overwhelms all other feelings, making her feel completely empty. Things couldn't get any worse. Not only did it feel like the whole world was slowly crashing around her, but it felt almost like she had been abandoned when she needed her parents the most. She slowly lifts her gaze up to look around the room. The house felt so cold and uninviting, though she wasn't sure why. It was nothing more than a house. It wasn't like she had been opposed to moving before. Her arm drops to her side, and she could feel the paper slipping from between her fingers. She lets her eyes slide closed and focuses on her breathing. "Laito?"
After a few seconds of silence, she opens her eyes to find that she is truly alone. Her stomach twists painfully. Hadn't the woman in the store mentioned something about dinner? Had Laito forgotten? Her gaze flickers back toward her bed. It was so neatly made that it was almost unnatural. She couldn't remember the last time she had actually made her bed. She slowly makes her way over and rips the top blanket off. After making it into a ball, she quickly leaves the room.
She dumps the blanket on the couch and turns on the tv. She flips through Netflix to the anime section before choosing one at random and turning the volume up much higher than she normally would have. She quickly makes her way into the kitchen and begins to rifle through the cupboards for a quick snack around before giving up. She didn't even have a appetite, nor did she have the energy to try to make something. She simply returns to the couch, crawls under the blanket and numbly watches the anime flash by. Her thoughts kept turning back to her agreement with Tougo, which always led to her crying on Laito's shoulder. His kindness had felt been unnatural today that she couldn't help but feel suspicious. With a sigh, she realizes that she wasn't going to figure anything out by laying on her couch. Maybe he was just having an off day, which had made him nice for a change. The thought of being nice due to a bad day made her chuckle. This was Laito she was talking about, so it was likely that anything was possible. Still, she couldn't get around the nagging feeling that there was no way that he was being kind due to having an off day. There had to be a reason, but she just couldn't figure out a valid reason. After considering a few reasons, she settled on the fact that he was either trying to get her to let her guard down, or he was feeling sick.
"Do vampires even feel sick?"
She flinches. It felt like her question had bounced off the walls around her. She glances around, before the anime makes a loud sound, drawing her attention once more. She decides to actually let herself get absorbed in the anime, instead of worrying about Laito. After watching the main character fumble around a problem for an episode, she realizes something. She could just ignore Laito altogether. All she had to do was finish out her agreement to let him drink from her, then she could completely ignore his existence. She would be careful to not make any more deals with him that would further her sentence. With a deep breath, she closes her eyes. Finishing out her agreement would give her time to carefully observe the others. She would take this time to logically pick someone who was more likely to give her the answers she wanted with the least amount of pain. It would also give her time to convince Yui that she needed to leave their house, despite her feelings for Ayato. She turns the anime down and allows her mind to drift through ways to convince Yui to leave as well as which brother she should observe first. She finally narrows it down to Subaru or Shuu.
It happens so suddenly that Mai doesn't have a chance to really think things through logically. It starts with feeling like a bucket of ice cold water had been dumped over her. Her eyes snap open, only to find that it's not only completely dark, but it's so quiet that she can hear own breathing. In fact, she was positive that she could hear her own heartbeat hammering inside her chest. She didn't think that she had fallen asleep. She stares at the ceiling wondering if her parents had made it home and turned off the tv. Still, she didn't think that her parents would leave her on the couch. If they did, they wouldn't have turned the tv off. She pulls the blanket tighter around her body. Despite the blanket, it still felt like she was in the middle of a winter storm without a jacket on. Had it been this cold when she had fallen asleep?
Bang!
She didn't think it was possible to jump as high as she had. She resists the urge to sit straight up on the couch in order to investigate. Instead, she holds her breath and listens. The last thing she needed to do was alert whoever was making the noise to her presence. Another bang has her squeezing her eyes tightly closed. Another bang has her heart either completely stopped or beating so fast that she couldn't feel it anymore. They all sounded like they were coming from the kitchen. To make matters worse, it felt like she was being strangled by a wreath of ice.
The sudden silence that takes over the banging makes her whole body feel like it's frozen. She hadn't heard anyone leaving, so she could only assume they were still in the house. After several breathless minutes tick by in an agonizingly slow manner without any more noise, she starts to wonder if they had simply slipped back out. Slowly, she lifts herself up to peek over the back of the couch in the direction of the last bang. The second her eyes clear the couch, she stops moving. It was looking into a black hole. She holds her breath and listens for any shuffling or signs that someone was in the kitchen. She desperately wishes that her vision would adjust to the darkness to some degree, but it wasn't. All she could see was darkness, and she didn't relish the thought of approaching someone that she couldn't see. A loud bang makes her flatten her body against the couch once more. That bang is followed by the sound of several dishes being smashed. A blood chilling scream stops her heart, and she covers her head with the blanket. Her eyes squeeze shut, and she covers her mouth to try to keep the whimper as quiet as possible. Her free hand slowly reaches toward her pocket in an effort to call 911.
"Help…..me….."
Her hand freezes mid way into her pocket, and her eyes snap open. She was positive that was a woman's voice, and she sounded hurt. Her hands move from her pocket and mouth to cover her ears tightly. She was under the blanket, but it still felt frigid. The cold felt like it was tearing at her skin and sinking deep into her bones, and she had a sinking suspicion that the fear wasn't helping her either. She just wanted this to be a terrible nightmare. She hears the woman moan painfully again. Goosebumps rise all over her body. It was like she wasn't covering her ears at all. This just makes her press harder against her head. She wanted to make some sort of noise to help drown out the creepy sound, but she didn't dare make a single sound. Once more, the unseen woman weakly begs for help. Mai's body curls into a quivering ball and silently begs the woman to leave. She felt like such a coward for not helping the woman, but she didn't know if it was just some trick to see if anyone was home. Besides, she didn't think a teenage girl would be of much use. She had no idea where the light switches were, and she didn't think fumbling around would be a good idea either. She knew that she should call for help, but the fear coursing through her body kept her frozen in place.
Once again, that haunting voice begs. "Please….. I'm…. It hurts… Please, God, save me."
Tears overflow and stream down Mai's face. She was sure this was the most terrifying experience in her life. Everything falls silent for several minutes, causing Mai to slowly opens her eyes to stare at the blanket in front of her face. It should have been a relief to no longer hear the woman begging or the banging sound, but it only made her feel like this was the calm before the storm. Slowly, she pulls her hands away from her head and pulls the blanket down until her head is exposed. While keeping a tight grip on the blanket, she listens for any sound. Thankfully, everything is completely silent, but she still doesn't feel any better. Something was very wrong. After convincing herself it'd be for the best, she releases one hand and pulls out her phone.
She had just hit the first number when it happens all over again. It starts with a soft click followed by a light from the direction of the kitchen. A blood chilling scream makes her release a soft squeaking sound and hit a bunch of numbers when she jumps. Seconds later, the tv flickers to life, blaring the anime even louder than before. That's when she realized that the scream had been cut short, though she wasn't sure if it was truly cut short or just drowned out by the tv. She silently tries to work up the courage to peek over the couch. While she is doing that, she is frantically erasing the extra numbers that she had accidentally hit. Finally, she reasons that the police might ask her if she can see anything from her position. With that in mind, Mai slowly lifts her body to peek over the couch. She could see a large portion of the kitchen from where she was sitting, but she couldn't see the whole thing. It didn't look like anything had been disturbed, but she couldn't be a hundred percent sure. She slowly wipes the tears off of her face, ducks back down and glances at the tv. If someone was in her house, they would have came to investigate the tv suddenly turning on. Why hadn't she thought of that before? She was in danger if she didn't move, but she ran the chance of being in danger if she did move, since it was more likely that she would run into whoever was in her house. Her attention turns back to the phone, and she manages to finally hit the correct emergency numbers. Before she gets a chance to hit the green call button, a creak behind her makes all the blood in her body turn to ice. She releases a whimper before slowly turning to look over the armrest. She fully expected to find someone standing there. Thankfully, she's alone. Just to be sure no one was in the living room with her, she slowly looks around before once again peeking over the back of the couch.
Her relief at finding no one there is short lived. The kitchen was littered with broken dishes that hadn't been there when she had checked earlier. Pans and silverware was mixed in with the pieces ceramic. Her heart makes a quick climb to her throat, effectively choking her. This wasn't normal. She hadn't heard new banging, and she knew for a fact that the mess hadn't been there before. Would it be any use calling the police if she was going to be looked at like she was crazy? All thoughts stop the second she sees thick, red liquid seeping from the unseen portion of the kitchen. It made her cringe just thinking about it.
It was blood, and a lot of it.
Her eye move back to her phone. Even if they thought she was crazy, she still needed to call the police. She hits the button and holds the phone up to her ear. Weight near her feet draws her attention away from the blood. To her horror, a woman was sitting there in a beautiful white gown, only it wasn't completely white. Red splotches of varied size littered the beautiful piece of cloth in various locations. Her hair looked like it might have been done up in a beautiful twisted half braid, half bun hairdo at one point, but it was no longer that way. Part was dyed that same red as the splotches on her gown, and it was hanging limply beside her face. The woman didn't even bother turning to look at Mai, who was frozen in terror. She couldn't even respond to the 911 operator. After what felt like hours, the woman started to move. In the slowest manner possible, the woman turns to face Mai, effectively killing any courage left in Mai's body. Mai is faintly aware of the fact that the phone slips through her fingers, bounces onto her lap before sliding onto the floor with a dull thud.
The injured woman's face had beautiful make up on the side that had been visible to her. The other side sported various cuts, the worst was the cut that started near the center of her throat and worked it's way up her cheek until it hit her eye. Fresh blood still seemed to pour from her wounds. A tired smile spreads over her face, and she slowly turns her dark gaze back to the anime. Mai was positive that she wasn't breathing, but it didn't matter at that moment. She didn't think that anyone could live through losing so much blood. The woman's lips start to move, but it was like she was lip syncing to whatever the character on the anime was saying.
Suddenly, and violently, the woman's head snaps back to Mai. This time, there were more, and deeper, wounds. Mai wanted to flinch back, but she found herself unable to even breathe. Slowly, the woman's head tilts, making a horrible, squishing sound when the severed flesh near the neck wound separates. The woman makes a terrible rasping noise, almost like she is drowning on blood. Just as that thought rushes through Mai's mind, a large trickle of blood runs past the woman's lips.
"Too…..late… You…..were…..warned…." That same haunting voice that was begging for help comes from the woman. She leans toward Mai and says. "You…..are…..doomed."
Every fine hair on her body immediately stands on end. Mai opens her mouth to say something, but the woman begins to flicker in front of her. It was almost like an old movie that was cutting out prematurely. After a few flickers, the woman is suddenly facing the tv again. Her voice sounds more stable, yet it still has some pauses. "You have…...wound yourself too…...deep. You are….in their….sights. You…...will….die… Pretty, pretty princess…"
Her head whips back to face Mai. Once more, that squishing sound drives her fear even higher. It's only made worse by the fact the woman's eyes are nothing more than dark holes. Tears slowly work their way down the woman's face that a deep red color, and they leave a trail of blood behind. "He used… to call me that… Don't be…..fooled by…..pretty words….. Poor little…..church mouse….is beyond…..redemption."
Just as suddenly as everything started, it ended, The woman vanishes before her, and warmth floods through her body. It was almost like she had woken up from a terrible nightmare, but she hadn't moved an inch. She was still staring at the empty space left behind. A sigh causes her to jump and twist around. Her heart gives a painful twist, because she didn't know what to expect. Upon seeing who it is, she thought that she'd be surprised, but she found herself simply numb. A look of anger filled the red eyes that gazed down at her. Despite him stepping closer and leaning toward her threateningly, she doesn't feel anything, but a deep, empty void inside her very being. "Humans like you are always so troublesome to deal with. Why can't you be normal food? Stupid bitch."
"What is going on?" She wasn't even sure if she had asked that question out loud, because she didn't even feel herself talking. She was starting to think everything that had happened had been nothing more than a twisted nightmare.
"Tsk!" Subaru clicks his tongue. "How pathetic. It's so easy to break a human mind."
His hand slowly reaches out toward her, but she flinches away and rolls herself off the couch. With a solid thump, she lands face down, but she doesn't give herself a chance to register the pain. She just scrambles to her feet and quickly scoots away from him. That's when she realized just how bad she was shaking. She stumbles a few times, due to the shaking in her legs, but she still tries to put on a brave glare when she locks eyes with Subaru. He didn't look pleased either. She wasn't sure what she was going to do if he pursued her, nor did she even have the energy to wonder why she was even trying to fight back. She wanted to ask if he had seen what she had seen, but she had a feeling that she wouldn't get an answer. In fact, she didn't think she could even form a comprehensive question.
"It's all that pervert's fault. Why did I have to draw the short straw?"
A cold hand envelopes her forehead, and an unusual exhaustion takes over her body. She didn't even try to fight it. Maybe she would just wake up and this would all be a as she's about to give into the welcoming darkness, she hears a rough sigh.
Her eyes snap open, and she finds herself stretched out on the couch. She lays there for only a moment before she glances toward the tv. It was barely audible and had switched to a horror anime. She slowly sits up and rubs her eyes. Her mind runs through everything that had happened the night before. As much as she wanted to simply dismiss it as unconsciously hearing the anime, she knew that she couldn't. This hadn't been the first time that something had happened, and she now knew that she had to work faster to get answers, or she would lose her sanity. The light clank of a pan rings out, causing her to tense. Was it going to happen all over again?
Cautiously, she shifts to peek over the couch. She tries to remember to keep breathing through the panic. Once she finds that the puddle of blood was gone, she allows herself to feel a small shred of comfort. She flops back onto the couch and silently listens to rhythmic sound of clattering pans. Her body realizes even further when she hears a familiar humming sound. She allows herself to relax against the couch and think about what had happened. The thought of Subaru coming to help her was almost comical, though that feeling is only fleeting. She knew that she had said it many times before, but there was something seriously wrong with her. She feels a shudder run down her spine at the fact that she was sure she was going to have terrible nightmares of the injured woman.
With a soft sigh, she forces herself off the couch and slowly makes her way toward the kitchen. Her eyes lock onto the spot she had seen the blood, causing a shudder to run down her spine. She attempts to push the memories from her mind, while she steps into the kitchen. The sight before her causes her to wonder if she's in a dream again. Her mother was literally dancing around the kitchen like some teenage girl, while she was cooking. She was practically glowing with happiness. In fact, the only thing missing from a complete disney cliche was her mother singing some about how happy she was. A sigh from behind her finally draws her attention. To her surprise, her father was sitting at the table with his head hanging low, This made him appear the complete opposite of her mother. His fingers were interlocked behind his neck, causing his arms to effectively hide his face from her view. Slowly, she glances at her mother before making her way over to the table to sit across from her father.
"Ummm….." That was all she managed to say. She wanted to greet her father with a 'good morning' or something, but she couldn't form any other thought past her mother being in such a strangely happy mood, despite their present circumstances. Thankfully, her father seemed to understand her unspoken question.
"I know," her father mutters. Now that she was closer, she could see how tired he was. Her heart skips a beat, and worry bubbles past the mild amusement at seeing her mother dancing.
"Good morning, sweetie!" Her mother practically sings, making both Mai and her father flinch at the same time. Two plates clang loudly against the table in front of them before her mother spins away. A sweet smell starts to waft through the kitchen. Mai's back straightens, and she inhales deeply before releasing a soft sigh of contentment. It was hard to tell exactly what the sweet smell was due to the overwhelming scent of cooking bacon, but it was helping to ease her mind. Her gaze drifts back to her mom, who was bouncing on her tippy toes in front of the oven like it was Christmas Day. She picks up her silverware and stuffs some breakfast in her mouth in an attempt to hide the smile that was threatening to take over her face. Her gaze slowly moves back to her father, who hadn't touched his food. With a frown, she softly asks, "Is that… is that cookies that I smell cooking?"
A groan leaves her father, and he startles Mai with practically snarling. "Yes. There is already cheesecake, and she mentioned something about either making cake or pie. She has been baking like that for the last few hours."
She swallows the next few bites in silence, though it doesn't escape her notice that her father had yet to touch his meal. Finally, she asks, "Why didn't you stop her? Why didn't you wake me up? What is going on?"
"Mai?" Her mother asks softly. Mai flinches and glances toward her mother, who gives her a kind smile. "Eat first. We have a lot to discuss."
Mai glances from her mother to her father pleadingly, but he just gives her a shrug. With a defeated sigh, Mai returns to eating her food. By the time she is done, there is a cake is in the oven, and the dishes are done. Her mother and father sit patiently across the table. An odd silence seems to hang heavy between them for what feels like hours. Finally, her father closes his eyes and clears his throat. "Your mother and I have talked to Mr. Sakamaki. He made us aware of all of everyone's obligations and expectations."
Her father interlocks his fingers and rests them on the table. He inhales through his nose, then he slowly releases the breath out of his mouth. It was like he was trying to calm himself down, or maybe he was mentally preparing himself for something difficult to talk about. She instantly doubts the latter speculation when her mother's face breaks into an excited smile. Her hands make a soft noise, when she hits the table palms down. "Oh, Mai! You should see our workplace! It's just so beautiful! We have state-of-the-art machinery, and we are the lead scientists! We have a team that works just for us! We even get to pick whatever we feel like doing! Oh, Mai, you should see the budget! It's huge! This whole situation is just so…..so…..!"
Mai can't help but laugh at her mother's flushed face. It felt like it had been so long since she had seen her mom so happy. It was almost easy to forget about her problems; however, her father's gloomy look pulls her back to reality. Her eyes meet with her father's, and the conversation turns to their concerns with her situation.. Mai just shrugged off their concerns with a laugh, saying there was nothing they could do at that point. The conversation comes to an end, when her mother lets out what was likely the hundredth yawn. It didn't come as a surprise to Mai that her parents would be keeping the Sakamaki schedule by sleeping during the day and working at night. Her mother had previously gotten out the cake during their discussion, so she simply frosts it, gives Mai a kiss on the top of her head, and leaves the room. Mai expected her father to follow, but he didn't move from the table. The atmosphere seemed to drop a couple of degrees the moment her mother is out of silence seems to stretch for only a brief moment before he says, "Mai, I want you to be extra careful around those boys. There is something…..off about them."
Mai can only stare at her father astonished silence that quickly turns to relief. He didn't know the brothers' true nature, but he also recognized that they weren't normal. She didn't know if her father would believe her that they were vampires, but she still felt as if she had a ally on her side. One that she was sure would be difficult for the brothers to handle, even if he was human. She opens her mouth to agree with him, but her father lifts his hand, effectively silencing her. His voice is so low that she has to painfully lean into the table just to hear him. "We were told this neighborhood is full of employees for Sakamaki, so we have to be careful who we trust."
Mai flinches, when she catches onto her father's unspoken warning. If she wasn't careful, anything she said or did would be reported back to the brothers, which wouldn't bode well for her family. Her father silently stands and leaves the room. After he is gone, her gaze drops to her hands. She'd be careful, but she wouldn't really worry about the neighbors that much, at least not yet.
With a shudder, she follows the driver toward her, likely literal, doom. It was finally time for the Sakamaki family diner that she had been dreading. She straightens the knee length, black skirt that she was wearing. Her shirt was a light blue, button down, and she wore simple flats. She had positive that she would break her ankle or leg if she tried to wear any heels, but her mother hadn't allowed her to leave in a pair of flip flops. She had firmly said that it would look tacky and ruin the outfit she was wearing.
She reaches the door before she feels ready. With a frown on her face, she watches it creak open of it's own accord. The driver steps to the side and gives her slight bow that he doesn't straighten from. Red colors her cheeks, prompting her to dip her head and rush inside without looking back. She doesn't bother to look up while she makes her way in the direction of the cold dining hall. Upon entering, she finally looks up only to find the table completely empty. She pulls out her phone to check the time. She thought it was supposed to start at 6 p.m., but she didn't see that happening, since it was already 5:45.
She jumps when a cold hand presses against her lower back. Her furious gaze turns to meet amused green ones. She attempts to step away, but Laito just wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her flush against him. She glances down at his body, then up at his face once again. Unfortunately, he's much closer than she would have liked. She wants nothing more than to just turn away, but she had a feeling that he wanted her to struggle. Instead, she chooses to stubbornly keeps her gaze on him with a stern look. The stern look quickly melts away into surprise when a cold finger traces her jaw. His face slowly moves dangerously close. She could feel his cold breath puffing lightly against her face when he whispers. "Looks like my meal has willingly shown up."
Mai uselessly opens and closes her mouth a few times. She wanted to protest, but she couldn't find the words. He lets out an amused sounding chuckle at the sight. Only seconds later, they are thankfully interrupted by someone clearing their throat. Sending silent thoughts of gratitude their way, she carefully turns her head just enough to see who it was. She was trying not to expose much of her neck to Laito, just in case he decided to follow through with his threat to bite her. Reiji was giving them a stern, yet disinterested look. "Laito, you know such vulgar activities aren't allowed where we eat."
Laito lets out a soft scoffing noise that sounded much more amused than he had a right to be. "I thought it wasn't correct manners to eat in your room. She's food, isn't she? But if you really have such a problem, I'll gladly eat in my room."
A smile that can only be described as lecherous, spreads over his face. Mai could feel her heart racing even faster when it takes Reji a moment to answer. Thankfully, he lets out a sigh and says,"You will sit in the fourth chair from the left."
"Ah! That puts her so far away from me!" Laito practically whines. Reiji glances back with a look of disapproval, but he clearly wasn't going to give Laito the satisfaction of an argument. Mai glances at the table with a confused look for a moment before she figures it out. There was only one chair on an end, so she assumed that the fourth chair on the left was on the same side she had came in on. To her relief, Laito releases a dejected sigh and releases her. She quickly makes her way over to the chair and sits down. The relief continues to grow when she realizes that she was on the opposite side of the table as the redhead. Unfortunately, Laito had been staring at her the whole time, so he had caught her looking in his direction. His response is giving her a wink and a smile. Mai rolls her eyes and turns only to jump upon seeing Shuu sitting directly beside her on the right side. He still had his earbuds in and was resting his elbow on the table with his chin in his hand. His eyes were closed as well. In fact, he seemed to be asleep. Suddenly, she hears Kanato muttering something to his teddy bear about the dinner that was to come. Mai's gaze turns to look at him. It felt so eerie to have both Kanato and Shuu entering without her hearing a sound, but it still didn't surprise her. Purple eyes lift to meet hers, and she quickly looks down at the table and closes her eyes. Kanato was like a little kid. She found him to be adorable, but she would rather not gain his attention. Thankfully, he returns to muttering to his teddy bear, but his words are so low that she can't make out a single word. She releases a slow, soft breath and keeps mentally repeating that it'll be over before she realizes it. She just had to quickly eat and excuse herself.
It's not long before the chair across from her scrapes along the floor. Mai's jumps and looks up to find Yui smiling almost nervously at her. Mai returns it with a nervous smile of her own before she realizes something. Her face was flushed, almost like she was embarrassed. There were small beads of sweat along, and her hair was messy. Mai's eyes narrow, and she opens her mouth to ask Yui if she was ok when a smug looking Ayato seems to materialize beside Yui. A scoff beside her momentarily distracts Mai. One of Shuu's eyes was open, and, thankfully, his attention was in the direction of Yui. Before Mai has a chance to glance at her friend, Reiji announces that it is time begin,. Multiple plates of delicious food is placed around the table from previously unseen servers. The smell alone causes Mai's stomach to growl. She hears a chuckle beside her and casts a glance in that direction, but it looked like Shuu had fallen asleep once more. Mai simply frowns at him before she turns her gaze back to the mouth watering food. A large helping of seafood pasta was the theme. There was multiple vegetables, dipping sauces and sides sitting in dishes around the main dishes. Mai closes her eyes for a moment just to savor the scent of the food before she begins to eat.
She barely represses the groan of pleasure upon the first bite. Unfortunately, she only gets five or six more bites in before something strange grabs her attention. There was absolutely no noise at all. She glances around to find that everyone aside from Shuu and Ayato was eating without making a sound or saying a word. In fact, no one was even looking at each other. When her gaze lands on Yui, the blonde seems to sense her gaze. She glances up and offers Mai a nervous smile once again. Softly, Yui says, "The food here is good, huh?"
Mai mutely nods. She wasn't sure what else to do. It wasn't like she could ask Yui why everyone was so quiet, since that would be embarrassing and asking for trouble from someone like Ayato or Laito. The silence wasn't the problem. It felt like there was hostility hiding beneath the surface. Thankfully, Yui continues to talk. "Reiji usually makes the food."
The atmosphere seems to grow even colder with those words. Yui flinches and pales slightly, causing Mai to glance around the room. With a clatter, Ayato shoves the food away and lets out a content sigh. "I'm full."
It doesn't escape Mai's notice that Ayato hadn't touched a single thing on his plate. A sigh could be heard from Reiji's direction. "I told you not to spoil your appetite before these dinners, Ayato."
Ayato scoffs. "She was begging me to drink her blood, while she screamed my name!"
Mai wasn't the only one mortified by what Ayato had said; she was just the only one to drop her silverware. The sound was drowned out by Yui's horrified voice calling Ayato's name, which only makes things worse in Mai's mind. She is faintly aware of Reiji informing Ayato not to imply improper things at the dinner table, but she was distracted by the low voice muttering in her ear. "If you allow so much blood to rush to your face, you are asking for trouble."
Slamming her hands against the table in order to shove the chair backwards, Mai abruptly stands up. Unfortunately, it draws everyone's attention to her. For a breathless moment, she's unsure what to do. She had acted without thinking, but she finally forces out. "I'm…. I'm going home! Thank you for the food, but I'm not feeling the best."
She turns and quickly rushes out of the room. She never wanted to return to another dinner with them. With a shudder, she knew that what she wanted and reality would never coincide with each other. It comes as a surprise that the door creaks opens for her. The driver was right where she had left him, but she didn't even show him any attention as she passes. Her mind kept turning over the deal she had made. There had to be a loophole somewhere, right?
All she could do was hope that she could find one.
Her feet literally drag along the floor of the school. It had been a couple of weeks since the dinner. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to join her old class with Yui, but, thankfully, she wasn't in any classes with Laito either. She flops down at her desk and lets her head fall rest on the cool desktop. She closes her eyes and releases a sigh of pure exhaustion. Lately, her mother had been so energetic that it was starting to wear Mai out. Despite having attended the school not long ago, she was still treated like a new student. On top of it all, she hadn't been able to make any new friends. It seemed like every time she tried talking to someone, they would coldly shun her. She assumed it was due to the Sakamaki's, but she wasn't a hundred percent sure.
The cool desktop felt good against her warm face. She was thankful that she had returned just before winter break was going to start. Just as she starts to doze off, students start to trickle in. Her eyes slowly open to stare blankly at the wall. She thought that arriving early would be worse than it actually was. At least, she finally had time to pick up reading again, since she didn't have time after school. She cringes at the memory of her tutor. He had appeared only minutes after she had gotten home from school, and he had proceeded to lecture her till almost noon. One time, she had almost overslept, but the silent driver literally flipped the mattress she was sleeping on. Unfortunately, her head had struck the nightstand on her way down. That same day, she had been called to the nurse's office and forced to explain the large bruise that covered most of her forehead. It was just one of many humiliating experiences that she had found herself in. In fact, the bruise was still healing.
Her thoughts are pulled back to the present when a hand slams onto the desk only inches from her nose. With a sigh, she slowly sits up and fixes a glare on Ayato, who leans closer. To her surprise, he whispers, "Get off your ass and follow me."
With a scoff, she folds her arms over her desk and buries her face into them. Just before the bell to start class rings, cold fingers wrap around and grip her upper arm in a bone crushing grip. She lets out a soft sound of pain and tries to remain sitting in the seat by using her free hand to grab the edge of the desk. She should have known that wouldn't stop Ayato. It just causes her to flip the desk and draw the attention of every single person in the room, even the strangely silent teacher. This seemed to be the moment that Ayato was waiting for. With a sharp tug, he has her stumbling after him. She doesn't try to pull away until they are safely in the hallway. Once there, she leans back and literally digs her heels in. She snarls. "What is wrong with you? Don't you feel any sort of embarrassment?"
Unfortunately, she doesn't get any answer. The hallways spins sickeningly, and her stomach twists painful. A hand slams over her mouth in an effort to keep from throwing up the pancakes her mother had practically forced her to eat right before school. She hunches over and tries to focus on her breathing instead of the nauseous feeling her stomach. She's silently thankful that Ayato had released her some time after he had ported them. Finally, everything seems to calm down, and she discovers that she is standing in the dead center of Yui's room. Mai casts a curious glance at Ayato before labored breathing draws her attention toward the large pink bed.
She slowly approaches the bed to see Yui covered in sweat, shaking and pale. It was obvious that she was sleeping, but she wasn't sleeping well. Concern coats Mai's mouth in a sour taste, and her gaze snaps to Ayato, who simply shrugs at her. He states coldly. "Fix her."
Mai clenches her fists tightly, wanting nothing more than to punch him in the face. Thankfully, she's able to resist the urge and turns to look at Yui again. "What's wrong with her?"
"I don't have time to waste with you're stupid questions," Ayato practically sneers at her. She promptly flips him off, which she regrets seconds later when he appears beside her. She turns to snap at him, but a soft voice interrupts her.
"Ayato."
Both freeze almost instantly. Mai had a look of shock on her face, while Ayato looked mildly curious. Mai turns her attention back to Yui. With a sigh, Mai reaches out to press her wrist against Yui's forehead. It doesn't come as a shock to feel that her friend is warmer than normal. She turns her gaze to Ayato, who glances away from the blonde for only a moment to say, "She was complaining that her body hurt all over last night, and she didn't eat much either."
Mai rolls her eyes, but she choses not to say anything. If she looked very close, she could almost convince herself that Ayato cared about her friend. She glances down at Yui only to meet tired red eyes. Mai has to give her credit for trying to smile and sit up. She coughs for a moment and says. "It's ok. It's just the flu."
Mai simply returns the smile and says, "Well, don't worry about. You just had the big, scary vampire worried."
"Shut up, bitch! Yours Truly doesn't worry about anyone but himself." Ayato snaps loudly. Both girls share a knowing glance that causes them both to laugh, much to the irritation of Ayato.
"Did you know what was wrong with her?" Mai asks. She couldn't resist this golden opportunity to tease the red head about something he didn't seem to have a lot of knowledge in. Ayato scoffs arrogantly.
"Of course I knew what's wrong with her! Why do you think I came to get you? The flu is disgusting. You'll be taking care of it."
"You don't deal with illness often, do you?" His shrug frustrates her, but she decides to ignore it. She didn't think that vampires could even get sick, and no one seemed to be the nurturing type. With a defeated sigh, Mai simply decides to accept the role she had been given. Hopefully, she wouldn't come down with the flu next. "Look, all she needs is rest and food, even if she says she isn't hungry. My mom always gave me broth or chicken noodle soup."
Ayato gives her an expectant glare. The two of them end up glaring at each other before Mai finally gives in. "Fine! I'll take care of her."
She glances down to find that Yui had fallen asleep at some point. She turns to look at Ayato only to find a mischievous look on his face. Before she can retort, his finger comes out to poke her still painful bruise. She lets out a startled cry and swats at him, though she didn't connect. With a jolt, she realizes that she didn't actually intend to hit him. It was almost like she was joking with a friend.
That thought alone was enough to make her cringe. Before she realizes it he was walking toward the door. He says smugly, "I only brought you here to watch her while I'm away getting the shit to make my food taste good again. I don't want her to die from loneliness!"
Mai can't help but roll her eyes. Ayato was arrogant and rude, but she didn't think he was as bad as he made himself out to be. With a startled jolt, Mai pushes those thoughts to the back of her mind beside the fact that she had just thought of him as a friend. She mutters to herself all the things he had done while she moves to sit next to Yui on the bed. While she was looking at Yui toss and turn, she didn't really see the blonde. Instead, she was digging through her mind for the exact moment that she had even considered Ayato to be a friend. One word pulls Mai from her thoughts.
"Father."
Sympathy immediately rips through Mai's chest. Her gaze becomes focused once more. She turns her undivided attention toward the sick girl. It had occurred in the back of her mind before, but it was painfully obvious now. Yui had no one that she could depend on in this sick, twisted house that she was living in, at least not until Mai had shown up. Still, Mai wasn't really there to protect her. With a sigh, Mai closes her eyes. She couldn't imagine what it'd be like to live with the brothers alone. Respect for her friend becomes even stronger. At first glance, it might seem like Yui was foolish for some of the choices she made, but Mai had found that there was a much deeper reason behind her choices. Yui was only trying to save her own life, no matter the cost, and she didn't see anyone around that could actually help her. The brothers were scary and seemed almost overly powerful, especially to a normal, sheltered, high school girl. Mai finds herself wondering what she would do different. There was a few places that she was positive she would have changed, but she was silently grateful that she never would have to. The sound of the door opening is the only warning she gets before Ayato appears before her. He shoves the two cans he is hold into her stomach and slides past her.
"Make yourself useful " he says but his voice sounded different. She couldn't figure out why though. With a shake of her head, she quickly moves to the door. Just as she is about to leave, she hears a soft voice saying.
"Thank you."
She glances back in pure shock. It didn't sound like Yui's voice, so she could only assume that it was Ayato. She stares at him for a moment, but he had taken more interest in a book beside Yui's bed. Mai's eyes narrow for a moment, since the book looked suspiciously like a diary. Unable to just stand by and allow her friend's privacy to be invaded, she asks,"Did you say something?"
Ayato's gives her the finger, but he continues to stare down at the little book. "Yeah, I said to hurry your ass up with that nasty ass food."
Mai lets out a sigh, suddenly too tired to argue with the red head. She softly closes the door just as Yui wakes up again and makes her way down the eerie hallway in the direction of the kitchen. She was silently hoping that they had a microwave, but she didn't put much hope into her luck at that point. If there wasn't, she would just have to figure something out. After all, she was probably the only one who had dealt with the flu in the house aside from Yui. With a sigh, she wonders just how long the night was going to be.
At least she got out of school. Perhaps she could get away from her tutor from hell, too. That thought brought a smile to her face. She didn't believe that would happen, but she could dream.
