On Sunday, Shichen was sleeping soundly when he faintly heard Himeragi Yukina's voice.
"Sensei… Sensei…"
"Yukina?" He opened his eyes and, still groggy, saw her cute face. Before his brain caught up, he followed his first impulse, reached out, pulled her onto the bed, and hugged her.
"S-Sensei—?!" Yukina froze stiff in his arms, voice shooting up. She'd only come to tell him something—how did she end up being hauled into bed and cuddled?
Shichen held her tight. Yukina was small, soft, and sweet-scented—like hugging a pillow.
"S-Sensei…"
"Let me hold you and sleep a little longer," he murmured, resting his chin on her head and drifting again.
"N-no, you can't…" Yukina started to squirm, cheeks blazing. His arms were so warm, and his scent wrapped around her, leaving her light-headed.
"Yukina, you don't want me to hold you?"
"That's not the point… Sensei, wake up!"
"Just a bit more…" He kept pretending.
He was, of course, awake—he just wasn't going to waste such a perfect chance to pull her onto the bed.
"S-Sensei…" Yukina suddenly went rigid. His hand was stroking her back through her thin autumn uniform—the island was still hot at the end of fall. She could feel the heat of his palm as if it passed through cloth and skin straight to her heart. She'd never experienced anything like it; panic scattered her training and left her at a loss.
Feeling her tremble, Shichen realized he'd pushed it far enough and let her go.
"Yukina, are you that afraid of me?"
"Mm…"
She looked up and saw his eyes perfectly clear—obviously awake. He did do it on purpose?
"S-Sensei…?"
"Sorry—I went too far," he said.
"Eh? Too far?"
"I opened my eyes and saw the adorable Yukina by my bed. I… couldn't resist teasing you," he explained.
"Ad-adorable…" She went even redder.
"Yeah. You're very cute. For a second I thought I was seeing a princess."
"Sensei, you're teasing me again…" She ducked her head, flustered.
"I'm just being honest."
"Even if it's true… you still can't—can't do that…"
"It won't happen next time."
"So you want there to be a next time?" She glared up at him.
"Let's not get stuck on that. Why are you in my room?"
"Don't you try to change the subject! I haven't settled accounts yet!" she huffed, sitting up and fixing him with a fierce—if cute—stare.
"Settle accounts?" He smiled.
"Hmph! You did that on purpose—I am settling accounts! Sensei really is dangerous. Good thing it was me. If it were someone else, you'd have taken full advantage."
"'Good thing it was you?'" He blinked.
"I—I didn't mean it that way, I meant… I meant… anyway, it's lucky no one else got 'harmed' by you! That's it!"
She twisted herself into knots and still didn't land the explanation.
"So you don't count as 'harmed'?" he asked.
"I… I'm your monitor, so it doesn't count…" she said, not sounding convinced herself.
"I see. Then… can I hold you a little longer?"
"Absolutely not! You already got away with that and you want more? Can you be serious for once?" she said coldly.
"I am serious. Yukina, aren't you forgetting something?" he said, hands spread in mock helplessness.
"Forget what?"
"I'm a vampire. Hugging you just now… got me a little excited."
"Excited…" Only then did she notice his eyes had turned crimson.
"S-Sensei?!" Her face flamed. She knew what it meant—his bloodlust had been triggered by her.
"You're my monitor. You have to take responsibility," he tossed back.
"How can you… Sensei, why would you…"
"Well, you smell so good. I told you—you're adorable."
He could control his urges, of course; he was just messing with her. But she had gotten to him a little—hard not to, first thing in the morning, with that pure, sweet scent.
"Smell…? Mm… flattery won't work. I—I can't let you bite me," she whispered.
"Really can't?" He sat up, leaning closer.
"N-no… I'm not ready…" His familiar scent washed over her again; she scooted back, lashes trembling as she squeezed her eyes shut. He's going to bite me! What do I do? Is he going to hold me down…?
But nothing happened.
"In that case, I'll just ask Avrora and the others to help," he said.
"Eh?" She opened her eyes to see him about to get out of bed.
"What? I'm not going to force anyone. If you won't, I'll go ask Avrora."
"…!"
Watching him stand, she moved without thinking and caught his sleeve.
"Hm? What is it?"
"N-no…" She ducked her head; her bangs hid her cheeks; her voice went small.
"What?"
"D-don't go to Avrora. Or the others!" she blurted, gripping his sleeve tighter, face flushed but gaze firm.
"Oh? Why?" he asked, smiling.
"S-Sensei can't… can't go 'harm' anyone else…"
"Avrora and the others are my kin. How is asking them for help 'harming' them?" he countered.
"E-even so, no. You have to control yourself."
"I'm a Primogenitor. Why should I?"
"B-because if you don't, sure, this time you can go to Avrora… but what if you lose control outside? You can't go around hurting people."
"And how do you know I can't control myself?"
"Because… that's the kind of person you are…" she murmured.
"…"
"In any case, don't go to Avrora and the others—they're still young…"
"They're the Fourth Primogenitor's vessels. How are they 'young'? Keep blocking me and I will lose control," he said lightly.
"T-then bite me!" Yukina met his eyes, expression set. "That's what you wanted, right?"
"But didn't you just refuse?" he chuckled.
"I—I just wasn't ready… I thought about it: I'm your monitor. I have to take responsibility for your actions. If I'm the one who triggered it… And I'll be with you from now on—if you… if you get urges, I'll be there and I won't let you lose control."
"Heh~ You sure?" He slid closer and took her shoulders.
"Mm!" She nodded hard.
"Have you considered your position? You're a Sword Shaman of the Lion King Agency. If you let me bite you, what will they think?"
"It's fine! I'm your monitor. It's my job to be responsible for you."
"In that case…"
He opened his mouth; fangs slid down as he leaned toward her neck. Yukina tensed, shut her eyes, and held still. She felt the warmth of his breath, imagined fangs piercing her skin… and waited.
Nothing.
She peeked—Shichen was smiling at her, eyes clear, fangs gone.
"Sensei?"
"Silly girl. I was teasing you." He flicked her forehead.
"Teasing me?"
"Yeah. As if I'd lose control from a little of your scent."
"Teasing…"
Yukina blanked—then snapped back, launching herself at him, fists raised in indignant outrage.
"How could you—!"
"Heh~ I didn't expect you'd be willing to let me bite you," he said, catching her wrists.
"I—I wasn't willing! I just felt I had to!"
"Really?" He leaned in until their foreheads touched, eyes locked.
"O-of course really!" She froze again.
They were so close their noses almost brushed; they could feel each other's breath.
"Well, I'm happy," he whispered.
"Happy?"
"Happy you'd do that for me." He straightened, lifted her chin, and pressed a light kiss to her forehead.
Yukina's lips parted in surprise.