Disclaimer: I no own, you no sue, yes?
Every human who mutates into a vampire degenerates into a Level E. You of all people should know that…
"Bastard," Hisana sighed, kicking at a loose stone along the sidewalk as she continued her patrol. She fussed with the cuff of her jacket, glancing up towards the boy's dormitory. She arched a brow when she saw lights were on in one of the rooms.
"Isn't that Zero's dorm? What's he doing up so late…?" she trailed off, uneasiness stirring in her gut. "I should probably go check on him."
With that Hisana settled into a brisk jog, breaking into a dead sprint when she got closer to the dormitory. She took the stairs three at a time, all her senses screaming at her that something was amiss.
Hisana skid to a stop before the door to his room, knocking sharply on. "Zero. Open the door," she hissed, jiggling the doorknob, dismayed to find it locked.
She crouched, pulling two bobby pins from her hair, bending the tip of one into a pick and inserted both into the lock.
'Thank goodness Cross is a cheapskate and didn't buy those other fancy locks,' she thought to herself, levering the pins carefully, hearing five clicks, one after another. As soon as she heard the fifth pin gave way she stood, turning the knob.
The door swung inwards, just in time for her to see Zero resting the barrel of his handgun to his temple, finger curling around the trigger.
She didn't have time to fully process the scene in front of her before her body reacted of its own accord.
Hisana lunged forward, grabbing his wrist with one hand and twisted the gun away from him with her other. She heard the crunch of his finger breaking followed by a hiss of pain.
"You fucking idiot!" she seethed, face flushed with anger and terror. "What are you doing-!?"
A startled gasp elicited from the huntress when Zero grabbed her roughly, yanked her back onto the bed and rolled her beneath him. He used his superior height and weight to keep her pinned, grabbing for the barrel of Bloody Rose with his free hand, guiding it to his neck.
"Shoot me. Before I turn into a Level E. I want to die by your hand."
"What-?" Hisana choked out. "No-no way. I won't do it-." She tried to pull the gun away carefully but Zero had a tight grip on her wrist.
"You heard it, didn't you?" she looked up fearfully at the silver-haired teen hovering over her. "The sound of me drinking your blood. There's no way you can act so casual after a horrifying experience like that." Zero released her wrist, brushing her hair back from her neck to reveal the healing puncture wounds.
"Zero-."
"I couldn't stop the part of me that wanted to devour you." He pulled on her hand, the one still holding Bloody Rose, and aimed it at his neck. "Shoot me."
Hisana inhaled deeply in an attempt to steady her breath and nerves and locked her eyes on his. "No."
"Then you're no good to me," he said softly after a moment, pulling away from her and standing from the bed. Hisana watched him grab a backpack that had been sitting by the wardrobe, slinging it over his shoulder as he exited the room.
Hisana sat up after a few moments, blinking tears. "Damn it Zero," she managed to croak out, swiping a hand through her hair before catching sight of a picture on the floor by his desk.
It was a picture of her, Zero, and Yuuki just before the school year had started. Zero was in the back with his ever-present stern, sour look and Hisana had an arm slung over Yuuki's shoulders, both girls smiling at the camera. She wished things could be simple again, like the day they had taken that photo.
Hisana raised her head, having made up her mind. She tossed Bloody Rose onto the bed, racing out of the room, silently praying that it wasn't too late.
Hisana was out of breath by the time she reached the courtyard. She may have been rocking a pretty sweet healing factor courtesy of her lineage but even she couldn't regenerate blood cells that rapidly. She saw Zero nearing the front gates and took in a deep breath.
"Zero, wait!" she cried though he carried on walking as though he hadn't heard her though she knew he did (considering how much of a loudmouth she could be at times). "Zero, stop-."
The sound of her body colliding with a tree trunk seemed to get his attention as he paused, glancing over his shoulder at the exhausted huntress leaning heavily against said-tree. "Don't leave. Seriously, you're the only one who really gets me around here."
"I couldn't stop myself from devouring you. I may kill the next human I target as my prey," he said softly though she heard him perfectly.
"Zero-."
"You're afraid of me, aren't you?" he asked, beginning to advance on her.
"No, I-."
"I know you're carrying your knives. Take one out, and aim about here-," he took her hand, resting it over his heart. "It's not a crime to kill a vampire."
"I'm not going to do you any favors," Hisana replied. She took a step forward, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace, pressing her face to his chest.
"I can't pretend to understand that I know what you're going through Zero but I knew…I knew the whole time you were a vampire but I still didn't give up on you," Hisana trailed off, raising her eyes to meet his. "I've known you for years…I'm not afraid of you."
"Hisana-." Zero stared at her for a moment before she felt his arms come around her tightly, his head resting on her shoulder.
"I've got your back, Zero. Whatever happens, we'll get through it, alright?" she whispered softly, feeling his grip tighten even more at her words.
She had made up her mind. She would be Zero's ally, no matter what happened…
The next evening before patrol, Hisana found herself standing before the Chairman alongside her fellow guardians.
"I have something for you Yuuki."
"What is it-?" she cocked her head to the side when he held up a silver bracelet.
"Is that-?" Hisana trailed off, recognizing the symbol on the small medallion.
"Please put this on Yuuki," Kaien said, giving her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. She took it hesitantly though secured it to her wrist obediently. "Zero, may I have a drop of blood please?"
The three guardians present stepped back in unison when the Chairman pulled a knife from seemingly thin air, brandishing it towards the taller teen. Zero rolled his eyes but took the knife, slicing his finger open.
"Let it drip onto the bracelet," Kaien said. Yuuki grimaced when Zero allowed his blood to fall onto the insignia, feeling it drip down her hand.
"This is an ancient incantation used by vampire hunters to tame vampires," Kaien began to explain.
'Thought so,' Hisana mused to herself, folding her arms over her chest, waiting for him to continue.
"The bracelet and the tattoo work in unison," he said, raising Yuuki's wrist and bringing it close to the side of Zero's neck.
Sparks flew from the bracelet as it neared the tattoo, eliciting a gasp from Yuuki though the Chairman merely tightened his grasp on her wrist, keeping her in place. As soon as the bracelet touched the tattoo, red light emitted from the site.
Hisana closed her eyes reflexively, cracking them open only to snort a laugh at the scene in front of her.
Zero was on the ground with what appeared to be several red daggers pinning him to the floor.
"Seriously?"
"What is this?" Yuuki snapped at her guardian, pointing a finger at the teen lying on the floor.
"He's fine, he's fine!" Kaien laughed nervously. "He's just immobilized for a bit."
"Immobilized?" Hisana asked, crouching beside Zero as she examined the daggers.
'This is some powerful Hunter magick,' she frowned, chewing her lower lip.
"Anyways, if he tries to bite anyone, you can stop him."
"Why didn't you give one to Hisana?" Yuuki asked, examining the bracelet before looking up at the Chairman.
"Because I can take care of myself?" Hisana suggested with a shrug, causing Yuuki to scowl in response. "You know it's true Yuuki. Don't get so fired up."
"This is the condition Zero must abide by if he is to stay in the Day Class according to Kaname."
Hisana rolled her eyes at that. Of course he would be behind it, why didn't that surprise her?
"Kaname agreed?" Yuuki asked, confused.
"It was Hisana's request." Yuuki's eyes were wide when Kaien said that. "Probably threatened him with bodily harm or something-."
"Hey-," Hisana snapped, hands on her hips defensively.
"So that's where you went to that afternoon. You were at the Moon Dorms," Yuuki stated.
"Yeah, well-," she trailed off, looking down to see the Chairman beside Zero.
"I'm so sorry. Truth be told, I didn't want to have to do this," Kaien said solemnly. "Here are some blood tablets. They should help suppress your cravings."
Zero turned his head away from Kaien as much as he could at those words, eyes dark with anger and sorrow.
"-if you feel your urge to drink blood is unquenchable, feel free to drink mine~!" Kaien ended his statement by pulling his shawl to the side, baring his throat to Zero as his cheeks flushed pink.
Apparently at that precise moment the spell wore off, releasing Zero who immediately took the opportunity to drive a right hook into the Chairman's cheek, sending him sprawling across the floor.
"That's sexual harassment!" Zero seethed, cheeks flushed in embarrassment and anger, fixing his tie as he walked towards the office door.
"Zero," Yuuki called for him and he paused.
"It's okay…This is fine," he said as he left the room, leaving the trio in an awkward state of silence.
"It's not fine," Hisana glanced over to Kaien at those words. "Look after him, you two. Otherwise, that man will."
"Man?" Hisana echoed though Kaien didn't bother elaborating further, instead shooing her and Yuuki out the door to begin their patrols.
"This sucks."
"No kidding," Yuuki sighed as the two teens took refuge from the rain in the academy's main foyer.
"No one will be out in this weather. We should call it quits and get some sleep."
"Yeah, but…," Hisana glanced over at Yuuki, wringing water out of her hair before tossing it back over her shoulder with a grimace.
"What's up?"
"Do you-do you really think I can't take care of myself?" she asked softly.
"Yuuki-."
"I mean, I know I don't have the training you and Zero have but the Chairman has taught me to protect myself. The problem is my Artemis can't kill vampires, it can only keep them at bay."
Hisana frowned, folding her arms over her chest. "What are you getting at Yuuki?"
"Will you-would you-," Yuuki fumbled for words before taking a deep breath, locking her eyes on Hisana's. "Will you teach me how to hunt?"
"No."
That apparently wasn't the answer Yuuki was after as her jaw dropped slightly before shutting with an audible click. "No? Why not?"
"Because I teach you to hunt, you go out and get yourself into a heap of trouble, and I have to explain to Kaien why you won't be coming home."
Or worse, Kaname…
"But Hisana-."
The aforementioned huntress stifled a sigh, resting a hand on her hip. "How about this; I'll train with you, help you build some strength. It's been a while since I've handled a bo staff but I still remember some techniques I can teach you to help you wield Artemis better. But I won't teach you to hunt. What makes you think you'd be able to kill a vampire? A monster that wears the face of a human?"
Yuuki frowned, obviously displeased with the response but she didn't bother pushing her luck further. "Alright. I'll take what I can get."
"Okay. We can start this weekend sometime. Gotta make sure we pass our math test first-."
"What math test?" Yuuki asked, alarmed.
"Ah, the one Ren-sensei told us about yesterday?"
"When is that!?"
"He said before the week is out, remember?"
"No!" Yuuki fisted her hands in her hair, looking frantic. "I'm gonna fail!"
"You're not gonna fail, pull yourself together," Hisana snorted, rolling her eyes. "Let's finish up our patrol and then we can go over our homework."
"We had homework!?"
Hisana sighed, shaking her head in disbelief. It was going to be a long night…
This is starting to edge towards Zero/OC which worries me. It isn't my intention to have a love triangle between Hisana, Zero, and Takuma. The next few chapters should hopefully clear that up as we will see more interaction between Hisana and Takuma since we have a major plot point out of the way for now. Hope you enjoyed.
