AN-Ah! I'm so so sorry for the late update. Life is getting increasingly busy, and I simply don't have time to update frequently at the moment. PLEASE don't lose faith in me or the story, I WILL continue to update, that's for sure! I'll try my best not to keep you waiting for more than a fortnight at the very most, and will certainly not keep you waiting for a month or more. It's irritating since there doesn't seem to be any way of posting my activity on . I mean on Deviantart I update my journal, and I wish I had some way of doing that on here so you know I'm not dead, and so you know when I AM working on a story and WHAT I'm working on. Is there anything like that on here? . Well, as it appears there isn't, PLEASE check my Deviantart account if you're in doubt, the link to my account is on my profile, if you have any questions on future chapters or anything please feel free to message me on here or on DA.
Anyway, sorry for that rant, I'm just frustrated that I can't keep you posted with what I'm doing! I hope this next chapter isn't too dull. I know not much happens, its sort of a filler chapter. The next chapter will be more interesting exploring the relationship between Yuki and Zero (don't worry there will be nothing graphic or anything!). As well as that we'll soon see what Kaname has to say about Zero's return! I can't guarantee when the next chapter will be up…it might be a while, but please don't lose hope! As I said previously, if in doubt, either message me on here or check my DA journal where I will be updating my progress! Also, pictures of the character designs for this story will be up shortly! I hope this chapter is somewhat enjoyable, thank you for your patience!
Zero Kiryu POV
Every step of the lengthy walk back to the Kuran mansion I felt a pang of tension arising within me. Every step seemed to chip steadily at my confidence, and the only thing that kept me from turning around and running back towards the busy town that had been my home ten years ago was my faith in Yuki. As always she was my rock. She was the light that shone through the murky clouds that lingered perpetually in my mind. Her warm hand that sat snugly in my own, the vision of her standing mere inches away from me as we walked…these things alone gave me the strength to keep going.
I was pretty frantic. A myriad of conflicting thoughts and emotions raced through my mind. The fact that this woman was taking me in…was here at all was enough to cause turmoil. My feelings for her were so overwhelming that I was amazed I was able to keep my cool in any way…I wanted this woman. To kidnap her and take her away to some distant place where the two of us could be alone together, some place where I could make her mine. Of course such a thought was an absurd one, and not one I entertained with any amount of seriousness.
The fact I was free…it was the first time in ten years that I'd been outside properly. The beauty of the night sky…something I'd never really noticed before…seemed to leave me awestruck. The way the stars seemed to glow more brightly than ever, as if they knew I was witnessing them for the first time with the eyes of a free man. The scent of fresh air, and nature itself that caressed my senses made me feel strangely serene….and as we neared the hills and mountains the air became even clearer, not to mention colder, causing the hairs on my arms and body to rise defensively against the sudden drop in temperature.
However, among the pleasant and stimulating emotions traces of fear an uncertainty lingered. Yuki had clearly said that Kaname Kuran was not staying at their home currently…but he'd always had a nasty habit of showing up at the worst times. What if he was there? Would he demand I leave? What would Yuki say? Perhaps the thing that worried the most…what if she was right and he wasn't there? What would take place between Yuki and I there? The thought of being left alone with her sent a childish and uncharacteristic blush to my cheeks. It was no lie…I wanted her. It was a frightening yet exhilarating thought…she'd made it clear she had feelings for me so…what did that mean? Such thoughts sent my mind into overdrive, and I could feel my heart pounding rapidly in my chest.
We'd been walking for a long while and neither of us had uttered more than a few words. I hoped that she was saying so little for the same reason as me- we were enjoying one another's company. No amount of words could express how I felt about seeing her again…it was as if I was back in my comatose state in the compound…and I was dreaming that she had saved me…and no amount of blinking or pinching myself could convince me that what was taking place was real. She released my hand, giving me a quick reassuring smile before wrapping her arms around herself and rubbing her arms swiftly in a bid to keep warm.
"I'm sorry it's so cold…I-I didn't think to bring you a coat or something…you must be freezing…" She said apologetically, her voice trembling slightly from the chattering of her teeth. I shook my head, chuckling to myself. Same silly Yuki…she noted that she'd neglected to bring me anything, something that would have been easily overlooked given the circumstances…however, as she stood now in a skimpy jacket shivering to herself it made it quite clear to me that she had neglected to retrieve a coat for herself either…Though she wore a skin-tight body suit, one that reminded me of a racer outfit, her reaction to the drop in temperature made it apparent that that alone was not enough to sustain any sort of warmth, and her three-quarter length jacket made little difference either I suspected.
"You're so foolish Yuki, as always." I muttered softly, swiftly wrapping my arms around her from behind, causing her to cease walking as I embraced her from behind. I slung my arms around her shoulders, warily keeping them from travelling down to her slim waist knowing it would provoke me further. I shivered slightly. The thin fabric of my shirt was not enough to keep the cold from penetrating through and irritating my skin. I released Yuki from my grip, tugging my sleeves as far over my hands as the fabric would allow without stretching or tearing.
"Sorry….we're almost there though. The Kuran mansion is only a little further I promise." She replied a little more enthusiastically than she had a few moments before. I wrapped an arm around her as we began to stride forward once more. I pulled her as close as was comfortable to do while walking, longing to shield and protect her from the harsh cold of the mountains. Her cheeks colored a soft pink shade, highlighting the red that had already been present there from the cold. I couldn't help but grin at her nose that had also taken on a blotchy red color in response to the cold. Hadn't she considered keeping herself warm? Or had she been so passionate in her bid to free me that such thoughts had seemed inane at the time? She slowed her pace as we came to a decline. I followed her as she pushed warily through a gaggle of branches from fir trees that seemed to be abundant in this area.
"It would be easier taking the front entrance…but I'm worried that there may be people there waiting for us after I destroyed that place…its safer to take one of the hidden entryways, though its more difficult to get to…that's why its been such a long walk…" She explained, carefully making her way down a large hill. I followed as warily as she had lead, partially due to the difficulty walking down the decline, and partly because I was becoming more and more agitated at the thought of entering the Kuran mansion…The knot that had been steadily forming in my stomach seemed to have grown to its maximum state, to a point that I felt about ready to vomit with nerves.
"Just through here…." She declared, forcing some bushes aside to reveal a door that would not be apparently visible unless one knew where to look for it. I cocked an eyebrow as she slipped a hand down her top, retrieving a small necklace upon which was a rusted old key. She lifted the chain from around her neck, pulling it over her head and struggling a little not to pull out strands of hair along with it. I watched silently as she slotted the key into a heavy looking lock, turning it and smiling slightly at the comforting sound of a metallic 'click'. She lifted the metal handle, taking its circular shape in her hand and twisting it. When the rotted old door didn't budge she frowned in irritation, twisting it a little more furiously while pushing against it. I watched in amusement at this little display as if I weren't present at all, chuckling softly as she let out a few exasperated grunts of frustration at the old door's unwillingness to open. Finally, after slamming her torso against the stubborn entrance a good few times, the hinges seemed to finally respond, and an audible creaking groan of rusted metal echoed through the vacant woods and mountains, granting us access to the grounds of the Kuran estate.
"Sorry about that…this door is stupidly old…I guess it hasn't been oiled in a while huh?" She said with a strained laugh, her flustered composure only adding to the comicality of the moment. She beckoned for me to enter before her, and slowly I plucked up the courage to step forward and enter the grounds. She followed closely behind me, slamming the weathered door shut tightly and fiddling with the lock once more. As she did so I gazed nonchalantly around at the vast grounds that I'd never expect to lay eyes on. The inside wall of the grounds was considerably more well kempt than the outside that had been heavily disguised by walls of overgrown ivy and plants. I stared a little hatefully at the large mansion that stood not too far away. Yuki's family home…but also home to Kaname Kuran and a long lineage of pureblood vampires. I wondered how many generations of Kurans had helped to build and preserve this place. It was undeniably beautiful even from the outside, the grounds were neat and clean in appearance, complimenting the beauty of the mansion itself.
"Come on, let's go this way." She instructed, still holding the key tightly in one hand and intertwining her free hand around my own. I nodded, taking in the details of the plants and flowers that grew neatly around the path that I was being lead down. It didn't take her to drag me down a path that lead to a back entrance. She paused, peering in through a nearby window before actually taking hold of the door-handle and granting us access. She stepped inside, unfastening the Artemis holster from her thigh and placing it on the counter top-it appeared that the door had lead us into a kitchen. She kept the Artemis in her hand, apparently wary that an enemy may somehow have discovered our whereabouts and was lurking within her home. Reacting to Yuki's behaviour I also wrapped my hand around the Blood Rose which was located in the pocket of my pants.
"Hello?" Yuki called out, shutting the door behind me as I finally strode into the mansion. Mere moments after she had called out, Seiren appeared before us, bowing low at Yuki's presence. I recognised the soft silvery hair of the former Night Class student, though noticed it had been allowed to grow a few inches longer since the last time I'd seen her. Yuki's shoulders visibly relaxed, and she set Artemis down beside the holster, beckoning Seiren to rise to her feet. Following Yuki's command, she stood staring at her mistress awaiting further orders.
"Have Hanabusa and Akatsuki arrived back yet?" Yuki asked quickly, her tone suddenly filled with concern for the two aristocrat cousins. The silver haired girl nodded swiftly in response.
"Yes. Shall I announce your arrival?" Seiren replied in her familiar monotonous drawl.
"Yes….tell them I thank them for their assistance today and that I will discuss today's events with them in length tomorrow…so they're free to go now…oh, and would you please not mention Zero's presence to them? I…it would just be easier if I explained it to them tomorrow as well…I'm really tired and don't think any good would come from arguing about it tonight." Yuki replied, her fatigue clearly present in her tone of voice. Though she tried to sound perky, she couldn't disguise the weariness that kept creeping in. Seiren seemed to hesitate, looking coolly towards me then back at Yuki before nodding slowly.
"Anything else Yuki-sama?" She questioned slowly, my presence seeming to irk her somewhat, or perhaps just throw her off focus.
"Oh yes! One more thing, um…after that could you draw a bath please? After that you can go as well, I don't think I'll need anything else tonight, thanks Seiren." Yuki replied with a smile, dropping her formal tone somewhat and adopting a more friendly approach. Seiren nodded once more before retreating, leaving Yuki and I alone in the kitchen. Yuki stretched, slipping her jacket off and flinging it lazily over a chair before spinning around to face me.
"Would you like something to eat?" She asked with a grin. I smiled playfully at her, the thought of her cooking something making me feel a little ill….Yuki had never been a good chef, though perhaps time had changed that?
"…Not if you're making it." I replied with a smirk. She slapped me playfully on the arm, and I mocked pain in response, pretending to be offended. I couldn't help but smile as I was reminded of the old days when Yuki had still been human and we'd lived with the Headmaster. This kind of banter had taken place everyday, and at the time I had taken it completely for granted….but now….I was seeing it in a whole new light, through the eyes of a changed man.
"Well I didn't think you'd feel up to cooking since we've been through a lot today!" She declared. I rolled my eyes, amused by the fact she had forgotten to bring a decent coat for herself, the simplest of things, but was worried about me being too exhausted or stressed to cook a meal. She stepped into what appeared to be a kind of store cupboard, retrieving a few handfuls of various vegetables from the shelves before examining a spice shelf.
"I enjoy cooking Yuki…besides since when do you cook?" I questioned as she continued to bustle around the kitchen grabbing different ingredients for some unknown meal. She glared at me, puffing out her cheeks in mock irritation at my 'insult'.
"I cook all the time! I mean, someone has to! A lot has changed about me in ten years Zero…" She replied, her tone softening nearer the end of the sentence as if there was some alternate meaning behind those words. I allowed my eyes to run the length of her body, examining every inch of her, taking in what was the same and what had changed.
"Ye…I noticed." I replied quietly as she started chopping a leek on the wooden chopping board. She glanced at me, giving me a look I hadn't seen before, one I didn't quite understand, though it caused my heart to constrict in my chest. I strode towards her, taking the leek and the knife from her and resuming where she had left off.
"You were doing it wrong." I announced, swiftly chopping the leek into neater slices than she had been before picking up a tomato and starting to chop that. She stood in silence for a while, simply watching me slice the vegetables she had collected from the store cupboard, a curious look upon her face. She seemed to be examining me the same way I had examined her, perhaps content to just watch me at work.
"Your bath is ready Yuki-sama." Seiren declared, causing both Yuki and I to jump at the sudden break in silence. Yuki nodded and smiled in response, giving Seiren permission to leave. I watched silently as the silver haired woman disappeared from sight. I was surprised as I felt Yuki tugging at my sleeve, and dropping the knife and the onion I had been chopping back down on the board, followed her as she lead me up a grand marble staircase towards a room. She opened the large wooden door, leading me in to what appeared to be her bedroom and signalling for me to sit on her bed. Slowly I did as I was instructed, perching uneasily on the foot of her bed. My heart began to pound again as Yuki left the room once more, leaving me alone on her large double bed. I blushed, a little ashamed of the thoughts that were running through my head right now. Why had Yuki brought me to her bedroom? Why did I assume it had something to do with what she'd confessed earlier…I love you. Surely Yuki hadn't brought me here for such reasons….she was engaged to Kaname Kuran…and just wasn't that sort of girl. Moments later she reappeared, a large black shirt and a pair of dark pants hung from her arm. I cocked an eyebrow, suddenly even more unsure of why she had brought me to her bedroom.
"Follow me." She ordered, moving towards another door that lead into a joining room. I arose wearily, following her through the door into a steam filled bathroom. The warmth hit me straight away in contrast to the cool air outside, and I welcomed the rise in temperature. She hung the clothes over a metal railing and glancing towards the bathtub that I realised was full.
"The bath is for you. I thought you might welcome some time to relax to yourself. Sorry, I only have Kaname's clothes to lend you but I'll make some more suitable arrangements for tomorrow." I was clearly surprised by this act, not having realised the bath was meant for me, and even more surprised that she planned to keep me around longer than the night. I shook my head smiling at the young woman, appreciative of her hospitality towards me, especially considering she didn't need to be so kind to me. I embraced her tightly, not hesitating this time. I wanted to hold her tightly and utter my thanks, not simply for the bath and the clothing…but for everything. For being there before she'd even known I was a vampire. For caring for me afterwards by providing me with blood, for being my confidante when I trusted no one else….for being the light at the end of the tunnel during those long and lonesome nights in that forsaken compound….for rescuing me, even though it had taken years from her life to do so….for taking me in even though she wasn't obliged to. I let my lips glide softly over her mouth, wavering before I pulled away. I wanted to savour her, and not rush into anything. Reluctantly releasing her I tugged my shirt off over my head, causing her already flushed face to color ever more before she spun around retreating from the bathroom.
"Yuki." I called out just before she reached the door. Sheepishly she turned to face me, a strange expression on her face. An expression that almost beckoned me to call her back and devour her right here and now. However, ignoring this instinct I continued. "Thank you." I told her, unable to form any other words to express my gratitude. The bright smile that spread across her face was enough to tell me she understood what I was trying to convey though.
"Thank you, Zero." She replied softly, giving me another small smile before retreating and shutting the door behind her. Her reply left me perplexed. What could she possibly be thanking me for? I was left to contemplate the meaning of her words as I undressed and sank into the first decent bath I had had in a long time, and I couldn't ignore the almost emancipating feeling that overwhelmed me as the hot water warmed my cool flesh. Almost as if the warmth in my life was returning the same as my body. I sank down beneath the surface of the water, immersing myself in the comforting liquid. I hoped Yuki wouldn't mind…but I didn't plan on leaving the bathroom for a good while, enjoying simply being able to relax for the first time in ten years.
AN- Sorry once again for the slow chapter! Oh, and sorry for abusing my authors notes at the top there…haha, I have to make these things shorter!