"Fucking hell…" Kaito uttered. All his blood rushed to the top of his head, rage consumed him the way it did when he learned about what happened to his older brother. "And you didn't fight him?"
His eyes followed the way Zero looked away, face filled with impassivity you won't normally find on any victim's face.
"What's wrong with you?" He couldn't help raising his voice. He doesn't understand why Zero doesn't look and seem so mad. Sure he looks conflicted, but with what?
His master raised his hand, signaling him to stop.
Something is wrong here.
"You want to break it, right?" He asked, since the bond hasn't been completed. He can't imagine. He can't believe that Zero's been turned ! But what was more shocking was that Kiryuu Zero, an ex-human hunter is bonded to a pureblood . He's mated to an ancient vampire!
This will all go down in history once everyone finds out. It's only a matter of time and Kaito can't believe he thought he'd be taking a break with an easy assignment. He was sure he came here to keep an eye on the said Night Class. He finds there's more that the walls of the academy are hiding. There's got to be more than just keeping an eye in the days to come.
"It had been a long night. I think it's best to leave Zero alone to get some rest. We'll see him at dinner… hopefully." Toga quickly said but cautiously glanced at the silver-haired boy who turned his back on them. Toga practically pushed and dragged him out of Zero's room.
"He'd been through a lot… we want to take it all one step at a time." Toga told him the moment they got back to his designated room.
"He's different." Kaito uttered, nodding… convinced that Zero has changed and not in a good way.
"Well, who wouldn't? With the way the fates have been treating him and without a family to support him…" Toga Yagari's words next were dangerously low and seriously careful. "That night Kuran turned him… he was trying to save Zero."
Kaito scoffed in disbelief, shaking his head… A vampire saving a human? A hunter at that? There's just no way-
"Zero shot himself in the head."
What!
Kaito blanked out. Couldn't think. Properly. Trying to process the information.
" That night , Zero thirsted for the first time and… and he attacked Yuuki Cross, the Chairman's daughter, while they were studying together." The older hunter continued, hoping the story would help him get a grip of the whole situation.
He thought his life could be a movie but damn, Zero's life story would be a long series of tragedy after tragedy, season after season and it seems to him that it's only gonna get more complicated.
He was out of words. His mouth would open but like a fish out of the water, no words would come out.
"For some reason, Kuran was attracted to his blood and became so attached to him…" Toga looked and sounded so dumbfounded at the idea. "He found Zero just seconds away from…" He couldn't almost say it, so he whispered, "-from death. He tried to give him his blood hoping to save Zero." He looked up at Kaito to see his reaction and defensively said, "I couldn't believe it too! A pureblood like him… to someone like Zero.. it's absurd !" Then he paused as if transfixed by a memory, his eyes clouded with an image only he could see in his head. "But I saw it . He seemed to care for Zero.. he was so gentle, it was unbelievable."
Kaito couldn't help a loud obnoxious laughter. "That's ridiculous. He's preying on Zero. Kuran is one of the progenitors of all the bloodsuckers and he's found himself a toy to keep him entertained in his long and boring life, that's what Zero is and when he's tired of him, he'll suck him dry because that is what they do!"
"You don't understand." The dark-haired older hunter raised his voice in the familiar way that reminds Kaito of when he would reprimand him for his impulsive decisions a couple of years back when he still lived and trained under him.
"You've all been bewitched! That's what I understand. Look at that old friend of yours! Who in his right mind would put up a school and lump poor little defenseless humans with soulless predators disguised as the Night Class ? Kuran is pretending to be on the headmaster's side so he can control him and that is the same thing he's doing with Zero!"
"Let's say for argument's sake that you are right…" Toga crossed his arms over his chest, piercing him with his dark as the night eyes. "What can we do to turn things around?"
And now he's put in his place. Shit. "I-I need more time. I'll do some digging and-"
"Okay.. and while you're doing that, go easy on him." Toga reached to pat his head like he always did before. "You don't have to be a friend…. just be a little nicer to Zero."
Kaito admits he was never close with the Kiryuu twins. In fact, he used to tease them a lot back then. He didn't hate them, he just didn't like that they were weak and soft and that he felt they needed to get over that if they ever want to become vampire hunters like their parents, who were one of the best in the world.
Perhaps that was also the reason why he never paid much attention to the details about Zero surviving a pureblood attack despite it not being kept a secret in the Association. It seems like everyone who knew the Kiryuu's knew- except him.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Yuuki didn't like the chairman's new boarder . He spoke like an airhead and smiled like an idiot. Her vocabulary isn't as wide, but those adjectives were definitely accurate.
Last night's dinner was dominated by Takamiya Kaito talking; more like gloating, about his hunting skills and experiences and how Zero should take notes , when no one asked.
Yuuki couldn't help rolling her eyes and was a little surprised that she met Zero's lavender orbs who she thought would give her a warning look so she tried to turn away planning to pretend she didn't notice him, but then realized it's too late so she looked back at the eyes that were still on her and opened her mouth to defend herself, but then also realized that if she speaks out now, everyone will hear it. Not only will she be outing herself but she'll be getting some nice words from the headmaster too!
She debated twice! When she finally decided to glare back at Zero to warn him to keep his mouth shut, Zero's lips suddenly twitched. When he started laughing, she couldn't help but laugh at how pathetic and stupid she must have looked. They both burst out laughing, to everybody on the table's surprise. Zero was quick to point a finger at her and said, "She had rice on her chin. She reached it with her tongue and ate it."
That made her laugh even more because in normal circumstances, she'd be returning the story with another one against Zero but she was thankful everyone bought it, even at her expense.
"Good morning, little Cross!" Shouted the voice that echoed through the corners of the hallway.
Oh great! Just her luck.
"Please… just call me Cross." She asked. Looking and sounding so done .
Kaito's hazel eyes are too bright for this morning and the shit-eating grin on his face makes her wanna hurl. "But there are two of you. There has to be some sort of distinction between you and the headmaster or else you'd both be turning around when I call-"
"Fine! Call me Yuuki! Okay?" She finds herself running out of breath and so furious. She really can't stand him.
The brute had the nerve to smile sweetly towards her, purring like a cat when he said, "If you insist, Yuuki ."
Fuck. And she never curses. It felt like she fell into a trap.
"I'm not insis-"
"Zero and I are going to town later after the crossover thingy. We're going on a date." He winked at her suggestively. "Do you want to be our third-wheel or something?"
Yuuki feels sorry that Zero has to go. She's sure that if he had a choice, he wouldn't go but she also heard they've known each other since before she met Zero and trained together. So, Zero is now burdened with the responsibility of showing his childhood friend around town.
"I'll be doing the rounds since you're taking Zero away. Be sure not to keep him out long because I have some chores to do, his shift starts at seven." She hurried away from him without looking back.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"Good news." Takuma said brightly, the moment he entered his study looking so refreshed but just a little out of breath. "His vitals have finally stabilized. Rima is now taking a rest and Akatsuki has taken over."
There is some part in Kaname that feels relieved that Hanabusa Aidou made it, because it means that he won't be blamed for his death and frankly speaking, it will be bad rep, especially since he's trying to win a lot of nobles in the council.
A big part of him is still seething.
Just the image of Zero, hurt and bleeding from the noble's ice shards makes his jaw clench and his insides twist with the want to end the blond vampire's life.
He closed his eyes firmly and tried to erase the picture in his mind. It's not gonna do him good to hold on to what has already happened. May it all serve a lesson not just to Aidou but to the rest of the night class not to lay a hand on Zero or swear to-
"They sent out a new hunter in the academy." Takuma was now sitting all business-like, serious and looking at him like he held the answer he was looking for.
The Hunter's Association is really keeping an eye on him. Something is going on. It's either they wanna know what he's doing or that they wanna make sure that he can't do anything.
"It's happening." He proclaimed.
Takuma's eyes widened for a long moment before recognition flashed in his green eyes. He held his breath and blinked twice as he exhaled. Then he nodded his head, the realization finally sinking in.
"But you're still…" Takuma purposely paused, not willing to verbalize Kaname's current situation.
It's very unfortunate, for yet another war to start while he's dealing with his and Zero's situation. The choice to permanently break the bond is the fastest and easiest choice, so he could go back to doing his duty, one that he'd been in charge of for centuries.
But. He. Just. Can't.
"I have to make a decision. Soon." He uttered, standing to get his coat. "Let's go."
They have to get to the nearest Headquarters to meet with the council secretary along with the five teams scouted from their army that he requested. It's sooner than he expected. It hasn't been a week like he declared but it seems the purebloods are truly scared.
They don't know if the abducted ones are still alive. Kaname has a strong feeling that the upgraded Level Es and the abductions are connected to each other. The strong political differences in the Council is what's preventing Kaname from laying out a hundred percent of his real plans for fear that one of the members would betray him in favor of the opposition or the enemies themselves.
He has a lot on his hands right now. Does he really have to let go of Zero to be able to focus on his duties?
0-0-0-0-0-0
"Man, and I was looking forward to seeing the Kuran Kaname." Kaito whined, kicking the poor stone on his way.
Not seeing the pureblood today after the events last night wasn't a surprise since one of the nobles was badly hurt and they might still be nursing him to health. It wasn't just the pureblood but his entire clique that were absent.
The fangirls were clearly disappointed. They walked away mumbling 'what a waste' or 'I miss them already'. They were asking him and Yuuki if they knew why they weren't around but they couldn't give them answers.
Zero could still remember Yuuki's unamazed and frustrated look before they left just right after the crossover. She looked so relieved that he's taking the other hunter away from the campus.
Instead of helping them herd the Day Class fangirls, Kaito was flirting with them all throughout!
Kaito kept the girls busy though, Zero would give him that, but Yuuki was unimpressed, in fact she was seething.
"We're here." He alerted him when they reached the ice cream shop.
The headmaster highly recommended that he take the young hunter to the 'best parfait in town' and Zero remembered being brought there when he was younger. It seems like the trip was part of the initiation or something.
When Kaito made obscenely loud noises with every scoop of his ice cream, Zero reached to pinch the bridge of his nose as a way of hiding his face from all the pairs of eyes that looked into their direction.
"Stop it." He told him.
"What?" The brunet looked at him, hazel eyes widening as his face feigned innocence.
"I'll leave you here if you keep doing that." Zero threatened. He doesn't have the patience for any of his antics.
Kaito raised his two hands, "Alright, alright! I'll keep it in, Mr. Serious!" He laughed, all teeth and crinkling eyes.
Zero doesn't remember much about Kaito Takamiya. They weren't friends, to say the least. He was much closer to his friends from school. Kaito is older and had the kind of personality that Zero truly never liked. They were kind of forced to get along because they both trained under Toga Yagari. That's all.
"Thank you for bringing me here, by the way." His tone changed, a sudden 180. "I know we weren't really close back then but, I'm really glad to see you now."
It took a while for Zero to respond because he had to assess how he feels in return and found that the feeling is mutual. Kaito Takamiya is a little irritating but he's a familiar face.
This time, the other hunter smiled so fondly in his direction. He's now making him feel so conscious.
"You've never been the talker and that hasn't changed." He commented.
Zero chuckled, "And you're still the opposite."
Kaito laughed, "Some chicks dig it, you know." He gave him a knowing wink. Then as if reminded, his eyes trained on him then asked, "Have you ever had a girlfriend?"
Zero looked away. He never liked these kinds of conversations. It feels so intrusive.
"I was busy training." He answered curtly and then changed his sitting position.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Kaito knows he can still push a little more to hear what he wants.
"Well, it's a good thing I'm here because I could definitely help give you pointers." He boasted intentionally. He wants to distract Zero until he can get there . "The thing with Kuran Kaname must really suck for you." He added, cocking his head to the side to see the boy's face.
His brows furrowed, and a frown appeared on his lips before he looked at him asking, "Why?"
Kaito shrugged, "I mean, you can't date until the bond's severed."
Zero paused for a moment, lavender eyes darkening at the thoughts that crossed his mind.
"You're going to sever it, right?" He asked carefully. He wants to keep the conversation going and with Zero's personality, he can cut the talk without preamble.
And then he saw it. The sadness that flashed Zero Kiryuu's face for a moment before anger blanketed and consumed his eyes.
"Kaname said there's a way…" Zero finally said.
Kaname. He calls the pureblood by his first name now?
But more importantly, "What way?"
"A machine. One of the nobles told him it can erase memories." Zero relayed, gritting his teeth. His jaw looked so hard and tight, he's truly angry.
"What, after erasing both of your memories that it could actually break a magical bond? Is that even possible?" He asked, curious as to how far they have already come to setting things right.
Poking the melting ice cream, Zero nodded. "He's convinced it could work." Like the words he just said tasted so bad in his mouth, it sounded so sour as well.
So the pureblood wanted to sever the bond and was the one who found a way to break it. Which makes Kaito even more confused. Why did he save him in the first place knowing a partial bond could bind them if he's going to sever it anyway?
But more importantly, it seems that Zero doesn't like the idea. Could he be…
"You love him." Fuck. He wasn't supposed to say that.
Zero looked so surprised and offended at the words. He sat straight and shook his head in denial. "What- no!" He then looked panicked as if he was having an inner battle. "I can't possibly… It's just the bond ." He shook his head even harder and rubbed each of his hands over his arms. "It's making me feel and do things I would never do before the blood pact."
Could be.
"All the more reason for you both to end this now before it's too late." He commented, trying to sound nonchalant but he's still suspicious if what Zero feels for the pureblood and vice versa are really invalid just because it's what the bond dictates. Or is it their feelings for each other the one dictating the bond?