Souls In Hiding

A Traitor In Death

A faint conversation woke Shuichi from his slumber. He rubbed his eyes to wake him up, the faint voices becoming clearer as he fazed back to reality. Crawling out of bed he surveyed the people present, noticing one was missing. Kirumi. Shuichi rushed outside, shocking himself with the cold night breeze. Sneaking around the side of the cabin he tracked the voices to the small kitchen. The vampire never had the chance to see the kitchen, as the larger cabin hid it from view when he arrived with Maki, Angie and Kaito. Resting his ear against the door, Shuichi listened to a voice that sounded like Kirumi's speaking to someone. Suddenly, the voices stopped and Shuichi found himself on the ground.

"Shuichi, you aren't that good at hiding for a vampire." Kirumi giggled as Shuichi scrambled to his feet to see her standing next to a large, burly man. Despite the man's strong demeanour, he had an innocent and adorable vibe about him.

"What's going on Kirumi? Who's this?" Shuichi felt awkward interrogating the two, but he had to make sure that something fishy wasn't happening.

"Gonta's name is Gonta!" He grinned at the two, waving to Shuichi.  "Gonta sorry for stealing." His grin faded into a sad pout, his eyes watering.

"It's okay Gonta, I'd just like to know why. You don't seem like someone who would do something like this." Kirumi held Gonta's hand in hers comfortingly, like a mother.

"Gonta is not being kind, Gonta sorry! Gonta and friends need food, none of friends can hunt."

Kirumi and Shuichi shared a glance of pity and sorrow for the boy in front of them. Kirumi let go of Gonta's hand and rolled up her sleeves to dig through a barrel in the corner. She emerged from the barrel with a large chunk of meat in her hands which she handed to the boy. He looked down at the meat and back up to Kirumi with the most angelic smile on his face. "Thank you, kind lady!" They all stared at each other for an awkward, long minute.

"Hey, Gonta? Do you have a home or people to live with?" Shuichi asked.

"Gonta lives in forest with Miu and Kiibo!" Miu and Kiibo must be those friends of his.

"Would you, Miu and Kiibo like to live with us? We have more than enough room for you three, plus we have plenty of food." Kirumi glanced at Shuichi for his nod of approval before continuing. "Everyone would love some more company."

"Gonta will have to talk to friends. Friends might not want to." Gonta looked like he was about to cry again, prompting Kirumi to hug the boy. 

"You don't have to join us, but just know you and your friends can come and visit whenever you'd like." This seemed to brighten Gonta's mood.

"Thank you, kind lady!" Gonta grinned and bowed before leaving the kitchen, presumably to go back to the two friends he mentioned earlier. Shuichi shot Kirumi a disoriented glance causing her to nod, prompting him to speak his mind. 

"We can't keep letting every person we meet live with us. He seems nice and all but we don't know who Miu and Kiibo are, and we just caught him stealing from us."

"I know Shuichi, but I've been talking to him for a while and if anyone needed our help right now it's him. His family abandoned him not too long ago and he's doing his best but he needs our help. Please?" Kirumi begged Shuichi.

"I didn't say no," He reminded her. "We've just been letting so many people in..."

"You're a Saihara right? Plus if someone does something to hurt another we'll kill them." 

"How did you know that?" Shuichi chose to ignore that last part.

"You saved a friend of mine once before, I know you'll make the right choice again." Kirumi smiled, patting Shuichi's shoulder as she walked out of the room. He watched the door close behind her, leaving him to his thoughts. He spent the walk back to his bed thinking about what he should do when morning came.