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Oniisama
Kaname stared at the figure in his bed. Her dark hair was fanned out on the pillow, one hand cupped beneath her cheek. She was curled into a ball, the silk blankets wrapped about her like a cocoon. On her face was a small smile. He remembered when she'd crawled in with him earlier that night, claiming she couldn't sleep alone.
It was only a week since Rido's death, since they had left the academy to come here. The mansion hadn't seen such warmth since the death of their parents, since she had left.
She was safe now, safe from everything in the world that could possibly harm her. He was the only thing left. He was the darkness that could destroy her, and he could not, would not, let that happen. A sigh escaped the figure on the bed, "Kaname…"
He stiffened fearing she would wake. When it was clear she was still in dreamland he let out a silent sigh of relief. His dear girl knew nothing of his true nature, the power of the original vampire. He was evil incarnate while she was the purest form of light.
She turned in the bed, and he sent threads of his power soothing her into a deeper sleep. It was nothing compared to the power he truly held. Power and evil she would soon discover if she pieced two and two together. Her questions about their parents and Rido had begun to graze the secret of his life, a past that had been darkness and destruction, a life that shouldn't belong to him. It would destroy her.
She was innocent, knowing nothing of the monster that lurked just beneath, the evil that was his soul. He could not destroy her beautiful world, expose her to himself. It was best that he left. She would be protected, the queen of her race. He would watch her from the shadows, and content himself with that.
He placed the single rose he held on the desk, next to a sealed envelope. The dark crimson coloring of the bloom was a great contrast against the white. Around the thorny stem was wrapped an ebony ribbon of satin. The rose would be his gift to her, one that would last eternity.
Yuuki awoke, it was almost midnight. Looking around she searched for what had disturbed her. Kaname was no longer in the bed. Where he had been beside her was cold, empty. She was alone.
Reaching out, she tried to find him with her mind, through the link the two shared. It was cut off; something was stopping her from finding him. Where he should have been the tie broke off, falling into a void. He was gone.
She leapt from the bed, panicking. The blankets almost flew across the room. Running through the house, she looked everywhere for a sign of him. But every room was empty. There was no sign that he had been there, only the servants.
What seemed like an eternity later, she was back in his room. He had been there last, there had to be some sign of where he might have gone. Her frantic eyes fell on the desk, there was a rose. She picked it up, uncaring as the thorns bit into her skin, drawing blood. Fingering the ribbon she looked back at the desk. There was a single envelope.
Letting the rose fall to the table, she snatched up the letter. Flipping it over to where his red crest sealed it, her panic subsiding. Gently, she opened it.
My Dearest Yuuki,
I fear you will hate me for what I have done, and what I am about to tell you. Juuri and Haruka had reason to fear for you. The true reason they feared Rido was caused by an accident two years before you were born.
Haruka and Juuri Kuran had a son. He was a lovely child, and his presence was known to all in the vampire community. Three years after he was born, Rido kidnapped him. Rido was jealous of the child's existence, as the boy was a sign of the love of his siblings, love he could not have.
Rido had always dabbled in the darker arts of our race. Rido wanted a pawn he could control, that had power to destroy planets without faltering. He awakened the sleeping Ancestor of the Kurans, the Original Vampire. Removing the boy's soul, he replaced it with the Ancestor's.
I am the Ancestor.
I was returned to Juuri and Haruka, I, the monster that had replaced their son. They tried to raise me as they would have raised their son. But it is not the same. I am almost as old as time, but my powers were bound. With the death of Rido, I am now back to my former strength. The monster within me has ceased to slumber.
Please understand, Yuuki, I am leaving. Perhaps I shall go back to rest. Do not come after me. You have a soul so brilliant; the tainted darkness that is my own soul would destroy it. I cannot watch you wither like a rose without sunlight.
Farewell,
Kaname
Yuuki shut the letter, tears streaming down her face. She remembered a story she'd heard on the Original Vampire, the true king of their race. He held power that was terrible to behold, and had killed millions in the War. None of the other purebloods had power to match his. But it was also said, that he'd murdered innocents and had a heart of stone. A monster like that could not be her loving brother.
He was not her brother, not really, but did it matter? He had left her. She wanted to scream out the agony that filled her with his absence. Did he hate her, to leave her and give her such pain?
She needed him. Clutching the rose to her, she ran out of the room, and out of the house. Her thin, satin nightgown did little in the ways of warmth and the night was freezing. But, at the moment, she didn't care. Nothing mattered except finding him.
She could not hate him. He was the one who had grown up with her, gave his life to her, and protected her. She loved him.
Scenery raced past as she sensed his presence growing stronger, her feet barely touching the ground. The fir trees began to thin, and she saw him, in the clearing ahead. "Kaname! Kaname!" she cried.
He turned and she flung herself into his arms, sobbing. "Kaname, don't go oniisama! Don't leave me alone! Onegai, I need you oniisama!"
"Yuuki, I am not your brother." His voice was cold and his eyes distant, dark. But Yuuki could see it as no one else could, he was sad. Kaname pushed her away, but she refused to let go.
"You are wrong! Oniisama is wrong! You are my brother! I grew up with you, took life from you, and was protected by you. You read me stories and played with me. I don't care who you were once! You are my brother now, my oniisama, and I love you."
"Yuuki I am a monster. It is not just something I once was, it is what am and always will be." He was pained now. It hurt him to say these words to her, and see her tears.
"No," the word was whispered softly as she looked down.
"What?" She looked up again, fresh tears running down her cheeks.
"You cannot leave."
"I will."
She clutched his coat. "I won't let you."
"Yuuki, I must leave," he murmured, voice strained.
"I won't let you. You are not a monster! You are my brother, my love. If you leave me then I will follow you. If you don't let me be with you then I will die. You say I am light, and you are darkness. Then let me be your light. Let me be with you. You say you are madness. Then let me make you sane. I do not fear you," she finished, her tears stopping.
"You should fear me, my dear girl." His voice was filled with self loathing, as he looked away. The endearment had slipped out, unnoticed by him.
"I can't. I will never fear you or hate you. I love you, oniisama." She wrapped her arms around him, holding him closer.
"Onegai, don't…" He whispered, "Don't make this harder." She could feel him trying hard to resist his own feelings, and merely held him tighter.
"I love you, oniisama, I can't let you go. Please, stay with me." He cracked, his arms wrapping around her.
"Yuuki…" He was silenced as she kissed him. When they broke apart, he finished, "You aren't wearing a coat, my dear girl." He pulled her closer, trying to warm her shivering frame.
"Promise me you won't leave me."
"I won't ever leave, my love. Now you must promise to never leave me," he whispered.
"I won't ever leave you…oniisama."
They kissed again, as snow began to fall, the rose held in their entwined hands.
Fin
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