-Chapter Six-

Zero stretched his neck as he walked about in the Headmaster's living space. Ever since Zero had been allowed to have his own dorm room he somewhat missed being in the same house as Yuki and Cross. Even so he was almost always there because Yuki and the rest of his family were. His Master had always been a father figure for him, but it still took a great deal of mental adjustment for him to see the Headmaster as one. But he'd managed to do it somehow.

Zero ambled about from room to room checking to see where anyone was. Both he and Yuki knew very well what had happened when Toga's former wife came to the Academy, and both teenagers were stunned that their adoptive father had temporarily kicked the raven haired man out.

But it had been almost two months since then.

Yuki had a habit of asking how long he thought it would take before Yagari-sensei could come back home. He always told her he didn't know. It was obvious that both he and Yuki desperately wanted one of their fathers back in the house, but the Headmaster didn't seem too eager to have him.

It wasn't as if Zero could blame him, but when he had been told the whole story he also couldn't pass a harsh judgment on towards the man that had raised him and his little brother.

Zero crossed his arms as he entered the living room and saw the blonde former hunter reading through some type of leaflet. Kaien didn't seem all that interested in what he was reading, and Zero had been itching to talk to him for weeks now.

"Headmaster," he knocked on the doorframe, "Can I talk to you for a bit?"

Kaien looked up to see the silver haired teenager come over and sit on the loveseat next to the armchair he was seated in.

"Sure Kiryu-kun," he said evenly. He hadn't been in the best of moods for quite a while now, and it disturbed his children greatly.

"Kiryu-kun?" Zero asked in astonishment, "Okay, why is it that after I finally give you permission to call me Zero and 'your son' you pull that one on me?"

"No reason," Kaien answered flatly, "Just the same reason you called me Headmaster just now." Kaien looked over to the teen seated next to him and gave the boy a smile. But it was a small and tired smile.

Zero sighed and nodded knowing the older man was right. He usually was after all.
"So what did you want to talk about?" Kaien asked and plopped his reading material on the floor by his feet.

"I think you know," Zero said softly and gave him a meaningful look.

Kaien held Zero's gaze for a moment before he broke it and sighed through his nose. He leaned his head back against the chair and closed his eyes.

"Alright," he said finally, "I'm all ears. Tell me what you and Yuki have been thinking."

Zero was slightly surprised that the Headmaster knew that he was speaking for both Yuki and himself. He swallowed and said, "What Yuki wants to say is she hates it when you both fight because he loves you and Master and she basically wants you guys to kiss and makeup."

"Hmmm," Kaien laughed almost inaudibly, "And what do you want us to do Zero?"
Zero paused for a moment.

"Well, I want you to do whatever makes you and Master feel better," he began hesitantly, "I don't really know. I mean…Kaname and I have never had a problem like this…well that's not really true, but we've never been through something like this to this extent."

Zero rubbed his eyes knowing his words were coming out all jumbled and not really making any specific point. He gave up and moved so he was kneeling in front of the Headmaster.

"Pop…I wouldn't even know how to forgive him but…I think he deserves that. You probably want to stay mad at him forever but I don't think you can…he means too much to you to just ignore him forever," Zero said softly.

Kaien swallowed thickly. When the hell had this boy become so observant about his love life?

"He's the one who taught me to be a stubborn brat, but I know you love him despite the fact that he can be the most professional man at the Association and then totally screw up his personal life… Please…all I'm asking is that you just give him another chance," Zero pleaded.

Kaien opened his eyes and had to blink rapidly to disperse the moisture threatening to escape.

"Zero," Kaien said calmly-too calm perhaps-, "I said I wasn't going to do anything else until I find out whether that little boy is Toga's or not…I've planned a great deal of my life around that man. I thought he was the one person I could trust no matter what."
"But you can trust him," Zero said, "He still adores you. Pop he's still madly in love with you, any fool could see that."

"Adoration can't always keep people together Zero," he replied in a calm tone that didn't sound appropriate, "Listen, I told you I'm not doing anything until I find out if Toga has a child…and then depending on that answer…who knows what the hell I'm going to do. But I won't make any rash decisions until then. That's a promise."

Zero took a deep breath knowing he wouldn't be able to convince the man of anything one way or the other. And on some level Zero knew it was cruel to ask him to let Yagari-sensei back home.

In a sense Zero understood what the former hunter was going through. For years Kaname and Zero had been vying for Yuki's affections. They had started a relationship before she'd started seeing Takuma but it was still a blow to both of them. Not to mention there had always been a hint of doubt about their feelings for each for a long time. They had constantly questioned each other and provoked each other. They had fought maliciously thinking that what they had was based on just getting by with the next best thing than her.

But the boys had stuck it out, they'd been stubborn, and eventually they pushed beyond their worries. It had taken a few years, and it had been painful, but they'd done it all the same and had what they thought was a healthy and happy relationship. And in all honesty they'd had Headmaster Cross and Yagari-sensei as the ideal role models on how to make a relationship work. But now Zero and Kaname knew that nothing was ever picture perfect, and the men that they both admired so weren't invincible just as they wished.

Zero quietly left the room without saying anything else and jumped slightly when he bumped into Yuki. Her worried doe eyes looked up at him and she whispered, "So how did it go?"

Zero couldn't answer her so he took his precious girl's hand in his and began to walk down the hall. She began to walk in step with him in silence for a short while. Then she sighed and leaned her head on his arm and mumbled, "At least we tried."

-Chapter End—

Another chapter out super quick for you guys.

I hope you appreciate it XD

And I appreciate comments! ;)

Thank you!