A loud voice brought me back to consciousness. I couldn't yet open my eyes; I was too groggy. None of my limbs wanted to move either, so I lay and listened instead.
"So she's definitely a vessel for that bitch?"
The voice was distinctly Ayato's. There was a lot of rustling like someone was pacing back and forth.
"It seems so," Reiji agreed from beside me.
"We could all do without her, I want Miyako! Not her!"
"Keep your voice down," Subaru ordered and I felt him squeeze my hand.
"I don't want Mother back either," Kanato added, I could imagine him squeezing Teddy against his chest. "She wasn't as kind as Miyako is."
"I think we can all agree on that," Shuu muttered from my feet and I felt the bedding shift as he changed positions. "That woman is too troublesome to stay in Miyako's body anyhow."
"I've been researching something that might help her condition, but it may take some time," Reiji provided. My fingers were tingling and I found I could twitch them. "For now we should keep her from becoming needlessly stressed to avoid triggering Cordelia."
"Miyako?"
"Subaru," I answered in a low rasp.
"How are you feeling?" Reiji asked and I managed to open my eyes.
"Heavy, like I can't move too well."
"Don't panic, that's a side effect."
"You mentioned that I should avoid stress," I muttered, looking up at Reiji. My eyes felt so heavy... "Maybe we should take a vacation. Just to somewhere close."
"Go back to sleep, Miyako."
I obeyed whether I wanted to or not.
~
"Miyako come out of the bathroom!" Ayato growled, but I shook my head uncertainly. "This was your idea!"
"I know, but I'm just a little nervous."
"Tch, there's no reason."
"Okay, I'm coming."
I pushed the changing room door open and stepped outside in my bikini. Ayato took a few steps back, his eyes wide.
"Stop staring, Ayato, it's rude," chastised Reiji.
"Where have you been hiding those all this time?" Laito asked, sauntering up behind me and wrapping a hand around to grope my breasts. I squeaked at his firm touch and slipped out of his grasp, holding the suit firmly. Still, at least they were more interested in my breasts than the stretching scar that traced my sternum. "Uh, oh now your nipples are hard, nfu~"
"It's cold," I bit out stubbornly.
I myself was in a midnight purple triangle bikini with white outlining while each of the brothers sported swim trunks. Reiji had even taken his gloves off for the occasion. Shuu had a shirt on and seemed intent on lying out on a deck chair while the rest of us enjoyed the indoor spa. It was a goal of mine to get him on at least one water slide. Kanato held Teddy close to him; I wasn't sure how well the bear was going to stand up to the chlorine, but the lilac haired vampire seemed to have no intent on letting it go.
The indoor waterpark was famous across the country for sporting more than twenty five different slides, six different main pools, and multiple smaller attractions including hot tubs and swim-up bars. Barefoot, I padded over to the main pool and dipped my toes into the water. It was a wave pool with tropical plants lining the sides to simulate an indoor paradise. As I stood at the edge, the water lapped at my feet. The pool room was relatively empty since Reiji had mentioned something about it being reserved for exclusive members for this week.
"I've definitely needed a vacation," I murmured, watching a few young children jumping through the waves.
"You can't swim Miyako, where do you think you're going?" Ayato pointed out, grasping my upper arms firmly.
"I can now, actually. Not very well, but I can."
"Ayato is right," Reiji interrupted, standing beside me. "You shouldn't stress yourself out with all the heart trouble you've been having recently."
"Right," I agreed, sighing.
"How is this supposed to be fun?" Subaru asked, crossing his arms and surveying the water from the bank.
"Water makes you feel like you're floating," I answered, pushing further through the water with Ayato's hands slipping possessively to my waist. "It's supposed to be more relaxing than fun I suppose."
"I'm thirsty," Kanato called, still standing on the shore near Subaru in his purple swim trunks.
"Get something from the bar," I suggested, wading in further. "I don't want any open wounds while we're at the pool, there are so many diseases I can pick up that way and that wouldn't be good for either of us."
"That slide over there looks pretty fun," Laito said, pointing to a twisting purple one that looked like it shot out into a basin. "Whirlpool, I think it's called. Let's go Miyako!"
"I think that's a good idea," I agreed, grinning and splashing out of the pool
"You're getting water on me!" Kanato complained, but I ran forward and threw my arms around his neck.
"The water's warm, Kanato, come with us!"
"I suppose," he muttered. "What about Teddy?"
"Teddy can lounge on our chairs and enjoy the warm air. Do you think that would be pleasing to him?"
"Yes," Kanato agreed, smiling at Teddy and placing the stuffed animal onto the chair, propped up on our bags.
"You too Shuu, come with us!" I encouraged.
The blonde vampire opened a crystal blue eye and appraised my smiling face from his lounge chair. He let out a groan, but took his headphones out and tucked them into his bag.
"Yes!" I laughed throwing my arms around his waist in a hug since I was too short to reach his shoulders. "You'll have fun, I'm sure!"
"So, Miyako, have you been to one of these parks before?" Laito asked, slipping his fingers through mine and walking beside me toward the slide.
"Oi, Laito, hands off," Ayato growled.
"Hey," I chuckled, holding my other hand out to Ayato. "There's no need to try and one up each other. It's useless to try. And no, I haven't been to anything like this."
The redheaded vampire refrained from taking my hand and instead stalked ahead. Shuu, however, took the chance and laced his fingers into my own. Grinning, I squeezed it reassuringly.
"Whiplash Whirlpool," I said aloud, reading the sign at the beginning of the path.
"Hm," Reiji muttered, examining the warnings. "People with heart problems should be wary of this ride- Miyako that's you."
"I think this is just fine," I said firmly. "My issue seems to be triggered more by distress than eustress."
"Alright then, but I'm not fishing you out when you pass out," Reiji shrugged and I released Shuu and Laito to lay a hand on his arm reassuringly.
"Let's go!"
I lead the pack, Laito close behind with Kanato wailing about not wanting to be last. That wasn't much of something to worry about; especially since Shuu was usually last by default.
"Ayato, you first," I instructed. He seemed to have gotten over his skulking and his eyes even brightened at the opportunity to go first into the ride. "I know you're a good swimmer, so I can count on you."
"Don't want you drowning on us Cupcake," he chuckled, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling me in close.
Before I realized what he was up to, he had planted a swift kiss upon my lips and ducked into the opening of the slide. He disappeared in a swishing of water and flecks of foam. Farther down we heard a holler as the ride picked up in speed to fling him around the funnel of the ride. My heart beat loudly within my chest and I saw Reiji's eyes on me, but the adrenaline was pressing a cheek-pinching smile upon my face instead of causing a twinge in my chest. Still, I wasn't sure if it was from the fact that I was about to go on the ride or the fact that I had just received my first kiss.
"You look dumbstruck," Subaru observed sourly, his arms crossed.
"Just a little," I chuckled, putting my hands on my hips and trying to even out my facial expression.
The albino vampire rolled his eyes.
"You're up next," the lifeguard, a short girl with blonde hair swept up into a red scrunchie, said bluntly. She had the sort of judgmental eyes that darted from me to my companions quickly. "Don't do anything stupid."
"Do you want a good luck kiss, Little Beauty?" Laito asked, winking.
I didn't answer since the lifeguard was giving me a stern deathglare, but Laito took my silence as an opportunity. His lips met mine and my heart stuttered for a second time.
"Honestly," Reiji scoffed.
"You can have one later, Reiji," I smiled and I saw his crimson eyes widen as I entered the slide.
Immediately I was swept in on a violent current into darkness. My back was slick with cool water and my hair became plastered down to my head as I shot forward. In violent twists and turns, I felt as if I were shooting through the inside of a snake's body. Suddenly the slide dropped and I let out a shriek of glee as I was sent barreling out into the funnel. At top speed I whirled around until losing momentum and slowly slipping toward the hole at the bottom.
Another yell escaped my lips as I smacked down into the pool beneath, my limbs helter-skelter as I attempted to right myself into a feet first position. It was no use. The side of my stomach impacted upon the water with a splat. I kicked out with my arms and legs; paddling in a semi-doggy style until my head broke the water. Ayato made my swimming entirely unnecessary as he firmly pulled me to safety by my wrist
"How was that?" he asked, as I sloshed my way up the stairs beside him.
"Awesome! I can't wait to go on another!"
Another holler alerted us to the coming of another in our group. A flash of blonde hair told me that Shuu had gone down next. He burst from the water and waded over to us shaking his shaggy hair to rid it of water.
"Did you like it Shuu?" I asked brightly, looking up at him curiously.
"It was alright."
"Just alright?"
He raised an eyebrow at me and putting a hand on my shoulder. He too leaned in, but placed his lips on my forehead instead.
"I thought it would make you happy."
"It makes me happy when you're happy," I enthused, blinking in wonder at his gesture. "But yes, I am glad that you joined us."
"Yeah, that lazy lump never does anything!" Ayato said in a sharp, teasing voice with a large smile on his face. "Not even clean!"
I could've sworn that Shuu smiled faintly, "No one does, not even you if I remember correctly."
"Reiji does," I argued good-naturedly, listening to the slide for the next of our party . "He's the only reason your house is clean! It's nice of him to do that."
"It is," Shuu said mildly as Ayato shrugged his agreement.
A series of yells alerted us to another vampire incoming.
"Kanato!" I laughed as he dropped ungracefully into the pool.
"That was horrible!" he cried when he surfaced. "My suit nearly got tugged off!"
"Really?" I asked sympathetically. "Maybe you'll prefer the raft rides instead."
"I don't want to!" he yelled.
"Kanato stop your whining," Ayato chastised in a less-than-consoling voice, rolling his eyes. "It's only the one ride that was bad for you. They won't all be like that."
"Ayato's right," I soothed, rolling him up into a hug. "You'll like the other rides."
A vicious stabbing sensation in my neck caused me to yell in surprise. My cry mingled with another as someone else fell into the pool.
"Kanato!" I yelled, trying to push him away but his fangs were embedded into my skin deeply. "Stop!"
He pulled away, wiping his mouth as I put a palm over the wound.
"What were you thinking?" Ayato snarled, his hair nearly bristling.
"We're not supposed to drink from her right now," Shuu seconded calmly but with an air of irritation.
"I smell blood," Subaru announced, rushing from the pool. "Is Miyako alright?"
"Kanato decided to have a snack."
"She doesn't taste very good," Kanato muttered, pondering the watery crimson on the back of his hand. "Not as good as she did before."
"Eh?"
"Miyako, may I?" Shuu asked calmly and I uncovered the wound.
"What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to try your blood," he answered.
"Wait, no-"
"Just to see if there's anything wrong."
After I had taken a deep breath, he slipped his fangs into the marks left by Kanato and took a gulp.
"She tastes just fine, Kanato," Shuu argued. "Almost irresistible at the moment. I would say better than usual."
Another yell and a subsequent splash marked the arrival of Reiji who emerged from the pool with sparkling eyes until he scented blood on the air. He was by my side in an instant.
"What did we agree?" he growled, rounding on the group slowly after surveying my wound.
"It was Kanato," Ayato announced and the lilac haired vampire made a cry of outrage.
"I smell blood on Shuu's breath as well."
"We were just checking to see if her blood is alright," Subaru answered for Shuu. "Kanato mentioned that it tasted tainted."
"Well?"
"It's not," Shuu reported.
Another splash. The last of our group had arrived. Laito emerged from the water, shaking out his shaggy hair.
"Smells good," he noted, his glimmering eyes appraising my neck.
"Enough," I muttered, clasping my palm to my neck once more. "I'm going to find a bandaid."
"Suit yourself," Laito shrugged.