• CHAPTER 37 - THE COVENANT

    Over a period of struggling, you may miss some important things. Whether it's an important even or meeting or whatever. But some things...are absolutely ridiculous.

    "Kai, you're such an idiot," I complained as we slowly and steadily made our way back to Takeuchi's room.

    Great, Kai just told Matsuda about our engagement and all Matsuda had to say was "is that all?” I wanted to die of embarrassment, and then Kai and Matsuda go on about how much Kai could possibly hurt me physically and all that crap.

    "Just save your anger for some other time, please," Kai sighed.

    I pressed my anger down elsewhere as we reentered Takeuchi's room after stopping in my room to pick up my bags. I wanted to leave quickly before Matsuda's gaze would burn into me. I draped my arm carefully over Takeuchi's torso and embraced him sweetly.

    "I'll be back tomorrow or the day after, okay?" I pulled back and held up a finger as to lecture him, "And the next time I see you, you'd better have your eyes open for Miku."

    His mouth twitched in a grin again and sighed. Matsuda stood up from his chair and pat my shoulder, "You better get home quickly. Orihime's missing you and apparently Momo is as well." he smiled.

    I smiled back nervously, hiding my embarrassment, "Yeah, okay,"

    Kai rolled his eyes and stood next to Takeuchi's bed. He frowned after a while, "Well, I can't punch you on the head like I always do," I only assumed it was his and Takeuchi's signature good bye, "So, um...take care of yourself."

    I smiled as Kai pat Takeuchi's shoulder instead and Kai glared at Takeuchi right away, "Shut up, mutt," he paused again, "'One night stand' my a**!"

    I burst into laughter, knowing Takeuchi more than likely made a perverted joke about Kai...maybe involving me. Kai sighed and grabbed my hand and we headed towards the door. I called out to Matsuda and Takeuchi over my shoulder.

    "We'll be back very soon!" I waved behind me.

    "Just take your time. You two need the relaxation." Matsuda waved back, "And Takeuchi says good bye."

    The door shut behind me and Kai and I exited the hospital doors. I immediately took in as much fresh air and sunlight as I could, absorbing the great outdoors I had missed for so long. After a moment of glory, I shivered fiercely, realizing I had forgotten to put my coat on. Kai rolled his eyes and slipped my coat on me and I yelled at him for not reminding me to put my coat on.

    "You shouldn't need to be reminded," he frowned.

    "I've been trapped in a hospital that felt like an insane asylum for nearly three weeks, so
    yeah, I'm a little messed up," I hissed back at him.

    Our very quick drive back to the house was kind of silent. Even if we were going nearly a hundred miles per hour, it would still take us about half an hour or more to get back. I guess Matsuda and Kai wanted to take Takeuchi and I to a really good hospital. I forgot which city it was in, but if we were driving at a normal human speed then it would take us about an hour or so to get back home.

    For a few minutes, I stared at Kai and mused, wondering what it would be like to have lived as long as he had. To once be human and unwillingly be drug into the life of a Vampire. What the nineteenth century was like, what it was like to have lived for a hundred and seventy-six years. What was going through his mind when he was in the middle of the transition? What did he think when he saw Kira suffering through it then...and now?

    "Hey," he sounded as though he had been asking that a long time. I snapped myself out of my daydream and gave my attention to him, "I asked what's going through your head?" he sounded irritated at the fact that I was staring at him.

    "Oh...nothing," I looked away. After another moment, I started doing the math of Kai's age and turned towards him again, "You said your birthday is in November, right?"

    "Yeah. Why?" he cocked an eyebrow.

    "We missed your birthday last year," I complained, "I'm so sorry!"

    "It's not a big deal. It's just another birthday." he shrugged.

    "It was your hundred and seventy-seventh birthday!" I was getting agitated with him, "Why didn't we celebrate?"

    Kai's complexion went grim, "Because you were recovering from the second Werewolf attack. When your bones were broken."

    I froze, "It was...during that time?"

    He nodded in confirmation, "I couldn't possibly want to celebrate if you were in that condition. It doesn't matter anyways, it's just another year."

    "Well, now I feel bad about not getting you anything for Christmas or your birthday!" I whined loudly, "Now I feel even guiltier!"

    "Well," he started, getting to something, "There is something you can do to make up for it." he smirked.

    I gulped, almost regretting ever bringing up his birthday. I knew he would make me do something that would either embarrass me or I wouldn't approve of it. Before I knew it, we were back home already and I hastily made my way to the front door. I creaked it open and stepped inside, Kai following in after me, and it was silent.

    "Orihime? Miku?" I called out.

    Before I heard any responses, Momo peeked out from the living room doorway and I gasped, throwing my things at Kai and running towards Momo, "Momo!"

    I picked him up and held him close to my chest, overwhelmed to see him again. Kai sighed and I knew he rolled his eyes as he picked up the stuff I threw at him. I stood up with Momo in my arms and smiled at Kai.

    "Look, Kai! It's your favorite kitten!" I waved Momo's paw at Kai for him.

    He only ignored me with another childish roll of his eyes and entered the living room, "Hey, you two,"

    I spun into the living room right away and Orihime and Miku were sitting on one of the couches together, giggling. I frowned at them, "How come you didn't answer when I called out for you?"

    "We wanted to see how Momo would respond to your voice," Orihime explained, "and I guess he darted out of the room."

    Miku stood up right away and rushed towards me as quick as she could and flung her arms around me and I embraced her as well, trying not to crush her swollen tummy, "It's so good to see you again, Arisa!"

    "You too," I smiled and pat her back, "How's the baby doing?"

    She pulled back and gripped my shoulders, "It's doing just fine," she frowned, "I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you about calming down. Please forgive me."

    "It's okay," I reassured with a smile, "I wasn't really able to calm down any better. I just wanted you to calm down since you're pregnant."

    "No, no, I was stupid enough to believe I would be okay," she sighed, "Is Takeuchi any better?"

    I looked behind Miku at Kai, waiting to see if he would allow me to guarantee Takeuchi's survival chanced. Kai nodded and I smiled back at Miku, "He's doing great,"

    She squealed and jumped up and down, clapping her hands together, much like a teenage girl after dancing with the cutest boy at prom, "Thank you so much!" she embraced me again.

    I couldn't help after another moment but to join in with her squealing and jumping. I still watched out for her stomach, but we were both so overjoyed. Orihime smiled at us and Kai rolled his eyes yet again with that "typical teenage girls" expression on his face. Miku and I stopped after a few minutes and we were both laughing while trying to catch our breath. It felt like I had a sister again...um...a pregnant sister at that.

    "Orihime? We never celebrated Kai's birthday." I breathed.

    "You were recovering. There was no possible way we would do that without you." she smiled, repeating exactly what Kai had said earlier.

    "We should when Takeuchi gets out," I smiled.

    Orihime laughed, "It's just another birthday to Kai. He doesn't care anymore."

    I frowned at Kai in disappointment and he only shrugged his shoulders, "Told ya,"

    We sat around for a little over an hour, talking about what was going in with Takeuchi, how relieved I was to be out of the hospital, the past and other stuff. Miku and I ended up really getting to know each other until Kai just had to interrupt us. He stood in front of me and looked down at me with a small smile on his face.

    "Come with me," he held out his hand.

    I took his hand hesitantly after Miku pushed me along to do it and we left the living room and on upstairs while I was blushing. And, as usual, we went into the bedroom, just Kai and I. Kai grabbed onto my face after he shut the door and compressed his lips against mine for a short second and pulled away with a smile on his face. He dug into his pocket and pulled out a necklace...my mother's necklace.

    "How did you...?" I looked up at him in confusion.

    "The doctors didn't want you wearing it. They thought you were too stressed out and that you would try to kill yourself with it." he rolled his eyes.

    He fit the necklace around my fragile neck and pressed his thumb against my lips. He continued to smirk, "You know how you can make up for my missed birthday?"

    Before I could ask how, he already pushed me down onto the bed by my shoulders so I was sitting, "I’m not sure I'm comfortable with this," I jumped to conclusions.

    He only laughed at me and went into the drawer at the end table next to the bed. He pulled out a small box that fit in the palm of his pale hand. It was covered in velvet and...

    "No, Kai," I whispered and then increased my voice, "No way, Kai. No, not that. Anything but that!" I panicked.

    "Uh," he scratched his head, as nervous as I was.

    He took his time making his way towards me and we were both turning red, but I wasn't as pale as he was so I was maroon. He lowered himself onto both of his knees in front of me and sat himself on his feet. I really didn't want him to be doing this, not now. Not when nobody else but Matsuda knows about it and Miku and Orihime are in the living room! I didn't know anything about marriage, yet here I am, engaged to a Vampire, of all things!

    "Arisa? Um..." he fondled with the little box.

    I tucked my hands in my lap and looked away while tensing up, "Y-yeah?" I didn't know why I was asking him what he wanted. He was putting a ring on my finger, for God's sake!!

    "Arisa, I...," he stumbled, "You know how...how much I love you, right?"

    "Um, I-I guess so," I breathed slowly.

    "And I'd...I'd never betray you...I'd never hurt you intentionally,"

    "Y-yeah," I unconsciously agreed selfishly.

    He pulled the ring out of the small burgundy box and held it between his slender index and thumb fingers. The ring was a 10k silver band with 0.14 carat diamond...in the shape of a tiny diamond. It was absolutely beautiful, but I was sure I would spoil the look of the ring with my typical human looks.

    "Will you...," he stumbled even more, "Will you um...marry me?" the ring was already halfway on my finger.

    My breath stopped and my heart was bursting through my chest and my stomach was about to implode from butterflies. I didn't know how to respond. I had forgotten how to breathe or talk or even think. The only thing I was capable of doing was nodding, which I did, and Kai quickly slid the ring on, the ring that bound us to our commitment.

    "Um...," he played with his fingers nervously on either side of me on the bed. He looked down and bit his lip just as I did.

    "Happy birthday...?" I whispered.

    Kai let out a small chuckle, then it increased, and then he boomed in laughter. He rubbed his left thumb against my right arm and he looked up at me but I was looking at my other side, at the ring that was clasped around my finger. It was enamorus. Only a Vampire could know what was truly beautiful and Kai was right, my small fingers would make the diamond look bigger.

    "Are we going too fast?" Kai asked with his eyebrows burrowed together in sentimentality.
    I shook my head, not knowing how to speak again. Kai smiled in relief and held my face carefully in his hands again. He rose himself onto his knees and locked my gaze with his and my heart sped up again, giving me the thought that I'd have to check into the hospital again for an irregular heartbeat. He chuckled and lightly pushed me back so that I was lying on my back on the bed. He kissed me softly and his tongue lightly cruised over both of my lips. I grabbed his face as well and held back from pulling him closer.

    He rolled both of us over so that we were lying on the bed vertically. The bed was incredibly commodious; his feet weren't even close to hanging off the edge. The kiss was intensifying and I knew neither of us had much control over ourselves. In a split second, Kai pulled away immediately and looked away.

    "What's wrong?" I asked him, catching my breath.

    "Now that we're in this commitment," he gazed at me seriously, "I can't lose control."

    I burrowed my eyebrows together in confusion, "What do you mean?"

    "Most times we kiss like this, you end up getting hurt," he sighed.

    "Don't be frivolous," I lectured, "It's just a couple of bites, it's not that bad."

    He shook his head, "I'm not taking that risk,"

    I grabbed his face again and kissed him passionately again for another slow moment. Kai rolled us over again so that we were on our sides, facing each other. We stared at each other for the longest time, fully aware of the covenant we made.

    I smiled while reminiscing, "How is it we ended up like this?"

    He burrowed his eyebrows together in confusion, "What do you mean?"

    "Think about it," I started, "When I first came here, we hated each other. You...wanted to kill me."

    Kai flinched a little when I said that and I quickly changed the subject, "And here we are, agreeing to get hitched several months after we met," I giggled.

    He smiled softly, the violet rings under his eyes darkening. I frowned at him, "You need to sleep,"

    "I--"

    I pressed my finger against his lips and hushed him, "Takeuchi is going to be all right. I'm all right. Everything is fine. You overwork yourself too much." I huffed, "You've only had what, about ten hours of sleep in the past three weeks?"

    "I already told you that Vampires can stay up for a few days," he frowned.

    "Yeah, a few days, not weeks," I lectured.

    After a long moment of Kai frowning at me, he finally sighed, caving in, and pulled himself closer to me. He buried his face in my chest, right where my heart was, and sighed again. He coiled his arms around my waist and sighed again.

    "Everybody's okay," he rubbed my back with his thumb, "I'm so relieved."

    I waited for another moment, playing with the spikes in his hair, until I was sure he had fallen asleep. He had told me before when I was in the hospital that my heartbeat was his lullaby...the thought brought more red to my cheeks.

    As I was playing with his hair as the day was dying, I took some more time to examine my crowded ring finger. It was real, it was all real. What would mom and dad think if they were still alive? If they're Exorcists, they would never approve of this. They would disapprove because I'm seventeen and Kai's a Vampire. I don't think I would want Kai meeting them if they were Exorcists. And I could only imagine the crap Akatsuki would say.

    "We've got a rough road ahead," I mumbled, ready to drift off in my own slumber.

    Kai's breathing was steady and melodic and I could feel his cool breath seeping through my shirt. His shoulder rose up and down slowly while he breathed deeply. I could watch him sleep for days and it would never cease to amaze me. And he was...all mine.

    I sighed while closing my eyes and drifting, the 0.14 carat diamond suddenly feeling like a thousand extra pounds added on.