- Chapter Start -

Kain and Ruka exited the café and found Aido and Yori standing on the now deserted street.

"Well, you've done it now, Hanabusa," Kain said quietly.

Aido was silent but Yori could sense the tension emanating from him. He had shoved both hands in his jeans pockets now, his shoulders were hunched, and he didn't look at her.

"Honestly, Aido, what were you thinking?" burst out Ruka. "Don't you know that she's that Cross girl's closest friend?" she gestured carelessly at Yori but didn't bother looking at her or acknowledging her presence.

Aido heard Yori's soft inhalation at Ruka's slight. He glanced at her and noticed she was staring at Ruka who didn't seem to realise her eyes were starting to glow a little from annoyance.

"Do you want to get us all in trouble with Kaname-sama?" Ruka seethed at Aido, almost baring her fangs at him now.

Kain placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Calm down, Ruka, no need to get upset here," he cautioned before looking steadily at his impetuous cousin.

Aido was suddenly aware of the fact that Yori was human while the three of them were not. He placed his arm around her shoulders, feeling the slight trembling in her slender body that told him how she felt right now. This stirred unexpectedly protective feelings in Aido and he drew Yori closer to his side, even though he had known the two persons in front of him since childhood and knew they meant her no harm.

Yori didn't say anything but she leaned closer to Aido, letting him take a little of her weight.

Before Aido could answer his cousin, there was a soft click behind him and Kain and Ruka were looking past his shoulders with equally grim expressions.

"Take your arm off Sayori Wakaba, Aido," said Zero through gritted teeth, Bloody Rose aimed at Aido's forehead as the noble turned around.

Yuuki came up from behind the silver haired prefect, laden with bags.

"Zero!" she said in an alarmed tone. "Put that gun down, are you crazy? Someone could see us!"

She shot a worried look behind her at the café. Kain's gaze flicked over there as well.

"She's right," he said. "We don't need any publicity on this."

It was obvious he meant Kaname shouldn't know of this and Aido removed his arm reluctantly from Yori's shoulders. With equal reluctance, Zero lowered his gun before sliding the safety catch back on and keeping it back in his pocket.

"Let's go" he said.

The six of them started up the main road leading back to Cross Academy in an uneasy silence, walking in pairs. Aido and Yori in front, followed by Kain and Ruka, then Zero and Yuuki at the back. Yuuki quickly handed most of the bags she was carrying to Zero, hoping this would prevent him from pulling out his gun on Aido again, which she knew was a distinct possibility. She sighed to herself. It wasn't a very nice ending to Yori's first date and Yuuki couldn't help feeling guilty, wondering what her friend was thinking about it all at that moment.

"Poor Yori," she murmured. "And it was all going so well, too."

Zero cut her a disbelieving look.

"I think she's lucky we saw her just now," he said darkly. It wasn't the right thing to say at that time, and his voice wasn't loud but Aido stopped immediately, then Kain and Ruka too. They were halfway along the road now as the three vampire nobles turned to face Zero.

Aido glared at him, hands on hips.

"What are you insinuating, Kiryuu?" he demanded. "Say it to my face, if you dare!"

Both Yori and Yuuki's mouths opened in dismay.

"Zero, don't..." began Yuuki.

"Admit it - you just want a taste of fresh blood," Zero said point blank. He wasn't going to back down. Yori had known his secret and was supportive of his feelings for Yuuki. She had also helped them both during the holiday break a couple of weeks ago by letting Zero drink her blood when he needed it and he felt protective of her now.

Kain and Ruka exchanged worried looks. Didn't Kiryuu and Aido realise that human girl Sayori was with them now? What were they thinking, blurting out things like that?

Amazingly, the thought of drinking Yori's blood hadn't actually occurred to Aido even once this evening - he had been much too distracted by her smile and their conversation. Now he snorted, eyes turning crimson.

"How dare you accuse me of that, Kiryuu? You're a vampire yourself!" he charged furiously.

So much for thinking Kiryuu wasn't a total jerk in the past couple of months...

"Aido!" snapped Kain. The Night Class as well as Yuuki knew what Zero was but not Sayori.

"Not now," he added through clenched teeth.

Both Aido and Zero ignored him as they glared daggers at each other. Zero raised an eyebrow.

"So?" he said, his tone dripping scorn. His eyes were starting to turn crimson as well.

So much for thinking Aido wasn't a total idiot these past couple of months...

The air around Aido turned frosty all of a sudden, making Yori, who was standing next to him, shiver.

"You should talk, Kiryuu, you drink Yuuki's blood too, don't you?" he goaded Zero.

Kain and Ruka looked startled at this.

"That's not fair, Aido-sempai," said Yuuki at once. "Zero is allergic to the blood tablets! He can't take them!"

Kain closed his eyes at the ongoing disclosure of Cross Academy secrets before glancing at Ruka. She was looking at Yori, who appeared wide eyed and alarmed at the heated words being exchanged, but not completely shell shocked.

"I'd say she already knows about this, Akatsuki," Ruka murmured to her companion.

It appeared that Aido didn't know about Zero's allergy, and he paused for a moment.

"Aido-sempai, please don't argue anymore," said Yori.

Aido looked at her. Her eyes were wide and she looked distressed. That calmed him down a little.

"I'm sorry," he began. "I never thought about taking your blood."

Yori nodded but a disbelieving laugh came from Zero. Aido swung around again.

"It's true, I never did!" he said hotly. His gaze swung from Zero, to Yuuki, to Kain and then to Ruka.

He could see that none of them believed him. It was rather to be expected, given Aido's track record and his penchant for flirting with and taking fresh blood from pretty human girls, but it upset him now because Yori was there to see it. And Aido didn't want her to think he would... he really didn't. He didn't know why, but it upset him far more than it normally would have.

Aido's eyes met Zero's once more.

"I don't care what you think, Kiryuu, but I don't intend to drink Sayori's blood."

"Aido-sempai," said Yori again. Distracted, Aido turned to look at her. Yori smiled tremulously.

"I believe you," she said. Her words and the look in her wide green eyes tugged at Aido's heart, and he just stared at her. In front of all the others, even his cousin and friend, she alone had said that. She alone had believed in him. Aido swallowed, the strange ache continuing to tug at his heart.

He wanted her to believe in him.

He wanted her to trust in him.

He wanted her to not be afraid of him.

Turning back to the others now, Aido took a deep breath, his shoulders back, his head held high.

"I, Hanabusa Aido, vow upon my family's name that I will not take bite Sayori Wakaba or drink her blood. I swear it here and now, in front of you all!"

His voice was clear and confident. There was a moment of stunned silence.

"Until when?" Kain asked. He sounded rather sceptical, as though he had heard similar vows from his cousin before.

Aido's fierce gaze remained on Zero, who still looked disbelieving. The impulsive young noble wanted to wipe that look off the ex-human's face and he shot back, answering Kain but looking straight at Zero.

"Until Kiryuu releases me from my vow!"

Aido's latest declaration invoked different emotions from those present. Again, there was silence, except for a soft "Oh." from Yuuki who clutched at Zero's arm while staring at Aido open mouthed. She had never seen the young noble looking quite like that before.

Kain and Ruka were staring at Aido too. The honey blond girl shook her head slightly.

"All for a human, Aido?" she murmured, sounding surprised and amused at the same time.

"You might regret that, you know," she added.

Kain glanced down at her with a small frown on his face before looking back at his cousin, respect flitting through his usually reserved eyes.

"At least he's not afraid to fight for what he wants," he murmured, half to himself. Unlike me, he added silently, with a side glance at the girl standing beside him.

Zero looked startled at Aido's latest words.

"You really mean that?" he asked.

"Yes," Aido replied and turned to Yori. She was still staring at him as if she couldn't believe what he'd said either.

"You didn't have to say that. I trust you, you know," she said in a surprised tone.

Aido was starting to feel rather embarrassed at his outburst, and he didn't want to think about what he'd just committed himself to.

"It's done, so forget about it," he said.

Yori looked at him a moment longer, as though she wanted to say something else. Then she turned to Zero.

"I'm sorry we didn't tell you, Zero-kun, but..." she hesitated, ignoring Aido's affronted "Zero-kun?!"

"Forget it, it's none of my business," growled Zero in return. He too was filled with conflicting emotions. He had thought of Yori as being more sensible and level headed than those mindless screaming Day Class girls he and Yuuki fought with almost everyday. She certainly seemed sensible most of the time, and she had helped them during the recent holiday break... but she had gone out with Aido - just what does she see in that arrogant, vain, self-centered playboy brat?

And here he was, thinking she would be the last Day Class girl in school (other than Yuuki) to go out with Aido and to fall under his arrogant charm. It was surprising how things turned out to be sometimes...

There was another short, tense silence before Yuuki spoke up. "Let's get back, it's almost half past nine."

- o -

The three couples parted ways once they had entered Cross Academy and the elderly gatekeeper could finally lock the gates, scolding them all the while for making him wait.

Kain and Ruka walked off towards the Moon Dorms while Aido escorted Yori back to the Sun Dorms. Zero looked as if he wanted to follow the second couple but Yuuki hauled him off to the main building after giving Yori a quick smile and a whispered promise of meeting her tomorrow, which Aido and Zero both pretended not to hear.

Aido and Yori walked along the path in silence. They paused outside the gates of the Sun Dorms, then without a word, Aido took her hand and led her past the gates, down the slope beside the stone wall, to the place overlooking the lake where he had spoken to her the other day. Yori looked as if she was thinking of pulling her hand away but in the end, she let her hand stay in his larger one. They stood there for a couple of minutes, not saying anything, their minds going back to the heated scene of a few minutes ago.

Aido was now feeling even more embarrassed at his outburst. So much for being smooth... and suave... charming... He had behaved just like a child, getting angry and blurting out things without thinking - in front of his cousin no less - and in front of Kiryuu too, and Cross Yuuki... but most of all, in front of Yori. The girl standing next to him now. The one person he had wanted to impress tonight. With a small start, Aido realised Yori was looking at him.

"Did you really mean that, Aido-sempai? About not drinking my blood?" she asked.

Aido gave a strange, hollow sort of laugh but his look was grim.

"I made a vow, didn't I?" he said. His look and tone of voice said he was starting to think he had been crazy to do it and Yori smiled despite herself. Her smile pulled a reluctant one from Aido and he blew out a sigh as he looked up at the sky, shaking his head. Then he looked back at her, shifting his hand around to link his fingers with Yori's.

"I can't believe I said that, but I do mean it," he said. "You may not believe me, Sayori, but – but I actually want to get to know you... as a person."

"I believe you, I said it already, didn't I?" Yori said and smiled again.

"In a way, I'm glad you made that vow," she said. "At least now I won't be wondering when you're going to pounce on me if you suddenly get the urge for blood!"

Aido rolled his eyes and tried hard to look insulted.

"Give me some credit, Sayori," he muttered.

Yori liked this side of him. She liked it when he dropped that ridiculous flirting manner he wore all the time, especially in front of his fan girls. She liked it when he showed her who he really was, the person he was on the inside. Not that she didn't appreciate the fun side of him once in a while.

So she smiled, slowly this time.

"My friends call me Yori," she said, and there was a soft look in her eyes now that made Aido's breath catch in his throat.

"Yori," he said softly, almost reverently, his fingers tightening on hers.

"Yes?"

"Can I kiss you good night?" Aido asked, with a sudden and swift return of his playboy charm.

"No."

"Eh? Why not?" Aido looked as if he'd never been refused this request before. In fact, he couldn't recall if he'd ever even asked for permission to kiss his date. But with Yori, it seemed like the right thing to do. Because he wasn't sure about where he stood with her... he had no idea how she would react, if she would like him, or if she even wanted to see him again.

"I don't kiss anyone on the first date."

"The second one then?"

"Nope."

"Third?" Somehow, it never occurred to Aido to try persuading Yori otherwise.

"Maybe?"

Aido grinned in relief and in anticipation. Looking deep into her eyes, he lifted the hand he was still holding and kissed the back of it.

"Can I see you tomorrow evening then?" he asked smoothly without skipping a beat. That caught Yori by surprise – well, he definitely wasn't about to waste any time - and she gave a laugh that sounded almost like a giggle before asking, "Where?"

That made Aido pause.

"Hmm. I'll think of something," he said.

"OK."

Using vampire speed, Aido bent forward, planted a gentle kiss on her cheek and straightened up before Yori even realised what had happened. Surprised, she placed wondering fingers on her cheek, her eyes wide as she looked at him. Aido grinned at her reaction.

"Sorry, couldn't resist," he said, not even bothering to sound apologetic. "Good night, Yori," he added and turned away because he suddenly wanted to kiss her. Really kiss her. Badly. Especially when she looked at him like that. And her cheek was so soft against his lips...

"Good night, Aido-sempai," Yori murmured. She waited until Aido had walked off before going back to her room.

As she lay in bed that night, she wondered what she had let herself in for. It had seemed like a fun idea at the time, getting a chance to go out with the very guy she had a crush on, and someone most of her female classmates would give their eye teeth for. And she even thought that perhaps spending a couple of hours with Aido's one liners and vain arrogance would expose to her how shallow he really was and rid her of her infatuation... but it hadn't happened that way.

Aido had turned out to be an entertaining companion, when he put his mind to it anyway, and he had charmed her not with smooth words or lavish compliments, but by seeking her opinion on various subjects and actually listening to them with wholehearted attention. Yori couldn't recall any of her male classmates ever doing that.

And then that confrontation with Zero-kun... all those glowing eyes staring back at her... that surprising vow Aido made... Just thinking about it sent a shiver through Yori as she lay curled up in bed. She knew if there was any of the Night Class students who was particularly fond of drinking fresh human blood, it was Hanabusa Aido.

And heaven help her if she wasn't just a very, very little bit regretful now that he wouldn't be able to do so. Now she would never know how it would feel to have Aido bite her neck and drink her blood because she knew that Zero Kiryuu would never release Aido from that impulsive vow he had made.

The moon would be purple before that happened.

- Chapter End -