I do not own Rosario + Vampire.
Rated: k+
Angst
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Hope was a tricky beast. Sometimes it was all one needed to achieve their craziest fantasy, and other times it was a person's destruction because no matter what kind of forces moved them forward they'd never get what they most needed or wanted. Everyone always spoke of having faith and hope and belief, but no one ever mentioned that sometimes it was healthier, better, more reasonable to just let go. Kurumu had always thought that fighting would be the hardest thing she'd have to do, but now she knew - ridiculed herself, past and present, for being so stupid in thought - the hardest thing was setting him free and not being spiteful about doing so.
No matter what she did, no matter what life she lived, what she learned, or how she looked, he'd never look at her with sparkling, loving, rusty brown eyes. He had helped her realize - not directly because heaven forbid he purposely save her with loving words when she wasn't Moka - that she deserved better than this fantasy of him. Sadly, it was just that, a fantasy. He didn't not love her because she was an ayashi or a succubus or someone not worth while, but because she wasn't the woman his, specifically his, heart called for. She understood better than anyone that the mind didn't conquer the heart. Considering Tsukune's heart was ten times bigger than everyone else's, she could only imagine the kind of unbalanced bias that existed within him.
She was angry with herself, hurt with him, and filled with envy and an equal amount of happiness for her friend. She would love herself and him enough to allow Moka's and Tsukune's relationship to grow romantically without her being a road block. Kurumu looked in her mirror. She wasn't the same girl as she was three years ago, but she still wasn't enough in her eyes. She softly and slowly smiled at the reflection, "Baby girl, I will love you regardless."
Not that she was completely alone. Tsukune loved her, not the way she wished to be loved by him, but it was love regardless. Mizore and Moka, though they still bickered like children, would help and support Kurumu in whatever she needed. She was blessed to have them, but her biggest blessing had to be the young witch and youngest vampire. For some odd reason, they clung to her and came to her aide faster than she could fall.
With a bittersweet smile, she walked away as Tsukune began the question of a date with Moka.
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Anime Tsukune makes me mad. I don't really like him. He's incredibly inconsiderate and has no room to grow because why have character development when you can have fan service instead. Anime Tsukune deserves none of the girls.