A/N - Look how long this chapter is!
Zero's body paralysed immediately, helplessly obedient to the Command, but his mind launched to hyper speed. Mercy from Kaname? Unlikely. This had to be another trap. Why? Why Why Why? He'd already won.
Kaname wanted him to attack, but Zero couldn't even blink right now, so complete was the order. In fact, he wasn't even certain if his lungs were moving. His pulse joined his mind in hyperspace. Thumpthumpthump. If he couldn't move, he couldn't bite – this just made no sense. Unless the whole biting thing was a blind to something even worse – and that would be just like the bastard – knowing damn well how distracting Zero would find the whole idea.
Even worse than that, his panic didn't lessen the tidal wave of hunger that sapped at his very soul.
He felt, with agonising intensity, the wrist and all of its lovely pure blood vanish from under his fangs – and the mattress dipped as Kaname left the bed entirely.
What the hell was going on? Where was he – and his blood – going?
Was he just going to leave him here like this? Abandoned and starving? Was he going to suffocate here on this bloody bed?
"Drink."
Oh thank god, Kaname was back.
Zero felt his head being lifted, and the coolness of metal pressed against his lips. The power surrounding his mind lessened just enough for Zero to take a breath and scent the contents.
Oh, dear sweet lord above. Blood.
Blood.
Ah, of course, Kaname might want him to feed – but he wanted control too. And, Zero remembered vaguely, vampires had a thing about being bitten, didn't they? It was some sort of power-status thing, wasn't it? Bragging rights?
Strangely relaxed - there hadn't been a greater trick after all - Zero drank the blood that danced across his lips in two desperate gulps. He was too far gone in the bloodlust to have a choice about it. There was blood, and he consumed it. It was that simple, and damning. Will power could only go so far before it met a hard biological limit.
The effect was instant.
The red haze in his mind cleared, the pain in his throat lessened, his fangs shrunk to a manageable size, and he could breathe a sigh of relief as Kaname pressed a second cup to his dry and cracked lips.
The scent was recognisable now - warm, nutritious and safe.
Human.
Zero swallowed greedily, groaning when the sweet wholesome taste exploded over his tongue. He didn't care why Kaname was being so generous all of a sudden, why he hadn't broken Zero when he had the chance – he could only feed as much as physically possible for as long as possible. Every drop he consumed would give him another inch of resistance when Kaname inevitably changed his mind.
When his thoughts cleared completely, he had the synapses to spare to wonder where Kaname had got human blood from – they were alone up here, and he knew it for sure.
He'd been paying attention after the last time.
"Wha-"
"Bottled blood," Kaname explained gently, knowing immediately what he wanted to say. "An old substitute from before we invented the tablets. It doesn't maintain it's vitality for more than a week, and it has to be reheated carefully, but I got some in for you."
Kaname kept refilling the cup – and after three refills, Zero turned his head away, licking his lips and panting weakly, as buzzed as he was nauseous.
He was utterly disgusted with himself.
"Now, now," Kaname murmured, stroking his hair back from his forehead tenderly – the bastard. "None of that. You haven't hurt anyone, Zero. The blood was given perfectly willingly."
Zero grunted.
"A blood bank," Kaname replied. Zero hated how the other vampire could read him so easily. "There are other varieties that we pay for, a fair few humans are in the know, and they're willing to be compensated handsomely in return for eating a special diet and giving a pint every two months."
"Why'd you do it?" Zero asked, verbally, because this was important. "You had me."
There was no point lying about it when they both knew the truth. Zero had broken, and Kaname hadn't taken his prize.
Kaname settled onto the bed, pulling Zero up next to him before finally releasing the Command that held him still. Zero elbowed Kaname in the ribs, pointedly because blood or no blood his back was still a mess of agony and he didn't appreciate being jerked about or Commanded this way and that, but stayed where Kaname wanted him, resting his head on his chest and letting the wanker play with his hair again.
"I realised something," Kaname replied simply when it became clear Zero wasn't going to drop the topic.
"Realised what, you bastard."
The following silenced reigned for so long that Zero decided he was being ignored before he got his answer.
"I like playing the game, but I don't want to win."
"Speak proper Japanese," Zero snapped, at the end of his patience.
Kaname sighed, and then he pushed Zero onto his back and straddled him.
Back pressed flat onto the mattress, with Kaname's weight pushing him down – Zero cursed and bit right through his lip, trying to keep himself from screaming. He should have known better than to question a pureblood – fuck, what was he going to do -
Kaname reached down and held Zero's head between his two hands.
"Open your eyes, Zero."
Zero glared at him, and Kaname kissed him full on the mouth, tender and sweet, and without closing his eyes. Zero felt him smile into it, and realised too late that a bitten lip meant a bloody kiss.
Kaname drew back, Zero's blood coating his lips.
"You promised-" Zero began frantically, why the fuck had he ever trusted that Kaname wouldn't -
Kaname wiped his lips with the back of his hand, and wiped it clean on the already ruined sheets.
"Are you paying attention now?"
"Fuck you." Zero fumed, as his already-exhausted heart settled into a steadier pace.
"If I broke you," Kaname said, hands roaming Zero's chest, "It'd be forever. Don't get me wrong," he added, as if Zero thought he was suddenly going soft, "It'd be fun too – but I rather like you like this," the flickering of his eyes added emphasis. "You're in pain, but you still glare at me. You hate me, but you trust me."
"I do not," Zero denied heatedly, "I'm a Hunter – you're a vampire. That's not grounds for trust, it's a war story."
Kaname's snort said it all.
"Zero, every second you spend here is an exercise in trust. You knew exactly what I wanted to do to you – and what I could still do if I was in a darker mood, but still you let me inside you."
Zero felt a heat in his cheeks and scowled.
"Don't twist this, leech. I just need your money."
"Do you? You managed for years before that night in the rain."
"My landlord put the rent up," Zero sneered back.
"Unsurprising, Mashiro may lack brains, but he doesn't lack eyes." Kaname's gaze wondered possessively over Zero's body, focusing on his neck. "Have you ever let him have you?"
Zero grunted, and tried to push Kaname off – Kaname might have been made of stone for all the effect it had. "None of your business."
"I want it to be."
"Tough shit."
Kaname sighed – as if Zero was being the difficult one.
"I could buy you an apartment in the same area, if you really want to continue living somewhere so… tired."
"Nope." Were they getting into this again?
"I could have a word with Mashiro – stop him bothering you, ever."
Yes, apparently they were.
"I'd die of embarrassment – and never fucking talk to you again. I don't want anyone knowing we've even met each other, let alone the rest of it," Zero added with a pointed grimace at their entwined and naked bodies, still covered with blood and other substances he'd rather not think about.
The expression Kaname made was somewhere between offended and amused, and something that was either fondness or bewilderment but Zero expertly ignored it all. He didn't give a shit if the bastard was having late-onset emotions.
"You could move into one of the blocks I own and," Kaname hesitated, mouth twisting as if his next words tasted foul, "rent from me. With the provision that you can make up any and all arrears to your landlord on your back." He added with a truly lecherous smirk. "You would not have to fear being turned out by me, ever."
"Just the arrears?" Zero chuckled. "Kaname, I make the rent money, the bill money, the grocery money, all of my money, on my back too. Or the floor, or the wall or - " Kaname slapped a hand over Zero's mouth and Zero grinned under it, licking Kaname's hand because he could.
Kaname cleaned it on Zero's hair – because there never was a challenge he wouldn't match.
"Why won't you let me look after you?" He demanded.
"I don't want any of your favours," Zero explained tiredly, knowing somehow, that Kaname didn't really understand.
Kaname considered that for a nanosecond and then-
"Not even this one?"
Zero just had time to think oh shit, before Kaname flipped him over onto his stomach.
"Er," Zero struggled to remember words, "Kaname –'
He snapped his mouth shut. He wasn't going to complain, not to the one who got off hurting him in the first place. What did he think would happen? He'd say it hurts and Kaname would reply alright then, another time my love?
Yeah, not likely. Kaname wasn't going to be satisfied with a meagre two orgasms. Not when he was paying for it. As far as Zero had figured, going several rounds a night was normal for the smug bastard.
Zero gritted his fangs, and clung to the mattress. Fuck, but this was going to hurt, not that Zero could grouse after being fed so well. The blood had done him a world of good - but he'd need nights to fully heal, especially inside where all the complicated stuff was.
He really didn't want this – but he couldn't show that. He had his pride, and Kaname had his lusts.
Zero braced as he sensed Kaname lean in and –
-kiss the junction of his neck and shoulder.
His lips were impossibly warm and soft and then Zero yelped. Loudly. In fact, it may have even been classified as a squeak. A high pitched, mousey, squeak, whiskers included.
Kaname's lips touched his swollen throbbing welts and a wave of cold blessed relief speared down into Zero's muscles. Before he had a moment to think, Zero was boneless under that sweet, sweet, deliverance.
"I hope, Zero," Kaname baited, "you don't mind if I use my 'freaky ass' powers on you just this once." He moved his lips a fraction lower and kissed his back again and Zero whimpered as another icicle of welcome frost arced down to his spine.
"Oh fuck," he keened.
The contrast of icy healing and burning pain had Zero a trembling wreck as he gasped and clutched at the sheets, his eyes rolling back into his head, he'd be kicking out if Kaname hadn't pre-emptively sat on his thighs. Every soft kiss drove a spike into Zero's brain – the signals all so confused. Where had the pain gone? Was this agony or bliss? He was half hot, half cold and completely fucking aroused.
He'd been limp all night – a fact Kaname could hardly have missed. Zero hadn't been certain if not getting him off was a power play on Kaname's part – see, I don't have to be nice, and I've got better things to do when you're here to service me – or if he just hadn't cared.
Wouldn't have been the first time. The worse thing was when a client got pissed he wasn't desperate to be fucked by them. He'd say women had it so much easier when it came to faking it – but he'd seen Stacey's girls, and no, they really didn't.
But now – oh, now, the blood had got him half hard as it was, it had been ages since he'd had the real stuff – and Kaname's really freaky ass powers just about finished him off. He was rutting against the sheets and if he'd had more room to move, he would have embarrassed himself already. Twice.
Kaname's lips were inexorable – starting at his neck, and mouthing down silkily to the curve of his spine – and up again. Nothing Zero did or said could get him to move faster or stop or fucking finish him already, and Zero tried.
Nothing would persuade Kaname, there was just a long, slow, icy glide into every cell of his back, fucking him over again and again as pain vanished under the power of Kaname's lips.
Zero had surrendered to a blissful haze of placid insanity by the time Kaname was done, curling up next to him. His erection was thick, and lay throbbing against Zero's thigh.
"What the fuck was that?" Zero grumbled. He felt fucking fantastic and was not happy about it at all. High-handed bastard.
"Healing."
"No shit Sherlock," Zero growled. "I didn't ask for it, and don't even think about me owing you shit now." Zero was a Hunter – and he knew damn well a pureblood gave nothing for free. How expensive physically impossible healing was, Zero didn't have the imagination to picture the number.
Kaname smirked. Not his usual smirk, but a really fucking smug one.
"Only you Zero, could find something to complain about after I'd kissed it better."
"The fuck you did!" Zero denied immediately. No way, he refused to let Kaname get away with saying embarrassing shit like that. This was not a fairy-tale with sparkling unicorns and musical numbers.
Kaname laughed, a real laugh this time, all warm and rumbly and making Zero smile at the sound.
He wiped his face the second he realised what he'd done, and then he levered himself upright, wincing only slightly, to examine the damage.
Kaname had healed his back. What had once been a sick mess was back to smooth skin. Not quite as flawless as Kaname's had looked – but pretty darn good, if he did say so himself.
The only bit that still hurt was his arse.
Kaname hadn't healed him everywhere. Either he was making some sort of metaphoric point that Zero couldn't be bothered to twist out, or his powers required lip to skin contact, and Kaname actually possessed sexual limits.
He was probably making a point – Zero knew he'd needled him good with the bleach comment.
"Alright," Zero said, deciding to just go with it and pulled a shred of sheet about him. "My money?"
Kaname eyed him, and Zero wondered uneasily if he was going to refuse to pay. He didn't think Kaname was like that – but he knew Zero needed the cash tonight and if he didn't have it, Mashiro was going to act out and Zero wouldn't have a choice.
"Kaname…," Zero trailed off. "I'm having a shower before I go," he said decisively. "I don't want anyone to smell you on me at home."
He turned, keeping his back straight, to find the bathroom.
#
To his enormous surprise – and concern – Kaname didn't jump him in the shower.
He wasn't shoved into the, predictably, marble tiles, or onto his knees or anything like that. There was just a lot of very hot water, and a vast array of gels and masks and brushes and scrubs and lotions and potions that all had foreign names. Zero picked the one that smelled the least like flowers, and scrubbed twice from head to toe.
Going back to his apartment covered in Kaname's scent, the reek of his own blood, not to mention the smell of sex would not end well for him.
When he finally came out, Kaname was dressed in a loose fitting robe of some expensive material, and there was a pile of cash at the foot of the bed.
Resting on the top was a mobile phone.
It was a cheap model, no touch screen or fancy buttons, just a standard numeric keypad, black, and tiny.
Zero looked between it and Kaname twice before he spoke.
"What the fuck?"
Kaname's face was unreadable. "I have neither the time nor the inclination to crawl the streets searching for you whenever I get the itch. Take it. It's pay as you go, and I've already put credit on there. I suggest you make yourself available for me when I call."
"You want to book me?" Zero scoffed. "And fuck you, Kaname. I'm not going to drop whatever I'm doing and grab ankle whenever you want. I have other things to do."
"Oh?" Kaname asked silkily, "Like what?"
That hurt, a bit. Yes, Kaname had spied on his life and found it crap, but it was still his life and he liked it well enough.
"Like finding a better job you prick."
"You know, now that you mentioned it," Kaname smiled innocently, instantly raising Zero's hackles, "Kuran Enterprises is hiring."
"Fuck no."
"I'm sure you'd make an excellent secretary."
"Fuck you."
"Glasses, a good suit with tight trousers…"
Zero knew he was going to lose this conversation – so he did the most insulting thing he could think of and turned his back to Kaname.
Silence fell, and then Kaname growled.
Zero smirked, and stayed put, carefully counting out his money. Four hundred, plus the phone, not that he really counted that as a tip - more like a chain about his neck.
"Your neck looks lovely from here, darling," Kaname crooned – and Zero flinched.
Fuck it, now the bastard had won.
"We're done. You can keep your fucking leash," Zero said, throwing the phone at Kaname.
Kaname caught it and threw it back with force.
"Take it, Zero."
Zero clenched his fists. Kaname was not offering a compromise – and some hidden instinct reminded Zero of their rankings in the hierarchy. A. D. Obey.
He pocketed the phone.
"I might never turn it on."
Kaname's smile was sad. "You will."
He would. He knew he would.
"Fuck you."
#