Our Story
Chapter 4

Shinjiro

God, I slept like hell last night.

I mean, the sleep itself was so fucking sweet, but… Argh… I drop my head back into the pillow and cover my eyes with the back of my arm, groaning. I'm so fucking disgusting, I disgust myself. I throw the thin bedsheet aside and climb out of bed, feeling a slight relief that the door is still closed, since, like the dumbass I am, I forgot to lock it last night. I bend down to grab my pants off the floor and freeze as she moans behind me. "Shinjiro…?"

I sigh and let my arms fall slack at my sides. "Do you have any idea what we just did?"

The blankets rustle and I imagine she's sitting up. "We… We made love…"

I can't help but roll my eyes while stepping into my pants. "What we did was commit the greatest sin known to life."

She stays silent for a moment and I'm so goddamned determined to not look at her before she gets clothes on, so I make my way around the room to find the rest of my clothes. Finally, her small voice whispers, "But… Was it really so bad?"

Damn it! Why can't she figure out what this means? I turn sharply, glaring at her. "Don't you get it? I'm a vampire! You're an angel! We don't mix."

A slow smile falls onto her sweet red lips and she whispers, "Apparently, we do, or last night wouldn't have been possible."

I'm on the verge of screaming in her face, but I really don't want Aki and Mitsy to barge in, so I settle for a low growl. "I'm the prince of vampires! I can't…" I turn away from her and raise a hand, scratching at my First Clan mark. "I… I just betrayed the memory of every one of my people." Damn it… Why do I have to feel this way? Why can't I just kill her and be done?

Shock spreads on her face, as if she didn't even think of that before. "I… I'm sorry…" her voice whispers. "I never wanted you to… I'm so, so sorry, Shinjiro!"

Fuck. And now she starts up the waterworks. Damn it. I turn on my heel and walk over to her, sitting on the edge of my bed and pull her against me. "Hamuko, I don't blame you. You're so young… You don't know the Thousand-Year War, you don't know emotions like I do, and you don't know the anger pent up inside me. I'm the only one to blame for our actions."

Her head shakes against my shoulder and she whispers, "No, Shinjiro. I'm as much to blame as you. Yes, I am young, but I knew what I was getting into. You know, a young seraph's greatest pride is her virginity. But I don't honestly care about that. I've never cared. I just… I wanted to feel like I belonged… Just once. And now, thanks to you, I do. So, thank you."

Shit…

And there goes my last drop of resolve. Right out the window with my pride as a vampire. I think I might have to saw off my fangs and sand off my mark to live as a human. Or just stab myself and end it all. I pull her more tightly to me and bury my nose in her hair. "Damn it… You have no idea what you're getting into, do you?"

Her head shakes against me as her slender arms wrap around my waist. "But it's okay. You'll be there with me."

"When… When did you become so important to me?"

She smiles against my ribs and it makes me smile, too, as she whispers, "I should ask you the same question."

I pull her as tightly to me as I can and press a kiss to her hair. "Dammit… I think I'm in love with you."

She squeezes her arms around me and shifts a little to get more comfortable. "I love you, too, Shinjiro."

Then the shit hit the fan.

Someone knocked on the door.

Fuck.

I jump up and throw the thicker bedspread over Hamuko and kick our clothes to under the bed. I walk over to the door and slam my fangs down on my wrist, glancing back to make sure Hamuko's hidden before opening the door.

Mitsy stood there, her arms crossed in front of her and a frown on her face. "Shinjiro. Have you seen Hamuko anywhere? I was going to ask her if she wanted to join me shopping."

I sigh. "Dammit. Well, she ain't in here. Keep looking. She's gotta be around here somewhere."

She nods and turns to leave, but pauses. "Why are you bleeding?"

I shrug and hold up my arm where it's ripped open. "I got hungry last night and didn't feel like moving." I'm such a lying bastard. I just tore my wrist open so she'd smell the blood and not the sex in the room. Hey, it worked, didn't it?

She just turns to leave without another word and I close the door, licking the blood off my wrist before walking back over to my bed and sitting down. I pull the bedspread down to reveal Hamuko's face. I can't help the smile that crosses my lips and I bend down to kiss her gently. Damn it. I mean, she's just a kid compared to me!

…Granted, relationships with this large of an age difference is normal for a vampire, but… Ah, fuck. It's too damn late to think of her as just an angel. She's already wormed her way into my… into my… Dammit. She's snuck into my heart, okay? I mean, I'm a bad guy. I know that. And I'm a jerk and an ass, but I still have a heart.

"Shinjiro?"

I blink, snapping back to reality. "Yeah?"

"What did Mitsuru want?"

Shit. "She was looking for you."

She shifts to sit up and flashes a bright smile at me. "Mm… I guess I should go find her before you get mad thinking I ran away."

I can't help but laugh at that and sit up to get off of her lap and kiss her again. "Yeah, you should. But good luck getting out of here."

She cocks her as she starts to slip out from under the covers. "What do you mean?"

I smirk, staring at something that's not her face, and reply, "You're kinda down one skirt, remember?"

A small blush rises on her cheeks as the image from last night comes back to her. I give a laugh and stand, walking over to my closet and open the door. I blink. I don't remember having that much shit piled up. Oh, well. I pull out a small duffel bag and toss it on the bed in front of her and she stares at it. "What is that, Shinjiro?"

I sigh. "First, quit calling me that."

"Your name?"

"…Just call me Shinji. And just open it."

She smiles and nods. "Okay, Shinji!" She pulls the zipper on the bag open and starts pulling out some different clothes, some men's, some women's. I shrug before she can say anything and I say, "Just… Don't ask, okay?"

She nods slowly and pulls out a dark red skirt and pulls it on with her bra and black top from last night. When she's done dressing, she walks over in front of me and I pull her to me by instinct. "Goddammit." I sigh through my nose before bending down to kiss her forehead. "Look, I'm going to be honest with you. I'm no stranger to romance or sex, but never in my thousand years have I felt anything like I do right now."

I feel her stiffen in my arms and she pulls back a little to look up at me. "Th-thousand?"

I smirk. "Hey, you didn't bother to ask how old I was. It's not my fault." She sits in silence for bit so I add, "Last August, I turned one-thousand and seventy-seven. I'm only a little older than you."

She stares up at me with wide eyes. "You're old."

W-what? Did she just-? She just called me old! "Look, you-! You knew I was around for the end of the war!"

She cocks her head to the side and adds, "But… That was only six hundred years. There's a difference between that and a thousand."

"Fine." I let her go and walk a few steps before turning to face her, leaning in to look her in the eye while hooking my thumbs through my belt loops. "And? Does that mean you suddenly regret last night?"

Her body freezes up and she shakes her head frantically. Damn, she's cute. I steal a quick kiss and mumble against her lips, "Good. I'm gonna head out. I'll give you a sign when the other two aren't out there."

She nods and I walk towards the door, grabbing a t-shirt on my way out and pulling it over my head while the door clicks shut behind me. Neither Aki nor Mitsy are in the small kitchen-slash-den, so I turn and open the door, nodding my head towards Hamuko for her to come out. I walk over head to the small bathroom. It's probably better that Hamuko and me aren't in the same room while the others are around. That'd just end up getting messy.

-er.

Messier.

Heh. Hard to get much messier than we were last night.

I take my time with my shower, hoping that Mitsy and Hamuko will be out doing whatever girl things they were going to do before I'm done. I get out and look in the mirror, frowning at the stubble on my chin. Geez. I hate shaving. I didn't start growing facial hair until about two hundred years ago. It's a pain in the ass. I wonder what Hamuko would think if I told her about the goatee I had last century? I sigh and shake my hand, letting my nails extend into short blades and lean closer to the mirror, using my forefinger to trim the hairs.

Granted, shaving is probably a lot easier for vampires than it is for humans.

After I finish dressing and cleaning up, I stop for a minute and listen, making sure the girls aren't out there, before opening the door and walking out. Aki's nowhere to be seen, either, so I shrug and head upstairs to the club. It's closed now, but no one's gonna stop us from getting in. I pull a beer from behind the bar and head over to the dancefloor, skipping the stairs and just leaping up to the second floor. I drop down on the couch and crack open the bottle before taking a swig.

I had sex with an angel last night.

What the hell?

I mean, I know Hamuko's not just an angel, but still… Gah. What's it matter at this point? Maybe Aki was right… Maybe revenge isn't as much as it seems. Maybe… Maybe I should stop being the prince I was used to being and just enjoy my life. I mean, my parents and brothers would probably want me to, right? If… If I fall in love… then… then I should take it, right? I should enjoy this feeling while I can. There's no telling how long Hamuko and me have together.

"There you are."

I look up from my bottle to see Aki coming up the stairs with a drink of his own. He walks over and sits down next to me, staring straight ahead while holding out his bottle. I clink mine against it and sigh, leaning back against the couch. We sit in comfortable silence for a long moment before he finally speaks, "I'm in love with Mitsuru."

I take a drink. As if this was something new. "I fucked with Hamuko last night."

He turns to stare at me, eyes wide and at a total loss for words. "You… You what?"

I shrug. "I don't care anymore. I decided I'd live my life to make myself happy. If I died tomorrow, I want to know that I didn't have regrets."

"Shinji…"

I sigh. "I realized yesterday… It was a lot more work to pretend I didn't like her than it was to just man up and tell her how I felt."

"I never did get why you always gave her the cold shoulder. She's a good enough kid."

I stare straight ahead and take another swig of my drink. "She's an angel."

He snorts. "I got that you adore her, but this cutesy talk is kind of weird for you."

I shake my head and turn to face him. "No, I mean she's an angel. As in, she's descended from the people who killed every one of our brethren."

He blinks and says, not as a question, but a statement, "What."

I nod. "Yeah, you know, white wings, magic powers, the whole nine yards."

"And you, of all vampires, can still have any feeling other than hatred for her?"

"I guess so. Fate's a sick bastard alright."

"But… Is it true…? That she's housing Miki?"

"I have no idea. I think she told me that at first so I wouldn't hurt her. Apparently, she grew up thinking Miki was the blood princess of vampires. That she was the one whose defeat marked the end of the war."

"Really?"

"Yeah… Makes me wonder just how fucked up the angels' information is."

He sighs and leans forward. "And how they were able to beat us."

"I've been wondering that for centuries."

"…Well, give the word, and I'll fight, Brother."

I nod. "Thanks, Aki."

Hamuko

I don't know if Shinji—Hehe. It feels nice to call him that—wants to keep our new relationship a secret from the other three, so I don't say anything. I feel so much better about, well, everything since last night. I mean, Shinji's not that bad, really. I think what really changed things between us was when he told me he's a prince. It makes sense that a prince and potential leader would hate the ones who killed his people, right?

And it's been six hundred years since then. He's had a lot on his plate. He hasn't even given me the bracelet back, so that alone proves to me that he trusts me. He doesn't think of me as just an angel anymore. He actually cares about me.

While Mitsuru and I were out shopping, she kept giving me an odd look. Apparently, I was acting really giddy. Can you blame me? I mean, not only did a guy tell me he loved me last night—though he used less than eloquent language to do so—but then we slept together. I'm just in total ecstasy over here. If or when I find my way home, Minato-kun will probably kill me, but I don't really care.

I mean, would Shinji really send me home after that?

I guess… I really don't know how he thinks. He's still weird, even if he is over a thousand years older than me. But, you know, when I don't have to worry about him trying to kill me, his weirdness is actually kind of charming. I sigh from my seat on the couch, my fingers running through Koromaru's fur. He sits with his head and front paws on my lap, a happy look on his face as I scratch behind his ears.

The beads marking the barrier between our home and the upstairs parts and Shinji walks in. I can't help but smile at him, my free hand automatically moving up to push my hair behind my ear. He shoots a smirk at me and walks around the couch, leaning over the back and stroking his fingers over Koro-chan's chin. I wonder how he wants to play this? I wonder if this'll be our secret, or if-

I suppress a squeak as he leans down, running his tongue across my neck. I guess that's how. But… I mean, is he hungry? If he thinks that, just because we had sex, I'm suddenly going to let him drink my blood, he's got another thing coming.

"So, are you going to turn so I can kiss you, or am I gonna have to bite?"

Oh. That's what. I turn up to face him with a smile as he leans closer. Our lips touch and I reach my left hand up to settle on his neck. He has a nice taste. I pull back slowly and ask against his lips, "Shinji?"

He mumbles a response, "Hrn?"

"How much longer do I have to sleep on the couch?"

He pulls back all the way with a raised eyebrow. "So, just because we had sex, you think you can get into my bed every night?"

I look up at him, throwing a small pout his way. "You don't want me in there with you?"

His smirk comes back and he leans closer to me again. "You'll have to fight to stay out of my bed."

I smile back. It seems so strange that just yesterday I hated him more than anything. But now… now I can't imagine being away from him for any longer than I have to. In all fairness, he has the body of a god. He's even sexy with that giant maroon coat on. His smirk slowly spreads and he says, "You want to jump me right now, don't you?"

The heat rises up in my face and I turn back to Koro-chan sharply. "N-no!"

He leans his arms on the back of the couch and leans down to hover by my ear, hissing, "Because I wouldn't say no."

Something inside me tightens and I freeze up. "U-um…"

He stands back up straight and walks around the couch, nudging Koro-chan to get him to move off my lap before dropping down next to me. His arms settle around me and I let him adjust my position until I'm lying on my back, my head resting in his lap. I smile up at him and reach up, sliding my hand around his neck and pull him down to me. He obliges and leans over me, parting his lips to kiss me.

I could die right now and be happy.

"What is going on here?"

Shinji ignores Mitsuru's voice and keeps his lips on mine. I want to explain to Mitsuru, but I want him to keep kissing me, too. She clears her voice and, with a strong reluctance, Shinji pulls back and sighs as he looks up at Mitsuru. "What? We're busy, here."

Her perfect eyebrow is arched and her arms are folded in front of her. "Well. That explains Hamuko's good spirits this morning."

I blush and Shinji shrugs as he pulls me onto his lap and says, "Did you need something, Mitsy?"

Her eyes narrow at the nickname, but she doesn't say anything on it. Instead, she says, "Well. Is that why you brought her here, Shinjiro?"

"Nah." He shakes head. "I really did want to eat her at first."

I blush and look down, but his hand cups my cheek and raises my eyes back to his. "But that changed." I smile at him and Mitsuru rolls her eyes and turns to leave, but pauses when Shinji calls out, "Hey, Mitsy!"

She turns slowly. "Hm?"

"Aki probably didn't want me to tell you, but he's freakishly smitten with you."

Without breaking a sweat, she nods once and says, "I know," before turning and walking into her room.

I blink. "What… What just happened?"

"Who cares?" He reaches up to run his fingers through my hair and asks, "Where were we?"

Shinjiro

I walk down through the forest, Hamuko at my side and Aki and Mitsy up ahead a few paces. Koromaru trots through the trees sniffing different plants and, I swear, that dog stopped to do his business at least three times since we left town. Yeesh.

Whatever.

Warm, soft fingers brush my hand and I shift to take her hand in mine. It feels good, to be able to trust someone else. It's been well over seven hundred years since I've been with a girl who knew what I am. And, even back then, I only had sex once and that was because I was a selfish bastard and she had feelings for me. There wasn't any love in the act, just senseless action.

Miki was the only girl I was really close to, and she was like a sister. It's been so long, I barely remember how I met her and Aki, but we were all young. We were like siblings. Aki and Miki's parents were killed early on in the war, back when Miki was a baby. I was about a hundred and on a patrol. The angels had attacked the Sanada home and their parents were killed. Aki was about seventy and Miki would've been… I think was about the age Hamuko is now.

Anyway, Aki was laying low in the crumbled house with Miki. One of the members of my squad had told me there were two children in the Sanada family, so I went to look for 'em while my subordinates fought off the angels. I found them and brought 'em home with me and my mother was just short of ordering them to stay with us.

I have no idea why she thought it was a good idea to arrange a marriage between me and Miki. My younger brother would've been closer to her age, even if he is a moron. Or was.

Eh, whatever. No point in looking at the past. At least, not now that I have a future to look forward to. Hamuko is smiling and looking at everything, touching every plant, and smelling every flower. This must be her first time personally experiencing plant life. It's always just been there for me, but she said they don't have trees up in her world.

No wonder she's so excited. It is a comfortable place. I lean over to her while we walk and whisper in her ear, "We're almost there."

She smiles up at my and asks, "Where are we going again?"

"I told you, to see one of the vampire treasures."

She pulls on my arm with both hands and, like a little kid, pesters me constantly. "But what kind of treasure is it? Some kind of weapon? Or a magic book?"

I smile but stay silent. This is kind of fun. Maybe I am old. I know I'm only through about a fifteenth of my maximum life span, but chances are that I won't live that long. History would show that most vampires die in battle long before they reach the old age marker. My older brother was about six hundred when he died. If he was still alive now, he'd be one thousand, three hundred and something. I forget the exact number. His kid would be almost eight hundred now. He was only about ten when he died. What a fucking waste.

My father was almost four thousand when he kicked it. My mom was only in her two thousands. My little brothers would be nine hundred and five hundred now. Junpei's wife was Second Clan older than me. I don't know her exact age, but I'd guess she'd be almost fifteen hundred now.

I sigh. Yeah, I'm old. All I think about is this damn morbid shit.

We're almost there, anyway. Mitsy and Aki walk up to the curtain of ivy hanging between two trees and stop, waiting for me. I grin and look at Hamuko, saying, "You ready?"

She nods eagerly, so I walk up to the curtain and part it, opening the endless valley to her. We're up on a cliff overlooking a wide river. Another cliff is opposite and between the green grass, the light fog, and the birds, the view is something else. Hamuko runs out to the center and turns in a circle before looking at me with a confused expression. "Shinji? Where's the treasure?"

I give a smile and walk up next to her with my hands in my coat pockets. I take a deep breath of the mountain air and answer, "You're standing on it."

She jumps back and pauses when she realizes it's just more grass under her feet. "Huh?"

I move to stand behind her, noting Aki and Mitsy heading out to settle on the grass, and spread my arm out wide over the valley. "This is our treasure."

She blinks. "What? Why call a stupid place a treasure?"

I frown. Maybe she's too young. "Take a look. Can you really think this view shouldn't be a treasure? Or are these sights so common in the upper world that it's just another thing?"

"W-well…" She pauses. "I mean… We don't even have grass up there, so…"

Her attention suddenly snaps up and I follow her gaze as a small light flickers in the sky. Three more follow, the four of them forming the shape of a rectangle. Beams shoot down from them and, gradually, a black case glides down them as if on rails.

Hamuko screams full-out and points as Aki calls out, "Angels!"

Clusterfuck.

Please review!

-Valk