Thank you for all the beautiful reviews! Here's the second chapter.
Find Your Wings
Chapter 2: Information
The last bell of the day rang and Kaname gathered up his books. He was walking down the hall toward the Student Council office when Takuma jogged up beside him. "Kaname, I tried to call you yesterday, and then find you this morning… but someone ignored me."
"Sorry Takuma I've had a lot on my mind."
"Oh? Well I've got one more thing to add to your mind."
"I'm not really in the mood."
"But you'll just love this!"
"Oh really?" Kaname raised an eyebrow.
"Yup. Did you know that Zero goes to school here?"
Kaname stopped and looked at his friend. "Zero… as in Zero Kiryuu?"4
"Indeed. Just found out yesterday! He's in one of Senri's classes and he works at his twin's café."
"Please tell me you're serious."
"I am very serious. I would not joke about something like this. I know how you've been looking for him."
"That makes me sound creepy."
"Well it's true. We should go to the café today and see him."
"I'll pass." Kaname's heart was racing.
"Why? You want to see him right?" Takuma cocked an eyebrow at his friend's antics.
"Of course I do but I'm busy." Kaname walked into his office and tossed his book bag aside.
"You're so full of it! You're not busy. So you should come with me… " Takuma smiled widely.
"No. I've got work."
"Ignore work for a bit. I mean come on… you've been after Zero for how long?"
"Please Takuma, I really have work."
"We'll compromise. After Clubs are over we'll head down there okay?"
Kaname could tell Takuma wasn't going to let it drop. "Fine."
"Wonderful!" Takuma hugged his friend tightly. "I wonder if Aidou would go too."
"No… "
"See you later. I've got my work to do too!" Takuma bounced out of the office leaving Kaname alone.
Kaname worked slowly hoping that Takuma would be angry and leave without him for Zero's café. But when the bell rang signaling that clubs were over Takuma and Aidou bounced into Kaname's office. "Are you ready?" Takuma asked.
"No." Kaname didn't look up from his paper. His heart was hammering and he was feeling anxious.
"I refuse to take that. Come. Come." Takuma started tiding Kaname's desk then he dragged his friend to his feet. "Lend me a hand Aidou! We've got to get Kaname going."
"Gladly." Aidou took Kaname's other arm and they practically dragged Kaname out of Cross.
Finally Kaname consented and shrugged free of his friends to walk on his own. He didn't want Zero to see him dragged into the café like he didn't want to be there.
Zero stood behind the counter waiting for a customer to take a seat. The bell jingled as the door opened and Zero's heart nearly stopped as he saw Kaname Kuran walk in. "Oh my god… " Zero froze up for a second then shook himself as Kaname and his friends took a seat. Taking a deep breath Zero walked over and put on his normal fake smile. "Welcome to Kiryuu Café. What can I get you today?"
"Hi Zero." Takuma beamed at the silverette.
"Hey Takuma." Zero smiled back. Kaname looked from one to the other and he felt jealousy burning in the pit of his stomach that Takuma was of first name terms with Zero and he wasn't.
"I'll take a chi latte." The blond vampire with blue eyes said.
Kaname sniffed the air and he clearly smelled Zero's blood, it smelled delicious. "I'll take a mocha. And could you bleed into it for me?" He smiled sweetly at Zero. The Hunter just smiled back and turned to the other blond vampire.
"I'll have a green tea, please."
"Of course, your drinks will be ready soon." Zero walked off to prepare the drinks.
"Kaname, what the hell was that about?" Takuma asked. "You've been looking for him for years and the first time you meet you ask for his blood. How charming."
"His blood smells good and I kind of think he's cute." Kaname shrugged and turned to watch Zero move around behind the bar. It was hard to believe that he was seeing Zero after all these years. He was slowly memorizing everything about his face. Kaname noticed that Zero wasn't smiling and he wanted to be the one to make him laugh and smile.
Kaname's eyebrows furrowed when another boy who looked just like Zero came out of the kitchen to whisper in Zero's ear. The boy nodded. It was too loud to hear what had been whispered but Kaname clearly picked up the rest of the conversation. 'Alright Ichiru, I'll leave in a second. I just need to drop off these drinks to table six.'
'Why does he want you home so early? He knows you have work?'
'I really don't want to think about it.'
'Well you haven't been home in a while.'
'You forget I have my own flat.'
'I still don't know how you pay for it and your school.'
'It's not that hard. Now I gotta go. See you Ichiru.'
Zero came back over and handed them their drinks. "Thank you!" Takuma smiled as Zero handed him his green tea.
"Will that be all for now?" Zero asked.
"Yes thank you." Kaname smiled at Zero and Zero did his best not to swoon.
"Oh Zero, Senri wanted me to ask you if you had notes from class today."
"Yeah. I guess sleeping through class tends to make you miss notes."
"Well… that's Senri for you." Takuma laughed.
"Hold on a sec I'll go get them." Zero went to his backpack he had behind the counter and pulled out his notebook and went back, "Here. He'll know where to look for the new notes."
"Has he copied before?"
"Yeah a few times." Zero shifted and tugged his cuff further down his arm.
"Hmm… " Takuma looked at the notebook for a second before back up. Kaname couldn't be sure but he thought he smelled blood, but it was so hard to tell because of all the different smells in the air of the café. "Senri said you pay tuition yourself so you're a diligent student. Is that true?"
"Well I do pay for my own tuition, but a diligent student… that's pushing it a bit."
"Well… " Takuma looked through the notebook. "Your notes do look pretty intense. I don't think even Kaname takes that in depth notes." Takuma smiled at his friends.
"I take offence to that. My notes are plenty good." Kaname said, pretending to be offended. He snatched Zero's notebook and looked through it. Zero forced a blush from his face as Kaname admired Zero's neat handwriting.
"Ya well, just have Senri give me my notebook in class tomorrow."
"I will." Takuma smiled again at the boy.
Zero was about to walk off when Kaname said, "You have nice handwriting, Zero."
"Thanks." Zero blushed and moved off from the table as quick as he could. He was actually quite happy that he had to leave since he didn't want to face Kaname after he had tasted his drink. Zero buried his bleeding wrist in his pocket, even though no one would see it since he wore long sleeves and a jacket over it. He slowly made his way home dreading what was to come.
"So you're on pretty good terms with Zero." Kaname looked at Takuma.
"Of course. He's really nice actually."
Aiduo rolled his eyes. He wasn't very interested in Zero. "Kaname-Sama, have you decided on your date for the dance next weekend?"
"No Aidou. I don't think I shall be taking one."
"Why not?"
"Because it would cause too much trouble if I singled someone out."
"I know what you mean… I have the same problem… perhaps I should go without a date as well."
"Oh Aidou you know you wouldn't be able to."
"Shut up Takuma!" Aidou glared at the other Vampire.
Kaname sipped his mocha. His eyes went wide for a moment then he swallowed and smiled. Zero's blood tasted as delicious as it smelled. Although he was a little disturbed that Zero would actually bleed into his coffee… did he do this for everyone that asked? Kaname waved over the boy who looked almost like Zero. "Excuse me, is Zero still here?"
"No sorry, he just left. Did he make your drinks wrong?"
"No. No. I just had a question to ask him."
"Oh. Well I'm his twin, Ichiru, I can pass on a message if you'd like?"
"No thank you. I will just stop in tomorrow."
"Okay then." Ichiru shrugged and walked off.
"What's up?" Takuma asked.
"Nothing really."
"What were you going to ask Zero?"
"Were you going to ask him to the dance?" Aidou gushed.
"No. Smell this." Kaname took the lid off his coffee and held it up for the other two to smell.
"Oh my god. He actually bleed into it!" Takuma stared at Kaname. "How could you make him do that! He's hurt now because of you!" Takuma's brow furrowed.
"Does it taste as sweet as it smells?" Aidou asked.
"Indeed." Kaname smiled and took another sip. Perhaps I should come here more often…
Zero checked his watch as he walked. It was early for him to be heading home. Only 2:30 a.m. But he was tired and the extra hour probably wouldn't be worth staying out for anyway. Besides Zero had been preoccupied since he left work and he wasn't sure that he'd performed as well as he could tonight anyway. But it didn't matter, he got paid and now his tuition for this month was paid.
He walked slowly up the steps to his flat and shoved the key in the lock. Even though he had done some homework while at the café he still had a lot due tomorrow. But first things first. Zero walked into his flat, kicked off his shoes and made right to his washing machine where he started his nightly routine and threw his clothes in. Tonight it was full enough to start it so Zero turned the knobs and started the machine. Then he walked into the kitchen, naked, poured a glass of orange juice and left to the bathroom.
Kneeling down in front of the toilet Zero leaned over it and stuck his fingers down his throat. He hated the way this gagging felt how it burned when he vomited. But he'd rather not keep his stomach full right now. After vomiting up his stomach contents and a considerable amount of bile Zero stood. He walked to the sink and grabbed his tooth brush where he scrubbed his mouth clean before rinsing his mouth with water and drinking his orange juice.
Sighing Zero turned on the water and waited for it to warm up before jumping in and scrubbing himself clean. When he got out Zero dried off before walking to his bedroom where he pulled on a pair of sweatpants. Then he went to the kitchen where he made himself a sandwich that he ate while pulling out his homework.
It was 3:45 when Zero finally finished all of his homework and crawled into bed. Pulling his blankets close Zero tried his hardest not to think about Kaname, about what a reckless thing he had done today. He looked at his wrist where the fresh scab sat next to other healing ones. Sighing Zero though what it would be like to see Kaname again tomorrow. But I suppose he would probably give me a good earful for actually bleeding into his coffee… But how could I refuse him? He's so charming and he asked! Zero replayed Kaname's request in his head and he smiled. Maybe things were looking up for him.