AUTHOR NOTES:

Thanks so much for the reviews!

I'm glad there were still some people out there to read this. Sorry for the disappointing update last time. I really want to move on from this scene but I'm not that great at this whole writing thing so I just put down whatever comes to me (science major here). (This is definitely the last chapter for this particular episode's day). I hope you all still keep reading despite my troubles! .

Also, to the guest with the comment about the uke - I'm guessing you want Natsuki to be the one on top? I'll see what I can do about that but I'm thinking that won't happen for a bit yet. I think Natsuki needs to get her feet under her first (Hey-ohh!).

Chapter 13

Reveal - Part II

Natsuki took a quick intake of breath at the sight. The amount of pure emotion in Shizuru's eyes was startling. The light from the open fridge lent a shine to those deep reds, making them seem otherworldly and sad.

Shizuru almost appeared harmless in that moment as she gazed soulfully at Natsuki.

But the bluenette knew better. Her mind raced even as she kept her face cold and blank.

If there was one thing she could claim to know - it was ghouls. It was why she wrote about them.

It was also why she knew she was safe for the moment (or at least strongly suspected). Despite what some may preach, ghouls were not animals. Natsuki would be lunch by now if that were true.

Ghouls were pretty much the same as any other person driven into a corner - they did whatever they could to survive.

Natsuki could relate.

Seeing as how Shizuru hadn't eaten her, or outwardly threatened her, that meant the tawny haired woman was planning to do something else with her. Keeping a human as a pet wasn't unheard of - but it seemed a little too risky in this instance. If Shizuru knew who she was then she would also suspect people would come looking for the famed author. And lone ghouls didn't like to attract attention.

Most likely, Shizuru's purpose had something to do with the crushing hunger Natsuki was currently experiencing. It was taking all the strength she possessed in her exhausted state to fight against it and keep her mind focused.

What she truly wanted now wasn't food - despite what her body told her otherwise - it was answers. And that drive gave her strength.

Shizuru, however, wasn't going to give her that. "What I want is for Natsuki to feel better." Her voice was as caring and lovely as always but it hardly scratched the other's determination.

"You KNOW that's not what I'm asking." Natsuki nearly seethed out.

Shizuru smiled sadly, "Forgive me, but I cannot predict what Natsuki would do with that information."

"What could I do?" Natsuki quickly retorted. "Even if my legs weren't trashed, we both know you would be able to overpower me easily." She nearly bit her tongue saying that as both her frustration and hunger spiked a bit more.

Shizuru turned her face away from the light so that the darkness of the basement concealed her expression. "Perhaps." She sounded unconvinced. "But that was only as you were, not as Natsuki is now."

"What I...?" Again, the hunger bit at the bluenette.

"Alright." Natsuki ground out. "If you won't answer my first question, then at least answer my second." She waited for Shizuru to look her in the eye again. "What did you do to me?"

The older woman continued smiling and replied as if she was having a friendly conversation about the fantastic weather they were having. "I deserve no such high praise. Rather, I merely helped you become what you were always meant to be."

Natsuki tried to swallow but her mouth felt dry - dread clutching her soul. "And what is that?"

Shizuru tilted her head and replied, "Why, a ghoul of course."

Natsuki couldn't mask the surprise on her face. "You can't be serious."

Normal humans can't turn into ghouls - who was this woman kidding?! The young woman furrowed her brows. "I said to stop playing games with me."

She would have said more but instead let out an embarrassing squeak as Shizuru lifted her up and started carrying her bridal style up the stairs. Having even less energy than when Shizuru moved her previously, she didn't attempt to struggle.

Surprisingly, Shizuru didn't make the turn towards the bedroom Natsuki had been staying in but made towards the stairs to the house's second story.

The two women entered into one of several rooms at the top of the stairs. It was another bedroom, decorated very similarly to her old one, and smelled a bit musty. Shizuru gently placed Natsuki on the bed before turning and making her way back downstairs.

Natsuki stared after her, almost shocked. Was that it? Was Shizuru just going to drop some absurd answer on her lap and then walk away?

Exhausted and hungry, and maybe concussed after her fall, Natsuki felt her head throb in pain when she turned her neck to look at the ceiling instead of the door. She let out a small groan and closed her eyes to adjust to the new posture - accepting the opportunity to rest and gain back some strength.

What did Shizuru mean when she said I'm becoming a ghoul? Natsuki wondered. Was Shizuru drugging her into a state that was similar to a ghoul? How would that even work? Where would the older woman even procure something like that? Even if her story about being a nurse was true, a normal hospital wouldn't have that sort of stuff.

Natsuki didn't know how long she let her mind wander. She didn't try to look for an exit (no point at this point) and she didn't try to think about how ever increasingly and painfully hungry she was.

Eventually, her ears picked up the soft footsteps of Shizuru coming up the stairs. Natsuki expected the woman to barge into the room - but didn't hear her enter.

After a minute of silence, Natsuki peeked her eyes open to see what Shizuru was doing.

And almost wished she hadn't.

Shizuru was standing in the doorway holding a tray - just staring at Natsuki. Her dark red eyes were transfixed on Natsuki's face, like she was under a spell.

The bluenette realized she had been chewing on her bottom lip in her starved state. She tasted blood. Did I do that? Better to be more aware of things like that around Shizuru.

Shizuru snapped out of her reverie when Natsuki turned her head towards her. Her expression became less glazed and more amicable. Suddenly, she was the doting host again.

Natsuki felt like she had gone back in time to her first day here. Pain. Confusion. All the while a stranger held her fate in her hands.

The tawny haired woman set the tray on the stand by the bed before picking up an object off it and turning towards Natsuki.

It was a small mirror. In the reflection, the bluenette could see the sorry state she was in. But what stopped her heart cold were the mismatched eyes staring back at her. A familiar green, and a ghoulish red.

One of Shizuru's hands reached out and cupped her face, stroking her cheek adoringly. "Don't you see?" The older woman's face was nearly glowing in love and pride. "This is what Natsuki is. I would have rather we grown closer before she found out - but such is life."

This close to Shizuru, Natsuki could clearly see the hungry look in those unblinking ruby eyes. The bluenette wanted to pull away but found she was frozen in place.

Shizuru used her thumb to softly outline the younger's lips before swiping a streak of Natsuki's blood from her open cut onto her finger and sticking that into her own mouth. She let out a soft moan and looked to be in total ecstasy at the taste. The whites of Shizuru's eyes turned black.

In the back of Natsuki's mind, she realized her lungs burned from a lack of breathing - yet she couldn't function enough to take in air.

"Natsuki shouldn't worry though. I will be there for her."

Always.