Aku's long, elegant fingers lightly threaded through the stack of papers in his hands. His golden eyes swept over the lines of black ink that adorned each page, methodically taking in the information and gauging the examination results.

Averaging an 80? He mused to himself, his gaze never leaving his task at hand as he expertly made his way through the busy corridors of Ryoutei Academy. Truthfully, 80 wasn't a bad average, considering grades were out of 100. Its equivalent would be a proud A in some countries, but to Aku, the last Founder, some measly 80 was far from sufficient. How disappointing. But then again, what did he expect from a group of subpar species? Nothing. There wasn't anything to expect from pebbles and insects.

With such dismissive thoughts, Aku rearranged the papers and focused his attention on the long corridor.

Students, all dressed in Ryoutei's uniforms, scurried away, chattering and giggling in a naive form of ignorance. They were not aware of the world around them just yet. To them, there was nothing after high school or education. And, the small that they could envision was more of a mirage carefully crafted by outsiders' expectations than the reality of the harsh world that would await them.

No matter how mature, they were all baby chicks, fed and protected by either their parents or the system.

Aku loathed it, how they could laugh and smile because of pure, untainted reasons such as a nice meal or reciprocated feelings. To him, who grew in Banmaden, purity of the mind, soul, and body was never an option. From the moment he first opened his eyes, the world had corrupted him, and in turn, he soiled it.

So perhaps, it would have been accurate to say that Aku's feeling regarding Humans was more akin to misplaced jealousy. It was the longing for something he never had and would never grasp.

He took a turn, almost gliding across the wooden floor before entering the teacher's lounge. With practiced ease, he ignored his colleagues, went up to his desk, and stuffed the pack of papers in the highest drawer.

It had now been a week since Eve's arrival at the Sakamaki estate, and to Aku's pleasant surprise, the girl hadn't dropped dead (yet). Maybe it was Karlheinz's warning at the very beginning to keep her alive, Ayato's weird obsession for flat-chested women (probably Cordelia's figure had left him deeply traumatized, but who was Aku to care?), or his special care that warded off any lethal attempt to her life. But Eve was still alive and breathing, certainly much paler and prone to anemia than when she first arrived, but at least she was no corpse.

Aku recounted the number of times the brother had sucked out her blood, noting without surprise that Ayato was the biggest consumer. The redhead, since young, had quite the spoiled personality. He believed himself entitled to more than his siblings, and Eve's arrival and submissive nature had only served to fuel his foolish ego.

The Founder grinned, eyes twinkling a derisive light at the thought of his oldest nephew. Had Ayato been even half as observant as Laito or subservient as Reiji, he would have been his favorite.

But well, no matter how unlikeable, he supposed that without his ego, Ayato wouldn't amount to anything.

The door to the teacher's lounge carefully slid open, the creaking sound of the door brushing against the metallic rails broke Aku's train of thoughts. He sighed, his golden eyes fluttering open to look at the newcomer that timidly, fearfully, and carefully made its way to him. He smiled, polite and amused by Eve's meek disposition, before ushering her to hurry closer.

"Uh, good evening, Mikazuki-sensei," Yui greeted. The blonde kept her hands folded before her, her fingers hazardously fiddling with one another in a sign of apparent anxiety. In the same way, her pinkish eyes seemed unfocused and unable to properly gaze at him or remain in one place. It was evident that the girl was uncomfortable, being summoned to the teacher's lounge not even a month after her transfer to Ryoutei, and before one of her hosts as well.

Aku drank in her frightened form with delight, adoring how she squirmed under his gaze. How her dread slowly grew, soon blending into a type of despair that rolled off of her in compact waves of anguish.

When he felt like Eve would soon break down under his attention, he allowed the corner of his lips to go higher and the edges of his usually sharp eyes to soften. The regal and polite air around his person morphed into something welcoming and inoffensive in a split second.

"I called you over to ask about your integration into the Academy," Aku started. He observed as the blonde's tense shoulders relaxed and how she heaved a relieved sigh at his words. "How are your classes going? Have you caught up with the material, or will you need some tutoring lessons?" he gently asked.

"I— I believe that I've caught up with all the material, Sir," Yui admitted, a small smile growing on her soft features as she slowly gained confidence.

Aku nodded. He did not question her academics any further. Instead, He continued to ask her banal questions that ranged from the school's infrastructure to how acclimated she felt.

Finally, once Eve seemed comfortable enough, words rolling off her tongue without much thought or care (at least compared to when she first entered), Aku asked her about her classmates.

"—Has there been any issues with your classmates? Have you made some friends? Perhaps did you join a study group?" he asked her, each question specifically targeting issues he knew she couldn't answer positively. The way Yui's smile shriveled at his words had Aku's eyes glint with entertainment.

"I'm still trying to get to know my classmates more," the blonde silently countered. Her cheeks grew warm as crimson dust blew up in her face in reaction to her growing embarrassment. And it's difficult to get along with the other girls since she lives with the Sakamaki. She silently thought to herself, an increasing feeling of helplessness blended with a dash of— hate (?) surging in the depth of her being.

Aku hummed, his golden eyes seeming particularly warm under the cold, artificial lighting of the teacher's lounge. They appeared almost amber-like, and Yui, who lifted her head to gaze at him, found herself entranced in their mesmerizing color.

The Founder grinned, amusement prominent in his features as he observed Eve's drunk-like appearance. He blinked, breaking eye contact and the trance the girl was in before smiling at her. "Well, if you ever find yourself in a predicament, please feel free to reach out to me," he reminded her. "I am your ally, do remember."

Yui could only mutely nod, her brain somewhat addled as she dazedly registered the Demon's words.

Sweet whispers.

Honeyed words coating poisonous promises of eternity.

Ryoutei Academy aside, Eve's arrival had also brought changes to the Sakamaki estate itself.

The first most noticeable discrepancy was the lingering fragrance of blood, like humidity after a downpour. It remained stagnant in the corridors and grand rooms, penetrating the old velvet fabrics and staining the creaking wooden flooring with its presence.

Aku noted, with repressed delight, that as nights progressed and the moon rose and fell, again and again, Eve's blood turned sweeter and more delectable. At first mere sugar water, it slowly morphed into the most enrapturing honey, soon turning into what Vampires could easily consider an Ambrosia. That was to say how divine the latest Sacrificial Bride tasted.

It was also an indication that Cordelia's heart as a Great Demon Princess was fulfilling its duty— transforming the Human girl into what could be his specie's salvation: Eve.

The Founder reclined in the grand quilted couch that throned in the middle of the living room. His golden irises hid from the flickering light of the lit chandelier, and with a swift motion of his fingers, the fireplace ignited.

"Aha! Found you, Uncle!"

The low voice of his second nephew broke Aku out of his musings regarding Ayato possibly turning into Adam (a hindrance). As usual, the newcomer's words were riddled with a deranged laughter and held an underlying sense of forced childishness.

The pitter-patter of Kanato's light steps echoed in the otherwise silent living room. Something impossible if not for Kanato's magic as the entirety of the floor was covered with soft carpet. It made Aku's lips twitch and break into a deprecating smile. How amusing, how deplorable, how all of his charges would use these same tactics to assert their presence— showing they existed and were not meant to be ignored.

The fascinating and entertaining result of failed parenthood.

He grinned.

How loveable.

His eyes cracked open to peer at the younger Demon who stood right next to him, head tilted forward in an attempt to observe his features. Aku's lips softened into a dotting expression, his eyes gleaming under the light, and for a moment, Kanato found himself reminded of his Dear Beloved Mother.

The Vampire grinned. Mechanically squeezing Teddy closer to himself as he giggled.

Aku extended his arm, his hand reaching out to pet the soft lilac locks of hair of his nephew. "What is it?" he questioned, his gaze flickering to glance at Teddy before zeroing back on the Vampire's lavender eyes.

Kanato hummed, his eyes crinkling under the dotting care of his maternal Uncle. "Uncle," he drawled. "Can I have it? I want to add it to my collection," the younger Demon purred, crazed irises burning under the flickering flames of the candlelight.

The simple question elicited a low laugh from the Founder, allowing his features to mellow into an even more indulgent expression.

"No."

Kanato's smile froze, numb to the petting of his Uncle. "No?" he echoed, seemingly dumbstruck. His voice was akin to a quiet whisper, yet Aku knew that Kanato's temper was like the sea. Calm and still for now, but in the next split second, it could come at him like unfurling waves, promises of a devastating tsunami to come.

With carelessness only the strong or the naive could possess, Aku waited for Kanato to implode. And as always, his second nephew did not disappoint.

"Why? Why not? Uncle?" the younger asked, his voice going crescendo with each added syllable. At the pace at which he was going, and counting the number of incoherent words that slipped through his mouth, had Kanato been Human, he would have asphyxiated himself. What luck that he was a Vampire.

The blond Demon could feel Kanato's powers swirling and surging under the Vampire's emotions. They were torrential waves, uncontrollable anger blended with fear of abandonment, and an undeniable thirst for attention. They were the pure manifestation of Kanato's only expression of affection, a twisted love gifted by Cordelia's education, and a strengthened belief groomed by Aku's careful care after his cousin's passing.

Like all of his siblings, Kanato was a pitiful child. But to Aku, it was only in this way that he could find beauty in his nephews and step-nephews.

"I cannot give Eve to you," the blond Founder reiterated. His hand never stopped its motion as it continued to caress Kanato's locks of purple.

Kanato gritted his teeth. His grip around Teddy grew much more vicious. Aku quickly noticed tiny threads breaking under the Vampire's force with his acute sense of sight. His nephew was at the tipping point. There wasn't much needed to make him fall entirely into a pure, unadulterated frenzy.

"She is much too precious," he purred, his golden eyes hidden under the shadow of his long lashes.

Ah, it broke.

Kanato imploded, he harshly swatted his Uncle's hand away, a perfect show of defiance, a line to never cross— a sign of rebellion against Aku's authority. "No, no, no, no, NO!" he cried. At once, the chandelier's candles went off, and the fireplace left only ashes and no sign of burning flames. "You can't! I don't accept it! Why? Why it? Why not—"

Kanato found his voice caught in his throat the moment he lifted his gaze to meet his Uncle's golden orbs.

Cold. It was so cold.

"I—" the Vampire felt his voice tremble, his eyes flickering to follow Aku's moving line of sight. "I— I'm sorry, Uncle? Uncle? Ne, Uncle, I'll be good, yes?" he began to plead, the deranged light rekindling. This time not in anger, but in fear— deep, profound fear. "Uncle, don't ignore me," he rambled, the words and sentences flowing out of his mouth with so much ease it was hard to say if Kanato wasn't used to telling them.

Aku disinterestedly observed his nephew's face. His eyes were frigid, and his expression glacial. He reveled in Kanato's distress.

"Don't abandon me, Uncle? I'll be good, Uncle, I—"

"Kanato."

The boy blinked, his whole face brightening at the mere mention of his name. As if he had been graced by the divine. As if Aku calling his name was the greatest form of mercy and the most beautiful reward he could possibly receive.

"Yes, Uncle."

"Will you be a good boy?" he asked, the emotionless mask he wore before his befuddled nephew never going down.

Kanato hurriedly nodded, and with uncontrolled strength and swiftness, he grabbed Aku's hand back and placed it atop his head. His eyes pleading and urging his Uncle to pet him again. Fortunately for Kanato, Aku was a Founder, and his hand wasn't torn off under the onslaught of strength.

"Good, I'll will be very good, Uncle. Kanato is a good boy."

Aku smiled, his frigid expression melting like fresh snow under the sun. He hummed, the wicks of the candles erupting into flames again and followed by the bursting of a new brazier within the fireplace.

"You know," he began, his hand gently brushing against Kanato's hair. "Uncle would never leave you, Kanato," he indulged him. Assessing how the Vampire repetitively nodded, more to convince himself of Aku's words than to show he heard them. "Simply, Eve is very important to Uncle. Which is why Uncle cannot give it to you."

Kanato nodded, and seeing as the younger Demon was utterly vulnerable to his words, Aku continued.

"If it wasn't Eve, Uncle would have given it to you without a problem. But Eve is truly, very precious. Do you understand?"

The way cogs began to turn in Kanato's mind did not go unnoticed by the Founder, and when he deemed that he had set enough target on Eve's back, he retrieved his hand.

"Do you understand?"

The younger Demon nodded.

"Good."

Yes, Kanato understood.

It occupied a more important place than himself.

That was an issue he'd need to solve.

I used to be a big Kanato fan to be honest the: I-love-you-but-I-never-want-to-meet-you or baby-you're-so-precious-please-don't-kill-me kind of fan

Also, quick, unimportant question, which DL character do you guys like most? (I feel like Shu and Ayato are the most popular because of fanfics but maybe it's a wrong assumption)