Trudging home, aching from another amateur hour of bad BDSM etiquette and no fucking idea of how rope knots actually worked, Zero could only sigh with relief when he unlocked his door and was finally 'safe' for another day.
He'd showered at the motel (luke warm water, but at least it was free) so he limped over to his hidden stores of cash, putting a few notes into each. At least if he was ever robbed, the thieves (or Mashiro, more likely) probably wouldn't find more than one stash.
Three days to go, and he'd already paid for next month's rent and bills. Everything extra he earned was pure savings; that phone had proved it's worth.
Now, if only it hadn't been a gift from Kaname.
Zero changed and collapsed onto his bed. Perhaps an extra blanket could be his first non-essential purchase since this mess began? That would be nice.
Kaname had made love to him in this bed.
Zero's eyes shot open and he groaned, stuffing his face into the pillow to muffle the noise.
Kaname Kaname Kaname – the pureblood was consuming his thoughts and it was all that rat bastard's fault. Fucking him here (fucking, not the other thing) had been a ploy. Zero couldn't even walk over his floor without remembering how he'd been on his knees just there and Kaname had pushed him against the wall just there and he'd touched that counter and rummaged through those draws and made love to him on this bed.
Fucking pureblood. Zero knew, now, that being gentle had nothing to do with Zero's poorly timed sarcasm and everything to do with fucking with his head.
The scum-gargling toad.
#
The next day, Zero opened the door to his flat and found said toad lying on his bed, reading a book, and wearing nothing but his open shirt and boxers.
Zero groaned and would have walked right back out the door again and left Kaname in there, except his ever-vigilant eye had caught sight of the envelope stuffed full of cash on the bedside table.
Was it his imagination, or was that pile bigger than normal?
Well, no-one would ever accuse him of being a coward, and he knew which side of his bread was buttered.
Zero shut and locked the door behind him, toed his shoes off and determinedly went to the kitchenette. He needed at least one cup of tea before he could deal with Kaname's oh so twisted mind.
His last client had wanted puppy-play. Why the fuck did he always get the weird ones? He was never going to look at a fucking leash and collar the same way ever again, and the less he thought about dog bowls and treats the better.
He opened his cabinet, and found an unknown blend of tea sitting in a ridiculous canister, on top of his own (now squashed) box.
Kaname could not predict the future. Kaname could not read his mind. Zero repeated that to himself, silently, three times before he sighed, got down the fancy canister and made two cups of tea with it, idly mulling over the symbolism of the squashed box. The cupboard had been otherwise empty, so…
With a supressed sigh, he delivered Kaname his tea, noting that the pureblood's aura was completely muffled – thank fuck - and went over to his window, pointedly staring out of it as he sipped his tea. It was delicious with delicate notes of jasmine, which pissed him off.
He finished it slowly, cheerfully ignoring the pureblood until he'd swallowed the last dregs.
Point thoroughly made, he turned to Kaname and said, "Well?"
"Use your words, Zero," Kaname replied, turning a page.
Zero snarled.
"Why are you here and what the hell do you fucking well want?"
"You and you," Kaname lowered the book to smirk over the top before raising it and carrying on reading.
Zero stalked over and grabbed the fucking thing, tossing it over his shoulder.
Kaname was still smirking, but his hands darted out in a flash and dragged Zero down onto the bed, right on top of him until he was straddling the other vampire.
Zero settled into place, knowing he couldn't match Kaname's strength, and raised a cool eyebrow instead.
"Use your words."
Kaname's eyes narrowed.
"I'd like you to come and stay with me for a few nights."
Zero opened his mouth to tell the pureblood where he could stuff it, but Kaname put a finger over his lips.
"I am aware of your objections. Now hear my reasons."
Zero rolled his eyes and nodded. Kaname removed the finger.
"I'm in serious negotiations with another Court for business purposes. Traditionally, we exchange gifts at the end of a deal like this. It's highly likely that Fujiwara will offer me one of his well-trained pets."
Zero snorted. He'd met Fujiwara's ex-pets. He wouldn't exactly call them well trained.
"Yes, I know you're familiar with his cast-off's. Rejecting the gift, or not properly appreciating it, is a bad idea for many reasons. Fujiwara and I had some personal disagreements a few years ago, so he is well aware of my distaste for the practice of D's which is exactly why he's going to force one on me."
"And I fit into this, where?"
"If I already have a pet, not only is his gift redundant – a big no – but it won't be any fun for him."
"Ah ha! So it's not just a dirty weekend. You want me to act as your fucking pet. And it's not going to work if no one knows… so it won't be private."
Kaname smiled winningly, "but it will be well compensated."
"I don't want a reputation as your whore, Kaname."
The eyebrow was back.
"Do I or do I not pay you for sex, Zero?"
Zero refused to flinch. If he was Kaname's whore – he was his only whore, and the pureblood did nothing without reason.
"Do you remember a conversation where you said if anyone found out we were fucking they'd use me against you? Because I remember that conversation. Now don't pout," Zero added, amused at Kaname's expression, "I'll still let you stick it in me for cash. In private, like here, and now," he rocked his hips meaningfully, enjoying how Kaname twitched with supressed reaction.
"What did you find at Ken's house that made you apologise?"
Zero froze, fuck, he thought they'd had a silent agreement not to talk about this anymore.
"Who?"
"The Hunter who you let fuck you a week ago."
"You sound jealous," Zero accused, playing for time.
"I am."
Zero sailed coolly past that, refusing to acknowledge it. He wasn't a Hunter anymore; let someone else have to deal with ridiculous purebloods.
"Still spying on me?"
"Now who's forgotten? You belonged to Shizuka. I killed Shizuka. Victor, spoils, etcetera. You are mine. It's not spying, merely a duty of care."
"Then watch over me as I walk out the door," Zero snarled, getting up.
He made it about three inches before Kaname's grip tightened to bone-breaking and he knew he wasn't going anywhere without an argument.
"If you aren't there as a distraction Fujiwara will give me some painfully young teenager to rape instead. They'll have been bitten solely to give to me, Zero."
Kaname still knew him far too well.
There was no way he could refuse now, not knowing he'd spare a kid this fucked up fate.
"How much are you offering?"
He'd do it for free, but Kaname would pay a lot to soothe his wounded pride, and Zero was mercenary enough to take it.
"Before we discuss price, I want you to know exactly what you're getting into."
It was Zero's turn to silence Kaname with a finger over those lovely lips.
"As you pointed out, I am a whore. I keep the company of many other whores, most of whom are D's. Let's just take it as read that I know exactly what a pet does, and how they act."
Oh the stories he could tell…fucking purebloods. He might have been ignorant and speciest to Kaname earlier, but humans couldn't change you as a pureblooded vampire could and did.
Kaname caressed the side of his neck.
"Do not become hysterical," Kaname ordered, "A bite mark would make this act much more believable."
He was too irritated about hysterical to be frightened – fucking pureblood being all manipulative again, damn him to a celibate hell.
Unable to resist, Zero let his expression become thoughtful, considering, with more than a touch of hesitation because Kaname would expect to see that.
As the silence drew out, the pureblood went rigid beneath him, and Zero knew Kaname well enough to know he'd locked himself down to control his reaction.
Yeah, the vampire was fucking desperate for it, wasn't he? It was flattering, disturbing, and empowering. Zero knew that if he put his blood on the bargaining table, Kaname would roll over for it.
Kaname was no more led by his fangs than his cock though, so if the pureblood wanted it that badly, there was a hidden something there bound to thoroughly screw Zero over. Perhaps if Ken – his real name apparently – called him again, Zero would have another look in the library.
"Could you bite me without tasting my blood?"
Kaname shivered and Zero bit back his smile.
"So cruel, Zero."
Zero rocked his hips again, pointedly, and felt how Kaname had hardened within the last thirty seconds.
"I would be able to resist your blood," Kaname gasped, rocking up into Zero, "but there would be traces on my fangs, even if I wiped them first."
"Traces enough to know any of my emotions, or memories?" He prodded, grinding down.
Kaname swore, and flipped them over, yanking at Zero's belt and tugging his jeans off in one smooth pull.
Zero shoved his foot against Kaname's chest, halting the other, even as he leaned back, undulating as he settled into his sheets. Taunting Kaname never got old.
"Not until we discuss price, Kaname."
The pureblood scowled, which immediately cheered Zero up. Then Kaname's lascivious gaze fell onto the friction burns on his ankle.
Zero hastily took his foot away – but not fast enough. Kaname caught him gently by the same ankle, and inspected the marks. Then his eyes found the marks higher up and his lust cooled visibly. Zero tried not to be offended, but…
"You let someone else tie you up?"
"Hey, if you don't want sloppy seconds, you shouldn't have come to a whore."
Kaname ground his fangs.
"Will you let me heal you?"
"Healing the marks won't mean it didn't happen, Kaname. You have no right to be jealous, if you can't handle my profession, you need to leave."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Zero smiled grimly, accepting the threat.
"Payment up front then. Let's say two hundred if you're done by five, that's five this morning by the way, and another hundred for every hour after."
"There's two grand in that envelope. I want you now, and then I want you to come home with me. You're going to suck me off in the car and then stay with me for the next three days and two nights. You will do whatever I ask in order to keep Fujiwara on the back foot. I will bring you back no later than noon on the thirty-first. Deal?"
Zero sighed. "Anyone ever tell you how bossy you are? Fine, deal."
A/N: - Does that sound ominious at all?