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He was laying on something soft. Someone's lap, perhaps? Was someone stroking his hair? His eyes were heavy with sleep, but Yuuichirou managed to blink himself awake slowly. His vision focused on a pair of red eyes above him. Mikaela was hovering over the boy, cradling Yuu against him like a child.
"M-Mika?" Yuu croaked, "What," he gave a wet cough, "w-what happened?"
Mikaela smiled fondly at Yuu and shook his head, "Shh, Yuu-chan." He continued carding his fingers through Yuu's unruly locks, smiling as he held back tears. "You're safe."
The smaller male struggled to sit up, but was forcefully held down by the vampire. "Mika, the others—" he coughed again, hand flying to his throat and scratching at it with a grimace. "Why am I so thirsty?"
Mika stifled a sob and caressed Yuu's soft cheek, fingertips lightly ghosting over Yuu's pallid skin. "I'm so sorry, Yuu-chan. I had to do it."
Had to do what?
Yuu tried swallowing down his saliva. But somehow that just made him thirstier, and when the ache slowly built inside him, Yuu looked up at Mika in panic, only to find worried but knowing eyes staring back at him.
He couldn’t remember how he got here, laying on Mika’s lap, but the stab of pain lingering in his chest reminded him of the battle and that he had been stabbed through the heart.
How was he alive?
Slowly, a horrifying thought came to Yuu and without thinking, he began shaking his head. “Y-You didn’t… I can’t be…”
The tears Mika had been holding back slowly slid down his cheeks, even as he tried giving Yuu a reassuring smile. “I’m sorry, Yuu-chan, but everything’s going to be okay now. I promise.”
Yuu tried moving but his limbs felt heavy and his throat felt so dry that it felt like he was swallowing sand paper. Hands frantically raised to his mouth and when he felt sharp fangs protruding from his gums, Yuu blanched and kept mumbling to himself “No… no…”
He kept denying it because he had become the one thing that he vowed to eradicate from the face of the earth, a vampire.
Mika grabbed Yuu's wrists and forced them to his sides. "Yuu-chan," he tried to calm him down, but Yuu struggled in his grasp. "Yuu-chan, please. It was the only way to save you-"
"No!" Yuu shrieked and wrestled himself from Mika's strong hold, scurrying as far away from him as he could. Leaning against a wall, he gulped down large quantities of air and tried to steady his breathing, but the burn in his throat was just too much. His eyes watered, and he gasped and coughed. Gloved hands made their way to his collar, and he tore at it to claw at the skin on his neck.
Mika's red eyes widened and he reached out. "Yuu-chan, you'll hurt yourself!"
Yuu screamed and held his hands in front of him in a defensive pose. "S-stay away from me!" His body slumped down to the floor when his exhausted legs gave out underneath him. He held his head in his hands and gripped his hair like a madman.
"Mika, how could you do this to me?"
Mika slowly crawled towards the hysterical boy and gathered him in his arms. Yuu sobbed, pounding weakly on Mika's chest as Mika rubbed his back and rocked him back and forth soothingly. "I'm so sorry, Yuu-chan," the blond vampire cried with him, "I couldn't lose you again."
"But this fate, Mika," Yuu's bloodshot green eyes searched Mika's for an answer, "how could you damn me to this fate? I'm so thirsty..."
Mika pushed Yuu's sweaty bangs back from his face in a comforting gesture. "We can do this together, Yuu-chan." He removed his blood-stained cape and unbuttoned his shirt, revealing his slender neck. "Drink. It will soothe the burn."
Yuu shook his head frantically. "I can't, Mika. I won't—“
“Drink.” Mika demanded, cutting off Yuu’s protests.
Yuu stared helplessly into Mika’s eyes, trying to tell him without words that he couldn’t do it, that he couldn’t force him to do something like this. He didn’t want to drink blood! H-He was… he wasn’t a…
One look down at Mika’s neck and Yuu gulped dryly, one hand raising to his throat like he could alleviate the pain, but all it did was make him more aware of how thirsty he was. And as if his senses were conspiring against him, they seemed to block out everything else except for the sound of Mika’s heartbeat and the scent of his blood, the rich aroma nearly engulfing Yuu’s mind.
Without Mika’s prompting, Yuu subconsciously moved closer, drawn to the point under Mika’s jawline where it pulsed and called out for him. He was so close, his shallow breath was fanning over the pale skin, teeth tingling behind his lips— until Yuu realized with a gasp what he was doing and backed away immediately.
Although he didn’t go far, as Mika had already placed a hand on the back of his head, using his strength to keep the struggling male close to his neck.
“Mika, no! P-Please…” Yuu was close to sobbing. He knew his self-control wouldn’t last if he stayed in this position, so close to the blood thrumming within Mika’s veins. “I can’t, Mika…I don’t want to— I don’t want to be a—“ His breath hitched and more tears slipped down Yuu’s cheeks.
“Yuu-chan…come on. I’ll be here with you, I won’t leave. So please… drink, Yuu-chan.” Mika whispered to the boy sitting on his lap, caressing his raven hair until he felt Yuu relax against him.
With a sigh of relief, Mika felt those trembling lips touch the surface of his neck— and for a moment, Mika was reminded of when he had first bitten into Yuu, how he too had refused to drink from him until Yuu’d managed to convince him. Well, it was his turn to save Yuu-chan now; he’s not going to let his only family suffer again.
Without any more hesitation, Yuu’s fangs buried deep into Mika’s neck, a muffled groan sounding from him as streams of blood flooded inside his mouth and down his burning throat, finally relieving the thirst aching inside him. He gulped greedily, subconsciously pulling himself closer to Mika while the other did the same, cradling his head gently and even winding an arm around Yuu’s waist so as to keep him steady on his lap.
The blond vampire smiled and sighed when Yuu’s fangs sank into his neck, thanking whatever gods existed that his family was alive and safe. He stroked one hand up and down Yuu’s side while the other massaged his neck, and Yuu pressed himself tighter against Mika’s chest.
“It’s okay, Yuu-chan,” Mika breathed out and tried to ignore the wet tears dripping down his neck from Yuu’s beautiful viridian eyes. “I’ve got you.”
Yuu moaned and gulped down the blood gushing from the wound in thick spurts, completely oblivious to the fact that he was draining Mika’s life force. His bloodlust clouded over his mind, and the only thing he could focus on was obtaining sustenance.
Mika felt his head spinning, and black spots danced in his vision. “Y-Yuu-chan,” he pulled weakly on Yuu’s uniform, “…y-you need to stop—“ darkness was drawing him in.
Yuu broke away with a gasp and stared at Mika’s mangled neck. “Mika!” Yuu cried out, “Mika!” The newborn vampire propped Mika against the wall and pat his cheeks, rousing him from his near unconsciousness.
“It’s okay, Yuu-chan,” Mika whispered, his breath coming in shallow gasps, “I’ll heal.”
Tears continued to flow down Yuu’s pale face in rivulets, mingling with the blood dripping down from his mouth and chin, painting his skin in light pink streaks.
“Don’t cry, Yuu-chan.” Mika raised a shaky hand and wiped the blood from Yuu’s lips with his thumb. “Shh.”
Yuu choked and leaned back down to tentatively lick at the small pinpricks dotting his family’s skin, noting with satisfaction that they were starting to heal over.
“I’m s-sorry, Mika…” he trailed off with uncertainty.
"It's alright, Yuu-chan… I told you. I'll be fine in a while..." And the vampire wasn't lying, as he felt his strength slowly coming back to him, knitting the tissues back together and making the skin as smooth as ever, no marks or scars left behind. Mika sighed tiredly and sat up a little straighter, hands still holding Yuu close to him.
It was comforting, the way Mika drew circles on Yuu’s back, and then ran his hand down his sides. Despite being the one in pain, Mika was comforting Yuu instead and it made something ache inside Yuu. But he willed himself not to think about it, too concerned over Mika and his self-hatred.
Yuu wiped away a few more stray tears with the back of his hand as he shakily asked Mika, “A-Are you okay now? Can you stand?”
“Yeah, I think I can…” But just as Yuu began to stand, Mika tightened his grip around his abdomen and buried his head in the junction of the smaller male’s shoulder, keeping him seated on his lap. Soft hair tickled Yuu’s cheek and he instinctively wrapped his own arms around Mika, not understanding what the blond wanted.
“Yuu-chan… I just want you to know that I had no other choice.” Mika began, voice as delicate as glass, even as his strong arms brought Yuu impossibly closer to him. “You were dying… in my arms and I didn’t know what else to do. You wouldn’t have survived a stab to the heart, even with your demon.”
It was then that Yuu started recalling bits and pieces of the battle, him taking a blow for someone else and falling against Mika, the vampire shouting his name over and over again.
“I couldn’t lose you, Yuu-chan. Not again… I don’t want t-that.” Mika lifted his face then, red eyes glowing with unshed tears, but also with a fierce determination that shocked Yuu. His face was cupped gently by slender hands as Mika continued speaking, “And from now on, I’m going to take full responsibility of you. I’ll be there for you every step of the way. Nothing can stop us now. That’s why—“
Somehow, Yuu knew what the other wanted to say before he heard it. “—let’s run away together, Yuu-chan.”
Yuu held his breath and stared at Mika in shock. Run away together?
“And go where, Mika?” Yuu muttered incredulously. “Where are we supposed to go during a time like this?”
Mika pulled back and furrowed his brows, unsure of how to continue. “Yuu-chan…” he trailed off.
“What about my family, Mika?” Yuu pleaded with his sire. “What about Shinoa and Guren and the others—“
Mika’s grip tightened around Yuu’s waist. “They are nothing,” he growled menacingly, his red eyes glowing fiercely, “they have done nothing but hurt you and abuse you. They’ve betrayed your trust and they used you for their own gain.”
Yuu pulled himself from Mika and sat back on his haunches, still too shocked to believe what the other vampire was saying. “Mika, you know that—….you know that isn’t true! They’re my comrades!”
Mika snorted, “Some comrades, Yuu-chan. Leaving you to die. Not caring about you.”
Yuu felt his head spinning. No… they wouldn’t do that… he was sure they were looking for him, right? They’re his family, they had to be worried about him. They had to—
“Mika,” Yuu bit back a sob and held his chest, feeling his heart break at the thought of his new family abandoning him. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t lose his family. “Mika, please. My family….”
Mika groaned in annoyance and looked away from the shining green eyes. Yuu’s eyes were swimming with emotions. Guilt. Confusion. Pain. And it was Mika’s fault. Mika did this to him.
The blond gathered his newly born vampire back into his arms, rocking him back and forth and making hushing sounds. Mika felt the guilt smother him as he comforted the panicking boy. He needed to fix this, and he needed to fix it fast, lest Yuu go off on his own, trying to be a righteous hero. And as his sire and his best friend, Mika wouldn’t allow that. But Yuu (being as stubborn as he was) would probably run off without Mika’s blessing. And right now, Yuu was a newborn, and he needed the support of his sire. His family.
“Shh, Yuu-chan. We… we will figure something out.”
Yuu mumbled something incoherently into Mika’s chest. Mika glanced down at him and giggled at the cute little pout adorning Yuu’s soft lips.
“What was that, Yuu-chan?” he asked playfully.
Yuu glared softly, avoiding eye contact with Mika as he fiddled with the hem of the taller male’s uniform top. “I said: can they come with us?”
Well, that was unexpected.
Mika scrunched his eyebrows together, his playful attitude gone as the thought of Yuu still wanting to save his family annoyed him… even when they’re—
“Yuu-chan… you can’t.”
“But why not, Mika?! I know you don’t like them, but please… for me, Mika! T-They’re my family…” Yuu tried as best as he could to plead with the older vampire. He couldn’t run away without knowing how the others were, if they were alright and survived the—
No, Yuu!
Yuu gasped, shaking his head as an image of buildings falling and someone screaming his name filtered through his mind. What was that?
Mika sighed, a sound so full of burden like all the weight of the earth had landed on his shoulders, “Yuu-chan, you really don’t remember?”
Yuu looked up, his lip trembling as he saw something in Mika’s eyes he didn’t want to see: fear.
Yuu-san, p-please. Don’t die here. Run! Yuu-kun, run! DON’T JUST STAND THERE IDIOT, GO!
“Remember what? Mika… what aren’t you telling me?” Yuu was starting to shake, more memories of the battle where he got stabbed slowly coming back to him in little images and voices of his friends telling him to escape, but why… What happened to them? Didn’t they escape too? Yuu needed to know and the only person he could ask that was Mika.
But when the blond vampire continued to stay silent, Yuu grasped his shoulders and shook him, his voice slowly rising in pitch. “Mika, why are you being quiet? Ne, what happened to my family?”
Mika gritted his teeth and snatched Yuu’s hands away from his shoulders, holding them together by his chest and fixing him with such an intense stare that Yuu couldn’t bring himself to look away. “Yuu-chan… I-I’m sorry--”
“No.”
No! Shinoa! Mitsuba, don’t go after them!
“—I couldn’t save them. Not when you just got stabbed yourself. They were already massacred by the vampires before I—”
I can’t find Kimizuki!? W-Where is he?
“No… NO! Mika, this can’t be.... We were just… just...” Yuu could see it. In his mind’s eye, he could see him and the rest of the squad rushing headfirst into the battle, their demon weapons ready, hope soaring in their hearts that they could win this and make it out all alive.
Then the vampires came, outnumbering them three to one and it was absolute chaos. Yuu couldn’t remember much after that, like his mind seemed to have blocked a memory there, trying to keep him away from it. Deep inside, Yuu knew exactly what that lost memory was.
But even so, his heart protested with all his being, more tears springing from his eyes as the thudding in his chest grew louder and louder.
“Mika, this isn’t a sick joke! Mika!” Yuu was near shaking the blond, screaming at him to tell him something he knew couldn’t be true. And yet, even as Mika tried to reassure him, holding him close to comfort him, Yuu couldn’t take it. This burning, fiery pit inside him couldn’t be quenched and Yuu wanted to be anywhere but here right now. It’s almost like he was being suffocated by his own self-hatred.
Without thinking, Yuu used his newfound strength to pull away from Mika and bolted out of the door in seconds. Yuu ran, ran, and ran, until he could hardly see what was in front of him because his vision was blurred by tears and his legs were quivering so much that he collapsed on a random spot somewhere in the streets.
With Yuu’s heightened senses, the sound of his heartbeat pounded louder through his ears, but he could still detect the thudding of Mika’s own quick footsteps rushing as fast as possible towards him.
Mika found the newborn kneeling on the streets with his shoulders slouched like he was admitting defeat. Thinking Yuu needed a shoulder to cry on now, Mika made his way towards him. The black haired boy looked up in agony.
“Who killed them, Mika?”
“Yuu-chan…”
“WHO?!” Yuu whirled around with his teeth bared and eyes shining with angry unshed tears. He was mourning, and at the same time furious with himself that he hadn’t been able to save his family again.
“You know who, Yuu-chan,” Mika whispered, “the same one who took everything from us almost five years ago.”
Yuu clenched his fists tightly to his sides and stood stagnant, shaking with anger. “I’ll kill him,” he bit out menacingly, “I’m going to kill him.”
“Yuu-chan, there’s no way,” Mika pressed. “You’re not strong enough—”
“But I can be.”
Mika stilled. He didn’t mean...?
“M-My family, Mika… they’re gone… I killed them. I left them behind, like before.” He glared at the sky, green eyes glowing. Mikaela knew those emerald orbs wouldn’t be that way much longer.
“And the only way to do that is to become a full vampire.”
Mika sucked in his breath, “Yuu-chan, this isn’t a game. You’ll be abandoning your humanity completely.”
“Like you?”
The blond narrowed his eyes and started forward. “How dare—”
“I’ve already lost my family, Mika,” Yuu’s voice was soft and melancholy. “You’re all I have left. And if I have to give up my humanity for you, then so be it.”
Yuu gazed into Mika’s crimson eyes, both holding unshed tears.
“Please don’t leave me too, Mika.”
Mika grit his teeth, grasping Yuu’s face between his palms as he told him almost harshly, “I will never ever leave you behind, Yuu-chan. Not again.” His eyes softened at the look of anguish on Yuu’s face and he leaned forward to kiss him on the forehead, then on the cheek, wiping his silent tears away with his thumbs. “We’re in this together.”
“Promise?”
“Always.”