Nightwalker Fan Fiction ❯ Er...Stand By What? ❯ The Story ( Chapter 1 )

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Er...Stand By What?
By Danii
Summary: Curious as to where Riho spends her nights on off days, Shido trails her and discovers something he couldn't have imagined.
Disclaimer: I own no one and nothing. The characters ain't mine (though I'd mortgage my house for Shido), nor is the music (I'll get to that in a minute).
Distribution: Want? Take. Put my name on. Send me URL. All will be well.
Rating: PG
'Ship: Riho/Shido
Feedback: If you'd be so kind. First in the fandom for me.
NOTE: I realize that the song isn't complete. That's intentional.

And now:

It was a slow night.

Shido was pretty sure that if the night went any slower, that they'd actually end up in yesterday.

Part of him enjoyed this downtime, this slight break from his normal caseload. Besides, he figured, if I don't have any cases, then there mustn't be many Breeds causing trouble, which is always a good thing. But another part of him longed to be doing something, to hunt a dangerous prey, to-

"Mr. Shido?" interrupted Riho, her constant smile on her face as well as a raincoat and umbrella.

Shido shook his head tiredly, then looked up to his young charge.

"Yes, Riho?" he answered with a soft grin. Despite the fact that he had been forced to change her into a vampire, Shido couldn't help but find his heart lightened by the sweet little secretary. She truly was a bright ray of sunshine into his life of darkness, and he had been very pleased that being turned hadn't changed that.

"Mr. Shido," she repeated as she put down the cup of coffee she'd been holding as well, "I was wondering...since it's a slow night and all..."

"Yes?" the lavender-haired vampire prodded gently.

"I was wondering if I could kinda take the night off..." Riho asked carefully, as if she were a child requesting a later bedtime. Which, Shido thought to himself with a small mental smile, she sort of was. She WAS his child, but he also knew that she was something more then that, as all vampiric 'children' were.

Shido nodded. "Of course, Riho. You don't need to sit around here and sleep the night away. Go out, have fun..."

A 300 watt smile was the only response he got as he watched the young vampire spin and skip out of the office. He watched her leave with a tired grin on his face.

{{Go out, have fun}}

The words echoed in his mind.

{{Go out, have fun}}

Why shouldn't he? There wasn't any work to be done, there was no one scratching at his door, and he hadn't had a night out on the town in so long. Why couldn't he have a little fun?

He was a vampire, not a monk.

But there was one problem.

"Where should I go?" Shido asked himself out loud.

"Somewhere livelier then here..." answered Guni as she peeked out from his hair.

"I figured that..." the vampire informed his small companion, "But I still don't know quite where. I mean, most of the places I would go are places Yayoi has taken me to, but I don't really feel like meeting her tonight."

Guni seemed to think about this for a moment, and then her red eyes focused on the door.

"Why don't you follow Riho?" the faery suggested.

Shido looked down to his tiny friend. "Guni, that's one of the best ideas I think you've ever had..."

Guni sighed. "I should hope not..."

Yes, Shido thought, I'll follow Riho. She's young...she'll probably go someplace interesting, to say the least. Besides, he thought with a smile on his lips, wouldn't she be thrilled to see him there?

##

"Oh dear..."

"I can't believe it..."

Guni turned to the lavender-haired vampire with a smirk. "Well, it IS livelier then the office."

"But..."

"But?" prodded the faery.

"It's a karaoke bar!" Shido cried in distress.

"So?"

Now Shido turned to Guni, his face set in an indescribable expression.

"It's a karaoke bar..." the vampire repeated, his voice now calm, "Do you know what a karaoke bar is?"

He looked to Guni, who simply rolled her eyes.

"Of course I know what it is, numbskull!" she answered, "I just don't see what your problem is. So what? It's a karaoke bar. I, for one, would love to see you crooning on the stage..."

"You couldn't get me up there for a trillion yen..."

Now Guni sighed. This vampire could be so dense sometimes.

"Fine." The faery agreed, "But at least go in and watch. Hey, maybe Riho will sing tonight."

"Maybe."

"It's a shame you didn't bring a camera..." Guni pointed out with a smile.

"Oh hush..." Shido replied as he began making his way into the building.

As he made his way down a few steps, the longhaired vampire saw that the bar was much bigger then he'd thought from the outside. Lots of tables, almost all filled with people (who were mostly filled with alcohol), a well-stocked bar (which he didn't intend to patronize in the least), and the stage.

The stage was small, but well setup. Obviously, someone had put some effort into putting up the performing area. There were several mikes, a couple of screens for those who needed them, and a chair or two placed near the curtain for those who would require it.

As he was observing all this, Shido found a table well in the back of the room, close to the bar. He stayed in the shadowy area, hiding his face from the rest of the people here, and hopefully from Riho.

Sure, he wanted her to see him, but Shido wanted to see her perform first. He figured she was since he didn't see her in the crowd.

After a minute or two, the bartender asked him if he wanted anything. Shido shook his head, then focused back onto the stage. The first act was coming on, and nights after, Shido knew that he wouldn't have missed coming to see this for the world.

There, on the stage, was Riho. But what an outfit she had on.

Black high-heels with straps up to her calf. Red dress shorter then any he'd ever seen with an intentional large hole on her one hip. Fingernails painted that same deep red as the dress, and hair flowing wild and free in waves around her face.

In short, she looked stunning. Shido couldn't believe how wonderful she looked.

"Whoa!" commented Guni with a soft whistle, "Teeny bopper to stripper!"

"Shush, Guni!" Shido hissed.

"Well, excuse-"

"SSSHHH!"

"Fine." The faery replied with a huff as she burrowed back into the vampire's long hair.

And then, the music started. Not with a whisper...but with a twang.

"Sometimes it's hard...to be...a woman...
Givin' all your love...to just...one man...
You'll have bad times...
And he'll have...good times...
Doin' things that you don't...understand..."

Shido couldn't lie. The girl was not a singer. But the passion in her voice made up for the couple of off-key notes and the crack on the one word. And the choice of song...

"But if you love him...you'll...forgive him...
Even though it's hard...to understand...
And if you love him...
Oh...be proud of him...
Cause...after all...he's just...a man..."

Shido just stared at the stage, his mind struggling to deal with sights and the sounds.

"Stand by your man!
Give him two arms to cling to
And something warm to come to
When nights...are cold...and lonely!

"Stand by your man!
And tell the world you love him...
Keep giving all...the love you can!
Stand by...your man!"

##

Riho breathed out the last note, then sucked in all the oxygen she could. God, but she needed it. Then she sighed out loudly.

She couldn't believe it.

People were clapping.

True, she knew the outfit helped. It was something Yayoi had helped her pick out, something to take her away from the kind of person she was for just one night. Something to make her feel sexy instead of cute. An outfit that would make her beloved Shido take a second look at her, at who and what she was. But she didn't have the courage to show him it yet. In time, she figured. But for now...

Now...they were applauding.

And one guy in the back was giving her a standing ovation! One guy with purple hair, green eyes, and a little faery sitting on his shoulder.

"Oh dear God..."

##

Shido watched as Riho dropped to the ground like a stone.

"I think she saw you..." Guni put in helpfully as the vampire raced to the stage through droves of people.

"No..." he huffed out as he approached, "Really..."

It took a little more effort then he expected to get to the stage, due to all the other people who were concerned about his young charge. It touched his heart that all those others cared about her, even though she probably didn't come that often due to work. However, as touching as it was, Shido needed to get through.

"Could you...if you'd be so kind...thank you...move, sir...sir, I need...please...could you please...UFF!"

"Jeez, what a jungle!" commented Guni with a sneer at the crowd.

"Not now..." Shido reprimanded.

"Fine, but..."

"Shh..." the vampire told her once more as he bent down to cradle her head in his hands, "I think she's waking up."

Carefully, Shido brushed the stray hairs out of Riho's face as he saw her eyelids flickering. Just briefly, he touched her skin, and the fluttering stopped. However, a second later, two eyes opened ever so slowly to look up to him with wonder.

"Mr. Shido?" she asked softly; so softly, in fact, that without his vampiric hearing, he would have missed it.

"Yes, Riho..." he answered just as gently, "It's me..."

"Mr. Shido?" the girl asked again, this time her voice just a little stronger.

"Yes, it's me...Shido."

"Oh."

And then she fainted again.

##

"Nice job, Romeo..."

Shido looked sideways at his small companion and sighed.

"How was I supposed to know she'd faint when she saw me?"

"But the-"

"And when I tried to see if she was all right..."

"What about-"

"And when I-

Suddenly, he heard a voice from behind him. It was soft, and familiar, and immediately, Shido felt bad for what he'd just said.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Shido..."

Immediately, the longhaired vampire turned around to face his young 'child'. She still looked ravishing in that dress and those shoes, but the glimmer of joy that he'd seen at the club, that he saw everyday at the office, seemed to be gone for the moment.

"Oh, Riho..." he comforted, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly, "You have nothing to be sorry about..."

"But I made such a scene..." she replied, near to tears, "And I sang that song-"

"There was nothing wrong with that song..." Shido assured her, even though he was screaming just the opposite within his mind. "I'm glad that you care about me like that..."

Suddenly, Riho's eyes opened wide as she looked up to the other vampire.

"You knew that the song...was...for-"

Shido simply smiled, but Guni couldn't stay quiet.

"It's not like it's a huge secret!"

"Oh, I feel like such an idiot!" she cried, "You heard...and you...saw!"

"What?" Shido asked gently.

"You heard me sing that song..." Riho said, "And you saw me in my dress. The special dress. I bet you thought I looked silly!"

"No," he assured her as they continued to walk, his arms still around her small form, "I thought that you looked beautiful."

"Not cute?" she asked, as if her life depended on it.

"No..." Shido admitted, "More like...sexy."

Again, her eyes went wide as saucers.

"REALLY?!"

He nodded, and suddenly a firecracker went off.

"You thought I was...you think...you liked-"

"Y-"

Riho jumped out of his arms in total and complete elation and began to bounce around the alley like a five year old.

"He thought I was! He thinks! I! He thought! I..."

Shido just watched this with a smile on his face, and a special warmth in his heart.

"What a nutcase!" Guni complained, "She's like a rabbit on Speed. Aren't you going to have a nice time over the centuries?"

"At least I'll never be bored..."

The End