The Hurt Eve

Chapter Six

Short chapter, but urn, Mahiru And Tsubaki feel out of character, I know. I'm trying. I really am. I'd like to hear some ideas when you finish reading this chapter.

The day is just one of those that practically hold no interest, nothing that can be excited over and be highly spoken to anyone. The day is windy, the type that sings a haunting tune and brings a terrifying aura around the area. It's dull and calling for rain, a somber mood hanging in the air. Something is bound to happen, just no one really noticed it. How saddening the world is, being ignored when it gives a warning that can always help people—the protagonists in a story. Maybe if someone had known, everything would've been alright, but they didn't know, they had not a clue for they could not see into the future. It's depressing really, how something being lost can affect someone that even finding comfort in the arms of the enemy as an option.

Tsubaki laughs to himself as he watches Sakuya repeatedly kick Shamrock with the help of Belkia. He finds it boring after a few seconds of laughter. "How boring." That's his catchphrase, he never understood why he barely found interest in anything, why he always felt so dull and empty, but it's probably that fact he was melancholy. He sighs softly and walks over telling Shamrock to leave them alone. Once he's out of the room Melancholy looks at the green haired teen. "Sakuya, has Sloth sent any more updates on his eve?"

It takes a moment but Sakuya looks at Who Is Coming and shakes his head. "No. Is there a reason?" He's telling the truth, after a week the messages stopped and he couldn't help but become worried about it all. The second day after the messages stopped, he had went to check on Mahiru himself. A frown was on his face as he watched the servamp leave after telling Mahiru where he'd be.

"It just feels odd that he hasn't sent anything." Maybe I should visit, after all it'll be quite amusing to see their reactions when their precious flower is gone.

"Kuro continues to leave for the onsen, alone. Usually around sundown." Sakuya knows what Tusbaki's thinking and he knows he has to tell him. After all, he wants to see his friend again. He hates that he had made a contract with that servamp, if only he could go back and stop Mahiru from picking up that cat. If he hadn't picked that cat up, he wouldn't have to be pulled headfirst into the war.

When Sakuya brings himself out of his musings, he notices Tsubaki gone and the sun down. He sighs and walks to his room, closing the door.

* * *

Tsubaki watches the Servamp of Sloth leave the apartment. The bluenette pauses in stride and glances around as if sensing his presence thus causing Melancholy to go further away. He waits a few minutes before grinning to himself. "Well, Sloth, I guess you just made a grand ole mistake," he snickers to himself and enters Mahiru's apartment. When he gets in, he looks around the simple apartment. Hmm, so boring. He walks over to the room he knows Mahiru's in, silently opening the door.

The boy is asleep from what he can tell, curled up and unmoving. He walks over and notices how tense he is, his breathing isn't the normal breathing for when one's asleep or when one's having a nightmare. He's still awake. Mahiru waits a bit before he sits up, rubbing his face, completely unaware of the enemy. His eyelids droop in something other than exhaustion, lack of motivation. Tsubaki notices something about Mahiru's wrists, they're raw with angry lines from scratching them.

"Uncle, please get here earlier. I feel completely useless," he murmurs to himself rubbing his wrists. He flinches and cowers away when he feels an unfamiliar hand wrap around his arm. He knows it's not Kuro or his uncle. These new hands are completely different.

"Now, now we don't want you hurting yourself," the stranger says with an amused tone but a faint lace of concern. Mahiru's eyes widen at the familiar voice.

"Tsu-Tsubaki?"

"Hello," he says in a singsong tone. He watches him squirm under his grip, wincing a bit at the raw skin.

"What...what are you doing here? What do you want?" Mahiru tries to get out of his grip but it only tightens more causing him to flinch and stop squirming.

Tsubaki doesn't say anything, somewhat loosening his grip while being mindful on his already abused wrists. "Hmm, you really are blind," he states, staring into his unseeing eyes.

"No, really? Here I was thinking I was seeing that stupid smirk on your face!" His voice drips with complete poison of sarcasm. He seems irritated and somewhat confused as to why the Servamp of Melancholy is doing here.

He ignores the comment and looks at the red skin with uninterest. "Why did you do this to yourself? Why scratch yourself? And don't lie, I know for a fact you weren't itchy when you scratched."

No answer. He bites his lip as he narrows his eyes, trying to understand why he's here. "It's none of your business. Let me go."

"That's not going to happen."

"Why?"

Tsubaki just smiles and pulls the boy off the bed, bringing him closer and holding both hands crisscrossed. "Tell me, Mahiru, why has Sloth been going to the onsen?"

"I don't know." It's a whisper, his eyes half-lidded. It's the truth, he doesn't know why he continuously leaves. He doesn't know why the other eves and servamps have become distant with him.

He hums as he watches the boy, unraveling all the layers he has that he wound around him. "Why do you feel useless? Is it because of your lack of sight?"

Mahiru scowls, trying to pull away from him. "Shut up! It's your fault I'm like this!" He chokes when he feels his airway be cut off at the sudden pressure around his throat.

"My fault?" He grips his throat tighter, watching as he struggles. "You think I'm at fault? I never told Shamrock to kill you."

Mahiru gasps for air his eyes wide and full of tears. "Wh-what?" he croaks out, trying to get his hand off.

"You heard me. I didn't tell him to kill you, he did that out of his own will. He attacked you because he wanted to weaken your Servamp."

Mahiru doesn't get the chance to answer, slumping against Tsubaki who had hit him, successfully knocking him out. He grins to himself, laughing as he takes the eve of Sloth into his arms and vanishes into the night.