A/N: So, I don't think anyone realized what I meant by "editing". I did end up editing considering the path that everyone wanted me to go was- "Make Kaname SUFFER. BADLY." In the original he actually got away with it and Zero actually didn't mind that he almost got killedby him. This is what I thought wasn't satisfying to me- so I changed it. It doesn't mean that I completely changed chapters 1-13. I think people misunderstood me here, sorry. I also changed a few other things in the chapters to come just to make it more interesting. So far, the chapters might come on schedule, but we'll just have to see! I used some parts of the original chapters to save time. I'll upload the original chapters 14 and up later if you guys are curious.
Dark's identity revealed! Some of you guys actually got the answer right, I'm surprised. I found your guesses highly amusing- and congrats on those who guessed it!
March 9th
It wasn't very bright, but the smell of fresh flowers that tingled his nose was starting to irritate him, and it wasn't going away. He had a feeling he needed to sneeze too.
"Achoo!" Groggily, he opened his eyes, blinking a few moments to get rid of the blur. Dark, violet fabric covered the ceiling, falling to the floor. It took him a few moments to realize that it was the canopy of a bed. He ran his hands down the blankets that covered him, relishing in the feeling of the expensive silk. Tears ran down his eyes as soon as the memories from the night he was left to die flooded his mind, "I didn't think you could still feel sad after you died..." Unless I'm actually in hell…but does hell have heavenly comfortable beds like this?
His eyes widened and he let out a strangled gasp when a face came into his line of vision. He was quickly able to process that it was a girl's face. She had a baby face, wide eyes, and wild short hair; he had a feeling that she was possibly more of a handful than Yuki was. He sunk himself further into the mattress as she drew her face closer with a wide grin, "Well you're not dead yet pretty boy!"
Zero blinked, yelping when he was forcibly pulled out of bed and dragged around the huge, expensive looking bedroom. His hands quickly flew up when several articles of clothes came flying at him, unable to react when the girl started pushing him towards a door at the far end of the room, "Um…do you mind telling me where I am and…"
The girl shook her head, locks flying all over the place, "Get dressed first! C'mon! Hurry up!"
Zero looked at the door and back at the shorter girl, "Um…this is the bathroom?"
The girl rolled her eyes, "No, it's the door to happiness- of course it's the door to the bathroom!"
The silverette narrowed his lilac-eyes and glared at the girl, but she just grinned and went on, "Oh, but it could be the door to happiness too. You know how you boys use the bathroom for touching themselves, jerking themselves off-"
Zero's face turned red as she started listing every perverted thing a person could do inside a bathroom, and finally just turned on his heel, heading into the bathroom, unable to listen to the girl any longer. After he locked the bathroom door shut, he heard the girl laughing her head off, saying something about his 'innocence'.
He huffed before stripping the pajamas off, idly wondering who changed his clothes as he put on the ones the girl provided him. 'I should be grateful that it's just Yuki that I have to deal with…and not this girl…at least I hope I don't have to deal with this girl…that would be hell.'
The lilac-eyed vampire looked at himself in the mirror, frowning at the frills that lined the button down shirt, and the bow at the top. He supposed that it would have to do, though next time he was definitely choosing his own clothes. He gathered the pajamas in his hands, and threw them into a hamper before reopening the door that led back out to the bedroom.
To his surprise, another girl was standing outside with the short-haired girl. This girl was slightly taller and a bit more introverted. She nodded her head at him and smiled, "Hello."
The hyper girl grinned at his clothes, "Great they fit! In more ways than one!"
Zero glowered at her, eyes widening when she wrapped her hands around his arm and began pulling him towards another door, "Let's go meet master!"
The taller girl followed closely behind them and closed the door softly behind them as they entered the hallway.
"Master?" Zero asked, one eyebrow lifting up to his bangs.
"Yeah!" The girl grinned mischievously, and Zero began to regret opening his mouth, "You know, the master that pounds you into the bed at nig-"
The taller girl that was following them from the back suddenly appeared next to the shorter girl, and put her hands over the girl's mouth, "Sorry," she mumbled and scolded the other girl, glaring at her so she would shut up.
The girls led him through mazes of hallways, and he was sure that he'd get lost in this mansion without a guide. It took a good three minutes to get to their destination, due to the shyer girl reproaching the louder for saying bad words, perverted things, or both. Zero watched them, slightly amused and embarrassed at the words that were coming out of their mouths. He wondered how old they were, and was about to ask when they abruptly stopped at two larger-than-life doors.
The girls knocked on the doors, and they opened. Once they opened fully, Zero noticed that there was nobody there that opened them. He looked quizzically at the girls with him, but they just shrugged, gently pushing him into the room, "Have fun!"
He turned around, about to ask them what they meant, but they were gone and the doors had shut with an ominous click. Zero sighed, "Weird."
The silverette whirled around again, looking at the bedroom with a spark of curiosity. It was noticeably larger than the room he was in, and that was saying something because the bedroom he was sleeping in was large.
"Um…hello?" Zero frowned when the only answer he received was silence, and went over to the curtains, throwing them open. He blinked at seeing French doors and wrapped his fingers around the handle, waiting for the click before he pushed it open. The silverette was surprised to see that it was already dark and that the stars were out. It was a beautiful view and he could see more stars than he'd ever thought he'd see in a lifetime. He stepped out onto the patio, watching as his breath turned into condensation.
He rubbed his hands against his arms, venturing down the stairs and into the garden. He could see very clearly due to his vampire sight, though the little candles lighting the walkway helped a lot too. Zero blinked at the fact that most of the flowers, no, all of the flowers in the garden were roses. They were very well kept and the aroma of the flowers that floated in the air was very sweet. It was so peaceful and quiet here, with hints of a stream running in the distance, as well as crickets, and owls. He paused in his walk when the walkway mysteriously ended in front of a large field of grass.
He slowly looked up, narrowing his eyes when he saw a tall dark figure standing in front of a table set. He couldn't see him very well; there was no light anywhere near this person. "Hello?" he greeted hesitantly.
He could vaguely see the figure's arm come up and wave him over, but the figure did not speak.
Zero looked around before he sighed and finally walked over to the person. His eyes slowly widened when he was able to see the person's features a lot more clearly. If he did not have his other senses, he would have thought that it was Kaname with a new haircut. He stopped just a few feet away from the man, looking up at him in slight confusion. His eyes were still wide and his jaw, slack.
The man chuckled, a low, comforting, familiar chuckle that he had heard a few days ago, "Well, how about we have a seat?"
Zero's eyes widened even more and he nodded jerkily, taking the seat that the man wasn't standing next to. 'That voice…'
As the man took a seat, candles that Zero had not noticed before lit up around them, making the food that was on the table visible. The silverette's mouth watered at the sight of all the delicious food, and his stomach growled. He flushed a pretty rose red when the man across of him chuckled in amusement, "I'll make this introduction brief since you seem hungry. I am Haruka Kuran, Kaname Kuran's father," Haruka put his elbows on the table, lacing his fingers together, and smiled at the teenage boy across of him, "But you know me as Dark."
Zero stopped breathing and his face paled. His mouth opened and closed like a goldfish and a bright blush of shame appeared on his face. 'Oh my god, I…for almost two weeks…have been talking about Kaname's sexiness with his own…'
The silverette put his elbows on the table, covering his face with his palms, "Oh…god…"
Haruka chuckled and picked up his utensils to eat the food in front of him, "Don't worry Lilac, or rather, Zero," he popped a peace of meat into his mouth and chewed, "If I were disturbed I would have told you so in the chat."
"That's not reassuring," Zero told him, voice muffled in his palms. He was so embarrassed that he could die. He even told the man that he had sex with his son and- really, what could be more embarrassing than that?
Haruka smiled at the boy and looked at the teenager's utensils, using his telekinetic powers to lift them and prod Zero. When the silverette finally peeked out of his hands, his smile widened just slightly, "Eat Zero, you're hungry. I'll answer your questions as we eat our meal."
He glanced at the clothes that the silverette was wearing, "Nice clothes by the way."
"I didn't choose them," Zero mumbled and snatched the fork and knife that was still floating in mid-air. He fidgeted his legs underneath the table, nervously looking up at the other male. "Are you the one that saved me then?"
Haruka glanced up at the silverette with contemplating eyes, and Zero fidgeted at the man's silence. Finally, he answered, "No, I had something to do with it, but I did not go myself to keep an eye on you and retrieve you."
Zero blinked in confusion, fork still in his hands, "Then, who-? One of your servants?"
"No, far from it," Haruka smiled, "You'll meet him later so you can thank him then."
"When will I meet him?" Zero asked, anxious to meet this person and thank him personally.
The brunette laughed and wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin, "No need to be so in a rush young one; there is plenty of time."
"Oh, I see. Thank you very much," Zero thanked him and bowed his head in respect, only looking up when he felt a shoe poke his leg.
"Stop being so formal," Haruka smiled, "Just act like how you did in the chat."
"How the heck am I-" Zero shut his mouth, "I mean-"
The older vampire waved it off, "That's fine, that's what I want. We've been talking so informally for two weeks that I feel uncomfortable that you're acting this way."
Zero nodded, still unsure, and ate some of the salad that was on the side of the meat.
"So, how is sex with my son anyways? You never really got into detail."
The silverette choked, frantically reaching for a cup of water and taking big gulps from it, "Wh-what?" he sputtered.
Haruka smirked, clearly amused, "I'm just poking fun Zero."
Zero puffed out his cheeks, 'Yep…this is definitely Dark, no doubt about it.' "How do you know how to use a computer anyways?"
The brunette raised an eyebrow, looking slightly offended, "I do keep up with the times."
"Oh really?" Zero asked with an eyebrow raised, smirking a little.
Haruka nodded, "Of course. It's best to know everything that's happening in the world."
The silverette paused, supposing that was a good explanation, and looked up at the male across of him, "How did you know I was talking about Kaname when I didn't ever say his name- and how do you know my name?"
Haruka smiled, "I knew your name because I knew your father. As soon as I saw your username I knew who you were."
"You knew my dad?" Zero watched as Haruka's eyes became a molten, hot color.
"Yes, I did." Haruka reached over the table to grab one of the cupcakes, "Would you like this old man to tell you a cheesy love story?"
Zero nodded, knowing that he wouldn't think of his father or Haruka any differently than what he thought of them now.
"I grew up with your father, or rather, he grew up with me. I was already pretty old," Haruka took a bite of the cupcake, "Kaname wasn't born yet though. I wasn't married yet either."
The silverette nodded, telling the man to go on with his story.
"We were always attached to each other at the hip, and nobody could tear us apart from each other."
Zero blinked, "Were hunters and…vampires…?"
"Yes, we got along at the time." Haruka nodded going on with the story, "I don't know when I started noticing your father or when I started falling in love with him, but when I did notice the realization fell on me like a stack of bricks. I couldn't get him out of my mind. I already doted on him like crazy, but after I realized my feelings-" the vampire chuckled and sighed, "Even I have to admit I went overboard."
Zero smiled sadly, watching the emotions swim through the other's eyes; he really was in love.
"Eventually I started lusting after him, and I suppose it was the equivalent of human teenage puberty." Haruka placed the empty cupcake wrapper onto his plate, "I started distancing myself away from your father."
"Then what happened?" Zero asked, eyes big with curiosity.
The vampire smirked, "He yelled at me and hit me on the head so many times that even I, being a vampire, was starting to bruise."
The silverette laughed and waved at him so he could continue.
"So, I told him what was wrong, confessed, and prepared for the worst."
"Did he reject you?"
"No," Haruka breathed, watching his breath condensate, float up to the air and vanish, "Like a Saint he accepted me and told me that he would try to fall for me too, because he didn't want me to feel lonely by rejecting my feelings. He gave me a chance and we were happy together, for a time."
"What happened?" Zero asked, frowning.
"I agreed to an arranged marriage."
"Kaname's mother?"
The vampire nodded, "I should not say that it is the biggest regret of my life, because Juuri is truly the most wonderful wife, and Kaname is a successful, wonderful child."
Zero pursed his lips at that, and he said nothing, merely looking down at his plate that was nearly empty.
Haruka stared at Zero, and for a while they said nothing. The silverette did not move in all that time until Haruka spoke, which was who knows how many minutes after, "Do you hate my son for what he did to you?"
Zero stood up suddenly, surprising the brunette just a bit as the tableware clattered, "No!" He exclaimed with flushed cheeks, "I…well, I don't exactly know what I feel for him any more."
Haruka assumed that he meant that he didn't know if he still loved his son or not.
"I'm upset at him; I'm human so it's only natural. But he had every right to be angry at that moment so I most certainly don't hate him."
The adult smiled at him, "I see; you're very kind Zero."
"Not at all," Zero smiled wryly.
"You will not change my mind," Haruka said with a chuckle.
"Fine," the lilac male conceded for the moment; they would surely continue this conversation later. "Please continue on with your story."
The brunette smiled and nodded, murmuring to himself to figure out where exactly in the story he was. His eyes lit up when he remembered, continuing on where he left off, "Your father was very upset. He was on the verge of tears when I told him that I was getting married and ran away from me. I caught up with him of course, asking him why he was so sad- and he yelled at me through his sobs that he had fallen in love with me."
"He told me to go away and never see him again," Haruka continued when Zero stayed silent, and cleared his throat, "That was the last time I saw him alive." The vampire looked at Zero dead in the eyes, "I received a letter several years later from him that he wanted to see me again, and hoped that we could be friends. He told me in the letter that he had a wife, and two children, twins. He wanted me to be the godfather, but I discarded the letter into the fire, never replying to him."
"Then, a few years after that," Haruka frowned and his hand curled into a fist, "I heard that he, and the rest of the hunters in his town, were murdered."
'That night,' Zero's eyes went down to his hands.
"I could not find his body, or his wife's." Kaname's father glanced at Zero, "I could not find you or your brother either."
Zero nodded, and the male went on, "I was devastated, thinking that you two were killed as well. But then, my son who had frequented visiting Kaien Cross, had told me about the two children that were living with him. I knew right away that you were your father's son, even without your name, and decided to keep watch over you like the godfather I'm supposed to be."
"In other words you were stalking me," Zero teased.
"You could say that," Haruka teased back and chuckled, "That's how I found out your feelings for my son as well. Also, the way you described your crush the second time we talked was definitely a perfect image of Kaname."
Zero flushed a cute pink, "O-oh…I see…so…you're not…disturbed…or…"
Haruka chuckled and shook his head, "Goodness child, of course I'm not disturbed. I was in love with your father. In fact, I would love to see you two get together, and my wife, Juuri also doesn't mind. However, we also support Kaname choosing from a number of eligible ladies. You understand this don't you?"
Zero nodded slowly, "Does this include…"
"Yuki?" Haruka asked, and nodded when Zero nodded, "She is someone Kaname has been interested in after all. He is my child and I would like to see him make a choice that he would never regret. I have enough regrets to last the rest of our family line." He joked.
The vampire smiled, glancing down at Zero's now empty plate, "Now, shall I give you a tour of the mansion?"
xox
Written by Cookie
A/N: And the girls have appeared again! Oh, I should have asked earlier about my author's notes but- I hope they don't bother anyone. I don't reply to my reviews, or most of them, so other than Author's Notes I don't have any way to communicate with you guys! I hope you enjoyed the chapter and that all of you will continue reading!