Chapter 9: Of Beginnings and Endings
by lightpathetic
"WELCOME to Finland, Mr. Kuran."
"Thank you."
Kaname retracted his hand from the panel and bent to take up their bags. His and Zero's. He'd insisted on Zero not carrying anything considering his condition but it had been a hard-won battle with Zero's stubbornness, which culminated in Kaname simply yanking the article from the other's shoulder and walking away, leaving Zero to catch up and not make a scene. Damn, he was so trying! How could he think he could just carry on as before?! As if he was a normal man? He simply refused to believe things had to change! Sometimes Kaname felt like wringing his neck!
"Zero! Come on…!"
Kaname stopped in his tracks and found himself turning back to watch. He hadn't even done that when he'd first come here years ago. He'd had other things to worry about…
Zero smiled even as his eyes were closed but… he was so happy. He didn't think he'd ever felt the sun like this. It was warm, not scorching and tingled a little on his upturned face. He brought a hand up from where he held a large jacket over his middle in a lame attempt to hide his pregnancy, and placed it palm upwards in the air, enjoying the feel of it on his skin. If only he wasn't in a delicate situation. He'd get naked right here…
"Zero… We have to go. There's more of it at the house."
Zero could tell by the sound of his voice that Kaname was uncomfortable. There were people probably watching him. He didn't care. He was in Finland!
"Are you certain? Is it like this?" Zero asked almost childishly, refusing to budge and not even opening his eyes. He turned his hand over to sun the other side but kept his face upward. Kaname forgot himself as his eyes roamed Zero's face at this opportunity, admiring the contented visage, handsome but softened just a little by the weight-gain, his long eye-lashes and silvery hair gilded by the bright late-morning sunlight.
"Yes. It is," he replied softly, but pleased by the happiness Zero was exhibiting. "You can sun-bathe all you want to next to the pool. Okay?"
Zero sighed and reluctantly lowered his face, opening his eyes to see Kaname watching him. Too close. He had a chance to take in those dark, wide eyes and full, soft lips before stepping away and looking around him. A few people looked at him with some amusement as he did so.
Tourists.
"Okay. Sure," he concurred tersely, ambling ahead to the customs area, a suddenly smug brunette following closely behind him.
ZERO frowned with quite forgivable scepticism as the air-taxi landed next to a fairly sizable expanse of housing. Did Kaname mean a hotel?
"Are you coming?" Kaname asked when he hopped down and turned to help Zero from the back seat. The pilot was already heading towards the "hotel" with their bags.
"I don't understand. You'd said a house…"
"And so it is. See? A roof and four walls…"
"I'd thought of something a little smaller…"
"More intimate, perhaps?" Kaname teased, with a flash of mischievous dimples. Zero sat back in the vehicle. No way he was going to go in there now…
"It is a house, Zero. Just a big one. Come on. Think of the pool. The sun-bathing…?"
"I thought there wouldn't be many people. A place like this probably has…"
"There is no-one. Only 'bots. I promise. Now come on. This is silly. We've flown a long time. I know you must be hungry."
He was. The "food" on the airplane hadn't even whetted his appetite. He longed for a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs at least a foot deep.
"Okay."
Kaname smiled again and held out his arms, which Zero ignored. He hopped the short distance to the ground with enough finesse to not embarrass himself and began to walk toward the "house" already in a sour mood.
Boy, did he hate the way Kaname could just manipulate him with the promise of a meal and to make matters worse he only got rounder and rounder. He felt like the blob in those old horror movies that greedily consumed everything, their only concern being the next meal, and about just as attractive. He couldn't even get the woman across from him in the aisle to make eye contact with him, unheard of a few months ago. Zero wondered seriously as he trudged across the grass, barely aware of the transaction between Kaname and the pilot as he passed, whether or not he would get his previous shape back. It began to feature with some importance in his mind. Perhaps he didn't have to have pre-dinner sandwiches or midnight casseroles. Maybe if he controlled the cravings he wouldn't have to shed so much later and could regain some self-respect …
Kaname efficiently 'chipped the pilot's Pay-Pad© and waved her off, barely acknowledging her thanks. His own mind was already on the week ahead with Zero. He could tell he was already in a foul mood but Kaname was still looking forward to it. Perhaps the surroundings, the respite away from work, would relax him and they could get to know each other better. Zero may just see that he really wasn't the enemy and… Kaname sighed and became frustrated with himself again. He was trying to take over. Take him over. He simply wouldn't be happy until this situation was a little more under his control. By whatever means…
They approached the house wordlessly, eventually stepping onto the cobblestone drive and heading toward the main entrance. Kaname prepared to enter his code to open the door, all while watching Zero's progress up the steps out of the corner of his eye, fully expecting that no human person would be there to greet them, fully expecting the system would have alerted him if anyone had come. Imagine his surprise when he looked beyond Zero to the garage – more luck than any other reason – and noticed the tail end of a luxury vehicle that looked more than familiar protruding from the doorway. That, and the lack of alert from the security system, told Kaname what he didn't need to go inside to know…
"Oh, shit…"
"What?! What is it?" Zero asked, turning toward Kaname as he had been grabbed him quite abruptly and had started to haul him away to the side of the house.
"Stay here… No… Head down there as if you are going to the beach. Stay away from the house for about ten minutes then come inside, but go straight to your room and stay there until I get you. If you need anything ask your computer assistant."
"What is it? Why can't I go in…?" Despite his earlier mental rant, Zero was disappointed to have to delay his meal. He was hungry…
"My ex-wife is here, Zero. I can't let her see you. She knows…" Kaname paused in agitation to thread his fingers through his hair before continuing tightly. "She knows me better than anyone. She'll take one look at you and know what's happening. We can't afford that. You have to hide."
"Do you really think she'll report me?"
"Not to the authorities. But… It's complicated…"
"I don't underst…"
"My divorce isn't quite final. There are a few issues with settlement. If she finds out I'm not childless it could affect things…"
"But you are childless, Kaname…"
"Zero, please," Kaname begged, his irritation causing the urge to strangle come over him again. "Just go down there for ten minutes until I speak to her. Please."
"Oh, alright. Ten minutes. At least it's a beach…"
Kaname felt relief as Zero trudged away grumbling to himself. He then turned and headed back purposefully to the front entrance.
"DARLING…!"
"Why are you here?" Kaname ground out, not in the mood for pleasantries. "We agreed I could have the house for the week. Unmolested."
"I know, darling but I couldn't resist a visit," Shizuka Hiou replied, looking down from the stairs at her soon to be ex-husband, not fazed in the least by the cold reception and the fury behind the flat, hard stare. "I haven't seen you since that time you came for some things. When was that? Five months ag…?"
"We don't need to see each other. We both have very well paid lawyers doing our dirty work for us."
"But there are some benefits to seeing each other in person. Unless… you are seeing someone else?" She asked, coquettishly tilting her head to one side, the cascade of platinum blonde hair falling past her shoulders to her hip. She doubted he was. She would have heard.
"Get out. You can't have it all. Your rights to anything else were lost when you filed for..."
"Where is the other man? The one that got off the air taxi with you?"
"My assistant wanted to see the beach. I came in to deal with an unexpected development."
"You're going to spend a week here working?!" Why was she surprised? Had he done anything but work since the second miscarriage? Done anything but avoid life? Her?
"Yes. Are we done?" Kaname asked, walking over to the wall to press his palm to the console. The door slid open and waited suggestively, echoing the terse brunette's same stance. Shizuka sighed and descended the staircase. He was being so difficult. Probably still in a lather over the shares in Microsoft she'd insisted on having. She really had thought he'd fight her on that, that it would get his attention. But no. Anything, it seemed, to get rid of her…
"Not quite yet, Kaname."
Shizuka placed her palm on the console and the door slid shut, much to Kaname's annoyance. He folded his arms in barely concealed impatience as he looked at her expectantly. Shizuka sighed again. When did she become such a pariah? It wasn't that long ago when they'd vowed to love each other forever. When all she had to do was kiss him to make him tremble. He'd given her no choice but to file, she'd thought at the time. It was supposed to have been a "wake up" call. But he'd embraced it wholeheartedly. As if it had been her fault their children had died.
"Why don't I order us some lunch? I wanted us to talk. Like we used to…"
"Have your lawyer call mine, Shizuka. There is nothing we need to discuss…"
"Kaname! Is this really what you want? Can't we even be friends?"
"I know what you want. I even think you're wearing the same dress you wore five months ago. The same perfume…"
"Kaname…" Shizuka breathed, reaching up to throw her arms around his neck but Kaname stopped her, holding her arms away from his shoulders.
"No. It has to end. We do this… It's not easy for me to walk away the next morning…"
"Then don't."
"Shizuka…"
Shizuka closed the distance between them quickly, pressing her lips to Kaname's forcefully. Before Kaname could even react her tongue broke through his lips, laving the sensitive pads before attempting a sweet invasion. Kaname loved to kiss. Sucking his lips roughly often made him so nuts he couldn't…
Kaname wrenched himself away but his arms trembled in the process. It hardly filled one with confidence.
"No!" He grated, trying to push her away. "I am not…!"
Kaname faltered quite a bit when two feminine fingers dipped into his open mouth and a very familiar taste filled it. He stiffened for half a second before closing his eyes to suck the moist digits, cleaning them completely before grabbing the hand they were connected to and swinging her almost painfully into the wall behind them. Shizuka gasped at the shock but didn't miss a beat. She was out of her panties by the time Kaname fell to his knees in front of her…
"Oohh, Kaname… Oh!" she gasped as her legs were thrown over his shoulders and she was hoisted into the air. She had a moment to notice that they were heading towards the stairs but a hot questing, insatiable tongue made her lose coherent thought again completely…
SHIZUKA entered the kitchen, yawning luxuriantly as she shuffled along in the pale blue kimono that had been a present from Kaname. She was starving and, though she loathed to leave the happy tangle of Kaname's unconscious embrace, she didn't want to risk ordering anything and wake him.
She smiled at this. Kaname still passed out directly after sex. If she had wanted him to herself for a few hours, even if to just hold him, to watch her beautiful tiger sleep, all she had to do was seduce him. Nothing could keep him awake. But then he usually gave it his all. She'll be damned if she could find anyone as peculiar. Or as exciting…
"Oh!"
Shizuka halted mid-stride as she noticed the silver-haired youth ahead of her. She wondered briefly about sounding the alarm then remembered. The assistant.
"Good afternoon."
The youth seemed startled by her presence. She heard the clatter of a container hitting the floor before he followed suit behind the counter. Shizuka approached the counter and leaned over.
"I'm sorry I startled you! I forgot there was someone else in the house."
"That makes two of us."
The youth picked up the tray and other bits but stayed on the floor, seemingly looking for other detritus. Shizuka decided to be helpful.
"There isn't anything else that I can see. Delia. Send a cleaning 'bot to the kitchen now."
"Yes, ma'am."
"That's okay! I've got it..."
"Nonsense. That's what they're there for. Are you going to stand so I can introduce myself properly or do you like it down there?"
"Yes. I am," Zero replied, then cursed lengthily under his breath. What was he going to do? Didn't Kaname say to stay away from her?
"Well?"
"Were you going to get something to eat?"
"I was! Maybe I'll have the same. Was that a BLT? I'll order two shall I…?"
"Yes. Thank you."
Zero peeped over his shoulder as the head disappeared and stood. Partially. Thankfully, the Auto-Cook© was at the other end of the counter. Zero ducked around the opposite end and leaned onto the counter…
"There you are…"
Shizuka was stunned by the beauty of the boy. He had unusual colouring with grey eyes that gave him an almost ethereal, frosty quality, much accentuated by the guarded glare he was giving her. Shizuka wondered what Kaname had said about her. She also wondered if this was all business as he had said. Then her eyes took in more than his face. He was quite fat, wasn't he? Such a pity...
"I'm Shizuka. Kaname's wife. You?"
"Zero. Zero Kiriyuu. His assis…"
"Yes, I know. He'd said you had gone to look at the beach. Is this your first time to Finland?"
"Yes. Does it show?"
Shizuka laughed as she turned to remove the finished items.
"No. Not really," she answered as she brought the trays over to the where Zero was perched timidly at the other end of the counter. "It's only because I'd done the same thing myself when I first came here."
"Everything is so beautiful. I am used to going outside to see charred landscape and urban sprawl, air that you can't breathe directly… I don't want to leave," Zero sighed wistfully, picking up his sandwich.
Shizuka smiled knowingly at this last as the boy took a bite of his sandwich then another. Seems he was very hungry…
"I didn't either. In fact I moved here when we separated. I alternate between my house in town and here as well. I was supposed to be away when you came. Sorry to interrupt your plans…"
"There were no plans. Just rest. We'd been working for months on the Amazon project."
"Interesting! Kaname is taking a break? I must tell mother…!"
"You needn't tell Shizuka all of our business, Zero."
Both people turned to see Kaname as he entered the kitchen. He walked over to where Zero stooped over the edge of the counter and touched his back, his eyes making a silent query which Zero answered by sidestepping the touch and biting his sandwich with barely concealed anger. Shizuka thought this odd. Kaname usually kept employees at arm's length.
"I trust you two are already acquainted?" Kaname asked, his eyes not leaving Zero's face, still trying to read if he was in distress.
"Yes, dear. It's his first time to Finland. We'll need to take him around, won't we?"
"'We'?"
"Not this time. We're just here to…"
"I know! How about Wednesday? I have to head up to the Pallas-Ounastunturi National Park. I have my monthly inspection to do. Zero can come along. Look around, get some exercise," she added pointedly. "If you think this place is beautiful, wait until you see the valley!"
"Inspection…?" Zero asked, though not missing the "suggestion".
"Shizuka is a horticulturalist. She looks after the trees. Sorry we can't go, Shizuka. I have some work that must be completed…"
"Tosh, Kaname! Zero is not going to work all of his first time in Finland. That's a travesty!"
"That, nonetheless, is my call. Furthermore, I'll be the one to take Zero wherever he wants to go."
"I'll pick you up around seven in the morning, Zero. Best to get an early start. If he's not ready you'll be seeing a lot more of me this week, Kaname..."
"Will you please leave us alone?" Kaname thundered, losing what little patience he had. You wouldn't believe that this was the same man who, a couple hours ago, was on his back begging her in hushed, low, desperate tones not to stop…
"Fine."
Shizuka finished her sandwich and got to her feet from the high stool, rolling her eyes at her bad-tempered husband.
"Okay. I'm leaving. I got what I wanted anyway." Shizuka leaned in to kiss Kaname but was thwarted by a swift change of position. She sighed again and turned toward the youth.
"It was nice meeting you. I hope you enjoy your stay. If you get sick of him before Wednesday give me a call, okay?"
"Okay. It was nice to meet you as well."
Kaname growled a little under his breath and Shizuka laughed and exited the kitchen heading up to her bedroom to change and leave. There would be other days. She could guarantee that.
"Are you oka…?"
"Yes! I'm okay," Zero replied, straightening his body gratefully. "I was only trying to prevent her from seeing my stomach. She only thinks I'm hideously fat, that's all…"
"That was close. I think we may have to leave. Didn't I tell you to stay in your room…?"
"I was hungry and wanted to stretch my legs." Zero was too curious about the "house" to just stay in his room. Actually, he'd done quite a bit of exploring. It had been so quiet and the house so breath-taking, it was easy to forget himself and the need for caution and be drawn on and on into each luxurious space.
He'd looked into several bedrooms (the ones that allowed access), touched glass cases of crystal and porcelain artefacts, stared at more scary paintings and had dipped his toes in the huge pool that seem to meld with the sea at the other end... but didn't. And he wasn't even finished yet! He'd gotten too hungry to continue. But this was when it really hit him that Kaname was well... not like him... Was really in another league entirely.
"And I don't want to leave yet. I just got here!" He still had the basement and top two floors...
"She won't leave us alone now…"
"Maybe it's because she's getting mixed signals," Zero commented dryly, picking up the empty cartons and tossing them into recycling, before walking towards the kitchen door.
"I'll thank you stay out of my private life, Zero," Kaname seethed, his disgust with himself coming to the fore. Zero, no doubt, had put two and two together and he could see his plans where the other man was concerned slipping through his fingers. "What I decide to do with my own…"
"…Anybody is your own affair. I couldn't agree more. I'm going to for a long walk of the grounds. Don't wait up."
Kaname surged forth, ready to protest, to follow him again but decided against it. There should be no-one else out here and he was sure his cause would benefit by not aggravating Zero any further. Besides, he'd better stay and make sure Shizuka left. This time.
to be continued
lightpathetic wrote this as DramaticPause on AO3 but these are not my original characters. They are based on a manga called Vampire Knight.
