mint: Hi everyone. Here I am again with another Vampire Knight story. First of all, I would like to apologize in advance if fans of the series find the characters a bit OOC. I kind of stopped reading Vampire Knight because I felt very sad for Zero. I kind of hate Kaname in canon because of what he does and plans in his little game. Anyway, that is the reason why I make fanfiction about Zero in the first place. I want him to find happiness. :D

And about 'Make it Through' don't worry, I'm going to continue that. I'm deciding on what to do next… well basically, I'm having a bit of a writer's block about it. This story idea just popped into my mind and I knew it wouldn't fit in 'Make it Through' so I wrote it as separate.

Disclaimer: Vampire Knight is not mine. Zero would be together now with someone if it did. Yeah, I kinda pair Zero with anyone, except Yuuki that is.

Two months. Two long months since Rido Kuran was killed and shown himself in the academy. Zero Kiryuu, former vampire hunter but also a vampire, now feels lost. He should be happy. The threat was gone and he no longer worries of becoming a level E thanks to his twin brother's blood. Yuuki had regained her pureblood status and is reunited with his brother. Everything was now back to normal and he should be at peace. But the problem is he's not.

Yuuki, how he loved her. it still hurts to think of her let alone see her during class changeover. Her position as a school prefect was replaced by one Sayori Wakaba. He tried to be happy for her and even tried to be civil with the vampires but it still doesn't mean that he hurts. While she was happily living her life, Zero was slowly rotting away, not physically, but mentally and emotionally.

Zero never thought that he would live. He had always accepted that he would die, either by going mad and becoming a level E or killing himself. He had always planned that he would kill himself after killing Shizuka Hiou. After all, the vampire council would kill him for his crime so why not spare them the trouble? But then, that pureblood had to interfere and things just went downhill from there.

Now, because of one Kaname Kuran, he is alive. He should be happy, grateful even, but he doesn't have a reason for living anymore. His family are all dead, the Hunter Association kicked him out, he's not exactly close to vampires, and he has played his part. Now, he's just tired and keeps on asking himself for a reason to breathe and live. So far, he had found none.

Maybe that's why, he's now out in the outskirts of the school. It's not very far but he was in the woods and nobody would dare go in there. The day class students are all afraid of the woods and the night class students are in their classes learning algebra or whatever it is that they learn about.

How pathetic of me… thinking about suicide

But that exactly what Zero was feeling, no matter how pathetic it may seem. The ex-hunter looked at the reflection of the moon in the lake in front of him. This place always seems to calm him down and it felt like the perfect place for his death. He decided that if he was going to die, he might as well feel relaxed and peaceful.

He conjured up a spell in the perimeter of the lake, a spell that will prevent the smell of blood from travelling further. It would be bad if they caught him in the middle of his suicide attempt and then be saved. He would surely get an earful after it too. However he did not place charms that would repel anyone away. It not like anyone would miss him… right?

Akatsuki Kain walked in the grounds of Cross Academy. He had just escaped his class and enjoying the quiet night. He wasn't really the type to cut classes, which was more like his cousin but for some reason, he needed to be out. It felt like the walls of the classroom was restricting him and that he needed fresh air. He asked to be excused telling that teacher and dorm President that he wasn't feeling well and fortunately, they agreed.

'SNAP'

The twig snapping beneath his shoes stopped him in his thoughts. Curious, he looked around and found himself in the woods of the academy.

I travelled this far without noticing?

He was about to go back to the direction where he came from when he was overwhelmed by his senses and smelled blood. So much blood.

Zero sat down in the cold grass and let out his powers. The Bloody Rose is now part of his body and the thorny vines now react to his wishes.

Kill me

The vines whipped around Zero but refusing to touch its master, it looks like his beloved companion doesn't want to do his last request.

Please. Let me join my family.

The vines halted temporarily as if they were thinking about his request. And then they slowly went up to his face, caressing his cheek softly that Zero had to close his eyes and sigh even if the action gave him little gashes from the thorns. Slowly and carefully, the vines moved in his body and granted its master's request.

Thank you

Kain didn't have to run a long distance and he was already there in front of the lake. Its beauty seemed to be marred by the horrific event that was happening in front of it. It was none other than Zero Kiryuu himself, bleeding heavily from a wound that his own vines had caused.

"Kiryuu-kun!" He shouted and ran to where the ex-human was but was thrown back by a vine.

The Bloody Rose's vines wrapped itself around Zero, hiding him from the world and further giving him injuries. No one would interrupt its master.

"Stop that, he's going to die!" Kain shouted. He couldn't believe himself doing this actually. The ex-human was not a friend, not even an acquaintance.

Yet, he still ripped his way through the barrage of thorny vines, not caring when it ripped through his white night class uniform. He set some of the vines on fire and removed the vines from Zero's body with his own hands. There was blood everywhere and Kain was sure that if it is not for his great control and the fact that he just drank his blood tablets, his eyes would bleed crimson by now.

"Kiryuu-kun! Oi!"

"W..ho….? K…Kain- sen…pai…?" Zero opened his eyes slightly.

"What were you doing?" Kain felt the need to scold the hunter. Those vines should be in his control!

"Y...you…re…. not…. su…pposed…..to… he… re." Zero coughed up blood.

"Don't die on me now. I'll take you to the infirmary,"

"S…top. Don't…. w..ant… to…"

"You want to die?!" Kain asked him in an angry manner but he wasn't prepared when Zero head actually nodded yes.

It was the first time that Akatsuki Kain looked at Zero. Oh he saw him all right, but it was the first time he actually looked at him. Zero's eyes, the beautiful lilac that they are, no longer held its shine. They were dull it was as if his resolve was shattered and no longer had the will to live. It was the first time he saw the ex-human looking so weak, vulnerable and utterly tired of probably everything. Where was the Zero that pointed his gun to them at all times? Where was the Zero the gritted his teeth and snarled insults at them?

"You can't die yet Kiryuu-kun,"

"Tis… my… li..fe… can… do…. wh…at… I…. wa..nt," Ah there's the stubborn Zero.

Akatsuki Kain was thinking fast, at this rate, Zero will die with the blood loss. He's surprised no one has smelled the blood but then again, he thought there's probably some charms in the area. He was fortunate or unfortunate to wander into this area and see the dying vampire. If the place was really charmed, then he has no other choice.

"Wh..at…?" Zero felt his dilated eyes go wide with the smell of someone else's blood.

The ex-human looked up and saw the noble above him but more than that, he saw the blood flowing from his wrist from a deep gash.

"…no… no… st..op….." Zero struggled in the other's arms even though his eyes had already changed to the crimson color of blood.

"Drink Kiryuu-kun,"

"…why…. Just… wa..nt….to… rest…"

"I'm sorry. But you can't die now. Not yet," And Kain put his bleeding wrist in Zero's mouth.

"…no!" Zero kept his mouth shut and the wound was now healing slowly.

Tsk! So he won't cooperate…

Kain worked fast as he knew the end would be upon the ex-human. He brought his own wrist to his mouth and bit. He sucked his own blood but did not swallow while resisting the urge to throw it up. He removed his fangs from his skin feeling a little bit of blood leak from the side of his mouth and joined his lips with Zero, force feeding the reluctant vampire.

When Zero felt the kiss, he gasped in surprise and Kain quickly used that to his advantage. He slowly slid his tongue in letting his blood flow from his mouth to the ex-hunter and he kept his place there making sure that the other would swallow it instead of spitting it back out. It was a bloody kiss, to save Zero's life. However Kain also knew that giving Zero a taste of blood was going to renew his bloodlust. And Zero has lost a lot of blood…

"hmpf!"

Zero's voice was muffled by the sudden kiss and when he tasted the blood going down his throat, all hell broke loose. He opened his mouth and deepened the kiss in an attempt to draw the blood out from Kain's mouth. When the flow of blood stopped, Zero slid his tongue inside the other's mouth, tasting every corner for the traces of blood left in there. Kain though, was having another problem. He groaned deep in his throat and he was sure it had nothing to do with the injury that he inflicted on himself. However before he could contemplate on the matter, Zero roughly detached from himself and pushed him back roughly in the ground.

Zero had lost it, that much Kain knew. The ex-human still couldn't stand as he was crawling in the ground but his eyes were a deep crimson and the inhuman growls emitted from his mouth was a good indication. This was the time that Kain braced himself for the impact for he's in some serious deep shit.

Zero lunged for Kain and immediately connected with his neck. Kain made a face from the pain. It was a brutal bite, a bite out of desperate hunger and with the rate of which Zero was drinking, he knew he was going to pass out soon.

This is bad

The ex-hunter drank in big, fast and needy gulps, his mind telling him to take all the blood he could get and drink his fill. And in a matter of seconds, Kain was already feeling the dizziness. His eyes turned red and his fangs lengthen at the need for blood but he held it in.

I hope I pass out before I could lose control.

So tasty. I need more….

More…

What is it?

It's liquid…

It makes me feel alive…

Wait…

Could it be…?

Blood?

Zero eyes snapped open his eyes now back to their usual lilac color. He was drinking… Drinking blood!

It can't be!

Zero quickly detached his fangs from his victim's neck and saw the unconscious face of one Akatsuki Kain.

"Shit! What did I do?!" Zero yelled at no one as he tried to recall the earlier events.

He was dying… Was he attacked? No… It was suicide. Kain found him… Fed him blood… And now, Kain was probably dying from blood loss.

"Damn it!"

He can't contact anyone and his hunter charm was still in place. It was a miracle that Kain had not taken his blood. The whole place reeked of his blood, surely he was tempted? The control that he had made him a little envious and amazed at the same time. He looked at Kain for a while before making a decision. He knew he would regret it later though.

"You saved my damn ass. I'm just returning the favor," Zero grumbled.

"Akatsuki! Akatsuki!"

What?

"Wake up!" Aido's voice rang through the red-head's ears.

"Hanabusa?" He asked as he sat up.

Where am I?

Kain took a look at his surroundings and found that he was in his room in the Moon Dorms.

"Yes it's me. Are you not that well to have fallen asleep this early?" Aido's eyes let out a little concern for his cousin.

Was I sleeping all this time? When did I get back to the dorms anyway?

"I'm fine now Hanabusa," Kain sighed as he racked his mind on what happened after he left for class. However he was met with a huge blank.

"Good. I just went up here to tell you that dinner is served,"

"I'll follow you in a few minutes," he replied.

When Aido finally left his room, Kain threw himself back in his bed becoming more and more frustrated by the minute.

Why can't I recall anything?

He decided on eating for now and went to his closet for a change of clothes. He idly wondered where the faint smell of lavender and pine trees lingering inside came from.

Weeks have passed and Kain disregarded his blank memory and thought that it was probably just because he was not feeling well. He had forgotten about the event actually and everything was back to normal.

"Ne Akatsuki, I haven't seen you drink your blood tablets lately," Aido said. His cousin was back in his room, pestering him as always.

"Hm,"

Now that he thought about it, his cousin was right. He would usually drink a glass every other day or so but he hasn't touched his pack of blood tablets yet for weeks now.

"Akatsuki, you should drink your tablets. Kaname-sama would be upset if you attacked one of the students you know,"

Sometimes, Kain really hated his cousin for being so nosy. He wasn't that hungry, or rather, he wasn't hungry at all but he drank the vile things anyway just to appease his cousin.