A/N: And the new chapter is here. Hardly anything exciting, but I still hope that you'll be able to enjoy it even a little bit.

On a side note, I need to concentrate on writing the next chapter of 'Eternity', and even though I do plan to continue working on this story whenever the opportunity arises, I really don't think that I'll be able to update it next weekend. Sorry for that, guys *bows deeply*

Thank you all for reading and reviewing and adding this story to your Favs and Alerts lists! You totally made my day here *nods*

And you know the drill. Disclaimer, warnings and everything else remain the same. All mistakes are mine.

Please enjoy! :D

Chapter 6: Just Another Evening

"Is that what I think it is?" Aidou asked, blinking down at Zero's companion.

Zero raised an eyebrow at the blond. "What do you think it is?"

Aidou frowned. "Kaname-sama's familiar?"

Zero's lips quirked up in an amused smile. "Why so unsure, genius?"

Aidou's frown deepened in offended disgruntlement. "You're insulting my intellect again, aren't you?"

Zero blinked, feigning innocent surprise. "What could possibly give you that impression?"

Aidou flushed in frustration. And embarrassment. And more frustration.

Damn that annoying, selfish, arrogant, sly, uncooperative omega jerk!

Aidou honestly didn't know how his precious leader could put up with such an individual, not to mention have him as his mate. He was just…just…Argh! He couldn't even find the word strong enough to express just how impossibly annoying the stupid hunter was!

But then again, Aidou thought with a mental huff, a little calmer now, it was Kaname-sama, the most gracious, kind and patient person in the world. Surely it shouldn't come as a surprise that he could look past one's horrendous flaws and grace even someone as insufferable as Zero with his love.

Huffing, Aidou crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin. "I'm not going to fall for your stupid provocation."

"Oh?" Zero raised an eyebrow, secretly amused. That was a new response from the usually quick-tempered unlikely alpha. "Interesting," he remarked, a small smirk curling his lips. "I certainly would like to see you try."

Another huff left Aidou. "I won't just try, I will succeed," he announced, puffing out his chest with a proud smile. "And I will enjoy watching that stupid smirk get wiped off your pretty face!" he finished, pointing his finger challengingly at Zero.

Zero's brows rose at the exclamation. He blinked, taken aback for a second, then burst into laughter.

Aidou could only stare, stupefied. Once again, Zero's reaction wasn't what he had expected — or hoped — to get at all. It was frustrating, to say the least.

Suddenly, a growl sounded, successfully bringing Aidou out of his daze and distracting his attention to Zero's furry companion. One that, for some reason, didn't look pleased. At all.

Aidou involuntarily flinched, resisting the urge to shrink under the black wolf's stern gaze. Even though it was only a familiar, it certainly had its master's air around it. And it had Kaname's glare mastered to perfection.

Another growl came. Aidou gulped.

"Hey, play nice now," Zero scolded lightly, his face alive with mirth as he looked down at the wolf and petted its head. "You're scaring our genius friend here."

"Wh-wha-?" Aidou spluttered, his face reddening. "I'm not scared!" he protested hotly.

"You were just now," Zero remarked, his eyes once again on Aidou while his fingers continued stroking the black wolf's silky fur.

"I wasn't!"

Zero smirked at the other's predictability.

Aidou's blush darkened. He knew he was on his way to losing this battle, but he couldn't help himself when he insisted, "I was not!"

Zero snorted, clearly unconvinced. "Easy there, Aidou. Don't forget you're supposed to try not to 'fall for my provocation'," he reminded the blond, then added with a wider smirk, "For once."

"Argh, that's it! Bring out your weapons, you bastard! I'll-"

"Hanabusa," a third voice joined the conversation, followed by a loud smack on Aidou's head. That certainly was enough to divert the blond's indignation. "Calm down, you idiot."

Aidou nursed the back of his head and turned to his assailant. "What was that for, Akatsuki?!" he demanded angrily. "Are you trying to give me a concussion?!"

The tall fiery-haired newcomer known as Kain Akatsuki, Aidou's cousin and keeper of sorts, narrowed his eyes down at the blond menace of his life and scolded in a harsh whisper, "Are you trying to get your head chewed off?"

"Huh?! What in the world are you…" Aidou trailed off, frowning at the meaningful look and the subtle jerk of the head given to him by his cousin. His gaze turned to whatever it was Kain apparently wanted him to see, only to land on the black wolf anew. He blanched, involuntarily stiffening and straightening up. His cousin was right. His precious, brilliant, not to mention extremely handsome head was going to get chewed off — and quite literally, too, if the murderous stare his leader's familiar was giving him was anything to go by.

Fleetingly, Aidou wondered just how painful his untimely demise would be, already steeling himself for the inevitable, when the main source of his unending frustration drew the canine's attention to himself once more.

"Hey, what did I say?" Zero asked in a fondly scolding manner as his hand returned to the wolf's head and stroked it gently.

The canine leaned happily into the touch, seeming to completely forget about its irritation, and just like that, every bit of its murderous intent from before was gone.

Aidou stared in bewilderment, undeniably conflicted by the sight.

Was that really the same wolf that had looked like it had been about to maim him only seconds ago? If he didn't know any better, he would have thought the canine before him was just an overgrown pet dog! What had that stupid Kiryuu done with its brilliant fierceness?!

'Ugh, but then again…'

Aidou felt an involuntary shudder run through him at the memory of the murderous gaze previously directed at him.

He supposed he was glad it wasn't there anymore, so maybe, just maybe, the annoying hunter wasn't that terrible after all.

"Play nice and don't bully him too much," Zero continued with a soft smile that morphed into a smirk the moment his eyes turned to Aidou as he added, "That is my favorite pastime right now."

Aidou bristled. Just when his opinion of the other had started to sort of improve a bit, the jerk just had togo and say something like that!

"You-!"

"Hanabusa," Kain hissed warningly with another smack upside his cousin's head.

Aidou winced, groaning. His hand rose to rub the back of his head as he shot his cousin an accusing glare. Kain gave him another painfully meaningful look, in response to which Aidou only huffed.

"Whatever," he said with a childish pout.

Zero snorted at the sight.

Aidou glared at the silver-haired hunter, but held his tongue, letting out another huff instead.

"Anyway," he started dismissively after a short while of silence, "what is it even doing here? Kaname-sama never releases it indoors."

Zero raised an eyebrow at the way Aidou referred to his little furry companion.

"'It' is a 'he'," he corrected pointedly before continuing with a shrug, "and hell if I know. Guess Kaname decided to make an exception."

"Which probably has something to do with my presence," another voice sounded, attracting everyone's eyes to its owner.

"Ri-Rido-sama!" Aidou exclaimed, surprised to see the pureblood.

"You're still here," Zero observed matter-of-factly.

"As you can see," Rido said as he proceeded into the room to join the group. "Aren't you delighted?"

Zero shrugged. "Not really. You're annoying."

Aidou sputtered indignantly some distance away from them, but was merrily ignored.

Rido feigned hurt. "How cold. And here I thought we took to each other so well."

Zero's eyes narrowed. Kaname's familiar beside him growled and bared his teeth at Rido when the older man sat on the couch on the other side of the hunter. Zero petted the wolf's head, successfully pacifying him for the time being.

"You thought wrong," he replied evenly, then scowled in irritation. "And keep this," he slapped Rido's hand on his shoulder away before Kaname's familiar could bite it off, "to yourself, or I'll shoot your ass."

Rido chuckled, smirking. "You only promise. Such a tease." Undeterred, he reached out his hand again, this time to play with a few strands of silver hair.

Zero moved his head away, his scowl darkening. "Goddammit, the hell is your-"

He never got to finish his sentence, as all of a sudden, a heavy presence filled the room, and in flew Kaname, immediately becoming the focus of everyone's undivided attention.

Snorting as he regarded his very evidently incensed nephew, Rido raised his hands in a sign of surrender that could hardly look genuine with his wide smirk never leaving his face.

Without saying a word, Kaname glowered at his uncle, then briskly strode toward Zero and, pulling the hunter by the hand to his feet, swiftly led him out of the room and away from his annoyingly persistent — not to mention handsy and overly flirtatious — relative.

Zero breathed a long sigh, feeling his mate's foul mood and already knowing it would take a lot of time and effort on his part to make it better.

But oh, well... Zero gave a mental shrug and squeezed his alpha's hand tighter.

Spending extra alone time with Kaname certainly didn't sound like a bad idea.

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-to be continued-

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