Chapter 4

"Hey, Dad, what happened to your phone?" Alek asked, gesturing to the pieces Kaname had gotten from his room and momentarily set on the kitchen table.

He could have answered his son with the classic, yet true, 'your mother', which is what Alek wanted, but he took the safer route. No need to get him offended and worked up so early in the morning.

"It's what happens to a phone when you drop it from the top of the stairs," Kaname replied flatly, taking a sip of the reheated blood he had put in a mug, then frowning in distaste. He was one to think blood was better when taken straight from the vein. The taste any other way was metallic and tangy.

"Is that really what happened? I think it'd be fair to say that you got a little upset after your talk with Mom," he shrugged. Kaname just ignored his sons antics, only sparing a sigh and a sideways glace. It seemed practical that he would have overheard that.

"Do you think you could watch Anci today?" he asked after a few moments.

"She's fifteen, I think she can watch herself," Alek shrugged. "Why?"

"She's fifteen and needs to be supervised by a responsible adult," Kaname countered sternly. "I'm meeting with Takuma today so I won't be back until around six or seven o'clock. Eight at the very latest," he added.

Kaname had made plans to meet with Takuma the night before. He had decided his frustration towards Zero was being 'neglected' and found himself wanting to talk to his old friend. He put one and one together and ended up calling Takuma, asking for his advise.

"Sure it's not that Zero guy?" Alek snickered, eyes gleaming with mirth. Kaname just smiled pointedly and dumped his mug out in the sink before walking towards the kitchen door.

"No parties while I'm gone," he warned the brunette sarcastically. "And make sure to tell Anci who I'm with this time," Kaname added darkly, turning and narrowing his eyes at his son. "We don't need another event happening like the last one..."

"Understood~" Alek purred with a roll of his eyes.

As Kaname searched for his coat and keys, the sudden truth of Zero's words during one of their last few fights unexpectedly hit. Though he hated to admit it, Zero had been pretty much right that day.

Maybe I really did mess up with Yuki...

X.x.X

"You're so oblivious, Kuran!" Zero exclaimed, his face flushed with anger.

"I'd love to know you reasoning for that," Kaname growled, glaring at the furious silverette.

"Maybe because you're marrying Yuki based on the thought she'll stop acting like your loyal dog!" Zero shouted, hands clenching into fists. His eyes blazed with restrained fury and something else before he continued. "You want her to develop a backbone because the one person who doesn't listen to you, me, is leaving, and you don't want to lose that thrill," he hissed, but Kaname kept his mouth shut as he knew Zero was far from done. "Yuki isn't me, Kuran. She's only going to bend to your will even more! The only way she'll toughen up enough to defy you is when you get divorced, and even then you won't be satisfied."

Kaname narrowed his eyes, beyond furious at that point, and snapped, "Don't think you have such a high place in my eyes, Zero. You're more on the level of the dirt I walk on."

Zero growled at this then lunged at him, sharp teeth bared. Kaname dodged the younger vampire, easily catching his wrist and twisting his arm behind his back. He was clumsy that day, never did he get caught so easily...

"You're not even a match for me as you are now," he hissed in his ear. "Consumed with rage and jealousy... It makes you clumsy and weak," Kaname snickered, applying more pressure to his grip on Zero's arm. He felt the silverette's body tense for a moment against his, and could hear him grit his teeth against the pain-

X.x.X

Kaname gasped, head pounding as he was forced out of the memory. He could never get farther than that. Kaname knew Zero had said something afterwards, something important, but he could never remember exactly what and didn't have the faintest idea. What was worse was that everything after that eventful memory... he didn't remember. Their very last fight, the one that ruined everything, was even fuzzy.

He really needed to talk to Takuma.

*.*.*

It had only taken an hour to get to the small cafe he and Takuma had decided to meet at. Kaname had only been once, but Takuma had assured him they wouldn't be interrupted there. Walking into the building, he could see why.

There were only six people in the cafe, and every one of them was human.

I would think Takuma would be here already, Kaname thought, fingers already working on his coat buttons as he walked towards one of the back tables.

It really was a rather small cafe. 'Warm and cozy' some might say. Along one wall there was a case filled with pastries, and on the other there were decently sized windows. The rest of the area was filled with tables.

Kaname stopped inspecting the cafe as he was growing increasingly impatient, especially when he noticed the attention he was getting.

Now that everyone knew about everything, positions and statuses had been moved around, and humans were required to know all Purebloods names, how they looked, and some of the older Aristocrats were thrown in with them. Kaname hadn't agreed to that when it had first been proposed, but a lot of Hunters could overrule his opinion when it came to this, so that's exactly what they did. Their main reason being; Humans need awareness and there is no better way to go about it then to tell them. Awareness was needed because, at the time, there had been a major increase of Level Es' for some reason, they still wondered about that, and it was becoming increasingly risky for humans. So some were trained, some weren't, and hunters were on duty most of the time.

"Kaname-sama?"

Kaname blinked and looked up to see Takuma taking the seat in front of him, looking at him curiously.

"Sorry I'm late, Shiki was being a little troublesome this morning," the blond sighed apologetically.

"It's fine, and please drop the formalities," Kaname said, giving Takuma a small smile.

"Easily done," Takuma complied with a wave of his hand. "How are Yuki and the kids?" he asked conversationally, eyes flicking over to the waitress. The simple look was immediately noticed and she made her way over.

"Yuki is... the same, and the kids are... growing," Kaname replied slowly, thinking over his words carefully.

"I take it that means Aleksander is getting worse and Anci is beginning to take an interest in boys? I'll have to come visit sometime, I didn't get to see them at the last event..." Takuma said with a smirk, then asked the waitress for a coffee when she made it to them, arching a blond eyebrow at Kaname as if asking if he wanted something. He turned down the silent offer and waited for the girl to walk off before responding.

"You could say that," he started, frowning when he thought about Anci and then boys. And then put Anci and boys together. "But that isn't what I called you to talk about."

"I figured," the blond sighed, pushing his chair back slightly to cross his legs. "If I had to guess-" he paused when the waitress returned with his coffee, "I would say it's because of Zero..."

Really, Kaname could get nothing by Takuma anymore.

"Ah~ How did you know?" Kaname breathed, giving him a forced smile.

Takuma shrugged and met his gaze evenly, "I thought it would only be suiting that I get a call from you a week or so after the 'ball'. The one I invited Zero to..." Kaname narrowed his eyes, recognizing his friend's mischievous tone.

"And you knew I would be there?" he hissed, anger starting to weave through him.

"Kaname, hear me out," Takuma pleaded, leaning forward suddenly, clearly distressed. "There are things going on with Zero-"

"Thins that everyone but myself seem to know but refuse to tell me."

"-things that Kaien and Kaito don't understand even more so than the usual behavior," the younger vampire continued, ignoring the interruption. "Apparently it's new."

"But this has nothing to do with me so why shove him back into my life?" Kaname asked exasperated.

He thought he had made it clear that he and Zero would no longer be apart of each other. And after the hospital trip, Zero had made it crystal clear.

"Well, they think he's dying, Kaname, both mentally and physically deteriorating," Takuma started softly, almost cautiously. "He hasn't feed in weeks apparently, and when he does it's not the kind of blood he needs. A Pureblood's blood is what he needs, but he's just getting donations from hospitals," he explained. "He's been living off of donated human blood for the past thirty some odd years."

Something shut off then. Kaname didn't know exactly what, but he felt it.

Clearing his throat, he managed, "And...?"

"And?" Takuma exclaimed, green eyes wide. "You're the only one who can help!"

"If he needs a Pureblood, any Pureblood would do," Kaname countered dismissively. He needed to forget about the Hunter and if this was the way it went...

No... No, that's wrong... he thought.

"Not any Pureblood will do, we already tried, and that went horribly," Takuma growled, then sighed in an effort to calm down. "Any Kuran will do, and I can think of only one other Kuran that would be very willing."

Yuki was out of the question, she just couldn't handle how rough Zero was when he fed. And Anci would have no interest in it, maybe even have the same feelings as her mother if she did try it. But Alek?

He would jump at the chance and cling to it.

"He wouldn't agree to this..." Kaname finally sighed, hoping to deter his old friend from even asking.

"Kaien and Kaito already talked him into it. Zero meets you twice a week, and Alek twice a week until he decides who-"

"What? When was all this decided and why do I not have any say in it?" Kaname interrupted softly. "Alek?"

"Zero wanted a second option when we finally got him to give in," Takuma replied, reaching out to squeeze his hand. "Your days are Monday's and Friday's, while Kaien decides what days to give Alek so that Zero can have at least some time to calm down."

"Takuma-"

"Just let it play out, Kaname. Zero could die if this doesn't go smoothly."

"That would ultimately be Sara's fault then," Kaname sighed, mostly to himself, and ignoring the blond's confused expression as he stood up and slid his coat on. Takuma did the same, giving him a pointed glare before smiling. "This Friday then?"

"Yes, Kaname-sama. And I'm sure this will help sort out your thoughts..." Takuma answered politely, yet rather slyly.

"Nothing get's by you anymore, huh, Takuma?" Kaname chuckled, shaking his head as he walked towards the cafe door.

Yet everything seemed to be getting by him recently...

A/N- AHHH I updated :3 Thank you all for being patient, and I apologize for the short chapter, longer one next time? No? Yes? Maybe? No, YES!

Responses:

HoldOnAngel- Ah~ If you are looking for some makeup sex in the next few chapters, you are sadly mistaken, mon amie~ You'll have to wait a while ;3

CaPiTalStorIeS- Well, Kaname is conflicted at the moment, so I'm trying to make his thoughts as conflicting and contradictory as possible ^^ And I hope this chapter revealed that it wasn't just because of fighting with Zero that he went to Yuki. And no, Kaname doesn't have any love in his reasoning right now. And, as mentioned, Kaname proposed the divorce shortly after Anci's birth (I don't know if I mentioned how long they were married yet, if I did I need to revise it, but I decided on 'They were married for 14 years before the divorce' (Which I guess I'll reveal soon, not that it's a secret though)) because he couldn't see her as a wife. But I wouldn't say that Alek hates Kaname, it's more of him being upset about the divorce.

careyyhap- Oh~ Trust me, he's gonna suffer x3

Elune- Well, they've been divorced for about... *does the math on a whim* Um... Anci's fifteen... Okay, um, fourteen years. Fourteen years they've been divorced ^^

I'm glad you guys are enjoying this so much ^^ I also find it funny how a large amount of you, that I know of, keep thinking Kaname is running to Yuki because they just got divorced. I made it so they divorced about a year after Anci was born, she's fifteen, so it's been 14 years since the divorce.

I hope you liked this short little chapter, I will do my best on the next one! I can't promise an update day though, still very busy with school and other fics, but I'll try to make it soon ^^ No more than a month and a half at the latest.