(Len's POV)
Her chest rises and falls as she breathes. A peaceful and content expression covers her face. I run a single finger across one of her cheeks. She unconsciously smiles.
Saturday night has arrived again. I sigh as I watch over my now sleeping Doll. Rin had tried to stay awake with me, but slumber's pull was too strong. And now she lies, sleeping peacefully, in her 'bedroom'. Ever since she became my Doll, this room belonged to her- It was one of the old bedrooms upstairs. All of the clothing and dresses I had fabricated for her slim form resided in this room, along with a bed and vanity. One wall of the room is dominated by a set of French doors that leads to a small balcony. Moonlight now pours through them.
I lay down on her bed next to her, simply taking in the view. The illuminating light from the moon outside makes her face glow slightly. I remain by her side for a few more moments before removing myself from the bed. Taking one final glance at her, I turn and make my way to the French doors. My hands languidly grab the handles of the doors, pulling and unsealing them. A midnight spring breeze gently glides in. I take a deep breath inward.
Stepping onto the miniscule balcony, my gaze is tugged upwards toward the sky. It is fairly clear tonight, the only thing obscuring my view is a few tree branches. I lean onto the railing, crossing my arms.
My idle mind begins to drift…
(Past)
Some birthday this was turning out to be.
Rain pounds on my umbrella, the stars and moon lost in a sea of clouds. A brisk winter breeze is blowing. I walk a normal pace through the city, the streets bare and dead. Not a human in sight. I groan. I had found someone a couple hours before, but what little blood I took left me unsatisfied. I still craved for something more.
"I guess people are becoming smarter…not walking around this hour of night. It could be this damn rain, too…" I mumble to myself. My feet continue to drag me forward, not really heading anywhere. I pause under a streetlamp, right in front of an alleyway. Silently, I stare at the falling rain. The light flowing through my umbrella turns the concrete below me a dark and dull red color. I stay motionless for a second as my mind decides what to do from here. I finally decide to simply go home.
'Hah…Maybe leaving home so early was a bad idea…Maybe mom was right.'
Just a few years prior, I had made up my mind about leaving home. My mother was a bit surprised by the idea, but she let me go. It was a bit difficult at first, but things haven't been going too bad since then. Finding meals wasn't as easy as it used to be, but…
I drop the thought and sigh. Thinking about it made me even thirstier. My tongue glides across one of my fangs in my mouth. Maybe I'd get lucky and run into a human on my way home.
…I hear a dim sound emit from the alley, something similar to crying and sniffling. It must be my lucky night after all.
My gaze moves to the dark alleyway. In the distance, I notice what seems to be a small form. It looks to be a child. I felt inclined to investigate. Taking a deep breath, I begin slowly approaching. My mouth stays shut.
I halt a few feet from the person, not wanting to scare them. It was now clear that the noises were coming from them. The darkness of the alley does not hinder my vision at all. I find my eyes set on what seems to be a young girl no older than 10 sitting with her legs held close to her chest. Her face is out of view. Dirty yet golden yellow hair is sprawled across her shoulders. The rest of her form is covered by a big winter coat, tainted with mud spots here and there. An old plush of a rabbit sits at her side, slumped over and filthy. Her body trembles slightly.
'What on earth could have happened to this girl…?'
I keep my distance, staying as quiet as I can. My eyes stay on her, not sure what to do next. She has yet to notice my presence. After a moment, my mind begins a three way tug of war- I could simply just walk away, and forget about this girl. I could also drink her blood to kill the last of my appetite. Or, I could try to help her.
Part of me…was feeling compassionate tonight.
I silently step closer to the sobbing girl. Even standing right in front of her, she seems to ignore my existence. I stare for a moment, before moving my umbrella over her form. The rain pours over me, but I don't really mind for some reason.
The depressing sounds begin to dispel. After a few last sniffles, the child finally removes her face from her knees. She finally looks up at me, and I get a clear view of her face. My eyes are met by flustered and tear-stained cheeks, trembling petit lips, and slightly bloodshot eyes. Despite being red from crying, I could tell that her eyes were a beautiful sea green color. They stare up at me, into my very own eyes.
I feel a small pain in my heart. But I don't let it show.
We silently look at each other for what seems like an eternity. No words are exchanged between us, the only audio coming from the rain. Finally, without really thinking I outstretch my free hand towards her. The girl's gaze moves from my face to my hand. She seems to hesitate a bit, but she finally puts her small hand into mine. I tug it gently, and she stands up.
'What am I doing…?' I mentally ask myself. But my body seems to ignore it. I pause so she can pick up her plush. She holds it tight to her chest using a single arm, her other hand softly cradled by mine. Her skin feels soft and wet. I take one final glance at her before turning my attention to the mouth of the alleyway. Tugging on her slightly again, I begin to walk back towards the main street. I walk slowly, so the girl has no problems keeping up.
I lay the soaked clothing over the edge of my desk to dry. Rainwater quietly drips onto the floor below. Candlelight causes shadows to dance from the draped fabric. I dig into the bottom of my armoire and pull out a towel. Throwing it under the dripping clothes, I walk over to my bed and sit down.
I grab a brush off a side table and begin running it through my damp hair. I had changed into a dry shirt and pants. I'd given the girl one of my old shirts as well. I probably should ask her about what happened to her, but it doesn't look like she wants to talk. We have yet to utter a word to each other. She is curled up in one of my chairs, staring off into the abyss. I suppose that I could read her thoughts, but…she could use some privacy for the night. I look away and turn my thoughts to other things.
'Why…am I even doing this? Caring for a little human girl…Could it be out of pity? I guess it doesn't matter now. There's an orphanage in the next town over, I think. I'll just take her there tomorrow night…'
My gaze wanders back to the little girl. She has fallen asleep, or at least that's what her closed eyes are telling me. She looks very peaceful... I start to feel my face redden. I quickly look away, my eyes now fixed on a clock in the corner. 5:30 AM. The need for sleep still hasn't hit me yet, though. I pull back the covers of my bed anyway and crawl under.
I stay awake for another hour or so, staring at nothing in particular. My mind for some reason stays tethered to the girl. There's simply something about her that draws me to her. I don't think I can explain it though…
I wake up to find her already up and about. She's curled up in a different chair, looking at one of the comic books that were hidden among my more serious collection. I sit up in bed, which makes a tiny bit of noise. The girl picks up on the noise and closes the book. She quickly stands up from the chair, using the book to shield her mouth. Her face is a light pink color. We gaze at each other for a moment. I open my mouth to say something, but she beats me to the punch.
"Ah….um…" She pauses, looking down. "…Uh…T-thank you f-for letting me stay here…ah…I'm v-very happy…"
'…S-such a cute voice…' I silently stare for a moment, my face feeling warm. The girl says nothing else, as if waiting for me to respond. It takes me a moment to catch on.
"…Oh, ah…It's nothing…But..." I hesitate to ask. "…But what were you doing there?"
"…"
I don't think she wants to say.
"…Well-"
"A man…"
"Huh?"
"…A man took my parents away…Mom…told me to run, so I did…"
'…Did someone…kill her parents?' I'm not one hundred percent sure how to react. I try to change the subject.
"…What's your name?"
"It's….R-Rin…"
"…Well, Rin…I'm Len. Len Kagamine."
"…That's…a nice name…"
We're both quiet again. Rin finally looks back up at me.
"W-well…Thank you again, and-"
A low growling sound fills the air. Rin turns a dark shade of red. I hold back a chuckle.
"A-and I'm s-sorry…." She looks back down and holds her stomach. I climb out of bed and walk over to my desk. Pushing the now dried clothing out of the way, I dig into one of its drawers. I find what I'm looking for and clutch it tightly in my hand. I quietly shut the drawer and go over to Rin. She looks up at me as I grab one of her hands. I stick what I retrieved from my desk into her palm. I release her hand. She looks down, then back up at me.
"Ah…money?"
"Yeah…Near the edge of the city is a convenience store. You can go get something to eat."
"Er…Thank you…"
Rin walks quickly over to my desk. She hesitates, but finally picks up her coat and slips it on. She sticks the money in one of the pockets and looks at me again.
"…You'll be fine on your own, right?" I ask. Why was I even worrying anyway? Rin's just some girl that I picked up off the streets. This want…This need to protect her, to care for her, where is it coming from? It's all so sudden…
"Uhm…Yeah, I... Remember the way back to town… From here…" She turns and starts heading for the door. But she stops a few steps away.
"Oh. Uh…S-should I get something for you..? It… It is your money, after all…"
"..No…I'll…be eating later tonight."
Rin looks at me one final time before exiting. Part of me doesn't expect her to come back. My other half…wants her to, though.
She came back. For the last few months, she would leave and come straight back. I never had the heart to deny her staying with me. I still don't understand why.
Rin has been with me for the last few months, yet she still hasn't questioned anything. She still thinks I'm human. Rin has said nothing about my red eyes, my claw-like fingers, my pointy teeth. I know that…I can't keep it up forever. And most likely, the day she finds out…will be the day I'll probably have to kill her.
But…will my heart allow me to do that…?
I shake the negative thoughts from my mind. I look over to Rin, who is sitting in a chair reading as usual.
"…H-hey, Rin…I'm going out, now. You'll be alright?"
She looks up at me. "A-ah, yes…"
We stare at each other for a moment. I break eye contact and head out the door. Since my hunger isn't too strong yet, I decide simply to walk into the city. But by the time I reach my normal 'hunting' spot, my hunger has increased. My normal spot was the city's local park- And since it had started to warm up a lot, I expect there to be at least one stray human around.
And, to my luck, I see a woman fast asleep on one of the countless benches.
I silently watch from behind a tree. Her form suggests her to be in her 20s or 30s, but her silver-grey hair says otherwise. She's wearing black slacks and a tiny grey dress shirt, only buttoned half way. Her long hair is tied back in a ponytail, and she has a can in her hand.
"Ugh." I whisper to myself. "I hate humans who drink…It make their blood taste weird."
The woman snorts and changes position on the bench. I sigh.
"Okay Len…Just bite her and get it over with…A meal is a meal…"
I inhale and quietly walk over to the sleeping woman. Once standing in front of her, I take another look.
'…Good grief…Her chest is huge…It reminds me of mom…Gah, Len, stay focused…'
I put on the most innocent face as possible before trying to wake her up.
"Ah, excuse me, miss~?"
"…WHAT WHO WHERE?!" The woman shoots up, spilling her drink to the side. I jump back, a bit frightened.
"..A-ah…no…that was my last beer…shit…" She looks at her wasted beer before finally noticing me. "…Whoops, uhm, sorry kid. Pretend you didn't hear that." The woman reaches out and pats me on the head. I hold back my rising rage and hunger.
"Now, what's a little kid like you doing out here this late? Why am I for that matter…?"
I try to keep a cute tone and face. It's getting difficult.
"Uhm~ well, miss, I think…I might be lost…and…I'm getting hungry…" I clasp both hands in front of my mouth and look down.
"Uh, kid, I don't know what I can do about that."
"…W-well…"
I feign an unsteady body, and fall to the ground. I look down, keeping my smirk hidden. The woman stands up from the bench.
"Ah, ah! Kid, no, don't pass out on me! I-I'll figure out something to do!"
She's starting to panic. Her mind is becoming weak, I can feel it. My hunger…
"Well, I-I….Guess you can...help me…"
"H-how?!"
I look up, straight into her eyes.
"You could…let me have a taste~"
"W-what are…you…" Her voice trails off as well as her free will. The woman's eyes haze over, and she drops to her knees. I catch her by the shoulders. Without much thought or remorse, I stab my fangs into her pale neck.
And, just like I thought, her blood tastes of alcohol. I try my hardest not to gag. Despite the foul taste, it still satisfies my hunger. I take all that I can stand before removing myself. I don't even bother to lick up the blood that leaks from the bite wound. I press my closed lips to the opening for a moment and then ease away. The mark is now gone.
I let go of the woman and let her fall to the ground. Her eyes slowly close as she falls asleep. When she wakes up, she won't remember ever seeing me. I stand up and dust myself off. Taking a tissue from my pocket, I wipe the remaining blood from around my mouth. I turn on my heel and begin to walk back the way I came, closing my eyes and thinking as I walk.
'That tasted horrible, but at least I'm not hungry anymore….hopefully I can go a few days without feeding now…' I press the blood stained tissue to my lips, and open my eyes slightly.
…
Rin. Rin is… She's standing right in front of me…
I quickly halt as my eyes dilate.
'Did she follow me out here…? Did she just see what…what I did? Oh no… No…. No….' I start to panic in my head. But we simply stare at each other, neither of us moving at all. Rin's face… Is not what I really expected, though… She has no real expression on, but her eyes are a bit wider. I'm not sure what to do.
After what feels like a year of being still, I finally just begin walking towards her. She doesn't flinch at all. Once in front of her, I loom over her slightly. The girl simply just looks at me, still no real expression or emotion.
'…Isn't she afraid?' I'm a bit confused. But I decide to test if she's afraid of me or not. I take a step back, and reach out my hand to her.
She takes it without a second though.
Despite the kind heart I believe Rin has, I can't take any chances.
It's almost my birthday again- A full year since I stumbled upon the caring child. But ever since the night that she discovered what I was, I've kept her…chained up.
I rather not say where I got them, but they're very light, and weigh next to nothing. But they do limit her movement. She can't leave the house anymore. I feel bad about it, but… I can't have anyone finding out that there's a vampire living right outside of the city. Anyways, Rin isn't complaining… Or talking a lot, either.
I turned one of the old bedrooms upstairs into a room for her. She still would come down to the basement to see me or to look at books, though. Not to mention, I had to go and get her food every night, too. For tonight, I had gotten a few oranges- During her days of free roam she told me that they were her favorite food.
The door to her room creaks slightly as I push it open. Rin's staring out a set of French doors in the room, shackles around both her arms and legs. She turns to me as I enter. Only exchanging glances, we walk towards each other meeting half way. I pause before reaching into a bag hanging from my arm. I pull out an orange and hand it to her. She takes it, and stares at it in her hands. I lay the bag on the bed I got for her, and turn to leave.
"…Ah….Mister Kagamine…."
I pause and look back at her.
"….Uhm….in a few days…December 27…I'll be nine."
"…I guess…we share the same birthday then."
I wait a moment to see if she says anything else, but all I get is silence. I turn away.
"…Hey…" Rin whispers. I don't look back this time.
"What…?"
"…You're…You're a vampire….right?"
I breathe in. "…Yeah."
"…Then…why…haven't you bitten me, yet?"
I snap around to face her, taken back slightly by what just came from her mouth.
"W-what?"
"…Why haven't you bitten me yet? I've…been here for almost a year now… You've taken care of me… And… And letting you feed off of me is a way I can…repay you…."
I still cannot believe what she's saying. This little girl…is offering to be my next meal? I must be dreaming or something.
I step back over to her, staring. She simply looks up at me with no expression as usual. The orange in her hands is completely forgotten.
"…You really shouldn't…say things like that…"
"Why? I…really mean it. You can bite me if you want to…"
I sigh. "Still… Offering yourself to a monster like me-"
"You aren't a monster."
I feel a small pain in my chest. I stare down at the floor.
"…So…Please…"
It goes quiet. A thought pops up in my mind.
'I could…'
"…Make you my Doll." I finish the thought out loud.
"H-huh?"
I look back up at her, a concerned expression on my face. Reaching out a hand, I run it through her short hair.
"I… If you really want to repay me in that way…I can make you my Doll."
"Y-your…Doll?"
I motion over to Rin's bed. We both walk over and sit down. I then proceed to explain to her what a Doll is. She carefully watches me as I speak, soaking in what I'm saying. When I finish, she looks away and blushes.
"…I'll do it."
"Are…you sure?"
Rin looks at me again and after a moment nods. She closes her eyes, lifting her head. I stare at her bare and slender neck. My heart rate increases.
"…G-go ahead…"
I hesitate, still not positive on how to respond. But...I finally give in. I lean closer to her, pressing my closed lips on her collarbone. Closing my eyes, I take in her smell before opening my mouth slightly. I breathe onto her neck for a moment.
"…Forgive me…" I whisper before biting into her young and pale flesh.
I can feel Rin's body tense up, wiggling as if trying to get away. I hold her still as my fangs dig in deeper. It feels amazing…the sensation of her blood inundating my mouth. Rin begins to cry out in pain. It was too late to stop now, though.
Her cries start to dissipate before halting all together. Rin's body falls limp against mine as I pull out. I swallow and then begin licking the excess away. Once finished, I pause before sincerely kissing the wound away. I lay the passed out girl down on the bed, and simply watch her.
My heart is split in two for some reason. Part of it…feels horrible for what I just did. But the other half doesn't care- it was just happy for the small feast. And I had to admit….Rin's blood was the best thing I had ever tasted….
I violently shake my head. I take one final gaze at Rin before turning my attention to the shackles and chains on her body. I quickly remove them and leave the room.
Part of me hopes, even prays that she wakes up tomorrow. Another part couldn't care less if she dies in her sleep.
The moment of truth has finally arrived, I guess. I sit on the edge of my bed, tracing my lower lip with my finger. Taking in a deep breath, I gaze in the direction of the door. It's wide open. I put my hand down and close my eyes.
'…Come to me, my Doll…'
I open my eyes. After a second at the most, I hear noise upstairs. The sound of rapid footsteps crosses my ears. A second later, Rin appears in the door frame. Her breathing is accelerated slightly, a sign that she was running. She glances at me before quickly bowing.
"…Y-yes…Master?"
(Present)
"…Hey, Master….Master~…"
I shake away my thoughts of the past. Turning around, I see that Rin's awake. She's standing by the French doors, her hands behind her back, a grin on her face.
"Hey, Master Len~ what are you thinking about~?" She quickly joins me on the balcony. I take her under my arm, and we both stare up at the sky.
"I've…just got my head in the past, I guess. Hey Rin…"
"Yes, Master?"
"…Do you still think I'm not a monster…?"
Out of the corner of my eye, I notice her look up at me.
"Master Len…You've never been a monster. You never will be. I thought you knew that…" She nudges my side. I laugh.
"Well, I just need to hear you say it every once in a while."
We go back to looking at the sky for a moment. Rin turns to me again.
"Master…"
"Hmm?"
"…I…can't remember much of my childhood before I met you, but…I can remember staring up at the sky sometimes like this…I remember it to be very relaxing." She smiles at me again then turns back to the sky. Rin closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. I blush as I watch her.
"…Anyways, Master Len…The sun will be up soon. We probably should go back in." Rin turns around and starts to head back inside. I take one final look at the fading moon before following.
AN: Thank you for reading as always...Hee, I'm kind of excited to start the next chapter. Some really important things happen and such. Also, I went back and made changes to the first 4, 5 chapters and fixed the problems I had with verb tenses. Everything should now be in present tense, I hope... ;; I planned on doing that at some point, and since I'm being forced to show this to my English teacher, I decided, why not now? Hah...Anyways, I hope my readers continue to enjoy my work. When I work on this, I consider it time well spent. 3
