Hello again, another chapter for you all! i hope you enjoy it lots. things will start to pick up from here! i can't leave the boys wanting for long. besides they're not THAT stupid.
The Doorman
Chapter 3 – Watch Your Back
Zero stood in front of the mirror with a grimace firmly plastered on his face. Yuuki stood on a chair as she fixed silver hair into a slicked backish style. She had insisted Zero come over four hours ago so they could get ready together. Upon her insistence Zero had helped her pick a dress since according to the short girl her brother was a brute when it came to helping her find a dress.
Then she had insisted Zero would look better with a silver tie and vest instead of a bow tie. So she had raided her brother's closet. It was driving Zero up the wall because it smelled like the handsome Pureblood. Kaname had gone into the office for a few hours when he had come home Yuuki had shouted him away so Zero hadn't seen the man yet.
Clapping her hands Yuuki hopped down and looked Zero over. "You look so handsome. Kaname had better fall in love with you tonight!"
Zero rolled his eyes. "I'm wearing his clothes, I doubt it."
Yuuki cocked her head to the side and sigh. "Oh Zero, you're so silly."
Yuuki had been the first person Zero had come out too. And it had only taken her two weeks to figure out who Zero fancied. When she had confronted Zero he was mortified! But they had bonded over it and they would stay up late on weekends coming up with crazy plans to figure out which team Kaname batted for. They never enacted any of the plans but it had been fun coming up with them.
When Yuuki had been in her accident and awoke as Yuuki Kuran Zero had shut down. He'd spiraled into a depression when he realized that Yuuki had won, she would marry Kaname and they'd live happily ever after. That was until she got fed up with Zero sulking and avoiding her. She cornered him one night and gave him a rationing of shit for being such a prick about it all.
Again they had bonded. They were closer than siblings and knew every secret of the other. She had promised to never tell Kaname of Zero's feelings. She had also told him that she had mixed feelings over her engagement with her brother. She had told Zero she wouldn't shirk her duties as a Pureblood but she would have to relax into the roll and that if her brother were to take a lover she would prefer it to be Zero.
Their late night talks had dwindled over the last year but they were still comfortable with each other, some things would never change. But Zero was finding it harder and harder to talk to Yuuki about Kaname.
"Are you ready yet?"
Zero and Yuuki whipped around to see Kaname leaning on the doorframe.
"You've started drinking early." Yuuki smiled.
Kaname drained the rest of the whiskey in his glass. "It's not like I can get drink there. I've got to be stately and all that shit. I might as well get a head start."
Yuuki laughed.
"Lucky you." Zero huffed.
"Go have a drink Zero. I'll be finished in a moment." Yuuki smiled. Zero nodded and walked toward Kaname, he didn't see Yuuki wink at her brother.
Kaname lead the way into his study. "Do you take your whiskey neat?"
"Yes." Zero said. He admired the view of Kaname's ass while the Pureblood poured drinks. Zero snapped his eyes up when Kaname turned around.
Taking the offered drink he drank half in one gulp.
"Nice tie and vest." Kaname smiled as he sipped his drink.
Zero tried to keep himself from blushing but he felt the heat in his cheeks. "Yuuki insisted."
"They suit you."
"Thanks. The vest is a bit tight, you're a skinny bastard." Zero smiled.
"I've got muscle, thank you very much."
"You're still a delicate fairy." Zero dodged a playful punch as he made for another drink.
"You're an ass Kiryu." There was no venom behind Kaname's words.
"I do try my hardest." Zero turned around with a grin on his face as he drank down more whiskey. He'd have to be sharp at the party but there was no harm getting a little buzz before the fact.
"Thank you for hanging out with Yuuki today. I loath picking out a dress. I always say the wrong thing. Dresses aren't my area." Kaname walked over to the window and looked out at the city.
"No? You never check out women in dresses?" Zero was thankful the whiskey had calmed his nerves or his hands would have been shaking.
Kaname let out a soft laugh. Thanks to the whiskey Kaname thought it was a good idea to finally let Kiryu in on his sexual preferences. The silverette had been digging at it for years now. When they were at Cross he had assumed the Hunter wanted it for rumor's sake. Now… well they weren't immature teenagers anymore.
"No. Suits and tuxedos are more my preference." Kaname watched Zero from the corner of his eye, gauging his reaction.
"Well I owe Yuuki money." Zero smiled.
"Excuse me?"
"We've had a bet going for… well years now."
"And you thought I was straight?"
Zero shrugged.
"Aren't you two just a charming conniving pair."
"I try." Zero laughed.
Kaname emptied his glass and set it down on a table near by. "It works out just fine that we're alone. You should drink my blood." Kaname said it in a flat tone as he undid his bow tie.
"What? No. I'm not hungry."
"It doesn't matter. It'll elevate your blood status."
"I'm high enough as it is. I won't have a problem at party. After drinking from Rido I apparently pass as some kind of aristocrat."
"Low level." Kaname popped the first few button on his crisp white shirt.
"That works for me."
"I insist. I'll have enough to worry about with Yuuki along, I don't want to have to worry about you." Kaname stepped closer to Zero.
The Hunter downed the rest of his whiskey and set the glass down. He wasn't sure it was a smart idea to give into Kaname's request. It wasn't that he didn't want Kaname's blood, he'd drank it in the past. The first few times it had made Zero's heart ache with unrequited love. Now, Zero wasn't sure he could handle it. Knowing that Kaname preferred men but hadn't expressed interest in him. It was already making him ache on the inside.
"No thanks."
"You were going to ask Yuuki."
"Of course."
"How's it different? She's already dressed, don't spoil her dress."
"You're wearing white, that's easier to spoil." Zero swallowed hard.
"Stop being such an obstinate prick and drink my blood." Kaname growled.
Zero felt the power of Kaname's words surge through him. "Fucking Pureblood." Zero grumbled as he gave into the brunette.
He stepped closer and moved the shirt from Kaname's neck area. Stepping close so their chests were nearly touching Zero made eye contact with Kaname. "Thank you." He said sincerely before looking down to Kaname's neck.
He felt nervous, he didn't want to soil Kaname's shirt. He attached his lips to the base of the Pureblood's neck before baring his fangs and sinking them slowly in.
Kaname held back the moan that threatened to escape. He buried his thoughts and cleared his mind. He couldn't have Zero finding out his feelings, not this way.
The ex-human drank three mouthfuls before pulling out his fangs and licking the wound closed. Only when the skin was healed did he remove his lips. Looking at the slightly pink area Zero leaned down and licked the area over making sure it was clean of blood tinged saliva. He felt Kaname shiver.
"Sorry. You're clean now." Zero looked down and started doing up Kaname's shirt. The Pureblood had a far off look in his eyes. "I know it must be unpleasant to have to degrade yourself to feeding an ex-human. But thank you."
"It's not degrading." Kaname said as he snapped back to the present.
"I'm sure there's another man you'd rather have drinking you blood. Someone handsome and dashing." Zero finished tying Kaname's bow tie.
"That's such a-"
"Onii-Sama!" The mood was shattered and the moment of confession gone when Yuuki bounced into the room. She stopped when she noted their closeness and Zero's fingers lingering on the tied bow tie. "Sorry. Didn't mean to interrupt."
Zero stepped away and fought down a blush. "You weren't Kaname just gave me blood so I have a higher status for the evening. It was nice of him."
"I see." Yuuki looked to her brother. They had a silent conversation through that look. "Sorry." She said. "Shall we be off though? We don't want to be too late."
"Of course not. I'll get my coat." Kaname swept out of the room and to the coat closet in the entrance hall.
Yuuki and Zero followed silently. Kaname handed Yuuki her dressy coat. Zero went to shrug into his normal coat.
"You can't go in that." Kaname scoffed. "Wear this." He handed Zero a spare coat of his own.
"This is fine." Zero said.
"Nope." Yuuki pulled it off the silverette. "Just put it on!"
Zero grumbled but put it on. Surprisingly it fit nicely.
"You look the part. I can't show up to a formal occasion with an ill dressed tag along."
"I'm not tagging along."
"Yes you are."
"I can go on my own if it's such an inconvenience." Zero seethed.
"Oh stop it you two. You're coming with us Zero. You can be my date." Yuuki stuck her tongue out at her brother.
"You're such a handful sometimes." Kaname said as he walked over to the elevator and pushed the button.
"But that's why you love me." Yuuki said as she pulled Kaname down so she could kiss his cheek. "Don't worry I know my role. I'm yours for the evening. I was just joking."
"You can play whatever role you want. It doesn't bother me."
Zero stood behind the siblings as they talked. He couldn't help but feel excluded and unwanted. He knew it was going to be this way, at least he was buzzed enough to push aside the feelings and lock them away till later. For now he placed his mask of indifference on and squared his shoulders.
It was 3am and the party was in full swing. Zero had dodged questions as best as he could. He was well versed in cryptic answers and half truths. When they had arrived Zero had chosen to loiter outside for another twenty minutes so he wouldn't be associated with the Purebloods at all.
After dodging aristocrats and advances of interested men and women he had situated himself on the balcony that made up the second floor of the ballroom. From here he could see Kaname and Yuuki. He also noted that Takuma Ichijo had shown up. He had stayed close to Kaname the whole night.
Zero couldn't help but consider that Kaname's preferences ran toward blond haired men. It would make sense. Takuma had always been by Kaname. They had grown up together and the blond had always been fiercely protective of the Pureblood. His buzz had worn off hours ago so Zero couldn't ignore the stab of pain he felt at considering Kaname was secretly taken.
Zero checked his watch. Only three hours till sunrise. That meant the party would be winding down. As if reading his mind. Kaname looked up to Zero. Their eyes met, Zero's stomach flipped, and the Pureblood made a tiny head jerk to signal that they were leaving. Breathing a sigh of relief Zero inconspicuously made his way toward the coatroom. He grabbed his coat and made it out just before the Purebloods had. He walked to their car and got in, Seiren was already in the driver's seat.
"Don't worry they're about ten steps behind me. The evening went smoothly." Zero reported, even though he knew the Vampire had also been hovering through out the party.
"Thank you." She said in a clipped tone. She pulled out a slip of paper as the Kuran's walked closer. "This is his updated schedule. A meeting was changed on Monday."
Zero snatched the paper and tucked it into his tuxedo pocket. "Thanks." He said before settling back into his seat just as Kaname opened the door for Yuuki.
"God that was awful." Yuuki slid into the limo.
Zero's heart stuttered as Takuma Ichijo slid into the limo behind Kaname.
"Hello Kiryu." Takuma smiled at the Hunter. "How'd you get an invite to such a stuffy occasion?"
"I'm just special I suppose." Zero shrugged.
"The Association didn't know about this right?" He looked at Kaname and the Pureblood shook his head. "So you weren't there on business." Takuma fell silent a moment before smiling and elbowing Kaname. "I guess he finally got himself a high ranking girlfriend."
Kaname rolled his eyes.
Zero scoffed. "That would never happen."
"A boyfriend maybe." Yuuki piped in before looking at Zero and the two smiled.
"Oh? Poor Yuuki careful you don't catch the gay." Takuma bit back a laugh.
"Three hot men in the car with me and not one of them will make a move on me." Yuuki pretended to pout.
"Oh my dear fiancé, I'll always make a move on you." Kaname grinned as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.
"Awww you're too kind." Yuuki smiled. "A kiss out of obligation is better than nothing I suppose."
Zero tuned out the Vampire's banter. He looked out the window across from him. He just wanted to get home. It was his last night in his flat and he wanted to do a little more packing. It wasn't much really just his clothes, he'd never been one to accumulate possessions so moving was going to be easy. Aiko had been nice enough to offer the room. It would be temporary he was sure. The girl was bound to get a boyfriend eventually and Zero was planning on moving out of the city as soon as he could put in transfer papers.
"Zero!" Yuuki shouted and waved a hand in front of his face. "You were spacing out."
"Sorry I'm just tired. I'm not quite used to the Vampire standard time."
"Oh. What a shame. I was going to suggest you come up for a drink."
Zero saw they were outside of Kaname's building. He noted that Kaito was on duty.
"No thanks. I've got packing to finish."
"Are you going somewhere?" Kaname asked.
"Just moving flats." Zero said.
"Oh? Where too? Closer to here I hope. Then we can have more coffee dates!" Yuuki clapped her hands.
"Ten minutes from here."
"Are you going to be on your own?" Takuma asked.
"No I'm moving in with a fellow Hunter."
"Your boyfriend?"
"No it's a woman." Zero said.
"Well then Seiren, could you drive Zero home?" Yuuki asked
The silent bodyguard nodded.
"Well have a good night. You'll have to give me the address when I see you next." Yuuki moved over so she could kiss Zero's cheek.
"Good night Kiryu." Takuma said as he opened the door.
Kaname just nodded. He was in too bad of a mood to trust his words.
When the door shut Zero heaved a sigh and slouched in his seat.
"Are those parties always that bad?"
"Yes."
"Great." Zero looked back out the window. "I didn't notice anyone paying an undue attention to Kaname or Yuuki. If the radicals wanted him dead I didn't see a hint of it."
"Neither did I."
Zero fell silent as he was driven back to his flat. It had been such a boring night.
After thanking the petite Vampire Zero got out of the limo and walked up to his flat. He let himself in and switched on the light. There were two boxes in the living room, one in the kitchen and there were two suitcases in his bedroom. That was everything Zero owned. His Cross Academy uniforms were in the suitcases. He had rented this flat because it was furnished so he wouldn't be bothered with taking bulky furniture.
Kaito and his girlfriend would be around for breakfast and to load the boxers into Kato's truck. It would be a quick move and Zero was sure he would be settled by lunch. Then he could grab a few hours of sleep before going on duty.
He flopped onto the bed. Absently he noted he was still wearing Kaname's vest, tie and jacket. Smiling Zero ran his hand down his chest. At least he had a reason to visit Kaname. But damn was it hard to not think of the men when he reeked of him right now.
Takuma and Yuuki were giggling in the kitchen about god knew what. Kaname had retired to his study to have another whiskey. It had been a taxing evening, pretending to be interested in everyone. He had envied Zero, being able to exclude himself from the throng of Vampires and watch from above.
Kaname looked out of the window he wondered where it was that Zero was moving too and who was he moving in with? Had Yuuki been joking when she suggested that Zero was interested in men? He'd never asked Yuuki. There was an unspoken line that he would not cross. She had been Zero's confidante before she hand been a Kuran. He would never put Yuuki in a compromising position when it came to Zero. But he had been dying to know since his second year at Cross if Zero preferred men.
If he was going to make an advance on the Hunter he didn't want it thrown in his face because the man was straight. Although the alternative of being rejected by Zero because he truly didn't like him would be a whole other heartache.
Taking a seat Kaname leafed absently through papers. They were all for the Council. It was such a pain in his ass. If only they knew. He grit his teeth. One day soon he'd show his true colours. It had been a secret he had held close to his heart for years now. Zero had been unconscious and bleeding when Kaname had faced down Rido, the man he had assumed was his uncle, only to have the truth thrown in his face. He wasn't sure why he had never noticed the peculiarities before. Hindsight was twenty twenty he knew. The signs and memories had always been there. It had been while Rido was busy gloating over a shattered Kaname that Zero had come round and pulled himself together to take the opportunity to injure the deranged pureblood and allow Kaname to pull it together and kill the man who had woken him from his slumber.
There were days, more so recently, that Kaname wished he could just retreat back to his mansion and go to sleep. He'd never have to worry about matters such as Zero Kiryu. Love hurt too much. His mind wandered to that woman, the one who had sacrificed so much. His heart hammered in his chest. Pushing the thought aside he looked down at the paper and read the boring words, anything to distract himself. He didn't want to think about her right now. There was something else that demanded his attention.
Opening his laptop Kaname clicked into his database of information. He was sure that had been Kaito Takamiya who had let him in. Pulling up the page he smiled. Now he was sure that the Association was fiddling in his life. But why? Opening his phone he punched in a number from memory. "Seiren, I'd like to see you in my study." He hung up before receiving an answer, he knew she would come. After all she lived on the next floor down and always responded instantly to his requests no matter how crazy they were. He could also count on her not lying to him.
A minute later the petite girl let herself in.
"Kaname-Sama." She bowed.
"I have a question for you." He closed the laptop and locked eyes on the woman. "Why do I have Hunter's guarding my building?"
"They've been requested by the council to keep a guard on you due to recent threats made by the radicals."
"Other then Takamiya who is tasked with the guard role?"
"Aiko Fukumi."
Kaname waited a moment expecting to hear Zero's name. "And what of Kiryu?"
"He's a wild card at the moment. The Association is hesitant to give him missions. He's been slated for minor ones such a Level E take outs. Nothing higher than that. Many Hunters still don't trust him."
"I see." Kaname couldn't decide if he felt relieved or not. "Find out where he is moving too."
"He's moving in with Aiko Fukumi tomorrow morning."
"The address?"
"1137 Estate Street. Apartment 56."
"Thank you. Let me know if Kiryu is tasked with a mission other then E take outs."
"Yes sir. But I'm sorry to inform you that I don't think he'll be put on your retinue. They don't trust him enough."
"Of course not." Kaname sigh. "I can never catch a break."
"Perhaps it's best if you make your own luck with him."
Kaname nodded and motioned for the woman to leave.
Seiren bowed and left the study. She wiped her sweaty palms on her slacks. That had been one of the hardest things she had had to do in a very long time. She wasn't sure why she had lied about Kiryu's involvement. But she had.
She had known since the day Kaname had taken notice in the silverette what the man felt. At the moment she wasn't sure her master would ever make a move in the right direction. But if he knew that Zero was hanging around just for the sake of a mission it might break Kaname's heart, even if he acted like he didn't have one half the time.
All Seiren wanted was to see Kaname happy. She had held out hope for years that when Yuuki woke up she would make Kaname happy and she did but not in the way Seiren had hoped. Maybe Zero Kiryu was up to the task of capturing Kaname's heart. He was stubborn and ignored the formal rules of Vampire society. Kaname had never been treated as anything other then royalty until he met Zero. She had seen the way Kaname loved being treated as an equal to the man. That was all Kaname ever wanted, just to be normal.
Maybe, just maybe, Zero Kiryu could do that. She hoped with all her heart that was the case.