Vampire Knight, MariaXIchiru pairing. This is a story that I'm currently co-writing with Ez (magicalgirl100591) the link to her profile will be on mine. I've written the end of this chapter and I'm not sure if we'll write one chapter each or just half-and-half, but who cares! We might have slightly different styles of writing, but try to deal with it. XD She's awesome so give her most of the credit for this! And she rocks for having agreed to co-write something with me!
Thanks again, Ez.

Please R&R!

ENJOY!

CHAPTER 1

The side effects of Love

"But Mommy, Daddy, I'm scared," Maria whispered frantically. She knew she sounded like a child but at the moment, she didn't really care. Again, her mother and father pulled her into their arms in a loving reassuring hug.

"Maria-chan, it'll be all right, I promise you. You'll have so much fun and make so many new friends. You've already met the Chairman, haven't you?" her mother asked.

Yes I have, and he's the weirdest man I've ever laid eyes on, Maria thought dryly.

And what about the uniform? The jacket fit fine at the waist but her chest was practically busting out of it! And curse whoever allowed these skirts! It barely covered a third of her thigh! And as if that wasn't enough, her mother had forced her to wear this ridiculous hairdo. Sigh. Her father caught her expression and patted her adoringly on the head.

"Don't worry darling, you'll have a wonderful time at Cross Academy. Look, some of your classmates have even come out to welcome you!" Maria spun around and all at once, her heartbeat began to speed up.

Bmp-bmp...Bmp-bmp...Bmp-bmp...

~oOo~

For Ichiru Kiryuu, it was a strictly standard day. Wake up, get dressed, and get to class. So when he had heard that there was a new Night Class transfer student arriving, he was pretty curious to she what she might be like. He had been many places and was expecting almost anything. What he didn't expect was for his heart to start beating faster and his eyes to turn to miniature heart shapes when he laid eyes on her. Seriously, this girl by all rights should be encased in a candy wrapper.

She was pale, but not vampire pale. More like cream and roses pale. Her eyes were a soft and sweet lavender color and they held an attractive youthful innocence. Her hair was a few shades lighter, and in a most unique style. It brushed down to her elbows and the front bits were cut to around her cheekbones. Also, there was a small bun adorning her head. And Ichiru's eyes were especially drawn to the uniform. Maybe she or her parents had gotten her measurements wrong, but for whatever reason, it was not a little too tight in the chest area and the skirt barely went past her upper thigh. (Yes, I know that all the skirts are like that.) Not that Ichiru minded. Oh no, he didn't mind at all.

~Drool~

"Gross," Senri Shiki said emotionlessly (as usual). Cough. Cheeks slightly pink, Ichiru wiped at his mouth and noticed that the girl was chatting with Yuuki and her parents with Kaname and the Chairman.
Okay, she didn't see. Thank God.
"Bye-bye darling," her parents called, giving her one last hug before driving off. She waved goodbye, looking sad.
Suddenly, the girl looked over at him. Yuuki smiled, pointed at Zero, and waved Ichiru over.

Um...okay?

Walking over, he smiled down at the girl, trying not to drool or do something embarrassing again. It's not like he could control it though, she was seriously...whoa there.
"Hello there," he said, bowing formally. "I'm Ichiru Kiryuu, fellow classmate to you and slightly nicer twin to Zero Kiryuu. And you are?"
"Oh um, Maria," she said, bowing quickly. "Maria Kurenai." Ichiru smirked playfully.
"Maria-kun, then? How cute. You're cute." Maria looked up at him before stumbling back.
"Oh no, not really, I mean, I'm not-" Ichiru got dangerously close, placing one finger over her mouth.
"Now, now, no need to get frantic. I mean it though, you really are cute."
Bmp-bmp...Bmp-bmp...Bmp-bmp...
"You think we should break that up?" Akatsuki muttered to Zero. Unlike his cousin Hanabusa, Akatsuki actually had a conscience and didn't get a thrill of seeing or putting girls in this position.
In truth, Zero was itching to do just that, but kept telling himself, not your business, not your business, not your business. "Oh, I don't care," he lied. "It's not like he's actually doing anything to her anyway."
Ichiru's hand crept from Maria's mouth to caress her cheek...
Zero grimaced and Akatsuki started to fidget with his hands.
The other one snaked around her waist...
Beads of sweat started popping out on the vampires' brows...
He started to lean in...
"Hey Yuuki," Zero called, the creepiest fake smile in history plastered on his face, "why don't you show Kurenai-san around the academy?"
Ichiru pulled back from a breathless Maria, pouting childishly. "Aw, you ruined my fun, Zero-nii."
"Hm? Oh sure!" Yuuki said.
"Oh that's all right Yuuki-san," Ichiru said. "I'm sure you're already busy. I'll show Maria-kun around. That's if you don't mind Maria," he said, smiling down at her.
"Oh...I don't mind," she murmured, her face flushed.
"Let's go then," he said cheerfully, leading her along.
"No wait," she said, realizing she hadn't even greeted the other Night Class students. "Shouldn't I-"
Ichiru glanced over at them and laughed. "Oh, don't you worry your cute little head about them," he said, tapping her playfully on the nose. "Ruka's not always a b**** and Hanabusa can be quite charming. I've yet to see either one but who knows? They may surprise me one day...or century."
"SAY WHAT!" the two shrieked.
Maria, being the gentle-natured sheltered girl she was, was not used to outbursts like that and shot back in alarm...landing right into Ichiru's arms.
'From the frying pit into the fire' was just about the one coherent thought Maria could form.
"Oh-! I, I, um-" she trailed off. Seriously, what do you say?
Ichiru smirked. "I was wrong."
Maria looked up at him, eyes wide.

"W-what?"

Suddenly, Ichiru ducked down and kissed her before setting her on her feet and leaning in to whisper in her ear, "You're not cute. You're absolutely adorable."
Bmp-bmp...Bmp-bmp...Bmp-bmp...
"Eh heh heh," he laughed softly. "Now, why don't we get started on the tour, hm?" he asked, pulling a stunned and not a little red Maria along.
Rima bowed formally, a pocky stick sticking out of her mouth (as usual.) "We will honor your memory Kurenai Maria," she said in her monotone voice.
"What flowers for her funeral?" Senri enquired. "I was thinking something delicate and innocent. Jasmine, white lilies, cherry blossoms, you know."
It seemed that two where the only ones able to manage normal talking because everyone else, even Kaname, were nothing short of emotionally scarred.
"What the-what just happened," Hanabusa gasped.
"I. Have. NO. Idea," His Zero replied with a shrug.

A little later, when everybody was back to normal again and after Ichiru had shown Maria briefly around the school... (Except Rima and Senri, who were still mumbling about having a funeral for the new girl.)

"So, Maria, wanna hang out after class tonight?" (Note: He says tonight 'cause he's a vampire and he's in the night class) Ichiru smirked at Maria as she blushed.

"Su-sure." This was the first time he had heard her stutter all day, then she blushed again. "I get to pick where we go, though, right?" She grinned and stared deep into him. But this time though, she kissed him. It was a long kiss, not exactly what Ichiru would call gentle, but it was a kiss after all, so he couldn't complain, could he?

School lasted for what seemed like years; well, maybe not years, but at least hours. And what's more, Maria had to have been assigned the seat right next to him, so he had to keep himself from pinning her to the desk starting to make out with her in the middle of class.

Stupid hormones, he thought, why do I have to want to kiss her every time I look at her? His head was turned the opposite way from her, with his head on his elbow. Heat seemed to flow out of her body and into his, and on top of that, it was summer, and all the accumulated heat from the day felt like it was being sucked into him. He probably smelled like a dog had peed on him right now, from all the sweat. Sweat drops were almost threatening to fall from his face.

"Um…Maria?" He said in a low and quiet voice.

"Yes, Ichiru?" Her voice as she said his named almost felt like angels singing.

"Are you eating with anybody at lunch?" He asked, knowing the answer, since it was her first day here at the Academy.

"No, I don't really know anybody, I usually go home after lunch because I get sick all the time. But it would be nice to have lunch with you. If that's what you're asking." She giggled; she really was cute.

Sweet and mysterious…

Hope you liked it! As I said, Ez's profile link will be on my profile. There we go, that was the first chapter :)