What was love?

Subaru Sakamaki did not know the answer to that question. At least, not until Yui Komori popped into the picture. For so long, all he had known was emptiness and frustration. His brothers never ceased to piss him off, and his mother—no, he wouldn't think about her. He refused to think about the ambivalence with which she treated him for so many long, painful years.

But those were different kinds of love than the love he held for Yui. Whenever he saw her, she never ceased to stir him up both physically and mentally, in his vampiric ways as well as in his normal teenage boy ways. The beauty of her porcelain flesh, curly blonde hair and bright pink eyes made him feel as aroused and wanton as her blood made the vampire in him feel. He would be damned to allow any one of his filthy half-brothers to mar her beauty with their own lustful fangs. She was his.

Moonlight fell across the garden in a white glow, glittering in the dew clinging to the roses. When Subaru wasn't busy perched on the windowsill in the house, thinking too much and cursing himself, he was doing as much out in the garden. But tonight was different. He left a note on Yui's bed, asking her to meet him out here at midnight. According to the clock tower, it was a quarter after.

Maybe she isn't coming, he thought bitterly to himself. After all, you torment her like all the others. But he knew that did not matter. If anything, he had been the most kind to her of all his brothers. He tried to convince her to escape. The first time he'd bitten her in this very same garden, he'd been sure to be gentle, unlike mischievous Ayato or perverted Raito.

But...

Maybe I really am worthless, he thought to himself.

Subaru clenched his jaw, spinning around to throw his fist at the roses. The thorns sank painfully into his flesh, but the pain was numb, dull. How could physical pain compare to a life of eternal emotional suffering?

With disgust, he turned, making his way back to the house. Yui wasn't coming. That was apparent. He'd been stupid to think she would want to spend time with somebody like him. Not that she truly knew anything about him, of course. Just bits and pieces like all his half-siblings. But still.

As soon as he pushed open the door and stepped into the mansion, the scent of her intoxicating blood hit him like a wall. Subaru froze, his body tightening. Unlike his older brothers, Subaru was still young. Hell, he was younger than Yui, even. His vampiric instincts and bloodlust were still new to him, strong enough to make his stomach clench and fingers curl. But the force that kept him calm despite his hunger was the strength of the blood-scent. Yui was near.

In fact, she wasn't just near. Glancing to the left past the towering red staircase, she was right in the entrance hall, passed out on the couch with Ayato crouched over her, fangs embedded in her soft throat. Rage flared inside him at the sight, but so did the rare pang of happiness. Lying on the floor was his note. It was ripped. Probably Ayato's work.

"Hey, get your filthy mouth off of her," Subaru growled, slamming his fist against the wall hard enough to make the drywall crack. "She's mine for tonight."

Ayato laughed, pulling back with her blood dribbling from the corner of his mouth. He licked it away seductively. Subaru ignored it. "Subaru. I thought you knew that she belonged to Yours Truly."

"Fuck off." The scent of the blood made his fangs throb. It was difficult to keep control of himself.

Ayato chuckled, gesturing to the note. "You know, leaving a note like that does nothing more than make me more possessive of Yui. If you wanted to meet with her, you should have just retrieved her yourself. But now that I have competition..."

Subaru slammed the wall with his fist again and glared.

"Alright. I'll let you have your way. But just to let you know, I drank her to the edge of death, so don't think about feeding from her unless you want her to die." Ayato slid off the couch and stretched, looking pleased with himself. His green eyes glowed with contentment. As he left the room, Subaru saw him smirk.

"Tch." Subaru walked forward and took a seat next to Yui, staring at her unconscious face. She looked like she was in pain even in her sleep. It pissed him off. If she had to suffer the pain of having her blood sucked, it would be from him.

He brushed her honey curls from her face and leaned over her, pressing his lips gently to hers. Her mouth tasted sweet, but he knew her blood would taste sweeter. Fuck.

He lowered his face, his eyes staring at the punctures on her throat. They still dribbled a little blood. Subaru wouldn't even have to bite. He dipped his head and lapped at the wounds, digging his fingers hard into the soft green cushion. Holy shit, he thought, drawing back to stare at her. Her eyelids twitched, as though he'd stirred the pain back up. How could anybody in the world taste like this? He knew she had Cordelia's heart, but he'd never drank Cordelia's blood. So was this her own, or that woman's?

Subaru decided it didn't matter, then migrated back to the beautiful taste. Yui flinched under him, stirring. "A—Ayato...?" she whispered.

Subaru drew back, baring his fangs. "Tch. Do I look like that asshole to you?"

Yui blinked. "Oh, Subaru-kun. I—wait! What time is it?"

"That doesn't matter."

"I'm sorry—"

"Ugh, don't apologize. I don't want to hear it."

Yui fell silent.

Subaru looked around, making sure Ayato or the others weren't nearby. Not that they could stop him. He scooped Yui up in his arms, hissing when she made a fearful sound. "Do you want my brothers to hear you?"

She shook her head.

"Then calm down. I'm just taking you upstairs."

He carried her back to the front door then turned, taking her back up the stairs. She probably expected to be taken back to her room, but Subaru decided vehemently against that. His brothers liked bothering Yui when she was in her room. Being in her room meant she was fair game. Tonight, she was not fair game.

He pushed open his bedroom door when he came to it. It was rather plain considering he lived in a mansion, but he didn't really care for his room other than for his coffin. Supporting Yui with one arm, he lifted up the heavy lid and placed her inside of it, climbing in himself right after and shutting the lid. Inside, it was pitch black. Yui shifted uncomfortably next to him.

"What is it?"

"Will I be able to breathe in here?"

Subaru turned on his side, slipping his arm around her thin stomach. "Will you?" he murmured. He could breathe himself, but it wasn't necessary. The same way as he could eat but didn't need to. She said nothing to that, but rather changed the subject, speaking after a few silent moments.

"Why did you want to see me earlier, Subaru-kun? Why did you leave me the note?"

"Because I wanted to spend time with you. Isn't that obvious?"

"I figured you would just want to suck my blood."

"That too." He propped himself up on his elbow. He couldn't see in the darkness of the coffin, but he didn't need to. He touched her soft hair. "But I did want to spend time with you."

"Oh."

He stroked it gently for a moment, then touched her soft skin. His voice hardened. "In that aspect, I'm like my brothers. I want you to myself. I want you and your blood as my own. I'm selfish, Yui, but isn't everyone who lives in this damn place selfish?"

He pressed his mouth to her cheek, trailing his lips down to the base of her jaw with kisses, making her shiver against him. His own body shivered with excitement at her discomfort. "Subaru-kun," she whispered, "don't—"

"I'm not going to bite you. Unfortunately, Ayato felt the need to claim you for himself. You don't have enough blood for me to drink without killing you," he growled. At least, it came out as a growl. Her scent had almost completely tainted the coffin. He felt lightheaded with thirst. He considered opening the coffin, but her words cut him from his thoughts.

"Then...are you protecting me?"

"From my brothers, yes. From me, no." He brushed his fangs teasingly against her neck, scraping the flesh like he truly planned to bite. "If I could actually bite you right now, I would do so in a heartbeat. But I don't want to kill you."

She twisted around so that she faced him. Her breath was warm on his face, prickling his flesh. It smelled like cranberry juice. "How thirsty are you?" she said gently.

"Eh?"

"I'm curious. None of you ever talk about what it's like being a vampire. I want to know."

"Tch. Well, it's different for me than it is for them. They're older. They're used to their instincts and their lust for blood. I'm not. To me, maintaining control is a constant, conscious effort." He brought his hand to her chin, brushing his thumb across her lips. "My thirst is agonizingly painful. But then again, I can put up with it."

"Because you're used to that kind of pain?"

Subaru didn't respond instantly. How much did he want to tell her? Nothing specific. He didn't want to think about anything other than he and Yui at the moment. He didn't want to feel anxiety or pain. "And other kinds," he admitted. "But that doesn't matter. I can handle it. Now shut up and go to sleep. I'm tired."

"But you're nocturnal—"

He placed a hand on her shoulder, guiding her onto her back. He rose up over her so his back hit the coffin. "Do not disobey me," he said sharply, but when he felt for her lips and covered hers with his own, it was much more tender and gentle than his words had been. Kissing her chased away the madness swirling in his mind, filled him with a lightness that made him feel like he could walk on water. Yui sighed against his mouth—or was it a soft gasp?—and reached up, balling her fists in his torn white shirt.

"S—Subaru-kun," she whispered.

"Shut up," he murmured, then kissed her again, harder, pushing his tongue in her mouth to dominate her. She went limp under him, kissing back only enough that he could tell she was making an effort. But the kiss was left for him to guide. He shut his eyes and slipped a hand under her head, cradling it while he explored the planes and ridges in her mouth. Her heartbeat raced, pumping blood hard through arteries and capillaries. S—shit...

He yanked back hard enough his head hit the lid of the coffin. If not for the darkness, his hair and pain would have blinded him. A line of saliva connected their mouths for a slight instant before he pushed open the coffin lid, gasping for clean, untainted air. She touched his bare forearm gently. "You're damn lucky that you don't have enough blood in you," he snapped, reaching to clutch his chest.

"You're blushing," she said.

Subaru stared at her. "What was that?"

Yui was red in the face herself, but she said it again. "You're blushing, Subaru-kun." She smiled brilliantly. "Did the kiss do that, or the blood?"

Sure enough, he felt heat flood heat that was already in his cheeks. "I should leave you to my brothers," he said frigidly.

"You wouldn't do that. I know you wouldn't." Yui took him by the hand and pulled him down next to her. "You cared enough to protect me from them that you wouldn't just throw me right back to them."

Subaru gazed at her for a long moment. Then, gently, he drew her against his chest. "I'm going to hurt you if you stay," he murmured.

"I'm not leaving. I have faith in you." She smiled, pressing her face into his chest. "Spare me tonight and you can drink my blood tomorrow."

Subaru stiffened. "You're actually offering?"

"I prefer it when you suck my blood than them."

He brushed his fingers down her spine. "Okay then," he said. "If you trust me so much, let's just lie here for a little while longer. I don't feel like doing anything else."

Yui snuggled into his chest. "Sounds good to me."