~Once Upon A Time~
Snippets of the Kuran's childhood

Most people don't remember their birth, nor the sounds of their parents' voices telling stories to an overgrown belly and the warmth inside.
It is sometimes called PBE-Pre-Birth experience, but it is more commonly known as hyperthymesia; "an absence of infantile amnesia or highly superior autobiographical memory".

Such an extraordinarily rare condition, that there's less than 0.2% people who have it in the entire world.
It was quite enough to frighten her parents when as a toddler she asked them where her uncle was and if 'he was coming for her too'.

Little (Y/N) didn't understand the horrified looks on her parents' faces nor the way her mother recoiled away with horrifyingly sorrowful features.

Gentle spindly hands picked her up then and soft burgundy eyes look at her softly, as the boy holds her against his hip bone. "Hey (Y/N), let's go read that fairytale book you were talking about." The brunette whispered to the toddler.

A gummy smile spread over the toddler's face and she squealed happily, wrapping her small arms across her brother's neck, attention immediately successfully diverted from her parents' quiet whispers and murmurs.
"Yay! I wove ew Kaname!"

The boy chuckles softly, holding her carefully in his arms as both children exit the room, leaving their parents whispering worriedly behind them, staring fleetingly at their young daughter.

The toddler's attention was then completely overtaken by her older brother, Kaname Kuran. A brunette with dark red brown eyes bordering on burgundy that the little girl liked to compare to the cherries they kept in the kitchen.
He sat with her in his lap, holding the story book in front of them, reading the words she couldn't yet with his gentle voice, keeping one arm around her.

Enamoured by the gentle voice little (Y/N) kept quiet and cuddled against her brother, lulled to sleep by the warmth and voice. As Kaname's voice faded, the child managed to slur something before she fell asleep against his chest.

"Hey Kaname, why did uncle Rido kill you?"

The young boy stilled in the couch, small hand lightly gripping her shirt. He did not answer, at least nothing little (Y/N) could hear, as when he had managed to come up with something to reply, the little girl had already slumped against his chest and was snoring softly.

~*•*~*•*~*•*~*•*~*•*~*•*~*•*~

The young girl sat quietly on the carpet, fiddling with the wooden toys Kaname had brought her last month. (H/C) hair had long grown out of the little pigtails her mother used to braid it in, and spilled over her shoulders curling slightly in the middle.

She played quietly, listening attentively as her parents talked quietly in another room, leaving her to her own devices in the quiet playing room.
She had long learned to wait out the awkward silences and talks their parents would have after she said something she wasn't supposed to.
What was hard to learn and sense was what was the past before her and what exactly she shouldn't know.

The girl's mouth twisted into a frown, as she played with wooden horse and soldier, moving them around on the carpet. In her opinion, it was ridiculous that they expected her to know what she shouldn't say when she didn't even know what the moon looked like, beyond photos and drawings in books.

Her features had lengthened in the past couple of years, toddler limbs and height changing into the limbs and stature of a five year old, now proudly reaching her brother's middle easily.

The girl frowned when her stomach grumbled and squirmed, stumbling a bit as she got up. She was hungry. Her small lips turned into a pout, as the small girl cursed her tiny still nonexistent fangs.

She debated for a moment whether she should call for her parents, as she wasn't allowed to use the stove by herself and she couldn't exactly cook nor feed on her own energy, but the hunger won out.

"Mommy! I'm hungry!"

Her mother's chuckles floated over from another room and it was merely seconds before her mother was coming in the room, brown hair sweeping behind her as she laughed sweetly.
Juri Kuran picked up her daughter in a swift move, bouncing her on her hip with smile. "Well then, I suppose the little bat" she booped (Y/N)'s nose affectionately, "must be fed! What do you want to eat sweetheart?"

"Hmm.." The little girl hummed cutely, holding her chin in thought. "Waffles!"

Her mother giggled and smiled softly at her child, studying the face of her five year old daughter for a moment, apprehension and something else tightening her face for a moment. The look was gone quickly as Juri smiled and caressed her daughter's hair.

"Well then, let's go get those waffles honey."

"Can we make some for daddy too?"

Soft laughter, "Of course sweetheart, want to help me?"

"Yes!" (Y/N) exclaimed happily, clinging on to her mother as she brought them to the kitchen, humming as she listened. "Can we also leave some for Kaname?"

Juri paused for a moment before she reached out for a pan and the flour. "Of course sweetie. Though they may not last until he gets back."

(Y/N)'s face dropped for a moment, the little girl sighing into her mother's neck, whole being dripping with disappointment. But the girl brightened up quickly in her mother's arms, reaching over her mom's shoulder to take out a spoon.
"But Kaname gets really lonely mommy! I don't want him to think I've forgotten him! We'll save him some, but it's okay if he's not home in time, we can just make some together then!"

Juri's worried expression softened. It never failed to surprise her how incredibly insightful and wise her five year old daughter could be, scarily similar to Kaname in a way. Both quiet as children, wise, considerate, well-behaved. It was almost worrying, the attitude not fully becoming of a child. In (Y/N)'s eyes she saw it less, but at times there was a hauntingly wide gap in them, too old for her.

"Alright then. Let's get cooking!"

"Yaay!"

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"(Y/N)! (Y/N)! Wake up! Wake up!"

The girl wrenched up from the bed gasping heavily, clenching at the air and lunging at the first thing she could.

Her brother fell easily into her arms, holding her gently instinctively in a moment, as the little girl trembled violently in his arms, wrecked by quiet, heart-wrenching sobs.

"Oh Kaname... I saw-! I saw so many awful things! Monsters devouring p-people! A-and families running and-and us dying, our family with them!" (Y/N) sobbed into her brother's neck, holding tightly to the comfort of his warmth after a horrifying nightmare.

Kaname stiffened and tightened his hold on his baby sister, as if attempting to shield her away from the world. "It's alright (Y/N). It was just a dream. You're safe here, in this Manor."

The little girl trembled, flashes of gruesome battles, death and blood haunting her mind. She held on tighter to her brother, sobbing more quietly.
"Are we really?" (Y/N) whispered into his ear, hauntingly quiet.

Kaname stiffened for a moment, burgundy eyes wide as he glanced down at the little girl in his arms, who sometimes reminded him of someone else.

The moment was broken when their father burst in, panting slightly and bright gaze immediately falling on his children.

"(Y/N)! My little bat, what's wrong?!" Ever the caring father, Haruka Kuran was by his daughter's side in an instant, gentle hands reaching to caress her soft face.

In an instant (Y/N) jumped from Kaname's arms to her father's and held on tightly to him as if she were a koala, every limb clinging on as if her father would disappear any moment.
The girl continued to cry in his father's arms, while Haruka and Kaname crossed worried gazes.

The grown vampire shushed his daughter softly, swaying with her in his arms and holding her tightly as she cried, reassuring her that he was there. He lowered them both unto the bed, and the three of them huddled close, brother and father curling around the small girl as she cried.

"It's okay my little bat. It was a nightmare, you're at home. We all are, we're safe. Sleep my child." Haruka said softly, burgundy eyes closing as he laid a kiss on his daughter's forehead, a hand reaching out to pat Kaname's head.
"We're both here dear."

Little (Y/N) shook in the bed and reached out for one of Kaname's hands, sniffling. "Can Kaname sleep with me today?"

Haruka softened even more, burgundy overbearingly soft as he looked at his children. "Of course, you need not ask. I will stay for as long as you're awake my little bat. You're safe. Sleep."

Kaname cuddled closer to his sister, wrapping an arm around her and pulling the blanket uo to her chin, whispering in the dead quiet of the day in their dark home "Sleep (Y/N). I'll be here. Always. I'll scare the nightmares away."

The little girl relaxed between her father and brother, one hand squeezing Kaname's while she laid against her father, trembling still but sighing quietly, sniffling.

It wasn't long before the exhaustion caught up to her and the little girl was out like a light. Haruka stayed there for a bit longer still, gently uncurling her arms from his neck and setting them down on the bed. The adult caressed his daughter's hair softly, with the touch of a feather as to not wake her up.

Burgundy eyes like his met his own in the dark of (Y/N)'s room and Haruka frowned, whispering as quietly as possible, "Did she say anything Kaname?"

The boy pursed his lip, nodding, "The usual father. She keeps having nightmares of... what sounds like the War from thousands of years ago." Kaname replied, almost as if afraid to admit it out loud. "But she hasn't even studied that part of history yet. How can she know about it?"

Haruka's brows furrowed deeper and he sat up quiet as mouse with the grace of a cat, not disturbing his daughter's sleep. He glanced at his children worriedly; the daughter that knew impossible things and the boy with the ancient eyes that was not Kaname.

He sighed worriedly, but leaned down to kiss and tuck in both of his children in (Y/N)'s bed, patting Kaname's head. "You're a good brother and a good son Kaname." He said quietly with a small smile.

"Sleep well my children and wake up to the moon."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"C'mon (Y/N), it's okay." Juri coaxed gently, waving her daughter over as she sat on the couch beside her husband.

In front of her sat a blonde man with glasses (Y/N) had never seen before, sitting comfortably in the other sofa as he quietly sipped his tea with an amused smile on his face.
Kaname sat in a small sofa to their side, having settled down the tray of cookies he had acquired from one of the kitchen servants. Her brother sat leaned back but with a polite posture, a gentle small smile on his face as he observed the adults.

(Y/N) couldn't help the burning curiosity she felt towards the stranger and her brother's apparent comfort around him. Her parents always warned her about going outside and only Kaname had been permitted to go outside after his fangs came in.
The little girl thought it strange the way they all seemed comfortable around the blonde man, and peeked around the corner to look at him, not daring enough to step closer into the main living room. She sniffed discreetly. He smells like a human but he doesn't feel like one. She tilted her head in confusion, little (H/C) brows furrowing.

Haruka chuckled, "I apologize my friend. She's never met anyone aside from us and the few servants we keep."

The blonde smiled and chuckled happily himself, eyes crinkling and sparkling. "Oh it is quite alright you two, no worries. I'm sure cute (Y/N) will come around eventually. You have created once again a very cute child."

Juri and Haruka laughed with their friend, happiness permeating the air around the happy couple. "Why thank you Kaien." Haruka chuckled, shoulders shaking slightly.

Even Kaname smiled widely with his mouth closed, chuckling. Soft gaze turned to his sister and he stretched out a hand to the little girl, encouraging her "Come here (Y/N), it's okay. He's nice."

(Y/N) around the corner again, lips pursed slightly in doubt. "Really brother?" She asked, gaze fleeting nervously between the amused blonde and her gentle brother.

"Of course dear. Now come." Kaname coaxed the young girl gently. (Y/N) stepped into the room hesitantly staring at the blonde man and jumping slightly at the amused look he gave the little girl as she ran into Kaname's arms in a second.

The blonde man laughed, delighted with the little girl's antics. "Oh my friends, you really have done good with little (Y/N)." He turned to the child with a soft smile, hazel eyes bright. "It's wonderful to meet you (Y/N) Kuran, I'm Kaien Cross."

The girl looked at him hesitantly, holding on to Kaname's hand as she climbed off him slightly to shake the man's outstretched hand. She stared at the blonde curiously for a second, before shaking the big hand with her tiny one, giving a small polite bow with her head. "Nice to meet you too Mister Cross."

The blonde immediately cooed, bordering on a squeal as he awed over the adorable child. "So polite Juri!"

Juri Kuran laughed again sweetly, leaning into her husband's side, relaxed. "Isn't our little bat so cute?"

(Y/N) blushed a bit at the attention, but continued to stare at Kaien curiously, studying his glasses and the green shawl wrapped around his neck and chest, despite the fact that it was summer.
She blinked, the information clicking in her mind somehow as she saw glimpses of the man he was under the guise of the glasses and old lady shawl.
"Hey mister Cross, aren't you a bit too old for a human?"

Kaien's eyes widened in shock, glancing at Juri and Haruka momentarily in question. Then surprisingly the kind man burst into bright laughter, patting (Y/N)'s head.

"It appears you have got quite the interesting gift (Y/N). We'll get along just fine."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Small fingers pulled her hair into a tight ponytail, winding the hair tie around the waves of (H/C) and carefully attempting to add a hair clip at the top. She ended up with a ponytail a bit tilted, but it was fine.

The young girl had grown a couple more inches in the past few months and she had started to scowl at the sight of the frilly dresses and petticoats she used to wear. Her appearance now bordering on the looks of a 6 year old, (Y/N) seemed more outspoken than before every day.

There had been a couple of incidents when she mentioned her grandparents, or worse; her uncle Rido who was apparently a psychopath. Her mind kept growing at a strange pace for a young child, blending in dreams and memories with reality and it was the utmost confusing thing ever trying to discern what she was supposed to know and what was not normal just going by books and drawings.

Still, (Y/N) knew better now than she did years ago; it was not normal, definitely not. Not the way she remembered her mother crying in her sleep while she was pregnant while gripping her pregnant belly desperately nor the fact that she remembered her uncle's mismatched eyes and battle fields of long ago soaked so throughly that the ground had turned a deep copper black.

The little girl sighed, looking at the mirror with a frown. She studied her own features for a long moment, (E/C) boring into her own. Large pupils in the darkness of her room stared back from her reflection, as she blinked.

Sometimes, she could swear her own reflection was looking back at her. The little girl shivered at the thought, immediately turning away from the mirror.

She made her way out of her room, brushing off her dress pants and sitting down on the carpet in the playing room, quietly taking toys out of boxes.

"Well hello there my little bat!"

Fingers tickled her sides and the little girl burst into bright laughter, swaying to the side attempting to wriggle away. "Stop it daddy!"

Haruka chuckled, arms swooping down to pick her up. "Guess what?"

"What?" (Y/N) asked with a smile, blinking.

Her father laughed quietly, a mischievous smile spreading across his face. "Kaname is coming back today!"

"Really?!" The little girl jumped in his arms excitedly, the movement so sudden the older vampire almost dropped her.

"Yes little bat! And we have a surprise for both of you." Haruka exclaimed excitedly with a big smile, wine colored eyes sparkling with happiness and anticipation.

The little girl brightened up even more in his arms, kicking her feet energetically. Yay! I haven't seen Kaname in a month! I wonder what our surprise is! She giggled in excitement, pulling at her dad's cheeks. "Come on daddy, tell me tell me tell me! I pwomise not to tell Kaname!"

Haruka laughed loudly, booping her nose. "I'm afraid you'll both have to wait my dear. Now come on, let me see those teeth." He said mischievously, smirk on his face.

The little girl pouted and stuck out her tongue, crossing her arms. Her father laughed at her antics, undisturbed. "Come on now, I'll wait with you. Want to eat something?"

"Yes!"

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

(Y/N) wiggled in her seat, excitement stopping her from being still as Kaname and her sat on the sofa, waiting for their surprise.

Their father sat down with the largest smile (Y/N) had seen on his face, waiting for Juri to come back. Kaname sat beside her not nearly as excited as them, but keeping a healthy dose of curiosity in his expression.

In a moment their mother came in, holding something behind her back and smiling close-eyed, whole being glowing with happiness and softness.

(Y/N) squirmed, grin wide on her face as she tried not to squeal in excitement, as her mother came closer and sat down with their father in front of them, still not revealing the secret.

"Alright! Ready?" Juri exclaimed with a wide smile, as full of anticipation as Haruka, as both parents stared at their children with sparkles in their eyes.

"Yes yes! Why are you even asking!"

Juri laughed delightedly at her daughter and told them to close their eyes. (Y/N) giggled, both her and Kaname obeying full of curiosity at what she'd pull out.

It wasn't exactly what she expected. Soft cloth dropped on her hands and (Y/N) traced the feel; a soft velvet, small in her hands.

(E/C) eyes opened and stared in amazement at the small baby onesie in her hand, pink with small clouds embroidered on.
The girl was too stunned to speak.

Juri and Haruka glanced at each other and at their children nervously, as both children had been stunned to silence.

Kaname was the first to break out of it, as he traced the embroidery on the blanket he had received reverently.
"Are-are we...?"

(Y/N)'s jaw had dropped and she jumped on top of the couch, gripping the onesie in the hand as she jumped excitedly all over the place, thankfully without shoes on.

"I'm going to be an older sister!"

~•~•~•~•~•~•~

The first time the seven year old got the chance to stare at the baby's eyes she knew everything had changed, and at the same time, nothing had.

Letting her baby sister hold her thumb to her mouth to feed, tendrils of energy seeping out of her, (Y/N) stared in awe at the small creature. I was once this small too.

Filled with a sudden sense of love and purpose, she became the middle sibling then, and as she held the baby gently in her arms, under the supervision of her mother, a sense of dread grew in her heart.

Yes, it seemed like everything had changed. 

Her brother held the tiny baby in his arms, with such a reverrent and careful touch that it seemed he was holding the most precious treasure of the world, as he nuzzled the baby's cheek gently.

(Y/N)'s stomach dropped a bit, the affection not going unnoticed. She wondered if her brother had done the same when she was born.
She hoped so.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Sister please! I want to play!"

The girl sighed for the hundredth time, snapping her book close, but smiling patiently at her younger sister. "Yuuki, I told you I had to finish this reading. Mom and dad are taking me outside soon, and I have to study a lot about lots of things."

The young girl whined, shaking her whole body, brown inky hair spilling past her ears. "You said that hours ago! Please sister, we're the only ones at home! I have no one else to play with!"

(Y/N) sighed, putting down her book with a defeated sigh. "Fine, we'll play. But only for an hour alright? I really do have to finish this book on etiquette before they're back."

Her sister Yuuki cheered, brightening like the sun immediately and pulling her away from the bookshelves and to the playing room.

(Y/N) sighed. Since Yuuki had been born, her parents and Kaname had started to leave more often, which left her to take care of Yuuki with the help-more or less-of the servants. It hadn't been so bad when she was a cute toddler, but Yuuki had become more energetic and demanding as she grew, and it wasn't easy to keep her happy when she was struggling to study herself.

Her fangs had come in four months ago, and after some arguing her parents had agreed it was time to take her outside. (Y/N) was ecstatic of course, just not so much when the pile of books and tutors were dropped on top of her and she realized she had to prepare herself for vampire society and the Council's schemes.
Kaname helped when he was around of course, sent letters and tips and gifts to encourage her as she learned etiquette and how to control herself.

Ah yes, the other issue with going outside.
Her control issues.

When her fangs had come in, the biggest problem hadn't been the sudden bloodlust frenzy that was usually hard to control for young vampires; her powers had started to show themselves, as her body developed. To everyone's shock and concern, it wasn't the Kuran telekinesis their bloodline was known for.

Her parents hadn't known what to do at first when she blanked out for several minutes at a time-if not hours-and all clocks around the house spun out of control. They had flown into a panic and consulted every book and record they could, finding no answer.

At some point her parents had brought in Kaien for some reason, probably hoping there was something he knew that they didn't. Of course, it was a bit of an illogical notion, since he was technically a human and much younger than them.
However, Kaien did have something that could help.

He offered to teach young (Y/N) some meditation and control techniques that the hunters practiced to take control of their own minds and keep a level head, having concluded that her powers were probably being triggered by stress.

Incredibly, he was right. (Y/N) now had to perform various hunter practices and techniques throughout the day to help her rein in her powers and avoid the blackouts that came with visions she couldn't explain.

The techniques were simple in essence, but exhausting for her young mind to keep up. Specially when a little girl kept yelling for her attention.

"Sister sister! Are you alright?"

(Y/N) snapped out of her trance, shaking her head to dissipate the headache. Yuuki stated at her older sister worriedly, brown eyes scanning her and patting her cheek.
"I'm sorry, was I annoying?"

(Y/N) softened at that, shaking her head. It was easy to loose her patience when Yuuki kept pestering her, but she was just a small girl, barely five years old and (Y/N) kept reminding herself that she was once the same age.
"I'm fine Yuuki, I'm sorry I scared you."

Her sister pursed her lips in doubt, but nodded, and moved away a bit, grabbing the dolls again and moving their limbs around.

"And so Shino said 'no!' And he went 'kaboom!"

(Y/N) smiled softly, playing along and letting Yuuki's fantasies drive away all the vocabulary and types of bows.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

"Oh it's such a delight to meet you young Princess!"

"Indeed, what a beautiful girl!"

"My my and so polite too, just like her brother!"

(Y/N) kept a polite smile on her face, a perfect copy of Kaname's own as men and women lined up to greet her and bow. A perfect example of etiquette-and rightfully so after all that reading and preparing- the young girl fit perfectly in the picture her father and brother made, as they stood in front of a crowd, introducing the new Kuran Princess to society.

The dress's poofy skirt made it a bit uncomfortable to move across the room, but made up for it in softness and comfort as the fabric's touch barely left a sensation on her skin. (Y/N) hadn't been keen to the idea of wearing a formal dress at first, and she still wasn't fully into it, but she could at least move without a problem and with Kaname's hand gently holding hers, all the heat and sweaty atmosphere seemed to disappear.

She smiled politely, bowing her head just so slightly. "It is quite nice to meet you too Lady Ōno. I hear your business is flourishing brilliantly."

The woman laughed delightedly, throwing her head back but keeping a respectful distance, as she grinned at the child. Ōno was one of the few nobles old enough fo show signs of aging, a few wrinkles here and there and grey hairs that she wore proudly instead of dying orange to fit her hair. "Oh you are invited to visit my gardens anytime you'd like dear Princess, you have my utmost respect."

(Y/N) smiled again, nodding with all the airs of an innocent child, despite the fact she was worming her way into the hearts of all the gullible nobles she could using her charm. "I'd love to Lady Ōno, I haven't quite had the chance to admire flowers yet."

Yoko Ōno laughed again, wrapping her shawl over the straps of her emerald green dress. With all the cunning a noble her age has she smiled back gently and bowed low. "Contact me anytime Princess."

(Y/N) smiled wider and continued to greet people with all the elegance and grace a nine year old could manage in a poofy dress. She was less pleased to put on airs for the blonde man that bowed his head so low it could hit the floor.

"It is such an honor to meet you young Princess. I would have paid my respects sooner were it not that I had other business to attend."

(Y/N) didn't miss the way her father stepped forth slightly and tensed unnoticeably beside her, patting her shoulder.

"Senator Ichijō. How nice of you to stop by."

The blonde man raised his head to meet the girl's eyes, studying the child for a moment, eyes on her fangs. The beard did not help to disguise the fact that he looked like a man in his 40's. "But of course my Lord Kuran, how could I not?"

He looked at the Kuran children, gaze settling on Kaname and smiling almost too nicely. "How wonderful to see you again young man. You have grown."

Kaname smiled politely, closing his eyes and putting on the mask. "Thank you Ichijō, it is a pleasure to see you too."

Only an idiot would be blind to the tension between her family and this Ichijō. Kaname's mask did not work on (Y/N) and she sensed disgust for the man hiding under her brother's pretense.
Holding back her own dislike, she smiled slightly, a polite cute thing.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again Mister Ichijō."

The blonde man smiled, blue eyes sharp. "My name is Asato Ichijō Princess, pleasure to make your acquaintance."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

After the soiree nothing was the same again, as (Y/N) was suddenly flooded with invitations and letters and polite greetings and corresponde from people she hadn't even met yet.

News of the Kuran Princess had, of course, spread like wildfire across vampire society and suddenly the nine year old had gone from being at home every day to having duties and responsibilities like Kaname did.

She had also met some other noble children that Kaname had acquainted himself with at some point when he was younger; Takuma Ichijō (who was much much nicer and pleasant than his grandfather), Ruka Souen (who was suspiciously flustered around her brother), Akatsuki Kain ( who wasn't really talkative) and Hanabusa Aidō.

This last one confused the heck out of (Y/N). He had ran away from Kaname during the soiree and practically glared daggers at him, then proceeded to blush at him and spout some grumbling nonsense. He had also seemed tense when he greeted (Y/N), flustered and slightly sweaty for someone with ice powers.

She didn't understand him at all. But she had to admit, he was kind of endearing in a strange way. Like a puppy.

(Y/N) sighed, staring at the pile of letters and invitations on the table. Better sort this out then.

With Yuuki entertained by her mother, (Y/N) sat down to write all letters she had to and reply to invitations; every once in a while she yelled out a question and her mother replied, giving her the correct word or telling her what she should say.

Somehow all the attention only increased the feeling of dread (Y/N) had been feeling since Yuuki's birth. In the quiet of their home in their property, the sense of dread was slowly growing into a feeling of impending doom.

(Y/N) swallowed down the anxiety, closing her eyes and dropping the pen as she tried to concentrate in her breathing, like Kaien taught her.

One two three.

One two three.

Concentrating on her own sense of mind and self, the quiet sounds of her breathing, the sensation of just being. Picturing walls in her mind and a box, she mimed throwing whatever vision was coming at her in the box, throwing it somewhere in the depths of her mind.

After a couple of minutes she was back to herself, picking up the pen and continuing to write a reply to Lady Ōno's offer to visit her gardens next week.

The sense of doom didn't disappear unfortunately, as thunder roared outside and Yuuki's squeals echoed in the halls.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

If only she had been brave enough to face those visions and the nightmares.

"Mom!" 

Tears dropped from her eyes, as her mother stepped away with Yuuki in her arms after giving her a fleeting kiss on her forehead.

Juri smiled, eyes soft and sorrowful, impossibly hollow as she nodded at her middle child, her first daughter.
"Don't look (Y/N)."

(Y/N) cried out for her mother, shaking her head desperately. The sense of dread that had been building since Yuuki's birth had finally come to a climax, when her uncle Rido's presence had appeared outside their home.

Now her father and brother were fighting to keep them safe and Yuuki cried in her mother's arms, scared and confused by the man with the mismatched eyes.

(Y/N) sobbed, gripping her mother's hand and pulling her and her sister into a tight hug.
"Please, don't." She pleaded quietly, a broken wish.

Juri's smile wavered, her own tears spilling as she gripped her daughter's hair and caressed her hair, kissing it. "You'll be okay. All three of you. Look after each other."

(Y/N) didn't beg when her mother pulled away and ran with Yuuki to the other side of the manor, closing the door behind her. But she did feel as her heart broke when the smell of her father's blood permeated the air and she pulled at her hair desperately sobbing.

The 10 year old look alike dropped to the floor in despair, wondering why had things come to this. She howled in heart-wrenching pain, as the home and family she knew came apart at the seams.

It wasn't possible to control the next sudden outburst of power, despite all the training and techniques.

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

When next she came to, her brother was holding her gently in his arms, swaying slightly and humming in his throat.

"Come on my dear sister. We must find Yuuki."

(Y/N) stood still, tensing as she sniffled and the waterworks restarted, as she looked at the state her home was in.

Screws had flown out of furniture and walls and viciously embedded themselves somewhere else, forks and knives stuck deeply into walls and walls had holes where metal beams had poked through.

Shivering and shaking as the cold winter wind swept in, (Y/N) stood up shakily, rubbing her arms as she cried.

Kaname stared at her with a sorrowful look, full of guilt for something he didn't do as he pulled on a coat around her shoulders, squeezing her hands in his.

"I'll keep your hands warm in mine."

With warm touches and gentle encouragement, the brother managed to pull the younger outside, as they stepped out into the snow and the forest opened up before them, cold wind biting at their cheeks and nose.

(Y/N) gripped Kaname's hand as tightly as she could, sniffling quietly every few steps and teardrops froze on her cheeks. There weren't even bodies she could say goodbye to.

The siblings left their home behind in shambles, as they walked out into the forest, following the small footprints left behind by the sister who had become a stranger.

Yayyyy! We got something now. I'm not publishing chapter 1 until I've decided who the endgame lover is going to be. I'm currently undecided between two, so I ain't going to write the chaps until I know, because it will change the whole direction of the story from the beginning. Sorry for the long chapter, just little snippets and clips of (Y/N)'s childhood in the Kuran Mansion.