Lavender and Rain

For @mikayuuweek​

Day 8: Happy Birthday, Yuu-chan! (Canon compliant, “What If” Scenario, Takes place after Chapter 119)

Hello~ Today is the last day of MikaYuu Week 2022, and what better way to end it than a canon compliant fic? Thank you so much for having me in this event, and for reading all of my stuff until today. It was a blast to let all of these ideas out. ^^

Enjoy reading, and Happy Birthday to our ray of sunshine, Yuu-chan! Until next time~

—

“Say, Mika…” Yuuichirou began after they both stared out at the scenery from Tokyo Tower. “Since we aren’t from prying eyes anymore, I want to test your powers for a bit. We didn’t have much time to explore this with everything going on…”

“… Now that you mention it,” Mikaela hummed as he looked down on his hand in wonder. “I did… feel a surge of power after consuming Asuramaru. But I’m not sure if this can be of much use to us.”

“Pfft, don’t be such a worrywart. Come here,” Yuuichirou patted a space beside him for Mikaela to take a seat. He grinned. “We won’t know until we try. Let’s experiment a little, like… Like when we are kids cooking for the first time.”

Mikaela sighed as he came near and settled beside Yuuichirou. “This is different from cooking, Yuu-chan. I could possess you if I’m not careful.”

Yuuichirou hummed, unfazed. “I don’t mind; I trust you.”

Mikaela frowned at this. “You really…”

However, Mikaela’s words died in his throat as Yuuichirou gently cupped his face and bumped their foreheads together. His eyes were closed and his smile was loving. It made Mikaela’s breath hitch at their sudden closeness while a light blush bloomed on his cheeks. He idly noted how warm Yuuichirou was due to their proximity.

“… Yuu-chan, what are you doing?” Mikaela couldn’t help the question from escaping his lips, barely above a whisper.

“Listen, Mika…” Yuuichirou instructed softly. “What are my desires telling you?”

“Eh?” Mikaela grew silent as he listened deeply, taking a hint of what Yuuichirou wanted using his demonic powers before shaking his head in disagreement. “No, Yuu-chan, it’s impossible. We can’t do that.”

“What did I tell you about experimenting?” Yuuichirou pouted in disappointment at Mikaela’s disapproval before he flashed him his signature lopsided smile. “Please? Only this once. Indulge me for a bit?”

Mikaela stared at Yuuichirou as he took a moment to believe that the other was serious. When he felt that Yuuichirou wasn’t backing out anytime soon, he sighed with a tired nod.

“Alright, fine. But only once, okay?”

Yuuichirou nodded like an eager puppy with his green eyes shining with excitement. Mikaela knew he could never win against Yuuichirou with that look; he was weak to it. To see it upclose just made his blush gain more color, and he had to gaze away in embarrassment.

“Don’t expect too much, though. It will take a while since this is the first time I’ll be doing this.” Mikaela warned.

“If it’s you, then I have all the time in the world.”

Somehow, those words were both comforting and disturbing at the same time, especially with everything happening as of now. However, after their argument a few minutes ago, Mikaela didn’t have it in him to deny Yuuichirou what he wanted any longer.

He trusted him, so it’s only right for Mikaela to trust him in return no matter how unpredictable his plans were.

“Is that so? Then…”

Mikaela reached out and made a familiar gesture with his hand, making sure that Yuuichirou was backed in a secure place within the tower before grinning mischievously. 

“Rest for a while, Yuu-chan. I’ll see you in your dreams.”

Then, Mikaela flicked on Yuuichirou’s forehead, which made the other yelp in surprise as Mikaela’s form became a sword once again in Yuuichirou’s hand. Yuuichirou pouted half-heartedly at his weapon, staring at its closed eye accusingly as he rubbed on his now sore forehead.

“Geez, Mika, what are you, ten?” Yuuichirou asked fruitlessly at the silent katana before he settled on a stable place to meditate as per Mikaela’s instructions. “If you want payback, then do that after I bring you back to life. I don’t want to live with a sword all the time.”

Yuuichirou puffed his cheeks for a bit, yet he still clutched the sword close to his chest. He hugged it as he willed himself to sleep, which was easy with how crazy everything had been and his body was eventually catching on fatigue and the drugs on his system.

It didn’t take long for sleep to come to him quietly as he leaned against the quiet wall of Tokyo Tower.

When Yuuichirou opened his eyes again, he was surrounded by the familiar foggy atmosphere of the subspace within his mind.

There, Mikaela was waiting for him, but he wasn’t alone and Yuuichirou quickly noticed the other visitor with round eyes of surprise and nostalgia.

“I tried to create it with the help of your memories, but I’m not sure of the credibility of it gaining consciousness…” Mikaela explained dubiously as Yuuichirou neared them, eyeing the clone that he made who had a blank stare on its face. “What do you think, Yuu-chan?”

“Are you kidding me? This is amazing, Mika.” Yuuichirou complimented as he took a hold of the clone’s gloved hand to rub it. “The details are exactly how I remembered it. You really outdid yourself. See? Even the temperature is just right.”

Mikaela’s cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink when Yuuichirou complimented his work. He had never received such praises before, and to hear it from his beloved person made his chest warm. As Mikaela was about to say something about the clone, the lifeless gloved hand suddenly took Yuuichirou’s own hand and squeezed hard. Yuuichirou had to stop himself from wincing from the pain and shock at the sudden act, especially when he looked up to see concerned red eyes looking at him.

“… Yuu-chan?”

“M-Mika?”

“I…” The clone looked around their surroundings in confusion. “Where are we? Where is that Guren bastard? Did we manage to escape?” Then he pointed at Mikaela who was staring at them owlishly. “And who is he and why does he look like me?!” 

"Uh, about that…”

Yuuichirou was beginning to sweat bullets, and he could clearly feel his own Mikaela slowly becoming angry at the clone. His blue eyes were staring daggers on where the clone was holding him, and his tail was swaying aggressively behind his back.

“Mika…” Yuuichirou scolded a bit at his demon to calm him down, before turning his attention to the clone who bore Mikaela’s face. “Mika, listen to me… You…”

Yuuichirou bit on his bottom lip as the Mikaela from his memories before becoming his demon came to mind, and he had to repress the urge to cry at remembering how Mikaela died that day. But, this clone had to know. This Mikaela didn’t need to; Yuuichirou could pretend, but he didn’t want that.

Mikaela, regardless if he was the original or a clone, deserved to know the truth. Yuuichirou couldn’t bear to lie to him after everything they have been through.

“You… died,” Yuuichirou concluded with an uneasy intake of breath. It hurt, but he needed to go on. “Guren killed you, sliced you open in half while you were trying to save me. T-Then after that, you became a demon as per the cycle of a vampire’s death. That’s why…”

The clone Mikaela was silent as he processed Yuuichirou’s words, looking at him with wide eyes from the shock.

“I… I died, and became a demon?”

Yuuichirou nodded.

“So that means…” The clone looked up at Mikaela who could only gaze at him in resignation.

“Yes,” Yuuichirou pointed at the original Mikaela. “You turned into him after you died. The you now is just a clone for an experiment that I want to try, and you are now acting based on my memories. For that, I’m sorry.”

The two Mikaela’s have calmed down after Yuuichirou explained everything briefly. The clone let out a shaky breath as he thought up all of the insane scenarios Yuuichirou told him.

“I see…” He breathed as a soft chuckle escaped lips; a gentle smile adorning his face. “Oh, Yuu-chan, you don’t have to apologize. I’ll always forgive you no matter what. Thank you for telling me.”

Yuuichirou blinked when this Mikaela cupped his cheek and stared at him with a look of acceptance. The way his red eyes glimmered with a familiar sadness, yet still had the strength to move on made Yuuichirou’s own eyes shine with unshed tears.

Truly, there was nobody who could really match up to Mikaela, and Yuuichirou was happy with that because Mikaela was irreplaceable; his beautiful, strong and selfless Mikaela – his precious person who held his heart in his hands, even if his own Mikaela denied it in order to sway him away from his goals. Yuuichirou would always return to love him no matter what, even if Mikaela thought otherwise.

“… You know, you were quite the handful after you died,” Yuuichirou hiccuped that bordered between a laugh and a sniffle, trying to break the tension. His statement caused the two Mikaela’s to look at him. “You ran away and played hide-and-seek with me after you declared your love for me. I didn’t take you to be shy with how aggressive you are with me.”

Mikaela choked in his spit while his clone flushed red instantly when the topic of the love confession came up.

“That’s not—I really thought I wouldn’t see you again, s-so…” His demon stuttered softly, but his clone was staring into space at what Yuuichirou revealed, doing nothing to help his original from this predicament.

“… I confessed?”

“You did.”

The face of Mikaela’s clone burst to an even redder shade, and he shyly looked up at Yuuichirou while he fiddled with his hand.

“A-And your reply…?”

Yuuichirou beamed. “Of course, Mika, I also lo—”

A hand was slapped on his mouth to shut Yuuichirou’s words as the original Mikaela glared at his clone; his tail swished irritably once again.

“Hold on, that confession is for me.” He declared before he wrapped his arms around Yuuichirou’s middle. “You may have been created using Yuu-chan’s desires and memories, but I’m still the superior one here between the two of us.”

“Eh?” The clone blinked before he frowned. “B-But I asked first. That’s not fair. Did you ask for his reply when you gained consciousness?”

Mikaela flinched, surprised. “No, I did not…”

“Then, that confession is for me, right, Yuu-chan?” The clone asked, vying for Yuuichirou’s attention as he tightened his hold on him for a bit worriedly. “I declare it as my right because I asked first.”

“Know your limits.”

Yuuichirou blinked before he laughed at what was happening between the two Mikaela’s. It honestly wouldn’t matter because Yuuichirou would still love all of Mikaela, but to see how much Mikaela would fight for his love warmed his heart.

But to see these two going at it so seriously… Yuuichirou wondered how he could settle their fight without them trying to kill each other.

For @mikayuuweek

Day 7: Lost/Found (ft. Artist!Yuu/Novelist!Mika)

This is another AU that I had in mind, but I was unable to continue due to time constraint so I made a drabble out of it. Enjoy reading~

—

When Yoichi and Shihou announced their wedding, they blissfully tore up the hearts of two men; their ex-boyfriends, Mikaela and Yuuichirou, respectfully. The news was unexpected, but they were happy for them nonetheless, despite the pain of having their inspirations taken away etched onto their beings.

They thought that they could handle it, but as they saw Yoichi and Shihou exchange their vows on their special day, it broke an emotional dam that both Mikaela and Yuuichirou could barely contain during the wedding reception.

Yuuichirou was the first to fall, having been drinking more alcohol than what he would normally take, which resulted in him being drunk quite early into the night. Mikaela, on the other hand, was slowly becoming dazed as the alcohol buzzed into his system like a calm river, yet he was still aware enough to pull Yuuichirou away before the other could start anything as the wedded couple cut up their cake.

“You don’t understand…” Yuuichirou sniffled against Mikaela’s clothes, his shaky hands fisting the fabric hard enough to leave crumples. “He… He was my everything. I know that we didn’t work out, but I hoped… God damn it, I hoped…!”

Mikaela bit on his bottom lip as he more than understood what Yuuichirou meant, but the event for the day didn’t call for this, even if Mikaela pretty much wanted to cry himself.

“Amane-san, I know how you feel, but this—”

“—What the hell do you know?!” Yuuichirou screamed as he finally looked up at Mikaela with tears falling down his face. “You don’t know what it’s like to lose your fucking muse! The source of your art, the person who you hold so dear to your heart…! Don’t you get it?! I lost it… I lost him! My… My muse…”

Mikaela stared for a moment before his own eyes glimmered with unshed tears. He gritted his teeth as he took a sharp intake of breath. “I know… I know it too, damn it. So why are you so fucking selfish, allowing yourself to cry so freely like this? How dare you…”

Before Yuuichirou could utter a protest, Mikaela grabbed onto his chin and kissed the other man harshly. Their teeth hit each other painfully as Yuuichirou made a surprised noise in between the kiss, prompting him to pull away with a gasp.

“You…” Yuuichirou growled before it trailed off with his mouth hanging open a bit once he witnessed Mikaela crying. His blue eyes shone a deep blue that matched the image of the ocean; it was serene yet it held so many emotions.

It was extremely beautiful, and Yuuichirou found himself drawn to it in the midst of his drunken haze.

“You… You too?” He found himself asking hesitantly as he listened to Mikaela sniffing quietly.

“… Yes,” Mikaela confirmed with a nod while he wiped his tears away, smiling sheepishly at being seen in such a state by an acquaintance. “You’re not alone, Amane-san.”

Yuuichirou’s breath hitched, and before he could even stop himself, he took a hold of Mikaela’s necktie to pull the other into another kiss. Unlike the first time, this one was gentle yet it held so much fervor, so much need that it left them both breathless by the time they parted. 

They were both flushed as they silently stared at each other for a moment, before Mikaela buried his face on the crook of Yuuichirou’s neck, inhaling his scent and the cologne adorning his clothes. The smell of the other, coupled with Mikaela’s intoxicated condition, only seemed to heighten the stirrings of something warm to hum pleasantly in his veins. He could tell that Yuuichirou was also experiencing the same thing with how labored his breaths were through his ears.

“Amane-san…” Mikaela murmured in a husky tone, and Yuuichirou had to fight off the delicious shiver that ran down his spine with how close they were. “Just for tonight, let’s forget about everything… Forget that this wedding even existed… Forget about them…”

Mikaela then turned his head to plant a kiss on Yuuichirou’s neck before whispering, “Hold me…”

Yuuichirou released a breath he didn’t know he was holding as he hugged Mikaela close. His other hand held onto the door knob of his hotel room, itching to push it open.

“You’re not going to regret this?” He asked, and he felt Mikaela shake his head.

“No,” Mikaela then pulled his head away so that he could cup Yuuichirou’s face tenderly. “We both lost something, so what is there to regret from this? We can only pick ourselves up and start anew. However, we shouldn’t keep this pain all to ourselves because it won’t do us any good. That’s why…”

Warm fingers trailed down Yuuichirou’s neck, then to his chest, and then finally to his belt where Mikaela began to pull on insistently. It made Yuuichirou buck his hips with a gasp at the warm contact.

“Allow me this… Allow me to share your pain as well, Amane-san. Please…”

There were so many things that Yuuichirou wanted to say, but his words were eventually forgotten as he was kissed again by Mikaela soundlessly. Desperately. His hand pulled on Mikaela’s necktie once more to loosen it as his belt was undone by rather skilled hands. Their lips never broke apart even when Yuuichirou managed to open his room with a bit of trouble, and both men scrambled inside, uncaring of the way they undressed each other messily with some clothes being torn up in a moment of impatience.

Words were replaced with pleasured cries and grunts after that, opting to let their heated bodies do most of the talking as they moved roughly against each other on the bed in a passionate dance that spoke of their repressed feelings. It was overwhelming as everything came crashing down in this single moment; all the agony, the pain, and the sorrow.

They both let it out that night, never once stopping until it was dawn and they were both thoroughly exhausted by then.

Surprisingly, Yuuichirou found himself satisfied despite the ache starting to bloom from all the bites and scratches littering his body. It honestly left him speechless. Astounded, even. The whole act of seeking comfort in this manner should have disgusted him, but it didn’t. 

“Amazing…” He murmured to himself with round eyes before he winced a bit when his head started to throb from an expected hangover.

Yuuichirou sucked a breath to calm himself, and he turned to see Mikaela sleeping beside him who also bore the same amount of injuries on his body; it was just much more obvious with how fair his complexion was. It reminded Yuuichirou of a canvas, and the marks all over were like pieces of paint spewed together to create a masterpiece of his making. It didn’t help that Mikaela was gorgeous himself; Shihou could barely even compete on such a level.

“I wonder who hurt you…” Yuuichirou thought out softly as he reached out and played a bit with Mikaela’s hair, caressing soft strands in between his fingers. “It’s a real shame to throw someone like you away when you’re this beautiful…”

It makes me want to draw you.

Yuuichirou paused, his eyes widened a bit in surprise at his line of thought. Yet, the desire was there; the urge to capture and sketch this attractive man in numerous angles and scenarios were making Yuuichirou’s adrenaline rush in his veins to the point of near euphoria. He hadn’t felt this surge of motivation for a very long time, even when he was in Shihou’s company.

For @mikayuuweek

Day 6: Always/Never (ft. Modern-day Romeo & Juliet)

A continuation of some sort from an AU that I wrote for a long time now in my other blog~ I’ll never get over this AU apparently. (Haha) Anyway, enjoy reading~

—

A loud slap echoed within the lobby of the newly established condominium under the Tepes’ name. The guests quickly grew quiet at the scene unfolding before them, more so when the people present were the head of the Tepes family, her heir and their rival’s heir.

“It seems that I have been too soft on you, Mika.” Krul punctuated with unhidden anger and disappointment at her son’s actions. “While I allowed you to do whatever makes you happy, this is crossing the line. You seem to have become well acquainted with those Ichinose scums." 

Mikaela held his bruised cheek with a shaky hand, trying his best to not cry in such a grand event. "But mother, Yuu’s not like that…”

“I will not hear another word from you,” The head of Tepes stated firmly as she glared at the unwanted visitor in her presence before addressing the crowd. “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight has been a joyous evening. However, under… special circumstances, I’m afraid that I have to ask everyone to leave the night early. We are done here.”

“W-Wait, Madam Tepes,” Yuuichirou surprisingly called her out with a respectable honorific unbecoming of him. “Please hear Mika out. He was only concerned about our feuding relationship and what it could do if it continues on. He didn’t mean to upset you.”

“That is none of your concern, brat, and I would greatly appreciate it if you stay away from my son from now on.” Krul hissed at Yuuichirou as she grabbed Mikaela’s arm to pull him away from the other. “It looks like I’ll have to write a personal letter to Principal Saito about suspending you from school for a while. Because starting today, you’re grounded, Mika.” 

"No, mother, we can settle this. Just hear me out for a while, please…” Mikaela pleaded but it all fell on deaf ears as he was dragged away, leaving Yuuichirou alone with a couple of guards surrounding him.

Yuuichirou waved his hands up in surrender nonchalantly. “Easy there; I’ll see myself out. There’s no need to be violent after what happened.”

The guards looked at each other in surprise after what Yuuichirou said, and they only stared at Yuuichirou’s back as he did as he promised. They were blissfully unaware of what the young Ichinose heir was planning within his mind while he turned a corner and kicked open the door of the emergency exit hidden in a rather convenient spot.

He listened quietly as he proceeded up the stairs with caution. It took him a while to find the right floor where Krul and Mikaela were arguing in a heated debate about what occurred a few minutes ago. Their voices resounded a bit in the silent hallway, that Yuuichirou could understand what they were saying despite being quite far from them.

“We’ve already discussed this, Mika. No matter what kind of ideas you have, those Ichinose bastards will not quietly ask for a surrender. I won’t let you experience the pain that I’ve been through because of this.” Krul sternly scolded Mikaela before she sighed tiredly. “You’re just like your father. He also had the same ideals, but where did it get him? In a plane crash owned by those barbarians. I don’t want anything bad to happen to you too, Mika. Do you understand?”

Mikaela bit down on his bottom lip at the same tactic his mother would pull whenever she disagreed with something. It was starting to get on his nerves.

“The times have changed, mother. I’m not my father. I know what I want, and I’m trying to negotiate peace between us. Why won’t you let me?” He asked in a firm tone that silently told Krul that Mikaela wasn’t backing out.

“Because I know what’s best for you, Mika. And it seems that this Ichinose brat you’ve been around with is influencing your thoughts.” Krul hummed before she flicked her wrist to signal two of her bodyguards to get a hold of Mikaela. “No matter. Perhaps solitary confinement will wake you up from this foolishness. I’ll give you two weeks to reflect on yourself, Mika. Use the time wisely.”

“W-Wait, mother…! Mother!” Mikaela cried out in horror as he was taken away to be locked up in the penthouse suite of the condominium where his only exit was an elevator.

He was eventually left alone in a room all too big for himself once the guards forcibly made him stay put. The deafening silence and cold atmosphere made Mikaela unconsciously hug himself. He wasn’t foreign to being left alone, but something about it now made it all the more frightening for him.

“Yuu…”

A soft whimper escaped his lips as tears began to well up in his eyes, threatening to fall at any given time. He wiped on his eyes, sniffling for a bit before a knock was heard from a distance.

Mikaela jumped and he turned around to see Yuuichirou knocking on the glass door by the balcony. He blinked in surprise for a good moment, watching Yuuichirou continue to hit the glass to see if the person before him wasn’t an illusion made by his head until he heard his muffled voice.

“Mika, let me in. It’s freezing here.” Yuuichirou complained with a frown, and the expression was enough for Mikaela to nearly run over to where he was in shocking speed.

“Yuu, how…?” Mikaela’s question died in his throat as he opened the glass door and was pulled into a hug by Yuuichirou.

“I’m sorry.”

“Huh?”

“I said I’m sorry.”

Mikaela blinked before he patted at Yuuichirou awkwardly, unable to understand why he was apologizing in the first place. “… If it’s about what happened a while back, then there’s no need to apologize. My mother has always been overbearing. That much is expected.”

“No, Mika, that’s not what I meant.” Yuuichirou pulled away from the hug so that he could stare at Mikaela solemnly. “I’m apologizing because you… You were always the one pulling your weight around this issue, while I barely did anything.”

Mikaela gave Yuuichirou a confused look. “Well… That’s only natural because I initiated it in the first place…”

“Mika, we’re supposed to work as a team to make it happen.” Yuuichirou pointed out as he looked at Mikaela worriedly. “You should never handle all the burdens by yourself. This thing between us is more than just your council work, and it could affect Japan’s citizens as a whole if we’re not careful.”

“I… I know that, but what do you want me to do?” Frustration began to leak in Mikaela’s quivering voice and he clutched on Yuuichirou’s clothes like it was his lifeline. “Even if I have these ideas going on, I can’t depend on you most of the time, Yuu. I could hurt you.”

“Yes, you can. I agreed to be your partner for this; I’m not made of fucking glass, Mika. You should know this.” Yuuichirou insisted as he used both of his hands to cup Mikaela’s face, forcing the other to face him directly without looking away. “Listen to me, Mika. The moment I agreed to this, to make things work out for our families, I already accepted the consequences that could come with it. Not everything is perfect, and we’re both bound to be hurt one way or the other because of these prejudices running around.”

Mikaela sniffled as he looked at Yuuichirou with guilt in his eyes, but Yuuichirou gave him an understanding smile as he continued on.

“But, no matter what, Mika… I support your ideals, and I’ll always be by your side. We just have to think of another plan now that the first one is a bust.”

“W-What if the next one doesn’t work either?”

“Then, we’ll make another one, and another one until it succeeds, like the many times Thomas Edison refined the lightbulb all over again until it was perfect.” Yuuichirou’s smile then grew wide when heard Mikaela chuckle at the comparison. “We’ll make it work, Mika. I’ll never leave you with unfinished business. You can count on it.”

For @mikayuuweek

Day 5: Human/Vampire (Enhanced Omegaverse, Delta!Yuu/Beta!Mika)

I had this AU for a long while now, and I’m glad that I get to write it. This drabble was inspired by two of my favorite fanfics, and I’m not sure if old fans still recognize the premise and the situation. If they do, congratulations, you are absolutely write! Anyway, with that said, enjoy reading!

—

The smell of a strong delta filled Mikaela’s nose once again as he entered his room, and to be made aware of who owned that scent annoyed him. It didn’t help one bit that the smell was Mikaela’s preference out of everyone’s unpleasant musks. 

However, it belonged to a human, begrudgingly so.

“Stop flaunting your scent around. I’m not attracted or interested in you." 

Green eyes peered at his captor curiously, tilting his head. "But I’m not…?”

Mikaela frowned, unconvinced. 

“I’m literally not doing anything, and it’s ‘Yuuichirou’, not 'human’.” The human - Yuuichirou - claimed with more emphasis as he crossed his arms on his chest. His brows furrowed to a frown similarly to Mikaela’s. “What, maybe your nose is broken; I don’t know. I probably punched you hard enough to break it at that time. I’m quite strong, you know.”

“You aren’t funny.”

“I wasn’t trying to.”

They both shared a moment of silence to glare at each other. The scent of defiance and irritation were palpable as it flared in both of their pheromones. No one dared to back out for a good while until Mikaela turned around with a scoff.

“I don’t see why Her Majesty is interested in you. You’re just an insect in my sight. An annoying one, too.” Mikaela sighed as he undid his coat and draped the garment on one of his arms. “I would rather take on other missions than to deal with a troublesome human like you.”

“The feeling is mutual, Mikaela.”

Yuuichirou barely blinked when Mikaela was suddenly in front of him. A gloved hand grabbed onto the human’s defenseless neck and gave a squeeze tight enough to serve as a warning for the other.

Mikaela leered.

“Who gave you the right to say my name?” He asked. “I never even gave it to you to speak in that filthy mouth of yours.”

Yuuichirou stared at the vampire before smirking. “You really underestimated me, huh? Figures…”

A squeeze. Yuuichirou cleared his throat, unafraid.

“The leech–ah, Your Queen did say your name when she assigned me to you despite your disapproval.” Yuuichirou answered honestly. “Did you really think I didn’t listen when I was captured? Or were you just disgusted by the sight of me that you didn’t even bother?”

“… It doesn’t matter. You will die in the end either way.” Mikaela stated as he roughly threw Yuuichirou on the bed, making the human cough once he was released. The chains on Yuuichirou’s wrists rattled at the rough treatment.

“Hey, what the – Mmph?!”

A cushion was thrown at Yuuichirou’s face.

“—Hey! Ack!”

Another cushion.

“Wait..!”

Another cushion.

“What are you doing?!”

Mikaela stared blankly as he threw another cushion at Yuuichirou’s face, knocking the delta back into the mattress who groaned in defeat at being hit by the many pillows hurled in his direction.

Yuuichirou was thankful that the bed was soft, and that it also smelled good. However, it didn’t help alleviate the pain that was starting to throb on his face from the assault. His expression expectedly soured.

“—While I despise the thought of sharing anything with you, Her Majesty wants you to be well taken care of.” Mikaela explained. “According to the sun’s direction outside, it’s dusk. Hence, you require sleep.”

“Uh… You do know a soldier like me doesn’t really need sleep, right?” Yuuichirou dawdled with a questioning gaze at the vampire. “And if I do, how will I be sure that you won’t attack me and drain me of my blood?”

Mikaela huffed.

"I have far more important things to deal with than to suck you of your cheap blood. Don’t think too highly of yourself.”

“That wasn’t what your colleague said when I accidentally injured myself.”

“He has low standards, then.”

At that, Yuuichirou looked at Mikaela incredulously.

“You vampires have standards?”

Mikaela sighed at the ridiculous direction of the conversation, and he smothered Yuuichirou with another cushion to keep him quiet. The human was very talkative today. 

“Enough of this. Sleep. I’m not going to repeat myself.”

Yuuichirou’s green eyes peeked out from the pillows as he gave a defiant frown at Mikaela. Mikaela answered by burying the other with even more pillows.

“Okay, okay, I’ll sleep…! Stop that!” Yuuichirou gasped as he took out the one pillow about to suffocate him. “Geez, you…”

Yuuichirou’s light chuckle caught Mikaela’s attention. It sounded… nice to his ears. How odd.

“What’s so funny, human?”

“Nothing, nothing…” Yuuichirou deflected as he arranged some pillows for his comfort, creating a rather presentable nest on Mikaela’s bed.

Mikaela observed him owlishly. Yuuichirou noticed his gaze.

“Ah, my sister taught me this, saying that I have to learn so that I won’t upset my future mate.” He reasoned with a sheepish grin. “I know it’s weird for a delta like me, but it’s actually comfortable.”

“You, second-in-command to alphas… making a nest for your future mate?”

“Yup.”

For some reason, the confirmation pleased Mikaela’s beta nature more than it should. He wouldn’t admit to it, though.

“I see that humans continue to grow strange as time passes by…”

“Pfft, you’re one to talk,” Yuuichirou snickered as he eventually settled down. “Well then, since someone insisted I sleep, I’m going to sleep now.”

Mikaela hummed in approval for once. “As you should.”

Yuuichirou laughed.

“What are you, my mate?”

“… Don’t test my patience.”

Yuuichirou ignored Mikaela’s glare as he gratefully pulled the blanket over himself while grinning, chalking up his small victory as drowsiness eventually overcame him. The chains on his skin were uncomfortable, but it wasn’t something he couldn’t handle.

Eventually, the soft breathing of relaxation reached Mikaela’s ears. He watched for a moment to see if Yuuichirou was going to wake up again, and when he didn’t, Mikaela unexpectedly sighed in relief. 

“Finally,” Mikaela murmured as he took out a key from his bedside drawer to unlock Yuuichirou’s chains. He rubbed on the sore spots on the human’s wrists, listening to Yuuichirou groaning pleasantly at the touch as he applied some hand cream that he stole from Horn. 

“Stupid human, you’re always full of energy. Lacus could’ve killed you if I hadn’t intervened…”

Yuuichirou grumbled something in reply, too lost in his dreams while Mikaela continued to tend to his injuries. His fingers lingered a bit on Yuuichirou’s hand, aimlessly relishing the warmth that it gave against his cold skin.

He almost forgot how it felt to experience such a thing, and he couldn’t help himself when he lifted it close to his face and pierced one of his fangs against it gently – almost like a tiny, unnoticeable prick. The defenseless flesh paved way to a bead of blood that Mikaela licked almost immediately as if starved. 

For @mikayuuweek​

Day 4: Together/Alone (ft. Pirate!Mika/Siren!Yuu)

In which, Beauty and the Beast meets The Little Mermaid but more on the darker side of things, and Yuu being in his Namanari/Demon personality as a Siren but becoming a total goofball whenever he’s human. I also wanted to try writing toxic MikaYuu for a change (though I’m not sure if this is toxic enough haha). Enjoy reading!

—

The years had changed Mikaela’s life ever since the mermaid, Akane, engraved the Philosopher’s Stone into his being to spare his life in exchange of her own. At that time, Mikaela was grateful that the Gods seem to have found favor in him enough to give him a second chance.

But now… Oh, how many times Mikaela had spat out curse after curse against the Heavens for granting him immortality, for denying him the sweet release of death after witnessing far too many things for his being to bear, for losing those precious to him against the passage of time over and over again. The reminder of it all left a bitter taste in his mouth, and no alcohol or lover could ever take it away from him; their flavors have long gone stale. 

“The Gods have abandoned me to live with this pain alone…” He would murmur the blasphemy while he glared up at the sky accusingly. “If I had known that this would happen, I wouldn’t have blindly worshiped such useless beings that couldn’t even grant me the miracle of releasing me from this forsaken prison.”

The thought of taking his own life wasn’t foreign to Mikaela. He had done so multiple times, but still, it all ended up in failure after failure. The wounds of his attempts have long healed through time. 

And so, with dread in his heart, Mikaela spent another century to himself. Alone.

… Or so he thought. 

“—I’m a mermaid, I swear…!” Mikaela’s prisoner claimed when he caught him one night trying to drown him in the midst of his reminiscing. “I was just curious of your… Uh…" 

”… Of my what, my neck?“ Mikaela guessed. His voice was laced with venom as he leered at the ‘mermaid’. "Intriguing, but doing the same thing again has grown dull on me.”

“Wait, you’ve done this before?”

Mikaela raised a brow at the 'mermaid’s’ interest in a rather grotesque topic. He didn’t even bother to hide that he was indeed trying to drown Mikaela with that statement of his.

“Hmm, yes… A lot of times, in fact.” Mikaela confirmed with a nod that seemed to shock the 'mermaid’. “But I guess the biggest difference was where I did them… I think I tried drowning myself in the Bermuda Triangle once, but as you can see, I’m still alive and well." 

The pirate then crossed his arms while he examined his prisoner. "What does that say about you… Siren?”

“I…” The siren began, speechless at the newfound information. “I have never… met a human like you with that kind of thought. Even your desires were rather empty… Void of no will to live… It’s lonely…" 

Mikaela hummed, slightly impressed. The creature was quite keen in their observation of him without needing him to say it outright, and only a few people could make out what Mikaela was truly feeling on the inside.

He didn’t expect a siren - of all things - to be aware of his state, and a tinge of a familiar warmth settled in his chest.

”… You say that, and yet you still came to me?“ Mikaela questioned as his lips curled to a small, amused grin. "Why?”

“You're… interesting.” The siren explained. “You have this… aura that I can’t describe with my eyes. Yet, you look very much like a human. Your presence draws me in… like an anglerfish.”

“Anglerfish…?”

The siren nodded. “You’re beautiful, but also dangerous.” He grinned then; his smile holding an intent that bordered between carnage and lust. “I wouldn’t mind having such a fine human for myself, despite endangering my life like this.”

“Oh…” Mikaela murmured as his own grin turned to a smirk. “You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you? I should’ve expected much, coming from you. However…”

Quickly, Mikaela drew out his blade and swung it towards the siren; the sharp metal sliced a clean line on the creature’s skin and caused a small trickle of blood to emerge. The siren stared at him unflinchingly despite the wound blooming on his cheek.

“I’m rather expensive, unfortunately. I don’t think you have the price to pay for it.”

The siren chuckled darkly, finding Mikaela’s words to be funny.

“Ah, but I do have something that you’ll like.” He provided, his voice dripped with temptation as he gently pushed Mikaela’s blade away from his bleeding cheek using his scaly finger. “From our conversation so far… You seem to be suffering from something… You’re just like me.”

Mikaela raised a brow. “… What are you talking about?”

“Human, you’re cursed.” The siren pointed out with a tiny thrall in his tone. It almost sounded hypnotizing. “I can help you break it, but only if you become mine in return. After all, nothing is ever free in this world, and we both know that very well.”

He peered for a bit curiously. His green eyes shining with mirth at Mikaela’s indecisiveness.

“You’re lying…” Mikaela reasoned out after he came to a conclusion. “There’s no evidence of which you speak of. If there was, then I would’ve found it ages ago.”

The siren arched a brow.

“Then, answer me this…” A wet hand made its way on Mikaela’s face, taking a hold of his chin while the creature neared him dautingly; his haunting eyes scrutinizing him for another excuse. “Why would I risk my life lying to you about this? While I do want you, I wouldn’t put myself out in this gamble if I wasn’t sincere with my exchange. What do those folks say in your world, 'A favor for a favor’?”

“…”

“So what do you say, human?” The siren asked as he swiped his thumb on Mikaela’s skin. “I’m not aware of what kind of hardships you have, but I know that you won’t regret my offer. I’m almost certain of it.”

Mikaela hated how those eyes could nearly see through him, almost mocking him that he had to depend on someone else for his wish of dying. It was insulting enough that the other was offering an answer to his curse like some petty coin thrown to a beggar, whilst Mikaela had searched far and wide for just a crumb of a miracle for the impossible.

Was this, perhaps, the Gods’ way of pitying him?

“… How vile,” Mikaela uttered with a disgusted look on his face, both from the siren’s offer and the implication that the Gods were finally paying attention to him after for so many years. He grabbed the siren’s hand on him and threw it away like it caught fire, slapping it.

“Your words are interesting, but I’m not someone that can be easily swayed. You have to earn my trust for that.” Mikaela said as he sheathed back his sword with a distinctive click. “What’s your name?”

“Yuuichirou,” The siren addressed himself, and Mikaela idly noticed his ear fins wagging.

“Well then, Yuuichirou, the name is Mikaela.” The pirate introduced himself briskly as he crossed his arms on his chest. “Since you claim to know the answer to my curse, I have to be certain that you’re not spouting nonsense. Otherwise, I’ll have your head.”

Yuuichirou chuckled as he imitated a small bow. “Then by all means, allow me to accompany you, together in this hell. I’m your prisoner, so it’s only right that I pay my dues.”

For @mikayuuweek

Day 3: Sweet/Sour (ft. Bartender!Mika/Barista!Yuu)

Welcome to the third day~ Enjoy reading this extra long drabble!

—

Yuuichirou would sometimes look gloomy whenever spring came by. No, he didn’t hate the spring season; he loved it, in fact. It was just that the seasonal item for the cafe he worked at was cherries, and his co-worker, Shinoa, would never stop teasing him about it after his break up with his ex-boyfriend last year.

“So, when will you finally get laid, Yuu-san~?” She would ask with a wide grin as she lifted up a can of cherries on her hand for emphasis. “Spring is the season for new and blossoming love! Oh, how it hurts my heart that my poor friend doesn’t have a date yet~! Will I be an old woman by the time I have nieces and nephews~?” 

Yuuichirou puffed out his cheeks in annoyance as his face sported an embarrassed blush, nearly slamming down his glass on the table that would certainly catch some unwanted attention. 

“Another rough day, I presume?" 

Yuuichirou glanced up to see the bartender tending the counter tonight. He sighed in relief and tiredness when he recognized who it was manning the counter tonight. 

"You could say that, Mika…”

Mikaela hummed as he put down the wine glass he was drying and placed it on its assigned place behind the bar counter. He discarded the wash cloth along the way as he gave Yuuichirou his attention with an inviting smile. 

“A dollar for your thoughts, then?”

Yuuichirou paused before chuckling. They have only met for a few months, but Mikaela had always been attentive to his patrons and his pleasing personality just added on to his already high quality skills. It was extremely rare for Mikaela to have some free time, and Yuuichirou knew better than to have this fine bartender listen to his rants. 

“I appreciate the offer, but it’s just a silly thing to talk about.” He provided while he twirled his drink around aimlessly.

“Is it a silly thing if it’s enough for you to make such a reaction?” The bartender asked, his blue eyes glanced down on Yuuichirou’s drink. “… It also seems that you’re avoiding your usual drink tonight. Cherry Vermouth has always been your favorite, so it’s strange to see you nurse another." 

"Oh, uh…” Yuuichirou flushed in embarrassment before feigning laughter at being caught.

Mikaela always had a sharp eye for the smallest details; it was one of the perks of being an excellent bartender. 

“T-There’s nothing wrong in trying something different once in a while.” Yuuichirou explained nervously. “B-Besides, I can’t always drink the same thing and have it sold out for other patrons who wanted to try it. It would be inconsiderate of me…”

 Mikaela was silent as he observed Yuuichirou’s body language before a soft sigh escaped his lips.

“You’re stuttering…” He pointed out, which made Yuuichirou flinch on his seat, before he reached out to gently cup Yuuichirou’s face so that the other could face him directly. “Talk with your eyes on me or I might get the wrong idea, Yuu. Is there perhaps something wrong with Cherry Vermouth? Was that why you didn’t order it tonight?" 

"No…!” Yuuichirou exclaimed rather loudly before he caught himself, groaning as he began to confess. “There's… There’s nothing wrong with Cherry Vermouth, Mika. Don’t even think that there’s anything wrong with your signature drink. It’s perfect.”

“Then why…?”

 "I, uh…" Yuuichirou sucked in a breath as his face turned steadily hot at the next set of words he was going to say, “I just… didn’t want to be reminded of… cherries…”

“… Cherries?”

“Cherries,” Yuuichirou said firmly as he watched the gears in Mikaela’s head turning. He turned his head away when he saw those blue eyes widening a bit in realization. 

“Oh, cherries… The season of blossoming love…” Mikaela chuckled knowingly behind his hand, endeared by Yuuichirou’s reaction. “It’s a lovely season, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Yuuichirou mumbled as his mind wind back to last year, where his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with someone richer than him at that time. 

It was spring when it happened. Yuuichirou thought it would mean more happy moments with his boyfriend then, but in the end, it only left him feeling sour about love as he broke their relationship on what could have been their anniversary. It still stung, and Yuuichirou had half the mind to live as a hermit to heal from the heartbreak.

But… 

“—How time flies. I could still remember the first time you came here,” Mikaela reminisced with a fond smile. His warm tone caught Yuuichirou’s attention, and he gazed at him in mild surprise.

“That was a long time ago. I can’t believe you remembered…" 

"Of course I remembered. I could never forget my first customer who complained about my creations being ‘too sweet’ for his taste.” Mikaela snickered as he imitated Yuuichirou’s mannerism at that time, before he stared at him with his eyes glimmering in nostalgia. “I had to do some extra work because of you, you know. But I’m not complaining after you have a taste of Cherry Vermouth, and become speechless in the end.”

“That’s because it reminds me of my…” Yuuichirou’s eyes rounded as something clicked in his mind like a puzzle piece, and he was left looking at Mikaela slack jawed. “Of my specialty…" 

"Indeed,” Mikaela nodded as he proceeded to explain himself. “Mocha Blossom… You only made that drink for the person special to you. Your friend was quite talkative about it at that time when you left, visibly upset that you’re single again all the while giving me the coffee as a form of gratitude…”

Yuuichirou blushed, but he made no move to leave as Mikaela slowly began concocting a familiar drink they both know very well. 

“Don’t blame her. She’s just looking out for you, even though she’s a bit playful.”

“I know, but this is my problem, not hers.” Yuuichirou grumbled under his breath, trying to diffuse the topic especially with the way Mikaela was acting around him. 

“Hmm, I may not be fluent with the coffee language, but… the delicate aroma of espresso, mixed with the tarty taste of cherries, mellowed down with chocolate and milk…” Mikaela commented with his voice now low and husky, making Yuuichirou slowly become warm on his seat. “A unique taste, if I do say so myself. It could’ve been easily mistaken for something akin to a black forest cake, but the amount of arabic coffee made it stand out to give that amazing flavor…”

“A-And your point…?”

Mikaela chuckled as he smoothly slid a sherry glass to Yuuichirou, all the while taking away his other drink.

“Cherry Vermouth is my answer to you, and only you.” Mikaela whispered to Yuuichirou. “Why do you think I 'sold it out’ after serving it to you, hmm?”

Now, Yuuichirou’s face was red and hot from all the implications he was receiving, and he buried his face in his hands to hide himself from the charming smile Mikaela was giving him. The bartender was going to be the death of him one day with this attitude of his.

“Y-You… Why?”

Mikaela shrugged playfully. His smile never waned.

“Who knows? The decision is yours to make. I’m merely suggesting, ah, no…” A small piece of paper was slid next to Yuuichirou’s drink with a phone number. “… I’m merely offering your possible choices, Yuu. Either way, I’ll respect the outcome, but know that I’m truly smitten.”

Yuuichirou bit down on his bottom lip, unable to say anything for a moment. Mikaela grinned at the silence before a patron called for his attention, and left Yuuichirou to his thoughts.

His green eyes looked up at the newly made Cherry Vermouth before him. It was a small drink, but it never failed to always  mesmerize Yuuichirou with its rich burgundy color and tangy aroma. It was a beautiful piece of art shining through like a ruby under the light.

When Yuuichirou first tasted it, it reminded him of moments of love and peace, while also hinting on possessiveness and sensuality. But most of all, it did remind him of his specialty, Mocha Blossom.

“It was supposed to be a secret…” Yuuichirou whispered to himself, feeling a bit betrayed that Shinoa gave his specially made coffee to a stranger he knew for only two months.

Yet, Mikaela was sincere with his words; Yuuichirou could feel it. He even gave him a choice, and was respectful with his space. Mikaela was… caring, and attractive. Very attractive.

If Yuuichirou was still his younger self, then he would have already fallen in love. But the scars that his ex-boyfriend left him were big and needed more time to heal; Yuuichirou couldn’t have himself falling in love again after that sham of a relationship. His fear made him unable to experience and explore what the sweetness of a true romance could bring.

However… Mikaela’s tone was warm, and his touches were gentle. Yuuichirou’s cheek still tingled on where Mikaela held him. It was too casual for their relationship, and Yuuichirou should be uncomfortable about it.

But he wasn’t. It was shocking.

Is this a good sign…?, Yuuichirou wondered while he spied on Mikaela for a bit, watching him being courteous to his customers and being polite to the ladies.

Mikaela was the definition of a gentleman, and he was offering himself to Yuuichirou on a silver platter. And if the numerous times he had served Yuuichirou his signature drink was anything to go by, Mikaela was practically courting him ever since that first time Yuuichirou partaken the drink. To know this fact as of late, Yuuichirou wanted to bury himself for being so dense to realize the signs. 

“Truly smitten, huh…” Yuuichirou murmured to himself as he traced a finger on the glass’ rim, looking at the innocent beverage in a new light now after Mikaela’s confession. He blushed as embarrassment settled in at being played so easily by the bartender like a fiddle. Still, it graced Yuuichirou’s face with a bashful smile as he looked back at their wonderful meanings.

If Cherry Vermouth was indeed Mikaela’s answer to Mocha Blossom, then who was Yuuichirou to refuse such a message? After all, Mikaela asked for it; it was only natural for Yuuichirou to reply in kind.

“… Not fluent with coffee language, my ass,” Yuuichirou grumbled playfully as he took the sherry glass. “You wouldn’t make such a reply drink if you didn’t know what Mocha Blossom means.”

Mikaela glanced at Yuuichirou downing the drink, and he smiled while listening to his empty complaints as he remembered the message of their two drinks put together, humming to himself in satisfaction now that Yuuichirou was aware of his feelings. A small blush crept up to his cheeks, making his face a bit warm.

For @mikayuuweek

Day 2: Fire/Ice (ft. Dragon!Mika x Pirate!Yuu)

Welcome to the second day~ Enjoy reading! 

—

“I know you like treasures, but this is ridiculous…”

Mikaela perked up when he heard Yuuichirou grumbled those words under his breath. His dragon tail behind him swirled curiously, eyeing the new occupant of the room. 

“You can’t make the basement your room. It’s uncomfortable, and my crew will think you’re greedy when you’re not…”

“But… I am greedy,” Mikaela pointed out with a small tilt of his head, as if the accusation wasn’t anything new. “I’m a dragon, so it’s only natural that I exploit the world’s riches as if they are my own… especially the shiny ones. Oh, how delightful they are, very pleasing to the eyes…” 

"Well, now you’re not, since you have that form. You have to act like one of us,” Yuuichirou jabbed with a frown. “You have to keep your dragon’s greed in check, otherwise my crew will scream bloody murder that I let a mythical creature like you in." 

"Hmph, such boring rules. This is why I never liked talking to humans; they all get angry and scream with no context.” Mikaela scoffed and his tail whacked against the wooden ground aggressively in response to his mood. “A pity that you have such marvelous eyes that glimmer like a rare jade… Maybe I should claw them out of you to add to my collection.”

“Hey, hey, I like having my eyes, thank you very much.” Yuuichirou refused with a shake of his head before he palmed a hand on his forehead. “Geez, dealing with you on an everyday basis… I don’t know what the hell was wrong with me back then…”

Mikaela hummed, amused. “You need me… Well, my pure dragon blood, to be exact. I heard from this Yoichi child that you wanted to go to the Witch’s Cove, and seek out the Philosopher’s Stone for rather… interesting reasons.”

Yuuichirou sighed in annoyance. “Of course, Yoichi would rat me out to you…”

“However, I am also curious about this stone said to grant humans wishes, and immortality. I want to try burning it with my flames to test its might.” Mikaela’s eyes shined with intent by the challenge, like a hunter observing its prey before releasing its claws for the catch. 

However, Yuuichirou wasn’t having any of that.

“I need that stone, so I would appreciate it if you don’t melt it right away.”

Now, it’s Mikaela’s turn to grumble. “You are poor entertainment, human. You haven’t even seen my flames yet, but you already arrived at that conclusion? Such shallow judgment you have, it’s no wonder you humans have short lifespans." 

Yuuichirou could feel one of his eyebrows twitch at the insults casually thrown at him, and he huffed to try to look unaffected by the insults. 

"Well, you never offered to show me your flames, seeing how proud you are and all that. Are you bluffing me?" 

Yuuichirou grinned slightly when Mikaela threw him a halfhearted glare in reaction to his words.

"How cheeky of you,” Mikaela commented as he patted at an empty space beside him. “Very well, have a seat and I’ll show you." 

Yuuichirou made a small, amused noise before he walked to where Mikaela told him to sit, crossing his legs on the floor. Almost immediately, Mikaela’s tail wrapped itself around Yuuichirou’s waist to hold him and pull him closer towards him. The distance made Yuuichirou’s cheeks warm and he quickly became self-conscious.

”… Too much?“ Mikaela asked when he caught the embarrassed expression on Yuuichirou’s face.

“Shut it…” 

Mikaela hummed pleasantly at having the rowdy pirate flustered due to their closeness, but he nonetheless allowed Yuuichirou to adjust to a more comfortable position, moving his dragon tail in tow but not completely removing from Yuuichirou’s person. Yuuichirou gave a small frown yet he never voiced a complaint as he finally settled down. 

“Observe, Yuu,” Mikaela requested as he opened his palm and commanded a small flame to ignite on his hand with a silent casting. 

Except… This flame was colored blue.

“Blue… fire?” Yuuichirou murmured with his green eyes shining with curiosity and fascination. “I have never seen such flames like this… Are you the only one who has this kind of power?” 

“… There were others before me, but they have long perished because of the war,” Mikaela explained as he reminisced about a few of his former colleagues who held the same blue flame like he did. He was never close to them, but he could still feel their camaraderie enough to have some sense of belonging in the pack before they all died, leaving him cold with no one else to turn to for centuries. 

Yuuichirou stared a bit at Mikaela who suddenly grew silent with a forlorn look on his face. With the flame still dancing on Mikaela’s palm, Yuuichirou reached his own hand to touch it, completely mesmerized by the rather beautiful color.

He wasn’t expecting the flame to be the total opposite of his expectations, and a shiver ran through Yuuichirou’s body when his fingers touched it, jumping from his place on the floor as he touched something similar to ice. 

“It’s cold…!” 

Mikaela blinked in surprise when Yuuichirou yelped, and he immediately extinguished the fire on his hand as he looked at the other in concern.

“Are you alright?” 

“I wonder… Do I look alright?” Yuuichirou then stuck out his tongue teasingly. “You’re going on about boasting stuff, and whenever I ask something, you would drift into thoughts like an old man. It’s so ancient~” 

Mikaela immediately frowned and he grabbed Yuuichirou’s cheek to pinch it gently as a warning. “Human, you’re eons too early to be insulting me; you are but a mere child in my eyes.”

“Ancient, as I have said, oh great Golden Dragon of Fortune.” Yuuichirou praised lightly before laughing when Mikaela pinched his cheek harder, and he winced a bit at the pain. 

Mikaela would normally incinerate anyone who would dare insult him right in his face, but as he gazed quietly at Yuuichirou’s genuine smile through his draconic eyes, he decided that he would let it pass for now. This human had been quite honest with him, hiding his motives carefully yet still being truthful about his thoughts; all the while being very expressive.

For @mikayuuweek

Day 1: Start/New (ft. CEO!Mika x Bodyguard!Yuu)

Today is the start of MikaYuu week, and I want to participate to make up for lost time (and as a way to make myself distracted from writer’s block). This piece is a throwback to my other piece that I wrote previously, and can be read as a standalone.

Anyway, enjoy reading~

—

Mikaela wasn’t aware… No, he was aware, but he chose to remain ignorant because he was a symbol; a beacon for a fresh start to the company his father handed to him on his deathbed. But, of course, while it sounded nice on paper, nothing was ever free in the world of business – especially one that involves itself with money.

It was one of Mikaela’s goals to clean up whatever misdeeds his father did with minimal exposure to the public, yet a snitch managed to shed some light to a rather complicated scandal - one that Mikaela hoped to erase before anyone could find out, but he knew he was too late as soon as the reports started flooding in.

“Shindo Landmark Bankings, operated and succeeded through the use of blood money!” Mikaela heard the news going around with a silent frown, watching the television that showcased the headlines. “Who knew that one of the most acclaimed banks in Shibuya could have held such a dark secret? We aren’t certain with the details whether it’s true or not, and we will invite the young CEO, Mikaela Shindo, for a possible interview to further give us more information about this. Back to you, Ferid.”

Mikaela picked up the remote to turn off the appliance before his office phone rang up. Shinoa must have heard about it, and was now dealing with the numerous invitations for conferences and interviews. The amount of work that his secretary had to do to give him space made guilt claw on Mikaela’s chest; he should definitely give Shinoa a raise.

However, he needed to secure the credibility and reputation of the company first, lest he put millions of hardworking people unemployed.

But, the pressure of it all…

Mikaela sighed. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he reached out to accept the call.

“Shinoa,” Mikaela groaned softly, annoyed yet still resigned to his fate. “Don’t sugarcoat it. Tell me everything.”

“Yes, sir.” Shinoa replied firmly. “Your mother wants you to schedule a conference to clear the situation at hand. The present parties are Sanguinem News, Hiiragi News Station, Hyakuya Patrol, and… Ichinose Law Enforcement Team.”

Mikaela gave a self-deprecating smile. He figured that Yuuichirou’s party would be present, but having to hear Shinoa say it just made him more anxious, especially now that Yuuichirou wasn’t by his side anymore to listen into his thoughts.

He had long dismissed the bodyguard after a rather heated argument, and Mikaela’s mother deemed Yuuichirou unworthy to serve him after an event that could have led to a scandal – rendering Mikaela to be alone once more.

Mikaela unconsciously hugged himself, laughing pathetically at himself as he wondered about how he should proceed with this conference without getting backlashes enough to bankrupt the company. He was unaware of the new presence entering his office discreetly until he smelled his favorite coffee latte waft in the air.

“It isn’t like you to look this sad, Mika." 

A familiar voice caught Mikaela’s attention, and he looked up to see Yuuichirou with a latte at hand, looking at him solemnly. 

”… Yuu-chan?“ Mikaela murmured, unsure. "What are you doing here? You no longer have access here now that you were dismissed.”

“Hey, cut me some slack. I heard all about the commotion going on, and wanted to see how you’re doing.” Yuuichirou explained with a tone that Mikaela couldn’t decipher. “Besides, Shinoa let me in, so yeah…”

Mikaela sighed, palming his face. “There’s nothing to see here. Now go away…" 

”… Hmm? Is that how you act when you’re not in your flirty, teasing mode? You act like a cat.“ Yuuichirou wondered out loud with a snicker as he placed the latte on Mikaela’s desk. 

"I have no time to entertain you, Yuu-chan. I need to think right now, so please go away…" 

Yuuichirou glanced at Mikaela to see him quivering a bit while covering his face. He leaned close to the young entrepreneur, letting his green eyes stare for a moment before asking, "Are you crying?”

Mikaela was silent before he shook his head.

“Hey…” Yuuichirou cooed as he gently took a hold on Mikaela’s hand on his face, and lowered it down to reveal that the other was indeed crying, yet was still in denial of it, wanting to appear strong. “There’s nothing wrong with crying. It’s just you and me here. Your mother won’t even bother to come in unless it affects her reputation.”

“But, I…”

“Shh, I’ve been around you for quite a while, Mika. You’re very open about your expressions and feelings towards me, so I know what you’re thinking about right now.” Yuuichirou explained as he wiped away Mikaela’s tears with his hand. “You love everyone in this company, including myself. That heart of yours is too damn big that only a few can match.”

Mikaela sniffled as Yuuichirou led him to his chair to sit down, and be caged by the other who loomed over him. 

“That’s why, I swore to protect it; to protect you. Because, from what I see, even if this world is hell itself, there’s a person who could be someone’s heaven.” Yuuichirou then took one of Mikaela’s hands to kiss the back of it. The act made Mikaela’s breath stutter, and he blushed a bit at the intimacy. 

“Yuu-chan…" 

Yuuichirou gave Mikaela a lopsided smile before he neared to kiss Mikaela’s forehead. "You don’t have to worry about the Ichinose Law Enforcement Team, because I’m not turning my back on you. I’m going to be with you from the start until the end, Mika. You have my word on that.”

“Oh…” Mikaela breathed, craning his neck for a bit when Yuuichirou settled his head on his shoulder. “I don't… think that was part of the contract…" 

"You dismissed me. Of course, it’s not part of the contract. Not anymore.” Yuuichirou teased as he gave Mikaela’s ear a kiss. “I’m proposing to you.”

Mikaela chuckled, loving the attention Yuuichirou was giving him. “I wasn’t expecting a proposal like this, but then again, you’re you, Yuu-chan." 

"And you’re you, Mika.” Yuuichirou returned as he pulled back to gaze at Mikaela like he was everything he ever wanted. His heart swelled with affection for the other. “I love you.”

For vampyuuweekend2022 at Twitter

Day 3: future | diamonds | cross

Pairing: Mikaela Hyakuya x Yuuichirou Hyakuya (MikaYuu)

A/N: Warning for age gap, canon divergence. Holy f***, I didn’t expect it to be this long ;;;;

—

“Your highness, we would like to report that we have successfully neutralized the 3rd trumpet and extracted the Sinful Key.”

Yuuichirou pressed his fingers onto his lips lightly when he heard what his subordinate told him. His eyes glanced at the other vampire through the tall glass window overlooking his underground city.

“… Was it quick?” He asked.

“No, unfortunately…” The other vampire relayed with a shake of his head. “He is quite the fighter, so we had no choice but to resort to sedating him.”

Upon hearing that, Yuuichirou was quick to his feet and he raised a leg to kick the other vampire mercilessly, throwing the other across the room with a loud crash.

For vampyuuweekend2022 at Twitter

Day 2: present | clubs | bite

Pairing: Yuuichirou Hyakuya x Mikaela Hyakuya (YuuMika) (if you squint)

A/N: Warning for semi-NSFW (sexual tensions)

—

The Mark of Possession. It was a symbolic engraving of a vampire tattooed onto a human as a way to mark them as their own; to showcase their territory to ward off potential predators. However, in doing so, the vampire in question had to give up a portion of their power to their blood partner/s so that they wouldn’t die easily.

It must also mean that those who bear the mark are of the highest quality…

Yuuichirou internally cringed when the thought came up, and he nearly slammed the history book he was reading against the table. He heaved a sigh while he tried to calm his nerves down, silently cursing at his vampire instincts upon labeling the humans as such.

For vampyuuweekend2022 at Twitter

Day 1: past | hearts | deathbed

Pairing:  Mikaela Hyakuya x Yuuichirou Hyakuya (MikaYuu) (if you squint)

A/N: Warning for major character death, angst and gore

—

The resounding shouts of an angry mob were growing closer as the night moved on. The full lustrous moon illuminating the path that led to a sole property on top of a hill. Normally, Yuuichirou would have a plan to evacuate his mansion, and leave whatever possessions he had left for the humans to steal until it was safe to return in a decade or so.

But, now… He didn’t move. He never had any intentions to do so from the start, especially when he spotted a familiar man within the crowd with this heightened vision. He felt a small, sad smile form on his lips upon seeing him.

So, you’ve finally come to finish what you started…

Hiya, Thea (LavenRain96) is here with her present to her secret santa, Devin ( @devinthedragondraws )~! I hope you’ll like this! :D

To be honest, I never heard of this event until my own circle of friends mentioned it in Twitter and Discord. I initially didn’t want to join with how busy I am as of late, but I was like: “You know what? F*** it, let’s make someone happy.”. Thus, I joined. To my pleasant surprise, my secret santa likes reading angst with a happy ending, or something that makes their heart swoon. That, and they also like sweet confessions and something that the characters are recovering from. So with that in mind, I wrote a mini-fic about the Hanahaki Disease (ngl I want to write this AU for some time now, and I’m glad that I get to do so in this way) and I had so much fun writing this, even though I admit that it feels a bit rushed (I apologize ;;;;;).

But anyway, once again, this is for you, Devin. Please enjoy!

—

The smell of cleanliness was quite pungent to Mikaela’s nose, reminding him almost every day of where he was. The white walls, the fine sheets and the IV on his arm even contributed to this fact… and he hated it. It felt like he was hidden away from the world, quarantined in the hospital all for the sake of healing. However, with how serious his disease was getting, it was inevitable that he would end up in the very place he dreaded on staying.

That was just how the world works; the one where the sickness known as the Hanahaki Disease exist.

Mikaela shrugged it off as a bluff at first with how fictitious the said disease was, especially with its low pathogenicity. But given his current circumstances as of late, he couldn’t deny that the disease was, in fact, real, and that he was feeling it in the most painful way imaginable.

He couldn’t speak properly—even something as simple as breathing proved to be an excruciating task for him without him coughing badly in return. Such things tend to put a strain on his throat that ruined his vocal chords and left a burning sensation that would take hours to calm down.

The flower petals that he spit out, though beautiful, didn’t do anything to lift his mood since the very sight of them clearly meant that he was near death’s door in each passing day. The thought of dying alone with this disease was something Mikaela couldn’t dream of imagining.

It must have been lonely to die like this, was the first thing that came to mind before his thoughts drifted to his childhood friend and crush, Yuuichirou.

Unfortunately, his thoughts were immediately halted as he suddenly felt a sudden surge from his throat, prompting him to cough harshly against his hand. It lasted for a few seconds, but for Mikaela, it felt like an eternity until his lungs slowly pave way to the tranquility from before. The hand on his mouth was shaking but it held firm— it was a simple way to try and soothe the after effect of his coughs. However, the fear of looking at the outcome of yet another violent episode of his disease also sustained him from moving his hand away.

The thick wetness and the soft, satin-like texture on his skin was something that Mikaela was already used to. It was so common to the point that it was embedded into his everyday life, but a part of himself was still in disbelief, still in denial that this was happening to him. His stubborn side persistently refused to acknowledge this. It wouldn’t just go and accept the fact that his love for Yuuichirou was slowly killing him. To do so would admittedly mean that loving the very man who had been with him through thick and thin was a mistake. A large, fatal mistake.

Mikaela knew better than to regard Yuuichioru as such. He may be flawed in some parts of himself, but that wasn’t enough to make Mikaela love him any less. To Mikaela, Yuuichirou was his everything. He was his best friend, his family, his confidant, his partner-in-crime…

… But why was loving him so damn painful?

Mikaela knew the answer to that well. It was a hard pill to swallow in a consistent pace, but for Yuuichirou’s sake, he gladly took it with a smile, even at the cost of his own happiness and health.

As long as Yuu-chan is happy, it’s enough, Mikaela reminded himself as he finally lowered his hand to reveal a streak of blood, and a small handful of red and white flower petals. The bloodied sight brought a heart-wrenching smile on Mikaela’s face before he sighed softly and aimlessly dropped the petals on the floor.

He felt a little sorry for giving his nurse some extra work to handle, but as of now, he didn’t care anymore. His hope to continue living with his most cherished person was starting to dwindle.

~ 0 ~

“I will not tolerate this behavior, Mika.” Krul stated firmly with her arms crossed as she looked at Mikaela with a frown, “I finally found a compatible lung donor for you, and I won’t waste this opportunity just because you refuse to let go of your feelings for Yuuichirou.”

Mikaela looked away in defiance, his brows furrowed with equal anger.

Krul sighed while she softened up just a bit, “Listen, I know that you like him, but Mika… Is he really worth dying for? You have a future ahead of you and it will surely hurt Yuuichirou if you die now. Haven’t you thought of that?”

“ I don’t care, ” Mikaela wrote on his mini white board Krul provided him with as a form of communication. “ I will not allow my lungs to be replaced by somebody else’s. ”

“Don’t be so stubborn. You know well what will happen if you don’t get operated soon.” Krul exasperated before she stood up from her seat, still frowning due to Mikaela’s lack of cooperation. “I’ll set up the appointment right away. Whether you like it or not, you’re going to have that surgery. We’ve waited long enough.”

Mikaela opened his mouth to voice a protest, having forgotten for a moment that his vocal chords were on the verge of being destroyed if he add anymore strain on them. However, whatever he wanted to say died in his throat when a knock was heard on his room door, pausing his thoughts.

“Hey, Mika…!” Yuuichirou greeted cheerfully with a wide grin as he opened the door. His smile faltered slightly upon seeing that Mikaela wasn’t alone in the room, and that there was tension in the atmosphere. He clearly knew right then and there that he entered at such a bad time.

“… Oh, um, hello to you too, Krul-san.” He awkwardly addressed with a respectful bow towards Krul. “Did I interrupt on something? If so, I could just—”

“—It’s quite alright, Yuu-kun.” Krul acknowledged with a small wave of her hand. “In fact, I was just about to leave. I’ve already said what I want to Mika very clearly regarding his operation.”

“Operation?” Yuuichirou repeated in confusion before his face lit up. “No way! You’ve found a donor?!”

“Yes, Mika is going to get his surgery soon. He’ll be cured in no time..” Krul confirmed but her words only made Mikaela angry. How dare she just brush off his feelings for Yuuichirou as if it was nothing but a burden on her shoulders? If Yuuichirou wasn’t in the room, Mikaela would likely throw a tantrum and be forcefully restrained on the bed until he calmed down.

“That’s great news, Mika. I’m so happy for you.” Yuuichirou cheered with a smile on his face, completely oblivious towards Mikaela’s dilemma. “It must really suck to be coughing almost every day. I mean, when was the last time you talked properly? Oh, and I really miss your voice. So with the surgery on the way, everything will be back to where it was.”

Hearing that, Mikaela didn’t know if he should cry or be offended with what Yuuichirou just said. Either way, it was heartbreaking to know that those words were coming out from his friend’s mouth, and it seemed that sadness won over his emotions as Mikaela was blinking away the tears that were trying to fall from his eyes.

Mikaela’s bravado from before slowly disappeared, replacing itself with sorrow as he took Yuuichirou’s enthusiasm for his recovery as a sign of rejection. An innocent one, and yet it stabbed deep like a knife in his heart.

But, still… Mikaela smiled, masking his hurting.

“ You’re right, Yuu-chan. ” Mikaela wrote down in his white board. His once straight and confident handwriting was now dissolved into something soft and shaky. “ Once my surgery is done, I can go to school again and be with you guys. I must have brought you a lot of trouble. ”

“Nah, don’t be sorry, Mika.” Yuuichirou shook his head in consideration before he took a seat on Mikaela’s bed, “As long as you’re well again after all these days, this is nothing. The Shinoa squad will continue to wait and support you until the very end.”

Mikaela couldn’t help but feel a tinge at that sentence. It wasn’t that he was ungrateful for his friends to worry about his health, but truth be told, the squad had nothing to do with his illness at all and Mikaela wished Yuuichirou would put them aside even for just a little bit. He knew that it was selfish to even think about that, but Yuuichirou had been his friend ever since they were kids. So, shouldn’t he have more priority over them?

No, don’t think that. This is enough. This is enough…

Mikaela encouraged himself that the attention he was receiving was already sufficient. There was no room to be greedy in a situation like this, especially when he was on the verge of dying. Any kind of attention, though brief and pitiful, was more than plenty. He could make do with that.

“Well then, I shall take my leave now that I have Mika’s consent on the operation. Take care of him in my stead, Yuu-kun.” Krul requested with care. Whether she was aware of how Yuuichirou’s words affected Mikaela or not, she didn’t show it and kept her expression unreadable.

“Sure thing, Krul-san.” Yuuichirou agreed with a nod before turning his attention back to Mikaela once Krul left. “Man, it’s been a long while since we’re alone like this, don’t you think?”

Mikaela smiled in nostalgia as he wrote down, “ I agree… ”

Yuuichirou chuckled in reply before he settled in a comfortable silence with Mikaela, staring down on his friend’s white board and his handwriting. Without a word, Yuuichirou reached a hand out and placed it a top of Mikaela’s, prompting the latter to look at him with a raised brow.

“Sorry for being sudden, but… I’m just happy.” Yuuichirou explained himself softly. His face showed nothing but a serene smile. “I wasn’t lying when I said I missed your voice. I may find it annoying sometimes with how you keep on nagging me to do stuff, but your voice is… I find it nice.”

… Huh?

Mikaela’s eyes rounded in surprise at Yuuichirou’s sudden confession. He liked his voice? Mikaela didn’t really see anything special with his voice. That was just how it was—ordinary and plain. For Yuuichirou to admit that he found his voice pleasant made Mikaela’s heart thump just a bit. It didn’t even help that there was an obvious blush on Yuuichirou’s cheeks after his confession.

“W-Well, you sing really good, so it’ll be a waste if you just let it wither away with this disease of yours. The kids in the orphanage will be sad.” Yuuichirou added on, but it only served to further heighten his embarrassment.

“ How about you, Yuu-chan? Will you be sad? ” Mikaela couldn’t help but write the question down out of curiosity.

“O-Of course, I’ll be sad. Don’t make me repeat myself, Mika. Geez…” Yuuichirou nearly shrieked with a frown and his face bloomed red like a tomato.

Mikaela chuckled at Yuuichirou’s reaction. The look on his face reminded him back in the days where Mikaela would often tease Yuuichirou just for the sake of getting on his nerves. Now that they were older, that teasing became one of his forms of endearment for Yuuichirou, and Mikaela would wonder from time to time if Yuuichirou even took notice of it.

“Anyway…” Yuuichirou’s voice cut through Mikaela’s thoughts. “Even though I’m happy that you’ll get a surgery and recover soon… I feel sorry for his person you have unrequited feelings with. I mean, you’re smart and handsome. Anyone would practically beg on their knees to date you, you know… That person must be lucky to have caught your eye.”

And that person happens to be you., was what Mikaela wanted to say but he held back out of fear that Yuuichirou might react badly at having another man like him that way. From what Mikaela understood as of late, Yuuichirou and Shinoa have a… thing for each other. The hints were subtle, but Mikaela could tell that Shinoa had a major crush on Yuuichirou. Yuuichirou, on the other hand, still kept treating her normally to the point that it was impossible to know if he liked her back or not.

But even if that was the case, that didn’t change the fact that Mikaela still chose to hide his feelings because he valued his friendship with Yuuichirou so much. He would rather risk his health than his relationship. But with how he was going to be removing his disease surgically, shouldn’t he make the most out of now? Mikaela could always tell Yuuichirou that he was joking in the end since Yuuichirou identified Mikaela to be a trickster at certain points in their lives.

It was a low move, but Mikaela was becoming desperate. He wanted to at least kiss Yuuichirou before his feelings for him were gone—forcefully and painfully taken away from him during surgery. He may not remember the kiss after the operation, but he at least told Yuuichirou how he felt albeit masked within a joke.

With an intake of breath, Mikaela then wrote down on his white board what he wanted to say, “ Hey, Yuu-chan. Before my operation, can I tell you something? ”

Yuuichirou read Mikaela’s message before he nodded, “Of course. What is it, Mika?”

Without writing anything back, Mikaela leaned close to Yuuichirou and planted a kiss on his cheek. His warm lips met soft skin briefly before he pulled back with one of his usual, teasing smiles—ready for Yuuichirou’s outburst.

However, Yuuichirou’s reaction was anything but what Mikaela expected. Yuuichirou was looking at him in surprise before it changed into a small frown. Mikaela blinked and waved his hands a bit to clearly tell that the kiss was nothing but a joke, but Yuuichirou clearly wasn’t buying it.

“… Shut up.”, were the words that left Yuuichirou’s mouth before he reached and grabbed Mikaela’s hospital gown before he leaned close and landed a kiss on Mikaela’s mouth, bruising it with how rough he was.

Mikaela jumped in shock and pushed Yuuichirou away for a bit to put some distance in between them. When they pulled apart, Mikaela noticed a flower petal hanging loosely on Yuuichirou’s lips—a blue rose petal that held the same shade as his own eyes. The sight of it rendered Mikaela speechless, and his silence only spurred a blush to grace Yuuichirou’s cheeks once again.

“Yeah, I have it too… because I thought you love someone else,” Yuuichirou confessed as he took the slightly wet flower petal on his lips. “It’s not as bad as yours, but… yeah…”

Yuuichirou looked away shyly, unable to say anything next now that he just outrightly admitted to like Mikaela that way. Fortunately for Yuuichirou, no words were needed to be said as Mikaela gently cupped his face and kissed him again. Unlike when Yuuichirou did it roughly and in a blinding rush, this one was full of passion and love—silently telling emotions that were kept hidden away for so long.

The taste of flowers in his mouth was unavoidable, and yet despite that, Mikaela felt so light that he could feel himself breathing freely.

“… Yuu-chan,” Mikaela rasped in a crooked voice, which surprised Yuuichirou.

“Mika, your voice… It’s back.”

“Oh…” Mikaela blinked in amazement upon realizing that his voice was back, even though it sounded a bit different now after all the pressure that disease gave it. Nevertheless, his eyes stained in unshed tears of joy. “My voice… Yuu-chan, it’s—”

For @miyanoai: Pfft, I actually don’t know when did this happen, honestly. I was just browsing in Twitter until the latest magazine cover of ONS was out with Yuu looking all big and scary with the different vampire progenitors below. And then, I just barged in giving my opinion about a plot twist with Ela which sort of prompt me to make this unfinished & incomplete drabble right here. No regrets though since I was also wondering about the plot twist and what sort of outcome it would give to ONS.

Enjoy this little piece, dear~ :) You can message me to continue if you want.

—

Yuu didn’t know why his body was reacting so strongly to the sight of blood–human blood–being spilled right before his very eyes. He was used to seeing a lot of it in the past, but there was never a time where he would feel this way.

It was wrong, very wrong. He wasn’t any of these bloodsuckers who took advantage of them and made them live a life of restricted freedom where the future seemed so far away. And yet, here he was; watching Shiho’s blood sliding on the skin and dripping out of his arm.

Yuu gulped as his throat was suddenly dry and his breathing quickened, his body shaking with this aching urge to lap his tongue and taste the thick liquid to satisfy his burning hunger…

“My, look at you, dear Yuu.” Ferid’s voice snapped Yuu out of his reverie for a bit and he glared at the vampire who dared to hurt his friend, baring his teeth in anger. “Look at how much you want it. You want to taste it, right? Go ahead, there’s no one stopping you.”

“F-Fuck you, leech…” Yuu growled, his voice slightly restricted because of his parched throat that made his want throb painfully. “I… I’m not one of you… I-I’m human. I don’t d-drink blood…”

Ferid could only chuckle darkly in malice at Yuu’s pathetic attempt to stay sane. The boy wanted it, craved it. It was shown clearly in his eyes.

Title: Safe Haven

Author: LavenRain96

A/N: Warning for Yandere!Yuu

Today was the worse day for Mikaela. It wasn’t initially with how he woke up to Yuuichirou cooking them breakfast, and making their morning great but once it became midday, Lacus decided to take his anger out on him because of a small difference in their midterm exam scores once the results were out.

“I should’ve been first place, not you!” Mikaela remembered Lacus screaming that to him after school ended as he beat him to a bloody pulp and ripped random pages from his notebooks with a cackle, taking great pleasure in Mikaela’s horrified face at the torn notes he worked so hard to make. He even made sure that Mikaela had bruises from the event as a reminder so that he wouldn’t try to overtake Lacus in anything, be it in academics or sports or both.

Lacus had always been that way to Mikaela ever since middle school where Lacus would always compete with Mikaela on their grades. However, because Mikaela was a gifted genius, Lacus grew increasingly jealous towards Mikaela and he finally snapped when they got the results of their high school entrance exam last spring. That was the first time Lacus struck Mikaela, all because Mikaela was a point ahead of him. It was a petty reason to start his bullying streak, but here he was – laughing his heart out as if he just exterminated a parasite.

Mikaela sighed, shaking his head to forget the memory as he walked down the street leading to the dorm where he and Yuuichirou live. He bit on his bottom lip on what excuse he had to make so that Yuuichirou wouldn’t worry about his newly acquired bruises. He was already regretting the fact that he forgot to bring his makeup kit in the morning, having been cheered by Yuuichirou so much to the point of not needing it until Lacus came in the picture.

Yuuichirou wasn’t one to let this go, and knowing how reckless he could be, Mikaela was afraid for his well-being. That was the last thing Mikaela wanted. He didn’t care if he had to endure being bullied for as long as he lived; he just wanted to be with Yuuichirou – warm and happy in their safe haven.

But the look on Yuuichirou’s face once he came back in their dorm was anything but warm and happy. He was shocked and angry to see Mikaela in such a state as he stared at him for a good moment.

“… Who did it?” Yuuichirou asked in a low growl while his green eyes glimmered with intent. “Tell me who do it. I’ll make them regret they ever touched you.”

“I-It’s okay, Yuu-chan. I just fell from the stairs by accident.” Mikaela reasoned out with his hands up in the defensive. “I swear. It’s all because I’m a klutz that I get injured like this.”

Yuuichirou reached out to cup Mikaela’s face with a hand. Despite his anger, he was still gentle in handling Mikaela’s face especially due to the bruise that was near his lips.

“A black eye, a bloody nose and a swollen mouth… How do those injuries come from just falling a couple of stairs?” Yuuichirou asked with his voice tight like he was refraining himself from wanting to rage on the spot.

Mikaela’s eyes softened at how much Yuuichirou cared. Who was he kidding? He always cared ever since they were kids, and he would do his utmost best to make sure that Mikaela was safe. That was one of the many things he loved and cherished about Yuuichirou, and he wished it would be that way all the time.

“I’m fine, Yuu-chan, really. Don’t worry. I’ll just get some ice and painkillers and it’ll be okay.” Mikaela reassured with a tender smile, hoping to calm Yuuichirou down. “Besides, today is a time to celebrate since we both made it to the top 30 students in midterms. We both worked hard to make that happen, right?”

Yuuichirou didn’t like how Mikaela was dodging the subject of his wounds. He knew that it was one of Mikaela’s defense mechanisms whenever he was hurt so badly, hiding his pain while he flashed a smile to reassure people that he was okay when he wasn’t. Mikaela’s selflessness was a double-edged sword, one that made Yuuichirou torn between being grateful or getting mad at him. But with how much love there was between them, Yuuichirou didn’t have the heart to be legitimately angry at Mikaela.

“Fine, but if we’re going to celebrate, I have to buy some stuff first.” Yuuichirou said as he went in the kitchen to retrieve his wallet, phone and jacket. “How does hotpot for dinner sound like?”

Mikaela beamed in excitement. “Definitely! Let me change my clothes and prepare some of the ingredients. Eating freshly cooked hotpot is the best!”

… Or so he said but Mikaela ended up waiting on the couch, watching aimlessly on the TV while he looked over to the clock from time to time. He timed approximately two hours since Yuuichirou left for shopping which was weird since the convenience store was just a block away from their dorm.

What’s taking him so long?

Mikaela had already prepared the other ingredients that they would need for their hotpot celebration, cutting the only ones available at the moment and making the hotpot sauce. In the midst of his preparation, he idly noticed that there was a knife missing but he didn’t pay it any mind since there were still dishes that needed to be washed. He could do all of those after dinner anyway.

As Mikaela was moving uncomfortably on the couch with worry, the sound of a door opening caught his attention, causing him to spring out of the couch so that he could greet Yuuichirou on the doorway.

“Welcome home, Yuu-chan. Geez, you took time. What happened?” Mikaela asked.

“Oh, the line was unbelievably long today. There’s a huge sale going on.” Yuuichirou explained as he changed his shoes out. “I’m sorry for the wait, Mika. You must be starving.”

“Famished, to be exact.” Mikaela joked sternly before he giggled. “Come on, let’s eat.”

“Yeah.” Yuuichirou smiled back while he watched Mikaela stride back to the kitchen to get the ingredients before he pulled his jacket sleeve over to his hands that were dripping with blood while a knife handle poked out from his jacket pocket.