AN: Happy Back to School Season! Study hard and remember, only donate blood to sexy vampires! Lol.
Weeks passed, and in their duration Yori saw Aidou only a handful of times. Each time seemed shorter than the last, punctuated by bittersweet "see you soon"s and brief kisses. Although neither she nor Aidou had defined their relationship in words, anyone else would have called it dating. The caramel-haired girl would have been shocked with herself weeks ago...now, however, she could admit that Hanabusa Aidou was quite different from her original expectations of him.
Shockingly, despite Yori's odd behavior and frequent daydreaming in class, Yuki hadn't seemed to notice that anything was going on. Yuki was preoccupied with Zero, who had fortunately returned to class a few days after his possible expulsion, but all the same Yori was increasingly appalled by her friend's observation skills. And then, over a month and a half after the festival Yori had attended with Aidou, Yuki abruptly asked, "Where did you get this huge rabbit, anyway?" The petite brunette stood with her hands on hips as she regarded the enormous plush that sat on Yori's side of the room in the corner beside the nightstand.
"The fair, of course," Yori replied neutrally, marking an upcoming exam into her planner. The fair that was forever ago, she added in her head.
"Zero and I went there...we didn't see you, though." Her roommate frowned.
"We must have missed each other," she commented.
"I guess you're right," Yuki agreed. Then, "Are you going for a ride today?"
"Yep," Yori affirmed, closing her planner and preparing to do just that.
"If you see Zero there, tell him I have the notes from the lecture yesterday. You know him, he's always sleeping through class!"
"Okay," she agreed, and a few moments later she was out the door and on her way to the stables.
Speaking of Zero... Yori frowned pensively, thinking to the silver-haired hunter's condition and all of the accompanying secrets that came with it. Zero seemed alright. At least, he continued in the same routines and behaviors that he always had, but Yuki also came back from patrol with a Band-Aid plastered to her neck far more often than she previously had. That was worrisome, and Yori herself had reached a dead-end of information. The chairman's office had proved a fruitless endeavor, as well. Aidou occasionally told her tidbits of his life or vampire society, but they did not grant her any more insight into the true mysteries of the academy.
Shrugging off such thoughts, Yori entered the stables and searched out her favorite mount, a roan horse named Sakura. As the blond vampire had stressed to her more than once, fretting about the Night Class wouldn't grant her any answers. More to the point, attempting to find those answers would result in terrible consequences for both of them. It wasn't in her nature to accept defeat or to leave a mystery unsolved... Yet, she was left with little choice except acceptance.
Yori rubbed the horse's nose, adjusting its harness in preparation for her late afternoon ride. Riding on Saturdays was one of her favorite pastimes, and a nice change from the library or her dorm room. Occasionally Yuki accompanied her, although more and more frequently the petite brunette chose her fellow prefect's company instead. Yori knew she shouldn't mind. Yuki and Zero were obliviously in love, but unfortunately the result was that the caramel-hair girl ended up frequently alone.
Sighing, she took the reins in her hand and turned to push open the stall door. As she did so, however, she nearly collided with a form that appeared quite abruptly beside her, silently and without any warning. She squeaked, shocked, as the horse pawed nervously at the ground. When she recovered her senses, she recognized the golden hair and azure eyes belonging to none other than Hanabusa Aidou.
"Hanabusa-kun! You just about gave me a heart attack," she accused, soothing the horse by stroking its nose and neck.
"Sorry. It's so complicated, sneaking around like this..." He ran a hand through his hair and offered her an apologetic smile.
"What are you doing up at this hour, anyway?" Yori asked, although she was undeniably pleased to see him. They were only able to meet like this for short, stolen moments, after all...
"I came to see you. You always go for a ride on Saturdays, don't you?" Judging by his tone, the question was more of a rhetorical nature.
"Well, yes... I won't ask how you know that." She narrowed her eyes at him, still suspecting him of stalking her. How else would he know where to find her at this time of day on a weekend?
"I know everything, Yori-chan." A wink. "And I wanted to see you," he added sincerely.
The rising temperature in her face alerted her of her reddening cheeks. "I'm glad you came," she admitted. Actually, honestly...she quite missed his company most days...
He smiled, reaching out tuck a strand of loose hair safely back beneath her helmet. "You're going for a ride now, right?" he reaffirmed.
"Yes." She nodded.
"Then, meet me at the end of that trail that circles the lake? There's an area with benches and picnic tables. I thought we could chat there for a bit."
Yori couldn't stop the grin that conquered her lips. "Okay," she agreed.
"Can we safely assume this is a date, this time?" he teased.
"Hmm... Well, you did wake up this early just for me, so...I guess." She chuckled.
"Good. I'm glad you agree. That means you owe me a kiss later. Okay, bye." And with that, he slipped out the door like a ghost.
"Hey, you!" she called after him, laughing despite herself.
Glancing down the hall and seeing that he was already gone, she shook her head. Aidou was something else. Something...she had undeniably developed an attraction for. Lately, though, the thought didn't bring with it any negative thoughts or self doubt. Yuki's neglect was taking its toll, after all. Her closest friend hadn't noticed anything odd about her behavior, hadn't noticed the bandages that had adorned her neck twice now and wrist a third time, hadn't noticed anything beyond Zero. And while the caramel-haired girl couldn't fault her, knowing Zero's secret, it was still a lonely reality she was faced with.
The horse whickered eagerly as they emerged from the stable and she mounted up. Although occasionally Yori rode other horses, Sakura was by far her favorite. The horse was mellow, even-paced, and never fought the girl's control. Moreover, the horse responded to even the slightest touch, making it easy to guide her along the paths. Riding was one of Yori's favorite pastimes, so it was with anticipation that she directed Sakura down the trail.
Determining that she wouldn't let her curiosities or worries plague her, Yori immersed herself in the green of the woods and the quiet clamor of insects and leaves. The ride was, as always, relaxing and pleasant, although short. Before long, she arrived at the pond that marked the end of the trail. Yori drew her horse to a halt in the middle of the picnic area beside the pool of water, which was well-shaded by trees. Knowing his eyes were sensitive to bright light, she hoped Aidou would be comfortable here, without the direct assault of the afternoon sun. She dismounted, tethering the horse to a nearby tree, and a few moments later the blond vampire emerged from the woods, waving a greeting as he made his way towards her.
"You're late," she teased, placing her hands on her hips as he approached.
"I'm never late. You were early," he retorted with a grin. By her side now, he turned to regard the roan mare who was now happily grazing around the picnic area. "This is one ugly horse," he snickered.
"Hey, she's not ugly, just unique." She immediately came to Sakura's defense, patting the creature's shoulder before moving to sit down on one of the picnic benches facing out towards the pond.
"That's just a polite way of admitting I'm right." He winked, sitting beside her.
"Well, I think she's lovely," she sniffed.
"And I think you're lovely," he countered, chuckling as she rolled her eyes.
A moment later his fingers found hers, lacing together with a strange familiarity that sent a shiver down her spine. She didn't pull away, however, but rather leaned her head against his shoulder, watching the breeze ruffle the surface of the pond and dance around the faces of the vibrant flowers that blossomed on the opposing shore. Perhaps she should have been nervous or reserved, but...instead, she felt comfortable and content. And, admittedly, a little touched he'd actually woken up early just to spend some time with her.
"I've always wondered...what do you do around the Night Dorm all day...err, night?" she inquired curiously after a long moment of tranquil quiet.
"I annoy Akatsuki a lot." She could hear the mischievous grin in his voice. "I guess I read a lot, too. And talk. And walk around aimlessly. We go out occasionally, but the town shuts down pretty early and there isn't much to do."
"Sounds awfully boring," she sympathized.
"Well lately it hasn't been so bad... Since sometimes I get to see you." He gave her hand a squeeze.
Yori flushed and questioned, "But sometimes the Night Class disappears?" It was true. Once or twice now they had simply...vanished. The Day Class girls lined up to watch the class change, but when the gates swung open there would only be a handful of Night students rather than the usual numbers.
"Ah, that's usually because of some party we're forced to attend. Those are relatively entertaining, despite the social pressures."
"Vampire parties?" She giggled. Her imagination supplied her with all kinds of strange and comical images, even while she was sure the reality was much more normal and uninteresting.
"Yep."
"I guess Zero-kun doesn't attend those?"
"No... I don't know what would happen if he were to attend. He's a hunter as well as a Level E. Occasionally, the purebloods employ the hunters to keep the peace at their soirees, but it's a rare occurrence. I'm not sure if he would be in outright danger, but no one would appreciate his presence, either." The answer the blond offered was more detailed than she'd expected.
"How is he?" She needed to know. Was his condition worsening? Would he end up insane, or did hope still remain?
"The danger of madness isn't immediate, I think..." he trailed off uncertainly.
"I wish there was some way I could help," she murmured, heart sinking. She knew there was nothing that she could do, but all the same she hated how she was restricted to being a mere bystander as her friends suffered.
"Unless you're secretly a pureblood, I'm afraid not."
"Can't Kaname give him blood?" she inquired abruptly, still unclear about the situation, especially when the solution seemed so simple and straightforward. Aidou had said Zero needed pureblood, after all, and even if the blond wouldn't admit it, she knew that Kaname Kuran had to be a pureblooded vampire. Wouldn't that be an easy solution to the hunter's condition?
"Yori-chan..." The tone carried with it a warning. "Even if Kaname were a pureblood, the situation is complicated."
"I don't see what's so complicated about it," she muttered bitterly, earning a tiny chuckle from Aidou.
"We can't really talk about it, though," he reminded her.
"Okay, yes, I know." She sighed. "Anyway..."
Letting go of her array of questions, Yori let the conversation drift from topic to topic, from school to the upcoming weekend to books and to everything in between. She knew they couldn't remain at the pond for long, since this particular horse trail was a popular one, but Aidou never sounded the alarm that any other riders approached, and Yori remained relaxed, trusting him to warn her if they were on the verge of discovery. Truthfully, she didn't wish to return to the dorm, where she would feel obligated to use her time studying for her next exam.
As the conversation drew to a close, Yori felt a rush of impulsiveness conquer her senses. "It's been a while. Do you need blood?" she murmured, keeping her voice low in case it gave her away.
To her surprise and disappointment, he shook his head. "Next time, perhaps."
Yori took a small breath, heart twisting and leaping in her chest and she tried to settle down her nerves. She didn't know how to begin to express herself. She enjoyed the warmth of his body, the feeling of closeness, the pleasure his bite brought... It was a kind of intimacy she'd never shared with anyone before, and...she liked it.
"But, I want you to," she whispered, and watched as his eyes widened fractionally. She was surprised with herself, as well. She kept mentally scolding herself, telling herself she shouldn't get any closer to Hanabusa Aidou, that she shouldn't feel any attraction towards him whatsoever, but...she did. She did, and who know when they'd have a moment together like this again? Perhaps if they were lucky it would only be days, but then again perhaps it would be weeks. She didn't want to wait that long.
"Yori-chan...is that really what you want?" His fingers brushed her cheek, and she nodded. "Well then, I can't really refuse, can I?" The side of his mouth hitched up into a lopsided grin, and she caught the red as it began to spill like the dawn across the clear blue of his eyes. Under the sunlight the shade of red was different than the deep, glowing scarlet of night. Here beside the pond his eyes reflected back a paler, less striking color, rose red rather than crimson.
"You'd better not," she answered, heart racing in anticipation as he drew her closer.
"If I remember correctly, I haven't bitten this wrist yet," he commented, catching her right hand and kissing the palm before undoing the buttons along the cuff of her sleeve and pushing the material up to her elbow.
For one dizzying moment, her brain franticly wondered where he would bite her next, after this time, if he was so determined to choose a different location each time. And then her thoughts were erased as his tongue traced down each of her fingers to her wrist in turn, where he scraped his teeth against the thin flesh there but did not break the surface of her delicate skin. She shuddered, muscles clenching each time she expected him to bite. But he blithely continued the process with each finger, eyes scalding against her own.
"Relax," he commanded, abandoning her wrist to wrap his hand around her neck and pull her towards him, lips connecting with her own.
-o-
His lips eclipsed hers, tasting the sweetness of her mouth, and he felt her pulse spike in her wrist where he held her, writhing against his grasp in confession. He needed to be careful not to overstep his boundaries, but her kiss was delectable and sweet, and the rapid drum of her heart was inviting him in, tempting him to edge towards those limits... His free arm twined around her waist as he leaned closer, increasing the pressure of his lips against hers.
Her heartbeat seemed to beat like the flutter of wings in the air. She couldn't quite catch her breath, and a tremor of scarcely contained desire rippled across his body. He took a risk, pressing his advantage, pressing those boundaries, and pressed his tongue into her mouth, sliding against her lower lip. She gasped, and he felt her palpable hesitation. For a split second, he wondered if he'd gone too far, but then she recovered, returning the favor with a shyness he found undeniably endearing.
His head was spinning and his blood was rushing and he knew he should stop now before he did scare her. So before she had taken a breath, before she had stiffened with realization of what was to come, he drew her wrist to his mouth once again and pierced the soft, tantalizing flesh. Immediately, the perfect flavor of her blood flooded across his tongue and Yori gasped a second time, caught off guard by the sudden bite. A moment later, her eyes relaxed beneath his gaze, and the frantic beat of her heart slowed.
And damn, how he enjoyed seeing her cheeks flushed and her lips swollen from kissing him...
Despite the sinfully delicious taste of her blood, he knew he shouldn't take much. He didn't actually need her blood at all. He took the disgusting tablets every day to ensure his nutritional needs were met, but...there was simply no comparison to Yori herself. Reluctantly, he permitted the flow of that incomparable liquid to thin to a trickle before sealing the puncture wounds shut with his tongue. Already, he longed to bite her again, and the residual taste of her blood still lingered in his mouth.
"Are you okay?" he asked, administering a bandage as per their routine. Yori nodded, but he still asked cautiously, referring to the kiss, "Was that too much?" This was the first time he was actually invested in a girl, after all, and he didn't want to screw everything up. He hadn't cared much for the other girls he'd "dated," and if he'd gone too fast or hurt their feelings he'd merely broken things off on the spot rather than attempt to patch them up. But this time was different. This was Yori, and he didn't want to jeopardize what he hoped was the beginning of a more serious relationship...
He blanched mentally. If Akatsuki could hear his thoughts, the blond would never hear the end of it. Hanabusa Aidou, actually serious about someone? Nevertheless, he did like her, he enjoyed spending time with her, and he was nervous he'd botched everything up just now. His impulsive nature got the best of him, sometimes.
Her face reddened, and she admitted, "Maybe just a little." He grimaced guiltily, but then she added, "I only agreed to a kiss, if I'm remembering correctly?"
Her tone was light and he breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't angry with him. Slyly, he countered, "Well, it was only one. I don't remember ever breaking contact..."
The caramel-haired girl rolled her eyes, still blushing fiercely, and muttered, "That's bending the rules...considerably."
"That's what I do best," he told her with mock-pride.
Then, "But it...wasn't bad."
She avoided his eyes, and he judged she was incredibly embarrassed. It was cute. He laughed, suddenly scooting closer to wrap his arms around her, and she ducked her head against his chest. "I'll go more slowly next time," he promised against her hair, holding her for a long moment before releasing her and helping her to her feet.
"Teddy bears again?" she queried, examining the bandage that now decorated her wrist.
"There's still at least a dozen in that box, just so you know," he warned. "It will be teddy bears for the next half century, anyway."
"Lovely," she commented drolly.
The familiar scent of human blood drifted through the air. His senses sharpened, honing in on the aroma, and he advised, "You should head back, though. There's another rider coming down the trail."
She nodded, and Hanabusa helped her untether the gangly horse, holding the creature still while she mounted up. "See you soon," he said.
"Bye, Hanabusa-kun," she bade. "Don't get too bored without me."
"Oh, I will, trust me. Bye." He waved, watching her ride back along the trail.
Already, he was impatient for the next time he'd see her...
AN: Progress!