Chapter Twenty-Five: Winter Interlude Part Two

"You run from everything you can't control. Let go of control. It will wear me down. Unless I learn to finally pretend, but I know that won't happen."

-Epiphany 'The Word Alive'

"…Kyoya Ootori. It's a pleasure to meet you in person Kagome."

He finished his introduction lightly as he led her across the floor, thankfully the singer and band wasn't as loud as the speakers had been on some of the previous songs and she could hear her latest suitor.

"Ootori sounds familiar."

"It's nice to meet you as well. Not to be rude but…why did you get a ticket to dance with me when we've never met before?" Kagome asked, it seemed as honest a question as any. "There seem to be no lack of admirers…"

She was certain she'd heard the name before this but she couldn't place where, perhaps it was just another person with the same surname though. That came up sometimes after all.

"I was curious what sort of girl would get the famously closed off Seto Kaiba to attend a dance when I heard about it I decided I'd meet you for myself." Kyoya replied. "I'm glad I did, it was a little surreal watching him in this sort of a setting with an actual smile on his face."

"He had on a helmet. I doubt he was smiling under it." Kagome pointed out, wondering if Kaiba ever smiled for more than a microsecond, though glad to discover it wasn't someone else looking to hold her down. She wasn't sure she'd mind too much, he seemed handsome enough beneath his half mask, grey eyes, dark hair, attractive voice. His polite neutrality though was a pleasant break from all the constant compliments. It was good to just be something of a curiosity involving someone else and not an object of lust.

"He was smiling Kagome. You make it easy to do." Kyoya was smooth when he wanted to be as a member of the host club. He was curious just who this person was that got the shut-in Kaiba brother to step out of his comfort zone. Of course that immediately broke Kagome's hopes of not blushing through this dance as she glanced away from her partner. Despite a short thought of him probably being cute behind the mask, she was not at all interested in adding more people to the curse that was haunting her. Was it just going to keep getting worse?

Not a comforting thought.

"I apologize if my getting a ticket mislead you in any way. Seto Kaiba is a bit of an elusive figure in the circles of privileged young men our age. I made a bet with a few of my fellows that you had to be quite the girl. I think though he particularly enjoys the mystery." Kyoya further explained, he didn't seem particularly interested in making exceptional friends with her so much as her relationship with Seto for as little as he actually said about it.

"I think if you are that curious you should ask Kaiba…wait, what mystery?" Kagome blinked at him curiously. Had she been caught somehow? Did someone else know her secret? Was her new suitor another supernatural that she couldn't pick out easily? He seemed normal enough but her own abilities were less than reliable most of the time.

"You were sick much of your last year, it's why you are repeating this year, but no doctors in town have any records of the massive list of illnesses that the schools and other students report." Kyoya commented with a light smile. "If Kaiba hasn't asked you, he will, he's the reason I looked into it. Another of my friends suggested I let you know he was researching your history."

Kyoya was amused by several parts of the night, but Haruhi had mentioned in passing if a guy was spying on a girl then the girl should know and then after that he'd of never heard the end of pestering if he hadn't agreed to tell her. She seemed worried, but that would be natural for anyone that found out someone else was spying on them.

"Wait, those fangs seem really real…did you cap your teeth?" Kagome asked. Part of her realizing for the first time if demons and magic were real that vampires could be as well, she didn't expect the slight laugh he replied with.

"Yes, it was a friend's idea. He prefers things to be as authentic as possible with our costumes. It is temporary, we'll have them taken off tomorrow." Kyoya replied, deciding she couldn't be too concerned with the fact that he'd spied on her for Kaiba if she was more interested in his costume. He had other questions, but the song was shorter than he would like and he was bowing before he could start more of a discussion with her.

Kagome glanced after the group of pretty vampire guys and then sat at her table as she went back over what Kyoya had said. Was Kaiba planning to confront her about her past then? Why had he been looking into it?

"He's an insanely rich guy, of course he probably does background checks on any girls he wants to date. Kyoya hadn't seemed as though the idea of it was strange at all. Ootori!" Kagome glanced after the group again, noticing that her vampire was chatting with a new girl now. She remembered where she'd heard the name. The Ootori group owned most of the medical companies in the city, all but a few smaller ones. Likely his parents were also at odds or partnered somehow with Ishida's. If a somewhat normal guy showed an interest cause of the curse what they had to be rich?

She would be forced to explain her strange past to Kaiba eventually, perhaps even to this Kyoya, he didn't say if he wanted to see her again but she knew that had to be a good thing. Part of her was vaguely disappointed as well; he'd seemed so nice for a moment, and while he was clearly rich at least he was more normal than most of the guys after her.

Better than the guy taking the stage. The scars on his arms visible thanks to the sleeveless leather vest on his chest. The lithe frame and red eyes of Albel gave him away even with the black and metal mask over the top of his face. He had a few chains around his neck and his wild hair was spiked to absurd length to the sides, though still hung with metal moon shaped tails down to his ankles behind him. The back of his jacket had a motorcycle on it, and so Kagome had to assume he was the biker. She hadn't seen anyone else in leather that was a guy.

He wasn't walking to her table though, he was taking the stage and gave a withering glare to the guy standing there, leaning down to mumble to the DJ working with the band to run the music. He pushed the man away with a booted foot when he was done, picking up the mic and the way he looked right at Kagome made her mouth instantly dry. She was sadly out of punch though…

Albel always looked aggressive, somehow ticked off at all times, but the dark lines of eyeliner only made him look like a strange sort of emo or goth biker instead of just a biker. She'd never taken him for a singer, and she was certainly concerned when a rock styled beat started. He was suppose to be her dance partner this set, no one else had approached her, so instead she knew he meant for her to hear it…it certainly made her nervous. More so when other kids cheered as though they recognized the music, a lot of people were rocking out more than dancing as the music continued.

"I've got another confession to make. So complicated, let me try to explain. Don't want this feeling to go away. So it stays, it stays, it stays…"

Kagome was surprised at how well Albel could actually sing, there was a rough edge somehow beneath the smoother surface of his words that made his voice unique.

"Is it the way that you that's causing me to freak? Is it the way that you laugh that's making my heart beat? Is it the way that you kiss? It's gotta be the way you taste, you taste, you taste…"

She was in such shock to begin with that she felt the blush as her mind started to catch up with what he was saying. He was still staring right at her, and she reached around the table, picking up what was probably someone elses drink to wet her dry lips.

"You're such a gorgeous night. Old habits never seem to go away. You make me feel bran new, yeah. We resurrect it's like I've come back to life."

As the song entered a slight break other kids cheered a bit.

"I feel so alive."

At least other people were just as surprised as Kagome…

"I feel so alive."

At first, a few people were realizing he was staring at her, and therefore singing to her…

"First impressions are hard to erase, hard to erase, etched in my mind and it just won't go away, won't go away. I've gotta change, change, change, change. Is it the way you feel against my body. Is it the way that you act so damn naughty? Is it the way that you shake when your hips sway to the bass, the bass, the bass, the bass…"

Kagome felt a few more eyes looking her way and knew the blush had to have moved down to her neck. It didn't help that his choice of music reminded her of the scene of him and the bench in the basement only a couple of weeks ago…she pushed herself up from the table, wanting to get away and get some fresh air. She could hear anger enter his voice as he continued to sing behind her, feel his gaze burning into her back as though chiding her for shivering…

"You're such a gorgeous nightmare. Old habits never seem to go away. You make me feel brand new, yeah! We resurrect it's like I've come back to life."

Kagome got herself out of the school by the end of the latest verse, hoping that her blush would die down outside since it was pretty cold without a coat. Or at least it would give her an excuse for the flush other than remembering just how close she'd been pressed to Albel's body in the past…when the hell did he learn to sing like that? And if he's always been able to why was he living in that dump apartment? Damn, did he have to sing to her like that? It was going to be the embarrassing talk of the school for at least a week or two. Until some other controversy arose for people to drama around, he should have known she didn't need the extra stress right now…

She was rubbing her temples and pondering just ditching her coat to walk home when it settled around her shoulders.

"It's not nice that you just duck out when I'm still owed a dance." Lezard's voice got her to draw up her eyes. She offered the boy a smirk and laughed once. He was dressed in a large sheet folded several times and had edges of gold and a lightning bolt across his back. She should have known but it seemed so out of place for him that it made her giggled and cover her mouth when he raised a brow at her laughing.

"You look silly." She commented. "Zeus?"

"I figured after the rest of the unworthy men stressed you out you could use the laugh." Lezard replied lightly. "The weather doesn't match either of our outfits though…allow me."

Kagome blinked as his outfit altered to the normal velvet suit he wore outside of school and she then felt more weight on her and glanced down to see herself in something similar to it. She felt the velvet and offered him a surprised expression before looking around alertly for other people. "Thanks…but ah…what if someone saw…"

"It wouldn't have worked if other people were watching, I have that worked into most of my less direct magic's." Lezard replied with a shrug as if it were easy to have such contingences built in. "As you seem ready to leave, mind if I escort you as you seem to be ditching me when it comes to dancing."

"I'm sorry Lezard…that'd be fine I guess…maybe take a rain check? That's what people do right?" Kagome asked as she accepted the hand he held out to her. Just a ride home couldn't hurt.

"Well, it's still early…we can always dance elsewhere." Lezard suggested as he started to lead her off the school grounds. She heard a round of cheers from inside, apparently Albel had finished his song…she would much rather not be there as she didn't want Albel to talk to her, particularly in front of others. So she nodded, going home he could search for her there easy so going with Lezard seemed just as well.

"Sure. Are there any good places to dance for kids our age? I've never really gone out for more than a movie or to walk around the mall." Kagome commented. Glad to have someone to help her escape from the drama that was bound to follow soon. She yawned as she got into Lezard's car, putting on her seat belt and not too sure of what he'd said in reply. She was suddenly so tired…

End Chapter

Albel makes me laugh, it makes me laugh more that he always gets Kagome to run away somehow. Voting closed after a chapters worth of time. I have an answer as to my question last chapter for the future. More opinion votes to come in the future. Also Kyoya showed up yay! Lots happened this chapter!

-Aura

To my reviewers:

Herseybarrules – LOL I just keep adding on, it's a wonder I can keep up with it myself sometimes. I'm enjoying it still though and that's the whole reason I started this fic, was just to have fun.

LovelyLadyMarMar – Updated, but more cliffy sorta…

Tohru78 – Thanks for your vote, and Kyoya Ootori is my fav of the Ouran boys XD

Mimiru – It does, I dunno when/if I'll end it as it's a exercise in just having fun and trying to entertain readers at the same time. It was Orihime as the hello kitty LOL, good call. The Host Club was on pretty good behavior at the dance cause they were doing a lot of host club work.

Kakashizangela – Mystery Oni Samurai will come up soon, within the next few chapters. Good call on Kyoya. Mystery guy already had a lot of hints, but more will come.

Angel – Kyoya will be one eventually, he's not really yet. Other things need to resolve themselves first. Thanks for your vote!

Toraburumeka – You hate and love me for it. Cliffy's are the best. Didn't take long at all for this update though.