Killer (Kaname)- Age 20

Lyla- Age 18

She was late. Kaname looked to the clock on the wall over the kitchen table he'd set for a late-night dinner, it was nearly two in the morning. She'd never been out this late before. When they had left in the morning she said she was going to the campus library after work to do some research for her dissertation.

Lightning flashed outside as thunder roared overhead and the entire building trembled. The storm was hellish and didn't look like it was going to let up anytime soon. Perhaps she stopped to wait out the storm on her way home. The wind howled outside threatening to topple trees and hurling all manner of debris all over the place.

The apartment door slammed shut startling him. He got up from the kitchen table and slowly made his way to the living room. Lyla was drenched, shivering and sobbing in a heap on the floor just inside the doorway. Her breathing was heavy and labored as if she'd just sprinted the entire way home from campus.

"Lyla?!" He ran to her aid, sweeping her into his arms and froze as she threw her arms around him and cried into his chest. "What happened?!"

Her body wouldn't stop trembling, she was terrified. Kaname held her in his arms, she felt so small, and breakable in his strong embrace. Her research for the department and her research for her dissertation were taking quite the toll on her body. She'd lost an alarming amount of weight, she barely slept at night, he'd often awaken in the middle of the night and find her buried in tomes jotting down notes. She'd become obsessed with her research, and it scared him.

"Lyla?!" He shook her lightly, "What's wrong?"

"Someone attacked me." She cried.

"WHAT?!" Kaname was livid, "Who?" His voice was no more than a growl as he was consumed with an insatiable rage, he'd tear them apart with his bare hands.

"I don't know." She trembled violently, "I was in the library, I thought I was alone, it was dark and I didn't see anyone else there. I found a book about the poneglyphs, he'd been hiding in the stacks and he attacked me and told me I had to stop my research." Tears streamed down her pallid cheeks. "I was so scared."

Kaname held her close, his heart pounding in his chest. Her research was becoming dangerous, he'd begun to feel uneasy about it once she'd started obsessing and the further she delved the more worried and jumpy she'd become.

This wasn't the first incident where someone mysteriously tried to get in the way of her research. She'd received cryptic notes and a few threats before, but she was too stubborn.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" He asked her worried as he cradled her in his arms.

"I-I don't think so, I managed to hit him with a book and run away." Tears streamed down her pallid cheeks.

"Did you see them, what did they look like?"

"I don't know, he had on a mask, I couldn't make anything out." She was beside herself.

"Lyla, maybe you should stop." Kaname said quietly, "If something happened to you, I don't know what I would do."

She bit her lip, "I think I'm onto something though, I think there's a reason certain people don't want them studied. They hold secrets, historical secrets. I don't think the government's top priority are the lives of the people they govern. I'm close to uncovering something."

Kaname felt his stomach churn, he didn't like this. He felt like she was in danger. "We could leave this place. Pack up everything and see the world."

"But I'm so close, if it's something terrible the government is hiding, then the people have to know." She sniffled.

"Lyla, it's going to get you killed."

"All the more reason, it needs to be done and it needs to be shared with the world."

Kaname felt his stomach churn at this. It was too dangerous. He sighed in defeat, "I guess I need to stop slacking in my training then."

"What do you mean?"

"If I'm going to protect you and your research, I need to get stronger." Kaname smiled softly as an adorable blush spread across her pale cheeks. "First, you need to warm up and get into some dry clothes, second you need to eat something. You've been skipping too many meals for your research, your health comes first, the research can wait." He swept her into his arms and carried her to her bedroom before setting her on her feet.

He made his way to the bathroom and retrieved a towel to dry her hair. Kaname returned and towel dried her hair before attempting to mop up her face and wipe away her tears. She didn't protest or refuse his help. She stayed still and allowed him to take care of her, like a life size doll. Once he was satisfied her hair was dry enough he found her some comfy warm sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt.

A blush spread across her cheeks as he reached for her soaking wet shirt, "N-No, I can do this part myself." She squeaked adorably.

Kaname chuckled. "Alright. Hurry up and change." He turned and headed back to the kitchen giving her privacy. After heating up their dinner he placed it on the table he'd set hours ago.

Lyla trudged out of her room in her oversized sweatpants and long sleeve shirt, the sleeves were too long and flopped over her hands. She took a seat and smiled down at the spread of food. "It looks delicious."

"Since neither of us have work tomorrow, I think we should go somewhere for the day." Kaname suggested, Lyla needed to get away from her research and get some fresh air.

"Where?" Lyla asked curiously.

"Sabaody Archipelago isn't far, I hear they have an amusement park, that could be fun." Kaname shrugged.

"Really?" Lyla beamed.

Video- "Willow" By Jasmine Thompson