It's Not Over

Yuuki bit her lip as she, once again, retracted her hand moments before it came in contact with Zero's arm, choosing to call his attention with a soft call of his name instead. It'd been a week since he and Kaname had returned from that overnight gathering, but Zero was still affected by what had happened there, of which Yuuki couldn't figure out. But, she frowned in worry; it couldn't have been anything good.

The morning she'd tried to greet him with her customary hug, Zero had flinched from her arms. He'd relaxed not a second later and returned her show of affection, but Yuuki had already deduced something was wrong. The way he'd acted for the rest of the day only further cemented her conclusions – something terrible had been done to Zero that night.

Yuuki felt a darker part of her twinge and begin to snarl at even the thought of her close friend being subjected to any amount of pain. It demanded if that truly were the case, proper retribution was in order, if it had yet to be meted out. The perpetrator had to be found and thoroughly dealt with. It wouldn't stand for someone they considered their own to be treated with any disrespect.

Although initially rather shocked at her own protective instincts, Yuuki just chalked it up to the closeness she and Zero had come to share in the time she'd known him. If a part of her argued she had never thought such dark things before, for anyone, she didn't pay it any mind. Zero was important to her; of course she'd be protective of him.

She could tell other students were starting to be concerned as well, when they saw the change in Zero's behavior. The other boys had started to keep a ginger distance, seeing how the new transfer student they'd gotten to know flinched and shied away from any show of close physical contact. None had ever been particularly touchy, but Zero hadn't minded playful slaps to the back or arm or the occasional lighthearted punches either.

After that night however, he seemed even quieter than before, and he'd always have such a wary look to his eyes, as though looking out for anything that might jump out and attack him.

The girls, similar to the boys, also kept a fair distance out of concern. Yuuki assumed they didn't want to aggravate Zero's feelings, as he seemed to have developed a dislike for close contact, but they had to understand, their actions, though out of care and worry, were only making Zero more isolated and alone, which would do nothing to help his condition.

Her fellow prefect was generally rather close lipped about his personal affairs, she knew, and she didn't want to push for answers to questions that were only bound to bring up some unfavorable memories, but if Zero's current condition continued to persist, Yuuki felt she was going to have to take a bit of action on her own. She wasn't going to tie Zero down to a chair and pile him with questions, no, but she would try to find a way to make him more open to talking about whatever was affecting him so negatively.

And I know just who to go to.

She did have her doubts, however, about her first plan (not that she really had a second), as Zero met with him nearly every night, and yet the other prefect hadn't seemed to really improve on his skittish paranoid behavior. If plan A proved to be unsuccessful… I'll just think of another way, she tried to assure herself. She just wanted Zero to get better.

"Sorry, Zero, but could you hold the girls off while I open the gates?" She sent him a soft smile. Both she and Zero blinked when the girls wordlessly parted ways without fuss, but Yuuki smiled gratefully when she noticed their concerned expressions towards Zero. They were all aware of his recent reclusive attitude and didn't want to make things harder for him.

They're not totally mindless, Yuuki thought with a bit of approval. Though it could also be due to their admiration of him. Sometimes, Yuuki speculated the only reason why the Night class students won over their male prefect in popularity was because the girls only got a chance to see them twice a day while they had a multitude of opportunities to ogle at Zero for however long they liked during school hours.

Shaking her head, she parted the gates and looked to the pureblood up front with a hard look to her eyes, her heart set and determined. Someone important to her was in pain, and she refused to let it continue. If she had to give the vampire she owed her life a stern talking to, she would do it without question.

Before he had time to distract her with his usual smooth greeting, she tugged on a corner of his sleeve and whispered, as lowly as she could, that she wanted him to meet her as soon as he had the time.

"It's about Zero," was all she said in response to his inquiring look. Without waiting for a reply (she knew he'd come), she smiled cheerily and chirped out yes, she was glad to see him and wow, wasn't it such a beautiful night?

Zero raised a brow at her, but Yuuki merely offered a happy shrug.

Kaname had to refrain from lowering himself to giving in to the pen tapping his impatient fingers currently had a hard time resisting. Half heartedly looking down at his notes for the night, he really couldn't bring it in himself to care much about how disjointed and completely incomprehensible they were, his mind occupied with Zero and Yuuki. The former more than the latter, admittedly, but that wasn't anything new, especially since that night a week prior.

Zero was hiding something from him. No, he corrected, not exactly hiding per se, it was more of an avoidance of certain topics… Right, he thought despondently, which was pretty much the same as hiding.

Something was bothering him, but Zero refused (avoided) telling Kaname about it, smoothly changing their line of conversation and thus diverting any unwanted attention away from himself. If Kaname weren't so frustrated at his impeccable skill, he'd be rather proud, but with the situation as it was, all he could do was curse Raiga for teaching Zero so well.

Otherwise, a calmer part of him vainly tried to mollify, otherwise, Zero was as he always was. If it weren't for his instincts, Kaname would have assumed Zero was completely fine without a thing to worry about, regardless of what'd happened that night.

But he isn't, he thought grimly, and Yuuki's words to him tonight were further proof of that. Giving another sharp glance out of the window, Kaname pursed his lips and stood from his seat. Giving the professor for the evening a simple nod, he left the classroom and headed to where he knew Yuuki would be waiting for him. If he failed to return before the entirety of the lessons ended, he knew Takuma would take care of his things.

He'd never moved so fast once the door closed behind him.

"Kaname-sempai!" Yuuki's voice was sharply clear; tearing into the silence the late night surrounded them with. Her sweet voice had never bothered him before, he loved to hear it every chance he got, but on this night, when it was filled with the same hardened conviction he'd heard merely moments prior, it only worked to further the worry and doubt that'd festered for neigh on a week.

"Yuuki." She was sitting outside the steps to the house she used to live in before she'd decided to move into the dorms. Though she was still in her uniform, she was dressed warmly, and she sent him a smile before standing and heading inside, leaving the door open as a silent invitation for him to follow.

His heart giving a nervous lurch, Kaname went inside after her.

"You mentioned Zero." The pureblood's voice was calm and smooth, as always. The prefect spared him a glance as she filled two mugs and turned from the counter to set them on the table.

"I did." Instead of sitting across from him as Kaname expected, Yuuki took a seat right next to him. Her gaze was focused on her mug, but the usual shy blush to her cheeks was completely absent and she seemed busy thinking trying to put her thoughts into words. Knowing better than to rush her for answers, Kaname pushed for patience and waited for her words.

"Kaname-sempai…Zero's…Zero's real quiet, isn't he?" Yuuki started softly. "I mean, he doesn't mind talking, but whenever he does, it's never about anything too personal, and even though a lot of the other students think he's nice, they don't know a lot about him." She pursed her lips and paused. "I didn't either, but he started telling me things while on prefect duty and we got close. I'd like to think of him as my closest male friend, so," she looked straight up into the pureblood's eyes, "So, if he's hurting, I want to do my best to help him."

Kaname gave a slow nod, "I do understand your standpoint Yuuki, as I feel the same, but Zero honestly has not shown me much by way of his emotional state in the last week since we've returned." He smiled wryly in response to Yuuki's surprised blink, "He's extremely well versed in switching our topics of conversation to something less threatening and I've yet to catch him at a favorable time."

Yuuki narrowed her eyes in a chastising way. "He really is way too good at that, isn't he?"

"I see you aren't exactly new to his methods," Kaname commented sympathetically. His former younger sister nodded. "Since he knows I'm easily distracted, it's only too easy." She frowned. "I should've known he'd try to keep it from you, Kaname-sempai. Zero hates to worry people, and I know he cares about you a lot."

Kaname was glad he hadn't chosen to take a sip of his tea then. It would've left his mouth in entirely wrong ways. He could only be thankful he'd managed to keep most of his shock inward as he sent her an inquiring glance.

"I know he visits you every night," Yuuki shrugged. "Well, almost every night, but he's close to you too, isn't he?" She asked in a tone that told Kaname it would be useless to try to think of excuses to claim otherwise. "I guess it's because he's trying so hard for you that he slips up a lot during the day…" She murmured.

"When he first came back," she started, "I tried to give him a hug, I always do, but that day, he…he flinched, Kaname-sempai, like he was, I don't know, scared, maybe…?" Taking in the brunet's concerned expression, she quickly added, "He tried to hug me back right afterwards, like nothing was wrong, but I already noticed.

"It wasn't just that, either. He stays away from all the other guys in our class. Not too obviously, but he doesn't like it when they touch him–Kaname-sempai?" She cut herself off when she felt the pureblood stiffen beside her.

"Touch him? In what way?"

"Uh, regularly, I guess, you know, like slaps on the back or punches on the arm when they're kidding around." She answered haltingly; wary at the anger she couldn't help but shiver at when hearing firsthand. Unusually, it wasn't out of fear, but caution and curiosity. She could feel that righteous part of her actually settling in satisfaction at seeing Kaname's anger, knowing proper justice would be brought upon those that might have harmed Zero in any way.

"Anything else, Yuuki?"

"So far, that's just about it, but it's enough to make me worried. He's gotten really…I don't want to make it sound like he's losing his mind or something, but he's so careful, paranoid almost.

"He's always tense, talks even less, and—" Yuuki gave a helpless shrug. "Please Kaname-sempai, can you, can you do something for him? I know he'll listen to you."

"I will, Yuuki, I can promise you that," Kaname's voice was eerily quiet she could barely hear him. She couldn't help the smile that lifted her lips at his answer however. The pureblood had never once lied to her and she knew he would follow through with his words. Sighing out all of the tension in her shoulders, she leaned back and took a sip of her warm tea. It felt extremely good to know Zero was going to be okay now.

But just one more thing… "Kaname-sempai, do you know who did that to him?" She tried to sound casual, but she knew she wasn't fooling anyone when Kaname turned to her knowingly.

"Yes, and my friend and I have taken both our turns on the less fortunate." Almost expecting a reprimand or clueless tilt of her head, Kaname was half surprised to see Yuuki's heartwarming grin.

"Oh," she nearly sighed, "Good." And she sounded it too. Kaname nearly missed the faint flash of familiar garnet in her eyes when she turned back to her mug. It was all he could do to not freeze on the spot in sheer shock.

Her seals are wearing down…

"Kaname-sempai, please help Zero, okay?" Her eyes were back to her soft kind brown.

Yes, he did have more pressing matters to worry about at hand, didn't he?

Zero gasped awake, his heated skin cooling from the sudden rush of air as he threw off his blankets. Slowing his breathing, he tried to calm himself down and closed his eyes. The urge to scream helplessly nearly overcame him before he placed a firm lid over it and grit his teeth, pressing his forehead against one of his upturned knees. He couldn't keep this up. No matter how hard he tried, the results of his lack of sleep was soon going to show, and the last thing he wanted to do was fall asleep while listening to Kaname.

He loved the pureblood's voice, but he loved to hear what he had to say just as much. Like Sara, Kaname had a radical thought pattern compared to traditional vampires, something Zero didn't doubt his pacifist parents had encouraged.

If he wanted to sound dramatic, Zero could even call this new coexistence project a revolution of sorts. It was slow in progress, momentarily having halted when Kaname's parents had been killed, but having been restarted once again by Kaname himself with vigor.

Kaname was quick, nearly incomprehensibly so, but he never missed a thing, and was capable of keeping a frightening level of cool tranquility that had yet to fail in taking down other opposing nobles. Raiga would have loved him in that regard. Zero could admit to having a hard time keeping up with him at some points, but really, Kaname was just so fascinating to listen to.

When you can get him to talk… There was that, of course, but it wasn't nearly as hard as everyone seemed to perceive it as. All one had to do was ask, and let Kaname choose whether or not he wanted to deign the question with an answer, to which he almost always did for Zero.

Smiling softly, Zero finally relaxed and laid back against his headboard. Thinking of Kaname always did the trick. He was able to get his rationality back and his nightmares ceased to have any affect on him. Breathing easier, Zero remembered the warmth of his Keeper's presence, his arms, and his voice.

Kaname had been so kind that night… And that was why Zero shouldn't do anything more to trouble him, especially not with useless insecurities and something as ridiculously infantile as nightmares. It was almost embarrassing if not for the pure terror he felt moments before and after he woke.

Every time he thought about what could have happened, how that evening could have ended… The images of those lust filled eyes, invasive hands, the pain of their touch, and the utter hopeless helplessness he'd experienced under the influence of the drug was unbearable. How far would that vampire have gone if his hunter instincts hadn't reacted so swiftly? Zero curled in on himself and gripped the sides of his shirt as though offering himself a phantom embrace and empty comfort.

Kaname was the only one that could keep those thoughts away, those nightmares away. His precious Keeper…

"Kaname…" He wished for those arms now, for that soft, gentle voice, the soothing smiles… He just wanted Kaname.

And as though in answer to his silent call, Zero felt his ownership mark burn hotly against his thigh. Holding in a relieved moan, he now had a reason to seek out who he wanted to see most, Zero quickly got out of his bed and dressed appropriately (he nearly ran out with just his nightshirt) before rushing out of his room.

Takuma blinked in mid-greeting, his arm not even all the way up in his customary wave, when Zero whooshed past him and up the stairs. About to call him back in worry, the blond flinched back in surprise as he felt a faint crackling of hunter magic in the air. Slowly lowering his arm, his expression turned pensive as he worried his lip.

Was Zero so unsettled? And if so, why? Kaname hadn't seemed too different tonight if he excused the leaving only minutes into class thing. The pureblood hadn't come back after that either.

And now Zero… I hope everything is fine, he fretted silently. Letting out a sigh, the blond noble headed back to his room to bug Senri.

Zero actually paused at Kaname's door, desperately wanting to just burst in and seek the comfort he so needed, but now not knowing how to answer to Kaname's possible questions after doing such a thing. Zero hadn't ever done something like what he wanted to do now, and his Keeper was bound to be curious, if not concerned.

Taking a distracted moment to curse his shaking hand, Zero took his time opening the door before stepping in, keeping his eyes low. He didn't know what he would do or say if he met with Kaname eye to eye.

"Zero, you seem to be in a lot of discomfort," Kaname's voice called to him, "Are you fine?" Instead of waiting for an answer, Zero felt a smooth hand wrap gently around his arm and tug him forward, away from the door. "Sit and have something warm to drink?"

"Do you have honeyed milk?" Zero asked before he could stop himself. His cheeks flushing in embarrassment, he was even more determined to keep his eyes lowered, trained on his shoes. How could he have just blurted that out? And honeyed milk of all things… He loved it, but still, it seemed like such a childish thing to keep favoring.

"Of course," Kaname smiled, making note to have that served more often when Zero came over. Now that he remembered, Zero, even before the loss of his memories, had always preferred warm honeyed milk, especially during winter. He'd lick his lips so adorably after every sip…

But he was digressing.

"Zero, what is on your mind?" The pureblood kept his voice soft and quiet, trying to coax out an answer. Yuuki's confession about Zero's recent behavior pained him and he wanted to do everything he could to stop it from escalating. If he let Zero fester in his repressed emotions, things could only get worse, and the younger boy hardly deserved to go through more than he'd already suffered.

Seeing the tremor along Zero's body, Kaname didn't hesitate in pulling him into his arms, running his hands along the sides of the other boy's arms and down his back, pressing kisses to his hair. "Please, do not hold anything in, Zero. Tell me if you need something from me, I will do whatever is in my power to provide for you."

"But Kaname, I—" Zero bit his lip, cutting himself off. What could he say so that he wouldn't sound so dependent? So childish? So pathetically needy? He was almost in his majority, almost seventeen, practically an adult, and he couldn't even deal with a few nightmares?

The embarrassed flush was back again, along with the burning self hate and shame. He shouldn't be letting something so irrational overwhelm him to such an extent, but while his mind was more than content in thinking so logically, his heart was far from convinced. He hadn't even the luxury to forget, plagued as he was in his dreams.

Whenever he remembered the pain he'd felt, the fear, all he could do was shiver and fall further into the darker possibilities that night could have resulted in. To think he'd have the one gift he'd wanted to present Kaname with, forcibly taken from him so brutally, never to return or be retrieved…his eyes burned and his chest squeezed with renewed pain. He'd have been forever tainted, never to be worthy of any Keeper, much less someone like Kaname.

Making to clutch at Kaname's soft shirt near his hips, Zero pressed his face against it, taking in short shallow breaths. "I don't – I don't want you to give me away," he whispered wetly. "I don't want anyone else as my Keeper—"

"Shh, Zero, Zero," Kaname shushed, inwardly turning half frantic himself at the younger boy's admission (did he really think that?), "Zero, I will never, do you understand, never, do something so despicable as to cast away what I treasure most. You are all I want, Zero, how could I do something so unthinkable?" He rubbed the younger boy's neck, "You needn't worry over such things. I feel almost insulted you'd think me capable," he smiled. "I've given you my mark, and I'm expecting to see it, just as I placed it, for as long as you wish it, Zero," he trailed his hand down to run his fingers over it.

Shuddering, Zero nodded quickly, relaxing considerably. He was still Kaname's, and he would forever be until the end of his life, if Kaname's words were true, for Zero had no intention of letting himself bond to another vampire. As his Keeper had said, it was simply unthinkable. No others would have Zero's complete loyalty and protection as Kaname did. The pureblood would his first and last Keeper.

Kaname knew whatever Zero was so bothered by couldn't have been just that, but he couldn't bring himself to push Zero for answers he knew the other didn't want to part with just yet. He could take his time and let Zero open up to him on his own with subtle nudges in a certain direction. Knowing the source was the incident from a week ago was not enough, there were too many problems that could be plaguing his precious boy from that night, which only emphasized the amount of pain Zero could be under, even now.

Another visit to Sara's is in order. That vampire was still being kept alive by the other pureblood, still undergoing torture. Purebloods were acutely aware of the weaknesses of the lower class, and he and Sara were more than aware of how much damage one could take before dying permanently. For once, the vampire's accelerated healing was only working against him as he was offered just enough blood to keep him alive and aware for more of the hell he'd brought upon himself.

"I see it sometimes, I see him, from that night," Zero sighed, bone weary, and just so tired. Kaname had said he was still his; that he always would be. Zero didn't think he needed any more reassurances than that. "I almost forgot about how…how disgusting some vampires could feel," he murmured, his eyes blank. "I was always with you, Kaname, and the vampires here don't feel that bad, the humans too."

But that vampire… "He felt like something else. I never hurt so much before…" He could almost feel the burn on his cheek if he focused hard enough, and absently rubbed it against Kaname's warm shoulder, subconsciously wanting to replace the horrible sensation with his Keeper's soothing heat.

Kaname merely nodded and urged for Zero to continue, running a hand through his silvery locks, surrounding him with an air of comfort. He was so immensely thankful for his heritage, if only for things like this in which he could use his powerful presence to send certain emotions through to whoever he desired.

It was one of the lesser-known abilities a Kuran usually possessed (it wasn't always the case – Rido was a prime example of that), which also played a hand in their somewhat empathic senses. Haruka, his father, had been especially sensitive, and it only further convinced him to working towards a peaceful coexistence with humans.

"When I came into that certain aspect of our line, all I could feel from our victims were their terror and fear of death as if they were my own." It was enough to turn anyone off a potential meal.

Kaname wasn't so burdened with his inherent gifts as his parents had been, and sending emotions through his aura was just about all he could manage on that front, but it was enough if it could help Zero in any way.

Zero allowing himself for the emotional influence also spoke of how much trust he held in Kaname, as the younger boy was a born hunter, a powerful one, and Keeper or not, Kaname was still a pureblood vampire working his gifts on his mind and body. If Zero truly felt threatened, Kaname was sure he'd have ended up much like that other vampire from that evening – pushed to his limits by the boy's survival instincts.

"Zero," he softly murmured, "where has he dared to touch you?" He'd refrained from asking before, not wanting to further push Zero away, but now that they were on the subject, Kaname really, really wanted/needed/had to know.

Zero merely closed his eyes and shifted to rub his cheek against Kaname's shoulder again. "Just the side of my face…"

"Just there?" Zero had already mentioned that, but if that vampire had touched anywhere else…

"Mm…" Zero hummed an affirmative, his eyes lidded. Kaname felt so good…

Kaname was half disappointed he wouldn't have more reasons to maim the vampire a little more, but decided that really wouldn't have made much of a difference, as he was already doing quite a lot of maiming. Sara could be so inventive; Kaname would never look at her the same. Amiable as she may be, there was no doubt in her lineage as a pureblood.

"Zero, if and when you are having difficulties with the events of that night, please do not hesitate in coming to me. If and when you hurt from remembering whatever he has done to you, it does not matter when or how, just come to me."

Zero nodded instantly, pressing himself further against his Keeper in absolute contentment. He so loved Kaname's voice and his soothing words. That other vampire was long gone from his mind. He just had to focus on his Owner and everything felt right with the world. All he needed was Kaname…

"Zero?" Kaname smiled softly and pressed a chaste kiss to the sleeping boy's temple. If Zero had been suffering from nightmares, it was only natural for him to lack the sleep he so needed, but to continuously evade him even with the disadvantages that came from exhaustion… Kaname shook his head with fond exasperation. Zero could be so irresistibly adorable.

And he is mine to adore, he though firmly, cradling Zero in his arms as he brought the boy to his bed, settling him under the covers. No others should dare to even think of laying their hands on what is mine.

O.M.A.K.E. – More KxZ Just Because

Zero shifted slightly as he woke, letting out a soft surprised moan that definitely had nothing to do with the recent nightmares he'd been having. "Nn…" Rather opposite, in fact. He hadn't felt so…wonderfully hazy when waking up in a while.

Why did he…? Oh, he blinked, rubbing his eyes. Remembering the events of last night, Zero peered around discreetly and saw that he was still in Kaname's bedroom, resting next to the pureblood himself.

Zero wished he could fall back asleep and continue to enjoy the warmth of his Keeper, but he had other…pressing (extremely uncomfortably) matters to attend to at the moment, and seriously debated whether to borrow Kaname's private bathrooms for just a few minutes.

It wouldn't take long, a part of him whispered temptingly, Kaname might not even notice.

But you know he would, Zero shook his head in dismay. There was no way Kaname wouldn't smell him from a mile off, no matter how deeply he was left to dream.

But still, Zero bit his lip as he accidentally shifted his legs, the more he thought about it, the direr his situation became, as he knew this wasn't a normal adolescent reaction in the morning after a pleasant dream. If he didn't take care of this soon, it would only escalate to something he wouldn't be able to manage on his own.

As always, with Zero's wonderful luck, it tied in with his connection to Kaname as his Pet and the pureblood his Keeper. He'd been aware of how much Kaname was using his aura to calm him last night, and didn't doubt that had also worked to affect the ownership mark in unexpected ways. The rose insignia was Kaname's personal signature; it was only natural for it to react to Kaname's aura. And with how Zero had so willingly let it wash over him…

The prefect held in a sigh. He supposed it was plausible, but no one had told him such a thing was really possible. Pressing himself into the sheets, Zero fought to control the flush he felt warming his skin as he felt the mark on his thigh heat further in response to his deepening arousal.

He had to think of something else, or things would only get steadily worse. Zero quickly tried to look for something to distract him. Spotting the bathroom door, he grimaced and curled his fingers around the warm sheets under him. Perhaps he should just splash some cold water on his face. He'd then make a jump off of the balcony back to his dorm room where he'd either take a cool shower or…or take care of his problem the traditional way.

Whatever, just get out and do something before Kaname wakes up! Zero winced, yes, that was the most important aspect, wasn't it?

Half hopeless (his luck was just so, he knew Kaname was going to wake at the worst possible moment), Zero raised himself on his elbow and leaned forward, carefully arranging his legs to swing smoothly down from the bed—

If not for the slender hand now keeping one of them in place, namely, his marked thigh.

Hissing in a gasp (Kaname's fingers just had to be right there?!), Zero froze and looked over his shoulder apprehensively.

Seeing Kaname's eyes warm with concern, he relaxed a margin. Maybe his Keeper wouldn't notice after all…? "Leaving without a word, Zero? I know you were rather upset last night, but—" Kaname's fingers tensed above his mark and his eyes widened a fraction.

Zero hung his head. Well, there went his hope of getting out of this with limited amount of embarrassment on his part. He could feel his cheeks heating (how many times had that happened since last night?) and fell back onto the bed to press his face against the cool pillows, his back to his Keeper.

This was the pits, he wanted to moan in mortified despair. The morning after he acted like a scared child fearing the monsters in his closet, this happened.

So unfair… Now that Kaname knew, there was no escaping for Zero, as the last thing he'd soon want would be to run from Kaname's touch. Just having the pureblood's hand above his mark was doing things he'd rather not pay attention to at the moment.

He nearly forgot to breathe however, when he felt his mark pulse with a different type of warmth. It was reacting to Kaname's current emotions and Zero could feel his Keeper's near overwhelming desire and affection with every spike.

Just how much had Kaname influenced him with his presence last night for his mark to be so sensitized to the slighter nuances in the vampire's aura?

When Kaname's hand pulled him further back onto the bed and his fingers slid home to the rose centerpiece, Zero actually groaned into the pillow, trembling with the pure need to find some sort of release from everything he was feeling.

Naturally, he tried to curl his body inward, and was torn between being disappointed he'd almost slipped his thigh from under that wonderful hand and being glad he'd at least get a few seconds to catch his breath.

Lilac eyes grew wide as Zero, who was expecting to be pulled even further back, suddenly felt Kaname's chest right behind him. "Is this why you were about to choose for such a hasty retreat?" The pureblood murmured, his eyes devious as he placed more pressure against the spot he knew would work to push Zero over the edge. The prefect let out a breathy sigh when he felt the pureblood rise up above him on his forearm to nuzzle his neck, turning his head up to give the brunet more access to his throat.

Kaname closed his darkening eyes and took a split second to calm the inner beast in him clamoring for Zero's blood, parting his mouth and making sure to never do more than scrape his fangs playfully against the heated skin beneath his lips. Nipping at it languidly, he placed a few gentle kisses before sucking sharply, delighting in the resulting gasp and moan that followed.

Moving to ravish the other side of Zero's neck, Kaname moved to further cover Zero's body with his own, coaxing him to turn onto his back and nudging the boy's knees apart to settle between his thighs.

"Nn, Kaname…"

"Kaname-sempai, is everything alright?"

Both Zero and Kaname froze. Yuuki? What in the world was she doing here? Sighing, Kaname rested his forehead against Zero's, sharing a fond smile with him before lifting his head and softly calling out,

"Yes, Yuuki, things are quite fine, thank you."

Whether it was the tone he used or in the way he'd said it, Yuuki seemed to have gotten the underlying message, and cheerily called back an apology that sounded much too happy before trotting off. Kaname could actually hear her light hums fading down the hall as she practically skipped out of the Moon dorms.

How did she manage to get inside undetected…?

"Ka-Kaname…!" At Zero's sharp hiss, Kaname reverted his attention back onto the boy beneath him and let out a slight grin. "So sorry for that Zero," he'd accidentally brushed his side against Zero's mark.

Not for the first time, he truly appreciated how convenient its placement was on Zero's body in situations like this. It was so easy to reach with his hands, and the width of Zero's thigh was just enough for Kaname's hand to curve comfortably over in order to reach that precious rose insignia with his thumb.

Moving to unbutton the dress shirt Zero was in, Kaname nearly growled in irritation when there was a knock at the door.

"Kaname?" It was Takuma. "I think I just heard Yuuki-chan, is she…?"

"No, Takuma, she's fine and has safely left the premises."

"Ah, I see…" There was no doubt the blond noble had heard the less than pleased tone in Kaname's answer, and Zero, despite his own compromised position, let out a slight laugh. It seemed things were rather working against their favor this morning, not that he completely minded. His mark had calmed some, upon Zero receiving a bit of his Keeper's much needed attention, and he could survive should their morning activities be permanently interrupted.

He nearly choked not a second later when Kaname sent him a playful frown and gave a pointed look to Zero's half opened slacks, sliding his hand down the length of Zero's unmarked thigh towards his groin.

"Erm, take care, Kaname."

"Thank you, and you as well, Takuma," Kaname answered, ever the polite pureblood. Zero held in another laugh, covering his mouth with his hand. If he didn't know better, he'd have thought Kaname wasn't as eager for him as he seemed, with how quickly he was able to switch on and off outwardly, but the mark was still pulsing, and Zero could clearly feel the desire coursing through Kaname's mind and body.

Once Takuma left, the pureblood relaxed, resuming his task of undressing the now amused boy under him, dropping a chaste kiss to his jaw as he parted the white shirt, running his hand down Zero's soft sides—

Knock, knock.

Zero winced as he heard the windows crack. This was really not their day. That didn't stop him from just pulling Kaname down and laughing into his shoulder however, pressing an apologetic kiss to his neck for their ruined morning. Well, all things considered (the important things), Zero was actually looking forward to coming back to a miffed Kaname after school. His Keeper was just so talented, and depending on his mood, his creativity regarding certain activities varied, though in essence, they all worked towards the same goal.

Trying to keep a narrowed eye stare at that smile, Kaname lost the battle within two seconds of trying, and smiled back, dipping his head to nip at Zero's bottom lip before running his tongue over it.

"This is far from finished, you understand."

Disclaimer: No own Vampire Knights.

Thank you for reading!! XD I'd apologize for the silliness at the end if I really meant it, but I really couldn't keep the sober tone and pretty much cracked at the end :P On another note, has anyone else read Ch. 50 and loved it as much as I did? *squeals at so much Zero*