I didn't think many would be interested in T-M-T-E-T-S, but thank you all for proving me wrong :D
R&R
THE MOON THAT EMBRACES THE SUN
Chapter III
Of Thoughts and Pancakes
Placing her dress into the laundry basket, while fixing the rosé nightgown she found, Regina contemplatively sat down in front of the vanity - gazing at her own reflection - lost in deep thought.
Despite the optimism she showed toward this change of residence, Regina was secretly afraid of what this meeting had entitled. It wasn't that she hated her Father or Uncles (far from it, actually), but she was extremely aware of the disappointment this first meeting had created in her younger siblings - much more than the obvious discontent their respective Fathers had at finding out of their relationship.
"Okaa-sama," a soft sigh escaped her lips as she glanced down at the worn out journal in her lap.
Showing years of usage, wrapped up in black-leather, a small diary was gently nestled between her hands. It was small, much smaller than the various journals sold today, and with parchment dyed a deep beige in comparison to the pure white of scripted paper.
It wasn't as antiquated as the many books Father Komori had in his private library - the cover was as rich and aromatic as that of medieval design - yet, its gentle sway of cursive writing filled the pages with thousands of emotions that Regina felt were her wisest guidance, at times.
Tracing over the ink with a delicate hand, Regina wondered what her next action should be.
Morganite gaze roamed about the room, attempting to find inspiration amidst the vibrant hues and rich designs. The room truly was beautiful, far more than she could've expected as a child.
Well used to the secluded dormitories of the Church, Regina had only ever slept in a single bed, much smaller than a twin-sized mattress, that accommodated herself alone. The rigid frames of barred iron often scraped against the wooden floorboards with the slightest movement, causing more than one sleepless night on her agenda; and the achromatic color tainting the four corners of the dorm overpowered the room far more than she would like to recall.
This place, however, held no such ashen restrictions.
Pale mauve surrounded all four corners of the large bedroom as the rich designs on the wallpaper added effect to the luxury of the place. White marble columns stood prominently at the far end corners of the room, where the balcony lay just outside the grand windows; draped by a velvet-wine curtain.
The bed, as well, held the same grandeur as the room itself.
Slightly bigger than a King sized mattress, the rosy comforter paled beside the well contrasted frame, dyed in a deep lavender hue. Four rosewood posts lifted up the top frames of the bed, while curtains of pale rouge and dark periwinkle cascaded around it like a waterfall. The carpet's royal purple added the final touch to the opulent design - giving all who saw, the impression that this dwelling was meant for a princess.
A blush yearned to taint her unblemished cheeks, but she quickly abstained from it.
'No,' she thought dejectedly, 'I cannot possibly believe that Otou-sama willingly chose this room for me...even if the simple thought had made me happy beyond belief.'
Facing the mirror, placing the diary on the drawer beside the vanity, Regina reached out for the comb and absentmindedly brushed her hair.
'Mother,' she thought, 'The day may not have gone as well as anticipated...' She stopped combing, 'I still have hope that Father and the others will one day accept us, but...'
She recalled the way Kaname, Akumu, and Luna had reacted when meeting their Fathers.
A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
Disappointment wasn't even half of what was reflected in their eyes.
She had always known that Kaname hated Laito, for what reason - she wasn't too sure - but the aversion was as strong as her brother's sense of morality. Akumu, though rather excited to meet Ayato in the beginning, had immediately loathed him upon sight; and she could only consider herself a reason for that. If Ayato hadn't seen her, perhaps Akumu's powers would have still been kept a secret, and his discontent toward his Father wouldn't have been as immediate.
She sighed again.
Her main concern, at the moment, was Luna - who had been absolutely crushed by the man that appeared before her.
Violent to the core, with eyes as red as the torn shirt he wore (although something kept insisting within her that he wasn't at all what he appeared to be), Luna's dream-like illusion of the Princely Papa she was promised in her innocence was shattered.
Nothing would be able to replace the hope in her eyes that dimmed when she realized the cruel reality of the world.
"God," she silently prayed, "Please give me strength to overcome these obstacles. To give back the hope to my siblings that our Fathers are just as Mother described them to be; and that we may some day become the family I've always dreamed we would be. Okaa-sama, please continue to watch over us-"
A slight chill brushed against her neck, and she couldn't contain the sudden 'eep' that escaped her lips.
A chuckle rumbled behind her.
"Kaname-kun!" she turned to face her younger brother, who smiled coyly at her.
"That was a cute reaction, Nee-san."
Copper locks dripped with the aftermath of his bath as his once "spick and span" hairdo, reverted to a wavy mess that bore a semblance to his father's own style.
"You should dry your hair, Kaname-kun. Let me-" but as she reached out to grab the towel around his neck, a single hand grasped her wrist, gently coaxing her to follow him, before courteously guiding her to the edge of the bed, where she confusedly took a seat.
"That's not important right now," He insisted, "Let me see your neck." Tugging on the sides of her rosé colored nightgown, so as to not pull on the snugly-fit chest, he allowed the straps to descend her smooth shoulders before resting against her arms - leaving her skin bare for his eyes.
Regina could sense Kaname's anger as his hands tensed whenever they brushed against the visible marks of Ayato's choleric grip.
"I'm really alright, Kaname-kun," she whispered gently, attempting to provide her brother some semblance of reassurance that she wasn't in any pain, "Please, don't be mad."
"My anger is not toward you," he exhaled sharply as he reached out for the First-Aid Kit he brought, pulling out the necessary medication. "It'll sting for a short while, but bear with me."
Regina gave a brief thanks, before a slight whimper escaped her lips, followed by a quick apology from Kaname as she turned to face the two sleeping seraphs - tightly embracing each other - while he continued to mend the wounds.
After a moment of silence befell them, Kaname felt the need for a conversation was necessary. "How long do you suppose we are to stay here?"
"Honestly, I don't know." She said, picking up her hair so that Kaname could place a bandage on her neck. "Father Komori never specified a time frame."
Kaname 'hm'-ed and put away all of the medicine before grabbing his sister by the hand and walking her back to the vanity, where he silently grabbed the comb and brushed her silky strands. "Your hair is truly the most beautiful in the world, Nee-san."
"Is something wrong, Kaname-kun?" Regina asked as her morganite reflection glanced up at his own actinolite.
"Why do you suppose something's wrong?"
"Whenever you have something on your mind, you tend to touch my hair."
"Couldn't I just be admiring the beauty of your silky locks?" he asked with a smirk.
"Or - the anger you've bottled up needs a way to vent?" she responded grabbing his hand tenderly between her own.
A sigh escaped him, "I can never keep anything from you, can I?"
"I am your sister, after all." A gentle, knowing smile graced her features; and defeated, Kaname kneeled before her, laying his head against her lap.
"Nee-san, you must know I accepted this move for you...for all of you, but...but is it really worth it?"
"What do you mean?"
"Not two minutes since we arrived and already you were wounded, and by our Uncle, no less! Akumu, easily riled by the overwhelming anger in him, nearly burnt the house down, again! Luna is terrified at wits end because of Uncle Subaru's rampages; and I - for once - would be far too ecstatic to never meet my Father in my lifetime!"
She brushed his hair, soothingly, as he vented out the frustrations he had kept bottled in.
"Was this really the right decision, Nee-san? After all, there has to be a reason why Mother did not live with them when we-!" A delicate finger pressed against his lips.
"Hush, Kaname-kun," she gently grasped his face and turned him toward her, "You mustn't say such things. Mother loved our Fathers dearly. There may have been a reason why she left the Sakamaki home, but it is not what you're thinking."
"I'm sorry, Nee-san." Kaname looked down, ashamed, as he hugged her waist. "It's just that its so frustrating living under the same roof as that man!"
"You must give him some time to adjust, and yourself as well." She continued to brush his hair, "This is new to all of us. I understand your concerns, but if you allow a first impression to deny you the ability to fully see and understand the person before you, then you'll become as narrow-minded as all those foolish men in the tales Mother used to read to us. I know you're not like that."
Kaname frowned, but embraced her nonetheless.
"Let's give them a chance, okay? If Mother could see some good in them, then we - too - should give them the benefit of the doubt."
Kaname, with a soft nod, stood - a bright smile replacing his momentary seriousness, as it alighted his handsome features. "Now that I've vented, can I still brush your hair?"
Smiling sweetly, Regina acquiesced.
As the room was filled with small, but merry chat, a "gentle shove" on Kaname - which ended with him on the carpeted floor - immediately broke the siblings' train of thought.
"What the-?"
"No fair, Kaname-kun~! Wanting to get Nee-sama's attention all to yourself!" Hime whined, sticking out her tongue, and hugging Regina from the back. "I wanted Nee-sama to do my hair!"
Kaname was about to suggest what she do with her hair, but found himself interrupted by another, equally boisterous, sibling.
"If we're gonna have a slumber party, might as well make it interesting!" Akumu burst into the room, loudly. He was quickly shushed by his two eldest siblings. "I brought my favorite board game," he whispered. "Let's play."
"No," Hime denied, "I want my hair done so that it can be perfect for tomorrow. That way, when my Daddy sees me, he can tell me that I look absolutely gorgeous!"
"It's just hair." Akumu retorted.
"Hair to a woman is her life, you insensitive jerk!" Hime stated, furiously, causing Akumu to make a sour face and Kaname to face palm.
Regina chuckled and immediately suggested that, while she braid Hime's hair, they can all gather around and play. Akumu and Hime readily got in position.
Kaname, however, bitterly concurred that these were two of the silliest siblings God could've granted him; that much was certain, as he watched Hime and Akumu fight over who-got-what token.
Already aware of how tiresome the night would get, he was prepared to head back to his own room. Yet, as he glanced over at the eldest - who was patiently tucking the stirring children back to sleep - wearing a peaceful smile full of love and serenity as she watched the bickering two, Kaname realized she was allowing them to vent all of their piled up stress, without so much as a peep of complaint.
With an inward smile, he heartily agreed that his sister truly was God's greatest blessing to them - in every sense of the word.
~S.O.V~
By the time the clock struck ten at night, Regina found herself surrounded by sleeping bodies all across the bed.
Kaname, Hime, and Akumu - having spent more time than anticipated in her room - were all sound asleep in the bed, alongside the two slumbering children.
Kaname, with his arms wrapped protectively around Luna, lay parallel to her and Luka; whose cheeks were pressed against her bosom. Akumu, who was snoring at the foot of her bed - one legged propped up against Kaname's thigh - remained blissfully unaware of the uncomfortable position he left his brother in. Meanwhile, Hime, slumbering like a sleeping beauty behind her, had an arm sprawled across Regina's hip.
She couldn't help but slightly chuckled at the Twister-like experience within the large bed, and reminisce on the time when they slept together in the same room at Father Komori's residence.
It wasn't a very happy memory, she recalled, as at the tender age of 12 years, Regina had been entrusted with the care of her five young siblings - all ranging between 11 years and 5 months**. At that time, there was hardly any moment alone for her to mourn the death of her mother. So taking on the role of mother figure for the 5 young children, Regina set out to provide them with all the love and affection her mother would have given them.
Now, at 15, Regina was fully capable of handling the children's affairs as both a role model and supportive figure.
But, it was still a proven fact that they needed their Fathers to fill the void left within them.
Removing herself from the entanglement of limbs atop the bed, she managed to get up without so much as stirring the others, however, Luka - who had been fully comfortable pressed against her chest, - felt the retreating warmth, and immediately awakened.
His alexandrite orbs stared at her in silence.
"Want to come with me to get dinner ready?" Regina asked sweetly, perfectly understanding everything he had to say within that single stare.
He gave a slight nod and lifted his arms.
Bending toward the adorable toddler, she readily carried him in her arms; and, while placing on her slippers, escaped the room in silence.
~S.O.V~
Sitting Luka on the tabletop, while she pulled out the ingredients from the cupboard, Regina softly hummed a lullaby as she moved around the kitchen to prepare dinner. She wondered why exactly the kitchen was in such pristine condition when more than one male lived in this grand mansion. Was it because they were vampires?
"What do you think we should have for dinner, Luka-kun?" Regina turned to her brother sweetly. The 3 year old pressed his little finger, resting it slightly below his chin - as if pondering on what he'd like to eat - before facing her and moving his lips.
No sound escaped him; and, obviously frustrated, he turned away in shame.
"It's alright, Luka-kun," she kissed his forehead, lifting his chin with a demure hand, "I'm sure someday we'll all hear your beautiful voice. There's no need to push yourself. Take your time."
Luka's smile returned as he patted his hand back and forth.
"Patty cake?" she asked, momentarily confused, until she understood what it was he was signaling, "You want pancakes for dinner?"
An ecstatic nod was his sole response.
"Very well, midnight pancakes it is!"
Humming an upbeat tune, Regina prepared the sauces and ingredients to add to the pancakes, while Luka 'helped' her by mixing the batter. In all honesty, he was making a mess she would - more than likely - end up cleaning by herself, but she didn't mind it in the least. Her cute little brother was happy just by believing he was helping her, and that was more than she could want.
"What are you doing here?" A voice called out from behind the door frame.
"Uncle Kanato!" Regina responded, somewhat startled by the vampire's sudden appearance.
Luka's eyes twinkled at the sight of the Teddy bear in the male's arms.
"I'm asking what you're doing here."
Regina was about to respond, when she smelled the pancakes near burning. Quickly facing away, she flipped the cooked bread and separated it from the stove, turning down the heat so as to not char the pan.
"What's that?" Kanato asked, standing behind her - right next to Luka.
"Um," Regina didn't know what to make of her Uncle's abrupt questions, "They're pancakes, Uncle Kanato. Luka and I were making some for the rest of our siblings." Seeing how his eyes sparkled in the same manner as Luka's, she easily discerned Kanato's major sweet tooth. "Would you like some, Uncle Kanato?"
"Huh?" Kanato's pride was as great as his brothers' own. "I don't need to eat something as plain as pancakes." He harrumphed and turned back, ready to walk away.
"Shall we put some chocolate syrup and whipped cream on yours, Luka-kun?"
It was an innocent question, really. She hadn't thought much about the effect it would have on Kanato.
"He likes chocolate syrup and whipped cream?"
"Yes...Those are his favorite to go with pancakes and other kinds of cakes - apart from strawberries and vanilla cream." It had been brief, but Regina could see warmth appear in his eyes as mauve glanced down at alexandrite, whose own gaze was intently focused on the teddy bear.
"I suppose...one pancake wouldn't hurt. But you have to add chocolate chips and strawberry sauce, otherwise I will have to punish you," he said, hiding his pout behind Teddy's head.
"Of course, Uncle Kanato," Regina smiled as she returned her attention to the stove.
Meanwhile, Kanato took a seat beside the bar, Teddy slightly in front of him, while Luka stopped what he was doing to openly admire the Teddy bear equal in size. Kanato eyed the boy suspiciously, before he realized that there wasn't much to be suspicious about.
The boy was practically an open book.
'Just like her...' he thought idly as he remembered the blonde who would prepare his favorite desserts.
"Would you like some strawberry glaze over the strawberries, Uncle?" Regina asked.
"Would you like strawberry glaze over the strawberries, Kanato-kun?"
Kanato could only stare, wide-eyed, as the shadow of that familiar blonde appeared before him in that single, heart-rending smile.
"Y-Yes," he stuttered, sheepishly.
"Here you go." Regina slid the plate carefully in front of him.
Kanato did not hesitate in taking a bite of his sweet bread, however, during his moment of enjoying the prepared sweet, Kanato had completely disregarded both the child and the Teddy bear.
It wasn't until he noticed Regina scream and pull Luka away from the counter, securing her grip around the child as she pressed him against her, did he observe the inanimate object moving beside him-...
Wait a minute!
He jumped away from his seat as the dark circles beneath his eyes paled at the sight before him.
Teddy was standing on his own two feet, using the kitchen knife to tear apart the seams of his mouth!
"Ah," Teddy sighed in relief, "Finally! There's a lot of things I've been meaning to say these past couple of years, but first thing's first!"
He faced Regina, who was far too perplexed to say anything as she tightened her grip on Luka.
"Give me the kid!"
Terms and Definitions
11 years and 5 months** - The years of all the Sakamaki-Komori children: Regina was 12 (15 yo), Hime was 11 (14 yo), Kaname was 9 (12 yo), Akumu was 7 (10 yo), Luna was 3 (6 yo), and Luka was 5 months (3 yo) when they moved into Father Komori's Residence.