Cross Academy Kindergarten - Prequel
. . .
Zero was nearly eighteen when what the vampire society referred to as their own version of a baby boom happened. What was even more remarkable, that generation had yielded four pureblood children in total.
(A vast majority of level Bs and members of the Council were downright horrified. Understandably.)
It was a few years later he would find out the pureblood children were a result of survival instincts and cycles and whatnot, but what he'd had on the forefront of his mind then was the simple fact he was finally getting to meet the child that had been growing within the womb of the person he had considered an aunt for the last nine and a half months.
"Dad, I'm going to knock you unconscious if you don't sit." Zero said, not looking up from the book he was perusing.
Having to wait, not knowing what was happening, could be nerve-wracking, but his father could afford to calm down. He hadn't stopped moving since the moment they arrived at Kuran manor. The small stylish trash can next to the couch was filled with empty coffee cups, worth two entire coffee pots that Zero had had to brew within Haruka and Juri's kitchen. In hindsight his father probably shouldn't have packed away that much caffeine when he was already so nervous and anxious. Zero and Ichiru had thankfully managed to come prepared - Zero having grabbed one of the books he had been in the middle of, and Ichiru swiping some kind of game - but their father hadn't been as lucky.
"I would if I could." His father sighed, voice thin. Eyes flicking to the door leading to the birthing room for the umpteenth time, he started crossing to the other end of the hall – also for the umpteenth time. "Why did Yuri get to go in?" He muttered. Any louder and it would've sounded like a whine.
Ichiru actually rolled his eyes. "Christ, Dad, because Juri-san and Mom are smart and sensible and won't have time to deal with the trauma you'd suffer afterward?" He waved towards the couch. "Look at Haruka-san. He's taking it way easy and this is his kid."
Zero held in a snort. 'Taking it easy' was a mild understatement. Haruka was asleep under two layers of thick blankets and resting his head on a fluffed up pillow. His feet were hanging off the other side of the arms of the couch, encased in bright orange socks dotted with chubby faces of kittens. He had kicked off his leather loafers hours ago.
But honestly, Haruka's coping method was much preferred to his father's near frantic pacing.
"He's three thousand years old. He knows better than to freak out about his wife giving birth, and just enjoy the results after." Zero said.
Which would undoubtedly involve cooing like an idiot at his firstborn swathed in the softest of baby blankets. And then proceeding to spoil him for the rest of his life. There was no doubting how excited Haruka was at becoming a father.
"Don't pretend you're not just as eager to get in on the enjoying," Ichiru smirked.
Zero shrugged, still half-focused on his book. "Just because you'd rather swallow a lizard than deal with a baby doesn't mean the rest of us would."
Zero wasn't afraid to admit he'd looked into everything related to vampire pregnancy the moment Juri had announced she was going on two weeks and that she knew she was going to have a boy. (Apparently they had both wanted a girl, but when flipping a coin, it landed heads up, which was for a boy. Quickly deciding they had wanted one of each anyhow, although it wouldn't be in the order they wanted, they would just go for a girl the second time around.) Haruka and Juri had joked he could switch probably careers for a midwife after all the knowledge he'd accumulated.
It turned out there were very distinct differences between pregnancies for pureblood vampires and lower class vampires, and while there weren't any written records left of pureblood vampire pregnancies and their process, Juri had allowed him to ask questions. He hadn't dared to write down any of the answers she had given him and carefully tucked the information she had entrusted him within the confines of his stubborn mind.
Initially worried he might be overstepping boundaries, Haruka and Juri actually seemed to welcome his interest, and when he also admitted to wanting to study child development for pureblood vampires, they hadn't minded that either, readily answering more of his questions regarding their childhood.
Ichiru made a face. "So I'd rather set a box of puppies on fire. It's not like I hate them. I just don't know what to do with them."
Deigning to look up from his current page, Zero sent Ichiru a soft smile. "He's going to love you like an uncle. Don't worry so much."
"Shut up." Ichiru squinted. "I'm not worried."
Sure he wasn't. As if there hadn't been a hunted edge to his eyes since finding out Juri was with child.
Unlike Zero who had delved into the subject with no small amount of determination, Ichiru had backed away as if the entire thing was the very personification of all of his fears. He grew visibly uncomfortable the moment the pregnancy or any talk of babies came up and quickly tried to change the subject.
"I can't believe my own sons are calmer than I am." His father looked pained as he walked past their chairs once again.
Zero and Ichiru turned to each other and shared an exasperated look. Glancing at his watch, Zero sighed and was about to tell his father the baby could be here any second, when Haruka snuffled and grunted under the blankets before poking his head out.
"It's over," He said, rubbing his eyes.
And on cue, the doors opened to let out Juri and his mother, faces flushed, but glowing with an incandescent happiness Zero guessed was a privilege afforded to mothers.
In Juri's arms was a bundle so tiny it was hard to believe there was another fully functional vampire buried in there somewhere.
"Haruka and I decided on Kaname." Juri chirped.
"He's beautiful." His father whispered, already at her side, peering down at the newborn.
"Of course he's beautiful, he's Juri's boy." Haruka said with the ever irritating amount of confidence that only added to his boyish charm.
"Let us hope he'll be smart enough to take after her too, then." Zero said mildly.
Haruka didn't even bother to look offended. "He's taking after her already, he's so well-behaved!"
Zero's mother snickered. Juri sent him an amused smile. "We'll see about that when he's shrieking in the middle of the day to drag you out of sleep for months on end."
Haruka rocked Kaname in his arms, a delighted smile on his face. He didn't seem to have heard Juri at all.
"Zero-kun, would you like to hold him next?"
Zero stared at the bundle that was Kaname and slowly nodded. "Thank you." He said quietly.
Haruka gently handed Kaname over. Once he was settled in Zero's arms, Haruka pulled back a part of the blanket to give Zero a better view of his face.
"Hello." Zero said. That seemed proprietary. A proper greeting.
Then Kaname opened his eyes to reveal the unique rich reddish-brown that he shared with his parents, and somehow, Zero was floored.
Kaname's eyes closed shortly after, going back to his nap, but Zero couldn't help staring, not wanting to miss anything else that little face might do.
"Oh, he's a goner." His mother chuckled.
"Of all people, he's star-struck by a baby." Ichiru snickered.
Zero just ignored them and brushed his fingertip by Kaname's brow. He was unbelievably soft.
"Hey, Kaname."
. . .
Just two months after Kaname came Sara, downy golden curls atop her tiny pink head and the brightest blue eyes. Her parents couldn't be prouder.
Thankfully, Zero and his father were able to finish their latest assignment on time to rush to the birthing. If half of the reasons why they were so desperate to get there was related to the request that was not really a request from Yuri and Juri as well as the consequences of not making it, it was silently agreed to be never spoken aloud. Riku had sadly learned that the hard way, while Zero had fortunately learned from his father's mistakes.
Haruka, of course, tagged along with Juri, always glad to be the whipped hubby that never failed to disappoint.
Sara's father, Kouji, apparently took Haruka's advice to heart and just slept through the entire birthing process. Unlike Juri, however, Sanae hadn't at all been happy about it.
"I spend ten hours in labor pushing our daughter out of what started out as a pinhole, and he's out there sleeping?! I don't know how humans do it. I wouldn't be able to stand having to wait in constant excruciating pain until a child the size of a watermelon pops out of my inner tube — and then have to wait for said inner tube to recover."
"It's worth all of that and more to have our children in our arms at the end of it." Juri said cheerily.
"I'm still going to perforate his eyes." Sanae said sweetly.
Kouji sighed mournfully.
Haruka patted his shoulder. "Sorry about that. But at least they'll grow back."
"Much thanks." Kouji said flatly.
Zero, now holding Sara, just looked down at her and murmured, "I hope you and Kaname learn to develop some selective hearing."
He kissed her forehead and continued to rock her.
. . .
A year after that came Yuuki. The fourth pureblood child came two years after her, but Zero only knew him by name.
A large number of level B vampires within Haruka and Juri's political influence were also blessed with children, some in the same year as Kaname and others the same as Yuuki. None were too far apart in age, though for vampires, even a few decades was barely a difference.
For Zero, it was actually the easier ones that always first came to mind. Takuma and Seiren's birth had been a walk in the park, and for Seiren, Zero had the chance to help out the doctor that had rushed to deliver her as his usual assistant couldn't be reached in time.
Labor for Takuma hadn't lasted an hour and there were no complications, much to his mother's eternal relief and gratitude. Even the hard, unforgiving lines around Asato's face had softened just a fraction the moment he saw his grandson. With incredibly soft wispy blond hair and bright leafy green eyes, the baby had charmed everyone in the waiting room.
Seiren's was much the same, and she had come even faster. Neither Zero or the doctor had anything to do. Though her cries were loud and energetic, she had quieted quickly and settled comfortably within her mother's arms. Yuri had remarked her transparency reminded her starkly of Zero and Ichiru when they had been newborns, their skin, hair, and eyes so pale.
Rima had been a premie and had every anxious vampire in the waiting room holding their breath for her arrival before she was even out of her mother's womb. Premies were fairly uncommon amongst vampires, and this had tempers high and nerves close to snapping. Initially rocky, which was standard, Rima was stabilized, and went home with her tearfully relieved parents after a month long stay in the hospital.
Hanabusa's, Zero remembered with some amusement, had been eventful for entirely different reasons. Haruka had had to literally knock the boy's father unconscious when the vampire's excitement over seeing his first boy got to be a little overbearing for everyone else (never mind he'd gone through the same thing four times with his daughters previous).
Ichiru just thought it hilarious Zero seemed to have ended up as the go-to babysitter for most of the kids' parents. If there was a party or if the parents needed some time off, Zero was their first point of contact.
"You're lucky you actually like it."
"If I didn't, they wouldn't ask." In proof of that, Ichiru was never met with requests.
"I heard Sanae-san tried to get another vampire as a nanny and Sara came close to bringing the house down with her tantrum."
That was Sara's version of 'a little upset'.
"What do you do with them, anyway? Read stories? Tuck them into bed?"
Zero raised a brow. "You want to come and see for yourself?"
Ichiru raised his hands as a gesture of surrender, and then shuddered. "Are you kidding? I don't want to die."
Zero smiled slightly and shrugged. "They're not that terrifying."
"Because you're the Vampire Whisperer! Everybody wants in on your secrets." Ichiru hissed dramatically. "Some are convinced you're using black magic. It doesn't help you're a star hunter now."
'Star hunter' was very relative. Few trusted Zero's close ties with pureblood families that were anything less than murderous. Some thought him and his family an aberration and even turned away when they happened to catch Zero interacting with the kids. It was needless to say Zero wasn't all that popular amongst the HA.
Zero didn't mind them as long as the kids didn't see their reactions. The moment those hunters' words or expressions made any of them even remotely sad, heads were going to roll.
Seeing his expression, Ichiru frowned. "They aren't giving you trouble, are they?"
Zero shook his head.
"Well, if they are, you know what to do."
When Zero just stared, Ichiru sent him a flat look, as though saying, 'Really?'
"Tell on them. To the kids. Sic 'em with rabid baby vampires and they'll never come near enough to pull anything stupid."
Now it was Zero's turn to give Ichiru a flat look.
"Oh come on, it'll so work."
"Shut up and go back to your games."
"What's the point of having a small army of vamp babies otherwise?"
"Ichiru."
Ichiru snickered.
. . .
(Four Years Later)
It was decided, on a bright, chirpy summer day, the Kindergarten Project - that the Council and the purebloods had been squabbling over for neigh on three decades - would go live within the next month, starting in April. Ten vampire children were going to attend Cross Academy with other human children their age to mix and mingle. Though of course, their homeroom class would only consist of vampires. For now, any mingling with human children would only be happening during recess or break time.
The new class, which consisted of three pureblood vampires and seven noble class vampires, would be overseen by a teacher of Cross Kaien's choice. The parents had agreed as long as the teacher wasn't a hunter, he was otherwise free to have his pick of any instructors he preferred. Having heard enough from Juri, Zero knew if the choice was left up to the parents, it would be centuries before an instructor was ever found.
The kids themselves had had varying reactions when first finding out they would be going to school within a month. Kaname and Yuuki weren't happy. Sara had been furious. Hanabusa was affronted (why nobody knew, or was willing to find out), while the rest had thankfully taken it in stride. Takuma, Zero supposed, was the most enthusiastic out of all of them. Senri and Rima usually went with Takuma's lead, so they were more or less content, and Akatsuki and Ruka seemed to think of it as a test of their independence. They were wary, but determined to do well. Seiren, at first unsure due to Kaname's less than appreciative response, calmed after being informed of what school would essentially be like, and ultimately agreed to attend.
As required of all applicants entering into the academy, the kids needed to pass an exam to be officially instated as a student. Not that anyone was particularly worried. Even the child that liked to study the least (Yuuki, without question) was more than capable of achieving a passable score.
As the one who had tutored most of them since they were three, Zero could also vouch the same.
Currently, Zero was helping Yuuki into her dinosaur costume for the 'dress-up' party (where only the kids were required to step into costumes) when one of the noble vampires came over and cheerfully said, "Oh, you look so cute! I heard you're all grown up now and starting kindergarten next month. Are you excited?"
Yuuki went from being bashfully pleased at the compliment to a tearful frown at the reminder of going to school.
"No," She said, voice small. "I don't like kindergarten. Mommy and Daddy are mean to make us go."
"Oh. Well." The vampire paused, now wary. "I'm sure you'll have fun."
Yuuki turned away and buried her face into Zero's neck. "Not really." She mumbled mulishly.
Zero gently rubbed her back and sent the vampire an apologetic glance. "She's just tired."
Yuuki started to whine, "Nu-uh!" But Zero was already lifting her into his arms and leaving before she made the vampire feel even more awkward.
"Where's Kaname? Does he need help with his costume?" Zero went for a total change in subject.
"Kaname dressed already. He's a tiger."
Yuuki leaned back to look up at him from beneath her eyelashes. "You're not mad?"
"About what?"
"I was mean to the lady." Yuuki absently pulled at his shirt pocket, her equivalent of rubbing her toe into the ground.
Zero shrugged and guided her head to rest against his shoulder. "You were upset. And the lady is fine. If you want to apologize, tell her later if you see her again."
"Okay." She was now picking at his shirt buttons.
They wandered around the party in silence, Yuuki preferring to be carried, though Zero guessed it was so she would have a reason not to socialize with the others.
"I don't want to go to kindergarten." Yuuki whispered, as if it were a secret. "I won't be able to see you. For a long, long time. Kaname doesn't want to either, but he's older, so he has to say yes."
Zero chuckled and nodded. "Yes, he does." The woes of being the first child. "And you'll go to a regular kindergarten with humans, so you'll meet a lot of them."
"Will they be like you?" Yuuki's voice was painfully hopeful.
"Some, yes."
"Good." She said, but sighed as if put upon. "I'm still going to miss you. A lot, a lot."
"You'll survive," Zero said amusedly.
. . .
It wasn't until six months into their enrollment he found out while his kids had 'survived' spectacularly, the same couldn't be said for the academy they attended.
. . .
A/N: This is the little bit of back story to the godzilla tots that make up class 106. Hope this one was enjoyable!
Major thanks to all who reviewed for the previous one-shot! It's a bit late to be writing that, I know, but nonetheless, the love and appreciation is all there! May your days be filled with rambunctious, but adorable vampire toddlers!
