-Devotion-

~disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight…it belongs to Hino Matsuri-sama...

~random notes(?): A new story yet again. This is an attempt to get my Muses back into writing again, since I got demotivated when my updates for my other stories got erased…it's really frustrating, I tell ya. All the hours spent writing gone kaput on a mere second. *sighs* Anyways, I hope you guys would like this ficcy. I know it's a bit cliché, but I simply cannot bring myself not to write it. Please enjoy!

~summary: Zero and Kaname are best friends, but when the latter discovers Zero is in love with him, their friendship crumbles. Several years pass, Kaname realizes his true feelings and sets out to make amends…only to find Zero a month away from being ordained as a priest.

~pairing: Kaname x Zero

~warnings: AU, OOC-ness, yaoi, angst

Prologue: Misericorde

Happiness…it was the word used to describe their friendship. They were the best of friends; always to be found with one another.

Fine strands of silver hair danced in the autumn wind as Zero walked along the path which was strewn with orange leaves. The young man had his eyes closed, and he took a deep breath of the afternoon air. Slowly, he opened his eyes—revealing silver-amethyst eyes that glowed with a cheer far greater than what the gentle smile on his pink, supple lips suggest. With his two hands clasped firmly on his back, Zero twirled around on one foot; moving with a languid grace that can be compared to that of a dancer's. His open coat fluttered as he moved; highlighting the unconscious elegance he moved with even more.

Another smile tugged on the fair boy's lips as he was now face to face with his companion: another young man with wavy, auburn locks that reached his shoulders; wine-red eyes that shimmered beneath the sun's rays; and an unmarred, creamy complexion. He is none other than his childhood friend, his best friend, and his confidante...Kuran Kaname.

Another thought crept into the back of his mind—a thought that he had decided to bury deep within him…that Kaname—his best friend—is also his secret love. Zero felt his heart quicken and he had to turn his back to the brunette so as not let the other see the sudden color that rose to his pale cheeks. No. He will never let the other know, lest their friendship disappears. If that happens…He suddenly shook his head violently and stuck out his chin. He won't let it happen. Not now, not ever.

But as they say, everything comes to an end; that nothing is eternal…and he is left broken and shattered.

Kaname leaned back against a tree; his wine-red eyes serious and discerning. Zero stood about a few feet from him; confusion written all over his face. Something had been bothering the brunette for quite a while now, and he wanted to talk about it with his best friend. True, the silver-amethyst eyed young man is his greatest confidante, but today, the thing he wanted to talk about has something to do with him.

Zero shifted uncomfortably at the other's scrutinizing gaze, and he can practically feel those eyes boring into him with such intensity that one could easily tell that he currently wasn't in one of his best moods. Neither of the two spoke, and the silence between them stretched even more. The fair boy wanted to say something—anything—just to end the icy silence, but he decided against it. Instead, he kept his mouth shut and waited for his friend to talk.

Finally, Kaname spoke, but his words were far from friendly; sheer contempt laced with his voice as he spat the words out. "Zero, what they've been saying behind our backs…is it true?" When the young man in front of him did not answer, he reached out and forcefully grabbed one of his arms in a vice-grip. "Answer me. Is it true?!"

Zero could not bring himself to look at Kaname—not when those eyes of his bore into him with such an expression in them. He turned his face away, but was forced to look at the brunette when the latter gripped his right arm. It hurts—it really does—but not as much as the hurt he is feeling inside of him. For years, he had kept his true feelings a secret; but the way things are right now, there is simply no way around it. Almost weakly, he told the other, "Yes."

A look of sheer disgust contorted Kaname's features as soon as that single word left Zero's lips. He suddenly let go of the other, as if the mere contact with him was enough to burn him. He turned his back on him and said, "Leave."

"Kaname? What are you saying--?"

"Didn't you hear me? I told you to leave! I don't want to see your pathetic face again!"

"No! No, Kaname…please…please don't do this to me! I-I…love you…"

"You really are deaf, aren't you? Fine! If you don't leave, then I will."

Zero could do nothing but watch as Kaname walked away. He tried to stop him, but to no avail. Tears cascaded down his pallid cheeks and his lithe body shook as he sobbed. For years, he had loved him—loved him so much…yet fate brought down her cruel hand upon him. He knows that life is unfair, but still! The pain—this pain—is something that would not go away, even if he cried a river of tears. Even so, he allowed the tears to pour…and himself to mourn what he had lost.

Time is a medicine that heals not only emotional and physical pain, but it also opened his eyes to his mistakes in the past…

On the day he broke off their friendship, Kaname thought that everything would return back to normal. But this belief of his proved to be false. Since then, his days had always been empty; unforgiving. At first he thought that it would go away as immediately as it had started…but he was mistaken. In fact, it had gotten worse within each passing day. It took him a while to realize that something was missing—something essential. He had spent a long while in denial, but eventually he had learned to accept the fact that that something was actually his former best friend. All those years ago…that emotion he assumed that was hatred was actually the opposite. He had realized his mistake, and now he wants to make amends for his past actions.

It took him some time to find Zero's whereabouts. After all, he had cut off all forms of communication with him. He doesn't even know if the latter had forgiven him…he shook his head. He has to—needs to—believe that he has. If not…

Kaname clutched at the piece of paper he was holding, and stared at the building in front of him: it was a church. For a second, he could not help but wonder if he had gotten the right address, but he was convinced that his source was reliable. Making up his mind, he decided to see for himself.

Wine-red eyes surveyed his surroundings carefully as he entered before settling on a familiar sight—a crop of silver hair that could belong to no one else but him. With brisk steps, he made his way to where the other had been sitting. He was relieved, yes, but there remains a nagging feeling inside of him telling him that something was amiss. As he was about to reach out to touch him in the shoulder, the other young man turned his head; making silver-amethyst eyes meet wine-red ones. Indeed, it was Zero. Kaname's eye's widened, but not because of the fact that the person in front of him was who he hoped him to be; rather, it was due to the sight of what the other wore around his neck: a clerical collar.

…and so, it is now his turn to be on the receiving end; the one to get hurt.

This is the end of the prologue. Hope ya liked it~ :D BTW, I've decided to write a sequel for "Snow Angel" which will be entitled as "Innocence". I've announced it on my Twitter account, but I'm saying it again here, just to be sure. XD Until next time then~ Ja~