MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE
This chapter obviously didn't go as planned becauuuuse christmas happened xD So I tried to adjust this chapter a little...We'll get back on track next chapter ;) I tried to hurry and worked the last two hours on this...But I don't have time (nor nerves tbh) to proofread now...so please deal with the mistakes T_T
Chapter 05: Memories Are Snowflakes
"Waiting for me? What for Ichijou-senpai?" Zero asked, tugging his gun away and getting closer, starting to clean his lady.
"Last night was quite eventful. Don't you think?"
Zero stopped his brushing motion for a second before continuing.
"Pretty fucked up. Basically everyone fucked with me. Nothing I'm not used to already. To be honest I'm just surprised you were one of the fuckers." Zero said in a voice that wasn't laced with hate and venom like one would expect from him but rather with disappointment, like a parent would do to make a child feel guilty. Seeing the noble flinch in guilt at his response, Zero inwardly smirked satisfied. Yes, it may be unfair to take out his frustration on the blonde guy who seemed to be close to him after his breakup with the pureblood, despite them being best friends and even now has Taku-err...Ichijou never once lost his cool, no matter how much Zero tried to rub his fur the wrong way. It just felt so good to vent out his pent up confusion and anger. Especially since ever since that stupid bitch of a pureblood sucker woke up, Zero couldn't help but be horribly aware of the bond. Sure, Kuran didn't tug on it again or annoy him by suddenly doing something really creepy like talk in his head or some vampire magic shit but something changed since his "partner" was awake nonetheless. The bond which was quiet and tugged away at the back of his mind was now more prominent and way warmer. Not exactly a bad feeling but as mentioned still hella unwelcome.
"I just did what I thought was best for you at that time. Despite us vampires being older than you...sometimes we're not all the wiser."
"Why did you come here to talk?"
"I thought you might like someone to talk to."
Zero snorted.
"To be fed more lies?"
"No. I'll answer your questions as well as possible. I might not be able to give you all the answers you seek but I will be truthful."
Zero wanted to flat out reject the blonde fuck of a sunshine vamp but for once in his life decided to think before acting. Not stopping his cleaning routine he thought about what he'd like to know.
"How did we become friends? And why did you stay my friend after my break up with Kuran? I mean, your loyalty to him is incredible so why didn't you take his side in that aspect as well?"
Takuma kept looking at the prefect for a second before walking up to the mare's other side and caress her a bit, never looking away from those hateful purple orbs.
"We became friends through Kaname. He kept talking about you non-stop since you were born so naturally I got curious about you. I mean, you know how stoic he usually is but when he would talk about you, he would suddenly have a totally uncharacteristic spark in his eyes and his voice would turn all loving. He refused to introduce us until you were about 3 though. He was too jealous." Takuma reported chuckling a little in sad amusement about the memory as well as about Zero's ears turning red, while the hunter frowned a little.
"As for why I stayed your friend...I felt like it was wrong. I think everyone did think so. The break-up I mean. At least everyone who cheered for you. The senate and association were happy you didn't last of course. But I knew both of you so well and I know more than everyone else - except for you, how much Kaname loved you. I wanted to support him by keeping close to you so that, should he want to talk to you, he would have an opening. Another reason was that I took a liking to you. Not the kind of like that Kaname felt for you obviously but you were incredibly cute and strong and you just made people wanna hug and squee-"
"I get the point!" Zero interrupted embarrassingly annoyed, the blush from his ears now also apparent on his cheeks.
"Just continue, will you?!"
Takuma smiled softly nodding.
"As I tried to say, I liked you for who you were. As person. Not only as Kaname's mate. I felt like he did you wrong and despite my love and loyalty for my lord and friend I didn't want to keep away from you just because Kaname decided that humans were weak. As you may know you guys broke up soon after the Kuran couple died. I can't know for sure bu-"
"Wait. Soon? How soon?" Zero asked frowning. Sure he knew it probably had something to do with their deaths considering Kaname said something along the lines of 'they were strong and died, you're just a mere human'. But it couldn't hurt to know how fast things happened.
"...Kaname broke up with you on the day they died."
Zero gasped. Who the hell would think about breaking up that fast? Wouldn't one normally mourn, get angry, swear revenge, go emo or whatever before coming to conclusions? - No matter how idiotic they are anyway. Being confused and to be honest quite pissed at Kuran being such a prick towards him, he nodded, to tell the noble class vampire to continue.
"What I was trying to say is...I can't be sure of it but I think he was scared of how easily it is to wipe life out. He was scared of being hurt. I don't try to justify what he did, as I too think it was cruel and absolutely stupid but I'm sure it's the way he thought of it. As far as I know you tried to force him into contact or at least into giving him answers but he wouldn't even open the door himself. Rather he told the maids to send you back home. Once you slipped past the maid and searched for him. That day he actually used his powers over you, forcing you into sleep and told me to bring you home. I was pretty shocked because it was the first time I saw Kaname abuse his power like that. When I tried to talk to him he just rose an eyebrow and asked me if I had something to say with a suffocating aura around him, basically forcing me to back down - which, again, was a first for me. That determination in his eyes and voice weren't strong enough to completely hide the pain in his eyes though, nor his slightly trembling voice that you would have only heard if you knew him perfectly well. I didn't miss it though and I figured out that he didn't like what he was doing. After that day though he told me that "Kiryuu Zero is dead and he doesn't want to discuss that topic again". For obvious reasons I did as I was told but I kept meeting you from time to time, as strictly, he didn't forbade it."
Zero tried to process the honest sounding words, feeling a headache creep up again.
"So he didn't know we were friends after that?" he asked.
"He didn't." Takuma confirmed.
"I once again ask you: Are you here for my sake right now?"
"Why do you disbelief me?"
"You said it yourself. You're my friend for my sake as well as his."
The moon dorm vice president smiled ruefully.
"Can't say you're completely wrong. I did intend to give you answers. You're right though. Now is also the time I stayed your friend for in the first place. Kaname wants you back and I do intend to help him. Even if it may be unfair towards Amelie-chan. I have always kept tabs on you to ensure your safety, as well as he did, I am sure, so I know that you are very fond of her and that you're an incredibly cute couple. She's about the perfect girl for you, isn't she? Cute but honest. Strong but can show her weakness - at least to you. Caress you if you deserve it but slaps you, if you do wrong..."
"That sounds like you're just about to say 'buuuuuuuut'" Zero said, raising his eyebrow and crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"You already feel it, don't you? A certain distance to her."
"Why would he feel that?" a higher voice than Zero's demanded to know.
Both males turned their heads to the dark haired hunter before looking at each other again.
"He's talking shit. What else?" Zero chuckled, walking up to her and kissed her.
"If you're skipping anyway we could have slept in" Amelie pouted.
"Well I'll let the love birds alone then. Have fun!" Takuma said as cheerfully as always before leaving, irritating the ex-human to no end. He still wanted to talk and hear more! Instead he was now stuck with a girl he didn't know what or how to feel about, nor how to behave around her. Of course he couldn't just say 'hey, were you jealous enough to rip out my heart and give me a fake one, so I'll lay you instead of getting laid?' ...not that he would be the one to get laid...that was just...
Zero shook his head nearly hard enough for Amelie to see the stars.
"Are you okay bae?" she asked hesistantly.
"Do me a favor and don't start calling me weird names. Let's go to town. I'll show you around" Zero said as gently as he could muster his voice to be.
"Eh...sure...but I want to call you that. Every girl has a cute name for her boyfriend!"
"Well then, how about actually being the first girl with brain and don't do it?! And don't even try to hit me" the hunter added, grabbing his girlfriends wrist which was lifted to do just that.
"Fine. Whatever." She mumbled sulking, interlaced their fingers and walked to town with him. Finally having arrived she frowned.
"Isn't it a bit early for christmas offerings? They haven't even decorated..."
Zero shrugged.
"It's usual here. We're a small town that usually does get snow fairly early. So one would want to start offers before possible customers can't get outta their houses anymore. It may only be October but the offers always start around this time. During the first week of November we usually see the town lit up with lights and trees and all that stuff. Quite different from home huh?"
"Well, considering we have that stuff in the middle of November it's not that much difference...Let's take a look at that shop! They're selling cute female "Santa" outfits!" Amelie squealed delighted and dragged her poor victim to be towards that shop and walked straight to a shop assistant.
"Excuse me, could you help us find that outfit in the right size?" she asked sweetly, pointing at a certain model. Too sweet of a voice, Zero decided. That could definitely mean just one thing...
"Considering your figure I'd guess you'll need to sizes..." the shop assistant guessed, eyeing Amelies body.
"Oh no, I know what to look for, thanks. I will definitely take that green outfit. The red on is for him. He usually wears M...but in a lady's outfit it might be better to have L or even -"
"Amelie."
"Or even -"
"Amelie."
"Or even- "
"Amelie! I have absolutely no intention of even trying this ...outfit on, let alone buy or wear it for Christmas. I have mixed feelings about girls wearing that stuff. No way in hell I degrade myself to that shit!"
Amelie looked at Zero hurt and ran out crying. Ignoring the shop assistant's glare for making a girl cry, he chased after her, still pissed but knowing he'll be in more trouble if he doesn't at least act like he was sorry. Soon enough he caught up to her at a fountain in front of a café.
"Hey...Look I'm sorry for shouting at you...but you seriously need to stop trying to cross dress me."
"Your mom did that all the time!"
"My mom was my mom. Plus I was a child. That's different. Or would you rather be my mom than my girlfriend?"
"...that would mean that we stop having sex right?"
"Wait...you're even considering it? Do you even realize how wrong that is on more than one level?" Zero asked seriously grossed out.
Ignoring his question, Amelie looked up at the sky.
"...It's...snowing?"
Zero looked up too.
"Guess so. I told you it starts early here.
He slowly took off his scarf and wrapped it around Amelie's neck.
"Wait here." He said before jogging off.
Snuggling into the scarf that smelled so much like Zero, she decided to obey and sat down on the fountains edge before wiping off her faked tears carefully.
A few minutes later Zero returned with two hot chocolates from the café and gave her a cup, sitting down next to her and wrapping an arm around her.
"Thanks." the German hunter whispered and tried it.
"Ouch..."
"Careful idiot" Zero chuckled.
"Zero?"
"Yah?"
"...How was it? Before you came to us..."
Zero frowned confused.
"How was what?"
"Christmas."
"Why would you ask?"
"I'm just curious."
"Bright...and loud...I guess..."
"Oh the details. It feels like I was there." Amelie said, her voice dripping in sarcasm.
Zero looked up at the snowy sky.
"It was the four of us...eventually Cross and Yagari too...We would eat and celebrate in the living room...The last two years it was pretty much of a sad day though...because we had lost the Kuran family...The couple was dead and Kuran-senpai was with the Ichijous. But before the Kuran couple died it was always really fun..." Zero said with a small smile, losing himself in the snow flakes falling upon them and slowly started to dive into his own memories.
- Flashback -
"More right...no ...the other right! Mou...Oniichan..." Ichiru huffed frustrated. It couldn't be that difficult to move accordingly to his commands, could it?
"Well if you freaking mean left, then say so instead of telling me to go right, baka." Zero huffed back and moved left.
"And stop shifting so much. You'll fall off my shoulders."
"I'm trying to stand, mind you." Ichiru pouted.
"Well, then say so from the start. Get off me. I'll get on my knees and we'll try again."
"Hai haiiiii." Ichiru rolled his eyes and crawled off his twins shoulders. But before he could try to get on him in the wished position, Zero suddenly sped off.
"Hey! Geez...Why do I just know what happened?" Ichiru said to himself while walking to greet the guests that had most likely arrived. Or will. In about ten fucking minutes.
"Why do you wait now already?"
Zero nearly shot Ichiru a glare.
"They're close. I feel them."
"You can feel them within 2 miles if they're together. Why do you stand here now already?"
"Well sorry for being happy about seeing my mate."
"Oh yah...I forgot. You didn't see him for full three days."
"Five. And that's freaking long, mind you."
"Whate-" Ichiru started but didn't get to finish as his word got replaced by-
"Ouch!" both twins hissed at the same time and turned to an angry looking ash blonde woman.
"What was that for?" Ichiru asked.
"No fighting and bad words at christmas."
The twins looked at each other.
"Love and peace and hippies. We know mom."
"And no making fun of your mothers beliefs" she added, before kissing both boys hair and opening the door, since their guests just arrived.
Kaname didn't even manage to get fully out of the car before he was glomped by his mate and therefore falling back into the car.
"Merry christmas to you too, Zero" the youngest Kuran member chuckled.
"Yah...merry christmas" the boy on top said before realizing what he did was more than just girlish and quickly getting up and walking back into the house, getting red ears as all present persons laughed at the cuteness.
He quickly grabbed Ichiru's wrist and walked back in.
"Let's continue" he said still embarrassed and kneeled down, so Ichiru could get on him."
"What are you trying to do?" a very loved voice asked from behind them.
Zero turned his head and smiled at the boy.
"Trying to get the star on top."
"You won't manage. You'll still be too short." Kaname responded looking up the huge tree.
"So? What do you suggest smartass?" Ichiru hissed.
"Well either one of us asks our parents to lift one of us-"
"No! It's our work!" Ichiru glared.
"Stop interrupting Kaname!"
"Stop taking his side!"
"Don't fight you two. What I wanted to add was, that the second option is, Ichiru getting on Zero and Zero getting on me."
"You carrying two people? You're still a child too." Zero asked worried.
"I'm still a vampire, my dear. I'll manage. Without problems. I promise." Kaname said kissing his mate, inwardly chuckling at the gagging noises Ichiru made and just looked at the younger twin over Zero's shoulder with a smirk in his eyes that clearly said 'too bad I got him, ne?'.
Ichiru glared back but decided to ignore it then.
"Let's just try it. More than breaking his shoulder can't happen, right?"
Ichiru couldn't stop himself from laughing at how pale Zero got at his comment.
"Don't be a pussy nii-chan."
"I'll be fine, Zero." Kaname said and got down on his knees.
Zero nodded slowly, getting on his knees too.
"Fine..."
"Finally." Ichiru said and moved to stand on Zero.
"No. Sit on him. You'll fall off when I pick him up. When I stand, you'll get up. Take our hands for support." Kaname instructed the unhappy youngest. Still Ichiru listened to him.
Zero stood on Kaname and held onto his hands for support as the dark haired child got up.
Together like that, they actually managed to get the star on top of the tree and collapsed tiredly on the couch, just waiting for dinner and presents. They had deserved just doing nothing!
"Will Kaitou come too?" Kaname asked, caressing Zero.
"Unn...He killed his brother. He is..."
"- a bit touchy when it comes to vampires." Ichiru finished.
Zero glared.
"Couldn't you at least try to not be so blunt?"
Kaname laughed.
"It's okay dear. I wouldn't take it personal."
"Kids! Present time!"
Ichiru started to drag Zero towards the kitchen, ignoring Zero checking whether Kaname followed or not.
Kaname did follow. And like every year he sat down with the adults and watched the twins jump "Mount Present" like two hungry wolfs.
"It's so cute to watch them, isn't it?" Juuri whispered and smiled as Haruka nodded.
"What did you get for them dear?"
"Why don't you just wait and see for yourself, mother?"
Juuri pouted and did as she was told - by her freaking son. Where did she go wrong, she wondered.
"Oh my...Kaname..." Zero mumbled, drawing all looks towards his present.
A silver wristband, laced with violet and a little diamond in the same violet, their marriage date engraved.
"Thank you so much!" Zero yelled and glomped him.
Kaname smiled.
"I take it, you like it?"
"How could anyone not like it?!" Both women asked at the same time, absolutely stunned.
"Kaname, isn't that a very rare stone?" Haruka asked, taking a look at the wristband.
"Oh? Is that why you suddenly left last week?" Juuri asked, her interest having awoken.
Kaname blushed a little.
"That's why I left."
Zero looked at his mate.
"...Is it really rare?"
"Yes. It's as rare and unique as you. There is only one of them in the world - at least one known. It was in a Vulcan in Korea."
Ichiru snorted.
"As unique as Zero? Considering there is a copy of him right in front of you I guess you kinda failed."
Kaname smiled.
"Did I? Just because you look the same doesn't mean you are the same."
"OF COURSE WE ARE! " Ichiru protested.
Zero rushed to his baby brother and snuggled him.
"Shh...No...We are not...we are two sides of the same coin...we are different...but we belong together."
Cuddling into Zero, Ichiru calmed, accepting that he at least managed to get his stupid brother away from that stupid vampire.
However he couldn't be happy about this for long, as Zero slowly moved away, grabbed a present and gave it to Kaname.
"I know it's nothing special but considering you already have everything I guess that'd be pretty much impossible..."
"Thus the reason Kaname doesn't get presents at anything from us anymore" Haruka sighed.
Kaname shot his father a look before smiling at Zero.
"Continue please."
"...Well after your present...Just forget it" Zero said blushing and tried to get the present back but of course Kaname had to use that unfair vampire speed to unwrap the present and reveal a frame with a picture of their mating.
Zero rushed out embarrassed.
While rushing up he heard the voiced downstairs.
"What is his problem? It's a really cute present, isn't it?"
"Yes it is mother. We mated in half in secret after all...I thought there were no pictures taken." Kaname said in awe.
Needless to say, Zero was happy to hear his mate being delighted about such a simple present. But it was still way too embarrassing to face him. A picture could never compete with such an amazing bracelet.
- Flashback end -
"Zerooooooo!"
Zero nearly jumped a little.
"Yes?"
" It was really fun. What else?"
The silver haired hunter let his hand slide into his pocket, his hand curling up to a fist round a little bracelet.
Closing his eyes and smiling a little Zero shook his head.
"The rest...The rest is just my memory. Not free for sharing. Sorry. It's getting late and cold. Let's head back" he said and started to walk away not even waiting for his confused girlfriend.
TBC...