I know that it's been a little over 3 years since I last updated this story and I really do apologize for it. It would be an overstatement to say that I've been busy even though it's not entirely false. I was busy but I also had a lot of free time. A majority of that free time however was spent on other things. I had no inspiration to write for a long time. But, here I am again, trying to find a conclusion to all the stories that I've made.
My writing style may have changed but I hope that I can remain as consistent as possible when it comes to the characters.
Otherwise, enjoy this next chapter!
The type of situation he was in now annoyed him. Needless to say he kind of expected this to happen. At present, he was standing in the chairman's office with his arms crossed and a vein popping out on his head.
"How are you so sure that you can keep my Zero safe?" Kaname asked with a menacing tone towards the other hunter in the room. He felt his fingernails dig into the palms of his hands as he clenched his fists tighter in angel.
The said hunter only chuckled at what the pureblood said. "Your Zero? Need I tell you that Zero and I were friends growing up. Doesn't that make him my Zero?"
Zero pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. These idiots. He thought, thinking back on how this all happened in the first place.
. . . rewind to an hour ago . . .
It had been a few days since he had talked with Yagari-sensei and in all honestly Zero was anxious to see Kaito again. He wasn't necessarily worried since he was in good terms with Kaito but that was when they were kids. Zero didn't train with him either and now, just knowing that he's coming to Cross Academy to 'protect' him.. Damn.
The silverette had decided to keep his thoughts away for a while by taking a small stroll on campus. It was about 3 in the afternoon when he ran into the chairman along the way.
"Zero, a moment?" Chairman Cross said as he re-adjusted his glasses. "Kaito is in my office as of this moment and I'm sure you want to go meet with him-"
"When did he arrive?" Zero's eyes widened a fraction as he cut the chairman off mid-sentence. Not even bothering to let the chairman say anything else, the silverette swiftly started walking in direction to the said man's office. Might as well get it over with. He sighed inwardly.
In all honesty, he was somewhat thrilled to be reunited with his childhood friend but what then? Reunite, catch up, and? He's not one for small talk unless it's with Yagari considering all the time that has passed but he guessed he could think of something.
He was now standing in front of Cross's door. He took a deep breath, thinking he needed more through his lungs. He placed his hand on the knob, feeling its coolness come in contact with his own warmth. Turning it and stepping into the room, his lavender eyes met with hazel ones.
"Zero." The light brunette smiled at him, walked closer and then brought Zero into an embrace.
The said silverette was frozen in place by the action but remembering back to when they were still kids, Kaito didn't act much different. He was a touchy kid but as an adult, it gave Zero some feeling of awkwardness. "Good to see you too, Kaito." He said, patting the other male's back before pushing him away. "How have you been?" Small talk initiated. Good job Zero. He thought to himself, smiling inwardly.
Kaito didn't like the feeling of being pushed away but then he shrugged it off. He took a step back to have a proper view of the silverette's face. "Oh you know, I'm fine. I expected you to be a little more enthusiastic meeting me though." He scratched the back of his neck as he averted his gaze elsewhere, trying to look sad and hurt.
Zero sweat dropped and gave an awkward laugh. "You've been training all the time huh? How's the Hunter's Association treating you?" He tried to change the subject.
Kaito went and sat on the chairman's seat behind the desk. He had his hands together on his lap with his thumbs twiddling. "They've treated me well. Sent me off on some missions overseas actually. Never cut me any slack." He sighed as if all the hard work he did was finally catching up on him and tiring him down. "Well, being the type of kiss-ass person I am, I was able to become an A-class hunter in a jiffy."
"I can definitely see you as a kiss-ass." Zero admitted, laughing lightly before he changed his expression to something more serious. "So, obviously I know why you're here." He turned to look out one of Cross's windows. The afternoon sun had shone in an orange glow, giving the trees, the sky, and the pavement an aesthetic. He heard the other male sigh as he stood from the chairman's seat.
"Yeah, who would've thought that she'd be roaming the streets of the city in search of you. My question is, why?" Kaito's gaze was caught by a photo on the chairman's desk. It was of the said older male and a younger Zero, possibly around 11 years old. He smiled at how grumpy the boy looked in the photo. Cute.
"That's what I would like to know." Zero scoffed before he felt a pair of arms around him again. He stiffened. "Kaito, what're you doing?"
"Just know, I'll definitely keep you safe Zero."
"I believe that's my line." There was another presence in the room. Zero whipped his head around to see Kaname standing in the doorway. One thing for sure, the pureblood did not look happy. He pulled Kaito off of Zero and stood in between them. Which takes them back to the present.
. . . fast forward to present . . .
As the two brunettes glared each other to death, Zero decided to step in between them and pinch both their ears to get their attention. Both gave an 'ow' in response to the sudden pain but then stared at the silverette who was now practically emitting fumes.
"Look, we aren't here in the chairman's office to end up in a squabble." Zero sighed. "Kaname, did the chairman send you here?"
"Yes. He intended that we three discuss whatever there is left unsaid going towards the plan to both protect you," the pureblood gestured to Zero,"and track down the Kuruizaki-hime."
Kaito chuckled at this. "It's been awhile since I heard that term used on Hio." The light brunette walked to the desk and half sat half leaned on it. "So, I'm assuming that everyone here knows that Shizuka Hio is the cause for Zero turning into a vampire. I'm also assuming that everyone here knows that Shizuka Hio is looking for Zero as of this moment for who knows what reason." Everyone nodded at that. "Well, I received intel earlier today that the last sightings of Hio was near the town square in the alleyways. One of my co-hunters had notified me about it and is tailing her undercover. We have yet to know her whereabouts are now at this hour."
"If that is so then wouldn't it be best to just go for her as soon as possible?" Just knowing that she's this close had Zero's blood rushing through his veins. He wanted to get rid of her.
"It's easier said than done. The Kuruizaki-hime is known for being a mystery to deal with and if we don't have any strategy, dealing with her would be a bad bet." Kaname combed his fingers through his hair as he sighed. He could always just go and do this business himself but of course with Zero being the main victim here, he has to consider what Zero wants to do. Kaname also has to ensure Zero's safety.
"Exactly." Kaito agreed, which left everyone still in deep thought.
"Might I suggest having two of my nobles to assist us in this?" A thought came into the pure blood's head.
"Who?" Zero placed a hand on Kaname's arm, turning him in his direction slightly as he asked Kaname. Would that be a good idea though? He inwardly thought. He was unsure about the suggestion.
"Add who you want as long as they are in this to see it through. However, I will not be responsible for them." Kaito knitted his eyebrows together, serious and all. I already have too many back's to watch. He was reminded of his co-hunters that were doing their little mission as of now. Also, to watch over vampires is not on his to-do list, with the sole exception of Zero.
"Then, shall we have another meeting with everyone later on tonight?" The pureblood made his way to the window, staring at the slowly dimming light of day. He'll be sure to have Shiki and Ichijou in this since he had made them gather info on the pure blood Hio prior to this meeting.
"Class change over is going to happen soon though. We have class tonight, Kaname." Even though the meeting sounded as good as it is, Zero can't afford to miss tonight's lectures. Call it a student's intuition. He felt that he needed to be in class tonight rather than skip out.
"What happened to 'just go for her as soon as possible'? Changed your mind?" Kaito teased the silverette, earning a glare from the pureblood.
"I know what I said, Kaito." Zero knitted his eyebrows and gave Kaito an annoyed look. He couldn't say the next part though. I just have a bad feeling.
"Tomorrow early morning wouldn't be a problem." The light brunette sighed and raised both his arms up in surrender. An annoyed Zero is a dangerous Zero.
Zero was wondering why Kaito had followed him around even after the chairman's office. He found out that he would be staying in the moon dorms with him and is being 'transferred' into the night class to be his personal bodyguard. Bodyguard my ass. Zero sighed. Though he can't deny that Kaito looked good in the night class uniform.
At the moment, Kaito had been given a room adjacent to Zero's. All the necessary paperwork was dealt with just like how Zero did when he first came back and now both Zero and Kaito where in the light brunette's room. The silverette showed the other male how the uniform is worn.
"I can't see why you need me to show you how to wear a simple uniform." He commented as he was straightening Kaito's collar and tie out.
"You're right, I don't need you to show me." The other shrugged before receiving an elbow to the stomach by the silverette. He gripped his stomach and groaned. "What was the for?" He took a step back and hoped not to get hit again.
"Then why did you ask me in the first place, idiot? If you don't need me then I'm going back to my room." Zero made his way to the door but before he could exit, Kaito spoke.
"Is it wrong to want to have some of your time to myself?" Kaito put on a hurt look as he still had one of his hands on his stomach.
Zero didn't know how to react to that. Things were getting a little awkward and he felt a little uncomfortable. First of all, he was still getting used to his memories with Kaname flowing back into his head. Second, he also was still processing the long conversation he and the pureblood had a few days prior when they literally chatted until dawn. The sudden thought of the pureblood and their past made small dust of pink appear on his cheeks. He shook his head and turned to where Kaito was still standing.
"It's not wrong, just.."
"So you're really with that pureblood, huh?"
Zero's eyes widened a fraction at this. I am.. but am I? He was full of conflicting emotions right now and didn't want to think about it but Kaito kept pushing the topic.
"How did you guys end up that way anyway? If I had known sooner then I would've.." Kaito knitted his eyebrows together. One of his hands were clenched at his side where Zero can't see because he had his side to the silverette.
"Kaito, it wouldn't have changed."
"How could you be so sure of that?" He raised his voice, anger evident.
"Kaito, Shizuka Hio could be anywhere out there and I can't have my mind thinking too many things at once until she's gone. So please, let's not talk about this anymore." With that, Zero exited the room.
The classes had changed over and the night session had started. There was tension in the atmosphere between the two hunters but everyone didn't pay it no mind, not even Kaname. However, he wasn't going to confront Zero about it anytime soon. He knew that something was bothering his mate and he learned to give him some space. Besides, the night seemed eerie.
In the chairman's on-campus abode, Yagari sat with him in his living room. Visits like these were a norm for Cross and he had grown accustomed to the gruffer male's presence. Well, he was the one who forced him to visit in the past. Must have acknowledged it as part of his weekly schedule. "Toga, I'm honestly surprised at how often you visit me nowadays." He teased.
A vein popped in Yagari's head.
"Who was the one who kept making me visit since I was a kid?" His voice was monotone but he was clearly annoyed. He leaned back onto the couch and crossed his legs, his arms spread across the top of the couch. There was a light laughter from the other male.
"You're right. Ever since you asked me if I was a vampire, I had thought 'Wow, this kid is interesting' and forced you to be a part of my life." Cross smiled as he reminisced with the memories when Yagari was a kid.
"It's not my fault that you're a 200 year old man stuck in his 20's. Damned vampire DNA." The one eyed male scoffed.
"Hey, don't remind me how old I am-"
"Also, you've forgotten that you made me a substitute teacher here. So, I have no choice but to be on a permanent visit."
"Look, I needed the help. Plus, if I didn't then I wouldn't have found out about what happened to Zero." Cross folded his arms and sighed. He was thankful that the silverette wasn't in danger's, disregarding his memory loss, because for one, he knew that Yagari was a good person. It wasn't wrong to say that he did watch the man grow up, but he did and he became great. Exactly why he's the current legend of the Hunter's Association. He inwardly chuckled.
"Amnesia is one thing, but now Shizuka Hio is another. Problems just keep piling up." It was Yagari's turn to sigh. When will the world cut him any slack? Or more likely, cut Zero some slack. That kid has gone through too much already. He thought, knitting his eyebrows in the process.
Both males didn't know that Zero had started regaining his memories for quite a while now.
"Don't you have class to go to tonight?"
"Shit." Yagari cursed. He totally forgot about that. "Tell me why you assigned me to teach History again?" He groaned, getting up and taking his gun which he leaned against the wall beside him. The corners of Cross's mouth curved upwards.
"Because I wanted to- hey! Don't just leave while another person is talking!" The said headmaster stood and followed where the other male had gone which was towards the front door of the house. The said male had already worn his long trench coat and hat, his regular style basically, gripping the door knob before he turned his head to Cross with a serious look.
Cross wondered what the latter was staring at but then he sensed it himself right then and there. A pureblood is near and it isn't Kaname.
Unbeknownst to all the students, a hooded figure had intruded into academy grounds. Long flowing gray hair reflected the moon that shone in the dark sky and crimson orbs searched the surroundings for the treasured banquet they wanted to find.
"Where is he?" She whispered like she always did, maniacally chuckling to herself every so often after repeating the same question over and over. She could feel her nails get caught in the cloak she was wearing but she paid it no heed. She kept going with her staggered steps.
He's near. I can sense him. Her fangs elongated even more at the thought. She was walking a small path in the middle of a forest on campus grounds. She had entered from a small gate left unlocked by the keeper at the very edge of the perimeter. She could have snacked on him but he wasn't there for her to devour.
She continued on, excitement filling every inch of her being before her ears heard a distance 'click'.
"Coincidence to see you here in the middle of the night, Hio." She cocked her head in the direction of the low voice. "We were just talking about you." Yagari had his gun pointed at he head. He was itching to pull the trigger but that would've made it too boring of an encounter for him.
The pureblood smiled at the said hunter, one knowing that this was definitely going to be an interesting night, before she dodged an attack that came from behind her. She went up into one of the many trees in the surroundings as she observed the cracked ground of where she once stood.
Cross pulled his sword from the ground and clicked his tongue. "Missed." He didn't look like the usual feminine-like headmaster that all the students came to know. His hair was down and he lacked his glasses, also wearing dark clothes that aided him in the dark of night.
"Finally getting rusty old man?" Yagari snickered. The the age difference was true, the said one-eyed hunter looked like the older of the two because unlike Cross, he is more human.
"What are you talking about? This is just the beginning!" With that, Cross charged towards the pureblood on the tree with inhuman speed. He jumped and slashed his sword hoping to hit the pureblood but instead cutting the branch that she was one and making her fall to the ground. One would expect a thud on the ground but the gray haired female landed swiftly on her feet.
"My, you two boys are wasting my time." The pureblood remarked as she took off her cloak, revealing her red kimono. The unsettling thing though was that her apparel wasn't naturally colored that way. The pigment was from the blood of those she fed on.
"Tch. I suggest you take your words back before you die tonight." Yagari shot at her with multiple rounds but she evaded them with the help of the trees.
Shizuka decided to run deeper in the forest but that didn't stop the two hunters from pursuing her.
BANG. BANG. BANG.
"Gunshots?" The echoing sound didn't fall onto deaf ears as the night class began to wonder where the sounds were coming from.
Kaname ordered the rest of the night class to stay put as he told Takuma and Shiki to come with him to investigate. Though to seek out disturbances was a prefect's job, something didn't feel right and Kaname decided to take the responsibility. It's almost as if he could sense the presence of another pureblood in the area but he wasn't so sure. He's one of the highest ranking vampires and yet this uncertainty had him slightly worrying.
"Kaname, are you sure about leaving the class like that?" Takuma was concerned of the gunshots but he was also concerned about the others who were "left unattended".
"Kain and Aido are there. They'll keep the peace. Also, Yuki knows what to do if anyone decides to disobey." He reassured. They were walking down the hallway to exit the building when someone called out to them.
"Kuran!"
"Zero?" Kaname stopped in his tracks to see the other male catching up to them. "Zero, you should stay. Someone may have intruded academy grounds and we are not sure how dangerous they may be." The pureblood didn't want the silverette to come with them. The possibilities of Zero getting hurt were flooding into his mind and he wasn't going to allow that to happen.
Kaname gave Takuma a look, silently telling them to go on ahead and that he'd catch up in a few. He wanted to talk to Zero privately. With that, the two nobles continued on.
"If they're dangerous then the more we have numbers, the easier they can be defeated." The silverette didn't pay much attention to the nobles that were leaving because he knew that the person he should try to convince to let him come with them is the brunette.
"No, Zero. I don't want you to be in danger. Just, stay here with the others. Please." He turned around and started to walk when a hand clutched the back of his blazer, keeping him in place.
"Hey, you think this is just about you? This is my school too, you know? I'm not going to stand by and watch you take care of problem that is not entirely yours to handle!"
"Zero, I'm doing this to protect you!" Both their voices were raised at each other.
"You think that I need protecting?! Stop treating me like a god damned princess! I don't want to be the one stuck waiting and worrying for you when I could be there fighting by your side!" By this time, Zero was looking down at the ground with his hands clenched into fists. "I've finally gotten stronger over the years and I don't want you to keep seeing me as the 12 year old boy you kept pampering. I'm not that weakling anymore! I don't want to be the burden that I was back then!"
Kaname was taken aback by the silverette's words of course but he didn't show it. Judging by what Zero had said, his memories really did come back and Kaname was glad.
"So please, let me have your back." Zero said through gritted teeth.
A simple 'okay' was the pureblood's reply as he walked toward the silverette and wrapped his arms around him, leaving Zero to freeze in place. He didn't push the male away as he felt himself being engulfed in the other's warmth. This really was a nostalgic feeling from that time. He couldn't help but feel his cheeks heat up before he broke away and started walking in the direction that Takuma and Senri went.
Kaname didn't even try to hide the small smile that displayed on his lips as he followed.
Okay, I know that this is shorter chapter than the rest but I do hope that you enjoyed it somewhat? It really has been so long since I've last written about this story so I do apologize if everything just seems so jumbled up and fuzzy.
Honestly, I'm not sure when I'll be able to update the next chapter but I sure do hope that it won't reach a 3 year gap like it did. Once again, I'm sorry for taking that long hiatus.
For those who stayed with the story until now, I thank you all so much for your unending support and that I hope you continue to read the story until the day I finish it, whenever that day may be.
This Mi-chan's Soundless Voice, signing off.
