a/n: i dont care what anyone says the room where it happens is the best song in hamilton but satisfied is a close second
[A Moment of Reprieve]
Naomi didn't know what to do, part of her wanted to back to see Tanaka and apologize for snapping at him, another part of her wanted to leave and return to Cross Academy while another part of her wanted to go home and see her family. She knows she couldn't, she'd be putting them in danger if she did. Being targeted for execution is really does put a damper on her personal life... she should go back to Cross Academy, it was the smart move and Naomi is smart, but she was also reckless and self-destructive. She took a wavering step towards her house, no she couldn't... If Tanaka was telling the truth then her parents know nothing, but she miss them; or perhaps she missed normalcy. The days when her interrogating meant shaking down a narcissistic, conniving bitch because Naomi had nothing better to do, not, well, this.
Naomi frowned as she let her foot fall back, she could see them another time when she there wasn't a bounty on her head for literally just her head. She turned her head from the street that would lead her back to her home and faced the thick trees to return to the academy. She would be safe there and more importantly so would her parents.
They don't know anything, thought Naomi, according to Tanaka, but if what he's saying is the truth then the farther they are from this the better.
Naomi's eyes wondered to the sky, the sun was lowering and she frowned. Second by second, the beaming sun was becoming easier to look at.
She wondered, Maybe, they're waiting for nightfall. She slipped her hand inside her pocket. The butterfly knife felt cool against her fingers, the picture she tucked at inner corner of her pocket currently collecting dust. Naomi eyes glued to the shadows as her steps began to quicken as the shadows began to close in on her. She could feel her blood pumping through her veins, could vampires feel that too? Could they sense her anxiety and nerves skyrocketing? The day Kaname erased her memories could he feel her uneasiness, her helplessness? She really hoped he couldn't. It was a weakness, she didn't want anyone to know about, especially not Kaname Kuran.
Who is a liar, manipulative, memory snatching piece of- and then, Naomi remembered what Tanaka said: 'I just wanted to keep you safe.' Naomi gripped her butterfly knife, Is that what he was doing? Protecting me? Either way, it wasn't his or Tanaka's choice to make.
The winter night air bit her skin, her cheeks and nose flushed red. Naomi kept her hands in her pockets trying to shield them from the cold. She squinted her eyes there were a few dull streets lights illuminating her path, and they were extremely dull she could barely see what was in front of her. Everything seemed misty, she wasn't far now from the academy, she could see the silhouette of bricks surrounding the school like a fortress.
Almost as if it's ready for any incoming attacks. Naomi licked her chapped lips knowing it would make it worse, It really is getting cold.
Naomi reached the gates with no trouble or so she thought, when she let her hands be touched by the freezing air and moved to open the cold gates.
"Excuse me," a voice croaked behind her, "are you Naomi Nakamura?"
Naomi didn't answer or bothered to look, she did, however, slip her hand inside her skirt pocket as she unfurled her butterfly knife. Her back pressed against the bars as she narrowed her eyes to see through the thick mist.
I can't see anything, and it wasn't like she could wave the fog away, "Shit."
I should head inside, She thought carefully, If it's the vampire cult I'm at a severe disadvantage.
"I'm," the voice became overly cheery, "going to kidnap you."
Naomi tensed, she couldn't see within ten feet of her but she was ready.
"I mean I was going to," The voice went up an octave, she recognized that voice, "but I can't see shit."
Naomi huffed in disbelief, "Yuuto?!" She quickly hid her weapon into her pocket, "What is wrong with you?"
Yuuto let out mischievous laugh, "Did I scare you?" He reached out his arms aimlessly trying to find her, "Cause that's kinda what I was going for."
Naomi scoffed as she, herself tried to find Yuuto's arm, "What are you doing here?" A cool hand finally caught her hand, "Why are you here?"
They quickly latched unto one another, fingers entwined giving each other warmth on this rather harsh, cold night.
"Show a little compassion," Yuuto said as he tried to pull her away from the academy, "I came all this way to get your sorry ass out of school."
Naomi dug her heels into the ground, "I can't leave."
Yuuto slid his hands up her arms, she could see him now, at least, she could see the outlines of his dark hairs, his nose, his eyes, and his lips.
"Nao," He said, "what is going on? And don't expect me to believe that bullshit story Tanaka fed me, and Ronnie, and your parents."
What did Tanaka even say to them? Probably should've asked.
Naomi frowned, "Well, it's the truth."
"Oh, please," He derided, "You failed a few classes and have to make them up during winter break, you seriously expect me to believe that? Look Nao, your attendance might be spotty but you would never fail any of your classes."
Really, Tanaka, me, failing classes? No wonder, he doesn't believe it.
Naomi snatched her arms from his grip, "Look Yuuto, I shouldn't even be out at night." She turned her back towards him and opened the academy's gates with a loud creak.
"Since when do you care about the rules?" Yuuto reached only to catch air, the wretched fog, "And do you think I forgot last year, when you got drunk off your ass and showed up the next day at school and took our midterms like nothing had happened."
Naomi winced, I did do that.
"I have an early remedial class." It hurt her pride just to say that, she had never taken a remedial class in her life. "Go back home."
She stepped inside and closed the gate.
Yuuto began, "Na-"
"Go home." Naomi said sternly.
In that moment, Yuuto pondered when she had started to shut him out... but having the luxury of knowing her for so long gave him insight that most people wouldn't have; she was lying, yet he knew not to pry. Whatever, she was lying about, of she was refusing to tell him then it was serious. Yuuto always respected, Naomi's privacy and secrets, because he knew if she had to lie, there was usually pretty good reason as to why. And so, he left without another word.
The funny thing is when Naomi walked away from him the worst case scenarios began to loom over her head from him getting lost to him being eaten by a rabid vampire.
Which is highly unlikely but still... No, he will be fine. It's not that late anyway.
Naomi shivered as a cool gust of wind passed through her, she rubbed her arms for warmth. She needed to get inside before she froze to death or worse caught a cold; people would fuss over her and she wouldn't be able to think straight, or be prepared for Rido Kuran's timely attack.
Naomi wasn't naive, she knew that just because Rido couldn't invade her dreams does not mean she was rid off him. He would come and this time she wouldn't be able scream herself awake, he would be standing in front of her in the flesh and Naomi knew she needed more than a few vampire hunter parlor tricks to be able to face him. There was one thing she knew for sure, though, she absolutely needed the element of surprise against otherwise, she might as well be digging her own grave, literally. Naomi would rather die than be doomed into being, what Naomi assumed was, his subservient blood bag. She reached for her neck as the phantom pain of her nightmares lingered, the loud gulps still fresh in her mind, his smooth voice dulling her senses, the fear of dying and panic.
Kaname hadn't even tried to erase that.
Naomi took long strides, even if she was on school grounds, she still didn't want to stay outside for too long. It wasn't long before she arrived at the Sun dorms, she let her had fall from neck and pulled the door open.
The Sun dorms were warmer than the Moon dorms, maybe it was the fact not only a day ago this place was full of warm human bodies, unlike the Moon dorms which were vacated sooner for the sole reason of keeping crazed, obsessed day class students from following them home. Last year, she heard down the grapevine that, that indeed happened. She laughed when she first heard of it, how could someone be so pathetic. Naomi never understood the obsessive fascination over someone, and she hoped that she never would.
She shook her head, the last thing she wants to think about it is her past romantic entanglements. Naomi wondered if she could even called them that, they were more like tissue paper: use once or twice, and then throw away. That, and her budding unknown feelings for two certain vampires, which she refused to even contemplate.
This, however, would be made quite difficult, when Naomi entered her dorm room and found a familiar silvernette lounging on her bed. She stood frozen at the entrance, she dug her nails into her palms until her knuckles turned white.
I always thought he was attractive- No, stop.
Naomi's breath got caught in her throat, "Zero, what are you doing here?"
This wasn't supposed to happen yet... she was supposed to hole up in her room and avoid her feeling for as long as possible, at least until her never-ending horror show against Rido Kuran has passed.
Zero's lavender gaze fell on her, "You didn't actually think the Chairman was going let you stay alone in your dorm room, right?"
Was his voice always this nice?
Naomi ran her hand through her dark hair as she looked away from him, "I rather stay here."
Zero stood up, "What? Are you planning on spending the holidays alone?"
More like away from you.
Naomi's eyes wandered back towards him. He seemed different or perhaps, she was seeing him in a different light; a light she wasn't keen on accepting anytime soon.
Stop staring at him, Naomi chastised herself.
He placed a duffel bag on her bed. Naomi hadn't noticed he was holding anything, she was too preoccupied trying to keep as much distance from him as possible. Being in the same building as Zero was not going to help her, or her state of mind. She was never good at facing her own feelings, she often ignores them until they bubble up into another type of emotion she could understand; the emotion was more often than not, anger.
Naomi vividly remembers the last time (two years ago) she had a semblance of romantic feelings for someone, and the conversation between her and her best friend, Yuuto went a little like this:
Tanaka's coffee shop was empty which was to be expected seeing as it was the graveyard shift. He was smoking outside leaving them alone inside enjoying their hot coffee.
Yuuto glanced behind him to make sure Tanaka wasn't going to come in and hear into their conversation, before tilting his head back towards Naomi, and said, "Admit it! You like him." Yuuto's lips quirked up, "Maybe, even love him-"
Naomi interrupted him quickly, "I love nothing," she placed the cup down, "except for schemes, coffee, and blueberry macaroons."
"Come on, Nao." He laughed, "There's no point in denying-"
"I don't want to talk about it."
He rolled his eyes, "You can't be seri-"
"I mean it, Yuuto." She said.
And that was the end of that discussion.
Naomi still hadn't moved from the doorway, "That's exactly what I was planning."
Go away, She tugged on her skirt as flashes of the night she sneaked Veronica in the academy popped in her mind like pins. She could feel her cheeks heating up again, Stop it! Stop thinking about it.
Zero frowned, this was morbid even for him, but that wasn't the only reason he was slightly upset. He knows the last time they talked he was practically interrogating her about what happened but he didn't think she'd act so cold towards him.
"The Chairman isn't giving you much of a choice," Zero said.
Naomi kicked out awkwardly as if she was kicking up grass, "Well, I don't really care, so," she step aside, motioning her head towards the door, "you can leave now."
Please, go.
Zero slipped his hands into his pockets, "If you don't come with me," he continued, "the cavalier will come."
Naomi groaned, she didn't really feel like dealing with the Headmaster's overly chipper attitude and Yuki's optimistic view on everything.
"Fine," She acquiesced, "I'll pack my things, I'll see you in the Headmaster's building."
Zero walked towards Naomi or maybe, he was walking towards the door, Naomi didn't know but she hastily walked past him to the duffel bag he left on her bed. Allowing herself to believe he left, she pretended she couldn't hear her heart beating out of her chest.
I feel nothing, Naomi thought frantically, I'm just confused. Yes, confused, I haven't had feelings since I was twelve. This is a fluke, a glitch in my system. She zipped open the duffel bag, I'm sure, I'll wake up tomorrow and feel like an idiot for even thinking that I liked either of them.
Naomi turned to walk to her closet but Zero blocked her path. It was such a tiny dorm, she should've known he hadn't left yet.
My heart is not racing, my heart is not racing, She repeated this in her head over and over again, along with, I feel nothing, we're just friends.
Naomi literally jumped away from him, "Don't stand so close to me."
Another image popped into her mind's eye, the shooting range with his arms wrapped around her. Naomi never thought anything of before but now, every little thing that happened between them she seemed she was over analyzing.
Zero frown deepened, he didn't have to say anything his downcast eyes said everything. She was afraid of him and how he blame her, she doesn't when he could succumb into a Level-E.
Zero sighed, "I'll see you there, then..."
Naomi fought the urge to reach for him as she watched him leave her dorm room, she stayed her hand.
The door closed behind Zero.
This is good a thing, Her gut wrenched awfully, He'll distance himself from me now.
"I'm not afraid you, Zero." Naomi whispered, so very softly.
a/n: tell me your thoughts and if you're going out don't forget to wear a mask