Aidou was, simply put, annoyed. And to think he hadn't woken up that way for once, it was a shame. Not only was it time for another round of captives to be introduced, but the 'new' schedule was ridiculous--of which he quickly scanned and memorized with a pronounced frown. Organized? Please. He'd seen better scheduling from the maids' hired to clean his house.
But the fact that there were routine meals now. Categorized, monotonous meals
( ... )
Rinali's breakfast had been pleasant enough, and the thought of having a chance to sit down with a quiet book seemed appropriate. She still didn't want to focus on what had happened in previous nights, and so a chance to engross herself in a work of fiction seemed like the perfect reprieve. She picked the first book that looked intriguing and sat down across from a boy who was sleeping with a book over his face. She'd let him sleep for now. The poor guy had probably had a rough night himself.
It could be almost freaky, just how in tune with the universe Aidou's sixth sense could be. It was not part of his sixth sense to know that someone had perched themselves near him--that was all scent and sound, catching the scrape of chair legs and the smell of a warm body. No, it was all heterosexual, female-loving instinct on that one: he just knew when one was around.
He and his fans had that in common, they in knowing when their Idol-sama was nearby.
However, things were much more bleak and depressing in Landel's, with girls trying to survive over adoring him. In response, Aidou could only lift the bottom of the book with the tip of his index finger, the front still canted on the crown of his head, and peer out from underneath it. Dainty figure, pigtails, average eyes, a fairly pretty human face. "I knew it," he started, without shame, "a gorgeous girl came and sat down beside me. Aren't I lucky?"
Rinali smiled warmly at the boy's flattery, setting down her book. "Oh, I'm nothing special, but thank you for the compliment," she said pleasantly. She never understood why people thought she was pretty. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she didn't see much. She liked who she was, but she didn't feel pretty.
"I'm Rinali," she said. He seemed like a nice enough boy.
The book was flipped off his head, caught in nimble fingers. "I'll have to insist that I'm an expert in these matters--I only speak the truth. Don't try to argue, I'll only win," said the vampire with a small, but winning smile. Not that modest girls were not fun in and of themselves, but Aidou recognized the name, and therefore had a much more immediate interest in the girl.
Relatively speaking, anyway. His own issues were still taking top priority.
Rinali stifled a little giggle. The boy was a charmer, even if he did seem to be flirting a little more directly than most of the boys she knew and was accustomed to. "Alright, then," she said. "I won't argue. It's a pleasure to meet you, Aidou."
The fact of the matter was, Aidou really wanted to flirt--the energetic, impossible-to-resist enthusiasm that had an entire planet of girls trailing after him like little ducklings--but it seemed he was going to have to work up to it. Ever since Akatsuki, Aidou hadn't shifted away from a more serious persona, having fewer and fewer reasons to put on his cute face. He had to try, though.
And really, how much effort did someone like him have to put into it? Humans rarely saw how dangerous he really was even in a temper, just his beauty.
For starters, he wriggled up into more of a sitting position, gaze intent. Then, with a considerable mental effort involved, Aidou's entire expression melted into something cherubic and sweet and charming, a liberal dose of the old Idol pep. If she had been a more annoying girl, it would have been so much harder. "It's nice to meet you too, Rinali-chan. I haven't met many girls like you around here: pretty and nice! Or anybody like that, really. Everybody's so rude, I was half afraid you were going to
( ... )
She couldn't help but blush as the boy charmed her. Even Ravi never put on the charms quite like this boy had. "T..thank you," she said, feeling a little embarrassed. She turned to the side slightly, trying as best as she could to hide her red cheeks. "I do my best to treat everyone fairly and give everyone a chance. But...people here have been mean to you? I don't see why someone would want to pick a fight with you..."
After all, he had been rather nice to her so far. He was also handsome, and seemed friendly enough. Why would anyone want to pick a fight with him?
Aidou had to resist the urge to let his gaze sharpen into something more predatory; all that mulling over food had left it lingering in his thoughts. Mm, he almost wished he were stupid enough to respond to the rising blood in her cheeks--at least he might get in a good bite before someone else spotted him. But he wasn't. So he swapped his mourning for pleasure.
"Sounds like you're a good person," the noble continued, dropping the book on the table and leaning forward slightly. "But not everyone cares about being fair in a place like this! As soon as someone gets stressed out, they want to butt heads with the closest person. It's silly, really. They'll say unwarranted things just so they'll feel better about themselves." And Aidou knew this to be true, as all but the last remark was related to his own behavior. The final comment was a dig at the idiots like Allen Walker who ran around wailing their stupid heads off.
"Anyway, that was a rant, I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind a talkative person."
"No, that's ok," Rinali said reassuringly. She wasn't always the most talkative person herself, so sometimes the presence of someone who talked continuously was...comforting. "I know what you mean. But they don't usually mean anything by it. I think it's just this place. It's stressful for all of us, to be away from so many of our friends and family. It can really get to you."
"It's hard for me too, being away from my home. Everybody I care about. But you wouldn't believe the sorts of things said to me. That just because I'm nobility, I deserve to get taken down a peg and suffer. It's horrible. I'm glad you sat down beside me; I haven't been acquainted with many nice people."
It certainly worked well for Aidou if he could whine and string her along at the same time. Preferably he would have liked Akatsuki sitting across from him, where he could honestly and whole-hearted divulge his complaints and concerns, but as had been established over the course of time, humans couldn't understand what went on inside a vampire's mind. Or perhaps... it was just the non-nobility that couldn't. Those stupid, insufferable peons like Allen Walker that couldn't half of their brain's potential to save their own lives.
Aidou smiled at Rinali like the most innocent, sweet boy imaginable.
"Maybe you just haven't been talking to the right people," Rinali suggested, trying to be as helpful as she could. "I could introduce you to my friends. Allen and Ravi wouldn't care if you're nobility. We come from a religious organization with a rigid hierarchy, but we all try to treat everyone as equals." She smiled again at him. If it had been people like Momo that she had met here, she probably would have felt the same way about the people here.
"I haven't been here long, though, and I've mostly spent my time with my friend Allen. I don't know a lot of people here..."
Saying 'nobility' like it was a bad thing, peh. Aidou kept up the warm smile, though, heartened by the fact this was a girl he was speaking to. And now some dumb male he would have to teach a lesson... Even if he'd implied the original statement himself. Whatever.
"Rigid hierarchy, yes, I understand that well," Aidou confessed. "My family's a lot alike." He did not, however, elude to whether or not his family (and the night society at large) tried to treat others like equals. The answer was definitely no. "And maybe you're right, I want to get along with everyone. At least we can make friends, can't we, Rinali-chan?"
"I don't know if your nobility is similar to mine," Rinali said. "But were you part of the royal family itself, like a prince? Or were you more distantly related?" She was a little curious about where he came from now...meeting nobility was a rarity in itself. "For that matter, are you from Earth? I'm from Earth, but I know a lot of people aren't."
She smiled warmly again. "That's right. Friends are important. It must be hard being without any of your friends. But you don't have to worry, I'll be your friend."
"Yes, I'm from Earth," came the breezy reply. Even if it bugged the hell out of him to keep having to say--it was so ridiculous to have to answer a question like that at all. Then Aidou flicked his hand slightly, as though to wave away the topic of nobility. "It's quite similar actually, but I'm only a noble." People might not have seen a serious difference between 'prince' and 'noble', but to vampires it was a very obvious gap. "My family is auspicious in and of itself, but ultimately it's my duty to protect and serve the royal heir." Far more convoluted than that, to be sure, however he had no intention of going into detail on his and Kaname-sama's lives.
The suggestion of friendship sounded less ridiculous coming out of a cute girl's mouth, and Aidou resisted the urge to smile wider still, lest he give away his fangs.
"I'm glad, that's really sweet. I think I have a crush on you."
But the fact that there were routine meals now. Categorized, monotonous meals ( ... )
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With a soft smile, she began to read her book.
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He and his fans had that in common, they in knowing when their Idol-sama was nearby.
However, things were much more bleak and depressing in Landel's, with girls trying to survive over adoring him. In response, Aidou could only lift the bottom of the book with the tip of his index finger, the front still canted on the crown of his head, and peer out from underneath it. Dainty figure, pigtails, average eyes, a fairly pretty human face. "I knew it," he started, without shame, "a gorgeous girl came and sat down beside me. Aren't I lucky?"
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"I'm Rinali," she said. He seemed like a nice enough boy.
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Relatively speaking, anyway. His own issues were still taking top priority.
"I'm Aidou."
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And really, how much effort did someone like him have to put into it? Humans rarely saw how dangerous he really was even in a temper, just his beauty.
For starters, he wriggled up into more of a sitting position, gaze intent. Then, with a considerable mental effort involved, Aidou's entire expression melted into something cherubic and sweet and charming, a liberal dose of the old Idol pep. If she had been a more annoying girl, it would have been so much harder. "It's nice to meet you too, Rinali-chan. I haven't met many girls like you around here: pretty and nice! Or anybody like that, really. Everybody's so rude, I was half afraid you were going to ( ... )
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After all, he had been rather nice to her so far. He was also handsome, and seemed friendly enough. Why would anyone want to pick a fight with him?
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"Sounds like you're a good person," the noble continued, dropping the book on the table and leaning forward slightly. "But not everyone cares about being fair in a place like this! As soon as someone gets stressed out, they want to butt heads with the closest person. It's silly, really. They'll say unwarranted things just so they'll feel better about themselves." And Aidou knew this to be true, as all but the last remark was related to his own behavior. The final comment was a dig at the idiots like Allen Walker who ran around wailing their stupid heads off.
"Anyway, that was a rant, I'm sorry. I hope you don't mind a talkative person."
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It certainly worked well for Aidou if he could whine and string her along at the same time. Preferably he would have liked Akatsuki sitting across from him, where he could honestly and whole-hearted divulge his complaints and concerns, but as had been established over the course of time, humans couldn't understand what went on inside a vampire's mind. Or perhaps... it was just the non-nobility that couldn't. Those stupid, insufferable peons like Allen Walker that couldn't half of their brain's potential to save their own lives.
Aidou smiled at Rinali like the most innocent, sweet boy imaginable.
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"I haven't been here long, though, and I've mostly spent my time with my friend Allen. I don't know a lot of people here..."
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"Rigid hierarchy, yes, I understand that well," Aidou confessed. "My family's a lot alike." He did not, however, elude to whether or not his family (and the night society at large) tried to treat others like equals. The answer was definitely no. "And maybe you're right, I want to get along with everyone. At least we can make friends, can't we, Rinali-chan?"
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She smiled warmly again. "That's right. Friends are important. It must be hard being without any of your friends. But you don't have to worry, I'll be your friend."
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The suggestion of friendship sounded less ridiculous coming out of a cute girl's mouth, and Aidou resisted the urge to smile wider still, lest he give away his fangs.
"I'm glad, that's really sweet. I think I have a crush on you."
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