Disclaimer: I do not own Owari no Seraph (Seraph of the End). I write this for your enjoyment only. This fic is based on the aftermath of the Nagoya Airport Battle and takes place during the 3-4 month gap before the Osaka Arc.

Offerings and Apologies

"Will this be enough for everyone, Shinoa?" Mika inquired, placing a freshly killed deer from his hunting trip earlier that day onto the kitchen counter with a satisfying thud.

Shinoa whistled softly as she approached the carcass, her eyes widening in surprise. The deer was impressively large, enough to feed her entire squad for at least a week.

"This is more than enough, Mika! Thank you so much. I had no idea you could hunt," she exclaimed, a smile breaking across her face.

Mika shrugged modestly. "I had some help from Yoichi. He was the one who actually made the kill—I just used my senses to track it down for him. How about I take care of skinning and gutting it, while you handle the vegetables?"

Shinoa nodded appreciatively, suppressing a sigh of relief at Mika's offer to tackle the less-than-pleasant task. She turned back to the cutting board, where a mountain of vegetables awaited her attention. Though she knew Mika, as a vampire, didn't need to eat like the rest of them, she felt grateful for his willingness to assist with dinner preparations.

At the moment, the kitchen was tranquil, just the two of them working side by side. Mitsuba was busy doing laundry, while the rest of the squad was out hunting monsters, fulfilling their promise to the villagers in exchange for shelter and food. Yuu, on the other hand, was still unconscious, prompting Mika to return early to check on him. But before doing so, he was determined to lend a hand in the kitchen.

With practiced efficiency, Mika skinned, gutted, and chopped the deer into sizeable chunks, carefully refrigerating the larger pieces while leaving enough smaller cuts for Shinoa to use for cooking. Once he had finished the messy work, he quickly washed his hands and left the kitchen to check on Yuu.

As he expected, Yuu remained in a comatose state, but his breathing had become stronger and more even. This indicated that he was making significant progress in his recovery and should awaken soon. It was fortunate that Yuu's seraph powers had healed the injury inflicted by Guren during their chaotic escape from Nagoya, as treating him while on the run would have been perilous. Taking him to a hospital was out of the question; it would have risked capture for all of them, especially Yuu.

Satisfied that his brother was stable, Mika returned to the kitchen to help Shinoa finish preparing dinner. As he approached, he paused in the doorway, taking in the sight of the purple-haired girl. With her back to him, she stood focused on the stove, humming a soft tune. He watched her, captivated by how her cooking skills had improved over the past few weeks.

In that moment, a wave of nostalgia washed over him. Shinoa reminded him of his late sister, Akane, from the Hyakuya orphanage. He recalled standing quietly in the kitchen doorway, watching Akane as she cooked dinner for him and their siblings after returning home from Ferid's mansion for the night and bringing her the ingredients she needed.

A frown creased Mikaela's lips at the bittersweet memory. If Akane were still alive, she would be around the same age as Shinoa now. The thought of her absence served as a painful reminder of the past—how he had led the other Hyakuya children into a trap that had claimed their lives and stripped him and Yuu of their humanity. It was a mistake he would forever regret and vowed never to repeat, especially not with Yuichiro.

"Mika, are you hungry yet?" Shinoa's voice broke through his reverie. "I'm almost finished. Could you please help me set the table?"

"Of course!" he replied, shaking off his thoughts. "How did you know I was here?"

Without looking back, Shinoa grinned. "I heard you come in. You might be light-footed, but my hearing is quite sharp, Mika."

Amused by her response, Mika chuckled to himself. Light-footed? At one hundred forty pounds, he didn't see himself as particularly nimble, but he chose not to argue.

"Got it," he said with a nod. "Where can I find the dishes and utensils?"

"Check inside the cupboard in the dining room," she instructed.

Once the dinner table was set, Shinoa and Mika wasted no time arranging the food. Although it was still a bit early and the others had yet to return, Shinoa had reminded everyone to be back by six to avoid the food getting cold. Mika couldn't help but wonder if it was mere coincidence that she chose to make curry for dinner. The last time he had enjoyed it was the night he, Yuu, and the other Hyakuya children attempted to escape Sanguinem. Little did they know it would be their last meal together.

After everything was prepared, Shinoa spoke again. "Mika, I know you don't really need to eat, but would you like to join us for dinner? Yuu told me that curry is one of your favorite foods."

Mika's expression darkened as he glanced at the seven bowls of curry on the table, one of which had been specifically prepared for him. He turned to Shinoa and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, but I can't eat that anymore; I would only throw it up if I tried."

A brief flicker of hurt crossed Shinoa's face before she cast her eyes downward.

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry; I didn't think…"

Immediately, guilt twisted in Mika's stomach at the realization that she might have misunderstood his words, interpreting them as a slight against her cooking. As Shinoa began to turn away, he gently grasped her hand, prompting her to look back at him with surprise.

"Shinoa, I'm really sorry. I didn't mean it like that," he said, trying to smile reassuringly.

Mika was aware that he had often been difficult with Yuu's other friends in the past, but they had shown him remarkable patience for the sake of his brother. Shinoa had even gone so far as to make an enemy of the entire Japanese Imperial Demon Army, including her own blood relatives in the Hiragi clan, for the sake of him, Yuu, and the rest of her squad. The least he could do was extend her some courtesy.

"What I meant was that I literally can't eat anything the way you do anymore because I no longer have a human digestive system. The only thing I can consume now is blood. However, I truly appreciate your offer, and if I ever regain my humanity, the first thing I would do is enjoy a big bowl of your curry."

Shinoa's face brightened, and she placed her hand over his. "It's okay, Mika. I understand. I've studied vampires for years, but I guess I still have much to learn. I've always known they didn't need to eat, but I didn't realize they couldn't, even if they wanted to. I'll take this as a learning experience, so there's no need for you to apologize."

Mika shook his head, a determined expression on his face. "No, I do. It's not just about the food; I also need to apologize for my rudeness toward you in the past. I realize now that you were trying to help both me and Yuu-chan. What puzzles me is why you would be willing to forsake your allegiance to the Demon Army and even turn your back on your own family to stick your neck out for us when there's seemingly nothing in it for you."

Though Mika was feigning ignorance, deep down, he already had a strong suspicion about her motivations. He wanted to hear it articulated, to hear the truth straight from Shinoa's lips.

Shinoa felt her cheeks flush as she lowered her gaze, avoiding the intensity of the blond vampire's questioning eyes. "I had to. There was no other choice for me," she replied quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"And why is that?" Mika pressed gently, wanting her to elaborate.

She hesitated for a moment, gathering her courage before finally locking eyes with him. "Because Yuichiro is very dear to me," she admitted, her voice stronger now, filled with an undeniable sincerity.

At that moment, a wave of relief washed over Mika. He was reassured that Shinoa's feelings for Yuu were genuine and not merely a ploy to exploit his seraph powers, as others in her clan—and even the vampire progenitors—might have intended.

"I'm really glad to hear that, Shinoa," he confessed, his tone softening.

"You are?" she asked, taken aback, a mix of surprise and confusion dancing across her features.

"Yes," Mika said, his voice warm and sincere as he gently lifted her hand to his lips, a gesture of gratitude. "I'm grateful to know that there's at least one person I can trust to look after my brother's well-being."

Shinoa blushed slightly and withdrew her hand from his grasp, but not before she cupped Mika's face in both of her hands.

"Mikaela, you can trust all of us. We care for Yuichiro as much as anyone else he holds dear. We would never betray him… or you. If you believe nothing else I say, please believe that."

"I do… Yuu-chan is the closest thing I've ever had to a brother of my own. Did he ever tell you about the time we tried to escape our captivity by the vampires in Sanguinem when we were kids?" Mika asked, his eyes reflecting a mix of nostalgia and pain.

Shinoa nodded, releasing his face as she recalled the fragments of their shared history. "He mentioned it, though he didn't go into much detail, only that it was a disaster. I always assumed it wasn't something he was comfortable discussing, so I never pressed him—out of respect for his grief and desire for privacy. I can imagine it must have been tied to his feelings of survivor's guilt, especially since he thought he was the only one who made it out alive."

Mika's expression darkened. "There's no reason for Yuu-chan to feel guilty about any of it. The escape was my idea. I was the one who stole the gun and map from Ferid Bathory's mansion and convinced everyone we should try to escape together. I knew Yuu-chan had his doubts, but he still went along with my plan—he trusted me, and I let him down. I also got our other brothers and sisters killed in the process, and I will carry that guilt for the rest of my life. I was young and reckless, and I made a terrible mistake. I just don't want Yuu-chan to suffer for my choices any more than he already has. Do you understand, Shinoa?"

Shinoa listened intently, her heart aching for Mika as she slowly processed his words.

"Yes… I do. But we all make mistakes, Mikaela. It's a part of life, a part of being human."

"Some mistakes can never be fixed," he replied, his voice heavy with regret.

"I can't argue with that," she conceded gently. "Even so, you must at least try to move on. I'm sure your brothers and sisters would want you to live your life and find happiness."

"I don't deserve it… but thank you," he said, his voice laden with sorrow.

Shinoa wanted to argue, to convince him that he was worthy of happiness, but she knew it would be futile at this moment. She hoped that one day Mika would find a way to let go of that burden of survivor's guilt and self-loathing. For now, however, it seemed best to shift the conversation to a lighter topic.

"Thank you for believing in me, Mikaela. It means a great deal to me. Now, let's go get the others before the food goes cold, shall we?"

Before Mika could reply, they were both startled to see Yuu himself, now fully awake, wandering into the dining room in his pajamas, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Yuu-chan, you're finally awake!" Mika exclaimed, rushing over to his brother and enveloping him in a fierce hug.

"Mika? Shinoa? Where am I? What happened? How did I end up here?" Yuu asked weakly, confusion etched across his face.

"First things first," Shinoa said, stepping forward with a reassuring smile. "We're about to have dinner. Please get changed, and I'll explain everything."

"Changed?" Yuu looked down, realizing for the first time that he was no longer in his black Demon Army uniform. "Oh, well, I would if I had anything else to wear."

"Don't worry about that! I've brought some new clothes for you," Shinoa assured him, glancing at Mika. "Mika, I left the clothes in the closet of Yuu's new room. Can you help him get dressed before the others arrive?"

Upon hearing her words, Yuu's face turned crimson as he quickly wriggled free from Mika's embrace.

"Uh, no thank you! I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself. Now, if you'll excuse me!"

Before either Mika or Shinoa could respond, Yuu dashed out of the dining room, eager to change. As the door swung shut behind him, Shinoa couldn't help but smile. Now that he was finally awake, things were beginning to take a turn for the better, and somehow, she sensed that Mikaela felt the same.

A/N: Whew, chapter two done! This one came out faster than I thought; I hope I've kept both Mika and Shinoa IC. Please let me know what you think!