AN- Hello again! This chapter is a little different in structure so I hope it's okay…I didn't want to split it into separate chapters so hope that no one minds that I've done it this way…There's a lot of talking at the end as well just a heads up…anyway, enjoy!
Zero Kiryu POV
I winced as a thin ribbon of Sunlight filtered through a gap in the heavy drapes that guard the windows. It cut through the darkness of the bedroom, blinding me as my eyes fluttered open. I was aware that Yuki was no longer lying beside me…I was no longer being cradled in her lap…I sat up groggily to find her perched upon the end of the bed, running a silver brush through her glossy strands of hair. It appeared as if she'd already dressed. She sat facing away from me, and my eyes were drawn to the bare skin of her back. The dress of dark forest green that she had placed upon herself fastened with three emerald buttons that began just below her shoulder blades. I wondered if she was trying to entice me. She ran the brush absently through her hair once more before flipping it back behind her so that my view of her bare skin was concealed. My heart skipped a beat as she turned to face me, apparently aware that she was being surveyed. The corners of her lips curled into an amiable smile as she realised I was awake.
"Good morning Zero!" Yuki's voice had a cheerful tone to it, sending a shiver down my spine. She stood up, and I could feel the bed elevating slightly as her weight was removed from its surface. A look of surprise flashed across her face as something clattered to the floor. I edged towards the end of the bed curious to see what had fallen. She knelt down, retrieving a green head band from the floor and placing it in her hair. "I forget I had it in my lap." She told me.
Last night's events suddenly flooded back as the drowsy cloud that had been concealing my memories like a foggy veil was lifted. Perhaps that was why her voice seemed to be an octave higher than it should've been….and why I struggled to find the words to reply. The brief glimpse I'd caught of her body swam through my mind, causing me to blush guiltily. In the light of day I was ashamed of my behaviour towards her. I should've stopped myself having devoured her blood…endeavouring to sleep with her had been brazen…disrespectful even to expect her to give into me having only just been reunited. I scratched the back of my head thoughtfully, I could feel my cheeks burning as I attempted to form an apology. I opened my mouth to speak, however no words were uttered….She'd think I was a fool. Instead I arose and neatly made the bed.
"Zero." She chimed, forcing me to turn and face her despite my humiliation. "What happened last night…don't feel guilty…we both teased one another…I wanted it to happen as well, I just need to talk to Kaname first okay? I've already committed acts against him….I can't go any further until I've explained to him…." She continued, unable to finish her sentence. I shook my head, unable to think of something worthwhile to say. She glided towards me, running a hand over my cheek in a gesture of affection before turning to leave the room.
"I'll go find you some clothes….we're going to the hunter society today." She reminded me as she left the room, leaving me alone to contemplate what I would say to the people who had been involved in my imprisonment…what did I feel towards the society now? Resentment? Gratitude? A member of the society was the reason I'd been imprisoned…however they had also expelled that member from the midst due to such an act of treason….Would there still be a place for me after ten years? Or would I be cast away, no longer a concern of theirs? I really couldn't say for certain. It would seem I would have to wait and see.
A few hours later both Yuki and I stood by the large double doors of the Kuran mansion, dressed and ready to leave. Over her velvet dress Yuki had a thick navy colored coat as well. I'd watched absently as she'd strapped the Artemis to her thigh beneath her dress before she had donned her coat, quietly asking me not to mention to anyone that she was carrying this weapon on her. Of course I also had the Bloody Rose hidden in one of the inside pockets of Kaname Kuran's coat, another item of his wardrobe I was reluctant to wear.
The both of us were frustrated by the presence of Aido and Seiren. The reason we had not yet left being they were unenthusiastic about the Kuran princess venturing to the hunter society unprotected an unannounced. Apparently it could be interpreted as a sign of hostility towards the society…It appeared to me that Yuki had had very little to do with the agreements between the Vampire and Hunter societies…in fact it seemed as if she had purposely been 'sheltered' from such meetings of the two communities. Aido looked ridiculous. Hands on his hips, a pout adorning his face as he blocked the exit from us.
"So you think now that you've destroyed one of the governments' facilities along with their research on our kind you're suddenly ready to discuss matters of our society with them?" He questioned as if the idea was a ludicrous one. His tone was thick with annoyance, and I was surprised he was able to address her in such a way. I wasn't exactly polite to her, however being a hunter I didn't believe in 'worshipping' pureblood vampires simply because they were the most dangerous….as an aristocrat however I'd expected Aido to be conscious of the difference in status between the two. Still, Yuki simply nodded in reply, apparently believing she had earned this right now.
"Are you crazy? You may think you're grown up now, but there's still a lot you need to learn before you can take charge! Just because you're a pureblood it doesn't mean you have the right to show up there unannounced….do you have any idea how furious Kaname-sama would be if I let you do this?" Aido continued, his manner becoming more and more flustered as he mentioned Kaname Kuran. I rolled my eyes in sheer disbelief. I'd never seen a pureblood take such abuse from a lower ranking vampire….however Yuki wasn't a regular pureblood. Aido was her tutor, assigned to her by Kaname Kuran…the man she had no choice but to take orders from. It infuriated me to see her so restricted after ten years…I understood that he wanted to protect her…I had the same wish…however, surely she had earned the right to leave the mansion if she so wished.
"I'm not trying to 'take charge' I just want to accompany Zero while he visits the society! I know matters of their society and ours isn't my place…but Kaname can't stop me from supporting Zero!" Yuki declared, taking my hand in hers and squeezing it tightly displaying her support. Aido narrowed his ice-blue eyes at this display, a flicker of recognition flashing across his face. A new expression adorned his face…one of fear. Perhaps he could see what was taking place in Kaname Kuran's absence…perhaps he could somehow see in this simple gesture what had taken place between us last night.
"I'm putting my foot down, you're not leaving. Kaname-sama will be home soon, he can accompany Kiryu." Aido announced, a slight edge to his voice as he decided this. Exasperated at this petty quarrel I shoved past both Seiren and Aido, flinging the door open and stepping outside, my hand still wrapped firmly around Yuki's. No matter what Aido said I would go to the society today. Even if it meant leaving Yuki behind until I returned. I strode confidently down the steps, not entirely sure which way the town was from here, but trusting my sense of direction walked purposefully down the path towards the gates. I was aggravated to feel my legs paralyse as a thick sheath of ice encased them, holding them in place.
"KIRYU!" Aido called out, running down the steps to confront us. I glowered hatefully at him. We could've walked there by now had he simply let us leave an hour earlier as we'd intended. I appreciated the blond vampire's help in freeing me the day before, however I was not so grateful for being confined by him. Seiren followed him down the steps, the same cool expression on her face as always.
"I can't stop you, but Yuki…she's my responsibility." Aido confessed, melting the ice that encased my legs, though neglecting to do the same for Yuki who shivered in the grip of his ice. My hand twitched as I considered reaching for my gun. It wasn't as if I'd actually shoot the aristocrat…he was doing his job, however, it also struck me that Yuki was old enough to venture outside of the mansion, and it irked me that she was forced to be chaperoned everywhere like an ignorant child.
"You think I'd allow something to happen to her?" I demanded coldly. The blond glowered back, suggesting he didn't trust me alone with Yuki.
"I'll contact Kaname-sama." Seiren announced, fixing Aido with a stern look before turning and making her way swiftly back towards the house. Yuki looked slightly crestfallen at this comment, perhaps due to the fact that Seiren could so easily contact her fiancé while Yuki had to go months without hearing from him. I was growing weary of this petty time wasting. I'd already wasted ten years of my life, so even minutes felt precious to me now.
"I have no reason to trust you with Yuki….it was bad enough you two were left alone last night." Aido told me, his tone sharp and accusing. It would seem he expected the worst of me…I smirked at him, almost wanting him to believe I had slept with Yuki so that he'd tell Kaname Kuran…it would drive them insane to think that I'd done such a thing. He glared at me, daring me to prove I'd done such a thing.
"ZERO!" Yuki cried out, a surge of fire shooting forth from the palm of her hand and melting the ice that bound her. I grinned to myself as she sprinted down the remainder of the path, down the driveway towards the gates. Aido sent another flurry of ice hurtling towards her, however in a flash my gun was aimed at his head. He was visibly shocked at this sudden outburst from both of us, and didn't seem to know who to attend to first. I didn't believe he thought I'd shoot him, however he was also smart enough to realise it was unwise to try me. The sound of metal whining on hinges as the gates were flung open alerted me to Yuki's escape, and in response I darted after her, aware that Aido was still chasing us. I began shooting in his direction as I ran, purposely missing each time, though causing the blond to duck for cover as well.
Once we had reached the train station it had been easy to lose Aido. Having purchased a ticket each, and only just managed to leap on to the train before it pulled away from the station we were both fairly confident that Aido would not be able to follow us…at least not until the next train to town arrived. We'd stood panting as the doors shut swiftly behind us, leant against one another as the carriage had pulled away from the station, gradually building up speed until the scenery whipped past us making it a blur. We'd collapsed into a pair of free seats and laughed the entire way there, receiving some disapproving looks from a group of old women. It occurred to me that for the first time in years I was laughing. Genuinely laughing and smiling…and that I genuinely felt happy. I was content to ride in the train beside Yuki who leant against my shoulder and shut her eyes peacefully as if to doze.
I'd watched peacefully as the light from the sun illuminated Yuki's face as she'd slept. I'd taken in every inch of her face as the Sun cast its rays down on her. By the time we'd reached our destination I'd decided that I wanted to stay with this woman for the rest of my days. When I'd met her fifteen years ago I'd had the same wish, however too many factors had worked against this dream. Kaname Kuran, my impending fall to level E, her obliviousness to my feelings towards her…now…those same factors still existed to an extent…however, after ten years in captivity it seemed my perspective on life had been altered. I no longer wanted to wait for these things to take place….I no longer wanted to let Kaname Kuran snatch her away from me….or for the insanity to claim me…and now she understood what I felt…I couldn't ignore the need I felt to protect and cherish her as she had done for me so many times before.
The strange thing about returning to a place where you once existed is that….nothing has changed really. Or perhaps everything has changed. I couldn't quite put my finger on it as we strode through the town. A sense of nostalgia enveloped me with every step along the cobbled streets of the town I had once called 'home'. Shops that had existed when I had dwelled here still existed…others didn't, replaced by another establishment. The atmosphere and air had the same feel to it, and the smells of the town clung to me as they had years ago. I felt as if nothing had changed…though everyone else had moved on. As if in my absence people's lives has continued for them while mine had been frozen in time.
Despite the pleasant feelings that accompanied my 'walk down memory lane' as it were, I was unable to ignore the sense of anxiety that had been growing within me form the moment we had stepped on to the platform. My master….the headmaster….Kaito….how would they feel about my return? As the society building came into view I loathed the knot that had formed in my stomach. Yuki's fingers interlaced with mine, her soft skin against mine almost comforting as we made our way towards the entrance. Of course I didn't allow my anxiety to show through, I wore a mask of indifference as entered, and I strode confidently down into the establishment as I would've ten years ago.
The air was thick with tension as we entered the main hall. It was fairly empty, however the hunters that were present sensed the presence of two vampires….once being a pureblood. I continued to stride through, even as I saw the glint of hunter weapons being summoned. I told myself they had no grounds to hurt me…although I was a vampire, I had been born a hunter, and had done nothing to warrant an attack, well, except entering the headquarters unannounced. I knew exactly where I was going. I was endeavouring to make it to the President's office…the office that would most probably be mine by now had I not been kidnapped of course.
The older hunters seemed to recognise me, either by appearance or by presence, and it wasn't long before weapons were lowered and a hushed whisper seemed to echo around the hall. Most of the younger hunters lowered their weapons as well, bar reluctantly. However, a few remained on guard, whether that was due to my presence or Yuki's I wasn't sure. Yuki strode closely beside me, and I could hear the fluttering of her nervous heart as she walked swiftly next to me, our hands still intertwined. Her body was tense, and I could tell her hand was resting at her thigh above her skirt, grazing the shape of Artemis beneath the layers of her dress. I squeezed her hand tightly. Even if we were attacked it would be unwise to withdraw Artemis. Being a pureblood this would be considered a hostile gesture, one which would be greeted unkindly. Images of Yuki being flung into a prison cell beneath the society flashed through my mind as we walked.
It would seem they knew where I was headed, as at last one of the younger hunters was spurred into action at last, withdrawing a long sword and pointing it at Yuki's throat. She made a squeaking sound at the swiftness of this attack and stopped abruptly.
"Stop vampires. None of your kind are allowed in here without permission…how did you get past the spell at our entrance?" The young man questioned, a suspicious edge to his gruff voice. I motioned to the tattoo upon my neck, informing him that I had been tamed. However, he kept his gaze locked firmly on Yuki, his eyes narrow and hateful. She kept a calm composure though I could still hear her heart racing in my ears, her palm sweating in my hand.
"We're here to see the president….I'm a Kuran." She added this last part as if to add some authority to her sentence. The conviction with which the hunter held his sword wavered, however he didn't lower it. An older hunter appeared, striding purposefully towards the scene unfurling before everyone's eyes. He placed a hand on the young man's sword, lowering it gently and glowering at him.
"This man is Zero Kiryu." The hunter said calmly, and though his voice was not raised it seemed as if everyone present in the hall let out a breath I had no idea they'd been holding. With this the young hunter's eyes widened, and replacing his sword in a holster he muttered a quick word of apology to me before clearing our path towards the president's office. I nodded in gratitude towards the hunter whom had assisted us, a hunter I recognised to be Jinmu, the man who hadn't wished for me to become president of the society many years previously.
He escorted us the remainder of the way to the president's office, though he stayed silent, not uttering a single word to us. He rapped loudly on the door with his knuckle, awaiting the gruff response from the man inside informing him it was okay to enter. He opened the door slowly, striding in before us and pausing, waiting for the president to face him.
"This better be good Jinmu, we're busy." A familiar voice arose from the room. I couldn't help but smile at the brash way the president dealt with matters.
"Trust me, you'll want to see this interruption." Jinmu declared, opening the door completely to reveal the office before him. The stench of cigarette smoke hit me immediately, causing Yuki to cough softly beside me. I recognised my master immediately, his feet rested carelessly upon the wooden desk, a cigarette hung characteristically from the corner of his mouth. His good eye widened with shock as he peered at me through his mass of curly black hair. He'd aged since I last laid eyes on him, and I noticed a few more scars in addition to the one he'd already received the last time I saw him. Beside him stood an ecstatic Kaien Cross, a wide smile had appeared upon his ageless face and his hair was still tied in that ridiculous ponytail.
Jinmu stood aside allowing space for Yuki and I to enter, reluctantly leaving the room afterwards. There was silence for a moment as both processed that I was actually standing before them. However the silence didn't last long as the Headmaster propelled himself towards me, flinging his arms around me and locking me in an embrace. Twenty eight and I still couldn't escape these displays of affection.
"Oh Zero! It's you, it's really you!" Kaien declared in disbelief, squeezing me tightly in his arms. Irritated by this ambush I shoved him forcefully away from me, fixing him with a glare despite the fact I was actually pleased to see him…still, didn't he realise I was far too old for such behaviour? I flashed my master a quick smile, however I wanted to speak seriously with them, as happy as I was to be free there were more serious matters at hand.
"So the rumours are true…the pureblood took matters into her own hands and destroyed the place." Yagari announced as if Yuki wasn't even present, sighing deeply and taking a deep drag of his cigarette. She shifted nervously beside me as if she didn't know how to respond to this. I narrowed my eyes, glowering at him. It was if he didn't care I'd regained my freedom, more preoccupied with what Yuki had done.
"Do you realise what trouble this will cause to both the vampire and hunter societies? Your reckless decision could start a war between the human government and our society…" Yagari snarled at Yuki. She glowered determinedly back at him, fists clenched at her side as if to retort.
"I won't be made to regret my decision…At least I did something! You left Zero there to rot!" She cried out, fury potent in her voice. She trembled with anger, taking a deep breath to calm herself. As a pureblood such behaviour could be considered hostile.
"You have no idea what you've started…we were trying to make a DEAL with the government, now we're forced to explain this disaster!" He continued, removing the cigarette from his mouth and crushing it on the desk. Her conviction flickered for a moment, replaced by a look of fear before she regained her composure, slamming her hands down on the desk.
"It's taken you ten years to make no progress! If I hadn't acted who knows how much longer it would've been before Zero was released! Besides…I destroyed any evidence that vampires exist…there is no evidence linking a vampire to what took place….I burned the place to the ground, there were NO survivors…the whole thing can be dismissed as a tragic accident." Yuki declared, her tone softening as she gave an explanation. I hadn't considered the possibility that the government could come after us…that we could be prosecuted for the murder of hundreds of researchers and guards….for the loss of experiments.
"Sounds like arson to me…you think they won't investigate?" My master continued, not satisfied with the 'alibi' Yuki had given.
"Not if you assure them that you'll do the investigating…vampires are your expertise…surely they'd entrust the hunter society with the task of tracking down any vampires who were involved." Yuki replied insolently. She was taking a gamble by suggesting such a thing…If the society were given such a task it wasn't certain that they would spare her simply because her actions had led to my freedom. She was essentially handing herself in being present, admitting she had acted today.
"So we'll arrest you now then, and question you as to who else was involved." Yagari stated, staring Yuki down. It appeared he wasn't bluffing. However, Yuki did nothing, she stared silently at him, perhaps waiting for him to take action as he said he would. My master turned to Kaien, beckoning for him to handcuff her here and now. I was about to protest when Kaien spoke up.
"This is ridiculous! We're arguing over something that hasn't even happened yet! If the government does get in touch with us we'll deal with that then, but for now we can't ignore the fact that Yuki has delivered the future of our society back to us, and for that we must be grateful." Kaien proclaimed, pacing around to stand behind us and resting a hand on each of our shoulders signifying his loyalty to us. Yuki beamed gratefully up at her adopted father, before turning to stare at Yagari once more. He glowered at Kaien for a moment before reaching within his coat pocket and withdrawing another cigarette from one of his inside pockets. He held it in his mouth, flipping the lid of his metal lighter open and holding it to the end of the cigarette. He took a long drag, breathing out the grey fumes before saying anymore.
"Of course we're glad to have the future president of our society back, however we cannot simply ignore the repercussions of her actions." my master continued, leaning back in his chair as he breathed out another cloud of smoke. I raised an eyebrow. They kept referring to me as the 'future president'…did that mean they still expected me to receive this role despite my years in captivity? Despite the fact a member of our society had been the reason for my imprisonment in the first place?
"That depends….do I still have a future here?" I questioned a little more coldly than I had intended to. The headmaster looked shocked by this question, and Yagari raised an eyebrow. Were they really shocked by my lack of belief in the society after what had happened?
"…Are you suggesting you don't want to be part of the society anymore?" My master questioned. I shook my head. No, I wanted to continue where I'd left off…I was born a hunter and I'd die a hunter, but still….
"Of course I want to be…my parents were hunters, their parents were hunters…with Ichiru gone I want to keep our family going…" I replied with a quick sideways glance at Yuki, mentally scolding myself for allowing my thoughts to expressed so openly.
"I know a hunter was the one who led to me being imprisoned…I wondered if I was welcome here anymore…" I muttered. How could I expect respect from the hunters if I myself was the very thing we hunted? Yagari looked disgusted at the thought.
"He was removed from our society…that is to say he was imprisoned and is no longer associated with us. There is still a place here for you if you want it…however, you can't take the position of president immediately, obviously, we still want you to finish school, plus you're probably rusty…we'll do some training with you, send you on a few missions, then determine where to go from there." Yagari decided, finally standing and striding towards me. He leant against the desk, surveying me.
"Are you up for it?" He finished. I nodded determinedly. I would make my parents proud and regain the position I'd lost in my ten years of isolation.
So it was established that I would finish school…of course I was too old to actually attend school, so begrudingy I agreed to being tutored by a more than enthusiastic Kaien. I would enter a training program with Yagari to see what I needed to re-learn, and I would embark on missions with Kaito. I was told that I could be calling the president's office my own in as little as a year if I worked hard and played my cards right…This was encouraging….however a grain of doubt remained…If Yuki and I actually did find ourselves in the position where we were in a romantic relationship….how would that impact on my position in the society? Would I be asked to leave for being in a relationship with a pureblood? Or would they welcome it as they had my transformation into a vampire? It seemed only time would tell…