Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only. This one shot is a slightly AU-ish and 'what-if' type fic I wrote upon request for one of my readers, Shiranai Atsune. It will be my take on the events of chapter 36-37 of the manga and episode 22 of the anime. Instead of taking Yuu to a run-down store in the city, Mika takes 'her' to his parents' home. Other differences regarding vampires in my story compared to the canon series is that they experience emotions more intensly then humans and can have intimate relations like humans.

Only If For a Night

"We'll take care of things here, Mika. So take Yuu and go now!" the purple-haired girl named Shinoa Hiragi ordered as she used her scythe to hold the other members of the demon army at bay.

Mikaela Hyakuya could hardly believe his luck as the very people he attacked to get to his cherished younger sister decided to put their own careers (and lives) at risk to protect him, a vampire they knew almost nothing about, simply because he was the last remaining family member of their squad mate.

"You heard her, Yuu, let's go" Mika said as he hoisted his adoptive sister into his arms bridal style and prepared to carry her off but not before taking one last moment to look at Shinoa.

He said no more but the Hiragi girl could see the gratitude in his eyes and silently bade him farewell with her smile before he turned and left the battlefield with his prize. Now that Mika had what he came for, there was no reason for him to stay any longer. A part of him felt guilty for leaving the rest of Yuu's squad behind to fend for themselves but deep down, he knew that they were strong people and would manage somehow. He had faith in them, just as they had faith in him, trusted him to protect their squad mate and dear friend.

With the unconscious Yuichiro in his arms, Mikaela used his superhuman speed to get as far away from the warring humans and vampires as he could. Even though he was a vampire himself, he had no more love for his own kind then the humans they fought against. Mika wanted nothing more than to get as far away from this war as possible with his sister and let both sides be damned.

Even so, the young vampire knew that such a thing was much easier said than done for Yuu herself was not an ordinary human being, but a namanari, a test body of the demon army's seraph experiments and the first successful one at that. In other words, a living weapon highly sought after by leaders on both sides of the human-vampire war from the Hiragi and Sangu families to the most powerful vampire progenitors. If Yuu was just an ordinary human, and Mika an ordinary vampire, it would have been a simple matter for him to take her someplace far away where they can live in peace and leave the humans and vampires behind to fight out their senseless war with neither side missing their presence.

However, fate was not so kind to either of them. Mikaela himself was also a bearer of the seraph gene as well as the favorite and most prized warrior of Queen Krul Tepes. And since he knew too many of her secrets, it was highly doubtful she would let him go easily any more than the Hiragis and Sangus would let Yuichiro go easily. Krul had allowed and given Mika the opportunity to disappear from the front lines and vanish in the confusion of the war on the condition that he find Yuu and bring her back to Sanguinem but that was an order he had no intention of obeying and a promise he had no intention of keeping but Mika had feigned compliance to avoid arousing the suspicion of his queen and vampire mother. All he had to do now was take Yuu to a temporary safe haven and wait for both of their injuries to heal before they can move on and in the meantime, he could think about where they would go next.

Fortunately, Mika knew just the place. It was a small house in a secluded neighborhood, his home when he was still a human child living with his parents before the world had fallen into ruin. With Yuu in his arms, Mika reached up for the key he wore around his neck and used it to unlock the front door to his old house. Unlike the other houses in the neighborhood, his home had not been neglected because he had returned frequently to maintain it over the years for it was also his secret getaway whenever Krul gave him vacation time which she didn't mind. Because she knew that as long as he was dependent on her blood, Mika would not attempt to desert the vampire army.

The queen even trusted him so far as to not question where he went so long as he returned to Sanguinem when he was expected to report back to duty again and for that, Mika was grateful for there was no way he and Yuu could hide here for even a day if Krul had any idea where to find them. Even though he knew they wouldn't be able to stay here too long before the queen or the demon army tracked them down, at least it would buy them enough time to recover.

As soon as he opened the door, Mika quickly went inside before locking it behind him, an awkward and tedious task when he was holding an unconscious young girl in his arms. If he were a normal human, he would have collapsed from exhaustion by now, not that he wasn't far off considering the injuries he sustained from the battlefield. Taking Yuu to his parents' bedroom, Mika gently set her down on the bed before heading to the bathroom to examine his injuries in the mirror. His white uniform was torn in many places and stained with blood and although he was no longer bleeding, Mika's injuries had not healed as they should have. Reaching for the pouch hooked to his belt, he found that he had only one vial of Krul's blood left and it was enough to last him three days at most. After that…

Mika shook his head fiercely. No, I can't think about that right now… he thought. His first priority was to take care of Yuu and in order to do that, he needed to regain his strength, even if only partly. Prying open the cap of the vial, Mika downed the last of the vital fluid he possessed needed to keep him alive. Until now he had managed to ignore the pain of his injuries well due to his joy of finding and recovering Yuichiro but now he felt like they had caught up with him. Removing his boots and uniform, Mika tossed them into a corner of the bathroom and stepped into the shower, turning the water on cold instead of hot to numb the pain and wash the dried blood, dirt, and other debris off his body. The last time he was here, Mika made sure to leave some soap as well which he now used generously for didn't want to greet Yuichiro when she woke up looking and smelling the way he did.

Yuichiro Hyakuya felt a slight headache as she slowly opened her eyes. The last thing she remembered was Kimizuki grabbing and throwing her into a coffin-like box after she had made a suicidal attempt to fight Crowley Eusford, a 13th level progenitor, alone in order to rescue her guardian from his clutches.

What happened? She thought, where am I?

Sitting up and looking around, the raven-haired girl found herself on a king-sized, four poster bed in a clean and spacious bedroom with two elegant wooden night tables on each side, and a long dresser as well as make-up table with a mirror. The ivory-colored carpet was clean and there was even a fireplace with freshly cut wooden logs in it against the far wall. Wherever this was, Yuu knew it wasn't her dorm room at JIDA headquarters, that's for sure. It looked almost like…

Someone's home.

As if the sight of the room wasn't a big enough surprise for Yuu, her ears also picked up the sounds of running water, like there was someone in the shower. The ravenette wasn't sure what to make of all this and was about to get off the bed to look when she heard the water being shut off and the sounds of someone stepping out of the shower.

Curious, Yuu decided to stay put for a moment to wait for her mysterious host. She didn't have to wait long before she saw the bathroom door open and a pale, blond young man step into the bedroom, his chest still dripping water and his hair wet and messy with the golden strands plastered to his forehead. When she got a good look at his face, Yuichiro gasped in surprise as she felt a blush crawling up cheeks. Was that who she thought it was?

"Mika? Is that you?"

At the sound of his sister's voice, the young vampire turned and found Yuu wide awake, sitting up on the bed and staring at him with luminous green eyes, her cheeks red with embarrassment. The look on Yuu's face made Mika all too aware that he was clad in nothing but a towel around his waist which wasn't exactly the way he wanted to look when he greeted his sister upon her awakening. But he supposed what's done was done and prepared himself to answer the questions he was sure would follow.

"Yes, Yuu-chan, it's me. There's no need to be embarrassed; it's not like this is the first time you've seen me without a shirt."

Somehow, Mika's words didn't do much to ease Yuu's embarrassment. What he said was true; they used to share rooms and bathrooms when they were children but things were different now. Neither she nor Mika were children anymore and he had no idea the effect his half-naked state had on his adoptive sister. Unlike the scrawny little boy she remembered, Mika's shoulders were now broader, his arms, legs, and chest well-defined from years of sword practice and intense physical training while serving in the vampire army.

Trying her best to avert her eyes, Yuu changed the subject. "Where am I, Mika?" she asked. "Is this a dream?"

In answer to her question, Mikaela approached the bed and gently took her face in his hands before managing a smile. Once Yuichiro felt his gentle touch, she knew for sure she wasn't dreaming.

"I assure you, it is not. This is my home, my real home and I've brought you here with me…" he said gently.

"You mean…?"

"Yes. This is the house where I lived with my parents before…" Mika closed his eyes as if the next few words were too painful for him to speak. But he didn't have to; Yuu understood perfectly.

"I see… and this room?"

"My mother and father's. My own room is pretty small and has no bathroom. I was only a child when I last used it and the bed is small too; I'm sure you wouldn't find it as comfortable as this one."

"But how…?"

Knowing what she was about to ask, Mika cut her off. "I will answer all your questions shortly. For now, why don't you take a shower while I get you something to eat? You look famished and exhausted."

Yuu was about to protest when she heard her stomach growl and realized that she hadn't had anything to eat since this morning. Not to mention that she was covered in dirt and debris from her fight with Crowley as well as the events leading up to it. Her uniform was also dirty and torn in many places but thankfully, her sword was intact; Mika made sure to put it away with great care, setting it on the surface of the large dresser next to his own.

When Yuu saw that Mika also noticed her stomach growling and smiled in amusement, she blushed and decided to take his advice. "Okay, I'll do that."

"Good. There's an extra towel in the bathroom and I'll have some food and new clothes ready for you when you get out." Without another word, Mika got up and left Yuu to get dressed.

As soon as Mika was gone, Yuu got out of bed and went into the bathroom. Looking at herself in the mirror, Yuu found that although she was not seriously hurt, a miracle considering that Crowley had knock her around quite a bit before Kimizuki arrived and took her away, she did look like a wreck with several strands of hair sticking out of her ponytail and her face smudged with dirt. After removing her hair tie, Yuu took off the rest of her uniform as well as her boots and tossed them on top of Mika's. Considering that she had not showered in almost two days since leaving JIDA headquarters for Nagoya, Yuu could only imagine how unpleasant she must have smelled; there was no way Mika could not have noticed with his enhanced vampire senses but he was probably much too polite to say anything plus he knew she couldn't help it; it was normal for soldiers going out on the field not to bathe for days at a time as there were often no opportunities to do so. As a soldier of the vampire army, Mika understood this very well.

Ridding herself of her dirty uniform, Yuu stepped into the shower and turned on the water lukewarm, her favorite temperature. The clean water felt incredibly good against her skin and was very soothing to her aching, tired body. Looking around, Yuu saw a large bar of brand name soup as well as brand name shampoo and conditioner, a luxury considering that she was used to the generic, standard toiletries the demon army provided their soldiers. All things considered, it would be almost criminal for her not to take advantage of them so Yuu made sure to enjoy her shower as much as she could, soaping herself lavishly as well as using generous amounts of shampoo and conditioner on her long, black hair, something she couldn't do back at headquarters considering that the demon army only gave their soldiers a limited amount of toiletries to use every week so they had conserve as much as they could, using no more than what was truly necessary to stay clean and well-groomed.

After she had finished showering, Yuichiro squeezed the water out of her hair, wrapped a towel around her body, and looked at herself in the mirror again, relieved to see that she looked a lot better now that she was clean. As she allowed her gaze to sweep across the bathroom counter, Yuu noticed what appeared to be a make-up box and some brushes sealed in a see-through case, possibly belonging to Mika's late mother. She didn't know why, but the ravenette felt a burning desire to use them which was strange considering how lazy she was about putting on make-up back home. Yuu remembered how Shinoa and Mitsuba (under Guren's orders) had to drag her out of bed early every morning back at headquarters to put on her make-up so that she would look more presentable before reporting for duty because they knew she didn't care enough for her appearance to do it herself. The most Yuu would do in regards to personal grooming was shower, clean her face, and comb her hair to tie in a simple pony tail; she cared nothing for the elaborate buns, braids, or pig-tails favored by Shinoa and Mitsuba.

But somehow, this was different and before she knew what she was doing, Yuichiro opened the make-up box and took out the brushes after making sure her hair was pulled out of her face and tied back. Looking inside, she found eyeshadows, mascara, eyeliners, lipsticks and cheek colors of various shades. This was the first time Yuu applied own make-up but she had seen Shinoa and Mitsuba do it often enough to get the gist of it. She recalled them saying she looked best with ivory-colored foundation, pink lipstick, rose blush, and soft brown-pink eyeshadows which brought out her green eyes best. Yuu found that the hardest part of applying her own make-up was the eyeliner and mascara but rest was pretty easy and after she was finished, she put the make-up and brushes away before going back out into the bedroom where she found some clean clothes laid out for her on the bed. Upon closer inspection, Yuu saw that it was a sleeveless, Victorian-style nightgown which she supposed shouldn't be a surprise since it was approaching late evening.

Once she got changed, Yuu considered checking the rest of the house out and searching for Mika but thought better of it, feeling that it would be better to just stay in the room and wait for him to come back with her dinner. She didn't have to wait long before the object of her concern knocked on the door and entered as soon as she gave her permission.

When Mika went inside, he found Yuichiro sitting on the bed, dressed in the nightgown he prepared for her and combing her hair like a mermaid on the shore. He himself was dressed in more casual clothes consisting of a simple button-up shirt and slacks as well as slippers with his blond hair finally dried and combed out. In his arms was a wooden tray with a plate of food and glass of cold water. Looking at Mika now, Yuu could not help but smile; it has been so long since she's had a chance to be with him considering how brief their last encounter in Shinjuku was and how they didn't have much time to catch up on what had been going on with each other's lives. There were so many things Yuu wanted to ask her adoptive brother but decided it best to take things slow for now, especially after she noticed the wounds on his arms and chest when he stepped into the bedroom after showering earlier.

Yuu was about to ask Mika about them but he beat her to it. "I'm alright" he said "Don't worry about me; what's important now is that you eat something to regain your strength."

Looking at the food Mika offered her reminded Yuu again of how hungry she was. It wasn't much, just a bowl of what looked like canned chicken soup along with a small loaf of bread and glass of plain water with some ice. But to a hungry stomach, even the simplest of meals looked like a feast for kings. Curious, she asked "How is it you have access to food like that? There must not be an operating grocery store around here for miles."

Mika smiled as he set the tray, which was also had a short stand, on the bed. "I have my ways" he answered.

"I see…" Yuu said simply, deciding not to push the matter further since it was not an issue of import. Taking the spoon next to the plate, Yuichiro started to eat while Mika went to the fire place and used some matches he took out of a drawer from one of the night tables to heat the logs and start a fire. Minutes after the fire was set, a soft light as well as pleasant warmth filled the room. When Yuu saw that Mika made no attempt to move from his spot, she asked "Don't you want any, Mika? Aren't you hungry?"

Mika laughed. "No, it's all for you, Yuu-chan. For some reason, I really like watching you eat."

Yuu could not help but smile mischievously. "You know, food does taste better when eaten together, know what I mean?"

Smiling, Mika left his spot by the fireplace and sat down on the bed next to Yuu She didn't know why but having him this close made her heart flutter and when he touched her face, she found that his hand was surprisingly warm for a vampire.

"I would eat it with you… if I could" he said sadly.

Yuu frowned as Mika's words made her remember that as a vampire, even an incomplete one, he could no longer consume anything but blood. Shinoa did tell her this a while back but Yuu had forgotten all about it until now.

"I'm sorry" she apologized as she looked down to avoid her brother's eyes "I didn't think…"

Mika shook his head as he got up, walked to the nearby window and stood there in silence as if contemplating something. As she watched him, wondering what he was thinking, Yuu finished the rest of her dinner and set the tray on a night table. She figured that now would be as good a time as any to ask the questions she had been meaning to since she woke up and found herself in this unfamiliar room.

"Mika… I know you brought me here but how did it come to be? How did you know where to find me? And how long have I been out?"

Mikaela frowned as he recalled his tragic encounter with the late demon army lieutenant, Aiko Aihara, who revealed Yuichiro's location to him even though he actually ran into Shinoa's squad by chance as they were heading to Nagoya. He didn't want to kill Aihara but she had left him no choice; the woman was stubborn and determined to force his hand. If she had only done what he asked and played dead, she wouldn't have had to die. But there was nothing he could do about that now. Still, he couldn't bring himself to tell Yuu the truth but neither could he lie to her.

So he simply said "I bribed someone from the demon army to tell me where you were and she told me because she figured out that we were friends so she trusted me. And you've been out since this morning." It wasn't the whole truth but neither was it a lie.

Yuu looked at Mika curiously. "And what about you?" she pressed "Won't your superiors notice you are missing?"

Mika shook his head. "No. Queen Krul herself gave me this secret mission. She made an opportunity for me to disappear in the confusion of war to find you on the condition that once I do, I bring you back to Sanguinem and hand you over to her custody."

"What? Why? What does Queen Krul want with me?"

"The vampire progenitors have taken a great interest in you after what happened in Shinjuku. I don't know if any of your superiors ever told you this but you are a bearer of the seraph gene and as the result of several years of experimentation, possess a power within your body that can turn the tide of this war for either the humans or vampires, depending on who gets ahold of you first."

Yuu was taken aback by her brother's words. She supposed she shouldn't have been all that surprised because back at headquarters, Kureto Hiragi mentioned that her guardian rescued her as a child because he wanted to use something inside her even though he knew far less then Mika did. Her demon contractor, Asuramaru, also mentioned that part of Yuu herself was not human. She may have been happy to be reunited with Mika but was not thrilled to hear that the reason he rescued her was because his queen had ordered him to do so, because possession of her would serve the interests of the powerful vampire progenitors; Yuichiro Hyakuya had no desire to be used as a living weapon for either side. Her expression hardened as she looked at Mikaela and demanded in a cold voice:

"So is that it? You've come to fetch the seraph for your masters?"

Mikaela spun around to face Yuichiro, his eyes dark with anger but his displeasure was not directed at her.

"Never!" he answered harshly as he approached Yuu and took her by the arms, forcing her to stand. The young ravenette winced at her brother's strength which could easily break her arms but she noticed he exercised enough self-control not to hurt her, at least not seriously. "I will never give you to anyone!" Mika hissed. "Because you belong to ME! Not the vampires, nor the humans, or anyone else! You are mine and mine alone and I would die before I ever hand you over to either side!"

Yuichiro felt her face grow hot at the forcefulness of Mikaela's words even though he wasn't the first one to claim possession of her; Yuu had shared a love-hate relationship with her guardian and mentor, Guren Ichinose, who often delighted in reminding Yuu that as her savior as well as the one who took her in, raised her, and taught her how to fight, she owed him her life and therefore belonged to him. He treated her like a belonging, no different than the sword he wore around his belt which became even more literal when she discovered he had saved her because he wanted to use her as a weapon. Guren also did not hesitate to remind Yuichiro of her debt whenever he felt her loyalty to him may be wavering by someone offering her a greater opportunity.

Like the Hiragis. Kureto Hiragi, to be exact.

But Mika was different. He wanted to possess her but it wasn't for power…

It was for love.

"Mika…" she began, her cheeks heating up again as she looked into his handsome face, the face that haunted her dreams for four years after they were forced to part in Sanguinem, his icy-blue eyes, now full of fire. "I would have never guessed…the way you used to baby me around when we were kids… I never knew that this was how you actually felt…"

Their faces were so close, she could feel his breath on her cheek. Mika's eyes were so intense, Yuu felt like they could see right into her soul and before she knew what was happening, his lips were on hers. The ravenette gasped in surprise which gave Mika the opportunity to force his tongue pass her lips and deepen the kiss.

This is not how a brother and sister is supposed to kiss… Yuu thought as she tried to push him away but she didn't try very hard. When the need for air finally forced them apart, Yuu put some distance between them and stared at her brother.

"Why… why did you do that, Mika?" Yuu asked breathlessly.

"Because…it was the only way I could make you understand that I love you, Yuu-chan. Not as a brother loves his sister but as a man loves a woman…" he answered sadly.

"Mika…I'm sorry, I had no idea. I'm happy I got to see you again but I can't stay here; I have an obligation, a duty to my squad, to my guardian whom I own my life. Please, take me back to them; they need me…"

"But I need you…just as much…" Mikaela took her by the arms again but much more gently this time. His voice was not harsh but sad, his eyes not angry but desperate, pleading; he looked as though he were fighting back tears but trying to be strong. "Yuu-chan… I won't stop you if you truly want to go back to the demon army, even after what they did to you but please remember this: I disobeyed my queen, my vampire mother, by refusing to take you back to Sanguinem as soon as I found you. I took you from the demon army and brought you here despite the pain of my injuries. I risked my life for you and still am; does that mean nothing to you?"

As soon as she heard those words, Yuichiro Hyakuya knew she was defeated because she realized, that she too, was in love with Mikaela. She couldn't brush off their feelings as those of siblings because it was obvious that they weren't. How could she refuse him anything after what he had just confessed?

"What would you have me do then, Mikaela Hyakuya?" Yuu asked quietly.

As if in answer, Mika gently placed his hand under Yuu's chin and lifted her face up to look him in the eyes. Brushing his lips against hers, he whispered "Stay with me… if only for tonight. After that, go where you will, do what you will; I will not stop you…"

Yuichiro was taken aback at his words. Just a moment ago, Mikaela said that he'd rather die than turn her over to the humans or vampires and now he was willing to let her go? With his strength, it would have been no problem for him to force her to stay with him.

No, that was different. He said he wouldn't give me to anyone but won't stop me if I went of my own accord… Yuu thought. Someone once told her that the ultimate act of love was letting go. And as painful as it would have been for Mika to see Yuu go, he wanted her to be happy and placed her happiness above his own desires.

"Yes, Mika… I will stay with you tonight… but please come with me when I leave here tomorrow. Will you do that for me?"

Now it was Mika's turn to be surprised. "Go with you? You can't be serious, there's no way I can trust the demon army since they exist to exterminate vampires!"

Yuu shook her head. "No, I'm not asking you to trust the demon army but trust me. And my friends. I know they will help us so please trust them as you trust me!"

Mika was about to protest when he remembered how Shinoa and the rest of her squad stood between him and their other comrades in the demon army who were crying out for his blood just this morning. If they had chosen to fight against him rather than with him, Mika would have never been able to escape the battlefield with his life, let alone with Yuu.

"I understand…" he said. "But for tonight, it's just the two of us; forget about everything else."

Yuu's smile couldn't have been more beautiful. "Nothing would make me happier…" she whispered. It was then that Mika noticed for the first time that she was wearing make-up and smiled himself.

"Yuu-chan…did you make yourself look pretty just for me?" he teased.

Yuu laughed. "I hope you don't mind me using your mother's make-up but I couldn't resist. Tonight is special."

"It's all right; it's not like she'll be needing it anymore."

Yuu frowned. Mika had never spoken much about his parents when they were younger; she knew he didn't exactly have the best relationship with them. The same was true of Yuu and her own parents. Still, she was curious.

"Do you miss them?"

Mika did not answer right away and for a moment, Yuu feared that she might have offended him and opened her mouth to apologize but he placed a finger on her lips.

"It's all right, Yuu-chan, I'm not offended. To answer your question, yes, I actually do miss them sometimes even though they haven't always been good to me. We all cling on to what's familiar for better or worse."

As he said this, Mika turned and reached for what Yuu thought to be a picture frame on one of the night tables next to the bed and placed it in her hand. Upon closer inspection, Yuu saw that the picture in the frame was that of a young couple, a blond-haired Caucasian man who appeared to be of European descent and a Japanese women.

"These are your parents?" she asked.

"Yes. My father was Russian, born and raised in Moscow, and my mother was Japanese, a native of Tokyo; they died when I was seven. My father was speeding on the highway while drunk one night and my mother couldn't stop him so she threw me out of the car right before it crashed into a truck and killed them both. I was badly injured and would have died had someone not found me that night and taken me to the hospital. After I recovered, I was sent to the Hyakuya Orphanage. That was a year before I met you."

"I'm sorry…"

Mika shook his head. "Don't be" he said. "Nobody at the orphanage had it easy. Like you, I also bear the seraph gene and Krul once told me that those who do are destined to live tragic lives. But I believe that we can make our own destiny. That's why I refuse to let anyone use me; I only obey my queen, my superiors, so far as they serve my own interests. And that was finding you."

"You mean…?"

"Yes. I did not become a vampire by choice; Krul had forced it upon me as I laid dying at the gates of Sanguinem. I knew she saved me for her own purposes but I also realized that she had done me a favor as well; if I had died by Ferid's hands that day, I would have never been able to find you again. It was that hope that kept me alive these past for years. Were it not for you, I would have taken my own life long ago because I would rather die as a human than live for all eternity as a vampire."

"Mika…I don't know what to say…" Yuu found herself completely overwhelmed. To think that he endured his vampire existence because of her was incredible but in a way, she understood; if their places were reversed, she would have done the same.

Yuu put the picture frame back on the table before embracing Mika as if she never wanted to let him go out of fear of losing him again. It was then that she noticed him flinching slightly in her hold, as if in pain or discomfort.

"Mika, what's wrong?" she asked, brow furrowing in concern.

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with" he answered, trying to make the lie sound as smooth as possible. But Yuu wasn't easily fooled.

"Please don't lie to me, Mika…" she said sadly as she gently placed her hands under his shirt. He made no attempt to resist as she examined the wounds on his chest, particularly the one where Shinya Hiragi had stabbed him earlier that day. The blood had clotted and he was no longer bleeding, but the injuries he sustained while trying to take on the demon army by himself had not healed completely yet which was highly suspicious to Yuu because she knew vampires, even incomplete ones, can heal their injuries within minutes, if not seconds after sustaining them, especially if they have not been infected by the hex of the cursed demon gear yet.

Something wasn't right, she could feel it.

"Mika, when was the last time you fed?"

The young vampire's heart sank; he knew where this conversation was going. He had already drunken his last vial of Krul's blood and could tell it was losing its effectiveness when his injuries did not heal right away. It also did little to sate his thirst.

"Don't even think about it, Yuu. I will not drink your blood; I absolutely refuse to drink human blood."

"That's ridiculous! What have you been drinking up until now? How did you survive?"

"I've been living off the blood of the vampire queen for the past four years."

"But her blood alone isn't enough to sustain you anymore, is it?"

Mika was silent for a moment as if he didn't want to answer but his refusal in itself was an answer. Yuu was more perceptive and astute than he gave her credit for.

Knowing he would not drink without persuasion, Yuu kissed him. "Please, Mika, I can't bear to see you in pain." Her brother stiffened before returning her kiss briefly and gently pushing her away from him.

"You don't understand, Yuu-chan; if I drink human blood, I will become a complete vampire who will live on, unchanging for all eternity. There will be nothing human left in me; I will become the thing you hate most in this world…"

"So you'd rather die? After you took all that trouble to find me? I could never hate you regardless of what you become; you are still Mikaela, my friend, my brother …and my love."

Forgetting his predicament for a moment, Mika's eyes lit up and he smiled mischievously. "So it's true… you do love me…"

"I do…and always will. So please…"

This time, it was Yuu's eyes that were desperate and pleading. And Mika was the one who could refuse her nothing. "It may hurt a bit. Are you sure?"

"Yes" she answered as she cocked her head to the side to give him easier access to her graceful, swan-like neck.

As Mika lowered his head to the spot between her neck and shoulders, he could smell the intoxicating scent of her blood beckoning to him to drink. For almost five years, Mika had fought the constant urge to drink from anyone but his vampire mother. However, Krul herself told him that he would not last forever on her blood alone. It didn't help that Ferid also took every opportunity to break his will by constantly tempting him to drink human blood. Even now, he could almost hear the taunting words of his former benefactor.

Why do you fight it? Are you afraid your precious Yuu-chan will hate you?

You can't put off drinking human blood forever, Mika, dear! You do know what happens to vampires who get too thirsty!

What's wrong, Mika? Don't you want to stay young and beautiful forever?

What's so special about Yuichiro Hyakuya? Human beauty is such a fleeting thing, my dear Mika!

Mika shut his eyes as he tried to shut out Ferid's voice inside his thoughts. He took comfort in knowing that the older vampire was wrong about one thing: Yuichiro did not hate him for being a vampire; she knew it was not of his own choice. She was offering her blood to him willingly and promised to always love him no matter what. And as if sensing his thoughts, Yuu reached up and placed her hand behind his head, gently pressing him to drink, to finally give in to this thirst and end his torment. That simple gesture did what years of listening to Ferid's taunting words could not and Mika's body seemed to act of its own will as he finally opened his mouth, bared his fangs, and sank them into his love's tender neck.

Yuichiro cried out as she felt a sharp, yet sweet pain in her neck that also felt oddly pleasant as well. Never once did she ever imagine being bitten by a vampire as something pleasant and had expected the pain to be beyond her worst nightmares but she was willing to endure it if it would save Mika's life. That's why Yuu was surprised to find that her love's bite was the opposite of what she thought it would be. Once his fangs have settled in, both of them became consumed by a purely blissful, indescribable feeling that touched every nerve of their bodies. Mika found the taste of Yuu's blood more delicious, addictive, and intoxicating then Krul's by far; he felt like he would never want another's blood after having hers. If he were to make a comparison between Yuu's blood and anyone else's, it would be like comparing water to fine wine.

Yuu wrapped her free arm around Mika's back as her breathing become heavier; she found herself feeling light-headed as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Had he really drank that much? The ravenette would have asked if she didn't feel her knees buckle from under her and Mika must have noticed as well for he withdrew his fangs from her neck and quickly caught her before she fell, taking her into his arms bridal style before carrying her to bed and licking the blood from his bite-mark clean. This may be his first time drinking from Yuu but Mika was still perceptive enough to know that she had given him all she could for the night and he didn't want to hurt her by drinking too much of her blood; he already had all he needed which was evident when he felt his wounds from this morning's battle finally heal. He also felt a strange stinging sensation in his eyes and had to close them for a moment. When Mika finally opened them, he found Yuu looking up at him, staring at his face in amazement and wonder. It was then he finally realized that he was also on the bed, hovering over her.

"Mika, your eyes!" she gasped.

Curious as to what she meant, Mikaela turned his head and looked into the mirror of his mother's make-up table from across the room and was surprised to find that instead of being ruby-red, like he had expected upon becoming a complete vampire, his eyes were a rich amethyst-purple instead.

"How could this be?" As if in answer, he felt Yuu's hand cup his cheek to gently turn his face towards her again.

"It's because of me…because I am not an ordinary human. But it does not matter as long as my blood can save you." Yuichiro smiled as if trying to reassure her love that everything would be all right. "I love them, they are just as beautiful as your blue eyes, maybe even more because you might be the only person in the world with them." She didn't lie; Yuu had never seen anyone, human or vampire, with such rich purple eyes. Mitsuba didn't count because she wore contacts; her real eye color was actually blue and so was Guren's.

Mikaela smiled. "I'm happy you like them. But more importantly, how do you feel?"

"Mmm… a little dizzy and light-headed but it feels good; I just need a moment…"

As she waited for the dizziness to pass, Yuu started to fumble with Mika's shirt, trying to undo the buttons and getting a little frustrated at the tediousness of the task. When he saw the impatient expression on her face and realized she was becoming aroused, Mika could not help but laugh before a wicked idea came to him. Taking Yuu's hands, he gently set them back down to her sides before proceeding to undo the buttons of his shirt himself, making sure to do it slowly enough to tease and entice his raven-haired lover. Mika was not to be disappointed when Yuu sat up and roughly pulled it off his shoulders, her emerald-green eyes burning with desire as they swept over his bare chest, admiring the toned muscles and pale flawless skin.

Pressing her face to his shoulder, she whispered "Mika, what have you done to me?"

Wrapping his arms around her, he answered "Nothing different than what you've done to me, Yuu-chan; your nightgown is quite provocative."

"No fair!" Yuu pouted. "You were the one who picked it for me; I didn't have a choice!"

"Mmm… you're right. I wanted to see you in it and I must say you look very lovely." Mika purred as he reached down to pull the hem of Yuu's nightgown up. That was when he realized she wasn't wearing anything under it.

That tease, he thought with a grin, she isn't wearing any panties…

"But for now, it looks better on the floor" Mika continued as he lifted Yuu's nightgown over her arms and head and tossed it off to the side.

Yuu felt the warm air brush her bare skin as she allowed her blond lover to undress her. It wasn't fair for her to be the only one naked so the ravanette started to unbutton his pants with the same impatience as she had when trying to unbutton his shirt. Amused by this, Mika decided to humor his love and let her finish undressing him. As soon as their clothes littered the floor, Mika grabbed Yuu by the arms and flipped her over on the bed so he was on top of her, his gaze as lustful as her own when his purple eyes swept over her nude body. His precious Yuu-chan had changed so much from the twelve-year-old girl he remembered from his childhood.

Looking at her face, Mika could see that the baby fat had melted to reveal adult curves and found himself admiring the feminine curves of her legs, waist, and hips. Unlike his own milky pale skin, the result of years of living in an underground vampire city, as well as a trait from his Caucasian father, Yuu's skin was a light tan, the color of alabaster. And unlike other human soldiers, whose bodies are often laced with battle scars, Yuu's body was as flawless as Mika's own because her seraph powers granted her vast regenerative abilities that prevented scarring, similar to his vampire powers.

And her eyes… Yuu's eyes were the most beautiful shade of emerald green Mika has ever seen. Her hair was like a waterfall made of the blackest silk, the color of the beautiful midnight sky; they were the reason green and black were his favorite colors.

Yuu found her heart beating so fast and hard she felt like it would burst out of her chest. Never did she ever dream that she and her childhood friend would ever end up in bed like this. He had always been handsome as a child but now that he was a young man, his beauty was on a completely different level. Born to a Russian father and Japanese mother, Mikaela Hyakuya looked as though he had inherited the best of both worlds as were apparent in his dazzling, exotic features.

If Mika only knew what Yuu was thinking, he would have laughed at the irony. He himself never thought his mixed-raced heritage was anything to be proud of. Even when he was human, Mikaela had always felt like an outsider among the other children living in Japan with his wavy blond hair and icy blue eyes and envied the pure-blooded Japanese children like Yuichiro, Akane, and other orphans he lived with at the Hyakuya orphanage. Mika also thought his wavy hair was a pain to comb out in the morning and would have given ten years of his life for silky straight and black hair like Yuu despite the fact that both Krul and Ferid often praised the beauty of his blond hair and blue eyes. Perhaps it was because of them that Mika subconsciously found himself attracted to his lover's tanned skin, black hair, and green eyes; because it was a different kind of beauty, one that complemented his own.

"My, very impatient now, are we?" he teased.

"I need you…" she whimpered. The bite marks on Yuu's neck ached yet it still felt pleasurable to her from the expression Mika could see on her face and he would love nothing more than to make passionate love to her right here and now but still didn't want his love to act impulsively and do something she may regret later. It was well known that vampires and humans who willingly consort with one another were looked down upon and shunned by both races. Mika himself didn't care; he had always been an outsider among the vampires anyway and could never go back to Krul either now her blood could no longer sustain him and that he had betrayed her for Yuu.

"Yuu-chan… are you sure? If anyone finds out, you will be cast from the demon army in disgrace."

"I don't care… Do you care if you are cast from the vampire army in disgrace?"

He didn't.

And that was all the consent Mika needed before his lips were on Yuu's again and this time, she did not try to push him away but returned his kiss with equal fervor, exhaling as she felt the unnatural hardness of his fangs against her lips. Now that he had her where he wanted her, Mika gracefully swept the inside of Yuu's mouth with his tongue in a provocative imitation of love-making as he took both of her hands with one of his and pinned them above her head while using the other to part her thighs slightly and slide a finger inside of her. Yuichiro gasped, eyes widening and her face grew hot at the sudden intrusion of her most intimate area, since when had Mika become so daring?

Where did he learn to kiss and touch like that? She thought.

As pleasurable as Mika's teasing of her body was, Yuu could not help feeling a little jealous as to how he became experienced in such a matter but her lover would give her no such chance to ask for once his lips left hers, they were back on her neck, his tongue teasing the spot where he had bitten her earlier before dotting hot, open-mouthed kisses down her neck, trying his hardest to resist the temptation to bite her again. Releasing Yuu's hands, Mika took one of her breasts and brushed her nipple with his thumb while taking the other into his mouth, his tongue swirling around the tight bud as he slid another finger inside of her, as if probing, searching for something.

As Mika had suspected, Yuu's walls were tight; she was no doubt a virgin. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for him, having lost his own virginity at the tender age of twelve when Ferid took him as a concubine as well as a blood bag. Were it not for the look of pleasure and desire on his love's face, Mikaela would have been filled with self-loathing at his own sexual impurity; everything he knew about the art of love-making, he learned from his former benefactor. It was unfortunate but Mika was glad that some good came of it; if he could use his experience as a sex slave to please Yuichiro, then it would have been worth it.

Mika was snapped out of his thoughts when he felt his lover's hands on his bottom and heard her giggling as she gave it a playful squeeze. Yuu was pleasantly surprised to find it nice and firm like the rest of him but still nowhere near as hard as the most masculine part of him rubbing against her thigh, gently prodding her softness as if seeking entry. In response, the ravenette propped herself on her elbows and took her lover's lips hungrily, licking his lips in a lascivious manner before she reached out and took his throbbing member in her hand and began pumping aggressively, causing a guttural moan to escape from his throat. If Yuu kept going like that, Mika knew he would no doubt…

Not wanting it to be over before it even began, Mika took Yuu's wrist and forced her to release him before hooking his arms under both her legs and spreading her thighs further to make room for himself between them. Though this was his first time being intimate with a female, the mating instinct that had been natural to men and women since the dawn of time did not fail him as he leaned over and gently pushed himself forward.

Yuichiro took a deep breath and put her arms around Mikaela as she felt his body slowly enter hers. She knew that if she tried to relax, it would hurt less than if she were to remain tense. Yuu remembered overhearing the other female soldiers of the demon army saying that the first time was always going to be most uncomfortable for the woman; she assumed they were speaking from experience. Mika noticed the look of discomfort as well as beads of sweat forming on his lover's face; he knew that her first time was going to hurt no matter what he did so he may as well get it over with. Pulling back, Mika gently kissed Yuu on her forehead and whispered an apology before swiftly and powerfully thrusting into her, making her scream with pain. For a moment, Mika remained still as he waited for Yuu's pain to subside; when her face became relaxed again, he gently took her left hand in his right, twining their fingers as he began to gently rock his lover in a slow, and steady rhythm.

Taking her free hand, Yuichiro gently raked her fingertips with long nails up and down Mikaela's back, admiring the feel of his toned muscles as well as soft skin, making him groan with pleasure. Shifting her position slightly, the ravenette wrapped her legs around his waist, allowing him deeper inside her. Their lips met again and again, everything around them forgotten as the lovers became completely one with each other.

"Please, Mika! More, harder!" Yuu cried boldly as her hold on her blonde lover tightened.

After he released her hand, she wrapped both her arms around him, digging her nails fiercely into his back, breaking skin, and drawing blood. Mikaela clenched his teeth, the pain mixing with the pleasure only adding to the incredible sensation as he pounded into his lover's body harder, making her scream with ecstasy until their world exploded in a burst of shimmery flames. Exhausted from his release, Mika collapsed on top of Yuu, his breathing hot and heavy on her neck. When he caught his breath again, Mika smiled and playfully nibbled his lover's ear.

"My, I had no idea you could be so bold, so lascivious, Yuu-chan… "

The ravenette laughed. "Haha, the same could be said of you, Mika…" She was about to ask how he became 'experienced' but didn't want to ruin the mood so decided to hold off on it until later. Besides, their spent passion left her completely exhausted and Yuu felt her eyelids growing heavy. Before allowing sleep to claim her, she said "Mikeala?"

"Yes, Yuu-chan?"

"I love you…"

"I love you too…" he said, as he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead, his beautiful purple eyes the last thing Yuu saw before she finally fell asleep.

SSSSSS

Sometime later that night, after Yuichiro had fallen asleep, Mika contented himself by lying next to her, watching her sleep as he stayed awake. Vampires did not need nearly as much rest or sleep as humans but he chose to stay in bed just so that he could be near his love for a while longer. By morning, he would be leaving for Nayoya with Yuu as he had promised her; they couldn't stay here too long anyway for Mika knew that Krul would no doubt sent her minions after them as soon as she realized that he had no intention of ever bringing Yuu to her. But the young vampire tried not to think about that right now; he wanted to enjoy the time he had alone with his lover as much as possible. Once they left his home and met up with Yuu's other friends, then Mika would decide what he wanted to do next. His mind started going over possibilities when he suddenly noticed Yuu wide awake and looking at him, no doubt admiring his new purple eyes.

"Mika, aren't you tired?"

The blond vampire smiled. "Not really. I don't need to sleep much but I can for pleasure. And to be near you..."

Yuu blushed as a memory came to her. "Mika, do you remember when we were kids, how we used to laugh at how funny it was that your parents gave you a girl's name and my parents gave me a boy's? I still wonder about that sometimes. Do you?"

"Well, I always believed my parents named me 'Mikaela' instead of 'Micheal' because they thought I was a very feminine-looking boy. I remember my mother saying it often; even Krul and Ferid told me so."

"Doesn't it bother you?"

"Not really. Its just a name. What about you?"

"Well, I always believed that my parents named me 'Yuichiro' because they secretly wished for a son but was disappointed when I was born a daughter instead."

Mika raised a brow in interest. "Did you ever ask them?"

"The thought never occurred to me; by the time it did, my parents were long gone so now I'll never know."

Yuu closed her eyes and fell silent for a moment as if recalling her parents pained her. Her last memory of them was just as, if not more gruesome as Mika's memories of his own parents. The last Yuu saw her father, he was shot dead by the police after he had stabbed her with a kitchen knife, barely missing her vitals. As for her mother, she had managed to set herself and the family's apartment on fire before anyone could stop her. If the paramedics had not arrived in time, Yuicihro would have surely bled to death from her injury and like Mika, she was sent to the Hyakuya Orphanage shortly after her recovery and release from the hospital.

"I understand. But the past does not matter anymore. What matters is here and now."

"Here and now..." Yuu repeated before trailing off for a moment as if contemplating something. "Mika?"

"Yes?"

"When this war is over, I want to stay with you..."

"But what about your other friends?"

"Shinoa and the others are dear to me; that will never change. But they could never compare to you. Once the war is over, they will go on to live new lives and I feel that I will not belong."

"So what are you saying?" Mika had an idea where this conversation was going but allowed Yuu to continue. She smiled and cupped his cheek in her hand.

"What I'm saying is...that I want to be with you always. I want to be what you are, see what you see, love what you love..."

Mika gasped softly as he found himself giving his lover a wide-eyed stare. So it was as he feared after all.

"Yuu-chan... do you have even the vaguest conception under God what you ask? You've always hated vampires and now you want to be one of them?"

As if in answer, Yuichiro kissed him again. "I'll become anything if it means I can be with you. If you live forever, I will too. If you become human again, so will I and we can both grow old and die together."

What his love said did sound appealing but Mika was still against it. How could he even consider exposing the person he loved most to his curse? He knew how painful the thirst for blood could be. And then there was the risk...

Krul had warned Mika that not every human has been successfully turned. Their chances depended on their age, strength, and endurance and the older the human was when being turned, the more painful the transformation process would be. It was tragically all too common for older, fragile, or sickly humans to die of pain before they could be completely converted to vampirism. Crowley Eusford was one of the rare exceptions of a more mature-looking vampire, having not been turned until he was over thirty-five but Crowley was also an exceptionally strong human in his mortal life which enabled him to survive his excruciating conversion.

And even though Mika knew that Yuu was still young, strong, and healthy, there was still a chance that something could go wrong and she could die. Was it really worth the risk? Even if Yuu herself thought so, Mika wasn't so sure. But he also knew that if he didn't change her, he would lose her as surely as night followed day. Just as her beautiful hair was black now, it would grow gray with age and so will her lovely smooth skin become wrinkled with time while his own body remained youthful and unchanging for all eternity. Unless...

He could become human again. And there was no guarantee he would ever find a way.

Mika thought his words over carefully before answering. "Yuu-chan... you know I love you and will do anything to make you happy but you have to be sure that this is what you really want because once it's done, I cannot take it back. Please take some time to think this over..."

Yuu was silent for a moment before giving him a smile and kissed the back of his hand. "Ok, I will..."

Mika could barely refrain from breathing a sigh of relief and found himself ironically thanking God that she wasn't going to try to argue with him on this like she did everything else.

"Thank you, Yuu-chan" he said before planting a kiss on her forehead. "Just sleep for now; I will still be here when you wake up. Now that I'm with you again, I'll never leave your side, I promise."

"Mmm...thank you..." she whispered before closing her eyes again, letting sleep take her.

After Yuu fell asleep once more, Mika also found his own eyelids growing heavy. During the four years they were apart, he too, had nightmares about the murder of their previous family by the hands of Ferid Bathory but his worst fears were of Yuichiro dying or struggling to survive alone in a cold, dark, post-apocalyptic world. The young vampire may not have appreciated how Yuu's guardian or the demon army exploited her powers but he still had to admit that it was also because of them that he was able to reunite with his love.

And now that she was finally in his arms again, he wasn't ever going to let her go.

A/N: Finally finished. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Since this is my first attempt at an AU, please go easy on me! ;)