Aina sighed as Zero rubbed her shoulders, over the past few days, she had been stressing over Rido finding out. She was tense and it was showing. It was only a matter of time before Rido would notice something was going on. Zero leaned down to kiss her neck, it always seemed to calm her, even if she was completely engrossed in her book.
"I hope you aren't going for a drink." Rido's voice made them both jump. Zero moved back from her. Aina looked up from her book at Rido and then at Zero who was still behind her. She looked confused.
"What?" Aina asked, looking back at Rido.
"He was leaning down to your neck." Rido told her. "I wonder if he's finally giving into his desire to drink you dry." He then added, stepping towards Zero to but himself between Aina and Zero.
"I would never harm my mistress." Zero hissed. He had been so worried about Aina slipping up, he had slipped up.
"Rido, I'm sure there's an innocent explanation." Aina spoke up, worried a fight was about to happen.
"If it wasn't to bite, then why else would you be getting so close?" Rido asked. Zero took a deep breath.
"I like her scent, it calms me." He lied. "I have been worried that my..."
"You have been worried about me." Rido stated and Zero nodded. "Worried I would harm her?" He then asked and Zero shook his head.
"No. I've been worried that you might push my mistress into something she isn't ready for." Zero explained. "I have seen her hurt once before and I can't see that happen again."
"Are you in love with Aina." Rido then asked.
"No." Zero answered.
"Then why are so concerned? I will only do what Aina will allow me to do, it that's just a kiss and hug, then that's enough for me." Rido snapped.
"Rido, calm down." Aina stood up and leaned against his chest, putting herself between him and Zero. His arm wrapped around her waist.
"I made a promise, a vow to care and watch over Aina. I promised Ichiru to keep Aina safe!" Zero snapped.
"Kiryu." Aina said in a warning tone.
"Ichiru?" Rido asked confused.
"Yes, his name was Ichiru." Aina sighed and rested her head on Rido's shoulder.
"Shizuka has a servant called Ichiru." Rido told her and she looked up at him shocked. "He looks identical to Kiryu here. I could have sworn they were twins, are they?" He then pressed.
"I..." Aina started but couldn't speak.
"No, but we are family." Zero lied again. "That is why I found him so quickly. He is dead. I watched him die! There is no way he is alive! If I did, do you think I would be helping Aina move on!?" He shouted, he had to protect Aina, make sure she was safe before he could go after Shizuka. She had kept his twin alive, he should be dead. He needed to know if it was true.
"He is." Rido sighed and looked down at Aina.
"Why would she keep him alive? He was a hunter, what would she want with a hunter?" Aina asked confused. "What?" Suddenly, she fainted and Rido caught her. Rido cradled her close to his chest.
"She will leave me for him." Rido said as he held her.
"No." Zero stated.
"How do you know?" He asked confused.
"If it really was Ichiru, he would have fought to escape Shizuka. He would have come for Aina." Zero's fists clenched. "He never loved her? Did he use her and then use me to keep Aina in the dark? Was he really a hunter or Shizuka's excuse to kill?!"
"Kiryu, calm down. Let's get Aina on the sofa and let her come around from the shock." Rido told him, trying hard to keep calm himself as he gently put her down on the sofa. Zero paced up and down the room, angry seething from him.
A few moments later, Aina came around.
"What happened?" She whispered as she saw Rido sat on the floor next to her.
"You fainted, you're alright now." Rido told her, Zero was straight to Aina's side.
"Ichiru is alive?" She then asked as she sat up.
"No." Zero snapped.
"Possibly." Rido answered. "We need check."
"It's not him Aina, he would have come for you. He wouldn't have stayed with that monster!" Zero was unable to keep calm anymore.
"Kiryu, why does this upset you so much?" Rido asked confused.
"Because he told me he loved Aina more than life itself. He was even going to give up hunting for her. If Ichiru was going to do that then that man with Shizuka isn't Ichiru." Zero lied again. Aina looked at him shocked.
"You knew he was a hunter?!" She asked.
"He told me as he died. He admitted everything to me."
"We need to check if it is him first." Rido pointed out. "You should be with the man you love." He told her as he brushed the hair from her face. "I won't stand in the way of your happiness."
"Was he happy with her? Did he want to stay with her?" She asked and Rido paused. Ichiru practically worshipped the ground she walked on. "Rido, did he ever look like he wanted to leave?" She pressed.
"He...he seemed very happy with her." He admitted and Aina teared up.
"Then he is not the Ichiru I loved." She said standing up, trying to compose herself.
"Loved?" Rido asked, he thought she was still in love with him and that her relationship with him would be more like two very close friends learning to love each other.
"How can I love a man who stays in the service of that woman? She tried to kill me, she killed his family and yet he stays with her." Aina sobbed and Rido pulled her into a tight hug.
"Did Shizuka make a point of introducing him to anyone or hinted to who he was?" Zero asked curious.
"Why does that matter?" Rido asked confused.
"Because what if she was slowly trying to get Aina out of hiding. Using Ichiru's name would be more than enough to get Aina to come forward." Zero stated. "It doesn't have to really be Ichiru."
"You think it's a trick?" Rido asked unsure. "That's one hell of a longshot. She didn't hide him but she didn't push to say who he was. I just happened to hear his name one time."
"Then he's there willingly..." Aina managed to speak. "I hate him." She all but growled, her fists clenched tight. "I'll kill him!" She shouted, freeing herself from Rido.
"Aina, calm down." Zero grabbed hold Aina's hands. Rido watched them closely. "Aina, please calm down." Rido pulled Aina's back to his chest and held her by her waist. He leaned down to her ear. He felt her tense and then relaxed against him.
"Calm down." He whispered into her ear, his lips brushed against her skin, making her breath hitch. Zero knew she was much more sensitive to everything when she was mad. He would often make her angry when he wanted her to melt underneath him. She was blind to anything but what she was feeling. Rido saw it as a sign as she felt something for him. "Calm down." He repeated and started kissing down her neck. Zero left the room, he couldn't watch as she allowed someone else to kiss her, touch her or anything more.
Rido turned Aina to face him, her were red. He couldn't tell if it was anger or lust. He called her name and she looked up at him. He took the chance to kiss her. His right hand held her neck to support her, his other hand around her waist. He expected her to pull away after sometime but instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck. She kisses him back with a fierce desire. Rido slowly pulled away and looked her in the eyes. "Aina, do you love Ichiru?" He asked her as his hands rested on her cheeks.
"No." She answered.
"Who do you love now?" He asked, part of him worried the answer would be Zero. He wasn't blind to the shared looks. Zero was much more attentive than any butler should be.
"I...I don't know." She admitted, she had managed to catch herself before she told him she loved Zero.
"Can you learn to love me?"
"I don't know." She answered honestly.
"Is there someone?" He asked and she paused. "I won't get angry." He reassured her but she still didn't answer. "Kiryu told me you have someone else you are affectionate for." He then pushed for an answer.
"He won't be an issue." She told him.
"That's not what I'm asking. I don't want to step in the way of your happiness. I love you Aina. I love you so much I would let you go so you could be happy because that's all that matters to me."
"If I chose them over you, I can't go out with them in public as a couple. I can't have their children or marry them." She explained. "How long before I get unhappy about that? I can't show love towards him in front of anyone."
"Who is he Aina? Maybe I could help?" He asked.
"I can't, you can't."
"Is it Kiryu?" He asked and she paused, surprised. "You are in love with Kiryu."
"I didn't plan to." She whispered, almost in tears again. Rido sighed.
"Nobody plans love." Rido reassured her.
"Zero and I can't do together. I can learn to love you Rido, you are my friend. My only true friend." She told him. "One day Zero will give in to his desires no matter how much he loves me." She then added. "You won't one day turn around and kill me for my blood, we can get married, have children. I can be open with you."
"But you love him." Rido stressed and she kissed him.
"I chose you." She told him. Rido sighed and stepped away from her.
"What if, you and Kiryu move in with me? You two will be safe under my roof and we pretend to be in a relationship. If at any point you want to stop, you can. If Kiryu turns, you can stay with me until you want and do what you want." He suggested. "Talk to Kiryu about it." He moved to leave but she stopped him.
"You want to pretend to be in a relationship with me?" She asked confused.
"I can do that for you." He told her.
"You will willingly let me and Zero to have a relationship under your roof while you look the other way?" She wanted to clarify it. "If I say no, would you tell anyone?" She then asked curious.
"Well, it would be hard to keep a relationship with someone for a long time if you don't live with them. Some will find out. Especially if Kiryu slips up again, going for your neck." Rido reasoned. "I won't say anything if you say no." He then reassured her.
"I will move in with you. Zero will have the choice if he wishes to. If he doesn't then we start a real relationship." She told him and smiled.
"Can I seal it with a kiss?" He asked and Aina laughed.
"Sure." She leaned up and kissed him. Rido held onto her waist. He knew it could be the last real kiss he got from her, he wanted to remember it as being perfect. And it was.
"I'll wait at my home for Kiryu's answer and we can sort out the move then." He told her once he pulled away.
As soon as Rido left, Aina called for Zero.
"He still seems happy after all of that, what did you have to do?" Zero hinted at something sexual, as he entered the room.
"He knows about us." She told him.
"Are you insane!" He hissed at her.
"He will cover for us, as long as we move in with him. He can pretend to be in a relationship with me in public and we can do as we wish in private." Aina told him. "The choice is your, either way, to keep my freedom from my family, I have to move in with him." She then added as Zero seethed with anger.
"He'll want more eventually. First it's a kiss here and kiss there, then it'll be feel, then it'll be he'll want your body, sex. When will it stop? I will not share you with anyone!"
"And you won't! You know why he knew it was you?" She snapped and Zero shrugged. "He knew you were going to kiss my neck, he saw it. He only said otherwise to save you and me the embarrassment!" She shouted at him. "He is giving us a chance!"
"I don't trust him." Zero reasoned. "And not just that, what about my hunting, you didn't think about that. About me." He added annoyed.
"You can come and go as you please still. He doesn't care what you do!" She was getting angry at him now. "All you have to do is storm off and say you need time away from the situation and he won't ask any questions."
"Oh and he won't notice vampire deaths increase every time I go off." He snapped back.
"You can still kill Level E's anytime you want. Even with Rido's knowledge. Hell, he might even join you! Just be careful like you are now!"
"I still don't think it'll work."
"Go to his home. He is waiting to see what your answer is. Talk to him about it." She begged and Zero sighed.
"Fine." He stormed out of the house.
Aina sighed and sat on the sofa, her heart racing. None of this would have happened is Zero hadn't suggested use Rido as a cover for them. And now the man was offering to do it anyway, he doesn't trust him.
A knock at the door startled her, she got up and went to the window. Kaname smiled and waved at her. She opened the window and sat at the chair next to it. She wasn't about to let him in. Kaname walked over to the window, having to step down a few steps down the service entrance.
"Can I help you Lord Kuran?" She asked through gritted teeth.
"I saw your butler storm off. Is everything alright?" He asked concerned.
"Just peachy." She answered.
"Aina what's going on? I'm really concerned about you. Rido is claiming to be your lover." He pressed her for answers.
"He is, is that a problem?" She asked, looking unimpressed.
"It can be, he's not safe to be around." Kaname warned her.
"I'm moving in with him soon. We are moving forward with our relationship. Kiryu is on his way to met his staff." Aina told him. "He's not use to working with a large number of staff."
"I will ask you to reconsider?"
"I won't."
"I am also concerned about your butler." He tried a new angle, he had to convince her the people around her were bad. That she needed to around the right people.
"Why?" She asked annoyed.
"He has a gun, a hunters gun." He told her.
"I know. I gave it to him due to Shizuka." She stated calmly.
"Why? He could turn it on you."
"Hardly. Now, are you done?" She asked.
"Aina..."
"Lady Hirano to you." She told him coldly.
"Lady Hirano, with all due respect, you are surrounding yourself with the wrong people."
"With all due respect, Lord Kuran, I don't much care for you opinion." And with that she slammed the window closed and walked away. Kaname stared at the window in shock. He was so use to her warm personality, he had never been spoken to like that before.