Time for a new chapter! I hope everyone is having a lovely summer (or winter for those of you in the southern hemisphere). I hope the events of this chapter are as unexpected as those of last chapter.
Look at this beautiful fanart reader Roze_Ryuuki made of Zero! Thank you for sharing your work with us (for those reading on fan fiction, you can find the link on yaoionpaper's tumblr post/175293388203/fanart-of-madmaenads-beautiful-vampire-knight)
Another thank you to a reader who would like to remain anonymous, but pointed out a continuity mistake in chapter 33. It has now been fixed. You have my gratitude for the catch. ;)
And to reviewer blaze, in my head Azai is gorgeous too. He's a descendent of the Hanadagi family, and Kain inherited his gift for fire manipulation from Azai through their shared bloodline.
XXXV. Opening Gambit
Impossible. Kuran cannot mean what Zero had imagined the vampire implied. Kuran has spent the last fifty years making his hatred of Zero indisputable. Zero must be misunderstanding the pureblood's words somehow.
'I care about you the same way I care about Yuuki' could mean anything - wanting to protect Zero as a spouse, perhaps, or wanting to see Zero's physical needs taken care of. Or maybe Kuran meant that he holds a simple fondness toward Zero, or a desire for the Hunter's casual companionship. After all, people care for others all the time without it meaning anything serious. Zero himself cares for his friends, for his fellow Hunters, and for Yuuki, though not all the same way.
Zero curls tighter, hiding in the sheets of their bed. Kuran had carried him back to their bedroom wrapped in his own coat to protect Zero's modesty and keep him warm against the winter chill. Then he'd run a damp cloth over Zero's skin, and redressed Zero in a warm, soft robe, even though Zero had maids who were paid to do exactly the same tasks. During the whole process, Zero's power had sensed that Kuran was wracked by strong emotions, but the pureblood's hands remained gentle. Then Kuran had summoned Nightshade, tucked the two of them beneath the blankets, and left. Zero hadn't said a word the whole time, and neither had Kuran.
You didn't confess meaningful feelings during sex, not mention it afterwards, and then leave your partner alone without saying anything if the confession was true. Maybe Kuran was lying?
But Zero rejects that thought as soon as it forms. Zero's extra sense can recognize the truth, and nothing Kuran said to him while they were joined was anything except the purest honesty. Zero could stake his life on it.
People said things during sex they didn't mean, his mind counters. Perhaps Kuran felt his words was true in the heat of the moment, but didn't really mean them once his brain caught up?
But Kuran only said those words after he'd finished, not during the sex itself. And Kuran has so much experience in bed, Zero has trouble believing he'd say something unintended even at the height of pleasure. It's not impossible though.
Zero buries his head in a pillow. If Zero couldn't feel Kuran's spend leaking between his thighs, he could make himself believe he'd imagined their encounter. It's just unthinkable that Kuran might not-hate him. Ridiculous. It could never happen. Zero has ample evidence of Kuran's hostility, though it may have lessened in recent months. He can remember vividly the feeling of Kuran's hands around his throat as he struggled to breathe. That sentiment is unmistakable.
Maybe Kuran has deluded himself into honestly believing he more-than-likes Zero? Kuran must be wrong, of course, but why would the pureblood do that? Could Kuran have confused his alpha's desires with real feelings? Or perhaps he unconsciously fooled himself to make Yuuki happy?
No, it makes more sense that Kuran just said something ridiculous and embarrassing while being overcome by pleasure. Leaving without a word must be the pureblood's way of saying he wants Zero to forget it happened. That must be the answer, Zero realizes, relaxing into the mattress. Fifty years of contempt does not vanish into thin air.
The suite door opens. Nightshade perks up, looking toward the door, and Zero calls out, "I'm in here, Yuuki."
"How do you keep doing that?" Yuuki teases, her footsteps nearly silent without shoes.
"I'd always know it's you," Zero assures her, although it's not far from the truth. His powers are stronger now. He only needs mushin for strenuous tasks; little uses like truth-reading and aura sensing come to him these days as easily as breathing. His extra sense permeates every waking thought, and revelation washes over him without effort.
The bed dips as Yuuki clambers up beside Zero and touches his shoulder. Nightshade rolls on his back, begging for attention, and Yuuki absently scratches his belly. "Do you know why I just got a frantic phone call from Kaname asking me to check on you?"
"Frantic?" Zero says, raising an eyebrow.
"Well," she amends, "it was more like 'I may have miscalculated, please look in on our Consort,' but that's as close as Kaname gets to frantic unless one of us is in danger."
Zero snorts, curving his body to make room for Yuuki. "He's being dramatic. We had sex on his desk. He shredded the new clothes you bought me." Then the Hunter laughs, because Yuuki's severe jealousy is transparent.
"I wanted to tear that robe off you!" she fumes, shaking a fist.
Giving a suggestive roll of his hips as he faux-stretches, Zero looks up through his eyelashes. "I'm still wet inside. Would you like to make it even?"
Yuuki shakes her head, holding her body stiff with single-minded focus. "No way I'd settle for that. I'm going to outdo him. Still interested?"
"I only want to serve my wife as she pleases," Zero demurs, shivering when Yuuki's hand slips down the collar of his robe and her thumb brushes his nipple.
Then Nightshade whines loudly. Zero sighs. "Can you put him outside?"
"No," Yuuki refuses, pushing Zero's robe down his shoulders and bending over his chest. "I want Kaname to watch what I'm about to do to you."
Zero looks at her for a moment, realizes she's serious, and sighs. Well, it's not the weirdest thing the Kurans have done. Bloody alphas.
Strangely enough, Zero finds it easier to breathe in the days before the winter Jeweled Court.
Kuran and Yuuki make special efforts to assure him their affection remains constant, that Zero's missed cycle has changed nothing between the three of them unless Zero wants change. He doesn't spend a single moment without one or the other beside him, coaxing him to rest, to eat, to sleep, to rebuild his strength. Yuuki seeks him out for a tear-filled conversation where she renews her promises she will love him no matter what.
Zero believes her - how could he doubt, when her agony was a lance in his own chest? But Zero finds himself lacking, wishes he could make himself worthy of such love. Wishes he could fulfill the secret wish his wife deserves to have granted. Yuuki deserves better than a broken omega.
After reflection, Zero has concluded that Kuran is right. Zero should only focus on his current mission, and not on realities he cannot change. So he shapes his plans for the the winter court, studying with Takuma so intensely he has no time for unneeded thoughts.
The Court is going to rake him over the coals because of his missed heat. Shoshana may be barren now, but at least she'd bourne children in her youth. An omega incapable of carrying children was a useless existence who could not even be called worthy of the title. The rumors have been vicious, and the Jeweled Court will fight Zero's control to the bitter end.
Zero has made peace with the idea. He can endure whatever words the nobles sling at him, and he never wanted to lead the Court anyway. They will make Takuma the unofficial head consort, and Zero will step back from political matters. It's the only path forward that Zero's failure has left open.
Kuran hasn't brought up his odd words again, and Zero has tried to put them aside. Zero is almost certain his conclusion is correct and Kuran got caught up in the moment, but without a clear answer, some ambiguity remains. The incident keeps distracting Zero from his work at inconvenient moments, and preparing for the Jeweled Court tomorrow requires his complete focus. For Zero's peace of mind, perhaps the Hunter should ask Kuran to explain himself.
Speaking of Kuran, Zero's Hunter senses tell him that his husband is approaching their bedroom at his swiftest speed. Zero is sluggishly dressing for the night, after another day full of restless sleep and dreams he never remembers. The evening is dedicated to last minute preparations for the Court, which he cannot face without trepidation.
Those plans are dashed when Kuran swings open the outer door and orders, "Hurry and dress. We must go now." Kuran's voice is stern, and filled with thunder. He's not wearing a suit, but his long dark coat instead.
Something terrible has happened. Zero knows this at once, intuiting in the supernatural way his perception tells him secrets. Something so dire that Kuran himself never imagined it could happen. Something that has filled him with despair.
"What's going on?" Yuuki says, hurrying to finish her breakfast. Zero shuffles on a robe and belts it, glancing at Kuran.
"Last night, an unrecorded Level D Hunter tried to assassinate Consort Shoshana."
"Is she alright?" Zero interrupts, putting aside his horror at the news of another forcibly Turned Hunter. A pureblood must be involved, if their chosen pawn was a Turned vampire.
"For now," Kuran says. His eyes are hard. "Her husband saved her life, but at great cost. Ouri is dead."
Zero sucks in a breath, his hands falling still and his mind racing as he struggles to process the news. Blood and ash, another murdered pureblood. Vampire society is going to lose its collective mind. As much time as he's spent with Shoshana, Zero has never met Ouri in person, only glimpsed him from afar or recognized the pureblood's aura as a familiar earthquake tremor nearby. But he seemed devoted to Shoshana, and she to him, and that makes Zero mourn his loss.
What happens to Shoshana now? And if the assassin is a Hunter, even a Turned one, the Hunter's Association will be dragged in as well. Zero will need to make a call before they go.
Yuuki looks shattered, which surprises the logical corner of Zero's mind. He'd thought they hadn't even known one another.
"We have to go now," Kuran continues. "Consort Shoshana is refusing to allow anyone inside until Yuuki and I arrive."
The wind off the mountaintops is cold and sharp. Ouri's home, remote and surrounded by unspoiled nature, must be very peaceful under normal circumstances. Not now. Raised voices echo through the valley, punctuations of grief and anger. Donned in haste, the crowd is shrouded in mourning white. Another bloodline is dead, and the vultures and pilgrims are gathering around the corpse.
Kuran leads the way, cutting through the throng milling outside. A translucent golden barrier, blindingly bright to Zero's Hunter senses, blocks the open doorway and keeps the Senate's subordinates from entering Ouri's household.
Behind the golden barrier is Shoshana, slumped against the doorpost of her home and looking halfway to death herself. Shoshana has always had an ill, transparent look to her. It's far worse now. She raises her head as the Kurans and Zero approach and makes the proper obeisance. The only thing keeping her on her feet must be devotion, or perhaps rage.
Zero cannot take his eyes off her. He has never seen Shoshana wear white. Shoshana's colors were always bright - marigold, turquoise, emerald, poppy. White makes the hollows under her sharp cheekbones deepen.
Shoshana's barrier sputters away, and Zero darts forward to catch her by the arm and pull her to her feet, giving her as much dignity as he can. He senses she is different - something in her aura is gone, stripped away, a fundamental part of her missing Zero hadn't realized belonged to Ouri instead.
Offering Zero a gracious glance, Shoshana straightens, the braids in her hair swaying as she dips her head. "Kuran-sama, Kuran-hime, thank you for your haste. I wished to have my husband's peers here for the investigation, to make sure he is treated with the proper respect due to a pureblood. I know you will seek justice for his murder."
Zero's stoic mask doesn't shake, but inside he winces. He knows enough to realize the Senate will be furious with Shoshana's public snub and reliance on the Kurans instead.
Shoshana leads them to a sitting room dappled with late evening light, the sunbeams turned smokey by the ash in the air. On the floor is more ash, and a dark cloak lying crumpled where it fell. Pinned to the ground beneath another amber glass barrier and two of Ouri's servants is a honey-blonde young girl, clawing and scratching and screaming like an animal, her blue eyes rolling wildly.
Zero would know her as a Hunter with one look. His stomach turns - the girl's natural quiet Hunter aura is silenced beneath a Level D's signature. The greatest nightmare of their kind. Zero wouldn't wish this experience on anyone.
While the Senate representatives and the Kurans forge ahead, Zero falls behind, feeling his senses twitch and tug at him, information flooding his brain. His breathing picks up, and he guides Shoshana over to a couch, putting a hand to his temple and closing his eyes.
"Consort Kiryuu, are you well?" comes a distant servant's voice.
The world feels too sharp. The taste of ash is gritty on his tongue. Zero coughs, trying to clear his throat, draw in air. The girl's screams reverberate in his brain, too loud too loud too loud.
He retreats into mushin, slipping down into stillness and quiet, and opens his eyes, feeling the world focus and unfold.
The crowd is gone. There is no ash, or shrieking young girl assassin. The room is empty, except for Consort Shoshana, dozing on the couch. Zero accepts these things with the calm equanimity of mushin, and keeps watching.
The assassin creeps inside, her anti-vampire weapon quiet in her fist, recognizing its wielder despite the poison in her blood. The Hunter girl is skilled, slipping silently to Shoshana's side without alerting her, resting her dagger against the vampire's throat for the final strike.
Zero has never met Ouri. But this tall, black-haired man in front of his eyes, Zero knows, is the dead pureblood whose ashes lie scattered across the room. Ouri bursts inside with a wild, desperate scream, green eyes blazing madly - and the assassin's strike falters. She knows she's too close to Shoshana for Ouri to attack carelessly, and she takes Shoshana hostage, using the Consort to shield her own body.
Ouri throws himself at the threat, grabbing the assassin by the arm and pulling her away. Hunter training asserts itself, and the assassin twists, aiming for the new enemy. But it's pure chance that the blade slips into Ouri's heart instead, killing him instantly.
The vision ends. Mushin implodes and Zero clutches the jagged ends of his consciousness, feeling his head split open and energy gush away like blood from a wound.
Kuran's voice booms thick and heavy with power, and shocks Zero back into the present. He's folded over the divan, his vision spotty and greying at the edges, sweating like he's run a marathon. Shoshana has a tight grip on his arm, keeping him from sliding to the floor, and she pulls his limp body down to sit beside her, shooting a look at her servant and shaking her head.
Zero's fit somehow escaped notice; everyone's attention remains on the Kurans as they question the Hunter who killed Ouri. Given reprieve, Zero makes a shaky attempt at composing himself. What on earth just happened? Zero is certain he just watched Ouri die, which cannot be possible.
Unless...the pure blood he consumed from Shirabuki. The changes it wrought must be more profound than Zero realized. But the Kurans and their entourage are coming back this way - Zero can explore this new twist later, when he's not in front of so many people.
Kuran appears unmoved, but Yuuki's frustration is more apparent. "The girl will not accept my commands to speak," Kuran says, the epitome of control. "But I believe she was ordered to kill herself afterwards, to destroy the evidence. That is why she keeps struggling."
Zero doesn't let himself react, meeting the announcement with the stoicism it deserves in front of an audience. "Shirabuki Sara arranged this."
"Yes." Yuuki is crisp and to the point.
Zero works through the angles. "To what purpose? Wasn't she supposed to marry Ouri?"
"Killing Consort Shoshana would have removed any excuse not to fulfill the engagement," Kuran muses.
"No," Yuuki rejects. "Shirabuki despised Ouri - she thought he was weak. I think she gave up on their engagement a long time ago. She even sent an assassin who looks like her."
"So Ouri was the real target," Zero concludes. "With his Consort gone, I don't think he would have struggled when a second assassin came for him."
Shoshana's shoulders buckle. Zero winces, realizing through his Hunter-trained mission focus how callous his words must feel to Ouri's widow. He places an apologetic hand on her arm. "I apologize, that was thoughtless of me."
She shakes her head, sending her braids flying. "Do not apologize for the truth." Her eyes rest on the Senate's representatives. "I cannot avoid reality."
The most pompous representative steps forward as if on cue. "Shoshana-sama, we do not wish to rush you, but the Senate is the guardian of our precious remaining purebloods and their legacies, and certain inventories must be made."
Shoshana's hands clench, and Zero's forehead creases, ignorant of the underlying meaning but sensing greed from the Senate's lackey and grieving loss from Shoshana. "What happens to Consort Shoshana?" he asks Kuran, lowering his voice in an aside.
A quick glance at Shoshana, and Kuran replies, "Because a Consort is not an equal of their spouse, vampire inheritance law treats their marriage differently. To be blunt, Consort Shoshana inherits nothing from Ouri's estate except her own personal effects and whatever she brought with her into marriage."
"Nothing but the clothes on my back," Shoshana tells them flatly. "Will I be permitted to keep the account holding my stipend? I dislike the idea of relying on the hospitality of others."
"The hospitality of others?" Zero repeats, darting a quick look around. "You're throwing Consort Shoshana out of her own home?"
"The estate belongs to Ouri's bloodline," the appointed Senate mouthpiece lectures. "If he has no pureblood relations, it falls to the closest noble relative."
Zero stares around in disbelief. "Are you serious? This must have been her home for thousands of years, and now you're just telling her to leave?"
"Shoshana-sama's next alpha will have the funds to pay for her upkeep. The Senate will be willing to pay any expenses incurred during the Courtship, of course." More than one alpha in the Senate delegation examines Shoshana the same way a butcher studies a cut of meat.
Zero's stomach turns, imagining himself in Shoshana's place. "Show a little compassion! Her husband's just died, and we're in the same room as his ashes."
"My Consort has a point," Kuran cuts in just as the Senate's representatives begins to argue. His voice slices straight through the discussion, freezing the room. "It seems rather disrespectful to have Consort Shoshana marry immediately, without observing a mourning period. It would give the impression that Ouri's death was unimportant, and easily brushed off - particularly since there is no other pureblood available to bond her. A pureblood's treasured possession should not be sullied so quickly by those of lower rank." Kuran casts his gaze over the room, making it clear exactly who he means.
"Kuran-sama." Shoshana bows deeply toward Zero's husband. "Kuran-hime." Shoshana bows again at the waist to Yuuki. "May I speak with the two of you privately?"
Yuuki and Kuran exchange a significant glance. Zero's gut tells him there's something going on here - something significant - and it's being kept secret from him. That's fine. Zero trusts Yuuki will tell him when it matters.
"Yes," Yuuki says, stepping forward toward the door in an invitation to leave. "Zero, will you be okay here?"
"I'll be completely fine," Zero assures here. "Someone needs to be here when the Hunters arrive."
"Hunters?" says one of the Senate representatives. "This is no -"
"Yes," Zero says, raising his voice. "I will be keeping an eye on things until at least one Lead Hunter arrives to take this woman" - gesturing toward the writhing Hunter on the floor - "back to Association Headquarters."
"She's just murdered Ouri-sama! We will not allow it!"
Zero drags a slow, sweeping glance over the crowd, letting steel firm his shoulders. "Yes, you will. Turning Hunters into vampires is illegal. Shirabuki Sara broke the treaty, then drugged her victim and controlled her into killing Shirabuki's fiance. This woman had no choice but to obey. She's an unstable D whose master is dead. She's been punished enough. And as my case shows, a Level D Hunter stays under the Association's authority."
While the nobles are fumbling for a rebuttal, Zero reaches into his robe and finds what he's searching for by touch. The assembled vampires go still and nervous when Zero places Bloody Rose on his lap. He grins. "I'm glad we have an understanding."
This is a disaster. This is the absolute worst thing that could have happened, because Ouri is dead and so is the knowledge to keep Zero alive, and Yuuki feels like such an idiot, because if they'd just gone to see Ouri when Kaname told her -
She draws in a ragged breath, frustration and anger making tears prick at her eyes, and startles when Kaname's hand rests on her shoulder. He squeezes gently, offering support, and Yuuki smiles gratefully at him.
"I know why you came here," Shoshana says, trailing to a stop ahead of them and gazing out of a window. The three of them are isolated, in a hallway far from the sitting room and its audience. Shoshana has lost her fierceness, but her exhaustion remains. "I may be able to help you attain your goal. I will need something in return."
"What would you exchange for the knowledge Ouri promised me?" Kaname asks, a dark lilt in his tone.
"I have two conditions," Shoshana says tersely. "First, I need you to make sure our servants find employment. I cannot afford to pay them any longer."
"Done. And the second?"
"I want one year. One year to mourn my husband, Kuran-sama, one year where the Senate will not insist I begin another Courtship for a new alpha."
"Only one?" Yuuki says. Kaname says good things never come with cheap prices.
"That's all I need." Shoshana turns, her dark eyes dull. "I am dying. I will be ash before next spring. I have been dying for years, despite my husband's efforts. There were centuries of failed experiments before he finally succeeded in extending my life, and when he performed the final ritual I had only a few years left. That is the first thing you should know. The ritual will not give Consort Kiryuu immortality. It only changes how time flows around him."
It makes no difference. Even a little extra time with Zero would be worth any sacrifice, but Yuuki is disappointed to learn Zero will still leave them one day.
"We agree, of course," Kaname says, and Yuuki shoots him a grateful smile.
"You do not wish to know what price the ritual will demand?" Shoshana asks, cocking her head and studying Kaname.
"It's irrelevant," Kaname tells her, and Yuuki loves him fiercely in that moment.
Her alpha rolls with glee. Mate is the best and most wonderful and must be protected no matter what. We are so very proud of alpha-mate for finally seeing that!
A smile flickers briefly on Shoshana's face. "Good. Follow me," Shoshana says, and drags herself back into motion. "The ritual asks a twofold sacrifice of those things most precious to a pureblood - power and control."
"What about Zero?" Yuuki interjects. She must be certain doing this will only protect him.
"The omega pays no price for the extension of their life."
Yuuki bites her lip, another question on the tip of her tongue.
Shoshana casts a glance backwards. "My body was damaged long before Ouri performed the ritual. Since I am the only omega ever to receive the gift, I cannot promise with certainty, but I believe it should not affect his childbearing ability."
Yuuki starts with surprise. Permanent injuries are rare among vampires, and nobles could usually heal from any crippling damage. What happened to Shoshana that her body remains wounded thousands of years later?
The noble turns, and picks up the pace. "I do not know how the ritual works. Ouri created it, and I was unconscious as he performed it. But he kept notes - not organized ones - enough you may be able to piece together the process. You need to take them now, before the Senate does."
Down one hallway, then up another, and then the noble throws open a wooden door. Inside is a mess of books and papers, all covered in thick dust. "Here, this is all of it. I made sure after Kuran-sama's visit, in case my husband needed to revisit his notes."
Kaname pauses, studying the chaos. "You have not demanded proof we can convince the Senate."
"I don't need it. You are married to Consort Kiryuu. His character is noble, and you both love him. I trust that affection to guarantee your word."
"Come stay at Rosehill." The words are out of Yuuki's mouth before she registers them, her hope burgeoning in her chest. Surely the key to saving Zero must be in here somewhere!
Kaname stares at her. Shoshana stares at her. "Just until you're ready to find a new home," Yuuki amends. "Aido's not staying in the Senate palace any more. We have room."
The noble bows her head. "I appreciate your gracious offer, Kuran-hime, but -"
"Zero could use a teacher," Kaname says speculatively. "There's still much for him to learn."
Shoshana considers this. It's not creating a debt if something is gained in exchange. "As you wish, Kuran-sama."
"Good," Yuuki says, clapping her hands, eager to look at Ouri's notes. "How are we going to smuggle a roomful of paper out without the Senate noticing?"
Kaname lifts an eyebrow, and the books begin flying from the shelves, stacking themselves neatly in rows on the ground. Loose papers bundle themselves up, drawers flying open and spilling their contents, and are piled atop the books. Yuuki is terribly impressed, and suffers more than a twinge of envy - Kaname's control is always incredible to watch. In the maelstrom of ink and paper, not a single sheet is harmed, every piece going exactly where Kaname intends.
When the room is bare, and every last scrap of information lays piled in a heap at their feet, Kaname touches the mound with both palms, his outline already breaking up into shadows. His voice echos oddly. "I will transport these to Rosehill, Yuuki. You have the skills to keep things under control here."
Yuuki sets her jaw. "Go ahead. Make sure you call Ichijo-sempai about Consort Shoshana's request."
As Kaname, carrying Ouri's work, fades away into shrieking bats that swirl through the halls, Yuuki turns to Consort Shoshana, and imagines Zero in her place. "Do you need some time for yourself? Zero and I can handle the Senate."
Shoshana sags. "Our union has lasted for more than half a millenium. I do not know how to exist without him anymore."
Yuuki remembers the pureblood's dilemma, keenly aware of her own situation. "Please get some rest. We will take care of everything."
The winter Jeweled Court is canceled without argument. It's too late to reschedule, and holding any celebration the day after the death of a pureblood would be deemed wildly offensive. Proving himself indispensable yet again, Takuma is the one who has the presence of mind to send the notifications. Zero's hands are full between keeping the Hunter girl Shirabuki Turned out of the Senate's hands, and moving a subdued Consort Shoshana and her belongings to Rosehill.
A large part of him is relieved to escape facing the other omegas when his disgrace is so fresh. But his reprieve should never have come at the cost of Ouri's life. If Zero lost Yuuki like Shoshana lost her husband...god, he doesn't want to imagine it. Zero would even regret Kuran meeting a similar death - the two of them have an understanding now, and Kuran is not without redeeming qualities. In one of those perplexing moments that are becoming more common, Kuran had warned Zero to be careful in the future whenever he's outside Rosehill, and to always remain armed.
Zero will need to keep a closer watch on both his spouses. If Shirabuki created a Hunter assassin to kill one pureblood, she will have kidnapped, Turned, and drugged more Hunters to target the rest of her enemies. The Association is already searching their records for any missing, presumed dead Hunters who she may have Turned, but Hunting is a dangerous profession. The MIA lists are long, and they don't know how far back to look. If Shirabuki stabilized some of the Hunters she Turned, she could have been kidnapping Hunters for over a century with the Association none the wiser. But there must be something else Zero can do to help. Zero won't accept other Hunters being used like him as pawns for a pureblood's game.
Zero's alphas cling to him that night when they come to bed, long after Zero has crawled beneath the cold sheets to attempt rest. Unable to sleep, Zero lies awake and worries until he feels the bed dip and the mattress squeak. He only drifts into purposeful slumber when he feels an arm slip around his waist, and another thicker arm wrap around his chest from behind.
"You called for me, child?" says a gentle voice.
"Honored Grandmother," Zero murmurs, lifting his cheek from the soft grass of their dream meadow.
The Ancestor of the Hunters smiles down at him, her braid hanging over her shoulder. She's nearly solid looking, her strength recovered from channeling Zero's power. "It brings me joy to see you again. I see you've mastered walking the path to come here - it's your power that bridged the space between us. Well done!"
"I wasn't sure this was going to work," Zero admits, righting himself and straightening. "I need your help. Today I met another Level D Hunter, and I think Shirabuki Sara has created more. Can you help me find them?"
The Ancestress' face face falls, and she closes her eyes in pain, giving a single shake of her head. "Not if they are alone. My ability to watch over my descendents relies on the blood connecting us. I can find a lone Hunter only when our blood tie rings strong and pure. When the blood is thin so is our link, but quantity can substitute for strength if at least two Hunters are present. Do not worry, child, I have always been able to watch over you," she reassures Zero, catching his unsettled shifting.
"Shirabuki knew I could fight a pureblood's command," Zero mentions abruptly. "She'd want to minimize the risk her assassins could disobey her. She would have chosen victims from low-content bloodlines."
"But they would need to have the skill to take on strong nobles," the Ancestor of the Hunters comments thoughtfully, lacing her fingers together. "That combination is rare and should narrow your search. I cannot give you current locations, but I know at least two likely victims. Hunter Noah Karahan and his apprentice from the North American branch were recently attacked together under suspicious circumstances, and both passed out of my sight."
"I'll let President Cross know," Zero promises. "But that isn't the only thing I wanted to ask you tonight."
"This is about the incident with your powers?" she guesses, a twinkle in her eye. "I have a theory, but please tell me your impressions."
"Did I have a vision of the past?" Zero blurts, still rather shaken and unable to make sense of the images. "I'm certain Ouri died exactly as I saw, but I had no way of knowing those details."
The Ancestress shakes a mischievous finger at him. "Ah, but I believe that you did have a way. You've been having unusual dreams lately, haven't you? Dreams you never remember when you wake up."
Zero's jaw falls open, and he stares at the Ancestress for a moment before reminding himself not to act a fool, closing his mouth.
"I think you were remembering an event you'd already seen. If I'm right, your mind has been wandering in your sleep for quite a while, and yesterday you watched Ouri's death," she says. "You weren't very surprised when Kaname told you, were you?"
"No," Zero croaks, pushing his bangs off his forehead.
The Ancestor of the Hunters smiles kindly. "Shirabuki's blood augmented your powers beyond your current ability to control, and they've been slipping free as you sleep. Your body is still integrating that new strength, and your control should improve with time as it settles."
"I'm relieved," Zero says, slumping down and feeling exhaustion pull at him. "I thought I was going crazy."
"Not in the least." The Ancestress' smile turns serious. "Zero, did you want to talk about anything else?"
Zero's missed heat lies unspoken between them. Lowering his eyes, Zero imprisons the words behind gritted teeth. "No, Honored Grandmother," he lies, and they both hear the falsehood.
Her gaze is sad. "If that changes, I welcome you to walk the path between us whenever you wish."
Zero bows his head beneath his shame, and nods.
Watching wistfully as Kaname pours himself hot sake, Takuma sighs, takes a sip of his herbal tea, and turns away to look out over the gardens of the Ichijo estate.
Kaname pours himself an extra drink when Takuma looks back again, because he is a jealous man and if his best lieutenant and oldest confidante wants to get married and have Shouto's child, Takuma is entitled to reap the full consequences.
Takuma merely raises an eyebrow, which conveys precisely the right mixture of amusement and reprimand to make Kaname relinquish his petty protest and stop drinking his alcohol in such a pointed fashion.
Knowing better than to speak, Takuma accepts his victory with easy grace, and swallows another sip of his tea.
"You've taken my advice," the pureblood remarks, gesturing toward the sword propped beside the table.
"Your suggestions were sound. Convincing Isaya to remain at home was harder," Takuma remarks, tracing his sword hilt.
Kaname watches the noble over the rim of his cup. "Have you received another token?"
Takuma stills, hand on his weapon. "No. Just the roses and note on the day Ouri was murdered."
Before her death, Shirabuki Sara ordered lover's gifts sent to a bonded omega, and now Shirabuki's ghosts are out killing her enemies, following unbreakable orders from a pureblood who can no longer revoke them. Shouto Isaya is the next obvious target for assassination as the alpha who took what Shirabuki desired. Takuma and Shouto are taking preventative measures, but Kaname can tell Takuma feels deeply shaken.
The noble has good reason to worry. Shirabuki's captured Hunters are a difficult tactic to counter. Nobles have great power, but rarely the military grade training every Hunter receives from infancy. For infiltration, for stealth, and for experience in clean, quick killing you couldn't do better than send a Hunter.
"Speaking of Ouri, I was not expecting the Senate to be so bold," Kaname remarks, long fingers touching the scroll between them.
"They had no choice if they wanted to placate the commoners," Takuma says, frowning. As has become his habit, he places a hand on his flat stomach as though soothing the child inside. "Six purebloods have died in the last fifty years. The Senate claims to act as the purebloods' guardian - it derives its authority from that very purpose - and four of those deaths can be laid directly at the Senate's feet. Veneration toward those of pure blood has always been stronger among the lower ranks. The commoners' confidence and trust in the Senate's governance is already at historic lows - a crowd gathered outside the Senate building itself when the news broke. The Senate dispersed the crowd quickly, but discontent is building."
"Convincing them to allow Consort Shoshana a year of mourning was almost doing them a favor," Kaname chuckles. Shoshana's presence is nearly imperceptible at Rosehill; her grief and poor health means she keeps to her rooms, and the Kurans have gained considerable prestige for their perceived kindness.
Takuma shares a brief smile, but it's fleeting. "Perhaps that instability is what motivated them to open a commission reexamining the recent pureblood deaths. A commission means investigators asking many, many questions, and we both know that revisiting those incidents is really about investigating you. You're too popular, Kaname. They want to implicate you in any way they can, and your involvement in so many deaths is suspicious. You have too many secrets they might stumble upon."
"I have taken measures," Kaname replies, tone impassive.
Takuma tries to smile again, but the effort fails. "I know, but I worry. I'll do what I can from my end. Be careful."
Hanging over the back of the library couch, Yuuki leans forward at a precarious angle and pokes Zero's shoulder.
With his nose buried in a book, Zero ignores the vampire trying to get his attention.
Yuuki pokes him again. Then twice more, for good measure. "Hey. I want to talk to you but it's going to make you uncomfortable. Where's a good place to do it."
Snapping his book shut, Zero stares at the cover in thought. "Take me riding. We can talk afterwards."
So Yuuki does. Those sinfully tight riding breeches make a reappearance, but Yuuki works hard to keep her mind on business. It helps that all Zero's winter riding habits are made from thick wool and the layered skirts hide his shapely rear. She watches from behind the fence as Zero works Magic, making quite a stunning pair with the black horse. Yuuki knows little of horses, but she appreciates the harmonious picture the two of them create together, silver and dark.
When the horse is cooled and stabled, back inside the warmth and hay and animal smells, Yuuki sits in an empty stall across the aisle, peeking through the open door.
Zero's hoseki glints in the dim light as he bends to stroke the horse's nose. He's seated in the straw with his dozing horse's head in his lap, an open, relaxed expression touching his face. When he's near, the horses will even bear Yuuki's terrifying aura and relax, trusting their rider will keep them safe. Yuuki can relate.
"I think I'm going to ship one or two of the mares out to be covered this spring," Zero tells her. "I've already made inquiries at a few of the stud farms. I figure we have a few years until Azai's child is weaned, and I won't have time to look after a foal if there's a baby in the house."
"I remember baby White Lily," Yuuki says, cheered at the image of a new fluffy white foal prancing through the fields. "She was really cute."
"I remember her too." Zero bends his head, hiding his sorrow in the horse's mane. "What did you want to talk with me about?"
Yuuki hesitates, thinking second thoughts before she goes and breaks Zero's peace. Her alpha doesn't approve of upsetting her mate, but Yuuki believes in her own resolution. She brushes straw off her skirts, flattens her hands against her thighs, and looks directly across at Zero, firming her voice. "I really, really enjoy it when you keep our come inside you after sex."
Zero's mouth quirks, cheeks stained red as he lifts an eyebrow in amusement.
"But I know you don't do it because you enjoy it," Yuuki continues. "The only time I've ever seen you touch yourself between your thighs is when we're having sex and it's an accident because you're actually trying to touch my cock."
All amusement fled, Zero's face hardens into a stoic mask.
"I know your body makes you uncomfortable. I'm not saying you need to be able to finger yourself or do anything sexual. But it's not healthy if you can't even clean yourself up. I want to help you become more comfortable with your body, Zero, comfortable enough to manage basic hygiene."
The horse shifts, butting Zero's stomach, and Zero remembers to start scratching again. Some of the tension in his spine leeches away. "You sound like you have a plan."
Yuuki nods furiously, knotting her hands in her skirt. "What if we work on decreasing the distance a little bit at a time? We'll start by having you touch as close to your cunt as you can feel comfortable right now, push past that limit by a hair, then stay at that distance until you feel comfortable again. Then we'll move a little closer. We don't need to try every day, just when you feel you can handle it."
"We?" Zero says.
"I'm not making you do this by yourself! And there'll be a reward!" Yuuki gestures wildly in her enthusiasm. "For every attempt, I'll put aside extra time to do one activity together. Whatever you want - but nothing sexual, this is to get you feeling more comfortable with your body only."
Stunned into silence, Zero blinks at Yuuki with his perfect poker face in place. Then he shrugs. "It couldn't make things worse."
"Good! When should we start?" Yuuki enthuses, scrambling up. She was expecting more resistance, but she's made preparations just in case.
"No time like the present," Zero says, nudging the horse off his lap and straightening.
They chose Yuuki's room for their attempt. In case it goes poorly, Zero spends no time there and has no associations with the space.
"I know why I'm taking off my clothes," Zero says, undoing the ties on his underdress, "but why are you?"
Yuuki unclasps her bra, sliding it down her arms and flinging it onto the bed. "It only seems fair that we're both naked. I promise I'm not going make any advances. Besides, isn't it kind of weird being naked when someone else is dressed?"
Zero makes a muffled noise that might pass for agreement, pulling his dress up and over his head.
Yuuki feels gooseflesh pebble on her arms, and goes to turn up the heat, wanting Zero as relaxed as possible. When she comes back, Zero is stealing the pillows and extra blankets off the bed, piling them on the floor in front of the room's large standing mirror, their other reason for choosing Yuuki's bedroom as their setting.
Zero eyes her with disdain when she deposits a large fur rug in their nest of blankets. "I'm supposed to sit bare naked on that?"
"Yes," Yuuki defends, "it's comfortable."
Her husband clicks his tongue, but seats himself gingerly on the thick pelt, knees drawn up toward his chin as he faces the mirror. Zero's more nervous than he wants to admit, his whole body caught within sight of the glass' maplewood frame.
Yuuki settles behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and sitting up on her heels so she can watch the two of them together in the mirror. She draws on her patience, resting her chin on his shoulder until she feels his muscles ease.
"Match your breaths to mine," Yuuki says, inhaling slowly and deeply, letting the quiet peace and physical closeness soak in and relieve her longing for Zero, the longing that never relents. She kisses the Hunter's shoulder, moving slowly and within sight of the mirror so Zero knows the kiss is coming. He sighs, hands coming to rest atop Yuuki's arms encircling his waist.
"Can you let me see you?" Yuuki requests, keeping her voice soft and even.
The skin around his eyes tightens, and under her hands his pulse jumps. But at her prompting, Zero lowers his knees and opens his thighs, leaning back to display the omega's sex between them, pink and perfect.
Yuuki buries her nose in the crook of Zero's neck, scenting for distress. Zero's watching the two of them in Yuuki's mirror, but his eyes slide away from himself and his most despised part.
"Have you ever really looked at yourself?" Yuuki murmurs.
"No," Zero replies shortly, "It's ugly."
Yuuki frowns, rising up on her knees so their eyes are level and she can press a chaste kiss to his cheek. "You're not ugly, Zero. You're beautiful - the most beautiful person I've ever seen."
Zero doesn't openly disagree, but his expression seems discontent.
"I love you," Yuuki says, "so you'll just need to accept I know better than you about this." Reviewing her plans in her head, she says, "Maybe it would be better to wait before we start pushing your comfort zone.".
"I want to," Zero insists, but Yuuki can feel his unease as he's pressed up against her.
"Show me how close you can touch and still feel comfortable," Yuuki says, choosing to give Zero control of their pace.
"Here," Zero says, touching the skin of his waist when the edge of his underwear would fall.
"And how far can you go before you feel any discomfort?"
Zero's hand twitches down slightly, curling under an imaginary hem.
Yuuki blinks. It seems they have quite a ways to go, but as long as the effort is made for Zero's sake the difficulty doesn't matter. "Keep you hand there, please. We won't go any further today. When you feel comfortable and relaxed touching yourself here, you can move lower."
Zero nods. His eyes fall briefly on his reflection, then skitter away. The tightness stays in the carriage of his shoulders.
Worrying her lip, Yuuki ducks behind Zero's shoulder and presses closer. How can she make this experience more positive?
Mate with him, the alpha insists. It makes him happy when we mount him. He looks so pretty sitting on our -
Yuuki's not using sex as a distraction. That's the opposite of helpful.
Fine, grumbles the alpha. At least touching mate was allowed.
Yes, Yuuki thinks to herself, rubbing the join of her chin and neck against Zero's shoulder to scent him. She contemplates slipping her hands out from underneath Zero's grasp, and instead interlaces their fingers, using their joined hands to pet Zero's sides. Already Yuuki can feel Zero settle beneath her touch, trusting her support along his back to keep himself upright.
An impulse seizes her; Yuuki lets it lift her up and carry her in its wake. "I need something to keep me occupied. There's a list I've been planning to compose. Do you mind if I work on it now?"
"A list," Zero repeats absently, watching the two of them stroke his body in the mirror. "Go ahead."
Yuuki hides her grin. "It's called 'the thousand reasons I love Zero' list. There's many more reasons than one thousand, but I thought brevity would be preferable to completeness. It's going to take a lot of work to pick out the best thousand!"
"Yuuki," Zero says, the pink flush on his cheeks accentuating the bashful dip of his gaze.
Possessiveness and sharp, searing adoration cleave through her. "I love the way you smile and how it makes you look even more beautiful," she begins, kissing Zero's shoulder. "I love how animals can tell how kind you are." Another kiss, this time to his throat. "I love how when you get angry with people you love you try to glare but it ends up looking cute instead…"
Zero squirms and blushes for each new reason. He's criminally unused to people telling him how beautiful and desirable he is, and he never believes Yuuki when she promises she loves him no matter what. Yuuki will fix that - she suspects she'll be doing this often in the future. Best of all, he's forgotten he's naked and what all this fuss is meant to accomplish.
Yuuki keeps scenting Zero and touching him, pouring her love out with every word, content to be the distraction her husband needs as he takes his first step toward self-reconciliation.
Courting Zero has resulted in utter failure.
Kaname has sent a garden's worth of flowers. He's engineered numerous candlelit dinners where Yuuki found sudden excuses to leave the two of them alone. He's bought presents and chocolates of the finest quality. He's escorted Zero wherever the Hunter needed to go; they've kissed, held hands, walked along the beach, endured every last romantic trick in Kaname's arsenal.
Nothing. Zero smiles and accepts all Kaname's gifts with profound gratitude, the same way he would treat anyone's thoughtful gesture. He's polite and pleasant during their private dinners, but acts no differently than he does while eating with Yuuki. He reciprocates Kaname's kisses, allows the hand holding, parts his thighs and offers his body twice a day for Kaname's pleasure; in the eyes of the world they appear an alpha and omega besotted with one another.
All illusion, nothing more than silver plating hiding lead. Zero never initiates, never reaches out, never gives any hint he regards Kaname as more than a duty. There is no spark, no lingering touches nor weighted looks between them. Just Kaname and his longing. Zero remains oblivious to the fact Kaname desires him, stubborn to the last.
Kaname is left at a loss. He's never had to charm someone who was romantically indifferent toward him. A pureblood has their pick of vampire partners, and even fellow purebloods fought to bed the vampire king. Little has changed in Kaname's second life; nobles still beg and plead and fight one another for a single night in his bed. Kaname's handsome looks, wealth, and gentlemanly mien ensure any human ignorant of his status will still pursue his favor. Only a Hunter would deny him, and until now Kaname had other uses for Hunters than romance.
Kaname broods, remembers the Ancestor of the Hunters, and counts might-have-beens. He cannot bring himself to confess his affection through words twice, instead trying to speak through his actions. It doesn't work. Kaname can touch Zero's body as much as he pleases, but achieving his true desire seems as far as the moon.
To have everything and nothing is a particularly cruel fate.
"You're watching Zero again," Yuuki remarks in an undertone, drawing him away from the other theatregoers. The two are strolling arm-in-arm through the lobby during intermission while Zero visits with the few omegas attending. From his posture it's not going well, but his stance lacks true distress.
Kaname lifts his shoulders in a shrug. "He's my omega. I'm expected to watch him."
Yuuki clicks her tongue, seeing right through Kaname's excuse. "That old line? You didn't even pretend to watch the play."
"How did Zero fall in love with you?" Kaname asks instead, stroking her inner arm. If Kaname wishes to win Zero's affection, logic dictates he ought to learn from the one person who's managed to succeed.
Shaking her head, Yuuki says, "I don't know. I've never asked. It might sound stupid, but I felt like if I asked Zero's reasoning it would make him realize loving me was a ridiculous idea after all."
"And what about you?" Kaname says, a gentle chime announcing intermission is over. "How did you come to love Zero?"
Yuuki wears a rueful grin, and gives another shake of her head. "I can't remember an exact moment where it happened, where I went from to knowing him to loving him. I didn't even understand I loved him until after I left. Falling in love with Zero was never supposed to happen, Kaname. We didn't mean to do it, and we certainly didn't try on purpose. Maybe one day I just woke up and hungered for him, needed him like air and water and half my soul."
Kaname watches no more of the play's second half then he did the first. His eyes always stray back to Zero, and every time they do Yuuki's final words run through his head, and Kaname's chest aches.
The sex that morning is satisfying, but somehow not quite enough.
Raising the stakes for their wedding anniversary, Kaname plans Rosehill's first grand ball in centuries. It must be as magnificent and glorious as any soiree ever held during the monarchy; there must be no doubt that the Kurans rejoice in their new union. Kaname will not give the nobles more room to castigate Zero for things that are not his fault.
The pureblood throws himself into the preparations, working long hours to perfect every detail. He feels as though it's his last chance to impress Zero, one final opportunity to win Zero's love. The logical part of his mind knows this isn't true, but Kaname is desperate and his yearning outweighs his sense.
Kaname's vision of the night incarnates as though drawn straight from his dreams. The February evening comes cold and clear, and the Senate palace is alight with candles and cooler halogen light, making the guests' jewels and finery glitter. Kaname has hired high class performers to entertain his guests: fire-eaters, ice sculptors, illusionists who bring visions to life and cast bright fire-flowers in the air. The highest tier of vampire society from all over the globe crowds eagerly around laden banquet tables and dances to the sounds of the ear is delighted by music, the nose with perfumes and the palate with savory delights. The costumes themselves are a feast for the eye, each beautiful immortal vying against their fellows to shine the most brightly.
The three hosts have throne-like chairs set above the crowd where they reign over their invited guest. Kaname's spouses are radiant at his left and right hand, as richly dressed as any of their guests, and Kaname basks in the satisfaction of knowing the two most beautiful people in the room are seated at his side. He envisions the regal image the three present, and it pleases him. The only reason Kaname would take up the crown again would be for the pleasure of seeing Yuuki and Zero enthroned as they deserve.
In the dawn's light, after their guests have gone, Yuuki draws her husbands among the sleeping rosebushes. There they pledge their fidelity once more and renew their fateful consummation, sealing their promises in one another's blood. Stray scarlet drops stain the snow, nourishing the roots of the dreaming roses.
"I'm glad you're both here with me," Yuuki says, one arm around each of her husbands as they trade copper-tinged kisses.
"This is more than I ever thought I'd have," Zero confesses. "I thought I was walking into a nightmare. I was so afraid - I - but what we have now, it's good. It's really good."
Kaname curls the hand wearing his wedding ring around the nape of Yuuki's neck, beneath her auburn hair, and rests his cheek against Zero's temple. "I never wanted this marriage. Yet now I cannot conceive how I ever lived before this. I am more fulfilled then I have ever been in ten thousand years."
"Are you happy?" Yuuki asks him, watching his face intently. She's so much braver now, to ask that question when she didn't dare before.
Kaname closes his eyes and breathes in the cold clean air, the scent of blood, Yuuki's alpha musk and Zero's omega fragrance. The feelings in his chest well up, as though they might overflow if he added another drop. "Yes," Kaname says, and tugs her close to kiss her senseless.
Yuuki smiles into their kiss. "That makes me so glad to hear. Did you want to talk with Zero for a while?"
The Hunter shifts beside them, his eyes gentle as he watches their wife.
Kaname wishes that gaze would turn toward him. "Yes," the pureblood answers.
Licking blood off her fangs, Yuuki tilts her head playfully. "I'll see you both when you're finished. The party may be over, but we're not done with our own celebrations."
Zero sends Kaname a questioning glance as Yuuki disappears between the hedges.
Kaname must kiss his boy, of course, because Zero looks exactly like a curious kitten and Kaname is very poor at denying himself what he wants. Mastering himself, the pureblood takes his consort by the hand, leading him deeper into the dormant rose garden.
The long wine-colored train of Zero's gown fans out behind them on the snow, its crystals glowing white beneath the sun. Zero is draped in gems: tiny ones sewn into his gown, priceless heirlooms hanging from his ears and wrapped around his throat, a hoseki that's nothing less than a work of art. All of them are only a pale imitation of the silver Hunter's beauty.
"Yuuki and I have discussed our financial matters in light of Consort Shoshanna's situation," Kaname begins, releasing Zero's hand with a pang. "We would like to transfer a fourth of the Kuran assets to your name. We would never want you to find yourself in circumstances where you had to rely on others to live."
The Hunter's eyes go wide, and his mouth opens in shock. "A fourth? That's...I don't know how much money that works out to be, but it's too much, Kaname."
"A fifth then," Kaname replies. He would have suggested one-third of their fortune if he'd thought Zero would accept it, but even one-tenth is more than enough money for several lifetimes. "I cannot gift you any of the ancestral Kuran properties, but we will find you a small estate of your own."
Zero shakes his head, eyes still startled. "I lived in a tiny shitty apartment, Kaname, what would I do with an estate?"
"Grace it with your presence," Kaname answers, lifting Zero's hand and kissing it. "We want to ensure you are cared for, no matter what happens."
Kaname finds himself with an armful of beautiful omega as Zero throws himself at the pureblood's chest. "I told you, it's too much and I'm never going to need that much money. But thank you both for thinking of me."
We're always thinking of mate, Kaname's alpha chimes in. All the time, even when we sleep and eat and go to boring meetings - .
"You know," Kaname murmurs, tangling his fingers in silver hair and shoving aside his alpha, "I meant it when I said that I care for you."
Zero doesn't raise his head from where he's buried his face in Kaname's tunic.
"If I died, would you mourn my loss?" Kaname wonders, half to himself, not expecting an answer. Would you mourn me as Shoshanna mourns Ouri? he does not say, allowing himself to hope.
But Zero lifts his head, and earnestly answers, "Of course. Yuuki loves you, and we're allies and partners. I think maybe you and I could even become friends someday."
Friends perhaps. No more. The brittle smile on Kaname's face cracks and the unsatisfying taste of his own blood coats his mouth. "That would be ideal," Kaname manages.
Yuuki is alarmed when Kaname leaves as soon as Zero is asleep, but whatever expression she sees on his face keeps her from arguing.
Pushing aside the cloth covering the doorway, Kaname ducks into the izakaya where his hastily arranged appointment is set to take place. With one sweeping glance to locate his target, Kaname crosses over to the bar and takes a seat against the wall where a single empty chair has been wedged, easily overlooked in the loud, busy atmosphere.
"Stop calling me. I'm not your damn therapist, vampire," Yagari Touga grunts, throwing back his head as he swallows his beer.
"Good evening, Yagari-sensei," Kaname says, surprising himself with the honest amusement tingeing his voice. "You've chosen an excellent location. I could almost imagine that you wanted to see me." The compliment is paid truthfully. Because it straddles the edge of a seedy district, the izakaya patrons are a mixed crowd; the office workers drinking here at night ensure that Kaname draws no notice in his suit, but the clientele has enough suspicious characters that Yagari and his eyepatch don't draw a second glance.
A server brings Kaname a warm moist towel to clean his hands, which the pureblood politely uses.
Yagari leans back. "What are you doing here Kuran? I hear half the nobility is sleeping off the hangover from your party last night."
"You told me once that we weren't so different. What did you mean by that?"
The Hunter snorts, lighting a cigarette and adding to the thick smoke in the air. "That's what you called me out here to ask?"
"No," Kaname allows. "But I was curious to see if you would answer."
"I told you. Think about it hard enough and you'll figure it out." Yagari crosses his arms, holding his smoke between his fingers.
They both fall silent as Kaname is presented with an appetizer of cold edamame, and the pureblood orders sake. Yagari eats his karaage as they wait for Kaname's drink to be brought, and Kaname gathers his thoughts.
"I have reached an impasse in my relationship with Zero," Kaname begins, leaving his food untouched.
"Then talk to Zero," Yagari snorts, and takes another draw on his cigarette. "I'm not solving your marital problems for you."
"I have already talked to Zero." Kaname chooses his next words carefully. "I called you because you know him well and I am too close to the problem to be objective."
The Hunter shoots Kaname a shrewd glance. "I don't tell tales. Ask if you want, but I doubt I'll answer."
Folding his hands together, Kaname breathes in, counts to ten, allows the words to flow out with his exhale. "Do you believe it is possible that Zero might eventually come to love me?"
Yagari takes his cigarette out his mouth and places it on the ashtray, really looking hard at Kaname for the first time tonight. "So you finally figured it out. I told you we were more similar than you thought."
"That was what you meant?" Kaname questions, bemused but wholly preoccupied by his earlier unanswered question. "We're similar because we love him?"
"Obviously." The Hunter is silent for a moment. "I think Zero is tremendously forgiving and has a deep capacity for love. The real question, Kuran Kaname, is this: can you be satisfied if Zero doesn't love you the way you want? What if he loves you as a brother or a friend instead of a lover?"
Staring straight ahead, Kaname's impassive mask comes close to cracking.
"Because you can't force somebody to love you, pureblood. And I'm afraid of what you might do to Zero so you can get your way."
Kaname knows the starving abyss of his soul, and he cannot deny the accusation. After all, he had influenced Yuuki toward his own courtship using coercive methods and had even resorted to removing her other suitors. And Kaname knows he would have done worse if her heart had chosen differently.
A server arrives with Kaname's hot sake. The pureblood drinks to give himself something to do.
"Look, Kuran." Yagari scrubs a hand over his face. "You must have realized that you love Zero pretty recently. Give Zero time. Genuine feelings don't spring up out of nowhere."
Kaname signals for his bill. "Have you ever considered becoming a vampire, Yagari-sensei?"
"Not on your life, Kuran," Yagari scoffs, shaking his head. "I'm perfectly happy as I am."
"Your thinner Hunter blood means you won't live past a century," Kaname points out, eyeing Yagari as he drinks.
Yagari levels a glare of pure disgust. "Don't even try that hook on me. Vampirism is not a gift. It's a disease with a terrible price, and I've seen what it can do to good men. I never want to look at another human being and think of them as food. I refuse. And don't tell me I could live off blood tablets - accidents happen, we both know that. The addiction to blood eats at people. I've lived my life as a Hunter, and I won't betray my ideals at the very end just for a few more years. I want to feel the sun on my skin as I die."
Kaname inclines his head with genuine respect, and a glimmer of slyness. "I only offer because Zero would be devastated to lose you."
For the first time during their meeting, Yagari shows true anger. "I will not be emotionally manipulated, leech. Zero is a fifty-year old grown adult who can take care of himself, and he's surrounded by people he can rely on. The same goes for Kaito."
Holding up a hand in a placating gesture, Kaname says, "My apologies, Yagari-sensei. Allow me to pay for your meal."
"No." Yagari turns his face away so his missing eye is the only one facing Kaname, dismissing the pureblood.
The stubbornness of Hunters. Kaname rises, accepting that their conversation is finished for now. Handing the server enough bills to cover his cheque, the vampire turns to go.
"Kuran."
Kaname pauses, hand on the back of his chair.
There's a glint smouldering in Yagari's single blue eye. "Humans may die quickly, but a pureblood is only as immortal as his heart."
Kaname feels a muscle in his cheek jump. Yagari cannot know, but his research into extending Zero's life is going poorly. Without answering, Kaname twists on his heel and leaves.
Outside, Kaname stands beneath the red paper lanterns, watching the bustling nightlife and oblivious humans stream past. Anonymity is a rare privilege for him, and he allows himself to be another face in a crowd.
His breath mists in the cold as he exhales heavily. Give Zero time? Kaname has time, for now. He can be patient. And he is not out of options. Perhaps what he needs now is a change in tactics.
I hope you didn't think I'd make it easy for Kaname? As suave and charming as Kaname is, it's not like he's been romantically successful with the exception of Yuuki. And his courtship of Yuuki mostly involved stalking, presents and tormenting Zero. So that's my justification for the current state of affairs.
The trio's wedding anniversary is February 26, to give you an idea of the timing. One whole year of marriage for those three! I'm so proud of them.
An izakaya is an informal Japanese restaurant very similar to an English pub or tapas bar where you can purchase sake, beer and light dishes that are meant to be shared.
I couldn't resist adding another scene with Kaname and Yagari. Kaname spends most of his time surrounded by people who either want to flatter him for his favor or who love him and will soften difficult truths. I think that's why he went back to Yagari. Yagari is perceptive, doesn't like him except for Zero's sake, and will tell Kaname what he doesn't want to hear.
I have some flexibility in the upcoming chapters, and if anyone has any particular scenarios they'd like to see during Kaname's courtship of Zero you're welcome to make suggestions in the comments. I value reader input, but as always please keep in mind that I can make no promises any specific suggestion will be used. Thanks for reading!
Next chapter: 'A Hostage to Kindness'