Disclaimer: On the day Vampire Knight was created, I accidentally signed in my name as 'Matsuri Hino'! …Ok, ok, my acting's not fooling anyone but –hey!- at least I tried! :D
This fic was spawned by my other fic 'Vampire Braces' and, after a few (ahem-Tsuki-ahem) insistent nudges, I finally gave in.
YES, I will try to update Vampire Braces as early as I can. Just think of this as…a little side trip (aka mini vacation from…uh…'work'). :D
WARNING: YAOI, male x male! Also, some spoilers for chapter 38 of the manga!!
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Melon-Flavored Kiss
--Kaname x Ichijou—
By Kazuya Arsashi088
--
(Flashback…a few months ago…)
It was, what seemed like, a very quiet summer.
In the day, the sun was almost unforgiving. The glare it sent made most normal people uncomfortable. It doesn't take much to think of the suffering and annoyance it gave to the vampires.
But the summer nights were always beautiful and enchanting, with the song of the cicadas humming in the background. The vampires, especially the ones currently residing in Cross Academy, wasted no time indulging in the night, the only time when they truly feel alive.
But it was day now, once again. The sun had already risen. The vampires and their kin should be sleeping, hiding away in the darkness or stationary.
…Well, they've always said Ichijou was not like any normal vampire.
"Kaname!! Look what I got for you!!"
The blonde vampire's footsteps were soon dulled as he entered the pureblood's chamber, the noise swallowed up by the expensive and soft carpet. Any other vampire would have been disturbed by the way their feet suddenly fall silent, almost as if it was a silent message that they were treading on 'sacred ground'.
But, as I have mentioned, Ichijou was not a normal vampire…in many ways, it seemed.
Kaname Kuran was on his black oak desk, looking at some random letter from the Council of Elders. As always, they couldn't leave him alone. It was almost as annoying as when Kaname was orphaned and needed a guardian. They acted like they had everything under control but they squabbled like a bunch of old greedy geezers behind Kaname's back.
Kaname knew, of course. Then again, it seemed he always knew everything…
…except maybe what Ichijou's surprise was.
"It's a present!!"
A round parcel made its way on to the smooth oak desk.
The brunette looked at it curiously, then quirked an eyebrow, "I don't remember any special occasion, Ichijou."
The blonde's smile remained constant, "I know. It's a present for no reason whatsoever!"
Kaname blinked.
The parcel was round, wrapped in shiny light sea foam green wrapper. There was a red ribbon tied around it.
The pureblood considered the possibilities as he stared at it.
It could be a basketball, but Ichijou wouldn't dare give any kind of ball after their 'exploding ball' childhood episode. It could also be a globe, but didn't Ichijou know he already had one? Or maybe it was a beach ball. … Creepy.
Ichijou sighed. It seemed he had to say something else to get the pureblood to actually open the gift. "It's to celebrate the summer, silly."
-Oh. God. It was a beach ball!!- Kaname immediately pushed the round object away, "No thank you. You, of all people, know that I don't like beaches."
A laugh.
The blonde took the object and unwrapped it.
Inside was a melon. Shiny, round, and green.
"…It's—"
"—not a beach ball, I know. So sorry to disappoint you."
Ichijou laughed and Kaname couldn't help but smile. There was no tension between them, no inhibition. It was just like they were back to those good old times when they were just children, playing without a care in the world.
The pureblood took the fruit and stared at it amusedly.
"Aren't you going to eat it?" the blonde blinked, silently trying to decipher his friend's 'mysterious' smile.
Kaname's smile had always been mysterious to Ichijou, which was a bit ironic because Ichijou had always been well-known (or was it notorious…?) for his never-fading smile. It was all a show, though, but never quite 'fake'. Ichijou did mean some of his smiles, but most…well, living with someone like Ichio did have its 'perks'…
Actually, Ichio wasn't quite that 'evil' before. It all started when Ichijou was around 8. His grandfather became distant, to the point of coldness. The atmosphere in their home would become so rigid that the poor little blonde could almost choke on it. That was before Kaname came over and started playing with him. Kaname's smiles always made Ichijou happy, for some insistent reason.
If the blonde's smiles equaled a ray of sweet liquid sunshine, Kaname's would be like smooth red wine laced with the scent of red roses…warm, but ethereal and mysterious in its own way.
It always made Ichijou happy, seeing Kaname happy.
Maybe…it was because they were such close friends that they even empathize in happiness…
…or maybe…it was something else…
"Ichijou?"
'Awoken' back to reality, the blonde slightly tilted his head to the side, "Uh, did you say anything, Kaname? I'm sorry. I was just thinking…"
Kaname nodded, still smiling. He was casting a rather 'interested' look in Ichijou's general direction, "Oh, really. I was too, actually…"
...
…Needles to say, Ichijou was getting pretty uncomfortable under that gaze, so he decided to snap the unnerving silence.
"How many times have I told you that you can call me Takuma?"
The brunette blinked, fazed, but then resumed his staring, "It's just that…we're all grown up now…"
Ichijou bent down, so they were on eye level, "Does that mean we couldn't be friendly with each other anymore, then?"
Kaname smirked, about to answer and say something smart, when he noticed…
An inch.
It was all that separated them now.
Just an inch.
…
…
Ichijou seemed to have taken notice too. His cheeks were starting to turn an adorable shade of pink. He should pull away before things get…confusing…
…
…
It had been a long time since Kaname got this close to him. He almost forgot how…nice Ichijou smelled. He smelled just like jasmine, sweet jasmine…
…
…
What was a 'kiss' anyway? Would it matter to them right now? They were friends after all… A friendly kiss? Tsh, there is no such thing. What was this going to be then? A real kiss? The kiss from what was once an unspoken love?
…
…
Kaname pulled away and cleared his throat. Ichijou pulled away as well, now definitely pink. It had been so close, so…close…
"Thank you for the gift."
Ah, yes. The melon. The gift. The melon that was the gift.
Ichijou nodded, flashing that mega-watt smile yet again, "You're welcome."
…
It was still day, still summer. The air outside was dry, the sun unforgiving. Somewhere, children are playing. Somewhere else, people are arguing. But things will always be quiet here in Cross Academy. No matter what.
…At least that was what Ichijou thought.
--
(Present Time)
-Stifling.-
Ichijou felt like he was going to die.
-Choking.-
The air was dry, tasteless. Ichijou felt like his heart was going to explode from anger. He tried to calm himself down by doing deep breathing, but the air felt terrible against his lips, even in his lungs.
-'Must you purebloods always do things so recklessly?!'-
He wanted to break something, to destroy something...or kill someone. Tear that being's flesh from his bones, rip and shred him apart until nothing was left.
…But he couldn't. He knew he couldn't.
He was too weak. Yes, too weak against that…that monster.
But he could strike.
He could strike when the monster was sleeping, dead to the world.
Yes, he could strike now.
…
Ichijou's footsteps sounded like nothing. No one saw him as he made his way to that room. Everyone was asleep. It was around mid-day after all, but the curtains were drawn so tightly together that it seemed like night. But still, everyone was asleep. They need not witness this…this treachery…this betrayal.
He opened the door as quietly as his feet walked on the floor. And, in the same manner, he closed it.
It was dark, but part of the curtains were drawn.
It was so easy to see him.
Asleep.
Unknowing.
Kaname was asleep on his favorite couch, black cloak draped unceremoniously on his lap. Against the pale skin on his cheeks, his beautiful long lashes rested. His shirt-clad chest was faintly heaving up and down.
Ichijou was watching him, frozen a few feet away.
-Traitor.-
…The word stabbed the blonde like a wooden stake driven to his heart.
-Traitor.-
…He had no right to be here at all, after everything he's done to Kaname, conspiring behind his best friend's back…
-Traitor.-
…And now, he even planned on killing him. He was, indeed, a terrible, vile, despicable…
-Traitor.-
…
There were tears now. They were running down Ichijou's cheeks, quietly.
Suddenly, as if by magic, his feet were drawn to the pureblood's side.
Ichijou knelt down on the floor beside him. He knew he was crying, probably because this was the last time he would see Kaname.
Yes, Ichijou would leave. He would do anything he can to avoid hurting any more of his friends, especially the pureblood. He'll try to take Shiki back, by force if necessary. And if he died in the process…Well, that was what he deserved in the first place after all.
He rested a hand, tentatively at first, on Kaname's cheek. The faint light streaming in from a small part of the window made the brunette's skin glow, almost as if he was human.
But no, Ichijou knew. Kaname could never be human. He was too frighteningly, majestically…
"…Beautiful."
It was just a simple word, whispered. Kaname did not stir from his slumber, it seemed, and Ichijou was safe…for now.
He should leave while he still can. There was time…
…But his feet wouldn't budge; his eyes could not take themselves off of him.
…
Ichijou leaned in closer, their faces just centimeters apart. Kaname's features seemed to be better highlighted now- the pale skin, shapely nose, those beautiful lashes- but they also seemed to be sculpted out of marble. Cold. Unmoving.
Only his lips looked inviting.
…
The blonde leaned in a bit closer, purely out of curiosity. From caressing the side of his face, Ichijou's thumb glided down and traced Kaname's plush lips. He could distinguish a particular scent now. Kaname's lips smelled faintly of…melons.
At this time, a smile graced Ichijou's face. So, he ate the fruit after all… It was awfully sweet of him, even at such a moment…
…Ichijou never got to taste that melon…
…
…Before he knew it, the thumb was replaced by his own pair of lips.
…
Ichijou had meant to pull away. He was done- done with everything. At the moment the gap between them was closed, he had felt complete. Maybe this was what he had always been yearning for but failed to retain it into a configurable form. The whole 'melon' ordeal had been nothing but an excuse.
He was pathetic…
That's what he was…
…Pathetic.
He wanted to leave, to part from the welcome warmth of those lips.
He was going to.
…until he responded.
No, not in violence of course.
He kissed him back.
Ichijou was too shocked then, but Kaname wrapped his arms around him. The blonde instantly melted into the embrace and the deepening kiss.
Neither one of them need to utter a word.
…It was already understood.
'…Sorry.'
'…It's okay. I understand.'
'No, it's not just that. I…I think I…I'm in love with you. Since a long time ago-'
'…I understand that too.'
'…'
'I love you too, Ichijou.'
…
The cicadas were singing, but it was only day. It was strange, but at the same time, wonderful…just like many other things.
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Ok, ok…BREATHE! (whew!) Wow, that was…EXHAUSTING!! I couldn't stop 'kya'-ing to myself in some parts!!
This fic was actually just a request! Hope I didn't do such a lousy job! (I'm not really used to this pairing, but what's life without some adventures?)
Please review!! Your comments would really help! :D