AN: Heh heh... for some reason I'm still so nervous over this fic and keeping Shima in character -sweatdrop-. I hope you like this chapter!
The sunset dripped through the thin fracture line between the blackout curtains, dropping into a puddle of orange light that pooled at the bottom of her dresser. Rima squinted one eye open, twitching her fingers and toes sleepily as she yawned. Across the room, Ruka's bed was already empty, the blankets disheveled and the pillows shoved unceremoniously to one side, an unfortunate symptom of a violent sleeper. Rima cuddled down against her pillow for another moment before sitting up and stretching. The silence curled around her limbs deliciously. The one benefit to having Ruka as her roommate was that the other vampire was an early riser, which left Rima to wake up at her own pace, in peace.
The "morning" process was sluggish, each moment savored to its fullest. A hot shower. The minty taste of her toothpaste. The brush running through her hair. Tying her pigtails up with her signature ribbons. When these steps were finished, she finally sauntered down to the dining room at her leisure, where she chose a fluffy croissant with butter and jam and a cup of vanilla coffee from the buffet the servants had laid out for the evening. Sitting alone beside the window, she stirred her coffee, enjoying the streams of light that swirled around with the contents of her cup. It was aesthetic, as though she were going to imbibe the sunset itself. She drank up the fading golden rays, breaking off morsels of her croissant between sips, and felt utterly relaxed.
This was the type of unrushed lifestyle she preferred. Vampires lived such a very long time, after all. Centuries and centuries...it was enough time for her to succumb to boredom. She was still very young, one of the youngest here in the Night Class, and that long procession of time was intimidating. Eventually, if she wasn't careful, all of the days would accumulate and the seasons pile up until she wore a jaded husk of dusty time and disuse. She had to cultivate her time, to be her own center of gravity, to enrich her life with color and saturate her senses, so that it did not devolve into utter monotony. No... Let those like Hanabusa Aidou rush headlong, full speed ahead, into the future. She would remain behind, at a stroll, and absorb the pleasures of this world one by one.
Licking the last of the coffee instilled with liquid sun from where it had stained her fingertips, Rima stood, heading towards the common room. How dull it would be to live like Shiki, entombed in practiced disinterest, disconnected from everything. She imagined the centuries of comatose boredom...and a shiver chased down her spine. For her, such a thought was horrifying. But, as she reminded herself once again, perhaps for the millionth time, she shouldn't worry about her partner.
Still, when she saw Ichijou seated alone on the sofa she couldn't help but wonder where his monochrome shadow was. It was strange to see Ichijou without Shiki or the pureblood Kaname. She didn´t think the green-eyed vampire liked being alone. And sure enough, the moment she entered the room he approached her, joining her easily as she exited the building and headed to class. Briefly, she considered retrieving her notebook from her room, but just as quickly dismissed the notion. She had no interest in taking notes and currently no ideas of clothing to sketch.
"No work today?" the vice president asked, since twice last week she´d arrived late to class after a shoot.
She shook her head, biting back her comment that he should already know the answer, since he was attached at the hip to the mahogany-haired model. Shiki worked the same schedule she did, since the staff thought they complimented one another so well in photos. To be honest, she was almost glad that she no longer had to work with many humans. Sometimes, their behavior and smell grated on her. This way, too, she didn´t have to worry about being discovered as a vampire.
"Are you and Shiki-kun getting along?" Ichijou inquired then. "Sometimes I worry about him... Maybe I shouldn´t, but to me Shiki-kun is family. He´s an honorary Ichijou."
Exasperated with the choice of conversation topic, she answered blandly, "I guess."
That wasn't precisely true, not anymore, but she didn't know how to describe it. Gradually, the monotonous grey that was Senri Shiki was transforming into something almost...blue. Almost. It was a faint hue, as ethereal and uncertain as dusk, yet it was there. And in that blue, she noticed that slowly they were growing more comfortable around one another. Slowly, she was beginning to discover more and more things about him, except when she touched on the subject of his mother. Then, it was as if a switch had been flicked off, and she understood better why he had been so unresponsive to her at first. They were still not-quite-friends, but if she was being honest, she thought his presence was relaxing and easy. There was no need for conversation with him, no need for pretenses. Yet... She still would not say they were friends. They were coworkers. Acquaintances. But not friends.
"He doesn´t say much," Rima admitted at last.
Ichijou smiled. "No, but you´ve already made progress with him faster than I did. I´m actually a little envious."
She raised an eyebrow, unable to discard the murmur of curiosity.
"It´s true," the vice president admitted. "Shiki-kun´s family has always had a close relationship with my grandfather and the Council. I´ve known him since childhood, but it took months or…maybe years for him to accept me."
"Ask me again in a few years how we´re getting along, then…" she muttered.
"I´m serious, though…" To her surprise, the blond sobered for a moment, expression distant. Then, just as quickly, his smile snapped back in place as he offered, "Shall we sit together today?"
"Sure," she agreed easily.
Their conversation was disrupted as she detected a distinct presence coming from the trees to her left, and she veered off abruptly from the path. Ichijou followed her, frowning as he, too, picked up on the presence. In a moment, she saw Zero Kiryuu, the second guardian and prefect of the academy, standing with his gun aimed directly at Hanabusa Aidou. Around the pair scattered more members of the Night Class, including Ruka Souen, Akatsuki Kain, and oddly enough, Shiki. Rima and Ichijou stopped beside the mahogany-haired model, assessing the situation.
"If Kaname-sama finds out about this, he'll be furious," the redhead was reasoning. "Kiryuu, you should put that away, too, okay?" Akatsuki consoled in an even, logical voice, approaching the guardian cautiously as one would an injured wild animal.
Ignoring his tone, Kiryuu grabbed the redhead and threw him to the ground, swiftly turning the gun on the fallen vampire as though he expected an attack at any moment. Silver eyebrows traced lines of thunderous fury across the hunter´s brow. Rima knew the Level E was unstable, but she had never realized just how unstable and irrational he was until this very moment. Perhaps his sanity was diminishing more quickly than anyone had guessed.
"That was so uncool," Rima commented to Kain, who was still sprawled on the ground. As a vampire of the Night Class, she could hardly believe that a mere ex-human had overpowered the redhead.
"Shut up," Kain muttered.
"So Kaname Kuran is the reason why you've suddenly all decided to gang up and take me down?" Kiryuu demanded, seeming to entirely misunderstand the situation. At least for Rima, she´d only investigated the situation out of mild curiosity. "I'd like to see you try, vampires. I've been waiting for a chance like this." A twisted grin overtook the hunter´s face.
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a small shape launched itself into the middle of the group, and a high-pitched voice announced, "Stop right there! No fighting allowed! Didn't you read the student handbook?" Yuki Cross brandished the anti-vampire staff she had been given as a guardian. "Regardless of whether it's Zero or a student from the Night Class who's trying to pick a fight, as a prefect I simply won't allow it!"
"Look, can't we just drop this already?" Kain asked tiredly, on his feet now.
Ruka stared at the small human girl in annoyance before huffing, "Fine. It's not worth it anyway. Let's go back to class." Immediately, the Night Class began to disperse, along with the guardians in the opposite direction. The petite girl's abrupt and unwelcome appearance had effectively mollified the situation, it seemed.
"We're going to be late..." Rima commented dryly to no one in particular as she watched the others disappear around the corner, Ichijou with them. At the same time, the Cross girl drug her silver-haired partner off in the opposite direction.
Approaching her, Shiki sighed. "I'd rather return to the dorm to sleep..."
The blond model couldn't help but share his sentiments. A nap would be nice… But, they had to attend class, and with their modeling schedules neither one of them could really afford to miss a day without risking the wrath of the pureblood.
"What was going on with the prefect?" she asked instead.
Her partner shrugged. "Aidou-san approached another Day Class girl. Kiryuu was interfering like he´s supposed to, so…"
Somehow, the blond wasn´t surprised to hear this. Aidou chased after at least one Day Class girl per night. It was rapidly becoming old news. So, changing course for the third time, Rima informed him, "Ichijou-kun was lonely without you in the dorm." As soon as she´d uttered the words, she regretted them. Those words could be so easily misconstrued… Even though, truthfully, she was starting to like having him around…despite the constant rasp of hunger his scent coaxed to life whenever they were together. Like now… Her gaze flicked away from him, intent on finding a distraction elsewhere.
"Ah…" A pause. Then, "I was waiting for you."
She blinked. "Where?"
"At the bench… The one you´ve been reading at before class…."
Why was he waiting for her? She wanted to ask, but instead stated, "I was sleeping..."
"Oh..."
When he didn't add anything else, she gestured that they should head for class and her coworker immediately fell into step beside her. Swallowing the questions that swarmed on the tip of her tongue, the blond vampire informed him, "We have another shoot coming up. I don't know if they told you yet..."
A shrug. "They haven't. Doesn't matter."
"I prefer to know in advance," she told him, withdrawing the slender box of pocky from her pocket and handing him a piece in what was increasingly becoming a habit whenever they were together. At least then, she supposed, she knew that he was eating something. Even if he insisted that he neither liked nor disliked chocolate...
Nibbling the stick, he merely answered, "Either way, we still have to do it. It's a drag, sometimes..."
"You don't enjoy modeling?" she asked.
"I..." he trailed off unexpectedly, eyebrows tensing pensively. "...I don't know," he murmured at last.
The familiar frustration and worry lodged tangibly in her throat. How could he not know..? Modeling was his career. She didn't understand. She thought she might never understand. He was washing out again, bleaching into static grey.
Before she could reply, however, he added, "Before...maybe...I didn't like it. But lately, it's been better...I think..."
Her surprised lips inquired, "...Has it?" Surely, it had nothing to do with her. Such a thought was only wistful thinking, imagining that perhaps there was some hope of friendship.
But he contradicted her assumption. "Yeah, because of you." His tone was even, unruffled, and entirely honest. He tilted his head to one side, considering. Then, "I don't like the smell of most humans."
A laugh escaped her. Shiki was entirely unpredictable at times. Shaking her head, she limited herself to saying, "Me neither."
An odd kind of happiness was suffusing through her veins. Maybe she was too harsh on Shiki. Little by little, they were able to talk like this, after all. Little by little, the grey in his eyes was sharpening, brightening, shifting like the clouds just after a storm had passed. Despite their dreary, dark tones, they promised blue. That promise alone had already exceeded her expectations of the burgundy-haired model.
Their current thread of conversation was interrupted, however, as they approached and entered the building where their class was held. Directly opposite the door, a flier tacked to the bulletin board caught Rima's attention. The flier, printed in bold ink on yellow paper, announced auditions for the spring semester play. It was probable that no Night Class members participated in theater here at the academy, but...even so, the idea of a play, even a small school one, was tempting. A chance to practice acting wouldn't be so bad, even if she'd be surrounded by members of the Day Class.
"Are you going to try out?" Shiki's soft voice interrupted her thoughts, and she realized she had slowed, lingering over the flier.
She shook her head. "No," she negated. She really shouldn't...
"Why not? You said you always wanted to be an actress..."
Her father's face swam into focus before her, and she heard him advise, "The most difficult thing about being a vampire is that you can't allow humans to realize your lifespan is many times longer than theirs. Most of the general population don't know we exist. If our true selves are discovered, it's possible we'll be hunted to the ends of the earth by a mob of humans. That's why it's best we remain out of the public eye."
Her parents had permitted her to come here and attend school, though she knew they didn't approve and that they might retract their grudging approval at any time. They had allowed her to model because magazine photographs weren't as well preserved as films, and as long as she didn't appear in a commercial, they tolerated her choice of career. However, they had fiercely rejected even the merest suggestion of acting. If she were to audition for the school play, they might not take it well... With or without her parents' consent, Rima fully intended to act in the future, but before that she might as well build some credit in her favor by remaining in their comfort zone.
At last, she said, "Yes... Someday, I will. For now, my parents are still very resistant to the idea." She hesitated, unsure whether or not to continue, and then decided it didn't matter. Her family life wasn't any great secret. "My father especially warns me to conceal myself and if not...to sleep for a few decades and wait for an era where no one knows me. That, or marry, settle down in a remote location, and live quietly. According to him, it's my duty to not remain in the memories of humankind, but..." She shrugged. "Both those options seem so boring, honestly."
Shiki stopped in the hallway now, a thoughtful expression ghosting across his features like the wisps of half-formed clouds.
"What?" she asked, unable to restrain her curiosity.
"Nothing...," he murmured. "It's just the opposite... Mother always wanted me to become a model..." Rima didn't miss the sudden change of tone with the mention of Hana Shiki. He paused. Then, slowly, "The truth is...the reason I didn't like modeling... It was lonely sometimes. Ichijou-kun was never interested in it. But now suddenly there's you." For the first time that she had seen, his lips lifted upwards into a rare smile.
And quite abruptly, his eyes were magnetic, vibrant blue.
AN: How did everyone feel about Shima's appearance in Memories? Personally, I really hated it... It feels like Hino doesn't care about developing Shima at all...or keeping things consistent... -sigh- I heard that Shima is one of the most popular couples in Japan at least...yet...they get no love T_T. -sighs deeply- It's very disappointing!