A/N: Hello again, dearests! So sorry for yet another long absence *bows low* This chapter has actually been pretty much ready and waiting for the last few finishing touches for quite some while, but I just couldn't find neither time nor motivation to sit down and get it done and over with *sighs*
On a side note, I finally moved and returned to my hometown since I was by some miracle offered a new job there- err, I mean here xD The moving was troublesome, naturally, and it took me a few months to fully settle in. Those few months were the hardest ever and I was pretty depressed and wanted to just drop it all and start over again, but thankfully, that period somehow came to an end and everything turned out alright, so now I'm happy again.
Anyway, here is the new chapter. Thank you all for still being with me and for all your favs, alerts and most of all, for your wonderful reviews! They always make my day/night/evening/morning without fail! *_*
As always, disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine.
Please enjoy! :D
Chapter 28: Red Mist
Pink eyes snapped open, uncharacteristically wide with shock, a hint of concern flashing in them for a brief moment.
Shizuka remained still in her favorite resting place beneath her ever blooming cherry blossom tree for a long minute as she tried to comprehend the meaning behind the feeling that had disturbed her peace.
She knew what it was, she had experienced it before – the very memory of it was painful still, it made her chest tighten with unending grief she could never quite make herself forget. So she had learned to live with it, which in turn dulled the constant ache a bit and made it as bearable as it could get.
It wasn't the same this time around, it didn't fill her with paralyzing dread, unbearable agony and cold cruel emptiness. But it made her relive that terrible experience, albeit only briefly, and even that was enough to shake her to the core.
Shizuka released a shuddering breath and blinked her eyes as she recovered, only then registering a hot trail of wetness down the sides of her perfectly sculpted face. She rose into a sitting position, staring ahead of her unseeingly without bothering to wipe the evidence of her unrestrained sadness born of an unexpected moment of dangerous weakness.
Previously serene, pleasant silence around her turned cold and heavy all of a sudden. Everything stilled, lifeless and suffocating, until…
"Shizuka-sama," a familiar voice called her name in its usual hesitant yet caring – and now also worried – manner. It pulled her back into reality, making the scenery around her come into motion anew.
Shizuka let out a long breath, tension leaving her shoulders, but her heart was still beating a bit too fast and too palpably against her ribcage.
"Shizuka-sama, forgive me for disturbing you, but…is everything alright?"
Slowly, Shizuka turned her still slightly dazed eyes to the girl inside the house. She stood at the door, not daring to cross its threshold and invade Shizuka's sacred garden even if she wanted to. Her body language was a dead giveaway of her nervous worry and subsequent instinctual desire to appease her higher-ranking relative. Although Shizuka had no doubt that it was mostly the girl's gentle nature that compelled her to feel that way.
"Maria, dear child, come…" Shizuka requested as she stretched out her hand. The girl complied, running up to her almost soundlessly. When Maria's small hands were in her gentle grasp, the pureblood woman continued, "I need you to do something for me."
Maria straightened, feeling a slight sense of urgency as she looked into her relative's eyes, not missing the restrained worry in them. Her answer was immediate. "Anything, Shizuka-sama."
A small smile graced Shizuka's lips. Giving the younger girl's hands a light squeeze, the pureblood spoke, "Summon your familiar, my dear. I need to check if my boys are alright."
Maria did as she was told without voicing her curiosity and tapped into her powers that she had never deemed very useful in practical sense of the word until only a year or so ago. Through the watchful eyes of her familiar, she granted Shizuka's request and then calmed the pureblood down by informing her that the two hunters she seemed to be so fond of were neither hurt nor in danger.
Shizuka's form visibly relaxed, worry leaving her eyes only to be replaced by thoughtful confusion not long after.
Maria tilted her head to the side as she saw a frown mar Shizuka's features. "Is there something bothering you, Shizuka-sama?"
There was a long while of silence. It made Maria wonder whether the pureblood had even heard her, but she didn't try to find out.
"…It broke." Shizuka spoke softly at long last, a quiet sigh leaving her lips. "I can't feel it anymore."
Maria frowned, rightfully confused. "What can't you feel?"
"…The bond." Pink eyes cleared as Shizuka finally looked up to meet Maria's gaze. "The sire bond I had with that child… It's gone."
-o-
Ichijou felt uncomfortable just standing by the door observing the sight before him. It was disconcerting to see Ichiru the way he was now; so still and completely unresponsive – nothing but a shadow of his usual self.
But it wasn't just that. There was also something about the air around him, something about the aura emanating from his body that made Ichijou extremely reluctant to get any closer. There just seemed to be…something inexplicably dangerous and menacing about that invisible energy creeping out through his pores and slowly spreading around him. Seemingly faint and calm, yet somewhat unsettling.
Ichijou shifted his feet uncomfortably, suppressing a frustrated sigh. He really wanted to leave.
"Let me confirm something, Aidou…" Kaname's smooth voice interrupted Ichijou's thoughts, making the blond realize with a start that he had been spacing out and thus had missed every bit of Aidou's report to their pureblood leader. "What you are saying is…No real progress has been made because Ichiru-kun didn't let you get close enough to actually do something…is that correct?"
Aidou nodded stiffly before adding, "Yes, Kaname-sama."
Kaname stayed silent for a long moment as he regarded Aidou impassively. The younger blond didn't lift his eyes from the floor.
"Aidou…" Kaname started, and the said noble stiffened further. "Please, do enlighten me, how exactly did Ichiru-kun manage to do that, considering…" the pureblood paused, his gaze flickering to Ichiru for a moment before returning to Aidou, "…his current condition?"
Aidou pressed his lips together, his face creased into a concentrated frown. "I don't know. I can only surmise that it's some kind of self-defense mechanism that he activated at some point, whether consciously or not."
Kaname let out a heavy sigh, his fingers itching to massage his temples that were beginning to throb with a slowly developing headache. It was so like Ichiru to be frustratingly uncooperative and oppose him every step of the way just to spite him – even when he wasn't in a state of full awareness of his surroundings.
There was an awkward laugh from Ichijou before the noble spoke, "Well, I guess it's only natural. He is a hunter in a place full of high-level vampires, after all."
"That may be the case," Aidou responded after a brief contemplative pause, finally looking up, "but the way he defends himself is not normal. Not that my knowledge on them is particularly vast, but I'm pretty sure that kind of attack is not something a hunter is supposed to be able to do. Let alone a Level D." He finished, not bothering to hide his distaste at Ichiru's official status in their society.
Ichijou perked up at that, curious. "What do you mean?"
Aidou let out a small sigh. "Watch this," he said, turning around and slowly starting towards the bed Ichiru was occupying, each step he took seeming to get more and more cautious the closer he got.
Both Kaname and Ichijou frowned simultaneously as they observed the scene before them.
Then, all of a sudden, the temperature in the room dropped and everything went still.
The three vampires tensed – Aidou more so than the other two since he knew all too well what was coming next.
Three pairs of eyes widened when Ichiru's aura suddenly flared and lashed out angrily, attacking Aidou and sending him flying across the room and into the wall.
Aidou groaned as he pushed himself slightly up after his hard landing on the floor, an uncharacteristic curse slipping past his lips the next second. His hand went up to cradle his head, his eyes squeezed shut and face twisted in a grimace of pain.
Cruel as that may be of them, under normal circumstances Kaname and Ichijou – as well as any other Night Class member – would have definitely laughed at poor Aidou and his unchangingly ill luck. It was just that amusing to see the blond thrown around the room a bit.
However, what had just happened was sure as hell not normal and there was nothing funny about it.
Kaname tensed further and instinctively released some of his own aura as a hostile warning, prepared – and almost itching, thoroughly baited by the threat – to fight any second. Beside him, Ichijou stood motionless and impossibly rigid, violent shivers of potent fear running down his spine as he stared at Ichiru unblinkingly, wide-eyed.
Ichiru remained still as he had been this entire time, never making a single move, not looking up at them even once, pretty much dead to the world around him, save for the previous display of unexpected – unnatural, wrong in every sense – power. Although the three guessed it had been an unconscious response on the ex-human's part.
There was another lash of Ichiru's aura, this one harsher and more concentrated, directed mostly at Kaname – more than likely in retaliation for the pureblood's own silently issued threat. It danced around Kaname's slowly spreading aura, as though testing it – if not taunting it, as Ichijou certainly wouldn't put that past the younger Kiryuu twin even in his current state.
A growl started rising from within Kaname's throat, his long fingers flexed slowly.
The air in the room went completely still, the time seemed to freeze.
"K-Kaname-sama…" Ichijou rasped out breathlessly, only now realizing how suffocated he felt.
Then, just like that, it suddenly stopped. Ichiru's aura retreated and quieted down, disappearing altogether as though it had never been there in the first place. Soon enough Kaname followed suit, although his form remained tense and ready to attack.
A long minute of heavy silence passed.
"Aidou…" Kaname started, never taking his narrowed in cautious suspicion eyes off Ichiru, "explain. In detail."
-o-
Zero hadn't been prepared for the onslaught of attention he had been forced to face on his first day of school after a long involuntary break. He had barely made it to his seat when his classmates surrounded him and started bombarding him with all sorts of questions concerning his absence and well-being, expressing their worry and relief at having him back and then also inquiring about Ichiru and his whereabouts and state of health.
Completely taken aback, Zero didn't even know where and how to start answering all the questions, his thoughts too erratic to actually form a full sentence.
Fortunately for him, however, he was soon put out of his misery when the classroom door slid open and then closed, followed by a loud bang made by a heavy book colliding with a wooden desk, effectively enforcing silence and attracting everyone's attention.
"Take your seats. The class is starting."
Lavender eyes widened at the sound of a painfully familiar voice, immediately shifting to land on the no less familiar form of its owner.
Quiet murmurs filled the classroom as everyone – especially the girls – started whispering among themselves, wondering about the newcomer. Subdued – at least for now – curiosity and excitement were clear in their demeanor.
"Hurry up, we don't have all day," the said newcomer urged and in a few moments everyone settled in their places. "Now, I suppose an introduction is due…" he continued, turning around to pick up a piece of chalk to write on the blackboard with it. "Nice to meet you all, my name is Takamiya Kaito," he underlined his name, then put the chalk back into its place and turned around to face the class anew. "I will be teaching this class from now on."
Zero's eyes widened further as Kaito's hard gaze fixated on him. "Behave yourselves and we'll get along just fine."
It was a day full of surprises indeed.
-o-
It was only in the evening as Zero was heading to the class changeover that he got to talk with Kaito. The man was waiting for him leaning against one of the trees along the path leading to the Moon Dorms. Zero halted in his steps for a moment, then put his hands in his pockets and resumed walking with a quiet sigh.
"Didn't think you would be able to escape your little fanclub anytime soon," Zero said a few moments after Kaito had fallen into step beside him. "Must have been a tough first day, huh?"
Kaito gave a snort. "It sure as hell was. Man, those girls are exhausting to deal with. Never thought I'd prefer the company of Level Es to that of humans."
Zero couldn't help letting out a snort of his own at that.
"Not that I don't see where they're coming from," Kaito continued with a dramatic sigh, now smugly. "It's not often that they get to see someone as handsome as I am."
Zero rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, whatever pleases your enormous ego," he replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Don't take it too seriously though. Those girls have at least a dozen more idols to drool over, so get used to the thought of sharing your new-found admirers."
Another snort. "Are you and Ichiru also included in that group of so-called 'idols'?"
"Hell no," Zero denied right away, scowling. "Ichiru – maybe. But I made damn sure not to get into their stupid list of targets."
"Oh?" Kaito arched an eyebrow as he gave Zero a curious sideways look. "And how exactly did you do that?"
"Simple," Zero shrugged, "I chose the strategy of fear, scaring the hell out of them with my glares so that they would be too terrified to actually get close."
This time Kaito chuckled, genuinely amused. "And Ichiru?"
"He has his own way of handling them."
"Let me guess, he sweet-talks them."
"Pretty much."
"Why am I not surprised?" Kaito asked rhetorically with another snort.
"You know us too well for your own good," Zero replied absent-mindedly, now only half-focused on their conversation with the older hunter as he looked ahead, grimacing at the sight of the unpleasantly familiar massive crowd of girls at the Moon Dorms gates. That was certainly one thing he hadn't missed the slightest bit.
He got too close to them for his own good was more like it. Kaito knew that for a fact, as much as he loathed to admit it even to himself. He let out a heavy sigh.
The rest of their short walk was spent in silence, until Kaito's moment of contemplation was interrupted as his undivided attention was captured by a horde of hormone-crazed teenage girls he had somehow managed not to notice this whole time.
Well, that was official now. He wasn't just getting soft, he was also getting rusty.
Kaito groaned, stopping. "I suddenly feel even less inclined to go there than before."
"Then don't," Zero replied with a light shrug, coming to a stop as well before turning to the older hunter with a small frown. "Why are you even here anyway?"
"To help you out, obviously."
"To spy on us, even going so far as to pretend to be a teacher. Do you even have a license or whatever you need to actually teach?"
"As a matter of fact, I do. Was forced to get one a while back. Never thought that shit would actually come in handy one day though." Kaito let out a derisive snort before adding to correct Zero, "And I'm not here to spy, but to keep an eye on you two idiots."
A silver eyebrow rose skeptically. "Is there a difference?"
"There is in my book."
Zero snorted. "Yeah, you're free to believe whatever you want if it makes you feel any better about it."
There was a long-suffering sigh. "Zero…"
"What exactlydo you think we're going to do with Ichiru in that state? No, what does the Association expect us to do?" The question was followed by a long silence. "…It's not like we have anywhere to run off to anyway." Zero finished as he turned around and resumed his way towards the Moon Dorms.
Kaito watched the younger hunter's retreating back in silence for a few long seconds. Then, breathing another weary sigh, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and proceeded in the direction of the noisy – unbearably so – crowd.
-o-
"So they are back home…" Rido drawled absent-mindedly as he languidly swirled the dark-red liquid in his wineglass with an effortlessly elegant movement of his hand. A slow smile spread across his handsome face, a dim spark of excitement flickering in his different-colored eyes. "All alone and vulnerable once again, aren't they…? Delightful…" he lifted the glass to his face and breathed in the scent of its contents deeply, a small hum of appreciation leaving him. "How very delightful…"
"…They're not alone," Yuuki said quietly with a small frown of confusion as she watched the man a few meters across from her dazedly. "They're with everyone…with…" Her eyelids lowered a bit, cold clarity crossing her cloudy eyes for a brief moment before disappearing. "With Kaname-sama…"
Rido's only response was another soft hum as he took a sip of his favorite blood wine. As expected of his personal collection, the taste was divine.
Yuuki continued in the same absent manner as before, "And there's their friend…another hunter…"
Rido let out a soft contented sigh after another languid sip.
"They're not alone…" the girl repeated with a puzzled frown as she tried to remember what exactly it was she had been trying to say, what she had said and what she was saying and…
Where was she again…?
What was going on…?
Who was she talking to…?
A chuckle reached Yuuki's ears and she slowly looked up. Her frown deepened as she blinked a few times to try and focus on the somewhat familiar by now features of the man before her.
"Of course they are," Rido replied, confusing Yuuki further as she struggled to take a grip on her currently vague reality. "More so than ever now, especially the older one." The pureblood stretched out his arm and immediately there was a servant at the back of the couch Rido was lounging on, his head bowed in reverence, a tray in his hand for his master to place his wineglass on. Which Rido did, and the man disappeared with another respectful bow the second the pureblood's fingers left the glass.
"Now," Rido got up and made his way around a coffee table and over to Yuuki. Slowly, he leaned over her, his hands settling on the armrests of the chair she was occupying. His smile turned into a wide smirk at the dazed, almost hypnotized look he was met with. His hand rose to stroke Yuuki's smooth, rosy cheek gently with the back of his long fingers. "Let us think about our next move, shall we?" Bright red started to bleed into different-colored eyes, turning them all the more hypnotic. Never averting his attention from his new sweet little toy, Rido leaned back a bit and rolled up one of his shirt sleeves. One elongated nail pressed into the flawless pale skin of his now exposed wrist. "You continue to do as I say…" He dragged his finger down, thick pure blood rising to the surface in response to the small movement. "And I will continue to grant you your reward."
Yuuki gave another dazed blink, her still cloudy eyes transfixed on Rido's now bleeding wrist with unhealthy fascination in them. She responded with a slight nod without ever registering her own action.
-o-
Strangely, there was no reaction from Ichiru when they entered. He didn't look up, didn't blink, didn't show any signs of awareness of their presence whatsoever.
Zero frowned, worry already starting to creep its way into his mind. He approached the bed.
Still nothing. Ichiru only continued to stare unseeingly into space.
Now that wasn't just worrying but also a little disturbing. "Ichiru," Zero called softly, almost cautiously.
Ichiru started a bit. Then there was a drowsy blink, after which Ichiru slowly looked up at him. Their identical eyes locked, but there was no sign of recognition in Ichiru's. Zero's worry started to grow, but then…
Another drowsy blink was followed by a warm, genuinely happy smile that slowly spread over Ichiru's lips as he said quietly, "Nii-san…" Almost sluggishly, Ichiru moved forward to the edge of the bed to wrap his arms around Zero's middle. "Nii-san…" he repeated, tightening his hold on Zero and burying his face in his stomach. "I'm so glad to see you… I missed you so much…" He added in a muffled voice.
Zero smiled softly, a small chuckle escaping him. It had been a while since Ichiru displayed such an…innocently childish behavior. Zero couldn't help but find it endearing. "Me too," he replied before automatically bending to kiss the top of Ichiru's head, one of his hands stroking the silver hair gently while the other rested on the nape of his twin's neck.
He drew a deep breath of Ichiru's familiar, comforting scent and shut his eyes for a moment, his shoulders rising and falling as some of the tension slowly seeped out of his form even as the uneasiness remained.
Ichiru seemed off. Really off. Sure, it was great that he had woken up at least, but Zero still couldn't help worrying for his brother, somewhat doubtful about his current condition.
"How are you feeling?"
Ichiru drawled a long hum as he contemplated his own state and tried to evaluate it. Having come up with nothing too out of the ordinary, he shrugged and replied, "Fine, I guess. A bit tired though. And still sleepy." He finished with a deep sigh and closed his eyes before burying his face further in Zero's stomach, his arms tightening around his twin's waist slightly. Another sigh left his lips then, this one soft and of unmistakable content.
Zero couldn't help letting out another small chuckle at his counterpart's antics. It had been a while since he had seen Ichiru like this indeed. So…endearing in his childishness. Or so it seemed to him, at the very least. It made him feel as though they were kids again.
"I see," Zero said as he stroked Ichiru's hair gently.
It was then that Aidou decided to start asking questions as well. "Kiryuu," two pairs of identical lavender eyes turned their attention to him, so he had to elaborate, "Ichiru…"
Ichiru gave a brief nod but made no move to detach himself from Zero. Aidou chose to ignore it and voiced his first question, "What is the last thing you remember?"
Ichiru's brow creased into a frown of confusion before morphing into one of contemplation as he racked his brain. "I…" his frown deepened briefly. "I'm not sure," unconsciously, Ichiru released his hold on Zero's waist and sat back on the bed, his hand going up to cradle the side of his head as though it could help stir his memory. "I think I was…in a cell…at the Association, they…" he trailed off, the crease between his eyebrows getting more prominent. There was a short moment of silence, then Ichiru's eyes widened and he resumed speaking, "They locked me up." Ichiru lifted his confused gaze to his twin. "Why?"
Zero's uneasiness and hesitation to answer spoke volumes to Ichiru.
"What did I do, nii-san?" Ichiru asked next, his hand rising slowly to take a gentle hold of Zero's wrist, his eyes now imploring with apprehension and regret already starting to make their way into them. "Please, tell me."
Ichiru's brief glance at his neck told Zero that his twin already had a guess in his mind.
Zero breathed a deep sigh. He gave Ichiru what he hoped came out as a reassuring smile and petted his head gently. "Ichiru, it's okay, you didn't do anything wrong." As he was saying those words, he could feel familiar burgundy eyes drill into his back, their owner disagreeing with him for sure but choosing not to voice his thoughts – at least for now, thankfully. "It was just an accident, so wipe that look off your face."
He knew he was so in for the talk later.
Ichiru's fingers tightened around his wrist a bit. "Nii-san-"
"Ichiru," Zero's expression turned serious, "just leave it."
"But-"
"No buts, Ichiru. It doesn't matter now. So let it go. Please." Zero implored.
They both were stubborn, but they could always convince each other. Ichiru was usually the one abusing that privilege, but now was Zero's turn and he wasn't about to back down.
Which Ichiru could see, so he pressed his lips together and lowered his gaze before giving a reluctant nod. He decided he didn't really need an answer to his question. He could draw a conclusion from Zero's behavior without being filled in on the details. And besides, he was sure it wouldn't be long before someone – Kaito, most probably – spilled the truth. He would just wait for the asshole to come throwing accusations at him like he loved doing. And in the meantime…
Zero breathed a quiet sigh of relief, his tense form relaxing as he ruffled Ichiru's hair and bent down to place another kiss on the top of his twin's head.
…He would just enjoy his other half's undivided attention.
-o-
"You should have told your brother everything," was the first thing Kaname said a moment after the door to his study room had been closed with a soft 'click'. "He has to be made aware of his own actions and he has to understand their gravity."
Zero let out a quiet sigh before looking up at the pureblood who was now standing by the window with his back turned to him. "It doesn't have to be today." Or any day at all, really. Personally, Zero would rather have that matter forgotten not only by Ichiru, but by everyone. It would certainly improve their current situation by returning everything back to normal. However…
There was another sigh before Zero continued. "I'm sure Ichiru will remember on his own soon. And even if he doesn't… Kaito and other hunters will be only too glad to enlighten him, trust me." He let out a barely audible, bitter chuckle at the end, the corners of his lips going up a bit to form a small, sad smile.
Kaname half-turned, garnet eyes locked with lavender ones. A few long moments of silence followed. A quiet sigh left Kaname's lips, his expression softened.
"It's not out of spite that I want Ichiru-kun to know. You understand that, don't you?"
Zero nodded, his eyes lowered. "I do," he said quietly.
"Nor do I enjoy imposing my rules on you."
Another nod. "I know."
Kaname sighed yet again, folding his arms over his chest before surmising, "But you still disagree."
It was only then that Zero looked up to meet the pureblood's gaze. "Of course I do." He easily affirmed. There wasn't a single hint of hostility in his tone though, which Kaname took as a good sign. "I don't want to leave Ichiru alone again."
"He is not alone. Aidou is there with him."
"You know what I mean, and-" Zero broke off mid-sentence, blinking in amused bewilderment before letting out a soft chuckle and continuing, "seriously, Kaname, Aidou?"
Kaname gave a light shrug of his shoulders. "He is perfectly capable of handling him."
This time Zero couldn't help but snort. "Yeah, I have no doubts about that." Aidou handling Ichiru… Yeah, right. "You really have no pity for the guy, do you?"
Another small shrug. Kaname averted his eyes, his face an almost perfect mask of calm impassiveness. Almost. It would have been impeccable had the corners of the pureblood's mouth not turned upwards ever so slightly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Zero let out a soft chuckle and shook his head lightly. "Sure you don't."
A few peaceful moments of companionable silence followed as the two just stood there looking at each other with clear amusement twinkling in their eyes.
But all too soon the playful atmosphere had to vanish, as slowly, Zero's smile waned and morphed into a sad one. With a soft sigh, the silver-haired teen asked a question he believed he already knew the answer to. "I can't stay here for the night…can I?"
Kaname released a sigh of his own as he regarded his companion for a few silent moments. "Are you actually willing to take that risk?"
A light frown crossed Zero's features briefly. "What risk?"
Another sigh, this time heavier. "Zero-kun, you do realize where you are, don't you?"
Zero nodded.
Kaname specified just to be certain, "It's the Moon Dormitory."
Another nod.
"A place full of vampires."
Another nod. Now it was Kaname's turn to frown at the unchanging expression on Zero's face. Perhaps the teen had gotten too used to them and their company. And pleasant as the realization was for Kaname, it was also dangerous for Zero himself, which certainly didn't sit well with the pureblood.
"…A place where a pureblood lives."
Zero's brows creased anew, he tilted his head slightly to the side. "So?"
Breathing what felt like a hundredth heavy sigh that evening, Kaname closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt tired all of a sudden.
Silence settled over the room once more.
Kaname didn't know how long it lasted, but apparently that amount of time was long enough for Zero to get concerned – for an unknown to him reason – and walk up to him, as the next thing Kaname saw was the said silver-haired teen right in front of him, clutching the hem of his jacket's sleeve in an endearingly tentative manner and looking at him with a slightly uneasy expression on his face.
Kaname couldn't help a gentle smile that slowly stretched his lips of its own volition upon the sight, just as he couldn't help himself when his hand rose to cup the side of Zero's face, and by the time the pureblood realized what he had done, it was too late.
He seriously needed to work on improving his control over his own damn limbs. It was just beyond frustrating.
Wide amethyst eyes — fully expressing mutual surprise of the two occupants of the room, albeit it remained mostly concealed on Kaname's part, thankfully — blinked up at the pureblood in clear bewilderment, yet their owner made no attempt to pull away.
Kaname's heart fluttered, the annoying treacherous thing.
Instead of removing his hand as he had originally intended to do upon realizing what he had unknowingly done and as he certainly would have done had Zero's reaction been any different, Kaname let it stay there, his thumb caressing the alabaster skin softly.
Zero drew a quiet, sharp breath, but still remained firmly in place.
A small, sweet smile slowly stretched Kaname's lips as he let the touch last for another few moments before reluctantly removing his hand.
"I will walk you home," the pureblood offered after a long moment of a strangely pleasant silence.
Zero blinked, taking a few seconds to come out of his slight daze. Reciprocating Kaname's smile, he gave a slow nod, "Mm," before asking, "Would you like some caramel tea?"
Kaname felt the corners of his mouth lift further.
"I can cook one of your favorites for tonight's dinner, too. It's been a while, after all."
'An impossibly long one at that.' Kaname mentally added, already nodding his head and thanking Zero for the offer that he gratefully accepted without a moment's hesitation as the two made their way out of the pureblood's living quarters.
