A/N: Guess who's back - ME 8D At least I'll try to. Hope you like this chapter
I don't know if it's the same for English but in German we use the French expression "J'adoube'" in chess to say we want to correct a piece's position. Please review so I can try to improve :3

Chapter 08: J'adoube

It was rare for him to wake up like this. Completely at peace and feeling warm. Feeling right where he was and content to stay longer in bed. To simply close his eyes again and ignore the world just a little longer. Sadly enough that would also mean ignoring the person currently lying next to him, which was out of the question. It had been a long time since he was this close to his mate and it's been even longer since they had slept in the same room or even had a proper talk without the usual animosity between them. No, going back to sleep definitely wasn't an option. Instead he curled closer to the other male, simply enjoying the other's presence. Watching his mate like this, completely defenseless, was pulling at his heart strings. That despite everything that was going on between them, his beloved accepted to share a bed. He truly felt blessed at this wonderful morning. Or rather late afternoon. Realizing how late it actually was, he frowned and gently shook his companion, only to receive an unhappy grunt. Lovely how much of a morning person his mate seemed to be. Feeling playful, he decided to coax different reactions from the still barely awake young men. Leaning forward he started to kiss the other's shoulder playfully, letting his hand slide from the toned chest down to his waist in a gentle caress. Seeing the hunter shiver slightly got the pureblood even more worked up.

"Emily stop this…..I'm tired…."
Mood completely ruined in less than 5 seconds. The young Kuran heir frowned at being mistaken for that foolish, young girl. Feeling much less friendly than he had a moment prior, he shook his mate a little harder.
"Sorry to disappoint you, Kiryuu-kun, but you seem to be mistaking something. Or should I perhaps say someone?" Kaname asked coldly.

Of course the shift in the room got the younger vampire to shoot up into sitting straight on the bed.
"Kuran….?"
"Senpai." Despite himself, Kaname couldn't help the little chuckle escaping him at receiving Zero's infamous glare.
"Scary", he said in response, a slight smirk playing on his lips.
Leaning back, the brunette decided to enjoy the memories of the previous night play out on his beloved mate's face.
"Oh….Uh….I'm sorry….For….You know."
"For calling me your girlfriend?"
"…..Yeah."
"What if I will not forgive you?"

As always the younger male managed to surprise Kaname by looking hurt at him. Was Zero actually starting to care? If yes, was it his feelings, the memories or simply their recently established blood bond? Too many variables and too few information for the pureblood's analytic mind. Who is supposed to be able to think and plan strategically if they have close to no reliable information at all? Why does his hunter keep being a mystery? If it wouldn't be so incredibly endearing in its own way, Kaname would like to slap some information out of the silver haired male. After all, who knows? It does work wonders with Aidou. The pureblood went through his hair, stuck between agitation and amazement. Here he was, one of the strongest beings walking on this earth, considered a prince - the king if not for his age -, a person to be respected and feared. And yet, this infuriating hunter managed to get under his skin, tearing down his walls once again. Why was it that just a look or emotion from Zero could make the pureblood feel the need to beg? Watching Zero stand up, most likely to run, Kaname leaned forward, holding onto the hunter's wrist to halt him.

"Don't leave yet."
"It was a mistake trusting you."
Kaname was shaken for a moment. Did his mate really speak of trust between them? So soon? Could he dare hope that his hunter would return to his side sooner rather than later after all? Feeling Zero's confusion he smiled apologetic at the ex-human.
"I am sorry I broke my promise to not touch you."
The younger male raised an eyebrow, obviously challenging him.
"Are you?"
"I am sorry I upset you by touching you", the Kuran heir corrected, his voice as emotionless as always, but his eyes sparkling with a playfulness that mirrored that of the hunter. However he could easily tell that his mate was quickly losing interest, probably by now wanting to return to his mistress. Trying to keep his anger at bay and not portray it through their shared bond, he let go of the other male's wrist, and pat the empty space next to him in invitation.
"You are too late for class. Join me for breakfast."
"Why would I do that instead of just fetching my girlfriend and go out for dinner with her?"
Kaname tried his best not to throw a tantrum but couldn't help narrowing his eyes. Luckily he had been trained to ignore being stabbed all his life, so the minor slip up was covered in a heartbeat. Kaname was aware that Zero had noticed it nonetheless. Thinking frantically for an excuse to spend more time with the hunter, the pureblood looked out of the window before exhaling softly, yet clearly unhappy. Why was the one thing he did not wish to do, the only thing that could possibly keep Zero from leaving? Because that was Zero for you, never offering the easy way out, Kaname thought, smirking mirthlessly.

Looking straight into the hunter's eyes he replied.
"You told me you had questions last night. About us."
This time it was Kaname who watched Zero flinch. Kaname observed the emotions playing out on Zero's face like an open book. The glare, the frown and lastly, just as the turmoil he could feel through their bond lessening, Kaname saw the resignation on the lovely face.
"Better be one hell of a breakfast and some damn good answers" Zero hissed, in what sounded frustration before plopping down on the pureblood's bed.
"I'm a vampire. Things from hell are a piece of a cake for me. What do you wish to eat?"
Zero chuckled, making Kaname wish to hear his mate laugh. A heartfelt laugh like he remembered it from a time nearly forgotten. Nearly.
"Anything will do, really. I'm not that hungry."
"As you wish" Kaname answered, getting up and into a morning robe. It was amusing him greatly, seeing the discontent written all over Zero's face and the different kinds of emotions swirling through their bond. In a way, the older male felt like Zero deserved all of this confusion for not only forgetting about him - them - and dating that girl. Leaving the bedroom in favor of ordering food, he sat down on his desk and speed dialed Takuma, silently praising that the noble picked up at the first ring.
"Good morning, Kaname. How can I help you?"
"I need 'one hell of a breakfast'. Also I wish to talk to you" Kaname said, not wanting to waste any time that he could potentially spend with Zero. He still smiled a little at the melodious laughter from the other side of the phone. Of course Takuma would enjoy Zero's speech as much as he did.
"I'll let the maids know straight away. I also kept my schedule open for you today, expecting your second request."
"Come see me as soon as Zero has left" Kaname ended the call and noticed water running. Supposing he might as well, he grabbed a pair of pants and a simply white button down shirt. Leaving a note on the bed, he left to borrow Takuma's and Senri's shower.

"Sorry, I got called for an emergency hunt" Kaname read on the very same piece of paper he had left for Zero earlier. Unable to decide whether he was happy or unhappy about this fact he threw the note away.
"It is lovely that he bothered to leave a note — the old Zero would have never even considered that. My guess is that you are also pleased that you don't have to answer his questions just yet" the wise and too true words of his best friend pulled Kaname out of his musings. Returning to his main room, he said down and reached forward, offering his friend a cup of tea.
"Thank you" Takuma said, taking it.
"Such a waste, isn't it?" he added, inhaling the rose scent, the tea emitted.
"Is it? We are still two people to eat."
"That may be true, but the cooks got eager when I told him that the Kuran spouse had requested the breakfast. Luckily they don't know that I was talking about Zero or someone may have fainted."
Kaname chuckled, agreeing. Taking his own cup, he eyed his best friend, waiting for him to talk. For better or worse, the pureblood knew he had this power over people. If he wanted to hear people talk, he just had to look at them long enough. Takuma was already shifting uncomfortably under his gaze. Surely it wouldn't be long anymore until -

" Kaname. I'm your best friend. I would appreciate if you would just ask me about the things you'd like to know."
The pureblood nodded. Takuma was right, if anyone deserved some sort of fair treatment from him then it was the blond currently sharing breakfast with him.
"Very well. I told you Zero died."
Takuma giggled.
"That is not exactly a question but it'll do as a first try. Yes. You said that Kiryuu Zero had died. I just assumed you meant for you. Obviously I had seen the boy very much alive just a few minutes prior to that statement. I already told Zero earlier. A part of me knew this time would come. A time in which you'd regret your decisions and would want him back. A time in which it would help you to have a connection to him. Also we all really liked Zero. The others were too scared of you, but since I always knew I'm enjoying certain favors I decided to reach out to Zero. We stayed in touch the whole time until the Kiryuu tragedy happened" Takuma explained.
"How close did you two get? You looked quite…comfortable together" Kaname asked, frowning, seeing no reason to hide his displeasure at the fact.
Takuma rose his eyebrows. Never would he have ever expected that question from his leader. "Are you asking if I got involved with him romantically?"
"Yes" came the clipped response.
"Of course I didn't. As I was saying, I was merely a back door for you and a friend to him. May I be blunt?"
Kaname's eyes narrowed but he nodded, knowing that whatever Takuma would say next would certainly not be pleasant. However he also knew it would be nothing but the truth, which may be exactly what Kaname yearned or needed to hear.
"Go ahead, Takuma."
Learning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, the blond took a moment to choose his next words carefully, not wanting to hurt his best friend too much, but also needing to smash the truth with a slide hammer into the unsurprisingly thick skull of his beloved leader.
"You were right. Kiryuu Zero died. And you killed him."
Kaname leaned back not liking the implication.
"Explain."
"Do I really need to, Kaname? You got married when he was a child. His pure blood and intelligence made him a lot more older on the inside than his actual age, but he was still a child. Still unable to comprehend everything that he felt. Unable to comprehend what you felt. All he knew was that a tragedy happened. That people that he considered his parents had died. That those people were your parents. That you were suffering more than him. All he wanted to do was comfort you, despite his own pain. He wanted to be there for you. Yet all you did was break up with him. Dropping him like a toy from the last season that you were done with, without any kind of explanation."
Ignoring Kaname's aura getting darker and much more suppressive, the blond continued, feeling the need to vent out what had build up over the past decade.
"And that day on the party? That little bit faith, trust and hope he still had for you….Did you enjoy breaking him like that? Because that's what it seems like. I never would have thought it possible, but that they you were worse than my grandfather. You completely destroyed him, killed him. In fact he was so broken that for a brief moment I considered releasing him from the misery he was in" the blond finished, his eyes reflecting his honest rage, catching the purebloods attention.
Looking into his tea, Kaname frowned at the pain he was feeling. He was no fool. Of course he was aware he would hurt Zero by pushing him away the way he did. And yet, hearing how much it tore his beloved apart — enough for gentle Takuma to consider killing the young hunter…..It must have been much worse than he expected. Which he now realized was incredible foolish. To just assume that his age would protect Zero. Didn't he fall for the boy despite everything? Despite his own age? Despite having sworn to never love again? How could he assume that Zero, even though he was merely a child….How could he just assume that Zero wouldn't feel as deeply as he did? That he could get over him with the simple mind set of a child. Zero wasn't simply a child back then…..But it had been so easy to let himself forget that.

"I see. I hope you will continue to stand by his side. You may leave."
Instead of leaving however, the noble just picked up the fruit salad and started eating it.
Needing a moment to himself, Kaname stood up and walked to the window, looking outside.
"It all has started. What will you do, Kaname?" Takuma asked quietly, his previous anger subsided.
Noticing the human girl just outside the moon dorm, most likely waiting for Zero, Kaname frowned in disdain.
"Zero should be reigning by my side. I will get him back. If necessary by force."

TBC

A/N: I'M NOT DEAD! I have absolutely no idea how this chapter took me 11 months but oh well. Recently I'm in Tokyo for a study abroad year and I learned quite a lot in my Creative Writing class. Also this chapter has been a bit challenging for me as it is writing mainly from Kaname's side. Which means I had to use a completely different style of writing then when writing Zero. I miss cursing x3 Also, I intentionally didn't use names or too descriptive words through the first paragraph as I wanted to give you at least a chance of reading it, thinking it's Zero's POV. Of course Zero isn't quite that fond of Kaname, but in his sleepy mind - or during a dream - he COULD have been having his 5 minutes u.u" Last but not least: Yes, I do realize that this chapter only has 2 scenes which isn't the best thing to do but I really, really, really, really liked this last sentence as parting sentence ._.