Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight, Matsuri Hino does.

Summary: After centuries of existence, Kaname has done the unthinkable...... he has fallen in love with a mortal. Zero is a single dad trying to lead a simple life until he meets a certain pureblood.

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The meeting!

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Chapter 1

The alarm clock on top of the nightstand went off, the loud beeping causing Zero to groan and hit the snooze button. He knew he had to get up and prepare breakfast for his son but didn't feel like it. Just a little longer, he thought. He closed his eyes again hoping to sleep for a few more minutes, when the bedroom door squeaked slowly open and his son poked his head in. ''Come here, baby boy!'' Zero said and held his hands out. Taki quickly scurried over and climbed up the bed, straddling his father's waist and laying his head on his shoulder. ''Ohayo!''

''Ohayo!'' Taki said looking at his father's sleepy face.

''Did you sleep well?''

''Yes Dad, now wake up. Didn't you promise to take me to the cinema today?'' Taki asked.

''That was today? Must have slipped my mind.'' He looked at his son who was about to burst into tears and said. ''I was just kidding. Of course I remember, how could I forget something so important?''

''I knew it!'' Taki exclaimed and began poking his Zero's sides. Zero grabbed him by the waist and hoisted him above his head as Taki screamed out in surprise, giggling the whole time. He brought him down on his chest again and attacked his sides. ''It's my turn now......'' Taki laughed harder as Zero tickled him.

''S-stop.....I will pee on my pants....Da-ddy!'' he screamed and Zero ltook the warning about his son peeing in his pants seriously and let go of his son who was still laughing so hard.

''You are off the hook this time, but next time I won't have mercy.'' he warned. Taki beamed at him and he felt the love radiate off of him. ''I love you, Taki.'' he said and gave his son a hug.

''Love you too, Dad.'' Taki said hugging him back.

Zero released him and said, ''Now let's get something to eat, shall we? How about honey loops cereal?''

''Yeah! I want honey loops.'' Taki jumped off the bed and ran towards the kitchen, his father behind him. Zero put two bowls on the kitchen table, opened the refrigerator, took out a packet of milk and a banana then sat down. He poured the cereal into one of the bowls, sliced the banana and added milk. He put the bowl in front of his son and made himself a bowl too but without banana.

''Itadakimasu!'' Taki said and dug in. ''It's delicious Dad, try it.''

Zero took a spoonful into his mouth too. ''Yes it is, isn't it?'' he watched as his son ate his cereal. Taki was his life. His strength. The little boy kept him going because he had someone to love, to provide for, to care for. Someone who looked up to him for everything. Taki gave him reason to live. Without him, he would have given up a long time ago. He wasn't married or anything like that. He became a father as a teenager.

He had met Jun while in high school and fell head over heels in love with her. Of course, Jun was the one who seduced him but it didn't matter at that time because he was also infatuated with her and they were both happy with each other. Then she cheated on him with a fellow classmate. He had heard rumours that Jun was the school whore and did it with any of the hot guys, but his love for her blinded him. He just thought that everyone was jealous of him because he was finally with the most beautiful and popular girl in the whole school.

But one day after a sports event, he walked into the locker room to see his classmate pounding into her. Looking back now, he wished he had listened and believed those rumors. He had stood there unmoving until Jun noticed his presence. Instead of saying she was sorry, anything else to plead her case, she began defending herself by saying 'it's not what you think'. What a cliché. I mean, really, what was I suppossed to think when someone else's cock was buried inside her? He didn't even even know what hurt most, her words or that she was being fucked by another.

The betrayal had hurt like hell and he had cried for days because he had truly loved her. He wasn't the only one who suffered, for the boy who was fucking her made sure his friends knew that he managed to break them up. Soon the whole school knew what had happened in the locker room. They met each other in the school corridors and during breaks but he never once spoke to her no matter how much she tried making conversation. He simply ignored her until she gave up.

A few months later Jun stopped coming to school and Zero thought she had transferred because she was ashamed to continue facing him and the whole school but that was not the case because she showed up in front of his house with a baby in her arms. She had begged Zero to take the child because her parent's wouldn't let her keep it because it would bring more shame to her family, if it hadn't already. They wanted her to give up the baby for adoption. When he had asked her of her feelings about raising the child, she clearly stated that she also didn't want it.

He wasn't sure if the baby was his at that time since Jun had been fucking everyone with a dick, so they went for DNA tests and as fate would have it, it turned out that the baby was indeed his. And just she appeared, Jun disappeared from his life again Their lives. He had been scared at first about parenthood at such a tender age but his parents were there for him, supported him and decided to help him raise the baby. It was their first grandchild after all and they welcomed Taki into their lives with open arms. Unfortunately, his parents died a year ago in a road accident which left him to support himself.

He had started going to the University while his parents were still alive but had to drop out to get a job. He still thanked God that Taki was able to get an a place for day care, otherwise he wouldn't have been able to go to work. And no money meant problems for them. He worked in a high class restaurant and the pay wasn't much but enough to cater for their monthy basic needs. He couldn't afford luxury such as going on holidays or renting a bigger, expensive apartment. He knew it was impossible for him to put on more hours to earn even more but he had priorities and his son needed him. His son came first, before everything else.

Taki had asked him several times where his mother was and he always told the little boy the truth. He didn't have any idea. That was the truth. He'd never heard from the boy's mother to date. It was had to explain to the kid, because he was so young and wouldn't even understand that his own mother abandoned him. His own mother never wanted him. Zero didn't want to hurt Taki's feeling but he knew the older his son got, the more questions he was going to have. What kind of father tells their child such painful words for the sake of saying the truth. It was his duty to protect his son's feelings as long as possible until he was old enough to understand. He would cross that bridge when the time came. He also didn't know what he would do, should Jun decide to show up all of a sudden but he doubted she would after saying she didn't want anything to do with the baby.

''Dad, eat up or your cereal will become soggy!'' Taki interrupted his thoughts.

''Oh!'' Zero said and continued eating. When they finished having breakfast, he cleared the table and went to take a quick shower. He got dressed and helped his son too, into his clothes.

''Are we going to watch the movie first?'' Taki asked.

''No, the movie doesn't start till late afternoon. We'll first go book the movie tickets, then have lunch before the movie starts, okay?''

''Hai!'' Taki responded.

They went by train since Zero didn't own a car. He had been saving to buy a small car to move around on occasion like this but something always came up and he had to use money for something more important. A car was also just a luxury that he couldn't afford at the moment. Maybe one day, he would have the pleasure of driving Taki around during the weekends. When they arrived at the cinema, they stood behind one of the shortest cues and waited for their turn. There were two counters open so the line was really moving fast. ''Next!'' The man selling the tickets called to them.

Zero leaned near the glass window and said, ''Two tickets for Ice Age 3, please.''

''Sorry sir, we only have one remaining.'' the man said.

''Too bad.'' Zero said and turned to look at his son. ''Taki, is there another movie you want to watch other than that?''

''No, I want Ice Age 3.'' Taki said.

''How about we watch it tomorrow?'' Zero asked.

''I want to watch today, you promised me, Dad!'' Taki said stubbornly.

''Yes I know that I promised but the situation is beyond me. They only have one ticket. I can't let you go in there alone, please understand.'' Zero explained.

''No, I want to....'' Taki started crying.

Zero moved away from the counter to try and soothe his son. Everyone was watching, wondering what the tantrum was all about. ''Taki, please stop crying. I will make it up to you soon. Daddy can't let you go in there alone, no matter what.''

''B...but...hick...you....hick....promised...hick....me.''

''Sometimes things happen that even us adults, have no control of. I want to watch the movie with you, or would you rather watch alone?'' Zero asked.

Taki looked at him. ''I don't want to be in there alone but I still want to see it today.'' he persisted.

''There, there, let's go have fun else...'' Zero began saying but was interrupted by a voice behind him.

''Excuse me.......''

Zero turned around and gasped. Standing there in front of him was a tall, slender and lean man who'd put a god to shame. He darted his eyes to the man's chest which was clearly toned, his forearms slightly tanned. He had long, dark hair, his jaw was well defined and all man. His lips...oh God his lips...were full and very inviting.

''Beautiful!'' Zero whispered.

''Pardon me?'' The man asked.

''I mean, what were you saying?'' Realizing that he had just blatantly ogled the man, Zero looked into the man's eyes and felt his breath hitch. The man was also staring at him.... evaluating him just like he had done him. Zero turned tones of red. What the hell is wrong with me, blushing like a little girl? Fine, he's beautiful and I was told to always appreciate nature, so I've done nothing wrong, have I? No need to feel guilty, ha ha! But damn it all, he's so hot that even a man like me has to acknowledge tha fact.

''Here,'' the raven-haired man handed him the ticket. ''take this.''

''Why?'' Zero asked confused.

''Well, I couldn't help but listen to your conversation. The boy really wants to watch that movie, so accept this ticket and make the him happy.''

Talk about being kind and having good looks at the same time. He's won both points. ''You would do that for us? Don't you need it?'' Zero asked.

''I had bought it for my sister but she'll understand when I tell her that I gave it to someone who desperately needed it.'' he smiled.

''Gee, thanks a lot. I don't know how I can repay you...'' Zero said.

''No need for that. Now hurry up and get the other ticket before someone else buys it. You can thank me properly when you have both tickets in your hand, ne?''

''Okay. Please, wait if you're not in a hurry. Taki, come along!'' Zero went back to the counter again and bought the last ticket and walked back to the man who was still waiting for them. ''I would like to show my appreciation if you don't mind, how about joining us for lunch?''

''I would love to join you for lunch, but isn't it a bit too early? I mean, I just had breakfast before I left home.'' the man said.

Me too. ''You're right of course, it's too early. I wanted to take my son to the park then have lunch afterwards, do you mind joing us?'' Zero asked.

''Yippie! We're going to the paaaark! We going to the paaaaaark!'' Taki sang happily and ran around his father and the stranger with them.

''This is your son?'' The man asked and Zero nodded. He was really surprised. ''Who would have thought? You two look like brothers.''

''Thanks, that's what most people say. Ah sorry, we haven't introduced ourselves. I am Zero and this is my son Taki.''

''I am Kaname.'' the man said.

Zero offered his hand and Kaname took it and squeezed. As soon as their hands touched, Zero felt things happening to his whole body, things he shouldn't be feeling, things he couldn't even explain. He looked at his hand which was being held in a firm grip and then up to the good samaritan holding it. ''It's a pleasure to meet you.'' His cheeks flushed.

Kaname met his gaze. ''No, the pleasure is all mine.'' Kaname said and he meant it. What just happened? Did he also feel that electric flow that I experienced when our hands touched? Is that why he's blushing like that? He continued holding Zero's hand.

Zero moistened his lips. What the hell is happening to me? It's like I'm in a trance. It's like he's trying to read my mind. Is this a dream? A sleek, sensual fantasy?

''Hey, how come you tow are staring at each other?'' Taki asked suddenly. Startle, Kaname and Zero nearly jumped out of their skins. Somehow they had forgotten that Taki was beside them. Or the public around them.

''We weren't,'' Zero said much too quickly.

''Yes, you were, Dad.''

Got me! ''Well, we didn't know we were. That happens to adults sometimes.'' Zero explained.

''Oh. I thought maybe you was playing that game, to see who blinked first.'' Both Kaname and Zero burst out laughing, and the awkward moment passed without further discussion.

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Ebony-Knight.