Blueberry

"Sir Haji… Sir Haji..." he heard a pair of maids calling his name while knocking repeatedly. They'd been at this for nearly half an hour already.

Shifting his head slightly, with eyes half-opened, he glanced at the silver and gold clock that stood proudly on his bedside table; its hands showing that it was just seven in the morning. JUST seven a.m. for goodness sake! Why on earth should he be waking up this early? He knows that his adoptive father Joel never woke up before eight thirty a.m. So why is my peaceful is sleep being disrupted by those damned servants? He thought angrily as he buried his face into the fluffy pillow that lay before him and pulled the comforter over his long frame. Unless…

"Is he up yet?" he heard a third voice ask the servants.

"We're sorry Miss Saya, it appears that either Sir Haji is still deep in slumber or he is out somewhere in the mansion for no reply nor sound can be heard from inside his bedroom." They apologized profusely, heads bowed low before Saya. Sure Saya was nice and gentle, but when something displeases her or angers her, good lord, be prepared to have a glimpse of hell's wrath.

"Hmph, okay off you go then dears." Saya replied, waving off a gloved hand towards the servants.

"Yes Miss Saya." With one last bow, the two maidens picked up their black cotton skirts and hurried down the hallway.

What would she want from me at this early hour of the morning? And other than that, why would she be up at seven?! SEVEN! Surely something must be wrong for she usually never wakes earlier than an hour or two before noon! He thought before quickly shrugging it off. I'll worry about that later. For now I return to slumber. Having heard complete silence from outside, a sleepy smile formed on his thin lips. Sleeping was of the few luxuries he loved to indulge in, in life.

But before he could even manage to lay his head back on the pillow, he heard the doorknob click open and the doors swing back dramatically. "I'm coming in whether you like it or not Haji!" Saya exclaimed as her head went through the door.

"You're already inside the room." Haji replied with a grunt from beneath the covers.

"Oooh, you're like an old man, all grumpy right now because his sleeps' been disturbed. Come on! The sun's up! It's a beautiful day outside!" with haste, she pulled open the dark blue curtains that concealed the tall windows in Haji's bedroom. Bright sunshine quickly made her way inside the gloomy, unlit room.

"Later please." He begged, scrambling to pull the comforter tighter around himself.

"C'mon, pretty, pretty please?" she jumped onto his bed, causing the strings to bounce and move his body uncomfortably. "Please? Please? Please?"

She won't stop unless I wake up for sure. Half-heartedly, he pulled down the covers; her beautiful form immediately graced his view. Her eyes twinkled with happiness, an eager smile on her small lips. Sitting with her legs tucked under her and her skirt puffed around her, and her waist-length dark locks falling in soft big curls around her, she looked like a lovely little angel especially since she was basked in the soft, early morn's sunlight. See, I told you it was worth it! He heard a voice say from the back of his head. You never said anything. He answered the voice back before he gave Saya his reply. "What is it Saya?" he asked, biting back a smile and rubbing the sleep off his eyes as he sat up.

"I wanna go on a picnic! You'll come with me right?" she chirped happily, making small movements that made the mattress bounce slightly.

Haji shook his head in disbelief. "You disrupted my slumber just to ask me for a picnic? Can't we have it later after I get a couple hours worth more of sleep?"

"Afraid not." she purred softly, "It's rude for a gentleman to make a lady wait for him."

"As usual, I have no choice but to comply with milady's, do I?" he said with his head hung low.

"Yup!" Saya giggled, victor ringing in her voice as she gave him a hug. "Go get a quick shower and I'll meet you by the fountain in the garden, okay?" she told him, tugging gently at his messy shirt.

"Sir, yes sir!" he made a mock solute.

This earned him another giggle from her before she hopped off the bed. "Okay Mr. Soldier, get your arse off the bed and to the bath and I'll meet you in half an hour. That's an order from your superior!" she said, trying to make her voice sound big and manly with little success.

Stifling a laugh, "yes, yes, but I can't strip off while you're here, can I?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.

"I…oh..o-of course…w-well, later then." She answered meekly; dark crimson tainting her lovely cheeks with blush as she gathered her skirt and left the room in haste.

"Damn if only she could be stubbornly and head over heels in love with me!" he muttered under his breath angrily as he made his way off the bed and onto his feet. Lazily dragging himself to the bathroom, he made quick work with his shirt and the rest of his garments.

Dropping his soiled clothes into a basket, which will be picked up by one of the servants later that day, he then stepped into the shower. The water was quite cold as it hit his skin since it was still early in the morning, it doesn't help either that the floor tiles were also icy to his bare feet, but he didn't mind. In fact, he seemed to enjoy it for it knocked some sense into him, reminding him of his duty, his position and most importantly, the only roles he could play in her life.

A bloody hell of a role as he'd like to put it; she was always so close and yet so far away from his grasp. Snatching the towel from its holder, he dried off his hair before putting on a robe around his damp, naked form.

"I have a feeling that I'll be in more trouble that I could handle today." He mouthed absentmindedly as he looked for what to wear that day.

Now where is she? Haji turned his head from left to right, eyes alerted on finding the raven-haired young lady of the Goldschmidt house. I thought she said to meet here by the fountain in thirty minutes.

He was about to look farther around in the gardens when two small hands suddenly emerged from behind him and covered his eyes. They were soft and smooth against his skin. And as always, though he wondered why, those hands were always fragrant with the smell of fresh roses. "Guess who?" a voice said in a pretend alto voice.

Letting out a small sigh behind the smile tucked away at the corners of his lips, he said simply. "Saya."

"Awww..How did you know it was me?" Saya pouted in disappointment. "I was so sure my voice was different this time."

"Easy, you're the only one who does that to me and on a daily basis too." Haji laughed.

"Meanie! You won't get any of the pie I made then!" she huffed in annoyance and hastily picked up the large rattan picnic basket that lay behind her feet. "I made blueberry today, guess I'll be having it all to myself."

Blueberry pie is Haji's favorite food, and knowing this, Saya had used this little bit of knowledge to get what she wanted for several times now since she learned making them from the mansion's head chef Louis. He was a bearded and rather chubby, dark-skinned man in his early forties. He was well-liked by everyone not only because of his superb skills at cooking but also because of his kind, jolly and helpful nature.

Haji had been having Louis' blueberry pies since he was adopted by Joel when he was five, and he believed that no one can ever make a better blueberry pie than Louis. That is, until he got a taste of Saya's blueberry pie. Was it because he had been tired and accustomed to Louis' pie that Saya's pie was suddenly his favorite or was it because he loved her that he would love anything that she would cook or bake? Either way he didn't care. To him, all that matters is he loves her and he must have some of those blueberry pie that were delicately made by those gentle and pristine hands of hers.

"How about I tell Lord Joel that you've been skipping your lessons with Madame Irene?" he smirked, knowing that he'd be emerging victorious in this little play.

"But I don't need any more lessons on dance! I've bested her years ago." Saya defended herself.

"Now, now, to gloat is-." Haji began was quickly cut off by Saya. "Yes, I know, to gloat is rude and not appropriate especially for a lady."

"So does this mean you'll give some blueberry pie?"

"If you don't rant out on me then I will."

"How could I rant out on this pretty little princess?" he teased, ruffling her bangs slightly.

She shrugged and pushed the basket towards him. "Enough with the smooth talking and do some carrying dear Haji."

"So where are we headed?" he asked as he followed Saya who had begun walking now.

"The part of the meadows near the cliff, I like it there." She replied, hands linked behind her back and her long hair making small swishing movements as she walked.

"Wouldn't Lord Joel be mad if he found out we went there?"

"Not really, he wouldn't mind me going anywhere as long as it's not out of the zoo without his permission. And besides, Father wouldn't find out if we wouldn't tell him, right?" she winked and gave him a knowing look.

Yuki's Notes:

There you have it guys, chapter two. Which means three things: 1) obviously, 'nothing more' will no longer be a one shot. 2) Rogue and you guys were successful in convincing me to continue the story. And most importantly 3) this story will no longer be a prequel to the original story line of Blood+. You read that right, 'Nothing More' will be having a different story, and the part I love most is there are no chiropterans! Lol

Let me know what you guys think of the story. The more reviews from more readers will make me happier which means I'll be updating faster! Haha. Jaa ne!