A/N: Thank you all for the kind reviews, faves and alerts. I really hope you enjoy these ridiculous adventures at Zero's expense. Now, onto the twin portion of the mismatched family dynamics, enjoy the read!

See first chapter for warnings, summary and disclaimer! I do not own Vampire Knight, if I did...well, you know.

It was thanks to Shizuka's pure blood currently coursing through his veins that Rido's aura hadn't kept him glued to the ground. Her fight and fire, even against her own mate, was present enough that even with her blood in another body, the feelings ran clear and through. Zero ran as fast his body would allow—at vampire speed.

The moment he reached his wing of the castle, he shut the door behind him and bolted it firmly, chanting the hunter charm that he'd known from childhood. It burned his fingers, faintly, but only for the strength of the magic in relation to the amount of vampire blood running through his body. His dual nature often served to help and isolate him at times like this.

Sinking down to the ground, he drew his knees up to his chest, trembling fingers moving up to cover his face. He'd done it. He really was a monster after all. The ache in his chest burned and throbbed faintly with no promise of respite. Lately, everything had just gone haywire and he didn't know why or what for. Ichiru had turned against him—the closest thing he could call a friend, at least, if one's twin qualified as a friend and even lately, his twin had been on a rather sadistic streak.

Not that he, himself hadn't given into his darker urges from time to time—but at least he hadn't done so at the expense of his twin.

His stupid, idiotic, empty-headed twin.

Ichiru!

It hadn't escaped his attention that both Sara and Ichiru had managed to run away in the heat of it all. His mind replayed the expression on his adopted father's face and Zero cringed again, both outward and inward. On days like today, he hated being half-vampire and half-hunter. He wished the royal couple would've just left him and Ichiru alone or at least, taken Ichiru and left him.

No, no no!

Zero shook his head. As much as Ichiru bugged him—as much as they both ribbed each other—neither wanted the other to really suffer in silence. A slight drowsiness began to wash over him and Zero briefly contemplated moving from the floor to the large, canopied four-poster bed for a nap. Shame burned through him as the mental image of Shizuka slumped against the wall in her torn, bloodstained gown haunted his memory.

He didn't deserve to sleep on a soft, warm bed. He didn't even deserve to be prince. What kind of prince would govern his country when he couldn't even control his own self? The ache burned brighter and Zero squeezed his eyes shut, resting his head on his folded arms. He thought of Master Yagari's disappointment from earlier and then of Ichiru's mocking words. He was tired. Drinking blood always made him sleepy, but for the past week, he hadn't even managed a decent night's sleep, thanks to Ichiru's pranks.

His throat burned faintly and Zero stifled a moan. He was thirsty—oh so thirsty—he hadn't had anywhere near enough when Rido had interrupted. Usually, the tablets would take off the edge and between that and Shizuka's generous offers, he would get by just fine. Frustrated tears prickled at the corner of his eyes and Zero drew himself up from the floor with a scowl.

He was a prince, for crying out loud!

And princes did not sit on the floor and wallow in misery because of one stupid little thing.

It's not stupid. It's not little. His mind taunted. Zero wavered, then shoved one hand in his pants pocket to draw out the metal tin of blood tablets. He shook out several into his hand and popped them into his mouth, willing his body to cooperate and make use of them.

It didn't.

He dashed to the bathroom chamber and threw up in the toilet. With a grimace, he knelt, heaving over the porcelain bowl for a few minutes before his stomach was convince that there was nothing else to expel. He straightened with a slight wobble and moved to the sink to rinse his mouth and brush his teeth. Brushing his teeth always provided some semblance of comfort and routine and at the moment, he wanted that.

When he finished, the urge to sleep began to overwhelm him to the point where he wearily trekked to the giant bed and flopped down on one corner of it. As far as he could tell, there were no strange pranks or other tricks going off right away and he took that as a good sign. Perhaps sleeping on the floor was more of the smarter option than the self-pitying one. He fought the drowsiness as long as he possibly could, before the pleasant blackness claimed him.

Prince Zero awoke the next morning to someone gently shaking his shoulders. Gently at first, then more insistently as he desperately clung to the threads of sleep in his mind. "Whazzat?" He slurred, willing his eyelids to open and trying to decide whether death was an option or not for the person daring to wake him. Sometimes, having royal authority could be useful.

Sometimes.

By the time his mind made sense of the fact that there were precisely only two people who would dare to wake him, that was all the incentive he needed to sit bolt upright. His head connected with a bit of soft-hardness and almost at once something popped him on the side of his head.

"Ow!" Zero snapped, turning to speak and stopping when he took in Ichiru's solemn, contrite expression. An awkward silence hung in the air for a minute and then the younger twin spoke.

"Why are you sleeping on the corner?"

Zero felt a warm flush creep up his neck as he sat up with a yawn. "You should know the answer to that."

Ichiru had the grace to blush and he looked away. "I wasn't going to…I mean, you were looking a little tired…so I figured I'd…" He faltered.

Zero stifled another yawn, turning to face him. He studied the contrite expression, took note of the palest of blushes and then cast a glance at the charmed door. Ichiru's skills were improving. He'd have to strengthen and cast a new one. Privacy was a rare commodity in their ridiculous, twisted excuse of a family, but family was family and for that reason, Zero didn't say anything. Ichiru followed his gaze and managed a weak smile, reading at once what his twin didn't say.

"Sorry. I was…worried."

"Worried?" Zero scoffed. "About me?"

Ichiru's response was to grab his chin and jerk Zero's head to the side, angling it in the light.

"Ow, hey!"

Matching lavender eyes searched his face, as if expecting to see the King's handprint. Vampire healing had caught up with vampire markings, so to speak and there wasn't much of a trace, just a faint ache left behind. Rido had worked himself up into a right proper fit.

Ichiru's hand felt back to his side. "I didn't…mean…" He swallowed. "I didn't think that—how are you now?"

Zero snorted. "Fine. Yourself?"

A shimmer of tears glittered in Ichiru's eyes and he flung his arms around Zero's neck. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" He wailed. "I didn't meant for any of that to happen and-"

Zero counted to ten, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. Ichiru had apparently inherited every single dramatic gene their birth parents had to offer. "I know already. It's fine. I forgive you. It wasn't your fault. Would you quit-!"

"Really?" The tears stopped at once and Ichiru pulled away, the usual mischievous grin coming to his face. Zero perked a silvery eyebrow and Ichiru sighed, taking a seat on the bed beside him. "I'm sorry." He said, at last, sincerely. "I guess…I just wish you hadn't said that."

"Said what?" Zero deadpanned.

Ichiru glared at him.

"I'm serious." Zero held the glare, evenly. "In case you don't remember, I was drunk and I don't remember. Whatever slipped out…I didn't do it on purpose, you know that."

Ichiru flopped back on the bed, darting a glance at his older brother. "Yeah, I guess. I just…you promised, Ze."

Zero sighed, falling back onto the bed and offering a smile. "Then I'm sorry too, but it's your own fault for spiking the punch."

Ichiru blushed deeply. "I didn't think that you'd…I mean…"

"Ex-human, half-hunter, remember?" Zero prodded. "Remember that next time." His brow furrowed. "Remember it and know and if you dare-"

"I wouldn't dare!" Ichiru exclaimed, hastily. "I would never ever dare to dare to do that again." He made a sign over his chest. "I swear."

Zero glowered at him. "What did I say, anyway?"

The blush deepened. "N-nevermind. It's probably best if we just forget about it."

"Just forget about it? You went to all of this-" He gestured around him. "I couldn't even sleep safely in my own bed, Ichiru! And you want me to for-"

"I said I was sorry for what happened!"

"For what, hellweek or my sudden lack of control because you had to hold up her hand and wave it around in the air. What were you thinking? No, wait, you weren't thinking. Has it ever occurred to you to use your head every once in a blue moon?"

The younger twin rolled over to bury his face in the mound of pillows. "I didn't think…" He began and then stopped, realizing he was agreeing with Zero. "I mean, it wasn't supposed to-"

"You know what the tablets do to me and you know I wouldn't go and feed off of a-"

There was a knock on the bedroom door and both twins sat bolt upright. The moment was temporarily ruined, but their expressions were identical.

'I came alone' Ichiru mouthed to Zero's unspoken question.

The ominous knock repeated itself.

~*~*~*Thanks for reading! Comment if you've got the time.~*~*~ ^_^