Chapter 25: By your side

---Normal---

All the three vampires stared at each other. Gradually, Yuki's hand was raised to her mouth and utter shock was written all over her face.

Zero let Kaname go. When he wanted to speak, no words came out. But even before he tried, Yuki had ran out of the hall and both guys were sure that tears were streaming down her face.

"Yuki!" Kaname called out, but the female pureblood's fading footsteps indicated she was out of ear-shot.

Both of them stood up, stunned and unsure of what they should do. They were sure that Yuki had seen them – denying would be pointless.

Zero never did wanted Yuki to see them like this. Even though it was eventual that she will know about them, but he did not intend the truth to be out this way. It was too cruel for her.

"I will find her and explain everything," the hunter heard Kaname said.

"No!" Came the immediate reply and it surprised the pureblood. Zero fisted his hands and swallowed, but continued. "I said I would tell her… that's why I'll go instead."

Kaname was sceptical about the idea. Even though they had promised, he was not sure how Yuki would respond. If it turned out to be something disastrous, even he may not be able to handle it.

Love was such a dangerous thing.

"Are you sure?"

Zero gave a small, assuring smile. "She has the right to know."

---Zero---

"Yuki?" I called out softly from behind the door. I was pretty sure she had taken to hiding in her room in the Moon Dormitory. And the sounds of almost inaudible shuffling confirmed it.

I never really wanted Yuki to find out about Kaname and I like this, not that I had really thought about how I would break the news to her. Frankly I wasn't sure how I should face her knowing that I had done something gravely wrong - in this case, having indirectly stolen her fiancé. I had a sudden wonder to why vampires were so fickle, in which I had certainly have become as well.

From the other side of the door, no reply was given. I knew she would be listening, as she always would even though she had me locked out. I sat on the floor, and leaned back against the door.

"It's up to you to listen or not… but Yuki, I think you have the right to know everything. You can kill me later or do whatever you want with me, I promise. Actually I'm… a little afraid to say it," I spoke honestly. My heart was beginning to pump harder, almost as if I was having a stage fright. I took a deep breath to calm myself. My hands were trembling. "I don't really know where to start, but you could say it started when you left for America. Many things happened and it'll probably take hours to explain it all, but the main thing was Kaname had helped me a lot. And I mean too much… and it sort of went downhill from there…"

I shifted on the floor uncomfortably. My voice stuttered a few times when I spoke, and my heart was going to burst anytime from over stimulation.

"This would probably be easier for Kaname to tell you, but because I promised him…" I raked a hand through my h air. This could be harder than I thought. I didn't know what to say which would not make her unhappy, but now that I thought about it, everything I say could just do that. I didn't want to lose Kaname, but it hadn't meant that I wanted to lose Yuki as who she was to me now either. "Well… because we promised-"

The door supporting my back suddenly gave way and I fell back, hitting the back of my head against the floor. An 'ow' escaped, and I sat up, rubbing the sore spot. I glanced up to see Yuki standing there, slightly blushing with eyes that were crying. I picked myself up, feeling slightly nervous to be facing her. One of my hands sub-consciously reached for my neck and rubbed the spot where Kaname had bitten a few times over.

Yuki stared really hard at me and I stared back, although the atmosphere had gotten really awkward now.

"Nii-sama… loves you?" Yuki asked slowly, breaking the silence. I probably wasn't the best person to confirm that since it should be Kaname replying to such a question. But I nodded hesitantly. "And you love nii-sama as well?"

I didn't know how to reply that. Yes, no or maybe? I mean, I appreciate all that Kaname has done for me. I hadn't asked for anything, and neither did he expect anything from doing it either.

"I..." My voice sounded, even though I was sure I didn't intend to say anything. "... don't think I can do without him..."

After that line escaped, I became shocked by my own words. By saying it, does it really mean that I couldn't do without Kaname by my side? Being independent my entire life, and being a person who didn't want to depend on someone else, it was pretty unbelieving for me to have said that.

"Zero," Yuki interrupted my thoughts and I closed my eyes, not daring to look at her straight in the eyes. I didn't want to see her face of disappointment or betrayal. I was fully expecting a hit or a yelling of some sort. I feared any response she might give, because as much as I wanted to stand my ground with Kaname, I didn't want Yuki to hate me or do anything reckless or drastic.

Suddenly, I was being hugged by her small form. Her arms had slipped around my middle, and she buried her face into my shirt. Blinking in confusion, my arms went around her shoulders and I could feel her trembling.

"Zero, I don't know what to do..." she cried, tightening her fists grasping my shirt,

"I'm sorry. I know Kaname would hate me for this but if you still love him I'll leave-"

"That's not it!"

Yuki lifted her head, her eyes welled with tears. She shook her head and pulled away, wiping her tears. When she was done, she was smiling. "For the two people who are the most important people in my life... To know that they've become important for each other as well... This is the greatest thing which could ever happen."

I was surprised. "You're not angry?"

"Shocked, yes, but not angry. Knowing that you and nii-sama would never hurt each, I am very relieved." She gave a genuine smile and even though my expression hadn't shown, inside I was relieved too.

Yuki gave me another hug. "Please take care of nii-sama. I know you'll be able to teach him much more than I can."

"Don't say that," I muttered. "I don't think I can teach him anything."

She giggled. "You just don't know how much you've changed him. When I saw him again, I knew immediately that something was different. And I know it's because of you. Call it a lady's instincts."

"That's a scary instinct," I joked softly, and Yuki giggled. "Hey, before this... what did you say that you were confused about?"

The atmosphere turned slightly darker than before. The smile on Yuki's face washed away and her eyes averted to the floor. I could tell it wasn't a good question to ask, but I thought I should. She was in tears after all.

"Zero, I think I love Ichiru."

My eyes widened, and my mind went blank for a second. Yuki... is in love with Ichiru?

"I don't know how but when we were in America... It's like I saw a totally different side of him. He wasn't anything like when he was here. He did so many things... Zero, what should I do? Nii-sama and you together makes me happy, but is it fair to be so because it allows me to be on my own? Am I selfish to think it this way?"

Yuki stepped away from me, turning around and I glanced at the silhouette of her back. She had her face buried in her hands and I could hear the soft hiccups of a crying child.

I placed a hand on her shoulder. I wasn't sure what to say.

"I want to be with Ichiru, but I don't know how to tell nii-sama... "

"Yuki..." I knew how she felt. It was the same guilt as mine. Falling for the wrong person though you know it wasn't meant to be. But this was just as unfair to her. If the guilt was going to be charged at something, it should be me.

"Yuki," I whispered, and pulled her into an embrace. She didn't resist.

"And Ichiru too. What if he doesn't feel the same way? I'm so scared, Zero. I don't want him to leave me because he hates me..."

And end up like me. A turned vampire without a master, and risk degradation and falling to an E.

"Ichiru isn't that kind of person," I told her honestly, as what I believed of my twin. "He's seemingly ignorant and cruel, but I know he wouldn't do something like that." I paused, picking my words carefully and took a deep breath. "He would've trusted you to change him."

Yuki stopped crying and looked over her shoulder at where I was, shocked. "You know...?"

"He told me. Knowing Ichiru, he'd always wanted to be a vampire because of Shizuka. However, after she had died, if he really wanted to be a vampire, he could've gotten any other pureblood or even Kaname to turn him. But he didn't. Not until you."

"You really think so?"

I nodded. "He trusts you," I replied. "And I do too."

"Oh, Zero," Yuki cried out, turning around and crying into my shirt again. I patted her head gently, feeling as if this was highly sibling-like. I rather missed it, and I smiled.

"There is another problem," I heard Yuki whisper. She took a step back from where I was to walk to her bed. She sat on it and held onto a pillow, sniffling into it. I went to stand in front of her, questioning the issue. "Nii-sama and my engagement."

Oh. The engagement... of course. There was only about a month left to it. Needless to say, a sudden cancellation to such an important event of the purebloods would be highly suspicious. I would love to see the whole world of vampires flip if they found out the reason to why.

Two purebloods with two ex-humans. Hunters furthermore. I think the parents of the Kurans and Kiryuus were swimming in their graves.

"Kaname... said that he might call it off," I spoke slowly, from memory.

"And I will," I heard Kaname's voice said.

---Normal---

Yuki and Zero looked over to the doorway where the brunette has stood, arms crossed. From behind, a large wolf trotted in. Zero turned and reached a hand out, in which Vaspian responded immediately to. He nudged the welcoming hand and Zero stroked his cheek.

"Nii-sama-" Yuki started, but stopped when she saw Kaname lift a hand.

"I understand. Although I had not meant to eavesdrop, I have heard it all," her brother said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him. Zero peered over as he walked towards them.

Kaname sat beside Yuki and without a word, reached over and pulled her into a tight embrace. Although momentarily stunned, his sister's hand reached up and fisted the back of his top.

"Seeing as I have done, these words should not even come from me. However, Yuki, love who you wish to. As your brother, I will support you in any way I can."

A sigh of relief escaped. "Nii-sama… Thank you…"

Feeling a little awkward at the sibling's display, Zero excused himself, saying that he had something he needed to check on. He left the room. Vaspian following, and Kaname was a little amused by Zero's actions. He gave Yuki a pat on her head and she smiled at him, signalling for him to go.

Yuki brushed away the drying tears, feeling the large weight on her chest lift. She felt like she was living again, without a concern for anything else. She watched the back silhouette of her brother disappear out the door. She began to wonder if this was the reason why Ichiru had insisted that Kaname was looking for her at the boy's dormitory.

And what did she see? The boys hugging and getting overly affectionate with each other. It was a silly, yet cute way of uncovering the little secret between her real and adopted brother. But she was glad to have known everything now. True feelings, and the side of each person they really wanted to be by.

Outside, by the time Kaname had caught up with Zero, they were at the gates of the Moon Dormitory. Lily was miraculously hanging around the entrance, and the hunter was tending to her.

"What is the matter now," Kaname asked, bored.

Without looking back, Zero replied that it was nothing.

"'Nothing' would not put you in such a foul mood," the pureblood pointed out and walked to Zero's side in a few steps. He patted the Lily, just as she was eager to snick her nose into his face. He side-glanced at Zero's face, but the latter avoided it by heading for the trees.

"It is okay to tell me," the hunter heard.

Zero swallowed. As he exited Yuki's room back then, thoughts began to cloud his head. The fact that two purebloods were now unofficially going to be with two D's, hunters, what would become of them? As much as he tried to push the thought away, Janicelia's words from long before started ringing in his head. For the purebloods, what mishap would land on them if the whole world knew?

Zero didn't want to be the one being protected all the time. He wasn't weak, and he was sure he could prove it. The issue was power. With no concern for the human society, in the vampire society, he was nobody. Nothing, in fact, so what could justify his existence? It just depended on who the opponent was, in which this case, just about the entire world.

"Is it… really ok to be like this?"

"Be like what?"

"To just call off the engagement, and having the world know who you're really with. Wouldn't it affect your status as purebloods?"

Zero didn't want the facts to drag Kaname down.

"That would be a department you need not worry about."

"How can I not?" God knows what could happen to you because of me.

"It is none of your concern."

Zero glared at the pureblood and grabbed the front of his shirt, pulling them close. He was trying to express his worry and here the pureblood was brushing him off.

"It's in every way my concern. I don't want to be part of some pureblood drama-"

The hunter grimaced when his back suddenly collided with a tree. Their positions were mirrored, and Kaname was also grasping the front of Zero's shirt tightly. They both stared at each other with fury and concern. Maybe even love.

A soft whimper escaped the wolf at the back and the two vampires snapped out of their momentary trance. Kaname looked over his shoulder to see Vaspian with his ears flat. He knew better than to interrupt his master's actions, but it had not meant that he had to like it. Zero was able to tell that he was uncomfortable with the situation. He was too, of course, but it had to be settled.

Kaname let go first, and Zero did the same. Both knew it did not have to get physical, so they composed themselves.

"This 'pureblood drama' is meant for you Zero," Kaname spoke softly. "You have no idea how much was done."

"I didn't ask for it," the hunter grumbled like a child.

The brunette shook his head. The anger had subsided, and instead he was filled with a small glee that Zero is rather cute, in a manly way. He could understand why Zero was acting this way, of course. He was rather glad that Zero was thinking about him, albeit the cold way it was being expressed. And sometimes, the hunter acted like a wild dog snapping for no apparent reason.

"Who's snapping for no apparent reason?!" Zero suddenly barked, breaking Kaname's chain of thoughts. The pureblood blinked in surprise. He was pretty sure that he had no said a single word, especially those personal thoughts. How did Zero know what he was thinking?

Curiously, Kaname reached over and clasped his hand around Zero's neck, careful not to exert too much strength on the vulnerable neck.

"Oi-"

Zero, I love you more than anything, Kaname tried experimentally.

Zero blushed, having looked away and not realising they were words unspoken. "Saying that at a time like this… Are you crazy?"

The pureblood was struck with a happiness undescribed. The hunter was clueless to what was happening of course, but the pureblood knew it all. Kaname leaned over and caught Zero off guard, and latched both their mouths together. Zero was stunned for a sec before he started to struggle half-heartedly, mostly because he wanted to know what the hell was going on.

Zero, can you hear me?

Amethyst eyes widened. He swore he heard Kaname speak, however, conscious of what they were doing, it was impossible to say anything.

They pulled apart and Zero was breathing heavily, the back of his hand against his mouth. He frowned at Kaname's grinning face.

"What… was that?"

"Just an indication that you and I are a lot closer."

"What?"

The pureblood intertwined their fingers together. With a smile, he leaned over and bumped their foreheads together.

---Kaname---

Even from where I was, I could hear Zero's heart pounding against his chest. Mine was mirroring his.

Confusion was radiating from Zero, and I could feel it. Although it was like a light switch, in a single flick, our bond just got stronger.

The bond was something created at a single, and any point in time between two vampires who have decided to be together. It begins at some point before it peaks. Then, it would surface out of nowhere. In a way it was something to test the other partner of their truthfulness in a relationship. The more the pair opens to each other, the quicker a bond is made. At least now I know Zero has fully accepted me, as I him. I would just have to wait for him to fully open to me. Of course, thoughts can be shielded from your partner. Just took practice.

"What's up with you?" I heard Zero grumble moodily.

You can hear me, can you not?

And Zero flipped. He pushed me to an arm's length away and I was still grinning away.

"Whoah… what was that?"

"A bond between us," I replied calmly.

"What bond? Wait, it's not something which would permanently leave us stuck together, is it?" Zero asked in a panicked voice. He was flustered. Very cute.

"It would, actually." I could not stop smiling, and he was glaring.

"Hey wait. I didn't ask for any… bond thing. What did you do?"

"Absolutely nothing. It was you."

"What did I do?" He looked like a guilty man about to be hanged.

"You accepted me, and now I can easily convey my thoughts to you without saying it. You heard every single word of it, am I right?"

"It's creepy. Don't do it," Zero huffed, taking his hands away from me and raking one through his hair.

"Is it now?" And I decided to bully him just a little.

Zero, I love you.

"Stop it," came a grumble.

More than anything in the world.

"Shut up!"

I would do anything for you.

Zero got annoyed. "Then," he started with anger in his tone. He reached up and grabbed my face by the sides, putting us face to face, a few inches apart. "Say it out loud!"

"Then you would have to say yours too," I replied quickly and he grimaced, thinking he made a mistake. He let go and started to walk off and I followed him.

"Just what were you unhappy about?"

Zero stopped, and his hands fisted. He looked like he was in deep contemplation, before he finally spoke.

"Even if you said you would protect me and stuff, I can't do the same for you."

"Zero, I don't expect-"

"Before you start!" He cut in. "I'm not someone you should be with. I'm not strong, Kaname. Everytime you tell me that you'll help me or protect, I can't help but feel weak. First of all, I don't want to be that, but more importantly, I don't want to be protected forever. I don't want to get in your way, or be a bother for you, but I really don't know what I can do. I'm not a pureblood – I'm not even a vampire of any worth."

Zero was heaving by the time he finished. His hands grasped his own shirt, over his heart.

"What should I do to prove to the world that I'm someone worth standing by you?"

---Normal---

Kaname was at a loss for words. Somehow, he hoped he had not been trampling the hunter's pride by constantly saying that he would be protecting him and stuff like that. There were just some things in reality that Zero would not be able to deal with, and that was all he wanted to imply.

Although Zero himself did not know it, Kaname knew where Zero's strengths lies. For the first time in his life, he met a person, who was neither human nor vampire, stand up against figures no one would dare to, and Zero was never wrong in any of them. His brashness, straight-forwardness and the soul he dared to risk for his own beliefs attracted him.

In fact, Kaname thought himself strong. In which, he had to be. For Yuki, the nobles, needless to say Zero… And being a pureblood he though he would have been playing the perfect role. But as Zero had said, being perfect would have made him nobody. Zero showed him his flaws.

Being a figure that Kaname ultimately failed against, it just showed that they were perfect together.

"You're strong, Zero. You just don't know where it lies." But I do.

"I'm not in any way-"

"Here." Kaname placed his index finger on Zero's chest. "You're strong here. You always have been."

Zero was speechless.

"There's this person I would have never thought in my life would be this strong. He's not the smartest of person I know," Kaname joked. " But he is just the way he is."

Kaname encircled his arms around Zero's middle, holding the hunter close. Zero did not even resist.

"Here's an example. Thanks to this particularly brave individual, Vaspian has a better life to live, when he had, and was waiting, for none."

The large wolf, able to understand Kaname's words and his words only, straightened up.

"You're a lot stronger than you think you are, Zero," Kaname whispered against the neck. "As I said, you just do not know which part of yourself."

Zero shuddered a little.

"It is not a compliment. It is the truth. I love you the way you are. No one and nothing will change that. I just want you to be you. I care less about what others say; they will have to get through me before they touch you. And you will do the same, am I right?"

Zero snorted, half-heartedly trying to shrug off the offending vampire. "You're so full of yourself."

Kaname smiled, knowing that Zero had let up on the subject. "What can I say. It is a common trait in every vampire."

"Don't apply that on me."

The brunette chuckled, feeling Zero relax and lean back against him. It was peaceful between the both of them, before they heard shuffling of feet. Judging by the subtle aura, it was Yuki. It still had been slightly awkward for all of them before, so reluctantly, they pulled apart.

Yuki came into view, Lily trotting behind. She looked like she was about to cry.

She threw herself into Kaname's arms, and both male vampires began to worry. Once she was in her brother's arms, tears began streaming down her face. Kaname and Zero glanced at each other, concerned, and the latter shrugged, gently patting her back.

"Yuki, what's wrong?"

"It's Ichiru," a soft whimper escaped. "He said he's not coming back."


Boooo not much of a cliffe I hope. I'm sorry I took so long to update heh. HEH. I know. bury me alive. Uni is getting harder woootss no time to write/type. It's already amazing that I still update XD Ha... i think i lost readers and reviewers cos of my retardedness. Please prove me wrong ;A; I will try not to slack so much...