Author Note: This will be the last add tonight, but I think I should be updating more often after this. It gets easier after you put the huge story on indefinite hiatus. Anyway, this is in 3rd person because that's what I feel like tonight.

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight and I make no profit from this.

"Where are you, Senri?" 6-year-old Rima ran down the street. The rain had drenched her, her makeup from the photo shoot was running, and she was missing a flip-flop. "Senri!" She called, but the thunder drowned her out. "Senri!" she tried again. She had tried to scent him out, after all, vampires have a good sense of smell, but the rain had washed away any trace of him. "Senri Shiki! You get out here right now!" Rima sniffled slightly, she had supposed to be keeping an eye on Senri, and she had promised their parents she would keep an eye on the anti-socialite redhead. Now, not only was she worried about her best friend, she was going to get in trouble with the adults.

"Rima!" Senri appeared out of nowhere, grabbing her and dragging her under an awning to protect her from the rain.

"Why did you run?" Rima knew though, and she felt like she should slap the little boy, after all, he had gotten her into trouble, they were both probably going to get sick, and he had scared her half to death.

"I don't like storms..." Senri mumbled, not looking at her, his cheeks a faint pink even in the icy rain. "Did the grown-ups get mad?"

"No, but they will be when we get back." Rima rubbed her eyes, the mascara really stung when it got in her eyes, couldn't the makeup artist at least have sprung for waterproof? "C'mon, Senri, we need to get back to the studio..."

"I don't want to go back..." Senri clutched at her as the wind blew harder. "Rima, you won't make me go back right?"

Rima felt her heart ache, she knew everything about her best friend, and she knew why he hated storms. It had to do with that drunken sot of a father who had beat the boy for years before being arrested on multiple charges.

"Ok, we don't have to go back." Rima mused that they probably wouldn't get in any more trouble for waiting out the storm. She pulled Senri close, their wet clothes sticking to them and each other.

"You're the best, Ri." Senri murmured, hiding his face in her hair, which had been left loose for the shoot. "Thank you..."

"I won't ever make you do anything you don't want to, Senri." Rima murmured, stroking his wet, blood red locks. "I'll keep you safe, and I'll never hurt you. Cross my heart."

"I don't know... how I can ever repay you..." Senri hugged Rima tightly to him.

"Just stay." The orange-haired girl whispered as the rain began to let up. "Just stay, that's all you need to do."

And that was what he did.

Author Note: There's a line in there that I fought with myself over and over if I wanted to leave it in or not, but it ended up staying in there. Anyway, I'm headed off to bed now; I'll answer reviews when I get up, so if you want to leave a comment, go for it. I do love hearing from my readers though...