A Decayed Rose.
Chapter one.
Warnings: Adult content in later chapters, profanity, AU, slight OOC for plot line purposes.
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or its respective characters.
"Are you sure about this, Zero?"
Glancing over at the man who spoke, Zero simply nodded his head. Without another word, Zero's strong hands coiled around the strap of his luggage, hoisting it over a broad shoulder while his amethyst gaze traveled over to his destination. The house was a manifestation of his worst nightmares. Despite the fact that it was a simple, two story house, with an upstairs deck in the front; the entire property held a sense of foreboding about it, sending goose bumps sprouting across Zero's pallid skin with a brush of invisible fingers. They slid gently down his arm. Narrowing his gaze, he roamed his eyes over the brick porch to study the cracks among the panel front. One crack stood out in particular, the mark spreading a good three inches across the paneling. It was jagged, and Zero couldn't exactly recall where it had come from—but he knew he was responsible.
A soft giggle escaped his mouth, his eyes trained on the mark. He felt something erupt in his chest, a tingly sensation taking over his body, "cool! Do it again."
In the back of his mind he could still remember his excitement when the mark was made…but he didn't remember how it was made or why such a trivial thing would amuse him so much. Dispelling his thoughts, he decided it didn't matter anymore.
Looking the house over once more, Zero had to admit, it was fairly simple, yet beautiful. With five front windows, a front yard with a glistening stone walkway and no trees to block the sunlight, it practically glowed—the landscape enhancing its beauty with a touch only Mother Nature could provide. An image so innocent.
It was hard to believe that this place had been the chosen scene of a horrific murder.
Regarding Cross without removing his focus from the house, Zero spoke, "I should only have a few more suitcases left."
Kaien followed his line of sight with a frown, a shadow passing behind his normally cheery eyes. He didn't need to be a rocket scientist to know what his adopted child was thinking about. "I still think about them, you know."
Zero visibly stiffened before he set his mouth into a scowl formed by the irritation sparking in his eyes, choosing not to respond. He was hoping the man would get the hint.
Though honestly he should've known better.
With little regard for the fact Zero wasn't interested in what he had to say, Kaien continued, "Your parents were great people. Hard working, it's regrettable that things turned out the way they did."
Trembling fingers tightened into a fist, dark emotions swelling behind the tense bones. Without so much as a glance the blonde's way, Zero moved around the side of the car to grab another bag with his free hand, heading up the pathway to his new home the minute he was situated.
Cross was not even a step behind him. "You were so young when it happened too."
Opening the front door with more force than necessary, Zero stepped into the living area of the place he had spent his childhood. As he began to set down his bags just beyond the entryway, Zero gritted out a reply, "I'm aware of that."
The blonde flinched at the chilly tone, and let his glasses slide down his nose a bit. "Ah, I was just reminis—"
Zero cut him off swiftly, "I may have lost most of my memories from the accident, but I can still remember who my family was, Cross." Apathetic irises stabbed into cinnamon brown. "I also remember what my parents and little brother looked like when they were covered in blood on the ground after some bastard murdered them without remorse. Now, is that all?"
A stifling silence bloomed between the two individuals, and Cross's expression uncharacteristically shifted into one of deep sorrow. For once, the eccentric man had nothing to say. There was nothing he could say to ease the teen's pain; he had already done all he could while the silverette was living under his roof. Which honestly, was much less than he wanted.
Maybe that was why Zero was leaving his home so early in his life. He had told the silverette time and time again, that he could stay as long as he liked—but the minute Zero turned eighteen and was legally able to do as he wished, he had decided to move back to the house where he lost everything. Kaien hadn't been able to fathom why anyone would want to return to a place where they had been traumatized. But when he asked, Zero had given him a simple response, "It was inherited to me, that house is my responsibility", Kaien had left it at that.
Setting down the bag with the others, Kaien slid on a happy demeanor and turned to face the younger boy. He didn't want this to end on a bad note. "Is that all, Zero-chan? Because I think I saw two more bags in the backseat. I'll go get them~. I wouldn't want my darling boy to hurt his arms." He replied, knowing full well that Zero was capable of carrying the bags himself and that the boy was never talking about the bags at all.
Zero picked up on that. Giving Cross a look, the teen had to hold back a frustrated sigh as the man literally bounced from the room to the black car waiting in the parking lot. He had half a mind to shout after the man, kindly informing him that he was not his 'darling boy', but as he peered through the ajar door, his eyes were greeted with the sight of the other juggling the bags. It was only a moment later when the man let out a loud wail—tumbling backwards with the bags falling atop him. Something akin to fondness fluttered into his chest. Shaking his head at the man's antics, he decided to let it drop. The guy was at least trying to be useful.
Turning away from the scene, he stepped further into the house. It would take a lot of work to make the room meet his standards, he realized. And here he was hoping it would be move-in ready. That's what he got for being hopeful.
Zero Kiryu, hopeful.
Wasn't that just hilarious?
Letting out a soft whoosh of air pass over his lips, he simply decided he'd have to call Yuuki tomorrow. As annoying as the little brunette was, she was helpful when it came to decorating or anything within that category. For the past eight years that he had been living in her house, she had been the one to pick out his clothes. He trusted her judgment, at least. Which was more than he could say about anyone else he knew.
Kaito, his annoying best friend, could manage to screw up the most simple color scheme. Kaien was just bat shit crazy and would puke rainbows all over his walls and Yagari... he had about as much style as he did: Absolutely none.
Yuuki was by far the best choice out of his limited companions.
Brushing off his hands that suddenly felt cold, Zero moved to drag his suitcases further into the room.
"It seems you've returned…Kiryu-kun."
Zero dropped his bag in shock. Whirling around to face the direction the voice had come from, the male stared into the hallway leading to the kitchen. Every shadow that passed among the wall suddenly seemed much more dangerous than just a shift of light, claws soaked with fear gorging into his stomach to form a tight knot. He stayed completely still as he surveyed the area—looking for something, anything, that could've spoken to him. He saw nothing. Steeling his nerves, Zero narrowed his eyes into a sharp glare and advanced forward.
"Anyone there?" he called, sounding like a complete idiot. Silence resumed and as expected, there was no answer. There was no one there; he was just talking to himself. Like a dolt. Trying to reason away the leftover anxiety coursing through his blood stream, Zero took a deep breath. Cross didn't drug him did he?
"Where do you want me to put these, Zero-chan?"
Jolting in shock, Zero whirled around for the second time that day. He must've had a look on his face, because the next thing he knew, Cross had a concerned look in his eyes.
"Nee, are you alright, Zero?"
"I'm fine." Bending down to pick up the bag he had dropped like a rock, Zero continued the task he had before he hallucinated. Playing it cool behind a veil of indifference. "Put them over here by the staircase."
Without even turning around Zero could feel Kaien itching to ask him more questions, but after tossing him an annoyed scowl, the man did as he was told.
With no more time wasted, the two started to stack all of Zero's belongings neatly beside the wooden stairs. Fitting in each bag like a wooden piece of a startup Jenga game. When they had finished their work, there was a pregnant pause as the two tried to figure what to do from there. Neither of them could come up with an excuse to spend any more time together. Kaien looked crestfallen and Zero was awkwardly staring holes into the nearest wall, forcing away his emotions with a finger on the trigger.
Kaien was the first to speak, a tense jingle of laughter erupting from his oddly stiff frame, "Ah well then, it seems you're all settled in~. I should get going; I have a lot of paperwork to do."
"Yeah. I doubt Yagari would appreciate an extended leave either." Zero agreed, though instantly after the words left his mouth, he frowned. It was easy to see that Cross was holding something back, and as the man laughed again—he pin pointed the sad undertone rippling through. Somehow, he just knew he was to blame. Thinking back to earlier when he snapped at the man, Zero felt a stab of guilt.
He didn't regret putting the man in his place, but he did regret hurting his feelings while doing so. Despite how much Cross annoyed him, the man was still a heavy part of his life. He had been in his life since he was born…and Zero would be lying if he said he disliked the man. It wasn't like when they had first been reunited after the accident. He had to admit, he been a total wreck back then; throwing punches and taking his rage out on anyone that would give him the time of day. It had taken until this year for him to grow up—perhaps, he was a bit apathetic and too composed for some people, but at least he didn't try to kill everything that came his way. Cross had helped him change, along with Yuuki, and it wasn't as if he knew when he would even see the former again.
And he had been a complete and utter jackass.
Zero decided that one of these days he'd consider removing the stick permanently shoved up his ass.
Watching with a blank mask in place as Kaien began to maneuver through the doorway, with an over dramatic call of "Farewell, son! Till we meet again!" Zero felt his stomach plummet south. Dammit.
"…Do you want some coffee before you go?" He suddenly heard himself asking.
Kaien paused in the doorway, before he smiled brightly at the silverette. "That sounds fantastic, Zero-chan."
Allowing a brief smile to curve his pink petal lips, which his friend missed entirely as he was too busy doing a strange happy dance, Zero headed into the kitchen. It wasn't long after that Kaien had himself situated at the dining room table that Kaito had brought over the night before. Zero was standing by the coffee pot, waiting for the last bit of bitter black liquid to gather in the pool. A comfortable aura surrounded the room, and as the youth waited, he leaned against the cutting edge of the counter top.
It was peaceful like this…but the youth felt oddly cold. It was like he was being frozen from the inside out. Razor sharp crystals breaking off to form ice beneath his moonlight colored flesh. He slid his gaze to the corridor he had walked through not too long ago, his eyes boring into the door leading to the basement. His brows furrowed and the cold bit into him deeper.
The machine to his left suddenly beeped to alert him that the coffee was ready, and Zero shoved the feeling away as if it were an annoying fangirl. Grabbing two mugs from a box on the counter, Zero swiftly began to pour the steaming liquid into its respective container. With a flick of his wrist, he snatched two sugar packets from the counter, tossing them Kaien's way. One hit him in the face whilst the other landed on the man's lap. "Kiryuu-Kun! That's not nice!"
Taking a seat across from his ex-caretaker, Zero slid the coffee mug in front of the visibly teary eyed man. "Here."
Pouting at having his complaint ignored, Kaien took the packets gracefully given to him, and put them in his drink with a smooth rip and shower of white. Zero moved to hold out a spoon to him. Kaien gestured his head in thanks, before his nimble fingers took the utensil and mixed his coffee with an elegant swirl. Then the man took a sip of bliss.
Zero was right behind him, his pale throat moving as hot liquid slid down.
They stayed like that for quite a while, enjoying each other's presence while the caffeine settled into their system.
It wasn't until ten minutes had passed, that the tranquility had been gently pushed aside.
"I want you to know you can always call me if you need anything, and Yuuki too. She's been pouting all week about you leaving. " Kaien said as he finished the last of his beverage, "my poor girl is going to be lost without you there." The man was smiling fondly at something, though Zero wasn't quite sure what. He would guess that it was something of his own personal thoughts. Zero waited for the other to continue, and found himself blinking in surprise when the other man suddenly gave him a sincere, rare, simper, "We're going to miss you."
Another heartbeat, and he was feeling warm again. Staring silently across the table, Zero recalled the good (and insanely crazy) times he's had with Cross and Yuuki. He remembered the dangerously inventive cooking, Yuuki petting his hair at night, and even the absurd pillow fights. Why was he leaving that behind?
A familiar fuzzy feeling clouded his head. Oh right, that was why. His memory… shifting his eyes closed, he tried to remember what living in this house had been like. It was there, in the back of his mind, but there were too many broken pieces—the puzzle refusing to come together. He needed to find those pieces, here in this house, on his own. He couldn't move forward until he did. He just couldn't, not until he found out why he blamed himself for his family's untimely demise.
The answer was here. He just knew.
Reopening his uniquely colored irises, Zero nodded, sipping his coffee. "I'll visit."
Kaien hummed his approval before he stood up, giving Zero one last warm smile. "I must get going. Call me as soon as you can."
That earned an eye roll from the boy, "Alright, alright. It's not like I moved out of state."
As if a switch had been flipped, Cross burst into a fit of tears. With sparkling white rivers flowing from his eyes like ammunition, Zero grimaced. Even before Cross began to wallow in despair like a complete lunatic, his dramatic cries echoing among the empty walls of the house, "BUT IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS A HOLE IN MY CHEST. MY SON-."
The ramblings continued, and another flip had been switched, the one controlling Zero's temper.
Red hot anger throbbed in Zero's chest and Zero thought he was going to kill him.
"MY POOR SON. SO FAR AWAY FROM HOME, LET ME TAKE YOU BACK LIKE A PROPER FATHER!"
Scratch that, he knew was going to freakin' kill him.
WITH AN AXE.
"I'm not your son, now get out!" Zero growled as he grabbed the taller man by his ear, dragging his stupid ass to the door.
"You're so mean to me. WHY IS FATE SO FOUL?! I JUST WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU!"
A vein began to throb in Zero's temple. "You leaving is what's best for me."
"So mean." Kaien muttered as a foot slammed into his backend, sending him sprawling out the door. Grunting as he landed in the front lawn, Kaien started his hysterics once more. "I UNDERSTAND. I AM UNNEEDED. AFTER ALL I'VE DONE—"
"Yuuki is probably getting harassed at school as we speak and you're sitting here spewing nonsense."
As if Zero had just pointed a loaded gun at his head, the blonde froze. His body lying in a heap on the ground.
Zero mentally counted down the time until he unthawed from his current state. '1…2…3.'
"I'M COMING MY DEAR YUUKI. DO NOT FEAR, DADDY IS HERE!"
Watching with a half bemused twinkle in his eye as Kaien all but flew to his car, Zero propped himself up against the wooden frame of his door. He stood there until the sleek black vehicle was receding from sight down the road.
He gave the already gone vehicle a small wave. Bidding the lunatic a goodbye.
With that, Zero promptly shut his front door. That was almost too easy, he decided. Maybe he knew that guy a little too well. Releasing a sigh for the hundredth time that day, the male threaded his long digits into his silver locks, pulling the bangs back away from his face in a fist. Now he needed to get to work.
Facing his back towards the door, Zero glanced over at the suitcases.
What the actual hell?
Blinking in surprise, Zero stared wide eyed at the mess before him. The suitcases were flung open, and scattered every which way as though someone had barged into the pile. Most of them were empty, his belongings scattered across his plush carpet, all mixed together.
Zero immediately felt a burning anger towards Cross.
Last time I'm nice to his sorry ass.
Damning kindness to the fiery depths of hell, he knelt down beside his suitcases and he began to pick up his items. One by one.
It was going to be a long night.
Three hours.
180 minutes of his life, wasted.
He could not believe this. It had taken him that long to simply pick up all his crap and organize it the way he wanted to originally. That was three hours shoved down the drain because of a task that shouldn't have even taken a full forty minutes, let alone one hundred eighty! Growling to himself in a vindictive manor oozing contempt for his adoptive father, Zero placed the last of his shirts—a polyester one colored the shade of the morning sky-on a hanger, placing it in his closet to reside with the rest. Then he jerked his closet shut with a snap of his wrist and in a swift stride stalked over to his bed.
He wasted no time in stripping off his shirt, pulling the article of clothing over his head to be tossed mercilessly onto the floor. Next came his faded blue jeans. Kicking them off his long pale legs and hopping around in only his ebony boxers, Zero felt immediate relief when they were freed from his feet, then he eyed his well-earned prize. A mattress that resembled sanctuary and blankets which called him forth like a siren.
He obeyed their enticing song.
Plopping down on his bed -which was another gift from Kaito-with a very audible groan, Zero dropped his forearm across his face. The minute his back hit the soft plush of his bed, Zero fell into bliss. His limbs and back were aching, and the softness enveloping his form was beginning to stroke away the tension, keeping it at bay. Soon, the boy wanted nothing more than to dwell into the land of sleep. With eyelids heavy and lilac irises blurring the lines of reality with his exhaustion, Zero had decided to slip his eyes shut. Sleep pulling him in with open arms, encircling his waist as he took a deep breath into unco-
BEEP BEEP!
Zero's eyes snapped open with complete murder.
BEEP BEEP!
Rolling over onto his side, Zero shot his hand out to retrieve his phone that was going off at the most inconvenient time possible. Why did he even own a damn cell phone?! Letting out a rumble that sounded suspiciously like a growl, his fingers curled around the device and the moment they did Zero smacked the phone to his ear with a very annoyed, "What!?"
There was silence on the other line before a very girly voice erupted into his ear, nagging him about how that's no way to answer a phone. Instantly, he put a face to the voice, Yuuki. Letting out a weary sigh, Zero rolled back over onto his back, getting comfortable. "What do you want?" He asked, knowing there was no way he would be able to just ignore the girl. He's tried—the little demon is persistent.
"I wanted to ask how things were going!" The silent 'duh' made his eye twitch.
"I just left. I have nothing to say." Zero reminded her, and to that she let out a huff, going on and on about how it feels like he's been gone forever and that he could at least humor her with a response. The entire time she talked his ear off, he could picture her expression as she did so. Big brown eyes glossed with fierce determination to hold his attention and pouty lips set into a tiny frown, her hands would be on her hips, and sooner than he would want, she'd whack him in the head—her mouth splitting open into a carefree smile that he cherished. He missed her already, her and her chocolate strands that flowed around her shoulders.
His mind wandered to a time long before now.
"This is Zero, treat him kindly Yuuki…he'll be living with us for a while."
He had been shaking at that time, pouring all his hatred into the ground with his eyes. It was then he saw a pair of tiny white socks inching towards him. He hadn't bothered to look up; he was too busy trying to stop shaking.
Then small fingers reached out to touch his shoulder and he had looked up sharply. He was struck by such a simple face, younger than his own, staring at him with complete concern. There was no pity there, just pure worry. He remembered that those eyes had scared him, and as he traced the outline of her features, he wanted to cry. And he didn't know why, but those long strands of brown and those eyes so close to wine, made him want to cry. They reminded him of something.
He had backed away and the little girl had hesitated before advancing again. This time, her warm, warm, hand had grasped his own. He felt the shaking stop and when he stared at her, lips sealed shut with cement, she had smiled. "I'll take care of you," she had promised and she had kept her word.
Those warm hands, he wanted to never let them go.
"Zero! Are you listening to me?"
Zero blinked away the random memory that had invaded his mind, and cussed internally. "Yeah."
He heard her huff over and the next thing he knew, she was asking him to repeat what she said.
It was then, staring at the rough pebbled ceiling above him, that he resigned himself to his fate. He was never getting off the damn phone. No, she was going to nag him to hell and back the minute she realized he zoned. Kneading his fingers in circular motion on his temple, Zero grunted out a very simple, "You're annoying."
Then it began. The two had continued to spew insults back and forth over the phone for a good half an hour. It was like a game to them and for a good while, it seemed like it would never come to a close. But then Zero's stomach let out a growl that had his cheeks coloring pink.
Clearing his throat as Yuuki's giggle sounded in his ear, Zero quickly made up an excuse to get off the phone, "I have to go. Some people actually have to do things tomorrow."
She had let out an insulted huff at the jibe, but she let him go nonetheless, "Alright, bye Zero!"
With an unconscious light burning in his lilac hues, Zero said goodbye. But before he could hang up, she spoke again, "Oh um, and I love you…goodnight!"
Zero felt like his eyes were going to pop out of his skull. The three words, so innocent yet foreign, were echoing around inside his skull. Bouncing off the walls of his enclosed mind to tease his brain some more. Did she really just say that? His heart beat increased; his vision becoming sharper. What should have been happiness…morphed. His voice deepened into a tone of agitation, "Excuse me?"
A stutter became apparent in the girl's voice, "I… what's wrong? Friends say that to each other all the time…so I just thought…" Her voice trailed off and Zero wanted slap himself across the face. Thinking too much, that was his downfall. Pushing back the anger he felt with both hands, Zero tried to get a hold of his irrational feelings.
"Nothing, never mind." Closing his eyes, Zero went to repeat the phrase back to her, "I love—" A noise that signified his phone shutting off hit his ears. Blinking twice in shock, he stared at his suddenly black phone screen. Furrowing his brows in confusion, he clicked a button, only for it to remain dark. The battery died. But the last he checked, he had a damn near full charge. Frowning, Zero merely shrugged and tossed the blasted thing on his nightstand, rolling out of bed to head downstairs to get something to eat.
He'd worry about his phone later.
Stepping down the steps, two at a time, he made away his over to the kitchen at a relatively fast pace. He didn't stop to admire his new, yet distinctly familiar, surroundings. He just skittered past everything in favor of swinging open the fridge, the artificial light casting color over his pale face. Clicking his tongue, he roamed his gaze over the contents. There wasn't much to choose from, but Zero could care less at the moment. Demanding fingers shot out to grasp the nearest edible item, the cool flesh of a nectarine sending slithers of baby smooth pleasure over the trails and dips in his fingers. Bringing it to his lips, they parted in welcome, pearly white teeth slicing into its side, the skin breaking away for juice to squirt across the inside of his mouth. It was delicious, Zero acknowledged as his tongue lapped up the liquid that had escaped his cavern. With another bite into the fruit, the male backed away from the fridge as the light faded away behind the closing door.
For a second he just stood there, in the dark of the room. The only source of light was from a window adjacent to his position, moonlight bathing a section of the tiled floor with its brilliance. Zero was never the type to be afraid of the dark, in fact, the lack of his light was his domain, free from the stress of the day. So it came as a bit of a shock to him when he started feeling a bit creeped out. Standing in the black shades of the wall, Zero halfheartedly ate another piece of his snack. His mind was no longer focused on the taste, rather, he found himself resisting the urge to sprint up the stairs to his room.
It was like the longer he stood pliant, the louder the alarms went off in his head.
Get away. Get away. You have to get away.
His mind screamed at him, his chest tightening as his teeth ground the substance in his mouth to mush.
But from what…?
Shivering from something other than the cold, Zero swallowed the lump in his throat. His appetite was gone, with the cold water that splashed heavily in his face at the unmistakable sensation of being watched. Zero—as calmly as possible—placed his neglected, half eaten nectarine on the counter.
He took a deep breath.
Breathing In. Then out.
Then his legs were pulling him away from the kitchen at a steady pace, the hairs on the back of his neck standing at attention. He didn't look back, even as he passed the basement door and he felt his wind pipe fail him, he refused to turn around. His face was set in stone; he didn't feel anything. He didn't.
His bare feet thudded against the cool wood of the stairs, his legs pumping as he all but jogged up the stairs. Zero was a prisoner of his own need to escape. He didn't break away from his hasty movements, not even after he was in the safety of his own room. A light jog still heavy in his limbs, Zero practically launched onto his bed. His pretty face becoming hidden underneath the covers in two seconds.
He stayed there, buried under his blankets, like a two year old. And he didn't even know why; he didn't even want to think about it. His heart pounding in his ears.
Zero fell asleep like that, feeling the most vulnerable he ever has in his life.
In his dreamless state, he heard a voice, much like his own but younger, saying a name with complete and utter infatuation, "Kaname-kun!"
Shallow breaths that sounded like music to his ears, wrapped themselves around his presence. As if he had been summoned by the boy's breathing alone, he found himself wickedly amused where he stood.
There in front of him, hidden from his view in a bundle of rightfully placed fear, was his deepest obsession. Ten years, he had been deprived of it. Locked away in this desolate place.
A soft chuckle, rich like the darkest chocolate, swept through the air of the Kiryu household. Fingers, pristine white and sculpted from marble, slid out to dance along the rumples blankets crinkled at the ends created. The fabric had the texture of withered cotton, and the finger tips scraping among it flinched pleasantly. A mop of brown hovered over where his hand had traced, tendrils of dark hair brushing over the covers as the man took a deep breath.
The smell of lilacs and earth assaulted his superior senses, and he smiled. It was him. He was positive now. Kiryu-kun.
A wicked smile grew more prominent on the man's full lips, his wine colored orbs staring down at the lump in the bed. Peeling back the covers discreetly, his eyes mapped out the teen's face with vigor.
Beautiful, just as he was when he was just a child. The boy's silver locks still sparkled and fell into deep amethyst gems that now resembled stone. All the while still resembling his younger self, except now, the boy had lost all his baby fat, leaving a strong jawline and sharp features in its wake. Lips, enticingly full and cherry blossom pink, contradicted with his strong features of a man.
A hum of approval vibrated from the observer, his thick lashes hooding his eyes a tad as he leaned forward, a glint forming in his burning orbs. "It seems you don't remember me, Kiryu-kun."
The moonlight haired teen seemed to stiffen in his sleep and cool air fell from his mouth to breeze over the slumbering man's ear, "That will have to be remedied."
The body beneath him curled into itself, trembling softly.
Kaname loved it.
Author's Note: . . . That came out nothing like I initially planned. Whatever, this is chapter one, please review, follow, etc. Any feedback is welcome and is greatly appreciated.