A/N: If this is messy then I'm sorry! I rushed to post it. Also, I have a few suggestions for the bonus chapter (like 2? 3?) but not much, so we'll see how that goes. GUYS, I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE YOU! Muah muah muah!
I am rating this M/MA for violence, language and sexual themes.
Disclaimer: Vampire Knight is owned by Matsuri Hino.
Sara's arrival at the Council Headquarters didn't take long. Like a flurry of snow, she stormed into the tall and gothic building, not bothering with etiquette or customs. After her encounter with Takuma, she just wanted an outlet for all her frustration and resentment. What better way of doing it than manipulating the stupid nobles on the Council?
Climbing the steps in a very unladylike way, she made it to the doors of the main room they always had their meetings in. Before she entered, she took in several deep breaths to calm the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She repeated happy thoughts to herself, such as taking over as head of the vampire race.
It brought a slow smile to her face, and it was only then that she knocked on the door and entered without invitation. At first, the interruption startled the nobles sitting around the large oval desk, but upon seeing her, they calmed and sat back in their seats—a collective sigh coming from all of them, happy to know that it was her and not Kaname.
"Lady Shirabuki! Thank you for making it on such short notice!" one of the pot-bellied vampires spoke, rising from his seat and escorting her to an empty one. "I'm sure you're busy yourself, so we appreciate you taking the time to come here right away."
"Oh, you gentleman do so much work to ensure the safety of all vampires on a daily basis that it's the least I can do. Thank you." She took her seat and straightened her hair, sitting with her back completely straight and letting the aura of a queen radiate off of her.
"You've been filled in over the phone, yes?" another asked.
"Briefly, yes. Seems there are quite a bit of attacks around the city right now. You say Kaname Kuran is responsible for this?" She tried to hide her delight by how easily her plan was coming together.
"Yes, well. All the Level C's captured have said nothing but. They claim that he is the one true king that should rule over all. And I mean not just over the vampires. It seems he wants to rule over the humans as well."
"Which is absurd," Asato chimed in, giving Sara a knowing smile.
"I was afraid of this..." She waited until she had the attention of all the council members. "You see, gentlemen, it's the curse of purebloods."
"The curse of purebloods? Don't be ridiculous. That only happens to older ones. Kuran is much too young to be afflicted by it yet."
Some nodded and agreed with each other, thinking how absurd it was for a pureblood who was just barely over twenty to already be at the point where those who were thousands of years old reached.
It was a common thing that their history spoke of. Once they reached a certain age, a certain point in their life, they were just so terribly weary. They had nothing to live for or gain. It was close to going insane, no longer caring about rules and traditions. They only cared about what they could do next to alleviate their never ending boredom.
What was even more common, though, was their decision to sleep. It wasn't unusual for a pureblood to go into an abiding slumber before they reached that point of no return. They would sleep through hundreds, thousands even, of years. And when they awoke, their mind would be preoccupied with learning everything that transpired throughout the world during their absence. They'd be entertained with the new technologies and advancements that humans made. They'd discover what the world had to offer once again.
And once they felt they saw everything that there was to see, tasted all there was to taste and experienced all there was to be offered, once they knew they were reaching that point of insanity again, they would go back to sleep. Repeating the same routine over and over again.
"Is he truly that young though?" Sara asked, raising a brow at the men.
"Lady Shirabuki," one man scoffed. "Of course. He's, what? Twenty?"
"Twenty-one," Asato corrected, steepling his fingers together and giving her a thoughtful look. Perhaps he wasn't a fan of surprises...
"There you have it then. We all remember the day he was born to Lord Haruka and Lady Juri Kuran. There was an announcement and reception for it. In fact, we all attended the gathering."
"Have you never questioned why he's so powerful for his age?"
They stared at her. "Well... as you know, the Kuran line is the strongest and purest of purebloods. We mean no offense to you, of course, Lady Shirabuki."
She smiled and nodded her head. "None taken. It's true that their line is the most powerful one. But gentlemen, you're missing one very obvious point here." They leaned in closer as she lowered her voice. "How can a mere twenty-one year old pureblood, Kuran or not, be as powerful as a pureblood who is thousands of years old?"
"We... well... he's taken the blood and power of two other purebloods!" one suggested.
"Yes, true, he has. But how was he even able to overpower Rido Kuran and Shizuka Hio? Rido Kuran was at least five or six thousand years old. Hio was close to four. Does that not seem odd to you?"
"What are you suggesting, Lady Shirabuki? Just get on with it." Asato had lost his patience and didn't care to play word games anymore. He simply wanted their plan to carry on and come to completion without having to prolong anything. He was always a sour sport. She'd enjoy killing him when it was all said and done.
"Did Haruka and Juri Kuran not house their ancestor's body in their catacombs? How long has it been that their ancestor has slept?" She tapped the desk with a manicured finger, waiting until she was sure she had the attention of all the men in the room. "What I'm suggesting, gentlemen, is that the Kaname Kuran of now is not their true son, but the Kaname Kuran of old."
She smiled and sat back as the men gasped and started talking over each other.
"That bastard!"
"The Kurans dare to fool their own Council?"
"Who do these purebloods think they are?"
They continued to bicker with one another and Sara wondered how they ever truly got anything done. She felt eyes on her and glanced in the direction it came from, noticing that Asato was staring at her intently. She raised a perfectly plucked brow, challenging him and demanding that he lower his gaze.
The faintest shade of pink started to creep up his neck as she knew he was struggling to contain his anger. Yes, she knew he didn't like surprises or secrets and yes, she knew she blindsided him with this little tidbit of information. But she didn't care.
She was having fun. She was washing away the conversation she had with Takuma. It was all worth it.
Asato raised his hand and waited until the men quieted. He turned his gaze back at her. "If Kaname Kuran is of the old, as you proclaim him to be, then it would explain his erratic behavior more. It also means that the situation is far worse than we initially thought it to be. Were he just a young pureblood, he may have been able to be subdued or controlled, or perhaps reasoned with. At the very least, if all else failed, we could have at least thrown him into prison with anti-vampire shackles. But if he's who you say he is, then the only course of action is to execute him and remove the threat he presents to the vampires and humans."
"Since it was you all who called me here, what would you propose I do? I did advise you previously that I supported you men in your endeavors to continue peace among our society."
"This is a hard thing to ask," Asato lied, "but we would like to enlist your services in taking... care of Kuran."
"Just Kaname? What of his sister?"
"Well, assuming she is who they say she is and she's not another surprise then she'll have to be dealt with as well. We can't allow her to get older and more powerful only to come back later and exact revenge for our actions towards her lover."
"Two purebloods with one stone, eh?" She smiled and lightly brushed some hair out of her face. "Alright, then."
The men gave her various forms of thanks and bowed their heads. She stood to leave, but before doing so stopped and turned back to face them.
"What is it?" one asked.
"I almost forgot. Regarding the Level C's attacking the city... what are you doing to resolve that?"
"We're working on that," the same man answered.
"If I may provide you with some additional assistance, I think I have a way of controlling the situation without further bloodshed."
"What do you mean?"
She smiled again, keeping all her cards close to her chest. "Give me some time and I'll be sure to return this country back to peace."
Over the past several days, Yuuki was asleep more than she was awake. When she did wake, she always saw Kaname by her side, either stroking her hair or sitting at the bedside and holding her hand; his head over his arm and fast asleep. Every time she woke and saw him, her heart exploded with love for him.
Her head would swirl around with the attack that took place; his horrible, yet somehow so like Kaname, proposal; as well as the memories of the dreams she continued to have. Just when she thought she would never be transported to that dark and empty space with the woman's voice, she was proven wrong.
As she slept, the woman visited her dreams, giving her yet more warnings.
"What am I doing here again?" Yuuki huffed, irritated and not in the mood to be bothered by the woman's proclamations that Kaname would have to sacrifice his heart to the furnace.
"You know."
"No, I refuse to believe you. I'll find another way."
"There is no other way. The anti-vampire weapons are failing because my heart is finally fading. The only way to save the human race from vampires is to sacrifice another powerful heart as the parent metal."
"No," she replied stubbornly.
"He is the only one strong enough to sustain the furnace. The only one powerful enough to continue peace. No other vampire is as able as he."
"I don't care what you say. In fact, I really wish you'd stop coming to me altogether. I won'tlet Kaname sacrifice his heart to the furnace."
"Then you become the bringer of death, Yuuki. The fall of the human race will ride on your wings."
The woman pushed Yuuki out of their little meeting place, sparks and streaks of colors shining as if warping through space before she woke up. She sat up with a jolt and grabbed her shirt, trying to calm her fast beating heart.
When she calmed, she looked around and noticed herself in bed. Kaname was holding her hand, curled up next to her over the covers. His shirt was wrinkled, as if he hadn't had the time to change or do anything before returning to her side. Long, chestnut colored hair fell into his face as his head rested on his free hand.
Tears sprang to her eyes as she watched him sleep. It was one of the only times he truly looked relaxed and at peace and she craved to see him happy and without worry. There was just no way she'd allow him to sacrifice himself. Concerned that her emotional distress would wake him, she quickly held her breath and counted to twenty, trying to calm herself again as much as possible.
"Too late," a groggy voice chided her.
She looked down and watched as Kaname released her hand and rolled on his back as he stretched. Wine colored eyes slowly opened and peered at her. He sat up and pulled her closer to him, making her sit in between his legs and facing him. With a gentle stroke, he wiped away the tears that were still on her cheek.
"What's wrong?" He kissed first one eyelid and then the other. "Are you okay?"
Fresh tears ran down her cheeks as she nodded. "Yeah."
"Then why are you crying?" His fingers held the sides of her head and forked through her hair as he leaned her head closer to him. Softly, he laid a kiss on her forehead.
"I... I don't know why. I'm a bundle of a mess right now. I'm sorry." She couldn't tell him about the sacrifice that the woman kept demanding. She'd have to find another way.
His lips quirked up into a lazy half smile as he nodded his head. "Everything will be okay, Yuuki. Don't worry."
"Yeah..." she agreed without conviction while she held onto the wrists that held her so carefully. She leaned forward until her forehead rested on his, absorbing the warmth and love he exuded.
"Are you thinking about what happened a few days ago?"
She wasn't, but the mention of it made thoughts of the vampire she killed to force itself into her mind. The way Artemis felt to swing freely through the air before snagging for only the briefest of moments when it made impact. The way it jolted and the vibrations ran up her arms. How it easily sliced through and how she could feel the distinction between flesh and bone through the rod and into her palms. How something deeply hidden inside of her exploded in pleasure when the blood splattered onto her face while the rest of her became violently sick to her stomach.
She fought to control her nausea. Shame and regret flooded through her.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, starting to hyperventilate.
"Don't be. It's okay." He stroked her hair and pulled her into a hug, resting her head against his shoulder. He rubbed her back and rocked her gently until she calmed. "You trust me, don't you?"
"Of course."
"Then believe me when I say it'll be okay."
Heavens knew that she trusted him, but she just couldn't fathom how things would be okay. It was one thing to claim she'd find another way for the hunters to have some sort of weapon against vampires and another thing to actually come up with something. What could she possibly find as an alternative?
She squeezed him tighter, inhaling his heady and intoxicating scent. A scent that reminded her of cool evenings after a hard rainstorm, one that washed away all signs of failures and worries only to leave a blank canvas to start the day over again. A scent that always calmed her and somehow aroused her. A scent that made her feel like she had finally made it home after a long journey. A scent that made her feel safe and loved.
Wanting to be closer to him, she moved from in between his legs and crawled into his lap, wrapping both her legs and arms around him in an even tighter hug. He chuckled into her long hair as his arms ran the length of her back and returned her hug.
It was comfortable to just sit that way forever, to absorb everything he had to offer, but she wanted to be connected to him more. She leaned back enough to rub her nose against his before stealing his lips and kissing him deeply.
It wasn't urgent or frantic, but sweet and slow. Her fingers played with his hair and held him closer to her as their tongues danced together. There was no rush; only love in their leisurely movements. They simply existed, tasting and savoring each other and being completely oblivious to the rest of the world. It was only them. They only needed each other.
She moaned into his mouth as their kiss continued. In short time their breathing became heavy with desire. When she finally broke away, still running her hands through his hair and over his shoulders, she leaned her head against his again.
"We need to stop now."
"Why?" he breathed out, nuzzling his face against hers and trailing kisses down her cheek and neck.
"I know you're busy. We have things we need to figure out, don't we?"
"Can't that wait?"
"You know if we start now we won't stop until the day is completely wasted." She followed his example and kissed his neck as well, trailing her tongue along his vein and sucking on his skin. She pushed some of his shirt away to nibble at his shoulder.
"I wouldn't consider it a waste."
"Kaname..."
"Why do you always do this to me?" He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her down against his erection as his other hand traced the side of her breast. "You're so mean to me."
"A-Am not. I—" He distracted her when he started to knead her breast, running his fingers along the entirety of it instead of only concentrating on the nipple. "Ah, Kaname..." Her cheek nuzzled against his.
It was obvious to both of them when someone started walking down the hallway, getting closer and closer to the main double doors to the windowless room. Kaname stopped his ministrations and leaned his head against her collarbone, sighing heavily as his shoulders dropped in defeat.
"Every single time..." he quietly announced.
"I'm sorry, Kaname. Seems like duty is about to call."
She got off his lap and bounced off the bed quickly, otherwise she would have ended up caving in and spending the rest of the day with him in bed. Making her way to the closet that had some of her clothes in it, she started to get properly dressed. She heard him whine, something she wasn't entirely used to hearing yet, before hearing the covers on the bed rustling.
When she was fully clothed, face washed and teeth brushed, as well as hair combed and neat, she walked back into the bedroom. There was a large ball made out of the feather-stuffed covers and soft bed sheets in the center of the bed. She frowned and walked up to it, examining it and wondering what it was. With a poke, she felt something solid underneath.
"Kaname?"
"Eh!" he whined again, causing her to laugh.
"What... what are you doing?" She moved some of the blanket away, pulling it away from his tight grip until she could see inside his little cocoon. He laid on the bed in a fetal position, sheets wrapped around and in between his legs.
"I'm pouting. Can't you tell?"
"You don't pout."
"I can if I want to."
"Stop being so adorable."
He lifted his head and pulled some of the cover down until only his face and hair peeked through the sea of white.
"Why? Don't you like it when I'm adorable?"
Heat warmed her cheeks as she smiled brightly at him. There was a knock on the door but for the moment they ignored it.
"Yes, actually. It"—she made a motion with her hand as she tried to explain how it made her feel—"makes my heart want to burst and I want to cuddle you to death."
"Then let's cuddle."
Another knock on the door.
"But—"
He snaked his arm out of the covers and dragged her back into bed, lifting the covers to allow her entry into their not-so-hidden fort.
"Sshh... they'll find us if you make noise." He pulled her closer to him as he nuzzled his entire body against hers, resting his head in between her shoulder and neck.
"Lord Kuran? Lady Kuran?" Akatsuki called out loudly. Another knock.
"Kaname..." Although she knew they had to get out of bed since there was no such thing as hiding forever, she didn't push him away. Instead, she pulled him closer to her, if that was even possible, and hugged him to her.
"Just another second, Yuuki. Please."
With his eyes closed, he gave her lazy kisses on her neck and jaw as his hand caressed her cheek. His warm breath blew loose strands of hair and caused it to tickle her. She didn't want the moment to end. If it were possible to freeze time and encapsulate their moment together, she would have done so in a heartbeat.
"What're you doing? Why aren't you calling them?" Hanabusa asked as he joined his cousin outside the doors.
"I am calling them. They're just not answering."
"Do you think they're buuu~sy?"
"You know you're going to die, right? Lord Kuran will end up killing you because of that idiotic mouth of yours."
Their voices became a murmur as they started walking away, arguing with each other and trading insults. She felt Kaname sigh against her skin before pulling away from her. She knew that all he wanted was peace; to have no responsibility and to spend his time with her. It broke her heart to know that after everything he had been through, he couldn't have something as simple as that.
Again, she thought of the woman's demands of his sacrifice. And as Kaname lifted the covers from them and the light from the room shined against his face, showing off his strong jawline and straight nose and unruly hair from not being brushed, her heart contracted in awe and panic as uneasiness prickled up her spine.
His lips twitched in an almost frown before straightening as he turned to look at her, a question in his eyes as he examined her face.
"What's wrong?" he asked, not for the first time.
She fought back the tears that wanted to drown her, desperately trying to grasp at anything she could to divert his attention so he wouldn't uncover the truth.
"I... um..."
He sat up, pulling her up with him.
"Yes?"
How it was possible for someone to stare at her so tenderly, she didn't know, but it almost caused her to come undone and spill the truth. Except she wanted to protect him for once. She knew that if he thought the entire vampire and human races depended on him and his sacrifice, that no matter how much he loved her, he would feel obligated to fulfill what he thought was his duty. Wouldn't that be the only way for him to ensure her safety as well?
She just couldn't accept that. She wouldn't allow that.
His finger trailed from her temple to her ear, tucking some of her hair back. She caught his hand in both of hers and looked at them when the idea popped into her head.
"Look!" she exclaimed, clearing her throat.
He looked down as well. "Okay. I am." He waited, but when she didn't say anything else, he frowned. "I'm sorry, I don't get it. What am I looking at?"
"It's... I mean, well..." She lifted her left hand to show off the beautiful ring and then lifted his hand to show off that he was devoid of any jewelry. "You don't have a ring."
His lips twitched before he finally smiled, entwining their fingers together as he held her hand. His eyes deepened with longing and hunger as he leaned in slowly. Their faces only inches apart, he licked her lips and grinned.
"Oh? What's this? Is someone eager to get married?"
A blush furiously kissed her cheeks as she suddenly felt warm and jumpy, excitement causing butterflies to bloom in her stomach. Although it was obvious to her now, she hadn't expected the conversation to take a turn down that path.
"Well, uh. Y-You did ask me, after all, so doesn't that mean you want to too?"
"Why, yes, Yuuki." He grinned as he leaned into her, making her fall backward onto the bed as he crawled on top of her and rested in between her legs. "I very much want to get married to you. The thought of you being my wife drives me crazy with want. If it were up to me, we'd do it right now."
He nuzzled into her neck again as he pushed his hips into hers. He was driving her crazy since she woke up, pulling at all the right strings in her heart and playing all the right tunes. Could they get married now? The fact that he would be her husband gave her a sense of satisfaction and happiness that she never thought was possible. Not as a human, anyway. Wasn't it her wish to be married to him ever since she was little?
"But, but we don't have a ring for you yet."
"Oh? Don't we?" He kissed her cheek and brushed her hair away from her face.
"Do we? Do you have a ring for yourself?"
"I do."
His hand ran up her leg and pulled it until it rested around his waist. She was getting distracted by him again, losing her train of thought and falling victim of the assaulting feelings and cravings she wanted to feel. Before she was lost to it entirely, she nudged at his chest.
"Where? Let's do it."
"I'm trying to 'do it', as you so eloquently put it, but someone keeps trying to stop me when it's clear she also wants to."
She laughed at his frustration. "That's not what I meant and you know it. Can we get married now?"
Kaname rolled off of her and groaned. Fighting back another bout of laughter at his painful misfortune, she sat up and crossed her legs and she looked at him.
"Yes, we can get married now. Call me prudent if you'd like, but I already have the wedding certificate filled out. It's been filled out for years in the hopes that if we ever did wed, there would be no downtime between exchanging vows and having it legally recognized. Not that I care about human's legalities when it comes to marriages, but I figured you would."
She beamed at him, giving him one of her brilliant smiles that he so adored. "Really?!" She clasped her hands together to her chest as if she were praying. "Really really? Like right now? Who would do the ceremony?"
He frowned at her, still lying on the bed. "Don't you want something grand or a reception or something? Don't you want to invite the Chairman and your human friends?"
Some of her joy dissipated but she refused to give up on the idea. "I mean, I've never wanted anything big to begin with. Can't we just have the rites done now and we can always have a reception later?"
"Oh hoo~." he grinned at her. "Looks like someone is eager to get married." He covered his face before running his hands through his hair, then sat up to face her. "I'm relieved, actually. I was really worried that you wouldn't want to."
"Don't be an idiot. Why wouldn't I want to?"
"There you go calling me an idiot again."
"C'mon, let's stop wasting time." She jumped off the bed and waited for him to follow her. He slowly rose from the bed and walked to her side, pinning her with a hungry stare. "W-What?"
"Yuuki..." he trailed off. Slowly, he pushed her against the door and caged her in, his arms raised and hands placed against the wood around her body. "You really don't know the things you make me feel, do you?"
He leaned in and kissed her with feverish excitement. She grabbed fistfuls of his shirt as she raised her head to meet his. They kissed for several minutes, Yuuki pulling him closer to her and Kaname pushing himself against her. When they parted, they both breathed heavily again as they stared at the floor.
"Let's go make you a Mrs. Kuran."
He stepped back and grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers together as he led her out of the room. When he opened the door and exited into the hallway, they saw Hanabusa and Akatsuki walking back. They stopped their chatter to look up at them, relief flooding their faces.
"Lord Kaname! Yuuki!" Hanabusa called out, jogging to get closer. When he stood in front of them, Kaname slapped the back of Hanabusa's head.
"It's Lady Yuuki, for the hundredth time, Aidou."
"Ah, ah, I'm sorry! I always forget!" He bowed deeply before straightening again. "We're glad you guys are out! Are you feeling better now, Lady Yuuki?"
She beamed at him as she tightened her grip around Kaname's hand. "Yes, thanks. We're getting married!"
Hanabusa blushed and looked excited for them, but for the briefest of moments she thought she saw something else flash in his eyes.
"That's awesome! Congratulations! About time, eh?" He nudged Akatsuki's side.
"Yes, congratulations, Lord Kuran, Lady Kuran."
"We're doing it now!" she provided.
Hanabusa looked stricken. "N-Now? What do you mean now? I haven't prepared anything for it!"
She laughed at him and patted his arm. "Don't worry, we'll do something special later. Then you can prepare all you want."
"What's all the fuss about?" Ruka asked as she came up behind the cousins. "Didn't you give Kaname the message?"
"Never mind that right now, they're getting married!"
"What?" She looked to Kaname and Yuuki, her eyes falling on Yuuki's hand.
"I know!" Hanabusa stared at Yuuki with pleading eyes. "But... but still. I mean, not even a dress or wedding rings are ready. Nothing is prepared."
"I have a ring." She lifted her hand up for Hanabusa and Akatsuki to see. "And Kaname says he has a ring for himself."
"It's actually our mother's and father's." The information caught her by surprise and she looked up at him. He explained. "When they were killed, I took their rings and kept them for several years. When I had your ring made, I smelted our parents' and crafted it into a new one for myself."
"Really?" Yuuki was shocked to hear that. "Why?"
He shrugged. "I wanted to give you something special that came from only me. That's why I designed your ring myself. But at the same time, I didn't want Haruka and Juri's sacrifices to be forgotten, so I made my ring from theirs so I could always have them with me, showing them that no matter what, I'm always by your side and protecting you."
Yuuki felt touched by Kaname's thoughtfulness. She tried, yet again, to fight back the tears that threatened to spill over. "That's so sweet, Kaname..." A thought came to her and she grinned. "But what would you have done if you never proposed and we never reunited?"
He scoffed at her. "Do you think that even if you didn't want me and ended up with someone else, that I would go into the arms of another woman? Don't be foolish. My life is devoted to you. Even if we didn't marry, I would have still worn the ring to show them that my promise was always being fulfilled."
Hanabusa squealed like a little girl and bounced up and down as he covered his mouth. "You two are so cheesyy~! I love it!" His jubilant behavior rubbed off on her and she couldn't help but get excited again as well, her previous sentimental emotions getting pushed aside.
Kaname led them down into the kitchen where Sebasuchan was giving instructions to a servant, but not before making a stop at his office for him to get his own wedding ring. When the inky haired man noticed their arrival, he dismissed the servant and bowed in greeting.
"Sebasuchan, are you still ordained?"
The butler smiled as he nodded. "Yes, my lord."
"Good, then if you could do the honor of marrying Yuuki and I, we would appreciate that."
"It would of course be my honor, my lord. What date would you like to set it for?"
"Right now."
Unfazed by the announcement, he nodded his head again. "Here?"
Kaname looked at her, leaving it up to her to decide. Who cared where they got married?! She was too excited to care! "Yes, here, there, anywhere, I don't care."
"As you wish, my lady."
He gave her a small smile and bowed before proceeding with the ceremony. They exchanged vows and Yuuki was able to place the ring on Kaname's finger, much like he had done for her. After saying 'I do' and promising all of eternity to each other, Kaname picked her up and hugged her tightly as he kissed her desperately. Akatsuki and Ruka both clapped, but Hanabusa cried.
"Would you stop that? It's embarrassing." Akatsuki shoved his cousin away from him.
"I... I can't help iii~iit!" He grappled his cousin and pulled him into a hug, rubbing his eyes as tears continued to fall down his face. "I'm just so happy, Akatsi! You just don't understand!"
Akatsuki rolled his eyes.
When Kaname put Yuuki down, he turned his attention back to Sebasuchan.
"Sebasuchan, I need you to take the marriage certificate to the courts and have it officially recognized."
"It's already been done, my lord."
"What?" Yuuki and Kaname said at the same time.
"Forgive me my transgression, my lord, my lady, but since the certificate was already filled out and stamped with your seals, I already submitted it."
"W-When did you do that?" Yuuki asked.
He smiled at her. "Oh, ever since you came here with our lord."
"W-What?!" Her cheeks flushed in surprise as she gaped at Kaname. "What?!"
"I didn't know!" he replied.
"Yes, that's right," Sebasuchan smiled to himself. "You two have already been technically married for several months now. Half a year, perhaps?"
"But... how... I mean... why...?" she stuttered.
"My lady, it was always in both of your fates. The moment you decided to come here with our lord, wasn't it obvious?"
He bowed deeply and congratulated them on their marriage and left the room, leaving all the nobles and the two 'newly' wed purebloods stunned. Kaname frowned and looked deep in thought. All she could do was stare at him in disbelief. The nobles stood silently, waiting to see what would happen. It took a while for the shock to wear off, but when it did, Kaname started laughing.
He turned to look at her and cupped her cheeks in his hands. "Well, that settles that, now doesn't it?" He started to laugh again.
"It's not funny, Kaname!" She tried to be serious, but seeing his happy expression, the joy in his carmine colored eyes and the way he grinned while looking at the ring on his own hand, she couldn't help but join him in his laughter. "This is so ridiculous. This has got to be the worst proposal and wedding ever," she jokingly added.
Kaname stopped laughing and took her hand, placing it over his heart.
"That hurts, wife." He grinned at the word.
"Oh, well excuu~use me, husband." She couldn't help but return his grin.
"OOH MY GOOO~OOD!" Hanabusa cried out again, pretending to collapse onto Akatsuki, holding onto his cousin's shoulders as his legs apparently gave out. "Akatsi, I can't take it! They're too cute!"
"Hana!" he hissed. "Would you pull yourself together?!" He nervously looked up at them and smiled apologetically.
"It's okay, Kain. Aidou is just being... himself." She patted his arm.
"Well, I hate to be the kill joy here," Ruka chimed in, "but Kaname, you have an urgent call that's been waiting this entire time."
"I do, do I?"
With the mention of the call, Hanabusa straightened up and wiped his eyes. "Chairman Cross demanded to speak with you and said that no matter what, he would not have a message taken. He refuses to hang up until he actually speaks with you."
"Yes, well, I suppose it is time I stopped putting it off." He turned to Yuuki and cupped her cheek, stroking it with his thumb. "We'll have to do the honeymoon part later, it seems." Her cheeks flushed as her heart raced at the mention of it. He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers before he whispered into her ear. "And you have something else you need to take care of. Tonight."
When he pulled back, she saw the fire in his eyes, the overwhelming desire that kept building until it threatened to overtake her. It held a promise of delicious pleasure that she couldn't wait to take part in. It left her breathless.
He squared his shoulders even though it helped to haunch over against the cold. But when he knocked on the door, he didn't want to look weak. He needed to show that he wouldn't be taken advantage of.
He started up the stairs to the main doors and then stopped, changing his mind and shaking his head before turning around and descending down. When he made it down and started to walk away from the mansion, he would stop himself again and turn around, climbing the stairs again and set on talking to Yuuki.
No. Not yet.
Down the stairs he went again.
Maybe just a little while longer. Then he could face her.
But how long was he going to keep telling himself he'd do it later?
Up the stairs again.
Yes, this was the right thing to do. Do it right then and there and get it over with, like ripping a band-aid in one go.
He raised his hand to grab the knocker and stilled.
Could he face her just yet? No, no. He'd wait. Yeah, that sounded good.
He dropped the knocker, a little too forcefully, which caused it to bang not once but twice. His eyes grew as he realized it was enough to be considered knocking.
What should he do? He wasn't ready yet. Leave? Run? Hide? Jump off the edge into the snow below?
Before he could decide, the choice was made for him. The door opened and a man in black and white uniform stood before him. Inky black hair caught Zero's attention, so opposite of his. It was almost like it was mercurial in nature, not entirely solid but not exactly shifting. How could a shade of black do that?
"May I help you, sir?" The man's smooth voice broke him from his stupor.
"Um, yeah. I'm—I'm here to see Yuuki Kuran. Is she available?"
"Ah, yes, sir. Please do come in." He stepped aside to let Zero entry. "Shall I take your coat?"
"No, that's fine. Thanks."
He was in enemy territory now. Constantly scanning the area for any vampires and casing all the exits and entries, he mapped out the foyer immediately. His finger twitched before he snapped out of it, realizing suddenly that he had to stop thinking that way.
But being nervous was okay. Right? That had nothing to do with being at the Kuran mansion. It had everything to do with meeting Yuuki.
"Are you expected, sir?"
"Afraid not, no."
"It's a shame though. Had you been here only two hours earlier, you could have attended their wedding."
Zero went cold as a chill ran down his body; a chill more biting than the weather outside.
"W-Wedding? What wedding?"
"The Kurans, of course, sir. Lord Kuran and Lady Kuran are wed."
The shock from the news rocked him and he let out a long breath, expunging everything he had in his lungs and making them burn. Yuuki and Kaname got... married? What the fuck? It shouldn't have surprised him. Deep down, he knew it was bound to happen. Even Kaien spoke of it.
But holy shit, did it surprise him to hear that. He wasn't ready. Wasn't prepared. He knew he didn't have a chance with her anymore, that much was obvious even before knowing she was married, but... still.
He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
"Sir? Are you alright?"
"What? Yeah, fine."
"If you'll come this way, please. I'll announce your arrival to the lady."
"Thanks." The butler—or so he assumed was the butler by his get up and demeanor—held his hand out and showed him the way. He only took a few steps into the foyer before he felt her presence and smelled her lightly floral scent.
"It's fine, Sebasuchan. I can take it from here."
"Yes, my lady. Do you require refreshments?"
"No, I don't think our visitor will be here for long." She stared directly at him as she spoke, sending more chills down his spine. Was this the same Yuuki he knew? Why did she seem so different every time he saw her?
"As you wish." He bowed down deeply before leaving.
Yuuki stood on the steps, a few up from the landing, and crossed her arms over her chest. He saw the twinkle of the stones on her ring and it caught his attention. She had a wedding ring. Holy shit, she was really married...!
"What are you doing here?"
Her icy tone made him snap out of his thoughts. He had to get himself together. What was wrong with him?
"I need to speak with you."
"There's nothing to say."
"You may have nothing to say, but I do. So hear me out."
"I'm not interested. You know your way out." She turned to ascend the stairs when he called out to her, stopping her.
"Please! Yuuki, I'm... I'm begging you. Just listen, please."
He could see her shoulders stiffen for a moment before she turned back to look at him. With her hand on the railing, gripping it so tightly that her knuckles were white, she tried to give him a blank look. But try as she might, he could see her eyes start to water.
Was she going to cry? But why? Did his presence repulse her that much?
"Listen, I'm..."
He waived his hand but couldn't think of what he wanted to say now that she was actually in front of him. He had practiced a couple speeches a dozen times, but now none of the words seem to come out. Before she lost her patience with him, he dropped down onto his knees and bowed his head. His hair fell into his face and the tips brushed against the marble floor.
"What're you doing?" she asked, surprise lacing her voice.
"I'm sorry!" he shouted. He mentally reprimanded himself for being so loud and tried again with a normal volume. "Please, Yuuki, I'm sorry. I know I've said and done a lot of terrible things and I know 'sorry' may not cut it, but please forgive me."
He heard her feet moving, going down the steps slowly and carefully. The light dimmed as she stood in front of him and blocked the chandelier and lamps.
"Zero," she whispered. "Get up."
"No. Not until you forgive me."
"Oh my God, you idiot. Get up."
"No."
She knelt in front of him and gripped his shoulders, forcing him to at least lean back and sit straight. Her close proximity made him catch his breath. Her beautiful face was so close to his, the closest that it had been without having disgust on it. She stared at him sorrowfully, not fighting back the tears anymore and letting them flow freely from her large, stunning eyes. His fingers itched to reach out and brush the tears from her cheeks, but he stopped himself.
With a heavy sigh, she shook her head at him. "I'm sorry too, Zero. I was mean too."
"W-What? No, this is supposed to be my apology."
She had nothing to apologize for. She was in the right. She always was.
"No." She released her grip on his arms and he instantly missed her touch. Wiping her own tears away, she sat back on her thighs. She wrung her fingers together and each time the light sparkled off her ring, it made a small part of him sad. "No, I feel like I abandoned you, Zero. And for that, I'm really really sorry."
He didn't know what to say. He just stared at her stupidly as if she was speaking a foreign language. Like English or something.
"What?"
"I should have been there for you, Zero. You were my friend, my family. You were suffering so much by yourself and I didn't do anything to help you. I didn't know."
He felt himself tear up, but if he didn't cry in front of Kaien then he'd be damned if he'd do it in front of her. Instead, he rubbed at his chest, feeling that painful ache ease with his new found constitution.
"It's okay, Yuuki. It wasn't your fault. I didn't make things easy back then either. I was a real son of a bitch."
She reached out and grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice breaking.
He couldn't help it anymore. With his free hand, he reached out and brushed some of her hair aside, tucking it behind her ear. Almost immediately, he realized his faux pas. Her body stilled, as did his hand that hovered by her head, as her eyes widened and her lips thinned.
"Um, please don't do that again." She released her hold on his hand and fixed her hair. He let his hand drop into his lap.
"I'm sorry about that. I-I didn't mean to." He tried to change the subject. "So uh, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, Yuuki. It's what brought me here, actually. I want to make things right between us, if it's possible. I want to be in your life again. If we can't go back to how things were when we were both Perfects at Cross Academy, then maybe we can work on building a new relationship."
"I'm married, Zero."
She didn't say it in a mean way. In fact, he was sure that she did it in the most gentle way she knew how, with her head slightly cocked to the side and her expression soft. Except it still made his heart constrict in pain to hear. Even though he already knew it was true. But actually hearing it come out of her own mouth made it seem so much more... final.
"I heard," he replied quietly, not sure what else to say. "Uh, congratulations, I guess."
"Thanks."
"But, what do you say? About my request?"
"I can't be in a relationship with you, Zero. I love you, but you know it's not like that. It never has been and I'm sorry that you have to hear that."
He felt worse than when Kaname stabbed him with the anti-vampire weapon, but that wasn't the meaning behind his request. "That's... I know that, Yuuki. Deep down I've always known you don't see me that way and that you've always only loved Kaname. I get it. I hate it but I get it, okay?"
"Then," she searched his face. "What do you mean then?"
"Can't... can't we just be friends, at least?"
"Won't that be harder on you than necessary, Zero? Why do that to yourself?"
He let out a frustrated sigh. "I'll get over it. I'll deal with my feelings. I just... Look, no more threats from me about killing you. I was an idiot to even say something like that in the first place. I couldn't have done it anyway. Friends. Okay? Just friends. Family. What we used to be before feelings got in the way."
She watched him carefully for a long time before she finally allowed herself a small smile. She nodded hesitantly. "Okay, we can try that. But it'll be hard, Zero. Kaname, you know, he hates you. I still can't believe you came here." Her eyes widened and she stood up suddenly. "Oh God, actually, you need to leave. If he sees you here, he'll kill you!"
There was a chuckle from atop the stairs and he saw Yuuki freeze. Zero looked up to see who it was, even though he already knew that it was Kaname. He stood and stared at him. The pureblood had his right arm crossed over his chest, his left elbow resting against it, as his hand rubbed his jaw and mouth as he smiled.
Zero looked at the ring around Kaname's finger, looked at the evil twinkle in his eyes, but neither of those is what made him question his decision to come here. What actually scared him, which was already an odd enough feeling for him to begin with, was the fact that Kaname was actually... giggling?
"Oh, Yuuki," Kaname said lightly. "We've only recently been married and you're already running off into someone else's arms."
Yuuki stiffened as her brows furrowed in anger. She turned to look up at Kaname.
"You idiot. You know that's not the case!"
He gave her a wide smile. It made goosebumps run over Zero's arms. He wasn't used to seeing that expression on Kaname's face. It was actually disgusting for him to see it.
"I know. I'm only teasing. Don't think I don't know what this is." He put his hand on the railing as he slowly took a step down.
"Y-You do?" she asked. Zero still couldn't muster a sound. The whole situation was just too weird.
"Oh yes, I know, my dear wife."
Kaname emphasized the word when he looked directly at him, their eyes locking. Was the pureblood trying to tell him what he already knew? That he had no chance with Yuuki? Was this his way of staking a possessive claim over her? It wasn't necessary.
"Really? That's, that's good." It was obvious she wasn't relieved. "So, so Zero is leaving now." She turned to face him. "Right? Thanks for stopping by, have a safe trip home." She tried to push him toward the front door, but he didn't move.
"No no, Yuuki." He took another slow step down, kicking his foot up purposely and dramatically as his hand slid against the hand rail. "This is my wedding gift, isn't it? That was very sweet of you."
"W-Wedding gift?" she asked, still facing Zero with her arms pushing against his chest but turning her head back to look at Kaname.
"You really do love me. I'm touched. What did I say last time?"
"Um..."
When neither Yuuki or Zero could come up with a response, Kaname supplied them with the answer.
"I do believe my words were..." he tapped his lower lip as he took another slow step down. "'I'm warning you for the last time, Kiryu. You touch Yuuki again, no, you even come near her again and I will kill you. Trust me. I am giving you my word right now. No one, not even Yuuki, will be able to stop me next time. Don't even think about her.' And yet," he chuckled again as if utterly amused, "here you are! I couldn't ask for a better wedding gift!"
"Kaname, wait, no. It's not like that this time." Yuuki ran to the bottom of the stairs, her hands spread out to the sides.
He stared at Zero the entire time until he finally made it down the stairs, making the whole procession down excruciatingly painful and uncomfortable. When he stood in front of Yuuki, he looked down at her and trailed a finger down her cheek.
For the first time since he'd known Kaname, he finally saw a side of him he didn't know was possible or existed. The way that he looked at Yuuki, the way that his eyes and expression softened and how he gently touched her as if she were the most precious thing in the world, completely surprised Zero. Sure, he knew that Kaname claimed to love Yuuki, but he'd never seen someone change so utterly in an instant when standing in front of that person.
And to think, all this time Zero thought he was a monster, a demon, wearing the skin of a human.
"'It's not like that' you say, and yet there are tears on your face. 'It's not like that' you say, and yet I can taste your uneasiness and despair." His hand brushed over her face as he leaned down and kissed each cheek. He dipped down closer to whisper into Yuuki's ear as his gaze returned back to Zero. "Thank you for the gift."
And just like that, with lightning fast speed and in a blink of an eye, Kaname was no longer in front of Yuuki but slamming Zero into the wall closest to them, a low growl escaping his lips. Drywall cracked from the impact as the pureblood held him up with only one arm. Kaname's hand tightened around Zero's throat, almost crushing his windpipe.
He couldn't breathe and his hands reflexively reached out to grab onto Kaname's arm. A second later, he heard Yuuki cry out for Kaname to stop, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. He stared at Kaname, really truly stared into his eyes for the first time, and accepted his fate.
He'd escaped death by this man's hands one too many times to consider it luck.
His lungs started to burn and the pressure in his head rose and became heavier as Kaname's fingers dug into his skin. His vision started to blur and darken near the sides and he knew that unless he did something to defend himself, he would die.
From somewhere far away, he could still hear Yuuki's voice crying and pleading. He could feel constant tugs through Kaname's arm from where Yuuki was trying to pry them apart. Except it didn't matter. Kaname was steadfast in his mission. He neither spoke or flinched regardless of what Yuuki did or said. The pureblood merely stared intently, telling him a thousand things in the fleeting moment they shared together as Kaname watched the life slowly leave his eyes.
Watching the life pass through someone's eyes was truly an intimate thing, wasn't it?
He had Bloody Rose with him, but he didn't come here to kill anyone, even if that someone was Kaname fucking Kuran who was at the moment strangling him to death. Nah, pulling out Bloody Rose and shooting Kaname would only make things worse for Yuuki.
He did the only thing he could think of doing, and that was dropping his arms to his sides and welcoming his inevitable death. He surrendered and he showed it by not trying to fight back or push Kaname's arm away.
Spots started to swirl and blink in front of his eyes as they watered. His body was close to giving up as his lungs continued to feel like they were being seared, his head felt like it was going to explode. Contrary to popular belief, he didn't see his life flash before his eyes.
No, all he saw was a glint in Kaname's eyes. A knowing glint that he couldn't quite explain, not that it mattered at this point.
When he knew he was just a fraction away from death, his body suddenly fell to the ground in a heap.
Immediately, he started sucking in large amounts of air, breathing as quickly as possible while coughing. He felt his lungs get scratched from the inside out. His hand held onto his bruised throat as he held himself up, spit hitting the floor. He grabbed his chest as he rolled over on his back, closing his eyes and trying to let the intense burn ride out. His head pounded and the tears in his eyes fell down his temples, disappearing somewhere into his hair.
Each breath was bittersweet; it was something his body very much desired, but it caused him immense pain. It wasn't clear to him how long he lay there. It could have been a few seconds or a few years, he just wasn't sure. All he knew was that he wasn't dead. Which was a surprising fact in itself.
"How long do you plan on lying there like a useless sack?"
Kaname's voice trickled into his ears. As his senses started to come back and clear, Yuuki's sniffles assaulted his hearing. He opened first one eye and then the other, looking up and seeing Kaname crouched down on his haunches with his forearms on his knees, his hands dangling down. Yuuki stood a few feet away, wringing her hands together and watching.
"Why?" Zero managed to cough out.
Kaname smirked. "Because although Yuuki can be quite foolish sometimes, it's really me that's a fool all the time." He rubbed his hand over his face. "Who am I kidding? As if I could really go against her wishes."
Zero couldn't believe it. Kaname stopped again because of Yuuki? What the hell kind of will power was that? If it were Zero in the same situation, he wasn't sure he would have ever been able to control his emotions enough to stop, let alone stop multiple times.
He was thankful though. Thankful to still be alive. Although he still disliked Kaname, he saw the pureblood in a different light. Again. It was like a freakin' revelation after revelation and the experience was really unsettling for him.
It wasn't like they could ever be friends, but at least they could be more on friendly terms. Or at least he hoped, otherwise their encounters would constantly be awkward because he had no intention of losing Yuuki. She'd be a part of his life as a friend and as family no matter what.
Kaname stood and pulled Yuuki into a hug, shushing her and cooing comforting sounds at her. She grabbed onto him, wrapping her arms around his midsection and fought back tears.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Kaname."
"Ssh, it's alright, Yuuki." He sighed heavily. "I'm sorry."
Excuse me, Zero thought. Wasn't I the one that almost died? Where's the love?
Except he didn't say anything. Instead, he sat up and lowered his head, still trying to control his breathing. He could already feel the damage being repaired. One of the few perks of being a vampire...
"Hate to interrupt your moment," Zero winced from the soreness in his throat, making it difficult to speak, "but where does that leave us now?"
"It leaves us with you not being killed by me. Make no mistake, Kiryu, this does not mean I like you. In fact, I still very much want to kill you. My wife, on the other hand, wants you to live." He looked down at her and brushed her hair aside. "So, consider yourself having permission to come here and see her in a strictly friendly way. Expect that I'll be civil, but don't expect me to care about your well being."
"I get it," he answered.
"Try to make a move on her and I'll cut your arms off, so it'd be best if you laid to rest your feelings for her."
"Yeah, you won't have to worry about that ever again. I know."
Kaname gave him a half smile, clearly not amused. "Oh, I know that you understand now, Kiryu. I saw it in your eyes as I strangled you. It's one of the reasons why you're still alive. If all I saw was the old hunter who was always angry and out for blood, you'd already be dead."
"Thanks for noticing the change, I guess..."
Kaname turned from him and grabbed Yuuki's hand. "Let's go." She nodded and followed suit, but not before giving Zero a reassuring smile.
"Wait," Zero stopped them. "I did originally come here to only speak with Yuuki, but..." He stood up and tried to stretch his chest, feeling the ache in his lungs. "Now that we're on speaking terms, I'd like to offer you my help. I think you're gonna need it."
Kaname scoffed before turning back to look at him.
"And why do you think I would need your help?"
"Well, seeing as how I've been working at the Hunter Association, I'm privy to information you're not. I'm sure I know things you probably don't."
"As in?" Kaname crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow.
"Like about these drugs being circulated around and I'm sure you don't know about our weapons."
The pureblood remained silent, but he saw Yuuki's expression fall as it became paler. Was she scared of something?
"Can't we talk about this later?" she interjected. She tugged at Kaname's arm.
"In a moment. I know of the drugs, as you like to call them. In fact, I'm sure I know more than you regarding that matter."
"Kaname, let's get something to eat," Yuuki tried to interrupt again, but Kaname ignored her as he examined Zero's face.
"What do you mean by weapons?"
"The anti-va—"
"Enough!" Yuuki shouted as she stomped her foot in a very unladylike tantrum, surprising the two.
They both turned to her, silently waiting to see what else she would say. Clearly embarrassed by her outburst, she blushed and lowered her head, her hair falling into her face.
"Are you that hungry? When was the last time you ate?" Kaname chided. "Alright, let's get you something to eat then." He took her hand and led her out of the foyer.
Zero wasn't sure what to do. Being that it was his first time in the Kuran mansion, he didn't know his way around. He did the only thing he could think of, and that was to follow the two. Since Kaname led the way, Yuuki took that opportunity to stand slightly behind him. When she saw that Kaname wasn't looking at her, she turned to look at Zero.
She made a threatening face as she moved her lips in silent warning. He frowned, not sure what the hell she was trying to tell him. When he shrugged at her, she appeared frustrated before making a gun with her a free hand, using her index finger and thumb. She pretended to shoot at the air before taking the same index finger and pointing it at him, then running it across her neck as she scowled.
Did she just threaten to kill him? He almost laughed at how cute she was before he shook his head, realizing that he had to stop thinking like that. Did she not want him to use Bloody Rose? Well, duh. Wasn't that obvious already? He was sure he probably still looked confused, because then she put her long finger against her lips in the traditional way of showing silence.
Did she not want him to talk about the anti-vampire weapons? But why?
A shriek scared the shit out of him and he jumped, turning to the direction that it came from. Kaname and Yuuki also stopped, though apparently unfazed by Hanabusa's sudden outburst.
"What the hell is HE doing here?!"
A/N: Any criticism, positive or negative, is welcome.
Thank you for reading.