𝑻𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄'𝐒 𝐇𝐔𝐒𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐃

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕿𝖍𝖎𝖗𝖙𝖞 + 𝕿𝖜𝖔

'•.¸¸.•´´¯'••._.• . •._.••'¯´´•.¸¸.•'

Running down a pitch black path with nothing but the bare minimum of light in front of him, Shuichi stumbled through the dark, desperately trying to feel for a door, a sign, or anything to navigate. For all he knew, he was heading the wrong way; the way back up to the castle may have been the other path, or perhaps there wasn't an exit at all. At the end of the day, this castle wasn't nornal; the never ending twists and turns, the way the paths would get as narrow as to make Shuichi have to squeeze through for a few minutes before they expanded back to normal again, or how some paths were collapsed and he had to climb over debris and rocks to crawl through, it was starting to take a toll on him.

He was covered in dirt and his pajamas were torn and ruined. Shuichi looked far from a groom on his wedding day. Not that the wedding was his first priority at the moment. 

"... I have to get to Rantaro.. " he swallowed, or tried to; his throat was far too dry to swallow.

He had to find Rantaro. He had to make sure he was alright and okay. Or Rantaro might marry a fake and Shuichi would die down here alone, without his lover ever knowing. And as scary as dying alone in the dark sounded, whatever Kokichi had in plan for Rantaro, and Shuichi being unable to do a thing, sounded a whole lot scarier.

Dragging his feet, Shuichi tried to keep himself from wanting to fall down. His mind was spinning, his stomach grumbling and throat parched. How long had he been trying to find his way out of this place ? Hours ? Had it been days ? Maybe Shuichi was already too late to save his lover.

He tried to focus. But Shuichi stumbled more and more. His vision got blurry, his body— his beaten, bruised and weak mortal body couldn't keep up, and finally-

Shuichi collapsed.

.
.
.

The first thing he noticed when he woke up a bit later was how it was impossible to see anything now. Shuichi's fingers grazed against something sharp, and he realized he must've dropped the lantern he was carrying, breaking it in the process.

Great.

Now, the feeling of hopeless really began to arise in him. It was dark and cold, and he couldn't find the strength to move, but found the strength to form hot tears in his eyes.

"Rantaro... I'm so sorry.. I can't protect you. I love you, but I'm so weak and useless... I .. I don't know what to do.."

Those are the thoughts that rang through his mind like a never-ending alarm.

Useless.

Weak.

Pathetic.

'I love you, Shuichi.'

That's what Rantaro told him. Rantaro wasn't a liar. All he has ever done was try and protect Shuichi from this world of vampires and blood. But, who was going to protect Rantaro from it?

Shuichi's body trembled as he layed there motionless in the dark. It felt colder than ever compared to earlier. His hair gently shifted before his eyes began to shut.