Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight nor do I profit from it in any way. (It's a good thing too. I'm pretty sure it's illegal to do half the stuff I'd want some of these characters to do). Credit goes to Matsuri Hino for outlining these amazing characters.
Chapter 1 – The Beginning
A figure stood solemnly in the cool night, eyes downcast over a land mound with dusty grime and cinder. He seemed to look empty, void of any outside emotion. He stood still, allowing the cold air to bite into his skin as he continued to stare unfazed.
A second figure approached, his one good eye slightly hidden by a stray lock of hair that blew in the wind.
"How many more do you intend on slaying?" asked the newcomer around a cigarette that sat in between slightly parted lips.
The man who spoke, Toga Yagari, wielded a long barrel shotgun, currently strapped to the back of his long, light brown overcoat.
The person he was speaking to did not reply. Normally rich, amethyst-colored eyes of the individual looked dull, having been staring off in a daze for an extensive period.
Ash swirled around both pairs of feet, some threatening to get into the younger's eye. He blinked; the action jostling him into awareness.
"Zero?" called out Toga again, getting the teen's attention.
The teen in question turned his focus to the man before him. Cocking his head to the side, he answered the shaggy haired man with a desperate resolution laced in his words-
"Until the one responsible perishes from this Earth."
It needn't be said who was the one responsible that Zero was referring to, but after a moment, Toga said the name anyway.
"Kuran Kaname."
Zero's eyes hardened at the name, facial expression in a fury as he gazed into the night sky. The scene shifted to ash falling like snow from above, with a few flecks brushing against his pale cheek.
"Aaaand cut!" came a boisterous voice, soon followed by crew members filling the scene. "Great work Zero, Toga!" Complimented a short-haired, brunette woman. Another woman stood next to her, smiling.
The beaming woman was Matsuri Hino, the film co-director and writer of Vampire Knight. The show first ran two and a half years ago and is an ongoing show, currently the top ranking TV series across Japan, China, Korea, and well known amongst other foreign countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada. In addition, it has been translated in at least 15 different languages.
Zero immediately broke away from his acting guise and started coughing and flailing his hand to disperse the cigarette smoke enveloping him.
"I have enough ash and dirt on me. The fumes from that cigarette is suffocating." Complained the platinum haired actor.
"Sorry, kid," chuckled Toga as he put out the offending cigarette in an ashtray brought onstage by a stage props assistant.
"That concludes our current chapter in the series. Good job guys!" stated the director, Kiyoko Sayama, excitedly. "Now go home before I decide to re-shoot any more scenes!" she added as she walked away with co-director Matsuri.
Zero nodded in affirmation as he gulped down water from the water bottle given to him by one of the crew members. Yagari was cracking his neck and stretching his muscles after taking off the shotgun strap and readjusting his fingerless gloves.
"It's freezing out here." He stated gruffly with a jerk of his head to the side, indicating that the two actors should go inside the film studio.
The two actors walked side by side to the studio. Upon entering the building, Zero immediately shrugged out of his jacket and handed it over to a petite girl awaiting their entrance. He was handed a thick, white robe with the words 'Vampire Knight' etched in red writing along the back. The last set had the crew members blow a lot of ash for the ending scene, resulting in Zero's clothes becoming completely tainted with dirt and debris. The other cast members, including extras, were already inside. Some were huddled in groups, dozing off in corners while others were chugging down coffee in hopes of staying awake longer. Extras, including those dressed as degenerate vampires, innocent civilians, and high school students, were moving about and getting ready to leave the studio.
"I'm so tired I could fall asleep standing." Commented a long, curly haired actress named Ruka Souen.
Ruka is one of the older female actresses who plays the part of an aristocratic vampire. In the first two seasons of the show, her character played the part of a girl who was infatuated with the current male lead antagonist- actor Kaname Kuran.
"I am currently disconcert with my character to the point of committing seppuku." Muttered Kaname sleepily.
There was a resounding laughter that followed Kaname's statement from an actor who was still awake and attuned to his surroundings. Without turning, Kaname threw the ice pack he was using to nurse his injured knee at the laughing blond behind him.
"Quiet, you!" he muttered.
Hanabusa Aido stared endearingly at his friend. "Hai, hai." He replied. "Don't worry. I read online that you have a supporting fan base who are enjoying your characters' maddening behavior."
"Oh joy." He replied with a yawn.
"C'mon, looks like we're done for the night, Kaname. I'll drive you home since you're injured."
"I'm not injured," replied the brunet firmly, yet allowing his friend to help him from his seated position on the couch no less.
Kaname stepped on his right foot gingerly, wincing inaudibly before placing more of his weight for his blond friend to hold. His injury was the result of breaking through a door with a powerful side kick. The door, unfortunately, held his foot in a fierce hold till his friend Hanabusa, along with three other crew members who worked backstage, pulled the limb out. The medical staff who assisted him afterwards told him that it was a minor injury and would be alright in a few hours.
"Oh wait!" he said, pivoting to turn to the other occupants. "Where's Yuuki?" he asked, eyes surveying the room around him for the young actress.
The response was a comment made by his animated blond friend. "Even when you're not on set you've got her on your mind."
"I promised her mother I'd drive her home." Responded Kaname. "Where is she?" he repeated.
A few sleepy heads turned to look for the lead female, but the young brunette was nowhere in sight.
Zero was drinking a cup of hot Earl Grey tea when he overheard some of the cast members questioning the whereabouts of Yuuki Cross. He suppressed a yawn as he looked at the time. It was almost three in the morning, and it was a school night. It was common for multiple different scenes between other actors to be filmed concurrently while other actors are performing for a scene. Most likely, Yuuki had fallen asleep the last place her character performed.
"When was her last shoot?" he questioned.
Kaname's eyes shifted to Zero's direction before gesturing up the stairs.
"Nearly an hour ago. She had to run up the stairs carrying her scythe and swing it at Level E degenerates."
"I got sleepy just watching her running." Commented Ruka.
"Must've gone up those stairs a hundred times." Agreed Hanabusa.
Zero released an amused smirk before setting his cup of tea at the bar table and making his way up the stairs.
"I'll find her." He announced.
If he were the brunette, he'd be asleep in the master bedroom where the space is said to be "fit for royalty", as Matsuri puts it.
It took four flights of stairs before Zero began to feel the ache in his thighs. He couldn't imagine having to perform an act on the staircase this late after performing on camera for six hours on. Sometimes it takes an hour just to get one dialogue down. What would it be like to perform an action scene on the stairs? He was positive if Yuuki had to climb the stairs multiple times then she'd be asleep somewhere on the upper levels. He finally reached the top landing where Yuuki last performed. He gave a ginger knock to the partially cracked open door of the master bedroom and called out her name.
"Yuuki?"
There was no response so Zero pushed open the door; but the young actress was not on the bed as he had presumed she'd be. He frowned in confusion at the lack of sheets and comforters from the bed. It appeared that everything, aside from the pillows, had been removed.
He was stepping out of the doorway when he caught the distinct smell of something sweet permeating the air. He sniffed the air curiously, feet taking him to the open bathroom on the opposite side of the bed. The fragrance of something infused with citrus lingered in the air. This led the teen to an immediate conclusion- Yuuki had showered after her set not too long ago. He turned his head to the corner closet and raised a slow brow. A chunk of bedding was spewed from the poorly closed closet door.
He opened the closet door and blinked at the lump on the ground.
Yuuki had sought sanctuary under a bundle of covers in a closed space in hopes of getting sleep.
"You poor thing." Said Zero aloud. He shook his head with a slight role of his eyes before crouching and poking a finger at the lump on the ground.
Yuuki's response was a groaned, "five more minutes", before turning over in the sheets.
"Hey, Princess. Wake up!" insisted Zero.
Yuuki turned; her eyes still pierced shut as she spoke. "I'm tired." She pushed his prodding hand away and tried to return to her slumber.
"I know. We're all going home. We're done for the night." Zero said this as he began to pull at the covers.
Yuuki remained complacent even after the covers had been peeled away from her lithe form; however she refused to move a muscle.
"Do I need to carry you?" Zero half teased.
The teenage girl responded with an exhausted grunt.
"How very lady-like," he murmured, and proceeded to scoop her into his arms bridal-style.
He descended the stairs with ease, despite his also fatigued state.
"Aa. There she goes." Beamed Hanabusa. He was still supporting Kaname's form.
"Where'd you find her?" questioned one of the crew members. "We tried looking for her upstairs but she wasn't anywhere in sight."
"That would be because she hid herself." Replied Zero with a smirk.
Yuuki turned her head so she could bury her face in her friend's shirt.
"Shall I carry her to the car?" questioned Zero.
"No, I got her." Responded a male voice from the couch.
Akatsuki Kain stretched from the couch from his own tired slumber and made his way over to Zero. "Hanabusa and I came in the same car." He explained at Zero's questioning stare.
"Oh, by the way," began Ruka, as she prepared her bag and stood to leave as well, "your brother came by to watch your performance."
"Ichiru is here?" asked Zero excitedly as he carefully transferred Yuuki over for Akatsuki to carry.
"Oniisan!"
That was the only preparation Zero received before being surprised from behind with a tight hug.
"Ichi," responded the older twin as he placed a hand over his shoulder to ruffle his brother's bangs. "How long have you been here?" he asked.
"Since you started shooting off a mob of Level E's with the bloody rose."
The 'bloody rose' is a signature weapon that people immediately associate the actor and his character with. His character in Vampire Knight uses the gun to annihilate vampires who threaten humanity.
"That was a while ago." Mused the older twin. "Why didn't you tell me sooner you were coming back in town?"
"Because it wouldn't have been a surprise." Ichiru responded simply.
"Is that you, Ichiru?" called out Toga.
Ichiru released his brother and turned around to acknowledge the older man. "Yagari!" he rejoiced, preferring to address the man by his last name rather than his first. "It's good to see you."
He stepped towards the man, and stretched his right hand over Yagari's shoulder, heading tilting to the left of the brunet's as he embraced him in a firm hug. Yagari responded by patting the young Kiryu on the back.
"How are you feeling?" he asked the silver-haired teen as the two pulled away from the hug.
"Same. It was rough getting here but I really wanted to make it in time for the show tomorrow." responded Ichiru, and gave the older man a lopsided smile.
"It's good to see you." Replied Toga. "Though I don't have the energy to celebrate your return." He admitted. "I have an early flight in the morning so I need to get going."
Ichiru nodded in understanding. "When you get back then, yeah?"
The older man nodded with a salute and turned away.
"It's been a long night." said Zero. "I'm too tired to do anything, but I'm really happy to see you back."
The young twin grinned in appreciation. "Good to be back, aniki."
Matsuri Hino came into the room as the actors began to depart. "Remember the Q&A interview we have tomorrow. It'll be live and there will be tons of fans. I want you to look your best so rest well and come early!"
"That's at 9 o'clock." Stated a pigtailed blonde girl. "Some of us need sleep."
"I'm sure your body will make an exception for tomorrow." Insisted their short-haired co-director.
"You've been saying that every day the past week." Muttered a male, redheaded teenager whose head rested against his pig-tailed friend's shoulder.
"I'll give you a raise." Said the director offhandedly. "Those of you who are too tired to make the drive home, feel free to grab a vacant room from down the hall and sleep. I don't want you to fall asleep on the road."
Ruka Souen and her pigtailed friend, Rima Toya, seemed to mull this invitation over in their mind. They didn't have the strength to drive so late.
"I'm staying then." Replied the redhead who was insistent on using Rima's shoulder as a pillow.
"I guess I'll stay too since we both came in the same car." Replied Rima.
"And I guess I'll stay as well since there will be at least one girl sleeping in this huge studio."
Akatsuki frowned. "I sure wish I could do the same," he muttered.
"How long of a drive do you guys have?" yawned Ruka, already removing her accessories for the night to get comfortable for bed.
"We're going to drop off Yuuki first. She and her mom are 20 minutes away from Horikoshi."
Horikoshi is a private high school located in Nakano, Tokyo, and is famous for being attended by Japanese celebrities.
With the turn of his head, Akatsuki motioned towards Kaname and Hanabusa. "Then us three are gonna crash altogether at Hanabusa's since he only lives ten minutes from Yuuki's."
"You can sleep in the car with Yuuki," offered Hanabusa. "I'm driving anyway."
The corner of Akatsuki's lips curved into a knowing smirk as he raised both eyebrows and gave a nod. "How right you are." He said.
"We'll see you group tomorrow then." Stated Rima, who remained seated on the couch. "I don't think I can move Senri." She eyed the redhead lying against her. The redhead grunted in response.
Ichiru chuckled and agreed to help carry the teen.
"Good night!" Hanabusa called out as he walked out the door.
"Good night guys! Great work again. DRIVE SAFELY!" yelled their director.
Yuuki and Ichiru walked to the couch and helped pull Senri Shiki off the petite blond actress.
"I got him." Said a male voice coming from down the hall.
Eyes turned to see a green-eyed male actor approach.
"Takuma. You're still here?" questioned Rima. "You've been gone for hours."
"I had a late meeting to attend and I just finished washing up."
"So you're sleeping here too then?" she asked.
"It would seem so." He replied.
"Here," he said, scooping his arms to carry his male companion. "Senri has always been a sleeper."
Senri's head immediately rested against Takuma's shoulder. "It's a good thing he's a light one, eh?" He chuckled.
"Arigatou." Whispered the redhead tiredly.
"Hai." Smiled the blond man.
Very few actors had a radiating smile, thought Zero. But Takuma, it seems, had the same vibrant eyes and smile both on set and off.
Rima stretched like a cat before pulling herself up from the couch and bidding the twins a goodnight and disappearing around the corner.
"You two heading out?" questioned Takuma.
"Yeah. I'm beat." Replied Zero, taking a set of jingling keys from his robe. "I don't even see how I'm going to stay awake for the drive." He admitted.
"I'll drive." Offered his younger twin brother.
"We'll see you tomorrow then. Ichiru will come too?" asked Takuma.
Ichiru nodded. "On 'THE HOST'? That's one of the reasons I came back in town. I must have received a thousand letters from fans begging for me to come."
"That's always pleasant." Commented the blond. " So this is a surprise treat, right?"
"He didn't even tell me he was coming, so I'm sure this will surprise the audience." Said Zero.
"Pleasant dreams then. You have a long drive ahead so you better get going." Said Takuma, and then proceeded to walk down the hall with Senri in tow.
Yagari had already disappeared somewhere. Zero just assumed that it was to crash somewhere in the studio since he had an earlier start in the morning than anybody else. Unlike the other cast members, Toga Yagari served as a business entrepreneur and had an early meeting with Japan's elite corporation- The Daimyo Konami, in Hokkaido.
The movement from backstage crew members served as white noise, tuned out by the ears of Zero as he and his brother turned to leave. Zero handed the keys over to Ichiru.
"Did you come by taxi?" he asked.
"No, Kaito dropped me off." Replied the platinum haired teen. "We came together but he got an important call and had to rush out."
The air was cold as the two boys made their way down the concrete steps to a black, Toyota sports car parked at the front.
"Do you have the VIP pass for tomorrow's show?" asked Ichiru.
"Yeah, it's in the glove compartment." Zero suppressed another yawn as the two got inside the car.
"Turn on the heater, Ichi. It's freezing."
Ichiru smiled as he started the engine and turned on the heater. Zero barely pulled his seatbelt across his torso before turning his head and using his headrest as a pillow, eyes already closed to get sleep.
Neither seemed to notice the silent figure that stared at them from across the parking lot.
∞•XxXxX•xXxXx•X•xXxX•xXxXx•∞
It was a 45 minute drive before Ichiru had pulled up to his brother's apartment. He was relieved at the lack of traffic; otherwise the twins would have taken twice as long to get home. But then again, it was nearing four in the morning and it was the middle of a weekday. It wasn't as if people would be out drinking or driving at such as late hour. He coughed into a curled fist and shook his head to shake off the sleepy spell suddenly overcoming him.
Zero was breathing deeply to his right.
"We're home." He lightly announced, though he knew his brother would not respond.
Ichiru approached the magnificent bars that secured the premises and used the remote located just above the rearview mirror to unlock the gateway. The bars opened like a pair of arms, welcoming the vehicle inside. His brother's apartment was located all the way on the other end, so he spoke idly as he drove.
"Aniki," he cooed. "Wakie, wakie." He chuckled. He cruised down an incline and passed the public pool area. Then he kept straight till he reached a bend and took a right near a young apricot tree that produced double white, pink flowers. He reached the parking place reserved for his brother and sighed in relief.
"Niisan, we're here." He tried again.
Zero breathed deeply in response. He was never one easy to wake.
"I'll leave you in the car." He taunted, though not serious with his threat.
"Well alright then." Said Ichiru. He got out of the driver's side with the keys jingling in his hand.
Ichiru walked down the stoned pathway of Zero's apartment, glad for once that his brother got a room on a low level, walked up one flight of stairs, and located the room number his brother was staying at. He unlocked the door and flipped on the light switch before returning to the car down below.
"I haven't done this in a while big bro," muttered the younger twin as he opened the passenger's side of the car. "So bear with me okay?"
Ichiru stretched over his brother's form and unlocked the seatbelt. Then with a slight jostle, he scooped strong arms under his brother's form and pulled him out of the car.
"You're heavier than you look." He commented offhandedly. He used his hip to shut the car door and made his ascent up the one flight of stairs.
Ichiru didn't know what it was that he felt; but he froze in the midst of walking up the stairs and turned his head to look behind him. His eyes shifted from the whistling trees to a stray can that rolled across the pavement. He could have sworn that he felt eyes on him. He shook his head, assuming that the fatigue was getting to him.
Zero sighed deeply as his brother reached the landing, not at all bothered by the bouncing movement of being carried up rocky steps. He remained limp in Ichiru's arms even when carried into the brightly lit apartment which his twin had left ajar to make it easier to enter while still carrying the sleeping actor. Ichiru reached the bedroom down the hall and laid his brother down on the queen sized bed. He proceeded to take off his brother's shoes, but left his robe on before throwing the sheets over his sleeping form.
It wasn't long before he nestled under the covers as well and drew closer to Zero, his body attracted to the body heat emitting from his twin.
Author's Note: Comments are always welcome, so are 'predictions' and critiques. This first chapter is dragging, I know, but quite necessary to the overall plot. I had to be detailed and specific so that you guys understand that my characters are all actors here.
Not to insult anyone's intelligence, but these are words to know:
Aniki – Older brother
Nii – prefix for 'brother'
Niisan - brother
Arigatou – Thank you
Hai – Yes, Sure thing