Chapter 15

White and Red

"Yeargh!"

"Run, they're after us!"

"They got Kouta!"

The heroes turned to flee, the shambling hordes already pursuing, arms held unsteadily before them. Behind them, the agonized screams of their fallen comrade were quickly silenced beneath the press of the ravenous undead that had not given chase; there would be no rescue for him. As the heroes sprinted through the ravaged town, stumbling, moaning figures emerged from gaping doorways and shadowy alleys, tightening the noose. A decaying form lurched from behind a ruined truck, bloody maw held upon as it reached for the flesh of one hapless teen, who screamed in response.

"No!"

Tsukune swallowed and turned his gaze away, deliberately not watching the glowing screen in front of him. Trying to ignore the sounds surrounding him as the music built to a crescendo, he glanced instead at the girl sitting beside him, who was happily munching on popcorn and watching raptly as the zombies converged on their next victim. Sensing his attention had transferred to her, Mizore turned a bright smile in his direction before almost immediately getting pulled back into the movie by another anguished cry.

Restraining the urge to sigh, Tsukune wondered once again how he had ended up here. Mizore had told him that she wanted to see a movie with him, and he had agreed; after all, a movie theater was probably the most popular place for a date. Still, he had been expecting the romantic comedy in the next theatre over, not this blood-and-gore zombie flick. He wasn't even quite sure why it was bothering him, since he had lived through worse just in attending high school. Zombies, bah, what were they to monsters who would alternate between sitting beside him in class and trying to eat him on lunch break? Anyways, zombies weren't that bad, as far as undead went… Tsukune smiled wryly, musing on the irony of him, a part-time ghoul, offering his opinion on other undead.

The heroes had escaped, or at least some had, and the ominous soundtrack lapsed into a calm silence. Mizore's attention likewise broke free, and she turned again to Tsukune, staring at him quizzically. He offered her an awkward smile and a chuckle, to which she responded with a coy grin of her own, her head tilted slightly to the side. After a moment, he wondered why she was still staring at him, but then he noticed the way her eyes kept lowering to his closest arm and then snapping back to his face. Blushingly taking the hint, he complied, stretching that arm out over the top of her seat. Smiling in triumph, Mizore looked back to the movie screen, but scooted as close as the armrest would allow, and as she rested her head on his shoulder he forcibly swallowed his anxiety and let his arm curl slightly around her.

Distracting himself from the tension that had already began to resume on the screen, Tsukune allowed his mind to play over the date thus far. He had enjoyed everything thus far, though the fights had been an unwelcome interruption, and an embarrassing one at that. Looking back, he couldn't really explain why he had allowed the thugs to lead him into that secluded area; after all, he had faced far worse than they on a daily basis. Still, the knife had worried him… even though he had been stabbed, slashed, bitten, and crushed far too many times to count. Maybe, he thought, he had been tricked by the day's pleasant atmosphere; after all, even though he was on a date with a yuki-onna, they were acting like a normal couple, doing normal things. Normal people fear knives, and normal people don't leave armed thugs in small craters without breaking a sweat. Thinking of that made him glad that the other man, Sam, had appeared. If things had gone much further, then there would have been a growing possibility that Tsukune's ghoulish nature could have awoken, and then things would have gotten truly ugly.

Now, however, even the twinges of pain from his bruises had begun to fall silent, and Tsukune wondered if, by the end of the date, he would even be able to notice that he had been momentarily thrashed. Other than a few special wounds, like the times that Moka injected her blood into him, he had begun to heal quite rapidly from the damage he took in fights, returning to health inhumanly fast. That notion made him wince as he realized how much he had changed since he had first come to Yokai Academy. Perhaps there truly was no hope for a normal life for him…

That thought shook him slightly for reasons he couldn't explain. He looked again at Mizore, adjusting himself in his seat to be more comfortable, and she in turn leaned back against his arm. He surreptitiously examined her, noticing how he could see the light from the movie reflected in her eyes, watching the ripples of expressions ghost over her face as she watched the film intently. Aside from his cousin, he noted, this was the first time he had taken a girl to a movie. He could certainly see the appeal to it. Mizore's head on his shoulder had felt surprisingly good, and there was a voyeuristic thrill in watching her watch the movie; considering how much he was enjoying watching her, perhaps she was right about them being a lot alike.

Plus, there was something about the light from the movie made her skin glow, making her stand out like a ghost in the darkness. Mizore had always been proud of her unblemished, pale skin, and Tsukune had not failed to notice that detail. Though he was typically enraptured by Moka, he never could help but notice the beauty of Kurumu and Mizore, no matter how dutifully and frantically he tried. He noticed… he just didn't think about it, purposefully so.

Trying to pry his thoughts away from their dangerous course, he also took the chance to glance at the clothes she had chosen for their date. He was not one to notice clothing overmuch, but he couldn't help but notice how different she had seemed; Moka had been the same, on their date. It was remarkable how much difference such a slight change made. Mizore's blouse even looked a lot like her usual attire, though it did reveal a bit more… his eyes drifted off course, down towards the soft curves below.

His gaze darted away, but it was too late. Earlier in the day, his thoughts had staged a rebellion, parading before him images of what life might be like if he chose Mizore. Now, however, came the coup d'état, and a memory forced itself to the fore. He saw a field of snow white flowers, as beautiful as the pale skin revealed by a falling kimono; Mizore stood before him, desperation and longing in her eyes. It was so cold, but he had felt warm inside, fires stoked by her words: "For just tonight…" His whole world was the blue of her eyes, the violet of her hair, the exquisite white of her skin, the brilliant red of-

"Are you okay, Tsukune?" Mizore asked, blinking as he grabbed one of the napkins they had picked up for the popcorn and held it to his nose, the paper quickly darkening to red.

"Hnust fhine," he offered, the words mangled by the paper soaking up his nosebleed.

She considered him warily before finally turning back to the movie, managing to conceal the faint smirk that crept onto her lips as his arm tightened unconsciously around her. Tsukune, meanwhile, found it considerably easier to watch the film, despite the graphic violence that was befalling the hapless heroes on the screen. He could watch the movie now, since that meant he wouldn't be thinking any more.

It was safer that way.

"I think my favorite part was when the zombies cornered that one guy in the convenience store. Who knew a place like that could be so scary?"

Tsukune chuckled weakly as he and Mizore walked arm-in-arm towards a convenience store. He could recall that scene quite well, tragically. His feelings for it were not quite the same as Mizore's, but he didn't have the heart to say so. Instead, he nodded in mute consent.

Mizore grinned up at him, noticing the paleness of his cheeks. Realizing the potential, she leaned closer to him, speaking up into his ear, the chill of her breath making him shiver moments before the meaning of her words had the opportunity. "You know, if you get scared tonight… you can always come to my room. I'll protect you." The glint of her teeth made it obvious she wouldn't be defending him from the one thing he might really need protection from.

"Ah… hey, didn't you say something earlier about wanting me to protect you?" Tsukune protested, fending off any further rebellions in his imagination.

Mizore shrugged. "I'm fine with an equal relationship. We can protect each other." Tsukune blinked at that, but found he had nothing to say in response. Taking that as a victory, Mizore tightened her grip on his arm.

Together, the pair made their way into the building that was to be their final destination for the evening, the grocery store. They had agreed to do the shopping as a cover to hide their true intent from the Coopers; Tsukune had stared in terror at the ceiling one night at the thought of what Mrs. Cooper would say if she knew he was going on dates with each of the girls. He had been hesitant to accept such a solution, considering he and Moka hadn't sacrificed any of their date for something like that, but Mizore had accepted it almost immediately. After all, she had pointed out, it would be a chance for her to exercise in the domestic duties of a wife; somehow, that had failed to comfort him, but had given her a victory over the other two girls.

However, as they made their way through the store, Tsukune realized that she had been right, in a fashion. They talked as they shopped, discussing meals that each ingredient could be used for, and Tsukune was proud to note that he was able to contribute as much to the conversation as she. Mizore, on the other hand, mentioned monster delicacies that he had never heard of, including some specialties of her village that made him sad that their last visit hadn't offered many opportunities for enjoying the hospitality of her homeland. When he mentioned the possibility of her fixing one for him, her triumphant smile was free of the usual dark intent, replaced instead with genuine happiness. He liked that smile, he noticed, and found himself filing that memory away despite his own nervousness.

Mizore added another packages of popsicles to the basket she carried, and glanced down at the shopping list. "Should be everything…" She led him towards the checkout, but paused at a shelf nearby. He blinked as he noticed she was staring at a jar containing loose lollipops similar to the ones she always kept in her mouth, even though she had already picked up a bag of them earlier. He started to point this out, motioning towards the bag amidst the groceries he carried, when she turned to him. "Hey, Tsukune, out of curiosity: what is your favorite flavor of these?"

Caught off guard, Tsukune's mouth opened and closed as he failed to think up an answer. His turn-coat brain finally made a suggestion, and, before he could stop himself, he stammered, "Ch-cherry." His face burned crimson as he realized from where that notion had emerged. Mizore nodded, her eyes sparkling, and she reached into the jar and claimed a few suckers to add to her basket. With that accomplished, she turned again towards the checkout, and moments later they stepped out of the store, bags of groceries in hand as they made their way towards the place where Mr. Cooper had offered to pick them up.

"I had fun today," Mizore commented as they walked. Tsukune nodded in response, thinking back over everything that had happened. It had been fun, exempting the fighting. It had felt a lot different from his date with Moka, more relaxed while at the same time equally heart-pounding. If called upon to choose which he had enjoyed more, he knew that he would never be able to answer.

"Yeah, me too."
The two walked in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Tsukune noticed that, as they went along, their pace slowed, as if they both were being held back by their desire for the date not to end just yet. Not far ahead would be the car that would carry them back up the mountain, and Tsukune knew that, once he reached the Resting Place, the dam would open on all of the conflicting emotions he had thus far held in check. His dread kept him from noticing Mizore stealthily reach into one of the bags and begin unwrapping the item she had claimed.

"Hey, Tsukune. Open up." Blinking, Tsukune turned towards Mizore, mouth open as he started to ask what she meant, only for her to thrust forward the thing she held in her hand. His mouth closed around it, and immediately he tasted cherries. She giggled as he looked down at the stick of the lollipop jutting from his mouth, but when he glanced towards her there was something deep within her eyes, a mixed satisfaction and longing that he couldn't quite understand. Blushing, he nodded his thanks, the motion hiding the doubt he felt, and when the two continued walking they had drawn even closer.

Minutes later, they met up with Mr. Cooper, who only looked askance at the lollipop in Tsukune's mouth once. Loading the groceries into the front passenger seat, they climbed into the car and soon enough left the city behind them. As they drove up the mountain in silence, the sun was setting behind them, washing the sky in deep oranges and reds.

"Did everything go well?" Mr. Cooper asked, keeping the question as ambiguous as he could.

In the back seat, Tsukune and Mizore glanced at each other and shared a grin, and Tsukune noticed that he smiled without feeling the least bit restrained. He turned that smile forward, and nodded towards Mr. Cooper's eyes in the rear-view mirror. "Yeah. It was great."

And the car carried them home.

The first secret to great kissing is good oral hygiene. After all, the last thing you want your partner to be thinking before you kiss is that your breath stinks, so, if possible, make sure to keep your teeth clean and your breath fresh. One tip to help accomplish this is to-

"They're back!"

Her hand a blur as it shoved the magazine under her pillows, Kurumu nodded and smiled painfully at Moka. "I'll be right there," she said, and the vampire glanced at her quizzically before closing the door again. Kurumu sighed as she heard Moka's feet on the stairs, and she drew out the magazine to return it to its original hiding place. Exhausted and with her homework done, Kurumu had turned to study something else, but had barely made it past the introduction. Still, with Tsukune back such things could wait, and she gave herself a quick check in the mirror before sprinting out of her room and towards the stairs.

"Hey," Tsukune said in greeting as Kurumu and Moka entered the kitchen, pulling groceries from the bags before him as Mizore opened up the nearby cabinets. Pulling down a glass bowl, the snow maiden brought it over to the counter and cleared a spot for it before reaching into another of the grocery bags and pulling out a bag of her prized lollipops, which she ripped open and poured into the glass bowl. That done, she glared at Moka and Kurumu as if staking her territory, but immediately turned to Tsukune with a smile on her face.

"Would you like another one?" she offered sweetly, picking up a red-wrapped sucker and holding it in his direction. Tsukune blushed and shook his head, intently focusing on the groceries before him. The other two girls stared at this suspiciously, but quickly moved to help, furtively placing themselves between Tsukune and Mizore. If the snow maiden noticed this, it did little to remove the smirk from her face.

"So, did everything go well?" Moka asked, her voice perfectly composed and nonchalant. Despite this, Tsukune couldn't help but notice the aura around her and Kurumu, an oppressive keenness that frightened him more than a little.

"It was wonderful," Mizore answered before Tsukune had a chance. "We sat together in the park, and went skating, and a movie… the way Tsukune put his arm around me was so romantic!" She sighed deeply, holding her hands clasped before her. "I'll cherish these memories forever."

Tsukune squeaked as Kurumu and Moka turned their burning gazes in his direction. Edging away from them, he glanced towards the door leading out of the room. "It was a lot of fun," he offered blandly, not failing to notice the step Kurumu had taken in his direction. Keeping the counter between him and the others, he drifted towards safety. "But since we're done here and I have some more reading to finish and since I have to gather all the homework and take it to the Hellmaw… I'll be going upstairs now." His retreat was a fine balance of haste and discretion, the speed of his steps rivaling the quickness of his words, and only after he reached the door to his room did he breathe a sigh of relief.

With Tsukune's escape, Moka and Kurumu turned towards Mizore, who smiled cattily as she pulled the sucker from her mouth and discarded it, reaching again into the bowl of lollipops. "What?" She unwrapped the replacement sucker and popped it into her mouth, leaning back against the counter. "If you can't take it, you can always give up."

The succubus and the vampire exchanged glances at this, jaws firmly set. "This isn't over," Kurumu swore, and Moka crossed her arms in front of her and looked away in a huff. As the two marched off, already planning their delectable vengeance, Mizore watched them go, her good humor fading. It really had been fun… but it wasn't her turn any more. And, in the previous days, Kurumu had spoke to her about asking Tsukune if he could choose after the last of the dates… what if this was the last date she would ever get to have with the man she loved?

Mizore leaned back against the refrigerator and smiled sadly. She wouldn't be able to escape her fears and doubts tonight, but, for now, there was still the glow of what she and Tsukune had shared. She might have to wait a while before she got another good chance, but this day had only served to redouble her resolve. After all, how could she imagine surrendering after she had gotten a taste of what she had wanted for so long, and after she had found it was even better than she had imagined?

No, this wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

"Welcome back."

Michael's nose curled as an unfamiliar scent drifted to him from the shadows of the forest he stood in, and a moment later his partner emerged, looking much the worse for wear. Gabriel smiled weakly at his partner, shrugging as if to ward off the inevitable questions. As he did so, a clump of what looked to be used coffee grounds fell from one shoulder to the ground.

"I, ah, had an accident," he offered in explanation, and Michael's eyebrow arched as he waited for more. "But, before the status report…" Gabriel motioned up towards the sunglasses he wore. "Do you, ah, have some spares? These are, uh…"

Sighing, Michael pulled a spare pair of sunglasses from one of his pockets, offering them to his partner without a word. Gabriel smiled in response, reaching up to pluck his replacements from his nose; they were made of bright pink plastic, with glittering stars at each temple, and were so tight that both earpieces had bent outwards. "Had to hide the eyes," he mumbled, although he failed to convince Michael that such a disguise would be any less noticeable that their distinct eye color.

"So." Michael prompted, turning to look back at the house.

Gabriel winced, knowing there would be no escape. Mumbling incoherently for a moment, complete with vague hand gestures, he stalled until his partner shot a veiled glance in his direction. Relenting, Gabriel lapsed into blunt honesty. "Someone snuck up behind me and knocked me cold in one swing," he admitted, his words sharp and heavy.

"You got mugged?" Michael asked, incredulous. One glance at Gabriel, however, wiped away any potential mirth. Though others in their ranks considered Gabriel something of a joke, the two of them had fought alongside each other for too long for him to disregard his partner's capabilities. When it came down to it, Gabriel's incompetence was a façade, and for someone to sneak up on him while he was on duty…

"Bastard cost me an ice cream, too," Gabriel grumbled under his breath, ignoring Michael's questioning stare as he brushed at something that was, at best, a smear of decaying banana. "He, ah, dumped me afterwards; apparently I'm not recyclable. But he didn't hurt the kids, so I'm still trying to figure out why he did it… or who he was."

Michael nodded gravely. "It sounds like our enemies are stepping things up. We're going to have to be a lot more careful from here on out." A rare smile pushed at the corners of his mouth. "I'm sure Zachariel is going to love this report."

"Don't remind me," came the answering moan. "He's gonna chew me out for this, I can already hear it. That prissy blond kiss-rear is never gonna let me live this one down… hey, what is she doing?"

Michael stared up at the shed that housed the Hellmaw, his brow furrowing as he watched the shadow climb onto it. Beside him, Gabriel channeled his sublime gratitude in her direction, unspeakably happy that the subject of conversation would be changing. "She's… watching him."

"Kids these days." The lighter-haired guardian shrugged, smiling at Tsukune's voyeur. "Kinda funny, though, when you think about it. Us watching her watch him." When Michael didn't bother to respond, he nudged him with a stained elbow. "Don't you think?"

Before answering, the other man reached up to pinch his own nose shut. "Gabriel? Bath. Now."

Gabriel glanced down at his soiled garments and nodded. "You have no idea how hard it is to be stealthy when you smell like this. But, since you said so…" He snapped off a mock salute. "Yes, sir! One warm bath, coming right up!" Not giving his partner a chance to change his mind, he disappeared into the forest.

Michael shook his head in mute aggravation before resuming his watch over the Resting Place. For someone to act openly against them meant that their enemies were a little more advanced than Fairy Tale's usual thugs, and that worried him. Could that mean that Thanatos would be reaching them soon? Gritting his teeth, Michael focused his attention back onto the house and its occupants. It may be soon time for them to return to the school and leave these teens to their own devices, but until then nothing else would befall them. Not on his watch.

Tsukune sank back onto the bed, staring sightlessly at the ceiling as the exhaustion washed over him. Another day, another date, and he felt twice as tired for it. So far, his fatigue had managed to ward off the inexorable weight of his doubts and second-guessing, but that reprieve was fading fast. A short conversation alone with Moka and Kurumu had settled their ruffled tempers, but despite their warm smiles in his direction he couldn't help but notice the bladed glances they had given Mizore. Of all the monsters he had encountered, he had learned to be most afraid of green-eyed Jealousy.

Despite his tension, he still felt a warm glow whenever he thought about his day. He had enjoyed being with Mizore, and quietly wished that they had had more time together. She had made him feel accepted, relaxed, in a way that was different than what he had felt with Moka, though on second consideration Moka had made him feel excited and alive in a way different than what he had experienced with Mizore. And then there was the kiss… he grudgingly admitted to himself that the kiss was one thing that he had shared with Moka that had been absent from Mizore's date, and that was really a disappointment-

He clutched his head, rolling back and forth atop the bed. It was official: the girls had nothing on him; he was the real monster. Still the image of Mizore's lips persisted, dancing into his mind over and again as he stared at the ceiling and the hours passed.

Unlike after his date with Moka, there would be no thoughts of an easy choice this night. The notion of a choice at all was enough to draw sweat from him, and he dreaded to think about how much worse it would be after the final date. Surely they didn't expect him to choose, not yet!... but would it get any easier, however many dates he went on, however many memories he made with these girls? Or was that his true punishment for not choosing thus far, to be condemned to eternal indecision? He tried to imagine announcing to any of the girls that they were not the one he had chosen, and the silence of the Resting Place was haunted by his groans.

He was doomed.

Outside the house, atop the shed that housed the Cooper's yard tools and the Hellmaw, Mizore smiled to herself as she adjusted her binoculars. Sneaking out of the house so early hadn't been easy, but now she didn't question whether it had been worth it. She grinned as she imagined Moka's reaction, were the vampire to discover that she would be watching Tsukune sleep, let alone that she had watched him get ready for bed. The Seal of Screaming might keep her physically out of his room, but it could do nothing to stop her eyes.

A chill wind gusted over the snow maiden, but failed to overcome the warmth she felt. She could tell that sleep wasn't coming easily to Tsukune, and felt guilty that she was likely the cause, but it still served to reassure her that her efforts to win his affection hadn't been futile. She had a lot of work before her if she hoped to catch up to Moka, but she believed that this day had been quite fruitful; she, for one, was already replaying it over and over in her mind, carefully memorizing each bright smile, every moment that they had drawn as close as lovers. Surely Tsukune would see that she was the one for him now, would come to her and tell her that he had chosen her…

Mizore couldn't resist her practical side, which quickly dispelled any such futile dreams. No, she knew Tsukune too well… he wouldn't be choosing. Not her, not Moka, not Kurumu. Not now, at least. It would take a lot more time than that, and she doubted that her rivals had quite come to the same realization yet.

Still, she admitted as she settled in to watch throughout the night, that didn't bother her that much. She wanted to be the one that Tsukune chose, and couldn't dare to imagine any other result, but still… this competition, this rivalry, was fun. She enjoyed fighting against her friends for Tsukune's attention, and while she wouldn't sacrifice any of her time with Tsukune, she thrilled in the idea that every minute she claimed was one they wouldn't get. The notion of a victory in this battle for love was quickly becoming abhorrent to her… perhaps even, a dark part of her whispered, her own victory.

Shaking off such unpleasant thoughts, Mizore Shirayuki beamed through the binoculars she held at the man she loved, happy to share these secret moments. She had savored her time in the spotlight, and for now she would fall back to a spectator's role… but only just for now. And so she watched as the pale moon rose into the sky, and none would be able to tell who first fell asleep, her or Tsukune, together despite the distance between them.

Author's Note: Sorry that this one is a tad later than usual; despite my self-imposed schedule and rapidly approaching deadline for my hits-goal, I had some difficulty sitting down to write with all the chaos going on. Plus, I am somewhat embarrassed to admit, I have been so greatly anticipating the next chapter that I've already finished six pages of it, even before the first page of this one was complete. Writing romance is tricky, and action flows more easily, but I am pretty satisfied with how this chapter turned out. Hey, look at it this way: Chapter 16, Fated to Fade, will be out fairly soon, you can be all but certain of that. Look forward to a certain villain making his reappearance, as the matter of a certain artifact comes to the fore…

On the matter of romance, I am forced to admit that the balancing act that I have laid out for myself is… tough. Personally, I like Mizore and Tsukune's relationship, so it's hard for me to keep her a step behind (or, at least, enough so that she would perceive it that way), despite that being a key plot element. Oh well… perhaps Kurumu's date will offer opportunities to remedy this. And the next phase certainly will…

Oh, for those of you who didn't quite understand the importance of the lollipops Mizore bought Tsukune, I point you towards chapter 38 of the first season, and chapter 11 of the second, though not the official English version of the former. Sadly, I've noted, the official translators decided to ignore the original meaning of a certain panel, despite leaving the picture of the cherry still there, unexplained. Personally, I found it hilariously in-character for Tsukune, so I was quite disappointed to see they had changed it. Chapter 11 of season 2 also features the scene that Tsukune is remembering in the movie theater, if you have trouble recalling it.

On the personal level, my job interview went well, but ultimately proved fruitless; apparently, I'm simultaneously over- and under-qualified. And it has proven impossible for me to prepare for the job for the fall, so such possibilities are exiled into the future. Not that I mind, really… I have no real desire to teach high school, and no one can do as much harm as a teacher who doesn't want to teach. Thus, the hunt continues… with a return to applying for retail jobs. ^_^;

Anyways, time for me to turn my attention to other matters, which may or may not include the insidious creeping poison of my relapse into MMOs. Beyond that, and the tedium of washing dishes, comes an evening of more writing; I even have a coconut rum-spiked Pepsi float planned for the evening's efforts. With any luck, chapter 16 will soon be complete, and after a brief return to my Love Hina fic I can press onwards. Oh, and of course there are more job applications to fill out, and cleaning…

And, eventually, sleep.

~Wynn Pendragon