Chapter 27 -- Decisisions

-ichijou's pov-

"Tenma, are you sure you're going to be alright?" I asked, reaching out touch her, but I pulled back, noticing her tense figure.

"You should leave before I hurt you too..." Tenma said quietly, her hand grasping over her heart. "If I just get some rest...I'll be fine..."

"No you won't." I said flatly, sitting her up again, only for her to push me away.

"Stay away!" she shouted, nearly falling off the bed.

I grabbed her hand. "I will not, Tenma you need to calm down, you're in no condition-"

But she was already up and running. Her long skirt she wore fanning out behind her.

Then, the sound of breaking glass sounded, along with several shouts.

"Kaname-sama!"

"Let go of me! You ass!"

"Disrespectful bitch!"

Then the sound of thrashing filled the area, and the door opened, revealing a struggling Tenma caught in Kaname's hold.

"Let me out of here!" Tenma shouted, trying to get out of the pureblood's hold, she couldn't.

He relinquished his hold on her, and pushed her further into the room, the door closing behind him.

"Ichijo, go tell the others to calm down. If they object, tell them it's an order." Kaname said, the calm in his voice fading. I left the room and stood outside the door for a few moments.

"I don't want to rest! I want out of here!" Tenma shouted back, but her voice was muffled. "This place isn't peaceful anymore because of me! They're all in a fuss because only half my blood is pure! They look down on me! And I can't take their bullshit any-"

She was cut off, and I left to calm the others.

-Kaname's PoV-

I put my hand over Tenma's mouth, cutting off her sentence.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide, and her jaw tightened.

"What? Don't like having someone so close?" I asked, leaning closer to her, my hand still covering her mouth.

She noticeably tensed, her hand removing mine from her face. "Stop..."

I sighed. "You really need to stop doing this to yourself," I said, my hand resting on her head.

"You'll die at this rate..."

-Tenma's PoV-

'His voice is filled with so much sadness...' I moved away from that person, the one person who's stuck up for me...wait.' "Why are you always sticking up for me?" I asked suddenly.

He paused.

"Why do you seem to know so much about my past?" I asked.

Next thing I know, Kaname's in front of me, an unreadable look in his eyes. "Why?" he said, his voice like a velvet poison. I gave an involuntary shudder. He put his hands on my shoulders, his maroon eyes staring into mine.

I couldn't breathe, my heart was pounding in my chest, and I felt as if it would burst out, he still had this kind of power over me. Even after all this time. He'd only been like this once before, it was when i had no objection to all his insults.

"you shouldn't talk about yourself like that," he said quietly, his eyes still in front of mine. "What would Yoruko-sama think of it?"

"Father..." I trailed off, my body going numb at the thought.

"What would he think if he saw his flesh and blood just giving up? And after all you've been through."

"...he'd be disappointed... and he would say i was a quiter. He'd be upset, he'd be..." I trailed off. My eyes still locked on Kaname's

His grip on my shoulders tightened, and it hurt. "Kaname...ittai..."

He blinked, and I felt the pressure lift. I collapsed to the floor, hacking coughs racked my lungs.

-Kaname's PoV-

I looked down at the crumpled figure at my feet, I'd done it again.

I knelt down next to her. "Tenma, I'm sorry." I said quietly

She looked up, her pale eyes a mix of violet and maroon. "Don't look at me with those eyes. I don't want your pity," she said darkly.

I moved the hair from her face. "I have no pity for you Tenma," I said quietly. "But you need to stop pitying yourself."

"I have no pity for myself!" Tenma shouted sitting up in front of me, glaring at me defiantly.

"Then why do you keep refusing any help that comes to you?"

She paused, but only for a moment. "I don't want their help." she said quietly, her eyes on her hands.

"But you still need the help, no matter how much you deny it." I said, my calm demeanor returning slightly.

She looked up at me, her pale eyes swimming with tears. "Why do you care anyways?" she asked. "Because no matter how many times I try, I can't figure it out."

I put my hand on the top of her head again, smoothing out her hair. "You will, it's only a matter of time."

I tried to keep my voice calm, but my emotions kept seeping through, she couldn't handle them, not until-

Tenma pulled away and stood up, her arms crossed, her eyes held a pained look. "If you weren't going to answer my question, you could have just said so."

"I can't give you a spoken answer, if I could, I would tell you." I said quietly.

"Then how could I have the answer?" Tenma asked, sarcasm laced her tone.

"I can't tell you," I said, standing straight. "But I can ask you, do you want to know? No matter what the truth is?"

She looked hesitant, but she nodded.

'Could I really do this to her?' I sighed. "Tenma, there's a spell on you. From the lady in white. And I have to give you a warning, you might not enjoy some things you remember."

She looked at me, determination in her eyes. "No point in turning back now," she said.

"Alright," I said, placing my hand over her eyes. "Rest," I said quietly, removing my hand, and catching her limp body.

"Her body's so weak right now...I better not take much..." I said, quietly moving the hair from her neck.

"Why can't there be another way?" I asked myself, baring my fangs, and biting into her neck. She sure chose the worst type of curse, to curse Tenma's very blood.

-Tenma's PoV-

'What's going on? It's so dark...' I thought to myself. 'my body's numb, I can't move.'

I opened my eyes, and saw nothing but bleak darkness around me. "Why am I here again?"

"You've been here before?" came someone's voice.

"Who's there?" I called, but saw nothing but darkness.

No one was there, at first. Then they were there, smiling at me.

"Mother? Father?" I asked uncertainly, my stomach doing loops.

They nodded, warm smiles on their faces.

But then they turned away, and vanished.

"No, come back!" I shouted, running to where they once stood, no trace of them left.

"Tenma,"

"Tenma-kun,"

"Chibi-hime,"

"Seijun,"

"Hey love,"

"Rei-chan,"

I turned around, and there they were, my friends. Kaname, onii-chan, kilo, mr pretty, seirei, ichijou. They all stood there smiling. I smiled back, but one smile faded, it was onii-chan's.

Kotoru stepped forward, his face grim. "I'm sorry...for everything you've been through..."

I was confused. "What are you talking ab-ngh!" I felt this horrible pain in my neck, I was bleeding. "What's going on?!"

I felt a warm hand on my shoulder, and looked up.

"It's time to wake up," Ichijo said kindly, his voice no more than a whisper.

"But-"

He put his finger to my lips. "Sh."

I felt the darkness lift, and I closed my eyes.

The smell of my own blood filled my senses, and the pain in my neck increased, and spread.

'Kaname...'

But all so soon, the pain ebbed away, and i felt something warm on my lips, and I licked it. '...blood...'

My eyes shot open. "Where am I?!"

A gentle hand ran through my hair. "Your room is where you are," someone said mockingly.

I looked up, and saw Kaname leaning over me. "Are you awake?" he asked quietly, blood dripping from his collar.

"Duh, I'm speaking to you. Of course I'm awake." I said sarcastically, but paused when I noticed it.

Someone had bit him, and I had every idea who it was: it was me.

"So you've noticed?" he said quietly, his eyes on me intently.

I didn't know why, but I lifted my hand, and lightly touched the wound, it healed instantly.

He smiled, "thank you."