Eternal Bond

~o~

White snow.

Sixteen year old Yuuki lay sprawled out in the soft sparkling snow in her puffy pink jacket. Her shoulder-length chocolate-brown hair was buried beneath a thin layer of snowflakes, her cheeks rosy from the cold and her breath coming in white puffs in front of her. Her red and pink striped hat was pulled over her eyes and her long legs, covered in black cotton leggings, were open and spread apart as she let the cold air blow over her petite body.

Students had gone home to escape the cold weather, most likely sitting in front of fireplaces wrapped in incredibly warm clothes. They'd be spending time with their families, the room in their house little to none due to relatives coming over for the holidays. Yeah, Yuuki thought as she looked to the side, drawing little figures in the soft white crystals. Who'd want to squeeze through doors filled with your family members only to be squished more at the kitchen table, or on the couch? Who… Who'd want that?

Her – mouthed – words came out in puffs in the cool winter air, and she sat up slowly. Snowflakes fell from her soft brown locks, and she tugged her jacket tighter, keeping in what little body heat she had left. She'd been out for hours it felt like – her legs were icy and her arms surely had little goose bumps – but she didn't care; she'd rather be frozen in time.

Footsteps crunched in the snow but Yuuki didn't look at the figure. Her body was completely numb, as were her emotions. Her cheeks felt like they had a thin layer of ice on them; had she been crying? Is that why her skin felt like that, so tight? She closed her eyes and continued to sit up before looking in front of her at the silver-haired boy she adored so much.

"Yuuki, you're going to get sick if you don't get inside…" his smooth baritone voice whooshed into her ear, carried with the winter wind, and she gave him a small smile as she visibly shivered, her teeth chattering. Zero frowned and walked over to help her walk, wrapping an arm around her back to keep her steady. She said something under her breath, but the silver-haired vampire didn't hear it. Or, if he did, he simply pushed it aside until he got her inside; she was surely freezing.

"Yeah…" once they got to the door of the Headmaster's private villa, Yuuki turned to Zero, fresh tears brewing in the pit of her stomach, clouding her vision and burning her chest. Zero's arm fell to the girl's waist, but she didn't mind. Her shoulders shook violently as another winter chill swept their hair in their faces. "Zero, do you think my parents know I'm here? Or that I'm alive?"

The Level D's frown had already surfaced, but he tried his best to be comforting by moving the hand from her waist up to her head, rubbing her head affectionately. "Yuuki, I'm sure they're out there. But you have to remember, things happen for a reason, for the better." He was right; all she'd been thinking about since the first Winter snow the past week was if her family was seeing it, too. With a nod, he opened the door and practically pushed her inside.

-x-

Once Yuuki was seated in front of the fire, Zero felt he could start the preparations for their dinner. The Headmaster, as part of the Hunter's Association – whether he liked it or not – attended several meetings between what he knew best and the ones that challenged everything he strived for. Knowing it would be difficult albeit possible to dissuade the Senate, he bid his farewell the previous evening and promised his return sometime the next week. This left the two teenage friends home alone.

Zero never once denied his devotion and loyalty for Yuuki. Since he heard the sweetness in Yuuki's voice, he knew he loved her. It only made it harder he couldn't have her, because she was Kaname's property. At least that's how he viewed it. And I could never steal what isn't mine to start with.

The skillet sizzled as he dropped the butter into it, melting on impact, the salty smell wafting into the fair-haired vampires face. He loved cooking, at least when everything turned out right. His food was much preferred to the Headmaster's… concoctions. At least his had flavor, compared to the blandness of Headmaster Cross's recipes.

The recipe book was open to Yuuki's favorite treat, which would be dessert: a fruit parfait made especially by Zero's hands. He'd picked up all of her favorite fruits and yogurt the following day while supposedly on a mission, so Yuuki didn't question why he left without inviting her. As he dropped the bag of shrimp into the pan and turned down the heat a bit, he heard sniffling in the next room over and turned halfway to look at the door, lavender eyes scanning his surroundings. He turned back to the skillet and heard nothing.

However, seconds later as he stirred in some olive oil, parsley and a bit of salt, he felt two arms wrap around his middle and tears soak his long-sleeve shirt. He stopped his movements, not wanting the girl to move where she was, but instead half turned and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She adjusted, laying her head on his chest, tears falling onto the floor.

Because of his heightened senses, Zero didn't even have to pay much attention to the moisture on the back of his shirt to be able to tell she was crying. "Yuuki, what's wrong?"

At first, there was no answer. Just silence, and sniffling. But when he did get an answer, he felt his heart break. "Do you think… my parents didn't want me? Is that why I live here, and not with them?"

His heart, half-mended thanks to Yuuki's and Headmaster Cross's constant care and love, shattered once more. Turning of the heat, Zero moved one hand to her back and the other on her head, pressing his lips into her hair. "C'mon, be realistic," at first, it sounded almost scolding, and Yuuki sucked in a shaky breath. "Who wouldn't want you?"

Yuuki didn't know the full truth behind Zero's words, but she was thankful that he said that. She never would've been scooped up into her closest, dearest friend's arms and brought over to the couch. When they got there, she was placed beside him as he wrapped a blanket around her. "You do, too?" her voice was small, shaky, squeaky. Shit, she's going to cry again… "You want me, too?"

"Of course I do…" he adjusted himself so that he had one knee bent upward, the other half-hanging off the couch. He pat his flat stomach, and Yuuki took no time oblige as she lay her head on his chest. He crossed his bent leg over his other as it flattened on the couch, and the petite brunette used his thigh to rest her bottom on. "It's like I said. Who wouldn't want you?"

It wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep, Zero's fingers combing through her hair to relax her.

I want you… more than anything else.

Hi!

I... am seriously back into this series. And this is a possible Work-in-Progress... I haven't completely decided, which is why it will remain ongoing until further notice. Basically, I wanted this to be a Christmas, slight A/U from Guilty, Zero and Yuuki slowly get together fic. I've had this idea for a couple of weeks now~

The quality (NOT the quantity) of reviews is what will determine continuation of this, so please send me your thoughts and constructive criticism. I swear, I don't bite.

(Zero does, though. -SHOT-)

~Cookie

PS : I don't own Vampire Knight or the characters associated with it. If I did, the series wouldn't be a short 26 episodes and Zero and Yuuki would be canon already. (There's hope, though! Kaname's temporarily OUT OF THE PICTURE. Let's keep it that way~ ;D)