A/N: O~kay...before you guys start on this, I must inform this story is set two years after the Kuran Rido fiasco, in which supposedly, everything turned out alright. I don't really know how, this story might go into that later, but for now, just think of happy endings, eh? :) So, starting from about chapter forty-something, this fic will be AU. But not to worry, it won't really have any spoilers, if some people are concerned about that, as the only thing I'm making clear on is Yuuki's true ancestry.
Now that that is over and done with, I'd also like to thank YenGirl for even proposing the idea of writing a CrossxYagari fic and getting the general plot for this story churning in my mind, as well as her kind encouragements along the way *bows then hugs*. I've had a lot of fun writing it so far, so I hope other people will enjoy it as well :D
Antiquity
Blood, Death, Life
The warning had come a split second too late.
"Touga! Your left!"
By the time he'd registered what his partner had shouted, sharp elongated nails had dug into his sides, easily piercing through cloth and skin, leaving five puncture wounds bleeding freely without restraint. As the nails twisted and were wrenched back out, Yagari staggered back and placed his hand against his side, adding pressure, knowing even then, that it was futile. Blood crept up between his fingers, leaving dark crimson trails on the back of his hand as it dribbled down.
In his momentary lapse, the vampire took his chance to grab a brutal hold of his neck, viciously biting in, intent on sucking him completely dry. Yagari's eyes flickered, fighting to stay open. Shit that fucking hurt. Level Es even fed in a crazed manner, their mouth moving along his neck with a disgustingly desperate sense of urgency, shredding skin and flesh. It was as though the blood wasn't enough; they had to eat their way through in the process, like the savage beasts they were, just for the hell of it. Damn he hated vampires.
Yagari grit his teeth as the leeching monster behind him tried to drag their fangs along his neck while they were still lodged into his throat. The bloodstain on his shirt grew proportionately bigger as much of the blood leaked from the bite wound, down his collarbone and along his chest, slowing forming a large, wet crimson red island as it connected with the stain from his puncture wounds. He knew he was to die, but hell would freeze over if this damn vampire thought he was going to go down quietly. Slipping his free hand down between the folds of his clothes to his waist, he took the extra knife he kept hidden out of its leather sheath and jammed it into the soft insides of the level E attempting to devour him. The runes on the handle immediately activated, sensing vampire blood come into contact with its metal length, rendering the blood sucker to ashes.
"Touga!"
"Shit..."
The knife clattered to the floor and Yagari fell to his knees, his hand still on his wounds. A hand came to rest on his shoulder, gently easing him down until he was lying on his back. More pressure was applied to his side, as well as his neck, making him groan.
"Ugh..."
"Touga, Touga!"
"Shut up," he slurred. Touma was as annoying as ever. He couldn't even die in peace, literally. He rolled on his uninjured side to better cough out the blood pooling in his mouth. At least he was able to gasp easier this way, though his lungs were quickly weakening, his breaths coming out feebler with every inhalation. He wouldn't last long.
"Touga please, the others are coming. Keep your eyes open!"
What the hell did the other man think he'd been trying to do? Blink better?
But even as fought to keep conscious, everything felt heavy, he could barely feel any pain, and things were already starting to blur. At least he didn't have to have a clear view of Touma's annoying face as he went. Thank goddess for small fortunes.
Cool, icy blue eyes opened to see six different faces looking down, two of them women and the others all men. Thin lips went down in a frown and stern brows lowered in confusion. What was going on? Who were these people and why did his body feel like it'd just gone through multiple drinking marathons? That last one had been a real killer… If he could verbally show how crappy he felt, he would've, loudly.
Just as one of his six observers reached down for him, there was a loud crash and the shouts started. Three others replaced the six previous, one he couldn't tell the gender of, though they had creepy eyes and extremely long hair. He parted his mouth, wanting to seriously know what the hell was going on, when all that came out was a rasp.
"We can't have him awake yet. Kimura?"
"Yes."
A large hand came to rest atop his eyes and he felt sleep tugging at his mind, making his lids heavy.
Rituals, Scriptures, Two Hundred Years With Care and Expertise
"Yagari Touga?" The Yagari Touga? "It's been recorded he died nearly two hundred years ago."
"Yes, and there haven't been any mistakes regarding that. However," long fingers crossed, "I'm sure you've heard of the Forbidden Rituals."
Clear auburn eyes blinked then narrowed. Cross was silent for but a moment before he commented, "So they used the Blood Rituals in tandem with the Sacrificial scriptures." Although the process was rather simple and the logic purely sound, it was extremely difficult to perform. Cross was more than happy to stay blessedly ignorant of the amount of casualties this single act of reviving and summoning someone's body and soul had cost. Nothing came without a just price paid in return. There was a reason the rituals came to be called Forbidden.
Golden eyes narrowed in amusement. "As sharp as always, Cross-kun."
"And your reason for calling me out here?" They were talking about this in…surprise, surprise, a fast food restaurant. Even Cross' eyes had nearly bugged out when he'd received the meeting address, afraid maybe his hearing was going. He was not yet so old, thank you very much.
A wide fan came up to hide the slow upturn of red painted lips. "Ah, well, I wanted this conversation in a setting that might've been more comfortable for you."
"Thank you for the unnecessary consideration." Cross said dryly. So the Hunter Association wanted something from him again. That was more than obvious. The real question was, and he was almost afraid to ask, what was it that they wanted?
"As you've mentioned, Yagari Touga met his death nearly two hundred years prior. Keeping around a result of such dangerous experimentation does not sit well with many of us, but we also agree simply getting rid of him would not be in our best interests. He is Yagari Touga after all."
Cross had to feel a moment of pity. There went another capable hunter, he silently mourned. Yagari Touga, no matter his reputation, or perhaps because of his reputation, would only be seen as another tool to be used against whomever the Hunter Association considered its enemies, vampires or no.
Ever since the incident two years previous, major changes had been made and pushed forth, encouraging more openness and amiability between the two opposing sides. Longstanding enmities were slowly coming to an understanding, but it was a time-consuming arduous process. Two years was hardly enough, but the ball had already been set to roll and Cross was certain wherever it stopped would be in a less controversial setting, a place where the idea of coexistence was met without disproval or disdain.
"I agree," Cross murmured, regardless of how he was revived, Yagari Touga was a living being, of flesh and bone containing a soul. It'd be killing an innocent, which Cross abhorred even more than the raging gap between vampires and hunters. "But why would you personally come to inform me of this? I would've known sooner or later."
"You would have, yes, I'm most certain, however, I must emphasize on the subject of our discussion having been dead for two centuries. He did not leave a dying note stating he wished to be brought back so late after his death." Pale lids lowered, "Are you catching on, Cross-kun?"
The chairman of Cross Academy let out a heavy sigh. "Merely that he is two hundred years old, technically, and that he did not expect to be revived." Right after he said it, Cross paused. And blinked. Did not expect to be revived…?
Yagari Touga had not anticipated such a thing happening. Who would? But now that he was, then what? He could continue being a hunter, but that'd be a bit of a problem. There'd been new laws set in place, ideas that'd been solidified, and most of all, technology that'd been tested, approved, and improved upon since two centuries ago. The most famous vampire hunter of his time would need a little…catching up to do. And that didn't even include learning how to fit into modern culture. Cross didn't know which would be hardest.
Did they even have proper flushing toilets during that time? What about keeping proper hygiene?
He blanched and pushed his plate of sandwiches further away from himself, now completely devoid of his appetite. The action earned a curious glance from the one sitting across from him, which the chairman ignored in favor of thinking about happy things that smelled pleasant. The air freshener Yuuki had recently bought had a rather charming scent.
Coughing lightly to clear his throat, he continued, "I realize there may be some… difficulties for Yagari-san, but how would that…concern… Wait," were they implying…?
"Ah, I see you have finally caught on," the slight drawl was filled with more than a little satisfaction and smugness that had the chairman wanting to bolt. If he pretended he hadn't heard or even remembered this conversation he might be able to save himself. The ex-hunter actually contemplated the idea before his conscience got in the way. If not him, then Yagari would be passed off to someone else, and who knew how he'd be treated. Besides, the mischievous angel on his shoulder irritatingly added, what better place was there to learn what he needed to know than a school that housed both vampires and humans?
As though going in for the finishing blow, the previous head of the Hunter Association now clearly stated,
"We will leave Yagari Touga in your care and expertise, Cross-kun."
Zero, Touga, Surprise Attack Blankets
"…"
"…"
"That's it?"
"Yes."
Yuuki nodded, turning her gaze towards the currently unconscious man lying on the bed. It certainly was a surprise, coming back home only to have the chairman practically throw himself at her nearly in hysterics. She'd been quick to calm him and soon had him spilling the details of the events hours prior that'd inevitably led to having another man at their home.
A hunter revived from two hundred years ago? It was mind-boggling. But maybe the utter extremities of the situation were what made it believable. Either way, she was going to have a hard time explaining things to Zero.
As though reading her mind, the chairman paled. "Oh, Zero…"
Yuuki smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry. Zero will understand if we explain things enough." Of course, even if he didn't, a little…motivational persuasion would patch things up perfectly. Everything would definitely be fine then, Yuuki grinned impishly.
Cross smiled back, his gaze gentle. He really wouldn't know what to do without her. Though he knew it wouldn't be easy gaining acceptance from Zero, he trusted Yuuki and her confidence. Checking the time, he estimated Yagari wouldn't wake for a few more hours and quietly got up, "I'll be with Kaname-kun to make sure he knows there's another hunter in the premises. Is it alright for you to look after him until I get back?"
"Of course," she chirped.
And looked after him she did, though she hadn't expected the harsh greeting that awaited her once he woke.
She'd just placed a cup of lukewarm water on the bedside table when she noticed the man's long curls were in his face. Knowing from personal experience how inconvenient it felt, she moved to lightly push them aside when his eyes flickered open and locked gaze with her own. She immediately knew something was wrong when they widened and narrowed, the suspicion and hate projected so clearly, it nearly made her freeze. Those eyes…they'd reminded her all too painfully of the previous Zero that'd existed just a year and a half prior and she felt her chest tighten in remembrance of the same emotions being directed at her from soft lilac eyes.
Looking back, she should not have been so distracted with a lost, confused hunter right in front of her, but taken by her memories, she hadn't seen the strong hand that'd come flying straight for her neck.
Yuuki coughed as she was slammed, back first, into the floor below, wincing at the iron grip around her throat. Surprised though she was, she made no move to struggle for freedom, merely placing her delicate hand to the one around her neck in a completely non-hostile manner. She understood he was half acting out of instinct. With his occupation as a hunter, it must've been alarming to have woken in an unfamiliar setting with a complete stranger staring down at him.
"What the hell did you think you were doing, vampire?" His voice was rough, wispy with a sharp rasp that indicated he needed water for his throat. Yuuki noted his skin was also alarmingly pale and his breathing was off, as well as his heartbeat.
"Please, you need to keep in bed for some rest," she softly advised. She didn't want to have to hurt him. When his hand only tightened around her neck, she frowned in worry. "Yagari-san," she began, only to be interrupted by the loud bang of the door slamming open.
"Chairman what the hell is – Yuuki!"
Oh no, she groaned. The situation couldn't have gotten worse.
In a split second's time, Yagari was thrown off of her and onto the bed, the older man landing roughly against the mattress, making it bounce. Zero didn't waste a moment, landing on top of him and pinning him down by his neck, immobilizing his arms with his knees and putting weight on his torso.
"Who the hell are you and what the fuck are you doing here?" He demanded.
Yagari's eyes only narrowed. "You…you're a damn vampire too, what is this place? Your secret hideout?"
Zero's grip tightened around his neck. This man, he was a hunter. But there was something different about this one. He felt different, first of all, and second, he'd attacked Yuuki, which one just didn't do unless they were wishing for a most painful way to die. She wasn't just any old pureblood, she was the Kuran Princess. It should be enough reason for everyone to keep distance. Either he was really stupid or he'd been living under a rock for the past two years, which Zero equated to being the same thing anyway. What kind of modern day hunter was incapable of telling the difference between vampires in their respective class?
"Zero, it's alright. He was just shocked." Yuuki cut in, quickly coming up beside them for some damage control.
"Shocked my ass, Yuuki, does he looked shocked to you?" Zero kept his attention on the man below him, his tone overflowing with his trademark sarcasm.
"Zero, I'll explain everything, just don't hurt him. The chairman knows he's here." Yuuki rushed, seeing the man under the ex-human starting to turn an alarming shade of grey.
Instead of complying with her request, the school prefect snorted. "He's done it now, that idiot. When I tell Kaname about this…" A familiar gleam came into his soft lilac eyes.
Yuuki huffed and slapped the back of his head. "Zero, you know better than to do that." The man would be happily kicked off campus by a mob of angry level B vampires, left to rot in the street – and that was only after Kaname was through with him and if there was anything left of him to kick out. Yagari was here on the Hunter Association's orders. She didn't want to make things any more difficult for the chairman than they already were.
"After I explain everything you're going to feel like an idiot." She pouted, hands at her waist.
Remembering the scene he walked in on, Zero very much doubted it. He knew, on some level, Kaname would feel the same.
Yuuki sent him an exasperated look, as though reading his thoughts. Zero shrugged, unrepentant. They both blinked and turned to the door when they felt and heard the chairman as well as Kaname approaching the room. Exchanging quick glances, they nodded solemnly and got to work.
"…Yes, I'm sure he's still asleep so – Oh Zero, I didn't know you were back," the chairman smiled as he entered. His expression immediately dropped when he saw the bed and what had befallen the man that'd been peacefully lying in it not thirty minutes before.
"Yuuki, Zero, what has Yagari-san done to deserve such treatment?" Kaname's voice was laced with amusement. While the former laughed nervously, the latter in question just grunted and slouched lower in his seat. The older pureblood still caught the vindictive glare he shot towards the man on the bed however.
"Why in the name of all that is holy is Yagari-san being suffocated by the blankets?" Cross cried. For indeed, the man was in more or less the state the chairman had described. Set in the middle of the bed, one Yagari Touga was tightly (very tightly) cocooned in dark green sheets, looking like the giant mutation of a leech with some hair at its top. The fact that it was wiggling from Yagari's futile attempts at trying to get out made the comparison all the more ridiculously believable.
If Cross weren't feeling so unhinged and Kaname in less control of his emotions, they would've giggled.
"Sorry chairman, it's just, well, he…woke up." Yuuki said plainly, unable to find any subtler way of giving light to the situation. "And Zero sort of overreacted—"
"I wasn't overreacting," Zero muttered. Plenty of people would've done the same, he was sure.
"Overreacted?" Kaname asked silkily. The only time Zero 'overreacted' was when he felt either he or Yuuki were under threat and his protective instincts overrode everything else. Something must have happened to trigger it…
"To nothing!" Yuuki answered quickly. She got up and lightly pushed the chairman towards the enraged hunter. "Now that he's awake you can take care of him. Let's go Zero, Kaname." Without waiting for an answer, she pulled the two male academy students out of the room with her.
Dates, Missions, Idiot Partners
Cross Kaien sat, smiling nervously, as the hunter in front of him muttered multiple profane words that surprisingly managed to string themselves into coherent insults – all aimed at his students of course, a certain ex-human in particular. Having been so lovingly bundled and wrapped would get anyone irritated, he supposed. Cross would never forget the image he'd unwittingly burned into his retinas, that was for sure.
Just as he placed the tray of tea and set of cups down, Yagari glared up at him from his seat. "You, what the hell are you doing, having vampires in your home?" Did this man want to be sucked dry in the night?
"What do you mean? They live here." Cross answered matter-of-factly. Neither had to of course, Kaname was capable of providing a more than comfortable place for them, but they understood, without him saying it aloud, that he'd be alone if the two of them were to leave. Yuuki was too kindhearted to do anything but stay and Zero, despite appearances, cared enough to do the same ("I won't be responsible for that idiot blowing himself up!").
Live… "Live here?" Yagari nearly spat. They were permanent fixtures in the house? The man was crazy, a fucking lunatic. He might as well be sharing roof with a pair of starving dragons. But no, even dragons were better than vampires, starving or no.
But… putting aside the fact that this man was living, seemingly at ease, with vampires, how had the condition even come about in the first place? The hunter's brows lowered menacingly as the gears in his mind started to turn at a rapid speed, popping out idea after possible idea on why a pair of vampires would willingly live with a human and vice versa. As his thoughts settled on the most likely scenario, he felt a near overwhelming amount of rage and shock, mingled with incredulous contempt.
"Are you offering them blood?" The words slipped out of his mouth before he even knew what they were.
Cross blinked, actually surprised. He never even considered how a regular hunter might interpret the 'situation at home' between he and the students he considered his own children. Though…'Are you offering them blood?' that was a very logical conclusion, one any hunter would first arrive at before even thinking of anything else.
Smiling cheerily, unknowingly making the hunter's eye twitch, the chairman answered, "Of course not! Even if I were to do so, Yuuki and Zero would never accept!" He didn't even want to imagine the expressions on their face should he ever make such an offer.
His smile became a bit more toned down with solemnity as he continued, "generally, the act of feeding isn't allowed here. This is a school, divided between vampires and humans. The two are encouraged to interact in any way with the exception of blood exchange."
A school…?! Things just seemed to keep escalating didn't they? "You," Yagari started, it was one thing to live with them, that was this man's own preference, but to impose that on innocent school children? "What the hell do you think you're doing?" He demanded, that previous rage coming back tenfold. The other man seemed completely unfazed by his show of temper, however. In fact, he looked…pained?
The raw resigned disappointment he saw in the other's lowered eyes blew the wind right out of his Anger Sails so swiftly, Yagari fell back against the chair, falling slack against it as he felt the air leave his lungs. For some reason, he felt a lot more affected by those eyes than he should have. This man was a total stranger, what reason would there be to…
Touma…
The answer struck through his bewildered thoughts like an aimed arrow, and felt just as piercing. His partner was like this man in many ways, his carefree attitude, the light in his smiles, and of course, that idiotically idealistic idea of his, thinking there could be a common ground between nightwalkers and humans.
But while all his partner had been able to do was enforce the idea with only himself to count on as support, this man had an entire school community built with a foundation of pacification as its core. Despite his initial reaction, he unwittingly felt a certain amount of admiration and respect push through like water between the cracks in a faulty dam.
Deciding to back off the matter for the moment, Yagari kept his gaze on the other man as he asked, "So this place, it isn't just your home but…a school?" He wasn't one for apologies or regrets.
Seeing the question for what it was, Cross' expression did a one-eighty and the change was immediate. Leaning forward excitedly, he babbled on for who knows how long about his school and his beloved students, affectionately recalling as many as he could at the top of his head.
Yagari tried to ignore the lack of irritation he usually would have felt at having to endure the inane ramblings on a subject he could care less about and the familiar feeling of exasperated fondness he remembered in context with his former partner that'd started to pour through, adding to the puddle of Admiration and Respect that was slowly getting bigger and deeper as he caught himself actually listening.
"…And Zero and Yuuki, of course," Cross had a ridiculously proud smile on his face, "I see them as my own and feel blessedly lucky to have been gifted with such wonderful kids."
At the mention of the two brats that'd given him a more than memorable welcome, Yagari felt the anger and indignation return with earnest. It must have showed on his face, as the other man suddenly paused, his words slowing before he stopped altogether and frowned slightly, as though contemplating something.
When he finally chose to speak, his voice held a bit of sympathy as well as the previous cheer, "I know living with vampires isn't something you're used to, but since you're recovering here, it's going to be something you'll need to get used to."
Get used to? "Like hell," Yagari muttered viciously. The next time he saw those two, especially that pale one, he was going to…
Cross sighed as the insults started again. Deciding to put the vampire issue on hold for now, he went for a swift change in topic, "You seem quite fine moving around on your own," he lightly commented.
"Is there a reason why I shouldn't?"
Cross paused when pouring the tea. Is there a reason why he shouldn't? Wasn't that obvious? He just woke up from having gone through numerous rituals, his body still newly formed, his soul still in a fragile state of stability, getting used to actually being in a container again after so long. It was only right Cross asked after his health, unless…unless…
"Did they tell you anything before bringing you here?"
He only received a raised brow in response, which pretty much equaled to a hell No.
His hand tightened around the handle of the teapot, wishing it were someone else's neck it was squeezing. So not only did they leave him to reeducate Yagari for his two hundred year gap, they hadn't even explained to the poor revived man that he was…well, that he was revived.
Cross sat back down, momentarily forgetting about the tea. How to explain this in a way that wouldn't anger the man further… The chairman closed his eyes contemplatively for a total of five serious seconds before snapping to attention with a smile. What was he thinking, trying to find a way for the other man not to get angry…was that even possible? Yagari Touga was the type of man that looked angry in his sleep.
Taking hold of the newspaper that was still folded on the table next to him from this morning, Cross passed it over, specifically pointing towards the upper right hand corner, which was where the date was clearly printed – Oct. 28th 2008. "After you take a good look at that, I'll answer any questions you might have." He said rationally, calmly.
There, he couldn't have been more straightforward than that, could he?
Well, maybe a little too straightforward, when he saw the paper start to shake in the man's equally shaky hands as his intense eyes were all focused on that one spot Cross had pointed out. When he opened his mouth, his voice was low, but surprisingly vulnerable, and Cross wondered how many got to see the Yagari Touga so unsettled.
"October twenty-eighth…two-thousand what?" Yagari distinctly remembered the day of his last mission as October twenty-seventh, eighteen-seventeen. Where the hell did the two-double-o eight come from?
He remembered receiving his mission orders with Touma, getting there, then finding out it was an ambush, fifty to sixty some vampires awaiting them with gleeful smiles and smug faces. They were finally getting rid of the ever-troublesome lone wolf that previously, had never once lost its target, taking them down by the dozens, at a frightening speed. Of course they'd be happy.
But Yagari Touga was the Hunter Association's top dog, and he hadn't held that position for nearly a decade by being careless or flimsy. He still recalled with satisfying clarity, the numerous bodies his blades had cut down, and would have carried on with ease if not for his partner pulling another one of his idiotic stunts. But it'd been his choice to save him, Yagari only had himself to blame, and he didn't regret his actions.
But it was after he was poked numerous holes in his middle that things started to get fuzzy. He couldn't remember much of what'd occurred after receiving those wounds. And, sliding his hand under the shirt he was currently wearing, he felt smooth skin, completely unmarred.
"What did those bastards do?" He muttered, mostly to himself.
"They brought you back." Cross answered. "You seem to remember some things about your last day alive. It's been nearly two hundred years since that day."
"I…I was dead." It was a statement, said clearly and so decisively, Cross wondered if everything was alright. It wasn't everyday you found out you'd died.
"Was it the Forbidden Rituals?" The hunter suddenly asked. There was a brief flash of something dark and haunted that shone through the well guarded cool eyes Cross almost missed it.
He nodded wordlessly in answer to the hunters' question. The Rituals had existed even during Yagari's time, though, like nearly everything else, it'd been updated and added to.
Yagari closed his eyes. So he'd died, most likely after receiving the puncture wounds, and had been forcibly brought back by way of the Rituals. He felt like screaming at the top of his lungs, and even if he did, he doubted anyone would blame him. So many lives gone, in place for his own. Was such a life worth enjoying? He would've gladly stayed dead.
Cross frowned in concern as he watched the other man. If he took a guess as to what he was thinking, he didn't think he'd be too far off the mark. He kept in a sigh. He, Yuuki, and Kaname had just gotten Angsty Zero to graduate last year into Happy, Content Zero, and he'd rather not have another Angst student on his hands. He didn't mean to sound cold or insensitive, but the chairman was of positive thinking and he felt Yagari should take advantage of the life he'd been given and the opportunities that came with it.
Smiling, he went for a drastic change in subject. "You've been in those clothes since they brought you in. Why don't you wash up?"
Cool grey eyes glanced up blankly before Yagari nodded. A good bath wouldn't go amiss; it'd at least get his mind off of less pleasant things for a while.
And as Yagari stood and stared at what Cross considered a 'bathroom' he suspected his mind would no doubt be occupied for a really long while. Scrunching his face up in what he knew was utter confusion, he gestured at the space around him, demanding,
"What the hell is all this?"
Blinking, the chairman decided to start simple:
"From my left, that is the shower head," he took if off its hook and turned a long metal tab to the right, "that will make the water warmer and it'll be colder if you turn it the other way." He motioned towards the tub, "We'll need to fill that, but it's where you can take a long soak after washing yourself. Be careful not to fall asleep there." Both he and Yuuki had gotten numerous lectures from an annoyed Zero whenever he had to pull them out. He then walked over to the small porcelain shelf and tapped one of the bottles, "you can wash yourself with whatever you like. The top row is for body soap and the second for shampoo, the third is for conditioner."
When he looked up and only received a blank stare for his efforts, Cross paused, a feeling of unease slowly spreading from his insides, settling in the pit of his stomach. "Did you…get all that?"
"No."
"What is it you need more elaboration on?"
"How is it clean water – it better be clean water – can come out of that shower thing with just that other thing turning and what in the hell is shampoo and conditioner?" The words felt foreign on his tongue and came out awkwardly accented.
Cross could more than understand the hunter's curiosity to mechanics of the shower, but shampoo and conditioner? "Shampoo and conditioner are used for your hair," he said slowly, hoping to all that was holy the reason why the hunter had asked the question wasn't because—
"Can't you use soap for that?" Why was there a need to wash hair and body with different elements when one would get the job done just as efficiently? Even being able to wash hair with something other than water was a luxury, especially for someone that traveled between missions as often as he did.
—And it was just as he'd feared. Cross refrained from gaping. Soap…for hair? That had to be utter blasphemy! Even Zero would protest to such a thing. How the man had such fine hair with the less than appreciative care he gave to it was beyond him. The chairman crossed his arms. Well, he didn't know what the hunter had been using to wash it with previous, but he wouldn't let him get away with it now. They were in the twenty-first century – shampoo and conditioner were a must.
"I think I can get Zero to explain whatever you want to know about the shower," the pale boy was surprisingly rather adept with technical things, "and after I get some makeshift clothes for you for the moment, and get the tub filled, you," he pointed determinedly, "are going to get a real bath." He hadn't realized just how deprived people from two hundred years ago were.
After showing the hunter how to fill the tub, Cross had him wait back in his bedroom, heading straight for Yuuki's, hoping she was still here. She'd made a rather quick exit with both of the boys in tow.
"Yuuki?" He swiftly knocked, "it's me, are you here?"
"Chairman," she smiled as she opened her door, "I hope everything went fine after that, what is it?"
"Is there anything we have right now Yagari-san might be able to wear?" The chairman whispered loudly, a hand by his mouth, hoping the heat he felt in his face wasn't showing. It'd been a bit embarrassing to realize his own clothes would be far from a perfect fit for their recovering hunter – and it wasn't because it was too slim or too big.
Yuuki tilted her head in consideration. It was obvious the chairman was asking whether Zero or Kaname had anything suitable. Her adoptive father's wardrobe would be much too small in all areas where clothing was concerned, with the top of his head just shy of reaching the other man's nose. Her boys were around the same height as Yagari-san, she supposed, but when she thought about the hunter's body structure…
"We'll have to raid both of their rooms." She said aloud, already stepping out and going across the hall, "at first it's easy to think Zero and Kaname are the same size, but," she opened the door, "Kaname is broader around the shoulders," she went for the closet, "and Zero tends to wear looser pants," the ex-human liked a bit of leg room. She pulled out a pair from the drawer and slid a shirt from a hanger, handing it to the chairman.
"The shirt is Kaname's and the pants are Zero's. It's a good thing they sleep over so often their stuff gets mixed around." They wouldn't have to go into separate rooms after all.
The chairman chuckled. "You sure know a lot."
Yuuki just smiled. "I think Yagari-san is waiting for you." She did know a lot, a lot more than the chairman would be willing to listen to, not that she would willingly divulge anything. She was the only girl that knew so much about her boys and wanted to keep it that way.
"What did the old geezer want?" A muffled voice came from under her blankets when she came back to her room. Smiling, she sat at the edge of her bed and stroked the beautiful moonlit strands both she and her brother were enamored with.
"Nothing much," she answered sweetly, "but I wouldn't advise going to the bathroom for a while."
Her creamy yellow blankets were momentarily pulled down to let sleepy lilac eyes peer over them in confusion. "What?"
She giggled and patted his head. "It's okay, rest Zero, we'll be having our prefect duties soon."
Cross stared.
When they said they'd brought the legendary hunter back in perfect condition, they weren't kidding.
Yagari was... Auburn eyes trailed down, Yagari was... They trailed further down...
"Hey, are you starting?"
"Uh, yes. Right now." He tried to ignore the minor disappointment at having been interrupted when his line of sight was right below the navel and right above...well. Coughing lightly, he reached for the shampoo, popping the top open and gently squeezing a fair amount onto his palm.
Yagari narrowed his eyes as the soft scent of something sweet hit his senses. It didn't smell like anything he'd ever smelt before.
"What is that? The smell," he clarified when seeing Cross' questioning glance.
"Oh this? It's coconut vanilla." He'd gotten it as a gift from Yuuki a few weeks back when she'd gone out to buy her own supply.
"Coconut vanilla?" He'd never heard of either of those terms. Was it some type of herb?
"Ah, I can tell you about it later. Let's get you washed up first." Cross suggested. It was getting more and more awkward as they both stood in the bathroom.
Sitting on the provided plastic stool, Yagari frowned. "I really just sit here and wait?"
"Just this once," Cross smiled, "or until you get the hang of it," he briefly took the time to admire the hunter's strong back and fine lines before approaching and lowering his hands into the man's wet hair. "You should keep your eyes closed. I'll try not to get any of it in your eyes, but it's better to be safe."
"And you wash your hair with this stuff?" Yagari asked dryly, shutting his eyes as suggested. Not only did it smell weird, it brought harm when in contact with sensitive parts of the body? It seemed completely impractical.
Cross only chuckled, making sure to get the shampoo through all of the man's hair before moving the soft pads of his fingertips in slow circles, much like how he'd done with Yuuki while she was still young and in need of assistance. He remembered, with a bit of nostalgia, how she'd giggled and tried to grab at his hands, claiming they tickled. Every time she managed to take hold of one of his fingers in her tiny hands, she'd lay one of them flat against his own, palm to palm, marveling at how much bigger they were in comparison to her own.
If he hadn't had his eyes closed before, he definitely would've had by now, Yagari thought contentedly. Those fingers were entirely too skilled, moving the way they did, on the sensitive skin of his scalp. It was so easy to just think of letting himself go and relaxing completely, he didn't even mind the cloyingly sweet smell anymore. His body was now totally focused on those fingers moving through his hair with just the right amount of pressure and strength to render him helpless against their attentions, slowly undoing him with every careful turn and tug. He knew he should've felt even a sliver of alarm at the frighteningly vulnerable position he was in, but his survival instincts were temporarily kept at bay, tamed by those wonderful fingers…
"You really have fine hair," Cross marveled. It was unusual for an Asian male, especially at his age. "As much as I'd like to keep this up, I think it's time to get the shampoo out." He unhooked the showerhead and made sure the water was at a comfortable temperature before giving out another warning,
"With the water, it'll make the shampoo easier to get in your eyes, so keep them closed." He wished he hadn't gotten rid of the pink band he'd used for Yuuki to keep the soapy water from accidentally getting into her eyes or mouth. Not only would it have been extremely useful for their current situation, it would've been hilarious to see Yagari with it around his head, not even knowing it was there.
Keeping in a laugh, Cross held a hand above the man's brows as he let the water do its job, letting the soapy suds drain away, trailing down his neck and traveling unobstructed down his shoulder blades and onto the lower portion of his back until it was half absorbed by the white towel around his waist.
Ringing some of the water out of the hunter's hair, Cross caught the barest hint of a scar on the slope of his neck, where it just met his shoulder. Now that he thought about it… The chairman's eyes trailed curiously along the expanse of creamy caramel-toned skin, spotting a few other areas marred by various old wounds, each one uniquely different from the rest. The first one he'd found seemed to have been caused by a blade of some sort, around six centimeters long, and thankfully, looked like a clean cut, the scar now a thin pale line.
Yagari shifted to attention when he felt the other man trace a finger across his shoulder. "What is it?"
Cross blinked at the question then hurriedly turned off the showerhead, laughing lightly as he picked up the conditioner. "Sorry, lost in thought for a moment." He poured some conditioner onto his palm, "None of the shampoo got in your eyes, I'm guessing?"
"My eyes are fine," the hunter answered.
Just to make sure, the chairman used his free hand to turn the other man's head toward him, checking for any irritation before smiling and letting go of his jaw, not minding the annoyed huff the hunter let out as he turned back. Rubbing the conditioner in, he informed,
"The conditioner should stay in your hair for a few minutes before you wash it out, unlike the shampoo."
"Why?" These things were so troublesome…he felt like some woman getting ready for her marriage night with all of this cleaning and the weird sweetly scented crap that was infused in them.
"Just do it," Cross said firmly. "I'm sure it doesn't take long for you to wash yourself. Just do that after putting the conditioner in your hair and wash it out along with the body soap." He smiled and gave a playful slap to the hunter's shoulder, the smacking sound echoing slightly in the bathroom. "Well, that's all, and make sure to keep your eyes closed. After you're soap-free, you can take a nice soak in the tub, it'll warm you up."
Yagari watched as the other man left without another word. That was all? He hesitantly touched his hair, rubbing the slippery substance between his fingers with a scowl at the strange texture and smell. What was it again, co-co-something fanilla? Well, whatever the hell it was, he didn't like it. The only way he'd ever be able to tolerate something like this was if—
Grey eyes widened at the thought and he frowned even further before doing as he was suggested, grabbing the soft spongy material he'd already forgotten the name of, and pouring the body soap onto it, again, grimacing at the distinctly femininely fruity scent. Did all the soap in this time smell this way?
Though he'd grumbled his way through washing himself, once he'd stepped into the tub, he blinked and sat the rest of the way down, getting into a comfortable position until the water came up to his collar bones. This…was nice. It felt as though he was at a traditional inn, an onsen, however few those times had been. So maybe not everything in this era was bad, if everyone was able to relax and enjoy themselves this way any time they so wished.
Time became completely irrelevant as he let himself enjoy this small solitary moment in which he wasn't bothered by why he was able to enjoy this in the first place, the knowledge of his own death, the task of relearning everything to even carry out the simplest of daily chores, the cold numbness that came with the realization that he really was alone now...
He hadn't even known he'd closed his eyes until he heard incessant soft taps on the sliding door, with the familiar voice of the bespectacled man filtering through, "Are you done? Was everything alright?"
Slowly getting up and out of the tub, Yagari answered, "Yeah, it was...alright."
"That's good, I left some clothes for you out here, and towels you can use. Ah, they're the soft rectangular pieces of cloth that'll be hanging right by when you get out."
Yagari, suddenly inexplicably tired, just gave a sound of affirmation, sliding open the opaque glass door just as the other closed behind the other man. He took a hold of the 'towel' he'd mentioned and lightly squeezed it between his hands, getting a feel for the material. It really was soft.
Quickly drying himself, his frowned down at the clothes that'd been left for him to wear. The shirt, he was familiar with, and the shorts (thankfully having come in a plastic cover, brand new), he concluded were some type of undergarment, but these western pants (he'd seen some Europeans wearing them)...what was up with the long metal clasp (at least that was what he thought it was)?
Curious, he tugged on it, pulling it up, and blinked when the clasp somehow managed to close the front gap. So these worked much like buttons... He'd have to ask the other man what they were called. Slipping the pants on over the shorts, he wished they were a bit looser, and preferred the silk shirt with less buttons, but it wasn't as though he was in any condition to complain. Shrugging, he walked out, heading towards the bedroom he'd first woken up in.
Zero yawned softly as he pulled on his uniform, once again, shamelessly late for his prefect duties. Gliding silently down the hall, he stepped into the kitchen, deciding for a quick snack before having to deal with crazy squealing girls all fawning over the night class, which of course, he thought irritably, included Kaname…
Looking up as he headed for the fridge, his eyes nearly bugged out at what his eyes and sharp senses caught standing in the middle of the kitchen with the chairman. What…what the hell was that bastard doing with Kaname's clothes?! His too, for that matter!
"Oi, you—"
"Oh Zero! Do you remember where you put the rest of that lasagna you made last night?"
"Even if I didn't remember, it wouldn't be in the cabinet," Zero answered dryly, his glare not softening in the least as he continued, "And why the hell is that bastard wearing my pants?" He tried not to show how much more bothered he was by some stranger wearing Kaname's clothes, still rich with the pureblood's scent. It was just…weird, offsetting, and it made him irritated and uncomfortable.
"Don't worry, it's just for today," the chairman smiled. "We'll be going shopping tomorrow for bare essentials, so just bear with it please."
Zero responded with an indecipherable grunt, quickly snatching a small disposable container filled with fresh blueberries and sliding another larger plate with the lasagna toward the chairman across the counter as he left.
Just as the chairman let out a cheer and moved to stick it in the oven, Zero popped his head back in, growling,
"If you even think of using the oven to warm that up, you won't be a certifiable male by morning. Use the damn microwave." At least then, the chairman was less likely to screw things up and the possible fire/explosion would be manageable.
A faint smirk lifted his lips as his sensitive ears caught the hunter bastard's indignant, "These are their clothes?"
Disclaimer: No own Vampire Knights.
Thank you for reading! :D
And if anyone has any more ideas on what Yagari should get some 'catching up' on (whether if it's hunter-related or culture-related), please feel free to give suggestions of any kind :) For example, they'll be going shopping next and I also want to mention Halloween...so if you've got anything to contribute to the event, I'd be more than happy