The cat slips by undetected. Yori stops by to visit often, and Ichiru spends all his night duties lounging in Hiro's room cooing at the thing. Hiro gives him a look of pure disgust every-time; watching a sixteen year old boy make baby noises at a kitten serves as a traumatizing experience. It also makes it difficult to sleep at nights.

As it seems to be tonight.

"Get the fuck out."

Ichiru gasps, he even goes as far as throwing a hand over his chest and sighing dramatically, "Don't use vulgar language like that in front of the child!" He scratches between the cats ears and practically melts when Maru bares his teeth. Hiro truly believes it's meant to be taken as a threat; even a cat can only take so much Ichiru. "You know, as a prefect, you suck at your job." Hiro deadpans.

Ichiru snorts, and stops coddling the cat long enough to reach over and flick her on the head. "Nii-san can handle himself," Ichiru stops bothering the cat long enough to stretch his head out the window (which, coincidentally, is also his favorite entrance to Hiro's room). "I think Maru needs fresh air," he tosses a contemplative glance at the kitten.

Hiro snorts, "Good joke."

Ichiru wears his typical smirk. The same one that makes the typical day class fangirl fall into a puddle of mush. Hiro would too, she can vouch for Ichiru's attractiveness (never to his face, obviously), but two years taught her to fear that smirk. Good things never come from it. "No." she says, voice stern and eyes hard.

Ichiru continues to smirk.

Twenty minutes later, Hiro finds herself on the Sun dorms rooftop with a happy Ichiru and a traitorous happy Maru. "Stupid fucking cat." She grumbles. The cat nudges against her legs, and as angry as she wants to be, it's impossible to ignore the button nose and little mewls it gives. It claws up the side of her pants and she lets out a laugh. "Ok, you're pretty cute."

Ichiru leans against the wall and watches the cat reach out to give her a nose a tentative lick. "And you were so against this, I told you he needed some air,"

Hiro regrettably agrees that Maru seemed restless these past few days. Her dorm room isn't exactly made to house a playful kitten – it's barely made to house her and she lives without a roommate. She hums in response and Maru jumps down again. He claims the roof as his own, and its fun to watch him strut around the place like he owns it. "Look at how cute that is," Ichiru sighs, Hiro rolls her eyes at the dreamy tone to his voice, "How could you deny him his freedom?"

Hiro leans next to him as Maru stumbles back. Ichiru picks him up this time and rubs his nose against the fur of his stomach. Maru swats at his head but only out of jest, he rubs his neck against Ichiru's face when he pulls back and Hiro smiles. "I'm not denying him anything, I just don't want him to get caught,"

Ichiru raises an eyebrow, "Dude. I'm a prefect, how could you possibly get caught when you have me?"

Hiro laughs for a solid ten minutes – Ichiru huffs indignantly. "One of three prefects," she reminds, still wiping tears from her eyes. She releases a giggle too; doesn't even try to suppress it despite the pouty look Ichiru pins her with. "Not to mention the night class hangs around outside sometimes, you think the so-called elite is gonna be able to keep our secret?"

Ichiru fidgets at the mention of the night class. "Well I'm sure I could pull some strings with them if I had to, a few words from Kaname and not one of them will dare breathe a word to anyone," he guarantees.

Hiro shrugs, "I'm going to pretend like I believe that, for the sake of humoring you," Ichiru looks like he wants to say something, but thinks better of it and quiets down again, so Hiro continues, "One look from Kuran-san would probably shut Yuki up too," Ichiru nods, "But, do tell, how the hell are you going to convince your brother?"

Ichiru scoffs, "Well, he's the only one that can't know. Everyone else we can work around,"

"Zero-kun is a genius, he knows the second a pin drops in this place. Not to mention he's your brother," Hiro snaps, "If we make this a nightly routine, I guarantee we'll be found out in about a week."

Ichiru shrugs it off, "Don't worry about it," he sings, the nonchalant tone he takes irritates Hiro, "Zero-nii won't find out, I promise."

"Won't find out what?"

Hiro just barely forces herself to not scream. Her heart hammers against her chest but by instinct, she snatches Maru from Ichiru and hides him beneath her hoodie behind her back. She can feel him struggling against the fabric. Ichiru stumbles over his words, "K-Kaname?! Y-You uh…why are you here?" He sings the last part so awkwardly even Hiro cringes.

Kaname shrugs coolly, if he notices their apprehension he doesn't show it. "A breath of fresh air felt like a good idea, I just came to find you and say hello." He smiles softly at Hiro, "And how are you, Hiro-chan?"

Something about him irks her. The gentleness to his tone seems so half-assed it makes her shudder. And every time she looks into his eyes, they look cold. They don't hold the same warmness he portrays with his voice. Hiro knows that's not his fault. She knows the name Kuran, she knows rather well what Kaname's been through. He can't know that she knows – no one can, but she does.

Currently though, none of that matters. What matters has gone rigid in her hand and presses his nose into her back, Hiro has a hunch as to why Maru stopped moving. "Fine," she smiles curtly. "And you?"

Kaname holds up his front, "I am well too, thank you. So what is it that Zero cannot know?"

Ichiru and she share a look. Ichiru bites his lip and Hiro prays that he doesn't tell Kaname the truth. Sure he may trust him fully, but Hiro doubts Yori really wants so many people to know about Maru. And honestly, Hiro doesn't want them to know either. The last thing she needs is Kaname Kuran insisting on visiting a cat that lives in her dorm (she doubts that he would, but Maru is a pretty cute cat).

Ichiru answers with a lame, "Um." Hiro mentally groans, leave it to Ichiru to fuck everything up.

Kaname chuckles lightly, "I suppose this has something to do with the scene from a few days ago, as well?" Ichiru swallows nervously, and dejectedly starts to speak but Kaname cuts him off. "It's quite alright, I understand that some secrets are better kept between friends. I only wanted a chat is all."

Hiro feels tempted to tell him, a sad look flickers on his face for a second, but she ignores it and turns to Ichiru. He wears a grateful expression, "Thank you Kaname,"

Hiro feels the warmth of fur on her back and remembers they still have a problem, they still have a cat they need to get back to her dorm, while avoiding Kaname. Who doesn't exactly seem intent on leaving, he's only been here for five minutes.

Thankfully, somebody saves them again.

Ironically enough, it's Zero.

Hiro doesn't even know which way to turn when she hears a growl come from behind. She settles to stepping to the side as Zero snarls at Kaname. "What the fuck are you doing here, Kuran?" He reaches for a silver chain attached to his jeans, but he catches Hiro off to the side and settles for shoving his hands in his pocket instead. "You're not allowed here." He snaps again at Kaname.

"I'm only visiting Ichiru," Kaname says with a smile so fake that Hiro resists the urge to cringe.

Hiro can practically feel the agitation that Zero emits, he reaches for his pocket again but stops with a look of annoyance. And with hers shitty luck, it's directed towards her, "Don't you have a curfew?" He doesn't put much venom into it, but she supposes he finds her irritating still. Hiro jerks her head towards Ichiru wordlessly and Zero lets out a low groan. He rubs his temples and mumbles something under his breath. "Ichiru, take her back to her room," he commands, he gives Kaname a glare, "I'll deal with this,"

Ichiru looks conflicted, it's clear he doesn't want Zero and Kaname to fight. "He wasn't bothering us," Ichiru starts and if Hiro didn't have Maru pressed against her back, she would have strangled him on the spot. There priority should be getting back to her dorm with a cat, not stopping some stupid fight. "He was just bored."

Zero groans, "Ichiru, you know the rules, the night class students aren't supposed to…" he trails off and tosses Hiro another weary look, and turns back to Ichiru. "You get the point." He says with a stern look.

"He wasn't bothering us," Ichiru pouts.

"He's not allowed." Zero counters.

"He…" this time Ichiru gives Hiro a weary glance, "He has the most control."

Zero snarls, "Doesn't mean he won't crack."

"He hasn't before."

"But he could."

Hiro nearly jumps when she feels an arm on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but perhaps it's better if you leave right now," Kaname gives her a soft smile and Hiro nods. Unfortunately, Maru does not like the hand on her shoulder. Next thing she knows the cat is crawling up the back of her sweater and sinking its teeth into Kaname's palm.

Hiro resists the urge to cry. Ichiru wears a stunned expression and Hiro spits out an, "I told you so!"

Zero's eyes flash between them and now there's a rough grip on her hand, and on Ichiru's. "Headmaster, now." He says gruffly.

"Oh come on!" Ichiru pleads. "Nii-san come on, look at it!"

Kaname gently returns the cat back to Hiro, and the small thing still hisses at him angrily, although he doesn't mind. In fact he even wears a light smile although he doesn't reach to give it a pat. "I don't see why it's such a problem," he offers.

"I don't think you're helping," Hiro deadpans – that earns her a light laugh. He covers his mouth with his hand and even while laughing, he has a pristine aura about him, it really makes her nervous.

"I suppose not."

Ichiru tries to pull from Zero's grasp, and whines, "Just look at him!"

Against better judgement, Hiro coaxes the cat to climb onto Zero's shoulder. "Come on, it's cute!" she presses, "Just look at it, can you really say no to that?" Zero shoots her a glare and pulls harder, but the cat gives him a soft look and Hiro can already see him melting.

Ichiru catches it too, "You can visit him whenever you want – you too Kaname!"

"What?" Hiro snaps at him, glare intact. Ichiru gives her a pleading look, and she really, really wants to keep the cat. But this – "I mean yea, sure, whatever. Just….ugh yea." Neither Zero nor Kaname looked convinced at that, but Zero does stop when the cat starts to purr and nip at his hair. He lets go of Hiro and the cat launches back toward her.

"Give me one good reason why I should let this slide." He taps his foot impatiently and surprisingly, he pins her with a glare instead of Ichiru.

"He's cute?" She offers.

Zero raises an eyebrow.

"He's got a dazzling personality," She tries again.

Zero crosses his arms.

"Because you're a…friend?" It's more of a question than a reason, and she says it in a tentative manner. Zero actually looks shocked, and she can't blame him. They aren't friends at all, even acquaintances is pushing it. But Maru swats out a paw to beckon him closer, and Zero complies by giving him a scratch behind the ears. Ichiru gives Hiro a thumbs up in the background, so she figures she must've said something right. Kaname doesn't look too happy, but he still wears a tiny smile.

Zero huffs, "It's not my problem if you get caught."

Ichiru cheers and Hiro lets out a sigh of relief.

"So do I still have visitation rights?" Kaname smirks.

Zero cries out "No!" At the same time that Ichiru sings, "Of course!"

Hiro just groans.