Flyleaf- Fire Fire

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"Takuma." He puts his book down as Tatsuki enters the Moon Dorm lobby with Senri, before they head out to class. He smiles at them, but it fades away as he sees something like worry in Tatsuki's eyes. They stop in front of him, and Senri puts an arm around Tatsuki's slender shoulder. He wants to keep her strong and determined to trust Takuma like he does. 

"What's wrong you two?" He questions them. 

"We need to talk about something concerning the Vampire Council." Senri whispers over to Takuma. 

"It's important. May we speak to you in the library?" Tatsuki questions him now. He looks between them, and stands up. 

"Wait here. I'll be right back." He tells them before heading over towards Kaname, who leisurely sits on a couch as the time for classes to begin approaches.

"Kaname, I'll be running a little late to class along with Senri and Tatsuki. They need to speak to me about something important." Takuma tells him, so he wouldn't question them later. 

"Alright." He says allowing the three of them to go. Takuma motions for Tatsuki and Senri to follow after him, but Kaname grabs a hold of Tatsuki's hand as she goes past him. A sigh escapes her as she stops walking to listen to what he has to say to her.

"Tatsuki, I'd like to speak to you as well. After classes." He tells her. 

"If I feel like it." Tatsuki says trying to pull her hand away, but Kaname holds on fast. 

"Tatsuki, don't make me use my status as a pureblood against you." Tatsuki is unfazed by Kaname's idle threat. She's been threatened plenty by Rido, and he's actually followed through.

"Very well. I need to speak to you as well, Kaname-sama." She says to him in what is almost a condescending tone when she uses his name. He lets her go, and she heads off to meet the equally concerned glances of Senri and Takuma. 

"Are you alright?" Takuma questions as he takes her slightly red hand. The spark strikes Tatsuki hard, and it almost feels like an electric shock that makes her pull her hand away abruptly. Takuma felt it as well, but his hand remains where it is.

"Lets head into the library." Takuma says turning away with a slight blush on his cheeks. Tatsuki touches her face, and feels her warm cheeks. 

"Senri, is this shy or embarrassed?" She questions him. 

"Both." He tells her after observing his older sister's flushed face. Although when she acts like that Senri feels as if she is a small little girl that needs guidance in this cruel reality, but he also knows that she's been through the darkest things of this cruel reality. A reality that broke her until she could no longer feel her brokenness.

"Oh." Is her simple reply before she goes in to the library to find Takuma sitting on one of the couches near the dead fireplace. Takuma waits for them to come join him on the seats beside him, but they seem a bit wary at the moment.

"What did you two need to talk to me about?" Tatsuki walks over to the windows, and looks around. Senri knows what she's up to, so he helps her by looking around the library.

"What are you two doing?" He questions the twins. 

"We're checking if anyone is watching over Tatsuki from the Senate." Senri tells him as he looks under a large desk at the other side of the room. 

"What? My grandfather has put Tatsuki under surveillance with some sort of equipment?" Takuma questions not being aware of that little detail. He figured there'd be some trust towards Tatsuki if she's helping the Vampire Council and is doing their bidding.

"Yes, ever since I escaped their grasp. They've been on my heels for years to be honest. I was able to get away from them until the day I needed them so I could find Senri and my mother." Tatsuki says also spotting no one outside. Tatsuki and Senri sit on the love seat beside Takuma. Tatsuki being placed in the middle of them.

"Since I was a child. . .drink my blood. I'll show you my past instead. But I warn you that I will never speak to you again if you show me any trace of pity." Tatsuki threatens him. He nods his head, and looks at her offered wrist, but the problem is he didn't want her wrist. He wants her slender neck, so he pulls her to him, and plunges his fangs into her neck. Setting her on his lap.

Tatsuki blushes brightly, her face twitches with an unfamiliar gesture Tatsuki has never shown. Her face is slightly pained and pleasured, her heart rate increases, and her breathing is slightly irregular, but she finds some composure, and shows her dark memories to Takuma. While Senri watches in silence, and says nothing. He already knows some of the horrors Tatsuki went through at such a young age.

Takuma sits on the couch with Tatsuki's blood still staining his chin, his hand covering his eyes. The horrors he had seen in Tatsuki's memories left him shocked. Every moment he witnessed felt like he was living it himself, it was painful. Senri watches his reaction as he holds on to a weakened Tatsuki, Takuma ended up drinking a bit too much blood as he explored her memories up until meeting his grandfather. 

"I'm so sorry." Takuma finally says slightly startling a groggy Tatsuki. He walks over to the twins, and holds them tightly. "I understand so much about you now. The both of you." Tatsuki lets this warmth envelope her. The feeling of a gentle embrace makes her stomach fill with butterflies. No one was there in her childhood to hold her like this when she really needed it the most.

"It's so warm. Is this love?" Tatsuki questions the two most important men to her, holding her tightly. 

"Yes." They both answer her. Increasing these unfamiliar feelings in her. Feelings that make her feel good inside. Feelings that make her want to cry. To cry from the heart. She feels her throat clog up, and she hides her face on Takuma's shoulder.

They hold her until she eventually falls asleep. They watch her for the first time looking unguarded. In her sleep they can see the sorrows on her reddened cheeks. Senri picks her up, and Takuma opens the doors for them.

"I think her meeting with Kaname-sama will have to wait." Senri says to Takuma, who nods his head. 

"Yes, I'll have to explain things to Kaname, but I won't tell him things Tatsuki wouldn't want me to." Senri nods his head in farewell, and heads over to Tatsuki's lonely dorm to put her down to rest.

"Senri, is she okay?" He looks back over at Rima who had followed him into her dorm. He goes to grab a towel and cleans off any excess blood left behind and the tears that were still on her face.

"I'm not sure... She's overwhelmed as she experiences new things all the time." As Rima walks over to sit beside him, he adjusts himself to sit properly on the bed. Rima leans her head on his shoulder and looks down to hold his hand. He holds her hand back and looks down at the top of her head. "Though, I think that's a good thing. She missed out on so much when we were kids."

"Huh, sounds familiar." Rima comments making Senri's brow furrow a little and a small smile appear on his lips. She can't help but bring up how similar their childhoods were in spite of being separated from birth. "Senri, is she in trouble?" She asks him, worried about what Senri might become involved in. He's always one to just go with the flow and follow along with whoever orders him around, it worries her to no end what he puts up with. Not once does he voice any complaint if there's something he's not happy with.

"If I keep her safe, she won't be in trouble. It's okay, Rima. Tatsuki is going to be okay." He assures her making her sigh.

"Worry about yourself too, dummy. You have to take care of yourself too." She quietly scolds him so they don't disturb Tatsuki. Senri looks head and only nods his head on top of Rima's head. He has no will to say anything against her wishes. Rima can tell that is exactly what he's thinking about, she hopes he can get past being the doll of everyone else and be the person he is.

"We should leave Tatsuki rest. We need to get to bed too. I'll walk you back to your dorm." Senri offers as he slowly gets up, pulling up Rima. She continues to hold on to his hand and nods, following him out of the dorm. Senri looks back over at Tatsuki before the door closes behind them.

                                    ~0~

Tatsuki lies in her bed finally awake again. She looks up at the ever brightening ceiling. She can tell that she's slept through the night. Now she remains in bed trying to go back to sleep. She has no need for being awake on this morning. She doesn't have work for the day, but that hope is instantly shattered at her phone's chime.

She reaches to the drawer beside her without looking. Tatsuki sits up when she doesn't find it. Her unasked question is instantly answered as Kaname sits on a chair on the far wall to her bedside, holding the phone she was looking for. Apparently he had waited all night for her to awaken from her deep slumber.

"I don't think it's proper for a pureblood like yourself to be in a simple vampire's room, like me." Kaname doesn't answer her, and looks at the message on her phone. Tatsuki doesn't care. No one, but Miho or Sora would send her a message. The Vampire Council wouldn't even call her like a normal person and just have letters delivered to her. "Is there a reason you're in my dorm?" Tatsuki questions Kaname, who puts her phone down.

"I told you before that I wanted to speak to you." Kaname says putting his hands on his lap. Setting her phone aside, away from her reach. 

"About?" Kaname opens his eyes again, and meets Tatsuki's mismatched eyes. 

"Rido Kuran." His name makes her blood run as cold as ice. But her heart rate increases. The name is enough to bring about childhood fears. The fears of torture, and losing everything she unknowingly has come to love more than her life itself.

"I see you are not as closed off as you let on to be. You despise him, and yet you fear Rido greatly." Tatsuki clenches her hands, and refuses to look at Kaname. 

"I despise that man. I curse the day I was born as his daughter." Tatsuki says showing anger for the first time. She doesn't like the idea, but this place is making her lose that small façade of feeling nothing at all. She feels, but she doesn't know what it is that she is feeling. The cluelessness overwhelms her and unsettles her mental balance.

"So you are truly clueless as to where he is?" Kaname questions her. 

"Since I left I've made sure to rip away all ties I have to Rido Kuran. I've never once questioned what happened to what was left of Rido's body after you destroyed him." Tatsuki says staring ahead of her. Her bangs shielding her eyes. 

"You realize that the Council was not going to leave him to just rot away in that place. I don't know where he is, but I think it's about time he finished up regenerating. Especially since I expect him to come around soon." Tatsuki's body tenses up. 

"What? I-I thought he was destroyed enough to last a lot longer than ten years!" Tatsuki says as her trembling starts to become visible.

"Destroyed yes, but if he's being taken care of, he's got plenty of blood to help speed up the regeneration. I'm sure ten years is enough time for his body to regenerate. He's coming back. He's coming for my Yuki, who is starting to remember. Her fear is deep set. Especially since you have his eyes." Tatsuki clenches her teeth, and covers her eyes. 

"I'd tear them out if I could. This is the only thing that proves I have this damned Kuran blood running through my veins." Tatsuki moves her hands away as Kaname sits by her on the bed.

"And you are not in league with the Vampire Council?" Kaname questions. 

"I don't know. I'm just trying to protect Senri. The little time I've known him is enough to show me that he is a very obedient boy. He cannot stand up for himself, and he needs someone to lead him in the right path, and yet I'm just as confused on my own path." She wants to stop talking, but something is making Tatsuki tell Kaname all these truths. She wants to rip out her tongue, and stop talking, but her body won't respond correctly. Too late she figures out that this is Kaname's doing. He's controlling her. Her blood may be more pure than any noble, but she is still just a noble, an easy to control target by purebloods.

"That's all I needed to her, Tatsuki. Make sure to keep your father-" Tatsuki lashes out, and slaps him across the face. 

"He is not my father!" She yells out at him. "He's a monster who destroyed my childhood which in turn destroyed my future. And now you are telling me that he's coming back!" Tatsuki gets off the bed, and throws her dresser to the floor. Shattering it with her vampire strength.

"What is this feeling?" Tatsuki questions herself. Scared of what she's doing. She's never lost herself like this. 

"It seems years of holding everything in is finally spilling out, and slowly breaking you." Kaname says observing her. Tatsuki drops to the floor, and sits there. Frozen. Wanting these raging emotions running through her to stop. She's trying to gather them all up, and lock them back up in her heart like before, but it's all coming undone.

"Senri. Takuma. Anyone. Help me!" Tatsuki screams on the inside as she shields her ears. She almost screams as arms wrap around her. She looks at the face of the owner of the arms that are gently wrapped around her. "Takuma!" She closes her eyes, and buries her face on his chest.

"What's wrong, Tatsuki? Why are you trembling like this?" Takuma questions her concerned. Tatsuki pulls away, and looks around. Kaname is no longer there. "Tatsuki?" He questions getting more worried at her silence. She looks on to where he sat, but he is truly gone from her room. Leaving her with the concern that Rido is coming back.

"It's nothing. I just had a nightmare." Tatsuki says with a slight tremor to her voice. 

"Really?" Takuma questions her. She turns to him, and nods her head. 

"I'll be fine." Tatsuki says giving him a tiny smile. One he had never seen before. It distracts him from the fact that she is probably lying. A fallen bookshelf is not just something a nightmare causes.

"Tatsuki." He blushes a little at her tiny smile. Even if it's sad it's still beautiful. He makes sure to make it stick in his mind. He's not sure when he'll see Tatsuki smile again, so he tries to treasure every moment. 

"I'm fine. I-I'll be back." Tatsuki steps out with her disheveled uniform. Not caring that the sun was still out, and could burn her skin.

"Tatsuki, wait!" Takuma grabs at her arm as he catches up to her outside of the Moon Dorm gates. "You shouldn't go out like this. Especially not in broad daylight without any protection." He tells her worriedly. 

"I don't want to be here right now. I need a distraction. I'm going to the recording studio." She tells him as she gets out of his grasp and walks towards the exit of Cross Academy.

"I'm not letting you go alone, Tatsuki." Takuma tells her as they walk together towards the exit. 

"Do what you want." She says to him feeling herself calm down considerably. 

"Here. At least get under the parasol." He says with a smile as he puts it above her head. She slightly blushes, and puts her arm through Takuma's so they can both be under the parasol.

"Thank you for accompanying me." Tatsuki says looking at the ground. Takuma smiles, and pulls her closer to him. 

"It's my pleasure." He says to her gently. Tatsuki puts her freehand to her racing heart. Beginning to understand these feelings a little more as she spends more and more time in this new environment with her brother and his friends.

"I hope the Headmaster doesn't catch on at our leave." Takuma says finally remembering that students are not allowed out of the school unless they have permission. 

"I'm sure we'll be fine." Tatsuki says also remembering that she had gotten a message when Kaname went to visit her. She looks through her phone, and finds the message from Sora.

"Well looks like we have a valid excuse to leave." Tatsuki shows Takuma her phone, and he sees the message. 

"He wants to talk to you, huh?" Tatsuki observes Takuma's expression. 

"Do you dislike Sora?" Tatsuki questions Takuma, who slightly flinches. 

"I wouldn't say that. It's just. . ." He blushes and isn't sure how to say this. 

"Just?" Tatsuki continues to pester him. He rubs the back of his head trying to figure himself out.

"Uh. It's just. . .I-I tend to be overprotective of those that I become close to." Takuma says coming up with a partial truth. 

"Oh. I see." Tatsuki says looking away from him, and looking straight ahead. Both of them had heard the slight disappointment in her voice, but Tatsuki isn't very familiar with the feeling, so she hardly payed any mind to it. Takuma sighs feeling like an idiot. She managed to tell him that she loves him, and he can't even tell her that he's jealous of Sora.