A/N: Hello wonderful people! I know this is coming out a little later than I originally planned, truth is I got caught up in a few other pieces from the VK In Progress series and I got really invested in them so this fic took a bit of a backseat but I'm on it again so here we go! In case this wasn't clear from the previous chapter, Zero is still a vampire, I decided to keep it because I thought it would make the dynamics more interesting. I also talked about a formal trigger warning from the last chapter and that still reigns true! So! Trigger warning! This chapter contains graphic depictions of violence, suicidal actions, and lots of angst! If those things don't sit well with you then please keep yourself safe and either don't read those sections (they will be marked) or you can skip this chapter and I will give a general recap at the beginning of chapter 12 to catch you up. I don't know if I will be able to get out chapter 12 before the end of December, I will do my best to try I promise but holidays are a big deal with both of my families and I will be doing a fair amount of traveling to spend time with them. But, as I said, I will do my best to get out chapter 12 fairly soon after this one since I do leave you off on a cliffhanger (sorry). If you haven't kept up with the VK In-Progress series there are some new fun ones I have in my works that I've been thinking about posting so you might want to check out the last three chapters and let me know which ones you'd like to see. As always thank you so much for reading, I appreciate all of you that are leaving comments, following, or just giving this thing a hit and I hope you enjoy!~Len

Ch. 11: Turned

Initially he decided it was best to let a few days pass before he approached the hunter again, partly because he wasn't sure how to talk to him but also because he wasn't ready to get yelled at again. Zero had taken to actively avoiding him after their argument and refused to answer if he was called on by the pureblood. Now it was going on day three and Kaname was becoming worried, logically he knew there had to be a source of Zero's anger and he needed to find it quickly before someone got hurt. So here he was, outside his door, hoping this would go better than he assumed it would. Two knocks were all the warning he gave before entering the room, Zero was home for the night but refused to come out of his room. Kaname wasn't surprised to find him curled in bed, facing away from the door, staring blankly at the wall. "Zero," he started but realized he didn't know what to say next. The boy didn't turn to face him but he curled up a little tighter, was he angry? Afraid? Either possibility made Kaname's heart lurch. Opting for a more physical approach he closed the door gently behind him and gently padded over to the boy's bed. Sitting on the opposite side so they didn't touch he sighed audibly this time. "You don't have to speak, but I want you to listen." there was no response so he took that as an okay to continue. "The night class took you in because we were asked to and initially I didn't want to outside of the fact that I thought Yuuki would be in danger by having you in Cross' home. I realize that was an incorrect way of thinking, I want to protect both of you as much as possible but I can't do that if you don't let me. Do you understand, Zero?" he wasn't sure when but at some point, the younger had scooted closer to him but he still didn't speak. Kaname wasn't sure he was getting through to him as much as he wanted. Silence stretched between the two, Kaname had said all he needed to so he supposed it was best to leave but Zero spoke before he began to stand up.

"Protection should go to more than just us," it sounded like a quote or even a mantra to Kaname, likely one Zero had heard many times. "My parents taught me to protect those around me...I don't want to hurt anyone. Not again." he mumbled, Kaname smiled a bit at the confession. He may be a strong hunter but at times the pureblood wondered if Zero truly wanted to be in such a role. The boy had a soft heart when it came to others, the more time he spent watching the fifteen-year-old the more he realized how much he didn't want to step on toes or hurt others on purpose. He figured it was from being an older brother and losing Ichiru in such a way likely made him feel as though he was subjecting others to the same painful fate. Slipping his shoes off he lay on the bed next to the younger, running a hand through his hair as he had seen Takuma and the others do many times.

"You won't, I trust your ability and so does everyone else here. You are not a danger to us, we can talk to Cross about making some arrangements so you don't have to spend as much time in the day class. And...if you think it is necessary or it would make you feel better, there is a possibility we can get you some proper training." he wanted Zero to feel safe, not just with them but with himself, it was not easy being a hunter of his caliber at this age without a mentor and Kaname felt partially responsible for that. One could not trust themselves if they felt like they were going to kill others by accident. Weaker beings such as humans weren't targets but they were fragile and could get hurt easily even with only a fraction of power from a vampire or skilled hunter. The situation at the elementary school was enough of a shock to the child that he became warier of humans than he was beforehand. Knowing he could damage them just as easily as a level E was a hard burden to carry. The nod he received was enough of a confirmation that Kaname had assumed correctly about the reason for Zero's odd behavior and he hoped he put the younger at ease for now. However, now he had the task of finding Zero a mentor that was willing, one that he and the nobles approved of, and wasn't going to be a threat to him. Not the easiest task he had ever given himself but if it was for Zero he would do it.

"Is this really a good idea?" the question hung, frustration and exasperation clearly evident in Takuma's eyes as he addressed the pureblood again. They were all tired, the conversation about Zero getting mentored having gone on for the last two and a half hours already. They were exploring every 'what if' situation that could occur and the more they did so the more worried the nobles were becoming. Kaname himself was unsure if this was a good idea or not, there were too many scenarios with less than favorable outcomes but again he remembered the conversation he had with the young hunter. He couldn't deny Zero and this ultimately wasn't about the vampires at all.

"Yes, I believe it is our only option moving forward, he is a hunter and we can't ignore his wishes to be trained as such." he answered, he knew it wouldn't please everyone in the room but the choice was hardly theirs. Looking over the files Seiren had gathered of the active elite hunters he rested on that of Yagari Touga, he had been Zero's mentor once before and a former family friend of the Kiryuus which was comforting but the man was less than favorable to interact with. Not one he would want to meet on a bad day, vampire or not. There was a possibility he would resent the boy, there was a possibility he would refuse in order to protect his status among the association elites. 'On the other hand...he is the most qualified for this job, if he agrees Zero would be in safe hands.' Kaname sighed, head connecting with the back of his chair for a few moments. "Call Cross, if we are going to do this with him we are going to need a third party to mediate the conversation," he ordered someone, he wasn't even sure who, he had a headache and wanted this to be over. Dismissing the rest of the nobles with a vague hand gesture he stood and made his way downstairs, a glass of merlot sounded divine right now.

Cross arrived at their door the following Friday evening while Zero was out on patrol with Yuuki, he wasn't sure if it was fate-planned coincidence or luck that the pureblood wanted to speak to him about Zero's future. On the other hand, the third party that was due to arrive was not going to make this conversation an easy or joyful one. He would at least try to stay optimistic, it was no secret that Touga cared for both the Kiryuu boys when they were children, he hoped that hadn't gone away after so many years. "Kaien-san it's good to see you, thank you for coming." Takuma greeted him at the door as per usual but Kaien could see he was muted compared to normal, stress and worry clearly taking their toll.

"Thank you, Takuma-kun, I assume Touga will be here soon..." he mentally winced at the way the blond's eyes darkened at the mention of the elite hunter but he immediately brushed it off and gave the headmaster a tight smile before directing him to the pureblood's office. The others were waiting already, various displeased looks all around save for Kaname himself who remained as emotionless as possible while they greeted each other.

"Before Yagari-san gets here, I believe it's best we go over some of the details as to why this is happening outside of the obvious," he began once the ex-hunter had taken a seat. "This is not something I would necessarily approve of, however, it was at Zero's request that he be trained formally and I can't ignore that considering his background." continuing quickly, he gauged Cross' reaction to the information he had received from Yuuki concerning Zero's behavior within the day class. Cross didn't seem surprised, nor could Kaname say he was concerned about it which was curious but not necessarily alarming.

"Zero has always been cautious, as you know part of it is due to his former home life, normal humans were not to be interacted with if it could be avoided is my understanding. I would argue that many hunters follow this rule in order to keep the general public safer, or at least that is the theory." Kaien informed once the pureblood was finished. "I'm afraid Touga will not aid much in changing that, but he is the most able hunter to teach someone of Zero's skill level. Even if his methods are less than desirable at times. If training is what is needed to put him at ease then I agree this is the best option, but Kaname-kun I do not believe it will solve all of the issues." he added, it was apparent the vampires were not entirely aware of the underlying issues Zero was having but he wasn't sure if he should be the one to break it to them. It was possible it could cause far more damage. Kaname opened his mouth to ask what exactly that meant but the door was pushed open by a very displeased Yagari Touga.

'Christ,' Shiki barely kept himself from shrinking behind Takuma at the window when the man walked in. If he thought the man was intimidating on a piece of paper he may as well have walked out of a nightmare in person. Long jet-black hair cascaded down his back, half his face was covered by an eyepatch while the other was illuminated only around the narrowed silver eye that dared anyone to challenge his authority. He made no effort to conceal the long shotgun he carried at his side, whether you saw it or not wouldn't matter if he decided to kill you. His coat emphasized broad, toned shoulders and Shiki assumed if it wasn't there the man's muscle mass would be obvious under his shirt. The most alarming part of the man however wasn't what they could see, it was what they could feel. Raw power level is not normally apparent when you come in contact with a hunter, only those with the capabilities or the born-gift of magic could make it known without the aid of a weapon or charms. Shiki wasn't sure which one Touga was but if his normal magic presence could make the ground vibrate and windows rattle he didn't want to know what the man was capable of when he was trying to be intimidating. 'This was our best option to send Zero with?' he would have paled, if that was possible, at the idea of Zero being anything close to this man. The only ones that didn't seem to be affected by his aura were Cross and Kaname, the latter however was preparing for a challenge from him.

"Touga! I didn't expect you to get here so soon! Welcome, welcome! It's been quite a while since I've seen you." Cross started in order to break the tension-filled silence, all but bouncing out of his chair to meet the stoic elite.

"Why am I here, Cross," his voice dark, rough, sent shivers up Aido's spine. Touga's eye never left the pureblood in front of him nor did he take a seat even after Kaien had gestured for him to.

"Well, as I briefly mentioned, we wanted to talk about Zero-kun. He's fifteen and while his skills have always been apparent he asked Kaname-kun for some formal training, obviously, vampires can't provide that and you were the last one to work with him so..." the blond trailed, he truly wasn't sure what kind of reaction he should be expecting, Touga had always been a bit rougher than most elites.

"Where is the brat." he demanded, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter much to Kaien's displeasure. Some habits apparently never changed. He held his tongue, this time, they still needed his agreement to train Zero first.

"He's on patrol with Yuuki-chan right now, though he should be done in about twenty minutes." Kaien frowned when the elite loaded and cocked his gun, unsure of what he was going to do. Attempting to guess what Touga was thinking was out of his ability range he had long learned. He lit his cigarette, putting the rest back in his pocket, and slung the gun over his shoulder. Finger already on the trigger prompting even Cross to move out of the way.

"You let him live with a bunch of leeches for seven years and expect he can jump back into hunter training?" he scoffed but continued before there was protest about his language toward the vampires. "If he survives, he is trainable." was all the man gave while walking out, uncaring of the shocked expressions he was leaving behind. Kaname was prepared to go after him, eyes blazing that the man dared put Zero in danger, however, he was stopped by Cross before he could get to the door.

"Wait, Kaname-kun, as much as I hate to say it you have to trust his process. Zero will be alright, I can assure you that if Touga believed there was no chance he wouldn't be here. He also knows Zero's abilities far better than the rest of us. Please, sit, we just have to wait this out." internally he was praying he was right, it was not usual for the Kiryuu family to trust outsiders, Touga was the once exception so he would need to trust him just the same. Kaname didn't look like he believed him but eventually nodded in defeat. He couldn't help that his heart rate picked up when he felt hunter magic accumulate at the far end of campus.

*Trigger warning applies from here on out*

Zero numbly walked along the forest's edge, he knew there weren't any humans out which he was thankful for but at the same time, it made walking around kind of pointless. With a sigh he stopped leaning against a dying sakura he stared blankly into the night sky. The moon was beautiful, it was all around a nice evening, his hand absently brushed against the cold metal of Bloody Rose leading him to wonder again what he should do. He was bitten, he was going to turn into a vampire...well, no, he was going to turn into a level E to be exact. And then? He would likely be executed just like other fallen humans or hunters. 'What goes through your head before you die?' he wondered, it wasn't the first time he had thought about it. Since he was going to die he didn't feel like it was abnormal to wonder such things. Would he feel it? He had shot vampires before, some of them screamed but others didn't. Which one would he be? How much pain would he go through if any? Closing his eyes he remembered a scene that still haunted him from time to time. He was seven at the time, accompanying his father and former master on a hunt. They were tracking a level E and ended up outside of town, when the chase ended he remembered staring into the face of a boy. Older than him by at least six years. Hair muddy, thin, shaking, he was so scared of them.

"Just kill me, please, just kill me! I can't, I can't! Kill me!" he became hysterical, clawing at his neck until he cut through his skin. Trails of blood trickled from his throat as he screamed at them. Over and over he repeated the same thing. Zero's breath caught, he expected a level E to be insane, unable to hold a conversation or think clearly. Unaware of what they were doing. But this boy, he wasn't wrapped up in the insanity of blood lust. He was just suffering.

'Is that what I'm going to end up as?' Zero asked himself, he didn't have the answer. His heart pounded in his ears, breath tightening in his chest until he felt like it was choking him. Was he scared? Scared of dying? No, death wasn't scary. He had seen death. He was scared of what was to become of him before he died. That was more accurate.

"Please!" the voice of the boy morphed into his own cry, the scene had changed, he was standing in front of a woman with his arms out as his master pointed a gun in her direction. He knew her, she couldn't be a vampire, she couldn't hurt them.

"That's not a human anymore brat, get out of the way." his master's voice was commanding but there was something abnormal in it. Sorrow. He was hurting. At the time he couldn't comprehend what was happening, as if the world was moving in slow motion he barely felt Touga pull him into his chest, the woman had lunged at him from behind. He turned just enough to see her claws rake through his master's face as the gun went off. Before she was turned to dust Zero saw her smile, the honest land kind one he was always used to.

"Thank you," she whispered as her body gave way to ash. She was relieved that she wasn't a danger anymore.

'Does death provide that much relief?' he was confused, he didn't think about it much before but then again he wasn't facing an inevitable end back then. He was able to forget about his actions. And now? What was the next course of action he was supposed to take? If he took his own life was that better than letting someone else do it? 'Can I do it?' he wasn't sure, staring at the gun he had put his life in the hands of countless times he felt a sense of weird comfort. He would feel better if she was the one to kill him. He didn't even need to replace her bullets in order to shoot himself. Unlatching the safety feature, he caressed her soft metal barrel. It was a bit awkward to point a gun at yourself, his hand wasn't used to twisting this way but eventually, he found a good hold. 'Deep breath,' he reminded himself. Just like the first time he learned how to shoot a gun, it was his father's pistol that he had taken an immediate interest in. The familiar click sounded in his ears, she was ready, so was he. He fired.

A/N: Well this chapter was fun, a little on the heavy side but I think it balances well. I had a lot of lovely fluff in the first 9 chapters so it's time to really get into the pain and agony that I love to bring onto these characters time and time again. As always, thank you so much to everyone reading, I really appreciate it, if you weren't able to read the end of this chapter because of triggers I apologize but I will catch you up with a brief and not as brutal summary at the beginning of chapter 12. Other than that it's time I start thinking about how I want to wrap this up, do we want relationships? Do we want to keep it as a family fic? I know I've asked this before but that was in the beginning when I feel like I didn't have a real plan so I wanted to check in and see what you all think now that we're a bit deeper into the story and you've been able to see the relationships play out. Please let me know in the comments, PM emails are finally coming back hopefully by the end of next week and I'm so happy about that you have no idea. Please feel free to chat with me! I love hearing what you have to say. As always, have a wonderful night/day or whatever time zone you're in, and remember to keep writing, keep reading, and live creative. Until Next Time! ~Len