Chapter 10~~ insight (meanwhiles of Next Night)
~~ Yagari Toga~~
Yagari Toga pretended to read paperwork until the vampire left the classroom, but his mind was still on the picture. He couldn't help but wonder what had gotten into Zero's head. This 'relationship' was an abomination. I'm sure the vampire is using Zero for his own gain. He did get into some hot water with the (hunter's) Association not too long ago. "I'll have a talk with Zero tonight at dinner, this must be ended immediately. After all, he probably hasn't even thought of the possibility that the bloodsucker's playing him."
He printed out the snapshot, folded it into quarters and slipped it into his jacket pocket. He picked up his book and donned his coat to go to the headmaster's.
Dinner was bearable. Kaien had been had been his usual eccentric, talkative self. Yuuki seemed a bit nervous about seeing a teacher outside school, but was polite. Zero seemed to be happy. "probably because the pureblood came back. He really has fooled Zero. All the more reason to end the whole thing," he thought.
Thankfully the meal was over soon. "Cross, Yuuki, if you two don't mind I'd like to talk to Zero alone for a moment. It can't wait." Zero shot him a strange look, which he ignored.
"Not at all Yagari. Yuuki and I will just go to the other room and when you're done we can have some of that heavenly-looking melon cake Zero made," he said happily, Yuuki pulling him out of the room towards the living room.
"So what is it you want sensei?" zero picked up the plates and silverware and took them to the kitchen adjoined to the dining room.
Yagari took the glasses and followed Zero. Putting them in the sink he started talking. "Just to talk, to catch up. It's been a while. Anything important you want to tell me?"
Zero became suddenly very nervous, he started shaking a bit. "A—actually…" he turned to face Toga, "no… not really. Nevermind." Yagari heard him cursing himself for being scared under his breath.
"Are you sure about that? There seems to be something on your mind," he prodded.
"Nope. Nothing new here! Just the usual for me: cooking, sleeping, being late to class."
"He's trying too hard. Guess the blonde was right. Dammit!" aloud toga replied, "So my source was wrong then. You aren't dating someone."
Zero froze. He tried to cover it up by animatedly washing a dish, but toga caught the moment of hezitational fear. "No, I mean yea. Whoever told you that has their fact wrong," Zero said.
"Just stop Zero. I know, and I'm here for an explanation."
"Sensei, I promise you I have no clue what you're talki—"
His words were silenced when Yagari slammed to unfolded image down onto the counter. "Oh, I think you know all about what I'm talking about. Explain. Now."
Zero went back to washing dishes, ignoring him (trying to anyway). So Toga whirled him around. "Look me in the eye and tell me what the hell this is."
Snapping back to reality Zero became indignant. "You know what? Fine. It's me having an intimate moment with my boyfriend. I don't know where you got this but it's none of your business who I do this type of thing with. So back off."
"Zero what the hell has gotten into you?! Anyone, literally almost anyone else I wouldn't care about even if it was a guy. But this is a vampire!" he shoved the picture into Zero's face, shouting.
"So what? I love him so why does it matter?" Zero was shouting too at this point.
"Stop yelling and sit down. Thank kami these are thick walls."
Zero reluctantly obeyed and Yagari continued. "This is a vampire we're talking about. They are emotionless and evil. This one –he shook the picture- is no different. He most likely only wants a hunter as a pawn in some scheme of his. He's using you, Zero. Their species lie and cheat; they plot and kill. You used to know that."
"You're wrong;" Zero said shakily, "Kaname wouldn't do that. Not to me."
"No you're wrong. He's a pureblood, the worst and most calculating type. I've no doubt he's a great actor, I'm sure he really made you believe his 'feelings' for you are real."
~~Zero Kiryuu~~
Zero couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kaname couldn't, wouldn't use him. They loved each other. He couldn't accept what he was being told. And yet… some small, insecure part of him agreed with every word the elder man said.
"This relationship needs to end now before you get sucked in too deep," toga said to him.
"Too late," Zero thought, unable to speak. Inside he was spiraling down into nothingness. Then Yagari started explaining how recently Kaname had been arguing with the hunter's association and how he must have picked Zero out to give him free information and to get in good with the hunters.
"I really was being used. "Zero's heart was breaking into millions of unassembleable pieces. He was utterly and truly broken. He was so far gone that he couldn't even cry. Only sit and hear the awful things Yagari was describing to him. He couldn't even react. He barely managed a nod when asked if he was convinced that he needed to end it as soon as possible.
Yagari left and zero numbly stood and sliced the aforementioned cake. He put a piece on four small plates. He arranged his poker face and made his way to the living room. Everyone received a piece and they ate and talked. Zero ate his quickly and faked plenty of laughs and smiles to make it seem as if everything were normal.
Later, after Yagari and Cross had left to do… something (he hadn't paid any real attention to the conversation) and Yuuki had gone to bed, zero texted Kaname to come over. "It's like a Band-Aid Zero. Just rip it off and get it over with. Then you can deal with the pain that follows," he mentally pep talked.
There was a knock at the front door and Zero jumped, not looking forward to what was going to follow. He already felt the tears held back from earlier stinging his eyes. He answered the door brushing away a tear that had somehow escaped his eye.
Kaname's smile instantly changed to a concerned frown when he took in the sight of Zero. "What's wrong Zero?" he felt Kaname pull him into his arms.
Zero pushed back quickly before he let his resolve crumble. "Kaname. I—I—"
"Shh, Zero. Come sit down, you look really upset. Shh, relax sweetheart."
"No!" he practically yelled and forced himself not to look into Kaname's wounded eyes. "Kaname," he took a deep breath and turned his back on the man he loved. "Kaname I know what you've been doing. I know it's all an act, but I can't be your pawn anymore." The tears were flowing freely down his face, but he just couldn't move to stop them.
"Zero? What are you talking about? You're not making an ounce of sense, love," Kaname said carefully.
"Just… Just Stop It! Stop being so… *sniff* so damned sweet. I hate this; I hate that oh-so-concerned tone in your voice. I don't want to see that loving look in your eyes. I—I thought I was special to you. I thought…. …I thought you loved me. And that after all the horrible things in my past I'd found a glimmer of happiness to cling to." He shook himself, crying even harder. His heart was breaking all over again.
Kaname reached a hand out to him. "Zero, please look at me. I—"he was cut off as Zero punched him in the face.
"No! Don't—don't touch me! Don't say my name like that all hurt! Stop pretending already!" he sank into a chair and doubled over. It hurt so damn much to say this. It hurt so damn much for this to be real. He didn't care by now that the liar would probably be laughing at his emotional breakdown later.
Out of the corner of a leaking eye he saw Kaname clench his fists tight enough to break skin. The vampire didn't say anything so Zero plowed on, talking between gasping breaths and choked sobs. "This… this probably *sniff* means… nothing much, if anything to you… but… I really did love you Kaname Kuran. But I figured out your game. …it's over. You can show yourself out."
Zero ran up the stairs, crying all the way to his room. He stayed crumpled on the floor just beyond the locked door letting out all of his pain. Wishing for nothing more than that liar's around him, comforting him. To kiss those red lips that barely concealed fangs and have those long, slender fingers tracing patterns on his skin. "Love is terrible," he though, "why did it have to be like this? Does the universe hate me? It's taken away all of my happiness. I don't think I can even feel anymore. Damn him to hell for this. The lying, deceitful, asshole bloodsucker!" but Zero knew he still loved before even if it was all fake.
~~Kaname Kuran~~
"That's the second time I've let him run away from me," (see chapter 2) Kaname thought. He tightened his fists more, driving his nails further into the flesh of his palms. He was hurt and confused as all hell. 'Zero broke up with me' kept running through his mind as he replayed the scene trying to understand what Zero had said to me. "He can't be a pawn? He figured out the game? What does that mean? He knows it's all an act? What was he talking about? I love him, he just said he loves me, so what the hell is going on?" Kaname was in daze, but soon found himself outside the Moon Dorm. He was close to tears himself, but knew he had to keep up appearances, so he suppressed them.
He opened one of his hands only long enough to open the door. He wants inside and let the door slam shut. The smell of his blood attracted everyone to the hall as he expected, so he told them to leave him alone. It was hard to sound authoritative when he was so damaged inside.
Then Aido had decided he wanted to butt in. he was in no mood for the clingy little blonde and quickly got rid of him. When he was sure he was alone he hung his head and allowed a single tear to leak out. He shuffled upstairs, his feet guided by his subconscious. He opened the door to his room expecting to see the mess he'd made earlier when he was worrying about Zero and Toga at dinner. Instead the place was spotless. His eyes focused on the orange cookbook he'd just received. He had wanted to try cooking for Zero as a surprise. "I guess it was just a waste of money." He picked it up.
"RAAAA-AH!" he yelled out all of his frustration, confusion and pain; throwing the book at the far wall. Next, he flipped over the desk. He threw his chair at another wall, and knocked over the bookcase.
The rest was a blur. His powers blew out the windows and cracked the stone walls. He trashed absolutely everything in his bedroom, office and bathroom the only thing even partially left intact was his bed. All of the posts were broken, the canopy was shredded, and parts of the headboard and footboard were cracked and broken off; but is supported him when he eventually collapsed –out of steam- on it.
He was cut in many places. On his hands and arms from throwing, crushing, and breaking things. And his feet were lacerated all over from broken glass, ceramics and the debris on the floor. Only then, when he could do no more destroying did he allow himself to cry. Once he started he found that he couldn't stop. He fell asleep like that: crying and confused, and wanting his Zero in his arms.
He chose not to go to school the next night for fear that Zero would be working with Yuuki and the sight of him would break him even more. The nights after that he stayed in his room. Before he knew it had been weeks wallowing in his depression.
Yuuki had tried to comfort him, but he ordered that she be turned away at the door. He wanted to see no one. None of them could help anyway. No one but Zero who hadn't –and possibly never would- come.
~~ Outsider's Pov~~
The two have been unfairly pulled apart by a jealous vampire and a hateful hunter. Though they love each other deeply they can't seem to get the courage up to go to the other. Zero because he is convinced he and Kaname's relationship was a lie. Kaname because he is crippled by his heartbreak. It seems they both need the other now more than ever. Someone just needs to bring them together again and make them talk. But who? And how? How can these two very bleak futures become a bright one again?