~*~Patrolling for Love~*~
The masquerade was a hoax, just another way for the Kuran family to show off their power and wealth. It made Zero cringe with disgust. The only reason he came to this gathering was to make sure the Purebloods kept their hands to themselves. The Association of Hunters had requested that he, Zero Kiryu, 'Keep the peace.' Not that anything extremely exciting happened at these gatherings anyway. It was just a bunch of noble vampires and their Purebloods basking in their own self worth. These parties always made Zero very aware of his status in the vampire world-unwanted. Not that he minded much. Despite being a human turned vampire he had no desire to relate to the awful blood sucking creatures; in fact he despised his own being for that very fate being forced on him.
Zero was sure the only reason he was handed the assignment was because of the fact that he was turned into a vampire. This fact kept the tension at the party down, since he was not a normal human hunter, if only just a little bit. Zero may not have their Pure or noble blood, but that did not mean he did not still have the power to overturn more than half of the vampires in the ballroom if he wanted to. He could do it easily, ending all of their sad existences one by one, all but one. Kaname Kuran, who was the ring leader of the Purebloods and nobles, was not to be taken lightly. It was not as if Zero was unable to match Kuran's power, on the contrary any anti-vampire weapon would have the Pureblood withering in pain. It was just that Kuran was a sneaky bastard so it made it a difficult task.
For the fifth time in the past twenty minutes since he arrived at the ball Zero fiddled with the ridiculous mask the Headmaster of the Association made him wear. 'You would not want to alert them of your presence! This is a covert mission! You must wear the mask! Besides, it's a masquerade party! Live a little Kiryu-kun!' Zero scoffed in remembrance. The Headmaster was delusional. 'As if they could not scent my presence.' He was sure somewhere in the party the Kuran's could scent him, knew of his presence, and were just pretending he was not even there. 'That sneaky bastard Kuran is just trying to hide and protect himself.' Many of the other vampires walking by said nothing to Zero. Most just spared a glance at him as he casually stood against a wall that faced the party. He hoped all the bloodsuckers could sense his distaste for them, and that he irritated them with it as much as they did him by existing. The longer he was there the more agitated he got because of how dull and boring the mission was. 'I hope this facade ends soon, I want to go to bed.'
Suddenly there was a soft murmuring throughout the party, and even the music which had been upbeat to encourage dancing had slowed to a soft thrum in the background. Zero looked out, looking for the source of the excitement, until he notice a small but extravagantly dressed figure gliding slowly down the steps that lead to the middle of the ballroom dance floor. Even though he had keen eye sight he did not have to look at the face of the woman to know it was her. The scent of her blood alone had him clenching his fists as the thirst that was now normally sated by blood tablets proceeded to flare back to life uncontrollably. 'Yuki...'
Zero watched for a moment, until she got to the bottom step and proceeded to talk with those interested around her. Zero clenched his teeth behind closed lips, an attempt to ignore both his thirst and irritation. 'He sent you out for show, like you are some prized trophy, didn't he?' Amongst the many things he hated vampires for, one was the turning and illusion of the human Yuki Kuran, who earlier in the year been turn back into a Pureblood by Kaname Kuran after she had lived most of her life as a human with the Headmaster and Zero. 'At least if you had stayed with me...' Images of their times together flashed through his mind, some happy, but most devastating. To many things had come between the two of them, and now Zero watched from the sidelines.
Yuki was now one of the very creatures he despised. That did not seem to hinder his thirst for her blood though, something that had always been active around the small female since she was human. It was as if it called to him, making his heart hammer and thump wildly as soon as he caught scent of it. He often wondered if it was addictive, the blood from a Pureblood, but if that was the case why was he not attracted to any of the other Purebloods' blood? Zero had spent countless hours and days in the Hunters Association library, looking into such things, but he always came back empty handed with no good information. And so, the mystery was left just that-a mystery.
Yuki had proceeded to the middle of the dance floor, a young nobleman vampire had politely asked for a dance and it appeared she graciously accepted. It was just another showy display probably encouraged by the head of the Kuran Family. The music was slow, the lights dancing off her dress and shining softly against her hair. Her mask glittered, twinkling with every new twist and bend her body made in time with the music and partner. Idly Zero wondered what point there was in Yuki even wearing a mask. It was not as if those gathering there did not know who she was behind that mask. They were not senseless and could smell the blood of the Pureblood Kuran Princess. Even Zero knew instinctively before he saw her that she was there, that was how strong of a pull the Purebloods blood held over the senses of other vampires.
Zero watched Yuki continue to dance, half wanting to leave the ballroom if only to escape the call her blood was having over him. Convincing himself to do just that, Zero pushed off the wall to leave, but he froze as he realized he caught the eyes of the very being who was unknowingly torturing him. Yuki's eyes locked on Zero, first appearing shocked, then thoughtful and sad. Zero clicked his tongue against his teeth in irritation, quickly adverting his eyes from hers, then proceeded to leave the ballroom. He went through one of the doors closest to him, pushing the huge door as if it weighed nothing, then hastily walk down it's hallway. Rounding a corner, Zero walked a little further before he paused to lean against the newly discovered wall. His breathe was coming in gasps, his hand reaching for his throat, and slowly he closed his eyes to hide the beast that was forming behind them.
Yuki finished her dance with the young nobleman then politely excused herself in order to get away from the gathering. Between all the other scents in the room and the distractions Yuki had missed Zero when she first entered the room. Of course something had been bugging her about the way the air smelled, nagging at her to remember it. Once she saw the movement against the far wall by the doors, leading to the guest sleeping quarters, she smelt it. The air rushing past him had made it flow to her, and her eyes immediately locked with his own. 'Zero...' It had been months since she had last seen him. When Kaname had turned her into a Pureblood again she had left the Academy, ultimately leaving Zero behind. He had changed, she could tell from the scent of his blood. However, despite the fact that he was no longer a vampire in danger of falling to a Level E, she could almost taste his thirst for her blood in his scent. It made her chest tighten, and shehad worked quickly to avoid her own thirst from showing during the dance with the young nobleman. Now she was quietly trying to make an exit, something that did not come too easily to her since becoming a Pureblood. Too many eyes were always on her. When others came to talk with her she had to politely give them a minute or two before excusing herself to 'the powder room.' Yuki never needed make up, her skin was even more flawless now than it had been when she was human. However it would appear as a guise in order for her to follow Zero's path. After softly closing the heavy wooden doors she followed the pathway that would take her down towards the guest room suites.
Yuki walked softly and slow, though her heart hammered and her brain was crying for her to run after the young vampire hunter. She had learned so much about vampires since becoming one, constantly being schooled due to Kaname's orders, and one thing in particular had stood out to her. Yuki longed to share it with Zero. She had learned more of the thirst between vampires, how it could turn one mad at the drop of a hat if they were falling to a Level E, or even if they were just around the one they desired with all their heart. The closer she got to the end of the first hallway, the stronger the scent of Zero was. The blood flowing through his veins was almost singing to her senses, comforting her as if she was finally coming home. Yuki knew the reason why they desired each other's blood , but she doubt Zero would enjoy the revelation. Yuki was sure he was still upset over her turning, and even more upset that she had left with Kaname. However, at the time Yuki had seen no other option. If she was going to learn more about vampires, in an attempt to save Zero from falling into a level E, she was going to have to follow after them. Of course she could not tell Zero that, he would have told her he did not need her pity, which was a foolish. She never pitied him, that was never the emotions that pulsed within her heart and through her body. She paused as she turned the corner to see Zero with his back against the right side wall.
Her heart stilled for a moment, and she took a hesitant step forward. If she was going to attempt what she wanted, now that the opportunity had been given to her, she would need to do it slowly. Again she took a hesitant step in his direction then froze as Zero's now red blazing eyes zoomed in on her. A part of her wanted to run towards him and wrap him in her arms, but another part of her was wary of the primal look held within his eyes. She did not dare to speak yet, instead she took another step closer, and then she took another just as slowly as the first. Zero's eyes were scanning her, as if to see if she posed a threat, then he quickly looked away. "Have you come to gloat Princess? The poor Knight who can never control his thirst, damned to fall down this path that leads to ruin. Have you come to end his life?" Zero's voice, rough and harsh echoed off the stone walls, and the torches in the halls did little to steer away the chill it sent down Yuki's spine. She continued to walk until she was only a foot away from him, her hand clenching into a fist in an attempt to hold back from reaching for him. "Why? Do you doubt your worth still Zero?" Her voice shook with emotion, something she had forgotten she still possessed in the house of the vampires-that is until she saw Zero again. A part of her missed her human life more than her desire to learn of her past and heritage, but most of all she missed this miserable man in front of her. Zero gave a dry laugh, if it was even long enough to be considered one, then looked back into Yuki's eyes. "Do you not see this?" Zero gestured to his eyes and fangs now protruding from his lips due to her proximity. "How am I any better than any of you beasts? You promised to kill me once, so I only asked if you have finally come to do your job and rid me of this misery." There was pain in his eyes, self loathing, and other countless emotions she could not recognize since he still somehow managed to posses control over them. She envied that about him. Since leaving with Kaname she was thrown into a world where emotions like these were ridiculed and frowned upon. It was better to be calm and collected, something she still could not seem to do when it concerned the young vampire hunter. "So you would have me kill you, here, just for the association to come after me? What of your promise Zero? Have you come to kill me?"
Yuki stepped a little closer, cutting the space between them to almost nothing with her dress skirts pressing against Zero's legs. "I can tell the difference, you are no longer in danger of falling to a level-E. Have you ever had this reaction with anyone else, Zero?" His eyes turned into a glare, something that would scare a normal girl into running away, especially when he was in his current state, but Yuki was all too accustomed to it. A small smile graced Yuki's lips, "Your blood may have changed, but you're still the same Zero I used to know." Zero's glare faltered, as his eyes focusing on the expression not hindered by her mask, and it reminded him so much of the human Yuki.
"I have learned a lot since our last meeting Zero. I have learned a lot about our tendencies and desires for blood. Have you ever wondered Zero? Have you ever wondered why you react to my blood?" Yuki leaned in closer, the question ringing through her eyes. Zero stepped back, seeing Yuki's eyes shifting in hues to display her own forming blood-lust. A part of him was disgusted, but the beast within him seemed to roar in pleasure. Yuki raised her hand, as if to brush it against the hair falling into his skeptical eyes, but then put it down thinking better of it. "I apologize. I am being too forward." She stepped back, an attempt to maybe earn his trust and interest. With a small chuckle escaping her lips she turned away from him, a soft yet sad smile gracing her lips and eyes. "I keep forgetting myself around you. I am so used to how things used to be I forget that they are not the same anymore." Her hand reached to touch her breast in order to feel her beating heart. A part of her wondered if the intense emotions from her past would ever stop plaguing her.
"They sent you to watch us I presume. Or was it father's doing?" Zero scoffed at Yuki, watching as she continued to play with the seam of her dress right above her left breast, occasionally tracing her fingers up to her throat as if she too were fighting against the beast within. "You were never related to that man, and yet you still call him father?" Yuki angled her body to face Zero, letting her hands fall and a soft smile graced her lips while a sad expression was held within her eyes. " Whether or not he was my biological father means very little to me. He raised me. Father and you were the only ones I ever truly-" With a soft gasp Yuki interrupted herself, her gloved hand coming to cover her mouth as if she had told Zero some secret she was supposed to never share.
Zero raised an eyebrow behind his mask, not that Yuki could see it, but a part of him wondered what she was about to babble about. She was acting differently when compared to his last encounter with her, the dark memories that plagued him in the middle of the night. "You said you learned something about this blood-lust..." Zero wanted to change the topic from their past. And as much as he would have rather left this ridiculous situation entirely, some invisible thread tied him to his spot. 'This stupid blood-lust I can't seem to control around her...I might as well get some information out of her about it since I can't find anything in our archives.' Yuki's eyes widened, and he watched as she softly bit her bottom lip, a nervous habit he remembered her having as a human. His interest peaked as she again reached for the spot over her left breast, her silken glove gripping the hem of her dress softly before turning her face away from him as she spoke. "Vampires are very instinctual. We crave what we need to survive, but we are not so different from humans either. We breathe, we feel pain, and we desire." Her eyes turned to lock on his from out of her peripheral vision. "The differences between us are only there when it concerns our power, our aging, and our...appetite." Zero scoffed. This was not new information to him at all. He knew very well the differences. He had lived with them for the past few years now. "However, our lustful desires are linked together." Yuki whispered softly, just loud enough to catch Zero's attention. "Excuse me?" Zero's eyes widened as he asked the question, thinking he heard her wrong. Vampire or not, Yuki was never one to mention anything vulgar. Her innocence had somehow transferred into the beast she now was, a fact that Zero hated. It made her seem all too much like the Yuki he once cherished.
"Our desires are linked," Yuki stated, too embarrassed to repeat it the same way again, "both the physical and emotional. We crave blood for survival, but there is a catch to blood-lust not many outside of the Pureblood line and their followers know of." Turning to face Zero completely she stepped closer again, a hand reaching out until it was a hairs breath away from touching his right cheek, where she froze. Her eyes were pleading, and his eyes were locked in fascination despite the displeasure this would normally cause him to feel. "What I share with you now is primal, and very..." Yuki paused to find the words to continue, but failing miserably she went about bringing it up a different way. "Once, Zero, there was a time when you held a place for me here." Her hand fell from his face to run against the left side of his chest, her silken glove slowly brushing against his heartbeat through his shirt where it stopped. Zero clenched his teeth, irritated. His hand shot out to grip her wrist, and as he did so she stepped closer and put her left hand against his right cheek. "Our desires are linked; the desire to feed and the desire to love. That is why Zero. That is why you can never be sated of the blood-lust. The thing you desire most within your heart will be the only thing to calm the beast raging through your blood...or mine." Yuki's eyes glowed an urethral hue of red, and Zero's heart skipped a beat. "I have learned a lot, as I have said, since I came here and left home. Have you seen them Zero? My eyes? Do they not reflect your own state?" Zero's hand gripped her wrist tighter, and his other quickly gripped her other wrist before flipping their position so he could pin her to the cold stone wall with her hands above her head.
"Do not mock me!" Zero's voice was rough and agitated, but Yuki just smiled sadly at him. "I never meant for you to feel I was...I only hoped that maybe you would understand that...we are not much different, you and I." He scoffed at her, "You already have your heart's desire. You have your precious Kaname to set you at ease and feed your blood-lust, so do not dare tell me we are the same! You know nothing of this!" Zero watched as her eyes started to water, a deep frown falling upon her lips, "Zero, you still do not see it...can you hear it then? Can you hear how the blood calls to you? As if you were drowning within it's every rush of it through my veins? Can you hear how I call for you?" Zero clenched his teeth and his hands over her wrists tightened. Quickly he turned his head away to avoid the emotions behind her eyes.
"Zero..." Yuki's soft voice, meant to soothe, made Zero's skin crawl. A mixture of pleasure at the sound of her sweet voice mixed with his displeasure towards her sent chills down his spine. "Zero, look at me." He refused, silently trying to rein in the beast that was clawing at his will power. "Zero, you are no coward, now look at me!" Yuki's desperate plea made him turn to glare at her, his fierce eyes clashing against her own. "Zero, listen to me. I have tasted it once, the feelings for me that you once had. And you once told me you tasted my desires within my blood. This is something only we as vampires can do. And, if you doubt my words, then you can see the truth for yourself. You can taste it within my blood." Zero leaned in, his forehead a breath away from her own as his hard eyes kept their hold on her now glowing red eyes. "A tempting offer, Princess, but you forget your surroundings. If I were to bite you all of your bodyguards would be here within seconds, and a war would be started. Do you take me for a fool? Or are you just trying to find ways to get me killed?" A sad smile graced her lips, "You were never a fool Zero. I am not trying to cause you harm. If you wish, if you truly wish to know the truth of all this, I know of a place where we can continue this conversation privately. There you can do as you wish without consequence." Zero searched her eyes, wondering if he could trust the sincerity she was holding within them. "And what of the danger I hold towards you? You would willingly put yourself in danger?" Yuki's smile this time was so close to one of the more genuine smiles Zero was used to seeing from her as a human. It scared him that maybe he had been wrong about her all this time. Maybe the old Yuki was still somewhere within the Pureblood. His heart raced at the possibility. "I trust you." Just that simple phrase had Zero's eyes widening further, his hands releasing their hold upon her. Quickly he backed away, watching her cautiously. After a moment, once his mind had settled on finding out the truth, he nodded. "Lead the way."
The walk down the winding corridors seemed to last forever, and the thrum of their hearts beating wildly along with the sound of their blood pumping through their veins was deafening to them as they continued. The blood-lust slowly increased within Zero the closer they got to their final destination. Yuki took him down a spiraling staircase, through another passage way, and then led them to a door. Yuki paused at the door. Though small the wood looked as if it weighed a lot. Resting her hand against it she spoke softly, "This is one of our safe rooms. Only members of the Purebloods know of them. Once we step inside and lock the door it will seal itself, cutting off all sound and scent coming from within this room. It was intended to harbor us in case of an attack during the wars. Now it is kept up just in case another starts." After Yuki pushed against the door with some force it opened. Yuki stepped in, turning to look at Zero to allow him entrance. Wary Zero made sure to check the surroundings before stepping in. Finding the room unoccupied he stepped in, allowing Yuki to close and seal the door with the loud clicking of the lock she used. The room was a decent size, big enough to make the Headmaster jealous if he were to compare it to his own living quarters. A part of the room was sectioned off as a sitting area, another held a four post bed with dark satin linens. The was even a small section of the room that led into another room, that Yuki informed him was a wash room. Everything was supplied within the room, except blood. The room did not even contain blood tablets. "So why have a safe room without some form of blood source?" Zero casually strolled the room, still cautious and scouting out the bathroom just in case before turning towards her with his question. A blush graced her cheeks then, and she nervously bit her lip. "This room was intended for Purebloods, as I said before. Purebloods can go a long time without feeding, if they so desired. However, it was mostly intended for a Pureblood couple."
Yuki reached up to touch her face, then asked, "Would it bother you terribly if I took this mask off? You can remove yours too if you would like. I am sure it is bothering you." A part of Zero wanted to dissuade her from exposing her face fully to him, but another longed to see the girl from his memories within it. With a shrug Zero turned to remove his own mask, "It does not matter to me."
Turning back, after he placed the mask down upon one of the side tables near the seating area, Zero held his breath. Yuki, even as a vampire, was still the splitting image of the girl from his past. Sure her eyes were darker, maybe even brighter during blood-lust, but most of her features remained the same. There was however her hair that stood out. Having once been cut short her hair now reached past her waist due to the change back to her Pureblood heritage. Shaking his head to regain his composure, Zero asked the question that lingered in his mind since her speaking of the room. "You said Pureblood couples used the room. Am I to assume they fed off one another?" Yuki blushed, and this time it was not hindered by the mask as she stood merely a couple of feet away from him. She nodded, "We can only truly sate our blood-lust if we feed from the one we desire most. Pureblood mates had no problems sustaining themselves within these walls due to this." Zero gave her a critical eye, "So what you are trying to tell me is that you think the reason for my blood-lust is because of the desires I held for you when you were a human?" Yuki stepped forward, shaking her head, "You may feel that it's just because of your desire towards me as a human, but in reality it's much deeper than that. I have not changed Zero, I may act the part when the time calls, but I am still me. Just as you are still Zero." Her hand reached out to touch his cheek, her silky gloves brushing against his cheek soothingly. "I know now exactly what it is like, to feel the thirst you cannot quench. I never knew it before because I was not like you then, but I am now."
Zero fought to not shake off her hand, an impulse reaction to her new form. "So now you desire me? Now that you are a vampire?" His words lashed out at her with disbelief. "You want me to believe this!? Now after everything!?" His anger was rising, and Yuki braced herself for the pull she knew was coming. She did not have to wait long. Zero harshly pulled her into his body, the blood-lust was mixing with his anger and pain. Zero's restraints to control it vanished, his head leaning forward after brushing the hair away from her neck aggressively, hissing in her ear, "Even if this was all a lie, I am not going to hesitate to taste it for myself. And if it turns out to be a lie, Princess, do not for a second fool yourself. I will kill you, and everyone else who comes to avenge you." With those harsh words Zero bit into the flesh of Yuki's neck. Yuki gasped, her heart squeezing in pain at the harshness of Zero's words, but a part of her still longed for the man despite his distaste for her. Instead of focusing on the pain within her heart, she forced the memories of Zero and all the feelings from her past to rush through her. The memories bombarded her, making her warp her arms around Zero's neck in order to relax and let them take over. Slowly she arched her neck to allow him better access. As he drank from Yuki, almost savagely in his anger, Zero's grip around her waist tightened. The memories seeped through her blood and into his mind. There were memories of patrolling together and memories of the times where he took blood from her when she was human. They flowed right through him. The later standing out the most. He had always thought he tasted pity and concern in her blood when he took from her in the past, but now that she was aware of it herself he realized why. It was not because she just wanted to save him because she thought he deserved it. That may have been part of it, but it was deeper than that. She had cared for him, deeply, and it left Zero's mind reeling. As more memories seeped through her and into him Zero let go of his aggression. His lips now formed a soft suction against the incision made by his fangs; an attempt to prolong the experience. Yuki's glove covered hands wove through his hair, her right hand holding the back of his skull in order to encourage his feeding from her. The memories were twisting in a mass of emotions, pain and longing, fear and joy. The memory of Shizuka's attempt to devour Yuki in order to save Zero flashed within his mind in full clarity. In that moment Yuki would have risked her own life in order to save his own. If anyone was going to suffer to make sure Zero did not have to, Yuki wanted to be the one. She wanted to be the one responsible for saving Zero, because she loved him.
With a gasp Zero jerked away from Yuki, quickly pushing her back and dislodging the hold she had upon him. His eyes still shone red, and his lips were covered with her blood. Yuki's hand reach out to wipe at the blood, but Zero's hand grasped hers. His eyes were locked on her own as he licked the remaining blood from off his lips. He glanced at the puncture marks in order to make sure the bleeding had stopped, and he watched in fascination as they healed themselves rather quickly. The only evidence that he had even bitten her was the small trail of blood that trailed down her collar bone starting to lead towards her breasts. His free hand reached out and stopped it before it made it near the hem of her dress. Slowly he ran his fingers up, in order to collect the blood upon it. He leaned forward to quickly clean what little blood was left marred upon her skin, in order to leave no trace of his act. The flashbacks quickly hit him, making his head spin and Yuki grip at his arms to keep him from collapsing. Zero rested his head against her shoulder, his hands now resting on her upper arms in an attempt to hold her at bay against his bodies desire to pull her closer. "All this time..." Zero's words came out softly, in disbelief. So much time had passed, wasted, since she became and Pureblood and left. "Why?"
Yuki knew what he was referring to. He wanted to know the reason why she left. His voice had shook with emotions, and Yuki feared he would break down at any moment. "I wanted to save you. At the time I had no idea..." She fought to control her own emotions, shaking slightly. "I had no idea that the feelings I felt for you were truly love. All I knew of was the crush I originally had for Kaname when I was young. Idolizing him. I thought that was love. Then I thought the feelings I held for you were of a brother and sister. And for family you give everything to save them. But you are not really my family. You made sure to keep telling father that." Yuki's hand reached up again to entwine within Zero's silver locks. "I never realized why you were so dead set on not being a part of our family, until the day I had decided to leave with Kaname in order to find a way to save you. When you made me drink from you, in order to prove I had indeed been turned into a vampire, I tasted it. All that time you knew what love was, and you had felt it for the human me. I knew then that a part of me loved you back as well then, but until I could save you I had no right to even phantom the idea of you loving me in the state I am now. You despised my becoming a Pureblood, yet I have been one all along. How was I to stay and help you when I was the one thing you despised? So I left with Kaname and did research, hoping that father could keep you alive until I could find a way to rid you of the burden and fear of becoming a level E. I had no idea you would find it yourself."
Zero pulled back to look in her eyes, his eyes now shining a light amethyst. "I was cured before you even left Yuki...between taking from Kuran and my brother, both who had Shizuka's blood running through their veins...I was cured." Yuki stepped back, a gasp leaving her lips, and her hand reaching to stop it from escaping. "You drank from Kaname?" Her words were soft and unsure. Worry rang through her eyes, wondering if it was forced upon him or taken by force. Zero's gaze wavered, "I didn't want to. The bastard left me no choice. He wanted me there to protect you. I didn't know the reason why he wanted to protect you so much was because you were a Pureblood as well, until after Rido. Then I knew, and by the time everything was occurring I never got the chance to tell you. I was hoping that when you drank from me and saw my feelings towards you that maybe..." Zero turned away, the pain in his voice too thick to hide. Yuki frowned. "I did not bring you here to hurt you. I am sorry if I made you remember unpleasant things." She fisted her hands in anger at herself, then became irritated at her gloves when she could not feel her nails biting into her skin, a habit she formed to distract her from her anger.
Quickly she disposed of the gloves and threw them to rest with her mask. Zero was still turned away, and he did not seem like he was ready to talk again just yet. Yuki decided to check the room. If she was lucky she might be able to rid herself of the dress and find something more comfortable to wear. She went to the chest of drawers and opened it. Thankfully someone had taken into consideration clothing, and so Yuki grabbed a loose fitted dress and belt from within it. Turning to face Zero, his back still towards her, Yuki frowned. "I am going to change into this, so I can get out of these clothes and breathe. Make yourself at home, but please wait for me before you leave. I would like to talk with you some more, if you would let me..." Zero only nodded, not daring to speak, but it was enough to assure Yuki that she could change and he would be there when she returned.
Once changed Yuki stepped out of the bathroom to find Zero laying across the bed sideways. It reminded her of when she found him before he was going to shoot himself with the Bloody Rose in his bedroom. Yuki walked towards Zero, then came to a stop in front of him, his legs resting over the side of the bed in front of her. "If I had told you about my state before you left, that I was not going to fall towards a level E anymore, and if I had asked...would you have stayed?" Zero did not look at her as he spoke, instead he focused on the ceiling. Yuki's heart hammered in her chest, and she moved to mimic his position next to him. "If you had told me then, I would have asked for proof. If you could have proven it to me somehow, and you had wanted me to stay, I would have. Back then I had no idea what a level E's blood smelt like, so I could not compare it with yours then to be able to tell. However, many nights Kaname or the others would come back smelling of level E's blood. That was why tonight when I saw you I knew you were no longer in danger of it. Knowing my reasoning and logic back then, I would have asked you to drink the blood tablets as proof. I was so determined to find a way to cure you. But even now, if you were still in danger, the only way I could find was to turn you back into a human..." Zero's head turned towards hers quickly, and Yuki reflected his action as he spoke. "You can do that?" She smiled softly, "It's what my mother did for me. It would cost me my life, but it was a possible choice." Zero frowned, "I'm glad it didn't come to that." A soft smile filtered over Yuki's features as she took in his words. "Me too."
"So...where does this leave us?" Yuki's question was held within her eyes as she spoke it. Would he accept her knowing the truth, or would her heritage stop him from wanting that. Zero frowned, still trying to process everything in his mind. He had been so angry at Yuki for being the one thing he despised, but at the same time this was Yuki. How could he despise the one person in his life who kept him sane when he was ready to fall apart? "I'm not entirely sure." Yuki turned her head away from him, a soft nod the only sign that she had heard him. Zero looked at her closely, now hugged in a day dress that flattered her figure. A part of him wondered at the bond they somehow shared all this time, and if fate was just being cruel to them on purpose. He also wondered if he could fight fate in order to keep Yuki for himself, or if it would just come back to haunt them both. "Would you leave all of this behind, even your precious Kaname?"
Zero's voice broke Yuki out of her depressed thoughts, making her stare at him in wonder. "Are you saying you are accepting of me, even though I am a Pureblood?" Zero frowned, not liking the idea that he had to be accepting of her at all. He should have never been disapproving of her in the first place. He knew how it felt to have your fate changed without approval of it before hand, and so he should have been sympathizing from the start. She never chose to be turned back into a Pureblood, so why fault her for it? His pride would not let him admit to that yet though. "If you answer correctly, I might consider it." Yuki smiled, another genuine smile, as she turned on her side so that her body faced him as well as her face. "Yes. If you would allow me to make up for all of the miserable feelings I've allowed to happen to you, I would come home with you and leave all of this behind. Even Kaname." Zero turned towards her as well, their knees touching as he reached out to caress her face. "Then come home with me Yuki. Just know, if Kuran tries to take you back again I won't hesitate to kill him." Yuki nodded, a sad smile forming, "It saddens me, but I understand. I am sure father and Kaname could talk something out. If Kaname does need me for something in the future, he can talk with both of us."
Her hand reached up and cupped his hand against her cheek, "I will not be a fool twice. I will not leave you alone again if I can help it." Zero's eyes lightened, and a smirk appeared on the corner of his lips, "See to it that you don't then." With that Zero leaned in and softly kissed Yuki on the lips. Their fate may have led them down twisted roads leading away from each other, but knowing the things they knew now they could work to make sure it never turned that way again. "Now how do we get you out of this place without raising alarm?" Zero's eyes examined her face with worry as she spoke, "I will confront Kaname with my decision to move back to the Academy with father and you. You can escort me there." Zero smirked again, "He's not going to like hearing that." Yuki shook her head, "Perhaps not, but I am sure that he has been aware of my feelings towards you as of late. Also it's proving to be a bit more dangerous for Purebloods as of late. He may welcome the extra protection for me." Zero got off the bed, reaching down to help Yuki up on her feet, "So long as he doesn't think you belong to him and then think he can take you back, I can deal with talking to the bastard."
Yuki shook her head as she walked to the door, unlocking it and forcing it to open so they could leave, "Father's dream of peace between the races will never come to fulfillment with those thoughts of yours Zero." Following her out, and leaving the door open as they walked away, Zero scoffed. 'At least part of it can now though.' Zero thought as he watched Yuki lead him back the way they came. Before they reached the spiraling stairs, Zero stopped Yuki by grabbing her hand. "Yuki...I didn't say it before...but-" Yuki's eyes fixed themselves onto his own, and she smiled as she placed a finger over his lips. "You don't have to say it Zero. You told me you loved me the moment you accepted my love for you. Now, let's go tell Kaname I'm going back home. We still have a lot of talking to do with father as well before we can even begin to shift through all the mess fate has left us to clean up." And with that they went off to face a new sweet dream together.
AN: So here is a one-shot that I made, with the inspiration from a challenge by the group Nostalgia. My younger sister read it and loved it so I decided that maybe it could with stand the critics, being you lovely people here on FanFiction. Reviews are welcome, and constructive critics are welcome! I enjoy making my work better, so if there is anything that stands out as a problem please let me know. ^_^ I'll correct it as soon as possible.
Enjoy! I hope it gives hope to all you Zeki fans out there!