DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN VAMPIRE KNIGHT, ONLY YVELTA GRIMM

For Yvelta, the preparation for Takuma's party had been a trial. Not only had she needed to find a present in less than twenty four hours, she also had to deal with the alien process of making herself look respectable.

As she pulled on the dress and put her hair in a ponytail she inspected herself. She looked… Average. Good enough.

However, 'close enough is good enough' was not an attitude that Hanabusa shared in this department. As she exited her room, he shook his head and pushed her back in.

'Not acceptable.' He pulled her ponytail out. He then proceeded to rummage around in her drawers with increasing frustration as he apparently failed to find what he was looking for.

'Where are your hair products?'

Yvelta's brows furrowed in confusion. 'My what?'

'Hairspray, mousse, curler, that stuff. Don't tell me you don't have any…'

She just shrugged, still not understanding what he was talking about.

'Of course you don't. Stay there.' He sighed, and walked out of the room, went through his own room and them through Rima's after she grudgingly gave him permission. He returned presently, arms full of things Yvelta had never seen before.

'This is what you need.'

Yvelta was bewildered. 'All of that for… My hair?'

'It sure is.' He began using the different products, experimenting with different styles. Eventually he gave up on the more difficult hairdos and settled on curling her hair and putting it in a side ponytail that rested on her left shoulder. He curled her fringe, too.

'Much better. Now makeup… Which judging by the look on your face, you also don't have.' He sighed again. 'This weekend we are going on a much needed shopping trip. You can't live in this day and age without this stuff.'

'I seem to be doing perfectly well without it so far,' Yvelta grumbled.

Hanabusa laughed. 'My apologies, someone who doesn't spend all their time fighting and actually thinks about things other than their next opponent can't live without this stuff.' He returned to Rima's room for some of her makeup.

Yvelta grumbled more as he applied foundation and blush to her face.

'It's itchy! I don't want to wear it!'

He flicked her shoulder. 'Don't be a child. You need to make a good impression tonight. It's polite.'

He put some plum lipstick on her lips, followed by a deep crimson, slightly narrower so it was rimmed by the purple.

'This tastes weird…'

'You're not supposed to eat it!' Hanabusa exclaimed as Yvelta licked her lips, and expression of distaste on her face.

'Then why did you put it on my mouth? The mouth is for food. Surely you know that, I've seen you eat.' Her eyes twinkled.

He gave a resigned sigh and reapplied it before moving on to her eyes.

She fidgeted the whole time. 'People do this to themselves willingly?' She said when he was done.

'Usually it doesn't take that long, because they're not fighting against it.' Hanabusa growled as he packed up the makeup to return to Rima's room.

'It seems like a ridiculous waste of time to me.' She looked so different. She didn't recognise herself. It was very unnerving.

'Well at least you look acceptable now.' He smiled at his handiwork.

'I thoroughly dislike it. If they cannot accept me as I am, I should not be forced to put on this ridiculous… Makeup… To be more palatable. It's insulting.

Hanabusa just shook his head and left the room.

'You have to look nice, it's polite.' Yvelta imitated Hanabusa as she practiced walking in her heels.

'I'm afraid nice is not possible for you.' A chilling voice drawled from the doorway.

Yvelta turned her head slightly. 'Always complimentary, Kaname, aren't you?'

'I see Hanabusa was set loose on your face. He has tried valiantly, but it is impossible to hide the ugliness of such an abomination. You should tell him to stop wasting his time on such a fruitless pursuit.'

Yvelta smirked. 'So how's that charm of yours working on Yuki?'

The windows cracked as Kaname left the room, leaving the monster he created laughing in his wake.

Takuma's party was very civil. There were a few vampires Yvelta didn't recognise, presumably his friends from outside the academy.

She stayed off to one side for most of the evening, only approaching the crowd to wish Takuma a happy birthday and to give him his present. It was an old painting by Raphael. She had overheard Takuma express an interest in his work, and, being as old as she was, happened to have several. She wasn't particularly fond of it, but had managed to travel to one of her safehouses in the area, grab it, and come back. She had safehouses all over the world. They were necessary when you were a creature like her.

He seemed to appreciate the gift, amazed that she had an original painting. But soon he was caught up talking to other guests, so she retreated back to the shadows.

For some reason, Yuki and Zero showed up. That piqued her interest, but only slightly. She had ceased to care about the machinations of the school and why these two were deemed to be so important. She had her own problems to sort out.

The other vampires seemed on edge, especially when Kaname invited Yuki to sit right next to him. Ruka's objection was particularly obvious, and she almost stormed off before Akatsuki managed to calm her down.

Hanabusa came over to Yvelta. 'I don't like that they're here. I don't understand why he treats her so well. I know a little of their history together, but nothing more than that.'

'What is their history together?' She felt reckless, so put her feet over his legs when he sat down. He just glanced at her, and continued.

'He saved her life from a Level E when she was a child. Her life belongs to him. But he won't drink her blood. He won't treat her like that, even though it's what she owes him. I don't understand.'

Yvelta chuckled. 'Of course he won't. He loves her, can't you see that?'

Hanabusa gave her an odd look. 'Vampires don't love humans.'

'Then perhaps there is more to Yuki than meets the eye.' She gave him a small smile.

'Perhaps.'

The rest of the party passed quickly, and soon they returned to the Moon Dorms. But they all were set on edge when they heard a gunshot from somewhere in the grounds. Yvelta went out to investigate despite Kaname's insistence that everybody remain indoors. She ignored him, as she always did.

She found them in the pool. Yuki and Zero, who had been shot, and somebody new. Somebody she had encountered before. She recognised that smell. Leather mixed with cigarettes. Yagari.