Zero scowled as he watched the Vampires around him dance and enjoy themselves. He'd left Yuki with the Pureblood some time ago, not being able to stomach him any longer. He'd situated himself on the fringes of the party, leaning against a wall wishing to be swallowed into the brick. The more time he spent with these bloodsuckers, the more it fuelled his own self-loathing.
They were monsters in Zero's view, free to roam and terrorise innocent people from the shadows, and he was born for the sole purpose of killing them, but he was now one of them. The reason for all his training, all that his young life had been working towards, was now and forever, meaningless. If he was the very monster he hunted, what was he supposed to do? No one paid any mind to his brooding. They just continued to talk and flirt amongst themselves. However, despite the easy atmosphere, many secret eyes focused on the potential threat.
Yuki sat quietly beside Kaname watching Zero from across the patio. He'd moved away from them after the incident earlier and hadn't spared her so much as a glance. She knew his feelings about Vampires, his loathing, surpassed only by his hatred for Purebloods. She was amazed by her stupidity for even questioning why Zero had such animosity towards Kaname. They had the answers she'd wanted about that Vampire in town, and then some, so there was no reason to drag out Zero's discomfort any longer. They'd stayed long enough to be polite.
"Um… Kaname? Zero and I are going to be leaving now," she said, turning to the Vampire. She noticed Ichijo standing beside the dessert table with a knife in hand, looking over the large birthday cake that had been brought out a few minutes ago.
"It's huge! Are you sure you're going to be able to finish that?" Shiki asked from beside his roommate as he scratched his head, trying to figure out where to start cutting into his cake.
"You can help! Everyone worked hard making it together, after all. So, there's enough for everyone to get a piece." He smiled over his shoulder at his friend, bringing the blade to his chin as he went back to contemplating where to make the first cut.
Shiki sighed, holing his hand out for the knife as his roommate, unworriedly tapped the sharp blade against his fair skin.
"Give me the knife, Takuma." Ichijo turned as Shiki reached for the handle of the knife. When their hands knocked, the blade slipped, cutting into Ichijo's palm as it clattered to the floor. The sight and scent of blood halted the two as the red liquid began steadily flowing from the wound and down his hand.
"I cut myself," Ichijo observed calmly.
"Sorry," Shiki's said. "Here, I'll get it," he offered and took Ichijo's hand, already healing thanks to his vampiric genes. Shiki licked at the wound, followed the lines of blood that escaped down Ichijo's fingers and wrist with his tongue before it could stain his clothes, letting out a contented sigh at the taste of his roommate.
Zero's attention had been drawn to the pair when blood had been drawn. The scent dancing into his nose on the lightest breeze in the air. He narrowed his eyes in disgust as he watched Shiki holding Ichijo's hand tenderly, licking provocatively at his fingers. Being mindful of his teeth, Shiki swirled his tongue around Ichijo's finger, drawing it into his mouth.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Ichijo asked, his tone, almost breathy as Shiki sighed again.
The Hunter turned and walked away swiftly out the back entrance of The Moon Dorms.
"Zero!" Yuki called, rushing to follow him, skirting through the crowd to catch up. His pace slowed and his gait quickly became uncoordinated in his haste to leave his thirst began affecting his balance.
"Oh, dear. I think we upset him," Ichijo said as Shiki released his finger, his eyes following the retreating back of the Hunter. "Here," Ichijo said, handing Shiki a glass of water, dropping in two blood tablets, and gathering a napkin to wipe away the last of the blood. "I didn't intend to annoy him that much." Shiki drank from his glass, offering a sceptical look at his remark.
"Lire! You were bored to death. You can't resist causing just a little trouble with The Disciplinary Committee."
"That's not true!" Ichijo defended, his friend, thoroughly unconvinced.
"It's alright. Let them go," Kaname said to Kain, as the Noble watched the Human finally make her way through and out of the party. "Yuki will come back to me, one day."