Chapter Eleven:
Light in Darkness
Almost six months had gone by since Rin had come into Len's life. It made the day worth living just seeing Rin's smiling face each day. Rin had taken it upon herself to clean the mansion top to bottom and not even Len could convince her otherwise. She had recovered quickly and Len had bought her a whole new wardrobe from the city. Len had to leave during the evenings to feed his blood lust, refusing to let Rin give him blood, but he returned in time to lay with Rin each night. Before he knew it, for what was probably the first time ever since he had died, Len looked forward to returning home each night. Yes, he considered it his home now, where before it was merely a place he was doomed to return to.
For a human, Rin sure did work fast. She had cleaned the entire downstairs along with the stairs and some of the guest bedrooms along with his own room. Len was grateful for her hard work and considered himself blessed that she still chose to sleep next to him in his chambers rather than in the guest rooms. Rin's presence breathed life into the entire building.
Living together was fairly easy, each of them learning new things about each other every day. Len even picked back up on hobbies he had once had when he was alive, like reading and he even tried cooking with some assistance from Rin. When Rin cleaned the ballroom, she begged and pleaded until Len had agreed to teach her how to dance. Every day was fun for them, but how long could this happiness last?
Rin's mind began wandering back to Mieko and the other villagers and she started wondering if they were well. What had happened after the night she had left? Len had given up his hobby of looking in on the village now that Rin was with him. Rin tried ignoring it, but it continued to nag at her mind. Until she finally mustered up enough courage to ask him.
"Len...?" Rin asked, sitting next to him on the sofa as he read. Len's left arm rested behind her and his fingers played with her hair, making Rin wonder if he were really paying attention to what he were reading.
"Hmm?" Len tried to sound as if he had been deep in reading, not even looking away from the page he was on.
"You can quit pretending to read now," Rin said with a knowing smile.
Len smirked, closing the book and turning to look at Rin, left hand still busily playing. "I was trying. You're just too much of a distraction."
"What do you mean?" Rin asked, innocently.
"I can't focus on anything when you're around, you're just too beautiful to ignore." Len said, pulling her closer to him and brushing his lips on her forehead as he often did. Rin blushed and shivered at the sensation.
"Len...?"
"Hmm?" This time Len had been absorbed in what he was doing, which was playing with Rin's hair while scheming different ways to make Rin blush even more.
"I... wanted to ask you something..." Rin asked, nervously. She was afraid of how he would react. Would he think she didn't want to be here anymore? That she was bored with him?
Len released her from his grasp and let her have the space away from him he felt she needed. "Len... I was wondering... would it be alright for me to go down to the village, just to visit? I mean, I was wondering if everyone was okay and I won't be long and I absolutely promise that I'll be back by tonight-!" Len had to stop Rin or she'd ramble on forever, which he actually may not have minded, she looked so cute like this.
"I know. It's only natural for you to think about them. You didn't think I'd say no, did you? I'll show you the easiest way there." Len said, but before he could get up he was tackled down by Rin's hug. God how he loved her being here. Loved? He shook the thought away for now.
He showed her a path through the forest that would lead her down to the village and Rin promised to be back by nightfall. With Rin gone, the mansion was quiet and no matter how much Len tried he couldn't get comfortable. This was the first time Rin had been gone since she had arrived here and not having her within his reach was a bit unnerving. Thinking about it only made him worry more and more about her, until he found himself looking out from his usual spot. There was no harm in watching over her, right?
Having Rin gone made him realize how much of an effect she'd had on him. He'd changed so much from the heartless monster he believed himself to be. His thoughts wandered back to the thought he'd had earlier. Love? Could what he felt for Rin be love?