Ren-sama's Note:

I want to thank the people who read the last chapter and those who read it and reviewed! Thanks a lot to all of you, people~! Here's the next chapter! ᶺoᶺ

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Chapter 23

Zero and Aido went to the train's dining area and ordered some food before they went back to their compartment again.

After some hours, the train stopped to a small village station and Aido was just too glad he could walk on the ground again. The surrounding was already dark when they arrived, but the moon was nowhere in sight since the sky was covered in thick dark clouds. They were in the outskirt of a small village where the Level Es fed and they could see that most of the people were already inside their houses at this time. Forest surrounded the area but there was a meadow circling the entire village, separating it from the dark woods. The air felt very cold to their skin and they knew that it would definitely rain some time later. The blonde was about the inhale the fresh country air happily when his nose wrinkled in disgust at the foul smell.

"How horrid." He said with a muffled voice as he covered his nose. "Level Es are really–" But he stopped when he realized Zero was a Level D about to turn to Level E, or at least that's what he thought.

Zero smiled when he realized what Aido might be thinking. He actually appreciated Aido's concern for him but there was no need. He didn't feel offended about that anymore especially since it was Kaname and Cross who told him that he wasn't a Level D at all but a normal half-pureblood vampire with a hunter blood, if that was even called normal. He's not considered a Level D because he wasn't bitten by Rido. It was his mother who was bitten and he just happened to be in her womb at the time. Not to mention he was already half-human and half-pureblood vampire when he was conceived so he couldn't exactly be turned into a Level D anyway.

But really, now that Aido mentioned it, the scent was terribly horrible. He also thought that the scent he could smell right now was a lot more horrible than the last time he smelled Level Es. But did that mean there were just more of them now or was his sense of smell actually getting even more sensitive? "You're right. They do smell really bad."

"They're in the forest, aren't they?" Aido asked even though both of them already knew. "Are we going to start your mission now or do you have to do some hunter rituals and stuff?"

Zero shook his head. "No, there's no need for those things. We only plan ahead if there are many of us hunters and if we don't know the exact location of the enemies. But right now, we both know where they are not to mention how many of them are here. And we're both vampires too."

Aido's eyes widened a little at the fact that Zero just voiced out loud that he too was a vampire. He never thought the teen could already accept that fact without even a quiver in his voice. He couldn't help but smile as he nodded. "So, shall we hunt now?"

"We should." And just as Zero said that, the rain poured heavily and the air was filled with the scent of grasses and trees. The place should have been perfect for relaxation, but the horrible scent of rotting flesh was enough to make any vampire with a weak stomach throw up.

The two ran under the rain while they silently tracked the trails of Level Es in the area, not even minding the fact that they were already soaking wet. Zero felt bad for Aido since the guy basically had nothing to do with the mission and yet he was now getting rain-soaked instead of having class. But Aido's determined gaze prevented him from making any comment. They ran to opposite directions after some time and Zero used a silencer in his gun so he wouldn't disturb the townspeople. It was quiet with nothing but the rustling of leaves and the sound of heavy rain for a while but he knew that the Level Es were already aware of their presence.

And not a minute later, he felt three vampires approaching in his direction, all Level Es. At the same time, he felt Aido's calm aura in battle mode so he knew that the other vampire was also fighting now. He readied his gun and fired at the first vampire who approached him. He fired two more times and watched all the figures turn to dust and get washed away by the rain.

He just realized it now, but vampires were very pitiful creatures, especially Level Es. Everyone condemned them as hideous creatures shunned by both vampires and hunters. And yet, they couldn't do anything but follow their instinct to live and feed. And at the vampires' death, there wouldn't even be any evidence that they actually lived. They would immediately turn into dust and would be swept away by the air. There wouldn't even be any body to bury or to cry on to. There would only be dust, dirt on the face of the earth.

He fired two more shots when two more Level Es appeared before he ran in vampire speed to where he could feel more enemies. He stopped when he neared a clearing and found out that there was actually a mansion so deep in the forest. It was huge and old, much like the mansion in his previous mission.

He decided to enter the place discretely while trying his best to hide his presence. He wasn't that good in those kinds of stuff but that didn't matter as long as he could get the job well done in the end. He felt Aido's presence also heading in the same direction and he felt assured that the blonde was safe. He started firing when several Level Es suddenly decided to jump at him when he opened the door leading to the living room. They all turned into dust even before they hit the ground.

He continued firing at level Es as he walked in the middle of the living room. He felt surrounded and his hunter alarm couldn't help but blare in warning. He fired at two vampires just as two other vampires jumped at him from behind. He spun swiftly but they were swifter for they were moving based only on instinct. Zero really thought he would get clawed or bitten and he felt his heart thump loudly in nervousness when the two vampires suddenly burst into flames the moment they touched him.

All the other Level Es walked backwards and some of them immediately fled from the place, also based on instinct. Zero watched in utter shock and disbelief as the two vampires turned to dust not because of his gun but because of something he couldn't even fathom. Did that mean… that he actually has the power to create fire just as Aido could make and control ice?

The whole room suddenly turned a lot colder just as all Level Es turned to ice before they shattered into tiny million pieces. "That was… shocking." Zero immediately turned around only to find Aido looking at him with eyes as wide as his. "Kiryuu, I didn't know you have the ability to control fire like Akatsuki." It seemed he was the one who froze the vampires.

"I don't…" He said as his gaze turned to the ashes on the floor and the fire that still kept on languidly eating what remained of the dust. "It's all just… an accident…"

Aido realized that Zero probably wasn't aware of the fact that the fire burst out from his body earlier. The blonde saw the whole thing and he could confidently say that that was purely Zero's power. But seeing the hunter's shocked expression held him back from saying anything forceful. "Do you… hate it, that power?"

"W-What?" Zero looked at him in confusion and a little fear before he shook his head vehemently. "No, I don't have that kind of power… I never had that kind of power…"

"Don't worry." Aido smiled kindly. "I was shocked too when I first learned I could control ice. It was a horrible experience for me since I kind of covered all my playmates in ice at that time."

Zero smiled a tad before he worriedly looked at his hands. "I… I hate fire." And Aido knew exactly why. Because of that incident ten years ago… He knew he wouldn't be able to tell Zero to feel otherwise, but he still thought it was saddening that the hunter was afraid of a part of his own identity.

The hunter was fearful at the fact that he couldn't control it and it just burst any person who threatened him into flames. He was afraid he would hurt someone sooner or later with that kind of uncontrollable and raw power…

"Kiryuu, you can't control it only because you're rejecting its existence." Aido voiced when he felt the dreadful aura surrounding the hunter. "Your power will always reflect what's in your heart. It reacted earlier and protected you when you instinctually wanted to protect yourself from them."

"…There were other Level Es who escaped earlier. We should chase after them." Zero said after a while of silence. After that, he started walking ahead without waiting for Aido and the latter couldn't help but sigh. He knew that Zero was much too disturbed about everything and he didn't want to force the hunter to accept his power. He knew that Zero would be able to come to terms with it eventually, but for now, the mere fact that Zero was already aware of its existence was enough.

They both finished the mission successfully and Zero felt that their travel time was a lot longer than the time they finished the mission.

They waited for an hour before a train arrived at the station and the people inside the train stared at their soaking wet forms. They once again sat in a first class compartment and traveled in silence as exhaustion took its toll on their bodies.

Both of them were still exhausted from the festival yesterday and both still haven't slept since then for different reasons. And now they just went to some remote place and hunted down a hoard of Level Es while soaking wet under the rain. Aido was tolerant of the cold because of his power, but he could see that Zero was really too exhausted now, not to mention cold.

"I'll make the staff deliver our food here." Aido voiced before he went out of their compartment, leaving Zero to his thoughts alone.

The hunter stared at his hands as he remembered how the two vampires burst into flames earlier. No, more than remembering, it's more like he couldn't get it out of his mind no matter how much he willed to. He remembered their surprised faces mirroring his own and he couldn't help but clasped his fingers tightly. So he did have that power… the power to destroy everything… He wondered how his father managed to control such an uncontrollable and destructive element as fire. Also… did it actually have to do with the tragedy that night ten years ago..?

He was also still a little unsure if he really has that kind of power, especially since it just started appearing now. Or maybe it just appeared now because now was the only time his vampire blood's seal was released… Was it like that then..?

Zero sighed as he stared at his clasped hands. He unclasped them and looked at the palm of his right hand before he closed his eyes. He tried to think of the feeling he had earlier and concentrated. If nothing happened, then he would treat everything as coincidence and shake it off his system. But if something happened…

Unfortunately, he felt warmth envelope his hand and he immediately opened his eyes to find his hand engulfed in fire. The color was different this time and he was actually stunned for a while, until reality hit him. The shock was enough to throw him off balance and he immediately did everything to put out the fire. And at that exact time, Aido opened the door.

"K-Kiryuu, what the hell are you doing?" He asked when he saw Zero gripping his right hand tightly with his soaking trench coat. The hunter was kneeling on the floor and seemed to be in a hurry before he was stopped by the door opening.

Zero shook his head before he looked at his hand again and saw that there wasn't any fire anymore. He sat on the chair and tried to calm himself down lest he wanted Aido to start his lecture about powers again.

"Our order will be given to us soon." Aido assured his companion. Zero only nodded.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Everything was being engulfed by fire and he couldn't do anything but scream in fright as all his loved ones were also devoured. He tried to reach for them but his whole body felt cold and frozen like a lifeless corpse and he could only watch in utter horror as they continued to scream out his name…

And his eyes opened wide as he reached out for them with his hand, only to realize he was staring at the ceiling of his own room. He was lying on his back in his bed, covered by a thick blanket up to his chest. He saw someone take his outstretched hand and he followed that arm with his gaze until he saw who it belonged to. "Kaname..?" He was mildly surprised to hear that his voice was hoarse. But he felt happy at the fact that the first person he saw when he woke up was the pureblood, despite the intense headache that continued to attack his senses. His whole body felt like it was burning and somehow, Kaname's exposed neck was very inviting.

Kaname actually looked surprised at the fact that Zero called him by name in front of everyone, but he nevertheless smiled at his hunter. "You were having a nightmare. You should rest more, Zero. You have a high fever." He was sitting at a chair near the head of the bed and he's been taking care of Zero ever since he learned of the hunter's condition.

Zero blinked in confusion before his memories returned. Cross was waiting for them at the station when they came back from the mission, but all he did was collapse the moment they got off the train. He felt so hot it's like his whole body was on fire. And yet he also felt so cold he thought he was freezing. He remembered Aido and Cross's worried voices. And that's all. But now that he woke up, he knew that his condition was far from being a normal fever.

He could feel it… There's something terribly hot squirming inside him, wanting to get out. And he didn't like it…

It's… scary…

"I'm sorry, Kiryuu. I'm really sorry." Zero followed where the voice came from and saw Aido standing at a corner, obviously shunned by Kaname from ever taking a step near the hunter. The blonde looked worried enough and he even looked tearful.

"I'm fine…" His eyebrows creased a little at the fact that he could barely speak loud enough for others to hear. "Thank you for accompanying me there… Aido…"

"You should've brought an extra clothing with you, you idiot. And now you have a fever." Yuzuru's face appeared from the silver-haired teen's line of vision together with Cross. His senpai looked more worried than usual. "We were really scared when Cross went back with you out cold and all."

Zero nodded, eyebrows still creased. He was still a little out of it to actually retort about the comment. He looked at Kaname again, or more particularly, at Kaname's neck. He groaned at the fact that he could feel his fangs throb at the sight.

"I think he's thirsty." Cross voiced worriedly, more to Kaname than to Zero even though he's looking at the teen.

Instead of being surprised, however, Kaname only smiled and held Zero's hand tighter. That action caught the silver-haired hunter's attention and he just realized now that he was still holding Kaname's hands. Or rather, it was Kaname holding his hand.

Zero could only look at the people circling the bed while his attention kept on turning back to the hand holding his own. If he weren't already flushed, he knew he'd be blushing because of Kaname's warmth. Kaname's warm palm was very relaxing, not to mention it made him feel better. He felt that with Kaname there, there was no way his power would suddenly go out of control in this very room.

"How long am I out..?" He asked in a mere whisper. He had no strength to even get up and the mere strength he had to force out of himself just to be able to talk was really taxing.

"You went back here yesterday night. A whole 24 hour period has passed since then." Yuzuru answered.

"Can… Can I talk to Aido..?" Zero asked again, his weary amethyst eyes searching for blonde hair among the crowd since the other vampire was not in his earlier place anymore.

"I'm here." Aido's face immediately appeared from his line of vision and Zero took his time to close his eyes first, feeling terribly exhausted, before he opened them again.

Aido could feel his guilt eating at him from the inside out and he didn't know what to do. He had yet to tell Kaname and the others about what really happened since he didn't know if Zero would appreciate that. But seeing Zero's face contorted in pain was enough to sway his resolve. He wanted to tell everyone that the reason why Zero was in pain was probably because of his power running wild inside him. But even without exchanging any words, he immediately saw the plea in the hunter's eyes. Zero didn't want him to tell anyone… Aido tearfully smiled and nodded. "I understand." And Zero relaxed after that, a look of gratitude appeared on his feature.

Now it was Aido's turn to gulp in nervousness, seeing that all eyes in the room immediately turned to him asking silently about that earlier exchange. He looked at Kaname apologetically since the pureblood was waiting for him to explain. He managed to breathe a little better when Kaname nodded, indicating he understood. Yuzuru, on the other hand, wouldn't have left the topic alone if it weren't for Cross's gentle hand on his shoulder.

Not a second after, the door to Zero's room opened gently before Yuuki's face peered from the doorway. "Is he awake now?" Her voice was a mere whisper, afraid that she might wake Zero up from his rest.

Cross nodded. "Come in, Yuuki."

The girl smiled at everyone before her face fell at the sight of Zero in pain. Kaname was holding his hand and she knew that it's making her friend feel better. But besides that, there was nothing to comfort him at all. "Uhmm… shouldn't we… let him rest more..?" She feared the fact that Zero appeared so weak right now. She didn't want her strong friend to be like that at all.

"I think that's a good idea." Cross answered kindly before he put his hand on his daughter's shoulder and lead her outside. He stopped for a while before he looked at Kaname. "You're going to continue taking care of him, right?" Kaname merely nodded and gave Cross a kind smile. The older male beamed in return before he left with Yuuki. Yuzuru followed quietly, although reluctantly, before looking over his shoulder.

"You should rest well, idiotic kouhai." He voiced before he too disappeared.

"Should I go to class now and tell them you won't be able to go, Kaname-sama?" Aido asked respectfully. Kaname merely gave him a nod before he too was gone.

In all those exchange, Zero merely watched. He didn't think he looked that awful to everybody. Well, he also felt awful right now but he was sure it wasn't that bad… or at least that's what he hoped.

The feeling of a warm hand on Zero's burning forehead woke him up from his musings. "Don't worry too much about things. I'll take care of you." The brunette's cool and reassuring voice made him feel even warmer inside.

"Kaname…" He voiced quietly.

"I wish you'd call me like this once in a while." Kaname chuckled before he placed a kiss on the hunter's forehead. "I love you, Zero. So you better get well soon."

"What's with that..?" Zero tried to scowl but he realized he could only pout at this moment. Kaname thought that it was so cute and chuckled again. "Don't laugh at me…"

"I'm not. I'm just happy you have the energy to scowl at me again." Kaname said as he brushed the strands of hair out of the hunter's face. "Are you thirsty?" He asked with utter gentleness and Zero felt like crying from the sudden swell of emotions inside him. He didn't trust his voice so he merely nodded his answer.

Kaname kissed the hunter's forehead again before he stood up and started unbuttoning his gray long sleeves. He dropped the clothing unceremoniously on the floor before he climbed on the bed, kneeling on all fours on top of Zero. He smirked a little when he saw how Zero's cheeks colored at the action. He gently supported Zero's frame into a sitting position just as he knelt in front of the hunter. Zero could only hold Kaname's arms in support since he didn't have the strength to sit on his own yet.

The pureblood maneuvered their bodies so he was sitting while the hunter was sitting on his lap, legs straddling him. He couldn't help but think of some indecent things because of the suggestive position, but he wasn't the type to exploit his beloved's weakness just because he was feeling horny at the moment. He gently held Zero's head and guided the hunter's mouth towards his neck while trying to calm himself.

Zero looked at the brunette suspiciously, thinking of how perverted Kaname was and how he might be thinking something perverted at the moment, before he sighed in contentment at the scent of the pureblood. He rested his mouth on Kaname's neck as he closed his eyes. How he missed this scent… He opened his eyes again before he kissed the part where he would sink his fangs into.

Kaname was a little surprised at the action but he was nevertheless happy. Zero was really too lovable for his own good… He soothed and also encouraged the hunter by brushing his fingers on Zero's hair, wanting him to relax more. "Drink as much as you want." He whispered as he inclined his head more.

Zero merely nodded, eyes turning into glowing crimsons as he licked Kaname's neck. He couldn't help but groan as he sucked at the skin without sinking his fangs first. He managed to make some prominent marks here and there before he decided to slowly sink his throbbing fangs in creamy flesh. The immediate rush of blood in his mouth made him groan again before he sucked more.

Kaname closed his eyes as he listened to the sound of Zero gulping down his blood. It was making him feel so thoroughly pleasured. Not to mention the way the hunter sucked his blood was very sensual. He was proud of his ability to control his bodily reactions, but he knew he wouldn't last if this kind of sweet torture continued. He could already feel his nether region reacting and he knew that Zero might feel disgusted if the latter felt it. But he didn't want to suddenly tell the hunter to stop. He wouldn't be able to say that to Zero.

Zero's thirst slowly faded and was replaced with a feeling of contentment as he continued drinking. "Kaname…" He whispered with a lisp as his fangs slowly withdrew. But he remained in his position lest he wanted to fall on his sides. He could feel his body being rejuvenated but his strength wasn't quite there yet. "Thank you…" He said with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Kaname chuckled when he heard the embarrassed but genuine words from the hunter. He chuckled even louder when he heard the soft growl from Zero. He hugged the teen tightly as he kissed the latter's neck. "…Zero, I want to ask you something."

Zero's eyebrows creased at the sudden change in the pureblood's tone. He looked at Kaname and saw that the brunette was wearing a serious expression. "What..?"

Kaname helped him lay back on the bed and also heaved a deep sigh before the brunette talked again. "…Do you want to be my mate?" Zero blinked, the idea not sinking yet, before his eyes totally widened. Kaname immediately tried to support his question with several reasons. "I know it might inconvenience you since you can only drink from me and vice versa. That's what the bond is for. I also know it might even disgust you since mates are supposed to be lovers having emotional, mental, and physical relationship. But I don't mind not receiving any of those from you. I just don't and won't want any other vampire or human to be my mate, Zero. I love only you. I want only you to share a bond with me for eternity."

And yet, Zero still remained frozen in bed, staring at the pureblood with wide eyes – obviously too shocked to make any heads or tails about the offer.

Kaname scowled at that. "At least say you don't want to if you're not interested. Stop being immobile, Zero." He couldn't help but feel disappointment at what he said. But if Zero really didn't want to, then he wouldn't be able to force the hunter. Maybe he was rushing things… Maybe this wasn't the right time… Or maybe, Zero just didn't see him like that…

"…N-No, I didn't say that…" Zero finally managed to recover from the shock. He willed himself not to blush from the brunette's serious confessions. "…But Kaname, are you sure about what you're saying? You said it yourself. Mates are supposed to be… your eternal lover or something, right? Even if I'm a vampire, I'm also a hunter. What if you're just making a mistake..?"

Kaname smiled at that. He lay on the bed beside Zero and looked at the ceiling. "The one who is most aware of my feelings is me, Zero. I know what I'm saying and I know what I'm feeling." He then looked sideways at Zero, who was also looking at him sideways. "I'm serious, Zero. I won't even talk about it to you if I haven't thought about it for some time now." He smiled again and sat up before he looked at the hunter beside him fully. "I'm not saying you have to give me an answer immediately. You can tell me about it after you made your decision. Although, don't take forever to decide."

Zero looked at the pureblood's forlorn face – even if Kaname thought he was masking it with a bright smile – and knew that he couldn't say no to that. He closed his eyes as he thought about it. Would he like that… being with Kaname for the rest of his vampire life? Probably, yes. But on a second thought, Kaname was too perverted and he would definitely get annoyed at that. Would he like it if he could only drink Kaname's blood and vice versa? Probably, yes, especially since he was already doing it now. But that also meant that Kaname would drink from only him now too. He tried to will his blood not to go on his cheeks as he thought about it. Would he like to have any emotional, or physical, relationship with Kaname? His eyebrows creased at that before he gulped. Once again, he tried to will his blood not to go up to his face. He still couldn't fathom that kind of relationship with anyone. But that didn't mean Kaname was just anyone.

He sighed before he thought of some questions again. He took his time answering some pros and cons of the offer. And then he opened his eyes as he thought of something that would definitely make him take up the pureblood's proposal. In case he rejected the pureblood, would he be okay if Kaname chose another vampire or human to be his mate? He felt his throat dry up at that. His chest clenched tightly, as if squeezing his very life out. Just the thought of it was enough to hurt him deeply and he knew he would be in so much more pain if it was true. He clenched his fists tightly to get a grip on reality. That was just a situation. He breathed deeply before he answered inside his mind. NO, he wouldn't be okay.

"Zero, are you alright?" Kaname asked when he felt the hunter's pained aura. He looked at Zero's amethyst eyes and tried to think of why Zero suddenly became depressed. He feared it might have something to do with his proposal but he was afraid to ask. And more than that, he was afraid to know the answer.

Zero looked at Kaname and saw his worried gaze. He smiled before he nodded. "I'm fine. I'll give you my answer tomorrow." He knew his answer was almost final, but he didn't want Kaname to think that he just made his decision on a whim. He needed more time to think about it.

The brunette smiled before he gave Zero a quick peck on the lips, much to the hunter's surprise and embarrassment. He blushed deeply as he scowled. Kaname only chuckled at him. It made the pureblood happy that Zero was already getting a little used to being kissed by him.

"Kaname." The pureblood stopped laughing when the hunter called him. Zero couldn't help but blush again when he realized he'd been calling Kaname by name all this time. "Well… you… are you… thirsty..?"

Kaname blinked at that. "…What made you think that?"

"N-Nothing." Zero scowled before he averted his gaze to the side. The action exposed his neck to Kaname and the pureblood suddenly realized that Zero's blood smelled more appealing than usual. His eyebrows creased at that, before he looked at Zero again.

"If I tell you I'm thirsty, are you going to chase me out of the room?" Kaname asked seriously. "Or are you… going to let me drink from you?" He added, though he knew the second statement was a bit impossible at the moment, especially since the hunter was sick.

"…ter." Zero mumbled. And even with Kaname's superb hearing, he knew there's no way he could've understood what the hunter said.

"What?" He asked, before he blinked when Zero suddenly glared at him.

"I said, 'the latter'." He growled out as he kept on scowling.

Kaname blinked, not quite understanding the statement, before it all dawned to him. He slightly gaped in surprise before he gulped. The offer was just too good to pass up. But he was afraid of hurting Zero.

"I'll be fine." Zero said when he noticed that Kaname was a little hesitant, probably more for his sake than for the pureblood's. "Just… drink." He added in a mere whisper.

At that, Kaname sighed before he smiled. Zero was really too kind… How he wished Zero was his alone… "Zero." He knew his voice was filled with deep love and want. And he wasn't ashamed in the slightest. He wanted Zero to know how much the hunter meant to him.

Zero tensed a little when Kaname knelt on all fours top of him again, but he willed himself to relax. He breathed deeply when Kaname cupped his face. Kaname's head dipped down to his neck and he shivered when he felt the pureblood's warm breath on his skin. He gasped when he felt the sudden surge of pleasure the moment Kaname's lips touched his bare flesh. He felt Kaname smile at that, and he couldn't help but growl while he willed his blush to go away in vain. Just like what he did earlier, Kaname also kissed and licked the skin, sometimes sucking on it too, until there were already marks here and there.

The hunter was actually nervous about the situation even though he's the one who offered it. He just didn't want to be the only one satisfied with blood. He wanted to thank Kaname fully and he knew that mere words weren't enough for what he was receiving. And somehow, the thought of Kaname taking blood from him sounded a little nice… probably. Or maybe it was just the effect of the fever. And thus, the current situation. He was too nervous and he didn't know what to do, especially when he felt himself losing it from the pleasure Kaname was giving him. He was already bitten by Kaname back then. But the pureblood only bit his palm. He knew by instinct that the neck was a lot more intimate and sensual than the palm.

"I love you, Zero." Kaname said as he continued kissing the hunter's neck. He could feel Zero's nervousness and he didn't want the hunter to feel that way. "Don't worry. It won't hurt." He voiced before he kissed Zero's neck again. He smiled when he felt Zero slowly relaxing. After a while, he closed his eyes as he slowly and gently sunk his fangs in soft flesh, his senses immediately immersing in delight at the blood that flowed in his mouth.

Zero gasped again as he clutched the sheet for leverage. He suddenly felt like he's drowning in pleasure and he didn't know what to do. And Kaname had yet to suck the blood. He couldn't even hold back the moan that escaped his lips when the brunette started sucking his blood. How Kaname could manage to hold his voice while being bitten, the hunter had no idea. He closed his eyes as he groaned and moaned in pleasure.

He didn't know how long Kaname drank from him or how loud his voice had become. The next thing he knew, he was feeling a little dizzy and Kaname was trying to make him focus.

"Are you alright, Zero?" Kaname asked worriedly. It turned him on to see Zero flushed while breathing raggedly underneath him. But it also made him worry that the hunter seemed a little out of focus. He kind of lost it and forgot that Zero was sick.

Zero looked at Kaname and saw that his eyes were still crimson. There was a small streak of blood on the corner of the pureblood's lips and somehow it looked very sexy on him. Not to mention Kaname was half-naked kneeling on all fours on top of him… Zero closed his eyes tight before he shook his head several times to brush off that line of thought. He didn't want to be a pervert like the pureblood.

"…I'm fine." He smiled weakly, also feeling a bit weak at the fact that he felt so embarrassed and exhausted. He was about to sit, and maybe also push Kaname a little off of him, when he suddenly realized his situation with dread. Kaname looked at him in confusion for a while before the pureblood seemed to have realized it as well. Zero looked at his pants in deep mortification before he tried to hide it from Kaname. "I-I'm fine. You should go back to the Moon Dorm now."

Kaname scowled at that. "Zero, you know that mere self-will won't make it go away. And you're not yet strong enough to take care of it on your own." Zero suddenly stared at him with wide suspicious eyes. The pureblood smiled innocently then. "Let me take care of it."

"No!" Was the hunter's sudden answer and Kaname couldn't help but growl as he tried to pry Zero's hands off of the ply of his pants. "Kuran! Stop it!"

"Oh, now we're back to surnames again?" Kaname asked as he managed to pry Zero's hands away from the pants and also open up the ply in one swift vampire movement.

"…Kaname, please…" Zero pleaded. He felt so embarrassed at the mere fact that Kaname saw it. He was mortified at the fact that Kaname would do something about it.

Kaname's expression turned gentle at that. "Zero, please, let me. It's my fault that this happened." He said as he knelt in between the hunter's legs before he cupped the hunter's blushing cheeks with one hand and with another brushed the teen's erection. Zero gritted his teeth as he groaned in pleasure. Kaname licked his lips in anticipation as he slid down the hunter's pants, the sole thing covering his naked body, and took the weeping member in his hand.

Zero could only writhe in pleasure at the sudden warm hand that fisted his length. It was the first time someone else pleasured him and it was too foreign, and a lot more satisfying. He could only moan at the intense sensation of Kaname's hand on his throbbing member, especially when the pureblood started massaging it.

Kaname, on the other hand, was marveling at the fact that he was holding in his hand Zero's member. He never thought there would come a day when he'd do something like this to the hunter. Of course, he had imagined it in his most precious dreams every night but he didn't think it would actually come true. He gulped as he watched Zero blush even more with every stroke of his hand. The hunter's breath was hitching with every brush of his fingers, and he was moaning every time the pureblood's thumb would circle the slit.

He wanted so much to give it a lick or two, just to taste the flesh, but he refrained himself because he thought it would really make Zero feel embarrassed. He didn't want Zero to get angry at him.

"…Kaname… unh… don't… tease me… ahh…" Zero managed to get the words out of his throat in between gasps and moans.

"…Don't seduce me, Zero." Kaname voiced with a tone thick with lust and want. He licked his lips again when he saw that Zero's member was so erect he knew it was only a matter of seconds before the hunter would come.

"Ungh… Kaname… I'm…" Zero panted before his eyes widened. "Kaname..!" He moaned as he arched his back at the sudden sensation of a warm cavern enveloping his entire length just before he climaxed. He almost passed out from the intense pleasure. It was the best climax he'd had in his entire eighteen years of existence, not that he had many climaxes to compare it with.

Kaname's grip on the hunter's thighs tightened as he swallowed the thick liquid that burst out of the hunter's length. In the end, he wasn't able to control himself huh… He swallowed every drop before he pulled his mouth away from the hunter's length with an audible plop. He gave the tip one last lick before he licked his lips. He pulled up the hunter's pants up again before he looked at Zero. He saw that the latter had covered his face with his arm. The hunter was still red and panting. His forehead was slick with sweat as well as other parts of his body. "Zero…"

"…You idiot… You perverted idiot…" Zero managed to voice out before he peered from his arm. "If Yuzuru or Cross came in during that…"

Kaname smiled at him brightly. "So… Did you enjoy it?" At that, Zero's eyes widened and his blush worsened before he grabbed a pillow and threw it on the pureblood's face. Kaname managed to catch it before it hit him and that somehow irritated the hunter even more. He threw more pillows at the pureblood just to vent out all of his frustrations and embarrassment. "If you can already throw pillows at me, does this mean you're feeling alright now?"

"Tch. I'm not that weak." Zero muttered, still very much blushing. "I'm a hunter. And our bodies were trained to endure different harsh conditions – pain, hunger, weather, wounds, overwhelming fear..." He looked at the pureblood when the latter petted his hair.

"I know. I believe that you'll be alright by tomorrow." Kaname said as he took his long sleeves from the floor and put it on again. "I'll take care of you for the night, though I might not be here when you wake up tomorrow. You'll just have to tell me your answer tomorrow night, in your patrol." He sat on the chair where he sat on earlier and readied himself for sleep.

Zero's eyebrows creased at the action before he patted the part of the bed beside his. "You can sleep here. I don't want to be the one responsible if you get back pain from sleeping while sitting."

Kaname was surprised for a while, before he smiled. He wanted to tease Zero since the hunter was being terribly nice to him tonight. But he didn't want to make the teen self-conscious and foil the fact that he'd be able to sleep beside his beloved. "Are you sure?" He asked. When Zero nodded, he immediately took up the offer. But before he climbed back to the bed, he looked at Zero's temperature first as well as made the hunter take his medicine. He knew that Zero didn't need to eat food for now since the blood alone would suffice.

After that, he lay beside the hunter. He kissed Zero's cheek good night before he turned the lights off with his mind. Zero blinked at the display of power, but he nevertheless closed his eyes as he felt the pull of slumber. He barely heard Kaname's whispered words of love but it still made him smile in his sleep.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Zero groaned as sleep slowly left him. His whole body still felt so heavy and he knew by instinct that he still couldn't move much. Or rather, he couldn't move at all. "What..?" He mumbled sleepily as he tried his best to open his eyes.

The immediate pureblood scent that greeted him was enough to lull him back to sleep, but he knew that he had to go to class. He scanned his room, which he found to be very dark – the curtains were drawn and there wasn't any light–, before he looked down at himself. He blinked when instead of the cover, what he saw was wavy brunette locks. And all ounce of sleep immediately left him the moment he realized what's happening.

"Kaname..?" He called to the apparently still sleeping pureblood. His veins of annoyance showed up when the latter didn't answer, and instead, nuzzled on his neck even more. What the hell..? No wonder he couldn't move! Kaname just decided in his sleep that Zero was a better bed than the real one and thus slept on top of him. "Kaname, get off..!"

"Hn…" Kaname mumbled before he sleepily opened his eyes and looked up at the direction of the voice. He knew he's supposed to be alone in his room and there's no way anyone could've sneaked in without him waking up. But he just wasn't sure anymore…

Zero willed himself not to blush at Kaname's face so up close to his own. The brunette's expression was devoid of his usual coolness and calm composure. What he had now was a confused and innocent look while trying to brush off his drowsiness. Instead of admiring the view for a bit longer, however, he decided to take pity on Kaname and just ask the obviously still half-sleep pureblood a question. "I thought you won't be here when I wake up?"

Kaname blinked when he saw Zero's face up close to him before he remembered the events of the previous night. He gave the hunter his sweetest smile before he gave Zero a morning kiss, much to the latter's surprise and embarrassment. "Good morning, Zero." He greeted with a voice still thick with sleep and it was somehow very adorable for Zero. "Are you feeling better now?"

"I'm fine now, idiot, so get off!" Zero blushed immediately before he tried to push the pureblood away.

Kaname chuckled as he rolled off of Zero. "Can I continue sleeping on your bed for today?" Zero scowled, but it turned into a sigh when he saw how Kaname was already preparing to go back to sleep. It seemed the pureblood was too sleepy to actually go back to the Moon Dorm yet.

"Alright." He answered before he climbed out of bed and stretched. He was already feeling a lot better and it was a nice feeling to finally be able to sleep for a long time without any dream or nightmare.

He went to the bathroom and bathed before he changed into his uniform. When he went out of the bathroom, he saw that the pureblood was already sleeping and he couldn't help but smile. Who would've thought that Kaname was too adorable during mornings? And he blushed when he realized what he'd just been thinking. Was he becoming a little perverted too? Kaname's influence maybe..?

"Kaname, I'm going." He said as he quietly left the room. Unbeknownst to him, Kaname's lips tugged upward at the words for it seemed as if they were already lovers or something along those lines. That felt so nice to the ears… And so, Kaname was feeling giddy even after he continued his sleep.

.

.tbc.

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Ren-sama's Note:

That's it for now, everyone~! Review, please? ᶺoᶺ