Author Note: I have also uploaded this to Archive of Our Own as well. I wanted to see if was still active. Link: Kiss Me A03 Link
Billowing dark clouds rolled over head, swallowing up the afternoon sun. The wind turned chilly as it carried the scent of rain on the air. The birds' songs stopped as they sought shelter from the coming storm. Yuuki frowned up at the now black sky. She had spent most the morning on the roof of her house trying the recount the past she'd lost. All she could remember now was snow, blood and sharp teeth. With the sky threatening to tear asunder and consume her, she thought the universe was trying to warn her, to forget about it, leave it alone. She sighed closing her chocolate eyes giving in to mother nature's demands, pushing the thoughts from her mind. Sitting up and stretching she looked for Zero.
Zero always had a calming effect on her. Yuuki felt she could trust him. Maybe she would talk to him about her lack of memories, or maybe at the very least she could forget about it all together if he stayed by her side. Spying Zero asleep under the big Oak Tree near the stables across the yard, she stood up dusting off her kimono, making her way the ladder she left leaned against the house, climbing down. Feet firmly placed on the ground, she crossed the distance to him. Oh Zero... She thought. He was starting to fill out now, the line between boy and man were starting to blur in his features. He was dressed in a light grey Haori with lavender violets sewn in along the collar and bottom of his sleeves, his Nagagi a deep solid deep purple and black Hakama.
" Zero?" Yuuki called out, "It's going to rain, wake up!" He didn't stir. 'He must be tired, he never leaves himself vulnerable like this.' She knelt down getting a better look at his peaceful sleeping face. Her cheeks flushed, he looked adorable sleeping away without a care in the world. She was having a tough time keeping herself from reaching out and brushing some stray silvery hairs to place behind his pierced ear. She mulled it over and decided the risk was worth the reward and reached out keeping the sleeve of her flowered kimono out of the way while her hand feathered some of the stray locks from his face, tracing the outline of his brow and tucking the strands behind his ear. His hand shot out, grabbing her wrist and sitting up all in one motion. Looking startled and somewhat dazed.
"Y-Yuuki... w-what are you doing?" Zero barked out at her before looking at his large hand enclosed around her small slender wrist, a blush crept up his cheeks. He let go of her and cast his Amethyst eyes down to avoid her now widened chocolate ones, dropping his hand to rest on the ground beside him.
"I-I... I came to wake you up." Yuuki sighed out. He must have had a nightmare again, he was always having them lately. Though he would never talk about them, not even a vague sense of what they were about. She could always hear him wake up with a start, and hear his erratic breathing as he tried to calm himself down. Their rooms were right next to each other, it's not like she was spying on him, she couldn't help hear him and her heart constricted each time.
"Would you have rather I left you asleep and let the rain wake you?" As she said it, the heavens began to open up, spitting heavy raindrops, only a few at first, lazily hitting them then a volley of summer rain pelted them. Yuuki stood, stretching out her hand for Zero to take. He brushed it away and stood himself, She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand anyway. Now that he was up she lead them into the stables. The scent of hay and horses wafted over them as she wrenched the door open.
"Thanks, but I guess your effect to keep me dry was in vain. We're both soaked now." Zero chuckled despite himself, he could never truly be mad at Yuuki. "but why not make a break for the house?" He slid off his Haori and hung it up to dry on a hook near the door.
Yuuki stuck her tongue out at him as she giggled. "I haven't fed White Lily yet, can you help me out? Pleeeeease?" She lightly begged knowing she'd get her way even if she didn't ask, he always helped her if she needed it.
"Of course you didn't, You were daydreaming on the roof all morning." Zero sighed as he shook his head at this sometimes absent minded girl in front of him.
Yuuki puffed up, picking up some loose straw from the stable floor and threw it at him. "Well you were sleeping, and Lily only likes you, she won't let me near her. How was I suppose to feed and brush her without you?" She shut the door behind them with a mock slam.
"You're probably right" Zero laughed and went towards the alabaster mare, gently rubbing her muzzle as the horse snorted and leaned into his hand. "I'm sorry." He turned his head to glance back at her. He chewed on his inner cheek a moment, debating on whether to ask her why she secluded herself up on the roof in the first place, but he knew if she wanted to talk about She'd come to him.
Yuuki missed his deliberations as she went to grab some fresh hay from the corner of the stables, in her own head, wanting to ask him about his nightmares again. Sighing she went back toward White Lily, eyeing the horse suspiciously, "Ne... Zero?" She stole a glance up towards him as he soothed the mare with gentle strokes.
"Hmm?"
"What were you dreaming about? Were you having a nightmare again?" Yuuki asked softly keeping her eyes on him and watching him shift uncomfortably under her gaze, slowing his strokes of the mare. "You can ... talk to me if you need to. Zero always listens to all of my problems. I-I can do the same for you."
Her back was to him now as she was getting some oats for Lily, but she could feel his eyes on her. She waited for what felt like forever as she started to feed the mare and moved on to brushing her down, before he spoke again. Yuuki was starting to think he wouldn't answer her, or pretended he didn't hear her at all.
"My Family." Zero whispered out " I keep having the same scene play out of their deaths, over and over again. It won't stop and it happens almost every night."
It had been 4 years since Zero came to live with Yuuki and Kaien Cross at their home, and since then it has taken her a long time to get him to open up and confide in her. He hardly talked about his family, Yuuki had to hear about what happened from their adopted Father. Zero's family was murdered by a vampire when he was a child. Kaien took him in and adopted him, just as he had adopted Yuuki ten years ago, almost under the same circumstances, at least she thought so. She couldn't remember what happened, maybe her family was killed by vampires as well. He was covered in blood that night. It was a miracle he had survived. Yuuki went to opposite side Zero was on, to absently brush the mare. Going over the memory in her mind, chewing her lip.
"You're safe now, I'll protect you, Zero." Yuuki looked up at him finally. He froze mid stroke of his pet, looking at her with uncertain eyes, searching for something within her brown eyes. What, Yuuki, couldn't tell.
"How are You going to protect Me?" Zero didn't have his usual bite to his words. He said it softly, it was like he was musing aloud and didn't actually mean to ask it.
"With this!" She smiled and pat her hip where the Anti-Vampire weapon tied to her Obi. "With Artemis." Yuuki smiled at Zero who just shook his head at her and matter of factly rolled his eyes, chuckling a bit. A Comfortable silence stretched between as she finished grooming the mare, and pulling a carrot from her robes in an attempt to get White Lily to like her, one treat at a time.
After milling about and making busy work around the stables to wait out the rain, the heavy sounds on the roof didn't seem like it was going to let up soon, Yuuki gave up. Placing the curry comb back in the pail she spoke "It's now or never, it doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon, we might as well head back before Father worries."
"Yeah." Zero headed towards the door grabbing his Haori and waited for her to catch up with an outstretched hand, she took it and he pulled them both out into the cold heavy rain.
'This girl, how is it she brings me such warmth. Yuuki is like a breath of fresh air.' Zero listened to the sound of her musical laughter as they ran towards the house, hand in hand, through the rain. She was all smiles, even now, as they were getting pelted with cold rain effectively getting soaked again. Her flower pattern Kimono clinging to her body.
"Zero?" She tugged on his hand to slow their run. "Dance with me, we're already wet, might as well enjoy it." She raised their joined hands, and grabbed his other to place on her waist before coming to rest her free hand on his shoulder. She peeked up shyly at him with twinkling Brown eyes, a rosy bloom heating her cheeks.
Zero sighed rolling eyes, but instantly giving in to her whimsical demands. "you're going to catch a cold."
"Don't care!" Yuuki giggled as she started to lead for their rain dance. It was easy to fall in step with her, he had been watching her since he came to live with them. They took him in and cared for him. Yuuki was slowly healing the wounds to his heart and soul, he owed a lot to this girl. He'd do anything for her. Zero half smiled as they continued to dance. Stealing the lead from her, He lifted their hands to twirl her, spinning her out and away from him, then back again before dipping her down low in his arms, following her down, their lips barely brushing together in an almost kiss.
Zero caught sight of the red heat creeping up her cheeks, almost reaching her hair line and her chocolate eyes wide. Zero chuckled nervously bringing them both to stand straight, she slid her hand down his arm and reached his other hand, He could see several emotions flickering across her eyes, he loved watching it play out as he started the dance again, twirling her once more before box stepping with her.
"Zero?" Yuuki managed to breathe out, obviously embarrassed by their almost kiss, while it looked like he was enjoying her reactions.
"Yes, Yuuk?" Zero breathed out at almost a whisper, slowing down their dance to a finish.
"Erm... Never mind." Yuuki avoided his gaze and let go of his hands, staring at their feet instead of looking at him. Her cheeks were still very much full of color.
Zero loved teasing her, He couldn't help himself. "Let's go inside my Lady, I'll get started on Lunch right away." He swept his arm out towards the door bowing as he did so, keeping his eyes down. Letting her make the first move as to not push her to much, and regain some of her composure.
Yuuki took a hesitant step forward, he stole a quick glance up at her, an unreadable look crossed her eyes. Should he have not done it? Did he go to far? Well it was too late now, the ball so to speak, was in her court. Once she reached the door, Zero opened it for her, it looked like a small smile was on her lips, so he pushed his earlier anxieties aside.
"Oh my! Both of you, Hurry inside. You're soaked to the bone. " Kaien, their adopted Father, bustled around gathering towels for them. "I'll draw a nice hot bath, Yuuki-chan, you take the first one. Zero-kun could put the kettle on and get the tea started while you wait?" They both nodded as he walked down the hall towards the bathroom and them towards the kitchen
"Yuuki..?" Zero glanced at her from behind his silver bangs, a slight color rising to his cheeks. "Look... I'm sorry about before, I-I.." He trailed off, not quite sure how should finish. He wasn't sorry about it, but Zero also didn't want Yuuki to hate him, or not to speak to him.
"Zero..." Yuuki began, her cheeks full of color as she stared at him with wide yet warm eyes. "That wasn't a very nice prank..."
Zero glanced at the floor, opening and closing his mouth, trying to find the right words. He hadn't intended it to be a prank. 'I actually wanted to kiss you!' He was about to say such when Kaien walked in, stopping him.
"Go ahead Yuuki-chan." The older man smiled, shooing Yuuki down the hall as she took the towel he offered. Zero watched as her figure receded down the hall. He sighed.
Kaien eyed Zero carefully, giving a concerned look but said nothing about it, instead he walked further into the kitchen and sat at one of the chairs. "Zero-kun, please sit." He gestured towards the seat in front of him. Zero had gone to the cupboard and pulled two cups and the tea down, grabbing the kettle before settling in the seat.
'Oh god... If this was about him and Yuuki...' Zero didn't get a chance to finish the thought before Kaien spoke again.
" Zero-kun, Kaname-sama stopped by while you two were out. He came with some bad news." It looked like Kaien was trying to tip toe around the subject and it made him irritated. Zero had a strong dislike, almost hatred for the Vampire.
"Just spit it out, Cross-san, What did that blood sucker have to say?" Zero's entire body tensed and practically spit venom at the mention of the pureblood 'King'. He couldn't stand the way Kuran looked at Yuuki like he would want nothing more than to devour her whole. It made Zero blanched tightening his fists.
"It seems vampire attacks have been getting closer to the village lately. I don't want you and Yuuki-chan out at night. As soon as it gets dark, straight inside." Kaien sipped his tea and stared into to for a moment. Zero's hand lowered from the table and absently fiddled with something that was in tucked into the belt of his Hakama. "You need to protect yourself and Yuuki-chan, should it come down to it." Zero pulled out the thing he was fiddling with and slammed his pistol on the table. Bloody Rose glinted in the nature light coming from the window as it rocked now gently from the hard motion.
"Yeah... You don't have to tell me twice. I always have it on me." Being with Yuuki had made him lax, but not that lax. She had a calming effect on him and he was growing comfortable in the peaceful little village, but he never let off of his Hunter instincts. He gave a half laugh as he muttered to himself under his breath remembering Yuuki's earlier declaration. "You'll protect me huh?"
"Stupid Zero." Yuuki sank further into her bath, blowing bubbles in the water as she remembered the almost kiss. 'What was he thinking? Was he just teasing her? Did he actually want to kiss her?' Yuuki hadn't really thought about Zero like that, but as he got older and she did as well, She was starting to become more aware of him, and not just in a brotherly way either. They weren't actually siblings. They were both adopted by Kaien. Yuuki always thought of Zero as her best friend, someone she could rely on, and confide in. She was in love with Kaname, not Zero, but Kaname was out of her Reach. She knew that. Kaname had other responsibilities as a Pureblood. He the purest of purebloods, a vampire among vampires. Dancing with him would be dancing with fire. It would mean walking hand in hand with death, blood and eternity, she could never be with him, Yuuki knew that, but it didn't mean she loved him any less, and now Zero... What did she think of Zero? Could he be more than a friend? Zero was safe, Human, just like her. They could grow old together, have children together. Zero was her Knight, Zero was Zero, and he was in her reach.
She groaned as her thoughts swirled around in her head. She had always been trying to recover her past memories, and that filled most of her thoughts, at least before the almost kiss, now all she could think about was Zero and what she thought about him. Did she want him to kiss her? Did she want more? Yuuki didn't know, maybe everything will work itself out. Maybe he really was messing with her and that was that.
Her cheeks flushed both from the hot water and her thoughts of Zero as she tried to shake her head as if to erase what she was thinking, to no avail. Maybe she could confront him, corner him and ask him about it. Yuuki sighed getting out of the bath. She needed a nap and to clear her head, there was just too much too think about and to process. She grabbed her towel and covered herself.
"Crap. I forgot dry clothes... Stupid Zero..." Yuuki blamed the silver haired boy for flustering her, now she would have to walk around in this thin white kimono and it was damp and practically transparent. Hopefully she could avoid Zero and make it safely to her room for a dry Kimono. Opening the Bathroom door she walked straight into Zero. Her nose pressed straight against his damp shirt. 'Crap, not good.' She breathed in his scent, He smelled like a mix of ceder and citrus. 'Mmm.' Her face was bright red as she breathed in deep. A second later she stepped back and his hand was poised to knock, but obviously she had opened the door before he could. She watched as Zero's eyes traveled from her eyes down to her lips, along the curve of her neck and then to the shadow that lay in the middle of her chest, and further down still. His jaw slowly dropped and his breathing stopped, his hand dropped and he shook himself after a moment, averting his amethyst gaze to the floor. Yuuki caught sight of his extremely red cheeks, her own flaming up.
"V-Vampires. Village. Don't go out. Not at Night." Zero stammered before sharply turning from her and practically ran to his room, sliding the door shut with a slam.
"What the hell?" Flustered and frustrated Yuuki stomped off toward his room, and barged straight in after him. He had posted up on his futon. "What the hell? What's with you today? You try to kiss me, You see me practically naked with nothing on but a sheer Kimono. You can't even look at me now and all you can say is something about Vampires?" She huffed out all in one breath, throwing her hands in the air, blinking back tears of anger. "What's your problem?"
Zero was just staring at her, his mouth opened and then closed again like he was going to say something but didn't. His Amethyst eyes couldn't look at her, it looked like he was having a rough time even concentrating on what Yuuki had to say.
"Well?!" She said exacerbated, her hands now clenched into fists at her side. She shook her head and sighed, obviously not going to get an answer out of him, she turned to walk away.
"C-Cross-san said there were Violent vampire attacks getting closer to the village and we shouldn't go out at night." He was tiptoeing around the subject of the Kiss and that made Yuuki even angrier.
"And?" Yuuki rounded on him again, hands on her hips. Zero got off his futon now and crossed the distance between them in a few strides.
"And... What about it? Did you want me to kiss you, Yuuki? I thought you loved Kuran-san?" He stared at her for a half second, his amethyst orbs looking like he had made up his mind about something. "Fine. I'll kiss you." Zero said Frustrated, running his long fingers through his hair in a huff. He had backed her against the wall as he spoke. His hands now resting on either side of her head on the wall, gazing down at her with darkened eyes, leaning in. One of his hand slid from the wall to brush her cheek with his knuckles softly before sliding further down to her chin as he gently raised it, tilting her up to face him as he pressed his lips on hers lightly, at first. His eyes closing.
Yuuki was stunned a moment before she melted into him closing her eyes, kissing him back. Zero had deepened the kiss, slicking his tongue along the seam of her lips. She gasped against him, and he took the opportunity to dart his tongue past her lips and teeth, encouraging her tongue to play with his. Tasting her, and exploring her with his tongue. She let another gasp escape her lips as their tongues danced together much like they had done in the rain earlier. Yuuki couldn't help herself, she felt breathless and her legs felt a little like jelly, she wrapped her arms around his neck to help support herself at the same time his other hand snaked around to wrap around her waist pulling her closer to him, keeping her up right.
Zero moved in closer to her effectively pinning her to the wall behind her and himself, still kissing her and using his tonue to slick against hers. When he pulled back, they were both breathless. His normal light eyes were a darker violet and glazed over and Yuuki was now painfully aware she was still just clad in a towel and nothing else.
"Z-Ze..Zero." Yuuki panted, trying to catch her breath. He kissed her again, before trailing kisses down her white throat. Planting soft yet urgent kisses on the curve of her neck and further down to her collarbone. "Father will walk in..." She realized after she said it, that she didn't recognized the need for him in her own voice. Yuuki was a bit taken aback by how he kissed her, and kept kissing her.
"He's out." Zero said between kisses, his hand dropping from her chin tracing down the other side of her neck that he wasn't kissing, dragging light touches long her skin, to her collarbone, further down still to her cleavage, now hesitating.
Her breath hitched in her throat at his wondering hand, Yuuki's mind was dizzy as Zero expertly played her body to his will. She wasn't sure she wanted him to stop. She arched her back leaning into his hesitant hand, pressing her breast into his palm. Zero cupped and kneaded the soft curved flesh, feeling the weight of it in his hand causing the obi around her to loosen and fall to the floor leaving the under kimono to slip open, She gasped feeling the cool air on her newly naked skin and his teeth nipping at her ear lope.
Yuuki's first reaction was to cover her naked body and made a move to do so when Zero pulled back to look down at her, taking in the sights. Yuuki's cheeks were never so red, his amethyst eyes were burning her, capturing and keeping the memory in his mind. 'Why does his gaze make me feel so exposed yet treasured at the same time?' She could see the strong lust growing in his gaze that paralyzed her to the spot on the wall and she could feel something hard pressing against her inner thigh. Yuuki froze.
Zero's breath was coming in shallow waves now, matching her own. He wanted to admire her, worship her, kiss her, taste her. Zero captured her lips again in a deep kiss titling his head slightly to one side, the pad of his thumb flicking across her tight rosebud causing Yuuki to whimper and shutter against his touch, a grin catching his lips. Yuuki couldn't stand it anymore, his hot breath against her skin, his relentless hands, his kisses. She wasn't sure what she wanted, but she knew she wanted whatever it was, that she didn't want it to stop.
Just then there was a loud crash and thud, it sounded like front door being kicked in. Yuuki screamed and Zero growled, moving to put himself between Yuuki and the noise. He took off his Haori and draped it over her shoulders and grabbed his pistol from the belt of his Hakama. "Shh..." He whispered.
Yuuki started shaking, sliding her arms through his haori, reaching for the Obi on the floor tying it tight around her.
"Stay here, don't move and stay quiet." Zero hissed out, clicking the safety off of his gun and cocked it back, sliding a bullet in the chamber. "I mean it, Stay here."
"Zero... Don't..."