A/N: The hardest part about writing this was keeping them in character, as there are so many directions a fic can take when alcohol is involved.

The Sober Side of a Smile

Yuuki had never heard Zero laugh before.

A strange confession, considering she'd known him for over three years now, and they'd grown quite close. Yet, despite how silly the Chairman's antics got, how often her own clumsiness reached uncharted heights, or the casual Saturday morning cartoon that resonated in the background of the living room as they did their chores, Zero hardly showed more than a subtle smirk. And even then, it was only when she was on the floor rolling with laughter at whatever hilarity had ensued did he make his little smirk and told her she was acting like an idiot. Sometimes he'd even omit the 'acting' part.

More often than not, she had told him that he needed to lighten up. Smile a little. But he always maintained serious conduct in every aspect of his life, brushing her suggestions off as silly and a waste of time.

However, at this very moment, as she watched him dance outlandishly to their school anthem in her fluffy pink slippers, she highly doubted that a simple smirk and light insult would get him back to normalcy.

All things considered, the party was quite pleasant. She planned to tell him that in the morning, when he would've hopefully forgotten about his parade atop the dinning table and rather passionate outbursts of how he was absolutely certain the entire Night Class wore wigs. Though she knew there was a chance he'd find out sooner or later, the part of her most concerned with her personal health preferred she not be around when he found out what he'd actually done.

Most of all, and comprising a large part of her guilt, he hadn't wanted to come to the celebration in the first place. But she had dragged him along rather naggingly with encouragements of much needed social interaction. And when that didn't work, she lured him with the prospect of a triple layered birthday cake. And when that didn't work, she threatened to make him eat her own homemade triple layered birthday cake.

And so he went.

She hadn't expected that someone would sneak alcohol into the academy, though. And surely didn't expect Zero to wind up now passed out in exhaustion on the floor, the pink slippers still adorning his bare feet that were skipping across the front lawn only a few hours ago. She later learned that the person who mixed Zero's special beverage was Akane, a female student who had been publicly scolded by Zero during one of their afternoons on Prefect duty for trying to sneak past their radar. Zero scolded at everyone, really, but Akane was one who did not take public humiliation lightly and wanted to give Zero a taste of his own medicine – a few bottles worth of his own medicine...

Yuuki supposed Akane was surprised when it turned out that Zero's goofy and loose behavior made him become quite the life of the party. He became stupid with the guys. Flirty with the girls. Funny with everyone, so much so that Yuuki felt a little bad for trying to hold him back. Prefects were supposed to be role models, and what would it say to the students if one of the Prefects was on his way to becoming an under-aged alcoholic? But at least he was becoming more popular with their classmates, and perhaps many of them were starting to forgive his usually grumpy attitude. She tried her best to keep him under control.

But then, unexpectedly, he began to rampantly talk about vampire myths, and at that point Yuuki had no choice but to immediately take him by the ear and drag him back to the Chairman's home before he said any more. It was an eventful night, to say the least. And if she was lucky, he would wake up with no memory of the night ever occurring and thus, believe every bold-faced lie she would tell him.

But for the moment, she would spend the rest of the night watching over him. She'd never handled a drunk before, and dared not call the Chairman and let him know that his little angels had gone and done something not quite legal.

With a heavy sigh, she leaned down and took a handful of his shirt, pulling him away from the window and closer to the couch where it was warmer. She tucked a pillow under his head and rolled him on his side before pulling a blanket from the couch and draping it over his body. She hoped she'd done everything okay, but she planned to stay awake the entire night anyway just to make sure he would be alright. It was her plan, really. But the fatigue in her body had a different idea entirely...

- - - - -

The sun, Zero finally agreed with the nocturnal half of his school, was the worst celestial body in the universe.

He groaned as a shot of brilliant light sprayed into his eyes as he started to wake, and then groaned even more when the horrible feeling of something crawling up his throat from his stomach revealed itself. His head spun with unspeakable pain as he rummaged through his mind for an explanation as to why he was suffering such mental and physical cruelty so early in the morning. His answer, apparently, seemed to lie within the sleeping body pressed against him.

He glanced downward, taking a few moments to battle against the glare of the sun before he recognized the familiar features of Yuuki's face. Her head was half-buried into his shoulder, her leg comfortably tangled in his. She snored quietly in her innocent slumber. He watched her for a bit as he tried to piece together what happened last night that would result in him waking up next to her like this, but only bits and pieces of images and sounds returned to him. And it really, really, hurt to think any harder.

"Hey, Useless. Wake up," he said, turning his head to the side in revolt when he tasted his own breath. An awful strong and stale mess in his mouth that he wanted to take care of immediately. Not to mention the rest of his body probably needed a good shower to wake up his senses. What day was it anyway…? Did they have class...?

He pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind as he sat up, nearly collapsing from the sudden rush of pain that shot up his head and burst out like fireworks as he moved about. He turned back, slowly, to stare at her. She was still peacefully and painlessly asleep, and he felt rather jealous. Except, he wasn't a big fan of her hair which lay disheveled across the makeshift bed… even though he had to admit, it made her look a little cute.

- - - - -

She woke up to the sound of water hitting ceramic, echoing rhythmically throughout the otherwise silent home. Her fingers absently searched the spot beside her, finding it cold and empty and Zero-less. She yawned, covering her mouth loosely as she pulled the blanket tighter around her frame and sunk her head deep into the pillow. Her brain wasn't ready to start just yet.

Suddenly, the water stopped. And a few seconds later, a warm, sweet scent filled her nostrils as steam spilt into the hallway. She opened her eyes ever so slightly out of curiosity, only to jump when she noticed a rather shirtless Zero striding toward her, a simple towel slung loosely about his waist. "You're up," he said.

She thought it was a stupid statement to make, since she didn't know how it would be possible for anyone to remain asleep after a seeing him in such an indecent state of dress. Especially one with her level of modesty. Panicked, she covered her eyes and bent her head down, mumbling incoherently.

He grabbed her wrist, pulling her up into a sitting position and used his other hand to brush away her fingers from her eyes. "Hey, quit it. It's insulting."

She hesitantly opened her eyes to meet his gaze, her arm numb in his hold. "Do you not remember that I'm a girl?!"

"Was I drunk yesterday?"

She flinched at his blunt tone, so much different than last night, surprising her even though it was the same tone she'd been hearing for the past three years. "Um. Maybe."

"At the party?"

"Possibly…"

"That you made me go to?"

"Encouraged."

He sighed, dropping down on the couch as he released her and leaned his head against his palm. Grumpy Zero was officially back. "Did I do anything stupid?"

She couldn't resist. "You're always doing something stupid."

He glared at her.

"I mean – no."

He turned away, silent. Feeling a little guilty, she stood up and sat next to him, fiddling with her thumbs. "I took away your gun. And we left before you said anything… dangerous, if that's what you're wondering," she explained. She gave him a half smile. "Otherwise you were… interesting. People thought you were fun." She nudged him slightly with a wink.

"Where'd you put my gun?"

She paused before answering, his selective ignorance causing her to drop her gaze to the floor with a sigh. "It's in your jacket. On the chair," she replied in the same dull tone that defined him.

"Thanks..." He stood up slowly, hesitating for a moment before tapping the side of her cheek for attention. "Hey, why did you fall asleep on me?"

She reddened instantly as she hugged herself tight and shook her head. "It was an accident! I was gonna stay up and watch over you in case you'd get sick or hurled and I didn't want the Chairman to find out and ask questions and we'd both get in trouble and he'd be so disappointed in us because we're Prefects and--" She stopped suddenly when she heard a vaguely familiar sound. A sort of amused and smug sound, low and soft, as she glanced up and realized Zero was... chuckling... sober.

She swallowed, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious as he stared at her. "What's so funny?"

He suddenly seemed to snap back to his old self then, as if just realizing too that he was laughing and wasn't sure why. His mouth wavered slightly for an explanation that never came, and he instead rapidly tried to shake off his abnormal behavior.

"Nothing. You talk too much. It hurts my head," he answered with a stubborn frown before turning to leave down the hall, his face just a little less red than hers...

...that is, until his towel slipped.

Zero had never heard Yuuki scream that loud before.

End-