After her funeral, all of Mikoto's ashes were buried in the Hoshido's family grave along side with her husband and previous ancestors. Only a scarce amount of family from her side came during the funeral while many of the Hoshidoes came. The odd imbalance between who belonged to which family caused a rift that unsettled Takumi. However the sight that even outsiders came for Mikoto let him be glad that there are others missing her. Now that the service has been over two days ago Takumi has to travel for another one.

Takumi had spoken with Ryoma about this and convinced him to let him take a day off from school. With that said, Takumi exits the train with his bag in hand. He is dress in a black suit that his friend, Oboro finished for him. The Sage had created the suit for Takumi as a congratulatory gift but was unable to finish nor make adjustments to fit the growing boy. Takumi still doesn't know when the Sage made it but he did. The thought of the man working on this warms Takumi's heart so much that the somber weather doesn't bother him. Though he is glad it isn't raining or it would've made his plans turn sour.

In the letter that the Sage gave Takumi, he states that he wanted his ashes to fly. It doesn't specific where so Takumi thought of the closest thing to flying. There he hikes up and onto a cliff, bypassing the fence and towards the edge, checking ever so often that the ledge is stable. There's no one around except for him and he apologizes to the decorated urn like he is speaking to the Sage himself, "Sorry, it's only me for your funeral. Though I know you'll understand, we are in a different country, far from there."

The wind only replies to him as the crashing sounds of the waves repeat like white noise. He see no birds flying around, probably migrated for warmer temperatures. But that's fine, he can do what he planned.

"It's windy enough to scatter your ashes, but I would've waited if you weren't so damn picky about the date," Takumi sighs and grabs his phone and connects it with a speaker. He goes through phone to find a recording. After a few moments a sound of singing begins and blends in with the waves. Takumi begins scooping the ashes and letting it fly away.

"They couldn't come so they wanted me to fill in their presence with their voice," Takumi says and scoops out more ashes. He can see the grey powder leave his hand as it swirls into the air and beyond. Then he mumbles to no one in particular, "Just had to be picky that this will be done all at once."

After Takumi had finally scattered all the ashes he burned the urn and box made out of wood and left for those ashes to leave on its own. The sun in the sky is setting as Takumi rides the train home. The train car empty and old but that fact give him a peace of mind.

***

"You let them die," the voice whispers into Takumi's ear. Who it belonged to is unknown as it sounded to come from many. The voices whispers again, "You failed, and they paid the price."

Takumi covers his ears and bends down, all alone in that darkness. He shakes his head but doesn't refuse it. The shadows swallows him as they show him eigengrau. A hazy figure that looks like a woman lifts his chin up and forces his hands away from his ear. She ushers, "Look, look at your crime."

Her voice is velvety as she breathes by his ear. She continues as if comforting him, "You fail as a Hunter."

"You let your emotions betray you!" Another voice screeches.

Takumi tries to cover his ears once more but to no avail. She whispers again, piecing his mind, "Don't you hear them? What do they sound like?"

He keeps his eyes shut and wails, "I don't want to hear!"

"Take responsibility," a different voice reaches his ear. The kind, warm voice he wants to hear is dead and harsh, yet it beckons him all the same. He opens his eyes and regrets it.

Mikoto is wearing that same white kimono from her funeral. Her face is refresh and looks completely undisturbed. She smiles at Takumi as she shines with an odd light surrounding her. Takumi takes a step back in refusal and slips, falling off the cliff he didn't realize he was on. As he is falling he can hear the screams from above. Mikoto comes into view as she extends her hand towards him but is pulled away from Iago. He can hear her crying out, "Help me Fujin!"

A roar follows after.

The screams become muffle when he clashes against the wave. Red filling his sight as he sinks deeper in the darkness. Then he can hear the voices again, "You couldn't save her. You lied. You failed. You're a disgrace and you will always be. Accept it, you are weak."

This time he realize he is standing in the unlit hallway of Ryoma's apartment. He looks around in confusion but it clears when he hears laughter. He doesn't move but this dream makes him inch forward to the open door. When he tries to touch the light of the room he pulls back into pain. It was like it is telling him he doesn't belong there. He is not allow to laugh, to smile, or feel any sense of happiness, he is just suppose to stay in the darkness. A killer doesn't belong in the light.

"I am so glad. We didn't lose anyone," someone spoke amidst the laughter, "Mikoto didn't die!"

Takumi realize that it's Hinoka who spoke, he could see who is in the room because the door blocked his view but he assumes everyone is there. Ryoma is the next to speak, "But we did lose a family member."

Everyone seems to gasps at this and Sakura? exclaims with vitality, "Big brother! He was never part of our family, if anything he was a freeloader."

Ryoma seems to laugh and replies, "I'm not talking about that impostor. I was just remembering when Takumi died six years ago. But having that impostor does do us good."

Takumi grabs his shirt, hurt at his words and finds that he is wearing an unfamiliar collar with an unfamiliar rusty chain connected to it. He isn't allowed to reason why he is wearing this because something jerks his shackles forward. Causing him to be drag further into the dark hallway, passing the stinging light of the room. Takumi looks to see who is pulling him close and finds that it's a dark figure with white hair.

Takumi wanted to say something but his voice refuses to. His handler smirks while her hungry red eyes stare down on him. Kamui scolds him, "You're out of your room again. Were you that deprived?"

She tugs the chains harder, closer, stronger. Kamui doesn't raise a hand but instead pulls him into an embrace. The contact of skin feels poisoning to Takumi and he struggles to get out. However when he sees his arms they are small like a child but scarred like a veteran's. He can feel Kamui run her hand over his back and she whispers, "It's alright. You'll satisfy everyone so just enjoy."

Takumi can see red eyes light up behind her. The dark hallway seemed to expand into a room and countless pairs of glowing scarlet eyes surrounds him. Then suddenly he can feel pain erupt from his body as countless fangs sink into his flesh. It hurt so badly yet the voices keep him from fainting. It hurts. It hurts too much! Takumi tried to let out a scream but his mouth refuses to open. He claws at his throat to make it work.

The shadows are playing with him as they scratch and abuse him more than needed and he accepts it. He takes all of it without a word, because he is tainted. There is no hope, no light, no one who'll stand with him, there is none he can have except his crimes.

Just like before a voice overtakes all of the others. However it's soft and different, muting out the voices around him and tells him, "Open your eyes. Open your eyes."

Then another voice, the same velvety one, threatens with a whisper, "Open them, and you'll see everyone you murdered."

"Open your eyes!" The soft voice fights back but to Takumi it was like it was taunting him. He feel even more pain in his arms as his blood turns cold. They're going to begin again so he-

Takumi opens his eyes to find Leo on top of him. His arms is being held together by Leo's. This is the real world, not the dream, but Takumi isn't comprehending this. Unlike him, Takumi trembles and fresh tears stream down his temple. The silver haired boy glances at Leo's unreadable face and sees the clouds of red in his eyes. As if he was offering him a meal Takumi stretches his throat to show more area for the blond to bite. Takumi is still thinking this is his dream.

"Just do it already," Takumi quietly begs. He grits his teeth as he braces himself of the coming pain, but it never came. Instead he feels movement above his body and the weight of Leo disappearing, releasing his hands. Takumi looks up and finds Leo standing beside the bed.

"What exactly did you want me to do?" Leo asks with an even voice. Takumi is surprise and scans the surrounding, seeing the familiar sight of the nurse's office only then Takumi understand that this is reality. He remembers being sent here after Oboro and Hinata practically begged the teacher to send Takumi here after he said he was sleep deprived. Then Niles threatening to 'not let him sleep' with some 'bedtime' activities if he doesn't fall asleep in the next 20 minutes. Thus Takumi forced sleep upon him. Going back to the present, heat rises to his cheeks at the thought of the taller male seeing him act that way. He quickly rises up from his laying position and scrambles away from Leo, hitting the bed frame with his back.

Takumi founds himself cover in sweat and feels a sharp ping in his shoulder. He place a hand on it in reflex. Leo watching all of this, expressionless, at the other and says, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Takumi did anyways and touch his shoulder and the smell of ointment and iron hits his nose. His bandages had loosen and he's bleeding. If only Kamui had just bitten him where he is able to stitch himself properly he wouldn't be suffering from this. He looks down and sees his blood slowly drenching the gauze and he's counting his blessings that it hasn't spread to his shirt. He could only growl at the other male, "What did you do to me?"

"Nothing," Leo responds and Takumi narrows his eyes in distrust, "Aside from trying to stop you from hurting yourself."

His answer did not satisfy Takumi and he immaturely say, "Get out."

"No," Leo refuse and place a hand at his hip. Takumi lamely throws a pillow at him and demands loudly, "LEAVE."

"No," Leo refuse again, firmly, while catching the weakly thrown pillow. He set the pillow down at the edge of the bed. This infuriates Takumi so much that he jumps off the bed and begins to walk to the exit. Leo stands in his way and Takumi growls, "Move."

"No, you're bleeding and as Class President I am obligated to help the students of my class," Leo states. "That is the responsibility given to me."

Takumi could only laugh at this and spits, "You might as well be the Student Council President while you're at it. Now move or leave."

"Takumi Hoshido do not force my hand," the Class President orders and steps closer to the shorter student and gestures, "Go back to that bed and receive treatment from me."

Takumi doesn't even reply and takes a step to go around him. Leo lifts a hand to grab Takumi and says, "Be glad I'm not Niles."

A loud sound of raw skin hitting skin stings into the room. Then a scuffle of movement begins and ends as quickly. Lastly the springs of the bed creaks from their actions.

The school day is long over and the sports teams outside are leaving. The sun is setting closer to the horizon in the sky and the lighting of the room changes from the passionate red to a more soft orange glow. The shadows of the two stretches long as they remain frozen. Leo had came under a teacher's request to make sure that the student sleeping in here leave before the building was locked up. Now look the position they are in, both breathing heavily as they are close enough for their breaths to intermingle.

Leo's right leg, folded, is pressing on top of Takumi's left. He is left standing as the shorter of the two was pushed to sit on the bed. Leo has a tight grip on the other's collar as Takumi balance himself by using his hands as support. The difference between their heights is clearly define as the blond arches his back to look down at those amber eyes, now honey from the sunlight.

Leo is the first to move, releasing his hold on Takumi and taking a step back. He averts his gaze away from Takumi and mumbles, "Sorry."

Takumi also shift his gaze and says, "Give me some gauze and ointment."

"What?" Leo asks, it's clear he didn't catch what the other said. Takumi frowns and repeats, "Gauze and ointment."

The blond gives an 'oh' and goes to grab them. Returning with the a small kit carrying what is needed. Takumi had already started unbuttoning his shirt but stops at a realization. He glares at the genius, revealing the tone body and bandages underneath his uniform, and snatches the med kit from Leo. Then he folds his arm, making eye contact with the other and demands, "Turn around and promise me that you won't look."

Astonishment can be taken from Leo's expression but he holds a poker face up, "There's no need to get bashful. Now take off that shirt so I can help you."

"I am not being bashful in the slightest!" Takumi snarls but Leo moves in fast and tugs at the shirt to strip it off the boy. However he wasn't expecting the other to squirm and kick his abdomen while his voice hitches a loud, "Don't touch me!"

Leo takes a few steps back from the blow and grab his stomach in pain. Usually a normal human wouldn't be able to hurt a vampire by brute force. However Takumi had trained his body for years to fight against vampires so he has quite a kick in strength compare to regular humans. But this action further confused Leo and he asks, "Mind explaining why you kick me?"

"Mind explaining why you're acting like Niles?" Takumi spits back at him. The words sink deep into Leo and he narrows his eyes, "Have it your way. I'll turn around and you'll clean yourself up, but!"

"But?" Takumi repeats.

"Talk with me. It doesn't have to be about 'that' but I can't have you escaping from me before you take care of it," Leo explains with a irritated tone. Then just like he said he turns away from Takumi and wait for the other to begin.

Takumi sighs and sits on the bed. Stripping his shirt and unwrapping the strips of cloth. He can hear Leo tapping his foot, waiting for him to speak. Takumi starts cleaning the bites and scratches that mark his scarred skin and he asks, "Lately Kamui has been going to your place quite often. Is she alright?"

Leo shifts his body in a baffle sense, "Why would you ask me that? Isn't she living with you?"

Takumi is rubbing ointment and grunts at the stinging pain from the open wounds that he couldn't stitch, "She's always trying to avoid the house and tells Sakura not to prepare her meals since she already ate. Her excuses always changes, and she's a terrible liar."

Takumi know he shouldn't do this, but the only one he can ask about Kamui's progress was Leo since he is involve with her adjustments as a vampire, yet it couldn't be a direct answer. Still he doesn't know anything about the other to start a relevant conversation off the bat. Nor does he have the energy to start another argument and have it ending with Leo at his throat and seeing his injuries.

Leo retains his posture without giving anything away before answering, "I think she just feels guilty about not being able to protect someone who was right beside her. So, she can't imagine going home to a house without Ms. Hoshido there. Unable to eat a meal from her beloved person ever again. Not being able to embrace her mother one last time to reply I love you too before she drifted away."

Takumi stops his hands at Leo's words. The memory of Mikoto dying replays in his mind. Her words, the very last words that was sorely cut off after a repeated I love you with her last struggle to lift her hand. Her odd action repeats in Takumi's head as he can feel her hand streaking down his vest. She recognized him, just like she said she would. He drops the roll of bandages in his hand. His mind filling in what she was about to say in his arms, 'I love you, Takumi.'

Takumi couldn't help but lean his head against his hands. It was like all the tears about Mikoto built up to just rush out for this moment. He try to control it but he couldn't stop his sniffles from breaking free.

Leo heard this and ask if everything is alright but stops. He can only hear the familiar sniffles he heard when he entered the office. Worry, he turns around to find Takumi crying, his frame crouched over, making him smaller than his usual self as he covers his face full of tears. However, unforgivably that wasn't what Leo saw first. His eyes quickly scan along the nasty scars covering the chiseled body of the silver haired boy. He takes in every detail, the old marks and the freshly made ones. Unfortunately his mind clicks.

Takumi keeps crying as he keeps wiping his tears. He knew this'll happen eventually but never in someone else's presence. Though Leo didn't make a sound to his episode so Takumi continues since he can't stop. They both wait for the tears to come to an end.

Leo is standing in front of him. Handing Takumi a warm towel and uncharacteristically says, "I envy you Takumi. Even though you haven't been with her the last six years, you still cry about her."

Takumi takes the towel and place it against his face and cautiously asks, "Why would you say that?"

Leo's face is hard but it isn't the same poker face he usually carries. He takes a moment to think before replying with carefully chosen words, "It's because I didn't cry when my mother died. I couldn't cry about a woman who didn't give me anything, a greedy woman that wanted me to give her everything so she can take the de Nohr's name."

Takumi peeks from his towel with questioning eyes. Leo sighs, "All of my sibilings came from different women. Only Xander came from the first wife of Father, but after her untimely death, Father... He searched for comfort in other women and created the rest of my siblings. Eventually he stopped after meeting his second wife but the greed and jealousy of women cannot be contain. They foolishly gave birth in hope of taking the wealth he has. This caused my early childhood to be constantly evading Hunters while many died at their hands, including his second wife and her daughter."

Takumi is surprised at this bundle of news and is confused on why Leo is telling him this. He puts the towel down and is a little unnerve before gingerly asking, "What made you tell me this?"

Leo pauses for a moment to think again and shakes his head at the thought of remaining silent. Even though Takumi doesn't know this, Leo wants to be honest to this crying boy. "Because I was scared. Scared that you were going to take my family away, just like the other Hunters. Instead, it was your family that was taken." Leo confesses.

Takumi is silent at Leo's words, he knew this'll happen, he was too involved to not notice. Takumi stands and grabs the roll he dropped then he starts wrapping himself. Leo stands his ground and wait for Takumi to finish. This time Takumi sighs, "I screwed up, as a Hunter, as a son, as a brother, and as a human."

Leo shakes his head and bursts without restriction, "You didn't screw up. You successfully dispel the trap laid for my father. You used all of your power to save your mother and prioritized her life over killing Iago. You willingly let yourself be eaten by Kamui despite the possibility of her killing you but you succeeded in calming her. Now you're feeling emotions like any one should, vampire or human."

Takumi couldn't say much to that. In fact he is shock at Leo's words. The honesty that rings within them and every fiber of his being wanting to accept them.

"Is it alright?" Takumi begins asking, his voice shakes with unclarity, "Is it alright that I can believe in that?"

Leo whispers a quiet 'yes', and Takumi releases a long breath that he realize he had been holding. Quietly but surely audible to the other he speaks in a small childlike voice, "Thank you."

Certain pale cheeks reddens at Takumi's words and the owner shifts uncomfortably before placing a hand on his hip. With much urgency he says, "Well you should put that shirt back on. We don't want Niles getting the wrong idea if he sees you like that."

Takumi hurriedly grabs his shirt and begins buttoning it as he warns Leo, "You should do something about your eyes. They're red," Then lets out a soft chuckle, "I don't think anyone wants to bring embarrassment to their beloved Class President but your sweater is inside out."

Author's note:
I am going to begin a hectic life again where I have to balance out my time and I fear the updates will slow to a haunting rate. However I'll try my best!