Disclaimer : No, I don't own Vampire Knight.
A/N :
Yo! (:
Mm, I don't really know what to say, except a big "sorry" to those who know me. xD I mean, I never actually PLANNED to post this up until much later, but I was catching up on the, like, three chapters of VK that I missed, and I got so angry. Not that I don't usually get angry when reading VK, but that's not the point.
I felt like if I didn't post this up, I was going to break all the pencils in my house. And all the wooden chopsticks.
So I posted this up. Hurray~? OTL.
AND OH, LORD. Okay, I know that some people spell Zero's surname as "Kiryuu" or "Kiryu" and that others spell it as "Kiriyuu" and etc. There are just too many different versions swimming around, and I'm going to be honest. It pisses me off, 'cause I know I can't please everyone. I swear, someone's going to tell me I'm spelling his name wrong. BUT NSOBNOWEEW. Sorry, guys. Please just bear it. I go with the way I'm most comfortable using or spelling.
But other than that...
I hope you guys enjoy!
Heterochromia
CHAPTER ONE;
"Deeper Than You'd Think"
I crouched down, my untied and large black trench coat spreading out onto the floor around me as I did so. I frowned slightly as I watched the little boy in front of me cry, his hiccups wracking his petite body. He was so vulnerable, so defenceless. A child only three or four years old, and yet, he had to experience such a horrifying event. He held his fisted hands in front of his eyes as the tears fell rapidly down his golden-tanned cheeks, his nose dripping lightly.
"Don't cry," I murmured softly. Gently, I reached out and pulled his arms away from his face. His wide, innocent green eyes stared up at me, plagued with a fear that I knew came from the depths of his heart. He was young and he might not have completely understood what had happened, but it didn't mean his eyes didn't see what they saw, that his ears didn't hear what they heard. Wiping his cheeks to get rid of his tear trails and then pulling out a handkerchief from the pocket of my coat, I cleaned his face for him. Unfortunately, it seemed futile, as more and more tears fell down. "I'll talk you home to your parents, okay?"
"Mama and Papa?" the boy asked me, his wide tear-filled eyes staring up at me. Those jade orbs lit up at the sound of his beloved parents, and his voice held a tone of hopefulness that was more than just obvious.
Nodding, I smiled at him and then straightened out of my crouch before leaning down, my arms stretching out to gather the boy into my arms. He, too, raised his arms hopefully, wanting to be carried the same way his parents would always hold him. Easily lifting him into my arms, I lightly bumped my forehead with his, letting it rest there for a brief moment. "Smile, okay? Your parents wouldn't want to see you crying."
"No?" he questioned, a look of confusion on his face. When I shook my head at him, he blinked at me for a couple of short seconds before a smile curled up onto his young face, innocence and pureness radiating off of him in waves.
The sound of footsteps was heard, a familiar and unfamiliar presence making themselves known to me. I was already aware of who they were and what was going to happen next. However, I decided to ignore them for now, and I turned on my heels, wanting to find the boy's parents. I began walking around, my eyes peeled for anyone who might look like the boy. He, too, turned his head around in search for his parents.
Louder steps as they came closer and closer. They were moving fast—incredibly so. I didn't expect anything less. And then a familiar voice called out, sounding both urgent and incredulous. Hearing that slightly husky voice made my heart beat a harder thump, and a smile unconsciously pulled at my lips.
"Wait, Zero, that's—"
There was a click, and I felt the cool tip of a gun's barrel pressing against the back of my head. Though I knew what could happen if his finger pulled the trigger, there was no fear inside me. My stomach knotted, but not at what situation I was in, but in anticipation at the faces I knew I'd see if I turned around.
"What do you think you're doing?" His voice was smooth, deep but not yet a bass, and the words were spoken in a tone that was glacial. I could feel his eyes burning into the back of my head, and I could imagine what type of emotions were in those eyes—hatred, disgust, bloodlust.
The little boy took a peek over my shoulder at what was going on, noticing that I had stopped walking. His eyes widened upon seeing the gun and the men, and he instantly cowered. Burying his face into the crook of my neck, he gripped at the front of my jacket tightly, whimpering, "Nee-chan..."
"It's okay," I told him, holding him tightly. "He won't hurt you, I promise." Acting on habit, I reached up and lightly stroked his hair.
"Really?" the boy whispered, his small body still shaking.
"Yup!" I said brightly, reassuringly. I could feel the thumping of the boy's heart loud and clear, the scent of his blood wafting up towards my nose. Besides from the normal aching in my throat, there wasn't any desire for the child's blood, and I was clearly aware of why.
"Answer me," the freezing, yet somehow melodic voice of the male commanded. It was a grim voice, a solemn one, and I could hear the underlying sorrow that he tried so desperately to cover up.
Was it because I understood?
A different voice spoke this time. It was the mildly husky voice from earlier, deeper than the first by just a tad. It was rougher, more rugged, but not in a way that made him sound cruel or harsh. "Put the gun down, Zero. You're misunderstanding the situation entirely. Besides, you're scaring the kid. Look at him; he looks like he's going to cry all over again."
The gun didn't budge. "Tell me why I shouldn't pull the trigger."
"Because you're jumping to conclusions," the other male replied, sighing. "The gun, Zero. Put it away."
"You're too lenie—" Lavender eyes met my own as I turned my head just slightly to look at him over my shoulder, and his sentence broke off. Narrowed eyes full of revulsion, and then he muttered, "Your eyes..."
"Strange, aren't they?" I commented, my lips twisting up into an amused smile. I took in the sight of the man in front of me—soft strands of hair a beautiful shade of silver, falling into equally gorgeous amethyst eyes. Those eyes, though narrowed and holding such hateful emotions, held a lingering misery behind them so deep, I felt like I was drowning as I looked into them. His pale skin was flawless, stretching over sharp and angular features. His lips were pulled into a grimace, and he towered over me like a giant. Despite how he looked at me, I couldn't help but notice how he was one of the most gorgeous people I had ever seen in my life, vampire or not.
A man with wavy, messy tawny hair spoke. His hazel eyes were watchful, but the frown in them was evident. The scowl on his face matched the one in his voice, and he folded his arms across his chest. "You understand now, don't you, Zero?"
Slowly, reluctantly, Zero let his arm fall, the gun at his side. He didn't lift his finger off the trigger though, and I knew that he was just waiting for me to give him a reason to shoot. His eyes flickered to his former pupil-mate, and then darted to land on me. "A Tashiro," he muttered, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as he looked at me.
I opened my mouth to speak, but the other male interrupted before a word could leave my lips. With a grim voice, he asked, "What are you doing here, Ivy?"
Turning to look at him, I grinned at him teasingly. "It's been a year, Kaito, and that's how you say hi?"
Those hazel eyes narrowed. "Ivy—"
"Yoshito? Yoshito!" a woman's desperate shouting caught our attention. She had tears running down her face, and she was definitely very pretty despite her age. Her voice, choked and hoarse, called out the same name over and over again. Her short hair was messy, panic clear in her features.
"Mama!" the child in my arms exclaimed, sounding relieved and excited. The most amazing smile appeared on his face, and he looked up at me with enthusiasm, pointing at the woman. "Nee-chan, it's Mama!"
"Then off we go to meet your mama!" I glanced over at them briefly before I hastily made my way over to the woman, who met me halfway upon hearing her son's cry. I noticed, before I had turned away from them, that the only reason Zero didn't have a grip on me to make sure I didn't run away was because Kaito had clutched his arm in a restraining manner.
"Thank you," the woman sobbed as she took him from me. His warmth disappeared, and I missed it immediately. Although it wasn't extremely cold during this time of year, I still enjoyed the heat that he had provided. It reminded of me of what it felt like to hold Arashi. My mind immediately flashed to him, my heart hurting as the feeling of hollowness invaded me. I wanted to see them again, even though it had only been a month since I had left.
Shaking my head, I smiled at them. "No, you don't need to thank me."
The woman, still hugging Yoshito close to her, grabbed one of my hands with her spare one. "Thank you, thank you, thank you. I don't know how I can possible repay you, young lady."
A soft breeze blew by, and I brushed away the strands of dark auburn that got in my face. The wind was blowing south, which was thankfully in the opposite direction of the dark alley where many vampires liked to gather.
"How about getting some safely, if you want to repay me?" I grinned at her brightly. "I'd rather you get home with your family than get another sort of compensation." I didn't allow her to respond as I looked at Yoshito. "It's dangerous at night, so don't go wandering around, okay? This applies to you as well, ma'am."
"Yes," she nodded, the gratitude and relief still in her eyes. "Thank you again. I'll keep your words in mind, definitely."
After a few more pleasantries and a hug from Yoshito, I watched their retreating backs as they hurried west, back to where I assumed the father would still be shouting the name of his child, frantically trying to find him. They disappeared from my sight quickly, despite having enhanced senses.
With the duo gone, I pivoted on my heels and clasped my hands behind my back as I made my way back towards where the two vampire hunters had been scrutinizing my every move. I blinked at the two of them, noticing how similar their expressions were on the outside, and how different they must have been feeling on the inside.
My eyes lingered on the silver-haired vampire hunter, taking in the straight strands and the way he didn't seem to relax. His eyes were tight and cold, but underneath it all, there was sorrow. A deep, deep sorrow. It made me feel like I was looking into a pool of endless despair—it was depressing.
"What?" he asked in a cool voice, his eyes meeting mine.
"Nothing," I brushed off his question, letting my eyes fall from his face. I definitely wasn't going to tell him what I had been thinking, and who I had been comparing him to in the back of my mind. So alike, yet so different...
"You're not answering my question from earlier, Ivy," Kaito's eyes met mine squarely. "What are you doing here?"
My response was light and quick. "The Association sent me, of course. I'm excited to attend Cross Academy, to be honest. I can't imagine you acting as a student teacher, Kaito. How are you dealing with your fans?"
"Don't joke around," he responded. Everything about him was solemn. "We got a notice they were sending someone, but why you? And why is it just you?"
I blinked. "Are you sure that we should be talking about this here?" Although it was eight-thirty in the evening, quite a number of people were still roaming the streets. People chattered and laughed as they passed us.
A group of girls from a public school in this town giggled and whispered as they slowly walked by us, the objects of their gossip being the two men in front of me. Their eyes lingered on the tall pair, and I couldn't help but laugh softly at it. I had no doubt that if I had been a regular girl living a regular life, I would've been the same as they were if I saw someone as breathtaking as Zero or Kaito.
It was obvious that Kaito hated how I was right. "Let's go inside." He began heading back towards the apartment complex that I had originally been waiting at, but he paused briefly as he placed a hand on my head, ruffling my hair just as he passed. "You didn't grow taller at all, Ivy."
For a moment, I was stunned. I wasn't sure whether to be angry at how he was acting so familiar with me, to be offended that he was making another jab at my height, or to be happy because it felt like nothing changed between the two of us. By the time I was out of my stupor and was chasing after them, their two broad backs had already disappeared into the apartment. I stayed outside the building for another moment to compose my thoughts before realizing it really shouldn't even matter, and then scurried inside to catch up with them. Although they weren't there, I knew that they were climbing the stairs.
When I had reached the third floor, where their footsteps had stopped, I blinked at the hallway I was in. It was just like the others—soft beige walls, dark emerald carpeting, subtly elegant lights attached to the walls that gave off a dim glow, and apartment doors made of what seemed like walnut. Number plates were next to the doors on the wall.
Remembering how long Kaito's footsteps travelled and also catching their scents, I made my way down the hall until I reached the third-last door, which was opened slightly. It allowed the scent of the trio inside to radiate towards me. There was silence behind the doors, and I wondered what kind of expressions they all had on.
Even though I knew they were all waiting for my entrance, I still knocked slightly on the door. A heartbeat, two, and then a sigh. Zero's unhappy and unwilling voice answered, "Come in."
"Sorry for the intrusion," I piped, smiling as I pushed the door open wider to let myself in. I blinked as I looked around the room, taking notice of how it was relatively empty. It didn't give off a welcoming feeling, but it wasn't a room that seemed to tell the world to get out, either. The scent of Zero filled the room entirely, and it hit me in full force as I entered.
Kaito was sitting on a chair at the foot of the bed, leaning his forearms against his knees. Zero, on the other hand, sat on the bed with his back against the wall. One of his legs had been pulled halfway up to his chest, his arm resting on it, while his other leg was spread out in front of him. The third person in the room, who had been standing at the window next to the bed, greeted me instantly.
"Ivy-chan!" I saw a trail of straw-coloured hair behind a tall frame, and then I felt strong arms wrapping around me in a warm embrace. The older man lifted me easily off the ground, and I let out a small yelp of surprise, instantly wrapping my arms around his neck, before laughing as he twirled me around. "It's been so long. I'm so glad to see you again!"
"I saw you two days ago!" I exclaimed, though my voice held no objection to it. After another twirl around, Kaien set me down onto the floor. His eyes were sparkling as he looked at me, his carefree and fatherly aura surrounding him like a cape.
Kaien waved that fact off dismissively. Beaming, he said, "I see that you've reunited with Kaito-kun and Kiriyuu-kun once again."
Nodding, I smiled, opening my mouth to respond. Zero's cold, impassive voice intervened before I could say anything, though. "We didn't 'reunite'."
The meaning behind his words made Kaien blink at the silver-haired male, and then his light eyes turned down to look at me. I gave him an almost nonexistent shake of the head, and I saw the emotion that flickered in his eyes before he composed himself.
"Of course," Kaien agreed. Correcting himself, he looked down at me. "Well, in any case, I see that you've met Kiriyuu-kun."
"Yup," I agreed. I whirled around to face the male with the most gorgeous lilac eyes I had ever seen, though they held such horrible emotions in them. "I realized I never formally introduced myself—I'm Tashiro Kaori. I've always wanted to meet you, and I'm so glad that I finally got the chance. You've had the Association roaring for quite some time now." I had bowed ninety degrees while introducing myself, and upon finishing my sentence, I straightened myself out. I beamed brightly at him, though he looked at me with hatred burning in his eyes.
His eyes locked with mine. "How is it that you, a vampire, is still holding the Tashiro name?"
A pain hit me in the chest, and the smile I had on my face dimmed down a notch.
"Kiryuu-kun! Don't say such a cruel thing!" Kaien chided, also hearing the implications behind what Zero had said.
"No, it's okay. It's surprising, isn't it? The fact that I'm alive is something that shocked many people, and to think that I haven't been disowned yet..." I shook my head as I looked at him. "It's something I still don't quite understand."
Kaito's voice rang out in the room, despite the quietness he spoke with. "The Tashiro family... One of the highest possible clans when it comes to vampire hunters. It's ironic, I suppose. But you should know, Ivy, just as well as I do why you're still here."
"Do I?" I murmured softly, thinking back to what had happened, five years ago. It was obvious that Kaito didn't know the full story, as nobody outside of the Tashiro family did. My eyes wandered to Kaien, however, and then I remembered that he had also been there when it occurred. The Tashiro family and Kaien. The only people who knew what really happened.
Kaito's eyes narrowed. "What—"
"I'm surprised that you knew right away, though," I interrupted Kaito, addressing Zero. I blinked my eyes at him. "The eyes gave me away, didn't they?"
"Don't joke with me," Zero responded, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Lydia doesn't have the same eyes," I told him, keeping the smile on my face despite the way he looked at me. Thinking of my older sister made my heart hurt—how was she doing? Was she still causing havoc everywhere she went? "She hates how she doesn't, though. She thinks it's a disappointment."
The look in his eyes told me that he clearly didn't care what my sister thought. Ignoring what I had said, he pointed out, "Your name isn't Ivy."
"Ivy is—"
"A nickname that the people who grew up with her gave her, due to the situations in which we found her," Kaito interrupted Kaien, not wanting to hear the older man's long rant. "It's become a habit, and it caught on with many others."
Kaien pouted at the younger man with wavy hair. "That was cruel, Kaito-kun. I wanted to tell Kiriyuu-kun the full story!"
"Save it for another time," Kaito retorted, a scowl on his face. "We aren't here to discuss names."
"Right," I approved. I looked at Kaien over my shoulder, then at Kaito, and finally my eyes rested on the vampire hunter in front of me. Beaming, I rocked back lightly on her heels. "I'll be in all your hands soon, so I hope that you all take good care of me."
Kaien's expression mirrored mine. "I will take amazing care of you indefinitely, Ivy-chan! To think that you'd be attending my school, it makes me so happy to think about! I'm so proud of you!"
"What class are you going to be in?" Zero's eyes were dark. "Night or Day?"
"Night, of course," I responded immediately. "Though I'll probably be wandering around during the day as well. Is that okay, Kaien? I mean, I know that it's a rule for students to always stay in their respective dorms until classes start, but—"
Kaien finished the sentence off for me, a small and understanding smile on his face. "But you're a special case, just like Kiriyuu-kun. I'm sure that since it's you, Ivy-chan, it'll be fine. Besides, I'm sure that you're a vampire hunter before a student, correct? I just hope that my lovely Day Class students won't cause too much of a racket if they see you during the day."
"Why," Kaito started with a scowl, "do you need to be in the Night Class? Ivy, do you understand your situation? The Association should never have sent you."
"And why not?" I turned around to face the man I had known for all my life. His body was tense, his eyes igniting with a fire. It was clear that he was angry and agitated, but his voice was still calm when he spoke. In a way, that was what made it seem more frightening.
Darkening hazel eyes met my own topaz and forest ones, his gaze unwavering. "Are you trying to stir trouble? You could get yourself killed. Don't Lydia and Satoshi know about this?"
My gaze, too, didn't falter. "I trust you, as well as my friends and comrades around me. I'm sure that Lydia and Satoshi do, too. Don't take me so lightly, Kaito. I'm not a child anymore." Was that how he still saw me? I supposed that, in a way, it was unavoidable. After all, growing up together had its advantages as well as disadvantages.
"Don't be naive, Ivy." His eyes narrowed. "I'm starting to wonder if you know what being here and going to Cross Academy means."
"I can take care of myself," I protested. The smile that had been on my face just minutes ago had faded entirely, and I stared at Kaito with a fierce look.
His fists clenched together. "Do you hear what you're saying? It's almost as if you're forgetting just what your illness is. The mere fact that you even thought about joining the Night Class is ridiculous. To think that they sent you—"
"It'll be problematic is what you're saying," I interrupted him. My lips pressed tightly together for a moment, and then I shook my head. It stung to voice aloud the man's thoughts, but I knew that it was true. "You don't understand, Kaito. I think it's precisely because of my illness that I was the one who was assigned this job. Tell me—who else could do a better job of it? My illness is what allows me to do this job better than anyone else."
"And what happens when one of them loses control?" the older man demanded, his voice still calm, yet he was livid. "What will you do then? I'm not going to be around you all the time, Ivy—especially if you choose to be in the Night Class."
Kaien's indignant voice broke into our conversation, and he huffed at the vampire hunter with the hazel eyes. "Give a little more credit to my adorable Night Class students, would you? They are well-behaved and respectable young men and women!"
Kaito's fuming eyes lifted to meet the older man's. "And you're willing to take that chance?" he asked lowly. "One wrong move and she's dead."
"Don't say something so sad, Kaito," I mumbled, sighing. I ran a hand through my hair. "Yagari is the teacher for the Night Class, isn't he? I won't be alone. Besides, Zero's a prefect, right? He'll be patrolling around, making sure that there's no trouble. I believe that, if it comes down to it, Zero will be there to help me out."
"He's got other stuff to do," Kaito argued. "Don't just go around putting burdens on everyone, Ivy. We can't take care of you all the time. Depending on Zero so easily when you've just met him—what makes you think he won't shoot your head off?"
I blinked, and then looked over my shoulder at the lavender-eyed male. His eyes met mine, and I could see it all in his eyes. The hatred, the mistrust, the bloodlust. I knew that he wanted to do nothing more than take out his Bloody Rose from the inside pocket of his jacket and shoot me with it, despite knowing that I was still a legit part of the Association.
Yet, reflected in his eyes was also what was in his soul. And I could see, very clearly, that he was a man of duty. He wouldn't abandon a comrade, even if it was a comrade bound to him only by vague alliance.
A smile curled up on my face as I turned back to Kaito. "Zero isn't heartless, Kaito. Don't be so mean." I glanced at him over my shoulder again, and grinned. "Sorry, Zero, but I'll be depending on you from now on. Please take care of me."
"Don't go deciding that stuff on your own," he retorted, his features twisting into a deeper scowl.
I laughed. "But when it comes down to it, you know that you won't be able to resist being the knight." I beamed at them. Remembering something significant, I turned to address Kaien. "I don't in particularly want to live in the Moon Dorms, though. I was wondering, Kaien, if it's not too much trouble, could I stay in the abandoned dorm? The one that the Night Class stayed in temporarily when the Moon Dorms were still being built?"
Nodding his head, Kaien let out a soft chuckle. "That's probably for the best. I wasn't going to let you stay in the Moon Dorms anyways."
"Thank you so much." Turning to Kaito, I inquired, "Are you more relieved now?"
"To have you all alone in a huge dorm isolated from the rest of the population? Not in the least," he scoffed.
My eyebrows furrowed slightly as I caught onto his train of thought. "Don't tell me this means you're—"
"Headmaster." He ignored what I was saying, turning to speak to Kaien with a solemn look. They exchanged knowing glances, and Kaien nodded his head in understanding.
"How about you, Kiriyuu-kun?" Kaien let his eyes fall onto his self-proclaimed son. The affection that was in Kaien's eyes was so obvious, so strong. He looked at Zero as if he was looking at his own flesh and blood. The bond that they had between the two of them—the trust—was so unbelievable. I felt a smile curl onto my face unconsciously as I thought about it. It was nice, knowing that such relationships actually existed.
Zero turned his head away from Kaien's eyes. "No."
"You won't be living in the Sun Dorms," the headmaster negotiated. "You'll have a lot more privacy than that in the empty dorm. After all, it'll just be the three of you in such a big dorm. You could all be on different floors, if that makes it any better. Since the Night Class has returned, you've been doing your prefect duties just like usual, but you hardly get back to this apartment until extremely early morning. It's not good for your health."
"Living on school grounds is even more bothersome," shot back the young male. "I go to school by day and hunt vampires by night as the Association wishes. The vampires that I hunt are located here, in the town or the surrounding area, not in the academy."
Kaien shook his head softly. "You know just as well as I do that the Association will send you a new mission—and that mission will be to uphold your duties as a prefect at the academy. Not only is it merely one Pureblood who is now in the Night Class, but three. The Association won't want to take any risks. The chances that you'll get assigned to go on any hunts while the Night Class is established is rare."
"It's your job as a prefect to keep the humans in the Day Class safe," Kaito added. "Your shifts are going to interfere with your hunts. It's more convenient for everyone if you move into the dorm."
"It'll be fun," I chimed in, beaming at the scowling vampire. "If you want, we can invite in Yagari. It'll be like our own little headquarters. Besides, it's best if we all stick together in case something doeshappen." I highly doubted that any vampire would be stupid enough to charge into a dorm that contained three or four vampire hunters—especially not when Zero or Yagari would be there.
"Kiriyuu-kun—"
Kaien's voice faltered and stopped as Zero reached over and swiped a small black packet off the bedside table. Tilting his head back and placing the box above his slightly opened mouth, Zero flicked the box open easily, letting numerous blood tablets fall. When the last one dropped, Zero closed his mouth, tossing the empty square packet away. He didn't even look to assess the distance between himself and the barrage can or to angle his aim, but the garbage had gone in swiftly, smoothly.
Reaching into the pocket of my trench coat, I pulled out a new, unopened packet, though mine were white with a pale blue design instead of his, which had been black with a red design. They were the same thing, really, it was just a matter of having it blend in with your everyday items more easily. I tossed it towards him, and it landed on the edge of the bed before sliding along the sheets, eventually stopping at his hip.
"I don't need it," he half-growled. His hands were clenched, and he glared at me through the stands of hair that fell into his eyes.
"Take it anyways," I told him. "I have another pack." As if to prove to him that I wasn't giving an excuse to hand over all my tablets and then go on a blood craze, I whipped out another white box, identical to the one I had given him, and shook it so he could hear that it was three-quarters full.
His long and slender fingers picked the packet up, and he threw it back at me. Seeing it coming, I didn't even flinch as I lifted a hand up in front of my face, catching the palm-sized square easily. "I said that I don't need it."
"Is that what you really think?" My tone was unconvinced. I had heard from Kaien two days prior to this situation right now that Zero was low on blood tablets, and that he had ordered more, though they wouldn't be coming for another couple of days. To think that the violet-eyed man could lie so easily, so expressionlessly, I wondered if it was because of what he had gone through, or if it was merely because it had been my tablets.
"Yes," he grunted in annoyance. Turning back to Kaien, he brought the subject back to our area of living once again. "Is it an order?"
Kaien's eyes were soft, his voice a murmur. "No, Kiriyuu-kun. It's really your choice what you want to do." There was a pause. "But it's what I personally think would be the best option."
Flatly, Zero said, "Fine."
"Thank you," I told him, my lips curling upwards.
"For what?" His eyebrows furrowed slightly as he analyzed me, his lips pulling into a frown.
Shaking my head, I could feel my loosely curled hair following the motion. "It might sound stupid, but I suppose I'm saying thanks for joining us in the dorm. Even though you don't like me, you're still willing to put you duties ahead of your feelings. It's admirable."
He scoffed at me. "I don't want to hear such words from you."
"Does it revolt you?" I asked him lightly, interested but trying not to show it. I observed how his eyes hardened and his fists clenched, his jaw tightening. I hadn't ever seen Zero at the Association, but that was most likely because I didn't return there very often. He was such an intriguing person, though.
"It's none of your concern," he said civilly, though his eyes said something entirely different.
"Right," I settled, smiling. Looking out the window, I took notice of how the sky had darkened now. Although so little words had been exchanged between the four of us, so much still unknown or misunderstood, the time had flown by despite all that. The moon grinned brightly at me from above, looking down on me with beauty that seemed mocking. The stars didn't sparkle through the mist of black even though they were desperately trying to.
My eyes fell from the sky onto the glass of the window, where my own reflection stared back at me. The same hair, the same features, the same eyes. It would always be the same, wouldn't it?
I didn't want to stay in Zero's room for much longer. Although I hadn't been lying when I said that I was extremely pleased to meet him, I didn't want to force him into such a tense position, especially when we were all at his home. His guard had been up the entire time we had been in here, his body stiff and rigid, his eyes watchful and cautious. He was trying so desperately to protect those around him—protect them from me.
It was unfair.
Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh and turned away from the window, breaking away from my reverie. "I should go," I told the silent room cheerfully, trying to keep the enthusiasm in my voice.
"So soon?" Kaien inquired. "I was hoping to spend more time with you, Ivy-chan. After all, we haven't sat down together and had tea in quite a while."
"Sorry," I told him sincerely. I had missed those, too. How long had it been? "Let's have one of those tomorrow, if you have time. I'll come by in the day and pick up my uniform while I'm at it."
His lips pulled upwards. "Of course I have time for you, Ivy-chan! Come by whenever you see fit. I'll be waiting in my office all day for you to arrive!"
I laughed. "Please don't trouble yourself like that. But I really will drop by, if not for the talk and tea, then for my uniform."
"Like I said, I'll definitely be waiting for you." Kaien was so animated, he was like a child. He hugged me tightly. "Where will you be off to?"
"There's a Level E I've been assigned to kill," I notified them. "According to the reports, he should be out at this time, near the vampire pub. Even though I'll be attending Cross Academy, I'll probably have to leave often for missions. I'm sorry."
Kaien shook his head. "Please, don't say that, Ivy-chan! I must say, however, that I'm surprised the Association will still be giving you missions despite the huge one they have already assigned you."
"That one takes priority, of course," I murmured. I tried not to think about it. "But you know how it is, don't you, Kaien? The vampires who were waiting for some big fall-apart from the Purebloods are still angry and have been more hostile lately, since it didn't happen. The chance that they'd been waiting for had disappeared."
Nodding, Kaien knew what I was talking about. "I just hope it won't escalate into anything bigger than what it already is."
"Don't worry," I reassured him, "I'm sure that it'll be fine."
"I hope so," he sighed quietly. Looking at me seriously, he asked, "Do you need me to accompany you?"
Instantly, my hands came up to wave in front of my shaking head, emphasizing my point. "No, no! It's okay, really." Stopping my movements, I grinned up at his worried eyes. "All the adults are working really, really hard at the Association. It inspires the young ones to work their hardest, too. So don't trouble yourself with me—I really can take care of myself."
"You're not going alone," Kaito grunted. He got up from the chair he had been sitting on, his tall frame helping to fill up the space in the minimally-furnished room. Straightening himself out, he grabbed his coat from the back of the chair, slipping it on easily. "'I can take care of myself' my ass. You can't handle anything on your own at all."
I couldn't help the way my lips pressed together as I eyed him. "You don't need to play babysitter, Kaito. No need to get so protective, after you've been gone for a year." It came out more rigid than I had intended, and I knew from the way Kaito tensed slightly that he understood how I felt about the subject.
"I was busy." His eyes tried to meet mine, but I avoided his gaze.
"Yeah, I know." Dropping the subject, I turned to Kaien and Zero. "Well, I'll be going now. Thank you, Zero, for letting me into your home. And thank you as well, Kaien. I'm looking forward to seeing you two tomorrow." My lips pulled upwards when I met the vigilant eyes of the future President, almost as if I felt like by smiling, it would balance out his hate.
Kaien gave me another tight, but short hug. He waved away my gratitude afterwards, and said, "Be careful, Ivy-chan! You as well, Kaito-kun."
"I'll make sure she doesn't choke up," Kaito muttered his reassurance to the older man, heading out. He pulled open the door that led back into the hallway of the old apartment complex and stepped out, his long and untied dark grey trench coat flowing delicately behind him.
I followed his lead, approaching the apartment door. Reaching into my pocket, I once again pulled out the brand new box of tablets. Not looking, I threw it over my shoulder. There was a soft thud and the sound of the tablets rattling inside as the box hit the desk. Their gazes burned into the back of my head, and upon reading the opened doorway, I lifted a hand over my shoulder in what could be considered a wave. Still not sparing the duo a glance, I left the room after Kaito, making sure to shut the door behind me.
Kaito wasn't waiting for me out in the hallway, and I hurried as I made my way towards the front entrance of the apartment compound. Opening one of the wide double doors, I didn't hesitate in punching the back of the man's broad shoulder.
"What was that for?" Kaito demanded, scowling at me deeply. His hand reached up to rub the spot I had hit.
"I don't choke up," I mumbled, my feet moving towards the pub. The cold night air seeped in through my trench coat, kissing my skin sinisterly. At this time, the town was silent. Although a few windows were lit from the inside, there weren't any humans wandering around. An occasional car would fly by, but other than that, the town had fallen into a hush.
Kaito sighed, not saying anything as he caught up with me. Falling into a familiar stride, the two of us kept silent as we headed towards our destination. I was sure that Kaito, too, had a vampire he needed to exterminate.
Our senses were perked, our eyes taking in everything that they needed to. Awareness flooded my entire being, trying to pick up on anything that would warn me of a vampire or of a threat.
When, after a minute or two of absolute stillness had passed, I spoke. "He doesn't remember at all."
"Did you expect him to?"
Slowly, I shook my head. "I guess not."
"Liar," he said. He didn't even look at me as he continued. "You thought that he'd remember just like how Ichiru remembered."
A small, half-hearted smile crossed my face. A pang of pain hit me in the chest, and I swallowed upon remembering the younger Kiriyuu twin. I had been informed of his death last year, and I had visited his grave, but I hadn't gone for a second time. I was looking for the right time, but could never seem to find the right moment. Thinking of him, I bowed my head slightly as tears threatened to fall. Automatically, my hand reached up to clutch at the small, square gem that hung directly below a thin silver plate that had a single word engraved onto it. The gem was attached to the original necklace by two delicate, intricate silver chains that latched onto either ends of the plate.
Softly, a hand was placed on the top of my head. My heart twisted in my chest at the gesture. Kaito muttered softly, "You still cry over him? It's been a year."
"He was kind," I whispered, remembering all those times that the silver-haired male had visited me, and all those times he had stayed with me for hours and hours, listening to me talk about nothing that really even mattered.
"He wanted to kill Zero," Kaito reminded me.
"He loved him," I murmured softly. "I'm sure he still does." I blinked hard, pushing back the new wave of tears that wanted to come out. "I miss him, Kaito."
The wavy-haired male glanced down briefly. "You're not the only one."
"You're right," I agreed softly. Automatically, my mind flashed to the older of the twins, the one that held such tortured eyes. "They really look different."
"Are you upset that he doesn't remember?" Kaito asked after a moment of silence. We were almost at the pub, the glow that came out of the windows of the building were dim. Seeing the place, despite being quite far away, instinctively got us putting our guards up. The wind blew, sending their scents towards us, and I could smell all the vampires that were in the area. Mixing up with that was the smell of beer and blood.
Not seeing a reason to lie, I admitted, "Just a bit." I let out a sigh. "But I guess it's normal. It was just that once, and it had been relatively brief. It was so many years ago, too."
Kaito didn't look like he was going to respond, but then he opened his mouth. "Ask him, if you're bothered by it."
I let out a small laugh, our footsteps halting before we even reached the pub. Although I was aware of the vampire that was watching us, I couldn't help but think that it had been such a Kaito-like thing to say. He gave me a warning glance, his eyes scolding me to not let my guard down, no matter how easy I would think it'd be.
Hungry eyes slid between the two of us, and I tilted my head up slightly to catch a glimpse of the crouching figure on the top of a lamppost. Eyes that glowed a bright crimson stared back at me, but it was clear that the Level E wasn't as interested in Kaito's blood as it was for mine.
"Give me it," he hissed out. Drool fell in large quantities from his agape mouth. The razor-sharp fangs, pointed and protruding, glinted like metal as the moonlight hit them. Dressed up in dirty, but normal civilian clothing, he looked like he was ready to run around the world for even a drop of human blood.
Hearing the sound of fabric on fabric, I didn't look at Kaito. "I can take care of him."
There was a pause in the sounds, and then they resumed. "Ivy."
A sigh escaped my lips. "Fine." It wasn't something that didn't happen all the time, but it still bothered me slightly. When I went out on missions with family or other hunters, they always had their weapons out, ready to back me up if I ever messed up. Admittedly, it had saved my life before, but it was almost as if they doubted I could stay as an independent hunter.
Impatiently, the Level E shrilled, "Give me your blood! Your blood, so sweet and so delicious... So sweet... Give it to me!" Without an ounce of hesitation, the Level E didn't seem to care he was charging at two vampire hunters. His feet had barely even made contact with the concrete before he lunged towards me.
I didn't even blink.
A soft tinkle, which was followed by a flash of white, black, and silver, and then the colours disappeared as quickly as they had come.
And then all that was left was a pile of dust at my feet, the particles lightly getting swept up in the wind as our footsteps once again resounded through the night.
A/N :
And... Yeah, that concludes the first chapter. I'm not gonna lie; I don't think that I'll finish the second chapter by Christmas. OTL. So I'll tell everyone's who actually read this chapter to have an amazing Christmas full of happiness and love! And don't party too hard, you guys. HAHA.
Mm, reviews are appreciated. I'd love to hear your thoughts on the chapter, whether it be about how much you loved it, hated it, or just some constructive criticism is fine, too.
So, yeah... Please review! HAHA. It'll help me get the ball rolling on this story. (:
Love,
-EverlastingxSong-