A/N: I finally learned what an em dash was, and where the hell it was on my computer. Alt0151. Go figure. I hated using -- in substitution. I think the effect is so much nicer with the em dash. Ahh... if only I could go to college so I can improve on my writing all at once. *FAFSA = Confusing + Lack of Time = Fail*

I didn't mean to make the chapter this long, but I'm revising my writing style yet again, and I couldn't find a suitable place to cut the chapter in half since one part would be uneventful towards the plot.

I've hidden a secret message in this chapter, can you find it?

"ღ*~+~*ღ"

Sleep would not come easily, not for Zero, nor for Kaname.

Zero spent hours plopped onto the pink bed in the room adjacent to Kaname's. His room, he had to remind himself, since he was now technically living there, was the perfect place for tracing patterns on the ceiling. He tried to find constellations, words, even pictures in the wood grain patterning. With his vivid imagination, he had managed to find the first paragraph from the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, words splayed here and there, severely cut up by the natural choppiness of the grains.

He decided to shed the clothes Kaname had given him, not wanting to have his scent dispersing in air around him as he slept. It would have been too bothersome, especially since he had actually liked the scent, if only a little.

Frowning silently at the thought, Zero turned over onto his side, in a huff that he would think such a way.

What an idiot. He had only sworn to himself a thousand and one times that he would never fall for anyone again, not for the rest of his extended life, and yet here he was, taking a 'healthy interest' in someone he shouldn't have been. Not that he expected it to develop much, if at all. Kaname's mind was not the most brilliant when it came to writing and the arts. Then again, what he lacked there, he more than made up for with his brain for politics and public affairs and the like.

Especially when it came to vampire society. Was it really true that he actually belonged to the person who had turned him? That he was property, and was 'owned'? Was that person supposed to be his master, or something like that? Whatever the relationship now, Zero had never formed a blood bond with them, while he and Kaname had formed one, not even hours ago, like it was nothing. Was that something he should have just accepted?

Zero realized, with chagrin, that no, no it wasn't. Despite all that he had been put through, he still would have rather been bound to his master, and not the young prince, but it was beyond his control now. The bond wasn't about to dictate their emotions or feelings towards one another, it just meant that their destinies were entwined, one thing he hadn't been thinking about when he bit through Kaname's wrist, more focused on making a good, albeit spiteful impression rather than the repercussions of his actions.

He took action before thought, something that he felt he would pay for dearly one day, if not now.

Rolling over and away from the sun, Zero entangled himself in blankets as he curled up on his side, utterly exhausted from the night's events. As he drifted off, his mind whispered to him once more. It was something seemingly small, and insignificant, but it spoke volumes as a fail-safe in keeping his promise to himself.

If he was attached to his master, then he couldn't possibly look at anyone else...

"ღ*~+~*ღ"

Another night, another person who desired to use him because of his status and position in society. It wasn't as if Kaname was surprised anymore. Over the last few years, many had tried to get close to him. It was only because of Asato were they unable to come any closer than was comfortable for the pureblood prince.

But now, since he had finally let someone into Kaname's life... what was he supposed to think? Feel? Kaname wasn't stupid, he could make his own decisions, he could form his own thoughts and decipher his own feelings by himself. It wasn't as if they were that hard, since he didn't have that many. So then what were his thoughts and feelings towards the new house guest?

First and foremost, that man was eccentric, and chatty, and dramatic, ballsy, and curious as hell. It was very different from what he was used to, that was for sure, and a small part of him reveled in the fact that he had such a polar opposite to interact with. For one, things wouldn't be so dull around the house anymore, even if he liked his solitude.

Kaname let out a sigh as he lifted his pierced wrist, which had fully healed by now. There was still a slight sting, a slight ache that wouldn't stop. Was that how all bites felt like? He stroked the soft, pale flesh of his wrist before bringing it to his lips, the gentle skin on skin contact tickling. With a soft kiss and glow of lavender light, the pain receded.

He stretched out on the mattress, rolling over onto his stomach beneath the... scarlet duvet, and fluffed his pillow before plopping face first onto it. Look at him! A few hours with the ex-human and his theatrics were already sparking to life. A small, muffled chuckle escaped his lips in amusement at the thought, surprising himself when he heard the sound. It felt foreign, and out of practice. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember the last time he had really laughed.

The gesture was something he had to write down, to track his progress and for future referencing. Since Zero would probably be with him for the entire one year period after all, perhaps Kaname would keep a diary about the experience. The thought seemed like a good idea. It was enough to pull him out of his already comfortable position in bed and over to the modest desk near his window.

There, on top of the polished wooden surface sat the manuscript he had tried to burn earlier. The pages were charred and blackened, some bits of the paper yellowed and browned here and there. But that wasn't what caught his attention.

Scrawled in smooth black ink along the top of the cover was the neat writing of his new house guest.

Keep this, we'll compare it to your finished product when you do get published. Your ideas are clever, you just need to choose the right words to tell the story.
Your heart is in the right place, now all you have to do is find it, and I'll show you how.
I believe in you.
- Zero Kiryuu

Kaname had to swallow back against a lump in his throat, and an unnamed emotion creeping over him. At first he had been surprised to find the booklet he thought was utter trash. Now, however, it was a treasure: the very first positive feedback he had ever been given about anything in his life. The pureblood ran his fingertips along the cover, over the dried ink as if he could lift the feelings right out of those words. His eyes flickered over the rest of the surface, surveying the amount of damage before deciding that the booklet would be better off in some sort of protective encasing. He opened a large drawer, the one where he kept all of his stationary needs, and withdrew a manila envelope and composition book, leaving it open until he finished with the manuscript.

Carefully, so as not to crumble the poor, abused thing, Kaname daintily picked up the manuscript with his thumb and forefinger, gently sliding it into the envelope before winding the flap shut with the red thread provided. From the cup of pens at the edge of his desk he chose a broad-tipped marker and a ballpoint pen. Crouching over the desk, he uncapped the marker and brushed the nib lightly over the envelope in his best handwriting.

Inspiration

The strong scent of alcohol from the permanent marker saturated his senses, absorbing the memory of resolve with the fleeting thoughts of his new sensei.

Seemingly satisfied with his work, Kaname recapped the marked and put it back in its respective place before laying the envelope in his special stationary drawer, sliding the wood shut, which had become so much heavier now that the contents were so important to him.

It was as if someone had grasped his hand and begun to whisper in his ear, compelling Kaname to take a seat at the desk and write out his mind.

He wrote about Zero mostly, about his first impression of him, his personality, a list of traits Kaname had discovered about him that he had named off to himself earlier. Now he could tick off one more trait he had found in him—thoughtful. There was much more he wanted to write about, but his thoughts escaped him faster than he could pen them to the paper, excuse the small pun.

Well, he did have all day.

"ღ*~+~*ღ"

As dusk approached, Zero awoke naturally, blinking up to the well-studied ceiling. It didn't matter how he went to sleep, on his side, curled up or twisted, he would always wake up on his back—a sleeping habit he was actually very grateful for, since it kept him from getting kinks.

His vision spun as he sat up too quickly. Shaking out his hair groggily, he wandered over to a suitcase that had been deposited into his room as he slept, most likely by Jiro. He noticed that his vision had improved again overday, since he could see most of the details of the contents of the luggage, even make out the words on the tags of his clothing if he squinted. Zero had mixed feelings about not having to use his glasses anymore, which, he figured wouldn't happen for a little while, since they helped him focus on his writing. He felt productive in them, and resolved right there to keep using them as a tool of focus, since there were times in which he would procrastinate so easily.

Zero dressed in a school uniform, only the shirt and pants. His fingers floated over a smooth, crisp sheet of paper that had been placed on top of his clothes, crumpling it on accident before holding it up in front of his face to read.

There were two messages on the single sheet of yellow notepad paper, one in Shizuka's elegant script, the other in his master's—hunting master, that was—block handwriting.

This is all we could get for now, I'm sorry, but we did manage to transfer your funds into a different, temporary account to keep your family from swindling you. All the information is at the bottom of the luggage in a new checkbook, you can transfer your own funds now whenever you feel like it. Yagari-san and I will work on obtaining the rest of your possessions from your parents' custody. Jiro is working on your emancipation.

Please, relax and enjoy the rest of your winter holiday. I've taken Asato-san with us to register Kaname for school and set up living arrangements, so we'll both be back in two days, along with Yagari-san. We can spend a little time together before you go back to school, under the 'official supervision' of a Hunter from the Association, how does that sound? *Fond smile* You should bring Kaname as well, I hear it's been years since he last left that mansion...

Love,
Shizuka Hio ~ Kaasan

The note made Zero smile, his heart warming at the thought that Shizuka cared about him enough to be more of a mother to him than Hikari ever was. His eyes flit down to the second note, his mind already conditioned to interpreting Yagari's way of expressing himself.

I had no idea how much of a cunt your mother could be, but like Shizuka said, we're working on getting your crap back.

Translation: 'I'm sorry that you're going through a tough time, we're trying to help you all that we can.'

The Association might want to keep you as one of their dogs, so don't get too friendly with the enemy, he could cut you down without Bloody Rose.

'I'm working on getting your other job back even if you are a vampire, so be careful and behave yourself while you're with your host.'

Don't just sit on your ass all break, you better train, because I'll be testing you the moment I get back to make sure you haven't lost your touch.

'Enjoy your break, but be ready for when I come back, since we'll be spending time together so I know you're still the same person you were before.'

You're shit outta luck if you get sick,

'Take care,'

Your now legal keeper—Touga Yagari

'Dad.' Basically.

That part of the note made him laugh. It was something he could probably show Kaname for when he taught him about tone, character development, and archetypes.

Damn he loved archetypes, and Shizuka and Yagari were perfect examples of two of them right there—the loving surrogate mother, and the tough-talking, yet kind-hearted father figure.

Zero also liked fucking up archetypes, but not when it applied to real life, just in his stories. Then again, he was sure that they had their own quirks that kept them from fitting into a single frame. He hadn't spent enough time with them to really dig deeper on their characters, though their age and experience probably had something to do with it.

But habits and quirks were definitely noticed. If they could be described as any sort of family, it would be a very unconventional one.

Shizuka knew just from the way he wrote his manuscripts that he hated the sensation of fingernails scraping over the ridges of his fingerprints, just by how well he had described the pet peeve for another character. In return, Zero knew, from being around her for as long as he did, that whenever she drunk from a plastic bottle, she would suck the liquid out without letting any air back in until she had her fill. The bottle would crinkle in on itself that, and Zero wondered if that habit was something she was used to from drinking blood the same way, and if it was a vampires-only thing, but he had yet to do that himself.

He didn't dare want to think of the other possible reasons she drunk like that.

Yagari was the one to tell him that he could wiggle his ears, since he did it unconsciously when he tried to strain his hearing during hunting drills. That, though, wasn't nearly as weird as one of his peeves.

Just from looking at Yagari, one would have thought that how his food was arranged would be one of his last concerns, but on the contrary... Every time they ate dinner together, Yagari HAD to have all of his food separate—even the stir fry. All alike foods could be grouped together, like lintels, but had to not touch on a plate, otherwise he wouldn't eat it. It was a rather infuriating preference-turned-habit of the older hunter, but one he had so organized that it never affected family meals back when he was living with his parents.

No wonder he was so skinny.

When Zero had asked him about the strange habit, Yagari replied with a rather convincing reasoning.

"Zero, the Hunter's Association is basically a government operation. You know from experience, both there and at school, about the lunch trays. They each have their own, separate little divisions in which each different serving of food is placed. It's supposed to be that way, don't question it."

He chuckled quietly to himself at the anecdotes, realizing that he should have been lecturing to Kaname about what he had just spent the last fifteen minutes thinking about instead of letting his legs cramp up from staying crouched over his suitcase. He stood, unsteadily at first, and straightened out his uniform, not bothering to close the front of his uniform shirt, since he would just have to remove it later anyways. Though he did straighten out his suitcase before he could make a mess out of the room he was given.

Today, he decided he wouldn't wear his glasses, unless he had work to do.

A few of his joints popped as he twisted back and forth, stretching to loosen the stiffness that had settled into his muscles overday. He shuffled over to the door and turned the handle, hearing the familiar sliding of metal on metal and smooth shifting of air that came when he opened the divider between his and Kaname's room.

The pureblood was asleep by the frosted window pane in his room, sitting slumped over his desk, a single arm serving as a makeshift pillow beneath his head. In his right hand, a ballpoint pen was resting between his thumb and forefinger, its tip spilling a large splotch of ink over the paper in his composition notebook. Judging by how big the splotch was, about the size of his thumbnail, Kaname hadn't been asleep for very long—a couple of hours at most.

Leaning down to study the sleeping beast, or in Kaname's case—cub, his eyes began to stray over how relaxed his face looked in slumber, much better than when he was scowling or berating him last night. His lips were parted and a little chapped, but were ruby red against his pale flesh, almost as if that blood had done him wonders in revitalizing his body. Zero rather liked the sleeping Kaname. He looked more like himself while at ease...

"Kaname...?" he murmured gently.

The pureblood's lashes fluttered, but he didn't stir.

Should Zero have woken him up, or just move the pen on his notebook? He knew he would have gone ballistic if anyone were to try to touch his writing tools, but he also knew that purebloods absolutely needed their sleep, since they were more than just political figureheads—they were royalty.

Then again, Kaname wasn't really doing anything important in the vampire world at the moment, from what he understood of the situation.

"Oi." Zero called in a monotone, probing Kaname's forehead with his finger. "Get up. We still have a lot to talk about."

"en huh sun oes own." Kaname grumbled, folding his arm over his face in a dismissive gesture.

The ex-human cocked his hip to the side in a very Shizuka-like manner, resting the palm of his hand upon it.

"The sun is down. You can't act like this when you go to school, now get up."

"Don't wanna." he enunciated, clearly awake as he tried to crush his arm against his ear to block out Zero's voice.

"You don't even want breakfast?"

"Are you offering me your neck?" the pureblood growled, sienna eyes sparkling with desire as they peeked out from behind his arm.

The lilt in Kaname's voice was dangerously seductive, which made Zero wonder whether or not he was aware of that habit of his. The ex-human could have gotten mad, he could have growled, and bitched at the insane, book-burning pureblood, but he didn't. Instead, he worked on trying to find his muse, and blood seemed like a definite motivator for him.

After all, Kurans liked games.

"If you can catch me before I make it to the kitchen, I'll let you have another taste." Zero practically purred, fading into the shadows.

Kaname jerked upright, pen falling from his hand with a dull clatter to the floor. He had just been made an offer he refused to pass up, and what's more—Kaname knew the house layout, Zero did not.

Breakfast was only a bite away, and all he had to do was sniff it out for himself.

"You know," Kaname called in a huff. "In vampire society, such childish games towards purebloods are heavily frowned upon, even amongst adults and the upper class in general. This sort of thing is what the lesser vampires do!"

A gentle breeze passed by, stirring up Kaname's hair in the hallway as a small piece of paper fluttered down before him. He snatched the page in midair, uncrumpling it so he could read the neat scrawl of text.

I don't see anyone from our society here at the moment. It's just you and I.
- Signed, A Lesser Vampire :P

Kaname frowned, unamused with Zero's childish antics. He hurried down the stairs at the end of the hall, past the ornate sitting room, winding through different hallways in order to get to the kitchen, where Zero stood, lazily flipping a crepe over in an oiled pan.

"I was wondering when you'd get here. I thought you purebloods were supposed to be fast." he smirked, a mocking edge in his voice.

Kaname scowled at the thought of loosing blood, but that wasn't really the important issue. Why the hell was Zero standing there, cooking in his house when there were maids to take care of that issue?

"Where are the servants?" Kaname asked, scanning the kitchen.

"Oh, them?" Zero asked, playing innocent. "They're wandering around the house somewhere else, I locked them all out of of the kitchen."

"And why would you do such a thing?" he demanded, his stomach rumbling from the sweet smell of crepes.

"Because I don't like people trying to interfere when I'm cooking." he said matter-of-factly, throwing the completed product on a plate before starting on another. "Like crepes?"

"Whats?" Kaname tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"They're like pancakes, only thinner, and you fill them with whatever you like. Do you want a fruit, meat, or vegetable one?" he asked, busying himself with looking for ingredients while the other crepe set in the pan. "The kitchen is scarcely stocked." he muttered in annoyance.

"Fruit, but you don't have to do this, that's what the servants are for." Kaname pointed out, almost annoyed, yet secretly pleased as he took a seat on a stool by a long counter.

"I'm used to it. When my parents had to go off to hunt, I was left to take care of my brother, which was often."

"You have a brother?" he asked with interest, trying to imagine him taking care of a younger sibling with how demonic he was acting last night when they first met.

"Unfortunately."

"I take it you don't get along." Kaname muttered dryly, lifting a brow as he straightened his back with perfect posture.

Zero merely shrugged as he plated his own crepe, skinning kiwi's, drizzling honey, tossing blueberries and cashews onto the bread before he rolled it up.

"That looks... incredibly odd." he turned his head, not sure whether to try the pancake or not.

"If you don't want it, I'll eat it." Zero shrugged again, pulling the plate away.

Kaname placed a finger on the edge of the plate, realizing he was being ungrateful.

"No, I'll try it." he said as if he was trying to convince himself to do so.

"Don't force yourself." the ex-human said flatly, staring pointedly at the food. "That's all I feel like cooking. If you want something more, then I can let the maids back in."

"Such insolence." he complained much in the way one would have said 'well excuse me!'.

Something about the whole situation intrigued Kaname. Whether it was the fact that he was being made to try new things, or the fact that someone who wasn't very fond of him was there, cooking him a meal, he didn't know.

Cutlery was produced along with a goblet of water, both placed near the edge of his plate.

"Why are you tending to me?" Kaname asked in suspicion.

"'Treat them as if they're constantly deciding whether or not you'll live or die.' Isn't that the way you told me to treat purebloods?" Zero asked, fixing his own crepe before pulling out a chair near Kaname to join him.

"That was a suggestion, but I rather liked the fact that you've been treating me like an equal and—"

"Calm down, I was just messing with you." he said slowly, as if trying to explain to a five year old. "I'm not about to treat you that way, I couldn't imagine anyone who would want to... never mind." he muttered sourly. "Yes I could..."

The pureblood stared at him, trying to figure out the cause for his change in tone and attitude before the tinkling sounds of cutlery reminded him of his hunger. He decided not to think about exactly what he was about to consume and just cut up the crepe, tasting the sweet and salty blend of flavors—from the crunchy, nutty contrast of the cashews to the soft, grainy bread and the crisp wedge of the fruit. It was tasty and light, yet satisfying for breakfast.

"So, tell me about parties." Zero asked, examining a turntable with various tins on the counter, plucking them up one by one to examine the contents. "What sort of manners and etiquette should I observe at one of those?"

"Feh. Just hearing the word makes me need a drink." Kaname mumbled, taking a red tin from the turntable, withdrawing a few tablets from inside.

"I was looking for those."

"Mn." the pureblood replied moodily, tossing a few tablets each into their drinks. "That was a good question for you to ask though, since parties by vampires are rather different than ones for humans, I would assume."

The two watched as the tablets dissolved in the water, clouding the water first to pink, and finally red.

"I also assume," he sighed, grasping the stem of the glass. "That you couldn't have asked at a better time, since there will probably be a party held in your honor, to introduce you to our society."

"That's good." Zero said immediately, pushing his plate away before drinking deeply from the goblet, the pseudo-blood leaving it's usual odd aftertaste in his mouth.

"Parties? I'd rather impale myself with olive branches on the tomb of a dead man..." he laughed without humor, taking another couple of bites of his breakfast.

"So you've read mythology?" the ex-human asked, rather impressed. "What other tales have you read about?"

"A few here and there." Kaname dismissed with a wave of his hand.

"Good." he smirked. "That will give you something to pull ideas from."

"Are you serious? Isn't that plagiarism?"

"Keep telling yourself that." Zero rolled his eyes. "Nothing is original anymore—there's only so many stories that can be told before elements have to be repeated.

"Understandable." the pureblood nodded, a spark of curiosity arising. "How often have you used mythology in your stories?"

"Rarely, but back to the party etiquette. When we get back upstairs I'll coach you on writing something called fanfiction."

"Even if it takes all day to lecture you?" he quirked a brow, hoping for a positive answer.

Zero smirked at his eagerness to learn and how it mirrored his own views on education. He slouched over the counter, dipping his finger into the leftover honey on the plate, drawing little patterns with the sticky syrup before placing the digit into his mouth.

"If you really want to." Zero said after a few moments, feeling it was safe to search Kaname's face since he didn't have his glasses on at the moment. "Would you like to write fanfiction? It's sometimes looked down upon as extremely unoriginal by other authors, and it's illegal to publish, for profit, since the characters aren't yours."

"Do you look down on it?"

"Not at all." came his instant reply. "I find that it can inspire the most original of ideas, in this unoriginal world that is." he gave a small smile, more to himself than Kaname at the thought of fanfiction, since that was how he got his start in writing.

"Wait a minute, how does any of that teach me how to love?" Kaname queried.

"How is a simple explanation of etiquette going to make me a 'proper gentleman' at the party, if ever I have one? By practice of course."

"So let me get this straight," the pureblood smirked. "When I explain the rules, I'm supposed to help you practice?"

"I can practice on my own, it's not that big of a deal." Zero shrugged, annoying Kaname with the gesture. "I just have to be polite to everyone. It's something I can develop on my own mostly."

"Then writing, in order for me to get better at it, I'll have to practice as well, I know that much."

"Yeah..."

He did not like the direction in which the conversation was going. The ex-human decided to busy himself with collecting their tableware, intent on throwing them in the sink for the servants, but Kaname was quicker.

"Sit." he ordered in a low tone, something about it making Zero compelled to obey. "We have maids to do that for us, though I'm not unappreciative." he continued in his normal voice, mussing with his hair. "What I want to know is, how will I learn how to love if there isn't anyone I can practice that with?"

Zero sat contemplating that question for a moment, realizing that, if he stared long enough, he didn't need his glasses to notice similarities. He considered looking away, but the way Kaname held his gaze, told him that it would be a bad decision on his part.

"Careful now, you're practicing etiquette as we speak. If you look away before a pureblood has, before we've finished addressing you—especially in public—then it's considered a great sign of disrespect, an insult."

"Then how do I get you to stop?" he asked, feeling as if he were fragmenting under Kaname's intense sienna gaze.

"Answer my question." the pureblood breathed.

Kaname wanted to know exactly what Zero planned to do. Sure, he himself was being rude by using his command to hold Zero in place, but the rules of etiquette were of a double standard. He could be as rude as he wanted to be to those not of his status with impunity.

"What do you plan to do? Take responsibility."

A snerk nearly escaped Zero at that—Kaname sounded like a pregnant woman.

"Well—"

"I—"

As both words were spoken, they realized just how close the two of them had drawn together. Zero furrowed his brows, Kaname held his breath, all at the humming sensation of electricity between their bodies. So close, yet so far away. Both of them could smell the other's scent, the way it mixed in the air around them.

The house was kept dark at all times, which was no problem at all for vampires, but for Zero, who was used to being out in the light, there was something so silencing, so enveloping about the darkness they were in that made him want to draw closer...

There was no name for the emotion of compelling desire welling in Kaname's center. Desire, desire for what? He didn't understand. All he knew was he wanted it.

The first one to pull away was Zero, who had mustered enough courage to straighten up, having been under the control of a pureblood several times before. One would have thought it was easier to walk away each time.

It wasn't.

"Who knows?" Zero finally said, breaking Kaname's concentration long enough to free his own gaze. "When you go to school, you might find a girlfriend who can help you with that." he gave a small smile at the thought, though somehow, he was unable to picture Kaname with the busty Ruka, or the stoic Rima, or even the shy Tsukiko.

He kept his thoughts away from everyone else.

"I guess." Kaname muttered, a light, yet pronounced frown etching across his features.

"Hey, practice right?"

The pureblood begrudged him a small smile, managing to look him in the eye once more.

"Yeah, practice."

"ღ*~+~*ღ"

A/N:Yeah, this chapter was super weird, and a mess. it's my comeback since I have just slain my writer's block. *Imagines dragon named Writer's Block, herself swiping at the cute lizard with her pen* (Well they say the pen is mightier than the sword, and that's probably why I had WB for so long. =_=) *Swipes at dragon with her laptop*

Ignore my weirdness please. =X

Reviews: I've missed you all. I'll love you forever. 3