The environment in the dining hall was suffocatingly quiet, as usual. Every family dinner was. Even chatty, bubbly Yui didn't dare to say much. Akira pushed her food around her plate, taking bites of food occasionally.
"Hey, Yui. Eat more, or you'll become anemic." Laito leaned over the table and grinned at her. Yui smiled and nodded. "Of course! But actually, Akira is eating less than me." Silly girl. She thought that pervert meant well. Akira grimaced as attention was drawn to her. Ayato smirked, like he was remembering her blood. "Well, Akira should have more, right?" Laito turned his gaze to her. "I agree. So small for her age," he sighed, stroking a finger over her cheek, which Akira slapped away. "How old are you, again?"
Akira ignored him, pointedly slicing into her meat and sticking the piece in her mouth, chewing so she wouldn't have to answer. Laito grinned and stabbed a piece of broccoli with his fork and held it to her lips. "Mmm. Good. Eat up, Bitch-chan~"
"Laito. Akira. Behave." Reiji snapped, sawing into his steak with his knife. The scraping of a chair followed. Shu abandoned his cutlery. "Shu-san?" Yui asked. "Such a pain," he murmured before shuffling out. The doors of the dining hall slammed behind him.
Reiji scoffed with his usual disdain. "That deadbeat. Nothing comes good of a spoiled child." Yui looked confused, and Akira rolled he eyes. Reiji was such a petty bitch sometimes.
"Teddy, what do you want to eat next?" At Teddy's silent reply, Kanato picked up his fork and poked the tines into the butter cookie on his plate. It split in half, and her brother's eyes lit up in a sick delight as he stabbed at the cookie continuously until it was broken up into little pieces.
Ignoring Kanato's display of sadistic aggression, Reiji continued his complaining about Shu. "He can't even be bothered to attend our monthly dinner party..." he sighed and set down his utensils. "That is all."
Just like that, the dinner ended. Everyone gladly stood and left. Yui was somehow fast enough to go too. Akira folded her napkin and rose to leave as well.
"One moment," said Reiji. Akira looked up tiredly. What now? "Yui's table manners are deplorable, and yours are as well. It is obvious you have not taught her properly." Akira bit back a retort. She was tired, especially after her nasty brother had guzzled her blood. "One of these days I will take you both aside and discipline you thoroughly. Understood?" Akira wanted to scoff. Her brothers' manners were a thousand times worse compared to hers. And she hated the way Reiji talked to her, like she was an employee under evaluation. An evaluation she was going to fail. But she couldn't exactly leave Reiji with that. She swallowed her pride. "Yes."
"Yes who?"
Akira's hands clenched under the table, tension crackling between their gazes. "Yes, Reiji-san.
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Akira glanced around to ensure none of her brothers were about to randomly materialise in her room. They had been coming by unusually frequently. Maybe they were looking for Yui. She turned over the crucifix in her hand. Grafted silver, ruby-encrusted. It felt warm in her palm. Yui was too nice. Her personality was so innocently sweet and naive. She wouldn't survive in this place.
