A/N: Hello I am back! I know it's been less than 24 hours but I really wanted to get back to you all after reading a guest review (thank you for leaving it btw my true gratitude to you Kaze-chan). So I'm posting this to add another chapter and answer a couple questions. The first being where is Yuuki? Here's the medium length story, I went back and forth with Yuuki as a character in this story because frankly, I don't really like her character as is but I do realize that she is an important figure in VK as a whole so she WILL be in the story but you won't really see her interactions with the characters. She is acting more like a background character, no she isn't in the night class which will be explained closer to the end of the story. I didn't kill her this time and I tried to keep Yuuki bashing to a minimum since, again, I do see her as important but I really wanted to hone in on the relationships Zero has that are going to end up far more significant in the future as you'll find out. Some of them get really cute just FYI so I tried to put in some better fluffy stuff in absence of the role Yuuki would most likely play. She's just so annoying. How far in the series does this take place? Welp that's a good question and it hasn't entirely been decided, I am keeping Yuuki human but she is a Kuran (though she starts out being referenced as a Cross) so by the end, she's well aware of her heritage but isn't a pureblood. Technically that would put this after the series takes place but if you just took out the whole ZeroxYuuki, kept the night class being a little more traditionally ignorant, and then added...well a lot. And you'll see what that 'a lot' is but ya know. It's a lot. Okay, I hope that answered some detail questions I'll get to actually posting the chapter now! Thanks again to everyone reading I hope you enjoy the 4th chapter: Tea &...Tears? ~Len
Ch.4: Tea &...Tears?
"How are things coming along with Kiryuu-kun Takuma?" The pureblood questioned as they both looked over documents for the Council.
"We are to have tea today once he gets back from his mission. You know, I don't think it's going to be that difficult to open him up to a small group of us. The entire dorms yes, but a small number I don't think so. Right now I believe Zero-kun is in a place where he needs others but he is following what he knows best and he feels he can't rely on anyone." The blond explained. Kaname was somewhat surprised to hear his friend's theories but Takuma was always more in tune to others feelings and masks.
"You believe he will open up to you?" He asked looking over at the noble.
"Yes, myself and Shiki perhaps are a good start I'm inclined to believe. Shiki and Zero-kun have a lot in common though Zero-kun refuses to rely on anyone and Shiki has learned to do so almost too much. I'm just there to do the talking." Came the answer. Kaname mentally chuckled at that, he could easily imagine a scene with Shiki and Zero on a couch lazily listening to whatever Takuma was going on about.
'That is not hard to picture.' The pureblood reasoned to himself, maybe the silver haired boy fit in with the vampires more than just for being a vampire. "Good, then I encourage you to do whatever you can in order to befriend him. I believe if we can come to common ground, we could be great assets to each other." Takuma nodded to his leader's words watching out the window every now and then in case the hunter came back.
"I plan to take him to that nice tea place we went to a while back, Sakura Blossom was the name if memory serves me correct." He announced, Kaname thought back for a second and nodded in agreement.
"That is a fine place, far enough from the academy and not largely populated and quiet. Kiryuu-kun will most likely enjoy it better than most other places around here." He supplied reassurance to his best friend. Takuma smiled and watched as a black car pulled up and Zero opened the door to get out, a second later Kaito was opening the other door to get in.
"The hunters, they really never stop do they, may it be weekday or weekend someone is always coming and someone is always leaving. I can imagine there's a few always waiting to go as well." Takuma hummed as he watched the car pull away and Zero walk towards the gates once again.
"They are low on hunters right now, that is most likely why, though I don't know why they are so low this year opposed to last." Came the not fully thought out reply.
"I will be seeing you later Kaname, I wouldn't want to keep Zero-kun waiting." Kaname nodded and watched as his friend nearly skipped out the room door to go find the silver haired hunter.
'It'll be interesting to see how and what Takuma comes away with from this experience. Maybe he will have some insight for the rest of us.' The pureblood prince thought to himself turning back to the stack of papers from the Vampire Council.
Zero got out of the shower and searched through his clothes, deciding that casual but nice would best fit the occasion. Eventually he settled on a white long sleeved button up and black jeans for his outfit, brushing his hair and checking to make sure there was no blood splattered on his clothing he glanced at himself in the mirror and nodded. 'We're just going out to tea, there's no reason to be so set on staying rigid.' He reminded himself. Of course, he knew what topics he would avoid talking about or even around in some cases. Hopefully, Takuma wouldn't make avoiding subjects impossible like a certain resident pureblood. Walking out of his room Zero headed downstairs and outside to meet the older vampire. The less time he spent inside the less likely he would get questioned on the changes to his tattoo and slow changes to the power accumulating around his natural aura. They wouldn't go unnoticed after all, he lived with vampires for christ's sake, but he could avoid questioning from the others at least for a while.
"Good to see you Zero-kun, how was your mission?" The bubbly noble chirped once he met the silverette outside.
"Not too terrible thankfully, much of it went according to plan and I don't have to write the mission report tonight." Came the smooth answer while they walked.
"You generally go on missions during the day I noticed, do the level Es around here stand out and fight during the day as often as they do the night?" The older voiced. Zero paused momentarily, wondering if he could let the other in on certain things without telling him the entire situation.
"Actually I haven't been assigned a mission in this area for a while now, I've been assigned to lower the E population elsewhere and most of those vampires have become resistant to sun unless we use specific military equipment on certain raids. Overall the level E population here is quite low which I assume has something to do with the amount of nobles and the structure of society." The teen supplied while carefully dancing around specific details he'd certainly get whacked for telling by the association.
"So if that's the case, then where are you being sent to when you go on missions?" The other asked as they walked out of the gates. "I hope you don't mind walking to the tea place, I figured that taking a car would attract a lot of unwanted attention." He added on with a sheepish smile and a scratch to the back of his head.
"That's fine, preferable rather, besides I doubt the driver would be that pleased to ride with me anyway." Came the soft-spoken reply. Takuma paused momentarily, taking in the others words, and frowned.
"Do you really think you're that despicable?" He wondered aloud.
"You mean even without people telling me? Yes, I mean, doesn't all of society?" Zero turned his eyes slightly towards Takuma, but only for a second before he turned away again.
"I suppose as a whole society hasn't been good to you has it, however I don't think anyone has bothered to look past status for too long." The other answered, his eyes turned to the road ahead of them but his focus was entirely on the vampire beside him.
"I don't disagree, but, that doesn't matter so much really, it is how society has changed may it be for better or worse. Even though many work towards co-existence we've fallen into a standstill between moving forwards and keeping tradition." The silverette agreed with a nod. Takuma blinked and turned to face the other in puzzlement.
"I am honestly, and pleasantly, surprised by your clear knowledge. Did the association teach you?" He wondered to which Zero snorted.
"If they did, do you think hunters would be such assholes? Look, we haven't always been blinded by rage, a long time ago hunters and vampires lived well together. Hunters would be stationed with vampires for long periods of time and nothing went wrong. Level Es were rare and there were only a few high leveled vampires that would be considered a problem to society. Things were not like this, we were never so divided between the three races. The association buried that part of the past and I assume the Council did the same. No one knows the truth anymore." He explained with a look up to the night sky.
"What happened then?" The level B noble was curious and honestly wanted to know everything about this past the teen spoke of. 'Zero is much more mysterious than I ever would have imagined.' He added in his head.
"Many wars, miscommunications and the destruction of powerful peaceful rulers took place. Eventually we all realized that society would become corrupt no matter what we did. And so, we let it go, stopped fighting it, and this new way of life is what became of that mistake." Zero casually informed.
"That explains your distaste for the formality and or lifestyle as it is." Takuma voiced with Zero nodding slightly.
"I don't dislike the idea of coexistence but the ideas of coexistence that our world here has is not actual coexistence. Which does piss me off." The silverette eventually confessed with a sigh to which Takuma made a mental note of.
'It's interesting how much he knows about the world so long ago, but I still wonder how he knows so much about it. It's not as though he was alive then.' He thought, looking over to Zero he noticed the different tattoo but even more it looked as though his skin glowed more than normal, it was breathtaking.
"Everything alright Takuma-san?" Came the question, snapping the blond out of his thoughts.
"Huh? Oh! Oh, yes I was just lost in thought, I apologize, and it looks like we're almost to the tea place!" He replied with flailing limbs and a slight stutter. Zero nodded, taking little note of the other's reaction.
"May I take your order?" The waitress, named Kiana, asked looking between the two males in front of her.
"Jasmine tea with cream if you will." Zero nearly whispered looking up to the young wine-red eyes and petal pink lips of the waitress.
"I'll have the same if you please." Takuma smiled, noticing the brief surprise that passed through Zero's eyes.
"Of course, I'll get that out for you two immediately." She answered swiftly turning and heading back to the kitchen with her light brown heels clicking gently against the floor.
"Tell me, Takuma-san, why did you really want to come out here? Was it an order from Kuran?" Zero eventually sighed and leaned back in his seat.
"Do you not believe a vampire could befriend you without an ulterior motive?" The blond questioned back.
"No, I'm sure many have and many did a long time ago. But as a level D vampire and hunter I see no reason why you willingly would." Zero pointed out with a small flash of pain in his eyes that Takuma caught as he searched the teen's gaze.
"I'm worried about you for one, you realize no normal hunter or vampire does as much as you do and have been doing and can stay alive. Secondly, I'm well aware the moon dorms, and I assume the association as well, is quite a lonely place for you. Would it not be easier to have even one person you can just talk to?" The older vampire wondered meaningfully. He decided to leave out that all their progress would get reported back to the pureblood. In all honesty though, Takuma really did want to be someone Zero could go to after a long mission and just talk to. Depend on may be going too far for now but someday maybe the blond could get that far.
"Hunters of my clan are supposed to be pushed, we're unnatural according to records and we dance on the line separating human from inhuman compared to all other clans and classes. My family was always outcasted, when my brother and I were born it became worse. There was never such a thing like friendship between my family and others. It's a thin trust we had in others and others had in us. Takuma-san, we grew up lonely, I don't expect that to change after so many years." The lilac-amethyst eyed vampire all but whispered out, leaving his eyes glued to the table in front of him in order to not let the other see the moisture and pain he was struggling to hide.
'That must mean...Ichiru was the only one Zero has ever truly had. Losing him must have mentally destroyed him, the person we see Zero as is someone trying to hold together pieces of himself. To stay strong when he's hurting inside more than any of us could ever imagine.' Before the emerald eyed vampire realized what he was doing his arms were wrapped around a stunned Kiryuu Zero.
'Would it hurt so much to let him in? Of all the vampires in the moon dorms, Takuma-san has given me the most reasons to trust him. I should push him away before I end up hurting us both. But...his arms are so warm, like Ichiru's once were. Maybe I can trust him, he did seem genuinely concerned, just once can someone like me?' Zero wondered in his head, debating if he could trust the other night class student or not, not realizing that his own arms circled the blond back and his head gently rested against his shoulder. Maybe, just maybe he could afford to have someone close to him.
"You know, even if things aren't the same as they used to be, I wouldn't mind just being someone to talk to." Takuma whispered, pulling away slightly he smiled at the younger vampire. "Rather, I would be honored if we could sometimes talk more." He added. Zero looked up, a small smile crossing his lips with a nod.
"Arigatou Takuma-san, I am in debt to you." He said to which Takuma smiled and shook his head.
"You don't really get the whole friendship thing do you." The blonde smiled sympathetically. Zero blushed and looked away at the comment but didn't become aggressive or angry. Taking the silverette's hand Takuma smiled, silently telling the younger it was alright. 'He's actually pretty cute when he blushes like that.' He thought internally, not that he would let the other know that. The two shared an easy evening, Takuma learned quite a lot about the silver haired hunter's interest and personality. By the time they got back to the academy it was close to morning, not that either minded at all. "Well, shall we do this again sometime soon?" The blond questioned as they reached the gates leading to the doors of the moon dorms.
"Yeah, I'd enjoy that..." Zero smiled slightly but looked away soon after making Takuma pause and look back at the younger vampire.
"Zero-kun? Is something wrong?" He asked gently, turning around to face the other. Zero looked up and paused, searching the other's eyes momentarily for actual concern or curiosity.
"Ah, it's nothing much, let's not worry about it for now." Zero replied shaking his head and moving to walk in the gates. Takuma's eyes narrowed and he grabbed the teen's wrist pulling him back around.
"Zero-kun, I will tell you this because you don't know but you can ask most anyone here. I am quite the 'mother hen' type if you will, there are many things I will let slip by but if there is something bothering you I will not let it go. If there is something that concerns you, please come to me instead of hiding it. I do not stand for people bottling up emotions." He explained to the confused looking hunter. The smile was replaced with a stern but honest look in his eyes. Zero's eyes widened as he took in the other's words, he couldn't help but want to nearly break down. He was so confused, it wasn't as though he had a choice in what to do for this war but he was conflicted about actually doing it. His seal was off, the power of Silverblood was already coursing through his veins and he couldn't stop it.
'Am I going to hurt others? And what about the assassins? Could they stop me if they needed to? If I lose control I could end up killing everyone may they be ally or opposition.' With all the thoughts swirling in the ex-human's head he didn't realize Takuma was calling his name until the older touched him on the shoulder causing him to start.
"Zero-kun?" Takuma questioned though his voice was just above a whisper, he was afraid of scaring the other off and having to start this process all over again. Zero looked up, only slightly coming to focus on the concerned face in front of him. It was blurry, he didn't know why.
'Is there something in my eye?' He questioned leaning back against the wall and wiping at his eye, pulling his hand away he noticed the water that was left there. 'Am I crying?!' The voice in his head sounded as shocked as he felt. 'That's so pathetic, why the hell would I be crying over something so stupid.' He asked himself, the voice sounding suspiciously like his Master's.
"Are you alright Zero-kun?" Takuma asked once again though by looking at the hunter he could tell he wasn't. Zero nodded and looked away.
"Tell Kuran I will be down at the stables if he asks." He answered instead, pulling away and briskly walking to where Lily would be waiting for him. Takuma turned and watched him go, worry still clouded his head but he would leave Zero alone for now. Instead, he turned and walked back inside the moon dorms to be greeted by Shiki and a few of the others.
A/N: Aaaand there it is, chapter four! And I'm just going to say now that the 'workings' of the association's assassins that I low key keep mentioning will be really important in the future. I realize that some parts of certain chapters won't make sense because I do have a lot of other world characters and ideas that I basically just shoved in here like 'hey guess what you exist in a place you really probably shouldn't but I'm an author so I don't care' kinda thing? I'm sorry. I hope you're still on board though, it get's fun I promise and I'll try to upload as fast as possible to keep things going at a good pace. Thanks every on and always remember to Keep Calm and Fanfiction On~