"Is this everything?" Kaname asked, scanning the very short list of options for breaking bonds that Takuma and Seiren did joint research on.
"I'm afraid so," Seiren said.
He'd never had the chance to even consider bonding in all the lives he's lived. Each time he comes back, it is only to make sure that the future of his line and the rest of the vampires is according to what was planned.
That's the only reason why he's still here. The sacrifice of someone dear to him gave him a mission to live for. He would've been the one to do the sacrifice… it was his blood that would have been used to forge anti-vampire weapons, but he was spared.
He's heard about bonds and the basics but he never was interested in it. He thought it was unnecessary and also a glaring weakness in all aspects, strategy-wise.
As a 'parent'... he needed to produce descendants and had to make sure that their blood remained 'pure'. This is to guard their blood in case of a need for future sacrifices.
When he was awakened in the body of this descendant he is in right now, it wasn't the right time yet. But because what's done is done, he has to straighten things out before going for a deep slumber again.
Complications were fine. Fights and wars happen and he actually likes participating in such. He likes the spice once in a while. Unfortunately, he found himself in a difficult situation with his new host's body and its family.
He likes to calculate things, plan them ahead of time and read people, projecting situations, potential problems, and solutions. That's how he'd been living.
But this lifetime is different.
Rido Kuran wanted to devour him and later on, came back for someone else dear to him and his body's host. His family.
He had to make sure his bloodline continued.
And then Kiryuu Zero came as the ultimate distraction. A pawn who he thought he could promote as a knight.
Yet, he became more than that.
He couldn't control him.
He couldn't control himself with him.
The beast inside him is him. It is his manifestation of lust and desire that reminds him of his true identity. A child of the moon.
And Kaname lusts and desires Zero. A partial bond was apparently established. That was the reason for his attraction towards the silver-haired boy's blood. For Zero himself.
He was blindsided.
He was already in too deep the day he finally pieced things together. That night he was about to consummate the bond. That night had he completed the bond, he'd be mated for life.
Had he mated with a non-pureblood… he'd be tainting his lineage and the mission he faithfully worked hard to protect for thousands of years.
He had a plan. Zero wasn't originally part of it. Until he came into his life and everything spiraled out of control. Everything about Zero, he couldn't control. Instead, he was manipulated… not by Zero himself, but by his attraction towards him.
He should've just killed him. Would he have been able to? He had many chances… yet he couldn't- no, he didn't because he was unknowingly establishing a bond.
It was his ignorance!
And now he's looking at a number of Blood Pacts that were unconsummated and how they were severed.
Pureblood to pureblood, or pureblood with nobles and/or humans/ex-humans. The closest circumstance is definitely the ones between a pureblood and a Level D. This is the only account that resulted in a slightly better result than death to both people.
Partial bonds happen after a Blood Pact. Breaking a consummated bond resulted in death on both sides. But there were three accounts of unconsummated bonds being severed with only one casualty, the death of the lower level vampire…
"This is not an option. Zero cannot die." Kaname said firmly, closing his eyes.
"At this rate, if we can't break the bond and you still continue to avoid consummating it… your beast will go crazy." Takuma explained, sitting across Kaname on a wing chair. "Even if you feed on each other, it won't be enough. The bond seeks to be completed and it's only a matter of time before you lose yourself to that unstoppable force. The signs are already here…"
The signs… the ability to locate Zero and feel what he's feeling emotionally and physically… All these are indications that the bond wants to be completed. That the bond wants to be whole.
He remembered Shizuka Hio. How she slowly slipped into madness after losing her mate.
"Kaname-same, I may have a solution that isn't traditional and probably hasn't been done by vampires before," Takuma said.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
His throat constricted and his heart throbbed.
The golden glow on Kaname's eyes is now gone and while that was enchantingly beautiful, his mahogany eyes where specs of brown and red adorn its lens are equally majestic.
Lying on his bed facing each other and talking while they're wrapped around each other is a very surreal moment. Who would have thought with how much they argued and hated the other in the past, that they're here like this now and staring into each other's eyes feeling so calm and content?
He reached for Kaname's face, traced the outline of his jaw, and up to run the tips of his fingers on his lips.
Kaname is waiting for his answer.
"How about you?" He returned the question. It's unfair for him to be the only one to express himself.
"It doesn't matter what I want. You're the one I roped into this and I want to give you a way out." Kaname said, catching both his hands and kissing his knuckles while his eyes were on him.
Anger bubbled in Zero's stomach, like acid it slowly rose from within, to surface through the constrictions on his chest and tension in his whole body.
"What happens to you and me after our bond is broken?" Zero wants to know that Kaname will be okay for some reason.
The pureblood looked down, his lashes looked so soft this close and unless you're in this position right now, one wouldn't think anything else about Kuran Kaname could be soft, aside from his glorious brown hair.
"I'll make sure you'll be fine."
He looked everywhere apart from his face so Zero placed his palms on each side of his face and forced him to look at him.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Zero's lavender eyes have darkened along with the rest of his face. Dark violet orbs were akin to an impending supertyphoon suspended in the air, gathering wind and water before landfall. The stubborn angry look on him right now reminded him of how he used to look at him before the bond.
"How does it work?" He asked.
Kaname shrugged. "Science." He said, "There's no guarantee it will work but it is definitely worth a try." He started, "Especially since, we don't have a lot of options. It's the only one that has the highest probability of survival for both of us."
Magic is a word used to describe what is indescribable by the logic of science. The skills and abilities that vampires are gifted with definitely fall into the category of 'indescribable', and therefore may be labeled as such.
Technology is probably the human counterpart of magic, where the impossible becomes possible just with the right knowledge and materials.
Kaname is convinced that bonds being a product of magic are created as absolute and cannot be countered. It is not unexplored. It cannot be explored, because it is as it is. Just like life and death.
Truth be told, he's apprehensive. Not because it might not work but because it actually might.
Would science supersede magic?
"I asked how!" Zero demanded the raging look is still present.
He won't hide anything. He will tell him what he needs to know for once. "Memory erasure."
Zero paused to process everything. He was silent again for a while. His eyes clouded at the thought.
Kaname gave in to the urge to kiss the hunter but before their lips touched, Zero turned away.
"So, will both of us forget the bond?"
Takuma's list of any and all possible ways to break the bond included detailed explanations of the procedures. "No. Forgetting is just suppressing the memory. The neurons which store the memory will still be in the head, which means it will still be accessible when triggered." Zero is listening too intently with his furrowed brows that make him want to kiss the adorable indentation it created between his brows. "Memory erasure will destroy the neurons completely."
He heard him gasp and for a moment a sliver of pain flashed his eyes before disappearing for another clarification.
"So the memory of the bond will be totally erased." He uttered.
"Yes. Technically that is right. But to be sure… all memories of the other person will be erased as well…" Kaname paid the most attention to Zero's reaction before saying "as if you and I never met."
Zero stopped responding for a moment. He was thinking. Minutes passed, and he remained looking at his direction but staring into space.
Kaname then started to feel everything about him change. The warmth and eagerness in his eyes have totally disappeared. His jaw clenched as well as his fists.
Then he pulled away from him, and his sudden coldness almost felt so icy and cutting, he couldn't even attempt to touch him, afraid that he would recoil and actually push him away.
"Okay." Zero said, intense dark violet eyes judging him and Kaname suddenly felt this painful want to take it all back. But this is for the best. Now that Zero knows, he doesn't have to make the decision by himself and Zero should understand why he had to stay away from him for a while. "When?"
Kaname felt his stomach twist, "The uh…" He was lost for a moment then had to focus on finding where and what they are talking about right now. "It involves a type of machine that's the only one in the world, so we have to personally travel abroad- for it."
"When?" Zero asked again.
"Two weeks. I still have issues to sort out with the council-"
"Okay." Zero said coldly, moving to stand. "Until then, let's just do what's necessary. We feed on each other and that's all." He pronounced.
He clenched his fists and made so much effort to control his senses. This is what he wanted.
Right?
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"Zero-kun…" called that familiar voice that interrupted his sky-gazing through their classroom window.
He turned to one of his classmates in pigtails who he recognizes by face but not by name.
"We're in the same group." She showed him a piece of paper that says stage decoration. "There's three of us." She moved aside to show another girl behind her.
They will join the other group of three like them from other classes to decorate the stage based on a theme for the upcoming Summer School Festival.
The festive mood is making Zero's mood sour.
It had been three days since that very awkward blood exchange with Kaname. Right after they both agreed to break the bond.
Vampire's version of falling in love- his ass.
It's totally unrealistic.
He almost believed Toga Yagari.
"Okay." He told the girls and waited for what they wanted to say next, eyes looking back and forth. They looked at each other, blushing furiously.
"Can we get your email?" The girl in pigtails asked, then raised her hands, defensively wagging them in the air. "Not for anything! We just need to add you on the Group Chat."
"For announcements and schedules, that's all." Said the smaller one.
Zero considered for a moment. "We see each other every day, you can just tell me." He suggested and saw their shoulders drop.
"Of course!" Said the pigtailed girl, faking a smile.
On second thought, "If it's urgent…" He pulled out a piece of paper from his desk and wrote his email address down. "I don't have a cellphone, so I can only check emails on my laptop when I'm done for the day."
Their faces brightened almost instantly; it was like looking at solar-powered street lights that automatically lit up at night.
"We'll definitely remember that!" The shorter girl looked so excited.
"We're seeing everyone else after class today for a meeting." She said,
Zero frowned. "But I-" He stopped, thinking he could just ask Yuuki a favor.
"Yes?"
He shook his head. "Nevermind."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Takuma surveyed their entourage to see if everyone's present and was satisfied to confirm they're all set.
He turned to Kaname next to him and said, "We're good." He uttered and then raised his voice to inform the gatekeeper. "Open the gates!"
As always two rows of screaming girls on each side of the pathway started screaming, gasping, and calling for their names. It was definitely amusing at first and it ran for a couple of weeks. But they're almost a year into this charade and they've reached their limit and tolerance, which makes some a little too sensitive and grumpy.
Fast shade of blond passed before him too quickly to stand at the frontline reminded Takuma that there's one who is enjoying this a little too much and though at first, his enthusiasm was annoying, now Takuma thinks his fanservice is a necessary distraction. Aidou is doing the unwanted work for them.
Through the commotion, Takuma couldn't sense the silver-haired boy. He knows by the fullness of Kaname's aura that he just fed, but the way he expanded his senses caused the whole entourage to stop in the middle of the pathway.
Kaname's senses pulsed once before traveling in waves to 'find' something or someone. He rarely uses it and never in the middle of the crossover, that's why the others were alerted, thinking that Kaname must have detected something or someone dangerous.
"It's alright, let's keep going." Takuma quickly herded everyone to the school building.
His eyes continued to follow the dorm leader whose shoulders looked tense.
Break the bond- bullshit. He can't even calm down and goes into panic mode when he can't sense Kiryuu and when the bond channels a little discomfort.
Takuma shook his head. Kaname really has no idea about how he truly feels. As experienced as the pureblood is given his age, Takuma realized he's never known attraction like this at all. He might have felt attachment and familial love in the past but never as intense as this that he himself couldn't understand the changes within.
That is the reason why Kaname is so helpless. He couldn't acknowledge what he's feeling because he's never experienced anything like it before. It's not to say the pureblood is innocent either. Physical and emotional attraction are two different things. This thing with Kiryuu is beyond just bodily needs.
It took Takuma a while to fully understand his friend's circumstance until Senri pointed out even prior to the bonding how Kiryuu is the only solution to satiate the beast.
Even he was blind to it at first. He was very adamant to keep Kaname away from Kiryuu and denied any and all signs that lead to bonding until he couldn't anymore.
Now he's done something either Kaname would kill or kiss him for… if Seiren wouldn't have slit him open already. It's only a matter of time. Thanks to Senri.
Or not.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
They all gathered immediately after class ended only to come up with more research on what theme they'll go with after two freaking hours. They're supposed to meet again in three days and each group from all class sections should present an idea.
Zero's just gonna leave it all to Miura and Isami.
He walked out fast after hearing the designated group leader say, that's all. They know he has duties as prefect anyway, he'll just use that as an excuse.
He was in such a hurry that he heard Yuuki's distinct laughter before he felt him.
Zero couldn't feel him the way a hunter does to any other vampire. He could feel him through the bond, with the way his body and soul hum in both satisfaction at the shortening distance and frustration for the remaining distance.
It was too late for him to turn back because Yuuki had already seen him and he knew that the pureblood felt him before he did.
"Zero! We were just talking about you!" Yuuki sounded so excited. His footsteps were heavy and he tried his hardest to keep his composure despite the itch to run towards Kaname who is standing so impeccably beautiful and elegant, looking back at him with a fond impression. That just makes him even more pissed.
"I'm gonna take over patrol now." He uttered, dismissing Yuuki's opening.
"Oh? Okay! But you're still cooking dinner, right?" She asked, following him behind when he continued walking.
"As if I'm eating anything you make." He said and walked faster.
"Okay!" She chirped and Zero thinks she's up to something again but then when is she not?
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"I'll see what I can do," Senri said with finality and bid a faint goodbye before ending the call.
He felt a sudden chill.
His family wants him to go home. Something must have happened. He has a feeling it has something to do with the pureblood abductions.
His grandfather is a council member but he didn't learn about the new threat from him. He rarely goes home anyways. He doesn't feel any connection to anyone.
The door opened and Takuma rushed to his side, sensing the distress in his aura. He had to go somewhere to answer his phone and entered the library for privacy.
"What is it?" Takuma asked, reaching to caress the back of his head.
"I have to go home." He uttered, fangs starting to tingle as bloodlust slowly consumed him. He gets needy like this when he thinks of being away from Takuma. He gets scared and panicked.
Takuma is the only one he felt a connection with.
"I'm going to cut ties with my clan." He declared. This is the perfect opportunity.
Takuma shook his head, green eyes shining in the dark from the faint reflection of the moonlight coming from the window. "It's too early. They won't let you, yet."
"I'm sick and tired. All they want from me is information about Kaname." He's frustrated. They rarely invite him to family gatherings and when they do, it's an intimate party with the elders. The same oldies who suggested to keep locking him in his room because they're too scared to let everyone know about him.
Just like every other noble family, they want the association with pureblood families. That's why they sent him to that one party at the Ichijou Manor.
That's the only thing they ever did right for him. He met Takuma and Kaname. And when they found out he's become friends with the pureblood somehow, they started treating him better.
"You know what to do." Takuma leaned and kissed him, light and carefully. With the kind of softness, Senri has never known before they met. The kind he still receives until this day and even before they bonded.
Senri knows he needs to tell them something, but never about Kaname and Kiryuu. Never about their plans for the future.
He and Takuma promised to help Kaname because by doing so, they could also attain the justice and peace they deserve.
A/N: The first move in chess is called 'Opening' and that's why the title for this Chapter is the same. Lots of things will start happening in the next chapters. We'll have new POVs for characters that will play a big part in the events to come. I just wanna remind everyone that the things that happened in the manga/anime at this point may or may not happen in this story. So please don't expect this story to be faithful to the original plot as it is, like the title said, 'Rewritten'. Thank you for reading this far and I apologize for a spotty update, but I am definitely intent on finishing this story. See you next chapter!