It was a long time coming.
The night had just transitioned into the earliest morning hours as two figures silently walked through the often-dark streets of Misaki.
One figure was beautiful beyond compare.
The other, although he had seen many things, was currently blind.
As they went quietly along an uphill road, the man who was being led along by his mate smiled softly. He knew this path already. They were almost there, and then he could see Akiha again.
"I want to take it off so badly."
"Shh, Shiki, we're almost there."
The Tohno mansion looked better than ever. Akiha really had done a marvelous job running all aspects of being an heiress to such an important position. Even in the night, the mansion glowed with its own type of air, a crimson-like air that made it stand out both warmly and yet dangerously at the same time. The gates looked just as impressive as well, still standing as firm and supreme as ever. It seemed the entire character of the property was well-developed, as if it could become alive and ready at any moment.
The two reached these gates with a familiar air.
"Arcueid, I have a key. Hisui gave it to me a long time ago. You don't have to knock anything over."
The white woman smiled. The key fit, and the gate swung open in utter helplessness.
Knock. Knock.
It was as if the whole night was encroaching on the scene, waiting for the answer and to be satisfied.
It was slowly that the door was opened. Unlike what was expected, that is, having one of the maids answer, it was Akiha. She had felt a stronger heartbeat for the last few days. She had hoped this call was what she had been hoping for. And it was.
"N..." But she was caught absolutely off guard. It both was and was not what she had been wanted, expecting, hoping for all this time.
"Nii-San..."
"Akiha." Shiki's face beamed. "Where are you?"
And then Akiha ran straight into her brother's chest, hugging tightly.
"It's been so long."
"It's felt like so long. Not quite eight years, but if I were to compare the two, this time, it's felt longer."
"Indeed." Akiha smiled warmly. "And yet, something has changed. When you came back the first time, you were wearing glasses. Now, you have bandages, Nii-San." She touched carefully where his eyes would be.
"Yes, I know, Akiha. My eyes are still here, I promise. It's just... well, my glasses weren't working anymore. The whole thing is complicated."
"I understand." Slowly, the mistress of the house turned her head to the other party that had arrived. "And thank you. For taking care of my Nii-San all this time."
"Thank you, little sister. Shiki's been on so many adventures with me, it really has seemed like a longer time than it has been. Or rather, I've been on so many adventures with Shiki." Arcueid nestled into Shiki's shoulder fondly. "He does all the work."
"You keep forgetting, Arcueid, my name isn't that anymore."
"Wha- what do you mean, Nii-San?"
"I'm sorry, Akiha. Other people gave me this name. I'm called DEATH now."
"Tea, Shiki-San." Kohaku placed the last cup of tea just for him, then returned to her place behind Akiha. She was standing, just like Hisui, as a dutiful maid would: excited for the return of a loved one, yet dignified and orderly all the same. Even so, Shiki knew Kohaku's smile was in full effect. He admired that about her.
"Thank you, Kohaku-San." He sipped the tea. Oh, did he miss this taste. Sad it was not to last. "...As I was saying, I've spent the last year travelling with Arcueid. I've been to Germany, among other places, and a couple of big castles... anyways, what I've been doing is helping Arcueid eliminate other vampires. It's a much longer story than that, really, but I don't think you want to know the details. I've seen much, despite these bandages. I can only really take them off when I get ready to kill something. You remember those big headaches I would get sometimes? ...Well, they've gotten a lot worse. That's why I have these cloths now.
"And they fear me, too. They all fear me. Whoever it is I need to kill, they might as well give up and let themselves be killed. They've got no shot anyways. It's funny, when you think about it. Sensei told me that if I was careful I'd grow up to be a good person. ...I wonder if I haven't completely disregarded that."
There was a looming silence in the room for quite a while. Akiha had her eyes closed. Arcueid had her head held high, but was wise enough to not say anything.
"So, this is what you have become now, Nii-San." With an unplaceable mood, Akiha broke the tension.
"Yes. I suppose so. And I don't think there's any turning back. I hope neither of us meet with your disapproval."
Akiha turned away slightly with a humph. "I think it is not my place to judge your actions. I am simply glad to see you are well."
"And what about you, Akiha? How many interesting things have happened around here since I left?"
Sipping the exquisite tea, Akiha mildly sighed. "Not very much in the way of visitors. There was a purple-haired girl that came about a month ago asking for you, but of course you weren't here, and I didn't know where you two were, so I had to send her on her way. Mostly, I've been taking care of all the family affairs myself, Nii-San. It's actually going quite well. Everyone's cooperating for the most part, and they've recognized me as having the capabilities to be the overseer of the Tohno estate, just like father. Well, of course, father had other issues that I have managed to avoid... (cough) But yes, Nii-San. I am very well. Seeing you safe has made me truly feel at peace once again."
She smiled for her brother.
He gave a small smile back.
"You two are not staying, are you?"
"No. I'm sorry, Akiha."
"Will you ever be coming back?"
"...I don't think so."
The three of them got up, and Akiha instantly rushed to her precious brother, her eyes pouring over with her emotions. "But Nii-San! Just when I have you back, and you can live here again, you go away with this... this woman!"
"Hey!" Arcueid furrowed her brows.
"And you go off and kill people in faraway lands, and get yourself in all kinds of trouble, when you could just stay here! Why, why, why Nii-San!" She beat against his chest, bawling like a little girl.
Thump. Thump. Sob.
"Akiha."
She looked up into his bandages.
"I love Arcueid. You know that. I don't know how to make you understand, but... I just have to do this. It's the route I chose to let my life live through. I can never go back."
Another few moments passed, and Akiha dried her tears and sighed more heavily than before. "I do understand, Nii-San. I know that this is what it is. It's just..."
"Yes?"
"I love you too."
Shiki smiled. "I know, Akiha."
"No, you don't know."
"Shiki-Sama, will you never come back?"
Hisui, Kohaku, Shiki and Arcueid were standing just outside the front gates of the mansion in what was now the first hour of dawn.
"I don't know for sure, Hisui, but if I do, will you have my bed made for me?"
Hisui blushed deeply. "Yes. Shiki-Sama. Of course, Shiki-Sama."
"Thank you." Lastly, he who had seen everything there was to see turned to Kohaku, the always cheerful girl.
"Goodbye, Shiki-San, we will all miss you just as much as you think we will."
"Kohaku. I have a present for you."
"Eh?"
"Arcueid. My bandages."
Arcueid nodded, then slowly and caringly began undoing the dressings on her lover's head. Both maids gasped a little.
"I've been waiting to give this to you for a long time."
Underneath the bandages was white ribbon. A very familiar, little white ribbon. Kohaku's smile vanished. Her eyes grew wide. Tears started to form.
"Shiki-San remembered..."
"Yes, Kohaku-San. It's just for you."
He took the ribbon off, and when he did, both Fujou girls stepped back in shock. For under this final covering, DEATH's eyes glowed a bright blue, with only a hint of his former grey eye color around the edges of his irises.
"S-hiki-Sa-ma..."
"Ah. You're both so full of death." He gently placed the ribbon in Kohaku's hand. "It's a shame Akiha didn't want to see my eyes. She'll regret it for the rest of her life."
And with that, Arcueid scooped him up in her arms, and they kissed as she leapt high into the sky, off to wherever fate would lead them.
Ciel, watching from a dim streetlamp, turned away and dryly commented, "Stupid Shiki-Kun. I shouldn't have reminded myself of him again."
THE END.