• CHAPTER 72 - DROPPING BY

    Conflicts suck. That's about it.

    .:{{Kai's Perspective}}:.

    "Kai, I'm cold," Arisa whispered into my ear, gripping my shirt tightly and coughing lightly.

    "I'm sorry, Arisa," I sighed in shame. "We're here."

    I released Arisa's grip from me and scooped her up into my arms after we approached the front steps of Matsuda and Orihime's house. She gripped my shirt again and sighed deeply. I could feel her fever spiking already after only a short passing in the rain. I felt henious for running back home, but I didn't really have another elective. I was ignorant enough to shoot my breaks again.

    I opened the door apprehensively and slipped inside, shutting the door behind me. It was quiet in the house, but not eerie. I glided into the living room with Arisa still draped in my arms and Matsuda and Orihime were sitting on the couch, conversing. Their complexions morphed into worry as they eyed the weak and sick Arisa in my arms. They rushed over to Arisa and I and started the interrogation.

    "Why is Arisa so sick?" Matsuda interrogated. "Where is your car?"

    "I brought it back, remember?" I told him. "I shot the breaks."

    "You could have asked for a ride back home," Orihime lectured me, frustrated.

    "I'm sorry," I apologized. "I wasn't thinking straight."

    "Obviously," Matsuda frowned at me in disappointment. "Get Arisa into a warm bath."

    "That was my intention anyways," I sighed.

    "Kai, don't worry about it," Arisa smiled weakly at me. "I'm okay."

    "No you're not; be quiet," I sighed again. "Your fever is spiking already."

    Before Arisa could protest anymore, I glided up the stairs quickly and into the bathroom. I shut that door behind me as well and settled Arisa down on the toilet lid. I dug in the linen closet for the gauze and wound cleaner; Akatsuki had bandaged Arisa's wound at his apartment, but her would was still exuding blood from the gash of Akatsuki's bullet. I understand it wasn't his intention to hit Arisa; I was his target. He only nicked Arisa by accident because Arisa pounced on him at the wrong time. I felt henious guilt for Arisa's injury and to top it all off, her heart had been crushed by Akatsuki.

    I clutched what I needed and placed them on the counter top next to Arisa. I lowered myself onto my knees and without asking for her permission, I grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it off and unbuttoned and removed her collared shirt. Arisa blushed and covered herself. She was still wearing a bra, of course. I pried her arms away from her and observed her injured arm after ripping off the blood-damped bandages.

    "Wh-why did you have to remove my shirt?" Arisa blushed and argued weakly.

    "Because of your long sleeves," I pointed out. "I can't roll them up so easily."

    "Oh," she whispered.

    The gash was deep, but it wouldn't kill her. Even from bleeding, she would not perish from an anti-Vampire gun. I could feel a burn in my throat from observing the heavy blood flow and my mouth was watering. My Vampire instincts caught up with me and I dashed my tongue across her wound. Arisa gasped sharply from the sting and anticipated for me to finish. I could feel the severe heat radiating off of Arisa's face from fever and embarrassment. She was shivering, freezing from the rain I ran her home through. The burn infiltrating my throat detached and I removed myself from her wound.

    "Sorry," I apologized for my selfish act.

    "It's alright," she forgave me. "It's your nature."

    I paused for a short moment and stood back up and drew her a warm bath. I turned on the jets for the sake of her relaxation and turned back to her, "Will you be okay by yourself?"

    Arisa nodded, "Yeah,"

    I sighed, "Be sure to cleanse the wound thoroughly," I told her. "I'll fix it when you're done."

    "Okay," she smiled at me, shining a light in the room.

    Without another word, I exited the bathroom and let her be. I stood adjacent to the bathroom door and pondered about what had happened earlier. Akatsuki's mind was berserk, out of control. He can't cease thinking about Aya and about how all he has left now is Aya's sister. He really isn't in love with Arisa, but it's startling how he put it. Arisa has been hurt, both physically and emotionally. I need to set things straight with Akatsuki, fast.

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    "Ouch," Arisa flinched from the multiple stabs from the needle and thread.

    "I'm sorry," I finished mending her arm and she rubbed her bicep.

    "It's okay," she sighed and shivered. "I'm still cold."

    I scooped her into my arms again and glided to the bedroom. She sighed deeply several times until I reposed her on the bed and tugged the covers up to her shoulders. Her eyelids were drooping already and she tugged her hand out of the covers to grab a hold of one of mine.

    "I love you, Kai," she smiled feebly.

    I arched over and pecked her forehead, "Love you too," I caressed her cautiously. "Get some sleep."

    "I'm sorry," she sighed, "for Akatsuki's behavior."

    "It's alright," I reassured. "You did nothing wrong. Now sleep."

    Arisa nodded and immediately closed her eyes. I waited for a few minutes to confirm she was sleeping and I rose from the bed and left the bedroom. Entering the living room, my anger rose and I slid my jacket on.

    "Matsuda, where are your keys?" I interrogated while Matsuda was in the kitchen.

    "Hanging up," Matsuda burrowed his eyebrows together in a straight line. "Why?"

    I ignored him and snatched his keys from the hook on the wall in the hallway. I hopped into my shoes and opened the front door.

    "Where are you going?" Matsuda stepped out of the kitchen.

    "Out," I mumbled and slammed the door shut behind me.

    I made my way to the garage and entered after punching in the pin number. I hopped in and ignited the car irritably. I took a moment to breathe deeply, but the anger wasn't dissipating.

    Kai, where are you going? Matsuda interrogated again.

    That's none of your business,     I answered back.

    It's everybody's business, Matsuda told me, Especially Arisa's.

    As soon as he voiced Arisa's name, her face came into play in my mind. I gridlocked where I was and nearly lashed myself for not bringing her into thought before. She was upstairs, sleeping, and was oblivious to what I was intending to do. I couldn't keep anything from her, nothing. It would corrode me alive if I lied to her or kept a secret.

    Where are you off to? Matsuda asked me again.

    I took a moment to ponder about whether I should do it or not. I made up my mind and answered Matsuda back, Akatsuki's.

    And why is that?

    I paused, To set things right. I sped out of the garage and onto the exposed gravel road before Matsuda could retard my actions.

    I was ignorant as to why I had abruptly become infuriated after we left Akatsuki's apartment. Just the fact that he injured Arisa--even though it was accidental--set me off. No matter how infinitesimal or unintended the wound is, if it's threatening, I'll snap. Arisa is much too precious to me to be infiltrated in any way, but I can't clam over her forever. I shouldn't even be one to speak; I'm a Vampire. I need to feast off of her just for my own bidding, resulting in injury to her. I couldn't understand myself anymore. All I knew at the moment was that I was frustrated and forcing myself to set things straight with Akatsuki after he broke Arisa's heart, her delicate, fragile heart.

    ~*~*~*~*~*~

    I climbed out of Matsuda's car and into the violent downpour after I parked in the parking lot at Akatsuki's apartment. A feebly visible light was dimly lit outside of his door, curtained by the rain. I made my way up the damp wooden stairs and without knocking or asking for permission--as most Vampires are believed to do--I barged in. I must have startled Akatsuki because he dropped his mug and immediately inclined his gun so it was facing me again. The mug crashing onto the kitchen floor shattered the silence for a split second before the atmosphere turned ominous. We were only about eight to nine feet apart from each other so we were in perfect range to speak without coming in contact with each other.

    "What did you come back for this time?" Akatsuki snarled. "Your dinner is back home, so leave."

    I nearly pounced on Akatsuki after he announced Arisa as my dinner, but he was still deranged from the earlier brawl, "I'm not here to fight, Akatsuki,"

    "Then what do you want?" Akatsuki hissed underneath his breath, clicking the hammer after pulling back the slide.

    I took a deep breath and released it in a sigh, knowing my own life was up for auction once again, "I'm only here to settle things,"