Disclaimer: No, I don't own Vampire Knight. It belongs solely to Matsuri Hino.
A/N:
So... My streak of updating in less than a month kind of... died... B-BUT I- School. It's killing me. Math and physics? Oh god, someone shoot me now.
Anyone else feeling the same way? OTL.
I'd end this author's note and just let you all read the latest chapter, but I have some exciting news to give y'all before I do so. Can you guess what it is? THAT'S RIGHT. FANART, YAYYYY! (:
~*~* ART *~*~
I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M RECEIVING MORE FANART, I CAN'T EVEN- THANK YOU GUYS. I already know that I already said this to you guys a million times, but I honestly can't express how grateful I am. Both pieces I got were absolutely amazing, and I can't believe they took the time to create such masterpieces for me. I WAS WRITING WILDLY TO SHARE THIS WITH YOU GUYS BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO BEAUTIFUL TO KEEP TO MYSELF. -SOBS-
The first artwork that I'm going to link you to this time will be drawn by the lovely and wonderful luvJesusInHeavn, whose dA account is of the same name. IT'S THE FIRST FANART I'VE EVER GOTTEN FOR ANY OF MY STORIES WHERE MY OC IS ACTUALLY WITH HER SIGNIFICANT OTHER. I CAN'T EVEN- I WAS DYING WHEN I SAW THAT SHE WAS DRAWN WITH ZERO IN THE PICTURE, TOO. ASNEBOWNAEOBWNEBP. -clears throat- Well, it's amazing. I think I've already said that, but whatever. THANK YOU! ( I've said that a million times, too. OTL. ) The link to it is here:
luvjesusinheavn .deviantart art/Vampire-Knight- Heterchromia -328669379
The second lovely amazing fantabulous piece that I received during the time that I didn't update would be created by the -insert ten million praises here- magnificent XxStargazingXxXWitchxX! Her dA account is called syufang AND AHMYGOD, WHY ARE YOU SO AMAZING? AWBENOWNBPQ. IT'S WONDERFUL AND BADASS AND I CAN'T EVEN- She didn't ask me for any descriptions, and she was beating herself up about the fact that Rixelvelt wasn't drawn the way that I had described it, BUT HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE IT? IT'S BREATHTAKING. Her dress. The background. The hair. I CAN'T- -breathes- OKAY. I hope that you guys check out her gallery even though she's new to dA! I mean, there's not a ton of stuff to look through, but I hope y'all continue to keep updated with her work as time continues on! (: The link for her amazingness is here:
syufang. deviantart art/ Fanart-for-EverlastingxSong-329557357
REMEMBER TO TAKE OUT THE SPACES! (:
Okay guys. LOL. I'm done spazzing out... for now.
ENJOY, M'LOVES!
CHAPTER FOURTEEN;
"Timorous"
Silence hung between us as we walked side by side down the pavement. There was a foot of space between us that always seemed to be present, and although I couldn't call the air between us tense, I'd say that it was a bit awkward. It was probably just me who felt that way, but I couldn't help it. Zero being out here with me was so unexpected, I didn't know what to say or how to feel. After all, I had come out here thinking I'd be alone.
I wanted to be able to reflect back on what I did back in the meeting room, and I wanted to be able to let my thoughts overwhelm me. It was clear, however, that I couldn't be doing the latter while the silver-haired hunter was present. Although I trusted Zero an infinitely amount more than I trusted most others, I still didn't want him to delve deeper into who I was any more than he needed to.
Sucking in a deep gulp of air, I held my breath for a moment before exhaling loudly. I wracked my brain for something to talk about, since the quiet that had wrapped itself around us—although not a bad thing—was somewhat uncomfortable for me.
Fortunately, and very surprisingly, Zero was the one who destroyed the hush. "Tashiro."
"Ivy," I absentmindedly fixed. This had happened so many times that it just automatically slipped out of my mouth now. My eyes danced to meet his for a moment before they retreated back to staring at the floor. "What is it?"
"The concern you have for me is annoying," Zero informed me bluntly. His long, elegant overcoat was left unbuttoned and untied, the ends of it falling a bit past his calves. The darkness of it contrasted brilliantly with his hair, the metallic part of the unfastened belt ringing softly as we strolled down the street with ease.
I didn't look up at him as I said quietly, "Sorry."
For a brief moment, I felt his gaze rest on the top of my head before disappearing. "You refuse to have others fuss over you, yet you're always worried about everyone. It's hypocritical."
A small laugh escaped my lips—he caught me red-handed. It was exactly as he said, and I was sure that everyone knew it. "It is. I like to think that it's the only thing I'm hypocritical about, though."
"It's one of the most irritating things to be hypocritical about," Zero retorted. I rounded a corner toward the town's department store, and he followed just a step behind. I knew that if he wanted to, he could have easily moved ahead with his long legs, but he didn't.
Lips quirked up into a smile, I looked at him over my shoulder. "Aren't you just saying that because you're the one I'm always worrying over now?"
He met my eyes steadily with his own. Again, there was that scrutinizing look in his pale orbs. "Rather than wasting your time on me, you'd be better off thinking of yourself."
Shaking my head, I turned back to face the front. Clasping my hands together behind my back, I tilted my head up to look at the dull sky that had been so bright just a few weeks ago. "Not really. You see, the thing is... I'm just me, but you're you. There's this huge gap between us that makes everything different. I can't protect myself from things that are so close to me that they're a blur. I can, however, protect you from those things because you're so far away from them that you're clear."
"Though you can't protect yourself, you don't let others do it." His gaze burned into my back. Even though I wasn't facing him, I knew that he was looking at me with his lavender eyes that were so shielded, yet had so many emotions tossing and turning in them.
"You're like that too," I reminded him, letting myself straighten my head to stare ahead of me again. There were no people walking up and down the street despite the fact that there usually was. There were no children laughing and chasing one another or the smell of freshly baked bread. The town's buildings and streets were vacant, almost as if there were no residents here. Seeing such a large place that had been full of so many people just a few days ago suddenly so empty was a bit unnerving.
"Don't confuse yourself with me," Zero stated his disagreement.
"I'm not," I objected. "You can't do anything about what we're trying to shield you from, but you don't want us to protect you from it."
He let out a disbelieving scoff. "That's because I don't know what I need to keep on guard for."
Bingo. With a triumph grin softened with sadness, I turned to face him. "Exactly."
Something fluttered delicately over his handsome, angular features before it disappeared. Sighing, he commented, "I'll find out eventually. Is there a point in keeping it from me if that's the case?"
My smile slipped at the thought of it. There were a million different reasons as to why I didn't want Zero to know about the situation. If he found out, it could speed things up, and that was definitely the last thing he'd—as well as I—would want. Yet, at the same time, I felt like a part of me was doing it for my own selfish, beneficial reasons.
"Would you believe me," I started off slowly, hesitantly, "if I told you it's to protect you from yourself?"
Pale eyes narrowed a fraction. "Your riddles are rather annoying to discern."
"You mentioned this to me already before," I remembered with a light smile. "Ah!" Upon spotting a cafe that I had been to before—I had completely forgotten about it since I hadn't been in town for any matters that weren't related to work recently—I quickly moved toward it in a desperate urge to have some coffee.
Opening the door, the scent of coffee beans and hazelnut caressed me, the small wind chimes ringing over the top of my head. It was completely empty, no barista behind the speckled dark gray counters, though I had already been expecting as much. It looked just like it had the last time I came a few months ago—the chairs were still made of wood and had comfy black cushions, the lighting was still relatively dim, the booths were still along the far side of the room in order to allow privacy, and the rows of ingredients and other materials were surely situated underneath the long counter.
Jumping over it with ease, I picked up one of the coffee cups off the stack and took a moment to find all the ingredients I would need to make my own coffee. Opening a cupboard that was beneath the cash register, I inquired, "Would you like anything, Zero?"
"You never struck me as the type to steal," was his declination.
"I'm not stealing," I protested as I began to make my coffee. Taking a moment to spare him a smile, I said, "Just because nobody's here doesn't mean I'm not paying for it. There's no way that I'm going towns and towns over to get groceries and then dragging them back here." I paused in making my own coffee to reach for another large cup. "If I remember correctly... You loved French vanilla lattes when we were younger." Teasingly, I asked, "Does that still stand, or did you change your preference to something like straight black coffee?"
He was beginning to understand how I operated, as he answered, "Don't ask me if you already know the answer."
Laughing as he confirmed my thoughts, I placed his cup onto the counter and took out the necessary ingredients to make his latte. Considering the fact that it had been days since anyone had even touched any of the equipment and machines, I had to start from the beginning. It was silent between the two us except for the loud sounds that were occasionally made from the utensils I was using. It wasn't long before the delicious smell of coffee swirled around the room and wafted in the air as a lovely fragrance.
Finished making both of our drinks after a few hushed minutes, I walked over to where Zero had taken a seat at one of the tables. As I set down his drink carefully in front of him and then took the seat across from him, he murmured, "Thanks."
"I don't think you should be saying that to me when I didn't ask you if you wanted any," I pointed out to him lightly as I twirled the small, but long wooden spoon in my coffee cup to mix the cream and sugar I had put in it. I watched fixedly as the dark obsidian colour turn into a light toffee shade. Taking the spoon out, I placed the plastic lid over the cup and took a sip as I closed my eyes, barely feeling like I could open them again.
I had a feeling that I'd need more than one cup of this heavenly liquid.
Fighting down the urge to just succumb to my sleepiness, I managed to pry open my eyes again with difficulty. Blinking hazily to clear my vision, I found Zero staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face. Somewhat unnerved, I gave him a strange look and asked him hesitantly, "What is it...?"
"It's not really insomnia." He didn't ask me that, but he stated it. Upon seeing the startled look and the question written plainly across my face, his eyes shifted down to stare at the latte he had yet to taste. "It's not that you can't sleep at regular intervals, it's that you choose not to."
A thousand questions swam through my mind as I stared, somewhat caught, at the lavender-eyed vampire in front of me. My voice was quiet and confused as I breathed in wonder, "How?"
"You're dead on your feet half the time," Zero told me without any change in his usual tone. "There are treatments to help you rest, whether it's medicine or another way, but you don't do anything about your sleep deprivation." His eyes fell onto my coffee cup pointedly before they slid away to stare out the window indifferently. "You always drink coffee."
There was a pause, but I remained silent. It was obvious that he was going to continue speaking, and I tried to relax my tensed body. When his eyes met mine as he spoke again, I felt like I couldn't breathe.
"You used to hate it."
My eyebrows shot up to my hairline as I stared, overthrown with emotions, at the person in front of me. Stuttering in my chest, my heart stumbled around before it could continue its rapid beat properly. So many thoughts and questions were flying around in my head. Did he remember? Why did he suddenly remember? What happened?
Already predicting half of what I wanted to say, Zero shook his head slightly and propped his elbow up onto the table, resting the edge of his chin in his palm. His longer, slender fingers went up to obscure half of his face, his fingertips disappearing underneath his soft strands of hair. "That's all I remember about you."
Even though I told myself that I didn't care if he couldn't ever remember, disappointment still sat on my chest at his words. I wanted to slap myself for it, because I had already promised myself that I wouldn't expect anything from him. I had told myself over and over again that even if he didn't remember, it was going to be okay because that was then and this was now.
Yet a part of me was upset at being forgotten so easily. It was a small part, but it was a piece of me that spoke so loudly.
Resisting the urge to sigh at my own hypocrisy—what had I been thinking when I said caring about others but hating being cared for was the only thing I was a hypocrite about?—I tilted my head as I looked at Zero's misery-tainted eyes. "I told you before that it's okay if you don't remember, right?"
"The expression you had on your face said otherwise," he muttered, a scowl twisting his features deeply.
He had seen that? I thought that I had composed myself almost instantly. It was always times like these that made me dislike being within the presence of observant people—it made me feel like I was an open book waiting for them to read me. I was generally a person who was open about practically everything, but there were, of course, things that I would prefer people not noticing about me.
This, as well as my forced insomnia, were some of those things.
However, seeing that he had already caught me red-handed, I merely smiled at him in sheepish apology. "You weren't supposed to see that. But now that you have, I guess I can say that I'm a bit sad that I'm not in your memory. Then again, just because it disappoints me slightly doesn't mean that it's not okay. I meant it when I said that you don't have to remember and that the past is the past. If you can't remember, there should be a reason for it. I think that if you truly want to remember, then it'll come to you eventually. There's no need to rush it if it doesn't matter nearly as much as what happens now." Pausing, I let out an embarrassed laugh as I recalled the bubbling sensation in my chest from earlier. Face reddening slightly, I confessed, "I'm really happy that you remember that about me, though. Even if you think it's not anything significant, it still means something. So thank you."
He scrutinized at me silently for a moment, causing my face to darken a shade or two even more. I didn't look away from him despite the warmth in my cheeks, but that didn't mean I didn't want to. Yet, as always, it seemed like I was stuck right where I was, unable to move, as I returned his gaze.
"You're wrong," he said after a moment. When I gave him a confused look, he expanded, "When you said that the past doesn't matter as much as the present."
"You can't change what happened in the past," I reminded him even though it was something that nobody could really forget. Taking another sip of coffee, I swallowed before continuing, "But what you do now can change what happens in the future." My lips pulled upwards as I said my next sentence. "Unless, of course, you believe in fate."
"Who you are now is because of what happened back in the past," Zero retorted as he straightened himself out slightly. His overcoat rustling was faintly heard, and he reached out for his cup of latte. His eyes never leaving mine even as he took a sip, he stated, "You said that the past isn't significant, but that's because it involves you."
Giving him a mock-scowl, I chided, "You can't just go taking my lines like that and rewording them so that they work against me."
"The fact that they can be fired against you says something," he shot back at me as he regarded me carefully. "Everything about you is a contradiction, even though you try to portray otherwise. If you're trying to seem plain and mundane, then you're failing horribly at it."
A small, almost nonexistent chuckle left me even though I didn't find anything humorous. Amusing, yes, but in a way that seemed a bit too close for comfort. Shifting my gaze to the table for a moment, I absentmindedly traced around the rim of the coffee cup cover with the tip of my index finger.
Glancing up at him from underneath my lashes, I tried to sound like I was joking as I suggested, "Want to stop picking me apart?"
"Even though you do it to me?" he countered calmly, leaning back against his seat. One of his arms was hanging down by his side while the other was tossed loosely over his abdomen, his long legs uncrossed. He had a small slouch to his posture as he gazed at me expectantly with piercing eyes, waiting for my response.
"Sorry, but... I can't help it. Like I said before, you're easy to read. Maybe it's because I'm worried about you, or perhaps it's because I've known you from before, or that Ichiru always told me things about you... All these things make me feel like you're the back of my hand." I stopped for a moment, and dropped my eyes again. In a softer voice, I continued, "It's so hard to leave you alone, Zero. You seem so delicate, so fragile. Half the time, you look like a daisy petal would be enough to knock you down onto the floor. Even though you try to hide it, the people around you who look closely enough can see that you always look like you're trying so hard not to fall apart."
If only I could make it all go away.
My eyes slanted off to the side to stare at a spot on the floor. "Is it... wrong of me to want to see you happy again?"
The only sound that could be heard for the next several moments was the ticking of the clock. It seemed as if it was shrieking every second rather than just softly ticking. For some reason, my heart seemed to imitate the loudness of the clock and the quickness of it. My hands suddenly felt a bit clammy, my body a bit more tense than usual.
I was too nervous to look up at him, because I knew that Zero wasn't one that enjoyed having affection shown for, or showing his emotions. I wondered if I had hurt his pride at any point in what I had said. After all, the words "delicate" and "fragile" surely weren't very flattering for someone who was as tall and as toned as Zero. He probably found me odd and strange for saying I wanted to see him happy. He seemed like the type to wonder why I would care about him so much even though we were barely above mere acquaintances, though he should already know that it was a bit deeper than that.
At least that was how it was for me.
Refusing to let the hush continue on, I finished off the rest of my coffee hastily and stood up from my seat, still avoiding his eyes. "I need some more coffee. Just let me refill my cup? We can go get the groceries after."
I had just finished refilling my cup and was putting in all the extra sweeteners when Zero unexpectedly asked me, "What makes you see me as 'fragile' and 'delicate?'" Though his tone was as neutral as always, it seemed to be lying on top of a layer of desperation. I had been startled when the sound of his voice broke the stillness of the room, and I automatically looked up at him.
Again, my mind whispered to me. His eyes.
Upon hearing his question, my mind involuntarily conjured up numerous images and scenarios in my mind. Instead, I settled for a slight quirk of the lips to form a sad, understanding smile. "How much does it hurt?"
"What do you mean?" He was watching me from the corner of his eyes, his body only a tiny bit rigid. There was an air about Zero that was so hard to describe. It was like he always gave off a freezing aura, but at the same time, it wasn't cold. It was mixed with apathy, yet it seemed like such a forlornly wistful nonchalance.
I stopped what I was doing to give him my undivided attention. Very briefly, I wondered why I was intentionally bringing up a subject that I never wanted to speak about. "How much does it hurt to be in love with her?"
Like I expected him to, Zero stiffened into something similar to a statue. His head snapped toward me, his eyes just a fraction wider than they usually were. In that moment of unguarded surprise, they stared at me openly in a way that made me want to cry. Attempting to cover up, he struggled to ask in his usual voice, "What are you talking about?"
"You wear your heart on your sleeve. There's no need to hide it," I informed him with a small, teasing laugh. Shaking my head, I looked at him somberly. "She's one of the reasons why you look like you'll break. It's because you love her. It's because you love her so much, want her so much, that you're destroying yourself to try and keep things from snapping. You have to see the woman you love with the man you loathe so much. You endure so much. It's painful, isn't it?" I blinked at him and murmured, "There's only so much pain a person can take before they start to crumble apart. You're reaching that limit where you try so hard to hold yourself together at the seams, but it's just not working."
"You seem to have misunderstood," Zero deadpanned. Lips thinned and eyes narrowed with his eyebrows furrowed together slightly, he looked at me with a scowl playing grimly across his features. "Don't associate her with me. Someone like her—there's nothing that could possibly effect me."
I leaned on my elbows over the counter, giving him an unconvinced look. "Really? Because even now, when you're trying to deny any feelings for her, all I see is your love. The reason you're saying this is because you're trying to protect her, isn't it? Because you don't want her to be viewed as someone less amazing, less pure, than she is."
"You're twisting words and inferring things without proof, Tashiro," Zero commented.
"Ivy." My faint smile was still ghosting over my lips as I shook my head. "I might think that she's part of the reason why you're so frail, but... that doesn't mean I don't think she's an amazing person, Zero. She's beautiful in so many ways, it's blinding. Everything about her sets her apart from the rest. It's like she shines." Grinning at him, I said, "I can see why you fell in love with her."
His eyes dropped from mine for a moment as he turned his head to the side. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
At his reaction, I couldn't help but chortle softly. It seemed so like him to deny his feelings for her, especially when I had called him out on it so bluntly. Another part of me chuckled in relief, as it seemed like the tension between us had dissolved once more. Placing the lid back onto my coffee cup, I reached into the pocket of my dark jean shorts and pulled out my wallet. Opening it up, I plucked out a few bills that would definitely cover for more than just three cups of coffee.
Catching Zero's eyes, I grinned at him and waved the bills a bit before placing it down onto the counter right next to the cash register. "I told you I'd pay."
"You don't need to pay for my share," he told me. He looked at the amount of cash I had placed out and remarked, "Do you know how to count?"
"I'm the one who made it for you without your consent, so I should be the one who pays for it," I replied. Not looking to count the amount I had placed out, I said, "And yes I do, but it's alright. Since I go out on hunts a lot and generally at any time, I get paid more than most hunters due to all the jobs I take up. I have too much of this stuff. Besides," I spoke in a quieter voice, "I'm a Tashiro. Money and tangible things aren't a problem."
Zero made no response to that.
As we trekked outside and into the cold weather once more, I pulled my large, dark gray cardigan tighter around me. I squinted slightly to see where I was going when the wind blew, tossing our hair into disarray. When my strands of hair got into my face, I barely had any time to brush them away before I let out a sneeze.
"Excuse me." I sniffled, frowning.
"How troublesome," Zero sighed. When I looked at him in puzzlement, he was already beginning to shrug off his thick overcoat.
"Hey, no!" I exclaimed. Hastily, my hands shot out to snatch the lapels of his jacket, and I struggled to pull them back together. I stared up at him in horror, our footsteps halted. "What do you think you're doing? Are you crazy?"
Scowling at me, Zero inquired, "I should be asking you that." He glanced down at my hands and ordered, "Let go."
"No way." I shook my head to reject his command. "Don't just go taking off your jacket like that. You're going to get sick."
"I'm not Ichiru," came Zero's quiet response. From his answer, it was obvious that Mana's words were still echoing inside his mind.
Ignoring the way my heart clenched slightly in my chest upon recollecting memories of my close friend, I insisted, "That doesn't mean you can't get sick!"
"You're cold, I'm not." Zero began to take his jacket off once more, but I continued to pull it tighter around him.
Shaking my head at him, I said, "Japan has a saying that stupid people don't get sick, right? Well, I'm stupid, so it's okay. I won't catch a cold or anything. And your jacket's so huge, I swear that I'll be tripping over my own two feet if I wear it. It's going to drag on the floor and it's going to get all dirty." When I finished speaking, I realized that I had just insulted myself with the whole "I'm stupid" comment. I could feel myself flushing slightly in embarrassment, and I had to resist the urge to facepalm myself.
Zero's usually solemn voice was laced with—although practically miniscule—amusement as he asked me rhetorically, "What's with that?"
"Just..." Pathetically, I shook the pieces of cloth I was holding and said, "Keep your jacket on, okay? It's really chivalrous and thoughtful of you, but it's fine."
Staring down at me with his piercing orbs, he inquired plainly, "Do you insist on making my life harder than it needs to be?"
"That's not it, it's just—" my eyes roamed over what he was wearing under his overcoat. It was a thin, loose dark blue sweater that didn't look warm enough at all. At least my cardigan was thick, opposed to the little warmth that I knew his attire would provide him. "If you let me wear your coat, you're going to freeze to death. You're hardly wearing anything inside it."
"There's a reason why I didn't wear anything warmer," he countered.
"Zero—"
"Stop being so stubborn, Tashiro."
Our eyes met each other's unwaveringly for a moment. Nothing about his countenance gave him away, but I had a feeling that Zero was an extremely persistent person. That, unfortunately, clashed violently with my own personality as I had been told on numerous occasions that I was extraordinarily adamant. But as I looked up at Zero, whether it was what he had said or just the general effect he had on people, I couldn't help but resign.
"Can I wear it on our way back to the Association?" I negotiated with him, releasing the lapels of his coat and bringing my hands together in front of my face pleadingly. "We're nearly at the store anyways."
After analyzing me for a moment, Zero seemed to have come to a similar conclusion about my obstinacy just like I had done with his. Exhaling softly in reply, he began to walk once more. "Let's go."
My teeth flashed upon hearing his agreement. Prancing next to him, I asked him curiously, "Do you remember if anyone has any severe allergies?"
"Most allergies were related to nuts," he answered swiftly. I wasn't surprised at hearing his response, because I had seen him going over the town's residents' profiles the very day we had gotten everyone into the building. "There's a handful of people who are allergic to kiwi and peaches."
"But everything else is fine?" When he nodded, I made a contemplative noise. "That makes things a lot easier. I was expecting to have an enormous list of food that we had to avoid while everyone's in such close proximity of each other, but with so few allergies, I guess that we can pretty much buy everything we usually have at the Association."
"How did you plan to take everything back without a car?" Zero asked, flicking me a glance. "It's shopping for meals that will be for hundreds of people." He didn't need to say it, since it was clear that the chances I'd be able to carry all that food back to the Association alone in just one trip was ridiculous.
Smiling as we neared the department store's entrance, I said, "Simple." I strode over to where the shopping carts were, and after inserting the required coin into the slot that freed it from the long row, I wheeled it over to Zero. "Ta-da!"
"You plan to take the cart back to the Association." It wasn't a question.
Grinning, I pointed out, "Hey, I'm paying for their meals for a few days, and it's not like I'm keeping the cart permanently. I'll return it when I come back here again to get more food. Besides, it's fun to ride on these things."
"... Fine," he eventually sighed. "It doesn't matter anyway."
The automatic doors slid open for us as we approached it, and we stepped into the vast expanse of the store. The lights were off, so it wasn't brightly lit, but due to our vampire nature, we were absolutely fine with being in the dark. Our enhanced senses allowed us to see perfectly despite the very dim lighting, the blinds blocking off any sunlight that may have gotten into the building if they had been pulled up. The store itself was quiet and cool, the machines having been left on to keep the food cold or frozen.
Not knowing where to start, I asked Zero hopefully, "Do you have any idea what we're going to have for dinner tonight?"
"Kaito said something about creating a variety," was his answer.
"So, what, he wants to make things like beef hotpot, curry, soba, and things like that?" I asked curiously.
Making a noncommittal sound that signaled that he didn't know, Zero walked further into the store and began getting the ingredients. After checking with him what I needed to get, I went off on my own to get half of the food that we needed for the next two days.
About half an hour later, I had finished getting just about everything. The only things that I was missing were the coffee whiteners. Setting down the two completely full shopping baskets onto the floor—I had left the shopping cart with Zero before he could say anything—my eyes skimmed the cooling shelves that had all the diary products. It took me a few seconds, but I spotted the diverse range of flavours lined up along the highest shelf.
Hazelnut, vanilla, Irish cream, almond... I blinked at all the different tastes they had. I hadn't been informed about the most favoured flavour, but I didn't think that any of the adults minded as long as they got their coffee.
When I tried to grab the large bottles of whitener, I realized that I wasn't nearly tall enough to reach. Holding back a sigh, I stood as far on my tip-toes as I could and stretched my arm up desperately. I was clutching at the edge of one of the cold shelves for support as I tried to reach farther up. The tips of my fingers skimmed the bottle, but I couldn't get it. The reason for this—aside from my rather short stature—was the fact that the bottles in the front had been snagged off the shelves before the rebellion began, so the ones left were farther back along the shelf.
Giving up after another futile attempt, I fell back onto the soles of my feet and sighed, grimacing lightly. I was just about to climb up onto the bottom ledge—because I knew that I could reach it with ease if I did so—when, abruptly, a presence made itself known behind me.
"If you couldn't reach, you should have just said so." Zero's voice, which was like velvety smooth chocolate and just as rich, sounded so close to me. His long arms, which connected to equally elongated and slender fingers, reached out to pluck the bottles off the shelf with immense ease. I was about to look at him over my shoulder, but I came face-to-face with his chest instead.
I had never really known just how tall Zero was until that moment.
Tilting my head farther, I was met with the image of the underside of his chin, showing his prominently beautiful jaw line. I'd always known that Zero was tall, but I had never quite noticed just how much he towered over me.
I wondered if I looked more like a child to him than anything else.
"What?" His voice broke me out of my reverie.
Startled, I jolted slightly at the sound of his voice, and I had to drag myself back to the present. When I looked at him, I realized he was staring down at me. "Sorry!" was my automatic response.
Zero gave me an expression that I couldn't describe. He wasn't scowling, but he wasn't smiling, either. The downward tilt of his lips that always seemed to be present was, at that moment, gone. "I don't need an apology for something like this."
"Still... It must have caused you trouble to have to find me, right? Sorry, and thank you," I told him with a smile. "Although I could have gotten those myself if I had used the ledge as a support, you know."
"I'd hope so," he replied as he placed the bottles into the overflowing shopping cart. We had originally intended to place everything inside the cart, but it was so packed that we ended up sticking the two baskets on the extra metal surface at the bottom of the cart. Even though we had been neat with the stacking, it still looked like everything would topple over with the faintest bump.
Making our way back to the front of the store, where the exit was, I pulled out my wallet and pulled out a wad of cash. Slipping it into a discreet but noticeable spot for the cashier, I slipped my considerably less thick wallet into my pocket again.
"Do you want me to push the—" I hadn't even finished my sentence as I turned around to face him when something hit me in the face. I let out some sort of surprised noise, instantly pulling it away from me. However, as I held it out in front of me, I realized that it was Zero's overcoat.
He didn't look at me as he exited the store in his thin sweater, pushing the undeniably heavy cart all alone. I couldn't do anything but stare at his back speechlessly. I wanted to protest against wearing his jacket, but I knew that if I did so, I'd be going back against my words, and that was one of the things I always tried to avoid doing.
Holding the coat out in the same position for a few more heartbeats, I sighed in defeat and hesitantly slipped it on. Sure enough, it was enormous on me, the sleeves extending way past the ends of my fingertips. Although his coat reached his mid-calf, the ends of the jacket dragged on the ground a bit when I wore it. I nearly winced, thinking of all the dirt that would get on it and how it'd get utterly ruined. It was warm, since he had been wearing it just a moment before, and it smelt exactly like him. I couldn't pinpoint the fragrance, but all I knew was that it wasn't cologne or anything of that sort.
It was an incredibly tantalizing scent that made my head spin.
Hurrying after Zero, I ran until I caught up with him, which took a while because I had tried pulling his coat up to make it seem shorter. As I got into pace with him, I attempted to push the sleeves up over my elbows, but each time I endeavoured to do it, the sleeves would just slip back down. I gave up eventually with furrowed eyebrows, and looked over at him. He was watching me from the corner of his eyes, and I had no doubt in my mind that he thought I looked like an idiot.
"Thank you," I told him sincerely. Frowning in concern as I looked at him, I asked, "Are you sure you don't want it back, though?"
"Stop asking."
"Then how about I push the—"
"Tashiro," he interrupted me. "Shut up and just continue walking."
I was about to protest again, but when I saw the look he shot me, I bit back what I wanted to say. Instead, I shook my head at him and murmured with a smile, "How long are you going to call me that? I've told you a ton of times before, haven't I? My name's Ivy."
He gave me a glance, but he remained silent.
I wondered, as we walked side by side in silence back to the Association, when he would say my name like the way he used to when we were younger.
"Ivy." I looked up at Kaito, who was leaning sideways against the end of one of the bookshelves. "We have some guests that require immediate attention."
"We do?" I asked in surprise. Slipping my bookmark in between the pages I had been on, I closed the novel shut and stood up. "I didn't even notice."
"I'm not surprised," Kaito responded as we began walking out of the library together. "It's been a while since you've slept."
"It hasn't even been a week," I corrected him. "I've gone on without sleep for much longer." Although I wasn't really quite sure of how long I actually lasted. I was sure that I had passed a two-week mark, though. I remembered quite clearly why I hadn't been able to sleep at all during those nights. They had been so dark, so restless, so frightening. I had been too scared to even blink my eyes.
Kaito scoffed at me incredulously. "As if that makes it okay. Listen, Ivy, you should try and resume a regular sleep schedule."
"It's been years since I've been able to do that," I reminded to him as we rounded a corner easily. I realized that he was leading me to the meeting room that I had been in earlier when I had cracked the glass table. Mana had coincidentally been in the kitchen when Zero and I returned, and the moment we saw one another, we instantly exclaimed our apologies. Needless to say, we made up instantly. She had also apologized deeply to Zero, who shrugged her words off and told her it was nothing.
"Slowly ease back into it," he responded, gazing down at me with his light hazel eyes.
The smile that I gave him was cheerless. "I would if I could, Kaito, but... It's a lot more complicated than just sleeping." When my eyes met his, I knew that he understood perfectly what I was talking about. After all, he had witnessed it before; the nights when I slept and woke up thrashing and screaming and sobbing. The nights when I would only be plagued with nightmares, the nights when I'd try to sleep, only to jolt awake feeling a hundred million times worse than I did when I had been sleep deprived.
Remaining silent, as he knew that there was no way he could respond to such a thing without hitting a nerve, Kaito rested a hand softly on top of my head and ruffled my hair. When I looked at him with an amused, quirked eyebrow, he had this guilty look in his eyes that he tried to hide.
"Sorry."
"Don't be," I told him with a smile and a shrug. "People bring it up all the time. It's fine." Upon reaching the door that led to the meeting room, Kaito reached out and opened it before I could. I said my thanks and walked in with him just a step behind me. I blinked when I saw the figures that sat around the room, surprised.
With a cheerfully charming and kind smile, Ichijou's forest eyes were bright as he greeted, "Good evening, Ivy-chan!"
Somewhat stunned, I murmured, "Ichijou..." My eyes flickered to rest on the three other figures. "Shiki, Aidou, Yuuki..." Remembering that I had to have some manners, I hastily bowed in greeting. "Good evening."
"Good evening," Shiki murmured, his apathetic eyes following my every move.
"You look even worse than you did when you left Cross Academy a few days ago!" came Aidou's lovely exclamation. He looked at me with his electrifying cerulean eyes, his wavy strands of gold thread just as perfect as always. "Your face looks like a bear was trying to eat it."
"Aidou-senpai!" Yuuki admonished.
"What? It's true!" Aidou protested, gesturing to me. He still had that aura of haughtiness around him, and maybe it was because I hadn't seen him in a while so many things could've changed, but he seemed to emit a kinder vibe. When I watched him a bit more closely, I came to the realization that it probably had something to do with the brunette Pureblood.
I laughed, not the least bit offended about what he had said. After all, I knew that I looked horribly beat up. When I glanced around the room at the vampires, I realized that none of them had any injuries marring their inhumane perfection.
Meeting Aidou's eyes, I smiled at him brightly. "I'm glad to see that you guys are in such good shape."
"We wish we could say the same for you as well," Ichijou replied softly. His eyes were concerned as they swept over me. "Ivy-chan, are you sure that you're supposed to be moving around with wounds like that?"
"You're practically a mummy," Shiki commented flatly, his pale eyes flickering over my body to see all the bandages that covered me.
Shaking my head, I replied, "I'm fine. Thank you, though."
When my eyes fluttered around the room again, I took notice of how Zero was leaning against the far wall, his arms crossed over his chest. He stared at the floor with his usual mild scowl, but I had a feeling that his eyes darted over to the Kuran Pureblood more than once. Al and Cheryl were seated on opposite ends of a couch, looking at ease. That must have meant that they had already gotten past the introductions and pleasantries with the Night Class students, which was something I was thankful for. Mana was seated on an armchair near Ichijou, and Kaito moved to seat himself across from Shiki.
Flopping down in between Cheryl and Al, I inquired curiously, "So what brings you guys here?" Judging from the way none of them looked too grave, then it couldn't have been anything too horrible. I also knew that Satoshi, Junko, and Nao could take care of themselves perfectly fine. Although I had been worried for a moment when I entered the room as to why they were here, I tried not to jump to conclusions too quickly.
"We were worried about you guys," Ichijou confessed easily. "It's strange... The mobs of vampires that attacked Cross Academy weren't uncontrollably large, despite all the students that are there. From what we've heard, you guys have had it a lot worse here, at the Association."
"There are many Night Class students," Yuuki picked up where Ichijou left off, "and so we came here to see if we can help out... We were just about to discuss what should be done."
"We already have a plan," Kaito answered, his hazel eyes meeting her crimson ones. "But I don't suggest you help with it."
"Why not?" she questioned him, her face solemn. Her voice was soft, but you could hear the fiery determination that was set there. Her eyes, as well, seemed so strong and absolute.
Al spoke up from beside me, resting his chin into the palm of his hand. Speaking in a languid voice but having sharp eyes, he explained simply, "Because you're a Pureblood. To vampires, your existence is of utmost importance, whether it's for selfish reasons or not. And because of that, putting you in a risky situation isn't something we'd like to do."
It wasn't as if Al wasn't a fan of taking risks, however. When I observed him from the corner of my eyes, I realized that there was something in his eyes that suggested that it was deeper than something like that. He didn't necessarily care about whether or not she mattered to vampires. Gambling on how dangerous it was for her or for us was part of his concern, but it wasn't the prominent portion of it.
My eyebrows furrowed as I stared at him.
"We came here fully prepared to take on any sort of task," Yuuki answered easily. Dressed in a white dress that fell to her mid-thighs and a thick cardigan over it, she looked at us with steady eyes. "Please allow us to assist you."
Silver and amethyst flashed in my mind. The words slipped out of my mouth nearly absentmindedly. "I think it's best if you don't."
"Please don't decide that on your own," Yuuki murmured as her eyes met mine.
"Shouldn't we hear the plan first before we decide anything?" Shiki asked in a disinterested tone like always. His thick, wavy strands of maroon hair seemed to sway with every movement he made. Leaning back lightly against the couch, his emotionless eyes scanned the room.
Ichijou nodded his head in agreement. Turning his eyes over to where Cheryl, Al, and I sat, he said gently, "We want to help. There's no need for you to carry all of it onto yourselves. I'm sure that you guys are all exhausted."
"And," Aidou added in a slight mutter, "we did not waste our time coming here only to go back without doing anything."
It was silent between all of us as we exchanged glances with one another. Al and I shared a mutual agreement about being against it, though his reason seemed to be different from mine. I had to ask him about it later on. When I looked at Cheryl, however, she didn't seem to be opposed to the idea. Her ocean orbs also screamed at me when I met them, and I didn't doubt that she and I would be having a long chat sometime soon. Kaito and Mana both looked hesitant, and I couldn't tell what Zero was thinking because his eyes were hidden under his strands of silver hair, yet he was the first one to break the silence.
"Blood bait," he answered calmly as he looked up and met her eyes squarely. There were no physical changes in their expressions, but the emotions that fluttered across their features were like whirlwinds. "We'd be luring them into magical traps used by hunters."
"Zero—"
"They won't leave until you lay it out for them," Zero interrupted me without taking his eyes off her. His words came off coldly, the implication of his words clear to everyone in the room: he wanted them gone.
Yuuki, however, seemed to have other ideas. "We don't plan to leave without lending all the help we can. We want to ensure the safety of the humans that live in this town."
"You plan to use blood as bait?" Ichijou asked, sounding somewhat surprised. His eyebrows knotted together as his eyes flickered over to us. "But..."
"We're fine." Al waved off the blonde's concerned eyes.
"Are you guys trying to go on a suicide mission?" Aidou asked, his fierce sapphire eyes falling onto us. "Not that I have a problem with it, but I'm sure that there's no way that you're that stupid."
Cheryl scoffed, rolling her eyes. Flipping her light curls over her shoulder, she met his eyes defiantly. "I don't want to hear that from someone whose hair looks like a pile of yellow worms."
I almost choked when I heard her words. I stared at her with wide eyes, not quite sure how I felt toward her. I felt like I was worried about how much longer she had to live, but also admiring her guts to say such a thing to Aidou. I was sure that there was nobody out there, besides Kaname, who dared to insult him and his hair.
His eyes flashed with lightning. Almost threateningly, his lips pulled over his teeth to form a small snarl. "And you think your—"
"Aidou-senpai." Yuuki's voice sounded through the room. He already seemed to know what she wanted to say, as his facial expression contorted violently for a moment before he began struggling to look more tamed. It obviously took him a lot of effort to bite down what he wanted to say.
"Let's keep it civil," Kaito suggested to everyone, even though it was clear that he was directing this toward the two hot-headed blonds in the room.
"We still have things to discuss?" Zero's deep voice sounded bland, signaling his desire to end the conversation completely. It was evident that he was expecting it to end with Yuuki and the rest of the Night Class filing out of the Association and heading back to Cross Academy.
Mana spoke for the first time since I had entered the room. Looking at Yuuki with an air of inferiority around her, the onyx-haired hunter began hesitantly, "... It's immensely disrespectful to ask you to something like what we plan to do, Yuuki-san. As a Pureblood, perhaps it's better if you don't do such things."
Shaking her head, Yuuki disagreed kindly. "Why does being a Pureblood have anything to do with this? But if ranks do play a role in the situation, then it's also my job to make sure that the vampire society is in line. Because I'm a Pureblood, I can't let things continue the way they are. It's also my responsibility, just as it is yours."
"If she wants to do it, why not let her?" Cheryl leaned against the back of the couch, crossing her arms. With her chin held high and her voice lined with its usual confidence, she said carelessly, "Mana, you're worried about her safety and what will happen if she gets hurt. But the thing is, it shouldn't matter. What happens to her isn't our problem if she's the one who wants to do it. If the Purebloods or the other vampires get mad because she gets a scratch on her, then it's their problem. And if they decide it's got something to do with us, then fine. Bring them here. We aren't scared of them."
Aidou's voice was overwhelmed with barely suppressed anger and indignation. "Are you deliberately picking a fight, Armstrong?"
She didn't back down from his glacial, raging gaze. "I'm stating I'm ready for a fight if that's what it comes down to."
"What's this talk about fighting?" Kaito interrupted, sighing. He ran his hand through his hair and shook his head. "Cheryl, cool down a bit. We know your opinion on the matter, it's more like what everyone else thinks now."
"There's no way we can reach a decision at this point," Al pointed out. "We all know that it'd be beneficial to have their help in this situation. However, we're all looking at different things that aren't related. Mana's worried about how the vampires' higher-ups will respond. Kaito and Ivy, you two are worried about..." he paused, struggling to find a word. "People. We're thinking deeper into things than they are. They're not worried about anything else besides the survival of the people here."
"So what are you saying?" Kaito asked lowly. "If I remember correctly, you're also objecting to her participation in this."
Al shook his head and clarified with a half-smile, "I'm against her going with us."
Blinking, the realization of what Al was saying dawned on me. "Oh."
"You understand, right?" Al looked down at me with a grin.
"Oh, yeah, because just 'cause Ivy understands, we all do." Cheryl rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"Shut up, Cheryl. You know what I'm getting at, too. You have no right to complain," Al retorted, looking over my head at the taller blond.
"We're waiting," Kaito reminded us.
Glancing at the two sitting next to me, I supposed that I would be the one to explain. "Well, you already set up all the traps earlier today, right? You set them up in a way that would work if it was three of us who did it. It's not like it's a hard thing to go and set up another spot for Yuuki to participate, but the thing is that we need someone here, at the Association. It'll be irresponsible if all of us just left, since you guys had decided to come with us during the chase to the traps. Al's idea is that, rather than being one of the baits, she can stay here and help this way."
When I had returned with Zero, we had been informed of the plan they formulated while we were gone. It had been decided we were going to go with using blood to lure them into traps, but the one condition that Kaito and Mana had brought forth was the fact that we couldn't go alone. They wanted us to have someone with us while we were luring the vampires, since we had no idea how dangerous it would be. This way was safer, since we'd have our own "bodyguard" that'd have our backs and help us clear the way if any of them were to barricade us.
"That's not what I meant when I said—"
"You said you wanted to help in any way you can," Cheryl interrupted her. "This is how you can help: by staying here. It's not like there aren't going to be any vampires who ignore the scent of blood because they think the abundance of human blood is better. We need someone who will stay here with Mana and directly protect the humans if anything happens."
"And us?" Shiki inquired apathetically, his eyes sweeping across the room.
Kaito gave the maroon-haired model a glance. "If we do it this way, then it'd be preferable that you assist one of them." He jerked his chin to where the trio of EX5 sat.
"It sounds reasonable enough," Ichijou murmured agreeably. Upon seeing the look Yuuki shot him, he smiled sheepishly at her and scratched the back of his head. "Sorry, Yuuki-chan, but Kaname asked me not to let you do anything too reckless. What Al-kun suggests seems to be a good plan for both sides."
At the name of the other Kuran Pureblood, Zero tensed while Yuuki flushed slightly. My lips thinned as I analyzed the two of them, wanting to sigh. When I thought about the love triangle they were tangled in, all I wanted to do was rip my hair out because it was so extraordinarily frustrating.
"If you exclude Yuuki-san and Omura-san, there are five of us who won't be playing 'bait,'" Shiki stated flatly, turning to look at us emotionlessly. "Yet there are three of you who are."
Before I could say anything, Cheryl already offered, "I'll be fine with just one person, if anyone at all. Out of all of us, Ivy chokes up the most."
"I'm not the one with the dislocated shoulder or the fractured leg," I retorted just as fast, giving them both very pointed looks.
"You're the one who got thrown around and clawed at." Al rolled his eyes.
"I could say the same for you," I shot back.
"As if you should be talking, Al," Cheryl snorted. "You should have seen yourself when that Level C smashed you into that light post."
Al's smile was sarcastic as he returned, "Don't think I didn't notice when that Level E threw you so hard that you broke through two houses."
"Do you have any right to be saying that when—"
Kaito sighed before clearing his throat loudly, catching everyone's attention. "Stop bickering, you brats. Nobody wants to hear about how badly you guys got beaten up."
"I think that Cheryl-chan should definitely have two people with her," Mana voiced aloud. "Having a fractured leg will influence how fast you can get away. Because of that, it's better if you have more backup to keep the vampires off of you."
"If I may have a say..." Ichijou trailed off. When we all looked at him encouragingly, his lips tilted up slightly to show his ease at our accepting looks. "I agree with what Omura-chan said."
"Don't even try to protest, Cheryl," Al told her when she opened her mouth. "You know that it's true. It doesn't matter how fast you can usually run. With that fractured leg, you're no faster than Ivy or I."
Kaito seemed to agree as well. "So that's decided." Turning his gaze toward Al and I, his hazel orbs narrowed as he scrutinized us carefully. Al grinned at him brightly, as if he was showing off how perfectly fine he was. He was purposely doing it excessively, something that only further proved he was feeling well enough to be as playful as he always was.
I rolled my eyes with a smile when I caught his eyes.
"Ivy," Kaito addressed. When I looked at him expectantly, he asked, "Are you sure that you're fine with just one person?"
Al immediately let out a noise of protest. "Hey, Kaito, didn't you see my amazing smile?"
"You're an idiot," came Kaito's response.
Laughing, I nodded my head at Kaito. Giving him a thumbs up, my teeth flashed. "I'll be fine."
"Satoshi's going to have your head if something happens to her," Al tried again. "And Lydia. Oh, God, Lydia will tear you to pieces. Are you sure you don't want to reconsider?" I wanted to snicker when I heard my older sister's name, because it was undeniably true that she wouldn't hesitate to start a fight with Kaito.
"Stop complaining, Al, my ears are bleeding because of you," Cheryl said.
The exotic-eyed hunter gave her a less than amused look. "Coming from the person who yells more often than not, that's not very discouraging."
"Since that's been decided, I suppose we should get into specifics," Kaito sighed, sounding tired.
Halfway through the discussion about who would get who as a bodyguard, I ended up tuning their words out. Half of the time, Cheryl and Al would be bickering and the other half of the time, Aidou and Cheryl would be going at it. I had a feeling that it'd take a while to get everything concretely settled, and considering the fact that I didn't mind who I got as my companion, I didn't see a reason to give the conversation my undivided attention.
Or, rather, I couldn't.
Because during the discussion, my eyes managed to catch a certain silver-haired hunter's fingernails digging into his skin as he discreetly clutched at his neck.
A/N:
That concludes the latest chapter of Heterochromia! I hope that you guys enjoyed reading it half as much as I loved writing it. HOLY CRAP, THERE WAS SO MUCH ZERO IN THIS CHAPTER THAT I KIND OF DIED BECAUSE THAT MEANS THERE'S BOUND TO BE THE ISSUE OF BEING IN CHARACTER AND BEING OUT OF CHARACTER, AND THERE WAS SO MUCH OF HIM THAT I CAN'T EVEN- -breathes-
I apologize really deeply for any spelling errors, grammar mistakes, and OOCness that may have ( probably ) occurred! OTL.
LOTS OF LOVE AND THANKS TO;
Demonic Angel 7, Ronniriot, XxXAkumaNoTenshiXxX, Yuna, Jade Starlight, Simplicity-Shitsuboku, xXMizukiXx, EvilBoyzR2Cute, Stargazer, Fangirling Duck, XxStargazingXxXWitchxX, and Tokine8696
Thank you guys so much for your amazing and lovely reviews! You have no idea how much it means to me that you guys take the time to review! (:
Also, I'd like to thank everyone that favourited and alerted as well!
RESPONSES! WARNING: I PRACTICALLY REPLIED TO EVERY SINGLE REVIEW 'CAUSE THEY'RE SO AMAZING. SO IN SHORT, IT'S LONG.
To Demonic Angel 7;
ASDFGHJKL. THANK YOU! In all honesty, I need all the luck I can possibly get. LOL. Oh god, ME TOO. Tests and quizzes and piles and piles of homework and projects and I can't- WHY IS THIS SO MUCH HARDER THAN LAST YEAR? -DIES- I hope that you're doing alright with your studies! Try not to push yourself too hard; best of luck to you! FIGHTING! (:
HAHA, well, I hope that you enjoyed this update as well! THERE WAS SO MUCH ZERO AND IVY IN THIS, I CAN'T EVEN... But at this point, they're still just tentative comrades. JUST WAIT 'TIL SHE FALLS IN LOVE WITH HIM. ;D
Thank you so much for always supporting me! You have no idea how much it means to me. (:
To XxXAkumaNoTenshiXxX;
You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that! LOL. I'm glad that you don't think Ivy is overpowered! (:
ASNDOBNOWEBEWEMP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMPLIMENT! I'm sure that you would be able to write something even better than the stuff I just kinda blurb out! It just takes time and patience! Your writing is always improving even if you don't know it; you can probably top me easily. xP
Thank god you don't find any canons OOC and that my OCs are well developed... although the OOC thing might have changed with this chapter. LOL. -DIES- I'M SORRY IF I'VE DISAPPOINTED YOU.
Kenta probably won't be showing up anytime soon. ASNBOEWNAPBWBe. Since he's not involved with all the supernatural goodness of the story, he'll probably show up much... much... later. I MISS HIM TOO. T-T
I finally updated, so I hope that you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last! Thank you so much for sharing me your thoughts!
To Yuna;
I'm glad that you understand! No need to thank me for the explanation; I'm sorry that I wasn't very clear in the first place. HAHA.
Thank you so much for your praises, although I really don't think that I'm considered one of the top writers. HAHA. I'm glad that I was able to evoke such emotions in you; sorry if it dampened your mood! X.x
This chapter was lighter. Kind of. And had lots of Zero and Ivy in it, so I hope that you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for always supporting me, Yuna! (:
To Jade Starlight;
LMAO. Sorry, maybe that was a bit too cruel of a question. Predictions are always awesome things to have. I'm not sure if I want to surprise you or want to confirm your thoughts. XD
Thank you for thinking the chapter was awesome! I finally updated after a bit over a month, so I hope that this chapter full of Ivy and Zero together will make up for the tardiness! Jade Starlight, thank you SO much for your continuous support for me and this story; it means a lot. (:
To Simplicity-Shitsuboku;
YOU. I love how you reviewed for every chapter you read and told me your thoughts for each one! It really touched me and I was glad to see that you took the time to do such a thing!
ABNOWNBWPEB. Thank you for getting somewhat worked up for me; it makes me feel fuzzy on the inside. It's not retarded at all! In fact, I'm rather happy that you're lending me your support even after all this time. It's really touching. (:
NWOEBNWOEAQWP. I hope that you can still say that I keep him in character after reading this chapter. LOL. THERE WAS SO MUCH OF HIM IN IT THAT I DON'T EVEN KNOW ANYMORE. I ended up rewriting his lines, like, twice. -DIES-
LMAOOO. I LOVE HOW YOU GUESSED HIS HAIR COLOUR BY HIS NAME. THAT'S HILARIOUS.
I'M SORRY. I tend to have walls of text. I apologize for destroying your eyes. T_T I love Arashi and Zero together, ahmygod, I can't... -sighs-
DOES THIS FANFIC LEAVE SUCH A DEEP IMPRESSION ON YOU? If it does, then... Well, wow. I'm so... touched and delighted and ecstatic. I mean, I really am. My heart kind of bubbled when I read that. I hope that this story doesn't end up disappointing you! ANBOENWPB.
Thank you for your amazing support and sharing with me all your thoughts! It means a lot to me. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter as much as the previous ones, and that I'll continue to have your encouragement and guidance! (:
To xXMizukiXx;
I'M SORRY, LMAO. I realized that it was probably a mean thing to ask!
Yeah. I think I would've gotten really angry, but Mana was just kinda stunned at it since she's never seen Ivy get angry before. It surprised her. xD
HAHA, it's fine. There are lots of reasons why Cheryl acts the way she does; it'll be explained later on in the chapters. A lot of it has to do with Zero, though. But a lot of it is also just Ivy herself. xP
Cookies sound so lovely. ASDVSNBOEW.
Thank you! I'm dying. WHAT IS MATH AND PHYSICS? I CAN'T EVEN- I'm dying in those two classes. I'm not even kidding. I hope that you're not dying like I am. Good luck with you and your school life as well! FIGHTINGGGGG.
You're always supporting me! Thank you so much for your encouraging words and your loyalty; it means so much. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter!
To EvilBoyzR2Cute;
HEY THERE! It's nice to hear from you again! HAHA. Aww, thank you for taking the time to read through my other work! You're fabulous. (:
Oh gosh, I think that's going to be revealed A LOT later on in the story. I hope that you'll stick with me until then!
Thank you so much for your support, and I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! ;D
To Stargazer;
YOU'RE FLATTERING ME. ASDFHJL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. -CRIES RIVERS-
I'm so glad that you think Ivy is likeable and not overpowered! It's something that I'm always worried about, and it's also one of my pet peeves when it comes to OCs. Thank god I'm not a hypocrite. LOL. I can't stomach Mary-Sues at all, and I always fret over my characters as a result. I'm so happy to have reassurance. ;_; And thank you! I'm glad that you think it's not awkward. The thing with VK is that there aren't many characters in it. I mean, if you take a look at other manga, they have, like, a million characters so you never really need to create your own. With VK though, the only hunters that you really know are Kaito, Yagari, Zero, and Kaien. That's practically it. So I'm always constantly having to create other OCs to create a hunter community. LOL. I'm happy to know that I integrate them all pretty decently into the story, though! I hope that you'll continue to think that when I introduce, like, 215646412 more of them. -SLAPPED-
Thank you! I'm glad that you think the plot is interesting. I try. ;D
OH GOD. I HOPE YOU CAN STILL SAY THE CHARACTERS ARE IN CHARACTER EVEN AFTER THIS CHAPTER. I MEAN, ZERO, HE... AND YUUKI, SHE... AND AIDOU, HE... -DIES-
ASDFGHJKL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR AMAZING REVIEW! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and that it didn't disappoint you! I hope to hear from you more often, Stargazer! (:
To Fangirling Duck;
LOOOOOOL. I read the first sentence in your review and I just burst out laughing. I love the way you put it. I'm sorry that I kept you up so late, though! ASDOBNWPB. If you had school the next day, HOW DID YOU SURVIVE?
LMAO. AHMYGOD. ABNOWEBMPqwe. I'M SORRY THAT IT WAS PRETTY ANTICLIMATIC. I mean, I probably could've made Ivy throw in a punch or something, but that wouldn't be like her to do so. BUT CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? Ahmygod, I'm dying from laughing so hard. You're awesome. LOL.
THE ONLY REASON I UPDATED HETEROCHROMIA IN JUST A BIT OVER A MONTH IS BECAUSE THE LATEST CHAPTER CAME OUT. AND THEN I READ IT. AND THEN I WANTED TO FLIP TABLES. It's the ONLY reason that I was able to write this chapter in the amount of time that I did.
I can't stress this fact enough: I absolutely, without a doubt, a hundred million percent, HATE Yuuki. I hate her with a passion, I really do. I loathe her so much, I can't even express it properly. The latest chapter only made my hatred for her grow. I MEAN, HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT TO HIM? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? SERIOUSLY? I WANTED TO- -breathes-
I hate her. She doesn't deserve either Zero OR Kaname.
By the end of the manga, I hope she's left heartbroken as Zero and Kaname move on with their lives without her.
HATE HER.
Done. (:
I finally updated, so I hope that you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for making me whenever I read your review! (:
To XxStargazingXxXWitchxX;
THANK YOUUUU! Your compliments flatter me too much. Seriously. LOL. I'm glad that you think I put my OCs in there well. I mean, VK doesn't show a lot of hunters... so I have to create my own little community. I HOPE THAT YOU'LL STILL SAY THIS WHEN I PUT IN, LIKE, A MILLION NEW HUNTER OCS. -DIES- I apologize in advance for most likely making your eyes bleed.
Aww, thank you! I'm glad that you think Ivy is well-written. Out of all my OCs, she's definitely my favourite. She's probably the one that has the most depth to her, and the one that's the most complex; I think that's what makes her rather endearing and captivating, though. But then again, I'm the author and I'm super biased, so... ;D
PFFT. I'm sure that your OCs are just as amazing, if not even better. You probably just don't realize it yourself, since we all tend to be harder on our own work than we need to be.
I've already spammed you in a personal message, but.. THANK YOU. IT'S BEAUTIFUL. IT'S WONDERFUL. I CAN'T. THANK YOU. ANOEGBNWEOBNWOEB.
Ahmygod, I went back and fixed the "here" and "hear" thing. WHEN YOU MENTIONED IT, I WENT BACK TO CHECK AND GASPED IN HORROR. IT BOTHERED ME SO MUCH BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO GO BACK AND FIX IT. T-T But now I have. ;D Thank you so much for pointing it out for me!
ROAR. I finally updated with a lot of Zero and Ivy goodness in this chapter, so I hope that you enjoyed it! THANK YOU FOR YOUR AWESOMENESS! I hope that I'll continue to have your amazing support and that I'll hear from you a lottttttttt! (:
To Tokine8696;
LOL, I WAS EDITING THIS CHAPTER AND WAS JUST ABOUT TO SAVE AND UPDATE HETEROCHROMIA WHEN I SAW YOUR REVIEW! So I hurried to put it in!
I'm glad that you think it's one of the better VK fanfics out there; I'm quite flattered, to be honest. LMAO. I'm also happy to know that you find it interesting!
I updated... Like, ten minutes after you submitted your review. LMAO. So there wasn't much of a wait, yeah? (: Thank you so much for taking your tend to write me your thoughts! I really appreciate it! (: I hope that you enjoyed the latest updateeeeee!
-Wipes brow- PHEW, END OF MY LONG RESPONSES!
Yeah, guysssss. Lots of Zero and Ivy in this chapter. Actually, there's going to be a lot of Ivy and Zero in the upcoming chapters... But. -nods- YES. FINALLY.
A big thank you to those of you who answered the question I left you guys last chapter, although it was kind of unfair... LMAO. I think that this chapter's question will be easier. Sort of. I hope so. (:
QUESTION: How smoothly do you think that the blood bait plan will go and why?
I'm really curious to hear your predictions, so please feel free to tell me what you think! OH, BUT BEFORE YOU ANSWER, LET ME TELL YOU GUYS SOMETHING ABOUT THE NEXT CHAPTER.
First off, I'm pretty sure there's going to be something about Al. So for those of you who love him ( and most of you ADORE him, from what I've heard ) then please look forward to the next chapter!
Secondly, there's going to be a surprise at the end of the next chapter. YAY, SURPRISESSSS! You can interpret what kind of surprise it is in the way you want, but it may or may not affect your answer to the question. ;D
ANYWAYS. Yeah. Okay. LOL.
Love it? Hate it? Like it?
Drop me a review telling me your thoughts; I'd love to hear from you!
I'LL TRY TO UPDATE SOON!
XOXO,
-EverlastingxSong-