Covet {Yuumika/Mikayuu}

Ghosts of the Past

It happens slowly. And Yoichi wouldn't have noticed before, but he does now. Yoichi, enthralled, watches as Mikaela unconsciously falls in love with the Yuuichirou that comes and goes on behalf of the military. And then, when Mikaela realizes and lets the love in his chest grow, he watches that too.

He pretends not to hear the bitter and jealous words under Lacus' breath, or the way René's fingers twitch with discomfort as he watches them fall in love again. He phrases it like this because it's been two years now. And two years have passed and their memories haven't returned. He weeps some nights at this, but he'll tell you differently if asked. Say he's long forgotten that part of himself.

He's a full fledged servant of the Shindo household. That, none can deny anymore. And as part of the household, he watches and hears the whispered secrets. Observes as things unfold in the shadows of the house. Fully fledged, he wonders if turning would be a good thing.

René is shocked at this. Flabbergasted at it. "You would turn? Say farewell to your humanity?"

Yoichi is silent for a second, he bites his bottom lip and then, "I think I would. For Mikaela, I think I would." He smiles then, and it isn't a happy smile, "Besides, what else do I have?"

It's not until two weeks after that Yoichi knows the feeling of feeling parched to the point of burning and festering deep in the throat. He is saddened as much as he revels in it.

Mikaela is, somehow, saddened at this. Some part of him knew the day would come when Yoichi would have to face between lingering in his humanity, and swallowing down someone's else's red life source. It's a stark reminder of what cannot be had again, but he's bathed in love again, so he smiles and welcomes Yoichi with open arms.

Yoichi for his part, spends most of his days training under Rene's tutelage. Learning to grow into his instincts and trying not to trip on his new joints. His flexible joints and the way they twist to angles that would be painful before. He likes it for the most part, but other times he wishes he hadn't any abilities.

He's a servant. A blank slate for their master to use. But he breathes in too much, and reacts to it. He tastes the air and shifts just the wrong way. He walks and wobbles still—and in the presence of guests and—and—it's wrong. It's just wrong. And Yoichi wishes he hadn't turned into a vampire, but he wishes he didn't wish that. But ask him and he'll tell you differently; because he's a blank slate for his master to use.

It's surprising when it happens. It's sudden as it is brash. Yoichi doesn't see her coming until he feels her hand on his arm. Tugging him into the shadows and pressing him against the all.

Eyes wide with shock, "You're...a vampire?" Shinoa says.

All the while, Yoichi wonders where the familiarity came from. With his back pressed against the wall, he lets himself relax. His claws are out and it's one of the things that still pinch when done, so he hides his hands behind his back. Back to where his kimonos' obi is. There he holds his face still as he feels his claws retract and Shinoa's fists tighten along his collar.

Then, she remembers herself. She lets go and her face goes blank before it's shows painful amount of emotion.

"I—," she begins, "Yoichi...I remember. I always have." After a moment, she adds quietly, "I just didn't know how or when to tell."

And that's a surprise all on its own. Yoichi is crying before he knows it. He knows for sure when Shinoa gently wipes the tears away, smiling sadly.

"H-how?" Yoichi croaks, grimacing at the dryness he finds at he back of his throat. He swallows and repeats, "How?"

She crying now too, and she smiles again, a little hopeful this time. "I always knew." She takes a minute and then, "I grew up with a demon inside me, so all I had to do was pretend. It—" it hurt, Yoichi knows. He nods one too many times and cups Shinoa's face, smiling.

"It's okay," he forces out, petting her face still, just to have his hand do something. He breaths out, "We just need to figure out what to do next. Do the rest remember?"

She shakes her head, "No, they don't. I'm the only one." When Yoichi says nothing she adds, "I-I've tested it out, asked them questions only they would know the answer too, and-and nothing—just nothing. They don't know, Yoichi." And now she's crying, stopping a sob mid way and drawing closer to Yoichi. Yoichi is there, he draws her into his chest and gently says, "Okay, we'll figure this out, it's okay."

A month passes and still they don't know what to do. And so unfocused he was that he didn't see anything. The changes. Lacus' silence. René's tension. Mikaela's oblivion to his surroundings.

René takes in a deep breath by Mikaela's koi pond. He lets the breath out. Digs into his kimonos sleeve and raises his eyes to watch as Mikaela and Yuuichirou feed the koi fish. He lowers his eyes and looks at the pocket watch he brought out.

He smiles when called and waved at. Breath in. Waves back and bows. Breathe out. The pocket watch chimes. It's time to go.