The Warmth Of Red ||DISCONTINUED||

Chapter Thirty Four

July 19th - Tuesday Morning

Karasu leans back against a tree trunk as she starred across the cemetery, watching a large group of people gather around a single grave.

"We're just going to wait here until they leave?"

"Yeah. They won't recognize us since the old man sent out the Usagi to erase their memories of all of us. The only one who will remember is Yuzuki seeing as she's a Strain."

"Karasu." Anna looked up at the brunette, holding a bouquet of red roses.

"Don't worry, Anna." She smiled at her running her fingers through Anna's white hair. Minutes later she and the rest of HOMRA watched the group of people leave before making their way over to the grave site. Anna placed the bouquet of roses on the grave standing inbetween Mikoto and Karasu.

"Are you going to be okay, Kara?" Tatara asked.

"What do you mean?"

"You haven't cried at all.. I'm worried." Karasu left her hand grabbing his ear pulling it making him wince.

"Shut up, you idiot... You worry over nothing. I don't cry so easily, you know." She let go of his ear, he rubbed it easing the pain.

"Besides... She wouldn't like that people are crying because she's gone now." She smiled turning around leaving but not before taking Yata's beanie, ruffling his hair.

"H-hey! Karasu!" Yata frowned his cheeks flushed.

"It's our little Misaki's birthday tomorrow."

"Wha?! Don't call me by my first name!"

"And what are you going to do about it, huh? If I remember correctly I kicked your sorry butt last time."

"Eh?! I-I let you win!" She waved him off with a smile laughing as she ran off with his beanie in hand.

"Kara! Give that back!" Yata rushed after her as she waved it from side to side messing with the vanguard.

*~*

Later that afternoon everyone returned back to the bar after eating out, a few others either went home to rest or went on patrol around the territory of HOMRA.

"I'm full. I'm gonna go to sleep." Karasu covered her mouth as she yawned.

"Not so fast, Karasu." Turning around to face a worried Tatara, Karasu let out a sigh.

"You actually said my name. It's been awhile since I heard you call me by my real name. You keep using that nickname instead."

"Be serious about this."

"Serious about what exactly?"

"You didn't cry... Not once..." She clicked her tongue looking ahead of her, starring at the staircase on front of her.

"Drop it."

"At least tell us why..."

"I can't cry. I feel pain, yes, but not enough to cry." She spoke, raising her arms to her ponytail releasing her hair as it fell down over her shoulders and down her back.

"I'm not a crybaby, the pain I feel is not enough to actually make me shed a single tear. Heh, just ask Kaibara. I never cried when he..." She closed her mouth before letting out a deep, tired sigh.

"I'm going to bed, don't bother waking me."

"But Kara!

"Totsuka, that's enough!" She snapped. The boys fliched, even Izumo was waiting for the right moment to interfere. Mikoto moved his eyes over to Anna who sat beside him to see she was shaking, tears gathered in the corner of her closed eyes. Karasu notice this, walking over to Tatara she raised her arms up, cupping his cheeks.

"What are you..."

"Enough... Go to sleep, idiot." She spoke in a whisper, her hands glowed green, within a few seconds Tatara went limp, falling forward leaning on Karasu as she held him up.

"He may look skinny but he weighs a ton..." She said laying him down on the open couch across from Mikoto and Anna. Once she settled him down she went upstairs no doubt into the King's room. Izumo sighed, polishing a wine glass.

"He should've stayed quite." After a while the rest of the boys in the bar left to patrol the area before returning home for the night.

"Aren't you going to check on her, Mikoto?"

"Why should I?"

"She is our Queen after all. Why don't you keep an eye on her for a bit." Izumo smiled at his amber eyed friend who frowned. He let out a grunt before getting to his feet making his way up the staircase. Anna watched as Mikoto walked up the steps a few minutes later she heard a door opening and closing.

"Don't worry, Anna. I'm sure everything will turn out okay." She looked towards the bar seeing Izumo gave her a smile. She nodded her head.

"Do you want ice cream?" She nodded again going to the bar taking a seat on the barstool as Izumo placed a carton of strawberry ice cream in front of the little girl with a spoon. Upstairs Mikoto had walked into his room to see Karasu sitting up leaning back against the pillows as the blankets covered her from the waist down.

"I thought you said you were going to sleep."

"I can't sleep." Karasu looked at him with tired eyes. Mikoto walked over taking a sit at the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to sleep." He said taking off his shoes and his shirt, Karasu covered her face with the blanket when she noticed he was going to change in front of her.

"I-idiot! Don't change in front of me!" She hissed from behind the covers. Mikoto smirked after putting on his pajama pants.

"Heh."

"D-don't laugh, it's not funny!" She hissed again, the blanket she used to cover her face was yanked out of her hands as a book was dropped into her lap.

"Read." She looked beside her, Mikoto laid on the bed watching her.

"What?"

"Read to me woman." Her eye twitched.

"And what makes you think I would do that now?! You big stupid jerk!" She glared at him.

"Because I said so." She rolled her eyes, fully laying down she turned over onto her side facing the wall her back facing him.

"No way."

"Stubborn woman." He spoke, clearly annoyed.

"You got that right." She huffed looking at the title of the book.

"Who'd knew that the Red King would like fairy tales. Especially Beauty and the Beast." She turned over facing the man beside her with a smile. He rolled his eyes he pulled her closer to him surprising her.

"Read."

"Say please and I'll read to you." She gave him a cheeky grin seeing him narrow his eyes at her.

"No."

"Then, I guess I'm not reading to you- hey!" She pouted when Mikoto took the book out her her hands opening it, turning the pages until he stopped on one.

"Are you seriously reading it?" He just let out a grunt not looking at her. She pouted not saying anything as she laid her head on his chest, her arm laid across his stomach as she drapped her leg around his own.

"Why don't you read to me, Mikoto?"

"No."

"You're so mean." She chuckled closing her eyes. It didn't take long for her breathing became slow and calm, Mikoto looked away from the page he was pretending to read, looking at the sleeping woman laying on him.

"Stubborn woman." He closed the book placing it on the nightstand. Mikoto moved a strand of hair from Karasu's face causing her to let out a deep sigh rubbing her cheek against his chest. He couldn't help but smirk, closing his eyes pulling her closer to him.

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Sorry it took so long for me to update. I'm having a bit of trouble with ideas. Until next time!