A/N: Personally, I think the story is opening up, and I sort of like that. This is also a mystery, so I can't focus on just one genre for too long. But don't worry, there's something special in here for you guys. ;) If you like it, please let me know, as I'm trying to judge in which chapter *how soon* would be the right time. It's still a bit off, but if you've supported me this far, know that it's all appreciated.
"ღ*~+~*ღ"
"You're not good enough. You know this better than anyone."
Ruka peeked through her bangs at the tiny girl. Her dark hair was a shocking contrast to how pale her skin was, save for the pink in her cheeks and the glow of her warm chocolate eyes. The vampire frowned at her, before turning over, annoyed with her face that was so reminiscent of Kaname's.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Ruka mumbled, curling up.
"Oh? But you do."
Her eyes drifted to a close, just for a moment, just long enough for Ruka to see Kaname's face once more, to feel the blood painting her face puce with embarrassment before the memory fled. Ruka could feel her face burning in the wake of that nightmare in the white purgatory of dreamland.
"If you become a pureblood, oniisama might love you." the girl teased.
"You can't become a pureblood, it's physiologically impossible." Ruka sighed, missing the latter half of the statement.
That thought had crossed her mind more times than she could count, until Kaname had taken a liking to that little human female. Was she really that unattractive? That detestable to him? The little girl's smile became brighter as she circled Ruka, leaning down to address her from a distance.
"Maybe not, but what about oniisan? He's getting stronger because he and oniisama share."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, little one."
The child got down to her hands and knees, crawling up to Ruka to kiss her on the cheek. Ruka abruptly recoiled, goosebumps rising from where she was kissed. She eyed the girl with distaste, defeat. Great, now she was being mocked by a child for her inadequacy.
"You're funny Ruka-san." she grinned, showing off a set of snowy white fangs much too long to belong to a vampire child. "If you want, you can share with me."
Ruka had a feeling that she knew exactly what she was talking about, but decided to ask anyway.
"What is it that you're trying to share?"
"You're the one who wanted to talk to me. Remember how you first called?"
Genuinely confused, Ruka shook her head. The child frowned for the first time during their conversation. It was a sort of cute pout that drew the vampire in.
"Oneesama sent the first to find oneesan, but it didn't work. She sent this one to find oniisama, but it didn't work either." she mumbled to herself.
The elder vampire stared, uncomprehending. That little girl looked so much like Kaname...
"Call me if you want to share, Ruka-san."
"Ruka? Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, I'm not sharing." she mumbled sleepily.
"Sharing? I'm not trying to make you. I just wanted to check on you, it sounded like you were having a bad dream." Rima brushed Ruka's bangs out of her eyes, worried about her friend.
"What time is it?"
"Pretty late. Even though everyone just went to bed, it's already noon."
"....Rima, am I good enough?"
Rima sat down on the canopy bed, running her fingers through her hair in a soothing manner. She wasn't all that great with words, given that her personality was normally stoic, but she would try."
"Of course. Some people don't see that. And those who don't, are blinded by their personal wants... You're important. It's just that it's in a different way than you would like. Kaname-sama finds value in all of us. He gets rid of those who aren't useful."
"So what happens when I'm not useful anymore?"
"You're probably one of the most loyal people to him. Because of that, you'll never become useless."
Ruka reached up to grasp Rima's hand, giving it a squeeze before whispering her thanks.
"ღ*~+~*ღ"
The stench of stale blood was really beginning to get to Zero. Although more mild compared to how strong it usually was, he was still very tempted to burn all their clothes. He wouldn't reconsider burning the sheets that were stained with it in the bedroom Kaname was occupying, but the school uniforms were a different story. He had wandered around the apartment, exploring the rooms, and managed to locate the master bedroom, a western-style full, and half bathroom.
The area was as well kept as Kaname had first indicated. Though there was no food, the bathing products hadn't dried up and crystallized. The hunter snorted, thinking he should have expected this since Kaien was such a neat freak. Zero threw his uniform to soak in a tub full of soapy water while he took a cold shower. The heating unit must have been broken or something, but it didn't matter to him. As long as he could scrub the rotting stench off of his skin it wasn't a big deal.
Zero had found some of Kaien's old clothes in the drawers in the master bedroom. They weren't exactly the sort of style he would have normally worn, but it was better than running around in the buff. Shutting off the water, Zero took a towel and dried off, not wanting the leather to rub uncomfortably to his skin as he dressed. He tried on the articles, looking himself over in the mirror, grimacing at the outfit.
The black leather was tight-fitting anyways. It clung to his muscles, outlining them. The top was sort of a vest with a zipper in the front that showed off some of his midriff if he moved, at all. It was adorned with silver, horizontal buckles at the bottom on his flanks and one in the center of his lower back. The pants were of a similar fashion though a little more plain. A belt was sewn into them, buckles placed along it to match the vest.
That was the least risque piece in the drawers. Zero was beginning to look at his adoptive father in a new light, scared to even imagine him wearing any of these outfits. Sure, the Chairman's fashion was always a little on the flamboyant side, like when he wore that fox stole, but this was just, too much. He had to remind himself that it was either that, or the bloody uniform, and he regretfully preferred the leather.
Zero decided to go check on Kaname, wondering whether or not he had fallen asleep. He found the pureblood right where he had left him, laying stiffly on the bed, still covered with some stale blood. He wrinkled his nose, deciding to suck it up and clean him. Using the damp towel, Zero wiped it along Kaname's face, hesitantly undoing the buttons of his undershirt. The skin of Kaname's chest was very warm, and sort of soft, like a girl's. Zero began to blush like one at the thought.
"You're not very good at subtlety, you know that?"
"Well sorry for trying to help you." Zero frowned before continuing in a lighter note. "Did I wake you?"
"Not at all. I wasn't sleeping."
"Damn faker..."
"What was that?"
Zero looked him squarely in the eye, bringing his face close to the pureblood's.
"I called you a faker, which is what you were doing. Is that a problem?"
"Not really." Kaname replied, sitting up.
He was feeling a lot better than he was a few hours ago. The poison was low grade, and clearly whoever had utilized it had no idea about what the hell they were doing, so it didn't last long. Although he was still a little stiff and groggy, which may have also been from the lack of sleep, Kaname had neutralized most of the toxins in his blood.
Now what weighed him down was Zero's observation. That kid was getting sharp if he could tell when he was feigning sleep. Of course admitting to it would only make him more aware of the signs, but it also instilled a sort of fun, paranoid quality in the hunter that he thought was rather... adorable.
"Nice outfit." he commented with a smirk.
"The stuff you'll have to wear is worse." Zero sneered. "This is the most normal thing in his closet that I found. Everything else has five or six different parts to the outfit that I had no idea how the hell to put on, and I wasn't about to find out."
Kaname stared at him expectantly, making the hunter shift uncomfortably under the gaze.
"What?" he asked through grit teeth.
"I need to bathe."
"I'm aware of that. Go bathe, I'm not stopping you."
"But you are." Kaname insisted. "I still can't move very well on my own. Though I heal fast, there's still a few lingering effects when it comes to toxins."
Zero's brows furrowed as he surveyed the pureblood. He had sat up on his own, it wouldn't really be a problem if he just had to escort him to the bathroom, he was strong enough to do the rest. But what if he slipped and fell, and got hurt? If he hit his head, that probably would have been the most pathetic end to a pureblood in all of history. The hunter had to smother a chuckle before it bubbled up, not quite able to stop the smirk that stretched his lips.
Kaname eyes him curiously; the boy was either giddy or insane.
"I'm glad you find great amusement in having to undress and bathe me. It makes everything easier on the both of us." he smirked in return.
Pink was quite a becoming color for Zero, as far as Kaname was concerned.
"You can bathe and undress your own damn self."
"Why, when you were about to do it for me?" he reached out, using his thumb to smooth the crease between the hunter's brows, fingertips, brushing lightly over his cheeks.
Actually, red was probably more suitable against his complexion. Kaname mouth began to water at the sight of such easily pooled blood. His heart was pounding as hard as Zero's as a hunger ripped through him.
"The hell?" he growled in embarrassment, swatting away the pureblood's hand.
"I was just trying to wind my arm around you so you can help me to the bathroom." Kaname fought the urge to give a mock pout, or else Zero really might have left him to find his own way. He certainly was different to all the other vampires who kowtowed to him. "It's also troublesome not to, as I would probably wander through the house trying to find it."
"Tch." the hunter frowned.
He complied, deciding to get it over with. Grabbing one arm, Zero brought it to his shoulder, feeling Kaname curl it around him securely. His own arm came behind the pureblood, wrapping around to heft him up off of the mattress.
"The water's cold, and you'll have to do everything yourself. I'm not a nanny."
Zero dragged him to the half bathroom in the master bedroom, sitting him on the lid of the closed toilet. He pulled back the door to the shower and reached inside the small space, starting the water for Kaname. It fell heavy and cold for a moment before turning hot without going through a warming phase. The hunter withdrew his hand, scowling at the stream of water.
"Why the hell didn't that happen when I was showering..." he muttered, thinking he was going to get a head cold from the icy water he bathed in earlier.
"Because you never asked me to help." Kaname chucked, ticking the hunter off. "You can come along if you want a, hot, shower. You'll have to wash me in return though." he smirked, never getting tired of seeing that blush on Kiryuu's face.
"I'll pass, thanks." he growled, storming out of the bathroom.
He could have sworn the pureblood was pissing him off on purpose. As he rooted through Kaien's old leather wardrobe, he came across an outfit that looked both confusing and drafty in equal parts, with a thousand and one accessories necessary to the piece. If Kuran could be a smartass, so would he.
The hunter stole quietly into the steamy bathroom, pleased that Kaname had already undressed and entered. As quietly as he could, he switched the pureblood's uniform out for the leather, wrinkling his nose at the stale bloody scent, thankful for the light, fragrant amber laced within the shower steam. How the hell did that guy make things smell so nice? Shaking the thought from his mind, he turned to leave, stomach growling.
"Decided to join me?" Kaname's husky voice floated through the top of the shower.
"Like hell!" the loud retort echoed off of the tiles. "If you're still recovering then I'm going to get a few groceries. If you need help when you get out then you're shit outta luck."
He tried not to slam the door behind him as he exited, crossing over to the full bathroom to throw Kaname's uniform in the soaking water. When he stepped outside, the first thing he noticed was how cold it had gotten. It looked like he would be getting that head cold after all. Perfect. Just what he needed in order to solve a case. As if Kaname's clumsy poisoning incident wasn't enough to slow things down...
Zero decided not to dwell, since he had taken the poison to keep him from being killed, supposedly. With what little money he had kept on him, he couldn't buy much, probably just a few items.
It was odd, since he was going to be cooking for his enemy. Though with the way they had been interacting for the past couple of days, could one really call them enemies still? The question weighed heavily on his mind. As much as he tried to ignore it, something, though he didn't know what the hell to label it as, had always been there, even when... Yuuki was alive. He had always called it mutual hatred, but now, the speedy progress of... things between them were more positive than negative - a complete opposite of what was going on before.
They had known each other for years, gotten on fine on some occasions. Was Yuuki the cause of the rift between them? All their macho posturing, unspoken rivalry on the way towards her heart... Was she the reason they never eventually became friends even after he had learned to tolerate vampires? No, most likely not. It may have had to do a bit with her, but she was the one who brought him out of his shell. Without her, a lot of things would have never happened. Zero was old enough to deeply analyze the situation and realize the basic compliments of cause and effect.
So what was her death for? What good could come out of it?
And without the warmth of that pureblood, where would he be now? How would he have turned out?
"ღ*~+~*ღ"
Kaname heard the front door close, meaning that Zero had left to buy food, groceries, whatever the heck he said he was going to get earlier. The pureblood chuckled. Perhaps he had been teasing the hunter too hard.
Speaking of too hard...
Sure, the pureblood had problems, but none of them were as insistent as the one growing below. He had already washed his hair and body, now was the time for relaxation.
Kaname stood with his back to the stream of water, made warm by his powers. He touched a finger to the tip of his cock, twitching in pleasure at the sensations it brought. The skin was smooth and hot, slick from the cascade behind him.
"Mnhh..."
He brought his fingers up, bunching them and placing them over the tip, gently separating them as he trailed his fingers along the head and down its sides. With the given environment, he could easily imagine it to be a mouth sliding along his length. Gently, he took a hold of his erection, petting, rubbing, pumping as his thumb worked expertly along the small slit along the tip.
"Ah... Ze... haa..."
The pureblood let his mind wander as his ministrations became more minute, rubbing along the sensitive spot on his glans to make his breathing labored. He imagined a certain silver haired hunter on his knees before him, laving his tongue over him, engulfing his sweet mouth over Kaname's swollen cock.
"Mnn... yeah... suck it... Zero..."
"Kaname... mnnn"
Damn that over active imagination of his! He thrust violently into his hand, sweat dotting his brow only to be washed away in the current of water raining overhead. He brought his left hand behind him, playing with his entrance, sticking a single finger inside, sliding it in and out.
"Oh!"
He hit a bundle of nerves, sending him back into the wall as his shaking legs gave weigh, making him land painfully. It only turned him on more. his rampant imagination conjuring Zero's image in his mind's eye.
The hunter smiled as he climbed on top of Kaname, running his warm, slick hands over his chest, stinging his nipples with his fingertips. He reached down, easing Kaname into his entrance, brows knitting in pleasure, mouth slacking into a silent moan as he took the pureblood's girth into him. In a moment he adjusted and was already beginning to move up and down. The hunter's cock bounced in time with his descent, enticing Kaname's senses with his throaty moans.
"Kaname... na.... haa... mnn... fuck... me...."
"I'm... so... close... ahh..."
Kaname squirmed, arching over and over again, panting and calling for the silver haired hunter. He could feel the familiar pressure building before it would dip off into pleasure so sweet that it verged insanity.
"Ahh... ZERO!! NGH,"
The pureblood gave one last thrust, spurting his seed onto his hand and chest, his hole contracting around his finger, greedily trying to take all of it inside.
"Haa... haa..."
He spasmed in delight, sore body cramping with the force of the orgasm. His mind remained blank for a long time after he turned onto his side. Once the haze of pleasure cleared, he could easily think about things like Zero, their future, and the decision he would have to be making soon, before his beloved hunter could go insane.
Now that Yuuki was gone, Kaname's planned debut of a mate into vampire society had changed. It was either his sister or Sara back then, and he had fully intended to take his sister to the throne, had she wanted to. But no way in hell was he going to be with that psychotic bitch. there was just something... creepy about her. Off.
Kaname was the queen bee of vampire society. It never occurred to him before that he could probably change more than just the order of rule. maybe he could change much more than that. Though, he wasn't sure if Yuuki would have attracted more danger, or if Zero would.
The spray turned cold as Kaname's mind wandered into dreamless sleep.
"ღ*~+~*ღ"
A car pulled up to the gates, coming to a full stop right before Kaien. He stared on as the driver came around to open the door for it's occupant, sinking into a low bow as he did so. The spiked heel of a buckle bootie touched the ground, the long leg attached to it was sheathed in stockings and a matching cream skirt that fell beneath the knee. Another bootie touched the ground as the occupant gracefully slid out of the car, her ginger hair flowing like a graceful, flaming waterfall behind her. Her dress looked incredibly expensive and feminine, hugging her curves. It was like the sort of thing Kaien was looking to get for Yuuki on her eighteenth birthday, when she became a woman.
Sara graced him with a gentle smile. He bowed his head curtly, acknowledging some respect to the pureblood. The movement was stiff, making her smile. Kaien opened the padlock, chains rattling around the wrought iron bars of the gates. He pulled one side back far enough to let her through, quickly locking up after.
Sara gave a short, amused laugh.
"Still keeping up pretenses, hm Chairman?"
"I do my best, Sara sama. Not only for the vampires of this academy, but for the humans a well."
"But of course." she conceded. "Although I often wonder how you plan on protecting our precious nobles, notwithstanding common knowledge that they can fend for themselves, but what if something were to come along that they couldn't handle, I wonder?"
"Then I will do my best to protect all of my students. My dream is not something that will die so easily. Sara-san. I have my children looking out for me."
"Indeed." Sara arched brow with her sharp reply, peering through his guise.
Kaien frowned at her, eyes betraying nothing as they made their way across the grounds, back past the moon dorm where Kaien came to a stop.
"If you're wanting to visit with the other aristocrats... Kaname-kun isn't here at the moment."
"No, that's quite alright, my sole purpose in visiting this castle of sand was to have a chat with you. In private, if you don't mind. It's about some... Important matters. You understand."
"Ahh, I do. It's rather bold of you to come at a time like this." a dark mood colored his expression.
So she wanted to discuss the incident and her fees, hmn? Kaien led her to the academy, ready to partake in the long discussion. He was glad that Zero and Kaname were on a mission, otherwise there would have been much more trouble than a simple round of twenty questions.
"Do not worry, I am clean, Chairman."
"I'm not the one who should be worried for my safety."
Sara sniffed the cool air, looking to the dim sky. The clear patch had passed, more clouds than before racing to hide the azure heavens.
"Winter has descended, and snow will soon follow suit. Once it has reached rock bottom, the only things it has left to look forward to are the crunching noises made when one walks upon it, then the melting away into oblivion. In this place, the winter is not permanent, and neither is the snow, even if preserved in an ice box. Someone could always take it out before the winter returns..."
Kaien grit his teeth.
"ღ*~+~*ღ"
"Ichiru....." Yori panted.
"Does it hurt?" he asked in concern.
"It's starting to, really badly. I need...."
"Maybe it's time we go find the Chairman. You're getting worse and worse."
"I'm hoping everything's alright." Yori clutched her hand, one in the other, trying to keep her jaw as stiff and shut as possible.
"It looks like you have tetanus of something." Ichiru frowned. "Is it so unbearable? Do you need me to carry you?
"I'll be fine." she allowed. "I'm just having ah hard time adjusting with all of this stress.. I'm sure you must know what that's like though, considering all that I've learned about you."
"Well your past is unimportant to me, I even doubt that it would benefit me much If I were to get to know you. However," Ichiru took her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "I've never been able to ask, and given the limited choice I had, it was preferred not to." he let go and grasped one of her red hands, idly rubbing his thumb over the fading scars there. "Tell me, what's it like?"
Yori hid her face behind her other hand, trying not to pass out from pain.
"Painful. But I can endure." with a single sob, her facade broke. "Do you think Yuuki suffered when she died? It was just so violent, and..." She peeked up at him from between her fingers, bringing his hand, which was still grasped in hers, up to her face. "Really, thank you for everything.." she inhaled the lily scent from his skin. "I feel we should really, really go see the chairman right now, if you want a shot at getting your wish fulfilled. We can get Haine and Yuri to cover for us."
Ichiru nodded, carefully supporting Yori as she rose from her bed.. Very soon, he wouldn't have to play the nanny role anymore. if all those promises were true, he would be able to exact revenge on them all. It wasn't a matter of if he could go through with it, what with his hated yet beloved brother amongst their ranks, but rather a question of when and where this would take place. With a sigh, he and Yori headed out of the dorm, supporting each other along the way.
"ღ*~+~*ღ"
Short and choppy as far as those scenes go, but now you've had a deep peek inside of Kaname's mind. XD
Reviews: I would love you forever.