Hi everyone! So sorry I took so long to update :'D But of course, I haven't forgot this story, and it's just that life has been busy. I still hope to be able to continue writing and may y'all like the latest update!
He wonders why he even did it in the first place. He knew she was going to hate it, seeing how he forcefully bit and kissed her the first time she lost her memories. He clearly never learnt his lesson.
When Yui drew back and practically bolted her way out of the carriage, Ayato had felt miserable, and embarrassed. He'd refrained from biting her but he thought, maybe a kiss wouldn't hurt. Instead, she ran away from him. After all, everything he did and said only succeeded in pushing her further away from him, and into another man's arms. He was that much of a failure.
Bitter and hurt, Ayato retreated back into town, into a shadier, darker side of the demon world. This was a place where the good-for-nothings hung out, but even these monsters knew who he was. When your father is the all-powerful vampire lord, Karlheinz, it is hard not to get noticed.
He slipped into a bar, its lights blinding and its music loud. Ayato attracted nothing but stares and side eyes, but none of it is new, so it didn't really matter. His eyes scanned and searched the crowd, and finally, they landed on a pretty thing. Their eyes met, and so he moved.
Cutting through the throng of vampires, all of whom instinctively gave way, he came face to face with her. He reached a hand up to touch her golden locks, and for a second, admired the fuchsia in her eyes and the pink on her lips. Ayato felt impossibly parched, a raging burn in his throat.
He hasn't fed properly ever since he left the hospital, and he was dying for a good drink. Backing the girl up against a wall quickly, he swept her hair aside, and leaned down to bury his fangs deep into her neck. The girl lets out a loud moan, arching her head some more just so the dashing Sakamaki Ayato could feed better. In fact, she hopes more people would stare, so they could all see she, of all vampires, attracted him.
Ayato drank in harsh gulps. He was careless with the blood, getting it all over his mouth and on her neck and dress, but he could care less. He needed to just satisfy this thirst, and maybe later, he might consider sleeping with her too. It could help him forget the way he was feeling, even for just a second.
But the more he drank, the more it felt…wrong. The way she was letting out pleasured moans was wrong. The way she was grinding against him was wrong too. He pulled away, his eyes meeting hers again for a second time, and he could see the animalistic lust in them and the little smug smirk on her face. She might be blonde and has all the right attributes, but she wasn't what he wanted.
Yui would never behave this way. Yui was kind and gentle, and she is different.
He pushed the vampire aside violently, and turned heel to storm out of the place. He almost wishes he could spit out her vile blood too, but even if it's disgusting, it will at least fill him up for some time.
Still, nothing is compared to Yui's blood. Her blood was thick and special, and nothing else comes close.
He wanted her. He wanted her blood, but he also wants something else. He wants her to want him, and for things to just go back to what they were before.
As Ayato stumbles his way to his motel, his mind was filled up and his heart grew heavy. Halfway, he had to slip into a side alley, at the edge of a smaller, quiet road. He couldn't take it anymore. Pressing his back against the cold stonewalls and then sliding down onto the ground, he buries his face in his hands, and hopes for no one to ask why.
The next day, by the time Subaru got up, Yui was already awake and dusting the house. The moment she heard Subaru shift about, she immediately went to his side.
"Good morning. How are you feeling?" she asked, her eyes filled with concern.
"I feel…"
He didn't actually feel that bad any more, come to think of it. Yesterday and the day before had been hell, in which no matter how he laid, or which position he sleeps in, somewhere would still hurt. He has had so many bruises, he couldn't even really tell where apart which area is more beat up than the other anymore. But now…he feels quite fine, oddly.
"Is it okay, if I lift up your shirt? Just to check…" Yui asked shyly, her large doe-eyes blinking up at him.
He blushed, looking away. "Suit yourself."
Yui sat him up, before taking the edge of his shirt and lifting it up slowly. She was amazed. The potion really worked! All of his bruises and wounds no longer looked as bad as they had been, some of them even disappeared, leaving the faintest of marks, which would probably be gone soon too. It was unbelievable. She could hardly believe her eyes, how well he looked now.
"It's amazing," she said softly, as she ran her fingers lightly across the skin on his chest, marveling at the effect brought on by the potion. It sent a shiver up his body, and he had to fight the urge to push her away roughly.
"Hey, t-that's enough," he stammered, removing her hands and pulling his shirt back down.
"It worked really well," she repeated, and at the back of her mind, she added a little mental note to thank Ayato, if they ever meet again. Even if he was the one to cause all this trouble, he was also the one that helped fix it.
Subaru looking better again lifted a huge weight off of her shoulders. She locked eyes with him, as he reached a hand over to take her hand at the same time, intertwining their fingers.
As a dozen other useless thoughts raced through Subaru's mind, he heard Yui say, "Your eyes. They really do look like your mother's." She must be reminded of the old photograph that's still hanging above the fireplace.
"Yeah? I look more like her than my old man," he admitted.
"You never ever talk about your father," Yui said, "What's he like?"
Subaru shrugged, "He's still alive, that's for sure. I don't know, I don't really know him, and I think no one really does. The only thing I know is that my mother and I suffered, because of him."
"I'm so sorry."
"Actually, my mother and father are cousins. A butler who worked for our family for a long time told me," he half-laughed in disbelief, "I was just a rape child, an experiment that my old man wanted. My mum became sick in the head and she'll hit me, and then suddenly, she'll be holding me and calling me by my father's name. It's all fucked up. I never knew what she would do or say, but at some point, even I thought I was mad. Many times, I wish I was never born, or I could just find the strength in me to kill myself-"
Subaru looked up and straight into Yui's eyes. "But, things are different now."
He could see a teardrop rolling down Yui's face slowly, and he wiped it away with his hand, before continuing.
"Because I have you," he said softly. "I don't think like that anymore."
He gives her a small smile, before closing in to kiss her, the only girl he knew he could ever possibly have such feelings for. She'd given him so much and helped him trust others again. Although he worries if she could be happy by just simply being with him, he would never want to let her go. That was how deeply he's fallen for her.
Yui returns the kiss, tasting the faint saltiness from her own tears. Growing up, Subaru had been through so much that it was a far cry from her own blissful childhood. She would never pretend that she understood, because she could never, but she knew, deep down, that despite all the horrors he had to go through, Subaru was good. It was her good luck, to have gotten to know someone like him as well.
She hopes there'll never come the day where they can't be together.
It feels cold.
Yui…
Her own name sounds muffled, as if someone was calling out to her from the other side of a wall, and she wonders whom it can be, and where it's coming from.
Yui…
His voice sounds familiar. She could feel it, inching closer. In fact, it seems to be getting nearer now. She wants to wake up. She wants to find out who it is. Anytime now…
"-Yui."
She peeled her eyes open, slowly. The light was blinding, and she had to blink several times, just to adjust to its whiteness. She realised she'd been lying her head above folded arms, on top of a clean countertop She was wearing a thick knitted top and long pants, which meant that-
It was snowing. Outside, it was daytime and the blanket of snow was thick and spread across the land. It actually feels quite pretty and rather inviting.
She looked around the Sakamaki mansion, but there wasn't anyone. The flames were crackling at the nearby fireplace, and the sofa and coffee table was clean of anything. Yui got up, stretched, and decided to go outside. Maybe there, she could find out whom the voice belonged to.
As she stepped out, hugging her arms to herself, the scenery was breathtaking. The Sakamaki mansion had always been well located, right next to the woods and a beautiful lake, but today was extra wonderful. Not a cloud in the sky, just peace and serenity. Yui thought about how she could stand there forever-
"Yui."
The same, too-familiar voice came right into the side of her ear, and she jumped, when a pair of arms wrapped itself around her. Whoever it was had hooked his head over her shoulder, laughing as his does, pulling her as close to him as possible.
"W-wha-," she fretted.
"What took you so long?" the person said, as he detached himself from her and swiftly appeared in front her. His face took her by surprise.
It was Ayato. He had a boyish grin on his face, and under the light, his eyes sparkled and his hair was wild, like the sun's burning flames. He didn't look mad or angry or irritated; he just looked extremely handsome and his face was lit up brightly.
Before she could open her mouth to answer, he took her by the hand and they both treaded across the snow. Yui's heart was racing. Everything feels…oddly familiar, like déjà vu. It was as though she'd been through this exact scene, except she couldn't remember it well. She watched, as Ayato let her hand go to put on some ice-skating shoes.
"Do you wanna have a go too?" he asked.
When Yui shook her head no, he shrugged and said to her with a broad smile across his face, "Wait for me here then."
She watched him lift himself up, step out onto the hardened river floor and skate off. He really did look like he was having a lot of fun, but it felt too cold and too troublesome, so that's why Yui passed up on the opportunity. She was contented just looking at him. Even from afar, with the effortless way he was skating and just plain enjoying himself, he looked unbelievably attractive.
"What a lovely day, don't you think?"
Yui turned to her left, to see a tall male figure standing beside her, looking out into the open. His hair was platinum white, and he had the most piercing golden eyes, when he turned to look at her. And when he smiled, it made her heart jump a little, although she was positive she probably didn't let it show on her face.
"Who are you?" she asked. She had never met this man before in her life.
The mysterious man took a deep breath, still keeping the smile plastered upon his face.
"Oh, I'm no one, really," he replied. "But you, you're here amongst a house of vampires. Are you not scared?"
"No. I think I used to be, but I'm alright now."
"That's quite lovely to hear," he beamed at her, "Care to join me for a walk on this fine day?"
There was something within Yui that was warning her, but at the same time, those warnings seemed so far away, like there were many layers in between, blocking them from reaching her sensibilities. She felt her feet move, and she was inclined to walk beside him.
"What is your relationship with Ayato, if you don't mind me asking?" he walked a little bit in front of her, his hands behind his back.
"We're…I'm not sure."
"Are you not lovers?"
"My lover is Subaru. He isn't with me right now." The answers were tumbling out of Yui's mouth, and she wonders for a second if they're of her own free will.
"I recall you were once together with Ayato?"
"I don't remember any of that, but I've been told, yes."
"Do you think you loved him?"
"…Maybe."
"So your love, is defined by the extent of your memories, and not the heart?" The stranger paused in his steps, which made Yui pause in hers too. She watched as he stood by a white rose bush, admiring the flowers' beauty.
Yui answered, "How can I love someone if I don't remember them? You need memories, to remember why you love them, right? And I don't have any with Ayato."
"What about-," he turned around, rose in one hand, and pressing his other hand above her chest, "What about the heart? What does it say?"
Her heart was beating fast, Yui knew. Her mind was filled up, with images of Ayato and the sound of his voice, which was the strangest thing considering she knew practically nothing about him. How do you feel close to someone when you barely even know them? Yet, she felt this way about Ayato.
"I already have someone," she insisted.
"Ah, right," the man pulled his hand away slowly, "Subaru."
"…Yes."
"Insistence and dedication does get you somewhere."
Yui doesn't answer.
"Vampires and this thing called love," he continues, "I wonder."
"Are you not a vampire?"
The man almost laughs out loud. "You think I am one?"
"I…thought so." Yui now felt unsure.
He shrugs, but just barely. "Vampires are cruel creatures. They mock and belittle humans, because humans are physically weak, and so very ignorant. For that, maybe that's why they're cursed with a long life of emptiness and pain." The man turns to Yui, and takes one of her hands to press a rose to her.
"Vampires are just devils in disguise," he says, "Charming if they wish to be, but they will never understand things like love."
As he pulls his hand away, a torn from the white rose tears into her skin sharply, making her bleed.
"Ouch," Yui looks down, at the cut. Blood is already beginning to ooze out from her wound.
"Chichinashi!" she hears Ayato's voice from behind, and turns around to see him coming up to her. "Ayato!"
"Where have you been? I looked around for you but you were gone."
"I was just-," but when Yui turned back in front of her, the tall mysterious figure had disappeared. Around her were just many white rose bushes, but the path was empty. There was no one to be seen.
"You're bleeding," Ayato noticed, and he lifted her hand up himself. She watched, as he narrowed his eyes, before taking her finger and placing it between his lips, sucking the blood from it.
It clearly wasn't enough, because he then let go of her hand to take a step forward, placing a hand around her throat. He pushed her hair aside with his other hand, and bent forward to attach his mouth at the perfect spot he found on her neck. She could see it coming, but she still let out a tiny gasp when he pierced through her neck. She could feel her own blood oozing out from its wound, but she could do nothing, and truth be told, she didn't feel like she wanted to either.
The cut on her finger bled yet another drop of blood, which fell onto the powder snow beneath, bright red staining its white perfection. Yet, Yui was rooted to the spot and she couldn't move.
Like roses, Ayato and Subaru were both devils in disguise, and Yui has learnt that devils don't come to you with his red face and horns.
He comes to you disguised as everything you've ever wanted.
