Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Knight. If I did, chapter 24 would've been a LOT different.
He had never expected it, never thought that it would happen. But it had, and he had to accept it.
Zero was addicted to Yuuki.
He didn't know how or when it had happened, but it was undeniable; many would think it was just for her blood, but it ran deeper than that. So much deeper than that. When she smiled, especially for him, he felt this funny tingling in his chest. When she laughed, it was a deep, pure sound, and it made him relax.
He knew that she worried about him; knew that there were nights where she stayed up, worrying about the day that he would finally descend to becoming a Level E. That was why she gave herself so freely to him, why she allowed him to taint her with his darkness, because he was so selfish.
Yuuki had been made for happiness, had been made for smiles and laughter, and that was something he would never be able to give her. She, however, didn't seem to understand that. He wanted to, but he couldn't.
And yet, he continued to take and take from her, and she never put up any protest. Time after time, she would stare at him, inquire if he was hungry, and would lift up her hair, exposing her creamy neck to Zero's sights.
Something in him would stir, and despite the guilt eating him away inside, he would sink his fangs into her neck, hold her against him, one hand splayed across the small of her back while the other held the back of her head, holding it steady while he greedily sucked her life from her.
It was disconcerting, how badly Zero needed her.
He was a monster. He didn't deserve her.
Yuuki found Zero in his dorm, looking out the window, a pensive look on his face before he turned to face her, face carefully blank.
"Yuuki." He said, and she walked closer to him until she was kneeling on his bed, right across from him.
"Zero looks sad." She murmured softly, hand reaching up and cupping his cheek. "Is something wrong?"
He looked at her for a moment before looking away, successfully dislodging her hand from his face. "No. Go back to your dorm, Yuuki."
The girl ignored him, eyes searching his face. She knew he was thinking about that woman again, the one who had stolen his family from him, had robbed him of his innocence.
A sudden fear gripped her.
"Zero, are you thinking of leaving?" Zero whipped his head to face her, silver meeting brown.
"What?"
"Because of that woman being dead…" Yuuki bit her bottom lip and looked down, Zero staring at her the entire time. "I'm afraid you'll leave me."
Zero said nothing, continuing to watch her. Suddenly, her head jerked up, and she stared at Zero.
"If you need any more proof that you're supposed to stay here," Yuuki said softly, "then look at the alphabet."
Zero's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Yuuki's eyes were shining. "The last few letters in the alphabet. W, X, Y, and Z. Y and Z are right next to each other. Because Y needs Z, and would be really sad if Z ever left. They're supposed to be next to each other."
Without warning, Zero pulled Yuuki into his arms, holding her against him. "Zero…"
"Z doesn't have any plans of abandoning Y," he told her, and felt her smile against his neck. She pulled back slightly, then cupped his cheeks with her soft hands.
"Good." She whispered, eyes searching his.
It was just like that day where Zero had the dream that he had killed Yuuki, and they had almost kissed. He dropped his head, but one of Yuuki's hands moved down so that they were eye-to-eye.
"Please, stop pushing me away, and let me make my own decisions." She whispered, and leaned forward, lips meeting his.
And it was then that Zero knew…
Y needed Z just as bad as Z needed Y.
A/N- So, uhm, this was my first VK fic, and I'm rather pleased with it, but you tell me how you felt about it in a review.