02 - Dance

Innocence…strange stone fragments apparently left behind by an ancient civilization a few thousand years before his own birth, each one answering only to the presence of a definite person over the years and granting this said person with supernatural powers to fight and ward off demons, or Akuma, as they are known worldwide.

The Black Order was the Pope's personal army, established on uncertain dates some two thousand years ago. Members of the organization were ranked as follows: Inspector-General Inspector Branch Heads Generals Exorcists Finders Personnel. The French family of the Leverrier managed the Black Order for the Vatican, a sort of dynastic rule, where parents handed down their jobs to sons and daughters. Generals had the job of looking for people who were compatible with Innocence, and Exorcists roamed far and wide trying to find more Innocence fragments. Once an Innocence fragment reacted to one person, it would not move on to find a host regardless until the compatible user died. This pretty much said that a person had no choice but to become an exorcist upon confirmation of compatibility.

The entire time the raven-haired exorcist general explained these things to him, Kaname only sat quietly in his seat, staring, staring shamelessly, and staring like he had not stared at anyone before. Why were the man's eyes so hard to read? Why?

--

He never had the chance to get the man's name. He did, however, get the promise of meeting the gray-eyed distraction again in a week's time, on a Monday, in the same place. He tried extending the conversation as long as he could, but damn, the general dodged his questions so deftly Kaname guessed the man had spent most of his life dodging trivialities. In the end, the man was still a mystery, and Kaname Kuran was more baffled than ever.

Kaname Kuran would have refused altogether except for some things. One, the gray-eyed distraction told him that Akuma were attracted to Innocence and would not stop hounding the person with the fragment, endangering anyone around the said person. He didn't want such a big trouble for everyone in the Cross Academy. He had to go; there was no choice. Second…he wanted to know the man's name.

His eyes. How is it possible a mortal can have eyes sharper than a vampire's? I hate the way he looked at me. Like I was nothing. Like I didn't matter-

"I still think the pink is better."

"What the hell are you thinking? PINK? Come on, that's been cliché for like, five thousand years-"

"What about orange, then?"

"What the hell."

He glanced toward where Ichijou was arguing with Aido over the colors for the invitation cards for the wedding. Ichijou was unusually shirtless, holding up the pink and the orange samples, while Aido was lounging on the floor, like a big, lazy cat, his face currently set into a disgusted frown. They were trying to be enthusiastic, it was apparent in Ichijou's stiff smile. But they knew him too well.

"Can you imagine how horrid we'd look," Aido pointed out. "If we're wearing orange suits? Tell me that!"

"Won't you rather go for something that's unique?" Ichijou said, sticking his tongue out at Aido before turning to him. "Nah, Kaname, what do you think?"

He only answered with a small, disinterested smile as he rose from the couch.

"I don't think I like anything."

He was out of the room before the two could ask unnecessary questions, not that he'd answer them. He was agitated again. He was disliking being cooped up in the Moon Dorms, much less watching preparations for his oncoming wedding. The members of the Night Class caught on his rapidly fading interest as if someone had spilled a liter of blood right on their doorstep.

He hated it. Hated the charade this was getting to be, for him--

"Kaname-sama…"

"Seiren."

The lady blinked up at him and walked after him, obediently at his elbow. Probably the only ones who weren't so bothered with his current mood were Seiren and Shiki. They were the only ones who've managed to keep their sanity intact, apparently.

He easily raised the window ledge and slipped out of it. Seiren made a move to follow but he wagged a finger at her. She blinked once, twice, and desisted.

"Good girl." He softly muttered as he fled into the darkness.

--

Kaname had long resigned himself to the fact that he would spend countless nights at the Nameless if it enabled him to meet the raven-haired exorcist there until Monday came. How strange it was for a vampire pureblood like him, immortal, a creature who had all the time in the world to suddenly become impatient for the passing of seven trivial days.

The city rose foggy and sad around Kaname. Very few vehicles now passed the roads, their wan headlights momentarily striking him as they went on to wherever they were going. Many shops were already closed, their neon signs turned off and bland gray shutters hiding their glass windows from view. Some scavenging beggars darted in the darker alleys, picking whatever they could eat from the trash bins. A sickly cat crossed the street and disappeared into the next intersection.

He hoped the raven-haired man would be in the same place, probably drinking tea or eating pasta. And then maybe, Kaname could start with a casual question about what he could expect as an Exorcist, and then ask for a name…

Wait.

Speak of the devil. The raven-haired distraction, clad in his uniform, had just crossed the street as he unsheathed his katana. Kaname stopped walking, his lips parting. Behind the man were some twenty people – or were they people…?

They weren't vampires, as far as Kaname could tell. Even from this distance they had this distinct stench, a rotting kind of stink that invaded his nose ruthlessly and made him want to step back. He raised a hand to his mouth and watched with his crimson eyes as the raven-haired man attracted the sizable crowd, as he went into the fifth intersection from where he was with them.

Akuma?

There were too many of them. The man might need help; all he had was a flimsy sword. Kaname boosted power to his legs and gave an almighty jump, sending him onto the rooftop of a ten-floor office building. They were easy to follow; all he had to do was to go after the horrid stink--

He jumped from building to building easily. This was a good opportunity. He would help the exorcist, and, if the man followed the same rules on etiquette and good behavior, he would give his name when asked…right?

A sudden flash of blue light made the vampire stop on his tracks.

"…"

Abruptly there were outlandish screams and growls. Kaname jumped some more until he reached this abandoned apartment. He had his right foot over the ledge and peered down.

The exorcist was trapped in an alley, and the people who were chasing him didn't look remotely like people now. They had become bald, white things, disfigured, with markings on their distorted arms and legs. All of them had pot bellies, with a huge black inverted star on it. It seemed they had wing-like protrusions on their backs too. Kaname stared. He had not seen any such disfigured beings in his life – or maybe that was just because he had been cooped up in the Moon Dorm for too long.

Either way, he cursed the sudden limits to his knowledge.

"Come on…" Kaname found himself whispering, his own eyes locked toward that ponytailed figure.

How could he win against so many?

"Mugen, activate!"

Kaname watched as the figure activated his sword, a black-bladed katana, by running his index and middle fingers down the length of the blade. A distinct silvery light spread down the blade. Kaname did not need to confirm that whatever that sword was, if he got stabbed by it, he would be in pain for days.

Then a different light emitted from the sword, spreading up the exorcist's right arm first, then on to his left. Kaname watched in fascination as a second sword materialized in his left hand. Then the man raised his swords in this distinct form, himself leaning forward a bit, one sword up front and cutting edge down, while the other was a bit behind him, cutting edge up. Again Kaname had this distinct feeling that the man was going to dance.

The distorted beasts that were Akuma attacked, in a speed that startled even Kaname. The hand on his knee tightened as his own eyes changed into gold, as his fangs grew. If the guy needed help--

What he saw next made his lips part. The man did dance. He twirled around in deadly grace, his glowing swords easily slashing and defending, and obliterated one, two, three -- many of the disfigured opponents he had. Then he shifted his form, momentarily crossing his swords one above the other.

"Hakka Tourou!"

His movements were so fluid, as if his feet didn't touch the ground at all. His hair danced behind him, never getting messy as he jumped, ducked and dodged. One of the beasts sent a blast of purple light toward him, and it happened too fast.

"No." Kaname whispered, flicking a finger.

A strong wind focused and gathered upon that offending Akuma, and compressed, compressed, lifting it up and bodily tearing it to bits. There was another flash of blue light. Kaname shifted his gaze and much to his amazement, the man only had a handful of opponents left.

"…"

The exorcist made no indication that he'd noticed the wind suddenly help him. It irked Kaname for some reason. He expected the man to look up, maybe try to find where the help came from or something like that. He was disappointed sharply and he didn't like the feeling.

The three Akuma that remained from the original twenty were starting to think of retreating. One suddenly made to fly, but Kaname easily caught its head in his hand and crushed the skull. Below, the exorcist abruptly finished the two left.

Kaname Kuran found himself, yet again, subjected to that sharp gaze.

Silence.

He jumped from the roof ledge to stand right in front of the exorcist.

"Good evening." He greeted.

The man only stared blankly back.

"That's very rude," Kaname went on. "I thought I just helped you back there."

Again, the man only stared him down.

"Won't you tell me your name?" Kaname said, daring to close the distance between them and extend a hand to touch a few locks of that blue-black hair. The strands were surprisingly soft and light against his fingers.

And then in the blink of an eye he had the man's sword making a dent into his neck. Kaname was pushed against the wall, his back resting against the bricks, his own hands held up.

"Really now." He said. "We can talk without getting violent." He tried to smile.

"Vampire." Was all the exorcist said.

Kaname smiled ruefully. "Ah."

The man stared at him like he was filth. Filth he longed to wipe off his boots, filth he longed to rid the world of. Kaname didn't like it one bit, but kept his temper in check. This man, whoever he was, mesmerized and angered him at the same time.

What was happening to him?

"Blood sucking son of a bitch." Was all the exorcist said before pulling away and sheathing his sword.

Now that went above the line.

The man found himself as the one pushed to the wall this time, Kaname's hand easily on his neck and held him in place. This close, Kaname could take in this man's scent, ah, he drowned in it, drowned in the scent of cold steel and lotus flowers. He could smell the hot, thick blood running in all of those veins and arteries. Kaname brought his lips close, close, and kissed the man's neck. The texture of his skin made Kaname's lips tingle. His eyes turned to gold.

"I was being civil." Kaname said, sliding a knee between the guy's legs. "And here you are being hostile to me."

The man didn't even move. His heartbeat didn't flutter.

"I can kill you right here…" Kaname said softly, kissing the guy's neck again, this time licking that soft, warm skin.

Still the man's heartbeat didn't change. Kaname, annoyed, pulled back and stared into the man's face. He was stood there as calm as possible, ageless face empty, eyes showing nothing.

"Aren't you afraid?" Kaname asked.

No answer.

"I'm going to kill you." He went on.

Still no answer.

Kaname was angry now. Abruptly the exorcist shoved him off, with surprising burst of strength that caught him off guard. Kaname would have fallen to the ground if he had not righted his feet at the last moment.

"If you're going to kill someone," the exorcist told him, eyeing him with disdain. "Kill them. Don't waste your fucking time trying to look cool and talking about it."

And then he was gone. Kaname was left in that alley, sitting on the ground, his head tipped back and leaning into the brick wall, his eyes closed.