A/N: And I'm back with you for a bit. I'm still writing next chapters of this story along with the next chapter of 'Eternity' and more oneshots, but I decided to give you a little something before returning to RL starting tomorrow. You know, today being the last day of weekend and the first chapter being so short and all that. So here I am.

Thank you for your positive response to the previous chapter! All your favs and alerts truly mean a lot, and your reviews never fail to put a smile on my face, so, really and truly, thank you *bows*

Disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine, and I apologize for them in advance.

Please enjoy and don't hesitate to share your thoughts ;D

Chapter 2: Getting Familiar

"You wield a sword, don't you?"

Takuma gave a small start at the familiar voice, quickly turning around to face its owner who was standing in the doorframe of his room. "Zero-kun," he smiled, "what brings you here?"

"I need a sparring partner. Preferably someone who is good with a sword," Zero answered.

"Eh?" Takuma blinked in surprise. "But…why me?"

Zero shrugged. "Why not?"

"Uh, what about Kaname?"

"What about him?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

Zero scowled. "I did. He held back on me, that bastard."

Takuma couldn't help chuckling at that. "I imagine he would. There is no way he could hurt someone he loves."

Zero huffed. "As if I would get hurt so easily." He tried to seem annoyed, but the slight reddening of his cheeks betrayed how he truly felt. "That idiot, showing unnecessary restraint…" he mumbled under his breath.

Takuma had to suppress another chuckle, undeniably amused by Zero's display of disgruntled embarrassment. He couldn't help it; it was kind of cute.

"Anyway," Zero resumed speaking, returning his temporarily distracted attention to Takuma. "Kaname will be of no use, and you seem to be the only other person who actually knows how to use a sword here, so I'll have you practice with me."

A hearty laugh escaped the blond as he shook his head in something akin to fond exasperation. "Do I even have a say in the matter?" He already knew the answer to that question, but he still wanted to hear it.

"Not really," Zero answered without missing a beat while shifting his weight on one foot and folding his arms over his chest.

Takuma chuckled. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Then stop asking pointless questions and get your sword," Zero pretty much ordered, turning around to leave Takuma's room. "I'll be waiting in the west garden."

His ever-present smile never leaving his lips, Takuma only shrugged and went to fetch his sword.

-o-

"What were you planning to do if I refused?" Takuma asked as he came to stand in front of Zero at their meeting point.

"Would you have?"

"I might have."

Zero snorted. "You might have tried," he corrected, then shrugged. "Not that it would have made much difference to the outcome."

"Uh," Takuma sweatdropped, "what were you planning to do, Zero-kun?"

"Attack you and force you to fight me," Zero replied with a matter-of-fact shrug, as though stating the most obvious thing in the world. "What else?"

Takuma laughed nervously. "Guess I really have no choice, then."

"Exactly," Zero nodded. "Good to know you understand it."

"Um, Zero-kun, you do realize that Kaname will kill me if I put a single scratch on you, right?"

"Don't worry, he won't."

"But-"

"He won't have to," Zero elaborated, a confident smile slowly stretching his lips. "Because you won't be able to put a single scratch on me."

Takuma felt an involuntary shudder run through him, his inner alpha automatically responding to the challenge so openly thrown at him. His lips curled into a responding smile. "Is that a fact?"

Snorting, Zero teased, "What, did I offend your precious alpha pride?"

Takuma's smile widened, taking on a slightly darker edge. He was trying to hide it, but Zero's provocation was actually working; he did want to fight now — or rather, his alpha self did. But how could it not? Especially when challenged by an omega. It couldn't be helped; any alpha would want to show their superiority when challenged by someone that was supposed to be below them.

Zero's smile turned into a smirk. He could see the change in the other — and he could feel it too. It made him all the more eager to take Takuma on. "I see your motivation has grown," he remarked, then nodded. "Good."

Takuma chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose I have you to thank for that."

"Always welcome. Now…since we got that out of the way, let's start, shall we?" It wasn't a question, Zero already began assuming his fighting stance.

"Yeah," Takuma nodded, unsheathing his sword, "let's."

"Oh, but before that, one last thing."

"What is it?"

"Keep in mind that if you hold back on me, I will know, and I will kick your alpha ass to the moon and back then," Zero warned. "So do make sure to give me your best."

Takuma blinked, taken aback for a stunned moment. Then as Zero's words fully registered in his mind, he let out a quiet laugh and shook his head. "I suppose I have no choice, do I?"

"No, you really don't." Zero smirked again. "You ready?"

Takuma's eyes widened a fraction, his brows furrowed into a confused frown as a belated realization came to him. "Wait," the blond alpha said, a tad uncertain now, "where is your sword? You aren't going to do this barehand, are you?"

Zero's smirk stretched a little further. "Don't worry," he replied as his hand pushed his kimono aside to reveal the hunter daggers strapped snugly around his pale thigh. Takuma couldn't help blushing slightly at the sight, unwittingly staring for a long moment before forcing his gaze back to Zero's face. "I have everything I need on me at all times," Zero finished, pulling two daggers out of his scabbard — one for each hand.

"Y-you're joking, right?" Surely Zero wasn't about to fight him with just-

"Does it look like I am?"

He was. He totally was.

"But-"

"Stop doubting my abilities and raise your sword, Ichijou," Zero adjusted his stance, and Takuma automatically did the same, "lest you want to get yourself hurt."

Before Takuma could answer, Zero charged at him, and for the next couple of hours he was too busy countering the hunter's attacks to speak.

-o-

"You look content," Kaname remarked after observing his mate for a while.

Zero hummed, nodding, "Because I am."

"Mind sharing the reason?"

"I found myself a sparring partner." Zero shot Kaname a pointed look, momentarily remembering his previously forgotten annoyance with the pureblood. "Someone I can get to fight me seriously."

"Uh…" Kaname smiled sheepishly under Zero's stern gaze. "I take it you're still angry about that?"

Zero huffed, turning away.

Kaname approached and hugged him from behind. "Come now, don't be like that," he said, nuzzling Zero's neck. "I apologized, didn't I?"

Zero tried to keep up his disgruntled facade for longer, but couldn't. It was hard to stay annoyed with Kaname when he was holding him like that. He breathed a defeated sigh.

"Whatever," Zero relented with a small smile, leaning back against Kaname. "It was stupid of me to ask you in the first place."

Kaname hummed. "Exactly," he agreed with a nod.

Zero's eyes narrowed, turning to the pureblood. "Don't push it."

Kaname only chuckled and tightened his embrace before nuzzling his face against Zero's cheek, happy to be forgiven by his beloved.

.

-to be continued-

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A/N: I decided to answer one of my precious readers here since I can't message them directly like I usually do:

Mii, dear, to answer your questions: Yes and yes. They are and I so am x9 Pregnant Zero-chan will take up quite a few chapters, and there will even be some drama in there *muffufu* Nothing too major or overly serious, though, so no worries ;D