Thank you to everyone who'd reviewed so far! I'm taking writing this fic easy, so the updates are rather irregular, but I'm having fun! If you follow, thank you!
School and life went on as usual. Ayato had been giving more space to Yui, showing up mostly around meal times when he expects to have her blood, but other than that had remained accommodating.
During the evenings, they'll have school, and it was enjoyable for Yui because she liked class. Ayato and Yui still have all their classes together, which means many times Yui would also need to help Ayato with his work since he's always not listening. During break times, if Ayato was busy with other schoolmates or he preferred to take a nap, Yui would get some food, and then head to the rooftop, where Subaru likes to linger about. It was always comfortable hanging out with Subaru.
As they sat on the bench under the overhead roof, he told her things like how Ayato's childhood had been. It was not a pleasant one, for he despised his parents, did not get along well with Kanato or Laito, and was never genuinely loved. It made Yui's heart go out to him.
"I remember things about Cordelia, like how she never raised Ayato and the rest properly," Yui murmurs. Compared to them, she has had a much better childhood, where at least not only was she well provided for, but her father had played with her and given her proper care and concern. The triplets, especially Ayato who was always expected to deliver and be good at everything, must have been overly pressured when they were just kids.
"Yeah but well, it's in the past now. None of it matters anymore," Subaru says, as he remains seated next to her.
"It does. It helped me understand Ayato's character better."
"If you wanted to understand a person better, don't normal people just go on dates?"
"So…you're saying I should go on a date with Ayato?"
"How should I know? That stuff's up to you."
Yui had never really thought about it. But now that Subaru has mentioned it, it almost feels like she should've thought of on her own it way before.
Yui then smiles up at him, "I got it! You were helpful, Subaru, thank you!"
Subaru blushed almost immediately, and turned away at once to hide it.
"Shut up."
The recent rainy season had been bad, which meant that it poured rather often. The period also marks the beginning of mock exams, which Ayato utterly hates. He hated school and he hated exams even more. As if twenty years of studying isn't enough, now high school has to drag along. If not for that damn father of his, he would've quit long ago.
"Ayato, are you listening?" Yui's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "We still need to finish this so that we can go through the geography notes later."
Ayato was frustrated. Although studying with Yui isn't bad, because he can just copy her answers or make her do his work, he still didn't like the activity.
"I'm bored. I'm sick of this already."
"You can't, we need to hand it in first thing tomorrow. Let's just do it quickly and you can take a break later, okay?"
An idea came to his head. "Then, if I do finish this, do I get a reward?"
"A reward? Like what kind?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Ayato gave her a grin, "Your blood."
Yui gulped, but to get Ayato moving, she realised for a while now that he needs incentives. If there weren't a specific goal in front, Ayato wouldn't even get started at all. Slowly but surely, she is understanding how he works.
"Okay. But you have to finish this within the next hour or we don't have a deal."
"Hmph. I've never heard of a prey that sets the rules for her master. But fine."
Yui watched as Ayato worked, eagerly looking up answers from the textbook and occasionally checking the clock. He also complains often, like how 'It's a pain that a great vampire like himself even needs to work for blood', but otherwise moves fast. Yui also silently notes how attractive Ayato is when he's concentrated and working…
"Oi, Chichinashi. What are you spacing out for?"
Yui immediately shook her head to snap out of it. She took a quick look at the time and realised the hour's almost up already.
"I'm done, now give me your blood," Ayato said.
"Wait! I have to check your work first!"
"No way, that wasn't part of the deal," Ayato retorts. Before Yui could so much as even flip through the work he's done, Ayato grabs her roughly by the waist and pulls her forward so that she's straddling him. It instantly causes her to blush.
"Ayato, what are you-," Yui opens her mouth to protest, but Ayato only pulls a side of her top down, revealing the smooth skin on her shoulder and neck area. His hands remained firm on her waist, as he leans forward to bite down on her shoulder.
Yui closes her eyes tight, but this sensation isn't one that she hates. She's already become so accustomed to it nowadays. But then she realises after a while that today, Ayato seemed to be drinking more than he usually does…
"Ayato…" she starts to protest, upon feeling him shift towards her neck. If he takes any more than he already did, she's going to faint really soon. She has to have him stop.
"If I'm not drinking any blood, then it's fine, is it?" Ayato says in a low voice.
Yui wonders what's going on for a second, and almost readies herself for a bite when she feels him shifting, but then she realises Ayato's only kissing the side of her neck. He isn't taking her blood.
"You like this, don't you?" He questions in between the kisses that are traveling upwards slowly, "Your face says it all."
Yui turns towards Ayato, eager to taste him on her lips, but Ayato only avoid it, chuckling as he goes for the side of her lips and face, but never allowing their lips to touch.
"You're always teasing me like this," Yui retorts, her hands balled up in fists on his shirt.
"But you like it. You are one big masochist after all."
"Ayato…"
He kisses her some more on the neck, watching the frustration show on her face and enjoying it, before he finally kisses her on the lips. He likes how she's nibbling eagerly on his bottom lip, how she's letting him dominate her mouth so easily and how she moans in a way that really turns him on. It still matters but it doesn't matter as much anymore that she can't remember what happened in the past, because he's going to be the one that takes over her entire life from now on. He'll make sure that she belongs to no one but him.
Every kiss, every time their lips meet, Yui can't help herself. She wants more and more, but beyond anything, Yui wants to fall in love with his person.
As their kisses became less fueled, Yui dares herself to ask.
"Ayato, should we go on a…"
It was unexpectedly embarrassing to be asking. She'd never really done this before.
"What is it, Chichinashi? Spit it out."
"Should we go on a…date?"
There, she said it. The more Ayato stared at her, not saying anything, the more she could feel her face grow hot. Then a grin broke out on his handsome face.
"Fine."
"Really?" Yui was surprised.
"Don't act so surprised now, you were the one who wanted it."
Yui gave a nod. "I just wanted to get to know you better, Ayato. That's all."
"Becoming interested in me now, eh?"
"What are you saying!" Yui blurts out, looking away from his face. "It just hurts…not being able to remember anything. But rather than pondering like this all the time, I want to do something."
Ayato felt a pang of something hit him in the chest. He didn't know if he felt pain, knowing that Yui still couldn't recall the past, or was it happiness, seeing Yui put in that amount of thought and effort into him. None of the sacrificial brides or girls from before could even match up to half of what Yui has done for him. It wasn't just her blood that he wanted; He wants all of her and this in turn somewhat scared him as well.
"Sure, Chichinashi. Let's go on that date then."
As a smile spreads across her face, Ayato could feel himself looking forward to this already.
The mock exams had no mercy on anyone and even for Yui, it had been a tough hurdle to get past. At this rate, she's going to have to buck up for her studies. But rather than herself, she's still more worried for Ayato, who doesn't seem to be sweating out over the papers as much as she is.
He's told her it was "easy", and she found it hard to believe what he said. Rather, she reckons she's going to have to get ready to deal with his temper, once Ayato gets his grades back and after Reiji reprimands him. It wasn't that she didn't have faith in Ayato, but his track record always proved differently.
In any case, it won't be a while later till they got their test results back. The rain hadn't been coming down as often nowadays, so Yui also figures it might be a good time for them to go on that date, since they both needed a break after all. She is delighted when Ayato agrees.
Silently, behind Ayato's back, she had also sniffed out from Subaru that Ayato is a fan of takoyaki (although Subaru learned it the hard way. He ever stole a couple of Ayato's precious octopus balls when his brother wasn't looking, and that had ended up disastrous).
Nevertheless, Yui had been quietly purchasing ingredients and looking up recipes and tutorial videos all week. She isn't too bad at cooking, so with confidence, Yui hoped for her idea of a surprise picnic basket (of takoyaki) to go without any problems.
"You are really putting effort in this huh?" Subaru said, as he observes her from a corner of the kitchen. Earlier on, Yui had told Ayato that she thinks a picnic date would be relaxing, and that if Ayato didn't mind, he could wait for her by the lake later and then she'll come around with some home-made food. Ayato had again agreed, and even threw in that they could watch the sunrise. It was kind of odd for vampires to want to watch sunrises, but Yui figures that Ayato must not hate it if he were to suggest it, so that went well.
"Yes, I've been getting ready all week. I hope I don't mess up." Yui answered.
"Mm," Subaru grunts, but otherwise continues to watch her. It's not like he had anything better to do at the moment either.
Yui whisked the ingredients together, all while getting the takoyaki pan heated up and all was well. It really didn't seem too hard to make takoyaki, and she just hoped that hers would taste delicious. The oil she'd put earlier on the pan began to smoke, and Yui knew it was ready for the batter to go in.
Everything went fine until she accidentally scaled herself on the pan, all while trying to drop the octopus pieces into the batter.
"Ouch!" she yelped, jumping back. It was really hot and it hurt!
"Where is it, let me see!" Subaru, who'd been quiet all this while, had sprung forward. With his body pressed against her back, he takes her hand to run it under tap water. Yui is aware of this, but her hand is really stinging.
"It still hurts. It's turning red already," Yui says, her voice soft.
"You really are an idiot. Watch where you hands go next time!" Subaru chides, still holding Yui's hand steady under the water.
"Is there any gel or something that I can put on it?"
"You're in a house of vampires. We self-heal, and we don't get sick. Why would we need something like gels for?"
It made sense, although now it isn't just a house of vampires, considering that Yui had been living with them for quite a while now, but Yui keeps her mouth shut.
"The batter's going to burn soon. I have to continue cooking…"
"Stop, you're going to burn yourself again like that." Subaru let out an audible 'tsk'. He steps away from her.
"I'll just do it."
Subaru seemed unhappy, but he still took over and it was queer watching him desperately trying to flip octopus balls. The takoyaki pan did make things a lot simpler, however. Yui remains in silent awe as she continues to keep her hand under the running water, occasionally instructing Subaru when he misses something.
"There, it's done." Subaru says, once he's gotten the last of the balls into the container.
"You're amazing, Subaru!" Yui praises. All she receives is another scowl from Subaru, although he didn't really seem angry.
"How's your hand?" he asks.
"Ah," Yui takes it out from under the water, but the moment she does, a dull heat begins rising again. She really burnt herself badly.
Subaru sighs, and then proceeds to tear a small corner of his shirt. He wraps it securely over her wound.
"Look, this place doesn't have any one of those first-aid kids you humans use, so this will have to do. You should've been more careful just now."
"But…it's your shirt, Subaru. Is this really okay?"
"The edges are already torn anyway, it doesn't matter. Your wound's more important, isn't it?"
Yui looks up at Subaru, who was standing right in front of her. Their eyes meet for a moment, but the moment Subaru catches himself staring, he looks away. Yui also shifts her eyes quickly, her heart racing all of a sudden.
"Enjoy your time with Ayato." Subaru says, before exiting the kitchen.
Yui watched him go, and then her eyes fell onto the container of piping hot takoyaki.
She realised she had forgotten to thank Subaru.
