disclaimers: standard disclaimers apply. Writing purposes for entertainment, not for payment.
warnings: OOC, AU, PWP, TWT, k x f, s x s, mentioned sorashi, mentioned yuzunagi.
notes: *shrugs* NC-17 sections are on the way…sometime in the future. I will warn you when there is mature content included in the writing.
symbols: [dream sequence]
"conversation"
'thoughts'
/flashbacks/
not all of them will be used.
author's notes: ^_^;;;; SOOOOOOO sorry about the long wait…but I've been busy (what even WITH weekends and holiday breaks I still have TONS and TONS of work to do -_-;;; I hate—or at least strongly dislike—my teachers).
die, die gekennzeichnet worden sind
(roughly translated: those who have been marked)
by: yakusoku
kapitel 2—unter dem vollmond
(roughly translated: chapter 2—under the full moon)
Soft rays of newborn sunlight filtered into the dim room through the cracks in the parted, pale curtains that decorated the glass window. Softly and gently, they caressed the cheeks of the sleeping boy lying contently on the bed, coaxing his body to awake and enticing his eyes to open in greeting to the glorious dawning day. Hesitantly and reluctantly, those thick black eyelashes fluttered as the twin pools of violet opened groggily, still slightly clouded and glazed from the warm drowsiness surrounding his body, and the comfortableness of his bed nearly lulled him back to sweet oblivion, but the light persisted in its cause. With a content but slightly irritated sigh, the boy fought a valiant battle with the sleep threatening to take him under its wings again, and leisurely crawled out of bed after his body won its freedom from the lethargy. He gasped in pain however, when he turned his head slightly, and one hand immediately shot upwards to grasp at his neck, surprised to find two puncture marks on his flesh covered by a dried, flaking crust of an unknown substance. Soft, needle-like threads of pain coursed through his body at the skin to wound contact, and he winced slightly from the sensations, but become concerned about the material clinging to the sides of the pierced flesh. When he removed his hand, he could only stare in stunned silence and confusion when he saw some small pieces of what appeared to be dried blood sticking to his pale, slender fingers.
'Hadn't…hadn't it all been a dream?' wondered the boy disbelievingly as he stared at the evidence present in front of his eyes, and soon, he searched and investigated his brain for memories of the night before, but his mind could only draw a blank.
"So-Sorata-nii-san!" called out the boy shakily as fear and dread settled into his stomach, clenching up his abdomen and spreading throughout ever inch of his body until he wrapped his arms around his trembling body to try and calm himself. Soon, three hurried sets of footsteps walked towards his room, and a moment later, the wooden door opened to reveal a perplexed, but a bit relieved, face, followed by two other sets of faces, one known and the other oddly familiar. The feelings of relief for the boy's consciousness and well-being faded soon as three sets of eyes took to observing the bite marks on the boy's neck and the dried blood adorning the pale expanse of skin.
"He's come back…" whispered Sorata, voice ominous and expression distressed.
*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*
"You planned on doing WHAT?!" exclaimed Subaru as the boy finished explaining his decision, sitting there looking morose and uncomfortable. The four of them—Sorata, Yuzuriha, Subaru, and Kamui—sat at the breakfast table in the dinning room, having finished their food and drink and now conversing and discussing about the entire situation.
"Hai. 2 weeks ago, when I had that nightmare where I remembered the events that happened 8 years ago, I talked it over with Sorata-nii-san and Yuzuriha-nee-san…" repeated Kamui, his eyes downcast and his face despondent, his voice jaded and defeated. "They agreed because they didn't want me to suffer with…him. I had planned to kill myself today, before my 16th birthday, so I wouldn't interfere with nee-san and nii-san's weddings and ruin their marriages with constant worry over me."
"So you're just going to give up without a fight," stated Subaru incredulously, his tone of voice disapproving; he would rather that lives preserved and unnecessary sacrifices kept unmade.
"I…have no other…choice…if I don't want to go with him…" whispered Kamui, raising his pleading eyes to meet Subaru's determined ones.
"How do you even know that all vam-" questioned Subaru, only to cut himself off in the middle of the sentence, his eyes glazing over as he covered his mouth with one hand, realizing what he would have said for justification if he hadn't caught himself in time.
'How do you even know that all vampires are malevolent?' thought Subaru, keeping this inquiry confined in his mind as he replayed some short memories of the man he had once loved deeply, with all his heart. He fought against the feelings of betrayal and melancholy; feelings of sorrow, joy, pain, love, and a myriad of numerous other emotions surfaced, threatening to break the careful wall he had constructed over his heart. Having composed himself to a reasonable degree, he faced back up to the boy fidgeting nervously and awkwardly in his chair, only to find himself wondering if this boy or himself would ever discover true happiness in their lives.
"Give it some more thought, Kamui-san. Sometimes, the answers are the most unexpected ones," advised Subaru, his voice calm and solemnly grave, before he stood up from his chair and excused himself from the table to go out for a wandering walk during which he could sort out his mess of conflicting thoughts.
*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*
'Seishirou-san…'
The name brought a pang of heart-wrenching pain resonating through his body, and his hands flew up to cover his pounding, aching heart. Almost as if sensing his anguish and misery, the sky clouded to an imminent gray, and delicate, understanding drops of rain fell from the crying heavens above, accompanying the invisible tears falling from his broken heart. Emerald green eyes gazed forlornly up at the endless accumulation of desolate clouds, seemingly seeking out answers to unanswered questions from the endless disarray of crystalline raindrops.
"Seishirou-san…I still…can't stop loving you…Why?…" whispered Subaru into the great vastness of wilderness, but the trembling trees and grasses, the drooping flowers, the mourning rain and clouds, the moaning and sighing of the winds, and the occasional outcry of animals nearby never responded to his question.
*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*
Kamui sat apprehensively on his bed, slender legs swinging over the edge in a nervous habit of deep contemplation, scarred hands sporadically brushing away with loose locks of raven-black hair falling annoyingly into his eyes. His mind remained in turmoil and chaos as he reconsidered his decision of suicide, but all thoughts fled his mind when an aroma filled his nostrils and blinded his senses with its musky deliciousness and numbness. His eyelids drooped dangerously close to shutting, his arms and legs fell useless and limp like lead to his sides, his body dropped its resistance to the stupor, and his mind shooed away all thoughts of alertness and alarm.
The window gently creaked open to reveal a dark figure crouching on the windowsill, the profile looking like a dark angel freshly fallen, what with the wind billowing his worn black cloak and the moonlight shining ethereally at his back.
"Emoc ot em, ym lufituaeb llod," whispered the immortal being, slowly raising an outstretched hand towards the boy, amber eyes glowing softly in the darkness, shining with the lust and pride one had when collecting a prized object. Almost as if under control, the boy jerkily stood up from his position on the bed and walked timid, drawling steps towards the vampire, his eyes glazed and clouded emotionlessly, his mind locked away in the deepest recesses of his psyche. Within reach, he reached out his small hand towards the offered hand, but suddenly jerked away from his trance when the two hands touched, the contrasting coldness to the heat snapping his mind awake. The larger, stronger hand wrapped itself gently around his retreating hand, and caressed the line of scar with his thumb, bringing the hand towards his face to tenderly drop a loving kiss on palm.
"Emoc htiw em, ym llod…I lliw wohs uoy ytinrete…" persuaded the vampire, applying the least of pressures and forces when he pulled the boy towards himself, his patience thinning as his craving for the boy's nectarous blood hazed his mind. The boy looked intently into his predator's eyes and tears unexpectedly sprang to his amethyst orbs, rolling down gracefully as he placed the other hand over the vampire's heart, touching the soft cloth of smooth leather embroidered by silky velvet. He felt no heartbeat, and leaned his cheeks against that chest, tears gradually drenching the clothing. The vampire uncomprehendingly brought his arms comfortingly around the boys' lithe, frail form, wanting to dive into that unfathomable mind and read all the thoughts and emotions coursing through it.
"Can you…love me?" asked the boy in a soft whisper. "Will you...make me happy?"
A sharp tug came at his heart as he felt a sudden overwhelming desire to fulfill the boy's wishes, but he knew he would only be lying if he corroborated to the boy's requests, for he acknowledged the fact that his heart had been dead and unfeeling for a long time now.
'Could I feel…for this boy?' he silently questioned himself in his mind, and his heart remained quiet, never giving a sign of indication that it could ever possibly revive.
'Why do I care…for the happiness and safety of this boy?' one voice in his head asked. 'I merely see him as a plaything…don't I?'
"Please…don't take me away…I don't want to go…unless I find something better staying in your presence…" begged the boy, his hands clutching tightly at the man's shirt in desperation and in despair.
The vampire sighed softly, drowning in his own confusion at his instincts, and with one hand, raised the boy's face to face his own with a tilt of the chin. He leaned downwards and captured those soft, warm lips with his own, tasting with his probing tongue and asking for entrance, which the submissive boy did not refuse him. But as the kiss deepened gradually, the door burst open and he was suddenly knocked away by the force of knife embedded cruelly into his cadaverous flesh, sending him flying out of the house and onto the grassy plains below. Quickly he recovered himself, only to find himself face to face with the famous Sumeragi, the feared hunter of the vampires. He sneered at the vampire hunter and growled with displeasure when he saw that the man shielded his prized toy in his arms protectively.
"Get out, now," warned Subaru, his voice dangerously low and calm, implying all the pain and torment he would inflict on the vampire if he so much as dare to come one inch closer to the house. The reply to his threat was a low chuckle and a baring of the fangs, causing him to tighten his hold on the boy more as he sought to expose and learn the true nature of this vampire.
"Yhw od uoy thgif em, reyals? I emac tsuj tcelloc tahw si enim1," whispered the vampire, grinning up at his foe with all the confidence and audacity that the cunning species of bloodsuckers can muster.
"It is his choice whether or not he will go wish you, and he does not wish it," came the certain reply. At this, the vampire glanced quickly at the boy, who hid his face in the fabric of Subaru's clothing at the shoulder; he concluded, from the cursory inspection, that the boy seemed more undetermined than disgusted. The vampire smirked.
"Uoy od ton wonk tahw si tseb rof mih, reyals," stated the vampire in a husky whisper before charging forward with his hands outstretched, black cloak billowing gracefully behind him and mask his entire frame in the artificial shadow.
Subaru pushed Kamui out of the way before drawing out his sword2 and standing ready for the onslaught. The first blow struck hard upon the weapon, and his leg instinctively reached backwards to brace his body and absorb some of the shock. The vampire snarled out a laugh, not even noticing the sword slicing neatly into the palms of his hands. The slayer pulled his sword out of the vampire's grasp and sliced with great agility and strength at the vampire's head, only to have the blow dodged easily by the vampire. The vampire reached forward to choke the slayer, and watched with amusement when the flash of metal reflecting the moonlight heralded the severing of his hand. The cadaverous flesh flew through the air and dropped several feet from its owner, and dark crimson blood almost to the color of black dripped and sprayed upon the floor in an oddly aesthetic manner. Instantly, the flesh rotted away, and the vampire and the slayer watched each other intently while the vampire recreated his severed limb.
"Uoy tonnac niw."
"I will send you on your way."
"I don't want to see you fight."
The vampire and the slayer turned their heads simultaneously to look at the source of that voice, and found the boy standing in the most lighted portion of the room. They watched as the boy observed the two of them. The boy stood with blood staining his pale skin and his white clothing, like an cherub tainted with the dark sin of blood; the purple eyes shone defiantly, and his slender body shook with anger.
"Stop it! I'm tired of being treated like some-some thing to be fought over! If I am to choose, I will choose! Do not dare make these decisions for me!" yelled the boy, and continuing on, "I am just alive as anyone else! I am just as normal as everyone else is! There's nothing to fight over about!"
"Kamui—" started the Sumeragi while lowering his sword into a more defensive stance.
"retho seripmav emoc siht yaw…I lliw eb kcab worromot…" whispered the vampire as he stood before the boy, his hand gently caressing the boy's cheek and his thumb tracing the boy's lips. Subaru berated himself for turning his back on the vampire and letting his guard so far as to not detect when the vampire moved towards the boy. He took a step forward to wrench the vampire away from the boy, when he suddenly froze in his actions; the vampire had bent down and kissed the boy passionately on the mouth, and the boy had responded to the touch like moth drawn to a flame. In a moment, the vampire was gone into the deepest shadows of the night, leaving the boy dazed in the warm glow of the ardent kiss.
A single black rose petal floated down and landed upon the cold, wooden floor.
*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*
The vampire jumped through the trees before landing softly and quietly upon the soft grass of a meadow clearing of the forest.
"Why do you follow me, Seishirou-kun?" asked the vampire into the shadows of the trees surrounding the lighted area.
"Your interests in that human is unhealthy, Fuuma-kun," replied the darkness amusedly before the dark shape of a man emerged from the shadows and walked forth into the pale moonlight. The man is an awesome figure: a tall, well build frame; pairs of legs and arms seemingly crafted by the divinities themselves; smooth, well-groomed brown hair atop handsome face; and two cold, calculating russet eyes that can strike fear into the most powerful and intrepid of men. The vampire addressed as Fuuma turned to smile at his long time acquaintance.
"Your interests in that slayer is even more unhealthy, Seishirou-kun," retorted Fuuma with a knowing smirk on his magnificent face.
"How is Subaru-kun?" A change of subject, Fuuma noted.
"Fine. We had a little fight; I did not harm him. Why are you so interested in the welfare of the slayer? I thought that you had shattered all ties associated with that man?"
"Why are you so interested in the welfare of that boy?" Another change of subject; Fuuma became suspicious that his fellow vampire is untruthful of his affections and intentions towards that slayer who is the eternal enemy of vampires alike.
"I claimed him a long time ago. He is mine. And I care for what is mine."
"Would you want for him to be happy?"
"He will be happy by my side."
"And if he is not?"
"He will."
"Even the best plans can go awry. Just remember that the next time you touch that boy. If you are only interested, as you say, in the boy's body, then you not hesitate to take the boy for your own and make him into a broken, obedient doll and slave like those that most vampires have. But I doubt that is the true nature of your schemes; after all, a challenge is better than an eternal obedience."
"…What was the reason behind your departure from that slayer?"
"Our 'companions' come." For once, Seishirou appreciated the rude entrance of fellow vampires, however inferior and stupid they may be to Seishirou.
"You will answer my question later?" asked Fuuma as he prepared to greet their "guests", wishing that their conversation had not been interrupted; he knew the vampire hid many secrets within the black depths of his heart, and he grew more curious to find out all he can about this legendary vampire.3
"Perhaps."
*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*~*^-^*
Kamui sat at the kitchen table, hands holding the delicate petal. His breakfast remained untouched; his brother and sister watched worriedly, and their own appetites shrank with each passing moment until restless hands holding forks and spoons and knives alike poked and shuffled aimlessly at the contents of their plates.
"You have a choice, you know, Kamui-san," said Subaru in a quiet, calm voice, breaking the uncomfortable and deafening silence of the room. The action had its desired effect: the boy broke out of his deep thoughts and mental trance and looked up at the slayer, his eyes full of an unnamed emotion.
"And…and what would you propose, Subaru-san?" whispered the boy, his voice deadpan. Sorata and Yuzuriha glanced alarmed at each other before returning their attentions to the conversation at hand; they were informed of all that had passed the night before4, but did not know the exact details of the words spoken.
"Run."
"What?" the boy asked disbelievingly; that was the advised answer to all these complicated problems of his?
"Escape from here. I will accompany you and protect you until you arrive in the safe vicinities of my house, where others can care for you," informed Subaru, offering Kamui the choice of leaving or staying.
"But…What about Yuzu-nee-san and Sora-nii-san?" Kamui turned to look at his family, who had supported him and stayed by his side throughout the years.
"We'll be fine!" Sorata exclaimed with a laugh, putting on a brave façade for his younger brother. He knew that the vampire could kill him and Yuzuriha—not to mention their new families—and he knew that the vampire had the motive of rage to murder after learning that his "prize" had escaped his clutches.
"We'll visit you," chipped in Yuzuriha, her smiling face lessening some of the trepidation that Kamui felt throbbing through his veins.
Kamui sat there for several moments, pondering seriously over the situation, while Sorata, Yuzuriha, and Subaru looked at the boy for his final decision. The boy came to a decision; he will leave until the vampire has reached a conviction of feelings towards the boy. With that in mind, he looked up with resolute eyes.
"I will leave."
Continue: Y/N ?
Notes:
1 – _…I noticed that it would be kind of hard for you to read this story with all those words (which is spelled backwards). So…in the future, if there is "vampire" speech (T_T;; I'm just being very unoriginal XDXD I don't think I can write in a made-up language), I will probably just include the "translation" in brackets afterwards.
2 – Okay, it's virtually pointless for slayers to fight with a stake if they're not specially equipped with inhuman strength.
3 – Seishirou is an ancient vampire XD but he's made a lot of enemies.
4 – Fuuma put them to sleep XD He only knew that Kamui, Sorata, and Yuzuriha were in the house, but I guess failed to be notified of Subaru's presence. ^_^;
author's notes: @_@ *groans* You know what? I have come to the conclusion that SAT's and AP's will claim your life before you reach the age of 18 (that's pretty sad. _;;;). It is either that, or you will die prematurely from a heart attack because of your late nights.
