A/N: I do not own any images so far.
Chapter 22
Yui was sitting on the cold, attic floor. Her breathing was heavy as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.
'The triplet's mother...I saw her again...' she thought, searching through the scattered books and fallen papers with shaky hands. '...Why does my chest hurt whenever I see her?'
Yui stopped and closed her eyes. 'I don't want to be in this place...'
"...But I must clear up this confusion," she said aloud, her voice hushed but firm.
Her eyes flashed determinedly before she resumed her scanning. A gust of wind suddenly rushed into the room, scrambling the papers and causing the dust to go frantic in the air.
"What I'm slightly confused about is how you manage to get in here, the second time at that."
Yui turned towards the opened glass door and saw Laito standing on the balcony. He was gazing in the distance, his cheek resting on the back of his hand. He then turned and glanced at her.
"La...Laito-kun," Yui eventually greeted.
Laito smirked, leaning back as his hands gripped the railings behind him. He then cocked his head and simply stared at her. His gaze was less clouded than before.
"Hmm? Not going to respond?" he said through narrowed eyes.
"I-I don't know..." Yui replied. "All I remember is running after..."
Laito raised a brow. "After what?"
"Seriously, what are you up to?" Ayato was suddenly in the room, sitting on one of the tables closest to where Yui sat. "Do you even know what you're doing half of the time? ...Or are you controlled somehow by that man?"
"Why would you ask her that?" said Kanato, squeezing the stuffed toy in his arms. He was sitting cross-legged on the wooden chair. "She probably wouldn't know."
Yui mustered a small smile. "Kanato-kun..."
"Though, if she starts to become too much of a nuisance we can kill her. Right, Teddy?"
A gloomy aura surrounded Yui.
"Now, now. We aren't meant to kill her, remember?" reminded Laito.
Kanato looked irritated. His eyes then brightened. "Well, we could kill her in a way that seems like she committed suicide."
"Um...please wait..." Yui began breaking into cold sweat, her hands held out in front of her.
Ayato placed a hand on his chin. "That actually doesn't sound too bad."
"Alright, we're getting veery off topic here~" Laito said. His eyes then grew cold. "So, Bitch-chan...care to tell us what you're trying to stick your nose into?"
Yui tightened her grip on the journal. "I...I want to find out the truth...about why I'm here. What relationship does my father have with you guys? Did father send me here on...on purpose? Why am I chosen as the 'bride'?"
"You still haven't given up on that?" Ayato said.
Laito hummed. "Well, I'm not sure myself if we have all the answers."
Kanato giggled. "You were probably chosen because of your blood. Or that you'll too weak to escape."
"...I would also like to know more of what happened to this place in the past..." Yui continued. "...because lately everything is so weird..."
Kanato narrowed his eyes. "Watch your mouth, you filthy worm."
"Weird?" Ayato perked. "How?"
Yui averted her eyes and slowly placed her hand over her chest. "I saw this woman again...and my chest started hurting..."
"Oh?" said Laito. "What woman? And when was this?"
Ayato clicked his tongue. "Probably those human emotions...what was it again?"
"Fear?" Kanato suggested. "Submission?"
Yui gave him a look. "No...and is submission even an emotion?"
"Mmm...love-struck?" Laito said.
"Yes!" Ayato pointed. "That's it! Chichi-nashi, you're experiencing love-struck! But with a woman...?"
"N-no! It's different!" Yui immediately denied. "And I don't go that way!"
Laito smirked. "Nothing to be ashamed of, though~"
"Teddy. Teddy, wake up!" Kanato was shaking his stuffed toy. He gave the others a grave expression. "He fainted in shock."
"I'm telling you guys, that's not it!" She waited until the three fell silent before she released a sigh. "I saw her a while ago. She was...standing outside the balcony in my room. She then turned around and...I remembered her eyes..."
Yui shivered, hugging herself. "...They were green and cold and full of conceit...She looked at me...and my chest started hurting. I ran out of the room before she could grab me. Before I knew it, I was in here...so I decided to search through these books in attempt to find an answer to all this..."
"Green eyes?" Ayato repeated. His voice was strained.
"Y-yes." Yui failed to read his expression. "She had long purple hair and wore a black, floor-length gown..."
To her surprise, the temperature in the room plummeted even further.
"...Liar." Kanato's voice started off barely audible. "Liar, liar, liar!"
"Kanato—"
"LIES!" Kanato screamed. "How dare you tell lies like that?! You disgraceful—"
"So I was right..." Yui stated quietly. "It was your mother."
Kanato stopped. He retracted his hand, wrapping it around his stuffed toy. Brows scrunched and eyes filled with disgust, he buried his face behind Teddy's head.
Laito appeared to be staring at the spot beside him with a chilling expression. "...Ah. You knew this because of that dream of yours, correct?" he finally said.
Yui managed a small nod. "...What happened to her?"
Ayato locked his eyes with her. His loathing jolted her body.
A pitiful scream rang through the tranquil night, underneath the light of a full, blood red moon. Cordelia was standing on the elegant staircase, a hand on her bleeding stomach. She slowly, staggeringly backed away, her wide eyes fixed on her son below stairs coated with her own blood.
"A-Ayato," she wheezed. Every gasp racketed more pain thorough her body.
Ayato stood there, his mother's blood splattered over his white shirt. He nonchalantly looked at the warm, red liquid on his arm.
"What a shame. It's ruined now," he said. "And I really liked this shirt."
Ayato lifted his other arm. "Ah-ah. It's soaked in your blood, mom."
He then leisurely licked the blood on his left hand. He allowed a moment for the taste to fully soak in his tongue before he looked back at his mother.
He smirked, fangs baring. "Delicious. I want more."
Cordelia gasped. Frightfully, she ran up the rest of the stairs, stumbling even hastier upon hearing Ayato's menacing laughter.
Cordelia staggered across the hallway. Panting, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to move forward, leaving behind trails of red along the walls, the only thing supporting her. The dark purple carpet was also stained with blood, just visible under the moonlight.
Barging the door open, Cordelia fell to the floor. She raised her head, eyes flashing with relief upon seeing Laito. She quickly got up and made her way towards the piano where he sat.
"Laito..." she desperately said before gasping in pain. She struggled to hold herself up as she took another step. "Laito..."
"Oh?" said Laito, tone sounding anything but concern. "What's the matter?"
Cordelia gritted her teeth, brows scrunched up in agony. "It's...It's Ayato! ...He's torturing me!"
Laito remained apathetic. "Really? Well, I know this will happen sooner or later."
Cordelia raised a weak, bloody hand towards him. "Laito..." she commanded through sharp breaths. "I order you...to help me!"
Laito's hands curled over the keyboard, his expression unreadable as his lips thinned.
A banging startled Cordelia. "Ayato has come for me!" Fear ran through her features as her eyes widened in panic. "He's come to kill me!"
The wind fiercely howled. Upon hearing a tapping noise against the glass window, Cordelia frantically looked outside. She almost sighed with relieve once her gaze landed on the dancing tree branches, the source of the tapping sound.
"That isn't Ayato," Laito reassured. "That's just the wind."
Cordelia's eyes were still wide.
"Relax," he said, causing her to look at him. His smile was barely there, and his eyes remain cold, despite his light tone. "I'll keep you safe."
...
Both of them were now up in the attic. Displayed on one of the tables were various, luscious jewelleries that blindly reflected the light of the moon.
Laito stopped beside the balcony door.
"Have you driven Ayato away from me?" Cordelia asked from outside. Her breathing has calmed, and a relief smile adorned her face. From the corner of her mouth, a thin line of blood trailed down to her chin.
"Yup, he's gone."
Cordelia sighed, relaxing. "I knew I could depend on you, Laito."
"Do you love me more than anyone else?" he said, voice strangely gentle.
Cordelia offered a bloody hand towards him. "Yes," she replied.
Laito returned her smile, brows furrowed with affection. Walking up to her, he grasped her outstretched hand.
"Laito, I love you," said Cordelia. "I mean it."
Laito's eyes narrowed. In the blink of an eye, Cordelia was suddenly falling. Her piercing screams dragged through the air for the final time before she crashed atop the crimson rose beds.
Upon seeing her lifeless eyes, Laito simply turned around and went back inside.
...
"Mother, what's wrong?" Kanato asked a bloody corpse that laid among the roses.
He peered closer and tilted his head. "There's a hole in your chest, mother."
The only sounds he got in response was the pitter-pattering of rain and wails from the wind. Kanato walked over and crouched above Cordelia's head, crushing the roses with his shoes.
"Mother, wake up." He brushed the hair from her forehead before beginning to look around. "I wonder where your heart went? ...Help me look for it."
Kanato leaned closer. "Hey, are you dead, mother?" After a moment of feeling her forehead against his palm, he whispered, "You're so cold...and so wet..."
He began stroking her head. "The rain's cold, isn't it? Hold on, I'll warm you up..."
Kanato tilted the candelabra towards her hair. In an instant, his mother was swallowed by the flames. He then straightened and took a few steps back, watching the flames spread as they sizzled mildly under the rain.
"Is it warm now, mother?" said Kanato. "C'mon, tell me it's warm!"
He then burst into fits of giggles as the flames flickered brightly into the night.
Yui's eyes were wide and filled with horror. She began scrambling backwards until her back hit the shelf.
A giggle escaped Laito's lips. "Bitch-chan, did you know? I pushed her off this very spot."
"...Eh?" More colour drained from Yui's face. The various jewelleries displayed on the table seemed to glitter hauntingly.
Laito took a few steps forward before he turned around, facing the moon. "Like this..." He slowly stretched his hand out in a pushing motion.
"No..." Yui began shaking her head. "No, that's...that's...!"
She ran out of the room. Ayato and Kanato watched her clumsy, retreating figure. Laito dropped his hand to his side, his gaze remained straight ahead.
"Laito, I love you," said Cordelia. "I mean it."
Laito's eyes narrowed. In the blink of an eye, Cordelia was suddenly falling. Her piercing screams dragged through the air for the final time before she crashed atop the crimson rose beds.
Upon seeing her lifeless eyes, Laito simply turned around and went back inside. His body suddenly went rigid, his grim expression replaced by a surprised one when he sensed an unmistakable presence.
With wide eyes, he looked outside.
"...Guinevere," he finally said.
++++++++++
Kanato used the candelabra in his hand and lit his mother on fire. He then straightened and took a few steps back to watch the flames spread as they sizzled slightly under the rain.
"Is it warm now, mother?" said Kanato. "C'mon, tell me it's warm!"
He then burst into fits of giggles as the flames flickered brightly into the night.
"Kanato?"
Kanato immediately stiffened. He slowly turned around.
"Kanato," Guinevere said once more. "Get out of the rain, dear. You will catch a cold."
"...Guinevere? Oh. Do you see these beautiful flames?"
"I do."
"They're beautiful, aren't they? Burning mother's corpse is really beautiful." Kanato was walking towards her, his steps quickening. "...But now she's warm. So...warm..."
Guinevere gave him a pained smile and opened her arms. Kanato's vision was suddenly clouded with tears. He stopped walking and ran straight into her arms.
His loud, agonizing cries were carried by the wind, drowning the peaceful pouring of the rain. Tears stung the corner of Guinevere's eyes and she squeezed him closer to her. With one hand, she tenderly stroked his head.
"I'm so glad. You are finally free...Free from those sufferings," she said soothingly. Kanato's cries turned into sobs as he crumpled her dress in his hands.
"It's alright now," she continued. "Do not dwell on her. People like her do not have affection towards others, nor are they truly loved in return..." Guinevere looked at the burning corpse with spiteful eyes. "...as you can clearly see."
She then carried Kanato, who wrapped his arms around her neck. Keeping his head bowed to hide his expression, he rested his cheek on her shoulder, burying his face in the crook of her neck.
Guinevere smiled at his embarrassment and pecked a kiss to the side of his head. She tilted her head so it touched his. "I love you Kanato. Do not forget that."
++++++++++
Guinevere walked into the room. Her eyes went from Laito to the remains of the piano crumpled and piled against the wall, the back to Laito again.
"I see," she concluded. "Laito."
Laito turned away from her.
"I got you a gift," said Guinevere. "I believe it suits you quite well."
Silence greeted her.
Guinevere smiled before she walked towards him. "You're indicating that right now that you don't want company, correct?"
Slightly curious, he started to turn his head to peer at her from the side. His eyes widened when she embraced him, her body pressed against his back.
"...But I know you well enough to know that your façade is lying," Guinevere said gently, resting her cheek on his back. She interlocked her arms around his stomach and tightened her grip. "Relying on loved ones is most certainly not a bad thing."
Laito didn't respond for a long while before he lifted his head up. "I wonder about that." His voice came out hushed and worn-out. It wavered.
"Ah, you are going to make me cry," Guinevere stated. "But thank you for trusting me. I will be sure to cherish you. You definitely have my word on that."
"...You always have," Laito muttered.
Guinevere loosened her grip in surprise. Laito took the opportunity to turn around. He tenderly grabbed her chin before leaning down to capture her lips. Guinevere's eyes widened further. After a moment, she closed them, petting his head. Immediately, Laito deepened the kiss, arching her slightly back as his arm snaked around her waist.
He was sucking on her lower lip when he felt something on his head. He broke away in surprise and grabbed what appeared to be a fedora.
"As I thought. It suits you quite well," Guinevere mused. "Do you like it?"
Laito examined the fedora with curious eyes. "Is this the gift you were talking about?"
"Yes."
"Mm, well, it's more comfortable than most of the hats that I've worn." Laito traced the red ribbon around the fedora, delighted by its smoothness on his fingertips. He then placed it back on his head. "Thank you~"
Guinevere smiled. "I was reluctant at first, since you did not fancy hats, or to be more precise, any form of accessory on your head."
"You know me so well." His tone held warmness as he ran his fingers over his hair. "This hair does require a lot of maintenance to be his soft~"
"Yes, and you are doing a very good job so far. Your hair looks ever-so luscious...but does that mean you are not intending to accept my gift?"
"No, I'll wear it," Laito said. "Such finely made fedora wouldn't ruin this, as you say, luscious hair."
Their fingers interlaced.
"It really does suit you," Guinevere said.
Laito's eyes squinted, as soft as his smile. "More reasons for me to wear it."
++++++++++++
"Ayato, you still have not gotten changed?"
Ayato turned around, his clothes still splattered with blood. He didn't say anything as he gazed at her.
Guinevere huffed. "The hallway is such a mess, too. I pity the servants, having to clean this filth."
Ayato's hands balled into fists. His head was bowed as he remained silent.
Guinevere glanced at his white knuckles for a while. A smirk then suddenly spread on her face.
"Still not responding?" She then walked up to him and affectionately ruffled his hair. "Very well. Please get yourself cleaned up and get some rest. I shall ask the maids to prepare you a warm bath. Oh, maybe some Takoyaki as well."
She turned around and managed to take a step when Ayato gripped the back of her dress.
Guinevere supressed a smile. "Yes, Ore-sama?"
She felt the grip on her dress tighten.
"...Takoyaki...can you make it instead?" Ayato uttered after the longest moment, his voice quiet and slightly horse.
Guinevere sighed knowingly. She lightly grabbed his wrist and spun on her heels, lightly knocking his head with her knuckles.
"You," she said, " are hopelessly adorable."
Ayato gripped her hand and pulled it away from his hair. Guinevere's eyes widened.
"No, don't you dare come clo—" Guinevere squeaked.
Ayato tighten his arm around her. He finally flashed his trademark smirk. "Heh."
With shaky, clawed hands, Guinevere made a crushing gesture above his head. "You little—this is one of my newer gowns!"
Ayato simply relaxed in response, shifting more of his weight on her. Her 'oof' reached his ears, causing him to chuckle.
Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to fall as Guinevere's legs gave way. They both landed on the ground, with Guinevere barely holding herself up in a sitting position.
She didn't even have time to regain her breath before Ayato leaned on her once again, this time further crushing her with his weight.
A vein popped on Guinevere's forehead. With one hand on the ground to support her weight, she grabbed his shoulder with her other hand and pushed.
"This...woman...refuses to use this gown...as a mop!" The hand supporting Guinevere's body began to bend underneath Ayato's weight. "Ayato, did you not hear what I just said? Stop playing around! My—my gown is—!"
"Isn't your gown already dirty?" Ayato mumbled, his face buried in the side of her head. His tone held amusement.
"Do not talk back." Guinevere then gave up and they both collapsed onto the floor.
She began stroking his hair and closed her eyes. "There, there."
Ayato tensed as he recalled his hands that impaled his mother's body, as he recalled clear fragments of memories that contained scarcely any laughter and freedom. They were all grey.
"Wha—" he began weakly. The memory of him drowning reached his mind, the cold sensation clear before colours bloomed as Guinevere was suddenly there, reaching a hand towards him.
"You'll be alright now." She snapped him to reality. The same hand that pulled him from darkness was now stroking his head, the affection turned into warmth and spreading through his body. "The sky is now your limit. So go wild, my dear Ayato."
A tear slipped down his cheek as Ayato relaxed into her embrace.
+++++++++++
"Oh, that reminds me," Laito asked as he stood beside the pool table, an arm leaning on his cue stick. "Guinevere's gown was drenched in blood. Care to explain that, Ayato?"
Ayato clicked his tongue, turning his head away.
Kanato narrowed his eyes. "Did you get her gown dirty?"
Ayato muttered under his breath. A blush suddenly appeared.
Laito sighed. "Ayato, speak so we can hear you."
"Fine. Ore-sama got it dirty," Ayato curtly admitted. He then returned to his game, bending down and aiming his stick. "Now let me concentrate."
"But that's not what makes you embarrassed, is it?"
Alarmed, Ayato hit a red cue ball with so much force that it fell out of the pool table along with a few others. He cursed and shot Laito a glare.
"What?" he said through gritted teeth.
Kanato tilted his head. "Don't tell me...you got slapped or something by Guinevere afterwards?"
"N-no! How can the great Ore-sama be—"
Laito burst out laughing. "Oh, you poor thing~ It must have hurt quite a bit, doesn't it?"
"What's that Teddy?" Kanato leaned closer to his stuffed toy. "He deserved it? That idiot deserved it? Why, I completely agree." Kanato then giggled. "Great minds think alike, don't they?"
Ayato scoffed. "What's so fucking great about a stuff toy's mind?"
Kanato got down from the pool table, raging. "Teddy is not a toy!"
Laito looked into the distance, his eyes sparkling. "Though, Ayato, you are quite fortunate, I have to say." He gave Ayato a pout. "I'm quite jealous~"
"Piss off, hentai," said Ayato. "Pipsqueak, you better not start throwing—"
Kanato flipped the pool table in Ayato's direction. Hell broke loose.
++++++++++++
Yui was kneeling on the rough floor. The coldness of the rain was simply a numb sensation. Balling her fists, hot tears flowed down her cheeks before they dripped down her chin, turning cold as it mixed with the pouring rain.
"No..." she quietly said. A sob escaped her. "I...hate this place!"
"Really?"
Shoes met her vision and Yui slowly looked up, loosening her grip on her forearms.
She blinked in surprise. "Subaru?"
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A/n: Sorry if they're too OOC~