A/N - Once again, I have so many better things to be doing, but here I am.
#
Well fuck.
Zero just managed to swallow behind the iron bar of Kaname's arm, and realised after a few heart-shrivelling seconds that the choke was not going to kill him. He could still breathe.
He lowered his arms. Clawing at Kaname's grip like an animal wouldn't do anything but piss him off and clearly, the other vampire was already at his limit.
He had a choice to make here. Either he stared Kaname down, and possibly got killed, fucked, or otherwise put in his place like the 'D Kaname wanted – or he gave in, apologised, probably ending up on his knees one way or the other, and hopefully survived with his freedom intact, if not his self-respect.
Well, Zero thought ruefully, when he put it that way –
"I," Zero replied calmly, looking Kaname right in those bloody eyes, "do not like being attacked." His own eyes had a different sort of burn, he knew, defiance. Kaname would not be the first client to get pissed off that their whore wasn't a broken wreck of (in)humanity.
Kaname's return stare was apathetic – and that freaked Zero out a bit. Whatever they were, Kaname had always, always reacted to him. Even when they were children, Kaname had always had something to say to him. At the Academy, Kaname stopped and looked and saw him, when the other vampires had their noses so far in the air that they couldn't see the ground.
This apathy was new and strange and he didn't like it one bit. Was he no longer worth the almighty pureblood's attention now that they'd fucked? The idea pissed him off. A lot.
The tableau held for a full three minutes – Zero kept an uneasy count – before Kaname stepped back, and Zero fell back against the wall, rubbing at his throat, but he didn't take his eyes off of the pureblood.
"Fine," Kaname waved a hand, "Run away."
Zero watched, confused and a little lost, as Kaname blatantly dismissed him from his presence and sat down to work at his desk.
"Were you expecting a tip?"
The scathing tone did it. Zero made a conscious decision to let the pureblood have the last word, and scampered out the door.
Fuck him anyway.
He didn't slam the door behind him – Kaname would be expecting that – he left quietly, easily tracking the path they'd taken back to the foyer, avoiding every vampire with the help of a trick or two he'd picked up with the Hunters and slipping out the first side door that smelled like fresh air.
There were a few roads to choose from once he made it outside and past the moat – fucking purebloods, who needed that much money, seriously – Zero instantly decided he wasn't using the main one and risk going past the guards. God no, Zero could just imagine the scene that would cause.
-Hey! Hey you? Yeah I'm talking to you – who the hell are you and what are you doing here?
-Me sir? Oh, I was just leaving; can you open the gate please?
-You're a 'D. What's a 'D doing here – and is that money? Have you been stealing?
-Stealing? No sir, not me, I earned that money.
-Oh yeah, that's an awful lot of cash you got. How'd you get it?
-Fucking your boss, you shit head.
-Right that's it, lads – grab him, I'm guna call up to the House.
-Sir? We caught a 'D on your land, thief by the looks of him – pardon? Oh. No sir, no problem, I'll let him out.
-Did ya hear that lads? This 'ere is the Master's whore, fuck, you're an expensive piece of ass aren't you? I wouldn't mind a taste of what the Master like's so much, eh? Come now, pet, no need to be shy…
Zero gave a full body shudder, and took the road that was in the worst condition, deciding it was the most likely to be some sort of service road or back road. Castle's had those, didn't they? To keep the peasants out of sight from the real guests. Cursed purebloods.
He started jogging, ruthlessly ignoring the bone deep ache that drummed in time with his footsteps, knowing damn well it was going to be hours before he could get back to his crappy apartment and pass the fuck out.
It rained five minutes later, because fuck his life.
#
Zero fumed for three solid days – days because he was rebelling and turning to the sun again – before Mashiro arrived.
"Zero-kun!"
The smug coo was the only warning he got before Mashiro threw open the locked door, using his landlord's key bastard, and sauntered into Zero's bedroom.
Zero was deeply lucky to be awake already and dressed or god knew he'd have woken with Mashiro crawling under the covers.
"Zero-kun, your rent is due," he started with false-sympathy. "I know life is hard for you my sweet, but I'm perfectly willing to come to an alternate arrangement. I – what's this?" the greasy vampire stared down at the cash Zero had thrown, first with bemusement, and then outrage.
"Your rent," Zero replied coolly turning a creased page. "Three fifty. Now when are you going to fix my damned water heater?"
Mashiro trembled with supressed fury, white knuckled around the fistful of cash.
"Where did you get it?" he asked lowly.
"Where'd you think?" Zero snorted.
"You're not worth that much whore, you didn't even have a twenty in your wallet on Wednesday."
"What's it matter to you?" Zero looked up from his book. "One way or another you've got your money now. Bugger off."
"You know, Zero, soon, you're not going to have the money, and you're going to regret not being nice to me then."
He left. Zero shoved a chair under the doorknob and went back to his book.
Rat gargling vampires. Fuck them all.
#
The remaining one fifty was spent fast.
There were the bills, which were a week late already – and they ate up a good chunk of it. Zero was thrifty; he stretched out every last coin to the maximum. He'd dispensed with all luxuries, and was ruthless with himself when it came to energy consumption and water – but he still needed to live, and it all cost money.
He forced himself to add another month's worth onto his account so that he couldn't be tempted to spend it elsewhere.
Food he could scavenge but central heating, his blood tablets, well.
He was back on the street on the fourth night after what he'd privately named That Night with That Bastard.
#
"Hey, Zero, haven't seen you around," Hotaru shivered as he stood next to Zero on 'their' corner, no surprise as he'd foregone Zero's sensible, if tight, jeans for booty shorts that just about ensured he didn't flash anybody bending over.
"Took a break," Zero grunted apologetically.
"Oh? Good." Hotaru clapped his hands together for warmth and blew on them. "Thought Mashiro might have tucked you away in a sex dungeon somewhere."
"Fuck no, and fuck him." Zero snapped back instantly, snarling around his fangs.
Fuck but he wanted a cigarette right now, and fuck it sideways because he never let himself buy a pack before he'd got at least a hundred put away for the rent.
"Yeah, exactly."
Zero snorted. Hotaru was younger than him, and too skinny, but he was a right little shit sometimes. They stuck together because Shizuka had bitten them both, and annoying as it was, that sort of shit mattered, even here; Especially here when the other 'D's had nothing else to jockey over. Besides, Hotaru was a tiny thing, and Zero liked being able to protect him, just a bit. It was almost like he was worth something when he could do that much.
"I'm alright, Hotaru," Zero murmured after a moment, he knew what the other was really asking. The brat had been worried. Normally, if you didn't turn up for a few nights, you weren't coming back. "Just needed a day to myself."
"Or three? You get paid for the battering at least?"
Well, Zero had never said the brat was stupid.
"Yeah," Zero shrugged, and that was the end of that topic. "Everything all right here?"
They got trouble sometimes; Fujiwara's leftovers had a big gang, aristocrats tossing their powers about, law enforcement from either species, people just wanting to start shit, and then there were the usual drunks and the weirdos.
"There's a car been coming around a lot," Hotaru shrugged, which meant he didn't like it at all, "Posh."
Zero very carefully showed no reaction. He liked Hotaru well enough, but there were limits.
Hotaru inclined his head an eighth of an inch, "That one."
Zero flicked his eyes to it without turning his head.
Black. Expensive. One-way glass. Non-descript plates.
"Anyone been over?"
"Stacey."
Zero raised an eyebrow in query and Hotaru gave a one-shoulder shrug.
"Nothing. Didn't even roll the window down."
Zero wondered if it was Kaname inside or one of his minions spying instead as Kuran must have better things to do. How the hell had he made his fortune anyway? He hoped it was the blonde brat. That one had always been such a good errand boy – was he still eager to obey Kuran's every fucking whim when it involved spying on whores? How the fuck had Kaname explained this to him? Of course, he realised an instant later, Kuran didn't need to explain himself. He spoke, they obeyed.
Bugger the bastard on a bed of nails – now he'd gotten Zero thinking about him.
That shit just wasn't going to happen. Kaname had had his fun; Zero had been paid, and so they were done. He wasn't going to be a part of any more of Kuran's schemes, nor was he going to even think about his stupid offer.
Was he actually supposed to believe Kuran give two shits about Shizuka's 'responsibilities?' With Hotaru bearing the same bite on his neck, and still standing right next to him?
Ha. As if.
Zero wasn't stupid. Shizuka had just been an excuse, and probably a way to off-balance him too – which meant the bastard's real target was him.
Rule of life: Whatever a pureblood wanted, Zero most definitely didn't.
A battered Toyota pulled up – regular customer that one – and Hotaru vanished into it after a half-minute's negotiation at the window. Good, that was him as safe as could be if this went bad.
Zero half expected the other car to do something now that he was alone in his section – but it didn't.
One of Stacey's girls tried another walk-by, slowly, but nothing came of that either, and the girl reported back to Stacey – whose territory was a small bar slash brothel on the other side of the street - with a shrug.
Realising he was giving Kaname his attention again, Zero focused on his fucking job, and when a man wondered by, staggering out of one of the clubs looking for a quickie, Zero took him down the alley opposite that fucking car so that Kaname got a good view of Zero going to his knees.
Clearly, the bastard needed proof that Zero didn't fucking belong to him – or anyone else – and twenty minutes later, with a single bill hidden down his sock for his trouble, the car was gone.
Thank fucking god.
Hopefully that would be the end of it.
#
Mashiro came to fix the water heater the next night, just as Zero was heading out.
He leered - to which Zero rolled his eyes.
"Whoring again, Zero? How much are you going for these nights anyway?"
"Do you care as long as you get paid?" Zero retorted, folding his arms as he watched Mashiro so some actual fucking work for once. He took careful note of what the other vampire was doing, in case he could learn anything for the next time the dratted thing broke down, and in case Mashiro messed around with anything he didn't need to –Zero wouldn't put anything past him.
"No," Mashiro replied, taking out a wrench. "But you just let me know if you're going to fall short this month. You know I have a soft spot for you."
Hard spot more likely.
"Uh huh."
Whenever Mashiro got like that, Zero did his best to avoid saying anything too confrontational. He really didn't want to fuck the bastard, but there was no need to make it a challenge, or an insult that Mashiro got het up about. He was Zero's landlord after all, and had a myriad of ways to make his life difficult if he put his mind to it.
The grope to his arse on the way out of the door was unexpected – Zero hadn't seen it coming in time – but it was nothing since Zero could now take a hot shower to wash the memory of the sensation away.
Well, lukewarm. After feeling what Kuran was getting every night Zero couldn't honestly call the water hot anymore. Fucking bastard, found ways to mess with Zero even days later.
Still, it meant nothing.
Independence was worth a little discomfort. Zero had a roof over his head, central heating that worked, clothes on his back, and food in his belly. He had nothing to complain about. He wouldn't want to live in a castle any way. Think of the heating bills.
Dinner might be a cheap multipack of own-brand plain noodles, but hey, at least he'd scored some shredded veggies on their sell-by date at a fraction of their normal price to go with them, and with one of the free little soy sauce packets you could filch from anywhere, it wasn't half bad either.
It wasn't roasted duck with orange, a French title and silver service, but it wasn't bad. He was doing just fine.
#
The car was back the next night.
"What the fuck?" Hotaru asked, sauntering over to Zero's patch. The damn thing was the furthest thing from inconspicuous in the neighbourhood and more than one of the lads had been eyeing it warily in case of trouble.
"Not a fucking clue," Zero replied, pulling out a cigarette and puffing defiantly. He'd needed the boost after depressing himself yesterday. He knew Kaname had hated the taste and scent of the smoke so when he blew out, he aimed for his shirt in petty defiance to a memory.
Inspiration was a mean, cruel thing. "Try knocking on the window," Zero said nonchalantly, "Maybe it's cock he wants."
Now Zero would get to see what Kaname did with another of 'Shizuka's messes'.
Hotaru did actually give it a go – undoubtedly the thought of money over rode any earlier hesitation. He looked exceptionally small as he crossed the road and rapped on the glass. To Zero's immense surprise, the window rolled down an inch. He couldn't make Kaname out through the darkened glass, and he couldn't sense anything either, but Zero knew it was him by the clenching of his gut and from the way the hairs on the back of his neck stiffened in outrage.
He pretended for two seconds that he wasn't going to listen to their conversation.
"Looking for something?" Hotaru asked coyly. "Of if you just like to watch, I can work with that too."
Kuran's voice was indecipherable. Fucking pureblood doing something freaky, Zero was certain of it. No way he was silent that close to Zero. Bastard must know Zero was eavesdropping. He could only hear Hotaru's side of the conversation. It wasn't helpful.
"Yeah." Uncertainty.
"Alright." Resignation.
Zero watched, astounded, as Hotaru climbed into the other side of car and they drove off. Just like that.
Kaname fucking Kuran, Zero seethed. He did that deliberately, the bastard, bastard, bastard.
He didn't feel quite so sanguine when Hotaru returned, four hours later, in a different car, with visible bruises on his face, wrists and neck.
"Fuck man," Zero greeted, startled. "Are you OK? Well shit, of course you're not - you need any help getting back? Medical aid? I've got some supplies tucked away."
"Nah," Hotaru replied hoarsely, limping back to his spot. "It's fine, Zero, the John said what he wanted to do. These," he gestured to the bruises, "are all bought and paid for."
Suddenly, Zero got it. This was a message. He'd involved Hotaru in their game, and Kaname made him pay for it.
Whatever was going on, it was between the two of them alone – and clearly, it was not over yet.
He wished Kaname had hit him instead.
Fucking bastard.
#
On the seventh night, there was no car. Zero was not disappointed. He was relieved. Relieved, god dammit, do you hear me? Relieved.
#
For the next three weeks, Zero didn't see hide nor hair of Kuran, his minions, or that fucking car.
He went to the library, he rummaged through charity shops for some decent shoes, and he searched for a better apartment and job, failed, tried again. He did his grocery shopping twenty minutes before the shop shut to get the discount food.
He fretted over the rent.
Fuck it; he knew he shouldn't have got those cigarettes.
"Everything alright, Zero?" Hotaru asked. "You're pale."
"Rent," Zero grunted. "Mashiro."
"You know, if you just fucked him, you could work out a discount. Or hey, he might let you live there for free. It's not like he doesn't own the whole block."
"No."
"Are you playing hard to get? I suppose it drives your price up, but he'll only be a twat about it when you eventually give in. Best just to get it over with."
"Fuck off, Hotaru."
The boy went, huffy, and Zero rolled his eyes. He'd pay for that tomorrow, he just knew it. He already regretted it. The long waiting went much faster when he had a friend to bitch about it to.
And that was when he saw the car, parked just out of range of a streetlight.
There was no way Kaname hadn't just heard that entire conversation.