Chapter Two

Here's the second instalment. The third is on the way. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to review!

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Knight or any characters thereof. I only own my original characters.

A few weeks had passed and Mako had settled reasonably well into her new life at Cross Academy. Granted it had taken her time to properly adjust. As a hunter, any issue she was faced with was clearly defined. Black or white. Good or evil. Things were simple. There was no merging of that line, no complicated shades of grey. Unfortunately, at Cross Academy, situations Mako viewed as easily resolved by an anti-vampire weapon, were cast into the ever difficult area of grey. Yuuki's solution to this; diplomacy.

Then again, at this particularly moment, neither solution would prove to be of any use. A hoard of crazed girls swamped the entrance of the Moon Dorm, all screams and shouts as they shoved each other aside to be the first to catch a glimpse of their precious Idols. Mako's opinion on the matter was simple enough. Those infatuated Day Class girls had succumbed to a common technique the vampires used to lure humans.

She recalled her master's lesson. A vampire's physical appeal, and the release of concentrated pheromones, is an ingeniously evolved mechanism that saves them the trouble of having to chase down a meal.

In this instance, the mechanism worked to make the vampires increasingly popular amongst their human counterparts, as feeding from them was prohibited. On more than one occasion, Mako found herself wondering how the humans would react if they knew the truth. That their precious Night Class were beasts in human form. Vampires.

"Okay! Okay! Step back! It's already curfew for Day Class students! Please return to your dorms!"

The females were in an uproar and immediately turned on the flustered guardian, who's attempts to fend off the advancing girls were thwarted by insults and accusations. It was an entertaining sight, to say the least, and several theories had come to light. The common belief amongst the general student population was that Yuuki wanted the vampires all to herself, and she would use any means to have them, including keeping the competition away. Mako had to scoff at that. What competition? If given the chance, the vampires would use that naive little guardian and those girls as chew toys.

She watched them, flailing around dramatically as they continued their verbal assault, and gave a lengthy sigh. They didn't even realize the ridiculous spectacle they were making of themselves. And, what she found considerably irritating, was that they had no sense to be embarrassed of their behaviour. She shook her head. If Mako herself ever succumbed to such an affliction, despite it being an unlikely possibility, both Zero and Yuuki had been given explicit instructions to terminate her on sight.

During her struggle, Yuuki chanced a glance over at the female hunter, who stood calmly in front of a trembling group of girls. It was somewhat annoying that, whilst she struggled to keep the girls in line, Mako had no trouble. She couldn't understand how the hunter had managed it, but then, looking at her, she seemed a little standoffish. Much like Zero. Maybe it was a vampire hunter thing, after all. The guardian sighed, and turned back to her task, only to fail at yet another attempt to push them back. Then the gates of the Moon Dorm began to creak open and all hell broke loose. At least, it did on Yuuki's side.

"I wouldn't." Mako turned to the small girl who froze mid-attempt to inconspicuously tiptoe her way towards the gate. "Unless you want to find yourself with detention for the next two months." A sadistic smirk spread across her features. "It would be such a shame to miss all this, don't you think?"

A squeak escaped the girl as she sunk to her knees in a quivering heap. Either she couldn't move for fear of facing Mako's wrath, or her legs were rendered unresponsive at thought of not being able to see her precious Night Class for two months. Two of her friends hastily retrieved her, glancing anxiously at Mako as they retreated back into the ranks of girls. All it took was one look from Mako to have them form a straight line along the edge of the path. She was that scary. Almost as much as Zero.

The Night Class emerged and they didn't take so much as a step out of line. Unfortunately, the girls were still entitled to scream and jump to their hearts content. Mako couldn't understand it. All their bubbling enthusiasm. In the presence of those vampires, one look was enough to reduce the Day Class into a squealing lump of jelly. Whereas Mako felt the distinct urge to kill at the mere mention of them. Much to her dismay, killing them wasn't an option. So, she could do little more than simply ignore them.

As per usual, Hanabusa Adiou led the parade of Night Class students, smiling and waving energetically at his adoring fans. His tendency to encourage the hormonal girls was a regular occurrence, much to Mako's annoyance. And, as per usual, Yuuki watched his stupidity which proved enough of a distraction for the girls behind her to suddenly surge forward. Mako shook her head and casually paced over to the fallen guardian, quickly rounding up the girls that had so blindly charged like a pack of wild animals.

With the crazed girls now in line, Mako cast a glance at Yuuki, who lay face down on the ground in a daze. "Cross-san? You okay?"

Sitting up, she gave herself a once over before nodding. Mako helped her to her feet. The guardian was an agreeable girl, if not naive and indecisive to a degree she found irritating most of the time. But she couldn't deny that her presence had a positive effect on Zero. So she tolerated her and looked out for her, because Zero would be crushed if anything happened to his love. Mako gave Yuuki's shoulder a gentle pat before returning to her post.

Mako was pleased to find that her girls hadn't moved so much as a toe out of place and nearly smiled at the concerned expressions on their faces as she returned. The Headmaster had failed to mention anything about guardians being able to handout detentions, but even if she wasn't technically allowed to, sometimes the fear of punishment proved more of a motivator than the punishment itself.

Aidou capered past, his gaze lingering on the hunter for a long moment before pulling away to encourage his fans. It had been a week since her encounter with the Aristocrat and Pureblood, and rumours had quickly begun to circulate through the ranks of the Night Class. From what she could gather from the murderous looks and seething expressions, her treatment of their precious Pureblood Prince didn't sit well with them. But then, being despised by vampires wasn't anything to be concerned about. It was all part of the job.

"Mako-chan." The hunter tensed. Her narrowed gaze immediately shifted to the approaching vampire. Daisuke's lips curved into a wolfish smirk, clearly relishing her reaction. "Don't you look delicious."

She sneered at his choice of words. "If it wasn't for the Headmaster, I'd have your head for that comment."

A sudden quiet enveloped the immediate vicinity. The crazed fangirls watched on, miraculously managing to grin stupidly at Daisuke whilst simultaneously glaring at the second guardian attempting to steal their Night Class. Engaged in conversation with her beloved Kaname, the Headmaster's daughter had failed to notice the scene, but the Pureblood instantly became aware of the silence. He turned around, unintentionally cutting off Yuuki as his gaze fell upon Mako and Daisuke.

Daisuke licked his lips and stepped closer. She didn't so much as flinch at his closeness, but continued to glare at him. Mako was a supporter of the concept of personal space and didn't much like having hers invaded, especially by a vampire. Her fingers itched to reach for the gun that had been loaned to her. She had yet to reclaim her retractable katana from her master, and the Headmaster was hardly thrilled by the idea of her walking around with one strapped to her back for all to see.

The Aristocrat leant down, reducing the vast height difference between them. "Say, Mako-chan..." He spoke quietly, his voice inaudible to all expect Mako and his classmates. "Just one sip." He smirked, fangs visible in the corner of her eye. "I promise it won't hurt."

Nausea flickered unnoticeably across her features, settling on a hateful glare. "Just one bullet, vampire." She hissed dangerously. "I promise it will hurt."

"You can't deny the obvious attraction between us, little huntress." His hand settled on her arm. "I know you want me-" He drew her closer. "as much as I want you." She noticed the predatory gleam in his eye as their gazes locked. "Your blood calls to me, Mako-chan."

Refusing to be rattled by his comments, she scoffed. "I want you about as much as I want an excruciatingly painful death. Actually, I definitely prefer an excruciatingly painful death."

He obviously found her response amusing, because he was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "Oh, if only you knew how badly your words make me want to chase you. Don't think you'll get rid of me so easily."

"A girl can dream."

"I don't doubt that you dream of me frequently." Mako scoffed again, but he pressed on as though he hadn't heard her. "If there's one thing I pride myself in, it's reading women. And you, my dear Mako-chan, have it bad for me."

"Sorry to disappoint, but you're the last person I'm interested in." A smug smile replaced the glare she had been wearing a moment ago. "And that skill of yours is in desperate need of some fine tuning, because you're obviously rubbish at reading women, which explains why you've resorted to hitting on humans. Not having any luck with the vampire ladies, huh?"

"I don't need luck when I have natural talent."

Mako rolled her eyes. "Right, natural talent. So that's what you call it. It's got nothing to do with an evolutionary mechanism developed to enrapture humans."

The Aristocrat tightened his grip on her arm and brushed his lips against her ear. "My dearest Mako, you're blood smells too enticing to be human."

She blinked. "What?"

"Daisuke."

Daisuke immediately released her and stepped back. He locked his gaze with that of the approaching Pureblood and cringed. Murderous intent was the kindest way to describe the look Kaname was giving him. In fact, Daisuke was certain that, were they not surrounded by human spectators, he would have despatched of him right then and there. Still, the Aristocrat couldn't help but feel some pride in how easily he could rile the Dorm President. All it took was a little flirting with the hunter.

Despite it being the third time Mako had encountered the Pureblood since her arrival at Cross Academy, the symptoms of his presence were no less arduous. She managed a deep breath to steady her racing heart. Daisuke noticed her discomfort, but whether or not Kaname knew of the effect he had on her was another story. But it certainly didn't seem like it. The Pureblood stared intently at his subordinate, an indicator that it would be in Daisuke's best interest to excuse himself. The Aristocrat wasn't stupid and quickly did so before rejoining the ranks of the Night Class.

"Mako-chan."

She turned to face him with a heated glare. The Pureblood addressed her as though there was some familiarity between them, but as far as Mako was concerned, Kaname was taking liberties she was uncomfortable with. "Are you under the misguided belief that you're familiar with me? Because I don't recall ever allowing you to call me by my given name."

A small smile graced his lips. "Of course. Forgive me, Osaragi-san." It irritated her that he found it amusing. There was nothing amusing about setting boundaries, especially with a Pureblood. "And I would like to apologize for Daisuke. I hope he didn't say anything to upset you."

"I don't see how it's any of your business even if he did." She retorted. "I'm more than capable of dealing with him. I don't need your help."

"That goes without saying, I'm sure. But when I see you looking as unsettled as you were a moment ago, I feel the need to intervene." He smiled kindly. "I do apologize on his behalf. And you have my word that he will be punished accordingly."

Mako shrugged. "Your word means nothing to me. It's as empty as the Aristocrat's head."

The Aristocrat heard her remark and glared at his fellow vampires, who couldn't help but laugh at her comment. All but one. Ruka Souen was a possessive and incredibly jealous vampire who was completely and utterly in love with Kaname. A fact that the hunter had taken immediate note of during their first encounter. As such, Ruka felt little inclination to tolerate those who were disrespectful. She glared viciously at Mako, focused more on her veiled insult than the humour of her comparison.

Mako met her harsh gaze, but promptly ignored her. Whatever unresolved issues that vampire had with her were none of her concern. The Headmaster would be so proud of her. Ignoring provocation was easier than she thought it would be. Hurling sarcastic remark after sarcastic remark was a satisfactory means of release, but it didn't hold a candle to being able to decapitate them.

"I can understand why you're hesitant to trust me, Osaragi-san. But believe me, I mean you no ill-will. In fact, I quite enjoy our conversations. Even though they are so few." Kaname smiled. "It's such a pity that the only chance I have to speak with you is when I'm forced to apologize for Daisuke's behaviour."

"And that's time enough." She stared long and hard at him. "Believe me when I say that I have no intention of befriending you, Kuran-san. So I suggest that you pool your efforts into a more productive goal, like keeping your lapdogs in line."

Kaname silently observed her. She stood her ground, refusing to give in to the intensity of his gaze. He allowed his eyes to trail down her body, taking in every inch of her. Mako shared so many similarities with that woman; from her slender build right through to the authoritative stance she took. Almost identical in every way. Even in the sardonic way she rebuffed him. He locked his gaze with hers once again. Everything but those eyes, that expressed emotions so entirely different they were almost unfamiliar.

"Mako." The Pureblood snapped from his contemplation and turned his attention to the approaching guardian. Zero clutched Mako's shoulder protectively whilst making no attempt to hide his distain for Kaname. "Is there a problem?"

Mako didn't remove her gaze from the vampire. "Not at all. Kuran-san was just leaving. Right, Kuran-san?"

He nodded without argument. "Of course." Focusing on Mako, he inclined his head. "It was a pleasure speaking with you, Osaragi-san. I hope to do so again in the near future, without any interruptions."

Casting a lingering glance at Zero, Kaname rejoined the ranks of his vampiric classmates as they made their way towards the classrooms. He stopped only only once more, to wish Yuuki a goodnight. Mako watched the exchange with muted interest. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something unusual about their relationship. Or, at least, something more than meets the eye. Zero's hand slipped from her shoulder and dragged her from her thoughts.

He stared down at her, concern flooding his eyes. "You alright?"

"Yeah. But those vampire presume themselves to be very familiar with me." She glared at their retreating figures. "I don't like it one bit."

Zero was all too familiar with Mako's obsession with formality. After all, he had experience it first-hand. It had taken him nearly three years to build up their friendship to the point where she would willingly allow him to address her by her given name. He wasn't all too sure why he had bothered in the first place. It shouldn't have meant anything to him. But he felt compelled to earn that right. A right she willingly allowed so few.

"So shoot them."

She raised an eyebrow, as though seriously contemplating his suggestion, only to sigh. "Don't tempt me." A thought popped into mind and she immediately straightened. "By the way, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"What?"

Mako leant closer. "What exactly is going on between Cross-san and Kuran-san?"

The male hunter tensed and averted his gaze. She picked up on the signals easily enough and didn't push the matter any further. It didn't surprise her that it was a sore subject. Being in love with someone who had conflicting feelings was difficult. Crossing her arms, Mako allowed her gaze to drift over the sea of slowly dispersing fans. They wouldn't leave until they caught the very last glimpse of their precious Night Class.

"He rescued her." She gave him her full attention. Zero crossed his arms along his chest and glared a hole in the ground. "Five years ago from a Level E. It was Kuran who brought her to the Headmaster. He saved her life."

"Ah, I see." Casting a lingering glance at the oblivious female guardian struggling to herd the fangirls, Mako shook her head. "Hero worship."

Zero glanced at her. "Something like that."

"It'll never work out between them. One bite and she'll be a Level E." Zero stiffened at the thought, but she ignored him. "And if he doesn't bite her, well, she'll grow old and die while he stays eternally youthful." The hunter gave another shake of her head. "Honestly, that girl should stop dreaming about stupid fairytales and deal with reality. It'll never work between them. He's a Pureblood, and she's a human."

He nodded. "I've tried telling her, but she won't hear any of it."

"Of course not. She's in love." Exhaling loudly, she gave her friend a reassuring pat on the arm, though she doubted it did much good. "Must be tough. But if it's any consolation, I'm sure she'll come around sooner or later. You're a much better man then that Pureblood. No competition there."

"Yeah."

Shoving her hands into her pockets, Mako shrugged. "Oh, and, just so you know, it was me who went around telling people that you were same-sex oriented as a kid." She glanced back at him with a mischievous glint in her eye. "Probably shouldn't have done that, but I couldn't help myself."

He glared. "That was you?! Do you have any idea what I went through?! I wa-" He blinked, realization finally dawning on him. "Did you just - You just apologized."

"No. I don't think I did." Mako began to walk away and stopped only to look back at him with an innocent expression on her face. "You must be imagining things."

Zero watched as Mako sauntered toward a struggling Yuuki, finding it very difficult to curb the smile that threatened to ruin the stand-offish reputation he had worked so hard to establish. A very dear friend, the closest thing he had to family, Zero cared about her deeply. Mako was one of the few people he felt inclined to share his deepest secrets with. And she was the first he had willingly told about his transformation. She hadn't cared. To her, he was still the same Zero she had always known. And he was so glad it had been her to hold his hand during the first few hours of his loss.

But he knew that he was as open with her as she was secretive with him. There were moments in her company when he realized that he knew next-to-nothing about his best friend, and he began questioning whether or not she felt the same about him as he felt about her. Shouting interrupted his train of thought and he turned to see Yuuki struggling with a group of girls who were desperately trying to follow the Night Class to the main campus. Oddly enough, Mako was nowhere to be found, so it was up to him to put them in their place. He grumbled. His nap had temporarily been placed on hold.

A hooded figure sat upon a lavish throne at the far end of a vast chamber. Lit candles cast menacing shadows against the stone walls, exempt of windows, and provided next to no illumination. Three consecutive knocks resounded before the heavy wooden doors creaked open. Light from the hallway projected a soft glow upon the stone floor, but failed to reach the furthest corners. Motionless bodies marked a pathway towards the throne. Drained of blood and defiled in the most horrendous ways imaginable, the young women had succumbed to a most torturous and degrading death.

The man stood nervously in the door way, dressed in an impeccably tailored suit reminiscent of ones worn circa 19th century. Lengthy strawberry blond hair had been smoothed back against his scalp, though there were several strands that refused to comply and fell in clumps around his slender face. He fiddled nervously with his tie, cobalt blue eyes darting anxiously around the room as he surveyed the scene. Gathering the courage, his gaze fell upon the figure on the throne. The man winced and averted his gaze at once.

Seated upon the figure's lap, a poor young woman struggled weakly to escape. Tears prickled in the corners of her eyes as she let out a scream, muffled by the large hand clamped over her mouth. Loud slurps resounded, filling the man's ears and causing him to cringe yet again. It wasn't long before the noises ceased and he heard a muffled thud. He looked up, the figure slumped casually against his throne with the lifeless body of the woman carelessly discarded at his feet.

"Kenshin." He tensed as his eyes travelled up to meet the cruel gaze of the figure. They were dark eyes gleaming with malice. The eyes of a cold-blooded murderer. "You bring tidings I presume."

The man hesitated before responding with a curt nod. "Yes, my Lord." He shuffled uneasily on his toes. "That hunter, the one your Lordship asked me to keep under surveillance, she has recently relocated to Cross Academy."

"Cross Academy." The figure growled, causing the neurotic Kenshin to nearly jump out of his skin. "That pathetic school. What does she mean to achieve there?"

"I-I do not know, my Lord."

As abruptly as a sudden gust of wind on a cool summer night, the poor man found himself dwarfed by his Lord, who was so close he would feel the heat of his Lord's breath fanning against his cheek. And still, despite their closeness, the hood shrouded the figure's face in shadow. Kenshin had not once been able to get a proper look at his Lord's face. Only those cruel eyes shone through the darkness.

His Lord's questioned him again. "You do not know?"

"I-I-I-"

"Tell me, Kenshin." The figure drew closer. "If you are so incompetent that you are unable to unearth such a vital piece of information, then what use are you to me?"

Kenshin quivered under the weight of his shadow and found himself unable to tear his gaze away from those soulless eyes. "P-Please, m-m L-Lord. I-I only wish to serve you. P-Please."

"And serve me you shall." Long, slender fingers brushed against his brow, working slowly through his hair. "This body is no longer able to sustain me. I find myself in need of another."

He tensed, eyes widening fearfully. "M-My Lord. I-If you will permit me, I-I can find a suitable replacement. I-I just need-"

The figure chuckled a cold, heartless chuckle. "There' is no time. And why wait when I have a satisfactory vessel already willing." His fingers clenched in Kenshin's hair, causing the man to wince. "All it takes," He forced the man's head back to expose his neck, "is a taste."

Before he had time to plead for his life, the figure sunk his fangs deeply into his subordinate's flesh. Kenshin writhed in agony, crying out for the life that was so callously being sequestered away from him. A long moment passed before the figure finally retracted his hold, staggering in place for a short while before suddenly collapsing. Silence descended as Kenshin stared at the pathetic sack of meat that was all that remained of his Lord. An evil smirk spread across his face as he turned towards the door.

"Excellent." He licked his bloodied fingers clean, dark eyes glimmering sadistically. "Time to have some fun."

"Lazy bastard. I can't see why he can't do this himself." Mako grumbled as she trudged reluctantly behind Zero and Yuuki.

Being the weekend, she had hoped to take advantage of her fangirl free day and lock herself in her room to get some studying done. If only the Headmaster could appreciate her enthusiasm when it came to cracking the books. At the very least, studying kept her from actively seeking out vampires and manipulating them into giving her a reason to kill them. Not having seen much action from the Vampire Hunters Association as of late, Mako was getting a little desperate, and had resorted to daydreaming about various scenarios, most situated around the elimination of a certain irritating Aristocrat.

She sighed. Dreaming was as good as it was going to get at that point, being on probation and all. It was incredibly depressing. And that damned Aristocrat only served as a constant reminder of her temporary inactivation. She thought back to the conversation that had taken place a few days ago. It had confused her to no end. Mako had spent two sleepless nights pondering over his words and wondering how she could be anything but human. What else could she be? Certainly not a vampire. The whole, craving blood and possessing super-human abilities, would've been an immediate giveaway.

A deep throated growl escaped her. "Damn that Pureblood. If he hadn't interrupted, I might've received some answers."

"Um...Mako...?" The hunter immediately snapped from her thoughts and focused on the girl who had fallen in step with her. "I've been meaning to ask you something. Do you mind?"

She shrugged. "Go ahead."

Fiddling anxiously with the ends of her sleeves, Yuuki cleared her throat. "Is there, um... Is there anyone you like?"

Mako raised an eyebrow. "Cross-san." The guardian looked up. "Are you trying to insinuate something?"

"Nononono!" Yuuki waved her hands frantically, as though such a gesture would succeed in dispelling any misunderstanding. "I-I didn't mean it like that!"

"Calm down. I'm only teasing."

She blinked. And then, with an embarrassed chuckle, she averted her gaze. Mako smirked upon noticing the tint of pink spreading across the guardian's cheeks, but said nothing. Much to Mako's pleasure, Yuuki had acknowledged that the conversation had drawn to a close and had taken to observing their surroundings. The Headmaster's daughter was truly naive; looking at the bleak town with a bright-eyed wonder Mako assumed could only be found in young children who had yet to experience the harsh realities of life. But then, what did Yuuki know about harsh realities?

From the corner of her eye, Yuuki observed the preoccupied hunter. She was tall and lithe, and she held herself with a confidence that made it appear as though every poised movement had been carefully thought out. Her heart-shaped face was framed by long straw-coloured hair which fell over her left shoulder in a loose ponytail. She was certainly attractive and, despite often appearing unapproachable, never seemed to have a problem in capturing the attention of the opposite sex.

She sighed inwardly. Lately, even Kaname had been paying more attention to Mako than he was to her. Their already brief conversations were reduced to quick acknowledgments before Kaname would move to aid Mako in driving Daisuke away. Not that Mako seemed to appreciate his help in the slightest. If it were Yuuki, she would treat him with more respect, considering that he was going through the trouble of assisting her. Still, she couldn't quite bring herself to blame Mako.

The hunter absolutely hated vampires and it was a miracle that she'd been able to restrain herself for so long. Yuuki was curious, of course. No one was born hating people. There was always a reason, and Mako being a hunter, Yuuki could only assume that her hatred stemmed from a tragic occurrence. Maybe her family had been murdered just like Zero's. With a violent shake of her head, Yuuki rid her mind of those terrible thoughts. It wasn't her place to pry. If Mako wanted to tell her about her past, then she'd do so in good time.

"Yuuki." She paused, turning back to look at Zero and Mako who were standing in front of the restaurant door. "It's this way."

Her face turned a dark shade of red as she marched up to them, mumbling to herself. "I-I was thinking. Didn't see the sign."

"Ahuh."

Entering the restaurant, the trio immediately occupied the booth farthest from the door. Yuuki had already claimed her spot, settling in the very centre of the seat and thus preventing anyone else from sitting beside her. The two hunters took up the opposite seat, none too bothered by the close proximity as Zero propped his arm upon the windowsill. Yuuki glanced surreptitiously over her menu and silently observed them. Zero leant against Mako, offering her a look at the menu. Her finger moved across the sheet, occasionally glancing over at Zero as she mentioned something about their past.

At that, the young guardian felt left out. Mako knew more about Zero than Yuuki ever would. She had known Zero back when he still had a family. And there was not doubt in her mind that Mako had been the first person to hold Zero's hand after they were murdered. Mako knew a side of Zero that Yuuki would never get to see, and she couldn't help but be jealous of her. It was misplaced, she knew, but that didn't seem to matter. Yuuki turned her attention back to the menu and shook her head. However she felt, it was hardly Mako's fault. She was Zero's best friend, it was only natural for her to be better acquainted with him.

Once they had placed their orders, Yuuki clasped her hands and grinned over at the two hunters. "So, Mako. How did you and Zero meet?"

They shared a look before Mako turned to her. "We've known each other for about ten years now."

A young Zero sparred vigorously with an old wooden mannequin, its body worn and splintered from countless other training sessions. He had been at it for several hours now, since his teacher had departed. And he had yet to return. It instilled curiosity in him. What possible reason could his teacher have for neglecting a young hunter in training? Zero was absorbed in his thoughts, so much so that he failed to observe an approaching figure. The young Mako moved silently. Her feet gliding effortlessly over the dirt floor as she drew nearer. The silver-haired boy had no idea what was about to happen.

"Boo!"

Startled, Zero spun to attack to the intruder, only to stumble in his haste and land ungracefully on his arse. Mako grinned broadly, brushing back short strands of straw-coloured hair from her face as she laughed. A dark shade of red spread across the boy's cheeks and, incredibly embarrassed that the unfamiliar little girl had managed to both sneak up on him and frighten him, shot to his feet.

He was furious. As furious as an eight year old could be. "Who are you?! What are you doing here?!"

Composing herself, still unable to keep the amused smile from her face, she answered. "I'm Mako Osaragi. Your new sparring partner."

"Here are your orders. One parfait. One fruit salad. And a mug of freshly brewed coffee." The young, blonde waitress sent a flirtatious look towards Zero who, in return, dutifully ignored her.

Disheartened, but not deterred, the waitress retreated, all the while forming a clever plan of attack in her head. Mako was impressed at the way in which Yuuki attacked her breakfast, with much gusto and little thought for others opinions. Customers occupying the surrounding tables stared unrestrainedly at the young guardian, who either failed to notice the attention she was attracting or was purposefully ignoring them. Mako was more inclined to believe the former.

Finally taking a moment to breathe, the guardian turned to Mako. "I can't believe you scared Zero so easily! I've been trying for years and he doesn't budge!"

"Zero was unbelievably naive when he was younger." She explained. "Easy to distract. And quick to trust."

He scoffed. "Unlike you, who nearly killed me just because I called you by your given name."

Yuuki glanced between them as they bickered. "You know how I feel about being on familiar terms."

"I'd only just met you. Some warning would have been nice."

"In all fairness, I did warn you."

"No, you nearly killed me. Big difference."

"You know, you really should let that go. It's been ten years. Holding a grudge for that long is unbecoming, especially for you."

"Um, excuse me-" Yuuki frowned.

She watched them silently. The bickering had given way to a heated discussion regarding the border-line criminal acts the two of them had committed against each other whilst they were still training. And Yuuki couldn't quite believe it. Some of the things they had done were simply too outrageous to be true. Then it hit her. This conversation was the most she had ever heard them speak, consecutively that is. Monosyllables, and on occasion, more specifically when it came to threatening the Night Class, full sentences. That was their M.O.

But as much as she was enjoying it, something nagged at her to interrupt. "Excuse me!"

All eyes fell on her, gawking and judgmental. Yuuki hadn't intended for her voice to be any louder than was necessary to capture the attention of the hunters. Unfortunately, it escaped as more of a shout. The guardian chuckled awkwardly and stuttered an apology before sinking into her seat. Zero and Mako stared at her, bemused by her sudden outburst. She glared at them. Some nerve they had to be looking at her like that. It was their fault.

"Thanks for that! Now they think I'm some weirdo with no manners." She hissed before proceeding to shove her face with parfait. Better just to eat away her embarrassment.

Zero shrugged and shifted so that his arm was now draped causally across the back of Mako's seat. He raised his mug to his lips. "You are weird."

"Hey! I- Hrrrmmpff!"

Her gaze snapped to Mako, who had reached over the table to clamp a hand over her mouth before she caused another seen. "That little outburst earlier was quite enough, Cross-san." A faint blush spread across Yuuki's cheeks as she nodded. Mako pulled back and settled down to resume her breakfast. "Was there something you wanted to ask?"

"What?"

"You weren't interrupting us for no reason, right?"

"Oh, yeah." She paused, taking a moment to observe the unexpectedly refined manner in which Mako consumed her breakfast. Zero reached over to snatch a peach slice which resulted in a near stabbing by Mako's fork. "Actually, it's about formalities." Mako turned from Zero to focus her attention on Yuuki. "I've noticed you address everyone so ceremoniously. And even though I've told you to call me Yuuki, you don't."

"Mako adheres strictly to the principles of formality. The manner in which which we address someone should reflect our association with them, trust and familiarity most importantly." Zero explained, taking a moment to sip at his coffee. "To someone she trusts unequivocally, she will be on a first name basis. All others, even those she gets on well with, are treated with respectful formality."

Yuuki frowned. "Oh. Then that explains why you nearly killed Zero for calling you by name when you first met."

She nodded. "I'm uncomfortable with people acting familiar with me when they're not."

The young guardian stared at the table, suddenly feeling despondent by this new piece of information. "Then... I suppose I should call you Osaragi-san. If I'd known before I wouldn't have-"

"It's fine." Mako shrugged. "Zero trusts you. I don't see why I can't do the same."

Zero rolled his eyes. "Sure. But I nearly get my head lopped off."

He brought the mug to his lips, but was promptly distracted by the mysterious grape that had materialized from nowhere and landed in his coffee. A long moment was spent examining the fruit, eyebrow raised in question until finally, he snapped his gaze to Mako. His gaze narrowed at the guiltless expression on her countenance.

And then her lips broke into a mischievous smirk. "You're lucky I didn't try to castrate you."

Her pointed was demonstrated by swiftly and cleanly slicing through a wedge of peach. Zero stared at her. There was no doubt in his mind that she was telling the truth. Heck! Mako had nonchalantly made an attempt on his life. What was to stop her from following through with her plan to castrate him? Absolutely nothing. Zero shook his head, abandoning the mug on the table as he nudged her side.

"Get up."

She growled in response. "Forget it. I'm eating."

"I need to use the bathroom." She ignored him, so he leant closer. "Now."

"Fine."

Mako reluctantly slid from the booth and tapped her foot impatiently as she waited for Zero to leave. The female hunter glared at his retreating figure before she slipped back into the booth and promptly returned to her breakfast. Yuuki shifted awkwardly and cleared her throat.

"So?" The hunter spared a moments glance at her, eyebrow raised as she waited for Yuuki to continue. "Um..." She fiddled timidly with the hem of her skirt. "Has anyone invited you to the Winter Ball?"

Mako nodded. "Several people."

"Several people?" It was difficult to contain her surprise. She hadn't thought that any of the guys were courageous enough to actually approach her. "Really? Who?"

"I'm not sure."

Yuuki, who had been about to rest her chin upon her hand, missed completely and nearly hit the table. She stuttered. "Not sure? You don't know who asked you?" When Mako failed to respond the guardian sighed and reclined in her seat. She felt awkward sitting alone with the hunter, and the silence did nothing to help. "Are you going?"

"No. I've never been one for fancy balls."

"Maybe if you...uh..." She hesitated, but upon seeing Mako's raise her eyebrow, pressed on. "It could be fun, you know, if you were asked by the right person."

Mako blinked. "The right person? Do you mean a friend or a lover?"

Crimson fanned across the young guardian's cheeks. "Um...a...a l-lover."

The hunter rested her fork against the plate before clasping her hands together and propping them under her chin. "Are you insinuating again, Cross-san?" Yuuki stared at her as she leant forward. "Is there someone at school that you think warrants the job?"

"N-No! I-I didn't mean it like that! I- It's just..." Yuuki shrunk back, suddenly feeling incredibly small under the hunter's intense gaze. She averted her eyes. "You and Zero seem close...so I just assumed-"

"Of course." The guardian stiffened, eyes closed as she waited to hear the worst. "But you should never assume." Her eyes snapped open and immediately met Mako's amused expression. "There's no need for you to worry."

"Then...you don't- I mean-" She gathered herself. "You don't like him in that way?"

Mako scrunched her face into the most nauseated expression. "God no. It would be like dating my brother. That's just...eww."

Her body suffered a short spasm at the thought, eliciting a snort of laughter from Yuuki. It was a relief to say the least. She wasn't quite sure why she felt the prospect of Zero and Mako dating particularly worrying, after all, she should be happy that Zero had someone in his life, right?

"Why are you making a face?"

The girls simultaneously turned to Zero, who leant calmly against the booth. Mako stared blankly at him. "None of your business."

He raised an eyebrow as he leant closer to inspect her face. "You look like you're about to be sick."

"That would be Cross-san's fault." The female hunter remained unaffected by his closeness, but wrinkled her nose as the thought crossed her mind again. "She put an image in my head that I'd rather forget."

"What image?"

He tapped her shoulder and this time she moved without complaint. "You and me. Dating."

Zero considered the idea, but promptly shook his head. "That's a disturbing thought."

"I know."

"No guy in his right mind would date you." He reached past her for his mug, ignoring the hostile glare from Mako. He leant back into his seat and made to sip at his coffee, but stopped short upon noticing the grape bobbing around in the murky liquid. Glancing at Mako, he quickly fished it out. "Especially not me."

Mako scoffed. "You'd be so lucky."

"I don't think lucky's the right word in this instance."

She punched him in the shoulder, causing him to spill some coffee on the table. "I pity the girl who ends up with you, you loner."

An intense staring contest ensued between the hunters which made Yuuki shift uncomfortably in her seat. The scene also drew in the attention of surrounding tables who were beginning to grow irritated by their constant disturbances. Apologizing to the other customers, Yuuki leant towards her companions to try and separate them. But her bid went unnoticed and instead she chose to wait them out. Yuuki sunk into her seat, hand over her face so as to block out the disapproving stares. Despite the hunters normally having a serious disposition, when in each others' presence they were incredibly immature.

Yuuki chanced a peek through her fingers to see Mako on her feet and staring blankly out the window. Zero, likewise, stood in close proximity behind her. The guardian frowned and leant over the table to get a better look out the window and catch a glimpse of whatever had caused their odd behaviour. There was nothing unusual, only the gloomy residence of town. Mako tore her gaze from outside and glanced back at Zero who leant closer. A few hushed words were exchanged between them prior to Mako excusing herself and promptly leaving. Zero watched her retreating figure till the very last moment before returning to his seat. An uncomfortable silence settled as he gripped onto his mug and stared intently out the window.