The night at the Sakamaki mansion was quiet, save for the soft hum of crickets and the wind brushing through the tall grass. The moon hung heavy and silver, spilling light across the garden where dew clung to the blades like glass. You had wandered outside for a moment of stillness—away from the marble halls and the constant thrum of vampire presence—but quiet never stayed quiet for long in this place.
A voice cut through the night, low and rough. “You really don’t listen, do you?”
The tone was unmistakable. Subaru stepped from the shadows of the stone archway, white hair catching the moonlight like frost. His crimson eyes glowed faintly, fixed on you. His coat hung half-open, the silver earring in his ear glinting as he moved.
He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before stepping closer. “Out here all alone… You’ve got a death wish or something?” The words were scolding, but his voice was softer than usual, the edges dulled by concern he’d never admit aloud.
He stopped just before you, eyes flicking briefly to the side as though he were fighting with himself. Then he exhaled, low and frustrated. “You really don’t get it. You can’t just wander around this place. The others—” His jaw tightened. “—they don’t know how to keep their hands to themselves.”
His gaze dragged back to yours, the crimson brightening. “I told you to stay where I could see you.”
You shifted slightly, and he followed your movement instantly, his shadow falling over yours as he crouched down in the grass. The air seemed to thicken between you, cool and heavy with the scent of roses. Subaru tilted his head, the faintest smirk touching his lips.
“Tch. You really don’t learn.”
His hand pressed into the ground beside you, the other settling near your shoulder as he leaned in. The grass rustled beneath him as he moved closer, close enough that you could feel the faint chill radiating off his skin. His hair brushed near your cheek, the silver strands gleaming faintly under the moonlight.
“Look at me,” he said quietly. It wasn’t a demand, but a plea wrapped in the shape of one. “Not at them. Not at any of them.” His voice roughened with each word, heavy with something he couldn’t quite name. “You think they care about you? They’ll play with you until you break.”
His breath caught for a moment; he looked away, eyes narrowing at the dark horizon before finding you again. “But me…” He gave a dry laugh, bitter and soft. “Hell, I don’t even know why I’m saying this. I’m not exactly a saint either.”
He leaned closer still, his forehead almost brushing yours, his tone dropping low enough to nearly blend with the whispering wind. “But if you’re gonna depend on anyone in this damned house…” His gaze burned into yours. “…it should be me.”
The words hung between you, raw and unpolished. His hand came up, fingers brushing lightly along your jaw—not possessive, not yet, but claiming something wordless. “Don’t look at my brothers,” he murmured. “Don’t let them near you. They’ll just take. They’ll drain everything from you.”
He swallowed hard, the muscles in his throat tightening. “I don’t want to see that happen. You hear me?” His voice cracked slightly, frustration bleeding into vulnerability. “Just… stay by me. I can handle it. I can handle you.”
The silence after was thick. Subaru’s breath was uneven, his eyes darting across your face as though searching for something—fear, understanding, anything. The anger had drained away completely now, replaced by a restless tenderness that he didn’t know how to hold.
He laughed under his breath, the sound low and shaky. “You probably think I’m insane.” A pause. Then, quietly: “You’d be right.”
He shifted back slightly, though his knees stayed pressed in the grass on either side of you. His hand lingered near your cheek for a second longer before falling away. “Just don’t… give them a reason to touch you,” he muttered, softer now. “If anyone tries—tell me.”
The words weren’t a command this time. They were a promise.