A/N: Hi there. Kate here. So, the first chapter. First off, this is slightly AU and set ten years after the end of the Anime. Um, I don't really have anything more to say, but this is my first M/M story and definitely one of my first for VK. Read and Enjoy. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Although, things will be revealed in time.
I do not own Vampire Knight or the characters. Satoru and Natsumi (and the plot) are the only things that belong to me. I do not write this for any personal gain, but purely for the enjoyment and entertainment of others.
Chapter One: Ten Years Later...
Zero Kiryu slid the Bloody Rose back into its holster under his coat, the vines that had been wrapped around his arm and chest vanishing at the same time. It had been yet another Level E; an ex-human gone insane. They did tend to follow him around like lost little puppies. It would be quite amusing if it weren't for the fact that they were crazed beasts that only hungered for blood-and he kept having to kill them because they always seemed to be attacking him.
It had been ten year since that incident at Cross Academy, and a lot had happened in those ten years. He had started free-lancing as a Vampire Hunter, mainly because the Association were still deciding on a new leader since the old one had been murdered-they were adamant that Zero accept the role, but he refused. Quite stubbornly, too. He didn't want the job. Then again, Zero thought that they were just bickering like spoilt children.
"Nice shot," a familar voice called out from behind him as Zero straightened up, falling back against the alley wall. Zero had hoped to never hear that voice again... It also seemed like the ex-human was injured, what with the way he leant against the wall, obviously seeking its support.
Kaname Kuran stood not two feet from him, dressed all in black, the hood of his coat pulled up over his head. Zero could have kicked himself. How could he have not noticed that earlier? He groaned, letting his head fall back against the brick wall, staring blankly up at the cloudy, early evening sky. Kaname's gaze was on him, but Zero didn't care. Damnit, what was wrong with him? For two days now he'd been a little slow to react, the ache in his neck was hard to ignore and getting worse with every passing moment, but it was nothing compared to the ache in his heart. Kuran's next comment was still quite a shock; "Yuki is dead."
Zero didn't take his gaze off the sky for a long moment. "When?" The word was almost choked out as Zero brought his gaze down level with the pureblood's. Neither boy flinched from the intensity in the other's gaze.
"Two nights ago," the other vampire said, a little quieter than before. Zero stared at him for a moment, then sighed. Kaname looked sad. And why did he suddenly care about that?
"I see," was all the hunter said. The pair spent several long minutes in silence before Zero started sliding down the wall, a muffled gasp of pain escaping him. Kaname studied the hunter for several seconds before shaking his head-just a little.
"You're injured," Kaname commented, watching the hunter with his typical blank facade in place. Zero shot the other vampire a weak glare-a look Kaname appeared to be ignoring. And Zero noticed that. Not that he cared...
"Why are you here?" the ex-human muttered, looking away and clutching at his chest. The slashed clawmarks across it burned, and, for some reason, they weren't healing. Kaname didn't miss this movement-in fact, he was watching it closely, and with something close to concern in his eyes. But only if one were to look closely enough-otherwise he hid it well.
"You're bleeding," Kaname said, completely ignoring Zero's question. Zero scowled, sliding down the wall a little more. "We should move before more E's turn up," the pureblood added as he ran his gaze over Zero slowly. "That's if you can stand, Zero."
Zero couldn't miss that comment-the pureblood had used his first name and not his last, as Kaname normally would have done. The ex-human was suddenly curious-Why had Kuran done that? And again, why did Zero start to care about it?
"Ah," Kaname murmured, "perhaps you don't want to...move?" Zero met the pureblood's gaze, eyes narrowed in a pitiful mockery of anger. They kept their gazes locked for what seemed to be a long time, but in reality was only minutes. Neither boy seemed to notice.
"Why are you here, Kuran?" Zero demanded, pushing himself back up the wall. Before he could fully straighten up and push away from it, though, Zero's legs gave out and he crashed to the ground with a pain-filled groan. Kaname looked on with something close to pity in his gaze.
"Because, Zero, it's your turn now."
With that said, Kaname moved forward and crouched down beside Zero, sliding an arm under the ex-human's and swiftly guiding him to his feet. Then, in a blur of fluttering blackness, Zero found himself standing outside his appartment. How the hell did Kuran know where he lived? If someone was giving up his secrets, Zero was going to kill them! He frowned. Then again, it might have been Cross. Zero wouldn't put it past his old adopted 'father'.
"Keys," the pureblood murmured, sliding his hands across Zero's hips, searching his pockets. Both vampires were too preoccupied to notice their proximity to each other. Eventually, the older vampire glanced towards the younger's face in a silent show of seeking help. Zero found himself complying to the silent question.
"Front left," Zero muttered, pushing away from the other vampire to lean against the wall beside his front door. He was both trying to ignore the proximity of Kaname and his pure blood and the fact that Zero found it uncomfortable to be touched like that by the older vampire. He had never liked Kuran, had he? Zero suddenly found that he was unsure about even that. But why?
Eventally, Kaname retrieved the keys from Zero's pocket and unlocked the door, dragging the other vampire through the now-open door and into the house. The door slammed shut by itself-no doubt a show of the pureblood's frustration and maybe more than a little in anger. Both vampires ignored the low lighting of the open plan living/dining room and kitchen they now found themselves in.
Suddenly, Zero found himself slammed back against the wall just inside the door, Kaname's face inches from his, the glowing, bright-red eyes showing anyone who cared to look just how close Kaname was to losing it. He tried to ignore the pureblood's hand around his throat, and the other bunched up in his jacket. The scent of Zero's blood was getting to him-despite the fact that both boys hated each other; with a passion, born of the fact that, while Zero was a vampire, he was a Vampire Hunter first and Kaname was a pureblood. A vampire among vampires. It seemed that even a pureblood could be susceptible to bloodlust.
"Where were you two nights ago, Kiryu?" Kaname demanded. Zero held onto the older vampire's wrists, trying to remove the hand from around his throat-without much success. "Answer me!" Kaname stared into Zero's eyes-blood red, just like his own, betraying Zero's condition. The ex-human refused to answer-or couldn't, depending on one's point of view.
"He was here, with me."
Kaname started, head swinging towards the source of the disturbance. He swiftly released Zero and backed away from him, running a hand through his hair. As Kaname took in the girl standing in the doorway on the far side of the room, Zero slid down the wall until he sat on the floor, the wall his only support.
"Sayori?" Kaname asked, disbelief evident in his voice. The girl burshed her disheavled hair out of her face and nodded. Kaname looked back towards Zero and then back to Sayori. He couldn't believe it. Sayori was living with Zero? Didn't she know how dangerous that was?
Just as Sayori opened her mouth to speak, someone flew past her and into the room-moving much too fact to be human-before coming to an abrupt halt half-way between Sayori and the two vampires by the front door.
"Zero?"
Kaname stared at the young boy in front of him-a boy who could almost be Zero's son or a younger sibling. He looked so much like Zero that it was unnerving-right down to the silver-coloured hair and amethyst-coloured eyes. And, if Kaname was reading the boy's aura right, the child was a pureblood! Kaname was speechless-for about two seconds.
"Satoru!" Sayori protested, taking a step into the room, but she hesitated when she saw Kaname's unnerving red eyes dart towards her. The boy stared right back at Kaname, though, as if he couldn't believe it. Another pureblood. Such good luck-or was it bad? He'd have to wait and see.
Kaname turned his full attention back to Zero. "You do realise that this child is a pureblood, don't you?"
Zero met Kaname's gaze for a moment before turning his head away, eyes fixed of the wall to his left. Kaname let out a long-suffering sigh and ran a hand through his hair, gaze drifting back to the boy-Satoru, as Sayori had called him. Red faded into brown as the older pureblood took in the younger, a frown marring his features. Apparently Zero didn't feel like answering that question.
"He needs blood," Kaname suddenly announced, gesturing towards Zero. "A lot of it, Sayori," he added when the human girl made to speak. "Much more that you can provide-without draining you dry."
Sayori tugged the shirt that had fallen off her shoulder back up, hiding the bare skin from Kaname's gaze...but not before he saw the half-dozen fresh and fading bitemarks marring her skin. Zero had been feeding on Sayori? Kaname found himself shocked all over again. But of course; the child was here. Kaname's gaze slid back to the silver-haired boy, the pureblood. Now, what could that possibly be about?
"Zero?" Kaname looked up as another voice rang out-female. The pureblood frowned, letting the other presence wash through him. A vampire, at least a noble. What was she doing here? "What's going on out here? I heard the noise and thought you'd brough an E home with you..."
The redhaired vamprie trailed off as she feel into place beside Sayori. He blues eyes went wide as she stared at Kaname. What was a pureblood doing here? And Kaname Kuran at that! The redhaired Noble was stunned. "Kuran-sama!" she gasped and bowed, keeping her head low.
Sayori ignoring the redhaired vampire and stepped into the room, tugging Satoru back, sliding her arms around the boy before lifting the young vampire up and settling him onto her hip. "Hello Kaname," Sayori said, keeping her tone netural. He gaze flickered past him to where Zero had collapsed. "Zero, are you alright?"
She knew he needed blood, but she also needed him to say something, anything. And he eventually complied, pushing against the wall a little and trying to stand. "I'm...I'll be fine," Zero muttered, clutchnig at his chest again. "I just need...blood, like Kaname said..." He groaned and fell back against the wall. Clearly he wasn't going to be moving under his own power any time soon.
Sayori noticed that the silver-haired vampire had used Kaname's first name but decided not to say anything. Instead, she settled for staring at Kaname, watching him as if he might attack. Satoru was still staring at Kaname while the redhead stayed in postion, still bowing.
"Natsumi," Zero panted, eyes on the redhead. "That's enough. Get over here will you?" IT wasn't an order, but a request; Zero had become good friends with the redhead, and surprisingly, he didn't hate her-she was actualyl ratehr nice. He shot Kaname a glance and the older pureblood returned it with a dark look. Zero ignored it.
The redhead straighten up, glancing towards Kaname, who shrugged. A relieved look flittered across her face before she crossed the room and crouched beside Zero, sliding an arm under the other vampire's arms. After a moment of hesitation, Kaname knelt to help and together, they got Zero on his feet, across the room and down the hall before finally getting him inside his room.
Kaname had left the room when Zero had turned to Natsumi for blood and not him. But it wasn't a bad thing; it left him free to explore the house and a chance to try to talk to the boy, if Sayori would let him. Which she didn't. This left Kaname frustrated and a little...angry? Or was it jealousy eating away at him right now? He tried very hard not to think of Zero and the other vampire in one of the bedrooms, but the scent of her blood in the air was not helpnig things.
And so Kaname was left to watching Sayori and the young pureblood as they started bustling around in the kitchen. Satoru let Sayori handle the cooknig side of it while the young pureblood set the table and then disappeared off into the lounge section of the room, turning on the TV. Amusement was evident as Kaname leant against the breakfast counter seperating the kitchen area from the dining part, his gaze on the other side of the room and on the boy before the TV to the left of the front door.
"So," Sayori said as she set a frying pan down on the now lit stovetop. Kaname turned towards her. "What brings you out into the slums looking for Zero?" She spared the pureblood a glance before dropping several slices of bacon into the pan. Even after ten years, Sayori hadn't changed much. Kaname found it soothing. Coem to think of it, Zero hadn't even changed.
Kaname looked away again, towards Satoru and swallowed. Could he say it again? Should he? Sayori had a right to know; she was-had been-Yuki's friend. "Yuki died a couple of nights ago," he said slowly, softly, his voice tinged with sadness. He didn't look back towards Sayori, he couldn't. He knew she was upset; he'd heard her drop an egg, the shell cracknig when it hit the floor.
"Oh," Sayori whispered. Kaname didn't move, staring blankly at the young sliver-haired pureblood. Kaname heard Sayori cleaning up the mess and blinked, trying not to let the tears fall. He'd loved her, he truly had...but now...
"I thought it might have been Zero," he whispered, tilting his head to one side as he watched the boy. "But if you say he was here, then it wasn't him...even if Yuki was killed with Hunter weapons."
The silence behind him brought Kaname's head round. Sayori stood still, one hand holding the broken egg and a cloth, the other resting on the pan's handle. Kaname sighed, shaknig his head and crossing to her side. He gently took the handle out of her grip and nudged her out of the way. She blinked, glancing towards him as he took over cooking. She hadn't realised he even knew how.
Slowly, Sayori dumped the rubbish into the bin and then went to the sink, wahsing her hands. It was about then that Kaname stiffened and she heard a door open. Looknig up, Sayori saw Zero limping out into the living room. He looked towards Kaname and then past the pureblood to Sayori. "Natsumi is sleeping now," he announced, joining the pureblood and the human in the kitchen area.
Kaname let Sayori take back the pan and stepped away from her, turning to face Zero. The ex-human met his gaze quickly then swiftly looked away. "Something wrong, Zero?" Kaname asked as the ex-human leaned against the counter. Zero, who had been pressing a palm over the slashed marks on his chest, removed his hand and let Kaname see the wound. The pureblood grabbed his wrist before Zero could cover it again.
"I took as much as I could without seriously compromising her," he began, closing his eyes. His voice was low as he spoke. Urgent. Kaname knew that this was hard for Zero to admit, but he knew Zero was talking to Sayori at the moment. zero had hated what he was, all those years ago back at Cross Academy. "But...it's still bleeding." Kaname could see that, and he was worried. What the hell had that damn E done? "It's won't stop..."
Sayori, whose attention was half on the cooking and half on Kaname and Zero, spoke up. "Use my room," she said, eyeing the nasty gashes across Zero's chest. "I'll keep Satoru out here..."
Kaname glanced towards the human girl. She wasn't looking at them now, but he could tell she wanted to help. He returned his gaze to Zero, leaning forwards to inspect the wound. it was healing, but still bleeding slugishly. Zero met his gaze when he lookd up. "Are you sure?" he asked. He knew Zero didn't like him, but it seemed that the ex-human's problem wasn't going to go away anytime soon. Kaname had done the math; if he left Zero like this, it would take days for the wound to heal and by then, Zero could be dead. The ex-human was desperate if he was asking Kaname to help...
When the ex-human failed to answer, his eyes falling shut, Kaname decided for him. After all, the boy was pale, and, by the way he appeared to be shaking, he seemed to have some kind of fever. Kaname frowned, tugging the Zero after him as he headed for the doorway that led deeper into the appartment.
Sayori stared at the frying pan somewhat blankly ater Kaname retreated to her room with Zero. Yuki was dead... Her friend was dead. Sayori was sad, but she wasn't crying. She sure felt like it, but she'd cried herself dry years ago. Satoru was watchni TV, but she knew he was istening to everything that went on in the house. The walls weren't exactly soundproofed, even though it Natsumi's appartment. Apparently the redhaired vampire hated soundproofing... Sayori wasn't complaining, though.
Still...she couldn't beleive it. After all this time, after ten years as a pureblood vampire, Yuki was dead. Defeated by a Hunter weapon of all things. It was crazy... Impossibly crazy. How could it even happen? How could anyone look at Yuki and think of killing her? Sayori rubbed at face, her eyes, as she cooked breakfast. It may be early evening, but as she was on a vampire schedule, Sayori was cooking breakfast, having just woken up herself when Kaname had dragged Zero home.
Frowning, she glanced towards the hall doorway. It had been over an how since Zero had feed from Natsumi and then been dragged off by Kaname to feed from the pureblood. Now why would Kaname do that? She sighed, turning her attention back onto the food. Zero had been gone all day by the looks of it. She'd check his bedroom earlier; the sheets had been untouched. Sayori knew he'd been having trouble sleeping...but going days without it? Something must have disturbed Zero deeply for that to happen... Then again, he hardly seemed to sleep before. Sayori was worried about the ex-human. He seemed troubled.
"Sayori?" Satoru's voice brought Sayori out of her reverie and she blinked. The boy was beside her, tugging on her shirt. She turned towards him, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, Satoru?"
The boy's lips quirked. "The food is burning."
"Oh!" Sayori yelped, rushnig to pull it off the stove and shut off the flames. "Thank you, Satoru."
The boy just shot her a smile and went back to his spot on the far side of the room, attention returning to the TV. Sayori smiled faintly as she watched him. He may be a vampire, but he was such a child sometimes. She sighed and turned to dish out the food, having made extra for Kaname.
She looked up when she heard the door open again to see Kaname step out into the hall. He shut the door gently behind him, one hand rubbing at his neck. He glanced towards her and smiled, walking down the hall and into the room, comg to join her at the breakfast bench.
"He's sleeping," he said, keepnig his voice low. He'd realised that the place wasn't soundproofed. Sayori raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as she crossed to the sink and set the pan down in it before returning to the bench and pulling open a draw. "He'll be fine come morning."
Sayori nodded and handed Kaname the knife and fork she'd pulled out of the draw before retrieving some for herself. "Glad to hear," she said, turning away as Kaname pulled a plate towards him. "Satoru, breakfast is ready."
The young pureblood swiftly joined them at the bench, climbing up onto a stool before settling down and dragging his plate close to him. He accepted the utensiles Sayori handed him and tore into the food happily. Kaname smiled, watching the boy as he ate. Then he spared Sayori a glance. She ate slowly, eyes on the boy. Kaname knew she was worried about Zero, and the others...and that she was hiding thep ain at hearing of Yuki's death well. He choose not to say anything and went back to eating.
The trio ate in silence and then Sayori and Satoru cleaned up while Kaname went to check on Zero and then Natsumi. Zero slept peacfully; Kaname had realised the ex-human was tired and had sent him to sleep. The younger vamprie would be angry with him, but that would be when he woke up. It was for his own good, though. He was healing better asleep. Natsumi was awake when Kaname checked on her. She seemed fine, just tired. Kaname let her be after she told him he was going to shower and then join them out in the lounge room.
Satisfied that the other two seemed fine, Kaname retreated to the lounge, dropping on the couch set before the TV. Sayori spared him a glance but didn't leave the kitchen as she dried the plates and Satoru put them away. Several minutes late, she realised that Kaname was drifting off.
"Kaname?" she called, dragging the pureblood back from the edge of sleep. "Maybe you should go sleep. There is a bedroom free, you know that." She went back to washing and wiping while Satoru out things away, dilberately ignoring the pureblod now.
Kaname sat up, running a hand through his hair. He was tired. After being up for several days straight, spending msot of those days looking for Yuki's killer and then letting the ex-human take from him. He sighed. He shouldn't have let Zero take that much. Resigned, Kaname forced himself to his feet and retreated to the bedroom he'd left Zero in. Sure, he could have taken a room for himself, but really. This was Zero, and the ex-human had passed out; he'd be asleep for hours. Beside, Kaname felt safe with Zero...whcih was kind of odd. Then again, he'd been aching for the ex-human for ten years...
He sighed again, closing the door softly and crossing to the bed. Sayori's room was subdued; no photos, nothing at all personal laying about. It was...almost disturbing but Kaname tried to ignore it. Instead, he focused on the silver-haired hunter laying on the bed. He looked so peaceful there, so much like the angel his silver hair and amethyst eyes reminded Kaname of. The pureblood stared at the ex-human for a moment longer before he joined him on the bed, shifting Zero so that the ex-human ended up in his arms, head resting on Kaname's shoulder. Slowly, Kaname drifted off to sleep, the ex-human hunter sleeping soundly in his arms.